john bull on the guadalquivir-第6节

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would　share　his　disgrace。　　I　recognised　the　nobleness　of　this　at　the
moment；　but；　nevertheless；　I　was　so　sore　that　I　would　almost　have
preferred　that　she　should　have　disowned　me。

The　marquis　immediately　lifted　his　cap　with　his　left　hand　while　he
gave　me　his　right。　　〃I　have　already　had　the　pleasure　of　meeting　this
gentleman；〃　he　said；　〃we　had　some　conversation　in　the　boat　together。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　I；　pointing　to　his　rent；　〃and　you　still　bear　the　marks　of
our　encounter。〃

〃Was　it　not　delightful；　Donna　Maria；〃　he　continued；　turning　to　her；
〃your　friend's　friend　took　me　for　a　torero？〃

〃And　it　served　you　properly；　senor；〃　said　Donna　Maria；　laughing；　〃you
have　no　right　to　go　about　with　all　those　rich　ornaments　upon　you。〃

〃Oh！　quite　properly；　indeed；　I　make　no　complaint；　and　I　must　beg　your
friend　to　understand；　and　his　friend　also；　how　grateful　I　am　for
their　solicitude　as　to　my　pecuniary　welfare。　　They　were　inclined　to
be　severe　on　me　for　being　so　extravagant　in　such　trifles。　　I　was
obliged　to　explain　that　I　had　no　wife　at　home　kept　without　her　proper
allowance　of　dresses；　in　order　that　I　might　be　gay。〃

〃They　are　foreigners；　and　you　should　forgive　their　error；〃　said　she。

〃And　in　token　that　I　do　so；〃　said　the　marquis；　〃I　shall　beg　your
friend　to　accept　the　little　ornament　which　attracted　his　attention。〃
And　so　saying；　he　pulled　the　identical　button　out　of　his　pocket；　and
gracefully　proffered　it　to　me。

〃I　shall　carry　it　about　with　me　always；〃　said　I；　accepting　it；　〃as　a
memento　of　humiliation。　　When　I　look　at　it；　I　shall　ever　remember　the
folly　of　an　Englishman　and　the　courtesy　of　a　Spaniard；〃　and　as　I　made
the　speech　I　could　not　but　reflect　whether　it　might；　under　any
circumstances；　be　possible　that　Lord　John　Russell　should　be　induced
to　give　a　button　off　his　coat　to　a　Spaniard。

There　were　other　civil　speeches　made；　and　before　we　left　the　tower
the　marquis　had　asked　me　to　his　parties；　and　exacted　from　me　an
unwilling　promise　that　I　would　attend　them。　　〃The　senora；〃　he　said；
bowing　again　to　Maria；　〃would；　he　was　sure；　grace　them。　　She　had　done
so　on　the　previous　year；　and　as　I　had　accepted　his　little　present　I
was　bound　to　acknowledge　him　as　my　friend。〃　　All　this　was　very
pretty；　and　of　course　I　said　that　I　would　go；　but　I　had　not　at　that
time　the　slightest　intention　of　doing　so。　　Maria　had　behaved
admirably；　she　had　covered　my　confusion；　and　shown　herself　not
ashamed　to　own　me；　delinquent　as　I　was；　but；　not　the　less；　had　she
expressed　her　opinion；　in　language　terribly　strong；　of　the
awkwardness　of　which　I　had　been　guilty；　and　had　shown　almost　an
aversion　to　my　English　character。　　I　should　leave　Seville　as　quickly
as　I　could；　and　should　certainly　not　again　put　myself　in　the　way　of
the　Marquis　D'Almavivas。　　Indeed；　I　dreaded　the　moment　that　I　should
be　first　alone　with　her；　and　should　find　myself　forced　to　say
something　indicative　of　my　feelingsto　hear　something　also
indicative　of　her　feelings。　　I　had　come　out　this　morning　resolved　to
demand　my　rights　and　to　exercise　themand　now　my　only　wish　was　to
man　away。　　I　hated　the　marquis；　and　longed　to　be　alone　that　I　might
cast　his　button　from　me。　　To　think　that　a　man　should　be　so　ruined　by
such　a　trifle！

We　descended　that　prodigious　flight　without　a　word　upon　the　subject；
and　almost　without　a　word　at　all。　　She　had　carried　herself　well　in
the　presence　of　Almavivas；　and　had　been　too　proud　to　seem　ashamed　of
her　companion；　but　now；　as　I　could　well　see；　her　feelings　of　disgust
and　contempt　had　returned。　　When　I　begged　her　not　to　hurry　herself；
she　would　hardly　answer　me；　and　when　she　did　speak；　her　voice　was
constrained　and　unlike　herself。　　And　yet　how　beautiful　she　was！
Well；　my　dream　of　Spanish　love　must　be　over。　　But　I　was　sure　of　this；
that　having　known　her；　and　given　her　my　heart；　I　could　never
afterwards　share　it　with　another。

We　came　out　at　last　on　the　dark；　gloomy　aisle　of　the　cathedral；　and
walked　together　without　a　word　up　along　the　side　of　the　choir；　till
we　came　to　the　transept。　　There　was　not　a　soul　near　us；　and　not　a
sound　was　to　be　heard　but　the　distant；　low　pattering　of　a　mass；　then
in　course　of　celebration　at　some　far…off　chapel　in　the　cathedral。
When　we　got　to　the　transept　Maria　turned　a　little；　as　though　she　was
going　to　the　transept　door；　and　then　stopped　herself。　　She　stood
still；　and　when　I　stood　also；　she　made　two　steps　towards　me；　and　put
her　hand　on　my　arm。　　〃Oh；　John！〃　she　said。

