malbone- an oldport romance[1].(马尔布恩)-第16章
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and all be made happy ever after。
He really grew quite tender and devout over these meditations。 Phil
was not a conceited fellow； by any means； but he had been so often told by
women that their love for him had been a blessing to their souls； that he
quite acquiesced in being a providential agent in that particular direction。
Considered as a form of self…sacrifice； it was not without its pleasures。
Malbone drove that afternoon to Mrs。 Ingleside's charming abode；
whither a few ladies were wont to resort； and a great many gentlemen。 He
timed his call between the hours of dining and driving； and made sure that
Emilia had not yet emerged。 Two or three equipages beside his own were
in waiting at the gate； and gay voices resounded from the house。 A servant
received him at the door； and taking him for a tardy guest； ushered him at
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once into the dining…room。 He was indifferent to this； for he had been too
often sought as a guest by Mrs。 Ingleside to stand on any ceremony
beneath her roof。
That fair hostess； in all the beauty of her shoulders； rose to greet him；
from a table where six or eight guests yet lingered over flowers and wine。
The gentlemen were smoking； and some of the ladies were trying to look
at ease with cigarettes。 Malbone knew the whole company； and greeted
them with his accustomed ease。 He would not have been embarrassed if
they had been the Forty Thieves。 Some of them； indeed； were not so far
removed from that fabled band； only it was their fortunes； instead of
themselves； that lay in the jars of oil。
〃You find us all here；〃 said Mrs。 Ingleside； sweetly。 〃We will wait till
the gentlemen finish their cigars； before driving。〃
〃Count me in； please；〃 said Blanche； in her usual vein of frankness。
〃Unless mamma wishes me to conclude my weed on the Avenue。 It
would be fun； though。 Fancy the dismay of the Frenchmen and the
dowagers！〃
〃And old Lambert；〃 said one of the other girls； delightedly。
〃Yes；〃 said Blanche。 〃The elderly party from the rural districts； who
talks to us about the domestic virtues of the wife of his youth。〃
〃Thinks women should cruise with a broom at their mast…heads； like
Admiral somebody in England；〃 said another damsel； who was rolling a
cigarette for a midshipman。
〃You see we do not follow the English style；〃 said the smooth hostess
to Philip。 〃Ladies retiring after dinner！ After all； it is a coarse practice。
You agree with me； Mr。 Malbone？〃
〃Speak your mind；〃 said Blanche； coolly。 〃Don't say yes if you'd
rather not。 Because we find a thing a bore； you've no call to say so。〃
〃I always say；〃 continued the matron； 〃that the presence of woman is
needed as a refining influence。〃
Malbone looked round for the refining influences。 Blanche was tilted
back in her chair； with one foot on the rung of the chair before her；
resuming a loud…toned discourse with Count Posen as to his projected
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work on American society。 She was trying to extort a promise that she
should appear in its pages； which； as we all remember； she did。 One of her
attendant nymphs sat leaning her elbows on the table； 〃talking horse〃 with
a gentleman who had an undoubted professional claim to a knowledge of
that commodity。 Another； having finished her manufactured cigarette； was
making the grinning midshipman open his lips wider and wider to receive
it。 Mrs。 Ingleside was talking in her mincing way with a Jew broker；
whose English was as imperfect as his morals； and who needed nothing to
make him a millionnaire but a turn of bad luck for somebody else。 Half the
men in the room would have felt quite ill at ease in any circle of refined
women； but there was not one who did not feel perfectly unembarrassed
around Mrs。 Ingleside's board。
〃Upon my word；〃 thought Malbone； 〃I never fancied the English after…
dinner practice； any more than did Napoleon。 But if this goes on； it is the
gentlemen who ought to withdraw。 Cannot somebody lead the way to the
drawing…room； and leave the ladies to finish their cigars？〃
Till now he had hardly dared to look at Emilia。 He saw with a thrill
of love that she was the one person in the room who appeared out of place
or ill at ease。 She did not glance at him； but held her cigarette in silence
and refused to light it。 She had boasted to him once of having learned to
smoke at school。
〃What's the matter； Emmy？〃 suddenly exclaimed Blanche。 〃Are you
