malbone- an oldport romance[1].(马尔布恩)-第2章
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thought her the wisest and wittiest of the human race。 So did the youths
and maidens of her large circle； they all came to see her； and she
counselled； admired； scolded； and petted them all。 She had the gayest
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MALBONE： AN OLDPORT ROMANCE。
spirits； and an unerring eye for the ludicrous； and she spoke her mind with
absolute plainness to all comers。 Her intuitions were instantaneous as
lightning； and； like that； struck very often in the wrong place。 She was
thus extremely unreasonable and altogether charming。
Such was the lady whom Emilia and Malbone went up to greet；the
one shyly； the other with an easy assurance； such as she always disliked。
Emilia submitted to another kiss； while Philip pressed Aunt Jane's hand； as
he pressed all women's； and they sat down。
〃Now begin to tell your adventures；〃 said Kate。 〃People always tell
their adventures till tea is ready。〃
〃Who can have any adventures left；〃 said Philip； 〃after such letters as I
wrote you all？〃
〃Of which we got precisely one！〃 said Kate。 〃That made it such an
event； after we had wondered in what part of the globe you might be
looking for the post…office！ It was like finding a letter in a bottle； or
disentangling a person from the Dark Ages。〃
〃I was at Neuchatel two months； but I had no adventures。 I lodged
with a good Pasteur； who taught me geology and German。〃
〃That is suspicious；〃 said Kate。 〃Had he a daughter passing fair？〃
〃Indeed he had。〃
〃And you taught her English？ That is what these beguiling youths
always do in novels。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃What was her name？〃
〃Lili。〃
〃What a pretty name！ How old was she？〃
〃She was six。〃
〃O Philip！〃 cried Kate； 〃but I might have known it。 Did she love you
very much？〃
Hope looked up； her eyes full of mild reproach at the possibility of
doubting any child's love for Philip。 He had been her betrothed for more
than a year； during which time she had habitually seen him wooing every
child he had met as if it were a woman；which； for Philip； was saying a
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great deal。 Happily they had in common the one trait of perfect amiability；
and she knew no more how to be jealous than he to be constant。
〃Lili was easily won；〃 he said。 〃Other things being equal； people of
six prefer that man who is tallest。〃
〃Philip is not so very tall；〃 said the eldest of the boys； who was
listening eagerly； and growing rapidly。
〃No；〃 said Philip； meekly。 〃But then the Pasteur was short； and his
brother was a dwarf。〃
〃When Lili found that she could reach the ceiling from Mr。 Malbone's
shoulder；〃 said Emilia； 〃she asked no more。〃
〃Then you knew the pastor's family also； my child；〃 said Aunt Jane；
looking at her kindly and a little keenly。
〃I was allowed to go there sometimes；〃 she began； timidly。
〃To meet her American Cousin；〃 interrupted Philip。 〃I got some
relaxation in the rules of the school。 But； Aunt Jane； you have told us
nothing about your health。〃
〃There is nothing to tell；〃 she answered。 〃I should like； if it were
convenient； to be a little better。 But in this life； if one can walk across the
floor； and not be an idiot； it is something。 That is all I aim at。〃
〃Isn't it rather tiresome？〃 said Emilia； as the elder lady happened to
look at her。
〃Not at all；〃 said Aunt Jane； composedly。 〃I naturally fall back into
happiness； when left to myself。〃
〃So you have returned to the house of your fathers；〃 said Philip。 〃I
hope you like it。〃
〃It is commonplace in one respect；〃 said Aunt Jane。 〃General
Washington once slept here。〃
〃Oh！〃 said Philip。 〃It is one of that class of houses？〃
〃Yes；〃 said she。 〃There is not a village in America that has not half a
dozen of them； not counting those where he only breakfasted。 Did ever
man sleep like that man？ What else could he ever have done？ Who
governed； I wonder； while he was asleep？ How he must have travelled！
The swiftest horse could scarcely have carried him from one of these
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houses to another。〃
〃I never was attached to the memory of Washington；〃 meditated Philip；
〃but I always thought it was the pear…tree。 It must have been that he was
such a very unsettled person。〃
〃He certainly was not what is called a domestic character；〃 said Aunt
Jane。
〃I suppose you are； Miss Maxwell；〃 said Philip。 〃Do you often go
out？〃
〃Sometimes； to drive；〃 said Aunt Jane。 〃Yesterday I went shopping
