the chateau of prince polignac-第4节

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conspicuously。　　And　as　for　his　hat；　it　was　quite　evident　that　it　was
fresh　that　morning　from　the　maker's　block。

In　this　costume；　with　his　hat　in　his　hand；　he　stood　under　the　great
gateway　of　the　hotel；　ready　to　hand　Mrs。　Thompson　into　the　carriage。
This　would　have　been　nothing　if　the　landlord　and　landlady　had　not
been　there　also；　as　well　as　the　man…cook；　and　the　four　waiters；　and
the　fille　de　chambre。　　Two　or　three　other　pair　of　eyes　Mrs。　Thompson
also　saw；　as　she　glanced　round；　and　then　Mimmy　walked　across　the
yard　in　her　best　clothes　with　a　fete…day　air　about　her　for　which　her
mother　would　have　liked　to　have　whipped　her。

But　what　did　it　matter？　　If　it　was　written　in　the　book　that　she
should　become　Madame　Lacordaire；　of　course　the　world　would　know　that
there　must　have　been　some　preparatory　love…making。　　Let　them　have
their　laugh；　a　good　husband　would　not　be　dearly　purchased　at　so
trifling　an　expense。　　And　so　they　sallied　forth　with　already　half
the　ceremony　of　a　wedding。

Mimmy　seated　herself　opposite　to　her　mother；　and　M。　Lacordaire　also
sat　with　his　back　to　the　horses；　leaving　the　second　place　of　honour
for　Lilian。　　〃Pray　make　yourself　comfortable；　M。　Lacordaire；　and
don't　mind　her；〃　said　Mrs。　Thompson。　　But　he　was　firm　in　his　purpose
of　civility；　perhaps　making　up　his　mind　that　when　he　should　in　truth
stand　in　the　place　of　papa　to　the　young　lady；　then　would　be　his　time
for　having　the　back　seat　in　the　carnage。

Lilian；　also　in　her　best　frock；　came　down　the　school…steps；　and
three　of　the　school　teachers　came　with　her。　　It　would　have　added　to
Mrs。　Thompson's　happiness　at　that　moment　if　M。　Lacordaire　would　have
kept　his　polished　boots　out　of　sight；　and　put　his　yellow　gloves　into
his　pocket。

And　then　they　started。　　The　road　from　Le　Puy　to　Polignac　is　nearly
all　up　hill；　and　a　very　steep　hill　it　is；　so　that　there　was　plenty
of　time　for　conversation。　　But　the　girls　had　it　nearly　all　to
themselves。　　Mimmy　thought　that　she　had　never　found　M。　Lacordaire　so
stupid；　and　Lilian　told　her　sister　on　the　first　safe　opportunity
that　occurred；　that　it　seemed　very　much　as　though　they　were　all
going　to　church。

〃And　do　any　of　the　Polignac　people　ever　live　at　this　place？〃　asked
Mrs。　Thompson；　by　way　of　making　conversation；　in　answer　to　which　M。
Lacordaire　informed　madame　that　the　place　was　at　present　only　a
ruin；　and　then　there　was　again　silence　till　they　found　themselves
under　the　rock；　and　were　informed　by　the　driver　that　the　rest　of　the
ascent　must　be　made　on　foot。

The　rock　now　stood　abrupt　and　precipitous　above　their　heads。　　It　was
larger　in　its　circumference　and　with　much　larger　space　on　its　summit
than　those　other　volcanic　rocks　in　and　close　to　the　town；　but　then
at　the　same　time　it　was　higher　from　the　ground；　and　quite　as
inaccessible；　except　by　the　single　path　which　led　up　to　the　chateau。

M。　Lacordaire；　with　conspicuous　gallantry；　first　assisted　Mrs。
Thompson　from　the　carriage；　and　then　handed　down　the　two　young
ladies。　　No　lady　could　have　been　so　difficult　to　please　as　to
complain　of　him；　and　yet　Mrs。　Thompson　thought　that　he　was　not　as
agreeable　as　usual。　　Those　horrid　boots　and　those　horrid　gloves　gave
him　such　an　air　of　holiday　finery　that　neither　could　he　be　at　his
ease　wearing　them；　nor　could　she；　in　seeing　them　worn。

