autobiography of a pocket-handkerchief-第22部分

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Mrs。　Monson；　with　their　only　son；　John　Monson；　their　three　daughters；
the　governess；　and　Betts　Shoreham；　were　all　present；　the　latter　having
dropped　in　with　a　new　novel　for　the　ladies。

〃I　do　really　wish　one　could　see　a　little　advance　in　the　way　of　real
refinement　and　true　elegance　among　all　the　vast　improvements　we　are
making　in　frippery　and　follies；〃　cried　Mr。　Monson；　throwing　down　an
evening　paper　in　a　pettish　manner；　that　sufficiently　denoted　discontent。
〃We　are　always　puffing　our　own　progress　in　America；　without　exactly
knowing　whether　a　good　deal　of　the　road　is　not　to　be　traveled　over
again；　by　way　of　undoing　much　that　we　have　done。　Here；　now；　is　a
specimen　of　our　march　in　folly；　in　an　advertisement　of　Bobbinett's；　who
has　pocket…handkerchiefs　at　75。〃

〃By　the　dozen；　or　by　the　gross；　sir？〃　demanded　Betts　Shoreham；
quickly。

〃Oh；　singlyseventy…five　dollars　each。〃

〃Nay；　that　MUST　be　a　mistake；　sir！　who；　even　in　this　extravagant　and
reckless　country；　could　be　found　to　pay　such　a　price？　One　can　fancy
such　a　thing　in　a　princess；　with　hundreds　of　thousands　of　income；　but
scarcely　of　any　one　else。　How　could　such　a　thing　be　USED；　for
instance？〃

〃Oh；〃　cried　John　Monson；　〃to　hide　the　blushes　of　the　simpleton　who　had
thrown　away　her　money　on　it。　I　heard　a　story　this　very　afternoon；　of
some　person　of　the　name　of　Halfacre's　having　failed　yesterday；　and
whose　daughter　purchased　even　a　higher　priced　handkerchief　than　that
the　very　same　day。〃

〃His　failure　is　not　surprising；　then；〃　put　in　Betts　Shoreham。　〃For　myself；　I
do　not　think　that　I〃

〃Well；　WHAT　do　you　think；　Mr。　Shoreham？〃　asked　Mrs。　Monson；
smiling；　for　she　saw　that　Julia　was　too　much　mortified　to　speak；　and
who　assumed　more　than　half　the　blame　of　her　own　daughter's
extravagance。　〃You　were　about　to　favor　us　with　some　magnificent
resolution。〃

〃I　was　about　to　utter　an　impertinence；　I　confess；　ma'am；　but　recollected
in　time；　that　young　men's　protestations　of　what　THEY　would　do　by　way
of　reforming　the　world；　is　not　of　half　the　importance　to　others　that　they
so　often　fancy；　so　I　shall　spare　you　the　infliction。　Seventy…five　dollars；
Mademoiselle　Hennequin；　would　be　a　high　price　for　such　a　thing；　even
in　Paris；　I　fancy。〃

The　answer　was　given　in　imperfect　English；　a　circumstance　that
rendered　the　sweet　round　tones　of　the　speaker　very　agreeable　to　the
ear；　and　lent　the　charm　of　piquancy　to　what　she　said。　I　could　not
distinguish　countenances　from　the　drawer；　but　I　fancied　young
Shoreham　to　be　a　handsome　youth；　the　governess　to　be　pale　and
slightly　ugly；　though　very　agreeable　in　manner；　and　Julia　excessively
embarrassed；　but　determined　to　defend　her　purchase；　should　it　become
necessary。

〃Seventy…five　dollars　sound　like　a　high　price；　monsieur；〃　answered
Mademoiselle　Hennequin；　〃but　the　ladies　of　Paris　do　not　grudge　their
gold　for　ornaments　to　decorate　their　persons。〃

〃Ay；〃　put　in　John　Monson；　〃but　they　are　consistent。　Now　I'll　engage　this
Mrs。　Hundredacres；　or　Halfacre；　or　whatever　her　name　may　be；
overlooked　her　own　household　work；　kept　no　housekeeper；　higgled
about　flour　and　butter；　and　lived　half　her　time　in　her　basement。　Think　of
such　a　woman's　giving　her　daughter　a　hundred…dollar　pocket…
handkerchief。〃

Now　Mrs。　Monson　DID　keep　a　housekeeper；　she　was　NOT　a　mere
upper…servant　in　her　own　family；　and　Julia　was　gratified　that；　in　this
instance；　her　fastidious　brother　could　not　reproach　HER　at　least。

