第 2 节
作者:曾氏六合网      更新:2021-09-29 13:04      字数:9320
  francs daily for herself and three and a half for her little girl;
  and where else could she live with a better junction of economy and
  comfort?  And then the gentleman who always sat next to her was so
  exceedingly civil!
  The gentleman's name was M。 Lacordaire。  So much she knew; and had
  learned to call him by his name very frequently。  Mimmy; too; was
  quite intimate with M。 Lacordaire; but nothing more than his name
  was known of him。  But M。 Lacordaire carried a general letter of
  recommendation in his face; manner; gait; dress; and tone of voice。
  In all these respects there was nothing left to be desired; and; in
  addition to this; he was decorated; and wore the little red ribbon
  of the Legion of Honour; ingeniously twisted into the shape of a
  small flower。
  M。 Lacordaire might be senior in age to Mrs。 Thompson by about ten
  years; nor had he about him any of the airs or graces of a would…be
  young man。  His hair; which he wore very short; was grizzled; as was
  also the small pretence of a whisker which came down about as far as
  the middle of his ear; but the tuft on his chin was still brown;
  without a gray hair。  His eyes were bright and tender; his voice was
  low and soft; his hands were very white; his clothes were always new
  and well fitting; and a better…brushed hat could not be seen out of
  Paris; nor perhaps in it。
  Now; during the weeks which Mrs。 Thompson had passed at La Puy; the
  acquaintance which she had formed with M。 Lacordaire had progressed
  beyond the prolonged meals in the salle a manger。  He had
  occasionally sat beside her evening table as she took her English
  cup of tea in her own room; her bed being duly screened off in its
  distant niche by becoming curtains; and then he had occasionally
  walked beside her; as he civilly escorted her to the lions of the
  place; and he had once accompanied her; sitting on the back seat of
  a French voiture; when she had gone forth to see something of the
  surrounding country。
  On all such occasions she had been accompanied by one of her
  daughters; and the world of Le Puy had had nothing material to say
  against her。  But still the world of Le Puy had whispered a little;
  suggesting that M。 Lacordaire knew very well what he was about。  But
  might not Mrs。 Thompson also know as well what she was about?  At
  any rate; everything had gone on very pleasantly since the
  acquaintance had been made。  And now; so much having been explained;
  we will go back to the elaborate breakfast at the Hotel des
  Ambassadeurs。
  Mrs。 Thompson; holding Mimmy by the hand; walked into the room some
  few minutes after the last bell had been rung; and took the place
  which was now hers by custom。  The gentlemen who constantly
  frequented the house all bowed to her; but M。 Lacordaire rose from
  his seat and offered her his hand。
  〃And how is Mees Meemy this morning?〃 said he; for 'twas thus he
  always pronounced her name。
  Miss Mimmy; answering for herself; declared that she was very well;
  and suggested that M。 Lacordaire should give her a fig from off a
  dish that was placed immediately before him on the table。  This M。
  Lacordaire did; presenting it very elegantly between his two
  fingers; and making a little bow to the little lady as he did so。
  〃Fie; Mimmy!〃 said her mother; 〃why do you ask for the things before
  the waiter brings them round?〃
  〃But; mamma;〃 said Mimmy; speaking English; 〃M。 Lacordaire always
  gives me a fig every morning。〃
  〃M。 Lacordaire always spoils you; I think;〃 answered Mrs。 Thompson;
  in French。  And then they went thoroughly to work at their
  breakfast。  During the whole meal M。 Lacordaire attended assiduously
  to his neighbour; and did so without any evil result; except that
  one Frenchman with a black moustache; at the head of the table; trod
  on the toe of another Frenchman with another black moustache
  winking as he made the signjust as M。 Lacordaire; having selected
  a bunch of grapes; put it on Mrs。 Thompson's plate with infinite
  grace。  But who among us all is free from such impertinences as
  these?
