daisy miller-第4章
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Winterbourne was impatient to see her again； and he was vexed with himself
that； by instinct； he should not appreciate her justly。
Though he was impatient to see her； he hardly knew what he should
say to her about his aunt's refusal to become acquainted with her；
but he discovered； promptly enough； that with Miss Daisy Miller there
was no great need of walking on tiptoe。 He found her that evening in
the garden； wandering about in the warm starlight like an indolent sylph；
and swinging to and fro the largest fan he had ever beheld。
It was ten o'clock。 He had dined with his aunt； had been sitting with
her since dinner； and had just taken leave of her till the morrow。
Miss Daisy Miller seemed very glad to see him； she declared it
was the longest evening she had ever passed。
〃Have you been all alone？〃 he asked。
〃I have been walking round with mother。 But mother gets tired
walking round；〃 she answered。
〃Has she gone to bed？〃
〃No； she doesn't like to go to bed；〃 said the young girl。
〃She doesn't sleepnot three hours。 She says she
doesn't know how she lives。 She's dreadfully nervous。
I guess she sleeps more than she thinks。 She's gone somewhere
after Randolph； she wants to try to get him to go to bed。
He doesn't like to go to bed。〃
〃Let us hope she will persuade him；〃 observed Winterbourne。
〃She will talk to him all she can； but he doesn't like her to talk
to him；〃 said Miss Daisy； opening her fan。 〃She's going to try
to get Eugenio to talk to him。 But he isn't afraid of Eugenio。
Eugenio's a splendid courier； but he can't make much impression
on Randolph！ I don't believe he'll go to bed before eleven。〃
It appeared that Randolph's vigil was in fact triumphantly prolonged；
for Winterbourne strolled about with the young girl for some
time without meeting her mother。 〃I have been looking round
for that lady you want to introduce me to；〃 his companion resumed。
〃She's your aunt。〃 Then； on Winterbourne's admitting the fact
and expressing some curiosity as to how she had learned it；
she said she had heard all about Mrs。 Costello from the chambermaid。
She was very quiet and very comme il faut； she wore white puffs；
she spoke to no one； and she never dined at the table d'hote。
Every two days she had a headache。 〃I think that's a lovely
description； headache and all！〃 said Miss Daisy； chattering along
in her thin； gay voice。 〃I want to know her ever so much。
I know just what YOUR aunt would be； I know I should like her。
She would be very exclusive。 I like a lady to be exclusive；
I'm dying to be exclusive myself。 Well； we ARE exclusive；
mother and I。 We don't speak to everyoneor they don't speak to us。
I suppose it's about the same thing。 Anyway； I shall be ever
so glad to know your aunt。〃
Winterbourne was embarrassed。 〃She would be most happy；〃 he said；
〃but I am afraid those headaches will interfere。〃
The young girl looked at him through the dusk。
〃But I suppose she doesn't have a headache every day；〃
she said sympathetically。
Winterbourne was silent a moment。 〃She tells me she does；〃
he answered at last； not knowing what to say。
Miss Daisy Miller stopped and stood looking at him。 Her prettiness
was still visible in the darkness； she was opening and closing her
enormous fan。 〃She doesn't want to know me！〃 she said suddenly。
〃Why don't you say so？ You needn't be afraid。 I'm not afraid！〃
And she gave a little laugh。
Winterbourne fancied there was a tremor in her voice； he was touched； shocked；
mortified by it。 〃My dear young lady；〃 he protested； 〃she knows no one。
It's her wretched health。〃
The young girl walked on a few steps； laughing still。
〃You needn't be afraid；〃 she repeated。 〃Why should she want
to know me？〃 Then she paused again； she was close to the parapet
of the garden； and in front of her was the starlit lake。
There was a vague sheen upon its surface； and in the distance
were dimly seen mountain forms。 Daisy Miller looked out upon
the mysterious prospect and then she gave another little laugh。
〃Gracious！ she IS exclusive！〃 she said。 Winterbourne wondered
whether she was seriously wounded； and for a moment almost
wished that her sense of injury might be such as to make it
becoming in him to attempt to reassure and comfort her。
He had a pleasant sense that she would be very approachable
for consolatory purposes。 He felt then； for the instant；
quite ready to sacrifice his aunt； conversationally； to admit
that she was a proud； rude woman； and to declare that they needn't
mind her。 But before he had time to commit himself to this
perilous mixture of gallantry and impiety； the young lady；
resuming her walk； gave an exclamation in quite another tone。
〃Well； here's Mother！ I guess she hasn't got Randolph to go to bed。〃
The figure of a lady appeared at a distance； very indistinct
in the darkness； and advancing with a slow and wavering movement。
Suddenly it seemed to pause。
〃Are you sure it is your mother？ Can you distinguish her in this
thick dusk？〃 Winterbourne asked。
〃Well！〃 cried Miss Daisy Miller with a laugh； 〃I guess I know my own mother。
And when she has got on my shawl； too！ She is always wearing my things。〃
The lady in question； ceasing to advance； hovered vaguely about the spot
at which she had checked her steps。
〃I am afraid your mother doesn't see you；〃 said Winterbourne。
