elinor wyllys-2-第15节

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〃Do　you　know；〃　said　a　young　lady；　standing　on　the　piazza　one　evening；　〃I　have　not　yet　seen　the　ugly　heiress。　I　should　like　to　get　a　peep　at　her；　is　she　really　so　very　ugly？〃　she　continued；　addressing　a　young　man　at　her　side。

〃Miss　Wyllys；　you　mean；　a　perfect　frightugly　as　sin；〃　replied　the　gentleman。

Elinor；　at　the　very　moment；　was　standing　immediately　behind　the　speakers；　and　Mr。　Ellsworth；　who　was　talking　to　her；　was　much　afraid　she　had　heard　the　remark。　To　cut　short　the　conversation；　he　immediately　addressed　her　himself；　raising　his　voice　a　little；　and　calling　her　by　name。

The　young　lady　was　quite　frightened；　when　she　found　the　〃ugly　heiress〃　was　her　near　neighbour；　and　even　the　dandy　was　abashed；　but　Elinor　herself　was　rather　amused　with　the　circumstance；　and　she　smiled　at　the　evident　mortification　of　the　speakers。　Never　was　there　a　woman　more　free　from　personal　vanity　than　Elinor　Wyllys；　and　she　was　indifferent　to　remarks　of　this　kind；　to　a　degree　that　would　seem　scarcely　credible　to　that　class　of　young　ladies；　who　think　no　sound　so　delightful　as　that　of　a　compliment。　On　the　evening　in　question；　the　piazzas　were　crowded　with　the　inmates　of　the　hotels；　those　who　had　feeling　for　the　beauties　of　nature；　and　those　who　had　not；　came　out　alike；　to　admire　an　unusual　effect　of　moonlight　upon　a　fine　mass　of　clouds。　Elinor　was　soon　aware　that　she　was　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Mrs。　Hilson　and　her　sister；　by　the　silly　conversation　they　were　keeping　up　with　their　companions。　These　Longbridge　ladies　generally　kept　with　their　own　party；　which　was　a　large　one。　The　Wyllyses　were　not　sorry　that　they　seldom　met；　for；　little　as　they　liked　the　sisters；　they　wished　always　to　treat　them　civilly；　on　account　of　their　father。　The　English　art　of　〃cutting〃　is；　indeed；　little　practised　in　America；　except　in　extreme　cases；　all　classes　are　too　social　in　their　feelings　and　habits　to　adopt　it。　It　is；　indeed；　an　honourable　characteristic　of　those　who　occupy　the　highest　social　position　in　Americathose　who　have　received；　in　every　respect；　the　best　education　in　the　countrythat；　as　a　class；　they　are　free　from　the　little；　selfish；　ungenerous　feeling　of　mere　exclusiveism。

〃Oh；　here　you　are；　Miss　Wyllys！〃　exclaimed　Emmeline　Hubbard　to　Elinor；　who　was　talking　to　Mrs。　Creighton。　〃I　have　been　wishing　to　see　you　all　the　afternoonI　owe　you　an　apology。〃

〃An　apology　to　me；　Miss　Hubbard？I　was　not　at　all　aware　of　it。〃

〃Is　it　possible？　I　was　afraid　you　would　think　me　very　rude　this　morning；　when　I　spoke　to　you　in　the　drawing…room；　for　there　was　a　gentleman　with　you　at　the　time。　Of　course　I　ought　not　to　have　joined　you　at　such　a　moment；　but　I　was　anxious　to　give　you　the　Longbridge　news。〃

〃Certainly；　I　was　very　glad　to　hear　it：　the　conversation　you　interrupted　was　a　very　trifling　one。〃

〃Oh；　I　did　not　wish　to　insinuate　that　you　were　conversing　on　a　PARTICULARLY　interesting　subject。　But；　of　course；　I　am　too　well　acquainted　with　the　etiquette　of　polished　circles；　not　to　know　that　it　is　wrong　for　one　young　lady　to　intrude　upon　another　while　conversing　with　a　gentleman。

〃If　there　be　such　a　point　of　etiquette；　I　must　have　often　broken　it　very　innocently；　myself。　I　have　never　practised　it；　I　assure　you。〃

