the relics of general chasse-第4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！


would　be　tried　in　dressing；　and　that　he　would　not　be　able　to　eat　his
breakfast　in　a　happy　state　of　mind。　　So　that　when　I　heard　his　heavy
footstep　advancing　along　the　passage　my　heart　did　misgive　me；　and　I
felt　that　I　was　trembling。

That　step　was　certainly　slower　and　more　ponderous　than　usual。　　There
was　always　a　certain　dignity　in　the　very　sound　of　his　movements；　but
now　this　seemed　to　have　been　enhanced。　　To　judge　merely　by　the　step
one　would　have　said　that　a　bishop　was　coming　that　way　instead　of　a
prebendary。

And　then　he　entered。　　In　the　upper　half　of　his　august　person　no
alteration　was　perceptible。　　The　hair　was　as　regular　and　as　graceful
as　ever；　the　handkerchief　as　white；　the　coat　as　immaculate；　but
below　his　well…filled　waistcoat　a　pair　of　red　plush　began　to　shine
in　unmitigated　splendour；　and　continued　from　thence　down　to　within
an　inch　above　his　knee；　nor；　as　it　appeared；　could　any　pulling
induce　them　to　descend　lower。　　Mr。　Horne　always　wore　black　silk
stockings；at　least　so　the　world　supposed；　but　it　was　now　apparent
that　the　world　had　been　wrong　in　presuming　him　to　be　guilty　of　such
extravagance。　　Those；　at　any　rate；　which　he　exhibited　on　the　present
occasion　were　more　economical。　　They　were　silk　to　the　calf；　but
thence　upwards　they　continued　their　career　in　white　cotton。　　These
then　followed　the　plush；　first　two　snowy；　full…sized　pillars　of
white；　and　then　two　jet　columns　of　flossy　silk。　　Such　was　the
appearance；　on　that　well…remembered　morning；　of　the　Rev。　Augustus
Horne；　as　he　entered　the　room　in　which　his　breakfast　was　prepared。

I　could　see　at　a　glance　that　a　dark　frown　contracted　his　eyebrows；
and　that　the　compressed　muscles　of　his　upper　lip　gave　a　strange
degree　of　austerity　to　his　open　face。　　He　carried　his　head　proudly
on　high；　determined　to　be　dignified　in　spite　of　his　misfortunes；　and
advanced　two　steps　into　the　room　without　a　remark；　as　though　he　were
able　to　show　that　neither　red　plush　nor　black　cloth　could　disarrange
the　equal　poise　of　his　mighty　mind！

And　after　all　what　are　a　man's　garments　but　the　outward　husks　in
which　the　fruit　is　kept；　duly　tempered　from　the　wind？


〃The　rank　is　but　the　guinea　stamp；
The　man's　the　gowd　for　a'　that。〃


And　is　not　the　tailor's　art　as　little　worthy；　as　insignificant　as
that　of　the　king　who　makes


〃A　marquis；　duke；　and　a'　that〃？


Who　would　be　content　to　think　that　his　manly　dignity　depended　on　his
coat　and　waistcoat；　or　his　hold　on　the　world's　esteem　on　any　other
garment　of　usual　wear？　　That　no　such　weakness　soiled　his　mind　Mr。
Horne　was　determined　to　prove；　and　thus　he　entered　the　room　with
measured　tread；　and　stern　dignified　demeanour。

Having　advanced　two　steps　his　eye　caught　mine。　　I　do　not　know
whether　he　was　moved　by　some　unconscious　smile　on　my　part；for　in
truth　I　endeavoured　to　seem　as　indifferent　as　himself　to　the　nature
of　his　dress；or　whether　he　was　invincibly　tickled　by　some　inward
fancy　of　his　own；　but　suddenly　his　advancing　step　ceased；　a　broad
flash　of　comic　humour　spread　itself　over　his　features；　he　retreated
with　his　back　against　the　wall；　and　then　burst　out　into　an
immoderate　roar　of　loud　laughter。

