elinor wyllys-2-第21章

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〃For　that　very　reason；　I　would　not　have　anything　to　do　with　public　life；　if　I　were　a　young　man！〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Stanley；　earnestly。　〃So　many　men　who　are　ill…qualified　for　either　public　or　private　confidence；　get　into　office；　that　I　should　think　no　man　of　high　principles　and　honourable　views；　would　care　to　belong　to　the　body　of　public　servants。〃

〃There　is　all　the　more　need；　then；　that　every　honest　man；　who　has　an　opportunity　of　serving　his　country；　should　do　so；〃　observed　Harry。　〃I　do　not　believe；　however；　that　as　regards　principles；　the　public　men　among　us　are　any　worse　than　the　public　men　elsewhere；〃　he　added。

〃Where　all　are　chosen；　they　ought　to　be　better；〃　said　Mary　Van　Alstyne。

〃That　I　grant；〃　said　Hazlehurst；　〃the　choice　by　election；　or　by　appointment；　might　often　be　more　creditable；　whenever　it　is　bad；　it　is　disgraceful　to　the　community。〃

〃Look　at　A…；　B…；　and　C…；　whom　you　and　I　happen　to　know！〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Stanley。

〃No　doubt　they　are　little　fit　for　the　offices　they　hold；〃　replied　Harry。

〃The　worst　of　it　is　this；　Harry：　that　the　very　qualities　which　ought　to　recommend　you；　will　probably　keep　you　back　in　the　career　you　have　chosen；〃　said　Mrs。　Stanley。　〃Your　principles　are　too　firm　for　public　life。〃

〃I　shall　try　the　experiment；　at　least；〃　said　Harry。　〃Mr。　Henley　urges　me　to　persevere；　and　with　his　example　before　me；　I　ought　not　to　be　discouraged；　he　is　a　proof　that　a　public　man　is　not　necessarily　required　to　be　a　sycophant；　and　a　time…server；　that　he　is　not　always　neglected　because　he　is　an　upright　man；　and　a　gentleman。　I　shall　follow　his　example；　and　I　am　convinced　the　experiment　would　succeed　much　oftener；　provided　it　were　fairly　tried。〃

〃Mrs。　Stanley　shook　her　head。　She　was　a　woman　of　rather　a　peculiar　character；　though　very　warm　in　her　feelings；　and　firm　in　her　principles。　She　had　become　disgusted　with　the　world；　from　seeing　much　that　was　evil　and　disgraceful　going　on　about　her；　forgetting　to　observe　the　good　as　well　as　the　bad。　Of　late　years；　she　had　withdrawn　entirely　within　a　narrow　circle　of　old　friends；　among　whom　the　Wyllyses　and　Hazlehursts　held　a　conspicuous　place。　She　was　disposed　to　mistrust　republican　institutions；　merely　because　she　attributed　every　evil　of　the　society　about　her；　to　this　one　cause：　her　opinions　on　this　subject　were；　however；　of　no　value　whatever；　for　she　knew　nothing　of　other　countries；　their　evils　and　abuses。　If　warmly　attached　to　her　friends；　she　was　certainly　too　indifferent　to　the　community　in　which　she　lived。　She　was　very　decided　in　all　her　actions　and　opinions：　thus；　for　instance；　she　would　never　allow　a　newspaper；　of　any　character　whatever；　to　appear　in　her　houseshe　held　every　sheet　alike；　to　be　loose　in　principles；　and　vulgar　in　tone；　because；　unfortunately；　there　are　many　to　be　found　which　answer　such　a　description。　An　office…holder；　and　a　speculator；　she　would　never　trust；　and　avoided　every　individual　of　either　class　as　much　as　possible。　Her　friends　would　have　wished　her　more　discriminating　in　her　opinions；　but　she　never　obtruded　these　upon　others。　Personally；　no　woman　could　be　more　respected　by　her　intimates；　there　was　nothing　low　or　trivial　in　her　character　and　turn　of　mindno　shadow　of　vacillation　in　her　principles　or　her　feelings。　Mrs。　Stanley　and　her　young　friend　Hazlehurst；　much　as　they　esteemed　and　respected　each　other；　disagreed　on　many　subjects。　Harry　made　a　point　of　looking　at　both　sides　of　a　question；　he　was　loyal　to　his　country；　and　willing　to　serve　it　to　the　best　of　his　abilitynot　at　all　inclined　to　be　an　idler；　and　play　the　drone　in　the　bee…hive；　whether　social　or　political。　Mrs。　Stanley　had　much　regretted　his　being　in　any　way　connected　with　public　life；　but　she　seldom　attempted　to　influence　him。

〃What　do　you　say；　young　ladies？〃　asked　Harry；　at　length；　turning　towards　Elinor　and　Mary　Van　Alstyne；　who　had　hitherto　thought　the　conversation　of　too　personal　a　nature；　to　speak　much　themselves。　〃Do　you　think　I　had　better　stay　at　home；　and　look　after　the　stock　at　Greatwood；　or　go　to　St。　Petersburg；　and　set　up　my　droschky？〃

｛〃droschky〃　=　a　four…wheeled　open　carriage　used　in　Russia｝

〃I　should　never　have　the　least　fancy　for　going　to　Russia；〃　replied　Mary；　〃and；　therefore；　I　am　not　much　disposed　to　admire　your　constancy　in　adhering　to　Mr。　Henley。〃

