an unprotected female at the pyramids-第6部分

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keeper。

And　then　they　all　descended；　each　again　with　his　proper　number　of　Arabs
to　hurry　and　embarrass　him；　and　they　found　Mr。　Damer　at　the　bottom；
like　a　piece　of　sugar　covered　with　flies。　　She　was　heard　to　declare
afterwards　that　she　would　not　go　to　the　Pyramids　again；　not　if　they
were　to　be　given　to　her　for　herself；　as　ornaments　for　her　garden。

The　picnic　lunch　among　the　big　stones　at　the　foot　of　the　Pyramid　was
not　a　very　gay　affair。　　Miss　Dawkins　talked　more　than　any　one　else；
being　determined　to　show　that　she　bore　her　defeat　gallantly。　　Her
conversation；　however；　was　chiefly　addressed　to　M。　Delabordeau；　and　he
seemed　to　think　more　of　his　cold　chicken　and　ham　than　he　did　of　her　wit
and　attention。

Fanny　hardly　spoke　a　word。　　There　was　her　father　before　her　and　she
could　not　eat；　much　less　talk；　as　she　thought　of　all　that　she　would
have　to　go　through。　　What　would　he　say　to　the　idea　of　having　an
American　for　a　son…in…law？

Nor　was　Mr。　Ingram　very　lively。　　A　young　man　when　he　has　been　just
accepted；　never　is　so。　　His　happiness　under　the　present　circumstances
was；　no　doubt；　intense；　but　it　was　of　a　silent　nature。

And　then　the　interior　of　the　building　had　to　be　visited。　　To　tell　the
truth　none　of　the　party　would　have　cared　to　perform　this　feat　had　it
not　been　for　the　honour　of　the　thing。　　To　have　come　from　Paris；　New
York；　or　London；　to　the　Pyramids；　and　then　not　to　have　visited　the　very
tomb　of　Cheops；　would　have　shown　on　the　part　of　all　of　them　an
indifference　to　subjects　of　interest　which　would　have　been　altogether
fatal　to　their　character　as　travellers。　　And　so　a　party　for　the
interior　was　made　up。

Miss　Damer　when　she　saw　the　aperture　through　which　it　was　expected　that
she　should　descend；　at　once　declared　for　staying　with　her　mother。　　Miss
Dawkins；　however；　was　enthusiastic　for　the　journey。　　〃Persons　with　so
very　little　command　over　their　nerves　might　really　as　well　stay　at
home；〃　she　said　to　Mr。　Ingram；　who　glowered　at　her　dreadfully　for
expressing　such　an　opinion　about　his　Fanny。

This　entrance　into　the　Pyramids　is　a　terrible　task；　which　should　be
undertaken　by　no　lady。　　Those　who　perform　it　have　to　creep　down；　and
then　to　be　dragged　up；　through　infinite　dirt；　foul　smells；　and　bad　air；
and　when　they　have　done　it；　they　see　nothing。　　But　they　do　earn　the
gratification　of　saying　that　they　have　been　inside　a　Pyramid。

〃Well；　I've　done　that　once；〃　said　Mr。　Damer；　coming　out；　〃and　I　do　not
think　that　any　one　will　catch　me　doing　it　again。　　I　never　was　in　such　a
filthy　place　in　my　life。〃

〃Oh；　Fanny！　I　am　so　glad　you　did　not　go；　I　am　sure　it　is　not　fit　for
ladies；〃　said　poor　Mrs。　Damer；　forgetful　of　her　friend　Miss　Dawkins。

〃I　should　have　been　ashamed　of　myself；〃　said　Miss　Dawkins；　bristling
up；　and　throwing　back　her　head　as　she　stood；　〃if　I　had　allowed　any
consideration　to　have　prevented　my　visiting　such　a　spot。　　If　it　be　not
improper　for　men　to　go　there；　how　can　it　be　improper　for　women？〃

〃I　did　not　say　improper；　my　dear；〃　said　Mrs。　Damer；　apologetically。

〃And　as　for　the　fatigue；　what　can　a　woman　be　worth　who　is　afraid　to
encounter　as　much　as　I　have　now　gone　through　for　the　sake　of　visiting
the　last　resting…place　of　such　a　king　as　Cheops？〃　　And　Miss　Dawkins；　as
she　pronounced　the　last　words；　looked　round　her　with　disdain　upon　poor
Fanny　Damer。

〃But　I　meant　the　dirt；〃　said　Mrs。　Damer。

〃Dirt！〃　ejaculated　Miss　Dawkins；　and　then　walked　away。　　Why　should　she
now　submit　her　high　tone　of　feeling　to　the　Damers；　or　why　care　longer
for　their　good　opinion？　　Therefore　she　scattered　contempt　around　her　as
she　ejaculated　the　last　word；　〃dirt。〃

