Easy English ↔ Source English
Chapter 2
Source paragraphs anchor each row. Semantically matched easy-English paragraphs stay grouped beside the source they rewrite.
Easy-English paragraphs are matched to the source by meaning; numbering follows the source text.
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01
Easy English
During these few minutes, Newland Archer fell into strange confusion.
Source English
Newland Archer, during this brief episode, had been thrown into a strange state of embarrassment.
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02
Easy English
It was most annoying. Every man in the house was staring at one box. His future wife, May Welland, sat in it between her mother and aunt.
At first he could not name the lady in the Empire dress, the French style caught up under the breast. He could not guess why she excited those in the know.
Then light came, and with it a rush of anger. Surely not. The Mingotts would never try such a thing.
Source English
It was annoying that the box which was thus attracting the undivided attention of masculine New York should be that in which his betrothed was seated between her mother and aunt; and for a moment he could not identify the lady in the Empire dress, nor imagine why her presence created such excitement among the initiated. Then light dawned on him, and with it came a momentary rush of indignation. No, indeed; no one would have thought the Mingotts would have tried it on!
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03
Easy English
But they did. Without doubt, they did. The low voices behind him made it clear. The young woman was May Welland's cousin, the one the family called "poor Ellen Olenska."
She arrived from Europe only a day or two before. Miss Welland even told him, not as a wrong thing, that she visited poor Ellen at old Mrs. Mingott's.
Archer believed a family should stand together, and admired the Mingotts most for that. They firmly defended the few black sheep of their blameless line.
Nothing in the young man's heart was mean or small. He was glad his future wife could be kind to her unhappy cousin in private, free of false shame.
But to receive Countess Olenska in the family was one thing. To show her in public was another — at the Opera, of all places. And in the very box with the girl engaged to him, Newland Archer. Their engagement would be announced within a few weeks.
No. Archer felt just what old Sillerton Jackson felt. He did not think the Mingotts would try it.
Source English
But they had; they undoubtedly had; for the low-toned comments behind him left no doubt in Archer's mind that the young woman was May Welland's cousin, the cousin always referred to in the family as "poor Ellen Olenska." Archer knew that she had suddenly arrived from Europe a day or two previously; he had even heard from Miss Welland (not disapprovingly) that she had been to see poor Ellen, who was staying with old Mrs. Mingott. Archer entirely approved of family solidarity, and one of the qualities he most admired in the Mingotts was their resolute championship of the few black sheep that their blameless stock had produced. There was nothing mean or ungenerous in the young man's heart, and he was glad that his future wife should not be restrained by false prudery from being kind (in private) to her unhappy cousin; but to receive Countess Olenska in the family circle was a different thing from producing her in public, at the Opera of all places, and in the very box with the young girl whose engagement to him, Newland Archer, was to be announced within a few weeks. No, he felt as old Sillerton Jackson felt; he did not think the Mingotts would have tried it on!
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04
Easy English
Of course, whatever any man dared inside Fifth Avenue, old Mrs. Manson Mingott would dare. She was the Matriarch, the ruling mother of the Mingott line. Archer always admired that high and mighty old lady.
She began as only Catherine Spicer of Staten Island. Her father lost his good name in some unexplained way. She had neither money nor position to make people forget it.
Yet she married the head of the rich Mingott line. She married two daughters to foreigners: an Italian marquis, a man of high title, and an English banker.
Her most daring act came last. She built a large house of pale cream-colored stone near the Central Park, in wild ground few could reach. In those days, brown sandstone was the rule, like a gentleman's long coat in the afternoon.
Source English
He knew, of course, that whatever man dared (within Fifth Avenue's limits) that old Mrs. Manson Mingott, the Matriarch of the line, would dare. He had always admired the high and mighty old lady, who, in spite of having been only Catherine Spicer of Staten Island, with a father mysteriously discredited, and neither money nor position enough to make people forget it, had allied herself with the head of the wealthy Mingott line, married two of her daughters to "foreigners" (an Italian marquis and an English banker), and put the crowning touch to her audacities by building a large house of pale cream-coloured stone (when brown sandstone seemed as much the only wear as a frock-coat in the afternoon) in an inaccessible wilderness near the Central Park.
