elinor wyllys-2-第2章

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Then　Charlie　returns　to　his　mother；　he　sits　by　her　side；　she　takes　his　hand　in　her　withered　fingers；　she　rests　her　feeble　sight　on　his　bright　face；　while　Miss　Patsey　is　preparing　all　the　dainties　in　the　house　for　supper。

〃Well；　little　one；　what　is　your　name？〃　said　Charlie；　as　the　black　child　passed　him　with　a　load　of　good　things。

〃Judy；　sir；〃　said　the　little　girl；　with　a　curtsey；　and　a　half…frightened　look　at　Charlie's　face；　for　the　young　artist　had　chosen　to　return　with　moustaches；　whether　he　thought　it　professional　or　becoming；　we　cannot　say。

〃We　shall　be　good　friends　I　hope；　Judy；　if　you　mind　my　sister　better　than　you　ever　did　anybody　else　in　your　life；　perhaps　I　shall　find　some　sugar…plums　for　you；〃　said　Charlie；　pleased　to　see　a　black　face　again。

Mrs。　Hubbard　remarked　that；　upon　the　whole；　Judy　was　a　pretty　good　girl；　and　the　child　grinned；　until　two　deep　dimples　were　to　be　seen　in　her　shining　dark　cheeks；　and　the　dozen　little　non…descript　braids　which　projected　from　her　head　in　different　directions；　seemed　to　stand　on　end　with　delight。

〃And　so　Mr。　Wyllys　and　the　ladies　are　not　at　home。　I　wish　I　had　known　of　their　being　in　New…York；　I　might　at　least　have　seen　them　for　a　moment；　yesterday。〃

〃I　wonder　Mrs。　Hilson　did　not　mention　their　being　in　town。〃

〃Julianna　never　knows　what　she　is　talking　about。　But　I　am　glad　to　hear　good　accounts　of　them　all。〃

〃Yes；　Miss　Wyllys　has　come　home　from　the　West…Indies；　much　better。〃

〃Is　it　really　true　that　Miss　Elinor　is　going　to　be　married　shortly？〃

〃Well；　I　can't　say　whether　the　story　is　true　or　not。　She　seems　to　have　many　admirers　now　she　has　become　an　heiress。〃

〃But　I　don't　understand　how　she　comes　to　be　such　a　fortune。〃

｛〃a　fortune〃　=　short　for　a　woman　of　fortune；　an　heiress｝

〃I　don't　understand　it　myself；　Mr。　Clapp　can　tell　you　all　about　it。　You　know　most　people　are　a　great　deal　richer　now　than　they　were　a　few　years　ago。　I　heard　some　one　say　the　other　day；　that　my　old　pupil's　property　in　Longbridge；　is　worth　three　times　as　much　now；　as　it　was　a　short　time　since。〃

〃Is　it　possible　Longbridge　has　improved　so　much？〃

〃And　then　your　old　play…fellow　has　had　two　legacies　from　relations　of　her　mother's；　everybody　in　the　neighbourhood　is　talking　of　her　good…luck；　and　saying　what　a　fortune　she　will　turn　out。　I　only　hope　she　will　be　happy；　and　not　be　thrown　away　upon　some　one　unworthy　of　her；　like　her　poor　cousin；　for　it　seems　young　Mr。　Taylor　is　very　dissipated。〃

Charlie　probably　sympathized　with　this　remark；　though　he　made　no　reply。

〃Mr。　and　Mrs。　Tallman　Taylor　are　in　New…York　now；　I　hear；　just　come　from　New…Orleans。　The　family　from　Wyllys…Roof　have　gone　over　to　see　them；〃　added　Miss　Patsey。

〃Yes；　so　I　understand。　They　will　be　here　before　long；　I　suppose。〃

〃Not　immediately；　for　they　are　all　going　to　Saratoga　together。　Dr。　Van　Horne　thought　Miss　Wyllys　had　better　pass　two　or　three　weeks　at　the　Springs。〃

〃That　is　fortunate　for　meI　shall　see　them　the　sooner；　for　I　must　be　at　Lake　George　before　the　first　of　July。　I　have　an　order　for　three　views　of　the　Lake；　which　I　have　promised　to　send　to　England　early　in　the　fall。〃

Here　Charlie　entered　into　some　details　of　his　affairs；　very　interesting　to　his　mother　and　sister；　and　they　seemed　to　be　in　a　very　satisfactory　condition；　according　to　his　own　modest　views。　After　a　while　the　conversation　again　returned　to　their　Longbridge　friends。

〃Did　you　know　that　Mr。　Hazlehurst　is　coming　home　too；　this　summer？〃　asked　Miss　Patsey。

〃Yes；　he　wrote　me　word　he　hoped　we　should　meet　before　long。　How　did　that　affair　with　Mrs。　Creighton　turn　out？〃

