tracks of a rolling stone-第53部分

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ere　put　a　stop　to；　and　　correspondence　between　the　lovers　was　prohibited。

Once　a　week　or　so；　either　the　young　lady　or　the　young　　gentleman　would；　quite　unexpectedly；　pay　us　a　visit　about　tea　　or　luncheon　time。　　And；　by　the　strangest　coincidence；　the　　other　would　be　sure　to　drop　in　while　the　one　was　there。　　This　　went　on　for　a　year　or　two。　　But　destiny　forbade　the　banns。　　　In　spite　of　the　large　fortune　acquired　by　Mr。　Scott　Russell　…　　he　was　the　builder　of　the　'Great　Eastern'　as　well　as　the　　Crystal　Palace　…　ill…advised　or　unsuccessful　ventures　robbed　　him　of　his　well…earned　wealth。　　His　beautiful　place　at　　Sydenham　had　to　be　sold；　and　the　marriage　of　Miss　Rachel　with　　young　Arthur　Sullivan　was　abandoned。　　She　ultimately　married　　an　Indian　official。

Her　story　may　here　be　told　to　the　end。　　Some　years　later　she　　returned　to　England　to　bring　her　two　children　home　for　their　　education；　going　back　to　India　without　them；　as　Indian　　mothers　have　to　do。　　The　day　before　she　sailed；　she　called　to　　take　leave　of　us　in　London。　　She　was　terribly　depressed；　but　　fought　bravely　with　her　trial。　　She　never　broke　down；　but　　shunted　the　subject；　talking　and　laughing　with　flashes　of　her　　old　vivacity；　about　music；　books；　friends；　and　'dear　old　　dirty　London；'　as　she　called　it。　　When　she　left；　I　opened　the　　street…door　for　her；　and　with　both　her　hands　in　mine；　bade　　her　'Farewell。'　　Then　the　tears　fell；　and　her　parting　words　　were：　　'I　am　leaving　England　never　to　see　it　again。'　　She　was　　seized　with　cholera　the　night　she　reached　Bombay；　and　died　　the　following　day。

To　return　to　her　father；　the　eminent　engineer。　　He　was　　distinctly　a　man　of　genius；　and　what　is　called　'a　character。'　　　He　was　always　in　the　clouds　…　not　in　the　vapour　of　his　　engine…rooms；　nor　busy　inventing　machines　for　extracting　　sunbeams　from　cucumbers；　but　musing　on　metaphysical　problems　　and　abstract　speculations　about　the　universe　generally。　　In　　other　respects　a　perfectly　simple…minded　man。

It　was　in　his　palmy　days　that　he　invited　me　to　run　down　to　　Sheerness　with　him；　and　go　over　the　'Great　Eastern'　before　　she　left　with　the　Atlantic　cable。　　This　was　in　1865。　　The　　largest　ship　in　the　world；　and　the　first　Atlantic　cable；　were　　both　objects　of　the　greatest　interest。　　The　builder　did　not　　know　the　captain　…　Anderson　…　nor　did　the　captain　know　the　　builder。　　But　clearly；　each　would　be　glad　to　meet　the　other。

As　the　leviathan　was　to　leave　in　a　couple　of　days；　everything　　on　board　her　was　in　the　wildest　confusion。　　Russell　could　not　　find　anyone　who　could　find　the　Captain；　so　he　began　poking　　about　with　me；　till　we　accidentally　stumbled　on　the　　Commander。　　He　merely　said　that　he　was　come　to　take　a　parting　　glance　at　his　'child；'　which　did　not　seem　of　much　concern　to　　the　over…busy　captain。　　He　never　mentioned　his　own　name；　but　　introduced　me　as　'my　friend　Captain　Cole。'　　Now；　in　those　　days；　Captain　Cole　was　well　known　as　a　distinguished　naval　　officer。　　To　Russell's　absent　and　engineering　mind；　'Coke'　　had　suggested　'Cole；'　and　'Captain'　was　inseparable　from　the　　latter。　　It　was　a　name　to　conjure　with。　　Captain　Anderson　　took　off　his　cap；　shook　me　warmly　by　the　hand；　expressed　his　　pleasure　at　making　my　acquaintance；　and　hoped　I；　and　my　　friend　Mr。　…　ahem　…　would　come　into　his　cabin　and　have　　luncheon；　and　then　allow　him　to　show　me　over　his　ship。　　Scott　　Russell　was　far　too　deeply　absorbed　in　his　surroundings　to　　note　any　peculiarity　in　this　neglect　of　himself　and　marked　　respect　for　'Captain　Cole。'　　We　made　the　round　of　the　decks；　　then　explored　the　engine　room。　　Here　the　designer　found　　himself　in　an　earthly　paradise。　　He　button…holed　the　engineer　　and　inquired　into　every　crank；　and　piston；　and　valve；　and　　every　bolt；　as　it　seemed　to　me；　till　the　officer　in　charge　　unconsciously　began　to　ask　opinions　instead　of　offering　　explanations。　　By　degrees　the　captain　was　equally　astonished　　at　the　visitor's　knowledge；　and　when　at　last　my　friend　asked　　what　had　become　of　some　fixture　or　other　which　he　missed；　　Captain　Anderson　turned　to　him　and　exclaimed；　'Why；　you　seem　　to　know　more　about　the　ship　than　I　do。'

