the relics of general chasse-第5节

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beautiful　relics　of　General　Chasse！　　Didn't　we；　Mrs。　Jones？〃

〃Indeed　we　did；〃　said　Mrs。　Jones；　bringing　out　from　beneath　the
skirts　of　her　dress　and　ostensibly　displaying　a　large　black　bag。

〃And　I've　got　such　a　beautiful　needle…case；〃　said　the　broad…back；
displaying　her　prize。　　〃I've　been　making　it　up　all　the　morning。〃
And　she　handed　over　the　article　to　Miss　Macmanus。

〃And　only　look　at　this　duck　of　a　pen…wiper；〃　simpered　flaxen…hair
No。　2。　　〃Only　think　of　wiping　one's　pens　with　relics　of　General
Chasse！〃　and　she　handed　it　over　to　the　other　Miss　Macmanus。

〃And　mine's　a　pin…cushion；〃　said　No。　1；　exhibiting　the　trophy。

〃But　that's　nothing　to　what　I've　got；〃　said　Miss　Grogram。　　〃In　the
first　place；　there's　a　pair　of　slippers；a　beautiful　pair；they're
not　made　up　yet；　of　course；　and　then〃

The　two　Misses　Macmanus　and　their　five　pupils　were　sitting　open…
eared；　open…eyed；　and　open…mouthed。　　How　all　these　sombre…looking
articles　could　be　relics　of　General　Chasse　did　not　at　first　appear
clear　to　them。

〃What　are　they；　Miss　Grogram？〃　said　the　elder　Miss　Macmanus；　holding
the　needle…case　in　one　hand　and　Mrs。　Jones's　bag　in　the　other。　　Miss
Macmanus　was　a　strong…minded　female；　and　I　reverenced　my　cousin　when
I　saw　the　decided　way　in　which　she　intended　to　put　down　the　greedy
arrogance　of　Miss　Grogram。

〃They　are　relics。〃

〃But　where　do　they　come　from；　Miss　Grogram？〃

〃Why；　from　the　castle；　to　be　sure；from　General　Chasse's　own
rooms。〃

〃Did　anybody　sell　them　to　you？〃

〃No。〃

〃Or　give　them　to　you？〃

〃Why；　no；at　least　not　exactly　give。〃

〃There　they　were；　and　she　took　'em；〃　said　the　broad…back。　　Oh；　what
a　look　Miss　Grogram　gave　her！　　〃Took　them！　of　course　I　took　them。
That　is；　you　took　them　as　much　as　I　did。　　They　were　things　that　we
found　lying　about。〃

〃What　things？〃　asked　Miss　Macmanus；　in　a　peculiarly　strong…minded
tone。

Miss　Grogram　seemed　to　be　for　a　moment　silenced。　　I　had　been
ignored；　as　I　have　said；　and　my　existence　forgotten；　but　now　I
observed　that　the　eyes　of　the　culprits　were　turned　towards　me；the
eyes；　that　is；　of　four　of　them。　　Mrs。　Jones　looked　at　me　from
beneath　her　fan；　the　two　girls　glanced　at　me　furtively；　and　then
their　eyes　fell　to　the　lowest　flounces　of　their　frocks。

Miss　Grogram　turned　her　spectacles　right　upon　me；　and　I　fancied　that
she　nodded　her　head　at　me　as　a　sort　of　answer　to　Miss　Macmanus。　　The
five　pupils　opened　their　mouths　and　eyes　wider；　but　she　of　the　broad
back　was　nothing　abashed。　　It　would　have　been　nothing　to　her　had
there　been　a　dozen　gentlemen　in　the　room。　　〃We　just　found　a　pair　of
black。〃　　The　whole　truth　was　told　in　the　plainest　possible
language。

〃Oh；　Aunt　Sally！〃　　〃Aunt　Sally；　how　can　you？〃　　〃Hold　your　tongue；
Aunt　Sally！〃

〃And　then　Miss　Grogram　just　cut　them　up　with　her　scissors；〃
continued　Aunt　Sally；　not　a　whit　abashed；　〃and　gave　us　each　a　bit；
only　she　took　more　than　half　for　herself。〃　　It　was　clear　to　me　that
there　had　been　some　quarrel；　some　delicious　quarrel；　between　Aunt
Sally　and　Miss　Grogram。　　Through　the　whole　adventure　I　had　rather
respected　Aunt　Sally。　　〃She　took　more　than　half　for　herself；〃
continued　Aunt　Sally。　　〃She　kept　all　the〃

〃Jemima；〃　said　the　elder　Miss　Macmanus；　interrupting　the　speaker　and
addressing　her　sister；　〃it　is　time；　I　think；　for　the　young　ladies　to
retire。　　Will　you　be　kind　enough　to　see　them　to　their　rooms？〃　　The
five　pupils　thereupon　rose　from　their　seatsand　courtesied。　　They
then　left　the　room　in　file；　the　younger　Miss　Macmanus　showing　them
the　way。

〃But　we　haven't　done　any　harm；　have　we？〃　asked　Mrs。　Jones；　with　some
tremulousness　in　her　voice。

〃Well；　I　don't　know；〃　said　Miss　Macmanus。　　〃What　I'm　thinking　of　now
is　this；to　whom；　I　wonder；　did　the　garments　properly　belong？　　Who
had　been　the　owner　and　wearer　of　them？〃

〃Why；　General　Chasse　of　course；〃　said　Miss　Grogram。

〃They　were　the　general's；〃　repeated　the　two　young　ladies；　blushing；
however；　as　they　alluded　to　the　subject。

〃Well；　we　thought　they　were　the　general's；　certainly；　and　a　very
excellent　article　they　were；〃　said　Mrs。　Jones。

