the relics of general chasse-第3部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


and　if　there　be　any　misfortune　to　which　a　man　may　be　allowed　to
succumb　without　imputation　on　his　manliness；　surely　it　is　such　as
this。　　How　was　Mr。　Horne　to　return　to　his　hotel　without　incurring
the　displeasure　of　the　municipality？　　That　was　my　first　thought。

He　had　a　cloak；　but　it　was　at　the　inn；　and　I　found　that　my　friend
was　oppressed　with　a　great　horror　at　the　idea　of　being　left　alone；
so　that　I　could　not　go　in　search　of　it。　　There　is　an　old　saying；
that　no　man　is　a　hero　to　his　valet　de　chambre；　the　reason　doubtless
being　this；　that　it　is　customary　for　his　valet　to　see　the　hero
divested　of　those　trappings　in　which　so　much　of　the　heroic　consists。
Who　reverences　a　clergyman　without　his　gown；　or　a　warrior　without
his　sword　and　sabre…tasche？　　What　would　even　Minerva　be　without　her
helmet？

I　do　not　wish　it　to　be　understood　that　I　no　longer　reverenced　Mr。
Horne　because　he　was　in　an　undress；　but　he　himself　certainly　lost
much　of　his　composed；　well…sustained　dignity　of　demeanour。　　He　was
fearful　and　querulous；　cold；　and　rather　cross。　　When；　forgetting　his
size；　I　offered　him　my　own；　he　thought　that　I　was　laughing　at　him。
He　began　to　be　afraid　that　the　story　would　get　abroad；　and　he　then
and　there　exacted　a　promise　that　I　would　never　tell　it　during　his
lifetime。　　I　have　kept　my　word；　but　now　my　old　friend　has　been
gathered　to　his　fathers；　full　of　years。

At　last　I　got　him　to　the　hotel。　　It　was　long　before　he　would　leave
the　castle；　cloaked　though　he　was；not；　indeed；　till　the　shades　of
evening　had　dimmed　the　outlines　of　men　and　things；　and　made
indistinct　the　outward　garniture　of　those　who　passed　to　and　fro　in
the　streets。　　Then；　wrapped　in　his　cloak；　Mr。　Horne　followed　me
along　the　quays　and　through　the　narrowest　of　the　streets；　and　at
length；　without　venturing　to　return　the　gaze　of　any　one　in　the　hotel
court；　he　made　his　way　up　to　his　own　bedroom。

Dinnerless　and　supperless　he　went　to　his　couch。　　But　when　there　he
did　consent　to　receive　some　consolation　in　the　shape　of　mutton
cutlets　and　fried　potatoes；　a　savory　omelet；　and　a　bottle　of　claret。
The　mutton　cutlets　and　fried　potatoes　at　the　Golden　Fleece　at
Antwerp　areor　were　then；　for　I　am　speaking　now　of　well…nigh　thirty
years　sinceremarkably　good；　the　claret；　also；　was　of　the　best；　and
so；　by　degrees；　the　look　of　despairing　dismay　passed　from　his　face；
and　some　scintillations　of　the　old　fire　returned　to　his　eyes。

〃I　wonder　whether　they　find　themselves　much　happier　for　what　they
have　got？〃　said　he。

〃A　great　deal　happier；〃　said　I。　　〃They'll　boast　of　those　things　to
all　their　friends　at　home；　and　we　shall　doubtless　see　some　account
of　their　success　in　the　newspapers。〃

〃It　would　be　delightful　to　expose　their　blunder；to　show　them　up。
Would　it　not；　George？　　To　turn　the　tables　on　them？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　I；　〃I　should　like　to　have　the　laugh　against　them。〃

〃So　would　I；　only　that　I　should　compromise　myself　by　telling　the
story。　　It　wouldn't　do　at　all　to　have　it　told　at　Oxford　with　my　name
attached　to　it。〃

To　this　also　I　assented。　　To　what　would　I　not　have　assented　in　my
anxiety　to　make　him　happy　after　his　misery？

But　all　was　not　over　yet。　　He　was　in　bed　now；　but　it　was　necessary
that　he　should　rise　again　on　the　morrow。　　At　home；　in　England；　what
was　required　might　perhaps　have　been　made　during　the　night；　but
here；　among　the　slow　Flemings；　any　such　exertion　would　have　been
impossible。　　Mr。　Horne；　moreover；　had　no　desire　to　be　troubled　in
his　retirement　by　a　tailor。

