mrs. general talboys-第5部分

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〃I　am　sorry　for　that；〃　said　Mrs。　Mackinnon。　　〃I　suppose　he　has　taken
a　little　too　much　wine。〃

〃No；　it　was　a　premeditated　insult。　　The　base…hearted　churl　has
failed　to　understand　the　meaning　of　true；　honest　sympathy。〃

〃He　will　forget　all　about　it　when　he　is　sober；〃　said　Mackinnon；
meaning　to　comfort　her。

〃What　care　I　what　he　remembers　or　what　he　forgets！〃　she　said；
turning　upon　poor　Mackinnon　indignantly。　　〃You　men　grovel　so　in　your
ideas〃　　〃And　yet；〃　as　Mackinnon　said　afterwards；　〃she　had　been
telling　me　that　I　was　a　fool　for　the　last　three　weeks。〃〃You　men
grovel　so　in　your　ideas；　that　you　cannot　understand　the　feelings　of
a　true…hearted　woman。　　What　can　his　forgetfulness　or　his　remembrance
be　to　me？　　Must　not　I　remember　this　insult？　　Is　it　possible　that　I
should　forget　it？〃

Mr。　and　Mrs。　Mackinnon　only　had　gone　forward　to　meet　her；　but；
nevertheless；　she　spoke　so　loud　that　all　heard　her　who　were　still
clustered　round　the　spot　on　which　we　had　dined。

〃What　has　become　of　Mr。　O'Brien？〃　a　lady　whispered　to　me。

I　had　a　field…glass　with　me；　and；　looking　round；　I　saw　his　hat　as　he
was　walking　inside　the　walls　of　the　circus　in　the　direction　towards
the　city。　　〃And　very　foolish　he　must　feel；〃　said　the　lady。

〃No　doubt　he　is　used　to　it；〃　said　another。

〃But　considering　her　age；　you　know；〃　said　the　first；　who　might　have
been　perhaps　three　years　younger　than　Mrs。　Talboys；　and　who　was　not
herself　averse　to　the　excitement　of　a　moderate　flirtation。　　But　then
why　should　she　have　been　averse；　seeing　that　she　had　not　as　yet
become　subject　to　the　will　of　any　imperial　lord？

〃He　would　have　felt　much　more　foolish；〃　said　the　third；　〃if　she　had
listened　to　what　he　said　to　her。〃

〃Well　I　don't　know；〃　said　the　second；　〃nobody　would　have　known
anything　about　it　then；　and　in　a　few　weeks　they　would　have　gradually
become　tired　of　each　other　in　the　ordinary　way。〃

But　in　the　meantime　Mrs。　Talboys　was　among　us。　　There　had　been　no
attempt　at　secresy；　and　she　was　still　loudly　inveighing　against　the
grovelling　propensities　of　men。　　〃That's　quite　true；　Mrs。　Talboys；〃
said　one　of　the　elder　ladies；　〃but　then　women　are　not　always　so
careful　as　they　should　be。　　Of　course　I　do　not　mean　to　say　that
there　has　been　any　fault　on　your　part。〃

〃Fault　on　my　part！　　Of　course　there　has　been　fault　on　my　part。　　No
one　can　make　any　mistake　without　fault　to　some　extent。　　I　took　him
to　be　a　man　of　sense；　and　he　is　a　fool。　　Go　to　Naples　indeed！〃

〃Did　he　want　you　to　go　to　Naples？〃　asked　Mrs。　Mackinnon。

〃Yes；　that　was　what　he　suggested。　　We　were　to　leave　by　the　train　for
Civita　Vecchia　at　six　to…morrow　morning　and　catch　the　steamer　which
leaves　Leghorn　to…night。　　Don't　tell　me　of　wine。　　He　was　prepared
for　it！〃　　And　she　looked　round　about　on　us　with　an　air　of　injured
majesty　in　her　face　which　was　almost　insupportable。

〃I　wonder　whether　he　took　the　tickets　over…night；〃　said　Mackinnon。

〃Naples！〃　she　said；　as　though　now　speaking　exclusively　to　herself；
〃the　only　ground　in　Italy　which　has　as　yet　made　no　struggle　on
behalf　of　freedom；a　fitting　residence　for　such　a　dastard！〃

〃You　would　have　found　it　very　pleasant　at　this　season；〃　said　the
unmarried　lady；　who　was　three　years　her　junior。

My　wife　had　taken　Ida　out　of　the　way　when　the　first　complaining　note
from　Mrs。　Talboys　had　been　heard　ascending　the　hill。　　But　now；　when
matters　began　gradually　to　become　quiescent；　she　brought　her　back；
suggesting；　as　she　did　so；　that　they　might　begin　to　think　of
returning。

