an international episode-第12章

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after　a　round　of　visits　in　Bond　Street　and　Regent　Street；　she　was

about　to　return　with　her　sister　to　Jones's　Hotel；　she　made　an　earnest

request　that　they　should　be　driven　home　by　way　of　Westminster　Abbey。

She　had　begun　by　asking　whether　it　would　not　be　possible　to　take　the　Tower

on　the　way　to　their　lodgings；　but　it　happened　that　at　a　more　primitive　stage

of　her　culture　Mrs。　Westgate　had　paid　a　visit　to　this　venerable　monument；

which　she　spoke　of　ever　afterward　vaguely　as　a　dreadful　disappointment；

so　that　she　expressed　the　liveliest　disapproval　of　any　attempt　to　combine

historical　researches　with　the　purchase　of　hairbrushes　and　notepaper。

The　most　she　would　consent　to　do　in　this　line　was　to　spend　half

an　hour　at　Madame　Tussaud's；　where　she　saw　several　dusty　wax　effigies

of　members　of　the　royal　family。　　She　told　Bessie　that　if　she

wished　to　go　to　the　Tower　she　must　get　someone　else　to　take　her。

Bessie　expressed　hereupon　an　earnest　disposition　to　go　alone；　but　upon

this　proposal　as　well　Mrs。　Westgate　sprinkled　cold　water。



〃Remember；〃　she　said；　〃that　you　are　not　in　your　innocent　little　Boston。

It　is　not　a　question　of　walking　up　and　down　Beacon　Street。〃

Then　she　went　on　to　explain　that　there　were　two　classes　of　American

girls　in　Europethose　that　walked　about　alone　and　those　that　did　not。

〃You　happen　to　belong；　my　dear；〃　she　said　to　her　sister；　〃to　the　class

that　does　not。〃



〃It　is　only；〃　answered　Bessie；　laughing；　〃because　you　happen　to　prevent　me。〃

And　she　devoted　much　private　meditation　to　this　question　of　effecting　a　visit

to　the　Tower　of　London。



Suddenly　it　seemed　as　if　the　problem　might　be　solved；　the　two

ladies　at　Jones's　Hotel　received　a　visit　from　Willie　Woodley。

Such　was　the　social　appellation　of　a　young　American　who　had　sailed

from　New　York　a　few　days　after　their　own　departure；　and　who；

having　the　privilege　of　intimacy　with　them　in　that　city；　had　lost

no　time；　on　his　arrival　in　London；　in　coming　to　pay　them　his　respects。

He　had；　in　fact；　gone　to　see　them　directly　after　going　to　see　his　tailor；

than　which　there　can　be　no　greater　exhibition　of　promptitude　on　the　part

of　a　young　American　who　has　just　alighted　at　the　Charing　Cross　Hotel。

He　was　a　slim；　pale　youth；　of　the　most　amiable　disposition；

famous　for　the　skill　with　which　he　led　the　〃German〃　in　New　York。

Indeed；　by　the　young　ladies　who　habitually　figured　in　this　Terpsichorean

revel　he　was　believed　to　be　〃the　best　dancer　in　the　world〃；

it　was　in　these　terms　that　he　was　always　spoken　of；　and　that　his

identity　was　indicated。　　He　was　the　gentlest；　softest　young

man　it　was　possible　to　meet；　he　was　beautifully　dressed〃in

the　English　style〃and　he　knew　an　immense　deal　about　London。

He　had　been　at　Newport　during　the　previous　summer；　at　the　time　of　our

young　Englishmen's　visit；　and　he　took　extreme　pleasure　in　the　society

of　Bessie　Alden；　whom　he　always　addressed　as　〃Miss　Bessie。〃

She　immediately　arranged　with　him；　in　the　presence　of　her　sister；

that　he　should　conduct　her　to　the　scene　of　Anne　Boleyn's　execution。



〃You　may　do　as　you　please；〃　said　Mrs。　Westgate。

〃Onlyif　you　desire　the　informationit　is　not　the　custom

here　for　young　ladies　to　knock　about　London　with　young　men。〃



〃Miss　Bessie　has　waltzed　with　me　so　often；〃　observed　Willie　Woodley；

〃she　can　surely　go　out　with　me　in　a　hansom。〃



〃I　consider　waltzing；〃　said　Mrs。　Westgate；　〃the　most　innocent　pleasure

of　our　time。〃



〃It's　a　compliment　to　our　time！〃　exclaimed　the　young　man　with　a　little　laugh；

in　spite　of　himself。



〃I　don't　see　why　I　should　regard　what　is　done　here；〃　said　Bessie　Alden。

〃Why　should　I　suffer　the　restrictions　of　a　society　of　which　I　enjoy　none

of　the　privileges？〃



〃That's　very　goodvery　good；〃　murmured　Willie　Woodley。



〃Oh；　go　to　the　Tower；　and　feel　the　ax；　if　you　like；〃　said　Mrs。　Westgate。

〃I　consent　to　your　going　with　Mr。　Woodley；　but　I　should　not　let　you　go

