burlesques-第6节

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have　sold　bundles　and　bundles　of　these；〃　said　Rafael。　　〃My　little

brother　is　now　out　with　oranges　in　Piccadilly。　　I　am　bringing　him

up　to　be　head　of　our　house　at　Amsterdam。　　We　all　do　it。　　I　had

myself　to　see　Rothschild　in　Eaton　Place　this　morning；　about　the

Irish　loan；　of　which　I　have　taken　three　millions：　and　as　I　wanted

to　walk；　I　carried　the　bag。



〃You　should　have　seen　the　astonishment　of　Lauda　Latymer；　the

Archbishop　of　Croydon's　daughter；　as　she　was　passing　St。　Bennet's；

Knightsbridge；　and　as　she　fancied　she　recognized　in　the　man　who　was

crying　old　clothes　the　gentleman　with　whom　she　had　talked　at　the

Count　de　St。　Aulair's　the　night　before。〃　　Something　like　a　blush

flushed　over　the　pale　features　of　Mendoza　as　he　mentioned　the　Lady

Lauda's　name。　　〃Come　on；〃　said　he。　　They　passed　through　various

warehousesthe　orange　room；　the　sealing…wax　room；　the　six…bladed

knife　department；　and　finally　came　to　an　old　baize　door。　　Rafael

opened　the　baize　door　by　some　secret　contrivance；　and　they　were　in

a　black　passage；　with　a　curtain　at　the　end。



He　clapped　his　hands；　the　curtain　at　the　end　of　the　passage　drew

back；　and　a　flood　of　golden　light　streamed　on　the　Hebrew　and　his

visitor。





CHAPTER　XXIV。





They　entered　a　moderate…sized　apartmentindeed；　Holywell　Street　is

not　above　a　hundred　yards　long；　and　this　chamber　was　not　more　than

half　that　lengthit　was　fitted　up　with　the　simple　taste　of　its

owner。



The　carpet　was　of　white　velvet（laid　over　several　webs　of　Aubusson；

Ispahan；　and　Axminster；　so　that　your　foot　gave　no　more　sound　as　it

trod　upon　the　yielding　plain　than　the　shadow　did　which　followed

you）of　white　velvet；　painted　with　flowers；　arabesques；　and　classic

figures；　by　Sir　William　Ross；　J。　M。　W。　Turner；　R。　A。；　Mrs。　Mee；　and

Paul　Delaroche。　　The　edges　were　wrought　with　seed…pearls；　and

fringed　with　Valenciennes　lace　and　bullion。　　The　walls　were　hung

with　cloth　of　silver；　embroidered　with　gold　figures；　over　which　were

worked　pomegranates；　polyanthuses；　and　passion…flowers；　in　ruby；

amethyst；　and　smaragd。　　The　drops　of　dew　which　the　artificer　had

sprinkled　on　the　flowers　were　diamonds。　　The　hangings　were　overhung

by　pictures　yet　more　costly。　　Giorgione　the　gorgeous；　Titian　the

golden；　Rubens　the　ruddy　and　pulpy　（the　Pan　of　Painting）；　some　of

Murillo's　beatified　shepherdesses；　who　smile　on　you　out　of　darkness

like　a　star；　a　few　score　first…class　Leonardos；　and　fifty　of　the

master…pieces　of　the　patron　of　Julius　and　Leo；　the　Imperial　genius

of　Urbino；　covered　the　walls　of　the　little　chamber。　　Divans　of　carved

amber　covered　with　ermine　went　round　the　room；　and　in　the　midst　was

a　fountain；　pattering　and　babbling　with　jets　of　double…distilled

otto　of　roses。



〃Pipes；　Goliath！〃　Rafael　said　gayly　to　a　little　negro　with　a　silver

collar　（he　spoke　to　him　in　his　native　tongue　of　Dongola）；　and

welcome　to　our　snuggery；　my　Codlingsby。　　We　are　quieter　here　than

