elinor wyllys-2-第50部分

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he　family　had　gone　to　rest；　and　may　possibly　have　disturbed　some　of　his　friends；　but　many　busy　thoughts　of　the　past　and　the　future　crowded　on　his　mind；　while　pacing　that　familiar　spot；　the　piazza　of　Wyllys…Roof。　It　is　time　that　these　thoughts　should　be　partially　revealed　to　the　reader；　and　for　that　purpose　we　must　pause　a　moment；　in　order　to　look　backward。

Long　since；　Harry's　heart　had　warmed　again　towards　his　old　playfellow；　Elinor。　As　soon　as　the　first　novelty　of　a　life　at　Rio　had　worn　off；　Harry；　whose　affections　were　strong；　began　to　miss　his　old　friends；　the　more　so；　since　Mr。　Henley；　although　his　principles　and　talents　entirely　commanded　his　secretary's　esteem；　was　not　a　pleasant　companion　in　every…day　life。　Hazlehurst　soon　began　to　contrast　the　minister's　formal；　old　bachelor　establishment　with　the　pleasant　house　of　his　friend　Ellsworth；　where　Mrs。　Creighton　did　the　honours　charmingly；　and　with　the　cheerful　home　of　his　brother；　where　his　sister…in…law　always　received　him　kindly：　still　oftener　be　compared　the　cold；　stately　atmosphere　which　seemed　to　fill　Mr。　Henley's　house；　with　the　pleasant；　genial　spirit　which　prevailed　at　Wyllys…Roof；　where　everything　excellent　wore　so　amiable　an　aspect。　Until　lately　he　had　always　been　so　closely　connected　with　the　family　there；　that　he　accused　himself　of　not　having　done　full　justice　to　all　their　worth。　He　took　a　pleasure　in　dwelling　on　Mr。　Wyllys's　high　moral　character；　so　happily　tempered　by　the　benevolence　of　cheerful　old　age；　he　remembered　the　quiet；　unpretending　virtues　of　Miss　Wyllys；　always　mingled　with　unvarying　kindness　to　himself；　and　could　he　forget　Elinor；　whose　whole　character　was　so　engaging；　uniting　strength　of　principle　and　intelligence；　with　a　disposition　so　lovely；　so　endearing？　A　place　in　this　family　had　been　his；　his　for　life；　and　he　had　trifled　with　it；　rejected　it；　worse　than　thatwell　he　knew　that　the　best　place　in　Elinor's　generous　heart　had　once　been　wholly　his；　he　had　applied　for　it；　he　had　won　it；　and　what　return　had　he　made　for　her　warmest　affections？　He　had　trifled　with　her；　the　world　said　he　had　jilted　her；　jilted　the　true…hearted　Elinor；　his　friend　and　companion　from　childhood！　Knowing　her　as　well　as　he　did；　he　had　treated　her　as　if　she　were　a　mere　ball…room　coquette；　he　had　forgotten　her　as　soon　as　if　it　had　been　a　mere　holiday　fancy　of　a　boy　of　fifteen。　He　had　been　completely　infatuated；　dazzled；　blinded　by　a　beautiful　face。　That　it　was　sheer　infatuation　was　now　evident；　for；　absent　from　both　Elinor　and　Jane；　all　feeling　for　the　latter　seemed　to　have　vanished　like　a　dream。　It　is　said　that　love　without　hope　cannot　live：　the　question　must　be　settled　by　those　who　have　suffered　most　frequently　from　the　wounds　of　Cupid；　but　it　seems　evident；　at　least　from　Harry's　experience；　that　love　which　has　fed　plentifully　upon　hopes　for　some　months；　when　suddenly　put　upon　a　change　of　diet；　and　receiving　a　large　dose　of　mortification　to　boot；　falls　immediately　into　a　rapid　decline。　The　recollection　of　his　fancy　for　Jane　was　now　unpleasant　under　every　aspect；　but　where　it　was　connected　with　Elinor　he　soon　began　to　consider　it　as　particularly　painful。　He　regretted　that　he　had　engaged　Elinor　in　the　hasty；　boyish　manner　he　had　done；　before　going　abroad；　had　he　not　taken　this　step；　the　momentary　mortification　of　a　refusal　by　Jane　would　have　been　the　only　evil；　Elinor　would　not　have　suffered；　and　all　might　have　gone　well。　