elinor wyllys-2-第4节

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r　chair。〃

｛〃mille　pardons〃　=　excuse　me；　〃aimable〃　=　obliging　enough　（French）｝

〃What　is　it？〃　repeated　the　man；　who　looked　like　an　Englishman；　〃I　don't　understand　you。〃

Monsieur　Bonnet　again　urged　his　request；　in　terms　still　more　civil。　It　would　be　rendering　a　very　great　service　to　the　lady；　he　said。

〃I　am　not　acquainted　with　the　lady；　I　advise　you　to　look　for　an　empty　chair；〃　replied　the　other；　resolutely　turning　his　face　in　an　opposite　direction。

Monsieur　Bonnet　shrugged　his　shoulders；　and　was　moving　towards　Mrs。　Hilson　au　desespoir；　when　a　gentlemanly…looking　man；　who　was　seated；　reading；　not　far　from　the　Englishman；　rose　and　quietly　offered　his　bench　for　the　use　of　the　lady。　Monsieur　Bonnet　was；　of　course；　all　gratitude；　and　returned　enchante　to　Mrs。　Hilson；　who　took　the　matter　very　quietly；　while　M。　Bonnet　seemed　surprised　at　his　own　success。

｛〃au　desespoir〃　=　in　despair；　〃enchante〃　=　delighted　（French）｝

The　gentleman　who　had　given　up　his　seat；　was　obliged　to　continue　standing；　shutting　up　his　book；　he　began　to　look　about　him；　among　the　crowd；　for　acquaintances。　There　was　a　very　gay；　noisy　party；　at　no　great　distance；　which　first　attracted　his　attention；　it　consisted　of　two　pretty　young　women　in　the　centre　of　a　group　of　men。　The　shrill　voice　and　rattling　laugh　of　one　lady；　might　be　very　distinctly　heard　across　the　deck；　the　other　was　leaning　back　listlessly　in　her　chair：　one　of　the　young　men　was　reading　a　paper　with　a　sort　of　family　expression；　as　if　the　ladies　were　his　near　connexions；　and；　on　a　chair；　at　the　side　of　the　silent　lady；　sat　an　old　gentleman；　with　a　very　rusty　coat；　snuffy　nose；　and　a　red　handkerchief　spread　on　one　knee；　while　on　the　other　he　held　a　pretty　little　boy；　about　two　years　old。

〃I　tell　you　I　know　she　was　dead　in　love　with　him！〃　cried　the　rattling　young　lady；　at　the　top　of　her　voice。　Then；　observing　the　gentleman；　who　was　looking　in　that　direction；　she　bowed　with　a　coquettish　graciousness。　The　bow　was　returned；　but　the　gentleman　did　not　seem　very　anxious　to　approach　the　party；　when　the　young　lady；　beckoning　with　her　finger；　obliged　him　to　draw　near。

〃Now；　Mr。　Ellsworth；　you　are　just　the　man　I　wanted。　Three　of　these　gentlemen　are　against　me；　I　have　only　one　on　my　side；　and　I　want　you　to　help　me　to　fight　the　battle。〃

〃Must　I　enlist；　Miss　Taylor；　before　I　know　whether　the　cause　is　good　or　bad？〃

〃Oh；　certainly；　or　else　you　are　not　worth　a　cent。　But　I'll　tell　you　how　the　matter　stands：　you　know　Helen　de　Vaux　and　you　were　at　the　Springs；　last　summer；　when　she　and　Mr。　Van　Alstyne　were　there。　Well；　I　say　she　was　dead　in　love　with　him；　though　she　did　refuse　him。〃

〃Was　she？〃　replied　Mr。　Ellsworth。

〃Why；　I　know　she　was；　it　was　as　plain　as　a　pike…staff　to　everybody　who　saw　them　together。　And　here；　these　good　folks　provoke　me　so；　they　say　if　she　refused　him　she　did　not　care　for　him；　and　here　is　my　ridiculous　brother…in…law；　Mr。　St。　Leger；　says　I　don't　know　anything　about　it；　and　my　sister　Adeline　always　thinks　just　as　her　husband　does。〃

〃That's　quite　right；　my　dear；〃　said　the　rusty　Mr。　Hopkins；　taking　a　pinch　of　snuff。　〃I　hope　you　will　follow　her　example　one　of　these　days。〃

