the pension beaurepas-第3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！



〃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　it　requires　looking　after。　　I　shouldn't　want　to　go　out
to　take　a　walknot　even　to　go　to　churchif　my　house　was　on　fire。
My　firm　is　not　doing　the　business　it　was；　it's　like　a　sick　child；　it
requires　nursing。　　What　I　wanted　the　doctors　to　do　was　to　fix　me　up；
so　that　I　could　go　on　at　home。　　I'd　have　taken　anything　they'd　have
given　me；　and　as　many　times　a　day。　　I　wanted　to　be　right　there；　I　had
my　reasons；　I　have　them　still。　　But　I　came　off　all　the　same；〃　said　my
friend；　with　a　melancholy　smile。

I　was　a　great　deal　younger　than　he；　but　there　was　something　so　simple
and　communicative　in　his　tone；　so　expressive　of　a　desire　to
fraternise；　and　so　exempt　from　any　theory　of　human　differences；　that
I　quite　forgot　his　seniority；　and　found　myself　offering　him　paternal
I　advice。　　〃Don't　think　about　all　that；〃　said　I。　　〃Simply　enjoy
yourself；　amuse　yourself；　get　well。　　Travel　about　and　see　Europe。　　At
the　end　of　a　year；　by　the　time　you　are　ready　to　go　home；　things　will
have　improved　over　there；　and　you　will　be　quite　well　and　happy。〃

My　friend　laid　his　hand　on　my　knee；　he　looked　at　me　for　some　moments；
and　I　thought　he　was　going　to　say；　〃You　are　very　young！〃　But　he　said
presently；　〃YOU　have　got　used　to　Europe　any　way！〃



CHAPTER　III。



At　breakfast　I　encountered　his　ladieshis　wife　and　daughter。　　They
were　placed；　however；　at　a　distance　from　me；　and　it　was　not　until　the
pensionnaires　had　dispersed；　and　some　of　them；　according　to　custom；
had　come　out　into　the　garden；　that　he　had　an　opportunity　of　making　me
acquainted　with　them。

〃Will　you　allow　me　to　introduce　you　to　my　daughter？〃　he　said；　moved
apparently　by　a　paternal　inclination　to　provide　this　young　lady　with
social　diversion。　　She　was　standing　with　her　mother；　in　one　of　the
paths；　looking　about　with　no　great　complacency；　as　I　imagined；　at　the
homely　characteristics　of　the　place；　and　old　M。　Pigeonneau　was
hovering　near；　hesitating　apparently　between　the　desire　to　be　urbane
and　the　absence　of　a　pretext。　　〃Mrs。　RuckMiss　Sophy　Ruck；〃　said　my
friend；　leading　me　up。

Mrs。　Ruck　was　a　large；　plump；　light…coloured　person；　with　a　smooth
fair　face；　a　somnolent　eye；　and　an　elaborate　coiffure。　　Miss　Sophy
was　a　girl　of　one…and…twenty；　very　small　and　very　prettywhat　I
suppose　would　have　been　called　a　lively　brunette。　　Both　of　these
ladies　were　attired　in　black　silk　dresses；　very　much　trimmed；　they
had　an　air　of　the　highest　elegance。

〃Do　you　think　highly　of　this　pension？〃　inquired　Mrs。　Ruck；　after　a
few　preliminaries。

〃It's　a　little　rough；　but　it　seems　to　me　comfortable；〃　I　answered。

〃Does　it　take　a　high　rank　in　Geneva？〃　Mrs。　Ruck　pursued。

〃I　imagine　it　enjoys　a　very　fair　fame；〃　I　said；　smiling。

〃I　should　never　dream　of　comparing　it　to　a　New　York　boarding…house；〃
said　Mrs。　Ruck。

〃It's　quite　a　different　style；〃　her　daughter　observed。

Miss　Ruck　had　folded　her　arms；　she　was　holding　her　elbows　with　a　pair
of　white　little　hands；　and　she　was　tapping　the　ground　with　a　pretty
little　foot。

〃We　hardly　expected　to　come　to　a　pension；〃　said　Mrs。　Ruck。　　〃But　we
thought　we　would　try；　we　had　heard　so　much　about　Swiss　pensions。　　I
was　saying　to　Mr。　Ruck　that　I　wondered　whether　this　was　a　favourable
specimen。　　I　was　afraid　we　might　have　made　a　mistake。〃

〃We　knew　some　people　who　had　been　here；　they　thought　everything　of
Madame　Beaurepas；〃　said　Miss　Sophy。　　〃They　said　she　was　a　real
friend。〃

〃Mr。　and　Mrs。　Parkerperhaps　you　have　heard　her　speak　of　them；〃　Mrs。
Ruck　pursued。

〃Madame　Beaurepas　has　had　a　great　many　Americans；　she　is　very　fond　of
Americans；〃　I　replied。

〃Well；　I　must　say　I　should　think　she　would　be；　if　she　compares　them
with　some　others。〃

〃Mother　is　always　comparing；〃　observed　Miss　Ruck。

〃Of　course　I　am　always　comparing；〃　rejoined　the　elder　lady。　　〃I　never
had　a　chance　till　now；　I　never　knew　my　privileges。　　Give　me　an
American！〃　　And　Mrs。　Ruck　indulged　in　a　little　laugh。

〃Well；　I　must　say　there　are　some　things　I　like　over　here；〃　said　Miss
Sophy；　with　courage。　　And　indeed　I　could　see　that　she　was　a　young
woman　of　great　decision。

