Міжнародний епізод

           “Youdon’tbelieveI’mahumbug,eh?”“No,”saidBessie,“Idon’t.”“Youaretootalltostandup,LordLambeth,”Mrs.Westgateobserved.“Youareonlytolerablewhenyousitdown.Besogoodastogetachair.”Hefoundachairandplaceditsidewise,closetothetwoladies.“IfIhadn’tmetWoodleyIshouldneverhavefoundyou,”hewenton.“ShouldI,Woodley?”“Well,Iguessnot,”saidtheyoungAmerican.“Notevenwithmyletter?”askedMrs.Westgate.“Ah,well,Ihaven’tgotyourletteryet;IsupposeIshallgetitthisevening.Itwasawfullykindofyoutowrite.”“SoIsaidtoBessie,”observedMrs.Westgate.“Didshesayso,MissAlden?”LordLambethinquired.“Idaresayyouhavebeenhereamonth.”“Wehavebeenherethree,”saidMrs.Westgate.“Haveyoubeenherethreemonths?”theyoungmanaskedagainofBessie.“Itseemsalongtime,”Bessieanswered.“Isay,afterthatyouhadbetternotcallmeahumbug!”criedLordLambeth.“Ihaveonlybeenintownthreeweeks;butyoumusthavebeenhidingaway;Ihaven’tseenyouanywhere.”“Whereshouldyouhaveseenus—whereshouldwehavegone?”askedMrs.Westgate.“YoushouldhavegonetoHurlingham,”saidWillieWoodley.“No;letLordLambethtellus,”Mrs.Westgateinsisted.“Thereareplentyofplacestogoto,”saidLordLambeth;“eachonestupiderthantheother.Imeanpeople’shouses;theysendyoucards.”“Noonehassentuscards,”saidBessie.“Weareveryquiet,”hersisterdeclared.“Wearehereastravelers.