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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃You ought to be very clever and brilliant； and to know almost everything。〃
Lord Lambeth looked at her a moment。 〃Shall I tell you something？〃 he asked。
〃A young man in my position； as you call it〃
〃I didn't invent the term；〃 interposed Bessie Alden。
〃I have seen it in a great many books。〃
〃Hang it！ you are always at your books。 A fellow
in my position； then； does very well whatever he does。
That's about what I mean to say。〃
〃Well； if your own people are content with you；〃
said Bessie Alden； laughing； 〃it is not for me to complain。
But I shall always think that； properly； you should have been
a great minda great character。〃
〃Ah； that's very theoretic；〃 Lord Lambeth declared。
〃Depend upon it； that's a Yankee prejudice。〃
〃Happy the country；〃 said Bessie Alden； 〃where even people's
prejudices are so elevated！〃
〃Well； after all；〃 observed Lord Lambeth； 〃I don't know that I am
such a fool as you are trying to make me out。〃
〃I said nothing so rude as that； but I must repeat that
you are disappointing。〃
〃My dear Miss Alden；〃 exclaimed the young man； 〃I am the best
fellow in the world！〃
〃Ah； if it were not for that！〃 said Bessie Alden with a smile。
Mrs。 Westgate had a good many more friends in London than
she pretended； and before long she had renewed acquaintance
with most of them。 Their hospitality was extreme； so that；
one thing leading to another； she began； as the phrase is； to go out。
Bessie Alden； in this way； saw something of what she found
it a great satisfaction to call to herself English society。
She went to balls and danced； she went to dinners and talked；
she went to concerts and listened （at concerts Bessie
always listened）； she went to exhibitions and wondered。
Her enjoyment was keen and her curiosity insatiable； and；
grateful in general for all her opportunities； she especially
prized the privilege of meeting certain celebrated persons
authors and artists； philosophers and statesmenof whose
renown she had been a humble and distant beholder； and who now；
as a part of the habitual furniture of London drawing rooms；
struck her as stars fallen from the firmament and become palpable
revealing also sometimes； on contact； qualities not to
have been predicted of sidereal bodies。 Bessie； who knew
so many of her contemporaries by reputation； had a good many
personal disappointments； but； on the other hand； she had
innumerable satisfactions and enthusiasms； and she communicated
the emotions of either class to a dear friend； of her own sex；
in Boston； with whom she was in voluminous correspondence。
Some of her reflections； indeed； she attempted to impart
to Lord Lambeth； who came almost every day to Jones's Hotel；
and whom Mrs。 Westgate admitted to be really devoted。
Captain Littledale； it appeared； had gone to India； and of
several others of Mrs。 Westgate's ex…pensionersgentlemen who；
as she said； had made； in New York； a clubhouse of her drawing room
no tidings were to be obtained； but Lord Lambeth was certainly
attentive enough to make up for the accidental absences；
the short memories； all the other irregularities of everyone else。
He drove them in the park； he took them to visit private collections
of pictures； and； having a house of his own； invited them to dinner。
Mrs。 Westgate； following the fashion of many of her compatriots；
caused herself and her sister to be presented at the English
court by her diplomatic representativefor it was in this
manner that she alluded to the American minister to England；
inquiring what on earth he was put there for； if not to make
the proper arrangements for one's going to a Drawing Room。
Lord Lambeth declared that he hated Drawing Rooms； but he participated
in the ceremony on the day on which the two ladies at Jones's Hotel
repaired to Buckingham Palace in a remarkable coach which his lordship
had sent to fetch them。 He had on a gorgeous uniform； and Bessie Alden
was particularly struck with his appearanceespecially when on her
asking him； rather foolishly as she felt； if he were a loyal subject；
he replied that he was a loyal subject to HER。 This declaration
was emphasized by his dancing with her at a royal ball to which the two
ladies afterward went； and was not impaired by the fact that she
thought he danced very ill。 He seemed to her wonderfully kind；
she asked herself； with growing vivacity； why he should be so kind。
It was his dispositionthat seemed the natural answer。
She had told her sister that she liked him very much； and now that she
liked him more she wondered why。 She liked him for his disposition；
to this question as well that seemed the natural answer。
When once the impressions of London life began to crowd thickly upon her；
she completely forgot her sister's warning about the cynicism
of public opinion。 It had given her great pain at the moment；
but there was no particular reason why she should remember it；
it corresponded too little with any sensible reality； and it
was disagreeable to Bessie to remember disagreeable things。
So she was not haunted with the sense of a vulgar imputation。
She was not in love with Lord Lambethshe assured herself of that。
It will immediately be observed that when such assurances become
necessary the state of a young lady's affections is already ambiguous；
and； indeed； Bessie Alden made no attempt to dissimulateto herself；
of coursea certain tenderness that she felt for the young nobleman。
She said to herself that she liked the type to which he belonged
the simple； candid； manly； healthy English temperament。
She spoke to herself of him as women speak of young men they like
alluded to his bravery （which she had never in the least seen
tested）； to his honesty and gentlemanliness； and was not silent
upon the subject of his good looks。 She was perfectly conscious；
moreover； that she liked to think of his more adventitious merits；
that her imagination was excited and gratified by the sight
of a handsome young man endowed with such large opportunities
opportunities she hardly knew for what； but； as she supposed；
for doing great thingsfor setting an example； for exerting
an influence； for conferring happiness； for encouraging the arts。
She had a kind of ideal of conduct for a young man who should find
himself in this magnificent position； and she tried to adapt
it to Lord Lambeth's deportment as you might attempt to fit
a silhouette in cut paper upon a shadow projected upon a wall。
But Bessie Alden's silhouette refused to coincide with his
lordship's image； and this want of harmony sometimes vexed her
more than she thought reasonable。 When he was absent it was；
of course； less striking； then he seemed to her a sufficiently
graceful combination of high responsibilities and amiable qualities。
But when he sat there within sight； laughing and talking with his
customary good humor and simplicity； she measured it more accurately；
and she felt acutely that if Lord Lam