in　the　front　of　the　house；　and　I　wanted　to　show　you　a　picture。　　I'm

proud　of　my　pictures。　　That　Leonardo　came　from　Genoa；　and　was　a

gift　to　our　father　from　my　cousin；　Marshal　Manasseh：　that　Murillo

was　pawned　to　my　uncle　by　Marie　Antoinette　before　the　flight　to

Varennesthe　poor　lady　could　not　redeem　the　pledge；　you　know；　and

the　picture　remains　with　us。　　As　for　the　Rafael；　I　suppose　you　are

aware　that　he　was　one　of　our　people。　　But　what　are　you　gazing　at？

Oh！　my　sisterI　forgot。　　Miriam！　this　is　the　Lord　Codlingsby。〃



She　had　been　seated　at　an　ivory　pianoforte　on　a　mother…of…pearl

music…stool；　trying　a　sonata　of　Herz。　　She　rose　when　thus

apostrophized。　　Miriam　de　Mendoza　rose　and　greeted　the　stranger。



The　Talmud　relates　that　Adam　had　two　wivesZillah　the　dark　beauty；

Eva　the　fair　one。　　The　ringlets　of　Zillah　were　black；　those　of　Eva

were　golden。　　The　eyes　of　Zillah　were　night；　those　of　Eva　were

morning。　　Codlingsby　was　fairof　the　fair　Saxon　race　of　Hengist

and　Horsathey　called　him　Miss　Codlingsby　at　school；　but　how　much

fairer　was　Miriam　the　Hebrew！



Her　hair　had　that　deep　glowing　tinge　in　it　which　has　been　the

delight　of　all　painters；　and　which；　therefore；　the　vulgar　sneer　at。

It　was　of　burning　auburn。　　Meandering　over　her　fairest　shoulders　in

twenty　thousand　minute　ringlets；　it　hung　to　her　waist　and　below　it。

A　light　blue　velvet　fillet　clasped　with　a　diamond　aigrette　（valued

at　two　hundred　thousand　tomauns；　and　bought　from　Lieutenant

Vicovich；　who　had　received　it　from　Dost　Mahomed）；　with　a　simple　bird

of　paradise；　formed　her　head…gear。　　A　sea…green　cymar　with　short

sleeves；　displayed　her　exquisitely　moulded　arms　to　perfection；　and

was　fastened　by　a　girdle　of　emeralds　over　a　yellow　satin　frock。

Pink　gauze　trousers　spangled　with　silver；　and　slippers　of　the　same

color　as　the　band　which　clasped　her　ringlets　（but　so　covered　with

pearls　that　the　original　hue　of　the　charming　little　papoosh

disappeared　entirely）　completed　her　costume。　　She　had　three

necklaces　on；　each　of　which　would　have　dowered　a　Princessher

fingers　glistened　with　rings　to　their　rosy　tips；　and　priceless

bracelets；　bangles；　and　armlets　wound　round　an　arm　that　was　whiter

than　the　ivory　grand　piano　on　which　it　leaned。



As　Miriam　de　Mendoza　greeted　the　stranger；　turning　upon　him　the

solemn　welcome　of　her　eyes；　Codlingsby　swooned　almost　in　the

brightness　of　her　beauty。　　It　was　well　she　spoke；　the　sweet　kind

voice　restored　him　to　consciousness。　　Muttering　a　few　words　of

incoherent　recognition；　he　sank　upon　a　sandalwood　settee；　as

Goliath；　the　little　slave；　brought　aromatic　coffee　in　cups　of　opal；

and　alabaster　spittoons；　and　pipes　of　the　fragrant　Gibelly。



〃My　lord's　pipe　is　out；〃　said　Miriam　with　a　smile；　remarking　the

bewilderment　of　her　guestwho　in　truth　forgot　to　smokeand　taking

up　a　thousand　pound　note　from　a　bundle　on　the　piano；　she　lighted　it

at　the　taper　and　proceeded　to　re…illumine　the　extinguished　chibouk

of　Lord　Codlingsby。





IV。





