daisy miller-第9节

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consciousness　of　his　singular　situation。　　The　slow…moving；　idly

gazing　Roman　crowd　bestowed　much　attention　upon　the　extremely

pretty　young　foreign　lady　who　was　passing　through　it　upon　his　arm；

and　he　wondered　what　on　earth　had　been　in　Daisy's　mind　when　she

proposed　to　expose　herself；　unattended；　to　its　appreciation。

His　own　mission；　to　her　sense；　apparently；　was　to　consign

her　to　the　hands　of　Mr。　Giovanelli；　but　Winterbourne；　at　once

annoyed　and　gratified；　resolved　that　he　would　do　no　such　thing。



〃Why　haven't　you　been　to　see　me？〃　asked　Daisy。　　〃You　can't

get　out　of　that。〃



〃I　have　had　the　honor　of　telling　you　that　I　have　only　just　stepped

out　of　the　train。〃



〃You　must　have　stayed　in　the　train　a　good　while　after　it　stopped！〃

cried　the　young　girl　with　her　little　laugh。　　〃I　suppose　you　were　asleep。

You　have　had　time　to　go　to　see　Mrs。　Walker。〃



〃I　knew　Mrs。　Walker〃　Winterbourne　began　to　explain。



〃I　know　where　you　knew　her。　　You　knew　her　at　Geneva。

She　told　me　so。　　Well；　you　knew　me　at　Vevey。　　That's　just　as　good。

So　you　ought　to　have　come。〃　　She　asked　him　no　other　question

than　this；　she　began　to　prattle　about　her　own　affairs。

〃We've　got　splendid　rooms　at　the　hotel；　Eugenio　says　they're

the　best　rooms　in　Rome。　　We　are　going　to　stay　all　winter；

if　we　don't　die　of　the　fever；　and　I　guess　we'll　stay　then。

It's　a　great　deal　nicer　than　I　thought；　I　thought　it　would

be　fearfully　quiet；　I　was　sure　it　would　be　awfully　poky。

I　was　sure　we　should　be　going　round　all　the　time　with　one　of　those

dreadful　old　men　that　explain　about　the　pictures　and　things。

But　we　only　had　about　a　week　of　that；　and　now　I'm　enjoying　myself。

I　know　ever　so　many　people；　and　they　are　all　so　charming。

The　society's　extremely　select。　　There　are　all　kindsEnglish；

and　Germans；　and　Italians。　　I　think　I　like　the　English　best。

I　like　their　style　of　conversation。　　But　there　are　some

lovely　Americans。　　I　never　saw　anything　so　hospitable。

There's　something　or　other　every　day。　　There's　not　much　dancing；

but　I　must　say　I　never　thought　dancing　was　everything。

I　was　always　fond　of　conversation。　　I　guess　I　shall

have　plenty　at　Mrs。　Walker's；　her　rooms　are　so　small。〃

When　they　had　passed　the　gate　of　the　Pincian　Gardens；

Miss　Miller　began　to　wonder　where　Mr。　Giovanelli　might　be。

〃We　had　better　go　straight　to　that　place　in　front；〃　she　said；

〃where　you　look　at　the　view。〃



〃I　certainly　shall　not　help　you　to　find　him；〃　Winterbourne　declared。



〃Then　I　shall　find　him　without　you；〃　cried　Miss　Daisy。



〃You　certainly　won't　leave　me！〃　cried　Winterbourne。



She　burst　into　her　little　laugh。　　〃Are　you　afraid　you'll　get　lost

or　run　over？　　But　there's　Giovanelli；　leaning　against　that　tree。

He's　staring　at　the　women　in　the　carriages：　　did　you　ever　see

anything　so　cool？〃



Winterbourne　perceived　at　some　distance　a　little　man　standing　with

folded　arms　nursing　his　cane。　　He　had　a　handsome　face；　an　artfully

