autobiography of a pocket-handkerchief-第27章

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but　truth。　Julia　had　too　much　consideration　to　let　her　young　sisters　into
the　secret　of　my　pricefor　this　would　have　been　teaching　a　premature
lesson　in　extravagance；　but；　having　permitted　them　to　gratify　their
curiosity；　she　exacted　of　them　both　promises　not　to　speak　of　me　to　their
governess。

〃But　why　not；　Julia？〃　asked　the　inquisitive　little　Jane；　〃Mademoiselle
Hennequin　is　SO　good　and　SO　kind；　that　she　would　be　glad　to　hear　of
your　good　fortune。〃

Julia　had　an　indistinct　view　of　her　own　motive；　but　she　could　not　avow　it
to　any　one；　not　even　to　herself。　Jealousy　would　be　too　strong；　perhaps
too　indelicate　a　word；　but　she　alone　had　detected　Betts　Shoreham's
admiration　of　the　governess；　and　it　was　painful　to　her　to　permit　one　who
stood　in　this　relation　to　her　own　weakness　in　favor　of　the　young　man；　to
be　a　witness　of　an　act　of　extravagance　to　which　she　had　only　half
consented　in　committing　it；　and　of　which　she　already　more　than　half
repented。　From　the　first；　therefore；　she　determined　that　Mademoiselle
Hennequin　should　never　see　me。



CHAPTER　XIV。

And　now　comes　an　exhibition　of　my　mesmeritic　powers；　always
〃handkerchiefly　speaking；〃　that　may　surprise　those　who　have　not
attended　to　the　modern　science　of　invisible　fluids。　It　is　by　this　means；
however；　that　I　am　enabled　to　perceive　a　great　deal　of　that　which
passes　under　the　roof　where　I　may　happen　to　be；　without　absolutely
seeing　it。　Much　escapes　me；　of　coursefor　even　a　pocket…handkerchief
cannot　hear　or　see　every　thing；　but　enough　is　learned　to　enable　me　to
furnish　a　very　clear　outline　of　that　which　occurs　near　me；　more
especially　if　it　happen　to　be　within　walls　of　brick。　In　wooden　edifices　I
find　my　powers　much　diminishedthe　fluids；　doubtless；　escaping
through　the　pores　of　the　material。

That　evening；　then；　at　the　usual　hour；　and　while　I　lay　snugly　ensconced
in　a　most　fragrant　and　convenient　drawer；　among　various　other　beings
of　my　species；　though　not　of　my　family；　alas！　the　inmates　of　the　house
assembled　in　the　front　drawing…room　to　take　a　few　cups　of　tea。　Mr。　and
Mrs。　Monson；　with　their　only　son；　John　Monson；　their　three　daughters；
the　governess；　and　Betts　Shoreham；　were　all　present；　the　latter　having
dropped　in　with　a　new　novel　for　the　ladies。

〃I　do　really　wish　one　could　see　a　little　advance　in　the　way　of　real
refinement　and　true　elegance　among　all　the　vast　improvements　we　are
making　in　frippery　and　follies；〃　cried　Mr。　Monson；　throwing　down　an
evening　paper　in　a　pettish　manner；　that　sufficiently　denoted　discontent。
〃We　are　always　puffing　our　own　progress　in　America；　without　exactly
knowing　whether　a　good　deal　of　the　road　is　not　to　be　traveled　over
again；　by　way　of　undoing　much　that　we　have　done。　Here；　now；　is　a
specimen　of　our　march　in　folly；　in　an　advertisement　of　Bobbinett's；　who
has　pocket…handkerchiefs　at　75。〃

〃By　the　dozen；　or　by　the　gross；　sir？〃　demanded　Betts　Shoreham；
quickly。

〃Oh；　singlyseventy…five　dollars　each。〃

〃Nay；　that　MUST　be　a　mistake；　sir！　who；　even　in　this　extravagant　and
reckless　country；　could　be　found　to　pay　such　a　price？　One　can　fancy
such　a　thing　in　a　princess；　with　hundreds　of　thousands　of　income；　but
scarcely　of　any　one　else。　How　could　such　a　thing　be　USED；　for
instance？〃

〃Oh；〃　cried　John　Monson；　〃to　hide　the　blushes　of　the　simpleton　who　had
thrown　away　her　money　on　it。　I　heard　a　story　this　very　afternoon；　of
some　person　of　the　name　of　Halfacre's　having　failed　yesterday；　and
whose　daughter　purchased　even　a　higher　priced　handkerchief　than　that
the　very　same　day。〃

〃His　failure　is　not　surprising；　then；〃　put　in　Betts　Shoreham。　〃For　myself；　I
do　not　think　that　I〃

〃Well；　WHAT　do　you　think；　Mr。　Shoreham？〃　asked　Mrs。　Monson；
smiling；　for　she　saw　that　Julia　was　too　much　mortified　to　speak；　and
who　assumed　more　than　half　the　blame　of　her　own　daughter's
extravagance。　〃You　were　about　to　favor　us　with　some　magnificent
resolution。〃

〃I　was　about　to　utter　an　impertinence；　I　confess；　ma'am；　but　recollected
in　time；　that　young　men's　protestations　of　what　THEY　would　do　by　way
of　reforming　the　world；　is　not　of　half　the　importance　to　others　that　they
so　often　fancy；　so　I　shall　spare　you　the　infliction。　Seventy…five　dollars；
Mademoiselle　Hennequin；　would　be　a　high　price　for　such　a　thing；　even
in　Paris；　I　fancy。〃

