lady baltimore-第40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！


r　taste；　and　thenmore　important　than　theydid　she　not　know　about　his　people？　She　had　inquired；　he　told　me；　with　interest　about　two　of　his　uncles；　whom　she　had　last　seen　in　1858。　〃She's　awfully　the　right　sort；〃　said　Beverly。　Yes；　I　saw　well　how　that　visit　must　have　gone：　the　gentle　old　lady　reviving　in　Beverly's　presence；　and　for　the　sake　of　being　civil　to　him；　some　memories　of　her　girlhood；　some　meetings　with　those　uncles；　some　dances　with　them；　and　generally　shedding　from　her　talk　and　manner　the　charm　of　some　sweet　old　melodyand　Beverly；　the　facile；　the　appreciative；　sitting　there　with　her　at　a　correct；　deferential　angle　on　his　chair；　admirably　sympathetic　and　in　good　form；　and　playing　the　old　school。　（He　had　no　thought　to　deceive　her；　the　old　school　was　his　by　right；　and　genuinely　in　his　blood；　he　took　to　it　like　a　duck　to　the　water。）　How　should　Mrs。　Weguelin　divine　that　he　also　took　to　the　nouveau　jeu　to　the　tune　of　Bohm　and　Charley　and　Kitty　and　Gazza？　And　so；　to　show　him　some　attention；　and　because　she　couldn't　ask　him　to　a　meal；　why；　she　would　take　him　over　the　old　church；　her　colonial　forefathers'；　she　would　tell　him　the　little　legends　about　them；　he　was　precisely　the　young　man　to　appreciate　such　thingsand　she　would　be　pleased　if　he　would　also　bring　the　friends　with　whom　he　was　travelling。

I　looked　across　the　street　at　Bohm　and　Charley　and　Kitty　and　Gazza。　They　were　now　staring　about　them　in　all　their　perfection　of　stare：　small　Charley　in　a　sleek　slate…colored　suit；　as　neat　as　any　little　barber；　Bohm；　massive；　portentous；　his　strong　shoes　and　gloves　the　chief　note　in　his　dress；　and　about　his　whole　firm　frame　a　heavy　mechanical　strength；　a　look　as　of　something　that　did　something　rapidly　and　accurately　when　set　goingcut　or　cracked　or　ground　or　smashed　something　better　and　faster　than　it　had　ever　been　cut　or　cracked　or　ground　or　smashed　before；　and　would　take　your　arms　and　legs　off　if　you　didn't　stand　well　back　from　it；　it　was　only　in　Bohm's　eye　and　lips　that　you　saw　he　wasn't　made　entirely　of　brass　and　iron；　that　champagne　and　shoulders　decolletes　received　a　punctual　share　of　his　valuable　time。　And　there　was　Kitty；　too；　just　the　wife　for　Bohm；　so　soon　as　she　could　divorce　her　husband；　to　whom　she　had　united　herself　before　discovering　that　all　she　married　him　for；　his　old　Knickerbocker　name；　was　no　longer　in　the　slightest　degree　necessary　for　social　acceptance；　while　she　could　feed　people；　her　trough　would　be　well　thronged。　Kitty　was　neat；　Kitty　was　trig；　Kitty　was　what　Beverly　would　call　〃swagger　〃；　her　skilful　tailor…made　clothes　sheathed　her　closely　and　gave　her　the　excellent　appearance　of　a　well…folded　English　umbrella；　it　was　in　her　hat　that　she　had　gone　wronga　beautiful　hat　in　itself；　one　which　would　have　wholly　become　Hortense；　but　for　poor　Kitty　it　didn't　do　at　all。　Yes；　she　was　a　well　folded　English　umbrella；　only　the　umbrella　had　for　its　handle　the　head　of　a　bulldog　or　the　leg　of　a　ballet…dancer。　And　these　were　the　Replacers　whom　Beverly's　clear…sighted　eyes　saw　swarming　round　the　temple　of　his　civilization；　pushing　down　the　aisles；　climbing　over　the　backs　of　the　benches；　walking　over　each　other's　bodies；　and　seizing　those　front　seats　which　his　family　had　sat　in　since　New　York　had　been　New　York；　and　so　the　wise　fellow　very　prudently　took　every　step　that　would　insure　the　Replacers'　inviting　him　to　occupy　one　of　his　own　chairs。　I　had　almost　forgotten　little　Gazza；　the　Italian　nobleman；　who　sold　old　furniture　to　new　Americans。　Gazza　was　not　looking　at　the　old　furniture　of　Kings　Port；　which　must　have　filled　his　Vatican　soul　with　contempt；　he　was　strolling　back　and　forth　in　the　street；　with　his　head　in　the　air；　humming；　now　loudly；　now　softly　〃La…la；　la…la；　E　quando　a　la　predica　in　chiesa　siederia；　la…la…la…la；〃　and　I　thought　to　myself　that；　were　I　the　Pope；　I　should　kick　him　into　the　Tiber。

