lady baltimore-第10部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



〃High…balls；　you　mean？〃

〃Anything；　my　friend；　anything　to　keep　up。〃

He　had　a　comic　suggestion。　〃Driven　to　drink　by　her　mother！　Well；　it's；　at　any　rate；　a　new　cause　for　old　effects。〃　He　paused。　It　seemed　strangely　to　bring　to　him　some　sort　of　relief。　〃That　would　explain　a　great　deal；〃　he　said。

Was　he　thus　explaining　to　himself　his　lady…love；　or　rather　certain　Newport　aspects　of　her　which　had；　so　to　speak；　jarred　upon　his　Kings　Port　notions　of　what　a　lady　might　properly　do？　I　sat　on　my　gravestone　with　my　wonder；　and　my　now…dawning　desire　to　help　him　（if　improbably　I　could）；　to　get　him　out　of　it；　if　he　were　really　in　it；　and　he　sat　on　his　gravestone　opposite；　with　the　path　between　us；　and　the　little　noiseless　breeze　rustling　the　white　irises；　and　bearing　hither　and　thither　the　soft　perfume　of　the　roses。　His　boy　face；　lean；　high…strung；　brooding；　was　full　of　suppressed　contentions。　I　made　myself；　during　our　silence；　state　his　possible　problem：　〃He　doesn't　love　her　any　more；　he　won't　admit　this　to　himself；　he　intends　to　go　through　with　it；　and　he's　catching　at　any　justification　of　what　he　has　seen　in　her　that　has　chilled　him；　so　that　he　may；　poor　wretch！　coax　back　his　lost　illusion。〃　Well；　if　that　was　it；　what　in　the　world　could　I；　or　anybody；　do　about　it？

His　next　remark　was　transparent　enough。　〃Do　you　approve　of　young　ladies　smoking？〃

I　met　his　question　with　another：　〃What　reasons　can　be　urged　against　it？〃

He　was　quick。　〃Then　you　don't　mind　it？〃　There　was　actual　hope　in　the　way　he　rushed　at　this。

I　laughed。　〃I　didn't　say　I　didn't　mind　it。〃　（As　a　matter　of　fact　I　do　mind　it；　but　it　seemed　best　not　to　say　so　to　him。）

He　fell　off　again。　〃I　certainly　saw　very　nice　people　doing　it　up　there。〃

I　filled　this　out。　〃You'll　see　very　nice　people　doing　it　everywhere。〃

〃Not　in　Kings　Port！　At　least；　not　my　sort　of　people！〃　He　stiffly　proclaimed　this。

I　tried　to　draw　him　out。　〃But　is　there；　after　all；　any　valid　objection　to　it？〃

But　he　was　off　on　a　preceding　speculation。　〃A　mother　or　any　parent；〃　he　said；　〃might　encourage　the　daughter　to　smoke；　too。　And　the　girl　might　take　it　up　so　as　not　to　be　thought　peculiar　where　she　was；　and　then　she　might　drop　it　very　gladly。

I　became　specific。　〃Drop　it；　you　mean；　when　she　came　to　a　place　where　doing　it　would　be　thoughtwell；　in　bad　style？〃

〃Or　for　the　better　reason；〃　he　answered；　〃that　she　didn't　really　like　it　herself。〃

〃How　much　you　don't　'really　like　it'　yourself！〃　I　remarked。

This　time　he　was　slow。　〃Wellwellwhy　need　they？　Are　not　their　lips　more　innocent　than　ours？　Is　not　the　association　somewhat？〃

〃My　dear　fellow；〃　I　interrupted；　〃the　association　is；　I　think　you'll　have　to　agree；　scarcely　of　my　making！〃

〃That's　true　enough；〃　he　laughed。　〃And；　as　you　say；　very　nice　people　do　it　everywhere。　But　not　here。　Have　you　ever　noticed；〃　he　now　inquired　with　continued　transparency；　〃how　much　harder　they　are　on　each　other　than　we　are　on　them？〃

〃Oh；　yes！　I've　noticed　that。〃　I　surmised　it　was　this　sort　of　thing　he　had　earlier　choked　himself　off　from　telling　me　in　his　unfinished　complaint　about　his　aunt；　but　I　was　to　learn　later　that　on　this　occasion　it　was　upon　the　poor　boy　himself　and　not　on　the　smoking　habits　of　Miss　Rieppe；　that　his　aunt　had　heavily　descended。　I　also　reflected　that　if　cigarettes　were　the　only　thing　he　deprecated　in　the　lady　of　his　choice；　the　lost　illusion　might　be　coaxed　back。　The　trouble　was　that　deprecated　something　fairly　distant　from　cigarettes。　The　cake　was　my　quite　sufficient　trouble；　it　stuck　in　my　throat　worse　than　the　probably　magnified　gossip　I　had　heard；　this；　for　the　present；　I　could　manage　to　swallow。

