第11章

Mr.Ruck did not take his departure for Appenzell on the morrow, in spite of the eagerness to witness such an event which he had attributed to Mrs.Church.He continued, on the contrary, for many days after, to hang about the garden, to wander up to the banker's and back again, to engage in desultory conversation with his fellow-boarders, and to endeavour to assuage his constitutional restlessness by perusal of the American journals.But on the morrow I had the honour of making Mrs.Church's acquaintance.She came into the salon, after the midday breakfast, with her German octavo under her arm, and she appealed to me for assistance in selecting a quiet corner.

"Would you very kindly," she said, "move that large fauteuil a little more this way? Not the largest; the one with the little cushion.

The fauteuils here are very insufficient; I must ask Madame Beaurepas for another.Thank you; a little more to the left, please; that will do.Are you particularly engaged?" she inquired, after she had seated herself."If not, I should like to have some conversation with you.It is some time since I have met a young American of your--what shall I call it?--your affiliations.I have learned your name from Madame Beaurepas; I think I used to know some of your people.Idon't know what has become of all my friends.I used to have a charming little circle at home, but now I meet no one I know.Don't you think there is a great difference between the people one meets and the people one would like to meet? Fortunately, sometimes,"added my interlocutress graciously, "it's quite the same.I suppose you are a specimen, a favourable specimen," she went on, "of young America.Tell me, now, what is young America thinking of in these days of ours? What are its feelings, its opinions, its aspirations?

What is its IDEAL?" I had seated myself near Mrs.Church, and she had pointed this interrogation with the gaze of her bright little eyes.I felt it embarrassing to be treated as a favourable specimen of young America, and to be expected to answer for the great republic.Observing my hesitation, Mrs.Church clasped her hands on the open page of her book and gave an intense, melancholy smile.

"HAS it an ideal?" she softly asked."Well, we must talk of this,"she went on, without insisting."Speak, for the present, for yourself simply.Have you come to Europe with any special design?""Nothing to boast of," I said."I am studying a little.""Ah, I am glad to hear that.You are gathering up a little European culture; that's what we lack, you know, at home.No individual can do much, of coarse.But you must not be discouraged; every little counts.""I see that you, at least, are doing your part," I rejoined gallantly, dropping my eyes on my companion's learned volume.

"Yes, I frankly admit that I am fond of study.There is no one, after all, like the Germans.That is, for facts.For opinions I by no means always go with them.I form my opinions myself.I am sorry to say, however," Mrs.Church continued, "that I can hardly pretend to diffuse my acquisitions.I am afraid I am sadly selfish; I do little to irrigate the soil.I belong--I frankly confess it--to the class of absentees.""I had the pleasure, last evening," I said, "of making the acquaintance of your daughter.She told me you had been a long time in Europe."Mrs.Church smiled benignantly."Can one ever be too long? We shall never leave it.""Your daughter won't like that," I said, smiling too.

"Has she been taking you into her confidence? She is a more sensible young lady than she sometimes appears.I have taken great pains with her; she is really--I may be permitted to say it--superbly educated.""She seemed to me a very charming girl," I rejoined."And I learned that she speaks four languages.""It is not only that," said Mrs.Church, in a tone which suggested that this might be a very superficial species of culture."She has made what we call de fortes etudes--such as I suppose you are making now.She is familiar with the results of modern science; she keeps pace with the new historical school.""Ah," said I, "she has gone much farther than I!""You doubtless think I exaggerate, and you force me, therefore, to mention the fact that I am able to speak of such matters with a certain intelligence.""That is very evident," I said."But your daughter thinks you ought to take her home." I began to fear, as soon as I had uttered these words, that they savoured of treachery to the young lady, but I was reassured by seeing that they produced on her mother's placid countenance no symptom whatever of irritation.