And　Iwhat　else　could　I　then　do　but　laugh？　　He　laughed；　and　I
laughed。　　He　roared；　and　I　roared。　　He　lifted　up　his　vast　legs　to
view　till　the　rays　of　the　morning　sun　shone　through　the　window　on
the　bright　hues　which　he　displayed；　and　he　did　not　sit　down　to　his
breakfast　till　he　had　in　every　fantastic　attitude　shown　off　to　the
best　advantage　the　red　plush　of　which　he　had　so　recently　become
proud。

An　Antwerp　private　cabriolet　on　that　day　reached　the　yard　of　the
Hotel　de　Belle　Vue　at　about　4　p。m。；　and　four　waiters；　in　a　frenzy　of
astonishment；　saw　the　Reverend　Augustus　Horne　descend　from　the
vehicle　and　seek　his　chamber　dressed　in　the　garments　which　I　have
described。　　But　I　am　inclined　to　think　that　he　never　again　favoured
any　of　his　friends　with　such　a　sight。

It　was　on　the　next　evening　after　this　that　I　went　out　to　drink　tea
with　two　maiden　ladies；　relatives　of　mine；　who　kept　a　seminary　for
English　girls　at　Brussels。　　The　Misses　Macmanus　were　very　worthy
women；　and　earned　their　bread　in　an　upright；　painstaking　manner。　　I
would　not　for　worlds　have　passed　through　Brussels　without　paying
them　this　compliment。　　They　were；　however；　perhaps　a　little　dull；
and　I　was　aware　that　I　should　not　probably　meet　in　their　drawing…
room　many　of　the　fashionable　inhabitants　of　the　city。　　Mr。　Horne　had
declined　to　accompany　me；　but　in　doing　so　he　was　good　enough　to
express　a　warm　admiration　for　the　character　of　my　worthy　cousins。

The　elder　Miss　Macmanus；　in　her　little　note；　had　informed　me　that
she　would　have　the　pleasure　of　introducing　me　to　a　few　of　my
〃compatriots。〃　　I　presumed　she　meant　Englishmen；　and　as　I　was　in　the
habit　of　meeting　such　every　day　of　my　life　at　home；　I　cannot　say
that　I　was　peculiarly　elevated　by　the　promise。　　When；　however；　I
entered　the　room；　there　was　no　Englishman　there；there　was　no　man
of　any　kind。　　There　were　twelve　ladies　collected　together　with　the
view　of　making　the　evening　pass　agreeably　to　me；　the　single　virile
being　among　them　all。　　I　felt　as　though　I　were　a　sort　of　Mohammed　in
Paradise；　but　I　certainly　felt　also　that　the　Paradise　was　none　of　my
own　choosing。

In　the　centre　of　the　amphitheatre　which　the　ladies　formed　sat　the
two　Misses　Macmanus；there；　at　least；　they　sat　when　they　had
completed　the　process　of　shaking　hands　with　me。　　To　the　left　of
them；　making　one　wing　of　the　semicircle；　were　arranged　the　five
pupils　by　attending　to　whom　the　Misses　Macmanus　earned　their　living；
and　the　other　wing　consisted　of　the　five　ladies　who　had　furnished
themselves　with　relics　of　General　Chasse。　　They　were　my
〃compatriots。〃

I　was　introduced　to　them　all；　one　after　the　other；　but　their　names
did　not　abide　in　my　memory　one　moment。　　I　was　thinking　too　much　of
the　singularity　of　the　adventure；　and　could　not　attend　to　such
minutiae。　　That　the　red…rosed　harpy　was　Miss　Grogram；　that　I
remembered；that；　I　may　say；　I　shall　never　forget。　　But　whether　the
motherly　lady　with　the　somewhat　blowsy　hair　was　Mrs。　Jones；　or　Mrs。
Green；　or　Mrs。　Walker；　I　cannot　now　say。　　The　dumpy　female　with　the
broad　back　was　always　called　Aunt　Sally　by　the　young　ladies。

