mrs. general talboys-第6节

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Mackinnon；　〃that　her　virtue　is　quite　Spartan　and　unique；　and　if　she
remains　in　Rome　she'll　boast　of　it　through　the　whole　winter。〃

〃If　she　does；　she　may　be　certain　that　O'Brien　will　do　the　same；〃
said　Mackinnon。　　〃And　in　spite　of　his　having　fled　from　the　field；　it
is　upon　the　cards　that　he　may　get　the　best　of　it。　　Mrs。　Talboys　is　a
very　excellent　woman。　　She　has　proved　her　excellence　beyond　a　doubt。
But；　nevertheless；　she　is　susceptible　of　ridicule。〃

We　all　felt　a　little　anxiety　to　hear　O'Brien's　account　of　the
matter；　and　after　having　deposited　the　ladies　at　their　homes；
Mackinnon　and　I　went　off　to　his　lodgings。　　At　first　he　was　denied　to
us；　but　after　awhile　we　got　his　servant　to　acknowledge　that　he　was
at　home；　and　then　we　made　our　way　up　to　his　studio。　　We　found　him
seated　behind　a　half…formed　model；　or　rather　a　mere　lump　of　clay
punched　into　something　resembling　the　shape　of　a　head；　with　a　pipe
in　his　mouth　and　a　bit　of　stick　in　his　hand。　　He　was　pretending　to
work；　though　we　both　knew　that　it　was　out　of　the　question　that　he
should　do　anything　in　his　present　frame　of　mind。

〃I　think　I　heard　my　servant　tell　you　that　I　was　not　at　home；〃　said
he。

〃Yes；　he　did；〃　said　Mackinnon；　〃and　would　have　sworn　to　it　too　if　we
would　have　let　him。　　Come；　don't　pretend　to　be　surly。〃

〃I　am　very　busy；　Mr。　Mackinnon。〃

〃Completing　your　head　of　Mrs。　Talboys；　I　suppose；　before　you　start
for　Naples。〃

〃You　don't　mean　to　say　that　she　has　told　you　all　about　it；〃　and　he
turned　away　from　his　work；　and　looked　up　into　our　faces　with　a
comical　expression；　half　of　fun　and　half　of　despair。

〃Every　word　of　it；〃　said　I。　　〃When　you　want　a　lady　to　travel　with
you；　never　ask　her　to　get　up　so　early　in　winter。〃

〃But；　O'Brien；　how　could　you　be　such　an　ass？〃　said　Mackinnon。　　〃As
it　has　turned　out；　there　is　no　very　great　harm　done。　　You　have
insulted　a　respectable　middle…aged　woman；　the　mother　of　a　family；
and　the　wife　of　a　general　officer；　and　there　is　an　end　of　it；
unless；　indeed；　the　general　officer　should　come　out　from　England　to
call　you　to　account。〃

〃He　is　welcome；〃　said　O'Brien；　haughtily。

〃No　doubt；　my　dear　fellow；〃　said　Mackinnon；　〃that　would　be　a
dignified　and　pleasant　ending　to　the　affair。　　But　what　I　want　to
know　is　this；what　would　you　have　done　if　she　had　agreed　to　go？〃

〃He　never　calculated　on　the　possibility　of　such　a　contingency；〃　said
I。

〃By　heavens；　then；　I　thought　she　would　like　it；〃　said　he。

〃And　to　oblige　her　you　were　content　to　sacrifice　yourself；〃　said
Mackinnon。

〃Well；　that　was　just　it。　　What　the　deuce　is　a　fellow　to　do　when　a
woman　goes　on　in　that　way。　　She　told　me　down　there；　upon　the　old
race　course　you　know；　that　matrimonial　bonds　were　made　for　fools　and
slaves。　　What　was　I　to　suppose　that　she　meant　by　that？　　But　to　make
all　sure；　I　asked　her　what　sort　of　a　fellow　the　General　was。　　'Dear
old　man；'　she　said；　clasping　her　hands　together。　　'He　might；　you
know；　have　been　my　father。'　　'I　wish　he　were；'　said　I；　'because　then
you'd　be　free。'　　'I　am　free；'　said　she；　stamping　on　the　ground；　and
looking　up　at　me　as　much　as　to　say　that　she　cared　for　no　one。
'Then；'　said　I；　'accept　all　that　is　left　of　the　heart　of　Wenceslaus
O'Brien；'　and　I　threw　myself　before　her　in　her　path。　　'Hand；'　said
I；　'I　have　none　to　give；　but　the　blood　which　runs　red　through　my
veins　is　descended　from　a　double　line　of　kings。'　　I　said　that
because　she　is　always　fond　of　riding　a　high　horse。　　I　had　gotten
close　under　the　wall；　so　that　none　of　you　should　see　me　from　the
tower。〃

