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For a long time Balmile was in the habit to come to the wine-shop and eat a meal or drink a measure of wine; sometimes with a comrade; more often alone, when he would sit and dream and drum upon the table, and the thoughts would show in the man's face in little glooms and lightenings, like the sun and the clouds upon a water. For a long time Marie-Madeleine had observed him apart.
'Monseigneur, said Balmile, 'je n'ai pas la pretention de m'affubler d'un titre que la mauvaise fortune de mon roi ne me permet pas de porter comma il sied. A few more ceremonies, and these three, sitting down together to the table, called for wine. It was the happiness of Marie- Madeleine to wait unobserved upon the prince of her desires.
It was the first time Ballantrae had visited that wine-seller's, the first time he had seen the wife; and his eyes were true to her. "I perceive your reason for carrying me to this very draughty tavern," he said at last. "I believe it is propinquity," returned Balmile. "You play dark," said Ballantrae, "but have a care! Be more frank with me, or I will cut you out.
"One would suppose you were never at the pains to observe her," said Ballantrae. "I am not very observant," said Balmile. "She seems comely." "You very dear and dull dog!" cried Ballantrae; "chastity is the most besotting of the virtues. Why, she has a look in her face beyond singing! I believe, if you was to push me hard, I might trace it home to a trifle of a squint. What matters?
In Paradou, the whole muddy and truculent depths of the half-man were stirred to frenzy; the lust of destruction raged in him; there was not a feature in his face but it talked murder. Balmile had dropped his cloak: he shone out at once in his finery, and stood to his full stature; girt in mind and body all his resources, all his temper, perfectly in command in his face the light of battle.
Neither spoke; there was no blow nor threat of one; it was war reduced to its last element, the spiritual; and the huge wine-seller slowly lowered his weapon. Balmile was a noble, he a commoner; Balmile exulted in an honourable cause. Paradou already perhaps began to be ashamed of his violence.
Now Balmile had come hitherto in a very poor plain habit; and this day of the mistral, when his mantle was just open, and she saw beneath it the glancing of the violet and the velvet and the silver, and the clustering fineness of the lace, it seemed to set the man in a new light, with which he shone resplendent to her fancy.
The swarthy man answered to the name of Ballantrae; he of the dreamy eyes was sometimes called Balmile, and sometimes MY LORD, or MY LORD GLADSMUIR; but when the title was given him, he seemed to put it by as if in jesting, not without bitterness. The mistral blew in the city.
'One would suppose you were never at the pains to observe her, said Ballantrae. 'I am not very observant, said Balmile. 'She seems comely. 'You very dear and dull dog! cried Ballantrae; 'chastity is the most besotting of the virtues. Why, she has a look in her face beyond singing! I believe, if you was to push me hard, I might trace it home to a trifle of a squint. What matters?
As Ballantrae spoke, half jesting, half enthusiastic, Balmile was constrained to do as he was bidden. He looked at the woman, admired her excellences, and was at the same time ashamed for himself and his companion.
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