elinor wyllys-2-第15章

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　Wyllys？〃

〃I　am　afraid　I　could　not　be　of　much　use　in　that　way。〃

〃There　are　only　a　thousand…and…one　hints　that　I　should　give　you；〃　said　Mrs。　Creighton；　laughing。

〃You　must　be　frightfully　particular！〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Stryker；　〃pray；　what　is　hint　No。　1？〃

〃Oh；　I　should　not　have　time　to　make　even　a　beginning；　it　is　growing　very　late；　and　I　shall　defer　your　education　until　the　next　time　we　meet。　Mr。　Hazlehurst；　that　is　my　scarf；　I　believe；　on　your　chair。〃

The　party　separated；　Harry　offering　his　arm　to　Mrs。　Creighton。



CHAPTER　VIII。　｛XXXI｝

〃Verily　You　shall　not　goa　lady's　verily　is　As　potent　as　a　lord's。　Will　you　go　yet？〃　Winter's　Tale。

｛William　Shakespeare；　〃A　Winter's　Tale〃；　I。ii。50…51｝

MRS。　STANLEY　had　joined　the　Wyllyses　at　Saratoga；　a　few　days　after　they　arrived；　and　the　meeting　between　Hazlehurst　and　herself　had　been　very　cordial。　She　had　always　felt　a　warm　interest　in　Harry；　looking　upon　him　as　her　husband's　chosen　representative；　and　all　but　an　adopted　son；　the　intercourse　between　them　had　invariably　been　of　the　most　friendly　and　intimate　nature。

Mr。　Stanley's　will　had　placed　the　entire　control　of　his　large　estate　in　the　hands　of　his　widow；　and　his　old　friend；　Mr。　Wyllys。　Mrs。　Stanley；　herself；　was　to　retain　one　half　of　the　property；　for　life；　at　her　death　it　was　to　be　divided　in　different　legacies；　to　relatives　of　her　own；　and　to　charitable　institutions；　according　to　her　own　discretion。　The　other　half　was　also　to　be　kept　in　the　hands　of　the　executors　until　his　own　son　returned；　and　had　reached　the　age　of　five…and…twenty；　or；　in　case　the　report　of　William　Stanley's　death；　which　had　just　reached　his　family；　were　to　be　confirmed；　then　Harry　Hazlehurst　was　to　take　his　place；　and　receive　his　son's　portion；　on　condition　that　his；　Hazlehurst's；　second　son　should　take　the　name　of　Stanley。　Hazlehurst　was　a　nephew　by　marriage；　that　is　to　say；　his　father；　after　the　death　of　a　first　wife；　Harry's　mother；　had　married　Mr。　Stanley's　only　sister：　this　lady　died　before　her　brother；　leaving　no　children。　At　the　time　this　will　was　made；　Mr。　Stanley　had　given　up　all；　but　the　faintest；　hope　of　his　son's　being　alive；　still；　he　left　letters　for　him；　containing　his　last　blessing；　and　forgiveness；　in　case　the　young　man　were　to　return。　He　also　expressed　a　wish　that　an　easy　allowance；　according　to　Mrs。　Stanley's　discretion；　should　be　given；　after　the　age　of　one…and…twenty；　to　his　son；　or　to　Harry；　whichever　were　to　prove　his　heir；　on　condition　that　the　recipient　should　pursue　some　regular　profession　or　occupation；　of　a　respectable　character。　Hazlehurst　was　to　receive　a　legacy　of　thirty　thousand　dollars；　in　case　of　William　Stanley's　return。

Such　was　Mr。　Stanley's　will；　and　circumstances　having　soon　showed　that　the　report　of　his　son's　death　was　scarcely　to　be　doubted；　Hazlehurst　had　been　for　years　considered　as　his　heir。　As　Harry　grew　up；　and　his　character　became　formed；　his　principles　proving；　in　every　respect；　such　as　his　friends　could　wish；　Mrs。　Stanley　had　made　very　ample　provision　for　him。　The　allowance　he　had　received　for　his　education　was　very　liberal；　and　during　his　visit　to　Europe　it　had　been　increased。　At　different　times　considerable　sums　had　been　advanced；　to　enable　him　to　make　desirable　purchases：　upon　one　occasion；　a　portion　of　the　property　upon　which　his　ancestors　had　first　settled；　as　colonists；　was　offered　for　sale　by　a　distant　relative；　and　Harry　wished　to　obtain　possession　of　it；　twenty　thousand　dollars　were　advanced　for　this　purpose。　Then；　Hazlehurst　was　very　desirous　of　collecting　a　respectable　library；　and；　as　different　opportunities　offered；　he　had　been　enabled；　while　in　Europe；　to　make　valuable　acquisitions　of　this　kind；　thanks　to　Mrs。　Stanley's　liberality。　As　every　collector　has　a　favourite　branch　of　his　own；　Harry's　tastes　had　led　him　to　look　for　botanical　works；　in　which　he　was　particularly　interested；　and　he　had　often　paid　large　sums　for　rare　or　expensive　volumes　connected　with　this　science。　Since　he　had　reached　the　age　of　five…and…twenty；　or；　during　the　last　two　years；　he　had　been　in　full　possession　of　the　entire　half　of　Mr。　Stanley's　property；　amounting；　it　was　generally　supposed；　to　some　ten　thousand　a　year。　According　to　a　codicil　of　the　will；　Hazlehurst　was　also　to　take　possession　of　Greatwood；　at　his　marriage：　this　was　a　pleasant　country…house；　surrounded　by　a　place　in　fine　order；　but　Mrs。　Stanley；　who　preferred　living　in　town；　had　already　given　him　possession。

