English
"YourcousintheCountesscalledonmotherwhileyouwereaway,"JaneyArcherannouncedtoherbrotherontheeveningofhisreturn.
Theyoungman,whowasdiningalonewithhismotherandsister,glancedupinsurpriseandsawMrs.Archer'sgazedemurelybentonherplate.
Mrs.Archerdidnotregardherseclusionfromtheworldasareasonforbeingforgottenbyit;andNewlandguessedthatshewasslightlyannoyedthatheshouldbesurprisedbyMadameOlenska'svisit.
"Shehadonablackvelvetpolonaisewithjetbuttons,andatinygreenmonkeymuff;Ineversawhersostylishlydressed,"Janeycontinued.
"Shecamealone,earlyonSundayafternoon;luckilythefirewaslitinthedrawing–room.Shehadoneofthosenewcard–cases.
Shesaidshewantedtoknowusbecauseyou'dbeensogoodtoher."
Newlandlaughed."MadameOlenskaalwaystakesthattoneaboutherfriends.She'sveryhappyatbeingamongherownpeopleagain."
"Yes,soshetoldus,"saidMrs.Archer."Imustsaysheseemsthankfultobehere."
"Ihopeyoulikedher,mother."
Mrs.Archerdrewherlipstogether."Shecertainlylaysherselfouttoplease,evenwhensheiscallingonanoldlady."
"Motherdoesn'tthinkhersimple,"Janeyinterjected,hereyesscreweduponherbrother'sface.
"It'sjustmyold–fashionedfeeling;dearMayismyideal,"saidMrs.Archer.
"Ah,"saidherson,"they'renotalike."
ArcherhadleftSt.AugustinechargedwithmanymessagesforoldMrs.Mingott;andadayortwoafterhisreturntotownhecalledonher.
Theoldladyreceivedhimwithunusualwarmth;shewasgratefultohimforpersuadingtheCountessOlenskatogiveuptheideaofadivorce;andwhenhetoldherthathehaddesertedtheofficewithoutleave,andrusheddowntoSt.AugustinesimplybecausehewantedtoseeMay,shegaveanadiposechuckleandpattedhiskneewithherpuff–ballhand.
"Ah,ah—soyoukickedoverthetraces,didyou?AndIsupposeAugustaandWellandpulledlongfaces,andbehavedasiftheendoftheworldhadcome?ButlittleMay—sheknewbetter,I'llbebound?"
"Ihopedshedid;butafterallshewouldn'tagreetowhatI'dgonedowntoaskfor."
"Wouldn'tsheindeed?Andwhatwasthat?"
"IwantedtogethertopromisethatweshouldbemarriedinApril.What'stheuseofourwastinganotheryear?"
Mrs.MansonMingottscrewedupherlittlemouthintoagrimaceofmimicpruderyandtwinkledathimthroughmaliciouslids."'AskMamma,'Isuppose—theusualstory.Ah,theseMingotts—allalike!
Borninarut,andyoucan'troot'emoutofit.
WhenIbuiltthishouseyou'dhavethoughtIwasmovingtoCalifornia!
NobodyeverHADbuiltaboveFortiethStreet—no,saysI,norabovetheBatteryeither,beforeChristopherColumbusdiscoveredAmerica.
No,no;notoneofthemwantstobedifferent;they'reasscaredofitasthesmall–pox.
Ah,mydearMr.Archer,IthankmystarsI'mnothingbutavulgarSpicer;butthere'snotoneofmyownchildrenthattakesaftermebutmylittleEllen."
Shebrokeoff,stilltwinklingathim,andasked,withthecasualirrelevanceofoldage:"Now,whyintheworlddidn'tyoumarrymylittleEllen?"
Archerlaughed."Foronething,shewasn'ttheretobemarried."
"No—tobesure;more'sthepity.Andnowit'stoolate;herlifeisfinished."
Shespokewiththecold–bloodedcomplacencyoftheagedthrowingearthintothegraveofyounghopes.
