the lumley autograph-第6章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


John　Howard　（1726…1790）；　English　philanthropist　and　prison　reformer。
Talma　=　Francois　Talma　（1763…1826）；　popular　French　playwright。
William　Penn　（1644…1718）；　Quaker　founder　of　Pennsylvania。　Fenelon
=　Francois　Fenelon　（1651…1715）；　French　Archbishop　and　writer｝

I　ventured　to　excuse　Lady　Holberton　by　suggesting　that　probably　at
the　time　her　stock　of　notabilities　was　low。

Miss　Rowley　shook　her　head；　and　curled　her　lip；　as　if　she　fancied　the
lady　had　only　been　seeking　to　drive　a　hard　bargain。

〃On　one　point；　however；　I　have　carried　the　day；　Mr。　Howard。　Lady
Holberton　is　not　a　little　proud　of　her　Vidocq；　but　I　have　obtained　one
far　superior　to　hers；　one　addressed　to　myself　so　piquant　and　gallant
too。　I　called　on　the　dear　old　burglar　on　purpose　to　coax　him　into
writing　me　a　note。〃

｛Vidocq　=　Francois　Vidocq　（1775…1857）；　French　police　detective　who
turned　robber；　and　was　exposed　in　1832。｝

I　wondered；　in　petto；　whether　I　should　meet　any　illustrious　convicts
at　Miss　Rowley's　party　the　next　evening；　but　remembering　to　have
heard　her　called　an　exclusive；　it　did　not　seem　very　probable。

｛in　petto　=　silently；　to　oneself　（Latin）｝

After　running　her　eye　over　the　list　again；　Miss　Rowley　made　another
inquiry。

〃Mr。　Howard；　could　you　get　me　something　from　an　American
Colonel？〃

I　assured　the　lady　we　had　colonels　of　all　sorts；　and　begged　to　know
what　particular　variety　she　had　placed　on　her　cataloguewas　it　an
officer　of　the　regular　service；　or　one　of　no　service　at　all？

〃Oh；　the　last；　certainlyofficers　who　have　seen　service　are　so
commonplace！〃

My　own　pen　was　immediately　placed　at　Miss　Rowley's　disposal；　as
my　sword　would　have　been；　had　I　owned　one。　As　I　had　been　called
colonel　a　hundred　times　without　having　commanded　a　regiment　once；
my　own　name　was　as　good　as　any　other　on　the　present　occasion。

〃You　are　very　obliging。　Since　you　are　so　good；　may　I　also　trouble　you
to　procure　me　a　line　from　a　very　remarkable　personage　of　your
countrya　very　distinguished　manhe　has　been　President；　or
Speaker　of　the　Senate；　or　something　of　that　sort。〃

To　which　of　our　head　men　did　Miss　Rowley　allude？

〃He　is　called　Uncle　Sam；　I　believe。〃

｛Uncle　Sam　=　〃Uncle　Sam〃　became　a　popular　personification　of　the
United　States　during　the　War　of　1812；　replacing　Brother　Jonathan；
and　was　often　used　in　contradistinction　to　the　British　〃John　Bull〃｝

This　was　not　so　easy　a　task；　for　though　we　have　thousands　of
colonels；　there　is　but　one　Uncle　Sam　in　the　world。　On　hearing　that
such　was　the　case；　Miss　Rowley's　anxiety　on　the　subject　increased
immeasurably；　but　I　assured　her　the　old　gentleman　only　put　his
name　to　treaties；　and　tariffs；　and　although　his　sons　were　wonderfully
gallant；　yet　he　himself　had　never　condescended　to　notice　any　woman
but　a　queen　regnant：　and　I　further　endeavored　to　give　some　idea　of
his　identity。　Miss　Rowley　stopped　me　short；　however。

〃Only　procure　me　one　line　from　him；　Mr。　Howard；　and　I　shall　be
indebted　to　you　for　life。　It　will　be　time　enough　to　find　out　all　about
him　when　I　once　have　his　namethat　is　the　essential　thing。〃

I　shrunk　from　committing　myself；　however；　declaring　that　I　would　as
soon　engage　to　procure　a　billet…doux　from　Prester　John。

｛Prester　John　=　Mythical　ruler　believed　in　the　Middle　Ages　to　head　a
powerful　Christian　Kingdom　somewhere　in　Asia；　later　identified　with
the　Christian　Kings　of　Ethiopia　in　Africa｝

〃Prester　John！　That　would；　indeed；　be　quite　invaluable！〃

This　Asiatic　diversion　was　a　happy　one；　and　came　very　apropos；　for　it
carried　Miss　Rowley　into　China；　she　inquired　if　I　had　any　Chinese
connections。

〃Though　altogether；　I　am　pretty　well　satisfied　with　my　Chinese
negotiations；　as　soon　as　the　Celestial　Empire　was　opened　to　the
civilized　world；　I　engaged　an　agent　there　to　collect　for　me。　But；　could
you　put　me　on　the　track　of　a　Confucius？〃

｛opened　to　the　civilized　world　=　following　the　so…called　Opium　War；
Britain　had　in　1842　forced　China　to　open　trade　with　her｝

