友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!
恐怖书库 返回本书目录 加入书签 我的书架 我的书签 TXT全本下载 『收藏到我的浏览器』

lavengro-第158部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完,想下次继续接着阅读,可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能!



fault was not mine。'



'I do not see why you should have hesitated if your intentions were 

good;' said I。



'I think the kind of place in which I found myself might excuse 

some hesitation;' said the man in black; looking around; 'moreover; 

from what I had seen of your demeanour at the public…house; I was 

rather apprehensive that the reception I might experience at your 

hands might be more rough than agreeable。'



'And what may have been your motive for coming to this place?' said 

I。



'Per far visita a sua signoria; ecco il motivo。'



'Why do you speak to me in that gibberish;' said I; 'do you think I 

understand it?'



'It is not Armenian;' said the man in black; 'but it might serve; 

in a place like this; for the breathing of a little secret 

communication; were any common roadster near at hand。  It would not 

do at Court; it is true; being the language of singing women; and 

the like; but we are not at Court … when we are; I can perhaps 

summon up a little indifferent Latin; if I have anything private to 

communicate to the learned Professor。'



And at the conclusion of this speech the man in black lifted up his 

head; and; for some moments; looked me in the face。  The muscles of 

his own seemed to be slightly convulsed; and his mouth opened in a 

singular manner



'I see;' said I; 'that for some time you were standing near me and 

my companion; in the mean act of listening。'



'Not at all;' said the man in black; 'I heard from the steep bank 

above; that to which I have now alluded; whilst I was puzzling 

myself to find the path which leads to your retreat。  I made; 

indeed; nearly the compass of the whole thicket before I found it。'



'And how did you know that I was here?' I demanded。



'The landlord of the public…house; with whom I had some 

conversation concerning you; informed me that he had no doubt I 

should find you in this place; to which he gave me instructions not 

very clear。  But; now I am here; I crave permission to remain a 

little time; in order that I may hold some communion with you。'



'Well;' said I; 'since you are come; you are welcome; please to 

step this way。'



Thereupon I conducted the man in black to the fireplace; where 

Belle was standing; who had risen from her stool on my springing up 

to go in quest of the stranger。  The man in black looked at her 

with evident curiosity; then making her rather a graceful bow; 

'Lovely virgin;' said he; stretching out his hand; 'allow me to 

salute your fingers。'



'I am not in the habit of shaking hands with strangers;' said 

Belle。



'I did not presume to request to shake hands with you;' said the 

man in black; 'I merely wished to be permitted to salute with my 

lips the extremity of your two forefingers。'



'I never permit anything of the kind;' said Belle; ' I do not 

approve of such unmanly ways; they are only befitting those who 

lurk in corners or behind trees; listening to the conversation of 

people who would fain be private。'



'Do you take me for a listener then?' said the man in black。



'Ay; indeed I do;' said Belle; 'the young man may receive your 

excuses; and put confidence in them; if he please; but for my part 

I neither admit them nor believe them;' and thereupon flinging her 

long hair back; which was hanging over her cheeks; she seated 

herself on her stool。



'Come; Belle;' said I; 'I have bidden the gentleman welcome; I 

beseech you; therefore; to make him welcome; he is a stranger; 

where we are at home; therefore; even did we wish him away; we are 

bound to treat him kindly。'



'That's not English doctrine;' said the man in black。



'I thought the English prided themselves on their hospitality;' 

said I。



'They do so;' said the man in black; 'they are proud of showing 

hospitality to people above them; that is; to those who do not want 

it; but of the hospitality which you were now describing; and which 

is Arabian; they know nothing。  No Englishman will tolerate another 

in his house; from whom he does not expect advantage of some kind; 

and to those from whom he does he can be civil enough。  An 

Englishman thinks that; because he is in his own house; he has a 

right to be boorish and brutal to any one who is disagreeable to 

him; as all those are who are really in want of assistance。  Should 

a hunted fugitive rush into an Englishman's house; beseeching 

protection; and appealing to the master's feelings of hospitality; 

the Englishman would knock him down in the passage。'



'You are too general;' said I; 'in your strictures。  Lord …; the 

unpopular Tory minister; was once chased through the streets of 

London by a mob; and; being in danger of his life; took shelter in 

the shop of a Whig linen…draper; declaring his own unpopular name; 

and appealing to the linen…draper's feelings of hospitality; 

whereupon the linen…draper; utterly forgetful of all party rancour; 

nobly responded to the appeal; and telling his wife to conduct his 

lordship upstairs; jumped over the counter; with his ell in his 

hand; and placing himself with half…a…dozen of his assistants at 

the door of his boutique; manfully confronted the mob; telling them 

that he would allow himself to be torn to a thousand pieces ere he 

would permit them to injure a hair of his lordship's head:  what do 

you think of that?'



'He! he! he!' tittered the man in black。



'Well;' said I; 'I am afraid your own practice is not very 

different from that which you have been just now describing; you 

sided with the Radical in the public…house against me; as long as 

you thought him the most powerful; and then turned against him when 

you saw he was cowed。  What have you to say to that?'



'Oh; when one is in Rome; I mean England; one must do as they do in 

England; I was merely conforming to the custom of the country; he! 

he! but I beg your pardon here; as I did in the public…house。  I 

made a mistake。'



'Well;' said I; 'we will drop the matter; but pray seat yourself on 

that stone; and I will sit down on the grass near you。'



The man in black; after proffering two or three excuses for 

occupying what he supposed to be my seat; sat down upon the stone; 

and I squatted down; gypsy…fashion; just opposite to him; Belle 

sitting on her stool at a slight distance on my right。  After a 

time I addressed him thus:  'Am I to reckon this a mere visit of 

ceremony? should it prove so; it will be; I believe; the first 

visit of the kind ever paid me。'



'Will you permit me to ask;' said the man in black … 'the weather 

is very warm;' said he; interrupting himself; and taking off his 

hat。



I now observed that he was partly bald; his red hair having died 

away from the fore part of his crown … his forehead was high; his 

eyebrows scanty; his eyes gray and sly; with a downward tendency; 

his nose was slightly aquiline; his mouth rather large … a kind of 

sneering smile played conti
返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 2 2
快捷操作: 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!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!