an international episode-第3章

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and　when　you　come　away　they　give　you　a　kind　of　degree。〃



Lord　Lambeth　stared；　blushing　a　little；　and　Percy　Beaumont

stared　a　little　alsobut　only　with　his　fine　natural　complexion

glancing　aside　after　a　moment　to　see　that　his　companion　was　not　looking

too　credulous；　for　he　had　heard　a　great　deal　of　American　humor。

〃I　daresay　it　is　very　jolly；〃　said　the　younger　gentleman。



〃I　daresay　it　is；〃　said　Mr。　Westgate。　　〃Only　I　must　impress

upon　you　that　at　presenttomorrow　morning；　at　an　early　hour

you　will　be　expected　at　Newport。　　We　have　a　house　there；

half　the　people　in　New　York　go　there　for　the　summer。

I　am　not　sure　that　at　this　very　moment　my　wife　can　take

you　in；　she　has　got　a　lot　of　people　staying　with　her；

I　don't　know　who　they　all　are；　only　she　may　have　no　room。

But　you　can　begin　with　the　hotel；　and　meanwhile　you　can　live

at　my　house。　　In　that　waysimply　sleeping　at　the　hotel

you　will　find　it　tolerable。　　For　the　rest；　you　must　make

yourself　at　home　at　my　place。　　You　mustn't　be　shy；　you　know；

if　you　are　only　here　for　a　month　that　will　be　a　great　waste

of　time。　　Mrs。　Westgate　won't　neglect　you；　and　you　had　better

not　try　to　resist　her。　　I　know　something　about　that。

I　expect　you'll　find　some　pretty　girls　on　the　premises。

I　shall　write　to　my　wife　by　this　afternoon's　mail；

and　tomorrow　morning　she　and　Miss　Alden　will　look　out　for　you。

Just　walk　right　in　and　make　yourself　comfortable。

Your　steamer　leaves　from　this　part　of　the　city；　and　I　will

immediately　send　out　and　get　you　a　cabin。　　Then；　at　half　past

four　o'clock；　just　call　for　me　here；　and　I　will　go　with　you

and　put　you　on　board。　　It's　a　big　boat；　you　might　get　lost。

A　few　days　hence；　at　the　end　of　the　week；　I　will　come　down

to　Newport　and　see　how　you　are　getting　on。〃



The　two　young　Englishmen　inaugurated　the　policy　of　not　resisting　Mrs。　Westgate

by　submitting；　with　great　docility　and　thankfulness；　to　her　husband。

He　was　evidently　a　very　good　fellow；　and　he　made　an　impression　upon

his　visitors；　his　hospitality　seemed　to　recommend　itself　consciously

with　a　friendly　wink；　as　it　wereas　if　it　hinted；　judicially；　that　you

could　not　possibly　make　a　better　bargain。　　Lord　Lambeth　and　his　cousin

left　their　entertainer　to　his　labors　and　returned　to　their　hotel；

where　they　spent　three　or　four　hours　in　their　respective　shower　baths。

Percy　Beaumont　had　suggested　that　they　ought　to　see　something　of

the　town；　but　〃Oh；　damn　the　town！〃　his　noble　kinsman　had　rejoined。

They　returned　to　Mr。　Westgate's　office　in　a　carriage；　with　their　luggage；

very　punctually；　but　it　must　be　reluctantly　recorded　that；　this　time；

he　kept　them　waiting　so　long　that　they　felt　themselves　missing

the　steamer；　and　were　deterred　only　by　an　amiable　modesty　from　dispensing

with　his　attendance　and　starting　on　a　hasty　scramble　to　the　wharf。

But　when　at　last　he　appeared；　and　the　carriage　plunged　into　the

purlieus　of　Broadway；　they　jolted　and　jostled　to　such　good　purpose

that　they　reached　the　huge　white　vessel　while　the　bell　for　departure

was　still　ringing　and　the　absorption　of　passengers　still　active。

It　was　indeed；　as　Mr。　Westgate　had　said；　a　big　boat；　and　his　leadership

in　the　innumerable　and　interminable　corridors　and　cabins；　with　which

he　seemed　perfectly　acquainted；　and　of　which　anyone　and　everyone　appeared

to　have　the　entree；　was　very　grateful　to　the　slightly　bewildered　voyagers。

He　showed　them　their　staterooma　spacious　apartment；　embellished　with

gas　lamps；　mirrors　en　pied；　and　sculptured　furnitureand　then；

long　after　they　had　been　intimately　convinced　that　the　steamer　was　in　motion

