the pension beaurepas-第6部分

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young　lady　than　she　sometimes　appears。　　I　have　taken　great　pains　with
her；　she　is　reallyI　may　be　permitted　to　say　itsuperbly　educated。〃

〃She　seemed　to　me　a　very　charming　girl；〃　I　rejoined。　　〃And　I　learned
that　she　speaks　four　languages。〃

〃It　is　not　only　that；〃　said　Mrs。　Church；　in　a　tone　which　suggested
that　this　might　be　a　very　superficial　species　of　culture。　　〃She　has
made　what　we　call　de　fortes　etudessuch　as　I　suppose　you　are　making
now。　　She　is　familiar　with　the　results　of　modern　science；　she　keeps
pace　with　the　new　historical　school。〃

〃Ah；〃　said　I；　〃she　has　gone　much　farther　than　I！〃

〃You　doubtless　think　I　exaggerate；　and　you　force　me；　therefore；　to
mention　the　fact　that　I　am　able　to　speak　of　such　matters　with　a
certain　intelligence。〃

〃That　is　very　evident；〃　I　said。　　〃But　your　daughter　thinks　you　ought
to　take　her　home。〃　　I　began　to　fear；　as　soon　as　I　had　uttered　these
words；　that　they　savoured　of　treachery　to　the　young　lady；　but　I　was
reassured　by　seeing　that　they　produced　on　her　mother's　placid
countenance　no　symptom　whatever　of　irritation。

〃My　daughter　has　her　little　theories；〃　Mrs。　Church　observed；　〃she
has；　I　may　say；　her　illusions。　　And　what　wonder！　What　would　youth　be
without　its　illusions？　　Aurora　has　a　theory　that　she　would　be　happier
in　New　York；　in　Boston；　in　Philadelphia；　than　in　one　of　the　charming
old　cities　in　which　our　lot　is　cast。　　But　she　is　mistaken；　that　is

all。　　We　must　allow　our　children　their　illusions；　must　we　not？　　But
we　must　watch　over　them。〃

Although　she　herself　seemed　proof　against　discomposure；　I　found
something　vaguely　irritating　in　her　soft；　sweet　positiveness。

〃American　cities；〃　I　said；　〃are　the　paradise　of　young　girls。〃

〃Do　you　mean；〃　asked　Mrs。　Church；　〃that　the　young　girls　who　come　from
those　places　are　angels？〃

〃Yes；〃　I　said；　resolutely。

〃This　young　ladywhat　is　her　odd　name？with　whom　my　daughter　has
formed　a　somewhat　precipitate　acquaintance：　　is　Miss　Ruck　an　angel？
But　I　won't　force　you　to　say　anything　uncivil。　　It　would　be　too　cruel
to　make　a　single　exception。〃

〃Well；〃　said　I；　〃at　any　rate；　in　America　young　girls　have　an　easier
lot。　　They　have　much　more　liberty。〃

My　companion　laid　her　hand　for　an　instant　on　my　arm。　　〃My　dear　young
friend；　I　know　America；　I　know　the　conditions　of　life　there；　so　well。
There　is　perhaps　no　subject　on　which　I　have　reflected　more　than　on
our　national　idiosyncrasies。〃

〃I　am　afraid　you　don't　approve　of　them；〃　said　I；　a　little　brutally。

Brutal　indeed　my　proposition　was；　and　Mrs。　Church　was　not　prepared　to
assent　to　it　in　this　rough　shape。　　She　dropped　her　eyes　on　her　book；
with　an　air　of　acute　meditation。　　Then；　raising　them；　〃We　are　very
crude；〃　she　softly　observed〃we　are　very　crude。〃　　Lest　even　this
delicately…uttered　statement　should　seem　to　savour　of　the　vice　that
she　deprecated；　she　went　on　to　explain。　　〃There　are　two　classes　of
minds；　you　knowthose　that　hold　back；　and　those　that　push　forward。
My　daughter　and　I　are　not　pushers；　we　move　with　little　steps。　　We
like　the　old；　trodden　paths；　we　like　the　old；　old　world。〃

〃Ah；〃　said　I；　〃you　know　what　you　like；　there　is　a　great　virtue　in
that。〃

〃Yes；　we　like　Europe；　we　prefer　it。　　We　like　the　opportunities　of
Europe；　we　like　the　REST。　　There　is　so　much　in　that；　you　know。　　The
world　seems　to　me　to　be　hurrying；　pressing　forward　so　fiercely；
without　knowing　where　it　is　going。　　'Whither？'　I　often　ask；　in　my
little　quiet　way。　　But　I　have　yet　to　learn　that　any　one　can　tell　me。〃

