登陆注册
4606300000582

第582章

Lebel came to pay me his respects while I was at table. I made him sit down, while I thanked him for procuring me a housekeeper who was all perfection.

Lebel was a fine man, middle-aged, witty, and an excellent steward, though perfectly honest.

"Which of you two," said he to me, "is the most taken in?"

"We are equally pleased with each other," answered my charming housekeeper.

To my great delight the first pair to appear were M.---- and Madame.

She was extremely polite to Madame Dubois, and did not shew the slightest astonishment when I introduced her as my housekeeper. She told me that I must take her to see her lame friend, and to my great disgust I had to go. We were received with a show of great friendship, and she went out with us into the garden, taking M.----'s arm, while his wife leant amorously on mine.

When we had made a few turns of the garden, Madame begged me to take her to her nurse. As her husband was close by, I said,--

"Who is your nurse?"

"Your door-keeper's wife," said her husband, "we will wait for you in this lady's apartment."

"Tell me, sweetheart," said she on the way, "does not your pretty housekeeper sleep with you?"

"I swear she does not; I can only love you."

"I would like to believe you, but I find it hard to do so; however, if you are speaking the truth it is wrong of you to keep her in the house, as nobody will believe in your innocence."

"It is enough for me that you believe in it. I admire her, and at any other time I expect we could not sleep under the same roof without sleeping in the same bed; but now that you rule my heart I am not capable of a passion for her."

"I am delighted to hear it; but I think she is very pretty."

We went in to see her nurse, who called her "my child," and kissed her again and again, and then left us alone to prepare some lemonade for us. As soon as we found ourselves alone our mouths were glued together, and my hands touched a thousand beauties, covered only by a dress of light sarcenet; but I could not enjoy her charms without this cruel robe, which was all the worse because it did not conceal the loveliness beneath it. I am sure that the good nurse would have kept us waiting a long time if she had known how we longed to be left alone for a few moments longer; but, alas! the celerity with which she made those two glasses of lemonade was unexampled.

"It was made beforehand, was it?" said I, when I saw her coming in.

"Not at all, sir; but I am a quick hand."

"You are, indeed."

These words made my charmer go off into a peal of laughter, which she accompanied with a significant glance in my direction. As we were going away she said that as things seemed to be against us we must wait till her husband came to spend a few days with me.

My terrible enemy gave us some sweets, which she praised very highly, and above all some quince marmalade, which she insisted on our testing. We begged to be excused, and Madame pressed my foot with hers. When we had got away she told me I had been very wise not to touch anything, as the widow was suspected of having poisoned her husband.

The ball, the supper, the refreshments, and the guests were all of the most exquisite and agreeable kind. I only danced one minuet with Madame de Chauvelin, nearly all my evening being taken up with talking to her husband. I made him a present of my translation of his poem on the seven deadly sins, which he received with much pleasure.

"I intend," said I, "to pay you a visit at Turin."

"Are you going to bring your housekeeper with you?"

"No."

"You are wrong, for she is a delightful person."

Everybody spoke of my dear Dubois in the same way. She had a perfect knowledge of the rules of good breeding, and she knew how to make herself respected without being guilty of the slightest presumption.

In vain she was urged to dance, and she afterwards told me that if she had yielded she would have become an object of hatred to all the ladies. She knew that she could dance exquisitely.

M. de Chauvelin went away in two days, and towards the end of the week I heard from Madame d'Urfe, who told me that she had spent two days at Versailles in furtherance of my desires. She sent me a copy of the letters of pardon signed by the king in favour of the relation of M.----, assuring me that the original had been sent to the colonel of his regiment, where he would be reinstated in the rank which he held before the duel.

I had my horses put into my carriage, and hastened to carry this good news to M. de Chavigni. I was wild with joy, and I did not conceal it from the ambassador, who congratulated me, since M.---- having obtained by me, without the expenditure of a penny, a favour which would have cost him dear if he had succeeded in purchasing it, would henceforth be only too happy to treat me with the utmost confidence.

To make the matter still more important, I begged my noble friend to announce the pardon to M.---- in person, and he immediately wrote a note to that gentleman requesting his presence.

As soon as he made his appearance, the ambassador handed him the copy of the pardon, telling him that he owed it all to me. The worthy man was in an ecstasy, and asked what he owed me.

"Nothing, sir, unless you will give me your friendship, which I value more than all the gold in the world; and if you would give me a proof of your friendship, come and spend a few days with me; I am positively dying of loneliness. The matter I have done for you is a mere trifle; you see how quickly it has been arranged."

"A mere trifle! I have devoted a year's labour to it; I have moved heaven and earth without succeeding, and in a fortnight you have accomplished it. Sir, you may dispose of my life."

"Embrace me, and come and see me. I am the happiest of men when I am enabled to serve persons of your merit."

"I will go and tell the good news to my wife, who will love you as well as I do."

"Yes, do so," said the ambassador, "and bring her to dinner here to-

morrow."

