elinor wyllys-2-第42章

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of　Mr。　Ellsworth；　before　he　set　out　himself　for　the　little　town　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Greatwood；　where　he　hoped　to　gather　much　useful　evidence。　To　what　degree　he　was　also　desirous　of　the　pleasure　of　meeting　Mrs。　Creighton　again；　we　cannot　say；　but　his　friends　at　Wyllys…Roof　believed　that　he　was　quite　as　anxious　to　see　the　sister　as　the　brother。　He　had　not　long　to　wait；　for；　punctual　to　the　appointed　day；　the　earliest　possible；　Mr。　Ellsworth　arrived；　accompanied　by　Mrs。　Creighton。

〃Now；　Mr。　Hazlehurst；　come　here　and　tell　me　all　about　these　vexatious　proceedings；〃　said　Mrs。　Creighton　to　Harry；　as　the　whole　party　left　the　dining…room　for　the　piazza；　the　day　Mr。　Ellsworth　and　his　sister　arrived　at　Wyllys…Roof。　〃I　hope　you　and　Frank　found　out；　in　that　long　consultation　you　had　this　morning；　that　it　would　not　be　difficult　to　settle　the　matter　as　it　ought　to　be　settled？〃

〃On　the　contrary；　we　agreed　that　there　were　a　great　many　serious　difficulties　before　us。〃

〃You　don't　surely　think　there　is　any　real　danger　as　to　the　result？〃　asked　the　lady　with　great　interest。　〃You　cannot　suppose　that　this　man　is　really　William　Stanley；　come　to　life　again！〃

〃No；　I　believe　him　to　be　an　impostor；　and　so　does　Ellsworthso　do　we　all；　but　he　makes　out　quite　a　plausible　story；　nevertheless。〃

〃But　what　are　you　going　to　do？　Come；　sit　down　here；　and　tell　me　about　it。〃

〃You　forget；　Josephine；〃　said　Mr。　Ellsworth；　smiling；　〃that　we　lawyers　dare　not　trust　the　ladies　with　our　secrets；　you　must　contrive　to　restrain　your　curiosity；　or　interestwhichever　you　choose　to　call　ituntil　the　trial。〃

〃Nonsense！I　am　quite　too　much　interested　for　that；　I　shall　expect　to　hear　a　great　deal　before　the　trial。　Is　it　possible　your　stock　of　patience　will　last　till　then；　Miss　Wyllys？〃　added　the　lady；　turning　to　Elinor。

〃Well；　I　don't　know；　I　confess　myself　very　anxious　as　to　the　result；〃　said　Elinor；　blushing　a　little。

〃To　be　sure；　we　are　all　anxious；　and　I　expect　to　be　taken　into　your　confidence；　Mr。　Hazlehurst；　quite　as　far　as　you　legal　gentlemen　think　it　safe　to　admit　a　lady。　Frank　has　a　very　bad　habit　of　never　trusting　me　with　his　business　matters；　Miss　Wyllys；　we　must　cure　him　of　that。〃　

〃I　am　inclined　to　think；　Mrs。　Creighton；　your　patience　would　scarcely　hear　the　recital　of　even　one　case　of　Richard　Roe　versus　John　Doe；〃　said　Mr。　Wyllys。

〃Perhaps　not；　for　I　care　not　a　straw　for　Richard　Roe；　or　John　Doe；　either。〃

〃Would　you　really　like　to　see　the　account　which　this　newcomer　gives　of　himself？〃　asked　Hazlehurst。

〃Certainly；　I　speak　seriously；　I　assure　you。〃

〃You　shall　see　it　this　evening；〃　said　Harry。　〃I　think　you　will　agree　with　me；　that　it　is　a　strange　story。〃

〃But；　Mrs。　Creighton；〃　said　Mr。　Wyllys；　〃we　have　had　our　heads　so　full　of　law；　and　conspiracies；　and　impostors；　lately；　that　I　was　in　hopes　you　would　bring　us　something　more　agreeable　to　think　and　talk　about。　What　were　the　people　doing　at　Nahant　when　you　left　there？〃

〃It　was　very　dull　there；　at　least　I　thought　so；　I　was　in　a　great　hurry　for　Frank　to　bring　me　away。〃

〃What　was　wanting；　pray？〃　asked　Mr。　Wyllys。　〃Was　it　the　fault　of　the　weather；　the　water；　or　the　company？〃

〃Of　all　together；　sir；　nothing　was　of　the　right　kind；　it　was　not　half　so　pleasant　as　Saratoga　this　year。　Even　the　flirtations　were　not　as　amusing　as　usual。〃

〃I　should　have　thought　you　might　have　been　amused　in　some　other　way；〃　said　Mr。　Ellsworth。

〃Flirtation；　I　would　have　you　believe；　my　good　brother；　is　sometimes　quite　an　agreeable　and　exciting　pastime。〃

〃Faute　de　mieux；〃　said　Harry；　smiling。

｛〃faute　de　mieux〃　=　for　want　of　anything　better　（French）｝

〃You　surprise　me；　Josephine；　by　saying　so；　as　you　are　no　flirt　yourself；〃　observed　her　brother；　with　a　perfectly　honest　and　natural　expression。

〃Well；　I　don't　know；　certainly　I　never　flirt　intentionally；　but　I　won't　be　sure　my　spirits　have　not　carried　me　away　sometimes。　Have　you　never；　Miss　Wyllys；　in　moments　of　gaiety　or　excitement；　said　more　than　you　intended　to？〃

〃Have　I　never　flirted；　do　you　mean？〃　asked　Elinor；　smiling。

〃But　though　you　say　it　yourself；　I　don't　believe　you　are　a　bit　of　a　flirt；　Mrs。　Creighton；〃　said　the　unsuspicious　Mr。　Wyllys。

