the author of beltraffio- 第2部分

We　passed　through　the　house　and　into　the　grounds；　as　I　should　have
called　them；　which　extended　into　the　rear。　　　They　covered　scarce
three　or　four　acres；　but；　like　the　house；　were　very　old　and　crooked
and　full　of　traces　of　long　habitation；　with　inequalities　of　level　and
little　flights　of　stepsmossy　and　cracked　were　thesewhich
connected　the　different　parts　with　each　other。　　　The　limits　of　the
place；　cleverly　dissimulated；　were　muffled　in　the　great　verdurous
screens。　　　They　formed；　as　I　remember；　a　thick　loose　curtain　at　the
further　end；　in　one　of　the　folds　of　which；　as　it　were；　we　presently
made　out　from　afar　a　little　group。　　　〃Ah　there　she　is！〃　said　Mark
Ambient；　〃and　she　has　got　the　boy。〃　　He　noted　that　last　fact　in　a
slightly　different　tone　from　any　in　which　he　yet　had　spoken。　　　I
wasn't　fully　aware　of　this　at　the　time；　but　it　lingered　in　my　ear　and
I　afterwards　understood　it。

〃Is　it　your　son？〃　I　inquired；　feeling　the　question　not　to　be
brilliant。

〃Yes；　my　only　child。　　　He's　always　in　his　mother's　pocket。　　　She
coddles　him　too　much。〃　　It　came　back　to　me　afterwards　toothe　sound
of　these　critical　words。　　　They　weren't　petulant；　they　expressed
rather　a　sudden　coldness；　a　mechanical　submission。　　　We　went　a　few
steps　further；　and　then　he　stopped　short　and　called　the　boy；
beckoning　to　him　repeatedly。

〃Dolcino；　come　and　see　your　daddy！〃　　There　was　something　in　the　way
he　stood　still　and　waited　that　made　me　think　he　did　it　for　a　purpose。
Mrs。　Ambient　had　her　arm　round　the　child's　waist；　and　he　was　leaning
against　her　knee；　but　though　he　moved　at　his　father's　call　she　gave
no　sign　of　releasing　him。　　　A　lady；　apparently　a　neighbour；　was
seated　near　her；　and　before　them　was　a　garden…table　on　which　a　tea…
service　had　been　placed。

Mark　Ambient　called　again；　and　Dolcino　struggled　in　the　maternal
embrace；　but；　too　tightly　held；　he　after　two　or　three　fruitless
efforts　jerked　about　and　buried　his　head　deep　in　his　mother's　lap。
There　was　a　certain　awkwardness　in　the　scene；　I　thought　it　odd　Mrs。
Ambient　should　pay　so　little　attention　to　her　husband。　　　But　I
wouldn't　for　the　world　have　betrayed　my　thought；　and；　to　conceal　it；
I　began　loudly　to　rejoice　in　the　prospect　of　our　having　tea　in　the
garden。　　　〃Ah　she　won't　let　him　come！〃　said　my　host　with　a　sigh；　and
we　went　our　way　till　we　reached　the　two　ladies。　　　He　mentioned　my
name　to　his　wife；　and　I　noticed　that　he　addressed　her　as　〃My　dear；〃
very　genially；　without　a　trace　of　resentment　at　her　detention　of　the
child。　　　The　quickness　of　the　transition　made　me　vaguely　ask　myself
if　he　were　perchance　henpeckeda　shocking　surmise　which　I　instantly
dismissed。　　　Mrs。　Ambient　was　quite　such　a　wife　as　I　should　have
expected　him　to　have；　slim　and　fair；　with　a　long　neck　and　pretty　eyes
and　an　air　of　good　breeding。　　She　shone　with　a　certain　coldness　and
practised　in　intercourse　a　certain　bland　detachment；　but　she　was
clothed　in　gentleness　as　in　one　of　those　vaporous　redundant　scarves
that　muffle　the　heroines　of　Gainsborough　and　Romney。　　She　had　also　a
vague　air　of　race；　justified　by　my　afterwards　learning　that　she　was
〃connected　with　the　aristocracy。〃　　I　have　seen　poets　married　to　women
of　whom　it　was　difficult　to　conceive　that　they　should　gratify　the
poetic　fancywomen　with　dull　faces　and　glutinous　minds；　who　were
none　the　less；　however；　excellent　wives。　　But　there　was　no　obvious
disparity　in　Mark　Ambient's　union。　　My　hostessso　far　as　she　could
be　called　sodelicate　and　quiet；　in　a　white　dress；　with　her
beautiful　child　at　her　side；　was　worthy　of　the　author　of　a　work　so
distinguished　as　〃Beltraffio。〃　　Round　her　neck　she　wore　a　black
velvet　ribbon；　of　which　the　long　ends；　tied　behind；　hung　down　her
back；　and　to　which；　in　front；　was　attached　a　miniature　portrait　of
her　little　boy。　　Her　smooth　shining　hair　was　confined　in　a　net。　　She
gave　me　an　adequate　greeting；　and　DolcinoI　thought　this　small　name
of　endearment　delightfultook　advantage　of　her　getting　up　to　slip
away　from　her　and　go　to　his　father；　who　seized　him　in　silence　and
held　him　high　for　a　long　moment；　kissing　him　several　times。

