CHAPTER XXVI. THE AMBASSADOR.

 On the evening of the next day a traveling-carriage passed through the Barrière d’Enfer, so covered with dust and scratches that no one could discern the arms. The four horses that drew it went at a rapid pace, until it arrived before an hotel of handsome appearance, in the Rue¹ de la Jussienne, at the door of which two men, one of whom was in full dress, were waiting. The carriage entered the courtyard of the hotel, and one of the persons waiting approached the door, and commenced speaking in bad Portuguese².

 

“Who are you?” said a voice from the inside, speaking the language perfectly³.

 

“The unworthy chancellor⁴ of the embassy, your excellency.”

 

“Very well. Mon Dieu! how badly you speak our language, my dear chancellor! But where are we to go?”

 

“This way, monseigneur.”

 

“This is a poor reception,” said Don Manoël, as he got out of the carriage, leaning on the arms of his secretary and valet.

 

“Your excellency must pardon me,” said the chancellor, “but the courier announcing your arrival only reached the hotel at two o’clock to-day. I was absent on some business, and when I returned, found your excellency’s letter; I have only had time to have the rooms opened and lighted.”

 

“Very good.”

 

“It gives me great pleasure to see the illustrious person of our ambassador.”

 

“We desire to keep as quiet as possible,” said Don Manoël, “until we receive further orders, from Lisbon. But pray show me to my room, for I am dying with fatigue⁵; my secretary will give you all necessary directions.”

 

The chancellor bowed respectfully to Beausire, who returned it, and then said, “We will speak French, sir; I think it will be better for both of us.”

 

“Yes,” murmured the chancellor, “I shall be more at my ease; for I confess that my pronunciation——”

 

“So I hear,” interrupted Beausire.

 

“I will take the liberty to say to you, sir, as you seem so amiable⁶, that I trust M. de Souza will not be annoyed at my speaking such bad Portuguese.”

 

“Oh, not at all, as you speak French.”

 

“French!” cried the chancellor; “I was born in the Rue St. Honoré.”

 

“Oh, that will do,” said Beausire. “Your name is Ducorneau, is it not?”

 

“Yes, monsieur; rather a lucky one, as it has a Spanish termination. It is very flattering to me that monsieur knew my name.”

 

“Oh, you are well known; so well that we did not bring a chancellor from Lisbon with us.”

 

“I am very grateful, monsieur; but I think M. de Souza is ringing.”

 

“Let us go and see.”

 

They found Manoël attired⁷ in a magnificent dressing-gown. Several boxes and dressing-cases, of rich appearance, were already unpacked⁸ and lying about.

 

“Enter,” said he to the chancellor.

 

“Will his excellency be angry if I answer in French?” said Ducorneau, in a low voice, to Beausire.

 

“Oh, no; I am sure of it.”

 

M. Ducorneau, therefore, paid the compliments in French.

 

“Oh, it is very convenient that you speak French so well, M. Ducorno,” said the ambassador.

 

“He takes me for a Portuguese,” thought the chancellor, with joy.

 

“Now,” said Manoël, “can I have supper?”

 

“Certainly, your excellency. The Palais Royal is only two steps from here, and I know an excellent restaurant, from which your excellency can have a good supper in a very short time.”

 

“Order it in your own name, if you please, M. Ducorno.”

 

“And if your excellency will permit me, I will add to it some bottles of capital wine.”

 

“Oh, our chancellor keeps a good cellar, then?” said Beausire, jokingly.

 

“It is my only luxury,” replied he. And now, by the wax-lights, they could remark his rather red nose and puffed⁹ cheeks.

 

“Very well, M. Ducorno; bring your wine, and sup with us.”

 

“Such an honor——”

 

“Oh, no etiquette¹⁰ to-night; I am only a traveler. I shall not begin to be ambassador till to-morrow; then we will talk of business.”

 

“Monseigneur will permit me to arrange my toilet.”

 

“Oh, you are superb already,” said Beausire.

 

“Yes, but this is a reception dress, and not a gala one.”

 

“Remain as you are, monsieur, and give the time to expediting our supper.”

 

Ducorneau, delighted, left the room to fulfil his orders. Then the three rogues¹¹, left together, began to discuss their affairs.

 

“Does this chancellor sleep here?” said Manoël.

 

“No; the fellow has a good cellar, and, I doubt not, a snug¹² lodging¹³ somewhere or other. He is an old bachelor.”

 

“There is a Suisse.”

 

“We must get rid of him; and there are a few valets, whom we must replace to-morrow with our own friends.”

 

“Who is in the kitchen department?”

 

“No one. The old ambassador did not live here; he had a house in the town.”

 

“What about the strong-box?”

 

“Oh, on that point we must consult the chancellor; it is a delicate matter.”

 

“I charge myself with it,” said Beausire; “we are already capital friends.”

 

“Hush! here he comes.”

 

Ducorneau entered, quite out of breath. He had ordered the supper, and fetched six bottles of wine from his cellar, and was looking quite radiant at the thoughts of the coming repast.

 

“Will your excellency descend¹⁴ to the dining-room?”

 

“No, we will sup up here.”

 

“Here is the wine, then,” said Ducorneau.

 

“It sparkles like rubies,” said Beausire, holding it to the light.

 

“Sit down, M. Ducorneau; my valet will wait upon us. What day did the last despatches arrive?”

 

“Immediately after the departure of your excellency’s predecessor¹⁵.”

 

“Are the affairs of the embassy in good order?”

 

“Oh yes, monseigneur.”

 

“No money difficulties? no debts?”

 

“Not that I know of.”

 

“Because, if there are, we must begin by paying them.”

