autobiography of a pocket-handkerchief-第30部分

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〃My　nature　revolts　at　the　proposition；　and　sogood　morning；　sir。〃

Tom　left　the　house；　and　Mr。　Monson　laughed　heartily；　so　heartily；
indeed；　as　to　prove　how　much　he　relished　the　success　of　his　scheme。

〃Talk　of　Scylla　and　Charybdis！〃　soliloquized　the　discomfited　Tom；　as　he
wiped　the　perspiration　from　his　face〃Where　the　d…l　does　he　think　I
am　to　find　the　50；000　he　wants；　unless　he　first　gives　them　to　me？　I
never　heard　of　so　unreasonable　an　old　chap！　Here　is　a　young　fellow　that
offers　to　marry　his　daughter　for　30；000half　price；　as　one　may　say
and　he　talks　about　covering　every　cent　he　lays　down　with　one　of　my
own。　I　never　knew　what　was　meant　by　cent。　per　cent。　before。　Let　me
see；　I've　just　thirty…two　dollars　and　sixty…nine　cents；　and　had　we　played
at　a　game　of　coppers；　I　couldn't　have　held　out　half　an　hour。　But；　I　flatter
myself；　I　touched　the　old　scamp　up　with　morals；　in　a　way　he　wasn't
used　to。　Well；　as　this　thing　is　over；　I　will　try　old　Sweet；　the　grocer's
daughter。　If　the　wardrobe　and　whiskers　fail　there；　I　must　rub　up　the
Greek　and　Latin；　and　shift　the　ground　to　Boston。　They　say　a　chap　with
a　little　of　the　classics　can　get　30　or　40；000；　there；　any　day　in　the　week。
I　wish　my　parents　had　brought　me　up　a　schoolmaster；　I　would　be　off　in
the　first　boat。　Blast　it！I　thought　when　I　came　down　to　30；000；　he
would　have　snapped　at　the　bait；　like　a　pike。　He'll　never　have　a　chance
to　get　her　off　so　cheap；　again。〃

｛cent。　per　cent。　=　one　hundred　percent｝

This　ended　the　passage　of　flirtation　between　Thomas　Thurston　and　Julia
Monson。　As　for　the　latter；　she　took　such　a　distaste　for　me；　that　she
presented　me　to　Mademoiselle　Hennequin；　at　the　first　opportunity；
under　the　pretence　that　she　had　discovered　a　strong　wish　in　the　latter　to
possess　me。

Adrienne　accepted　the　present　with　some　reluctance；　on　account　of　the
price　that　had　been　paid　for　me；　and　yet　with　strong　emotion。　How　she
wept　over　me；　the　first　time　we　were　alone　together！　I　thought　her　heart
would　break；　nor　am　I　certain　it　would　not；　but　for　the　timely
interposition　of　Julia；　who　came　and　set　her　laughing　by　a　humorous
narrative　of　what　had　occurred　between　her　father　and　her　lover。

That　night　the　rout　took　place。　It　went　off　with　eclat；　but　I　did　not　make
my　appearance　at　it；　Adrienne　rightly　judging　that　I　was　not　a　proper
companion　for　one　in　her　situation。　It　is　true；　this　is　not　a　very　American
notion；　EVERY　thing　being　suitable　for　EVERY　body；　that　get　them；　in
this　land　of　liberty；　but　Adrienne　had　not　been　educated　in　a　land　of
liberty；　and　fancied　that　her　dress　should　bear　some　relation　to　her
means。　Little　did　she　know　that　I　was　a　sort　of　patent　of　nobility；　and
that　by　exhibiting　me；　she　might　have　excited　envy；　even　in　an
alderman's　daughter。　My　non…appearance；　however；　made　no
difference　with　Betts　Shoreham；　whose　attentions　throughout　the
evening　were　so　marked　as　to　raise　suspicion　of　the　truth　in　the　mind　of
even　Mrs。　Monson。

｛rout　=　evening　party；　eclat　=　brilliance｝

The　next　day　there　was　an　eclaircissement。　Adrienne　owned　who　she
was；　gave　my　history；　acquainted　Mrs。　Monson　with　her　connection
with　Mr。　Shoreham；　and　confessed　the　nature　of　his　suit。　I　was　present
at　this　interview；　and　it　would　be　unjust　to　say　that　the　mother　was　not
disappointed。　Still　she　behaved　generously；　and　like　a　high　principled
woman。　Adrienne　was　advised　to　accept　Betts；　and　her　scruples；　on　the
score　of　money；　were　gradually　removed；　by　Mrs。　Monson's
arguments。

