第 8 页

阿切尔设法安慰自己，心想他跟拉里•莱弗茨那样的蠢驴决不可同日而语，梅也不是可悲的格特鲁德那样的傻爪；然而这差别毕竟只是属于才智方面的，而不是原则性的。他们实际上都生活在一种用符号表示的天地里，在那里真实的事情从来不说、不做，甚至也不想，而只是用一套随心所欲的符号来表示；就像韦兰太太那样，她十分清楚阿切尔为什么催她在博福特的舞会上宣布女儿的订婚消息（而且她确实也希望他那样做），却认为必须假装不情愿，装出勉为其难的样子，这颇似文化超前的人们开始阅读的关于原始人的书中描绘的情景：原始时代未开化的新娘是尖叫着被人从父母的帐篷里拖走的。

其结果必然是，处于精心策划的神秘体制中心的年轻姑娘因为坦诚与自信反而越发不可思议。她坦诚——可怜的宝贝——因为她没有什么需要隐瞒；她自信，因为她不知道有什么需要防范；仅仅有这点准备，一夜之间她便投身于人们含糊称谓的“生活常规”之中去了。

阿切尔真诚却又冷静地坠人爱河，他喜爱未婚妻光华照人的容貌、她的身体、她的马术、她在游戏中的优雅与敏捷，以及在他指导下刚刚萌发的对书籍与思想的兴趣。（她已经进步到能与他一起嘲笑《国王牧歌》，但尚不能感受《尤利西斯》与《食忘忧果者》的美妙。）她直爽、忠诚、勇敢，并且有幽默感（主要证明是听了他的笑话后大笑）。他推测，在她天真、专注的心灵深处有一种热烈的感情，唤醒它是一种快乐。然而对她进行一番解剖之后，他重又变得气馁起来，因为他想到，所有这些坦率与天真只不过是人为的产物。未经驯化的人性是不坦率、不天真的，而是出自本能的狡猾，充满了怪僻与防范。他感到自己就受到这种人造的假纯洁的折磨。它非常巧妙地由母亲们、姑姨们、祖母们及早已过世的祖先们合谋制造出来——因为据认为他需要它并有权得到它——以便让他行使自己的高贵意志，把它像雪人般打得粉碎。

这些想法未免有些迂腐，它们属于临近婚礼的年轻人惯常的思考，不过伴随这些思考的往往是懊悔与自卑，但纽兰•阿切尔却丝毫没有这种感觉。他不想哀叹（这是萨克雷的主人公们经常令他恼怒的做法）他没有一身的清白奉献给他的新娘，以换取她的白壁无瑕。他不想回避这样的事实：假如他受的教养跟她一样，他们的适应能力就无异于那些容易上当的老好人。而且，绞尽脑汁也看不出有何（与他个人的一时寻欢与强烈的男性虚荣心不相干的）正当理由，不让他的新娘得到与他同样的自由与经验。

这样一些问题，在这样一种时刻，是必然会浮上他心头的；然而他意识到，它们那样清晰、那样令人不快地压在他的心头，全是因为奥兰斯卡伯爵夫人来得不合时宜，使他刚好在订婚的时刻——思想纯净、前景光明的时刻——突然被推人丑闻的混浊漩涡，引出了所有那些他宁愿束之高阁的特殊问题。“去他的埃伦•奥兰斯卡！”他抱怨地咕哝道，一面盖好炉火，开始脱衣。他真的不明白她的命运为何会对他产生影响，然而他朦胧地感觉到，他只是刚刚开始体验订婚加给他的捍卫者这一角色的风险。

几天之后，意外的事情发生了。

洛弗尔•明戈特家散发请柬，要举办所谓“正式宴会”（即增加3名男仆，每道菜两份，中间上罗马潘趣酒），并按好客的美国方式——把陌生人当成王亲贵族。或者至少是他们的大使对待——在请柬开头用了“为欢迎奥兰斯卡伯爵夫人”这样的措辞。

