the patagonia-第3章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



deprecated　her　mother's　free　flowshe　was　enough　of　an　〃improvement〃

to　measure　thatand　partly　because　she　was　too　distressed　by　the

idea　of　leaving　her　infirm；　her　perhaps　dying　father。　　It　wasn't

indistinguishable　that　they　were　poor　and　that　she　would　take　out　a

very　small　purse　for　her　trousseau。　　For　Mr。　Porterfield　to　make　up

the　sum　his　own　case　would　have　had　moreover　greatly　to　change。　　If

he　had　enriched　himself　by　the　successful　practice　of　his　profession

I　had　encountered　no　edifice　he　had　rearedhis　reputation　hadn't

come　to　my　ears。



Mrs。　Nettlepoint　notified　her　new　friends　that　she　was　a　very

inactive　person　at　sea：　　she　was　prepared　to　suffer　to　the　full　with

Miss　Mavis；　but　not　prepared　to　pace　the　deck　with　her；　to　struggle

with　her；　to　accompany　her　to　meals。　　To　this　the　girl　replied　that

she　would　trouble　her　little；　she　was　sure：　　she　was　convinced　she

should　prove　a　wretched　sailor　and　spend　the　voyage　on　her　back。　　Her

mother　scoffed　at　this　picture；　prophesying　perfect　weather　and　a

lovely　time；　and　I　interposed　to　the　effect　that　if　I　might　be

trusted；　as　a　tame　bachelor　fairly　sea…seasoned；　I　should　be

delighted　to　give　the　new　member　of　our　party　an　arm　or　any　other

countenance　whenever　she　should　require　it。　　Both　the　ladies　thanked

me　for　thistaking　my　professions　with　no　sort　of　abatementand　the

elder　one　declared　that　we　were　evidently　going　to　be　such　a　sociable

group　that　it　was　too　bad　to　have　to　stay　at　home。　　She　asked　Mrs。

Nettlepoint　if　there　were　any　one　else　in　our　party；　and　when　our

hostess　mentioned　her　sonthere　was　a　chance　of　his　embarking　but

（wasn't　it　absurd？）　he　hadn't　decided　yetshe　returned　with

extraordinary　candour：　　〃Oh　dear；　I　do　hope　he'll　go：　　that　would　be

so　lovely　for　Grace。〃



Somehow　the　words　made　me　think　of　poor　Mr。　Porterfield's　tartan；

especially　as　Jasper　Nettlepoint　strolled　in　again　at　that　moment。

His　mother　at　once　challenged　him：　　it　was　ten　o'clock；　had　he　by

chance　made　up　his　great　mind？　　Apparently　he　failed　to　hear　her；

being　in　the　first　place　surprised　at　the　strange　ladies　and　then

struck　with　the　fact　that　one　of　them　wasn't　strange。　　The　young　man；

after　a　slight　hesitation；　greeted　Miss　Mavis　with　a　handshake　and　a

〃Oh　good…evening；　how　do　you　do？〃　　He　didn't　utter　her　namewhich　I

could　see　he　must　have　forgotten；　but　she　immediately　pronounced　his；

availing　herself　of　the　American　girl's　discretion　to　〃present〃　him

to　her　mother。



〃Well；　you　might　have　told　me　you　knew　him　all　this　time！〃　that　lady

jovially　cried。　　Then　she　had　an　equal　confidence　for　Mrs。

Nettlepoint。　　〃It　would　have　saved　me　a　worryan　acquaintance

already　begun。〃



〃Ah　my　son's　acquaintances！〃　our　hostess　murmured。



〃Yes；　and　my　daughter's　too！〃　Mrs。　Mavis　gaily　echoed。　　〃Mrs。　Allen

didn't　tell　us　YOU　were　going；〃　she　continued　to　the　young　man。



〃She'd　have　been　clever　if　she　had　been　able　to！〃　Mrs。　Nettlepoint

sighed。



〃Dear　mother；　I　have　my　telegram；〃　Jasper　remarked；　looking　at　Grace

Mavis。



〃I　know　you　very　little；〃　the　girl　said；　returning　his　observation。



〃I've　danced　with　you　at　some　ballfor　some　sufferers　by　something

or　other。〃



〃I　think　it　was　an　inundation　or　a　big　fire；〃　she　a　little　languidly

smiled。　　〃But　it　was　a　long　time　agoand　I　haven't　seen　you　since。〃



〃I've　been　in　far　countriesto　my　loss。　　I　should　have　said　it　was　a

big　fire。〃



〃It　was　at　the　Horticultural　Hall。　　I　didn't　remember　your　name；〃

said　Grace　Mavis。



〃That's　very　unkind　of　you；　when　I　recall　vividly　that　you　had　a　pink

