the pension beaurepas-第2章

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metropolis。　　M。　Pigeonneau　was　a　little　lean　man；　with　a　large　narrow
nose；　who　sat　a　great　deal　in　the　garden；　reading　with　the　aid　of　a
large　magnifying　glass　a　volume　from　the　cabinet　de　lecture。

One　day；　a　fortnight　after　my　arrival　at　the　Pension　Beaurepas；　I
came　back；　rather　earlier　than　usual　from　my　academic　session；　it
wanted　half　an　hour　of　the　midday　breakfast。　　I　went　into　the　salon
with　the　design　of　possessing　myself　of　the　day's　Galignani　before
one　of　the　little　English　old　maids　should　have　removed　it　to　her
virginal　bowera　privilege　to　which　Madame　Beaurepas　frequently
alluded　as　one　of　the　attractions　of　the　establishment。　　In　the　salon
I　found　a　new…comer；　a　tall　gentleman　in　a　high　black　hat；　whom　I
immediately　recognised　as　a　compatriot。　　I　had　often　seen　him；　or　his
equivalent；　in　the　hotel　parlours　of　my　native　land。　　He　apparently
supposed　himself　to　be　at　the　present　moment　in　a　hotel　parlour；　his
hat　was　on　his　head；　or；　rather；　half　off　itpushed　back　from　his
forehead；　and　rather　suspended　than　poised。　　He　stood　before　a　table
on　which　old　newspapers　were　scattered；　one　of　which　he　had　taken　up
and；　with　his　eye…glass　on　his　nose；　was　holding　out　at　arm's…length。
It　was　that　honourable　but　extremely　diminutive　sheet；　the　Journal　de
Geneve；　a　newspaper　of　about　the　size　of　a　pocket…handkerchief。　　As　I
drew　near；　looking　for　my　Galignani；　the　tall　gentleman　gave　me；　over
the　top　of　his　eye…glass；　a　somewhat　solemn　stare。　　Presently；
however；　before　I　had　time　to　lay　my　hand　on　the　object　of　my　search；
he　silently　offered　me　the　Journal　de　Geneve。

〃It　appears；〃　he　said；　〃to　be　the　paper　of　the　country。〃

〃Yes；〃　I　answered；　〃I　believe　it's　the　best。〃

He　gazed　at　it　again；　still　holding　it　at　arm's…length；　as　if　it　had
been　a　looking…glass。　　〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃I　suppose　it's　natural　a
small　country　should　have　small　papers。　　You　could　wrap　it　up；
mountains　and　all；　in　one　of　our　dailies！〃

I　found　my　Galignani；　and　went　off　with　it　into　the　garden；　where　I
seated　myself　on　a　bench　in　the　shade。　　Presently　I　saw　the　tall
gentleman　in　the　hat　appear　in　one　of　the　open　windows　of　the　salon；
and　stand　there　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets　and　his　legs　a　little
apart。　　He　looked　very　much　bored；　andI　don't　know　whyI
immediately　began　to　feel　sorry　for　him。　　He　was　not　at　all　a
picturesque　personage；　he　looked　like　a　jaded；　faded　man　of　business。
But　after　a　little　he　came　into　the　garden　and　began　to　stroll　about；
and　then　his　restless；　unoccupied　carriage；　and　the　vague；
unacquainted　manner　in　which　his　eyes　wandered　over　the　place；　seemed
to　make　it　proper　that；　as　an　older　resident；　I　should　exercise　a
certain　hospitality。　　I　said　something　to　him；　and　he　came　and　sat
down　beside　me　on　my　bench；　clasping　one　of　his　long　knees　in　his
hands。

〃When　is　it　this　big　breakfast　of　theirs　comes　off？〃　he　inquired。
〃That's　what　I　call　itthe　little　breakfast　and　the　big　breakfast。
I　never　thought　I　should　live　to　see　the　time　when　I　should　care　to
eat　two　breakfasts。　　But　a　man's　glad　to　do　anything　over　here。〃

〃For　myself；〃　I　observed；　〃I　find　plenty　to　do。〃

He　turned　his　head　and　glanced　at　me　with　a　dry；　deliberate；　kind…
looking　eye。　　〃You're　getting　used　to　the　life；　are　you？〃

〃I　like　the　life　very　much；〃　I　answered；　laughing。

〃How　long　have　you　tried　it？〃

〃Do　you　mean　in　this　place？〃

〃Well；　I　mean　anywhere。　　It　seems　to　me　pretty　much　the　same　all
over。〃

〃I　have　been　in　this　house　only　a　fortnight；〃　I　said。

〃Well；　what　should　you　say；　from　what　you　have　seen？〃　my　companion
asked。

〃Oh；〃　said　I；　〃you　can　see　all　there　is　immediately。　　It's　very
simple。〃

〃Sweet　simplicity；　eh？　　I'm　afraid　my　two　ladies　will　find　it　too
simple。〃

〃Everything　is　very　good；〃　I　went　on。　　〃And　Madame　Beaurepas　is　a
charming　old　woman。　　And　then　it's　very　cheap。〃

〃Cheap；　is　it？〃　my　friend　repeated　meditatively。

〃Doesn't　it　strike　you　so？〃　I　asked。　　I　thought　it　very　possible　he
had　not　inquired　the　terms。　　But　he　appeared　not　to　have　heard　me；　he
sat　there；　clasping　his　knee　and　blinking；　in　a　contemplative　manner；
at　the　sunshine。