Theyoungman'sheartgrewchill,andhesaidhurriedly:"Can'tIpersuadeyoutouseyourinfluencewiththeWellands,Mrs.Mingott?Iwasn'tmadeforlongengagements."
OldCatherinebeamedonhimapprovingly."No;Icanseethat.You'vegotaquickeye.
WhenyouwerealittleboyI'venodoubtyoulikedtobehelpedfirst."
Shethrewbackherheadwithalaughthatmadeherchinsripplelikelittlewaves."Ah,here'smyEllennow!"
sheexclaimed,astheportierespartedbehindher.
MadameOlenskacameforwardwithasmile.Herfacelookedvividandhappy,andsheheldoutherhandgailytoArcherwhileshestoopedtohergrandmother'skiss.
"Iwasjustsayingtohim,mydear:'Now,whydidn'tyoumarrymylittleEllen?'"
MadameOlenskalookedatArcher,stillsmiling."Andwhatdidheanswer?"
"Oh,mydarling,Ileaveyoutofindthatout!He'sbeendowntoFloridatoseehissweetheart."
"Yes,Iknow."Shestilllookedathim."Iwenttoseeyourmother,toaskwhereyou'dgone.Isentanotethatyouneveranswered,andIwasafraidyouwereill."
Hemutteredsomethingaboutleavingunexpectedly,inagreathurry,andhavingintendedtowritetoherfromSt.Augustine.
"Andofcourseonceyouwerethereyouneverthoughtofmeagain!"Shecontinuedtobeamonhimwithagaietythatmighthavebeenastudiedassumptionofindifference.
"Ifshestillneedsme,she'sdeterminednottoletmeseeit,"hethought,stungbyhermanner.
Hewantedtothankherforhavingbeentoseehismother,butundertheancestress'smaliciouseyehefelthimselftongue–tiedandconstrained.
"Lookathim—insuchhothastetogetmarriedthathetookFrenchleaveandrusheddowntoimplorethesillygirlonhisknees!
That'ssomethinglikealover—that'sthewayhandsomeBobSpicercarriedoffmypoormother;andthengottiredofherbeforeIwasweaned—thoughtheyonlyhadtowaiteightmonthsforme!
Butthere—you'renotaSpicer,youngman;luckilyforyouandforMay.
It'sonlymypoorEllenthathaskeptanyoftheirwickedblood;therestofthemareallmodelMingotts,"criedtheoldladyscornfully.
ArcherwasawarethatMadameOlenska,whohadseatedherselfathergrandmother'sside,wasstillthoughtfullyscrutinisinghim.
Thegaietyhadfadedfromhereyes,andshesaidwithgreatgentleness:"Surely,Granny,wecanpersuadethembetweenustodoashewishes."
Archerrosetogo,andashishandmetMadameOlenska'shefeltthatshewaswaitingforhimtomakesomeallusiontoherunansweredletter.
"WhencanIseeyou?"heasked,asshewalkedwithhimtothedooroftheroom.
"Wheneveryoulike;butitmustbesoonifyouwanttoseethelittlehouseagain.Iammovingnextweek."
Apangshotthroughhimatthememoryofhislamplithoursinthelow–studdeddrawing–room.Fewastheyhadbeen,theywerethickwithmemories.
"Tomorrowevening?"
Shenodded."Tomorrow;yes;butearly.I'mgoingout."
ThenextdaywasaSunday,andifshewere"goingout"onaSundayeveningitcould,ofcourse,beonlytoMrs.LemuelStruthers's.
Hefeltaslightmovementofannoyance,notsomuchathergoingthere(forheratherlikedhergoingwhereshepleasedinspiteofthevanderLuydens),butbecauseitwasthekindofhouseatwhichshewassuretomeetBeaufort,whereshemusthaveknownbeforehandthatshewouldmeethim—andwhereshewasprobablygoingforthatpurpose.
