the professor(教授)-第69节
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compliments！ je ne m’y suis pas attendu。” She smiled； half in ire；
half in mirth； curtsied with foreign grace； and so they parted。
No sooner had we got into the street than Hunsden collared me。
“And that is your lace…mender？” said he； “and you reckon you
have done a fine； magnanimous thing in offering to marry her？
You； a scion of Seacombe； have proved your disdain of social
distinctions by taking up with an ouvrière！ And I pitied the fellow；
thinking his feelings had misled him； and that he had hurt himself
by contracting a low match！”
“Just let go my collar； Hunsden。”
“On the contrary； he swayed me to and fro； so I grappled him
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round the waist。 It was dark； the street lonely and lampless。 We
had then a tug for it； and after we had both rolled on the
pavement； and with difficulty picked ourselves up； we agreed to
walk on more soberly。
“Yes； that’s my lace…mender；” said I； “and she is to be mine for
life—God willing。”
“God is not willing—you can’t suppose it； what business have
you to be suited so well with a partner？ And she treats you with a
sort of respect； too； and says； ‘Monsieur’ and modulates her tone in
addressing you； actually； as if you were something superior！ She
could not evince more deference to such a one as I； were she
favoured by fortune to the supreme extent of being my choice
instead of yours。”
“Hunsden； you’re a puppy。 But you’ve only seen the title…page
of my happiness； you don’t know the tale that follows； you cannot
conceive the interest and sweet variety and thrilling excitement of
the narrative。”
Hunsden—speaking low and deep； for we had now entered a
busier street—desired me to hold my peace； threatening to do
something dreadful if I stimulated his wrath further by boasting。 I
laughed till my sides ached。 We soon reached his hotel； before he
entered it； he said—
“Don’t be vainglorious。 Your lace…mender is too good for you；
but not good enough for me； neither physically nor morally does
she come up to my ideal of a woman。 No； I dream of something far
beyond that pale…faced； excitable little Helvetian （by…the…by she
has infinitely more of the nervous； mobile Parisienne in her than
of the the robust ‘jungfrau’）。 Your Mdlle Henri is in person
“chétive”； in mind “sans caractère”； compared with the queen of
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my visions。 You； indeed； may put up with that minois chiffoné； but
when I marry I must have straighter and more harmonious
features； to say nothing of a nobler and better developed shape
than that perverse； ill…thriven child can boast。”
“Bribe a seraph to fetch you a coal of fire from heaven； if you
will；” said I； “and with it kindle life in the tallest； fattest； most
boneless； fullest…blooded of Ruben’s painted women—leave me
only my Alpine peri； and I’ll not envy you。”
With a simultaneous movement； each turned his back on the
other。 Neither said “God bless you；” yet on the morrow the sea
was to roll between us。
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Chapter XXV
n two months more Frances had fulfilled the time of
mourning for her aunt。 One January morning—the first of the
I
new year holidays—I went in a fiacre； accompanied only by
M。 Vandenhuten； to the Rue Notre Dame aux Neiges； and having
alighted alone and walked upstairs； I found Frances apparently
waiting for me； dressed in a style scarcely appropriate to that cold；
bright； frosty day。 Never till now had I seen her attired in any
other than black or sad…coloured stuff； and there she stood by the
window； clad all in white； and white of a most diaphanous texture；
her array was very simple； to be sure； but it looked imposing and
festal because it was so clear； full； and floating； a veil shadowed
her head； and hung below her knee； a little wreath of pink flowers
fastened it to her thickly tressed Grecian plait； and thence it fell
softly on each side of her face。 Singular to state； she was； or had
been crying； when I asked her if she were ready； she said “Yes；
monsieur；” with something very like a checked sob； and when I
took a shawl； which lay on the table； and folded it round her； not
only did tear after tear course unbidden down her cheek； but she
shook to my ministration like a reed。 I said I was sorry to see her
in such low spirits； and requested to be allowed an insight into the
origin thereof。 She only said； “It was impossible to help it；” and
then voluntarily； though hurriedly； putting her hand into mine；
accompanied me out of the room； and ran downstairs with a quick；
uncertain step； like one who was eager to get some formidable
piece of business over。 I put her into the fiacre。 M。 Vandenhuten
received her； and seated her beside himself； we drove all together
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to the Protestant chapel； went through a certain service in the
Common Prayer Book； and she and I came out married。 M。
Vandenhuten had given the bride away。
We took no bridal trip； our modesty； screened by the peaceful
obscurity of our station； and the pleasant isolation of our
circumstances； did not exact that additional precaution。 We
repaired at once to a small house I had taken in the faubourg
nearest to that part of the city where the scene of our avocations
lay。
Three or four hours after the wedding ceremony； Frances；
divested of her bridal snow； and attired in a pretty lilac gown of
warmer materials； a piquant black silk apron； and a lace collar
with some finishing decoration of lilac ribbon； was kneeling on the
carpet of a neatly furnished though not spacious parlour；
arranging on the shelves of a chiffonière some books； which I
handed to her from the table。 It was snowing fast out of doors； the
afternoon had turned out wild and cold； the leaden sky seemed full
of drifts； and the street was already ankle…deep in the white
downfall。 Our fire burned bright； our new habitation looked
brilliantly clean and fresh； the furniture was all arranged； and
there were but some articles of glass； china； books； &c。； to put in
order。 Frances found in this business occupation till tea…time； and
then； after I had distinctly instructed her how to make a cup of tea
in rational English style； and after she had got over the dismay
occasioned by seeing such an extravagant amount of material put
into the pot； she administered to me a proper British repast； at
which there wanted neither candies nor urn； fire…light nor
comfort。
Our week’s holiday glided by； and we re…addressed ourselves to
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labour。 Both my wife and I began in good earnest with the notion
that we were working people； destined to earn our bread by
exertion； and that of the most assiduous kind。 Our days were
thoroughly occupied； me used to par
