an international episode-第3节

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pride　with　me　that　all　Englishmen　should　have　a　good　time；

and　as　I　have　had　considerable　practice；　I　have　learned　to　minister

to　their　wants。　　I　find　they　generally　want　the　right　thing。

So　just　please　to　consider　yourselves　my　property；　and　if　anyone

should　try　to　appropriate　you；　please　to　say；　'Hands　off；

too　late　for　the　market。'　　But　let's　see；〃　continued　the　American；

in　his　slow；　humorous　voice；　with　a　distinctness　of　utterance

which　appeared　to　his　visitors　to　be　part　of　a　humorous　intention

a　strangely　leisurely；　speculative　voice　for　a　man　evidently

so　busy　and；　as　they　felt；　so　professional〃let's　see；

are　you　going　to　make　something　of　a　stay；　Lord　Lambeth？〃



〃Oh；　dear；　no；〃　said　the　young　Englishman；　〃my　cousin　was　coming

over　on　some　business；　so　I　just　came　across；　at　an　hour's　notice；

for　the　lark。〃



〃Is　it　your　first　visit　to　the　United　States？〃



〃Oh；　dear；　yes。〃



〃I　was　obliged　to　come　on　some　business；〃　said　Percy　Beaumont；

〃and　I　brought　Lambeth　along。〃



〃And　YOU　have　been　here　before；　sir？〃



〃Nevernever。〃



〃I　thought；　from　your　referring　to　business〃　said　Mr。　Westgate。



〃Oh；　you　see　I'm　by　way　of　being　a　barrister；〃　Percy　Beaumont　answered。

〃I　know　some　people　that　think　of　bringing　a　suit　against　one　of　your

railways；　and　they　asked　me　to　come　over　and　take　measures　accordingly。〃



〃What's　your　railroad？〃　he　asked。



〃The　Tennessee　Central。〃



The　American　tilted　back　his　chair　a　little　and　poised　it　an　instant。

〃Well；　I'm　sorry　you　want　to　attack　one　of　our　institutions；〃

he　said；　smiling。　　〃But　I　guess　you　had　better　enjoy　yourself　FIRST！〃



〃I'm　certainly　rather　afraid　I　can't　work　in　this　weather；〃

the　young　barrister　confessed。



〃Leave　that　to　the　natives；〃　said　Mr。　Westgate。

〃Leave　the　Tennessee　Central　to　me；　Mr。　Beaumont。

Some　day　we'll　talk　it　over；　and　I　guess　I　can　make　it　square。

But　I　didn't　know　you　Englishmen　ever　did　any　work；

in　the　upper　classes。〃



〃Oh；　we　do　a　lot　of　work；　don't　we；　Lambeth？〃　asked　Percy　Beaumont。



〃I　must　certainly　be　at　home　by　the　19th　of　September；〃

said　the　younger　Englishman；　irrelevantly　but　gently。



〃For　the　shooting；　eh？　or　is　it　the　hunting；　or　the　fishing？〃

inquired　his　entertainer。



〃Oh；　I　must　be　in　Scotland；〃　said　Lord　Lambeth；　blushing　a　little。



〃Well；　then；〃　rejoined　Mr。　Westgate；　〃you　had　better　amuse

yourself　first；　also。　　You　must　go　down　and　see　Mrs。　Westgate。〃



〃We　should　be　so　happy；　if　you　would　kindly　tell　us　the　train；〃

said　Percy　Beaumont。



〃It　isn't　a　trainit's　a　boat。〃



〃Oh；　I　see。　　And　what　is　the　name　ofa　thea　town？〃



〃It　isn't　a　town；〃　said　Mr。　Westgate；　laughing。　　〃It's　awell；　what　shall

I　call　it？　　It's　a　watering　place。　　In　short；　it's　Newport。

You'll　see　what　it　is。　　It's　cool；　that's　the　principal　thing。

You　will　greatly　oblige　me　by　going　down　there　and　putting　yourself

into　the　hands　of　Mrs。　Westgate。　　It　isn't　perhaps　for　me　to　say　it；

