the chateau of prince polignac-第4章
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〃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。
〃Mees Meemy；〃 continued M。 Lacordaire； 〃is very anxious to see the
rock； and I may perhaps hope that Mees Lilian would be pleased with
such a little excursion。 As for myself〃 and then M。 Lacordaire
put his hand upon his heart in a manner that seemed to speak more
plainly than he had ever spoken。
〃Well； if the children would really like it； andas you are so very
kind；〃 said Mrs。 Thompson； and so the matter was conceded。
〃To…morrow afternoon？〃 suggested M。 Lacordaire。 But Mrs。 Thompson
fixed on Saturday； thereby showing that she herself was in no hurry
for the expedition。
〃Oh； I am so glad！〃 said Mimmy； when they had re…entered their own
room。 〃Mamma； do let me tell Lilian myself when I go up to the
school to…morrow！〃
But mamma was in no humour to say much to her child on this subject
at the present moment。 She threw herself back on her sofa in
perfect silence； and began to reflect whether she would like to sign
her name in future as Fanny Lacordaire； instead of Fanny Thompson。
It certainly seemed as though things were verging towards such a
necessity。 A marchand！ But a marchand of what？ She had an
instinctive feeling that the people in the hotel were talking about
her and M。 Lacordaire； and was therefore more than ever averse to
asking any one a question。
As she went up to the school the next afternoon； she walked through
more of the streets of Le Puy than was necessary； and in every
street she looked at the names which she saw over the doors of the
more respectable houses of business。 But she looked in vain。 It
might be that M。 Lacordaire was a marchand of so specially high a
quality as to be under no necessity to put up his name at all。 Sir
Hommajee Bommajee's name did not appear over any door in Bombay；at
least； she thought not。
And then came the Saturday morning。 〃We shall be ready at two；〃 she
said； as she left the breakfast…table； 〃and perhaps you would not
mind calling for Lilian on the way。〃
M。 Lacordaire would be delighted to call anywhere for anybody on
behalf of Mrs。 Thompson； and then； as he got to the door of the
salon； he offered her his hand。 He did so with so much French
courtesy that she could not refuse it； and then she felt that his
purpose was more tender than ever it had been。 And why not； if this
was the destiny which Fate had prepared for her？
Mrs。 Thompson would rather have got into the carriage at any other
spot in Le Puy than at that at which she was forced to do sothe
chief entrance； namely； of the Hotel des Ambassadeurs。 And what
made it worse was this； that an appearance of a special fate was
given to the occasion。 M。 Lacordaire was dressed in more than his
Sunday best。 He had on new yellow kid gloves。 His coat； if not
new； was newer than any Mrs。 Thompson had yet observed； and was
lined with silk up to the very collar。 He had on patent leather
boots； which glittered； as Mrs。 Thompson thought； much too
conspicuously。 And as for his hat； it was quite evident that it was
fresh that morning from the maker's block。
In this costume； with his hat in his hand； he stood under the great
gateway of the hotel； ready to hand Mrs。 Thompson into the carriage。
This would have been nothing if the landlord and landlady had not
been there also； as well as the man…cook； and the four waiters； and
the fille de chambre。 Two or three other pair of eyes Mrs。 Thompson
also saw； as she glanced round； and then Mimmy walked across the
yard in her best clothes with a fete…day air about her for which her
mother would have liked to have whipped her。
But what did it matter？ If it was written in the book that she
should become Madame Lacordaire； of course the world would know that
there must have been some preparatory love…making。 Let them have
their laugh； a good husband would not be dearly purchased at so
trifling an expense。 And so they sallied forth with already half
the ceremony of a wedding。
Mimmy seated herself opposite to her mother； and M。 Lacordaire also
sat with his back to the horses； leaving the second place of honour
for Lilian。 〃Pray make yourself comfortable； M。 Lacordaire； and
don't mind her；〃 said Mrs。 Thompson。 But he was firm in his purpose
of civility； perhaps making up his mind that when he should in truth
stand in the place of papa to the young lady； then would be his time
for having the back seat in the carnage。
Lilian； also in her best frock； came down the school…steps； and
three of the school teachers came with her。 It would have added to
Mrs。 Thompson's happiness at that moment if M。 Lacordaire would have
kept his polished boots out of sight； and put his yellow gloves into
his pocket。
And then they started。 The road from Le Puy to Polignac is nearly
all up hill； and a very steep hill it is； so that there was plenty
of time for conversation。 But the girls had it nearly all to
themselves。 Mimmy thought that she had never found M。 Lacordaire so
stupid； and Lilian told her sister on the first safe opportunity
that occurred； that it seemed very much as though they were all
going to church。
〃And do any of the Polignac people ever live at this place？〃 asked
Mrs。 Thompson； by way of making conversation； in answer to which M。
Lacordaire informed madame that the place was at present only a
ruin； and then there was again silence till they found themselves
under the rock； and were informed by the driver that the rest of the
ascent must be made on foot。
The rock now stood abrupt and precipitous above their heads。 It was
larger in its circumference and with much larger space on its summit
than those other volcanic rocks in and close to the town； but then
at the same time it was higher from the ground； and quite as
inaccessible； except by the single path which led up to the chateau。
M。 Lacordaire； with conspicuous gallantry； first assisted Mrs。
Thompson from the carriage； and then handed down the two young
ladies。 No lady could have been so difficult to please as to
complain of him； and yet Mrs。 Thompson thought that he was not as
agreeable as usual。 Those horrid boots and those horrid gloves gave
him such an air of holiday finery that neither could he be at his
ease wearing them； nor could she； in seeing them worn。
They were soon taken in hand by the poor woman whose privilege it
was to show the ruins。 For a little distance they walked up the
path in single file； not that it was too narrow to accommodate two；
but M。 Lacordaire's courage had not yet been screwed to a point
which admitted of his offering his arm to the widow。 For in France；
it must be remembered； that this means more than it does in some
other countries。
Mrs。 Thompson felt that all this was silly and useless。 If they
were not to be dear friends this coming out feting together； those
boots and gloves and new hat were all very foolish； and if they
were； the sooner they understood each other the better。 So Mrs。
Thompson； finding that the path was steep and the weather warm；
stood still for a while leaning against the wall； with a look of
considerable fatigue in her face。
〃Will madame permit me the honour of offering her my arm？〃 said M。
Lacordaire。 〃The road is so extraordinarily steep for madame to
climb。〃
Mrs。 Thompson did permit him the honour； and so they went on till
they reached the top。
The view from the summit was both extensive and grand； but neither
Lilian nor Mimmy were much pleased with the place。 The elder
sister； who had talked over the matter with her school companions；
expected a fine castle with turrets； battlements； and romance； and
the other expected a pretty smiling house； such as princes； in her
mind； ought to inhabit。
Instead of this they found an old turret； with steps so broken that
M。 Lacordaire did not care to ascend them； and the ruined walls of a
mansion； in which nothing was to be seen but the remains of an
enormous kitchen chimney。
〃It was the kitchen of the family；〃 said the guide。
〃Oh；〃 said Mrs。 Thompson。
〃And this；〃 said the woman； taking them into the next ruine
