第 27 节
作者:
津鸿一瞥 更新:2021-03-08 19:41 字数:9320
recklessness that distinguishes the expenditures of his countrymen;
swept off half a dozen of the family at one purchase。 Accident gave him
the liberal end of the piece; a circumstance to which he never would
have assented had he known the fact; for being an attache of the
legation of his own country; he was ex officio aristocratic。 My brother
amused me exceedingly with his account of the indignation he felt at
finding himself in a very hot…bed of monarchical opinions; in the set at
the American legation。 What rendered these diplomates so much the
more aristocratic; was the novelty of the thing; scarcely one of them
having been accustomed to society at home。 After passing a few months
in such company; my brother's boss; who was a mere traveling
diplomatist; came home and began to run a brilliant career in the circles
of New York; on the faith of a European reputation。 Alas! there is in
pocket…handkerchief nature a disposition to act by contraries。 The
〃more you call; the more I won't come〃 principle was active in poor No。
12's mind; and he had not been a month in New York society; before
he came out an ultra monarchist。 New York society has more than one
of these sudden political conversions to answer for。 It is such a thorough
development of the democratic principle; that the faith of few believers
is found strong enough to withstand it。 Every body knows how much a
prospect varies by position。 Thus; you shall stand on the aristocratic
side of a room filled with company; and every thing will present a vulgar
and democratic appearance; or; vice versa; you shall occupy a place
among the oi polloi; and all is aristocratic; exclusive; and offensive。 So it
had proved with my unfortunate kinsman。 All his notions had changed;
instead of finding the perfection he had preached and extolled so long;
he found nothing to admire; and every thing to condemn。 In a word;
never was a pocket…handkerchief so miserable; and that; too; on
grounds so philosophical and profound; met with; on its entrance into
active life。 I do believe; if my brother could have got back to France; he
would have written a book on America; which; while it overlooked
many vices and foibles that deserve to be cut up without mercy; would
have thrown even de Tocqueville into the shade in the way of political
blunders。 But I forbear; this latter writer being unanswerable among
those neophytes who having never thought of their own system; unless
as Englishmen; are overwhelmed with admiration at finding any thing of
another character advanced about it。 At least; such are the sentiments
entertained by a very high priced pocket…handkerchief。
{magasin = shop; ex…officio = by virtue of his positionCooper
frequently criticized American diplomats for taking on the conservative
views of the monarchial governments to which they were accredited; oi
polloi = common people; rabble (Greek); de Tocqueville = Alexis de
Tocqueville = French writer (1805…1859); famous for his account of
American culture; 〃Democracy in America〃 (1835 and 1840)Cooper
had provided Tocqueville with letters of introduction for his 1832
American visit; but resented the extreme admiration accorded his
book}
Mademoiselle Hennequin; I took occasion to remark; occupied much of
the attention of Betts Shoreham; at Mrs。 Leamington's ball。 They
understood each other perfectly; though the young man could not get
over the feeling created by the governess's manner when she first met
with me。 Throughout the evening; indeed; her eye seemed studiously
averted from me; as if she struggled to suppress certain sentiments or
sensations; that she was unwilling to betray。 Now; these sentiments; if
sentiments they were; or sensations; as they were beyond all dispute;
might be envyrepinings at another's better fortunesor they might be
excited by philosophical and commendable reflections touching those
follies which so often lead the young and thoughtless into extravagance。
Betts tried hard to believe them the last; though; in his inmost heart; he
would a thousand times rather that the woman he loved should smile on
a weakness of this sort; in a girl of her own age; than that she should
show herself to be prematurely wise; if it was wisdom purchased at the
expense of the light…heartedness and sympathies of her years and sex。
On a diminished scale; I had awakened in his bosom some such uneasy
distrust as the pocket…handkerchief of Desdemona is known to have
aroused in that of the Moor。
{Shakespeare; 〃Othello〃}
Nor can I say that Julia Monson enjoyed herself as much as she had
