the egoist-第77部分

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upon　bankruptcy。〃

〃Poetic！〃　ejaculated　Lady　Culmer；　spying　at　Miss　Middleton's　
rippled　countenance；　and　noting　that　she　and　Sir　Willoughby　had
not　interchanged　word　or　look。

〃But　that　in　the　case　of　your　Patterne　Port　a　bottle　of　it　would
outvalue　the　catalogue　of　nuptial　presents；　Willoughby；　I　would
recommend　your　stationing　some　such　constabulary　to　keep　watch　and
ward。〃　said　Dr。　Middleton；　as　he　filled　his　glass；　taking　Bordeaux
in　the　middle　of　the　day；　under　a　consciousness　of　virtue　and　its
reward　to　come　at　half…past　seven　in　the　evening。

〃The　rascals　would　require　a　dozen　of　that；　sir；〃　said　De　Craye。

〃Then　it　is　not　to　be　thought　of。　Indeed　one！〃　Dr。　Middleton　
negatived　the　idea。

〃We　are　no　further　advanced　than　when　we　began；〃　observed　Lady
Busshe。

〃If　we　are　marked　to　go　by　stages；〃　Mrs。　Mountstuart　assented。

〃Why；　then；　we　shall　be　called　old　coaches；〃　remarked　the　colonel。

〃You；〃　said　Lady　Culmer；　〃have　the　advantage　of　us　in　a　closer
acquaintance　with　Miss　Middleton。　You　know　her　tastes；　and　how　far
they　have　been　consulted　in　the　little　souvenirs　already　grouped
somewhere；　although　not　yet　for　inspection。　I　am　at　sea。　　And　here
is　Lady　Busshe　in　deadly　alarm。　　There　is　plenty　of　time　to　effect
a　changethough　we　are　drawing　on　rapidly　to　the　fatal　day；　Miss
Middleton。　We　are；　we　are　very　near　it。　Oh！　yes。　I　am　one　who
thinks　that　these　little　affairs　should　be　spoken　of　openly；
without　that　ridiculous　bourgeois　affectation；　so　that　we　may　be
sure　of　giving　satisfaction。　It　is　a　transaction　like　everything
else　in　life。　I；　for　my　part；　wish　to　be　remembered　favourably。　I
put　it　as　a　test　of　breeding　to　speak　of　these　things　as　plain
matter…of…fact。　You　marry；　I　wish　you　to　have　something　by　you　to
remind　you　of　me。　What　shall　it　be？useful　or　ornamental。　For　an
ordinary　household　the　choice　is　not　difficult。　But　where　wealth
abounds　we　are　in　a　dilemma。〃

〃And　with　persons　of　decided　tastes；〃　added　Lady　Busshe。

〃I　am　really　very　unhappy；〃　she　protested　to　Clara。

Sir　Willoughby　dropped　Laetitia；　Clara's　look　of　a　sedate
resolution　to　preserve　silence　on　the　topic　of　the　nuptial　gifts
made　a　diversion　imperative。

〃Your　porcelain　was　exquisitely　chosen；　and　I　profess　to　be　a
connoisseur；〃　he　said。　〃I　am　poor　in　Old　Saxony；　as　you　know；　I
can　match　the　country　in　Savres；　and　my　inheritance　of　China　will
not　easily　be　matched　in　the　country。〃

〃You　may　consider　your　Dragon　vases　a　present　from　young
Crossjay；〃　said　De　Craye。

〃How？〃

〃Hasn't　he　abstained　from　breaking　them？　the　capital　boy！
Porcelain　and　a　boy　in　the　house　together　is　a　case　of　prospective
disaster　fully　equal　to　Flitch　and　a　fly。〃

〃You　should　understand　that　my　friend　Horacewhose　wit　is　in
this　instance　founded　on　another　tale　of　a　boybrought　us　a
magnificent　piece　of　porcelain；　destroyed　by　the　capsizing　of　his
conveyance　from　the　station；〃　said　Sir　Willoughby　to　Lady　Busshe。

She　and　Lady　Culmer　gave　out　lamentable　Ohs；　while　Miss　Eleanor
and　Miss　Isabel　Patterne　sketched　the　incident。　Then　the　lady
visitors　fixed　their　eyes　in　united　sympathy　upon　Clara：
recovering　from　which；　after　a　contemplation　of　marble；　Lady
Busshe　emphasized；　〃No；　you　do　not　love　porcelain；　it　is　evident；
Miss　Middleton。〃

〃I　am　glad　to　be　assured　of　it；〃　said　Lady　Culmer。

〃Oh；　I　know　that　face：　I　know　that　look；〃　Lady　Busshe　affected　to
remark　rallyingly：　〃it　is　not　the　first　time　I　have　seen　it。〃

