the pension beaurepas-第5部分

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〃Mamma　has　very　good　reasons；　she　will　tell　you　them　all。〃

〃Well；　I'm　sure　I　don't　want　to　hear　them；〃　said　Miss　Ruck。　　〃You
have　got　a　right　to　go　to　your　own　country；　every　one　has　a　right　to
go　to　their　own　country。〃

〃Mamma　is　not　very　patriotic；〃　said　Aurora　Church；　smiling。

〃Well；　I　call　that　dreadful；〃　her　companion　declared。　　〃I　have　heard
that　there　are　some　Americans　like　that；　but　I　never　believed　it。〃

〃There　are　all　sorts　of　Americans；〃　I　said；　laughing。

〃Aurora's　one　of　the　right　sort；〃　rejoined　Miss　Ruck；　who　had
apparently　become　very　intimate　with　her　new　friend。

〃Are　you　very　patriotic？〃　I　asked　of　the　young　girl。

〃She's　right　down　homesick；〃　said　Miss　Sophy；　〃she's　dying　to　go。　　If
I　were　you　my　mother　would　have　to　take　me。〃

〃Mamma　is　going　to　take　me　to　Dresden。〃

〃Well；　I　declare　I　never　heard　of　anything　so　dreadful！〃　cried　Miss
Ruck。　　〃It's　like　something　in　a　story。〃

〃I　never　heard　there　was　anything　very　dreadful　in　Dresden；〃　I
interposed。

Miss　Ruck　looked　at　me　a　moment。　　〃Well；　I　don't　believe　YOU　are　a
good　American；〃　she　replied；　〃and　I　never　supposed　you　were。　　You　had
better　go　in　there　and　talk　to　Mrs。　Church。〃

〃Dresden　is　really　very　nice；　isn't　it？〃　I　asked　of　her　companion。

〃It　isn't　nice　if　you　happen　to　prefer　New　York；〃　said　Miss　Sophy。
〃Miss　Church　prefers　New　York。　　Tell　him　you　are　dying　to　see　New
York；　it　will　make　him　angry；〃　she　went　on。

〃I　have　no　desire　to　make　him　angry；〃　said　Aurora；　smiling。

〃It　is　only　Miss　Ruck　who　can　do　that；〃　I　rejoined。　　〃Have　you　been　a
long　time　in　Europe？〃

〃Always。〃

〃I　call　that　wicked！〃　Miss　Sophy　declared。

〃You　might　be　in　a　worse　place；〃　I　continued。　　〃I　find　Europe　very
interesting。〃

Miss　Ruck　gave　a　little　laugh。　　〃I　was　saying　that　you　wanted　to　pass
for　a　European。〃

〃Yes；　I　want　to　pass　for　a　Dalmatian。〃

Miss　Ruck　looked　at　me　a　moment。　　〃Well；　you　had　better　not　come
home；〃　she　said。　　〃No　one　will　speak　to　you。〃

〃Were　you　born　in　these　countries？〃　I　asked　of　her　companion。

〃Oh；　no；　I　came　to　Europe　when　I　was　a　small　child。　　But　I　remember
America　a　little；　and　it　seems　delightful。〃

〃Wait　till　you　see　it　again。　　It's　just　too　lovely；〃　said　Miss　Sophy。

〃It's　the　grandest　country　in　the　world；〃　I　added。

Miss　Ruck　began　to　toss　her　head。　　〃Come　away；　my　dear；〃　she　said。
〃If　there's　a　creature　I　despise　it's　a　man　that　tries　to　say　funny
things　about　his　own　country。〃

〃Don't　you　think　one　can　be　tired　of　Europe？〃　Aurora　asked；
lingering。

〃Possiblyafter　many　years。〃

〃Father　was　tired　of　it　after　three　weeks；〃　said　Miss　Ruck。

〃I　have　been　here　sixteen　years；〃　her　friend　went　on；　looking　at　me
with　a　charming　intentness；　as　if　she　had　a　purpose　in　speaking。　　〃It
used　to　be　for　my　education。　　I　don't　know　what　it's　for　now。〃

〃She's　beautifully　educated；〃　said　Miss　Ruck。　　〃She　knows　four
languages。〃

〃I　am　not　very　sure　that　I　know　English。〃

〃You　should　go　to　Boston！〃　cried　Miss　Sophy。　　〃They　speak　splendidly
in　Boston。〃

〃C'est　mon　reve；〃　said　Aurora；　still　looking　at　me。

〃Have　you　been　all　over　Europe；〃　I　asked〃in　all　the　different
countries？〃

She　hesitated　a　moment。　　〃Everywhere　that　there's　a　pension。　　Mamma
is　devoted　to　pensions。　　We　have　lived；　at　one　time　or　another；　in
every　pension　in　Europe。〃

