第101章

shouldfindyouinthisplace，towhichhegavemeinstructionsnotveryclear。But，nowIamhere，Icravepermissiontoremainalittletime，inorderthatImayholdsomecommunionwithyou。’

’Well，’saidI，’sinceyouarecome，youarewelcome；pleasetostepthisway。’

ThereuponIconductedthemaninblacktothefireplace，whereBellewasstanding，whohadrisenfromherstoolonmyspringinguptogoinquestofthestranger。Themaninblacklookedatherwithevidentcuriosity，thenmakingherratheragracefulbow，’Lovelyvirgin，’saidhe，stretchingouthishand，’allowmetosaluteyourfingers。’

’Iamnotinthehabitofshakinghandswithstrangers，’saidBelle。

’Ididnotpresumetorequesttoshakehandswithyou，’saidthemaninblack，’Imerelywishedtobepermittedtosalutewithmylipstheextremityofyourtwoforefingers。’

’Ineverpermitanythingofthekind，’saidBelle；’Idonotapproveofsuchunmanlyways，theyareonlybefittingthosewholurkincornersorbehindtrees，listeningtotheconversationofpeoplewhowouldfainbeprivate。’

’Doyoutakemeforalistenerthen？’saidthemaninblack。

’Ay，indeedIdo，’saidBelle；’theyoungmanmayreceiveyourexcuses，andputconfidenceinthem，ifheplease，butformypartIneitheradmitthemnorbelievethem；’andthereuponflingingherlonghairback，whichwashangingoverhercheeks，sheseatedherselfonherstool。

’Come，Belle，’saidI，’Ihavebiddenthegentlemanwelcome，I

beseechyou，therefore，tomakehimwelcome；heisastranger，whereweareathome，therefore，evendidwewishhimaway，weareboundtotreathimkindly。’

’That’snotEnglishdoctrine，’saidthemaninblack。

’IthoughttheEnglishpridedthemselvesontheirhospitality，’

saidI。

’Theydoso，’saidthemaninblack；’theyareproudofshowinghospitalitytopeopleabovethem，thatis，tothosewhodonotwantit，butofthehospitalitywhichyouwerenowdescribing，andwhichisArabian，theyknownothing。NoEnglishmanwilltolerateanotherinhishouse，fromwhomhedoesnotexpectadvantageofsomekind，andtothosefromwhomhedoeshecanbecivilenough。AnEnglishmanthinksthat，becauseheisinhisownhouse，hehasarighttobeboorishandbrutaltoanyonewhoisdisagreeabletohim，asallthosearewhoarereallyinwantofassistance。ShouldahuntedfugitiverushintoanEnglishman’shouse，beseechingprotection，andappealingtothemaster’sfeelingsofhospitality，theEnglishmanwouldknockhimdowninthepassage。’

’Youaretoogeneral，’saidI，’inyourstrictures。Lord-，theunpopularToryminister，wasoncechasedthroughthestreetsofLondonbyamob，and，beingindangerofhislife，tookshelterintheshopofaWhiglinen-draper，declaringhisownunpopularname，andappealingtothelinen-draper’sfeelingsofhospitality；

whereuponthelinen-draper，utterlyforgetfulofallpartyrancour，noblyrespondedtotheappeal，andtellinghiswifetoconducthislordshipupstairs，jumpedoverthecounter，withhisellinhishand，andplacinghimselfwith