【英文原著类】inthebishop’scarriag

INTHEBISHOP'SCARRIAGEINTHEBISHOP'SCARRIAGEMIRIAMMICHELSONINTHEBISHOP'SCARRIAGEI.Whenthethingwasatitshottest,Ibolted.Tom,likethedarlingheis--(Yes,youare,oldfellow,you'reasprecioustomeas--asyouaretothepolice--iftheycouldonlygettheirhandsonyou)--well,Tomdrewoffthecrowd,havingpassedtheoldgentleman'swatchtome,andImadeforthewomen'srooms.Thestationwascrowded,asitalwaysisintheafternoon,andinaminuteIwasstrollingintothebig,squareroom,sayingslowlytomyselftokeepmesteady:Nancy,you'reacollegegirl--justinfromBrynMawrtomeetyourpapa.Justseeifyourhat'sonstraight.Idid,goinguptothebigglassandlookingbeyondmyexcitedfacetotheroombehindme.Theresatthewomanwhocannevernurseherbabyexceptwhereeverybodycanseeher,inarailroadstation.Therewasthewomanwho'salwayshungry,nibblingchocolatesoutofabox;andthewomanfallenasleep,withherhatontheside,andhairpinsdroppingoutofherhair;andthewomanwho'sbesideherselfwithfearthatshe'llmisshertrain;andthewomanwhoistakingnotesabouttheotherwomen'srigs.And--AndIdidn'tlikethelookofthatmanwiththecapwhoopenedtheswingingdoorabitandpeepedin.Thewomen'swaiting-roomisnoplaceforaman--norforagirlwho'sgotsomebodyelse'swatchinsideherwaist.Luckily,mybackwastowardhim,butjustasthedoorswungbackhemighthavecaughtthereflectionofmyfaceinamirrorhangingoppositetothebigone.Iretreated,goingtoaninnerroomwheretheladieswerehavingthemaidbrushtheirgowns,soiledfromsuburbantravelandthedirtystation.Thedeuceisinitthewaywomenstare.Itookoffmyhatandjacketforareasontostaythere,andhungthemupasleisurelyasIcould.Nance,Isaidundermybreath,tothealert-eyed,pug-nosedgirlinthemirror,whogaveaquickglanceabouttheroomasIbenttowashmyhands,womenstare'causethey'rewomen.There'snomeaningintheirlook.Iftheyweremen,now,youmighttwitter.INTHEBISHOP'SCARRIAGEIsmoothedmyhairandreachedoutmyhandtogetmyhatandjacketwhen--when--Oh,itwaslong;longenoughtocoveryoufromyourchintoyourheels!Itwasadark,warmred,andithadahighcollarofchinchillathatwasfairlyscrumptious.Andjustaboveitthehathung,ared-clothtoquecaughtuponthesidewithsomeofthesamefur.Theblackmaidmisunderstoodmyinvoluntarygesture.Ihadallmybestdudson,andwhenalotofwomenstareitmakesthewomantheystareatpeacocknaturally,and--and--well,askTomwhathethinksofmystylewhenI'monparade.Atanyrate,itwasthemaid'sfault.Shetookdownthecoatandhatandheldthemformeasthoughtheyweremine.WhatcouldIdo,'ceptjustslipintothesilk-linedbeautyandsetthetoqueonmyhead?Thefoolgirlthatownedthemwashavinganothermaidmendatearinherskirt,overinthecorner;thelittleplacewascrowded.Anyway,Ihadboththecoatandhatonandwasoutintothebiganteroominajiffy.Whatnearlywreckedmewasthecutofthatcoat.ItpositivelymademeshiverwithpleasurewhenIpassedandsawmyselfinthatlongmirror.My,butIwasgreat!Thehangofthatcoat,thelong,incurvingsweepintheback,andthehighfurcollaruptoone'snose--evenifitisaturned-upnose--oh!Istayedandlookedasecondtoolong,forjustasIwaspullingtheflaringhatabitovermyface,thedoorsswung,asanoldladycamein,andtherebehindherwasthatsamecuriousman'sfacewiththecapaboveit.Trapped?Me?Notmuch!Ididn'twaitaminute,butthrewthedoorsopenwithagesturethatmighthavebelongedtotheQueenofSpain.Ialmostranintohisarms.Hegaveanexclamation.Ilookedhimstraightintheeyes,asIhookedthecollarclosetomythroat,andsweptpasthim.Heweakened.Thatcoatwastoojollymuchforhim.Itwasforme,too.AsIrandownthestairs,itsinfluencesoworkedonmethatIdidn'tknowjustwhichVanderbiltIwas.Igotoutonthesidewalkallright,andwasjustabouttotakeacarwhentheturnstileswunground,andtherewasthatsamemanwiththecap.INTHEBISHOP'SCARRIAGEHisfacewasafunnymixtureofdoubtanddetermination.ButitmeanttheCorrectionforme.NanceOlden,it'sover,Isaidtomyself.Butitwasn't.ForitwasthenthatIcaughtsightofthecarriage.Itwasafat,low,comfortable,elegant,sobercarriage,wideandwell-kept,withrubber-tiredwheels.Andthetwoheavyhorseswerefatandelegantandsober,too,andwideandwell-kept.Ididn'tknowitwastheBishop'sthen--Ididn'tcarewhoseitwas.Itwasempty,anditwasmine.I'drathergototheCorrection--beingtooyoungtogettotheplaceyou'reboundfor,TomDorgan--initthaninthepatrolwagon.Atanyrate,itwasallthechanceIhad.Islippedin,closingthedoorsharplybehindme.Themanonthebox--hewaswideandwell-kept,too--wastiredwaiting,Isuppose,forhecontinuedtodozegently,hishighcoachman'scollarupoverhisears.Icursedthatcollar,whichhadpreventedhishearingthedoorclose,forthenhemighthavedrivenoff.Butitwasgreatinside:softandwarm,thecushionsofdarkplum,theseatwideandroomy,achurchpaper,somenotesfortheBishop'snextsermonandacopyofQuoVadis.Ijustsnuggleddown,trustme.Ileanedfarbackandlaylow.WhenIdidpeekoutthewindow,Isawthemanwiththebrassbuttonsandthecapturningtogoinsideagain.Victory!Hehadlostthescent.WhowouldlookforNancyOldenintheBishop'scarriage?Now,youknowhowearlyIgotupyesterdaytocatchthetrainso'sTomandIcouldcomeinwiththepeopleandbenaturallyminglingwiththem?Andyourememberthedancethenightbefore?Ihadn'thadmorethanthreehours'sleep,andthesnugwarmthofthatcoachwasjustnutstome,afterthefreezingrideintotown.Ididn'tdaregetoutforfearofsomeothermaninacapandbuttonssomewhereonthelookout.Iknewtheycouldn'tbeontomyhiding-placeorthey'dhavenabbedmebeforethis.Afterabit