lady baltimore-第10节

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He　took　me　up　with　animation。　〃The　new　people！　My　goodness；　sir；　yes！　Have　you　seen　them？　Have　you　seen　Newport；　for　instance？〃　His　diction　now　（and　I　was　to　learn　it　was　always　in　him　a　sign　of　heightening　intensity）　grew　more　and　more　like　the　formal　speech　of　his　ancestors。　〃You　have　seen　Newport？〃　he　said。

〃Yes；　now　and　then。〃

〃But　lately；　sir？　I　knew　we　were　behind　the　times　down　here；　sir；　but　I　had　not　imagined　how　much。　Not　by　any　means！　Kings　Port　has　a　long　road　to　go　before　she　will　consider　marriage　provincial　and　chastity　obsolete。〃

〃Dear　me；　Mr。　Mayrant！　Well；　I　must　tell　you　that　it's　not　all　quite　so　so　advancedas　that；　you　know。　That's　not　the　whole　of　Newport。〃

He　hastened　to　explain。　〃Certainly　not；　sir！　I　would　not　insult　the　honorable　families　whom　I　had　the　pleasure　to　meet　there；　and　to　whom　my　name　was　known　because　they　had　retained　their　good　position　since　the　days　when　my　great…uncle　had　a　house　and　drove　four　horses　there　himself。　I　noticed　three　kinds　of　Newport；　sir。〃

〃Three？〃

〃Yes。　Because　I　took　letters；　and　some　of　the　letters　were　to　people　whowho　once　had　been；　you　know；　it　was　sad　to　see　the　thing；　sir；　so　plain　against　the　glaring　proximity　of　the　other　thing。　And　so　you　can　divide　Newport　into　those　who　leave　to　sell　their　old　family　pictures；　those　who　have　to　buy　their　old　family　pictures；　and　the　lucky　few　who　need　neither　buy　nor　sell；　who　are　neither　goin'　down　nor　bobbing　up；　but　who　have　kept　their　heads　above　the　American　tidal　wave　from　the　beginning　and　continue　to　do　so。　And　I　don't　believe　that　there　are　any　nicer　people　in　the　world　than　those。〃

〃Nowhere！〃　I　exclaimed。　〃When　Near　York　does　her　best；　what's　better？If　only　those　best　set　the　pace！〃

〃If　only！〃　he　assented。　〃But　it's　the　others　who　get　into　the　papers；　who　dine　the　drunken　dukes；　and　make　poor　chambermaids　envious　a　thousand　miles　inland！〃

〃There　should　be　a　high　tariff　on　drunken　dukes；〃　I　said。

〃You'll　never　get　it！〃　he　declared。　〃It's　the　Republican　party　whose　daughters　marry　them。〃

I　rocked　with　enjoyment　where　I　sat；　he　was　so　refreshing。　And　I　agreed　with　him　so　well。　〃You're　every　bit　as　good　as　Miss　Beaufain；〃　I　cried。

〃Oh；　no；　oh；　no！　But　I　often　think　if　we　could　only　deport　the　negroes　and　Newport　together　to　one　of　our　distant　islands；　how　happily　our　two　chief　problems　would　be　solved！〃

I　still　rocked。　〃Newport　would；　indeed；　enjoy　your　plan　for　it。　Do　go　on！〃　I　entreated　him　But　he　had；　for　the　moment；　ceased；　and　I　rose　to　stretch　my　legs　and　saunter　among　the　old　headstones　and　the　wafted　fragrance。

His　aunt　（or　his　cousin；　or　whichever　of　them　it　had　been）　was　certainly　right　as　to　his　inheriting　a　pleasant　and　pointed　gift　of　speech；　and　a　responsive　audience　helps　us　all。　Such　an　audience　I　certainly　was　for　young　John　Mayrant；　yet　beneath　the　animation　that　our　talk　had　filled　his　eyes　with　lay　（I　seemed　to　see　or　feel）　that　other　mood　all　the　time；　the　mood　which　had　caused　the　girl　behind　the　counter　to　say　to　me　that　he　was　〃anxious　about　something。〃　The　unhappy　youth；　I　was　gradually　to　learn；　was　much　more　than　thathe　was　in　a　tangle　of　anxieties。　He　talked　to　me　as　a　sick　man　turns　in　bed　from　pain；　the　pain　goes　on；　but　the　pillow　for　a　while　is　cool。

