elinor wyllys-2- 第4部分

〃That's　quite　right；　my　dear；〃　said　the　rusty　Mr。　Hopkins；　taking　a　pinch　of　snuff。　〃I　hope　you　will　follow　her　example　one　of　these　days。〃

〃What　are　the　precise　symptoms　of　a　young　lady's　being　dead　in　love？〃　asked　the　quiet；　business…looking　Theodore　St。　Leger。

〃Oh；　you　know　well　enough　what　I　mean。　You　may　say　what　you　please　about　Helen　de　Vaux　not　caring　for　him；　I　know　better；〃　continued　the　young　lady；　in　a　voice　that　might　be　heard　on　the　other　side　of　the　boat。

〃As　Miss　de　Vaux's　mother　is　on　board；　suppose　you　refer　the　question　to　her；〃　said　Mr。　Ellsworth；　in　a　dry　manner。

〃Is　she？I　hope　she　didn't　hear　us；〃　continued　the　young　lady；　lowering　her　voice　half　a　tone。　〃But　you　need　not　ask　her；　though；　for　I　don't　believe　her　mother　knows　anything　about　it。〃

〃You　are　going　to　the　Springs；　I　suppose；〃　said　Mr。　Ellsworth；　by　way　of　changing　the　conversation。

〃I　wish　we　were！　No；　Adeline　has　taken　it　into　her　head　to　be　romantic；　for　the　first　time　in　her　life。　She　says　we　must　go　to　the　Falls；　and　it　will　be　a　fortnight　lost　from　Saratoga。〃

〃But；　have　you　no　wish　to　see　Niagara？〃

〃Not　a　bit；　and　I　don't　believe　Adeline　has；　either。　But　it　is　no　wonder　she　doesn't　care　about　the　Springs；　now　she's　married；　she　began　to　go　there　four　years　before　I　did。〃

〃Have　you　never　been　to　Niagara；　Mrs。　St。　Leger？〃　continued　Mr。　Ellsworth；　addressing　the　elder　sister；　who；　from　the　giddy；　belleish　Adeline；　was　now　metamorphosed　into　the　half…sober　young　matronthe　wife　of　an　individual；　who　in　spite　of　the　romantic　appellation　of　Theodore　St。　Leger；　was　a　very　quiet；　industrious　business…man；　the　nephew　and　adopted　son　of　Mr。　Hopkins；　Adeline's　Boston　escort。　She　had　been　sitting　contentedly　beside　the　old　gentleman；　for　the　last　half　hour；　leaving　her　unmarried　sister　to　entertain　the　beaux；　according　to　etiquette。

〃No；　I　have　never　been　to　the　Falls；　and　all　our　party　but　my　sister　Emma；　seemed　to　think　it　would　be　a　pleasant　jaunt。〃

〃Mr。　Hopkins　has　entered　into　an　engagement　to　supply　me　with　at　least　two　beaux　at　a　time；　and　a　regular　change　all　the　way　to　Niagara；　or　else　I　shouldn't　have　come；〃　said　Miss　Emma。

〃We　are　engaged　at　least　by　the　day；　I　hope；〃　interposed　one　of　the　attendant　young　men。

〃No；　indeed；　I　should　be　tired　to　death　of　you；　for　more　than　an　hour　at　a　time。　I　sha'n't　speak　to　YOU　again；　until　we　have　passed　West　Point。〃

〃I　have　had　no　trouble　as　yet；　my　dear；　in　picking　up　recruits；〃　said　Mr。　Hopkins；　whose　attention　seemed　equally　divided　between　his　snuff…box；　and　the　little　Hopkins；　junior；　on　his　kneehis　great…nephew。

〃If　there　are　two；　that's　all　I　care　for；　but　I　hate　to　have　only　one　person　to　talk　to。〃

Mr。　Ellsworth　bit　his　lips；　to　prevent　their　expressing　his　opinion；　that　the　young　lady　must　always　have　a　large　circle　of　listeners。

〃Have　you　seen　Mr。　Wyllys's　party　this　morning？〃　inquired　Adeline。

〃The　Wyllyses！Are　they　on　board？〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Ellsworth；　with　surprise　and　pleasure。　〃I　thought　them　at　Saratoga　by　this　time。〃

〃Oh；　no；　they　are　somewhere　on　the　other　side　of　the　boat；　my　sister…in…law；　Mrs。　Taylor's　little　girl　is　with　them。　By…the…bye；　Emma；　I　am　going　into　the　cabin　to　look　after　Jane；　will　you　go　with　me？〃

