登陆注册
15396100000074

第74章

"Ask monsieur to sit down," said Mademoiselle Nioche.

"Garcon, bring a chair."

"Will you do us the honor to SEAT?" said M.Nioche, timorously, and with a double foreignness of accent.

Newman said to himself that he had better see the thing out and he took a chair at the end of the table, with Mademoiselle Nioche on his left and her father on the other side."You will take something, of course," said Miss Noemie, who was sipping a glass of madeira.

Newman said that he believed not, and then she turned to her papa with a smile."What an honor, eh? he has come only for us."M.Nioche drained his pungent glass at a long draught, and looked out from eyes more lachrymose in consequence.

"But you didn't come for me, eh?" Mademoiselle Noemie went on.

"You didn't expect to find me here?"

Newman observed the change in her appearance.She was very elegant and prettier than before; she looked a year or two older, and it was noticeable that, to the eye, she had only gained in respectability.

She looked "lady-like." She was dressed in quiet colors, and wore her expensively unobtrusive toilet with a grace that might have come from years of practice.Her present self-possession and aplomb struck Newman as really infernal, and he inclined to agree with Valentin de Bellegarde that the young lady was very remarkable."No, to tell the truth, I didn't come for you," he said, "and I didn't expect to find you.

I was told," he added in a moment "that you had left your father.""Quelle horreur!" cried Mademoiselle Nioche with a smile.

"Does one leave one's father? You have the proof of the contrary.""Yes, convincing proof," said Newman glancing at M.Nioche.

The old man caught his glance obliquely, with his faded, deprecating eye, and then, lifting his empty glass, pretended to drink again.

"Who told you that?" Noemie demanded."I know very well.

It was M.de Bellegarde.Why don't you say yes?

You are not polite."

"I am embarrassed," said Newman.

"I set you a better example.I know M.de Bellegarde told you.

He knows a great deal about me--or he thinks he does.He has taken a great deal of trouble to find out, but half of it isn't true.

In the first place, I haven't left my father; I am much too fond of him.

Isn't it so, little father? M.de Bellegarde is a charming young man;it is impossible to be cleverer.I know a good deal about him too;you can tell him that when you next see him.""No," said Newman, with a sturdy grin; "I won't carry any messages for you.""Just as you please," said Mademoiselle Nioche, "I don't depend upon you, nor does M.de Bellegarde either.

He is very much interested in me; he can be left to his own devices.

He is a contrast to you."

"Oh, he is a great contrast to me, I have no doubt" said Newman.

"But I don't exactly know how you mean it.""I mean it in this way.First of all, he never offered to help me to a dot and a husband." And Mademoiselle Nioche paused, smiling.

"I won't say that is in his favor, for I do you justice.

What led you, by the way, to make me such a queer offer?

You didn't care for me."

"Oh yes, I did," said Newman.

"How so?"

"It would have given me real pleasure to see you married to a respectable young fellow.""With six thousand francs of income!" cried Mademoiselle Nioche.

"Do you call that caring for me? I'm afraid you know little about women.

You were not galant; you were not what you might have been."Newman flushed a trifle fiercely."Come!" he exclaimed "that's rather strong.I had no idea I had been so shabby."Mademoiselle Nioche smiled as she took up her muff.

"It is something, at any rate, to have made you angry."Her father had leaned both his elbows on the table, and his head, bent forward, was supported in his hands, the thin white fingers of which were pressed over his ears.

In his position he was staring fixedly at the bottom of his empty glass, and Newman supposed he was not hearing.

Mademoiselle Noemie buttoned her furred jacket and pushed back her chair, casting a glance charged with the consciousness of an expensive appearance first down over her flounces and then up at Newman.

"You had better have remained an honest girl," Newman said, quietly.

M.Nioche continued to stare at the bottom of his glass, and his daughter got up, still bravely smiling.

"You mean that I look so much like one? That's more than most women do nowadays.Don't judge me yet a while," she added.

"I mean to succeed; that's what I mean to do.I leave you;I don't mean to be seen in cafes, for one thing.I can't think what you want of my poor father; he's very comfortable now.

It isn't his fault, either.Au revoir, little father."And she tapped the old man on the head with her muff.

Then she stopped a minute, looking at Newman."Tell M.de Bellegarde, when he wants news of me, to come and get it from ME!"And she turned and departed, the white-aproned waiter, with a bow, holding the door wide open for her.

M.Nioche sat motionless, and Newman hardly knew what to say to him.

The old man looked dismally foolish."So you determined not to shoot her, after all," Newman said, presently.

M.Nioche, without moving, raised his eyes and gave him a long, peculiar look.It seemed to confess everything, and yet not to ask for pity, nor to pretend, on the other hand, to a rugged ability to do without it.

