elinor wyllys-2- 第31部分

〃Thank　you；　Aunt；　but　it　does　not　disturb　me；　and　I　know　it　is　not　to　be　avoided　just　now；〃　said　Jane；　languidly。

〃No；　it　cannot　be　helped；　with　this　troublesome　business　going　on；　and　we　shall　have　Mrs。　Creighton　and　Mr。　Ellsworth　here　soon。〃

〃Pray；　do　not　change　your　plans　on　my　account。　I　need　not　see　any　of　your　friends；　I　shall　scarcely　know　they　are　here；〃　said　Jane；　with　a　deep　sigh。

〃If　it　were　possible　to　defer　their　visit；　I　should　do　so；　but　situated　as　we　are　with　Mr。　Ellsworth〃　added　Miss　Wyllys。

〃Certainly；　do　not　let　me　interfere　with　his　coming。　I　feel　perfectly　indifferent　as　to　who　comes　or　goes；　I　can　never　take　any　more　pleasure　in　society！〃

〃Here　is　my　aunt　Wyllys　driving　up　to　the　door；〃　said　Elinor；　who　was　sitting　near　a　window。　〃Do　you　feel　equal　to　seeing　her？〃

〃Oh；　no；　not　to…day；　dear；〃　said　Jane　in　an　imploring　voice；　and　Elinor　accordingly　remained　with　her　cousin；　while　Miss　Agnes　went　down　to　meet　Mrs。　George　Wyllys。　This　lady　was　still　living　at　Longbridge；　although　every　few　months　she　talked　of　leaving　the　place。　Her　oldest　boy　had　just　received　a　midshipman's　warrant；　to　which　he　was　certainly　justly　entitledhis　father　having　lost　his　life　in　the　public　service。　The　rest　of　her　children　were　at　home；　and　rather　spoilt　and　troublesome　little　people　they　were。

〃How　is　Jane？〃　asked　Mrs。　Wyllys；　as　she　entered　the　house。

〃Very　sad　and　feeble；　but　I　hope　the　air　here　will　strengthen　her；　after　a　time。〃

〃Poor　thing！no　wonder　she　is　sad；　indeed！　So　young；　and　such　an　affliction！　How　is　the　child？〃

〃Much　better；　she　is　quite　playful；　and　disturbs　Jane　very　much　by　asking　after　her　father。　What　a　warm　drive　you　must　have　had；　Harriet；　you　had　better　throw　off　your　hat；　and　stay　with　us　until　evening。〃

〃Thank　you；　I　must　go　home　for　dinner；　and　shall　not　be　able　to　stay　more　than　half　an　hour。　Is　your　father　in？　I　wished　to　see　him；　as　well　as　yourself；　on　business。〃

〃No；　he　is　not　at　home；　he　has　gone　off　some　miles；　to　look　at　some　workmen　who　are　putting　up　a　new　farm…house。〃

〃I　am　sorry　he　is　not　at　home；　for　I　want　to　ask　his　opinion。　And　yet　he　must　have　his　hands　full　just　now；　with　that　vexatious　Stanley　case。　I　must　say；　I　think　Clapp　deserves　to　be　sent　to　the　tread…mill！〃

〃Perhaps　he　does；〃　replied　Miss　Wyllys。　〃It　is　to　be　hoped　at　least；　that　he　will　receive　what　he　deserves；　and　nothing　more。〃

〃I　hope　he　will；　with　all　my　heart！　But　as　I　have　not　much　time　to　spare；　I　must　proceed　to　lay　my　affairs　before　you。　Now　I　really　and　honestly　want　your　advice；　Agnes。〃

〃You　have　had　it　often　before；〃　replied　Miss　Wyllys；　smiling。　〃I　am　quite　at　your　service　now；〃　she　added；　seeing　her　sister…in…law　look　a　little　uneasy。　Mrs。　Wyllys　was　silent　for　a　moment。

〃I　scarcely　know　where　to　begin；〃　she　then　said；　〃for　here　I　am；　come　to　consult　you　on　a　subject　which　you　may　think　beneath　your　notice；　you　are　superior　to　such　trifling　matters；〃　she　said；　smilingand　then　added：　〃But　seriously；　I　have　too　much　confidence　in　your　judgment　and　good　sense；　to　wish　to　act　without　your　approbation。〃

〃What　is　the　point　upon　which　I　am　to　decide？for　you　have　not　yet　told　me　anything。〃

〃It　is　a　subject　upon　which　I　have　been　thinking　for　some　timeseveral　months。　What　should　you　say　to　my　marrying　again？〃　asked　Mrs。　Wyllys　stoutly。