〃We　did　bear　they　were　engaged；　but　it　could　not　have　been　true；　for　the　lady　has　been　in　Philadelphia；　and　he　in　Brazil；　for　some　time；　you　know。　I　used　to　ask　about　such　matters　once　in　a　while；　on　purpose　to　write　you　word。　But　I　had　no　great　opportunity　of　hearing　much　about　Mr。　Hazlehurst；　for　after　that　unhappy　business　at　Wyllys…Roof；　there　was；　of　course；　a　great　coolness；　for　some　time　I　never　heard　his　name　mentioned　there；　and　Mr。　Wyllys　seldom　speaks　of　him　now。〃

〃Are　they　not　reconciled；　then？〃

〃Not　entirely；　I　am　afraid；　but　you　know　they　have　not　met　for　three　years。〃

〃I　shall　hardly　know　myself　at　Wyllys…Roof；　without　seeing　Mr。　Hazlehurst　and　Miss　Graham　there。〃

〃You　will　find　a　great　change　in　that　respect。　Mrs。　Taylor　has　not　been　here　since　her　marriage；　Miss　Van　Alstyne　seems　to　have　taken　her　place；　she　is　a　very　pleasant　young　lady。　When　the　family　is　at　home　now；　there　seems　often　to　be　some　strange　gentleman　with　them。〃

〃Fortune…hunters；　I　suppose；〃　said　Charlie；　with　some　indignation。　〃Well；　the　course　of　true　love　never　has；　and　never　will　run　quite　as　it　ought；　I　suppose。　And　how　do　all　the　Longbridge　people　come　on？How　is　Uncle　Josie？〃

〃Very　well；　indeed；　just　as　good　as　ever　to　us。　You　must　go　to　see　him　to…morrow。〃

〃Certainly；and　what　is　Uncle　Dozie　about？〃

〃At　work　in　the　vegetable…garden；　as　usual。　He　sent　me　a　fine　basket　of　salad；　and　radishes；　and　onions；　this　morning。〃

〃Clapp　has　got　into　a　new　house　I　see。〃

〃Yes；　he　is　in　very　good　business；　I　believe；　you　saw　Catherine；　you　say？〃

〃Yes；　for　a　minute　only。　I　ran　in　to　kiss　Kate　and　the　children；　while　they　were　harnessing　a　horse　for　me　at　the　tavern。　Kate　looks　very　well　herself。　The　children　didn't　remember　much　of　Uncle　Charlie；　but　they　are　pretty；　healthy　little　things；　nevertheless。〃

The　grandmother　assented　to　the　commendation　of　her　daughter's　family；　she　thought　them　remarkably　fine　children。　〃Catherine　was　a　very　fortunate　woman；〃　she　said；　〃Mr。　Clapp　was　a　very　superior　man；　so　very　clever　that　he　must　do　well；　and　the　children　were　all　healthythey　had　gone　through　the　measles　wonderfully；　that　spring。〃

Charlie　had　not　quite　as　elevated　an　opinion　of　his　brother…in…law　as　the　females　of　the　family；　he　allowed　his　mother's　remark　to　pass　unnoticed；　however。

〃And　so　Mr。　Taylor　has　given　up　Colonnade　Manor；〃　he　continued。

〃Yes；　he　has　just　sold　it　to　Mr。　de　Vaux；　a　friend　of　Mr。　Wyllys；〃　replied　Miss　Patsey。

〃Why　did　he　sell　it；　pray？〃

〃Well；　the　young　ladies　liked　better　to　live　about　at　hotels　and　boarding…houses　in　the　summer；　I　believe；　they　thought　it　was　too　dull　at　Longbridge。　Mr。　Taylor　didn't　care　much　for　the　place：　you　know　there　are　some　people；　who；　as　soon　as　they　have　built　a　house；　and　got　everything　in　nice　order；　want　to　sell；　it　seems　as　if　they　did　not　care　to　be　comfortable；　but　I　suppose　it　is　only　because　they　are　so　fond　of　change。〃

We　may　as　well　observe；　by　way　of　parenthesis；　that　this　fancy　of　getting　rid　of　a　place　as　soon　as　it　is　in　fine　order；　would　probably　never　occur　to　any　man　but　an　American；　and　an　American　of　the　particular　variety　to　which　Mr。　Taylor　belonged。

〃I　don't　wonder　at　his　wanting　to　get　rid　of　the　house；　but　the　situation　and　the　neighbourhood　might　have　satisfied　him；　I　think；〃　said　Charlie；　as　he　accepted　Miss　Patsey's　invitation　to　eat　the　nice　supper　she　had　prepared　for　him。

As　he　took　his　seat　at　the　table；　Mrs。　Hubbard　observed；　that　he　probably　had　not　seen　such　short…cake　as　Patsey　made；　in　Rometo　which　Charlie　assented　warmly。　He　had　wished　one　evening；　in　Florence；　he　said；　for　some　of　his　sister's　short…cake；　and　a　good　cup　of　tea　of　her　making；　and　the　same　night　he　dreamed　that　the　Venus　de　Medicis　had　made　him　some。　He　was　ashamed　of　himself　for　having　had　such　a　dream；　but　it　could　not　be　helped；　such　was　the　fact。

