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〃0h； yes； we made many pleasant acquaintances。〃
〃Well； if I go abroad； I hope it will be to England； though I should like very well to visit the stores of Paris。〃
〃Have you seen your cousin； Charles Hubbard； since he arrived from Italy？〃 inquired Elinor。
〃Yes； he called at our boarding…house。 He is at Longbridge now； but he is coming to Saratoga； shortly； for he told me he had engaged to take several views of Lake George。〃
〃I am sorry be did not come to see us in town； but I am delighted to hear he is going to Saratoga。 Grandpapa； Mrs。 Hilson tells me Charles Hubbard will be at Saratoga； with us！〃
〃I am very glad to hear it； my child； I want to see Charlie。〃
〃Has he brought home many pictures？〃 continued Elinor。
〃I really don't know； I did not think of asking him。〃
〃I should suppose you would be anxious to see your cousin's paintings。〃
〃Oh； no； portraits are the only pictures that interest me。 I always have the 'Book of Beauty；' whenever it comes out； you know they are likenesses of the Peeresses of the English Nobility。〃
｛〃Book of Beauty〃 = 〃Heath's Book of Beauty〃 an annual volume with engravings of famous British women； sponsored by Charles Heath （1785…1848） （London： Longmans； 1833…1847）｝
Elinor bowed。 〃Yes； I have seen the book。〃
〃I have the 'Children of the Nobility；' too； bound in crimson silk； it is a very fascinating collection。 My friend； Mrs。 Bagman； tells me they are excellent likenesses； particularly the children of his Royal Highness； the Lord…Mayor。〃
｛〃Children of the Nobility〃 = 〃Portraits of the Children of the Nobility；〃 A similar publication； also sponsored by Charles Heath （Longmans： London； 1838）｝
Absurd as such a mistake in heraldry may seem； one might vouch for having heard others quite as extraordinary。
〃They may be like；〃 said Elinor； smiling in spite of herself； 〃but I cannot agree with you as to their beauty。 I have seen the volume； and it struck me the artists must have made caricatures of many of the children； who； no doubt； were pretty in reality。〃
〃I was looking at those engravings only yesterday；〃 said Mr。 Ellsworth； anxious to engage Elinor's attention； 〃they almost amount to a libel on childhood； they give the idea of mincing； affected little creatures； at the very age when children are almost invariably natural and interesting。 I should quarrel very much with a portrait of my little girl； in the same fashion。〃
〃But it is very seldom you see portraits of children； that are really child…like；〃 observed Elinor。 〃And then what a trial； to paint a pretty； innocent little creature； in full dress； starched and trim！〃
〃Children are charming subjects when properly treated； I delight in such pictures；〃 said Mary Van Alstyne。
〃You would have been often delighted then； in Italy； Miss Van Alstyne。 Raphael's cherubs are as perfect in their way； as his men and women。〃
｛〃Raphael's cherubs〃 = While living in Florence in 1829； James Fenimore Cooper and his family admired the 〃Madonna del Baldacchino〃 （sometimes called 〃La Madonna del Trono〃） by Raphael （Italian painter； 1483…1520）； at the Pitti Palace； and especially the two singing angels （〃perhaps I should call them cherubs） at the foot of the throne。 He commissioned the American sculptor Horatio Greenough （1805…1852） to sculpt for him a group called 〃The Chanting Cherubs；〃 based the angels or cherubs｝
Mrs。 Hilson； unwilling to be thrown out of the conversation； again addressed Elinor。
〃When you joined us； Miss Wyllys； we were speaking of the fire opposite your hotel。 Were you not dreadfully alarmed？ I hear you were there； although I did not find you at home when I called。〃
〃We were disturbed； of course； but I can't say that we were personally alarmed。 The wind； you may remember； carried everything in the opposite direction。〃
〃Did it？ Well； I was too much frightened to notice anything； you know it was in the same block as our boarding…house。〃
〃Yes； you were nearer the danger than we were。〃
〃Oh； I was dreadfully frightened。 There was one of our ladies wanted to persuade me to look at Trinity Church； lighted up by the fire； I believe she really thought it a fascinating sight。 Here comes a gentleman who was staying at your hotel； and has not got over his fright yet； it is one of my escortsI have two； the Baron and this gentleman； but the Baron is not on deck nowlet me introduce you； Monsieur Bonnet； Miss Wyllys。 I do believe； Monsieur Bonnet； you were as much alarmed as I was。〃
