elinor wyllys-2-第61章

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To　guard　faithfully　the　general　purity　of　Justice；　to　watch　that　her　arm　is　neither　crippled　by　violence　nor　palsied　by　fear；　that　her　hands　are　not　polluted　by　bribery；　nor　her　ears　assailed　by　flattery；　is　all　that　human　means　can　do；　but　wo　｛sic｝　to　the　society　where　this　duty　is　neglected；　for　disgrace　and　general　corruption　are　then　inevitable。

It　was　a　day　of　movement　at　Wyllys…Roof；　after　the　arrival　of　the　party　from　Philadelphia　there　were　constant　communications　with　their　neighbours　at　Broadlawn；　as　the　long　talked　of　cruise　of　the　Petrel　had　been　only　postponed　for　Harry's　return；　and　young　de　Vaux　was　now　all　impatience　to　be　off。　When　Elinor　went　down　for　dinner　she　found　Ellsworth　and　Harry　on　the　piazza　playing　with　Bruno；　the　fine　Newfoundland　dog　which　Hazlehurst　had　given　her　when　he　first　went　abroad。

〃He　is　a　noble　creature！〃　exclaimed　Ellsworth。

〃I　am　making　friends　with　Bruno　again；　you　see；〃　said　Harry　as　Elinor　drew　near。　〃What　would　you　say　if　I　coaxed　him　off　to　the　Petrel　with　me　to…morrow？〃

〃You　are　very　welcome　to　his　company　for　the　voyage；　if　you　can　persuade　him　to　go。　Down　Bruno；　down　my　good　friend；〃　she　said；　as　the　dog　bounded　towards　her；　〃I　wish　you　would　remember　that　a　thin　white　dress　must　be　treated　with　some　respect。　Are　you　really　going　to…morrow？〃　she　added；　turning　to　Harry。

〃Yes；　we　are　under　sailing　orders。　I　have　just　been　over　to　look　at　the　Petrel；　and　everything　is　ready。　De　Vaux　has　only　been　waiting　for　methe　rest　of　the　party　has　been　collected　for　some　days。　I　found　Smith　the　conchologist；　and　Stryker；　at　Broadlawn。〃

〃Has　your　course　been　finally　settled？〃　asked　Ellsworth。

〃Yes；　we　are　to　circumnavigate　Long…Island。〃

〃You　will　have　an　agreeable　cruise；　I　dare　say；　with　a　pleasant　set　of　messmates；　Hubert　de　Vaux　is　a　good　fellow　himself；　and　Stryker　is　in　his　element　on　such　occasions。〃

〃We　are　to　have　Charlie　Hubbard　too；　and　Harman　Van　Horne。〃

〃How　long　will　you　be　gone？〃　said　Elinor。

〃Some　ten　days；　or　a　fortnight　at　the　very　farthest。〃

〃Can　we　see　anything　of　Mr。　de　Vaux's　boat　from　here？〃　asked　Mrs。　Creighton；　stepping　on　the　piazza。

〃Only　her　masts；　in　this　direction；　near　the　grove；〃　replied　Harry。　〃She　is　a　schooner；　and　a　beautiful　craft；　too。〃

〃Miss　Wyllys；　you　should　coax　Mr。　de　Vaux　to　give　the　ladies　a　pic…nic　when　he　returns；〃　said　Mrs。　Creighton。

〃No　doubt　he　would　be　happy　to　do　so；　if　you　were　to　express　the　wish；〃　said　Elinor。

〃Unfortunately　I　shall　not　be　here。　Wyllys…Roof　is　a　dangerous　place；　one　always　stays　here　too　long；　but　I　cannot　positively　afford　more　than　a　day　or　two　at　present；　I　have　promised　to　be　in　town　on　Thursday。〃

Elinor　expressed　her　regrets　very　hospitably；　and　they　were　soon　after　summoned　to　dinner。

In　the　evening；　Hubert　de　Vaux　and　the　gentlemen　from　Broadlawn；　engaged　for　the　cruise；　walked　in。　Charlie　Hubbard　was　there　too；　he　had　remained　in　Philadelphia　during　the　whole　trial；　and　had　just　returned　home　that　morning。

〃And　so　you　are　positively　going　to…morrow；〃　said　Mr。　Wyllys　to　young　de　Vaux。

〃Positively；　at　six　in　the　morning。〃

〃Is　it　part　of　your　plan；　to　stow　yourselves　away　at　night　in　the　Petrel？〃

〃The　Petrel's　cabin　is　not　to　be　despised；　I　assure　you；　sir。　It　has　six　as　good　berths　as　those　of　any　North…River　sloop　that　ever　carried　passengers　in　days　of　yore。　But　we　shall　only　sleep　on　board　occasionally；　for　the　fun　of　the　thing。〃

｛〃North…River　sloop〃　=　the　Hudson　River　was　also　called　the　North　River；　and　before　steamboats；　passengers　travelled　between　New　York　and　Albany　by　what　were　known　as　Hudson　River　or　North　River　sloops｝

〃At　what　places　do　you　intend　to　put　into　port？〃

〃We　are　going　to　shoot　for　a　day　or　two　on　Long…Island；　and　we　shall　let　the　Yankees　have　a　sight　of　the　Petrel；　at　New　Haven；　Sachem's…Head；　and　Nantucket。〃

｛〃Sachem's　Head〃　=　Sachem　Head　harbor　is　about　10　miles　east　of　New　Haven；　Connecticut｝