Here　there　broke　upon　us　a　little　interruption；　so　diverting；　so　utterly　like　the　whole　quaint　tininess　of　Kings　Port；　that　I　should　tell　it　to　you；　even　if　it　did　not　bear　directly　upon　the　matter　which　was　beginning　so　actively　to　concern　methe　love　difficulties　of　John　Mayrant。

It　was　the　letter…carrier。

We　had　come；　from　our　secluded　seats；　round　a　corner；　and　so　by　the　vestry　door　and　down　the　walk　beside　the　church；　and　as　I　read　to　myself　the　initials　upon　the　stones　wherewith　the　walk　was　paved；　I　drew　near　the　half…open　gateway　upon　Worship　Street。　The　postman　was　descending　the　steps　of　the　post…office　opposite。　He　saw　me　through　the　gate　and　paused。　He　knew　me；　too！　My　face；　easily　marked　out　amid　the　resident　faces　he　was　familiar　with；　had　at　once　caught　his　attention；　very　likely　he；　too；　had　by　now　learned　that　I　was　interested　in　the　battle　of　Cowpens；　but　I　did　not　ask　him　this。　He　crossed　over　and　handed　me　a　letter。

〃No　use；〃　he　said　most　politely；　〃takin'　it　away　down　to　Mistress　Trevise's　when　you're　right　here；　sir。　Northern　mail　eight　hours　late　to…day；〃　he　added；　and　bowing；　was　gone　upon　his　route。

My　home　letter；　from　a　man；　an　intimate　running　mate　of　mine；　soon　had　my　full　attention；　for　on　the　second　page　it　said：

〃I　have　just　got　back　from　accompanying　her　to　Baltimore。　One　of　us　went　as　far　as　Washington　with　her　on　the　train。　We　gave　her　a　dinner　yesterday　at　the　March　Hare　by　way　of　farewell。　She　tried　our　new　toboggan　fire…escape　on　a　bet。　Clean　from　the　attic；　my　boy。　I　imagine　our　native　girls　will　rejoice　at　her　departure。　However；　nobody's　engaged

to　her；　at　least　nobody　here。　How　many　may　fancy　themselves　so　elsewhere　I　can't　say。　Her　name　is　Hortense　Rieppe。〃

I　suppose　I　must　have　been　silent　after　finishing　this　letter。

〃No　bad　news；　I　trust？〃　John　Mayrant　inquired。

I　told　him　no；　and　presently　we　had　resumed　our　seats　in　the　quiet　charm　of　the　flowers。

I　now　spoke　with　an　intention。　〃What　a　lot　you　seem　to　have　seen　and　suffered　of　the　advanced　Newport！〃

The　intention　wrought　its　due　and　immediate　effect。　〃Yes。　There　was　no　choice。　I　had　gone　to　Newport　uponupon　an　urgent　matter；　which　took　me　among　those　people。〃

He　dwelt　upon　the　pictures　that　came　up　in　his　mind。　But　he　took　me　away　again　from　the　〃urgent　matter。〃

〃I　saw；〃　he　resumed　more　briskly；　〃fifteen　or　twentymost　amazing；　sir！young　men；　some　of　them　not　any　older　than　I　am；　who　had　so　many　millions　that　they　could　easily〃　he　paused；　casting　about　for　some　expression　adequate〃could　buy　Kings　Port　and　put　it　under　a　glass　case　in　a　museummy　aunts　and　alland　never　know　it！〃　He　livened　with　disrespectful　mirth　over　his　own　picture　of　his　aunts；　purchased　by　millionaire　steel　or　coal　for　the　purposes　of　public　edification。

〃And　a　very　good　thing　if　they　could　be；〃　I　declared。

He　wondered　a　moment。　〃My　aunts？　Under　a　glass　case？〃

〃Yes；　indeedand　with　all　deference　be　it　said！　They'd　be　more　invaluable；　more　instructive；　than　the　classics　of　a　thousand　libraries。〃