Gradually　the　idea　gained　upon　him；　that　it　was　not　impossible　to　repair　the　past。　His　conduct　had　been　unpardonable；　no　doubt；　yet；　perhaps　it　might　be　forgiven。　But　even　if　Elinor　could　forget　his　inexcusable　fickleness；　would　her　friends　ever　consent　to　risk　her　future　peace　with　one　who　had　so　recklessly　trifled　with　her　already？　Mr。　Wyllys　had　been　deeply　indignant　at　his　conduct；　his　whole　manner　had　changed；　there　had　been　a　cold　civility　in　it　when　they　had　met；　which　Harry　had　felt　keenlyit　amounted　almost　to　contempt。　Miss　Wyllys；　too；　was　no　longer　the　kind；　indulgent　Aunt　Agnes　of　his　boyhood；　there　was　a　very　decided　coldness　and　reserve　in　her　whole　expression；　which　it　seemed　all　but　impossible　to　overcome。　He　wished；　however；　that　he　had　it　in　his　power　to　make　advances　towards　a　reconciliation；　he　was　prepared　for　merited　coldness　at　first；　but　he　would　willingly　submit　to　it　as　a　just　penance；　if　he　could　but　hope　eventually　to　regain　his　position　with　Elinor。　Such　a　wife　as　Elinor　would　be；　was　worth　a　serious　struggle　to　obtain。　Then；　at　other　moments；　this　idea　appeared　preposterous　to　him；　how　could　the　Wyllyses　ever　forgive　him　after　so　keen　an　insult；　so　cruel　a　blow？　No；　it　was　a　dream；　he　would　not　indulge　in　it　any　longer；　he　would　not　think　of　marrying；　he　would　turn　out　an　old　bachelor　diplomatist；　like　Mr。　Henley。　It　is　not　to　be　supposed　that　Mrs。　Creighton　was　entirely　forgotten　in　these　reveries　of　Harry's；　which　formed　occasional　interludes　to　his　diplomatic　labours　while　at　Rio。　On　the　contrary　she　was　remembered　quite　frequently；　and　every　one　who　knew　her　must　always　think　of　the　pretty　widow　as　a　charming　woman；　clever；　graceful；　gay；　and　well…bred。　Nor　had　Hazlehurst　been　blind　to　her　peculiarly　flattering　manner　towards　himself。　The　lady　was　his　friend　Ellsworth's　sister；　which　was　another　claim；　she　was　generally　admired　too；　and　this　alone；　with　some　men；　would　have　given　her　a　decided　advantage：　since　we　are　revealing　Harry's　foibles；　however；　we　must　do　him　the　justice　to　say；　that　he　was　not　one　of　the　class　referred　to。　When　he　liked；　he　liked　honestly；　for　good　reasons　of　his　own。　At　the　time　he　left　home　with　Mr。　Henley；　he　had　not　been　able　to　decide　entirely　to　his　own　satisfaction；　whether　Mrs。　Creighton　really　had　any　partiality　for　him　or　not；　he　waited　with　a　little　interest　and　a　little　curiosity；　to　know　what　she　would　do　after　he　left　Philadelphia。　News　soon　reached　him　that　the　lady　was　gay　and　charming　as　ever；　much　admired；　and　taking　much　pleasure　in　admiration；　as　usual。　He　had　known　Mrs。　Creighton　from　a　girl；　she　was　a　year　or　two　older　than　himself；　and　had　been　a　married　woman　while　he　was　still　a　boy；　and　he　had　been　long　aware　of　her　reputation　as　a　coquette；　this　had　no　doubt　put　him　on　his　guard。　As　had　occasionally　remarked　her　conduct　himself；　and　having　been　so　intimate　with　women　of　very　different　characterhis　brother's　wife；　Miss　Wyllys；　and　Elinorhe　knew　very　well　that　all　women　were　not　coquettes；　he　had　received　a　higher　standard　of　female　delicacy　and　female　truth　than　many　young　men。　So　long；　therefore；　as　he　believed　Mrs。　Creighton　a　decided　flirt；　he　was　in　little　danger　from　her：　the　lady；　however；　was　no　common　coquettecleverness；　tact；　good　taste；　gave　her　very　great　advantages；　she　was　generally　admired；　and　Hazlehurst　expected　daily　to　hear　that　she　was　married。

