daisy miller-第4节
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a widow with a fortune； a person of much distinction； who frequently
intimated that； if she were not so dreadfully liable to sick headaches；
she would probably have left a deeper impress upon her time。 She had a long；
pale face； a high nose； and a great deal of very striking white hair；
which she wore in large puffs and rouleaux over the top of her head。
She had two sons married in New York and another who was now in Europe。
This young man was amusing himself at Hamburg； and； though he was
on his travels； was rarely perceived to visit any particular city
at the moment selected by his mother for her own appearance there。
Her nephew； who had come up to Vevey expressly to see her； was therefore
more attentive than those who； as she said； were nearer to her。
He had imbibed at Geneva the idea that one must always be attentive
to one's aunt。 Mrs。 Costello had not seen him for many years；
and she was greatly pleased with him； manifesting her approbation
by initiating him into many of the secrets of that social sway which；
as she gave him to understand； she exerted in the American capital。
She admitted that she was very exclusive； but； if he were acquainted with
New York； he would see that one had to be。 And her picture of the minutely
hierarchical constitution of the society of that city； which she presented
to him in many different lights； was； to Winterbourne's imagination；
almost oppressively striking。
He immediately perceived； from her tone； that Miss Daisy Miller's
place in the social scale was low。 〃I am afraid you don't approve
of them；〃 he said。
〃They are very common；〃 Mrs。 Costello declared。 〃They are the sort
of Americans that one does one's duty by notnot accepting。〃
〃Ah； you don't accept them？〃 said the young man。
〃I can't； my dear Frederick。 I would if I could； but I can't。〃
〃The young girl is very pretty；〃 said Winterbourne in a moment。
〃Of course she's pretty。 But she is very common。〃
〃I see what you mean； of course；〃 said Winterbourne after another pause。
〃She has that charming look that they all have；〃 his aunt resumed。
〃I can't think where they pick it up； and she dresses
in perfectionno； you don't know how well she dresses。
I can't think where they get their taste。〃
〃But； my dear aunt； she is not； after all； a Comanche savage。〃
〃She is a young lady；〃 said Mrs。 Costello； 〃who has an intimacy
with her mamma's courier。〃
〃An intimacy with the courier？〃 the young man demanded。
〃Oh； the mother is just as bad！ They treat the courier
like a familiar friendlike a gentleman。 I shouldn't wonder
if he dines with them。 Very likely they have never seen a man
with such good manners； such fine clothes； so like a gentleman。
He probably corresponds to the young lady's idea of a count。
He sits with them in the garden in the evening。
I think he smokes。〃
Winterbourne listened with interest to these disclosures；
they helped him to make up his mind about Miss Daisy。
Evidently she was rather wild。 〃Well；〃 he said； 〃I am not
a courier； and yet she was very charming to me。〃
〃You had better have said at first；〃 said Mrs。 Costello with dignity；
〃that you had made her acquaintance。〃
〃We simply met in the garden； and we talked a bit。〃
〃Tout bonnement！ And pray what did you say？〃
〃I said I should take the liberty of introducing her to my admirable aunt。〃
〃I am much obliged to you。〃
〃It was to guarantee my respectability；〃 said Winterbourne。
〃And pray who is to guarantee hers？〃
〃Ah； you are cruel！〃 said the young man。 〃She's a very nice young girl。〃
〃You don't say that as if you believed it；〃 Mrs。 Costello observed。
〃She is completely uncultivated；〃 Winterbourne went on。
〃But she is wonderfully pretty； and； in short； she is very nice。
To prove that I believe it； I am going to take her to the
Chateau de Chillon。〃
〃You two are going off there together？ I should say it
proved just the contrary。 How long had you known her；
may I ask； when this interesting project was formed？
You haven't been twenty…four hours in the house。〃
〃I have known her half an hour！〃 said Winterbourne； smiling。
〃Dear me！〃 cried Mrs。 Costello。 〃What a dreadful girl！〃
Her nephew was silent for some moments。 〃You really think； then；〃
he began earnestly； and with a desire for trustworthy information〃you
really think that〃 But he paused again。