〃Or perhaps；〃 he added； thinking； with Miss Miller； the joke
permissible〃perhaps she feels guilty about your shawl。〃
〃Oh； it's a fearful old thing！〃 the young girl replied serenely。
〃I told her she could wear it。 She won't come here because she sees you。〃
〃Ah； then；〃 said Winterbourne； 〃I had better leave you。〃
〃Oh； no； come on！〃 urged Miss Daisy Miller。
〃I'm afraid your mother doesn't approve of my walking with you。〃
Miss Miller gave him a serious glance。 〃It isn't for me；
it's for youthat is； it's for HER。 Well； I don't know who
it's for！ But mother doesn't like any of my gentlemen friends。
She's right down timid。 She always makes a fuss if I introduce
a gentleman。 But I DO introduce themalmost always。
If I didn't introduce my gentlemen friends to Mother；〃
the young girl added in her little soft； flat monotone；
〃I shouldn't think I was natural。〃
〃To introduce me；〃 said Winterbourne； 〃you must know my name。〃
And he proceeded to pronounce it。
〃Oh； dear； I can't say all that！〃 said his companion with a laugh。
But by this time they had come up to Mrs。 Miller； who； as they
drew near； walked to the parapet of the garden and leaned upon it；
looking intently at the lake and turning her back to them。
〃Mother！〃 said the young girl in a tone of decision。
Upon this the elder lady turned round。 〃Mr。 Winterbourne；〃 said Miss
Daisy Miller； introducing the young man very frankly and prettily。
〃Common；〃 she was； as Mrs。 Costello had pronounced her；
yet it was a wonder to Winterbourne that； with her commonness；
she had a singularly delicate grace。
Her mother was a small； spare； light person； with a
wandering eye； a very exiguous nose； and a large forehead；
decorated with a certain amount of thin； much frizzled hair。
Like her daughter； Mrs。 Miller was dressed with extreme elegance；
she had enormous diamonds in her ears。 So far as Winterbourne
could observe； she gave him no greetingshe certainly was not
looking at him。 Daisy was near her； pulling her shawl straight。
〃What are you doing； poking round here？〃 this young lady inquired；
but by no means with that harshness of accent which her choice
of words may imply。
〃I don't know；〃 said her mother； turning toward the lake again。
〃I shouldn't think you'd want that shawl！〃 Daisy exclaimed。
〃Well I do！〃 her mother answered with a little laugh。
〃Did you get Randolph to go to bed？〃 asked the young girl。
〃No； I couldn't induce him；〃 said Mrs。 Miller very gently。
〃He wants to talk to the waiter。 He likes to talk to that waiter。〃
I was telling Mr。 Winterbourne；〃 the young girl went on；
and to the young man's ear her tone might have indicated
that she had been uttering his name all her life。
〃Oh； yes！〃 said Winterbourne； 〃I have the pleasure of knowing your son。〃
Randolph's mamma was silent； she turned her attention to the lake。
But at last she spoke。 〃Well； I don't see how he lives！〃
〃Anyhow； it isn't so bad as it was at Dover；〃 said Daisy Miller。
〃And what occurred at Dover？〃 Winterbourne asked。
〃He wouldn't go to bed at all。 I guess he sat up all night
in the public parlor。 He wasn't in bed at twelve o'clock：
I know that。〃
〃It was half…past twelve；〃 declared Mrs。 Miller with mild emphasis。
〃Does he sleep much during the day？〃 Winterbourne demanded。
〃I guess he doesn't sleep much；〃 Daisy rejoined。
〃I wish he would！〃 said her mother。 〃It seems as if he couldn't。〃
〃I think he's real tiresome；〃 Daisy pursued。
Then； for some moments； there was silence。 〃Well； Daisy Miller；〃
said the elder lady； presently； 〃I shouldn't think you'd want
to talk against your own brother！〃
〃Well； he IS tiresome； Mother；〃 said Daisy； quite without
the asperity of a retort。
〃He's only nine；〃 urged Mrs。 Miller。
〃Well； he wouldn't go to that castle；〃 said the young girl。
〃I'm going there with Mr。 Winterbourne。〃
To this announcement； very placidly made； Daisy's mamma offered
no response。 Winterbourne took for granted that she deeply
disapproved of the projected excursion； but he said to himself
that she was a simple； easily managed person； and that a few
deferential protestations would take the edge from her displeasure。
〃Yes；〃 he began； 〃your daughter has kindly allowed me the honor
of being her guide。〃
Mrs。 Miller's wandering eyes attached themselves； with a sort of
appealing air； to Daisy； who； however； strolled a few steps farther；
gently humming to herself。 〃I presume you will go in the cars；〃
said her mother。
〃Yes； or in the boat；〃 said Winterbourne。
〃Well； of course； I don't know；〃 Mrs。 Miller rejoined。
〃I have never been to that castle。〃
〃It is a pity you shouldn't go；〃 said Winterbourne；
beginning to feel reassured as to her opposition。
And yet he was quite prepared to find that； as a matter of course；
she meant to accompany her daughter。
〃We've been thinking ever so much about going；〃 she pursued；
〃but it seems as if we couldn't。 Of course Daisyshe wants
to go round。 But there's a lady hereI don't know her name
she says she shouldn't think we'd want to go to see castles
HERE； she should think we'd want to wait till we got
to Italy。 It seems as if there would be so many there；〃
continued Mrs。 Miller with an air of increasing confidence。
〃Of course we only want to see the principal ones。
We visited several in England；〃 she presently added。
〃Ah yes！ in England there are beautiful cas
