little novels-第36节

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d；〃　said　the　General。　〃I　shall　inquire　at　the　club。〃

For　a　week　afterward；　a　succession　of　grooms；　recommended　by　friends；　applied　for　the　vacant　place。

The　General　found　insurmountable　objections　to　all　of　them。　〃I'll　tell　you　what　I　have　done；〃　he　announced　one　day；　with　the　air　of　a　man　who　had　hit　on　a　grand　discovery；　〃I　have　advertised　in　the　papers。〃

Lady　Claudia　looked　up　from　her　embroidery　with　the　placid　smile　that　was　peculiar　to　her。　〃I　don't　quite　like　advertising　for　a　servant；？she　said。　〃You　are　at　the　mercy　of　a　stranger；　you　don't　know　that　you　are　not　engaging　a　drunkard　or　a　thief。〃

〃Or　you　may　be　deceived　by　a　false　character；〃　I　added　on　my　side。　I　seldom　ventured；　at　domestic　consultations；　on　giving　my　opinion　unaskedbut　the　new　groom　represented　a　subject　in　which　I　felt　a　strong　personal　interest。　In　a　certain　sense；　he　was　to　be　_my_　groom。

〃I'm　much　obliged　to　you　both　for　warning　me　that　I　am　so　easy　to　deceive；〃　the　General　remarked　satirically。　〃Unfortunately；　the　mischief　is　done。　Three　men　have　answered　my　advertisement　already。　I　expect　them　here　tomorrow　to　be　examined　for　the　place。〃

Lady　Claudia　looked　up　from　her　embroidery　again。　〃Are　you　going　to　see　them　yourself？〃　she　asked　softly。　〃I　thought　the　steward〃

〃I　have　hitherto　considered　myself　a　better　judge　of　a　groom　than　my　steward；〃　the　General　interposed。　〃However；　don't　be　alarmed；　I　won't　act　on　my　own　sole　responsibility；　after　the　hint　you　have　given　me。　You　and　Mina　shall　lend　me　your　valuable　assistance；　and　discover　whether　they　are　thieves；　drunkards；　and　what　not；　before　I　feel　the　smallest　suspicion　of　it；　myself。〃

IV。

WE　naturally　supposed　that　the　General　was　joking。　No。　This　was　one　of　those　rare　occasions　on　which　Lady　Claudia's　tactinfallible　in　matters　of　importanceproved　to　be　at　fault　in　a　trifle。　My　uncle's　self…esteem　had　been　touched　in　a　tender　place；　and　he　had　resolved　to　make　us　feel　it。　The　next　morning　a　polite　message　came；　requesting　our　presence　in　the　library；　to　see　the　grooms。　My　aunt　（always　ready　with　her　smile；　but　rarely　tempted　into　laughing　outright）　did　for　once　laugh　heartily。　〃It　is　really　too　ridiculous！〃　she　said。　However；　she　pursued　her　policy　of　always　yielding；　in　the　first　instance。　We　went　together　to　the　library

The　three　grooms　were　received　in　the　order　in　which　they　presented　themselves　for　approval。　Two　of　them　bore　the　ineffaceable　mark　of　the　public…house　so　plainly　written　on　their　villainous　faces；　that　even　I　could　see　it。　My　uncle　ironically　asked　us　to　favor　him　with　our　opinions。　Lady　Claudia　answered　with　her　sweetest　smile：　〃Pardon　me；　Generalwe　are　here　to　learn。〃　The　words　were　nothing；　but　the　manner　in　which　they　were　spoken　was　perfect。　Few　men　could　have　resisted　that　gentle　influenceand　the　General　was　not　one　of　the　few。　He　stroked　his　mustache；　and　returned　to　his　petticoat　government。　The　two　grooms　were　dismissed。

