the pension beaurepas-第12章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


protects　the　daughter；　and　the　daughter　eggs　on　the　mother。　　Between
them　they　are　bleeding　him　to　death。〃

〃Ah；　what　a　picture！〃　murmured　Mrs。　Church。　　〃I　am　afraid　they　are
very…uncultivated。〃

〃I　share　your　fears。　　They　are　perfectly　ignorant；　they　have　no
resources。　　The　vision　of　fine　clothes　occupies　their　whole
imagination。　　They　have　not　an　ideaeven　a　worse　oneto　compete
with　it。　　Poor　Mr。　Ruck；　who　is　extremely　good…natured　and　soft；
seems　to　me　a　really　tragic　figure。　　He　is　getting　bad　news　every　day
from　home；　his　business　is　going　to　the　dogs。　　He　is　unable　to　stop
it；　he　has　to　stand　and　watch　his　fortunes　ebb。　　He　has　been　used　to
doing　things　in　a　big　way；　and　he　feels　mean；　if　he　makes　a　fuss
about　bills。　　So　the　ladies　keep　sending　them　in。〃

〃But　haven't　they　common　sense？　　Don't　they　know　they　are　ruining
themselves？〃

〃They　don't　believe　it。　　The　duty　of　an　American　husband　and　father
is　to　keep　them　going。　　If　he　asks　them　how；　that's　his　own　affair。
So；　by　way　of　not　being　mean；　of　being　a　good　American　husband　and
father；　poor　Ruck　stands　staring　at　bankruptcy。〃

Mrs。　Church　looked　at　me　a　moment；　in　quickened　meditation。　　〃Why；　if
Aurora　were　to　go　to　stay　with　them；　she　might　not　even　be　properly
fed！〃

〃I　don't；　on　the　whole；　recommend；〃　I　said；　laughing；　〃that　your
daughter　should　pay　a　visit　to　Thirty…Seventh　Street。〃

〃Why　should　I　be　subjected　to　such　trialsso　sadly　eprouvee？　　Why
should　a　daughter　of　mine　like　that　dreadful　girl？〃

〃DOES　she　like　her？〃

〃Pray；　do　you　mean；〃　asked　my　companion；　softly；　〃that　Aurora　is　a
hypocrite？〃

I　hesitated　a　moment。　　〃A　little；　since　you　ask　me。　　I　think　you　have
forced　her　to　be。〃

Mrs。　Church　answered　this　possibly　presumptuous　charge　with　a
tranquil；　candid　exultation。　　〃I　never　force　my　daughter！〃

〃She　is　nevertheless　in　a　false　position；〃　I　rejoined。　　〃She　hungers
and　thirsts　to　go　back　to　her　own　country；　she　wants　'to　come'　out　in
New　York；　which　is　certainly；　socially　speaking；　the　El　Dorado　of
young　ladies。　　She　likes　any　one；　for　the　moment；　who　will　talk　to
her　of　that；　and　serve　as　a　connecting…link　with　her　native　shores。
Miss　Ruck　performs　this　agreeable　office。〃

〃Your　idea　is；　then；　that　if　she　were　to　go　with　Miss　Ruck　to　America
she　would　drop　her　afterwards。〃

I　complimented　Mrs。　Church　upon　her　logical　mind；　but　I　repudiated
this　cynical　supposition。　　〃I　can't　imagine　herwhen　it　should　come
to　the　pointembarking　with　the　famille　Ruck。　　But　I　wish　she　might
go；　nevertheless。〃

Mrs。　Church　shook　her　head　serenely；　and　smiled　at　my　inappropriate
zeal。　　〃I　trust　my　poor　child　may　never　be　guilty　of　so　fatal　a
mistake。　　She　is　completely　in　error；　she　is　wholly　unadapted　to　the
peculiar　conditions　of　American　life。　　It　would　not　please　her。　　She
would　not　sympathise。　　My　daughter's　ideal　is　not　the　ideal　of　the
class　of　young　women　to　which　Miss　Ruck　belongs。　　I　fear　they　are
very　numerous；　they　give　the　tonethey　give　the　tone。〃

〃It　is　you　that　are　mistaken；〃　I　said；　〃go　home　for　six　months　and
see。〃

〃I　have　not；　unfortunately；　the　means　to　make　costly　experiments。　　My
daughter　has　had　great　advantagesrare　advantagesand　I　should　be
very　sorry　to　believe　that　au　fond　she　does　not　appreciate　them。　　One
thing　is　certain：　　I　must　remove　her　from　this　pernicious　influence。
We　must　part　company　with　this　deplorable　family。　　If　Mr。　Ruck　and
his　ladies　cannot　be　induced　to　go　to　Chamounia　journey　that　no
traveller　with　the　smallest　self…respect　would　omitmy　daughter　and
I　shall　be　obliged　to　retire。　　We　shall　go　to　Dresden。〃

〃To　Dresden？〃

〃The　capital　of　Saxony。　　I　had　arranged　to　go　there　for　the　autumn；
but　it　will　be　simpler　to　go　immediately。　　There　are　several　works　in
the　gallery　with　which　my　daughter　has　not；　I　think；　sufficiently
familiarised　herself；　it　is　especially　strong　in　the　seventeenth
century　schools。〃

