daisy miller-第2章

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which　overlooked　the　lake。　　The　little　boy　had　now　converted　his　alpenstock

into　a　vaulting　pole；　by　the　aid　of　which　he　was　springing　about　in　the　gravel

and　kicking　it　up　not　a　little。



〃Randolph；〃　said　the　young　lady；　〃what　ARE　you　doing？〃



〃I'm　going　up　the　Alps；〃　replied　Randolph。　　〃This　is　the　way！〃

And　he　gave　another　little　jump；　scattering　the　pebbles

about　Winterbourne's　ears。



〃That's　the　way　they　come　down；〃　said　Winterbourne。



〃He's　an　American　man！〃　cried　Randolph；　in　his　little　hard　voice。



The　young　lady　gave　no　heed　to　this　announcement；　but　looked

straight　at　her　brother。　　〃Well；　I　guess　you　had　better　be　quiet；〃

she　simply　observed。



It　seemed　to　Winterbourne　that　he　had　been　in　a　manner　presented。　　He　got

up　and　stepped　slowly　toward　the　young　girl；　throwing　away　his　cigarette。

〃This　little　boy　and　I　have　made　acquaintance；〃　he　said；　with　great　civility。

In　Geneva；　as　he　had　been　perfectly　aware；　a　young　man　was　not　at　liberty

to　speak　to　a　young　unmarried　lady　except　under　certain　rarely　occurring

conditions；　but　here　at　Vevey；　what　conditions　could　be　better　than　these？

a　pretty　American　girl　coming　and　standing　in　front　of　you　in　a　garden。

This　pretty　American　girl；　however；　on　hearing　Winterbourne's　observation；

simply　glanced　at　him；　she　then　turned　her　head　and　looked　over　the　parapet；

at　the　lake　and　the　opposite　mountains。　　He　wondered　whether　he　had　gone

too　far；　but　he　decided　that　he　must　advance　farther；　rather　than　retreat。

While　he　was　thinking　of　something　else　to　say；　the　young　lady　turned

to　the　little　boy　again。



〃I　should　like　to　know　where　you　got　that　pole；〃　she　said。



〃I　bought　it；〃　responded　Randolph。



〃You　don't　mean　to　say　you're　going　to　take　it　to　Italy？〃



〃Yes；　I　am　going　to　take　it　to　Italy；〃　the　child　declared。



The　young　girl　glanced　over　the　front　of　her　dress　and　smoothed　out　a　knot

or　two　of　ribbon。　　Then　she　rested　her　eyes　upon　the　prospect　again。

〃Well；　I　guess　you　had　better　leave　it　somewhere；〃　she　said　after　a　moment。



〃Are　you　going　to　Italy？〃　　Winterbourne　inquired　in　a　tone

of　great　respect。



The　young　lady　glanced　at　him　again。　　〃Yes；　sir；〃　she　replied。

And　she　said　nothing　more。



〃Are　youa　going　over　the　Simplon？〃　　Winterbourne　pursued；

a　little　embarrassed。



〃I　don't　know；〃　she　said。　　〃I　suppose　it's　some　mountain。

Randolph；　what　mountain　are　we　going　over？〃



〃Going　where？〃　the　child　demanded。



〃To　Italy；〃　Winterbourne　explained。



〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Randolph。　　〃I　don't　want　to　go　to　Italy。

