Silently the girl bestowed3 a provisional pat upon one fold of the white table-cloth and regarded the result with critical approval. All being in blameless order, she moved one of the candlesticks the width of a needle. The table was now garnished4 to the last resource of the Golden Pomegranate: the napery was snow, the glassware and the cutlery shone with a frosty glitter, and the great bowl of crimson5 roses afforded the exact splurge of vainglorious6 color and glow she had designed. Accordingly, being now at leisure, Nelchen now came toward Monsieur Quillan, lifting her lips to his precisely7 as a child might have done.
"Not quite the King, my Louis. None the less I am sure that Monseigneur is an illustrious person. He arrived not two hours ago—" She told how Monseigneur had come in a coach, very splendid; even his lackeys8 were resplendent. Monseigneur would stay overnight and would to-morrow push on, to Beauséant. He had talked with her,—a kindly9 old gentleman, but so stately that all the while she had been the tiniest thought afraid of him. He must be some exalted10 nobleman, Nelchen considered,—a marquis at the very least.
Meantime diminutive11 Louis Quillan had led her to the window-seat beneath the corridor, and sat holding one plump trifle of a hand, the, while her speech fluttered bird-like from this topic to that; and be regarded Nelchen Thorn with an abysmal12 content. The fates, he considered, had been commendably13 generous to him.
So he leaned back from her a little, laughing gently, and marked what a quaint14 and eager child it was. He rejoiced that she was beautiful, and triumphed still more to know that even if she had not been beautiful it would have made slight difference to him. The soul of Nelchen was enough. Yet, too, it was desirable this soul should be appropriately clad, that she should have, for instance, these big and lustrous15 eyes,—plaintive eyes, such as a hamadryad would conceivably possess, since they were beyond doubt the candid16 and appraising17 eyes of some woodland creature, and always seemed to find the world not precisely intimidating18, perhaps, yet in the ultimate a very curious place where one trod gingerly. Still, this Nelchen was a practical body, prone19 to laughter,—as in nature, any person would be whose mouth was all rotund and tiny scarlet20 curves. Why, it was, to a dimple, the mouth which François Boucher bestowed on his sleek21 goddesses! Louis Quillan was sorry for poor Boucher painting away yonder at a noisy garish22 Versailles, where he would never see that perfect mouth the artist had so often dreamed of. No, not in the sweet flesh at least; lips such as these were unknown at Versailles….
And but four months ago he had fancied himself to be in love with Hélène de Puysange, he remembered; and, by and large, he still considered Hélène a delightful23 person. Yes, Hélène had made him quite happy last spring: and when they found she was with child, and their first plan failed, she had very adroitly24 played out their comedy to win back Gaston in time to avoid scandal. Yes, you could not but admire Hélène, yet, even so….
"—and he asked me, oh, so many questions about you, Louis—"
"About me?" said Louis Quillan, blankly. He was all circumspection25 now.
"About my lover, you stupid person. Monseigneur assumed, somehow, that I would have a lover or two. You perceive that he at least is not a stupid person." And Nelchen tossed her head, with a touch of the provocative26.
Louis Quillan did what seemed advisable. "—and, furthermore, your stupidity is no excuse for rumpling27 my hair," said Nelchen, by and by.
"Then you should not pout28," replied Monsieur Quillan. "Sanity29 is entirely30 too much to require of any man when you pout. Besides, your eyes are so big and so bright they bewilder one. In common charity you ought to wear spectacles, Nelchen,—in sheer compassion31 toward mankind."
"Monseigneur, also, has wonderful eyes, Louis. They are like the stars,—very brilliant and cool and incurious, yet always looking at you as though you were so insignificant32 that the mere33 fact of your presuming to exist at all was a trifle interesting."
"Like the stars!" Louis Quillan had flung back the shutter34. It was a tranquil35 evening in September, with no moon as yet, but with a great multitude of lesser36 lights overhead. "Incurious like the stars! They do dwarf37 one, rather. Yet just now I protest to you, infinitesimal man that I am, I half-believe le bon Dieu loves us so utterly38 that He has kindled39 all those pretty tapers40 solely41 for our diversion. He wishes us to be happy, Nelchen; and so He has given us the big, fruitful, sweet-smelling world to live in, and our astonishing human bodies to live in, with contented hearts, and with no more vain desires, no loneliness—Why, in a word, He has given us each other. Oh, beyond doubt, He loves us, my Nelchen!"
