catherine-a story(凯瑟琳的故事)-第10节
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anything to do with a woman in my life but I ill…treated her； and she liked
me the better。〃
〃Mrs。 Hall ought to be VERY fond of you then； sure enough！〃 said Mr。
Corporal。
〃Very fond；ha； ha！ Corporal； you wag youand so she IS very fond。
Yesterday； after the knife…and…beer sceneno wonder I threw the liquor in
her face： it was so dev'lish flat that no gentleman could drink it： and I told
her never to draw it till dinner…time〃
〃Oh； it was enough to put an angel in a fury！〃 said Brock。
〃Well； yesterday； after the knife business； when you had got the carver
out of her hand； off she flings to her bedroom； will not eat a bit of dinner
forsooth； and remains locked up for a couple of hours。 At two o'clock
afternoon （I was over a tankard）； out comes the little she…devil； her face
pale； her eyes bleared； and the tip of her nose as red as fire with sniffling
and weeping。 Making for my hand； 'Max；' says she； 'will you forgive me？'
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'What！' says I。 'Forgive a murderess？' says I。 'No； curse me； never！' 'Your
cruelty will kill me；' sobbed she。 'Cruelty be hanged！' says I； 'didn't you
draw that beer an hour before dinner？' She could say nothing to THIS； you
know； and I swore that every time she did so； I would fling it into her face
again。 Whereupon back she flounced to her chamber； where she wept and
stormed until night…time。〃
〃When you forgave her？〃
〃I DID forgive her； that's positive。 You see I had supped at the 'Rose'
along with Tom Trippet and half…a…dozen pretty fellows； and I had eased a
great fat…headed Warwickshire landjunkerwhat d'ye call him？squire； of
forty pieces； and I'm dev'lish good…humoured when I've won； and so Cat
and I made it up： but I've taught her never to bring me stale beer againha；
ha！〃
This conversation will explain； a great deal better than any description
of ours； however eloquent； the state of things as between Count
Maximilian and Mrs。 Catherine； and the feelings which they entertained
for each other。 The woman loved him； that was the fact。 And； as we have
shown in the previous chapter how John Hayes； a mean…spirited fellow as
ever breathed； in respect of all other passions a pigmy； was in the passion
of love a giant； and followed Mrs。 Catherine with a furious longing which
might seem at the first to be foreign to his nature； in the like manner； and
playing at cross…purposes； Mrs。 Hall had become smitten of the Captain；
and； as he said truly； only liked him the better for the brutality which she
received at his hands。 For it is my opinion； madam； that love is a bodily
infirmity； from which humankind can no more escape than from small…pox；
and which attacks every one of us； from the first duke in the Peerage down
to Jack Ketch inclusive： which has no respect for rank； virtue； or roguery
in man； but sets each in his turn in a fever； which breaks out the deuce
knows how or why； and； raging its appointed time； fills each individual of
the one sex with a blind fury and longing for some one of the other （who
may be pure； gentle； blue…eyed； beautiful； and good； or vile； shrewish；
squinting； hunchbacked； and hideous； according to circumstances and
luck）； which dies away； perhaps； in the natural course； if left to have its
way； but which contradiction causes to rage more furiously than ever。 Is
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Catherine： A Story
not history； from the Trojan war upwards and downwards； full of instances
of such strange inexplicable passions？ Was not Helen； by the most
moderate calculation； ninety years of age when she went off with His
Royal Highness Prince Paris of Troy？ Was not Madame La Valliere ill…
made； blear…eyed； tallow…complexioned； scraggy； and with hair like tow？
Was not Wilkes the ugliest； charmingest； most successful man in the world？
Such instances might be carried out so as to fill a volume； but cui bono？
Love is fate； and not will； its origin not to be explained； its progress
irresistible： and the best proof of this may be had at Bow Street any day；
where if you ask any officer of the establishment how they take most
thieves； he will tell you at the houses of the women。 They must see the
dear creatures though they hang for it； they will love； though they have
their necks in the halter。 And with regard to the other position； that ill…
usage on the part of the man does not destroy the affection of the woman；
have we not numberless police…reports； showing how； when a bystander
would beat a husband for beating his wife； man and wife fall together on
the interloper and punish him for his meddling？
These points； then； being settled to the satisfaction of all parties； the
reader will not be disposed to question the assertion that Mrs。 Hall had a
real affection for the gallant Count； and grew； as Mr。 Brock was pleased to
say； like a beefsteak； more tender as she was thumped。 Poor thing； poor
thing！ his flashy airs and smart looks had overcome her in a single hour；
and no more is wanted to plunge into love over head and ears； no more is
wanted to make a first love withand a woman's first love lasts FOR
EVER （a man's twenty…fourth or twenty…fifth is perhaps the best）： you
can't kill it； do what you will； it takes root； and lives and even grows；
never mind what the soil may be in which it is planted； or the bitter
weather it must bearoften as one has seen a wallflower growout of a
stone。
In the first weeks of their union； the Count had at least been liberal to
her： she had a horse and fine clothes； and received abroad some of those
flattering attentions which she held at such high price。 He had； however；
some ill…luck at play； or had been forced to pay some bills； or had some
other satisfactory reason for being poor； and his establishment was very
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speedily diminished。 He argued that； as Mrs。 Catherine had been
accustomed to wait on others all her life； she might now wait upon herself
and him； and when the incident of the beer arose； she had been for some
time employed as the Count's housekeeper； with unlimited
superintendence over his comfort； his cellar； his linen； and such matters as
bachelors are delighted to make over to active female hands。 To do the
poor wretch justice； she actually kept the man's menage in the best order；
nor was there any point of extravagance with which she could be charged；
except a little extravagance of dress displayed on the very few occasions
when he condescended to walk abroad with her； and extravagance of
language and passion in the frequent quarrels they had together。 Perhaps in
such a connection as subsisted between this precious couple； these faults
are inevitable on the part of the woman。 She must be silly and vain； and
will pretty surely therefore be fond of dress； and she must； disguise it as
she will； be perpetually miserable and brooding over her fall； which will
cause her to be violent and quarrelsome。
Such； at least； was Mrs。 Hall； and very early did the poor vain
misguided wretch begin to reap what she had sown。
For a man； remorse under these circumstances is perhaps uncommon。
No stigma affixes on HIM for betraying a woman； no bitter pangs of
mortified vanity； no insulting looks of superiority from his neighbour； and
no sentence of contemptuous banishment is read against him； these all fall
on the tempted； and not on the tempter； who is permitted to go free。 The
chief thing that a man learns after having successfully practised on a
woman is to despise the poor wretch whom he has won。 The game； in fact；
and the glory； such as it is； is all his； and the punishment alone falls upon
her。 Consider this； ladies； when charming young gentlemen come to woo
you with soft speeches。 You have nothing to win； except wretchedness；
and scorn； and desertion。 Consider this； and be thankful to your Solomons
for telling it。
It came to pass； then； that the Count had come to
