mrs. general talboys-第4节

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subject；　she　might　have　been　induced　to　pronounce　a　verdict　against
such　ligatures　for　the　body　as　coats；　waistcoats；　and　trowsers。　　Her
aspirations　for　freedom　ignored　all　bounds；　and；　in　theory；　there
were　no　barriers　which　she　was　not　willing　to　demolish。

Poor　O'Brien；　as　we　all　now　began　to　see；　had　taken　the　matter
amiss。　　He　had　offered　to　make　a　bust　of　Mrs。　Talboys；　and　she　had
consented；　expressing　a　wish　that　it　might　find　a　place　among　those
who　had　devoted　themselves　to　the　enfranchisement　of　their　fellow…
creatures。　　I　really　think　she　had　but　little　of　a　woman's　customary
personal　vanity。　　I　know　she　had　an　idea　that　her　eye　was　lighted　up
in　her　warmer　moments　by　some　special　fire；　that　sparks　of　liberty
shone　round　her　brow；　and　that　her　bosom　heaved　with　glorious
aspirations；　but　all　these　feelings　had　reference　to　her　inner
genius；　not　to　any　outward　beauty。　　But　O'Brien　misunderstood　the
woman；　and　thought　it　necessary　to　gaze　into　her　face；　and　sigh　as
though　his　heart　were　breaking。　　Indeed　he　declared　to　a　young
friend　that　Mrs。　Talboys　was　perfect　in　her　style　of　beauty；　and
began　the　bust　with　this　idea。　　It　was　gradually　becoming　clear　to
us　all　that　he　would　bring　himself　to　grief；　but　in　such　a　matter
who　can　caution　a　man？

Mrs。　Mackinnon　had　contrived　to　separate　them　in　making　the　carriage
arrangements　on　this　day；　but　this　only　added　fuel　to　the　fire　which
was　now　burning　within　O'Brien's　bosom。　　I　believe　that　he　really
did　love　her；　in　his　easy；　eager；　susceptible　Irish　way。　　That　he
would　get　over　the　little　episode　without　any　serious　injury　to　his
heart　no　one　doubted；　but　then；　what　would　occur　when　the
declaration　was　made？　　How　would　Mrs。　Talboys　bear　it？

〃She　deserves　it；〃　said　Mrs。　Mackinnon。

〃And　twice　as　much；〃　my　wife　added。　　Why　is　it　that　women　are　so
spiteful　to　each　other？

Early　in　the　day　Mrs。　Talboys　clambered　up　to　the　top　of　a　tomb；　and
made　a　little　speech；　holding　a　parasol　over　her　head。　　Beneath　her
feet；　she　said；　reposed　the　ashes　of　some　bloated　senator；　some
glutton　of　the　empire；　who　had　swallowed　into　his　maw　the　provision
necessary　for　a　tribe。　　Old　Rome　had　fallen　through　such　selfishness
as　that；　but　new　Rome　would　not　forget　the　lesson。　　All　this　was
very　well；　and　then　O'Brien　helped　her　down；　but　after　this　there
was　no　separating　them。　　For　her　own　part　she　would　sooner　have　had
Mackinnon　at　her　elbow。　　But　Mackinnon　now　had　found　some　other
elbow。

〃Enough　of　that　was　as　good　as　a　feast；〃　he　had　said　to　his　wife。
And　therefore　Mrs。　Talboys；　quite　unconscious　of　evil；　allowed
herself　to　be　engrossed　by　O'Brien。

