For the most part, these villages were mere9 warty10 outcroppings of filth11 upon the face of a fair country, some not even with a wine shop so poor were they. But if we lay hardly, ate coarsely, and at times carried out in the morning more than we had brought in at night, we paid little; so that our bloodletting was where we could most spare it. Boorish12 roughness we met in plenty, but no discourtesy. The poor folk were more accustomed to being robbed than paid, and where the company was more villainous than common we slipped our bed across the door, and so rested in peace.
"Wait till we reach Paris," was Martin's nightly cry, as we stayed our hunger on sour bread and sourer wine. "Five nights more—four nights—three nights—and the Star of Dauphiny pays for all. Such an inn, Monsieur Gaspard! My late master, your father, gave it all his custom. It was neither too grand nor too common, too dear nor too cheap. My Lord Duke found amusement to tickle13 his greatness, and a poor gentleman could be at his ease and no questions asked. May the devil choke these scoundrels, but I think they've drawn14 the wine from the vinegar butt15 by mistake."
It was late in the afternoon when we entered Paris by the St. Denis gate, and made our way to the Rue16 du Temple, off which, the first turn to the right as one faces the river, and immediately fronting the huge crenellated outer wall of the Temple precinct, opened the street in which was situated17 Martin's famous inn. Of its gay surroundings, its cheery brightness, its constant bubble of laughter, he had spoken so often and so joyously19 that the sordid20 frowsiness of the Rue Neuve Saint Martin, a crooked21, ghastly byeway of blistered22 walls, was a dismal23 surprise. So narrow was it, so filthy24, so full of evil smells, that any question as to the reception of such a pair of out-at-elbows as ourselves vanished. The inn that could thrive upon such squalor could not afford to be nice as to its guests.
In my ignorance of life the natural deduction25 from that premise26 never struck me; that the guests would be such as could not afford to be nice as to their inn. But as we wound into an ever-increasing gloom, an ever-growing sinister27 suggestiveness, a doubt arose that Martin's whole story was a legend of his imagination.
"Are you sure," I began, waving a hand before my face in the vain hope of drawing a sweeter breath, "sure that my father—?"
"I give you my word," he protested. "The Sieur Hellewyl, Monsieur de Commines, Monsieur de Vesc—" the name attracted him, for he was Dauphiny born—"Monsieur—Monsieur—oh! a score of them. But Paris has changed since then, or I have."
"Monsieur de Commines?" I repeated, "are you really sure?"
"Certainly; Monsieur de Commines, did I not say so before? He was little more than a boy at the time, but a bold one. I say, friend," he shouted, stooping to peer into the black vacancy28 of an open door out of which there came a burr of voices. It was significant that in the Rue Neuve Saint Martin there were no windows on the ground floor. "Whereabouts is the Star of Dauphiny?"
Un the instant the rumble29 of talk ceased, but it was not until Martin had repeated his question that a man came to the door, a whitefaced, underfed fellow, whose sinewy30 arms were naked to the shoulders. Without replying he leaned against the door, half within the house and half without, eyeing us and our horses critically.
"Does your master lodge31 there to-night?" he asked at last, lounging forward to the middle of the street that he might examine us the better.
Before Martin could answer, saying, perhaps more than was wise, I cut in with a curt32, "Yes." But his curiosity was still unsatisfied.
"And are there many more of you?"
"My friend, we asked a question."
"And I another."
"You are impertinent."
"And you a dolt33! What hedgerow bred you? Don't you see the place might not have room for you all? Are there more of you?"
"No."
"Then your master has the fewer clods. How far have you ridden to-day?"
"Come, come," I said impatiently, "that, at least, has nothing to do with how many beds there are at an inn. Where is the Star of Dauphiny?"
"There's no such place," he answered coolly.
"No such place?"
"No. Ah ha! Now you're civil, my stout34 clod-thumper. No such place. Fifteen years ago it became the Star of Provence, and since then it has been the host of heaven, but with none of the angels. Now, with the Dauphin's marriage to his three years' baby of a wife, it is the turn of the Flemings, and you'll find the Star of Flanders on the right hand round the second curve of the street."
"Then good day to you, and a civiller tongue in your head," cried Martin, spurring Ninus forward to drive over the fellow.
But he was too quick, and hopped35 for his doorway36, dealing37 the poor innocent brute38 a cruel blow on the muzzle39 as he passed.
