st. ives-第44章
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different persons whom I cannot reasonably accuse of a conspiracy。
As a matter of fact; I saw little of it and confessed to nothing。
Certainly he was what some might call handsome; of a pictorial;
exuberant style of beauty; all attitude; profile; and impudence: a
man whom I could see in fancy parade on the grand stand at a race…
meeting or swagger in Piccadilly; staring down the women; and
stared at himself with admiration by the coal…porters。 Of his
frame of mind at that moment his face offered a lively if an
unconscious picture。 He was lividly pale; and his lip was caught
up in a smile that could almost be called a snarl; of a sheer; arid
malignity that appalled me and yet put me on my mettle for the
encounter。 He looked me up and down; then bowed and took off his
hat to me。
'My cousin; I presume?' he said。
'I understand I have that honour;' I replied。
'The honour is mine;' said he; and his voice shook as he said it。
'I should make you welcome; I believe;' said I。
'Why?' he inquired。 'This poor house has been my home for longer
than I care to claim。 That you should already take upon yourself
the duties of host here is to be at unnecessary pains。 Believe me;
that part would be more becomingly mine。 And; by the way; I must
not fail to offer you my little compliment。 It is a gratifying
surprise to meet you in the dress of a gentleman; and to see' …
with a circular look upon the scattered bills … 'that your
necessities have already been so liberally relieved。'
I bowed with a smile that was perhaps no less hateful than his own。
'There are so many necessities in this world;' said I。 'Charity
has to choose。 One gets relieved; and some other; no less
indigent; perhaps indebted; must go wanting。'
'Malice is an engaging trait;' said he。
'And envy; I think?' was my reply。
He must have felt that he was not getting wholly the better of this
passage at arms; perhaps even feared that he should lose command of
his temper; which he reined in throughout the interview as with a
red…hot curb; for he flung away from me at the word; and addressed
the lawyer with insulting arrogance。
'Mr。 Romaine;' he said; 'since when have you presumed to give
orders in this house?'
'I am not prepared to admit that I have given any;' replied
Romaine; 'certainly none that did not fall in the sphere of my
responsibilities。'
'By whose orders; then; am I denied entrance to my uncle's room?'
said my cousin。
'By the doctor's; sir;' replied Romaine; 'and I think even you will
admit his faculty to give them。'
'Have a care; sir;' cried Alain。 'Do not be puffed up with your
position。 It is none so secure; Master Attorney。 I should not
wonder in the least if you were struck off the rolls for this
night's work; and the next I should see of you were when I flung
you alms at a pothouse door to mend your ragged elbows。 The
doctor's orders? But I believe I am not mistaken! You have to…
night transacted business with the Count; and this needy young
gentleman has enjoyed the privilege of still another interview; in
which (as I am pleased to see) his dignity has not prevented his
doing very well for himself。 I wonder that you should care to
prevaricate with me so idly。'
'I will confess so much;' said Mr。 Romaine; 'if you call it
prevarication。 The order in question emanated from the Count
himself。 He does not wish to see you。'
'For which I must take the word of Mr。 Daniel Romaine?' asked
Alain。
'In default of any better;' said Romaine。
There was an instantaneous convulsion in my cousin's face; and I
distinctly heard him gnash his teeth at this reply; but; to my
surprise; he resumed in tones of almost good humour:
'Come; Mr。 Romaine; do not let us be petty!' He drew in a chair
and sat down。 'Understand you have stolen a march upon me。 You
have introduced your soldier of Napoleon; and (how; I cannot
conceive) he has been apparently accepted with favour。 I ask no
better proof than the funds with which I find him literally
surrounded … I presume in consequence of some extravagance of joy
at the first sight of so much money。 The odds are so far in your
favour; but the match is not yet won。 Questions will arise of
undue influence; of sequestration; and the like: I have my
witnesses ready。 I tell it you cynically; for you cannot profit by
the knowledge; and; if the worst come to the worst; I have good
hopes of recovering my own and of ruining you。'
'You do what you please;' answered Romaine; 'but I give it you for
a piece of good advice; you had best do nothing in the matter。 You
will only make yourself ridiculous; you will only squander money;
of which you have none too much; and reap public mortification。'
'Ah; but there you make the common mistake; Mr。 Romaine!' returned
Alain。 'You despise your adversary。 Consider; if you please; how
very disagreeable I could make myself; if I chose。 Consider the
position of your PROTEGE … an escaped prisoner! But I play a great
game。 I condemn such petty opportunities。'
At this Romaine and I exchanged a glance of triumph。 It seemed
manifest that Alain had as yet received no word of Clausel's
recapture and denunciation。 At the same moment the lawyer; thus
relieved of the instancy of his fear; changed his tactics。 With a
great air of unconcern; he secured the newspaper; which still lay
open before him on the table。
'I think; Monsieur Alain; that you labour under some illusion;'
said he。 'Believe me; this is all beside the mark。 You seem to be
pointing to some compromise。 Nothing is further from my views。
You suspect me of an inclination to trifle with you; to conceal how
things are going。 I cannot; on the other hand; be too early or too
explicit in giving you information which concerns you (I must say)
capitally。 Your great…uncle has to…night cancelled his will; and
made a new one in favour of your cousin Anne。 Nay; and you shall
hear it from his own lips; if you choose! I will take so much upon
me;' said the lawyer; rising。 'Follow me; if you please;
gentlemen。'
Mr。 Romaine led the way out of the room so briskly; and was so
briskly followed by Alain; that I had hard ado to get the remainder
of the money replaced and the despatch…box locked; and to overtake
them; even by running ere they should be lost in that maze of
corridors; my uncle's house。 As it was; I went with a heart
divided; and the thought of my treasure thus left unprotected; save
by a paltry lid and lock that any one might break or pick open; put
me in a perspiration whenever I had the time to remember it。 The
lawyer brought us to a room; begged us to be seated while he should
hold a consultation with the doctor; and; slipping out of another
door; left Alain and myself closeted together。
Truly he had done nothing to ingratiate himself; his every word had
been steeped in unfriendliness; envy; and that contempt which (as
it is born of anger) it is possible to support without humiliation。
On my part; I had been little more conciliating; and yet I began to
be sorry for this man; hired spy as I knew him to be。 It seemed to
me less than decent that he should have been brought up in the
expectation of this great inheritance; and now; at the eleventh
hour; be tumbled forth out of the house door and left to himself;
his poverty and his debts … those debts of which I had so
ungallantly reminded him so short a time before。 And we were
scarce left alone ere I made haste to hang out a flag of truce。
'My cousin;' said I; 'trust me; you will not find me inclined to be
your enemy。'
He paused in front of me … for he had not accepted the lawyer's
invitation to be seated; but walked to and fro in the apartment …
took a pinch of snuff; and looked at me while he was taking it wi