elinor wyllys-2-第48章

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and　I　can　turn　off　here；　take　this　by…road；　which　you　know　comes　in　nearly　opposite　your　gate；　and　although　it　is　twice　as　far　round；　I　bet　you　a　pair　of　gloves　we　are　at　Wyllys…Roof　before　you。〃

｛〃Darby　and　Joan　fashion〃　=　like　an　old　married　couple｝

〃Done！〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Ellsworth；　delighted　with　the　idea；　and　off　the　young　lady　gallopped　｛sic｝　with　her　companion。

It　is　not　to　be　supposed　that　the　gentleman　allowed　the　half…hour　that　followed　to　pass　unimproved。　He　could　speak　at　last；　and　he　admired　Elinor　too　sincerely；　not　to　express　himself　in　terms　both　warm　and　respectful。　Although　Elinor　had　been　for　some　time　fully　prepared　for　this　declaration；　yet　she　did　not　receive　it　without　betraying　feeling　and　embarrassment。　Emotion　in　woman；　at　such　moments；　or　in　connexion　with　similar　subjects；　is　generally　traced　to　one　cause　alone；　and　yet　half　the　time　it　should　rather　be　attributed　to　some　other　source。　Anxiety；　modesty；　mere　nervousness；　or　even　vexation　at　this　very　misinterpretation；　often　raise　the　colour；　and　make　the　voice　falter。　Elinor　had　fully　made　up　her　mind；　and　she　felt　that　a　frank　explanation　was　due　to　Mr。　Ellsworth；　but　her　regard　for　him　was　too　sincere　not　to　make　the　moment　a　painful　one　to　her。　He　was　rejected；　but　rejected　with　so　much　consideration；　so　much　modesty　and　feeling；　so　much　good　sense；　that　the　very　act　only　increased　his　regret。　He　was　much　disappointed；　for　he　had　been　a　hopeful　suitor。　Elinor　had　always　liked　him；　and　he　had　thought　her　manner　encouraging；　Mr。　Wyllys　and　Miss　Agnes　had　not　concealed　their　approbation；　and　Mrs。　Creighton　had　often　told　him　she　had　no　doubt　of　his　success。　He　was　more　than　mortified；　however；　by　the　refusal；　he　was　pained。　Elinor　repeated　assurances　of　respect　and　friendship；　and　regret　that　she　felt　herself　unable　to　return　his　regard　as　it　deserved。　She　even　alluded　to　his　generosity　in　overlooking　her　want　of　personal　attractions；　she　said　she　had；　on　that　account；　been　slow　to　believe　that　he　had　any　serious　object　in　view。　At　the　time　he　had　first　proposed；　through　her　grandfather；　she　herself　had　wished　to　prevent　his　going　any　farther；　but　her　friends　had　desired　her　to　defer　the　answer；　he　himself　had　begged　her　to　do　so；　and　named　the　time　fixedshe　had　reluctantly　consented　to　this　arrangement；　and；　although　the　more　she　knew　of　Mr。　Ellsworth；　the　more　highly　she　esteemed　and　respected　him；　yet　the　result　had　been　what　she　first　foresaw；　she　could　not　conscientiously　offer　him　the　full　attachment　he　had　a　right　to　expect　from　a　wife。

Mr。　Ellsworth　rode　on　in　silence　for　a　moment。

〃Is　it　then　true；　Miss　Wyllys；　that　I　must　give　up　all　idea　of　obtaining　a　more　indulgent　hearing；　at　some　future　day？〃

〃Judge　for　yourself　if　I　am　capricious；　Mr。　Ellsworth。　Do　not　imagine　that　I　have　lightly　rejected　the　regard　of　a　man　whom　I　esteem　so　highly　as　yourself。　I　could　scarcely　name　another　in　my　whole　acquaintance；　for　whom　I　should　have　hesitated　so　long；　but〃　Elinor　paused；　suddenly　became　very　red；　and　then　deadly　pale。

〃Butwhat　would　you　say；　Miss　Wyllys？go　on；　I　entreat！〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Ellsworth。

It　was　a　moment　before　Elinor　rallied。　She　then　continued；　in　a　low　voice；　and　in　an　agitated；　hesitating　manner：

〃Mr。　Ellsworth；　I　shall　speak　with　perfect　frankness；　your　kindness　and　forbearance　deserve　it。　When　I　consented　to　wait　so　long　before　giving　you　a　final　answer；　it　was　chiefly　that　I　might　discover　if　I　could　regain　entire　command　over　feelings　which　have　not　always　been　my　own。　I　am　afraid　you　are　not　aware　of　this。　The　feeling　itself　to　which　I　allude　is　changed；　but　be　it　weakness　or　not；　it　has　left　traces　for　life。　I　was　willing　to　make　an　experiment　in　favour　of　one　who　deserved　the　full　confidence　of　my　friends　and　myself；　but　the　trial　has　not　succeeded；　if　I　know　myself；　it　can　never　succeedI　shall　never　marry。〃

