daisy miller-第5章

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smiling　and　curling　his　mustache。



〃You　are　guilty　too；　then！〃



Winterbourne　continued　to　curl　his　mustache　meditatively。

〃You　won't　let　the　poor　girl　know　you　then？〃　he　asked　at　last。



〃Is　it　literally　true　that　she　is　going　to　the　Chateau　de　Chillon　with　you？〃



〃I　think　that　she　fully　intends　it。〃



〃Then；　my　dear　Frederick；〃　said　Mrs。　Costello；　〃I　must　decline　the　honor

of　her　acquaintance。　　I　am　an　old　woman；　but　I　am　not　too　old；　thank　Heaven；

to　be　shocked！〃



〃But　don't　they　all　do　these　thingsthe　young　girls　in　America？〃

Winterbourne　inquired。



Mrs。　Costello　stared　a　moment。　　〃I　should　like　to　see　my　granddaughters

do　them！〃　she　declared　grimly。



This　seemed　to　throw　some　light　upon　the　matter；　for　Winterbourne　remembered

to　have　heard　that　his　pretty　cousins　in　New　York　were　〃tremendous　flirts。〃

If；　therefore；　Miss　Daisy　Miller　exceeded　the　liberal　margin　allowed　to

these　young　ladies；　it　was　probable　that　anything　might　be　expected　of　her。

Winterbourne　was　impatient　to　see　her　again；　and　he　was　vexed　with　himself

that；　by　instinct；　he　should　not　appreciate　her　justly。



Though　he　was　impatient　to　see　her；　he　hardly　knew　what　he　should

say　to　her　about　his　aunt's　refusal　to　become　acquainted　with　her；

but　he　discovered；　promptly　enough；　that　with　Miss　Daisy　Miller　there

was　no　great　need　of　walking　on　tiptoe。　　He　found　her　that　evening　in

the　garden；　wandering　about　in　the　warm　starlight　like　an　indolent　sylph；

and　swinging　to　and　fro　the　largest　fan　he　had　ever　beheld。

It　was　ten　o'clock。　He　had　dined　with　his　aunt；　had　been　sitting　with

her　since　dinner；　and　had　just　taken　leave　of　her　till　the　morrow。

Miss　Daisy　Miller　seemed　very　glad　to　see　him；　she　declared　it

was　the　longest　evening　she　had　ever　passed。



〃Have　you　been　all　alone？〃　he　asked。



〃I　have　been　walking　round　with　mother。　　But　mother　gets　tired

walking　round；〃　she　answered。



〃Has　she　gone　to　bed？〃



〃No；　she　doesn't　like　to　go　to　bed；〃　said　the　young　girl。

〃She　doesn't　sleepnot　three　hours。　　She　says　she

doesn't　know　how　she　lives。　　She's　dreadfully　nervous。

I　guess　she　sleeps　more　than　she　thinks。　　She's　gone　somewhere

after　Randolph；　she　wants　to　try　to　get　him　to　go　to　bed。

He　doesn't　like　to　go　to　bed。〃



〃Let　us　hope　she　will　persuade　him；〃　observed　Winterbourne。



〃She　will　talk　to　him　all　she　can；　but　he　doesn't　like　her　to　talk

to　him；〃　said　Miss　Daisy；　opening　her　fan。　　〃She's　going　to　try

to　get　Eugenio　to　talk　to　him。　　But　he　isn't　afraid　of　Eugenio。

Eugenio's　a　splendid　courier；　but　he　can't　make　much　impression

on　Randolph！　　I　don't　believe　he'll　go　to　bed　before　eleven。〃

It　appeared　that　Randolph's　vigil　was　in　fact　triumphantly　prolonged；

for　Winterbourne　strolled　about　with　the　young　girl　for　some

time　without　meeting　her　mother。　　〃I　have　been　looking　round

for　that　lady　you　want　to　introduce　me　to；〃　his　companion　resumed。

〃She's　your　aunt。〃　　Then；　on　Winterbourne's　admitting　the　fact

and　expressing　some　curiosity　as　to　how　she　had　learned　it；

she　said　she　had　heard　all　about　Mrs。　Costello　from　the　chambermaid。

She　was　very　quiet　and　very　comme　il　faut；　she　wore　white　puffs；

she　spoke　to　no　one；　and　she　never　dined　at　the　table　d'hote。

Every　two　days　she　had　a　headache。　　〃I　think　that's　a　lovely

description；　headache　and　all！〃　said　Miss　Daisy；　chattering　along

in　her　thin；　gay　voice。　　〃I　want　to　know　her　ever　so　much。

I　know　just　what　YOUR　aunt　would　be；　I　know　I　should　like　her。

She　would　be　very　exclusive。　　I　like　a　lady　to　be　exclusive；

I'm　dying　to　be　exclusive　myself。　　Well；　we　ARE　exclusive；

mother　and　I。　We　don't　speak　to　everyoneor　they　don't　speak　to　us。

I　suppose　it's　about　the　same　thing。　　Anyway；　I　shall　be　ever

so　glad　to　know　your　aunt。〃



Winterbourne　was　embarrassed。　　〃She　would　be　most　happy；〃　he　said；

〃but　I　am　afraid　those　headaches　will　interfere。〃



The　young　girl　looked　at　him　through　the　dusk。

