Lady Barbarina, The Siege of London, An International Episode, and Other TalesJames, Henry
General
Lady Barbarina, The Siege of London, An International Episode, and Other Tales
James, Henry
England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction; Europe -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction
“Yes, then he’d be aristocratic,” said the young man. “But I don’t see
why he should want to marry over here; it seems to me to be going out of
his way. However, if he’s happy I don’t care. I like him very much; he
has ‘A1’ ability. If it hadn’t been for his father he’d have made a
splendid doctor. But, as I say, he takes a great interest in medical
science and I guess he means to promote it all he can—with his big
fortune. He’ll be sure to keep up his interest in research. He thinks
we _do_ know something and is bound we shall know more. I hope she won’t
lower him, the young marchioness—is that her rank? And I hope they’re
really good people. He ought to be very useful. I should want to know a
good deal about the foreign family I was going to marry into.”
“He looked to me, riding there, as if he knew a good deal about the
Clements,” Dexter Freer said, getting to his feet as his wife suggested
they ought to be going; “and he looked to me pleased with the knowledge.
There they come down the other side. Will you walk away with us or will
you stay?”
“Stop him and ask him, and then come and tell us—in Jermyn Street.” This
was Mrs. Freer’s parting injunction to Sidney Feeder.
“He ought to come himself—tell him that,” her husband added.
“Well, I guess I’ll stay,” said the young man as his companions merged
themselves in the crowd that now was tending toward the gates. He went
and stood by the barrier and saw Doctor Lemon and his friends pull up at
the entrance to the Row, where they apparently prepared to separate. The
separation took some time and Jackson’s colleague became interested.
Lord Canterville and his younger daughter lingered to talk with two
gentlemen, also mounted, who looked a good deal at the legs of Lady
Agatha’s horse. Doctor Lemon and Lady Barb were face to face, very near
each other, and she, leaning forward a little, stroked the overlapping
neck of his glossy bay. At a distance he appeared to be talking and she
to be listening without response. “Oh yes, he’s making love to her,”
thought Sidney Feeder. Suddenly her father and sister turned away to
leave the Park, and she joined them and disappeared while Jackson came up
on the left again as for a final gallop. He hadn’t gone far before he
perceived his comrade, who awaited him at the rail; and he repeated the
gesture Lady Barb had described as a kiss of the hand, though it had not
to his friend’s eyes that full grace. When he came within hail he pulled
up.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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