lady baltimore-第20节

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hey　had　crossed　the　street　and　come　up　the　stone　steps　near　where　I　stood　on　High　Walk　that　the　little　lady　also　bowed　to　me；　she　was　Mrs。　Weguelin　St。　Michael；　and　from　something　in　her　prim　yet　charming　manner　I　gathered　that　she　held　it　to　be　not　perfectly　well…bred　in　a　lady　to　greet　a　gentleman　across　the　width　of　a　public　highway；　and　that　she　could　have　wished　that　her　tall　companion　had　not　thus　greeted　me；　a　stranger　likely　to　comment　upon　Kings　Port　manners。　In　her　eyes；　such　free　deportment　evidently　went　with　her　tall　companion's　method　of　speech：　hadn't　the　little　lady　informed　me　during　our　first　brief　meeting　that　Kings　Port　at　times　thought　Mrs。　Gregory　St。　Michael's　tongue　〃too　downright〃？

The　two　ladies　having　graciously　granted　me　permission　to　join　them　while　they　took　the　air；　Mrs。　Gregory　must　surely　have　shocked　Mrs。　Weguelin　by　saying　to　me；　〃I　haven't　a　penny　for　your　thoughts；　but　I'll　exchange。〃

〃Would　you　thus　bargain　in　the　dark；　madam？〃

〃Oh；　I'll　risk　that；　and；　to　say　truth；　even　your　back；　as　we　came　out　of　that　house；　was　a　back　of　thought。〃

〃Well；　I　confess　to　some　thinking。　Shall　I　begin？〃

It　was　Mrs。　Weguelin　who　quickly　replied；　smiling：　〃Ladies　first；　you　know。　At　least　we　still　keep　it　so　in　Kings　Port。〃

〃Would　we　did　everywhere！〃　I　exclaimed　devoutly；　and　I　was　quite　aware　that　beneath　the　little　lady's　gentle　smile　a　setting　down　had　lurked；　a　setting　down　of　the　most　delicate　nature；　administered　to　me　not　in　the　least　because　I　had　deserved　one；　but　because　she　did　not　like　Mrs。　Gregory's　〃downright〃　tongue；　and　could　not　stop　her。

Mrs。　Gregory　now　took　the　prerogative　of　ladies；　and　began。　〃I　was　thinking　of　what　we　had　all　just　been　saying　during　our　visit　across　the　wayand　with　which　you　are　not　going　to　agreethat　our　young　people　would　do　much　better　to　let　us　old　people　arrange　their　marriages　for　them；　as　it　Is　done　in　Europe。〃

〃O　dear！〃

〃I　said　that　you　would　not　agree；　but　that　is　because　you　are　so　young。〃

〃I　don't　know　that　twenty…eight　is　so　young。〃

〃You　will　know　it　when　you　are　seventy…three。〃　This　observation　again　came　from　Mrs。　Weguelin　St。　Michael；　and　again　with　a　gentle　and　attractive　smile。　It　was　only　the　second　time　that　she　had　spoken；　and　throughout　the　talk　into　which　we　now　fell　as　we　slowly　walked　up　and　down　High　Walk；　she　never　took　the　lead；　she　left　that　to　the　〃downright〃　tonguebut　I　noticed；　however；　that　she　chose　her　moments　to　follow　the　lead　very　aptly。　I　also　perceived　plainly　that　what　we　were　really　going　to　discuss　was　not　at　all　the　European　principle　of　marriage…making；　but　just　simply　young　John　and　his　Hortense；　they　were　the　true　kernel　of　the　nut　with　whose　concealing　shell　Mrs。　Gregory　was　presenting　me；　and　in　proposing　an　exchange　of　thoughts　she　would　get　back　only　more　thoughts　upon　the　same　subject。　It　was　pretty　evident　how　much　Kings　Port　was　buzzing　over　all　this！　They　fondly　believed　they　did　not　like　it；　but　what　would　they　have　done　without　it？　What；　indeed；　were　they　going　to　do　when　it　was　all　over　and　done　with；　one　way　or　another？　As　a　matter　of　fact；　they　ought　to　be　grateful　to　Hortense　for　contributing　illustriously　to　the　excitement　of　their　lives。

