the chateau of prince polignac-第5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！



〃Oh；〃　said　Mrs。　Thompson。

〃And　this；〃　said　the　woman；　taking　them　into　the　next　ruined
compartment；　〃was　the　kitchen　of　monsieur　et　madame。〃

〃What！　two　kitchens？〃　exclaimed　Lilian；　upon　which　M。　Lacordaire
explained　that　the　ancestors　of　the　Prince　de　Polignac　had　been　very
great　people；　and　had　therefore　required　culinary　performances　on　a
great　scale。

And　then　the　woman　began　to　chatter　something　about　an　oracle　of
Apollo。　　There　was；　she　said；　a　hole　in　the　rock；　from　which　in　past
times；　perhaps　more　than　a　hundred　years　ago；　the　oracle　used　to
speak　forth　mysterious　words。

〃There；〃　she　said；　pointing　to　a　part　of　the　rock　at　some　distance；
〃was　the　hole。　　And　if　the　ladies　would　follow　her　to　a　little
outhouse　which　was　just　beyond；　she　would　show　them　the　huge　stone
mouth　out　of　which　the　oracle　used　to　speak。〃

Lilian　and　Mimmy　both　declared　at　once　for　seeing　the　oracle；　but
Mrs。　Thompson　expressed　her　determination　to　remain　sitting　where
she　was　upon　the　turf。　　So　the　guide　started　off　with　the　young
ladies；　and　will　it　be　thought　surprising　that　M。　Lacordaire　should
have　remained　alone　by　the　side　of　Mrs。　Thompson？

It　must　be　now　or　never；　Mrs。　Thompson　felt；　and　as　regarded　M。
Lacordaire；　he　probably　entertained　some　idea　of　the　same　kind。
Mrs。　Thompson's　inclinations；　though　they　had　never　been　very　strong
in　the　matter；　were　certainly　in　favour　of　the　〃now。〃　　M。
Lacordaire's　inclinations　were　stronger。　　He　had　fully　and　firmly
made　up　his　mind　in　favour　of　matrimony；　but　then　he　was　not　so
absolutely　in　favour　of　the　〃now。〃　　Mrs。　Thompson's　mind；　if　one
could　have　read　it；　would　have　shown　a　great　objection　to　shilly…
shallying；　as　she　was　accustomed　to　call　it。　　But　M。　Lacordaire；
were　it　not　for　the　danger　which　might　thence　arise；　would　have　seen
no　objection　to　some　slight　further　procrastination。　　His　courage
was　beginning；　perhaps；　to　ooze　out　from　his　fingers'　ends。

〃I　declare　that　those　girls　have　scampered　away　ever　so　far；〃　said
Mrs。　Thompson。

〃Would　madame　wish　that　I　should　call　them　back？〃　said　M。
Lacordaire；　innocently。

〃Oh；　no；　dear　children！　let　them　enjoy　themselves；　it　will　be　a
pleasure　to　them　to　run　about　the　rock；　and　I　suppose　they　will　be
safe　with　that　woman？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　quite　safe；〃　said　M。　Lacordaire；　and　then　there　was
another　little　pause。

Mrs。　Thompson　was　sitting　on　a　broken　fragment　of　a　stone　just
outside　the　entrance　to　the　old　family　kitchen；　and　M。　Lacordaire
was　standing　immediately　before　her。　　He　had　in　his　hand　a　little
cane　with　which　he　sometimes　slapped　his　boots　and　sometimes　poked
about　among　the　rubbish。　　His　hat　was　not　quite　straight　on　his
head；　having　a　little　jaunty　twist　to　one　side；　with　reference　to
which；　by…the…bye；　Mrs。　Thompson　then　resolved　that　she　would　make　a
change；　should　ever　the　gentleman　become　her　own　property。　　He　still
wore　his　gloves；　and　was　very　smart；　but　it　was　clear　to　see　that　he
was　not　at　his　ease。

〃I　hope　the　heat　does　not　incommode　you；〃　he　said　after　a　few
moments'　silence。　　Mrs。　Thompson　declared　that　it　did　not；　that　she
liked　a　good　deal　of　heat；　and　that；　on　the　whole；　she　was　very　well
where　she　was。　　She　was　afraid；　however；　that　she　was　detaining　M。
Lacordaire；　who　might　probably　wish　to　be　moving　about　upon　the
rock。　　In　answer　to　which　M。　Lacordaire　declared　that　he　never　could
be　so　happy　anywhere　as　in　her　close　vicinity。

〃You　are　too　good　to　me；〃　said　Mrs。　Thompson；　almost　sighing。　　〃I
don't　know　what　my　stay　here　would　have　been　without　your　great
kindness。〃

〃It　is　madame　that　has　been　kind　to　me；〃　said　M。　Lacordaire；
pressing　the　handle　of　his　cane　against　his　heart。

There　was　then　another　pause；　after　which　Mrs。　Thompson　said　that
that　was　all　his　French　politeness；　that　she　knew　that　she　had　been
very　troublesome　to　him；　but　that　she　would　now　soon　be　gone；　and
that　then；　in　her　own　country；　she　would　never　forget　his　great
goodness。

