a bundle of letters-第5部分

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I　went　up　to　her　to　ask　her　the　day　before　yesterday；　I　thought　that

was　the　best　way。　　I　told　her　I　wanted　to　know　her　better；　and　would

like　to　come　and　see　her　in　her　roomthey　tell　me　she　has　got　a

lovely　roomand　that　if　she　had　heard　anything　against　me；　perhaps

she　would　tell　me　when　I　came。　　But　she　was　more　distant　than　ever；

and　she　just　turned　it　off；　said　that　she　had　never　heard　me

mentioned；　and　that　her　room　was　too　small　to　receive　visitors。　　I

suppose　she　spoke　the　truth；　but　I　am　sure　she　has　got　some　reason；

all　the　same。　　She　has　got　some　idea；　and　I　am　bound　to　find　out

before　I　go；　if　I　have　to　ask　everybody　in　the　house。　　I　AM　right

down　curious。　　I　wonder　if　she　doesn't　think　me　refinedor　if　she

had　ever　heard　anything　against　Bangor？　　I　can't　think　it　is　that。

Don't　you　remember　when　Clara　Barnard　went　to　visit　New　York；　three

years　ago；　how　much　attention　she　received？　　And　you　know　Clara　IS

Bangor；　to　the　soles　of　her　shoes。　　Ask　William　Plattso　long　as　he

isn't　a　nativeif　he　doesn't　consider　Clara　Barnard　refined。



Apropos；　as　they　say　here；　of　refinement；　there　is　another　American

in　the　housea　gentleman　from　Bostonwho　is　just　crowded　with　it。

His　name　is　Mr。　Louis　Leverett　（such　a　beautiful　name；　I　think）；　and

he　is　about　thirty　years　old。　　He　is　rather　small；　and　he　looks

pretty　sick；　he　suffers　from　some　affection　of　the　liver。　　But　his

conversation　is　remarkably　interesting；　and　I　delight　to　listen　to

himhe　has　such　beautiful　ideas。　　I　feel　as　if　it　were　hardly　right；

not　being　in　French；　but；　fortunately；　he　uses　a　great　many　French

expressions。　　It's　in　a　different　style　from　the　conversation　of　Mr。

Verdiernot　so　complimentary；　but　more　intellectual。　　He　is

intensely　fond　of　pictures；　and　has　given　me　a　great　many　ideas　about

them　which　I　should　never　have　gained　without　him；　I　shouldn't　have

known　where　to　look　for　such　ideas。　　He　thinks　everything　of

pictures；　he　thinks　we　don't　make　near　enough　of　them。　　They　seem　to

make　a　good　deal　of　them　here；　but　I　couldn't　help　telling　him　the

other　day　that　in　Bangor　I　really　don't　think　we　do。



If　I　had　any　money　to　spend　I　would　buy　some　and　take　them　back；　to

hang　up。　　Mr。　Leverett　says　it　would　do　them　goodnot　the　pictures；

but　the　Bangor　folks。　　He　thinks　everything　of　the　French；　too；　and

says　we　don't　make　nearly　enough　of　THEM。　　I　couldn't　help　telling

him　the　other　day　that　at　any　rate　they　make　enough　of　themselves。

But　it　is　very　interesting　to　hear　him　go　on　about　the　French；　and　it

is　so　much　gain　to　me；　so　long　as　that　is　what　I　came　for。　　I　talk　to

him　as　much　as　I　dare　about　Boston；　but　I　do　feel　as　if　this　were

right　down　wronga　stolen　pleasure。



I　can　get　all　the　Boston　culture　I　want　when　I　go　back；　if　I　carry

out　my　plan；　my　happy　vision；　of　going　there　to　reside。　　I　ought　to

direct　all　my　efforts　to　European　culture　now；　and　keep　Boston　to

finish　off。　　But　it　seems　as　if　I　couldn't　help　taking　a　peep　now　and

then；　in　advancewith　a　Bostonian。　　I　don't　know　when　I　may　meet　one

again；　but　if　there　are　many　others　like　Mr。　Leverett　there；　I　shall

be　certain　not　to　want　when　I　carry　out　my　dream。　　He　is　just　as　full

of　culture　as　he　can　live。　　But　it　seems　strange　how　many　different