〃What　are　the　precise　symptoms　of　a　young　lady's　being　dead　in　love？〃　asked　the　quiet；　business…looking　Theodore　St。　Leger。

〃Oh；　you　know　well　enough　what　I　mean。　You　may　say　what　you　please　about　Helen　de　Vaux　not　caring　for　him；　I　know　better；〃　continued　the　young　lady；　in　a　voice　that　might　be　heard　on　the　other　side　of　the　boat。

〃As　Miss　de　Vaux's　mother　is　on　board；　suppose　you　refer　the　question　to　her；〃　said　Mr。　Ellsworth；　in　a　dry　manner。

〃Is　she？I　hope　she　didn't　hear　us；〃　continued　the　young　lady；　lowering　her　voice　half　a　tone。　〃But　you　need　not　ask　her；　though；　for　I　don't　believe　her　mother　knows　anything　about　it。〃

〃You　are　going　to　the　Springs；　I　suppose；〃　said　Mr。　Ellsworth；　by　way　of　changing　the　conversation。

〃I　wish　we　were！　No；　Adeline　has　taken　it　into　her　head　to　be　romantic；　for　the　first　time　in　her　life。　She　says　we　must　go　to　the　Falls；　and　it　will　be　a　fortnight　lost　from　Saratoga。〃

〃But；　have　you　no　wish　to　see　Niagara？〃

〃Not　a　bit；　and　I　don't　believe　Adeline　has；　either。　But　it　is　no　wonder　she　doesn't　care　about　the　Springs；　now　she's　married；　she　began　to　go　there　four　years　before　I　did。〃

〃Have　you　never　been　to　Niagara；　Mrs。　St。　Leger？〃　continued　Mr。　Ellsworth；　addressing　the　elder　sister；　who；　from　the　giddy；　belleish　Adeline；　was　now　metamorphosed　into　the　half…sober　young　matronthe　wife　of　an　individual；　who　in　spite　of　the　romantic　appellation　of　Theodore　St。　Leger；　was　a　very　quiet；　industrious　business…man；　the　nephew　and　adopted　son　of　Mr。　Hopkins；　Adeline's　Boston　escort。　She　had　been　sitting　contentedly　beside　the　old　gentleman；　for　the　last　half　hour；　leaving　her　unmarried　sister　to　entertain　the　beaux；　according　to　etiquette。

〃No；　I　have　never　been　to　the　Falls；　and　all　our　party　but　my　sister　Emma；　seemed　to　think　it　would　be　a　pleasant　jaunt。〃

〃Mr。　Hopkins　has　entered　into　an　engagement　to　supply　me　with　at　least　two　beaux　at　a　time；　and　a　regular　change　all　the　way　to　Niagara；　or　else　I　shouldn't　have　come；〃　said　Miss　Emma。

〃We　are　engaged　at　least　by　the　day；　I　hope；〃　interposed　one　of　the　attendant　young　men。

〃No；　indeed；　I　should　be　tired　to　death　of　you；　for　more　than　an　hour　at　a　time。　I　sha'n't　speak　to　YOU　again；　until　we　have　passed　West　Point。〃

〃I　have　had　no　trouble　as　yet；　my　dear；　in　picking　up　recruits；〃　said　Mr。　Hopkins；　whose　attention　seemed　equally　divided　between　his　snuff…box；　and　the　little　Hopkins；　junior；　on　his　kneehis　great…nephew。

〃If　there　are　two；　that's　all　I　care　for；　but　I　hate　to　have　only　one　person　to　talk　to。〃

Mr。　Ellsworth　bit　his　lips；　to　prevent　their　expressing　his　opinion；　that　the　young　lady　must　always　have　a　large　circle　of　listeners。

〃Have　you　seen　Mr。　Wyllys's　party　this　morning？〃　inquired　Adeline。

〃The　Wyllyses！Are　they　on　board？〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Ellsworth；　with　surprise　and　pleasure。　〃I　thought　them　at　Saratoga　by　this　time。〃

〃Oh；　no；　they　are　somewhere　on　the　other　side　of　the　boat；　my　sister…in…law；　Mrs。　Taylor's　little　girl　is　with　them。　By…the…bye；　Emma；　I　am　going　into　the　cabin　to　look　after　Jane；　will　you　go　with　me？〃

