tracks of a rolling stone-第4部分

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ds　for　　wings；　comic　little　pigs　with　cloves　in　their　eyes　…　for　all　　of　which　my　affection　and　my　liver　duly　acknowledged　receipt　　in　full。　　She　taught　me　more　provincial　pronunciation　and　bad　　grammar　than　ever　I　could　unlearn。　　She　was　very　intelligent；　　and　radiant　with　good　humour。　　One　peculiarity　especially　　took　my　fancy　…　the　yellow　bandana　in　which　she　enveloped　her　　head。　　I　was　always　wondering　whether　she　was　born　without　　hair　…　there　was　none　to　be　seen。　　This　puzzled　me　so　that　　one　day　I　consulted　Auguste；　who　was　my　chief　companion。　　He　　was　quite　indignant；　and　declared　with　warmth　that　Mam'selle　　Rose　had　the　most　beautiful　hair　he　had　ever　beheld。　　He　　flushed　even　with　enthusiasm。　　If　it　hadn't　been　for　his　　manner；　I　should　have　asked　him　how　he　knew。　　But　somehow　I　　felt　the　subject　was　a　delicate　one。

How　incessantly　they　worked；　Auguste　and　Rose；　and　how　　cheerfully　they　worked！　　One　could　hear　her　singing；　and　him　　whistling；　at　it　all　day。　　Yet　they　seemed　to　have　abundant　　leisure　to　exchange　a　deal　of　pleasantry　and　harmless　banter。　　　Auguste　was　a　Swiss；　and　a　bigoted　Protestant；　and　never　lost　　an　opportunity　of　holding　forth　on　the　superiority　of　the　　reformed　religion。　　If　he　thought　the　family　were　out　of　　hearing；　he　would　grow　very　animated　and　declamatory。　　But　　Rose；　who　also　had　hopes；　though　perhaps　faint；　for　my　　salvation；　would　suddenly　rush　into　the　room　with　the　carpet　　broom；　and　drive　him　out；　with　threats　of　Miss　Aglae；　and　the　　broomstick。

The　gardener；　Monsieur　Benoit；　was　also　a　great　favourite　of　　mine；　and　I　of　his；　for　I　was　never　tired　of　listening　to　his　　wonderful　adventures。　　He　had；　so　he　informed　me；　been　a　　soldier　in　the　GRANDE　ARMEE。　　He　enthralled　me　with　hair…　raising　accounts　of　his　exploits：　　how；　when　leading　a　　storming　party　…　he　was　always　the　leader　…　one　dark　and　　terrible　night；　the　vivid　and　incessant　lightning　betrayed　　them　by　the　flashing　of　their　bayonets；　and　how　in　a　few　　minutes　they　were　mowed　down　by　MITRAILLE。　　He　had　led　　forlorn　hopes；　and　performed　deeds　of　astounding　prowess。　　　How　many　Life…guardsmen　he　had　annihilated：　　'Ah！　ben　oui！'　　he　was　afraid　to　say。　　He　had　been　personally　noticed　by　'Le　　p'tit　caporal。'　　There　were　many；　whose　deeds　were　not　to　　compare　with　his；　who　had　been　made　princes　and　mareschals。　　　PARBLEU！　but　his　luck　was　bad。　　'Pas　d'chance！　pas　d'chance！　　　Mo'sieu　Henri。'　　As　Monsieur　Benoit　recorded　his　feats；　and　　witnessed　my　unbounded　admiration；　his　voice　would　grow　more　　and　more　sepulchral；　till　it　dropped　to　a　hoarse　and　scarcely　　audible　whisper。

I　was　a　little　bewildered　one　day　when；　having　breathlessly　　repeated　some　of　his　heroic　deeds　to　the　Marquise；　she　with　a　　quiet　smile　assured　me　that　'ce　petit　bon…homme；'　as　she　　called　him；　had　for　a　short　time　been　a　drummer　in　the　　National　Guard；　but　had　never　been　a　soldier。　　This　was　a　　blow　to　me；　moreover；　I　was　troubled　by　the　composure　of　the　　Marquise。　　Monsieur　Benoit　had　actually　been　telling　me　what　　was　not　true。　　Was　it；　then；　possible　that　grown…up　people　　acquired　the　privilege　of　fibbing　with　impunity？　　I　wondered　　whether　this　right　would　eventually　become　mine！

