an international episode-第16章

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Bessie　Alden　had　a　fund　of　skepticism。　　She　abstained　on　the　present　occasion

from　expressing　disbelief；　for　she　wished　not　to　irritate　her　sister。

But　she　said　to　herself　that　Kitty　had　been　misinformedthat　this

was　a　traveler's　tale。　　Though　she　was　a　girl　of　a　lively　imagination；

there　could　in　the　nature　of　things　be；　to　her　sense；　no　reality　in

the　idea　of　her　belonging　to　a　vulgar　category。　　What　she　said　aloud　was；

〃I　must　say　that　in　that　case　I　am　very　sorry　for　Lord　Lambeth。〃



Mrs。　Westgate；　more　and　more　exhilarated　by　her　scheme；　was　smiling

at　her　again。　　〃If　I　could　only　believe　it　was　safe！〃　she　exclaimed。

〃When　you　begin　to　pity　him；　I；　on　my　side；　am　afraid。〃



〃Afraid　of　what？〃



〃Of　your　pitying　him　too　much。〃



Bessie　Alden　turned　away　impatiently；　but　at　the　end　of　a　minute　she

turned　back。　　〃What　if　I　should　pity　him　too　much？〃　she　asked。



Mrs。　Westgate　hereupon　turned　away；　but　after　a　moment's

reflection　she　also　faced　her　sister　again。　　〃It　would　come；

after　all；　to　the　same　thing；〃　she　said。



Lord　Lambeth　came　the　next　day　with　his　trap；　and　the　two　ladies；

attended　by　Willie　Woodley；　placed　themselves　under　his　guidance；

and　were　conveyed　eastward；　through　some　of　the　duskier　portions

of　the　metropolis；　to　the　great　turreted　donjon　which　overlooks

the　London　shipping。　　They　all　descended　from　their　vehicle　and

entered　the　famous　inclosure；　and　they　secured　the　services　of　a

venerable　beefeater；　who；　though　there　were　many　other　claimants　for

legendary　information；　made　a　fine　exclusive　party　of　them　and　marched

them　through　courts　and　corridors；　through　armories　and　prisons。

He　delivered　his　usual　peripatetic　discourse；　and　they　stopped　and　stared；

and　peeped　and　stooped；　according　to　the　official　admonitions。

Bessie　Alden　asked　the　old　man　in　the　crimson　doublet　a　great

many　questions；　she　thought　it　a　most　fascinating　place。

Lord　Lambeth　was　in　high　good　humor；　he　was　constantly　laughing；

he　enjoyed　what　he　would　have　called　the　lark。　　Willie　Woodley　kept

looking　at　the　ceilings　and　tapping　the　walls　with　the　knuckle

of　a　pearl…gray　glove；　and　Mrs。　Westgate；　asking　at　frequent

intervals　to　be　allowed　to　sit　down　and　wait　till　they　came　back；

was　as　frequently　informed　that　they　would　never　come　back。

To　a　great　many　of　Bessie's　questionschiefly　on　collateral

points　of　English　historythe　ancient　warder　was　naturally

unable　to　reply；　whereupon　she　always　appealed　to　Lord　Lambeth。

But　his　lordship　was　very　ignorant。　　He　declared　that　he　knew　nothing

about　that　sort　of　thing；　and　he　seemed　greatly　diverted　at　being

treated　as　an　authority。



〃You　can't　expect　everyone　to　know　as　much　as　you；〃　he　said。



〃I　should　expect　you　to　know　a　great　deal　more；〃　declared　Bessie　Alden。



〃Women　always　know　more　than　men　about　names　and　dates

and　that　sort　of　thing；〃　Lord　Lambeth　rejoined。

〃There　was　Lady　Jane　Grey　we　have　just　been　hearing　about；

who　went　in　for　Latin　and　Greek　and　all　the　learning　of　her　age。〃



〃YOU　have　no　right　to　be　ignorant；　at　all　events；〃　said　Bessie。



〃Why　haven't　I　as　good　a　right　as　anyone　else？〃



〃Because　you　have　lived　in　the　midst　of　all　these　things。〃



〃What　things　do　you　mean？　　Axes；　and　blocks；　and　thumbscrews？〃



〃All　these　historical　things。　　You　belong　to　a　historical　family。〃



〃Bessie　is　really　too　historical；〃　said　Mrs。　Westgate；

catching　a　word　of　this　dialogue。



〃Yes；　you　are　too　historical；〃　said　Lord　Lambeth；　laughing；　but　thankful

for　a　formula。　　〃Upon　my　honor；　you　are　too　historical！〃



He　went　with　the　ladies　a　couple　of　days　later　to　Hampton　Court；

Willie　Woodley　being　also　of　the　party。　　The　afternoon　was　charming；

the　famous　horse　chestnuts　were　in　blossom；　and　Lord　Lambeth；

who　quite　entered　into　the　spirit　of　the　cockney　excursionist；

declared　that　it　was　a　jolly　old　place。　　Bessie　Alden　was　in　ecstasies；

