elinor wyllys-2- 第36部分

〃She　cries　a　great　deal；　but　talks　just　as　usual；　says　she　is　a　victim　to　her　husband's　brutality　and　jealousy。　It　seems　impossible　to　make　her　see　things　in　their　right　light。　I　hope　and　pray　that　her　eyes　may　be　opened；　but　I　am　afraid　it　will　be　a　long　time　before　they　are。　But　it　is　hard；　Miss　Wyllys；　to　open　the　eyes　of　the　blind　and　deluded！　It　is　more　than　mortal　man　can　do！〃

〃Yes；　we　feel　at　such　times　our　miserable　weakness；　and　the　influence　of　evil　upon　human　nature；　more；　perhaps；　than　at　any　other　moment！〃

〃That　is　true；　indeed。　I　have　often　thought；　Miss　Wyllys；　that　those　who　have　watched　over　a　large　family　of　children　and　young　people；　have　better　notions　about　the　true　state　of　human　nature；　than　your　great　philosophers。　That　has　been　the　difficulty　with　Uncle　Hubbard；　he　said　girls　in　a　respectable　family　were　in　no　danger　of　doing　what　was　wrong；　that　he　hated　preaching　and　scolding；　and　could　not　bear　to　make　young　people　gloomy；　by　talking　to　them　about　serious　subjects。　My　father　always　taught　me　to　think　very　differently；　he　believed　that　the　only　way　to　help　young　people　to　be　really　happy　and　cheerful；　was　to　teach　them　to　do　their　duty。〃

〃It　would　be　well；　if　all　those　who　have　charge　of　young　persons　thought　so！〃　exclaimed　Miss　Agnes。

〃But；　oh；　Miss　Wyllys；　I　dread　seeing　my　poor　uncle！　Charles　writes　me　word　that　he　is　quite　changedpale　and　care…wornso　different　from　his　usual　look；　he　says　my　uncle　has　grown　ten　years　older　in　the　last　week。　And　such　a　kind；　indulgent　father　as　he　has　been！〃

Tears　filled　Miss　Wyllys's　eyes。　〃Is　his　daughter　Emmeline　at　home？〃　she　asked。

〃Yes；　and　Emmeline　seems　more　sobered　by　this　terrible　business；　than　Mrs。　Hilson　herself。　She　sent　for　me；　thinking　I　might　be　of　some　service　to　Julianna；　and　persuade　her　to　stay　at　home；　and　not　return　to　Mrs。　Bagman；　as　she　threatens　to　do。〃

A　wagon　was　waiting　to　carry　Miss　Patsey　to　Longbridge；　and　Miss　Agnes　begging　that　she　might　not　detain　her；　she　set　out　on　her　painful　duty。　On　arriving　at　her　uncle's　house；　she　almost　dreaded　to　cross　the　threshold。　She　found　Mr。　Hubbard　in　the　dining…room；　he　paid　no　attention　to　her　as　she　opened　the　door；　but　continued　walking　up　and　down。　She　scarcely　knew　how　to　address　him；　the　common　phrases　of　greeting　that　rose　to　her　lips　seemed　misplaced。　He　either　did　not　see　her；　or　would　not　notice　her。　She　then　walked　quite　near　to　him；　and　holding　out　her　hand；　said　in　a　calm　tone：

〃Uncle；　I　have　come　to　see　Julianna。〃

The　muscles　of　his　face　moved；　but　he　made　no　answer。

〃I　have　come　to　stay　with　her；　if　you　wish　it。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　he　said；　in　a　thick　voice。

〃Is　there　anything　I　can　do　for　you？〃

〃What　can　be　done？〃　he　said；　bitterly；　and　almost　roughly。

〃Do　you　wish　me　to　stay？〃

〃Yes；　I　am　obliged　to　you　for　coming　to　see　a　woman　of　bad　reputation。〃

Patsey　left　him　for　the　present。　She　found　her　cousins　together；　Emmeline's　eyes　were　red；　as　if　she　had　just　been　weeping；　Mrs。　Hilson　was　stretched　on　a　sofa；　in　a　very　elegant　morning…gown；　reading　a　novel　of　very　doubtful　morality。　Patsey　offered　her　hand；　which　was　taken　quite　cavalierly。