Too　much　sugar　spoils　one's　tea；　I　think　I　have　heard　that　even
prosperity　will　cloy　when　it　comes　in　overdoses；　and　a　schoolboy　has
been　known　to　be　overdone　with　jam。　　I　myself　have　always　been
peculiarly　attached　to　ladies'　society；　and　have　avoided　bachelor
parties　as　things　execrable　in　their　very　nature。　　But　on　this
special　occasion　I　felt　myself　to　be　that　schoolboy；I　was
literally　overdone　with　jam。　　My　tea　was　all　sugar；　so　that　I　could
not　drink　it。　　I　was　one　among　twelve。　　What　could　I　do　or　say？　　The
proportion　of　alloy　was　too　small　to　have　any　effect　in　changing　the
nature　of　the　virgin　silver；　and　the　conversation　became　absolutely
feminine。

I　must　confess　also　that　my　previous　experience　as　to　these
compatriots　of　mine　had　not　prejudiced　me　in　their　favour。　　I
regarded　them　with；I　am　ashamed　to　say　so；　seeing　that　they　were
ladies；but　almost　with　loathing。　　When　last　I　had　seen　them　their
occupation　had　reminded　me　of　some　obscene　feast　of　harpies；　or
almost　of　ghouls。　　They　had　brought　down　to　the　verge　of　desperation
the　man　whom　of　all　men　I　most　venerated。　　On　these　accounts　I　was
inclined　to　be　taciturn　with　reference　to　them；and　then　what　could
I　have　to　say　to　the　Misses　Macmanus's　five　pupils？

My　cousin　at　first　made　an　effort　or　two　in　my　favour；　but　these
efforts　were　fruitless。　　I　soon　died　away　into　utter　unrecognised
insignificance；　and　the　conversation；　as　I　have　before　said；　became
feminine。　　And　indeed　that　horrid　Miss　Grogram；　who　was；　as　it　were；
the　princess　of　the　ghouls；　nearly　monopolised　the　whole　of　it。
Mamma　Joneswe　will　call　her　Jones　for　the　occasionput　in　a　word
now　and　then；　as　did　also　the　elder　and　more　energetic　Miss
Macmanus。　　The　dumpy　lady　with　the　broad　back　ate　tea…cake
incessantly；　the　two　daughters　looked　scornful；　as　though　they　were
above　their　company　with　reference　to　the　five　pupils；　and　the　five
pupils　themselves　sat　in　a　row　with　the　utmost　propriety；　each　with
her　hands　crossed　on　her　lap　before　her。

Of　what　they　were　talking　at　last　I　became　utterly　oblivious。　　They
had　ignored　me；　going　into　realms　of　muslin；　questions　of　maid…
servants；　female　rights；　and　cheap　under…clothing；　and　I　therefore
had　ignored　them。　　My　mind　had　gone　back　to　Mr。　Horne　and　his
garments。　　While　they　spoke　of　their　rights；　I　was　thinking　of　his
wrongs；　when　they　mentioned　the　price　of　flannel；　I　thought　of　that
of　broadcloth。

But　of　a　sudden　my　attention　was　arrested。　　Miss　Macmanus　had　said
something　of　the　black　silks　of　Antwerp；　when　Miss　Grogram　replied
that　she　had　just　returned　from　that　city　and　had　there　enjoyed　a
great　success。　　My　cousin　had　again　asked　something　about　the　black
silks；　thinking；　no　doubt；　that　Miss　Grogram　had　achieved　some
bargain；　but　that　lady　had　soon　undeceived　her。

〃Oh　no；〃　said　Miss　Grogram；　〃it　was　at　the　castle。　　We　got　such
beautiful　relics　of　General　Chasse！　　Didn't　we；　Mrs。　J