poised　hat；　a　glass　in　one　eye；　and　a　nosegay　in　his　buttonhole。

Winterbourne　looked　at　him　a　moment　and　then　said；　〃Do　you　mean

to　speak　to　that　man？〃



〃Do　I　mean　to　speak　to　him？　　Why；　you　don't　suppose　I　mean

to　communicate　by　signs？〃



〃Pray　understand；　then；〃　said　Winterbourne；　〃that　I　intend

to　remain　with　you。〃



Daisy　stopped　and　looked　at　him；　without　a　sign　of　troubled

consciousness　in　her　face；　with　nothing　but　the　presence　of　her

charming　eyes　and　her　happy　dimples。　　〃Well；　she's　a　cool　one！〃

thought　the　young　man。



〃I　don't　like　the　way　you　say　that；〃　said　Daisy。

〃It's　too　imperious。〃



〃I　beg　your　pardon　if　I　say　it　wrong。　　The　main　point　is　to　give

you　an　idea　of　my　meaning。〃



The　young　girl　looked　at　him　more　gravely；　but　with　eyes　that　were

prettier　than　ever。　　〃I　have　never　allowed　a　gentleman　to　dictate　to　me；

or　to　interfere　with　anything　I　do。〃



〃I　think　you　have　made　a　mistake；〃　said　Winterbourne。

〃You　should　sometimes　listen　to　a　gentlemanthe　right　one。〃



Daisy　began　to　laugh　again。　　〃I　do　nothing　but　listen　to　gentlemen！〃

she　exclaimed。　　〃Tell　me　if　Mr。　Giovanelli　is　the　right　one？〃



The　gentleman　with　the　nosegay　in　his　bosom　had　now　perceived　our　two　friends；

and　was　approaching　the　young　girl　with　obsequious　rapidity。　　He　bowed　to

Winterbourne　as　well　as　to　the　latter's　companion；　he　had　a　brilliant　smile；

an　intelligent　eye；　Winterbourne　thought　him　not　a　bad…looking　fellow。

But　he　nevertheless　said　to　Daisy；　〃No；　he's　not　the　right　one。〃



Daisy　evidently　had　a　natural　talent　for　performing　introductions；

she　mentioned　the　name　of　each　of　her　companions　to　the　other。

She　strolled　alone　with　one　of　them　on　each　side　of　her；　Mr。　Giovanelli；

who　spoke　English　very　cleverlyWinterbourne　afterward　learned

that　he　had　practiced　the　idiom　upon　a　great　many　American　heiresses

addressed　her　a　great　deal　of　very　polite　nonsense；　he　was　extremely

urbane；　and　the　young　American；　who　said　nothing；　reflected　upon

that　profundity　of　Italian　cleverness　which　enables　people　to　appear

more　gracious　in　proportion　as　they　are　more　acutely　disappointed。

Giovanelli；　of　course；　had　counted　upon　something　more　intimate；

he　had　not　bargained　for　a　party　of　three。　　But　he　kept　his

temper　in　a　manner　which　suggested　far…stretching　intentions。

Winterbourne　flattered　himself　that　he　had　taken　his　measure。

〃He　is　not　a　gentleman；〃　said　the　young　American；

〃he　is　only　a　clever　imitation　of　one。　　He　is　a　music　master；

or　a　penny…a…liner；　or　a　third…rate　artist。　　D__n　his　good　looks！〃

Mr。　Giovanelli　had　certainly　a　very　pretty　face；　but　Winterbourne　felt

a　superior　indignation　at　his　own　lovely　fellow　countrywoman's　not

knowing　the　difference　between　a　spurious　gentleman　and　a　real　one。

Giovanelli　chattered　and　jested　and　made　himself　wonderfully　agreeable。

It　was　true　that；　if　he　was　an　imitation；　the　imitation　was　brilliant。

〃Nevertheless；〃　Winterbourne　said　to　himself；　〃a　nice　girl　ought　to　know！〃

