English
ThenexteveningoldMr.SillertonJacksoncametodinewiththeArchers.
Mrs.Archerwasashywomanandshrankfromsociety;butshelikedtobewell–informedastoitsdoings.
HeroldfriendMr.SillertonJacksonappliedtotheinvestigationofhisfriends'affairsthepatienceofacollectorandthescienceofanaturalist;andhissister,MissSophyJackson,wholivedwithhim,andwasentertainedbyallthepeoplewhocouldnotsecurehermuch–sought–afterbrother,broughthomebitsofminorgossipthatfilledoutusefullythegapsinhispicture.
Therefore,wheneveranythinghappenedthatMrs.Archerwantedtoknowabout,sheaskedMr.Jacksontodine;andasshehonouredfewpeoplewithherinvitations,andassheandherdaughterJaneywereanexcellentaudience,Mr.Jacksonusuallycamehimselfinsteadofsendinghissister.
Ifhecouldhavedictatedalltheconditions,hewouldhavechosentheeveningswhenNewlandwasout;notbecausetheyoungmanwasuncongenialtohim(thetwogotoncapitallyattheirclub)butbecausetheoldanecdotistsometimesfelt,onNewland'spart,atendencytoweighhisevidencethattheladiesofthefamilynevershowed.
Mr.Jackson,ifperfectionhadbeenattainableonearth,wouldalsohaveaskedthatMrs.Archer'sfoodshouldbealittlebetter.
ButthenNewYork,asfarbackasthemindofmancouldtravel,hadbeendividedintothetwogreatfundamentalgroupsoftheMingottsandMansonsandalltheirclan,whocaredabouteatingandclothesandmoney,andtheArcher–Newland–van–der–Luydentribe,whoweredevotedtotravel,horticultureandthebestfiction,andlookeddownonthegrosserformsofpleasure.
Youcouldn'thaveeverything,afterall.
IfyoudinedwiththeLovellMingottsyougotcanvas–backandterrapinandvintagewines;atAdelineArcher'syoucouldtalkaboutAlpinesceneryand"TheMarbleFaun";andluckilytheArcherMadeirahadgoneroundtheCape.
ThereforewhenafriendlysummonscamefromMrs.Archer,Mr.Jackson,whowasatrueeclectic,wouldusuallysaytohissister:"I'vebeenalittlegoutysincemylastdinnerattheLovellMingotts'—itwilldomegoodtodietatAdeline's."
Mrs.Archer,whohadlongbeenawidow,livedwithhersonanddaughterinWestTwenty–eighthStreet.
AnupperfloorwasdedicatedtoNewland,andthetwowomensqueezedthemselvesintonarrowerquartersbelow.
InanuncloudedharmonyoftastesandintereststheycultivatedfernsinWardiancases,mademacramelaceandwoolembroideryonlinen,collectedAmericanrevolutionaryglazedware,subscribedto"GoodWords,"andreadOuida'snovelsforthesakeoftheItalianatmosphere.
(Theypreferredthoseaboutpeasantlife,becauseofthedescriptionsofsceneryandthepleasantersentiments,thoughingeneraltheylikednovelsaboutpeopleinsociety,whosemotivesandhabitsweremorecomprehensible,spokeseverelyofDickens,who"hadneverdrawnagentleman,"andconsideredThackeraylessathomeinthegreatworldthanBulwer—who,however,wasbeginningtobethoughtold–fashioned.)
Mrs.andMissArcherwerebothgreatloversofscenery.
Itwaswhattheyprincipallysoughtandadmiredontheiroccasionaltravelsabroad;consideringarchitectureandpaintingassubjectsformen,andchieflyforlearnedpersonswhoreadRuskin.
Mrs.ArcherhadbeenbornaNewland,andmotheranddaughter,whowereaslikeassisters,wereboth,aspeoplesaid,"trueNewlands";tall,pale,andslightlyround–shouldered,withlongnoses,sweetsmilesandakindofdroopingdistinctionlikethatincertainfadedReynoldsportraits.
TheirphysicalresemblancewouldhavebeencompleteifanelderlyembonpointhadnotstretchedMrs.Archer'sblackbrocade,whileMissArcher'sbrownandpurplepoplinshung,astheyearswenton,moreandmoreslacklyonhervirginframe.
Mentally,thelikenessbetweenthem,asNewlandwasaware,waslesscompletethantheiridenticalmannerismsoftenmadeitappear.
