InalltherainydesertofautumnalLondontherewereonlytwopeoplewhomtheNewlandArchersknew;andthesetwotheyhadsedulouslyavoided,inconformitywiththeoldNewYorktraditionthatitwasnot"dignified"toforceone'sselfonthenoticeofone'sacquaintancesinforeigncountries.
Mrs.ArcherandJaney,inthecourseoftheirvisitstoEurope,hadsounflinchinglyliveduptothisprinciple,andmetthefriendlyadvancesoftheirfellow–travellerswithanairofsuchimpenetrablereserve,thattheyhadalmostachievedtherecordofneverhavingexchangedawordwitha"foreigner"otherthanthoseemployedinhotelsandrailway–stations.
Theirowncompatriots—savethosepreviouslyknownorproperlyaccredited—theytreatedwithanevenmorepronounceddisdain;sothat,unlesstheyranacrossaChivers,aDagonetoraMingott,theirmonthsabroadwerespentinanunbrokentete–a–tete.
Buttheutmostprecautionsaresometimesunavailing;andonenightatBotzenoneofthetwoEnglishladiesintheroomacrossthepassage(whosenames,dressandsocialsituationwerealreadyintimatelyknowntoJaney)hadknockedonthedoorandaskedifMrs.Archerhadabottleofliniment.
Theotherlady—theintruder'ssister,Mrs.Carfry—hadbeenseizedwithasuddenattackofbronchitis;andMrs.Archer,whonevertravelledwithoutacompletefamilypharmacy,wasfortunatelyabletoproducetherequiredremedy.
Mrs.Carfrywasveryill,andassheandhersisterMissHarleweretravellingalonetheywereprofoundlygratefultotheArcherladies,whosuppliedthemwithingeniouscomfortsandwhoseefficientmaidhelpedtonursetheinvalidbacktohealth.
Nothing,toMrs.Archer'smind,wouldhavebeenmore"undignified"thantoforceone'sselfonthenoticeofa"foreigner"towhomonehadhappenedtorenderanaccidentalservice.
ButMrs.Carfryandhersister,towhomthispointofviewwasunknown,andwhowouldhavefounditutterlyincomprehensible,feltthemselveslinkedbyaneternalgratitudetothe"delightfulAmericans"whohadbeensokindatBotzen.
WithtouchingfidelitytheyseizedeverychanceofmeetingMrs.ArcherandJaneyinthecourseoftheircontinentaltravels,anddisplayedasupernaturalacutenessinfindingoutwhentheyweretopassthroughLondonontheirwaytoorfromtheStates.
Theintimacybecameindissoluble,andMrs.ArcherandJaney,whenevertheyalightedatBrown'sHotel,foundthemselvesawaitedbytwoaffectionatefriendswho,likethemselves,cultivatedfernsinWardiancases,mademacramelace,readthememoirsoftheBaronessBunsenandhadviewsabouttheoccupantsoftheleadingLondonpulpits.
AsMrs.Archersaid,itmade"anotherthingofLondon"toknowMrs.CarfryandMissHarle;andbythetimethatNewlandbecameengagedthetiebetweenthefamilieswassofirmlyestablishedthatitwasthought"onlyright"tosendaweddinginvitationtothetwoEnglishladies,whosent,inreturn,aprettybouquetofpressedAlpineflowersunderglass.
Andonthedock,whenNewlandandhiswifesailedforEngland,Mrs.Archer'slastwordhadbeen:"YoumusttakeMaytoseeMrs.Carfry."
Newlandandhiswifehadhadnoideaofobeyingthisinjunction;butMrs.Carfry,withherusualacuteness,hadrunthemdownandsentthemaninvitationtodine;anditwasoverthisinvitationthatMayArcherwaswrinklingherbrowsacrosstheteaandmuffins.
"It'sallverywellforyou,Newland;youKNOWthem.ButIshallfeelsoshyamongalotofpeopleI'venevermet.AndwhatshallIwear?"
