over the teacups-第55章

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a　good　many　visits　and　a　long　bill　by　and　by。　　He　has　even　had　a　call

at　a　distance　of　some　miles　from　home；at　least　be　has　had　to　hire　a

conveyance　frequently　of　late；　for　he　has　not　yet　set　up　his　own

horse　and　chaise。　　We　do　not　like　to　ask　him　about　who　his　patient

may　be；　but　he　or　she　is　probably　a　person　of　some　consequence；　as　he

is　absent　several　hours　on　these　out…of…town　visits。　　He　may　get　a

good　practice　before　his　bald　spot　makes　its　appearance；　for　I　have

looked　for　it　many　times　without　as　yet　seeing　a　sign　of　it。　　I　am

sure　he　must　feel　encouraged；　for　he　has　been　very　bright　and

cheerful　of　late；　and　if　he　sometimes　looks　at　our　new　handmaid　as　if

he　wished　she　were　Delilah；　I　do　not　think　he　is　breaking　his　heart

about　her　absence。　　Perhaps　he　finds　consolation　in　the　company　of

the　two　Annexes；　or　one　of　them；but　which；　I　cannot　make　out。　　He

is　in　consultations　occasionally　with　Number　Five；　too；　but　whether

professionally　or　not　I　have　no　means　of　knowing。　　I　cannot　for　the

life　of　me　see　what　Number　Five　wants　of　a　doctor　for　herself；　so

perhaps　it　is　another　difficult　case　in　which　her　womanly　sagacity　is

called　upon　to　help　him。



In　the　mean　time　she　and　the　Tutor　continue　their　readings。　　In　fact；

it　seems　as　if　these　readings　were　growing　more　frequent；　and　lasted

longer　than　they　did　at　first。　　There　is　a　little　arbor　in　the

grounds　connected　with　our　place　of　meeting；　and　sometimes　they　have

gone　there　for　their　readings。　　Some　of　The　Teacups　have　listened

outside　once　in　a　while；　for　the　Tutor　reads　well；　and　his　clear

voice　must　be　heard　in　the　more　emphatic　passages；　whether　one　is

expressly　listening　or　not。　　But　besides　the　reading　there　is　now　and

then　some　talking；　and　persons　talking　in　an　arbor　do　not　always

remember　that　latticework；　no　matter　how　closely　the　vines　cover　it；

is　not　impenetrable　to　the　sound　of　the　human　voice。　　There　was　a

listener　one　day；it　was　not　one　of　The　Teacups；　I　am　happy　to　say；

who　heard　and　reported　some　fragments　of　a　conversation　which

reached　his　ear。　　Nothing　but　the　profound　intimacy　which　exists

between　myself　and　the　individual　reader　whose　eyes　are　on　this　page

would　induce　me　to　reveal　what　I　was　told　of　this　conversation。　　The

first　words　seem　to　have　been　in　reply　to　some　question。



〃Why；　my　dear　friend；　how　can　you　think　of　such　a　thing？　　Do　you

knowI　amold　enough　to　be　your＇I　think　she　must　have　been　on　the

point　of　saying　mother；　but　that　was　more　than　any　woman　could　be

expected　to　say＇old　enough　to　be　your　aunt？〃



〃To　be　sure　you　are；〃　answered　the　Tutor；　〃and　what　of　it？　　I　have

two　aunts；　both　younger　than　I　am。　　Your　years　may　be　more　than　mine；

but　your　life　is　fuller　of　youthful　vitality　than　mine　is。　　I　never

feel　so　young　as　when　I　have　been　with　you。　　I　don't　believe　in

settling　affinities　by　the　almanac。　　You　know　what　I　have　told　you

more　than　once；　you　have　n't　'bared　the　ice…cold　dagger's　edge'　upon

me　yet；　may　I　not　cherish　the〃。。。。



What　a　pity　that　the　listener　did　not　hear　the　rest　of　the　sentence

and　the　reply　to　it；　if　there　was　one！　　The　readings　went　on　the　same

as　before；　but　I　thought　that　Number　Five　was　rather　more　silent　and

more　pensive　than　she　had　been。





I　was　much　pleased　when　the　American　Annex　came　to　me　one　day　and

told　me　that　she　and　the　English　Annex　were　meditating　an　expedition；

in　which　they　wanted　the　other　Teacups　to　join。　　About　a　dozen　miles

from　us　is　an　educational　institution　of　the　higher　grade；　where　a

large　number　of　young　ladies　are　trained　in　literature；　art；　and

science；　very　much　as　their　brothers　are　trained　in　the　colleges。

Our　two　young　ladies　have　already　been　through　courses　of　this　kind

in　different　schools；　and　are　now　busy　with　those　more　advanced

studies　which　are　ventured　upon　by　only　a　limited　number　of

〃graduates。〃　　They　have　heard　a　good　deal　about　this　institution；　but

have　never　visited　it。



