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MALBONE： AN OLDPORT ROMANCE。
CHAPTER VII。
AN INTERNATIONAL EXPOSITION。
AT the celebrated Oldport ball for the French officers； the merit of
each maiden was estimated by the number of foreigners with whom she
could talk at once； for there were more gentlemen than ladies； and not
more than half the ladies spoke French。 Here Emilia was in her glory；
the ice being once broken； officers were to her but like so many school…
girls； and she rattled away to the admiral and the fleet captain and two or
three lieutenants at once； while others hovered behind the circle of her
immediate adorers； to pick up the stray shafts of what passed for wit。
Other girls again drove two…in…hand； at the most； in the way of
conversation； while those least gifted could only encounter one small
Frenchman in some safe corner； and converse chiefly by smiles and signs。
On the whole； the evening opened gayly。 Newly arrived Frenchmen
are apt to be so unused to the familiar society of unmarried girls； that the
most innocent share in it has for them the zest of forbidden fruit； and the
most blameless intercourse seems almost a bonne fortune。 Most of these
officers were from the lower ranks of French society； but they all had that
good…breeding which their race wears with such ease； and can unhappily
put off with the same。
The admiral and the fleet captain were soon turned over to Hope； who
spoke French as she did English； with quiet grace。 She found them
agreeable companions； while Emilia drifted among the elder midshipmen；
who were dazzling in gold lace if not in intellect。 Kate fell to the share
of a vehement little surgeon； who danced her out of breath。 Harry
officiated as interpreter between the governor of the State and a lively
young ensign； who yearned for the society of dignitaries。 The governor
was quite aware that he himself could not speak French； the Frenchman
was quite unaware that he himself could not speak English； but with
Harry's aid they plunged boldly into conversation。 Their talk happened to
fall on steam…engines； English； French； American； their comparative cost；
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MALBONE： AN OLDPORT ROMANCE。
comparative power； comparative cost per horse power；until Harry； who
was not very strong upon the steam…engine in his own tongue； and was
quite helpless on that point in any other； got a good deal astray among the
numerals； and implanted some rather wild statistics in the mind of each。
The young Frenchman was far more definite； when requested by the
governor to state in English the precise number of men engaged on board
the corvette。 With the accuracy of his nation； he beamingly replied；
〃Seeshun…dredtousand。〃
As is apt to be the case in Oldport； other European nationalities beside
the French were represented； though the most marked foreign accent was
of course to be found among Americans just returned。 There were
European diplomatists who spoke English perfectly； there were travellers
who spoke no English at all； and as usual each guest sought to practise
himself in the tongue he knew least。 There was the usual eagerness among
the fashionable vulgar to make acquaintance with anything that combined
broken English and a title； and two minutes after a Russian prince had
seated himself comfortably on a sofa beside Kate； he was vehemently
tapped on the shoulder by Mrs。 Courtenay Brash with the endearing
summons： 〃Why！ Prince； I didn't see as you was here。 Do you set
comfortable where you be？ Come over to this window； and tell all you
know！〃
The prince might have felt that his summons was abrupt； but knew not
that it was ungrammatical； and so was led away in triumph。 He had been
but a month or two in this country； and so spoke our language no more
correctly than Mrs。 Brash； but only with more grace。 There was no great
harm in Mrs。 Brash； like most loquacious people； she was kind…hearted；
with a tendency to corpulence and good works。 She was also afflicted with
a high color； and a chronic eruption of diamonds。 Her husband had an
eye for them； having begun life as a jeweller's apprentice； and having
developed sufficient sharpness of vision in other directions to become a
millionnaire； and a Congressman； and to let his wife do as she pleased。
What goes forth from the lips may vary in dialect； but wine and
oysters speak the universal language。 The supper…table brought our party
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MALBONE： AN OLDPORT ROMANCE。
together； and they compared notes。
〃Parties are very confusing；〃 philosophized Hope；〃especially when
waiters and partners dress so much alike。 Just now I saw an ill…looking
man elbowing his way up to Mrs。 Meredith； and I thought he was bringing
her something on a plate。 Instead of that； it was his hand he held out； and
she put hers into it； and I was told that he was one of the leaders of society。
There are very few gentlemen here whom I could positively tell from the
waiters by their faces； and yet Harry says the fast set are not here。〃
〃Talk of the angels！〃 said Philip。 〃There come the Inglesides。〃
Through the door of the supper…room they saw entering the drawing…
room one of those pretty； fair…haired women who grow older up to twenty…
five and then remain unchanged till sixty。 She was dressed in the loveliest
pale blue silk； very low in the neck； and she seemed to smile on all with
her white teeth and her white shoulders。 This was Mrs。 Ingleside。 With
her came her daughter Blanche； a pretty blonde； whose bearing seemed at
first as innocent and pastoral as her name。 Her dress was of spotless white；
what there was of it； and her skin was so snowy； you could hardly tell
where the dress ended。 Her complexion was exquisite； her eyes of the
softest blue； at twenty…three she did not look more than seventeen； and yet
there was such a contrast between these virginal traits； and th