john bull on the guadalquivir-第5部分

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〃He　would　give　them　in　charge　to　a　policeman；　of　course；〃　said　I；
speaking　of　such　a　matter　with　the　contempt　it　deserved。

〃If　that　were　done　here　your　ambassador　would　be　demanding　national
explanations。　　But　Almavivas　did　much　better；he　laughed　at　them
without　letting　them　know　it。〃

〃But　do　you　mean　that　they　took　hold　of　him　violently；　without　any
provocation？　　They　must　have　been　drunk。〃

〃Oh；　no；　they　were　sober　enough。　　I　did　not　see　it；　so　I　do　not　quite
know　exactly　how　it　was；　but　I　understand　that　they　committed
themselves　most　absurdly；　absolutely　took　hold　of　his　coat　and　tore
it；　and；　but　they　did　such　ridiculous　things　that　I　cannot　tell
you。〃　　And　yet　Don　Tomas；　if　that　was　the　man's　name；　had　been　able
to　tell　her；　and　she　had　been　able　to　listen　to　him。

〃'What　made　them　take　hold　of　the　marquis？〃　said　I。

〃Curiosity；　I　suppose；〃　she　answered。　　〃He　dresses　somewhat
fancifully；　and　they　could　not　understand　that　any　one　should　wear
garments　different　from　their　own。〃　　But　even　then　the　blow　did　not
strike　home　upon　me。

〃Is　it　not　pretty　to　look　down　upon　the　quiet　town？〃　she　said；　coming
close　up　to　me；　so　that　the　skirt　of　her　dress　pressed　me；　and　her
elbow　touched　my　arm。　　Now　was　the　moment　I　should　have　asked　her　how
her　heart　stood　towards　me；　but　I　was　sore　and　uncomfortable；　and　my
destiny　was　before　me。　　She　was　willing　enough　to　let　these　English
faults　pass　without　further　notice；　but　I　would　not　allow　the　subject
I　drop。

〃I　will　find　out　who　these　men　were；〃　said　I；　〃and　learn　the　truth　of
it。　　When　did　it　occur？〃

〃Last　Thursday；　I　think　he　said。〃

〃Why；　that　was　the　day　we　came　up　in　the　boat；　Johnson　and　myself。
There　was　no　marquis　there　then；　and　we　were　the　only　Englishmen　on
board。〃

〃It　was　on　Thursday；　certainly；　because　it　was　well　known　in　Seville
that　he　arrived　on　that　day。　　You　must　have　remarked　him　because　he
talks　English　perfectlythough　by…the…bye；　these　men　would　go　on
chattering　before　him　about　himself　as　though　it　were　impossible　that
a　Spaniard　should　know　their　language。　　They　are　ignorant　of　Spanish；
and　they　cannot　bring　themselves　to　believe　that　any　one　should　be
better　educated　than　themselves。〃

Now　the　blow　had　fallen；　and　I　straightway　appreciated　the　necessity
of　returning　immediately　to　Clapham　where　my　family　resided；　and
giving　up　for　ever　all　idea　of　Spanish　connections。　　I　had　resolved
to　assert　the　full　strength　of　my　manhood　on　that　tower；　and　now
words　had　been　spoken　which　left　me　weak　as　a　child。　　I　felt　that　I
was　shivering；　and　did　not　dare　to　pronounce　the　truth　which　must　be
made　known。　　As　to　speaking　of　love；　and　signifying　my　pleasure　that
Don　Tomas　should　for　the　future　be　kept　at　a　distance；　any　such
effort　was　quite　beyond　me。　　Had　Don　Tomas　been　there；　he　might　have
walked　off　with　her　from　before　my　face　without　a　struggle　on　my
part。　　〃Now　I　remember　about　it；〃　she　continued；　〃I　think　he　must
have　been　in　the　boat　on　Thursday。〃

〃And　now　that　I　remember；〃　I　replied；　turning　away　to　hide　my
embarrassment；　〃he　was　there。　　Your　friend　down　below　in　the　plaza
seems　to　have　made　out　a　grand　story。　　No　doubt　he　is　not　fond　of　the
English。　　There　was　such　a　man　there；　and　I　did　take　hold〃