〃Ah；　that　is　very　imprudent；　Miss　Wyllys！〃　said　the　fair　Emmeline；　shaking　her　fan　at　Elinor。　〃Who　knows　how　much　mischief　one　may　do；　in　that　way？　You　might　actually　prevent　a　declaration。　And　then　a　young　lady　is；　of　course；　always　too　agreeably　occupied　in　entertaining　a　beau；　to　wish　to　leave　him　for　a　female　friend。　It　is　not　everybody　who　would　be　as　good…natured　as　yourself　at　such　an　interruption。〃

〃I　have　no　merit　whatever　in　the　matter；　I　assure　you；　for　I　was　very　glad　to　find　that〃

Just　at　that　moment　one　of　Miss　Hubbard's　admirers　approached　her；　and　without　waiting　to　hear　the　conclusion　of　Elinor's　remark；　she　turned　abruptly　from　the　lady；　to　meet　the　gentleman；　with　a　striking　increase　of　grace；　and　the　expression　of　the　greatest　interest　in　her　whole　manner。

Elinor　smiled；　as　the　thought　occurred　to　her；　that　this　last　act　of　rudeness　was　really　trying　to　her　good…nature；　while　she　had　never　dreamed　of　resenting　the　interruption　of　the　morning。　But　Miss　Hubbard　was　only　following　the　code　of　etiquette；　tacitly　adopted　by　the　class　of　young　ladies　she　belonged　to；　who　never　scrupled　to　make　their　manner　to　men；　much　more　attentive　and　flattering　than　towards　one　of　themselves；　or　even　towards　an　older　person　of　their　own　sex。

Elinor；　however；　had　seen　such　manoeuvres　before；　and　she　would　scarcely　have　noticed　it　at　the　moment；　had　it　not　been　for　Miss　Emmeline's　previous　apology。

Mrs。　Hilson　soon　approached　her。　〃Has　Emmeline　been　communicating　our　Longbridge　intelligence；　Miss　Wyllys？　Do　you　think　it　a　good　match？〃

〃I　hope　it　will　prove　so；　we　were　very　glad　to　hear　of　it。　Mary　Van　Horne　is　a　great　favourite　of　my　aunt's；　and　Mr。　Roberts；　I　hear；　is　highly　spoken　of。〃

〃Yes；　and　he　is　very　rich；　too；　she　has　nothing　at　all　herself；　I　believe。''

〃Do　you　know　whether　they　are　to　live　in　New　York？　I　hope　they　will　not　go　very　far　from　us。〃

〃I　suppose　they　will　live　in　the　city；　as　he　is　so　wealthy；　Mary　will　have　an　opportunity　of　tasting　the　fascinations　of　high　life。　I　shall　introduce　her　to　a　clique　of　great　refinement　at　once。　Don't　you　think　Saratoga　the　most　delightful　place　in　the　world；　Miss　Wyllys？　I　am　never　so　happy　as　when　here。　I　delight　so　much　in　the　gay　world；　it　appears　to　me　that　I　breathe　more　freely　in　a　crowdsolitude　oppresses　me；　do　you　like　it？〃

〃I　have　never　tried　it　very　long。　If　you　like　a　crowd；　you　must　be　perfectly　satisfied；　just　now。〃

''And　so　I　am；　Miss　Wyllys；　perfectly　happy　in　these　fashionable　scenes。　Do　you　know；　it　is　a　fact；　that　I　lose　my　appetite　unless　I　can　sit　down　to　table　with　at　least　thirty　or　forty　fashionably　dressed　people　about　me；　and　I　never　sleep　sounder　than　on　board　a　steamboat；　where　the　floor　is　covered　with　mattresses。　I　am　not　made　for　retirement；　certainly。　Ah；　Monsieur　Bonnet；　here　you　are　again；　I　see；　what　have　you　done　with　the　Baron？is　not　the　Baron　with　you？〃

〃No；　Madame；　he　has　not　finish　his　cigar。　And　where　is　Mlle。　Emmeline？I　hope　she　has　not　abandonne　me！〃　said　M。　Bonnet；　who；　to　do　him　justice；　was　a　sufficiently　respectable　man；　a　French　merchant　in　New　York；　and　no　way　connected　with　the　Baron。