〃But　I　suppose　she　doesn't　have　a　headache　every　day；〃

she　said　sympathetically。



Winterbourne　was　silent　a　moment。　　〃She　tells　me　she　does；〃

he　answered　at　last；　not　knowing　what　to　say。



Miss　Daisy　Miller　stopped　and　stood　looking　at　him。　　Her　prettiness

was　still　visible　in　the　darkness；　she　was　opening　and　closing　her

enormous　fan。　　〃She　doesn't　want　to　know　me！〃　she　said　suddenly。

〃Why　don't　you　say　so？　　You　needn't　be　afraid。　　I'm　not　afraid！〃

And　she　gave　a　little　laugh。



Winterbourne　fancied　there　was　a　tremor　in　her　voice；　he　was　touched；　shocked；

mortified　by　it。　　〃My　dear　young　lady；〃　he　protested；　〃she　knows　no　one。

It's　her　wretched　health。〃



The　young　girl　walked　on　a　few　steps；　laughing　still。

〃You　needn't　be　afraid；〃　she　repeated。　　〃Why　should　she　want

to　know　me？〃　　Then　she　paused　again；　she　was　close　to　the　parapet

of　the　garden；　and　in　front　of　her　was　the　starlit　lake。

There　was　a　vague　sheen　upon　its　surface；　and　in　the　distance

were　dimly　seen　mountain　forms。　　Daisy　Miller　looked　out　upon

the　mysterious　prospect　and　then　she　gave　another　little　laugh。

〃Gracious！　she　IS　exclusive！〃　she　said。　　Winterbourne　wondered

whether　she　was　seriously　wounded；　and　for　a　moment　almost

wished　that　her　sense　of　injury　might　be　such　as　to　make　it

becoming　in　him　to　attempt　to　reassure　and　comfort　her。

He　had　a　pleasant　sense　that　she　would　be　very　approachable

for　consolatory　purposes。　　He　felt　then；　for　the　instant；

quite　ready　to　sacrifice　his　aunt；　conversationally；　to　admit

that　she　was　a　proud；　rude　woman；　and　to　declare　that　they　needn't

mind　her。　　But　before　he　had　time　to　commit　himself　to　this

perilous　mixture　of　gallantry　and　impiety；　the　young　lady；

resuming　her　walk；　gave　an　exclamation　in　quite　another　tone。

〃Well；　here's　Mother！　　I　guess　she　hasn't　got　Randolph　to　go　to　bed。〃

The　figure　of　a　lady　appeared　at　a　distance；　very　indistinct

in　the　darkness；　and　advancing　with　a　slow　and　wavering　movement。

Suddenly　it　seemed　to　pause。



〃Are　you　sure　it　is　your　mother？　　Can　you　distinguish　her　in　this

thick　dusk？〃　　Winterbourne　asked。



〃Well！〃　cried　Miss　Daisy　Miller　with　a　laugh；　〃I　guess　I　know　my　own　mother。

And　when　she　has　got　on　my　shawl；　too！　　She　is　always　wearing　my　things。〃



The　lady　in　question；　ceasing　to　advance；　hovered　vaguely　about　the　spot

at　which　she　had　checked　her　steps。



〃I　am　afraid　your　mother　doesn't　see　you；〃　said　Winterbourne。

〃Or　perhaps；〃　he　added；　thinking；　with　Miss　Miller；　the　joke

permissible〃perhaps　she　feels　guilty　about　your　shawl。〃



〃Oh；　it's　a　fearful　old　thing！〃　the　young　girl　replied　serenely。

〃I　told　her　she　could　wear　it。　　She　won't　come　here　because　she　sees　you。〃



〃Ah；　then；〃　said　Winterbourne；　〃I　had　better　leave　you。〃



〃Oh；　no；　come　on！〃　urged　Miss　Daisy　Miller。



〃I'm　afraid　your　mother　doesn't　approve　of　my　walking　with　you。〃



Miss　Miller　gave　him　a　serious　glance。　　〃It　isn't　for　me；

it's　for　youthat　is；　it's　for　HER。　Well；　I　don't　know　who

it's　for！　　But　mother　doesn't　like　any　of　my　gentlemen　friends。

She's　right　down　timid。　　She　always　makes　a　fuss　if　I　introduce

a　gentleman。　　But　I　DO　introduce　themalmost　always。

If　I　didn't　introduce　my　gentlemen　friends　to　Mother；〃

the　young　girl　added　in　her　little　soft；　flat　monotone；

〃I　shouldn't　think　I　was　natural。〃



〃To　introduce　me；〃　said　Winterbourne；　〃you　must　know　my　name。〃

And　he　proceeded　to　pronounce　it。



〃Oh；　dear；　I　can't　say　all　that！〃　said　his　companion　with　a　laugh。

But　by　this　time　they　had　come　up　to　Mrs。　Miller；　who；　as　they

drew　near；　walked　to　the　parapet　of　the　garden　and　leaned　upon　it；

looking　intently　at　the　lake　and　turning　her　back　to　them。

〃Mother！〃　said　the　young　girl　in　a　tone　of　decision。

Upon　this　the　elder　lady　turned　round。　　〃Mr。　Winterbourne；〃　said　Miss

Daisy　Miller；　introducing　the　young　man　very　frankly　and　prettily。

〃Common；〃　she　was；　as　Mrs。　Costello　had　pronounced　her；

yet　it　was　a　wonder　to　Winterbourne　that；　with　he