an international episode-第10节
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she had expected the 〃associations〃 would be very charming；
that it would be an infinite pleasure to rest her eyes upon
the things she had read about in the poets and historians。
She was very fond of the poets and historians； of the picturesque；
of the past； of retrospect； of mementos and reverberations
of greatness； so that on coming into the English world；
where strangeness and familiarity would go hand in hand；
she was prepared for a multitude of fresh emotions。
They began very promptlythese tender； fluttering sensations；
they began with the sight of the beautiful English landscape；
whose dark richness was quickened and brightened by the season；
with the carpeted fields and flowering hedgerows； as she
looked at them from the window of the train； with the spires
of the rural churches peeping above the rook…haunted treetops；
with the oak…studded parks； the ancient homes； the cloudy light；
the speech； the manners； the thousand differences。
Mrs。 Westgate's impressions had； of course； much less novelty
and keenness； and she gave but a wandering attention to her
sister's ejaculations and rhapsodies。
〃You know my enjoyment of England is not so intellectual as Bessie's；〃 she
said to several of her friends in the course of her visit to this country。
〃And yet if it is not intellectual； I can't say it is physical。
I don't think I can quite say what it is； my enjoyment of England。〃
When once it was settled that the two ladies should come abroad and should
spend a few weeks in England on their way to the Continent； they of course
exchanged a good many allusions to their London acquaintance。
〃It will certainly be much nicer having friends there；〃
Bessie Alden had said one day as she sat on the sunny deck
of the steamer at her sister's feet on a large blue rug。
〃Whom do you mean by friends？〃 Mrs。 Westgate asked。
〃All those English gentlemen whom you have known and entertained。
Captain Littledale； for instance。 And Lord Lambeth and Mr。 Beaumont；〃
added Bessie Alden。
〃Do you expect them to give us a very grand reception？〃
Bessie reflected a moment； she was addicted； as we know；
to reflection。 〃Well； yes。〃
〃My poor； sweet child；〃 murmured her sister。
〃What have I said that is so silly？〃 asked Bessie。
〃You are a little too simple； just a little。 It is very becoming；
but it pleases people at your expense。〃
〃I am certainly too simple to understand you；〃 said Bessie。
〃Shall I tell you a story？〃 asked her sister。
〃If you would be so good。 That is what they do to amuse simple people。〃
Mrs。 Westgate consulted her memory； while her companion sat gazing
at the shining sea。 〃Did you ever hear of the Duke of Green…Erin？〃
〃I think not；〃 said Bessie。
〃Well； it's no matter；〃 her sister went on。
〃It's a proof of my simplicity。〃
〃My story is meant to illustrate that of some other people；〃
said Mrs。 Westgate。 〃The Duke of Green…Erin is what they call in
England a great swell； and some five years ago he came to America。
He spent most of his time in New York； and in New York he spent his
days and his nights at the Butterworths'。 You have heard； at least；
of the Butterworths。 Bien。 They did everything in the world for him
they turned themselves inside out。 They gave him a dozen dinner parties
and balls and were the means of his being invited to fifty more。
At first he used to come into Mrs。 Butterworth's box at the opera
in a tweed traveling suit； but someone stopped that。 At any rate；
he had a beautiful time； and they parted the best friends in the world。
Two years elapse； and the Butterworths come abroad and go to London。
The first thing they see in all the papersin England those things
are in the most prominent placeis that the Duke of Green…Erin
has arrived in town for the Season。 They wait a little； and then
Mr。 Butterworthas polite as evergoes and leaves a card。
They wait a little more； the visit is not returned； they wait
three weekssilence de mortthe Duke gives no sign。
The Butterworths see a lot of other people； put down the Duke
of Green…Erin as a rude； ungrateful man； and forget all about him。
One fine day they go to Ascot Races； and there they meet him face
to face。 He stares a moment and then comes up to Mr。 Butterworth；
taking something from his pocketbooksomething which proves
to be a banknote。 'I'm glad to see you； Mr。 Butterworth；' he says；
