daisy miller-第3节

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she　had　heard　so　much　about　it　before。　　She　had　ever　so　many

intimate　friends　that　had　been　there　ever　so　many　times。

And　then　she　had　had　ever　so　many　dresses　and　things　from　Paris。

Whenever　she　put　on　a　Paris　dress　she　felt　as　if　she

were　in　Europe。



〃It　was　a　kind　of　a　wishing　cap；〃　said　Winterbourne。



〃Yes；〃　said　Miss　Miller　without　examining　this　analogy；

〃it　always　made　me　wish　I　was　here。　　But　I　needn't　have

done　that　for　dresses。　　I　am　sure　they　send　all　the　pretty

ones　to　America；　you　see　the　most　frightful　things　here。

The　only　thing　I　don't　like；〃　she　proceeded；　〃is　the　society。

There　isn't　any　society；　or；　if　there　is；　I　don't　know

where　it　keeps　itself。　　Do　you？　　I　suppose　there　is　some

society　somewhere；　but　I　haven't　seen　anything　of　it。

I'm　very　fond　of　society；　and　I　have　always　had　a　great　deal　of　it。

I　don't　mean　only　in　Schenectady；　but　in　New　York。

I　used　to　go　to　New　York　every　winter。　　In　New　York　I　had　lots

of　society。　　Last　winter　I　had　seventeen　dinners　given　me；

and　three　of　them　were　by　gentlemen；〃　added　Daisy　Miller。

〃I　have　more　friends　in　New　York　than　in　Schenectady

more　gentleman　friends；　and　more　young　lady　friends　too；〃

she　resumed　in　a　moment。　　She　paused　again　for　an　instant；

she　was　looking　at　Winterbourne　with　all　her　prettiness　in　her

lively　eyes　and　in　her　light；　slightly　monotonous　smile。

〃I　have　always　had；〃　she　said；　〃a　great　deal　of　gentlemen's　society。〃



Poor　Winterbourne　was　amused；　perplexed；　and　decidedly　charmed。

He　had　never　yet　heard　a　young　girl　express　herself　in　just

this　fashion；　never；　at　least；　save　in　cases　where　to　say　such

things　seemed　a　kind　of　demonstrative　evidence　of　a　certain

laxity　of　deportment。　　And　yet　was　he　to　accuse　Miss　Daisy　Miller

of　actual　or　potential　inconduite；　as　they　said　at　Geneva？

He　felt　that　he　had　lived　at　Geneva　so　long　that　he　had　lost

a　good　deal；　he　had　become　dishabituated　to　the　American　tone。

Never；　indeed；　since　he　had　grown　old　enough　to　appreciate　things；

had　he　encountered　a　young　American　girl　of　so　pronounced　a　type　as　this。

Certainly　she　was　very　charming；　but　how　deucedly　sociable！

Was　she　simply　a　pretty　girl　from　New　York　State？　　Were　they　all

like　that；　the　pretty　girls　who　had　a　good　deal　of　gentlemen's　society？

Or　was　she　also　a　designing；　an　audacious；　an　unscrupulous　young　person？

Winterbourne　had　lost　his　instinct　in　this　matter；　and　his　reason

could　not　help　him。　　Miss　Daisy　Miller　looked　extremely　innocent。

Some　people　had　told　him　that；　after　all；　American　girls

were　exceedingly　innocent；　and　others　had　told　him　that；

after　all；　they　were　not。　　He　was　inclined　to　think　Miss　Daisy

Miller　was　a　flirta　pretty　American　flirt。　　He　had　never；

as　yet；　had　any　relations　with　young　ladies　of　this　category。

He　had　known；　here　in　Europe；　two　or　three　womenpersons　older

than　Miss　Daisy　Miller；　and　provided；　for　respectability's　sake；

