an international episode-第7章

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phaetons　freighted　with　ladies　of　high　fashion；　who　greeted　each　other

from　vehicle　to　vehicle　and　conversed　on　the　edge　of　the　pavement

in　a　manner　that　struck　Lord　Lambeth　as　demonstrative；　with　a　great

many　〃Oh；　my　dears；〃　and　little　quick　exclamations　and　caresses。

His　companion　went　into　seventeen　shopshe　amused　himself　with

counting　themand　accumulated　at　the　bottom　of　the　phaeton　a　pile

of　bundles　that　hardly　left　the　young　Englishman　a　place　for　his　feet。

As　she　had　no　groom　nor　footman；　he　sat　in　the　phaeton　to　hold

the　ponies；　where；　although　he　was　not　a　particularly　acute　observer；

he　saw　much　to　entertain　himespecially　the　ladies　just　mentioned；

who　wandered　up　and　down　with　the　appearance　of　a　kind　of　aimless

intentness；　as　if　they　were　looking　for　something　to　buy；　and　who；

tripping　in　and　out　of　their　vehicles；　displayed　remarkably　pretty　feet。

It　all　seemed　to　Lord　Lambeth　very　odd；　and　bright；　and　gay。

Of　course；　before　they　got　back　to　the　villa；　he　had　had　a　great

deal　of　desultory　conversation　with　Bessie　Alden。



The　young　Englishmen　spent　the　whole　of　that　day　and　the　whole

of　many　successive　days　in　what　the　French　call　the　intimite

of　their　new　friends。　　They　agreed　that　it　was　extremely　jolly；

that　they　had　never　known　anything　more　agreeable。

It　is　not　proposed　to　narrate　minutely　the　incidents

of　their　sojourn　on　this　charming　shore；　though　if　it　were

convenient　I　might　present　a　record　of　impressions　nonetheless

delectable　that　they　were　not　exhaustively　analyzed。

Many　of　them　still　linger　in　the　minds　of　our　travelers；

attended　by　a　train　of　harmonious　imagesimages　of　brilliant

mornings　on　lawns　and　piazzas　that　overlooked　the　sea；

of　innumerable　pretty　girls；　of　infinite　lounging　and　talking

and　laughing　and　flirting　and　lunching　and　dining；　of　universal

friendliness　and　frankness；　of　occasions　on　which　they　knew

everyone　and　everything　and　had　an　extraordinary　sense　of　ease；

of　drives　and　rides　in　the　late　afternoon　over　gleaming　beaches；

on　long　sea　roads；　beneath　a　sky　lighted　up　by　marvelous　sunsets；

of　suppers；　on　the　return；　informal；　irregular；　agreeable；

of　evenings　at　open　windows　or　on　the　perpetual　verandas；

in　the　summer　starlight；　above　the　warm　Atlantic。

The　young　Englishmen　were　introduced　to　everybody；

entertained　by　everybody；　intimate　with　everybody。　　At　the　end

of　three　days　they　had　removed　their　luggage　from　the　hotel

and　had　gone　to　stay　with　Mrs。　Westgatea　step　to　which　Percy

Beaumont　at　first　offered　some　conscientious　opposition。

I　call　his　opposition　conscientious；　because　it　was　founded　upon

some　talk　that　he　had　had；　on　the　second　day；　with　Bessie　Alden。

He　had　indeed　had　a　good　deal　of　talk　with　her；　for　she

was　not　literally　always　in　conversation　with　Lord　Lambeth。

He　had　meditated　upon　Mrs。　Westgate's　account　of　her　sister；

and　he　discovered　for　himself　that　the　young　lady　was　clever；

and　appeared　to　have　read　a　great　deal。　　She　seemed　very　nice；

though　he　could　not　make　out；　as　Mrs。　Westgate　had　said；　she　was　shy。

If　she　was　shy；　she　carried　it　off　very　well。



〃Mr。　Beaumont；〃　she　had　said；　〃please　tell　me　something　about　Lord

Lambeth's　family。　　How　would　you　say　it　in　Englandhis　position？〃



〃His　position？〃　　Percy　Beaumont　repeated。



〃His　rank；　or　whatever　you　call　it。　　Unfortunately　we　haven't　got

a　PEERAGE；　like　the　people　in　Thackeray。〃



〃That's　a　great　pity；〃　said　Beaumont。　　〃You　would　find　it　all　set

forth　there　so　much　better　than　I　can　do　it。〃



〃He　is　a　peer；　then？〃