〃Oh；　no；　sir；　I　would　not　have　you　believe　me　a　regular　flirt　for　the　world。　I　only　acknowledge　to　a　little　trifling；　now　and　then。　Miss　Wyllys　knows　what　I　mean；　we　women　are　more　observant　of　each　other。　Now；　haven't　you　suspected　me　of　flirting　more　than　once？〃

〃You　had　better　ask　me；〃　said　Mary　Van　Alstyne；　〃Elinor　is　not　half　suspicious　enough。〃

〃The　acquittal　of　the　gentlemen　ought　to　satisfy　you；〃　said　Elinor。　〃They　are　supposed　to　be　the　best　judges。　Are　you　sure；　however；　that　you　did　not　flirt　with　Mr。　Hopkins？he　was　at　Nahant　with　you；　I　believe。〃

〃I　am　afraid　it　surpasses　the　power　of　woman　to　distract　Mr。　Hopkins's　attention　from　a　sheepshead　or　a　paugee。〃

｛〃sheepshead〃　and　〃paugee〃　（porgy）　=　names　applied　to　a　number　of　American　fish　esteemed　by　anglers｝

〃You　have　really　a　very　pretty　view　here；　Miss　Wyllys；　although　there　is　nothing　bold　or　commanding　in　the　country；　it　makes　a　very　pleasant　home　picture；〃　observed　Mr。　Ellsworth；　who　had　been　looking　about　him。　〃That　reach　in　the　river　has　a　very　good　effect；　the　little　hamlet；　too；　looks　well　in　the　distance；　and　the　wood　and　meadow　opposite；　are　as　well　placed　as　one　could　wish。〃

〃I　am　glad　you　like　it；　but　we　really　think　that；　for　such　simple　scenery；　it　is　uncommonly　pretty；〃　replied　Elinor。

〃Yes；　even　your　fastidious　friend；　Mr。　Stryker；　pronounced　the　landscape　about　Wyllys…Roof　to　be　very　well　put　together；〃　said　Mrs。　Creighton。

〃Mr。　Stryker；　however；　professes　to　have　no　eye　for　anything　of　the　kind；〃　replied　Elinor。

〃That　is　only　one　of　the　man's　affectations；　his　eyes　are　more　like　those　of　other　people　than　he　is　willing　to　confess。　Though　Mr。　Stryker　pretends　to　be　one　of　your　men　of　the　world；　whose　notions　are　all　practical；　yet　one　soon　discovers　that　he　cherishes　his　useless　foibles；　like　other　people；〃　said　the　lady；　with　an　air　of　careless　frankness；　though　intending　the　speech　for　the　benefit　of　Hazlehurst　and　Mr。　Wyllys；　who　both　stood　near　her。

〃Perhaps　you　don't　know　that　Mr。　Stryker　has　preceded　you　into　our　neighbourhood；〃　said　Mary　Van　Alstyne。　〃He　is　staying　at　Mr。　de　Vaux's。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　I　knew　he　was　to　be　here　about　these　times。　Pray；　tell　me　which　is　Mr。　de　Vaux's　place。　It　is　a　fine　house；　I　am　told。〃

〃A　great　deal　too　fine；〃　said　Harry。　〃It　is　all　finery；　or　rather　it　was　a　few　years　since。〃

〃It　is　much　improved　now；〃　observed　Elinor；　〃he　talks　of　taking　down　half　the　columns。　That　is　the　house；　Mrs。　Creighton；〃　she　added；　showing　the　spot　where　the　white　pillars　of　Colonnade　Manor　were　partly　visible　through　an　opening　in　the　wood。

〃What　a　colonnade　it　seems　to　be！　It　puts　one　in　mind　of　the　Italian　epigram　on　some　bad　architecture；〃　said　Mr。　Ellsworth：

〃'Care　colonne　che　fate　qua？　Non　sappiamo；　in　verita！'〃

｛〃Care　colonne。。。〃　=　Dear　columns；　what　are　you　doing　here？　We　really　don't　know！　（Italian）｝

〃I　understand；　Miss　Wyllys；　that　your　friend；　Mr。　Stryker；　calls　it　the　'cafe　de　mille　colonnes；'〃　said　Mrs。　Creighton。

｛〃cafe　de　mile　colonnes〃　=　coffee…house　of　a　thousand　columns　（French）｝

〃Does　Mrs。　Creighton's　friend；　Mr。　Stryker；　treat　it　so　disrespectfully？　Mr。　de　Vaux　has　given　it　a　very　good　name；　I　think。　It　is　Broadlawn　now；　last　year　it　was　Colonnade　Manor。〃

〃And；　pray；　what　did　Mr。　Taylor's　manorial　rights　consist　in？〃　asked　Mr。　Ellsworth。

〃In　the　privilege　of　putting　up　as　many　Grecian　summer…houses　as　he　pleased；　I　suppose；〃　said　Harry；　〃the　place　promised　to　be　covered　with　them　at　one　time。〃

〃Mr。　de　Vaux　has　taken　them　down；　all　but　two　at　least；〃　said　Elinor。

〃It　was　fortunate　that　Mr。　Taylor　had　a　long　purse；〃　remarked　Mrs。　Creighton；　〃for　he　seems　to　have　delighted　in　superfluities　of　all　kinds。〃

〃I　suppose　you　are　aware；　Mrs。　Creighton；　that　false　taste　is　always　a　very　expensive　foible；〃　said　Mr。　Wyllys；　〃for　it　looks　upon　ornament　and　improvement　as　the　same　thing。　My　neighbour；　Mr。　Taylor；　certainly　has　as　much　of　that　spirit　as　any　man　I　ever　knew。〃

〃The　name　he　gave　his　place　is　a　good　proof　of　that；〃　sai