lady baltimore-第4节

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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　clever　RebI　beg　your　pardonSoutherner。〃

〃Why；　it's　his　own！　Couldn't　you　see　that　from　his　bashfulness？〃

〃Ordering　his　own　wedding　cake？〃　Amazement　held　me。　But　the　door　opened；　one　of　the　elderly　ladies　entered；　the　girl　behind　the　counter　stiffened　to　primness　in　a　flash；　and　I　went　out　into　Royal　Street　as　the　curly　dog's　tail　wagged　his　greeting　to　the　newcomer。



III：　Kings　Port　Talks

Of　course　I　had　at　once　left　the　letters　of　introduction　which　Aunt　Carola　had　given　me；　but　in　my　ignorance　of　Kings　Port　hours　I　had　found　everybody　at　dinner　when　I　made　my　first　round　of　calls　between　half…past　three　and　fivean　experience　particularly　regrettable；　since　I　had　hurried　my　own　dinner　on　purpose；　not　then　aware　that　the　hours　at　my　boarding…house　were　the　custom　of　the　whole　town。　（These　hours　even　since　my　visit　to　Kings　Port；　are　beginning　to　change。　But　such　backsliding　is　much　condemned。）　Upon　an　afternoon　some　days　later；　having　seen　in　the　extra　looking…glass；　which　I　had　been　obliged　to　provide　for　myself；　that　the　part　in　my　back　hair　was　perfect；　I　set　forth　again；　better　informed。

As　I　rang　the　first　doorbell；　another　visitor　came　up　the　steps；　a　beautiful　old　lady　in　widow's　dress；　a　cardcase　in　her　hand。

〃Have　you　rung；　sir？〃　said　she；　in　a　manner　at　once　gentle　and　voluminous。

〃Yes；　madam。〃

Nevertheless　she　pulled　it　again。　〃It　doesn't　always　ring；〃　she　explained；　〃unless　one　is　accustomed　to　it；　which　you　are　not。〃

She　addressed　me　with　authority；　exactly　like　Aunt　Carola；　and　with　even　greater　precision　in　her　good　English　and　good　enunciation。　Unlike　the　girl　at　the　Exchange；　she　had　no　accent；　her　language　was　simply　the　perfection　of　educated　utterance；　it　also　was　racy　with　the　free　censoriousness　which　civilized　people　of　consequence　are　apt　to　exercise　the　world　over。　〃I　was　sorry　to　miss　your　visit；〃　she　began　（she　knew　me；　you　see；　perfectly）；　〃you　will　please　to　come　again　soon；　and　console　me　for　my　disappointment。　I　am　Mrs。　Gregory　St。　Michael；　and　my　house　is　in　Le　Maire　Street　（Pronounced　in　Kings　Port；　Lammarree）　as　you　have　been　so　civil　as　to　find　out。　And　how　does　your　Aunt　Carola　do　in　these　contemptible　times？　You　can　tell　her　from　me　that　vulgarization　is　descending；　even　upon　Kings　Port。〃

