white lies-第5章

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〃When　I　go　into　their　kitchen　to　court　Jacintha　a　bit；　instead　of　finding　a　good　supper　there；　which　a　man　has　a　right　to；　courting　a　cook；　if　I　don't　take　one　in　my　pocket；　there　is　no　supper；　not　to　say　supper；　for　either　her　or　me。　　I　don't　call　a　salad　and　a　bit　of　cheese…rindSUPPER。　　Beggars　in　silk　and　satin！　　Every　sou　they　have　goes　on　to　their　backs；　instead　of　into　their　bellies。〃

〃I　have　heard　their　income　is　much　reduced；〃　said　Edouard　gently。

〃Income！　　I　would　not　change　with　them　if　they'd　throw　me　in　half　a　pancake　a　day。　　I　tell　you　they　are　the　poorest　family　for　leagues　round；　not　that　they　need　be　quite　so　starved；　if　they　could　swallow　a　little　of　their　pride。　　But　no；　they　must　have　china　and　plate　and　fine　linen　at　dinner；　so　their　fine　plates　are　always　bare；　and　their　silver　trays　empty。　　Ask　the　butcher；　if　you　don't　believe　ME。　Just　you　ask　him　whether　he　does　not　go　three　times　to　the　smallest　shopkeeper；　for　once　he　goes　to　Beaurepaire。　　Their　tenants　send　them　a　little　meal　and　eggs；　and　now　and　then　a　hen；　and　their　great　garden　is　chock　full　of　fruit　and　vegetables；　and　Jacintha　makes　me　dig　in　it　gratis；　and　so　they　muddle　on。　　But；　bless　your　heart；　coffee！　they　can't　afford　it；　so　they　roast　a　lot　of　horse…beans　that　cost　nothing；　and　grind　them；　and　serve　up　the　liquor　in　a　silver　coffee…pot；　on　a　silver　salver。　　Haw；　haw；　haw！〃

〃Is　it　possible？　reduced　to　this？〃　said　Edouard　gravely。

〃Don't　you　be　so　weak　as　to　pity　them；〃　cried　the　remorseless　plebeian。　　〃Why　don't　they　melt　their　silver　into　soup；　and　cut　down　their　plate　into　rashers　of　bacon？　why　not　sell　the　superfluous；　and　buy　the　needful；　which　it　is　grub？　　And；　above　all；　why　don't　they　let　their　old　tumble…down　palace　to　some　rich　grocer；　and　that　accursed　garden　along　with　it；　where　I　sweat　gratis；　and　live　small　and　comfortable；　and　pay　honest　men　for　their　little　odd　jobs；　and〃

Here　Riviere　interrupted　him；　and　asked　if　it　was　really　true　about　the　beans。

〃True？〃　said　Dard；　〃why；　I　have　seen　Rose　doing　it　for　the　old　woman's　breakfast：　it　was　Rose　invented　the　move。　　A　girl　of　nineteen　beginning　already　to　deceive　the　world！　　But　they　are　all　tarred　with　the　same　stick。　　Down　with　the　aristocrats！〃

〃Dard；〃　said　Riviere；　〃you　are　a　brute。〃

〃Me；　citizen？〃　inquired　Dard　with　every　appearance　of　genuine　surprise。

Edouard　Riviere　rose　from　his　seat　in　great　excitement。　　Dard's　abuse　of　the　family　he　was　lately　so　bitter　against　had　turned　him　right　round。　　He　pitied　the　very　baroness　herself；　and　forgave　her　declining　his　visit。

〃Be　silent；〃　said　he；　〃for　shame！　　There　is　such　a　thing　as　noble　poverty；　and　you　have　described　it。　　I　might　have　disdained　these　people　in　their　prosperity；　but　I　revere　them　in　their　affliction。　And　I'll　tell　you　what；　don't　you　ever　dare　to　speak　slightly　of　them　again　in　my　presence；　or〃

He　did　not　conclude　his　threat；　for　just　then　he　observed　that　a　strapping　girl；　with　a　basket　at　her　feet；　was　standing　against　the　corner　of　the　Auberge；　in　a　mighty　careless　attitude；　but　doing　nothing；　so　most　likely　listening　with　all　her　ears　and　soul。　　Dard；　however；　did　not　see　her；　his　back　being　turned　to　her　as　he　sat；　so　he　replied　at　his　ease；

〃I　consent；〃　said　he　very　coolly：　〃that　is　your　affair；　but　permit　me；〃　and　here　he　clenched　his　teeth　at　remembrance　of　his　wrongs；　〃to　say　that　I　will　no　more　be　a　scullery　man　without　wages　to　these　high…minded　starvelings；　these　illustrious　beggars。〃　　Then　he　heated　himself　red…hot。　　〃I　will　not　even　be　their　galley　slave。　　Next；　I　have　done　my　last　little　odd　job　in　this　world；〃　yelled　the　now　infuriated　factotum；　bouncing　up　to　his　feet　in　brief　fury。　　〃Of　two　things　one：　either　Jacintha　quits　those　aristos；　or　I　leave　Jacin　eh？ah！oh！ahem！　　How'ow　d'ye　do；　Jacintha？〃　　And　his　roar　ended　in　a　whine；　as　when　a　dog　runs　barking　out；　and　receives　in　full　career　a　cut　from　his　master's　whip；　his　generous　rage　turns　to　whimper　with　ludicrous　abruptness。　　〃I　was　just　talking　of　you；　Jacintha；〃　quavered　Dard　in　conclusion。