客人的挑选颇具胆识，内行人从中看得出大人物凯瑟琳的大手笔。被邀请的常客有塞尔弗里奇•梅里夫妇——他们到处受邀请是因为历来如此，博福特夫妇——人们要求与他们建立联系，以及西勒顿•杰克逊先生与妹妹索菲（哥哥让她去哪儿她就去哪儿）。与这些中坚人物为伍的是几对最时髦却又最无懈可击。超群出众的“年轻夫妇”；还有劳伦斯•莱弗茨夫妇，莱弗茨•拉什沃斯太太（那位可爱的寡妇），哈里•索利夫妇，雷杰•奇弗斯夫妇，以及小莫里斯•达格尼特和他妻子（她姓范德卢顿）。这伙客人真可谓最完美的组合，因为他们都属于那个核心小团体，在纽约漫长社交季节里，他们热情不减地日夜在一起寻欢作乐。

48小时之后，令人不可思议的事情发生了。除去博福特夫妇及老杰克逊先生和妹妹，所有的人都拒绝了明戈特家的邀请。甚至属于明戈特家族的雷杰•奇弗斯夫妇也加盟作梗。而且他们的回函措辞也十分统一，都是直截了当地说“抱歉不能接受邀请”，连一般情况下出于礼貌常用的“事先有约”这种缓冲性借口都没有。这一事实突出了人们的故意怠慢。

那时候的纽约社交界范围还很小，娱乐活动也少得可怜，远不至于使其中任何人（包括马车行的老板、男仆及厨师在内）无法确知人们哪些晚上空闲。正因为如此，接到洛弗尔•明戈特太太请柬的人们不愿与奥兰斯卡伯爵夫人会面的决心，才表达得那么明确，那么无情。

这一打击是出乎意料的；然而明戈特一家以他们惯有的方式勇敢地迎接了这一挑战。洛弗尔•明戈特太太把情况秘密告知了韦兰太太，韦兰太太又秘密告知了纽兰• 阿切尔，他听了大为光火，急忙像下达命令似地要求母亲立即采取行动。做母亲的虽然内心里极其不愿，外表上却又不能不对他尽力抚慰。经过一段痛苦的斗争之后，还是屈从了他的要求（像一向那样），她立即采纳他的主张，且由于先前的犹豫而干劲倍增，戴上她的灰丝绒帽说：“我去找路易莎•范德卢顿。”

在纽兰•阿切尔那个时代，纽约的上流社会还是个滑溜溜的小金字塔，人们很难在上面开凿裂缝，找到立足点。其底部的坚实基础，由阿切尔太太所说的“平民”构成，他们多数属于相当有身份的家庭，尽管体面，却没有名望，通过与某个占支配地位的家族联姻而崛起（就像斯派塞夫妇、莱弗茨夫妇与杰克逊夫妇那样）。阿切尔太太总是说，人们不像过去那样讲究了；有老凯瑟琳•斯派塞把持第五大街的一端，朱利叶斯•博福特把持另一端，你无法指望那些老规矩能维持多久。

从这个富有却不引人注目的底部坚固地向上收缩，便是由明戈特家族、纽兰家族、奇弗斯家族及曼森家族代表的那个举足轻重的紧密群体。在多数人的想象中，他们便是金字塔的顶端了，然而他们自己（至少阿切尔太太那一代人）却明白，在职业系谱学家的心目中，只有为数更少的几个家族才有资格享有那份显赫。

阿切尔太太经常对孩子们说，“不要相信现在报纸上关于纽约有个贵族阶层的胡说八道。假如有的话，属于它的既不是明戈特家族，也不是曼森家族，更不是纽兰或奇弗斯家族。我们的祖父和曾祖父仅仅是有名望的英国或荷兰商人，他们来到殖民地发家致富，因为干得特别出色而留在了这里。你们的一位曾祖签署过《独立宣言》，另一位是华盛顿参谋部的一名将军，他在萨拉托加之役后接受了伯戈因将军的投降。这些事情是应该引以为荣的，不过这与身份、阶级毫无关系。纽约向来都是个商业社会，按字面的真正含义，能称得上贵族出身的不超过3个家族。”

