lady baltimore-第18节

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y　consider　no　one's　feelings　but　their　own。　She　possessed　an　inexhaustible　store　of　anecdote；　but　it　was　exclusively　about　our　Civil　War；　you　would　have　supposed　that　nothing　else　had　ever　happened　in　the　world。　When　conversation　among　the　rest　of　us　became　general；　she　preserved　a　cold　and　acrid　inattention；　when　the　fancy　took　her　to　open　her　own　mouth；　it　was　always　to　begin　some　reminiscence；　and　the　reminiscence　always　began：　〃In　September；　1862；　when　the　Northern　vandals；〃　etc。；　etc。；　or〃　When　the　Northern　vandals　were　repulsed　by　my　husband's　cousin；　General　Braxton　Bragg；〃　etc。；　etc。　Now　it　was　not　that　I　was　personally　wounded　by　the　term；　because　at　the　time　of　the　vandals　I　was　not　even　born；　and　also　because　I　know　that　vandals　cannot　be　kept　out　of　any　army。　Deeply　as　I　believed　the　March　to　the　Sea　to　have　been　imperative；　of　〃Sherman's　bummers〃　and　their　excesses　I　had　a　fair　historic　knowledge　and　a　very　poor　opinion；　and　this　I　should　have　been　glad　to　tell　Juno；　had　she　ever　given　me　the　chance；　but　her　immodest　sympathy　for　herself　froze　all　sympathy　for　her。　Why　could　she　not　preserve　a　well…bred　silence　upon　her　sufferings；　as　did　the　other　old　ladies　I　had　met　in　Kings　Port？　Why　did　she　drag　them　in；　thrust　them；　poke　them；　shove　them　at　you？　Thus　it　was　that　for　her　insulting　disregard　of　those　whom　her　words　might　wound　I　detested　Juno；　and　as　she　was　a　woman；　and　nearly　old　enough　to　be　my　grandmother；　it　was；　of　course；　out　of　the　question　that　I　should　retaliate。　When　she　got　very　bad　indeed；　it　was　calm　Mrs。　Trevise's　last；　but　effective；　resort　to　tinkle　a　little　handbell　and　scold　one　of　the　waitresses　whom　its　sound　would　then　summon　from　the　kitchen。　This　bell　was　tinkled　not　always　by　any　means　for　my　sake；　other　travellers　from　the　North　there　were　who　came　and　went；　pausing　at　Kings　Port　between　Florida　and　their　habitual　abodes。

At　present　our　company　consisted　of　Juno；　a　middle…class　Englishman　employed　in　some　business　capacity　in　town；　a　pair　of　very　young　honeymooners　from　the　〃up…country〃；　a　Louisiana　poetess；　who　wore　the　long；　cylindrical　ringlets　of　1830；　and　who　was　attending　a　convention　the　Daughters　of　Dixie；　two　or　three　males　and　females；　best　described　as　et　ceteras；　and　myself。　〃I　shall　only　take　a　mouthful　for　the　sake　of　nourishment；〃　Juno　was　announcing；　〃and　then　I　shall　return　to　his　bedside。〃

〃Is　he　very　suffering？〃　inquired　the　poetess；　in　melodious　accent。

〃It　was　an　infamous　onslaught；〃　Juno　replied。

The　poetess　threw　up　her　eyes　and　crooned；　〃Noble；　doughty　champion！〃

〃You　may　say　so　indeed；　madam；〃　said　Juno。

〃Raw　beefsteak's　jolly　good　for　your　eye；〃　observed　the　Briton。

This　suggestion　did　not　appear　to　be　heard　by　Juno。

〃I　had　a　row　with　a　chap；〃　the　Briton　continued。　He's　my　best　friend　now。　He　made　me　put　raw　beefsteak〃

〃I　thank　you；〃　interrupted　Juno。　〃He　requires　no　beefsteak；　raw　or　cooked。〃

The　face　of　the　Briton　reddened。　〃Too　groggy　to　eat；　is　he？〃

Mrs。　Trevise　tinkled　her　bell。　〃Daphne！　I　have　said　to　you　twice　to　hand　those　yams。〃

