Easy English ↔ Source English
Chapter 10
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
The next day, Archer got May to walk in the Park after lunch. She usually went to church with her parents on Sunday afternoons. But Mrs. Welland let her miss it.
That morning, she made May accept a long engagement. May needed time to prepare her trousseau. A trousseau was her store of hand-made clothes for marriage. It must hold the proper dozens of everything.
Source English
The next day he persuaded May to escape for a walk in the Park after luncheon. As was the custom in old-fashioned Episcopalian New York, she usually accompanied her parents to church on Sunday afternoons; but Mrs. Welland condoned her truancy, having that very morning won her over to the necessity of a long engagement, with time to prepare a hand-embroidered trousseau containing the proper number of dozens.
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02
Easy English
The day was lovely. Bare trees arched over the Mall like a church roof. Between them, the sky was deep blue. Snow shone like broken glass.
The weather brought out May's brightness. She burned like a young maple tree in the cold. A maple had bright red leaves in the fall. People looked at her, and Archer felt proud. The joy of owning her cleared his deeper worries.
Source English
The day was delectable. The bare vaulting of trees along the Mall was ceiled with lapis lazuli, and arched above snow that shone like splintered crystals. It was the weather to call out May's radiance, and she burned like a young maple in the frost. Archer was proud of the glances turned on her, and the simple joy of possessorship cleared away his underlying perplexities.
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03
Easy English
"It's so sweet — waking every morning to smell lilies-of-the-valley in one's room!" she said.
Source English
"It's so delicious--waking every morning to smell lilies-of-the-valley in one's room!" she said.
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04
Easy English
"Yesterday they came late. I had no time in the morning —"
Source English
"Yesterday they came late. I hadn't time in the morning--"
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05
Easy English
"But you remember them yourself each day," she said. "That makes me love them more. A fixed order would bring them like a music teacher, always on time. Gertrude Lefferts's flowers came that way before her marriage."
Source English
"But your remembering each day to send them makes me love them so much more than if you'd given a standing order, and they came every morning on the minute, like one's music-teacher--as I know Gertrude Lefferts's did, for instance, when she and Lawrence were engaged."
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06
Easy English
"Ah, they would!" Archer laughed. He looked at her fresh face, round as a fruit.
He felt safe enough to say more. "I saw fine yellow roses yesterday. I sent them to Madame Olenska. Was that right?"
Source English
"Ah--they would!" laughed Archer, amused at her keenness. He looked sideways at her fruit-like cheek and felt rich and secure enough to add: "When I sent your lilies yesterday afternoon I saw some rather gorgeous yellow roses and packed them off to Madame Olenska. Was that right?"
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07
Easy English
"How dear of you! She loves flowers. But she said nothing about your roses at lunch today."
"Mr. Beaufort sent orchids, rare flowers with strange shapes. Henry van der Luyden sent sweet carnations from Skuytercliff."
May went on: "Flowers surprise her. Don't people send them in Europe? She thinks it a pretty custom."
Source English
"How dear of you! Anything of that kind delights her. It's odd she didn't mention it: she lunched with us today, and spoke of Mr. Beaufort's having sent her wonderful orchids, and cousin Henry van der Luyden a whole hamper of carnations from Skuytercliff. She seems so surprised to receive flowers. Don't people send them in Europe? She thinks it such a pretty custom."
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08
Easy English
"No wonder my roses looked small next to Beaufort's," Archer said. Then he remembered the missing card. He was sorry he spoke.
He wanted to mention his visit to Ellen. But her silence stopped him. His own silence made the visit feel secret.
He pushed the thought away and spoke of their future. He complained about the long engagement.
Source English
"Oh, well, no wonder mine were overshadowed by Beaufort's," said Archer irritably. Then he remembered that he had not put a card with the roses, and was vexed at having spoken of them. He wanted to say: "I called on your cousin yesterday," but hesitated. If Madame Olenska had not spoken of his visit it might seem awkward that he should. Yet not to do so gave the affair an air of mystery that he disliked. To shake off the question he began to talk of their own plans, their future, and Mrs. Welland's insistence on a long engagement.
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09
Easy English
"If you call it long!" said May. "Isabel Chivers and Reggie were engaged for two years. Grace and Thorley for nearly a year and a half. Why isn't it good enough, just as we are?"
Source English
"If you call it long! Isabel Chivers and Reggie were engaged for two years: Grace and Thorley for nearly a year and a half. Why aren't we very well off as we are?"
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10
Easy English
Every well-taught girl asked that old question. He felt ashamed for finding it childish. At almost twenty-two, when would May speak for herself?
Source English
It was the traditional maidenly interrogation, and he felt ashamed of himself for finding it singularly childish. No doubt she simply echoed what was said for her; but she was nearing her twenty-second birthday, and he wondered at what age "nice" women began to speak for themselves.
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11
Easy English
"Never, I suppose, if we won't let them," he thought. He remembered his wild words to Mr. Sillerton Jackson: "Women ought to be as free as we are —"
Source English
"Never, if we won't let them, I suppose," he mused, and recalled his mad outburst to Mr. Sillerton Jackson: "Women ought to be as free as we are--"
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12
Easy English
Soon he must take the cloth from May's eyes. But her mothers before her all lived with covered eyes. They entered the family grave that way.
A small cold ran through him. His science books described Kentucky cave-fish. These fish stopped growing eyes because they lived in dark caves.
What if May opened her eyes and saw only blank space?
