按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
simple。 It was our sophistication which enabled us to taste
pleasures which would have been insipidities to them。 Their palates
would have demanded other flavourssocial excitements； balls；
flirtations； almost escapades。 I speak of the two women； the man；
doubtless； like most other Americans of his age； wanted nothing but
to get back to business in the small town where he was important；
and still more I speak of the young girl； for the young wife I
fancied very willing to go back to her house…keeping； and to be
staying on in Saratoga only on her friend's account。
CHAPTER II
I had already made up my mind that they had been the closest
friends before one of them married； and that the young wife still
thought the young girl worthy of the most splendid fate that
marriage could have in store for any of her sex。 Women often make
each other the idols of such worship； but I could not have justified
this lady's adoration so far as it concerned the mental and moral
qualities of her friend； though I fully shared it in regard to her
beauty。 To me she looked a little dull and a little selfish； and I
chose to think the husband modestly found her selfish； if he were
too modest to find her dull。
Yet； after all； I tacitly argued with him； why should we call her
selfish？ It was perfectly right and fit that； as a young girl with
such great personal advantages； she should wish to see the world
even to show herself to the world；and find in it some agreeable
youth who should admire her； and desire to make her his own for
ever。 Compare this simple and natural longing with the insatiate
greed and ambition of one of our own sex； I urged him； and then talk
to me； if you can； of this poor girl's selfishness！ A young man has
more egoism in an hour than a young girl has in her whole life。 She
thinks she wishes some one to be devoted to her； but she really
wishes some one to let her be devoted to him； and how passively； how
negatively； she must manage to accomplish her self…sacrifice！ He；
on the contrary； means to go conquering and enslaving forward； to be
in and out of love right and left； and to end； after many years of
triumph； in the possession of the best and wisest and fairest of her
sex。 I know the breed； my dear sir； I have been a young man myself。
We men have liberty； we have initiative； we are not chaperoned； we
can go to this one and that one freely and fearlessly。 But women
must sit still； and be come to or shied off from。 They cannot cast
the bold eye of interest； they can at most bridle under it； and
furtively respond from the corner of the eye of weak hope and gentle
deprecation。 Be patient； then； with this poor child if she darkles
a little under the disappointment of not finding Saratoga so
personally gay as she supposed it would be； and takes it out of you
and your wife； as if you were to blame for it； in something like
sulks。
He remained silent under these tacit appeals； but at the end he
heaved a deep sigh； as he might if he were acknowledging their
justice； and were promising to do his very best in the
circumstances。 His wife looked round at him； but did not speak。 In
fact； they none of them spoke after the first words of greeting to
the girl； as I can very well testify； for I sat eavesdropping with
all my might； resolved not to lose a syllable； and I am sure I lost
none。
The young girl did not look round at that deep…drawn sigh of the
man's； she did not lift her head even when he cleared his throat：
but I was intent upon him； for I thought that these sounds preluded
an overture （I am not sure of the figure） to my acquaintance； and in
fact he actually asked； 〃Do you know just when the concert begins？〃
I was overjoyed at his question； for I was poignantly interested in
the little situation I had created； and I made haste to answer：
〃Well； nominally at eight o'clock； but the first half…hour is
usually taken up in tuning the instruments。 If you get into the
pavilion at a quarter to nine you won't lose much。 It isn't so bad
when it really begins。〃
The man permitted himself a smile of the pleasure we Americans all
feel at having a thing understated in that way。 His wife asked
timidly； 〃Do we have to engage our seats in thepavilion？〃
〃Oh； no；〃 I laughed； 〃there's no such rush as that。 Haven't you
been at the concerts before？〃
The man answered for her： 〃We haven't been here but a few days。 I
should think；〃 he added to her； 〃it would be about as comfortable
outside of the house。〃 I perceived that he maintained his
independence of my superior knowledge by refusing to say 〃pavilion〃；
and in fact I do not know whether that is the right name for the
building myself。
〃It will be hot enough anywhere；〃 I assented； as if the remark had
been made to me； but here I drew the line out of self…respect； and
resolved that he should make the next advances。
The young girl looked up at the first sound of my voice； and
verified me as the elderly man whom she had seen before； and then
she looked down at the water again。 I understood； and I freely
forgave her。 If my beard had been brown instead of grey I should
have been an adventure； but to the eye of girlhood adventure can
never wear a grey beard。 I was truly sorry for her； I could read in
the pensive droop of her averted face that I was again a
disappointment。
They all three sat； without speaking again； in the mannerless
silence of Americans。 The man was not going to feel bound in
further civility to me because I had civilly answered a question of
his。 I divined that he would be glad to withdraw from the overture
he had made； he may have thought from my readiness to meet him half
way that I might be one of those sharpers in whom Saratoga probably
abounded。 This did not offend me； it amused me； I fancied his
confusion if he could suddenly know how helplessly and irreparably
honest I was。
〃I don't know but it's a little too damp here； Rufus；〃 said the
wife。
〃I don't know but it is；〃 he answered； but none of them moved； and
none of them spoke again for some minutes。 Then the wife said
again； but this time to the friend； 〃I don't know but it's a little
too damp here； Julia；〃 and the friend answered； as the husband had …
〃I don't know but it is。〃
I had two surprises in this slight event。 I could never have
imagined that the girl had so brunette a name as Julia； or anything
less blond in sound than； say； Evadne； at the very darkest； and I
had made up my mindHeaven knows whythat her voice would be
harsh。 Perhaps I thought it unfair that she should have a sweet
voice added to all that beauty and grace of hers； but she had a
sweet voice； very tender and melodious； with a plangent note in it
that touched me and charmed me。 Beautiful and graceful as she was；
she had lacked atmosphere before； and now suddenly she had
atmosphere。 I resolved to keep as near to these people as I could；
and not to leave the place as long as they stayed； but I did not
think it well to let them feel that I was aesthetically shadowing
them； and I got up and strolled away toward the pavilion； keeping an
eye in the back of my head upon them。
I sat down in a commanding position； and watched the people
gathering for the concert； and in the drama of a group of Cubans； or
of South Americans； I almost forgot for a moment the pale idyl of my
compatriots at the kiosk。 There was a short； stout little Spanish
woman speaking in the shapely sentences which the Latin race
everywhere delights in； and around her was an increasing number of
serious Spanish men； listening as if to important things； and paying
her that respectful attention which always amuses and puzzles me。
In view of what we think their low estimate of women； I cannot make
out whether it is a personal tribute to some specific woman whom
they regard differently from all the rest of her sex； or whether
they choose to know in her for the nouce the abstract woman who is
better than woman in the concrete。 I am sure I have never seen men
of any other race abandon themselves to such a luxury of respect as
these black and grey bearded Spaniards of leaden complexion showed
this dumpy personification of womanhood； with their prominent eyes
bent in homage upon her； and their hands trembling with readiness to
seize their hats off in reverence。 It appeared presently that the
matter they were all canvassing so devoutly was the question of
where she should sit。 It seemed to be decided that she could not do
better than sit just at that point。 When she actually took a chair
the stately convocation ended； and its members； with low obeisances；
dispersed themselves in different directions。 They had probably all
been sitting with her the whole afternoon on the verandah of the
Everett House； where their race chiefly resorts in Saratoga； and
they were availing themselves of this occasion to appear to be
meeting her； after a long interval； in society。
I said to myself that of course they believed Saratoga was still
that centre of American fashion which it once was； and that they
came and went every summer； probably in the belief that they saw a
great deal of social gaiety there。 This made me think； by a