〃Ah；　madame！〃　said　M。　Lacordaire；　and；　as　he　said　it；　much　more　was
expressed　in　his　face　than　in　his　words。　　But；　then；　you　can　neither
accept　nor　reject　a　gentleman　by　what　he　says　in　his　face。　　He
blushed；　too；　up　to　his　grizzled　hair；　and；　turning　round；　walked　a
step　or　two　away　from　the　widow's　seat；　and　back　again。

Mrs。　Thompson　the　while　sat　quite　still。　　The　displaced　fragment；
lying；　as　it　did；　near　a　corner　of　the　building；　made　not　an
uncomfortable　chair。　　She　had　only　to　be　careful　that　she　did　not
injure　her　hat　or　crush　her　clothes；　and　throw　in　a　word　here　and
there　to　assist　the　gentleman；　should　occasion　permit　it。

〃Madame！〃　said　M。　Lacordaire；　on　his　return　from　a　second　little
walk。

〃Monsieur！〃　replied　Mrs。　Thompson；　perceiving　that　M。　Lacordaire
paused　in　his　speech。

〃Madame；〃　he　began　again；　and　then；　as　he　again　paused；　Mrs。
Thompson　looked　up　to　him　very　sweetly；　〃madame；　what　I　am　going　to
say　will；　I　am　afraid；　seem　to　evince　by　far　too　great　audacity　on
my　part。〃

Mrs。　Thompson　may；　perhaps；　have　thought　that；　at　the　present
moment；　audacity　was　not　his　fault。　　She　replied；　however；　that　she
was　quite　sure　that　monsieur　would　say　nothing　that　was　in　any　way
unbecoming　either　for　him　to　speak　or　for　her　to　hear。

〃Madame；　may　I　have　ground　to　hope　that　such　may　be　your　sentiments
after　I　have　spoken！　　Madame〃and　now　he　went　down；　absolutely　on
his　knees；　on　the　hard　stones；　and　Mrs。　Thompson；　looking　about　into
the　distance；　almost　thought　that　she　saw　the　top　of　the　guide's
cap〃Madame；　I　have　looked　forward　to　this　opportunity　as　one　in
which　I　may　declare　for　you　the　greatest　passion　that　I　have　ever
yet　felt。　Madame；　with　all　my　heart　and　soul　I　love　you。　　Madame；　I
offer　to　you　the　homage　of　my　heart；　my　hand；　the　happiness　of　my
life；　and　all　that　I　possess　in　this　world；〃　and　then；　taking　her
hand　gracefully　between　his　gloves；　he　pressed　his　lips　against　the
tips　of　her　fingers。

If　the　thing　was　to　be　done；　this　way　of　doing　it　was；　perhaps；　as
good　as　any　other。　　It　was　one；　at　any　rate；　which　left　no　doubt
whatever　as　to　the　gentleman's　intentions。　　Mrs。　Thompson；　could　she
have　had　her　own　way；　would　not　have　allowed　her　lover　of　fifty　to
go　down　upon　his　knees；　and　would　have　spared　him　much　of　the
romance　of　his　declaration。　　So　also　would　she　have　spared　him　his
yellow　gloves　and　his　polished　boots。　　But　these　were　a　part　of　the
necessity　of　the　situation；　and　therefore　she　wisely　took　them　as
matters　to　be　passed　over　with　indifference。　　Seeing；　however；　that
M。　Lacordaire　still　remained　on　his　knees；　it　was　necessary　that　she
should　take　some　step　toward　raising　him；　especially　as　her　two
children　and　the　guide　would　infallibly　be　upon　them　before　long。

〃M。　Lacordaire；〃　she　said；　〃you　surprise　me　greatly；　but　pray　get
up。〃

〃But　will　madame　vouchsafe　to　give　me　some　small　ground　for　hope？〃

〃The　girls　will　be　here　directly；　M。　Lacordaire；　pray　get　up。　　I　can
talk　to　you　much　better　if　you　will　stand　up；　or　sit　down　on　one　of
these　stones。〃

M。　Lacordaire　did　as　he　was　bid；　he　got　up；　wiped　the　knees　of　his
pantaloons　with　his　handkerchief；　sat　down　beside　her；　and　then
pressed　the　handle　of　his　cane　to　his　heart。

〃You　really　have　so　surprised　me　that　I　hardly　know　how　to　answer
you；〃　said　Mrs。　Thompson。　　〃Indeed；　I　cannot　bring　myself　to　imagine
that　you　are　in　earnest。〃

〃Ah；　madame；　do　not　be　so　cruel！　　How　can　I　have　lived　with　you　so
long；　sat　beside　you　for　so　many　days；　without　having　received　your
image　into　my　heart？　　I　am　in　earnest！　　Alas！　　I　fear　too　much　in
earnest！〃　　And　then　he　looked　at　her　with　all　his　eyes；　and　sighed
with　all　his　strength。

Mrs。　Thompson's　prudence　told　her　that　it　would　be　well　to　settle
the　matter；　in　one　way　or　the　other；　as　soon　as　possible。　　Long
periods　of　love…making　were　fit　for　younger　people　than　herself　and
her　future　possible　husband。　　Her　object　would　be　to　make　him
comfortable　if　she　could；　and　that　he　should　do　the　same　for　her；　if
that　also　were　possible。　　As　for　lookings　and　sighings　and　pressings
of　the　hand；　she　had　gone　through　all　that　some　twenty　years　since
in　India；　when　Thompson　had　been　young；　and　she　was　sti