lady baltimore-第5节

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if　the　mistress　had　been　out　to　take　a　look　at　the　steam　yacht；　she　had　returned。

〃My　sister；〃　she　said；　presenting　me　to　a　supremely　fine…looking　old　lady；　more　chiselled；　more　august；　than　even　herself。　I　did　not　catch　this　lady's　name；　and　she　confined　herself　to　a　distant；　though　perhaps　not　unfriendly；　greeting。　She　was　sitting　by　a　work…table；　and　she　resumed　some　embroidery　of　exquisite　appearance；　while　my　hostess　talked　to　me。

Both　wore　their　hair　in　a　simple　fashion　to　suit　their　years；　which　must　have　been　seventy　or　more；　both　were　dressed　with　the　dignity　that　such　years　call　for；　and　I　may　mention　here　that　so　were　all　the　ladies　above　a　certain　age　in　this　town　of　admirable　old…fashioned　propriety。　In　New　York；　in　Boston；　in　Philadelphia；　ladies　of　seventy　won't　be　old　ladies　any　more；　they're　unwilling　to　wear　their　years　avowedly；　in　quiet　dignity　by　their　firesides；　they　bare　their　bosoms　and　gallop　egregiously　to　the　ball…rooms　of　the　young；　and　so　we　lose　a　particular　graciousness　that　Kings　Port　retains；　a　perspective　of　generations。　We　happen　all　at　once；　with　no　background；　in　a　swirl　of　haste　and　similarity。

One　of　the　many　things　which　came　home　to　me　during　the　conversation　that　now　began　（so　many　more　things　came　home　than　I　can　tell　you！）　was　that　Mrs。　Gregory　St。　Michael's　tongue　was　assuredly　〃downright〃　for　Kings　Port。　This　I　had　not　at　all　taken　in　while　she　talked　to　me；　and　her　friend's　reference　to　it　had　left　me　somewhat　at　a　loss。　That　better　precision　and　choice　of　words　which　I　have　mentioned；　and　the　manner　in　which　she　announced　her　opinions；　had　put　me　in　mind　of　several　fine　ladles　whom　I　had　known　in　other　parts　of　the　world；　but　hers　was　an　individual　manner；　I　was　soon　to　find；　and　by　no　means　the　Kings　Port　convention。　This　convention　permitted；　indeed；　condemnations　of　one's　neighbor　no　less　sweeping；　but　it　conveyed　them　in　a　phraseology　far　more　restrained。

〃I　cannot　regret　your　coming　to　Kings　Port；〃　said　my　hostess；　after　we　had　talked　for　a　little　while；　and　I　had　complimented　the　balmy　March　weather　and　the　wealth　of　blooming　flowers；　〃but　I　fear　that　Fanning　is　not　a　name　that　you　will　find　here。　It　belongs　to　North　Carolina。〃

I　smiled　and　explained　that　North　Carolina　Fannings　were　useless　to　me。　〃And；　if　I　may　be　so　bold；　how　well　you　are　acquainted　with　my　errand！〃

I　cannot　say　that　my　hostess　smiled；　that　would　be　too　definite；　but　I　can　say　that　she　did　not　permit　herself　to　smile；　and　that　she　let　me　see　this　repression。　〃Yes；〃　she　said；　〃we　are　acquainted　with　your　errand；　though　not　with　its　motive。〃

I　sat　silent；　thinking　of　the　Exchange。

My　hostess　now　gave　me　her　own　account　of　why　all　things　were　known　to　all　people　in　this　town。　〃The　distances　in　your　Northern　cities　are　greater；　and　their　population　is　much　greater。　There　are　but　few　of　us　in　Kings　Port。〃　In　these　last　words　she　plainly　told　me　that　those　〃few〃　desired　no　others。　She　next　added：　〃My　nephew；　John　Mayrant；　has　spoken　of　you　at　some　length。〃

