autobiography of a pocket-handkerchief-第31章

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love　in　the　virgin　affections　of　young　ladies；　and　that　a　skillful　and　refined
poet　would　use　very　different　language　on　the　occasion；　but　I　began　this
history　to　represent　things　as　they　are；　and　such　is　the　manner　in　which
〃Love's　Young　Dream〃　appears　to　a　pocket…handkerchief。

｛〃Love's　Young　Dream〃　=　popular　poem　by　Thomas　Moore　（1780…
1852）｝

Among　other　things　that　were　unpleasant；　Miss　Monson　was　compelled
to　overhear　sundry　remarks　of　Betts's　devotion　to　the　governess；　as　she
stood　in　the　dance；　some　of　which　reached　me；　also。

〃Who　is　the　lady　to　whom　Mr。　Shoreham　is　so　devoue　this　evening？〃
asked　Miss　N。　of　Miss　T。　〃'Tis　quite　a　new　face；　and；　if　one　might　be　so
presuming；　quite　a　new　manner。〃

｛devoue　=　devoted；　attentive｝

〃That　is　Mademoiselle　Henny；　the　governess　of　Mrs。　Monson's
children；　my　dear。　They　say　she　is　all　accomplishments；　and　quite　a
miracle　of　propriety。　It　is　also　rumored　that　she　is；　some　way；　a　very
distinguished　person；　reduced　by　those　horrid　revolutions　of　which　they
have　so　many　in　Europe。〃

〃Noble；　I　dare　say！〃

〃Oh！　that　at　least。　Some　persons　affirm　that　she　is　semi…ROYAL。　The
country　is　full　of　broken…down　royalty　and　nobility。　Do　you　think　she
has　an　aristocratic　air？〃

〃Not　in　the　leasther　ears　are　too　small。〃

〃Why；　my　dear；　that　is　the　very　symbol　of　nobility！　When　my　Aunt
Harding　was　in　Naples；　she　knew　the　Duke　of　Montecarbana；
intimately；　and　she　says　he　had　the　smallest　ears　she　ever　beheld　on　a
human　being。　The　Montecarbanas　are　a　family　as　old　as　the　ruins　of
Paestum；　they　say。〃

｛Paestum　=　ancient　Roman　city　outside　Naples｝

〃Well；　to　my　notion；　nobility　and　teaching　little　girls　French　and　Italian；
and　their　gammes；　have　very　little　in　common。　I　had　thought　Mr。
Shoreham　an　admirer　of　Miss　Monson's。〃

｛gammes　=　musical　scales｝

Now；　unfortunately；　my　mistress　overheard　this　remark。　Her　feelings
were　just　in　that　agitated　state　to　take　the　alarm；　and　she　determined　to
flirt　with　a　young　man　of　the　name　of　Thurston；　with　a　view　to　awaken
Betts's　jealousy；　if　he　had　any；　and　to　give　vent　to　her　own　spleen。　This
Tom　Thurston　was　one　of　those　tall；　good…looking　young　fellows　who
come　from；　nobody　knows　where；　get　into　society；　nobody　knows
how；　and　live　on；　nobody　knows　what。　It　was　pretty　generally
understood　that　he　was　on　the　look…out　for　a　rich　wife；　and
encouragement　from　Julia　Monson　was　not　likely　to　be　disregarded　by
such　a　person。　To　own　the　truth；　my　mistress　carried　matters　much　too
farso　far；　indeed；　as　to　attract　attention　from　every　body　but　those
most　concerned；　viz。　her　own　mother　and　Betts　Shoreham。　Although
elderly　ladies　play　cards　very　little；　just　now；　in　American　society；　or；
indeed；　in　any　other；　they　have　their　inducements　for　rendering　the　well…
known　office　of　matron　at　a　ball；　a　mere　sinecure。　Mrs。　Monson；　too；
was　an　indulgent　mother；　and　seldom　saw　any　thing　very　wrong　in　her
own　children。　Julia；　in　the　main；　had　sufficient　retenue；　and　a　suspicion
of　her　want　of　discretion　on　this　point；　was　one　of　the　last　things　that
would　cross　the　fond　parent's　mind　at　Mrs。　Leamington's　ball。　Others；
however；　were　less　confiding。

｛retenue　=　discretion｝

〃Your　daughter　is　in　HIGH　SPIRITS　to…night；〃　observed　a　single　lady
of　a　certain　age；　who　was　sitting　near　Mrs。　Monson；　〃I　do　not
remember　to　have　ever　seen　her　so　GAY。〃

〃Yes；　dear　girl；　she　IS　happy；〃poor　Julia　was　any　thing　but　THAT；
just　then〃but　youth　is　the　time　for　happiness；　if　it　is　ever　to　come　in　this
life。〃

〃Is　Miss　Monson　addicted　to　such　VERY　high　spirits？〃　continued　one；
who　was　resolute　to　torment；　and　vexed　that　the　mother　could　not　be
sufficiently　alarmed　to　look　around。

〃Alwayswhen　in　agreeable　company。　I　think　it　a　great　happiness；
ma'am；　to　possess　good　spirits。〃

〃No　doubtyet　one　needn't　be　always　fifteen；　as　Lady　Wortley
Montague　said；〃　muttered　the　other；　giving　up　the　point；　and　changing
her　seat；　in　order　that　she　might　speak　her　mind　more　freely　into　the　ear
of　a　congenial　spirit。