sorts　there　are。



There　are　two　of　the　English　who　I　suppose　are　very　cultivated　too；

but　it　doesn't　seem　as　if　I　could　enter　into　theirs　so　easily；　though

I　try　all　I　can。　　I　do　love　their　way　of　speaking；　and　sometimes　I

feel　almost　as　if　it　would　be　right　to　give　up　trying　to　learn

French；　and　just　try　to　learn　to　speak　our　own　tongue　as　these

English　speak　it。　　It　isn't　the　things　they　say　so　much；　though　these

are　often　rather　curious；　but　it　is　in　the　way　they　pronounce；　and

the　sweetness　of　their　voice。　　It　seems　as　if　they　must　TRY　a　good

deal　to　talk　like　that；　but　these　English　that　are　here　don't　seem　to

try　at　all；　either　to　speak　or　do　anything　else。　　They　are　a　young

lady　and　her　brother。　　I　believe　they　belong　to　some　noble　family。　　I

have　had　a　good　deal　of　intercourse　with　them；　because　I　have　felt

more　free　to　talk　to　them　than　to　the　Americanson　account　of　the

language。　　It　seems　as　if　in　talking　with　them　I　was　almost　learning

a　new　one。



I　never　supposed；　when　I　left　Bangor；　that　I　was　coming　to　Europe　to

learn　ENGLISH！　　If　I　do　learn　it；　I　don't　think　you　will　understand

me　when　I　get　back；　and　I　don't　think　you'll　like　it　much。　　I　should

be　a　good　deal　criticised　if　I　spoke　like　that　at　Bangor。　　However；　I

verily　believe　Bangor　is　the　most　critical　place　on　earth；　I　have

seen　nothing　like　it　over　here。　　Tell　them　all　I　have　come　to　the

conclusion　that　they　are　A　GREAT　DEAL　TOO　FASTIDIOUS。　　But　I　was

speaking　about　this　English　young　lady　and　her　brother。　　I　wish　I

could　put　them　before　you。　　She　is　lovely　to　look　at；　she　seems　so

modest　and　retiring。　　In　spite　of　this；　however；　she　dresses　in　a　way

that　attracts　great　attention；　as　I　couldn't　help　noticing　when　one

day　I　went　out　to　walk　with　her。　　She　was　ever　so　much　looked　at；　but

she　didn't　seem　to　notice　it；　until　at　last　I　couldn't　help　calling

attention　to　it。　　Mr。　Leverett　thinks　everything　of　it；　he　calls　it

the　〃costume　of　the　future。〃　　I　should　call　it　rather　the　costume　of

the　pastyou　know　the　English　have　such　an　attachment　to　the　past。

I　said　this　the　other　day　to　Madame　do　Maisonrougethat　Miss　Vane

dressed　in　the　costume　of　the　past。　　De　l'an　passe；　vous　voulez　dire？

said　Madame；　with　her　little　French　laugh　（you　can　get　William　Platt

to　translate　this；　he　used　to　tell　me　he　knew　so　much　French）。



You　know　I　told　you；　in　writing　some　time　ago；　that　I　had　tried　to

get　some　insight　into　the　position　of　woman　in　England；　and；　being

here　with　Miss　Vane；　it　has　seemed　to　me　to　be　a　good　opportunity　to

get　a　little　more。　　I　have　asked　her　a　great　deal　about　it；　but　she

doesn't　seem　able　to　give　me　much　information。　　The　first　time　I

asked　her　she　told　me　the　position　of　a　lady　depended　upon　the　rank

of　her　father；　her　eldest　brother；　her　husband；　etc。　　She　told　me　her

own　position　was　very　good；　because　her　father　was　some　relationI

forget　whatto　a　lord。　　She　thinks　everything　of　this；　and　that

proves　to　me　that　the　position　of　woman　in　her　country　cannot　be

satisfactory；　because；　if　it　were；　it　wouldn't　depend　upon　that　of

your　relations；　even　your　nearest。　　I　don't　know　much　about　lords；

and　it　does　try　my　patience　（though　she　is　just　as　sweet　as　she　can

live）　to　hear　her　talk　as　if　it　were　a　matter　of　course　that　I

should。



I　feel　as　if　it　were　right　to　ask　her　as　often　as　I　can　if　she

