mrs. general talboys-第1节

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Mrs。　General　Talboys


by　Anthony　Trollope





Why　Mrs。　General　Talboys　first　made　up　her　mind　to　pass　the　winter
of　1859　at　Rome　I　never　clearly　understood。　　To　myself　she　explained
her　purposes；　soon　after　her　arrival　at　the　Eternal　City；　by
declaring；　in　her　own　enthusiastic　manner；　that　she　was　inspired　by
a　burning　desire　to　drink　fresh　at　the　still　living　fountains　of
classical　poetry　and　sentiment。　　But　I　always　thought　that　there　was
something　more　than　this　in　it。　　Classical　poetry　and　sentiment　were
doubtless　very　dear　to　her；　but　so　also；　I　imagine；　were　the
substantial　comforts　of　Hardover　Lodge；　the　General's　house　in
Berkshire；　and　I　do　not　think　that　she　would　have　emigrated　for　the
winter　had　there　not　been　some　slight　domestic　misunderstanding。
Let　this；　however；　be　fully　made　clear；that　such　misunderstanding；
if　it　existed；　must　have　been　simply　an　affair　of　temper。　　No
impropriety　of　conduct　has；　I　am　very　sure；　ever　been　imputed　to　the
lady。　　The　General；　as　all　the　world　knows；　is　hot；　and　Mrs。
Talboys；　when　the　sweet　rivers　of　her　enthusiasm　are　unfed　by
congenial　waters；　can；　I　believe；　make　herself　disagreeable。

But　be　this　as　it　may；　in　November；　1859；　Mrs。　Talboys　came　among　us
English　at　Rome；　and　soon　succeeded　in　obtaining　for　herself　a
comfortable　footing　in　our　society。　　We　all　thought　her　more
remarkable　for　her　mental　attributes　than　for　physical　perfection；
but；　nevertheless；　she　was；　in　her　own　way；　a　sightly　woman。　　She
had　no　special　brilliance；　either　of　eye　or　complexion；　such　as
would　produce　sudden　flames　in　susceptible　hearts；　nor　did　she　seem
to　demand　instant　homage　by　the　form　and　step　of　a　goddess；　but　we
found　her　to　be　a　good…looking　woman　of　some　thirty　or　thirty…three
years　of　age；　with　soft；　peach…like　cheeks；rather　too　like　those
of　a　cherub；　with　sparkling　eyes　which　were　hardly　large　enough；
with　good　teeth；　a　white　forehead；　a　dimpled　chin　and　a　full　bust。
Such；　outwardly；　was　Mrs。　General　Talboys。　　The　description　of　the
inward　woman　is　the　purport　to　which　these　few　pages　will　be
devoted。

There　are　two　qualities　to　which　the　best　of　mankind　are　much
subject；　which　are　nearly　related　to　each　other；　and　as　to　which　the
world　has　not　yet　decided　whether　they　are　to　be　classed　among　the
good　or　evil　attributes　of　our　nature。　　Men　and　women　are　under　the
influence　of　them　both；　but　men　oftenest　undergo　the　former；　and
women　the　latter。　　They　are　ambition　and　enthusiasm。　　Now　Mrs。
Talboys　was　an　enthusiastic　woman。

As　to　ambition；　generally　as　the　world　agrees　with　Mark　Antony　in
stigmatising　it　as　a　grievous　fault；　I　am　myself　clear　that　it　is　a
virtue；　but　with　ambition　at　present　we　have　no　concern。　　Enthusiasm
also；　as　I　think；　leans　to　virtue's　side；　or；　at　least；　if　it　be　a
fault；　of　all　faults　it　is　the　prettiest。　　But　then；　to　partake　at
all　of　virtue；　or　even　to　be　in　any　degree　pretty；　the　enthusiasm
must　be　true。

