the hunchback of notre dame-第62章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



The　poor　dame；　very　much　infatuated　with　her　daughter；　like　any　other　silly　mother；　did　not　perceive　the　officer's　lack　of　enthusiasm；　and　strove　in　low　tones　to　call　his　attention　to　the　infinite　grace　with　which　Fleur…de…Lys　used　her　needle　or　wound　her　skein。

〃Come；　little　cousin；〃　she　said　to　him；　plucking　him　by　the　sleeve；　in　order　to　speak　in　his　ear；　〃Look　at　her；　do！　see　her　stoop。〃

〃Yes；　truly；〃　replied　the　young　man；　and　fell　back　into　his　glacial　and　absent…minded　silence。

A　moment　later；　he　was　obliged　to　bend　down　again；　and　Dame　Aloise　said　to　him；

〃Have　you　ever　beheld　a　more　gay　and　charming　face　than　that　of　your　betrothed？　　Can　one　be　more　white　and　blonde？　are　not　her　hands　perfect？　and　that　neckdoes　it　not　assume　all　the　curves　of　the　swan　in　ravishing　fashion？　　How　I　envy　you　at　times！　and　how　happy　you　are　to　be　a　man；　naughty　libertine　that　you　are！　　Is　not　my　Fleur…de…Lys　adorably　beautiful；　and　are　you　not　desperately　in　love　with　her？〃

〃Of　course；〃　he　replied；　still　thinking　of　something　else。

〃But　do　say　something；〃　said　Madame　Aloise；　suddenly　giving　his　shoulder　a　push；　〃you　have　grown　very　timid。〃

We　can　assure　our　readers　that　timidity　was　neither　the　captain's　virtue　nor　his　defect。　　But　he　made　an　effort　to　do　what　was　demanded　of　him。

〃Fair　cousin；〃　he　said；　approaching　Fleur…de…Lys；　〃what　is　the　subject　of　this　tapestry　work　which　you　are　fashioning？'　〃Fair　cousin；〃　responded　Fleur…de…Lys；　in　an　offended　tone；　〃I　have　already　told　you　three　times。　　'Tis　the　grotto　of　Neptune。〃

It　was　evident　that　Fleur…de…Lys　saw　much　more　clearly　than　her　mother　through　the　captain's　cold　and　absent…minded　manner。　　He　felt　the　necessity　of　making　some　conversation。

〃And　for　whom　is　this　Neptunerie　destined？〃

〃For　the　Abbey　of　Saint…Antoine　des　Champs；〃　answered　Fleur…de…Lys；　without　raising　her　eyes。

The　captain　took　up　a　corner　of　the　tapestry。

〃Who；　my　fair　cousin；　is　this　big　gendarme；　who　is　puffing　out　his　cheeks　to　their　full　extent　and　blowing　a　trumpet？〃

〃'Tis　Triton；〃　she　replied。

There　was　a　rather　pettish　intonation　in　Fleur…de…Lys's　laconic　words。　　The　young　man　understood　that　it　was　indispensable　that　he　should　whisper　something　in　her　ear；　a　commonplace；　a　gallant　compliment；　no　matter　what。　　Accordingly　he　bent　down；　but　he　could　find　nothing　in　his　imagination　more　tender　and　personal　than　this；

〃Why　does　your　mother　always　wear　that　surcoat　with　armorial　designs；　like　our　grandmothers　of　the　time　of　Charles　VII。？　　Tell　her；　fair　cousin；　that　'tis　no　longer　the　fashion；　and　that　the　hinge　（gond）　and　the　laurel　（laurier）　embroidered　on　her　robe　give　her　the　air　of　a　walking　mantlepiece。　In　truth；　people　no　longer　sit　thus　on　their　banners；　I　assure　you。〃

Fleur…de…Lys　raised　her　beautiful　eyes；　full　of　reproach；　〃Is　that　all　of　which　you　can　assure　me？〃　she　said；　in　a　low　voice。

In　the　meantime；　Dame　Aloise；　delighted　to　see　them　thus　bending　towards　each　other　and　whispering；　said　as　she　toyed　with　the　clasps　of　her　prayer…book；

〃Touching　picture　of　love！〃

The　captain；　more　and　more　embarrassed；　fell　back　upon　the　subject　of　the　tapestry；〃'Tis；　in　sooth；　a　charming　work！〃　he　exclaimed。

Whereupon　Colombe　de　Gaillefontaine；　another　beautiful　blonde；　with　a　white　skin；　dressed　to　the　neck　in　blue　damask；　ventured　a　timid　remark　which　she　addressed　to　Fleur…de…Lys；　in　the　hope　that　the　handsome　captain　would　reply　to　it；　〃My　dear　Gondelaurier；　have　you　seen　the　tapestries　of　the　H？tel　de　la　Roche…Guyon？〃

〃Is　not　that　the　hotel　in　which　is　enclosed　the　garden　of　the　Lingère　du　Louvre？〃　asked　Diane　de　Christeuil　with　a　laugh；　for　she　had　handsome　teeth；　and　consequently　laughed　on　every　occasion。

〃And　where　there　is　that　big；　old　tower　of　the　ancient　wall　of　Paris；〃　added　Amelotte　de　Montmichel；　a　pretty　fresh　and　curly…headed　brunette；　who　had　a　habit　of　sighing　just　as　the　other　laughed；　without　knowing　why。

