an international episode-第11章

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as　I　choose。〃



〃Upon　my　word；　I　didn't　laugh　at　you；〃　said　Lord　Lambeth。



〃And　not　only　that；〃　Bessie　went　on；　〃but　I　hold　that　all　my　mistakes　shall

be　set　down　to　my　credit。　　You　must　think　the　better　of　me　for　them。〃



〃I　can't　think　better　of　you　than　I　do；〃　the　young　man　declared。



Bessie　Alden　looked　at　him　a　moment　again。　　〃You　certainly　speak

very　well　to　young　ladies。　　But　why　don't　you　address　the　House？

isn't　that　what　they　call　it？〃



〃Because　I　have　nothing　to　say；〃　said　Lord　Lambeth。



〃Haven't　you　a　great　position？〃　asked　Bessie　Alden。



He　looked　a　moment　at　the　back　of　his　glove。　　〃I'll　set　that　down；〃

he　said；　〃as　one　of　your　mistakesto　your　credit。〃　　And　as　if

he　disliked　talking　about　his　position；　he　changed　the　subject。

〃I　wish　you　would　let　me　go　with　you　to　the　Tower；　and　to　Hampton　Court；

and　to　all　those　other　places。〃



〃We　shall　be　most　happy；〃　said　Bessie。



〃And　of　course　I　shall　be　delighted　to　show　you　the　House　of　Lords

some　day　that　suits　you。　　There　are　a　lot　of　things　I　want　to　do　for　you。

I　want　to　make　you　have　a　good　time。　　And　I　should　like　very　much

to　present　some　of　my　friends　to　you；　if　it　wouldn't　bore　you。

Then　it　would　be　awfully　kind　of　you　to　come　down　to　Branches。〃



〃We　are　much　obliged　to　you；　Lord　Lambeth；〃　said　Bessie。

〃What　is　Branches？〃



〃It's　a　house　in　the　country。　　I　think　you　might　like　it。〃



Willie　Woodley　and　Mrs。　Westgate　at　this　moment　were　sitting

in　silence；　and　the　young　man's　ear　caught　these　last　words　of　Lord

Lambeth's。　〃He's　inviting　Miss　Bessie　to　one　of　his　castles；〃

he　murmured　to　his　companion。



Mrs。　Westgate；　foreseeing　what　she　mentally　called　〃complications；〃

immediately　got　up；　and　the　two　ladies；　taking　leave　of　Lord　Lambeth；

returned；　under　Mr。　Woodley's　conduct；　to　Jones's　Hotel。



Lord　Lambeth　came　to　see　them　on　the　morrow；　bringing　Percy

Beaumont　with　himthe　latter　having　instantly　declared　his

intention　of　neglecting　none　of　the　usual　offices　of　civility。

This　declaration；　however；　when　his　kinsman　informed　him

of　the　advent　of　their　American　friends；　had　been　preceded

by　another　remark。



〃Here　they　are；　then；　and　you　are　in　for　it。〃



〃What　am　I　in　for？〃　demanded　Lord　Lambeth。



〃I　will　let　your　mother　give　it　a　name。　　With　all　respect　to　whom；〃

added　Percy　Beaumont；　〃I　must　decline　on　this　occasion　to　do　any

more　police　duty。　　Her　Grace　must　look　after　you　herself。〃



〃I　will　give　her　a　chance；〃　said　her　Grace's　son；　a　trifle　grimly。

〃I　shall　make　her　go　and　see　them。〃



〃She　won't　do　it；　my　boy。〃



〃We'll　see　if　she　doesn't；〃　said　Lord　Lambeth。



But　if　Percy　Beaumont　took　a　somber　view　of　the　arrival

of　the　two　ladies　at　Jones's　Hotel；　he　was　sufficiently

a　man　of　the　world　to　offer　them　a　smiling　countenance。

He　fell　into　animated　conversationconversation；　at　least；

that　was　animated　on　her　sidewith　Mrs。　Westgate；　while　his

companion　made　himself　agreeable　to　the　younger　lady。

Mrs。　Westgate　began　confessing　and　protesting；

declaring　and　expounding。



〃I　must　say　London　is　a　great　deal　brighter　and　prettier　just

now　than　it　was　when　I　was　here　lastin　the　month　of　November。

There　is　evidently　a　great　deal　going　on；　and　you　seem　to　have

a　good　many　flowers。　　I　have　no　doubt　it　is　very　charming

for　all　you　people；　and　that　you　amuse　yourselves　immensely。

It　is　very　good　of　you　to　let　Bessie　and　me　come　and　sit

and　look　at　you。　　I　suppose　you　will　think　I　am　very　satirical；

but　I　must　confess　that　that's　the　feeling　I　have　in　London。〃