When　Miriam；　returning　to　the　mother…of…pearl　music…stool；　at　a

signal　from　her　brother；　touched　the　silver　and　enamelled　keys　of

the　ivory　piano；　and　began　to　sing；　Lord　Codlingsby　felt　as　if　he

were　listening　at　the　gates　of　Paradise；　or　were　hearing　Jenny

Lind。



〃Lind　is　the　name　of　the　Hebrew　race；　so　is　Mendelssohn；　the　son　of

Almonds；　so　is　Rosenthal；　the　Valley　of　the　Roses：　so　is　Lowe　or

Lewis　or　Lyons　or　Lion。　　The　beautiful　and　the　brave　alike　give

cognizances　to　the　ancient　people：　you　Saxons　call　yourselves

Brown；　or　Smith；　or　Rodgers；〃　Rafael　observed　to　his　friend；　and；

drawing　the　instrument　from　his　pocket；　he　accompanied　his　sister；

in　the　most　ravishing　manner；　on　a　little　gold　and　jewelled　harp；

of　the　kind　peculiar　to　his　nation。



All　the　airs　which　the　Hebrew　maid　selected　were　written　by

composers　of　her　race；　it　was　either　a　hymn　by　Rossini；　a　polacca

by　Braham；　a　delicious　romance　by　Sloman；　or　a　melody　by　Weber；

that；　thrilling　on　the　strings　of　the　instrument；　wakened　a　harmony

on　the　fibres　of　the　heart；　but　she　sang　no　other　than　the　songs　of

her　nation。



〃Beautiful　one！　sing　ever；　sing　always；〃　Codlingsby　thought。　　〃I

could　sit　at　thy　feet　as　under　a　green　palm…tree；　and　fancy　that

Paradise…birds　were　singing　in　the　boughs。〃



Rafael　read　his　thoughts。　　〃We　have　Saxon　blood　too　in　our　veins；〃

he　said。　　〃You　smile！　but　it　is　even　so。　　An　ancestress　of　ours

made　a　mesalliance　in　the　reign　of　your　King　John。　　Her　name　was

Rebecca；　daughter　of　Isaac　of　York；　and　she　married　in　Spain；

whither　she　had　fled　to　the　Court　of　King　Boabdil；　Sir　Wilfred　of

Ivanhoe；　then　a　widower　by　the　demise　of　his　first　lady；　Rowena。

The　match　was　deemed　a　cruel　insult　amongst　our　people　but　Wilfred

conformed；　and　was　a　Rabbi　of　some　note　at　the　synagogue　of

Cordova。　　We　are　descended　from　him　lineally。　　It　is　the　only　blot

upon　the　escutcheon　of　the　Mendozas。〃



As　they　sat　talking　together；　the　music　finished；　and　Miriam　having

retired　（though　her　song　and　her　beauty　were　still　present　to　the

soul　of　the　stranger）　at　a　signal　from　Mendoza；　various　messengers

from　the　outer　apartments　came　in　to　transact　business　with　him。



First　it　was　Mr。　Aminadab；　who　kissed　his　foot；　and　brought　papers

to　sign。　　〃How　is　the　house　in　Grosvenor　Square；　Aminadab；　and　is

your　son　tired　of　his　yacht　yet？〃　Mendoza　asked。　　〃That　is　my

twenty…fourth　cashier；〃　said　Rafael　to　Codlingsby；　when　the

obsequious　clerk　went　away。　　〃He　is　fond　of　display；　and　all　my

people　may　have　what　money　they　like。〃



Entered　presently　the　Lord　Bareacres；　on　the　affair　of　his

mortgage。　　The　Lord　Bareacres；　strutting　into　the　apartment　with　a

haughty　air；　shrank　back；　nevertheless；　with　surprise　on　beholding

the　magnificence　around　him。　　〃Little　Mordecai；〃　said　Rafael　to　a

little　orange…boy；　who　came　in　at　the　heels　of　the　noble；　〃take

this　gentleman　out　and　let　him　have　ten　thousand　pounds。　　I　can't

do　more　for　you；　my　lord；　than　thisI'm　busy。　　Good…by！〃　　And