〃Of　course；　I　am　well　aware；〃　Mrs。　Gregory　pursued；　〃that　the　young　people　of　to…day　believe　they　can　all　'teach　their　grandmothers　to　suck　eggs；'　as　we　say　in　Kings　Port。〃

〃We　say　it　elsewhere；　too；〃　I　mildly　put　in。

〃Indeed？　I　didn't　know　that　the　North；　with　its　pest　of　Hebrew　and　other　low　immigrants；　had　retained　any　of　the　good　old　homely　saws　which　we　brought　from　England。　But　do　you　imagine　that　if　the　control　of　marriage　rested　in　the　hands　of　parents　and　grandparents　（where　it　properly　belongs）；　you　would　be　witnessing　in　the　North　this　disgusting　spectacle　of　divorce？〃

〃But；　Mrs。　St。　Michael〃

〃We　didn't　invite　you　to　argue　when　we　invited　you　to　walk！〃　cried　the　lady；　laughing。

〃We　should　like　you　to　answer　the　question；〃　said　Mrs。　Weguelin　St。　Michael。

〃And　tell　us；〃　Mrs。　Gregory　continued；　〃if　it's　your　opinion　that　a　boy　who　has　never　been　married　is　a　better　judge　of　matrimony's　pitfalls　than　his　father。〃

〃Or　than　any　older　person　who　has　bravely　and　worthily　gone　through　with　the　experience；〃　Mrs。　Weguelin　added。

〃Ladies；　I've　no　mind　to　argue。　But　we're　ahead　of　Europe；　we　don't　need　their　clumsy　old　plan。〃

Mrs。　Gregory　gave　a　gallant；　incredulous　snort。　〃I　shall　be　interested　to　learn　of　anything　that　is　done　better　here　than　in　Europe。〃

〃Oh；　many　things；　surely！　But　especially　the　mating　of　the　fashionable　young。　They　don't　need　any　parents　to　arrange　for　them；　it's　much　better　managed　through　precocity。〃

〃Through　precocity？　I　scarcely　follow　you。〃

And　Mrs。　Weguelin　softly　added；　〃You　must　excuse　us　if　we　do　not　follow　you。〃　But　her　softness　nevertheless　indicated　that　if　there　were　any　one　present　needing　leniency；　it　was　myself。

〃Why；　yes；〃　I　told　them；　〃it's　through　precocity。　The　new…rich　American　no　longer　commits　the　blunder　of　keeping　his　children　innocent。　You'll　see　it　beginning　in　the　dancing…class；　where　I　heard　an　exquisite　little　girl　of　six　say　to　a　little　boy；　'Go　away；　I　can't　dance　with　you；　because　my　mamma　says　your　mamma　only　keeps　a　maid　to　answer　the　doorbell。'　When　they　get　home　from　the　dancing…class；　tutors　in　poker　and　bridge　are　waiting　to　teach　them　how　to　gamble　for　each　other's　little　dimes。　I　saw　a　little　boy　in　knickerbockers　and　a　wide　collar　throw　down　the　evening　paper〃

