English
Mrs.HenryvanderLuydenlistenedinsilencetohercousinMrs.Archer'snarrative.
ItwasallverywelltotellyourselfinadvancethatMrs.vanderLuydenwasalwayssilent,andthat,thoughnon–committalbynatureandtraining,shewasverykindtothepeopleshereallyliked.
Evenpersonalexperienceofthesefactswasnotalwaysaprotectionfromthechillthatdescendedononeinthehigh–ceilingedwhite–walledMadisonAvenuedrawing–room,withthepalebrocadedarmchairssoobviouslyuncoveredfortheoccasion,andthegauzestillveilingtheormolumantelornamentsandthebeautifuloldcarvedframeofGainsborough's"LadyAngelicaduLac."
Mrs.vanderLuyden'sportraitbyHuntington(inblackvelvetandVenetianpoint)facedthatofherlovelyancestress.
Itwasgenerallyconsidered"asfineasaCabanel,"and,thoughtwentyyearshadelapsedsinceitsexecution,wasstill"aperfectlikeness."
IndeedtheMrs.vanderLuydenwhosatbeneathitlisteningtoMrs.Archermighthavebeenthetwin–sisterofthefairandstillyoungishwomandroopingagainstagiltarmchairbeforeagreenrepcurtain.
Mrs.vanderLuydenstillworeblackvelvetandVenetianpointwhenshewentintosociety—orrather(sincesheneverdinedout)whenshethrewopenherowndoorstoreceiveit.
Herfairhair,whichhadfadedwithoutturninggrey,wasstillpartedinflatoverlappingpointsonherforehead,andthestraightnosethatdividedherpaleblueeyeswasonlyalittlemorepinchedaboutthenostrilsthanwhentheportraithadbeenpainted.
Shealways,indeed,struckNewlandArcherashavingbeenrathergruesomelypreservedintheairlessatmosphereofaperfectlyirreproachableexistence,asbodiescaughtinglacierskeepforyearsarosylife–in–death.
Likeallhisfamily,heesteemedandadmiredMrs.vanderLuyden;buthefoundhergentlebendingsweetnesslessapproachablethanthegrimnessofsomeofhismother'soldaunts,fiercespinsterswhosaid"No"onprinciplebeforetheyknewwhattheyweregoingtobeasked.
Mrs.vanderLuyden'sattitudesaidneitheryesnorno,butalwaysappearedtoinclinetoclemencytillherthinlips,waveringintotheshadowofasmile,madethealmostinvariablereply:"Ishallfirsthavetotalkthisoverwithmyhusband."
SheandMr.vanderLuydenweresoexactlyalikethatArcheroftenwonderedhow,afterfortyyearsoftheclosestconjugality,twosuchmergedidentitieseverseparatedthemselvesenoughforanythingascontroversialasatalking–over.
Butasneitherhadeverreachedadecisionwithoutprefacingitbythismysteriousconclave,Mrs.Archerandherson,havingsetforththeircase,waitedresignedlyforthefamiliarphrase.
Mrs.vanderLuyden,however,whohadseldomsurprisedanyone,nowsurprisedthembyreachingherlonghandtowardthebell–rope.
"Ithink,"shesaid,"IshouldlikeHenrytohearwhatyouhavetoldme."
Afootmanappeared,towhomshegravelyadded:"IfMr.vanderLuydenhasfinishedreadingthenewspaper,pleaseaskhimtobekindenoughtocome."
Shesaid"readingthenewspaper"inthetoneinwhichaMinister'swifemighthavesaid:"PresidingataCabinetmeeting"—notfromanyarroganceofmind,butbecausethehabitofalife–time,andtheattitudeofherfriendsandrelations,hadledhertoconsiderMr.vanderLuyden'sleastgestureashavinganalmostsacerdotalimportance.
HerpromptnessofactionshowedthatsheconsideredthecaseaspressingasMrs.Archer;but,lestsheshouldbethoughttohavecommittedherselfinadvance,sheadded,withthesweetestlook:"Henryalwaysenjoysseeingyou,dearAdeline;andhewillwishtocongratulateNewland."
