“She may not know it yet herself, but she is mine,” I declared to the open marshes11, as I set foot out upon the raised way which led over to the Habitants Ferry.
The ferry-boat which crosses the deep and turbid12 tide of the Habitants is a clumsy scow propelled by a single oar13 thrust out from the stern. The river is hardly passable save for an hour on either side of full flood. The rest of the time it is a shrinking yet ever-turbulent stream which roars along between precipitous banks of red engulfing14 slime. When I reached the shore of this unstable15 water it lacked but a few minutes of flood. The scow was just putting off for the opposite shore, with one passenger. I recognized the ferryman, yellow Ba’tiste Chouan, ever a friend to me in the dear old days. I shouted for him to wait.
89The scow was already some half score feet from land, but Ba’tiste, seeing the prospect16 of more silver, stopped and made as if to turn back. At once, however, his passenger interfered17, with vehement18 gestures, and eager speech which I could not hear. Eying him closely, I perceived that it was none other than that ruffian of Vaurin’s whom I had so incontinently discomfited19 at the forge. His haste I could now well understand, and I saw him urging it with such effective silvern argument that Ba’tiste began to yield.
“Ba’tiste,” I cried sharply, “don’t you know me? Take a good look at me; my haste is urgent.”
My voice caught him. “Tiens! It’s Master Paul,” he cried, and straightway thrust back to shore, calmly ignoring threats and bribes20 alike.
As I sprang aboard and grasped Ba’tiste’s gaunt claw I expected nothing less than a second bout21 with my adversary22 of the morning. But he, while I talked with the ferryman of this and that, according to the wont23 of old acquaintances long apart, kept a discreet24 silence at the other end of the scow, where, as I casually25 noted26, he stood with folded arms looking out over the water. A scarlet27 feather stuck foppishly in his dark cap became him very well; and I could not but account him a proper figure of a man, though somewhat short.
Presently, at a pause in our talk, he turned and 90approached us. To my astonishment28 he wore a civil smile.
“I was in the wrong this morning, Monsieur Grande,” he said, in a hearty29, frank voice such as I like, though well I know it is no certificate of an honest heart. “I interfered in a gentleman’s private business; and though your rebuke30 was something more sharp than I could have wished, I deserved it. Allow me to make my apologies.”
Now it is one of my weaknesses that I can scarce resist the devil himself if he speaks me fair and seeks to make amends31.
“Well,” said I reluctantly, “we will forget the incident, monsieur, if it please you. I cannot but honour a brave man always; and you could not but speak up for your captain, he not being by to speak for himself. My opinion of him I will keep behind my teeth out of deference32 to your presence.”
“That’s fair, monsieur,” said he, apparently33 quite content. “And I will keep my nose out of another gentleman’s business. My way lies to Canard. May I hope for the honour of your company on the road—since fate, however rudely, has thrown us together?”
Another weakness of mine is to be uselessly frank—to resent even politic34 concealment35. Here was one whom I knew for an enemy. I spoke36 him the plain truth with a childish carelessness.
91“I have affairs both at Canard and at Pereau,” said I. “But I know not if I shall get so far as the latter to-night.”
“Ah!” said he, “I might have known as much. Father La Garne will lie at Pereau to-night, and I am to meet Captain Vaurin there.”
I turned upon him fiercely, but his face was so devoid37 of malice38 that my resentment39 somehow stuck in my throat. Seeing it in my face, however, he made haste to apologize.
“Pardon me, monsieur, if I imply too much, or again trespass40 upon your private matters,” he exclaimed courteously41. “But you will surely allow that, in view of your late visit to Piziquid, my mistake is a not unnatural42 one.”
I was forced to acknowledge the justice of this.
“But be pleased to remember that it is none the less a mistake,” said I with emphasis, “and one that is peculiarly distasteful to me.”
“Assuredly, monsieur,” he assented43 most civilly. And by this we were at the landing. As we stepped off I turned for a final word with Ba’tiste; and he, while giving me account of a new road to the Canard, shorter than the old trail, managed to convey a whispered warning that my companion was not to be trusted.
“It is Le F?ret,” he said, as if that explained.
“That’s all right, my friend,” I laughed confidently. “I know all about that.”
92Then I turned up the new road, striding amicably44 by the side of my late antagonist45, and busily wondering how I was to be rid of him without a rudeness.