〃You　like　the　shopsthat's　what　you　like；〃　her　father　affirmed。

The　young　lady　addressed　herself　to　me；　without　heeding　this　remark。
〃I　suppose　you　feel　quite　at　home　here。〃

〃Oh；　he　likes　it；　he　has　got　used　to　the　life！〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Ruck。

〃I　wish　you'd　teach　Mr。　Ruck；〃　said　his　wife。　　〃It　seems　as　if　he
couldn't　get　used　to　anything。〃

〃I'm　used　to　you；　my　dear；〃　the　husband　retorted；　giving　me　a
humorous　look。

〃He's　intensely　restless；〃　continued　Mrs。　Ruck。

〃That's　what　made　me　want　to　come　to　a　pension。　　I　thought　he　would
settle　down　more。〃

〃I　don't　think　I　AM　used　to　you；　after　all；〃　said　her　husband。

In　view　of　a　possible　exchange　of　conjugal　repartee　I　took　refuge　in
conversation　with　Miss　Ruck；　who　seemed　perfectly　able　to　play　her
part　in　any　colloquy。　　I　learned　from　this　young　lady　that；　with　her
parents；　after　visiting　the　British　Islands；　she　had　been　spending　a
month　in　Paris；　and　that　she　thought　she　should　have　died　when　she
left　that　city。　　〃I　hung　out　of　the　carriage；　when　we　left　the
hotel；〃　said　Miss　Ruck；　〃I　assure　you　I　did。　　And　mother　did；　too。〃

〃Out　of　the　other　window；　I　hope；〃　said　I。

〃Yes；　one　out　of　each　window；〃　she　replied　promptly。　　〃Father　had
hard　work；　I　can　tell　you。　　We　hadn't　half　finished；　there　were　ever
so　many　places　we　wanted　to　go　to。〃

〃Your　father　insisted　on　coming　away？〃

〃Yes；　after　we　had　been　there　about　a　month　he　said　he　had　enough。
He's　fearfully　restless；　he's　very　much　out　of　health。　　Mother　and　I
said　to　him　that　if　he　was　restless　in　Paris　he　needn't　hope　for
peace　anywhere。　　We　don't　mean　to　leave　him　alone　till　he　takes　us
back。〃　　There　was　an　air　of　keen　resolution　in　Miss　Ruck's　pretty
face；　of　lucid　apprehension　of　desirable　ends；　which　made　me；　as　she
pronounced　these　words；　direct　a　glance　of　covert　compassion　toward
her　poor　recalcitrant　father。　　He　had　walked　away　a　little　with　his
wife；　and　I　saw　only　his　back　and　his　stooping；　patient…looking
shoulders；　whose　air　of　acute　resignation　was　thrown　into　relief　by
the　voluminous　tranquillity　of　Mrs。　Ruck。　　〃He　will　have　to　take　us
back　in　September；　any　way；〃　the　young　girl　pursued；　〃he　will　have　to
take　us　back　to　get　some　things　we　have　ordered。〃

〃Have　you　ordered　a　great　many　things？〃　I　asked　jocosely。

〃Well；　I　guess　we　have　ordered　SOME。　　Of　course　we　wanted　to　take
advantage　of　being　in　Parisladies　always　do。　　We　have　left　the
principal　things　till　we　go　back。　　Of　course　that　is　the　principal
interest；　for　ladies。　　Mother　said　she　should　feel　so　shabby　if　she
just　passed　through。　　We　have　promised　all　the　people　to　be　back　in
September；　and　I　never　broke　a　promise　yet。　　So　Mr。　Ruck　has　got　to
make　his　plans　accordingly。〃

〃And　what　are　his　plans？〃

〃I　don't　know；　he　doesn't　seem　able　to　make　any。　　His　great　idea　was
to　get　to　Geneva；　but　now　that　he　has　got　here　he　doesn't　seem　to
care。　　It's　the　effect　of　ill　health。　　He　used　to　be　so　bright；　but
now　he　is　quite　subdued。　　It's　about　time　he　should　improve；　any　way。
We　went　out　last　night　to　look　at　the　jewellers'　windowsin　that
street　behind　the　hotel。　　I　had　always　heard　of　those　jewellers'
windows。　　We　saw　some　lovely　things；　but　it　didn't　seem　to　rouse
father。　　He'll　get　tired　of　Geneva　sooner　than　he　did　of　Paris。〃

〃Ah；〃　said　I；　〃there　are　finer　things　here　than　the　jewellers'
windows。　　We　are　very　near　some　of　the　most　beautiful　scenery　in
Europe。〃

〃I　suppose　you　mean　the　mountains。　　Well；　we　have　seen　plenty　of
mountains　at　home。　　We　used　to　go　to　the　mountains　every　summer。　　We
are　familiar　enough　with　the　mountains。　　Aren't　we；　mother？〃　the
young　lady　demanded；　appealing　to　Mrs。　Ruck；　who；　with　her　husband；
had　drawn　near　again。

〃Aren't　we　what？〃　inquired　the　elder　lady。

〃Aren't　we　familiar　with　the　mountains？〃

〃Well；　I　hope　so；〃　said　Mrs。　Ruck。

Mr。　Ruck；　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　gave　me　a　sociable　wink。
〃There's　nothing　much　you　can　tell　them！〃　he　said。

The　two　l