the patagonia-第2节

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this　same　vision　was　in　his　own　eyes；　at　all　events　it　didn't　prevent

his　saying　suddenly；　as　he　looked　at　his　watch；　that　I　must　excuse

himhe　should　have　to　go　back　to　the　club。　　He　would　return　in　half

an　houror　in　less。　　He　walked　away　and　I　sat　there　alone；

conscious；　on　the　dark　dismantled　simplified　scene；　in　the　deep

silence　that　rests　on　American　towns　during　the　hot　seasonthere　was

now　and　then　a　far　cry　or　a　plash　in　the　water；　and　at　intervals　the

tinkle　of　the　bells　of　the　horse…cars　on　the　long　bridge；　slow　in　the

suffocating　nightof　the　strange　influence；　half…sweet；　half…sad；

that　abides　in　houses　uninhabited　or　about　to　become　so；　in　places

muffled　and　bereaved；　where　the　unheeded　sofas　and　patient　belittered

tables　seem　（like　the　disconcerted　dogs；　to　whom　everything　is　alike

sinister）　to　recognise　the　eve　of　a　journey。



After　a　while　I　heard　the　sound　of　voices；　of　steps；　the　rustle　of

dresses；　and　I　looked　round；　supposing　these　things　to　denote　the

return　of　Mrs。　Nettlepoint　and　her　handmaiden　with　the　refection

prepared　for　her　son。　　What　I　saw　however　was　two　other　female　forms；

visitors　apparently　just　admitted；　and　now　ushered　into　the　room。

They　were　not　announcedthe　servant　turned　her　back　on　them　and

rambled　off　to　our　hostess。　　They　advanced　in　a　wavering　tentative

unintroduced　waypartly；　I　could　see；　because　the　place　was　dark　and

partly　because　their　visit　was　in　its　nature　experimental；　a　flight

of　imagination　or　a　stretch　of　confidence。　　One　of　the　ladies　was

stout　and　the　other　slim；　and　I　made　sure　in　a　moment　that　one　was

talkative　and　the　other　reserved。　　It　was　further　to　be　discerned

that　one　was　elderly　and　the　other　young；　as　well　as　that　the　fact　of

their　unlikeness　didn't　prevent　their　being　mother　and　daughter。

Mrs。　Nettlepoint　reappeared　in　a　very　few　minutes；　but　the　interval

had　sufficed　to　establish　a　communicationreally　copious　for　the

occasionbetween　the　strangers　and　the　unknown　gentleman　whom　they

found　in　possession；　hat　and　stick　in　hand。　　This　was　not　my　doing

for　what　had　I　to　go　upon？and　still　less　was　it　the　doing　of　the

younger　and　the　more　indifferent；　or　less　courageous；　lady。　　She

spoke　but　oncewhen　her　companion　informed　me　that　she　was　going　out

to　Europe　the　next　day　to　be　married。　　Then　she　protested　〃Oh

mother！〃　in　a　tone　that　struck　me　in　the　darkness　as　doubly　odd；

exciting　my　curiosity　to　see　her　face。



It　had　taken　the　elder　woman　but　a　moment　to　come　to　that；　and　to

various　other　things；　after　I　had　explained　that　I　myself　was　waiting

for　Mrs。　Nettlepoint；　who　would　doubtless　soon　come　back。



〃Well；　she　won't　know　meI　guess　she　hasn't　ever　heard　much　about

me；〃　the　good　lady　said；　〃but　I've　come　from　Mrs。　Allen　and　I　guess

that　will　make　it　all　right。　　I　presume　you　know　Mrs。　Allen？〃



I　was　unacquainted　with　this　influential　personage；　but　I　assented

vaguely　to　the　proposition。　　Mrs。　Allen's　emissary　was　good…humoured

and　familiar；　but　rather　appealing　than　insistent　（she　remarked　that

if　her　friend　HAD　found　time　to　come　in　the　afternoonshe　had　so

much　to　do；　being　just　up　for　the　day；　that　she　couldn't　be　sureit

would　be　all　right）；　and　somehow　even　before　she　mentioned　Merrimac

Avenue　（they　had　come　all　the　way　from　there）　my　imagination　had

associated　her　with　that　indefinite　social　limbo　known　to　the

properly…constituted　Boston　mind　as　the　South　Enda　nebulous　region

which　condenses　here　and　there　into　a　pretty　face；　in　which　the

daughters　are　an　〃improvement〃　on　the　mothers　and　are　sometimes

acquainted　with　gentlemen　more　gloriously　domiciled；　gentlemen　whose

wives　and　sisters　are　in　turn　not　acquainted　with　them。



When　at　last　Mrs。　Nettlepoint　came　in；　accompanied　by　candles　and　by

a　tray　laden　with　glasses　of　coloured　fluid　which　emitted　a　cool

tinkling；　I　was　in　a　position　to　officiate　as　master　of　the

ceremonies；　to　introduce　Mrs。　Mavis　and　Miss　Grace　Mavis；　to

represent　that　Mrs。　Allen　had　recommended　themnay；　had　urged　them

just　to　come　that　way；　informally　and　without　fear；　Mrs。　Allen　who

had　been　prevented　only　by　the　pressure　of　occupations　so

characteristic　of　her　（especially　when　up　from　Mattapoisett　for　a　few

hours'　desperate　shopping）　from　herself　calling　in　the　course　of　the

day　to　explain　who　they　were　and　what　was　the　favour　they　had　to　ask

of　her　benevolent　friend。　　Good…natured　women　understand　each　other

