adventures and letters-第18章

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ng　with　him；　for　a　full　minute；　taken　his　coat　and　firmly　pulled　the　old　gentleman　into　it；　at　which　he　turned　his　head　and　winked。

I　will　go　back　to　town　by　the　first　to　see　the　Derby　and　will　get　into　lodgings　there。　　I　AM　HAVING　A　VERY　GOOD　TIME　AND　AM　VERY　WELL。　　The　place　is　as　beautiful　as　one　expects　and　yet　all　the　time　startling　one　with　its　beauty。

DICK。


When　the　season　at　Oxford　was　over　Richard　returned　to　London　and　took　a　big　sunny　suite　of　rooms　in　the　Albany。　　Here　he　settled　down　to　learn　all　he　could　of　London；　its　ways　and　its　people。　　In　New　York　he　had　already　met　a　number　of　English　men　and　women　distinguished　in　various　walks　of　life；　and　with　these　as　a　nucleus　he　soon　extended　his　circle　of　friends　until　it　became　as　large　as　it　was　varied。　　In　his　youth；　and　indeed　throughout　his　life；　Richard　had　the　greatest　affection　for　England　and　the　English。　　No　truer　American　ever　lived；　but　he　thought　the　United　States　and　Great　Britain　were　bound　by　ties　that　must　endure　always。　　He　admired　British　habits；　their　cosmopolitanism　and　the　very　simplicity　of　their　mode　of　living。　　He　loved　their　country　life；　and　the　swirl　of　London　never　failed　to　thrill　him。　　During　the　last　half　of　his　life　Richard　had　perhaps　as　many　intimate　friends　in　London　as　in　New　York。　　His　fresh　point　of　view；　his　very　eagerness　to　understand　theirs；　made　them　welcome　him　more　as　one　of　their　own　people　than　as　a　stranger。　　　LONDON；　June　3；　1892。　DEAR　FAMILY：

I　went　out　to　the　Derby　on　Wednesday　and　think　it　is　the　most　interesting　thing　I　ever　saw　over　here。　　It　is　SO　like　these　people　never　to　have　seen　it。　　It　seems　to　be　chiefly　composed　of　costermongers　and　Americans。　　I　got　a　box…seat　on　a　public　coach　and　went　out　at　ten。　　We　rode　for　three　hours　in　a　procession　of　donkey　shays；　omnibuses；　coaches；　carriages；　vans；　advertising　wagons；　every　sort　of　conveyance　stretching　for　sixteen　miles；　and　with　people　lining　the　sides　to　look　on。　　I　spent　my　time　when　I　got　there　wandering　around　over　the　grounds；　which　were　like　Barnum's　circus　multiplied　by　thousands。　　It　was　a　beautiful　day　and　quite　the　most　remarkable　sight　of　my　life。　　Much　more　wonderful　than　Johnstown；　so　you　see　it　must　have　impressed　me。　　We　were　five　hours　getting　back；　the　people　singing　all　the　way　and　pelting　one　another　and　saying　funny　impudent　things。

My　rooms　are　something　gorgeous。　　They　are　on　the　first　floor；　looking　into　Piccadilly　from　a　court；　and　they　are　filled　with　Hogarth's　prints；　old　silver；　blue　and　white　china；　Zulu　weapons　and　fur　rugs；　and　easy　chairs　of　India　silk。　　You　never　saw　such　rooms！　　And　a　very　good　servant；　who　cooks　and　valets　me　and　runs　errands　and　takes　such　good　care　of　me　that　last　night　Cust　and　Balfour　called　at　one　to　get　some　supper　and　he　would　not　let　them　in。　　Think　of　having　the　Leader　of　the　House　of　Commons　come　to　ask　you　for　food　and　having　him　sent　away。　　Burdett…Coutts　heard　of　my　being　here　in　the　papers　and　wrote　me　to　dine　with　him　tonight。　　I　lunched　with　the　Tennants　today；　no　relation　to　Mrs。　Stanley；　and　it　was　informal　and　funny　rather。　　The　Earl　of　Spender　was　there　and　Lord　Pembroke　and　a　lot　of　women。　　They　got　up　and　walked　about　and　changed　places　and　seemed　to　know　one　another　better　than　we　do　at　home。　　I　think　I　will　go　down　to　Oxford　for　Whitsuntide；　which　is　a　heathen　institution　here　which　sends　everyone　away　just　as　I　want　to　meet　them。

I　haven't　written　anything　yet。　　I　find　it　hard　to　do　so。　　I　think　I　would　rather　wait　until　I　get　home　for　the　most　of　it。　　Chas。　will　be　here　in　less　than　a　week　now　and　we　will　have　a　good　time。　　I　have　planned　it　out　for　days。　　He　must　go　to　Oxford　and　meet　those　boys；　and　then；　if　he　wishes；　on　to　Eastnor；　which　I　learn　since　my　return　is　one　of　the　show　places　of　England。　　I　am　enjoying　myself；　it　is　needless　to　say；　very　much；　and　am　well　and　happy。

