第87章

“Come， then，” said I.We set out.Hunsden no doubt regarded me as a rash， imprudent man， thus to show my poor little grisette sweetheart， in her poor little unfurnished grenier； but he prepared to act the real gentleman， having， in fact， the kernel of that character， under the harsh husk it pleased him to wear by way of mental mackintosh.He talked affably， and even gently， as we went along the street； he had never been so civil to me in his life.We reached the house， entered， ascended the stair； on gaining the lobby， Hunsden turned to mount a narrower stair which led to a higher story； I saw his mind was bent on the attics.

“Here， Mr.Hunsden，” said I quietly， tapping at Frances’ door.

He turned； in his genuine politeness he was a little disconcerted at having made the mistake； his eye reverted to the green mat， but he said nothing.

We walked in， and Frances rose from her seat near the table to receive us； her mourning attire gave her a recluse， rather conventual， but withal very distinguished look； its grave simplicity added nothing to beauty， but much to dignity； the finish of the white collar and manchettes sufficed for a relief to the merino gown of solemn black； ornament was forsworn.Frances curtsied with sedate grace， looking， as she always did， when one first accosted her， more a woman to respect than to love； I introduced Mr.Hunsden， and she expressed her happiness at making his acquaintance in French.The pure and polished accent， the low yet sweet and rather full voice， produced their effect immediately； Hunsden spoke French in reply； I had not heard him speak that language before； he managed it very well.I retired to the window-seat； Mr.Hunsden， at his hostess’s invitation， occupied a chair near the hearth； from my position I could see them both， and the room too， at a glance.The room was so clean and bright， it looked like a little polished cabinet； a glass filled with flowers in the centre of the table， a fresh rose in each china cup on the mantelpiece gave it an air of fête， Frances was serious， and Mr.Hunsden subdued， but both mutually polite； they got on at the French swimmingly： ordinary topics were discussed with great state and decorum； I thought I had never seen two such models of propriety， for Hunsden (thanks to the constraint of the foreign tongue) was obliged to shape his phrases， and measure his sentences， with a care that forbade any eccentricity.At last England was mentioned， and Frances proceeded to ask questions.Animated by degrees， she began to change， just as a grave night- sky changes at the approach of sunrise： first it seemed as if her forehead cleared， then her eyes glittered， her features relaxed， and became quite mobile； her subdued complexion grew warm and transparent； to me， she now looked pretty； before， she had only looked ladylike.

She had many things to say to the Englishman just fresh from his island-country， and she urged him with an enthusiasm of curiosity， which ere long thawed Hunsden’s reserve as fire thaws a congealed viper.I use this not very flattering comparison because he vividly reminded me of a snake waking from torpor， as he erected his tall form， reared his head， before a little declined， and putting back his hair from his broad Saxon forehead， showed unshaded the gleam of almost savage satire which his interlocutor’s tone of eagerness and look of ardour had sufficed at once to kindle in his soul and elicit from his eyes： he was himself；as Frances was herself， and in none but his own language would he now address her.

“You understand English？” was the prefatory question.“A little.”

“Well， then， you shall have plenty of it； and first， I see you’ve not much more sense than some others of my acquaintance” (indicating me with his thumb)， “or else you’d never turn rabid about that dirty little country called England； for rabid， I see you are； I read Anglophobia in your looks， and hear it in your words.Why， mademoiselle， is it possible that anybody with a grain of rationality should feel enthusiasm about a mere name， and that name England？ I thought you were a lady-abbess five minutes ago， and respected you accordingly； and now I see you are a sort of Swiss sibyl， with high Tory and high Church principles！”

“England is your country？” asked Frances.“Yes.”

“And you don’t like it？”

“I’d be sorry to like it！ A little corrupt， venal， lord-and-king- cursed nation， full or mucky pride (as they say in —-shire)， and helpless pauperism； rotten with abuses， worm-eaten with prejudices！”

“You might say so of almost every state； there are abuses andprejudices everywhere， and I thought fewer in England than in other countries.”

“Come to England and see.Come to Birmingham andManchester； come to St.Giles’ in London， and get a practical notion of how our system works.Examine the footprints of our august aristocracy； see how they walk in blood， crushing hearts as they go.Just put your head in at English cottage doors； get aglimpse of Famine crouched torpid on black hearthstones； of Disease lying bare on beds without coverlets， of Infamy wantoning viciously with Ignorance， though indeed Luxury is her favourite paramour， and princely halls are dearer to her than thatched hovels—”

“I was not thinking of the wretchedness and vice in England； I was thinking of the good side—of what is elevated in your character as a nation.”

“There is no good side—none at least of which you can have any knowledge； for you cannot appreciate the efforts of industry， the achievements of enterprise， or the discoveries of science： narrowness of education and obscurity of position quite incapacitate you from understanding these points； and as to historical and poetical associations， I will not insult you， mademoiselle， by supposing that you alluded to such humbug.”

“But I did partly.”

Hunsden laughed—his laugh of unmitigated scorn.

“I did， Mr.Hunsden.Are you of the number of those to whom such associations give no pleasure？”