autobiography of a pocket-handkerchief-第25节

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person。　It　is　true；　I　had　not　yet　seen　her；　but　my　mesmeritic　impulses
induced　me　to　fancy　as　much。

〃What　say　the　YOUNG　gentlemen　to　this？〃　asked　Mr。　Monson；
laughing。　〃This　is　a　question　not　to　be　settled　altogether　by　ladies；　old　or
young。〃

〃Betts　Shoreham　has　substantially　told　you　what　HE　thinks；　and　now　I
claim　a　right　to　give　MY　opinion；〃　cried　John　Monson。　〃Like　Betts；　I
will　not　decry　my　countrywomen；　but　I　shall　protest　against　the　doctrine
of　their　having　ALL　the　beauty　in　the　world。　By　Jove！　I　have　seen　in
ONE　opera…house　at　Rome；　more　beautiful　women　than　I　ever　saw
together；　before　or　since；　in　any　other　place。　Broadway　never　equals
the　corso；　of　a　carnival。〃

｛corso；　of　a　carnival　=　the　Corso；　a　main　street　in　Rome；　at　Carnival
time｝

〃This　is　not　sticking　to　the　subject；〃　observed　Mrs。　Monson。　〃Pocket…
handkerchiefs　and　housekeepers　are　our　themes；　and　not　pretty
women。　Mademoiselle　Hennequin；　you　are　French　enough；　I　am　sure；
to　like　more　sugar　in　your　tea。〃

This　changed　the　subject；　which　became　a　desultory　discourse　on　the
news　of　the　day。　I　could　not　understand　half　that　was　said；　laboring
under　the　disadvantage　of　being　shut　up　in　a　close　drawer；　on　another
floor；　and　that；　too；　with　six　dozen　of　chattering　French　gloves　lying
within　a　foot　of　me。　Still　I　saw　plainly　enough；　that　Mademoiselle
Hennequin；　notwithstanding　she　was　a　governess；　was　a　favorite　in　the
family；　and；　I　may　add；　out　of　it　alsoBetts　Shoreham　being　no　sort　of
a　connection　of　the　Monsons。　I　thought；　moreover；　that　I　discovered
signs　of　cross…purposes；　as　between　the　young　people；　though　I　think　a
pocket…handkerchief　subject　to　those　general　laws；　concerning　secrets；
that　are　recognized　among　all　honorable　persons。　Not　having　been
actually　present　on　this　occasion；　should　I　proceed　to　relate　ALL　that
passed；　or　that　I　fancied　passed；　it　would　be　degrading　myself　to　the
level　of　those　newspapers　which　are　in　the　habit　of　retailing　private
conversations；　and　which；　like　most　small　dealers　in　such　things；　never
retail　fairly。

I　saw　no　more　of　my　mistress　for　a　week。　I　have　reason　to　think　that
she　had　determined　never　to　use　me；　but　female　resolutions；　in　matters
of　dress；　are　not　of　the　most　inflexible　nature。　There　was　a　certain　Mrs。
Leamington；　in　New　York；　who　gave　a　great　ball　about　this　time；　and
being　in　the　same　set　as　the　Monsons；　the　family　was　invited　as　a　matter
of　course。　It　would　have　surpassed　the　powers　of　self…denial　to　keep
me　in　the　back…ground　on　such　an　occasion；　and　Julia；　having　first
cleared　the　way　by　owning　her　folly　to　a　very　indulgent　father；　and　a
very　tormenting　brother；　determined　nobly　to　bring　me　out；　let　the　effect
on　Betts　Shoreham　be　what　it　might。　As　the　father　had　no　female　friends
to　trouble　him；　he　was　asked　to　join　the　Monsonsthe　intimacy　fully
warranting　the　step。