And　then　the　return　home！　　〃I　know　I　shall　never　get　there；〃　said　Mrs。
Damer；　looking　piteously　up　into　her　husband's　face。

〃Nonsense；　my　dear；　nonsense；　you　must　get　there。〃　　Mrs。　Damer　groaned；
and　acknowledged　in　her　heart　that　she　must；either　dead　or　alive。

〃And；　Jefferson；〃　said　Fanny；　whisperingfor　there　had　been　a　moment
since　their　descent　in　which　she　had　been　instructed　to　call　him　by　his
Christian　name〃never　mind　talking　to　me　going　home。　　I　will　ride　by
mamma。　　Do　you　go　with　papa　and　put　him　in　good　humour；　and　it　he　says
anything　about　the　lords　and　the　bishops；　don't　you　contradict　him；　you
know。〃

What　will　not　a　man　do　for　love？　　Mr。　Ingram　promised。

And　in　this　way　they　started；　the　two　boys　led　the　van；　then　came　Mr。
Damer　and　Mr。　Ingram；　unusually　and　unpatriotically　acquiescent　as　to
England's　aristocratic　propensities；　then　Miss　Dawkins　riding；　alas！
alone；　after　her；　M。　Delabordeau；　also　alone；the　ungallant　Frenchman！
And　the　rear　was　brought　up　by　Mrs。　Damer　and　her　daughter；　flanked　on
each　side　by　a　dragoman；　with　a　third　dragoman　behind　them。

And　in　this　order　they　went　back　to　Cairo；　riding　their　donkeys；　and
crossing　the　ferry　solemnly；　and；　for　the　most　part；　silently。　　Mr。
Ingram　did　talk；　as　he　had　an　important　object　in　view；that　of
putting　Mr。　Damer　into　a　good　humour。

In　this　he　succeeded　so　well　that　by　the　time　they　had　remounted；　after
crossing　the　Nile；　Mr。　Damer　opened　his　heart　to　his　companion　on　the
subject　that　was　troubling　him；　and　told　him　all　about　Miss　Dawkins。

〃I　don't　see　why　we　should　have　a　companion　that　we　don't　like　for
eight　or　ten　weeks；　merely　because　it　seems　rude　to　refuse　a　lady。〃

〃Indeed；　I　agree　with　you；〃　said　Mr。　Ingram；　〃I　should　call　it　weak…
minded　to　give　way　in　such　a　case。〃

〃My　daughter　does　not　like　her　at　all；〃　continued　Mr。　Damer。

〃Nor　would　she　be　a　nice　companion　for　Miss　Damer；　not　according　to　my
way　of　thinking；〃　said　Mr。　Ingram。

〃And　as　to　my　having　asked　her；　or　Mrs。　Damer　having　asked　her！　　Why；
God　bless　my　soul；　it　is　pure　invention　on　the　woman's　part！〃

〃Ha！　ha！　ha！〃　laughed　Mr。　Ingram；　〃I　must　say　she　plays　her　game　well；
but　then　she　is　an　old　soldier；　and　has　the　benefit　of　experience。〃
What　would　Miss　Dawkins　have　said　had　she　known　that　Mr。　Ingram　called
her　an　old　soldier？

〃I　don't　like　the　kind　of　thing　at　all；〃　said　Mr。　Damer；　who　was　very
serious　upon　the　subject。　　〃You　see　the　position　in　which　I　am　placed。
I　am　forced　to　be　very　rude；　or〃

〃I　don't　call　it　rude　at　all。〃

〃Disobliging；　then；　or　else　I　must　have　all　my　comfort　invaded　and
pleasure　destroyed　by；　by；　by〃　　And　Mr。　Damer　paused；　being　at　a　loss
for　an　appropriate　name　for　Miss　Dawkins。

〃By　an　unprotected　female；〃　suggested　Mr。　Ingram。

〃Yes；　just　so。　　I　am　as　fond　of　pleasant　company　as　anybody；　but　then　I
like　to　choose　it　myself。〃

〃So　do　I；〃　said　Mr。　Ingram；　thinking　of　his　own　choice。

〃Now；　Ingram；　if　you　would　join　us；　we　should　be　delighted。〃

〃Upon　my　word；　sir；　the　offer　is　too　flattering；〃　said　Ingram；
hesitatingly；　for　he　felt　that　he　could　not　undertake　such　a　journey
until　Mr。　Damer　knew　on　what　terms　he　stood　with　Fanny。

