eugene pickering-第1章

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Eugene　Pickering



by　Henry　James









CHAPTER　I。







It　was　at　Homburg；　several　years　ago；　before　the　gaming　had　been

suppressed。　　The　evening　was　very　warm；　and　all　the　world　was

gathered　on　the　terrace　of　the　Kursaal　and　the　esplanade　below　it　to

listen　to　the　excellent　orchestra；　or　half　the　world；　rather；　for　the

crowd　was　equally　dense　in　the　gaming…rooms　around　the　tables。

Everywhere　the　crowd　was　great。　　The　night　was　perfect；　the　season

was　at　its　height；　the　open　windows　of　the　Kursaal　sent　long　shafts

of　unnatural　light　into　the　dusky　woods；　and　now　and　then；　in　the

intervals　of　the　music；　one　might　almost　hear　the　clink　of　the

napoleons　and　the　metallic　call　of　the　croupiers　rise　above　the

watching　silence　of　the　saloons。　　I　had　been　strolling　with　a　friend；

and　we　at　last　prepared　to　sit　down。　　Chairs；　however；　were　scarce。

I　had　captured　one；　but　it　seemed　no　easy　matter　to　find　a　mate　for

it。　　I　was　on　the　point　of　giving　up　in　despair；　and　proposing　an

adjournment　to　the　silken　ottomans　of　the　Kursaal；　when　I　observed　a

young　man　lounging　back　on　one　of　the　objects　of　my　quest；　with　his

feet　supported　on　the　rounds　of　another。　　This　was　more　than　his

share　of　luxury；　and　I　promptly　approached　him。　　He　evidently

belonged　to　the　race　which　has　the　credit　of　knowing　best；　at　home

and　abroad；　how　to　make　itself　comfortable；　but　something　in　his

appearance　suggested　that　his　present　attitude　was　the　result　of

inadvertence　rather　than　of　egotism。　　He　was　staring　at　the　conductor

of　the　orchestra　and　listening　intently　to　the　music。　　His　hands　were

locked　round　his　long　legs；　and　his　mouth　was　half　open；　with　rather

a　foolish　air。　　〃There　are　so　few　chairs；〃　I　said；　〃that　I　must　beg

you　to　surrender　this　second　one。〃　　He　started；　stared；　blushed；

pushed　the　chair　away　with　awkward　alacrity；　and　murmured　something

about　not　having　noticed　that　he　had　it。



〃What　an　odd…looking　youth！〃　said　my　companion；　who　had　watched　me；

as　I　seated　myself　beside　her。



〃Yes；　he　is　odd…looking；　but　what　is　odder　still　is　that　I　have　seen

him　before；　that　his　face　is　familiar　to　me；　and　yet　that　I　can't

place　him。〃　　The　orchestra　was　playing　the　Prayer　from　Der

Freischutz；　but　Weber's　lovely　music　only　deepened　the　blank　of

memory。　　Who　the　deuce　was　he？　where；　when；　how；　had　I　known　him？　　It

seemed　extraordinary　that　a　face　should　be　at　once　so　familiar　and　so

strange。　　We　had　our　backs　turned　to　him；　so　that　I　could　not　look　at

him　again。　　When　the　music　ceased　we　left　our　places；　and　I　went　to

consign　my　friend　to　her　mamma　on　the　terrace。　　In　passing；　I　saw

that　my　young　man　had　departed；　I　concluded　that　he　only　strikingly

resembled　some　one　I　knew。　　But　who　in　the　world　was　it　he　resembled？

The　ladies　went　off　to　their　lodgings；　which　were　near　by；　and　I

turned　into　the　gaming…rooms　and　hovered　about　the　circle　at

roulette。　　Gradually　I　filtered　through　to　the　inner　edge；　near　the

table；　and；　looking　round；　saw　my　puzzling　friend　stationed　opposite

to　me。　　He　was　watching　the　game；　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　but