〃I　cannot　imagine　that！〃　I　exclaimed。

〃You　cannot　imagine　it　because　you　don't　know　anything　about　it；　young　gentleman！　The　manners　of　some　of　our　own　young　people　will　soon　be　as　dishevelled　as　those　in　New　York。　Have　you　seen　our　town　yet；　or　is　it　all　books　with　you？　You　should　not　leave　without　a　look　at　what　is　still　left　of　us。　I　shall　be　happy　if　you　will　sit　in　my　pew　on　Sunday　morning。　Your　Northern　shells　did　their　best　in　the　bombardmentdid　you　say　that　you　rang？　I　think　you　had　better　pull　it　again；　all　the　way　out；　yes；　like　thatin　the　bombardment；　but　we　have　our　old　church　still；　in　spite　of　you。　Do　you　see　the　crack　in　that　wall？　The　earthquake　did　it。　You're　spared　earthquakes　in　the　North；　as　you　seem　to　be　spared　pretty　much　everything　disastrousexcept　the　prosperity　that's　going　to　ruin　you　all。　We're　better　off　with　our　poverty　than　you。　Just　ring　the　bell　once　more；　and　then　we'll　go。　I　fancy　JuliaI　fancy　Mrs。　Weguelin　St。　Michaelhas　run　out　to　stare　at　the　Northern　steam　yacht　in　the　harbor。　It　would　be　just　like　her。　This　house　is　historic　itself。　Shabby　enough　now；　to　be　sure！　The　great…aunt　of　my　cousin；　John　Mayrant　（who　is　going　to　be　married　next　Wednesday；　to　such　a　brute　of　a　girl；　poor　boy！）；　lived　here　in　1840；　and　made　an　answer　to　the　Earl　of　Mainridge　that　put　him　in　his　place。　She　was　our　famous　Kings　Port　wit；　and　at　the　reception　which　her　father　（my　mother's　uncle）　gave　the　English　visitor；　he　conducted　himself　as　so　many　Englishmen　seem　to　think　they　can　in　this　country。　Miss　Beaufain　（pronounced　in　Kings　Port；　Bowfayne）；　as　she　was　then；　asked　the　Earl　how　he　liked　America；　and　he　replied；　very　well；　except　for　the　people；　who　were　so　vulgar。　'What　can　you　expect？'　said　Miss　Beaufain；　'we're　descended　from　the　English。'　Mrs。　St。　Michael　is　out；　and　the　servant　has　gone　home。　Slide　this　card　under　the　door；　with　your　own；　and　come　away。〃

She　took　me　with　her；　moving　through　the　quiet　South　Place　with　a　leisurely　grace　and　dignity　at　which　my　spirit　rejoiced；　she　was　so　beautiful；　and　so　easy；　and　afraid　of　nothing　and　nobody！　（This　must　be　modified。　I　came　later　to　suspect　that　they　all　stood　in　some　dread　of　their　own　immediate　families。）

In　the　North；　everybody　is　afraid　of　something：　afraid　of　the　legislature；　afraid　of　the　trusts；　afraid　of　the　strikes；　afraid　of　what　the　papers　will　say；　of　what　the　neighbors　will　say；　of　what　the　cook　will　say；　and　most　of　all；　and　worst　of　all；　afraid　to　be　different　from　the　general　pattern；　afraid　to　take　a　step　or　speak　a　syllable　that　shall　cause　them　to　be　thought　unlike　the　monotonous　millions　of　their　fellow…citizens；　the　land　of　the　free　living　in　ceaseless　fear！　Well；　I　was　already　afraid　of　Mrs。　Gregory　St。　Michael。　As　we　walked　and　she　talked；　I　made　one　or　two　attempts　at　conversation；　and　speedily　found　that　no　such　thing　was　the　lady's　intention：　I　was　there　to　listen；　and　truly　I　could　wish　nothing　more　agreeable；　in　spite　of　my　desire　to　hear　further　about　next　Wednesday's　wedding　and　the　brute　of　a　girl。　But　to　this　subject　Mrs。　St。　Michael　did　not　return。　We　crossed　Worship　Street　and　Chancel　Street；　and　were　nearing　the　East　Place　where　a　cannon　was　being　shown　me；　a　cannon　with　a　history　and　an　inscription　concerning　the　〃war　for　Southern　independence；　which　I　presume　your　prejudice　calls　the　Rebellion；〃　said　my　guide。　〃There's　Mrs。　St。　Michael　now；　coming　round　the　corner。　Well；　Julia；　could　you　read　the　yacht's　name　with　your　naked　eye？　And　what's　the　name　of　the　gambler　who　owns　it？　He's　a　gambler；　or　he　couldn't　own　a　yachtunless　his　wife's　a　gambler's　daughter。〃

〃How　well　you're　feeling　to…day；　Maria！〃　said　the　other　lady；　with　a　gentle　smile。