〃It　is　getting　very　cold；　Ida；　dear；　is　it　not？〃　said　she。

〃But　where　is　Mr。　O'Brien？〃　said　Ida。

〃He　has　fled；as　poltroons　always　fly；〃　said　Mrs。　Talboys。　　I
believe　in　my　heart　that　she　would　have　been　glad　to　have　had　him
there　in　the　middle　of　the　circle；　and　to　have　triumphed　over　him
publicly　among　us　all。　　No　feeling　of　shame　would　have　kept　her
silent　for　a　moment。

〃Fled！〃　said　Ida；　looking　up　into　her　mother's　face。

〃Yes；　fled；　my　child。〃　　And　she　seized　her　daughter　in　her　arms；　and
pressed　her　closely　to　her　bosom。　　〃Cowards　always　fly。〃

〃Is　Mr。　O'Brien　a　coward？〃　Ida　asked。

〃Yes；　a　coward；　a　very　coward！　　And　he　has　fled　before　the　glance　of
an　honest　woman's　eye。　　Come；　Mrs。　Mackinnon；　shall　we　go　back　to
the　city？　　I　am　sorry　that　the　amusement　of　the　day　should　have
received　this　check。〃　　And　she　walked　forward　to　the　carriage　and
took　her　place　in　it　with　an　air　that　showed　that　she　was　proud　of
the　way　in　which　she　had　conducted　herself。

〃She　is　a　little　conceited　about　it　after　all；〃　said　that　unmarried
lady。　　〃If　poor　Mr。　O'Brien　had　not　shown　so　much　premature　anxiety
with　reference　to　that　little　journey　to　Naples；　things　might　have
gone　quietly　after　all。〃

But　the　unmarried　lady　was　wrong　in　her　judgment。　　Mrs。　Talboys　was
proud　and　conceited　in　the　matter；but　not　proud　of　having　excited
the　admiration　of　her　Irish　lover。　　She　was　proud　of　her　own
subsequent　conduct；　and　gave　herself　credit　for　coming　out　strongly
as　a　noble…minded　matron。　　〃I　believe　she　thinks；〃　said　Mrs。
Mackinnon；　〃that　her　virtue　is　quite　Spartan　and　unique；　and　if　she
remains　in　Rome　she'll　boast　of　it　through　the　whole　winter。〃

〃If　she　does；　she　may　be　certain　that　O'Brien　will　do　the　same；〃
said　Mackinnon。　　〃And　in　spite　of　his　having　fled　from　the　field；　it
is　upon　the　cards　that　he　may　get　the　best　of　it。　　Mrs。　Talboys　is　a
very　excellent　woman。　　She　has　proved　her　excellence　beyond　a　doubt。
But；　nevertheless；　she　is　susceptible　of　ridicule。〃

We　all　felt　a　little　anxiety　to　hear　O'Brien's　account　of　the
matter；　and　after　having　deposited　the　ladies　at　their　homes；
Mackinnon　and　I　went　off　to　his　lodgings。　　At　first　he　was　denied　to
us；　but　after　awhile　we　got　his　servant　to　acknowledge　that　he　was
at　home；　and　then　we　made　our　way　up　to　his　studio。　　We　found　him
seated　behind　a　half…formed　model；　or　rather　a　mere　lump　of　clay
punched　into　something　resembling　the　shape　of　a　head；　with　a　pipe
in　his　mouth　and　a　bit　of　stick　in　his　hand。　　He　was　pretending　to
work；　though　we　both　knew　that　it　was　out　of　the　question　that　he
should　do　anything　in　his　present　frame　of　mind。

〃I　think　I　heard　my　servant　tell　you　that　I　was　not　at　home；〃　said
he。

〃Yes；　he　did；〃　said　Mackinnon；　〃and　would　have　sworn　to　it　too　if　we
would　have　let　him。　　Come；　don't　pretend　to　be　surly。〃

〃I　am　very　busy；　Mr。　Mackinnon。〃

〃Completing　your　head　of　Mrs。　Talboys；　I　suppose；　before　you　start
for　Naples。〃

〃You　don't　mean　to　say　that　she　has　told　you　all　about　it；〃　and　he
turned　away　from　his　work；　and　looked　up　into　our　faces　with　a
comical　expression；　half　of　fun　and　half　of　despair。

〃Every　word　of　it；〃　said　I。　　〃When　you　want　a　lady　to　travel　with
you；　never　ask　her　to　get　up　so　early　in　winter。〃