〃Oh；　go；　by　all　means；〃　said　Elinor；　〃you　will　see　so　much！　And　be　sure　you　go　to　the　Crimea　before　you　come　home。〃

〃The　Crimea　is　certainly　a　temptation；〃　observed　Harry。　〃I　beg；　ladies；　you　will　honour　me　with　your　commands　for　St。　Petersburg；　some　time　during　the　next　three　months。　I　refer　you　to　Mrs。　Creighton　for　a　certificate　of　good　taste；　her　saya　y　manto　is　perfect　in　its　way；　I　am　told。〃

〃Perhaps　I　ought　to　have　engaged　Mrs。　Creighton　on　my　side；　before　I　tried　to　coax　you　into　staying　at　home；〃　said　Mrs。　Stanley；　smiling。

We　are　obliged　to　confess　that　Harry　coloured　at　this　remark；　in　spite　of　a　determination　not　to　do　so；　and　a　great　misdemeanour　it　was　in　a　diplomatist；　to　be　guilty　of　blushing；　it　clearly　proved　that　Hazlehurst　was　still　in　his　noviciate。　Happily；　however；　if　the　Department　of　State；　at　Washington；　be　sometimes　more　particular　in　investigating　the　party　politics　of　its　agents　in　foreign　countries；　than　other　qualifications；　it　is　also　certain；　on　the　other　hand；　that　they　do　not　require　by　any　means；　as　much　bronze　of　countenance　as　most　European　cabinets。

｛〃bronze　of　countenance〃　=　unblushingness；　brazen　lying｝

〃Oh；　Mrs。　Creighton　strongly　recommends　me　to　persevere　in　diplomacy；〃　said　Harry。

Just　at　that　moment；　a　note　was　brought　in　from　this　very　lady。

〃With　Mrs。　Creighton's　compliments；〃　said　the　man　who　brought　it。

Harry's　colour　rose　again；　and　for　a　second　he　looked　a　little　embarrassed。　Mrs。　Stanley　smiled；　and　so　did　the　young　ladies；　just　a　little。

〃I　will　look　for　the　book　immediately；''　was　Harry's　reply；　and　turning　to　the　ladies；　he　communicated　the　fact；　that　Mrs。　Creighton　had　asked　for　the　volume　of　engravings　which　he　had　shown　to　Mr。　Wyllys；　two　or　three　evenings　before。　The　book　was　in　Miss　Wyllys's　room；　and　Elinor　went　for　it。

〃Will　you　dine　with　us　to…day；　Harry；　or　at　the　other　house？〃　asked　Mrs。　Stanley。

｛〃other　house〃　=　i。e。；　other　hotel；　Congress　Hall　and　the　United　States　being　the　two　fashionable　hotels　in　Saratoga　Springs｝

〃Thank　you；　ma'am；　I　am　engaged　to　dine　with　Mr。　Henley；　who　is　only　here　for　the　day；　and　wishes　to　have　a　little　business…talk　with　me。　We　are　to　eat　a　bachelor's　dinner　together；　in　his　room。〃

Elinor　returned　with　the　book；　and　Harry　made　his　bow。

As　he　left　the　room；　Mary　Van　Alstyne　observed　that　Mr。　Hazlehurst　seemed　quite　attentive　to　his　friend's　sister。　〃He　admires　the　pretty　widow；　I　fancy；〃　she　said。

〃No　wonder；〃　said　Elinor；　〃Mrs。　Creighton　is　so　very　pretty；　and　very　charming。〃

〃Yes；　she　is　very　pretty；　with　those　spirited　brown　eyes；　and　beautiful　teeth。　She　is　an　adept　in　the　art　of　dressing；　too；　and　makes　the　most　of　every　advantage。　But　though　she　is　so　pretty；　and　so　clever；　and　so　agreeable；　yet　I　do　not　like　her。〃

〃People　seem　to　love　sometimes；　men　especially；　where　they　do　not　like；〃　said　Mrs。　Stanley。　〃I　should　not　be　surprised；　at　any　time；　to　hear　that　Harry　and　Mrs。　Creighton　are　engaged。　I　wish　he　may　marry　soon。〃

〃The　lady　is；　at　least；　well…disposed　for　conquest；　I　think；〃　said　Mary　Van　Alstyne。

〃She　will　probably　succeed；〃　replied　Elinor；　in　a　quiet；　natural　voice。

Miss　Agnes；　who　had　just　entered　the　room；　heard　the　remark；　and　was　gratified　by　the　easy　tone　in　which　Elinor　had　spoken。　Since　Hazlehurst's　return；　Elinor's　manner　towards　him　had　been　just　what　her　aunt　thought　proper　under　the　circumstances；　it　was　quite　unembarrassed　and　natural；　though；　of　course；　there　was　more　reserve　than　during　the　years　they　had　lived　so　much　together；　almost　as　brother　and　sister。　We　are　obliged　to　leave　the　ladies　for　the　present；　and　follow　Hazlehurst　to　his　tete…a…tete　dinner　with　Mr。　Henley。

We　pass　over　the　meal　itself；　which　was　very　good　in　its　way；　nor　shall　we　dare　to　raise　the　curtain；　and　reveal　certain　communications　relating　to　affairs　of　state；　political　and　diplomatic；　which　were　discussed　by　the　minister　and　his　secretary。　Ha