elinor wyllys-2-第65章

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　for　Mr。　Clapp；　and　the　suspicion　that　he　had　been　assisting　an　impostor。

〃The　kind　of　talent　you　refer　to　is　not　of　a　very　enviable　character；　I　think；〃　said　Mr。　Wyllys。

〃I　don't　know　that；　my　dear　sir；〃　added　Mr。　Taylor；　as　he　drank　off　a　glass　of　wine；　〃it　is　a　talent　which　has　gained　a　fine　property　at　least。　I　regret；　however；　that　my　friend；　Mr。　Hazlehurst；　should　have　suffered　so　heavy　a　loss。〃

Mr。　Wyllys　bowed；　and　well　aware　that　his　own　views　of　the　case　and　those　of　Mr。　Taylor　would　not　agree；　he　changed　the　conversation。

〃You　will　find　your　old　place　much　changed；〃　observed　Miss　Wyllys　to　the　merchant。

〃Yes；　madam；　I　understand　considerable　alterations　have　been　made　at　my　former　mansion。　I　had　almost　forgotten　this　morning　that　the　estate　was　no　longer　mine；　and　was　half…inclined　to　enter　the　gate　as　we　passed　it。〃

〃I　am　delighted；　pa；　that　it　is　not　yours　any　longer！〃　exclaimed　Miss　Emma；　with　a　liveliness　which　accorded　particularly　ill　with　her　deep　mourning…dress。　〃We　shall　have　ten　times　more　fun　at　Rockaway；　Colonnade　Manor　was　the　stupidest　place　in　creation；　we　were　often　a　whole　day　without　seeing　a　beau！〃

At　length；　Miss　Emma　having　declared　herself　more　than　sufficiently　rested；　she　put　on　the　habit；　and　the　chair　and　horses　were　brought　to　the　door。　Mr。　Taylor　was　to　set　out　shortly　after；　in　another　direction；　to　go　over　the　manufactory　in　which　he　was　about　to　become　interested。

All　agreed　that　the　day　was　delightful。　There　was　a　fine　air；　the　dust　had　been　laid　by　a　shower；　and　as　the　road　led　through　several　woods；　they　had　not　too　much　sun。　For　a　while　the　four　equestrians　kept　together；　and　common…place　matters　only　were　talked　over；　the　Petrel　was　not　forgotten。　Miss　Emma　Taylor　declared　she　would　have　gone　along；　if　she　had　been　on　the　spot　when　they　sailed。　Bob　de　Vaux　said　his　brother　Hubert　had　offered　to　take　him；　but　he　did　not　care　to　go；　he　had　rather　ride　than　sail；　any　day。

〃Here's　for　a　gallop　then！〃　exclaimed　the　young　lady；　and　off　the　two　set　at　a　rapid　pace。

〃How　does　that　flirtation　come　on？〃　asked　Miss　Emma；　when　they　lessened　their　pace　at　some　distance　in　advance　of　the　rest　of　the　party。

〃All　settled；　I　believe；〃　replied　the　youth。

〃What；　actually　engaged？　I　have　been　quite　exercised　about　all　your　doings　over　here；　this　summer；　you　must　have　had　a　lively　time；　three　or　four　flirtations　all　going　on　at　once。　But；　do　you　know　I　am　bent　on　spiting　Mr。　Ellsworth　this　morning。　He　meant　to　have　a　tete…a…tete；　I　know；　and　only　asked　YOU　just　to　get　rid　of　ME。　But　he　shan't　have　a　moment's　peace　to　pay　for　it；　let's　turn　round　and　go　back　again　at　full　speed。〃

Bob　de　Vaux　had　not　the　least　objections；　he　liked　motion　and　mischief　almost　as　much　as　did　the　lively　belle；　they　both　enjoyed　the　joke　exceedingly；　and　succeeded　in　provoking　Mr。　Ellsworth　not　a　little。　Miss　Emma　and　her　companion　were　in　high　glee　at　their　success；　they　would　first　ride　half　a　mile　by　the　side　of　the　others；　then　gallop　off　to　a　distance；　and　at　a　signal　from　the　young　lady；　suddenly　facing　about　they　would　return；　just　in　time；　as　Miss　Emma　thought；　to　cut　short　any　tender　speech。

〃That　young　lady　seems　to　have　gone　twice　over　every　foot　of　the　road；〃　innocently　observed　Mr。　Wyllys；　little　aware　of　her　object。

〃What　a　restless　creature　it　is！〃　replied　Mrs。　Creighton；　〃she　must　worry　her　horse　as　much　as　she　annoys　her　rational　companions。〃

〃Miss　Taylor　is　a　perfect　rattle；〃　remarked　Mr。　Ellsworth。　〃Quite　inferior　to　her　sister；　Mrs。　Hunter；　I　should　say。〃

｛〃a　rattle〃　=　a　chatterbox｝

〃Her　excess　of　spirits　will　wear　itself　out　one　of　these　days；　I　dare　say；〃　replied　Elinor。

