the author of beltraffio-第3章

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opposite　end　of　the　grounds；　kept　it　for　her　husband's　return　with
the　child。　　〃Is　Mr。　Ambient　fond　of　gardening？〃　it　occurred　to　me　to
ask；　irresistibly　impelled　as　I　felt　myself；　moreover；　to　bring　the
conversation　constantly　back　to　him。

〃He's　very　fond　of　plums；〃　said　his　wife。

〃Ah　well；　then；　I　hope　your　crop　will　be　better　than　you　fear。　　It's
a　lovely　old　place；〃　I　continued。　　〃The　whole　impression's　that　of
certain　places　he　has　described。　　Your　house　is　like　one　of　his
pictures。〃

She　seemed　a　bit　frigidly　amused　at　my　glow。　　〃It's　a　pleasant　little
place。　　There　are　hundreds　like　it。〃

〃Oh　it　has　his　TONE；〃　I　laughed；　but　sounding　my　epithet　and
insisting　on　my　point　the　more　sharply　that　my　companion　appeared　to
see　in　my　appreciation　of　her　simple　establishment　a　mark　of　mean
experience。

It　was　clear　I　insisted　too　much。　　〃His　tone？〃　she　repeated　with　a
harder　look　at　me　and　a　slightly　heightened　colour。

〃Surely　he　has　a　tone；　Mrs。　Ambient。〃

〃Oh　yes；　he　has　indeed！　　But　I　don't　in　the　least　consider　that　I'm
living　in　one　of　his　books　at　all。　　I　shouldn't　care　for　that　in　the
least；〃　she　went　on　with　a　smile　that　had　in　some　degree　the　effect
of　converting　her　really　sharp　protest　into　an　insincere　joke。　　〃I'm
afraid　I'm　not　very　literary。　　And　I'm　not　artistic；〃　she　stated。

〃I'm　very　sure　you're　not　ignorant；　not　stupid；〃　I　ventured　to　reply；
with　the　accompaniment　of　feeling　immediately　afterwards　that　I　had
been　both　familiar　and　patronising。　　My　only　consolation　was　in　the
sense　that　she　had　begun　it；　had　fairly　dragged　me　into　it。　　She　had
thrust　forward　her　limitations。

〃Well；　whatever　I　am　I'm　very　different　from　my　husband。　　If　you　like
him　you　won't　like　me。　　You　needn't　say　anything。　　Your　liking　me
isn't　in　the　least　necessary！〃

〃Don't　defy　me！〃　I　could　but　honourably　make　answer。

She　looked　as　if　she　hadn't　heard　me；　which　was　the　best　thing　she
could　do；　and　we　sat　some　time　without　further　speech。　　Mrs。　Ambient
had　evidently　the　enviable　English　quality　of　being　able　to　be　mute
without　unrest。　　But　at　last　she　spokeshe　asked　me　if　there　seemed
many　people　in　town。　　I　gave　her　what　satisfaction　I　could　on　this
point；　and　we　talked　a　little　of　London　and　of　some　of　its
characteristics　at　that　time　of　the　year。　　At　the　end　of　this　I　came
back　irrepressibly　to　Mark。

〃Doesn't　he　like　to　be　there　now？　　I　suppose　he　doesn't　find　the
proper　quiet　for　his　work。　　I　should　think　his　things　had　been
written　for　the　most　part　in　a　very　still　place。　　They　suggest　a
great　stillness　following　on　a　kind　of　tumult。　　Don't　you　think　so？〃
I　laboured　on。　　〃I　suppose　London's　a　tremendous　place　to　collect
impressions；　but　a　refuge　like　this；　in　the　country；　must　be　better
for　working　them　up。　　Does　he　get　many　of　his　impressions　in　London；
should　you　say？〃　　I　proceeded　from　point　to　point　in　this　malign
inquiry　simply　because　my　hostess；　who　probably　thought　me　an　odious
chattering　person；　gave　me　time；　for　when　I　pausedI've　not
represented　my　pausesshe　simply　continued　to　let　her　eyes　wander
while　her　long　fair　fingers　played　with　the　medallion　on　her　neck。
When　I　stopped　altogether；　however；　she　was　obliged　to　say　something；
and　what　she　said　was　that　she　hadn't　the　least　idea　where　her
husband　got　his　impressions。　　This　made　me　think　her；　for　a　moment；
positively　disagreeable；　delicate　and　proper　and　rather
aristocratically　fine　as　she　sat　there。　　But　I　must　either　have　lost
that　view　a　moment　later　or　been　goaded　by　it　to　further　aggression；
for　I　remember　asking　her　if　our　great　man　were　in　a　good　vein　of
work　and　when　we　might　look　for　the　appearance　of　the　book　on　which
he　was　engaged。　　I've　every　reason　now　to　know　that　she　found　me
insufferable。

