the chateau of prince polignac-第2章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


widow　of　a　gentleman　who　had　served　for　many　years　in　the　civil
service　of　the　East　Indies；　and　who；　on　dying；　had　left　her　a
comfortable　income　ofit　matters　not　how　many　pounds；　but
constituting　quite　a　sufficiency　to　enable　her　to　live　at　her　ease
and　educate　her　daughters。

Her　children　had　been　sent　home　to　England　before　her　husband's
death；　and　after　that　event　she　had　followed　them；　but　there；　though
she　was　possessed　of　moderate　wealth；　she　had　no　friends　and　few
acquaintances；　and　after　a　little　while　she　had　found　life　to　be
rather　dull。　　Her　customs　were　not　those　of　England；　nor　were　her
propensities　English；　therefore　she　had　gone　abroad；　and　having
received　some　recommendation　of　this　school　at　Le　Puy；　had　made　her
way　thither。　　As　it　appeared　to　her　that　she　really　enjoyed　more
consideration　at　Le　Puy　than　had　been　accorded　to　her　either　at
Torquay　or　Leamington；　there　she　remained　from　day　to　day。　　The
total　payment　required　at　the　Hotel　des　Ambassadeurs　was　but　six
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