CHAPTER XXIV. M. DE BASSOMPIERRE.

snotill. Readingtheresomewhatlateoneevening,andfeelingthatthepowertoreadwasleavingme—forthelettersfromincessantperusalwerelosingallsapandsignificance:mygoldwaswitheringtoleavesbeforemyeyes,andIwassorrowingoverthedisillusion—suddenlyaquicktrippingfootranupthestairs.IknewGinevraFanshawe’sstep:shehaddinedintownthatafternoonshewasnowreturned,andwouldcomeheretoreplacehershawl,&c.inthewardrobe. Yes:inshecame,dressedinbrightsilk,withhershawlfallingfromhershoulders,andhercurls,half-uncurledinthedampofnight,droopingcarelessandheavyuponherneck.Ihadhardlytimetorecasketmytreasuresandlockthemupwhenshewasatmysideherhumourseemednoneofthebest. “Ithasbeenastupidevening:theyarestupidpeople,”shebegan. “Who?Mrs.Cholmondeley?Ithoughtyoualwaysfoundherhousecharming?” “IhavenotbeentoMrs.Cholmondeley’s.” “Indeed!Haveyoumadenewacquaintance?” “MyuncledeBassompierreiscome.” “YouruncledeBassompierre!Areyounotglad?—Ithoughthewasafavourite.” “Youthoughtwrong:themanisodiousIhatehim.” “Becauseheisaforeigner?orforwhatotherreasonofequalweight?” “Heisnotaforeigner.ThemanisEnglishenough,goodnessknowsandhadanEnglishnametillthreeorfouryearsagobuthismotherwasaforeigner,adeBassompierre,andsomeofherfamilyaredeadandhavelefthimestates,atitle,andthisname:heisquiteagreatmannow.” “Doyouhatehimforthatreason?” “Don’tIknowwhatmammasaysabouthim?Heisnotmyownuncle,butmarriedmamma’ssister.MammadetestshimshesayshekilledauntGinevrawithunkindness:helookslikeabear.Suchadismalevening!”shewenton.“I’llgonomoretohisbighotel.Fancymewalkingintoaroomalone,andagreatmanfiftyyearsoldcomingforwards,andafterafewminutes’conversationactuallyturninghisbackuponme,andthenabruptlygoingoutoftheroom.Suchoddways!Idaresayhisconsciencesmotehim,fortheyallsayathomeIamthepictureofauntGinevra.Mammaoftendeclaresthelikenessisquiteridiculous.” “Wereyoutheonlyvisitor?” “Theonlyvisitor?Yesthentherewasmissy,mycousin:littlespoiled,pamperedthing.” “M.deBassompierrehasadaughter?” “Yes,yes:don’tteaseonewithquestions.Oh,dear!Iamsotired.” Sheyawned.Throwingherselfwithoutceremonyonmybedsheadded,“ItseemsMademoisellewasnearlycrushedtoajellyinahubbubatthetheatresomeweeksago.” “Ah!indeed.AndtheyliveatalargehotelintheRueCrécy?” “Justement.Howdoyouknow?” “Ihavebeenthere.” “Oh,youhave?Really!Yougoeverywhereinthesedays.IsupposeMotherBrettontookyou.SheandEsculapiushavetheentréeofthedeBassompierreapartments:itseems‘mysonJohn’attendedmissyontheoccasionofheraccident—Accident?Bah!Allaffectation!Idon’tthinkshewassqueezedmorethansherichlydeservesforherairs.Andnowthereisquiteanintimacystruckup:Iheardsomethingabout‘auldlangsyne,’andwhatnot.Oh,howstupidtheyallwere!” “All!Yousaidyouweretheonlyvisitor.” “DidI?Youseeoneforgetstoparticularizeanoldwomanandherboy.” “Dr.andMrs.BrettonwereatM.deBassompierre’sthisevening?” “Ay,ay!aslargeaslifeandmissyplayedthehostess.Whataconceiteddollitis!” Souredandlistless,MissFanshawewasbeginningtodisclosethecausesofherprostratecondition.Therehadbeenaretrenchmentofincense,adiversionoratotalwithholdingofhomageandattentioncoquetryhadfailedofeffect,vanityhadundergonemortification.Shelayfuminginthevapours. “IsMissdeBassompierrequitewellnow?”Iasked. “AswellasyouorI,nodoubtbutsheisanaffectedlittlething,andgaveherselfinvalidairstoattractmedicalnotice.Andtoseetheolddowagermakingherreclineonacouch,and‘mysonJohn’prohibitingexcitement,etcetera—faugh!thescenewasquitesickening.” “Itwouldnothavebeensoiftheobjectofattentionhadbeenchanged:ifyouhadtakenMissdeBassompierre’splace.” “Indeed!Ihate‘mysonJohn!’” “‘MysonJohn!’—whomdoyouindicatebythatname?Dr.Bretton’smothernevercallshimso.” “Thensheought.Aclownish,bearishJohnheis.” “Youviolatethetruthinsayingsoandasthewholeofmypatienceisnowspunoffthedistaff,Iperemptorilydesireyoutorisefromthatbed,andvacatethisroom.” “Passionatething!Yourfaceisthecolourofacoquelicot.Iwonderwhatalwaysmakesyousomightytestyàl’endroitdugrosJean?‘JohnAnderson,myJoe,John!’Oh,thedistinguishedname!” Thrillingwithexasperation,towhichitwouldhavebeensheerfollytohavegivenvent—fortherewasnocontendingwiththatunsubstantialfeather,thatmealy-wingedmoth—Iextinguishedmytaper,lockedmybureau,andlefther,sinceshewouldnotleaveme.Small-beerasshewas,shehadturnedinsufferablyacid. ThemorrowwasThursdayandahalf-holiday.BreakfastwasoverIhadwithdrawntothefirstclasse.Thedreadedhour,thepost-hour,wasnearing,andIsatwaitingit,muchasaghost-seermightwaithisspectre.Lessthaneverwasaletterprobablestill,striveasIwould,Icouldnotforgetthatitwaspossible.Asthemomentslessened,arestlessnessandfearalmostbeyondtheaverageassailedme.Itwasadayofwintereastwind,andIhadnowforsometimeenteredintothatdrearyfellowshipwiththewindsandtheirchanges,solittleknown,soincomprehensibletothehealthy.Thenorthandeastownedaterrificinfluence,makingallpainmorepoignant,allsorrowsadder.Thesouthcouldcalm,th