mrs. general talboys-第2节

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Mrs。　Mackinnon's　drawing…room。　　Many　of　us；　indeed；　were　in　the
habit　of　seeing　each　other　daily；　and　of　visiting　together　the
haunts　in　Rome　which　are　best　loved　by　art…loving　strangers；　but
here；　in　this　drawing…room；　we　were　sure　to　come　together；　and　here
before　the　end　of　November；　Mrs。　Talboys　might　always　be　found；　not
in　any　accustomed　seat；　but　moving　about　the　room　as　the　different
male　mental　attractions　of　our　society　might　chance　to　move
themselves。　　She　was　at　first　greatly　taken　by　Mackinnon；who　also
was；　I　think；　a　little　stirred　by　her　admiration；　though　he　stoutly
denied　the　charge。　　She　became；　however；　very　dear　to　us　all　before
she　left　us；　and　certainly　we　owed　to　her　our　love；　for　she　added
infinitely　to　the　joys　of　our　winter。

〃I　have　come　here　to　refresh　myself；〃　she　said　to　Mackinnon　one
eveningto　Mackinnon　and　myself；　for　we　were　standing　together。

〃Shall　I　get　you　tea？〃　said　I。

〃And　will　you　have　something　to　eat？〃　Mackinnon　asked。

〃No；　no；　no；〃　she　answered。　　〃Tea；　yes；　but　for　Heaven's　sake　let
nothing　solid　dispel　the　associations　of　such　a　meeting　as　this！〃

〃I　thought　you　might　have　dined　early；〃　said　Mackinnon。　　Now
Mackinnon　was　a　man　whose　own　dinner　was　very　dear　to　him。　　I　have
seen　him　become　hasty　and　unpleasant；　even　under　the　pillars　of　the
Forum；　when　he　thought　that　the　party　were　placing　his　fish　in
jeopardy　by　their　desire　to　linger　there　too　long。

〃Early！　　Yes。　　No；　I　know　not　when　it　was。　　One　dines　and　sleeps　in
obedience　to　that　dull　clay　which　weighs　down　so　generally　the
particle　of　our　spirit。　　But　the　clay　may　sometimes　be　forgotten。
Here　I　can　always　forget　it。〃

〃I　thought　you　asked　for　refreshment；〃　I　said。　　She　only　looked　at
me；　whose　small　attempts　at　prose　composition　had；　up　to　that　time；
been　altogether　unsuccessful；　and　then　addressed　herself　in　reply　to
Mackinnon。

〃It　is　the　air　which　we　breathe　that　fills　our　lungs　and　gives　us
life　and　light。　　It　is　that　which　refreshes　us　if　pure；　or　sinks　us
into　stagnation　if　it　be　foul。　　Let　me　for　awhile　inhale　the　breath
of　an　invigorating　literature。　　Sit　down；　Mr。　Mackinnon；　I　have　a
question　that　I　must　put　to　you。〃　　And　then　she　succeeded　in
carrying　him　off　into　a　corner。　　As　far　as　I　could　see　he　went
willingly　enough　at　that　time；　though　he　soon　became　averse　to　any
long　retirement　in　company　with　Mrs。　Talboys。

We　none　of　us　quite　understood　what　were　her　exact　ideas　on　the
subject　of　revealed　religion。　　Somebody；　I　think；　had　told　her　that
there　were　among　us　one　or　two　whose　opinions　were　not　exactly
orthodox　according　to　the　doctrines　of　the　established　English
church。　　If　so；　she　was　determined　to　show　us　that　she　also　was
advanced　beyond　the　prejudices　of　an　old　and　dry　school　of　theology。
〃I　have　thrown　down　all　the　barriers　of　religion；〃　she　said　to　poor
Mrs。　Mackinnon；　〃and　am　looking　for　the　sentiments　of　a　pure
Christianity。〃

〃Thrown　down　all　the　barriers　of　religion！〃　said　Mrs。　Mackinnon；　in
a　tone　of　horror　which　was　not　appreciated。

