Part 42 (1/2)
”I daresay you're used to that. I'm told there's a great deal of that in America.”
”A great deal of angelic ministering?” the girl laughed again.
”Is that what you call it? I know you've different expressions.”
”We certainly don't always understand each other,” said Mrs. Westgate, the termination of whose interview with Lady Pimlico had allowed her to revert to their elder visitor.
”I'm speaking of the young men calling so much on the young ladies,” the d.u.c.h.ess explained.
”But surely in England,” Mrs. Westgate appealed, ”the young ladies don't call on the young men?”
”Some of them do-almost!” Lady Pimlico declared. ”When a young man's a great _parti_.”
”Bessie, you must make a note of that,” said Mrs. Westgate. ”My sister”-she gave their friends the benefit of the knowledge-”is a model traveller. She writes down all the curious facts she hears in a little book she keeps for the purpose.”
The d.u.c.h.ess took it, with a n.o.ble art of her own, as if she hadn't heard it; and while she was so occupied-for this involved a large deliberation-her daughter turned to Bessie. ”My brother has told us of your being so clever.”
”He should have said my sister,” Bessie returned-”when she treats you to such flights as that.”
”Shall you be long at Branches?” the d.u.c.h.ess abruptly asked of her.
Bessie was to have afterwards a vivid remembrance of wondering what her Grace (she was so glad d.u.c.h.esses had that predicate) would mean by ”long.” But she might as well somehow have wondered what the occupants of the planet Mars would. ”He has invited us for three days.”
”I think I must really manage it,” the d.u.c.h.ess declared-”and my daughter too.”
”That will be charming!”
”Delightful!” cried Mrs. Westgate.
”I shall expect to see a deal of you,” the d.u.c.h.ess continued. ”When I go to Branches I monopolise my son's guests.”
”They must give themselves up to you,” said Mrs. Westgate all graciously.
”I quite yearn to see it-to see the Castle,” Bessie went on to the larger lady. ”I've never seen one-in England at least; and you know we've none in America.”
”Ah, you're fond of castles?”-her Grace quite took it up.
”Of the idea of them-which is all I know-immensely.” And the girl's pale light deepened for the a.s.surance. ”It has been the dream of my life to live in one.”
The d.u.c.h.ess looked at her as if hardly knowing how to take such words, which, from the ducal point of view, had either to be very artless or very aggressive. ”Well,” she said, rising, ”I'll show you Branches myself.” And upon this the n.o.ble ladies took their departure.
”What did they mean by it?” Mrs. Westgate sought to know when they had gone.
”They meant to do the friendly thing,” Bessie surmised, ”because we're going to meet them.”
”It's too late to do the friendly thing,” Mrs. Westgate replied almost grimly. ”They meant to overawe us by their fine manners and their grandeur; they meant to make you _lacher prise_.”
”_Lacher prise_? What strange things you say!” the girl sighed as fairly for pain.
”They meant to snub us so that we shouldn't dare to go to Branches,” Mrs.
Westgate subst.i.tuted with confidence.