lady baltimore-第26节

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　in　store　for　me。　Not　only　everybody　in　town　here；　but　Aunt　Carola；　up　in　the　North　also；　had　assured　me　that　to　miss　the　sight　of　Live　Oaks　when　the　azaleas　in　the　gardens　of　that　country　seat　were　in　flower　would　be　to　lose　one　of　the　rarest　and　most　beautiful　things　which　could　be　seen　anywhere；　and　so　I　looked　out　of　my　window　at　the　furious　storm；　hoping　that　it　might　not　strip　the　bushes　at　Live　Oaks　of　their　bloom；　which　recent　tourists　at　Mrs。　Trevise's　had　described　as　drawing　near　the　zenith　of　its　luxuriance。　The　other　excursion　to　Udolpho　with　John　Mayrant　was　not　so　likely　to　fall　through。　Udolpho　was　a　sort　of　hunting　lodge　or　country　club　near　Tern　Creek　and　an　old　colonial　church；　so　old　that　it　bore　the　royal　arms　upon　a　shield　still　preserved　as　a　sign　of　its　colonial　origin。　A　note　from　Mayrant；　received　at　breakfast；　informed　me　that　the　rain　would　take　all　pleasure　from　such　an　excursion；　and　that　he　should　seize　the　earliest　opportunity　the　weather　might　afford　to　hold　me　to　my　promise。　The　wet　gale；　even　as　I　sat　writing；　was　beating　down　some　of　the　full…blown　flowers　in　the　garden　next　Mrs。　Trevise's　house；　and　as　the　morning　wore　on　I　watched　the　paths　grow　more　strewn　with　broken　twigs　and　leaves。

I　filled　my　correspondence　with　accounts　of　Daddy　Ben　and　his　grandson；　the　carpenter；　doubtless　from　some　pride　in　my　part　in　that；　but　also　because　it　had　become；　through　thinking　it　over；　even　more　interesting　to…day　than　it　had　been　at　the　moment　of　its　occurrence；　and　in　replying　to　a　sort　of　postscript　of　Aunt　Carola's　in　which　she　hurriedly　wrote　that　she　had　forgotten　to　say　she　had　heard　the　La　Heu　family　in　South　Carolina　was　related　to　the　Bombos；　and　should　be　obliged　to　me　if　I　would　make　inquiries　about　this；　I　told　her　that　it　would　be　easy；　and　then　described　to　her　the　Teuton；　plying　his　〃antiquity〃　trade　externally　while　internally　cherishing　his　collected　skulls　and　nursing　his　scientific　rage。　All　my　letters　were　the　more　abundant　concerning　these　adventures　of　mine　from　my　having　kept　entirely　silent　upon　them　at　Mrs。　Trevise's　tea…table。　I　dreaded　Juno　when　let　loose　upon　the　negro　question；　and　the　fact　that　I　was　beginning　to　understand　her　feelings　did　not　at　all　make　me　wish　to　be　deafened　by　them。　Neither　Juno；　therefore；　nor　any　of　them　learned　a　word　from　me　about　the　kettle…supporter　incident。　What　I　did　take　pains　to　inform　the　assembled　company　was　my　gratification　that　the　report　of　Mr。　Mayrant's　engagement　being　broken　was　unfounded；　and　this　caused　Juno　to　observe　that　in　that　case　Miss　Rieppe　must　have　the　most　imperative　reasons　for　uniting　herself　to　such　a　young　man。

Unintimidated　by　the　rain；　this　formidable　creature　had　taken　herself　off　to　her　nephew's　bedside　almost　immediately　after　breakfast；　and　later　in　the　day　I；　too；　risked　a　drenching　for　the　sake　of　ordering　the　packing…box　that　I　needed。　When　I　returned；　it　was　close　on　tea…time；　I　had　seen　Mrs。　Weguelin　St。　Michael　send　out　the　hot　coffee　to　the　conductor；　and　I　had　found　a　negro　carpenter　whose　week　it　happily　was　to　stay　sober；　and　now　I　learned　that；　when　tea　should　be　finished；　the　poetess　had　in　store　for　us；　as　a　treat；　her　ode。

