daisy miller-第12章

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Garden　that　overhangs　the　wall　of　Rome　and　overlooks

the　beautiful　Villa　Borghese。　　It　is　bordered　by　a

large　parapet；　near　which　there　are　several　seats。

One　of　the　seats　at　a　distance　was　occupied　by　a　gentleman

and　a　lady；　toward　whom　Mrs。　Walker　gave　a　toss　of　her　head。

At　the　same　moment　these　persons　rose　and　walked　toward

the　parapet。　　Winterbourne　had　asked　the　coachman　to　stop；

he　now　descended　from　the　carriage。　　His　companion　looked

at　him　a　moment　in　silence；　then；　while　he　raised　his　hat；

she　drove　majestically　away。　　Winterbourne　stood　there；

he　had　turned　his　eyes　toward　Daisy　and　her　cavalier。

They　evidently　saw　no　one；　they　were　too　deeply　occupied

with　each　other。　　When　they　reached　the　low　garden　wall；

they　stood　a　moment　looking　off　at　the　great　flat…topped

pine　clusters　of　the　Villa　Borghese；　then　Giovanelli

seated　himself；　familiarly；　upon　the　broad　ledge　of　the　wall。

The　western　sun　in　the　opposite　sky　sent　out　a　brilliant

shaft　through　a　couple　of　cloud　bars；　whereupon　Daisy's

companion　took　her　parasol　out　of　her　hands　and　opened　it。

She　came　a　little　nearer；　and　he　held　the　parasol　over　her；

then；　still　holding　it；　he　let　it　rest　upon　her　shoulder；

so　that　both　of　their　heads　were　hidden　from　Winterbourne。

This　young　man　lingered　a　moment；　then　he　began　to　walk。

But　he　walkednot　toward　the　couple　with　the　parasol；

toward　the　residence　of　his　aunt；　Mrs。　Costello。



He　flattered　himself　on　the　following　day　that　there　was　no　smiling

among　the　servants　when　he；　at　least；　asked　for　Mrs。　Miller　at

her　hotel。　　This　lady　and　her　daughter；　however；　were　not　at　home；

and　on　the　next　day　after；　repeating　his　visit；　Winterbourne　again

had　the　misfortune　not　to　find　them。　　Mrs。　Walker's　party　took　place

on　the　evening　of　the　third　day；　and；　in　spite　of　the　frigidity　of　his

last　interview　with　the　hostess；　Winterbourne　was　among　the　guests。

Mrs。　Walker　was　one　of　those　American　ladies　who；　while　residing　abroad；

make　a　point；　in　their　own　phrase；　of　studying　European　society；

and　she　had　on　this　occasion　collected　several　specimens　of　her

diversely　born　fellow　mortals　to　serve；　as　it　were；　as　textbooks。

When　Winterbourne　arrived；　Daisy　Miller　was　not　there；　but　in　a　few

moments　he　saw　her　mother　come　in　alone；　very　shyly　and　ruefully。

Mrs。　Miller's　hair　above　her　exposed…looking　temples　was　more　frizzled

than　ever。　　As　she　approached　Mrs。　Walker；　Winterbourne　also　drew　near。



〃You　see；　I've　come　all　alone；〃　said　poor　Mrs。　Miller。

〃I'm　so　frightened；　I　don't　know　what　to　do。　　It's　the　first　time

I've　ever　been　to　a　party　alone；　especially　in　this　country。

I　wanted　to　bring　Randolph　or　Eugenio；　or　someone；　but　Daisy　just

pushed　me　off　by　myself。　　I　ain't　used　to　going　round　alone。〃



〃And　does　not　your　daughter　intend　to　favor　us　with　her　society？〃

demanded　Mrs。　Walker　impressively。



〃Well；　Daisy's　all　dressed；〃　said　Mrs。　Miller　with　that　accent　of

the　dispassionate；　if　not　of　the　philosophic；　historian　with　which　she

always　recorded　the　current　incidents　of　her　daughter's　career。

〃She　got　dressed　on　purpose　before　dinner。　　But　she's　got　a　friend

of　hers　there；　that　gentlemanthe　Italianthat　she　wanted　to　bring。

They've　got　going　at　the　piano；　it　seems　as　if　they　couldn't　leave　off。

Mr。　Giovanelli　sings　splendidly。　　But　I　guess　they'll　come　before　very　long；〃

concluded　Mrs。　Miller　hopefully。



〃I'm　sorry　she　should　come　in　that　way；〃　said　Mrs。　Walker。



〃Well；　I　told　her　that　there　was　no　use　in　her　getting　dressed　before

dinner　if　she　was　going　to　wait　three　hours；〃　responded　Daisy's　mamma。

〃I　didn't　see　the　use　of　her　putting　on　such　a　dress　as　that　to　sit

round　with　Mr。　Giovanelli。〃



〃This　is　most　horrible！〃　said　Mrs。　Walker；　turning　away　and

addressing　herself　to　Winterbourne。　　〃Elle　s'affiche。　It's

her　revenge　for　my　having　ventured　to　remonstrate　with　her。

When　she　comes；　I　shall　not　speak　to　her。〃



