登陆注册
5297800000075

第75章 A Family Group.(2)

"The manner in which the Van Bergs live,would be a revelation to you,"said Stanton,angrily,"and one undoubtedly not at all to your taste.In comparison with the Sibley show-rooms,which are stuffed and crowded with costly and incongruous trumpery,Mrs.Van Berg's house would seem very plain;but to one capable of distinguishing the difference,the evidence of mind and taste,instead of mere money,is seen on every side.Simplicity and beauty are united as far as possible.Everything is the best of its kind and devoid of veneer and sham.There is no lavish and vulgar profusion,and there is a harmony of color and decoration that makes every room a picture in itself.Moreover,the house does not grow suddenly shabby after you leave those parts which are seen by visitors.It is all genuine and high-toned,like the people who live in it.""What sort of people are Mrs.Van Berg and her daughter?"Ida asked,with averted face and low constrained voice.

"Mrs.Van Berg comes of a family that has been aristocratic for several generations,and one that has been singularly free from black sheep.She appears to strangers somewhat reserved and stately,but when you become better acquainted you find she has a warm,kind heart.But she has a perfect horror of vulgarity.If she had seen this Sibley take more wine than he ought and make a spectacle of himself at a public table,she would no more admit him to her parlor than a Bowery rough.Mere wealth would not turn the scale a hair in his favor.If she has impressed on her son one trait more than another,it is this disgust with all kinds of vulgar people and vulgar vice.I don't think Van will sit down at the same table with Sibley again,or permit Miss Burton to do so."Ida averted her face still farther,but said nothing.

"Indeed!"said Mrs.Mayhew;"and has Miss Burton given him the rights of a protector.""Sorry to disappoint you,aunt;but I have no nice bit of gossip to report.Miss Burton is an orphan,and so any friend of hers has a right to protect her.I would have taken this matter into my own hands were it not out of consideration for you and Ida,who unfortunately have permitted yourselves to be identified with Sibley as his especial friends.Indeed,most in the house regard him as Ida's favored or accepted suitor.But I warn you to cut loose from him at once or you may suffer a severe humiliation.If you and Ida will continue to encourage him,then I tell you plainly I shall follow you no further into the slough."The maiden stamped her foot and made an emphatic gesture of rage and protest,but did not trust herself to answer the cruel words,each one of which was like the thrust of a knife.

But Mrs.Mayhew,whose desire to be respectable was a ruling passion,now became thoroughly alarmed and said hastily:

"Mr.Sibley is certainly nothing to me,and I hope nothing to Ida.

Get rid of him any way you can,since things have reached the pass you represent.If society is going to put him under ban,we must cut him;that's all there is about it,and his behavior at dinner gives us an excuse."During this conversation Mr.Mayhew had been lying on the sofa with closed eyes,and as motionless as if he were dead.Now he said in low,bitter tones:

"Mark it well--an excuse,not a reason.O,virtue!how beautiful thou art!""You are the last one in the world to speak on this subject,"said Mrs.Mayhew,angrily.

"Right again.You see,Ik,my family never before met a man who promised to make such an appropriate addition to our number.It's a pity you are interfering;"and he poured out a large glass of brandy.

"Would to God I had died before I had seen this day!"cried Ida in a tone of such sharp agony that all turned towards her in a questioning surprise;but she rushed into her own room and locked the door after her.

"Things have gone farther between her and Sibley than we thought,"said Stanton,gloomily.

"Well,Ik,"said Mr.Mayhew with a laugh that was dreadful to hear,"you had better cut loose from us.We are all going to the devil by the shortest cut.""Would to heaven I had never seen you!"cried Mrs.Mayhew,hysterically."YOU are the one who is dragging us down.If my nephew deserts us,I will brand him as a coward and no gentleman.""I'll not desert you unless you desert yourself,"said Stanton,with a gesture of disgust and impatience;"but if you persist in going down into the deepest quagmires you can find,you cannot expect me to follow you;"and with these words he left the room.

Mr.Mayhew was soon sunk in the deepest lethargy,and his wife spent the afternoon in impotently fretting and fuming against her "miserable fate,"as she termed it,and in trying to devise some way of keeping up appearances.