under a cloud； that you don't blow one？〃
〃Blanche； Blanche；〃 said her mother； in sweet reproof。 〃Mr。 Malbone；
what shall I do with this wild girl？ Such a light way of talking！ But I
can assure you that she is really very fond of the society of intellectual；
superior men。 I often tell her that they are； after all； her most congenial
associates。 More so than the young and giddy。〃
〃You'd better believe it；〃 said the unabashed damsel。 〃Take notice that
whenever I go to a dinner…party I look round for a clergyman to drink wine
with。〃
〃Incorrigible！〃 said the caressing mother。 〃Mr。 Malbone would
hardly imagine you had been bred in a Christian land。〃
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〃I have； though；〃 retorted Blanche。 〃My esteemed parent always
accustomed me to give up something during Lent；champagne； or the
New York Herald； or something。〃
The young men roared； and； had time and cosmetics made it possible；
Mrs。 Ingleside would have blushed becomingly。 After all； the daughter
was the better of the two。 Her bluntness was refreshing beside the mother's
suavity； she had a certain generosity； too； and in a case of real destitution
would have lent her best ear…rings to a friend。
By this time Malbone had edged himself to Emilia's side。 〃Will you
drive with me？〃 he murmured in an undertone。
She nodded slightly； abruptly； and he withdrew again。
〃It seems barbarous；〃 said he aloud； 〃to break up the party。 But I must
claim my promised drive with Miss Emilia。〃
Blanche looked up； for once amazed； having heard a different
programme arranged。 Count Posen looked up also。 But he thought he
must have misunderstood Emilia's acceptance of his previous offer to
drive her； and as he prided himself even more on his English than on his
gallantry； he said no more。 It was no great matter。 Young Jones's dog…cart
was at the door； and always opened eagerly its arms to anybody with a
title。
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CHAPTER XII
A NEW ENGAGEMENT。
TEN days later Philip came into Aunt Jane's parlor； looking excited
and gloomy； with a letter in his hand。 He put it down on her table
without its envelope；a thing that always particularly annoyed her。 A
letter without its envelope； she was wont to say； was like a man without a
face； or a key without a string；something incomplete； preposterous。 As
usual； however； he strode across her prejudices； and said； 〃I have
something to tell you。 It is a fact。〃
〃Is it？〃 said Aunt Jane； curtly。 〃That is refreshing in these times。〃
〃A good beginning；〃 said Kate。 〃Go on。 You have prepared us for
something incredible。〃
〃You will think it so；〃 said Malbone。 〃Emilia is engaged to Mr。 John
Lambert。〃 And he went out of the room。
〃Good Heavens！〃 said Aunt Jane； taking off her spectacles。 〃What a
man！ He is ugly enough to frighten the neighboring crows。 His face
looks as if it had fallen together out of chaos； and the features had come
where it had pleased Fate。 There is a look of industrious nothingness
about him； such as busy dogs have。 I know the whole family。 They used
to bake our bread。〃
〃I suppose they are good and sensible；〃 said Kate。
〃Like boiled potatoes； my dear；〃 was the response；〃wholesome but
perfectly uninteresting。〃
〃Is he of that sort？〃 asked Kate。
〃No；〃 said her aunt； 〃not uninteresting； but ungracious。 But I like an
ungracious man better than one like Philip； who hangs over young girls
like a soft…hearted avalanche。 This Lambert will govern Emilia； which is
what she needs。〃
〃She will never love him；〃 said Kate； 〃which is the one thing she needs。
There is nothing that could not be done with Emilia by any person with
whom she was in love； and nothing can ever be done with her by anybody
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else。 No good will ever come of this； and I hope she will never marry
him。〃
With this unusual burst； Kate retreated to Hope。 Hope took the news
more patiently than any one； but with deep solicitude。 A worldly
marriage seemed the natural result of the Ingleside influence； but it had
not occurred to anybody that it would come so soon。 It had not seemed
Emilia's peculiar temptation； and yet nobody could suppose that she
looked at John Lambert through any glamour of the affections。
Mr。 John Lambert was a millionnaire； a politician； and a widower。 The
late Mrs。 Lambert had been a specimen of that cheerful hopelessness of
temperament that one finds abundantly developed among the middle…aged
women of country towns。 She enjoyed her daily murders in the
newspapers； and wept profusely at the funerals of strangers。