They　were　soon　taken　in　hand　by　the　poor　woman　whose　privilege　it
was　to　show　the　ruins。　　For　a　little　distance　they　walked　up　the
path　in　single　file；　not　that　it　was　too　narrow　to　accommodate　two；
but　M。　Lacordaire's　courage　had　not　yet　been　screwed　to　a　point
which　admitted　of　his　offering　his　arm　to　the　widow。　　For　in　France；
it　must　be　remembered；　that　this　means　more　than　it　does　in　some
other　countries。

Mrs。　Thompson　felt　that　all　this　was　silly　and　useless。　　If　they
were　not　to　be　dear　friends　this　coming　out　feting　together；　those
boots　and　gloves　and　new　hat　were　all　very　foolish；　and　if　they
were；　the　sooner　they　understood　each　other　the　better。　　So　Mrs。
Thompson；　finding　that　the　path　was　steep　and　the　weather　warm；
stood　still　for　a　while　leaning　against　the　wall；　with　a　look　of
considerable　fatigue　in　her　face。

〃Will　madame　permit　me　the　honour　of　offering　her　my　arm？〃　said　M。
Lacordaire。　　〃The　road　is　so　extraordinarily　steep　for　madame　to
climb。〃

Mrs。　Thompson　did　permit　him　the　honour；　and　so　they　went　on　till
they　reached　the　top。

The　view　from　the　summit　was　both　extensive　and　grand；　but　neither
Lilian　nor　Mimmy　were　much　pleased　with　the　place。　　The　elder
sister；　who　had　talked　over　the　matter　with　her　school　companions；
expected　a　fine　castle　with　turrets；　battlements；　and　romance；　and
the　other　expected　a　pretty　smiling　house；　such　as　princes；　in　her
mind；　ought　to　inhabit。

Instead　of　this　they　found　an　old　turret；　with　steps　so　broken　that
M。　Lacordaire　did　not　care　to　ascend　them；　and　the　ruined　walls　of　a
mansion；　in　which　nothing　was　to　be　seen　but　the　remains　of　an
enormous　kitchen　chimney。

〃It　was　the　kitchen　of　the　family；〃　said　the　guide。

〃Oh；〃　said　Mrs。　Thompson。

〃And　this；〃　said　the　woman；　taking　them　into　the　next　ruined
compartment；　〃was　the　kitchen　of　monsieur　et　madame。〃

〃What！　two　kitchens？〃　exclaimed　Lilian；　upon　which　M。　Lacordaire
explained　that　the　ancestors　of　the　Prince　de　Polignac　had　been　very
great　people；　and　had　therefore　required　culinary　performances　on　a
great　scale。

And　then　the　woman　began　to　chatter　something　about　an　oracle　of
Apollo。　　There　was；　she　said；　a　hole　in　the　rock；　from　which　in　past
times；　perhaps　more　than　a　hundred　years　ago；　the　oracle　used　to
speak　forth　mysterious　words。

〃There；〃　she　said；　pointing　to　a　part　of　the　rock　at　some　distance；
〃was　the　hole。　　And　if　the　ladies　would　follow　her　to　a　little
outhouse　which　was　just　beyond；　she　would　show　them　the　huge　stone
mouth　out　of　which　the　oracle　used　to　speak。〃

Lilian　and　Mimmy　both　declared　at　once　for　seeing　the　oracle；　but
Mrs。　Thompson　expressed　her　determination　to　remain　sitting　where
she　was　upon　the　turf。　　So　the　guide　started　off　with　the　young
ladies；　and　will　it　be　thought　surprising　that　M。　Lacordaire　should
have　remained　alone　by　the　side　of　Mrs。　Thompson？

