an international episode-第5章

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my　things　on。　　When　I　got　over　to　Americainto　the　light

I　usually　found　they　were　twice　too　big。　　The　next　time　I

mean　to　go　in　the　season；　I　think　I　shall　go　next　year。

I　want　very　much　to　take　my　sister；　she　has　never　been　to　England。

I　don't　know　whether　you　know　what　I　mean　by　saying

that　the　Englishmen　who　come　here　sometimes　get　spoiled。

I　mean　that　they　take　things　as　a　matter　of　course

things　that　are　done　for　them。　　Now；　naturally；　they　are

only　a　matter　of　course　when　the　Englishmen　are　very　nice。

But；　of　course；　they　are　almost　always　very　nice。

Of　course　this　isn't　nearly　such　an　interesting　country　as　England；

there　are　not　nearly　so　many　things　to　see；　and　we　haven't　your

country　life。　　I　have　never　seen　anything　of　your　country　life；

when　I　am　in　Europe　I　am　always　on　the　Continent。　　But　I　have

heard　a　great　deal　about　it；　I　know　that　when　you　are　among

yourselves　in　the　country　you　have　the　most　beautiful　time。

Of　course　we　have　nothing　of　that　sort；　we　have　nothing　on

that　scale。　　I　don't　apologize；　Lord　Lambeth；　some　Americans

are　always　apologizing；　you　must　have　noticed　that。

We　have　the　reputation　of　always　boasting　and　bragging　and

waving　the　American　flag；　but　I　must　say　that　what　strikes　me

is　that　we　are　perpetually　making　excuses　and　trying　to　smooth

things　over。　　The　American　flag　has　quite　gone　out　of　fashion；

it's　very　carefully　folded　up；　like　an　old　tablecloth。

Why　should　we　apologize？　　The　English　never　apologize

do　they？　　No；　I　must　say　I　never　apologize。　　You　must　take

us　as　we　comewith　all　our　imperfections　on　our　heads。

Of　course　we　haven't　your　country　life；　and　your　old　ruins；

and　your　great　estates；　and　your　leisure　class；　and　all　that。

But　if　we　haven't；　I　should　think　you　might　find　it　a　pleasant　change

I　think　any　country　is　pleasant　where　they　have　pleasant　manners。

Captain　Littledale　told　me　he　had　never　seen　such　pleasant　manners

as　at　Newport；　and　he　had　been　a　great　deal　in　European　society。

Hadn't　he　been　in　the　diplomatic　service？　　He　told　me

the　dream　of　his　life　was　to　get　appointed　to　a　diplomatic

post　in　Washington。　　But　he　doesn't　seem　to　have　succeeded。

I　suppose　that　in　England　promotionand　all　that　sort　of　thing

is　fearfully　slow。　　With　us；　you　know；　it's　a　great　deal　too　fast。

You　see；　I　admit　our　drawbacks。　　But　I　must　confess　I　think　Newport

is　an　ideal　place。　　I　don't　know　anything　like　it　anywhere。

Captain　Littledale　told　me　he　didn't　know　anything　like　it　anywhere。

It's　entirely　different　from　most　watering　places；

it's　a　most　charming　life。　　I　must　say　I　think　that　when　one

goes　to　a　foreign　country　one　ought　to　enjoy　the　differences。

Of　course　there　are　differences；　otherwise　what　did　one　come

abroad　for？　　Look　for　your　pleasure　in　the　differences；

Lord　Lambeth；　that's　the　way　to　do　it；　and　then　I　am　sure

you　will　find　American　societyat　least　Newport　society

most　charming　and　most　interesting。　　I　wish　very　much　my

husband　were　here；　but　he's　dreadfully　confined　to　New　York。

I　suppose　you　think　that　is　very　strangefor　a　gentleman。

But　you　see　we　haven't　any　leisure　class。〃



Mrs。　Westgate's　discourse；　delivered　in　a　soft；　sweet　voice；

flowed　on　like　a　miniature　torrent；　and　was　interrupted　by　a

hundred　little　smiles；　glances；　and　gestures；　which　might　have

figured　the　irregularities　and　obstructions　of　such　a　stream。

Lord　Lambeth　listened　to　her　with；　it　must　be　confessed；

a　rather　ineffectual　attention；　although　he　indulged　in　a　good

many　little　murmurs　and　ejaculations　of　assent　and　deprecation。