Bad　coin　is　known　from　good　by　the　ring　of　it；　and　so　is　bad
enthusiasm。　　Let　the　coiner　be　ever　so　clever　at　his　art；　in　the
coining　of　enthusiasm　the　sound　of　true　gold　can　never　be　imparted
to　the　false　metal。　　And　I　doubt　whether　the　cleverest　she　in　the
world　can　make　false　enthusiasm　palatable　to　the　taste　of　man。　　To
the　taste　of　any　woman　the　enthusiasm　of　another　woman　is　never　very
palatable。

We　understood　at　Home　that　Mrs。　Talboys　had　a　considerable　family；
four　or　five　children；　we　were　told；　but　she　brought　with　her　only
one　daughter；　a　little　girl　about　twelve　years　of　age。　　She　had　torn
herself　asunder；　as　she　told　me；　from　the　younger　nurslings　of　her
heart；　and　had　left　them　to　the　care　of　a　devoted　female　attendant；
whose　love　was　all　but　maternal。　　And　then　she　said　a　word　or　two
about　the　General；　in　terms　which　made　me　almost　think　that　this
quasi…maternal　love　extended　itself　beyond　the　children。　　The　idea；
however；　was　a　mistaken　one；　arising　from　the　strength　of　her
language；　to　which　I　was　then　unaccustomed。　　I　have　since　become
aware　that　nothing　can　be　more　decorous　than　old　Mrs。　Upton；　the
excellent　head…nurse　at　Hardover　Lodge；　and　no　gentleman　more
discreet　in　his　conduct　than　General　Talboys。

And　I　may　as　well　here　declare；　also；　that　there　could　be　no　more
virtuous　woman　than　the　General's　wife。　　Her　marriage　vow　was　to　her
paramount　to　all　other　vows　and　bonds　whatever。　　The　General's
honour　was　quite　safe　when　he　sent　her　off　to　Rome　by　herself；　and
he　no　doubt　knew　that　it　was　so。　　Illi　robur　et　aes　triplex；　of
which　I　believe　no　weapons　of　any　assailant　could　get　the　better。
But；　nevertheless；　we　used　to　fancy　that　she　had　no　repugnance　to
impropriety　in　other　women；to　what　the　world　generally　calls
impropriety。　　Invincibly　attached　herself　to　the　marriage　tie；　she
would　constantly　speak　of　it　as　by　no　means　necessarily　binding　on
others；　and；　virtuous　herself　as　any　griffin　of　propriety；　she
constantly　patronised；　at　any　rate；　the　theory　of　infidelity　in　her
neighbours。　　She　was　very　eager　in　denouncing　the　prejudices　of　the
English　world；　declaring　that　she　had　found　existence　among　them　to
be　no　longer　possible　for　herself。　　She　was　hot　against　the　stern
unforgiveness　of　British　matrons；　and　equally　eager　in　reprobating
the　stiff　conventionalities　of　a　religion　in　which　she　said　that
none　of　its　votaries　had　faith；　though　they　all　allowed　themselves
to　be　enslaved。

We　had　at　that　time　a　small　set　at　Rome；　consisting　chiefly　of
English　and　Americans；　who　habitually　met　at　each　other's　rooms；　and
spent　many　of　our　evening　hours　in　discussing　Italian　politics。　　We
were；　most　of　us；　painters；　poets；　novelists；　or　sculptors；perhaps
I　should　say　would…be　painters；　poets；　novelists；　and　sculptors；
aspirants　hoping　to　become　some　day　recognised；　and　among　us　Mrs。
Talboys　took　her　place；　naturally　enough；　on　account　of　a　very
pretty　taste　she　had　for　painting。

I　do　not　know　that　she　ever　originated　anything　that　was　grand；　but
she　made　some　nice　copies；　and　was　fond；　at　any　rate；　of　art
conversation。　　She　wrote　essays；　too；　which　she　showed　in　confidence
to　various　gentlemen；　and　had　some　idea　of　taking　lessons　in
modelling。

