a bundle of letters-第6部分

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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　the　time　I　have

laid　out。　　I　suppose　your　cold　weather　has　promptly　begun；　as　usual；

it　sometimes　makes　me　envy　you。　　The　fall　weather　here　is　very　dull

and　damp；　and　I　feel　very　much　as　if　I　should　like　to　be　braced　up。







CHAPTER　VI







FROM　MISS　EVELYN　VANE；　IN　PARIS；　TO　THE　LADY　AUGUSTA　FLEMING；　AT

BRIGHTON。



Paris；　September　30th。



Dear　Lady　AugustaI　am　afraid　I　shall　not　be　able　to　come　to　you　on

January　7th；　as　you　kindly　proposed　at　Homburg。　　I　am　so　very；　very

sorry；　it　is　a　great　disappointment　to　me。　　But　I　have　just　heard

that　it　has　been　settled　that　mamma　and　the　children　are　coming

abroad　for　a　part　of　the　winter；　and　mamma　wishes　me　to　go　with　them

to　Hyeres；　where　Georgina　has　been　ordered　for　her　lungs。　　She　has

not　been　at　all　well　these　three　months；　and　now　that　the　damp

weather　has　begun　she　is　very　poorly　indeed；　so　that　last　week　papa

decided　to　have　a　consultation；　and　he　and　mamma　went　with　her　up　to

town　and　saw　some　three　or　four　doctors。　　They　all　of　them　ordered

the　south　of　France；　but　they　didn't　agree　about　the　place；　so　that

mamma　herself　decided　for　Hyeres；　because　it　is　the　most　economical。

I　believe　it　is　very　dull；　but　I　hope　it　will　do　Georgina　good。　　I　am

afraid；　however；　that　nothing　will　do　her　good　until　she　consents　to

take　more　care　of　herself；　I　am　afraid　she　is　very　wild　and　wilful；

and　mamma　tells　me　that　all　this　month　it　has　taken　papa's　positive

orders　to　make　her　stop　in…doors。　　She　is　very　cross　（mamma　writes

me）　about　coming　abroad；　and　doesn't　seem　at　all　to　mind　the　expense

that　papa　has　been　put　totalks　very　ill…naturedly　about　losing　the

hunting；　etc。　　She　expected　to　begin　to　hunt　in　December；　and　wants

to　know　whether　anybody　keeps　hounds　at　Hyeres。　　Fancy　a　girl　wanting

to　follow　the　hounds　when　her　lungs　are　so　bad！　　But　I　daresay　that

when　she　gets　there　she　will　he　glad　enough　to　keep　quiet；　as　they

say　that　the　heat　is　intense。　　It　may　cure　Georgina；　but　I　am　sure　it

will　make　the　rest　of　us　very　ill。



Mamma；　however；　is　only　going　to　bring　Mary　and　Gus　and　Fred　and

Adelaide　abroad　with　her；　the　others　will　remain　at　Kingscote　until

February　（about　the　3d）；　when　they　will　go　to　Eastbourne　for　a　month

with　Miss　Turnover；　the　new　governess；　who　has　turned　out　such　a　very

nice　person。　　She　is　going　to　take　Miss　Travers；　who　has　been　with　us

so　long；　but　who　is　only　qualified　for　the　younger　children；　to

Hyeres；　and　I　believe　some　of　the　Kingscote　servants。　　She　has

perfect　confidence　in　Miss　T。；　it　is　only　a　pity　she　has　such　an　odd

name。　　Mamma　thought　of　asking　her　if　she　would　mind　taking　another

when　she　came；　but　papa　thought　she　might　object。　　Lady　Battledown

makes　all　her　governesses　take　the　same　name；　she　gives　？5　more　a

year　for　the　purpose。　　I　forget　what　it　is　she　calls　them；　I　think

it's　Johnson　（which　to　me　always　suggests　a　lady's　maid）。

Governesses　shouldn't　have　too　pretty　a　name；　they　shouldn't　have　a

nicer　name　than　the　family。



I　suppose　you　heard　from　the　Desmonds　that　I　did　not　go　back　to

England　with　them。　　When　it　began　to　be　talked　about　that　Georgina

should　be　taken　abroad；　mamma　wrote　to　me　that　I　had　better　stop　in

