malbone- an oldport romance[1].(马尔布恩)-第3节
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keep the Ten Commandments and darn their stockings。〃
Meantime the children were aiming at Emilia； whose butterfly looks
amazed and charmed them； but who evidently did not know what to do
with their eager affection。
〃I know about you；〃 said little Helen； 〃I know what you said when you
were little。〃
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MALBONE： AN OLDPORT ROMANCE。
〃Did I say anything？〃 asked Emilia； carelessly。
〃Yes；〃 replied the child； and began to repeat the oft…told domestic
tradition in an accurate way； as if it were a school lesson。 〃Once you had
been naughty； and your papa thought it his duty to slap you； and you cried；
and he told you in French； because he always spoke French with you； that
he did not punish you for his own pleasure。 Then you stopped crying； and
asked； 'Pour le plaisir de qui alors？' That means 'For whose pleasure then？'
Hope said it was a droll question for a little girl to ask。〃
〃I do not think it was Emilia who asked that remarkable question； little
girl；〃 said Kate。
〃I dare say it was；〃 said Emilia； 〃I have been asking it all my life。〃 Her
eyes grew very moist； what with fatigue and excitement。 But just then； as
is apt to happen in this world； they were all suddenly recalled from tears to
tea； and the children smothered their curiosity in strawberries and cream。
They sat again beside the western door； after tea。 The young moon
came from a cloud and dropped a broad path of glory upon the bay； a
black yacht glided noiselessly in； and anchored amid this tract of splendor。
The shadow of its masts was on the luminous surface； while their
reflection lay at a different angle； and seemed to penetrate far below。 Then
the departing steamer went flashing across this bright realm with gorgeous
lustre； its red and green lights were doubled in the paler waves； its four
reflected chimneys chased each other among the reflected masts。 This
jewelled wonder passing； a single fishing…boat drifted silently by； with its
one dark sail； and then the moon and the anchored yacht were left alone。
Presently some of the luggage came from the wharf。 Malbone brought
out presents for everybody； then all the family went to Europe in
photographs； and with some reluctance came back to America for bed。
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MALBONE： AN OLDPORT ROMANCE。
CHAPTER II。
PLACE AUX DAMES！
IN every town there is one young maiden who is the universal favorite；
who belongs to all sets and is made an exception to all family feuds； who
is the confidante of all girls and the adopted sister of all young men； up to
the time when they respectively offer themselves to her； and again after
they are rejected。 This post was filled in Oldport； in those days； by my
cousin Kate。
Born into the world with many other gifts； this last and least definable
gift of popularity was added to complete them all。 Nobody criticised her；
nobody was jealous of her； her very rivals lent her their new music and
their lovers； and her own discarded wooers always sought her to be a
bridesmaid when they married somebody else。
She was one of those persons who seem to have come into the world
well…dressed。 There was an atmosphere of elegance around her； like a
costume； every attitude implied a presence…chamber or a ball…room。 The
girls complained that in private theatricals no combination of disguises
could reduce Kate to the ranks； nor give her the 〃make…up〃 of a waiting…
maid。 Yet as her father was a New York merchant of the precarious or
spasmodic description； she had been used from childhood to the wildest
fluctuations of wardrobe；a year of Paris dresses；then another year spent
in making over ancient finery； that never looked like either finery or
antiquity when it came from her magic hands。 Without a particle of vanity
or fear； secure in health and good…nature and invariable prettiness； she
cared little whether the appointed means of grace were ancient silk or
modern muslin。 In her periods of poverty； she made no secret of the
necessary devices； the other girls； of course； guessed them； but her lovers
never did； because she always told them。 There was one particular tarlatan
dress of hers which was a sort of local institution。 It was known to all
her companions； like the State House。 There was a report that she had
first worn it at her christening； the report originated with herself。 The
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MALBONE： AN OLDPORT ROMANCE。
young men knew that she was going to the party if she could turn that pink
tarlatan once more； but they had only the vaguest impression what a
tarlatan was； and cared little on which side it was worn； so long as Kate
was inside。
During these epochs of privation her life； in respect to dress； was a
perpetual Christmas…tree of second…hand gifts。 Wealthy aunts supplied her
with cast…off shoes of all sizes； from two and a half up to five； and she
used them all。 She was reported to have worn one straw hat through five
changes of fashion。 It was averred that； when square crowns were in
vogue； she flattened it over a tin pan； and that； when round crowns
returned； she bent it on the bedpost。 There was such a charm in her way
of adapting these treasures； that the other girls liked to test her with new
problems in the way of millinery and dress…making； millionnaire friends
implored her to trim their hats； and lent her their own things in order to
learn how to wear them。 This applied especially to certain rich cousins；
shy and studious girls； who adored her； and to whom society only ceased
to be alarming when the brilliant Kate took them under her wing； and
graciously accepted a few of their newest feathers。 Well might they
acquiesce； for she stood by them superbly； and her most favored partners
found no way to her hand so sure as to dance systematically through that
staid sisterhood。 Dear； sunshiny； gracious； generous Kate！who has ever
done justice to the charm given to this grave old world by the presence of
one free…hearted and joyous girl？
At the time now to be described； however； Kate's purse was well filled；
and if she wore only second…best finery； it was because she had lent her
very best to somebody else。 All that her doting father asked was to pay
for her dresses； and to see her wear them； and if her friends wore a part of
them； it only made necessary a larger wardrobe； and more varied and
pleasurable shopping。 She was as good a manager in wealth as in poverty；
wasted nothing； took exquisite care of everything； and saved faithfully for
some one else all that was not needed for her own pretty person。
Pretty she was throughout； from the parting of her jet…black hair to the
high instep of her slender foot； a glancing； brilliant； brunette beauty； with
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the piquant charm of perpetual spirits； and the equipoise of a perfectly
healthy nature。 She was altogether graceful； yet she had not the fresh；
free grace of her cousin
Hope； who was lithe and strong as a hawthorne spray： Kate's was the
narrower grace of culture grown hereditary； an in…door elegance that was
born in her； and of which dancing…school was but the natural development。
You could not picture Hope to your mind in one position more than in
another； she had an endless variety of easy motion。 When you thought of
Kate； you remembered precisely how she sat； how she stood； and how she
walked。 That was all； and it was always the same。 But is not that enough？
We do not ask of Mary Stuart's portrait that it should represent her in more
than one attitude； and why should a living beauty need more than two or
three？
Kate was betrothed to her cousin Harry； H
