elinor wyllys-2-第14章

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r　several　days；〃　and　Jane　and　herself　went　to　the　door　to　meet　Mrs。　Hazlehurst。

〃And；　pray；　what　reason　had　you　to　suppose　that　we　should　not　keep　our　word？〃　said　the　latter；　as　she　appeared。

〃We　thought　Harry　would　probably　detain　you；〃　said　Elinor。

〃Not　at　all；　we　brought　him　along　with　us。〃　

〃That　was　a　good　arrangement　we　had　not　thought　of；〃　observed　Miss　Agnes。

Harry　entered　the　room。　He　was　not　entirely　free　from　embarrassment　at　first；　but　when　Mr。　Wyllys　met　him　with　something　of　the　cordial　manner　of　old　times；　he　immediately　recovered　himself。　He　kissed　the　hand　of　Miss　Agnes；　as　in　former　days；　and　saluted　Elinor　in　the　same　way；　instead　of　the　more　brotherly　greetings　with　which　he　used　to　meet　her　of　old。

〃And　here　is　Jane；　too；　Harry；〃　said　Mrs。　Hazlehurst；　who　had　just　embraced　her　sister。　〃You　have　been　so　long　away；　that　I　dare　say　you　have　forgotten　half　your　old　friends。〃

〃Not　at　all；〃　said　Harry；　crossing　the　room　to　Jane。　〃I　think　myself　a　very　lucky　fellow；　at　finding　them　all　collected　here　together；　for　my　especial　benefit。　I　met　Mr。　Taylor　for　a　moment　in　New　York；〃　he　continued；　addressing　Jane。

〃Did　he　say　when　he　was　coming　for　me？〃　replied　Mrs。　Taylor；　offering　her　hand　to　her　kinsman。

〃He　told　me　that　he　should　be　at　Saratoga　very　shortly。〃

〃I　have　a　letter　for　you　in　my　trunk；　Jane；〃　said　Mrs。　Robert　Hazlehurst。

〃Don't　you　think　our　invalid　much　better；　already；　Louisa？〃　asked　Elinor。

〃Yes；　she　does　credit　to　your　nursing。〃

〃No　wonder；〃　said　Jane；　〃for　during　the　last　month　I　have　been　petted　all　the　timefirst　by　Mrs。　Taylor；　then　by　Aunt　Agnes　and　Elinor。〃

〃It's　very　pleasant　to　be　petted；〃　said　Harry；　〃that's　precisely　what　I　came　home　for。　I　give　you　my　notice；　Louisa；　I　expect　a　great　deal　from　you　in　the　next　three　months。〃

〃Is　that　the　length　of　your　holiday？〃　inquired　Miss　Agnes。

〃So　says　my　master；　Mr。　Henley。　I　understand；〃　he　added；　turning　to　Elinor；　〃that　you　have　all　the　agreeable　people　in　the　country　collected　here。〃

〃There　are　some　thousands　of　us；　agreeable　and　disagreeable；　altogether。　They　say　the　place　has　never　been　more　crowded　so　early　in　the　season。〃

〃So　I'm　told。　I　was　warned　that　if　I　came；　I　should　have　to　make　my　bed　in　the　cellar；　or　on　the　roof。　Are　Ellsworth　and　Mrs。　Creighton　at　this　house；　or　at　the　other？〃

〃They　are　staying　at　the　United　States。　They　are　here　this　evening；　however；　at　the　dance。〃

｛〃United　States〃　=　the　other　major　hotel　in　Saratoga　Springs；　less　fashionable　at　this　time　than　Congress　Hall｝

〃Indeed！I　have　half　a　mind　to　take　Ellsworth　by　surprise。　Will　they　admit　a　gentleman　in　travelling　costume；　do　you　think？〃

〃I　dare　say　they　will；　but　here　are　your　friends；　coming　to　look　for　you。〃

At　the　same　moment；　Mr。　Ellsworth　and　Mrs。　Creighton　joined　the　party。

〃How　d'ye　do；　Ellsworth？Glad　to　see　you；　my　dear　fellow！〃　cried　the　young　men；　shaking　each　other　violently　by　the　hand。

〃How　do　you　do；　Mr。　Hazlehurst？〃　added　the　lady；　〃Welcome　back　again。　But　what　have　you　done　with　your　sister…in…law？for　I　did　not　come　to　call　upon　you　alone。　Ah；　here　you　are；　Mrs。　Hazlehurst。　My　brother　observed　you　passing　through　the　hall；　as　you　arrived；　and　we　determined　that　it　would　be　much　pleasanter　to　pass　half　an　hour　with　you；　than　to　finish　the　dance。　We　have　been　wishing　for　you　every　day。〃

〃Thank　you。　We　should　have　set　out　before；　if　we　had　not　waited　for　Harry。　Elinor　tells　me　half　Philadelphia　is　here；　already。〃

〃Yes；　the　houses　have　filled　up　very　much　since　I　first　came；　for　I　am　ashamed　to　say　how　long　I　have　been　here。〃

〃Why；　yes：　I　understood　you　were　going　to　Nahant。〃

〃We　ought　to　have　been　there　long　ago；　but　I　could　not　move　this　obstinate　brother　of　mine。　He　has　never　found　Saratoga　so　delightful；　Mrs。　Hazlehurst；〃　added　the　lady；　with　an　expressive　smile；　and　a　look　towards　Elinor。　〃I　can't　say；　however；　that　I　at　all　regret　being　forced　to　stay；　for　many　of　our　friends　are　here；　now。　Mr。　Hazlehurst；　I　hope　you　have　come　home　more　agreeable　than　ever。〃