Thelonghabitoflivingtogetherinmutuallydependentintimacyhadgiventhemthesamevocabulary,andthesamehabitofbeginningtheirphrases"Motherthinks"or"Janeythinks,"accordingasoneortheotherwishedtoadvanceanopinionofherown;butinreality,whileMrs.Archer'ssereneunimaginativenessrestedeasilyintheacceptedandfamiliar,Janeywassubjecttostartsandaberrationsoffancywellingupfromspringsofsuppressedromance.
Motheranddaughteradoredeachotherandreveredtheirsonandbrother;andArcherlovedthemwithatendernessmadecompunctiousanduncriticalbythesenseoftheirexaggeratedadmiration,andbyhissecretsatisfactioninit.
Afterall,hethoughtitagoodthingforamantohavehisauthorityrespectedinhisownhouse,evenifhissenseofhumoursometimesmadehimquestiontheforceofhismandate.
OnthisoccasiontheyoungmanwasverysurethatMr.Jacksonwouldratherhavehadhimdineout;buthehadhisownreasonsfornotdoingso.
OfcourseoldJacksonwantedtotalkaboutEllenOlenska,andofcourseMrs.ArcherandJaneywantedtohearwhathehadtotell.
AllthreewouldbeslightlyembarrassedbyNewland'spresence,nowthathisprospectiverelationtotheMingottclanhadbeenmadeknown;andtheyoungmanwaitedwithanamusedcuriositytoseehowtheywouldturnthedifficulty.
Theybegan,obliquely,bytalkingaboutMrs.LemuelStruthers.
"It'sapitytheBeaufortsaskedher,"Mrs.Archersaidgently."ButthenReginaalwaysdoeswhathetellsher;andBEAUFORT—"
"CertainnuancesescapeBeaufort,"saidMr.Jackson,cautiouslyinspectingthebroiledshad,andwonderingforthethousandthtimewhyMrs.Archer'scookalwaysburnttheroetoacinder.
(Newland,whohadlongsharedhiswonder,couldalwaysdetectitintheolderman'sexpressionofmelancholydisapproval.)
"Oh,necessarily;Beaufortisavulgarman,"saidMrs.Archer.
"MygrandfatherNewlandalwaysusedtosaytomymother:'Whateveryoudo,don'tletthatfellowBeaufortbeintroducedtothegirls.'
Butatleasthe'shadtheadvantageofassociatingwithgentlemen;inEnglandtoo,theysay.
It'sallverymysterious—"SheglancedatJaneyandpaused.
SheandJaneykneweveryfoldoftheBeaufortmystery,butinpublicMrs.Archercontinuedtoassumethatthesubjectwasnotonefortheunmarried.
"ButthisMrs.Struthers,"Mrs.Archercontinued;"whatdidyousaySHEwas,Sillerton?"
"Outofamine:orratheroutofthesaloonattheheadofthepit.
ThenwithLivingWax–Works,touringNewEngland.
AfterthepolicebrokeTHATup,theysayshelived—"Mr.JacksoninhisturnglancedatJaney,whoseeyesbegantobulgefromunderherprominentlids.
TherewerestillhiatusesforherinMrs.Struthers'spast.
"Then,"Mr.Jacksoncontinued(andArchersawhewaswonderingwhynoonehadtoldthebutlernevertoslicecucumberswithasteelknife),"thenLemuelStrutherscamealong.
Theysayhisadvertiserusedthegirl'sheadfortheshoe–polishposters;herhair'sintenselyblack,youknow—theEgyptianstyle.Anyhow,he—eventually—marriedher."
Therewerevolumesofinnuendointhewaythe"eventually"wasspaced,andeachsyllablegivenitsduestress.
"Oh,well—atthepasswe'vecometonowadays,itdoesn'tmatter,"saidMrs.Archerindifferently.
TheladieswerenotreallyinterestedinMrs.Struthersjustthen;thesubjectofEllenOlenskawastoofreshandtooabsorbingtothem.
Indeed,Mrs.Struthers'snamehadbeenintroducedbyMrs.Archeronlythatshemightpresentlybeabletosay:"AndNewland'snewcousin—CountessOlenska?WasSHEattheballtoo?"
Therewasafainttouchofsarcasminthereferencetoherson,andArcherknewitandhadexpectedit.
EvenMrs.Archer,whowasseldomundulypleasedwithhumanevents,hadbeenaltogethergladofherson'sengagement.
("EspeciallyafterthatsillybusinesswithMrs.Rushworth,"asshehadremarkedtoJaney,alludingtowhathadonceseemedtoNewlandatragedyofwhichhissoulwouldalwaysbearthescar.)
TherewasnobettermatchinNewYorkthanMayWelland,lookatthequestionfromwhateverpointyouchose.
