autobiography of a pocket-handkerchief-第23节

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I　was　wrapped　up　carefully　in　paper；　put　into　Miss　Monson's　muff；　and
once　more　took　my　departure　from　the　empire　of　Col。　Silky。　I　no　longer
occupied　a　false　position。

〃Now；　I　hope　you　are　happy；　Julia；〃　quietly　observed　Mary　Warren；　as
the　two　girls　took　their　seats　side　by　side　in　Mrs。　Monson's　chariot。
〃The　surprise　to　me　is；　that　you　forgot　to　purchase　this　ne　plus　ultra　of
elegance　while　in　Paris　last　summer。〃

｛chariot　=　a　light；　four…wheeled　carriage　with　only　back　seats；　ne　plus
ultra　=　peak；　ultimate｝

〃My　father　said　he　could　not　afford　it；　we　spent　a　great　deal　of　money；
as　you　may　suppose；　in　running　about；　seeing　sights；　and　laying　in
curiosities；　and　when　I　hinted　the　matter　to　my　mother；　she　said　we　must
wait　until　another　half　year's　rents　had　come　round。　After　all；　Mary；
there　is　ONE　person　at　home　to　whom　I　shall　be　ashamed　to　show　this
purchase。〃

〃At　home！is　there；　indeed？　Had　you　merely　said　'in　town'　I　could　have
understood　you。　Your　father　and　mother　approving　of　what　you　have
done；　I　do　not　see　who　there　is　AT　HOME　to　alarm　you。〃

Julia　blushed　when　her　friend　said　〃in　town；〃　and　her　conscious　feelings
immediately　conjured　up　the　image　of　a　certain　Betts　Shoreham；　as　the
person　in　her　companion's　mind's　eye。　I　detected　it　all　easily　enough；
being　actually　within　six　inches　of　her　throbbing　heart　at　that　very
moment；　though　concealed　in　the　muff。

〃It　is　not　what　you　suppose；　Mary；　nor　WHOM　you　suppose；〃
answered　my　mistress；　〃I　mean　Mademoiselle　HennequinI　confess　I
DO　dread　the　glance　of　her　reproving　eye。〃

〃It　is　odd　enough　that　you　should　dread　reproval　from　the　governess　of
your　sisters　when　you　do　not　dread　it　from　your　own　mother！　But
Mademoiselle　Hennequin　has　nothing　to　do　with　you。　You　were
educated　and　out　before　she　entered　your　family；　and　it　is　singular　that　a
person　not　older　than　yourself；　who　was　engaged　in　Paris　so　recently；
should　have　obtained　so　much　influence　over　the　mind　of　one　who　never
was　her　pupil。〃

〃I　am　not　afraid　of　her　in　most　things；〃　rejoined　Julia；　〃but　I　confess　I　am
in　all　that　relates　to　taste；　particularly　in　what　relates　to　extravagance。〃

〃I　have　greatly　misunderstood　the　character　of　Mademoiselle　Hennequin
if　she　ventured　to　interfere　with　you　in　either！　A　governess　ought　not　to
push　her　control　beyond　her　proper　duties。〃

〃Nor　has　Mademoiselle　Hennequin；〃　answered　Julia　honestly。　〃Still　I
cannot　but　hear　the　lessons　she　gives　my　sisters；　andyesto　own　the
truth；　I　dread　the　glance　she　cannot　avoid　throwing　on　my　purchase。　It
will　say；　'of　what　use　are　all　my　excellent　lessons　in　taste　and　prudence；
if　an　elder　sister's　example　is　to　counteract　them？'　It　is　THAT　I　dread。〃

Mary　was　silent　for　fully　a　minute；　then　she　smiled　archly；　as　girls　will
smile　when　certain　thoughts　cross　their　playful　imaginations；　and
continued　the　discourse。

〃And　Betts　Shoreham　has　nothing　to　do　with　all　this　dread？〃

〃What　is　Betts　Shoreham　to　me；　or　what　am　I　to　Betts　Shoreham？　I　am
sure　the　circumstances　that　we　happened　to　come　from　Europe　in　the
same　packet；　and　that　he　continues　to　visit　us　now　we　are　at　home；　do
not　entitle　him　to　have　a　veto；　as　they　call　it；　on　my　wardrobe。〃