ThedoubledoorshadsolemnlyreopenedandbetweenthemappearedMr.HenryvanderLuyden,tall,spareandfrock–coated,withfadedfairhair,astraightnoselikehiswife'sandthesamelookoffrozengentlenessineyesthatweremerelypalegreyinsteadofpaleblue.
Mr.vanderLuydengreetedMrs.Archerwithcousinlyaffability,profferedtoNewlandlow–voicedcongratulationscouchedinthesamelanguageashiswife's,andseatedhimselfinoneofthebrocadearmchairswiththesimplicityofareigningsovereign.
"IhadjustfinishedreadingtheTimes,"hesaid,layinghislongfinger–tipstogether."IntownmymorningsaresomuchoccupiedthatIfinditmoreconvenienttoreadthenewspapersafterluncheon."
"Ah,there'sagreatdealtobesaidforthatplan—indeedIthinkmyuncleEgmontusedtosayhefounditlessagitatingnottoreadthemorningpaperstillafterdinner,"saidMrs.Archerresponsively.
"Yes:mygoodfatherabhorredhurry.Butnowweliveinaconstantrush,"saidMr.vanderLuydeninmeasuredtones,lookingwithpleasantdeliberationaboutthelargeshroudedroomwhichtoArcherwassocompleteanimageofitsowners.
"ButIhopeyouHADfinishedyourreading,Henry?"hiswifeinterposed.
"Quite—quite,"hereassuredher.
"ThenIshouldlikeAdelinetotellyou—"
"Oh,it'sreallyNewland'sstory,"saidhismothersmiling;andproceededtorehearseoncemorethemonstroustaleoftheaffrontinflictedonMrs.LovellMingott.
"Ofcourse,"sheended,"AugustaWellandandMaryMingottbothfeltthat,especiallyinviewofNewland'sengagement,youandHenryOUGHTTOKNOW."
"Ah—"saidMr.vanderLuyden,drawingadeepbreath.
Therewasasilenceduringwhichthetickofthemonumentalormoluclockonthewhitemarblemantelpiecegrewasloudastheboomofaminute–gun.
Archercontemplatedwithawethetwoslenderfadedfigures,seatedsidebysideinakindofviceregalrigidity,mouthpiecesofsomeremoteancestralauthoritywhichfatecompelledthemtowield,whentheywouldsomuchratherhavelivedinsimplicityandseclusion,digginginvisibleweedsoutoftheperfectlawnsofSkuytercliff,andplayingPatiencetogetherintheevenings.
Mr.vanderLuydenwasthefirsttospeak.
"Youreallythinkthisisduetosome—someintentionalinterferenceofLawrenceLefferts's?"heenquired,turningtoArcher.
"I'mcertainofit,sir.Larryhasbeengoingitratherharderthanusuallately—ifcousinLouisawon'tmindmymentioningit—havingratherastiffaffairwiththepostmaster'swifeintheirvillage,orsomeoneofthatsort;andwheneverpoorGertrudeLeffertsbeginstosuspectanything,andhe'safraidoftrouble,hegetsupafussofthiskind,toshowhowawfullymoralheis,andtalksatthetopofhisvoiceabouttheimpertinenceofinvitinghiswifetomeetpeoplehedoesn'twishhertoknow.
He'ssimplyusingMadameOlenskaasalightning–rod;I'veseenhimtrythesamethingoftenbefore."
"TheLEFFERTSES!—"saidMrs.vanderLuyden.
"TheLEFFERTSES!—"echoedMrs.Archer."WhatwoulduncleEgmonthavesaidofLawrenceLefferts'spronouncingonanybody'ssocialposition?ItshowswhatSocietyhascometo."
"We'llhopeithasnotquitecometothat,"saidMr.vanderLuydenfirmly.
"Ah,ifonlyyouandLouisawentoutmore!"sighedMrs.Archer.
Butinstantlyshebecameawareofhermistake.
ThevanderLuydensweremorbidlysensitivetoanycriticismoftheirsecludedexistence.
Theywerethearbitersoffashion,theCourtoflastAppeal,andtheyknewit,andbowedtotheirfate.
Butbeingshyandretiringpersons,withnonaturalinclinationfortheirpart,theylivedasmuchaspossibleinthesylvansolitudeofSkuytercliff,andwhentheycametotown,declinedallinvitationsonthepleaofMrs.vanderLuyden'shealth.
