autobiography of a pocket-handkerchief-第30节

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great　republic；　every　body　but　the　fortune…hunters；　an　exceedingly
contemptible　class；　considers　a　match　without　money；　quite　as　much　a
matter　of　course；　as　a　match　with。　But；　the　governess　had　been
educated　under　a　different　system；　and　it　struck　her　imagination　as　very
proper；　that　she　should　make　both　herself　and　her　lover　miserable；
because　he　had　two　hundred　thousand　dollars；　and　she　had　not　as　many
hundreds。　All　this　strangely　conflicted　with　Betts'　preconceived　opinion
of　a　French　woman's　selfishness；　and；　while　he　was　disposed　to　believe
his　adored　perfection；　he　almost　feared　it　was　a　trick。　Of　such
contradictory　materials　is　the　human　mind　composed！

At　length　the　eyes　of　Betts　fell　on　me；　who　was　still　in　the　hand　of
Mademoiselle　Hennequin；　and　had　several　times　been　applied　to　her
eyes　unheeded。　It　was　evident　I　revived　unpleasant　recollections；　and
the　young　man　could　not　avoid　letting　an　expression　escape　him；　that
sufficiently　betrayed　his　feelings。

〃This　handkerchief！〃　exclaimed　the　young　governess〃Ah！　it　is　that　of
Mademoiselle　Julie；　which　I　must　have　taken　by　mistake。　But；　why
should　this　handkerchief　awaken　any　feeling　in　you；　monsieur？　You　are
not　about　to　enact　the　Moor；　in　your　days　of　wooing？〃

｛the　Moor　=　from　Shakespeare's　〃Othello〃｝

This　was　said　sweetly；　and　withal　a　little　archly；　for　the　poor　girl　was
glad　to　turn　the　conversation　from　its　harassing　and　painful　points；　but
Betts　was　in　no　humor　for　pleasantry；　and　he　spoke　out　in　a　way　to　give
his　mistress　some　clue　to　his　thoughts。

〃That　cursed　handkerchief〃it　is　really　indecent　in　young　men　to　use
such　improper　language；　but　they　little　heed　what　they　say　when　strongly
excited〃that　cursed　handkerchief　has　given　me　as　much　pain；　as　it
appears　also　to　have　given　you。　I　wish　I　knew　the　real　secret　of　its
connection　with　your　feelings；　for　I　confess；　like　that　of　Desdemona's；　it
has　excited　distrust；　though　for　a　very　different　cause。

The　cheeks　of　Mademoiselle　Hennequin　were　pale；　and　her　brow
thoughtful。　Still；　she　had　a　sweet　smile　for　Betts；　and；　though　ignorant　of
the　nature　of　his　suspicions；　which　she　would　have　scarcely　pardoned；　it
was　her　strongest　wish　to　leave　no　darker　cloud　between　them；　than　the
one　she　felt　it　her　duty　to　place　there　herself。　She　answered；　therefore；
frankly　and　simply；　though　not　without　betraying　strong　emotion　as　she
proceeded。

〃This　handkerchief　is　well　known　to　me；〃　answered　the　young　French
woman；　〃it　revives　the　recollections　of　some　of　the　most　painful　scenes
of　a　life　that　has　never　seen　much　sunshine。　You　have　heard　me　speak
of　a　grandmother；　Mr。　Shoreham；　who　took　care　of　my　childhood；　and
who　died　in　my　arms。　That　handkerchief；　I　worked　for　her　support　in
her　last　illness；　and　this　laceyes；　this　beautiful　lace　was　a　part　of　that
beloved　grandmother's　bridal　trousseau。　I　put　it　where　you　see　it；　to
enhance　the　value　of　my　labors。〃

〃I　see　it　all！〃　exclaimed　the　repentant　Betts〃FEEL　it　all；　dearest；
dearest　Mademoiselle　Hennequin；　and　I　hope　this　exquisite　work；　this
refined　taste　brought　all　the　comfort　and　reward　you　had　a　right　to
anticipate。