〃No；　indeed；　I　hale　the　cabin　of　a　steamboat！〃

Adeline　was　quite　satisfied　to　leave　her　sister　with　the　prospect　of　a　good　supply　of　young　men　to　flirt　with；　though　matrimony　had　changed　her　in　some　respects；　she　still　considered　it　a　duty　to　encourage　to　the　utmost；　all　love…affairs；　and　flirtations　going　on　in　her　neighbourhood。　Mr。　Hopkins　resigned　the　little　boy　to　his　mother's　care；　Mr。　St。　Leger　helped　his　wife　through　the　crowd；　and；　under　cover　of　the　movement　made　to　allow　Adeline　to　pass；　Mr。　Ellsworth　made　his　escape。　His　eye　had　been　already　directed　towards　the　opposite　side　of　the　boat；　where　he　had　discovered　the　venerable；　benevolent　face　of　Mr。　Wyllys；　with　three　ladies　near　him。　Mr。　Ellsworth　immediately　recognised　Miss　Agnes；　Elinor；　and　Mary　Van　Alstyne。　It　was　several　minutes　before　he　could　edge　his　way　through　the　crowd；　to　join　them；　but　when　he　reached　the　spot；　he　was　received　very　cordially　by　Mr。　Wyllys　and　Miss　Agnes；　in　a　friendly　manner　by　Mary　Van　Alstyne；　and　possibly　there　was　something　of　consciousness　betrayed　by　Elinor。

〃I　thought　you　already　at　Saratoga！〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Ellsworth。

〃We　were　detained　several　days；　waiting　for　Mrs。　Taylor；〃　replied　Elinor；　to　whom　the　remark　was　made。

〃We　shall　not　be　at　Saratoga　until　Monday；〃　added　Mr。　Wyllys；　〃we　are　going　to　pass　a　day　or　two　with　our　friends；　the　V…s；　at　Poughkeepsie。〃

〃I　am　very　sorry　to　hear　it；〃　continued　Mr。　Ellsworth；　〃I　have　promised　to　carry　Mrs。　Creighton　to　Nahant；　about　that　time；　and　shall　have　my　usual　bad　luck　in　missing　you。〃

｛〃Nahant〃　=　sea…side　resort　in　Massachusetts；　then　very　popular；　just　north　of　Boston｝

〃We　must　persuade　Mrs。　Creighton　not　to　run　away；〃　said　Mr。　Wyllys。

As　Elinor　stooped　at　that　moment；　to　untie　the　hat　of　the　pretty　little　creature　at　her　side；　it　was　impossible　to　say　whether　this　intelligence　were　displeasing　to　her　or　not。

〃That　is　Mrs。　Taylor's　child；　is　it　not？〃　observed　Mr。　Ellsworth；　looking　at　the　little　girl。　〃She　is　very　like　Mrs。　St。　Leger。〃

〃Do　you　really　think　so？we　fancy　her　like　her　mother；〃　said　Elinor。

〃How　is　Tallman　Taylor　now？he　was　not　well　when　they　passed　through　Philadelphia。〃

〃He　looks　badly　still；〃　said　Miss　Agnes。　〃He　is　very　imprudent；　and　distresses　Jane　very　much　by　his　carelessness。〃

〃Gentlemen　never　seem　to　do　what　is　right　when　invalids；〃　observed　Mary　Van　Alstyne；　smiling。　〃They　are　either　very　reckless；　and　indifferent　to　their　health；　or　else　over…careful。〃

〃What　do　you　say；　Mr。　Ellsworth；　is　that　account　true？〃　asked　Miss　Wyllys。

〃I　dare　say　it　isI　have　no　doubt　we　are　very　troublesome　to　our　nurses。　But；　fortunately；　women　are　endowed　with　a　double　stock　of　patience；　to　make　up　for　our　deficiencies。　Is　Mr。　Taylor　on　board？I　have　not　seen　him。〃

〃No；　he　remained　in　town　to　attend　to　some　business；〃　replied　Miss　Wyllys。　〃We　have　charge　of　Mrs。　Taylor；　however；　who　was　very　anxious　to　get　into　the　country；　on　account　of　her　youngest　chi