现代灰姑娘 英文版 A Modern Cinderella
露意莎.梅.奥尔科特 Louisa May Alcott
DEBBY'S DEBUT. Page 1
On a cheery June day Mrs. Penelope Carrolland her niece Debby Wilder, were whizzing alongon their way to a certain gay watering-place, bothin the best of humors with each other and all theworld beside. Aunt Pen was concocting sundrymild romances, and laying harmless plots for thepursuance of her favorite pastime, match-making;for she had invited her pretty relative to join hersummer jaunt, ostensibly that the girl might see alittle of fashionable life, but the good lady secretlyproposed to herself to take her to the beach andget her a rich husband, very much as she wouldhave proposed to take her to Broadway and get hera new bonnet: for both articles she considerednecessary, but somewhat difficult for a poor girlto obtain.
When these agreeable facts were fully realized,and Aunt Pen had fallen asleep behind her veil,Debby took out a book, and indulged in her favoriteluxury, soon forgetting past, present, and futurein the inimitable history of Martin Chuzzlewit.The sun blazed, the cars rattled, childrencried, ladies nodded, gentlemen longed for thesolace of prohibited cigars, and newspapers wereconverted into sun-shades, nightcaps, and fans;but Debby read on, unconscious of all about her,even of the pair of eves that watched her from theOpposite corner of the car. A Gentleman with afrank, strong-featured face sat therin, and amusedhimself by scanning with thoughtful gaze thecountenances of his fellow-travellers. Stout Aunt Pen,dignified even in her sleep, was a "model of deportment"to the rising generation; but the studentof human nature found a more attractive subject inher companion, the girl with an apple-blossom faceand merry brown eyes, who sat smiling into herbook, never heeding that her bonnet was awry,and the wind taking unwarrantable liberties withher ribbons and her hair.
Innocent Debby turned her pages, unaware thather fate sat opposite in the likeness of a serious,black-bearded gentleman, who watched the smilesrippling from her lips to her eyes with an interestthat deepened as the minutes passed. If his paperhad been full of anything but "BronchialTroches" and "Spalding's Prepared Glue," hewould have found more profitable employment;but it wasn't, and with the usual readiness of idlesouls he fell into evil ways, and permitted curiosity,that feminine sin, to enter in and take possessionof his manly mind. A great desire seized him todiscover what book his pretty neighbor;but a cover hid the name, and he was toodistant to catch it on the fluttering leaves. Presentlya stout Emerald-Islander, with her wardrobeoozing out of sundry paper parcels, vacated theseat behind the two ladies; and it was soon quietlyoccupied by the individual for whom Satan wasfinding such indecorous employment. Peepinground the little gray bonnet, past a brown braidand a fresh cheek, the young man's eye fell uponthe words the girl was reading, and forgot to lookaway again. Books were the desire of his life;but an honorable purpose and an indomitable willkept him steady at his ledgers till he could feelthat he had earned the right to read. Like wine tomany another was an open page to his; he read aline, and, longing for more, took a hasty sip fromhis neighbor's cup, forgetting that it was astranger's also.
hotel, Debby waswild to run down to the beach whence came thesolemn music of the sea, making the twilightbeautiful. .
Down the page went the two pairs of eyes,and the merriment from Debby's seemed to lightup the sombre ones behind her with a sudden shinethat softened the whole face and made it verywinning. No wonder they twinkled, for ElijahPogram spoke, and "Mrs. Hominy, the motherof the modern Gracchi, in the classical blue capand the red cotton pocket-handkerchief, camedown the room in a procession of one." A lowlaugh startled Debby, though it was smotheredlike the babes in the Tower; and, turning, shebeheld the trespasser scarlet with confusion, andsobered with a tardy sense of his transgression.Debby was not a starched young lady of the"prune and prism" school, but a frank, free-hearted little body, quick to read the sincerity ofothers, and to take looks and words at their realvalue. Dickens was her idol; and for his sake shecould have forgiven a greater offence than this.