anticipated。 Love she did not Betts Shoreham; for that was a passion
her temperament and training induced her to wait for some pretty
unequivocal demonstrations on the part of the gentleman before she
yielded to it; but she LIKED him vastly; and nothing would have been
easier than to have blown this smouldering preference into a flame。 She
was too young; and; to say the truth; too natural and uncalculating; to be
always remembering that Betts owned a good old…fashioned landed
estate that was said to produce twenty; and which did actually produce
eleven thousand a year; nett; and that his house in the country was
generally said to be one of the very best in the state。 For all this she
cared absolutely nothing; or nothing worth mentioning。 There were
enough young men of as good estates; and there were a vast many of
no estates at all; ready and willing to take their chances in the 〃cutting
up〃 of 〃old Monson;〃 but there were few who were as agreeable; as
well mannered; as handsome; or who had seen as much of the world; as
Betts Shoreham。 Of course; she had never fancied the young man in
love with herself; but; previously to the impression she had quite
recently imbibed of his attachment to her mother's governess; she had
been accustomed to think such a thing MIGHT come to pass; and that
she should not be sorry if it did。
I very well understand this is not the fashionable; or possibly the polite
way of describing those incipient sentiments which form the germ of
love in the virgin affections of young ladies; and that a skillful and refined
poet would use very different language on the occasion; but I began this
history to represent things as they are; and such is the manner in which
〃Love's Young Dream〃 appears to a pocket…handkerchief。
{〃Love's Young Dream〃 = popular poem by Thomas Moore (1780…
1852)}
Among other things that were unpleasant; Miss Monson was compelled
to overhear sundry remarks of Betts's devotion to the governess; as she
stood in the dance; some of which reached me; also。
〃Who is the lady to whom Mr。 Shoreham is so devoue this evening?〃
asked Miss N。 of Miss T。 〃'Tis quite a new face; and; if one might be so
presuming; quite a new manner。〃
{devoue = devoted; attentive}
〃That is Mademoiselle Henny; the governess of Mrs。 Monson's
children; my dear。 They say she is all accomplishments; and quite a
miracle of propriety。 It is also rumored that she is; some way; a very
distinguished person; reduced by those horrid revolutions of which they
have so many in Europe。〃
〃Noble; I dare say!〃
〃Oh! that at least。 Some persons affirm that she is semi…ROYAL。 The
country is full of broken…down royalty and nobility。 Do you think she
has an aristocratic air?〃
〃Not in the leasther ears are too small。〃
〃Why; my dear; that is the very symbol of nobility! When my Aunt
Harding was in Naples; she knew the Duke of Montecarbana;
intimately; and she says he had the smallest ears she ever beheld on a
human being。 The Montecarbanas are a family as old as the ruins of
Paestum; they say。〃
{Paestum = ancient Roman city outside Naples}
〃Well; to my notion; nobility and teaching little girls French and Italian;
and their gammes; have very little in common。 I had thought Mr。
Shoreham an admirer of Miss Monson's。〃
{gammes = musical scales}
Now; unfortunately; my mistress overheard this remark。 Her feelings
were just in that agitated state to take the alarm; and she determined to
flirt with a young man of the name of Thurston; with a view to awaken
Betts's jealousy; if he had any; and to give vent to her own spleen。 This
Tom Thurston was one of those tall; good…looking young fellows who
come from; nobody knows where; get into society; nobody knows
how; and live on; nobody knows what。 It was pretty generally
understood that he was on the look…out for a rich wife; and
encouragement from Julia Monson was not likely to be disregarded by
such a person。 To own the truth; my mistress carried matters much too
farso far; indeed; as to attract attention from every body but those
most concerned; viz。 her own mother and Betts Shoreham。 Although
elderly ladies play cards very little; just now; in American society; or;
indeed; in any other; they have their inducements for rendering the well…
known office of matron at a ball; a mere sinecure。 Mrs。 Monson; too;
was an indulgent mother; and seldom saw any thing very wrong in her
own children。 Julia; in the main; had sufficient retenue; and a suspicion
of her want of discretion on this point; was one of the last things that
would cross the fond parent's mind at Mrs。 Leamington's ball。 Others;