st. ives-第39章
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and that white elephant； the seventy…pounds…worth of claret…
coloured chaise。
Meanwhile I was ashamed to look Rowley in the face。 The young
shaver had contrived to put me wholly in the wrong； he had cost me
a night's rest and a severe and healthful humiliation； and I was
grateful and embarrassed in his society。 This would never do； it
was contrary to all my ideas of discipline； if the officer has to
blush before the private； or the master before the servant； nothing
is left to hope for but discharge or death。 I hit upon the idea of
teaching him French； and accordingly； from Lichfield； I became the
distracted master； and he the scholar … how shall I say？
indefatigable； but uninspired。 His interest never flagged。 He
would hear the same word twenty times with profound refreshment；
mispronounce it in several different ways； and forget it again with
magical celerity。 Say it happened to be STIRRUP。 'No； I don't
seem to remember that word； Mr。 Anne；' he would say： 'it don't seem
to stick to me； that word don't。' And then； when I had told it him
again； 'ETRIER！' he would cry。 'To be sure！ I had it on the tip
of my tongue。 ETERIER！' （going wrong already； as if by a fatal
instinct）。 'What will I remember it by； now？ Why； INTERIOR； to be
sure！ I'll remember it by its being something that ain't in the
interior of a horse。' And when next I had occasion to ask him the
French for stirrup； it was a toss…up whether he had forgotten all
about it； or gave me EXTERIOR for an answer。 He was never a hair
discouraged。 He seemed to consider that he was covering the ground
at a normal rate。 He came up smiling day after day。 'Now； sir；
shall we do our French？' he would say； and I would put questions；
and elicit copious commentary and explanation； but never the shadow
of an answer。 My hands fell to my sides； I could have wept to hear
him。 When I reflected that he had as yet learned nothing； and what
a vast deal more there was for him to learn； the period of these
lessons seemed to unroll before me vast as eternity； and I saw
myself a teacher of a hundred； and Rowley a pupil of ninety； still
hammering on the rudiments！ The wretched boy； I should say； was
quite unspoiled by the inevitable familiarities of the journey。 He
turned out at each stage the pink of serving…lads； deft； civil；
prompt； attentive； touching his hat like an automaton； raising the
status of Mr。 Ramornie in the eyes of all the inn by his smiling
service； and seeming capable of anything in the world but the one
thing I had chosen … learning French！
CHAPTER XXIII … THE ADVENTURE OF THE RUNAWAY COUPLE
THE country had for some time back been changing in character。 By
a thousand indications I could judge that I was again drawing near
to Scotland。 I saw it written in the face of the hills； in the
growth of the trees； and in the glint of the waterbrooks that kept
the high…road company。 It might have occurred to me； also； that I
was； at the same time； approaching a place of some fame in Britain
… Gretna Green。 Over these same leagues of road … which Rowley and
I now traversed in the claret…coloured chaise； to the note of the
flageolet and the French lesson … how many pairs of lovers had gone
bowling northwards to the music of sixteen scampering horseshoes；
and how many irate persons； parents； uncles； guardians； evicted
rivals； had come tearing after； clapping the frequent red face to
the chaise…window； lavishly shedding their gold about the post…
houses； sedulously loading and re…loading； as they went； their
avenging pistols！ But I doubt if I had thought of it at all；
before a wayside hazard swept me into the thick of an adventure of
this nature； and I found myself playing providence with other
people's lives； to my own admiration at the moment … and
subsequently to my own brief but passionate regret。
At rather an ugly corner of an uphill reach I came on the wreck of
a chaise lying on one side in the ditch； a man and a woman in
animated discourse in the middle of the road； and the two
postillions； each with his pair of horses； looking on and laughing
from the saddle。
'Morning breezes！ here's a smash！' cried Rowley； pocketing his
flageolet in the middle of the TIGHT LITTLE ISLAND。
I was perhaps more conscious of the moral smash than the physical …
more alive to broken hearts than to broken chaises； for； as plain
as the sun at morning； there was a screw loose in this runaway
match。 It is always a bad sign when the lower classes laugh： their
taste in humour is both poor and sinister； and for a man； running
the posts with four horses； presumably with open pockets； and in
the company of the most entrancing little creature conceivable； to
have come down so far as to be laughed at by his own postillions；
was only to be explained on the double hypothesis； that he was a
fool and no gentleman。
I have said they were man and woman。 I should have said man and
child。 She was certainly not more than seventeen； pretty as an
angel； just plump enough to damn a saint； and dressed in various
shades of blue； from her stockings to her saucy cap； in a kind of
taking gamut； the top note of which she flung me in a beam from her
too appreciative eye。 There was no doubt about the case： I saw it
