Perhaps never had Algernon Bufton been in a more agreeable frame of mind than he was at this present time. Everything was, he told himself, very well with him. A ruined spendthrift; a man who, seven years ago, had inherited a substantial fortune and, in the passage of those seven years, had managed to squander2 it; the chance had come to him of winning this girl, whom, in his mind, he considered to be little better than a fool.
He had thought so at first when he made her acquaintance at a public ball at Tunbridge, he having gone there heiress hunting and with a list in his pocket of all the young ladies who were known to be either the possessors of large fortunes or the future inheritors thereof; and he still thought her a fool after this evening's interview. That she should have fallen violently in love with him did not of course stamp her as one, since, in spite of his unfortunate chin, he deemed himself not only attractive, but irresistible3. Yet a fool she undoubtedly4 was to throw herself away on a man about whom she had made no inquiries5 (as he knew she could not have made), and to be willing to marry him in the surreptitious, or, as he termed it, "hole in the corner," manner that she was about to do.
"If I were a scoundrel," he mused6 to himself with extreme complacency, "who was pursuing the girl with some other object than that of obtaining possession of her fortune, how I might hoodwink her! Granger, if kept sober till midday, could play the parson sufficiently7 well to throw dust in her eyes. But not in such a case as this should it be done. No. No! my beauteous Ariadne. Not in such a case as this. You shall be tied up devilish tight, so tight that never shall you escape your bonds with Algernon Bufton; so fast that my demise8 alone shall cancel them. You are not one of the pretty helpless fools whom villains9 deceive.
"A fine property, too," he mused, casting a dark eye around, "a fine property. The trees alone would sell for much if cut down. Yet--yet--we must not come to that. An avenue gives ever an imposing---- Hist! What is this? Some country clown, by the way he sings to himself. Perhaps a rival."
Whereon, true to himself, Beau Bufton assumed a haughty10, indifferent air as he strode along, and drew down his lips into the well-known Bufton sneer11, as he considered it.
The person of whom he spoke12, and who was quite visible in the evening gloaming, was now drawing near, and Bufton decided13 that he had guessed aright when he imagined him to be a country clown. A country squire14 perhaps; but no more.
This person's face, he could observe, was an extremely good-looking one, though marvellously brown and sunburnt--probably, the Beau thought, from common country pursuits--a handsome English face indeed, from which looked forth15 two bright blue eyes. Also he was tall and well-set, though perhaps his figure was not exhibited to its best advantage owing to a rolling gait. In his apparel he showed that he was a gentleman, his coat of blue cloth being of the best, while his lace, although not costly16, was that which a person of position might wear. By his side he carried a sword which evoked17 the deepest disdain18 from Bufton, since it was but a common whinyard in a black leather case, and boasted only a brass19 handle and hilt. For the rest, he was a young man of the Beau's own age.
As they drew close to each other in the twilight20, this young man fixed21 those blue eyes on Bufton's face with an extremely keen glance; a glance so penetrating22 that the other whose nose was in the air, and whose chin was stuck out in front of him, knew well enough that he was being scanned from head to foot. Then, before he could progress more than another step or so, he was startled by hearing the new-comer address him.
"My friend," that person said, "have you not lost your way? Or are you not aware that this is private ground, the property of Miss Thorne?" For a moment the Beau could scarcely believe his ears. To be addressed as "his friend" by a person of this description! A country clod, and in a plain blue coat!
"My good fellow," he said, with now his choicest sneer, "is it not possible that the lady you mention may occasionally receive visitors other than the rural inhabitants of this neighbourhood?"
"Extremely possible," the new-corner replied, "since she deigns23 to receive me, who am not of this neighbourhood. But, since I happen to have a very strong and tender interest in Miss Thorne, may I make so bold as to ask if you have been received as a visitor by her to-night?"