The　entry　of　the　third　and　last　man　took　me　completely　by　surprise。

If　the　stranger's　short　coat　and　light　trousers　had　not　proclaimed　his　vocation　in　life；　I　should　have　taken　it　for　granted　that　there　had　been　some　mistake；　and　that　we　were　favored　with　a　visit　from　a　gentleman　unknown。　He　was　between　dark　and　light　in　complexion；　with　frank　clear　blue　eyes；　quiet　and　intelligent；　if　appearances　were　to　be　trusted；　easy　in　his　movements；　respectful　in　his　manner；　but　perfectly　free　from　servility。　〃I　say！〃　the　General　blurted　out；　addressing　my　aunt　confidentially；　〃_he_　looks　as　if　he　would　do；　doesn't　he？〃

The　appearance　of　the　new　man　seemed　to　have　had　the　same　effect　on　Lady　Claudia　which　it　had　produced　on　me。　But　she　got　over　her　first　feeling　of　surprise　sooner　than　I　did。　〃You　know　best；〃　she　answered；　with　the　air　of　a　woman　who　declined　to　trouble　herself　by　giving　an　opinion。

〃Step　forward；　my　man；〃　said　the　General。　The　groom　advanced　from　the　door；　bowed；　and　stopped　at　the　foot　of　the　tablemy　uncle　sitting　at　the　head；　with　my　aunt　and　myself　on　either　side　of　him。　The　inevitable　questions　began。

〃What　is　your　name？〃

〃Michael　Bloomfield。〃

〃Your　age？〃

〃Twenty…six。〃

My　aunt's　want　of　interest　in　the　proceedings　expressed　itself　by　a　little　weary　sigh。　She　leaned　back　resignedly　in　her　chair。

The　General　went　on　with　his　questions：　〃What　experience　have　you　had　as　a　groom？〃

〃I　began　learning　my　work；　sir；　before　I　was　twelve　years　old。〃

〃Yes！　yes！　I　mean　what　private　families　have　you　served　in？〃

〃Two；　sir。〃

〃How　long　have　you　been　in　your　two　situations？〃

〃Four　years　in　the　first；　and　three　in　the　second。〃

The　General　looked　agreeably　surprised。　〃Seven　years　in　only　two　situations　is　a　good　character　in　itself；〃　he　remarked。　〃Who　are　your　references？〃

The　groom　laid　two　papers　on　the　table。

〃I　don't　take　written　references；〃　said　the　General。

〃Be　pleased　to　read　my　papers；　sir；〃　answered　the　groom。

My　uncle　looked　sharply　across　the　table。　The　groom　sustained　the　look　with　respectful　but　unshaken　composure。　The　General　took　up　the　papers；　and　seemed　to　be　once　more　favorably　impressed　as　he　read　them。　〃Personal　references　in　each　case　if　required　in　support　of　strong　written　recommendations　from　both　his　employers；〃　he　informed　my　aunt。　〃Copy　the　addresses；　Mina。　Very　satisfactory；　I　must　say。　Don't　you　think　so　yourself？〃　he　resumed；　turning　again　to　my　aunt。

Lady　Claudia　replied　by　a　courteous　bend　of　her　head。　The　General　went　on　with　his　questions。　They　related　to　the　management　of　horses；　and　they　were　answered　to　his　complete　satisfaction。

〃Michael　Bloomfield；　you　know　your　business；〃　he　said；　〃and　you　have　a　good　character。　Leave　your　address。　When　I　have　consulted　your　references；　you　shall　hear　from　me。〃

The　groom　took　out　a　blank　card；　and　wrote　his　name　and　address　on　it。　I　looked　over　my　uncle's　shoulder　when　he　received　the　card。　Another　surprise！　The　handwriting　was　simply　irreproachablethe　lines　running　perfectly　straight；　and　every　letter　completely　formed。　As　this　perplexing　person　made　his　modest　bow；　and　withdrew；　the　General；　struck　by　an　after…thought；　called　him　back　from　the　door。

