christie johnstone-第23部分

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！


are　apt　to　be；　no　gentleman　is　so　gentleman　as　all　that；　it　could　not　be
borne；　_c'est　suffoquant；_　and　a　white　handkerchief　is　unsoldier…like；
and　nobody　ties　a　white　handkerchief　so　well　as　that；　of　all　the　vices；
perfection　is　the　most　intolerable。〃　His　lordship　then　touched　with　his
cane　the　generalissimo's　tie；　whose　countenance　straightway　fell；　as
though　he　had　lost　three　successive　battles。

Gatty　came　up。

They　saluted。

〃Where　is　your　second；　sir？〃　said　the　mare'chal。

〃My　second？〃　said　Gatty。　〃Ah！　I　forgot　to　wake　himdoes　it　matter？〃

〃It　is　merely　a　custom；〃　said　Lord　Ipsden；　with　a　very　slightly　satirical
manner。　〃Savanadero；〃　said　he；　〃do　us　the　honor　to　measure　the　ground；
and　be　everybody's　second。〃

Savanadero　measured　the　ground；　and　handed　a　pistol　to　each　combatant；
and　struck　an　imposing　attitude　apart。

〃Are　you　ready；　gentlemen？〃　said　this　Jack…o'…both…sides。

〃Yes！〃　said　both。

Just　as　the　signal　was　about　to　be　given；　an　interruption　occurred。　〃I
beg　your　pardon；　sir；〃　said　Lord　Ipsden　to　his　antagonist；　〃I　am　going　to
take　a　_libertya　great　liberty_　with　you；　but　I　think　you　will　find
your　pistol　is　only　at　half　cock。〃

〃Thank　you；　my　lord；　what　am　I　to　do　with　the　thing？〃

〃Draw　back　the　cock　so；　and　be　ready　to　fire？〃

〃So？〃　_Bang！_

He　had　touched　the　trigger　as　well　as　the　cock；　so　off　went　the　barker；
and　after　a　considerable　pause　the　field…marshal　sprang　yelling　into　the
air。

〃Hallo！〃　cried　Mr。　Gatty。

〃Ah！　oh！　I'm　a　dead　man；〃　whined　the　general。

〃Nonsense！〃　said　Ipsden；　after　a　moment　of　anxiety。　〃Give　yourself　no
concern；　sir；〃　said　he；　soothingly；　to　his　antagonist〃a　mere　accident。
Mare'chal；　reload　Mr。　Gatty's　pistol。〃

〃Excuse　me；　my　lord〃

〃Load　his　pistol　directly；〃　said　his　lordship；　sternly；　〃and　behave　like
a　gentleman。〃

〃My　lord！　my　lord！　but　where　shall　I　stand　to　be　safe？〃

〃Behind　me！〃

The　commander　of　division　advanced　reluctantly　for　Gatty's　pistol。

〃No；　my　lord！〃　said　Gatty；　〃it　is　plain　I　am　not　a　fit　antagonist；　I
shall　but　expose　myselfand　my　mother　has　separated　us；　I　have　lost
herif　you　do　not　win　her　some　worse　man　may；　but；　oh！　if　you　are　a　man；
use　her　tenderly。〃

〃Whom？〃

〃Christie　Johnstone！　Oh；　sir；　do　not　make　her　regret　me　too　much！　She　was
my　treasure；　my　consolationshe　was　to　be　my　wife；　she　would　have
cheered　the　road　of　lifeit　is　a　desert　now。　I　loved　herII〃

Here　the　poor　fellow　choked。

Lord　Ipsden　turned　round；　and　threw　his　pistol　to　Saunders；　saying；
〃Catch　that；　Saunders。〃

Saunders；　on　the　contrary；　by　a　single　motion　changed　his　person　from　a
vertical　straight　line　to　a　horizontal　line　exactly　parallel　with　the
earth's　surface；　and　the　weapon　sang　innoxious　over　him。

His　lordship　then；　with　a　noble　defiance　of　etiquette；　walked　up　to　his
antagonist　and　gave　him　his　hand；　with　a　motion　no　one　could　resist；　for
he　felt　for　the　poor　fellow。

〃It　is　all　a　mistake；〃　said　he。　〃There　is　no　sentiment　between　La
Johnstone　and　me　but　mutual　esteem。　I　will　explain　the　whole　thing。　_I_
admire　_her_　for　her　virtue；　her　wit；　her　innocence；　her　goodness　and　all
that　sort　of　thing；　and　_she；_　what　_she_　sees　in　_me；_　I　am　sure　I　don't
know；〃　added　he；　slightly　shrugging　his　aristocratic　shoulders。　〃Do　me
the　honor　to　breakfast　with　me　at　Newhaven。〃

