Mona greeted her cordially: “How do you do, Anna?” she said, for they had agreed to call the girls informally, by their Christian2 names. “I am glad to see you. Come with me into the boudoir, and lay off your coat.” Mona herself assisted, for she thought it better not to have her maid about.
“I’m well, thank you,” said Anna, in response 77 to Mona’s inquiry3, and then she broke out, impulsively4: “Oh, I’m so happy to be here! It was so heavenly kind of you young ladies to ask me. You don’t know what it means to me!”
“Why, I’m very glad,” said Mona, touched at the girl’s gratitude5. “Now, I hope you’ll just have the time of your life!”
“Oh, I shall, indeed! I know it. I’m enjoying every minute, just being in these lovely rooms, and seeing you kind ladies.”
Then Mona’s manicure girl came. Her name was Celeste Arleson, and she was a tall, slender young woman, garbed6 all in black. It was the gown she always wore at her work, and, being of French descent, she had an air of charm that made her attractive.
“Good-morning, Celeste; come right in,” said Mona, and then she introduced her to Anna.
The two looked at each other a little shyly, and then Anna said, “Good-morning,” in a timid way.
Mona felt embarrassed, too, and began to wonder if their party would be a failure, after all.
But Patty came in then and, with her ever-ready tact7, took the two visitors to the drawing-room, 78 and began to show them some pictures and curios.
Then Jenny Bisbee came, the girl from the ribbon counter, whom Clementine had invited.
“My, isn’t this fine!” she exclaimed, as she met the others. “I just do think it’s fine!”
“I’m glad we could arrange for you to come,” said Clementine, cordially.
“Glad! My gracious, I guess I’m glad! Well! if you measured ribbon from morning till night, I guess you’d be glad to get away from it for once. Why, I measure ribbon in my dreams, from night till morning. I can’t seem to get away from that everlasting8 stretching out of thirty-six inches, over and over again.”
“But the ribbons are so pretty,” said Clementine, by way of being agreeable.
“Yes; when they first come in. But after a few weeks you get so tired of the patterns. My, I feel as if I could throw that Dresden sash ribbon on the floor and stamp on it, I’m so tired of seeing it! And there’s one piece of gay brocade that hits me in the eye every morning. I can’t stand that piece much longer.”
“I’ll come round some day, and buy it,” said Patty, laughing good-naturedly. “I didn’t know the ribbons were so individual to you.” 79
“Yes, they are. There’s one piece of light blue satin ribbon, plain and wide, that I just love. It’s a real comfort to me.”
Jenny gave a little sigh, as she thought of her favourite ribbon, and Patty looked at her in wonderment, that she should be so sensitive to colour and texture9. But her taste in colours did not seem to extend to her clothes. Jenny was a pale little thing, with ashy blonde hair, and large, light blue eyes. She wore a nondescript tan-coloured dress, without tone or shape; and she had a weary, exhausted10 air, as if chronically11 tired.
Conversation was a little difficult. The four hostesses tried their best to be entertaining without being patronising, but it was not an easy task. At least, their advances were not easily received, and the guests seemed to be on the alert to resent anything that savoured of patronage12. But help came from an unexpected quarter. Just at one o’clock Mrs. Greene arrived.
“My land!” she exclaimed, as she entered the room, “if this isn’t grand! I wouldn’t of missed it for a farm! You see, I waited out on the corner, till it was just one o’clock. I know enough to get to a party just on the minute. 80 My bringin’ up was good, if I have fell off a little since. But my folks was always awful particular people,—wouldn’t even take their pie in their hands. My husband, now, he was different. He wasn’t a fool, nor he wasn’t much else. But I only had him a year, and then he up and got killed in a rolling mill. Nice man, John, but not very forth-putting. So I’ve shifted for myself ever since. Not that I’ve done so awful well. I’m slow, I am. I never was one o’ those to sew with a hot needle and a scorching13 thread, but I do my stent right along. But, my! how I do rattle14 on! You might think I don’t often go in good society. Well, I don’t! So I must make the most of this chance.”