同类推荐
  • 太上老君清静心经

    太上老君清静心经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Main Street and Other Poems

    Main Street and Other Poems

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 病榻遗言

    病榻遗言

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 山窗余稿

    山窗余稿

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 针经节要

    针经节要

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 武灵天下

    武灵天下

    他原本是武林高手,竟重生在一位已被人唾弃而自寻短见的废材身上;没有根骨,没有先天灵气他一样可以成为强者,谁让他原本就是武林高手。《武灵天下》讲述一位武林高手带着飞刀绝技重生到灵界,通过不懈努力最终成为万众瞩目灵尊级暗器师的故事。
  • 妖孽仙皇在都市

    妖孽仙皇在都市

    (无敌文)紫薇仙域唯一立于仙道之巅的仙皇萧尘,重回都市,发现了很多有趣的事。曾经他丢下的垃圾功法,被一堆人奉为武道圣典。曾经哭着求着喊他师父的人,成为了人人敬仰的神境强者。萧尘:有没有稍微强一点的对手?
  • 逾期情不待

    逾期情不待

    那一年,为了逃避把我置身于一场灾难的养母,我孤身来到深圳。我们相遇,从开始的针锋相对到最后爱得死去活来。但是有一天,我收下他的母亲丢过来的十万块支票后,飞快地离开了他。四年后,我们重逢,他在展开惊天动地的报复后,和我的白富美同事步入了婚姻的殿堂。为了护他周全,我和他的大学同学斗智斗勇。他终于来找我说,给我三个月,我和她离婚迎娶你。他的母亲却再一次跳出来指着我的鼻子对他说,她不配。--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 铁血枭妃:战神王爷,无限宠

    铁血枭妃:战神王爷,无限宠

    一朝重生,封湉只想守住曾经失去的一切。那个护了她的一世的男人,便是她要保的第一人。
  • 八十天环游地球记(青少版名著)

    八十天环游地球记(青少版名著)

    《八十天环游地球记》讲述了英国绅士福克先生以两万英镑为赌注同朋友们打赌,只用80天的时间环游地球一周的故事。小说以打赌开头,中间穿插探险故事、异域风情、爱情故事等。情节曲折,扣人心弦。作品形象而夸张地反映了19世纪“机器时代”人们征服自然、改造世界的意志和幻想,开创了现代科幻小说的先河。
  • 妃不好惹:鬼王,王妃又跑路了!

    妃不好惹:鬼王,王妃又跑路了!

    她是二十一世纪让国际刑警都为之头疼的神偷,谁料她还有另一层身份,王牌特工!以一城池的代价换她一死。一朝穿越,成为慕家大小姐。他,是让他国都闻风丧胆的鬼王战神,世人说他有洁癖,世人说他薄凉,世人说他心狠手辣,世人说他如同冰山……嗯……嗯?不是说有洁癖吗,为什么总是抱着她不放,嗯?奇怪哎,明明她说什么他都做,挺好哒。嗯?为什么他总是笑……不明白……不明白就不想了,咱还是跑路吧!:“姐姐你干嘛穿着夜行衣?”“谁让那个死皇帝居然要我嫁那什么,鬼王,我要去皇宫打劫跑路费”“姐姐我也要去!”“嗯?去哪里?我们要去哪里吗?这么晚了还是早点睡吧!”“……”
  • 慧深还俗

    慧深还俗

    光盘,广西第四、六、七届签约作家,中国作家协会会员、广西作家协会理事。获广西、全国报纸副刊好作品二等奖以上30余次。创作及出版长篇小说6部,在花城、上海文学、作家、钟山、北京文学等中国核心刊物发表作品若干,迄今共发表各类作品150余万字。
  • 无尽逆天

    无尽逆天

    世人皆言,身死万事空,但其实不然。有些人的灵魂中蕴含妖性、灵性等神秘力量,这些人死后灵魂不灭,而且还会在一座名为轮回岛的奇异之地重生。轮回岛神秘、凶险,自古存在。轮回岛外围有四处凶地,不死生物、凶残魔兽遍布,恍如人间地狱。轮回岛中心地带仿如仙境,四季共存、平静祥和,与轮回岛外围相比简直就是天堂,但这样的环境却少有生灵愿意涉足其内,一个巨大的谜团等待后来人去探寻……
  • 失眠的海

    失眠的海

    本书是触动梦想系列之一,主要选取了100个适合中学生阅读的真情故事。充满真情的一个个小故事,读来启迪智慧,开启心灵,激励读者坚定自己的理想、目标,并为此努力奋斗。
  • 篮坛狂锋之上帝之子

    篮坛狂锋之上帝之子

    原本篮球天赋惊艳众人的季峰,却在自己篮球生涯刚要起步高中时期被查出祸患心脏病,篮球之路被迫终结,球场上潇洒狂放的季峰不再,只剩下患病之躯的季峰苟延残喘,面对众人的奚落,季峰心有不甘却无可奈何,然而上帝终究没有放弃他的孩子,上帝之子系统从天而降,季峰,开始走向自己传奇的篮球人生!PS:新书求收藏,求点阅!本书已进入NBA剧情!