dress。〃



〃Oh　I　remember　that　dressyour　strawberry　tarletan：　　you　looked

lovely　in　it！〃　Mrs。　Mavis　broke　out。　　〃You　must　get　another　just　like

iton　the　other　side。〃



〃Yes；　your　daughter　looked　charming　in　it；〃　said　Jasper　Nettlepoint。

Then　he　added　to　the　girl：　　〃Yet　you　mentioned　my　name　to　your

mother。〃



〃It　came　back　to　meseeing　you　here。　　I　had　no　idea　this　was　your

home。〃



〃Well；　I　confess　it　isn't；　much。　　Oh　there　are　some　drinks！〃he

approached　the　tray　and　its　glasses。



〃Indeed　there　are　and　quite　delicious〃Mrs。　Mavis　largely　wiped　her

mouth。



〃Won't　you　have　another　then？a　pink　one；　like　your　daughter's

gown。〃



〃With　pleasure；　sir。　　Oh　do　see　them　over；〃　Mrs。　Mavis　continued；

accepting　from　the　young　man's　hand　a　third　tumbler。



〃My　mother　and　that　gentleman？　　Surely　they　can　take　care　of

themselves；〃　he　freely　pleaded。



〃Then　my　daughtershe　has　a　claim　as　an　old　friend。〃



But　his　mother　had　by　this　time　interposed。　　〃Jasper；　what　does　your

telegram　say？〃



He　paid　her　no　heed：　　he　stood　there　with　his　glass　in　his　hand；

looking　from　Mrs。　Mavis　to　Miss　Grace。



〃Ah　leave　her　to　me；　madam；　I'm　quite　competent；〃　I　said　to　Mrs。

Mavis。



Then　the　young　man　gave　me　his　attention。　　The　next　minute　he　asked

of　the　girl：　　〃Do　you　mean　you're　going　to　Europe？〃



〃Yes；　tomorrow。　　In　the　same　ship　as　your　mother。〃



〃That's　what　we've　come　here　for；　to　see　all　about　it；〃　said　Mrs。

Mavis。



〃My　son；　take　pity　on　me　and　tell　me　what　light　your　telegram

throws；〃　Mrs。　Nettlepoint　went　on。



〃I　will；　dearest；　when　I've　quenched　my　thirst。〃　　And　he　slowly

drained　his　glass。



〃Well；　I　declare　you're　worse　than　Gracie；〃　Mrs。　Mavis　commented。

〃She　was　first　one　thing　and　then　the　otherbut　only　about　up　to

three　o'clock　yesterday。〃



〃Excuse　mewon't　you　take　something？〃　Jasper　inquired　of　Gracie；　who

however　still　declined；　as　if　to　make　up　for　her　mother's　copious

consommation。　　I　found　myself　quite　aware　that　the　two　ladies　would

do　well　to　take　leave；　the　question　of　Mrs。　Nettlepoint's　good　will

being　so　satisfactorily　settled　and　the　meeting　of　the　morrow　at　the

ship　so　near　at　hand　and　I　went　so　far　as　to　judge　that　their

protracted　stay；　with　their　hostess　visibly　in　a　fidget；　gave　the

last　proof　of　their　want　of　breeding。　　Miss　Grace　after　all　then　was

not　such　an　improvement　on　her　mother；　for　she　easily　might　have

taken　the　initiative　of　departure；　in　spite　of　Mrs。　Mavis's　evident

〃game〃　of　making　her　own　absorption　of　refreshment　last　as　long　as

possible。　　I　watched　the　girl　with　increasing　interest；　I　couldn't

help　asking　myself　a　question　or　two　about　her　and　even　perceiving

already　（in　a　dim　and　general　way）　that　rather　marked　embarrassment；

or　at　least　anxiety　attended　her。　　Wasn't　it　complicating　that　she

should　have　needed；　by　remaining　long　enough；　to　assuage　a　certain

suspense；　to　learn　whether　or　no　Jasper　were　going　to　sail？　　Hadn't

something　particular　passed　between　them　on　the　occasion　or　at　the

period　to　which　we　had　caught　their　allusion；　and　didn't　she　really

not　know　her　mother　was　bringing　her　to　HIS　mother's；　though　she

apparently　had　thought　it　well　not　to　betray　knowledge？　　Such　things

were　symptomaticthough　indeed　one　scarce　knew　of　whaton　the　part

of　a　young　lady　betrothed　to　that　curious　cross…barred　phantom　of　a

Mr。　Porterfield。　　But　I　am　bound　to　add　that　she　gave　me　no　further

warrant　for　wonder　than　was　conveyed　in　her　all　tacitly　and　covertly

encouraging　her　mother　to　linger。　　Somehow　I　had　a　sense　that　SHE　was

conscious　of　the　indecency　of　this。　　I　got　up　myself　to　go；　but　Mrs。

