an international episode-第11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！



He　had；　in　fact；　gone　to　see　them　directly　after　going　to　see　his　tailor；

than　which　there　can　be　no　greater　exhibition　of　promptitude　on　the　part

of　a　young　American　who　has　just　alighted　at　the　Charing　Cross　Hotel。

He　was　a　slim；　pale　youth；　of　the　most　amiable　disposition；

famous　for　the　skill　with　which　he　led　the　〃German〃　in　New　York。

Indeed；　by　the　young　ladies　who　habitually　figured　in　this　Terpsichorean

revel　he　was　believed　to　be　〃the　best　dancer　in　the　world〃；

it　was　in　these　terms　that　he　was　always　spoken　of；　and　that　his

identity　was　indicated。　　He　was　the　gentlest；　softest　young

man　it　was　possible　to　meet；　he　was　beautifully　dressed〃in

the　English　style〃and　he　knew　an　immense　deal　about　London。

He　had　been　at　Newport　during　the　previous　summer；　at　the　time　of　our

young　Englishmen's　visit；　and　he　took　extreme　pleasure　in　the　society

of　Bessie　Alden；　whom　he　always　addressed　as　〃Miss　Bessie。〃

She　immediately　arranged　with　him；　in　the　presence　of　her　sister；

that　he　should　conduct　her　to　the　scene　of　Anne　Boleyn's　execution。



〃You　may　do　as　you　please；〃　said　Mrs。　Westgate。

〃Onlyif　you　desire　the　informationit　is　not　the　custom

here　for　young　ladies　to　knock　about　London　with　young　men。〃



〃Miss　Bessie　has　waltzed　with　me　so　often；〃　observed　Willie　Woodley；

〃she　can　surely　go　out　with　me　in　a　hansom。〃



〃I　consider　waltzing；〃　said　Mrs。　Westgate；　〃the　most　innocent　pleasure

of　our　time。〃



〃It's　a　compliment　to　our　time！〃　exclaimed　the　young　man　with　a　little　laugh；

in　spite　of　himself。



〃I　don't　see　why　I　should　regard　what　is　done　here；〃　said　Bessie　Alden。

〃Why　should　I　suffer　the　restrictions　of　a　society　of　which　I　enjoy　none

of　the　privileges？〃



〃That's　very　goodvery　good；〃　murmured　Willie　Woodley。



〃Oh；　go　to　the　Tower；　and　feel　the　ax；　if　you　like；〃　said　Mrs。　Westgate。

〃I　consent　to　your　going　with　Mr。　Woodley；　but　I　should　not　let　you　go

with　an　Englishman。〃



〃Miss　Bessie　wouldn't　care　to　go　with　an　Englishman！〃

Mr。　Woodley　declared　with　a　faint　asperity　that　was；　perhaps；

not　unnatural　in　a　young　man；　who；　dressing　in　the　manner

that　I　have　indicated　and　knowing　a　great　deal；　as　I　have　said；

about　London；　saw　no　reason　for　drawing　these　sharp　distinctions。

He　agreed　upon　a　day　with　Miss　Bessiea　day　of　that　same　week。



An　ingenious　mind　might；　perhaps；　trace　a　connection　between　the　young

girl's　allusion　to　her　destitution　of　social　privileges　and　a　question

she　asked　on　the　morrow　as　she　sat　with　her　sister　at　lunch。



〃Don't　you　mean　to　write　toto　anyone？〃　said　Bessie。



〃I　wrote　this　morning　to　Captain　Littledale；〃　Mrs。　Westgate　replied。



〃But　Mr。　Woodley　said　that　Captain　Littledale　had　gone　to　India。〃



〃He　said　he　thought　he　had　heard　so；　he　knew　nothing　about　it。〃



For　a　moment　Bessie　Alden　said　nothing　more；　then；　at　last；

〃And　don't　you　intend　to　write　toto　Mr。　Beaumont？〃　she　inquired。



