mrs. general talboys-第4部分

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reality。　　It　is　itself　a　large　low　tower　of　great　diameter；　but　of
beautiful　proportion；　standing　far　outside　the　city；　close　on　to　the
side　of　the　old　Roman　way。　　It　has　been　embattled　on　the　top　by　some
latter…day　baron；　in　order　that　it　might　be　used　for　protection　to
the　castle；　which　has　been　built　on　and　attached　to　it。　　If　I
remember　rightly；　this　was　done　by　one　of　the　Frangipani；　and　a　very
lovely　ruin　he　has　made　of　it。　　I　know　no　castellated　old　tumble…
down　residence　in　Italy　more　picturesque　than　this　baronial　adjunct
to　the　old　Roman　tomb；　or　which　better　tallies　with　the　ideas
engendered　within　our　minds　by　Mrs。　Radcliffe　and　the　Mysteries　of
Udolpho。　　It　lies　along　the　road；　protected　on　the　side　of　the　city
by　the　proud　sepulchre　of　the　Roman　matron；　and　up　to　the　long
ruined　walls　of　the　back　of　the　building　stretches　a　grassy　slope；
at　the　bottom　of　which　are　the　remains　of　an　old　Roman　circus。
Beyond　that　is　the　long；　thin；　graceful　line　of　the　Claudian
aqueduct；　with　Soracte　in　the　distance　to　the　left；　and　Tivoli；
Palestine；　and　Frascati　lying　among　the　hills　which　bound　the　view。
That　Frangipani　baron　was　in　the　right　of　it；　and　I　hope　he　got　the
value　of　his　money　out　of　the　residence　which　he　built　for　himself。
I　doubt；　however；　that　he　did　but　little　good　to　those　who　lived　in
his　close　neighbourhood。

We　had　a　very　comfortable　little　banquet　seated　on　the　broken　lumps
of　stone　which　lie　about　under　the　walls　of　the　tomb。　　I　wonder
whether　the　shade　of　Cecilia　Metella　was　looking　down　upon　us。　　We
have　heard　much　of　her　in　these　latter　days；　and　yet　we　know　nothing
about　her；　nor　can　conceive　why　she　was　honoured　with　a　bigger　tomb
than　any　other　Roman　matron。　　There　were　those　then　among　our　party
who　believed　that　she　might　still　come　back　among　us；　and　with　due
assistance　from　some　cognate　susceptible　spirit；　explain　to　us　the
cause　of　her　widowed　husband's　liberality。　　Alas；　alas！　if　we　may
judge　of　the　Romans　by　ourselves；　the　true　reason　for　such
sepulchral　grandeur　would　redound　little　to　the　credit　of　the　lady
Cecilia　Metella　herself；　or　to　that　of　Crassus；　her　bereaved　and
desolate　lord。

She　did　not　come　among　us　on　the　occasion　of　this　banquet；　possibly
because　we　had　no　tables　there　to　turn　in　preparation　for　her
presence；　but；　had　she　done　so；　she　could　not　have　been　more
eloquent　of　things　of　the　other　world　than　was　Mrs。　Talboys。　　I　have
said　that　Mrs。　Talboys'　eye　never　glanced　more　brightly　after　a
glass　of　champagne；　but　I　am　inclined　to　think　that　on　this　occasion
it　may　have　done　so。　　O'Brien　enacted　Ganymede；　and　was；　perhaps；
more　liberal　than　other　latter…day　Ganymedes；　to　whose　services　Mrs。
Talboys　had　been　accustomed。　　Let　it　not；　however；　be　suspected　by
any　one　that　she　exceeded　the　limits　of　a　discreet　joyousness。　　By
no　means！　　The　generous　wine　penetrated；　perhaps；　to　some　inner
cells　of　her　heart；　and　brought　forth　thoughts　in　sparkling　words；
which　otherwise　might　have　remained　concealed；　but　there　was　nothing
in　what　she　thought　or　spoke　calculated　to　give　umbrage　either　to　an
anchorite　or　to　a　vestal。　　A　word　or　two　she　said　or　sung　about　the
flowing　bowl；　and　once　she　called　for　Falernian；　but　beyond　this　her
converse　was　chiefly　of　the　rights　of　man　and　the　weakness　of　women；
of　the　iron　ages　that　were　past；　and　of　the　golden　time　that　was　to
come。

