Volume Ii Part 30 (2/2)
Agathe gazed with unwearying admiration at the beautiful equestrian; she leaned from the window in order to see her better, saying to Poucette:
”Oh! how splendidly she rides! what grace! what fearlessness! She is a very pretty woman too!”
”Yes, at a distance! but wait till you see her near to.”
As Thelenie drew near Honorine's house, she saw that there was someone at the window of the summer-house; instantly she changed her horse's gait and brought him down to a walk.
”I can see her much better now,” said Agathe; ”she has stopped galloping and is coming very slowly.”
”I guess she's walking her horse so that she can see you better. Just see how she stares at you, mamzelle! wouldn't you think she wanted to bury her eyes in your face?”
”That is true; she is looking at me so attentively!--I don't think her so pretty now.”
”There! I knew it! She has a very wicked look, that fine lady has!”
”See; she is turning round to look at me.”
”If I was you, mamzelle, I'd stick out my tongue at her.”
”She is going on at last; I'm glad of that!”
”Never mind; she'll know you another time!”
”Really, I can't understand how a person can stare at one in that way!”
”And with such a look! anyone would think she'd have liked to beat you!
I say, mamzelle, I'm sure that if Monsieur Edmond had seen that woman stare at you like that, he'd have gone out and said to her: 'What business have you to look at my intended like that? Do you know her? Do you want anything of her?'”
”That is very likely; but I shan't mention that woman to Edmond! After all, if she doesn't find me to her taste, so much the worse for her!
it's all the same to me.”
”She must be pretty hard to suit! For my part, I think she finds you too good-looking, and that's what vexed her.”
”How foolish you are, Poucette! what difference can it make to her whether I am good-looking or not?”
”Look you, mamzelle! that handsome amazon probably says to herself when she comes here to live: 'I shall be the prettiest woman in the place; everybody will admire me!' Especially as she's mighty particular about her dress.--Well, you understand, so long as she don't see anybody but the Droguets and Remplumes and Jarnouillards, she might well think herself the handsomest woman in the place; but now that she's seen you, it's another story.”
Agathe went to Honorine and told her what had happened, and described the impertinent way in which the new owner of Goldfish Villa had stared at her. Whereat Madame Dalmont began to laugh, saying:
”That serves you right! You were so curious to see this woman and now you are well paid for your curiosity.”
”Never mind, my dear; if I meet this Madame de Belleville again, and she stares at me as she did just now, I shall ask her what she wants of me.”
”You will be very foolish, Agathe; when people behave impertinently, the best way to mortify them is to pay no attention.”
Since her conversation with the owner of the Tower, Honorine had gone out quite frequently to sit on the tree trunk under the walnut. She declared that from there the view was very extensive, while Agathe maintained that it was quite as fine from the window of the summer-house. So that Madame Dalmont almost always selected the hours when her young friend was practising on the piano, to open the little gate and go out into the road. Did she hope to meet there again the excellent dog, who had shown her so much affection? or was it his master whom she hoped to see? But there was no sign of Paul or of his dog.
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