the professor at the breakfast table-第18部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
christened Lord Pitt；and called for convenience； as above。 I have
heard a charming little girl； belonging to an intelligent family in
the country； called Anges invariably； doubtless intended for Agnes。
Names are cheap。 How can a man name an innocent new…born child； that
never did him any harm； Hiram？The poor relation； or whatever she
is； in bombazine； turned toward me； but I was stupid； and went on。
To think of a man going through life saddled with such an abominable
name as that！ The poor relation grew very uneasy。 I continued；
for I never thought of all this till afterwards。 I knew one young
fellow； a good many years ago； by the name of Hiram What's got
into you； Cousin；said our landlady；to look so？There！ you 've
upset your teacup！
It suddenly occurred to me what I had been doing； and I saw the poor
woman had her hand at her throat； she was half…choking with the
〃hysteric ball；〃a very odd symptom； as you know； which nervous
women often complain of。 What business had I to be trying
experiments on this forlorn old soul？ I had a great deal better be
watching that young girl。
Ah； the young girl！ I am sure that she can hide nothing from me。
Her skin is so transparent that one can almost count her heart…beats
by the flushes they send into her cheeks。 She does not seem to be
shy； either。 I think she does not know enough of danger to be timid。
She seems to me like one of those birds that travellers tell of；
found in remote； uninhabited islands； who； having never received any
wrong at the hand of man； show no alarm at and hardly any particular
consciousness of his presence。
The first thing will be to see how she and our little deformed
gentleman get along together； for； as I have told you； they sit side
by side。 The next thing will be to keep an eye on the duenna；the
〃Model〃 and so forth； as the white…neck…cloth called her。 The
intention of that estimable lady is； I understand； to launch her and
leave her。 I suppose there is no help for it； and I don't doubt this
young lady knows how to take care of herself； but I do not like to
see young girls turned loose in boarding…houses。 Look here now！
There is that jewel of his race； whom I have called for convenience
the Koh…i…noor； （you understand it is quite out of the question for
me to use the family names of our boarders； unless I want to get into
trouble；）I say； the gentleman with the diamond is looking very
often and very intently； it seems to me； down toward the farther
corner of the table； where sits our amber…eyed blonde。 The
landlady's daughter does not look pleased； it seems to me； at this；
nor at those other attentions which the gentleman referred to has； as
I have learned； pressed upon the newly…arrived young person。 The
landlady made a communication to me； within a few days after the
arrival of Miss Iris； which I will repeat to the best of my
remembrance。
He； （the person I have been speaking of；）she said；seemed to be
kinder hankerin' round after that young woman。 It had hurt her
daughter's feelin's a good deal； that the gentleman she was a…keepin'
company with should be offerin' tickets and tryin' to send presents
to them that he'd never know'd till jest a little spell ago；and he
as good as merried； so fur as solemn promises went； to as respectable
a young lady； if she did say so； as any there was round； whosomever
they might be。
Tickets！ presents！said I。 What tickets； what presents has he had
the impertinence to be offering to that young lady？
Tickets to the Museum；said the landlady。 There is them that's glad
enough to go to the Museum； when tickets is given 'em； but some of
'em ha'n't had a ticket sence Cenderilla was played；and now he must
be offerin' 'em to this ridiculous young paintress； or whatever she
is； that's come to make more mischief than her board's worth。 But it
a'n't her fault；said the landlady； relenting；and that aunt of
hers； or whatever she is； served him right enough。
Why； what did she do？
Do？ Why； she took it up in the tongs and dropped it out o' winder。
Dropped？ dropped what？I said。
Why； the soap；said the landlady。
It appeared that the Koh…i…noor； to ingratiate himself； had sent an
elegant package of perfumed soap； directed to Miss Iris； as a
delicate expression of a lively sentiment of admiration； and that；
after having met with the unfortunate treatment referred to； it was
picked up by Master Benjamin Franklin； who appropriated it；
rejoicing； and indulged in most unheard…of and inordinate ablutions
in consequence； so that his hands were a frequent subject of maternal
congratulation； and he smelt like a civet…cat for weeks after his
great acquisition。
After watching daily for a time； I think I can see clearly into the
relation which is growing up between the little gentleman and the
young lady。 She shows a tenderness to him that I can't help being
