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！
in India； when Thompson had been young； and she was still in her
teens。
〃But； M。 Lacordaire； there are so many things to be considered。
There！ I hear the children coming！ Let us walk this way for a
minute。〃 And they turned behind a wall which placed them out of
sight； and walked on a few paces till they reached a parapet； which
stood on the uttermost edge of the high rock。 Leaning upon this
they continued their conversation。
〃There are so many things to be considered；〃 said Mrs。 Thompson
again。
〃Yes； of course；〃 said M。 Lacordaire。 〃But my one great
consideration is this；that I love madame to distraction。〃
〃I am very much flattered； of course； any lady would so feel。 But；
M。 Lacordaire〃
〃Madame； I am all attention。 But； if you would deign to make me
happy； say that one word； 'I love you！'〃 M。 Lacordaire； as he
uttered these words； did not look； as the saying is； at his best。
But Mrs。 Thompson forgave him。 She knew that elderly gentlemen
under such circumstances do not look at their best。
〃But if I consented tototo such an arrangement； I could only do
so on seeing that it would be beneficialor； at any rate； not
injuriousto my children； and that it would offer to ourselves a
fair promise of future happiness。〃
〃Ah； madame； it would be the dearest wish of my heart to be a second
father to those two young ladies； except； indeed〃 and then M。
Lacordaire stopped the flow of his speech。
〃In such matters it is so much the best to be explicit at once；〃
said Mrs。 Thompson。
〃Oh； yes； certainly！ Nothing can be more wise than madame。〃
〃And the happiness of a household depends so much on money。〃
〃Madame！〃
〃Let me say a word or two； Monsieur Lacordaire。 I have enough for
myself and my children； and； should I every marry again； I should
not； I hope； be felt as a burden by my husband； but it would； of
course； be my duty to know what were his circumstances before I
accepted him。 Of yourself； personally； I have seen nothing that I
do not like。〃
〃Oh； madame！〃
〃But as yet I know nothing of your circumstances。〃
M。 Lacordaire； perhaps； did feel that Mrs。 Thompson's prudence was
of a strong； masculine description； but he hardly liked her the less
on this account。 To give him his due he was not desirous of
marrying her solely for her money's sake。 He also wished for a
comfortable home； and proposed to give as much as he got； only he
had been anxious to wrap up the solid cake of this business in a
casing of sugar of romance。 Mrs。 Thompson would not have the sugar
but the cake might not be the worse on that account。
〃No； madame； not as yet； but they shall all be made open and at your
disposal；〃 said M。 Lacordaire； and Mrs。 Thompson bowed approvingly。
〃I am in business；〃 continued M。 Lacordaire； 〃and my business gives
me eight thousand francs a year。〃
〃Four times eight are thirty…two；〃 said Mrs。 Thompson to herself；
putting the francs into pounds sterling； in the manner that she had
always found to be the readiest。 Well； so far the statement was
satisfactory。 An income of three hundred and twenty pounds a year
from business； joined to her own； might do very well。 She did not
in the least suspect M。 Lacordaire of being false； and so far the
matter sounded well。
〃And what is the business？〃 she asked； in a tone of voice intended
to be indifferent； but which nevertheless showed that she listened
anxiously for an answer to her question。
They were both standing with their arms upon the wall； looking down
upon the town of Le Puy； but they had so stood that each could see
the other's countenance as they talked。 Mrs。 Thompson could now
perceive that M。 Lacordaire became red in the face； as he paused
before answering her。 She was near to him； and seeing his emotion
gently touched his arm with her hand。 This she did to reassure him；
for she saw that he was ashamed of having to declare that he was a
tradesman。 As for herself； she had made up her mind to bear with
this； if she found； as she felt sure she would find； that the trade
was one which would not degrade either him or her。 Hitherto；
indeed；in her early days；she had looked down on trade； but of
what benefit had her grand ideas been to her when she had returned
to England？ She had tried her hand at English genteel society； and
no one had seemed to care for her。 Therefore； she touched his arm
lightly with her fingers that she might encourage him。
He paused for a moment； as I have said； and became red； and then
feeling that he had shown some symptoms of shameand feeling also；
probably； that it was unmanly in him to do so； he shook himself
slightly； raised his head up somewhat more proudly than was his
wont； looked her full in the face with more strength of character
than she had yet seen him assume； and then； declared his business。
〃Madame；〃 he said； in a very audible； but not in a loud voice；
〃madameje suis tailleur。〃 And having so spoken； he turned
slightly from her and looked down over the valley towards Le Puy。
There was nothing more said upon the subject as they drove down from
the rock of Polignac back to the town。 Immediately on receiving the
announcement； Mrs。 Thompson found that she had no answer to make。
She withdrew her handand felt at once that she had received a
blow。 It was not that she was angry with M。 Lacordaire for being a
tailor； nor was she angry with him in that； being a tailor； he had
so addressed her。 But she was surprised； disappointed； and
altogether put beyond her ease。 She had； at any rate； not expected
this。 She had dreamed of his being a banker； thought that； perhaps；
he might have been a wine merchant； but her idea had never gone
below a jeweller or watchmaker。 When those words broke upon her
ear； 〃Madame； je suis tailleur；〃 she had felt herself to be
speechless。
But the words had not been a minute spoken when Lilian and Mimmy ran
up to their mother。 〃Oh； mamma；〃 said Lilian； 〃we thought you were
lost； we have searched for you all over the chateau。〃
〃We have been sitting very quietly here； my dear； looking at the
view；〃 said Mrs。 Thompson。
〃But； mamma； I do wish you'd see the mouth of the oracle。 It is so
large； and so round； and so ugly。 I put my arm into it all the
way；〃 said Mimmy。
But at the present moment her mamma felt no interest in the mouth of
the oracle； and so they all walked down together to the carriage。
And； though the way was steep； Mrs。 Thompson managed to pick her
steps without the assistance of an arm； nor did M。 Lacordaire
presume to offer it。
The drive back to town was very silent。 Mrs。 Thompson did make one
or two attempts at conversation； but they were not effectual。 M。
Lacordaire could not speak at his ease till this matter was settled；
and he already had begun to perceive that his business was against
him。 Why is it that the trade of a tailor should be less honourable
than that of a haberdasher； or even a grocer？
They sat next each other at dinner； as usual； and here； as all eyes
were upon them； they both made a great struggle to behave in their
accustomed way。 But even in this they failed。 All the world of the
Hotel des Ambassadeurs knew that M。 Lacordaire had gone forth to
make an offer to Mrs。 Thompson； and all that world； therefore； was
full of speculation。 But all the world could make nothing of it。
M。 Lacordaire did look like a rejected man； but Mrs。 Thompson did
not look like the woman who had rejected him。 That the offer had
been madein that everybody agreed； from the senior habitue of the
house who always sat at the head of the table； down to the junior
assistant garcon。 But as to reading the riddle； there was no accord
among them。
When the dessert was done； Mrs。 Thompson； as usual； withdrew； and M。
Lacordaire； as usual； bowed as he stood behind his own chair。 He
did not； however； attempt to follow her。
But when she reached the door she called him。 He was at her side in
a moment； and then she whispered in his ear …
〃And I； alsoI will be of the same business。〃
When M。 Lacordaire regained the table the senior habitue； the junior
garcon； and all the intermediate ranks of men at the Hotel des
Ambassadeurs knew that they