〃I　have　ordered　twelve　sorts　of　fish　at　the　'Peacock；'　my　lord；〃　said
Saunders。

〃Divine！　（I　hate　fish）　I　told　Saunders　all　would　be　hungry　and　none　shot；
by　the　by；　you　are　winged；　I　think　you　said；　Saunders？〃

〃No；　my　lord！　but　look　at　my　trousers。〃

The　bullet　had　cut　his　pantaloons。

〃I　seeonly　barked；　so　go　and　see　about　our　breakfast。〃

〃Yes；　my　lord〃　_（faintly）。_

〃And　draw　on　me　for　fifty　pounds'　worth　ofnew　trousers。〃

Yes；　my　lord〃　_（sonorously）。_

The　duelists　separated；　Gatty　taking　the　short　cut　to　Newhaven；　he
proposed　to　take　his　favorite　swim　there；　to　refresh　himself　before
breakfast；　and　he　went　from　his　lordship　a　little　cheered　by　remarks
which　fell　from　him；　and　which；　though　vague；　sounded　friendlypoor
fellow；　except　when　he　had　a　brush　in　hand　he　was　a　dreamer。

This　viscount；　who　did　not　seem　to　trouble　his　head　about　class　dignity；
was　to　convert　his　mother　from　her　aristocratic　tendencies　or　something。

_Que　sais…je？_　what　will　not　a　dreamer　hope？

Lord　Ipsden　strolled　along　the　sands；　and　judge　his　surprise；　when；
attended　by　two　footmen；　he　met　at　that　time　in　the　morning　Lady　Barbara
Sinclair

Lord　Ipsden　had　been　so　disheartened　and　piqued　by　this　lady's　conduct
that　for　a　whole　week　he　had　not　been　near　her。　This　line　of　behavior
sometimes　answers。

She　met　him　with　a　grand　display　of　cordiality。

She　inquired；　〃Whether　he　had　heard　of　a　most　gallant　action；　that；
coupled　with　another　circumstance〃　_（here　she　smiled）；_　〃had　in　part
reconciled　her　to　the　age　we　live　in？〃

He　asked　for　further　particulars。

She　then　informed　him　〃that　a　ship　had　been　ashore　on　the　rocks；　that　no
fisherman　dared　venture　out；　that　a　young　gentleman　had　given　them　his
whole　fortune；　and　so　bribed　them　to　accompany　him；　that　he　had　saved　the
ship　and　the　men's　lives；　paid　away　his　fortune；　and　lighted　an　odious
cigar　and　gone　home；　never　minding；　amid　the　blessings　and　acclamations
of　a　maritime　population。〃

A　beautiful　story　she　told　him；　so　beautiful；　in　fact；　that　until　she　had
discoursed　ten　minutes　he　hardly　recognized　his　own　feat；　but　when　he　did
he　blushed　inside　as　well　as　out　with　pleasure。　Oh！　music　of
musicpraise　from　eloquent　lips；　and　those　lips　the　lips　we　love。

The　next　moment　he　felt　ashamed；　ashamed　that　Lady　Barbara　should　praise
him　beyond　his　merits；　as　he　conceived。

He　made　a　faint　hypocritical　endeavor　to　moderate　her　eulogium；　this　gave
matters　an　unexpected　turn；　Lady　Barbara's　eyes　flashed　defiance。

〃I　say　it　was　a　noble　action；　that　one　nursed　in　effeminacy　（as　you　all
are）　should　teach　the　hardy　seamen　to　mock　at　perilnoble　fellow！〃

〃He　did　a　man's　duty；　Barbara。〃

〃Ipsden；　take　care；　you　will　make　me　hate　you；　if　you　detract　from　a　deed
you　cannot　emulate。　This　gentleman　risked　his　own　life　to　save　othershe
is　a　hero！　I　should　know　him　by　his　face　the　moment　I　saw　him。　Oh；　that　I
were　such　a　man；　or　knew　where　to　find　such　a　creature！〃

The　water　came　into　Lord　Ipsden's　eyes；　he　did　not　know　what　to　say　or
do；　he　turned　away　his　head。　Lady　Barbara　was　surprised；　her　conscience
smote　her。

〃Oh；　dear；〃　said　she；　〃there　now；　I　have　given　you　painforgive　me；　we
can't　all　be　heroes；　dear　Ipsden；　don't　think　I　despise　you　now　as　I
used。　Oh；　no！　I　have　heard　of　your　goodness　to　the　poor；　and　I　have　more
experience　now。　There　is　nobody　I　esteem　more　than　you；　Richard；　so　you
need　not　look　so。〃

〃Thank　you；　dearest　Barbara。〃

〃Yes；　and　if　you　were　to　be　such　a　goose　as　to　write　me　another　letter
proposing　absurdities　to　me〃