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05
Easy English
The foreign daughters became a legend. They never came back to see their mother. Like many people of active mind and ruling will, she was heavy and hated to move. So she calmly stayed at home.
But the cream-colored house stood there, visible proof of her moral courage. People said it copied the grand private houses of old Paris families.
She sat calmly in it, like a queen, among furniture made before the American Revolution. Around her were treasures from the Tuileries, the Paris home of Louis Napoleon, where she shone in her middle years.
To her, living above Thirty-fourth Street was not strange. French windows that opened like doors, not up, were not strange either.
Source English
Old Mrs. Mingott's foreign daughters had become a legend. They never came back to see their mother, and the latter being, like many persons of active mind and dominating will, sedentary and corpulent in her habit, had philosophically remained at home. But the cream-coloured house (supposed to be modelled on the private hotels of the Parisian aristocracy) was there as a visible proof of her moral courage; and she throned in it, among pre-Revolutionary furniture and souvenirs of the Tuileries of Louis Napoleon (where she had shone in her middle age), as placidly as if there were nothing peculiar in living above Thirty-fourth Street, or in having French windows that opened like doors instead of sashes that pushed up.
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06
Easy English
Everyone agreed, even Mr. Sillerton Jackson, that old Catherine never had beauty. To New York, beauty was the gift that explained every success and excused many failings.
Unkind people compared her to the earlier Catherine, the great ruler of Russia who shared her name. She won her way, they said, by strength of will and hardness of heart. People excused her proud, bold manner because her private life was so clean and correct.
Mr. Manson Mingott died when she was only twenty-eight. Nobody quite trusted the Spicers, so he "tied up" his money with extra care.
But the bold young widow went her way without fear. She mixed freely in foreign society. She married her daughters into heaven knows what corrupt and fashionable circles. Corrupt meant fine outside and bad at the heart.
She was at ease with men of high title and government messengers. She befriended "Papists," as people then called Roman Catholics. She entertained opera singers and was a close friend of Mme. Taglioni.
Yet no one ever heard one breath against her good name, as Sillerton Jackson was always first to say. It was the only point, he added, where she differed from the earlier Catherine.
Source English
Every one (including Mr. Sillerton Jackson) was agreed that old Catherine had never had beauty--a gift which, in the eyes of New York, justified every success, and excused a certain number of failings. Unkind people said that, like her Imperial namesake, she had won her way to success by strength of will and hardness of heart, and a kind of haughty effrontery that was somehow justified by the extreme decency and dignity of her private life. Mr. Manson Mingott had died when she was only twenty-eight, and had "tied up" the money with an additional caution born of the general distrust of the Spicers; but his bold young widow went her way fearlessly, mingled freely in foreign society, married her daughters in heaven knew what corrupt and fashionable circles, hobnobbed with Dukes and Ambassadors, associated familiarly with Papists, entertained Opera singers, and was the intimate friend of Mme. Taglioni; and all the while (as Sillerton Jackson was the first to proclaim) there had never been a breath on her reputation; the only respect, he always added, in which she differed from the earlier Catherine.
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07
Easy English
In time, Mrs. Mingott untied her husband's money. For half a century she lived in rich comfort. But memories of hard early years made her careful with every dollar.
A dress or a piece of furniture had to be the best. But she could not make herself spend much on the short pleasures of the table.
So her food was as poor as Mrs. Archer's, for quite different reasons. Her wines did nothing to save it.
Her relatives said the poor table shamed the Mingott name, which stood for good living. But people still came, in spite of the cheap "made dishes" and the flat champagne. Champagne was a costly French wine full of small balls of air.
Her son Lovell kept the best cook in New York to repair the family name. When he protested about her table, his mother only laughed.