〃Oh；　no；　she　is　here；　we　were　waiting　for　the　Baron　and　you　to　escort　us　to　the　drawing…room；　but　we　will　remain　until　the　Baron　comes。　I　have　heard　something　that　will　put　you　in　good…humour；　another　of　those　marriages　you　admire　so　muchone　of　the　parties　rolling　in　wealth　and　luxury；　the　other　poor　as　Job's　turkey。〃

〃Ah；　vraiment；　that　is　indeed　delightful；　cela　est　fort　touchant；　that　show　so　much　sensibilite；　to　appreciate　le　merite；　though　suffering　from　poverty。　A　marriage　like　that　must　be　beau　comme　un　reve　d'Amour！〃

｛〃vraiment〃　=　truly；　〃cela　est　fort　touchant〃　=　that　is　very　touching；　〃beau　comme　un　reve　d'Amour〃　=　as　beautiful　as　a　dream　of　Love　（French）｝

〃You　are　quite　romantic　on　the　subject；　but　don't　people　make　such　matches　in　France？〃

〃Ah；　non；　Madame；　le　froid　calcul　dominates　there　at　such　times。　I　honour　the　beautiful　practice　that　is　common　in　votre　jeune　Amerique；　cela　rappelle　le　siecle　d'or。　Can　there　be　a　tableau　more　delicieux　than　a　couple　unis　under　such　circonstances？　The　happy　epoux；　a　young　man　perhaps；　of　forty；　and　la　femme　a　creature　angelique；〃　here　M。　Bonnet　cast　a　glance　at　Miss　Emmeline；　〃une　creature　angelique；　who　knows　that　he　adores　her；　and　who　says　to　him；　'mon　ami　je　t'aime；　je　veux　faire　ton　bonheur；'　and　who　bestows　on　him　her　whole　heart；　and　her　whole　fortune；　while　he；　of　course；　oppressed　with　gratitude；　labours　only　to　increase　that　fortune；　that　he　may　have　it　in　his　power　to　make　the　life　of　his　bien　aimee　beautiful　comme　un　jour　de　fete。〃

｛〃froid　calcul〃　=　cold　calculation；　〃votre　jeune。。。〃　=　your　young　America；　it　reminds　one　of　the　golden　age；　〃tableau　more　delicieux　than　a　couple　unis　under　such　circonstances〃　=　a　prettier　picture　than　a　couple　united　under　such　circumstances；　〃epoux〃　=　husband。　〃la　femme　a　creature　angelique〃　=　the　wife　an　angelic　creature；　〃mon　ami；　je　t'aime；　je　veux　faire　ton　bonheur〃　=　my　friend；　I　love　you；　I　wish　to　make　you　happy；　〃bien　aimee　beautiful　comme　un　jour　de　fete〃　=　beloved　as　beautiful　as　a　day　of　festival　（mixed　French　and　English）｝

〃You　are　eloquent；　Mr。　Bonnet。〃

〃N'est　ce　pas　un　sujet；　Madame；　to　toucher　le　coeur　de　l'homme　in　a　most　delicate　point；　a　man　who　could　be　insensible　to　such　delicacy；　to　such　aimable　tendresse；　would　be　no　better　than　one　of　your　sauvages；　one　of　your　Mohicans！〃

｛〃N'est　ce　pas　un　sujet；　Madame；　to　toucher　le　coeur　de　l'homme。。。〃　=　Is　this　not　a　subject；　Madame；　which　touches　the　heart　of　man。。。；　〃to　such　aimable　tendresse〃　=　to　such　pleasant　affection　（mixed　French　and　English）｝

〃Well；　I　don't　think　so　much　of　it；　because　it　is　very　common　here；　such　matches　happen　every　day。〃

〃And　who　are　the　happy　couple　you　refer　to　at　present？〃

〃'Tis　a　young　gentleman　of　New　York　city；　Mr。　Roberts；　who　is　going　to　marry　a　young　lady；　whose　father　is　a　neighbour　of　pa's。〃

〃And　what　is　the　sum　the　yo