〃Oh；　John；　was　it　you？〃

〃Yes；　Donna　Maria；　it　was　I；　and　if　Lord　John　Russell　were　to　dress
himself　in　the　same　way〃　　But　I　had　no　time　to　complete　my
description　of　what　might　occur　under　so　extravagantly　impossible　a
combination　of　circumstances；　for　as　I　was　yet　speaking；　the　little
door　leading　out　on　to　the　leads　of　the　tower　was　opened　and　my
friend；　the　mayo　of　the　boat；　still　bearing　gewgaws　on　his　back；
stepped　up　on　to　the　platform。　　My　eye　instantly　perceived　that　the
one　pendule　was　still　missing　from　his　jacket。　　He　did　not　come
alone；　but　three　other　gentlemen　followed　him；　who；　however；　had　no
peculiarities　in　their　dress。　　He　saw　me　at　once　and　bowed　and
smiled；　and　then　observing　Donna　Maria；　he　lifted　his　cap　from　his
head；　and　addressing　himself　to　her　in　Spanish；　began　to　converse
with　her　as　though　she　were　an　old　friend。

〃Senor；〃　said　Maria；　after　the　first　words　of　greeting　had　been
spoken　between　them；　〃you　must　permit　me　to　present　to　you　my
father's　most　particular　friend；　and　my　own；Mr。　Pomfret；　John；　this
is　the　Marquis　D'Almavivas。〃

I　cannot　now　describe　the　grace　with　which　this　introduction　was
effected；　or　the　beauty　of　her　face　as　she　uttered　the　word。　　There
was　a　boldness　about　her　as　though　she　had　said；　〃I　know　it　allthe
whole　story。　　But；　in　spite　of　that　you　must　take　him　on　my
representation；　and　be　gracious　to　him　in　spite　of　what　he　has　done。
You　must　be　content　to　do　that；　or　in　quarrelling　with　him　you　must
quarrel　with　me　also。〃　　And　it　was　done　at　the　spur　of　the　moment
without　delay。　　She；　who　not　five　minutes　since　had　been　loudly
condemning　the　unknown　Englishman　for　his　rudeness；　had　already
pardoned　him；　now　that　he　was　known　to　be　her　friend；　and　had
determined　that　he　should　be　pardoned　by　others　also　or　that　she
would　share　his　disgrace。　　I　recognised　the　nobleness　of　this　at　the
moment；　but；　nevertheless；　I　was　so　sore　that　I　would　almost　have
preferred　that　she　should　have　disowned　me。

The　marquis　immediately　lifted　his　cap　with　his　left　hand　while　he
gave　me　his　right。　　〃I　have　already　had　the　pleasure　of　meeting　this
gentleman；〃　he　said；　〃we　had　some　conversation　in　the　boat　together。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　I；　pointing　to　his　rent；　〃and　you　still　bear　the　marks　of
our　encounter。〃

〃Was　it　not　delightful；　Donna　Maria；〃　he　continued；　turning　to　her；
〃your　friend's　friend　took　me　for　a　torero？〃

〃And　it　served　you　properly；　senor；〃　said　Donna　Maria；　laughing；　〃you
have　no　right　to　go　about　with　all　those　rich　ornaments　upon　you。〃

〃Oh！　quite　properly；　indeed；　I　make　no　complaint；　and　I　must　beg　your
friend　to　understand；　and　his　friend　also；　how　grateful　I　am　for
their　solicitude　as　to　my　pecuniary　welfare。　　They　were　inclined　to
be　severe　on　me　for　being　so　extravagant　in　such　trifles。　　I　was
obliged　to　explain　that　I　had　no　wife　at　home　kept　without　her　proper
allowance　of　dresses；　in　order　that　I　might　be　gay。〃

〃They　are　foreigners；　and　you　should　forgive　their　error；〃　said　she。

〃And　in　token　that　I　do　so；〃　said　the　marquis；　〃I　shall　beg　your
friend　to　accept　the　little　ornament　which　attracted　his　attention。〃
And　so　saying；　he　pulled　the　identical　button　out　of　his　pocket；　and
gracefully　proffered　it　to　me。

〃I　shall　carry　it　about　with　me　always；〃　said　I；　accepting　it；　〃as　a
memento　of　humiliation。　　When　I　look　at　it；　I　shall　ever　remember　the
folly　of　an　Englishman　and　the　courtesy　of　a　Spaniard；〃　and　as　I　made
the　speech　I　could　not　but　reflect　whether　it　might；　under　any
circumstances；　be　possible　that　Lord　John　Russell　should　be　induced
to　give　a　button　off　his　coat　to　a　Spaniard。