OfcoursesuchamarriagewasonlywhatNewlandwasentitledto;butyoungmenaresofoolishandincalculable—andsomewomensoensnaringandunscrupulous—thatitwasnothingshortofamiracletoseeone'sonlysonsafepasttheSirenIsleandinthehavenofablamelessdomesticity.
AllthisMrs.Archerfelt,andhersonknewshefelt;butheknewalsothatshehadbeenperturbedbytheprematureannouncementofhisengagement,orratherbyitscause;anditwasforthatreason—becauseonthewholehewasatenderandindulgentmaster—thathehadstayedathomethatevening.
"It'snotthatIdon'tapproveoftheMingotts'espritdecorps;butwhyNewland'sengagementshouldbemixedupwiththatOlenskawoman'scomingsandgoingsIdon'tsee,"Mrs.ArchergrumbledtoJaney,theonlywitnessofherslightlapsesfromperfectsweetness.
Shehadbehavedbeautifully—andinbeautifulbehaviourshewasunsurpassed—duringthecallonMrs.Welland;butNewlandknew(andhisbetrotheddoubtlessguessed)thatallthroughthevisitsheandJaneywerenervouslyonthewatchforMadameOlenska'spossibleintrusion;andwhentheyleftthehousetogethershehadpermittedherselftosaytoherson:"I'mthankfulthatAugustaWellandreceivedusalone."
TheseindicationsofinwarddisturbancemovedArcherthemorethathetoofeltthattheMingottshadgonealittletoofar.
But,asitwasagainstalltherulesoftheircodethatthemotherandsonshouldeveralludetowhatwasuppermostintheirthoughts,hesimplyreplied:"Oh,well,there'salwaysaphaseoffamilypartiestobegonethroughwhenonegetsengaged,andthesoonerit'soverthebetter."
Atwhichhismothermerelypursedherlipsunderthelaceveilthathungdownfromhergreyvelvetbonnettrimmedwithfrostedgrapes.
Herrevenge,hefelt—herlawfulrevenge—wouldbeto"draw"Mr.JacksonthateveningontheCountessOlenska;and,havingpubliclydonehisdutyasafuturememberoftheMingottclan,theyoungmanhadnoobjectiontohearingtheladydiscussedinprivate—exceptthatthesubjectwasalreadybeginningtoborehim.
Mr.Jacksonhadhelpedhimselftoasliceofthetepidfiletwhichthemournfulbutlerhadhandedhimwithalookasscepticalashisown,andhadrejectedthemushroomsauceafterascarcelyperceptiblesniff.
Helookedbaffledandhungry,andArcherreflectedthathewouldprobablyfinishhismealonEllenOlenska.
Mr.Jacksonleanedbackinhischair,andglancedupatthecandlelitArchers,NewlandsandvanderLuydenshangingindarkframesonthedarkwalls.
"Ah,howyourgrandfatherArcherlovedagooddinner,mydearNewland!"
hesaid,hiseyesontheportraitofaplumpfull–chestedyoungmaninastockandabluecoat,withaviewofawhite–columnedcountry–housebehindhim.
"Well—well—well...Iwonderwhathewouldhavesaidtoalltheseforeignmarriages!"
Mrs.ArcherignoredtheallusiontotheancestralcuisineandMr.Jacksoncontinuedwithdeliberation:"No,shewasNOTattheball."
"Ah—"Mrs.Archermurmured,inatonethatimplied:"Shehadthatdecency."
"PerhapstheBeaufortsdon'tknowher,"Janeysuggested,withherartlessmalice.
Mr.Jacksongaveafaintsip,asifhehadbeentastinginvisibleMadeira.
"Mrs.Beaufortmaynot—butBeaufortcertainlydoes,forshewasseenwalkingupFifthAvenuethisafternoonwithhimbythewholeofNewYork."
"Mercy—"moanedMrs.Archer,evidentlyperceivingtheuselessnessoftryingtoascribetheactionsofforeignerstoasenseofdelicacy.
"Iwonderifshewearsaroundhatorabonnetintheafternoon,"Janeyspeculated."AttheOperaIknowshehadondarkbluevelvet,perfectlyplainandflat—likeanight–gown."
"Janey!"saidhermother;andMissArcherblushedandtriedtolookaudacious.
"Itwas,atanyrate,inbettertastenottogototheball,"Mrs.Archercontinued.
Aspiritofperversitymovedhersontorejoin:"Idon'tthinkitwasaquestionoftastewithher.Maysaidshemeanttogo,andthendecidedthatthedressinquestionwasn'tsmartenough."
Mrs.Archersmiledatthisconfirmationofherinference.