The stranger's contrite countenance and respecttulapology won her good-will at once; and witha finer courtesy than any Aunt Pen would havetaught, she smilingly bowed her pardon, and,taking another book from her basket, opened it,saying, pleasantly,--
"Here is the first volume if you like it, Sir. Ican recommend it as an invaluable consolation forthe discomforts of a summer day's journey, and itis heartily at your service."
As much surprised as gratified, the gentlemanaccepted the book, and retired behind it with thesudden discovery that wrongdoing has its compensationin the pleasurable sensation of being forgiven.Stolen delights are well known to be speciallysaccharine: and much as this pardoned sinner lovedbooks, it seemed to him that the interestof the story flagged, and that the enjoyment ofreading was much enhanced by the proximity of agray bonnet and a girlish profile. But Dickenssoon proved more powerful than Debby, and she wasforgotten, till, pausing to turn a leaf, the youngman met her shy glance, as she asked, with thepleased expression of a child who has shared anapple with a playmate,--
"Is it good?"
"Oh, very!"--and the man looked as honestlygrateful for the book as the boy would have donefor the apple.
and Mr. Seguin put down his roll to beholdthe phenomenon.
Only five words in the conversation, but AuntPen woke, as if the watchful spirit of propriety hadroused her to pluck her charge from the precipiceon which she stood.
"Dora, I'm astonished at you! Speaking tostrangers in that free manner is a most unladylikething. How came you to forget what I have toldyou over and over again about a proper reserve?"The energetic whisper reached the gentleman'sear, and he expected to be annihilated with a lookwhen his offence was revealed; but he was sparedthat ordeal, for the young voice answered,softly,--
"Don't faint, Aunt Pen: I only did as I'd bedone by; for I had two books, and the poor manlooked so hungry for something to read that Icouldn't resist sharing my 'goodies.' He will seethat I'm a countrified little thing in spite of myfine feathers, and won't be shocked at my want ofrigidity and frigidity; so don't look dismal, and I'llbe prim and proper all the rest of the way,--if Idon't forget it."
"I wonder who he is; may belong to some of ourfirst families, and in that case it might be worthwhile to exert ourselves, you know. Did youlearn his name, Dora? " whispered the elder lady.
Debby shook her head, and murmured, "Hush!"--butAunt Pen had heard of matches being made in cars aswell as in heaven; and as an experienced general,it became her to reconnoitre, when one of the enemyapproached her camp. Slightly altering her position,she darted an all-comprehensive glance at the invader,who seemed entirely absorbed, for not an eyelash stirredduring the scrutiny. It lasted but an instant, yet inthat instant he was weighed and found wanting; forthat experienced eye detected that his cravat wastwo inches wider than fashion ordained, that hiscoat was not of the latest style, that his gloveswere mended, and his handkerchief neither cambricnor silk. That was enough, and sentence waspassed forthwith,--"Some respectable clerk,good-looking, but poor, and not at all the thingfor Dora"; and Aunt Pen turned to adjust avoluminous green veil over her niece's bonnet,"To shield it from the dust, dear," which processalso shielded the face within from the eye of man.
A curious smile, half mirthful, half melancholy,passed over their neighbor's lips; but his peace ofmind seemed undisturbed, and he remained buriedin his book Till they reached -----, at dusk. As hereturned it, he offered his services in procuring acarriage or attending to luggage; but Mrs. Carroll,with much dignity of aspect, informed him that herservants would attend to those matters, and, bowinggravely, he vanished into the night.
As they rolled away to the hotel, Debby waswild to run down to the beach whence came thesolemn music of the sea, making the twilightbeautiful. But Aunt Pen was too tired to doanything but sup in her own apartment and goearly to bed; and Debby might as soon haveproposed to walk up the great Pyramid as to makeher first appearance without that sage matron tomount guard over her; so she resigned herself topie and patience, and fell asleep, wishing it wereto-morrow.