with　an　Englishman。〃



〃Miss　Bessie　wouldn't　care　to　go　with　an　Englishman！〃

Mr。　Woodley　declared　with　a　faint　asperity　that　was；　perhaps；

not　unnatural　in　a　young　man；　who；　dressing　in　the　manner

that　I　have　indicated　and　knowing　a　great　deal；　as　I　have　said；

about　London；　saw　no　reason　for　drawing　these　sharp　distinctions。

He　agreed　upon　a　day　with　Miss　Bessiea　day　of　that　same　week。



An　ingenious　mind　might；　perhaps；　trace　a　connection　between　the　young

girl's　allusion　to　her　destitution　of　social　privileges　and　a　question

she　asked　on　the　morrow　as　she　sat　with　her　sister　at　lunch。



〃Don't　you　mean　to　write　toto　anyone？〃　said　Bessie。



〃I　wrote　this　morning　to　Captain　Littledale；〃　Mrs。　Westgate　replied。



〃But　Mr。　Woodley　said　that　Captain　Littledale　had　gone　to　India。〃



〃He　said　he　thought　he　had　heard　so；　he　knew　nothing　about　it。〃



For　a　moment　Bessie　Alden　said　nothing　more；　then；　at　last；

〃And　don't　you　intend　to　write　toto　Mr。　Beaumont？〃　she　inquired。



〃You　mean　to　Lord　Lambeth；〃　said　her　sister。



〃I　said　Mr。　Beaumont　because　he　was　so　good　a　friend　of　yours。〃



Mrs。　Westgate　looked　at　the　young　girl　with　sisterly　candor。

〃I　don't　care　two　straws　for　Mr。　Beaumont。〃



〃You　were　certainly　very　nice　to　him。〃



〃I　am　nice　to　everyone；〃　said　Mrs。　Westgate　simply。



〃To　everyone　but　me；〃　rejoined　Bessie；　smiling。



Her　sister　continued　to　look　at　her；　then；　at　last；　〃Are　you

in　love　with　Lord　Lambeth？〃　she　asked。



The　young　girl　stared　a　moment；　and　the　question　was　apparently　too　humorous

even　to　make　her　blush。　　〃Not　that　I　know　of；〃　she　answered。



〃Because　if　you　are；〃　Mrs。　Westgate　went　on；　〃I　shall　certainly

not　send　for　him。〃



〃That　proves　what　I　said；〃　declared　Bessie；　smiling〃that　you

are　not　nice　to　me。〃



〃It　would　be　a　poor　service；　my　dear　child；〃　said　her　sister。



〃In　what　sense？　　There　is　nothing　against　Lord　Lambeth　that　I　know　of。〃



Mrs。　Westgate　was　silent　a　moment。　　〃You　ARE　in　love　with　him　then？〃



Bessie　stared　again；　but　this　time　she　blushed　a　little。

〃Ah！　if　you　won't　be　serious；〃　she　answered；　〃we　will　not

mention　him　again。〃



For　some　moments　Lord　Lambeth　was　not　mentioned　again；　and　it　was

Mrs。　Westgate　who；　at　the　end　of　this　period；　reverted　to　him。

〃Of　course　I　will　let　him　know　we　are　here；　because　I　think　he　would

be　hurtjustly　enoughif　we　should　go　away　without　seeing　him。

It　is　fair　to　give　him　a　chance　to　come　and　thank　me　for　the　kindness

we　showed　him。　　But　I　don't　want　to　seem　eager。〃



〃Neither　do　I；〃　said　Bessie　with　a　little　laugh。



〃Though　I　confess；〃　added　her　sister；　〃that　I　am　curious　to　see

how　he　will　behave。〃



〃He　behaved　very　well　at　Newport。〃



〃Newport　is　not　London。　　At　Newport　he　could　do　as　he　liked；

but　here　it　is　another　affair。　　He　has　to　have　an　eye　to　consequences。〃



〃If　he　had　more　freedom；　then；　at　Newport；〃　argued　Bessie；　〃it　is　the　more

to　his　credit　that　he　behaved　well；　and　if　he　has　to　be　so　careful　here；

it　is　possible　he　will　behave　even　better。〃



〃Betterbetter；〃　repeated　her　sister。　　〃My　dear　child；

what　is　your　point　of　view？〃



〃How　do　you　meanmy　point　of　view？〃



〃Don't　you　care　for　Lord　Lambetha　little？〃



This　time　Bessie　Alden　was　displeased；　she　slowly　got　up

from　the　table；　turning　her　face　away　from　her　sister。

〃You　will　oblige　me　by　not　talking　so；〃　she　said。



Mrs。　Westgate　sat　watching　her　for　some　moments　as　she　moved

slowly　about　the　room　and　went　and　stood　at　the　window。

〃I　will　write　to　him　this　afternoon；〃　she　said　at　last。



〃Do　as　you　please！〃　　Bessie　answered；　and　presently　she　turned　round。

〃I　am　not　afraid　to　say　that　I　like　Lord　Lambeth。　　I　like　him　very　much。〃



〃He　is　not　clever；〃　Mrs。　Westgate　declared。



〃Well；　there　have　been　clever　people　whom　I　have　disliked；〃

said　Bessie　Alden；　〃so　that　I　suppose　I　may　like　a　stupid　one。

Besides；　Lord　Lambeth　is　not　stupid。〃



〃Not　so　stupid　as　he　looks！〃　exclaimed　her　sister；　smiling。



〃If　I　were　in　love　with　Lord　Lambeth；