ThemoistEnglishairseemedtohavedeepenedthebloomofhercheeksandsoftenedtheslighthardnessofhervirginalfeatures;orelseitwassimplytheinnerglowofhappiness,shiningthroughlikealightunderice.
"Yes,ofcourse.ImeanttosaythatIshan'tknowWHICHtowear."Shepoutedalittle."I'veneverdinedoutinLondon;andIdon'twanttoberidiculous."
"Well,perhapstheywearnewball–dressesathome;butatanyrateMrs.CarfryandMissHarlewon't.They'llwearcapslikemymother's—andshawls;verysoftshawls."
"Notaswellasyou,dear,"herejoined,wonderingwhathadsuddenlydevelopedinherJaney'smorbidinterestinclothes.
"Oh,well—"saidArcher,gettingup."Lookhere—thefog'slifting.IfwemadeadashfortheNationalGallerywemightmanagetocatchaglimpseofthepictures."
TheNewlandArcherswereontheirwayhome,afterathreemonths'wedding–tourwhichMay,inwritingtohergirlfriends,vaguelysummarisedas"blissful."
TheyhadnotgonetotheItalianLakes:onreflection,Archerhadnotbeenabletopicturehiswifeinthatparticularsetting.
Thisplantheypunctuallyfulfilled,spendingJulyatInterlakenandGrindelwald,andAugustatalittleplacecalledEtretat,ontheNormandycoast,whichsomeonehadrecommendedasquaintandquiet.
Onceortwice,inthemountains,Archerhadpointedsouthwardandsaid:"There'sItaly";andMay,herfeetinagentian–bed,hadsmiledcheerfully,andreplied:"Itwouldbelovelytogotherenextwinter,ifonlyyoudidn'thavetobeinNewYork."
Sheregardedit(onceherclotheswereordered)asmerelyanenlargedopportunityforwalking,riding,swimming,andtryingherhandatthefascinatingnewgameoflawntennis;andwhentheyfinallygotbacktoLondon(wheretheyweretospendafortnightwhileheorderedHISclothes)shenolongerconcealedtheeagernesswithwhichshelookedforwardtosailing.
InLondonnothinginterestedherbutthetheatresandtheshops;andshefoundthetheatreslessexcitingthanthePariscafeschantantswhere,undertheblossominghorse–chestnutsoftheChampsElysees,shehadhadthenovelexperienceoflookingdownfromtherestaurantterraceonanaudienceof"cocottes,"andhavingherhusbandinterprettoherasmuchofthesongsashethoughtsuitableforbridalears.
ItwaslesstroubletoconformwiththetraditionandtreatMayexactlyasallhisfriendstreatedtheirwivesthantotrytoputintopracticethetheorieswithwhichhisuntrammelledbachelorhoodhaddallied.
Therewasnouseintryingtoemancipateawifewhohadnotthedimmestnotionthatshewasnotfree;andhehadlongsincediscoveredthatMay'sonlyuseofthelibertyshesupposedherselftopossesswouldbetolayitonthealtarofherwifelyadoration.
Herinnatedignitywouldalwayskeepherfrommakingthegiftabjectly;andadaymightevencome(asitoncehad)whenshewouldfindstrengthtotakeitaltogetherbackifshethoughtsheweredoingitforhisowngood.
Butwithaconceptionofmarriagesouncomplicatedandincuriousasherssuchacrisiscouldbebroughtaboutonlybysomethingvisiblyoutrageousinhisownconduct;andthefinenessofherfeelingforhimmadethatunthinkable.
Whateverhappened,heknew,shewouldalwaysbeloyal,gallantandunresentful;andthatpledgedhimtothepracticeofthesamevirtues.
Ifhersimplicityhadbeenthesimplicityofpettinesshewouldhavechafedandrebelled;butsincethelinesofhercharacter,thoughsofew,wereonthesamefinemouldasherface,shebecamethetutelarydivinityofallhisoldtraditionsandreverences.