〃Would　the　answer　be　different？〃

〃Very　different。〃

〃Oh；　Barbara；　would　you　accept？〃

〃Why；　of　course　not；　but　I　would　refuse　civilly！〃

〃Ah！〃

〃There；　don't　sigh；　I　hate　a　sighing　man。　I'll　tell　you　something　that　I
know　will　make　you　laugh。〃　She　then　smiled　saucily　in　his　face；　and　said；
〃Do　you　remember　Mr。？〃

_L'effronte'e！_　this　was　the　earnest　man。　But　Ipsden　was　a　match　for　her
this　time。　〃I　think　I　do；〃　said　he；　〃a　gentleman　who　wants　to　make　John
Bull　little　again　into　John　Calf；　but　it　won't　do。〃

Her　ladyship　laughed。　〃Why　did　you　not　tell　us　that　on　Inch　Coombe？〃

〃Because　I　had　not　read　_The　Catspaw_　then。〃

_〃The　Catspaw？_　Ah！　I　thought　it　could　not　be　you。　Whose　is　it？〃

〃Mr。　Jerrold's。〃

〃Then　Mr。　Jerrold　is　cleverer　than　you。〃

〃It　is　possible。〃

〃It　is　certain！　Well；　Mr。　Jerrold　and　Lord　Ipsden；　you　will　both　be　glad
to　hear　that　it　was；　in　point　of　fact；　a　bull　that　confuted　the　advocate
of　the　Middle　Ages；　we　were　walking；　he　was　telling　me　manhood　was
extinct　except　in　a　few　earnest　men　who　lived　upon　the　past；　its
associations；　its　truth；　when　a　horrid　bull　gaveohsuch　a　bellow！　and
came　trotting　up。　I　screamed　and　ranI　remember　nothing　but　arriving　at
the　stile；　and　lo；　on　the　other　side；　offering　me　his　arm　with
_empressment_　across　the　wooden　barrier　was〃

〃Well？〃

〃Well！　don't　you　see？〃

〃Noohyes；　I　see！fancyah！　Shall　I　tell　you　how　he　came　to　get
first　over？　He　ran　more　earnestly　than　you。〃

'It　is　not　Mr。　Jerrold　this　time；　I　presume；〃　said　her　satirical
ladyship。

〃No！　you　cannot　always　have　him。　I　venture　to　predict　your　ladyship　on
your　return　home　gave　this　mediaeval　personage　his　_conge'。〃_

〃No！〃

〃No？〃

〃I　gave　it　him　at　the　stile！　Let　us　be　serious；　if　you　please；　I　have　a
confidence　to　make　you；　Ipsden。　Frankly；　I　owe　you　some　apology　for　my
conduct　of　late；　I　meant　to　be　reservedI　have　been　rudebut　you　shall
judge　me。　A　year　ago　you　made　me　some　proposals；　I　rejected　them　because；
though　I　like　you〃

〃You　like　me？〃

〃I　detest　your　character。　Since　then；　my　West　India　estate　has　been
turned　into　specie；　that　specie；　the　bulk　of　my　fortune；　placed　on　board
a　vessel；　that　vessel　lost；　at　least　we　think　soshe　has　not　been　heard
of。〃

〃My　dear　cousin。〃

〃Do　you　comprehend　that　now　I　am　cooler　than　ever　to　all　young　gentlemen
who　have　large　incomes；　and〃　（holding　out　her　hand　like　an　angel）　〃I　must
trouble　you　to　forgive　me。〃

He　kissed　her　lovely　hand。

〃I　esteem　you　more　and　more；〃　said　he。　〃You　ought；　for　it　has　been　a　hard
struggle　to　me　not　to　adore　you；　because　you　are　so　improved；　_mon
cousin。〃_

〃Is　it　possible？　In　what　respect？〃

〃You　are　browner　and　charitabler；　and　I　should　have　been　very　kind　to
youmawkishly　kind；　I　fear；　my　sweet　cousin；　if　this　wretched　money　had
not　gone　down　in　the　_Tisbe。〃_

〃Hallo！〃　cried　the　viscount。

〃Ah！〃　squeaked　Lady　Barbara；　unused　to　such　interjections。

〃Gone　down　in　what？〃　said　Ipsden；　in　a　loud　voice。

〃Don't　bellow　in　people's　ears。　The　_Tisbe；_　stupid；〃　cried　she；
screaming　at　the　top　of　her　voice。

〃Ri　tum；　ti　turn；　ti　tum；　tum；　tum；　tiddy；　iddy；〃　went　Lord　Ipsdenhe
whistled　a　polka。

_Lady　Barbara　（inspecting　him　gravely）。_　〃I　have　heard　it　at　a　distance；
but　I　never　saw　how　it　was　done　before。　_It　is　very；　very　pretty！！！！〃_