〃AlarmAh； Madame； I was ebloui by the fire。 In all my life； I never saw real incendie before； though； of course； I saw the Panorama of the incendie de MoscouI was not in Russie with l'Empereur。 At the spectacle we have incendies sometimes； but never in the street。 Ah； I did not see that house until the roof fall； when light burst through my volets； and I spring to the window。〃
｛〃ebloui〃 = dazzled； 〃incendie de Moscou〃 = the fire which destroyed Moscow in 1812； while it was being occupied by the Emperor Napoleon； 〃spectacle〃 = theater； 〃volets〃 = shutters （French）｝
〃I should have thought the noise would have called you out before that。〃
〃Du tout； when I hear cries； and people marching； I think tout bonnement it was an emeute； and I turn round to finish my sleep； I think myself happy not to belong to the Garde Nationale of New York； and not be afraid of the rappel。〃
｛〃du tout〃 = not at all； 〃tout bonnement〃 = simply； 〃emeute〃 = riot； 〃rappel〃 = call to arms （French）｝
〃What did you think it was？〃
〃An emeute； sans doute； say I to myself。 It was un tintamarre epouvantable。〃
｛〃un tintamarre epouvantable〃 = a frightful uproar （French）｝
〃Emeute； pray； what is that？〃
〃Emeute？ A little revolution； as we have in Paris constamment。〃
〃Why； my dear sir； our revolutionary war took place more than fifty years ago。 Did you expect to find us fighting now？〃
〃Certainement； I thought the wheel I hear was cannon。 But mon ami Eel…SUN tell me next day； there is incendie every night somewhere in New York。 Un drole de divertisement； vraiment。 It is a great desagrement； of a city otherwise so beautiful； with so many charming ladies。〃
｛〃un drole de divertisement； vraiment〃 = truly； a strange form of entertainment。 〃desagrement〃 = unpleasant feature （French）｝
〃Thank you； sir； you are very polite。 I believe； Miss Wyllys； that French gentlemen； no matter what they talk about； always find an opportunity to pay a compliment。〃
〃C'est tout naturel； cela va sans dire； it is only our devoir； Madame； to exprimer to the ladies some of the many agreeable things they inspire。〃
｛〃C'est tout naturel。。。〃 = it's only natural； it goes without saying； it is only our duty； Madame； to express to the ladies。。。 （French）｝
〃Worse and worse；〃 said Mrs。 Hilson； laughing。 〃How different you are from Captain Kockney； he never said a civil thing to me； all the time he was in New York。〃
〃Le capitaine Coquenais was an Anglais； who cannot feel the true politesse Francaise。〃
〃He used to say it is not aristocratic to be polite to other people； he belongs to the English aristocracy； you know。〃
〃L'aristocratie！ Oh； that is a vile state of things。 La vieille aristocratie of France； Madame； was the cause of our revolution。 But in France now； and in America； those happy countree； the spirit of aristocracy is extinct。〃
〃I beg your pardon； Monsieur Bonnet；〃 said Mrs。 Hilson； quite indignantly。 〃It is true there are many plebeians in this country； but we have also many people of the highest aristocracy。〃
〃Ah； vous plaisantez avec tant de grace； Madame！〃
｛〃vous plaisantez。。。。〃 = You joke so gracefully； Madame （French）｝
〃It is pleasant； certainly； to me； though some people may not appreciate it。 I am a very aristocratic spirit。〃
〃Ah； sans doute； Madame； you have so much esprit； you laugh at me；〃 said the Frenchman； who took Mrs。 Hilson's protestation as a joke。
｛〃esprit〃 = wit （French）｝
〃No； indeed； I never was more serious in my life。 I should suppose you would have been struck with the high state of aristocracy at our boarding…house； for instance。〃
Monsieur Bonnet could only shrug his shoulders； being quite at a loss for the lady's meaning。
〃Yes； I am thoroughly patrician and aristocratic； if we only had a despotic government； to take away all privileges from plebeians； I should be perfectly happy。 My language surprises you； I perceive； but it is quite natural that a descendant of a Scotch Baronet； the Duke of Percy； should have similar feelings。〃
More and more bewildered； Monsieur Bonnet was reduced to a bow。 Happily； as he thought； the warning bell was rung； and the usual cry； 〃Passengers for West Point please look out for their baggage！〃 changed the current of Mrs。 Hilson's ideas； or rather the flow of her words。
In another moment； Mrs。 Hilson and Monsieur Bonnet； with a score or two of others； were landed at West Point； and the ladies of Mr。 Wyllys's party felt it no little relief to be rid of so much aristocracy。
The boat had soon reached Poughkeepsie； and much to Mr。 Ellsworth's regret； Mr。 Wyllys and his family went on shore。 Mr。 Ellsworth had been introduced to Elinor at Jane's wedding。 He was a man of thirty； a widower； with an only child； and had for several years been thinking of marryi