At　Bourg…la…Reine　there　is；　or　was；　a　large　school。　　Three　　days　in　the　week　I　had　to　join　one　of　the　classes　there；　on　　the　other　three　one　of　the　ushers　came　up　to　Larue　for　a　　couple　of　hours　of　private　tuition。　　At　the　school　itself　I　　did　not　learn　very　much；　except　that　boys　everywhere　are　　pretty　similar；　especially　in　the　badness　of　their　manners。　　　I　also　learnt　that　shrugging　the　shoulders　while　exhibiting　　the　palms　of　the　hands；　and　smiting　oneself　vehemently　on　the　　chest；　are　indispensable　elements　of　the　French　idiom。　　The　　indiscriminate　use　of　the　word　'parfaitement'　I　also　noticed　　to　be　essential　when　at　a　loss　for　either　language　or　ideas；　　and　have　made　valuable　use　of　it　ever　since。

Monsieur　Vincent；　my　tutor；　was　a　most　good…natured　and　　patient　teacher。　　I　incline；　however；　to　think　that　I　taught　　him　more　English　than　he　taught　me　French。　　He　certainly　　worked　hard　at　his　lessons。　　He　read　English　aloud　to　me；　and　　made　me　correct　his　pronunciation。　　The　mental　agony　this　　caused　me　makes　me　hot　to　think　of　still。　　I　had　never　heard　　his　kind　of　Franco…English　before。　　To　my　ignorance　it　was　　the　most　comic　language　in　the　world。　　There　were　some　words　　which；　in　spite　of　my　endeavours；　he　persisted　in　pronouncing　　in　his　own　way。　　I　have　since　got　quite　used　to　the　most　of　　them；　and　their　only　effect　is　to　remind　me　of　my　own　rash　　ventures　in　a　foreign　tongue。　　There　are　one　or　two　words　　which　recall　the　pain　it　gave　me　to　control　my　emotions。　　He　　would　produce　his　penknife；　for　instance；　and；　contemplating　　it　with　a　despondent　air；　would　declare　it　to　be　the　most　　difficult　word　in　the　English　language　to　pronounce。　　'Ow　you　　say　'im？'　　'Penknife；'　I　explained。　　He　would　bid　me　write　it　　down；　then　having　spelt　it；　he　would；　with　much　effort；　and　a　　sound　like　sneezing　…　oh！　the　pain　I　endured！　…　slowly　repeat　　'Penkneef。'　　I　gave　it　up　at　last；　and　he　was　gratified　with　　his　success。　　As　my　explosion　generally　occurred　about　five　　minutes　afterwards；　Monsieur　Vincent　failed　to　connect　cause　　and　effect。　　When　we　parted　he　gave　me　a　neatly　bound　copy　of　　La　Bruyere　as　a　prize　…　for　his　own　proficiency；　I　presume。　　　Many　a　pleasant　half…hour　have　I　since　spent　with　the　witty　　classic。

Except　the　controversial　harangues　of　the　zealot　Auguste；　my　　religious　teaching　was　neglected　on　week　days。　　On　Sundays；　　if　fine；　I　was　taken　to　a　Protestant　church　in　Paris；　not　　infrequently　to　the　Embassy。　　I　did　not　enjoy　this　at　all。　　I　　could　have　done　very　well　without　it。　　I　liked　the　drive；　　which　took　about　an　hour　each　way。　　Occasionally　Aglae　and　I　　went　in　the　Bourg…la…Reine　coucou。　　But　Mr。　Ellice　had　　arranged　that　a　carriage　should　be　hired　for　me。　　Probably　he　　was　not　unmindful　of　the　convenience　of　the　old　ladies。　　They　　were　not。　　The　carriage　was　always　filled。　　Even　Mademoiselle　　Henriette　managed　to　go　sometimes　…　aided　by　a　little　patent　　medicine；　and　when　it　was　too　hot　for　the　chauffrette。　　If　　she　was　unable；　a　friend　in　the　neighbourhood　was　offered　a　　seat；　and　I　had　to　sit　bodkin；　or　on　Mademoiselle　Aglae's　　lap。　　I　hated　the　'friend'；　for；　secretly；　I　felt　the　　carriage　was　mine；　though　of　course　I　never　had　the　bad　taste　　to　say　so。

