“The old fellow doesn’t know much,” whispered Georges to Oscar, who was
delighted at this apparent union between himself and the object of his
envy.
“Parbleu!” cried Pierrotin, “I shouldn’t be sorry for two more
passengers.”
“I haven’t paid; I’ll get out,” said Georges, alarmed.
“What are you waiting for, Pierrotin?” asked Pere Leger.
Whereupon Pierrotin shouted a certain “Hi!” in which Bichette and
Rougeot recognized a definitive resolution, and they both sprang toward
the rise of the faubourg at a pace which was soon to slacken.
The count had a red face, of a burning red all over, on which were
certain inflamed portions which his snow-white hair brought out into
full relief. To any but heedless youths, this complexion would have
revealed a constant inflammation of the blood, produced by incessant
labor. These blotches and pimples so injured the naturally noble air of
the count that careful examination was needed to find in his green-gray
eyes the shrewdness of the magistrate, the wisdom of a statesman, and
the knowledge of a legislator. His face was flat, and the nose seemed
to have been depressed into it. The hat hid the grace and beauty of his
forehead. In short, there was enough to amuse those thoughtless youths
in the odd contrasts of the silvery hair, the burning face, and the
thick, tufted eye-brows which were still jet-black.
The count wore a long blue overcoat, buttoned in military fashion to the
throat, a white cravat around his neck, cotton wool in his ears, and a
shirt-collar high enough to make a large square patch of white on each
cheek. His black trousers covered his boots, the toes of which were
barely seen. He wore no decoration in his button-hole, and doeskin
gloves concealed his hands. Nothing about him betrayed to the eyes of
youth a peer of France, and one of the most useful statesmen in the
kingdom.
Pere Leger had never seen the count, who, on his side, knew the former
only by name. When the count, as he got into the carriage, cast the
glance about him which affronted Georges and Oscar, he was, in reality,
looking for the head-clerk of his notary (in case he had been forced,
like himself, to take Pierrotin’s vehicle), intending to caution
him instantly about his own incognito. But feeling reassured by the
appearance of Oscar, and that of Pere Leger, and, above all, by the
quasi-military air, the waxed moustaches, and the general look of an
adventurer that distinguished Georges, he concluded that his note had
reached his notary, Alexandre Crottat, in time to prevent the departure
of the clerk.
“Pere Leger,” said Pierrotin, when they reached the steep hill of the
faubourg Saint-Denis by the rue de la Fidelite, “suppose we get out,
hey?”
“I’ll get out, too,” said the count, hearing Leger’s name.
“Goodness! if this is how we are going, we shall do fourteen miles in
fifteen days!” cried Georges.
“It isn’t my fault,” said Pierrotin, “if a passenger wishes to get out.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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