〃My　dear　Colombe；〃　interpolated　Dame　Aloise；　〃do　you　not　mean　the　hotel　which　belonged　to　Monsieur　de　Bacqueville；　in　the　reign　of　King　Charles　VI。？　there　are　indeed　many　superb　high　warp　tapestries　there。〃

〃Charles　VI。！　　Charles　VI。！〃　muttered　the　young　captain；　twirling　his　moustache。　　〃Good　heavens！　what　old　things　the　good　dame　does　remember！〃

Madame　de　Gondelaurier　continued；　〃Fine　tapestries；　in　truth。　　A　work　so　esteemed　that　it　passes　as　unrivalled。〃

At　that　moment　Bérangère　de　Champchevrier；　a　slender　little　maid　of　seven　years；　who　was　peering　into　the　square　through　the　trefoils　of　the　balcony；　exclaimed；　〃Oh！　look；　fair　Godmother　Fleur…de…Lys；　at　that　pretty　dancer　who　is　dancing　on　the　pavement　and　playing　the　tambourine　in　the　midst　of　the　loutish　bourgeois！〃

The　sonorous　vibration　of　a　tambourine　was；　in　fact；　audible。　〃Some　gypsy　from　Bohemia；〃　said　Fleur…de…Lys；　turning　carelessly　toward　the　square。

〃Look！　look！〃　exclaimed　her　lively　companions；　and　they　all　ran　to　the　edge　of　the　balcony；　while　Fleur…de…Lys；　rendered　thoughtful　by　the　coldness　of　her　betrothed；　followed　them　slowly；　and　the　latter；　relieved　by　this　incident；　which　put　an　end　to　an　embarrassing　conversation；　retreated　to　the　farther　end　of　the　room；　with　the　satisfied　air　of　a　soldier　released　from　duty。　　Nevertheless；　the　fair　Fleur…de…Lys's　was　a　charming　and　noble　service；　and　such　it　had　formerly　appeared　to　him；　but　the　captain　had　gradually　become　blase'；　the　prospect　of　a　speedy　marriage　cooled　him　more　every　day。　　Moreover；　he　was　of　a　fickle　disposition；　and；　must　we　say　it；　rather　vulgar　in　taste。　　Although　of　very　noble　birth；　he　had　contracted　in　his　official　harness　more　than　one　habit　of　the　common　trooper。　　The　tavern　and　its　accompaniments　pleased　him。　　He　was　only　at　his　ease　amid　gross　language；　military　gallantries；　facile　beauties；　and　successes　yet　more　easy。　　He　had；　nevertheless；　received　from　his　family　some　education　and　some　politeness　of　manner；　but　he　had　been　thrown　on　the　world　too　young；　he　had　been　in　garrison　at　too　early　an　age；　and　every　day　the　polish　of　a　gentleman　became　more　and　more　effaced　by　the　rough　friction　of　his　gendarme's　cross…belt。　　While　still　continuing　to　visit　her　from　time　to　time；　from　a　remnant　of　common　respect；　he　felt　doubly　embarrassed　with　Fleur…de…Lys；　in　the　first　place；　because；　in　consequence　of　having　scattered　his　love　in　all　sorts　of　places；　he　had　reserved　very　little　for　her；　in　the　next　place；　because；　amid　so　many　stiff；　formal；　and　decent　ladies；　he　was　in　constant　fear　lest　his　mouth；　habituated　to　oaths；　should　suddenly　take　the　bit　in　its　teeth；　and　break　out　into　the　language　of　the　tavern。　　The　effect　can　be　imagined！

Moreover；　all　this　was　mingled　in　him；　with　great　pretentions　to　elegance；　toilet；　and　a　fine　appearance。　　Let　the　reader　reconcile　these　things　as　best　he　can。　　I　am　simply　the　historian。

He　had　remained；　therefore；　for　several　minutes；　leaning　in　silence　against　the　carved　jamb　of　the　chimney；　and　thinking　or　not　thinking；　when　Fleur…de…Lys　suddenly　turned　and　addressed　him。　　After　all；　the　poor　young　girl　was　pouting　against　the　dictates　of　her　heart。

〃Fair　cousin；　did　you　not　speak　to　us　of　a　little　Bohemian　whom　you　saved　a　couple　of　months　ago；　while　making　the　patrol　with　the　watch　at　night；　from　the　hands　of　a　dozen　robbers？〃

〃I　believe　so；　fair　cousin；。〃　said　the　captain。

〃Well；〃　she　resumed；　〃perchance　'tis　that　same　gypsy　girl　who　is　dancing　yonder；　on　the　church　square。　　Come　and　see　if　you　recognize　her；　fair　Cousin　Phoebus。〃

A　secret　desire　for　reconciliation　was　apparent　in　this　gentle　invitation　which　she　gave　him　to　approach　her；　and　in　the　care　which　she　took　to　call　him　by　name。　　Captain　Phoebus　de　Chateaupers　（for　it　is　he　whom　the　reader　has　had　before　his　eyes　since　the　beginning　of　this　chapter）　slowly　approached　the　balcony。　　〃Stay；〃　said　Fleur…de…Lys；　laying　her　hand　tenderly　on　Phoebus's　arm；　〃look　at　that　little　girl　yonder；　dancing　in　that　circle。　　Is　she　your　Bohemian？〃

Phoebus　looked；　and　said；

〃Yes；　I　recognize　her　by　her　goat。〃

〃Oh！　in　fact；　what　a　pretty　little　goat！〃　said　Amelotte；　clasping　her　hands　in　admiration。

〃Are　his　horns　of　real　gold？〃　inquired　Bérangère。

Wi