the pension beaurepas-第9节

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Miss　Ruck。　　〃But　I　do　understand　you；　always！〃

〃So　I　have　always　ventured　to　hope；　my　dear　Miss　Ruck。〃

〃Well；　if　I　didn't；　it　wouldn't　be　much　loss；〃　rejoined　this　young
lady。

〃Allons；　en　marche！〃　cried　M。　Pigeonneau；　smiling　still；　and
undiscouraged　by　her　inhumanity。　　〃Let　as　make　together　the　tour　of
the　garden。〃　　And　he　imposed　his　society　upon　Miss　Ruck　with　a
respectful；　elderly　grace　which　was　evidently　unable　to　see　anything
in　her　reluctance　but　modesty；　and　was　sublimely　conscious　of　a
mission　to　place　modesty　at　its　ease。　　This　ill…assorted　couple
walked　in　front；　while　Aurora　Church　and　I　strolled　along　together。

〃I　am　sure　this　is　more　improper；〃　said　my　companion；　〃this　is
delightfully　improper。　　I　don't　say　that　as　a　compliment　to　you；〃　she
added。　　〃I　would　say　it　to　any　man；　no　matter　how　stupid。〃

〃Oh；　I　am　very　stupid；〃　I　answered；　〃but　this　doesn't　seem　to　me
wrong。〃

〃Not　for　you；　no；　only　for　me。　　There　is　nothing　that　a　man　can　do
that　is　wrong；　is　there？　　En　morale；　you　know；　I　mean。　　Ah；　yes；　he
can　steal；　but　I　think　there　is　nothing　else；　is　there？〃

〃I　don't　know。　　One　doesn't　know　those　things　until　after　one　has
done　them。　　Then　one　is　enlightened。〃

〃And　you　mean　that　you　have　never　been　enlightened？　　You　make
yourself　out　very　good。〃

〃That　is　better　than　making　one's　self　out　bad；　as　you　do。〃

The　young　girl　glanced　at　me　a　moment；　and　then；　with　her　charming
smile；　〃That's　one　of　the　consequences　of　a　false　position。〃

〃Is　your　position　false？〃　I　inquired；　smiling　too　at　this　large
formula。

〃Distinctly　so。〃

〃In　what　way？〃

〃Oh；　in　every　way。　　For　instance；　I　have　to　pretend　to　be　a　jeune
fille。　　I　am　not　a　jeune　fille；　no　American　girl　is　a　jeune　fille；　an
American　girl　is　an　intelligent；　responsible　creature。　　I　have　to
pretend　to　be　very　innocent；　but　I　am　not　very　innocent。〃

〃You　don't　pretend　to　be　very　innocent；　you　pretend　to　bewhat　shall
I　call　it？very　wise。〃

〃That's　no　pretence。　　I　am　wise。〃

〃You　are　not　an　American　girl；〃　I　ventured　to　observe。

My　companion　almost　stopped；　looking　at　me；　there　was　a　little　flush
in　her　cheek。　　〃Voila！〃　she　said。　　〃There's　my　false　position。　　I
want　to　be　an　American　girl；　and　I'm　not。〃

〃Do　you　want　me　to　tell　you？〃　I　went　on。　　〃An　American　girl　wouldn't
talk　as　you　are　talking　now。〃

〃Please　tell　me；〃　said　Aurora　Church；　with　expressive　eagerness。
〃How　would　she　talk？〃

〃I　can't　tell　you　all　the　things　an　American　girl　would　say；　but　I
think　I　can　tell　you　the　things　she　wouldn't　say。　　She　wouldn't
reason　out　her　conduct；　as　you　seem　to　me　to　do。〃

Aurora　gave　me　the　most　flattering　attention。　　〃I　see。　　She　would　be
simpler。　　To　do　very　simple　things　that　are　not　at　all　simplethat
is　the　American　girl！〃

I　permitted　myself　a　small　explosion　of　hilarity。　　〃I　don't　know
whether　you　are　a　French　girl；　or　what　you　are；〃　I　said；　〃but　you　are
very　witty。〃