She　called　a　toast　and　drank　to　the　hopes　of　the　latter　historians
of　the　nineteenth　century。　　Then　it　was　that　she　bade　O'Brien　〃Fill
high　the　bowl　with　Samian　wine。〃　　The　Irishman　took　her　at　her　word；
and　she　raised　the　bumper；　and　waved　it　over　her　head　before　she　put
it　to　her　lips。　　I　am　bound　to　declare　that　she　did　not　spill　a
drop。　　〃The　true　'Falernian　grape；'〃　she　said；　as　she　deposited　the
empty　beaker　on　the　grass　beneath　her　elbow。　　Viler　champagne　I　do
not　think　I　ever　swallowed；　but　it　was　the　theory　of　the　wine；　not
its　palpable　body　present　there；　as　it　were；　in　the　flesh；　which
inspired　her。　　There　was　really　something　grand　about　her　on　that
occasion；　and　her　enthusiasm　almost　amounted　to　reality。

Mackinnon　was　amused；　and　encouraged　her；　as；　I　must　confess；　did　I
also。　　Mrs。　Mackinnon　made　useless　little　signs　to　her　husband；
really　fearing　that　the　Falernian　would　do　its　good　offices　too
thoroughly。　　My　wife；　getting　me　apart　as　I　walked　round　the　circle
distributing　viands；　remarked　that　〃the　woman　was　a　fool；　and　would
disgrace　herself。〃　　But　I　observed　that　after　the　disposal　of　that
bumper　she　worshipped　the　rosy　god　in　theory　only；　and　therefore　saw
no　occasion　to　interfere。　　〃Come；　Bacchus；〃　she　said；　〃and　come；
Silenus；　if　thou　wilt；　I　know　that　ye　are　hovering　round　the　graves
of　your　departed　favourites。　　And　ye；　too；　nymphs　of　Egeria；〃　and
she　pointed　to　the　classic　grove　which　was　all　but　close　to　us　as　we
sat　there。　　〃In　olden　days　ye　did　not　always　despise　the　abodes　of
men。　　But　why　should　we　invoke　the　presence　of　the　gods；we；　who
can　become　godlike　ourselves！　　We　ourselves　are　the　deities　of　the
present　age。　　For　us　shall　the　tables　be　spread　with　ambrosia；　for
us　shall　the　nectar　flow。〃

Upon　the　whole　it　was　very　good　fooling；for　awhile；　and　as　soon　as
we　were　tired　of　it　we　arose　from　our　seats；　and　began　to　stroll
about　the　place。　　It　was　beginning　to　be　a　little　dusk；　and　somewhat
cool；　but　the　evening　air　was　pleasant；　and　the　ladies；　putting　on
their　shawls；　did　not　seem　inclined　at　once　to　get　into　the
carriages。　　At　any　rate；　Mrs。　Talboys　was　not　so　inclined；　for　she
started　down　the　hill　towards　the　long　low　wall　of　the　old　Roman
circus　at　the　bottom；　and　O'Brien；　close　at　her　elbow；　started　with
her。

〃Ida；　my　dear；　you　had　better　remain　here；〃　she　said　to　her
daughter；　〃you　will　be　tired　if　you　come　as　far　as　we　are　going。〃

〃Oh；　no；　mamma；　I　shall　not；〃　said　Ida。　　〃You　get　tired　much　quicker
than　I　do。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　you　will；　besides　I　do　not　wish　you　to　come。〃　　There　was
an　end　of　it　for　Ida；　and　Mrs。　Talboys　and　O'Brien　walked　off
together；　while　we　all　looked　into　each　other's　faces。

〃It　would　be　a　charity　to　go　with　them；〃　said　Mackinnon。

〃Do　you　be　charitable；　then；〃　said　his　wife。

〃It　should　be　a　lady；〃　said　he。

〃It　is　a　pity　that　the　mother　of　the　spotless　cherubim　is　not　here
for　the　occasion；〃　said　she。　　〃I　hardly　think　that　any　one　less
gifted　will　undertake　such　a　self　sacrifice。〃　　Any　attempt　of　the
kind　would；　however；　now　have　been　too　late；　for　they　were　already
at　the　bottom　of　the　hill。　　O'Brien　had　certainly　drunk　freely　of
the　pernicious　contents　of　those　long…necked　bottles；　and　though　no
one　could　fairly　accuse　him　of　being　tipsy；　nevertheless　that　which
might　have　made　others　drunk　had　made　him　bold；　and　he　dared　to　do
perhaps　more　than　might　become　a　man。　　If　under　any　circumstances　he
could　be　fool　enough　to　make　an　avowal　of　love　to　Mrs。　Talboys；　he
might　be　expected；　as　we　all　thought；　to　do　it　now。