｛eclaircissement　=　explanation｝

〃What　a　contrast　do　this　Mr。　Thurston　and　Adrienne　present！〃　observed
Mrs。　Monson　to　her　husband；　in　a　tete　a　tete；　shortly　after　this
interview。　〃Here　is　the　gentleman　wanting　to　get　our　child；　without　a
shilling　to　bless　himself　with；　and　the　poor　girl　refusing　to　marry　the　man
of　her　heart；　because　she　is　penniless。〃

〃So　much　for　education。　We　become　mercenary　or　self…denying；　very
much　as　we　are　instructed。　In　this　country；　it　must　be　confessed；
fortune…hunting　has　made　giant　strides；　within　the　last　few　years；　and
that；　too；　with　an　audacity　of　pretension　that　is　unrestrained　by　any　of
the　social　barriers　which　exist　elsewhere。〃

〃Adrienne　will　marry　Mr。　Shoreham；　I　think。　She　loves；　and　when　a　girl
loves；　her　scruples　of　this　nature　are　not　invincible。〃

〃Ay；　HE　can　lay　down　dollar　for　dollarI　wish　his　fancy　had　run　toward
Julia。〃

〃It　has　not；　and　we　can　only　regret　it。　Adrienne　has　half…consented；　and
I　shall　give　her　a　handsome　weddingfor；　married　she　must　be　in　our
house。〃

All　came　to　pass　as　was　predicted。　One　month　from　that　day；　Betts
Shoreham　and　Adrienne　de　la　Rocheaimard　became　man　and　wife。
Mrs。　Monson　gave　a　handsome　entertainment；　and　a　day　or　two　later；
the　bridegroom　and　bride　took　possession　of　their　proper　home。　Of
course　I　removed　with　the　rest　of　the　family；　and；　by　these　means；　had
an　opportunity　of　becoming　a　near　spectator　of　a　honey…moon。　I　ought；
however；　to　say；　that　Betts　insisted　on　Julia's　receiving　125　for　me；
accepting　from　Julia　a　handsome　wedding　present　of　equal　value；　but　in
another　form。　This　was　done　simply　that　Adrienne　might　say　when　I　was
exhibited；　that　she　had　worked　me　herself；　and　that　the　lace　with　which
I　was　embellished　was　an　heir…loom。　If　there　are　various　ways　of
quieting　one's　conscience；　in　the　way　of　marriage　settlements；　so　are
there　various　modes　of　appeasing　our　sense　of　pride。

Pocket…handkerchiefs　have　their　revolutions；　as　well　as　states。　I　was
now　under　my　first　restoration；　and　perfectly　happy；　but；　being　French；
I　look　forward　to　further　changes；　since　the　temperament　that　has　twice
ejected　the　Bourbons　from　their　thrones　will　scarce　leave　me　in　quiet
possession　of　mine　forever。

｛first　restoration　=　the　Bourbon　dynasty　was　restored　to　the　French
throne　in　1815；　after　the　fall　of　Napoleon；　only　to　be　deposed　again　in
1830｝

Adrienne　loves　Betts　more　than　any　thing　else。　Still　she　loves　me　dearly。
Scarce　a　week　passes　that　I　am　not　in　her　hands；　and　it　is　when　her
present　happiness　seems　to　be　overflowing；　that　she　is　most　fond　of
recalling　the　painful　hours　she　experienced　in　making　me　what　I　am。
Then　her　tears　flow　freely；　and　often　I　am　held　in　her　soft　little　hand；
while　she　prays　for　the　soul　of　her　grandmother；　or　offers　up　praises　for
her　own　existing　blessings。　I　am　no　longer　thought　of　for　balls　and　routs；
but　appear　to　be　doomed　to　the　closet；　and　those　moments　of　tender
confidence　that　so　often　occur　between　these　lovers。　I　complain　not。　So
far　from　it；　never　was　an　〃article〃　of　my　character　more　highly　favored；
passing　an　existence；　as　it　might　be；　in　the　very　bosom　of　truth　and
innocence。　Once　only　have　I　seen　an　old　acquaintance；　in　the　person　of
Clara　Caverly；　since　my　change　of　mistressthe　idea　of　calling　a　de　la
Rocheaimard；　a　boss；　or　bossess；　is　out　of　the　question。　Clara　is　a
distant　relative　of　Betts；　and　soon　became　intimate　with　her　new　cousin。
One　day　she　saw　me　lying　on　a　table；　and；　after　an　examination；　she
exclaimed

