the pension beaurepas-第4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！
〃There's nothing much you can tell them！〃 he said。
The two ladies stood face to face a few moments； surveying each
other's garments。 〃Don't you want to go out？〃 the young girl at last
inquired of her mother。
〃Well； I think we had better； we have got to go up to that place。〃
〃To what place？〃 asked Mr。 Ruck。
〃To that jeweller'sto that big one。〃
〃They all seemed big enough； they were too big！〃 And Mr。 Ruck gave
me another wink。
〃That one where we saw the blue cross；〃 said his daughter。
〃Oh； come； what do you want of that blue cross？〃 poor Mr。 Ruck
demanded。
〃She wants to hang it on a black velvet ribbon and tie it round her
neck；〃 said his wife。
〃A black velvet ribbon？ No； I thank you！〃 cried the young lady。 〃Do
you suppose I would wear that cross on a black velvet ribbon？ On a
nice little gold chain； if you pleasea little narrow gold chain；
like an old…fashioned watch…chain。 That's the proper thing for that
blue cross。 I know the sort of chain I mean； I'm going to look for
one。 When I want a thing；〃 said Miss Ruck； with decision； 〃I can
generally find it。〃
〃Look here； Sophy；〃 her father urged； 〃you don't want that blue
cross。〃
〃I do want itI happen to want it。〃 And Sophy glanced at me with a
little laugh。
Her laugh； which in itself was pretty； suggested that there were
various relations in which one might stand to Miss Ruck； but I think
I was conscious of a certain satisfaction in not occupying the
paternal one。 〃Don't worry the poor child；〃 said her mother。
〃Come on； mother；〃 said Miss Ruck。
〃We are going to look about a little；〃 explained the elder lady to
me； by way of taking leave。
〃I know what that means；〃 remarked Mr。 Ruck； as his companions moved
away。 He stood looking at them a moment； while he raised his hand to
his head； behind； and stood rubbing it a little； with a movement that
displaced his hat。 （I may remark in parenthesis that I never saw a
hat more easily displaced than Mr。 Ruck's。） I supposed he was going
to say something querulous； but I was mistaken。 Mr。 Ruck was
unhappy； but he was very good…natured。 〃Well； they want to pick up
something；〃 he said。 〃That's the principal interest； for ladies。〃
CHAPTER IV。
Mr。 Ruck distinguished me； as the French say。 He honoured me with
his esteem； and； as the days elapsed； with a large portion of his
confidence。 Sometimes he bored me a little； for the tone of his
conversation was not cheerful； tending as it did almost exclusively
to a melancholy dirge over the financial prostration of our common
country。 〃No； sir； business in the United States is not what it once
was；〃 he found occasion to remark several times a day。 〃There's not
the same springthere's not the same hopeful feeling。 You can see
it in all departments。〃 He used to sit by the hour in the little
garden of the pension； with a roll of American newspapers in his lap
and his high hat pushed back； swinging one of his long legs and
reading the New York Herald。 He paid a daily visit to the American
banker's； on the other side of the Rhone； and remained there a long
time； turning over the old papers on the green velvet table in the
middle of the Salon des Etrangers； and fraternising with chance
compatriots。 But in spite of these diversions his time hung heavily
upon his hands。 I used sometimes to propose to him to take a walk；
but he had a mortal horror of pedestrianism； and regarded my own
taste for it as' a morbid form of activity。 〃You'll kill yourself；
if you don't look out；〃 he said； 〃walking all over the country。 I
don't want to walk round that way； I ain't a postman！〃 Briefly
speaking； Mr。 Ruck had few resources。 His wife and daughter； on the
other hand； it was to be supposed； were possessed of a good many that
could not be apparent to an unobtrusive young man。 They also sat a
great deal in the garden or in the salon； side by side； with folded
hands； contemplating material objects； and were remarkably
independent of most of the usual feminine aids to idlenesslight