Suchqualitieswerescarcelyofthekindtoenlivenforeigntravel,thoughtheymadehersoeasyandpleasantacompanion;buthesawatoncehowtheywouldfallintoplaceintheirpropersetting.
Hehadnofearofbeingoppressedbythem,forhisartisticandintellectuallifewouldgoon,asitalwayshad,outsidethedomesticcircle;andwithinittherewouldbenothingsmallandstifling—comingbacktohiswifewouldneverbelikeenteringastuffyroomafteratrampintheopen.
AllthesethingswentthroughhismindduringtheirlongslowdrivefromMayfairtoSouthKensington,whereMrs.Carfryandhersisterlived.
Archertoowouldhavepreferredtoescapetheirfriends'hospitality:inconformitywiththefamilytraditionhehadalwaystravelledasasight–seerandlooker–on,affectingahaughtyunconsciousnessofthepresenceofhisfellow–beings.
Onceonly,justafterHarvard,hehadspentafewgayweeksatFlorencewithabandofqueerEuropeanisedAmericans,dancingallnightwithtitledladiesinpalaces,andgamblinghalfthedaywiththerakesanddandiesofthefashionableclub;butithadallseemedtohim,thoughthegreatestfunintheworld,asunrealasacarnival.
Thesequeercosmopolitanwomen,deepincomplicatedlove–affairswhichtheyappearedtofeeltheneedofretailingtoeveryonetheymet,andthemagnificentyoungofficersandelderlydyedwitswhowerethesubjectsortherecipientsoftheirconfidences,weretoodifferentfromthepeopleArcherhadgrownupamong,toomuchlikeexpensiveandrathermalodoroushot–houseexotics,todetainhisimaginationlong.
Tointroducehiswifeintosuchasocietywasoutofthequestion;andinthecourseofhistravelsnootherhadshownanymarkedeagernessforhiscompany.
NotlongaftertheirarrivalinLondonhehadrunacrosstheDukeofSt.Austrey,andtheDuke,instantlyandcordiallyrecognisinghim,hadsaid:"Lookmeup,won'tyou?"
—butnoproper–spiritedAmericanwouldhaveconsideredthatasuggestiontobeactedon,andthemeetingwaswithoutasequel.
TheyhadevenmanagedtoavoidMay'sEnglishaunt,thebanker'swife,whowasstillinYorkshire;infact,theyhadpurposelypostponedgoingtoLondontilltheautumninorderthattheirarrivalduringtheseasonmightnotappearpushingandsnobbishtotheseunknownrelatives.
"Probablythere'llbenobodyatMrs.Carfry's—London'sadesertatthisseason,andyou'vemadeyourselfmuchtoobeautiful,"ArchersaidtoMay,whosatathissideinthehansomsospotlesslysplendidinhersky–bluecloakedgedwithswansdownthatitseemedwickedtoexposehertotheLondongrime.
"Idon'twantthemtothinkthatwedresslikesavages,"shereplied,withascornthatPocahontasmighthaveresented;andhewasstruckagainbythereligiousreverenceofeventhemostunworldlyAmericanwomenforthesocialadvantagesofdress.
AndheunderstoodforthefirsttimetheearnestnesswithwhichMay,whowasincapableoftyingaribboninherhairtocharmhim,hadgonethroughthesolemnriteofselectingandorderingherextensivewardrobe.
Besidestheirhostessandhersister,theyfound,inthelongchillydrawing–room,onlyanothershawledlady,agenialVicarwhowasherhusband,asilentladwhomMrs.Carfrynamedashernephew,andasmalldarkgentlemanwithlivelyeyeswhomsheintroducedashistutor,pronouncingaFrenchnameasshedidso.
Intothisdimly–litanddim–featuredgroupMayArcherfloatedlikeaswanwiththesunsetonher:sheseemedlarger,fairer,morevoluminouslyrustlingthanherhusbandhadeverseenher;andheperceivedthattherosinessandrustlingnesswerethetokensofanextremeandinfantileshyness.
herhelplesseyesimploredhim,attheverymomentthatherdazzlingapparitionwascallingforththesameanxietyintheirownbosoms.