〃Not　YET；　certainly；　my　dear。　Still　they　may　entitle　him　to　have　this
VETO；　in　petto。〃

｛in　petto　=　in　private　（Italian）｝

I　thought　a　shade　passed　over　the　features　of　the　pretty　Julia　Monson　as
she　answered　her　friend；　with　a　seriousness　to　show　that　she　was　now
in　earnest；　and　with　a　propriety　that　proved　she　had　great　good　sense　at
bottom；　as　well　as　strong　womanly　feeling。

〃If　I　have　learned　nothing　else　by　visiting　Europe；〃　she　said；　〃I　have
learned　to　see　how　inconsiderate　we　girls　are　in　America；　in　talking　so
much；　openly；　of　this　sort　of　thing。　A　woman's　delicacy　is　like　that　of　a
tender　flower；　and　it　must　suffer　by　having　her　name　coupled　with　that
of　any　man；　except　him　that　she　is　to　marry。〃

〃Julia；　dear；　I　will　never　speak　of　Mr。　Shoreham　again。　I　should　not
have　done　it　now　had　I　not　thought　his　attentions　were　acceptable　to
you；　as　I　am　sure　they　are　to　your　parents。　Certainly；　they　are　VERY
markedat　least；　so　others　think　as　well　as　myself。〃

〃I　know　it　SEEMS　so　to　the　WORLD；〃　answered　Julia　in　a　subdued；
thoughtful　tone；　〃but　it　scarcely　seems　so　to　ME。　Betts　Shoreham　is
very　agreeable；　every　way　a　suitable　connection　for　any　of　us；　and　that
is　the　reason　people　are　so　ready　to　fancy　him　in　earnest。〃

〃In　earnest！　If　Mr。　Shoreham　pays　attentions　that　are　pointed；　and　is　not
in　earnest；　he　is　a　very　different　person　from　what　I　took　him　to　be。〃

Julia's　voice　grew　still　more　gentle；　and　it　was　easy　enough　to　see　that
her　feelings　were　enlisted　in　the　subject。

〃It　is　no　more　than　justice　to　Betts　Shoreham；〃　she　continued；　〃to　say
that　he　has　NOT　been　pointed　in　his　attentions　to　ME。　We　females　are
said　to　be　quick　in　discovering　such　matters；　and　I　am　not　more　blind
than　the　rest　of　our　sex。　He　is　a　young　man　of　good　family；　and　has
some　fortune；　and　that　makes　him　welcome　in　most　houses　in　town；
while　he　is　agreeable；　well…looking；　and　thoroughly　amiable。　He　met　us
abroad；　and　it　is　natural　for　him　to　keep　up　an　intimacy　that　recalls
pleasant　recollections。　You　will　remember；　Mary；　that　before　he　can　be
accused　of　trifling；　he　must　trifle。　I　think　him　far　more　attentive　to　my
mother；　my　fathernay；　to　my　two　little　sistersthan　he　is　to　ME。　Even
Mademoiselle　Hennequin　is　quite　as　much　if　not　more　of　a　favorite　than
I　am！〃

As　Mary　Warren　saw　that　her　friend　was　serious　she　changed　the
subject；　soon　after；　we　were　set　down　at　Mr。　Monson's　door。　Here　the
friends　parted；　Mary　Warren　preferring　to　walk　home；　while　Julia　and　I
entered　the　house　together。

〃Well；　mother；〃　cried　Julia；　as　she　entered　Mrs。　Monson's　room；　〃I　have
found　the　most　beautiful　thing　you　ever　beheld；　and　have　bought　it。　Here
it　is；　what　do　you　think　of　my　choice？〃