I　had　lost　no　time　in　observing　that　the　child；　not　more　than　seven
years　old；　was　extraordinarily　beautiful。　　He　had　the　face　of　an
angelthe　eyes；　the　hair；　the　smile　of　innocence；　the　more　than
mortal　bloom。　　There　was　something　that　deeply　touched；　that　almost
alarmed；　in　his　beauty；　composed；　one　would　have　said；　of　elements
too　fine　and　pure　for　the　breath　of　this　world。　　When　I　spoke　to　him
and　he　came　and　held　out　his　hand　and　smiled　at　me　I　felt　a　sudden
strange　pity　for　himquite　as　if　he　had　been　an　orphan　or　a
changeling　or　stamped　with　some　social　stigma。　　It　was　impossible　to
be　in　fact　more　exempt　from　these　misfortunes；　and　yet；　as　one　kissed
him；　it　was　hard　to　keep　from　murmuring　all　tenderly　〃Poor　little
devil！〃　though　why　one　should　have　applied　this　epithet　to　a　living
cherub　is　more　than　I　can　say。　　Afterwards　indeed　I　knew　a　trifle
better；　I　grasped　the　truth　of　his　being　too　fair　to　live；　wondering
at　the　same　time　that　his　parents　shouldn't　have　guessed　it　and　have
been　in　proportionate　grief　and　despair。　　For　myself　I　had　no　doubt
of　his　evanescence；　having　already　more　than　once　caught　in　the　fact
the　particular　infant　charm　that's　as　good　as　a　death…warrant。

The　lady　who　had　been　sitting　with　Mrs。　Ambient　was　a　jolly　ruddy
personage　in　velveteen　and　limp　feathers；　whom　I　guessed　to　be　the
vicar's　wifeour　hostess　didn't　introduce　meand　who　immediately
began　to　talk　to　Ambient　about　chrysanthemums。　　This　was　a　safe
subject；　and　yet　there　was　a　certain　surprise　for　me　in　seeing　the
author　of　〃Beltraffio〃　even　in　such　superficial　communion　with　the
Church　of　England。　　His　writings　implied　so　much　detachment　from　that
institution；　expressed　a　view　of　life　so　profane；　as　it　were；　so
independent　and　so　little　likely　in　general　to　be　thought　edifying；
that　I　should　have　expected　to　find　him　an　object　of　horror　to　vicars
and　their　ladiesof　horror　repaid　on　his　own　part　by　any　amount　of
effortless　derision。　　This　proved　how　little　I　knew　as　yet　of　the
English　people　and　their　extraordinary　talent　for　keeping　up　their
forms；　as　well　as　of　some　of　the　mysteries　of　Mark　Ambient's　hearth
and　home。　　I　found　afterwards　that　he　had；　in　his　study；　between
nervous　laughs　and　free　cigar…puffs；　some　wonderful　comparisons　for
his　clerical　neighbours；　but　meanwhile　the　chrysanthemums　were　a
source　of　harmony；　he　and　the　vicaress　were　equally　attached　to　them；
and　I　was　surprised　at　the　knowledge　they　exhibited　of　this
interesting　plant。　　The　lady's　visit；　however；　had　presumably　been
long；　and　she　presently　rose　for　departure　and　kissed　Mrs。　Ambient。
Mark　started　to　walk　with　her　to　the　gate　of　the　grounds；　holding
Dolcino　by　the　hand。

〃Stay　with　me；　darling；〃　Mrs。　Ambient　said　to　the　boy；　who　had
surrendered　himself　to　his　father。