They　went　to　Mass；　and　I　was　allowed　to　go　with　them；　in　　addition　to　my　church；　as　a　special　favour。　　I　liked　the　　music；　the　display　of　candles；　the　smell　of　the　incense；　and　　the　dresses　of　the　priests；　and　wondered　whether　when　　undressed　…　unrobed；　that　is　…　they　were　funny　old　gentlemen　　like　Monsieur　le　Cure　at　Larue；　and　took　such　a　prodigious　　quantity　of　snuff　up　their　noses　and　under　their　finger…　nails。　　The　ladies　did　a　good　deal　of　shopping；　and　we　　finished　off　at　the　Flower　Market　by　the　Madeleine；　where　I；　　through　the　agency　of　Mademoiselle　Aglae；　bought　plants　for　　'Maman。'　　This　gave　'Maman'　UN　PLAISIR　INOUI；　and　me　too；　for　　the　dear　old　lady　always　presented　me　with　a　stick　of　barley…　sugar　in　return。　　As　I　never　possessed　a　sou　（Miss　Aglae　kept　　account　of　all　my　expenses　and　disbursements）　I　was　strongly　　in　favour　of　buying　plants　for　'Maman。'

I　loved　the　garden。　　It　was　such　a　beautiful　garden；　so　　beautifully　kept　by　Monsieur　Benoit；　and　withered　old　Mere　　Michele；　who　did　the　weeding　and　helped　Rose　once　a　week　in　　the　laundry。　　There　were　such　pretty　trellises；　covered　with　　roses　and　clematis；　such　masses　of　bright　flowers　and　sweet　　mignonette；　such　tidy　gravel　walks　and　clipped　box　edges；　　such　floods　of　sunshine；　so　many　butterflies　and　lizards　　basking　in　it；　the　birds　singing　with　excess　of　joy。　　I　used　　to　fancy　they　sang　in　gratitude　to　the　dear　old　Marquise；　who　　never　forgot　them　in　the　winter　snows。

What　a　quaint　but　charming　picture　she　was　amidst　this　　quietude；　…　she　who　had　lived　through　the　Reign　of　Terror：　　　her　mob　cap；　garden　apron；　and　big　gloves；　a　trowel　in　one　　hand；　a　watering…pot　in　the　other；　potting　and　unpotting；　so　　busy；　seemingly　so　happy。　　She　loved　to　have　me　with　her；　and　　let　me　do　the　watering。　　What　a　pleasure　that　was！　　The　　scores　of　little　jets　from　the　perforated　rose；　the　gushing　　sound；　the　freshness　and　the　sparkle；　the　gratitude　of　the　　plants；　to　say　nothing　of　one's　own　wet　legs。　　'Maman'　did　　not　approve　of　my　watering　my　own　legs。　　But　if　the　watering…　pot　was　too　big　for　me　how　could　I　help　it？　　By　and　by　a　　small　one　painted　red　within　and　green　outside　was　discovered　　in　Bourg…la…Reine；　and　I　was　happy　ever　afterwards。

Much　of　my　time　was　spent　with　the　children　and　nurses　of　the　　family　which　occupied　the　chateau。　　The　costume　of　the　head　　nurse　with　her　high　Normandy　cap　（would　that　I　had　a　female　　pen　for　details）　invariably　suggested　to　me　that　she　would　　make　any　English　showman's　fortune；　if　he　could　only　exhibit　　her　stuffed。　　At　the　cottage　they　called　her　'La　Grosse　　Normande。'　　Not　knowing　her　by　any　other　name；　I　always　so　　addressed　her。　　She　was　not　very　quick…witted；　but　I　think　　she　a　little　resented　my　familiarity；　and　retaliated　by　　comparisons　between　her　compatriots　and　mine；　always　in　a　　tone　derogatory　to　the　latter。　　She　informed　me　as　a　matter　　of　history；　patent　to　all　nurses；　that　the　English　race　were　　notoriously　bow…legged；　and　that　this　was　due　to　the　vicious　　practice　of　allowing　children　to　use　their　legs　before　the　　gristle　had　become　bone。　　Being　of　an　inquiring　turn　of　mind；　　I　listened　with　awe　to　this　physiological　revelation；　and　　with　chastened　and　depressed　spirits　made　a　mental　note　of　　our　national　calamity。　　Privately　I　fancied　that　the　mottled　　and　spasmodic　legs　of　Achille　…　whom　she　carried　in　her　arms　　…　or　at　least　so　much　of　the　infant　Pelides'　legs　as　were　not　　enveloped　in　a　napkin；　gave　every　promise　of　refuting　her　　generalisation。

One　of　my　amusements　was　to　set　brick　traps　for　small　birds。　　　At　Holkham　in　the　winter　time；　by　baiting　with　a　few　grains　　of　corn；　I　and　my　brothers　used；　in　this　way；　to　capture　　robins；　hedge…sparrows；　and　tits。　　Not　far　from　the　chateau　　was　a　large　osier　bed；　resorted　to　by　flocks　of　the　common　　sparrow。　　Here　I　set　my　traps。　　But