and　launched　upon　the　unknown　stream　that　they　were　about　to　navigate；

he　bade　them　a　sociable　farewell。



〃Well；　goodbye；　Lord　Lambeth；〃　he　said；　〃goodbye；　Mr。　Percy　Beaumont。

I　hope　you'll　have　a　good　time。　　Just　let　them　do　what　they　want　with　you。

I'll　come　down　by…and…by　and　look　after　you。〃



The　young　Englishmen　emerged　from　their　cabin　and　amused

themselves　with　wandering　about　the　immense　labyrinthine　steamer；

which　struck　them　as　an　extraordinary　mixture　of　a　ship　and　a　hotel。

It　was　densely　crowded　with　passengers；　the　larger　number

of　whom　appeared　to　be　ladies　and　very　young　children；

and　in　the　big　saloons；　ornamented　in　white　and　gold；

which　followed　each　other　in　surprising　succession；

beneath　the　swinging　gaslight；　and　among　the　small　side

passages　where　the　Negro　domestics　of　both　sexes　assembled

with　an　air　of　philosophic　leisure；　everyone　was　moving

to　and　fro　and　exchanging　loud　and　familiar　observations。

Eventually；　at　the　instance　of　a　discriminating　black；

our　young　men　went　and　had　some　〃supper〃　in　a　wonderful

place　arranged　like　a　theater；　where；　in　a　gilded　gallery；

upon　which　little　boxes　appeared　to　open；　a　large　orchestra

was　playing　operatic　selections；　and；　below；　people　were

handing　about　bills　of　fare；　as　if　they　had　been　programs。

All　this　was　sufficiently　curious；　but　the　agreeable　thing；　later；

was　to　sit　out　on　one　of　the　great　white　decks　of　the　steamer；

in　the　warm　breezy　darkness；　and；　in　the　vague　starlight；

to　make　out　the　line　of　low；　mysterious　coast。　　The　young

Englishmen　tried　American　cigarsthose　of　Mr。　Westgate

and　talked　together　as　they　usually　talked；　with　many

odd　silences；　lapses　of　logic；　and　incongruities　of　transition；

like　people　who　have　grown　old　together　and　learned　to

supply　each　other's　missing　phrases；　or；　more　especially；

like　people　thoroughly　conscious　of　a　common　point　of　view；

so　that　a　style　of　conversation　superficially　lacking　in　finish

might　suffice　for　reference　to　a　fund　of　associations　in　the　light

of　which　everything　was　all　right。



〃We　really　seem　to　be　going　out　to　sea；〃　Percy　Beaumont　observed。

〃Upon　my　word；　we　are　going　back　to　England。　　He　has　shipped　us　off　again。

I　call　that　'real　mean。'〃



〃I　suppose　it's　all　right；〃　said　Lord　Lambeth。　　〃I　want　to　see　those

pretty　girls　at　Newport。　　You　know；　he　told　us　the　place　was　an　island；

and　aren't　all　islands　in　the　sea？〃



〃Well；〃　resumed　the　elder　traveler　after　a　while；　〃if　his　house

is　as　good　as　his　cigars；　we　shall　do　very　well。〃



〃He　seems　a　very　good　fellow；〃　said　Lord　Lambeth；　as　if　this　idea

had　just　occurred　to　him。



〃I　say；　we　had　better　remain　at　the　inn；〃　rejoined　his　companion　presently。

〃I　don't　think　I　like　the　way　he　spoke　of　his　house。　　I　don't　like　stopping

in　the　house　with　such　a　tremendous　lot　of　women。〃



〃Oh；　I　don't　mind；〃　said　Lord　Lambeth。　　And　then　they　smoked

a　while　in　silence。　　〃Fancy　his　thinking　we　do　no　work　in　England！〃

the　young　man　resumed。



〃I　daresay　he　didn't　really　think　so；〃　said　Percy　Beaumont。



〃Well；　I　guess　they　don't　know　much　about　England　over　here！〃

declared　Lord　Lambeth　humorously。　　And　then　there　was　another　long　pause。

〃He　was　devilish　civil；〃　observed　the　young　nobleman。



〃Nothing；　certainly；　could　have　been　more　civil；〃　rejoined　his　companion。



〃Littledale　said　his　wife　was　great　fun；〃　said　Lord　Lambeth。



〃Whose　wifeLittledale's？〃



〃This　American'sMrs。　Westgate。　　What's　his　name？　　J。L。〃



Beaumont　was　silent　a　moment。　　〃What　was　fun　to　Littledale；〃

he　said　at　last；　rather　sententiously；　〃may　be　death　to　us。〃



〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃　asked　his　kinsman。　　〃I　am　as　good

