lady baltimore-第24部分

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he　first　time　I　have　been　told　Southerners　were　vandals。〃

〃You　will　never　be　able　to　say　that　again！〃　replied　Mrs。　Braintree。

After　the　bell　and　Daphne　had　stopped；　the　invaluable　Briton　addressed　a　genial　generalization　to　us　all：　〃I　often　think　how　truly　awful　your　war　would　have　been　if　the　women　had　fought　it；　y'know；　instead　of　the　men。〃

〃Quite　so！〃　said　the　easy…going　Edward　〃Squaws！　Mutilation！　Yes！〃　and　he　laughed　at　his　little　joke；　but　he　laughed　alone。

I　turned　to　Juno。　〃Speaking　of　mutilation；　I　trust　your　nephew　is　better　this　evening。〃

I　was　rejoiced　by　receiving　a　glare　in　response。　But　still　more　joy　was　to　come。

〃An　apology　ought　to　help　cure　him　a　lot；〃　observed　the　Briton。

Juno　employed　her　policy　of　not　hearing　him。

〃Indeed；　I　trust　that　your　nephew　is　in　less　pain；〃　said　the　poetess。

Juno　was　willing　to　answer　this。　〃The　injuries；　thank　you；　are　the　merest　triflesall　that　such　a　light…weight　could　inflict。〃　And　she　shrugged　her　shoulders　to　indicate　the　futility　of　young　John's　pugilism。

〃But；〃　the　surprised　Briton　interposed；〃　I　thought　you　said　your　nephew　was　too　feeble　to　eat　steak　or　hear　poetry。〃

Juno　could　always　stem　the　eddy　of　her　own　contradictionsbut　she　did　raise　her　voice　a　little。　〃I　fancy；　sir；　that　Doctor　Beaugarcon　knows　what　he　is　talking　about。〃

〃Have　they　apologized　yet？〃　inquired　the　male　honeymooner　from　the　up…country。

〃My　nephew；　sir；　nobly　consented　to　shake　hands　this　afternoon。　He　did　it　entirely　out　of　respect　for　Mr。　Mayrant's　family；　who　coerced　him　into　this　tardy　reparation；　and　who　feel　unable　to　recognize　him　since　his　treasonable　attitude　in　the　Custom　House。〃

〃Must　be　fairly　hard　to　coerce　a　chap　you　can't　recognize；〃　said　the　Briton。

An　et　cetera　now　spoke　to　the　honeymoon　bride　from　the　up…country：　〃I　heard　Doctor　Beaugarcon　say　he　was　coming　to　visit　you　this　evening。〃

〃Yais；〃　assented　the　bride。〃　Doctor　Beaugarcon　is　my　mother's　fourth　cousin。〃

Juno　now　tookmost　unwisely；　as　it　proveda　vindictive　turn　at　me。　〃I　knew　that　your　friend；　Mr。　Mayrant；　was　intemperate；〃　she　began。

I　don't　think　that　Mrs。　Trevise　had　any　intention　to　ring　for　Daphne　at　this　pointher　curiosity　was　too　lively；　but　Juno　was　going　to　risk　no　such　intervention；　and　I　saw　her　lay　a　precautionary　hand　heavily　down　over　the　bell。　〃But；〃　she　continued；　〃I　did　not　know　that　Mr。　Mayrant　was　a　gambler。〃

〃Have　you　ever　seen　him　intemperate？〃　I　asked。

〃That　would　be　quite　needless；〃　Juno　returned。　〃And　of　the　gambling　I　　have　ocular　proof；　since　I　found　him；　cards；　counters；　and　money；　with　my　sick　nephew。　He　had　actually　brought　cards　in　his　pocket。〃

〃I　suppose；〃　said　the　Briton；　〃your　nephew　was　too　sick　to　resist　him。〃

The　male　honeymooner；　with　two　of　the　et　ceteras；　made　such　unsteady　demonstrations　at　this　that　Mrs。　Trevise　protracted　our　sitting　no　longer。　She　rose；　and　this　meant　rising　for　us　all。

A　sense　of　regret　and　incompleteness　filled　me；　and　finding　the　Briton　at　my　elbow　as　our　company　proceeded　toward　the　sitting　room；　I　said：　〃Too　bad！〃