〃You　are　a　terrible　democrat；〃　said　Mr。　Damer；　laughing；　〃but　then；　on
that　matter；　you　know；　we　could　agree　to　differ。〃

〃Exactly　so；〃　said　Mr。　Ingram；　who　had　not　collected　his　thoughts　or
made　up　his　mind　as　to　what　he　had　better　say　and　do；　on　the　spur　of
the　moment。

〃Well；　what　do　you　say　to　it？〃　said　Mr。　Damer；　encouragingly。　　But
Ingram　paused　before　he　answered。

〃For　Heaven's　sake；　my　dear　fellow；　don't　have　the　slightest　hesitation
in　refusing；　if　you　don't　like　the　plan。〃

〃The　fact　is；　Mr。　Damer；　I　should　like　it　too　well。〃

〃Like　it　too　well？〃

〃Yes；　sir；　and　I　may　as　well　tell　you　now　as　later。　　I　had　intended
this　evening　to　have　asked　for　your　permission　to　address　your
daughter。〃

〃God　bless　my　soul！〃　said　Mr。　Damer；　looking　as　though　a　totally　new
idea　had　now　been　opened　to　him。

〃And　under　these　circumstances；　I　will　now　wait　and　see　whether　or　no
you　will　renew　your　offer。〃

〃God　bless　my　soul！〃　said　Mr。　Damer；　again。　　It　often　does　strike　an
old　gentleman　as　very　odd　that　any　man　should　fall　in　love　with　his
daughter；　whom　he　has　not　ceased　to　look　upon　as　a　child。　　The　case　is
generally　quite　different　with　mothers。　　They　seem　to　think　that　every
young　man　must　fall　in　love　with　their　girls。

〃And　have　you　said　anything　to　Fanny　about　this？〃　asked　Mr。　Damer。

〃Yes；　sir；　I　have　her　permission　to　speak　to　you。〃

〃God　bless　my　soul！〃　said　Mr。　Damer；　and　by　this　time　they　had　arrived
at　Shepheard's　Hotel。

〃Oh；　mamma；〃　said　Fanny；　as　soon　as　she　found　herself　alone　with　her
mother　that　evening；　〃I　have　something　that　I　must　tell　you。〃

〃Oh；　Fanny；　don't　tell　me　anything　to…night；　for　I　am　a　great　deal　too
tired　to　listen。〃

〃But　oh；　mamma；　pray；you　must　listen　to　this；　indeed　you　must。〃　　And
Fanny　knelt　down　at　her　mother's　knee；　and　looked　beseechingly　up　into
her　face。

〃What　is　it；　Fanny？　　You　know　that　all　my　bones　are　sore；　and　I　am　so
tired　that　I　am　almost　dead。〃

〃Mamma；　Mr。　Ingram　has〃

〃Has　what；　my　dear？　has　he　done　anything　wrong？〃

〃No；　mamma：　　but　he　has；he　has　proposed　to　me。〃　　And　Fanny；　bursting
into　tears；　hid　her　face　in　her　mother's　lap。

And　thus　the　story　was　told　on　both　sides　of　the　house。　　On　the　next
day；　as　a　matter　of　course；　all　the　difficulties　and　dangers　of　such　a
marriage　as　that　which　was　now　projected　were　insisted　on　by　both
father　and　mother。　　It　was　improper；　it　would　cause　a　severing　of　the
family　not　to　be　thought　of；　it　would　be　an　alliance　of　a　dangerous
nature；　and　not　at　all　calculated　to　insure　happiness；　and；　in　short；
it　was　impossible。　　On　that　day；　therefore；　they　all　went　to　bed　very
unhappy。　　But　on　the　next　day；　as　was　also　a　matter　of　course；　seeing
that　there　were　no　pecuniary　difficulties；　the　mother　and　father　were
talked　over；　and　Mr。　Ingram　was　accepted　as　a　son…in…law。　　It　need
hardly　be　said　that　the　offer　of　a　place　in　Mr。　Damer's　boat　was　again
made；　and　that　on　this　occasion　it　was　accepted　without　hesitation。

There　was　an　American　Protestant　clergyman　resident　in　Cairo；　with
whom；　among　other　persons；　Miss　Dawkins　had　become　acquainted。　　Upon
this　gentleman　or　upon　his　wife　Miss　Dawkins　called　a　few　days　after
the　journey　to　the　Pyramid；　and　finding　him　in　his　study；　thus
performed　her　duty　to　her　neighbour；　…

〃You　know　your　countryman　Mr。　Ingram；　I　think？〃　said　she。

〃Oh；　yes；　very　intimately。〃

〃