lady baltimore-第17节

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〃I　wish　we　had　not　got　into　that　second　volume　of　yours。〃

〃That's　not　progressive。〃

〃I　hate　progress。〃

〃What's　the　use？　Better　grow　old　gracefully！

　　　　　　　　　　〃'Qui　no　pas　I'esprif　de　son　age　　　　　　　　　　　De　son　age　a　tout　le　malheur。'〃

〃Well；　I'm　personally　not　growing　old；　just　yet。〃

〃Neither　is　the　United　States。〃

〃Well；　I　don't　know。　It's　too　easy　for　sick　or　worthless　people　to　survive　nowadays。　They　are　clotting　up　our　square　miles　very　fast。　Philanthropists　don't　seem　to　remember　that　you　can　beget　children　a　great　deal　faster　than　you　can　educate　them；　and　at　this　rate　I　believe　universal　suffrage　will　kill　us　off　before　our　time。〃

〃Do　not　believe　it！　We　are　going　to　find　out　that　universal　suffrage　is　like　the　appendixuseful　at　an　early　stage　of　the　race's　evolution　but　to…day　merely　a　threat　to　life。〃

He　thought　this　over。　〃But　a　surgical　operation　is　pretty　serious；　you　know。〃

〃It'll　be　done　by　absorption。　Why；　you've　begun　it　yourselves；　and　so　has　Massachusetts。　The　appendix　will　be　removed；　black　and　whiteand　I　shouldn't　much　fear　surgery。　We're　not　nearly　civilized　enough　yet　to　have　lost　the　power　Of　recuperation；　and　in　spite　of　our　express…train　speed；　I　doubt　if　we　shall　travel　from　crudity　to　rottenness　without　a　pause　at　maturity。〃

〃That　is　the　old；　old　story；〃　he　said。

〃Yes；　is　there　anything　new　under　the　sun？〃

He　was　gloomy。　〃Nothing；　I　suppose。〃　Then　the　gloom　lightened。　〃Nothing　new　under　the　sunexcept　the　fashionable　families　of　Newport！〃

This　again　brought　us　from　the　clouds　of　speculation　down　to　Worship　Street；　where　we　were　walking　toward　South　Place。　It　also　unexpectedly　furnished　me　with　the　means　to　lead　back　our　talk　so　gently；　without　a　jolt　or　a　jerk；　to　my　moral　and　the　delicate　topic　of　matrimony　from　which　he　had　dodged　away；　that　he　never　awoke　to　what　was　coming　until　it　had　come。　He　began　pointing　out；　as　we　passed　them；　certain　houses　which　were　now；　or　had　at　some　period　been；　the　dwellings　of　his　many　relatives：　〃My　cousin　Julia　So…and…so　lives　there；〃　he　would　say；　or；　〃My　great…uncle；　known　as　Regent　Tom；　owned　that　before　the　War〃；　and　once；　〃The　Rev。　Joseph　Priedieu；　my　great…grandfather；　built　that　house　to　marry　his　fifth　wife　in；　but　the　grave　claimed　him　first。〃

So　I　asked　him　a　riddle。　〃What　is　the　difference　between　Kings　Port　and　Newport？〃

This　he；　of　course；　gave　up。

〃Here　you　are　all　connected　by　marriage；　and　there　they　are　all　connected　by　divorce。〃

〃That's　true！〃　he　cried。　〃that's　very　true。　I　met　the　most　embarrassingly　cater…cornered　families。〃

〃Oh；　they　weren't　embarrassed！〃　I　interjected。

〃No；　but　I　was；〃　said　John。

〃And　you　told　me　you　weren't　innocent！〃　I　exclaimed。　〃They　are　going　to　institute　a　divorce　march；〃　I　continued。　〃'Lohengrin'　or　'Midsummer…　Night's　Dream'　played　backward。　They　have　not　settled　which　it　is　to　be　taught　in　the　nursery　with　the　other　kindergarten　melodies。〃

He　was　still　unsuspectingly　diverted；　and　we　walked　along　until　we　turned　in　the　direction　of　my　boarding…house。