同类推荐
  • 伤寒论注

    伤寒论注

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 圣观自在菩萨一百八名经

    圣观自在菩萨一百八名经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 初学记

    初学记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 太上洞玄灵宝赤书玉诀妙经

    太上洞玄灵宝赤书玉诀妙经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 抚安东夷记

    抚安东夷记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 旧闻证误

    旧闻证误

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 老婆不要我了怎么办

    老婆不要我了怎么办

    第一次见面,这个妖孽男拉着她挡桃花说她是他女朋友飞机上她睡着了,他偷袭她,说她是他未婚妻机场大厅,为了不让她离开,这个混蛋说她是他老婆一天之内,她从单身成了混蛋男的女朋友、未婚妻、老婆秦墨涵觉得这天是自己二十三年来最倒霉的一天她恨不得掐死这个妖孽男池司阳却觉得这一天是他二十六年来最幸运的一天老天爷让他遇到了自己心仪的女人秉持母亲大人的教导,看上了就要紧紧的圈住这个女人他是娶定了
  • ICU48小时(杨幂、白宇主演《谢谢你医生》原著)

    ICU48小时(杨幂、白宇主演《谢谢你医生》原著)

    杨幂、白宇主演《谢谢你医生》原著,现已正式官宣!在医院的这个地方,我们所经历过的每一种痛苦,不安,难过,隐忍以及无助,都会随着时间慢慢消逝成那一段时光节点的回形针。死而向生,每个人都在等待希波克拉底,当你仰望星辰,请将其中一颗当成我的灵魂。肖砚:关于那天的分别我遗失了大部分记忆,时间就像河水里的光影,明亮或黯淡,短暂或悠长,相遇这件事既让人觉得欣慰,又令人惶恐。白术:我无法穿越过去给你拥抱,却可以撬动你的嘴角,你会因为我笑吗?我能期待吗?
  • 科技图书馆

    科技图书馆

    科技图书馆:科学的至高境,就是神学;长生不老,飞天遁地,呼风唤雨,移山填海。这些神话传说,科学是可以实现的。想拿这些技术,必须拥有科技图书馆最高权限。一次意外的救人,让陈默收获了爱情,也获得收藏着无尽科技技术的科技图书馆,故事从此开始……本故事纯属虚构,如有雷同,请进交流群:439923657(蚁巢)
  • 邪王溺妃腹黑王爷赖上你

    邪王溺妃腹黑王爷赖上你

    她,21世纪的魅紫,医术高超,能屈能伸,但却没心没肺,无耻,毒舌,杀人于无形中他,是皇帝最宠的王爷,冰冷无情,腹黑无比。两人一旦相遇,竟擦出了火花,“你烦不烦啊!”某女不耐烦的轰人。“女人,本王这辈子赖上你了!”某王爷不要脸痞痞地说。……
  • 朕有眼疾

    朕有眼疾

    顾今息的仕途生涯出现过两个意外。第一个意外是殿试时,天子一道似有若无的眼风,轻飘飘扫过她,“上前一步,朕有眼疾。”就这么来来回回的,顾今息上前了整整四步。最后,皇帝忍不住了,忽地龙袍一晃,天子大大方方地走下了四步,相当靠近地扫了顾今息一眼。臣子全都僵住,为何皇帝今朝有点点龙阳了?第二个意外,翌日圣旨下来,顾探花官袍走马时,被红艳艳的绣花球给砸中了。一般情况下,丢绣球的总是大家闺秀。可惜这次不同,这次砸的是当朝第一公主。顾今息抱住大绣球,有点欲哭无泪的样子。这,这,这,这皇家兄妹都有点病。于是乎,公主爱,皇帝宠的新一代之驸马爷,横空诞生了。
  • 谎言的颓

    谎言的颓

    28年前,天真的自己,任性的自我,追忆前半生的错误与幸福
  • 说话说到点子上

    说话说到点子上

    说话似乎很简单,也确实很简单,张口便可以说。但却会带来巨大影响。说话是一门学问,更是一门艺术;它是社交本领,也是生存基础。《说话说到点子上》通过一系列丰富、真实、生动的故事,分析古今中外的幽默,教给你如何埋下伏笔、营造气氛、引爆笑点,成为一个交际能手。
  • 乾坤之匙

    乾坤之匙

    不在逆境中成长,就在逆境中灭亡。轮回路一次次轮回,唯有一人,跳出了这轮回路!任你是绝世神王,任你是绝代天骄,统统镇压!青年徐浩,身份成谜,一次偶然间的遭遇,获得上界青帝传承,从此开始走上踏天的无敌路。
  • 异能宠婚:重生心机女王

    异能宠婚:重生心机女王

    【甜宠爽文,男女主双异能,女主手辣,男主心黑】前世,她被骗,被辱,被虐,被杀,活的不如狗。重生后,我命由我不由天。伤她亲人?血债血偿!害她惨死?加倍报复!抢她男人?让你生不如死!可说好的不被骗呢?她心伤:骗纸,说好只唱歌跳舞的!!