下载辰思小说免费APP
"Well,Ishouldn\'tbequitesofamiliarwithpeople,quitesoreadytomakeacquaintances,Maude.Youhavenoideawhotheymaybe.Someofthem,ofcourse,liketheSardells,Iknowbyreputation."
TheSardellsweretheNewYorkerswhosatnextus.
"I\'lltry,Hugh,tobemorereserved,morelikethewifeofanimportantman."Shesmiled.
"Itisn\'tthatyou\'renotreserved,"Ireplied,ignoringthelatterhalfofherremark."NorthatIwantyoutochange,"Isaid."IonlywanttoteachyouwhatlittleoftheworldIknowmyself."
"AndIwanttolearn,Hugh.Youdon\'tknowhowIwanttolearn!"
Thesightofmist-riddenLiverpoolisnotacheeringonefortheAmericanwhofirstputsfootonthemothercountry\'ssoil,aLiverpoolofyellow-
brownsanddingyblacks,oftiltedfunnelspouringoutsmokeintoanatmospherealreadychargedwithit.Thelongwharvesandshedroofsglistenedwithmoisture.
"Justthink,Hugh,it\'sactuallyEngland!"shecried,aswestoodonthewetdeck.ButIfeltasthoughI\'dbeentherebefore.
"Nowonderthey\'readdictedtocoldbaths,"Ireplied."Theymustfeelperfectlyathomeinthem,especiallyiftheyputalittlelampblackinthewater."
Maudelaughed.
"Yougrumpyoldthing!"sheexclaimed.
Nothingcoulddampenherardour,notthesightoftherain-soakedstonehouseswhenwegotashore,noreventhefrigidluncheonweateinthelugubrioushotel.Forheritwasallquaintandnew.Finallywefoundourselvesestablishedinacompartmentupholsteredinlightgrey,withtasselsandarm-supporters,onthewindowofwhichwaspastedaposterwiththewordreservedinlarge,redletters.Theguardinquiredrespectfully,astheporterputournewluggageintheracks,whetherwehadeverythingwewanted.Thetoylocomotiveblewitstoywhistle,andwewereoffforthenorth;pastdingy,yellowtenementsofthesmokingfactorytowns,andstretchesoforderly,hedge-spacedrain-sweptcountry.
Thequaintcottagesweglimpsed,thesightofdistant,statelymansionsongreenslopescausedMaudetocryoutwithrapture:——
"Oh,Hugh,there\'samanor-house!"
Morevividthanweretheexperiencesthemselvesofthatjourneyarethememoriesofthem.Wewenttowindswept,Sabbath-keepingEdinburgh,tohighStirlinganddarkHolyrood,andtoAbbotsford.ItwasthroughSirWalter\'seyeswebeheldMelrosebathedinautumnlight,byhisaidrepeopleditwithforgottenmonkseatingtheirfast-daykale.
Andaswesatreadinganddreaminginthestill,sunnycornersIforgot,thatstruggleforpowerinwhichIhadbeensofuriouslyengagedsinceleavingCambridge.Legislatures,politiciansandcapitalistsrecededintoadimbackground;andthegiftIhadpossessed,inyouth,oflivinginarealmoffancyshowedastonishingsignsofrevival.
"Why,Hugh,"Maudeexclaimed,"yououghttohavebeenawriter!"
"You\'veonlyjustbeguntofathommytalents,"Irepliedlaughingly.
"Didyouthinkyou\'dmarriedjustadryoldlawyer?"
"Ibelieveyoucapableofanything,"shesaid
Igrewmoreandmoretodependonherforlittlethings.
Shewasabornhousewife.Itwaspleasanttohaveherdoallthepacking,whileIreadorsaunteredinthequeerstreetsabouttheinns.
Andshetookcompletechargeofmywardrobe.
Shehadatalentfordrawing,andaswewentsouthwardthroughEnglandshemadesketchesofthevarioushousesthattookourfancy——suggestionsforfuturehome-building;wespenthoursintheeveningsintheinnsitting-roomsincorporatingnewfeaturesintoourresidence,continuallymodifyingourplans.NowitwasaTudorhousethatcarriedusaway,nowaJacobean,andagainanearlyGeorgianwithenfoldingwingsandawrought-irongrill.Astageofbewildermentsucceeded.
Maude,Iknew,lovedthecottagesbest.Shesaidtheyweremore"homelike."Butsheyieldedtomylikingforgrandeur.
"My,Ishouldfeellostinapalacelikethat!"shecried,aswegazedattheMarquisofSo-and-So\'scountry-seat.
"Well,ofcourseweshouldhavetomodifyit,"Iadmitted."Perhaps——
perhapsourfamilywillbelarger."
Sheputherhandonmylips,andblushedafieryred
Weexamined,withothertourists,atashillingapiecehistoricmansionswithendlessdrawing-rooms,halls,libraries,galleriesfilledwithfamilyportraits;elaborate,formalbedroomswherefamoussovereignshadslept,allropedoffandcarpetedwithcanvasstripstoprotectthefloors.Throughmullionedwindowswecaughtglimpsesofgardensandgeometricalparterres,lakes,fountains,statuary,fantastictopiaryanddistantstretchesofpark.Maudesighedwithadmiration,butdidnotcovet.Shehadme.ButIwasoftenuncomfortable,resentingthevulgar,gapingtouristswithwhomwewereherdedandtheeasyfamiliarityoftheguides.ThesedidnottroubleMaude,whooftenannoyedmebyaskingnaivequestionsherself.Iwouldnudgeher.
Oneafternoonwhen,withothercompatriots,wewerebeinghurriedthroughafamouscastle,theguideunwittinglyusheredusintoadrawing-roomwheretheownerandseveralguestswereseatedaboutatea-table.I
shallneverforgetthestarestheygaveusbeforewehadtimeprecipitatelytoretreat,northefeelingofdisgustandrebellionthatcameoverme.Thiswasheightenedbytheremarkofaheavy,six-footOhioanwithaninfantilefaceandagenialmanner.
"Inoticethattheydidn\'tinviteustositdownandhaveabite,"hesaid."Icallthatkindofinhospitable."
"Itwas\'islordshiphimself!"exclaimedtheguide,scandalized.
"Youdon\'tsay!"drawledourfellow-countryman."IguessIoweyouanothershilling,myfriend."
Theguide,utterlybewildered,acceptedit.Thetransatlanticpointofviewtowardsthenobilitywasbeyondhim.
"Hislordshipcouldmakeanicelittleincomeifhesetupasasideshow,"addedtheOhioan.
Maudegiggled,butIwasfurious.AndnosoonerwereweoutsidethegatesthanIdeclaredIshouldneveragainenteraprivateresidencebythebackdoor.
"Why,Hugh,howqueeryo