"What's the use of two good cooks in one family?" she used to say. "I've married the girls, and I can't eat rich food now."
Source English
Mrs. Manson Mingott had long since succeeded in untying her husband's fortune, and had lived in affluence for half a century; but memories of her early straits had made her excessively thrifty, and though, when she bought a dress or a piece of furniture, she took care that it should be of the best, she could not bring herself to spend much on the transient pleasures of the table. Therefore, for totally different reasons, her food was as poor as Mrs. Archer's, and her wines did nothing to redeem it. Her relatives considered that the penury of her table discredited the Mingott name, which had always been associated with good living; but people continued to come to her in spite of the "made dishes" and flat champagne, and in reply to the remonstrances of her son Lovell (who tried to retrieve the family credit by having the best chef in New York) she used to say laughingly: "What's the use of two good cooks in one family, now that I've married the girls and can't eat sauces?"
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08
Easy English
As he thought of these things, Archer turned again to the Mingott box. Mrs. Welland and her sister-in-law faced their half-circle of critics with the true Mingott "aplomb." Aplomb was a perfect, calm sureness of manner. Old Catherine trained her whole family in it.
Only May Welland showed any sense of how serious the moment was. Her color was higher than usual, perhaps because she knew he was watching.
The cause of all the talk sat calmly in her corner, her eyes fixed on the stage. As she leaned forward, she showed a little more shoulder and breast than New York was used to seeing. At least, not on ladies with reasons to pass unnoticed.
Source English
Newland Archer, as he mused on these things, had once more turned his eyes toward the Mingott box. He saw that Mrs. Welland and her sister-in-law were facing their semicircle of critics with the Mingottian aplomb which old Catherine had inculcated in all her tribe, and that only May Welland betrayed, by a heightened colour (perhaps due to the knowledge that he was watching her) a sense of the gravity of the situation. As for the cause of the commotion, she sat gracefully in her corner of the box, her eyes fixed on the stage, and revealing, as she leaned forward, a little more shoulder and bosom than New York was accustomed to seeing, at least in ladies who had reasons for wishing to pass unnoticed.
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09
Easy English
Few things seemed more awful to Newland Archer than a crime against "Taste." Taste was a far-off god, and "Form" was only that god's visible servant.
Madame Olenska's pale, serious face, he thought, suited the occasion and her unhappy situation. But her dress had no tucker, a piece of fine cloth that covered a lady's chest. It sloped away from her thin shoulders, and the sight shocked and troubled him.
He hated to think of May Welland under the influence of a woman so careless of Taste.
Source English
Few things seemed to Newland Archer more awful than an offence against "Taste," that far-off divinity of whom "Form" was the mere visible representative and vicegerent. Madame Olenska's pale and serious face appealed to his fancy as suited to the occasion and to her unhappy situation; but the way her dress (which had no tucker) sloped away from her thin shoulders shocked and troubled him. He hated to think of May Welland's being exposed to the influence of a young woman so careless of the dictates of Taste.
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10
Easy English
"After all," said one of the younger men behind him, "after all, just what happened?" Everybody talked through the Mephistopheles and Martha scenes.
Source English
"After all," he heard one of the younger men begin behind him (everybody talked through the Mephistopheles-and-Martha scenes), "after all, just what happened?"
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11
Easy English
"Well, she left him. Nobody tries to deny that."
Source English
"Well--she left him; nobody attempts to deny that."
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12
Easy English
"He's an awful, cruel man, isn't he?" asked the young questioner, an open-faced Thorley, clearly ready to defend the lady.
Source English
"He's an awful brute, isn't he?" continued the young enquirer, a candid Thorley, who was evidently preparing to enter the lists as the lady's champion.
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13
Easy English
"The very worst kind. I knew him at Nice," said Lawrence Lefferts, with the authority of a man who knew. "Half of his body cannot move. He is white-faced, with a cold smile that laughs at everything. A rather handsome head, but eyes with a lot of lashes."
Lashes were the small hairs along the edge of the eye.