Butbeauty,evenwhendistrustfulofitself,awakensconfidenceinthemanlyheart;andtheVicarandtheFrench–namedtutorweresoonmanifestingtoMaytheirdesiretoputheratherease.
Archernoticedthathiswife'swayofshowingherselfathereasewithforeignerswastobecomemoreuncompromisinglylocalinherreferences,sothat,thoughherlovelinesswasanencouragementtoadmiration,herconversationwasachilltorepartee.
TheVicarsoonabandonedthestruggle;butthetutor,whospokethemostfluentandaccomplishedEnglish,gallantlycontinuedtopouritouttoheruntiltheladies,tothemanifestreliefofallconcerned,wentuptothedrawing–room.
TheVicar,afteraglassofport,wasobligedtohurryawaytoameeting,andtheshynephew,whoappearedtobeaninvalid,waspackedofftobed.
ButArcherandthetutorcontinuedtositovertheirwine,andsuddenlyArcherfoundhimselftalkingashehadnotdonesincehislastsymposiumwithNedWinsett.
TheCarfrynephew,itturnedout,hadbeenthreatenedwithconsumption,andhadhadtoleaveHarrowforSwitzerland,wherehehadspenttwoyearsinthemilderairofLakeLeman.
Beingabookishyouth,hehadbeenentrustedtoM.Riviere,whohadbroughthimbacktoEngland,andwastoremainwithhimtillhewentuptoOxfordthefollowingspring;andM.Riviereaddedwithsimplicitythatheshouldthenhavetolookoutforanotherjob.
Itseemedimpossible,Archerthought,thatheshouldbelongwithoutone,sovariedwerehisinterestsandsomanyhisgifts.
Hewasamanofaboutthirty,withathinuglyface(Maywouldcertainlyhavecalledhimcommon–looking)towhichtheplayofhisideasgaveanintenseexpressiveness;buttherewasnothingfrivolousorcheapinhisanimation.
Hisfather,whohaddiedyoung,hadfilledasmalldiplomaticpost,andithadbeenintendedthatthesonshouldfollowthesamecareer;butaninsatiabletasteforlettershadthrowntheyoungmanintojournalism,thenintoauthorship(apparentlyunsuccessful),andatlength—afterotherexperimentsandvicissitudeswhichhesparedhislistener—intotutoringEnglishyouthsinSwitzerland.
Beforethat,however,hehadlivedmuchinParis,frequentedtheGoncourtgrenier,beenadvisedbyMaupassantnottoattempttowrite(eventhatseemedtoArcheradazzlinghonour!)
Hehadobviouslyalwaysbeendesperatelypoorandanxious(havingamotherandanunmarriedsistertoprovidefor),anditwasapparentthathisliteraryambitionshadfailed.
Hissituation,infact,seemed,materiallyspeaking,nomorebrilliantthanNedWinsett's;buthehadlivedinaworldinwhich,ashesaid,noonewholovedideasneedhungermentally.
AsitwaspreciselyofthatlovethatpoorWinsettwasstarvingtodeath,Archerlookedwithasortofvicariousenvyatthiseagerimpecuniousyoungmanwhohadfaredsorichlyinhispoverty.
"Yousee,Monsieur,it'swortheverything,isn'tit,tokeepone'sintellectualliberty,nottoenslaveone'spowersofappreciation,one'scriticalindependence?
ItwasbecauseofthatthatIabandonedjournalism,andtooktosomuchdullerwork:tutoringandprivatesecretaryship.
Thereisagooddealofdrudgery,ofcourse;butonepreservesone'smoralfreedom,whatwecallinFrenchone'squantasoi.
Andwhenonehearsgoodtalkonecanjoininitwithoutcompromisinganyopinionsbutone'sown;oronecanlisten,andansweritinwardly.
