the professor at the breakfast table- 第18部分

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