登陆注册
14719100000002

第2章

This was not as great an adventure as it might appear. Billy knew that from the Wilmot people he always was sure of a salary, and one which, with such an excellent housekeeper as was Claire, would support them both. But with his two thousand dollars as capital they could afford to plunge; they could go upon a honeymoon; they need not dread a rainy day, and, what was of greatest importance, they need not delay. There was good reason against delay, for the hand of the beautiful Claire was already promised. The Widow Ducrot had promised it to Paillard, he of the prosperous commission business, the prominent EMBONPOINT, and four children. Monsieur Paillard possessed an establishment of his own, but it was a villa in the suburbs; and so, each day at noon, for his DEJEUNE he left his office and crossed the street to the Cafe Ducrot. For five years this had been his habit. At first it was the widow's cooking that attracted him, then for a time the widow herself; but when from the convent Claire came to assist her mother in the cafe, and when from a lanky, big- eyed, long-legged child she grew into a slim, joyous, and charming young woman, she alone was the attraction, and the Widower Paillard decided to make her his wife.

Other men had made the same decision; and when it was announced that between Claire and the widower a marriage had been "arranged,"the clerks in the foreign commission houses and the agents of the steamship lines drowned their sorrow in rum and ran the house flags to half-staff. Paillard himself took the proposed alliance calmly.

He was not an impetuous suitor. With Widow Ducrot he agreed that Claire was still too young to marry, and to himself kept the fact that to remarry he was in no haste. In his mind doubts still lingered. With a wife, young enough to be one of his children, disorganizing, the routine of his villa, would it be any more comfortable than he now found it? Would his eldest daughter and her stepmother dwell together in harmony? The eldest daughter had assured him that so far as she was concerned they would not; and, after all, in marrying a girl, no matter how charming, without a dot, and the daughter of a boarding-house keeper, no matter how respectable, was he not disposing of himself too cheaply? These doubts assailed Papa Paillard; these speculations were in his mind.

And while he speculated Billy acted.

"I know that in France," Billy assured Claire, "marriages are arranged by the parents; but in my country they are arranged in heaven. And who are we to disregard the edicts of heaven? Ages and ages ago, before the flood, before Napoleon, even before old Paillard with his four children, it was arranged in heaven that you were to marry me. So, what little plans your good mother may make don't cut enough ice to cool a green mint. Now, we can't try to get married here," continued Billy, "without your mother and Paillard knowing it. In this town as many people have to sign the marriage, contract as signed our Declaration of Independence: all the civil authorities, all the clergy, all the relatives; if every man in the telephone book isn't a witness, the marriage doesn't 'take.' So, we must elope!"Having been brought up in a convent, where she was taught to obey her mother and forbidden to think of marriage, Claire was naturally delighted with the idea of an elopement.

"To where will we elope to?" she demanded. Her English, as she learned it from Billy, was sometimes confusing.

"To New York," said Billy. "On the voyage there I will put you in charge of the stewardess and the captain; and there isn't a captain on the Royal Dutch or the Atlas that hasn't known you since you were a baby. And as soon as we dock we'll drive straight to the city hall for a license and the mayor himself will marry us. Then I'll get back my old job from the Wilmot folks and we'll live happy ever after!""In New York, also," asked Claire proudly, "are you directeur of the electric lights?""On Broadway alone," Billy explained reprovingly, "there is one sign that uses more bulbs than there are in the whole of Hayti!""New York is a large town!" exclaimed Claire.

"It's a large sign," corrected Billy. "But," he pointed out, "with no money we'll never see it. So to-morrow I'm going to make a social call on Grandpa Ham and demand my ten thousand francs."Claire grasped his arm.

"Be careful," she pleaded. "Remember the chicken soup. If he offers you the champagne, refuse it!""He won't offer me the champagne," Billy assured her. "It won't be that kind of a call."Billy left the Cafe Ducrot and made his way to the water- front. He was expecting some electrical supplies by the PRINZ DERNEDERLANDEN, and she had already come to anchor.

He was late, and save for a group of his countrymen, who with the customs officials were having troubles of their own, the customs shed was all but deserted. Billy saw his freight cleared and was going away when one of those in trouble signalled for assistance.

He was a good-looking young man in a Panama hat and his manner seemed to take it for granted that Billy knew who he was. "They want us to pay duty on our trunks," he explained, "and we want to leave them in bond. We'll be here only until to-night, when we're going on down the coast to Santo Domingo. But we don't speak French, and we can't make them understand that.""You don't need to speak any language to give a man ten dollars,"said Billy.

"Oh!" exclaimed the man in the Panama. "I was afraid if I tried that they might arrest us.""They may arrest you if you don't," said Billy. Acting both as interpreter and disbursing agent, Billy satisfied the demands of his fellow employees of the government, and his fellow countrymen he directed to the Hotel Ducrot.

As some one was sure to take their money, he thought it might as well go to his mother-in-law elect. The young man in the Panama expressed the deepest gratitude, and Billy, assuring him he would see him later, continued to the power-house, still wondering where he had seen him before.