When　Mrs。　Weguelin　St。　Michael　came　back　with　the　keys　and　their　custodian；　Bohm　was　listening　to　the　slow；　clear　words　of　Charley；　in　which　he　evidently　found　something　that　at　length　interested　hima　little。　Bohm；　it　seemed；　did　not　often　speak　himself：　possibly　once　a　week。　His　way　was　to　let　other　people　speak　to　him　when　there　were　signs　in　his　face　that　he　was　hearing　anything　which　they　said；　it　was　a　high　compliment　to　them；　and　of　course　Charley　could　command　Bohm's　ear；　for　Charley；　although　he　was　as　neat　as　any　barber；　and　let　Hortense　walk　on　him　because　he　looked　beyond　that；　and　purposed　to　get　her；　was　just　as　potent　in　the　financial　world　as　Bohm；　could　bring　a　borrowing　empire　to　his　own　terms　just　as　skillfully　as　could　Bohm；　was；　in　short；　a　man　after　Bohm's　ownI　had　almost　said　heart：　the　expression　is　so　　obstinately　embedded　in　our　language！　Bohm；　listening；　and　Charley；　talking；　had　neither　of　them　noticed　Mrs。　Weguelin's　arrival；　they　stood　ignoring　her；　while　she　waited；　casting　a　timid　eye　upon　them。　But　Beverly；　suddenly　perceiving　this；　and　begging　her　pardon　for　them；　brought　the　party　together；　and　we　moved　in　among　the　old　graves。

〃Ah！〃　said　Gazza；　bending　to　read　the　quaint　words　cut　upon　one　of　them；　as　we　stopped　while　the　door　at　the　rear　of　the　church　was　being　opened；　〃French！〃

〃It　was　the　mother…tongue　of　these　colonists；〃　Mrs。　Weguelin　explained　to　him。

〃Ah！　like　Canada！〃　cried　Gazza。　〃But　what　a　pretty　bit　is　that！〃　And　he　stood　back　to　admire　a　little　glimpse；　across　a　street；　between　tiled　roofs　and　rusty　balconies；　of　another　church　steeple。　〃Almost；　one　would　say；　the　Old　World；〃　Gazza　declared。


〃Our　world　is　not　new；〃　said　Mrs。　Weguelin；　and　she　passed　into　the　church。

Kings　Port　holds　many　sacred　nooks；　many　corners；　many　vistas；　that　should　deeply　stir　the　spirit　and　the　heart　of　all　Americans　who　know　and　love　their　country。　The　passing　traveller　may　gaze　up　at　certain　windows　there；　and　see　History　herself　looking　out　at　him；　even　as　she　looks　out　of　the　windows　of　Independence　Hall　in　Philadelphia。　There　are　also　other　ancient　buildings　in　Kings　Port；　where　History　is　shut　up；　as　in　a　strong…box；such　as　that　stubborn　old　octagon；　the　powder…magazine　of　Revolutionary　times；　which　is　a　chest　holding　proud　memories　of　blood　and　war。　And　then　there　are　the　three　churches。　Not　strong…boxes；　these；　but　shrines；　where　burn　the　venerable　lamps　of　faith。　And　of　these　three　houses　of　God；　that　one　holds　the　most　precious　flame；　the　purest　light；　which　treasures　the　holy　fire　that　came　from　France。　The　English　colonists；　who　sat　in　the　other　two　congregations；　came　to　Carolina's　soil　to　better　their　estate；　but　it　was　for　liberty　of　soul；　to　lift　their　ardent　and　exalted　prayer　to　God　as　their　own　conscience　bade　them；　and　not　as　any　man　dictated；　that　those　French　colonists　sought　the　New　World。　No　Puritan　splendor　of　independence　and　indomitable　courage　outshines　theirs。　They　preached　a　word　as　burning　as　any　that　Plymouth　or　Salem　ever　heard。　They　were　but　a　handful；　yet　so　fecund　was　their　marvelous　zeal　that　they　became　the　spiritual　leaven　of　their　whole　community。　They　are　less　known　than　Plymouth　and　Salem；　because　men　of　action；　rather　than　men　of　letters；　have　sprung　from　the　loins　of　the　South；　but　there　they　stand；　a　beautiful　beacon；　shining　upon　the　coasts　of　our　early　history。　Into　their　church；　then；　into　the　shrine　where　their　small　lamp　still　burns；　their　devout　descendant；　Mrs。　Weguelin　St。　Michael　led　our　party；　because　in　her　eyes　Kings　Port　could　show　nothing　more　precious　and　significant。　There　had　been　nothing　to　warn　her　that　Bohm　and　Charley　were　Americans　who　neither　knew　nor　loved　their　country；　but　merely　Americans　who　knew　their　country's　wealth　and　loved　to　acquire　every　penny　of　it　that　they　could。

