Volume Ii Part 31 (2/2)
”Meddling--when I defend a child who is being beaten! Evidently, madame, you would see a child overwhelmed with blows without thinking of defending him!”
”What does this mean? that madame is pleased to give me a lesson, perhaps?”
”I might well give you a lesson in politeness, I fancy; for you adopt a tone which is very little in harmony with your costume.”
Thelenie bit her lips angrily; then she cried abruptly:
”Ah! you are Madame Dalmont, no doubt?”
”I am Madame Dalmont.”
”I might have guessed as much. Ha! ha! ha! I have frequently heard of madame and her little friend, Mademoiselle Agathe! Ha! ha! You ladies are very well known in Ch.e.l.les.”
”I think not, madame, as we see very few people.”
”But you are much talked about all the same!”
”It is quite possible, madame; there are people whose sole occupation is gossip, slander, calumny. But what comes from the mouths of those people is not worth thinking about, really!”
”Do you mean that for me, madame?”
”How could I mean it for you? I do not know you!”
”I am Madame de Belleville, and I am not in the habit of putting up with an insult from anybody, no matter who it may be.”
”And I am Madame Dalmont, and I am not in the habit of fighting because I am not a man.”
Thelenie was irritated beyond measure by the young widow's imperturbable calmness.
But while this dialogue was taking place between the two ladies, little Emile, thirsting for revenge for the blows he had received, picked up a large lump of earth and threw it with all his strength at the person who had beaten him. The clod did not reach her, but it struck one of the ears of her horse, and as it broke, spattered and soiled the beautiful blue skirt.
The horse, not expecting the a.s.sault, made a leap side-wise which might well have unseated his rider; but Thelenie, unshaken in her saddle, simply cried out in rage:
”Ah! you little villain!” she shrieked; ”this time you shall feel my crop, and you'll keep the marks of it!”
The lost child hid behind Honorine; but that obstacle did not seem to deter Thelenie.
”Stand aside, madame,” she cried; ”move from in front of that rascal, or I won't be answerable for my horse.”
”For heaven's sake, madame, forgive the child!”
”No! no! and if you don't move--So much the worse for you, if you get a taste of the crop too!”
With that the amazon urged her horse upon Honorine and the little boy; but, like the great majority of those n.o.ble-hearted creatures, the horse hesitated, stopped and tried to make a detour in order to avoid running down a woman and a child. The amazon persisted in her attempts to ride him upon them, when suddenly an unexpected defender changed the whole aspect of affairs. Ami rushed down the hill, and without pause or hesitation jumped at the rider, barking in a tone which indicated that he was not in a good humor.
At sight of that magnificent beast, who was doing his utmost to jump upon her, Thelenie, forced to defend herself, tried to strike Ami with her crop. But he cleverly avoided the blows, springing from side to side, but biting the horse at the same time.
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