malbone- an oldport romance[1].(马尔布恩)-第19节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
You have wonderful influence。 You saved her before； and will do it
again。 I put her in your hands。〃
〃What can I do for her？〃 asked he； with a strange mingling of terror
and delight。
〃Everything；〃 said she。 〃If she has your society； she will not care for
those people； so much her inferiors in character。 Devote yourself to her for
a time。〃
〃And leave you？〃 said Philip； hesitatingly。
〃Anything； anything；〃 said she。 〃If I do not see you for a month； I
can bear it。 Only promise me two things。 First； that you will go to her
this very day。 She dines with Mrs。 Ingleside。〃
Philip agreed。
〃Then；〃 said Hope； with saddened tones； 〃you must not say it was I
who sent you。 Indeed you must not。 That would spoil all。 Let her think
that your own impulse leads you； and then she will yield。 I know Emilia
enough for that。〃
Malbone paused； half in ecstasy； half in dismay。 Were all the events of
life combining to ruin or to save him？ This young girl； whom he so
passionately loved； was she to be thrust back into his arms； and was he to
70
… Page 71…
MALBONE： AN OLDPORT ROMANCE。
be told to clasp her and be silent？ And that by Hope； and in the name of
duty？
It seemed a strange position； even for him who was so eager for fresh
experiences and difficult combinations。 At Hope's appeal he was to risk
Hope's peace forever； he was to make her sweet sisterly affection its own
executioner。 In obedience to her love he must revive Emilia's。 The tender
intercourse which he had been trying to renounce as a crime must be
rebaptized as a duty。 Was ever a man placed； he thought； in a position so
inextricable； so disastrous？ What could he offer Emilia？ How could he
explain to her his position？ He could not even tell her that it was at Hope's
command he sought her。
He who is summoned to rescue a drowning man； knowing that he
himself may go down with that inevitable clutch around his neck； is placed
in some such situation as Philip's。 Yet Hope had appealed to him so simply；
had trusted him so nobly！ Suppose that； by any self…control； or wisdom； or
unexpected aid of Heaven； he could serve both her and Emilia； was it not
his duty？ What if it should prove that he was right in loving them both；
and had only erred when he cursed himself for tampering with their
destinies？ Perhaps； after all； the Divine Love had been guiding him； and
at some appointed signal all these complications were to be cleared； and
he and his various loves were somehow to be ingeniously provided for；
and all be made happy ever after。
He really grew quite tender and devout over these meditations。 Phil
was not a conceited fellow； by any means； but he had been so often told by
women that their love for him had been a blessing to their souls； that he
quite acquiesced in being a providential agent in that particular direction。
Considered as a form of self…sacrifice； it was not without its pleasures。
Malbone drove that afternoon to Mrs。 Ingleside's charming abode；
whither a few ladies were wont to resort； and a great many gentlemen。 He
timed his call between the hours of dining and driving； and made sure that
Emilia had not yet emerged。 Two or three equipages beside his own were
in waiting at the gate； and gay voices resounded from the house。 A servant
received him at the door； and taking him for a tardy guest； ushered him at
71
… Page 72…
MALBONE： AN OLDPORT ROMANCE。
once into the dining…room。 He was indifferent to this； for he had been too
often sought as a guest by Mrs。 Ingleside to stand on any ceremony
beneath her roof。
That fair hostess； in all the beauty of her shoulders； rose to greet him；
from a table where six or eight guests yet lingered over flowers and wine。
The gentlemen were smoking； and some of the ladies were trying to look
at ease with cigarettes。 Malbone knew the whole company； and greeted
them with his accustomed ease。 He would not have been embarrassed if
they had been the Forty Thieves。 Some of them； indeed； were not so far
removed from that fabled band； only it was their fortunes； instead of
themselves； that lay in the jars of oil。
〃You find us all here；〃 said Mrs。 Ingleside； sweetly。 〃We will wait till
the gentlemen finish their cigars； before driving。〃
〃Count me in； please；〃 said Blanche； in her usual vein of frankness。
〃Unless mamma wishes me to conclude my weed on the Avenue。 It
would be fun； though。 Fancy the dismay of the Frenchmen and the
dowagers！〃
〃And old Lambert；〃 said one of the other girls； delightedly。
〃Yes；〃 said Blanche。 〃The elderly party from the rural districts； who
talks to us about the domestic virtues of the wife of his youth。〃
〃Thinks women should cruise with a broom at their mast…heads； like
Admiral somebody in England；〃 said another damsel； who was rolling a
cigarette for a midshipman。
〃You see we do not follow the English style；〃 said the smooth hostess
to Philip。 〃Ladies retiring after dinner！ After all； it is a coarse practice。
You agree with me； Mr。 Malbone？〃
〃Speak your mind；〃 said Blanche； coolly。 〃Don't say yes if you'd
rather not。 Because we find a thing a bore； you've no call to say so。〃
〃I always say；〃 continued the matron； 〃that the presence of woman is
needed as a refining influence。〃
Malbone looked round for the refining influences。 Blanche was tilted
back in her chair； with one foot on the rung of the chair before her；
resuming a loud…toned discourse with Count Posen as to his projected
72
… Page 73…
MALBONE： AN OLDPORT ROMANCE。
work on American society。 She was trying to extort a promise that she
should appear in its pages； which； as we all remember； she did。 One of her
attendant nymphs sat leaning her elbows on the table； 〃talking horse〃 with
a gentleman who had an undoubted professional claim to a knowledge of
that commodity。 Another； having finished her manufactured cigarette； was
making the grinning midshipman open his lips wider and wider to receive
it。 Mrs。 Ingleside was talking in her mincing way with a Jew broker；
whose English was as imperfect as his morals； and who needed nothing to
make him a millionnaire but a turn of bad luck for somebody else。 Half the
men in the room would have felt quite ill at ease in any circle of refined
women； but there was not one who did not feel perfectly unembarrassed
around Mrs。 Ingleside's board。
〃Upon my word；〃 thought Malbone； 〃I never fancied the English after…
dinner practice； any more than did Napoleon。 But if this goes on； it is the
gentlemen who ought to withdraw。 Cannot somebody lead the way to the
drawing…room； and leave the ladies to finish their cigars？〃
Till now he had hardly dared to look at Emilia。 He saw with a thrill
of love that she was the one person in the room who appeared out of place
or ill at ease。 She did not glance at him； but held her cigarette in silence
and refused to light it。 She had boasted to him once of having learned to
smoke at school。
〃What's the matter； Emmy？〃 suddenly exclaimed Blanche。 〃Are you
under a cloud； that you don't blow one？〃
〃Blanche； Blanche；〃 said her mother； in sweet reproof。 〃Mr。 Malbone；
what shall I do with this wild girl？ Such a light way of talking！ But I
can assure you that she is really very fond of the society of intellectual；
superior men。 I often tell her that they are； after all； her most congenial
associates。 More so than the young and giddy。〃
〃You'd better believe it；〃 said the unabashed damsel。 〃Take notice that
whenever I go to a dinner…party I look round for a clergyman to drink wine
with。〃
〃Incorrigible！〃 said the caressing mother。 〃Mr。 Malbone would
hardly imagine you had been bred in a Christian land。〃
73
… Page 74…
MALBONE： AN OLDPORT ROMANCE。
〃I have； though；〃
