登陆注册
5216200000015

第15章

THE COUNT DE PUYMANDOUR.

Since the death of the Duchess of Champdoce the greater portion of the Chateau had been closed, but the reception rooms were always ready to be used at a very short notice.

The dining-room was a really magnificent apartment.There were massive buffets of carved oak, black with age, ornamented with brass mountings.The shelves groaned beneath their load of goblets and salvers of the brightest silver, engraved with the haughty armorial bearings of the house of Champdoce.

Standing near one of the windows, Norbert saw a man, stout, robust, bald and red-faced, wearing a mustache and slight beard.His clothes were evidently made by a first-rate tailor, but his appearance was utterly commonplace.

"This is my son," said the Duke, "the Marquis de Champdoce.Marquis, let me introduce you to the Count de Puymandour."This was the first time that his father had ever addressed Norbert by his title, and he was greatly surprised.The great clock in the outer hall, which had not been going for fifteen years, now struck, and instantly a butler appeared, bearing a massive silver soup tureen, which he placed on the table, announcing solemnly that his Grace was served, and the little party at once seated themselves.A dinner in such a vast chamber would have been rather dull had it not been enlivened by the amusing tales and witty anecdotes of the Count de Puymandour, which he narrated in a jovial but rather vulgar manner, seasoned with bursts of laughter.He ate with an excellent appetite, and praised the quality of the wine, which the Duke himself had chosen from the cellar, which he had filled with an immense stock for the benefit of his descendants.The Duke, who was generally so silent and morose, smiled buoyantly, and appeared to enjoy the pleasantries of his guest.Was this only the duty of the host, or did his geniality conceal some hidden scheme? Norbert was utterly unable to settle this question, for though not gifted with much penetration, he had studied his father's every look as a slave studies his master, and knew exactly what annoyed and what pleased him.

The Count de Puymandour lived in a magnificent house, with his daughter Marie, about three miles from Champdoce, and he was exceedingly fond of entertaining; but the gentry, who did not for a moment decline to accept his grand dinners, did not hesitate to say that Puymandour was a thief and a rogue.Had he been convicted of larceny, he could not have been spoken of with more disdainful contempt.But he was very wealthy, and possessed at least five millions of francs.Of course this was an excellent reason for hating him, but the fact was, that Puymandour was a very worthy man, and had made his money by speculation in wool on the Spanish frontier.For a long period he had lived happy and respected in his native town of Orthez, when all at once he was tempted by the thought of titular rank, and from that time his life was one long misery.He took the name of one of his estates, he bought his title in Italy, and ordered his coat-of-arms from a heraldic agent in Paris, and now his ambition was to be treated as a real nobleman.The mere fact of dining with the eccentric Duke de Champdoce, who never invited any one to his table, was to him, as it were, a real patent of nobility.

At ten o'clock he rose and declared he must leave, and the Duke escorted him the length of the avenue to the great gates opening on the main road, and Norbert, who walked a few paces in the rear, caught now and then a few words of their conversation.

"Yes," remarked Puymandour, "I will give a million down."Then came a few words from the Duke, of which Norbert could only catch the words, "thousands and millions."He paid, however, but little attention, for his mind was many miles away.Since the unlooked-for meeting with that fair young face, he had thought of nothing else, and he mechanically shook hands with, and bade his guest "Good-night" when his father did.

When the Duke was sure that M.de Puymandour could not hear his voice, he took his son by the arm, and the bitterness of feeling which he had so long repressed burst forth in words.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • A Little Princess

    A Little Princess

    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。
  • 墨锦深情浪漫经典(共4册)

    墨锦深情浪漫经典(共4册)

    和《微微一笑很倾城》一样好看,人气作家墨锦经典作品大合集!深情浪漫的爱情四部曲,带你重拾初恋的心动感觉!《我用一生为你守候》当年少已逐渐远去,回忆亦成为过往,已经背道而驰的她和他,可否有再续前缘的那天?《我用十年守候换你一声答复》面对如明星一般闪耀的他,她退却了,可他,这次却不再允许她逃离他的世界。他用实际行动告诉她,他的执著,不仅是十年,而是一生。
  • 外星人探访记(探索发现漫游记)

    外星人探访记(探索发现漫游记)

    《外星人探访记》本书为您讲述关于外星人的科普知识。本书知识全面、内容精炼、通俗易懂,能够培养读者的科学兴趣和爱好,达到普及科学知识的目的,具有很强的可读性、启发性和知识性,是广大读者了解科技、增长知识、开阔视野、提高素质、激发探索和启迪智慧的良好科普读物。
  • 饮食习俗