〃I　wish；　Harry；　we　could　keep　you　at　home；　now；〃　said　Mrs。　Stanley　to　her　young　friend；　one　morning；　as　he　was　sitting　with　herself；　Mary　Van　Alstyne；　and　Elinor；　in　her　rooms　at　Congress　Hall。　〃I　think　Mr。　Henley　could　spare　you　better　than　we　can。　Is　it　quite　decided　that　you　go　to　Russia？〃

〃You　are　very　kind　to　express　so　much　interest　in　my　movements。　But　you　must　permit　me　to　remind　you　of　a　piece　of　advice　I　have　often　received；　as　a　youngster；　from　your　own　lips；　dear　Mrs。　Stanley；　and　that　is；　never　to　abandon　merely　from　caprice；　the　path　of　life　I　might　choose。〃

〃Certainly；　but　I　think　you　might　find　very　good　reasons　for　staying　at　home；　now；　your　affairs　would　go　on　all　the　better　for　some　personal　attention；　I　should　be　sorry　to　have　you　a　rover　all　your　life；　Harry。〃

〃I　have　no；　intention；　Ma'am；　I　assure　you；　of　being　a　vagrant　all　my　days。　And　if　there　is　nothing　else　to　keep　me　at　home；　it　is　highly　probable　that　I　shall　be　thrown　on　the　shelf　before　long　by　Uncle　Sam。　When　a　man　has　served　his　apprenticeship；　and　is　fully　qualified　to　fill　his　office　creditably；　he　may　prepare　to　be　turned　out；　and；　very　likely；　some　raw　backwoodsman；　who　knows　nothing　of　the　world　in　general；　or　of　diplomacy　in　particular；　will　be　put　in　his　place。　That　is　often　the　way　things　are　managed　among　us；　you　know。

｛Susan　Fenimore　Cooper　is　reflecting　the　views　of　her　father；　based　on　his　experience　with　American　diplomacy　in　Europe　from　1826…33。　The　United　States　Foreign　Service　did　not　become　a　fully　professional；　career　organization　until　1946｝

〃For　that　very　reason；　I　would　not　have　anything　to　do　with　public　life；　if　I　were　a　young　man！〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Stanley；　earnestly。　〃So　many　men　who　are　ill…qualified　for　either　public　or　private　confidence；　get　into　office；　that　I　should　think　no　man　of　high　principles　and　honourable　views；　would　care　to　belong　to　the　body　of　public　servants。〃

〃There　is　all　the　more　need；　then；　that　every　honest　man；　who　has　an　opportunity　of　serving　his　country；　should　do　so；〃　observed　Harry。　〃I　do　not　believe；　however；　that　as　regards　principles；　the　public　men　among　us　are　any　worse　than　the　public　men　elsewhere；〃　he　added。

〃Where　all　are　chosen；　they　ought　to　be　better；〃　said　Mary　Van　Alstyne。

〃That　I　grant；〃　said　Hazlehurst；　〃the　choice　by　election；　or　by　appointment；　might　often　be　more　creditable；　whenever　it　is　bad；　it　is　disgraceful　to　the　community。〃

〃Look　at　A…；　B…；　and　C…；　whom　you　and　I　happen　to　know！〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Stanley。

〃No　doubt　they　are　little　fit　for　the　offices　they　hold；〃　replied　Harry。

〃The　worst　of　it　is　this；　Harry：　that　the　very　qualities　which　ought　to　recommend　you；　will　probably　keep　you　back　in　the　career　you　have　chosen；〃　said　Mrs。　Stanley。　〃Your　principles　are　too　firm　for　public　life。〃

〃I　shall　try　the　experiment；　at　least；〃　said　Harry。　〃Mr。　Henley　urges　me　to　persevere；　and　with　his　example　before　me；　I　ought　not　to　be　discouraged；　he　is　a　proof　that　a　public　man　is　not　necessarily　required　to　be　a　sycophant；　and　a　time…server；　that　he　is　not　always　neglected　because　he　is　an　upright　man；　and　a　gentleman。　I　shall　follow　his　example；　and　I　am　convinced　the　experiment　would　succeed　much　oftener；　provided　it　were　fairly　tried。〃