〃Well；　I　should　think　you　had　seen　about　enough；〃　said　Miss　Ruck。

〃It's　a　delightful　way　of　seeing　Europe；〃　Aurora　rejoined；　with　her
brilliant　smile。　　〃You　may　imagine　how　it　has　attached　me　to　the
different　countries。　　I　have　such　charming　souvenirs！　　There　is　a
pension　awaiting　us　now　at　Dresden；eight　francs　a　day；　without
wine。　　That's　rather　dear。　　Mamma　means　to　make　them　give　us　wine。
Mamma　is　a　great　authority　on　pensions；　she　is　known；　that　way；　all
over　Europe。　　Last　winter　we　were　in　Italy；　and　she　discovered　one　at
Piacenza；four　francs　a　day。　　We　made　economies。〃

〃Your　mother　doesn't　seem　to　mingle　much；〃　observed　Miss　Ruck；
glancing　through　the　window　at　the　scholastic　attitude　of　Mrs。
Church。

〃No；　she　doesn't　mingle；　except　in　the　native　society。　　Though　she
lives　in　pensions；　she　detests　them。〃

〃Why　does　she　live　in　them；　then？〃　asked　Miss　Sophy；　rather
resentfully。

〃Oh；　because　we　are　so　poor；　it's　the　cheapest　way　to　live。　　We　have
tried　having　a　cook；　but　the　cook　always　steals。　　Mamma　used　to　set
me　to　watch　her；　that's　the　way　I　passed　my　jeunessemy　belle
jeunesse。　　We　are　frightfully　poor；〃　the　young　girl　went　on；　with　the
same　strange　franknessa　curious　mixture　of　girlish　grace　and
conscious　cynicism。　　〃Nous　n'avons　pas　le　sou。　　That's　one　of　the
reasons　we　don't　go　back　to　America；　mamma　says　we　can't　afford　to
live　there。〃

〃Well；　any　one　can　see　that　you're　an　American　girl；〃　Miss　Ruck
remarked；　in　a　consolatory　manner。　　〃I　can　tell　an　American　girl　a
mile　off。　　You've　got　the　American　style。〃

〃I'm　afraid　I　haven't　the　American　toilette；〃　said　Aurora；　looking　at
the　other's　superior　splendour。

〃Well；　your　dress　was　cut　in　France；　any　one　can　see　that。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Aurora；　with　a　laugh；　〃my　dress　was　cut　in　Franceat
Avranches。〃

〃Well；　you've　got　a　lovely　figure；　any　way；〃　pursued　her　companion。

〃Ah；〃　said　the　young　girl；　〃at　Avranches；　too；　my　figure　was
admired。〃　　And　she　looked　at　me　askance；　with　a　certain　coquetry。
But　I　was　an　innocent　youth；　and　I　only　looked　back　at　her；
wondering。　　She　was　a　great　deal　nicer　than　Miss　Ruck；　and　yet　Miss
Ruck　would　not　have　said　that。　　〃I　try　to　be　like　an　American　girl；〃
she　continued；　〃I　do　my　best；　though　mamma　doesn't　at　all　encourage
it。　　I　am　very　patriotic。　　I　try　to　copy　them；　though　mamma　has
brought　me　up　a　la　francaise；　that　is；　as　much　as　one　can　in
pensions。　　For　instance；　I　have　never　been　out　of　the　house　without
mamma；　oh；　never；　never。　　But　sometimes　I　despair；　American　girls　are
so　wonderfully　frank。　　I　can't　be　frank；　like　that。　　I　am　always
afraid。　　But　I　do　what　I　can；　as　you　see。　　Excusez　du　peu！〃

I　thought　this　young　lady　at　least　as　outspoken　as　most　of　her
unexpatriated　sisters；　there　was　something　almost　comical　in　her
despondency。　　But　she　had　by　no　means　caught；　as　it　seemed　to　me；　the
American　tone。　　Whatever　her　tone　was；　however；　it　had　a　fascination；
there　was　something　dainty　about　it；　and　yet　it　was　decidedly
audacious。

The　young　ladies　began　to　stroll　about　the　garden　again；　and　I
enjoyed　their　society　until　M。　Pigeonneau's　festival　came　to　an　end。