interested in。 If he was her crippled child； instead of being more
than old enough to be her father； she could not treat him more
kindly。 The landlady's daughter said； the other day； she believed
that girl was settin' her cap for the Little Gentleman。
Some of them young folks is very artful；said her mother；and there
is them that would merry Lazarus； if he'd only picked up crumbs
enough。 I don't think； though； this is one of that sort； she's
kinder childlike；said the landlady；and maybe never had any dolls
to play with； for they say her folks was poor before Ma'am undertook
to see to her teachin' and board her and clothe her。
I could not help overhearing this conversation。 〃Board her and
clothe her！〃speaking of such a young creature！ Oh； dear！Yes；
she must be fed；just like Bridget； maid…of…all…work at this
establishment。 Somebody must pay for it。 Somebody has a right to
watch her and see how much it takes to 〃keep〃 her； and growl at her；
if she has too good an appetite。 Somebody has a right to keep an eye
on her and take care that she does not dress too prettily。 No mother
to see her own youth over again in these fresh features and rising
reliefs of half…sculptured womanhood； and； seeing its loveliness；
forget her lessons of neutral…tinted propriety； and open the cases
that hold her own ornaments to find for her a necklace or a bracelet
or a pair of ear…rings；those golden lamps that light up the deep；
shadowy dimples on the cheeks of young beauties；swinging in a semi…
barbaric splendor that carries the wild fancy to Abyssinian queens
and musky Odalisques！ I don't believe any woman has utterly given up
the great firm of Mundus & Co。； so long as she wears ear…rings。
I think Iris loves to hear the Little Gentleman talk。 She smiles
sometimes at his vehement statements； but never laughs at him。 When
he speaks to her； she keeps her eye always steadily upon him。 This
may be only natural good…breeding； so to speak； but it is worth
noticing。 I have often observed that vulgar persons； and public
audiences of inferior collective intelligence； have this in common：
the least thing draws off their minds； when you are speaking to them。
I love this young creature's rapt attention to her diminutive
neighbor while he is speaking。
He is evidently pleased with it。 For a day or two after she came； he
was silent and seemed nervous and excited。 Now he is fond of getting
the talk into his own hands； and is obviously conscious that he has
at least one interested listener。 Once or twice I have seen marks of
special attention to personal adornment； a ruffled shirt…bosom； one
day； and a diamond pin in it；not so very large as the Koh…i…noor's；
but more lustrous。 I mentioned the death's…head ring he wears on his
right hand。 I was attracted by a very handsome red stone； a ruby or
carbuncle or something of the sort； to notice his left hand； the
other day。 It is a handsome hand； and confirms my suspicion that the
cast mentioned was taken from his arm。 After all； this is just what
I should expect。 It is not very uncommon to see the upper limbs； or
one of them； running away with the whole strength； and； therefore；
with the whole beauty； which we should never have noticed； if it had
been divided equally between all four extremities。 If it is so； of
course he is proud of his one strong and beautiful arm； that is human
nature。 I am afraid he can hardly help betraying his favoritism； as
people who have any one showy point are apt to do；especially
dentists with handsome teeth； who always smile back to their last
molars。
Sitting； as he does； next to the young girl； and next but one to the
calm lady who has her in charge； he cannot help seeing their
relations to each other。
That is an admirable woman； Sir；he said to me one day； as we sat
alone at the table after breakfast；an admirable woman； Sir；and I
hate her。
Of course； I begged an explanation。
An admirable woman； Sir； because she does good things； and even kind
things；takes care of thisthisyoung ladywe have here； talks
like a sensible person； and always looks as if she was doing her duty
with all her might。 I hate her because her voice sounds as if it
never trembled and her eyes look as if she never knew what it was to
cry。 Besides； she looks at me； Sir； stares at me； as if she wanted
to get an image of me for some gallery in her brain；and we don't
love to be looked at in this way； we that haveI hate her；I hate
her；her eyes kill me；it is like being stabbed with icicles to be
looked at so；the sooner she goes home； the better。 I don't want a
woman to weigh me in a balance； there are men enough for that sort of
work。 The judicial character is n't captivating in females； Sir。 A
woman fascinates a man quite as often by what she overlooks as by
what she sees。 Love prefers twilight to daylight； and a man doesn't
think much of； nor care much for； a woman outside of his household；
unless he can couple the idea of love； past； present； or
