登陆注册
25527900000648

第648章

I intended staying at Avignon only as long as might be necessary to see the Fountain or Fall of Vaucluse, and so I had not got any letters of introduction, and had not the pretext of acquaintance that I might stay and enjoy her fine eyes. But an Italian who had read and enjoyed the divine Petrarch would naturally wish to see the place made divine by the poet's love for Laura. I went to the theatre, where I saw the vice-legate Salviati, women of fashion, neither fair nor foul, and a wretched comic opera; but I neither saw Astrodi nor any other actor from the Comedie Italienne at Paris.

"Where is the famous Astrodi?" said I, to a young man sitting by me, "I have not seen her yet."

"Excuse me, she has danced and sang before your eyes."

"By Jove, it's impossible! I know her perfectly, and if she has so changed as not to be recognized she is no longer herself."

I turned to go, and two minutes after the young man I had addressed came up and begged me to come back, and he would take me to Astradi's dressing-room, as she had recognized me. I followed him without saying a word, and saw a plain-looking girl, who threw her arms round my neck and addressed me by my name, though I could have sworn I had never seen her before, but she did not leave me time to speak. Close by I saw a man who gave himself out as the father of the famous Astrodi, who was known to all Paris, who had caused the death of the Comte d'Egmont, one of the most amiable noblemen of the Court of Louis XV. I thought this ugly female might be her sister, so I sat down and complimented her on her talents. She asked if I would mind her changing her dress; and in a moment she was running here and there, laughing and shewing a liberality which possibly might have been absent if what she had to display had been worth seeing.

I laughed internally at her wiles, for after my experiences at Grenoble she would have found it a hard task to arouse my desires if she had been as pretty as she was ugly. Her thinness and her tawny skin could not divert my attention from other still less pleasing features about her. I admired her confidence in spite of her disadvantages. She must have credited me with a diabolic appetite, but these women often contrive to extract charms out of their depravity which their delicacy would be impotent to furnish.

She begged me to sup with her, and as she persisted I was obliged to refuse her in a way I should not have allowed myself to use with any other woman. She then begged me to take four tickets for the play the next day, which was to be for her benefit. I saw it was only a matter of twelve francs, and delighted to be quit of her so cheaply I told her to give me sixteen. I thought she would have gone mad with joy when I gave her a double louis. She was not the real Astrodi. I went back to my inn and had a delicious supper in my own room.

While Le Duc was doing my hair before I went to bed, he told me that the landlord had paid a visit to the fair stranger and her husband before supper, and had said in clear terms that he must be paid next morning; and if he were not, no place would be laid for them at table, and their linen would be detained.

"Who told you that?"

"I heard it from here; their room is only separated from this by a wooden partition. If they were in it now, I am sure they could hear all we are saying."

"Where are they, then?"

"At table, where they are eating for to-morrow, but the lady is crying. There's a fine chance for you, sir."

"Be quiet; I shan't have anything to do with it. It's a trap, for a woman of any worth would die rather than weep at a public table."

"Ah, if you saw how pretty she looks in tears! I am only a poor devil, but I would willingly give her two louis if she would earn them."

"Go and offer her the money."

A moment after the gentleman and his wife came back to their room, and I heard the loud voice of the one and the sobs of the other, but as he was speaking Walloon I did not understand what he said.

"Go to bed," said I to Le Duc, "and next morning tell the landlord to get me another room, for a wooden partition is too thin a barrier to keep off people whom despair drive to extremities."

I went to bed myself, and the sobs and muttering did not die away till midnight.

I was shaving next morning, when Le Duc announced the Chevalier Stuard.

"Say I don't know anybody of that name."

He executed my orders, and returned saying that the chevalier on hearing my refusal to see him had stamped with rage, gone into his chamber, and come out again with his sword beside him.

"I am going to see," added Le Duc, "that your pistols are well primed for the future."

I felt inclined to laugh, but none the less I admired the foresight of my Spaniard, for a man in despair is capable of anything.

"Go," said I, "and ask the landlord to give me another room."

In due course the landlord came himself and told me that he could not oblige me until the next day.

"If you don't get me another room I shall leave your house on the spot, because I don't like hearing sobs and reproaches all night."

"Can you hear them, sir?"

"You can hear them yourself now. What do you think of it? The woman will kill herself, and you will be the cause of her death."

"I, sir? I have only asked them to pay me my just debts."

"Hush! there goes the husband. I am sure he is telling his wife in his language that you are an unfeeling monster."

"He may tell her what he likes so long as he pays me."

"You have condemned them to die of hunger. How much do they owe you?"

"Fifty francs."

"Aren't you ashamed of ****** such a row for a wretched sum like that?"

"Sir, I am only ashamed of an ill deed, and I do not commit such a deed in asking for my own."

"There's your money. Go and tell them that you have been paid, and that they may eat again; but don't say who gave you the money."

"That's what I call a good action," said the fellow; and he went and told them that they did not owe him anything, but that they would never know who paid the money.

"You may dine and sup," he added, "at the public table, but you must pay me day by day."