｛〃Venus　de　Medicis〃　=　Famous　nude　statue　of　the　Goddess　Venusa　1st　Century　BC　copy　of　a　lost　Greek　statue　by　Cleomenes　of　Athensin　the　Uffizi　Gallery　in　Florence｝

Mrs。　Hubbard　thought　no　woman；　Venus　or　not；　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　making　good　short…cake；　if　they　were　bad；　that　would　be　a　different　matter。

〃Well；　Charlie；　now　you　have　seen　all　those　paintings　and　figures　you　used　to　talk　so　much　about；　what　do　you　think　of　them？are　they　really　so　handsome　as　you　expected？〃　asked　his　sister。

〃They　are　wonderful！〃　exclaimed　Charlie；　with　animation；　putting　down　a　short…cake　he　had　just　buttered。　〃Wonderful！There　is　no　other　word　to　describe　them。〃

Mrs。　Hubbard　observed；　that　she　had　some　notion　of　a　painting；　from　the　minister's　portrait　in　the　parlourCharlie　took　up　his　short　cakeshe　thought　a　person　might　have　satisfaction　in　a　painting；　such　a　picture　as　that　portrait；　but　as　for　those　stone　figures　he　used　to　wish　to　see；　she　could　not　understand　what　was　the　beauty　of　such　idol…like　things。

〃They　are　not　at　all　like　idols；　mother；　they　are　the　most　noble　conceptions　of　the　human　form。〃

How　could　they　look　human？　He　himself　had　told　her　they　were　made　out　of　marble；　just　such　marble；　she　supposed；　as　was　used　for　tomb…stones。

〃I　only　wish　you　could　see　some　of　the　statues　in　Italy；　the　Laocoon；　Niobe；　and　others　I　have　seen。　I　think　you　would　feel　then　what　I　feltwhat　I　never　can　describe　in　words。〃

｛〃Laocoon〃　=　A　famous　Greek　statue；　in　the　Vatican　at　Rome；　of　a　Trojan　priest　and　his　two　sons　being　crushed　by　serpents。　〃Niobe〃　=　a　famous　statue；　in　the　Uffizi　Gallery　in　Florence　（a　Roman　copy　of　a　lost　Greek　original　attributed　to　Scopas）；　of　Niobe　　in　Greek　mythology　the　daughter　of　Tantalus　whose　children　were　slaughtered　by　Zeus　and　who　was　transformed　into　a　weeping　image　of　stone｝

Mrs。　Hubbard　said　the　names　sounded　very　heathen…like　to　her　ears；　she　had　never　seen　a　statue；　of　any　description　whatever；　she　didn't　think　she　could　have　any　satisfaction　in　looking　at　one。　If　they　had　any　colour　to　them；　and　were　dressed　up　in　uniforms；　and　handsome　clothes；　like　the　wax…figures　of　General　Washington；　Napoleon　Bonaparte；　and　Lord　Nelson；　she　had　once　seen；　they　would　be　worth　looking　at；　perhaps。

Miss　Patsey　wished　to　know；　if　among　the　statues　he　had　seen；　there　were　any　supposed　to　be　likenesses　of　the　great　men　that　we　read　about　in　history？

〃There　are　many　statues　and　busts　in　Italy；　that　are　undeniably　portraits　of　some　of　the　greatest　men　of　antiquity；〃　he　replied。

〃Do　you　suppose　they　are　really　like　those　old　Romans？　I　don't　mean　such　likenesses　as　the　portrait　of　our　dear　father；　but　still　pretty　good　for　those　old　times？〃

〃Far　better　than　anything　of　the　kind　you　ever　saw；〃　replied　Charlie；　drinking　off　a　cup　of　tea。

Miss　Patsey　thought　those　might　be　worth　seeing。　A　conversation　followed　upon　the　delight　Charlie　had　felt　in　beholding　celebrated　places；　the　scenes　of　great　events　in　past　ages；　a　delight　that　an　American　can　never　know　in　his　own　country；　and　which；　on　that　very　account；　he　enjoys　with　a　far　keener　zest　than　a　European。　Miss　Patsey　seemed　to　enter　a　little　into　this　pleasure；　but；　upon　the　whole；　it　was　quite　evident　that　all　the　imagination　of　the　family　had　fallen　to　Charlie's　share。　The　young　man　thought　little　of　this；　however：　when　Judy　had　carried　away　the　remains　of　the　supper；　he　returned　to　his　mother's　side；　and　the　evening　passed　away　in　that　pleasant　family　chat；　so　interesting　to　those　who　feel　alike。　Sympathy　of　the　heart　is　a　tie　ten…fold　stronger　than　sympathy　of　the　head；　people　may　think　alike；　and　hate　each　other；　while　those　who　feel　together；　are　often　led　to　adopt　the　same　opinions。

When　Charlie　had　read　the　usual　evening　chapter　in　the　Bible；　and　had　re