but　you　couldn't　be　in　better　hands。　　Also　in　those　of　her　sister；

who　is　staying　with　her。　　She　is　very　fond　of　Englishmen。

She　thinks　there　is　nothing　like　them。〃



〃Mrs。　Westgate　ora　her　sister？〃　asked　Percy　Beaumont　modestly；

yet　in　the　tone　of　an　inquiring　traveler。



〃Oh；　I　mean　my　wife；〃　said　Mr。　Westgate。　　〃I　don't　suppose

my　sister…in…law　knows　much　about　them。　　She　has　always　led

a　very　quiet　life；　she　has　lived　in　Boston。〃



Percy　Beaumont　listened　with　interest。　　〃That；　I　believe；〃

he　said；　〃is　the　mosta　intellectual　town？〃



〃I　believe　it　is　very　intellectual。　　I　don't　go　there　much；〃

responded　his　host。



〃I　say；　we　ought　to　go　there；〃　said　Lord　Lambeth　to　his　companion。



〃Oh；　Lord　Lambeth；　wait　till　the　great　heat　is　over；〃

Mr。　Westgate　interposed。　　〃Boston　in　this　weather　would　be　very　trying；

it's　not　the　temperature　for　intellectual　exertion。　　At　Boston；

you　know；　you　have　to　pass　an　examination　at　the　city　limits；

and　when　you　come　away　they　give　you　a　kind　of　degree。〃



Lord　Lambeth　stared；　blushing　a　little；　and　Percy　Beaumont

stared　a　little　alsobut　only　with　his　fine　natural　complexion

glancing　aside　after　a　moment　to　see　that　his　companion　was　not　looking

too　credulous；　for　he　had　heard　a　great　deal　of　American　humor。

〃I　daresay　it　is　very　jolly；〃　said　the　younger　gentleman。



〃I　daresay　it　is；〃　said　Mr。　Westgate。　　〃Only　I　must　impress

upon　you　that　at　presenttomorrow　morning；　at　an　early　hour

you　will　be　expected　at　Newport。　　We　have　a　house　there；

half　the　people　in　New　York　go　there　for　the　summer。

I　am　not　sure　that　at　this　very　moment　my　wife　can　take

you　in；　she　has　got　a　lot　of　people　staying　with　her；

I　don't　know　who　they　all　are；　only　she　may　have　no　room。

But　you　can　begin　with　the　hotel；　and　meanwhile　you　can　live

at　my　house。　　In　that　waysimply　sleeping　at　the　hotel

you　will　find　it　tolerable。　　For　the　rest；　you　must　make

yourself　at　home　at　my　place。　　You　mustn't　be　shy；　you　know；

if　you　are　only　here　for　a　month　that　will　be　a　great　waste

of　time。　　Mrs。　Westgate　won't　neglect　you；　and　you　had　better

not　try　to　resist　her。　　I　know　something　about　that。

I　expect　you'll　find　some　pretty　girls　on　the　premises。

I　shall　write　to　my　wife　by　this　afternoon's　mail；

and　tomorrow　morning　she　and　Miss　Alden　will　look　out　for　you。

Just　walk　right　in　and　make　yourself　comfortable。

Your　steamer　leaves　from　this　part　of　the　city；　and　I　will

immediately　send　out　and　get　you　a　cabin。　　Then；　at　half　past

four　o'clock；　just　call　for　me　here；　and　I　will　go　with　you

and　put　you　on　board。　　It's　a　big　boat；　you　might　get　lost。

A　few　days　hence；　at　the　end　of　the　week；　I　will　come　down

to　Newport　and　see　how　you　are　getting　on。〃



The　two　young　Englishmen　inaugurated　the　policy　of　not　resisting　Mrs。　Westgate

by　submitting；　with　great　docility　and　thankfulness；　to　her　husband。

He　was　evidently　a　very　good　fellow；　and　he　made　an　impression　upon

