lady baltimore-第3节

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e　than　other　dull　events；　because　it　can　arouse　so　much　surmise　and　so　much　prophecy；　but　in　this　wedding　I　instantly；　because　of　his　strange　and　winning　embarrassment；　became　quite　absorbed。　How　came　it　he　was　ordering　the　cake　for　it？　Blushing　like　the　boy　that　he　was　entirely；　he　spoke　in　a　most　engaging　voice：　〃No；　not　charged；　and　as　you　don't　know　me；　I　had　better　pay　for　it　now。〃

Self…possession　in　his　speech　he　almost　had；　but　the　blood　in　his　cheeks　and　forehead　was　beyond　his　control。

A　reply　came　from　behind　the　counter：　〃We　don't　expect　payment　until　delivery。〃

〃Butabut　on　that　morning　I　shall　be　rather　particularly　engaged。〃　His　tones　sank　almost　away　on　these　words。

〃We　should　prefer　to　wait；　then。　You　will　leave　your　address。　In　half…pound　boxes；　I　suppose？〃

〃Boxes？　Oh；　yesI　hadn't　thoughtnojust　a　big；　round　one。　Like　this；　you　know！〃　His　arms　embraced　a　circular　space　of　air。　〃With　plenty　of　icing。〃

I　do　not　think　that　there　was　any　smile　on　the　other　side　of　the　counter；　there　was；　at　any　rate；　no　hint　of　one　in　the　voice。　〃And　how　many　pounds？〃

He　was　again　staggered。　〃WhyaI　never　ordered　one　before。　I　want　plentyand　the　very　best；　the　very　best。　Each　person　would　eat　a　pound；　wouldn't　they？　Or　would　two　be　nearer？　I　think　I　had　better　leave　it　all　to　you。　About　like　this；　you　know。〃　Once　more　his　arms　embraced　a　circular　space　of　air。

Before　this　I　had　never　heard　the　young　lady　behind　the　counter　enter　into　any　conversation　with　a　customer。　She　would　talk　at　length　about　all　sorts　of　Kings　Port　affairs　with　the　older　ladies　connected　with　the　Exchange；　who　were　frequently　to　be　found　there；　but　with　a　customer；　never。　She　always　took　my　orders；　and　my　money；　and　served　me；　with　a　silence　and　a　propriety　that　have　become；　with　ordinary　shopkeepers；　a　lost　art。　They　talk　to　one　indeed！　But　this　slim　girl　was　a　lady；　and　consequently　did　the　right　thing；　marking　and　keeping　a　distance　between　herself　and　the　public。　To…day；　however；　she　evidently　felt　it　her　official　duty　to　guide　the　hapless　young；　man　amid　his　errors。　He　now　appeared　to　be　committing　a　grave　one。

〃Are　you　quite　sure　you　want　that？〃　the　girl　was　asking。

〃Lady　Baltimore？　Yes；　that　is　what　I　want。〃

〃Because；〃　she　began　to　explain；　then　hesitated；　and　looked　at　him。　Perhaps　it　was　in　his　face；　perhaps　it　was　that　she　remembered　at　this　point　the　serious　difference　between　the　price　of　Lady　Baltimore　（by　my　small　bill…of…fare　I　was　now　made　acquainted　with　its　price）　and　the　cost　of　that　rich　article　which　convention　has　prescribed　as　the　cake　for　weddings；　at　any　rate；　swift；　sudden　delicacy　of　feeling　prevented　her　explaining　any　more　to　him；　for　she　saw　how　it　was：　his　means　were　too　humble　for　the　approved　kind　of　wedding　cake！　She　was　too　young；　too　unskilled　yet　in　the　world's　ways；　to　rise　above　her　embarrassment；　and　so　she　stood　blushing　at　him　behind　the　counter；　while　he　stood　blushing　at　her　in　front　of　it。

