frances waldeaux-第8章

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〃Who　is　the　man？〃　said　Clara　irritably。　　〃Be　careful；　Mr。　Perry。　　I　have　had　enough　of　foreign　adventurers。〃

〃Oh；　the　Hof　Kalender　will　post　you　as　to　Prince　Wolfburgh。　　I　looked　him　up　in　it。　　He　is　head　of　one　of　the　great　mediatized　families。　　Would　have　been　reigning　now　if　old　Kaiser　Wilhelm　had　not　played　Aaron's　serpent　and　gobbled　up　all　the　little　kings。　　Wolfburgh　has　kept　all　his　land　and　castles；　however。〃

〃Very　well。　　Let　us　see　what　the　man　is　like；〃　Miss　Vance　said　loftily。


Mrs。　Waldeaux　was　not　in　the　house　when　they　arrived。　　Every　day　she　went　early　in　the　morning　to　the　Green　Park；　where　she　had　seen　George　last；　and　wandered　about　until　night　fell。　　She　thought　that　he　had　gone　to　Paris；　and　that　she　was　alone　in　London。　　But　somehow　she　came　nearer　to　him　there。

When　she　found　that　Clara　had　arrived；　she　knew　that　she　would　be　full　of　pity　for　her。　　She　came　down　to　dinner　in　full　dress；　told　some　funny　stories；　and　laughed　incessantly。

No。　　She　had　not　missed　them。　　The　days　had　gone　merry　as　a　marriage　bell　with　her　even　after　her　son　and　his　wife　had　run　away　to　Paris。

Mr。　Perry　congratulated　her　warmly　on　the　match。　　〃The　lady　is　very　fetching；　indeed；〃　he　said。　　〃I　remarked　that　the　first　day　on　ship…board。　　Oh；　yes；　I　know　a　diamond　when　I　see　it。　　But　your　son　picks　it　up。　　Lucky　fellow！　　He　picks　it　up！〃　　He　told　Miss　Vance　that　there　was　a　curious　attraction　about　her　friend；　〃who；　by　the　way；　should　always　wear　brown　velvet　and　lace。〃

Miss　Vance　drew　little　Lucy　aside　after　dinner。　　〃Do　you　see；〃　she　said；　〃the　tears　in　her　eyes？　　It　wrenches　my　heart。　　She　has　become　an　old　woman　in　a　day。　　I　feel　as　if　Frances　were　dead；　and　that　was　her　ghost　joking　and　laughing。〃

Lucy　said　nothing；　but　she　went　to　Frances　and　sat　beside　her　all　evening。　　When　the　prince　arrived　and　was　presented；　going　on　his　triumphant　way　through　the　room；　she　nestled　closer；　whispering；　〃What　do　you　think　of　him？〃

〃He　looks　very　like　our　little　fat　Dutch　baker　in　Weirhe　has　the　same　air　of　patronage；〃　said　Frances　coldly。　　She　was　offended　that　Lucy　should　notice　the　man　at　all。　　Was　it　not　she　whom　George　should　have　married？　　How　happy　they　would　have　beenher　boy　and　this　sweet；　neat　little　girl！　　And　already　Lucy　was　curious　about　so…called　princes！

When　his　Highness　came　back　to　them　she　rose　hastily　and　went　to　her　own　room。

Late　that　night　Miss　Vance　found　her　there　in　the　dark；　sitting　bolt　upright　in　her　chair；　still　robed　in　velvet　and　lace。　　Clara　regarded　her　sternly；　feeling　that　it　was　time　to　take　her　in　hand。

〃You　have　not　forgiven　George？〃　she　said　abruptly。

Mrs。　Waldeaux　looked　up；　but　said　nothing。

〃Is　he　coming　back　soon？〃

〃He　never　shall　come　back　while　that　woman　is　with　him。〃

Miss　Vance　put　her　lamp　on　the　table　and　sat　down。　　〃Frances；〃　she　said　deliberately；　〃I　know　what　this　is　to　you。　　It　would　have　been　better　for　you　that　George　had　died。〃

〃Much　better。〃

〃But　he　didn't　die。　　He　married　Lisa　Arpent。　　Now　it　is　your　duty　to　accept　it。　　Make　the　best　of　it。〃

〃If　a　lizard　crawls　into　my　house　will　you　tell　me　to　accept　it？　　Make　the　best　of　it？　　Oh；　my　God！　　The　slimy　vile　creature！〃

〃She　is　not　vile！　　I　tell　you　there　are　lovable　qualities　in　Lisa。　　And　even　if　she　were　as　wicked　as　her　mother；　what　right　have　you　　You；　too；　are　a　sinner　before　God。〃

〃No；〃　said　Mrs。　Waldeaux　gravely；　〃I　am　not。　　I　have　lived　a　good　Christian　life。　　I　may　have　been　tempted　to　commit　sin；　but　I　cannot　remember　that　I　ever　did　it。〃

Miss　Vance　looked　at　her　aghast。　　〃But　surely　your　religion　teaches　you　　Why；　you　are　sinning　now；　when　you　hate　this　girl！〃

〃I　do　not　hate　her。　　God　made　her　as　he　made　the　lizard。　　I　simply　will　not　allow　her　to　cross　my　path。　　What　has　religion　to　do　with　it？　　I　am　clean　and　she　is　vile。　　That　is　all　there　is　to　say。〃

