After this explanation, we shall, without further preamble12, introduce the reader to a little tavern13 in Paris, situated14 in the rue3 Saint-Andre-des-Arts, on an evening in November 1658.
It was about seven o'clock. Three gentlemen were seated at one of the tables in a low, smoky room. They had already emptied several bottles, and one of them seemed to have just suggested some madcap scheme to the others, the thought of which sent them off into shouts of laughter.
"Pardu!" said one of them, who was the first to recover his breath, "I must say it would be an excellent trick."
"Splendid!" said another; "and if you like, Commander de Jars, we can try it this very evening."
"All right, my worthy15 king's treasurer16, provided my pretty nephew here won't be too much shocked," and as he spoke17 de Jars gave to the youngest of the three a caressing18 touch on the cheek with the back of his hand.
"That reminds me, de Jars!" said the treasurer, "that word you have just said piques19 my curiosity. For some months now this little fellow here, Chevalier de Moranges, follows you about everywhere like your shadow. You never told us you had a nephew. Where the devil did you get him?"
The commander touched the chevalier's knee under the table, and he, as if to avoid speaking, slowly filled and emptied his glass.
"Look here," said the treasurer, "do you want to hear a few plain words, such as I shall rap out when God takes me to task about the peccadilloes20 of my past life? I don't believe a word about the relationship. A nephew must be the son of either a brother or a sister. Now, your only sister is an abbess, and your late brother's marriage was childless. There is only one way of proving the relationship, and that is to confess that when your brother was young and wild he and Love met, or else Madame l'Abbesse——."
"Well, then, explain; you can't fool me! May I be hanged if I leave this place before I have dragged the secret out of you! Either we are friends or we are not. What you tell no one else you ought to tell me. What! would you make use of my purse and my sword on occasion and yet have secrets from me? It's too bad: speak, or our friendship is at an end! I give you fair warning that I shall find out everything and publish it abroad to court and city: when I strike a trail there's no turning me aside. It will be best for you to whisper your secret voluntarily into my ear, where it will be as safe as in the grave."
"How full of curiosity you are, my good friend!" said de Jars, leaning one elbow on the table, and twirling the points of his moustache with his hand; "but if I were to wrap my secret round the point of a dagger22 would you not be too much afraid of pricking23 your fingers to pull it off?"
"Not I," said the king's treasurer, beginning to twirl his moustache also: "the doctors have always told me that I am of too full a complexion24 and that it would do me all the good in the world to be bled now and then. But what would be an advantage to me would be dangerous to you. It's easy to see from your jaundiced phiz that for you blood-letting is no cure."
"And you would really go that length? You would risk a duel26 if I refused to let you get to the bottom of my mystery?"
"Yes, on my honour! Well, how is it to be?"
"My dear boy," said de Jars to the youth, "we are caught, and may as well yield gracefully27. You don't know this big fellow as well as I do. He's obstinacy28 itself. You can make the most obstinate29 donkey go on by pulling its tail hard enough, but when Jeannin gets a notion into his pate30, not all the legions of hell can get it out again. Besides that, he's a skilful31 fencer, so there's nothing for it but to trust him."
"Just as you like," said the young man; "you know all my circumstances and how important it is that my secret should be kept."
"Oh! among Jeannin's many vices32 there are a few virtues33, and of these discretion34 is the greatest, so that his curiosity is harmless. A quarter of an hour hence he will let himself be killed rather than reveal what just now he is ready to risk his skin to find out, whether we will or no."
Jeannin nodded approvingly, refilled the glasses, and raising his to his lips, said in a tone of triumph—
"I am listening, commander."
"Well, if it must be, it must. First of all, learn that my nephew is not my nephew at all."
"Go on."
"That his name is not Moranges."
"And the next?"
"I am not going to reveal his real name to you."
"Why not?"
"Because I don't know it myself, and no more does the chevalier."
"What' nonsense!"