At five, a. m., a nightcapped head appearedat one of the myriad windows of the ----- Hotel,and remained there as if fascinated by the miracleof sunrise over the sea. Under her simplicity ofcharacter and girlish merriment Debby possessed adevout spirit and a nature full of the real poetry oflife, two gifts that gave her dawning womanhoodits sweetest charm, and made her what she was.As she looked out that summer dawn upon theroyal marriage of the ocean and the sun, all pettyhopes and longings faded out of sight, and heryoung face grew luminous with thoughts too deepfor words. Her day was happier for that silenthour, her life richer for the aspirations that upliftedher like beautiful strong angels, and left a blessingwhen they went. The smile of the June skytouched her lips, the morning red seemed to lingeron her cheek, and in her eye arose a light kindledby the shimmer of that broad sea of gold; forNature rewarded her young votary well, and gaveher beauty, when she offered love. How long sheleaned there Debby did not know; steps from belowroused her from her reverie, and led her backinto the world again. Smiling at herself, She stoleto bed, and lay wrapped in waking dreams aschangeful as the shadows. ancing on her charnber-wall.
The advent of her aunt's maid, Victorine, sometwo hours later, was the signal to be "up anddoing"; and she meekly resigned herself into thehands of that functionary, who appeared to regardher in the light of an animated pin-cushion, as sheperformed the toilet-ceremonies with an absorbedaspect, which impressed her subject with a senseof the solemnity of the occasion.
"Now, Mademoiselle, regard yourself, andpronounce that you are ravishing" Victorine saidat length, folding her hands with a sigh ofsatisfaction, as she fell back in an attitude ofserene triumph.
Debby robeyed, and inspected herself with greatinterest and some astonishment; for there was asweeping amplitude of array about the younglady whom she beheld in the much-befrilled gownand embroidered skirts, which somewhat alarmedher as to the navigation of a vessel "with such aspread of sail," while a curious sensation of beingsomebody else pervaded her from the crown ofher head, with its shining coils of hair, to the solesof the French slippers, whose energies seemed tohave been devoted to the production of marvellousrosettes.
"Yes, I look very nice, thank you; and yet Ifeel like a doll, helpless and fine, and fancy I wasmore of a woman in my fresh gingham, with a knotof clovers in my hair, than I am now. Aunt Penwas very kind to get me all these pretty things;but I'm afraid my mother would look horrified tosee me in such a high state of flounce externallyand so little room to breath internally."
"Your mamma would not flatter me, Mademoiselle;but come now to Madame; she is waiting to beholdyou, and I have yet her toilet to make "; and,with a pitying shrug, Victorine followed Debbyto her aunt's room.
"Charming! really elegant!" cried that lady,emerging from her towel with a rubicund visage.
"Drop that braid half an inch lower, and pull theworked end of her handkerchief out of the right-handpocket, Vic. There! Now, Dora, don't run about andget rumpled, but sit quietly down and practice reposetill I am ready."
Debby obeyed, and sat mute, with the air ofa child in its Sunday-best on a week-day, pleasedwith the novelty, but somewhat oppressed with theresponsibility of such unaccustomed splendor, anduttefly unable to connect any ideas of repose withtight shoes and skirts in a rampant state of starch.
"Well, you see, I bet on Lady Gay againstCockadoodle, and if you'll believe me -- Hullo!there's Mrs. Carroll, and deuse take me if shehasn't got a girl with her! Look, Seguin!"--and Joe Leavenworth, a "man of the world,"aged twenty, paused in his account of an excitingrace to make the announcement.
Mr. Seguin, his friend and Mentor, as much his,senior in worldly wickedness as in years, tore himselffrom his breakfast long enough to survey thenew-comers, and then returned to it, saying,briefly,--
"The old lady is worth cultivating,--givesgood suppers, and thanks you for eating them.The girl is well got up, but has no style, andblushes like a milkmaid. Better fight shy of her,Joe."
"Do you think so? Well, now I rather fancythat kind of thing. She's new, you,see, and I geton with that sort of girl the best, for the old onesare so deused knowing that a fellow has no chanceof a -- By the Lord Harry, she's eating breadand milk!"
Young Leavenworth whisked his glass into hiseye, and Mr. Seguin put down his roll to beholdthe phenomenon. Poor Debby! her first step hadbeen a wrong one.