〃Perhaps　they　were　the　butler's？〃　said　Aunt　Sally。　　I　certainly　had
not　given　her　credit　for　so　much　sarcasm。

〃Butler's！〃　exclaimed　Miss　Grogram；　with　a　toss　of　her　head。

〃Oh；　Aunt　Sally；　Aunt　Sally！　how　can　you？〃　shrieked　the　two　young
ladies。

〃Oh　laws！〃　ejaculated　Mrs。　Jones。

〃I　don't　think　that　they　could　have　belonged　to　the　butler；〃　said
Miss　Macmanus；　with　much　authority；　〃seeing　that　domestics　in　this
country　are　never　clad　in　garments　of　that　description；　so　far　my
own　observation　enables　me　to　speak　with　certainty。　　But　it　is
equally　sure　that　they　were　never　the　property　of　the　general　lately
in　command　at　Antwerp。　　Generals；　when　they　are　in　full　dress；　wear
ornamental　lace　upon　theirtheir　regimentals；　and　when〃　　So　much
she　said；　and　something　more；　which　it　may　be　unnecessary　that　I
should　repeat；　but　such　were　her　eloquence　and　logic　that　no　doubt
would　have　been　left　on　the　mind　of　any　impartial　hearer。　　If　an
argumentative　speaker　ever　proved　anything；　Miss　Macmanus　proved
that　General　Chasse　had　never　been　the　wearer　of　the　article　in
question。

〃But　I　know　very　well　they　were　his！〃　said　Miss　Grogram；　who　was　not
an　impartial　hearer。　　〃Of　course　they　were；　whose　else's　should　they
be？〃

〃I'm　sure　I　hope　they　were　his；〃　said　one　of　the　young　ladies；
almost　crying。

〃I　wish　I'd　never　taken　it；〃　said　the　other。

〃Dear；　dear；　dear！〃　said　Mrs。　Jones。

〃I'll　give　you　my　needle…case；　Miss　Grogram；〃　said　Aunt　Sally。

I　had　sat　hitherto　silent　during　the　whole　scene；　meditating　how
best　I　might　confound　the　red…nosed　harpy。　　Now；　I　thought；　was　the
time　for　me　to　strike　in。

〃I　really　think；　ladies；　that　there　has　been　some　mistake；〃　said　I。

〃There　has　been　no　mistake　at　all；　sir！〃　said　Miss　Grogram。

〃Perhaps　not；〃　I　answered；　very　mildly；　〃very　likely　not。　　But　some
affair　of　a　similar　nature　was　very　much　talked　about　in　Antwerp
yesterday。〃

〃Oh　laws！〃　again　ejaculated　Mrs。　Jones。

〃The　affair　I　allude　to　has　been　talked　about　a　good　deal；
certainly；〃　I　continued。　　〃But　perhaps　it　may　be　altogether　a
different　circumstance。〃

〃And　what　may　be　the　circumstance　to　which　you　allude？〃　asked　Miss
Macmanus；　in　the　same　authoritative　tone。

〃I　dare　say　it　has　nothing　to　do　with　these　ladies；〃　said　I；　〃but　an
article　of　dress；　of　the　nature　they　have　described；　was　cut　up　in
the　Castle　of　Antwerp　on　the　day　before　yesterday。　　It　belonged　to　a
gentleman　who　was　visiting　the　place；　and　I　was　given　to　understand
that　he　is　determined　to　punish　the　people　who　have　wronged　him。〃

〃It　can't　be　the　same；〃　said　Miss　Grogram；　but　I　could　see　that　she
was　trembling。

〃Oh　laws！　what　will　become　of　us？〃　said　Mrs。　Jones。

〃You　can　all　prove　that　I　didn't　touch　them；　and　that　I　warned　her
not；〃　said　Aunt　Sally。　　In　the　mean　time　the　two　young　ladies　had
almost　fainted　behind　their　fans。

〃But　how　had　it　come　to　pass；〃　asked　Miss　Macmanus；　〃that　the
gentleman　had〃

〃I　know　nothing　more　about　it；　cousin；〃　said　I；　〃only　it　does　seem
that　there　is　an　odd　coincidence。〃

Immediately　after　this　I　took　my　leave。　　I　saw　that　I　had　avenged　my
friend；　and　spread　dismay　in　the　hearts　of　these　who　had　injured
him。　　I　had　learned　in　the　course　of　the　evening　at　what　hotel　the
five　ladies　were　staying；　and　in　the　course　of　the　next　morning　I
sauntered　into　the　hall；　and　finding　one　of　the　porters　alone；　asked
if　they　were　still　there。　　The　man　told　me　that　they　had　started　by
the　earliest　diligence。　　〃And；〃　said　he；　〃if　you　are　a　friend　of
theirs；　perhaps　you　will　take　charge　of　these　things；　which　they
have　left　behind　them？〃　　So　saying；　he　pointed　to　a　table　at　the
back　of　the　hall；　on　which　were　lying　the　black　bag；　the　black
needle…case；　the　black　pin　cushion；　and　the　black　pen…wiper。　　There
was　also　a　heap　of　fragments　of　cloth　which　I　well　knew　had　been
intended　by　Miss　Grogram　for　the　comfort　of　her　feet　and　ancles。

I　declined　the　commission；　however。　　〃They　were　no　special　friends
of　mine；〃　I　said；　and　I　left　all　the　relics　still　lying　on　the
little　table　in　the　back　hall。

〃Upon　the　whole；　I　am　satisfied！〃　said　the　Rev。　Augustus　Horne；　when
I　told　him　the　finale　of　the　story。







End