"Verywell;tomorrowevening,"herepeated,inwardlyresolvedthathewouldnotgoearly,andthatbyreachingherdoorlatehewouldeitherpreventherfromgoingtoMrs.Struthers's,orelsearriveaftershehadstarted—which,allthingsconsidered,wouldnodoubtbethesimplestsolution.
Itwasonlyhalf–pasteight,afterall,whenherangthebellunderthewisteria;notaslateashehadintendedbyhalfanhour—butasingularrestlessnesshaddrivenhimtoherdoor.
Hereflected,however,thatMrs.Struthers'sSundayeveningswerenotlikeaball,andthatherguests,asiftominimisetheirdelinquency,usuallywentearly.
Theonethinghehadnotcountedon,inenteringMadameOlenska'shall,wastofindhatsandovercoatsthere.
Whyhadshebiddenhimtocomeearlyifshewashavingpeopletodine?
OnacloserinspectionofthegarmentsbesideswhichNastasiawaslayinghisown,hisresentmentgavewaytocuriosity.
Theovercoatswereinfacttheverystrangesthehadeverseenunderapoliteroof;andittookbutaglancetoassurehimselfthatneitherofthembelongedtoJuliusBeaufort.
Onewasashaggyyellowulsterof"reach–me–down"cut,theotheraveryoldandrustycloakwithacape—somethinglikewhattheFrenchcalleda"Macfarlane."
Thisgarment,whichappearedtobemadeforapersonofprodigioussize,hadevidentlyseenlongandhardwear,anditsgreenish–blackfoldsgaveoutamoistsawdustysmellsuggestiveofprolongedsessionsagainstbar–roomwalls.
Onitlayaraggedgreyscarfandanoddfelthatofsemiclericalshape.
ArcherraisedhiseyebrowsenquiringlyatNastasia,whoraisedhersinreturnwithafatalistic"Gia!"asshethrewopenthedrawing–roomdoor.
Theyoungmansawatoncethathishostesswasnotintheroom;then,withsurprise,hediscoveredanotherladystandingbythefire.
Thislady,whowaslong,leanandlooselyputtogether,wascladinraimentintricatelyloopedandfringed,withplaidsandstripesandbandsofplaincolourdisposedinadesigntowhichtheclueseemedmissing.
Herhair,whichhadtriedtoturnwhiteandonlysucceededinfading,wassurmountedbyaSpanishcombandblacklacescarf,andsilkmittens,visiblydarned,coveredherrheumatichands.
Besideher,inacloudofcigar–smoke,stoodtheownersofthetwoovercoats,bothinmorningclothesthattheyhadevidentlynottakenoffsincemorning.
Inoneofthetwo,Archer,tohissurprise,recognisedNedWinsett;theotherandolder,whowasunknowntohim,andwhosegiganticframedeclaredhimtobethewearerofthe"Macfarlane,"hadafeeblyleonineheadwithcrumpledgreyhair,andmovedhisarmswithlargepawinggestures,asthoughheweredistributinglayblessingstoakneelingmultitude.
Thesethreepersonsstoodtogetheronthehearth–rug,theireyesfixedonanextraordinarilylargebouquetofcrimsonroses,withaknotofpurplepansiesattheirbase,thatlayonthesofawhereMadameOlenskausuallysat.
"Whattheymusthavecostatthisseason—thoughofcourseit'sthesentimentonecaresabout!"theladywassayinginasighingstaccatoasArchercamein.
Thethreeturnedwithsurpriseathisappearance,andthelady,advancing,heldoutherhand.
"DearMr.Archer—almostmycousinNewland!"shesaid."IamtheMarchionessManson."
Archerbowed,andshecontinued:"MyEllenhastakenmeinforafewdays.
IcamefromCuba,whereIhavebeenspendingthewinterwithSpanishfriends—suchdelightfuldistinguishedpeople:thehighestnobilityofoldCastile—howIwishyoucouldknowthem!
ButIwascalledawaybyourdeargreatfriendhere,Dr.Carver.
Youdon'tknowDr.AgathonCarver,founderoftheValleyofLoveCommunity?"
