登陆注册
5394400000063

第63章

Bernard prepared for Gordon's arrival in Paris, which, according to his letter, would take place in a few days.

He was not intending to stop in England; Blanche desired to proceed immediately to the French capital, to confer with her man-milliner, after which it was probable that they would go to Italy or to the East for the winter.

"I have given her a choice of Rome or the Nile," said Gordon, "but she tells me she does n't care a fig where we go."

I say that Bernard prepared to receive his friends, and I mean that he prepared morally--or even intellectually.

Materially speaking, he could simply hold himself in readiness to engage an apartment at a hotel and to go to meet them at the station. He expected to hear from Gordon as soon as this interesting trio should reach England, but the first notification he received came from a Parisian hotel.

It came to him in the shape of a very short note, in the morning, shortly before lunch, and was to the effect that his friends had alighted in the Rue de la Paix the night before.

"We were tired, and I have slept late," said Gordon; "otherwise you should have heard from me earlier. Come to lunch, if possible.

I want extremely to see you."

Bernard, of course, made a point of going to lunch. In as short a time as possible he found himself in Gordon's sitting-room at the Hotel Middlesex.

The table was laid for the midday repast, and a gentleman stood with his back to the door, looking out of the window. As Bernard came in, this gentleman turned and exhibited the ambrosial beard, the symmetrical shape, the monocular appendage, of Captain Lovelock.

The Captain screwed his glass into his eye, and greeted Bernard in his usual fashion--that is, as if he had parted with him overnight.

"Oh, good morning! Beastly morning, is n't it?

I suppose you are come to luncheon--I have come to luncheon.

It ought to be on table, you know--it 's nearly two o'clock.

But I dare say you have noticed foreigners are never punctual--it 's only English servants that are punctual. And they don't understand luncheon, you know--they can't make out our eating at this sort of hour. You know they always dine so beastly early.

Do you remember the sort of time they used to dine at Baden?--half-past five, half-past six; some unearthly hour of that kind. That 's the sort of time you dine in America.

I found they 'd invite a man at half-past six. That 's what I call being in a hurry for your food. You know they always accuse the Americans of making a rush for their victuals.

I am bound to say that in New York, and that sort of place, the victuals were very good when you got them.

I hope you don't mind my saying anything about America?

You know the Americans are so deucedly thin-skinned--they always bristle up if you say anything against their institutions.

The English don't care a rap what you say--they 've got a different sort of temper, you know. With the Americans I'm deuced careful--I never breathe a word about anything.

While I was over there I went in for being complimentary.

I laid it on thick, and I found they would take all I could give them. I did n't see much of their institutions, after all;

I went in for seeing the people. Some of the people were charming--upon my soul, I was surprised at some of the people. I dare say you know some of the people I saw; they were as nice people as you would see anywhere.

There were always a lot of people about Mrs. Wright, you know; they told me they were all the best people. You know she is always late for everything. She always comes in after every one is there--looking so devilish pretty, pulling on her gloves.

She wears the longest gloves I ever saw in my life. Upon my word, if they don't come, I think I will ring the bell and ask the waiter what 's the matter. Would n't you ring the bell?

It 's a great mistake, their trying to carry out their ideas of lunching. That 's Wright's character, you know; he 's always trying to carry out some idea. When I am abroad, I go in for the foreign breakfast myself. You may depend upon it they had better give up trying to do this sort of thing at this hour."

Captain Lovelock was more disposed to conversation than Bernard had known him before. His discourse of old had been languid and fragmentary, and our hero had never heard him pursue a train of ideas through so many involutions. To Bernard's observant eye, indeed, the Captain was an altered man.

His manner betrayed a certain restless desire to be agreeable, to anticipate judgment--a disposition to smile, and be civil, and entertain his auditor, a tendency to move about and look out of the window and at the clock. He struck Bernard as a trifle nervous--as less solidly planted on his feet than when he lounged along the Baden gravel-walks by the side of his usual companion--a lady for whom, apparently, his admiration was still considerable.