〃Ah；　you　mean　that　I　strike　false　notes！〃　cried　Aurora　Church；　sadly。
〃That's　just　what　I　want　to　avoid。　　I　wish　you　would　always　tell　me。〃

The　conversational　union　between　Miss　Ruck　and　her　neighbour；　in
front　of　us；　had　evidently　not　become　a　close　one。　　The　young　lady
suddenly　turned　round　to　us　with　a　question：　　〃Don't　you　want　some
ice…cream？〃

〃SHE　doesn't　strike　false　notes；〃　I　murmured。

There　was　a　kind　of　pavilion　or　kiosk；　which　served　as　a　cafe；　and　at
which　the　delicacies　procurable　at　such　an　establishment　were
dispensed。　　Miss　Ruck　pointed　to　the　little　green　tables　and　chairs
which　were　set　out　on　the　gravel；　M。　Pigeonneau；　fluttering　with　a
sense　of　dissipation；　seconded　the　proposal；　and　we　presently　sat
down　and　gave　our　order　to　a　nimble　attendant。　　I　managed　again　to
place　myself　next　to　Aurora　Church；　our　companions　were　on　the　other
side　of　the　table。

My　neighbour　was　delighted　with　our　situation。　　〃This　is　best　of
all；〃　she　said。　　〃I　never　believed　I　should　come　to　a　cafe　with　two
strange　men！　Now；　you　can't　persuade　me　this　isn't　wrong。〃

〃To　make　it　wrong　we　ought　to　see　your　mother　coming　down　that　path。〃

〃Ah；　my　mother　makes　everything　wrong；〃　said　the　young　girl；
attacking　with　a　little　spoon　in　the　shape　of　a　spade　the　apex　of　a
pink　ice。　　And　then　she　returned　to　her　idea　of　a　moment　before：
〃You　must　promise　to　tell　meto　warn　me　in　some　waywhenever　I
strike　a　false　note。　　You　must　give　a　little　cough；　like　thatahem！〃

〃You　will　keep　me　very　busy；　and　people　will　think　I　am　in　a
consumption。〃

〃Voyons；〃　she　continued；　〃why　have　you　never　talked　to　me　more？　　Is
that　a　false　note？　　Why　haven't　you　been　'attentive？'　　That's　what
American　girls　call　it；　that's　what　Miss　Ruck　calls　it。〃

I　assured　myself　that　our　companions　were　out　of　earshot；　and　that
Miss　Ruck　was　much　occupied　with　a　large　vanilla　cream。　　〃Because　you
are　always　entwined　with　that　young　lady。　　There　is　no　getting　near
you。〃

Aurora　looked　at　her　friend　while　the　latter　devoted　herself　to　her
ice。　　〃You　wonder　why　I　like　her　so　much；　I　suppose。　　So　does　mamma；
elle　s'y　perd。　　I　don't　like　her　particularly；　je　n'en　suis　pas
folle。　　But　she　gives　me　information；　she　tells　me　about　America。
Mamma　has　always　tried　to　prevent　my　knowing　anything　about　it；　and　I
am　all　the　more　curious。　　And　then　Miss　Ruck　is　very　fresh。〃

〃I　may　not　be　so　fresh　as　Miss　Ruck；〃　I　said；　〃but　in　future；　when
you　want　information；　I　recommend　you　to　come　to　me　for　it。〃

〃Our　friend　offers　to　take　me　to　America；　she　invites　me　to　go　back
with　her；　to　stay　with　her。　　You　couldn't　do　that；　could　you？〃　And
the　young　girl　looked　at　me　a　moment。　　〃Bon；　a　false　note　I　can　see
it　by　your　face；　you　remind　me　of　a　maitre　de　piano。〃

〃You　overdo　the　characterthe　poor　American　girl；〃　I　said。　　〃Are　you
going　to　stay　with　that　delightful　family？〃

〃I　will　go　and　stay　with　any　one　that　will　take　me　or　ask　me。　　It's　a
real　nostalgie。　　She　says　that　in　New　Yorkin　Thirty…Seventh　Street…
…I　should　have　the　most　lovely　time。〃

