第6部分(第2/7 頁)

when　at　home；　a　graceful　figure　in　drawing…rooms。　I　should　like　to　hear　her　talk；　to　exchange　thoughts　with　her。　She　would　give　one　a　very　good　idea　of　the　matron　of　old　Rome　who　had　her　seat　in　the　amphitheatre。　Many　of　those　ladies；　in　private　life；　must　have　been　bright　and　gracious；　high…bred　and　full　of　agreeable　sentiment；　they　talked　of　art　and　of　letters；　they　could　drop　a　tear　over　Lesbia's　sparrow；　at　the　same　time；　they　were　connoisseurs　in　torn　windpipes；　shattered　spines　and　viscera　rent　open。　It　is　not　likely　that　many　of　them　would　have　cared　to　turn　their　own　hands　to　butchery；　and；　for　the　matter　of　that；　I　must　suppose　that　our　Lion　Huntress　of　the　popular　magazine　is　rather　an　exceptional　dame；　but　no　doubt　she　and　the　Roman　ladies　would　get　on　very　well　together；　finding　only　a　few　superficial　differences。　The　fact　that　her　gory　reminiscences　are　weled　by　an　editor　with　the　popular　taste　in　view　is　perhaps　more　significant　than　appears　either　to　editor　or　public。　Were　this　lady　to　write　a　novel　（the　chances　are　she　will）　it　would　have　the　true　note　of　modern　vigour。　Of　course　her　style　has　been　formed　by　her　favourite　reading；　more　than　probably；　her　ways　of　thinking　and　feeling　owe　much　to　the　same　source。　If　not　so　already；　this　will　soon；　I　daresay；　be　the　typical　Englishwoman。　Certainly；　there　is　〃no　nonsense　about　her。〃　Such　women　should　breed　a　remarkable　race。

I　left　the　inn　in　rather　a　turbid　humour。　Moving　homeward　by　a　new　way；　I　presently　found　myself　on　the　side　of　a　little　valley；　in　which　lay　a　farm　and　an　orchard。　The　apple　trees　were　in　full　bloom；　and；　as　I　stood　gazing；　the　sun；　which　had　all　that　day　been　niggard　of　its　beams；　burst　forth　gloriously。　For　what　I　then　saw；　I　have　no　words；　I　can　but　dream　of　the　still　loveline