confidence-第39章

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e。　　Some　of　the　people　were　charmingupon　my　soul；　I　was　surprised　at　some　of　the　people。　　I　dare　say　you　know　some　of　the　people　I　saw；　they　were　as　nice　people　as　you　would　see　anywhere。　There　were　always　a　lot　of　people　about　Mrs。　Wright；　you　know；　they　told　me　they　were　all　the　best　people。　　You　know　she　is　always　late　for　everything。　　She　always　comes　in　after　every　one　is　therelooking　so　devilish　pretty；　pulling　on　her　gloves。　She　wears　the　longest　gloves　I　ever　saw　in　my　life。　　Upon　my　word；　if　they　don't　come；　I　think　I　will　ring　the　bell　and　ask　the　waiter　what　's　the　matter。　　Would　n't　you　ring　the　bell？　It　's　a　great　mistake；　their　trying　to　carry　out　their　ideas　of　lunching。　　That　's　Wright's　character；　you　know；　he　's　always　trying　to　carry　out　some　idea。　　When　I　am　abroad；　I　go　in　for　the　foreign　breakfast　myself。　　You　may　depend　upon　it　they　had　better　give　up　trying　to　do　this　sort　of　thing　at　this　hour。〃

Captain　Lovelock　was　more　disposed　to　conversation　than　Bernard　had　known　him　before。　　His　discourse　of　old　had　been　languid　and　fragmentary；　and　our　hero　had　never　heard　him　pursue　a　train　of　ideas　through　so　many　involutions。　　To　Bernard's　observant　eye；　indeed；　the　Captain　was　an　altered　man。　His　manner　betrayed　a　certain　restless　desire　to　be　agreeable；　to　anticipate　judgmenta　disposition　to　smile；　and　be　civil；　and　entertain　his　auditor；　a　tendency　to　move　about　and　look　out　of　the　window　and　at　the　clock。　　He　struck　Bernard　as　a　trifle　nervous　as　less　solidly　planted　on　his　feet　than　when　he　lounged　along　the　Baden　gravel…walks　by　the　side　of　his　usual　companion　a　lady　for　whom；　apparently；　his　admiration　was　still　considerable。　Bernard　was　curious　to　see　whether　he　would　ring　the　bell　to　inquire　into　the　delay　attending　the　service　of　lunch；　but　before　this　sentiment；　rather　idle　under　the　circumstances；　was　gratified；　Blanche　passed　into　the　room　from　a　neighboring　apartment。　　To　Bernard's　perception　Blanche；　at　least；　was　always　Blanche；　she　was　a　person　in　whom　it　would　not　have　occurred　to　him　to　expect　any　puzzling　variation；　and　the　tone　of　her　little；　soft；　thin　voice　instantly　rang　in　his　ear　like　an　echo　of　yesterday's　talk。　　He　had　already　remarked　to　himself　that　after　however　long　an　interval　one　might　see　Blanche；　she　re…appeared　with　an　air　of　familiarity。　This　was　in　some　sense；　indeed；　a　proof　of　the　agreeable　impression　she　made；　and　she　looked　exceedingly　pretty　as　she　now　suddenly　stopped　on　seeing　our　two　gentlemen；　and　gave　a　little　cry　of　surprise。

〃Ah！　　I　did　n't　know　you　were　here。　　They　never　told　me。　Have　you　been　waiting　a　long　time？　　How　d'　ye　do？　　You　must　think　we　are　polite。〃　　She　held　out　her　hand　to　Bernard；　smiling　very　graciously。　　At　Captain　Lovelock　she　barely　glanced。　〃I　hope　you　are　very　well；〃　she　went　on　to　Longueville；　〃but　I　need　n't　ask　that。　　You　're　as　blooming　as　a　rose。　What　in　the　world　has　happened　to　you？　　You　look　so　brilliant　so　fresh。　　Can　you　say　that　to　a　manthat　he　looks　fresh？　Or　can　you　only　say　that　about　butter　and　eggs？〃

〃It　depends　upon　the　man；〃　said　Captain　Lovelock。　　〃You　can't　say　that　a　man　's　fresh　who　spends　his　time　in　running　about　after　you！〃

〃Ah；　are　you　here？〃　cried　Blanche　with　another　little　cry　of　surprise。　　〃I　did　n't　notice　youI　thought　you　were　the　waiter。　This　is　what　he　calls　running　about　after　me；〃　she　added；　to　Bernard；　〃coming　to　breakfast　without　being　asked。　How　queerly　they　have　arranged　the　table！〃　she　went　on；　gazing　with　her　little　elevated　eyebrows　at　this　piece　of　furniture。　〃I　always　thought　that　in　Paris；　if　they　could　n't　do　anything　else；　they　could　arrange　a　table。　　I　don't　like　that　at　all　those　horrid　little　dishes　on　each　side！　　Don't　you　think　those　things　ought　to　be　off　the　table；　Mr。　Longueville？　I　don't　like　to　see　a　lot　of　things　I　'm　not　eating。　And　I　told　them　to　have　some　flowerspray；　where　are　the　flowers？　Do　they　call　those　things　flowers？　　They　look　as　if　they　had　come　out　of　the　landlady's　bonnet！　　Mr。　Longueville；　do　look　at　those　objects。〃

