an international episode-第17节
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girls nearer home。〃
〃I like her spirit；〃 observed Lord Lambeth； almost as if he were trying
to torment his cousin。
〃What's the peculiarity of her spirit？〃
〃She's not afraid； and she says things out； and she thinks
herself as good as anyone。 She is the only girl I have ever
seen that was not dying to marry me。〃
〃How do you know that； if you haven't asked her？〃
〃I don't know how； but I know it。〃
〃I am sure she asked me questions enough about your property
and your titles；〃 said Beaumont。
〃She has asked me questions； too； no end of them；〃 Lord Lambeth admitted。
〃But she asked for information； don't you know。〃
〃Information？ Aye； I'll warrant she wanted it。 Depend upon it
that she is dying to marry you just as much and just as little
as all the rest of them。〃
〃I shouldn't like her to refuse meI shouldn't like that。〃
〃If the thing would be so disagreeable； then； both to you and to her；
in Heaven's name leave it alone；〃 said Percy Beaumont。
Mrs。 Westgate； on her side； had plenty to say to her sister about the rarity
of Mr。 Beaumont's visits and the nonappearance of the Duchess of Bayswater。
She professed； however； to derive more satisfaction from this latter
circumstance than she could have done from the most lavish attentions on
the part of this great lady。 〃It is most marked；〃 she said〃most marked。
It is a delicious proof that we have made them miserable。 The day
we dined with Lord Lambeth I was really sorry for the poor fellow。〃
It will have been gathered that the entertainment offered by Lord Lambeth
to his American friends had not been graced by the presence of his
anxious mother。 He had invited several choice spirits to meet them；
but the ladies of his immediate family were to Mrs。 Westgate's sense
a sense possibly morbidly acuteconspicuous by their absence。
〃I don't want to express myself in a manner that you dislike；〃
said Bessie Alden； 〃but I don't know why you should have so many
theories about Lord Lambeth's poor mother。 You know a great many
young men in New York without knowing their mothers。〃
Mrs。 Westgate looked at her sister and then turned away。
〃My dear Bessie； you are superb！〃 she said。
〃One thing is certain；〃 the young girl continued。
〃If I believed I were a cause of annoyancehowever unwitting
to Lord Lambeth's family； I should insist〃
〃Insist upon my leaving England；〃 said Mrs。 Westgate。
〃No； not that。 I want to go to the National Gallery again；
I want to see Stratford…on…Avon and Canterbury Cathedral。
But I should insist upon his coming to see us no more。〃
〃That would be very modest and very pretty of you； but you wouldn't
do it now。〃
〃Why do you say 'now'？〃 asked Bessie Alden。 〃Have I ceased to be modest？〃
〃You care for him too much。 A month ago； when you said
you didn't； I believe it was quite true。 But at present；
my dear child；〃 said Mrs。 Westgate； 〃you wouldn't find it
quite so simple a matter never to see Lord Lambeth again。
I have seen it coming on。〃
〃You are mistaken；〃 said Bessie。 〃You don't understand。〃
〃My dear child； don't be perverse；〃 rejoined her sister。
〃I know him better； certainly； if you mean that；〃 said Bessie。
〃And I like him very much。 But I don't like him enough to make
trouble for him with his family。 However； I don't believe in that。〃
〃I like the way you say 'however；'〃 Mrs。 Westgate exclaimed。
〃Come； you would not marry him？〃
〃Oh； no；〃 said the young girl。
Mrs。 Westgate for a moment seemed vexed。 〃Why not； pray？〃 she demanded。
〃Because I don't care to；〃 said Bessie Alden。
The morning after Lord Lambeth had had； with Percy Beaumont；
that exchange of ideas which has just been narrated； the ladies at
Jones's Hotel received from his lordship a written invitation to pay
their projected visit to Branches Castle on the following Tuesday。
〃I think I have made up a very pleasant party；〃 the young nobleman said。
〃Several people whom you know； and my mother and sisters； who have
so long been regrettably prevented from making your acquaintance。〃
Bessie Alden lost no time in calling her sister's attention to
the injustice she had done the Duchess of Bayswater； whose hostility
was now proved to be a vain illusion。
〃Wait till you see if she comes；〃 said Mrs。 Westgate。
〃And if she is to meet us at her son's house the obligation
