white lies-第13节

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〃I　will　offend　no　more；〃　said　poor　silly　Edouard。　　〃Adieu；　mademoiselle。　　May　you　find　friends　as　sincere　as　I　am；　and　more　to　your　taste！〃

〃Heaven　hear　your　prayers！〃　replied　the　malicious　thing；　casting　up　her　eyes　with　a　mock　tragic　air。

Edouard　sighed；　a　chill　conviction　that　she　was　both　heartless　and　empty　fell　on　him。　　He　turned　away　without　another　word。　　She　called　to　him　with　a　sudden　airy　cheerfulness　that　made　him　start。　　〃Stay；　monsieur；　I　forgotI　have　a　favor　to　ask　you。〃

〃I　wish　I　could　believe　that：〃　and　his　eyes　brightened。

Rose　stopped；　and　began　to　play　with　her　parasol。　　〃You　seem；〃　said　she　softly；　〃to　be　pretty　generous　in　bestowing　your　acquaintance　on　strangers。　　I　should　be　glad　if　I　might　secure　you　for　a　dear　friend　of　mine；　Dr。　Aubertin。　　He　will　not　discredit　my　recommendation；　and　he　will　not　make　so　many　difficulties　as　we　do；　shall　I　tell　you　why？　　Because　he　is　really　worth　knowing。　　In　short；　believe　me；　it　will　be　a　valuable　acquaintance　for　youand　for　him；〃　added　she　with　all　the　grace　of　the　De　Beaurepaires。

Many　a　man；　inferior　in　a　general　way　to　Edouard　Riviere；　would　have　made　a　sensible　reply　to　this。　　Such　as；　〃Oh；　any　friend　of　yours；　mademoiselle；　must　be　welcome　to　me；〃　or　the　like。　　But　the　proposal　caught　Edouard　on　his　foible；　his　vanity；　to　wit；　and　our　foibles　are　our　manias。　　He　was　mortified　to　the　heart's　core。　　〃She　refuses　to　know　me　herself；〃　thought　he；　〃but　she　will　use　my　love　to　make　me　amuse　that　old　man。〃　　His　heart　swelled　against　her　injustice　and　ingratitude；　and　his　crushed　vanity　turned　to　strychnine。　〃Mademoiselle；〃　said　he；　bitterly　and　doggedly；　but　sadly；　〃were　I　so　happy　as　to　have　your　esteem；　my　heart　would　overflow；　not　only　on　the　doctor　but　on　every　honest　person　around。　　But　if　I　must　not　have　the　acquaintance　I　value　more　than　life；　suffer　me　to　be　alone　in　the　world；　and　never　to　say　a　word　either　to　Dr。　Aubertin；　or　to　any　human　creature　if　I　can　help　it。〃

The　imperious　young　beauty　drew　herself　up　directly。　　〃So　be　it；　monsieur；　you　teach　me　how　a　child　should　be　answered　that　forgets　herself；　and　asks　a　favor　of　a　strangera　perfect　stranger；〃　added　she；　maliciously。

Could　one　of　the　dog…days　change　to　mid…winter　in　a　second；　it　would　hardly　seem　so　cold　and　cross　as　Rose　de　Beaurepaire　turned　from　the　smiling；　saucy　fairy　of　the　moment　before。　　Edouard　felt　as　it　were　a　portcullis　of　ice　come　down　between　her　and　him。　　She　courtesied　and　glided　away。　　He　bowed　and　stood　frozen　to　the　spot。

He　felt　so　lonely　and　so　bitter；　he　must　go　to　Jacintha　for　comfort。

He　took　advantage　of　the　ladies　being　with　Dard；　and　marched　boldly　into　the　kitchen　of　Beaurepaire。

〃Well；　I　never；〃　cried　Jacintha。　　〃But；　after　all；　why　not？〃

He　hurled　himself　on　the　kitchen　table　（clean　as　china）；　and　told　her　it　was　all　over。　　〃She　hates　me　now；　but　it　is　not　my　fault；〃　and　so　poured　forth　his　tale；　and　feeling　sure　of　sympathy；　asked　Jacintha　whether　it　was　not　bitterly　unjust　of　Rose　to　refuse　him　her　own　acquaintance；　yet　ask　him　to　amuse　that　old　fogy。

