第 34 节
作者:津鸿一瞥      更新:2021-03-08 19:41      字数:4270
  〃Two things surprise me greatly here; Mrs。 Shorehamthat YOU
  should own one of these THINGS〃I confess I did not like the word
  〃and that you should own this particular handkerchief。〃
  〃Why so; chere Clara?〃how prettily my mistress pronounces that
  name; so different from Clarry!
  〃It is not like YOU to purchase so extravagant and useless a THING
  and then this looks like a handkerchief that once belonged to another
  persona poor girl who has lost her means of extravagance by the
  change of the times。 But; of course; it is only a resemblance; as YOU〃
  〃It is more; Clarathe handkerchief is the same。 But that handkerchief
  is not an article of dress with me; it is MY FRIEND!〃
  The reader may imagine how proud I felt! This was elevation for the
  species; and gave a dignity to my position; with which I am infinitely
  satisfied。 Nevertheless; Miss Caverly manifested surprise。
  〃I will explain;〃 continued Mrs。 Shoreham。 〃The handkerchief is my own
  work; and is very precious to me; on account des souvenirs。〃
  {des souvenirs = of memories}
  Adrienne then told the whole story; and I may say Clara Caverly
  became my friend also。 Yes; she; who had formerly regarded me with
  indifference; or dislike; now kissed me; and wept over me; and in this
  manner have I since passed from friend to friend; among all of
  Adrienne's intimates。
  Not so with the world; however。 My sudden disappearance from it
  excited quite as much sensation as my debut in it。 Tom Thurston's
  addresses to Miss Monson had excited the envy; and; of course; the
  attention of all the other fortune…hunters in town; causing his sudden
  retreat to be noticed。 Persons of this class are celebrated for covering
  their retreats skilfully。 Tom declared that 〃the old chap broke down
  when they got as far as the fortunethat; as he liked the girl; he would
  have taken her with 75;000; but the highest offer he could get from
  him was 30;000。 This; of course; no gentleman could submit to。 A girl
  with such a pocket…handkerchief OUGHT to bring a clear 100;000;
  and I was for none of your half…way doings。 Old Monson is a humbug。
  The handkerchief has disappeared; and; now they have taken down the
  SIGN; I hope they will do business on a more reasonable scale。〃
  A month later; Tom got married。 I heard John Monson laughing over
  the particulars one day in Betts Shoreham's library; where I am usually
  kept; to my great delight; being exceedingly fond of books。 The facts
  were as follows。 It seems Tom had cast an eye on the daughter of a
  grocer of reputed wealth; who had attracted the attention of another
  person of his own school。 To get rid of a competitor; this person
  pointed out to Tom a girl; whose father had been a butcher; but had just
  retired from business; and was building himself a fine house somewhere
  in Butcherland。
  〃That's your girl;〃 said the treacherous adviser。 〃All butchers are rich;
  and they never build until their pockets are so crammed as to force
  them to it。 They coin money; and spend nothing。 Look how high beef
  has been of late years; and then they live on the smell of their own
  meats。 This is your girl。 Only court the old fellow; and you are sure of
  half a million in the long run。〃
  Tom was off on the instant。 He did court the old fellow; got introduced
  to the family; was a favorite from the first; offered in a fortnight; was
  accepted; and got married within the month。 Ten days afterward; the
  supplies were stopped for want of funds; and the butcher failed。 It
  seems HE; too; was only taking a hand in the great game of brag that
  most of the country had sat down to。
  Tom was in a dilemma。 He had married a butcher's daughter。 After this;
  every door in Broadway and Bond street was shut upon him。 Instead of
  stepping into society on his wife's shoulders; he was dragged out of it by
  the skirts; through her agency。 Then there was not a dollar。 His empty
  pockets were balanced by her empty pockets。 The future offered a sad
  perspective。 Tom consulted a lawyer about a divorce; on the ground of
  〃false pretences。〃 He was even ready to make an affidavit that he had
  been slaughtered。 But it would not do。 The marriage was found to stand
  all the usual tests; and Tom went to Texas。
  End