登陆注册
5196600000123

第123章

Evidently he startled the Bellegardes, and they had not their grand behavior immediately in hand.Newman hurried past them, guided only by the desire to get out of the convent walls and into the street.The gate opened itself at his approach;he strode over the threshold and it closed behind him.

A carriage which appeared to have been standing there, was just turning away from the sidewalk.Newman looked at it for a moment, blankly; then he became conscious, through the dusky mist that swam before his eyes, that a lady seated in it was bowing to him.The vehicle had turned away before he recognized her;it was an ancient landau with one half the cover lowered.

The lady's bow was very positive and accompanied with a smile;a little girl was seated beside her.He raised his hat, and then the lady bade the coachman stop.The carriage halted again beside the pavement, and she sat there and beckoned to Newman--beckoned with the demonstrative grace of Madame Urbain de Bellegarde.

Newman hesitated a moment before he obeyed her summons, during this moment he had time to curse his stupidity for letting the others escape him.He had been wondering how he could get at them;fool that he was for not stopping them then and there!

What better place than beneath the very prison walls to which they had consigned the promise of his joy? He had been too bewildered to stop them, but now he felt ready to wait for them at the gate.

Madame Urbain, with a certain attractive petulance, beckoned to him again, and this time he went over to the carriage.

She leaned out and gave him her hand, looking at him kindly, and smiling.

"Ah, monsieur," she said, "you don't include me in your wrath?

I had nothing to do with it."

"Oh, I don't suppose YOU could have prevented it!"Newman answered in a tone which was not that of studied gallantry.

"What you say is too true for me to resent the small account it makes of my influence.I forgive you, at any rate, because you look as if you had seen a ghost.""I have!" said Newman.

"I am glad, then, I didn't go in with Madame de Bellegarde and my husband.

You must have seen them, eh? Was the meeting affectionate? Did you hear the chanting? They say it's like the lamentations of the damned.

I wouldn't go in: one is certain to hear that soon enough.

Poor Claire--in a white shroud and a big brown cloak!

That's the toilette of the Carmelites, you know.Well, she was always fond of long, loose things.But I must not speak of her to you;only I must say that I am very sorry for you, that if I could have helped you I would, and that I think every one has been very shabby.

I was afraid of it, you know; I felt it in the air for a fortnight before it came.When I saw you at my mother-in-law's ball, taking it all so easily, I felt as if you were dancing on your grave.

But what could I do? I wish you all the good I can think of.

You will say that isn't much! Yes; they have been very shabby;I am not a bit afraid to say it; I assure you every one thinks so.

We are not all like that.I am sorry I am not going to see you again;you know I think you very good company.I would prove it by asking you to get into the carriage and drive with me for a quarter of an hour, while I wait for my mother-in-law.Only if we were seen--considering what has passed, and every one knows you have been turned away--it might be thought I was going a little too far, even for me.

But I shall see you sometimes--somewhere, eh? You know"--this was said in English--"we have a plan for a little amusement."Newman stood there with his hand on the carriage-door listening to this consolatory murmur with an unlighted eye.

He hardly knew what Madame de Bellegarde was saying;he was only conscious that she was chattering ineffectively.

But suddenly it occurred to him that, with her pretty professions, there was a way of making her effective;she might help him to get at the old woman and the marquis.

"They are coming back soon--your companions?" he said.

"You are waiting for them?"

"They will hear the mass out; there is nothing to keep them longer.

Claire has refused to see them."

"I want to speak to them," said Newman; "and you can help me, you can do me a favor.Delay your return for five minutes and give me a chance at them.

I will wait for them here."

Madame de Bellegarde clasped her hands with a tender grimace.

"My poor friend, what do you want to do to them?

To beg them to come back to you? It will be wasted words.

They will never come back!"

"I want to speak to them, all the same.Pray do what I ask you.

Stay away and leave them to me for five minutes; you needn't be afraid;I shall not be violent; I am very quiet.""Yes, you look very quiet! If they had le coeur tendre you would move them.

But they haven't! However, I will do better for you than what you propose.

The understanding is not that I shall come back for them.

I am going into the Parc Monceau with my little girl to give her a walk, and my mother-in-law, who comes so rarely into this quarter, is to profit by the same opportunity to take the air.We are to wait for her in the park, where my husband is to bring her to us.

Follow me now; just within the gates I shall get out of my carriage.

Sit down on a chair in some quiet corner and I will bring them near you.

There's devotion for you! Le reste vous regarde."This proposal seemed to Newman extremely felicitous; it revived his drooping spirit, and he reflected that Madame Urbain was not such a goose as she seemed.He promised immediately to overtake her, and the carriage drove away.

The Parc Monceau is a very pretty piece of landscape-gardening, but Newman, passing into it, bestowed little attention upon its elegant vegetation, which was full of the freshness of spring.