He　had　no　great　faculty　for　apprehending　generalizations。

There　were　some　three　or　four　indeed　which；　in　the　play

of　his　own　intelligence；　he　had　originated；　and　which　had

seemed　convenient　at　the　moment；　but　at　the　present　time

he　could　hardly　have　been　said　to　follow　Mrs。　Westgate

as　she　darted　gracefully　about　in　the　sea　of　speculation。

Fortunately　she　asked　for　no　especial　rejoinder；

for　she　looked　about　at　the　rest　of　the　company　as　well；

and　smiled　at　Percy　Beaumont；　on　the　other　side　of　her；

as　if　he　too　much　understand　her　and　agree　with　her。

He　was　rather　more　successful　than　his　companion；

for　besides　being；　as　we　know；　cleverer；　his　attention　was

not　vaguely　distracted　by　close　vicinity　to　a　remarkably

interesting　young　girl；　with　dark　hair　and　blue　eyes。

This　was　the　case　with　Lord　Lambeth；　to　whom　it　occurred

after　a　while　that　the　young　girl　with　blue　eyes　and　dark

hair　was　the　pretty　sister　of　whom　Mrs。　Westgate　had　spoken。

She　presently　turned　to　him　with　a　remark　which　established

her　identity。



〃It's　a　great　pity　you　couldn't　have　brought　my　brother…in…law　with　you。

It's　a　great　shame　he　should　be　in　New　York　in　these　days。〃



〃Oh；　yes；　it's　so　very　hot；〃　said　Lord　Lambeth。



〃It　must　be　dreadful；〃　said　the　young　girl。



〃I　daresay　he　is　very　busy；〃　Lord　Lambeth　observed。



〃The　gentlemen　in　America　work　too　much；〃　the　young　girl　went　on。



〃Oh；　do　they？　　I　daresay　they　like　it；〃　said　her　interlocutor。



〃I　don't　like　it。　　One　never　sees　them。〃



〃Don't　you；　really？〃　asked　Lord　Lambeth。　　〃I　shouldn't　have　fancied　that。〃



〃Have　you　come　to　study　American　manners？〃　asked　the　young　girl。



〃Oh；　I　don't　know。　　I　just　came　over　for　a　lark。　　I　haven't　got　long。〃

Here　there　was　a　pause；　and　Lord　Lambeth　began　again。　　〃But　Mr。　Westgate

will　come　down　here；　will　not　he？〃



〃I　certainly　hope　he　will。　　He　must　help　to　entertain　you　and　Mr。　Beaumont。〃



Lord　Lambeth　looked　at　her　a　little　with　his　handsome　brown　eyes。

〃Do　you　suppose　he　would　have　come　down　with　us　if　we　had　urged　him？〃



Mr。　Westgate's　sister…in…law　was　silent　a　moment；　and　then；

〃I　daresay　he　would；〃　she　answered。



〃Really！〃　said　the　young　Englishman。　　〃He　was　immensely　civil

to　Beaumont　and　me；〃　he　added。



〃He　is　a　dear　good　fellow；〃　the　young　lady　rejoined；

〃and　he　is　a　perfect　husband。　　But　all　Americans　are　that；〃

she　continued；　smiling。



〃Really！〃　　Lord　Lambeth　exclaimed　again　and　wondered　whether　all　American

ladies　had　such　a　passion　for　generalizing　as　these　two。



He　sat　there　a　good　while：　　there　was　a　great　deal　of　talk；

it　was　all　very　friendly　and　lively　and　jolly。　　Everyone　present；

sooner　or　later；　said　something　to　him；　and　seemed　to　make

a　particular　point　of　addressing　him　by　name。　　Two　or　three　other

persons　came　in；　and　there　was　a　shifting　of　seats　and　changing

of　places；　the　gentlemen　all　entered　into　intimate　conversation

with　the　two　Englishmen；　made　them　urgent　offers　of　hospitality；

and　hoped　they　might　frequently　be　of　service　to　them。

They　were　afraid　Lord　Lambeth　and　Mr。　Beaumont　were　not　very

comfortable　at　their　hotel；　that　it　was　not；　as　one　of　them　said；

〃so　private　as　those　dear　little　English　inns　of　yours。〃

This　last　gentleman　went　on　to　say　that　unfortunately；

as　yet；　perhaps；　privacy　was　not　quite　so　easily　obtained

in　America　as　might　be　desired；　still；　he　continued；

you　could　generally　get　it　by　paying　for　it；　in　fact；

you　could　get　everything　in　America　nowadays　by　paying　for　it。

American　life　was　certainly　growing　a　great　deal　more　private；

it　was　growing　very　much　like　England。　　Everything　at　Newport；

for　instance；　was　thoroughly　private；　Lord　Lambeth　would

