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;