"For on this occasion, Jean," he observed, as he pushed the paper from him,
"I think that honors are fairly even. You obtain peace at home, and in
Bavarian business."
Ormskirk was silent until he had the churchwarden which he had just ignited aglow7. "That was the evening I had you robbed and beaten by footpads, was it not? Faith, Gaston, I think you should rather be obliged to me, since it taught you never to carry important papers in your pocket when you go about your affairs of gallantry."
"That beating with great sticks," the Duc de Puysange considered, "was the height of unnecessity."
And the Duke of Ormskirk shrugged8. "A mere9 touch of verisimilitude, Gaston; footpads invariably beat their victims. Besides, you had attempted to murder me at Aix, you may remember."
De Puysange was horrified11. "My dear friend, when I set Villaneuve upon you it was with express orders only to run you through the shoulder. Figure to yourself: that abominable12 St. Severin had bribed13 your chef to feed you powdered glass in a ragout! But I dissented14. 'Jean and I have been the dearest enemies these ten years past,' I said. 'At every Court in Europe we have lied to each other. If you kill him I shall beyond doubt presently perish of ennui15.' So, that France might escape a blow so crushing as the loss of my services, St. Severin consented to disable you."
"Believe me, I appreciate your intervention," Ormskirk stated, with his usual sleepy smile; before this he had found amusement in the naïveté of his friend's self-approbation.
"Not so! Rather you are a monument of ingratitude," the other complained. "You conceive, Villaneuve was in price exorbitant16. I snap my fingers. 'For a comrade so dear,' I remark, 'I gladly employ the most expensive of assassins.' Yet before the face of such magnanimity you grumble17." The Duc de Puysange spread out his shapely hands. "I murder you! My adored Jean, I had as lief make love to my wife."
Ormskirk struck his finger-tips upon the table. "Faith, I knew there was something I intended to ask of you, I want you to get me a wife."
"In fact," de Puysange observed, "warfare18 being now at an end, it is only natural that you should resort to matrimony. I can assure you it is an admirable substitute. But who is the lucky Miss, my little villain19?"
"Why, that is for you to settle," Ormskirk said. "I had hoped you might know of some suitable person."
"Ma foi, my friend, if I were arbiter20 and any wife would suit you, I would cordially desire you to take mine, for when a woman so incessantly21 resembles an angel in conduct, her husband inevitably22 desires to see her one in reality."
"You misinterpret me, Gaston. This is not a jest. I had always intended to marry as soon as I could spare the time, and now that this treaty is disposed of, my opportunity has beyond doubt arrived. I am practically at leisure until the autumn. At latest, though, I must marry by August, in order to get the honeymoon23 off my hands before the convocation of Parliament. For there will have to be a honeymoon, I suppose."
"It is customary," de Puysange said. He appeared to deliberate something entirely24 alien to this reply, however, and now sat silent for a matter of four seconds, his countenance25 profoundly grave. He was a hideous26 man, [Footnote: For a consideration of the vexed27 and delicate question whether or no Gaston de Puysange was grandson to King Charles the Second of England, the reader is referred to the third chapter of La Vrillière's De Puysange et son temps. The Duke's resemblance in person to that monarch28 was undeniable.] with black beetling29 eyebrows30, an enormous nose, and an under-lip excessively full; his face had all the calculated ill-proportion of a gargoyle31, an ugliness so consummate32 and merry that in ultimate effect it captivated.
At last de Puysange began: "I think I follow you. It is quite proper that you should marry. It is quite proper that a man who has done so much for England should leave descendants to perpetuate33 his name, and with perhaps some portion of his ability—no, Jean, I do not flatter,—serve the England which is to his heart so dear. As a Frenchman I cannot but deplore34 that our next generation may have to face another Ormskirk; as your friend who loves you I say that this marriage will appropriately round a successful and honorable and intelligent life. Eh, we are only men, you and I, and it is advisable that all men should marry, since otherwise they might be so happy in this colorful world that getting to heaven would not particularly tempt10 them. Thus is matrimony a bulwark35 of religion."
"You are growing scurrilous," Ormskirk complained, "whereas I am in perfect earnest."
"I, too, speak to the foot of the letter, Jean, as you will soon learn. I comprehend that you cannot with agreeability marry an Englishwoman. You are too much the personage. Possessing, as you notoriously possess, your pick among the women of gentle degree—for none of them would her guardians36 nor her good taste permit to refuse the great Duke of Ormskirk,—any choice must therefore be a too robustious affrontment to all the others. If you select a Howard, the Skirlaws have pepper in the nose; if a Beaufort, you lose Umfraville's support,—and so on. Hey, I know, my dear Jean; your affair with the Earl of Brudenel's daughter cost you seven seats in Parliament, you may remember. How am I aware of this?—why, because I habitually37 have your mail intercepted38. You intercept39 mine, do you not? Naturally; you would be a very gross and intolerable scion40 of the pig if you did otherwise. Eh bien, let us get on. You might, of course, play King Cophetua, but I doubt if it would amuse you, since Penelophons are rare; it follows in logic41 that your wife must come from abroad. And whence? Without question, from France, the land of adorable women. The thing is plainly demonstrated; and in France, my dear, I have to an eyelash the proper person for you."
"Then we may consider the affair as settled," Ormskirk replied, "and should you arrange to have the marriage take place upon the first of August,—if possible, a trifle earlier,—I would be trebly your debtor42."