Every　year；　as　the　successive　classes　finish　their　course；　there　is　a

grand　reunion　of　the　former　students；　with　an　〃exhibition；〃　as　it　is

called；　in　which　the　graduates　of　the　year　have　an　opportunity　of

showing　their　proficiency　in　the　various　branches　taught。　　On　that

occasion　prizes　are　awarded　for　excellence　in　different　departments。

It　would　be　hard　to　find　a　more　interesting　ceremony。　　These　girls；

now　recognized　as　young　ladies；　are　going　forth　as　missionaries　of

civilization　among　our　busy　people。　　They　are　many　of　them　to　be

teachers；　and　those　who　have　seen　what　opportunities　they　have　to

learn　will　understand　their　fitness　for　that　exalted　office。　　Many

are　to　be　the　wives　and　mothers　of　the　generation　next　coming　upon

the　stage。　　Young　and　beautiful；　〃youth　is　always　beautiful；〃　said

old　Samuel　Rogers；their　countenances　radiant　with　developed

intelligence；　their　complexions；　their　figures；　their　movements；　all

showing　that　they　have　had　plenty　of　outdoor　as　well　as　indoor

exercise；　and　have　lived　well　in　all　respects；　one　would　like　to　read

on　the　wall　of　the　hall　where　they　are　assembled；



　　　　　　　　　　Siste；　viator！

　　　　　　　　　　Si　uxorem　requiris；　circumspice！



This　proposed　expedition　was　a　great　event　in　our　comparatively　quiet

circle。　　The　Mistress；　who　was　interested　in　the　school；　undertook　to

be　the　matron　of　the　party。　　The　young　Doctor；　who　knew　the　roads

better　than　any　of　us；　was　to　be　our　pilot。　　He　arranged　it　so　that

he　should　have　the　two　Annexes　under　his　more　immediate　charge。　　We

were　all　on　the　lookout　to　see　which　of　the　two　was　to　be　the　favored

one；　for　it　was　pretty　well　settled　among　The　Teacups　that　a　wife　he

must　have；　whether　the　bald　spot　came　or　not；　he　was　getting　into

business；　and　he　could　not　achieve　a　complete　success　as　a　bachelor。



Number　Five　and　the　Tutor　seemed　to　come　together　as　a　matter　of

course。　　I　confess　that　I　could　not　help　regretting　that　our　pretty

Delilah　was　not　to　be　one　of　the　party。　　She　always　looked　so　young；

so　fresh；she　would　have　enjoyed　the　excursion　so　much；　that　if　she

had　been　still　with　us　I　would　have　told　the　Mistress　that　she　must

put　on　her　best　dress；　and　if　she　had　n't　one　nice　enough；　I　would

give　her　one　myself。　　I　thought；　too；　that　our　young　Doctor　would

have　liked　to　have　her　with　us；　but　he　appeared　to　be　getting　along

very　well　with　the　Annexes；　one　of　whom　it　seems　likely　that　he　will

annex　to　himself　and　his　fortunes；　if　she　fancies　him；　which　is　not

improbable。



The　organizing　of　this　expedition　was　naturally　a　cause　of　great

excitement　among　The　Teacups。　　The　party　had　to　be　arranged　in　such　a

way　as　to　suit　all　concerned；　which　was　a　delicate　matter。　　It　was

finally　managed　in　this　way：　The　Mistress　was　to　go　with　a　bodyguard；

consisting　of　myself；　the　Professor；　and　Number　Seven；　who　was　good

company；　with　all　his　oddities。　　The　young　Doctor　was　to　take　the　two

Annexes　in　a　wagon；　and　the　Tutor　was　to　drive　Number　Five　in　a　good

old…fashioned　chaise　drawn　by　a　well…conducted　family　horse。　　As　for

the　Musician；　he　had　gone　over　early；　by　special　invitation；　to　take

a　part　in　certain　musical　exercises　which　were　to　have　a　place　in　the

exhibition。　　This　arrangement　appeared　to　be　in　every　respect

satisfactory。　　The　Doctor　was　in　high　spirits；　apparently　delighted；

and　devoting　himself　with　great　gallantry　to　his　two　fair　companions。

The　only　question　which　intruded　itself　was；　whether　he　might　not

have　preferred　the　company　of　one　to　that　of　two。　　But　both　looked

very　attractive　in　their　best　dresses：　the　English　Annex；　the　rosier

and　heartier　of　the　two；　the　American　girl；　more　delicate　in

features；　more　mobile　and　excitable；　but　suggesting　the　thought　that

she　would　tire　out　before　the　other。　　Which　of　these　did　he　most

favor？　　It　was　hard　to　say。　　He　seemed　to　look　most　at　the　English

girl；　and　yet　he　talked　more　with　the　American　girl。　　In　short；　he

behaved　particularly　well；　and　neither　of　the　young　ladies　could