第 5 节
作者:
猫王 更新:2022-07-12 16:19 字数:9321
over the paling of a villa; they turned into an open gate。
Here they found themselves face to face with the ocean and with
a very picturesque structure; resembling a magnified chalet;
which was perched upon a green embankment just above it。
The house had a veranda of extraordinary width all around it
and a great many doors and windows standing open to the veranda。
These various apertures had; in common; such an accessible;
hospitable air; such a breezy flutter within of light curtains;
such expansive thresholds and reassuring interiors; that our friends
hardly knew which was the regular entrance; and; after hesitating
a moment; presented themselves at one of the windows。
The room within was dark; but in a moment a graceful figure
vaguely shaped itself in the rich…looking gloom; and a lady
came to meet them。 Then they saw that she had been seated at
a table writing; and that she had heard them and had got up。
She stepped out into the light; she wore a frank; charming smile;
with which she held out her hand to Percy Beaumont。
〃Oh; you must be Lord Lambeth and Mr。 Beaumont;〃 she said。
〃I have heard from my husband that you would come。 I am extremely
glad to see you。〃 And she shook hands with each of her visitors。
Her visitors were a little shy; but they had very good manners;
they responded with smiles and exclamations; and they apologized
for not knowing the front door。 The lady rejoined; with vivacity;
that when she wanted to see people very much she did not insist
upon those distinctions; and that Mr。 Westgate had written to her
of his English friends in terms that made her really anxious。
〃He said you were so terribly prostrated;〃 said Mrs。 Westgate。
〃Oh; you mean by the heat?〃 replied Percy Beaumont。
〃We were rather knocked up; but we feel wonderfully better。
We had such a jollya voyage down here。 It's so very good
of you to mind。〃
〃Yes; it's so very kind of you;〃 murmured Lord Lambeth。
Mrs。 Westgate stood smiling; she was extremely pretty。 〃Well; I did mind;〃
she said; 〃and I thought of sending for you this morning to the Ocean House。
I am very glad you are better; and I am charmed you have arrived。
You must come round to the other side of the piazza。〃 And she led the way;
with a light; smooth step; looking back at the young men and smiling。
The other side of the piazza was; as Lord Lambeth presently remarked;
a very jolly place。 It was of the most liberal proportions;
and with its awnings; its fanciful chairs; its cushions and rugs;
its view of the ocean; close at hand; tumbling along the base of the low
cliffs whose level tops intervened in lawnlike smoothness; it formed
a charming complement to the drawing room。 As such it was in course
of use at the present moment; it was occupied by a social circle。
There were several ladies and two or three gentlemen; to whom
Mrs。 Westgate proceeded to introduce the distinguished strangers。
She mentioned a great many names very freely and distinctly;
the young Englishmen; shuffling about and bowing; were rather bewildered。
But at last they were provided with chairslow; wicker chairs;
gilded; and tied with a great many ribbonsand one of the ladies
(a very young person; with a little snub nose and several dimples)
offered Percy Beaumont a fan。 The fan was also adorned with pink
love knots; but Percy Beaumont declined it; although he was very hot。
Presently; however; it became cooler; the breeze from the sea
was delicious; the view was charming; and the people sitting there
looked exceedingly fresh and comfortable。 Several of the ladies
seemed to be young girls; and the gentlemen were slim; fair youths;
such as our friends had seen the day before in New York。
The ladies were working upon bands of tapestry; and one of the young
men had an open book in his lap。 Beaumont afterward learned
from one of the ladies that this young man had been reading aloud;
that he was from Boston and was very fond of reading aloud。
Beaumont said it was a great pity that they had interrupted him;
he should like so much (from all he had heard) to hear a Bostonian read。
Couldn't the young man be induced to go on?
〃Oh no;〃 said his informant very freely; 〃he wouldn't be able
to get the young ladies to attend to him now。〃
There was something very friendly; Beaumont perceived;
in the attitude of the company; they looked at the young Englishmen
with an air of animated sympathy and interest; they smiled;
brightly and unanimously; at everything either of the visitors said。
Lord Lambeth and his companion felt that they were being made
very welcome。 Mrs。 Westgate seated herself between them; and;
talking a great deal to each; they had occasion to observe
that she was as pretty as their friend Littledale had promised。
She was thirty years old; with the eyes and the smile of a girl
of seventeen; and she was extremely light and graceful;
elegant; exquisite。 Mrs。 Westgate was extremely spontaneous。
She was very frank and demonstrative and appeared always
while she looked at you delightedly with her beautiful
young eyesto be making sudden confessions and concessions;
after momentary hesitations。
〃We shall expect to see a great deal of you;〃 she said to Lord
Lambeth with a kind of joyous earnestness。 〃We are very fond
of Englishmen here; that is; there are a great many we have been
fond of。 After a day or two you must come and stay with us;
we hope you will stay a long time。 Newport's a very nice place
when you come really to know it; when you know plenty of people。
Of course you and Mr。 Beaumont will have no difficulty about that。
Englishmen are very well received here; there are almost always
two or three of them about。 I think they always like it;
and I must say I should think they would。 They receive ever
so much attention。 I must say I think they sometimes get spoiled;
but I am sure you and Mr。 Beaumont are proof against that。
My husband tells me you are a friend of Captain Littledale;
he was such a charming man。 He made himself most agreeable here;
and I am sure I wonder he didn't stay。 It couldn't have been
pleasanter for him in his own country; though; I suppose;
it is very pleasant in England; for English people。
I don't know myself; I have been there very little。
I have been a great deal abroad; but I am always on the Continent。
I must say I'm extremely fond of Paris; you know we Americans
always are; we go there when we die。 Did you ever hear that before?
That was said by a great wit; I mean the good Americans;
but we are all good; you'll see that for yourself。
All I know of England is London; and all I know of London is
that place on that little corner; you know; where you buy jackets
jackets with that coarse braid and those big buttons。
They make very good jackets in London; I will do you
the justice to say that。 And some people like the hats;
but about the hats I was always a heretic; I always got
my hats in Paris。 You can't wear an English hatat least
I never couldunless you dress your hair a l'Anglaise;
and I must say that is a talent I have never possessed。
In Paris they will make things to suit your peculiarities;
but in England I think you like much more to havehow shall I
say it?one thing for everybody。 I mean as regards dress。
I don't know about other things; but I have always
supposed that in other things everything was different。
I mean according to the peopleaccording to the classes;
and all that。 I am afraid you will think that I don't take
a very favorable view; but you know you can't take a very
favorable view in Dover Street in the month of November。
That has always been my fate。 Do you know Jones's Hotel
in Dover Street? That's all I know of England。 Of course
everyone admits that the English hotels are your weak point。
There was always the most frightful fog; I couldn't see to try
my things on。 When I got over to Americainto the light
I usually found they were twice too big。 The next time I
mean to go in the season; I think I shall go next year。
I want very much to take my sister; she has never been to England。
I don't know whether you know what I mean by saying
that the Englishmen who come here sometimes get spoiled。
I mean that they take things as a matter of course
things that are done for them。 Now; naturally; they are
only a matter of course when the Englishmen are very nice。
But; of course; they are almost always very nice。
Of course this isn't nearly such an interesting country as England;
there are not nearly so many things to see; and we haven't your
country life。 I have never seen anything of your country life;
when I am in Europe I am always on the Continent。 But I have
heard a great deal about it; I know that when you are among
yourselves in the country you have the most beautiful time。
Of course we have nothing of that sort; we have nothing on
that scale。 I don't apologize; Lord Lambeth; some Americans