Dr.Carverinclinedhisleoninehead,andtheMarchionesscontinued:"Ah,NewYork—NewYork—howlittlethelifeofthespirithasreachedit!ButIseeyoudoknowMr.Winsett."
"Oh,yes—Ireachedhimsometimeago;butnotbythatroute,"Winsettsaidwithhisdrysmile.
TheMarchionessshookherheadreprovingly."Howdoyouknow,Mr.Winsett?Thespiritblowethwhereitlisteth."
"List—oh,list!"interjectedDr.Carverinastentorianmurmur.
"Butdositdown,Mr.Archer.Wefourhavebeenhavingadelightfullittledinnertogether,andmychildhasgoneuptodress.
Sheexpectsyou;shewillbedowninamoment.
Wewerejustadmiringthesemarvellousflowers,whichwillsurpriseherwhenshereappears."
Winsettremainedonhisfeet."I'mafraidImustbeoff.PleasetellMadameOlenskathatweshallallfeellostwhensheabandonsourstreet.Thishousehasbeenanoasis."
"Ah,butshewon'tabandonYOU.Poetryandartarethebreathoflifetoher.ItISpoetryyouwrite,Mr.Winsett?"
"Well,no;butIsometimesreadit,"saidWinsett,includingthegroupinageneralnodandslippingoutoftheroom.
"Acausticspirit—unpeusauvage.Butsowitty;Dr.Carver,youDOthinkhimwitty?"
"Ineverthinkofwit,"saidDr.Carverseverely.
"Ah—ah—youneverthinkofwit!Howmercilessheistousweakmortals,Mr.Archer!
Buthelivesonlyinthelifeofthespirit;andtonightheismentallypreparingthelectureheistodeliverpresentlyatMrs.Blenker's.
Dr.Carver,wouldtherebetime,beforeyoustartfortheBlenkers'toexplaintoMr.ArcheryourilluminatingdiscoveryoftheDirectContact?
Butno;Iseeitisnearlynineo'clock,andwehavenorighttodetainyouwhilesomanyarewaitingforyourmessage."
Dr.Carverlookedslightlydisappointedatthisconclusion,but,havingcomparedhisponderousgoldtime–piecewithMadameOlenska'slittletravelling–clock,hereluctantlygathereduphismightylimbsfordeparture.
"Ishallseeyoulater,dearfriend?"hesuggestedtotheMarchioness,whorepliedwithasmile:"AssoonasEllen'scarriagecomesIwilljoinyou;Idohopethelecturewon'thavebegun."
Dr.CarverlookedthoughtfullyatArcher."Perhaps,ifthisyounggentlemanisinterestedinmyexperiences,Mrs.Blenkermightallowyoutobringhimwithyou?"
"Oh,dearfriend,ifitwerepossible—Iamsureshewouldbetoohappy.ButIfearmyEllencountsonMr.Archerherself."
"That,"saidDr.Carver,"isunfortunate—buthereismycard."HehandedittoArcher,whoreadonit,inGothiccharacters:
+—————————————-+
AgathonCarver
TheValleyofLove
Kittasquattamy,N.Y.
+—————————————-+
Dr.Carverbowedhimselfout,andMrs.Manson,withasighthatmighthavebeeneitherofregretorrelief,againwavedArchertoaseat.
"Ellenwillbedowninamoment;andbeforeshecomes,Iamsogladofthisquietmomentwithyou."
Archermurmuredhispleasureattheirmeeting,andtheMarchionesscontinued,inherlowsighingaccents:"Iknoweverything,dearMr.Archer—mychildhastoldmeallyouhavedoneforher.
Yourwiseadvice:yourcourageousfirmness—thankheavenitwasnottoolate!"
Theyoungmanlistenedwithconsiderableembarrassment.Wasthereanyone,hewondered,towhomMadameOlenskahadnotproclaimedhisinterventioninherprivateaffairs?
"MadameOlenskaexaggerates;Isimplygaveheralegalopinion,assheaskedmeto."