all。 From a boarding…school； a black…board； a piano； and
Clementi's SONATINAS； the child had made a rash adventure upon life
in the company of a half…bred hawbuck； and she was already not only
regretting it； but expressing her regret with point and pungency。
As I alighted they both paused with that unmistakable air of being
interrupted in a scene。 I uncovered to the lady and placed my
services at their disposal。
It was the man who answered。 'There's no use in shamming； sir；'
said he。 'This lady and I have run away； and her father's after
us： road to Gretna； sir。 And here have these nincompoops spilt us
in the ditch and smashed the chaise！'
'Very provoking；' said I。
'I don't know when I've been so provoked！' cried he； with a glance
down the road； of mortal terror。
'The father is no doubt very much incensed？' I pursued civilly。
'O God！' cried the hawbuck。 'In short； you see； we must get out of
this。 And I'll tell you what … it may seem cool； but necessity has
no law … if you would lend us your chaise to the next post…house；
it would be the very thing； sir。'
'I confess it seems cool；' I replied。
'What's that you say； sir？' he snapped。
'I was agreeing with you；' said I。 'Yes； it does seem cool； and
what is more to the point； it seems unnecessary。 This thing can be
arranged in a more satisfactory manner otherwise； I think。 You can
doubtless ride？'
This opened a door on the matter of their previous dispute； and the
fellow appeared life…sized in his true colours。 'That's what I've
been telling her： that； damn her！ she must ride！' he broke out。
'And if the gentleman's of the same mind； why； damme； you shall！'
As he said so； he made a snatch at her wrist； which she evaded with
horror。
I stepped between them。
'No； sir；' said I； 'the lady shall not。'
He turned on me raging。 'And who are you to interfere？' he roared。
'There is here no question of who I am；' I replied。 'I may be the
devil or the Archbishop of Canterbury for what you know； or need
know。 The point is that I can help you … it appears that nobody
else can； and I will tell you how I propose to do it。 I will give
the lady a seat in my chaise； if you will return the compliment by
allowing my servant to ride one of your horses。'
I thought he would have sprung at my throat。
'You have always the alternative before you： to wait here for the
arrival of papa；' I added。
And that settled him。 He cast another haggard look down the road；
and capitulated。
'I am sure； sir； the lady is very much obliged to you；' he said；
with an ill grace。
I gave her my hand； she mounted like a bird into the chaise；
Rowley； grinning from ear to ear； closed the door behind us； the
two impudent rascals of post…boys cheered and laughed aloud as we
drove off； and my own postillion urged his horses at once into a
rattling trot。 It was plain I was supposed by all to have done a
very dashing act； and ravished the bride from the ravisher。
In the meantime I stole a look at the little lady。 She was in a
state of pitiable discomposure； and her arms shook on her lap in
her black lace mittens。
'Madam … ' I began。
And she； in the same moment； finding her voice： 'O； what you must
think of me！'
'Madam；' said I； 'what must any gentleman think when he sees youth；
beauty and innocence in distress？ I wish I could tell you that I
was old enough to be your father； I think we must give that up；' I
continued； with a smile。 'But I will tell you something about
myself which ought to do as well； and to set that little heart at
rest in my society。 I am a lover。 May I say it of myself … for I
am not quite used to all the niceties of English … that I am a true
lover？ There is one whom I admire； adore； obey； she is no less
good than she is beautiful； if she were here； she would take you to
her arms： conceive that she has sent me … that she has said to me；
〃Go； be her knight！〃'
'O； I know she must be sweet； I know she must be worthy of you！'
cried the little lady。 'She would never forget female decorum …
nor make the terrible ERRATUM I've done！'
And at this she lifted up her voice and wept。
This did not forward matters： it was in vain that I begged her to
be more composed and to tell me a plain； consecutive tale of her
misadventures； but she continued instead to pour forth the most
extraordinary mixture of the correct school miss and the poor
untutored little piece of womanhood in a false position … of
engrafted pedantry and incoherent nature。
'I am certain it must have been judicial blindness；' she sobbed。
'I can't think how I didn't see it； but I didn't； and he isn't； is
he？ And then a curtain rose 。 。 。 O； what a moment was that！ But
I knew at once that YOU WERE； you had but to appear from your
carriage； and I knew it； O； she must be a fortunate young lady！
And I have no fear with you； none … a perfect confidence。'
'Madam；' said I； 'a gentleman。'
'That's what I mean … a gentleman；' she exclaimed。 'And he … and
that … HE isn't。 O； how shall I dare meet father！' And disclosing
to me her tear…stained face； and opening her arms with a tragic
gesture： 'And I am quite disgraced before all the young ladies； my
school…companions！' she added。
'O； not so bad as that！' I cried。 'Come； come； you exaggerate； my
dear Miss … ？ Excuse me if I am too familiar： I have not yet heard
your name。'
