an international episode-第2章
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〃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 over here。 It was very hot when Captain
Littledale was here； he did nothing but drink sherry cobblers。
He expressed some doubt in his letter whether I will remember him
as if I didn't remember making six sherry cobblers for him one day
in about twenty minutes。 I hope you left him well； two years having
elapsed since then。〃
〃Oh； yes； he's all right；〃 said Lord Lambeth。
〃I am always very glad to see your countrymen；〃 Mr。 Westgate pursued。
〃I thought it would be time some of you should be coming along。
A friend of mine was saying to me only a day or two ago； 'It's time
for the watermelons and the Englishmen。〃
〃The Englishmen and the watermelons just now are about the same thing；〃
Percy Beaumont observed； wiping his dripping forehead。
〃Ah； well； we'll put you on ice； as we do the melons。
You must go down to Newport。〃
〃We'll go anywhere；〃 said Lord Lambeth。
〃Yes； you want to go to Newport； that's what you want to do；〃
Mr。 Westgate affirmed。 〃But let's seewhen did you get here？〃
〃Only yesterday；〃 said Percy Beaumont。
〃Ah； yes； by the Russia。 Where are you staying？〃
〃At the Hanover； I think they call it。〃
〃Pretty comfortable？〃 inquired Mr。 Westgate。
〃It seems a capital place； but I can't say we like the gnats；〃
said Lord Lambeth。
Mr。 Westgate stared and laughed。 〃Oh； no； of course you don't
like the gnats。 We shall expect you to like a good many things
over here； but we shan't insist upon your liking the gnats；
though certainly you'll admit that； as gnats； they are fine； eh？
But you oughtn't to remain in the city。〃
〃So we think；〃 said Lord Lambeth。 〃If you would kindly suggest something〃
〃Suggest something； my dear sir？〃 and Mr。 Westgate looked at him；
narrowing his eyelids。 〃Open your mouth and shut your eyes！
Leave it to me； and I'll put you through。 It's a matter of national
pride with me that all Englishmen should have a good time；
and as I have had considerable practice； I have learned to minister
to their wants。 I find they generally want the right thing。
So just please to consider yourselves my property； and if anyone
should try to appropriate you； please to say； 'Hands off；
too late for the market。' But let's see；〃 continued the American；
in his slow； humorous voice； with a distinctness of utterance
which appeared to his visitors to be part of a humorous intention
a strangely leisurely； speculative voice for a man evidently
so busy and； as they felt； so professional〃let's see；
are you going to make something of a stay； Lord Lambeth？〃
〃Oh； dear； no；〃 said the young Englishman； 〃my cousin was coming
over on some business； so I just came across； at an hour's notice；
for the lark。〃
〃Is it your first visit to the United States？〃
〃Oh； dear； yes。〃
〃I was obliged to come on some business；〃 said Percy Beaumont；
〃and I brought Lambeth along。〃
〃And YOU have been here before； sir？〃
〃Nevernever。〃
〃I thought； from your referring to business〃 said Mr。 Westgate。
〃Oh； you see I'm by way of being a barrister；〃 Percy Beaumont answered。
〃I know some people that think of bringing a suit against one of your
railways； and they asked me to come over and take measures accordingly。〃
〃What's your railroad？〃 he asked。
〃The Tennessee Central。〃
The American tilted back his chair a little and poised it an instant。
〃Well； I'm sorry you want to attack one of our institutions；〃
he said； smiling。 〃But I guess you had better enjoy yourself FIRST！〃
〃I'm certainly rather afraid I can't work in this weather；〃
the young barrister confessed。
〃Leave that to the natives；〃 said Mr。 Westgate。
〃Leave the Tennessee Central to me； Mr。 Beaumont。
Some day we'll talk it over； and I guess I can make it square。
But I didn't know you Englishmen ever did any work；
in the upper classes。〃
〃Oh； we do a lot of work； don't we； Lambeth？〃 asked Percy Beaumont。
〃I must certainly be at home by the 19th of September；〃
said the younger Englishman； irrelevantly but gently。
〃For the shooting； eh？ or is it the hunting； or the fishing？〃
inquired his entertainer。
〃Oh； I must be in Scotland；〃 said Lord Lambeth； blushing a little。
〃Well； then；〃 rejoined Mr。 Westgate； 〃you had better amuse
yourself first； also。 You must go down and see Mrs。 Westgate。〃
〃We should be so happy； if you would kindly tell us the train；〃
said Percy Beaumont。
〃It isn't a trainit's a boat。〃
〃Oh； I see。 And what is the name ofa thea town？〃
〃It isn't a town；〃 said Mr。 Westgate； laughing。 〃It's awell； what shall
I call it？ It's a watering place。 In short； it's Newport。
You'll see what it is。 It's cool； that's the principal thing。
You will greatly oblige me by going down there and putting yourself
into the hands of Mrs。 Westgate。 It isn't perhaps for me to say it；
but you couldn't be in better hands。 Also in those of her sister；
who is staying with her。 She is very fond of Englishmen。
She thinks there is nothing like them。〃
〃Mrs。 Westgate ora her sister？〃 asked Percy Beaumont modestly；
yet in the tone of an inquiring traveler。
〃Oh； I mean my wife；〃 said Mr。 Westgate。 〃I don't suppose
my sister…in…law knows much about them。 She has always led
a very quiet life； she has lived in Boston。〃
Percy Beaumont listened with interest。 〃That； I believe；〃
he said； 〃is the mosta intellectual town？〃
〃I believe it is very intellectual。 I don't go there much；〃
responded his host。
〃I say； we ought to go there；〃 said Lord Lambeth to his companion。
〃Oh； Lord Lambeth； wait till the great heat is over；〃
Mr。 Westgate interposed。 〃Boston in this weather would be very trying；
it's not the temperature for intellectual exertion。 At Boston；
you know； you have to pass an examination at the city limits；
and when you come away they give you a kind of degree。〃
Lord Lambeth sta
