Міжнародний епізод

           “Idon’tseewhatmakesyoutalkthatway,”shesaid.“TheEnglishareagreatpeople.”“Exactly;andthatisjustthewaytheyhavegrowngreat—bydroppingyouwhenyouhaveceasedtobeuseful.Peoplesaytheyarenotclever;butIthinktheyareveryclever.”“Youknowyouhavelikedthem—alltheEnglishmenyouhaveseen,”saidBessie.“Theyhavelikedme,”hersisterrejoined;“itwouldbemorecorrecttosaythat.And,ofcourse,onelikesthat.”BessieAldenresumedforsomemomentsherstudiesinseagreen.“Well,”shesaid,“whethertheylikemeornot,Imeantolikethem.Andhappily,”sheadded,“LordLambethdoesnotowemetenpounds.”DuringthefirstfewdaysaftertheirarrivalatJones’sHotelourcharmingAmericansweremuchoccupiedwithwhattheywouldhavecalledlookingaboutthem.Theyfoundoccasiontomakealargenumberofpurchases,andtheiropportunitiesforconversationweresuchonlyaswereofferedbythedeferentialLondonshopmen.BessieAlden,evenindrivingfromthestation,tookanimmensefancytotheBritishmetropolis,andattheriskofexhibitingherasayoungwomanofvulgartastesitmustberecordedthatforaconsiderableperiodshedesirednohigherpleasurethantodriveaboutthecrowdedstreetsinahansomcab.Toherattentiveeyestheywerefullofastrangepicturesquelife,anditisatleastbeneaththedignityofourhistoricmusetoenumeratethetrivialobjectsandincidentswhichthissimpleyoungladyfromBostonfoundsoentertaining.