After he had delivered this speech in a high voice, so that I

could hear as well as if I had been in the room, he came back to me.

同类推荐
  • 少室六门

    少室六门

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 脚气集

    脚气集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 南诏德化碑

    南诏德化碑

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 大方广宝箧经

    大方广宝箧经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 古雪哲禅师语录

    古雪哲禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 绝世倾城公主

    绝世倾城公主

    某个天气晴朗的大白天,几位绝世MM降临于切尔斯贵族学院。某女十分担忧地抱怨:“确定要这样吗?已经有好几个人在一旁呕吐了。”她们,为了隐瞒自己的身份,不得已易容,潜入切尔斯学院。第一天,某女与某男扛上,只为一个暗恋不暗恋的问题,某女还被某男指认说,上课看男人。某女化身忍者神龟,一忍再忍,终于爆发,吼道:“你龌龊!”……面对友情、亲情、爱情的他们,该如何承受分裂、家族背叛、战斗。是死是生,一切都由上帝主宰。是爱是分,一切都由命运决定……
  • 修真贱客

    修真贱客

    “你敢斜视我?好,你等着,晚上挖你祖坟。”“敢和我抢宝贝?好,你等着,分分钟弄死你。”“啥?你敢不给小爷泡?你等着,我把你的肚兜拿去拍卖。”……总之,这是一个关于贱客的修真故事!!!请慎入!!!
  • 三界悬赏令

    三界悬赏令

    女娲熔炼灵石,填补天缺,永隔混沌,拯救万灵。三界浩瀚,仙人魔三族并立,但凡有三族共指罪大恶极者,由三界共同下达三界悬赏令,此令一出,必当人人得而诛之还会得到特殊的奖励。龙族内乱,蚩尤恶念重生,上古封印松动,各大门派彼此纷争内乱,蚩尤旧部伺机而动,破坏封印,各门派的弟子纷纷上路,一场西游,梦幻开始......
  • 我的盛世大唐传奇

    我的盛世大唐传奇

    一个成绩差得出奇的学生,被富二代的宝马车撞死,意外穿越到诗仙李白身上。但他的对作诗只有一知半解,并逐步了解到李白的真实身份乃是被李世民害死的太子李建成的玄孙,从而被迫卷入一个巨大的历史漩涡之中。
  • 葬情天处:心有千千劫

    葬情天处:心有千千劫

    你若是我命中的劫,那我该如何承受?缘与缘,劫与劫,迷与迷,镜中花,水中月,朦朦胧胧的慢慢揭开面纱,又是什么?
  • 我很庆幸与你相逢

    我很庆幸与你相逢

    一个中国人,一个韩国人,他们在相遇之前是条交错的平行线。一个韩庚,一个金在中,他们的相逢会是一场流年。在N年后,一个是东方神起的在中;一个是superjunior的韩庚;这是他们错过的开始,也是他们珍惜的时刻!在流年里,韩庚和在中都是渴望朋友,渴望爱的人;而他们刚好是能给予对方爱的人,却总是可望不可即!他是一个男人,另一个也是男人,他们的爱,注定是场悲剧但很庆幸,与他相逢!
  • 古神异闻录

    古神异闻录

    盘王创世,之后为争神权,神界大战。轩辕胜后,却封人族之神力,毁天梯而布天结,此后,人界和神界两立..........他,是一个聪明的小人物,坚信着科学才是探索世界的唯一途径,却偶然得知了世界的另一面。为救所爱,他要逆天成神。成神之路,断筋挫骨,成神之后,救回所爱,却发现,前路更加崎岖..........
  • 逆天邪凤绝世魔妃逆天下

    逆天邪凤绝世魔妃逆天下

    风烟起,再睁眼,她亦她亦不是她!她是现代金牌杀手,一朝穿越。那些以前,骂她!辱她!恨她!的人不是被劈成烤扇贝,就是被烤成人肉翅!等等,说好的杀手高冷无敌闯天下呢?这个在这里打劫的认识谁?!劳资绝逼不认识!说好的面瘫冷血一个眼神秒杀全场呢?!这个吃了五只烤鸡的饭桶是谁?!渣爹不疼二房不爱?没事,待本宝宝废了渣爹命根,断二房财路。可是,次奥什么时候带了一个腹黑的男人回来?!好吧,身材是好了点,额,长得是帅了点,那个,霸道总裁什么的也很有爱!但是!我们不是那种被表面现象迷惑的人!本文男主女主各种爱,偶尔小虐补补肾。
  • 红尘无人敢称尊

    红尘无人敢称尊

    我为我,非天,非地,非人。若是红尘改我命,我定一己灭苍穹!杀到红尘无人敢称尊!
  • 都市终极战神

    都市终极战神

    被誉为千古第一战神的人屠白起,被逼引颈自刎后并未身死道消,反而化作游离在六道轮回之外的活僵尸。孤独的度过两千多载的岁月,他精通许多本领,琴棋书画无一不精,但是他最为精通的却是医术与杀术。他又如何凭借一身本领在都市中缔造新的传奇?他又该如何来兑现守护华夏至死不渝的誓言呢?