De Puysange retorted: "Beyond doubt I can adjust these matters. And yet, my dear Jean, I must submit that it is not quite the act of a gentleman to plunge43 into matrimony without even inquiring as to the dowry of your future bride."
"It is true," said Ormskirk, with a grimace44; "I had not thought of her portion. You must remember my attention is at present pre-empted by that idiotic45 Ferrers business. How much am I to marry, then, Gaston?"
"I had in mind," said the other, "my sister, the Demoiselle Claire de
Puysange,—"
It was a day of courtesy when the minor46 graces were paramount47. Ormskirk rose and accorded de Puysange a salutation fitted to an emperor. "I entreat48 your pardon, sir, for any gaucherie of which I may have been guilty, and desire to extend to you my appreciation49 of the honor you have done me."
"It is sufficient, monsieur," de Puysange replied. And the two gravely bowed again.
Then the Frenchman resumed, in conversational50 tones: "I have but one unmarried sister,—already nineteen, beautiful as an angel (in the eyes, at least, of fraternal affection), and undoubtedly51 as headstrong as any devil at present stoking the eternal fires below. You can conceive that the disposal of such a person is a delicate matter. In Poictesme there is no suitable match, and upon the other hand I grievously apprehend52 her presentation at our Court, where, as Arouet de Voltaire once observed to me, the men are lured53 into matrimony by the memories of their past sins, and the women by the immunity54 it promises for future ones. In England, where custom will permit a woman to be both handsome and chaste55, I estimate she would be admirably ranged. Accordingly, my dear Jean, behold56 a fact accomplished57. And now let us embrace, my brother!"
This was done. The next day they settled the matter of dowry, jointure, the widow's portion, and so on, and de Puysange returned to render his report at Marly. The wedding had been fixed58 by the Frenchman for St. Anne's day, and by Ormskirk, as an uncompromising churchman, for the twenty-sixth of the following July.
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1
predecessor
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| n.前辈，前任 | |
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demolished
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| v.摧毁( demolish的过去式和过去分词 )；推翻；拆毁（尤指大建筑物）；吃光 | |
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subscribed
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| v.捐助( subscribe的过去式和过去分词 )；签署，题词；订阅；同意 | |
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4
chuckle
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| vi.／n.轻声笑，咯咯笑 | |
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mutual
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| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
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6
requiting
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| v.报答( requite的现在分词 )；酬谢；回报；报复 | |
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7
aglow
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| adj.发亮的；发红的；adv.发亮地 | |
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8
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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9
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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10
tempt
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| vt.引诱，勾引，吸引，引起…的兴趣 | |
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11
horrified
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| a.(表现出)恐惧的 | |
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12
abominable
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| adj.可厌的，令人憎恶的 | |
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13
bribed
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| v.贿赂( bribe的过去式和过去分词 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂 | |
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14
dissented
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| 不同意，持异议( dissent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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15
ennui
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| n.怠倦，无聊 | |
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16
exorbitant
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| adj.过分的；过度的 | |
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17
grumble
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| vi.抱怨；咕哝；n.抱怨，牢骚；咕哝，隆隆声 | |
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18
warfare
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| n.战争(状态)；斗争；冲突 | |
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19
villain
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| n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因 | |
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20
arbiter
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| n.仲裁人，公断人 | |
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21
incessantly
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| ad.不停地 | |
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22
inevitably
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| adv.不可避免地；必然发生地 | |
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23
honeymoon
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| n.蜜月（假期）；vi.度蜜月 | |
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24
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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25
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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26
hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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27
vexed
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| adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
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28
monarch
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| n.帝王，君主，最高统治者 | |
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29
beetling
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| adj.突出的，悬垂的v.快速移动( beetle的现在分词 ) | |
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30
eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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31
gargoyle
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| n.笕嘴 | |
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32
consummate
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| adj.完美的；v.成婚；使完美 [反]baffle | |
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33
perpetuate
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| v.使永存，使永记不忘 | |
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34
deplore
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| vt.哀叹，对...深感遗憾 | |
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35
bulwark
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| n.堡垒，保障，防御 | |
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36
guardians
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| 监护人( guardian的名词复数 )； 保护者，维护者 | |
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37
habitually
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| ad.习惯地，通常地 | |
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38
intercepted
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| 拦截( intercept的过去式和过去分词 )； 截住； 截击； 拦阻 | |
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39
intercept
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| vt.拦截，截住，截击 | |
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40
scion
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| n.嫩芽，子孙 | |
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41
logic
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| n.逻辑(学)；逻辑性 | |
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42
debtor
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| n.借方，债务人 | |
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43
plunge
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| v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲 | |
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44
grimace
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| v.做鬼脸，面部歪扭 | |
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45
idiotic
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| adj.白痴的 | |
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46
minor
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| adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修 | |
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47
paramount
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| a.最重要的，最高权力的 | |
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48
entreat
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| v.恳求，恳请 | |
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49
appreciation
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| n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨 | |
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50
conversational
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| adj.对话的，会话的 | |
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51
undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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52
apprehend
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| vt.理解，领悟，逮捕，拘捕，忧虑 | |
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53
lured
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| 吸引，引诱（lure的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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54
immunity
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| n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权 | |
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55
chaste
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| adj.贞洁的；有道德的；善良的；简朴的 | |
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56
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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57
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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58
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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