〃I　done　handed　'em　twice；　ma'am。〃

〃Hand　them　right　away；　Daphne；　and　don't　be　so　forgetful。〃　It　was　not　easy　to　disturb　the　composure　of　Mrs。　Trevise。

The　poetess　now　took　up　the　broken　thread。　〃Had　I　a　son；〃　she　declared；　〃I　would　sooner　witness　him　starve　than　hear　him　take　orders　from　a　menial　race。〃

〃But　mightn't　starving　be　harder　for　him　to　experience　than　for　you　to　witness；　y'　know？〃　asked　the　Briton。

At　this　one　of　the　et　ceteras　made　a　sort　of　snuffing　noise；　and　ate　his　dinner　hard。

It　was　the　male　honeymooner　who　next　spoke。　〃Must　have　been　quite　a　tussle；　ma'am。〃

〃It　was　an　infamous　onslaught！〃　repeated　Juno。　〃Wish　I'd　seen　it！〃　sighed　the　honeymooner。

His　bride　smiled　at　him　beamingly。　〃You'd　have　felt　right　lonesome　to　be　out　of　it；　David。〃

〃No　apology　has　yet　been　offered；〃　continued　Juno。

〃But　must　your　nephew　apologize　besides　taking　a　licking？〃　inquired　the　Briton。

Juno　turned　an　awful　face　upon　hint。　〃It　is　from　his　brutal　assailant　that　apologies　are　due。　Mr。　Mayrant's　family〃　（she　paused　here　for　blighting　emphasis）　〃are　well…bred　people；　and　he　will　be　coerced　into　behaving　like　a　gentleman　for　once。〃

I　checked　an　impulse　here　to　speak　out　and　express　my　doubts　as　to　the　family　coercion　being　founded　upon　any　dissatisfaction　with　John's　conduct。

〃I　wonder　if　reading　or　recitation　might　not　soothe　your　nephew？〃　said　the　poetess；　now。

〃I　should　doubt　it；〃　answered　Juno。　〃I　have　just　come　from　his　bedside。〃

〃I　should　so　like　to　soothe　him；　if　I　could；〃　the　poetess　murmured。　〃If　he　were　well　enough　to　hear　my　convention　ode〃

〃He　is　not　nearly　well　enough；〃　said　Juno。

The　et　cetera　here　coughed　and　blew　his　nose　so　remarkably　that　we　all　started。

A　short　silence　followed；　which　Juno　relieved。

〃I　will　give　the　young　ruffian's　family　the　credit　they　deserve；〃　she　stated。　〃The　whole　connection　despises　his　keeping　the　position。〃

〃Another　et　cetera　now　came　into　it。　〃Is　it　known　what　exactly　precipitated　the　occurrence？〃

Juno　turned　to　him。　〃My　nephew　is　a　gentleman　from　whose　lips　no　unworthy　word　could　ever　fall。'

〃Oh！〃　said　the　et　cetera；　mildly。　〃He　said　something；　then？〃

〃He　conveyed　a　well…merited　rebuke　in　fitting　terms。〃

〃What　were　the　terms？〃　inquired　the　Briton。

Juno　again　did　not　hear　him。　〃It　was　after　a　friendly　game　of　cards。　My　nephew　protested　against　any　gentleman　remaining　at　the　custom　house　since　the　recent　insulting　appointment。〃

I　was　now　almost　the　only　member　of　the　party　who　had　preserved　strict　silence　throughout　this　very　interesting　conversation；　because；　having　no　wish　to　converse　with　Juno　at　any　time；　I　especially　did　not　desire　it　now；　just　after　her　seeing　me　（I　thought　she　must　have　seen　me）　in　amicable　conference　with　the　object　of　her　formidable　displeasure。

〃Every　Mayrant　is　ferocious　that　I　ever　heard　of；〃　she　continued。　〃You　cannot　trust　that　seemingly　delicate　and　human　exterior。　His　father　had　it；　toodeceiving　exterior　and　raging　interior；　though　I　will　say　for　that　one　that　he　would　never　have　stooped　to　humiliate　the　family　name　as　his　son　is　doing。　His　regiment　was　near　by　when　the　Northern　vandals　burned　our　courthouse；　and　he　made　them　run；　I　can　tell　you！　It's　a　mercy　for　that　poor　girl　that　the　scales　have　dropped　from　her　eyes　and　she　has　broken　her　engagement　with　him。〃

