CHAPTER XXVIII. THE WATCHGUARD.

tature,“descouleursdepoupée,”“unnezplusoumoinsbienfait,”andanenormousamountoffatuity—Imightyetproveanuseful,perhapsanexemplarycharacter.But,asitwas—Andhere,thelittleman’svoicewasforaminutechoked. Iwouldhavelookedupathim,orheldoutmyhand,orsaidasoothingwordbutIwasafraid,ifIstirred,Ishouldeitherlaughorcrysoodd,inallthis,wasthemixtureofthetouchingandtheabsurd. Ithoughthehadnearlydone:butnohesatdownthathemightgoonathisease. “Whilehe,M.Paul,wasonthesepainfultopics,hewoulddaremyangerforthesakeofmygood,andwouldventuretorefertoachangehehadnoticedinmydress.Hewasfreetoconfessthatwhenhefirstknewme—or,rather,wasinthehabitofcatchingapassingglimpseofmefromtimetotime—Isatisfiedhimonthispoint:thegravity,theausteresimplicity,obviousinthisparticular,weresuchastoinspirethehighesthopesformybestinterests.Whatfatalinfluencehadimpelledmelatelytointroduceflowersunderthebrimofmybonnet,towear‘descolsbrodés,’andeventoappearononeoccasioninascarletgown—hemightindeedconjecture,but,forthepresent,wouldnotopenlydeclare.” AgainIinterrupted,andthistimenotwithoutanaccentatonceindignantandhorror-struck. “Scarlet,MonsieurPaul?Itwasnotscarlet!Itwaspink,andpalepinktoo,andfurthersubduedbyblacklace.” “Pinkorscarlet,yelloworcrimson,pea-greenorsky-blue,itwasallone:thesewereallflaunting,giddycoloursandastothelaceItalkedof,thatwasbuta‘colifichetdeplus.’”Andhesighedovermydegeneracy.“Hecouldnot,hewassorrytosay,besoparticularonthisthemeashecouldwish:notpossessingtheexactnamesofthese‘babioles,’hemightrunintosmallverbalerrorswhichwouldnotfailtolayhimopentomysarcasm,andexcitemyunhappilysuddenandpassionatedisposition.Hewouldmerelysay,ingeneralterms—andinthesegeneraltermsheknewhewascorrect—thatmycostumehadoflateassumed‘desfa?onsmondaines,’whichitwoundedhimtosee.” What“fa?onsmondaines”hediscoveredinmypresentwintermerinoandplainwhitecollar,Iownitpuzzledmetoguess:andwhenIaskedhim,hesaiditwasallmadewithtoomuchattentiontoeffect—andbesides,“hadInotabowofribbonatmyneck?” “Andifyoucondemnabowofribbonforalady,Monsieur,youwouldnecessarilydisapproveofathinglikethisforagentleman?”—holdingupmybrightlittlechainletofsilkandgold.Hissolereplywasagroan—Isupposeovermylevity. Aftersittingsomeminutesinsilence,andwatchingtheprogressofthechain,atwhichInowwroughtmoreassiduouslythanever,heinquired:“Whetherwhathehadjustsaidwouldhavetheeffectofmakingmeentirelydetesthim?” IhardlyrememberwhatanswerImade,orhowitcameaboutIdon’tthinkIspokeatall,butIknowwemanagedtobidgood-nightonfriendlyterms:and,evenafterM.Paulhadreachedthedoor,heturnedbackjusttoexplain,“thathewouldnotbeunderstoodtospeakinentirecondemnationofthescarletdress”(“Pink!pink!”Ithrewin)“thathehadnointentiontodenyitthemeritoflookingratherwell”(thefactwas,M.Emanuel’stasteincoloursdecidedlyleanedtothebrilliant)“onlyhewishedtocounselme,whenever,Iworeit,todosointhesamespiritasifitsmaterialwere‘bure,’anditshue‘grisdepoussière.’” “Andtheflowersundermybonnet,Monsieur?”Iasked.“Theyareverylittleones—?” “Keepthemlittle,then,”saidhe.“Permitthemnottobecomefull-blown.” “Andthebow,Monsieur—thebitofribbon?” “Vapourleruban!”wasthepropitiousanswer. Andsowesettledit. “Welldone,LucySnowe!”criedItomyself“youhavecomeinforaprettylecture—broughtonyourselfa‘rudesavant,’andallthroughyourwickedfondnessforworldlyvanities!Whowouldhavethoughtit?Youdeemedyourselfamelancholysober-sidesenough!MissFanshawethereregardsyouasasecondDiogenes.M.deBassompierre,theotherday,politelyturnedtheconversationwhenitranonthewildgiftsoftheactressVashti,because,ashekindlysaid,‘MissSnowelookeduncomfortable.’Dr.JohnBrettonknowsyouonlyas‘quietLucy’—‘acreatureinoffensiveasashadow’hehassaid,andyouhaveheardhimsayit:‘Lucy’sdisadvantagesspringfromover-gravityintastesandmanner—wantofcolourincharacterandcostume.’Suchareyourownandyourfriends’impressionsandbehold!therestartsupalittleman,differingdiametricallyfromallthese,roundlychargingyouwithbeingtooairyandcheery—toovolatileandversatile—toofloweryandcoloury.Thisharshlittleman—thispitilesscensor—gathersupallyourpoorscatteredsinsofvanity,yourlucklesschiffonofrose-colour,yoursmallfringeofawreath,yoursmallscrapofribbon,yoursillybitoflace,andcallsyoutoaccountforthelot,andforeachitem.YouarewellhabituatedtobepassedbyasashadowinLife’ssunshine:itisanewthingtoseeonetestilyliftinghishandtoscreenhiseyes,becauseyouteasehimwithanobtrusiveray.”