But I might have spared myself this foolish solicitude46; for presently, coming to a little lane which led up to a fair house behind some willows47, he remarked:
“I will call here, monsieur, while you are visiting at Machault’s yonder; and will join you, if I may, the other side of the pasture.”
With the word he had bowed himself off, leaving me wondering mightily48 how he knew I was bound for Simon Machault’s—as in truth I was, on matters pertaining49 to my uncle’s rents. I was sure I had made no mention of Machault, and I was nettled50 that the fellow should so appear to divine my affairs. I made up my mind to question him sharply on the matter when he should rejoin me.
But I was to see no more of him that day. After a pleasant interview with Machault, whence I departed with my pockets the heavier for some rentals51 paid ungrudgingly to the Sieur de Briart, I continued my way alone, my mind altogether at ease as to the house of De Lamourie, since I had learned that the Black Abbé and the blacker Vaurin would lie that night at Pereau. Then suddenly, as I was about to turn into the yard of another farmhouse52, one of those strange things 93happened which we puzzle over for a time and afterward53 set down among the unaccountable. Some force, within or without, turned me sharp about and faced me back toward Grand Pré. Before I realized at all what I was up to, I was retracing54 my steps toward the ferry. But with an effort I stopped to take counsel with myself.
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1
canard
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| n.虚报；谣言；v.流传 | |
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wane
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| n.衰微，亏缺，变弱；v.变小，亏缺，呈下弦 | |
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beech
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| n.山毛榉；adj.山毛榉的 | |
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maple
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| n.槭树，枫树，槭木 | |
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exhaled
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| v.呼出，发散出( exhale的过去式和过去分词 )；吐出（肺中的空气、烟等），呼气 | |
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solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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scurrying
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| v.急匆匆地走( scurry的现在分词 ) | |
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chipmunks
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| n.金花鼠( chipmunk的名词复数 ) | |
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presentiment
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| n.预感，预觉 | |
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deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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marshes
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| n.沼泽，湿地( marsh的名词复数 ) | |
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turbid
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| adj.混浊的，泥水的，浓的 | |
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oar
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| n.桨，橹，划手；v.划行 | |
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engulfing
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| adj.吞噬的v.吞没，包住( engulf的现在分词 ) | |
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unstable
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| adj.不稳定的，易变的 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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interfered
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| v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉 | |
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18
vehement
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| adj.感情强烈的；热烈的；(人)有强烈感情的 | |
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discomfited
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| v.使为难( discomfit的过去式和过去分词)；使狼狈；使挫折；挫败 | |
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bribes
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| n.贿赂( bribe的名词复数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂v.贿赂( bribe的第三人称单数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂 | |
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bout
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| n.侵袭，发作；一次(阵，回)；拳击等比赛 | |
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adversary
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| adj.敌手，对手 | |
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wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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discreet
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| adj.(言行)谨慎的；慎重的；有判断力的 | |
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casually
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| adv.漠不关心地，无动于衷地，不负责任地 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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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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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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rebuke
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| v.指责，非难，斥责 [反]praise | |
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amends
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| n. 赔偿 | |
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deference
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| n.尊重，顺从；敬意 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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politic
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| adj.有智虑的；精明的；v.从政 | |
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concealment
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| n.隐藏, 掩盖，隐瞒 | |
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36
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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devoid
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| adj.全无的，缺乏的 | |
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malice
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| n.恶意，怨恨，蓄意；[律]预谋 | |
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resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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40
trespass
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| n./v.侵犯，闯入私人领地 | |
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41
courteously
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| adv.有礼貌地，亲切地 | |
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42
unnatural
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| adj.不自然的；反常的 | |
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43
assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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44
amicably
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| adv.友善地 | |
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45
antagonist
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| n.敌人，对抗者，对手 | |
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46
solicitude
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| n.焦虑 | |
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47
willows
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| n.柳树( willow的名词复数 )；柳木 | |
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48
mightily
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| ad.强烈地；非常地 | |
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49
pertaining
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| 与…有关系的，附属…的，为…固有的(to) | |
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50
nettled
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| v.拿荨麻打，拿荨麻刺（nettle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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51
rentals
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| n.租费，租金额( rental的名词复数 ) | |
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52
farmhouse
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| n.农场住宅（尤指主要住房） | |
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53
afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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54
retracing
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| v.折回( retrace的现在分词 )；回忆；回顾；追溯 | |
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