I　was　obliged　to　admit　my　inability　to　do　so；　and　at　the　same
moment　the　collecting　instincts　of　Lady　Holberton　and　Mr。　T…；
drew　their　attention　to　the　corner　where　Miss　Rowley　and　myself
were　conversing；　as　they　moved　toward　us；　Miss　Rowley　pocketed
her　list；　throwing　herself　upon　my　honor　not　to　betray　the
deficiencies　in　her　role　d'equipage；　or　the　collecting　negociations　just
opened　between　us。　Lady　Holberton；　as　she　advanced；　invited　Miss
Rowley；　with　an　ill…concealed　air　of　triumph；　to　feast　her　eyes　once
more　on　the　Lumley　autograph；　and　not　long　after　the　party　broke
up。

｛role　d'equipage　=　muster　roll　（French）；　here；　Miss　Rowley's　list　of
her　autographs｝

The　next　day；　in　passing　Holberton…House；　I　observed　the　chariot　of
a　fashionable　physician　before　the　door；　and　at　Miss　Rowley's　party
in　the　evening　learned　from　Mr。　T…　that　Lady　Holberton　was　quite
unwell。　The　following　morning　I　called　to　inquire；　and　received　for
answer　that　〃her　ladyship　was　very　much　indisposed。〃　It　was　not
until　a　week　later　that　I　saw　Lady　Holberton　herself；　taking　the　air　in
Hyde　Park。　She　looked　wretchedlythin　and　pale。　I　inquired　from　the
English　friend　with　whom　I　was　riding；　if　there　was　any　probability　of
a　change　of　ministry？　He　looked　surprised；　and　then　catching　the
direction　of　my　eye；　he　observed；

〃You　ask　on　Lady　Holberton's　account；　but　Sir　A…　B…　tells　me
her　illness　was　caused　by　the　loss　of　the　Lumley　Autograph。〃

This　unexpected　intelligence　proved　only　too　true。　On　returning　to　my
lodgings；　I　found　a　note　from　Lady　Holberton；　requesting　to　see　me；
and；　of　course；　immediately　obeyed　the　summons。

〃Lost！lost！lost！　Mr。　Howard！〃　said　the　lady；　endeavoring　to　conceal
her　emotion；　as　she　gave　me　the　details　of　her　affliction。

〃It　must　have　been　stolenbasely　stolenon　the　evening　of　my
party。　Oh！　why　did　I　so　foolishly　exhibit　it　among　so　many　people；
and　collectors　among　them；　too！　Never　again　will　I　admit　more　than
one　collector　at　a　time　into　the　room　with　my　album！〃　she　exclaimed
with　energy。

I　was　shocked；　surely　Lady　Holberton　did　not　conceive　it　possible
that　any　of　her　guests　could　be　guilty　of　such　base　conduct？

〃How　little　you　know　them！　But　it　is　that；　Mr。　Howard；　which　has
interested　me　in　your　favoryou　have　so　much　naivete；　and
ignorance　of　the　moral　turpitude　of　the　old　world；　that　I　feel
convinced　you　never　could　be　guilty　of　such　an　action　yourself。〃

I　assured　Lady　Holberton　that　in　this　respect　she　only　did　me　justice；
and；　in　fact；　a　theft　of　the　kind　she　alluded　to　appeared　to　me　all　but
incredible。

〃Remember　that　it　was　only　the　other　day　that　…　lost　his
invaluable　album；　remember　that　last　winter　Madame　de　…　had　all
her　notes　on　botanical　subjects　stolen　from　her　own　portfolioand　I
could　mention　a　dozen　instances　of　the　same　wickedness。〃

These　facts　were　already　known　to　me；　but　I　had　forgotten　them。　I
remarked　with　a　glow　of　national　pride；　that　we　certainly　were　much
more　virtuous　in　these　matters　across　the　ocean；　in　America　we　are
much　above　pilfering　autographs；　when　we　do　steal；　it　is　by　the
volumewe　seize　all　an　author's　stock　in　trade　at　one　swoop；　and
without　condescending　to　say　even；　thank　ye；　for　it。

｛author's　stock　in　trade　=　though　ostensibly　referring　to　the　stealing
of　autographs；　Susan　Fenimore　Cooper　is　also　clearly　　referring　to　the
widespread　pirating　of　British　and　other　foreign　literary　works　by
American　publishers；　in　the　absence　of　international　copyright　laws
which　not　only　cheated　the　authors；　but　made　life　difficult　for
American　authors　expecting　to　be　paid　for　their　creations｝

〃So　I　have　always　understood；　Mr。　Howardand　I　felt　that　my　album
was　safe　with　you；〃　observed　Lady　Holberton；　with　tears　in　her　eyes。

Wishing　to　relieve　this　distress；　I　proposed　advertising　for　the　lost
treasureapplying　to　the　police。

Lady　Holberton　smiled　through　her　tears；　as　she　assured　me　that　the
police；　old　and　new；　had　been　enlisted　in　her　service　an　hour　after
the　discovery　of　her　loss；　while　communications　had　been　opened
with　the　municipal　governments　of　Brussels；　Paris；　and　Vienna；　on
the　same　subject。

｛police；　old　and　new　=　the　first　modern　English　police　force　had　been