〃You　mean　to　Lord　Lambeth；〃　said　her　sister。



〃I　said　Mr。　Beaumont　because　he　was　so　good　a　friend　of　yours。〃



Mrs。　Westgate　looked　at　the　young　girl　with　sisterly　candor。

〃I　don't　care　two　straws　for　Mr。　Beaumont。〃



〃You　were　certainly　very　nice　to　him。〃



〃I　am　nice　to　everyone；〃　said　Mrs。　Westgate　simply。



〃To　everyone　but　me；〃　rejoined　Bessie；　smiling。



Her　sister　continued　to　look　at　her；　then；　at　last；　〃Are　you

in　love　with　Lord　Lambeth？〃　she　asked。



The　young　girl　stared　a　moment；　and　the　question　was　apparently　too　humorous

even　to　make　her　blush。　　〃Not　that　I　know　of；〃　she　answered。



〃Because　if　you　are；〃　Mrs。　Westgate　went　on；　〃I　shall　certainly

not　send　for　him。〃



〃That　proves　what　I　said；〃　declared　Bessie；　smiling〃that　you

are　not　nice　to　me。〃



〃It　would　be　a　poor　service；　my　dear　child；〃　said　her　sister。



〃In　what　sense？　　There　is　nothing　against　Lord　Lambeth　that　I　know　of。〃



Mrs。　Westgate　was　silent　a　moment。　　〃You　ARE　in　love　with　him　then？〃



Bessie　stared　again；　but　this　time　she　blushed　a　little。

〃Ah！　if　you　won't　be　serious；〃　she　answered；　〃we　will　not

mention　him　again。〃



For　some　moments　Lord　Lambeth　was　not　mentioned　again；　and　it　was

Mrs。　Westgate　who；　at　the　end　of　this　period；　reverted　to　him。

〃Of　course　I　will　let　him　know　we　are　here；　because　I　think　he　would

be　hurtjustly　enoughif　we　should　go　away　without　seeing　him。

It　is　fair　to　give　him　a　chance　to　come　and　thank　me　for　the　kindness

we　showed　him。　　But　I　don't　want　to　seem　eager。〃



〃Neither　do　I；〃　said　Bessie　with　a　little　laugh。



〃Though　I　confess；〃　added　her　sister；　〃that　I　am　curious　to　see

how　he　will　behave。〃



〃He　behaved　very　well　at　Newport。〃



〃Newport　is　not　London。　　At　Newport　he　could　do　as　he　liked；

but　here　it　is　another　affair。　　He　has　to　have　an　eye　to　consequences。〃



〃If　he　had　more　freedom；　then；　at　Newport；〃　argued　Bessie；　〃it　is　the　more

to　his　credit　that　he　behaved　well；　and　if　he　has　to　be　so　careful　here；

it　is　possible　he　will　behave　even　better。〃



〃Betterbetter；〃　repeated　her　sister。　　〃My　dear　child；

what　is　your　point　of　view？〃



〃How　do　you　meanmy　point　of　view？〃



〃Don't　you　care　for　Lord　Lambetha　little？〃



This　time　Bessie　Alden　was　displeased；　she　slowly　got　up

from　the　table；　turning　her　face　away　from　her　sister。

〃You　will　oblige　me　by　not　talking　so；〃　she　said。



Mrs。　Westgate　sat　watching　her　for　some　moments　as　she　moved

slowly　about　the　room　and　went　and　stood　at　the　window。

〃I　will　write　to　him　this　afternoon；〃　she　said　at　last。



〃Do　as　you　please！〃　　Bessie　answered；　and　presently　she　turned　round。

〃I　am　not　afraid　to　say　that　I　like　Lord　Lambeth。　　I　like　him　very　much。〃



〃He　is　not　clever；〃　Mrs。　Westgate　declared。



〃Well；　there　have　been　clever　people　whom　I　have　disliked；〃

said　Bessie　Alden；　〃so　that　I　suppose　I　may　like　a　stupid　one。

Besides；　Lord　Lambeth　is　not　stupid。〃



〃Not　so　stupid　as　he　looks！〃　exclaimed　her　sister；　smiling。