Paris　for　a　month　with　Harold；　so　that　she　could　pick　me　up　on　their

way　to　Hyeres。　　It　saves　the　expense　of　my　journey　to　Kingscote　and

back；　and　gives　me　the　opportunity　to　〃finish〃　a　little　in　French。



You　know　Harold　came　here　six　weeks　ago；　to　get　up　his　French　for

those　dreadful　examinations　that　he　has　to　pass　so　soon。　　He　came　to

live　with　some　French　people　that　take　in　young　men　（and　others）　for

this　purpose；　it's　a　kind　of　coaching　place；　only　kept　by　women。

Mamma　had　heard　it　was　very　nice；　so　she　wrote　to　me　that　I　was　to

come　and　stop　here　with　Harold。　　The　Desmonds　brought　me　and　made　the

arrangement；　or　the　bargain；　or　whatever　you　call　it。　　Poor　Harold

was　naturally　not　at　all　pleased；　but　he　has　been　very　kind；　and　has

treated　me　like　an　angel。　　He　is　getting　on　beautifully　with　his

French；　for　though　I　don't　think　the　place　is　so　good　as　papa

supposed；　yet　Harold　is　so　immensely　clever　that　he　can　scarcely　help

learning。　　I　am　afraid　I　learn　much　less；　but；　fortunately；　I　have

not　to　pass　an　examinationexcept　if　mamma　takes　it　into　her　head　to

examine　me。　　But　she　will　have　so　much　to　think　of　with　Georgina　that

I　hope　this　won't　occur　to　her。　　If　it　does；　I　shall　be；　as　Harold

says；　in　a　dreadful　funk。



This　is　not　such　a　nice　place　for　a　girl　as　for　a　young　man；　and　the

Desmonds　thought　it　EXCEEDINGLY　ODD　that　mamma　should　wish　me　to　come

here。　　As　Mrs。　Desmond　said；　it　is　because　she　is　so　very

unconventional。　　But　you　know　Paris　is　so　very　amusing；　and　if　only

Harold　remains　good…natured　about　it；　I　shall　be　content　to　wait　for

the　caravan　（that's　what　he　calls　mamma　and　the　children）。　　The

person　who　keeps　the　establishment；　or　whatever　they　call　it；　is

rather　odd；　and　EXCEEDINGLY　FOREIGN；　but　she　is　wonderfully　civil；

and　is　perpetually　sending　to　my　door　to　see　if　I　want　anything。　　The

servants　are　not　at　all　like　English　servants；　and　come　bursting　in；

the　footman　（they　have　only　one）　and　the　maids　alike；　at　all　sorts　of

hours；　in　the　MOST　SUDDEN　WAY。　　Then　when　one　rings；　it　is　half　an

hour　before　they　come。　　All　this　is　very　uncomfortable；　and　I　daresay

it　will　be　worse　at　Hyeres。　　There；　however；　fortunately；　we　shall

have　our　own　people。



There　are　some　very　odd　Americans　here；　who　keep　throwing　Harold　into

fits　of　laughter。　　One　is　a　dreadful　little　man　who　is　always　sitting

over　the　fire；　and　talking　about　the　colour　of　the　sky。　　I　don't

believe　he　ever　saw　the　sky　except　through　the　windowpane。　　The

other　day　he　took　hold　of　my　frock　（that　green　one　you　thought　so

nice　at　Homburg）　and　told　me　that　it　reminded　him　of　the　texture　of

the　Devonshire　turf。　　And　then　he　talked　for　half　an　hour　about　the

Devonshire　turf；　which　I　thought　such　a　very　extraordinary　subject。

Harold　says　he　is　mad。　　It　is　very　strange　to　be　living　in　this　way

with　people　one　doesn't　know。　　I　mean　that　one　doesn't　know　as　one

knows　them　in　England。



The　other　Americans　（beside　the　madman）　are　two　girls；　about　my　own

age；　one　of　whom　is　rather　nice。　　She　has　a　mother；　but　the　mother　is

always　sitting　in　her　bedroom；　which　seems　so　very　odd。　　I　should

like　mamma　to　ask　them　to　Kingscote；　but　I　am　afraid　mamma　wouldn't

like　the　mother；　who　is　rather　vulgar。　　The　other　girl　is　rather