His　whisper　was　confident。　〃We'll　get　the　rest　of　it　out　of　her　yet。〃

But　the　rest　of　it　came　without　our　connivance。

In　the　sitting　room　Doctor　Beaugarcon　sat　waiting；　and　at　sight　of　Juno　entering　the　door　（she　headed　our　irregular　procession）　he　sprang　up　and　lifted　admiring　hands。　〃Oh；　why　didn't　I　have　an　aunt　like　you！〃　he　exclaimed；　and　to　Mrs。　Trevise　as　she　followed：　〃She　pays　her　nephew's　poker　debts。〃

〃How　much；　cousin　Tom？〃　asked　the　upcountry　bride。

And　the　gay　old　doctor　chuckled；　as　he　kissed　her：　〃Thirty　dollars　this　afternoon；　my　darling。〃

At　this　the　Briton　dragged　me　behind　a　door　in　the　hall；　and　there　we　danced　together。

〃That　Mayrant　chap　will　do；〃　he　declared；　and　we　composed　ourselves　for　a　proper　entrance　into　the　sitting　room；　where　the　introductions　had　been　made；　and　where　Doctor　Beaugarcon　and　Mrs。　Braintree's　husband　had　already　fallen　into　war　reminiscences；　and　were　discovering　with　mutual　amiability　that　they　had　fought　against　each　other　in　a　number　of　battles。

〃And　you　generally　licked　us；〃　smiled　the　Union　soldier。

〃Ah！　don't　I　know　myself　how　it　feels　to　run！〃　laughed　the　Confederate。　〃Are　you　down　at　the　club？〃

But　upon　learning　from　the　poetess　that　her　ode　was　now　to　be　read　aloud；　Doctor　Beaugarcon　paid　his　fourth　cousin's　daughter　a　brief；　though　affectionate；　visit；　lamenting　that　a　very　ill　patient　should　compel　him　to　take　himself　away　so　immediately；　but　promising　her　presently　in　his　stead　two　visitors　much　more　interesting。

〃Miss　Josephine　St。　Michael　desires　to　call　upon　you；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　fancy　that　her　nephew　will　escort　her。〃

〃In　all　this　rain？〃　said　the　bride。

〃Oh；　it's　letting　up；　letting　up！　Good　night；　Mistress　Trevise。　Good　night；　sir；　I　am　glad　to　have　met　you。〃　He　shook　hands　with　Mrs。　Braintree's　husband。　〃We　fellows；〃　he　whispered；　〃who　fought　in　the　war　have　had　war　enough。〃　And　bidding　the　general　company　good　night；　and　kissing　the　bride　again；　he　left　us　even　as　the　poetess　returned　from　her　room　with　the　manuscript。

I　soon　wished　that　I　had　escaped　with　him；　because　I　feared　what　Mrs。　Braintree　might　say　when　the　verses　should　be　finished；　and　so；　I　think；　did　her　husband。　We　should　have　taken　the　hint　which　tactful　Doctor　Beaugarcon　had　meant；　I　began　to　believe；　to　give　us　in　that　whispered　remark　of　his。　But　it　had　been　given　too　lightly；　and　so　we　sat　and　heard　the　ode　out。　I　am　sure　that　the　poetess；　wrapped　in　the　thoughts　of　her　own　composition；　had　lost　sight　of　all　but　the　phrasing　of　her　poem　and　the　strong　feelings　which　it　not　unmusically　voiced；　there　Is　no　other　way　to　account　for　her　being　willing　to　read　it　in　Mrs。　Braintree's　presence。

Whatever　gayety　had　filled　me　when　the　Boston　lady　had　clashed　with　Juno　was　now　changed　to　deprecation　and　concern。　Indeed；　I　myself　felt　almost　as　if　I　were　being　physically　struck　by　the　words；　until　mere　bewilderment　took　possession　of　me；　and　after　bewilderment；　a　little；　a　very　little；　light；　which；　however；　rapidly　increased。　We　were　the　victors；　we　the　North；　and　we　had　gone　upon　our　way　with　songs　and　rejoicingable　to　forget；　because　we　were　the　victors。　We　had　our　victory；　let　the　vanquished　have　their　memory。　But　here　was　the　cry　of　the　vanquished；　coming　after　forty　years。　It　was　the　time　which　at　first　bewildered　me；　Juno　had　seen　the　war；　Juno's　bitterness　I　could　comprehend；　even　if　I　could　not　comprehend　her　freedom　in　expressing　it；　but　the　poetess　could　not　be　more　than　a　year　or　two　older　than　I　was；　she　had　come　after　it　was　all　over。　Why　should　she　prolong　such　memories　and　feelings？　But　my　light　increased　as　I　remembered　she　had　not　written　this　for　us；　and　that　if　she　had　not　seen　the　flames　of　war；　she　had　seen　the　ashes；　for　the　ashes　I　had　seen　myself　here　in　Kings　Port；　and　had　been　overwhelmed　by　the　sight；　forty　years　later；　more　overwhelmed　than　I　could　possibly　say　to　Mrs。　Gregory　St。　Michael；　or　Mrs。　Weguelin；　or　any…　body。　The　strain　of　sitting　and　waiting　for　the　end　made　my　hands　cold　and　my　head　hot；　but　nevertheless　the　light　which　had　come　enabled　me　to　bend　instantly　to　Mrs。　Braintree　and　murmur　a　great　and　abused　quotation　to　her：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Tout　comprendre　c'est　tout　pardonner。〃