〃I　am　afraid　I　don't　quite　understand　to　what　feeling　you　allude；〃

said　Percy　Beaumont。



〃The　feeling　that　it's　all　very　well　for　you　English　people。

Everything　is　beautifully　arranged　for　you。〃



〃It　seems　to　me　it　is　very　well　for　some　Americans；　sometimes；〃

rejoined　Beaumont。



〃For　some　of　them；　yesif　they　like　to　be　patronized。

But　I　must　say　I　don't　like　to　be　patronized。　　I　may　be　very　eccentric；

and　undisciplined；　and　outrageous；　but　I　confess　I　never　was　fond

of　patronage。　　I　like　to　associate　with　people　on　the　same　terms

as　I　do　in　my　own　country；　that's　a　peculiar　taste　that　I　have。

But　here　people　seem　to　expect　something　elseHeaven　knows　what！

I　am　afraid　you　will　think　I　am　very　ungrateful；　for　I　certainly

have　received　a　great　deal　of　attention。　　The　last　time　I　was　here；

a　lady　sent　me　a　message　that　I　was　at　liberty　to　come　and　see　her。〃



〃Dear　me！　　I　hope　you　didn't　go；〃　observed　Percy　Beaumont。



〃You　are　deliciously　naive；　I　must　say　that　for　you！〃

Mrs。　Westgate　exclaimed。　　〃It　must　be　a　great　advantage　to　you　here

in　London。　　I　suppose　that　if　I　myself　had　a　little　more　naivete；

I　should　enjoy　it　more。　　I　should　be　content　to　sit　on　a　chair

in　the　park；　and　see　the　people　pass；　and　be　told　that　this

is　the　Duchess　of　Suffolk；　and　that　is　the　Lord　Chamberlain；

and　that　I　must　be　thankful　for　the　privilege　of　beholding　them。

I　daresay　it　is　very　wicked　and　critical　of　me　to　ask　for

anything　else。　　But　I　was　always　critical；　and　I　freely　confess

to　the　sin　of　being　fastidious。　　I　am　told　there　is　some　remarkably

superior　second…rate　society　provided　here　for　strangers。

Merci！　I　don't　want　any　superior　second…rate　society。

I　want　the　society　that　I　have　been　accustomed　to。〃



〃I　hope　you　don't　call　Lambeth　and　me　second　rate；〃　Beaumont　interposed。



〃Oh；　I　am　accustomed　to　you；〃　said　Mrs。　Westgate。　　〃Do　you　know

that　you　English　sometimes　make　the　most　wonderful　speeches？

The　first　time　I　came　to　London　I　went　out　to　dineas　I　told　you；

I　have　received　a　great　deal　of　attention。　　After　dinner；

in　the　drawing　room；　I　had　some　conversation　with　an　old　lady；

I　assure　you　I　had。　　I　forget　what　we　talked　about；　but　she

presently　said；　in　allusion　to　something　we　were　discussing；

'Oh；　you　know；　the　aristocracy　do　so…and…so；　but　in　one's　own

class　of　life　it　is　very　different。'　　In　one's　own　class　of　life！

What　is　a　poor　unprotected　American　woman　to　do　in　a　country

where　she　is　liable　to　have　that　sort　of　thing　said　to　her？〃



〃You　seem　to　get　hold　of　some　very　queer　old　ladies；

I　compliment　you　on　your　acquaintance！〃　　Percy　Beaumont　exclaimed。

〃If　you　are　trying　to　bring　me　to　admit　that　London　is　an

odious　place；　you'll　not　succeed。　　I'm　extremely　fond　of　it；

and　I　think　it　the　jolliest　place　in　the　world。〃



〃Pour　vous　autres。　　I　never　said　the　contrary；〃　Mrs。　Westgate　retorted。

I　make　use　of　this　expression；　because　both　interlocutors　had　begun

to　raise　their　voices。　　Percy　Beaumont　naturally　did　not　like　to　hear

his　country　abused；　and　Mrs。　Westgate；　no　less　naturally；　did　not　like

a　stubborn　debater。



〃Hallo！〃　said　Lord　Lambeth；　〃what　are　they　up　to　now？〃

And　he　came　away　from　the　window；　where　he　had　been　standing

with　Bessie　Alden。



〃I　quite　agree　with　a　very　clever　countrywoman　of　mine；〃　Mrs。　Westgate

continued　with　charming　ardor；　though　with　imperfect　relevancy。

She　smiled　at　the　two　gentlemen　for　a　moment　with　terrible　brightness；　as　if

to　toss　at　their　feetupon　their　native　heaththe　gauntlet　of　defiance。

〃For　me；　there　are　only　two　social　positions　worth　speaking　of

that　of　an　American　lady　and　that　of　the　Emperor　of　Russia。〃