For a long while the girl was silent. Presently she spoke42, half-hushed, like one in the presence of sanctity. "I am happy. For these three months I have been more happy than I had thought was permissible44 on earth. And yet, Louis, you tell me that those stars are worlds perhaps like ours,—think of it, my dear, millions and millions of worlds like ours, and on each world perhaps a million of lovers like us! It is true that among them all no woman loves as I do, for that would be impossible. Yet think of it, mon ami, how inconsiderable a thing is the happiness of one man and of one woman in this immensity! Why, we are less than nothing, you and I! Ohé, I am afraid, hideously45 afraid, Louis,—for we are such little folk and the universe is so big. And always the storms go about it, and its lightnings thrust at us, and the waters of it are clutching at our feet, and its laws are not to be changed—Oh, it is big and cruel, my dear, and we are adrift in it, we who are so little!"
He again put forth46 his hand toward her. "What a morbid47 child it is!" said Louis Quillan. "I can assure you I have resided in this same universe just twice as long as you, and I find that upon the whole the establishment is very creditably conducted. There arrives, to be sure, an occasional tornado48, or perhaps an earthquake, each with its incidental inconveniences. On the other hand, there is every evening a lavishly49 arranged sunset, like gratis50 fireworks, and each morning (I am credibly51 informed) a sunrise of which poets and energetic people are pleased to speak highly; while every year spring comes in, like a cosmical upholsterer, and refurnishes the entire place, and makes us glad to live. Nay52, I protest to you, this is an excellent world, my Nelchen! and likewise I protest to you that in its history there was never a luckier nor a happier man than I."
Nelchen considered. "Well," she generously conceded; "perhaps, after all, the stars are more like diamonds."
"Of course I have never actually seen any. I would like to, though—yes, Louis, what I would really like would be to have a bushelful or so of diamonds, and to marry a duke—only the duke would have to be you, of course,—and to go to Court, and to have all the fine ladies very jealous of me, and for them to be very much in love with you, and for you not to care a sou for them, of course, and for us both to see the King." Nelchen paused, quite out of breath after this ambitious career in the imaginative.
"To see the King, indeed!" scoffed55 little Louis Quillan. "Why, we would see only a very disreputable pockmarked wornout lecher if we did."
"Still," she pointed56 out, "I would like to see a king. Simply because I never have done so before, you conceive."
"At times, my Nelchen, you are effeminate. Eve ate the apple for that identical reason. Yet what you say is odd, because—do you know?—I once had a friend who was by way of being a sort of king."
Louis Quillan did what seemed advisable. "—and, furthermore, your loathsomeness59 is no excuse for rumpling my hair," said Nelchen, by and by.
"But there is so little to tell. His father had married the Grand Duke of Noumaria's daughter,—over yonder between Silesia and Badenburg, you may remember. And so last spring when the Grand Duke and the Prince were both killed in that horrible fire, my friend quite unexpectedly became a king—oh, king of a mere celery-patch, but still a sort of king. Figure to yourself, Nelchen! they were going to make my poor friend marry the Elector of Badenburg's daughter,—and Victoria von Uhm has perfection stamped upon her face in all its odious60 immaculacy,—and force him to devote the rest of his existence to heading processions and reviewing troops, and signing proclamations, and guzzling61 beer and sauerkraut. Why, he would have been like Ovid among the Goths, my Nelchen!"
"But he could have worn such splendid uniforms!" said Nelchen. "And diamonds!"
"You mercenary wretch62!" said he. Louis Quillan then did what seemed advisable; and presently he added, "In any event, the horrified63 man ran away."
"That was silly of him," said Nelchen Thorn. "But where did he run to?"
Louis Quillan considered. "To Paradise," he at last decided64. "And there he found a disengaged angel, who very imprudently lowered herself to the point of marrying him. And so he lived happily ever afterward65. And so, till the day of his death, he preached the doctrine66 that silliness is the supreme67 wisdom."