"No nonsense at all, but the sober truth. A few months ago the chevalier came to Paris, bringing me a letter of introduction from a German whom I used to know years ago. This letter requested me to look after the bearer and help him in his investigations35. As you said just now, Love and someone once met somewhere, and that was about all was known as to his origin. Naturally the young man wants to cut a figure in the world, and would like to discover the author of his existence, that he may have someone at hand to pay the debts he is going to incur36. We have brought together every scrap37 of information we could collect as to this person, hoping to find therein a clue that we could follow up. To be quite open with you, and convince you at the same time how extremely prudent38 and discreet39 we must be, I must tell you that we think we have found one, and that it leads to no less a dignitary than a Prince of the Church. But if he should get wind of our researches too soon everything would be at an end, don't you see? So keep your tongue between your teeth."
"Never fear," said Jeannin.
"Now, that's what I call speaking out as a friend should. I wish you luck, my gallant40 Chevalier de Moranges, and until you unearth41 your father, if you want a little money, my purse is at your service. On my word, de Jars, you must have been born with a caul. There never was your equal for wonderful adventures. This one promises well-spicy intrigues42, scandalous revelations, and you'll be in the thick of it all. You're a lucky fellow! It's only a few months since you had the most splendid piece of good fortune sent you straight from heaven. A fair lady falls in love with you and makes you carry her off from the convent of La Raquette. But why do you never let anyone catch a glimpse of her? Are you jealous? Or is it that she is no such beauty, after all, but old and wrinkled, like that knave43 of a Mazarin?"
"I know what I'm about," answered de Jars, smiling; "I have my very good reasons. The elopement caused a great deal of indignation, and it's not easy to get fanatics44 to listen to common sense. No, I am not in the least jealous; she is madly in love with me. Ask my nephew."
"Does he know her?"
"We have no secrets from each other; the confidence between us is without a flaw. The fair one, believe me, is good to look on, and is worth all the ogling45, fan-flirting baggages put together that one sees at court or on the balconies of the Palais Roy: ah! I'll answer for that. Isn't she, Moranges?"
"I'm quite of your opinion," said the youth; exchanging with de jars a singularly significant look; "and you had better treat her well, uncle, or I shall play you some trick."
"Ah! ah!" cried Jeannin. "You poor fellow! I very much fear that you are warming a little serpent in your bosom46. Have an eye to this dandy with the beardless chin! But joking apart, my boy, are you really on good terms with the fair lady?"
"Certainly I am."
"And you are not uneasy, commander?"
"Not the least little bit."
"He is quite right. I answer for her as for my self, you know; as long as he loves her she will love him; as long as he is faithful she will be faithful. Do you imagine that a woman who insists on her lover carrying her off can so easily turn away from the man of her choice? I know her well; I have had long talks with her, she and I alone: she is feather-brained, given to pleasure, entirely47 without prejudices and those stupid scruples48 which spoil the lives of other women; but a good sort on the whole; devoted49 to my uncle, with no deception50 about her; but at the same time extremely jealous, and has no notion of letting herself be sacrificed to a rival. If ever she finds herself deceived, good-bye to prudence51 and reserve, and then—"
A look and a touch of the commander's knee cut this panegyric52 short, to which the treasurer was listening with open-eyed astonishment53.
"What enthusiasm!" he exclaimed. "Well, and then——"
"Why, then," went on the young man, with a laugh, "if my uncle behaves badly, I, his nephew, will try to make up for his wrong-doing: he can't blame me then. But until then he may be quite easy, as he well knows."
"Oh yes, and in proof of that I am going to take Moranges with me to-night. He is young and inexperienced, and it will be a good lesson for him to see how a gallant whose amorous54 intrigues did not begin yesterday sets about getting even with a coquette. He can turn it to account later on.
"On my word," said Jeannin, "my notion is that he is in no great need of a teacher; however, that's your business, not mine. Let us return to what we were talking about just now. Are we agreed; and shall we amuse ourselves by paying out the lady in, her own coin?"
"If you like."
"Which of us is to begin?"