〃And　what　do　you　do　with　the　American　gentlemen？〃　asked　Lord　Lambeth。



〃She　leaves　them　in　America！〃　said　Percy　Beaumont。



On　the　departure　of　their　visitors；　Bessie　Alden　told　her　sister　that

Lord　Lambeth　would　come　the　next　day；　to　go　with　them　to　the　Tower；

and　that　he　had　kindly　offered　to　bring　his　〃trap〃　and　drive　them　thither。

Mrs。　Westgate　listened　in　silence　to　this　communication；

and　for　some　time　afterward　she　said　nothing。　　But　at　last；

〃If　you　had　not　requested　me　the　other　day　not　to　mention　it；〃

she　began；　〃there　is　something　I　should　venture　to　ask　you。〃

Bessie　frowned　a　little；　her　dark　blue　eyes　were　more　dark　than　blue。

But　her　sister　went　on。　　〃As　it　is；　I　will　take　the　risk。

You　are　not　in　love　with　Lord　Lambeth：　　I　believe　it；　perfectly。

Very　good。　　But　is　there；　by　chance；　any　danger　of　your　becoming　so？

It's　a　very　simple　question；　don't　take　offense。　　I　have　a

particular　reason；〃　said　Mrs。　Westgate；　〃for　wanting　to　know。〃



Bessie　Alden　for　some　moments　said　nothing；　she　only　looked　displeased。

〃No；　there　is　no　danger；〃　she　answered　at　last；　curtly。



〃Then　I　should　like　to　frighten　them；〃　declared　Mrs。　Westgate；

clasping　her　jeweled　hands。



〃To　frighten　whom？〃



〃All　these　people；　Lord　Lambeth's　family　and　friends。〃



〃How　should　you　frighten　them？〃　asked　the　young　girl。



〃It　wouldn't　be　Iit　would　be　you。　　It　would　frighten　them　to　think

that　you　should　absorb　his　lordship's　young　affections。〃



Bessie　Alden；　with　her　clear　eyes　still　overshadowed　by　her　dark　brows；

continued　to　interrogate。　　〃Why　should　that　frighten　them？〃



Mrs。　Westgate　poised　her　answer　with　a　smile　before　delivering　it。

〃Because　they　think　you　are　not　good　enough。　　You　are　a　charming　girl；

beautiful　and　amiable；　intelligent　and　clever；　and　as　bien…elevee

as　it　is　possible　to　be；　but　you　are　not　a　fit　match　for　Lord　Lambeth。〃



Bessie　Alden　was　decidedly　disgusted。　　〃Where　do　you　get　such　extraordinary

ideas？〃　she　asked。　　〃You　have　said　some　such　strange　things　lately。

My　dear　Kitty；　where　do　you　collect　them？〃



Kitty　was　evidently　enamored　of　her　idea。　　〃Yes；　it　would

put　them　on　pins　and　needles；　and　it　wouldn't　hurt　you。

Mr。　Beaumont　is　already　most　uneasy；　I　could　soon　see　that。〃



The　young　girl　meditated　a　moment。　　〃Do　you　mean　that　they　spy　upon　him

that　they　interfere　with　him？〃



〃I　don't　know　what　power　they　have　to　interfere；　but　I　know

that　a　British　mama　may　worry　her　son's　life　out。〃



It　has　been　intimated　that；　as　regards　certain　disagreeable　things；

Bessie　Alden　had　a　fund　of　skepticism。　　She　abstained　on　the　present　occasion

from　expressing　disbelief；　for　she　wished　not　to　irritate　her　sister。

But　she　said　to　herself　that　Kitty　had　been　misinformedthat　this

was　a　traveler's　tale。　　Though　she　was　a　girl　of　a　lively　imagination；

there　could　in　the　nature　of　things　be；　to　her　sense；　no　reality　in

the　idea　of　her　belonging　to　a　vulgar　category。　　What　she　said　aloud　was；

〃I　must　say　that　in　that　case　I　am　very　sorry　for　Lord　Lambeth。〃



Mrs。　Westgate；　more　and　more　exhilarated　by　her　scheme；　was　smiling

at　her　again。　　〃If　I　could　only　believe　it　was　safe！〃　she　exclaimed。

〃When　you　begin　to　pity　him；　I；　on　my　side；　am　afraid。〃



〃Afraid　of　what？〃



〃Of　your　pitying　him　too　much。〃



Bessie　Alden　turned　away　impatiently；　but　at　the　end　of　a　minute　she

turned　back。　　〃What　if　I　should　pity　him　too　much？〃　she　asked。



Mrs。　Westgate　hereupon　turned　away；　but　after　a　moment's

reflection　she　also　faced　her　sister　again。　　〃It　would　come；

after　all；　to　the　same　thing；〃　she　said。



Lord　Lambeth　came　the　next　day　with　his　trap；