I　bowed。　〃I　had　the　pleasure　to　see　and　hear　him　order　a　wedding　cake。〃

〃Yes。　From　Eliza　La　Heu　（pronounced　Layhew）；　my　niece；　he　is　my　nephew；　she　is　my　niece　on　the　other　side。　My　niece　is　a　beginner　at　the　Exchange。　We　hope　that　she　will　fulfil　her　duties　there　in　a　worthy　manner。　She　comes　from　a　family　which　is　schooled　to　meet　responsibilities。〃

I　bowed　again；　again　it　seemed　fitting。　〃I　had　not；　until　now；　known　the　charming　girl's　name；〃　I　murmured。

My　hostess　now　bowed　slightly。　〃I　am　glad　that　you　find　her　charming。〃

〃Indeed；　yes！〃　I　exclaimed。

〃We；　also；　are　pleased　with　her。　She　is　of　good　familyfor　the　up…country。〃

Once　again　our　alphabet　fails　me。　The　peculiar　shade　of　kindness；　of　recognition；　of　patronage；　which　my　agreeable　hostess　（and　all　Kings　Port　ladies；　I　soon　noticed）　imparted　to　the　word　〃up…country〃　cannot　be　conveyed　except　by　the　human　voiceand　only　a　Kings　Port　voice　at　that。　It　is　a　much　lighter　damnation　than　what　they　make　of　the　phrase　〃from　Georgia；〃　which　I　was　soon　to　hear　uttered　by　the　lips　of　the　lady。　〃And　so　you　know　about　his　wedding　cake？〃

〃My　dear　madam；　I　feel　that　I　shall　know　about　everything。〃

Her　gray　eyes　looked　at　me　quietly　for　a　moment。　〃That　is　possible。　But　although　we　may　talk　of　ourselves　to　you；　we　scarcely　expect　you　to　talk　of　ourselves　to　us。〃

Well；　my　pertness　had　brought　me　this　quite　properly！　And　I　received　it　properly。　〃I　should　never　dream〃　I　hastened　to　say；　〃even　without　your　warning。　I　find　I'm　expected　to　have　seen　the　young　lady　of　his　choice；〃　I　now　threw　out。　My　accidental　words　proved　as　miraculous　as　the　staff　which　once　smote　the　rock。　It　was　a　stream；　indeed；　which　now　broke　forth　from　her　stony　discretion。　She　began　easily。　〃It　is　evident　that　you　have　not　seen　Miss　Rieppe　by　the　manner　in　which　you　allude　to　heralthough　of　course；　in　comparison　with　my　age；　she　is　a　young　girl。〃　I　think　that　this　caused　me　to　open　my　mouth。

〃The　disparity　between　her　years　and　my　nephew's　is　variously　stated；〃　continued　the　old　lady。　〃But　since　John's　engagement　we　have　all　of　us　realized　that　love　is　truly　blind。〃

I　did　not　open　my　mouth　any　more；　but　my　mind's　mouth　was　wide　open。

My　hostess　kept　it　so。　〃Since　John　Mayrant　was　fifteen　he　has　had　many　loves；　and　for　myself；　knowing　him　and　believing　in　him　as　I　do；　I　feel　confident　that　he　will　make　no　connection　distasteful　to　the　family　when　he　really　comes　to　marry。〃