He found Madame de Bellegarde promptly, seated in one of the quiet corners of which she had spoken, while before her, in the alley, her little girl, attended by the footman and the lap-dog, walked up and down as if she were taking a lesson in deportment.

同类推荐
  • 西樵语业

    西樵语业

    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。
  • 入楞伽经

    入楞伽经

    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。
  • 普门显禅师语录

    普门显禅师语录

    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。
  • 佛说妇人遇辜经

    佛说妇人遇辜经

    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。
  • The Black Dwarf

    The Black Dwarf

    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
  • 战争与和平(语文新课标课外必读第五辑)

    战争与和平(语文新课标课外必读第五辑)

    国家教育部颁布了最新《语文课程标准》,统称新课标,对中、小学语文教学指定了阅读书目,对阅读的数量、内容、质量以及速度都提出了明确的要求,这对于提高学生的阅读能力,培养语文素养,陶冶情操,促进学生终身学习和终身可持续发展,对于提高广大人民的文学素养具有极大的意义。
  • 师妹难当:高冷师兄霸道爱

    师妹难当:高冷师兄霸道爱

    一朝穿越居然长了一张惊天下的容颜,而她却又因为这张容颜不得不远离自己的亲人。十年学艺归来,盯着张平凡无奇的脸整日晃荡着,享受着应该平静而温馨的生活。但是为啥身边还有这么多的事情?好姐妹的男人被人控制,帮亲姐夫上位,顺便来个江山大统。这也就算了,为啥又蹦出个不是亲娘?好吧,为了姐妹刀山油锅也要去。正走着梅娘回头一看,不好,师兄追来了。快跑!
  • 霸道教官,别太狂

    霸道教官,别太狂

    “宋煜霆,你不是答应老娘的吗?”白筱筱怒吼道。某人嘴角勾出一抹邪魅的笑容,“都是爷的女人,还这么矫情。”“宋煜霆,你就是一只披着人皮的狼。”“就算是狼,也是一只只属于你的狼。”某人尽情的发挥着他的无赖攻势。“宋煜霆,你说,你是什么时候对老娘有心思的?”“从你看着我开始!”
  • 风沙漫笔

    风沙漫笔

    徐刚作品集,内容包括:黄土高原、大地史书、黄河兰州、夕照敦煌、西行路上左公柳、古浪褶皱、八步沙之梦、再访民勤、明月有约、消失的古城、新疆古道、大漠之水、寻找艾丁湖、废墟与坎儿井等。
  • 庶妃翻身这个王爷不太冷

    庶妃翻身这个王爷不太冷

    “希瑶,希瑶,快醒醒!”一阵急促的呼唤声传入耳际,程希瑶猛吸一口气,豁然睁开眼睛。……
  • 打开心灵的锁

    打开心灵的锁

    打开心灵的锁主要内容:沉重的锁围绕着你的心灵,让你的心灵受到积压,使你的头一片空白,没有哲理,也没有智慧。只有打开那把锁,你的灵才会绽放出智慧的花朵。
  • 国师帮帮忙

    国师帮帮忙

    吕仲明的使命是回到初唐占山头收小弟。本想着三分剑啸七分月光秀口一吐出来半个盛唐。没想到……最后却成了别人的小弟。
  • 变形记 城堡(经典译林)

    变形记 城堡(经典译林)

    卡夫卡被誉为“现代文学的魔法师”、“20世纪最优秀的作家之一”。他的小说全部都是关于人类世界这个庞大的寓言体系的一部分,他自己也是其中的一部分。卡夫卡用简洁的文字和深刻的象征洞悉人们生活的虚无、矛盾和荒谬,剖析人性的孤独、脆弱和绝望,以不朽而精辟的真知揭示生命及其生命置身其中的世界的所有真相。《变形记 城堡》收入了奥地利作家卡夫卡的作品《变形记》和《城堡》两部作品。
  • 等风来之期待爱

    等风来之期待爱

    梦还是该醒了,不是自己的终究还是不是自己的,只是为什么自己会这么冷呢,刺骨的冷,刺骨的痛,他终究还是选择了她,雪还在下,柳若馨爬在雪地上,身下的红色绝望的蔓延开来,就连最后一点他和她的关联也无情的被剥夺呢,苦笑,这也好,从此他们便再无瓜葛,她轻轻的抚摸了腹部,心里默默念道:孩子,对不起,你去找个好人家吧。若馨已经分不清是身体上的还是心里上的痛,意识开始模糊,过往一幕幕在脑海浮现,他的笑,他的怒,他的吻,从此再也不不属于她了,可是似乎这些也从未属于过她,还是苦笑,这个冬天真冷啊,真的好冷,好想回到过去,回到一年前,谁也不认识谁的时候
  • 你渴望现实生活中得到力量吗

    你渴望现实生活中得到力量吗

    作品介绍真的烦,本来打字又慢还要给我加字贼恶心