 

“Oh, your excellency will have nothing of that sort to do. All the accounts were paid up three weeks ago; and the day after the departure of the late ambassador one hundred thousand francs arrived here.”

 

“One hundred thousand francs?” said Beausire.

 

“Yes, in gold.”

 

“So,” said Beausire, “the box contains——”

 

“100,380 francs, monsieur.”

 

“It is not much,” said Manoël, coldly; “but, happily, her majesty¹⁶ has placed funds at my disposal. I told you,” continued he, turning to Beausire, “that I thought we should need it at Paris.”

 

“Your excellency took wise precautions,” said Beausire, respectfully.

 

From the time of this important communication the hilarity¹⁷ of the party went on increasing. A good supper, consisting of salmon¹⁸, crabs¹⁹, and sweets, contributed to their satisfaction. Ducorneau, quite at his ease, ate enough for ten, and did not fail, either, in demonstrating that a Parisian could do honor to port and sherry.

 

1 rue   

n.懊悔，芸香，后悔；v.后悔，悲伤，懊悔

参考例句：

• You'll rue having failed in the examination.你会悔恨考试失败。
• You're going to rue this the longest day that you live.你要终身悔恨不尽呢。

2 Portuguese   

n.葡萄牙人；葡萄牙语

参考例句：

• They styled their house in the Portuguese manner.他们仿照葡萄牙的风格设计自己的房子。
• Her family is Portuguese in origin.她的家族是葡萄牙血统。

3 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

4 chancellor   

n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长

参考例句：

• They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。
• He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。

5 fatigue   

n.疲劳，劳累

参考例句：

• The old lady can't bear the fatigue of a long journey.这位老妇人不能忍受长途旅行的疲劳。
• I have got over my weakness and fatigue.我已从虚弱和疲劳中恢复过来了。

6 amiable   

adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的

参考例句：

• She was a very kind and amiable old woman.她是个善良和气的老太太。
• We have a very amiable companionship.我们之间存在一种友好的关系。

7 attired   

adj.穿着整齐的v.使穿上衣服，使穿上盛装( attire的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The bride was attired in white. 新娘穿一身洁白的礼服。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It is appropriate that everyone be suitably attired. 人人穿戴得体是恰当的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 unpacked   

v.从（包裹等）中取出（所装的东西），打开行李取出( unpack的过去式和过去分词 )；拆包；解除…的负担；吐露（心事等）

参考例句：

• I unpacked my bags as soon as I arrived. 我一到达就打开行李，整理衣物。
• Our guide unpacked a picnic of ham sandwiches and offered us tea. 我们的导游打开装着火腿三明治的野餐盒，并给我们倒了些茶水。 来自辞典例句

9 puffed   

adj.疏松的v.使喷出( puff的过去式和过去分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧

参考例句：

• He lit a cigarette and puffed at it furiously. 他点燃了一支香烟，狂吸了几口。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He felt grown-up, puffed up with self-importance. 他觉得长大了，便自以为了不起。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 etiquette   

n.礼仪，礼节；规矩

参考例句：

• The rules of etiquette are not so strict nowadays.如今的礼仪规则已不那么严格了。
• According to etiquette,you should stand up to meet a guest.按照礼节你应该站起来接待客人。

11 rogues   

n.流氓( rogue的名词复数 )；无赖；调皮捣蛋的人；离群的野兽

参考例句：

• 'I'll show these rogues that I'm an honest woman,'said my mother. “我要让那些恶棍知道，我是个诚实的女人。” 来自英汉文学 - 金银岛
• The rogues looked at each other, but swallowed the home-thrust in silence. 那些恶棍面面相觑，但只好默默咽下这正中要害的话。 来自英汉文学 - 金银岛

12 snug   

adj.温暖舒适的，合身的，安全的；v.使整洁干净，舒适地依靠，紧贴；n.（英）酒吧里的私房

参考例句：

• He showed us into a snug little sitting room.他领我们走进了一间温暖而舒适的小客厅。
• She had a small but snug home.她有个小小的但很舒适的家。

13 lodging   

n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍

参考例句：

• The bill is inclusive of the food and lodging. 账单包括吃、住费用。
• Where can you find lodging for the night? 你今晚在哪里借宿?

14 descend   

vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降

参考例句：

• I hope the grace of God would descend on me.我期望上帝的恩惠。
• We're not going to descend to such methods.我们不会沦落到使用这种手段。

15 predecessor   

n.前辈，前任

参考例句：

• It will share the fate of its predecessor.它将遭受与前者同样的命运。
• The new ambassador is more mature than his predecessor.新大使比他的前任更成熟一些。

16 majesty   

n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权

参考例句：

• The king had unspeakable majesty.国王有无法形容的威严。
• Your Majesty must make up your mind quickly!尊贵的陛下，您必须赶快做出决定！

17 hilarity   

n.欢乐；热闹

参考例句：

• The announcement was greeted with much hilarity and mirth.这一项宣布引起了热烈的欢呼声。
• Wine gives not light hilarity,but noisy merriment.酒不给人以轻松的欢乐，而给人以嚣嚷的狂欢。

18 salmon   

n.鲑，大马哈鱼，橙红色的

参考例句：

• We saw a salmon jumping in the waterfall there.我们看见一条大马哈鱼在那边瀑布中跳跃。
• Do you have any fresh salmon in at the moment?现在有新鲜大马哈鱼卖吗？

19 crabs   

n.蟹( crab的名词复数 )；阴虱寄生病；蟹肉v.捕蟹( crab的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• As we walked along the seashore we saw lots of tiny crabs. 我们在海岸上散步时看到很多小蟹。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The fish and crabs scavenge for decaying tissue. 鱼和蟹搜寻腐烂的组织为食。 来自《简明英汉词典》