She　gave　a　strange　small　laugh　as　she　said：　　〃I'm　afraid　you　think　I
know　much　more　about　my　husband's　work　than　I　do。　　I　haven't　the
least　idea　what　he's　doing；〃　she　then　added　in　a　slightly　different；
that　is　a　more　explanatory；　tone　and　as　if　from　a　glimpse　of　the
enormity　of　her　confession。　　〃I　don't　read　what　he　writes。〃

She　didn't　succeed；　and　wouldn't　even　had　she　tried　much　harder；　in
making　this　seem　to　me　anything　less　than　monstrous。　　I　stared　at　her
and　I　think　I　blushed。　　〃Don't　you　admire　his　genius？　　Don't　you
admire　'Beltraffio'？〃

She　waited；　and　I　wondered　what　she　could　possibly　say。　　She　didn't
speak；　I　could　see；　the　first　words　that　rose　to　her　lips；　she
repeated　what　she　had　said　a　few　minutes　before。　　〃Oh　of　course　he's
very　clever！〃　　And　with　this　she　got　up；　our　two　absentees　had
reappeared。



CHAPTER　II



Mrs。　Ambient　left　me　and　went　to　meet　them；　she　stopped　and　had　a　few
words　with　her　husband　that　I　didn't　hear　and　that　ended　in　her
taking　the　child　by　the　hand　and　returning　with　him　to　the　house。
Her　husband　joined　me　in　a　moment；　looking；　I　thought；　the　least　bit
conscious　and　constrained；　and　said　that　if　I　would　come　in　with　him
he　would　show　me　my　room。　　In　looking　back　upon　these　first　moments
of　my　visit　I　find　it　important　to　avoid　the　error　of　appearing　to
have　at　all　fully　measured　his　situation　from　the　first　or　made　out
the　signs　of　things　mastered　only　afterwards。　　This　later　knowledge
throws　a　backward　light　and　makes　me　forget　that；　at　least　on　the
occasion　of　my　present　referenceI　mean　that　first　afternoonMark
Ambient　struck　me　as　only　enviable。　　Allowing　for　this　he　must　yet
have　failed　of　much　expression　as　we　walked　back　to　the　house；　though
I　remember　well　the　answer　he　made　to　a　remark　of　mine　on　his　small
son。

〃That's　an　extraordinary　little　boy　of　yours。　　I've　never　seen　such　a
child。〃

〃Why；〃　he　asked　while　we　went；　〃do　you　call　him　extraordinary？〃

〃He's　so　beautiful；　so　fascinating。　　He's　like　some　perfect　little
work　of　art。〃

He　turned　quickly　in　the　passage；　grasping　my　arm。　　〃Oh　don't　call
him　that；　or　you'llyou'll！〃

But　in　his　hesitation　he　broke　off　suddenly；　laughing　at　my　surprise。
Immediately　afterwards；　however；　he　added：　　〃You'll　make　his　little
future　very　difficult。〃

I　declared　that　I　wouldn't　for　the　world　take　any　liberties　with　his
little　futureit　seemed　to　me　to　hang　by　threads　of　such　delicacy。
I　should　only　be　highly　interested　in　watching　it。

〃You　Americans　are　very　keen；〃　he　commented　on　this。　　〃You　notice
more　things　than　we　do。〃

〃Ah　if　you　want　visitors　who　aren't　struck　with　you；〃　I　cried；　〃you
shouldn't　have　asked　me　down　here！〃

He　showed　me　my　room；　a　little　bower　of　chintz；　with　open　windows
where　the　light　was　green；　and　before　he　left　me　said　irrelevantly：
〃As　for　my　small　son；　you　know；　we　shall　probably　kill　him　between　us
before　we've　done　with　him！〃　　And　he　made　this　assertion　as　if　he
really　believed　it；　without　any　appearance　of　jest；　his　fine　near…
sighted　expressive　eyes　looking　straight　into　mine。

〃Do　you　mean　by　spoiling　him？〃

〃No；　by　fighting　for　him！〃

〃You　had　better　give　him　to　me　to　keep　for　you；〃　I　said。　　〃Let　me
remove　the　apple　of　discord！〃

It　was　my　extravagance　of　course；　but　he　had　the　air　of　being
perfectly　serious。　　〃It　would　be　quite　the　best　thing　we　could　do。　　I
should　be　all　ready　to　do　it。〃