〃One　thing　more；〃　said　my　uncle。　〃About　friends　and　followers？　I　consider　it　my　duty　to　my　servants　to　allow　them　to　see　their　relations；　but　I　expect　them　to　submit　to　certain　conditions　in　return〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　sir；〃　the　groom　interposed。　〃I　shall　not　give　you　any　trouble　on　that　score。　I　have　no　relations。〃

〃No　brothers　or　sisters？〃　asked　the　General。

〃None；　sir。〃

〃Father　and　mother　both　dead？〃

〃I　don't　know；　sir。〃

〃You　don't　know！　What　does　that　mean？〃

〃I　am　telling　you　the　plain　truth；　sir。　I　never　heard　who　my　father　and　mother　wereand　I　don't　expect　to　hear　now。〃

He　said　those　words　with　a　bitter　composure　which　impressed　me　painfully。　Lady　Claudia　was　far　from　feeling　it　as　I　did。　Her　languid　interest　in　the　engagement　of　the　　groom　seemed　to　be　completely　exhaustedand　that　was　all。　She　rose；　in　her　easy　graceful　way；　and　looked　out　of　the　window　at　the　courtyard　and　fountain；　the　house…dog　in　his　kennel；　and　the　box　of　flowers　in　the　coachman's　window。

In　the　meanwhile；　the　groom　remained　near　the　table；　respectfully　waiting　for　his　dismissal。　The　General　spoke　to　him　sharply；　for　the　first　time。　I　could　see　that　my　good　uncle　had　noticed　the　cruel　tone　of　that　passing　reference　to　the　parents；　and　thought　of　it　as　I　did。

〃One　word　more；　before　you　go；〃　he　said。　〃If　I　don't　find　you　more　mercifully　inclined　toward　my　horses　than　you　seem　to　be　toward　your　father　and　mother；　you　won't　remain　long　in　my　service。　You　might　have　told　me　you　had　never　heard　who　your　parents　were；　without　speaking　as　if　you　didn't　care　to　hear。〃

〃May　I　say　a　bold　word；　sir；　in　my　own　defense？〃

He　put　the　question　very　quietly；　but；　at　the　same　time；　so　firmly　that　he　even　surprised　my　aunt。　She　looked　round　from　the　windowthen　turned　back　again；　and　stretched　out　her　hand　toward　the　curtain；　intending；　as　I　supposed；　to　alter　the　arrangement　of　it。　The　groom　went　on。

〃May　I　ask；　sir；　why　I　should　care　about　a　father　and　mother　who　deserted　me？　Mind　what　you　are　about；　my　lady！〃　he　criedsuddenly　addressing　my　aunt。　〃There's　a　cat　in　the　folds　of　that　curtain；　she　might　frighten　you。〃

He　had　barely　said　the　words　before　the　housekeeper's　large　tabby　cat；　taking　its　noonday　siesta　in　the　looped…up　fold　of　the　curtain；　leaped　out　and　made　for　the　door。

Lady　Claudia　was；　naturally　enough；　a　little　perplexed　by　the　man's　discovery　of　an　animal　completely　hidden　in　the　curtain。　She　appeared　to　think　that　a　person　who　was　only　a　groom　had　taken　a　liberty　in　presuming　to　puzzle　her。　Like　her　husband；　she　spoke　to　Michael　sharply。

〃Did　you　see　the　cat？〃　she　asked。

〃No；　my　lady。〃

〃Then　how　did　you　know　the　creature　was　in　the　curtain？〃

For　the　first　time　since　he　had　entered　the　room　the　groom　looked　a　little　confused。

〃It's　a　sort　of　presumption　for　a　man　in　my　position　to　be　subject　to　a　nervous　infirmity；〃　he　answered。　〃I　am　one　of　those　persons　（the　weakness　is　not　uncommon；　as　your　ladyship　is　aware）　who　know　by　their　own　unpleasant　sensations　when　a　cat　is　in　the　room。　It　goes　a　little　further　than　tha