As　my　companion　offered　me　this　information　I　perceived　Mr。　Ruck　come
lounging　in；　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　and　his　elbows　making
acute　angles。　　He　had　his　usual　anomalous　appearance　of　both　seeking
and　avoiding　society；　and　he　wandered　obliquely　toward　Mrs。　Church；
whose　last　words　he　had　overheard。　　〃The　seventeenth　century
schools；〃　he　said；　slowly；　as　if　he　were　weighing　some　very　small
object　in　a　very　large…pair　of　scales。　　〃Now；　do　you　suppose　they　HAD
schools　at　that　period？〃

Mrs。　Church　rose　with　a　good　deal　of　precision；　making　no　answer　to
this　incongruous　jest。　　She　clasped　her　large　volume　to　her　neat
little　bosom；　and　she　fixed　a　gentle；　serious　eye　upon　Mr。　Ruck。

〃I　had　a　letter　this　morning　from　Chamouni；〃　she　said。

〃Well；〃　replied　Mr。　Ruck；　〃I　suppose　you've　got　friends　all　over。〃

〃I　have　friends　at　Chamouni；　but　they　are　leaving。　　To　their　great
regret。〃　　I　had　got　up；　too；　I　listened　to　this　statement；　and　I
wondered。　　I　am　almost　ashamed　to　mention　the　subject　of　my
agitation。　　I　asked　myself　whether　this　was　a　sudden　improvisation；
consecrated　by　maternal　devotion；　but　this　point　has　never　been
elucidated。　　〃They　are　giving　up　some　charming　rooms；　perhaps　you
would　like　them。　　I　would　suggest　your　telegraphing。　　The　weather　is
glorious；〃　continued　Mrs。　Church；　〃and　the　highest　peaks　are　now
perceived　with　extraordinary　distinctness。〃

Mr。　Ruck　listened；　as　he　always　listened；　respectfully。　　〃Well；〃　he
said；　〃I　don't　know　as　I　want　to　go　up　Mount　Blank。　　That's　the
principal　attraction；　isn't　it？〃

〃There　are　many　others。　　I　thought　I　would　offer　you　anan
exceptional　opportunity。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Mr。　Ruck；　〃you're　right　down　friendly。　　But　I　seem　to
have　more　opportunities　than　I　know　what　to　do　with。　　I　don't　seem
able　to　take　hold。〃

〃It　only　needs　a　little　decision；〃　remarked　Mrs。　Church；　with　an　air
which　was　an　admirable　example　of　this　virtue。　　〃I　wish　you　good…
night；　sir。〃　　And　she　moved　noiselessly　away。

Mr。　Ruck；　with　his　long　legs　apart；　stood　staring　after　her；　then　he
transferred　his　perfectly　quiet　eyes　to　me。　　〃Does　she　own　a　hotel
over　there？〃　he　asked。　　〃Has　she　got　any　stock　in　Mount　Blank？〃



CHAPTER　IX。



The　next　day　Madame　Beaurepas　handed　me；　with　her　own　elderly
fingers；　a　missive；　which　proved　to　be　a　telegram。　　After　glancing　at
it；　I　informed　her　that　it　was　apparently　a　signal　for　my　departure；
my　brother　had　arrived　in　England；　and　proposed　to　me　to　meet　him
there；　he　had　come　on　business；　and　was　to　spend　but　three　weeks　in
Europe。　　〃But　my　house　empties　itself！〃　cried　the　old　woman。　　〃The
famille　Ruck　talks　of　leaving　me；　and　Madame　Church　nous　fait　la
reverence。〃

〃Mrs。　Church　is　going　away？〃

〃She　is　packing　her　trunk；　she　is　a　very　extraordinary　person。　　Do
you　know　what　she　asked　me　this　morning？　　To　invent　some　combination
by　which　the　famille　Ruck　should　move　away。　　I　informed　her　that　I
was　not　an　inventor。　　That　poor　famille　Ruck！　　'Oblige　me　by　getting
rid　of　them；'　said　Madame　Church；　as　she　would　have　asked　Celestine
to　remove　a　dish　of　cabbage。　　She　speaks　as　if　the　world　were　made
for　Madame　Church。　　I　intimated　to　her　that　if　she　objected　to　the
company　there　was　a　very　simple　remedy；　and　at　present　elle　fait　ses
paquets。〃

〃She　really　asked　you　to　get　the　Rucks　out　of　the　house？〃

〃She　asked　me　to　tell　them　that　their　rooms　had　been　let；　three
months　ago；　to　another　family。　　She　has　an　APLOMB！〃

Mrs。　Church's　aplomb　caused　me　considerable　diversion；　I　am　not　sure
that　it　was　not；　in　some　degree；　to　laugh　over　it　at　my　leisure　that
I　went　out　into　the　garden　that　evening　to　smoke　a　cigar。　　The　night
was　dark　and　not　particularly　balmy；　and　most　of　my　fellow…
pensioners；　after　dinner；　had　remained　in…doors。　　A　long　straight
walk　conducted　from　the　door　of　the　house　to　the　ancient　grille　that
I　have　described；　and　I　stood　here　for　some　time；　looking　through　the
iron　bars　at　the　silent　empty　street。　　The　prospect　was　not
entertaining；　and　I　presently　turned　away。　　At　this　moment　I　saw；　in
the　distance；　the　door　of　the　house　open　and　throw　a　shaft　of
lamplight　into　the　darkness。　　Into　the　lamplight　there　stepped　the
figure　of　a　female；　who　presently　closed　the　door　behind　her。　　She
disappeare