English
Itinvariablyhappenedinthesameway.
Mrs.JuliusBeaufort,onthenightofherannualball,neverfailedtoappearattheOpera;indeed,shealwaysgaveherballonanOperanightinordertoemphasisehercompletesuperioritytohouseholdcares,andherpossessionofastaffofservantscompetenttoorganiseeverydetailoftheentertainmentinherabsence.
TheBeauforts'housewasoneofthefewinNewYorkthatpossessedaball–room(itantedatedevenMrs.MansonMingott'sandtheHeadlyChiverses');andatatimewhenitwasbeginningtobethought"provincial"toputa"crash"overthedrawing–roomfloorandmovethefurnitureupstairs,thepossessionofaball–roomthatwasusedfornootherpurpose,andleftforthree–hundred–and–sixty–fourdaysoftheyeartoshuttereddarkness,withitsgiltchairsstackedinacorneranditschandelierinabag;thisundoubtedsuperioritywasfelttocompensateforwhateverwasregrettableintheBeaufortpast.
Mrs.Archer,whowasfondofcoininghersocialphilosophyintoaxioms,hadoncesaid:"Weallhaveourpetcommonpeople—"andthoughthephrasewasadaringone,itstruthwassecretlyadmittedinmanyanexclusivebosom.
ButtheBeaufortswerenotexactlycommon;somepeoplesaidtheywereevenworse.
Mrs.BeaufortbelongedindeedtooneofAmerica'smosthonouredfamilies;shehadbeenthelovelyReginaDallas(oftheSouthCarolinabranch),apennilessbeautyintroducedtoNewYorksocietybyhercousin,theimprudentMedoraManson,whowasalwaysdoingthewrongthingfromtherightmotive.
WhenonewasrelatedtotheMansonsandtheRushworthsonehada"droitdecite"(asMr.SillertonJackson,whohadfrequentedtheTuileries,calledit)inNewYorksociety;butdidonenotforfeititinmarryingJuliusBeaufort?
Thequestionwas:whowasBeaufort?HepassedforanEnglishman,wasagreeable,handsome,ill–tempered,hospitableandwitty.
HehadcometoAmericawithlettersofrecommendationfromoldMrs.MansonMingott'sEnglishson–in–law,thebanker,andhadspeedilymadehimselfanimportantpositionintheworldofaffairs;buthishabitsweredissipated,histonguewasbitter,hisantecedentsweremysterious;andwhenMedoraMansonannouncedhercousin'sengagementtohimitwasfelttobeonemoreactoffollyinpoorMedora'slongrecordofimprudences.
Butfollyisasoftenjustifiedofherchildrenaswisdom,andtwoyearsafteryoungMrs.Beaufort'smarriageitwasadmittedthatshehadthemostdistinguishedhouseinNewYork.
Nooneknewexactlyhowthemiraclewasaccomplished.
Shewasindolent,passive,thecausticevencalledherdull;butdressedlikeanidol,hungwithpearls,growingyoungerandblonderandmorebeautifuleachyear,shethronedinMr.Beaufort'sheavybrown–stonepalace,anddrewalltheworldtherewithoutliftingherjewelledlittlefinger.
TheknowingpeoplesaiditwasBeauforthimselfwhotrainedtheservants,taughtthechefnewdishes,toldthegardenerswhathot–houseflowerstogrowforthedinner–tableandthedrawing–rooms,selectedtheguests,brewedtheafter–dinnerpunchanddictatedthelittlenoteshiswifewrotetoherfriends.
Ifhedid,thesedomesticactivitieswereprivatelyperformed,andhepresentedtotheworldtheappearanceofacarelessandhospitablemillionairestrollingintohisowndrawing–roomwiththedetachmentofaninvitedguest,andsaying:"Mywife'sgloxiniasareamarvel,aren'tthey?IbelieveshegetsthemoutfromKew."
Mr.Beaufort'ssecret,peoplewereagreed,wasthewayhecarriedthingsoff.
Itwasallverywelltowhisperthathehadbeen"helped"toleaveEnglandbytheinternationalbanking–houseinwhichhehadbeenemployed;hecarriedoffthatrumouraseasilyastherest—thoughNewYork'sbusinessconsciencewasnolesssensitivethanitsmoralstandard—hecarriedeverythingbeforehim,andallNewYorkintohisdrawing–rooms,andforovertwentyyearsnowpeoplehadsaidtheywere"goingtotheBeauforts'"withthesametoneofsecurityasiftheyhadsaidtheyweregoingtoMrs.MansonMingott's,andwiththeaddedsatisfactionofknowingtheywouldgethotcanvas–backducksandvintagewines,insteadoftepidVeuveClicquotwithoutayearandwarmed–upcroquettesfromPhiladelphia.