Now　the　landlord　of　the　Golden　Fleece　was　a　very　stout　man；a　very
stout　man　indeed。　　Looking　at　him　as　he　stood　with　his　hands　in　his
pockets　at　the　portal　of　his　own　establishment；　I　could　not　but
think　that　he　was　stouter　even　than　Mr。　Horne。　　But　then　he　was
certainly　much　shorter；　and　the　want　of　due　proportion　probably
added　to　his　unwieldy　appearance。　　I　walked　round　him　once　or　twice
wishfully；　measuring　him　in　my　eye；　and　thinking　of　what　texture
might　be　the　Sunday　best　of　such　a　man。　　The　clothes　which　he　then
had　on　were　certainly　not　exactly　suited　to　Mr。　Horne's　tastes。

He　saw　that　I　was　observing　him；　and　appeared　uneasy　and　offended。
I　had　already　ascertained　that　he　spoke　a　little　English。　　Of
Flemish　I　knew　literally　nothing；　and　in　French；　with　which　probably
he　was　also　acquainted；　I　was　by　no　means　voluble。　　The　business
which　I　had　to　transact　was　intricate；　and　I　required　the　use　of　my
mother…tongue。

It　was　intricate　and　delicate；　and　difficult　withal。　　I　began　by
remarking　on　the　weather；　but　he　did　not　take　my　remarks　kindly。　　I
am　inclined　to　fancy　that　he　thought　I　was　desirous　of　borrowing
money　from　him。　　At　any　rate　he　gave　me　no　encouragement　in　my　first
advances。

〃Vat　misfortune？〃　at　last　he　asked；　when　I　had　succeeded　in　making
him　understand　that　a　gentleman　up　stairs　required　his　assistance。

〃He　has　lost　these　things；〃　and　I　took　hold　of　my　own　garments。
〃It's　a　long　story；　or　I'd　tell　you　how；　but　he　has　not　a　pair　in
the　world　till　he　gets　back　to　Brussels；unless　you　can　lend　him
one。〃

〃Lost　hees　br…？〃　and　he　opened　his　eyes　wide；　and　looked　at　me　with
astonishment。

〃Yes；　yes；　exactly　so；〃　said　I；　interrupting　him。　　〃Most　astonishing
thing；　isn't　it？　　But　it's　quite　true。〃

〃Vas　hees　money　in　de　pocket？〃　asked　my　auspicious　landlord。

〃No；　no；　no。　　It's　not　so　bad　as　that；　his　money　is　all　right。　　I
had　the　money；　luckily。〃

〃Ah！　dat　is　better。　　But　he　have　lost　hees　b…？〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　I　was　now　getting　rather　impatient。　　〃There　is　no
mistake　about　it。　　He　has　lost　them　as　sure　as　you　stand　there。〃
And　then　I　proceeded　to　explain　that　as　the　gentleman　in　question
was　very　stout；　and　as　he；　the　landlord；　was　stoat　also；　he　might
assist　us　in　this　great　calamity　by　a　loan　from　his　own　wardrobe。

When　he　found　that　the　money　was　not　in　the　pocket；　and　that　his
bill　therefore　would　be　paid；　he　was　not　indisposed　to　be　gracious。
He　would；　he　said；　desire　his　servant　to　take　up　what　was　required
to　Mr。　Horne's　chamber。　　I　endeavoured　to　make　him　understand　that　a
sombre　colour　would　be　preferable；　but　he　only　answered　that　he
would　put　the　best　that　he　had　at　the　gentleman's　disposal。　　He
could　not　think　of　offering　anything　less　than　his　best　on　such　an
occasion。　　And　then　he　turned　his　back　and　went　his　way；　muttering
as　he　went　something　in　Flemish；　which　I　believed　to　be　an
exclamation　of　astonishment　that　any　man　should；　under　any
circumstances；　lose　such　an　article。

It　was　now　getting　late；　so　when　I　had　taken　a　short　stroll　by
myself；　I　went　to　bed　without　disturbing　Mr。　Horne　again　that　night。
On　the　following　morning　I　thought　it　best　not　to　go　to　him　unless
he　sent　for　me；　so　I　desired　the　boots　to　let　him　know　that　I　had
ordered　breakfast　in　a　private　room；　and　that　I　would　await　him
there　unless　he　wished　to　see　me。　　He　sent　me　word　back　to　say　that
he　would　be　with　me　very　shortly。

