Міжнародний епізод

           Sheprofessed,however,toderivemoresatisfactionfromthislattercircumstancethanshecouldhavedonefromthemostlavishattentionsonthepartofthisgreatlady.“Itismostmarked,”shesaid—“mostmarked.Itisadeliciousproofthatwehavemadethemmiserable.ThedaywedinedwithLordLambethIwasreallysorryforthepoorfellow.”ItwillhavebeengatheredthattheentertainmentofferedbyLordLambethtohisAmericanfriendshadnotbeengracedbythepresenceofhisanxiousmother.Hehadinvitedseveralchoicespiritstomeetthem;buttheladiesofhisimmediatefamilyweretoMrs.Westgate’ssense—asensepossiblymorbidlyacute—conspicuousbytheirabsence.“Idon’twanttoexpressmyselfinamannerthatyoudislike,”saidBessieAlden;“butIdon’tknowwhyyoushouldhavesomanytheoriesaboutLordLambeth’spoormother.YouknowagreatmanyyoungmeninNewYorkwithoutknowingtheirmothers.”Mrs.Westgatelookedathersisterandthenturnedaway.“MydearBessie,youaresuperb!”shesaid.“Onethingiscertain,”theyounggirlcontinued.“IfIbelievedIwereacauseofannoyance—howeverunwitting—toLordLambeth’sfamily,Ishouldinsist—”“InsistuponmyleavingEngland,”saidMrs.Westgate.“No,notthat.IwanttogototheNationalGalleryagain;IwanttoseeStratford-on-AvonandCanterburyCathedral.ButIshouldinsistuponhiscomingtoseeusnomore.”“Thatwouldbeverymodestandveryprettyofyou;butyouwouldn’tdoitnow.”“Whydoyousay‘now’?”askedBessieAlden.