she　went　about　murmuring　and　exclaiming。



〃It's　too　lovely；〃　said　the　young　girl；　〃it's　too　enchanting；

it's　too　exactly　what　it　ought　to　be！〃



At　Hampton　Court　the　little　flocks　of　visitors　are　not　provided

with　an　official　bellwether；　but　are　left　to　browse　at　discretion

upon　the　local　antiquities。　　It　happened　in　this　manner　that；

in　default　of　another　informant；　Bessie　Alden；　who　on　doubtful

questions　was　able　to　suggest　a　great　many　alternatives；　found　herself

again　applying　for　intellectual　assistance　to　Lord　Lambeth。

But　he　again　assured　her　that　he　was　utterly　helpless　in　such　matters

that　his　education　had　been　sadly　neglected。



〃And　I　am　sorry　it　makes　you　unhappy；〃　he　added　in　a　moment。



〃You　are　very　disappointing；　Lord　Lambeth；〃　she　said。



〃Ah；　now　don't　say　that；〃　he　cried。　　〃That's　the　worst　thing

you　could　possibly　say。〃



〃No；〃　she　rejoined；　〃it　is　not　so　bad　as　to　say　that　I　had　expected

nothing　of　you。〃



〃I　don't　know。　　Give　me　a　notion　of　the　sort　of　thing　you　expected。〃



〃Well；〃　said　Bessie　Alden；　〃that　you　would　be　more　what　I　should　like　to　be

what　I　should　try　to　bein　your　place。〃



〃Ah；　my　place！〃　exclaimed　Lord　Lambeth。　　〃You　are　always　talking

about　my　place。！〃



The　young　girl　looked　at　him；　he　thought　she　colored　a　little；

and　for　a　moment　she　made　no　rejoinder。



〃Does　it　strike　you　that　I　am　always　talking　about　your　place？〃　she　asked。



〃I　am　sure　you　do　it　a　great　honor；〃　he　said；　fearing　he　had　been　uncivil。



〃I　have　often　thought　about　it；〃　she　went　on　after　a　moment。

〃I　have　often　thought　about　your　being　a　hereditary　legislator。

A　hereditary　legislator　ought　to　know　a　great　many　things。〃



〃Not　if　he　doesn't　legislate。〃



〃But　you　do　legislate；　it's　absurd　your　saying　you　don't。　You　are　very　much

looked　up　to　hereI　am　assured　of　that。〃



〃I　don't　know　that　I　ever　noticed　it。〃



〃It　is　because　you　are　used　to　it；　then。　　You　ought　to　fill　the　place。〃



〃How　do　you　mean　to　fill　it？〃　asked　Lord　Lambeth。



〃You　ought　to　be　very　clever　and　brilliant；　and　to　know　almost　everything。〃



Lord　Lambeth　looked　at　her　a　moment。　　〃Shall　I　tell　you　something？〃　he　asked。

〃A　young　man　in　my　position；　as　you　call　it〃



〃I　didn't　invent　the　term；〃　interposed　Bessie　Alden。

〃I　have　seen　it　in　a　great　many　books。〃



〃Hang　it！　you　are　always　at　your　books。　　A　fellow

in　my　position；　then；　does　very　well　whatever　he　does。

That's　about　what　I　mean　to　say。〃



〃Well；　if　your　own　people　are　content　with　you；〃

said　Bessie　Alden；　laughing；　〃it　is　not　for　me　to　complain。

But　I　shall　always　think　that；　properly；　you　should　have　been

a　great　minda　great　character。〃



〃Ah；　that's　very　theoretic；〃　Lord　Lambeth　declared。

〃Depend　upon　it；　that's　a　Yankee　prejudice。〃



〃Happy　the　country；〃　said　Bessie　Alden；　〃where　even　people's

prejudices　are　so　elevated！〃



〃Well；　after　all；〃　observed　Lord　Lambeth；　〃I　don't　know　that　I　am

such　a　fool　as　you　are　trying　to　make　me　out。〃



〃I　said　nothing　so　rude　as　that；　but　I　must　repeat　that

you　are　disappointing。〃



〃My　dear　Miss　Alden；〃　exclaimed　the　young　man；　〃I　am　the　best

fellow　in　the　world！〃



〃Ah；　if　it　were　not　for　that！〃　said　Bessie　Alden　with　a　smile。



Mrs。　Westgate　had　a　good　many　more　friends　in　London　than

she　pretended；　and　before　long　she　had　renewed　acquaintance

with　most　of　them。　　Their　hospitality　was　extreme；　so　that；

one　thing　leading　to　another；　she　began；　as　the　phrase　is；　to　go　out。

Bessie　Alden；　in　this　way；　saw　something　of　what　she　found

it　a　great　satisfaction　to　call　to　herself　English　society。

She　went　to　balls　and　danced；　she　went　to　dinners　and　talked；

she　went　to　concerts　and　listened　（at　concerts　Bessie

always　listened）；　she　went　to　exhibitions　and　wondered。

Her　enjoyment　was　keen　and　her　curiosity　insatiable；　and；

grateful　in　general　for　all　her　opportunities；　she　especially

prized　the　privilege　of　meeting　certain　celebrated　persons

authors　and　artists；　philosophers　and　statesmenof　whose

renown　she　h