AndsoIhaveneverregrettedgivingupeitherdiplomacyorjournalism—twodifferentformsofthesameself–abdication."
But,afterall,onemustearnenoughtopayforthegarret;andIconfessthattogrowoldasaprivatetutor—ora'private'anything—isalmostaschillingtotheimaginationasasecondsecretaryshipatBucharest.
NewYork,forayoungmanwhohadfrequentedtheGoncourtsandFlaubert,andwhothoughtthelifeofideastheonlyoneworthliving!
HecontinuedtostareatM.Riviereperplexedly,wonderinghowtotellhimthathisverysuperioritiesandadvantageswouldbethesuresthindrancetosuccess.
hestammered,utterlyunabletoimaginewhatlucrativeopeninghisnativecitycouldoffertoayoungmantowhomgoodconversationappearedtobetheonlynecessity.
herejoined;then,asiffearingtogivehishearertheimpressionofhavingaskedafavour,hewentonhastily:"Onethrowsoutrandomsuggestions—moretoone'sselfthantoothers.
Inreality,Iseenoimmediateprospect—"andrisingfromhisseatheadded,withoutatraceofconstraint:"ButMrs.CarfrywillthinkthatIoughttobetakingyouupstairs."
HishourwithM.Rivierehadputnewairintohislungs,andhisfirstimpulsehadbeentoinvitehimtodinethenextday;buthewasbeginningtounderstandwhymarriedmendidnotalwaysimmediatelyyieldtotheirfirstimpulses.
"Thatyoungtutorisaninterestingfellow:wehadsomeawfullygoodtalkafterdinneraboutbooksandthings,"hethrewouttentativelyinthehansom.
Mayrousedherselffromoneofthedreamysilencesintowhichhehadreadsomanymeaningsbeforesixmonthsofmarriagehadgivenhimthekeytothem.
shequestionedcoldly;andheguessedthatshenursedasecretdisappointmentathavingbeeninvitedoutinLondontomeetaclergymanandaFrenchtutor.
Thedisappointmentwasnotoccasionedbythesentimentordinarilydefinedassnobbishness,butbyoldNewYork'ssenseofwhatwasduetoitwhenitriskeditsdignityinforeignlands.
IfMay'sparentshadentertainedtheCarfrysinFifthAvenuetheywouldhaveofferedthemsomethingmoresubstantialthanaparsonandaschoolmaster.
"Common—commonWHERE?"hequeried;andshereturnedwithunusualreadiness:"Why,Ishouldsayanywherebutinhisschool–room.
Archerdislikedheruseoftheword"clever"almostasmuchasheruseoftheword"common";buthewasbeginningtofearhistendencytodwellonthethingshedislikedinher.
Untilafewmonthsagohehadneverknowna"nice"womanwholookedatlifedifferently;andifamanmarrieditmustnecessarilybeamongthenice.
"Ah—thenIwon'taskhimtodine!"heconcludedwithalaugh;andMayechoed,bewildered:"Goodness—asktheCarfrys'tutor?"
"Well,notonthesamedaywiththeCarfrys,ifyoupreferIshouldn't.ButIdidratherwantanothertalkwithhim.He'slookingforajobinNewYork."
Hersurpriseincreasedwithherindifference:healmostfanciedthatshesuspectedhimofbeingtaintedwith"foreignness."
"Chieflytoenjoygoodconversation,Iunderstand,"herhusbandretortedperversely;andshebrokeintoanappreciativelaugh."Oh,Newland,howfunny!Isn'tthatFRENCH?"
Onthewhole,hewasgladtohavethemattersettledforhimbyherrefusingtotakeseriouslyhiswishtoinviteM.Riviere.
Anotherafter–dinnertalkwouldhavemadeitdifficulttoavoidthequestionofNewYork;andthemoreArcherconsidereditthelesshewasabletofitM.RiviereintoanyconceivablepictureofNewYorkasheknewit.
Share this article to
FINISH