第62章

第62章“‘iwilllikeit，’saidi；‘idarelikeit；’and”(hesubjoinedmoodily)“iwillkeepmyword；iwillbreakobstaclestohappiness，togoodness—yes，goodness.iwishtobeabettermanthanihavebeen，thaniam；asjob’sleviathanbrokethespear，thedart，andthehabergeon，hindranceswhichotherscountasironandbrass，iwillesteembutstrawandrottenwood.”

adèlehereranbeforehimwithhershuttlecock.“away！”hecriedharshly；“keepatadistance，child；orgointosophie！”continuingthentopursuehiswalkinsilence，iventuredtorecallhimtothepointwhencehehadabruptlydiverged—

“didyouleavethebalcony，sir，”iasked，“whenmdlle.varensentered？”

ialmostexpectedarebuffforthishardlywell-timedquestion，but，onthecontrary，wakingoutofhisscowlingabstraction，heturnedhiseyestowardsme，andtheshadeseemedtoclearoffhisbrow.“oh，ihadforgottencéline！well，toresume.whenisawmycharmerthuscomeinaccompaniedbyacavalier，iseemedtohearahiss，andthegreensnakeofjealousy，risingonundulatingcoilsfromthemoonlitbalcony，glidedwithinmywaistcoat，andateitswayintwominutestomyheart’score.strange！”heexclaimed，suddenlystartingagainfromthepoint.“strangethatishouldchooseyoufortheconfidantofallthis，younglady；passingstrangethatyoushouldlistentomequietly，asifitwerethemostusualthingintheworldforamanlikemetotellstoriesofhisopera-mistressestoaquaint，inexperiencedgirllikeyou！butthelastsingularityexplainsthefirst，asiintimatedoncebefore：you，withyourgravity，considerateness，andcautionweremadetobetherecipientofsecrets.besides，iknowwhatsortofamindihaveplacedincommunicationwithmyown：iknowitisonenotliabletotakeinfection：itisapeculiarmind：itisauniqueone.happilyidonotmeantoharmit：but，ifidid，itwouldnottakeharmfromme.themoreyouandiconverse，thebetter；forwhileicannotblightyou，youmayrefreshme.”afterthisdigressionheproceeded—

“iremainedinthebalcony.‘theywillcometoherboudoir，nodoubt，’thoughti：‘letmeprepareanambush.’soputtingmyhandinthroughtheopenwindow，idrewthecurtainoverit，leavingonlyanopeningthroughwhichicouldtakeobservations；theniclosedthecasement，allbutachinkjustwideenoughtofurnishanoutlettolovers’whisperedvows：thenistolebacktomychair；andasiresumeditthepaircamein.myeyewasquicklyattheaperture.céline’schamber-maidentered，litalamp，leftitonthetable，andwithdrew.thecouplewerethusrevealedtomeclearly：bothremovedtheircloaks，andtherewas‘thevarens，’shininginsatinandjewels，—mygiftsofcourse，—andtherewashercompanioninanofficer’suniform；andiknewhimforayoungrouéofavicomte—abrainlessandviciousyouthwhomihadsometimesmetinsociety，andhadneverthoughtofhatingbecauseidespisedhimsoabsolutely.onrecognisinghim，thefangofthesnakejealousywasinstantlybroken；becauseatthesamemomentmyloveforcélinesankunderanextinguisher.awomanwhocouldbetraymeforsucharivalwasnotworthcontendingfor；shedeservedonlyscorn；less，however，thani，whohadbeenherdupe.

“theybegantotalk；theirconversationeasedmecompletely：frivolous，mercenary，heartless，andsenseless，itwasrathercalculatedtowearythanenragealistener.acardofminelayonthetable；thisbeingperceived，broughtmynameunderdiscussion.neitherofthempossessedenergyorwittobelabourmesoundly，buttheyinsultedmeascoarselyastheycouldintheirlittleway：especiallycéline，whoevenwaxedratherbrilliantonmypersonaldefects—deformitiesshetermedthem.nowithadbeenhercustomtolaunchoutintoferventadmirationofwhatshecalledmy‘beautémale：’whereinshediffereddiametricallyfromyou，whotoldmepoint-blank，atthesecondinterview，thatyoudidnotthinkmehandsome.thecontraststruckmeatthetimeand—”

adèleherecamerunningupagain.

“monsieur，johnhasjustbeentosaythatyouragenthascalledandwishestoseeyou.”

“ah！inthatcaseimustabridge.openingthewindow，iwalkedinuponthem；liberatedcélinefrommyprotection；gavehernoticetovacateherhotel；offeredherapurseforimmediateexigencies；disregardedscreams，hysterics，prayers，protestations，convulsions；madeanappointmentwiththevicomteforameetingattheboisdeboulogne.nextmorningihadthepleasureofencounteringhim；leftabulletinoneofhispooretiolatedarms，feebleasthewingofachickeninthepip，andthenthoughtihaddonewiththewholecrew.butunluckilythevarens，sixmonthsbefore，hadgivenmethisfiletteadèle，who，sheaffirmed，wasmydaughter；andperhapsshemaybe，thoughiseenoproofsofsuchgrimpaternitywritteninhercountenance：pilotismorelikemethanshe.someyearsafterihadbrokenwiththemother，sheabandonedherchild，andranawaytoitalywithamusicianorsinger.iacknowledgednonaturalclaimonadèle’sparttobesupportedbyme，nordoinowacknowledgeany，foriamnotherfather；buthearingthatshewasquitedestitute，ie’entookthepoorthingoutoftheslimeandmudofparis，andtransplantedithere，togrowupcleaninthewholesomesoilofanenglishcountrygarden.mrs.fairfaxfoundyoutotrainit；butnowyouknowthatitistheillegitimateoffspringofafrenchopera-girl，youwillperhapsthinkdifferentlyofyourpostandprotégée：youwillbecomingtomesomedaywithnoticethatyouhavefoundanotherplace—thatyoubegmetolookoutforanewgoverness，&c.—eh？”