CHAPTER XXVII. MESSRS. BŒHMER AND BOSSANGE.

 M. Ducorneau blessed heaven repeatedly for sending an ambassador who preferred his speaking French to Portuguese¹, and liked Portuguese wines better than French ones. At last, Manoël expressed a wish to go to bed; Ducorneau rose and left the room, although, it must be confessed, he found some difficulty in the operation.

 

It was now the turn of the valet to have supper, which he did with great good-will.

 

The next day the hotel assumed an air of business; all the bureaux were opened, and everything indicated life in the recently deserted² place.

 

The report soon spread in the neighborhood that some great personages had arrived from Portugal during the night. This, although what was wanted to give them credit, could not but inspire the conspirators³ with some alarm; for the police had quick ears and Argus eyes. Still, they thought that by audacity⁴, combined with prudence⁵, they might easily keep them from becoming suspicious, until they had had time to complete their business.

 

Two carriages containing the other nine associates arrived, as agreed upon, and they were soon installed in their different departments.

 

Beausire induced Ducorneau himself to dismiss the porter, on the ground that he did not speak Portuguese. They were, therefore, in a good situation to keep off all unwelcome visitors.

 

About noon, Don Manoël, gaily⁶ dressed, got into a carriage, which they had hired for five hundred francs a month, and set out, with his secretary, for the residence of MM. Bœhmer and Bossange.

 

Their servant knocked at the door, which was secured with immense locks, and studded with great nails, like that of a prison. A servant opened it. “His Excellency the Ambassador of Portugal desires to speak to MM. Bœhmer and Bossange.”

 

They got out, and M. Bœhmer came to them in a few moments, and received them with a profusion⁷ of polite speeches, but, seeing that the ambassador did not deign⁸ even a smile in reply, looked somewhat disconcerted.

 

“His excellency does not speak or understand French, sir, and you must communicate to him through me, if you do not speak Portuguese,” said Beausire.

 

“No, monsieur, I do not.”

 

Manoël then spoke⁹ in Portuguese to Beausire, who, turning to M. Bœhmer, said:

 

“His excellency M. le Comte de Souza, ambassador from the Queen of Portugal, desires me to ask you if you have not in your possession a beautiful diamond necklace?”

 

Bœhmer looked at him scrutinizingly.

 

“A beautiful diamond necklace!” repeated he.

 

“The one which you offered to the Queen of France, and which our gracious queen has heard of.”

 

“Monsieur,” said Bœhmer, “is an officer of the ambassador’s?”

 

“His secretary, monsieur.”

 

Don Manoël was seated with the air of a great man, looking carelessly at the pictures which hung round the room.

 

“M. Bœhmer,” said Beausire abruptly¹⁰, “do you not understand what I am saying to you?”

 

“Yes, sir,” answered Bœhmer, rather startled by the manner of the secretary.

 

“Because I see his excellency is becoming impatient.”

 

“Excuse me, sir,” said Bœhmer, coloring, “but I dare not show the necklace, except in my partner’s presence.”

 

“Well, sir, call your partner.”

 

Don Manoël approached Beausire, and began again talking to him in Portuguese.

 

“His excellency says,” interpreted he, “that he has already waited ten minutes, and that he is not accustomed to be kept waiting.”

 

Bœhmer bowed, and rang the bell. A minute afterwards M. Bossange entered.

 

Bœhmer explained the matter to him, who, after looking scrutinizingly at the Portuguese, left the room with a key given him by his partner, and soon returned with a case in one hand; the other was hidden under his coat, but they distinctly saw the shining barrel of a pistol.

 

“However well we may look,” said Manoël gravely, in Portuguese, to his companion, “these gentlemen seem to take us for pickpockets¹¹ rather than ambassadors.”

 

M. Bossange advanced, and put the case into the hands of Manoël. He opened it, and then cried angrily to his secretary:

 

“Monsieur, tell these gentlemen that they tire my patience! I ask for a diamond necklace, and they bring me paste. Tell them I will complain to the ministers, and will have them thrown into the Bastile, impertinent people, who play tricks upon an ambassador.” And he threw down the case in such a passion that they did not need an interpretation¹² of his speech, but began explaining most humbly¹³ that in France it was usual to show only the models of diamonds, so as not to tempt¹⁴ people to robbery, were they so inclined.