〃I　heard　you；　Dard；〃　replied　Jacintha　slowly；　softly；　grimly。

Dard　withered。

It　was　a　lusty　young　woman；　with　a　comely　peasant　face　somewhat　freckled；　and　a　pair　of　large　black　eyes　surmounted　by　coal…black　brows。　　She　stood　in　a　bold　attitude；　her　massive　but　well…formed　arms　folded　so　that　the　pressure　of　each　against　the　other　made　them　seem　gigantic；　and　her　cheek　red　with　anger；　and　her　eyes　glistening　like　basilisks　upon　citizen　Dard。　　She　looked　so　grand；　with　her　lowering　black　brows；　that　even　Riviere　felt　a　little　uneasy。　　As　for　Jacintha；　she　was　evidently　brooding　with　more　ire　than　she　chose　to　utter　before　a　stranger。　　She　just　slowly　unclasped　her　arms；　and；　keeping　her　eye　fixed　on　Dard；　pointed　with　a　domineering　gesture　towards　Beaurepaire。　　Then　the　doughty　Dard　seemed　no　longer　master　of　his　limbs：　he　rose　slowly；　with　his　eyes　fastened　to　hers；　and　was　moving　off　like　an　ill…oiled　automaton　in　the　direction　indicated；　but　at　that　a　suppressed　snigger　began　to　shake　Riviere's　whole　body　till　it　bobbed　up　and　down　on　the　seat。　　Dard　turned　to　him　for　sympathy。

〃There；　citizen；〃　he　cried；　〃do　you　see　that　imperious　gesture？　That　means　you　promised　to　dig　in　the　aristocrat's　garden　this　afternoon；　so　march！　　Here；　then；　is　one　that　has　gained　nothing　by　kings　being　put　down；　for　I　am　ruled　with　a　mopstick　of　iron。　　Thank　your　stars；　citizen；　that　you　are　not　in　may　place。〃

〃Dard；〃　retorted　Jacintha；　〃if　you　don't　like　your　place；　I'd　quit　it。　　There　are　two　or　three　young　men　down　in　the　village　will　be　glad　to　take　it。〃

〃I　won't　give　them　the　chance；　the　vile　egotists！〃　cried　Dard。　　And　he　returned　to　the　chateau　and　little　odd　jobs。

Jacintha　hung　behind；　lowered　her　eyes；　put　on　a　very　deferential　manner；　and　thanked　Edouard　for　the　kind　sentiments　he　had　uttered；　but　at　the　same　time　she　took　the　liberty　to　warn　him　against　believing　the　extravagant　stories　Dard　had　been　telling　about　her　mistress's　poverty。　　She　said　the　simple　fact　was　that　the　baron　had　contracted　debts；　and　the　baroness；　being　the　soul　of　honor；　was　living　in　great　economy　to　pay　them　off。　　Then；　as　to　Dard　getting　no　supper　up　at　Beaurepaire；　a　complaint　that　appeared　to　sting　her　particularly；　she　assured　him　she　was　alone　to　blame：　the　baroness　would　be　very　angry　if　she　knew　it。　　〃But；〃　said　she；　〃Dard　is　an　egotist。　　Perhaps　you　may　have　noticed　that　trait　in　him。〃

〃Glimpses　of　it；〃　replied　Riviere；　laughing。

〃Monsieur；　he　is　so　egotistic　that　he　has　not　a　friend　in　the　world　but　me。　　I　forgive　him；　because　I　know　the　reason；　he　has　never　had　a　headache　or　a　heartache　in　his　life。〃

Edouard；　aged　twenty；　and　a　male；　did　not　comprehend　this　piece　of　feminine　logic　one　bit：　and；　while　he　puzzled　over　it　in　silence；　Jacintha　went　on　to　say　that　if　she　were　to　fill　her　egotist's　paunch；　she　should　never　know　whether　he　came　to　Beaurepaire　for　her；　or　himself。　　〃Now；　Dard；〃　she　added；　〃is　no　beauty；　monsieur；　why；　he　is　three　inches　shorter　than　I　am。〃

〃You　are　joking！　he　looks　a　foot；〃　said　Edouard。

〃He　is　no　scholar　neither；　and　I　have　had　to　wipe　up　many　a　sneer　and　many　a　sarcasm　on　his　account；　but　up　to　now　I　have　always　been　able　to　reply　that　this　five　feet　one　of　egotism　loves　me　sincerely；　and　the　moment　I　doubt　this；　I　give　him　the　sack；poor　little　fellow！〃

〃In　a　word；〃　said　Riviere；　a　little　impatiently；　〃the　family　at　Beaurepaire　are　not　in　such　straits　as　he　pretends？〃

〃Monsieur；　do　I　look　like　one　starved？〃

〃By　Jove；　no！　by　Ceres；　I　mean。〃

〃Are　my　young　mistresses　wan；　and　thin？〃

〃Treason！　blasphemy！　ah；　no！　　By　Venus　and　Hebe；　no！〃

Jacintha　smiled　at　this　enthusiastic　denial；　and　also　because　her　sex　is　apt　to　smile　when　words　are　used　they　do　not　understand。

〃Dard　is　a　fool；〃　suggested　Riviere；　by　way　of　general　solution。　　He　added；　〃And　yet；　do　you　know　I　wish　every　word　he　said　had　been　true。〃　　（Jacintha's　eyes　expressed　some　astonishment。）　　〃Because　then　you　and　I　would　have　concerted　means　to　do　them　kindnesses；　secretly；　for　I　see　you　are　no　ordinary　servant；　you　love　your　young　mistresses。　　Do　you　not？〃

These　simple　words　seemed　to　touch　a　grander　cho