an international episode-第2章

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then　dropped　an　absent　glance　over　their　multitudinous　patience。

They　were　American　citizens　doing　homage　to　a　hotel　clerk。



〃I'm　glad　he　didn't　tell　us　to　go　there；〃　said　one　of　our　Englishmen；

alluding　to　their　friend　on　the　steamer；　who　had　told　them　so　many　things。

They　walked　up　the　Fifth　Avenue；　where；　for　instance；　he　had　told

them　that　all　the　first　families　lived。　　But　the　first　families

were　out　of　town；　and　our　young　travelers　had　only　the　satisfaction

of　seeing　some　of　the　secondor　perhaps　even　the　third

taking　the　evening　air　upon　balconies　and　high　flights　of　doorsteps；

in　the　streets　which　radiate　from　the　more　ornamental　thoroughfare。

They　went　a　little　way　down　one　of　these　side　streets；　and　they

saw　young　ladies　in　white　dressescharming…looking　persons

seated　in　graceful　attitudes　on　the　chocolate…colored　steps。

In　one　or　two　places　these　young　ladies　were　conversing　across　the　street

with　other　young　ladies　seated　in　similar　postures　and　costumes

in　front　of　the　opposite　houses；　and　in　the　warm　night　air　their

colloquial　tones　sounded　strange　in　the　ears　of　the　young　Englishmen。

One　of　our　friends；　neverthelessthe　younger　oneintimated　that

he　felt　a　disposition　to　interrupt　a　few　of　these　soft　familiarities；

but　his　companion　observed；　pertinently　enough；　that　he　had

better　be　careful。　　〃We　must　not　begin　with　making　mistakes；〃

said　his　companion。



〃But　he　told　us；　you　knowhe　told　us；〃　urged　the　young　man；

alluding　again　to　the　friend　on　the　steamer。



〃Never　mind　what　he　told　us！〃　answered　his　comrade；　who；　if　he　had

greater　talents；　was　also　apparently　more　of　a　moralist。



By　bedtimein　their　impatience　to　taste　of　a　terrestrial　couch　again　our

seafarers　went　to　bed　earlyit　was　still　insufferably　hot；　and　the　buzz

of　the　mosquitoes　at　the　open　windows　might　have　passed　for　an　audible

crepitation　of　the　temperature。　　〃We　can't　stand　this；　you　know；〃

the　young　Englishmen　said　to　each　other；　and　they　tossed　about　all　night

more　boisterously　than　they　had　tossed　upon　the　Atlantic　billows。

On　the　morrow；　their　first　thought　was　that　they　would　re…embark　that　day

for　England；　and　then　it　occured　to　them　that　they　might　find　an　asylum

nearer　at　hand。　　The　cave　of　Aeolus　became　their　ideal　of　comfort；

and　they　wondered　where　the　Americans　went　when　they　wished　to　cool　off。

They　had　not　the　least　idea；　and　they　determined　to　apply　for　information

to　Mr。　J。　L。　Westgate。　　This　was　the　name　inscribed　in　a　bold　hand　on　the　back

of　a　letter　carefully　preserved　in　the　pocketbook　of　our　junior　traveler。

Beneath　the　address；　in　the　left…hand　corner　of　the　envelope；

were　the　words；　〃Introducing　Lord　Lambeth　and　Percy　Beaumont；　Esq。〃

The　letter　had　been　given　to　the　two　Englishmen　by　a　good　friend

of　theirs　in　London；　who　had　been　in　America　two　years　previously；

and　had　singled　out　Mr。　J。　L。　Westgate　from　the　many　friends

he　had　left　there　as　the　consignee；　as　it　were；　of　his　compatriots。

〃He　is　a　capital　fellow；〃　the　Englishman　in　London　had　said；

〃and　he　has　got　an　awfully　pretty　wife。　　He's　tremendously　hospitable

he　will　do　everything　in　the　world　for　you；　and　as　he　knows　everyone

over　there；　it　is　quite　needless　I　should　give　you　any　other　introduction。

He　will　make　you　see　everyone；　trust　to　him　for　putting　you　into　circulation。

He　has　got　a　tremendously　pretty　wife。〃　　It　was　natural　that　in　the　hour

of　tribulation　Lord　Lambeth　and　Mr。　Percy　Beaumont　should　have　bethought

themselves　of　a　gentleman　whose　attractions　had　been　thus　vividly　depicted；

all　the　more　so　that　he　lived　in　the　Fifth　Avenue；　and　that　the　Fifth　Avenue；

as　they　had　ascertained　the　night　before；　was　contiguous　to　their　hotel。

〃Ten　to　one　he'll　be　out　of　town；〃　said　Percy　Beaumont；　〃but　we　can　at　least

find　out　where　he　has　gone；　and　we　can　immediately　start　in　pursuit。

He　can't　possibly　have　gone　to　a　hotter　place；　you　know。〃



