the chateau of prince polignac-第3章

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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
was　prepared　to　love；　honour；　and　obey　M。　Lacordaire？　　She　certainly
knew　no　reason　why　she　should　not　do　so。　　She　did　not　know　much　of
him；　she　said　to　herself　at　first；　but　she　knew　as　much；　she　said
afterwards；　as　she　had　known　personally　of　Mr。　Thompson　before　their
marriage。　　She　had　known；　to　be　sure；　what　was　Mr。　Thompson's
profession　and　what　his　income；　or；　if　not；　some　one　else　had　known
for　her。　　As　to　both　these　points　she　was　quite　in　the　dark　as
regarded　M。　Lacordaire。

Personally；　she　certainly　did　like　him；　as　she　said　to　herself　more
than　once。　　There　was　a　courtesy　and　softness　about　him　which　were
very　gratifying　to　her；　and　then；　his　appearance　was　so　much　in　his
favour。　　He　was　not　very　young；　she　acknowledged；　but　neither　was
she　young　herself。　　It　was　quite　evident　that　he　was　fond　of　her
children；　and　that　he　would　be　a　kind　and　affectionate　father　to
them。　　Indeed；　there　was　kindness　in　all　that　he　did。

Should　she　marry　again；and　she　put　it　to　herself　quite
hypothetically；she　would　look　for　no　romance　in　such　a　second
marriage。　　She　would　be　content　to　sit　down　in　a　quiet　home；　to　the
tame　dull　realities　of　life；　satisfied　with　the　companionship　of　a
man　who　would　be　kind　and　gentle　to　her；　and　whom　she　could　respect
and　esteem。　　Where　could　she　find　a　companion　with　whom　this　could
be　more　safely　anticipated　than　with　M。　Lacordaire？

And　so　she　argued　the　question　within　her　own　breast　in　a　manner　not
unfriendly　to　that　gentleman。　　That　there　was　as　yet　one　great
hindrance　she　at　once　saw；　but　then　that　might　be　remedied　by　a
word。　　She　did　not　know　what　was　his　income　or　his　profession。　　The
chambermaid；　whom　she　had　interrogated；　had　told　her　that　he　was　a
〃marchand。〃　　To　merchants；　generally；　she　felt　that　she　had　no
objection。　　The　Barings　and　the　Rothschilds　were　merchants；　as　was
also　that　wonderful　man　at　Bombay；　Sir　Hommajee　Bommajee；　who　was
worth　she　did　no　know　how　many　thousand　lacs　of　rupees。

That　it　would　behove　her；　on　her　own　account　and　that　of　her
daughters；　to　take　care　of　her　own　little　fortune　in　contracting　any
such　connection；　that　she　felt　strongly。　　She　would　never　so　commit
herself　as　to　put　security　in　that　respect　out　of　her　power。　　But
then　she　did　not　think　that　M。　Lacordaire　would　ever　ask　her　to　do
so；　at　any　rate；　she　was　determined　on　this；　that　there　should　never
be　any　doubt　on　that　matter；　and　as　she　firmly　resolved　on　this；　she
again　took　up　her　book；　and　for　a　minute　or　two　made　an　attempt　to
read。

〃Mamma；〃　said　Mummy；　〃will　M。　Lacordaire　go　up　to　the　school　to　see
Lilian　when　you　go　away　from　this？〃

〃Indeed；　I　cannot　say；　my　dear。　　If　Lilian　is　a　good　girl；　perhaps
he　may　do　so　now　and　then。〃

〃And　will　he　write　to　you　and　tell　you　how　she　is？〃

〃Lilian　can　write　for　herself；　can　she　not？〃

〃Oh　yes；　I　suppose　she　can；　but　I　hope　M。　Lacordaire　will　write　too。
We　shall　come　back　here　some　day；　shan't　we；　mamma？〃

〃I　cannot　say；　my　dear。〃

〃I　do　so　hope　we　shall　see　M。　Lacordaire　again。　　Do　you　know　what　I
was　thinking；　mamma？〃