He　did　not　keep　me　waiting　above　half　an　hour；　but　I　confess　that
that　half　hour　was　not　pleasantly　spent。　　I　feared　that　his　temper
would　be　tried　in　dressing；　and　that　he　would　not　be　able　to　eat　his
breakfast　in　a　happy　state　of　mind。　　So　that　when　I　heard　his　heavy
footstep　advancing　along　the　passage　my　heart　did　misgive　me；　and　I
felt　that　I　was　trembling。

That　step　was　certainly　slower　and　more　ponderous　than　usual。　　There
was　always　a　certain　dignity　in　the　very　sound　of　his　movements；　but
now　this　seemed　to　have　been　enhanced。　　To　judge　merely　by　the　step
one　would　have　said　that　a　bishop　was　coming　that　way　instead　of　a
prebendary。

And　then　he　entered。　　In　the　upper　half　of　his　august　person　no
alteration　was　perceptible。　　The　hair　was　as　regular　and　as　graceful
as　ever；　the　handkerchief　as　white；　the　coat　as　immaculate；　but
below　his　well…filled　waistcoat　a　pair　of　red　plush　began　to　shine
in　unmitigated　splendour；　and　continued　from　thence　down　to　within
an　inch　above　his　knee；　nor；　as　it　appeared；　could　any　pulling
induce　them　to　descend　lower。　　Mr。　Horne　always　wore　black　silk
stockings；at　least　so　the　world　supposed；　but　it　was　now　apparent
that　the　world　had　been　wrong　in　presuming　him　to　be　guilty　of　such
extravagance。　　Those；　at　any　rate；　which　he　exhibited　on　the　present
occasion　were　more　economical。　　They　were　silk　to　the　calf；　but
thence　upwards　they　continued　their　career　in　white　cotton。　　These
then　followed　the　plush；　first　two　snowy；　full…sized　pillars　of
white；　and　then　two　jet　columns　of　flossy　silk。　　Such　was　the
appearance；　on　that　well…remembered　morning；　of　the　Rev。　Augustus
Horne；　as　he　entered　the　room　in　which　his　breakfast　was　prepared。

I　could　see　at　a　glance　that　a　dark　frown　contracted　his　eyebrows；
and　that　the　compressed　muscles　of　his　upper　lip　gave　a　strange
degree　of　austerity　to　his　open　face。　　He　carried　his　head　proudly
on　high；　determined　to　be　dignified　in　spite　of　his　misfortunes；　and
advanced　two　steps　into　the　room　without　a　remark；　as　though　he　were
able　to　show　that　neither　red　plush　nor　black　cloth　could　disarrange
the　equal　poise　of　his　mighty　mind！

And　after　all　what　are　a　man's　garments　but　the　outward　husks　in
which　the　fruit　is　kept；　duly　tempered　from　the　wind？


〃The　rank　is　but　the　guinea　stamp；
The　man's　the　gowd　for　a'　that。〃


And　is　not　the　tailor's　art　as　little　worthy；　as　insignificant　as
that　of　the　king　who　makes


〃A　marquis；　duke；　and　a'　that〃？


Who　would　be　content　to　think　that　his　manly　dignity　depended　on　his
coat　and　waistcoat；　or　his　hold　on　the　world's　esteem　on　any　other
garment　of　usual　wear？　　That　no　such　weakness　soiled　his　mind　Mr。
Horne　was　determined　to　prove；　and　thus　he　entered　the　room　with
measured　tread；　and　stern　dignified　demeanour。

Having　advanced　two　steps　his　eye　caught　mine。　　I　do　not　know
whether　he　was　moved　by　some　unconscious　smile　on　my　part；for　in
truth　I　endeavoured　to　seem　as　indifferent　as　himself　to　the　nature
of　his　dress；or　whether　he　was　invincibly　tickled　by　some　inward
fancy　of　his　own；　but　suddenly　his　advancing　step　ceased；　a　broad
flash　of　comic　humour　spread　itself　over　his　features；　he　retreated
with　his　back　against　the　wall；　and　then　burst　out　into　an
immoderate　roar　of　loud　laughter。

An