And　then；　about　three　o'clock；　we　returned　to　the　hamper。　　Luncheon
under　such　circumstances　always　means　dinner；　and　we　arranged
ourselves　for　a　very　comfortable　meal。　　To　those　who　know　the　tomb
of　Cecilia　Metella　no　description　of　the　scene　is　necessary；　and　to
those　who　do　not；　no　description　will　convey　a　fair　idea　of　its
reality。　　It　is　itself　a　large　low　tower　of　great　diameter；　but　of
beautiful　proportion；　standing　far　outside　the　city；　close　on　to　the
side　of　the　old　Roman　way。　　It　has　been　embattled　on　the　top　by　some
latter…day　baron；　in　order　that　it　might　be　used　for　protection　to
the　castle；　which　has　been　built　on　and　attached　to　it。　　If　I
remember　rightly；　this　was　done　by　one　of　the　Frangipani；　and　a　very
lovely　ruin　he　has　made　of　it。　　I　know　no　castellated　old　tumble…
down　residence　in　Italy　more　picturesque　than　this　baronial　adjunct
to　the　old　Roman　tomb；　or　which　better　tallies　with　the　ideas
engendered　within　our　minds　by　Mrs。　Radcliffe　and　the　Mysteries　of
Udolpho。　　It　lies　along　the　road；　protected　on　the　side　of　the　city
by　the　proud　sepulchre　of　the　Roman　matron；　and　up　to　the　long
ruined　walls　of　the　back　of　the　building　stretches　a　grassy　slope；
at　the　bottom　of　which　are　the　remains　of　an　old　Roman　circus。
Beyond　that　is　the　long；　thin；　graceful　line　of　the　Claudian
aqueduct；　with　Soracte　in　the　distance　to　the　left；　and　Tivoli；
Palestine；　and　Frascati　lying　among　the　hills　which　bound　the　view。
That　Frangipani　baron　was　in　the　right　of　it；　and　I　hope　he　got　the
value　of　his　money　out　of　the　residence　which　he　built　for　himself。
I　doubt；　however；　that　he　did　but　little　good　to　those　who　lived　in
his　close　neighbourhood。

We　had　a　very　comfortable　little　banquet　seated　on　the　broken　lumps
of　stone　which　lie　about　under　the　walls　of　the　tomb。　　I　wonder
whether　the　shade　of　Cecilia　Metella　was　looking　down　upon　us。　　We
have　heard　much　of　her　in　these　latter　days；　and　yet　we　know　nothing
about　her；　nor　can　conceive　why　she　was　honoured　with　a　bigger　tomb
than　any　other　Roman　matron。　　There　were　those　then　among　our　party
who　believed　that　she　might　still　come　back　among　us；　and　with　due
assistance　from　some　cognate　susceptible　spirit；　explain　to　us　the
cause　of　her　widowed　husband's　liberality。　　Alas；　alas！　if　we　may
judge　of　the　Romans　by　ourselves；　the　true　reason　for　such
sepulchral　grandeur　would　redound　little　to　the　credit　of　the　lady
Cecilia　Metella　herself；　or　to　that　of　Crassus；　her　bereaved　and
desolate　lord。

She　did　not　come　among　us　on　the　occasion　of　this　banquet；　possibly
because　we　had　no　tables　there　to　turn　in　preparation　for　her
presence；　but；　had　she　done　so；　she　could　not　have　been　more
eloquent　of　things　of　the　other　world　than　was　Mrs。　Talboys。　　I　have
said　that　Mrs。　Talboys'　eye　never　glanced　more　brightly　after　a
glass　of　champagne；　but　I　am　inclined　to　think　that　on　this　occasion
it　may　have　done　so。　　O'Brien　enacted　Ganymede；　and　was；　perhaps；
more　liberal　than　other　latter…day　Ganymedes；　to　whose　services　Mrs。
Talboys　had　been　accustomed。　　Let　it　not；　however；　be　suspected　by
any　one　that　she　exceeded　the　limits　of　a　discreet　joyousness。　　By
no　means！　　The　generous　wine　penetrated；　perhaps；　to　some　inner
cells　of　her　heart；　and　brought　forth　thoughts　in　sparkling　words；
which　otherwise　might　have　remained　concealed；　but　there　was　nothing
in　what　she　thought　or　spoke　calculated　to　give　umbrage　either　to　an
anchorite　or　to　a　vestal。　　A　word　or　two　she　said　or　sung　about　the
flowing　bowl；　and　once　she　called　for　Falernian；　but　beyond　this　her
converse　was　chiefly　of　the　rights　of　man　and　the　weakness　of　women；
of　the　iron　ages　that　were　past；　and　of　the　golden　time　that　was　to
come。

