lay morals-第51章
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ough a little tumbled by his passage in the wind。 It was to be judged he had come from the same formal gathering at which the others had preceded him; and perhaps that he had gone there in the hope to meet with them; for he came up to Ballantrae with unceremonious eagerness。
'At last; here you are!' he cried in French。 'I thought I was to miss you altogether。'
The Scotsmen rose; and Ballantrae; after the first greetings; laid his hand on his companion's shoulder。
'My lord;' said he; 'allow me to present to you one of my best friends and one of our best soldiers; the Lord Viscount Gladsmuir。'
The two bowed with the elaborate elegance of the period。
'MONSEIGNEUR;' said Balmile; 'JE N'AI PAS LA PRETENTION DE M'AFFUBLER D'UN TITRE QUE LA MAUVAISE FORTUNE DE MON ROI NE ME PERMET PAS DE PORTER COMMA IL SIED。 JE M'APPELLE; POUR VOUS SERVIR; BLAIR DE BALMILE TOUT COURT。' 'My lord; I have not the effrontery to cumber myself with a title which the ill fortunes of my king will not suffer me to bear the way it should be。 I call myself; at your service; plain Blair of Balmile。'
'MONSIEUR LE VICOMTE OU MONSIEUR BLER' DE BALMAIL;' replied the newcomer; 'LE NOM N'Y FAIT RIEN; ET L'ON CONNAIT VOS BEAUX FAITS。' 'The name matters nothing; your gallant actions are known。'
A few more ceremonies; and these three; sitting down together to the table; called for wine。 It was the happiness of Marie…Madeleine to wait unobserved upon the prince of her desires。 She poured the wine; he drank of it; and that link between them seemed to her; for the moment; close as a caress。 Though they lowered their tones; she surprised great names passing in their conversation; names of kings; the names of de Gesvre and Belle…Isle; and the man who dealt in these high matters; and she who was now coupled with him in her own thoughts; seemed to swim in mid air in a transfiguration。 Love is a crude core; but it has singular and far…reaching fringes; in that passionate attraction for the stranger that now swayed and mastered her; his harsh incomprehensible language; and these names of grandees in his talk; were each an element。
The Frenchman stayed not long; but it was plain he left behind him matter of much interest to his companions; they spoke together earnestly; their heads down; the woman of the wine…shop totally forgotten; and they were still so occupied when Paradou returned。
This man's love was unsleeping。 The even bluster of the mistral; with which he had been combating some hours; had not suspended; though it had embittered; that predominant passion。 His first look was for his wife; a look of hope and suspicion; menace and humility and love; that made the over… blooming brute appear for the moment almost beautiful。 She returned his glance; at first as though she knew him not; then with a swiftly waxing coldness of intent; and at last; without changing their direction; she had closed her eyes。
There passed across her mind during that period much that Paradou could not have understood had it been told to him in words: chiefly the sense of an enlightening contrast betwixt the man who talked of kings and the man who kept a wine…shop; betwixt the love she yearned for and that to which she had been long exposed like a victim bound upon the altar。 There swelled upon her; swifter than the Rhone; a tide of abhorrence and disgust。 She had succumbed to the monster; humbling herself below animals; and now she loved a hero; aspiring to the semi…divine。 It was in the pang of that humiliating thought that she had closed her eyes。
Paradou … quick as beasts are quick; to translate silence … felt the insult through his blood; his inarticulate soul bellowed within him for revenge。 He glanced about the shop。 He saw the two indifferent gentlemen deep in talk; and passed them over: his fancy flying not so high。 There was but one other present; a country lout who stood swallowing his wine; equally unobserved by all and unobserving … to him he dealt a glance of murderous suspicion; and turned direct upon his wife。 The wine…shop had lain hitherto; a space of shelter; the scene of a few ceremonial passages and some whispered conversation; in the howling river of the wind; the clock had not yet ticked a score of times since Paradou's appearance; and now; as he suddenly gave tongue; it seemed as though the mistral had entered at his heels。
'What ails you; woman?' he cried; smiting on the counter。
'Nothing ails me;' she replied。 It was strange; but she spoke and stood at that moment like a lady of degree; drawn upward by her aspirations。
'You speak to me; by God; as though you scorned me!' cried the husband。
The man's passion was always formidable; she had often looked on upon its violence with a thrill; it had been one ingredient in her fascination; and she was now surprised to behold him; as from afar off; gesticulating but impotent。 His fury might be dangerous like a torrent or a gust of wind; but it was inhuman; it might be feared or braved; it should never be respected。 And with that there came in her a sudden glow of courage and that readiness to die which attends so closely upon all strong passions。
'I do scorn you;' she said。
'What is that?' he cried。
'I scorn you;' she repeated; smiling。
'You love another man!' said he。
'With all my soul;' was her reply。
The wine…seller roared aloud so that the house rang and shook with it。
'Is this the … ?' he cried; using a foul word; common in the South; and he seized the young countryman and dashed him to the ground。 There he lay for the least interval of time insensible; thence fled from the house; the most terrified person in the county。 The heavy measure had escaped from his hands; splashing the wine high upon the wall。 Paradou caught it。 'And you?' he roared to his wife; giving her the same name in the feminine; and he aimed at her the deadly missile。 She expected it; motionless; with radiant eyes。
But before it sped; Paradou was met by another adversary; and the unconscious rivals stood confronted。 It was hard to say at that moment which appeared the more formidable。 In Paradou; the whole muddy and truculent depths of the half…man were stirred to frenzy; the lust of destruction raged in him; there was not a feature in his face but it talked murder。 Balmile had dropped his cloak: he shone out at once in his finery; and stood to his full stature; girt in mind and body all his resources; all his temper; perfectly in command in his face the light of battle。 Neither spoke; there was no blow nor threat of one; it was war reduced to its last element; the spiritual; and the huge wine…seller slowly lowered his weapon。 Balmile was a noble; he a commoner; Balmile exulted in an honourable cause。 Paradou already perhaps began to be ashamed of his violence。 Of a sudden; at least; the tortured brute turned and fled from the shop in the footsteps of his former victim; to whose continued flight his reappearance added wings。
So soon as Balmile appeared between her husband and herself; Marie…Madeleine transferred to him her eyes。 It might be her last moment; and she fed upon that face; reading there inimitable courage and illimitable valour to protect。 And when the momentary peril was gone by; and the champion turned a little awkwardly towards her whom he had rescued; it was to meet; and quail before; a gaze of admiration more distinct than words。 He bowed; he stammered; his words failed him; he who had crossed the floor a moment ago; like a young god; to smite; returned like one discomfited; got somehow to his place by the table; muffled himself again in his discarded cloak; and for a last touch of the ridiculous; seeking for anything to restore his countenance; drank of the wine before him; deep as a porter after a heavy lift。 It was little wonder if Ballantrae; reading the scene with malevolent eyes; laughed out loud and brief; and drank with raised glass; 'To the champion of the Fair。'
Marie…Madeleine stood in her old place within the counter; she disdained the mocking laughter; it fell on her ears; but it did not reach her spirit。 F