He　was　prepared　not　to　be　pleased。　〃May　I　ask　to　whom　and　for　what？〃

〃Why；　you　ought　to　see！　You've　just　been　saying　it　yourself。　They　would　teach　our　bulging　automobilists；　our　unlicked　boy　cubs；　our　alcoholic　girls　who　shout　to　waiters　for　'high…balls'　on　country　club　porchesthey　would　teach　these　wallowing　creatures；　whose　money　has　merely　gilded　their　bristles；　what　American　refinement　once　was。　The　manners　we've　lost；　the　decencies　we've　banished；　the　standards　we've　lowered；　their　light　is　still　flickering　in　this　passing　generation　of　yours。　It's　the　last　torch。　That's　why　I　wish　it　could；　somehow；　pass　on　the　sacred　fire。〃

He　shook　his　head。　〃They　don't　want　the　sacred　fire。　They　want　the　high…ballsand　they　have　money　enough　to　be　drunk　straight　through　the　next　world！〃　He　was　thoughtful。　〃They　are　the　classics；〃　he　added。

I　didn't　see　that　he　had　gone　back　to　my　word。　〃Roman　Empire；　you　mean？〃

〃No；　the　others；　the　old　people　we're　bidding　good…by　to。　Roman　Republic！　Simple　lives；　gallant　deeds；　and　one　great　uniting　inspiration。　Liberty　winning　her　spurs。　They　were　moulded　under　that；　and　they　are　our　true　American　classics。　Nothing　like　them　will　happen　again。〃

〃Perhaps；〃　I　suggested；　〃our　generation　is　uneasily　living　in　a　'bad　quarter…of…an…hour'good　old　childhood　gone；　good　new　manhood　not　yet　come；　and　a　state　of　chicken…pox　between　whiles。〃　And　on　this　I　made　to　him　a　much…used　and　consoling　quotation　about　the　old　order　changing。

〃Who　says　that？〃　he　inquired；　and　upon　my　telling　him；　〃I　hope　so；〃　he　said；　〃I　hope　so。　But　just　now　Uncle　Sam　'aspires　to　descend。'〃

I　laughed　at　his　counter…quotation。　〃You　know　your　classics；　if　you　don't　know　Tennyson。〃

He；　too；　laughed。　〃Don't　tell　Aunt　Eliza！〃

〃Tell　her　what？〃

〃That　I　didn't　recognize　Tennyson。　My　Aunt　Eliza　educated　meand　she　thinks　Tennyson　about　the　only　poet　worth　reading　sincewell；　since　Byron　and　Sir　Walter　at　the　very　latest！

Neither　she　nor　Sir　Walter　come　down　to　modern　poetryor　to　alcoholic　girls。〃　His　tone；　on　these　last　words；　changed。

Again；　as　when　he　had　said　〃an　urgent　matter；〃　I　seemed　to　feel　hovering　above　us　what　must　be　his　ceaseless　preoccupation；　and　I　wondered　if　he　had　found；　upon　visiting　Newport；　Miss　Hortense　sitting　and　calling　for　〃high…balls。〃

I　gave　him　a　lead。　〃The　worst　of　it　is　that　a　girl　who　would　like　to　behave　herself　decently　finds　that　propriety　puts　her　out　of　the　running。　The　men　flock　off　to　the　other　kind。〃

He　was　following　me　with　watching　eyes。

〃And　you　know；〃　I　continued；　〃what　an　anxious　Newport　parent　does　on　finding　her　girl　on　the　brink　of　being　a　failure。〃

〃I　can　imagine；〃　he　answered；　〃that　she　scolds　her　like　the　dickens。〃

〃Oh；　nothing　so　ineffectual！　She　makes　her　keep　up　with　the　others；　you　know。　Makes　her　do　things　she'd　rather　not　do。〃

〃High…balls；　you　mean？〃

〃Anything；　my　friend；　anything　to　keep　up。〃

He　had　a　comic