〃If　I　were　in　love　with　Lord　Lambeth；　as　you　said　just　now；

it　would　be　bad　policy　on　your　part　to　abuse　him。〃



〃My　dear　child；　don't　give　me　lessons　in　policy！〃　cried　Mrs。　Westgate。

〃The　policy　I　mean　to　follow　is　very　deep。〃



The　young　girl　began　to　walk　about　the　room　again；　then　she

stopped　before　her　sister。　　〃I　have　never　heard　in　the　course

of　five　minutes；〃　she　said；　〃so　many　hints　and　innuendoes。

I　wish　you　would　tell　me　in　plain　English　what　you　mean。〃



〃I　mean　that　you　may　be　much　annoyed。〃



〃That　is　still　only　a　hint；〃　said　Bessie。



Her　sister　looked　at　her；　hesitating　an　instant。

〃It　will　be　said　of　you　that　you　have　come　after　Lord　Lambeth

that　you　followed　him。〃



Bessie　Alden　threw　back　her　pretty　head　like　a　startled　hind；　and　a　look

flashed　into　her　face　that　made　Mrs。　Westgate　rise　from　her　chair。

〃Who　says　such　things　as　that？〃　she　demanded。



〃People　here。〃



〃I　don't　believe　it；〃　said　Bessie。



〃You　have　a　very　convenient　faculty　of　doubt。　　But　my　policy　will　be；

as　I　say；　very　deep。　　I　shall　leave　you　to　find　out　this　kind

of　thing　for　yourself。〃



Bessie　fixed　her　eyes　upon　her　sister；　and　Mrs。　Westgate　thought　for　a　moment

there　were　tears　in　them。　　〃Do　they　talk　that　way　here？〃　she　asked。



〃You　will　see。　　I　shall　leave　you　alone。〃



〃Don't　leave　me　alone；〃　said　Bessie　Alden。　　〃Take　me　away。〃



〃No；　I　want　to　see　what　you　make　of　it；〃　her　sister　continued。



〃I　don't　understand。〃



〃You　will　understand　after　Lord　Lambeth　has　come；〃　said　Mrs。　Westgate

with　a　little　laugh。



The　two　ladies　had　arranged　that　on　this　afternoon　Willie

Woodley　should　go　with　them　to　Hyde　Park；　where　Bessie　Alden

expected　to　derive　much　entertainment　from　sitting　on　a　little

green　chair；　under　the　great　trees；　beside　Rotten　Row。

The　want　of　a　suitable　escort　had　hitherto　rendered　this

pleasure　inaccessible；　but　no　escort　now；　for　such　an　expedition；

could　have　been　more　suitable　than　their　devoted　young　countryman；

whose　mission　in　life；　it　might　almost　be　said；　was　to　find

chairs　for　ladies；　and　who　appeared　on　the　stroke　of　half…past

five　with　a　white　camellia　in　his　buttonhole。



〃I　have　written　to　Lord　Lambeth；　my　dear；〃　said　Mrs。　Westgate　to　her　sister；

on　coming　into　the　room　where　Bessie　Alden；　drawing　on　her　long　gray　gloves；

was　entertaining　their　visitor。



Bessie　said　nothing；　but　Willie　Woodley　exclaimed　that　his　lordship

was　in　town；　he　had　seen　his　name　in　the　Morning　Post。



〃Do　you　read　the　Morning　Post？〃　asked　Mrs。　Westgate。



〃Oh；　yes；　it's　great　fun；〃　Willie　Woodley　affirmed。



〃I　want　so　to　see　it；〃　said　Bessie；　〃there　is　so　much　about　it　in　Thackeray。〃



〃I　will　send　it　to　you　every　morning；〃　said　Willie　Woodley。



He　found　them　what　Bessie　Alden　thought　excellent　places；

under　the　great　trees；　beside　the　famous　avenue　whose

humors　had　been　made　familiar　to　the　young　girl's　childhood

by　the　pictures　in　Punch。　　The　day　was　bright　and　warm；

an