    饮食习俗

    我国是世界东方的文明古国,有着5000多年的文明史。其源远流长的民俗文化,是中华文明的重要组成部分。按照现在的说法,民俗文化的绝大部分属于无形文化、非物质文化。在经济全球化浪潮的冲击下,抢救和保护非物质文化遗产已经在全世界形成共识。2003年10月,联合国教科文组织颁布了《保护非物质文化遗产公约》。我国作为一个非物质文化遗产大国,面临大量民风民俗、民间技艺的濒危、失传,抢救、保护已是时不我待。文化部及时制定了与联合国教科文组织公约精神相一致的有关文件,社会各界也极力呼吁对传统民间节日、艺术的保护。
  • 神医辣妻山里汉

    神医辣妻山里汉

    新文《秀才娘子忙种田》,1V1甜宠高甜种田文已发,求支持昂~一朝穿越成了农家软弱可欺的赔钱货,身边还跟着软包子亲娘和病秧子哥哥,自己还被亲奶奶算计着给老头子当通房。苏秦觉得压力山大,撸起袖管儿,“自毁容貌”果断分家,赚大钱,养家家,虐渣渣,一手极品医术,小日子也过的风生水起。可是总有一个傻子猎户说要对自己负责,处处无怨无悔的帮着自己,岂料山里汉子不但心思不单纯,身份也不单纯,帮着帮着就以将军的名义帮进洞房了。某男超狗腿:“娘子,将军什么的,我都不在乎,我只想跟着你在乡下种包子!”
  • 主神大人在线求攻略

    主神大人在线求攻略

    元倾在对男神持续说了94天的晚安退出聊天界面时发现与男神的大火花变成了一朵小桃花。 然后她用食指戳了戳那朵小桃花,小桃花忽的娇羞道:“哎呦,你戳疼人家啦!”于是元倾光荣地晕了过去。辗转醒来。 一片世外桃源空间。 一朵漂浮会说话的桃花系统。 还有这长得跟男神一模一样却自称主神大人的男人是怎么回事?
  • 主妇持家省钱100招

    主妇持家省钱100招

    省钱不一定要降低生活品质,钱要花在好刀刃上。省钱是一种智慧,是一门学问,更是一种生活方式。会挣钱还要会花钱,会花钱还要知道如何省钱。做一个聪明主妇,让生活如你所愿。你不要以为省钱就等于过紧巴巴的日子。只要省得巧妙、台理,你的生活质量不但不会降低,还会得到很多乐趣。一项国外的研究显示,如果我们精打细算,每月就能省下10%~20%的生活开销,那么一年下来也是一大笔钱了。这市羊的好事儿我们为什么要拒绝呢?
  • 这男人欠揍

    这男人欠揍

    他的胳膊伸过来,我一骨碌站起来,留给他一个后背,“走得时候麻烦关门。”走进浴室,打开花洒,水到脸上,再也分不清哪是泪水!裹着浴巾回到房间,他已经不在了。平整的床上安静地躺着一摞钞票,一张纸还有我的正在唱歌的手机。我没有理会手机,皱起眉头拿起了那张纸,只见上面写着:“强力胶小姐,我想告诉你三件事。第一,我不是出来卖的,所以不能收你的钱。第二,你不戴眼镜,不盘头,不穿衣服的样子很美!第……
  • 头号婚宠:惹火小妻太难缠

    头号婚宠:惹火小妻太难缠

    “我就是来抢婚的!”在她的婚礼上,如天神降临的男人如此宣布。“我答应和你合作。”那一天,她签下结婚协议书。一纸契约,将两个不相干的人牵到一起。究竟是逢场作戏,还是一往而深?究竟是阴谋阳谋,还是奋不顾身?“这辈子,不会再让你孤独。”
  • 改变心态改变一生

    改变心态改变一生

    人生就像万花筒,充满了无数的未知与变幻,关键是我们用什么样的心态去面对。生活就是一面镜子,你笑它也笑,你哭它也哭。未来不会因为我们的抱怨而改变,改变人生的方式只有一个,那就是调整我们的心态。身处逆境的人,如果能够坚强面对,积极行动,一样可以突出重围、拥有光明的未来。《改变心态改变一生》从“心态决定人生成败”的角度出发,分别从挫折、生活、自己、他人、家庭、事业、工作、财富等角度进行全方位的指导,所例举的故事真实鲜活,以点带面,纵横深入,使读者于字里行间领悟心态对人生的重要作用,从而树立积极的心态,笑对人生!