There　were　other　civil　speeches　made；　and　before　we　left　the　tower
the　marquis　had　asked　me　to　his　parties；　and　exacted　from　me　an
unwilling　promise　that　I　would　attend　them。　　〃The　senora；〃　he　said；
bowing　again　to　Maria；　〃would；　he　was　sure；　grace　them。　　She　had　done
so　on　the　previous　year；　and　as　I　had　accepted　his　little　present　I
was　bound　to　acknowledge　him　as　my　friend。〃　　All　this　was　very
pretty；　and　of　course　I　said　that　I　would　go；　but　I　had　not　at　that
time　the　slightest　intention　of　doing　so。　　Maria　had　behaved
admirably；　she　had　covered　my　confusion；　and　shown　herself　not
ashamed　to　own　me；　delinquent　as　I　was；　but；　not　the　less；　had　she
expressed　her　opinion；　in　language　terribly　strong；　of　the
awkwardness　of　which　I　had　been　guilty；　and　had　shown　almost　an
aversion　to　my　English　character。　　I　should　leave　Seville　as　quickly
as　I　could；　and　should　certainly　not　again　put　myself　in　the　way　of
the　Marquis　D'Almavivas。　　Indeed；　I　dreaded　the　moment　that　I　should
be　first　alone　with　her；　and　should　find　myself　forced　to　say
something　indicative　of　my　feelingsto　hear　something　also
indicative　of　her　feelings。　　I　had　come　out　this　morning　resolved　to
demand　my　rights　and　to　exercise　themand　now　my　only　wish　was　to
man　away。　　I　hated　the　marquis；　and　longed　to　be　alone　that　I　might
cast　his　button　from　me。　　To　think　that　a　man　should　be　so　ruined　by
such　a　trifle！

We　descended　that　prodigious　flight　without　a　word　upon　the　subject；
and　almost　without　a　word　at　all。　　She　had　carried　herself　well　in
the　presence　of　Almavivas；　and　had　been　too　proud　to　seem　ashamed　of
her　companion；　but　now；　as　I　could　well　see；　her　feelings　of　disgust
and　contempt　had　returned。　　When　I　begged　her　not　to　hurry　herself；
she　would　hardly　answer　me；　and　when　she　did　speak；　her　voice　was
constrained　and　unlike　herself。　　And　yet　how　beautiful　she　was！
Well；　my　dream　of　Spanish　love　must　be　over。　　But　I　was　sure　of　this；
that　having　known　her；　and　given　her　my　heart；　I　could　never
afterwards　share　it　with　another。

We　came　out　at　last　on　the　dark；　gloomy　aisle　of　the　cathedral；　and
walked　together　without　a　word　up　along　the　side　of　the　choir；　till
we　came　to　the　transept。　　There　was　not　a　soul　near　us；　and　not　a
sound　was　to　be　heard　but　the　distant；　low　pattering　of　a　mass；　then
in　course　of　celebration　at　some　far…off　chapel　in　the　cathedral。
When　we　got　to　the　transept　Maria　turned　a　little；　as　though　she　was
going　to　the　transept　door；　and　then　stopped　herself。　　She　stood
still；　and　when　I　stood　also；　she　made　two　steps　towards　me；　and　put
her　hand　on　my　arm。　　〃Oh；　John！〃　she　said。

〃'Well；〃　said　I；　〃after　all　it　does　not　signify。　　You　can　make　a　joke
of　it　when　my　back　is　turned。〃

〃Dearest　John！〃she　had　never　spoken　to　me　in　that　way　before〃you
must　not　be　angry　with　me。　　It　is　better　that　we　should　explain　to
each　other；　is　it　not？〃

〃Oh；　much　better。　　I　am　very　glad　you　heard　of　it　at　once。　　I　do　not
look　at　it　quite　in　the　same　light　that　you　do；　but　nevertheless〃

〃What　do　you　mean？　　But　I　know　you　are　angry　with　me。　　And　yet　you
cannot　think　that　I　intended　those　words　for　you。　　Of　course　I　know
now　that　there　was　nothing　rude　in　what　passed。〃

〃Oh；　but　there　was。〃

〃No；　I　am　sure　there　was　not。　　You　could　not　be　rude　though　you　are
so　free　hearted。　　I