I never could quite understand Mrs. Portheris's increasingly good opinion of us at this point. The Senator declared that it was because some American shares of hers had gone up in the market, but that struck momma and me as somewhat too general in its application. I preferred to attribute it to the Senator's Tariff3 Bill. Mr. Mafferton brought us the Times one evening in Verona, and pointed4 out with solemn congratulation that the name of J.P. Wick was mentioned four times in the course of its leading article. That journal even said in effect that, if it were not for the faithfully sustained anti-humorous character which had established it for so many generations in the approbation5 of the British public, it would go so far as to call the contemplated6 measure "Wicked legislation." Mr. Mafferton could not understand why poppa had no desire to cut out the article. He said there was something so interesting about seeing one's name in print—he always did it. I was very curious to see instances of Mr. Mafferton's name in print, and finally induced him to show them to me. They were mainly advertisements for lost dogs—"Apply to the Hon. Charles Mafferton," and the reward was very considerable.
But this has nothing to do with the way the plot thickened on the Lake of Como. I was watching Bellagio slip past among the trees on the left shore and wondering whether we could hear the nightingales if it were not for the steamer's engines—which was particularly unlikely as it was the middle of the afternoon—and thinking about the trifles that would sometimes divide lives plainly intended to mingle8. Mere9 enunciation10, for example, was a thing one could so soon become reaccustomed to; already momma had ceased to congratulate me on my broad a's, and I could not help the inference that my conversation was again unobtrusively Chicagoan. It was frustrating11, too, that I had no way of finding out how much poppa knew, and extremely irritating to think that he knew anything. He was sitting near me as I mused12, immersed in the American mail, while momma and his Aunt Caroline insensibly glided13 towards intimacy14 again on two wicker chairs close by. Mr. Mafferton was counting the luggage somewhere; he was never happy on a steamer until he had done that; and Isabel was being fervently15 apologised to by Dicky on the other side of the deck. I hoped she was taking it in the proper spirit. I had the terms all ready in which I should accept an apology, if it were ever offered to me.
Fervent16 apologies.
Fervent apologies.
"Now, I must not put off any longer telling you how delighted I am at your dear Mamie's re-engagement."
The statement reached us all, though it was intended for momma only. Even Mrs. Portheris's more amiable17 accents had a quality which penetrated18 far, with a suggestion of whiskers. I looked again languidly at Bellagio, but not until I had observed a rapid glance between my parents, recommending each other not to be taken by surprise.
"Has she confided19 in you?" inquired momma.
"No—no. I heard it in a roundabout way. You must be very pleased, dear Augusta. Such an advantage that they have known each other all their lives!"
Poppa looked guardedly round at me, but by this time I was asleep in my camp chair, the air was so balmily cool after our hot rattle20 to Como.
"How did you hear?" he demanded, coming straight to the point, while momma struggled after tentative uncertainties21.
"Oh, a little bird, a little bird—who had it from them both! And much better, I said when I heard it, that she should marry one of her own country-people. American girls nowadays will so often be content with nothing less than an Englishman!"
"So far as that goes," said the Senator crisply, "we never buy anything we haven't a use for, simply because it's cheap. But I don't mind telling you that my daughter's re-engagement, on the old American lines, is a thing I've been wanting to happen for some time."
"And there are some really excellent points about Mr. Dod. We must remember that he is still very young. He has plenty of time to repair his fortunes. Of one thing we may be sure," continued Mrs. Portheris magnanimously, "he will make her a very kind husband."
At this I opened my eyes inadvertently—nobody could help it—and saw the barometrical22 change in poppa's countenance23. It went down twenty degrees with a run, and wore all the disgust of an hon. gentleman who has jumped to conclusions and found nothing to stand on.
"Oh, you're away off there, Aunt Caroline," he said with some annoyance24. "Better sell your little bird and buy a telephone. Richard Dod is no more engaged to our daughter than the man in the moon."
"Well, I should say not!" exclaimed momma.
"I have it on the best authority," insisted Mrs. Portheris blandly25. "You American parents are so seldom consulted in these matters. Perhaps the young people have not told you."
This was a nasty one for both the family and the Republic, and I heard the Senator's rejoinder with satisfaction.
"We don't consider, in the United States, that we're the natural bullies26 of our children because we happen to be a little older than they are," he said, "but for all that we're not in the habit of hearing much news about them from outsiders. I'll have to get you to promise not to go spreading such nonsense around, Aunt Caroline."
"Oh, of course, if you say so, but I should be better satisfied if she denied it herself," said Mrs. Portheris with suavity27. "My information was so very exact."
I had slumbered28 again, but it did not avail me. I heard the American mail dispersing29 itself about the deck in all directions as the Senator rose, strode towards my chair, and shook me much more vigorously than there was any necessity for.