〃I　have　no　doubt　you　will　have　a　pleasant　excursion。〃

〃Our　only　difficulty　at　present　seems　the　prospect　of　too　much　comfort；〃　said　Charlie。　〃Mrs。　de　Vaux　expressed　some　fears　of　a　famine　at　Longbridge　in　consequence　of　this　cruise；　we　carry　off　such　a　stock　of　provisions。〃

〃Not　a　bit　too　much；　people　always　want　twice　as　much　on　a　party　of　pleasure　as　at　other　times；〃　said　Hubert　de　Vaux。

The　plan　of　the　cruise　was　talked　over　in　all　its　details；　and　the　whole　party　seemed　pleased　with　the　idea。　Young　Van　Horne；　now　a　practising　physician　in　New　York；　was　delighted　with　the　prospect　of　a　week's　liberty；　Mr。　Smith；　the　conchologist；　hoped　to　pick　up　some　precious　univalve　or　bivalve；　Charlie　talked　of　taking　a　sketch　of　Cape　Cod；　Harry　declared　he　was　determined　to　enjoy　the　trip；　as　the　last　holiday　he　could　allow　himself　for　a　long　time；　and　Mr。　Stryker　promised　himself　the　best　of　chowders；　a　sea…dish　in　which　he　professed　himself　to　be　a　great　connoisseur。　Mrs。　Creighton　indeed　declared；　that　he　looked　upon　that　season　as　lost；　in　which　he　could　not　make　some　improvement　in　his　celebrated　receipt　for　chowder。　Whether　it　was　that　this　lady's　gaiety　and　coquetry　instinctively　revived　in　the　company　of　so　many　gentlemen；　or　whether　she　felt　afraid　of　Mr。　Stryker's　keen；　worldly　scrutiny；　her　manner　in　the　evening　resumed　entirely　its　wonted　appearance；　she　was　witty；　graceful；　piquant；　and　flattering　as　ever；　and　quite　as　much　so　with　Hazlehurst　as　with　any。

〃What　do　you　say　to　a　game　of　chess；　Mrs。　Creighton？〃　asked　Mr。　Wyllys。

〃With　pleasure；　sir；　I　am　always　at　your　service。　Not　that　it　is　very　pleasant　to　be　beaten　so　often；　but　I　really　think　I　improve　under　your　instructions。　You　are　so　much　interested　yourself　that　you　inspire　others。〃

〃You　must　allow　me；　Mrs。　Creighton；　to　suggest　something　for　your　improvement；〃　said　Mr。　Stryker。

〃And　what　is　it；　pray？〃

〃You　talk　too　much；　you　make　yourself　too　agreeable　to　your　adversarythat　is　not　fair。〃

〃Oh；　it　is　only　a　ruse　de　guerre；　and　Mr。　Wyllys　beats　me　nine　games　out　of　ten；　in　spite　of　my　chattering。〃

｛〃ruse　de　guerre〃　=　military　strategem　（French）｝

〃No　doubt；　but　if　you　could　make　up　your　mind　to　be　less　charming　for　half　an　hour；　you　might　have　the　honours　of　the　game　oftener。〃

〃I　must　gain　the　battle　my　own　way；　Mr。　Stryker；　or　not　at　all。〃

〃I　leave　you　to　your　fate；　then；〃　said　the　gentleman；　turning　away。

Charlie；　Elinor；　Harry；　and　Jane　were　quietly　talking　together；　Jane　having　now　resumed　her　place　in　the　family　circle。　They　were　speaking　of　Charlie's　sketches；　and　the　young　widow　asked　if　he　ever　painted　portraits　now；　Miss　Wyllys　｛sic｝　wished　to　have　her's　taken；　before　she　left　them　to　return　to　her　parents。

｛〃Miss　Wyllys〃　=　should　read　Jane　（or　Mrs。　Taylor）；　Elinor　Wyllys　is　an　orphan｝

〃You　do　paint　portraits；〃　said　Elinor；　〃I　have　seen　those　of　your　mother　and　Miss　Patsey。〃

Charlie　changed　colour；　and　hastily　denied　any　claim　to　be　called　a　portrait…painter。

〃Yet　it　would　be　pleasant；〃　said　Elinor；　〃to　have　a　picture　of　my　cousin　painted　by　you。〃

Jane　observed　she　should　like　to　have　Elinor's；　by　the　same　hand。

〃Oh；　my　portrait　would　not　be　worth　having；〃　said　Elinor；　smiling；　〃certainly　not　if　taken　by　an　honest　artist。〃

〃You　will　both；　I　hope；　fare　better　from　the　hands　of　Mr。　I…　or　Mr。　S…；〃　said　Charlie；　with　some　little　embarrassment。

Mr。　Ellsworth；　who　had　been　standing　near　the　group；　now　asked　Elinor　to　sing。

〃What　will　you　have？〃　she　replied；　taking　a　seat　at　the　piano。

〃Anything　you　please。〃

〃Pray　then　give　us　Robin　Adair；　Miss　Elinor；〃　said　Charlie。

Elinor　sang　the　well…known　song　with　greater　sweetness　than　usualshe　was　decidedly　in　good　voice；　both　Charlie　and　Harry　listened　with　great　pleasure　as　they　stood　by　her　side；　Jane　was　also　sitting　near　the　piano；　and　seemed　more　interested　in　the　music　than　usual；　it　was　a　song　which　the　young　widow　had　so　often　heard；　in　what　she　now　looked　back　to　as　the　happy　days　of　her　girlhood。　More　than　one　individual　in　the　room　thought　it　charming　to　listen　to　Elinor　and　look　at　Jane；　at　the　same　instant。　Several　of　the　gentlemen　then　sang；　and　the　party　broke　up　cheerfully。

Little　was　it　thought；　that　never　again　could　the　sam