the author of beltraffio-第3章
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English people and their extraordinary talent for keeping up their
forms； as well as of some of the mysteries of Mark Ambient's hearth
and home。 I found afterwards that he had； in his study； between
nervous laughs and free cigar…puffs； some wonderful comparisons for
his clerical neighbours； but meanwhile the chrysanthemums were a
source of harmony； he and the vicaress were equally attached to them；
and I was surprised at the knowledge they exhibited of this
interesting plant。 The lady's visit； however； had presumably been
long； and she presently rose for departure and kissed Mrs。 Ambient。
Mark started to walk with her to the gate of the grounds； holding
Dolcino by the hand。
〃Stay with me； darling；〃 Mrs。 Ambient said to the boy； who had
surrendered himself to his father。
Mark paid no attention to the summons but Dolcino turned and looked
at her in shy appeal； 〃Can't I go with papa？〃
〃Not when I ask you to stay with me。〃
〃But please don't ask me； mamma；〃 said the child in his small clear
new voice。
〃I must ask you when I want you。 Come to me； dearest。〃 And Mrs。
Ambient； who had seated herself again； held out her long slender
slightly too osseous hands。
Her husband stopped； his back turned to her； but without releasing
the child。 He was still talking to the vicaress； but this good lady；
I think； had lost the thread of her attention。 She looked at Mrs。
Ambient and at Dolcino； and then looked at me； smiling in a highly
amused cheerful manner and almost to a grimace。
〃Papa；〃 said the child； 〃mamma wants me not to go with you。〃
〃He's very tiredhe has run about all day。 He ought to be quiet
till he goes to bed。 Otherwise he won't sleep。〃 These declarations
fell successively and very distinctly from Mrs。 Ambient's lips。
Her husband； still without turning round； bent over the boy and
looked at him in silence。 The vicaress gave a genial irrelevant
laugh and observed that he was a precious little pet。 〃Let him
choose；〃 said Mark Ambient。 〃My dear little boy； will you go with me
or will you stay with your mother？〃
〃Oh it's a shame！〃 cried the vicar's lady with increased hilarity。
〃Papa； I don't think I can choose；〃 the child answered； making his
voice very low and confidential。 〃But I've been a great deal with
mamma to…day；〃 he then added。
〃And very little with papa！ My dear fellow； I think you HAVE
chosen！〃 On which Mark Ambient walked off with his son； accompanied
by re…echoing but inarticulate comments from my fellow…visitor。
His wife had seated herself again； and her fixed eyes； bent on the
ground； expressed for a few moments so much mute agitation that
anything I could think of to say would be but a false note。 Yet she
none the less quickly recovered herself； to express the sufficiently
civil hope that I didn't mind having had to walk from the station。 I
reassured her on this point； and she went on： 〃We've got a thing
that might have gone for you； but my husband wouldn't order it。〃
After which and another longish pause； broken only by my plea that
the pleasure of a walk with our friend would have been quite what I
would have chosen； she found for reply： 〃I believe the Americans
walk very little。〃
〃Yes； we always run；〃 I laughingly allowed。
She looked at me seriously； yet with an absence in her pretty eyes。
〃I suppose your distances are so great。〃
〃Yes； but we break our marches！ I can't tell you the pleasure to me
of finding myself here；〃 I added。 〃I've the greatest admiration for
Mr。 Ambient。〃
〃He'll like that。 He likes being admired。〃
〃He must have a very happy life； then。 He has many worshippers。〃
〃Oh yes； I've seen some of them；〃 she dropped； looking away； very far
from me； rather as if such a vision were before her at the moment。
It seemed to indicate； her tone； that the sight was scarcely
edifying； and I guessed her quickly enough to be in no great
intellectual sympathy with the author of 〃Beltraffio。〃 I thought the
fact strange； but somehow； in the glow of my own enthusiasm； didn't
think it important it only made me wish rather to emphasise that
homage。
〃For me； you know；〃 I returneddoubtless with a due suffisance
〃he's quite the greatest of living writers。〃
〃Of course I can't judge。 Of course he's very clever；〃 she said with
a patient cheer。
〃He's nothing less than supreme； Mrs。 Ambient！ There are pages in
each of his books of a perfection classing them with the greatest
things。 Accordingly for me to see him in this familiar way； in his
habit as he lives； and apparently to find the man as delightful as
the artistwell； I can't tell you how much too good to be true it
seems and how great a privilege I think it。〃 I knew I was gushing；
but I couldn't help it； and what I said was a good deal less than
what I felt。 I was by no means sure I should dare to say even so
much as this to the master himself； and there was a kind of rapture
in speaking it out to his wife which was not affected by the fact
that； as a wife； she appeared peculiar。 She listened to me with her
face grave again and her lips a little compressed； listened as if in
no doubt； of course； that her husband was remarkable； but as if at
the same time she had heard it frequently enough and couldn't treat
it as stirring news。 There was even in her manner a suggestion that
I was so young as to expose myself to being called forwardan
imputation and a word I had always loathed； as well as a hinted
reminder that people usually got over their early extravagance。 〃I
assure you that for me this is a red…letter day；〃 I added。
She didn't take this up； but after a pause； looking round her； said
abruptly and a trifle dryly： 〃We're very much afraid about the fruit
this year。〃
My eyes wandered to the mossy mottled garden…walls； where plum…trees
and pears； flattened and fastened upon the rusty bricks； looked like
crucified figures with many arms。 〃Doesn't it promise well？〃
〃No； the trees look very dull。 We had such late frosts。〃
Then there was another pause。 She addressed her attention to the
opposite end of the grounds； kept it for her husband's return with
the child。 〃Is Mr。 Ambient fond of gardening？〃 it occurred to me to
ask； irresistibly impelled as I felt myself； moreover； to bring the
conversation constantly back to him。
〃He's very fond of plums；〃 said his wife。
〃Ah well； then； I hope your crop will be better than you fear。 It's
a lovely old place；〃 I continued。 〃The whole impression's that of
certain places he has described。 Your house is like one of his
pictures。〃
She seemed a bit frigidly amused at my glow。 〃It's a pleasant little
place。 There are hundreds like it。〃
〃Oh it has his TONE；〃 I laughed； but sounding my epithet and
insisting on my point the more sharply that my companion appeared to
see in my appreciation of her simple establishment a mark of mean
experience。
It was clear I insisted too much。 〃His tone？〃 she repeated with a
harder look at me and a slightly heightened colour。
〃Surely he has a tone； Mrs。 Ambient。〃
〃Oh yes； he has indeed！ But I don't in the least consider that I'm
living in one of his books at all。 I shouldn't care for that in the
least；〃 she went on with a smile that had in some degree the effect
of converting her really sharp protest into an insincere joke。 〃I'm
afraid I'm not very literary。 And I'm not artistic；〃 she stated。
〃I'm very sure you're not ignorant； not stupid；〃 I ventured to reply；
with the accompaniment of feeling immediately afterwards that I had
been both familiar and patronising。 My only consolation was in the
sense that she had begun it； had fairly dragged me into it。 She had
thrust forward her limitations。
〃Well； whatever I am I'm very different from my husband。 If you like
him you won't like me。 You needn't say anything。 Your liking me
isn't in the least necessary！〃
〃Don't defy me！〃 I could but honourably make answer。
She looked as if she hadn't heard me； which was the best thing she
could do； and we sat some time without further speech。 Mrs。 Ambient
had evidently the enviable English quality of being able to be mute
without unrest。 But at last she spokeshe asked me if there seemed