〃Indeed；　yes；〃　said　Mrs。　Talboys；　with　an　exulting　voice。　　〃Are　not
the　days　for　such　trammels　gone　by？〃

〃But　yet　you　hold　by　Christianity？〃

〃A　pure　Christianity；　unstained　by　blood　and　perjury；　by　hypocrisy
and　verbose　genuflection。　　Can　I　not　worship　and　say　my　prayers
among　the　clouds？〃　　And　she　pointed　to　the　lofty　ceiling　and　the
handsome　chandelier。

〃But　Ida　goes　to　church；〃　said　Mrs。　Mackinnon。　　Ida　Talboys　was　her
daughter。　　Now；　it　may　be　observed；　that　many　who　throw　down　the
barriers　of　religion；　so　far　as　those　barriers　may　affect
themselves；　still　maintain　them　on　behalf　of　their　children。　　〃Yes；〃
said　Mrs。　Talboys；　〃dear　Ida！　her　soft　spirit　is　not　yet　adapted　to
receive　the　perfect　truth。　　We　are　obliged　to　govern　children　by　the
strength　of　their　prejudices。〃　　And　then　she　moved　away；　for　it　was
seldom　that　Mrs。　Talboys　remained　long　in　conversation　with　any
lady。

Mackinnon；　I　believe；　soon　became　tired　of　her。　　He　liked　her
flattery；　and　at　first　declared　that　she　was　clever　and　nice；　but
her　niceness　was　too　purely　celestial　to　satisfy　his　mundane　tastes。
Mackinnon　himself　can　revel　among　the　clouds　in　his　own　writings；
and　can　leave　us　sometimes　in　doubt　whether　he　ever　means　to　come
back　to　earth；　but　when　his　foot　is　on　terra　firma；　he　loves　to　feel
the　earthly　substratum　which　supports　his　weight。　　With　women　he
likes　a　hand　that　can　remain　an　unnecessary　moment　within　his　own；
an　eye　that　can　glisten　with　the　sparkle　of　champagne；　a　heart　weak
enough　to　make　its　owner's　arm　tremble　within　his　own　beneath　the
moonlight　gloom　of　the　Coliseum　arches。　　A　dash　of　sentiment　the
while　makes　all　these　things　the　sweeter；　but　the　sentiment　alone
will　not　suffice　for　him。　　Mrs。　Talboys　did；　I　believe；　drink　her
glass　of　champagne；　as　do　other　ladies；　but　with　her　it　had　no　such
pleasing　effect。　　It　loosened　only　her　tongue；　but　never　her　eye。
Her　arm；　I　think；　never　trembled；　and　her　hand　never　lingered。　　The
General　was　always　safe；　and　happy；　perhaps；　in　his　solitary　safety。

It　so　happened　that　we　had　unfortunately　among　us　two　artists　who
had　quarrelled　with　their　wives。　　O'Brien；　whom　I　have　before
mentioned；　was　one　of　them。　　In　his　case；　I　believe　him　to　have　been
almost　as　free　from　blame　as　a　man　can　be　whose　marriage　was　in
itself　a　fault。　　However；　he　had　a　wife　in　Ireland　some　ten　years
older　than　himself；　and　though　he　might　sometimes　almost　forget　the
fact；　his　friends　and　neighbours　were　well　aware　of　it。　　In　the
other　case　the　whole　fault　probably　was　with　the　husband。　　He　was　an
ill…tempered；　bad…hearted　man；　clever　enough；　but　without　principle；
and　he　was　continually　guilty　of　the　great　sin　of　speaking　evil　of
the　woman　whose　name　he　should　have　been　anxious　to　protect。　　In
both　cases　our　friend　Mrs。　Talboys　took　a　warm　interest；　and　in　each
of　them　she　sympathised　with　the　present　husband　against　the　absent
wife。

Of　the　consolation　which　she　offered　in　the　latter　instance　we　used
to　hear　something　from　Mackinnon。　　He　would　repeat　to　his　wife；　and
to　me　and　my　wife；　the　conversations　which　she　had　with　him。　　〃Poor
Brown；〃　she　would　say；　〃I　pity　him；　with　my　very　heart's　blood。〃

