第29部分(第6/7 页)

　struck　me　at　the　time　and—”

Adèle　here　came　running　up　again。

“Monsieur；　John　has　just　been　to　say　that　your　agent　has　called　and　wishes　to　see　you。”

“Ah！　in　that　case　I　must　abridge。　Opening　the　window；　I　walked　in　upon　them；　liberated　Céline　from　my　protection；　gave　her　notice　to　vacate　her　hotel；　offered　her　a　purse　for　immediate　exigencies；　disregarded　screams；　hysterics；　prayers；　protestations；　convulsions；　made　an　appointment　with　the　vite　for　a　meeting　at　the　Bois　de　Boulogne。　Next　morning　I　had　the　pleasure　of　encountering　him；　left　a　bullet　in　one　of　his　poor　etiolated　arms；　feeble　as　the　wing　of　a　chicken　in　the　pip；　and　then　thought　I　had　done　with　the　whole　crew。　But　unluckily　the　Varens；　six　months　before；　had　given　me　this　filette　Adèle；　who；　she　affirmed；　was　my　daughter；　and　perhaps　she　may　be；　though　I　see　no　proofs　of　such　grim　paternity　written　in　her　countenance：　Pilot　is　more　like　me　than　she。　Some　years　after　I　had　broken　with　the　mother；　she　abandoned　her　child；　and　ran　away　to　Italy　with　a　musician　or　singer。　I　acknowledged　no　natural　claim　on　Adèle’s　part　to　be　supported　by　me；　nor　do　I　now　acknowledge　any；　for　I　am　not　her　father；　but　hearing　that　she　was　quite　destitute；　I　e’en　took　the　poor　thing　out　of　the　slime　and　mud　of　Paris；　and　transplanted　it　here；　to　grow　up　clean　in　the　wholesome　soil　of　an　English　country　garden。　Mrs。　Fairfax　found　you　to　train　it；　but　now　you　know　that　it　is　the　illegitimate　offspring　of　a　French　opera…　girl；　you　will　perhaps　think　differently　of　your　post　and　protégée：　you　will　be　ing　to　me　some　day　with　notice　that　you　have　found　another　place—that　you　beg　me　to　look　out　for　a　new　governess；　&c。—Eh？”

“No：　Adèle　is　not　answerable　for　either　her　mother’s　faults　or　yours：　I　have　a　regar