A　shade　of　anguish　crossed　the　face　of　Adriennefor　it　was　no　other
as　she　gazed　at　me；　and　recalled　all　the　scenes　of　her　sufferings　and
distress。　Then　I　knew　her　again；　for　time　and　a　poor　memory；　with
some　development　of　person；　had　caused　me　to　forget　the　appearance
of　the　lovely　creature　who　may　be　said　to　have　made　me　what　I　am；　but
one　glance　at　her；　with　that　expression　of　intense　suffering　on　her
countenance；　renewed　all　my　earlier　impressions。

〃I　received　as　much　as　I　merited；　perhaps；〃　returned　the　meek…minded
girlfor　she　was　proud　only　in　insisting　on　what　she　fancied　right〃and
enough　to　give　my　venerated　parent　Christian　burial。　They　were　days　of
want　and　sorrow　that　succeeded；　during　which；　Betts；　I　toiled　for　bread
like　an　Eastern　slave；　the　trodden…on　and　abused　hireling　of　a　selfish
milliner。　Accident　at　length　placed　me　in　a　family　as　a　governess。　This
family　happened　to　be　acquainted　with　Madame　Monson；　and　an　offer
that　was　brilliant　to　me；　in　my　circumstances；　brought　me　to　America。
You　see　by　all　this　how　unfit　I　am　to　be　your　wife；　monsieur。　You　would
blush　to　have　it　said　you　had　married　a　French　milliner！〃

〃But　you　are　not　a　milliner；　in　that　sense；　dearest　Adriennefor　you
must　suffer　me　to　call　you　by　that　nameyou　are　a　lady　reduced　by
revolutions　and　misfortunes。　The　name　of　Hennequin　I　know　is
respectable；　and　what　care　I　for　money；　when　so　much　worth　is　to　be
found　on　your　side　of　the　scale。　Money　would　only　oppress　me；　under
such　circumstances。〃

〃Your　generosity　almost　overcomes　my　scruples；　but　it　may　not　be。　The
name　to　which　I　am　entitled　is　certainly　not　one　to　be　ashamed　ofit　is
far　more　illustrious　than　that　of　Hennequin；　respectable　as　is　the　last；　but
of　what　account　is　a　NAME　to　one　in　my　condition！〃

〃And　your　family　name　is　not　Hennequin？〃　asked　the　lover；　anxiously。

〃It　is　not。　My　poor　grandmother　assumed　the　name　of　Hennequin；　when
we　went　last　to　Paris；　under　an　apprehension　that　the　guillotine　might
follow　the　revolution　of　July；　as　it　had　followed　that　of　'89。　This　name
she　enjoined　it　on　me　to　keep；　and　I　have　never　thought　it　prudent　to
change　it。　I　am　of　the　family　of　de　la　Rocheaimard。〃

The　exclamation　which　burst　from　the　lips　of　Betts　Shoreham；
betokened　both　surprise　and　delight。　He　made　Adrienne　repeat　her
declarations；　and　even　desired　her　to　explain　her　precise　parentage。　The
reader　will　remember；　that　there　had　been　an　American　marriage　in
Adrienne's　family；　and　that　every　relative　the　poor　girl　had　on　earth；　was
among　these　distant　connections　on　this　side　of　the　Atlantic。　One　of
these　relatives；　though　it　was　no　nearer　than　a　third　cousin；　was　Betts
Shoreham；　whose　great…grandmother　had　been　a　bona　fide　de　la
Rocheaimard；　and　who　was　enabled；　at　once；　to　point　out　to　the　poor
deserted　orphan　some　forty　or　fifty　persons；　who　stood　in　the　same
degree　of　affinity　to　her。　It　is　needless　to　say　that　this　conversation　was
of　absorbing　interest　to　both；　so　much　so；　indeed；　that　Betts
momentarily　forgot　his　love；　and　by　the　time　it　had　ended；　Adrienne　was
disposed　to　overlook　most　of　her　over　scrupulous　objections　to
rewarding　that　very　passion。　But　the　hour　admonished　them　of　the
necessity　of　separating。