Jacintha　stood　with　her　great　arms　akimbo；　taking　it　all　in；　and　looking　at　him　with　a　droll　expression　of　satirical　wonder。

〃Now　you　listen　to　a　parable；〃　said　she。　　〃Once　there　was　a　little　boy　madly　in　love　with　raspberry　jam。〃

〃A　thing　I　hate。〃

〃Don't　tell　me！　　Who　hates　raspberry　jam？　　He　came　to　the　store　closet；　where　he　knew　there　were　jars　of　it；　andoh！　miserythe　door　was　locked。　　He　kicked　the　door；　and　wept　bitterly。　　His　mamma　came　and　said；　'Here　is　the　key；'　and　gave　him　the　key。　　And　what　did　he　do？　　Why；　he　fell　to　crying　and　roaring；　and　kicking　the　door。　　'I　don't　wa…wa…wa…wa…nt　the　key…ey…ey。　　I　wa…a…ant　the　jam　oh！　oh！　oh！　oh！'〃　and　Jacintha　mimicked；　after　her　fashion；　the　mingled　grief　and　ire　of　infancy　debarred　its　jam。　　Edouard　wore　a　puzzled　air；　but　it　was　only　for　a　moment；　the　next　he　hid　his　face　in　his　hands；　and　cried；　〃Fool！〃

〃I　shall　not　contradict　you；〃　said　his　Mentor。

〃She　was　my　best　friend。　　Once　acquainted　with　the　doctor；　I　could　visit　at　Beaurepaire。〃

〃Parbleu！〃

〃She　had　thought　of　a　way　to　reconcile　my　wishes　with　this　terrible　etiquette　that　reigns　here。〃

〃She　thinks　to　more　purpose　than　you　do；　that　is　clear。〃

〃Nothing　is　left　now　but　to　ask　her　pardon；　and　to　consent；　I　am　off。〃

〃No；　you　are　not；〃　and　Jacintha　laid　a　grasp　of　iron　on　him。　　〃Will　you　be　quiet？is　not　one　blunder　a　day　enough？　　If　you　go　near　her　now；　she　will　affront　you；　and　order　the　doctor　not　to　speak　to　you。〃

〃O　Jacintha！　your　sex　then　are　fiends　of　malice？〃

〃While　it　lasts。　　Luckily　with　us　nothing　lasts　very　long。　　Now　you　don't　go　near　her　till　you　have　taken　advantage　of　her　hint；　and　made　the　doctor's　acquaintance；　that　is　easy　done。　　He　walks　two　hours　on　the　east　road　every　day；　with　his　feet　in　the　puddles　and　his　head　in　the　clouds。　　Them's　HIS　two　tastes。〃

〃But　how　am　I　to　get　him　out　of　the　clouds　and　the　puddles？〃　inquired　Riviere　half　peevishly。

〃How？〃　asked　Jacintha；　with　a　dash　of　that　contempt　uneducated　persons　generally　have　for　any　one　who　does　not　know　some　little　thing　they　happen　to　know　themselves。　　〃How？　　Why；　with　the　nearest　blackbeetle；　to　be　sure。〃

〃A　blackbeetle？〃

〃Black　or　brown；　it　matters　little。　　Have　her　ready　for　use　in　your　handkerchief：　pull　a　long　face：　and　says　you'Excuse　me；　sir；　I　have　THE　MISFORTUNE　not　to　know　the　Greek　name　of　this　merchandise　here。'　　Say　that；　and　behold　him　launched。　　He　will　christen　you　the　beast　in　Hebrew　and　Latin　as　well　as　Greek；　and　tell　you　her　history　down　from　the　flood：　next　he　will　beg　her　of　you；　and　out　will　come　a　cork　and　a　pin；　and　behold　the　creature　impaled。　　For　that　is　how　men　love　beetles。　　He　has　a　thousand　pinned　down　at　homebeetles；　butterflies；　and　so　forth。　　When　I　go　near　the　rubbish　with　my　duster　he　trembles　like　an　aspen。　　I　pretend　to　be　going　to　clean　them；　but　it　is　only　to　see　the　face　he　makes；　for　even　a　domestic　must　laugh　now　and　thenor　die。　　But　I　never　do　clean　them；　for　after　all　he　is　more　stupid　than　wicked；　poor　man：　I　have　not　therefore　the　sad　courage　to　make　him　wretched。〃

