CHAPTER I.
關燈
小
中
大
.“Itiswonderfulwhatunpleasantgirlsgetintovogue.WhoaretheseLangens?Doesanybodyknowthem?”
“Theyarequitecommeilfaut.IhavedinedwiththemseveraltimesattheRussie.ThebaronessisEnglish.MissHarlethcallshercousin.Thegirlherselfisthoroughlywell-bred,andascleveraspossible.”
“Dearme!andthebaron?”.
“Averygoodfurniturepicture.”
“Yourbaronessisalwaysattheroulette-table,”saidMackworth.“Ifancyshehastaughtthegirltogamble.”
“Oh,theoldwomanplaysaverysobergamedropsaten-francpiecehereandthere.Thegirlismoreheadlong.Butitisonlyafreak.”
“Ihearshehaslostallherwinningsto-day.Aretheyrich?Whoknows?”
“Ah,whoknows?Whoknowsthataboutanybody?”saidMr.Vandernoodt,movingofftojointheLangens.
TheremarkthatGwendolenwoundherneckaboutmorethanusualthiseveningwastrue.Butitwasnotthatshemightcarryouttheserpentideamorecompletely:itwasthatshewatchedforanychanceofseeingDeronda,sothatshemightinquireaboutthisstranger,underwhosemeasuringgazeshewasstillwincing.Atlastheropportunitycame.
“Mr.Vandernoodt,youknoweverybody,”saidGwendolen,nottooeagerly,ratherwithacertainlanguorofutterancewhichshesometimesgavetoherclearsoprano.“Whoisthatnearthedoor?”
“Therearehalfadozennearthedoor.DoyoumeanthatoldAdonisintheGeorgetheFourthwig?”
“No,nothedark-hairedyoungmanontherightwiththedreadfulexpression.”
“Dreadful,doyoucallit?Ithinkheisanuncommonlyfinefellow.”
“Butwhoishe?”
“HeislatelycometoourhotelwithSirHugoMallinger.”
“SirHugoMallinger?”
“Yes.Doyouknowhim?”
“No.”(Gwendolencoloredslightly.)“Hehasaplacenearus,buthenevercomestoit.Whatdidyousaywasthenameofthatgentlemannearthedoor?”
“Deronda—Mr.Deronda.”
“Whatadelightfulname!IsheanEnglishman?”
“Yes.Heisreportedtoberathercloselyrelatedtothebaronet.Youareinterestedinhim?”
“Yes.Ithinkheisnotlikeyoungmeningeneral.”
“Andyoudon’tadmireyoungmeningeneral?”
“Notintheleast.Ialwaysknowwhattheywillsay.Ican’tatallguesswhatthisMr.Derondawouldsay.Whatdoeshesay?”
“Nothing,chiefly.Isatwithhispartyforagoodhourlastnightontheterrace,andheneverspoke—andwasnotsmokingeither.Helookedbored.”
“AnotherreasonwhyIshouldliketoknowhim.Iamalwaysbored.”
“Ishouldthinkhewouldbecharmedtohaveanintroduction.ShallIbringitabout?Willyouallowit,baroness?”
“Whynot?—sinceheisrelatedtoSirHugoMallinger.Itisanewr?leofyours,Gwendolen,tobealwaysbored,”continuedMadamevonLangen,whenMr.Vandernoodthadmovedaway.“Untilnowyouhavealwaysseemedeageraboutsomethingfrommorningtillnight.”
“ThatisjustbecauseIamboredtodeath.IfIamtoleaveoffplayImustbreakmyarmormycollar-bone.ImustmakesomethinghappenunlessyouwillgointoSwitzerlandandtakemeuptheMatterhorn.”
“PerhapsthisMr.Deronda’sacquaintancewilldoinsteadoftheMatterhorn.”
“Perhaps.”
ButGwendolendidnotmakeDeronda’sacquaintanceonthisoccasion.Mr.Vandernoodtdidnotsucceedinbringinghimuptoherthatevening,andwhenshere-enteredherownroomshefoundaletterrecallingherhome.