跟纽约所有的人一样，阿切尔太太与她的儿子、女儿知道拥有这一殊荣的人物是谁：华盛顿广场的达戈内特夫妇。他们出身于英国古老的郡中世家，与皮特和福克斯家族有姻亲关系；兰宁家族，他们与德格拉斯伯爵的后代近亲通婚；还有范德卢顿一家，他n］是曼哈顿首任荷兰总督的直系后代，独立战争前与法国及英国的几位贵族有姻亲关系。

兰宁家族目前只剩下两位年迈却很活跃的三宁小姐。她们喜欢怀旧，兴致勃勃地生活在族人的画像与切宾代尔式的家具中间；达戈内特是个了不起的家族，他们与巴尔的摩和费城最著名的人物联了姻；而范德卢顿家虽然地位比前两家都高，但家道已经败落，成了残留在地面上的一抹夕照，目前能给人留下深刻印象的只有两个人物，即亨利•范德卢顿先生与他的太太。

亨利•范德卢顿太太原名路易莎•达戈内特，其母本是杜拉克上校的孙女。杜拉克属于海峡岛的一个古老家族，曾在康沃利斯麾下征战，战后携新娘圣奥斯特利伯爵的五女儿安吉莉卡•特利文纳小姐定居马里兰。达戈内特家、马里兰的杜拉克家及其康沃尔郡的贵族亲戚特利文纳家之间的关系一直密切融洽。范德卢顿先生与太太不止一次地对特利文纳家的现任首脑、圣奥斯特利公爵进行长时间拜望，到过他在康沃尔郡的庄园及格罗斯特郡的圣奥斯特利，而且公爵大人经常宣布有朝一日将对他们进行回访的意向（不携公爵夫人，她害怕大西洋）。

范德卢顿先生与太太把他们的时间分别花在马里兰的特利文纳宅邸以及哈德逊河沿岸的大庄园斯库特克利夫。庄园原是荷兰政府对著名的首任总督的赏赐，范德卢顿先生如今仍为“庄主”。他们在麦迪逊大街那座庄严肃穆的宅邪很少开门。他们进城时只在里面接待至交。

“希望你跟我一起去，纽兰，”母亲在布朗马车的门前突然停步说。“路易莎喜欢你；当然，我是为了亲爱的梅才走这一步的——同时还因为，假如我们不都站在一起，上流社会也就不复存在了。”

Chapter 7

Mrs. Henry van der Luyden listened in silence to her cousin Mrs. Archer's narrative.

It was all very well to tell yourself in advance that Mrs. van der Luyden was always silent, and that, though non-committal by nature and training, she was very kind to the people she really liked. Even personal experience of these facts was not always a protection from the chill that descended on one in the high-ceilinged white-walled Madison Avenue drawing-room, with the pale brocaded armchairs so obviously uncovered for the occasion, and the gauze still veiling the ormolu mantel ornaments and the beautiful old carved frame of Gainsborough's "Lady Angelica du Lac."

Mrs. van der Luyden's portrait by Huntington (in black velvet and Venetian point) faced that of her lovely ancestress. It was generally considered "as fine as a Cabanel," and, though twenty years had elapsed since its execution, was still "a perfect likeness." Indeed the Mrs. van der Luyden who sat beneath it listening to Mrs. Archer might have been the twin-sister of the fair and still youngish woman drooping against a gilt armchair before a green rep curtain. Mrs. van der Luyden still wore black velvet and Venetian point when she went into society--or rather (since she never dined out) when she threw open her own doors to receive it. Her fair hair, which had faded without turning grey, was still parted in flat overlapping points on her forehead, and the straight nose that divided her pale blue eyes was only a little more pinched about the nostrils than when the portrait had been painted. She always, indeed, struck Newland Archer as having been rather gruesomely preserved in the airless atmosphere of a perfectly irreproachable existence, as bodies caught in glaciers keep for years a rosy life-in-death.