Bernard was curious to see whether he would ring the bell to inquire into the delay attending the service of lunch; but before this sentiment, rather idle under the circumstances, was gratified, Blanche passed into the room from a neighboring apartment. To Bernard's perception Blanche, at least, was always Blanche; she was a person in whom it would not have occurred to him to expect any puzzling variation, and the tone of her little, soft, thin voice instantly rang in his ear like an echo of yesterday's talk. He had already remarked to himself that after however long an interval one might see Blanche, she re-appeared with an air of familiarity.

This was in some sense, indeed, a proof of the agreeable impression she made, and she looked exceedingly pretty as she now suddenly stopped on seeing our two gentlemen, and gave a little cry of surprise.

"Ah! I did n't know you were here. They never told me.

Have you been waiting a long time? How d' ye do? You must think we are polite." She held out her hand to Bernard, smiling very graciously. At Captain Lovelock she barely glanced.

"I hope you are very well," she went on to Longueville;

"but I need n't ask that. You 're as blooming as a rose.

同类推荐
  • 现在贤劫千佛名经

    现在贤劫千佛名经

    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。
  • 新菩萨经

    新菩萨经

    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。
  • 伤寒明理论

    伤寒明理论

    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。
  • 正统临戎录

    正统临戎录

    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。
  • The Duchess of Padua

    The Duchess of Padua

    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
  • 今天可以不说烦:拥有快乐的心理学智慧

    今天可以不说烦:拥有快乐的心理学智慧

    “烦死了”这三个字你一定说过,甚至已经成为一句口头禅,时时将它挂在嘴边,动不动就脱口而出。烦恼已经成为影响都市人健康的心理问题之一,如果无法驱走它,它将会影响我们的生活甚至危及生命。因.此,将烦恼、忧郁、愤怒等不良情绪消除是非常重要的。快乐是驱赶烦恼的最好方法,但一些人不懂快乐,总被坏情绪占了上风,或是错误地将逃避、麻醉当成了快乐。快乐是选择,是人的行为习惯,也是自我调节的能力。寻找快乐、养成快乐的习惯悬一生中最重要的事情。
  • 神奇植物大揭秘

    神奇植物大揭秘

    植物世界奇花异草,多有神秘面纱,有许许多多的奇异植物,是很多人闻所未闻的。它们的神秘,让青少年朋友感到兴趣盎然,又迷惑不解。为了满足青少年朋友的需要,本书特此采用生动、形象的语言,帮助青少年朋友深入理解,使青少年朋友在阅读过程中犹如身临其境,轻松、愉快地探索植物的奥秘。
  • 黑骏马

    黑骏马

    《黑骏马》是英国女作家安娜·西韦尔最受欢迎的一部作品,也是她一生中唯一的一部小说作品,小说一出版即轰动全球。作者以第一人称的手法叙述了黑骏马一生的辛酸经历。它是一匹性格温顺、精力旺盛的优种马,然而命运多舛,几易其主,开始时在尊贵的庄园主那里受到厚待,然而好景不长,主人家遭变故,黑骏马被卖。随着年龄的增长,它又再次被卖,最后沦为苦力马,饱尝了人间的酸甜苦辣。值得庆幸的是,晚年的黑骏马却有了一个好的归宿。此书问世后,在欧美常销不衰,影响了一代又一代的读者,唤起了人们对动物的关爱。
  • 霸女军魂

