Международный эпизод
Part I
“I’mgladhedidn’ttellustogothere,”saidoneofourEnglishmen,alludingtotheirfriendonthesteamer,whohadtoldthemsomanythings.TheywalkeduptheFifthAvenue,where,forinstance,hehadtoldthemthatallthefirstfamilieslived.Butthefirstfamilieswereoutoftown,andouryoungtravelershadonlythesatisfactionofseeingsomeofthesecond—orperhapseventhethird—takingtheeveningairuponbalconiesandhighflightsofdoorsteps,inthestreetswhichradiatefromthemoreornamentalthoroughfare.Theywentalittlewaydownoneofthesesidestreets,andtheysawyoungladiesinwhitedresses—charming-lookingpersons—seatedingracefulattitudesonthechocolate-coloredsteps.Inoneortwoplacestheseyoungladieswereconversingacrossthestreetwithotheryoungladiesseatedinsimilarposturesandcostumesinfrontoftheoppositehouses,andinthewarmnightairtheircolloquialtonessoundedstrangeintheearsoftheyoungEnglishmen.Oneofourfriends,nevertheless—theyoungerone—intimatedthathefeltadispositiontointerruptafewofthesesoftfamiliarities;buthiscompanionobserved,pertinentlyenough,thathehadbetterbecareful.“Wemustnotbeginwithmakingmistakes,”saidhiscompanion.“Buthetoldus,youknow—hetoldus,”urgedtheyoungman,alludingagaintothefriendonthesteamer.“Nevermindwhathetoldus!”answeredhiscomrade,who,ifhehadgreatertalents,wasalsoapparentlymoreofamoralist.