Mrs.Beaufort,then,hadasusualappearedinherboxjustbeforetheJewelSong;andwhen,againasusual,sheroseattheendofthethirdact,drewheroperacloakaboutherlovelyshoulders,anddisappeared,NewYorkknewthatmeantthathalfanhourlatertheballwouldbegin.
TheBeauforthousewasonethatNewYorkerswereproudtoshowtoforeigners,especiallyonthenightoftheannualball.
TheBeaufortshadbeenamongthefirstpeopleinNewYorktoowntheirownredvelvetcarpetandhaveitrolleddownthestepsbytheirownfootmen,undertheirownawning,insteadofhiringitwiththesupperandtheball–roomchairs.
Theyhadalsoinauguratedthecustomoflettingtheladiestaketheircloaksoffinthehall,insteadofshufflinguptothehostess'sbedroomandrecurlingtheirhairwiththeaidofthegas–burner;Beaufortwasunderstoodtohavesaidthathesupposedallhiswife'sfriendshadmaidswhosawtoitthattheywereproperlycoiffeeswhentheylefthome.
Thenthehousehadbeenboldlyplannedwithaball–room,sothat,insteadofsqueezingthroughanarrowpassagetogettoit(asattheChiverses')onemarchedsolemnlydownavistaofenfiladeddrawing–rooms(thesea–green,thecrimsonandtheboutond'or),seeingfromafarthemany–candledlustresreflectedinthepolishedparquetry,andbeyondthatthedepthsofaconservatorywherecamelliasandtree–fernsarchedtheircostlyfoliageoverseatsofblackandgoldbamboo.
NewlandArcher,asbecameayoungmanofhisposition,strolledinsomewhatlate.
Hehadlefthisovercoatwiththesilk–stockingedfootmen(thestockingswereoneofBeaufort'sfewfatuities),haddawdledawhileinthelibraryhungwithSpanishleatherandfurnishedwithBuhlandmalachite,whereafewmenwerechattingandputtingontheirdancing–gloves,andhadfinallyjoinedthelineofguestswhomMrs.Beaufortwasreceivingonthethresholdofthecrimsondrawing–room.
Archerwasdistinctlynervous.HehadnotgonebacktohisclubaftertheOpera(astheyoungbloodsusuallydid),but,thenightbeingfine,hadwalkedforsomedistanceupFifthAvenuebeforeturningbackinthedirectionoftheBeauforts'house.
HewasdefinitelyafraidthattheMingottsmightbegoingtoofar;that,infact,theymighthaveGrannyMingott'sorderstobringtheCountessOlenskatotheball.
Fromthetoneoftheclubboxhehadperceivedhowgraveamistakethatwouldbe;and,thoughhewasmorethaneverdeterminedto"seethethingthrough,"hefeltlesschivalrouslyeagertochampionhisbetrothed'scousinthanbeforetheirbrieftalkattheOpera.
Wanderingontotheboutond'ordrawing–room(whereBeauforthadhadtheaudacitytohang"LoveVictorious,"themuch–discussednudeofBouguereau)ArcherfoundMrs.Wellandandherdaughterstandingneartheball–roomdoor.
Coupleswerealreadyglidingoverthefloorbeyond:thelightofthewaxcandlesfellonrevolvingtulleskirts,ongirlishheadswreathedwithmodestblossoms,onthedashingaigrettesandornamentsoftheyoungmarriedwomen'scoiffures,andontheglitterofhighlyglazedshirt–frontsandfreshglacegloves.
MissWelland,evidentlyabouttojointhedancers,hungonthethreshold,herlilies–of–the–valleyinherhand(shecarriednootherbouquet),herfacealittlepale,hereyesburningwithacandidexcitement.
Agroupofyoungmenandgirlsweregatheredabouther,andtherewasmuchhand–clasping,laughingandpleasantryonwhichMrs.Welland,standingslightlyapart,shedthebeamofaqualifiedapproval.
ItwasevidentthatMissWellandwasintheactofannouncingherengagement,whilehermotheraffectedtheairofparentalreluctanceconsideredsuitabletotheoccasion.
Archerpausedamoment.Itwasathisexpresswishthattheannouncementhadbeenmade,andyetitwasnotthusthathewouldhavewishedtohavehishappinessknown.
Toproclaimitintheheatandnoiseofacrowdedball–roomwastorobitofthefinebloomofprivacywhichshouldbelongtothingsnearesttheheart.
Hisjoywassodeepthatthisblurringofthesurfaceleftitsessenceuntouched;buthewouldhavelikedtokeepthesurfacepuretoo.