In　all　our　circle　Conrad　Mackinnon；　an　American；　was；　perhaps；　the
person　most　qualified　to　be　styled　its　leader。　　He　was　one　who
absolutely　did　gain　his　living；　and　an　ample　living　too；　by　his　pen；
and　was　regarded　on　all　sides　as　a　literary　lion；　justified　by
success　in　roaring　at　any　tone　he　might　please。　　His　usual　roar　was
not　exactly　that　of　a　sucking…dove　or　a　nightingale；　but　it　was　a
good…humoured　roar；　not　very　offensive　to　any　man；　and　apparently
acceptable　enough　to　some　ladies。　　He　was　a　big　burly　man；　near　to
fifty　as　I　suppose；　somewhat　awkward　in　his　gait；　and　somewhat　loud
in　his　laugh。　　But　though　nigh　to　fifty；　and　thus　ungainly；　he　liked
to　be　smiled　on　by　pretty　women；　and　liked；　as　some　said；　to　be
flattered　by　them　also。　　If　so；　he　should　have　been　happy；　for　the
ladies　at　Rome　at　that　time　made　much　of　Conrad　Mackinnon。

Of　Mrs。　Mackinnon　no　one　did　make　very　much；　and　yet　she　was　one　of
the　sweetest；　dearest；　quietest；　little　creatures　that　ever　made
glad　a　man's　fireside。　　She　was　exquisitely　pretty；　always　in　good
humour；　never　stupid；　self…denying　to　a　fault；　and　yet　she　was
generally　in　the　background。　　She　would　seldom　come　forward　of　her
own　will；　but　was　contented　to　sit　behind　her　teapot　and　hear
Mackinnon　do　his　roaring。　　He　was　certainly　much　given　to　what　the
world　at　Rome　called　flirting；　but　this　did　not　in　the　least　annoy
her。　　She　was　twenty　years　his　junior；　and　yet　she　never　flirted
with　any　one。　　Women　would　tell　hergood…natured　friendshow
Mackinnon　went　on；　but　she　received　such　tidings　as　an　excellent
joke；　observing　that　he　had　always　done　the　same；　and　no　doubt
always　would　until　he　was　ninety。　　I　do　believe　that　she　was　a　happy
woman；　and　yet　I　used　to　think　that　she　should　have　been　happier。
There　is；　however；　no　knowing　the　inside　of　another　man's　house；　or
reading　the　riddles　of　another　man's　joy　and　sorrow。

We　had　also　there　another　lion；a　lion　cub；entitled　to　roar　a
little；　and　of　him　also　I　must　say　something。　　Charles　O'Brien　was　a
young　man；　about　twenty…five　years　of　age；　who　had　sent　out　from　his
studio　in　the　preceding　year　a　certain　bust；　supposed　by　his
admirers　to　be　unsurpassed　by　any　effort　of　ancient　or　modern
genius。　　I　am　no　judge　of　sculpture；　and　will　not；　therefore；
pronounce　an　opinion；　but　many　who　considered　themselves　to　be
judges；　declared　that　it　was　a　〃goodish　head　and　shoulders；〃　and
nothing　more。　　I　merely　mention　the　fact；　as　it　was　on　the　strength
of　that　head　and　shoulders　that　O'Brien　separated　himself　from　a
throng　of　others　such　as　himself　in　Rome；　walked　solitary　during　the
days；　and　threw　himself　at　the　feet　of　various　ladies　when　the　days
were　over。　　He　had　ridden　on　the　shoulders　of　his　bust　into　a
prominent　place　in　our　circle；　and　there　encountered　much　feminine
admirationfrom　Mrs。　General　Talboys　and　others。

Some　eighteen　or　twenty　of　us　used　to　meet　every　Sunday　evening　in
Mrs。　Mackinnon's　drawing…room。　　Many　of　us；　indeed；　were　in　the
habit　of　s