〃Oh；　there's　only　one　hotter　place；〃　said　Lord　Lambeth；

〃and　I　hope　he　hasn't　gone　there。〃



They　strolled　along　the　shady　side　of　the　street　to　the　number

indicated　upon　the　precious　letter。　　The　house　presented

an　imposing　chocolate…colored　expanse；　relieved　by　facings

and　window　cornices　of　florid　sculpture；　and　by　a　couple　of　dusty

rose　trees　which　clambered　over　the　balconies　and　the　portico。

This　last…mentioned　feature　was　approached　by　a　monumental

flight　of　steps。



〃Rather　better　than　a　London　house；〃　said　Lord　Lambeth；

looking　down　from　this　altitude；　after　they　had　rung　the　bell。



〃It　depends　upon　what　London　house　you　mean；〃　replied　his　companion。

〃You　have　a　tremendous　chance　to　get　wet　between　the　house　door

and　your　carriage。〃



〃Well；〃　said　Lord　Lambeth；　glancing　at　the　burning　heavens；

〃I　'guess'　it　doesn't　rain　so　much　here！〃



The　door　was　opened　by　a　long　Negro　in　a　white　jacket；　who　grinned

familiarly　when　Lord　Lambeth　asked　for　Mr。　Westgate。



〃He　ain't　at　home；　sah；　he's　downtown　at　his　o'fice。〃



〃Oh；　at　his　office？〃　said　the　visitors。　　〃And　when　will　he　be　at　home？〃



〃Well；　sah；　when　he　goes　out　dis　way　in　de　mo'ning；　he　ain't

liable　to　come　home　all　day。〃



This　was　discouraging；　but　the　address　of　Mr。　Westgate's

office　was　freely　imparted　by　the　intelligent　black

and　was　taken　down　by　Percy　Beaumont　in　his　pocketbook。

The　two　gentlemen　then　returned；　languidly；　to　their　hotel；

and　sent　for　a　hackney　coach；　and　in　this　commodious　vehicle

they　rolled　comfortably　downtown。　　They　measured　the　whole

length　of　Broadway　again　and　found　it　a　path　of　fire；　and　then；

deflecting　to　the　left；　they　were　deposited　by　their　conductor

before　a　fresh；　light；　ornamental　structure；　ten　stories　high；

in　a　street　crowded　with　keen…faced；　light…limbed　young　men；

who　were　running　about　very　quickly　and　stopping　each　other　eagerly

at　corners　and　in　doorways。　　Passing　into　this　brilliant　building；

they　were　introduced　by　one　of　the　keen…faced　young　men

he　was　a　charming　fellow；　in　wonderful　cream…colored　garments

and　a　hat　with　a　blue　ribbon；　who　had　evidently　perceived　them

to　be　aliens　and　helplessto　a　very　snug　hydraulic　elevator；

in　which　they　took　their　place　with　many　other　persons；

and　which；　shooting　upward　in　its　vertical　socket；

presently　projected　them　into　the　seventh　horizontal　compartment

of　the　edifice。　　Here；　after　brief　delay；　they　found　themselves

face　to　face　with　the　friend　of　their　friend　in　London。

His　office　was　composed　of　several　different　rooms；　and　they

waited　very　silently　in　one　of　them　after　they　had　sent　in

their　letter　and　their　cards。　　The　letter　was　not　one　which　it

would　take　Mr。　Westgate　very　long　to　read；　but　he　came　out

to　speak　to　them　more　instantly　than　they　could　have　expected；

he　had　evidently　jumped　up　from　his　work。　　He　was　a　tall；

lean　personage　and　was　dressed　all　in　fresh　white　linen；

he　had　a　thin；　sharp；　familiar　face；　with　an　expression　that　was

at　one　and　the　same　time　sociable　and　businesslike；　a　quick；

intelligent　eye；　and　a　large　brown　mustache；　which　concealed

his　mouth　and　made　his　chin；　beneath　it；　look　small。

Lord　Lambeth　thought　he　looked　tremendously　clever。



〃How　do　you　do；　Lord　Lambethhow　do　you　do；　sir？〃　he　said；

holding　the　open　letter　in　his　hand。　　〃I'm　very　glad　to　see　you；

I　hope　you're　very　well。　　You　had　better　come　in　here；　I　think

it's　cooler；〃　and　he　led　the　way　into　another　room；　where　there　were

law　books　and　papers；　and　windows　wide　open　beneath　striped　awning。

Just　opposite　one　of　the　windows；　on　a　line　with　his　eyes；

Lord　Lambeth　observed　the　weathervane　of　a　church　steeple。

The　uproar　of　the　street　sounded　infinitely　far　below；

and　Lord　Lambeth　felt　very　high　in　the　air。　　〃I　say　it's　cooler；〃

pursued　their　host；　〃but　everything　is　relative。

How　do　you　stand　the　heat？〃



〃I　can't　say　we　like　it；〃　said　Lord　Lambeth；　〃but　Beaumont　likes

it　better　than　I。〃



〃Well；　it　won't　last；〃　Mr。　Westgate　very　cheerfully　declared；

〃nothing　unpleasant　lasts