And　so；　following　the　steps　of　our　delicate　and　courteous　guide；　we　entered　into　the　dimness　of　the　little　building；　and　Mrs。　Weguelin's　voice；　lowered　to　suit　the　sanctity　which　the　place　had　for　her；　began　to　tell　us　very　quietly　and　clearly　the　story　of　its　early　days。

I　knew　it；　or　something　of　it；　from　books；　but　from　this　little　lady's　lips　it　took　on　a　charm　and　graciousness　which　made　it　fresh　to　me。　I　listened　attentively；　until　I　felt；　without　at　first　seeing　the　cause；　that　dulling　of　enjoyment；　that　interference　with　the　receptive　attention；　which　comes　at　times　to　one　during　the　performance　of　music　when　untimely　people　come　in　or　go　out。　Next；　I　knew　that　our　group　of　listeners　was　less　compact；　and　then；　as　we　moved　from　the　first　point　in　the　church　to　a　new　one；　I　saw　that　Bohm　and　Charley　were　dropping　behind；　and　I　lingered；　with　the　intention　of　bringing　them　closer。

〃But　there　was　nothing　in　it；〃　I　heard　Charley's　slow　monologue　continuing　behind　me　to　the　silent　Bohm。　〃We　could　have　bought　the　Parsons　road　at　that　time。　'Gentlemen；'　I　said　to　them；　'what　is　there　for　us　in　tide…water　at　Kings　Port？　'〃

It　was　not　to　be　done；　and　I　rejoined　Mrs。　Weguelin　and　those　of　the　party　who　were　making　some　show　of　attention　to　her　quiet　little　histories　and　explanations；　and　Kitty's　was　the　next　voice　which　I　heard　ring　out

〃Oh；　you　must　never　let　it　fall　to　pieces！　It's　the　cunningest　little　fossil　I've　seen　in　the　South。〃

〃So；〃　said　Charley　behind　me；　〃we　let　the　other　crowd　buy　their　strategic　point；　and　I　guess　they　know　they　got　a　gold　brick。〃

I　moved　away　from　the　financiers；　I　endeavored　not　to　hear　their　words；　and　in　this　much　I　was　successful；　but　their　inappropriate　presence　had　got；　I　suppose　upon　my　nerves；　at　any　rate；　go　where　I　would　in　the　little　church；　or　attend　as　I　might　and　did　to　what　Mrs。　Weguelin　St。　Michael　said　about　the　tablets；　and　whatever　traditions　their　inscriptions　suggested　to　her；　that　quiet；　low；　persistent　banker's　voice　of　Charley's　pervaded　the　building　like　a　draft　of　cold　air。　Once；　indeed；　he　addressed　Mrs。　Weguelin　a　question。　She　was　telling　Beverly　（who　followed　her　throughout；　protectingly　and　charmingly；　with　his　most　devoted　attention　and　his　best　manner）　the　honorable　deeds　of　certain　older　generations　of　a　family　belonging　to　this　congregation；　some　of　whose　tombs　outside　had　borne　French　inscriptions。

〃My　mother's　family；〃　said　Mrs。　Weguelin。

〃And　nowadays；〃　inquired　Beverly；　〃what　do　they　find　instead　of　military　careers？〃

〃There　are　no　more　of　us　nowadays；　theythey　we