〃You're　a　great　conservative；〃　I　observed；　while　I　wondered　whether　I
myself　could　answer　this　inquiry。

Mrs。　Church　gave　me　a　smile　which　was　equivalent　to　a　confession。　　〃I
wish　to　retain　a　LITTLEjust　a　little。　　Surely；　we　have　done　so
much；　we　might　rest　a　while；　we　might　pause。　　That　is　all　my　feeling…
…just　to　stop　a　little；　to　wait！　I　have　seen　so　many　changes。　　I　wish
to　draw　in；　to　draw　into　hold　back；　to　hold　back。〃

〃You　shouldn't　hold　your　daughter　back！〃　I　answered；　laughing　and
getting　up。　　I　got　up；　not　by　way　of　terminating　our　interview；　for　I
perceived　Mrs。　Church's　exposition　of　her　views　to　be　by　no　means
complete；　but　in　order　to　offer　a　chair　to　Miss　Aurora；　who　at　this
moment　drew　near。　　She　thanked　me　and　remained　standing；　but　without
at　first；　as　I　noticed；　meeting　her　mother's　eye。

〃You　have　been　engaged　with　your　new　acquaintance；　my　dear？〃　this
lady　inquired。

〃Yes；　mamma；　dear；〃　said　the　young　girl；　gently。

〃Do　you　find　her　very　edifying？〃

Aurora　was　silent　a　moment；　then　she　looked　at　her　mother。　　〃I　don't
know；　mamma；　she　is　very　fresh。〃

I　ventured　to　indulge　in　a　respectful　laugh。　　〃Your　mother　has
another　word　for　that。　　But　I　must　not；〃　I　added；　〃be　crude。〃

〃Ah；　vous　m'en　voulez？〃　inquired　Mrs。　Church。　　〃And　yet　I　can't
pretend　I　said　it　in　jest。　　I　feel　it　too　much。　　We　have　been　having
a　little　social　discussion；〃　she　said　to　her　daughter。　　〃There　is
still　so　much　to　be　said。〃　　〃And　I　wish；〃　she　continued；　turning　to
me；　〃that　I　could　give　you　our　point　of　view。　　Don't　you　wish；
Aurora；　that　we　could　give　him　our　point　of　view？〃

〃Yes；　mamma；〃　said　Aurora。

〃We　consider　ourselves　very　fortunate　in　our　point　of　view；　don't　we；
dearest？〃　mamma　demanded。

〃Very　fortunate；　indeed；　mamma。〃

〃You　see　we　have　acquired　an　insight　into　European　life；〃　the　elder
lady　pursued。　　〃We　have　our　place　at　many　a　European　fireside。　　We
find　so　much　to　esteemso　much　to　enjoy。　　Do　we　not；　my　daughter？〃

〃So　very　much；　mamma；〃　the　young　girl　went　on；　with　a　sort　of
inscrutable　submissiveness。　　I　wondered　at　it；　it　offered　so　strange
a　contrast　to　the　mocking　freedom　of　her　tone　the　night　before；　but
while　I　wondered　I　was　careful　not　to　let　my　perplexity　take
precedence　of　my　good　manners。

〃I　don't　know　what　you　ladies　may　have　found　at　European　firesides；〃
I　said；　〃but　there　can　be　very　little　doubt　what　you　have　left
there。〃

Mrs。　Church　got　up；　to　acknowledge　my　compliment。　　〃We　have　spent
some　charming　hours。　　And　that　reminds　me　that　we　have　just　now　such
an　occasion　in　prospect。　　We　are　to　call　upon　some　Genevese　friends
the　family　of　the　Pasteur　Galopin。　　They　are　to　go　with　us　to　the　old
library　at　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　where　there　are　some　very　interesting
documents　of　the　period　of　the　Reformation；　we　are　promised　a　glimpse
of　some　manuscripts　of　poor　Servetus；　the　antagonist　and　victim；　you
know；　of　Calvin。　　Here；　of　course；　one　can　only　speak　of　Calvin　under
one's　breath；　but　some　day；　when　we　are　more　private；〃　and　Mrs。
Church　looked　round　the　room；　〃I　will　give　you　my　view　of　him。　　I
think　it　has　a　touch　of　originality。　　Aurora　is　familiar　with；　are
you　not；　my　daughter；　familiar　with　my　view　of　Calvin？〃

〃Yes；　mamma；〃　said　Aurora；　with　docility；　while　the　two　ladies　went
to　prepare　for　their　visit　to　the　Pasteur　Galopin。