Both　women　were　silent。　　Mrs。　Waldeaux　got　up　at　last　and　caught　Clara　by　the　arm。　　She　was　trembling　violently。　　〃No；　I'm　not　ill。　　I'm　well　enough。　　But　you　don't　under…　stand！　　That　woman　has　killed　George。　　I　spent　twenty　years　in　making　him　what　he　is。　　I　workedthere　was　nothing　but　him　for　me　in　the　world。　　I　didn't　spare　myself。　　To　make　him　a　gentlemana　Christian。　　And　in　a　month　she　turns　him　into　a　thing　like　herself。　　He　is　following　her　vulgar　courses。　　I　saw　the　difference　after　he　had　lived　with　her　for　one　day。　　He　is　tainted。〃　　She　stood　staring　into　the　dull　lamp。　　〃She　may　not　live　long；　though；〃　she　said。　　〃She　doesn't　look　strong〃

〃Frances！　　For　God's　sake！〃

〃Well；　what　of　it？　　Why　shouldn't　I　wish　her　gone？　　The　harmthe　harm！　　Do　you　remember　that　Swedish　maid　I　hada　great　fair　woman？　　One　day　she　was　stung　by　a　green　fly；　and　in　a　week　she　was　dead；　her　whole　body　a　mass　of　corruption！　　Oh；　God　lets　such　things　be　done！　　Nothing　but　a　green　fly〃　　She　shook　off　Clara's　hold；　drawing　her　breath　with　difficulty。　　〃That　is　Lisa。　　It　is　George　that　is　being　poisoned；　body　and　soul。　　It's　a　pity　to　see　my　boy　killed　by　a　thing　like　thatit's　a　pity〃

Miss　Vance　was　too　frightened　to　argue　with　her。　　She　brought　her　wrapper；　loosened　her　hair；　soothing　her　in　little　womanish　ways。　　But　her　burning　curiosity　drove　her　presently　to　ask　one　question。

〃How　can　they　live？〃

〃I　have　doubled　his　allowance。〃

〃Frances！　　You　will　work　harder　to　make　money　for　Lisa　Arpent？〃

〃Oh；　what　is　money！〃　cried　Frances；　pushing　her　away　impatiently。



CHAPTER　V

Miss　Vance　persuaded　Mrs。　Waldeaux　to　go　with　her　to　Scotland。　　During　the　weeks　that　followed　Frances　always　found　Lucy　Dunbar　at　her　side　in　the　trains　or　on　the　coaches。

〃She　is　a　very　companionable　child；〃　she　told　Clara。　　〃I　often　forget　that　I　am　any　older　than　she。　　She　never　tires　of　hearing　stories　of　George's　scrapes　or　his　queer　sayings　when　he　was　a　child。　　Such　stories；　I　think；　are　usually　tedious；　but　George　was　a　peculiar　boy。〃

Mr。　Perry's　search　for　notorieties　took　him　also　to　Scotland；　and；　oddly　enough；　Prince　Wolfburgh's　search　for　amusement　led　him　in　the　same　direction。　　They　met　him　and　his　cousin；　Captain　Odo　Wolfburgh；　at　Oban；　and　again　on　the　ramparts　of　Stirling　Castle；　and　the　very　day　that　they　arrived　in　Edinburgh；　there；　in　Holyrood；　in　Queen　Mary's　chamber；　stood　the　pursy　little　man；　curling　his　mustache　before　her　mirror。

Mr。　Perry　fell　into　the　background　with　Miss　Hassard。　　〃His　Highness　is　becoming　monotonous！〃　he　grumbled。　　〃These　foreigners　never　know　when　they　are　superfluous　in　society。〃

〃Is　he　superfluous？〃　Jean　glanced　to　the　corner　where　the　prince　and　Lucy　were　eagerly　searching　for　the　blood　of　Rizzio　upon　the　steps。

〃Decidedly；〃　said　Perry。　　〃I　wished　to　show　you　and　Miss　Dunbar　a　live　prince；　and　I　did　it。　　That　is　done　and　over　with。　　He　has　been　seen　and　heard。　　There　is　no　reason　why　he　should　pop　up　here　and　there　all　over　Great　Britain　like　a　Jack…in…the…box。　　He's　becoming　a　bore。〃

〃You　suspect　him　to　be　an　impostor？〃　said　Jean　quickly。

〃No。　He's　genuine　enough。　　But　we　don't　want　any　foreigners　in　our　caravan；〃　stroking　his　red　beard　complacently。

〃No。　　What　do　you　suppose　is　his　object？〃　asked　Jean；　with　one　of　her　quick；　furtive　glances。

Mr。　Perry's　jaws　grew　red　as　his　beard。　　〃How　can　I　tell？〃　he　said　gruffly。　　He　went　on　irritably；　a　moment　later：　　〃Of　course　you　see　it。　　The　fellow　has　no　delicacy。　　He　makes　no　more　secret　of　his　plans　than　if　he　were　going　to　run　down　a　rabbit。　　Last　night　at　Stirling；　over　his　beer；　he　held　forth　upon　the　dimples　on　Miss　Dunbar's　pink　elbows；　and　asked　me　if　her　hair　were　all　her　own。　　I　said；　at　last；　that　American　men　did　not　value　women　like　sheep　by　their　flesh　and　fleece　and　the　money　they　were　rated　at　in　the　market。　　I　hit　him　square　that　time；　prince　or　no　prince！〃

〃Yes；　you　did；　indeed；〃　said　Jean　vaguely。　　Her　keen　eyes　followed　Lucy　and　the　prince；　who　were　loitering　through　the　gallery；　pausing　before　the　faded　portraits。　　〃You　think　it　is　only　her　money　that　draws　him　after　us？〃

〃Why；　of　course！　　A　fellow　like　that　could　not　appreciate　Miss　Dunbar's　beauty　and　wit。〃

〃You　think　Lucy　witty？〃　said　Jean　dryly。　　〃And　you　think　she　would　not　marry　for　a　title？〃


〃I　don't　believe　any　pure