〃Mrs。　Stanley　shook　her　head。　She　was　a　woman　of　rather　a　peculiar　character；　though　very　warm　in　her　feelings；　and　firm　in　her　principles。　She　had　become　disgusted　with　the　world；　from　seeing　much　that　was　evil　and　disgraceful　going　on　about　her；　forgetting　to　observe　the　good　as　well　as　the　bad。　Of　late　years；　she　had　withdrawn　entirely　within　a　narrow　circle　of　old　friends；　among　whom　the　Wyllyses　and　Hazlehursts　held　a　conspicuous　place。　She　was　disposed　to　mistrust　republican　institutions；　merely　because　she　attributed　every　evil　of　the　society　about　her；　to　this　one　cause：　her　opinions　on　this　subject　were；　however；　of　no　value　whatever；　for　she　knew　nothing　of　other　countries；　their　evils　and　abuses。　If　warmly　attached　to　her　friends；　she　was　certainly　too　indifferent　to　the　community　in　which　she　lived。　She　was　very　decided　in　all　her　actions　and　opinions：　thus；　for　instance；　she　would　never　allow　a　newspaper；　of　any　character　whatever；　to　appear　in　her　houseshe　held　every　sheet　alike；　to　be　loose　in　principles；　and　vulgar　in　tone；　because；　unfortunately；　there　are　many　to　be　found　which　answer　such　a　description。　An　office…holder；　and　a　speculator；　she　would　never　trust；　and　avoided　every　individual　of　either　class　as　much　as　possible。　Her　friends　would　have　wished　her　more　discriminating　in　her　opinions；　but　she　never　obtruded　these　upon　others。　Personally；　no　woman　could　be　more　respected　by　her　intimates；　there　was　nothing　low　or　trivial　in　her　character　and　turn　of　mindno　shadow　of　vacillation　in　her　principles　or　her　feelings。　Mrs。　Stanley　and　her　young　friend　Hazlehurst；　much　as　they　esteemed　and　respected　each　other；　disagreed　on　many　subjects。　Harry　made　a　point　of　looking　at　both　sides　of　a　question；　he　was　loyal　to　his　country；　and　willing　to　serve　it　to　the　best　of　his　abilitynot　at　all　inclined　to　be　an　idler；　and　play　the　drone　in　the　bee…hive；　whether　social　or　political。　Mrs。　Stanley　had　much　regretted　his　being　in　any　way　connected　with　public　life；　but　she　seldom　attempted　to　influence　him。

〃What　do　you　say；　young　ladies？〃　asked　Harry；　at　length；　turning　towards　Elinor　and　Mary　Van　Alstyne；　who　had　hitherto　thought　the　conversation　of　too　personal　a　nature；　to　speak　much　themselves。　〃Do　you　think　I　had　better　stay　at　home；　and　look　after　the　stock　at　Greatwood；　or　go　to　St。　Petersburg；　and　set　up　my　droschky？〃

｛〃droschky〃　=　a　four…wheeled　open　carriage　used　in　Russia｝

〃I　should　never　have　the　least　fancy　for　going　to　Russia；〃　replied　Mary；　〃and；　therefore；　I　am　not　much　disposed　to　admire　your　constancy　in　adhering　to　Mr。　Henley。〃

〃Oh；　go；　by　all　means；〃　said　Elinor；　〃you　will　see　so　much！　And　be　sure　you　go　to　the　Crimea　before　you　come　home。〃

〃The　Crimea　is　certainly　a　temptation；〃　observed　Harry。　〃I　beg；　ladies；　you　will　honour　me　with　your　commands　for　St。　Petersburg；　some　time　during　the　next　three　months。　I　refer　you　to　Mrs。　Creighton　for　a　certificate　of　good　taste；　her　saya　y　manto　is　perfect　in　its　way；　I　am　told。〃

〃Perhaps　I　ought　to　have　engaged　Mrs。　Creighton　on　my　side；　before　I　tried　to　coax　you　into　staying　at　home；〃　said　Mrs。　Stanley；　smiling。

We　are　obliged　to　confess　that　Harry　coloured　at　this　remark；　in　spite　of　a　determination　not　to　do　so；　and　a　great　misdemeanour　it　was　in　a　diplomatist；　to　be　guilty　of　blushing；　it　clearly　proved　that　Hazlehurst　was　still　in　his　noviciate。　Happily；　however；　if　the　Department　of　State；　at　Washington；　be　sometimes　more　particular　in　investigating　the　party　politics　of　its　agents　in　foreign　countries；　than　other　qualifications；　it