And　then　after　a　moment's　silence　she　gently　continued；　in　a　calmer　tone：

〃But　you　will　soon　forget　all　this；　I　trust。　You　will　find　elsewhere　some　one　more　worthy　of　you；　one　who　can　better　repay　your　kindness。〃

Mr。　Ellsworth　chafed　a　little　under　this　suggestion；　though　not　so　much　as　a　more　passionate　man　might　have　done。

〃To　forget　one　of　so　much　womanly　excellence　as　yourself；　Miss　Wyllys；　is　not　the　easy　task　you　seem　to　suppose。〃

Elinor　could　have　sighed　and　smiled　as　the　thought　recurred　to　her；　that　Harry　had　not　found　it　very　difficult　to　forget　her。　They　had　now　reached　the　gate；　on　their　way　home；　and　turning　towards　her　companion　as　they　entered；　she　said：

〃I　hope；　indeed；　you　will　always　remember　that　you　have　very　sincere　friends　at　Wyllys…Roof；　Mr。　Ellsworth；　believe　me；　friends　capable　of　appreciating　your　merits；　and　aware　of　what　is　their　due。〃

Mr。　Ellsworth　thanked　her；　but　he　looked　very　evidently　disturbed。　When　they　reached　the　piazza　he　helped　Elinor　from　her　horse；　perhaps　more　carefully　than　usual；　Miss　Emma　Taylor　and　her　cavalier　had　already　arrived；　and　the　young　lady　immediately　attacked　Mr。　Ellsworth；　bidding　him　remember　his　bet。　When　Mrs。　Creighton　stepped　from　the　chair；　she　looked　for　her　brother　and　Elinor；　a　little　curious　to　discover　if　anything　decisive　had　passed；　but　both　had　already　entered　the　house。

Mr。　Wyllys　learned　in　the　course　of　the　day；　from　Ellsworth　himself；　that　he　had　been　rejected；　he　was　very　much　disappointed；　and　more　disposed　to　find　fault　with　Elinor　than　he　had　ever　been　before。

〃I　am　afraid　you　have　not　acted　wisely；　Elinor；〃　said　her　grandfather；　words　more　like　a　reproof　than　any　that　Elinor　could　remember　to　have　heard　fall　from　his　lips；　addressed　to　herself。

Miss　Agnes　also　evidently　regretted　her　niece's　decision；　but　she　said　nothing　on　the　subject。　As　for　Mrs。　Creighton；　she　thought　it　all　easy　to　be　understood。

〃You　may　say　what　you　please；　Frank；　about　Miss　Wyllys；　but　you　will　never　persuade　me　she　is　not　a　coquette。〃　

But　this　Mr。　Ellsworth　would　by　no　means　allow。

Elinor　laid　her　head　on　her　pillow　that　night　with　the　unpleasant　reflection；　that　four　persons　under　the　same　roof　were　reproaching　her　for　the　step　she　had　taken　that　day。　But　she　herself　knew　that　she　had　acted　conscientiously。



CHAPTER　XXI。　｛XLIV｝

〃Such　news；　my　lord；　as　grieves　me　to　unfold。〃　Henry　IV。　｛sic｝

｛William　Shakespeare；　〃Richard　III〃；　II。iv。39｝

THE　Petrel　was　a　very　pretty　little　schooner；　pronounced　a　crack　craft　by　the　knowing　ones。　She　sat　so　buoyantly　on　the　water　when　motionless；　and　glided　along　so　gracefully　when　under　way；　that　even　landsmen　and　landswomen　must　have　admired　her。　Let　it　not　be　supposed　that　the　word　landswomen　is　here　used　unadvisedly：　although　the　Navy　Department　is　decidedly　ungallant　in　its　general　character；　and　seldom　allows　ladies　to　appear　on　board　ship；　excepting　at　a　collation　or　a　ball；　yet　it　is　well　known　that　in　some　of　the　smaller　sea…port　towns；　the　female　portion　of　the　population　are　so　much　interested　in　nautical　matters；　and　give　so　much　time　and　attention　to　the　subject；　that　they　are　looked　upon　as　very　good　judges　of　spars　and　rigging；　and　it　is　even　affirmed；　that　some　of　these　charming　young　〃salts〃　are　quite　capable　of　examining　a　midshipman　on　points　of　seamanship。　If　fame　has　not　belied　them；　such　are　the　accomplishments　of　the　belles　of　Norfolk　and　Pensacola；　while　the　wives　and　daughters　of　the　whalers　at　Nantucket；　are　said　to　have　also　a　critical　eye　for　the　cut　of　a　jib　and　the　shape　of　a　hull。　Hubert　de　Vaux　hoped　they　had；　for　he　thought　it　a　pity　that　the　Petrel's　beauties　should　be　thrown　away。