〃They　are　not　like　methey　are　not　very　fresh；〃　laughed　Bernard。

〃It　's　no　great　matterwe　have　not　got　to　eat　them；〃　growled　Captain　Lovelock。

〃I　should　think　you　would　expect　towith　the　luncheon　you　usually　make！〃　rejoined　Blanche。　　〃Since　you　are　here；　though　I　did　n't　ask　you；　you　might　as　well　make　yourself　useful。　　Will　you　be　so　good　as　to　ring　the　bell？　If　Gordon　expects　that　we　are　going　to　wait　another　quarter　of　an　hour　for　him　he　exaggerates　the　patience　of　a　long…suffering　wife。　　If　you　are　very　curious　to　know　what　he　is　about；　he　is　writing　letters；　by　way　of　a　change。　He　writes　about　eighty　a　day；　his　correspondents　must　be　strong　people！　It　's　a　lucky　thing　for　me　that　I　am　married　to　Gordon；　if　I　were　not　he　might　write　to　meto　me；　to　whom　it　's　a　misery　to　have　to　answer　even　an　invitation　to　dinner！　　To　begin　with；　I　don't　know　how　to　spell。　If　Captain　Lovelock　ever　boasts　that　he　has　had　letters　from　me；　you　may　know　it　's　an　invention。　　He　has　never　had　anything　but　telegrams　three　telegramsthat　I　sent　him　in　America　about　a　pair　of　slippers　that　he　had　left　at　our　house　and　that　I　did　n't　know　what　to　do　with。　Captain　Lovelock's　slippers　are　no　trifle　to　have　on　one's　hands　on　one's　feet；　I　suppose　I　ought　to　say。　　For　telegrams　the　spelling　does　n't　matter；　the　people　at　the　office　correct　itor　if　they　don't　you　can　put　it　off　on　them。　　I　never　see　anything　nowadays　but　Gordon's　back；〃　she　went　on；　as　they　took　their　places　at　table〃his　noble　broad　back；　as　he　sits　writing　his　letters。　　That　's　my　principal　view　of　my　husband。　I　think　that　now　we　are　in　Paris　I　ought　to　have　a　portrait　of　it　by　one　of　the　great　artists。　　It　would　be　such　a　characteristic　pose。　I　have　quite　forgotten　his　face　and　I　don't　think　I　should　know　it。〃

Gordon's　face；　however；　presented　itself　just　at　this　moment；　he　came　in　quickly；　with　his　countenance　flushed　with　the　pleasure　of　meeting　his　old　friend　again。　　He　had　the　sun…scorched　look　of　a　traveller　who　has　just　crossed　the　Atlantic；　and　he　smiled　at　Bernard　with　his　honest　eyes。

〃Don't　think　me　a　great　brute　for　not　being　here　to　receive　you；〃　he　said；　as　he　clasped　his　hand。　　〃I　was　writing　an　important　letter　and　I　put　it　to　myself　in　this　way：　　'If　I　interrupt　my　letter　I　shall　have　to　come　back　and　finish　it；　whereas　if　I　finish　it　now；　I　can　have　all　the　rest　of　the　day　to　spend　with　him。'　So　I　stuck　to　it　to　the　end；　and　now　we　can　be　inseparable。〃

〃You　may　be　sure　Gordon　reasoned　it　out；〃　said　Blanche；　while　her　husband　offered　his　hand　in　silence　to　Captain　Lovelock。

〃Gordon's　reasoning　is　as　fine　as　other　people's　feeling！〃　declared　Bernard；　who　was　conscious　of　a　desire　to　say　something　very　pleasant　to　Gordon；　and　who　did　not　at　all　approve　of　Blanche's　little　ironical　tone　about　her　husband。

〃And　Bernard's　compliments　are　better　than　either；〃　said　Gordon；　laughing　and　taking　his　seat　at　table。

〃I　have　been　paying　him　compliments；〃　Blanche　went　on。　〃I　have　been　telling　him　he　looks　so　brilliant；　so　blooming　as　if　something　had　happened　to　him；　as　if　he　had　inherited　a　fortune。　　He　must　have　been　doing　something　very　wicked；　and　he　ought　to　tell　us　all　about　it；　to　amuse　us。　I　am　sure　you　are　a　dreadful　Parisian；　Mr。　Longueville。　Remember　that　we　are　three　dull；　virtuous　people；　exceedingly　bored　with　each　other's　society；　and　wanting　to　hear　something　strange　and　exciting。　　If　it　's　a　little　improper；　that　won't　spoil　it。〃

〃You　certainly　are　looking　uncommonly　well；〃　said　Gordon；　still　smiling；　across　the　table；　at　his　friend。　　〃I　see　what　Blanche　means〃

〃My　dear　Gordon；　that　's　a　great　event；〃　his　wife　interposed。

〃It　's　a　good　deal　to　pretend；　certainly；〃　he　went　on；　smiling　always；　with　his　red　face　and　his　blue　eyes。　　〃But　this　is　no　great　credit　to　me；　because　Bernard's　superb　condition　would　strike　any　one。　You　look　as　if　you　were　going　to　marry　the　Lord　Mayor's　daughter！〃

If　Bernard　was　blooming；　his　bloom　at　this　juncture　must　have　deepened；　and　in　so　doing　indeed　have　contributed　an　even　brighter　tint　to　his　expression　of　salubrious　happiness。　　It　was　one　of　the　rare　occasions　of　his　life　when　he　was　at　a　loss　for　a　verbal　expedient。