Our　evening　meal　was　not　plain　sailing；　even　for　the　veteran　navigation　of　Mrs。　Trevise；　Juno　had　returned　from　the　bedside　very　plainly　dis…　pleased　（she　was　always　candid　even　when　silent）　by　something　which　had　happened　there；　and　before　the　joyful　moment　came　when　we　all　learned　what　this　was；　a　very　gouty　Boston　lady　who　had　arrived　with　her　husband　from　Florida　on　her　way　Northand　whose　nature　you　will　readily　grasp　when　I　tell　you　that　we　found　ourselves　speaking　of　the　man　as　Mrs。　Braintree's　husband　and　never　as　Mr。　Braintreethis　crippled　lady；　who　was　of　a　candor　equal　to　Juno's；　embarked　upon　a　conversation　with　Juno　that　compelled　Mrs。　Trevise　to　tinkle　her　bell　for　Daphne　after　only　two　remarks　had　been　exchanged。

I　had　been　sorry　at　first　that　here　in　this　Southern　boarding…house　Boston　should　be　represented　only　by　a　lady　who　appeared　to　unite　in　herself　all　the　stony　products　of　that　city；　and　none　of　the　others；　for　she　was　as　convivial　as　a　statue　and　as　well…informed　as　a　spelling…book；　she　stood　no　more　for　the　whole　of　Boston　than　did　Juno　for　the　whole　of　Kings　Port。　But　my　sorrow　grew　less　when　I　found　that　in　Mrs。　Braintree　we　had　indeed　a　capable　match　for　her　Southern　counterpart。　Juno；　according　to　her　custom；　had　remembered　something　objectionable　that　had　been　perpetrated　in　1865　by　the　Northern　vandals。

〃Edward；〃　said　Mrs。　Braintree　to　her　husband；　in　a　frightfully　clear　voice；　〃it　was　at　Chambersburg；　was　it　not；　that　the　Southern　vandals　burned　the　house　in　which　were　your　father's　title…deeds？〃

Edward；　who；　it　appeared；　had　fought　through　the　whole　Civil　War；　and　was　in　consequence　perfectly　good…humored　and　peaceable　in　his　feelings　upon　that　subject；　replied　hastily　and　amiably：　〃Oh；　yes；　yes！　Why；　I　believe　it　was！〃

But　this　availed　nothing；　Juno　bent　her　great　height　forward；　and　addressed　Mrs。　Braintree。　〃This　is　the　first　time　I　have　been　told　Southerners　were　vandals。〃

〃You　will　never　be　able　to　say　that　again！〃　replied　Mrs。　Braintree。

After　the　bell　and　Daphne　had　stopped；　the　invaluable　Briton　addressed　a　genial　generalization　to　us　all：　〃I　often　think　how　truly　awful　your　war　would　have　been　if　the　women　had　fought　it；　y'know；　instead　of　the　men。〃

〃Quite　so！〃　said　the　easy…going　Edward　〃Squaws！　Mutilation！　Yes！〃　and　he　laughed　at　his　little　joke；　but　he　laughed　alone。

I　turned　to　Juno。　〃Speaking　of　mutilation；　I　trust　your　nephew　is　better　this　evening。〃

I　was　rejoiced　by　receiving　a　glare　in　response。　But　still　more　joy　was　to　come。

〃An　apology　ought　to　help　cure　him　a　lot；〃　observed　the　Briton。

Juno　employed　her　policy　of　not　hearing　him。

〃Indeed；　I　trust　that　your　nephew　is　in　less　pain；〃　said　the　poetess。

Juno　was　willing　to　answer　this。　〃The　injuries；　thank　you；　are　the　merest　triflesall　that　such　a　light…weight　could　inflict。〃　And　she　shrugged　her　shoulders　to　indicate　the　futility　of　young　John's　pugilism。

〃But；〃　the　surprised　Briton　interposed；〃　I　thought　you　said　your　nephew　was　too　feeble　to　eat　steak　or　hear　poetry。〃