Miss　Agnes　was　amazed。　She　had　known　her　sister…in…law；　when　some　years　younger；　refuse　more　than　one　good　offer；　and　had　never　for　a　moment　doubted　her　intention　to　remain　a　widow　for　life。

〃You　surprise　me；　Harriet；〃　she　said；　〃I　had　no　idea　you　thought　of　marrying　again。〃

〃Certainly；　I　never　thought　of　taking　such　a　step　until　quite　lately。〃

〃And　who　is　the　gentleman？〃　asked　Miss　Agnes；　in　some　anxiety。

〃I　know　you　will　at　least　agree　with　me；　in　thinking　that　I　have　made　a　prudent　choice。　The　welfare　of　my　children　is　indeed　my　chief　consideration。　I　find；　Agnes；　that　they　require　a　stronger　hand　than　mine　to　manage　them。　Long　before　Evert　went　to　sea；　he　was　completely　his　own　master；　there　were　only　two　persons　who　had　any　influence　over　him；　one　is　his　grandfather；　the　other；　a　gentleman　who　will；　I　suppose；　before　long；　become　nearly　connected　with　him。　I　frankly　acknowledge　that　I　have　no　control　over　him　myself；　it　is　a　mortifying　fact　to　confess；　but　my　system　of　education；　though　an　excellent　one　in　theory；　has　not　succeeded　in　practice。〃

'Because；'　thought　Miss　Agnes；　'there　is　too　much　theory；　my　good　sister。'　〃But　you　have　not　yet　named　the　gentleman；〃　she　added；　aloud。

〃Oh；　I　have　no　doubt　of　your　approving　my　choice！　He　is　a　most　worthy；　excellent　manof　course；　at　my　time　of　life；　I　shall　not　make　a　love…match。　Can't　you　guess　the　individualone　of　my　Longbridge　neighbours？〃

〃From　Longbridge；〃　said　Miss　Wyllys；　not　a　little　surprised。　〃Edward　Tibbs；　perhaps；〃　she　added；　smiling。　He　was　an　unmarried　man；　and　one　of　the　Longbridge　beaux。

〃Oh；　no；　how　can　you　think　me　so　silly；　Agnes！　I　am　ashamed　of　you！　It　is　a　very　different　person；　the　family　are　great　favourites　of　your's。〃　

〃One　of　the　Van　Hornes？〃　Mrs。　Wyllys　shook　her　head。

〃One　of　the　Hubbards？Is　it　John　Hubbard；　the　principal　of　the　new　Academy？〃　inquired　Miss　Agnes；　faintly。

〃Do　you　suppose　I　would　marry　a　man　of　two…or…three…and…twenty！〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Wyllys　with　indignation。　〃It　is　his　uncle；　a　man　against　whom　there　can　be　no　possible　objectionMr。　James　Hubbard。〃

'Uncle　Dozie；　of　all　men！'　thought　Miss　Agnes。　'Silent；　sober；　sleepy　Uncle　Dozie。　Well；　we　must　be　thankful　that　it　is　no　worse。'

〃Mr。　Hubbard　is　certainly　a　respectable　man；　a　man　of　principles；〃　she　observed　aloud。　〃But　everybody　looked　upon　him　as　a　confirmed　old　bachelor；　I　did　not　suspect　either　of　you　of　having　any　thoughts　of　marrying；〃　continued　Miss　Agnes；　smiling。

〃I　am　sometimes　surprised　that　we　should　have　come　to　that　conclusion；　myself。　But　it　is　chiefly　for　the　sake　of　my　children　that　I　marry；　you　must　know　me　well　enough；　Agnes；　to　be　convinced　that　I　sacrifice　myself　for　them！〃

〃I　wish；　indeed；　that　it　may　be　for　their　good；　Harriet！〃

〃Thank　you；　I　have　no　doubt　of　it。　I　feel　perfect　confidence　in　Mr。　Hubbard；　he　is　a　man　so　much　older　than　myself；　and　so　much　more　experienced；　that　I　shall　be　entirely　guided　in　future　by　his　counsel　and　advice。〃

Miss　Agnes　had　some　difficulty　in　repressing　a　smile　and　a　sigh。

〃Of　course；　I　am　well　aware　that　many　people　will　think　I　am　taking　a　foolish　step；〃　continued　Mrs。　Wyllys。　Hubbard's　connexions；　are　generally　not　thought　agreeable；　perhaps；　he　has　very　little　property；　and　no　profession。　I　am　not　blinded；　you　see；　but　I　am　very　indifferent　as　to　the　opinion　of　the　world　in　general；　I　am　very　independent　of　all　but　my　immediate　friends；　as　you　well　know；　Agnes。〃

