daisy miller-第7部分

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〃The　girl　goes　about　alone　with　her　foreigners。　　As　to　what

happens　further；　you　must　apply　elsewhere　for　information。

She　has　picked　up　half　a　dozen　of　the　regular　Roman

fortune　hunters；　and　she　takes　them　about　to　people's　houses。

When　she　comes　to　a　party　she　brings　with　her　a　gentleman

with　a　good　deal　of　manner　and　a　wonderful　mustache。〃



〃And　where　is　the　mother？〃



〃I　haven't　the　least　idea。　　They　are　very　dreadful　people。〃



Winterbourne　meditated　a　moment。　　〃They　are　very　ignorant

very　innocent　only。　　Depend　upon　it　they　are　not　bad。〃



〃They　are　hopelessly　vulgar；〃　said　Mrs。　Costello。　　〃Whether　or　no　being

hopelessly　vulgar　is　being　'bad'　is　a　question　for　the　metaphysicians。

They　are　bad　enough　to　dislike；　at　any　rate；　and　for　this　short　life

that　is　quite　enough。〃



The　news　that　Daisy　Miller　was　surrounded　by　half　a　dozen　wonderful

mustaches　checked　Winterbourne's　impulse　to　go　straightway　to　see　her。

He　had；　perhaps；　not　definitely　flattered　himself　that　he　had　made

an　ineffaceable　impression　upon　her　heart；　but　he　was　annoyed　at　hearing

of　a　state　of　affairs　so　little　in　harmony　with　an　image　that　had　lately

flitted　in　and　out　of　his　own　meditations；　the　image　of　a　very　pretty

girl　looking　out　of　an　old　Roman　window　and　asking　herself　urgently

when　Mr。　Winterbourne　would　arrive。　　If；　however；　he　determined　to　wait

a　little　before　reminding　Miss　Miller　of　his　claims　to　her　consideration；

he　went　very　soon　to　call　upon　two　or　three　other　friends。

One　of　these　friends　was　an　American　lady　who　had　spent　several

winters　at　Geneva；　where　she　had　placed　her　children　at　school。

She　was　a　very　accomplished　woman；　and　she　lived　in　the　Via　Gregoriana。

Winterbourne　found　her　in　a　little　crimson　drawing　room　on　a　third　floor；

the　room　was　filled　with　southern　sunshine。　　He　had　not　been　there　ten　minutes

when　the　servant　came　in；　announcing　〃Madame　Mila！〃　　This　announcement

was　presently　followed　by　the　entrance　of　little　Randolph　Miller；

who　stopped　in　the　middle　of　the　room　and　stood　staring　at　Winterbourne。

An　instant　later　his　pretty　sister　crossed　the　threshold；　and　then；

after　a　considerable　interval；　Mrs。　Miller　slowly　advanced。



〃I　know　you！〃　said　Randolph。



〃I'm　sure　you　know　a　great　many　things；〃　exclaimed　Winterbourne；

taking　him　by　the　hand。　　〃How　is　your　education　coming　on？〃



Daisy　was　exchanging　greetings　very　prettily　with　her　hostess；

but　when　she　heard　Winterbourne's　voice　she　quickly　turned　her　head。

〃Well；　I　declare！〃　she　said。



〃I　told　you　I　should　come；　you　know；〃　Winterbourne　rejoined；　smiling。



〃Well；　I　didn't　believe　it；〃　said　Miss　Daisy。



〃I　am　much　obliged　to　you；〃　laughed　the　young　man。



〃You　might　have　come　to　see　me！〃　said　Daisy。



〃I　arrived　only　yesterday。〃



〃I　don't　believe　tte　that！〃　the　young　girl　declared。



Winterbourne　turned　with　a　protesting　smile　to　her　mother；　but　this

lady　evaded　his　glance；　and；　seating　herself；　fixed　her　eyes　upon

her　son。　　〃We've　got　a　bigger　place　than　this；〃　said　Randolph。

〃It's　all　gold　on　the　walls。〃



Mrs。　Miller　turned　uneasily　in　her　chair。　　〃I　told　you　if　I　were　to　bring　you；

you　would　say　something！〃　she　murmured。



〃I　told　YOU！〃　Randolph　exclaimed。　　〃I　tell　YOU；　sir！〃