Mrs. Greene’s chatter15 had been broken in upon by introductions and greetings, but that bothered her not at all. She nodded her head affably at the different ones, but kept right on talking.
So Mona was fairly obliged to interrupt her.
“Now, let us go out to luncheon16,” she said, after the maid had announced it twice.
“Glad to,” said Mrs. Greene. “Oh, my land! what a pretty sight!”
She stood stock still in the doorway17, and had 81 to be urged forward, in order that the others might follow.
“Well, I didn’t know a table could look so handsome!” she went on. “My land! I s’pose it’s been thirty years since I’ve went to a real party feast, and then, I can tell you, it wasn’t much like this!”
Probably not, for Mona’s table, with the coloured electric lights blazing from the pretty Christmas tree, the soft radiance of the room, the fragrance18 of flowers, the exquisite19 table appointments, and the pretty, kindly20 hostesses, was a scene well worthy21 of praise.
Anna Gorman trembled a little as she took her seat, and sat, wide-eyed, looking almost as if in a trance of delight. Celeste Arleson was less embarrassed, as her profession took her into fine mansions22 and in presence of fashionable people every day.
Jenny Bisbee looked rapturous. “Oh,” she said, “Oh! I am so happy!”
The guests all looked a trifle awestruck when the first course appeared, of grapefruit, served in tall, slender ice-glasses, each with a red ribbon tied round its stem, and a sprig of holly23 in the bow.
“Well, did you ever!” exclaimed Mrs. 82 Greene. “And is this the way they do things now? Well, well! It does look ’most too good to eat, but I’m ready to tackle it.”
Anna Gorman looked a little pained, as if this homely24 enthusiasm jarred upon her sense of fitness. But Mona said hospitably25, “Yes, indeed, Mrs. Greene,—it’s here to be eaten.”
“Now, I’m free to confess, I don’t know what spoon to take,” Mrs. Greene acknowledged, looking blankly at the row of flat silver before her.
“I know,” spoke26 up Jenny Bisbee, eagerly; “I read it in a Sunday paper. You begin at the outside of the row, and eat in!”
“Land! are you sure to come out right, that way? S’pose you had a fork left for your ice cream!”
“We’ll risk it,” said Mona, smiling. “Let’s use this spoon at the outside, as Jenny suggests.”
The second course was clam27 bouillon, and after it was served, a maid passed a dish of whipped cream.
Mrs. Greene watched carefully as Mona placed a spoonful on the top of her soup, and then she exclaimed:
“Well, if that don’t beat all! What is that, might I ask?” 83
“Whipped cream,” said Mona. “Won’t you have some?”
“Well, I will,—as you took some. But if that ain’t the greatest! Now, just let me tell you. A friend of mine,—she has seen some high society,—she was telling me a little how to behave. And she told me of a country person she knew, who had some soup in a cup once. And he thought it was tea, and he ca’mly puts in milk and sugar! Well, he was just kerflum-mixed, that poor man, when he found it was soup! So, my friend says, says she: ‘Now, Almira, whatever you do, don’t put milk in your soup!’ And, I declare to goodness, here you’re doin’ just that very thing!”
“Well, we won’t put any sugar in,” said Mona, pleasantly; “but I think the cream improves it. You like it, don’t you, Jenny?”
“Heavenly!” said Jenny, rolling her eyes up with such a comically blissful expression that Elise nearly choked.
As Patty had agreed, the luncheon was good and substantial, rather than elaborate. The broiled28 chicken, dainty vegetables, and pretty salad all met the guests’ hearty29 approval and appreciation30; and when the ice cream was 84 served, Mrs. Greene discovered she had both a fork and a spoon at her disposal.
“Well, I never!” she observed. “Ain’t that handy, now? I s’pose you take whichever one you like.”
“Yes,” said Mona. “You see, there is strawberry sauce for the ice cream, and that makes it seem more like a pudding.”