It might have expressed the state of mind of an innocuous insect, flat in shape and conscious of the impending pressure of a boot-sole, and reflecting that he was perhaps too flat to be crushed.M.Nioche's gaze was a profession of moral flatness."You despise me terribly,"he said, in the weakest possible voice.

"Oh no," said Newman, "it is none of my business.

It's a good plan to take things easily."

"I made you too many fine speeches," M.Nioche added.

"I meant them at the time."

"I am sure I am very glad you didn't shoot her," said Newman.

"I was afraid you might have shot yourself.That is why I came to look you up." And he began to button his coat.

"Neither," said M.Nioche."You despise me, and I can't explain to you.

I hoped I shouldn't see you again."

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 万界龙帝

    万界龙帝

    一代神帝重生凡界,说他是废物?他有上古神术,修炼不死之身!他有坐拥万千手段,修炼一日千里!万界龙帝,纵然再活一世,必将执掌天命,睥睨天下,横扫万界!
  • 史上最强战王神

    史上最强战王神

    你若战,便作战。以战王之名,伐无道,平天下。人若犯我,嗜血以杀。神若挡我,仗剑弑神。史上最强,战王大神。
  • 科学家传奇

    科学家传奇

    《科学家传奇:科学家的最高荣誉》收集了世界上最负盛名的科学大奖,为读者讲述众多科学家获得巨奖背后的故事。一个个如雷贯耳的科学大奖,如同竞争激烈的竞技场,引来无数的科学巨人一展风采;一个个走上领奖台的科学巨匠,如同一颗颗璀璨的星星,闪耀在科学的天空中。在通往科学的道路上,满是荆棘与鲜花,留下的是他们的一个个动人又神奇的故事。期望读者从这些神奇的故事中,既能了解相关的学科知识,更能感受到科学家们献身科学的崇高精神,从中受到激励。得到人生的启迪。
  • 功夫落玉

    功夫落玉

    落玉从小热爱武功,为了完成爷爷的梦想,站上了全国武术top10的比赛场。
  • 青春何必迷茫

    青春何必迷茫

    一个平凡的年轻人,为了生活,抑或着不甘平凡的生活,从此走上了一条不归路……
  • 仙君入梦

    仙君入梦

    她以为她成了书中女配,却不料是浮生梦一场。梦醒,她爱的人,可还会推开她?
  • 英雄无敌之蓝色牧师

    英雄无敌之蓝色牧师

    吴狄取得了网游英雄天下职业联赛四连亚。但所有冠军队伍的绝对主力几乎都是吴狄亲手带出来的兄弟,他因此被冠以无冕之王。后因与俱乐部的矛盾退役,栖身于一个名不见经传的蓝色天空工作室,开始了自己的加冕之路。
  • 九鸧

    九鸧

    北宋任宗末年,面涅将军狄青遭朝廷官员弹劾,在被贬陈州途中,因《诸葛战云》奇书,与其爱婿江定国被双双逼死于太昊陵。其女狄凤,身怀江家骨肉。一路逃奔至杭州西湖一带,隐姓埋名,生下江昊,以打鱼为生。祸不单行,江昊十岁时,因狄凤救一父亲故友银鹤神弩云风鹤,而遭契丹国幕僚乐音四魔杀害。江昊欲哭无泪,独自一人上黔山找爷爷江万风习武,却阴差阳错,黔山没去着,到了逍遥珩浒谷习得一身武艺,并无意吞下外星奇物“十魔珠”。观苍台聚,江昊一鸣惊人。从此置身江湖,报仇雪恨,为国为民,抒写了自己的传奇人生。集武侠、科幻、玄幻、地理人文、侠之大者于一体,2010年《九鸧》带您进入一个全新的武侠境界!高深莫测的武功玄术,奇异瑰丽的人间珍宝,极具智慧的灵长生物,百余人物的真实普照,尽在银钥新作《九鸧》!
  • 徽城竹枝词

    徽城竹枝词

    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。
  • 寒武再临

    寒武再临

    2012年,一场地震释放了陌生而庞大的能量,整个星球的物种陷入了疯狂进化,这场进化类似于五亿多年前的寒武纪生命大爆发,人们把这场灾难称之为二次寒武纪,但事实的真相远不只如此……快速繁殖的细菌致使食物无法保存,急速变异的动植物让人类的安全受到了前所未有的威胁,人类从全球霸主,一夜之间沦为温饱都成问题的危机物种,从食物链顶端轰然坠落的人类,开始了末世里艰难地求生之旅。面临末日,丛夏觉得他一定是这个世上最没用的男人。可是他遇到了成天壁,一个帅气刚毅的特种兵。此刻起,命运开始扭转。他们并肩作战,不离不弃!不管前方有多艰难,成天壁发誓,他都要保护着身边这个人,活下去!