She　called　a　toast　and　drank　to　the　hopes　of　the　latter　historians
of　the　nineteenth　century。　　Then　it　was　that　she　bade　O'Brien　〃Fill
high　the　bowl　with　Samian　wine。〃　　The　Irishman　took　her　at　her　word；
and　she　raised　the　bumper；　and　waved　it　over　her　head　before　she　put
it　to　her　lips。　　I　am　bound　to　declare　that　she　did　not　spill　a
drop。　　〃The　true　'Falernian　grape；'〃　she　said；　as　she　deposited　the
empty　beaker　on　the　grass　beneath　her　elbow。　　Viler　champagne　I　do
not　think　I　ever　swallowed；　but　it　was　the　theory　of　the　wine；　not
its　palpable　body　present　there；　as　it　were；　in　the　flesh；　which
inspired　her。　　There　was　really　something　grand　about　her　on　that
occasion；　and　her　enthusiasm　almost　amounted　to　reality。

Mackinnon　was　amused；　and　encouraged　her；　as；　I　must　confess；　did　I
also。　　Mrs。　Mackinnon　made　useless　little　signs　to　her　husband；
really　fearing　that　the　Falernian　would　do　its　good　offices　too
thoroughly。　　My　wife；　getting　me　apart　as　I　walked　round　the　circle
distributing　viands；　remarked　that　〃the　woman　was　a　fool；　and　would
disgrace　herself。〃　　But　I　observed　that　after　the　disposal　of　that
bumper　she　worshipped　the　rosy　god　in　theory　only；　and　therefore　saw
no　occasion　to　interfere。　　〃Come；　Bacchus；〃　she　said；　〃and　come；
Silenus；　if　thou　wilt；　I　know　that　ye　are　hovering　round　the　graves
of　your　departed　favourites。　　And　ye；　too；　nymphs　of　Egeria；〃　and
she　pointed　to　the　classic　grove　which　was　all　but　close　to　us　as　we
sat　there。　　〃In　olden　days　ye　did　not　always　despise　the　abodes　of
men。　　But　why　should　we　invoke　the　presence　of　the　gods；we；　who
can　become　godlike　ourselves！　　We　ourselves　are　the　deities　of　the
present　age。　　For　us　shall　the　tables　be　spread　with　ambrosia；　for
us　shall　the　nectar　flow。〃

Upon　the　whole　it　was　very　good　fooling；for　awhile；　and　as　soon　as
we　were　tired　of　it　we　arose　from　our　seats；　and　began　to　stroll
about　the　place。　　It　was　beginning　to　be　a　little　dusk；　and　somewhat
cool；　but　the　evening　air　was　pleasant；　and　the　ladies；　putting　on
their　shawls；　did　not　seem　inclined　at　once　to　get　into　the
carriages。　　At　any　rate；　Mrs。　Talboys　was　not　so　inclined；　for　she
started　down　the　hill　towards　the　long　low　wall　of　the　old　Roman
circus　at　the　bottom；　and　O'Brien；　close　at　her　elbow；　started　with
her。

〃Ida；　my　dear；　you　had　better　remain　here；〃　she　said　to　her
daughter；　〃you　will　be　tired　if　you　come　as　far　as　we　are　going。〃

〃Oh；　no；　mamma；　I　shall　not；〃　said　Ida。　　〃You　get　tired　much　quicker
than　I　do。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　you　will；　besides　I　do　not　wish　you　to　come。〃　　There　was
an　end　of　it　for　Ida；　and　Mrs。　Talboys　and　O'Brien　walked　off
together；　while　we　all　looked　into　each　other's　faces。

〃It　would　be　a　charity　to　go　with　them；〃　said　Mackinnon。

〃Do　you　be　charitable；　then；〃　said　his　wife。

〃It　should　be　a　lady；〃　said　he