〃I'm　greatly　obliged　to　you　for　your　confidence。〃

But　he　lingered　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets。　　I　felt　as　if　within　a
few　moments　I　had；　morally　speaking；　taken　several　steps　nearer　to
him。　　He　looked　weary；　just　as　he　faced　me　then；　looked　preoccupied
and　as　if　there　were　something　one　might　do　for　him。　　I　was　terribly
conscious　of　the　limits　of　my　young　ability；　but　I　wondered　what　such
a　service　might　be；　feeling　at　bottom　nevertheless　that　the　only
thing　I　could　do　for　him　was　to　like　him。　　I　suppose　he　guessed　this
and　was　grateful　for　what　was　in　my　mind；　since　he　went　on　presently：
〃I　haven't　the　advantage　of　being　an　American；　but　I　also　notice　a
little；　and　I've　an　idea　that〃here　he　smiled　and　laid　his　hand　on
my　shoulder〃even　counting　out　your　nationality　you're　not　destitute
of　intelligence。　　I've　only　known　you　half　an　hour；　but！〃　　For
which　again　he　pulled　up。　　〃You're　very　young；　after　all。〃

〃But　you　may　treat　me　as　if　I　could　understand　you！〃　I　said；　and
before　he　left　me　to　dress　for　dinner　he　had　virtually　given　me　a
promise　that　he　would。

When　I　went　down　into　the　drawing…roomI　was　very　punctualI　found
that　neither　my　hostess　nor　my　host　had　appeared。　　A　lady　rose　from　a
sofa；　however；　and　inclined　her　head　as　I　rather　surprisedly　gazed　at
her。　　〃I　daresay　you　don't　know　me；〃　she　said　with　the　modern　laugh。
〃I'm　Mark　Ambient's　sister。〃　　Whereupon　I　shook　hands　with　her；
saluting　her　very　low。　　Her　laugh　was　modernby　which　I　mean　that　it
consisted　of　the　vocal　agitation　serving　between　people　who　meet　in
drawing…rooms　as　the　solvent　of　social　disparities；　the　medium　of
transitions；　but　her　appearance　waswhat　shall　I　call　it？medieval。
She　was　pale　and　angular；　her　long　thin　face　was　inhabited　by　sad
dark　eyes　and　her　black　hair　intertwined　with　golden　fillets　and
curious　clasps。　　She　wore　a　faded　velvet　robe　which　clung　to　her　when
she　moved　and　was　〃cut；〃　as　to　the　neck　and　sleeves；　like　the
garments　of　old　Italians。　　She　suggested　a　symbolic　picture；
something　akin　even　to　Durer's　Melancholia；　and　was　so　perfect　an
image　of　a　type　which　I；　in　my　ignorance；　supposed　to　be　extinct；
that　while　she　rose　before　me　I　was　almost　as　much　startled　as　if　I
had　seen　a　ghost。　　I　afterwards　concluded　that　Miss　Ambient　wasn't
incapable　of　deriving　pleasure　from　this　weird　effect；　and　I　now
believe　that　reflexion　concerned　in　her　having　sunk　again　to　her　seat
with　her　long　lean　but　not　ungraceful　arms　locked　together　in　an
archaic　manner　on　her　knees　and　her　mournful　eyes　addressing　me　a
message　of　intentness　which　foreshadowed　what　I　was　subsequently　to
suffer。　　She　was　a　singular　fatuous　artificial　creature；　and　I　was
never　more　than　half　to　penetrate　her　motives　and　mysteries。　　Of　one
thing　I'm　sure　at　least：　　that　they　were　considerably　less
insuperable　than　her　appearance　announced。　　Miss　Ambient　was　a
restless　romantic　disappointed　spinster；　consumed　with　the　love　of
Michael…Angelesque　attitudes　and　mystical　robes；　but　I'm　now
convinced　she　hadn't　in　her　nature　those　depths　of　unutterable
thought　which；　when　you　first　knew　her；　seemed　to　look　out　from　her
eyes　and　to　prompt　her　complicated　gestures。　　Those　features　in
especial　had　a　misleading　eloquence；　they　lingered　on　you　with　a　far…
off　dimness；　an　air　of　obstructed　sympathy；　which　was　certainly　not
always　a　key　to　the　spirit　of　their　owner；　so　that；　of　a　truth；　a
young　lady　could　scarce　have　been　so　dejected　and　disillusioned
without　having　committed　a　crime　for　which　she　was　consumed　with
remorse；　or　having　parted　with　a　hope　that　she　couldn't　sanely　have
entertained。　　She　had；　I　believe；　the　usual　allowance　of　rather　vain
motives：　　she　wished　to　be　looked　at；　she　wished　to　be　married；　she
wished　to　be　thought　original。

It　costs　me　a　pang　to　speak　in　this　irreverent　manner　of　one　of
Ambient's　name；　but　I　shall　have　still　less　gracious　things　to　say
before　I've　finished　my　anecdote；　and　moreoverI　confess　itI　owe
the　young　lady　a　bit　of　a　grudge。　　Putting　aside　the　curious　cast　of
he