〃Think what； sir？〃 said his aunt。
〃That she is the sort of young lady who expects a man； sooner or later；
to carry her off？〃
〃I haven't the least idea what such young ladies expect a man to do。
But I really think that you had better not meddle with little American
girls that are uncultivated； as you call them。 You have lived too long
out of the country。 You will be sure to make some great mistake。
You are too innocent。〃
〃My dear aunt； I am not so innocent；〃 said Winterbourne；
smiling and curling his mustache。
〃You are guilty too； then！〃
Winterbourne continued to curl his mustache meditatively。
〃You won't let the poor girl know you then？〃 he asked at last。
〃Is it literally true that she is going to the Chateau de Chillon with you？〃
〃I think that she fully intends it。〃
〃Then； my dear Frederick；〃 said Mrs。 Costello； 〃I must decline the honor
of her acquaintance。 I am an old woman； but I am not too old； thank Heaven；
to be shocked！〃
〃But don't they all do these thingsthe young girls in America？〃
Winterbourne inquired。
Mrs。 Costello stared a moment。 〃I should like to see my granddaughters
do them！〃 she declared grimly。
This seemed to throw some light upon the matter； for Winterbourne remembered
to have heard that his pretty cousins in New York were 〃tremendous flirts。〃
If； therefore； Miss Daisy Miller exceeded the liberal margin allowed to
these young ladies； it was probable that anything might be expected of her。
Winterbourne was impatient to see her again； and he was vexed with himself
that； by instinct； he should not appreciate her justly。
Though he was impatient to see her； he hardly knew what he should
say to her about his aunt's refusal to become acquainted with her；
but he discovered； promptly enough； that with Miss Daisy Miller there
was no great need of walking on tiptoe。 He found her that evening in
the garden； wandering about in the warm starlight like an indolent sylph；
and swinging to and fro the largest fan he had ever beheld。
It was ten o'clock。 He had dined with his aunt； had been sitting with
her since dinner； and had just taken leave of her till the morrow。
Miss Daisy Miller seemed very glad to see him； she declared it
was the longest evening she had ever passed。
〃Have you been all alone？〃 he asked。
〃I have been walking round with mother。 But mother gets tired
walking round；〃 she answered。
〃Has she gone to bed？〃
〃No； she doesn't like to go to bed；〃 said the young girl。
〃She doesn't sleepnot three hours。 She says she
doesn't know how she lives。 She's dreadfully nervous。
I guess she sleeps more than she thinks。 She's gone somewhere
after Randolph； she wants to try to get him to go to bed。
He doesn't like to go to bed。〃
〃Let us hope she will persuade him；〃 observed Winterbourne。
〃She will talk to him all she can； but he doesn't like her to talk
to him；〃 said Miss Daisy； opening her fan。 〃She's going to try
to get Eugenio to talk to him。 But he isn't afraid of Eugenio。
Eugenio's a splendid courier； but he can't make much impression
on Randolph！ I don't believe he'll go to bed before eleven。〃
It appeared that Randolph's vigil was in fact triumphantly prolonged；
for Winterbourne strolled about with the young girl for some
time without meeting her mother。 〃I have been looking round
for that lady you want to introduce me to；〃 his companion resumed。
〃She's your aunt。〃 Then； on Winterbourne's admitting the fact
and expressing some curiosity as to how she had learned it；
she said she had heard all about Mrs。 Costello from the chambermaid。
She was very quiet and very comme il faut； she wore white puffs；
she spoke to no one； and she never dined at the table d'hote。
Every two days she had a headache。 〃I think that's a lovely
description； headache and all！〃 said Miss Daisy； chattering along
in her thin； gay voice。 〃I want to know her ever so much。
I know just what YOUR aunt would be； I know I should like her。
She would be very exclusive。 I like a lady to be exclusive；
I'm dying to be exclusive myself。 Well； we ARE exclusive；
mother and I。 We don't speak to everyoneor they don't speak to us。
I suppose it's about the same thing。 Anyway； I shall be ever
so glad to know your aunt。〃
Winterbourne was embarrassed。 〃She would be most happy；〃 he said；
〃but I am afraid those headaches will interfere。〃
The young girl looked at him through the dusk。
〃But I suppose she doesn't have a headache every day；〃