And　then　he　came　back　to　the　question　whether　this　was；　in　fact；

a　nice　girl。　　Would　a　nice　girl；　even　allowing　for　her　being　a　little

American　flirt；　make　a　rendezvous　with　a　presumably　low…lived　foreigner？

The　rendezvous　in　this　case；　indeed；　had　been　in　broad　daylight　and　in

the　most　crowded　corner　of　Rome；　but　was　it　not　impossible　to　regard

the　choice　of　these　circumstances　as　a　proof　of　extreme　cynicism？

Singular　though　it　may　seem；　Winterbourne　was　vexed　that　the　young　girl；

in　joining　her　amoroso；　should　not　appear　more　impatient

of　his　own　company；　and　he　was　vexed　because　of　his　inclination。

It　was　impossible　to　regard　her　as　a　perfectly　well…conducted

young　lady；　she　was　wanting　in　a　certain　indispensable　delicacy。

It　would　therefore　simplify　matters　greatly　to　be　able　to　treat

her　as　the　object　of　one　of　those　sentiments　which　are　called　by

romancers　〃lawless　passions。〃　　That　she　should　seem　to　wish　to　get　rid

of　him　would　help　him　to　think　more　lightly　of　her；　and　to　be　able

to　think　more　lightly　of　her　would　make　her　much　less　perplexing。

But　Daisy；　on　this　occasion；　continued　to　present　herself　as　an

inscrutable　combination　of　audacity　and　innocence。



She　had　been　walking　some　quarter　of　an　hour；　attended　by　her

two　cavaliers；　and　responding　in　a　tone　of　very　childish　gaiety；

as　it　seemed　to　Winterbourne；　to　the　pretty　speeches

of　Mr。　Giovanelli；　when　a　carriage　that　had　detached

itself　from　the　revolving　train　drew　up　beside　the　path。

At　the　same　moment　Winterbourne　perceived　that　his　friend

Mrs。　Walkerthe　lady　whose　house　he　had　lately　left

was　seated　in　the　vehicle　and　was　beckoning　to　him。

Leaving　Miss　Miller's　side；　he　hastened　to　obey　her　summons。

Mrs。　Walker　was　flushed；　she　wore　an　excited　air。

〃It　is　really　too　dreadful；〃　she　said。　　〃That　girl　must　not　do

this　sort　of　thing。　　She　must　not　walk　here　with　you　two　men。

Fifty　people　have　noticed　her。〃



Winterbourne　raised　his　eyebrows。　　〃I　think　it's　a　pity　to　make

too　much　fuss　about　it。〃



〃It's　a　pity　to　let　the　girl　ruin　herself！〃



〃She　is　very　innocent；〃　said　Winterbourne。



〃She's　very　crazy！〃　cried　Mrs。　Walker。　　〃Did　you　ever　see

anything　so　imbecile　as　her　mother？　　After　you　had　all　left

me　just　now；　I　could　not　sit　still　for　thinking　of　it。

It　seemed　too　pitiful；　not　even　to　attempt　to　save　her。

I　ordered　the　carriage　and　put　on　my　bonnet；　and　came　here

as　quickly　as　possible。　　Thank　Heaven　I　have　found　you！〃



〃What　do　you　propose　to　do　with　us？〃　asked　Winterbourne；　smiling。



〃To　ask　her　to　get　in；　to　drive　her　about　here　for　half　an　hour；

so　that　the　world　may　see　she　is　not　running　absolutely　wild；

and　then　to　take　her　safely　home。〃



〃I　don't　think　it's　a　very　happy　thought；〃　said　Winterbourne；

〃but　you　can　try。〃



Mrs。　Walker　tried。　　The　young　man　went　in　pursuit　of　Miss　Miller；

who　had　simply　nodded　and　smiled　at　his　interlocutor　in　the　carriage

and　had　gone　her　way　with　her　companion。　　Daisy；　on　learning

that　Mrs。　Walke