〃Are　you　from　the　United　States；　sir？〃　he　presently　demanded；　turning
his　head　again。

〃Yes；　sir；〃　I　replied；　and　I　mentioned　the　place　of　my　nativity。

〃I　presumed；〃　he　said；　〃that　you　were　American　or　English。　　I'm　from
the　United　States　myself；　from　New　York　city。　　Many　of　our　people
here？〃

〃Not　so　many　as；　I　believe；　there　have　sometimes　been。　　There　are　two
or　three　ladies。〃

〃Well；〃　my　interlocutor　declared；　〃I　am　very　fond　of　ladies'　society。
I　think　when　it's　superior　there's　nothing　comes　up　to　it。　　I've　got
two　ladies　here　myself；　I　must　make　you　acquainted　with　them。〃

I　rejoined　that　I　should　be　delighted；　and　I　inquired　of　my　friend
whether　he　had　been　long　in　Europe。

〃Well；　it　seems　precious　long；〃　he　said；　〃but　my　time's　not　up　yet。
We　have　been　here　fourteen　weeks　and　a　half。〃

〃Are　you　travelling　for　pleasure？〃　I　asked。

My　companion　turned　his　head　again　and　looked　at　melooked　at　me　so
long　in　silence　that　I　at　last　also　turned　and　met　his　eyes。

〃No；　sir；〃　he　said　presently。　　〃No；　sir；〃　he　repeated；　after　a
considerable　interval。

〃Excuse　me；〃　said　I；　for　there　was　something　so　solemn　in　his　tone
that　I　feared　I　had　been　indiscreet。

He　took　no　notice　of　my　ejaculation；　he　simply　continued　to　look　at
me。　　〃I'm　travelling；〃　he　said；　at　last；　〃to　please　the　doctors。
They　seemed　to　think　they　would　like　it。〃

〃Ah；　they　sent　you　abroad　for　your　health？〃

〃They　sent　me　abroad　because　they　were　so　confoundedly　muddled　they
didn't　know　what　else　to　do。〃

〃That's　often　the　best　thing；〃　I　ventured　to　remark。

〃It　was　a　confession　of　weakness；　they　wanted　me　to　stop　plaguing
them。　　They　didn't　know　enough　to　cure　me；　and　that's　the　way　they
thought　they　would　get　round　it。　　I　wanted　to　be　curedI　didn't　want
to　be　transported。　　I　hadn't　done　any　harm。〃

I　assented　to　the　general　proposition　of　the　inefficiency　of　doctors；
and　asked　my　companion　if　he　had　been　seriously　ill。

〃I　didn't　sleep；〃　he　said；　after　some　delay。

〃Ah；　that's　very　annoying。　　I　suppose　you　were　overworked。〃

〃I　didn't　eat；　I　took　no　interest　in　my　food。〃

〃Well；　I　hope　you　both　eat　and　sleep　now；〃　I　said。

〃I　couldn't　hold　a　pen；〃　my　neighbour　went　on。　　〃I　couldn't　sit
still。　　I　couldn't　walk　from　my　house　to　the　carsand　it's　only　a
little　way。　　I　lost　my　interest　in　business。〃

〃You　needed　a　holiday；〃　I　observed。

〃That's　what　the　doctors　said。　　It　wasn't　so　very　smart　of　them。　　I
had　been　paying　strict　attention　to　business　for　twenty…three　years。〃

〃In　all　that　time　you　have　never　had　a　holiday？〃　I　exclaimed　with
horror。

My　companion　waited　a　little。　　〃Sundays；〃　he　said　at　last。

〃No　wonder；　then；　you　were　out　of　sorts。〃

〃Well；　sir；〃　said　my　friend；　〃I　shouldn't　have　been　where　I　was　three
years　ago　if　I　had　spent　my　time　travelling　round　Europe。　　I　was　in　a
very　advantageous　position。　　I　did　a　very　large　business。　　I　was
considerably　interested　in　lumber。〃　　He　paused；　turned　his　head；　and
looked　at　me　a　moment。　　〃Have　you　any　business　interests　yourself？〃
I　answered　that　I　had　none；　and　he　went　on　again；　slowly；　softly；
deliberately。　　〃Well；　sir；　perhaps　you　are　not　aware　that　business　in
the　United　States　is　not　what　it　was　a　short　time　since。　　Business
interests　are　very　insecure。　　There　seems　to　be　a　general　falling…
off。　　Different　parties　offer　different　explanations　of　the　fact；　but
so　far　as　I　am　aware　none　of　their　observations　have　set　things　going
again。〃　　I　ingeniously　intimated　that　if　business　was　dull；　the　time
was　good　for　coming　away；　whereupon　my　neighbour　threw　back　his　head
and　stretched　his　legs　a　while。　　〃Well；　sir；　that's　one　view　of　the
matter　certainly。　　There's　something　to　be　said　for　that。　　These
things　should　be　looked　at　all　round。　　That's　the　ground　my　wife
took。　　That's　the　ground；〃　he　added　in　a　moment；　〃that　a　lady　would
naturally　take；〃　and　he　gave　a　little　dry　laugh。

〃You　think　it's　slightly　illogical；〃　I　remarked。

〃Well；　sir；　the　ground　I　took　was；　that　the　worse　a　man's　business
is；　the　more　i