〃With　the　father？〃　asked　a　third　et　cetera。

Juno　stared　at　the　intruder。

Mrs。　Trevise　drawled　a　calm　contribution。　〃The　father　died　before　this　boy　was　born。〃

〃Oh；　I　see！〃　murmured　the　et　cetera；　gratefully。

Juno　proceeded。　〃No　woman's　life　would　be　safe　with　him。〃

〃But　mightn't　he　be　safer　for　a　person's　niece　than　for　their　nephew？〃　said　the　Briton。

Mrs。　Trevise's　hand　moved　toward　the　bell。

But　Juno　answered　the　question　mournfully：　〃With　such　hereditary　bloodthirstiness；　who　can　tell？〃　And　so　Mrs。　Trevise　moved　her　hand　away　again。

〃Excuse　me；　but　do　you　know　if　the　other　gentleman　is　laid　up；　too？〃　inquired　the　male　honeymooner；　hopefully。

〃I　am　happy　to　understand　that　he　is；〃　replied　Juno。

In　sheer　amazement　I　burst　out；　〃Oh！〃　and　abruptly　stopped。

But　it　was　too　late。　I　had　instantly　become　the　centre　of　interest。　The　et　ceteras　and　honeymooners　craned　their　necks；　the　Briton　leaned　toward　me　from　opposite；　the　poetess；　who　had　worn　an　absent　expression　since　being　told　that　the　injured　champion　was　not　nearly　well　enough　to　listen　to　her　ode；　now　put　on　her　glasses　and　gazed　at　me　kindly；　while　Juno　reared　her　headdress　and　spoke；　not　to　me；　but　to　the　air　in　my　general　neighborhood。

〃Has　any　one　later　intelligence　than　what　I　bring　from　my　nephew's　bedside？〃

So　she　hadn't　perceived　who　my　companion　at　the　step　had　been！　Well；　she　should　be　enlightened；　they　all　should　be　enlightened；　and　vengeance　was　mine。　I　spoke　with　gentleness：

〃Your　nephew's　impressions；　I　fear；　are　still　confused　by　his　deplorable　misadventure。〃

〃May　I　ask　what　you　know　about　his　impressions？〃

Out　of　the　corner　of　my　eye　I　saw　the　hand　of　Mrs。　Trevise　move　toward　her　bell；　but　she　wished　to　hear　all　about　it　more　than　she　wished　concord　at　her　harmonious　table；　and　the　hand　stopped。

Juno　spoke　again。　〃Who；　pray；　has　later　news　than　what　I　bring？〃

My　enemy　was　in　my　hand；　and　an　enemy　in　the　hand　is　worth　I　don't　know　how　many　in　the　bush。

I　answered　most　gently：　〃I　do　not　come　from　Mr。　Mayrant's　bedside；　because　I　have　just　left　him　at　the　front　door　in　sound　healthsaving　a　bruise　over　his　left　eye。〃

During　a　second　we　all　sat　in　a　high…strung　silence；　and　then　Juno　became　truly　superb。　〃Who　sees　the　scars　he　brazenly　conceals？〃

It　took　away　my　breath；　my　battle　would　have　been　lost；　when　the　Briton　suggested：　〃But　mayn't　he　have　shown　those　to　his　Aunt？〃

We　sat　in　no　silence　now；　the　first　et　cetera　made　extraordinary　sounds　on　his　plate；　Mrs。　Trevise　tinkled　her　handbell　with　more　unction　than　I　had　ever　yet　seen　in　her；　and　while　she　and　Daphne　interchanged　streams　of　severe　words　which　I　was　too　disconcerted　to　follow；　the　other　et　ceteras　and　the　honeymooners　hectically　effervesced　into　small　talk。　I　presently　found　myself　eating　our　last　cou