We　watched　them　as　they　made　for　a　gap　in　the　wall　which　led　through
into　the　large　enclosed　space　of　the　old　circus。　　It　had　been　an
arena　for　chariot　games；　and　they　had　gone　down　with　the　avowed
purpose　of　searching　where　might　have　been　the　meta；　and
ascertaining　how　the　drivers　could　have　turned　when　at　their　full
speed。　　For　awhile　we　had　heard　their　voices；or　rather　her　voice
especially。　　〃The　heart　of　a　man；　O'Brien；　should　suffice　for　all
emergencies；〃　we　had　heard　her　say。　　She　had　assumed　a　strange　habit
of　calling　men　by　their　simple　names；　as　men　address　each　other。
When　she　did　this　to　Mackinnon；　who　was　much　older　than　herself；　we
had　been　all　amused　by　it；　and；　other　ladies　of　our　party　had　taken
to　call　him　〃Mackinnon〃　when　Mrs。　Talboys　was　not　by；　but　we　had
felt　the　comedy　to　be　less　safe　with　O'Brien；　especially　when；　on
one　occasion；　we　heard　him　address　her　as　Arabella。　　She　did　not
seem　to　be　in　any　way　struck　by　his　doing　so；　and　we　supposed；
therefore；　that　it　had　become　frequent　between　them。　　What　reply　he
made　at　the　moment　about　the　heart　of　a　man　I　do　not　know；and　then
in　a　few　minutes　they　disappeared　through　the　gap　in　the　wall。

None　of　us　followed　them；　though　it　would　have　seemed　the　most
natural　thing　in　the　world　to　do　so　had　nothing　out　of　the　way　been
expected。　　As　it　was　we　remained　there　round　the　tomb　quizzing　the
little　foibles　of　our　dear　friend；　and　hoping　that　O'Brien　would　be
quick　in　what　he　was　doing。　　That　he　would　undoubtedly　get　a　slap　in
the　facemetaphoricallywe　all　felt　certain；　for　none　of　us
doubted　the　rigid　propriety　of　the　lady's　intentions。　　Some　of　us
strolled　into　the　buildings；　and　some　of　us　got　out　on　to　the　road；
but　we　all　of　us　were　thinking　that　O'Brien　was　very　slow　a
considerable　time　before　we　saw　Mrs。　Talboys　reappear　through　the
gap。

At　last；　however；　she　was　there；　and　we　at　once　saw　that　she　was
alone。　　She　came　on；　breasting　the　hill　with　quick　steps；　and　when
she　drew　near　we　could　see　that　there　was　a　frown　as　of　injured
majesty　on　her　brow。　　Mackinnon　and　his　wife　went　forward　to　meet
her。　　If　she　were　really　in　trouble　it　would　be　fitting　in　some　way
to　assist　her；　and　of　all　women　Mrs。　Mackinnon　was　the　last　to　see
another　woman　suffer　from　ill…usage　without　attempting　to　aid　her。
〃I　certainly　never　liked　her；〃　Mrs。　Mackinnon　said　afterwards；　〃but
I　was　bound　to　go　and　hear　her　tale；　when　she　really　had　a　tale　to
tell。〃

And　Mrs。　Talboys　now　had　a　tale　to　tell；if　she　chose　to　tell　it。
The　ladies　of　our　party　declared　afterwards　that　she　would　have
acted　more　wisely　had　she　kept　to　herself　both　O'Brien's　words　to
her　and　her　answer。　　〃She　was　well　able　to　take　care　of　herself；〃
Mrs。　Mackinnon　said；　〃and；　after　all；　the　silly　man　had　taken　an
answer　when　he　got　it。〃　　Not；　however；　that　O'Brien　had　taken　his
answer　quite　immediately；　as　far　as　I　could　understand　from　what　we
heard　of　the　matter　afterwards。

At　the　present　moment　Mrs。　Talboys　came　up　the　rising　ground　all
alone；　and　at　a　quick　pace。　　〃The　man　has　insulted　me；〃　she　said
aloud；　as　well　as　her　panting　breath　would　allow　her；　and　as　soon　as
she　was　near　enough　to　Mrs。　Mackinnon　to　speak　to　her。

〃I　am　sorry　for　that；〃　said　Mrs。　Mackinnon。　　〃I　su