probably　be　struck　with　that。　　It　was　also　represented　to

the　strangers　that　it　mattered　very　little　whether　their　hotel

was　agreeable；　as　everyone　would　want　them　to　make　visits；

they　would　stay　with　other　people；　and；　in　any　case；

they　would　be　a　great　deal　at　Mrs。　Westgate's。　They　would　find

that　very　charming；　it　was　the　pleasantest　house　in　Newport。

It　was　a　pity　Mr。　Westgate　was　always　away；　he　was　a　man

of　the　highest　abilityvery　acute；　very　acute。　　He　worked　like

a　horse；　and　he　left　his　wifewell；　to　do　about　as　she　liked。

He　liked　her　to　enjoy　herself；　and　she　seemed　to　know　how。

She　was　extremely　brilliant　and　a　splendid　talker。

Some　people　preferred　her　sister；　but　Miss　Alden　was　very　different；

she　was　in　a　different　style　altogether。　　Some　people　even

thought　her　prettier；　and；　certainly；　she　was　not　so　sharp。

She　was　more　in　the　Boston　style；　she　had　lived　a　great　deal

in　Boston；　and　she　was　very　highly　educated。　　Boston　girls；

it　was　propounded；　were　more　like　English　young　ladies。



Lord　Lambeth　had　presently　a　chance　to　test　the　truth　of　this　proposition；

for　on　the　company　rising　in　compliance　with　a　suggestion　from　their

hostess　that　they　should　walk　down　to　the　rocks　and　look　at　the　sea；

the　young　Englishman　again　found　himself；　as　they　strolled　across　the　grass；

in　proximity　to　Mrs。　Westgate's　sister。　　Though　she　was　but　a　girl　of　twenty；

she　appeared　to　feel　the　obligation　to　exert　an　active　hospitality；　and　this

was；　perhaps；　the　more　to　be　noticed　as　she　seemed　by　nature　a　reserved

and　retiring　person；　and　had　little　of　her　sister's　fraternizing　quality。

She　was　perhaps　rather　too　thin；　and　she　was　a　little　pale；　but　as　she　moved

slowly　over　the　grass；　with　her　arms　hanging　at　her　sides；　looking　gravely

for　a　moment　at　the　sea　and　then　brightly；　for　all　her　gravity；　at　him；

Lord　Lambeth　thought　her　at　least　as　pretty　as　Mrs。　Westgate；　and　reflected

that　if　this　was　the　Boston　style　the　Boston　style　was　very　charming。

He　thought　she　looked　very　clever；　he　could　imagine　that　she　was

highly　educated；　but　at　the　same　time　she　seemed　gentle　and　graceful。

For　all　her　cleverness；　however；　he　felt　that　she　had　to　think　a　little

what　to　say；　she　didn't　say　the　first　thing　that　came　into　her　head；

he　had　come　from　a　different　part　of　the　world　and　from　a　different　society；

and　she　was　trying　to　adapt　her　conversation。　　The　others　were　scattering

themselves　near　the　rocks；　Mrs。　Westgate　had　charge　of　Percy　Beaumont。



〃Very　jolly　place；　isn't　it？〃　said　Lord　Lambeth。

〃It's　a　very　jolly　place　to　sit。〃



〃Very　charming；〃　said　the　young　girl。　　〃I　often　sit　here；

there　are　all　kinds　of　cozy　cornersas　if　they　had　been

made　on　purpose。〃



〃Ah！　　I　suppose　you　have　had　some　of　them　made；〃　said　the　young　man。



Miss　Alden　looked　at　him　a　moment。　　〃Oh　no；　we　have　had　nothing　made。

It's　pure　nature。〃



〃I　should　think　you　would　have　a　few　little　benchesrustic　seats

and　that　sort　of　thing。　　It　might　be　so　jolly　to　sit　here；　you　know；〃

Lord　Lambeth　went　on。



〃I　am　afraid　we　haven't　so　many　of　those　things　as　you；〃

said　the　young　girl　thoughtfully。



〃I　daresay　you　go　in　for　pure　nature；　as　you　were　saying。

Nature　over　here　must　be　so　grand；　you　know。〃　　And　Lord　Lambeth

looked　about　him。



The　little　coast　line　hereabouts　was　very　pretty；　but　it　was　not

at　all　grand；　and　Miss　Alden　appeared　to　rise　to　a　perception

of　this　fact。　　〃I　am　afraid　it　seems　to　you　very　rough；〃　she　said。

〃It's　not　like　the　coast　scenery　in　Kingsley's　novels。〃



〃Ah；　the　novels　always　overdo　it；　you　know；〃　Lord　Lambeth　rejoined。

〃You　must　not　go　by　the　no