mrs. general talboys-第5节

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〃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。

〃It　is　a　pity　that　the　mother　of　the　spotless　cherubim　is　not　here
for　the　occasion；〃　said　she。　　〃I　hardly　think　that　any　one　less
gifted　will　undertake　such　a　self　sacrifice。〃　　Any　attempt　of　the
kind　would；　however；　now　have　been　too　late；　for　they　were　already
at　the　bottom　of　the　hill。　　O'Brien　had　certainly　drunk　freely　of
the　pernicious　contents　of　those　long…necked　bottles；　and　though　no
one　could　fairly　accuse　him　of　being　tipsy；　nevertheless　that　which
might　have　made　others　drunk　had　made　him　bold；　and　he　dared　to　do
perhaps　more　than　might　become　a　man。　　If　under　any　circumstances　he
could　be　fool　enough　to　make　an　avowal　of　love　to　Mrs。　Talboys；　he
might　be　expected；　as　we　all　thought；　to　do　it　now。

We　watched　them　as　they　made　for　a　gap　in　the　wall　which　led　through
into　the　large　enclosed　space　of　the　old　circus。　　It　had　been　an
arena　for　chariot　games；　and　they　had　gone　down　with　the　avowed
purpose　of　searching　where　might　have　been　the　meta；　and
ascertaining　how　the　drivers　could　have　turned　when　at　their　full
speed。　　For　awhile　we　had　heard　their　voices；or　rather　her　voice
especially。　　〃The　heart　of　a　man；　O'Brien；　should　suffice　for　all
emergencies；〃　we　had　heard　her　say。　　She　had　assumed　a　strange　habit
of　calling　men　by　their　simple　names；　as　men　address　each　other。
When　she　did　this　to　Mackinnon；　who　was　much　older　than　herself；　we
had　been　all　amused　by　it；　and；　other　ladies　of　our　party　had　taken
to　call　him　〃Mackinnon〃　when　Mrs。　Talboys　was　not　by；　but　we　had
felt　the　comedy　to　be　less　safe　with　O'Brien；　especially　when；　on
one　occasion；　we　heard　him　address　her　as　Arabella。　　She　did　not
seem　to　be　in　any　way　struck　by　his　doing　so；　and　we　supposed；
therefore；　that　it　had　become　frequent　between　them。　　What　reply　he
made　at　the　moment　about　the　heart　of　a　man　I　do　not　know；and　then
in　a　few　minutes　they　disappeared　through　the　gap　in　the　wall。

None　of　us　followed　them；　though　it　would　have　seemed　the　most
natural　thing　in　the　world　to　do　so　had　nothing　out　of　the　way　been
expected。　　As　it　was　we　remained　there　round　the　tomb　quizzing　the
little　foibles　of　our　dear　friend；　and　hoping　that　O'Brien　would　be
quick　in　what　he　was　doing。　　That　he　would　undoubtedly　get　a　slap　in
the　facemetaphoricallywe　all　felt　certain；　for　none　of　us
doubted　the　rigid　propriety　of　the　lady's　intentions。　　Some　of　us
strolled　into　the　buildings；　and　some　of　us　got　out　on　to　the　road；
but　we　all　of　us　were　thinking　that　O'Brien　was　very　slow　a
considerable　time　before　we　saw　Mrs。　Talboys　reappear　through　the
gap。

At　last；　however；　she　was　there；　and　we　at　once　saw　that　she　was
alone。　　She　came　on；　breasting　the　hill　with　quick　steps；　and　when
she　drew　near　we　could　see　that　there　was　a　frown　as　of　injured
majesty　on　her　brow。　　Mackinnon　and　his　wife　went　forward　to　meet
her。　　If　she　were　really　in　trouble　it　would　be　fitting　in　some　way
to　assist　her；　and　of　all　women　Mrs。　Mackinnon　was　the　last　to　see
another　woman　suffer　from　ill…usage　without　attempting　to　aid　her。
〃I　certainly　never　liked　her；〃　Mrs。　Mackinnon　said　afterwards；　〃but
I　was　bound　to　go　and　hear　her　tale；　when　she　really　had　a　tale　to
tell。〃