〃No；　indeed；　I　hale　the　cabin　of　a　steamboat！〃

Adeline　was　quite　satisfied　to　leave　her　sister　with　the　prospect　of　a　good　supply　of　young　men　to　flirt　with；　though　matrimony　had　changed　her　in　some　respects；　she　still　considered　it　a　duty　to　encourage　to　the　utmost；　all　love…affairs；　and　flirtations　going　on　in　her　neighbourhood。　Mr。　Hopkins　resigned　the　little　boy　to　his　mother's　care；　Mr。　St。　Leger　helped　his　wife　through　the　crowd；　and；　under　cover　of　the　movement　made　to　allow　Adeline　to　pass；　Mr。　Ellsworth　made　his　escape。　His　eye　had　been　already　directed　towards　the　opposite　side　of　the　boat；　where　he　had　discovered　the　venerable；　benevolent　face　of　Mr。　Wyllys；　with　three　ladies　near　him。　Mr。　Ellsworth　immediately　recognised　Miss　Agnes；　Elinor；　and　Mary　Van　Alstyne。　It　was　several　minutes　before　he　could　edge　his　way　through　the　crowd；　to　join　them；　but　when　he　reached　the　spot；　he　was　received　very　cordially　by　Mr。　Wyllys　and　Miss　Agnes；　in　a　friendly　manner　by　Mary　Van　Alstyne；　and　possibly　there　was　something　of　consciousness　betrayed　by　Elinor。

〃I　thought　you　already　at　Saratoga！〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Ellsworth。

〃We　were　detained　several　days；　waiting　for　Mrs。　Taylor；〃　replied　Elinor；　to　whom　the　remark　was　made。

〃We　shall　not　be　at　Saratoga　until　Monday；〃　added　Mr。　Wyllys；　〃we　are　going　to　pass　a　day　or　two　with　our　friends；　the　V…s；　at　Poughkeepsie。〃

〃I　am　very　sorry　to　hear　it；〃　continued　Mr。　Ellsworth；　〃I　have　promised　to　carry　Mrs。　Creighton　to　Nahant；　about　that　time；　and　shall　have　my　usual　bad　luck　in　missing　you。〃

｛〃Nahant〃　=　sea…side　resort　in　Massachusetts；　then　very　popular；　just　north　of　Boston｝

〃We　must　persuade　Mrs。　Creighton　not　to　run　away；〃　said　Mr。　Wyllys。

As　Elinor　stooped　at　that　moment；　to　untie　the　hat　of　the　pretty　little　creature　at　her　side；　it　was　impossible　to　say　whether　this　intelligence　were　displeasing　to　her　or　not。

〃That　is　Mrs。　Taylor's　child；　is　it　not？〃　observed　Mr。　Ellsworth；　looking　at　the　little　girl。　〃She　is　very　like　Mrs。　St。　Leger。〃

〃Do　you　really　think　so？we　fancy　her　like　her　mother；〃　said　Elinor。

〃How　is　Tallman　Taylor　now？he　was　not　well　when　they　passed　through　Philadelphia。〃

〃He　looks　badly　still；〃　said　Miss　Agnes。　〃He　is　very　imprudent；　and　distresses　Jane　very　much　by　his　carelessness。〃

〃Gentlemen　never　seem　to　do　what　is　right　when　invalids；〃　observed　Mary　Van　Alstyne；　smiling。　〃They　are　either　very　reckless；　and　indifferent　to　their　health；　or　else　over…careful。〃

〃What　do　you　say；　Mr。　Ellsworth；　is　that　account　true？〃　asked　Miss　Wyllys。

〃I　dare　say　it　isI　have　no　doubt　we　are　very　troublesome　to　our　nurses。　But；　fortunately；　women　are　endowed　with　a　double　stock　of　patience；　to　make　up　for　our　deficiencies。　Is　Mr。　Taylor　on　board？I　have　not　seen　him。〃

〃No；　he　remained　in　town　to　attend　to　some　business；〃　replied　Miss　Wyllys。　〃We　have　charge　of　Mrs。　Taylor；　however；　who　was　very　anxious　to　get　into　the　country；　on　account　of　her　youngest　child。〃

〃I　see；　Mr。　Ellsworth；　that　old　Ironsides　has　arrived　at　Norfolk；　bringing　Mr。　Henley　from　Rio；〃　observed　Mr。　Wyllys。

｛〃Old　Ironsides〃　=　the　United　States　Frigate　〃Constitution〃；　in　the　early　1800s；　U。S。　naval　ships　frequently　carried　diplomats　to　and　from　their　stations｝

〃Certainly；　she　arrived　on　Tuesday。〃

〃I　saw　it　in　the　Globe；　last　night；　grandpapa；　Mr。　Henley　had　arrived　at　Washington。　Harry　is　with　him；　of　course；〃　said　Elinor；　in　a　quiet；　natural　tone。

