登陆注册
15327300000008

第8章

I caught a glimpse on the morrow of this ladylike person, who was arriving at her new residence as I came in from a walk.She had come in a cab, with her daughter and her luggage; and, with an air of perfect softness and serenity, she was disputing the fare as she stood among her boxes, on the steps.She addressed her cabman in a very English accent, but with extreme precision and correctness."Iwish to be perfectly reasonable, but I don't wish to encourage you in exorbitant demands.With a franc and a half you are sufficiently paid.It is not the custom at Geneva to give a pour-boire for so short a drive.I have made inquiries, and I find it is not the custom, even in the best families.I am a stranger, yes, but Ialways adopt the custom of the native families.I think it my duty toward the natives.""But I am a native, too, moi!" said the cabman, with an angry laugh.

"You seem to me to speak with a German accent," continued the lady.

"You are probably from Basel.A franc and a half is sufficient.Isee you have left behind the little red bag which I asked you to hold between your knees; you will please to go back to the other house and get it.Very well, if you are impolite I will make a complaint of you to-morrow at the administration.Aurora, you will find a pencil in the outer pocket of my embroidered satchel; please to write down his number,--87; do you see it distinctly?--in case we should forget it."The young lady addressed as "Aurora"--a slight, fair girl, holding a large parcel of umbrellas--stood at hand while this allocution went forward, but she apparently gave no heed to it.She stood looking about her, in a listless manner, at the front of the house, at the corridor, at Celestine tucking up her apron in the doorway, at me as I passed in amid the disseminated luggage; her mother's parsimonious attitude seeming to produce in Miss Aurora neither sympathy nor embarrassment.At dinner the two ladies were placed on the same side of the table as myself, below Mrs.Ruck and her daughter, my own position being on the right of Mr.Ruck.I had therefore little observation of Mrs.Church--such I learned to be her name--but Ioccasionally heard her soft, distinct voice.

"White wine, if you please; we prefer white wine.There is none on the table? Then you will please to get some, and to remember to place a bottle of it always here, between my daughter and myself.""That lady seems to know what she wants," said Mr.Ruck, "and she speaks so I can understand her.I can't understand every one, over here.I should like to make that lady's acquaintance.Perhaps she knows what _I_ want, too; it seems hard to find out.But I don't want any of their sour white wine; that's one of the things I don't want.I expect she'll be an addition to the pension."Mr.Ruck made the acquaintance of Mrs.Church that evening in the parlour, being presented to her by his wife, who presumed on the rights conferred upon herself by the mutual proximity, at table, of the two ladies.I suspected that in Mrs.Church's view Mrs.Ruck presumed too far.The fugitive from the Pension Chamousset, as M.

Pigeonneau called her, was a little fresh, plump, comely woman, looking less than her age, with a round, bright, serious face.She was very simply and frugally dressed, not at all in the manner of Mr.

Ruck's companions, and she had an air of quiet distinction which was an excellent defensive weapon.She exhibited a polite disposition to listen to what Mr.Ruck might have to say, but her manner was equivalent to an intimation that what she valued least in boarding-house life was its social opportunities.She had placed herself near a lamp, after carefully screwing it and turning it up, and she had opened in her lap, with the assistance of a large embroidered marker, an octavo volume, which I perceived to be in German.To Mrs.Ruck and her daughter she was evidently a puzzle, with her economical attire and her expensive culture.The two younger ladies, however, had begun to fraternise very freely, and Miss Ruck presently went wandering out of the room with her arm round the waist of Miss Church.It was a very warm evening; the long windows of the salon stood wide open into the garden, and, inspired by the balmy darkness, M.Pigeonneau and Mademoiselle Beaurepas, a most obliging little woman, who lisped and always wore a huge cravat, declared they would organise a fete de nuit.They engaged in this undertaking, and the fete developed itself, consisting of half-a-dozen red paper lanterns, hung about on the trees, and of several glasses of sirop, carried on a tray by the stout-armed Celestine.As the festival deepened to its climax I went out into the garden, where M.Pigeonneau was master of ceremonies.

"But where are those charming young ladies," he cried, "Miss Ruck and the new-comer, l'aimable transfuge? Their absence has been remarked, and they are wanting to the brilliancy of the occasion.Voyez I have selected a glass of syrup--a generous glass--for Mademoiselle Ruck, and I advise you, my young friend, if you wish to make a good impression, to put aside one which you may offer to the other young lady.What is her name? Miss Church.I see; it's a singular name.

There is a church in which I would willingly worship!"Mr.Ruck presently came out of the salon, having concluded his interview with Mrs.Church.Through the open window I saw the latter lady sitting under the lamp with her German octavo, while Mrs.Ruck, established, empty-handed, in an arm-chair near her, gazed at her with an air of fascination.