And　Mrs。　Talboys　now　had　a　tale　to　tell；if　she　chose　to　tell　it。
The　ladies　of　our　party　declared　afterwards　that　she　would　have
acted　more　wisely　had　she　kept　to　herself　both　O'Brien's　words　to
her　and　her　answer。　　〃She　was　well　able　to　take　care　of　herself；〃
Mrs。　Mackinnon　said；　〃and；　after　all；　the　silly　man　had　taken　an
answer　when　he　got　it。〃　　Not；　however；　that　O'Brien　had　taken　his
answer　quite　immediately；　as　far　as　I　could　understand　from　what　we
heard　of　the　matter　afterwards。

At　the　present　moment　Mrs。　Talboys　came　up　the　rising　ground　all
alone；　and　at　a　quick　pace。　　〃The　man　has　insulted　me；〃　she　said
aloud；　as　well　as　her　panting　breath　would　allow　her；　and　as　soon　as
she　was　near　enough　to　Mrs。　Mackinnon　to　speak　to　her。

〃I　am　sorry　for　that；〃　said　Mrs。　Mackinnon。　　〃I　suppose　he　has　taken
a　little　too　much　wine。〃

〃No；　it　was　a　premeditated　insult。　　The　base…hearted　churl　has
failed　to　understand　the　meaning　of　true；　honest　sympathy。〃

〃He　will　forget　all　about　it　when　he　is　sober；〃　said　Mackinnon；
meaning　to　comfort　her。

〃What　care　I　what　he　remembers　or　what　he　forgets！〃　she　said；
turning　upon　poor　Mackinnon　indignantly。　　〃You　men　grovel　so　in　your
ideas〃　　〃And　yet；〃　as　Mackinnon　said　afterwards；　〃she　had　been
telling　me　that　I　was　a　fool　for　the　last　three　weeks。〃〃You　men
grovel　so　in　your　ideas；　that　you　cannot　understand　the　feelings　of
a　true…hearted　woman。　　What　can　his　forgetfulness　or　his　remembrance
be　to　me？　　Must　not　I　remember　this　insult？　　Is　it　possible　that　I
should　forget　it？〃

Mr。　and　Mrs。　Mackinnon　only　had　gone　forward　to　meet　her；　but；
nevertheless；　she　spoke　so　loud　that　all　heard　her　who　were　still
clustered　round　the　spot　on　which　we　had　dined。

〃What　has　become　of　Mr。　O'Brien？〃　a　lady　whispered　to　me。

I　had　a　field…glass　with　me；　and；　looking　round；　I　saw　his　hat　as　he
was　walking　inside　the　walls　of　the　circus　in　the　direction　towards
the　city。　　〃And　very　foolish　he　must　feel；〃　said　the　lady。

〃No　doubt　he　is　used　to　it；〃　said　another。

〃But　considering　her　age；　you　know；〃　said　the　first；　who　might　have
been　perhaps　three　years　younger　than　Mrs。　Talboys；　and　who　was　not
herself　averse　to　the　excitement　of　a　moderate　flirtation。　　But　then
why　should　she　have　been　averse；　seeing　that　she　had　not　as　yet
become　subject　to　the　will　of　any　imperial　lord？

〃He　would　have　felt　much　more　foolish；〃　said　the　third；　〃if　she　had
listened　to　what　he　said　to　her。〃

〃Well　I　don't　know；〃　said　the　second；　〃nobody　would　have　known
anything　about　it　then；　and　in　a　few　weeks　they　would　have　gradually
become　tired　of　each　other　in　the　ordinary　way。〃

But　in　the　meantime　Mrs。　Talboys　was　among　us。　　There　had　been　no
attempt　at　secresy；　and　she　was　still　loudly　inveighing　against　the
grovelling　propensities　of　men。　　〃That's　quite　true；　Mrs。　Talboys；〃
said　one　of　the　elder　ladies；　〃but　then　women　are　not　always　so
careful　as　they　should　be。　　Of　course　I　do　not　mean　to　say　that
there　has　been　any　fault　on　your　part。〃

