CHAPTER XXII. COUNT ERNEST DE MONTMORENCY.

At eight o’clock Alphonso knocked at the door of Mr. Ingalls’ room. He was got up with the utmost magnificence which he could command. With his dress-coat, white tie, and imitation diamond pin, he made an imposing¹ appearance.

“I am glad to see you, Mr. Jones,” said Mr. Ingalls. “Count Ernest de Montmorency, permit me to introduce my friend, Mr. Alphonso Jones.”

The count, a little man, with a waxed mustache of extraordinary size, a long nose, and pale, watery² eyes, rose, and bowed profoundly.

“I am most happy, Monsieur Jones, to have ze honor of making your acquaintance,” he said.

“My lord count, the honor is on my side,” returned Alphonso, with an elaborate bow, which he had learned in dancing-school.

208“Mr. Jones,” said Ingalls, “will you take the chair next to the count? Our distinguished³ friend is desirous of making some inquiries⁴ about fashionable society in America.”

“I shall be most happy,” replied Alphonso, immensely flattered, “to give the noble count any information in my power.”

“I understand from Monsieur Ingalls you do go much in society,” said the count.

“A little, your lordship,” said Mr. Jones, modestly. “I am intimate in some of our leading families.”

“You have some fine watering-places, n’est ce pas?”

“Yes, my lord count,—Newport, Saratoga, and Long Branch are all fashionable.”

“You have visit zem all?”

“Oh, yes,” answered Alphonso, who had once stopped over night at Saratoga, and made a day’s excursion to Long Branch. “I meet so many of my fashionable friends there, that it is very pleasant for me.”

“Sans doute, and which do you prefare?”

“Saratoga, my lord count. It is the most high-toned, 209in my opinion. My friends, the Vernons, of Madison avenue, always go there.”

“I once did know a Marquis de Vernon in my own country.”

“A relation of my friends,” said Alphonso, confidently. “How long has your lordship been in America?”

“Tree week, zat is all.”

“Have you been in New York all the time?”

“No, Monsieur Jones, I did visit Boston and Philadelphia, but New York is one fine city, ze best of all; it reminds me of Paris.”

“Paris is a very beautiful city, I have always heard, my lord count.”

“Oh, très magnifique. Zere is no city like it. Have you visited Paris, Monsieur Alphonse?”

He is getting intimate, thought Mr. Jones, elated, or he would not call me by my first name.

“No, your lordship, I have not had that great pleasure.”

“When you come,” said the count, affably, “you 210must come to my chateau⁵ in Normandy, and stay one month.”

This was beyond Alphonso’s most sanguine⁶ hopes. To be invited to visit a foreign nobleman at his chateau was an unlooked-for honor.

“You overwhelm me with your kindness, my lord count,” said Alphonso, in a flutter of delight. “I hope some day to accept your honorable invitation.”

“I think you will have zer good time. My sister, the Countess Marie de Montmorency, will be charmed to see you. She adores Americans.”

Alphonso was in the seventh heaven of delight. Instantly he pictured the high-born Countess Marie falling in love with him, marrying him, and thus giving him a place in the aristocratic circles of France. Perhaps, in that case, family influence would procure⁷ him a title also. It was the happiest moment of his life.

“Nothing would delight me more than to make the acquaintance of your august family, my lord count,” he said, his voice partly tremulous with joy. “When do you propose to return to la belle⁸ France?”

211“What, you do speak my language, Monsieur Alphonse?”

“Only a little, your lordship,” said Mr. Jones, modestly.

“Oui, monsieur, un peu.”

“Comment vous portez vous, Monsieur Alphonse?”

“Très beaucoup bien,” answered Alphonso, proudly.

“What an accent!” exclaimed the count, raising both hands. “You do speak like one native.”

“I think I should soon learn it if I were in la belle France,” said Alphonso, much pleased.

