miss or mrs[1].(小姐还是夫人)-第10节
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Imagine her talking in that way！ What could she possibly know about it？
Of course we both laughed〃
〃_you_ laughed； Lavinia。〃
〃_you_ laughed； Joseph。〃
〃Get on； for God's sake！〃 cried Turlington； striking his hand
passionately on the table by which he was sitting。 〃Don't madden me by
contradicting each other！ Did she give way or not？〃
Miss Lavinia turned to her brother。 〃Contradicting each other； Joseph！〃
she exclaimed； lifting her hands in blank amazement。
〃Contradicting each other！〃 repeated Sir Joseph； equally astonished on
his side。 〃My dear Richard； what can you be thinking of？ I contradict my
sister！ We never disagreed in our lives。〃
〃I contradict my brother！ We have never had a cross word between us
from the time when we were children。〃
Turlington internally cursed his own irritable temper。
〃I beg your pardonboth of you；〃 he said。 〃I didn't know what I was
saying。 Make some allowance for me。 All my hopes in life are centered in
Natalie； and you have just told me （in her own words； Miss Lavinia） that
she doesn't love。 You don't mean any harm； I dare say； but you cut me to
the heart。〃
This confession； and the look that accompanied it； touched the ready
sympathies of the two old people in the right place。 The remainder of the
story dropped between them by common consent。 They vied with each
other in saying the comforting words which would allay their dear
Richard's anxiety。 How little he knew of young girls。 How could he be so
foolish； poor fellow！ as to attach any serious importance to what Natalie
had said？ As if a young creature in her teens knew the state of her own
heart！ Protestations and entreaties were matters of course； in such cases。
Tears even might be confidently expected from a right…minded girl。 It had
all ended exactly as Richard would have wished it to end。 Sir Joseph had
said； 〃My child！ this is a matter of experience； love will come when you
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are married。〃 And Miss Lavinia had added； 〃Dear Natalie； if you
remembered your poor mother as I remember her； you would know that
your father's experience is to be relied on。〃 In that way they had put it to
her； and she had hung her head and had givenall that maiden modesty
could be expected to givea silent consent。 〃The wedding…day was fixed
for the first week in the New Year。〃 （〃No； Joseph； not Januarythe New
Year。〃） 〃And God bless you； Richard！ and may your married life be a long
and happy one。〃
So the average ignorance of human nature； and the average belief in
conventional sentiment； complacently contemplated the sacrifice of one
more victim on the all…devouring altar of Marriage！ So Sir Joseph and his
sister provided Launcelot Linzie with the one argument which he wanted
to convince Natalie： 〃Choose between making the misery of your life by
marrying _him_； and making the happiness of your life by marrying
_me。_〃
〃When shall I see her？〃 asked Turlington； with Miss Lavinia （in tears
which did _her_ credit） in possession of one of his hands； and Sir Joseph
（in tears which did _him_ credit） in possession of the other。
〃She will be back to dinner； dear Richard。 Stay and dine。〃
〃Thank you。 I must go into the City first。 I will come back and dine。〃
With that arrangement in prospect； he left them。
An hour later a telegram arrived from Natalie。 She had consented to
dine； as well as lunch； in Berkeley Squaresleeping there that night； and
returning the next morning。 Her father instantly telegraphed back by the
messenger； insisting on Natalie's return to Muswell Hill that evening； in
time to meet Richard Turlington at dinner。
〃Quite right。 Joseph；〃 said Miss Lavinia； looking over her brother's
shoulder； while he wrote the telegram。
〃She is showing a disposition to coquet with Richard；〃 rejoined Sir
Joseph； with the air of a man who knew female human nature in its
remotest corners。 〃My telegram； Lavinia； will have its effect。〃
Sir Joseph was quite right。 His telegram _had_ its effect。 It not only
brought his daughter back to dinnerit produced another result which his
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prophetic faculty had altogether failed to foresee。
The message reached Berkeley Square at five o'clock in the afternoon。
Let us follow the message。
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Miss or Mrs。？
FIFTH SCENE。
The Square。
Between four and five in the afternoonwhen the women of the
Western regions are in their carriages； and the men are at their clubs
London presents few places more conveniently adapted for purposes of
private talk than the solitary garden inclosure of a square。
On the day when Richard Turlington paid his visit to Muswell Hill；
two ladies （with a secret between them） unlocked the gate of the railed
garden in Berkeley Square。 They shut the gate after entering the inclosure；
but carefully forbore to lock it as well； and carefully restricted their walk
to the westward side of the garden。 One of them was Natalie Graybrooke。
The other was Mrs。 Sancroft's eldest daughter。 A certain temporary interest
attached； in the estimation of society； to this young lady。 She had sold well
in the marriage market。 In other words； she had recently been raised to the
position of Lord Winwood's second wife； his lordship conferring on the
bride not only the honors of the peerage； but the additional distinction of
being stepmother to his three single daughters； all older than herself。 In
person； Lady Winwood was little and fair。 In character； she was dashing
and resolutea complete contrast to Natalie； and （on that very account）
Natalie's bosom friend。
〃My dear； one ambitious marriage in the family is quite enough！ I have
made up my mind that _you_ shall marry the man you love。 Don't tell me
your courage is failing youthe excuse is contemptible； I decline to
receive it。 Natalie！ the men have a phrase which exactly describes your
character。 You want back…bone！〃
The bonnet of the lady who expressed herself in these peremptory
terms barely reached the height of Natalie's shoulder。 Natalie might have
blown the little airy； light…haired； unsubstantial creature over the railings
of the garden if she had taken a good long breath and stooped low enough。
But who ever met with a tall woman who had a will of her own？ Natalie's
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languid brown eyes looked softly down in submissive attention from an
elevation of five feet seven。 Lady Winwood's brisk blue eyes looked
brightly up in despotic command from an elevation of four feet eleven （in
her shoes）。
〃You are trifling with Mr。 Linzie； my dear。 Mr。 Linzie is a nice fellow。
I like him。 I won't have that。〃
〃Louisa！〃
〃Mr。 Turlington has nothing to recommend him。 He is not a well…bred
old gentleman of exalted rank。 He is only an odious brute who happens to
have made money。 You shall _not_ marry Mr。 Turlington。 And you _shall_
marry Launcelot Linzie。〃
〃Will you let me speak； Louisa？〃
〃I will let you answernothing more。 Didn't you come crying to me
this morning？ Didn't you say； 'Louisa； they have pronounced sentence on
me！ I am to be married in the first week of the New Year。 Help me out of it；
for Heaven's sake！' You said all that； and more。 And what did I do when I
heard your story？〃
〃Oh； you were so kind〃
〃Kind doesn't half express it。 I have committed crimes on your account。
I have deceived my husband and my mother。 For your sake I got mamma
to ask Mr。 Linzie to lunch （as _my_ friend！）。 For your sake I have
banished my unoffending husband； not an hour since； to his club。 You
wretched girl； who arranged a private conference in the library？ Who sent
Mr。 Linzie off to consult his friend in the Temple on the law of clandestine
marriage？ Who suggested your teleg