〃Fault　on　my　part！　　Of　course　there　has　been　fault　on　my　part。　　No
one　can　make　any　mistake　without　fault　to　some　extent。　　I　took　him
to　be　a　man　of　sense；　and　he　is　a　fool。　　Go　to　Naples　indeed！〃

〃Did　he　want　you　to　go　to　Naples？〃　asked　Mrs。　Mackinnon。

〃Yes；　that　was　what　he　suggested。　　We　were　to　leave　by　the　train　for
Civita　Vecchia　at　six　to…morrow　morning　and　catch　the　steamer　which
leaves　Leghorn　to…night。　　Don't　tell　me　of　wine。　　He　was　prepared
for　it！〃　　And　she　looked　round　about　on　us　with　an　air　of　injured
majesty　in　her　face　which　was　almost　insupportable。

〃I　wonder　whether　he　took　the　tickets　over…night；〃　said　Mackinnon。

〃Naples！〃　she　said；　as　though　now　speaking　exclusively　to　herself；
〃the　only　ground　in　Italy　which　has　as　yet　made　no　struggle　on
behalf　of　freedom；a　fitting　residence　for　such　a　dastard！〃

〃You　would　have　found　it　very　pleasant　at　this　season；〃　said　the
unmarried　lady；　who　was　three　years　her　junior。

My　wife　had　taken　Ida　out　of　the　way　when　the　first　complaining　note
from　Mrs。　Talboys　had　been　heard　ascending　the　hill。　　But　now；　when
matters　began　gradually　to　become　quiescent；　she　brought　her　back；
suggesting；　as　she　did　so；　that　they　might　begin　to　think　of
returning。

〃It　is　getting　very　cold；　Ida；　dear；　is　it　not？〃　said　she。

〃But　where　is　Mr。　O'Brien？〃　said　Ida。

〃He　has　fled；as　poltroons　always　fly；〃　said　Mrs。　Talboys。　　I
believe　in　my　heart　that　she　would　have　been　glad　to　have　had　him
there　in　the　middle　of　the　circle；　and　to　have　triumphed　over　him
publicly　among　us　all。　　No　feeling　of　shame　would　have　kept　her
silent　for　a　moment。

〃Fled！〃　said　Ida；　looking　up　into　her　mother's　face。

〃Yes；　fled；　my　child。〃　　And　she　seized　her　daughter　in　her　arms；　and
pressed　her　closely　to　her　bosom。　　〃Cowards　always　fly。〃

〃Is　Mr。　O'Brien　a　coward？〃　Ida　asked。

〃Yes；　a　coward；　a　very　coward！　　And　he　has　fled　before　the　glance　of
an　honest　woman's　eye。　　Come；　Mrs。　Mackinnon；　shall　we　go　back　to
the　city？　　I　am　sorry　that　the　amusement　of　the　day　should　have
received　this　check。〃　　And　she　walked　forward　to　the　carriage　and
took　her　place　in　it　with　an　air　that　showed　that　she　was　proud　of
the　way　in　which　she　had　conducted　herself。

〃She　is　a　little　conceited　about　it　after　all；〃　said　that　unmarried
lady。　　〃If　poor　Mr。　O'Brien　had　not　shown　so　much　premature　anxiety
with　reference　to　that　little　journey　to　Naples；　things　might　have
gone　quietly　after　all。〃

But　the　unmarried　lady　was　wrong　in　her　judgment。　　Mrs。　Talboys　was
proud　and　conceited　in　the　matter；but　not　proud　of　having　excited
the　admiration　of　her　Irish　lover。　　She　was　proud　of　her　own
subsequent　conduct；　and　gave　herself　credit　for　coming　out　strongly
as　a　noble…minded　matron。　　〃I　believe　she　thinks；〃　said　Mrs。
Mackinnon；　〃that　her　virtue　is　quite　Spartan　and　unique；　and　if　she
remains　i