〃Well；　Patsey；〃　she　said；　〃I　hope　you　have　not　come　to　be　a　spy　upon　me。〃

〃I　have　come　to　see　you；　because　I　wish　to　be　of　service　to　you；　Julianna。〃

〃Then；　my　dear　child；　you　must　bring　his　High…Mightiness；　my　jealous　husband　to　reason；〃　said　the　lady；　smoothing　a　fold　in　her　dress。　Patsey　made　no　answer；　and　Mrs。　Hilson　looked　up。　〃If　you　are　going　to　join　the　rest　of　them　against　me；　why　I　shall　have　nothing　to　do　with　you；　all　the　prim　prudes　in　the　world　won't　subdue　me；　as　my　good…man　might　have　found　out　already。〃

〃Where　is　your　husband？〃　asked　Miss　Patsey；　gravely；　but　quietly。

〃I　am　sure　I　don't　know；　he　has　been　pleased　to　abandon　me；　for　no　reason　whatever；　but　because　I　chose　to　enjoy　the　liberty　of　all　women　of　fortune　in　aristocratic　circles。　I　would　not　submit　to　be　made　a　slave；　like　most　ladies　in　this　country；　as　Mrs。　Bagman　says。　I　choose　to　associate　with　whom　I　please；　gentlemen　or　ladies。　What　is　it　makes　the　patrician　orders　so　delightful　in　Europe？all　those　who　know　anything　about　it；　will　tell　you　that　it　is　because　the　married　women　are　not　slaves；　they　have　full　liberty；　and　do　just　as　they　fancy；　and　have　as　many　admirers　as　they　please；　this　very　book　that　I　am　reading　says　so。　That　is　the　way　things　are　managed　in　high　life　in　Europe。〃

〃What　sort　of　liberty　is　it　you　wish　for；　Julianna？　The　liberty　to　do　wrong？　Or　the　liberty　to　trifle　with　your　reputation？〃

Mrs。　Hilson　pouted；　but　made　no　answer。

〃I　cannot　think　the　kind　of　liberty　you　speak　of　is　common　among　good　women　anywhere；〃　continued　Patsey；　〃and　I　don't　think　you　can　know　so　much　about　what　you　call　HIGH　LIFE　in　Europe；　Julianna；　for　you　have　never　been　there。　I　am　sure　at　least；　that　in　this　country　the　sort　of　liberty　you　seem　to　be　talking　about；　is　only　common　in　very　LOW　LIFE；　you　will　find　enough　of　it　even　here；　among　the　most　ignorant　and　worst　sort　of　people；〃　said　Miss　Patsey；　quietly。

Mrs。　Hilson　looked　provoked。　〃Well；　you　are　civil；　I　must　say；　Miss　Patsey　Hubbard；　of　all　the　brutal　speeches　that　have　been　made　me　of　late；　I　must　say　that　yours　is　the　worst！〃

〃I　speak　the　truth；　though　I　speak　plainly；　Julianna。〃

〃Yes　plainly　enough；　very　different　from　the　refinement　of　Mrs。　Bagman；　I　can　assure　you；　she　would　be　the　last　person　to　come　and　tyrannize　over　me；　when　I　am　a　victim　to　my　husband's　jealousy。　But　I　have　not　a　creature　near　me　to　sympathize　with　me！〃

〃Do　not　say　that；　your　father　is　down…stairs；　grown　old　with　grief　during　the　last　week！〃

Mrs。　Hilson　did　not　answer。

〃You　have　known　me　all　your　life；　from　the　time　you　were　a　child；〃　added　Miss　Patsey；　taking　her　cousin's　passive　hand　in　her　own；　〃and　I　ask；　if　you　have　ever　known　me　to　deceive　you　by　an　untruth？〃

〃I　am　sure　I　don't　know；〃　replied　her　cousin；　carelessly。

〃Yes；　you　do　know　it；　Julianna。　Trust　me；　then；　do　not　shut　your　ears　and　your　eyes　to　the　truth！　You　are　in　a　very　dangerous　situation；　look　upon　me　as　your　friend；　let　me　stay　with　you；　let　me　help　you！　My　only　motive　is　your　own　good；　even　if　I　believed　you　really　guilty；　I　should　have　come　to　you；　but　I　do　not　believe　you　guilty！〃

〃I　am　much　obliged　to　you；〃　said　her　cousin；　lightly。　〃But　I　happen　to　know　myself　that　I　have　committed　no　such　high　crime　and　misdemeanour。〃

〃Yes；　you　have　trifled　so　far　with　your　reputation；　that　the　world　believes　you　guilty；　Julianna。〃