De Jars struck the table with the handle of his dagger.
"More wine, gentlemen?" said the drawer, running up.
"Three casts each and the highest wins," said Jeannin. "You begin."
"I throw for myself and nephew." The dice rolled on the table.
"It's my turn now. Six and five."
"Pass it over. Five and two."
"We're equal. Four and two."
"Now let me. Ace and blank."
"Double six."
"You have won."
"And I'm off at once," said Jeannin, rising, and muffling55 himself in his mantle56, "It's now half-past seven. We shall see each other again at eight, so I won't say good-bye."
"Good luck to you!"
Leaving the tavern and turning into the rue Pavee, he took the direction of the river.
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1
accomplice
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| n.从犯，帮凶，同谋 | |
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ace
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| n.A牌；发球得分；佼佼者；adj.杰出的 | |
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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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depicted
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| 描绘，描画( depict的过去式和过去分词 )； 描述 | |
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artistic
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| adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的 | |
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narrative
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| n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的 | |
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reticence
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| n.沉默，含蓄 | |
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corruption
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| n.腐败，堕落，贪污 | |
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factious
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| adj.好搞宗派活动的，派系的，好争论的 | |
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prelude
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| n.序言，前兆，序曲 | |
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reign
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| n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势 | |
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preamble
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| n.前言；序文 | |
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tavern
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| n.小旅馆，客栈；小酒店 | |
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situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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treasurer
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| n.司库，财务主管 | |
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17
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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18
caressing
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| 爱抚的，表现爱情的，亲切的 | |
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piques
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| v.伤害…的自尊心( pique的第三人称单数 )；激起（好奇心） | |
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peccadilloes
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| n.轻罪，小过失( peccadillo的名词复数 ) | |
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slander
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| n./v.诽谤，污蔑 | |
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dagger
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| n.匕首，短剑，剑号 | |
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pricking
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| 刺，刺痕，刺痛感 | |
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complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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dice
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| n.骰子；vt.把（食物）切成小方块，冒险 | |
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26
duel
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| n./v.决斗；(双方的)斗争 | |
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27
gracefully
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| ad.大大方方地；优美地 | |
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28
obstinacy
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| n.顽固；（病痛等）难治 | |
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obstinate
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| adj.顽固的，倔强的，不易屈服的，较难治愈的 | |
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pate
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| n.头顶；光顶 | |
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skilful
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| (=skillful)adj.灵巧的，熟练的 | |
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vices
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| 缺陷( vice的名词复数 )； 恶习； 不道德行为； 台钳 | |
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virtues
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| 美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处 | |
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discretion
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| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
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investigations
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| （正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究 | |
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incur
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| vt.招致，蒙受，遭遇 | |
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scrap
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| n.碎片；废料；v.废弃，报废 | |
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prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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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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gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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unearth
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| v.发掘，掘出，从洞中赶出 | |
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intrigues
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| n.密谋策划( intrigue的名词复数 )；神秘气氛；引人入胜的复杂情节v.搞阴谋诡计( intrigue的第三人称单数 )；激起…的好奇心 | |
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43
knave
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| n.流氓；（纸牌中的）杰克 | |
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fanatics
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| 狂热者，入迷者( fanatic的名词复数 ) | |
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ogling
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| v.（向…）抛媚眼，送秋波( ogle的现在分词 ) | |
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bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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47
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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scruples
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| n.良心上的不安( scruple的名词复数 )；顾虑，顾忌v.感到于心不安，有顾忌( scruple的第三人称单数 ) | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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50
deception
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| n.欺骗，欺诈；骗局，诡计 | |
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51
prudence
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| n.谨慎，精明，节俭 | |
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52
panegyric
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| n.颂词，颂扬 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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54
amorous
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| adj.多情的；有关爱情的 | |
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muffling
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| v.压抑，捂住( muffle的现在分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
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mantle
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| n.斗篷，覆罩之物，罩子；v.罩住，覆盖，脸红 | |
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