even　when　so　divided　as　to　sit　residentially　above　and　below　the

salt；　as　who　should　say；　by　which　token　our　hostess　had　quickly

mastered　the　main　facts：　　Mrs。　Allen's　visit　that　morning　in　Merrimac

Avenue　to　talk　of　Mrs。　Amber's　great　idea；　the　classes　at　the　public

schools　in　vacation　（she　was　interested　with　an　equal　charity　to　that

of　Mrs。　Maviseven　in　such　weather！in　those　of　the　South　End）　for

games　and　exercises　and　music；　to　keep　the　poor　unoccupied　children

out　of　the　streets；　then　the　revelation　that　it　had　suddenly　been

settled　almost　from　one　hour　to　the　other　that　Grace　should　sail　for

Liverpool；　Mr。　Porterfield　at　last　being　ready。　　He　was　taking　a

little　holiday；　his　mother　was　with　him；　they　had　come　over　from

Paris　to　see　some　of　the　celebrated　old　buildings　in　England；　and　he

had　telegraphed　to　say　that　if　Grace　would　start　right　off　they　would

just　finish　it　up　and　be　married。　　It　often　happened　that　when　things

had　dragged　on　that　way　for　years　they　were　all　huddled　up　at　the

end。　　Of　course　in　such　a　case　she；　Mrs。　Mavis；　had　had　to　fly　round。

Her　daughter's　passage　was　taken；　but　it　seemed　too　dreadful　she

should　make　her　journey　all　alone；　the　first　time　she　had　ever　been

at　sea；　without　any　companion　or　escort。　　SHE　couldn't　goMr。　Mavis

was　too　sick：　　she　hadn't　even　been　able　to　get　him　off　to　the

seaside。



〃Well；　Mrs。　Nettlepoint's　going　in　that　ship；〃　Mrs。　Allen　had　said；

and　she　had　represented　that　nothing　was　simpler　than　to　give　her　the

girl　in　charge。　　When　Mrs。　Mavis　had　replied　that　this　was　all　very

well　but　that　she　didn't　know　the　lady；　Mrs。　Allen　had　declared　that

that　didn't　make　a　speck　of　difference；　for　Mrs。　Nettlepoint　was　kind

enough　for　anything。　　It　was　easy　enough　to　KNOW　her；　if　that　was　all

the　trouble！　　All　Mrs。　Mavis　would　have　to　do　would　be　to　go　right　up

to　her　next　morning；　when　she　took　her　daughter　to　the　ship　（she

would　see　her　there　on　the　deck　with　her　party）　and　tell　her　fair　and

square　what　she　wanted。　　Mrs。　Nettlepoint　had　daughters　herself　and

would　easily　understand。　　Very　likely　she'd　even　look　after　Grace　a

little　on　the　other　side；　in　such　a　queer　situation；　going　out　alone

to　the　gentleman　she　was　engaged　to：　　she'd　just　help　her；　like　a

good　Samaritan；　to　turn　round　before　she　was　married。　　Mr。

Porterfield　seemed　to　think　they　wouldn't　wait　long；　once　she　was

there：　　they　would　have　it　right　over　at　the　American　consul's。　　Mrs。

Allen　had　said　it　would　perhaps　be　better　still　to　go　and　see　Mrs。

Nettlepoint　beforehand；　that　day；　to　tell　her　what　they　wanted：　　then

they　wouldn't　seem　to　spring　it　on　her　just　as　she　was　leaving。　　She

herself　（Mrs。　Allen）　would　call　and　say　a　word　for　them　if　she　could

save　ten　minutes　before　catching　her　train。　　If　she　hadn't　come　it

was　because　she　hadn't　saved　her　ten　minutes　but　she　had　made　them

feel　that　they　must　come　all　the　same。　　Mrs。　Mavis　liked　that　better；

because　on　the　ship　in　the　morning　there　would　be　such　a　confusion。

She　didn't　think　her　daughter　would　be　any　troubleconscientiously

she　didn't。　　It　was　just　to　have　some　one　to　speak　to　her　and　not

sally　forth　like　a　servant…girl　going　to　a　situation。



〃I　see；　I'm　to　act　as　a　sort　of　bridesmaid　and　to　give　her　away；〃

Mrs。　Nettlepoint　obligingly　said。　　Kind　enough　in　fact　for　anything；

she　showed　on　this　occasion　that　it　was　easy　enough　to　know　her。

There　is　notoriously　nothing　less　desirable　than　an　imposed

aggravation　of　effort　at　sea；　but　she　accepted　without　betrayed

dismay　the　burden　of　the　young　lady's　dependence　and　allowed　her；　as

Mrs。　Mavis　said；　to　hook　herself　on。　　She　evidently　had　the　habit　of

patience；　and　her　reception　of　her　visitors'　story　reminded　me

afreshI　was　reminded　of　it　whenever　I　returned　to　my　native　land

that　my　dear　compatriots　are　the　people　in　the　world　who　most　freely

take　mutual　accommodation　for　granted。　　They　have　always　had　to　help

themselves；　and　have　rather　magnanimously　failed　to　learn　just　where

helping　others　is　distinguishable　from　that。　　In　no　country　are　there

fewer　forms　and　more　reciprocities。



It　was　doubtless　not　singular　that　the　ladies　from　Merrimac　Avenue

shouldn't　feel　they　were　importunate：　　what　was　striking　was　that

Mrs。　Nettlepoint　didn't　appear　to　suspect　it。　　However；　she　would　in

any　case　have　thought　it　inhuman　to　show　thisthough　I　could　see

that　under　the　surface　she　was　amused　at　everything　the　more

expressive　of　the　pilgrims　from　the　South　End　took　for　granted。　　I

scarce　know　whether　the　attitude　o