〃Little　girls　like　you　ought　not　to　think；〃　said　Mrs。　Thompson；
walking　slowly　out　of　the　room　to　the　top　of　the　stairs　and　back
again；　for　she　had　felt　the　necessity　of　preventing　Mimmy　from
disclosing　any　more　of　her　thoughts。　　〃And　now；　my　dear；　get
yourself　ready；　and　we　will　go　up　to　the　school。〃

Mrs。　Thompson　always　dressed　herself　with　care；　though　not　in
especially　fine　clothes；　before　she　went　down　to　dinner　at　the　table
d'hote；　but　on　this　occasion　she　was　more　than　usually　particular。
She　hardly　explained　to　herself　why　she　did　this；　but；　nevertheless；
as　she　stood　before　the　glass；　she　did　in　a　certain　manner　feel　that
the　circumstances　of　her　future　life　might　perhaps　depend　on　what
might　be　said　and　done　that　evening。　　She　had　not　absolutely　decided
whether　or　no　she　would　go　to　the　Prince's　chateau；　but　if　she　did
go　…。　　Well；　if　she　did；　what　then？　　She　had　sense　enough；　as　she
assured　herself　more　than　once；　to　regulate　her　own　conduct　with
propriety　in　any　such　emergency。

During　the　dinner；　M。　Lacordaire　conversed　in　his　usual　manner；　but
said　nothing　whatever　about　the　visit　to　Polignac。　　He　was　very　kind
to　Mimmy；　and　very　courteous　to　her　mother；　but　did　not　appear　to　be
at　all　more　particular　than　usual。　　Indeed；　it　might　be　a　question
whether　he　was　not　less　so。　　As　she　had　entered　the　room　Mrs。
Thompson　had　said　to　herself　that；　perhaps；　after　all；　it　would　be
better　that　there　should　be　nothing　more　thought　about　it；　but
before　the　four　of　five　courses　were　over；　she　was　beginning　to　feel
a　little　disappointed。

And　now　the　fruit　was　on　the　table；　after　the　consumption　of　which
it　was　her　practice　to　retire。　　It　was　certainly　open　to　her　to　ask
M。　Lacordaire　to　take　tea　with　her　that　evening；　as　she　had　done　on
former　occasions；　but　she　felt　that　she　must　not　do　this　now；
considering　the　immediate　circumstances　of　the　case。　　If　any　further
steps　were　to　be　taken；　they　must　be　taken　by　him；　and　not　by　her；
or　else　by　Mimmy；　who；　just　as　her　mother　was　slowly　consuming　her
last　grapes；　ran　round　to　the　back　of　M。　Lacordaire's　chair；　and
whispered　something　into　his　ear。　　It　may　be　presumed　that　Mrs。
Thompson　did　not　see　the　intention　of　the　movement　in　time　to　arrest
it；　for　she　did　nothing　till　the　whispering　had　been　whispered；　and
then　she　rebuked　the　child；　bade　her　not　to　be　troublesome；　and　with
more　than　usual　austerity　in　her　voice；　desired　her　to　get　herself
ready　to　go　up　stairs　to　their　chamber。

As　she　spoke　she　herself　rose　from　her　chair；　and　made　her　final
little　bow　to　the　table；　and　her　other　final　little　bow　and　smile　to
M。　Lacordaire；　but　this　was　certain　to　all　who　saw　it；　that　the
smile　was　not　as　gracious　as　usual。

As　she　walked　forth；　M。　Lacordaire　rose　from　his　chairsuch　being
his　constant　practice　when　she　left　the　table；　but　on　this　occasion
he　accompanied　her　to　the　door。

〃And　has　madame　decided；〃　he　asked；　〃whether　she　will　permit　me　to
accompany　her　to　the　chateau？〃

〃Well；　I　really　don't　know；〃　said　Mrs。　Thompson。

〃Me