〃I　have　no　doubt　you　would　enjoy　it。〃

〃Absolute　liberty　to　begin　with。〃

〃It　seems　to　me　you　have　a　certain　liberty　here；〃　I　rejoined。

〃Ah；　THIS？　　Oh；　I　shall　pay　for　this。　　I　shall　be　punished　by　mamma；
and　I　shall　be　lectured　by　Madame　Galopin。〃

〃The　wife　of　the　pasteur？〃

〃His　digne　epouse。　　Madame　Galopin；　for　mamma；　is　the　incarnation　of
European　opinion。　　That's　what　vexes　me　with　mamma；　her　thinking　so
much　of　people　like　Madame　Galopin。　　Going　to　see　Madame　Galopin
mamma　calls　that　being　in　European　society。　　European　society！　　I'm
so　sick　of　that　expression；　I　have　heard　it　since　I　was　six　years
old。　　Who　is　Madame　Galopinwho　thinks　anything　of　her　here？　　She　is
nobody；　she　is　perfectly　third…rate。　　If　I　like　America　better　than
mamma；　I　also　know　Europe　better。〃

〃But　your　mother；　certainly；〃　I　objected；　a　trifle　timidly；　for　my
young　lady　was　excited；　and　had　a　charming　little　passion　in　her　eye…
…〃your　mother　has　a　great　many　social　relations　all　over　the
Continent。〃

〃She　thinks　so；　but　half　the　people　don't　care　for　us。　　They　are　not
so　good　as　we；　and　they　know　itI'll　do　them　that　justiceand　they
wonder　why　we　should　care　for　them。　　When　we　are　polite　to　them；　they
think　the　less　of　us；　there　are　plenty　of　people　like　that。　　Mamma
thinks　so　much　of　them　simply　because　they　are　foreigners。　　If　I
could　tell　you　all　the　dull；　stupid；　second…rate　people　I　have　had　to
talk　to；　for　no　better　reason　than　that　they　were　de　leur　pays！
Germans；　French；　Italians；　Turks；　everything。　　When　I　complain；　mamma
always　says　that　at　any　rate　it's　practice　in　the　language。　　And　she
makes　so　much　of　the　English；　too；　I　don't　know　what　that's　practice
in。〃

Before　I　had　time　to　suggest　an　hypothesis；　as　regards　this　latter
point；　I　saw　something　that　made　me　rise；　with　a　certain　solemnity；
from　my　chair。　　This　was　nothing　less　than　the　neat　little　figure　of
Mrs。　Churcha　perfect　model　of　the　femme　comme　il　fautapproaching
our　table　with　an　impatient　step；　and　followed　most　unexpectedly　in
her　advance　by　the　pre…eminent　form　of　Mr。　Ruck。　　She　had　evidently
come　in　quest　of　her　daughter；　and　if　she　had　commanded　this
gentleman's　attendance；　it　had　been　on　no　softer　ground　than　that　of
his　unenvied　paternity　to　her　guilty　child's　accomplice。　　My　movement
had　given　the　alarm；　and　Aurora　Church　and　M。　Pigeonneau　got　up；　Miss
Ruck　alone　did　not；　in　the　local　phrase；　derange　herself。　　Mrs。
Church；　beneath　her　modest　little　bonnet；　looked　very　serious；　but
not　at　all　fluttered；　she　came　straight　to　her　daughter；　who　received
her　with　a　smile；　and　then　she　looked　all　round　at　the　rest　of　us；
very　fixedly　and　tranquilly；　without　bowing。　　I　must　do　both　these
ladies　the　justice　to　mention　that　neither　of　them　made　the　least
little　〃scene。〃

〃I　have　come　for　you；　dearest；〃　said　the　mother。

〃Yes；　dear　mamma。〃

〃Come　for　youcome　for　you；〃　Mrs。　Church　repeated；　looking　down　at
the　relics　of　our　little　feast。　　〃I　was　obliged　to　ask　Mr。　Ruck's
assistance。　　I　was　puzzled；　I　thought　a　long　time。〃

〃Well；　Mrs。　Church；　I　was　glad　to　see　you　puzzled　once　in　your　life！〃
said　Mr。　Ruck；　with　friendly　jocosity。　　〃But　you　came　pretty　straight
for　all　that。　　I