gnanimousthinginofferingtomarryher?You,ascionofSeacombe,haveprovedyourdisdainofsocialdistinctionsbytakingupwithanouvriere!AndIpitiedthefellow,thinkinghisfeelingshadmisledhim,andthathehadhurthimselfbycontractingalowmatch!”
“Justletgomycollar,Hunsden.”
Onthecontrary,heswayedmetoandfrosoIgrappledhimroundthewaist.Itwasdarkthestreetlonelyandlampless.Wehadthenatugforitandafterwehadbothrolledonthepavement,andwithdifficultypickedourselvesup,weagreedtowalkonmoresoberly.
“Yes,that’smylace-mender,”saidI“andsheistobemineforlife—Godwilling.”
“Godisnotwilling—youcan’tsupposeitwhatbusinesshaveyoutobesuitedsowellwithapartner?Andshetreatsyouwithasortofrespect,too,andsays,‘Monsieur’andmodulateshertoneinaddressingyou,actually,asifyouweresomethingsuperior!ShecouldnotevincemoredeferencetosuchaoneasI,wereshefavouredbyfortunetothesupremeextentofbeingmychoiceinsteadofyours.”
“Hunsden,you’reapuppy.Butyou’veonlyseenthetitle-pageofmyhappinessyoudon’tknowthetalethatfollowsyoucannotconceivetheinterestandsweetvarietyandthrillingexcitementofthenarrative.”
Hunsden—speakinglowanddeep,forwehadnowenteredabusierstreet—desiredmetoholdmypeace,threateningtodosomethingdreadfulifIstimulatedhiswrathfurtherbyboasting.Ilaughedtillmysidesached.Wesoonreachedhishotelbeforeheenteredit,hesaid—
“Don’tbevainglorious.Yourlace-menderistoogoodforyou,butnotgoodenoughformeneitherphysicallynormorallydoesshecomeuptomyidealofawoman.NoIdreamofsomethingfarbeyondthatpale-faced,excitablelittleHelvetian(by-the-byshehasinfinitelymoreofthenervous,mobileParisienneinherthanofthetherobust‘jungfrau’).YourMdlle.Henriisinperson“chetive”,inmind“sanscaractere”,comparedwiththequeenofmyvisions.You,indeed,mayputupwiththat“minoischiffone”butwhenImarryImusthavestraighterandmoreharmoniousfeatures,tosaynothingofanoblerandbetterdevelopedshapethanthatperverse,ill-thrivenchildcanboast.”
“Bribeaseraphtofetchyouacoaloffirefromheaven,ifyouwill,”saidI,“andwithitkindlelifeinthetallest,fattest,mostboneless,fullest-bloodedofRuben’spaintedwomen—leavemeonlymyAlpineperi,andI’llnotenvyyou.”
Withasimultaneousmovement,eachturnedhisbackontheother.Neithersaid“Godblessyou”yetonthemorrowtheseawastorollbetweenus.