〃Let　us　return　to　our　beetlewhat　will　his　tirades　about　its　antiquity　advance　me？〃

〃Oh！　one　begins　about　a　beetle；　but　one　ends　Heaven　knows　where。〃

Riviere　profited　by　this　advice。　　He　even　improved　on　it。　　In　due　course　he　threw　himself　into　Aubertin's　way。　　He　stopped　the　doctor　reverentially；　and　said　he　had　heard　he　was　an　entomologist。　　WOULD　he　be　kind　enough　to　tell　him　what　was　this　enormous　chrysalis　he　had　just　found？

〃The　death's　head　moth！〃　cried　Aubertin　with　enthusiasm〃the　death's　head　moth！　a　great　rarity　in　this　district。　　Where　found　you　this？〃　　Riviere　undertook　to　show　him　the　place。

It　was　half　a　league　distant。　　Coming　and　going　he　had　time　to　make　friends　with　Aubertin；　and　this　was　the　easier　that　the　old　gentleman；　who　was　a　physiognomist　as　well　as　ologist；　had　seen　goodness　and　sensibility　in　Edouard's　face。　　At　the　end　of　the　walk　he　begged　the　doctor　to　accept　the　chrysalis。　　The　doctor　coquetted。　〃That　would　be　a　robbery。　　You　take　an　interest　in　these　things　yourselfat　least　I　hope　so。〃

The　young　rogue　confessed　modestly　to　the　sentiment　of　entomology；　but　〃the　government　worked　him　so　hard　as　to　leave　him　no　hopes　of　shining　in　so　high　a　science；〃　said　he　sorrowfully。

The　doctor　pitied　him。　　〃A　young　man　of　your　attainments　and　tastes　to　be　debarred　from　the　everlasting　secrets　of　nature；　by　the　fleeting　politics　of　the　day。〃

Riviere　shrugged　his　shoulders。　　〃Somebody　must　do　the　dirty　work；〃　said　he；　chuckling　inwardly。

The　chrysalis　went　to　Beaurepaire　in　the　pocket　of　a　grateful　man；　who　that　same　evening　told　the　whole　party　his　conversation　with　young　Riviere；　on　whom　he　pronounced　high　encomiums。　　Rose's　saucy　eyes　sparkled　with　fun：　you　might　have　lighted　a　candle　at　one　and　exploded　a　mine　at　the　other；　but　not　a　syllable　did　she　utter。

The　doctor　proved　a　key；　and　opened　the　enchanted　castle。　　One　fine　day　he　presented　his　friend　in　the　Pleasaunce　to　the　baroness　and　her　daughters。

They　received　him　with　perfect　politeness。　　Thus　introduced；　and　as　he　was　not　one　to　let　the　grass　grow　under　his　feet；　he　soon　obtained　a　footing　as　friend　of　the　family；　which；　being　now　advised　by　Josephine；　he　took　care　not　to　compromise　by　making　love　to　Rose　before　the　baroness。　　However；　he　insisted　on　placing　his　financial　talent　at　their　service。　　He　surveyed　and　valued　their　lands；　and　soon　discovered　that　all　their　farms　were　grossly　underlet。　　Luckily　most　of　the　leases　were　run　out。　　He　prepared　a　new　rent　roll；　and　showed　it　Aubertin；　now　his　fast　friend。　　Aubertin　at　his　request　obtained　a　list　of　the　mortgages；　and　Edouard　drew　a　balance…sheet　founded　on　sure　data；　and　proved　to　the　baroness　that　in　able　hands　the　said　estate　was　now　solvent。

This　was　a　great　comfort　to　the　old　lady：　and　she　said　to　Aubertin；　〃Heaven　has　sent　us　a　champion；　a　little　republicanwith　the　face　of　an　angel。〃

Descending　to　practice；　Edouard　actually　put　three　of　the　farms　into　the　market；　and　let　them　at　an　advance　of　twenty　per　cent　on　the　expired　leases。　　He　brought　these　leases　signed；　and　the　baron