He　came　out　now　with　a　personal　note。　〃I　suppose　you　think　I'm　a　ninny。〃

〃Never　in　the　wildest　dream！〃

〃Well；　but　too　innocent　for　a　man；　anyhow。〃

〃That　would　be　an　insult；〃　I　declared　laughingly。

〃For　I'm　not　innocent　in　the　least。　You'll　find　we're　all　men　here；　just　as　much　as　any　men　in　the　North　you　could　pick　out。　South　Carolina　has　never　lacked　sporting　blood；　sir。　But　in　Newportwell；　sir；　we　gentlemen　down　here；　when　we　wish　a　certain　atmosphere　and　all　that；　have　always　been　accustomed　to　seek　the　demi…monde。〃

〃So　it　was　with　us　until　the　women　changed　it。〃

〃The　women；　sir？〃　He　was　innocent！

〃The　'ladies；'　as　you　Southerners　so　chivalrously　continue　to　style　them。　The　rich　new　fashionable　ladies　became　so　desperate　in　their　competition　for　men's　allegiance　that　theywell；　some　of　them　would；　in　the　point　of　conversation；　greatly　scandalize　the　smart　demi…monde。〃

He　nodded。　〃Yes。　I　heard　men　say　things　in　drawing…rooms　to　ladies　that　a　gentleman　here　would　have　been　taken　out　and　shot　for。　And　don't　you　agree　with　me；　sir；　that　good　taste　itself　should　be　a　sort　of　religion？　I　don't　mean　to　say　anything　sacrilegious；　but　it　seems　to　me　that　even　if　one　has　ceased　to　believe　some　parts　of　the　Bible；　even　if　one　does　not　always　obey　the　Ten　Commandments；　one　is　bound；　not　as　a　believer　but　as　a　gentleman；　to　remember　the　difference　between　grossness　and　refinement；　between　excess　and　restraintthat　one　can　have　and　keep　just　as　the　pagan　Greeks　did；　a　moral　elegance。〃

He　astonished　me；　this　ardent；　ideal；　troubled　boy；　so　innocent　regarding　the　glaring　facts　of　our　new　prosperity；　so　finely　penetrating　as　to　some　of　the　mysteries　of　the　soul。　But　he　was　of　old　Huguenot　blood；　and　of　careful　and　gentle　upbringing；　and　it　was　delightful　to　find　such　a　young　man　left　upon　our　American　soil　untainted　by　the　present　fashionable　idolatries。

〃I　bow　to　your　creed　of　'moral　elegance；'〃　I　cried。　〃It　never　dies。　It　has　outlasted　all　the　mobs　and　all　the　religions。〃

〃They　seemed　to　think；〃　he　continued；　pursuing　his　Newport　train　of　thought；　〃that　to　prove　you　were　a　dead　game　sport　you　must　behave　like　behave　like〃

〃Like　a　herd　of　swine；〃　I　suggested。

He　was　merry。　〃Ah；　if　they　only　wouldcompletely！〃

〃Completely　what？〃

〃Behave　so。　Rush　over　a　steep　place　into　the　sea。〃

We　sat　in　the　quiet　relish　of　his　Scriptural　idea；　and　the　western　crimson　and　the　twilight　began　to　come　and　mingle　with　the　perfumes。　John　Mayrant's　face　changed　from　its　vivacity　to　a　sort　of　pensive　wistfulness；　which；　for　all　the　dash　and　spirit　in　his　delicate　features；　was　somehow　the　final　thing　one　got　from　the　boy's　expression。　It　was　as　though　the　noble　memories　of　his　race　looked　out　of　his　eyes；　seeking　new　chances　for　distinction；　and　found　instead　a　soil　laid　waste；　an　empty　fatherland；　a　people　benumbed　past　rousing。　Had　he　not　said；　〃Poor　Kings　Port！〃　as　he　tapped　the　gravestone？　Moral　elegance　could　scarcely　permit　a　sigh　more　direct。

