CHAPTER XXII

IwonderedatitwasamorepracticalandsensibleprecautionthanIshouldhaveimaginedyoucapableof.Whydidyouleave?” “BecauseM.PelethasjustmarriedtheladywhomyouandMr.Brownassignedtomeasmywife.” “Oh,indeed!”repliedHunsdenwithashortlaugh“soyou’velostbothyourwifeandyourplace?” “Preciselyso.” Isawhimgiveaquick,covertglanceallroundmyroomhemarkeditsnarrowlimits,itsscantyfurniture:inaninstanthehadcomprehendedthestateofmatters—hadabsolvedmefromthecrimeofprosperity.AcuriouseffectthisdiscoverywroughtinhisstrangemindIammorallycertainthatifhehadfoundmeinstalledinahandsomeparlour,loungingonasoftcouch,withapretty,wealthywifeatmyside,hewouldhavehatedmeabrief,cold,haughtyvisit,wouldinsuchacasehavebeentheextremelimitofhiscivilities,andneverwouldhehavecomenearmemore,solongasthetideoffortuneboremesmoothlyonitssurfacebutthepaintedfurniture,thebarewalls,thecheerlesssolitudeofmyroomrelaxedhisrigidpride,andIknownotwhatsofteningchangehadtakenplacebothinhisvoiceandlookerehespokeagain. “Youhavegotanotherplace?” “No.” “Youareinthewayofgettingone?” “No.” “ThatisbadhaveyouappliedtoBrown?” “No,indeed.” “Youhadbetterheoftenhasitinhispowertogiveusefulinformationinsuchmatters.” “HeservedmeonceverywellIhavenoclaimonhim,andamnotinthehumourtobotherhimagain.” “Oh,ifyou’rebashful,anddreadbeingintrusive,youneedonlycommissionme.Ishallseehimto-nightIcanputinaword.” “Ibegyouwillnot,Mr.HunsdenIaminyourdebtalreadyyoudidmeanimportantservicewhenIwasatX——gotmeoutofadenwhereIwasdying:thatserviceIhaveneverrepaid,andatpresentIdeclinepositivelyaddinganotheritemtotheaccount.” “Ifthewindsitsthatway,I’msatisfied.Ithoughtmyunexampledgenerosityinturningyououtofthataccursedcounting-housewouldbedulyappreciatedsomeday:‘Castyourbreadonthewaters,anditshallbefoundaftermanydays,’saytheScriptures.Yes,that’sright,lad—makemuchofme—I’manonpareil:there’snothinglikemeinthecommonherd.Inthemeantime,toputallhumbugasideandtalksenseforafewmoments,youwouldbegreatlythebetterofasituation,andwhatismore,youareafoolifyourefusetotakeonefromanyhandthatoffersit.” “Verywell,Mr.Hunsdennowyouhavesettledthatpoint,talkofsomethingelse.WhatnewsfromX——?” “Ihavenotsettledthatpoint,oratleastthereisanothertosettlebeforewegettoX——.IsthisMissZenobie”(Zoraide,interposedI)—“well,Zoraide—isshereallymarriedtoPelet?” “Itellyouyes—andifyoudon’tbelieveme,goandaskthecureofSt.Jacques.” “Andyourheartisbroken?” “Iamnotawarethatitisitfeelsallright—beatsasusual.” “ThenyourfeelingsarelesssuperfinethanItookthemtobeyoumustbeacoarse,callouscharacter,tobearsuchathwackwithoutstaggeringunderit.” “Staggeringunderit?WhatthedeuceistheretostaggerunderinthecircumstanceofaBelgianschoolmistressmarryingaFrenchschoolmaster?Theprogenywilldoubtlessbeastrangehybridracebutthat’stheirlook-out—notmine.” “Heindulgesinscurrilousjests,andthebridewashisaffiancedone!” “Whosaidso?” “Brown.” “I’lltellyouwhat,Hunsden—Brownisanoldgossip.” “Heisbutinthemeantime,ifhisgossipbefoundedonlessthanfact—ifyoutooknoparticularinterestinMissZoraide—why,Oyouthfulpedagogue!didyouleaveyourplaceinconsequenceofherbecomingMadamePelet?” “Because—”Ifeltmyfacegrowalittlehot“because—inshort,Mr.Hunsden,Ideclineansweringanymorequestions,”andIplungedmyhandsdeepinmybreechespocket. Hunsdentriumphed:hiseyes—hislaughannouncedvictory. “Whatthedeuceareyoulaughingat,Mr.Hunsden?” “Atyourexemplarycomposure.Well,lad,I’llnotboreyouIseehowitis:Zoraidehasjiltedyou—marriedsomeonericher,asanysensiblewomanwouldhavedoneifshehadhadthechance.” Imadenoreply—Ilethimthinkso,notfeelinginclinedtoenterintoanexplanationoftherealstateofthings,andaslittletoforgeafalseaccountbutitwasnoteasytoblindHunsdenmyverysilence,insteadofconvincinghimthathehadhitthetruth,seemedtorenderhimdoubtfulaboutithewenton:— “Isupposetheaffairhasbeenconductedassuchaffairsalwaysareamongstrationalpeople:youofferedheryouryouthandyourtalents—suchastheyare—inexchangeforherpositionandmoney:Idon’tsupposeyoutookappearance,orwhatiscalledLOVE,intotheaccount—forIunderstandsheisolderthanyou,andBrownsays,rathersensible-lookingthanbeautiful.She,havingthennochanceofmakingabetterbargain,wasatfirstinclinedtocometotermswithyou,butPelet—theheadofaflourishingschool—steppedinwithahigherbidsheaccepted,andhehasgother:acorrecttransaction—perfectlyso—business-likeandlegitimate.Andnowwe’lltalkofsomethingelse.” “Do,”saidI,verygladtodismissthetopic,andespeciallygladtohavebaffledthesagacityofmycross-questioner—if,indeed,Ihadbaffleditforthoughhiswordsnowledawayfromthedangerouspoint,hiseyes,keenandwatchful,seemedstillpreoccupiedwiththeformeridea. “YouwanttohearnewsfromX——?AndwhatinterestcanyouhaveinX——?Youleftnofriendsthere,foryoumadenone.Nobodyeverasksafteryou—neithermannorwomanandifImentionyournameincompany,themenlookasifIhadspokenofPresterJohnandthewomensneercovertly.OurX——bellesmusthavedislikedyou.Howdidyouexcitetheirdispleasure?” “Idon’tknow.Iseldomspoketoth