Sir　Willoughby　smarted　to　his　marrow。　〃We　will　rout　these　fancies
of　an　overscrupulous　generosity；　my　dear　Lady　Busshe。〃

Her　unwonted　breach　of　delicacy　in　speaking　publicly　of　her
present；　and　the　vulgar　persistency　of　her　sticking　to　the　theme；
very　much　perplexed　him。　And　if　he　mistook　her　not；　she　had　just
alluded　to　the　demoniacal　Constantia　Durham。

It　might　be　that　he　had　mistaken　her：　he　was　on　guard　against　his
terrible　sensitiveness。　Nevertheless　it　was　hard　to　account　for
this　behaviour　of　a　lady　greatly　his　friend　and　admirer；　a　lady　of
birth。　And　Lady　Culmer　as　well！likewise　a　lady　of　birth。　Were
they　in　collusion？　had　they　a　suspicion？　He　turned　to　Laetitia's
face　for　the　antidote　to　his　pain。

〃Oh；　but　you　are　not　one　yet；　and　I　shall　require　two　voices　to
convince　me；〃　Lady　Busshe　rejoined；　after　another　stare　at　the
marble。

〃Lady　Busshe；　I　beg　you　not　to　think　me　ungrateful；〃　said　Clara。

〃Fiddle！gratitude！　it　is　to　please　your　taste；　to　satisfy　you。
I　care　for　gratitude　as　little　as　for　flattery。〃

〃But　gratitude　is　flattering；〃　said　Vernon。

〃　Now；　no　metaphysics；　Mr。　Whitford。〃

〃But　do　care　a　bit　for　flattery；　my　lady；〃　said　De　Craye。　〃'Tis
the　finest　of　the　Arts；　we　might　call　it　moral　sculpture。　Adepts
in　it　can　cut　their　friends　to　any　shape　they　like　by　practising
it　with　the　requisite　skill。　I　myself；　poor　hand　as　I　am；　have
made　a　man　act　Solomon　by　constantly　praising　his　wisdom。　He　took
a　sagacious　turn　at　an　early　period　of　the　dose。　He　weighed　the
smallest　question　of　his　daily　occasions　with　a　deliberation　truly
oriental。　Had　I　pushed　it；　he'd　have　hired　a　baby　and　a　couple　of
mothers　to　squabble　over　the　undivided　morsel。〃

〃I　shall　hope　for　a　day　in　London　with　you；〃　said　Lady　Culmer　to
Clara。

〃You　did　not　forget　the　Queen　of　Sheba？〃　said　Mrs。　Mountstuart　to
De　Craye。

〃With　her　appearance；　the　game　has　to　be　resigned　to　her
entirely；〃　he　rejoined。

〃That　is；〃　Lady　Culmer　continued；　〃if　you　do　not　despise　an　old
woman　for　your　comrade　on　a　shopping　excursion。〃

〃Despise　whom　we　fleece！〃　exclaimed　Dr。　Middleton。　〃Oh；　no；　Lady
Culmer；　the　sheep　is　sacred。〃

〃I　am　not　so　sure；〃　said　Vernon。

〃In　what　way；　and　to　what　extent；　are　you　not　so　sure？〃　said　Dr。
Middleton。

〃The　natural　tendency　is　to　scorn　the　fleeced。〃

〃I　stand　for　the　contrary。　Pity；　if　you　like：　particularly　when
they　bleat。〃

〃This　is　to　assume　that　makers　of　gifts　are　a　fleeced　people：　I
demur；〃　said　Mrs。　Mountstuart。

〃Madam；　we　are　expected　to　give；　we　are　incited　to　give；　you　have
dubbed　it　the　fashion　to　give；　and　the　person　refusing　to　give；　or
incapable　of　giving；　may　anticipate　that　he　will　be　regarded　as
benignly　as　a　sheep　of　a　drooping　and　flaccid　wool　by　the　farmer；
who　is　reminded　by　the　poor　beast's　appearance　of　a　strange　dog
that　worried　the　flock。　Even　Captain　Benjamin；　as　you　have　seen；
was　unable　to　withstand　the　demand　on　him。　The　hymeneal　pair　are
licensed　freebooters　levying　blackmail　on　us；　survivors　of　an
uncivilized　period。　But　in　taking　without　mercy；　I　venture　to
trust　that　the　manners　of　a　happier　era　instruct　them　not　to　scorn
us。　　I　apprehend　that　Mr。　Whitford　has　a　lower　order　of　latrons　in
his　mind。〃