｛Lady　Wortley　Montague　=　Lady　Mary　Wortley　Montague　（1689…
1762）；　English　essayist　and　letter…writer｝

Half　an　hour　later　we　were　all　in　the　carriages；　again；　on　our　way　home；
all；　but　Betts　Shoreham；　I　should　say；　for　having　seen　the　ladies
cloaked；　he　had　taken　his　leave　at　Mrs。　Leamington's　door；　as　uncertain
as　ever　whether　or　not　to　impute　envy　to　a　being　who；　in　all　other
respects；　seemed　to　him　to　be　faultless。　He　had　to　retire　to　an　uneasy
pillow；　undetermined　whether　to　pursue　his　original　intention　of　making
the　poor　friendless　French　girl　independent；　by　an　offer　of　his　hand；　or
whether　to　decide　that　her　amiable　and　gentle　qualities　were　all　seeming；
and　that　she　was　not　what　she　appeared　to　be。　Betts　Shoreham　owed
his　distrust　to　national　prejudice；　and　well　was　he　paid　for　entertaining
so　vile　a　companion。　Had　Mademoiselle　Hennequin　been　an　American
girl；　he　would　not　have　thought　a　second　time　of　the　emotion　she　had
betrayed　in　regarding　my　beauties；　but　he　had　been　taught　to　believe　all
French　women　managing　and　hypocritical；　a　notion　that　the　experience
of　a　young　man　in　Paris　would　not　be　very　likely　to　destroy。

｛managing　=　manipulative｝

〃Well；〃　cried　John　Monson；　as　the　carriage　drew　from　Mrs。
Leamington's　door；　〃this　is　the　last　ball　I　shall　go　to　in　New　York；〃
which　declaration　he　repeated　twenty　times　that　season；　and　as　often
broke。

〃What　is　the　matter　now；　Jack？〃　demanded　the　father。　〃I　found　it　very
pleasantsix　or　seven　of　us　old　fellows　made　a　very　agreeable　evening
of　it。〃

〃Yes；　I　dare　say；　sir；　but　you　were　not　compelled　to　dance　in　a　room
eighteen　by　twenty…four；　with　a　hundred　people　treading　on　your　toes；
or　brushing　their　heads　in　your　face。〃

〃Jack　can　find　no　room　for　dancing　since　the　great　ball　of　the　Salle　de
l'Opera；　at　Paris；〃　observed　the　mother　smiling。　〃I　hope　YOU　enjoyed
yourself　better；　Julia？〃

｛Salle　de　l'Opera　=　Paris　Opera　Housethe　building　referred　to　by
Cooper　served　as　Opera　House　from　1821…1873　and　was　replaced　by
the　present　building　in　1874｝

My　mistress　started；　then　she　answered　with　a　sort　of　hysterical　glee

〃Oh！　I　have　found　the　evening　delightful；　ma'am。　I　could　have　remained
two　hours　longer。〃

〃And　you；　Mademoiselle　Hennequin；　I　hope　you；　too；　were　agreeably
entertained？〃

The　governess　answered　meekly；　and　with　a　slight　tremor　in　her　voice。

〃Certainly；　madame；〃　she　said；　〃I　have　enjoyed　myself；　though　dancing
always　seems　an　amusement　I　have　no　right　to　share　in。〃

There　was　some　little　embarrassment；　and　I　could　perceive　an　impulse
in　Julia　to　press　nearer　to　her　rival；　as　if　impelled　by　a　generous　wish　to
manifest　her　sympathy。　But　Tom's　protest　soon　silenced　every　thing
else；　and　we　alighted；　and　soon　went　to　rest。

The　next　morning　Julia　sent　for　me　down　to　be　exhibited　to　one　or　two
friends；　my　fame　having　spread　in　consequence　of　my　late　appearance。　I
was　praised；　kissed；　called　a　pretty　dear；　and　extolled　like　a　spoiled
child；　though　Miss　W。　did　not　fail　to　carry　the　intelligence；　far　and　near；
that　Miss　Monson's　much…talked…of　pocket…handkerchief　was　nothing
after　all　but　the　THING　Miss　Halfacre　had　brought　out　the　night　of　the
day　her　father　had　stopped　payment。　Some　even　began　to　nick…name
me　the　insolvent　pocket…handkerchief。

I　thought　Julia　sad；　after　her　friends　had　all　left　her。　I　lay　neglected　on　a
sofa；　and　the　pretty　girl's　brow　became　thoughtful。　Of　a　sudden　she　was
aroused　from　a　brown　studyreflective　mood；　perhaps；　would　be　a
more　select　phraseby　the　unexpected　appearance　of　young　Thurston。
There　was　a　sort　of　〃Ah！　have　I　caught　you　alone！〃　expression　about
this　adventurer's　eye；　even　while　he　was　making　his　bow；　that　struck
me。　I　looked　for　great　events；　nor　was　I　altogether　disappointed。　In　one
minute　he　was　seated　at　Julia's　side；　on　the　same　sofa；　and　within　two
feet　of　her；　in　two　more　he　had　brought　in　play　his　usual　tricks　of
flattery。　My　mistress　listened　languidly；　and　yet　not　altogether　without
interest。　She　was　piqued　at　Betts　Shoreham's　indifference；　had　known
her　present　admirer　several　months；　if　dancing　in　the　same　set　can　be
called　KNOWING；　and　had