Miss　Wyllys　was　silent。

〃In　fact；　my　attention　was　first　fixed　upon　Mr。　Hubbard；　by　finding　how　little　he　was　appreciated　and　understood　by　others；　I　regretted　that　I　had　at　first　allowed　myself　to　be　guided　by　general　opinion。　Now　I　think　it　very　possible　that；　although　Mr。　Hubbard　has　been　your　neighbour　for　years；　even　you；　Agnes；　may　have　a　very　mistaken　opinion　of　him；　you　may　have　underrated　his　talents；　his　strong　affections；　and　energetic　character。　I　was　surprised　myself　to　find；　what　a　very　agreeable　companion　he　is！〃

〃I　have　always　believed　Mr。　James　Hubbard　a　man　of　kind　feelings；　as　you　observe；　and　a　man　of　good　principles；　two　important　points；　certainly。〃

〃I　am　glad　you　do　him　justice。　But　you　are　not　aware　perhaps；　what　a　very　pleasant　companion　he　is；　where　he　feels　at　his　ease；　and　knows　that　he　is　understood。〃

'That　is　to　say；　where　he　can　doze；　while　another　person　thinks　and　talks　for　him；'　thought　Miss　Agnes。

〃The　time　is　fixed　I　suppose　for　the　wedding；　Harriet？〃　she　inquired　aloud；　with　a　smile。

〃Nearly　so；　I　believe。　I　told　Mr。　Hubbard　that　I　should　be　just　as　ready　to　marry　him　next　week；　as　next　year；　we　agreed　that　when　two　persons　of　our　ages　had　come　to　an　understanding；　they　might　as　well　settle　the　matter　at　once。　We　shall　be　married；　I　fancy；　in　the　morning；　in　church；　with　only　two　or　three　friends　present。　I　hope；　Agnes；　that　your　father　and　yourself　will　be　with　me。　You　know　that　I　should　never　have　taken　this　step；　if　you　had　not　agreed　with　me　in　thinking　it　for　the　good　of　my　children。〃

〃Thank　you；　Harriet；　of　course　we　shall　be　present；　if　you　wish　it。〃

〃Certainly　I　wish　it。　I　shall　always　look　upon　you　as　my　best　friends　and　advisers。〃

〃Next　to　Mr。　Hubbard；　in　future；〃　replied　Miss　Agnes；　smiling。

〃When　you　know　him　better；　you　will　confess　that　he　deserves　a　high　place　in　my　confidence。　You　have　no　idea　how　much　his　brother　and　nieces　think　of　him；　but　that　is　no　wonder；　for　they　know　his　good　sense；　and　his　companionable　qualities。　He　is　really　a　very　agreeable　companion；　Agnes；　for　a　rational　woman；　quite　a　cultivated　mind；　too。〃

Visions　of　cabbages　and　turnips　rose　in　Miss　Agnes's　mind；　as　the　only　cultivation　ever　connected；　till　now；　with　Uncle　Dozie's　name。

〃We　passed　last　evening　charmingly；　I　read　the　Lay　of　the　Last　Minstrel　aloud　to　him；　and　he　seemed　to　enjoy　it　very　much；〃　continued　Mrs。　Wyllys。

｛〃Lay　of　the　Last　Minstrel〃　=　long　narrative　poem　（1805）　by　Sir　Walter　Scott　（1771…1832）｝

'He　took　a　nap；　I　suppose；'　thought　Miss　Agnes。　〃He　ought　to　be　well　pleased　to　have　a　fair　lady　read　aloud　to　him；〃　she　replied；　smiling。

〃The　better　I　know　him；　the　more　satisfied　I　am　with　my　choice。　I　have：　found　a　man　upon　whom　I　can　depend　for　support　and　adviceand　one　who　is　at　the　same　time　a　very　pleasant　companion。　Do　you　know；　he　sometimes　reminds　me　of　our　excellent　father；〃

This　was　really　going　too　far；　in　Miss　Agnes's　opinion；　she　quite　resented　a　comparison　between　Uncle　Dozie　and　Mr。　Wyllys。　The　widow；　however；　was　too　much　occupied　with　her　own　affairs；　to　notice　Miss　Agnes's　expression。

〃I　find；　indeed；　that　the　whole　family　are　more　agreeable　than　I　had　supposed；　but　you　rather　gave　me　a　prejudice　against　them。　The　young　ladies　improve　on　acquaintance；　they　are　pretty；　amiable　young　women；　I　have　seen　them　quite　often　since　we　have　been　near　neighbours。　Well；　I　must　leave　you；　for　Mr。　Hubbard　dines　with　me　to…day。　In　the　mean　ti