〃I　supposed　you　knew　of　their　arrival；〃　observed　Mr。　Ellsworth。　〃I　have　a　letter　from　Hazlehurst　in　my　pocket。　He　seems　to　have　had　quite　enough　of　Rio。〃

〃Mr。　Henley；　I　understand；　is　talked　of　as　minister　to　Russia；〃　said　Mr。　Wyllys。

〃Yes；　I　believe　that　affair　is　settled。〃

〃Does　Hazlehurst　mention　whether　he　is　going　with　Mr。　Henley？〃　

〃That　may　be　a　state　secret；〃　said　Elinor；　smiling。

〃He　has　had　an　offer　of　the　situation；　I　believebut　does　not　seem　to　have　made　up　his　mind；　he　is　coming　home　to　look　about　him；　he　says；　having　three　months'　vacation　at　any　rate。〃

The　shrill　tone　of　Miss　Emma　Taylor's　voice　was　at　this　moment　heard　so　distinctly；　from　the　other　side　of　the　boat　that　Mr。　Wyllys　looked　up　from　his　paper；　and　Mr。　Ellsworth　smiled。　It　was　very　evident　the　young　lady　had　inherited　the　peculiar　tone　of　voice；　and　all　the　cast…off　animation　of　her　elder　sister。

〃Miss　Taylor　seems　to　be　in　very　good　spirits；〃　remarked　Mr。　Ellsworth。

〃Yes；　she　always　talks　and　laughs　a　great　deal；〃　replied　Mary　Van　Alstyne。

〃They　are　no　longer　your　neighbours；　I　understand；　sir。〃

〃No；　Mr。　Taylor　sold　Colonnade　Manor　this　spring；　De　Vaux　has　purchased　it；　and　changed　the　name　of　the　place。　It　is　now　to　be　called　Broadlawn；　which　is　certainly　a　great　improvement。〃

〃And　where　does　Mr。　Taylor's　family　pass　the　summer？〃

〃Why；　Jane　tells　me　he　is　building　something　he　calls　a　cottage；　at　Rockaway；　within　a　stone's　throw　of　the　principal　hotel。　They　thought　Longbridge　too　quiet。〃

Mrs。　Taylor's　little　girl　had；　by　this；　time；　become　very　sleepy；　and　a　little　fretful；　and　Miss　Agnes　advised　her　being　carried　to　her　mother。　Elinor　led　her　away；　rather；　it　is　believed；　to　Mr。　Ellsworth's　regret。

It　was　no　easy　task　to　make　one's　way　among　the　nurses；　and　babies；　and　baskets；　filling　the　ladies'　cabin；　which　was　more　than　usually　crowded。　But　at　length　Elinor　reached　Jane　and　Adeline；　who　were　sitting　together。

A　single　glance　was　sufficient　to　show　that　a　change　had　come　over　these　two　young　women；　since　the　giddy　days　of　their　girlhood。　Jane　was　pale；　but　beautiful　as　ever；　she　was　holding　on　her　knees　a　sick　child；　about　two　months　old；　which　apparently　engrossed　all　her　attention。　What　would　be　her　system　as　a　mother；　might　be　foretold　by　the　manner　in　which　she　pacified　the　little　girl　Elinor　had　brought　with　her。

〃Give　her　some　candy；　Dinah；〃　she　said　to　the　black　nurse；　whose　broad；　good…natured　face　was　soon　covered　with　shining　marks　of　affection；　from　the　hands　of　the　pretty　little　charge。

Adeline　was　less　changed　in　her　appearance　than　her　sister…in…law；　that　is　to　say；　she　was　as　pretty　as　ever；　and　neither　thin　nor　pale。　But　there　was　something　in　her　expression；　and　a　great　deal　in　her　manner；　that　was　no　longer　what　it　had　been　of　old。　That　excessive　animation　which　had　distinguished　her　as　a　belle；　had　been　allowed　to　die　away；　and　the　restless　expression；　produced　by　a　perpetual　labour　to　make　conquests；　which　was；　at　one　time；　always　to　be　traced　upon　her　features；　had　now　vanished　entirely。　In　its　place　there　was　a　touch　of　matronly　care　and　affection；　more　natural；　and　far　more　pleasing。　She；　too；　was　sitting　by　the　side　of　her　child；　driving　away　the　flies　from　the　little　thing；　who　was　sleeping　in　a　berth。　Adeline　Taylor　had　married　well；　in　the　best　sense　of　the　word。　Not　that　she　deserved　much　credit　for　doing　so；　since　she　had　only　accidentally；　as　it　were；　become　attached　to　the　young　man　who　happened　to　be　the　most　deserving　among　her　suitors。　Chance　had　had　a