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第38章

st. ives-第38章

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sent for Mr。 Romaine; and the major…domo had taken it on himself a 

little later to send word to the Viscount。  'It seemed to me; my 

lord;' said he; 'as if this was a time when all the fambly should 

be called together。'



I approved him with my lips; but not in my heart。  Dawson was 

plainly in the interests of my cousin。



'And when can I expect to see my great…uncle; the Count?' said I。



In the evening; I was told; in the meantime he would show me to my 

room; which had been long prepared for me; and I should be expected 

to dine in about an hour with the doctor; if my lordship had no 

objections。



My lordship had not the faintest。



'At the same time;' I said; 'I have had an accident: I have 

unhappily lost my baggage; and am here in what I stand in。  I don't 

know if the doctor be a formalist; but it is quite impossible I 

should appear at table as I ought。'



He begged me to be under no anxiety。  'We have been long expecting 

you;' said he。  'All is ready。'



Such I found to be the truth。  A great room had been prepared for 

me; through the mullioned windows the last flicker of the winter 

sunset interchanged with the reverberation of a royal fire; the bed 

was open; a suit of evening clothes was airing before the blaze; 

and from the far corner a boy came forward with deprecatory smiles。  

The dream in which I had been moving seemed to have reached its 

pitch。  I might have quitted this house and room only the night 

before; it was my own place that I had come to; and for the first 

time in my life I understood the force of the words home and 

welcome。



'This will be all as you would want; sir?' said Mr。 Dawson。  'This 

'ere boy; Rowley; we place entirely at your disposition。  'E's not 

exactly a trained vallet; but Mossho Powl; the Viscount's 

gentleman; 'ave give him the benefick of a few lessons; and it is 

'oped that he may give sitisfection。  Hanythink that you may 

require; if you will be so good as to mention the same to Rowley; I 

will make it my business myself; sir; to see you sitisfied。'



So saying; the eminent and already detested Mr。 Dawson took his 

departure; and I was left alone with Rowley。  A man who may be said 

to have wakened to consciousness in the prison of the Abbaye; among 

those ever graceful and ever tragic figures of the brave and fair; 

awaiting the hour of the guillotine and denuded of every comfort; I 

had never known the luxuries or the amenities of my rank in life。  

To be attended on by servants I had only been accustomed to in 

inns。  My toilet had long been military; to a moment; at the note 

of a bugle; too often at a ditch…side。  And it need not be wondered 

at if I looked on my new valet with a certain diffidence。  But I 

remembered that if he was my first experience of a valet; I was his 

first trial as a master。  Cheered by which consideration; I 

demanded my bath in a style of good assurance。  There was a 

bathroom contiguous; in an incredibly short space of time the hot 

water was ready; and soon after; arrayed in a shawl dressing…gown; 

and in a luxury of contentment and comfort; I was reclined in an 

easy…chair before the mirror; while Rowley; with a mixture of pride 

and anxiety which I could well understand; laid out his razors。



'Hey; Rowley?' I asked; not quite resigned to go under fire with 

such an inexperienced commander。  'It's all right; is it?  You feel 

pretty sure of your weapons?'



'Yes; my lord;' he replied。  'It's all right; I assure your 

lordship。'



'I beg your pardon; Mr。 Rowley; 'but for the sake of shortness; 

would you mind not belording me in private?' said I。  'It will do 

very well if you call me Mr。 Anne。  It is the way of my country; as 

I dare say you know。'



Mr。 Rowley looked blank。



'But you're just as much a Viscount as Mr。 Powl's; are you not?' he 

said。



'As Mr。 Powl's Viscount?' said I; laughing。  'Oh; keep your mind 

easy; Mr。 Rowley's is every bit as good。  Only; you see; as I am of 

the younger line; I bear my Christian name along with the title。  

Alain is the VISCOUNT; I am the VISCOUNT ANNE。  And in giving me 

the name of Mr。 Anne; I assure you you will be quite regular。'



'Yes; Mr。 Anne;' said the docile youth。  'But about the shaving; 

sir; you need be under no alarm。  Mr。 Powl says I 'ave excellent 

dispositions。'



'Mr。  Powl?' said I。  'That doesn't seem to me very like a French 

name。'



'No; sir; indeed; my lord;' said he; with a burst of confidence。  

'No; indeed; Mr。 Anne; and it do not surely。  I should say now; it 

was more like Mr。 Pole。'



'And Mr。 Powl is the Viscount's man?'



'Yes; Mr。 Anne;' said he。  'He 'ave a hard billet; he do。  The 

Viscount is a very particular gentleman。  I don't think as you'll 

be; Mr。 Anne?' he added; with a confidential smile in the mirror。



He was about sixteen; well set up; with a pleasant; merry; freckled 

face; and a pair of dancing eyes。  There was an air at once 

deprecatory and insinuating about the rascal that I thought I 

recognised。  There came to me from my own boyhood memories of 

certain passionate admirations long passed away; and the objects of 

them long ago discredited or dead。  I remembered how anxious I had 

been to serve those fleeting heroes; how readily I told myself I 

would have died for THEM; how much greater and handsomer than life 

they had appeared。  And looking in the mirror; it seemed to me that 

I read the face of Rowley; like an echo or a ghost; by the light of 

my own youth。  I have always contended (somewhat against the 

opinion of my friends) that I am first of all an economist; and the 

last thing that I would care to throw away is that very valuable 

piece of property … a boy's hero…worship。



'Why;' said I; 'you shave like an angel; Mr。 Rowley!'



'Thank you; my lord;' says he。  'Mr。 Powl had no fear of me。 You 

may be sure; sir; I should never 'ave had this berth if I 'adn't 

'ave been up to Dick。  We been expecting of you this month back。  

My eye!  I never see such preparations。  Every day the fires has 

been kep' up; the bed made; and all!  As soon as it was known you 

were coming; sir; I got the appointment; and I've been up and down 

since then like a Jack…in…the…box。  A wheel couldn't sound in the 

avenue but what I was at the window!  I've had a many 

disappointments; but to…night; as soon as you stepped out of the 

shay; I knew it was my … it was you。  Oh; you had been expected!  

Why; when I go down to supper; I'll be the 'ero of the servants' 

'all: the 'ole of the staff is that curious!'



'Well;' said I; 'I hope you may be able to give a fair account of 

me … sober; steady; industrious; good…tempered; and with a first…

rate character from my last place?'



He laughed an embarrassed laugh。  'Your hair curls beautiful;' he 

said; by way of changing the subject。  'The Viscount's the boy for 

curls; though; and the richness of it is; Mr。 Powl tells me his 

don't curl no more than that much twine … by nature。  Gettin' old; 

the Viscount is。  He 'AVE gone the pace; 'aven't 'e; sir?'



'The fact is;' said I; 'that I know very little about him。  Our 

family has been much divided; and I have been a soldier from a 

child。'



'A soldier; Mr。 Anne; sir?' cried Rowley; with a sudden feverish 

animation。  'Was you ever wounded?'



It is contrary to my principles to discourage admiration for 

myself; and; slipping back the shoulder of the dressing…gown; I 

silently exhibited the scar which I had received in Edinburgh 

Castle。  He looked at it with awe。



'Ah; well!' he continued; 'there's where the difference comes in!  

It's in the training。  The other Viscount have been horse…racing; 

and dicing; and carrying on all his life。  All right enough; no 

doubt; but what I do say is; that it don't lead to nothink。  

Whereas … '



'Whereas Mr。 Rowley's?' I put in。



'My Viscount?' said he。  'Well; sir; I DID

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