同类推荐
  • 台案汇录乙集

    台案汇录乙集

    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。
  • 诸葛亮集

    诸葛亮集

    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。
  • 鸡峰普济方

    鸡峰普济方

    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。
  • 方融玺禅师语录

    方融玺禅师语录

    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。
  • 太上修真玄章

    太上修真玄章

    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。
热门推荐
  • 我是老大听我的

    我是老大听我的

    一个是无名帮派的女老大,专门劫富济贫;一个是将军府纨绔的世家子弟,看似弱不经风。一场被奸人设置的陷阱将两人绑在一起。不是冤家不聚头,两人的欢喜互怼,却渐渐怼出了情愫。奸人一计未得逞,对他俩新生恨意,一场惊天的复仇袭来,他们的命运又该如何?
  • 逆天重生:腹黑嫡女复仇记

    逆天重生:腹黑嫡女复仇记

    前世她倾尽全力帮助他登上那九五至尊之位只因为她爱他,可结果却是发现他和庶妹勾搭上了,在她想挽回他的心的时候,他却给他狠狠的一击,砍了她爹和她弟,把她和他出生不到2个月的孩子剁成肉酱喂狗......嫡女重生心狠手辣这一世只为自己而活!人不犯我,我不犯人,人若犯我,我必斩草除根!
  • 绝世倾城:腹黑六小姐

    绝世倾城:腹黑六小姐

    简介:21世纪的全能特工,居然因为飞机失事而翘了辫子,一朝穿越,竟然成了楚家的废柴六小姐,不能文不能武。被世人称为废柴的六小姐,这身份,她可不承认!本是天之骄子,岂容尔等放肆!草包废柴?如果她都算废柴,那么世上再无天才!神兽难寻?她手下的神兽可谓是神兽兵团了!神器缺失?她的武器就没用过神级以下的!废柴变天才,惊诧众人!然而,某个小特工,居然遇到了一个蛮不讲理,唯独对她情有独钟的美男子?看智商高情商低小特工如何解决。
  • 清风扬

    清风扬

    刚毕业的大学生,因为一场意外,来到了一个完全不同的世界。且看他如何风生水起,扬名立万,抱得美人归。
  • 淡定的人生不寂寞

    淡定的人生不寂寞

    本书记载了100多个爱情、亲情和哲理故事,并附点石成金的人生感悟,让人感动,给人激励。从心灵深处流淌出来的平实、平和的文字,揭示了爱情、婚姻、生活、人生的真谛,以及夫妻之间、情侣之间、人与人之间的相处之道。它告诉我们,无论男女,做人一定要耐得住寂寞、经得起诱惑,要学会放下、活在当下。守住属于自己的一份平淡的生活,保持淡定,就能收获幸福。 当一个人把寂寞当作人生预约的美丽,怀着淡定从容的心态去面对,也就没有了真正意义上的寂寞了。
  • 相公,请多指教

    相公,请多指教

    要她成亲?门儿都没有!于是她主动找上门,打算退了亲事,跟他切八段,却没想到,他竟然毫不考虑的点头兼说「No Problem」?!他难道没有看到她长得很美,生得很俏,足堪惊为天人吗?像她这么优质的未婚妻可是已经不多见了耶!他至少也给她稍微犹豫一下下、想一咪咪咩!看他这么干脆的说「好」,真是让她觉得面子里都子都没了!只是,一旦手无縳鸡之力的他遭人追杀,却又口口声声嚷着要报仇时,她又实在看不过去,只能好心一点先帮他一把,解除婚约之事就……他日再详谈啰!可孰料,只是一时的心太软,竟会连带的将自己的心不小心的送了出去,愈是和他相处,便愈被他吸引,害她有点想反悔,想继续维持两人的「夫妻名份」……
  • 无上乐神

    无上乐神

    你能想象一曲灭尽千万敌的壮阔景象么?在这里一曲可为天籁传说,引世人沉醉。亦可摧魂断魄,灭世间不平。魔族降世杀戮四起,天地沉寂五行泯灭,人世岌岌可危。一代乐神师旷,横空出世。一曲《阳春》,救人无数。一曲《白雪》,灭敌千万。然魔族不绝,难以尽灭。乐神师旷为绝后患,毅然以己身化天穹,琴化天柱,守护人间。可魔族虽残,却也非人族可挡,遂只能绕天柱残喘。数年后,乐神嵇康,一曲《广陵》,逼异族立下千年之约。之后,天下学宫遍布,乐道中兴,音修为贵,人族日昌。然千年之约将至,魔踪隐现,乐神不再,人族再次面临危难。正值此时,一位少年睁开了眼睛,自此,天籁不断,神曲频出,且看他如何一步一步踏上乐神之路!
  • 系统:小野猫养成计划

    系统:小野猫养成计划

    她,前世凄惨被人陷害,重生之后被小野猫系统绑定,被要求成为顶级小野猫。他,腹黑公子,温润如玉。自从遇见她之后,温柔腹黑指数直线上升。火花四溅,暧昧丛生。当小野猫遇上贵公子,故事会如何。是小野猫扑到贵公子,还是贵公子捉牢小野猫无良作者《陵生》重新开坑,希望亲们能够支持!么么哒!
  • 反舰导弹科技知识(下)

    反舰导弹科技知识(下)

    不论什么武器,都是用于攻击的工具,具有威慑和防御的作用,自古具有巨大的神秘性,是广大军事爱好者的最爱。
  • 铁血先锋团

    铁血先锋团

    千里刀光影,仇恨燃九城。一寸山河一寸血,杀光鬼子不留情。