Міжнародний епізод

           Thefirstthingtheyseeinallthepapers—inEnglandthosethingsareinthemostprominentplace—isthattheDukeofGreen-ErinhasarrivedintownfortheSeason.Theywaitalittle,andthenMr.Butterworth—aspoliteasever—goesandleavesacard.Theywaitalittlemore;thevisitisnotreturned;theywaitthreeweeks—silencedemort—theDukegivesnosign.TheButterworthsseealotofotherpeople,putdowntheDukeofGreen-Erinasarude,ungratefulman,andforgetallabouthim.OnefinedaytheygotoAscotRaces,andtheretheymeethimfacetoface.HestaresamomentandthencomesuptoMr.Butterworth,takingsomethingfromhispocketbook—somethingwhichprovestobeabanknote.‘I’mgladtoseeyou,Mr.Butterworth,’hesays,‘sothatIcanpayyouthattenpoundsIlosttoyouinNewYork.Isawtheotherdayyourememberedourbet;herearethetenpounds,Mr.Butterworth.Goodbye,Mr.Butterworth.’Andoffhegoes,andthat’sthelasttheyseeoftheDukeofGreen-Erin.”“Isthatyourstory?”askedBessieAlden.“Don’tyouthinkit’sinteresting?”hersisterreplied.“Idon’tbelieveit,”saidtheyounggirl.“Ah,”criedMrs.Westgate,“youarenotsosimpleafterall!Believeitornot,asyouplease;thereisnosmokewithoutfire.”“Isthattheway,”askedBessieafteramoment,“thatyouexpectyourfriendstotreatyou?”“Idefythemtotreatmeveryill,becauseIshallnotgivethemtheopportunity.Withthebestwillintheworld,inthatcasetheycan’tbeveryoffensive.”BessieAldenwassilentamoment.