〃Oh；　yes；　he　is　a　peer。〃



〃And　has　he　any　other　title　than　Lord　Lambeth？〃



〃His　title　is　the　Marquis　of　Lambeth；〃　said　Beaumont；　and　then　he　was　silent。

Bessie　Alden　appeared　to　be　looking　at　him　with　interest。　　〃He　is　the　son

of　the　Duke　of　Bayswater；〃　he　added　presently。



〃The　eldest　son？〃



〃The　only　son。〃



〃And　are　his　parents　living？〃



〃Oh　yes；　if　his　father　were　not　living　he　would　be　a　duke。〃



〃So　that　when　his　father　dies；〃　pursued　Bessie　Alden　with　more

simplicity　than　might　have　been　expected　in　a　clever　girl；

〃he　will　become　Duke　of　Bayswater？〃



〃Of　course；〃　said　Percy　Beaumont。　　〃But　his　father　is　in　excellent　health。〃



〃And　his　mother？〃



Beaumont　smiled　a　little。　　〃The　duchess　is　uncommonly　robust。〃



〃And　has　he　any　sisters？〃



〃Yes；　there　are　two。〃



〃And　what　are　they　called？〃



〃One　of　them　is　married。　　She　is　the　Countess　of　Pimlico。〃



〃And　the　other？〃



〃The　other　is　unmarried；　she　is　plain　Lady　Julia。〃



Bessie　Alden　looked　at　him　a　moment。　　〃Is　she　very　plain？〃



Beaumont　began　to　laugh　again。　　〃You　would　not　find　her　so　handsome　as

her　brother；〃　he　said；　and　it　was　after　this　that　he　attempted　to　dissuade

the　heir　of　the　Duke　of　Bayswater　from　accepting　Mrs。　Westgate's　invitation。

〃Depend　upon　it；〃　he　said；　〃that　girl　means　to　try　for　you。〃



〃It　seems　to　me　you　are　doing　your　best　to　make　a　fool　of　me；〃

the　modest　young　nobleman　answered。



〃She　has　been　asking　me；〃　said　Beaumont；　〃all　about　your　people

and　your　possessions。〃



〃I　am　sure　it　is　very　good　of　her！〃　　Lord　Lambeth　rejoined。



〃Well；　then；〃　observed　his　companion；　〃if　you　go；　you　go

with　your　eyes　open。〃



〃Damn　my　eyes！〃　exclaimed　Lord　Lambeth。　　〃If　one　is　to　be　a　dozen　times

a　day　at　the　house；　it　is　a　great　deal　more　convenient　to　sleep　there。

I　am　sick　of　traveling　up　and　down　this　beastly　avenue。〃



Since　he　had　determined　to　go；　Percy　Beaumont　would；　of　course；

have　been　very　sorry　to　allow　him　to　go　alone；　he　was　a　man

of　conscience；　and　he　remembered　his　promise　to　the　duchess。

It　was　obviously　the　memory　of　this　promise　that　made　him　say

to　his　companion　a　couple　of　days　later　that　he　rather　wondered

he　should　be　so　fond　of　that　girl。



〃In　the　first　place；　how　do　you　know　how　fond　I　am　of　her？〃

asked　Lord　Lambeth。　　〃And；　in　the　second　place；　why　shouldn't

I　be　fond　of　her？〃



〃I　shouldn't　think　she　would　be　in　your　line。〃



〃What　do　you　call　my　'line'？　You　don't　set　her　down　as　'fast'？〃



〃Exactly　so。　　Mrs。　Westgate　tells　me　that　there　is　no　such　thing

as　the　'fast　girl'　in　America；　that　it's　an　English　invention；

and　that　the　term　has　no　meaning　here。〃



〃All　the　better。　　It's　an　animal　I　detest。〃



〃You　prefer　a　bluestocking。〃



〃Is　that　what　you　call　Miss　Alden？〃



〃Her　sister　tells　me；〃　said　Percy　Beaumont；　〃that　she

is　tremendously　literary。〃



〃I　don't　know　anything　about　that。　　She　is　certainly　very　clever。〃



〃Well；〃　said　Beaumont；　〃I　should　have　supposed　you　would　have　found

that　sort　of　thing　awfully　slow。〃



〃In　point　of　fact；〃　Lord　Lambeth　rejoined；　〃I　find　it　uncommonly　lively。〃



After　this；　Percy　Beaumont　held　his　tongue；　but　on

the　10th　of　August　he　wrote　to　the　Duchess　of　Bayswater。

He　was；　as　I　have　said；　a　man　of　conscience；　and　he　had

a　strong；　incorruptible　sense　of　the　proprieties　of　life。

His　kinsman；　meanwhile；　was　having　a　great　deal　of　talk

with　Bessie　Aldenon　the　red　sea　rocks　beyond　the　lawn；

in　the　course　of　long　island　rides；　with　a　slow　return　in

the　glowing　twilight；　on　the　deep　veranda　late　in　the　evening。

Lord　Lambeth；　who　had　stayed　at　many　houses；　had　never　stayed