At　length　he　succeeded　in　speaking。　〃That's　all；　I　believe。　Good…morning。〃

At　his　hastily　departing　back　she；　too；　murmured：　〃Good…morning。〃

Before　I　knew　it　I　had　screamed　out　loudly　from　my　table：　〃But　he　hasn't　told　you　the　day　he　wants　it　for！〃

Before　she　knew　it　she　had　flown　to　the　doormy　cry　had　set　her　going；　as　if　I　had　touched　a　springand　there　he　was　at　the　door　himself；　rushing　back。　He；　too；　had　remembered。　It　was　almost　a　collision；　and　nothing　but　their　good　Southern　breeding；　the　way　they　took　it；　saved　it　from　being　like　a　rowdy　farce。

〃I　know；〃　he　said　simply　and　immediately。　〃I　am　sorry　to　be　so　careless。　It's　for　the　twenty…seventh。〃

She　was　writing　it　down　in　the　order…book。　〃Very　well。　That　is　Wednesday　of　next　week。　You　have　given　us　more　time　than　we　need。〃　She　put　complete；　impersonal　business　into　her　tone；　and　this　time　he　marched　off　in　good　order；　leaving　peace　in　the　Woman's　Exchange。

No；　not　peace；　quiet；　merely；　the　girl　at　the　counter　now　proceeded　to　grow　indignant　with　me。　We　were　alone　together；　we　two；　no　young　man；　or　any　other　business；　occupied　her　or　protected　me。　But　if　you　suppose　that　she　made　war；　or　expressed　rage　by　speaking；　that　is　not　it　at　all。　From　her　counter　in　front　to　my　table　at　the　back　she　made　her　displeasure　felt；　she　was　inaudibly　crushing；　she　did　not　do　it　even　with　her　eye；　she　managed　itwell；　with　her　neck；　somehow；　and　by　the　way　she　made　her　nose　look　in　profile。　Aunt　Carola　would　have　embraced　herand　I　should　have　liked　to　do　so　myself。　She　could　not　stand　the　idea　of　my　having；　after　all　these　days　of　official　reserve　that　she　had　placed　　between　us；　startled　her　into　that　rush　to　the　door　annihilated　her　dignity　at　a　blow。　So　did　I　finish　my　sandwiches　beneath　her　invisible　but　eloquent　fire。　What　affair　of　mine　was　the　cake？　And　what　sort　of　impertinent；　meddlesome　person　was　I；　shrieking　out　my　suggestions　to　people　with　whom　I　had　no　acquaintance？　These　were　the　things　that　her　nose　and　her　neck　said　to　me　the　whole　length　of　the　Exchange。　I　had　nothing　but　my　own　weakness　to　thank；　it　was　my　interest　in　weddings　that　did　it；　made　me　forget　my　decorum；　the　public　place；　myself；　everything；　and　plunge　in。　And　I　became　more　and　more　delighted　over　it　as　the　girl　continued　to　crush　me。　My　day　had　been　dull；　my　researches　had　not　brought　me　a　whit　nearer　royal　blood；　I　looked　at　my　little　bill…of…fare；　and　then　I　stepped　forward　to　the　counter；　adventurous；　but　polite。

〃I　should　like　a　slice；　if　you　please；　of　Lady　Baltimore；〃　I　said　with　extreme　formality。

I　thought　she　was　going　to　burst；　but　after　an　interesting　second　she　replied；　〃Certainly；〃　in　her　fit　Regular　Exchange　tone；　only；　I　thought　it　trembled　a　little。

I　returned　to　the　table　and　she　brought　me　the　cake；　and　I　had　my　first　felicitous　meeting　with　Lady　Baltimore。　Oh；　my　goodness！　Did　you　ever　taste　it？　It's　all　soft；　and　it's　in　layers；　and　it　has　nutsbut　I　can't　write　any　more　about　it；　my　mouth　waters　too　much。

Delighted　surprise　caused　me　once　more　to　speak　aloud；　and　with　my　mouth　full。　〃But；　dear　me；　this　Is　delicious！