This　time　I　gasped　outright。　〃Butthe　cake！next　Wednesday！〃

She　made；　with　her　small　white　hand；　a　slight　and　slighting　gesture。　〃The　cake　is　not　baked　yet；　and　we　shall　see　what　we　shall　see。〃　From　this　onward　until　the　end　a　pinkness　mounted　in　her　pale；　delicate　cheeks；　and　deep；　strong　resentment　burned　beneath　her　discreetly　expressed　indiscretions。　〃The　cake　is　not　baked；　and　I；　at　least；　am　not　solicitous。　I　tell　my　cousin；　Mrs。　Gregory　St。　Michael；　that　she　must　not　forget　it　was　merely　his　phosphates。　That　girl　would　never　have　looked　at　John　Mayrant　had　it　not　been　for　the　rumor　of　his　phosphates。　I　suppose　some　one　has　explained　to　you　her　pretensions　of　birth。　Away　from　Kings　Port　she　may　pass　for　a　native　of　this　place；　but　they　come　from　Georgia。　It　cannot　be　said　that　she　has　met　with　encouragement　from　us；　she；　however；　easily　recovers　from　such　things。　The　present　generation　of　young　people　in　Kings　Port　has　little　enough　to　remind　us　of　what　we　stood　for　in　manners　and　customs；　but　we　are　not　accountable　for　her；　nor　for　her　father。　I　believe　that　he　is　called　a　general。　His　conduct　at　Chattanooga　was　conspicuous　for　personal　prudence。　Both　of　them　are　skillful　in　never　knowing　poor　peoplebut　the　　Northerners　they　consort　with　must　really　be　at　a　loss　how　to　bestow　their　money。　Of　course；　such　Northerners　cannot　realize　the　difference　between　Kings　Port　and　Georgia；　and　consequently　they　make　much　of　her。　Her　features　do　undoubtedly　possess　beauty。　A　Newport　womanthe　new　kindhas　even　taken　her　to　Worth！　And　yet；　after　all；　she　has　remained　for　John。　We　heard　a　great　deal　of　her　men；　too。　She　took　care　of　that；　of　course。　John　Mayrant　actually　followed　her　to　Newport。

〃But；〃　I　couldn't　help　crying　out；　〃I　thought　he　was　so　poor！〃

〃The　phosphates；〃　my　hostess　explained。　〃They　had　been　discovered　on　his　land。　And　none　of　her　New　York　men　had　come　forward。　So　John　rushed　back　happy。〃　At　this　point　a　very　singular　look　came　over　the　face　of　my　hostess；　and　she　continued：　〃There　have　been　many　false　reports　（and　false　hopes　in　consequence）　based　upon　the　phosphate　discoveries。　It　was　I　who　had　to　break　it　to　himwhat　further　investigation　had　revealed。　Poor　John！〃

〃He　has；　then；　nothing？〃　I　inquired。

〃His　position　in　the　Custom　House；　and　a　penny　or　two　from　his　mother's　fortune。〃

〃But　the　cake？〃　I　now　once　again　reminded　her。

My　hostess　lifted　her　delicate　hand　and　let　it　fall。　Her　resentment　at　the　would…be　intruder　by　marriage　still　mounted。　〃Not　even　from　that　pair　would　I　have　believed　such　a　thing　possible！〃　she　exclaimed；　and　she　went　into　a　long；　low；　contemplative　laugh；　looking　not　at　me；　but　at　the　fire。　Our　silent　companion　continued　to　embroider。　〃That　girl；〃　my　hostess　resumed；　〃and　her　discreditable　father　played　on　my　nephew's　youth　and　chivalry　to　the　tune　ofwell；　you　have　heard　the　tune。〃

〃You　meanyou　mean？〃　I　couldn't　quite　take　it　in。

〃Yes。　They　rattled　their　poverty　at　him　until　he　offered　and　they　accepted。〃

I　must　have　stared　grotesquely　now。　〃Thatthatthe　cakeand　that　sort　of　thingat　his　expense？

〃My　dear　sir；　I　shall　be　glad　if　you　can　find　me　anything　that　they　have　ever　done　at　their　own　expense！〃

I　doubt　if　she　would　ever　have　permitted　her　speech　such　freedom　had　not　the　Rieppes　been　〃from　Georgia〃；　I　am　sure　that　it　was　angerfamily　anger；　race　angerwhich　had　broken　forth；　and　I　think　that　her　silent；　severe　sister　scarcely　approved　of　such　breaking　forth　to　me；　a　stranger。　But　indignation　had　worn　her　reticence　thin；　and　I　had　happened　to　press　upon　the　weak　place。　After　my　burst　of　exclamation　I　came　back　to　it。　〃So　you　think　Miss　Rieppe　will　get　out　of　it？〃

〃It　is　my　nephew　who　will　'get　out　of　it；'　as　you　express　it。〃

I　totally　misunderstood　he