white lies-第3节

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ce；　Edouard　Riviere；　who　had　but　just　completed　his　education　with　singular　eclat　at　a　military　school；　was　one　fine　day　ordered　into　Brittany　to　fill　a　responsible　post　under　Commandant　Raynal；　a　blunt；　rough　soldier；　that　had　risen　from　the　ranks；　and　bore　a　much　higher　character　for　zeal　and　moral　integrity　than　for　affability。

This　officer　was　the　son　of　a　widow　that　kept　a　grocer's　shop　in　Paris。　　She　intended　him　for　spice；　but　he　thirsted　for　glory；　and　vexed　her。　　So　she　yielded；　as　mothers　will。

In　the　armies　of　the　republic　a　good　soldier　rose　with　unparalleled　certainty；　and　rapidity；　too；　for　when　soldiers　are　being　mowed　down　like　oats；　it　is　a　glorious　time　for　such　of　them　as　keep　their　feet。　　Raynal　mounted　fast；　and　used　to　write　to　his　mother；　and　joke　her　about　the　army　being　such　a　bad　profession；　and；　as　he　was　all　for　glory；　not　money；　he　lived　with　Spartan　frugality；　and　saved　half　his　pay　and　all　his　prize　money　for　the　old　lady　in　Paris。

But　this　prosperous　man　had　to　endure　a　deep　disappointment；　on　the　very　day　he　was　made　commandant　and　one　of　the　general's　aides…de…　camp；　came　a　letter　into　the　camp。　　His　mother　was　dead　after　a　short　illness。　　This　was　a　terrible　blow　to　the　simple；　rugged　soldier；　who　had　never　had　much　time　nor　inclination　to　flirt　with　a　lot　of　girls；　and　toughen　his　heart。　　He　came　back　to　Paris　honored　and　rich；　but　downcast。　　The　old　home；　empty　of　his　mother；　seemed　to　him　not　to　have　the　old　look。　　It　made　him　sadder。　　To　cheer　him　up　they　brought　him　much　money。　　The　widow's　trade　had　taken　a　wonderful　start　the　last　few　years；　and　she　had　been　playing　the　same　game　as　he　had；　living　on　ten…pence　a　day；　and　saving　all　for　him。　　This　made　him　sadder；　if　anything。

〃What；〃　said　he；　〃have　we　both　been　scraping　all　this　dross　together　for？　　I　would　give　it　all　to　sit　one　hour　by　the　fire；　with　her　hand　in　mine；　and　hear　her　say；　'Scamp；　you　made　me　unhappy　when　you　were　young；　but　I　have　lived　to　be　proud　of　you。'〃

He　applied　for　active　service；　no　matter　what：　obtained　at　once　this　post　in　Brittany；　and　threw　himself　into　it　with　that　honest　zeal　and　activity；　which　are　the　best　earthly　medicine　for　all　our　griefs。　　He　was　busy　writing；　when　young　Riviere　first　presented　himself。　　He　looked　up　for　a　moment；　and　eyed　him；　to　take　his　measure；　then　put　into　his　hand　a　report　by　young　Nicole；　a　subordinate　filling　a　post　of　the　same　nature　as　Riviere's；　and　bade　him　analyze　that　report　on　the　spot：　with　this　he　instantly　resumed　his　own　work。

Edouard　Riviere　was　an　adept　at　this　sort　of　task；　and　soon　handed　him　a　neat　analysis。　　Raynal　ran　his　eye　over　it；　nodded　cold　approval；　and　told　him　to　take　this　for　the　present　as　a　guide　as　to　his　own　duties。　　He　then　pointed　to　a　map　on　which　Riviere's　district　was　marked　in　blue　ink；　and　bade　him　find　the　centre　of　it。　Edouard　took　a　pair　of　compasses　off　the　table；　and　soon　discovered　that　the　village　of　Beaurepaire　was　his　centre。　　〃Then　quarter　yourself　at　Beaurepaire；　and　good…day；〃　said　Raynal。