〃Well；　Jack；　that　is　a　queer　reason　of　yours；〃　cried　the　father；　〃for　not
indulging　in　a　luxury；　because　the　good　woman　is　careful　in　some　things；
she　is　not　to　be　a　little　extravagant　in　others。　What　do　YOU　say　to　such
logic；　Mr。　Shoreham？〃

〃To　own　the　truth；　sir；　I　am　much　of　Monson's　way　of　thinking。　It　is　as
necessary　to　begin　at　the　bottom　in　constructing　a　scheme　of　domestic
refinement；　as　in　building　a　house。　Fitness　is　entitled　to　a　place　in　every
thing　that　relates　to　taste；　at　all　events；　and　as　a　laced　and　embroidered
pocket…handkerchief　is　altogether　for　appearance；　it　becomes　necessary
that　other　things　should　be　in　keeping。　If　the　ladies　will　excuse　me；　I　will
say　that　I　never　yet　saw　a　woman　in　America；　in　a　sufficiently　high　dress
to　justify　such　an　appendage　as　that　which　Monson　has　just　mentioned。
The　handkerchief　ought　not　to　cost　more　than　the　rest　of　the　toilette。〃

〃It　is　true；　Mr。　Shoreham；〃　put　in　Julia；　with　vivacity；　if　not　with　spirit；
〃that　our　women　do　not　dress　as　women　of　rank　sometimes　dress　in
Europe；　but；　on　the　whole；　I　do　not　know　that　we　are　so　much　behind
them　in　appearance。〃

〃Very　far　from　it；　my　dear　Miss　Monsonas　far　as　possibleI　am　the
last　man　to　decry　my　beautiful　countrywomen；　who　are　second　to　no
others　in　appearance；　certainly；　if　they　do　not　dress　as　richly；　it　is
because　they　do　not　need　it。　Mademoiselle　Hennequin　has　no　reason　to
deprecate　comparisonsandbut〃

〃Certainly；〃　answered　the　governess；　when　she　found　the　young　man
hesitated　about　proceeding；　〃certainly；　I　am　not　so　bigoted；　or　so　blind；
as　to　wish　to　deny　that　the　American　ladies　are　very　handsome
handsomer；　as　a　whole；　than　those　of　my　own　country。　It　would　be　idle
to　deny　itso　are　those　of　England　and　Italy。〃

〃This　is　being　very　liberal；　Mademoiselle　Hennequin；　and　more　than　you
are　required　to　admit；〃　observed　Mrs。　Monson；　in　the　kindest　possible
tone　of　voice；　and　I　make　no　manner　of　doubt　with　a　most　benevolent
smile；　though　I　could　not　see　her。　〃Some　of　the　most　brilliantly　beautiful
women　I　have　ever　seen；　have　been　Frenchperhaps　the　MOST
brilliantly　beautiful。〃

〃That　is　true；　also；　madame；　but　such　is　not　the　rule；　I　think。　Both　the
English　and　Americans　seem　to　me　handsomer；　as　a　whole；　than　my
own　countrywomen。〃　Now；　nothing　could　be　sweeter；　or　softer；　or
gentler；　than　the　voice　that　made　this　great　concessionfor　great　it
certainly　was；　as　coming　from　a　woman。　It　appeared　to　me　that　the
admission；　too；　was　more　than　commonly　generous；　from　the
circumstance　that　the　governess　was　not　particularly　pretty　in　her　own
person。　It　is　true；　I　had　not　yet　seen　her；　but　my　mesmeritic　impulses
induced　me　to　fancy　as　much。

〃What　say　the　YOUNG　gentlemen　to　this？〃　asked　Mr。　Monson；
laughing。　〃This　is　a　question　not　to　be　settled　altogether　by　ladies；　old　or
young。〃

〃Betts　Shoreham　has　substantially　told　you　what　HE　thinks；　and　now　I
claim　a　right　to　give　MY　opinion；〃　cried　John　Monson。　〃Like　Betts；　I
will　not　decry　my　countrywomen；　but　I　shall　protest　against　the　doctrine
of　their　having　ALL　the　beauty　in　the　world。　By　Jove！　I　have　seen　in
ONE　opera…house　at　Rome；　more　beautiful　women　than　I　ever　saw
together；　before　or　since；　in　any　other　place。　Broadway　never　equals
the　corso；　of　a　carnival。〃