〃Permit　me　to　say；　sir；　that　you　have　not　considered　the　ignoble
aspect　of　the　fleeced；〃　said　Vernon。　〃I　appeal　to　the　ladies：
would　they　not；　if　they　beheld　an　ostrich　walking　down　a　Queen's
Drawing　Room；　clean…plucked；　despise　him　though　they　were　wearing
his　plumes？〃

〃An　extreme　supposition；　indeed；〃　said　Dr。　Middleton；　frowning　over
it；　〃scarcely　legitimately　to　be　suggested。〃

〃I　think　it　fair；　sir；　as　an　instance。〃

〃Has　the　circumstance　occurred；　I　would　ask？〃

〃In　life？　a　thousand　times。〃

〃I　fear　so；〃　said　Mrs。　Mountstuart。

Lady　Busshe　showed　symptoms　of　a　desire　to　leave　a　profitless　
table。

Vernon　started　up；　glancing　at　the　window。

〃Did　you　see　Crossjay？〃　he　said　to　Clara。

〃No；　I　must；　if　he　is　there；〃　said　she。

She　made　her　way　out；　Vernon　after　her。　They　both　had　the　excuse。

〃Which　way　did　the　poor　boy　go？〃　she　asked　him。

〃I　have　not　the　slightest　idea；〃　he　replied。　〃But　put　on　your
bonnet；　if　you　would　escape　that　pair　of　inquisitors。〃

〃Mr。　Whitford；　what　humiliation！〃

〃I　suspect　you　do　not　feel　it　the　most；　and　the　end　of　it　can't　be
remote；　said　he。

Thus　it　happened　that　when　Lady　Busshe　and　Lady　Culmer　quitted　the
dining…room；　Miss　Middleton　had　spirited　herself　away　from
summoning　voice　and　messenger。

Sir　Willoughby　apologized　for　her　absence。　〃If　I　could　be　jealous；
it　would　be　of　that　boy　Crossjay。〃

〃You　are　an　excellent　man；　and　the　best　of　cousins；〃　was　Lady
Busshe's　enigmatical　answer。

The　exceedingly　lively　conversation　at　his　table　was　lauded　by
Lady　Culmer。

〃Though；〃　said　she；　〃what　it　all　meant；　and　what　was　the　drift　of
it；　I　couldn't　tell　to　save　my　life。　Is　it　every　day　the　same　with
you　here？〃

〃Very　much。〃

〃How　you　must　enjoy　a　spell　of　dulness！〃

〃If　you　said　simplicity　and　not　talking　for　effect！　I　generally
cast　anchor　by　Laetitia　Dale。〃

〃Ah！〃　Lady　Busshe　coughed。　〃But　the　fact　is；　Mrs。　Mountstuart　is
made　for　cleverness！〃

〃I　think；　my　lady；　Laetitia　Dale　is　to　the　full　as　clever　as　any
of　the　stars　Mrs。　Mountstuart　assembles；　or　I。〃

〃Talkative　cleverness；　I　mean。〃

〃In　conversation　as　well。　Perhaps　you　have　not　yet　given　her　a
chance。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　she　is　clever；　of　course；　poor　dear。　She　is　looking
better　too。〃

〃Handsome；　I　thought；〃　said　Lady　Culmer。

〃She　varies；〃　observed　Sir　Willoughby。

The　ladies　took　seat　in　their　carriage　and　fell　at　once　into　a
close…bonnet　colloquy。　Not　a　single　allusion　had　they　made　to　the
wedding…presents　after　leaving　the　luncheon…table。　The　cause　of
their　visit　was　obvious。


CHAPTER　XXXVII

Contains　Clever　Fencing　and　Intimations　of　the　Need　for　It

That　woman；　Lady　Busshe；　had　predicted；　after　the　event；
Constantia　Durham's　defection。　She　had　also；　subsequent　to
Willoughby's　departure　on　his　travels；　uttered　sceptical　things
concerning　his　rooted　attachment　to　Laetitia　Dale。　In　her　bitter
vulgarity；　that　beaten　rival　of　Mrs。　Mountstuart　Jenkinson　for　the
leadership　of　the　county　had　taken　his　nose　for　a　melancholy
prognostic　of　his　fortunes；　she　had　recently　played　on　his　name：
she　had　spoken　the　hideous　English　of　his　fate。　Little　as　she
knew；　she　was　alive　to　the　worst　interpretation　of　appearances。　No
other　eulogy　occurred　to　her　now　than　to　call　him　the　best　of
cousins；　because　Vernon　Whitford　was　housed　and　clothed　and　fed　by
him。　She　had　nothing　else　to　say　for　a　man　she　thought　luckless！
She　was　a　woman　barren　of　wit；　stripped　of　style；　but　she　was
wealthy　and　a　gossipa　forge　of　showering　sparksand