was all the greater for her to call upon us。〃
Bessie had not to wait long； and it appeared that Lord Lambeth's mother
now accepted Mrs。 Westgate's view of her duties。 On the morrow；
early in the afternoon； two cards were brought to the apartment
of the American ladiesone of them bearing the name of the Duchess
of Bayswater and the other that of the Countess of Pimlico。
Mrs。 Westgate glanced at the clock。 〃It is not yet four；〃 she said；
〃they have come early； they wish to see us。 We will receive them。〃
And she gave orders that her visitors should be admitted。
A few moments later they were introduced； and there was a solemn
exchange of amenities。 The duchess was a large lady； with a fine
fresh color； the Countess of Pimlico was very pretty and elegant。
The duchess looked about her as she sat downlooked not especially
at Mrs。 Westgate。 〃I daresay my son has told you that I have been
wanting to come and see you；〃 she observed。
〃You are very kind；〃 said Mrs。 Westgate； vaguelyher conscience not
allowing her to assent to this propositionand； indeed； not permitting
her to enunciate her own with any appreciable emphasis。
〃He says you were so kind to him in America；〃 said the duchess。
〃We are very glad；〃 Mrs。 Westgate replied； 〃to have been able to make
him a little morea little lessa little more comfortable。〃
〃I think he stayed at your house；〃 remarked the Duchess of Bayswater；
looking at Bessie Alden。
〃A very short time；〃 said Mrs。 Westgate。
〃Oh！〃 said the duchess； and she continued to look at Bessie；
who was engaged in conversation with her daughter。
〃Do you like London？〃 Lady Pimlico had asked of Bessie；
after looking at her a good dealat her face and her hands；
her dress and her hair。
〃Very much indeed；〃 said Bessie。
〃Do you like this hotel？〃
〃It is very comfortable；〃 said Bessie。
〃Do you like stopping at hotels？〃 inquired Lady Pimlico after a pause。
〃I am very fond of traveling；〃 Bessie answered； 〃and I suppose
hotels are a necessary part of it。 But they are not the part
I am fondest of。〃
〃Oh； I hate traveling；〃 said the Countess of Pimlico and transferred
her attention to Mrs。 Westgate。
〃My son tells me you are going to Branches；〃 the duchess presently resumed。
〃Lord Lambeth has been so good as to ask us；〃 said Mrs。 Westgate；
who perceived that her visitor had now begun to look at her； and who
had her customary happy consciousness of a distinguished appearance。
The only mitigation of her felicity on this point was that；
having inspected her visitor's own costume； she said to herself；
〃She won't know how well I am dressed！〃
〃He has asked me to go； but I am not sure I shall be able；〃
murmured the duchess。
〃He had offered us the pprospect of meeting you；〃 said Mrs。 Westgate。
〃I hate the country at this season；〃 responded the duchess。
Mrs。 Westgate gave a little shrug。 〃I think it is pleasanter than London。〃
But the duchess's eyes were absent again； she was looking very fixedly
at Bessie。 In a moment she slowly rose； walked to a chair that stood
empty at the young girl's right hand； and silently seated herself。
As she was a majestic； voluminous woman； this little transaction had；
inevitably； an air of somewhat impressive intention。 It diffused
a certain awkwardness； which Lady Pimlico； as a sympathetic daughter；
perhaps desired to rectify in turning to Mrs。 Westgate。
〃I daresay you go out a great deal；〃 she observed。
〃No； very little。 We are strangers； and we didn't come here for society。〃
〃I see；〃 said Lady Pimlico。 〃It's rather nice in town just now。〃
〃It's charming；〃 said Mrs。 Westgate。 〃But we only go to see a few people
whom we like。〃
〃Of course one can't like everyone；〃 said Lady Pimlico。
〃It depends upon one's society；〃 Mrs。 Westgate rejoined。
The Duchess meanwhile had addressed herself to Bessie。
〃My son tells me the young ladies in America are so clever。〃
〃I am glad they made so good an impression on him；〃 said Bessie； smiling。
The Duchess was not smiling； her large fresh face was very tranquil。
〃He is very susceptible；〃 she said。 〃He thinks everyone clever；
and sometimes they are。〃
〃Sometimes；〃 Bessie assented； smiling still。
The duchess looked at her a little and then went on；
〃Lambeth is very susceptible； but he is very volatile； too。〃
〃Volatile？〃 asked Bessie。
〃He is very inconstant。 It won't do to depend on him。〃
〃Ah；〃 said Bessie； 〃I don't recognize that descr