literature； tapestry； the use of the piano。 They were； however； much
fonder of locomotion than their companion； and I often met them in
the Rue du Rhone and on the quays； loitering in front of the
jewellers' windows。 They might have had a cavalier in the person of
old M。 Pigeonneau； who possessed a high appreciation of their charms；
but who； owing to the absence of a common idiom； was deprived of the
pleasures of intimacy。 He knew no English； and Mrs。 Ruck and her
daughter had； as it seemed； an incurable mistrust of the beautiful
tongue which； as the old man endeavoured to impress upon them； was
pre…eminently the language of conversation。
〃They have a tournure de princessea distinction supreme；〃 he said
to me。 〃One is surprised to find them in a little pension； at seven
francs a day。〃
〃Oh； they don't come for economy；〃 I answered。 〃They must be rich。〃
〃They don't come for my beaux yeuxfor mine；〃 said M。 Pigeonneau；
sadly。 〃Perhaps it's for yours； young man。 Je vous recommande la
mere。〃
I reflected a moment。 〃They came on account of Mr。 Ruckbecause at
hotels he's so restless。〃
M。 Pigeonneau gave me a knowing nod。 〃Of course he is； with such a
wife as thata femme superbe。 Madame Ruck is preserved in
perfectiona miraculous fraicheur。 I like those large； fair； quiet
women； they are often； dans l'intimite； the most agreeable。 I'll
warrant you that at heart Madame Ruck is a finished coquette。〃
〃I rather doubt it；〃 I said。
〃You suppose her cold？ Ne vous y fiez pas！〃
〃It is a matter in which I have nothing at stake。〃
〃You young Americans are droll；〃 said M。 Pigeonneau； 〃you never have
anything at stake！ But the little one； for example； I'll warrant you
she's not cold。 She is admirably made。〃
〃She is very pretty。〃
〃'She is very pretty！' Vous dites cela d'un ton！ When you pay
compliments to Mademoiselle Ruck； I hope that's not the way you do
it。〃
〃I don't pay compliments to Mademoiselle Ruck。〃
〃Ah； decidedly；〃 said M。 Pigeonneau； 〃you young Americans are droll！〃
I should have suspected that these two ladies would not especially
commend themselves to Madame Beaurepas； that as a maitresse de salon；
which she in some degree aspired to be； she would have found them
wanting in a certain flexibility of deportment。 But I should have
gone quite wrong； Madame Beaurepas had no fault at all to find with
her new pensionnaires。 〃I have no observation whatever to make about
them；〃 she said to me one evening。 〃I see nothing in those ladies
which is at all deplace。 They don't complain of anything； they don't
meddle； they take what's given them； they leave me tranquil。 The
Americans are often like that。 Often； but not always；〃 Madame
Beaurepas pursued。 〃We are to have a specimen to…morrow of a very
different sort。〃
〃An American？〃 I inquired。
〃Two Americainesa mother and a daughter。 There are Americans and
Americans： when you are difficiles； you are more so than any one；
and when you have pretensionsah； per exemple； it's serious。 I
foresee that with this little lady everything will be serious；
beginning with her cafe au lait。 She has been staying at the Pension
Chamoussetmy concurrent； you know； farther up the street； but she
is coming away because the coffee is bad。 She holds to her coffee；
it appears。 I don't know what liquid Madame Chamousset may have
invented； but we will do the best we can for her。 Only； I know she
will make me des histoires about something else。 She will demand a
new lamp for the salon； vous alles voir cela。 She wishes to pay but
eleven francs a day for herself and her daughter； tout compris； and
for their eleven francs they expect to be lodged like princesses。
But she is very 'ladylike'isn't that what you call it in English？
Oh； pour cela； she is ladylike！〃
I caught a glimpse on the morrow of this ladylike person； who was
arriving at her new residence as I came in from a walk。 She had come
in a cab； with her daughter and her luggage； and； with an air of
perfect softness and serenity； she was disputing the fare as she
stood among her boxes； on the steps。 She addressed her cabman in a
very English
