the professor(教授)-第56章
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something to cook。” （An interval occupied in settling a casserole
on the fire； then； while she stirred its contents：） “Right！ as if it
were right to crush any pleasurable sentiment that God has given
to man； especially any sentiment that； like patriotism； spreads
man’s selfishness in wider circles” （fire stirred； dish put down
before it）。
“Were you born in Switzerland？”
“I should think so； or else why should I call it my country？”
“And where did you get your English features and figure？”
“I am English； too； half the blood in my veins is English； thus I
have a right to a double power of patriotism； possessing an
interest in two noble； free； and fortunate countries。”
“You had an English mother？”
“Yes； yes； and you； I suppose； had a mother from the moon or
from Utopia； since not a nation in Europe has a claim on your
interest？”
“On the contrary； I’m a universal patriot； if you could
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understand me rightly： my country is the world。”
“Sympathies so widely diffused must be very shallow： will you
have the goodness to come to table。 Monsieur” （to me who
appeared to be now absorbed in reading by moonlight）—
“Monsieur； supper is served。”
This was said in quite a different voice to that in which she had
been bandying phrases with Mr。 Hunsden—not so short； graver
and softer。
“Frances； what do you mean by preparing； supper？ we had no
intention of staying。”
“Ah； monsieur； but you have stayed； and supper is prepared；
you have only the alternative of eating it。”
The meal was a foreign one； of course； it consisted in two small
but tasty dishes of meat prepared with skill and served with
nicety； a salad and “fromage francais；” completed it。 The business
of eating interposed a brief truce between the belligerents； but no
sooner was supper disposed of than they were at it again。 The
fresh subject of dispute ran on the spirit of religious intolerance
which Mr。 Hunsden affirmed to exist strongly in Switzerland；
notwithstanding the professed attachment of the Swiss to
freedom。 Here Frances had greatly the worst of it； not only
because she was unskilled to argue； but because her own real
opinions on the point in question happened to coincide pretty
nearly with Mr。 Hunsden’s； and she only contradicted him out of
opposition。 At last she gave in； confessing that she thought as he
thought； but bidding him take notice that she did not consider
herself beaten。
“No more did the French at Waterloo；” said Hunsden。
“There is no comparison between the cases；” rejoined Frances；
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“mine was a sham fight。”
“Sham or real； it’s up with you。”
“No； though I have neither logic nor wealth of words； yet in a
case where my opinion really differed from yours； I would adhere
to it when I had not another word to say in its defence； you should
be baffled by dumb determination。 You speak of Waterloo； your
Wellington ought to have been conquered there； according to
Napoleon； but he persevered in spite of the laws of war； and was
victorious in defiance of military tactics。 I would do as he did。”
“I’ll be bound for it you would； probably you have some of the
same sort of stubborn stuff in you。
“I should be sorry if I had not； he and Tell were brothers； and
I’d scorn the Swiss； man or woman； who had none of the much…
enduring nature of our heroic William in his soul。”
“If Tell was like Wellington； he was an ass。”
“Does not ass mean baudet？” asked Frances； turning to me。
“No； no；” replied I； “it means an esprit…fort； and now；” I
continued； as I saw that fresh occasion of strife was brewing
between these two； “it is high time to go。”
Hunsden rose。 “Good bye；” said he to Frances； “I shall be off for
this glorious England to…morrow； and it may be twelve months or
more before I come to Brussels again； whenever I do come I’ll seek
you out； and you shall see if I don’t find means to make you fiercer
than a dragon。 You’ve done pretty well this evening； but next
interview you shall challenge me outright。 Meantime you’re
doomed to become Mrs。 William Crimsworth； I suppose； poor
young lady？ but you have a spark of spirit； cherish it； and give the
Professor the full benefit thereof。”
“Are you married； Mr。 Hunsden？” asked Frances； suddenly。
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“No。 I should have thought you might have guessed I was a
Benedict by my look。”
“Well； whenever you marry don’t take a wife out of
Switzerland； for if you begin blaspheming Helvetia； and cursing
the cantons—above all； if you mention the word ass in the same
breath with the name Tell （for ass is baudet； I know； though
Monsieur is pleased to translate it esprit…fort） your mountain maid
will some night smother her Breton…bretonnant； even as your own
Shakspeare’s Othello smothered Desdemona。”
“I am warned；” said Hunsden； “and so are you； lad；” （nodding
to me）。 “I hope yet to hear of a travesty of the Moor and his gentle
lady； in which the parts shall be reversed according to the plan
just sketched—you； however； being in my nightcap。 Farewell；
mademoiselle！” He bowed on her hand； absolutely like Sir Charles
Grandison on that of Harriet Byron； adding—“Death from such
fingers would not be without charms。”
“Mon Dieu！” murmured Frances； opening her large eyes and
lifting her distinctly arched brows； “c’est qu’il fait des
compliments！ je ne m’y suis pas attendu。” She smiled； half in ire；
half in mirth； curtsied with foreign grace； and so they parted。
No sooner had we got into the street than Hunsden collared me。
“And that is your lace…mender？” said he； “and you reckon you
have done a fine； magnanimous thing in offering to marry her？
You； a scion of Seacombe； have proved your disdain of social
distinctions by taking up with an ouvrière！ And I pitied the fellow；
thinking his feelings had misled him； and that he had hurt himself
by contracting a low match！”
“Just let go my collar； Hunsden。”
“On the contrary； he swayed me to and fro； so I grappled him
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round the waist。 It was dark； the street lonely and lampless。 We
had then a tug for it； and after we had both rolled on the
pavement； and with difficulty picked ourselves up； we agreed to
walk on more soberly。
“Yes； that’s my lace…mender；” said I； “and she is to be mine for
life—God willing。”
“God is not willing—you can’t suppose it； what business have
you to be suited so well with a partner？ And she treats you with a
sort of respect； too； and says； ‘Monsieur’ and modulates her tone in
addressing you； actually； as if you were something superior！ She
could not evince more deference to such a one as I； were she
favoured by fortune to the supreme extent of being my choice
instead of yours。”
“Hunsden； you’re a puppy。 But you’ve only seen the title…page
of my happiness； you don’t know the tale that follows； you cannot
conceive the interest and sweet variety and thrilling excitement of
the narrative。”
Hunsden—speaking low and deep； for we had now entered a
busier street—desired me to hold my peace； threatening to do
something dreadful if I stimulated his wrath further by boasting。 I
laughed till my sides ached。 We soon reached his hotel； before he
entered it； he said—
“Don’t be vainglorious。 Your lace…mender is too good for you；
but not good enough for me； neither physically nor morally does
she come up to my ideal of a woman。 No； I dream of something far
beyond that pale…faced； excitable little Helvetian （by…the…by she
has infinitely more of the nervous； mobile Parisienne in her than
of the the robust ‘jungfrau’）。 Your Mdlle Henri is in person
“chétive”； in mind “sans caractère”； compared with the queen of
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my visions。 You； indeed； may put up with that minois chiffoné； but
when I marry I must have straighter and more harmonious
features； to say nothing of a nobler and better developed shape
than that perverse； ill…thriven child can boast。”
“Bribe a seraph to fetch you a coal of fire from heaven； if you
will；” said I； “and with it kindle life in the tallest； fattest； most
boneless； fullest…blooded of Ruben’s painted women—leave me
only my Alpine peri； and I’ll not envy you。”
With a simultaneous movement； each turned his back on the
other。 Neither said “God bless you；” yet on the morrow the sea
was to roll between us。
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