The　chateau　was　in　sight　from　Riviere's　quarters；　and　he　soon　learned　that　it　belonged　to　a　royalist　widow　and　her　daughters；　who　all　three　held　themselves　quite　aloof　from　the　rest　of　the　world。　〃Ah；〃　said　the　young　citizen；　〃I　see。　　If　these　rococo　citizens　play　that　game　with　me；　I　shall　have　to　take　them　down。〃　　Thus　a　fresh　peril　menaced　this　family；　on　whose　hearts　and　fortunes　such　heavy　blows　had　fallen。

One　evening　our　young　official；　after　a　day　spent　in　the　service　of　the　country；　deigned　to　take　a　little　stroll　to　relieve　the　cares　of　administration。　　He　imprinted　on　his　beardless　face　the　expression　of　a　wearied　statesman；　and　strolled　through　an　admiring　village。　The　men　pretended　veneration　from　policy；　the　women；　whose　views　of　this　great　man　were　shallower　but　more　sincere；　smiled　approval　of　his　airs；　and　the　young　puppy　affected　to　take　no　notice　of　either　sex。

Outside　the　village；　Publicola　suddenly　encountered　two　young　ladies；　who　resembled　nothing　he　had　hitherto　met　with　in　his　district；　they　were　dressed　in　black；　and　with　extreme　simplicity；　but　their　easy　grace　and　composure；　and　the　refined　sentiment　of　their　gentle　faces；　told　at　a　glance　they　belonged　to　the　high　nobility。　　Publicola　divined　them　at　once；　and　involuntarily　raised　his　hat　to　so　much　beauty　and　dignity；　instead　of　poking　it　with　a　finger　as　usual。　　On　this　the　ladies　instantly　courtesied　to　him　after　the　manner　of　their　party；　with　a　sweep　and　a　majesty；　and　a　precision　of　politeness；　that　the　pup　would　have　laughed　at　if　he　had　heard　of　it；　but　seeing　it　done；　and　well　done；　and　by　lovely　women　of　rank；　he　was　taken　aback　by　it；　and　lifted　his　hat　again；　and　bowed　again　after　he　had　gone　by；　and　was　generally　flustered。　In　short；　instead　of　a　member　of　the　Consular　Government　saluting　private　individuals　of　a　decayed　party　that　existed　only　by　sufferance；　a　handsome；　vain；　good…natured　boy　had　met　two　self…　possessed　young　ladies　of　distinction　and　breeding；　and　had　cut　the　usual　figure。

For　the　next　hundred　yards　his　cheeks　burned　and　his　vanity　cooled。　But　bumptiousness　is　elastic　in　France；　as　in　England；　and　doubtless　among　the　Esquimaux。　　〃Well；　they　are　pretty　girls；〃　says　he　to　himself。　　〃I　never　saw　two　such　pretty　girls　together；　they　will　do　for　me　to　flirt　with　while　I　am　banished　to　this　Arcadia。〃　　Banished　from　school；　I　beg　to　observe。

And　〃awful　beauty〃　being　no　longer　in　sight；　Mr。　Edouard　resolved　he　would　flirt　with　them　to　their　hearts'　content。　　But　there　are　ladies　with　whom　a　certain　preliminary　is　required　before　you　can　flirt　with　them。　　You　must　be　on　speaking　terms。　　How　was　this　to　be　managed？

He　used　to　watch　at　his　window　with　a　telescope；　and　whenever　the　sisters　came　out　of　their　own　grounds；　which　unfortunately　was　not　above　twice　a　week；　he　would　throw　himself　in　their　way　by　the　merest　accident；　and　pay　them　a　dignified　and　courteous　salute；　which　he　had　carefully　got　up　before　a　mirror　in　the　privacy　of　his　own　chamber。

One　day；　as　he　took　off　his　hat　to　the　young　ladies；　there　broke　from　one　of　them　a　smile；　so　sudden；　sweet；　and　vivid；　that　he　seemed　to　feel　it　smite　him　first　on　the　eyes　then　in　the　heart。　　He　could　not　sleep　for　this　smile。