〃'Well；〃　said　I；　〃after　all　it　does　not　signify。　　You　can　make　a　joke
of　it　when　my　back　is　turned。〃

〃Dearest　John！〃she　had　never　spoken　to　me　in　that　way　before〃you
must　not　be　angry　with　me。　　It　is　better　that　we　should　explain　to
each　other；　is　it　not？〃

〃Oh；　much　better。　　I　am　very　glad　you　heard　of　it　at　once。　　I　do　not
look　at　it　quite　in　the　same　light　that　you　do；　but　nevertheless〃

〃What　do　you　mean？　　But　I　know　you　are　angry　with　me。　　And　yet　you
cannot　think　that　I　intended　those　words　for　you。　　Of　course　I　know
now　that　there　was　nothing　rude　in　what　passed。〃

〃Oh；　but　there　was。〃

〃No；　I　am　sure　there　was　not。　　You　could　not　be　rude　though　you　are
so　free　hearted。　　I　see　it　all　now；　and　so　does　the　marquis。　　You
will　like　him　so　much　when　you　come　to　know　him。　　Tell　me　that　you
won't　be　cross　with　me　for　what　I　have　said。　　Sometimes　I　think　that
I　have　displeased　you；　and　yet　my　whole　wish　has　been　to　welcome　you
to　Seville；　and　to　make　you　comfortable　as　an　old　friend。　　Promise　me
that　you　will　not　be　cross　with　me。〃

Cross　with　her！　　I　certainly　had　no　intention　of　being　cross；　but　I
had　begun　to　think　that　she　would　not　care　what　my　humour　might　be。
〃Maria；〃　I　said；　taking　hold　of　her　hand。

〃No；　John；　do　not　do　that。　　It　is　in　the　church；　you　know。〃

〃Maria；　will　you　answer　me　a　question？〃

〃Yes；〃　she　said；　very　slowly；　looking　dawn　upon　the　stone　slabs
beneath　our　feet。

〃Do　you　love　me？〃

〃Love　you！〃

〃Yes；　do　you　love　me？　　You　were　to　give　me　an　answer　here；　in
Seville；　and　now　I　ask　for　it。　　I　have　almost　taught　myself　to　think
that　it　is　needless　to　ask；　and　now　this　horrid　mischance〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　said　she；　speaking　very　quickly。

〃Why　this　miserable　blunder　about　the　marquis's　button！　　After　that　I
suppose〃

〃The　marquis！　　Oh；　John；　is　that　to　make　a　difference　between　you　and
me？a　little　joke　like　that？〃

〃But　does　it　not？〃

〃Make　a　change　between　us！such　a　thing　as　that！　　Oh；　John！〃

〃But　tell　me；　Maria；　what　am　I　to　hope？　　If　you　will　say　that　you　can
love　me；　I　shall　care　nothing　for　the　marquis。　　In　that　case　I　can
bear　to　be　laughed　at。〃

〃Who　will　dare　to　laugh　at　you？　　Not　the　marquis；　whom　I　am　sure　you
will　like。〃

〃Your　friend　in　this　plaza；　who　told　you　of　all　this。〃

〃What；　poor　Tomas！〃

〃I　do　not　know　about　his　being　poor。　　I　mean　the　gentleman　who　was
with　you　last　night。〃

〃Yes；　Tomas。　　You　do　not　know　who　he　is？〃

〃Not　in　the　least。〃

〃How　droll！　　He　is　your　own　clerkpartly　your　own；　now　that　you　are
one　of　the　firm。　　And；　John；　I　mean　to　make　you　do　something　for　him；
he　is　such　a　good　fellow；　and　last　year　he　married　a　young　girl　whom
I　loveoh；　almost　like　a　sister。〃

Do　something　for　him！　　Of　course　I　would。　　I　promised；　then　and
there；　that　I　would　raise　his　salary　to　any　conceivable　amount　that　a
Spanish　clerk　could　desire；　which　promise　I　have　since　kept；　if　not
absolutely　to　the　letter；　at　any　rate；　to　an　extent　which　has　been
considered　satisfactory　by　the　gentleman's　wife。

〃But；　Mariadearest　Maria〃

〃Remember；　John；　we　are　in　the　church；　and　poor　papa　will　be　waiting
breakfast。〃

I　need　hardly　continue　the　story　further。　　It　will　be　known　to　all
that　my　love…suit　throve　in　spite　of　my　unfortunate　raid　on　the
button　of　the　Marquis　D'Almavivas；　at　whose　series　of　fetes　through
that　month　I　was；　I　may　boast；　an　honoured　guest。　　I　have　since　that
had　the　pleasure　of　entertaining　him　in　my　own　poor　house　in　England；
and　one　of　our　boys　bears　his　Christian　name。

From　that　day　in　which　I　ascended　the　Giralda　to　this　present　day　in
which　I　write；　I　have　never　once　had　occasion　to　complain　of　a
deficiency　of　romance　either　in　Maria　Daguilar　or　in　Maria　Pomfret。







End