"Good day, clod," he answered. "Chut! You cannot even plough straight. You'll need more wit to your skull40 than that in Paris."
"I owe you one for that," cried Martin, as Ninus plunged41, squealing42.
"Owe away! To owe and never pay is Paris fashion," he replied laughing, and barred the door behind him, shutting himself into darkness.
To have hammered against that stout barrier, belted with iron as broad as our palms, would have skinned our knuckles43 for nothing, so we rode on, Martin swearing as he had not sworn since he cursed Jan Meert. Nor did a sight of the Star of Flanders, though it was the end of the first stage of our journey, bring sweetness to his temper, nor, indeed, to mine either. Instead of the cheeriness, the gaiety, the flash and sparkle of court life, there was a dingy44 arch in the flat of a dingy wall and six or eight dusty, small paned windows, so veiled by heavy gratings as to suggest groans45 of the prison-house rather than bubbling laughter. But it was too late to seek other quarters, so we rode on into the courtyard.
Supper? Certainly. Beds? A bed, one, perhaps; were we princes of the blood in disguise that we wanted beds apiece? Supper and a bed, yes, but pay before you stir the horses in the morning; that's the rule of the house. The insolence46 was galling47, but poverty must pocket affronts48, nor, let there be ever so many, is the pouch49 so filled that there is no room for another. We might have blustered50, but to trim ragged51 clothes with airs and graces as if they were so much gold lace is to crown misfortune with folly52, so we bore the scorn of the groundling in silence.
One effect it had, it put an end to Martin's insistence53 on obsequious54 service; that rags should serve rags could only make rags ridiculous. But even our humility55 refused to sup in the common room. There any prowler of the gutters56 who had five sous in his pocket could drink, game, and swear as it pleased him, which for the first two was as deep as these same five sous, and for the last at his foul57 throat's loudest.
At first the host would have hectored us. But judiciously58 used, a little money can make a great noise in the world, and Martin rattled59 his coins.
"Who pays chooses," said he, withdrawing his head from the room. "Lay for us elsewhere, landlord. When we wish to sup with mongrels in a dog-kennel we'll tell thee."
With a grunt60 the fellow turned back across the open court, round which the inn was built, and led us to a decent, quiet, long-shaped room that bounded the further side. It was dingy, narrow, and low-ceiled, but empty. Two tables, end to end with a break between, and benches at either side, filled its centre.
"Lay here," said Martin pointing to the upper end of that nearest the door.
But I demurred61. "No; on the second table and at the further end. It is more private."
"But, Monsieur Gaspard, to be near the door—"
"Is to be near draughts62. We have no one to fear in Paris."
"In a city where they strike dumb beasts there are always rogues63."
"But not to be feared."
"Feared? No, but to be guarded against."
"Even so, the further from the door, the less the surprise. And what, in all the world, have we to guard? Lay there, landlord."
Midway through our meal of one dish came the first incursion on our solitude64. Two men, one slouched and cloaked like a brigand65, entered, and at sight of us, would have withdrawn66 again. But the landlord intervened.
"In ten minutes they are done, Monsieur," said he, a new servility struggling with his old surliness. "We have no other room except sleeping rooms."
"Which would not do. Bring wine and take away that candle," he went on, seating himself at the further end of the room in such a position that he faced the door. His companion, obedient to a gesture, also seated himself, but with a yard or two of space between. "Give it to these—ah—gentlemen yonder; they are almost in darkness."
"They've light enough to see to their mouths," he answered insolently68, "and so I'll leave it."
"And I too much to see your face in," was the pat and no less insolent67 reply, "therefore you'll take it away."
It was the right method to deal with the fellow, for he at once bowed with a cringe.
"I'll fetch the wine, Monsieur; good, I suppose?"
"If you've got it!" and he went, taking the candle with him.
At the arbitrary limitation put upon us, Martin would have flared69 out had I not restrained him, and though he laughed at the stranger's bitter retort over the disputed light, he whispered, "It is not the landlord's face he loves the darkness for, but his own; see how he hides it."
"Let him," I answered; "a thing may be honest enough, and yet better hidden; look at our rags."
"For them we have to thank Jan Meert."
"And he God Almighty70 for his face."
