書蟲5級《純真年代》3. 伯爵夫人招惹麻煩

3. THE COUNTESS CAUSES TROUBLE

The Countess had said, 'After five,' and at half past five the next day Newland was ringing the bell of her house in West Twenty-third Street. She had rented it from her aunt Medora, who was travelling again, but it was a strange area to live in – a narrow street of poor-looking houses which needed painting, a street inhabited by dressmakers and writers.

The Count must have robbed her of her fortune as well as her dreams,' Newland thought as he looked around him.

The young man had not had an enjoyable day. He had lunched at the Wellands', hoping for some time alone with May. He wanted to tell her how beautiful she had looked the night before, and to beg her to bring forward the date of their marriage, which was planned for next autumn. But when he mentioned the idea at lunch, Mrs Welland had just shaken her head at him in hurt surprise, saying, 'May needs twelve sets of everything, and every piece must be sewn by hand...'

Then he had been forced to go with the ladies on their afternoon of social visits, calling on several families in turn to announce the engagement. As he left the Wellands' house, May's mother called after him, 'Tomorrow we'll do the Chiverses and the Dallases.' And to his horror Newland realized her plan was to visit the friends of both families in alphabetical order, and that they were only in the first quarter of the alphabet. He knew he would not enjoy the next few months.

He had meant to tell May of the Countess's request – or command, rather – that he should call on her that afternoon, but in the short time they had been alone, he had had more urgent things to say to May, and the moment for telling her had passed.

The door was opened by a dark-haired servant girl, who did not speak English. She showed him into a sitting room, and disappeared. Newland looked around curiously. The room was unlike any he had known. There were a few pieces of fine old furniture, some Italian-looking pictures, and just two roses in a tall thin vase, perfectly positioned. The room had its own special atmosphere which seemed to wrap around him – even the smell was different, suggesting exotic places like Samarkand in central Asia. 'How will May furnish our house?' he thought. 'Probably in the same purple and yellow as at her parents'. At least I'll be able to arrange my library as I like.'

After a while he heard a carriage arrive outside, and looking through the curtains he caught sight of Julius Beaufort helping Madame Olenska out. In a few moments she entered the room.

How do you like my funny house?' she asked, showing no surprise at seeing him. 'To me it's like heaven.'

You've arranged it delightfully,' he said.

I suppose what I like is the wonderful feeling of being here in my own country and my own town, of being alone in it.'

You like being alone so much?'

Yes, as long as my friends prevent me from feeling lonely.' She sat down, lying back in her chair and putting her hands behind her head. 'This is the hour I like best, don't you?'

A sense of his own importance made him say, 'I was afraid you'd forgotten the time. Beaufort must have been a very interesting companion.'

She looked amused. 'Why – have you waited long? Mr Beaufort took me to see some houses – my family want me to move to a better area. But what does it matter where one lives?'

This street just isn't fashionable.'

Fashionable! Do you all think so much of that? Why not make one's own fashions? But I suppose I've lived too independently. Now I want to do what you all do. I want to feel cared for and safe.'

He was touched. 'That's what your friends want you to feel.' But he suspected she still did not realize how close to social disaster she had been, before the van der Luydens had saved her. So he said, 'last night the best families in New York were looking after you.'

I know, it was such a nice party!' she replied lightly.

These words were hardly adequate, Newland felt, for the social importance of that event.

The van der Luydens,' he said seriously, 'are the most influential people in New York. Unfortunately, because they are elderly and in poor health, they do not often receive guests.'

Isn't that the reason for their great influence?' she said thoughtfully. 'It's because they are hardly ever seen.'

He stared at her, and suddenly realized she was right. He laughed, and thought no more about the van der Luydens.

But you'll explain these things to me, won't you?' Madame Olenska continued. 'You'll tell me all I ought to know?'

It's you who are telling me, opening my eyes to things I've looked at so long that I no longer really see them.' He wanted to say, 'Don't be seen driving about the streets with Beaufort,' but he was being too deeply drawn into the atmosphere of the room to give advice of that kind. He felt a long way from New York; he was in Samarkand, from where New York looked strangely small and distant, as indeed it would.

The Countess bent over the fire, holding her thin hands out to the flames, and her face seemed pale in the firelight.

Your family,' Newland added, 'can advise you, especially the older women.'

She shook her head. 'Oh, I know! All my aunts, and my grandmother. But only if they don't hear anything unpleasant! Does no one want to know the truth here, Mr Archer? The real loneliness is living among all these kind people who only ask me to pretend!' She put her head in her hands and started crying.

Madame Olenska! Oh, don't, Ellen!' he cried, jumping up and bending over her. He took one of her hands, holding and rubbing it like a child's, but she soon freed herself and looked up at him with wet eyes.

Does no one cry here, either? I suppose there's no need to, in heaven,' she said with a laugh.

Newland realized with horror that he had called her 'Ellen'. The use of first names between young people was only permitted if they were engaged. Somewhere in his mind's eye he could see the tall white figure of May Welland – she seemed very far away.

Suddenly the servant came in and spoke in Italian to the Countess. She showed in a strange-looking couple – the Duke of St Austrey and Mrs Struthers, a large lady with unnaturally black hair, painted lips, and an expensive fur coat. They had come to invite Madame Olenska to a musical evening at Mrs Struthers' house on Sunday evening. Madame Olenska accepted with delight, and Mrs Struthers waved a cheerful hand at Newland.

And bring your young gentleman with you,' she said.