'so that I can pay you that ten pounds I lost to you in New York。
I saw the other day you remembered our bet； here are the ten pounds；
Mr。 Butterworth。 Goodbye； Mr。 Butterworth。' And off he goes；
and that's the last they see of the Duke of Green…Erin。〃
〃Is that your story？〃 asked Bessie Alden。
〃Don't you think it's interesting？〃 her sister replied。
〃I don't believe it；〃 said the young girl。
〃Ah；〃 cried Mrs。 Westgate； 〃you are not so simple after all！
Believe it or not； as you please； there is no smoke without fire。〃
〃Is that the way；〃 asked Bessie after a moment； 〃that you expect
your friends to treat you？〃
〃I defy them to treat me very ill； because I shall not give
them the opportunity。 With the best will in the world；
in that case they can't be very offensive。〃
Bessie Alden was silent a moment。 〃I don't see what makes you talk that way；〃
she said。 〃The English are a great people。〃
〃Exactly； and that is just the way they have grown great
by dropping you when you have ceased to be useful。
People say they are not clever； but I think they are very clever。〃
〃You know you have liked themall the Englishmen you have seen；〃 said Bessie。
〃They have liked me；〃 her sister rejoined； 〃it would be more correct
to say that。 And； of course； one likes that。〃
Bessie Alden resumed for some moments her studies in sea green。
〃Well；〃 she said； 〃whether they like me or not； I mean to like them。
And happily；〃 she added； 〃Lord Lambeth does not owe me ten pounds。〃
During the first few days after their arrival at Jones's Hotel our charming
Americans were much occupied with what they would have called looking
about them。 They found occasion to make a large number of purchases；
and their opportunities for conversation were such only as were offered
by the deferential London shopmen。 Bessie Alden； even in driving
from the station； took an immense fancy to the British metropolis；
and at the risk of exhibiting her as a young woman of vulgar tastes it
must be recorded that for a considerable period she desired no higher
pleasure than to drive about the crowded streets in a hansom cab。
To her attentive eyes they were full of a strange picturesque life；
and it is at least beneath the dignity of our historic muse to enumerate
the trivial objects and incidents which this simple young lady from Boston
found so entertaining。 It may be freely mentioned； however； that whenever；
after a round of visits in Bond Street and Regent Street； she was
about to return with her sister to Jones's Hotel； she made an earnest
request that they should be driven home by way of Westminster Abbey。
She had begun by asking whether it would not be possible to take the Tower
on the way to their lodgings； but it happened that at a more primitive stage
of her culture Mrs。 Westgate had paid a visit to this venerable monument；
which she spoke of ever afterward vaguely as a dreadful disappointment；
so that she expressed the liveliest disapproval of any attempt to combine
historical researches with the purchase of hairbrushes and notepaper。
The most she would consent to do in this line was to spend half
an hour at Madame Tussaud's； where she saw several dusty wax effigies
of members of the royal family。 She told Bessie that if she
wished to go to the Tower she must get someone else to take her。
Bessie expressed hereupon an earnest disposition to go alone； but upon
this proposal as well Mrs。 Westgate sprinkled cold water。
〃Remember；〃 she said； 〃that you are not in your innocent little Boston。
It is not a question of walking up and down Beacon Street。〃
Then she went on to explain that there were two classes of American
girls in Europethose that walked about alone and those that did not。
〃You happen to belong； my dear；〃 she said to her sister； 〃to the class
that does not。〃
〃It is only；〃 answered Bessie； laughing； 〃because you happen to prevent me。〃
And she devoted much private meditation to this question of effecting a visit
to the Tower of London。
Suddenly it seemed as if the problem might be solved； the two
ladies at Jones's Hotel received a visit from Willie Woodley。
Such was the social appellation of a young American who had sailed
from New York a few days after their own departure； and who；
having the privilege of intimacy with them in that city； had lost
no time； on his arrival in London； in coming to pay them his respects。
He had； in fact； gone to see them directly after going to see his tailor；
than which there can b