It　must　be　now　or　never；　Mrs。　Thompson　felt；　and　as　regarded　M。
Lacordaire；　he　probably　entertained　some　idea　of　the　same　kind。
Mrs。　Thompson's　inclinations；　though　they　had　never　been　very　strong
in　the　matter；　were　certainly　in　favour　of　the　〃now。〃　　M。
Lacordaire's　inclinations　were　stronger。　　He　had　fully　and　firmly
made　up　his　mind　in　favour　of　matrimony；　but　then　he　was　not　so
absolutely　in　favour　of　the　〃now。〃　　Mrs。　Thompson's　mind；　if　one
could　have　read　it；　would　have　shown　a　great　objection　to　shilly…
shallying；　as　she　was　accustomed　to　call　it。　　But　M。　Lacordaire；
were　it　not　for　the　danger　which　might　thence　arise；　would　have　seen
no　objection　to　some　slight　further　procrastination。　　His　courage
was　beginning；　perhaps；　to　ooze　out　from　his　fingers'　ends。

〃I　declare　that　those　girls　have　scampered　away　ever　so　far；〃　said
Mrs。　Thompson。

〃Would　madame　wish　that　I　should　call　them　back？〃　said　M。
Lacordaire；　innocently。

〃Oh；　no；　dear　children！　let　them　enjoy　themselves；　it　will　be　a
pleasure　to　them　to　run　about　the　rock；　and　I　suppose　they　will　be
safe　with　that　woman？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　quite　safe；〃　said　M。　Lacordaire；　and　then　there　was
another　little　pause。

Mrs。　Thompson　was　sitting　on　a　broken　fragment　of　a　stone　just
outside　the　entrance　to　the　old　family　kitchen；　and　M。　Lacordaire
was　standing　immediately　before　her。　　He　had　in　his　hand　a　little
cane　with　which　he　sometimes　slapped　his　boots　and　sometimes　poked
about　among　the　rubbish。　　His　hat　was　not　quite　straight　on　his
head；　having　a　little　jaunty　twist　to　one　side；　with　reference　to
which；　by…the…bye；　Mrs。　Thompson　then　resolved　that　she　would　make　a
change；　should　ever　the　gentleman　become　her　own　property。　　He　still
wore　his　gloves；　and　was　very　smart；　but　it　was　clear　to　see　that　he
was　not　at　his　ease。

〃I　hope　the　heat　does　not　incommode　you；〃　he　said　after　a　few
moments'　silence。　　Mrs。　Thompson　declared　that　it　did　not；　that　she
liked　a　good　deal　of　heat；　and　that；　on　the　whole；　she　was　very　well
where　she　was。　　She　was　afraid；　however；　that　she　was　detaining　M。
Lacordaire；　who　might　probably　wish　to　be　moving　about　upon　the
rock。　　In　answer　to　which　M。　Lacordaire　declared　that　he　never　could
be　so　happy　anywhere　as　in　her　close　vicinity。

〃You　are　too　good　to　me；〃　said　Mrs。　Thompson；　almost　sighing。　　〃I
don't　know　what　my　stay　here　would　have　been　without　your　great
kindness。〃

〃It　is　madame　that　has　been　kind　to　me；〃　said　M。　Lacordaire；
pressing　the　handle　of　his　cane　against　his　heart。

There　was　then　another　pause；　after　which　Mrs。　Thompson　said　that
that　was　all　his　French　politeness；　that　she　knew　that　she　had　been
very　troublesome　to　him；　but　that　she　would　now　soon　be　gone；　and
that　then；　in　her　own　country；　she　would　never　forget　his　great
goodness。

〃Ah；　madame！〃　said　M。　Lacordaire；　and；　as　he　said　it；　much　more　was
expressed　in　his　face　than　in　his　words。　　But；　then；　you　can　neither
accept　nor　reject　a　gentleman　by　what　he　says　in　his　face。　　He
blushed；　too；　u