Newland escaped as quickly as he could. He had no wish to become involved with the socially unacceptable Mrs Struthers. As he went out into the wintry night, the feeling of Samarkand disappeared. New York was all around him again, and May Welland the loveliest woman in it.

He went straight to a flower shop, to send her the daily box of sweet-smelling white flowers, which he realized he had forgotten to send that morning. While in the shop, he noticed a huge bunch of yellow roses. They were not May's kind of flower – too rich, too strong, too exotic for her. He gave the assistant the Countess's address and told him to send them there at once, but he did not like to put his name on the card.

The next day he persuaded May to escape for a walk in the park. It was a sunny winter's day, with snow on the ground, and the cold air brought out the colour in May's lovely face. Newland felt proud to have such beauty walking next to him, and he felt his doubts and worries disappear.

They talked about the flowers he sent her every day, and he confessed that he had sent roses to the Countess. May was delighted he was being so kind to her cousin. Then Newland started talking about their own plans, their future, and Mrs Welland's insistence on a long engagement.

But aren't we very happy as we are?' May asked, smiling brilliantly up at him.

But aren't we very happy as we are?' May asked.

We could be even happier. We could be together all the time. We could be travelling.'

That would be lovely,' she replied. 'But Mother would not understand us wanting to do things so differently from other couples.'

Suddenly he felt quite desperate. Would he ever be able to reach the real May Welland, through the wall of custom and social expectation which divided them? And what if, when he finally broke down the wall, there was nobody there?

Do we have to do things the way everyone else does?' he cried, almost wildly. 'Can't you and I be different, May?'

Her eyes rested on him with a bright, unclouded admiration. 'But we can't just run away together, can we?' she asked. 'You know, like people in books.'

Why not – why not – why not?'

She looked a little bored by his insistence. 'I'm not clever enough to argue with you. But that sort of thing is rather – vulgar, isn't it?'

Are you so much afraid of being vulgar?'

She was clearly shocked by his question. 'Of course I am – and so are you,' she replied sharply. Then, sure of having found the right way to close the discussion, she went on lightheartedly: 'Oh, did I tell you that I showed Ellen my ring? She thinks it's the most beautiful one she ever saw...'

All next day he felt depressed. He could see his life stretching tidily ahead of him, with no excitement, no unplanned events, and he was filled with unreasoning horror at the thought of doing the same thing every day at the same hour. The word 'sameness!' repeated itself maddeningly inside his head.

In the afternoon Janey came to see him in his library.

Newland, Mother's very angry,' she said.

Angry? With whom? About what?'

Your friend Madame Olenska. She was at Mrs Struthers' party last night, on a Sunday evening, Newland, when people are at church. She went with the Duke and Mr Julius Beaufort.'

When he heard the last name, a senseless anger took hold of Newland, but he controlled himself and just laughed. 'Well, what of it? I knew she meant to go.'

Janey went pale. 'You knew she meant to go and you didn't try to stop her? To warn her?'

Stop her? Warn her?' He laughed again. 'I'm not engaged to the Countess Olenska!' The words sounded strange in his ears.

Well, I think you'd better come down and speak to Mother.'

In the sitting room Mrs Archer was looking very anxious. 'I'm so worried the van der Luydens will be offended,' she said.

Why should they be offended?' Newland asked.

Because she went to the house of that vulgar woman.'

Well, Mrs Struthers may be vulgar,' said Newland, 'but she has good music, and amuses people on Sunday evenings, when the whole of New York is dying of boredom.'

Good music? All I know is, there was a woman who got up on a table and sang the things they sing at the places you go to in Paris. There was smoking and champagne.'

Well, that kind of thing happens in other places, and the world still goes on.'

At this moment in the argument the servant came to the door and announced, 'Mr Henry van der Luyden.'

A visit from this gentleman was such an unusual event that both ladies looked quite frightened, but Newland remained calm.

Come in, sir,' he said, going forward to greet his relation. 'We were just talking about you – and the Countess Olenska.'

Mrs Archer went pale, and put a hand to her heart.

Ah – a delightful woman,' replied Mr van der Luyden. 'I have just been to see her. The Duke told me to go and see how cleverly she's arranged her sitting room. And it's true – quite remarkable! I would take Louisa to see the Countess if the area were less unpleasant.' There was dead silence. Mr van der Luyden continued, 'The fact is, between ourselves, I wanted to give her a friendly warning about allowing the Duke, or anyone else, to carry her off to parties with him.'

Has the Duke been carrying her off to parties?' asked Mrs Archer innocently.

I'm afraid so, dear Adeline. But Madame Olenska was very grateful for my few words of guidance.'

And so Mrs Archer's anxiety about Ellen Olenska's behaviour was calmed, for the moment, at least.

Two weeks later Newland was sitting doing nothing in the offices of Letterblair, Lamson and low, the firm of lawyers whom he worked for, when he was called to the private office of the head of the firm, Mr Letterblair. The old man was clearly a little worried. It appeared that the Countess Olenska wished to get a divorce from her husband. Her family, especially old Mrs Manson Mingott, wanted to avoid the scandal this would cause. They had sent a number of papers to Mr Letterblair, asking that Newland Archer, as a future member of the family, should take on the case. They wanted Newland, on behalf of the Letterblair firm, to advise the Countess against divorce.

Newland was at first unwilling to get involved in the Countess's private life. But once he had read the papers, which included letters from her husband, he was so horrified by her suffering at the hands of the Count that he agreed to take on the case. He was determined to give her his support, no matter what she decided to do. So he made an appointment with her, at her house, in order to discuss the case.