Yet　he　had　seen　many　smilers；　but　to　be　sure　most　of　them　smiled　without　effect；　because　they　smiled　eternally；　they　seemed　cast　with　their　mouths　open；　and　their　pretty　teeth　forever　in　sight；　and　this　has　a　saddening　influence　on　a　man　of　sensewhen　it　has　any。　　But　here　a　fair；　pensive　face　had　brightened　at　sight　of　him；　a　lovely　countenance；　on　which　circumstances；　not　nature；　had　impressed　gravity；　had　sprung　back　to　its　natural　gayety　for　a　moment；　and　had　thrilled　and　bewitched　the　beholder。

The　next　Sunday　he　went　to　churchand　there　worshippedwhom？　Cupid。　　He　smarted　for　his　heathenism；　for　the　young　ladies　went　with　higher　motives；　and　took　no　notice　of　him。　　They　lowered　their　long　silken　lashes　over　one　breviary；　and　scarcely　observed　the　handsome　citizen。　　Meantime　he；　contemplating　their　pious　beauty　with　earthly　eyes；　was　drinking　long　draughts　of　intoxicating　passion。　　And　when　after　the　service　they　each　took　an　arm　of　Dr。　Aubertin；　and　he　with　the　air　of　an　admiral　convoying　two　ships　choke…full　of　specie；　conducted　his　precious　charge　away　home；　our　young　citizen　felt　jealous；　and　all　but　hated　the　worthy　doctor。

This　went　on　till　he　became　listless　and　dejected　on　the　days　he　did　not　see　them。　　Then　he　asked　himself　whether　he　was　not　a　cowardly　fool　to　keep　at　such　a　distance。　　After　all　he　was　a　man　in　authority。　　His　friendship　was　not　to　be　despised；　least　of　all　by　a　family　suspected　of　disaffection　to　the　state。

He　put　on　his　glossy　beaver　with　enormous　brim；　high　curved；　his　blue　coat　with　brass　buttons；　his　white　waistcoat；　gray　breeches；　and　top…boots；　and　marched　up　to　the　chateau　of　Beaurepaire；　and　sent　in　his　card　with　his　name　and　office　inscribed。

Jacintha　took　it；　bestowed　a　glance　of　undisguised　admiration　on　the　young　Adonis；　and　carried　it　to　the　baroness。　　That　lady　sent　her　promptly　down　again　with　a　black…edged　note　to　this　effect。


Highly　flattered　by　Monsieur　de　Riviere's　visit；　the　baroness　must　inform　him　that　she　receives　none　but　old　acquaintances；　in　the　present　grief　of　the　family；　and　of　the　KINGDOM。


Young　Riviere　was　cruelly　mortified　by　this　rebuff。　　He　went　off　hurriedly；　grinding　his　teeth　with　rage。

〃Cursed　aristocrats！　　We　have　done　well　to　pull　you　down；　and　we　will　have　you　lower　still。　　How　I　despise　myself　for　giving　any　one　the　chance　to　affront　me　thus。　　The　haughty　old　fool；　if　she　had　known　her　interest；　she　would　have　been　too　glad　to　make　a　powerful　friend。　　These　royalists　are　in　a　ticklish　position；　I　can　tell　her　that。　　She　calls　me　De　Riviere；　that　implies　nobody　without　a　'De'　to　their　name　would　have　the　presumption　to　visit　her　old　tumble…　down　house。　　Well；　it　is　a　lesson；　I　am　a　republican；　and　the　Commonwealth　trusts　and　honors　me；　yet　I　am　so　ungrateful　as　to　go　out　of　the　way　to　be　civil　to　her　enemies；　to　royalists；　as　if　those　worn…out　creatures　had　hearts；　as　if　they　could　comprehend　the　struggle　that　took　place　in　my　mind　between　duty；