Julia　never　looked　more　lovely　than　she　did　that　night。　She　anticipated
much　pleasure；　and　her　smiles　were　in　proportion　to　her　anticipations。
When　all　was　ready；　she　took　me　from　the　drawer；　let　a　single　drop　of
lavender　fall　in　my　bosom；　and　tripped　down　stairs　toward　the　drawing…
room；　Betts　Shoreham　and　Mademoiselle　Hennequin　were　together；
and；　for　a　novelty；　alone。　I　say；　for　a　novelty；　because　the　governess
had　few　opportunities　to　see　any　one　without　the　presence　of　a　third
person；　and　because　her　habits；　as　an　unmarried　and　well　educated
French　woman；　indisposed　her　to　tete…a…tetes　with　the　other　sex。　My
mistress　was　lynx…eyed　in　all　that　related　to　Betts　Shoreham　and　the
governess。　A　single　glance　told　her　that　their　recent　conversation　had
been　more　than　usually　interesting；　nor　could　I　help　seeing　it　myselfthe
face　of　the　governess　being　red；　or　in　that　condition　which；　were　she
aught　but　a　governess；　would　be　called　suffused　with　blushes。　Julia　felt
uncomfortableshe　felt　herself　to　be　de　trop；　and　making　an　incoherent
excuse；　she　had　scarcely　taken　a　seat　on　a　sofa；　before　she　arose；　left
the　room；　and　ran　up　stairs　again。　In　doing　so；　however；　the　poor　girl
left　me　inadvertently　on　the　sofa　she　had　so　suddenly　quitted　herself。

｛de　trop　=　one　too　many｝

Betts　Shoreham　manifested　no　concern　at　this　movement；　though
Mademoiselle　Hennequin　precipitately　changed　her　seat；　which　had
been　quite　nearapproximately　near；　as　one　might　sayto　the　chair
occupied　by　the　gentleman。　This　new　evolution　placed　the　governess
close　at　my　side。　Now　whatever　might　have　been　the　subject　of
discourse　between　these　two　young　personsfor　Mademoiselle
Hennequin　was　quite　as　youthful　as　my　mistress；　let　her　beauty　be　as　it
mightit　was　not　continued　in　my　presence；　on　the　contrary；　the　young
lady　turned　her　eyes　on　me；　instead　of　looking　at　her　companion；　and
then　she　raised　me　in　her　hand；　and　commenced　a　critical　examination
of　my　person。

〃That　is　a　very　beautiful　handkerchief；　Mademoiselle　Hennequin；〃　said
Betts　Shoreham；　making　the　remark　an　excuse　for　following　the　young
lady　to　the　sofa。　〃Had　we　heard　of　its　existence；　our　remarks　the　other
night；　on　such　a　luxury；　might　have　been　more　guarded。〃

No　answer　was　given。　The　governess　gazed　on　me　intently；　and　tears
began　to　course　down　her　cheeks；　notwithstanding　it　was　evident　she
wished　to　conceal　them。　Ashamed　of　her　weakness；　she　endeavored　to
smile　them　away；　and　to　appear　cheerful。

〃What　is　there　in　that　pocket…handkerchief；　dear　Mademoiselle
Hennequin；〃　asked　Betts　Shoreham；　who　had　a　pernicious　habit　of
calling　young　ladies　with　whom　he　was　on　terms　of　tolerable　intimacy；
〃dear；〃a　habit　that　sometimes　misled　persons　as　to　the　degree　of
interest　he　felt　in　his　companions〃what　CAN　there　be　in　that　pocket…
handkerchief　to　excite　tears　from　a　mind　and　a　heart　like　yours？〃

〃My　mind　and　heart；　Mr。　Shoreham；　are　not　as　faultless；　perhaps；　as
your　goodness　would　make　them　out　to　be。　ENVY　is　a　very　natural
feeling　for　a　woman　in　matters　of　dress；　they　say；　and；　certainly；　I　am
not　the　owner　of　so　beautiful　a　pocket…handkerchiefpardon　me；　Mr。
Shoreham；　I　cannot　command　myself；　and　must　be　guilty　of　the
rudeness　of　leaving　you　alone；　if〃

