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第10章

an international episode-第10章

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asked Lord Lambeth。  〃And; in the second place; why shouldn't

I be fond of her?〃



〃I shouldn't think she would be in your line。〃



〃What do you call my 'line'? You don't set her down as 'fast'?〃



〃Exactly so。  Mrs。 Westgate tells me that there is no such thing

as the 'fast girl' in America; that it's an English invention;

and that the term has no meaning here。〃



〃All the better。  It's an animal I detest。〃



〃You prefer a bluestocking。〃



〃Is that what you call Miss Alden?〃



〃Her sister tells me;〃 said Percy Beaumont; 〃that she

is tremendously literary。〃



〃I don't know anything about that。  She is certainly very clever。〃



〃Well;〃 said Beaumont; 〃I should have supposed you would have found

that sort of thing awfully slow。〃



〃In point of fact;〃 Lord Lambeth rejoined; 〃I find it uncommonly lively。〃



After this; Percy Beaumont held his tongue; but on

the 10th of August he wrote to the Duchess of Bayswater。

He was; as I have said; a man of conscience; and he had

a strong; incorruptible sense of the proprieties of life。

His kinsman; meanwhile; was having a great deal of talk

with Bessie Aldenon the red sea rocks beyond the lawn;

in the course of long island rides; with a slow return in

the glowing twilight; on the deep veranda late in the evening。

Lord Lambeth; who had stayed at many houses; had never stayed

at a house in which it was possible for a young man to converse

so frequently with a young lady。  This young lady no longer applied

to Percy Beaumont for information concerning his lordship。

She addressed herself directly to the young nobleman。

She asked him a great many questions; some of which bored him

a little; for he took no pleasure in talking about himself。



〃Lord Lambeth;〃 said Bessie Alden; 〃are you a hereditary legislator?〃



〃Oh; I say!〃 cried Lord Lambeth; 〃don't make me call myself

such names as that。〃



〃But you are a member of Parliament;〃 said the young girl。



〃I don't like the sound of that; either。〃



〃Don't you sit in the House of Lords?〃  Bessie Alden went on。



〃Very seldom;〃 said Lord Lambeth。



〃Is it an important position?〃 she asked。



〃Oh; dear; no;〃 said Lord Lambeth。



〃I should think it would be very grand;〃 said Bessie Alden;

〃to possess; simply by an accident of birth; the right to make

laws for a great nation。〃



〃Ah; but one doesn't make laws。  It's a great humbug。〃



〃I don't believe that;〃 the young girl declared。

〃It must be a great privilege; and I should think that if one

thought of it in the right wayfrom a high point of view

it would be very inspiring。〃



〃The less one thinks of it; the better;〃 Lord Lambeth affirmed。



〃I think it's tremendous;〃 said Bessie Alden; and on

another occasion she asked him if he had any tenantry。

Hereupon it was that; as I have said; he was a little bored。



〃Do you want to buy up their leases?〃 he asked。



〃Well; have you got any livings?〃 she demanded。



〃Oh; I say!〃 he cried。  〃Have you got a clergyman that is looking out?〃

But she made him tell her that he had a castle; he confessed to but one。

It was the place in which he had been born and brought up; and; as he had

an old…time liking for it; he was beguiled into describing it a little

and saying it was really very jolly。  Bessie Alden listened with great

interest and declared that she would give the world to see such a place。

Whereupon〃It would be awfully kind of you to come and stay there;〃

said Lord Lambeth。  He took a vague satisfaction in the circumstance

that Percy Beaumont had not heard him make the remark I have just recorded。



Mr。 Westgate all this time had not; as they said at Newport; 〃come on。〃

His wife more than once announced that she expected him on the morrow;

but on the morrow she wandered about a little; with a telegram in her

jeweled fingers; declaring it was very tiresome that his business detained him

in New York; that he could only hope the Englishmen were having a good time。

〃I must say;〃 said Mrs。 Westgate; 〃that it is no thanks to him if you are。〃

And she went on to explain; while she continued that slow…paced

promenade which enabled her well…adjusted skirts to display themselves

so advantageously; that unfortunately in America there was no leisure class。

It was Lord Lambeth's theory; freely propounded when the young men

were together; that Percy Beaumont was having a very good time with

Mrs。 Westgate; and that; under the pretext of meeting for the purpose

of animated discussion; they were indulging in practices that imparted

a shade of hypocrisy to the lady's regret for her husband's absence。



〃I assure you we are always discussing and differing;〃

said Percy Beaumont。  〃She is awfully argumentative。

American ladies certainly don't mind contradicting you。

Upon my word I don't think I was ever treated so by a woman before。

She's so devilish positive。〃



Mrs。 Westgate's positive quality; however; evidently had

its attractions; for Beaumont was constantly at his hostess's side。

He detached himself one day to the extent of going to New

York to talk over the Tennessee Central with Mr。 Westgate;

but he was absent only forty…eight hours; during which;

with Mr。 Westgate's assistance; he completely settled this piece

of business。  〃They certainly do things quickly in New York;〃

he observed to his cousin; and he added that Mr。 Westgate

had seemed very uneasy lest his wife should miss her visitor

he had been in such an awful hurry to send him back to her。

〃I'm afraid you'll never come up to an American husband;

if that's what the wives expect;〃 he said to Lord Lambeth。



Mrs。 Westgate; however; was not to enjoy much longer the entertainment

with which an indulgent husband had desired to keep her provided。

On the 21st of August Lord Lambeth received a telegram from his mother;

requesting him to return immediately to England; his father had been

taken ill; and it was his filial duty to come to him。



The young Englishman was visibly annoyed。  〃What the deuce does it mean?〃

he asked of his kinsman。  〃What am I to do?〃



Percy Beaumont was annoyed as well; he had deemed it his duty;

as I have narrated; to write to the duchess; but he had not expected

that this distinguished woman would act so promptly upon his hint。

〃It means;〃 he said; 〃that your father is laid up。

I don't suppose it's anything serious; but you have no option。

Take the first steamer; but don't be alarmed。



Lord Lambeth made his farewells; but the few last words that he exchanged

with Bessie Alden are the only ones that have a place in our record。

〃Of course I needn't assure you;〃 he said; 〃that if you should come to England

next year; I expect to be the first person that you inform of it。〃



Bessie Alden looked at him a little; and she smiled。

〃Oh; if we come to London;〃 she answered; 〃I should think you

would hear of it。〃



Percy Beaumont returned with his cousin; and his sense of duty

compelled him; one windless afternoon; in mid…Atlantic; to say

to Lord Lambeth that he suspected that the duchess's telegram was

in part the result of something he himself had written to her。

〃I wrote to heras I explicitly notified you I had promised to do

that you were extremely interested in a little American girl。〃



Lord Lambeth was extremely angry; and he indulged for some

moments in the simple language of indignation。  But I have said

that he was a reasonable young man; and I can give no better

proof of it than the fact that he remarked to his companion

at the end of half an hour; 〃You were quite right; after all。

I am very much interested in her。  Only; to be fair;〃

he added; 〃you should have told my mother also that she

is notseriouslyinterested in me。〃



Percy Beaumont gave a little laugh。  〃There is nothing

so charming as modesty in a young man in your position。

That speech is a capital proof that you are sweet on her。〃



〃She is not interestedshe is not!〃  Lord Lambe

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