Though both were plainly dressed, I could soon tell they were not on a par8. Only one spoke18, and when the wine came, though he poured some into his glass, he drank none, but pushed the bottle impatiently on to his neighbour as if deeper things to think of gave him a contempt for such toys. As to the man nearest us, he took both the wine and the touch of arrogance71 as a matter of course, and swallowed each with a relish72 as men do both gifts and slights of the great.
Thus we sat till the ten minutes were up and we had finished our meal but not our wine. Then, as the host came bustling73 up to rout74 us out I bade Martin softly leave him to me.
"Now that you've eaten," said he, "perhaps the other room will be nice enough for your lordships' nobility."
"This is nice enough for want of better," I answered; "but it is dull; bring us the dice76."
"Dice elsewhere; this room is bespoke77."
"Aye, by us."
"But these gentlemen—"
"Came last."
The man in the cloak settled the dispute.
"Let them stay," he cried out. "Messieurs, an end of the room for you, and an end for us. Will that content you?"
"If the other room were not a doghole——" I began.
But he interrupted me with an outbreak of the same supercilious78 arrogance, saying curtly79:
"Have I not said it was settled? If I am content, surely you may be," and fell again silent.
"What did I say?" whispered Martin, rubbing his hands that he had at last found confirmation80 for his tales, "a duke or a simple gentleman, the Sieur Hellewyl, Monsieur de Commines, Monsieur de Vesc; eh, Monsieur Gaspard?"
It was while we were still playing at playing with the dice that the second interruption came. With much politeness but yet more curiosity three further guests were ushered81 in, and again two of them were hooded82 like conspirators83, but this time with a difference—they were women. Their age or figures no man could guess, so hidden were they, but one was tall, and bore herself with a carriage that suggested lissom84 activity. The third of their party was as frankly85 revealed as they were frankly disguised; a sinewy broad-shouldered man, with Soldier written largely on him from head to heel in characters that spoke louder than the weapons at hip75 and thigh86.
The three stood in silence together until—some trivial order having been given and obeyed—the door shut out the landlord's inquisition. Then, as if by common consent, the smaller woman with their guard—for in that capacity he attended them there could be no doubt—moved round the head of the table to where was an open fireplace set in a deep alcove87 midway down the wall opposite the door. The humbler of the two first comers joined them there, but stood apart, leaving his leader and the taller of the women in comparative isolation88 at the further end of the room.
At her entrance he had risen, bowing with the careless courtesy of a stranger and receiving in return as negligent89 an acknowledgment; but though my curiosity had been stirred like that of the landlord, it was her first word that fairly aroused it.
"Narbonne," said he.
"Argenton," was the answer.
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收听单词发音
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1
virtues
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| 美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处 | |
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virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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adorn
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| vt.使美化，装饰 | |
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modesty
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| n.谦逊，虚心，端庄，稳重，羞怯，朴素 | |
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mortification
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| n.耻辱，屈辱 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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harrying
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| v.使苦恼( harry的现在分词 )；不断烦扰；一再袭击；侵扰 | |
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par
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| n.标准，票面价值，平均数量；adj.票面的，平常的，标准的 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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warty
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| adj.有疣的，似疣的；瘤状 | |
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filth
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| n.肮脏，污物，污秽；淫猥 | |
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boorish
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| adj.粗野的，乡巴佬的 | |
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tickle
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| v.搔痒，胳肢；使高兴；发痒；n.搔痒，发痒 | |
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14
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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butt
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| n.笑柄；烟蒂；枪托；臀部；v.用头撞或顶 | |
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rue
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| n.懊悔，芸香，后悔；v.后悔，悲伤，懊悔 | |
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17
situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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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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19
joyously
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| ad.快乐地, 高兴地 | |
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sordid
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| adj.肮脏的，不干净的，卑鄙的，暗淡的 | |
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21
crooked
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| adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的 | |
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22
blistered
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| adj.水疮状的，泡状的v.（使）起水泡( blister的过去式和过去分词 )；（使表皮等）涨破，爆裂 | |
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23
dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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filthy
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| adj.卑劣的；恶劣的，肮脏的 | |
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deduction
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| n.减除，扣除，减除额；推论，推理，演绎 | |
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26
premise
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| n.前提；v.提论，预述 | |
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sinister
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| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
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vacancy
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| n.（旅馆的）空位，空房，（职务的）空缺 | |
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rumble
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| n.隆隆声；吵嚷；v.隆隆响；低沉地说 | |
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30
sinewy
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| adj.多腱的，强壮有力的 | |
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lodge
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| v.临时住宿，寄宿，寄存，容纳；n.传达室，小旅馆 | |
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curt
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| adj.简短的，草率的 | |
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dolt
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| n.傻瓜 | |
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35
hopped
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| 跳上[下]( hop的过去式和过去分词 )； 单足蹦跳； 齐足（或双足）跳行； 摘葎草花 | |
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36
