按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
misunderstand her。
141
… Page 142…
CONDENSED NOVELS
Yet she has charming natural impulses。 See how she tosses her
dimpled arms。 She looks longingly at her mother。 She has a language of
her own。 She says； 〃goo goo；〃 and 〃ga ga。〃
She demands somethingthis infant！
She is faint； poor thing。 She famishes。 She wishes to be restored。
Restore her； Mother！
It is the first duty of a mother to restore her child！
III。
THE DOLL。
She is hardly able to walk； she already totters under the weight of a
doll。
It is a charming and elegant affair。 It has pink cheeks and purple…black
hair。 She prefers brunettes； for she has already； with the quick knowledge
of a French infant； perceived she is a blonde； and that her doll cannot rival
her。 Mon Dieu； how touching！ Happy child！ She spends hours in preparing
its toilet。 She begins to show her taste in the exquisite details of its dress。
She loves it madly； devotedly。 She will prefer it to bonbons。 She already
anticipates the wealth of love she will hereafter pour out on her lover； her
mother； her father； and finally； perhaps； her husband。
This is the time the anxious parent will guide these first outpourings。
She will read her extracts from Michelet's L'Amour； Rousseau's Heloise；
and the Revue des deux Mondes。
IV。
THE MUD PIE。
She was in tears to…day。
She had stolen away from her bonne and was with some rustic infants。
They had noses in the air； and large； coarse hands and feet。
They had seated themselves around a pool in the road； and were
fashioning fantastic shapes in the clayey soil with their hands。 Her throat
swelled and her eyes sparkled with delight as； for the first time； her soft
palms touched the plastic mud。 She made a graceful and lovely pie。 She
142
… Page 143…
CONDENSED NOVELS
stuffed it with stones for almonds and plums。 She forgot everything。 It was
being baked in the solar rays； when madame came and took her away。
She weeps。 It is night； and she is weeping still。
V。
HER FIRST LOVE。
She no longer doubts her beauty。 She is loved。 She saw him secretly。
He is vivacious and sprightly。 He is famous。 He has already had an affair
with Finfin； the fille de chambre； and poor Finfin is desolate。 He is noble。
She knows he is the son of Madame la Baronne Couturiere。 She adores
him。
She affects not to notice him。 Poor little thing！ Hippolyte is distracted…
…annihilatedinconsolable and charming。
She admires his boots； his cravat； his little gloves his exquisite
pantaloonshis coat； and cane。
She offers to run away with him。 He is transported； but magnanimous。
He is wearied； perhaps。 She sees him the next day offering flowers to the
daughter of Madame la Comtesse Blanchisseuse。
She is again in tears。
She reads Paul et Virginie。 She is secretly transported。 When she reads
how the exemplary young woman laid down her life rather than appear en
deshabille to her lover； she weeps again。 Tasteful and virtuous Bernardine
de St。 Pierre！the daughters of France admire you！
All this time her doll is headless in the cabinet。 The mud pie is broken
on the road。
VI。
THE WIFE。
She is tired of loving and she marries。
Her mother thinks it； on the whole； the best thing。 As the day
approaches； she is found frequently in tears。 Her mother will not permit
the affianced one to see her； and he makes several attempts to commit
suicide。
143
… Page 144…
CONDENSED NOVELS
But something happens。 Perhaps it is winter； and the water is cold。
Perhaps there are not enough people present to witness his heroism。
In this way her future husband is spared to her。 The ways of
Providence are indeed mysterious。 At this time her mother will talk with
her。 She will offer philosophy。 She will tell her she was married herself。
But what is this new and ravishing light that breaks upon her？ The
toilet and wedding clothes！ She is in a new sphere。
She makes out her list in her own charming writing。 Here it is。 Let
every mother heed it。*
* * * * *
* * * * *
She is married。 On the day after； she meets her old lover； Hippolyte。
He is again transported。
* The delicate reader will appreciate the omission of certain articles
for which English synonymes are forbidden。
VII。
HER OLD AGE。
A Frenchwoman never grows old。
144
… Page 145…
CONDENSED NOVELS
MARY MCGILLUP。A
SOUTHERN NOVEL。
AFTER BELLE BOYD。
145
… Page 146…
CONDENSED NOVELS
INTRODUCTION。
〃Will you write me up？〃
The scene was near Temple Bar。 The speaker was the famous rebel
Mary McGillup；a young girl of fragile frame； and long； lustrous black
hair。 I must confess that the question was a peculiar one； and； under the
circumstances； somewhat puzzling。 It was true I had been kindly treated
by the Northerners； and； though prejudiced against them； was to some
extent under obligations to them。 It was true that I knew little or nothing of
American politics； history； or geography。 But when did an English writer
ever weigh such trifles？ Turning to the speaker； I inquired with some
caution the amount of pecuniary compensation offered for the work。
〃Sir！〃 she said； drawing her fragile form to its full height； 〃you insult
me；you insult the South。〃
〃But look ye here； d'ye seethe tinthe bluntthe readythe stiff； you
know。 Don't ye see； we can't do without that； you know！〃
It shall be contingent on the success of the story；〃 she answered
haughtily。 〃In the mean time take this precious gem。〃 And drawing a
diamond ring from her finger； she placed it with a roll of MSS。 in my
hands and vanished。
Although unable to procure more than L1 2s。 6 d。 from an intelligent
pawnbroker to whom I stated the circumstances and with whom I pledged
the ring； my sympathies with the cause of a downtrodden and chivalrous
people were at once enlisted。 I could not help wondering that in rich
England； the home of the oppressed and the free； a young and lovely
woman like the fair author of those pages should be obliged to thus pawn
her jewelsher marriage giftfor the means to procure her bread！ With the
exception of the English aristocracy；who much resemble them；I do not
know of a class of people that I so much admire as the Southern planters。
May I become better acquainted with both！
Since writing the above； the news of Mr。 Lincoln's assassination has
reached me。 It is enough for me to say that I am dissatisfied with the result。
I do not attempt to excuse the assassin。 Yet there will be men who will
146
… Page 147…
CONDENSED NOVELS
charge this act upon the chivalrous South。 This leads me to repeat a
remark once before made by me in this connection which has become
justly celebrated。 It is this：
〃It is usual； in cases of murder； to look for the criminal among those
who expect to be benefited by the crime。 In the death of Lincoln； his
immediate successor in office alone receives the benefit of his dying。〃
If her Majesty Queen Victoria were assassinated； which Heaven forbid；
the one most benefited by her decease would； of course； be his Royal
Highness the Prince of Wales； her immediate