He had been standing8 upon the steps, looking out, like me, upon the moonlight effects that transformed, as it were, the objects and buildings in the little street. He accosted me, I say, with the politeness, at once easy and lofty, of a French nobleman of the old school. He asked me if I were not Mr. Beckett? I assented9; and he immediately introduced himself as the Marquis d’Harmonville (this information he gave me in a low tone), and asked leave to present me with a letter from Lord R— — who knew my father slightly, and had once done me, also, a trifling11 kindness.
This English peer, I may mention, stood very high in the political world, and was named as the most probable successor to the distinguished post of English Minister at Paris. I received it with a low bow, and read:
My Dear Beckett,
I beg to introduce my very dear friend, the Marquis d’Harmonville, who will explain to you the nature of the services it may be in your power to render him and us.
He went on to speak of the Marquis as a man whose great wealth, whose intimate relations with the old families, and whose legitimate12 influence with the court rendered him the fittest possible person for those friendly offices which, at the desire of his own sovereign, and of our government, he has so obligingly undertaken. It added a great deal to my perplexity, when I read, further:
By-the-bye, Walton was here yesterday, and told me that your seat was likely to be attacked; something, he says, is unquestionably going on at Domwell. You know there is an awkwardness in my meddling13 ever so cautiously. But I advise, if it is not very officious, your making Haxton look after it and report immediately. I fear it is serious. I ought to have mentioned that, for reasons that you will see, when you have talked with him for five minutes, the Marquis — with the concurrence14 of all our friends — drops his title, for a few weeks, and is at present plain Monsieur Droqville. I am this moment going to town, and can say no more.
Yours faithfully, R——
I was utterly15 puzzled. I could scarcely boast of Lord R——‘s I acquaintance. I knew no one named Haxton, and, except my hatter, no one called Walton; and this peer wrote as if we were intimate friends! I looked at the back of the letter, and the mystery was solved. And now, to my consternation16 — for I was plain Richard Beckett — I read:
“To George Stanhope Beckett, Esq., M.P.”
I looked with consternation in the face of the Marquis.
“What apology can I offer to Monsieur the Mar10 —— to Monsieur Droqville? It is true my name is Beckett — it is true I am known, though very slightly, to Lord R——; but the letter was not intended for me. My name is Richard Beckett — this is to Mr. Stanhope Beckett, the member for Shillingsworth. What can I say, or do, in this unfortunate situation? I can only give you my honor as a gentleman, that, for me, the letter, which I now return, shall remain as unviolated a secret as before I opened it. I am so shocked and grieved that such a mistake should have occurred!”
I dare say my honest vexation and good faith were pretty legibly written in my countenance17; for the look of gloomy embarrassment18 which had for a moment settled on the face of the Marquis, brightened; he smiled, kindly19, and extended his hand.
“I have not the least doubt that Monsieur Beckett will respect my little secret. As a mistake was destined20 to occur, I have reason to thank my good stars that it should have been with a gentleman of honor. Monsieur Beckett will permit me, I hope, to place his name among those of my friends?”
I thanked the Marquis very much for his kind expressions. He went on to say:
“If, Monsieur, I can persuade you to visit me at Claironville, in Normandy, where I hope to see, on the 15th of August, a great many friends, whose acquaintance it might interest you to make, I shall be too happy.”
I thanked him, of course, very gratefully for his hospitality. He continued: “I cannot, for the present, see my friends, for reasons which you may surmise21, at my house in Paris. But Monsieur will be so good as to let me know the hotel he means to stay at in Paris; and he will find that although the Marquis d’Harmonville is not in town, that Monsieur Droqville will not lose sight of him.”
With many acknowledgments I gave him, the information he desired.
“And in the meantime,” he continued, “if you think of any way in which Monsieur Droqville can be of use to you, our communication shall not be interrupted, and I shall so manage matters that you can easily let me know.”
I was very much flattered. The Marquis had, as we say, taken a fancy to me. Such likings at first sight often ripen22 into lasting23 friendships. To be sure it was just possible that the Marquis might think it prudent24 to keep the involuntary depositary of a political secret, even so vague a one, in good humor.
Very graciously the Marquis took his leave, going up the stairs of the Belle étoile.