with　husbandswho　were　great　coquettesdangerous；　terrible　women；

with　whom　one's　relations　were　liable　to　take　a　serious　turn。

But　this　young　girl　was　not　a　coquette　in　that　sense；　she　was

very　unsophisticated；　she　was　only　a　pretty　American　flirt。

Winterbourne　was　almost　grateful　for　having　found　the　formula

that　applied　to　Miss　Daisy　Miller。　　He　leaned　back　in　his　seat；

he　remarked　to　himself　that　she　had　the　most　charming　nose

he　had　ever　seen；　he　wondered　what　were　the　regular　conditions

and　limitations　of　one's　intercourse　with　a　pretty　American　flirt。

It　presently　became　apparent　that　he　was　on　the　way　to　learn。



〃Have　you　been　to　that　old　castle？〃　asked　the　young　girl；　pointing　with　her

parasol　to　the　far…gleaming　walls　of　the　Chateau　de　Chillon。



〃Yes；　formerly；　more　than　once；〃　said　Winterbourne。

〃You　too；　I　suppose；　have　seen　it？〃



〃No；　we　haven't　been　there。　　I　want　to　go　there　dreadfully。

Of　course　I　mean　to　go　there。　　I　wouldn't　go　away　from　here

without　having　seen　that　old　castle。〃



〃It's　a　very　pretty　excursion；〃　said　Winterbourne；　〃and　very　easy　to　make。

You　can　drive；　you　know；　or　you　can　go　by　the　little　steamer。〃



〃You　can　go　in　the　cars；〃　said　Miss　Miller。



〃Yes；　you　can　go　in　the　cars；〃　Winterbourne　assented。



〃Our　courier　says　they　take　you　right　up　to　the　castle；〃　the　young

girl　continued。　　〃We　were　going　last　week；　but　my　mother　gave　out。

She　suffers　dreadfully　from　dyspepsia。　　She　said　she　couldn't　go。

Randolph　wouldn't　go　either；　he　says　he　doesn't　think　much　of　old　castles。

But　I　guess　we'll　go　this　week；　if　we　can　get　Randolph。〃



〃Your　brother　is　not　interested　in　ancient　monuments？〃

Winterbourne　inquired；　smiling。



〃He　says　he　don't　care　much　about　old　castles。　　He's　only　nine。

He　wants　to　stay　at　the　hotel。　　Mother's　afraid　to　leave　him　alone；

and　the　courier　won't　stay　with　him；　so　we　haven't　been　to　many　places。

But　it　will　be　too　bad　if　we　don't　go　up　there。〃　　And　Miss　Miller

pointed　again　at　the　Chateau　de　Chillon。



〃I　should　think　it　might　be　arranged；〃　said　Winterbourne。

〃Couldn't　you　get　some　one　to　stay　for　the　afternoon　with　Randolph？〃



Miss　Miller　looked　at　him　a　moment；　and　then；　very　placidly；

〃I　wish　YOU　would　stay　with　him！〃　she　said。



Winterbourne　hesitated　a　moment。　　〃I　should　much　rather　go

to　Chillon　with　you。〃



〃With　me？〃　asked　the　young　girl　with　the　same　placidity。



She　didn't　rise；　blushing；　as　a　young　girl　at　Geneva　would　have　done；

and　yet　Winterbourne；　conscious　that　he　had　been　very　bold；

thought　it　possible　she　was　offended。　　〃With　your　mother；〃

he　answered　very　respectfully。



But　it　seemed　that　both　his　audacity　and　his　respect　were　lost

upon　Miss　Daisy　Miller。　　〃I　guess　my　mother　won't　go；　after　all；〃

she　said。　　〃She　don't　like　to　ride　round　in　the　afternoon。

But　did　you　really　mean　what　you　said　just　nowthat　you　would

like　to　go　up　there？〃



〃Most　earnestly；〃　Winterbourne　declared。



〃Then　we　may　arrange　it。　　If　mother　will　stay　with　Randolph；

