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