at　a　house　in　which　it　was　possible　for　a　young　man　to　converse

so　frequently　with　a　young　lady。　　This　young　lady　no　longer　applied

to　Percy　Beaumont　for　information　concerning　his　lordship。

She　addressed　herself　directly　to　the　young　nobleman。

She　asked　him　a　great　many　questions；　some　of　which　bored　him

a　little；　for　he　took　no　pleasure　in　talking　about　himself。



〃Lord　Lambeth；〃　said　Bessie　Alden；　〃are　you　a　hereditary　legislator？〃



〃Oh；　I　say！〃　cried　Lord　Lambeth；　〃don't　make　me　call　myself

such　names　as　that。〃



〃But　you　are　a　member　of　Parliament；〃　said　the　young　girl。



〃I　don't　like　the　sound　of　that；　either。〃



〃Don't　you　sit　in　the　House　of　Lords？〃　　Bessie　Alden　went　on。



〃Very　seldom；〃　said　Lord　Lambeth。



〃Is　it　an　important　position？〃　she　asked。



〃Oh；　dear；　no；〃　said　Lord　Lambeth。



〃I　should　think　it　would　be　very　grand；〃　said　Bessie　Alden；

〃to　possess；　simply　by　an　accident　of　birth；　the　right　to　make

laws　for　a　great　nation。〃



〃Ah；　but　one　doesn't　make　laws。　　It's　a　great　humbug。〃



〃I　don't　believe　that；〃　the　young　girl　declared。

〃It　must　be　a　great　privilege；　and　I　should　think　that　if　one

thought　of　it　in　the　right　wayfrom　a　high　point　of　view

it　would　be　very　inspiring。〃



〃The　less　one　thinks　of　it；　the　better；〃　Lord　Lambeth　affirmed。



〃I　think　it's　tremendous；〃　said　Bessie　Alden；　and　on

another　occasion　she　asked　him　if　he　had　any　tenantry。

Hereupon　it　was　that；　as　I　have　said；　he　was　a　little　bored。



〃Do　you　want　to　buy　up　their　leases？〃　he　asked。



〃Well；　have　you　got　any　livings？〃　she　demanded。



〃Oh；　I　say！〃　he　cried。　　〃Have　you　got　a　clergyman　that　is　looking　out？〃

But　she　made　him　tell　her　that　he　had　a　castle；　he　confessed　to　but　one。

It　was　the　place　in　which　he　had　been　born　and　brought　up；　and；　as　he　had

an　old…time　liking　for　it；　he　was　beguiled　into　describing　it　a　little

and　saying　it　was　really　very　jolly。　　Bessie　Alden　listened　with　great

interest　and　declared　that　she　would　give　the　world　to　see　such　a　place。

Whereupon〃It　would　be　awfully　kind　of　you　to　come　and　stay　there；〃

said　Lord　Lambeth。　　He　took　a　vague　satisfaction　in　the　circumstance

that　Percy　Beaumont　had　not　heard　him　make　the　remark　I　have　just　recorded。



Mr。　Westgate　all　this　time　had　not；　as　they　said　at　Newport；　〃come　on。〃

His　wife　more　than　once　announced　that　she　expected　him　on　the　morrow；

but　on　the　morrow　she　wandered　about　a　little；　with　a　telegram　in　her

jeweled　fingers；　declaring　it　was　very　tiresome　that　his　business　detained　him

in　New　York；　that　he　could　only　hope　the　Englishmen　were　having　a　good　time。

〃I　must　say；〃　said　Mrs。　Westgate；　〃that　it　is　no　thanks　to　him　if　you　are。〃

And　she　went　on　to　explain；　while　she　continued　that　slow…paced

promenade　which　enabled　her　well…adjusted　skirts　to　display　themselves

so　advantageously；　that　unfortunately　in　America　there　was　no　leisure　class。

It　was　Lord　Lambeth's　theory；　freely　propounded　when　the　young　men

were　together；　that　Percy　Beaumont　was　having　a　very　good　time　with

Mrs。　Westgate；　and　that；　under　the　pretext　of　meeting　for　the　purpose

of　animated　discussion；　they　were　indulging　in　practices　that　imparted

a　shade　of　hypocrisy　to　the　lady's　regret　for　her　husband's　absence。



〃I　assure　you　we　are　always　discussing　and　differing；〃

said　Percy　Beaumont。　　〃She　is　awfully　argumentative。

American　ladies　certainly　don't　mind　contradicting　you。

Upon　my　word　I　don't　think　I　was　ever　treated　so　by　a　woman　before。

She's　so　devilish　positive。〃



Mrs。　Westgate's　positive　quality；　however；　evidently　had

its　attractions；　for　Beaumont　was　constantly　at　his　hostess's　side。

He　detached　him