ItwassomethingofasatisfactiontofindthatMayWellandsharedthisfeeling.
Hereyesfledtohisbeseechingly,andtheirlooksaid:"Remember,we'redoingthisbecauseit'sright."
NoappealcouldhavefoundamoreimmediateresponseinArcher'sbreast;buthewishedthatthenecessityoftheiractionhadbeenrepresentedbysomeidealreason,andnotsimplybypoorEllenOlenska.
ThegroupaboutMissWellandmadewayforhimwithsignificantsmiles,andaftertakinghisshareofthefelicitationshedrewhisbetrothedintothemiddleoftheball–roomfloorandputhisarmaboutherwaist.
"Nowweshan'thavetotalk,"hesaid,smilingintohercandideyes,astheyfloatedawayonthesoftwavesoftheBlueDanube.
Shemadenoanswer.Herlipstrembledintoasmile,buttheeyesremaineddistantandserious,asifbentonsomeineffablevision.
"Dear,"Archerwhispered,pressinghertohim:itwasborneinonhimthatthefirsthoursofbeingengaged,evenifspentinaball–room,hadinthemsomethinggraveandsacramental.
Whatanewlifeitwasgoingtobe,withthiswhiteness,radiance,goodnessatone'sside!
Thedanceover,thetwo,asbecameanaffiancedcouple,wanderedintotheconservatory;andsittingbehindatallscreenoftree–fernsandcamelliasNewlandpressedherglovedhandtohislips.
"YouseeIdidasyouaskedmeto,"shesaid.
"Yes:Icouldn'twait,"heansweredsmiling.Afteramomentheadded:"OnlyIwishithadn'thadtobeataball."
"Yes,Iknow."Shemethisglancecomprehendingly."Butafterall—evenherewe'realonetogether,aren'twe?"
"Oh,dearest—always!"Archercried.
Evidentlyshewasalwaysgoingtounderstand;shewasalwaysgoingtosaytherightthing.
Thediscoverymadethecupofhisblissoverflow,andhewentongaily:"TheworstofitisthatIwanttokissyouandIcan't."
Ashespokehetookaswiftglanceabouttheconservatory,assuredhimselfoftheirmomentaryprivacy,andcatchinghertohimlaidafugitivepressureonherlips.
Tocounteracttheaudacityofthisproceedingheledhertoabamboosofainalesssecludedpartoftheconservatory,andsittingdownbesideherbrokealily–of–the–valleyfromherbouquet.
Shesatsilent,andtheworldlaylikeasunlitvalleyattheirfeet.
"DidyoutellmycousinEllen?"sheaskedpresently,asifshespokethroughadream.
Herousedhimself,andrememberedthathehadnotdoneso.Someinvinciblerepugnancetospeakofsuchthingstothestrangeforeignwomanhadcheckedthewordsonhislips.
"No—Ihadn'tthechanceafterall,"hesaid,fibbinghastily.
"Ah."Shelookeddisappointed,butgentlyresolvedongainingherpoint."Youmust,then,forIdidn'teither;andIshouldn'tlikehertothink—"
"Ofcoursenot.Butaren'tyou,afterall,thepersontodoit?"
Sheponderedonthis."IfI'ddoneitattherighttime,yes:butnowthatthere'sbeenadelayIthinkyoumustexplainthatI'daskedyoutotellherattheOpera,beforeourspeakingaboutittoeverybodyhere.
OtherwiseshemightthinkIhadforgottenher.
Yousee,she'soneofthefamily,andshe'sbeenawaysolongthatshe'srather—sensitive."
Archerlookedatherglowingly."Dearandgreatangel!OfcourseI'lltellher."Heglancedatrifleapprehensivelytowardthecrowdedball–room."ButIhaven'tseenheryet.Hasshecome?"
"No;atthelastminuteshedecidednotto."
"Atthelastminute?"heechoed,betrayinghissurprisethatsheshouldeverhaveconsideredthealternativepossible.
"Yes.She'sawfullyfondofdancing,"theyounggirlansweredsimply.
"Butsuddenlyshemadeuphermindthatherdresswasn'tsmartenoughforaball,thoughwethoughtitsolovely;andsomyaunthadtotakeherhome."
"Oh,well—"saidArcherwithhappyindifference.
Nothingabouthisbetrothedpleasedhimmorethanherresolutedeterminationtocarrytoitsutmostlimitthatritualofignoringthe"unpleasant"inwhichtheyhadbothbeenbroughtup.
"SheknowsaswellasIdo,"hereflected,"therealreasonofhercousin'sstayingaway;butIshallneverletherseebytheleastsignthatIamconsciousoftherebeingashadowofashadeonpoorEllenOlenska'sreputation."
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