|
||||||||
The captain had so often repeated this sentence, on so many similar occasions, that he delivered it at one breath, and without a single blunder. At this passionate declaration the Egyptian raised to the dingy ceiling which here took the place of heaven a look full of ineffable happiness. Oh, she murmured, this is the moment at which one should die! Phbus found the moment more suitable for snatching another kiss, which went to torture the miserable Archdeacon in his hiding-place. Die! cried the amorous captain. What are you saying, my angel? This is the time to live, or Jupiter is but a scoundrel! To die at the beginning of so delicious an occasion! Corne de buf that were a poor joke indeed! No, indeed. Listen, my dear Similar, Esmenarda Pardon me! but youve got a name so prodigiously Saracen that I cant get it out properly tis a thicket that always brings me up short. Alas! said the poor girl, and I used to like the name for its singularity. But since it displeases you, I would I were called Goton. Oh, tis not worth crying about, sweetheart! Its a name one must get accustomed to, thats all. Once I know it by heart, twill come readily enough. Listen, then, my Similar, I love you to distraction its positively miraculous how much I love you. I know a little girl who is bursting with rage over it. Who is that? the gipsy broke in jealously. What does it matter to us? answered Phbus. Do you love me? Oh! said she. Well, thats enough. You shall see how much I love you too. May the great demon Neptune stick me on his fork, if I dont make you the happiest creature living. Well have a pretty little lodging somewhere. My archers shall parade before your windows. They are all mounted, and cut out those of Captain Mignon completely. There are bill-men, cross-bowmen, and culverin-men. I will take you to the great musters of the Paris men-at-arms at the Grange de Rully. Thats a very magnificent sight. Eighty thousand men under arms thirty thousand in shining armour; the sixty-seven banners of the trade guilds; the standards of the Parliament, of the Chamber of Accounts, the Public Treasury, of the Workers in the Mint in short, a devilish fine show! Then Ill take you to see the lions at the Kings palace beasts of prey, you know women always like that. For some minutes the girl, absorbed in her own happy thoughts, had been dreaming to the sound of his voice with-out attending to his words. Oh, how happy you will be, continued the soldier, and at the same time gently unfastening the gipsys belt. What are you doing? she said brusquely this forceful proceeding had roused her from her dreams. Nothing, answered Phbus. I was only saying that you would have to put away all this mountebank, street-dancer costume when you are going to be with me. To be with you, my Phbus, said the girl fondly, and she fell silent and dreamy again. Emboldened by her gentleness the captain clasped his arm about her waist without her offering any resistance; he then began softly to unlace the pretty creatures bodice, and so disarranged her neckerchief, that from out of it the panting priest beheld the gipsys beautiful bare shoulder rise, round and dusky as the moon through a misty horizon. |
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
Copyright: All texts on Bibliomania are © Bibliomania.com Ltd, and may not be reproduced in any form without our written permission. See our FAQ for more details. | ||||||||