doesn't　consider　every　one　equal；　but　she　always　says　she　doesn't；

and　she　confesses　that　she　doesn't　think　she　is　equal　to　〃Lady

Something…or…other；〃　who　is　the　wife　of　that　relation　of　her　father。

I　try　and　persuade　her　all　I　can　that　she　is；　but　it　seems　as　if　she

didn't　want　to　be　persuaded；　and　when　I　ask　her　if　Lady　So…and…so　is

of　the　same　opinion　（that　Miss　Vane　isn't　her　equal）；　she　looks　so

soft　and　pretty　with　her　eyes；　and　says；　〃Of　course　she　is！〃　　When　I

tell　her　that　this　is　right　down　bad　for　Lady　So…and…so；　it　seems　as

if　she　wouldn't　believe　me；　and　the　only　answer　she　will　make　is　that

Lady　So…and…so　is　〃extremely　nice。〃　　I　don't　believe　she　is　nice　at

all；　if　she　were　nice；　she　wouldn't　have　such　ideas　as　that。　　I　tell

Miss　Vane　that　at　Bangor　we　think　such　ideas　vulgar；　but　then　she

looks　as　though　she　had　never　heard　of　Bangor。　　I　often　want　to　shake

her；　though　she　IS　so　sweet。　　If　she　isn't　angry　with　the　people　who

make　her　feel　that　way；　I　am　angry　for　her。　　I　am　angry　with　her

brother　too；　for　she　is　evidently　very　much　afraid　of　him；　and　this

gives　me　some　further　insight　into　the　subject。　　She　thinks

everything　of　her　brother；　and　thinks　it　natural　that　she　should　be

afraid　of　him；　not　only　physically　（for　this　IS　natural；　as　he　is

enormously　tall　and　strong；　and　has　very　big　fists）；　but　morally　and

intellectually。　　She　seems　unable；　however；　to　take　in　any　argument；

and　she　makes　me　realise　what　I　have　often　heardthat　if　you　are

timid　nothing　will　reason　you　out　of　it。



Mr。　Vane；　also　（the　brother）；　seems　to　have　the　same　prejudices；　and

when　I　tell　him；　as　I　often　think　it　right　to　do；　that　his　sister　is

not　his　subordinate；　even　if　she　does　think　so；　but　his　equal；　and；

perhaps　in　some　respects　his　superior；　and　that　if　my　brother；　in

Bangor；　were　to　treat　me　as　he　treates　this　poor　young　girl；　who　has

not　spirit　enough　to　see　the　question　in　its　true　light；　there　would

be　an　indignation；　meeting　of　the　citizens　to　protest　against　such　an

outrage　to　the　sanctity　of　womanhoodwhen　I　tell　him　all　this；　at

breakfast　or　dinner；　he　bursts　out　laughing　so　loud　that　all　the

plates　clatter　on　the　table。



But　at　such　a　time　as　this　there　is　always　one　person　who　seems

interested　in　what　I　saya　German　gentleman；　a　professor；　who　sits

next　to　me　at　dinner；　and　whom　I　must　tell　you　more　about　another

time。　　He　is　very　learned；　and　has　a　great　desire　for　information；　he

appreciates　a　great　many　of　my　remarks；　and　after　dinner；　in　the

salon；　he　often　comes　to　me　to　ask　me　questions　about　them。　　I　have

to　think　a　little；　sometimes；　to　know　what　I　did　say；　or　what　I　do

think。　　He　takes　you　right　up　where　you　left　off；　and　he　is　almost　as

fond　of　discussing　things　as　William　Platt　is。　　He　is　splendidly

educated；　in　the　German　style；　and　he　told　me　the　other　day　that　he

was　an　〃intellectual　broom。〃　　Well；　if　he　is；　he　sweeps　clean；　I　told

him　that。　　After　he　has　been　talking　to　me　I　feel　as　if　I　hadn't　got

a　speck　of　dust　left　in　my　mind　anywhere。　　It's　a　most　delightful

feeling。　　He　says　he's　an　observer；　and　I　am　sure　there　is　plenty

over　here　to　observe。　　But　I　have　told　you　enough　for　to…day。　　I

don't　know　how　much　longer　I　shall　stay　here；　I　am　getting　on　so　fast

that　it　sometimes　seems　as　if　I　shouldn't　need　all　th