"Here's Aunt Caroline," he said, "wanting us to believe that you and Dicky Dod are engaged—you two that have quarrelled as naturally as brother and sister ever since you were born. I guess you can tell her whether it's very likely!"
I yawned, to gain time, but the widest yawn will not cover more than two seconds.
"What an extraordinary question!" I said. It sounds weak, but that was the way one felt.
"Don't prevaricate30, Mamie, love," said Mrs. Portheris sternly.
"I'm not—I don't. But n-nothing of the kind is announced, is it?" I was growing nervous under the Senatorial eye.
"Nothing of the kind exists," said poppa, the Doge all over, except his umbrella. "Does it?"
"Why no," I said. "Dicky and I aren't engaged. But we have an understanding."
I was extremely sorry. Mrs. Portheris was so triumphant31, and poppa allowed his irritation32 to get so much the better of him.
"Oh," he said, "you've got an understanding! Well, you've been too intelligent, darned if you haven't!" The Senator pulled his beard in his most uncompromising manner. "Now you can understand something more. I'm not going to have it. You haven't got my consent and you're not going to get it."
"But, my dear nephew, the match is so suitable in every respect! Surely you would not stand in the way of a daughter's happiness when both character and position—position in Chicago, of course, but still—are assured!"
Poppa paused, uncertain for an instant whether to turn his wrath33 upon his aunt, and that, of course, was my opportunity to plead with my angry parent. But the knowledge that the hopes which poppa was reducing to dust and ashes were fervently fixed34 on a floral hat and a yellow bun over which he had no control, on the other side of the ship, overcame me, and I looked at Bellagio to hide my emotions instead, in a way which they might interpret as obstinate35, if they liked.
"Aunt Caroline," said the Senator firmly, "I'll thank you to keep your spoon out of the preserves. My daughter knows where I have given her hand, and that's the direction she's going with her feet. Mary, I may as well inform you that the details of your wedding are being arranged in Chicago this minute. It will take place within three weeks of our arrival, and it won't be any slump36. But Richard Dod might as well be told right now that he won't be in it, unless in the capacity of usher37. As I don't contemplate7 breaking up this party and making things disagreeable all round, you'll have to tell him yourself. We sail from Liverpool"—poppa looked at his watch—"precisely one week and four hours from now, and if Mr. Dod has not agreed to the conditions I mention by that time we will leave him upon the shore. That's all I have to say, and between now and then I don't expect you or anybody else to have the nerve to mention the matter to me again."
After that it was impossible to wink38 at poppa, or in any way to give him the assurance that my regard for him was unimpaired. There are things that can't be passed over with a smile in one's poppa without doing him harm, and this was one of them. It was a regular manifesto39, and I felt exactly like Lord Salisbury. I couldn't take him seriously, and yet I had to tell him to come on, if he wanted to, and devote his spare time to learning the language of diplomacy40. So I merely bowed with what magnificence I could command and filed it, so to speak; and walked to the other side of the deck, leaving poppa to his conscience and momma and his Aunt Caroline. I left him with confidence, not knowing which would give him the worst time. Mrs. Portheris began it, before I was out of earshot. "For an American parent," she said blandly, "it strikes me, Joshua, that you are a little severe."
I found Mr. Mafferton interfering41, as I expected, with Dicky and Isabel in their appreciation42 of the west shore. He was pointing out the Villa43 Carlotta at Caddenabbia, and explaining the beauties of the sculptures there and dwelling44 on the tone of blue in the immediate45 Alps and reminding them that the elder Pliny once picked wild flowers on these banks, and generally making himself the intelligent nuisance that nature intended him to be. In spite of it Isabel was radiant. She said a number of things with the greatest ease; one saw that language, after all, was not difficult to her, she only wanted practice and an untroubled mind. I looked at Dicky and saw that a weight had been removed from his, and it was impossible to avoid the conclusion that peace and satisfaction in this life would date for these two, if all went well for the next few days, from the Lake of Como. But all could not be relied upon to go well so long as Mr. Mafferton hovered46, quoting Claudian on the mulberry tree, upon the brink47 of a proposal, so I took him away to translate his quotation48 for me in the stern, which naturally suggested the past and its emotions. We could now refer quite sympathetically to the altogether irretrievable and gone by, and Mr. Mafferton was able to mention Lady Torquilan without any trace of his air that she was a person, poor dear, that brought embarrassment49 with her. Indeed, I sometimes thought he dragged her in. I asked him, in appropriate phrases, of course, whether he had decided50 to accept Mrs. Portheris's daughter, and he fixed mournful eyes upon me and said he thought he had, almost. The news of my engagement to Mr. Dod had apparently51 done much to bring him to a conclusion; he said it pointed so definitely to the unlikelihood of his ever being able to find a more stimulating52 companion than Miss Portheris, with all her charms, was likely to prove. It was difficult, of course, to see the connection, but I could not help confiding53 to Mr. Mafferton, as a secret, that there was hardly any chance of my union with Dicky—after what poppa had said. When I assured him that I had no intention whatever of disobeying my parent in a matter of which he was so much better qualified54 to be a judge than I, it was impossible not to see Mr. Mafferton's good opinion of me rising in his face. He said he could not help sympathising with the paternal55 view, but that was all he would say; he refrained magnificently from abusing Dicky. And we parted mutually more deeply convinced than ever of the undesirability56 of doing anything rash in the all important direction we had been discussing.