DICK。


During　these　first　days　in　England　Richard　spent　much　of　his　time　at　Eastnor；　Lady　Brownlow's　place　in　Lincolnshire；　and　one　of　the　most　beautiful　estates　in　England。　　Harry　Cust；　to　whom　my　brother　frequently　refers　in　his　letters；　was　the　nephew　of　Lady　Brownlow；　and　a　great　friend　of　Richard's。　　At　that　time　Cust　was　the　Conservative　nominee　for　Parliament　from　Lincolnshire；　and　Richard　took　a　most　active　part　in　the　campaign。　　Happily；　we　were　both　at　Lady　Brownlow's　during　its　last　few　tense　days；　as　well　as　on　the　day　the　votes　were　counted；　and　Cust　was　elected　by　a　narrow　margin。　　Of　our　thrilling　adventures　Richard　afterward　wrote　at　great　length　in　〃Our　English　Cousins。〃


LONDON；　July　6；　1892。　DEAR　MOTHER：

On　the　Fourth　of　July；　Lady　Brownlow　sent　into　town　and　　had　a　big　American　flag　brought　out　and　placed　over　　the　house；　which　was　a　great　compliment；　as　it　was　seen　　and　commented　on　for　miles　around。　　Cushing　of　Boston；　a　very　nice　chap　and　awfully　handsome；　is　there；　too。　　The　same　morning　I　went　out　to　photograph　the　soldiers；　and　Lord　William　Frederick；　who　is　their　colonel；　charged　them　after　me　whenever　I　appeared。　　It　seems　he　has　a　sense　of　humor　and　liked　the　idea　of　making　an　American　run　on　the　Fourth　of　July　from　Red…coats。　　I　doubt　if　the　five　hundred　men　who　were　not　on　horseback　thought　it　as　funny。　　They　chased　me　till　I　thought　I　would　die。　　The　Conservative　member　for　the　county　got　in　last　night　and　we　rejoiced　greatly；　as　the　moral　effect　will　help　Harry　Cust　greatly。　　His　election　takes　place　next　Monday。　　The　men　went　in　to　hear　the　vote　declared　after　dinner；　and　so　did　two　of　the　girls；　who　got　Lady　Brownlow's　consent　at　dinner；　and　then　dashed　off　to　change　their　gowns　before　she　could　change　her　mind。　　As　we　were　intent　on　seeing　the　fun　and　didn't　want　them；　we　took　them　just　where　we　would　have　gone　anyway；　which　was　where　the　fighting　was。　　And　they　showed　real　sporting　blood　and　saw　the　other　real　sort。　　There　were　three　of　us　to　each　girl；　and　it　was　most　exciting；　with　stones　flying　and　windows　crashing　and　cheers　and　groans。　　A　political　meeting　or　election　at　home　is　an　afternoon　tea　to　the　English　ones。　　When　we　came　back　the　soldiers　were　leaving　the　Park　to　stop　the　row；　and　as　we　flew　past；　the　tenants　ran　to　the　gate　and　cheered　for　the　Tory　victory　in　〃good　old　lopes。〃　　When　we　got　to　the　house　the　servants　ran　cheering　all　over　the　shop　and　rang　the　alarm　bell　and　built　fires；　and　we　had　a　supper　at　one…fifteen。　　What　they　will　do　on　the　night　of　Cust's　election；　I　cannot　imagine　burn　the　house　down　probably。　　Cushing　and　I　enjoy　it　immensely。　　We　know　them　well　enough　now　to　be　as　funny　as　we　like　without　having　them　stare。　　They　are　nice　when　you　know　them；　but　you've　GOT　to　know　them　first。　　I　had　a　great　dinner　at　Farrar's。　　All　the　ecclesiastical　lights　of　England　in　knee…breeches　were　there；　and　the　American　Minister　and　Phillips　Brooks。　　It　was　quite　novel　and　fun。　　Lots　of　love。　　I　have　all　the　money　I　want。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　


DICK。


With　Cust　properly　elected；　Richard　and　I　returned　to　the　Albany　and　settled　down　to　enjoy　London　from　many　angles。　　Although　my　brother　had　been　there　but　a　few　weeks；　his　acquaintances　among　the　statesmen；　artists；　social　celebrities；　and　the　prominent　actors　of　the　day　was　quite　as　extraordinary　as　his　geographical　and　historical　knowledge　of　the　city。　　We　gave　many　jolly　parties；　and　on　account　of　Richard's　quickly　acquired　popularity　were　constantly　being　invited　to　dinners；　dances；　and　less　formal　but　most　amusing　Bohemian　supper…parties。　　During　these　days　there　was　little　opportunity　for　my　brother　to　do　much　writing；　but　he　was　very　busy　making　mental　notes　not　only　for　his　coming　book　on　the　English　people；　but　for　a　number　of　short　stories　which　he　wrote　afterward　in　less　strenuous　times。　　We　returned　to　New　York　in　August；　and　Richard　went　to　Marion　to　rest　from　his　social　activities；　and　to　work　on　his　English　articles。



CHAPTER　VI

THE　MEDITERRANEAN　AND　PARIS

It　was；　I　think；　the　year　previous　to　this　that　my　mother　and　father　had　deserted　Point　Pleasant　as　a　place　to　spend　their　summer　vacations　in　favor　of　Marion；　on　Cape　Cod；　and　Richard　and　I；　as　a　matter　of　course；　followed　them　there。　　At　that　time　Marion　was　a　simple　little　f