第73章

Reducedtotheplainexpressionofwhatitisreallyworth，theaverageEnglishideaofbeautyinwomenmaybesummedupinthreewords——youth，health，plumpness。Themorespiritualcharmofintelligenceandvivacity，thesubtlerattractionofdelicacyoflineandfitnessofdetail，arelittlelookedforandseldomappreciatedbythemassofmeninthisisland。Itisimpossibleotherwisetoaccountfortheextraordinaryblindnessofperceptionwhich(togiveoneinstanceonly)makesnineEnglishmenoutoftenwhovisitFrancecomebackdeclaringthattheyhavenotseenasingleprettyFrenchwoman，inoroutofParis，inthewholecountry。Ourpopulartypeofbeautyproclaimsitself，initsfullestmaterialdevelopment，ateveryshopinwhichanillustratedperiodicalissold。Thesamefleshy-facedgirl，withthesameinanesmile，andwithnootherexpressionwhatever，appearsundereveryformofillustration，weekafterweek，andmonthaftermonth，alltheyearround。ThosewhowishtoknowwhatMrs。Glenarmwaslike，haveonlytogooutandstopatanybookseller’sornews-vendor’sshop，andtheretheywillseeherinthefirstillustration，withayoungwomaninit，whichtheydiscoverinthewindow。TheonenoticeablepeculiarityinMrs。Glenarm’spurelycommonplaceandpurelymaterialbeauty，whichwouldhavestruckanobservantandacultivatedman，wasthecuriousgirlishnessofherlookandmanner。Nostrangerspeakingtothiswoman——whohadbeenawifeattwenty，andwhowasnowawidowattwenty-four——wouldeverhavethoughtofaddressingherotherwisethanas“Miss。“

“IsthattheuseyoumakeofaflowerwhenIgiveittoyou？“shesaidtoGeoffrey。“Mumblingitinyourteeth，youwretch，asifyouwereahorse!“

“Ifyoucometothat，“returnedGeoffrey，“I’mmoreahorsethanaman。I’mgoingtoruninarace，andthepublicarebettingonme。Haw!haw!Fivetofour。“

“Fivetofour!Ibelievehethinksofnothingbutbetting。Yougreatheavycreature，Ican’tmoveyou。Don’tyouseeIwanttogoliketherestofthemtothelake？No!you’renottoletgoofmyarm!You’retotakeme。“

“Can’tdoit。MustbebackwithPerryinhalfanhour。“

(PerrywasthetrainerfromLondon。Hehadarrivedsoonerthanhehadbeenexpected，andhadenteredonhisfunctionsthreedayssince。)

“Don’ttalktomeaboutPerry!Alittlevulgarwretch。Puthimoff。Youwon’t？DoyoumeantosayyouaresuchabrutethatyouwouldratherbewithPerrythanbewithme？“

“Thebetting’satfivetofour，mydear。Andtheracecomesoffinamonthfromthis。“

“Oh!goawaytoyourbelovedPerry!Ihateyou。Ihopeyou’lllosetherace。Stopinyourcottage。Praydon’tcomebacktothehouse。And——mindthis!——don’tpresumetosay’mydear’tomeagain。“

“Itain’tpresuminghalffarenough，isit？Waitabit。Givemetilltheraceisrun——andthenI’llpresumetomarryyou。“

“You!YouwillbeasoldasMethuselah，ifyouwaittillIamyourwife。IdaresayPerryhasgotasister。Supposeyouaskhim？Shewouldbejusttherightpersonforyou。“

Geoffreygavethefloweranotherturninhisteeth，andlookedasifhethoughttheideaworthconsidering。

“Allright，“hesaid。“Anythingtobeagreeabletoyou。I’llaskPerry。“

Heturnedaway，asifhewasgoingtodoitatonce。Mrs。Glenarmputoutalittlehand，ravishinglyclothedinablush-coloredglove，andlaiditontheathlete’smightyarm。Shepinchedthoseironmuscles(theprideandgloryofEngland)gently。“Whatamanyouare!“shesaid。“Inevermetwithanybodylikeyo