Sir Timothy and the minister kept up the conversation very much between them, Sir Timothy flattering everything that was American, and the minister finding fault with very many things that were English. Now and then Mr. Boncassen would put in a word to soften7 the severe honesty of his countryman, or to correct the euphemistic falsehoods of Sir Timothy. The poet seemed always to be biding8 his time. Dolly ventured to whisper a word to his neighbour. It was but to say that the frost had broken up. But Silverbridge heard it and looked daggers9 at everyone. Then Lady Beeswax expressed to him a hope that he was going to do great things in Parliament this Session. "I don't mean to go near the place," he said, not at all conveying any purpose to which he had really come, but driven by the stress of the moment to say something that should express his general hatred10 of everybody. Mr. Lupton was there, on the other side of Isabel, and was soon engaged with her in a pleasant familiar conversation. Then Silverbridge remembered that he had always thought Lupton to be a most conceited11 prig. Nobody gave himself so many airs, or was so careful as to the dyeing of his whiskers. It was astonishing that Isabel should allow herself to be amused by such an antiquated12 coxcomb13. When they had finished eating they moved about and changed their places, Mr. Boncassen being rather anxious to stop the flood of American eloquence14 which came from his friend Mr. Gotobed. British viands15 had become subject to his criticism, and Mr. Gotobed had declared to Mr. Lupton that he didn't believe that London could produce a dish of squash or tomatoes. He was quite sure you couldn't have sweet corn. Then there had been a moving of seats in which the minister was shuffled16 off to Lady Beeswax, and the poet found himself by the side of Isabel. "Do you not regret our mountains and our prairies," said the poet; "our great waters and our green savannahs?" "I think more perhaps of Fifth Avenue," said Miss Boncassen. Silverbridge, who at this moment was being interrogated17 by Sir Timothy, heard every word of it.
"I was so sorry, Lord Silverbridge," said Sir Timothy, "that you could not accede18 to our little request."
"I did not quite see my way," said Silverbridge, with his eye upon Isabel.
"So I understood, but I hope that things will make themselves clearer to you shortly. There is nothing that I desire so much as the support of young men such as yourself,—the very cream, I may say, of the whole country. It is to the young conservative thoughtfulness and the truly British spirit of our springing aristocracy that I look for that reaction which I am sure will at last carry us safely over the rocks and shoals of communistic propensities19."
"I shouldn't wonder if it did," said Silverbridge. They didn't think that he was going to remain down there talking politics to an old humbug20 like Sir Timothy when the sun, and moon, and all the stars had gone up into the drawing-room! For at that moment Isabel was making her way to the door.
But Sir Timothy had buttonholed him. "Of course it is late now to say anything further about the address. We have arranged that. Not quite as I would have wished, for I had set my heart upon initiating21 you into the rapturous pleasure of parliamentary debate. But I hope that a good time is coming. And pray remember this, Lord Silverbridge;—there is no member sitting on our side of the House, and I need hardly say on the other, whom I would go farther to oblige than your father's son."
"I'm sure that's very kind," said Silverbridge, absolutely using a little force as he disengaged himself. Then he at once followed the ladies upstairs, passing the poet on the stairs. "You have hardly spoken to me," he whispered to Isabel. He knew that to whisper to her now, with the eyes of many upon him, with the ears of many open, was an absurdity23; but he could not refrain himself.
"There are so many to be,—entertained, as people say! I don't think I ought to have to entertain you," she answered, laughing. No one heard her but Silverbridge, yet she did not seem to whisper. She left him, however, at once, and was soon engaged in conversation with Sir Timothy.
A convivial24 lunch I hold to be altogether bad, but the worst of its many evils is that vacillating mind which does not know when to take its owner off. Silverbridge was on this occasion quite determined25 not to take himself off at all. As it was only a lunch the people must go, and then he would be left with Isabel. But the vacillation26 of the others was distressing27 to him. Mr. Lupton went, and poor Dolly got away apparently28 without a word. But the Beeswaxes and the Gotobeds would not go, and the poet sat staring immovably. In the meanwhile Silverbridge endeavoured to make the time pass lightly by talking to Mrs. Boncassen. He had been so determined to accept Isabel with all her adjuncts that he had come almost to like Mrs. Boncassen, and would certainly have taken her part violently had any one spoken ill of her in his presence.
Then suddenly he found that the room was nearly empty. The Beeswaxes and the Gotobeds were gone; and at last the poet himself, with a final glare of admiration29 at Isabel, had taken his departure. When Silverbridge looked round, Isabel also was gone. Then too Mrs. Boncassen had left the room suddenly. At the same instant Mr. Boncassen entered by another door, and the two men were alone together. "My dear Lord Silverbridge," said the father, "I want to have a few words with you." Of course there was nothing for him but to submit. "You remember what you said to me down at Matching?"
"Oh yes; I remember that."
"You did me the great honour of expressing a wish to make my child your wife."
"I was asking for a very great favour."
"That also;—for there is no greater favour I could do to any man than to give him my daughter. Nevertheless, you were doing me a great honour,—and you did it, as you do everything, with an honest grace that went far to win my heart. I am not at all surprised, sir, that you should have won hers." The young man as he heard this could only blush and look foolish. "If I know my girl, neither your money nor your title would go for anything."
"I think much more of her love, Mr. Boncassen, than I do of anything else in the world."
"But love, my Lord, may be a great misfortune." As he said this the tone of his voice was altered, and there was a melancholy30 solemnity not only in his words but in his countenance31. "I take it that young people when they love rarely think of more than the present moment. If they did so the bloom would be gone from their romance. But others have to do this for them. If Isabel had come to me saying that she loved a poor man, there would not have been much to disquiet32 me. A poor man may earn bread for himself and his wife, and if he failed I could have found them bread. Nor, had she loved somewhat below her own degree, should I have opposed her. So long as her husband had been an educated man, there might have been no future punishment to fear."
