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The Unbearable Bassington-Part21_H.H.Munro(Saki)(1870-1916)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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already she seemed to be standing aside as an onlooker where she

had expected herself to be taking a leading part.



"Does this sort of thing appeal to you?" she asked the young

Russian, nodding towards the gay scrimmage of masqueraders and



rather prepared to hear an amused negative."

"But yes, of course," he answered; "costume balls, fancy fairs,



cafe chantant, casino, anything that is not real life appeals to us

Russians. Real life with us is the sort of thing that Maxim Gorki



deals in. It interests us immensely, but we like to get away from

it sometimes."



Madame Kelnicort came up with another prospectivepartner, and

Elaine delivered her ukase: one more dance and then back to the



hotel. Without any special regret she made her retreat from the

revel which Courtenay was enjoying under the impression that it was



life and the young Russian under the firm conviction that it was

not.



Elaine breakfasted at her aunts' table the next morning at much her

usual hour. Courtenay was sleeping the sleep of a happy tired



animal. He had given instructions to be called at eleven o'clock,

from which time onward the NEUE FREIE PRESSE, the ZEIT, and his



toilet would occupy his attention till he appeared at the luncheon

table. There were not many people breakfasting when Elaine arrived



on the scene, but the room seemed to be fuller than it really was

by reason of a penetrating voice that was engaged in recounting how



far the standard of Viennese breakfast fare fell below the

expectations and desires of little Jerome and the girls.



"If ever little Jerome becomes President of the United States,"

said Elaine, "I shall be able to contribute quite an informing



article on his gastronomic likes and dislikes to the papers."

The aunts were discreetly inquisitive as to the previous evening's



entertainment.

"If Elaine would flirt mildly with somebody it would be such a good



thing," said Mrs. Goldbrook; "it would remind Courtenay that he's

not the only attractive young man in the world."



Elaine, however, did not gratify their hopes; she referred to the

ball with the detachment she would have shown in describing a



drawing-room show of cottage industries. It was not difficult to

discern in her description of the affair the confession that she



had been slightly bored. From Courtenay, later in the day, the

aunts received a much livelier impression of the festivities, from



which it was abundantly clear that he at any rate had managed to

amuse himself. Neither did it appear that his good opinion of his



own attractions had suffered any serious shock. He was distinctly

in a very good temper.



"The secret of enjoying a honeymoon," said Mrs. Goldbrook

afterwards to her sister, "is not to attempt too much."



"You mean - ?"

"Courtenay is content to try and keep one person amused and happy,



and he thoroughly succeeds."

"I certainly don't think Elaine is going to be very happy," said



her sister, "but at least Courtenay saved her from making the

greatest mistake she could have made - marrying that young



Bassington."

"He has also," said Mrs. Goldbrook, "helped her to make the next



biggest mistake of her life - marrying Courtenay Youghal.

CHAPTER XVI



IT was late afternoon by the banks of a swiftly rushing river, a

river that gave back a haze of heat from its waters as though it



were some stagnant steaming lagoon, and yet seemed to be whirling

onward with the determination of a living thing, perpetually eager



and remorseless, leaping savagely at any obstacle that attempted to

stay its course; an unfriendly river, to whose waters you committed



yourself at your peril. Under the hot breathless shade of the

trees on its shore arose that acrid all-pervading smell that seems



to hang everywhere about the tropics, a smell as of some monstrous

musty still-room where herbs and spices have been crushed and






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