CHAPTER　V。



Mr。　Ruck　did　not　take　his　departure　for　Appenzell　on　the　morrow；　in
spite　of　the　eagerness　to　witness　such　an　event　which　he　had
attributed　to　Mrs。　Church。　　He　continued；　on　the　contrary；　for　many
days　after；　to　hang　about　the　garden；　to　wander　up　to　the　banker's
and　back　again；　to　engage　in　desultory　conversation　with　his　fellow…
boarders；　and　to　endeavour　to　assuage　his　constitutional　restlessness
by　perusal　of　the　American　journals。　　But　on　the　morrow　I　had　the
honour　of　making　Mrs。　Church's　acquaintance。　　She　came　into　the
salon；　after　the　midday　breakfast；　with　her　German　octavo　under　her
arm；　and　she　appealed　to　me　for　assistance　in　selecting　a　quiet
corner。

〃Would　you　very　kindly；〃　she　said；　〃move　that　large　fauteuil　a　little
more　this　way？　　Not　the　largest；　the　one　with　the　little　cushion。
The　fauteuils　here　are　very　insufficient；　I　must　ask　Madame　Beaurepas
for　another。　　Thank　you；　a　little　more　to　the　left；　please；　that　will
do。　　Are　you　particularly　engaged？〃　she　inquired；　after　she　had
seated　herself。　　〃If　not；　I　should　like　to　have　some　conversation
with　you。　　It　is　some　time　since　I　have　met　a　young　American　of　your…
…what　shall　I　call　it？your　affiliations。　　I　have　learned　your　name
from　Madame　Beaurepas；　I　think　I　used　to　know　some　of　your　people。　　I
don't　know　what　has　become　of　all　my　friends。　　I　used　to　have　a
charming　little　circle　at　home；　but　now　I　meet　no　one　I　know。　　Don't
you　think　there　is　a　great　difference　between　the　people　one　meets
and　the　people　one　would　like　to　meet？　　Fortunately；　sometimes；〃
added　my　interlocutress　graciously；　〃it's　quite　the　same。　　I　suppose
you　are　a　specimen；　a　favourable　specimen；〃　she　went　on；　〃of　young
America。　　Tell　me；　now；　what　is　young　America　thinking　of　in　these
days　of　ours？　　What　are　its　feelings；　its　opinions；　its　aspirations？
What　is　its　IDEAL？〃　　I　had　seated　myself　near　Mrs。　Church；　and　she
had　pointed　this　interrogation　with　the　gaze　of　her　bright　little
eyes。　　I　felt　it　embarrassing　to　be　treated　as　a　favourable　specimen
of　young　America；　and　to　be　expected　to　answer　for　the　great
republic。　　Observing　my　hesitation；　Mrs。　Church　clasped　her　hands　on
the　open　page　of　her　book　and　gave　an　intense；　melancholy　smile。
〃HAS　it　an　ideal？〃　she　softly　asked。　　〃Well；　we　must　talk　of　this；〃
she　went　on；　without　insisting。　　〃Speak；　for　the　present；　for
yourself　simply。　　Have　you　come　to　Europe　with　any　special　design？〃

〃Nothing　to　boast　of；〃　I　said。　　〃I　am　studying　a　little。〃

〃Ah；　I　am　glad　to　hear　that。　　You　are　gathering　up　a　little　European
culture；　that's　what　we　lack；　you　know；　at　home。　　No　individual　can
do　much；　of　coarse。　　But　you　must　not　be　discouraged；　every　little
counts。〃

〃I　see　that　you；　at　least；　are　doing　your　part；〃　I　rejoined
gallantly；　dropping　my　eyes　on　my　companion's　learned　volume。

〃Yes；　I　frankly　admit　that　I　am　fond　of　study。　　There　is　no　one；
after　all；　like　the　Germans。　　That　is；　for　facts。　　For　opinions　I　by
no　means　always　go　with　them。　　I　form　my　opinions　myself。　　I　am　sorry
to　say；　however；〃　Mrs。　Church　continued；　〃that　I　can　hardly　pretend
to　diffuse　my　acquisitions。　　I　am　afraid　I　am　sadly　selfish；　I　do
little　to　irrigate　the　soil。　　I　belongI　frankly　confess　itto　the
class　of　absentees。〃

〃I　had　the　pleasure；　last　evening；〃　I　said；　〃of　making　the
acquaintance　of　your　daughter。　　She　told　me　you　had　been　a　long　time
in　Europe。〃

Mrs。　Church　smiled　benignantly。　　〃Can　one　ever　be　too　long？　　We　shall
never　leave　it。〃

〃Your　daughter　won't　like　that；〃　I　said；　smiling　too。

〃Has　she　been　taking　you　into　her　confidence？　　She　is　a　more　sensible
young　lady　than　she　sometimes　appears。　　I　have　taken　great　pains　with
her；　she　is　reallyI　may　be　perm