〃Did　you　ever　notice；〃　I　now　said；　〃what　a　perpetual　allegory　'Midsummer…Night's　Dream'　contains？〃

〃I　thought　it　was　just　a　fairy　sort　of　thing。〃

〃Yes；　but　when　a　great　poet　sets　his　hand　to　a　fairy　sort　of　thing；　you　getwell；　you　get　poor　Titania。〃

〃She　fell　in　love　with　a　jackass；〃　he　remarked。　〃Puck　bewitched　her。〃

〃Precisely。　A　lovely　woman　with　her　arms　around　a　jackass。　Does　that　never　happen　in　Kings　Port？〃

He　began　smiling　to　himself。　〃I'm　afraid　Puck　isn't　all　dead　yet。〃

I　was　now　in　a　position　to　begin　dropping　my　bitters。　〃Shakespeare　was　probably　too　gallant　to　put　it　the　other　way；　and　make　Oberon　fall　in　love　with　a　female　jackass。　But　what　an　allegory！〃

〃Yes；〃　he　muttered。　〃Yes。〃

I　followed　with　another　drop。　〃Titania　got　out　of　it。　It　is　not　always　solved　so　easily。〃

〃No；〃　he　muttered。　〃No。〃　It　was　quite　evident　that　the　flavor　of　my　bitters　reached　him。

He　was　walking　slowly；　with　his　head　down；　and　frowning　hard。　We　had　now　come　to　the　steps　of　my　boarding…house；　and　I　dropped　my　last　drop。　〃But　a　disenchanted　woman　has　the　best　of　itbefore　marriage；　at　least。〃

He　looked　up　quickly。　〃How？〃

I　evinced　surprise。　〃Why；　she　can　always　break　off　honorably；　and　we　never　can；　I　suppose。〃

For　the　third　time　this　day　he　made　me　an　astonishing　rejoinder：　〃Would　you　like　to　take　orders　from　a　negro？〃

It　reduced　me　to　stammering。　〃I　have　neversuch　a　juncture　has　never〃

〃Of　course　you　wouldn't。　Even　a　Northerner！〃

His　face；　as　he　said　this；　was　a　single　glittering　piece　of　fierceness。　I　was　still　so　much　taken　aback　that　I　said　rather　flatly：　〃But　who　has　to？〃

〃I　have　to。〃　With　this　he　abruptly　turned　on　his　heel　and　left　me　standing　on　the　steps。　For　a　moment　I　stared　after　him；　and　then；　as　I　rang　the　bell；　he　was　back　again；　and　with　that　formality　which　at　times　overtook　him　he　began：　〃I　will　ask　you　to　excuse　my　hasty〃

〃Oh；　John　Mayrant！　What　a　notion！〃

But　he　was　by　no　means　to　be　put　off；　and　he　proceeded　with　stiffer　formality：　〃I　feel　that　I　have　not　acted　politely　just　now；　and　I　beg　to　assure　you　that　I　intended　no　slight。〃

My　first　impulse　was　to　lay　a　hand　upon　his　shoulder　and　say　to　him：　〃My　dear　fellow；　stuff　and　nonsense！〃　Thus　I　should　have　treated　any　Northern　friend；　but　here　was　no　Northerner。　I　am　glad　that　I　had　the　sense　to　feel　that　any　careless；　good…natured　putting　away　of　his　deliberate　and　definitely　tendered　apology　would　seem　to　him　a　〃slight〃　on　my　part。　His　punctilious　value　for　certain　observances　between　man　and　man　reached　me　suddenly　and　deeply；　and　took　me　far　from　the　familiarity　which　breeds　contempt。

〃Why；　John　Mayrant；〃　I　said；　〃you　could　never　offend　me　unless　I　thought　that　you　wished　to；　and　how　should　I　possibly　think　that？〃

〃Thank　you；〃　he　replied　very　simply。

I　rang　the　bell　a　second　time。　〃If　we　can　get　into　the　house；〃　I　suggested；　〃won't　you　stop　and　dine　with　me？〃