A　choking　ripple　of　laughter　came　from　the　counter。　〃It's　I　who　make　them；〃　said　the　girl。　〃I　thank　you　for　the　unintentional　compliment。〃　Then　she　walked　straight　back　to　my　table。　〃I　can't　help　it；〃　she　said；　laughing　still；　and　her　delightful；　insolent　nose　well　up；　〃how　can　I　behave　myself　when　a　man　goes　on　as　you　do？〃　A　nice　white　curly　dog　followed　her；　and　she　stroked　his　ears。

〃Your　behavior　is　very　agreeable　to　me；〃　I　remarked。

〃You'll　allow　me　to　say　that　you're　not　invited　to　criticise　it。　I　was　decidedly　put　out　with　you　for　making　me　ridiculous。　But　you　have　admired　my　cake　with　such　enthusiasm　that　you　are　forgiven。　Andmay　I　hope　that　you　are　getting　on　famously　with　the　battle　of　Cowpens？〃

I　stared。　〃I'm　frankly　very　much　astonished　that　you　should　know　about　that！〃

〃Oh；　you're　just　known　all　about　in　Kings　Port。〃

I　wish　that　our　miserable　alphabet　could　in　some　way　render　the　soft　Southern　accent　which　she　gave　to　her　words。　But　it　cannot。　I　could　easily　misspell；　if　I　chose；　but　how；　even　then；　could　I；　for　instance；　make　you　hear　her　way　of　saying　〃about〃？　〃Aboot〃　would　magnify　it；　and　besides；　I　decline　to　make　ugly　to　the　eye　her　quite　special　English；　that　was　so　charming　to　the　ear。

〃Kings　Port　just　knows　all　about　you；〃　she　repeated　with　a　sweet　and　mocking　laugh。

〃Do　you　mind　telling　me　how？〃

She　explained　at　once。　〃This　place　is　death　to　all　incognitos。〃

The　explanation；　however；　did　not；　on　the　instant；　enlighten　me。　〃This？　The　Woman's　Exchange；　you　mean？〃

〃Why；　to　be　sure！　Have　you　not　heard　ladies　talking　together　here？〃

I　blankly　repealed　her　words。　〃Ladies　talking？

She　nodded。

〃Oh！〃　I　cried。　〃How　dull　of　me！　Ladies　talking！　Of　course！〃

She　continued。　〃It　was　therefore　widely　known　that　you　were　consulting　our　South　Carolina　archives　at　the　libraryand　then　that　notebook　you　bring　marked　you　out　the　very　first　day。　Why；　two　hours　after　your　first　lunch　we　just　knew　all　about　you！〃

〃Dear　me！〃　said　I。

〃Kings　Port　is　ever　ready　to　discuss　strangers；〃　she　further　explained。　〃The　Exchange　has　been　going　on　five　years；　and　the　resident　families　have　discussed　each　other　so　thoroughly　here　that　everything　is　known；　therefore　a　stranger　is　a　perfect　boon。〃　Her　gayety　for　a　moment　interrupted　her；　before　she　continued；　always　mocking　and　always　sweet：　〃Kings　Port　cannot　boast　intelligence　offices　for　servants；　but　if　you　want　to　know　the　character　and　occupation　of　your　friends；　come　to　the　Exchange！〃　How　I　wish　I　could　give　you　the　raciness；　the　contagion；　of　her　laughter！　Who　would　have　dreamed　that　behind　her　primness　all　this　frolic　lay　in　ambush？　〃Why；〃　she　said；　〃I'm　only　a　plantation　girl；　it's　my　first　week　here；　and　I　know　every　wicked　deed　everybody　as　done　since　1812！〃

She　went　back　to　her　counter。　It　had　been　very　merry；　and　as　I　was　settling　the　small　debt　for　my　lunch　I　asked：　〃Since　this　is　the　proper　place　for　information；　will　you　kindly　tell　me　whose　wedding　that　cake　is　for？〃

She　was　astonished。〃　You　don't　know？　And　I　thought　you　were　quite　a　clever　YaI　beg　your　pardonNortherner。

〃Please　tell　me；　since　I　know　you're　quite　a　clev