〃It　is　to　be　hoped　so；〃　said　the　gentleman；　drily。

When　they　reached　the　lake　they　dismounted；　and　passed　half　an　hour　at　a　farm…house；　to　rest；　and　lunch　upon　iced　milk　and　dew…berries；　which　the　farmer's　wife　kindly　offered　them。　Mrs。　Creighton　professed　herself　rather　disappointed　with　Chewattan　Lake；　the　shores　were　quite　low；　there　was　only　one　good　hill；　and　one　pretty；　projecting　point；　with　a　fine　group　of　elms　standing　in　graceful　relief　against　the　sky；　she　thought　Mr。　Hubbard's　painting　had　flattered　nature。　Mr。　Ellsworth　would　not　allow　that　Charlie　ever　flattered；　but　remarked　that　it　was　his　peculiar　merit；　to　throw　a　charm　about　the　simplest　water　scene；　and　his　last　view　of　Chewattan　Lake　was　certainly　one　of　his　happiest　pictures。

｛〃dew…berries〃　=　blackberries；　〃happiest〃　=　most　successful｝

On　their　way　home；　Miss　Emma　and　her　companion　again　commenced　their　quizzing　system。　Towards　the　end　of　the　ride；　however；　the　young　lady　relaxed　a　little　in　her　vigilance；　when　they　reached　a　turnpike…gate；　about　two　miles　from　Wyllys…Roof；　she　suddenly　proposed　to　Bob　de　Vaux　to　run　a　race　with　Elinor　and　Mr。　Ellsworth。

〃What　do　you　say　to　it；　Miss　Wyllys？〃

〃Excuse　me；　I　had　much　rather　not。〃

〃Oh；　but　you　don't　know　what　I　mean。　Now；　you　and　Mr。　Ellsworth　go　cantering　and　trotting　along；　in　such　a　sober；　Darby　and　Joan　fashion；　that　I　am　sure　Mr。　de　Vaux　and　I　can　turn　off　here；　take　this　by…road；　which　you　know　comes　in　nearly　opposite　your　gate；　and　although　it　is　twice　as　far　round；　I　bet　you　a　pair　of　gloves　we　are　at　Wyllys…Roof　before　you。〃

｛〃Darby　and　Joan　fashion〃　=　like　an　old　married　couple｝

〃Done！〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Ellsworth；　delighted　with　the　idea；　and　off　the　young　lady　gallopped　｛sic｝　with　her　companion。

It　is　not　to　be　supposed　that　the　gentleman　allowed　the　half…hour　that　followed　to　pass　unimproved。　He　could　speak　at　last；　and　he　admired　Elinor　too　sincerely；　not　to　express　himself　in　terms　both　warm　and　respectful。　Although　Elinor　had　been　for　some　time　fully　prepared　for　this　declaration；　yet　she　did　not　receive　it　without　betraying　feeling　and　embarrassment。　Emotion　in　woman；　at　such　moments；　or　in　connexion　with　similar　subjects；　is　generally　traced　to　one　cause　alone；　and　yet　half　the　time　it　should　rather　be　attributed　to　some　other　source。　Anxiety；　modesty；　mere　nervousness；　or　even　vexation　at　this　very　misinterpretation；　often　raise　the　colour；　and　make　the　voice　falter。　Elinor　had　fully　made　up　her　mind；　and　she　felt　that　a　frank　explanation　was　due　to　Mr。　Ellsworth；　but　her　regard　for　him　was　too　sincere　not　to　make　the　moment　a　painful　one　to　her。　He　was　rejected；　but　rejected　with　so　much　consideration；　so　much　modesty　and　feeling；　so　much　good　sense；　that　the　very　act　only　increased　his　regret。　He　was　much　disappointed；　for　he　had　been　a　hopeful　suitor。　Elinor　had　always　liked　him；　and　he　had　thought　her　manner　encouraging；　Mr。　Wyllys　and　Miss　Agnes　had　not　concealed　their　approbation；　and　Mrs。　Creighton　had　often　told　him　she　had　no　doubt　of　his　success。　He　was　more　than　mortified；　however；　by　the　refusal；　he　was　pained。　Elinor　repeated　assurances　of　respect　and　friendship；　and　regret　that　she　felt　herself　unable　to　return　his　regard　as　it　deserved。　She　even　alluded　to　his　generosity　in　overlooking　her　want　of　personal　attractions；　she　said　she　had；　on　that　account；　been　slow　to　believe　that　he　had　any　serious　object　in　view。　At　the　time　he　had　first　proposed；　through　her　grandfather；　she　herself　had　wished　to　prevent　his　going　any　farther；　but　her　friends　had　desired　her　to　defer　the　answer；　he　himself　had　begged　her　to　do　so；　and　named　the　time　fixedshe　had　reluctantly　consented　to　this　arrangement；　and；　although　the　more　she　knew　of　Mr。　Ellsworth；　the　more　highly　she　esteemed　and　respected　him；　yet　the　result　had　been　what　she　first　foresaw；　she　could　not　conscientiously　offer　him　the　full　attachment　he　had　a　right　to　expect　from　a　wife。

Mr。　Ellsworth　rode　on　in　silence　for　a　moment。

〃Is　it　then　true；　Miss　Wyllys；　that　I　must　give　up　all　idea　of　obtaining　a　more　indulgent　hearing；　at　some　future　day？〃

〃Judge　for　yourself　if　I　am　capricious；　Mr。　Ellsworth。　Do　not　imagine　that　I　have　lightly　rejected　the　regard　of　a　man　whom　I　esteem　so　highly　as　yourself。　I　could　scarcely　name　another　in　my　whole　acquaintance；　for　whom　I　should　have　hesitated　so　long；　but〃　Elinor　paused；　suddenly　became　very　red；　and　then　deadly　pale。

〃Butwhat　would　you　say；　Miss　Wyllys？go　on；　I　entreat！〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Ellsworth。

It　was　a　mome