“So it does, so it does,” agreed Mrs. Greene, “though, land knows, it ain’t much like the puddin’s I’m accustomed to. Cottage, rice, and bread is about the variety we get, in the puddin’ line. Not but what I’m mighty31 grateful to get those.”
“I like chocolate pudding,” said Jenny, in a low voice, and apparently32 with great effort. Patty knew she made the remark because she thought it her duty to join in the conversation; and she felt such heroism33 deserved recognition.
“So do I,” she said, smiling kindly at Jenny. “In fact, I like anything with chocolate in it.”
“So do I,” returned Jenny, a little bolder under this expressed sympathy of tastes. “Once I had a whole box of chocolate candies,—a pound box it was. I’ve got the box yet. I’m awful careful of the lace paper.”
“I often get boxes of candy,” said Celeste, 85 unable to repress this bit of vanity. “My customers give them to me.”
“My,” said Jenny, “that must be fine. Is it grand to be a manicure?”
“I like it,” said Celeste, “because it takes me among nice people. They’re mostly good to me.”
“My ladies are nice to me, too,” observed Anna. “I only sew in nice houses. But I don’t see the ladies much. It’s different with you, Miss Arleson.”
“Well, I don’t see nice ladies,” broke in Jenny. “My, how those queens of society can snap at you! Seems ’if they blame me for everything: the stock, the price, the slow cash boys,—whatever bothers ’em, it’s all my fault.”
“That is unkind,” said Clementine. “But shopping does make some people cross.”
“Indeed it does!” returned Jenny. “But I’m going to forget it just for to-day. When I sit here and see these things, all so beautiful and sparkly and bright, I pretend there isn’t any shop or shopping in all the world.”
Jenny’s smile was almost roguish, and lighted up her pale face till she looked almost pretty.
Then they had coffee, and snapping crackers34 86 with caps inside, and they put on the caps and laughed at each other’s grotesque36 appearance.
Mrs. Greene’s cap was a tri-corne, with a gay cockade, which gave her a militant37 air, quite in keeping with her strong face. Patty had a ruffled38 night-cap, which made her look grotesque, and Anna Gorman had a frilled sunbonnet.
Celeste had a Tam o’ Shanter, which just suited her piquant39 face, and Jenny had a Scotch40 cap, which became her well.
“Now,” said Mona, as she rose from the table, “I’m going to give you each a bunch of these carnations——”
“To take home?” broke in Jenny, unable to repress her eagerness.
“Yes; and I’ll have them put in boxes for you, along with your cards and souvenirs, which, of course, you must take home also. And, if there’s room, I’ll put in some of these Christmas tree thingamajigs, and you can use them for something at Christmas time.”
“Oh!” exclaimed Jenny; “maybe my two kid brothers won’t just about go crazy over ’em! Says I to myself, just the other day, ‘What’s going in them kids’ stockings is more’n I know; but something there must be.’ And,—here you are!” 87
“Here you are!” said Mona, tucking an extra snapping cracker35 or two in Jenny’s box.
“We plan to go for a motor ride, now,” said Mona. “I wonder if you girls are dressed warmly enough.”
All declared that they were, but Mona provided several extra cloaks and wraps, lest any one should take cold.
“We have two cars for our trip,” she explained; “Miss Farrington’s limousine41 and my own. Has any one any preference which way we shall go?”
“Well,” said Mrs. Greene, “if you ask me, I’d like best to ride up Fifth Avenue. There ought to be some fine show of dress, a bright afternoon like this. And there ain’t anything I admire like stylish42 clothes. That’s a real handsome gown you got on, Miss Fairfield.”
“Do you like it?” said Patty, smiling.
“Yes, I do. It’s fashionable of cut, and yet it ain’t drawed so tight as some. And a becomin’ colour, too.”
“It’s a dandy,” observed Jenny. “I see lots of good clothes on my customers, but they don’t all have such taste as Miss Fairfield’s. And all you other ladies here,” she added, politely, glancing round. 88
“Now, are we all ready?” asked Mona, looking over the group. “Mrs. Greene, I fear you won’t be warm enough, though your jacket is thick, isn’t it? But I’m going to throw this boa round your neck, by way of precaution. Please wear it; I have another.”