｛corso；　of　a　carnival　=　the　Corso；　a　main　street　in　Rome；　at　Carnival
time｝

〃This　is　not　sticking　to　the　subject；〃　observed　Mrs。　Monson。　〃Pocket…
handkerchiefs　and　housekeepers　are　our　themes；　and　not　pretty
women。　Mademoiselle　Hennequin；　you　are　French　enough；　I　am　sure；
to　like　more　sugar　in　your　tea。〃

This　changed　the　subject；　which　became　a　desultory　discourse　on　the
news　of　the　day。　I　could　not　understand　half　that　was　said；　laboring
under　the　disadvantage　of　being　shut　up　in　a　close　drawer；　on　another
floor；　and　that；　too；　with　six　dozen　of　chattering　French　gloves　lying
within　a　foot　of　me。　Still　I　saw　plainly　enough；　that　Mademoiselle
Hennequin；　notwithstanding　she　was　a　governess；　was　a　favorite　in　the
family；　and；　I　may　add；　out　of　it　alsoBetts　Shoreham　being　no　sort　of
a　connection　of　the　Monsons。　I　thought；　moreover；　that　I　discovered
signs　of　cross…purposes；　as　between　the　young　people；　though　I　think　a
pocket…handkerchief　subject　to　those　general　laws；　concerning　secrets；
that　are　recognized　among　all　honorable　persons。　Not　having　been
actually　present　on　this　occasion；　should　I　proceed　to　relate　ALL　that
passed；　or　that　I　fancied　passed；　it　would　be　degrading　myself　to　the
level　of　those　newspapers　which　are　in　the　habit　of　retailing　private
conversations；　and　which；　like　most　small　dealers　in　such　things；　never
retail　fairly。

I　saw　no　more　of　my　mistress　for　a　week。　I　have　reason　to　think　that
she　had　determined　never　to　use　me；　but　female　resolutions；　in　matters
of　dress；　are　not　of　the　most　inflexible　nature。　There　was　a　certain　Mrs。
Leamington；　in　New　York；　who　gave　a　great　ball　about　this　time；　and
being　in　the　same　set　as　the　Monsons；　the　family　was　invited　as　a　matter
of　course。　It　would　have　surpassed　the　powers　of　self…denial　to　keep
me　in　the　back…ground　on　such　an　occasion；　and　Julia；　having　first
cleared　the　way　by　owning　her　folly　to　a　very　indulgent　father；　and　a
very　tormenting　brother；　determined　nobly　to　bring　me　out；　let　the　effect
on　Betts　Shoreham　be　what　it　might。　As　the　father　had　no　female　friends
to　trouble　him；　he　was　asked　to　join　the　Monsonsthe　intimacy　fully
warranting　the　step。

Julia　never　looked　more　lovely　than　she　did　that　night。　She　anticipated
much　pleasure；　and　her　smiles　were　in　proportion　to　her　anticipations。
When　all　was　ready；　she　took　me　from　the　drawer；　let　a　single　drop　of
lavender　fall　in　my　bosom；　and　tripped　down　stairs　toward　the　drawing…
room；　Betts　Shoreham　and　Mademoiselle　Hennequin　were　together；
and；　for　a　novelty；　alone。　I　say；　for　a　novelty；　because　the　governess
had　few　opportunities　to　see　any　one　without　the　presence　of　a　third
person；　and　because　her　habits；　as　an　unmarried　and　well　educated
French　woman；　indisposed　her　to　tete…a…tetes　with　the　other　sex。　My
mistress　was　lynx…eyed　in　all　that　related　to　Betts　Shoreham　and　the
governess。　A　single　glance　told　her　that　their　recent　conversation　had
been　more　than　usually　interesting；　nor　could　I　help　seeing　it　myselfthe
face　of　the　governess　being　red；　or　in　that　condition　which；　were　she
aught　but　a　governess；　would　be　called　suffused　with　blushes。　Julia　felt
uncomfortableshe　felt　herself　to　be　de　trop；　and　making　an　incoherent
excuse；　she　had　scarcely　taken　a　seat　on　a　sofa；　before　she　arose；　left
the　room；　and　ran　up　stairs　again。　In　doing　so；　however；　the　poor　girl
left　me　inadvertently　on　the　sofa　she　had　so　suddenly　quitted　herself。

｛de　trop　=　one　too　many｝

Betts　Shoreham　manifest