I remained upon the steps for a minute, lost in speculation25 upon this new theme of interest. But the wonderful eyes, the thrilling voice, the exquisite26 figure of the beautiful lady who had taken possession of my imagination, quickly re-asserted their influence. I was again gazing at the sympathetic moon, and descending27 the steps I loitered along the pavements among strange objects, and houses that were antique and picturesque28, in a dreamy state, thinking.
In a little while I turned into the inn-yard again. There had come a lull29. Instead of the noisy place it was an hour or two before, the yard was perfectly30 still and empty, except for the carriages that stood here and there. Perhaps there was a servants’ table-d’h?te just then. I was rather pleased to find solitude31; and undisturbed I found out my lady-love’s carriage, in the moonlight. I mused32, I walked round it; I was as utterly foolish and maudlin33 as very young men, in my situation, usually are. The blinds were down, the doors, I suppose, locked. The brilliant moonlight revealed everything, and cast sharp, black shadows of wheel, and bar, and spring, on the pavement. I stood before the escutcheon painted on the door, which I had examined in the daylight. I wondered how often her eyes had rested on the same object. I pondered in a charming dream. A harsh, loud voice, over my shoulder, said suddenly: “A red stork34 — good! The stork is a bird of prey35; it is vigilant36, greedy, and catches gudgeons. Red, too! — blood red! Hal ha! the symbol is appropriate.”
I had turned about, and beheld37 the palest face I ever saw. It was broad, ugly, and malignant38. The figure was that of a French officer, in undress, and was six feet high. Across the nose and eyebrow39 there was a deep scar, which made the repulsive40 face grimmer.
The officer elevated his chin and his eyebrows41, with a scoffing42 chuckle43, and said: “I have shot a stork, with a rifle bullet, when he thought himself safe in the clouds, for mere44 sport!” (He shrugged45, and laughed malignantly46.) “See, Monsieur; when a man like me — a man of energy, you understand, a man with all his wits about him, a man who has made the tour of Europe under canvas, and, parbleu! often without it — resolves to discover a secret, expose a crime, catch a thief, spit a robber on the point of his sword, it is odd if he does not succeed. Ha! ha! ha! Adieu, Monsieur!”
He turned with an angry whisk on his heel, and swaggered with long strides out of the gate.
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1
belle
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| n.靓女 | |
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2
poetic
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| adj.富有诗意的，有诗人气质的，善于抒情的 | |
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3
delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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4
luxurious
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| adj.精美而昂贵的；豪华的 | |
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5
accosted
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| v.走过去跟…讲话( accost的过去式和过去分词 )；跟…搭讪；（乞丐等）上前向…乞讨；（妓女等）勾搭 | |
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graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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7
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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8
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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9
assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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10
mar
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| vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟 | |
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trifling
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| adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的 | |
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12
legitimate
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| adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法 | |
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13
meddling
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| v.干涉，干预（他人事务）( meddle的现在分词 ) | |
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14
concurrence
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| n.同意；并发 | |
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15
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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16
consternation
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| n.大为吃惊，惊骇 | |
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17
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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18
embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
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19
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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20
destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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surmise
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| v./n.猜想，推测 | |
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22
ripen
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| vt.使成熟；vi.成熟 | |
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23
lasting
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| adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持 | |
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24
prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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speculation
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| n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机 | |
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26
exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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27
descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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28
picturesque
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| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
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29
lull
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| v.使安静，使入睡，缓和，哄骗；n.暂停，间歇 | |
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30
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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31
solitude
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| n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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32
mused
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| v.沉思，冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 )；沉思自语说（某事） | |
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maudlin
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| adj.感情脆弱的，爱哭的 | |
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34
stork
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| n.鹳 | |
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35
prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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36
vigilant
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| adj.警觉的，警戒的，警惕的 | |
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37
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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38
malignant
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| adj.恶性的，致命的；恶意的，恶毒的 | |
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39
eyebrow
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| n.眉毛，眉 | |
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40
repulsive
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| adj.排斥的，使人反感的 | |
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41
eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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42
scoffing
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| n. 嘲笑, 笑柄, 愚弄 v. 嘲笑, 嘲弄, 愚弄, 狼吞虎咽 | |
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43
chuckle
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| vi.／n.轻声笑，咯咯笑 | |
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44
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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45
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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46
malignantly
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| 怀恶意地； 恶毒地； 有害地； 恶性地 | |
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