"I'll tell you the sort," Lefferts went on. "When he wasn't with women, he was collecting old cups and plates. And he paid any price for both, I understand."
Source English
"The very worst; I knew him at Nice," said Lawrence Lefferts with authority. "A half-paralysed white sneering fellow--rather handsome head, but eyes with a lot of lashes. Well, I'll tell you the sort: when he wasn't with women he was collecting china. Paying any price for both, I understand."
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14
Easy English
A general laugh followed, and the young defender said, "Well, then?"
Source English
There was a general laugh, and the young champion said: "Well, then----?"
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15
Easy English
"Well, then. She ran away with his secretary."
Source English
"Well, then; she bolted with his secretary."
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16
Easy English
"Oh, I see." The young man's face fell.
Source English
"Oh, I see." The champion's face fell.
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17
Easy English
"It didn't last long, though. A few months later she was living alone in Venice. I believe Lovell Mingott went out to bring her home. He said she was terribly unhappy. That's all very well, but showing her off at the Opera is another thing."
Source English
"It didn't last long, though: I heard of her a few months later living alone in Venice. I believe Lovell Mingott went out to get her. He said she was desperately unhappy. That's all right--but this parading her at the Opera's another thing."
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18
Easy English
"Perhaps," said young Thorley, "she's too unhappy to be left at home."
Source English
"Perhaps," young Thorley hazarded, "she's too unhappy to be left at home."
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19
Easy English
A laugh with no respect answered him, and the youth went deep red. He tried to look as if he meant a joke with a second, hidden meaning.
Source English
This was greeted with an irreverent laugh, and the youth blushed deeply, and tried to look as if he had meant to insinuate what knowing people called a "double entendre."
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20
Easy English
Someone looked sideways at Archer. "Well, it's strange to have brought Miss Welland, anyhow," he said in a low voice.
Source English
"Well--it's queer to have brought Miss Welland, anyhow," some one said in a low tone, with a side-glance at Archer.
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21
Easy English
"Oh, that's part of the campaign. Granny's orders, no doubt," Lefferts said with a laugh. "When the old lady does a thing, she does it completely."
Source English
"Oh, that's part of the campaign: Granny's orders, no doubt," Lefferts laughed. "When the old lady does a thing she does it thoroughly."
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22
Easy English
The act was ending, and everyone in the box began to move. Suddenly Newland Archer felt he must act, and act firmly.
He wanted to be the first man into Mrs. Mingott's box. He wanted to declare his engagement to the waiting world. He wanted to stand by May through any trouble her cousin's strange situation might bring.
Source English
The act was ending, and there was a general stir in the box. Suddenly Newland Archer felt himself impelled to decisive action. The desire to be the first man to enter Mrs. Mingott's box, to proclaim to the waiting world his engagement to May Welland, and to see her through whatever difficulties her cousin's anomalous situation might involve her in; this impulse had abruptly overruled all scruples and hesitations, and sent him hurrying through the red corridors to the farther side of the house.
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23
Easy English
This sudden feeling swept his doubts away. It sent him hurrying through the red passages to the far side of the house.
As he entered the box, his eyes met Miss Welland's. He saw at once that she understood why he came, but she would not say it aloud. Both held the family's quiet pride too high for that.
Their world lived in an air of faint hints and pale, careful signs. They understood each other without a single word. That silence brought them closer than any explanation could.
Her eyes said, "You see why Mamma brought me." His eyes answered, "Nothing in the world could make me want you to stay away."
Source English
As he entered the box his eyes met Miss Welland's, and he saw that she had instantly understood his motive, though the family dignity which both considered so high a virtue would not permit her to tell him so. The persons of their world lived in an atmosphere of faint implications and pale delicacies, and the fact that he and she understood each other without a word seemed to the young man to bring them nearer than any explanation would have done. Her eyes said: "You see why Mamma brought me," and his answered: "I would not for the world have had you stay away."