  〃But madame really must see the chateau of Prince Polignac before
  she leaves Le Puy;〃 said M。 Lacordaire。
  〃The chateau of who?〃 asked Mimmy; to whose young ears the French
  words were already becoming familiar。
  〃Prince Polignac; my dear。  Well; I really don't know; M。
  Lacordaire;I have seen a great deal of the place already; and I
  shall be going now very soon; probably in a day or two;〃 said Mrs。
  Thompson。
  〃But madame must positively see the chateau;〃 said M。 Lacordaire;
  very impressively; and then after a pause he added; 〃If madame will
  have the complaisance to commission me to procure a carriage for
  this afternoon; and will allow me the honour to be her guide; I
  shall consider myself one of the most fortunate of men。〃
  〃Oh; yes; mamma; do go;〃 said Mimmy; clapping her hands。  〃And it is
  Thursday; and Lilian can go with us。〃
  〃Be quiet; Mimmy; do。  Thank you; no; M。 Lacordaire。  I could not go
  to…day; but I am extremely obliged by your politeness。〃
  M。 Lacordaire still pressed the matter; and Mrs。 Thompson still
  declined till it was time to rise from the table。  She then declared
  that she did not think it possible that she should visit the chateau
  before she left Le Puy; but that she would give him an answer at
  dinner。
  The most tedious time in the day to Mrs。 Thompson were the two hours
  after breakfast。  At one o'clock she daily went to the school;
  taking Mimmy; who for an hour or two shared her sister's lessons。
  This and her little excursions about the place; and her shopping;
  managed to make away with her afternoon。  Then in the evening; she
  generally saw something of M。 Lacordaire。  But those two hours after
  breakfast were hard of killing。
  On this occasion; when she gained her own room; she as usual placed
  Mimmy on the sofa with a needle。  Her custom then was to take up a
  novel; but on this morning she sat herself down in her arm…chair;
  and resting her head upon her hand and elbow; began to turn over
  certain circumstances in her mind。
  〃Mamma;〃 said Mimmy; 〃why won't you go with M。 Lacordaire to that
  place belonging to the prince?  PrincePolly something; wasn't it?〃
  〃Mind your work; my dear;〃 said Mrs。 Thompson。
  〃But I do so wish you'd go; mamma。  What was the prince's name?〃
  〃Polignac。〃
  〃Mamma; ain't princes very great people?〃
  〃Yes; my dear; sometimes。〃
  〃Is Prince Polly…nac like our Prince Alfred?〃
  〃No; my dear; not at all。  At least; I suppose not。〃
  〃Is his mother a queen?〃
  〃No; my dear。〃
  〃Then his father must be a king?〃
  〃No; my dear。  It is quite a different thing here。  Here in France
  they have a great many princes。〃
  〃Well; at any rate I should like to see a prince's chateau; so I do
  hope you'll go。〃  And then there was a pause。  〃Mamma; could it come
  to pass; here in France; that M。 Lacordaire should ever be a
  prince?〃
  〃M。 Lacordaire a prince!  No; don't talk such nonsense; but mind
  your work。〃
  〃Isn't M。 Lacordaire a very nice man?  Ain't you very fond of him?〃
  To this question Mrs。 Thompson made no answer。
  〃Mamma;〃 continued Mimmy; after a moment's pause; 〃won't you tell me
  whether you are fond of M。 Lacordaire?  I'm quite sure of this;
  that he's very fond of you。〃
  〃What makes you think that?〃 asked Mrs。 Thompson; who could not
  bring herself to refrain from the question。
  〃Because he looks at you in that way; mamma; and squeezes your
  hand。〃
  〃Nonsense; child;〃 said Mrs。 Thompson; 〃hold your tongue。  I don't
  know what can have put such stuff into your head。〃
  〃But he does; mamma;〃 said Mimmy; who rarely allowed her mother to
  put her down。
  Mrs。 Thompson made no further answer; but again sat with her head
  resting on her hand。  She also; if the truth must be told; was
  thinking of M。 Lacordaire and his fondness for herself。  He had
  squeezed her hand and he had looked into her face。  However much it
  may have been nonsense on Mimmy's part to talk of such things; they
  had not the less absolutely occurred。  Was it really the fact that
  M。 Lacordaire was in love with her?
  And if so; what return should she; or could she make to such a
  passion?  He had looked at her yesterday; and squeezed her hand to…
  day。 Might it not be probable that he would advance a step further
  to…morrow?  If so; what answer would she be prepared to make to him?
  She did not thinkso she said to herselfthat she had any
  particular objection to marrying again。  Thompson had been dead now
  for four years; and neither his friends; nor her friends; nor the
  world could say she was wrong on that score。  And as to marrying a
  Frenchman; she could not say she felt within herself any absolute
  repugnance to doing that。  Of her own country; speaking of England
  as such; she; in truth; knew but littleand perhaps cared less。
  She had gone to India almost as a child; and England had not been
  specially kind to her on her return。  She had found it dull and
  cold; stiff; and almost ill…natured。  People there had not smiled on
  her and been civil as M。 Lacordaire had done。  As far as England and
  Englishmen were considered she saw no reason why she should not
  marry M。 Lacordaire。
  And then; as regarded the man; could she in her heart say that she