he　added　jocosely；　giving　Winterbourne　a　thump　on　the　knee。

〃It　IS　bigger；　too！〃



Daisy　had　entered　upon　a　lively　conversation　with　her　hostess；

Winterbourne　judged　it　becoming　to　address　a　few　words　to　her　mother。

〃I　hope　you　have　been　well　since　we　parted　at　Vevey；〃　he　said。



Mrs。　Miller　now　certainly　looked　at　himat　his　chin。

〃Not　very　well；　sir；〃　she　answered。



〃She's　got　the　dyspepsia；〃　said　Randolph。　　〃I've　got　it　too。

Father's　got　it。　　I've　got　it　most！〃



This　announcement；　instead　of　embarrassing　Mrs。　Miller；

seemed　to　relieve　her。　　〃I　suffer　from　the　liver；〃　she　said。

〃I　think　it's　this　climate；　it's　less　bracing　than　Schenectady；

especially　in　the　winter　season。　　I　don't　know　whether　you　know

we　reside　at　Schenectady。　　I　was　saying　to　Daisy　that　I　certainly

hadn't　found　any　one　like　Dr。　Davis；　and　I　didn't　believe　I　should。

Oh；　at　Schenectady　he　stands　first；　they　think　everything　of　him。

He　has　so　much　to　do；　and　yet　there　was　nothing　he　wouldn't　do　for　me。

He　said　he　never　saw　anything　like　my　dyspepsia；　but　he　was

bound　to　cure　it。　　I'm　sure　there　was　nothing　he　wouldn't　try。

He　was　just　going　to　try　something　new　when　we　came　off。

Mr。　Miller　wanted　Daisy　to　see　Europe　for　herself。　　But　I　wrote　to

Mr。　Miller　that　it　seems　as　if　I　couldn't　get　on　without　Dr。　Davis。

At　Schenectady　he　stands　at　the　very　top；　and　there's　a　great　deal

of　sickness　there；　too。　　It　affects　my　sleep。〃



Winterbourne　had　a　good　deal　of　pathological　gossip　with　Dr。　Davis's　patient；

during　which　Daisy　chattered　unremittingly　to　her　own　companion。

The　young　man　asked　Mrs。　Miller　how　she　was　pleased　with　Rome。

〃Well；　I　must　say　I　am　disappointed；〃　she　answered。　　〃We　had　heard　so　much

about　it；　I　suppose　we　had　heard　too　much。　　But　we　couldn't　help　that。

We　had　been　led　to　expect　something　different。〃



〃Ah；　wait　a　little；　and　you　will　become　very　fond　of　it；〃　said　Winterbourne。



〃I　hate　it　worse　and　worse　every　day！〃　cried　Randolph。



〃You　are　like　the　infant　Hannibal；〃　said　Winterbourne。



〃No；　I　ain't！〃　Randolph　declared　at　a　venture。



〃You　are　not　much　like　an　infant；〃　said　his　mother。　　〃But　we　have

seen　places；〃　she　resumed；　〃that　I　should　put　a　long　way　before　Rome。〃

And　in　reply　to　Winterbourne's　interrogation；　〃There's　Zurich；〃

she　concluded；　〃I　think　Zurich　is　lovely；　and　we　hadn't　heard　half

so　much　about　it。〃



〃The　best　place　we've　seen　is　the　City　of　Richmond！〃　said　Randolph。



〃He　means　the　ship；〃　his　mother　explained。　　〃We　crossed　in　that　ship。

Randolph　had　a　good　time　on　the　City　of　Richmond。〃



〃It's　the　best　place　I've　seen；〃　the　child　repeated。

〃Only　it　was　turned　the　wrong　way。〃



〃Well；　we've　got　to　turn　the　right　way　some　time；〃

said　Mrs。　Miller　with　a　little　laugh。　　Winterbourne　expressed

the　hope　that　her　daughter　at　least　found　some　gratification

in　Rome；　and　she　declared　that　Daisy　was　quite　carried　away。

〃It's　on　account　of　the　societythe　society's　splendid。

She　goes　round　everywhere；　she　has　made　a　great　number

of　acquaintances。　　Of　course　she　goes　round　more　than　I　do。

I　must　say　they　have　been　very　sociable；　they　have　taken

her　right　in。　　And　then　she　knows　a　great　many　gentlemen。

Oh；　she　thinks　there's　nothing　like　Rome。　　Of　course；

it's　a　great　deal　pleasanter　for　a　young　lady　if　she　knows