〃But；　O'Brien；　how　could　you　be　such　an　ass？〃　said　Mackinnon。　　〃As
it　has　turned　out；　there　is　no　very　great　harm　done。　　You　have
insulted　a　respectable　middle…aged　woman；　the　mother　of　a　family；
and　the　wife　of　a　general　officer；　and　there　is　an　end　of　it；
unless；　indeed；　the　general　officer　should　come　out　from　England　to
call　you　to　account。〃

〃He　is　welcome；〃　said　O'Brien；　haughtily。

〃No　doubt；　my　dear　fellow；〃　said　Mackinnon；　〃that　would　be　a
dignified　and　pleasant　ending　to　the　affair。　　But　what　I　want　to
know　is　this；what　would　you　have　done　if　she　had　agreed　to　go？〃

〃He　never　calculated　on　the　possibility　of　such　a　contingency；〃　said
I。

〃By　heavens；　then；　I　thought　she　would　like　it；〃　said　he。

〃And　to　oblige　her　you　were　content　to　sacrifice　yourself；〃　said
Mackinnon。

〃Well；　that　was　just　it。　　What　the　deuce　is　a　fellow　to　do　when　a
woman　goes　on　in　that　way。　　She　told　me　down　there；　upon　the　old
race　course　you　know；　that　matrimonial　bonds　were　made　for　fools　and
slaves。　　What　was　I　to　suppose　that　she　meant　by　that？　　But　to　make
all　sure；　I　asked　her　what　sort　of　a　fellow　the　General　was。　　'Dear
old　man；'　she　said；　clasping　her　hands　together。　　'He　might；　you
know；　have　been　my　father。'　　'I　wish　he　were；'　said　I；　'because　then
you'd　be　free。'　　'I　am　free；'　said　she；　stamping　on　the　ground；　and
looking　up　at　me　as　much　as　to　say　that　she　cared　for　no　one。
'Then；'　said　I；　'accept　all　that　is　left　of　the　heart　of　Wenceslaus
O'Brien；'　and　I　threw　myself　before　her　in　her　path。　　'Hand；'　said
I；　'I　have　none　to　give；　but　the　blood　which　runs　red　through　my
veins　is　descended　from　a　double　line　of　kings。'　　I　said　that
because　she　is　always　fond　of　riding　a　high　horse。　　I　had　gotten
close　under　the　wall；　so　that　none　of　you　should　see　me　from　the
tower。〃

〃And　what　answer　did　she　make？〃　said　Mackinnon。

〃Why　she　was　pleased　as　Punch；gave　me　both　her　hands；　and　declared
that　we　would　be　friends　for　ever。　　It　is　my　belief；　Mackinnon；　that
that　woman　never　heard　anything　of　the　kind　before。　　The　General；　no
doubt；　did　it　by　letter。〃

〃And　how　was　it　that　she　changed　her　mind？〃

〃Why；　I　got　up；　put　my　arm　round　her　waist；　and　told　her　that　we
would　be　off　to　Naples。　　I'm　blest　if　she　didn't　give　me　a　knock　in
the　ribs　that　nearly　sent　me　backwards。　　She　took　my　breath　away；　so
that　I　couldn't　speak　to　her。〃

〃And　then〃

〃Oh；　there　was　nothing　more。　　Of　course　I　saw　how　it　was。　　So　she
walked　off　one　way　and　I　the　other。　　On　the　whole　I　consider　that　I
am　well　out　of　it。〃

〃And　so　do　I；〃　said　Mackinnon；　very　gravely。　　〃But　if　you　will　allow
me　to　give　you　my　advice；　I　would　suggest　that　it　would　be　well　to
avoid　such　mistakes　in　future。〃

〃Upon　my　word；〃　said　O'Brien；　excusing　himself；　〃I　don't　know　what　a
man　is　to　do　under　such　circumstances。　　I　give　you　my　honour　that　I
did　it　all　to　oblige　her。〃

We　then　decided　that　Mackinnon　should　convey　to　the　injured　lady　the
humble　apology　of　her　late　admirer。　　It　was　settled　that　no　detailed
excuses　should　be　made。　　It　should　be　left　to　her　to　consider
whether　the　deed　which　had　been　done　might　have　been　occasioned　by
wine；　or　by　the　folly　of　a　moment；or　by　her　own　indiscreet
enthusiasm。　　No　one　but　the　two　were　present　when　the　message　was
given；　and　therefore　we　were　obliged　to　trust　to　Mackinnon's
accuracy　for　an　account　of　it。

She　stood　on　very　high　ground　indeed；　he　said；　at　first　refusing　to