The　answer　was　given　in　imperfect　English；　a　circumstance　that
rendered　the　sweet　round　tones　of　the　speaker　very　agreeable　to　the
ear；　and　lent　the　charm　of　piquancy　to　what　she　said。　I　could　not
distinguish　countenances　from　the　drawer；　but　I　fancied　young
Shoreham　to　be　a　handsome　youth；　the　governess　to　be　pale　and
slightly　ugly；　though　very　agreeable　in　manner；　and　Julia　excessively
embarrassed；　but　determined　to　defend　her　purchase；　should　it　become
necessary。

〃Seventy…five　dollars　sound　like　a　high　price；　monsieur；〃　answered
Mademoiselle　Hennequin；　〃but　the　ladies　of　Paris　do　not　grudge　their
gold　for　ornaments　to　decorate　their　persons。〃

〃Ay；〃　put　in　John　Monson；　〃but　they　are　consistent。　Now　I'll　engage　this
Mrs。　Hundredacres；　or　Halfacre；　or　whatever　her　name　may　be；
overlooked　her　own　household　work；　kept　no　housekeeper；　higgled
about　flour　and　butter；　and　lived　half　her　time　in　her　basement。　Think　of
such　a　woman's　giving　her　daughter　a　hundred…dollar　pocket…
handkerchief。〃

Now　Mrs。　Monson　DID　keep　a　housekeeper；　she　was　NOT　a　mere
upper…servant　in　her　own　family；　and　Julia　was　gratified　that；　in　this
instance；　her　fastidious　brother　could　not　reproach　HER　at　least。

〃Well；　Jack；　that　is　a　queer　reason　of　yours；〃　cried　the　father；　〃for　not
indulging　in　a　luxury；　because　the　good　woman　is　careful　in　some　things；
she　is　not　to　be　a　little　extravagant　in　others。　What　do　YOU　say　to　such
logic；　Mr。　Shoreham？〃

〃To　own　the　truth；　sir；　I　am　much　of　Monson's　way　of　thinking。　It　is　as
necessary　to　begin　at　the　bottom　in　constructing　a　scheme　of　domestic
refinement；　as　in　building　a　house。　Fitness　is　entitled　to　a　place　in　every
thing　that　relates　to　taste；　at　all　events；　and　as　a　laced　and　embroidered
pocket…handkerchief　is　altogether　for　appearance；　it　becomes　necessary
that　other　things　should　be　in　keeping。　If　the　ladies　will　excuse　me；　I　will
say　that　I　never　yet　saw　a　woman　in　America；　in　a　sufficiently　high　dress
to　justify　such　an　appendage　as　that　which　Monson　has　just　mentioned。
The　handkerchief　ought　not　to　cost　more　than　the　rest　of　the　toilette。〃

〃It　is　true；　Mr。　Shoreham；〃　put　in　Julia；　with　vivacity；　if　not　with　spirit；
〃that　our　women　do　not　dress　as　women　of　rank　sometimes　dress　in
Europe；　but；　on　the　whole；　I　do　not　know　that　we　are　so　much　behind
them　in　appearance。〃

〃Very　far　from　it；　my　dear　Miss　Monsonas　far　as　possibleI　am　the
last　man　to　decry　my　beautiful　countrywomen；　who　are　second　to　no
others　in　appearance；　certainly；　if　they　do　not　dress　as　richly；　it　is
because　they　do　not　need　it。　Mademoiselle　Hennequin　has　no　reason　to
deprecate　comparisonsandbut〃

〃Certainly；〃　answered　the　governess；　when　she　found　the　young　man
hesitated　about　proceeding；　〃certainly；　I　am　not　so　bigoted；　or　so　blind；
as　to　wish　to　deny　that　the　American　ladies　are　very　handsome
handsomer；　as　a　whole；　than　those　of　my　own　country。　It　would　be　idle
to　deny　itso　are　those　of　England　and　Italy。〃

〃This　is　being　very　liberal；　Mademoiselle　Hennequin；　and　more　than　you
are　required　to　admit；〃　observed　Mrs。　Monson；　in　the　kindest　possible
tone　of　voice；　and　I　make　no　manner　of　doubt　with　a　most　benevolent
smile；　though　I　could　not　see　her。　〃Some　of　the　most　brilliantly　beautiful
women　I　have　ever　seen；　have　been　Frenchperhaps　the　MOST
brilliantly　beautiful。〃

〃That　is　true；　also；　madame；　but　such　is　not　the　rule；　I　think。　Both　the
English　and　Americans　seem　to　me　handsomer；　as　a　whole；　than　my
own　countrywomen。〃　Now；　nothing　could　be　sweeter；　or　softer；　or
gentler；　than　the　voice　that　made　this　great　concessionfor　great　it
certainly　was；　as　coming　from　a　woman。　It　appeared　to　me　that　the
admission；　too；　was　more　than　commonly　generous；　from　the
circumstance　that　the　governess　was　not　particularly　pretty　in　her　own
person。　It　is　true；　I　had　not　yet　seen　her；　but　my　mesmeritic　impulses
induced　me　to　fancy