登陆注册
15459300000077

第77章 CHAPTER XVIII(3)

"Oh, she will swear to it any day!" was the saucy reply of Louise de Brouague. "But without whispering it, Chevalier des Meloises," continued she, "the classes in the Convent have all gone wild in his favor since they learned he was in love with one of our late companions in school. He is the Prince Camaralzaman of our fairy tales."

"Who is that?" The Chevalier spoke tartly, rather. He was excessively annoyed at all this enthusiasm in behalf of Pierre Philibert.

"Nay, I will tell no more fairy tales out of school, but I assure you, if our wishes had wings the whole class of Louises would fly away to Belmont to-day like a flock of ring-doves."

Louise de Brouague noticed the pique of the Chevalier at the mention of Philibert, but in that spirit of petty torment with which her sex avenges small slights she continued to irritate the vanity of the Chevalier, whom in her heart she despised.

His politeness nearly gave way. He was thoroughly disgusted with all this lavish praise of Philibert. He suddenly recollected that he had an appointment at the Palace which would prevent him, he said, enjoying the full hour of absence granted to the Greek class of the Ursulines.

"Mademoiselle Angelique has of course gone to Belmont, if pressing engagements prevent YOU, Chevalier," said Louise Roy. "How provoking it must be to have business to look after when one wants to enjoy life!" The Chevalier half spun round on his heel under the quizzing of Louise's eye-glass.

"No, Angelique has not gone to Belmont," replied he, quite piqued.

"She very properly declined to mingle with the Messieurs and Mesdames Jourdains who consort with the Bourgeois Philibert! She was preparing for a ride, and the city really seems all the gayer by the absence of so many commonplace people as have gone out to Belmont."

Louise de Brouague's eyes gave a few flashes of indignation. "Fie, Chevalier! that was naughtily said of you about the good Bourgeois and his friends," exclaimed she, impetuously. "Why, the Governor, the Lady de Tilly and her niece, the Chevalier La Corne St. Luc, Hortense and Claude de Beauharnais, and I know not how many more of the very elite of society have gone to do honor to Colonel Philibert! And as for the girls in the Convent, who you will allow are the most important and most select portion of the community, there is not one of us but would willingly jump out of the window, and do penance on dry bread and salt fish for a month, just for one hour's pleasure at the ball this evening, would we not, Louises?"

Not a Louise present but assented with an emphasis that brought sympathetic smiles upon the faces of the two young chevaliers who had watched all this pretty play.

The Chevalier des Meloises bowed very low. "I regret so much, ladies, to have to leave you! but affairs of State, you know-- affairs of State! The Intendant will not proceed without a full board: I must attend the meeting to-day at the Palace."

"Oh, assuredly, Chevalier," replied Louise Roy. "What would become of the Nation, what would become of the world, nay, what would become of the internes of the Ursulines, if statesmen and warriors and philosophers like you and the Sieurs Drouillon and La Force here (this in a parenthesis, not to scratch the Chevalier too deep), did not take wise counsel for our safety and happiness, and also for the welfare of the nation?"

The Chevalier des Meloises took his departure under this shower of arrows.

The young La Force was as yet only an idle dangler about the city; but in the course of time became a man of wit and energy worthy of his name. He replied gaily,--"Thanks, Mademoiselle Roy! It is just for sake of the fair internes of the Convent that Drouillon and I have taken up the vocation of statesmen, warriors, philosophers, and friends. We are quite ready to guide your innocent footsteps through the streets of this perilous city, if you are ready to go."

"We had better hasten too!" ejaculated Louise Roy, looking archly through her eye-glass. "I can see Bonhomme Michel peeping round the corner of the Cote de Lery! He is looking after us stray lambs of the flock, Sieur Drouillon!"

Bonhomme Michel was the old watchman and factotum of the monastery.

He had a general commission to keep a sharp eye upon the young ladies who were allowed to go out into the city. A pair of horn spectacles usually helped his vision,--sometimes marred it, however, when the knowing gallants slipped a crown into his hand to put in the place of his magnifiers! Bonhomme Michel placed all his propitiation money--he liked a pious word--in his old leathern sack, which contained the redemption of many a gadding promenade through the streets of Quebec. Whether he reported what he saw this time is not recorded in the Vieux Recit, the old annals of the Convent. But as Louise Roy called him her dear old Cupid, and knew so well how to bandage his eyes, it is probable the good nuns were not informed of the pleasant meeting of the class Louises and the gentlemen who escorted them round the city on the present occasion.