It was, perhaps, as it happened at this juncture24, a little unfortunate that Bufton had never accepted his friend Granger's estimate of him as a more just one than that which he had long since formed of himself. For the latter, in "coarse and ruffianly language," as the Beau termed it, always took great delight in telling him that he didn't know himself. "You are not as clever as you think, my friend," he would say again and again; "you are not astute25, and, indeed, without my assistance you would be but a sorry knave26. Also, your absurd belief in your powers of ridicule27, the use of which is always the mark of either an envious28 person or a fool, will some day get you into trouble. I wish you could be more intelligent." Which advice was, however, entirely29 thrown away on Bufton, who was a man strong in his own conceit30. And, perhaps, after all, he had a right to be so, since he had undoubtedly perpetrated many knavish31 tricks very successfully during his career.
But now his folly32 and his idea of his own importance ran away with him; while, at the same time, the reticence33 on which he prided himself--and truly so in unimportant matters, though he could blab freely on matters that should be kept secret--was shown to be the useless thing it was.
"Young man," he said, "you forget yourself, allow yourself an unpardonable license34 when you state that you have a strong and tender interest in Miss Thorne. Such a thing is impossible in one of your condition--indeed, in any one--now!"
"Why, you scurvy35 dog!" the other answered, approaching him--and now his blue eyes blazed indignantly, while his brown face seemed to assume a deeper hue--"you dare to speak thus to me--you jackanapes. Begone from off this place at once, ere I kick you down the avenue. Who are you, you bedizened mountebank36, who dares put his foot here? Begone, I say, at once!"
That calmness is a mark of the truly great had long been an axiom of Beau Bufton; while he was also aware that those who possess such terrible powers of ridicule and contempt as were his, must never stoop to bandy words with others--since, thereby37, even a clown might find a loophole for retaliation38. Nor did he forget those axioms now, even though his blood boiled at being addressed as he had just been. But, on the other hand, none could be allowed to make such remarks to him--especially not he who had the monstrous39 temerity40 to state that he had a strong and tender interest in Miss Thorne. In Miss Thorne--the girl who, not a quarter of an hour ago, had promised to be his wife within a fortnight--the girl who had a hundred thousand guineas for portion!
"My good man," he said, "you carry a sort of weapon at your side."
"Ay, I do. A good one, too."
"Draw it, then. I must teach you a lesson. I presume you are of some standing41; that I may cross swords with you. You perhaps may be considered a gentleman----"
"At least I have the gentleman's trick of knowing how to use a small sword. Come, let us make an attempt. Lug42 out. Come."
Not being wanting in personal courage, while feeling very sure, too, that Renoud had taught him all that there was to be learnt at the fence school in Marylebone, the Beau drew forth from its scabbard the bright new blade which, for the first time, he had hung by his side to-night, and put himself upon his guard. Yet he could have wished that his calm and dignified43 manner had more favourably44 impressed his antagonist45, and that he had not drawn46 his own common-looking blade with such an easy air. It was, he thought, an air far too self-confident for a yokel47 to assume. However, there was a lesson to be taught, and he must teach it.
"You have ventured to state," he said, "that you have a tender interest in Miss Thorne. If you will withdraw those words----"
"Curse you!" the other said furiously. "You dare to mention her name again. Have at you!" and in a moment their swords were crossed.
Then Beau Bufton knew that he could not possibly be dealing48 with a gentleman. For his opponent seemed utterly49 oblivious50 of every form and method of recognised attack and defence, and, what was more, parried every one of his choicest thrusts--even Renoud's low quarte, which was thought so well of; while he also had the gross vulgarity to parry a sweet flanconnade with his left hand. And the fellow had made him positively51 warm! Nevertheless, he seemed to know more than was desirable, since he had an accursed acquaintance with the old contretemps, or coup52 fourré, which was a dangerous knowledge for one's antagonist to possess.
In truth, Bufton began to think (although scarcely could it be possible that Heaven would ever permit such an outrage) that this provincial53 was very likely to stretch him ere long upon the soft grass beneath his feet. A thing that, if ever known, must load his memory with eternal disgrace. He a beau, a ma?tre des escrimeurs, to be laid low by such a one. It must not be. He must try the botte coupée. He did try it--and it failed! While to make matters worse, his bucolic54 adversary55 laughed at him.