I　want　to　go　to　America。〃



〃Oh；　Italy　is　a　beautiful　place！〃　rejoined　the　young　man。



〃Can　you　get　candy　there？〃　　Randolph　loudly　inquired。



〃I　hope　not；〃　said　his　sister。　　〃I　guess　you　have　had　enough　candy；

and　mother　thinks　so　too。〃



〃I　haven't　had　any　for　ever　so　longfor　a　hundred　weeks！〃

cried　the　boy；　still　jumping　about。



The　young　lady　inspected　her　flounces　and　smoothed　her　ribbons　again；

and　Winterbourne　presently　risked　an　observation　upon　the　beauty

of　the　view。　　He　was　ceasing　to　be　embarrassed；　for　he　had　begun

to　perceive　that　she　was　not　in　the　least　embarrassed　herself。

There　had　not　been　the　slightest　alteration　in　her　charming　complexion；

she　was　evidently　neither　offended　nor　flattered。

If　she　looked　another　way　when　he　spoke　to　her；　and　seemed　not

particularly　to　hear　him；　this　was　simply　her　habit；　her　manner。

Yet；　as　he　talked　a　little　more　and　pointed　out　some　of　the　objects

of　interest　in　the　view；　with　which　she　appeared　quite　unacquainted；

she　gradually　gave　him　more　of　the　benefit　of　her　glance；　and　then

he　saw　that　this　glance　was　perfectly　direct　and　unshrinking。

It　was　not；　however；　what　would　have　been　called　an　immodest　glance；

for　the　young　girl's　eyes　were　singularly　honest　and　fresh。

They　were　wonderfully　pretty　eyes；　and；　indeed；　Winterbourne　had　not

seen　for　a　long　time　anything　prettier　than　his　fair　countrywoman's

various　featuresher　complexion；　her　nose；　her　ears；　her　teeth。

He　had　a　great　relish　for　feminine　beauty；　he　was　addicted　to

observing　and　analyzing　it；　and　as　regards　this　young　lady's　face

he　made　several　observations。　　It　was　not　at　all　insipid；　but　it

was　not　exactly　expressive；　and　though　it　was　eminently　delicate；

Winterbourne　mentally　accused　itvery　forgivinglyof　a　want　of　finish。

He　thought　it　very　possible　that　Master　Randolph's　sister　was　a　coquette；

he　was　sure　she　had　a　spirit　of　her　own；　but　in　her　bright；

sweet；　superficial　little　visage　there　was　no　mockery；　no　irony。

Before　long　it　became　obvious　that　she　was　much　disposed

toward　conversation。　　She　told　him　that　they　were　going　to　Rome

for　the　wintershe　and　her　mother　and　Randolph。　　She　asked　him

if　he　was　a　〃real　American〃；　she　shouldn't　have　taken　him　for　one；

he　seemed　more　like　a　Germanthis　was　said　after　a　little　hesitation

especially　when　he　spoke。　　Winterbourne；　laughing；　answered　that

he　had　met　Germans　who　spoke　like　Americans；　but　that　he　had　not；

so　far　as　he　remembered；　met　an　American　who　spoke　like　a　German。

Then　he　asked　her　if　she　should　not　be　more　comfortable　in　sitting

upon　the　bench　which　he　had　just　quitted。　　She　answered　that　she

liked　standing　up　and　walking　about；　but　she　presently　sat　down。

She　told　him　she　was　from　New　York　State〃if　you　know　where　that　is。〃

Winterbourne　learned　more　about　her　by　catching　hold　of　her　small；

slippery　brother　and　making　him　stand　a　few　minutes　by　his　side。



〃Tell　me　your　name；　my　boy；〃　he　said。



〃Randolph　C。　Miller；〃　said　the　boy　sharply。　　〃And　I'll　tell　you　her　name〃；

and　he　leveled　his　alpenstock　at　his　sister。



〃You　had　better　wait　till　you　are　asked！〃　said　this　young　lady　calmly。



〃I　should　like　very　much　to　know　your　name；〃　said　Winterbourne。



〃Her　name　is　Daisy　Miller！〃　cried　the　child。　　〃But　that　isn't　her　real　name；

that　isn't　her　name　on　her　cards。〃



〃It's　a　pity　you　haven't　got　one　of　my　cards！〃　said　Miss　Miller。



〃Her　real　name　is　Annie　P。　Miller；〃　the　boy　went　on。



〃Ask　him　HIS　name；〃　said　his　sister；　indicating　Winterbourne。



But　on　this　point　Randolph　seemed　perfectly　indifferent；

he　continued　to　supply　information　with　regard　to　his　own　family。

〃My　father's　name　is　Ezra　B。　Miller；〃　he　announced。

〃My　father　ain't　in　Europe；　my　father's　in　a　better

place　than　Europe；。〃



Winterbourne　imagined　for　a　moment　that　this　was　the　manner

in　which　the　child　had　been　taught　to　intimate　that　Mr。　Miller

had　been　removed　to　the　sphere　of　celestial　reward。

But　Randolph　immediately　added；　〃My　father's　in　Schenectady。

He's　got　a　big　business。　　My　father's　rich；　you　bet！〃



〃Well！〃　ejaculated　Miss　Miller；　lowering　her　parasol　and　looking

at　the　embroidered　border。　　Winterbourne　presently　released

the　child；　who　departed；　dragging　his　alpenstock　along　the　path。

〃He　doesn't　like　Europe；〃　said　the　young　girl。　　〃He　wants

to　go　back。〃



〃To　Schenectady；　you　mean？〃



〃Yes；　he　wants　to　go　right　home。　　He　hasn't　got　any　boys　here。

There　is　one　boy　here；　but　he　always　goes　round　with　a　teacher；

they　won't　let　him　play。〃



〃And　your　brother　hasn't　any　teacher？〃　　Winterbourne　inquired。



〃Mother　thought　of　getting　him　one；　to　travel　round　with　us。

There　was　a　lady　told　her　of　a　very　good　teacher；

an　American　ladyperhaps　you　know　herMrs。　Sanders。

I　think　she　came　from　Boston。　　She　told　her　of　this　teacher；

and　we　thought　of　getting　him　to　travel　round　with　us。

But　Randolph　said　he　didn't　want　a　teacher　traveling　round　with　us。

He　said　he　wouldn't　have　lessons　when　he　was　in　the　cars。

And　we　ARE　in　the　cars　about　half　the　time。　　There　was　an　English

lady　we　met　in　the　carsI　think　her　name　was　Miss　Featherstone；

perhaps　you　know　her。　　She　wanted　to　know　why　I　didn't　give

Randolph　lessonsgive　him　'instruction；'　she　called　it。

I　guess　he　could　give　me　more　instruction　than　I　could　give　him。

He's　very　smart。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Winterbourn