同类推荐
  • 稗史集传

    稗史集传

    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。
  • 产后十八论

    产后十八论

    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。
  • 外科枢要

    外科枢要

    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。
  • 学治说赘

    学治说赘

    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。
  • 内家拳口诀释义

    内家拳口诀释义

    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
  • 修真一路有你

    修真一路有你

    风不悔与风康从小结拜为兄弟,真情感动土地公公,得修仙法门从此二人一起踏上修真之路。他们的友情经得起世俗的考验吗?且看命运将如何捉弄二人。
  • 血泪三千尺

    血泪三千尺

    一个大雪分扬的夜晚,小小年纪的血蔷薇为逃脱族人的追杀,奋力逃出幻城,衣衫褴褛的小小血蔷薇花,虚弱不堪得晕倒在神圣而庄严的教堂中,血蔷微弱地看着眼前身着皇家礼服的男孩,一只小巧的小手悬浮在半空之上,嘴角仿佛在说,“若你能护我一次周全,我愿契定永生血之契约”二十四桥明月夜,何处玉人教吹箫?箫箫玉声碎人心,唯有徒步遇知音……迟暮你还记得当初你说的话吗?‘血泪三千尺离殇,迟暮之年断永生’……
  • 戮仙

    戮仙

    曾经统御鸿蒙诸界强盛无比的天妖王庭,已经湮没于岁月尘土之中,人族取而代之,在亲手埋葬了妖族的辉煌之后,成为了鸿蒙世界的新主宰。万年之下,前所未有的人族修仙盛世之中,诸多蛰伏异族暗中窥视,一个平凡少年背井离乡,迎来了他突起波澜的人生……
  • 颜元、李塨评传

    颜元、李塨评传

    本书对在中国思想史上独树一帜的颜李学派代表——颜元、李塨的思想进行了较为全面、较为深入的剖析。作为启蒙学者的颜元,在对宋明理学的全面清算与批判基础上,构筑了“以事功为首”的功利论为宗旨的思想体系。这不仅达到了中国古代功利论的高峰,并对后世尤其是近代中国产生了深刻的影响。李塨作为颜元的学生,对颜学的发扬与光大作出了巨大贡献。本书在颜元对“孔颜乐处”的希求以及颜李二人浓郁的圣人崇拜观念等以往学术界很少涉及的内容方面,也提出了独到的见解。
  • 八荒龙帝诀

    八荒龙帝诀

    手握太古山河扇,身披不死神凰衣。纵观千载风云,唯我谈笑间,吊打诸天神魔,横扫八荒十域。前无古人,后无来者!
  • 进击的巨人之自由之翼

    进击的巨人之自由之翼

    最开始的那部作品因为作品类型选错给毁了--所以重新开更!她年幼时因为走投无路敲响了他的家门,他为她取名为爱丽丝·阿克曼,因为一次壁外调查,利威尔班全军覆没,她也被认定死亡,几年后的再次相遇,她早已长大,成为可以独挡一面的士兵,这一次,她要永远陪伴在他的身边。“我叫爱丽丝·阿克曼,我为利威尔·阿克曼献出心脏!”
  • 种植很牛逼

    种植很牛逼

    新人新书,敬请欣赏。且看种地也疯狂的故事。
  • 王子爱上校花

    王子爱上校花

    流传千年的密藏,沉睡千年的血脉,北梁王室,生活在现代,开启怎样的一段传奇之路!
  • 古府

    古府

    仙道三千,只问本心。万般仙难,只取一源。
  • 嫡女当嫁:皇后狠妖娆

    嫡女当嫁:皇后狠妖娆

    前世进宫为妃,盛宠不断,却最终命败毒酒,含恨冷宫。重生归来,她怨,她恨!为报血仇,她收敛锋芒,再次入宫。提防庶妹,险避祸端,在后宫这个杀人不见血的地方,她举步维艰,步步惊心。不曾想,帝王之心深不可测,而她,也始终左右不了自己的归属。等到她荣登后位,帝心常住,万宠加身,另一场血雨腥风又再度悄然上演……