autobiography of a pocket-handkerchief-第29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！


conduct　of　Mademoiselle　Hennequin；　during　an　intimacy　which　had　now
lasted　six　months；　that　no　passing　feeling　of　doubt；　like　the　one　just　felt；
could　unsettle　the　confidence　created　by　her　virtues。　I　know　it　may　take
more　credit　than　belongs　to　most　pocket…handkerchiefs；　to　maintain　the
problem　of　the　virtues　of　a　French　governessa　class　of　unfortunate
persons　that　seem　doomed　to　condemnation　by　all　the　sages　of　our
modern　imaginative　literature。　An　English　governess；　or　even　an
American　governess；　if；　indeed；　there　be　such　a　being　in　nature；　may　be
every　thing　that　is　respectable；　and　prudent；　and　wise；　and　good；　but　the
French　governess　has　a　sort　of　ex…officio　moral　taint　about　her；　that
throws　her　without　the　pale　of　literary　charities。　Nevertheless；　one　or
two　of　the　most　excellent　women　I　have　ever　known；　have　been　French
governesses；　though　I　do　not　choose　to　reveal　what　this　particular
individual　of　the　class　turned　out　to　be　in　the　end；　until　the　moment　for
the　denouement　of　her　character　shall　regularly　arrive。

There　was　not　much　time　for　Betts　Shoreham　to　philosophize；　and
speculate　on　female　caprices　and　motives；　John　Monson　making　his
appearance　in　as　high　evening　dress　as　well　comported　with　what　is
called　〃republican　simplicity。〃　John　was　a　fine　looking　fellow；　six　feet
and　an　inch；　with　large　whiskers；　a　bushy　head　of　hair；　and　particularly
white　teeth。　His　friend　was　two　inches　shorter；　of　much　less　showy
appearance；　but　of　a　more　intellectual　countenance；　and　of　juster
proportions。　Most　persons；　at　first　sight；　would　praise　John　Monson's
person　and　face；　but　all　would　feel　the　superiority　of　Betts　Shoreham's；
on　an　acquaintance。　The　smile　of　the　latter；　in　particular；　was　as　winning
and　amiable　as　that　of　a　girl。　It　was　that　smile；　on　the　one　hand；　and　his
active；　never　dormant　sympathy　for　her　situation；　on　the　other；　which；
united；　had　made　such　an　inroad　on　the　young　governess's　affections。

〃It's　deuced　cold；　Betts；〃　said　John；　as　he　came　near　the　fire；　〃this
delightful　country　of　ours　has　some　confounded　hard　winters。　I　wonder
if　it　be　patriotic　to　say；　OUR　winters？〃

〃It's　all　common　property；　Monsonbut；　what　have　become　of　your
sister　and　Mademoiselle　Hennequin？　They　were　both　here　a　minute
since；　and　have　vanished　like〃

〃What？ghosts！no；　you　dare　not　call　them　THAT；　lest　their　spirits
take　it　in　dudgeon。　Julie　is　no　ghost；　though　she　is　sometimes　so　delicate
and　ethereal；　and　as　for　Henny〃

〃Who？〃　exclaimed　Betts；　doubting　if　his　ears　were　true。

〃Henny；　Tote　and　Moll's　governess。　Whom　do　you　think　I　could　mean；
else？　I　always　call　her　Henny；　en　famille；　and　I　look　upon　you　as　almost
one　of　us　since　our　travels。〃

｛en　famille　=　at　home｝

〃I'm　sure　I　can　scarcely　be　grateful　enough；　my　dear　fellowbut；　you　do
not　call　her　so　to　her　face？〃

〃Whynoperhaps　not　exactly　in　her　very　teethand　beautiful　teeth
she　has；　BettsJulie's　won't　compare　with　them。〃

〃Miss　Monson　has　fine　teeth；　notwithstanding。　Perhaps　Mademoiselle
Hennequin〃

〃Yes；　Henny　has　the　best　teeth　of　any　girl　I　know。　They　are　none　of
your　pearlssome　pearls　are　yellowish；　you　knowbut　they　are　teeth；
just　what　ought　to　be　in　a　handsome　girl's　mouth。　I　have　no　objection　to
pearls　in　a　necklace；　or　in　the　pockets；　but　TEETH　are　what　are　wanted
in　a　mouth；　and　Henny　has　just　the　finest　set　I　know　of。〃

Betts　Shoreham　fidgetted　at　the　〃Henny；〃　and　he　had　the　weakness；　at
the　moment；　to　wish　the　young　governess　were　not　in　a　situation　to　be
spoken　of　so　unceremoniously。　He　had　not　time　to　express　this　feeling；
before　John　Monson　got　a　glimpse　of　me；　and　had　me　under
examination　beneath　the　light　of　a　very　powerful　lamp。　I　declare　that；
knowing　his　aversion　to　our　species；　I　felt　a　glow　in　all　my　system　at　the
liberties　he　was　taking。

〃What　have　we　here？〃　exclaimed　John　Monson；　in　surprise；　〃has　Miss
Flowergarden　made　a　call；　and　is　this　her　card？〃

〃I　believe　that　pocket…handkerchief　belongs　to　your　sister；〃　answered
Betts；　drily；　〃if　that　be　what　you　mean。〃