But　my　petition　could　not　move　her。　She　was　too　old；　she　had　seen　the　flames　of　war；　and　so　she　said　to　her　husband：

〃Edward；　will　you　please　help　me　upstairs？〃

And　thus　the　lame；　irreconcilable　lady　left　the　room　with　the　assistance　of　her　unhappy　warrior；　who　must　have　suffered　far　more　keenly　than　I　did。

This　departure　left　us　all　in　a　constraint　which　was　becoming　unbearable　when　the　blessed　doorbell　rang　and　delivered　us；　and　Miss　Josephine　St。　Michael　entered　with　John　Mayrant。　He　wore　a　most　curious　expression；　his　eyes　went　searching　about　the　room；　and　at　length　settled　upon　Juno　with　a　light　in　them　as　impish　as　that　which　had　flickered　in　my　own　mood　before　the　ode。

To　my　surprise；　Miss　Josephine　advanced　and　gave　me　a　special　and　marked　greeting。　Before　this　she　had　always　merely　bowed　to　me；　to…night　she　held　out　her　hand。　〃Of　course　my　visit　is　not　to　you；　but　I　am　very　glad　to　find　you　here　and　express　the　appreciation　of　several　of　us　for　your　timely　aid　to　Daddy　Ben。　He　feels　much　shame　in　having　said　nothing　to　you　himself。〃

And　while　I　muttered　those　inevitable　modest　nothings　which　fit　such　occasions；　Miss　St。　Michael　recounted　to　the　bride；　whom　she　was　ostensibly　calling　upon；　and　to　the　rest　of　our　now　once　more　harmonious　circle；　my　adventures　in　the　alleys　of　Africa。　These　loomed；　even　with　Miss　St。　Michael's　perfectly　quiet　and　simple　rendering　of　them；　almost　of　heroic　size；　thanks　doubtless　to　Daddy　Ben's　tropical　imagery　when　he　first　told　the　tale；　and　before　they　were　over　Miss　St。　Michael's　marked　recognition　of　me　actually　brought　from　Juno　some　reflected　recognition　only　this　resembled　in　its　graciousness　the　original　about　as　correctly　as　a　hollow　spoon　reflects　the　human　countenance　divine。　Still；　it　was　at　Juno's　own　request　that　I　brought　down　from　my　chamber　and　displayed　to　them　the　kettle…supporter。

I　have　said　that　Miss　St。　Michael's　visit　was　ostensibly　to　the　bride：　and　that　is　because　for　some　magnetic　reason　or　other　I　felt　diplomacy　like　an　undercurrent　passing　among　our　chairs。　Young　John's　expression　deepened；　whenever　he　watched　Juno；　to　a　devilishness　which　his　polite　manners　veiled　no　better　than　a　mosquito　netting；　and　I　believe　that　his　aunt；　on　account　of　the　battle　between　their　respective　nephews；　had　for　family　reasons　deemed　it　advisable　to　pay；　indirectly；　under　cover　of　the　bride；　a　state　visit　to　Juno；　and　I　think　that　I　saw　Juno　accepting　it　as　a　state　visit；　and　that　the　two　together；　without　using　a　word　of　spoken　language；　gave　each　other　to　understand　that　the　recent　deplorable　circumstances　were　a　closed　incident。　I　think　that　his　Aunt　Josephine　had　desired　young　John　to　pay　a　visit　likewise；　and；　to　make　sure　of　his　speedy　compliance；　had　brought　him　along　with　hercoerced　him；　as　Juno　would　have　said。　He　wore　somewhat　the　look　of　having　been　〃coerced；〃　and　he　contributed　remarkably　few　observations　to　the　talk。

It　was　all　harmoniou