〃Not　fashionable　people。　I　might　have　gone　on　for　years；　enjoying　the　friendship　of　an　elegant　lady　like　Mrs。　Bagman；　and　receiving　the　polite　attentions　of　a　French　nobleman；　had　it　not　been　for　the　countrified　notions　of　Pa　and　Mr。　Hilson；　and　now；　I　am　torn　from　my　friends；　I　am　calumniated；　and　the　Baron　accused　of　being　an　impostor！　But　the　fact　is；　as　Mrs。　Bagman　says；　Mr。　Hilson　never　has　understood　me！〃

Patsey　closed　her　eyes　that　night　with　a　heavy　heart。　She　did　not　seem　to　have　produced　the　least　impression　on　Mrs。　Hilson。

How　few　people　are　aware　of　the　great　dangers　of　that　common　foible；　vanity！　And　yet　it　is　the　light　feather　that　wings　many　a　poisoned　dart；　it　is　the　harlequin　leader　of　a　vile　crew　of　evils。　Generally；　vanity　is　looked　upon　as　merely　a　harmless　weakness；　whose　only　penalty　is　ridicule；　but　examine　its　true　character；　and　you　will　find　it　to　be　one　of　the　most　dangerous；　and　at　the　same　time　one　of　the　most　contemptible　failings　of　humanity。　There　is　not　a　vice　with　which　it　has　not　been；　time　and　again；　connected；　there　is　not　a　virtue　that　has　not　been　tainted　by　its　touch。　Men　are　vain　of　their　vices；　vain　of　their　virtues；　and　although　pride　and　vanity　have　been　declared　incompatible；　probably　there　never　lived　a　proud　man；　who　was　not　vain　of　his　very　pride。　A　generous　aspect　is；　however；　sometimes　assumed　by　pride；　but　vanity　is　inalterably　contemptible　in　its　selfish　littleness；　its　restless　greediness。　Who　shall　tell　its　victimswho　shall　set　bounds　to　its　triumphs？　Reason　is　more　easily　blinded　by　vanity　than　by　sophistry；　time　and　again　has　vanity　misdirected　feeling；　often　has　vanity　roused　the　most　violent　passions。　Many　have　been　enticed　on　to　ruin；　step　by　step；　with　the　restless　lure　of　vanity；　until　they　became　actually　guilty　of　crimes；　attributed　to　some　more　sudden；　and　stronger　impulse。　How　many　people　run　into　extravagance；　and　waste　their　means；　merely　from　vanity！　How　many　young　men　commence　a　career　of　folly　and　wickedness；　impelled　by　the　miserable　vanity　of　daring　what　others　dare！　How　many　women　have　trifled　with　their　own　peace；　their　own　reputation；　merely　because　vanity　led　them　to　receive　the　first　treacherous　homage　of　criminal　admiration；　when　whispered　in　the　tones　of　false　sentiment　and　flattery！　The　triumphs　of　vanity　would　form　a　melancholy　picture；　indeed；　but　it　is　one　the　world　will　never　pause　to　look　at。

The　eldest　daughter　of　Mr。　Hubbard；　the　worthy　Longbridge　merchant；　without　strong　passions；　without　strong　temptations；　was　completely　the　victim　of　puerile　vanity。　The　details　of　her　folly　are　too　unpleasant　to　dwell　on；　but　the　silly　ambition　of　playing　the　fine　lady；　after　the　pattern　of　certain　European　novels；　themselves　chiefly　representing　the　worst　members　of　the　class　they　claim　to　depict；　was　the　cause　of　her　ruin。　She　had　so　recklessly　trifled　with　her　reputation；　that　although　her　immediate　friends　did　not　believe　the　worst；　yet　with　the　world　her　character　was　irretrievably　lost。　At　five…and…twenty　she　had　already　sacrificed　her　own　peace；　she　had　brought　shame　on　her　husband's　name；　and　had　filled　with　the　bitterest　grief；　the　heart　of　an　indulgent　father。　Happily；　her　mother　was　in　the　grave；　and　she　had　no　children　to　injure　by　her　misconduct。

Patsey　Hubbard　continued　unwearied　in　her　kind　endeavours　to　be　of　service　to　her　kinswoman；　anxious　to　awaken　her　to　a　sense　of　her　folly；　and　to　withdraw　her　from　the　influence　of　bad　associates。

〃It　is　right　that　society　should　discountenance　a　woman　who　behaves　as　Julianna　has　done；〃　said　she　one　day；　to　Mrs。　Hubbard；　on　returning　home；　〃but；　oh；　mother；　her　own　family　surely；　should　never　give　her　up　while　there　is　breat