Part 22 (1/2)
Ado you spoke of his 'harets what he wants A fancy of pride? Behold him in his black coat and his lofty office! A fancy for blood? From time to time he stands to spill it publicly on the scaffold! A fancy for young and innocent flesh--a solace to his old age? Do you iine he would be balked of that? Or rather are you prepared to hear hoith official peres to bedevil and to win the particular young girl of his choice?”
In hammer blows she planted each phrase
”How this sarow under his feet in his little rivalry with yourself, Bibi-Ri!”
She spared hi desired your Zelie without 'ifs' or 'buts' he found ood, Bibi-Ri!”
He could only gape at her
”How he followed her to Fonwhary: how he followed her back: how he : how he finally forced her consent like any true lover in this very house this asped Bibi-Ri
”Eh? It is true of true!” she trumpeted ”Name of God--where do you think you are? This is Noumea! Let her pass for a fool--half-h she be--and still you ets such a chance hereabouts What? To occupy a little rounds To enjoy the little benefits of official standing To wear the pretty trifles of jewelry, the rings and keepsakes and lockets, that fall to the master's share every time he strikes off a lucky head! Dieu! Can you picture to yourself the hoe after a day's honest labor? To be sure, sheher nen! But these stains of the trade--what do they eon, your simple Caledonienne as all too simple for you--whom you cast aside with 'brotherly advice'--she chooses to ehoul, that hell-hound, that old satyr of all the infamies To-morrow she ith M de Nou!”
In blind distress he stumbled to his feet and shi+ed fro But skillfully she headed hiht hi there
”Ask her yourself!”
You have seen those figures in aof old stained glass which leap froirl aited just above us on the step bore that same transparent loveliness, with all the fleshly prole belted gar could have suited better in the soainst sht have seemed the subtlest coquetry to clothe such beauty in the coarsest garb For she herself was delicate as a bud Vital and lithe: with a close-set casque of jet hair, ainst satin, ht, heavy-scented flower of these cliuidly
”Visitors?” she inquired, aware of us with iht It would be kind of them to come and wish nored Bibi-Ri, except for her deathly pallor, she seemed without the least consciousness of a terrible irony And when my poor friend made some sound in his throat her pure brow clouded a bit: she pouted
”Have you been ain with the visitors, Maood of that? I wish you would not start fretting with everybody Yes, I shall be married Yes, I shall be married to-morrow By special civil license and by the priest from La Foa
There! It is all settled I hope you can find souests”
Incredible to see how quiet she was, how composed, how youthfully unstrained Only when her heavy lids swept over Bibi-Ri and their glances crossed could you detect like electric charges the unacknowledged tension behind
”Oh, for ae huh Sacred stove--yes! Only he says the affair is iarded him fairly
”I see no reason why any one should think so Unless he forgets--as I never do any hter of convicts”
Ah, there was steel in that girl! What? The way she said it! Very si it bite of itself
Without a quaver from that crisis of despair in which she leaainst this tremendous aunt of hers And could stand And would! And Bibi-Ri: he knew too
His babbling protest died cold on his lips
”My convict father married my convict mother in this convict country,”
she went on, evenly ”I was born here I must live and die here I could never look to marry outside--could I? They would say I was tainted For the rest--well, I have only to please rim showman