an international episode-第5章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



where　the　flies　were　superabundant；　and　the　tables　and　dishes　covered

over　with　a　strange；　voluminous　integument　of　coarse　blue　gauze；

and　where　several　little　boys　and　girls；　who　had　risen　late；

were　seated　in　fastidious　solitude　at　the　morning　repast。

These　young　persons　had　not　the　morning　paper　before　them；

but　they　were　engaged　in　languid　perusal　of　the　bill　of　fare。



This　latter　document　was　a　great　puzzle　to　our　friends；　who；　on　reflecting

that　its　bewildering　categories　had　relation　to　breakfast　alone；

had　an　uneasy　prevision　of　an　encyclopedic　dinner　list。

They　found　a　great　deal　of　entertainment　at　the　hotel；　an　enormous

wooden　structure；　for　the　erection　of　which　it　seemed　to　them　that

the　virgin　forests　of　the　West　must　have　been　terribly　deflowered。

It　was　perforated　from　end　to　end　with　immense　bare　corridors；

through　which　a　strong　draught　was　blowingbearing　along

wonderful　figures　of　ladies　in　white　morning　dresses　and　clouds

of　Valenciennes　lace；　who　seemed　to　float　down　the　long　vistas

with　expanded　furbelows；　like　angels　spreading　their　wings。

In　front　was　a　gigantic　veranda；　upon　which　an　army　might　have　encamped

a　vast　wooden　terrace；　with　a　roof　as　lofty　as　the　nave　of　a　cathedral。

Here　our　young　Englishmen　enjoyed；　as　they　supposed；　a　glimpse

of　American　society；　which　was　distributed　over　the　measureless

expanse　in　a　variety　of　sedentary　attitudes；　and　appeared　to　consist

largely　of　pretty　young　girls；　dressed　as　if　for　a　fete　champetre；

swaying　to　and　fro　in　rocking　chairs；　fanning　themselves　with　large

straw　fans；　and　enjoying　an　enviable　exemption　from　social　cares。

Lord　Lambeth　had　a　theory；　which　it　might　be　interesting　to　trace

to　its　origin；　that　it　would　be　not　only　agreeable；　but　easily　possible；

to　enter　into　relations　with　one　of　these　young　ladies；　and　his　companion

（as　he　had　done　a　couple　of　days　before）　found　occasion　to　check

the　young　nobleman's　colloquial　impulses。



〃You　had　better　take　care；〃　said　Percy　Beaumont；　〃or　you　will　have　an　offended

father　or　brother　pulling　out　a　bowie　knife。〃



〃I　assure　you　it　is　all　right；〃　Lord　Lambeth　replied。　　〃You　know

the　Americans　come　to　these　big　hotels　to　make　acquaintances。〃



〃I　know　nothing　about　it；　and　neither　do　you；〃　said　his　kinsman；　who；　like　a

clever　man；　had　begun　to　perceive　that　the　observation　of　American　society

demanded　a　readjustment　of　one's　standard。



〃Hang　it；　then　let's　find　out！〃　cried　Lord　Lambeth　with　some　impatience。

〃You　know　I　don't　want　to　miss　anything。〃



〃We　will　find　out；〃　said　Percy　Beaumont　very　reasonably。

〃We　will　go　and　see　Mrs。　Westgate　and　make　all　proper　inquiries。〃



And　so　the　two　inquiring　Englishmen；　who　had　this　lady's

address　inscribed　in　her　husband's　hand　upon　a　card；

descended　from　the　veranda　of　the　big　hotel　and　took　their　way；

according　to　direction；　along　a　large　straight　road；　past　a

series　of　fresh…looking　villas　embosomed　in　shrubs　and　flowers

and　enclosed　in　an　ingenious　variety　of　wooden　palings。

The　morning　was　brilliant　and　cool；　the　villas　were　smart　and　snug；

and　the　walk　of　the　young　travelers　was　very　entertaining。

Everything　looked　as　if　it　had　received　a　coat　of　fresh　paint

the　day　beforethe　red　roofs；　the　green　shutters；　the　clean；

bright　browns　and　buffs　of　the　housefronts。　　The　flower　beds

on　the　little　lawns　seemed　to　sparkle　in　the　radiant　air；

and　the　gravel　in　the　short　carriage　sweeps　to　flash　and　twinkle。

Along　the　road　came　a　hundred　little　basket　phaetons；　in　which；

almost　always；　a　couple　of　ladies　were　sittingladies　in　white

dresses　and　long　white　gloves；　holding　the　reins　and　looking

at　the　two　Englishmen；　whose　nationality　was　not　elusive；

through　thick　blue　veils　tied　tightly　about　their　faces　as　if

to　guard　their　complexions。　　At　last　the　young　men　came　within

sight　of　the　sea　again；　and　then；　having　interrogated　a　gardener

over　the　paling　of　a　villa；　they　turned　into　an　open　gate。