'Well；　so　I　ought；'　says　my　friend；　never　for　a　moment　　supposing　that　Anderson　was　in　ignorance　of　his　identity。

'Indeed！　　Who　then　are　you；　pray？'

'Who？　　Why；　Scott　Russell　of　course；　the　builder！'

There　was　a　hearty　laugh　over　it　all。　　I　managed　to　spare　the　　captain's　feelings　by　preserving　my　incognito；　and　so　ended　a　　pleasant　day。



CHAPTER　XLIV



IN　November；　1862；　my　wife　and　I　received　an　invitation　to　　spend　a　week　at　Compiegne　with　their　Majesties　the　Emperor　　and　Empress　of　the　French。　　This　was　due　to　the　circumstance　　that　my　wife's　father；　Lord　Wilton；　as　Commodore　of　the　Royal　　Yacht　Squadron；　had　entertained　the　Emperor　during　his　visit　　to　Cowes。

We　found　an　express　train　with　the　imperial　carriages　　awaiting　the　arrival　of　the　English　guests　at　the　station　du　　Nord。　　The　only　other　English　besides　ourselves　were　Lord　and　　Lady　Winchilsea　with　Lady　Florence　Paget；　and　Lord　and　Lady　　Castlerosse；　now　Lord　and　Lady　Kenmare。　　These；　however；　had　　preceded　us；　so　that　with　the　exception　of　M。　Drouyn　de　　Lhuys；　we　had　the　saloon　carriage　to　ourselves。

The　party　was　a　very　large　one；　including　the　Walewskis；　the　　Persignys；　the　Metternichs　…　he；　the　Austrian　Ambassador　…　　Prince　Henri　VII。　of　Reuss；　Prussian　Ambassador；　the　Prince　　de　la　Moskowa；　son　of　Marshal　Ney；　and　the　Labedoyeres；　　amongst　the　historical　names。　　Amongst　those　of　art　and　　literature；　of　whom　there　were　many；　the　only　one　whom　I　made　　the　acquaintance　of　was　Octave　Feuillet。　　I　happened　to　have　　brought　his　'Comedies　et　Proverbes'　and　another　of　his　books　　with　me；　never　expecting　to　meet　him；　this　so　pleased　him　　that　we　became　allies。　　I　was　surprised　to　find　that　he　could　　not　even　read　English；　which　I　begged　him　to　learn　for　the　　sake　of　Shakespeare　alone。

We　did　not　see　their　Majesties　till　dinner…time。　　When　the　　guests　were　assembled；　the　women　and　the　men　were　arranged　　separately　on　opposite　sides　of　the　room。　　The　Emperor　and　　Empress　then　entered；　each　respectively　welcoming　those　of　　their　own　sex；　shaking　hands　and　saying　some　conventional　　word　in　passing。　　Me；　he　asked　whether　I　had　brought　my　guns；　　and　hoped　we　should　have　a　good　week's　sport。　　To　each　one　a　　word。　　Every　night　during　the　week　we　sat　down　over　a　hundred　　to　dinner。　　The　Army　was　largely　represented。　　For　the　first　　time　I　tasted　here　the　national　frog；　which　is　neither　fish　　nor　flesh。　　The　wine　was；　of　course；　supreme；　but　after　every　　dish　a　different　wine　was　handed　round。　　The　evening　　entertainments　were　varied。　　There　was　the　theatre　in　the　　Palace；　and　some　of　the　best　of　the　Paris　artistes　were　　requisitioned　for　the　occasion。　　With　them　came　Dejazet；　then　　nearly　seventy；　who　had　played　before　Buonaparte。