a　man　as　Littledale。〃



〃My　dear　boy；　I　hope　you　won't　begin　to　flirt；〃　said　Percy　Beaumont。



〃I　don't　care。　　I　daresay　I　shan't　begin。〃



〃With　a　married　woman；　if　she's　bent　upon　it；　it's　all　very　well；〃

Beaumont　expounded。　　〃But　our　friend　mentioned　a　young　ladya　sister；

a　sister…in…law。　For　God's　sake；　don't　get　entangled　with　her！〃



〃How　do　you　mean　entangled？〃



〃Depend　upon　it　she　will　try　to　hook　you。〃



〃Oh；　bother！〃　said　Lord　Lambeth。



〃American　girls　are　very　clever；〃　urged　his　companion。



〃So　much　the　better；〃　the　young　man　declared。



〃I　fancy　they　are　always　up　to　some　game　of　that　sort；〃　Beaumont　continued。



〃They　can't　be　worse　than　they　are　in　England；〃　said　Lord　Lambeth　judicially。



〃Ah；　but　in　England；〃　replied　Beaumont；　〃you　have　got　your

natural　protectors。　　You　have　got　your　mother　and　sisters。〃



〃My　mother　and　sisters〃　began　the　young　nobleman　with　a　certain　energy。

But　he　stopped　in　time；　puffing　at　his　cigar。



〃Your　mother　spoke　to　me　about　it；　with　tears　in　her　eyes；〃

said　Percy　Beaumont。　　〃She　said　she　felt　very　nervous。

I　promised　to　keep　you　out　of　mischief。〃



〃You　had　better　take　care　of　yourself；〃　said　the　object　of　maternal

and　ducal　solicitude。



〃Ah；〃　rejoined　the　young　barrister；　〃I　haven't　the　expectation　of　a　hundred

thousand　a　year；　not　to　mention　other　attractions。〃



〃Well；〃　said　Lord　Lambeth；　〃don't　cry　out　before　you're　hurt！〃



It　was　certainly　very　much　cooler　at　Newport；　where　our　travelers

found　themselves　assigned　to　a　couple　of　diminutive　bedrooms

in　a　faraway　angle　of　an　immense　hotel。　　They　had　gone　ashore

in　the　early　summer　twilight　and　had　very　promptly　put　themselves

to　bed；　thanks　to　which　circumstance　and　to　their　having；

during　the　previous　hours；　in　their　commodious　cabin；

slept　the　sleep　of　youth　and　health；　they　began　to　feel；

toward　eleven　o'clock；　very　alert　and　inquisitive。

They　looked　out　of　their　windows　across　a　row　of　small

green　fields；　bordered　with　low　stone　walls　of　rude　construction；

and　saw　a　deep　blue　ocean　lying　beneath　a　deep　blue　sky；

and　flecked　now　and　then　with　scintillating　patches　of　foam。

A　strong；　fresh　breeze　came　in　through　the　curtainless　casements

and　prompted　our　young　men　to　observe；　generally；　that　it　didn't

seem　half　a　bad　climate。　　They　made　other　observations　after　they

had　emerged　from　their　rooms　in　pursuit　of　breakfasta　meal

of　which　they　partook　in　a　huge　bare　hall；　where　a　hundred　Negroes；

in　white　jackets；　were　shuffling　about　upon　an　uncarpeted　floor；

where　the　flies　were　superabundant；　and　the　tables　and　dishes　covered

over　with　a　strange；　voluminous　integument　of　coarse　blue　gauze；

and　where　several　little　boys　and　girls；　who　had　risen　late；

were　seated　in　fastidious　solitude　at　the　morning　repast。

These　young　persons　had　not　the　morning　paper　before　them；

but　they　were　engaged　in　languid　perusal　of　the　bill　of　fare。



This　latter　document　was　a　great　puzzle　to　our　friends；　who；　on　reflecting

that　its　bewildering　categories　had　relation　to　breakfast　alone；

had　an　uneasy　prevision　of　an　encyclopedic　dinner　list。

They　found　a　great　deal　of　entertainment　at　the　hotel；　an　enormous

wooden　structure；　for　the　erection　of　which　it　seemed　to　them　that

the　virgin　forests　of　the　West　must　have　been　terribly　deflowered。

It　was　perforated　from　end　to　end　with　immense　bare　corridors；

through　which　a　strong　draught　was　blowingbearing　along

wonderful　figures　of　ladies　in　white　morning　dresses　and　clouds

of　Valenciennes　lace；　who　seemed　to　float　down　the　long　vistas

with　expanded　furbelows；　like　angels　spreading　their　w