“My land! if this ain’t luxuriant,” and Mrs. Greene smoothed the neckpiece and muff that Mona put on her. “What is this fur, Miss Galbraith?”
“That is caracul. Do you like it?”
“Like it? Well, I think it’s just too scrumptious for anything. I’ll remember the feel of it for a year. And so genteel looking, too.”
“Yes, it’s a good fur,” said Mona, carelessly throwing a sable43 scarf round her own throat. “Now, let us start.”
Down went the eight in an elevator, and Mrs. Greene was overjoyed to find that she was attended with quite as much deference44 as Mona herself. Elise and Clementine took their guests in the Farrington car, leaving Patty and Mona, with their guests, for the Galbraith car.
Celeste Arleson enjoyed the ride, but she was not so openly enthusiastic as Mrs. Greene.
“My!” exclaimed that worthy, as she bobbed 89 up and down on the springy cushions; “to think it’s come at last! Why, I never expected to ride in one of these. I saved up once for a taxicab ride, but I had to use my savings45 for a case of grippe, so I never felt to try it again.”
“Did you have grippe?” said Patty, sympathetically; “that was too bad.”
“Well, no; it wasn’t my grippe. Leastways, I didn’t have it. It was a lady that lived in the same boardin’ house, along with me. But she’d had misfortune, and lost her money, so I couldn’t do no less than to help her. Poor thing! she was crossed in love and it made her queer. But that Rosy,—you know, that redhead boy, Miss Fairfield?”
“Yes, I do,” returned Patty, smiling.
“Well, he says she was queered in love, and it made her cross! She works in our place, you know. Well, cross she is; and, my land! if she wasn’t cross when she had the grippe! You know, it ain’t soothin’ on folks’ nerves.”
“No,” said Patty; “so I’ve understood. Well, Mrs. Greene, now you can see plenty of fashionable costumes. Do you enjoy it?”
“My! I’m just drinkin’ ’em in! Furs is worn a lot this year, ain’t they? Well, I don’t 90 wonder. Why, I feel real regal in this fur of yours, Miss Galbraith. I don’t know when I’ve had such a pleasure as the wearin’ of this fur.”
“Now, we’ll go through the park and up Riverside Drive,” said Mona, as they neared Eighty-sixth Street. It was pleasant in the Park, and the fine motors, with their smartly-apparelled occupants, delighted Mrs. Greene’s very soul.
“Where would you like to go, Celeste?” asked Mona; “or do you like the Park and the River drive?”
“If I might, Miss Galbraith, I’d like to go to Grant’s Tomb. I’ve always wanted to go there, but I never can get a spare hour,—or if I do, I’m too tired for the trip.”
“Certainly, you shall. Would you like that, Mrs. Greene?”
“Oh, land, yes! I’ve never been there, either. Quite some few times I’ve thought to go, but something always interferes46.”
So to Grant’s Tomb they went. The other car followed, and all went in to look at the impressive mausoleum.
“Makes you feel kind o’ solemn,” said Mrs. Greene, as they came out. “Think of lyin’ 91 there in that eternal rock, as you might say, and the whole nation comin’ to weep over your bier.”
“They don’t all weep,” observed Celeste.
“Well, in a manner o’ speakin’, they do,” said Mrs. Greene, gently. “Not real tears, maybe; but, you know, to weep over a bier, is a figger of speech; and so far as its meanin’ goes, Grant’s got it. And, after all, it’s the meanin’ that counts.”
It was nearing sundown as they started down the Drive, and Mona proposed that they go to a tea room, and then take their guests to their several homes.
“Oh, how pretty!” said Mrs. Greene, as they all went into the Marie Jeannette Tea Room.
The younger girls chose chocolate, but Mrs. Greene said, “Give me a cup of tea. There’s nothing like it, to my mind. And to think of having tea in this beautiful place, all decked with posies. I’ll just throw this fur a little open, but keep it over my shoulders. It looks so luxuriant that way.”