Almost　every　night　there　was　dancing。　　Sometimes　the　Emperor　　would　walk　through　a　quadrille；　but　as　a　rule　he　would　retire　　with　one　of　his　ministers；　though　only　to　a　smaller　boudoir　　at　the　end　of　the　suite；　where　a　couple　of　whist…tables　were　　ready　for　the　more　sedate　of　the　party。　　Here　one　evening　I　　found　Prince　Metternich　showing　his　Majesty　a　chess　problem；　　of　which　he　was　the　proud　inventor。　　The　Emperor　asked　　whether　I　was　fond　of　chess。　　I　was　very　fond　of　chess；　was　　one　of　the　regular　HABITUES　of　St。　George's　Chess　Club；　and　　had　made　a　study　of　the　game　for　years。　　The　Prince　　challenged　me　to　solve　his　problem　in　four　moves。　　It　was　not　　a　very　profound　one。　　I　had　the　hardihood　to　discover　that　　three；　rather　obvious　moves；　were　sufficient。　　But　as　I　was　　not　Gil　Blas；　and　the　Prince　was　not　the　Archbishop　of　　Grenada；　it　did　not　much　matter。　　Like　the　famous　prelate；　　his　Excellency　proffered　his　felicitations；　and　doubtless　　also　wished　me　'un　peu　plus　de　gout'　with　the　addition　of　'un　　peu　moins　de　perspicacite。'

One　of　the　evening　performances　was　an　exhibition　of　POSES…　PLASTIQUES；　the　subjects　being　chosen　from　celebrated　　pictures　in　the　Louvre。　　Theatrical　costumiers；　under　the　　command　of　a　noted　painter；　were　brought　from　Paris。　　The　　ladies　of　the　court　were　carefully　rehearsed；　and　the　whole　　thing　was　very　perfectly　and　very　beautifully　done。　　All　the　　English　ladies　were　assigned　parts。　　But；　as　nearly　all　these　　depended　less　upon　the　beauties　of　drapery　than　upon　those　of　　nature；　the　English　ladies　were　more　than　a　little　staggered　　by　the　demands　of　the　painter　and　of　the　…　UNdressers。　　To　　the　young　and　handsome　Lady　Castlerosse；　then　just　married；　　was　allotted　the　figure　of　Diana。　　But　when　informed　that；　in　　accordance　with　the　original；　the　drapery　of　one　leg　would　　have　to　be　looped　up　above　the　knee；　her　ladyship　used　very　　firm　language；　and；　though　of　course　perfectly　ladylike；　　would；　rendered　into　masculine　terms；　have　signified　that　she　　would　'see　the　painter　d…d　first。'　　The　celebrated　'Cruche　　cassee'　of　Greuze；　was　represented　by　the　reigning　beauty；　　the　Marquise　de　Gallifet；　with　complete　fidelity　and　success。

There　was　one　stage　of　the　performance　which　neither　I　nor　　Lord　Castlerosse；　both　of　us　newly　married；　at　all　　appreciated。　　This　was　the　privileges　of　the　Green…room；　or　　rather　of　the　dressing…rooms。　　The　exhibition　was　given　in　　the　ball…room。　　On　one　side　of　this；　until　the　night　of　the　　performances；　an　enclosure　was　boarded　off。　　Within　it；　were　　compartments　in　which　the　ladies　dressed　and　…　undressed。　　At　　this　operation；　as　we　young　husbands　discovered；　certain　　young　gentlemen　of　the　court　were　permitted　to　assist　…　I　　think　I　am　not　mistaken　in　saying　that　his　Majesty　was　of　the　　number。　　What　kind　of　assistance　was　offered　or　accepted；　　Castlerosse　and　I；　being　on　the　wrong　side　of　the　boarding；　　were　not　in　a　position　to　know。

There　was　a　door　in　the　boarding；　over　which　one　expected　to　　see；　'No　admittance　except　on　business；'　or　perhaps；　'on　　pleasure。'　　At　this　door　I　rapped；　and　rapped　again　　impatiently。　　It　was　opened；　only　as　wide　as　her　face；　by　the　　empress。

'What　do　you　want；　sir？'　was　the　angry　demand。

'To　see　my　wife；　madame；'　was　the　submissive　reply。

'You　can't　see　her；　she　is　rehearsing。'

'But；　madame；　other　gentlemen　…　'

'Ah！　　Mais；　c'est　un　enfantillage！　　All