He　had　become　very　tired　of　Rio　Janeiro；　and　very　desirous　of　returning　home；　long　before　Mr。　Henley　was　recalled　to　exchange　the　court　of　Brazil　for　that　of　St。　Petersburgh。　Sincere　respect　for　Mr。　Henley　had　alone　kept　him　at　Rio；　and　when　he　arrived　at　Norfolk；　he　was　still　undecided　whether　he　should　continue　in　the　legation　or　not。　He　found　that　all　his　friends　were　at　Saratoga；　and　he　hastened　there；　he　was　anxious　to　see　the　Wyllyses；　anxious　to　see　Elinor；　and　yet　he　dreaded　the　first　meetinghe　had　already　determined　to　be　guided　entirely　in　his　future　steps　by　their　manner　towards　himself；　if　they　did　not　absolutely　shun　him；　he　would　make　an　effort　for　a　complete　reconciliation。　He　knew　Elinor　was　unmarried；　he　had　never　heard　of　any　engagement；　and　he　might　then　hope　to　regain　all　he　had　lost。　He　arrived；　he　was　received　kindly；　and　the　sight　of　Elinor's　plain　face　did　not　change　his　determination；　on　the　contrary；　he　found　her　just　what　he　remembered　her；　just　what　he　had　always　known　her　to　beeverything　that　was　naturally　feminine　and　amiable。　But　if　Elinor　were　still　herself；　Harry　soon　found　that　her　position　had　very　materially　altered　of　late；　she　was　now　an　heiress；　it　seemed。　What　a　contemptible　interpretation　might　be　placed　on　his　advances　under　such　circumstances！　Then　came　the　discovery　of　Mr。　Ellsworth's　views　and　hopes；　and　his　friend　was　evidently　sanguine　of　success。　Thus　everything　was　changed；　he　was　compelled　to　remain　in　the　back…ground；　to　avoid　carefully　any　interference　with　his　friend。

There　appeared　no　reason　to　doubt　that　Elinor　would；　ere　long；　marry　Ellsworth；　she　herself　certainly　liked　him；　and　her　friends　very　evidently　favoured　his　suit。　On　the　other　hand；　Mrs。　Creighton　seemed　particularly　well　pleased　with　his　own　return；　she　was　certainly　very　charming；　and　it　was　by　no　means　an　unpleasant　task　to　play　cavalier　to　his　friend's　sister。　Still　he　looked　on　with　great　interest；　as　Ellsworth　pursued　his　courtship；　and　he　often　found　himself　making　observations　upon　Elinor's　movements。　〃Now　she　will　do　this〃〃I　am　sure　she　thinks　that〃〃I　know　her　better　than　Ellsworth〃〃She　can't　endure　Stryker〃and　other　remarks　of　the　kind；　which　kept　his　attention　fixed　upon　his　old　playfellow；　the　more　closely　he　observed　her　the　more　he　saw　to　love　and　admire；　for　their　former　long　intimacy　had　given　him　a　key　to　her　character；　and　greater　knowledge　of　the　world　enabled　him　fully　to　appreciate　her　purity　of　principle；　her　native　grace　and　modesty；　the　generous　tone　of　her　mind；　the　unaffected　sweetness　of　her　disposition。　It　appeared　strange　and　unpleasant　to　him；　that　he　must　now　draw　back　and　see　her　engrossed　by　Ellsworth；　when　she　had　so　long　been　his　own　favourite　companion；　still　he　had　no　right　to　complain；　it　was　his　own　fault　that　matters　were　so　much　changed。　As　for　Mrs。　Creighton；　Harry　could　not　satisfy　himself　with　regard　to　her　real　feelings；　there　were　times　when　he　thought　she　was　attached　to　him；　but　just　as　it　began　to　appear　clear　that　she　was　not　merely　coquetting；　just　as　he　began　to　inquire　if　he　could　ever　offer　himself　to　a　woman　whom　he　admired　very　much；　but　whom　he　did　not　entirely　respect；　the　pretty　widow　would　run　off；　apparently　in　spite　of　herself；　into　some　very　evident　flirtation　with　Stryker；　with　de　Vaux；　with　Mr。　Wyllys；　in　fact　with　any　man　who　came　in　her　way。　Generally　he　felt　relieved　by　these　caprices；　since　they　left　perfect　liberty　of　action　to　himself；　o