plenty　of　gentlemen。〃



By　this　time　Daisy　had　turned　her　attention　again　to　Winterbourne。

〃I've　been　telling　Mrs。　Walker　how　mean　you　were！〃　the　young　girl　announced。



〃And　what　is　the　evidence　you　have　offered？〃　asked　Winterbourne；

rather　annoyed　at　Miss　Miller's　want　of　appreciation　of　the　zeal　of

an　admirer　who　on　his　way　down　to　Rome　had　stopped　neither　at　Bologna

nor　at　Florence；　simply　because　of　a　certain　sentimental　impatience。

He　remembered　that　a　cynical　compatriot　had　once　told　him　that

American　womenthe　pretty　ones；　and　this　gave　a　largeness　to　the　axiom

were　at　once　the　most　exacting　in　the　world　and　the　least　endowed

with　a　sense　of　indebtedness。



〃Why；　you　were　awfully　mean　at　Vevey；〃　said　Daisy。

〃You　wouldn't　do　anything。　　You　wouldn't　stay　there　when

I　asked　you。〃



〃My　dearest　young　lady；〃　cried　Winterbourne；　with　eloquence；

〃have　I　come　all　the　way　to　Rome　to　encounter　your　reproaches？〃



〃Just　hear　him　say　that！〃　said　Daisy　to　her　hostess；　giving　a　twist　to　a　bow

on　this　lady's　dress。　　〃Did　you　ever　hear　anything　so　quaint？〃



〃So　quaint；　my　dear？〃　murmured　Mrs。　Walker　in　the　tone　of　a

partisan　of　Winterbourne。



〃Well；　I　don't　know；〃　said　Daisy；　fingering　Mrs。　Walker's　ribbons。

〃Mrs。　Walker；　I　want　to　tell　you　something。〃



〃Mother…r；〃　interposed　Randolph；　with　his　rough　ends　to　his　words；

〃I　tell　you　you've　got　to　go。　　Eugenio'll　raisesomething！〃



〃I'm　not　afraid　of　Eugenio；〃　said　Daisy　with　a　toss　of　her　head。

〃Look　here；　Mrs。　Walker；〃　she　went　on；　〃you　know　I'm　coming

to　your　party。〃



〃I　am　delighted　to　hear　it。〃



〃I've　got　a　lovely　dress！〃



〃I　am　very　sure　of　that。〃



〃But　I　want　to　ask　a　favorpermission　to　bring　a　friend。〃



〃I　shall　be　happy　to　see　any　of　your　friends；〃　said　Mrs。　Walker；

turning　with　a　smile　to　Mrs。　Miller。



〃Oh；　they　are　not　my　friends；〃　answered　Daisy's　mamma；

smiling　shyly　in　her　own　fashion。　　〃I　never　spoke　to　them。〃



〃It's　an　intimate　friend　of　mineMr。　Giovanelli；〃　said　Daisy　without　a　tremor

in　her　clear　little　voice　or　a　shadow　on　her　brilliant　little　face。



Mrs。　Walker　was　silent　a　moment；　she　gave　a　rapid　glance　at　Winterbourne。

〃I　shall　be　glad　to　see　Mr。　Giovanelli；〃　she　then　said。



〃He's　an　Italian；〃　Daisy　pursued　with　the　prettiest　serenity。

〃He's　a　great　friend　of　mine；　he's　the　handsomest　man　in　the　world

except　Mr。　Winterbourne！　　He　knows　plenty　of　Italians；　but　he　wants

to　know　some　Americans。　　He　thinks　ever　so　much　of　Americans。

He's　tremendously　clever。　　He's　perfectly　lovely！〃



It　was　settled　that　this　brilliant　personage　should　be　brought　to

Mrs。　Walker's　party；　and　then　Mrs。　Miller　prepared　to　take　her　leave。

〃I　guess　we'll　go　back　to　the　hotel；〃　she　said。



〃You　may　go　back　to　the　hotel；　Mother；　but　I'm　going　to　take

a　walk；〃　said　Daisy。



〃She's　going　to　walk　with　Mr。　Giovanelli；〃　Randolph　proclaimed。



〃I　am　going　to　the　Pincio；〃　said　Daisy；　smiling。



〃Alone；　my　dearat　this　hour？〃　　Mrs。　Walker　asked。

The　afternoon　was　drawing　to　a　closeit　was　the　hour　for

the　throng　of　carriages　and　of　contemplative　pedestrians。

〃I　don't　think　it's　safe；　my　dear；〃　said　Mrs。　Walker。



〃Neither　do　I；〃　subjoined　Mrs。　Miller。　　〃You'll　get　the　fever；

as　sure　as　you　live。　　Remember　what　Dr。　Davis　told　you！〃



〃Give　her　some　medicine