“Gentlemen,” said Mr. Ingalls, “I don’t like to interrupt you, but permit me to offer you a glass of wine.”

Glasses were handed to the company.

“Mr. Jones, will you propose the count’s health?” asked the host. Alphonso rose, and placed one hand on his heart.

“Gentlemen,” he commenced, “I feel—ahem! deeply honored, and—and happy on this auspicious⁹ 212occasion. We are assembled, sir, to do honor to an illustrious peer of the realm. The noble Count Ernest de Montmorency honors us with his high-toned presence. We all hope that he may enjoy his visit, and return in safety to his aristocratic relations, his honorable mother, and his sister, the noble Countess Marie de Montmorency. I propose the health of the noble count.”

The toast was drunk with enthusiasm.

“Mr. Jones, you are quite an orator,” said Mr. Ingalls.

“You have ze great talent for speaking Monsieur Alphonse. You should go to Congress.”

“My lord count, you flatter me,” said Mr. Jones, deciding that this was, by all odds¹⁰, the proudest moment of his life.

“Not at all, Mr. Jones,” said Mr. Ingalls. “I never heard a neater speech, did you, Hayward?”

“Never,” said Hayward.

So poor Alphonso was fooled to the top of his bent¹¹, and when the company separated, and he retired¹² to his humble¹³ apartment, he was visited by the most 213ravishing dreams, in which he stood at the altar with the high-born Countess Marie de Montmorency, clad in sumptuous¹⁴ attire¹⁵, wearing on his breast the cross of the Legion of Honor.

1 imposing   

adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的

参考例句：

• The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
• He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。

2 watery   

adj.有水的，水汪汪的；湿的，湿润的

参考例句：

• In his watery eyes there is an expression of distrust.他那含泪的眼睛流露出惊惶失措的神情。
• Her eyes became watery because of the smoke.因为烟熏，她的双眼变得泪汪汪的。

3 distinguished   

adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的

参考例句：

• Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。
• A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。

4 inquiries   

n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending further inquiries. 他获得保释，等候进一步调查。
• I have failed to reach them by postal inquiries. 我未能通过邮政查询与他们取得联系。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 chateau   

n.城堡，别墅

参考例句：

• The house was modelled on a French chateau.这房子是模仿一座法国大别墅建造的。
• The chateau was left to itself to flame and burn.那府第便径自腾起大火燃烧下去。

6 sanguine   

adj.充满希望的，乐观的，血红色的

参考例句：

• He has a sanguine attitude to life.他对于人生有乐观的看法。
• He is not very sanguine about our chances of success.他对我们成功的机会不太乐观。

7 procure   

vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条

参考例句：

• Can you procure some specimens for me?你能替我弄到一些标本吗？
• I'll try my best to procure you that original French novel.我将尽全力给你搞到那本原版法国小说。

8 belle   

n.靓女

参考例句：

• She was the belle of her Sunday School class.在主日学校她是她们班的班花。
• She was the belle of the ball.她是那个舞会中的美女。

9 auspicious   

adj.吉利的；幸运的，吉兆的

参考例句：

• The publication of my first book was an auspicious beginning of my career.我的第一本书的出版是我事业吉祥的开始。
• With favorable weather conditions it was an auspicious moment to set sail.风和日丽，正是扬帆出海的黄道吉日。

10 odds   

n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别

参考例句：

• The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
• Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？

11 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

12 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

13 humble   

adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低

参考例句：

• In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
• Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

14 sumptuous   

adj.豪华的，奢侈的，华丽的

参考例句：

• The guests turned up dressed in sumptuous evening gowns.客人们身着华丽的夜礼服出现了。
• We were ushered into a sumptuous dining hall.我们被领进一个豪华的餐厅。

15 attire   

v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装

参考例句：

• He had no intention of changing his mode of attire.他无意改变着装方式。
• Her attention was attracted by his peculiar attire.他那奇特的服装引起了她的注意。