"I don't think she could have done that," said Silverbridge.
"At any rate she has not done so. But how am I to look upon this that she has done?"
"I'll do my best for her, Mr. Boncassen."
"I believe you would. But even your love can't make her an Englishwoman. You can make her a Duchess."
"Not that, sir."
"But you can't give her a parentage fit for a Duchess;—not fit at least in the opinion of those with whom you will pass your life, with whom,—or perhaps without whom,—she will be destined33 to pass her life, if she becomes your wife! Unfortunately it does not suffice that you should think it fit. Though you loved each other as well as any man and woman that ever were brought into each other's arms by the beneficence of God, you cannot make her happy,—unless you can assure her the respect of those around her."
"All the world will respect her."
"Her conduct,—yes. I think the world, your world, would learn to do that. I do not think it could help itself. But that would not suffice. I may respect the man who cleans my boots. But he would be a wretched man if he were thrown on me for society. I would not give him my society. Will your Duchesses and your Countesses give her theirs?"
"Certainly they will."
"I do not ask for it as thinking it to be of more value than that of others; but were she to become your wife she would be so abnormally placed as to require it for her comfort. She would have become a lady of high rank,—not because she loves rank, but because she loves you."
"Yes, yes, yes," said Silverbridge, hardly himself knowing why he became impetuous.
"But having removed herself into that position, being as she would be, a Countess, or a Duchess, or what not, how could she be happy if she were excluded from the community of Countesses and Duchesses?"
"They are not like that," said Silverbridge.
"I will not say that they are, but I do not know. Having Anglican tendencies, I have been wont34 to contradict my countrymen when they have told me of the narrow exclusiveness of your nobles. Having found your nobles and your commoners all alike in their courtesy,—which is a cold word; in their hospitable35 friendships,—I would now not only contradict, but would laugh to scorn any such charge,"—so far he spoke22 somewhat loudly, and then dropped his voice as he concluded,—"were it anything less than the happiness of my child that is in question."
"What am I to say, sir? I only know this; I am not going to lose her."
"You are a fine fellow. I was going to say that I wished you were an American, so that Isabel need not lose you. But, my boy, I have told you that I do not know how it might be. Of all whom you know, who could best tell me the truth on such a subject? Who is there whose age will have given him experience, whose rank will have made him familiar with this matter, who from friendship to you would be least likely to decide against your wishes, who from his own native honesty would be most sure to tell the truth?"
"You mean my father," said Silverbridge.
"I do mean your father. Happily he has taken no dislike to the girl herself. I have seen enough of him to feel sure that he is devoted36 to his own children."
"Indeed he is."
"A just and a liberal man;—one I should say not carried away by prejudices! Well,—my girl and I have just put our heads together, and we have come to a conclusion. If the Duke of Omnium will tell us that she would be safe as your wife,—safe from the contempt of those around her,—you shall have her. And I shall rejoice to give her to you,—not because you are Lord Silverbridge, not because of your rank and wealth; but because you are—that individual human being whom I now hold by the hand."
When the American had come to an end, Silverbridge was too much moved to make any immediate37 answer. He had an idea in his own mind that the appeal was not altogether fair. His father was a just man,—just, affectionate, and liberal. But then it will so often happen that fathers do not want their sons to marry those very girls on whom the sons have set their hearts. He could only say that he would speak to his father again on the subject. "Let him tell me that he is contented38," said Mr. Boncassen, "and I will tell him that I am contented. Now, my friend, good-bye." Silverbridge begged that he might be allowed to see Isabel before he was turned out; but Isabel had left the house in company with her mother.
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1
brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
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gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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abated
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| 减少( abate的过去式和过去分词 )； 减去； 降价； 撤消（诉讼） | |
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monstrous
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| adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的 | |
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6
winked
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| v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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7
soften
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| v.(使)变柔软；(使)变柔和 | |
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8
biding
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| v.等待，停留( bide的现在分词 )；居住；（过去式用bided）等待；面临 | |
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daggers
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| 匕首，短剑( dagger的名词复数 ) | |
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10
hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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conceited
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| adj.自负的，骄傲自满的 | |
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12
antiquated
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| adj.陈旧的，过时的 | |
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13
coxcomb
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| n.花花公子 | |
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14
eloquence
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| n.雄辩；口才，修辞 | |
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15
viands
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| n.食品，食物 | |
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shuffled
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| v.洗（纸牌）( shuffle的过去式和过去分词 )；拖着脚步走；粗心地做；摆脱尘世的烦恼 | |
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17
interrogated
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| v.询问( interrogate的过去式和过去分词 )；审问；（在计算机或其他机器上）查询 | |
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18
accede
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| v.应允，同意 | |
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19
propensities
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| n.倾向，习性( propensity的名词复数 ) | |
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humbug
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| n.花招，谎话，欺骗 | |
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21
initiating
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| v.开始( initiate的现在分词 )；传授；发起；接纳新成员 | |
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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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absurdity
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| n.荒谬，愚蠢；谬论 | |
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convivial
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| adj.狂欢的，欢乐的 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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26
vacillation
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| n.动摇；忧柔寡断 | |
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27
distressing
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| a.使人痛苦的 | |
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28
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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29
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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30
melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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31
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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32
disquiet
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| n.担心，焦虑 | |
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33
destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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34
wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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35
hospitable
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| adj.好客的；宽容的；有利的，适宜的 | |
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36
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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37
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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