On　the　morning　they　sailed；　when　Elinor　had　watched　the　boat　as　she　lay　in　the　river；　they　had　been　waiting　for　Bruno。　Harry　wished　to　carry　the　dog　with　him；　but　after　following　Hazlehurst　to　the　boat；　he　had　returned　home　again；　he　was；　however；　enticed　on　board；　and　they　hoisted　sail；　and　slowly　moved　out　of　sight。

In　spite　of　some　little　delay；　the　Petrel　made　a　very　good　day's　work。　That　night　and　the　following　the　party　slept　on　board；　and　seemed　very　well　satisfied　with　their　quarters；　they　intended　to　run　out　of　sight　of　land　before　the　end　of　their　cruise；　but　as　yet　they　had　landed　every　few　hours　for　fresh　water；　vegetables；　milk；　&c。；　as　it　did　not　enter　at　all　into　their　calculations　to　be　put　on　a　short　allowance　of　anything　desirable。　On　the　afternoon　of　the　third　day；　the　Petrel　reached　the　wharf　of　a　country　place　on　Long…Island；　where　the　party　landed；　according　to　a　previous　invitation；　and　joined　some　friends　for　a　couple　of　days'　shooting；　which　proved　a　pleasant　variety　in　the　excursion；　the　sport　was　pronounced　good；　and　the　gentlemen　made　the　most　of　it。　Mr。　Stryker；　however；　complained　that　the　pomp　and　circumstance　of　sporting　was　wanted　in　this　country。

〃So　long　as　we　have　the　important　items　of　good　guns；　good　marksmen；　and　real　wild…game；　we　need　not　find　fault；〃　said　Harry。

Many　lamentations　succeeded；　however；　upon　the　rapid　disappearance　of　game　from　all　parts　of　the　country。

〃There　I　have　the　best　of　it；〃　said　Mr。　Stryker　to　his　host。　〃In　the　next　twenty　years　you　may　expect　to　find　your　occupation　gone；　but　I　shall　at　least　have　fishing　in　abundance　all　my　days；　though　at　times　I　am　not　quite　so　sure　of　the　brook…trout。〃

〃I　don't　think　Jonathan　will　be　able　to　exterminate　all　the　trout　in　the　land；〃　said　Hazlehurst；　although　he　is　a　shamefully　wasteful　fellow；　but　I　really　think　there　is　some　danger　for　the　oysters；　if　the　population　increases；　and　continues　to　eat　them；　in　the　same　proportion　they　do　now；　I　am　afraid　Jonathan　of　the　next　generation　will　devour　the　whole　species。〃

〃Jonathan〃　=　the　American　（from　〃Brother　Jonathan〃）｝

》From　Glen…Cove　the　Petrel　made　a　reach　across　the　Sound　to　Sachem's…Head；　where　Mr。　Stryker　enjoyed　to　perfection　the　luxuries　of　clam…soup；　lobster…salad；　and　chowder。

Their　next　port　was　Nantucket。　They　happened　to　arrive　there　just　before　a　thunder…shower；　and　Charlie　Hubbard　was　much　struck　with　the　wild；　desolate　look　of　the　island。　He　pointed　out　to　Hazlehurst　the　fine　variety　of　neutral　tints　to　be　traced　in　the　waves；　in　the　low　sand…banks；　and　the　dark　sky　forming　the　back…ground。　Nantucket　is　a　barren　spot；　indeed；　all　but　bare　of　vegetation；　scarcely　a　shrub　will　grow　there；　and　even　the　tough　beach…grass　is　often　swept　away　in　large　tracts；　while　the　forms　of　the　sand…hills　vary　with　every　storm。　The　town　itself；　however；　is　a　busy；　lively　little　spotone　of　the　most　nautical　in　feeling　and　character　to　be　found　on　the　globe。　The　chief　interests　of　the　inhabitants　centre　in　the　ocean；　and　even　the　very　ornaments　of　their　houses　are　spoils　of　the　deep；　shells　and　fish…bones　from　distant　latitudes；　and　sailor's　fancy…work　in　various　materials；　all　connected　in　some　way　with　the　sea。　Charlie　made　a　sketch　of　the　island；　and　determined　to　return　there　and　paint　a　picture　of　some　size。　The　next　day；　which　was　Sunday；　they　remained　at　Nantucket；　there　is　a　pretty　little　church　in　the　town；　and　Charlie；　Harry；　and　Mr。　Smith　attended　service　there；　the　rest　of　the　gentlemen　preferring　to　idle　away　the　morning　in　a　less　praiseworthy　manner。

One　of　young　de　Vaux's　crew　was　taken　sick　here；　and　he　was　obliged　to　secure　another　man　before　leaving　the　island；　it　was　easy　to