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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dealing
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| n.经商方法，待人态度 | |
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brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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39
muzzle
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| n.鼻口部；口套；枪(炮)口；vt.使缄默 | |
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40
skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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41
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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42
squealing
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| v.长声尖叫，用长而尖锐的声音说( squeal的现在分词 ) | |
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43
knuckles
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| n.（指人）指关节( knuckle的名词复数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝v.（指人）指关节( knuckle的第三人称单数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝 | |
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44
dingy
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| adj.昏暗的，肮脏的 | |
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45
groans
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| n.呻吟，叹息( groan的名词复数 )；呻吟般的声音v.呻吟( groan的第三人称单数 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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46
insolence
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| n.傲慢；无礼；厚颜；傲慢的态度 | |
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galling
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| adj.难堪的,使烦恼的,使焦躁的 | |
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48
affronts
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| n.（当众）侮辱，（故意）冒犯( affront的名词复数 )v.勇敢地面对( affront的第三人称单数 )；相遇 | |
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49
pouch
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| n.小袋，小包，囊状袋；vt.装...入袋中，用袋运输；vi.用袋送信件 | |
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50
blustered
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| v.外强中干的威吓( bluster的过去式和过去分词 )；咆哮；（风）呼啸；狂吹 | |
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51
ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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52
folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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53
insistence
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| n.坚持；强调；坚决主张 | |
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54
obsequious
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| adj.谄媚的，奉承的，顺从的 | |
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55
humility
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| n.谦逊，谦恭 | |
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56
gutters
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| （路边）排水沟( gutter的名词复数 )； 阴沟； （屋顶的）天沟； 贫贱的境地 | |
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57
foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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58
judiciously
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| adv.明断地，明智而审慎地 | |
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rattled
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| 慌乱的，恼火的 | |
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60
grunt
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| v.嘟哝；作呼噜声；n.呼噜声，嘟哝 | |
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61
demurred
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| v.表示异议，反对( demur的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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62
draughts
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| n. <英>国际跳棋 | |
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63
rogues
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| n.流氓( rogue的名词复数 )；无赖；调皮捣蛋的人；离群的野兽 | |
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64
solitude
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| n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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65
brigand
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| n.土匪，强盗 | |
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66
withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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67
insolent
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| adj.傲慢的，无理的 | |
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68
insolently
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| adv.自豪地，自傲地 | |
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69
Flared
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| adj. 端部张开的, 爆发的, 加宽的, 漏斗式的 动词flare的过去式和过去分词 | |
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70
almighty
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| adj.全能的，万能的；很大的，很强的 | |
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71
arrogance
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| n.傲慢，自大 | |
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72
relish
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| n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味 | |
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73
bustling
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| adj.喧闹的 | |
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74
rout
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| n.溃退，溃败；v.击溃，打垮 | |
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75
hip
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| n.臀部，髋；屋脊 | |
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76
dice
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| n.骰子；vt.把（食物）切成小方块，冒险 | |
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77
bespoke
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| adj.（产品）订做的；专做订货的v.预定( bespeak的过去式 )；订（货）；证明；预先请求 | |
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78
supercilious
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| adj.目中无人的，高傲的；adv.高傲地；n.高傲 | |
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79
curtly
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| adv.简短地 | |
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80
confirmation
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| n.证实，确认，批准 | |
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81
ushered
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| v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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82
hooded
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| adj.戴头巾的；有罩盖的；颈部因肋骨运动而膨胀的 | |
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83
conspirators
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| n.共谋者，阴谋家( conspirator的名词复数 ) | |
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84
lissom
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| adj.柔软的，轻快而优雅的 | |
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85
frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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86
thigh
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| n.大腿；股骨 | |
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87
alcove
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| n.凹室 | |
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88
isolation
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| n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离 | |
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89
negligent
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| adj.疏忽的；玩忽的；粗心大意的 | |
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