Mona ordered dainty sandwiches and little fancy cakes—and after a pleasant half-hour they started homeward. They left Celeste at 92 her home first, and then took Mrs. Greene to hers.
“I live way down on East Eleventh Street,” she said, apologetically; “and I oughtn’t to let you go clear down there with me. But,—oh, well, I might as well own up,—I’d just love to roll up to our door in this car!”
“And so you shall,” said Mona, appreciating this bit of feminine vanity. “And, Mrs. Greene, if you’ll accept them, I’d like to make you a present of those furs. I don’t need them, for I have several other sets, and you’re very welcome to them.”
“My land!” said Mrs. Greene, and then could say no more, for her voice choked, and two tears rolled down her cheeks.
“And to think I thought you ladies were stuck up!” she said, in a voice of contrition47. “Why, two angels straight from Heaven couldn’t be more kind or whole-soulder than you two are. But, Miss Galbraith, I can’t accept such a gift,—I—I ought not to.”
Mrs. Greene was caressing48 the fur as she spoke, and Mona patted her hand, saying laughingly:
“I couldn’t take it away from anybody who loves it as you do. Please keep it. I’m more 93 glad to give it to you than you can possibly be to have it.”
So Mrs. Greene kept the furs,—and her beaming face proved the depth of thankfulness which she tried, all inadequately49, to express.
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1
sitting-room
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| n.（BrE）客厅，起居室 | |
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Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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impulsively
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| adv.冲动地 | |
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gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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garbed
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| v.（尤指某类人穿的特定）服装，衣服，制服( garb的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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7
tact
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| n.机敏，圆滑，得体 | |
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everlasting
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| adj.永恒的，持久的，无止境的 | |
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texture
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| n.(织物)质地；(材料)构造；结构；肌理 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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chronically
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| ad.长期地 | |
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patronage
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| n.赞助，支援，援助；光顾，捧场 | |
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scorching
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| adj. 灼热的 | |
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rattle
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| v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓 | |
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15
chatter
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| vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战 | |
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16
luncheon
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| n.午宴，午餐，便宴 | |
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doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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fragrance
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| n.芬芳，香味，香气 | |
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exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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mansions
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| n.宅第，公馆，大厦( mansion的名词复数 ) | |
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holly
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| n.[植]冬青属灌木 | |
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homely
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| adj.家常的，简朴的；不漂亮的 | |
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hospitably
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| 亲切地，招待周到地，善于款待地 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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clam
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| n.蛤，蛤肉 | |
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broiled
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| a.烤过的 | |
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hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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appreciation
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| n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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heroism
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| n.大无畏精神，英勇 | |
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crackers
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| adj.精神错乱的，癫狂的n.爆竹( cracker的名词复数 )；薄脆饼干；（认为）十分愉快的事；迷人的姑娘 | |
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cracker
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| n.（无甜味的）薄脆饼干 | |
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grotesque
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| adj.怪诞的，丑陋的；n.怪诞的图案，怪人（物） | |
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militant
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| adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士 | |
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ruffled
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| adj. 有褶饰边的, 起皱的 动词ruffle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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piquant
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| adj.辛辣的，开胃的，令人兴奋的 | |
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scotch
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| n.伤口，刻痕；苏格兰威士忌酒；v.粉碎，消灭，阻止；adj.苏格兰(人)的 | |
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limousine
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| n.豪华轿车 | |
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stylish
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| adj.流行的，时髦的；漂亮的，气派的 | |
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sable
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| n.黑貂；adj.黑色的 | |
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deference
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| n.尊重，顺从；敬意 | |
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savings
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| n.存款，储蓄 | |
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interferes
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| vi. 妨碍，冲突，干涉 | |
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contrition
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| n.悔罪，痛悔 | |
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caressing
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| 爱抚的，表现爱情的，亲切的 | |
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49
inadequately
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| ad.不够地；不够好地 | |
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