NewlandArchercametohismother'srescue.
"EverybodyinNewYorkknowswhatyouandcousinLouisarepresent.
That'swhyMrs.MingottfeltsheoughtnottoallowthisslightonCountessOlenskatopasswithoutconsultingyou."
Mrs.vanderLuydenglancedatherhusband,whoglancedbackather.
"ItistheprinciplethatIdislike,"saidMr.vanderLuyden."Aslongasamemberofawell–knownfamilyisbackedupbythatfamilyitshouldbeconsidered—final."
"Itseemssotome,"saidhiswife,asifshewereproducinganewthought.
"Ihadnoidea,"Mr.vanderLuydencontinued,"thatthingshadcometosuchapass."
Hepaused,andlookedathiswifeagain.
"Itoccurstome,mydear,thattheCountessOlenskaisalreadyasortofrelation—throughMedoraManson'sfirsthusband.
Atanyrate,shewillbewhenNewlandmarries."Heturnedtowardtheyoungman.
"Haveyoureadthismorning'sTimes,Newland?"
"Why,yes,sir,"saidArcher,whousuallytossedoffhalfadozenpaperswithhismorningcoffee.
Husbandandwifelookedateachotheragain.
Theirpaleeyesclungtogetherinprolongedandseriousconsultation;thenafaintsmileflutteredoverMrs.vanderLuyden'sface.Shehadevidentlyguessedandapproved.
Mr.vanderLuydenturnedtoMrs.Archer.
"IfLouisa'shealthallowedhertodineout—IwishyouwouldsaytoMrs.LovellMingott—sheandIwouldhavebeenhappyto—er—filltheplacesoftheLawrenceLeffertsesatherdinner."
Hepausedtolettheironyofthissinkin."Asyouknow,thisisimpossible."
Mrs.Archersoundedasympatheticassent.
"ButNewlandtellsmehehasreadthismorning'sTimes;thereforehehasprobablyseenthatLouisa'srelative,theDukeofSt.Austrey,arrivesnextweekontheRussia.
Heiscomingtoenterhisnewsloop,theGuinevere,innextsummer'sInternationalCupRace;andalsotohavealittlecanvasbackshootingatTrevenna."
Mr.vanderLuydenpausedagain,andcontinuedwithincreasingbenevolence:"BeforetakinghimdowntoMarylandweareinvitingafewfriendstomeethimhere—onlyalittledinner—withareceptionafterward.
IamsureLouisawillbeasgladasIamifCountessOlenskawillletusincludeheramongourguests."
Hegotup,benthislongbodywithastifffriendlinesstowardhiscousin,andadded:"IthinkIhaveLouisa'sauthorityforsayingthatshewillherselfleavetheinvitationtodinewhenshedrivesoutpresently:withourcards—ofcoursewithourcards."
Mrs.Archer,whoknewthistobeahintthattheseventeen–handchestnutswhichwereneverkeptwaitingwereatthedoor,rosewithahurriedmurmurofthanks.
Mrs.vanderLuydenbeamedonherwiththesmileofEstherintercedingwithAhasuerus;butherhusbandraisedaprotestinghand.
"Thereisnothingtothankmefor,dearAdeline;nothingwhatever.
ThiskindofthingmustnothappeninNewYork;itshallnot,aslongasIcanhelpit,"hepronouncedwithsovereigngentlenessashesteeredhiscousinstothedoor.
Twohourslater,everyoneknewthatthegreatC–springbaroucheinwhichMrs.vanderLuydentooktheairatallseasonshadbeenseenatoldMrs.Mingott'sdoor,wherealargesquareenvelopewashandedin;andthateveningattheOperaMr.SillertonJacksonwasabletostatethattheenvelopecontainedacardinvitingtheCountessOlenskatothedinnerwhichthevanderLuydensweregivingthefollowingweekfortheircousin,theDukeofSt.Austrey.
Someoftheyoungermenintheclubboxexchangedasmileatthisannouncement,andglancedsidewaysatLawrenceLefferts,whosatcarelesslyinthefrontofthebox,pullinghislongfairmoustache,andwhoremarkedwithauthority,asthesopranopaused:"NoonebutPattioughttoattempttheSonnambula."
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