    霸女军魂

    女帝,一女N男,男主不多。小雷文还有点血腥和战争。紫月,外冷内热,坚强果敢,英明睿智,她来自现代的一名特种兵,因救人而英勇牺牲,来到异世,阴云密布的宫廷,表面风平浪静,实则暗潮汹涌,危机四伏,置身于权力的顶端,所谓真情,不过是掩藏阴谋与利益的手段,谁将真心奉上,谁又将利刃掩藏?看她如何破开重重波浪,在权欲横流的宫闱争斗中,由四国鼎立态势,到独霸天下及找到世间至真深情。我制作了个视频地址是http://m.wkkk.net/p_m.wkkk.net有兴趣的去看下,我重新修改了视频有时间的亲可以去看下。---------------------------------------------------她伍紫月坚强,勇敢为人更是狠厉,冷漠,霸气,一双手更是粘满血腥成就霸业,一生荣辱不惊,有人说她是天使统一了四国拯救了万民,有人说她是恶魔一场战争血流成河。他,为人狡诈,性格霸道,偏偏喜欢独立而个性的紫月,为了她愿意付出一切,他们会有怎样的故事。他,青梅竹马,给与一切的包容。他,只有他不想骗的没有他骗不到手的,这回他能骗到芳心吗?他,野心勃勃,清冽神秘,虚无缥缈,暧昧难寻,原为骗取真心得其信任,怎奈却为她心动,无奈一山不容二虎最终含笑死在她的手上且看紫月的心最后会花落谁家呢?此文有战争有血腥,这篇会很有看头的。还请大家支持我,收藏票票偶是多多益善的。推荐花花自己的书地址是:###########################################【暗夜魅影——刺客】:新书求收藏,花花感激不尽【惹祸妖仙】【妖焰焚天】完结【龙战】完结【霸女军魂】完结【总裁的解语花】完结##########################################
  • 李军红说新妇科千金方

    李军红说新妇科千金方

    1条轴决定女人体质:肾—天癸—冲任—胞宫,掌握轴心,身体不虚;2大液体判断女人健康:月经、白带……
  • 我的师父从石棺来

    我的师父从石棺来

    我不是孤儿,却要自小远离家乡在外生活。因为,有位阴阳先生说我八字很特殊,体质奇特,极为罕见,将来必有奇遇。让我三十岁之前不能与至亲在一起生活,否则会与他们相克。我不是道士,却要拜石棺里的尸体做师父。因为,我的身体里隐藏着千年的秘密,阴间诅咒,阳间鬼泣,一切命中注定。让我意外掉进了神秘的山洞里,见到了石棺里穿道袍的尸体。他是我神秘的师父,我是他愚笨的徒弟。这一切如同冥冥中注定,我该怎么应付未知的命运……
  • 遗忘玻璃鞋

    遗忘玻璃鞋

    本书是一部长篇小说,蓝天白云下的尖顶小城,在不及一平方公里的空间中,矗立着本市最美丽的建筑。蜜糖色的石砖,把整个空间堆砌得欧风盎然……这个世界充满了传奇,各种邂逅更是迷雾重重,能够遇到那些人我真是有幸,今天的故事发生在私立雅未高中,而唯一能看透真相的就是外表看似平凡智慧却过于常人的你咯我真的不是辛德瑞拉,她留下玻璃鞋,而我却忘记了,于是我与我的王子擦身而过……
  • 佛说贫穷老公经之二

    佛说贫穷老公经之二

    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。
  • 早安,死神大人

    早安,死神大人

    温柔死神&抑郁少女:已更完(1-117章)淡定片警&沙雕少女:沙雕少女被谋杀,死后误入红枫林,意外重生成一只小白鹅,邂逅胡同里可能很机智的小片警......emmm七百多公里的距离,只能说,都是缘分。外科医生&霸气女阴差:干着世纪脏活累活的女阴差,遇见了那个能让该死的人死而复生的神手外科医生,霸气女阴差一边想着这不科学,一边又不一小心跟这神手相爱相杀了起来。爆火明星&黑翅膀小天使:寂寞的他遇见了别人都看不见摸不着的她,想着终于能悄咪咪地谈一场甜甜的恋爱了,可是为什么,这只小天使能被越来越多的人看见了?脑洞之作,看谁飘得过谁。对不起,我飘了......大家,早安,上午安,午安,下午安,晚安!
  • 异世大陆:植物之子

    异世大陆:植物之子

    他来历不明,却有着异于整个世界的能力,他是命运之子,可他拥有的却是鸡肋般的元素属性,他家一门双魔武,红颜知己更是与之相辅相成,他驱除鞑虏扬己国威,他拯救世界于水火之中。