He　was　going　to　accept。　〃I　shall　be〃　he　had　begun；　in　tones　of　gratification；　when　in　one　instant　his　face　was　stricken　with　complete　dismay。　〃I　had　forgotten；〃　he　said；　and　this　time　he　was　gone　indeed；　and　in　a　hurry　most　apparent。　It　resembled　a　flight。

What　was　the　matter　now？　You　will　naturally　think　that　it　was　an　appointment　with　his　ladylove　which　he　had　forgotten；　this　was　certainly　my　supposition　as　I　turned　again　to　the　front　door。　There　stood　one　of　the　waitresses；　glaring　with　her　white　eyes　half　out　of　her　black　face　at　the　already　distant　back　of　John　Mayrant。

〃Oh！〃　I　thought；　but；　before　I　could　think　any　more；　the　tall；　dreadful　boarderthe　lady　whom　I　secretly　called　Junoswept　up　the　steps；　and　by　me　into　the　house；　with　a　dignity　that　one　might　term　deafening。

The　waitress　now　muttered；　or　rather　sang；　a　series　of　pious　apostrophes。　〃Oh；　Lawd；　de　rampages　and　de　ructions！　Oh；　Lawd；　sinner　is　in　my　way；　Daniel！〃　She　was　strongly；　but　I　think　pleasurably；　excited；　and　she　next　turned　to　me　with　a　most　natural　grin；　and　saying；　〃Chick'n's　mos'　gone；　sah；〃　she　went　back　to　the　dining　room。

This　admonition　sent　me　upstairs　to　make　as　hasty　a　toilet　as　I　could。



IX：　Juno

Each　recent　remarkable　occurrence　had　obliterated　its　predecessor；　and　it　was　with　difficulty　that　I　made　a　straight　parting　in　my　hair。　Had　it　been　Miss　Rieppe　that　John　so　suddenly　ran　away　to？　It　seemed　now　more　as　if　the　boy　had　been　running　away　from　somebody。　The　waitress　had　stared　at　him　with　extraordinary　interest；　she　had　seen　his　bruise；　perhaps　she　knew　how　he　had　got　it。　Her　excitementhad　he　smashed　up　his　official

superior　at　the　custom　house？　That　would　be　an　impossible　thing；　I　told　myself　instantly；　as　well　might　a　nobleman　cross　swords　with　a　peasant。　Perhaps　the　stare　of　the　waitress　had　reminded　him　of　his　bruise；　and　he　might　have　felt　disinclined　to　show　himself　with　it　in　a　company　of　gossiping　strangers。　Still；　that　would　scarcely　account　for　it…　the　dismay　with　which　he　had　so　suddenly　left　me。　Was　Juno　the　causeshe　had　come　up　behind　me；　he　must　have　seen　her　and　her　portentous　manner　approachinghad　the　boy　fled　from　her？

And　then；　his　fierce　outbreak　about　taking　orders　from　a　negro　when　I　was　moralizing　over　the　misfortune　of　marrying　a　jackass！　I　got　a　sort　of　parting　in　my　hair；　and　went　down　to　the　dining　room。

Juno　was　there　before　me；　with　her　bonnet；　or　rather　her　headdress；　still　on；　and　I　heard　her　making　apologies　to　Mrs。　Trevise　for　being　so　late。　Mrs。　Trevise；　of　course；　sat　at　the　head　of　her　table；　and　Juno　sat　at　her　right　hand。　I　was　very　glad　not　to　have　a　seat　near　Juno；　because　this　lady　was；　as　I　have　already　hinted；　an　intolerable　person　to　me。　Either　her　Southern　social　position　or　her　rent　（she　took　the　whole　second　floor；　except　Mrs。　Trevise's　own　rooms）　was　of　importance　to　Mrs。　Trevise；　but　I　assure　you　that　her　ways　kept　our　landlady's　cold；　impervious　tact　watchful　from　the　beginning　to　the　end　of　almost　every　meal。　Juno　was　one　of　those　persons　who　possess　so　many　and　such　strong　feelings　themselves　that　they　think　they　have　all　the　feelings　there　are；　at　least；　they　certainly　consider　no　one's　feelings　but　their　own。　She　possessed　an　inexhaustible　store　of　anecdote；　b