"Ah,butindoingit—indoingityouweretheunconsciousinstrumentof—of—whatwordhavewemodernsforProvidence,Mr.Archer?"
criedthelady,tiltingherheadononesideanddroopingherlidsmysteriously.
"LittledidyouknowthatatthatverymomentIwasbeingappealedto:beingapproached,infact—fromtheothersideoftheAtlantic!"
Sheglancedoverhershoulder,asthoughfearfulofbeingoverheard,andthen,drawingherchairnearer,andraisingatinyivoryfantoherlips,breathedbehindit:"BytheCounthimself—mypoor,mad,foolishOlenski;whoasksonlytotakeherbackonherownterms."
"GoodGod!"Archerexclaimed,springingup.
"Youarehorrified?Yes,ofcourse;Iunderstand.
Idon'tdefendpoorStanislas,thoughhehasalwayscalledmehisbestfriend.
Hedoesnotdefendhimself—hecastshimselfatherfeet:inmyperson."Shetappedheremaciatedbosom."Ihavehisletterhere."
"Aletter?—HasMadameOlenskaseenit?"Archerstammered,hisbrainwhirlingwiththeshockoftheannouncement.
TheMarchionessMansonshookherheadsoftly."Time—time;Imusthavetime.IknowmyEllen—haughty,intractable;shallIsay,justashadeunforgiving?"
"But,goodheavens,toforgiveisonething;togobackintothathell—"
"Ah,yes,"theMarchionessacquiesced."Soshedescribesit—mysensitivechild!
Butonthematerialside,Mr.Archer,ifonemaystooptoconsidersuchthings;doyouknowwhatsheisgivingup?
Thoserosesthereonthesofa—acreslikethem,underglassandintheopen,inhismatchlessterracedgardensatNice!
Jewels—historicpearls:theSobieskiemeralds—sables,—butshecaresnothingforallthese!
Artandbeauty,thoseshedoescarefor,shelivesfor,asIalwayshave;andthosealsosurroundedher.
Pictures,pricelessfurniture,music,brilliantconversation—ah,that,mydearyoungman,ifyou'llexcuseme,iswhatyou'venoconceptionofhere!
Andshehaditall;andthehomageofthegreatest.
ShetellsmesheisnotthoughthandsomeinNewYork—goodheavens!
Herportraithasbeenpaintedninetimes;thegreatestartistsinEuropehavebeggedfortheprivilege.Arethesethingsnothing?Andtheremorseofanadoringhusband?"
AstheMarchionessMansonrosetoherclimaxherfaceassumedanexpressionofecstaticretrospectionwhichwouldhavemovedArcher'smirthhadhenotbeennumbwithamazement.
HewouldhavelaughedifanyonehadforetoldtohimthathisfirstsightofpoorMedoraMansonwouldhavebeenintheguiseofamessengerofSatan;buthewasinnomoodforlaughingnow,andsheseemedtohimtocomestraightoutofthehellfromwhichEllenOlenskahadjustescaped.
"Sheknowsnothingyet—ofallthis?"heaskedabruptly.
Mrs.Mansonlaidapurplefingeronherlips."Nothingdirectly—butdoesshesuspect?Whocantell?
Thetruthis,Mr.Archer,Ihavebeenwaitingtoseeyou.
FromthemomentIheardofthefirmstandyouhadtaken,andofyourinfluenceoverher,Ihopeditmightbepossibletocountonyoursupport—toconvinceyou..."
"Thatsheoughttogoback?Iwouldratherseeherdead!"criedtheyoungmanviolently.
"Ah,"theMarchionessmurmured,withoutvisibleresentment.
Forawhileshesatinherarm–chair,openingandshuttingtheabsurdivoryfanbetweenhermittenedfingers;butsuddenlysheliftedherheadandlistened.
"Hereshecomes,"shesaidinarapidwhisper;andthen,pointingtothebouquetonthesofa:"AmItounderstandthatyoupreferTHAT,Mr.Archer?
Afterall,marriageismarriage...andmynieceisstillawife..."
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