"Come," that adversary said, "this will not do. You are not a coward, it seems, therefore I will spare you. Only, henceforth, venture no more in this place." Whereon, as he spoke, he disarmed56 Beau Bufton with a heavy parry, and, a moment later held that gentleman's sword in his left hand.
"Now," he said, while on his face there came a good-humoured expression which made him look surprisingly handsome, though, indeed, there was little enough light left for the other to observe it by--"now be off. And, here, take your sword; it is a pretty weapon. Only, for the future, wear it for ornament--not use. Away with you."
"Curse you!" said the Beau, snarling57 at him. "I'll be at evens with you yet. If what I think is true, we shall meet again."
"Very likely," replied the other, "but it must not be here. I suspect you of having been courting one of the maids; next time go round to the offices--there you will not be interrupted," and in a moment he had walked swiftly away up the avenue.
Humiliated58 as the Beau was by his defeat at the hands of such a fellow! doubly humiliated, too, by that insulting suggestion that he, a gentleman, should have been lurking59 about after one of Ariadne's maid-servants, he had the good sense to hold his tongue and to let the victor--for such, in truth the other was--depart without further words. Yet, even after his defeat at that other's hands, he could still find some reflections to comfort him.
"Since," he said to himself, as now he went down the avenue on his road back to the inn, "the fellow is evidently on his way to visit her, he must be some local rustic60 who imagines that she favours him. Favours him! Oh, ye gods. Him! And not a quarter of an hour ere he came along she was promising61 to be mine--to be my wife--her head upon my shoulder--kissing me. Nay62, I think she did not kiss me; in the hurry of our parting that sweet ceremony was forgotten. Ha! very well. When next he observes me, in this avenue, perhaps--it may be so!--he will see me riding up it as the owner, and the owner also of my Ariadne's guineas. Ah! my rural friend," he murmured, "I can forgive your insolence63 very easily."
Whereon, comforted by these reflections, he strode forward to the Hautbois, intent on obtaining some rest ere the coach should pass in the early morning.
His host and hostess were sitting outside the porch of the inn as he drew near it, the summer evening being so warm and balmy, while the old thatched house, over which the honeysuckle and woodbine twined, was close and stuffy64 inside; and as he now drew near both rose with the antique ceremony of such persons, and bowed and curtsied.
"Your worship has paid a visit to Mistress Thorne?" the man asked inquiringly, supposing that for no other purpose could a gentleman have come down from London by the coach, only to return by it the next morning.
"Yes, to Mistress Thorne," the Beau answered. "Yet, my friends," he said, "it is a visit which I wish not discussed. It was on business--a matter of business of some import. I pray you to keep silence on the matter."
"For," he continued to himself, "I would not have that country calf65 know that he has a rival in the field. Thus, when he learns that Ariadne is mine, his despair will be greater. Thus, too, I shall have my revenge."
"I will say nothing, your worship," the man promised, while his wife echoed his words. "Nothing. Doubtless Miss Thorne has much business to transact66."
"Always--always," replied the Beau.
"And did your worship see Sir Geoffrey going up to the house? He must have passed that way almost as you returned."
"Sir Geoffrey!" Bufton exclaimed. "Sir Geoffrey! What Sir Geoffrey, pray?" while as he spoke he felt, he knew not why, that he was turning somewhat white. Fortunately, however, the darkness which was now all around prevented that whiteness from being seen.
"Sir Geoffrey Barry," the man replied. "I thought your worship would have known him. He is of the county, and one of His Majesty's sea captains. And he awaits only the command of a ship-of-war to--to----"
"To what?"
"To espouse67 Mistress Thorne!"
Later that night, if the worthy68 landlord could have but seen into the small, low-ceilinged room in which Beau Bufton was installed, he would perhaps have thought that his guest was a madman, or, had at least, partaken too freely of the contents of a silver flask69 by his side. For he laughed and chuckled70 to himself again and again; while also, he snapped his fingers more than once in a manner which seemed to testify exuberant71 delight.