As we disembarked at Colico to take the train for Chiavenna, Mrs. Portheris, after seeing that Mr. Mafferton was collecting the portmanteaux, gave me a word of comfort and of admonition. "Take my advice, my child," she said, "and be faithful to poor dear Richard. Your father must, in the end, give way. I shall keep at him in your interests. When you left us this afternoon," continued the lady mysteriously, "he immediately took out his fountain pen and wrote a letter. It was directed—I saw that much—to a Mr. Arthur Page. Is he the creature who is to be forced upon you, my child?" Mrs. Portheris in the sentimental57 view was really affecting.
"I think it very likely," I said calmly, "but I have promised to be faithful to Richard, Mrs. Portheris, and I will."
But I really felt a little nervous.
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1
overflowing
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| n. 溢出物,溢流 adj. 充沛的，充满的 动词overflow的现在分词形式 | |
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2
delicacy
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| n.精致，细微，微妙，精良；美味，佳肴 | |
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3
tariff
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| n.关税，税率；(旅馆、饭店等)价目表，收费表 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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5
approbation
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| n.称赞；认可 | |
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6
contemplated
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| adj. 预期的 动词contemplate的过去分词形式 | |
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7
contemplate
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| vt.盘算，计议；周密考虑；注视，凝视 | |
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8
mingle
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| vt.使混合，使相混；vi.混合起来；相交往 | |
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9
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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10
enunciation
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| n.清晰的发音；表明，宣言；口齿 | |
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11
frustrating
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| adj.产生挫折的，使人沮丧的，令人泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的现在分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧 | |
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12
mused
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| v.沉思，冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 )；沉思自语说（某事） | |
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13
glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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14
intimacy
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| n.熟悉，亲密，密切关系，亲昵的言行 | |
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15
fervently
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| adv.热烈地，热情地，强烈地 | |
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fervent
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| adj.热的，热烈的，热情的 | |
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17
amiable
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| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 | |
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18
penetrated
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| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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19
confided
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| v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的过去式和过去分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
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20
rattle
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| v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓 | |
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21
uncertainties
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| 无把握( uncertainty的名词复数 )； 不确定； 变化不定； 无把握、不确定的事物 | |
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22
barometrical
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| 气压计的 | |
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23
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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24
annoyance
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| n.恼怒，生气，烦恼 | |
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25
blandly
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| adv.温和地，殷勤地 | |
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26
bullies
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| n.欺凌弱小者, 开球 vt.恐吓, 威胁, 欺负 | |
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27
suavity
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| n.温和；殷勤 | |
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28
slumbered
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| 微睡，睡眠（slumber的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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29
dispersing
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| adj. 分散的 动词disperse的现在分词形式 | |
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30
prevaricate
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| v.支吾其词；说谎；n.推诿的人；撒谎的人 | |
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31
triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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32
irritation
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| n.激怒，恼怒，生气 | |
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33
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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34
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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35
obstinate
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| adj.顽固的，倔强的，不易屈服的，较难治愈的 | |
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36
slump
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| n.暴跌，意气消沉，（土地）下沉；vi.猛然掉落，坍塌，大幅度下跌 | |
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37
usher
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| n.带位员，招待员；vt.引导，护送；vi.做招待，担任引座员 | |
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38
wink
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| n.眨眼，使眼色，瞬间；v.眨眼，使眼色，闪烁 | |
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39
manifesto
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| n.宣言，声明 | |
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40
diplomacy
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| n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕 | |
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41
interfering
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| adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词 | |
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42
appreciation
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| n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨 | |
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43
villa
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| n.别墅，城郊小屋 | |
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44
dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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45
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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46
hovered
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| 鸟( hover的过去式和过去分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
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47
brink
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| n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿 | |
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48
quotation
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| n.引文，引语，语录；报价，牌价，行情 | |
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49
embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
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50
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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51
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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52
stimulating
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| adj.有启发性的，能激发人思考的 | |
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53
confiding
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| adj.相信人的，易于相信的v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的现在分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
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54
qualified
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| adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的 | |
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55
paternal
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| adj.父亲的，像父亲的，父系的，父方的 | |
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56
undesirability
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| n.不受欢迎 | |
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57
sentimental
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| adj.多愁善感的，感伤的 | |
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