the professor(教授)-第58节
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“No； indeed。”
“You had better； he often has it in his power to give useful
information in such matters。”
“He served me once very well； I have no claim on him； and am
not in the humour to bother him again。”
“Oh； if you’re bashful； and dread being intrusive； you need only
commission me。 I shall see him to…night； I can put in a word。”
“I beg you will not； Mr。 Hunsden； I am in your debt already； you
did me an important service when I was at X—； got me out of a
den where I was dying： that service I have never repaid； and at
present I decline positively adding another item to the account。”
“If the wind sits that way； I’m satisfied。 I thought my
unexampled generosity in turning you out of that accursed
counting…house would be duly appreciated some day： ‘Cast your
bread on the waters； and it shall be found after many days；’ say the
Scriptures。 Yes； that’s right； lad—make much of me—I’m a
nonpareil： there’s nothing like me in the common herd。 In the
meantime； to put all humbug aside and talk sense for a few
moments； you would be greatly the better of a situation； and what
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is more； you are a fool if you refuse to take one from any hand that
offers it。”
“Very well； Mr。 Hunsden； now you have settled that point； talk
of something else。 What news from X—？”
“I have not settled that point； or at least there is another to
settle before we get to X—。 Is this Miss Zénobie” （Zoraide；
interposed I）—“well； Zoraide—is she really married to Pelet？”
“I tell you yes—and if you don’t believe me； go and ask the cure
of St。 Jacques。”
“And your heart is broken？”
“I am not aware that it is； it feels all right—beats as usual。”
“Then your feelings are less superfine than I took them to be；
you must be a coarse； callous character； to bear such a thwack
without staggering under it。”
“Staggering under it？ What the deuce is there to stagger under
in the circumstance of a Belgian schoolmistress marrying a
French schoolmaster？ The progeny will doubtless be a strange
hybrid race； but that’s their Look out—not mine。”
“He indulges in scurrilous jests； and the bride was his affianced
one！”
“Who said so？”
“Brown。”
I’ll tell you what； Hunsden—Brown is an old gossip。”
“He is； but in the meantime； if his gossip be founded on less
than fact—if you took no particular interest in Miss Zoraide—why；
O youthful pedagogue！ did you leave your place in consequence of
her becoming Madame Pelet？”
“Because—” I felt my face grow a little hot； “because—in short；
Mr。 Hunsden； I decline answering any more questions；” and I
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plunged my hands deep in my breeches pocket。
Hunsden triumphed： his eyes—his laugh announced victory。
“What the deuce are you laughing at； Mr。 Hunsden？”
“At your exemplary composure。 Well； lad； I’ll not bore you； I see
how it is： Zoraide has jilted you—married some one richer； as any
sensible woman would have done if she had had the chance。”
I made no reply—I let him think so； not feeling inclined to enter
into an explanation of the real state of things； and as little to forge
a false account； but it was not easy to blind Hunsden； my very
silence； instead of convincing him that he had hit the truth；
seemed to render him doubtful about it； he went on：—
“I suppose the affair has been conducted as such affairs always
are amongst rational people： you offered her your youth and your
talents…such as they are—in exchange for her position and money：
I don’t suppose you took appearance； or what is called love； into
the account—for I understand she is older than you； and Brown
says； rather sensible…looking than beautiful。 She； having then no
chance of making a better bargain； was at first inclined to come to
terms with you； but Pelet—the head or a flourishing school—
stepped in with a higher bid； she accepted； and he has got her： a
correct transaction—perfectly so—business…like and legitimate。
And now we’ll talk of something else。”
“Do；” said I； very glad to dismiss the topic； and especially glad
to have baffled the sagacity of my cross…questioner—if； indeed； I
had baffled it； for though his words now led away from the
dangerous point； his eyes； keen and watchful； seemed still
preoccupied with the former idea。
“You want to hear news from X—？ And what interest can you
have in X—？ You left no friends there； for you made none。 Nobody
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ever asks after you—neither man nor woman； and if I mention
your name in company； the men look as if I had spoken of Prester
John； and the women sneer covertly。 Our X— belles must have
disliked you。 How did you excite their displeasure？”
“I don’t know。 I seldom spoke to them—they were nothing to
me。 I considered them only as something to be glanced at from a
distance； their dresses and faces were often pleasing enough to the
eye： but I could not understand their conversation； nor even read
their countenances。 When I caught snatches of what they said； I
could never make much of it； and the play of their lips and eyes
did not help me at all。”
“That was your fault； not theirs。 There are sensible； as well as
handsome women in X—； women it is worth any man’s while to
talk to； and with whom I can talk with pleasure： but you had and
have no pleasant address； there is nothing in you to induce a
woman to be affable。 I have remarked you sitting near the door in
a room full of company； bent on hearing； not on speaking； on
observing； not on entertaining； looking frigidly shy at the
commencement of a party； confusingly vigilant about the middle；
and insultingly weary towards the end。 Is that the way； do you
think； ever to communicate pleasure or excite interest？ No； and if
you are generally unpopular； it is because you deserve to be so。”
“Content！” I ejaculated。
“No； you are not content； you see beauty always turning its
back on you； you are mortified and then you sneer。 I verily believe
all that is desirable on earth—wealth； reputation； love—will for
ever to you be the ripe grapes on the high trellis： you’ll look up at
them； they will tantalize in you the lust of the eye； but they are out
of reach： you have not the address to fetch a ladder； and you’ll go
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away calling them sour。”
Cutting as these words might have been under some
circumstances； they drew no blood now。 My life was changed； my
experience had been varied since I left X—； but Hunsden could
not know this； he had seen me only in the character of Mr。
Crimsworth’s clerk—a dependant amongst wealthy strangers；
meeting disdain with a hard front； conscious of an unsocial and
unattractive exterior； refusing to sue for notice which I was sure
would be withheld； declining to evince an admiration which I
knew would be scorned as worthless。 He could not be aware that
since then youth and loveliness had been to me everyday objects；
that I had studied them at leisure and closely； and had seen the
plain texture of truth un