his　visitors；　his　hospitality　seemed　to　recommend　itself　consciously

with　a　friendly　wink；　as　it　wereas　if　it　hinted；　judicially；　that　you

could　not　possibly　make　a　better　bargain。　　Lord　Lambeth　and　his　cousin

left　their　entertainer　to　his　labors　and　returned　to　their　hotel；

where　they　spent　three　or　four　hours　in　their　respective　shower　baths。

Percy　Beaumont　had　suggested　that　they　ought　to　see　something　of

the　town；　but　〃Oh；　damn　the　town！〃　his　noble　kinsman　had　rejoined。

They　returned　to　Mr。　Westgate's　office　in　a　carriage；　with　their　luggage；

very　punctually；　but　it　must　be　reluctantly　recorded　that；　this　time；

he　kept　them　waiting　so　long　that　they　felt　themselves　missing

the　steamer；　and　were　deterred　only　by　an　amiable　modesty　from　dispensing

with　his　attendance　and　starting　on　a　hasty　scramble　to　the　wharf。

But　when　at　last　he　appeared；　and　the　carriage　plunged　into　the

purlieus　of　Broadway；　they　jolted　and　jostled　to　such　good　purpose

that　they　reached　the　huge　white　vessel　while　the　bell　for　departure

was　still　ringing　and　the　absorption　of　passengers　still　active。

It　was　indeed；　as　Mr。　Westgate　had　said；　a　big　boat；　and　his　leadership

in　the　innumerable　and　interminable　corridors　and　cabins；　with　which

he　seemed　perfectly　acquainted；　and　of　which　anyone　and　everyone　appeared

to　have　the　entree；　was　very　grateful　to　the　slightly　bewildered　voyagers。

He　showed　them　their　staterooma　spacious　apartment；　embellished　with

gas　lamps；　mirrors　en　pied；　and　sculptured　furnitureand　then；

long　after　they　had　been　intimately　convinced　that　the　steamer　was　in　motion

and　launched　upon　the　unknown　stream　that　they　were　about　to　navigate；

he　bade　them　a　sociable　farewell。



〃Well；　goodbye；　Lord　Lambeth；〃　he　said；　〃goodbye；　Mr。　Percy　Beaumont。

I　hope　you'll　have　a　good　time。　　Just　let　them　do　what　they　want　with　you。

I'll　come　down　by…and…by　and　look　after　you。〃



The　young　Englishmen　emerged　from　their　cabin　and　amused

themselves　with　wandering　about　the　immense　labyrinthine　steamer；

which　struck　them　as　an　extraordinary　mixture　of　a　ship　and　a　hotel。

It　was　densely　crowded　with　passengers；　the　larger　number

of　whom　appeared　to　be　ladies　and　very　young　children；

and　in　the　big　saloons；　ornamented　in　white　and　gold；

which　followed　each　other　in　surprising　succession；

beneath　the　swinging　gaslight；　and　among　the　small　side

passages　where　the　Negro　domestics　of　both　sexes　assembled

with　an　air　of　philosophic　leisure；　everyone　was　moving

to　and　fro　and　exchanging　loud　and　familiar　observations。

Eventually；　at　the　instance　of　a　discriminating　black；

our　young　men　went　and　had　some　〃supper〃　in　a　wonderful

place　arranged　like　a　theater；　where；　in　a　gilded　gallery；

upon　which　little　boxes　appeared　to　open；　a　large　orchestra

was　playing　operatic　selections；　and；　below；　people　were

handing　about　bills　of　fare；　as　if　they　had　been　programs。

All　this　was　sufficiently　curious；　but　the　agreeable　thing；　later；

was　to　sit　out　on　one　of　the　great　white　decks