Juno　could　always　stem　the　eddy　of　her　own　contradictionsbut　she　did　raise　her　voice　a　little。　〃I　fancy；　sir；　that　Doctor　Beaugarcon　knows　what　he　is　talking　about。〃

〃Have　they　apologized　yet？〃　inquired　the　male　honeymooner　from　the　up…country。

〃My　nephew；　sir；　nobly　consented　to　shake　hands　this　afternoon。　He　did　it　entirely　out　of　respect　for　Mr。　Mayrant's　family；　who　coerced　him　into　this　tardy　reparation；　and　who　feel　unable　to　recognize　him　since　his　treasonable　attitude　in　the　Custom　House。〃

〃Must　be　fairly　hard　to　coerce　a　chap　you　can't　recognize；〃　said　the　Briton。

An　et　cetera　now　spoke　to　the　honeymoon　bride　from　the　up…country：　〃I　heard　Doctor　Beaugarcon　say　he　was　coming　to　visit　you　this　evening。〃

〃Yais；〃　assented　the　bride。〃　Doctor　Beaugarcon　is　my　mother's　fourth　cousin。〃

Juno　now　tookmost　unwisely；　as　it　proveda　vindictive　turn　at　me。　〃I　knew　that　your　friend；　Mr。　Mayrant；　was　intemperate；〃　she　began。

I　don't　think　that　Mrs。　Trevise　had　any　intention　to　ring　for　Daphne　at　this　pointher　curiosity　was　too　lively；　but　Juno　was　going　to　risk　no　such　intervention；　and　I　saw　her　lay　a　precautionary　hand　heavily　down　over　the　bell。　〃But；〃　she　continued；　〃I　did　not　know　that　Mr。　Mayrant　was　a　gambler。〃

〃Have　you　ever　seen　him　intemperate？〃　I　asked。

〃That　would　be　quite　needless；〃　Juno　returned。　〃And　of　the　gambling　I　　have　ocular　proof；　since　I　found　him；　cards；　counters；　and　money；　with　my　sick　nephew。　He　had　actually　brought　cards　in　his　pocket。〃

〃I　suppose；〃　said　the　Briton；　〃your　nephew　was　too　sick　to　resist　him。〃

The　male　honeymooner；　with　two　of　the　et　ceteras；　made　such　unsteady　demonstrations　at　this　that　Mrs。　Trevise　protracted　our　sitting　no　longer。　She　rose；　and　this　meant　rising　for　us　all。

A　sense　of　regret　and　incompleteness　filled　me；　and　finding　the　Briton　at　my　elbow　as　our　company　proceeded　toward　the　sitting　room；　I　said：　〃Too　bad！〃

His　whisper　was　confident。　〃We'll　get　the　rest　of　it　out　of　her　yet。〃

But　the　rest　of　it　came　without　our　connivance。

In　the　sitting　room　Doctor　Beaugarcon　sat　waiting；　and　at　sight　of　Juno　entering　the　door　（she　headed　our　irregular　procession）　he　sprang　up　and　lifted　admiring　hands。　〃Oh；　why　didn't　I　have　an　aunt　like　you！〃　he　exclaimed；　and　to　Mrs。　Trevise　as　she　followed：　〃She　pays　her　nephew's　poker　debts。〃

〃How　much；　cousin　Tom？〃　asked　the　upcountry　bride。

And　the　gay　old　doctor　chuckled；　as　he　kissed　her：　〃Thirty　dollars　this　afternoon；　my　darling。〃

At　this　the　Briton　dragged　me　behind　a　door　in　the　hall；　and　there　we　danced　together。

〃That　Mayrant　chap　will　do；〃　he　declared；　and　we　composed　ourselves　for　a　proper　entrance　into　the　sitting　room；　where　the　introductions　had　been　made；　and　where　Doctor　Beaugarcon　and　Mrs。　Braintree's　husband　had　already　fallen　into　war　reminiscences；　and　were　discovering　with　mutual　amiability　that　they　had　fought　against　each　other　in　a　number　of　battles。

〃And　you　generally　licked　us；〃　smiled　the　Union　soldier。