"To espouse Mistress Thorne," he repeated continually, as now he proceeded to divest72 himself of his clothes, knowing that it was necessary he should obtain some few hours' rest. "To espouse Mistress Thorne. Oh, gad73! It is too much!" Yet, it would seem as though there was a sinister74 side to his humour as well, since occasionally, amidst all his hilarity75, he would exclaim--
"Curse him! Curse him! He is a gentleman, it would seem, and he outraged76 me not only by his jeers77 and derisions, but also by having got the better of me in the encounter. So be it! A fortnight hence, my friend, and I shall have had my full retaliation. Ah, Sir Geoffrey Barry, you do not know yet with whom you have to deal! 'One of the maids,' indeed!"
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1
retrace
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| v.折回；追溯，探源 | |
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squander
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| v.浪费，挥霍 | |
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irresistible
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| adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的 | |
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undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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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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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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demise
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| n.死亡；v.让渡，遗赠，转让 | |
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villains
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| n.恶棍( villain的名词复数 )；罪犯；（小说、戏剧等中的）反面人物；淘气鬼 | |
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haughty
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| adj.傲慢的，高傲的 | |
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sneer
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| v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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squire
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| n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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costly
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evoked
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| [医]诱发的 | |
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disdain
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| n.鄙视，轻视；v.轻视，鄙视，不屑 | |
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brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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penetrating
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| adj.（声音）响亮的，尖锐的adj.（气味）刺激的adj.（思想）敏锐的，有洞察力的 | |
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deigns
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juncture
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astute
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| adj.机敏的，精明的 | |
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knave
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| n.流氓；（纸牌中的）杰克 | |
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ridicule
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| v.讥讽，挖苦；n.嘲弄 | |
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envious
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| adj.嫉妒的，羡慕的 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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conceit
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| n.自负，自高自大 | |
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knavish
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| adj.无赖（似）的，不正的；刁诈 | |
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folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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reticence
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| n.沉默，含蓄 | |
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license
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scurvy
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mountebank
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| n.江湖郎中；骗子 | |
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thereby
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retaliation
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monstrous
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| adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的 | |
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temerity
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| n.鲁莽，冒失 | |
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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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lug
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| n.柄，突出部，螺帽；(英）耳朵；（俚）笨蛋；vt.拖，拉，用力拖动 | |
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dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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favourably
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| adv. 善意地，赞成地 =favorably | |
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antagonist
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| n.敌人，对抗者，对手 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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yokel
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| n.乡下人；农夫 | |
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dealing
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| n.经商方法，待人态度 | |
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utterly
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oblivious
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| adj.易忘的，遗忘的，忘却的，健忘的 | |
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positively
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coup
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provincial
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| adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人 | |
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bucolic
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| adj.乡村的；牧羊的 | |
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55
adversary
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| adj.敌手，对手 | |
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disarmed
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| v.裁军( disarm的过去式和过去分词 )；使息怒 | |
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snarling
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| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的现在分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
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humiliated
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| 感到羞愧的 | |
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lurking
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| 潜在 | |
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rustic
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| adj.乡村的，有乡村特色的；n.乡下人，乡巴佬 | |
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promising
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| adj.有希望的，有前途的 | |
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nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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insolence
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| n.傲慢；无礼；厚颜；傲慢的态度 | |
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stuffy
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| adj.不透气的，闷热的 | |
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calf
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| n.小牛，犊，幼仔，小牛皮 | |
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transact
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| v.处理；做交易；谈判 | |
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espouse
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| v.支持，赞成，嫁娶 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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69
flask
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| n.瓶，火药筒，砂箱 | |
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70
chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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exuberant
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| adj.充满活力的；（植物）繁茂的 | |
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72
divest
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| v.脱去，剥除 | |
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gad
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| n.闲逛；v.闲逛 | |
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sinister
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| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
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hilarity
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| n.欢乐；热闹 | |
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76
outraged
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| a.震惊的，义愤填膺的 | |
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77
jeers
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| n.操纵帆桁下部（使其上下的）索具；嘲讽( jeer的名词复数 )v.嘲笑( jeer的第三人称单数 ) | |
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