Like all his family, he esteemed and admired Mrs. van der Luyden; but he found her gentle bending sweetness less approachable than the grimness of some of his mother's old aunts, fierce spinsters who said "No" on principle before they knew what they were going to be asked.

Mrs. van der Luyden's attitude said neither yes nor no, but always appeared to incline to clemency till her thin lips, wavering into the shadow of a smile, made the almost invariable reply: "I shall first have to talk this over with my husband."

She and Mr. van der Luyden were so exactly alike that Archer often wondered how, after forty years of the closest conjugality, two such merged identities ever separated themselves enough for anything as controversial as a talking-over. But as neither had ever reached a decision without prefacing it by this mysterious conclave, Mrs. Archer and her son, having set forth their case, waited resignedly for the familiar phrase.

Mrs. van der Luyden, however, who had seldom surprised any one, now surprised them by reaching her long hand toward the bell-rope.

"I think," she said, "I should like Henry to hear what you have told me."

A footman appeared, to whom she gravely added: "If Mr. van der Luyden has finished reading the newspaper, please ask him to be kind enough to come."

She said "reading the newspaper" in the tone in which a Minister's wife might have said: "Presiding at a Cabinet meeting"--not from any arrogance of mind, but because the habit of a life-time, and the attitude of her friends and relations, had led her to consider Mr. van der Luyden's least gesture as having an almost sacerdotal importance.

Her promptness of action showed that she considered the case as pressing as Mrs. Archer; but, lest she should be thought to have committed herself in advance, she added, with the sweetest look: "Henry always enjoys seeing you, dear Adeline; and he will wish to congratulate Newland."

The double doors had solemnly reopened and between them appeared Mr. Henry van der Luyden, tall, spare and frock-coated, with faded fair hair, a straight nose like his wife's and the same look of frozen gentleness in eyes that were merely pale grey instead of pale blue.

Mr. van der Luyden greeted Mrs. Archer with cousinly affability, proffered to Newland low-voiced congratulations couched in the same language as his wife's, and seated himself in one of the brocade armchairs with the simplicity of a reigning sovereign.

"I had just finished reading the Times," he said, laying his long finger-tips together. "In town my mornings are so much occupied that I find it more convenient to read the newspapers after luncheon."

"Ah, there's a great deal to be said for that plan-- indeed I think my uncle Egmont used to say he found it less agitating not to read the morning papers till after dinner," said Mrs. Archer responsively.

"Yes: my good father abhorred hurry. But now we live in a constant rush," said Mr. van der Luyden in measured tones, looking with pleasant deliberation about the large shrouded room which to Archer was so complete an image of its owners.

"But I hope you HAD finished your reading, Henry?" his wife interposed.

"Quite--quite," he reassured her.

"Then I should like Adeline to tell you--"

"Oh, it's really Newland's story," said his mother smiling; and proceeded to rehearse once more the monstrous tale of the affront inflicted on Mrs. Lovell Mingott.

"Of course," she ended, "Augusta Welland and Mary Mingott both felt that, especially in view of Newland's engagement, you and Henry OUGHT TO KNOW."

"Ah--" said Mr. van der Luyden, drawing a deep breath.

There was a silence during which the tick of the monumental ormolu clock on the white marble mantelpiece grew as loud as the boom of a minute-gun. Archer contemplated with awe the two slender faded figures, seated side by side in a kind of viceregal rigidity, mouthpieces of some remote ancestral authority which fate compelled them to wield, when they would so much rather have lived in simplicity and seclusion, digging invisible weeds out of the perfect lawns of Skuytercliff, and playing Patience together in the evenings.

Mr. van der Luyden was the first to speak.

"You really think this is due to some--some intentional interference of Lawrence Lefferts's?" he enquired, turning to Archer.

"I'm certain of it, sir. Larry has been going it rather harder than usual lately--if cousin Louisa won't mind my mentioning it--having rather a stiff affair with the postmaster's wife in their village, or some one of that sort; and whenever poor Gertrude Lefferts begins to suspect anything, and he's afraid of trouble, he gets up a fuss of this kind, to show how awfully moral he is, and talks at the top of his voice about the impertinence of inviting his wife to meet people he doesn't wish her to know. He's simply using Madame Olenska as a lightning-rod; I've seen him try the same thing often before."