〃Certainly。　I　have　been　talking　for　twenty　minutes。〃　I　was　now　presented　to　Mrs。　Weguelin　St。　Michael；　also　old；　also　charming；　in　widow's　dress　no　less　in　the　bloom　of　age　than　Mrs。　Gregory；　but　whiter　and　very　diminutive。　She　shyly　welcomed　me　to　Kings　Port。　〃Take　him　home　with　you；　Julia。　We　pulled　your　bell　three　times；　and　it's　too　damp　for　you　to　be　out。　Don't　forget；〃　Mrs。　Gregory　said　to　me；　〃that　you　haven't　told　me　a　word　about　your　Aunt　Carola；　and　that　I　shall　expect　you　to　come　and　do　it。〃　She　went　slowly　away　from　us；　up　the　East　Place；　tall；　graceful；　sweeping　into　the　distance　like　a　ship。　No　haste　about　her　dignified　movement；　no　swinging　of　elbows；　nothing　of　the　present　hour！

〃What　a　beautiful　girl　she　must　have　been！〃　I　murmured　aloud；　unconsciously。

〃No；　she　was　not　a　beauty　in　her　youth；〃　said　my　new　guide　in　her　shy　voice；　〃but　always　fluent；　always　a　wit。　Kings　Port　has　at　times　thought　her　tongue　too　downright。　We　think　that　wit　runs　in　her　family；　for　young　John　Mayrant　has　it；　and　her　first…cousin…once…removed　put　the　Earl　of　Mainridge　in　his　place　at　her　father's　ball　in　1840。　Miss　Beaufain　（as　she　was　then）　asked　the　Earl　how　he　liked　America；　and　he　replied；　very　well；　except　for　the　people；　who　were　so　vulgar。　'What　can　you　expect？'　said　Miss　Beaufain；　'we're　descended　from　the　English。'　I　am　very　sorry　for　Mariafor　Mrs。　St。　Michaeljust　at　present。　Her　young　cousin；　John　Mayrant；　is　making　an　alliance　deeply　vexatious　to　her。　Do　you　happen　to　know　Miss　Hortense　Rieppe？〃

I　had　never　heard　of　her。

〃No？　She　has　been　North　lately。　I　thought　you　might　have　met　her。　Her　father　takes　her　North；　I　believe；　whenever　any　one　will　invite　them。　They　have　sometimes　managed　to　make　it　extend　through　an　unbroken　year。　Newport；　I　am　credibly　informed；　greatly　admires　her。　We　in　Kings　Port　have　never　（except　John　Mayrant；　apparently）　seen　anything　in　her　beauty；　which　Northerners　find　so　exceptional。〃

〃What　is　her　type？〃　I　inquired。

〃I　consider　that　she　looks　like　a　steel　wasp。　And　she　has　the　assurance　to　call　herself　a　Kings　Port　girl。　Her　father　calls　himself　a　general；　and　it　is　repeated　that　he　ran　away　at　the　battle　of　Chattanooga。　I　hope　you　will　come　to　see　me　another　day；　when　you　can　spare　time　from　the　battle　of　Cowpens。　I　am　Mrs。　Weguelin　St。　Michael；　the　other　lady　is　Mrs。　Gregory　St。　Michael。　I　wonder　if　you　will　keep　us　all　straight？〃　And　smiling；　the　little　lady；　whose　shy　manner　and　voice　I　had　found　to　veil　as　much　spirit　as　her　predecessor's；　dismissed　me　and　went　up　her　steps；　letting　herself　into　her　own　house。

The　boy　in　question；　the　boy　of　the　cake；　John　Mayrant；　was　coming　out　of　the　gate　at　which　I　next　rang。　The　appearance　of　his　boyish　figure　and　well…carried　head　struck　me　anew；　as　it　had　at　first；　from　his　whole　person　one　got　at　once　a　strangely　romantic　impression。　He　looked　at　me；　made　as　if　he　would　speak；　but　passed　on。　Probably　he　had　been　hearing　as　much　about　me　as　I　had　been　hearing　about　him。　At　this　house　the　black　servant　had　not　gone　home　for　the　night；　and　if　the　mistress　had　been　out　to　take　a　l