〃At　that　age？　They　read　the　papers？〃　interrupted　Mrs。　Gregory。

〃They　read　nothing　else　at　any　age。　He　threw　it　down　and　said；　'Well；　I　guess　there's　not　much　behind　this　raid　on　Steel　Preferred。'　What　need　has　such　a　boy　for　parents　or　grandparents？　Presently　he　is　travelling　to　a　fashionable　boarding…school　in　his　father's　private　car。　At　college　all　his　adolescent　curiosities　are　lavishly　gratified。　His　sister　at　home　reads　the　French　romances；　and　by　eighteen　she；　too；　knows　（in　her　head　at　least）　the　whole　of　life；　so　that　she　can　be　perfectly　trusted；　she　would　no　more　marry　a　mere　half…millionaire　just　because　she　loved　him　than　she　would　appear　twice　in　the　same　ball…dress。　She　and　her　ball…dresses　are　described　in　the　papers　precisely　as　if　she　were　an　animal　at　a　showwhich　indeed　is　what　she　has　become；　and　she's　eager　to　be　thus　described；　because　she　and　her　mothereven　if　her　mother　was　once　a　lady　and　knew　betterare　haunted　by　one　perpetual；　sickening　fear；　the　fear　of　being　left　out。　And　if　you　desire　to　pay　correct　ballroom　compliments；　you　no　longer　go　to　her　mother　and　tell　her　she's　looking　every　bit　as　young　as　her　daughter；　you　go　to　the　daughter　and　tell　her　she's　looking　every　bit　as　old　as　her　mother；　for　that's　what　she　wishes　to　do；　that's　what　she　tries　for；　what　she　talks；　dresses；　eats；　drinks；　goes　to　indecent　plays　and　laughs　for。　Yes；　we　manage　it　through　precocity；　and　the　new…rich　American　parent　has　achieved　at　least　one　new　thing　under　the　sun；　namely；　the　corruption　of　the　child。

My　ladies　silently　consulted　each　other's　expressions；　after　which；　in　equal　silence；　their　gaze　returned　to　me；　but　their　equally　intent　scrutiny　was　expressive　of　quite　different　things。　It　was　with　expectancy　that　Mrs。　Gregory　looked　at　meshe　wanted　more。　Not　so　Mrs。　Weguelin；　she　gave　me　disapproval；　it　was　shadowed　in　her　beautiful；　lustrous　eyes　that　burned　dark　in　her　white　face　with　as　much　fire　as　that　of　youth；　yet　it　was　not　of　youth；　being　deeply　charged　with　retrospection。

In　what；　then；　had　I　sinned？　For　the　little　lady's　next　words；　coldly　murmured；　increased　in　me　an　uneasiness；　as　of　sin：

〃You　have　told　us　much　that　we　are　not　accustomed　to　hear　in　Kings　Port。〃

〃Oh；　I　haven't　begun　to　tell　you！〃　I　exclaimed　cheerily。

〃You　certainly　have　not　told　us；〃　said　Mrs。　Gregory；　〃how　your　'precocity'　escapes　this　divorce　degradation。〃

〃Escape　it？　Those　people　think　it　iswell；　provincialnot　to　have　been　divorced　at　least　once！〃

Mrs。　Gregory　opened　her　eyes；　but　Mrs。　Weguelin　shut　her　lips。

I　continued：　〃Even　the　children；　for　their　own　little　reasons；　like　it。　Only　last　summer；　in　Newport；　a　young　boy　was　asked　how　he　enjoyed　having　a　father　and　an　ex…father。〃

〃Ex…father！〃　said　Mrs。　Gregory。　〃Vice…father　is　what　I　should　call　him。〃

〃Maria！〃　murmured　Mrs。　Weguelin；　〃how　can　you　jest　upon　such　topics？〃

〃I　am　far　from　jesting；　Julia。　Well；　young　gentleman；　and　what　answer　did　this　precious　Newport　child　make？〃

〃He　said　（if　you　will　pardon　my　giving　you　his　little　sentiment　in　his　own　quite　expressive　idiom）；　'Me　for　two　fathers！　Double　money　birthdays　and　Christmases。　See？'　That　was　how　he　saw　divorce。〃

Once　again　my　ladies　consulted　each　other's　expressions；　we　moved　along　High　Walk　in　such　silence　that　I　heard　the　stiff　little　rustle　which　the　palmettos　were　making　across　the　street；　even　these　trees；　you　might　have　supposed；　were　whispering　together　over　the　horrors　that　I　had　recited　in　their　decorous　presence。

It　was　Mrs。　Gregory　who　next　spoke。　〃I　can　translate　that　last　boy's　language；　but　what　did　the　other　boy　mean　about　a　'raid　on　Steel　Preferred'if　I've　got　the　jargon　right？〃

While　I　translated　this　for　her；　I　felt　again