同类推荐
  • 金光明最胜王经疏

    金光明最胜王经疏

    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。
  • 禅源诸诠集都序

    禅源诸诠集都序

    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。
  • 战城南

    战城南

    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。
  • 金针诗格

    金针诗格

    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。
  • 太上洞玄灵宝福日妙经

    太上洞玄灵宝福日妙经

    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。
热门推荐
  • 妙手至尊

    妙手至尊

    一个天朝美术生,穿越到充斥着琴棋书画的世界。不过这里琴声杀人,落子见血,下笔夺魂,画成诛仙。纪宁叹服:好厉害,可是你们知道油画吗?五子棋呢?钢琴懂吗...知音一曲百年经,荡尽红尘留世名。无声无息起硝烟,黑白参差云雨颠。无芳无草也飘香,石砚研飞墨染塘。云雨山川素纸装,晓风残月入华章。【感谢阅文书评团提供书评支持!】
  • 致命诊断书

    致命诊断书

    一次意外让我获得啦一份称心如意的工作——精神病医师,工作稳定,工资高,真是好工作……才怪!那场风花血月的意外,高工资背后的诡异工作环境,精神病人的疯言疯语,233究竟是什么意思?
  • 提笔写青春

    提笔写青春

    柳贤:这么多年来,我一直不忘初心,林灵,我们重新开始好吗?林灵:没有你,怎么会完美?孙奇:这一巴掌下去,你欠我的都已经还清了,以后我不会再乡缠着你。
  • 青梅白首

    青梅白首

    郎骑竹马来,绕床弄青梅。同居长干里,两小无嫌猜。我和他一起长大,青梅竹马。他是炀国六皇子,贞妃之子——慕容墨。我是炀国镇国大将军的幺女——闵心。初见时只是因为他长的比俊俏,比五个哥哥都俊俏,又恰好一样和我排行第六,对他才多了些关注。小时候的一句长大我嫁给你,做你的妻子好不好,成了我一生的信念,也是他一生的信念。都说帝王无情,帝王无心,其实只是缺少那个让他们放下这江山的人,而恰好他遇上了我,而我遇到了她。第一次尝试古言,为此做了很多功课,希望你们会喜欢
  • 二月爱哭的女孩儿

    二月爱哭的女孩儿

    男友与某女提出分手,”这里五十万,这是我和你的分手费,随后拿出一张支票。某女把支票当场撕毁,往天空一撒,”你和我分手,不需要分手费,你如果爱过我就不会这么不理解我的性格。这张支票,哦不,废纸,我不需要。在一起这么久,我才发现,你就是一人渣。“说罢,甩甩手,拍拍手上毫不存在的灰尘。之后,头也不回的离开了唯爱咖啡厅,那是他们曾经第一次相见的地方。
  • 来生不见卿

    来生不见卿

    妖尊梦殇:我狼族世代钟情,一生只会爱上一个人,即使她毁灭妖界又如何,与天界为敌又能怎样堕仙沐瞳:我一直以为我爱的是浩炀,为了他我曾魂飞魄散,我是他命中注定的死结,可是当他再次让我魂飞魄散时我却不舍,原来我已经不知不觉中爱上了那个自负又高傲的梦殇天尊浩炀:我爱了,可是我不敢承认,这是命中的死结,我终究没能躲过,还失去了一切,如果能重新再来一次,我一定会放下所有去爱
  • 四叶草之杀手少女

    四叶草之杀手少女

    皇家四姐妹,进入雪莉丝学院,某些女生因为嫉妒一次次的陷害。而这四位女主忍受不了,踏进了杀手复仇之路,没有男主,但有男生
  • 破界录

    破界录

    黑暗中觉醒,绝望中前行,真与幻的交错中,只为那一缕曙光……
  • 灾厄王

    灾厄王

    “我不就是制造了点小麻烦吗?用得着全国通缉么?”“人生的公平,永远掌握在自己的心中!”“死亡,对于一些人来说是一切的结束!可是对另一些人来说,却是一切的开始!”“在这个世界中,只有强者才有权利去征服一切,弱者连失败的资格都没有,他们只是一具具被吞噬掉灵魂的傀儡。”——蒂斯马斯克·L·哈迪斯(注:本书毁三观,无节操,卫道士慎入。)
  • 死角的世界

    死角的世界

    叶凡是个普通人,哪怕他颠颠倒倒的活了三次。普通人有普通人的活法,所以他毫不顾忌的是用自己的生命。第三次重来的机会,最后一次活着的机会。莫名其妙的鬼魂,盘根错节的猎人,先天强大的异人。他走在光与暗的交界,在世界的边缘游荡。他,是边缘人。边缘人的世界,是所有人与物眼中的死角……