CHAPTER　VI。



〃She　has　demanded　a　new　lamp；　I　told　you　she　would！〃　　This
communication　was　made　me　by　Madame　Beaurepas　a　couple　of　days　later。
〃And　she　has　asked　for　a　new　tapis　de　lit；　and　she　has　requested　me
to　provide　Celestine　with　a　pair　of　light　shoes。　　I　told　her　that；　as
a　general　thing；　cooks　are　not　shod　with　satin。　　That　poor
Celestine！〃

〃Mrs。　Church　may　be　exacting；〃　I　said；　〃but　she　is　a　clever　little
woman。〃

〃A　lady　who　pays　but　five　francs　and　a　half　shouldn't　be　too　clever。
C'est　deplace。　　I　don't　like　the　type。〃

〃What　type　do　you　call　Mrs。　Church's？〃

〃Mon　Dieu；〃　said　Madame　Beaurepas；　〃c'est　une　de　ces　mamans　comme
vous　en　avez；　qui　promenent　leur　fille。〃

〃She　is　trying　to　marry　her　daughter？　　I　don't　think　she's　of　that
sort。〃

But　Madame　Beaurepas　shrewdly　held　to　her　idea。　　〃She　is　trying　it　in
her　own　way；　she　does　it　very　quietly。　　She　doesn't　want　an　American；
she　wants　a　foreigner。　　And　she　wants　a　mari　serieux。　　But　she　is
travelling　over　Europe　in　search　of　one。　　She　would　like　a
magistrate。〃

〃A　magistrate？〃

〃A　gros　bonnet　of　some　kind；　a　professor　or　a　deputy。〃

〃I　am　very　sorry　for　the　poor　girl；〃　I　said；　laughing。

〃You　needn't　pity　her　too　much；　she's　a　sly　thing。〃

〃Ah；　for　that；　no！〃　I　exclaimed。　　〃She's　a　charming　girl。〃

Madame　Beaurepas　gave　an　elderly　grin。　　〃She　has　hooked　you；　eh？　　But
the　mother　won't　have　you。〃

I　developed　my　idea；　without　heeding　this　insinuation。　　〃She's　a
charming　girl；　but　she　is　a　little　odd。　　It's　a　necessity　of　her
position。　　She　is　less　submissive　to　her　mother　than　she　has　to
pretend　to　be。　　That's　in　self…defence；　it's　to　make　her　life
possible。〃

〃She　wishes　to　get　away　from　her　mother；〃　continued　Madame　Beaurepas。
〃She　wishes　to　courir　les　champs。〃

〃She　wishes　to　go　to　America；　her　native　country。〃

〃Precisely。　　And　she　will　certainly　go。〃

〃I　hope　so！〃　I　rejoined。

〃Some　fine　morningor　eveningshe　will　go　off　with　a　young　man；
probably　with　a　young　American。〃

〃Allons　donc！〃　said　I；　with　disgust。

〃That　will　be　quite　America　enough；〃　pursued　my　cynical　hostess。　　〃I
have　kept　a　boarding…house　for　forty　years。　　I　have　seen　that　type。〃

〃Have　such　things　as　that　happened　chez　vous？〃　I　asked。

〃Everything　has　happened　chez　moi。　　But　nothing　has　happened　more
than　once。　　Therefore　this　won't　happen　here。　　It　will　be　at　the　next
place　they　go　to；　or　the　next。　　Besides；　here　there　is　no　young
American　pour　la　partienone　except　you；　Monsieur。　　You　are
susceptible；　but　you　are　too　reasonable。〃

〃It's　lucky　for　you　I　am　reasonable；〃　I　answered。　　〃It's　thanks　to
that　fact　that　you　escape　a　scolding！〃

One　morning；　about　this　time；　instead　of　coming　back　to　breakfast　at
the　pension；　after　my　lectures　at　the　Academy；　I　went　to　partake　of
this　meal　with　a　fellow…student；　at　an　ancient　eating…house　in　the
collegiate　quarter。　　On　separating　from　my　friend；　I　took　my　way
along　that　charming　public　walk　known　in　Geneva　as　the　Treille；　a
shady　terrace；　of　immense　elevation；　overhanging　a　portion　of　the
lower　town。　　There　are　spreading　trees　and　well…worn　benches；　and
over　the　tiles　and　chimneys　of　the　ville　basse　there　is　a　view　of　the
snow…crested　Alps。　　On　the　other　side；　as　you　turn　your　back　to　the
view；　the　promenade　is　overlooked　by　a　row　of　tall；　sober…faced
hotels；　the　dwellings　of　the