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pride with me that all Englishmen should have a good time；
and as I have had considerable practice； I have learned to minister
to their wants。 I find they generally want the right thing。
So just please to consider yourselves my property； and if anyone
should try to appropriate you； please to say； 'Hands off；
too late for the market。' But let's see；〃 continued the American；
in his slow； humorous voice； with a distinctness of utterance
which appeared to his visitors to be part of a humorous intention
a strangely leisurely； speculative voice for a man evidently
so busy and； as they felt； so professional〃let's see；
are you going to make something of a stay； Lord Lambeth？〃
〃Oh； dear； no；〃 said the young Englishman； 〃my cousin was coming
over on some business； so I just came across； at an hour's notice；
for the lark。〃
〃Is it your first visit to the United States？〃
〃Oh； dear； yes。〃
〃I was obliged to come on some business；〃 said Percy Beaumont；
〃and I brought Lambeth along。〃
〃And YOU have been here before； sir？〃
〃Nevernever。〃
〃I thought； from your referring to business〃 said Mr。 Westgate。
〃Oh； you see I'm by way of being a barrister；〃 Percy Beaumont answered。
〃I know some people that think of bringing a suit against one of your
railways； and they asked me to come over and take measures accordingly。〃
〃What's your railroad？〃 he asked。
〃The Tennessee Central。〃
The American tilted back his chair a little and poised it an instant。
〃Well； I'm sorry you want to attack one of our institutions；〃
he said； smiling。 〃But I guess you had better enjoy yourself FIRST！〃
〃I'm certainly rather afraid I can't work in this weather；〃
the young barrister confessed。
〃Leave that to the natives；〃 said Mr。 Westgate。
〃Leave the Tennessee Central to me； Mr。 Beaumont。
Some day we'll talk it over； and I guess I can make it square。
But I didn't know you Englishmen ever did any work；
in the upper classes。〃
〃Oh； we do a lot of work； don't we； Lambeth？〃 asked Percy Beaumont。
〃I must certainly be at home by the 19th of September；〃
said the younger Englishman； irrelevantly but gently。
〃For the shooting； eh？ or is it the hunting； or the fishing？〃
inquired his entertainer。
〃Oh； I must be in Scotland；〃 said Lord Lambeth； blushing a little。
〃Well； then；〃 rejoined Mr。 Westgate； 〃you had better amuse
yourself first； also。 You must go down and see Mrs。 Westgate。〃
〃We should be so happy； if you would kindly tell us the train；〃
said Percy Beaumont。
〃It isn't a trainit's a boat。〃
〃Oh； I see。 And what is the name ofa thea town？〃
〃It isn't a town；〃 said Mr。 Westgate； laughing。 〃It's awell； what shall
I call it？ It's a watering place。 In short； it's Newport。
You'll see what it is。 It's cool； that's the principal thing。
You will greatly oblige me by going down there and putting yourself
into the hands of Mrs。 Westgate。 It isn't perhaps for me to say it；
but you couldn't be in better hands。 Also in those of her sister；
who is staying with her。 She is very fond of Englishmen。
She thinks there is nothing like them。〃
〃Mrs。 Westgate ora her sister？〃 asked Percy Beaumont modestly；
yet in the tone of an inquiring traveler。
〃Oh； I mean my wife；〃 said Mr。 Westgate。 〃I don't suppose
my sister…in…law knows much about them。 She has always led
a very quiet life； she has lived in Boston。〃
Percy Beaumont listened with interest。 〃That； I believe；〃
he said； 〃is the mosta intellectual town？〃
〃I believe it is very intellectual。 I don't go there much；〃
responded his host。
〃I say； we ought to go there；〃 said Lord Lambeth to his companion。
〃Oh； Lord Lambeth； wait till the great heat is over；〃
Mr。 Westgate interposed。 〃Boston in this weather would be very trying；
it's not the temperature for intellectual exertion。 At Boston；
you know； you have to pass an examination at the city limits；
and when you come away they give you a kind of degree。〃
Lord Lambeth stared； blushing a little； and Percy Beaumont
stared a little alsobut only with his fine natural complexion
glancing aside after a moment to see that his companion was not looking
too credulous； for he had heard a great deal of American humor。
〃I daresay it is very jolly；〃 said the younger gentleman。
〃I daresay it is；〃 said Mr。 Westgate。 〃Only I must impress
upon you that at presenttomorrow morning； at an early hour
you will be expected at Newport。 We have a house there；