All great minds have their weak points. AuntPen's was her breakfast, and the peace of herentire day depended upon the success of that meal.Therefore, being down rather late, the worthylady concentrated her energies upon the achievementof a copious repast, and, trusting to formerlessons, left Debby to her own resources for a fewfatal moments. After the flutter occasioned bybeing scooped into her seat by a severe-nosedwaiter, Debby had only courage enough left torefuse tea and coffee and accept milk. That beingdone, she took the first familiar viand that appeared,and congratulated herself upon being ableto get her usual breakfast. With returning composure,she looked about her and began to enjoythe buzz of voices, the clatter of knives and forks,and the long lines of faces all intent upon the businessof the hour; but her peace was of short duration.Pausing for a fresh relay of toast, AuntPen glanced toward her niece with the comfortableconviction that her appearance was highly creditable;and her dismay can be imagined, when shebeheld that young lady placidly devouring a greatcup of brown-bread and milk before the eyes of theassembled multitude. The poor lady chokedin her coffee, and between her gasps whisperedirefully behind her napkin,--
"For Heaven's sake, Dora, put away thatmess! The Ellenboroughs are directly opposite,watching everything you do. Eat that omelet, oranything respectable, unless you want me to die ofmortification."
Debby dropped her spoon, and, hastily helpingherself from the dish her aunt pushed toward her,consumed the leathery compound with as muchgrace as she could assume, though unable torepress a laugh at Aunt Pen's disturbed countenance.There was a slight lull in the clatter, and the blithesound caused several heads to turn toward thequarter whence it came, for it was as unexpectedand pleasant a sound as a bobolink's song in a cageof shrill-voiced canaries.
"She's a jolly little thing and powerful pretty,so deuse take me if I don't make up to the old ladyand find out who the girl is. I've been introducedto Mrs. Carroll at our house: but I suppose shewon't remember me till I remind her."
The "deuse" declining to accept of his repeatedoffers (probably because there was still toomuch honor and honesty in the boy,) youngLeavenworth sought out Mrs. Carroll on thePiazza, as she and Debby were strolling there anhour later.
"Joe Leavenworth, my dear, from one of ourfirst families,--very wealthy,--fine match,--pray,be civil,--smooth your hair, hold back your shoulders,and put down your parasol," murmuredAunt Pen, as the gentleman approached with asmuch pleasure in his countenance as it was consistentwith manly dignity to express upon meetingtwo of the inferior race.
"My niece, Miss Dora Wilder. This is herfirst season at the beach, and we must endeavor tomake it pleasant for her, or she will be gettinghomesick and running away to mamma," said Aunt Pen,in her society-tone, after she had returned hisgreeting, and perpetrated a polite fiction,by declaring that she remembered him perfectly,for he was the image of his father.
Mr. Leavenworth brought the heels of his varnishedboots together with a click, and executed the latestbow imported, then stuck his glass in his eye and staredtill it fell out, (the glass, not the eye,) upon whichhe fell into step with them, remarking,--
"I shall be most happy to show the lions: theyare deused tame ones, so you needn't be alarmed.Miss Wilder."
Debby was good-natured enough to laugh; and,elated with that success, he proceeded to pourforth his stores of wit and learning in true collegianstyle, quite unconscious that the "jolly little thing"was looking him through and through with thesmiling eyes that were producing such pleasurablesensations under the mosaic studs. They strolledtoward the beach, and, meeting an old acquaintance,Aunt Pen fell behind, and beamed upon theyoung pair as if her prophetic eye even at this earlystage beheld them walking altarward in a properstate of blond white vest and bridal awkwardness.
"Can you skip a stone, Mr. Leavenworth?asked Debby, possessed with a mischievous desireto shock the piece of elegance at her side.
"Eh? what's that? " he inquired, with hishead on one side, like an inquisitive robin.
Debby repeated her question, and illustrated itby sending a stone skimming over the water in themost scientific manner. Mr. Joe was painfullyaware that this was not at all "the thing," that hissisters never did so, and that Seguin would laughconfoundedly, if he caught him at it; but Debbylooked so irresistibly fresh and pretty under herrose-lined parasol that he was moved to confessthat he had done such a thing, and to sacrifice hisgloves by poking in the sand, that he might indulgein a like unfashionable pastime.