christie johnstone-第26节

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！


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！！！！〃_

_Ipsden。　〃Polkez…vous；　madame？〃_

_Lady　Barb。　〃Si；　je　polke；　Monsieur　le　Vicomte。〃_

They　polked　for　a　second　or　two。

〃Well；　I　dare　say　I　am　wrong；〃　cried　Lady　Barbara；　〃but　I　like　you　better
now　you　are　a　downrightahem！than　when　you　were　only　an　insipid
non…intellectualyou　are　greatly　improved。〃

_Ips。_　〃In　what　respects？'

_Lady　Barb。_　〃Did　I　not　tell　you？　browner　and　more　impudent；　but　tell
me；〃　said　she；　resuming　her　sly；　satirical　tone；　〃how　is　it　that　you；　who
used　to　be　the　pink　of　courtesy；　dance　and　sing　over　the　wreck　of　my
fortunes？〃

〃Because　they　are　not　wrecked。〃

〃I　thought　I　told　you　my　specie　is　gone　down　in　the　_Tisbe。〃_

_Ipsden。_　〃But　the　_Tisbe_　has　not　gone　down。〃

_Lady　Barb。_　〃I　tell　you　it　is。〃

_Ipsden。_　〃I　assure　you　it　is　not。〃

_Lady　Barb。_　〃It　is　not？〃

_Ipsden。_　〃Barbara！　I　am　too　happy；　I　begin　to　nourish　such　sweet　hopes
once　more。　Oh；　I　could　fall　on　my　knees　and　bless　you　for　something　you
said　just　now。〃

Lady　Barbara　blushed　to　the　temples。

〃Then　why　don't　you？〃　said　she。　〃All　you　want　is　a　little　enthusiasm。〃
Then　recovering　herself；　she　said：

〃You　kneel　on　wet　sand；　with　black　trousers　on；　that　will　never　be！！！〃

These　two　were　so　occupied　that　they　did　not　observe　the　approach　of　a
stranger　until　he　broke　in　upon　their　dialogue。

An　Ancient　Mariner　had　been　for　some　minutes　standing　off　and　on；
reconnoitering　Lord　Ipsden；　he　now　bore　down；　and　with　great　rough；
roaring　cordiality；　that　made　Lady　Barbara　start；　cried　out：

〃Give　me　your　hand；　sirgive　me　your　hand；　if　you　were　twice　a　lord。

〃I　couldn't　speak　to　you　till　the　brig　was　safe　in　port；　and　you　slipped
away；　but　I've　brought　you　up　at　last；　andgive　me　your　hand　again；　sir。
I　say；　isn't　it　a　pity　you　are　a　lord　instead　of　a　sailor？〃

_Ipsden。_　〃But　I　am　a　sailor。〃

_Ancient　Mariner。_　〃That　ye　are；　and　as　smart　a　one　as　ever　tied　a
true…lover's　knot　in　the　top；　but　tell　the　truthyou　were　never　nearer
losing　the　number　of　your　mess　than　that　day　in　the　old　_Tisbe。〃_

_Lady　Barb。_　〃The　old　_Tisbe！_　Oh！〃

_Ipsden。_　〃Do　you　remember　that　nice　little　lurch　she　gave　to　leeward　as
we　brought　her　round？〃

_Lady　Barb。_　〃Oh；　Richard！〃

_Ancient　Mariner。_　〃And　that　reel　the　old　wench　gave　under　our　feet；
north　the　pier…head。　I　wouldn't　have　given　a　washing…tub　for　her　at　that
moment。〃

_Ipsden。_　〃Past　danger　becomes　pleasure；　sir。　_Olim　et　hoec　meminisse_I
beg　your　pardon；　sir。〃

_Ancient　Mariner　（taking　off　his　hat　with　feeling）。_　〃God　bless　ye；　sir；
and　send　ye　many　happy　days；　and　well　spent；　with　the　pretty　lady　I　see
alongside；　asking　your　pardon；　miss；　for　parting　pleasanter　companyso
I'll　sheer　off。〃

And　away　went　the　skipper　of　the　_Tisbe；_　rolling　fearfully。　In　the　heat
of　this　reminiscence；　the　skipper　of　the　yacht　（they　are　all　alike；　blue
water　once　fairly　tasted）　had　lost　sight　of　Lady　Barbara；　he　now　looked
round。　Imagine　his　surprise！

Her　ladyship　was　in　tears。

〃Dear　Barbara；〃　said　Lord　Ipsden；　〃do　not　distress　yourself　on　my
account。〃

〃It　is　not　your　fe…feelings　I　care　about；　at　least；　I　h…h…hope　not；　but　I
have　been　so　unjust；　and　I　prided　myself　so　on　my　j…ju…justice。〃

〃Never　mind！〃

〃Oh！　if　you　don't；　I　don't。　I　hate　myself；　so　it　is　no　wonder　you　h…hate
me。〃

〃I　love　you　more　than　ever。〃

〃Then　you　are　a　good　soul！　Of　course　you　know　I　always　_l_…esteemed　you；
Richard。〃

〃No！　I　had　an　idea　you　despised　me！〃

〃How　silly　you　are！　Can't　you　see？　When　I　thought　you　were　not
perfection；　which　you　are　now；　it　vexed　me　to　death；　you　never　saw　me
affront　any　one　but　you？〃

〃No；　I　never　did！　What　does　that　prove？〃

〃That　depends　upon　the　wit　of　him　that　reasons　thereon。〃　（Coming　to
herself。）

〃I　love　you；　Barbara！　Will　you　honor　me　with　your　hand？〃

〃No！　I　am　not　so　base；　so　selfish。　You　are　worth　a　hundred　of　me；　and
here　have　I　been　treating　you　_de　haut　en　bas。_　Dear　Richard；　poor
Richard。　Oh！　oh！　oh！〃　（A　perfect　flood　of　tears。）

〃Barbara！　I　regret　nothing；　this　moment　pays　for　all。〃

〃Well