I　guess　Eugenio　will。〃



〃Eugenio？〃　the　young　man　inquired。



〃Eugenio's　our　courier。　　He　doesn't　like　to　stay　with　Randolph；

he's　the　most　fastidious　man　I　ever　saw。　　But　he's　a　splendid　courier。

I　guess　he'll　stay　at　home　with　Randolph　if　mother　does；　and　then

we　can　go　to　the　castle。〃



Winterbourne　reflected　for　an　instant　as　lucidly　as　possible

〃we〃　could　only　mean　Miss　Daisy　Miller　and　himself。

This　program　seemed　almost　too　agreeable　for　credence；

he　felt　as　if　he　ought　to　kiss　the　young　lady's　hand。

Possibly　he　would　have　done　so　and　quite　spoiled　the　project；

but　at　this　moment　another　person；　presumably　Eugenio；　appeared。

A　tall；　handsome　man；　with　superb　whiskers；　wearing　a　velvet

morning　coat　and　a　brilliant　watch　chain；　approached　Miss　Miller；

looking　sharply　at　her　companion。　　〃Oh；　Eugenio！〃　said　Miss

Miller　with　the　friendliest　accent。



Eugenio　had　looked　at　Winterbourne　from　head　to　foot；

he　now　bowed　gravely　to　the　young　lady。　　〃I　have　the　honor

to　inform　mademoiselle　that　luncheon　is　upon　the　table。〃



Miss　Miller　slowly　rose。　　〃See　here；　Eugenio！〃　she　said；

〃I'm　going　to　that　old　castle；　anyway。〃



〃To　the　Chateau　de　Chillon；　mademoiselle？〃　the　courier　inquired。

〃Mademoiselle　has　made　arrangements？〃　he　added　in　a　tone　which　struck

Winterbourne　as　very　impertinent。



Eugenio's　tone　apparently　threw；　even　to　Miss　Miller's　own　apprehension；

a　slightly　ironical　light　upon　the　young　girl's　situation。

She　turned　to　Winterbourne；　blushing　a　littlea　very　little。

〃You　won't　back　out？〃　she　said。



〃I　shall　not　be　happy　till　we　go！〃　he　protested。



〃And　you　are　staying　in　this　hotel？〃　she　went　on。

〃And　you　are　really　an　American？〃



The　courier　stood　looking　at　Winterbourne　offensively。　　The　young　man；

at　least；　thought　his　manner　of　looking　an　offense　to　Miss　Miller；

it　conveyed　an　imputation　that　she　〃picked　up〃　acquaintances。　　〃I　shall

have　the　honor　of　presenting　to　you　a　person　who　will　tell　you　all　about　me；〃

he　said；　smiling　and　referring　to　his　aunt。



〃Oh；　well；　we'll　go　some　day；〃　said　Miss　Miller。

And　she　gave　him　a　smile　and　turned　away。　　She　put　up

her　parasol　and　walked　back　to　the　inn　beside　Eugenio。

Winterbourne　stood　looking　after　her；　and　as　she　moved　away；

drawing　her　muslin　furbelows　over　the　gravel；　said　to　himself

that　she　had　the　tournure　of　a　princess。



He　had；　however；　engaged　to　do　more　than　proved　feasible；　in　promising

to　present　his　aunt；　Mrs。　Costello；　to　Miss　Daisy　Miller。

As　soon　as　the　former　lady　had　got　better　of　her　headache；

he　waited　upon　her　in　her　apartment；　and；　after　the　proper

inquiries　in　regard　to　her　health；　he　asked　her　if　she　had

observed　in　the　hotel　an　American　familya　mamma；　a　daughter；

and　a　little　boy。



〃And　a　courier？〃　said　Mrs。　Costello。　　〃Oh　yes；　I　have　observed　them。

Seen　themheard　themand　kept　out　of　their　way。〃　　Mrs。　Costello　was

a　widow　with　a　fortune；　a　person　of　much　distinction；　who　frequently

intimated　that；