〃And　now；　my　beloved　cousin；〃　said　Betts　Shoreham；　as　he　rose　to　quit
the　room；　seizing　Adrienne's　unresisting　hand〃now；　my　own　Adrienne；
you　will　no　longer　urge　your　sublimated　notions　of　propriety　against　my
suit。　I　am　your　nearest　male　relative；　and　have　a　right　to　your
obedienceand　I　command　that　you　be　the　second　de　la　Rocheaimard
who　became　the　wife　of　a　Shoreham。〃

〃Tell　me；　mon　cher　cousin；〃　said　Adrienne；　smiling　through　her　tears
〃were　your　grand…parents；　my　good　uncle　and　aunt；　were　they　happy？
Was　their　union　blessed？〃

｛mon　cher　cousin　=　my　dear　cousin｝

〃They　were　miracles　of　domestic　felicity；　and　their　happiness　has　passed
down　in　tradition；　among　all　their　descendants。　Even　religion　could　not
furnish　them　with　a　cause　for　misunderstanding。　That　example　which
they　set　to　the　last　century；　we　will　endeavor　to　set　to　this。〃

Adrienne　smiled；　kissed　her　hand　to　Betts；　and　ran　out　of　the　room；
leaving　me　forgotten　on　the　sofa。　Betts　Shoreham　seized　his　hat；　and　left
the　house；　a　happy　man；　for；　though　he　had　no　direct　promise　as　yet；　he
felt　as　reasonably　secure　of　success；　as　circumstances　required。



CHAPTER　XVII。

Five　minutes　later；　Tom　Thurston　entered；　and　Julia　Monson　came
down　to　receive　HIM；　her　pique　not　interfering；　and　it　being　rather
stylish　to　be　disengaged　on　the　morning　of　the　day　when　the　household
was　in　all　the　confusion　of　a　premeditated　rout。

｛premeditated　rout　=　planned　party｝

〃This　is　SO　good　of　you；　Miss　Monson；〃　said　Tom；　as　he　made　his
bowI　heard　it　all；　being　still　on　the　sofa〃This　is　SO　good　of　you；
when　your　time　must　have　so　many　demands　on　it。〃

〃Not　in　the　least；　Mr。　Thurstonmamma　and　the　housekeeper　have
settled　every　thing；　and　I　am　really　pleased　to　see　you；　as　you　can　give
me　the　history　of　the　new　play〃

〃Ah！　Miss　Monson；　my　heartmy　facultiesmy　ideas〃　Tom　was
getting　bothered；　and　he　made　a　desperate　effort　to　extricate　himself
〃In　short；　my　JUDGMENT　is　so　confused　and　monopolized；　that　I　have
no　powers　left　to　think　or　speak　of　plays。　In　a　word；　I　was　not　there。〃

〃That　explains　it；　thenand　what　has　thus　confused　your　mind；　Mr。
Thurston？〃

〃The　approach　of　this　awful　night。　You　will　be　surrounded　by　a　host　of
admirers；　pouring　into　your　ears　their　admiration　and　love；　and　then
what　shall　I　have　to　support　me；　but　that　'yes；'　with　which　you　once
raised　me　from　the　depths　of　despair　to　an　elevation　of　happiness　that
was　high　as　the　highest　pinnacle　of　the　caverns　of　Kentucky；　raising　me
from　the　depths　of　Chimborazo。〃

｛caverns　of　Kentucky　=　Mammoth　Cave；　Chimborazo　=　a　20；500　foot
volcano　in　Ecuador｝

Tom　meant　to　reverse　this　image；　but　love　is　proverbially　desperate　in
its　figures　of　speech；　and　any　thing　was　better　than　appearing　to
hesitate。　Nevertheless；　Miss　Monson　was　too　well　instruct