 

Manoël, with an indignant gesture, walked towards the door.

 

“His excellency desires me to tell you,” said Beausire, “that he is sorry that people like MM. Bœhmer and Bossange, jewelers to the queen, should not know better how to distinguish an ambassador from a rogue¹⁵, and that he will return to his hotel.”

 

The jewelers began to utter most respectful protestations, but Manoël walked on, and Beausire followed him.

 

“To the ambassador’s hotel, Rue¹⁶ de la Jussienne,” said Beausire to the footman.

 

“A lost business,” groaned¹⁷ the valet, as they set off.

 

“On the contrary, a safe one; in an hour these men will follow us.”

1 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。

2 deserted   

adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的

参考例句：

• The deserted village was filled with a deathly silence.这个荒废的村庄死一般的寂静。
• The enemy chieftain was opposed and deserted by his followers.敌人头目众叛亲离。

3 conspirators   

n.共谋者，阴谋家( conspirator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The conspirators took no part in the fighting which ensued. 密谋者没有参加随后发生的战斗。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The French conspirators were forced to escape very hurriedly. 法国同谋者被迫匆促逃亡。 来自辞典例句

4 audacity   

n.大胆，卤莽，无礼

参考例句：

• He had the audacity to ask for an increase in salary.他竟然厚着脸皮要求增加薪水。
• He had the audacity to pick pockets in broad daylight.他竟敢在光天化日之下掏包。

5 prudence   

n.谨慎，精明，节俭

参考例句：

• A lack of prudence may lead to financial problems.不够谨慎可能会导致财政上出现问题。
• The happy impute all their success to prudence or merit.幸运者都把他们的成功归因于谨慎或功德。

6 gaily   

adv.欢乐地，高兴地

参考例句：

• The children sing gaily.孩子们欢唱着。
• She waved goodbye very gaily.她欢快地挥手告别。

7 profusion   

n.挥霍；丰富

参考例句：

• He is liberal to profusion.他挥霍无度。
• The leaves are falling in profusion.落叶纷纷。

8 deign   

v. 屈尊, 惠允 ( 做某事)

参考例句：

• He doesn't deign to talk to unimportant people like me. 他不肯屈尊和像我这样不重要的人说话。
• I would not deign to comment on such behaviour. 这种行为不屑我置评。

9 spoke   

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

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

10 abruptly   

adv.突然地，出其不意地

参考例句：

• He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。
• I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。

11 pickpockets   

n.扒手( pickpocket的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Crowded markets are a happy hunting ground for pickpockets. 拥挤的市场是扒手大展身手的好地方。
• He warned me against pickpockets. 他让我提防小偷。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 interpretation   

n.解释，说明，描述；艺术处理

参考例句：

• His statement admits of one interpretation only.他的话只有一种解释。
• Analysis and interpretation is a very personal thing.分析与说明是个很主观的事情。

13 humbly   

adv. 恭顺地，谦卑地

参考例句：

• We humbly beg Your Majesty to show mercy. 我们恳请陛下发发慈悲。
• "You must be right, Sir,'said John humbly. “你一定是对的，先生，”约翰恭顺地说道。

14 tempt   

vt.引诱，勾引，吸引，引起…的兴趣

参考例句：

• Nothing could tempt him to such a course of action.什么都不能诱使他去那样做。
• The fact that she had become wealthy did not tempt her to alter her frugal way of life.她有钱了，可这丝毫没能让她改变节俭的生活习惯。

15 rogue   

n.流氓；v.游手好闲

参考例句：

• The little rogue had his grandpa's glasses on.这淘气鬼带上了他祖父的眼镜。
• They defined him as a rogue.他们确定他为骗子。

16 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。

17 groaned   

v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦

参考例句：

• He groaned in anguish. 他痛苦地呻吟。
• The cart groaned under the weight of the piano. 大车在钢琴的重压下嘎吱作响。 来自《简明英汉词典》