vulgar　too；　and　is　travelling　about　quite　alone。　　I　think　she　is　a

kind　of　schoolmistress；　but　the　other　girl　（I　mean　the　nicer　one；

with　the　mother）　tells　me　she　is　more　respectable　than　she　seems。

She　has；　however；　the　most　extraordinary　opinionswishes　to　do　away

with　the　aristocracy；　thinks　it　wrong　that　Arthur　should　have

Kingscote　when　papa　dies；　etc。　　I　don't　see　what　it　signifies　to　her

that　poor　Arthur　should　come　into　the　property；　which　will　be　so

delightfulexcept　for　papa　dying。　　But　Harold　says　she　is　mad。　　He

chaffs　her　tremendously　about　her　radicalism；　and　he　is　so　immensely

clever　that　she　can't　answer　him；　though　she　is　rather　clever　too。



There　is　also　a　Frenchman；　a　nephew；　or　cousin；　or　something；　of　the

person　of　the　house；　who　is　extremely　nasty；　and　a　German　professor；

or　doctor；　who　eats　with　his　knife　and　is　a　great　bore。　　I　am　so　very

sorry　about　giving　up　my　visit。　　I　am　afraid　you　will　never　ask　me

again。







CHAPTER　VII







FROM　LEON　VERDIER；　IN　PARIS；　TO　PROSPER　GOBAIN；　AT　LILLE。



September　28th。



My　Dear　ProsperIt　is　a　long　time　since　I　have　given　you　of　my　news；

and　I　don't　know　what　puts　it　into　my　head　to…night　to　recall　myself

to　your　affectionate　memory。　　I　suppose　it　is　that　when　we　are　happy

the　mind　reverts　instinctively　to　those　with　whom　formerly　we　shared

our　exaltations　and　depressions；　and　je　t'eu　ai　trop　dit；　dans　le　bon

temps；　mon　gros　Prosper；　and　you　always　listened　to　me　too

imperturbably；　with　your　pipe　in　your　mouth；　your　waistcoat

unbuttoned；　for　me　not　to　feel　that　I　can　count　upon　your　sympathy

to…day。　　Nous　en　sommes　nous　flanquees　des　confidencesin　those

happy　days　when　my　first　thought　in　seeing　an　adventure　poindre　a

l'horizon　was　of　the　pleasure　I　should　have　in　relating　it　to　the

great　Prosper。　　As　I　tell　thee；　I　am　happy；　decidedly；　I　am　happy；

and　from　this　affirmation　I　fancy　you　can　construct　the　rest。　　Shall

I　help　thee　a　little？　　Take　three　adorable　girls　。　。　。　three；　my　good

Prosperthe　mystic　numberneither　more　nor　less。　　Take　them　and

place　thy　insatiable　little　Leon　in　the　midst　of　them！　　Is　the

situation　sufficiently　indicated；　and　do　you　apprehend　the　motives　of

my　felicity？



You　expected；　perhaps；　I　was　going　to　tell　you　that　I　had　made　my

fortune；　or　that　the　Uncle　Blondeau　had　at　last　decided　to　return

into　the　breast　of　nature；　after　having　constituted　me　his　universal

legatee。　　But　I　needn't　remind　you　that　women　are　always　for

something　in　the　happiness　of　him　who　writes　to　theefor　something

in　his　happiness；　and　for　a　good　deal　more　in　his　misery。　　But　don't

let　me　talk　of　misery　now；　time　enough　when　it　comes；　ces　demoiselles

have　gone　to　join　the　serried　ranks　of　their　amiable　predecessors。

Excuse　meI　comprehend　your　impatience。　　I　will　tell　you　of　whom　ces

demoiselles　consist。



You　have　heard　me　speak　of　my　cousine　de　Maisonrouge；　that　grande

belle　femme；　who；　after　having　married；　en　secondes　nocesthere　had

been；　to　tell　the　truth；　some　irregularity　about　her　first　uniona

venerable　relic　of　the　old　noblesse　of　Poitou；　was　left；　by　the　death

of　her　husband；　complicated　by　the　indulgence　of　expensive　tastes　on

an　income　of　17；000　francs；　on　the　pavement　of　Paris；　with　two　little

demons　of　daughters　to　bring　up　in　the　path　of　virtue。　　She　man