Daisy　came　after　eleven　o'clock；　but　she　was　not；

on　such　an　occasion；　a　young　lady　to　wait　to　be　spoken　to。

She　rustled　forward　in　radiant　loveliness；　smiling　and　chattering；

carrying　a　large　bouquet；　and　attended　by　Mr。　Giovanelli。

Everyone　stopped　talking　and　turned　and　looked　at　her。

She　came　straight　to　Mrs。　Walker。　　〃I'm　afraid　you　thought

I　never　was　coming；　so　I　sent　mother　off　to　tell　you。

I　wanted　to　make　Mr。　Giovanelli　practice　some　things　before　he　came；

you　know　he　sings　beautifully；　and　I　want　you　to　ask　him　to　sing。

This　is　Mr。　Giovanelli；　you　know　I　introduced　him　to　you；

he's　got　the　most　lovely　voice；　and　he　knows　the　most　charming

set　of　songs。　　I　made　him　go　over　them　this　evening　on　purpose；

we　had　the　greatest　time　at　the　hotel。〃　　Of　all　this　Daisy　delivered

herself　with　the　sweetest；　brightest　audibleness；　looking　now

at　her　hostess　and　now　round　the　room；　while　she　gave　a　series

of　little　pats；　round　her　shoulders；　to　the　edges　of　her　dress。

〃Is　there　anyone　I　know？〃　she　asked。



〃I　think　every　one　knows　you！〃　said　Mrs。　Walker　pregnantly；　and　she

gave　a　very　cursory　greeting　to　Mr。　Giovanelli。　　This　gentleman　bore

himself　gallantly。　　He　smiled　and　bowed　and　showed　his　white　teeth；

he　curled　his　mustaches　and　rolled　his　eyes　and　performed　all

the　proper　functions　of　a　handsome　Italian　at　an　evening　party。

He　sang　very　prettily　half　a　dozen　songs；　though　Mrs。　Walker　afterward

declared　that　she　had　been　quite　unable　to　find　out　who　asked　him。

It　was　apparently　not　Daisy　who　had　given　him　his　orders。

Daisy　sat　at　a　distance　from　the　piano；　and　though　she　had　publicly；

as　it　were；　professed　a　high　admiration　for　his　singing；　talked；

not　inaudibly；　while　it　was　going　on。



〃It's　a　pity　these　rooms　are　so　small；　we　can't　dance；〃　she　said

to　Winterbourne；　as　if　she　had　seen　him　five　minutes　before。



〃I　am　not　sorry　we　can't　dance；〃　Winterbourne　answered；

〃I　don't　dance。〃



〃Of　course　you　don't　dance；　you're　too　stiff；〃　said　Miss　Daisy。

〃I　hope　you　enjoyed　your　drive　with　Mrs。　Walker！〃



〃No。　I　didn't　enjoy　it；　I　preferred　walking　with　you。〃



〃We　paired　off：　　that　was　much　better；〃　said　Daisy。

〃But　did　you　ever　hear　anything　so　cool　as　Mrs。　Walker's

wanting　me　to　get　into　her　carriage　and　drop　poor

Mr。　Giovanelli；　and　under　the　pretext　that　it　was　proper？

People　have　different　ideas！　　It　would　have　been　most　unkind；

he　had　been　talking　about　that　walk　for　ten　days。〃



〃He　should　not　have　talked　about　it　at　all；〃　said　Winterbourne；

〃he　would　never　have　proposed　to　a　young　lady　of　this　country

to　walk　about　the　streets　with　him。〃



〃About　the　streets？〃　cried　Daisy　with　her　pretty　stare。

〃Where；　then；　would　he　have　proposed　to　her　to　walk？

The　Pincio　is　not　the　streets；　either；　and　I；　thank　goodness；

am　not　a　young　lady　of　this　country。　　The　young　ladies　of　this

country　have　a　dreadfully　poky　time　of　it；　so　far　as　I　can　learn；

I　don't　see　why　I　should　change　my　habits　for　THEM。〃



〃I　am　afraid　your　habits　are　those　of　a　flirt；〃　said　Winterbourne　gravely。



〃Of　course　they　are；〃　she　cried；　giving　him　her　little　smiling　stare　again。

〃I'm　a　fearful；　frightful　flirt！　　Did　you　ever　hear　of　a　nice　girl　that

was　not？　　But　I　suppose　you　will　tell　me　now　that　I　am　not　a　nice　girl。〃



〃You're　a　very　nice　girl；　but　I　wish　you　would　flirt　with　me；

and　me　only；〃　said　Winterbourne。



〃Ah！　thank　youthank　you　very　much；　you　are　the　last　man　I　should

think　of　flirting　with。　　As　I　have　had　the　pleasure　of　informing　you；

you　are　too　stiff。〃



〃You　say　that　too　often；〃　said　Winterbourne。



Daisy　gave　a　delighted　laugh。　　〃If　I　could　have　the　sweet　hope　of　making

you　angry；　I　should　say　it　again。〃



〃Don't　do　that；　when　I　am　angry　I'm　stiffer　than　ever。

But　if　you　won't　flirt　with　me；　do　cease；　at　least；　to　flirt

with　your　friend　at　the　piano；　they　don't　understand　that　sort

of　thing　here。〃



〃I　thought　they　understood　nothing　else！〃　exclaimed　Daisy。



〃Not　in　young　unmarried　women。〃