〃I　am　glad　that　you　believe　it　never　dies；〃　he　resumed。　〃And　I　am　glad　to　find　somebody　totalk　to；　you　know。　My　friends　here　are　everything　friends　and　gentlemen　should　be；　but　they　don'tI　suppose　it's　because　they　have　not　had　my　special　experiences。〃

I　sat　waiting　for　the　boy　to　go　on　with　it。　How　plainly　he　was　telling　me　of　his　〃special　experiences〃！　He　and　his　creed　were　not　merely　in　revolt　against　the　herd　of　swine；　there　would　be　nothing　special　in　that；　I　had　met　people　before　who　were　that；　but　he　was　tied　by　honor；　and　soon　to　be　tied　by　the　formidable　nuptial　knot；　to　a　specimen　devotee　of　the　cult。　He　shouldn't　marry　her　if　he　really　did　not　want　to；　and　I　could　stop　it！　But　how　was　I　to　begin　spinning　the　first　faint　web　of　plan　how　I　might　stop　it；　unless　he　came　right　out　with　the　whole　thing？　I　didn't　believe　he　was　the　man　to　do　that　ever；　even　under　the　loosening　inspiration　of　drink。　In　wine　lies　truth；　no　doubt；　but　within　him；　was　not　moral　elegance　the　bottom　truth　that　would；　even　in　his　cups；　keep　him　a　gentleman；　and　control　all　such　revelations？　He　might　smash　the　glasses；　but　he　would　not　speak　of　his　misgivings　as　to　Hortense　Rieppe。

He　began　again；　〃Nor　do　I　believe　that　a　really　nice　girl　would　continue　to　think　as　those　few　do；　if　she　once　got　safe　away　from　them。　Why；　my　dear　sir；〃　he　stretched　out　his　hand　in　emphasis；　〃you　do　not　have　to　do　anything　untimely　and　extreme　if　you　are　in　good　earnest　a　dead　game　sport。　The　time　comes；　and　you　meet　the　occasion　as　the　duck　swims。　There　was　one　of　themthe　right　kind。〃

〃Where？〃　I　asked。

〃Whyyou're　leaning　against　her　headstone！〃

The　little　incongruity　made　us　both　laugh；　but　it　was　only　for　the　instant。　The　tender　mood　of　the　evening；　and　all　that　we　had　said；　sustained　the　quiet　and　almost　grave　undertone　of　our　conference。　My　own　quite　unconscious　act　of　rising　from　the　grave　and　standing　before　him　on　the　path　to　listen　brought　back　to　us　our　harmonious　pensiveness。

〃She　was　born　in　Kings　Port；　but　educated　in　Europe。　I　don't　suppose　until　the　time　came　that　she　ever　did　anything　harder　than　speak　French；　or　play　the　piano；　or　ride　a　horse。　She　had　wealth　and　so　had　her　husband。　He　was　killed　in　the　war；　and　so　were　two　of　her　sons。　The　third　was　too　young　to　go。　Their　fortune　was　swept　away；　but　the　plantation　was　there；　and　the　negroes　were　proud　to　remain　faithful　to　the　family。　She　took　hold　of　the　plantation；　she　walked　the　rice…banks　in　high　boots。　She　had　an　overseer；　who；　it　was　told　her；　would　possibly　take　her　life　by　poison　or　by　violence。　She　nevertheless　lived　in　that　lonely　spot　with　no　protector　except　her　pistol　and　some　directions　about　antidotes。　She　dismissed　him　when　she　had　proved　he　was　cheating　her；　she　made　the　planting　pay　as　well　as　any　man　did　after　the　war；　she　educated　her　last　son；　got　him　into　the　navy；　and　then；　one　evening；　walking　the　river…banks　too　late；　she　caught　the　fever　and　died。　You　will　understand　she　went　with　one　step　from　cherished　ease　to　single…handed　battle　with　life；　a　delicately　nurtured　lady；　with　no　preparation　for　her　trials。〃

〃Except　moral　elegance；〃　I　murmured。

〃Ah；　that　was　the　point；　sir！　To　see　her　you　would　never　have　guessed　it！　She　kept　her　burdens　from　the　sight　of　all。　She　wore　tribulation　as　if　it　were　a　flower　in　her　bosom。　We　children　always　looked　forward　to　her　coming；　because　she　was　so　gay　and　delightful　to　us；　telling　us　stories　of　the　old　timesold　rides　when　the　country　was　wild；　old　journeys　with　the　family　and　servants　to　the　Hot　Springs　before　the　steam　cars　were　invented；　old　adventures；　with　the　battle　o