malbone- an oldport romance[1].(马尔布恩)-第20节
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MALBONE： AN OLDPORT ROMANCE。
〃I have； though；〃 retorted Blanche。 〃My esteemed parent always
accustomed me to give up something during Lent；champagne； or the
New York Herald； or something。〃
The young men roared； and； had time and cosmetics made it possible；
Mrs。 Ingleside would have blushed becomingly。 After all； the daughter
was the better of the two。 Her bluntness was refreshing beside the mother's
suavity； she had a certain generosity； too； and in a case of real destitution
would have lent her best ear…rings to a friend。
By this time Malbone had edged himself to Emilia's side。 〃Will you
drive with me？〃 he murmured in an undertone。
She nodded slightly； abruptly； and he withdrew again。
〃It seems barbarous；〃 said he aloud； 〃to break up the party。 But I must
claim my promised drive with Miss Emilia。〃
Blanche looked up； for once amazed； having heard a different
programme arranged。 Count Posen looked up also。 But he thought he
must have misunderstood Emilia's acceptance of his previous offer to
drive her； and as he prided himself even more on his English than on his
gallantry； he said no more。 It was no great matter。 Young Jones's dog…cart
was at the door； and always opened eagerly its arms to anybody with a
title。
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MALBONE： AN OLDPORT ROMANCE。
CHAPTER XII
A NEW ENGAGEMENT。
TEN days later Philip came into Aunt Jane's parlor； looking excited
and gloomy； with a letter in his hand。 He put it down on her table
without its envelope；a thing that always particularly annoyed her。 A
letter without its envelope； she was wont to say； was like a man without a
face； or a key without a string；something incomplete； preposterous。 As
usual； however； he strode across her prejudices； and said； 〃I have
something to tell you。 It is a fact。〃
〃Is it？〃 said Aunt Jane； curtly。 〃That is refreshing in these times。〃
〃A good beginning；〃 said Kate。 〃Go on。 You have prepared us for
something incredible。〃
〃You will think it so；〃 said Malbone。 〃Emilia is engaged to Mr。 John
Lambert。〃 And he went out of the room。
〃Good Heavens！〃 said Aunt Jane； taking off her spectacles。 〃What a
man！ He is ugly enough to frighten the neighboring crows。 His face
looks as if it had fallen together out of chaos； and the features had come
where it had pleased Fate。 There is a look of industrious nothingness
about him； such as busy dogs have。 I know the whole family。 They used
to bake our bread。〃
〃I suppose they are good and sensible；〃 said Kate。
〃Like boiled potatoes； my dear；〃 was the response；〃wholesome but
perfectly uninteresting。〃
〃Is he of that sort？〃 asked Kate。
〃No；〃 said her aunt； 〃not uninteresting； but ungracious。 But I like an
ungracious man better than one like Philip； who hangs over young girls
like a soft…hearted avalanche。 This Lambert will govern Emilia； which is
what she needs。〃
〃She will never love him；〃 said Kate； 〃which is the one thing she needs。
There is nothing that could not be done with Emilia by any person with
whom she was in love； and nothing can ever be done with her by anybody
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MALBONE： AN OLDPORT ROMANCE。
else。 No good will ever come of this； and I hope she will never marry
him。〃
With this unusual burst； Kate retreated to Hope。 Hope took the news
more patiently than any one； but with deep solicitude。 A worldly
marriage seemed the natural result of the Ingleside influence； but it had
not occurred to anybody that it would come so soon。 It had not seemed
Emilia's peculiar temptation； and yet nobody could suppose that she
looked at John Lambert through any glamour of the affections。
Mr。 John Lambert was a millionnaire； a politician； and a widower。 The
late Mrs。 Lambert had been a specimen of that cheerful hopelessness of
temperament that one finds abundantly developed among the middle…aged
women of country towns。 She enjoyed her daily murders in the
newspapers； and wept profusely at the funerals of strangers。 On every
occasion； however felicitous； she offered her condolences in a feeble voice；
that seemed to have been washed a great many times and to have faded。
But she was a good manager； a devoted wife； and was more cheerful at
home than elsewhere； for she had there plenty of trials to exercise her
eloquence； and not enough joy to make it her duty to be doleful。 At last her
poor； meek； fatiguing voice faded out altogether； and her husband
mourned her as heartily as she would have bemoaned the demise of the
most insignificant neighbor。 After her death； being left childless； he had
nothing to do but to make money； and he naturally made it。 Having taken
his primary financial education in New England； he graduated at that great
business university； Chicago； and then entered on the public practice of
wealth in New York。
Aunt Jane had perhaps done injustice to the personal appearance of Mr。
John Lambert。 His features were irregular； but not insignificant； and
there was a certain air of slow command about him； which made some
persons call him handsome。 He was heavily built； with a large； well…
shaped head； light whiskers tinged with gray； and a sort of dusty
complexion。 His face was full of little curved wrinkles； as if it were a slate
just ruled for sums in long division； and his small blue eyes winked
anxiously a dozen different ways； as if they were doing the sums。 He
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MALBONE： AN OLDPORT ROMANCE。
seemed to bristle with memorandum…books； and kept drawing them from
every pocket； to put something down。 He was slow of speech； and his very
heaviness of look added to the impression of reserved power about the
man。
All his career in life had been a solid progress； and his boldest
speculations seemed securer than the legitimate business of less potent
financiers。 Beginning business life by peddling gingerbread on a railway
train； he had developed such a genius for railway management as some
men show for chess or for virtue； and his accumulating property had the
momentum of a planet。
He had read a good deal at odd times； and had seen a great deal of men。
His private morals were unstained； he was equable and amiable； had
strong good sense； and never got beyond his depth。 He had travelled in
Europe and brought home many statistics； some new thoughts； and a few
good pictures selected by his friends。 He spent his money liberally for the
things needful to his position； owned a yacht； bred trotting…horses； and had
founded a theological school。 He submitted to these and other social
observances from a vague sense of duty as an American citizen； his real
interest lay in business and in politics。 Yet he conducted these two
vocations on principles diametrically opposite。 In business he was more
honest than the average； in politics he had no conception of honesty； for he
could see no difference between a politician and any other merchandise。
He always succeeded in business； for he thoroughly understood its
principles； in politics he always failed in the end； for he recognized no
principles at all。 In business he was active； resolute； and seldom
deceived； in politics he was equally active； but was apt to be irresolute；
and was deceived every day of his life