〃You　are　aware　that　he　has　comforted　himself　in　his　desolation；〃
Mackinnon　replied。

〃I　know　very　well　to　what　you　allude。　　I　think　I　may　say　that　I　am
conversant　with　all　the　circumstances　of　this　heart…blighting
sacrifice。〃　　Mrs。　Talboys　was　apt　to　boast　of　the　thorough
confidence　reposed　in　her　by　all　those　in　whom　she　took　an　interest。
〃Yes；　he　has　sought　such　comfort　in　another　love　as　the　hard　cruel
world　would　allow　him。〃

〃Or　perhaps　something　more　than　that；〃　said　Mackinnon。　　〃He　has　a
family　here　in　Rome；　you　know；　two　little　babies。〃

〃I　know　it；　I　know　it；〃　she　said。　　〃Cherub　angels！〃　and　as　she　spoke
she　looked　up　into　the　ugly　face　of　Marcus　Aurelius；　for　they　were
standing　at　the　moment　under　the　figure　of　the　great　horseman　on　the
Campidoglio。　　〃I　have　seen　them；　and　they　are　the　children　of
innocence。　　If　all　the　blood　of　all　the　Howards　ran　in　their　veins
it　could　not　make　their　birth　more　noble！〃

〃Not　if　the　father　and　mother　of　all　the　Howards　had　never　been
married；〃　said　Mackinnon。

〃What；　that　from　you；　Mr。　Mackinnon！〃　said　Mrs。　Talboys；　turning　her
back　with　energy　upon　the　equestrian　statue；　and　looking　up　into　the
faces；　first　of　Pollux　and　then　of　Castor；　as　though　from　them　she
might　gain　some　inspiration　on　the　subject　which　Marcus　Aurelius　in
his　coldness　had　denied　to　her。　　〃From　you；　who　have　so　nobly
claimed　for　mankind　the　divine　attributes　of　free　action！　　From　you；
who　have　taught　my　mind　to　soar　above　the　petty　bonds　which　one　man
in　his　littleness　contrives　for　the　subjection　of　his　brother。
Mackinnon！　you　who　are　so　great！〃　　And　she　now　looked　up　into　his
face。　　〃Mackinnon；　unsay　those　words。〃

〃They　ARE　illegitimate；〃　said　he；　〃and　if　there　was　any　landed
property〃

〃Landed　property！　and　that　from　an　American！〃

〃The　children　are　English；　you　know。〃

〃Landed　property！　　The　time　will　shortly　comeay；　and　I　see　it
comingwhen　that　hateful　word　shall　be　expunged　from　the　calendar；
when　landed　property　shall　be　no　more。　　What！　shall　the　free　soul　of
a　God…born　man　submit　itself　for　ever　to　such　trammels　as　that？
Shall　we　never　escape　from　the　clay　which　so　long　has　manacled　the
subtler　particles　of　the　divine　spirit？　　Ay；　yes；　Mackinnon；〃　and
then　she　took　him　by　the　arm；　and　led　him　to　the　top　of　the　huge
steps　which　lead　down　from　the　Campidoglio　into　the　streets　of
modern　Rome。　　〃Look　down　upon　that　countless　multitude。〃　　Mackinnon
looked　down；　and　saw　three　groups　of　French　soldiers；　with　three　or
four　little　men　in　each　group；　he　saw；　also；　a　couple　of　dirty
friars；　and　three　priests　very　slowly　beginning　the　side　ascent　to
the　church　of　the　Ara　Coeli。　　〃Look　down　upon　that　countless
multitude；〃　said　Mrs。　Talboys；　and　she　stretched　her　arms　out　over
the　half…deserted　city。　　〃They　are　escaping　now　from　these
trammels；now；　now；now　that　I　am　speaking。〃

〃They　have　escaped　long　ago　from　all　such　trammels　as　that　of　landed
property；〃　said　Mackinnon。

〃Ay；