singularly　enough；　now　that　I　observed　him　at　my　leisure；　the　look　of

familiarity　quite　faded　from　his　face。　　What　had　made　us　call　his

appearance　odd　was　his　great　length　and　leanness　of　limb；　his　long；

white　neck；　his　blue；　prominent　eyes；　and　his　ingenuous；　unconscious

absorption　in　the　scene　before　him。　　He　was　not　handsome；　certainly；

but　he　looked　peculiarly　amiable　and　if　his　overt　wonderment　savoured

a　trifle　of　rurality；　it　was　an　agreeable　contrast　to　the　hard；

inexpressive　masks　about　him。　　He　was　the　verdant　offshoot；　I　said　to

myself；　of　some　ancient；　rigid　stem；　he　had　been　brought　up　in　the

quietest　of　homes；　and　he　was　having　his　first　glimpse　of　life。　　I

was　curious　to　see　whether　he　would　put　anything　on　the　table；　he

evidently　felt　the　temptation；　but　he　seemed　paralysed　by　chronic

embarrassment。　　He　stood　gazing　at　the　chinking　complexity　of　losses

and　gains；　shaking　his　loose　gold　in　his　pocket；　and　every　now　and

then　passing　his　hand　nervously　over　his　eyes。



Most　of　the　spectators　were　too　attentive　to　the　play　to　have　many

thoughts　for　each　other；　but　before　long　I　noticed　a　lady　who

evidently　had　an　eye　for　her　neighbours　as　well　as　for　the　table。

She　was　seated　about　half…way　between　my　friend　and　me；　and　I

presently　observed　that　she　was　trying　to　catch　his　eye。　　Though　at

Homburg；　as　people　said；　〃one　could　never　be　sure；〃　I　yet　doubted

whether　this　lady　were　one　of　those　whose　especial　vocation　it　was　to

catch　a　gentleman's　eye。　　She　was　youthful　rather　than　elderly；　and

pretty　rather　than　plain；　indeed；　a　few　minutes　later；　when　I　saw　her

smile；　I　thought　her　wonderfully　pretty。　　She　had　a　charming　gray　eye

and　a　good　deal　of　yellow　hair　disposed　in　picturesque　disorder；　and

though　her　features　were　meagre　and　her　complexion　faded；　she　gave

one　a　sense　of　sentimental；　artificial　gracefulness。　　She　was　dressed

in　white　muslin　very　much　puffed　and　filled；　but　a　trifle　the　worse

for　wear；　relieved　here　and　there　by　a　pale　blue　ribbon。　　I　used　to

flatter　myself　on　guessing　at　people's　nationality　by　their　faces；

and；　as　a　rule；　I　guessed　aright。　　This　faded；　crumpled；　vaporous

beauty；　I　conceived；　was　a　Germansuch　a　German；　somehow；　as　I　had

seen　imagined　in　literature。　　Was　she　not　a　friend　of　poets；　a

correspondent　of　philosophers；　a　muse；　a　priestess　of　aesthetics

something　in　the　way　of　a　Bettina；　a　Rahel？　　My　conjectures；　however；

were　speedily　merged　in　wonderment　as　to　what　my　diffident　friend　was

making　of　her。　　She　caught　his　eye　at　last；　and　raising　an　ungloved

hand；　covered　altogether　with　blue…gemmed　ringsturquoises；

sapphires；　and　lapisshe　beckoned　him　to　come　to　her。　　The　gesture

was　executed　with　a　sort　of　practised　coolness；　and　accompanied　with

an　appealing　smile。　　He　stared　a　moment；　rather　blankly；　unable　to

suppose　that　the　invitation　was　addressed　to　him；　then；　as　it　was

immediately　repeated　with　a　good　deal　of　intensity；　he　blushed　to　the

roots　of　his　hair；　wavered　awkwardly；　and　at　last　made　his　way　to　the

lady's　chair。　　By　the　time　he　reached　it　he　was　crimson；　and　wiping

his　forehead　with　his　pocket…handkerchief。　　She　tilted　back；　looked

up　at　him　with　the　same　smile；　laid　two　fingers　on　his　sleeve；　and

said　something；　interrogatively；　to　which　he　replied　by　a　shake　of

the　head。　　She　was　asking　him；　evidently；　if　he　had　ever　played；　and

he　was　saying　no。　　Old　players　have　a　fancy　that　when　luck　has　turned

her　back　on　them　they　can　put　her　into　good…humour　again　by　having

their　stakes　placed　by　a　novice。　　Our　young　man's　physiognomy　had

seemed　to　his　new　acquaintance　to　express　the　perfection　of

inexperience；　and；　like　a　practical　woman；　she　had　determined　to　make

him　serve　her　turn。　　Unlike　most　of　her　neighbours；　she　had　no　little

pile　of　gold　before　her；　but　she　drew　from　her　pocket　a　double

napoleon；　put　it　into　his　hand；　and　bade　him　place　it　on　a　number　of

his　own　choosing。　　He　was　evidently　filled　with　a　sort　of　delightful

trouble；　he　enjoyed　the　adventure；　but　he　shrank　from　the　hazard。　　I

would　have　staked　the　coin　on　its　being　his　companion's　last；　for

although　she　still　smiled　intently　as　she　watched　his　hesitation；

there　was　anything　but　indifference　in　her　pale；　pretty　face。

Suddenly；　in　desperation；　he　reached　over　and　laid　the　piece　on　the

table。　　My　attention　was　diverted　at　this　moment　by　my　having　to　make

way　for　a　lady　with　a　great　many　flounces；　before　me；　to　give　up　her

chair　to　a　rustling　friend　to　whom　she　had　promised　it；　when　I　again

looked　across　at　the　lady　in　white　muslin；　she　was　drawing　in　a　very

goodly　pile　of　gold　with　her　little　blue…gemmed　claw。　　Good　luck　and

bad；　at　the　Homburg　tables；　were　equally　undemonstrative；　and　this

happy　adventuress　rewarded　her　young　friend　for　the　sacrifice　of　his

innocence　with　a　single；　rapid；　upward　smile。　　He　had　innocence