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24
Easy English
"You know my niece, Countess Olenska?" Mrs. Welland asked as she shook hands with her future son-in-law. A niece was a brother's or a sister's daughter.
Archer bowed without putting out his hand, as was the custom on meeting a lady. Ellen Olenska bent her head slightly. Her pale-gloved hands stayed folded on a huge fan of eagle feathers. An eagle was a great wild hunting bird.
Then he greeted Mrs. Lovell Mingott, a large fair-haired lady in a stiff dress that made small sounds.
He sat down beside May and said in a low voice, "I hope you've told Madame Olenska that we're engaged? I want everybody to know. I want you to let me announce it this evening at the ball."
Source English
"You know my niece Countess Olenska?" Mrs. Welland enquired as she shook hands with her future son-in-law. Archer bowed without extending his hand, as was the custom on being introduced to a lady; and Ellen Olenska bent her head slightly, keeping her own pale-gloved hands clasped on her huge fan of eagle feathers. Having greeted Mrs. Lovell Mingott, a large blonde lady in creaking satin, he sat down beside his betrothed, and said in a low tone: "I hope you've told Madame Olenska that we're engaged? I want everybody to know--I want you to let me announce it this evening at the ball."
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25
Easy English
Miss Welland's face grew pink as the dawn, and her eyes shone. "If you can make Mamma agree," she said. "But why should we change what is already settled?"
He answered only with his eyes. She smiled, still more sure of herself, and added, "Tell my cousin yourself. I give you leave. She says she used to play with you when you were children."
Source English
Miss Welland's face grew rosy as the dawn, and she looked at him with radiant eyes. "If you can persuade Mamma," she said; "but why should we change what is already settled?" He made no answer but that which his eyes returned, and she added, still more confidently smiling: "Tell my cousin yourself: I give you leave. She says she used to play with you when you were children."
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26
Easy English
She pushed back her chair for him. Archer sat down at once by Countess Olenska's side, a little too openly. He wanted the whole house to see.
Source English
She made way for him by pushing back her chair, and promptly, and a little ostentatiously, with the desire that the whole house should see what he was doing, Archer seated himself at the Countess Olenska's side.
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27
Easy English
"We did use to play together, didn't we?" she asked, turning her serious eyes to his. "You were an awful boy. You kissed me once behind a door. But I was in love with your cousin Vandie Newland, and he never looked at me."
Her glance traveled around the great horse-shoe curve of boxes. "Ah, how this brings it all back to me," she said. "I see everybody here in knickerbockers and pantalettes." Those were children's clothes: boys' short, loose pants and girls' long white leg-coverings.
Her voice trailed with a light foreign sound. Her eyes came back to his face.
Source English
"We did use to play together, didn't we?" she asked, turning her grave eyes to his. "You were a horrid boy, and kissed me once behind a door; but it was your cousin Vandie Newland, who never looked at me, that I was in love with." Her glance swept the horse-shoe curve of boxes. "Ah, how this brings it all back to me--I see everybody here in knickerbockers and pantalettes," she said, with her trailing slightly foreign accent, her eyes returning to his face.
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28
Easy English
Their look was pleasant, but the young man was shocked. To him, that great curve of boxes was a high and serious court. At this very moment, it was trying her case. Nothing could be in worse taste than joking before one's judges.
So he answered, a little stiffly, "Yes, you have been away a very long time."
Source English
Agreeable as their expression was, the young man was shocked that they should reflect so unseemly a picture of the august tribunal before which, at that very moment, her case was being tried. Nothing could be in worse taste than misplaced flippancy; and he answered somewhat stiffly: "Yes, you have been away a very long time."
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29
Easy English
"Oh, centuries and centuries," she said. "So long that I'm sure I'm dead and buried, and this dear old place is heaven."
He could not say why, but this seemed to him even less respectful toward New York society.
Source English
"Oh, centuries and centuries; so long," she said, "that I'm sure I'm dead and buried, and this dear old place is heaven;" which, for reasons he could not define, struck Newland Archer as an even more disrespectful way of describing New York society.