Nettlepoint　detained　me　after　seeing　that　my　movement　wouldn't　be

taken　as　a　hint；　and　I　felt　she　wished　me　not　to　leave　my　fellow

visitors　on　her　hands。　　Jasper　complained　of　the　closeness　of　the

room；　said　that　it　was　not　a　night　to　sit　in　a　roomone　ought　to　be

out　in　the　air；　under　the　sky。　　He　denounced　the　windows　that

overlooked　the　water　for　not　opening　upon　a　balcony　or　a　terrace；

until　his　mother；　whom　he　hadn't　yet　satisfied　about　his　telegram；

reminded　him　that　there　was　a　beautiful　balcony　in　front；　with　room

for　a　dozen　people。　　She　assured　him　we　would　go　and　sit　there　if　it

would　please　him。



〃It　will　be　nice　and　cool　tomorrow；　when　we　steam　into　the　great

ocean；〃　said　Miss　Mavis；　expressing　with　more　vivacity　than　she　had

yet　thrown　into　any　of　her　utterances　my　own　thought　of　half　an　hour

before。　　Mrs。　Nettlepoint　replied　that　it　would　probably　be　freezing

cold；　and　her　son　murmured　that　he　would　go　and　try　the　drawing…room

balcony　and　report　upon　it。　　Just　as　he　was　turning　away　he　said；

smiling；　to　Miss　Mavis：　　〃Won't　you　come　with　me　and　see　if　it's

pleasant？〃



〃Oh　well；　we　had　better　not　stay　all　night！〃　her　mother　exclaimed；

but　still　without　moving。　　The　girl　moved；　after　a　moment's

hesitation；she　rose　and　accompanied　Jasper　to　the　other　room。　　I

saw　how　her　slim　tallness　showed　to　advantage　as　she　walked；　and　that

she　looked　well　as　she　passed；　with　her　head　thrown　back；　into　the

darkness　of　the　other　part　of　the　house。　　There　was　something　rather

marked；　rather　surprisingI　scarcely　knew　why；　for　the　act　in　itself

was　simple　enoughin　her　acceptance　of　such　a　plea；　and　perhaps　it

was　our　sense　of　this　that　held　the　rest　of　us　somewhat　stiffly

silent　as　she　remained　away。　　I　was　waiting　for　Mrs。　Mavis　to　go；　so

that　I　myself　might　go；　and　Mrs。　Nettlepoint　was　waiting　for　her　to

go　so　that　I　mightn't。　　This　doubtless　made　the　young　lady's　absence

appear　to　us　longer　than　it　really　wasit　was　probably　very　brief。

Her　mother　moreover；　I　think；　had　now　a　vague　lapse　from　ease。

Jasper　Nettlepoint　presently　returned　to　the　back　drawing…room　to

serve　his　companion　with　our　lucent　syrup；　and　he　took　occasion　to

remark　that　it　was　lovely　on　the　balcony：　　one　really　got　some　air；

the　breeze　being　from　that　quarter。　　I　remembered；　as　he　went　away

with　his　tinkling　tumbler；　that　from　MY　hand；　a　few　minutes　before；

Miss　Mavis　had　not　been　willing　to　accept　this　innocent　offering。　　A

little　later　Mrs。　Nettlepoint　said：　　〃Well；　if　it's　so　pleasant　there

we　had　better　go　ourselves。〃　　So　we　passed　to　the　front　and　in　the

other　room　met　the　two　young　people　coming　in　from　the　balcony。　　I

was　to　wonder；　in　the　light　of　later　things；　exactly　how　long　they

had　occupied　together　a　couple　of　the　set　of　cane　chairs　garnishing

the　place　in　summer。　　If　it　had　been　but　five　minutes　that　only　made

subsequent　events　more　curious。　　〃We　must　go；　mother；〃　Miss　Mavis

immediately　said；　and　a　moment　after；　with　a　little　renewal　of

chatter　as　to　our　general　meeting　on　the　ship；　the　visitors　had　taken

leave。　　Jasper　went　down　with　them　to　the　door　and　as　soon　as　they

had　got　off　Mrs。　Nettlepoint　quite　richly　exhaled　her　impression。

〃Ah　but'll　she　be　a　boreshe'll　be　a　bore　of　bores！〃



〃Not　through　talking　too　much；　surely。〃



〃An　affectation　of　silence　is　as　bad。　　I　hate　that　particular　pose；

it's　coming　up　very　much　now；　an　imitation　of　the　English；　like

everything　else。　　A　girl　who　tries　to　be　statuesque　at　seathat　will

act　on　one's　nerves！〃



〃I　don't　know　what　she　tries　to　be；　but　she　succeeds　in　being　very

handsome。〃



〃So　much　the　better　for　you。　　I'll　leave　her　to　you