Mark　paid　no　attention　to　the　summons　but　Dolcino　turned　and　looked
at　her　in　shy　appeal；　〃Can't　I　go　with　papa？〃

〃Not　when　I　ask　you　to　stay　with　me。〃

〃But　please　don't　ask　me；　mamma；〃　said　the　child　in　his　small　clear
new　voice。

〃I　must　ask　you　when　I　want　you。　　Come　to　me；　dearest。〃　　And　Mrs。
Ambient；　who　had　seated　herself　again；　held　out　her　long　slender
slightly　too　osseous　hands。

Her　husband　stopped；　his　back　turned　to　her；　but　without　releasing
the　child。　　He　was　still　talking　to　the　vicaress；　but　this　good　lady；
I　think；　had　lost　the　thread　of　her　attention。　　She　looked　at　Mrs。
Ambient　and　at　Dolcino；　and　then　looked　at　me；　smiling　in　a　highly
amused　cheerful　manner　and　almost　to　a　grimace。

〃Papa；〃　said　the　child；　〃mamma　wants　me　not　to　go　with　you。〃

〃He's　very　tiredhe　has　run　about　all　day。　　He　ought　to　be　quiet
till　he　goes　to　bed。　　Otherwise　he　won't　sleep。〃　　These　declarations
fell　successively　and　very　distinctly　from　Mrs。　Ambient's　lips。

Her　husband；　still　without　turning　round；　bent　over　the　boy　and
looked　at　him　in　silence。　　The　vicaress　gave　a　genial　irrelevant
laugh　and　observed　that　he　was　a　precious　little　pet。　　〃Let　him
choose；〃　said　Mark　Ambient。　　〃My　dear　little　boy；　will　you　go　with　me
or　will　you　stay　with　your　mother？〃

〃Oh　it's　a　shame！〃　cried　the　vicar's　lady　with　increased　hilarity。

〃Papa；　I　don't　think　I　can　choose；〃　the　child　answered；　making　his
voice　very　low　and　confidential。　　〃But　I've　been　a　great　deal　with
mamma　to…day；〃　he　then　added。

〃And　very　little　with　papa！　　My　dear　fellow；　I　think　you　HAVE
chosen！〃　　On　which　Mark　Ambient　walked　off　with　his　son；　accompanied
by　re…echoing　but　inarticulate　comments　from　my　fellow…visitor。

His　wife　had　seated　herself　again；　and　her　fixed　eyes；　bent　on　the
ground；　expressed　for　a　few　moments　so　much　mute　agitation　that
anything　I　could　think　of　to　say　would　be　but　a　false　note。　　Yet　she
none　the　less　quickly　recovered　herself；　to　express　the　sufficiently
civil　hope　that　I　didn't　mind　having　had　to　walk　from　the　station。　　I
reassured　her　on　this　point；　and　she　went　on：　　〃We've　got　a　thing
that　might　have　gone　for　you；　but　my　husband　wouldn't　order　it。〃
After　which　and　another　longish　pause；　broken　only　by　my　plea　that
the　pleasure　of　a　walk　with　our　friend　would　have　been　quite　what　I
would　have　chosen；　she　found　for　reply：　　〃I　believe　the　Americans
walk　very　little。〃

〃Yes；　we　always　run；〃　I　laughingly　allowed。

She　looked　at　me　seriously；　yet　with　an　absence　in　her　pretty　eyes。
〃I　suppose　your　distances　are　so　great。〃

〃Yes；　but　we　break　our　marches！　　I　can't　tell　you　the　pleasure　to　me
of　finding　myself　here；〃　I　added。　　〃I've　the　greatest　admiration　for
Mr。　Ambient。〃

〃He'll　like　that。　　He　likes　being　admired。〃

〃He　must　have　a　very　happy　life；　then。　　He　has　many　worshippers。〃

〃Oh　yes；　I've　seen　some　of　them；〃　she　dropped；　looking　away；　very　far
from　me；　rather　as　if　such　a　vision　were　before　her　at　the　moment。
It　seemed　to　indicate；　her　tone；　that　the　sight　was　scarcely
edifying；　and　I　guessed　her　quickly　enough　to　be　in　no　great
intellectual　sympathy　with　the　author　of　〃Beltraffio。〃　　I　thought　the
fact　strange；　but　somehow；　in　the　glow　of　my　own　enthusiasm；　didn't
think　it　important　it　only　made　me　wish　rather　to　emphasise　that
homage。