with Kate； and sat in the carriage while she bought under…sleeves enough
for a centipede。 It is always so with that child。 People talk about the
trouble of getting a daughter ready to be married； but it is like being
married once a month to live with her。〃
〃I wonder that you take her to drive with you；〃 suggested Philip；
sympathetically。
〃It is a great deal worse to drive without her；〃 said the impetuous lady。
〃She is the only person who lets me enjoy things； and now I cannot enjoy
them in her absence。 Yesterday I drove alone over the three beaches； and
left her at home with a dress…maker。 Never did I see so many lines of surf；
but they only seemed to me like some of Kate's ball…dresses； with the
prevailing flounces； six deep。 I was so enraged that she was not there； I
wished to cover my face with my handkerchief。 By the third beach I was
ready for the madhouse。〃
〃Is Oldport a pleasant place to live in？〃 asked Emilia； eagerly。
〃It is amusing in the summer；〃 said Aunt Jane； 〃though the society is
nothing but a pack of visiting…cards。 In winter it is too dull for young
people； and only suits quiet old women like me； who merely live here to
keep the Ten Commandments and darn their stockings。〃
Meantime the children were aiming at Emilia； whose butterfly looks
amazed and charmed them； but who evidently did not know what to do
with their eager affection。
〃I know about you；〃 said little Helen； 〃I know what you said when you
were little。〃
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〃Did I say anything？〃 asked Emilia； carelessly。
〃Yes；〃 replied the child； and began to repeat the oft…told domestic
tradition in an accurate way； as if it were a school lesson。 〃Once you had
been naughty； and your papa thought it his duty to slap you； and you cried；
and he told you in French； because he always spoke French with you； that
he did not punish you for his own pleasure。 Then you stopped crying； and
asked； 'Pour le plaisir de qui alors？' That means 'For whose pleasure then？'
Hope said it was a droll question for a little girl to ask。〃
〃I do not think it was Emilia who asked that remarkable question； little
girl；〃 said Kate。
〃I dare say it was；〃 said Emilia； 〃I have been asking it all my life。〃 Her
eyes grew very moist； what with fatigue and excitement。 But just then； as
is apt to happen in this world； they were all suddenly recalled from tears to
tea； and the children smothered their curiosity in strawberries and cream。
They sat again beside the western door； after tea。 The young moon
came from a cloud and dropped a broad path of glory upon the bay； a
black yacht glided noiselessly in； and anchored amid this tract of splendor。
The shadow of its masts was on the luminous surface； while their
reflection lay at a different angle； and seemed to penetrate far below。 Then
the departing steamer went flashing across this bright realm with gorgeous
lustre； its red and green lights were doubled in the paler waves； its four
reflected chimneys chased each other among the reflected masts。 This
jewelled wonder passing； a single fishing…boat drifted silently by； with its
one dark sail； and then the moon and the anchored yacht were left alone。
Presently some of the luggage came from the wharf。 Malbone brought
out presents for everybody； then all the family went to Europe in
photographs； and with some reluctance came back to America for bed。
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CHAPTER II。
PLACE AUX DAMES！
IN every town there is one young maiden who is the universal favorite；
who belongs to all sets and is made an exception to all family feuds； who
is the confidante of all girls and the adopted sister of all young men； up to
the time when they respectively offer themselves to her； and again after
they are rejected。 This post was filled in Oldport； in those days； by my
cousin Kate。
Born into the world with many other gifts； this last and least definable
gift of popularity was added to complete them all。 Nobody criticised her；
nobody was jealous of her； her very rivals lent her their new music and
their lovers； and her own discarded wooers always sought her to be a
bridesmaid when they married somebody else。
She was one of those persons who seem to have come into the world
well…dressed。 There was an atmosphere of elegance around her； like a
costume； every attitude implied a presence…chamber or a ball…room。 The
girls complained that in private theatricals no combination of disguises
could reduce Kate to the ranks； nor give her the 〃make…up〃 of a waiting…
maid。 Yet as her father was a New York merchant of the precarious