〃Two　things　surprise　me　greatly　here；　Mrs。　Shorehamthat　YOU
should　own　one　of　these　THINGS〃I　confess　I　did　not　like　the　word
〃and　that　you　should　own　this　particular　handkerchief。〃

〃Why　so；　chere　Clara？〃how　prettily　my　mistress　pronounces　that
name；　so　different　from　Clarry！

〃It　is　not　like　YOU　to　purchase　so　extravagant　and　useless　a　THING
and　then　this　looks　like　a　handkerchief　that　once　belonged　to　another
persona　poor　girl　who　has　lost　her　means　of　extravagance　by　the
change　of　the　times。　But；　of　course；　it　is　only　a　resemblance；　as　YOU〃

〃It　is　more；　Clarathe　handkerchief　is　the　same。　But　that　handkerchief
is　not　an　article　of　dress　with　me；　it　is　MY　FRIEND！〃

The　reader　may　imagine　how　proud　I　felt！　This　was　elevation　for　the
species；　and　gave　a　dignity　to　my　position；　with　which　I　am　infinitely
satisfied。　Nevertheless；　Miss　Caverly　manifested　surprise。

〃I　will　explain；〃　continued　Mrs。　Shoreham。　〃The　handkerchief　is　my　own
work；　and　is　very　precious　to　me；　on　account　des　souvenirs。〃

｛des　souvenirs　=　of　memories｝

Adrienne　then　told　the　whole　story；　and　I　may　say　Clara　Caverly
became　my　friend　also。　Yes；　she；　who　had　formerly　regarded　me　with
indifference；　or　dislike；　now　kissed　me；　and　wept　over　me；　and　in　this
manner　have　I　since　passed　from　friend　to　friend；　among　all　of
Adrienne's　intimates。

Not　so　with　the　world；　however。　My　sudden　disappearance　from　it
excited　quite　as　much　sensation　as　my　debut　in　it。　Tom　Thurston's
addresses　to　Miss　Monson　had　excited　the　envy；　and；　of　course；　the
attention　of　all　the　other　fortune…hunters　in　town；　causing　his　sudden
retreat　to　be　noticed。　Persons　of　this　class　are　celebrated　for　covering
their　retreats　skilfully。　Tom　declared　that　〃the　old　chap　broke　down
when　they　got　as　far　as　the　fortunethat；　as　he　liked　the　girl；　he　would
have　taken　her　with　75；000；　but　the　highest　offer　he　could　get　from
him　was　30；000。　This；　of　course；　no　gentleman　could　submit　to。　A　girl
with　such　a　pocket…handkerchief　OUGHT　to　bring　a　clear　100；000；
and　I　was　for　none　of　your　half…way　doings。　Old　Monson　is　a　humbug。
The　handkerchief　has　disappeared；　and；　now　they　have　taken　down　the
SIGN；　I　hope　they　will　do　business　on　a　more　reasonable　scale。〃

A　month　later；　Tom　got　married。　I　heard　John　Monson　laughing　over
the　particulars　one　day　in　Betts　Shoreham's　library；　where　I　am　usually
kept；　to　my　great　delight；　being　exceedingly　fond　of　books。　The　facts
were　as　follows。　It　seems　Tom　had　cast　an　eye　on　the　daughter　of　a
grocer　of　reputed　wealth；　who　had　attracted　the　attention　of　another
person　of　his　own　school。　To　get　rid　of　a　competitor；　this　person
pointed　out　to　Tom　a　girl；　whose　father　had　been　a　butcher；　but　had　just
retired　from　business；　and　was　building　himself　a　fine　house　somewhere
in　Butcherland。

〃That's　your　girl；〃　said　the　treacherous　adviser。　〃All　butchers　are　rich；
and　they　never　build　until　their　pockets　are　so　crammed　as　to　force
them　to　it。　They　coin　money；　and　spend　nothing。　Look　how　high　beef
has　been　of　late　years；　and　then　they　live　on　the　smell　of　their　own
meats。　This　is　your　girl。　Only　court　the　old　fellow；　and　you　are　sure　of
half　a　million　in　the　lon