第77章

“Because M.Pelet has just married the lady whom you and Mr.

Brown assigned to me as my wife.”

“Oh， indeed！” replied Hunsden with a short laugh； “so you’ve lost both your wife and your place？”

“Precisely so.”

I saw him give a quick， covert glance all round my room； he marked its narrow limits， its scanty furniture： in an instant he had comprehended the state of matters—had absolved me from the crime of prosperity.A curious effect this discovery wrought in his strange mind； I am morally certain that if he had found me installed in a handsome parlour， lounging on a soft couch， with a pretty， wealthy wife at my side， he would have hated me； a brief， cold， haughty visit， would in such a case have been the extreme limit of his civilities， and never would he have come near me more，so long as the tide of fortune bore me smoothly on its surface； but the painted furniture， the bare walls， the cheerless solitude of my room relaxed his rigid pride， and I know not what softening change had taken place both in his voice and look ere he spoke again.

“You have got another place？” “No.”

“You are in the way of getting one？” “No.”

“That is bad； have you applied to Brown？”

“No， indeed.”

“You had better； he often has it in his power to give useful information in such matters.”

“He served me once very well； I have no claim on him， and am not in the humour to bother him again.”

“Oh， if you’re bashful， and dread being intrusive， you need onlycommission me.I shall see him to-night； I can put in a word.”

“I beg you will not， Mr.Hunsden； I am in your debt already； you did me an important service when I was at X—； got me out of a den where I was dying： that service I have never repaid， and at present I decline positively adding another item to the account.”

“If the wind sits that way， I’m satisfied.I thought myunexampled generosity in turning you out of that accursed counting-house would be duly appreciated some day： ‘Cast your bread on the waters， and it shall be found after many days，’ say the Scriptures.Yes， that’s right， lad—make much of me—I’m a nonpareil： there’s nothing like me in the common herd.In the meantime， to put all humbug aside and talk sense for a few moments， you would be greatly the better of a situation， and whatis more， you are a fool if you refuse to take one from any hand that offers it.”

“Very well， Mr.Hunsden； now you have settled that point， talk of something else.What news from X—？”

“I have not settled that point， or at least there is another to settle before we get to X—.Is this Miss Zénobie” (Zora？de， interposed I)—“well， Zora？de—is she really married to Pelet？”

“I tell you yes—and if you don’t believe me， go and ask the cure of St.Jacques.”

“And your heart is broken？”

“I am not aware that it is； it feels all right—beats as usual.” “Then your feelings are less superfine than I took them to be；you must be a coarse， callous character， to bear such a thwackwithout staggering under it.”

“Staggering under it？ What the deuce is there to stagger under in the circumstance of a Belgian schoolmistress marrying a French schoolmaster？ The progeny will doubtless be a strange hybrid race； but that’s their Look out—not mine.”

“He indulges in scurrilous jests， and the bride was his affiancedone！”

“Who said so？” “Brown.”

I’ll tell you what， Hunsden—Brown is an old gossip.”

“He is； but in the meantime， if his gossip be founded on less than fact—if you took no particular interest in Miss Zora？de—why， O youthful pedagogue！ did you leave your place in consequence of her becoming Madame Pelet？”

“Because—” I felt my face grow a little hot； “because—in short，Mr.Hunsden， I decline answering any more questions，” and Iplunged my hands deep in my breeches pocket.

Hunsden triumphed： his eyes—his laugh announced victory.“What the deuce are you laughing at， Mr.Hunsden？”

“At your exemplary composure.Well， lad， I’ll not bore you； I seehow it is： Zora？de has jilted you—married some one richer， as any sensible woman would have done if she had had the chance.”

I made no reply—I let him think so， not feeling inclined to enterinto an explanation of the real state of things， and as little to forge a false account； but it was not easy to blind Hunsden； my very silence， instead of convincing him that he had hit the truth， seemed to render him doubtful about it； he went on：—“I suppose the affair has been conducted as such affairs always are amongst rational people： you offered her your youth and your talents-such as they are—in exchange for her position and money： I don’t suppose you took appearance， or what is called love， into the account—for I understand she is older than you， and Brown says， rather sensible-looking than beautiful.She， having then no chance of making a better bargain， was at first inclined to come to terms with you， but Pelet—the head or a flourishing school— stepped in with a higher bid； she accepted， and he has got her： a correct transaction—perfectly so—business-like and legitimate.And now we’ll talk of something else.”

“Do，” said I， very glad to dismiss the topic， and especially glad to have baffled the sagacity of my cross-questioner—if， indeed， I had baffled it； for though his words now led away from the dangerous point， his eyes， keen and watchful， seemed still preoccupied with the former idea.

“You want to hear news from X—？ And what interest can youhave in X—？ You left no friends there， for you made none.Nobodyever asks after you—neither man nor woman； and if I mention your name in company， the men look as if I had spoken of Prester John； and the women sneer covertly.Our X— belles must have disliked you.How did you excite their displeasure？”

“I don’t know.I seldom spoke to them—they were nothing to me.I considered them only as something to be glanced at from a distance； their dresses and faces were often pleasing enough to the eye： but I could not understand their conversation， nor even read their countenances.When I caught snatches of what they said， I could never make much of it； and the play of their lips and eyes did not help me at all.”