half the people in New York go there for the summer。
I am not sure that at this very moment my wife can take
you in； she has got a lot of people staying with her；
I don't know who they all are； only she may have no room。
But you can begin with the hotel； and meanwhile you can live
at my house。 In that waysimply sleeping at the hotel
you will find it tolerable。 For the rest； you must make
yourself at home at my place。 You mustn't be shy； you know；
if you are only here for a month that will be a great waste
of time。 Mrs。 Westgate won't neglect you； and you had better
not try to resist her。 I know something about that。
I expect you'll find some pretty girls on the premises。
I shall write to my wife by this afternoon's mail；
and tomorrow morning she and Miss Alden will look out for you。
Just walk right in and make yourself comfortable。
Your steamer leaves from this part of the city； and I will
immediately send out and get you a cabin。 Then； at half past
four o'clock； just call for me here； and I will go with you
and put you on board。 It's a big boat； you might get lost。
A few days hence； at the end of the week； I will come down
to Newport and see how you are getting on。〃
The two young Englishmen inaugurated the policy of not resisting Mrs。 Westgate
by submitting； with great docility and thankfulness； to her husband。
He was evidently a very good fellow； and he made an impression upon
his visitors； his hospitality seemed to recommend itself consciously
with a friendly wink； as it wereas if it hinted； judicially； that you
could not possibly make a better bargain。 Lord Lambeth and his cousin
left their entertainer to his labors and returned to their hotel；
where they spent three or four hours in their respective shower baths。
Percy Beaumont had suggested that they ought to see something of
the town； but 〃Oh； damn the town！〃 his noble kinsman had rejoined。
They returned to Mr。 Westgate's office in a carriage； with their luggage；
very punctually； but it must be reluctantly recorded that； this time；
he kept them waiting so long that they felt themselves missing
the steamer； and were deterred only by an amiable modesty from dispensing
with his attendance and starting on a hasty scramble to the wharf。
But when at last he appeared； and the carriage plunged into the
purlieus of Broadway； they jolted and jostled to such good purpose
that they reached the huge white vessel while the bell for departure
was still ringing and the absorption of passengers still active。
It was indeed； as Mr。 Westgate had said； a big boat； and his leadership
in the innumerable and interminable corridors and cabins； with which
he seemed perfectly acquainted； and of which anyone and everyone appeared
to have the entree； was very grateful to the slightly bewildered voyagers。
He showed them their staterooma spacious apartment； embellished with
gas lamps； mirrors en pied； and sculptured furnitureand then；
long after they had been intimately convinced that the steamer was in motion
and launched upon the unknown stream that they were about to navigate；
he bade them a sociable farewell。
〃Well； goodbye； Lord Lambeth；〃 he said； 〃goodbye； Mr。 Percy Beaumont。
I hope you'll have a good time。 Just let them do what they want with you。
I'll come down by…and…by and look after you。〃
The young Englishmen emerged from their cabin and amused
themselves with wandering about the immense labyrinthine steamer；
which struck them as an extraordinary mixture of a ship and a hotel。
It was densely crowded with passengers； the larger number
of whom appeared to be ladies and very young children；
and in the big saloons； ornamented in white and gold；
which followed each other in surprising succession；
beneath the swinging gaslight； and among the small side
passages where the Negro domestics of both sexes assembled
with an air of philosophic leisure； everyone was moving
to and fro and exchanging loud and familiar observations。
Eventually； at the instance of a discriminating black；
our young men went and had some 〃supper〃 in a wonderful
place arranged like a theater； where； in a gilded gallery；
upon which little boxes appeared to open； a large orchestra
was playing operatic selections； and； below； people were
handing about bills of fare； as if they had been programs。
All this was sufficiently curious； but the agreeable thing； later；
was to sit out on one of the great white decks