"The LEFFERTSES!--" said Mrs. van der Luyden.

"The LEFFERTSES!--" echoed Mrs. Archer. "What would uncle Egmont have said of Lawrence Lefferts's pronouncing on anybody's social position? It shows what Society has come to."

"We'll hope it has not quite come to that," said Mr. van der Luyden firmly.

"Ah, if only you and Louisa went out more!" sighed Mrs. Archer.

But instantly she became aware of her mistake. The van der Luydens were morbidly sensitive to any criticism of their secluded existence. They were the arbiters of fashion, the Court of last Appeal, and they knew it, and bowed to their fate. But being shy and retiring persons, with no natural inclination for their part, they lived as much as possible in the sylvan solitude of Skuytercliff, and when they came to town, declined all invitations on the plea of Mrs. van der Luyden's health.

Newland Archer came to his mother's rescue. "Everybody in New York knows what you and cousin Louisa represent. That's why Mrs. Mingott felt she ought not to allow this slight on Countess Olenska to pass without consulting you."

Mrs. van der Luyden glanced at her husband, who glanced back at her.

"It is the principle that I dislike," said Mr. van der Luyden. "As long as a member of a well-known family is backed up by that family it should be considered-- final."

"It seems so to me," said his wife, as if she were producing a new thought.

"I had no idea," Mr. van der Luyden continued, "that things had come to such a pass." He paused, and looked at his wife again. "It occurs to me, my dear, that the Countess Olenska is already a sort of relation-- through Medora Manson's first husband. At any rate, she will be when Newland marries." He turned toward the young man. "Have you read this morning's Times, Newland?"

"Why, yes, sir," said Archer, who usually tossed off half a dozen papers with his morning coffee.

Husband and wife looked at each other again. Their pale eyes clung together in prolonged and serious consultation; then a faint smile fluttered over Mrs. van der Luyden's face. She had evidently guessed and approved.

Mr. van der Luyden turned to Mrs. Archer. "If Louisa's health allowed her to dine out--I wish you would say to Mrs. Lovell Mingott--she and I would have been happy to--er--fill the places of the Lawrence Leffertses at her dinner." He paused to let the irony of this sink in. "As you know, this is impossible." Mrs. Archer sounded a sympathetic assent. "But Newland tells me he has read this morning's Times; therefore he has probably seen that Louisa's relative, the Duke of St. Austrey, arrives next week on the Russia. He is coming to enter his new sloop, the Guinevere, in next summer's International Cup Race; and also to have a little canvasback shooting at Trevenna." Mr. van der Luyden paused again, and continued with increasing benevolence: "Before taking him down to Maryland we are inviting a few friends to meet him here--only a little dinner--with a reception afterward. I am sure Louisa will be as glad as I am if Countess Olenska will let us include her among our guests." He got up, bent his long body with a stiff friendliness toward his cousin, and added: "I think I have Louisa's authority for saying that she will herself leave the invitation to dine when she drives out presently: with our cards--of course with our cards."

Mrs. Archer, who knew this to be a hint that the seventeen-hand chestnuts which were never kept waiting were at the door, rose with a hurried murmur of thanks. Mrs. van der Luyden beamed on her with the smile of Esther interceding with Ahasuerus; but her husband raised a protesting hand.

"There is nothing to thank me for, dear Adeline; nothing whatever. This kind of thing must not happen in New York; it shall not, as long as I can help it," he pronounced with sovereign gentleness as he steered his cousins to the door.

Two hours later, every one knew that the great C-spring barouche in which Mrs. van der Luyden took the air at all seasons had been seen at old Mrs. Mingott's door, where a large square envelope was handed in; and that evening at the Opera Mr. Sillerton Jackson was able to state that the envelope contained a card inviting the Countess Olenska to the dinner which the van der Luydens were giving the following week for their cousin, the Duke of St. Austrey.