"And he regretted nothing?" Nelchen said, after a meditative68 while.
Louis Quillan began to laugh. "Oh, yes! at times he profoundly regretted
Victoria von Uhm."
Then Nelchen gave him a surprise, for the girl bent69 toward him and leaned one hand upon each shoulder. "Diamonds are not all, are they, Louis? I thank you, dear, for telling me of what means so much to you. I can understand, I think, because for a long while I have tried to know and care for everything that concerns you."
The little man had risen to his feet. "Nelchen—!"
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1
contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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habitual
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| adj.习惯性的；通常的，惯常的 | |
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bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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garnished
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| v.给（上餐桌的食物）加装饰( garnish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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vainglorious
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| adj.自负的；夸大的 | |
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precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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lackeys
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| n.听差( lackey的名词复数 )；男仆（通常穿制服）；卑躬屈膝的人；被待为奴仆的人 | |
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9
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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exalted
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| adj.(地位等)高的，崇高的；尊贵的，高尚的 | |
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diminutive
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| adj.小巧可爱的，小的 | |
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abysmal
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| adj.无底的，深不可测的，极深的；糟透的，极坏的；完全的 | |
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commendably
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| 很好地 | |
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quaint
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| adj.古雅的，离奇有趣的，奇怪的 | |
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lustrous
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| adj.有光泽的；光辉的 | |
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candid
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| adj.公正的，正直的；坦率的 | |
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appraising
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| v.估价( appraise的现在分词 )；估计；估量；评价 | |
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intimidating
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| vt.恐吓，威胁( intimidate的现在分词) | |
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prone
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| adj.(to)易于…的，很可能…的；俯卧的 | |
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scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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sleek
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| adj.光滑的，井然有序的；v.使光滑，梳拢 | |
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garish
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| adj.华丽而俗气的，华而不实的 | |
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delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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adroitly
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| adv.熟练地，敏捷地 | |
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circumspection
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| n.细心，慎重 | |
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provocative
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| adj.挑衅的，煽动的，刺激的，挑逗的 | |
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rumpling
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| v.弄皱，使凌乱( rumple的现在分词 ) | |
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pout
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| v.撅嘴；绷脸；n.撅嘴；生气，不高兴 | |
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sanity
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| n.心智健全，神智正常，判断正确 | |
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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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compassion
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| n.同情，怜悯 | |
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insignificant
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| adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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shutter
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| n.百叶窗；(照相机)快门；关闭装置 | |
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tranquil
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| adj. 安静的, 宁静的, 稳定的, 不变的 | |
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lesser
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| adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地 | |
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dwarf
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| n.矮子，侏儒，矮小的动植物；vt.使…矮小 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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kindled
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| （使某物）燃烧，着火( kindle的过去式和过去分词 )； 激起（感情等）； 发亮，放光 | |
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40
tapers
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| （长形物体的）逐渐变窄( taper的名词复数 )； 微弱的光； 极细的蜡烛 | |
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41
solely
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| adv.仅仅，唯一地 | |
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42
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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43
hush
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| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
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44
permissible
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| adj.可允许的，许可的 | |
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45
hideously
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| adv.可怕地，非常讨厌地 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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morbid
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| adj.病的；致病的；病态的；可怕的 | |
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48
tornado
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| n.飓风，龙卷风 | |
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49
lavishly
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| adv.慷慨地，大方地 | |
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50
gratis
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| adj.免费的 | |
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51
credibly
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| ad.可信地；可靠地 | |
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52
nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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53
chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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54
connoisseur
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| n.鉴赏家，行家，内行 | |
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55
scoffed
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| 嘲笑，嘲弄( scoff的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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56
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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57
squeal
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| v.发出长而尖的声音；n.长而尖的声音 | |
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58
loathe
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| v.厌恶，嫌恶 | |
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59
loathsomeness
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60
odious
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| adj.可憎的，讨厌的 | |
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61
guzzling
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| v.狂吃暴饮，大吃大喝( guzzle的现在分词 ) | |
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62
wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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horrified
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| a.(表现出)恐惧的 | |
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64
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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doctrine
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| n.教义；主义；学说 | |
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supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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meditative
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| adj.沉思的，冥想的 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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