〃And　what　answer　did　she　make？〃　said　Mackinnon。

〃Why　she　was　pleased　as　Punch；gave　me　both　her　hands；　and　declared
that　we　would　be　friends　for　ever。　　It　is　my　belief；　Mackinnon；　that
that　woman　never　heard　anything　of　the　kind　before。　　The　General；　no
doubt；　did　it　by　letter。〃

〃And　how　was　it　that　she　changed　her　mind？〃

〃Why；　I　got　up；　put　my　arm　round　her　waist；　and　told　her　that　we
would　be　off　to　Naples。　　I'm　blest　if　she　didn't　give　me　a　knock　in
the　ribs　that　nearly　sent　me　backwards。　　She　took　my　breath　away；　so
that　I　couldn't　speak　to　her。〃

〃And　then〃

〃Oh；　there　was　nothing　more。　　Of　course　I　saw　how　it　was。　　So　she
walked　off　one　way　and　I　the　other。　　On　the　whole　I　consider　that　I
am　well　out　of　it。〃

〃And　so　do　I；〃　said　Mackinnon；　very　gravely。　　〃But　if　you　will　allow
me　to　give　you　my　advice；　I　would　suggest　that　it　would　be　well　to
avoid　such　mistakes　in　future。〃

〃Upon　my　word；〃　said　O'Brien；　excusing　himself；　〃I　don't　know　what　a
man　is　to　do　under　such　circumstances。　　I　give　you　my　honour　that　I
did　it　all　to　oblige　her。〃

We　then　decided　that　Mackinnon　should　convey　to　the　injured　lady　the
humble　apology　of　her　late　admirer。　　It　was　settled　that　no　detailed
excuses　should　be　made。　　It　should　be　left　to　her　to　consider
whether　the　deed　which　had　been　done　might　have　been　occasioned　by
wine；　or　by　the　folly　of　a　moment；or　by　her　own　indiscreet
enthusiasm。　　No　one　but　the　two　were　present　when　the　message　was
given；　and　therefore　we　were　obliged　to　trust　to　Mackinnon's
accuracy　for　an　account　of　it。

She　stood　on　very　high　ground　indeed；　he　said；　at　first　refusing　to
hear　anything　that　he　had　to　say　on　the　matter。　　〃The　foolish　young
man；〃　she　declared；　〃was　below　her　anger　and　below　her　contempt。〃

〃He　is　not　the　first　Irishman　that　has　been　made　indiscreet　by
beauty；〃　said　Mackinnon。

〃A　truce　to　that；〃　she　replied；　waving　her　hand　with　an　air　of
assumed　majesty。　　〃The　incident；　contemptible　as　it　is；　has　been
unpleasant　to　me。　　It　will　necessitate　my　withdrawal　from　Rome。〃

〃Oh；　no；　Mrs。　Talboys；　that　will　be　making　too　much　of　him。〃

〃The　greatest　hero　that　lives；〃　she　answered；　〃may　have　his　house
made　uninhabitable　by　a　very　small　insect。〃　　Mackinnon　swore　that
those　were　her　own　words。　　Consequently　a　sobriquet　was　attached　to
O'Brien　of　which　he　by　no　means　approved。　　And　from　that　day　we
always　called　Mrs。　Talboys　〃the　hero。〃

Mackinnon　prevailed　at　last　with　her；　and　she　did　not　leave　Rome。
She　was　even　induced　to　send　a　message　to　O'Brien；　conveying　her
forgiveness。　　They　shook　hands　together　with　great　eclat　in　Mrs。
Mackinnon's　drawing…room；　but　I　do　not　suppose　that　she　ever　again
offered　to　him　sympathy　on　the　score　of　his　matrimonial　troubles。







End