Mrs。　Monson　was　a　kind…hearted；　easy；　indulgent　parent；　who　had
brought　her　husband　a　good　fortune；　and　who　had　married　rich　in　the
bargain。　Accustomed　all　her　life　to　a　free　use　of　money；　and　of　her　own
money；　too；　（for　this　is　a　country　in　which　very　many　persons　cast　the
substance　of　OTHERS　right　and　left；）　and　when　her　eldest　daughter
expressed　a　wish　to　possess　an　elaborate　specimen　of　our　race；　she　had
consented　from　a　pure　disinclination　to　deny　her　child　any　gratification
that　might　be　deemed　innocent。　Still；　she　knew　that　prudence　was　a
virtue；　and　that　Julia　had　thrown　away　money　that　might　have　been
much　better　employed。

〃This　is　certainly　a　very　beautiful　handkerchief；〃　observed　the　mother；
after　examining　me　carefully；　and　with　somewhat　of　the　manner　of　a
connoisseur；　〃surprisingly　beautiful；　and　yet　I　almost　wish；　my　child；　you
had　not　purchased　it。　A　hundred　dollars　sounds　frightfully　en　prince　for
us　poor　simple　people；　who　live　in　nutshells　of　houses；　five　and　twenty
feet　front；　and　fifty…six　deep；　to　pay　for　a　pocket…handkerchief。　The
jewel…box　of　a　young　lady　who　has　such　handkerchiefs　ought　to　cost
thousands；　to　be　in　keeping。〃

｛en　prince　=　princely；　nutshells　of　houses　=　Cooper　was　frequently
critical　of　New　York　City's　cramped　townhouses｝

〃But；　mother；　I　have　only　ONE；　you　will　remember；　and　so　my　jewels
may　be　limited　to　hundreds。〃

〃ONE　pocket…handkerchief　has　a　mean；　sound；　too。　Even　one　hat　is　not
very　superfluous。〃

〃That　is　SO　like　Mary　Warren；　mother。　If　you　did　not　wish　me　to　make
the　purchase；　you　had　only　to　say　it；　I　am　sure　your　wish　would　have
been　my　law。〃

〃I　know　it；　love；　and　I　am　afraid　it　is　your　dutiful　behavior　that　has　made
me　careless；　in　this　instance。　Your　happiness　and　interests　are　ever
uppermost　in　my　mind；　and　sometimes　they　seem　to　conflict。　What
young　man　will　dare　to　choose　a　wife　from　among　young　ladies　who
expend　so　much　money　on　their　pocket…handkerchiefs？〃

This　was　said　smilingly；　but　there　was　a　touch　of　tenderness　and　natural
concern　in　the　voice　and　manner　of　the　speaker　that　made　an
impression　on　the　daughter。

〃I　am　afraid　now；　mother；　you　are　thinking　of　Betts　Shoreham；〃　said
Julia；　blushing；　though　she　struggled　powerfully　to　appear　unconcerned。
〃I　do　not　know　WHY　it　is；　but　both　you　and　Mary　Warren　appear　to
be　always　thinking　of　Mr。　Shoreham。〃

The　mother　smiled；　and　she　was　not　quite　ingenuous　when　she　said　in
answer　to　the　remark；

〃Shoreham　was　not　in　my　mouth；　and　you　ought　not　to　suppose　he　was
in　my　mind。　Nevertheless；　I　do　not　believe　he　would　admire　you；　or　any
one　else；　the　more　for　being　the　owner　of　so　expensive　an　article　of
dress。　He　is　wealthy；　but　very　prudent　in　his　opinions　and　habits。〃

〃Betts　Shoreham　was　born　to　an　estate；　and　his　father　before　him；〃　said
Julia　firmly；　〃and　such　men　know　how　to　distinguish　between　the　cant　of
economy；　and　those　elegancies　of　life　that　become　people　of
refinement。〃

〃No　one　can　better　understand　the　difference　between　cant　in　economy
as　well　as　cant　in　some　other　things；　and　true　taste　as　well　as　true
morals；　than　young　Shoreham；　but　there　are　indulgences　that　become
persons　in　no　class。〃

〃After　all；　mother；　we　are　making　a　trifle　a　very　serious　matter。　It　is　but