〃I　hope　so　too；　Mrs。　Creighton；　for　it　is　one　of　our　chief　duties　as　diplomatists；　'to　tell　lies　for　the　good　of　our　country；'　in　an　agreeable　way。　But　I　am　afraid　I　have　not　improved　my　opportunities。　I　have　been　very　much　out　of　humour　for　the　last　six　months；　at　least。〃　

〃And　why；　pray？〃

〃Because　I　wanted　to　come　home；　and　Mr。　Henley；　my　boss；　insisted　upon　proving　to　me　it　would　be　the　most　foolish　thing　I　could　do。　He　was　so　much　in　the　right；　that　I　resented　it　by　being　cross。〃

〃But　now　he　has　come　himself；　and　brought　you　with　him。〃

〃No　thanks　to　him；　though。　It　was　all　Uncle　Sam's　doings；　who　wants　to　send　us　from　the　Equator　to　the　North　Pole。〃

〃Are　you　really　going　to　Russia；　Hazlehurst？〃　asked　Mr。　Ellsworth。

〃Certainly；　you　would　not　have　me　desert；　would　you？〃

〃Oh；　no；　don't　think　of　it；　Mr。　Hazlehurst；　it　must　be　a　very　pleasant　life！〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Creighton。　〃I　only　wish；　Frank；　that　you　were　enough　of　a　politician　to　be　sent　as　minister　somewhere；　I　should　delight　in　doing　the　honours　for　you；　though　I　dare　say　you　would　rather　have　some　one　else　in　my　place。〃

〃We　will　wait　until　I　am　sent　as　ambassador　to　Timbuctoo；　before　I　answer　the　question。〃

〃You　have　grown　half…a…dozen　shades　darker　than　you　used　to　be　as　a　youngster；　Harry；　or　else　this　lamp　deceives　me；〃　observed　Mr。　Wyllys。

〃I　dare　say　I　may　have　a　fresh　tinge　of　the　olive。　But　I　am　just　from　sea；　sir；　and　that　may　have　given　me　an　additional　coat。〃

〃Did　you　suffer　much　from　heat；　on　the　voyage？〃　asked　Miss　Wyllys。

〃Not　half　as　much　as　I　have　since　I　landed。　It　appeared　to　me　Philadelphia　was　the　warmest　spot　I　had　ever　breathed　in；　worse　than　Rio。　I　was　delighted　when　Louisa　proposed　my　coming　to　Saratoga　to　see　my　friends。〃

〃You　will　find　it　quite　warm　enough　here；〃　said　Mr。　Wyllys。　〃The　thermometer　was　92　｛degrees｝　in　the　shade；　yesterday。〃

〃I　don't　expect　to　be　well　cooled；　sir；　until　we　get　to　St。　Petersburgh。　After　a　sea…voyage；　I　believe　one　always　feels　the　cold　less；　and　the　heat　more　than　usual。　But　where　is　Mrs。　Stanley？we　hoped　to　find　her　with　you。　Is　she　not　staying　at　this　house？〃

〃Yes；　but　she　left　us　early；　this　evening；　not　feeling　very　well；　you　will　not　be　able　to　see　her　until　to…morrow；〃　said　Miss　Agnes。

〃I　am　sorry　she　is　not　well；　how　is　she　looking？〃

〃Particularly　well；　I　think；　she　merely　complained　of　a　head…ache　from　riding　in　the　sun。〃

〃Mrs。　Stanley　has　been　very　anxious　for　your　return；　but　she　will　be　as　agreeably　surprised　as　the　rest　of　us；　to　find　you　here；〃　said　Elinor。

〃Thank　you。　I　look　upon　myself　as　particularly　fortunate；　to　find　so　many　old　friends　collected　in　one　spot；　instead　of　having　to　run　about；　and　hunt　for　each　in　a　different　place；　just　now　that　I　am　limited　for　time。〃

〃You　ought　to　be　greatly　indebted　to　Frank　and　myself；　for　breaking　our　word　and　staying　here；　instead　of　keeping　our　promise　and　going　to　Nahant；　as　we　had　engaged　to　do；〃　said　Mrs。　Creighton。

〃Certainly；　I　look　upon　it　as　part　of　my　good　luck；　but　I　should　have　made　my　appearance　at　Nahant；　if　you　had　actually　run　away　from　me。〃

〃I　shall　believe　you；　for　I　make　it　a　point　of　always　believing　what　is　agreeable。〃

〃As　I　knew　Mrs。　Hazlehurst　and　your　brother　had　engaged　rooms　here；　I　hoped　you　would　join　us；　soon　after　your　arrival；〃　said　Mr。　Ellsworth。

〃It　was　much　the　best　plan　for　you；〃　said　Mr。　Wyllys。

Harry　looked　gratified　by　this　friendly　remark。

It　was　already　late；　and　Mrs。　Hazlehurst；　who　had　been　conversing　in　a　corner　with　Jane；　complained　of　being　fatigued　by　her　day's　journey；　which　broke　up　the　party。　The　Hazlehursts；　like　Mrs。　Creighton　and　her　brother；　were　staying　at　the　United　States；　and　they　all　went　off　together。

When　Elinor；　as　usual；　kissed　Mr。　Wyllys　before　retiring　to　her　own　room；　she　hesitated　a　moment；　and　then　said：

〃I　must　thank　you；　grandpapa；　for　having　granted　my　request；　and　received　Harry　as　of　old。　It　is　much　better　that　the　past　should　be　entirely　forgotten。　Self…respect　seems　to　require　that　we　should　not　show　resentment　under　the　circumstances；〃　she　added；　colouring　slightly。

〃I　cannot　forget　the　past；　El