〃Jule！　well；　I　am　sorry　to　hear　it。　I　did　hope　that　no　sister　of　MINE
would　run　into　any　such　foolish　extravagancedo　you　own　it；　Jule？〃
who　entered　the　room　at　that　instant〃is　this　bit　of　a　rag　yours；　or　is　it
not　more　likely　to　be　Henny's？〃

〃Bit　of　a　rag！〃　cried　the　sister；　snatching　me　dexterously　out　of　the
spoiler's　hands；　〃and　'Henny；'　too！　This　is　not　a　bit　of　a　rag；　sir；　but　a
very　pretty　pocket…handkerchief；　and　you　must　very　well　know　that
Mademoiselle　Hennequin　is　not　likely　to　be　the　owner　of　any　thing　as
costly。〃

〃And　what　did　it　cost；　pray？　At　least　tell　me　THAT；　if　nothing　else。〃

〃I　shall　not　gratify　your　curiosity；　sira　lady's　wardrobe　is　not　to　be
dissected　in　this　manner。〃

〃Pray；　sir；　may　I　ask；〃　Mr。　Monson　now　coming　in；　〃did　you　pay　for
Jule's　handkerchief？　Hang　me；　if　I　ever　saw　a　more　vulgar　thing　in　my
life。〃

〃The　opinion　is　not　likely　to　induce　me　to　say　yes；〃　answered　the　father；
half…laughing；　and　yet　half…angry　at　his　son's　making　such　allusions
before　Betts〃never　mind　him；　my　dear；　the　handkerchief　is　not　half　as
expensive　as　his　own　cigars。〃

〃It　shall　be　as　thoroughly　smoked；　nevertheless；　rejoined　John；　who　was
as　near　being　spoilt；　and　escaping；　as　was　at　all　necessary。　〃Ah；　Julie；
Julie；　I'm　ashamed　of　thee。〃

This　was　an　inauspicious　commencement　for　an　evening　from　which　so
much　happiness　had　been　anticipated；　but　Mrs。　Monson　coming　down；
and　the　carriages　driving　to　the　door；　Mademoiselle　Hennequin　was
summoned；　and　the　whole　party　left　the　house。

As　a　matter　of　course；　it　was　a　little　out　of　the　common　way　that　the
governess　was　asked　to　make　one；　in　the　invitations　given　to　the
Monsons。　But　Mademoiselle　Hennequin　was　a　person　of　such　perfect
bon　ton；　had　so　thoroughly　the　manners　of　a　lady；　and　was　generally
reputed　so　accomplished；　that　most　of　the　friends　of　the　family　felt
themselves　bound　to　notice　her。　There　was　another　reason；　too；　which
justice　requires　I　should　relate；　though　it　is　not　so　creditable　to　the
young　lady；　as　those　already　given。　From　some　quarter；　or　other；　a
rumor　had　got　abroad　that　Miss　Monson's　governess　was　of　a　noble
family；　a　circumstance　that　I　soon　discovered　had　great　influence　in
New　York；　doubtless　by　way　of　expiation　for　the　rigid　democratical
notions　that　so　universally　pervade　its　society。　And　here　I　may　remark；
en　passant；　that　while　nothing　is　considered　so　disreputable　in　America
as　to　be　〃aristocratic〃　a　word　of　very　extensive　signification；　as　it
embraces　the　tastes；　the　opinions；　the　habits；　the　virtues；　and　sometimes
the　religion　of　the　offending　partyon　the　other　hand；　nothing　is　so
certain　to　attract　attention　as　nobility。　How　many　poor　Poles　have　I
seen　dragged　about　and　made　lions　of；　merely　because　they　were
reputed　noble；　though　the　distinction　in　that　country　is　pretty　much　the
same　as　that　which　exists　in　one　portion　of　this　great　republic；　where
one　half　the　population　is　white；　and　the　other　black；　the　former　making
the　noble；　and　the　latter　the　serf。

｛make　one　=　be　included；　bon　ton　=　superior　manners　and　culture；
notice　her　=　include　her　socially；　〃aristocratic〃　=　Cooper　was
hypersensitive　to　accusations　of　being　〃aristocratic〃；　poor　Poles　=　since
his　days　in　Paris　in　the　early　1830s；　Cooper　had　befriended　and　aided
Poles　fleeing　Russian　domination　of　their　homeland｝

〃What　an　exceedingly　aristocratic　pocket…handkerchief　Miss　Monson
has　this　evening；〃　observed　Mrs。　G。　to　Mr。　W。；　as　we　passed　into　Mrs。
Leamington's　rooms；　that　evening；　〃I　don't　know　when　I've　seen　any
thing　so　aristocratic　in　society。〃

〃The　Monsons　are　very　aristocratic　in　all　things；　I　understand　they　dine
at　six。〃

〃Yes；〃　put　in　Miss　F。；　〃and　use　finger　bowls　every　day。〃

〃How　aristocratic！〃

〃Verythey　even　say　that　since　they　have　come　back　from　Europe；　the
last　time；　matters　are　pushed　farther　than　ever。　The　ladies　insist　on
kneeling　at　prayers；　instead　of　inclining；　like　all　the　rest　of　the　world。〃

〃Did　one　ever　hear　of　any　thing　so　aristocratic！〃

〃They　DO　say；　but　I　will　not　vouch　for　its　truth；　that　Mr。　and　Mrs。
Monson　insist　on　all　their　children　calling　them　'father'