"PoorEllen,"shesimplyremarked;addingcompassionately:"Wemustalwaysbearinmindwhataneccentricbringing–upMedoraMansongaveher.
Whatcanyouexpectofagirlwhowasallowedtowearblacksatinathercoming–outball?"
"Ah—don'tIrememberherinit!"saidMr.Jackson;adding:"Poorgirl!"inthetoneofonewho,whileenjoyingthememory,hadfullyunderstoodatthetimewhatthesightportended.
"It'sodd,"Janeyremarked,"thatsheshouldhavekeptsuchanuglynameasEllen.IshouldhavechangedittoElaine."Sheglancedaboutthetabletoseetheeffectofthis.
Herbrotherlaughed."WhyElaine?"
"Idon'tknow;itsoundsmore—morePolish,"saidJaney,blushing.
"Itsoundsmoreconspicuous;andthatcanhardlybewhatshewishes,"saidMrs.Archerdistantly.
"Whynot?"brokeinherson,growingsuddenlyargumentative.
"Whyshouldn'tshebeconspicuousifshechooses?
Whyshouldsheslinkaboutasifitwereshewhohaddisgracedherself?
She's'poorEllen'certainly,becauseshehadthebadlucktomakeawretchedmarriage;butIdon'tseethatthat'sareasonforhidingherheadasifsheweretheculprit."
"That,Isuppose,"saidMr.Jackson,speculatively,"isthelinetheMingottsmeantotake."
Theyoungmanreddened."Ididn'thavetowaitfortheircue,ifthat'swhatyoumean,sir.MadameOlenskahashadanunhappylife:thatdoesn'tmakeheranoutcast."
"Therearerumours,"beganMr.Jackson,glancingatJaney.
"Oh,Iknow:thesecretary,"theyoungmantookhimup."Nonsense,mother;Janey'sgrown–up.
Theysay,don'tthey,"hewenton,"thatthesecretaryhelpedhertogetawayfromherbruteofahusband,whokeptherpracticallyaprisoner?Well,whatifhedid?
Ihopethereisn'tamanamonguswhowouldn'thavedonethesameinsuchacase."
Mr.Jacksonglancedoverhisshouldertosaytothesadbutler:"Perhaps...thatsauce...justalittle,afterall—";then,havinghelpedhimself,heremarked:"I'mtoldshe'slookingforahouse.Shemeanstolivehere."
"Ihearshemeanstogetadivorce,"saidJaneyboldly.
"Ihopeshewill!"Archerexclaimed.
ThewordhadfallenlikeabombshellinthepureandtranquilatmosphereoftheArcherdining–room.
Mrs.Archerraisedherdelicateeye–browsintheparticularcurvethatsignified:"Thebutler—"andtheyoungman,himselfmindfulofthebadtasteofdiscussingsuchintimatemattersinpublic,hastilybranchedoffintoanaccountofhisvisittooldMrs.Mingott.
Afterdinner,accordingtoimmemorialcustom,Mrs.ArcherandJaneytrailedtheirlongsilkdraperiesuptothedrawing–room,where,whilethegentlemensmokedbelowstairs,theysatbesideaCarcellampwithanengravedglobe,facingeachotheracrossarosewoodwork–tablewithagreensilkbagunderit,andstitchedatthetwoendsofatapestrybandoffield–flowersdestinedtoadornan"occasional"chairinthedrawing–roomofyoungMrs.NewlandArcher.
Whilethisritewasinprogressinthedrawing–room,ArchersettledMr.JacksoninanarmchairnearthefireintheGothiclibraryandhandedhimacigar.
Mr.Jacksonsankintothearmchairwithsatisfaction,lithiscigarwithperfectconfidence(itwasNewlandwhoboughtthem),andstretchinghisthinoldanklestothecoals,said:"Yousaythesecretarymerelyhelpedhertogetaway,mydearfellow?
Well,hewasstillhelpingherayearlater,then;forsomebodymet'emlivingatLausannetogether."
Newlandreddened."Livingtogether?Well,whynot?
Whohadtherighttomakeherlifeoverifshehadn't?
I'msickofthehypocrisythatwouldburyaliveawomanofherageifherhusbandpreferstolivewithharlots."
Hestoppedandturnedawayangrilytolighthiscigar."Womenoughttobefree—asfreeasweare,"hedeclared,makingadiscoveryofwhichhewastooirritatedtomeasuretheterrificconsequences.
Mr.SillertonJacksonstretchedhisanklesnearerthecoalsandemittedasardonicwhistle.
"Well,"hesaidafterapause,"apparentlyCountOlenskitakesyourview;forIneverheardofhishavingliftedafingertogethiswifeback."
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