Mademoiselle　Hennequin　uttered　no　more；　but　rushed　from　the　room；
with　an　impetuosity　of　manner　and　feeling　that　I　have　often　had　occasion
to　remark　in　young　French　women。　As　a　matter　of　course；　I　was　left
alone　with　Betts　Shoreham。

I　shall　conceal　nothing　that　ought　to　be　told。　Betts　Shoreham；
notwithstanding　her　dependent　situation；　and　his　own　better　fortunes；
loved　the　governess；　and　the　governess　loved　Betts　Shoreham。　These
were　facts　that　I　discovered　at　a　later　day；　though　I　began　to　suspect
the　truth　from　that　moment。　Neither；　however；　knew　of　the　other's
passion；　though　each　hoped　as　an　innocent　and　youthful　love　will　hope；
and　each　trembled　as　each　hoped。　Nothing　explicit　had　been　said　that
evening；　but　much；　very　much；　in　the　way　of　sympathy　and　feeling　had
been　revealed；　and　but　for　the　inopportune　entrance　of　Julia　and　myself；
all　might　have　been　told。



CHAPTER　XV。

There　is　no　moment　in　the　life　of　man；　when　he　is　so　keenly　sensitive　on
the　subject　of　the　perfection　of　his　mistress；　as　that　in　which　he
completely　admits　her　power。　All　his　jealousy　is　actively　alive　to　the
smallest　shade　of　fault；　although　his　feelings　so　much　indispose　him　to
see　any　blemish。　Betts　Shoreham　felt　an　unpleasant　pang；　evenyes；　it
amounted　to　a　pangfor　in　a　few　moments　he　would　have　offered　his
handand　men　cannot　receive　any　drawback　with　indifference　at　such
an　instanthe　felt　an　unpleasant　pang；　then；　as　the　idea　crossed　his　mind
that　Mademoiselle　Hennequin　could　be　so　violently　affected　by　a　feeling
as　unworthy　as　that　of　envy。　He　had　passed　several　years　abroad；　and
had　got　the　common　notion　about　the　selfishness　of　the　French；　and
more　particularly　their　women；　and　his　prejudices　took　the　alarm。　But
his　love　was　much　the　strongest；　and　soon　looked　down　the　distrust；
however　reasonable；　under　the　circumstances；　the　latter　might　have
appeared　to　a　disinterested　and　cool…headed　observer。　He　had　seen　so
much　meek　and　pure…spirited　self…denial；　so　much　high　principle　in　the
conduct　of　Mademoiselle　Hennequin；　during　an　intimacy　which　had　now
lasted　six　months；　that　no　passing　feeling　of　doubt；　like　the　one　just　felt；
could　unsettle　the　confidence　created　by　her　virtues。　I　know　it　may　take
more　credit　than　belongs　to　most　pocket…handkerchiefs；　to　maintain　the
problem　of　the　virtues　of　a　French　governessa　class　of　unfortunate
persons　that　seem　doomed　to　condemnation　by　all　the　sages　of　our
modern　imaginative　literature。　An　English　governess；　or　even　an
American　governess；　if；　indeed；　there　be　such　a　being　in　nature；　may　be
every　thing　that　is　respectable；　and　prudent；　and　wise；　and　good；　but　the
French　governess　has　a　sort　of　ex…officio　moral　taint　about　her；　that
throws　her　without　the　pale　of　literary　charities。　Nevertheless；　one　or
two　of　the　most　excellent　women　I　have　ever　known；　have　been　French
governesses；　though　I　do　not　choose　to　reveal　what　this　particular
individual　of　the　class　turned　out　to　be　in　the　end；　until　the　moment　for
the　denouement　of　her　character　shall　regularly　arrive。

There　was　not　much　time　for　B