CHAPTER III.
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中
大
outlineofhisshapeIsaw,too,hisfastidious-lookingRETROUSSEnosetheseobservations,fewinnumber,andgeneralincharacter(thelastexcepted),sufficed,fortheyenabledmetorecognizehim.
“Goodevening,Mr.Hunsden,”mutteredIwithabow,andthen,likeashynoodleasIwas,Ibeganmovingaway—andwhy?SimplybecauseMr.Hunsdenwasamanufacturerandamillowner,andIwasonlyaclerk,andmyinstinctpropelledmefrommysuperior.IhadfrequentlyseenHunsdeninBigbenClose,wherehecamealmostweeklytotransactbusinesswithMr.Crimsworth,butIhadneverspokentohim,norhetome,andIowedhimasortofinvoluntarygrudge,becausehehadmorethanoncebeenthetacitwitnessofinsultsofferedbyEdwardtome.Ihadtheconvictionthathecouldonlyregardmeasapoor-spiritedslave,whereforeInowwentabouttoshunhispresenceandeschewhisconversation.
“Whereareyougoing?”askedhe,asIedgedoffsideways.IhadalreadynoticedthatMr.Hunsdenindulgedinabruptformsofspeech,andIperverselysaidtomyself—
“Hethinkshemayspeakashelikestoapoorclerkbutmymoodisnot,perhaps,sosuppleashedeemsit,andhisroughfreedompleasesmenotatall.”
Imadesomeslightreply,ratherindifferentthancourteous,andcontinuedtomoveaway.Hecoollyplantedhimselfinmypath.
“Stayhereawhile,”saidhe:“itissohotinthedancing-roombesides,youdon’tdanceyouhavenothadapartnerto-night.”
Hewasright,andashespokeneitherhislook,tone,normannerdispleasedmemyAMOUR-PROPREwaspropitiatedhehadnotaddressedmeoutofcondescension,butbecause,havingrepairedtothecooldining-roomforrefreshment,henowwantedsomeonetotalkto,bywayoftemporaryamusement.Ihatetobecondescendedto,butIlikewellenoughtoobligeIstayed.
“Thatisagoodpicture,”hecontinued,recurringtotheportrait.
“Doyouconsiderthefacepretty?”Iasked.
“Pretty!no—howcanitbepretty,withsunkeyesandhollowcheeks?butitispeculiaritseemstothink.Youcouldhaveatalkwiththatwoman,ifshewerealive,onothersubjectsthandress,visiting,andcompliments.”
Iagreedwithhim,butdidnotsayso.Hewenton.
“NotthatIadmireaheadofthatsortitwantscharacterandforcethere’stoomuchofthesen-si-tive(sohearticulatedit,curlinghislipatthesametime)inthatmouthbesides,thereisAristocratwrittenonthebrowanddefinedinthefigureIhateyouraristocrats.”
“Youthink,then,Mr.Hunsden,thatpatriciandescentmaybereadinadistinctivecastofformandfeatures?”
“Patriciandescentbehanged!Whodoubtsthatyourlordlingsmayhavetheir‘distinctivecastofformandfeatures’asmuchaswe——shiretradesmenhaveo