Here　they　found　themselves　face　to　face　with　the　ocean　and　with

a　very　picturesque　structure；　resembling　a　magnified　chalet；

which　was　perched　upon　a　green　embankment　just　above　it。

The　house　had　a　veranda　of　extraordinary　width　all　around　it

and　a　great　many　doors　and　windows　standing　open　to　the　veranda。

These　various　apertures　had；　in　common；　such　an　accessible；

hospitable　air；　such　a　breezy　flutter　within　of　light　curtains；

such　expansive　thresholds　and　reassuring　interiors；　that　our　friends

hardly　knew　which　was　the　regular　entrance；　and；　after　hesitating

a　moment；　presented　themselves　at　one　of　the　windows。

The　room　within　was　dark；　but　in　a　moment　a　graceful　figure

vaguely　shaped　itself　in　the　rich…looking　gloom；　and　a　lady

came　to　meet　them。　　Then　they　saw　that　she　had　been　seated　at

a　table　writing；　and　that　she　had　heard　them　and　had　got　up。

She　stepped　out　into　the　light；　she　wore　a　frank；　charming　smile；

with　which　she　held　out　her　hand　to　Percy　Beaumont。



〃Oh；　you　must　be　Lord　Lambeth　and　Mr。　Beaumont；〃　she　said。

〃I　have　heard　from　my　husband　that　you　would　come。　　I　am　extremely

glad　to　see　you。〃　　And　she　shook　hands　with　each　of　her　visitors。

Her　visitors　were　a　little　shy；　but　they　had　very　good　manners；

they　responded　with　smiles　and　exclamations；　and　they　apologized

for　not　knowing　the　front　door。　　The　lady　rejoined；　with　vivacity；

that　when　she　wanted　to　see　people　very　much　she　did　not　insist

upon　those　distinctions；　and　that　Mr。　Westgate　had　written　to　her

of　his　English　friends　in　terms　that　made　her　really　anxious。

〃He　said　you　were　so　terribly　prostrated；〃　said　Mrs。　Westgate。



〃Oh；　you　mean　by　the　heat？〃　replied　Percy　Beaumont。

〃We　were　rather　knocked　up；　but　we　feel　wonderfully　better。

We　had　such　a　jollya　voyage　down　here。　　It's　so　very　good

of　you　to　mind。〃



〃Yes；　it's　so　very　kind　of　you；〃　murmured　Lord　Lambeth。



Mrs。　Westgate　stood　smiling；　she　was　extremely　pretty。　　〃Well；　I　did　mind；〃

she　said；　〃and　I　thought　of　sending　for　you　this　morning　to　the　Ocean　House。

I　am　very　glad　you　are　better；　and　I　am　charmed　you　have　arrived。

You　must　come　round　to　the　other　side　of　the　piazza。〃　　And　she　led　the　way；

with　a　light；　smooth　step；　looking　back　at　the　young　men　and　smiling。



The　other　side　of　the　piazza　was；　as　Lord　Lambeth　presently　remarked；

a　very　jolly　place。　　It　was　of　the　most　liberal　proportions；

and　with　its　awnings；　its　fanciful　chairs；　its　cushions　and　rugs；

its　view　of　the　ocean；　close　at　hand；　tumbling　along　the　base　of　the　low

cliffs　whose　level　tops　intervened　in　lawnlike　smoothness；　it　formed

a　charming　complement　to　the　drawing　room。　　As　such　it　was　in　course

of　use　at　the　present　moment；　it　was　occupied　by　a　social　circle。

There　were　several　ladies　and　two　or　three　gentlemen；　to　whom

Mrs。　Westgate　proceeded　to　introduce　the　distinguished　strangers。

She　mentioned　a　great　many　names　very　freely　and　distinctly；

the　young　Englishmen；　shuffling　about　and　bowing；　were　rather　bewildered。

But　at　last　they　were　provided　with　chairslow；　wicker　chairs；

gilded；　and　tied　with　a　great　many　ribbonsand　one　of　the　ladies

（a　very　young　person；　with　a　little　snub　nose　and　several　dimples）

offered　Percy　Beaumont　a　fan。　　The　fan　was　also　adorned　with　pink

love　knots；　but　Percy　Beaumont　declined　it；　although　he　was　very　hot。

Presently；　however；　it　became　cooler；　the　breeze　from　the　sea

was　delicious；　the　view　was　charming；　and　the　people　sitting　there

looked　exceedingly　fresh　and　comfortable。　　Several　of　the　ladies

seemed　to　be　young　girls；　and　the　gentlemen　were　slim；　fair　youths；

such　as　our　friends　had　seen　the　day　before　in　New　York。

The　ladies　were　working　upon　bands　of　tapestry；　and　one　of　the　young

men　had　an　open　book　in　his　lap。　　Beaumont　afterward　learned

from　one　of　the　ladies　that　this　young　man　had　been　reading　aloud；

that　he　was　from　Boston　and　was　very　fond　of　reading　aloud。

Beaumont　said　it　was　a　great　pity　that　they　had　interrupted　him；

he　should　like　so　much　（