Source English
It would presently be his task to take the bandage from this young woman's eyes, and bid her look forth on the world. But how many generations of the women who had gone to her making had descended bandaged to the family vault? He shivered a little, remembering some of the new ideas in his scientific books, and the much-cited instance of the Kentucky cave-fish, which had ceased to develop eyes because they had no use for them. What if, when he had bidden May Welland to open hers, they could only look out blankly at blankness?
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13
Easy English
"We might have it much better," he said. "We might be really together, all the time. We might travel."
Source English
"We might be much better off. We might be altogether together--we might travel."
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14
Easy English
Her face lit up. "That would be lovely," she said. She would love to travel. But her mother would not understand their wanting to do things so differently.
Source English
Her face lit up. "That would be lovely," she owned: she would love to travel. But her mother would not understand their wanting to do things so differently.
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15
Easy English
"But the wish to do things differently is the whole reason!" he said.
Source English
"As if the mere 'differently' didn't account for it!" the wooer insisted.
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16
Easy English
"Newland! You're so original!" she cried, full of joy.
Source English
"Newland! You're so original!" she exulted.
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17
Easy English
His heart sank. He spoke like every young man in his place. Habit and training gave May her answers. She even called him original.
Source English
His heart sank, for he saw that he was saying all the things that young men in the same situation were expected to say, and that she was making the answers that instinct and tradition taught her to make--even to the point of calling him original.
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18
Easy English
"Original!" he said. "We're all as alike as paper figures cut from the same folded sheet. We're like patterns painted over and over on one wall. Can't you and I go our own way, May?"
Source English
"Original! We're all as like each other as those dolls cut out of the same folded paper. We're like patterns stencilled on a wall. Can't you and I strike out for ourselves, May?"
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19
Easy English
He stopped and faced her. Her bright, clear eyes showed simple wonder.
Source English
He had stopped and faced her in the excitement of their discussion, and her eyes rested on him with a bright unclouded admiration.
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20
Easy English
"Why — shall we run away together and be married?" she laughed.
Source English
"Mercy--shall we elope?" she laughed.
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21
Easy English
"If you would —"
Source English
"If you would--"
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22
Easy English
"You do love me, Newland! I'm so happy."
Source English
"You do love me, Newland! I'm so happy."
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23
Easy English
"But then — why not be happier?"
Source English
"But then--why not be happier?"
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24
Easy English
"We can't behave like the people in stories, though, can we?"
Source English
"We can't behave like people in novels, though, can we?"
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25
Easy English
"Why not — why not — why not?"
Source English
"Why not--why not--why not?"
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26
Easy English
His pressing tired her. She knew they could not, but needed a reason. "I'm not clever enough to argue. But that would be vulgar, wouldn't it?"
She knew that one word would end the subject.
Source English
She looked a little bored by his insistence. She knew very well that they couldn't, but it was troublesome to have to produce a reason. "I'm not clever enough to argue with you. But that kind of thing is rather--vulgar, isn't it?" she suggested, relieved to have hit on a word that would assuredly extinguish the whole subject.
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27
Easy English
"Are you so much afraid, then, of being vulgar?"
Source English
"Are you so much afraid, then, of being vulgar?"
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28
Easy English
The question clearly shook her. "Of course I should hate it," she answered, a little sharply. "And so would you."
Source English
She was evidently staggered by this. "Of course I should hate it--so would you," she rejoined, a trifle irritably.
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29
Easy English
He stood silent, beating his stick against his boot. May felt sure that her way of closing the discussion was the right one.
She went on happily: "I showed Ellen my ring. She saw nothing so beautiful in the rue de la Paix. That is the street of Paris's finest shops. I love your fine taste, Newland!"
Source English
He stood silent, beating his stick nervously against his boot-top; and feeling that she had indeed found the right way of closing the discussion, she went on light-heartedly: "Oh, did I tell you that I showed Ellen my ring? She thinks it the most beautiful setting she ever saw. There's nothing like it in the rue de la Paix, she said. I do love you, Newland, for being so artistic!"
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30
Easy English
The next afternoon, Archer sat smoking in his study. He had left his law office without visiting his club.
He felt low and feared doing the same things at the same hours.
Source English
The next afternoon, as Archer, before dinner, sat smoking sullenly in his study, Janey wandered in on him. He had failed to stop at his club on the way up from the office where he exercised the profession of the law in the leisurely manner common to well-to-do New Yorkers of his class. He was out of spirits and slightly out of temper, and a haunting horror of doing the same thing every day at the same hour besieged his brain.
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31
Easy English
"Sameness, sameness!" ran through his head like a song. He pictured the same tall hats behind the club window. That sameness drove him home.
He knew the men's subjects and what each would say. The Duke would come first.
They would also discuss a gold-haired lady in a yellow brougham with black horses. People thought Beaufort paid for it.
Few such "women" drove in New York. Miss Fanny Ring's Fifth Avenue visit shook society.
The day before, her carriage passed Mrs. Lovell Mingott's. Mrs. Mingott rang her bell and went home. People feared this happening to Mrs. van der Luyden.
Archer could almost hear Lawrence Lefferts, at that very hour, explaining how society was falling to pieces.
Source English
"Sameness--sameness!" he muttered, the word running through his head like a persecuting tune as he saw the familiar tall-hatted figures lounging behind the plate-glass; and because he usually dropped in at the club at that hour he had gone home instead. He knew not only what they were likely to be talking about, but the part each one would take in the discussion. The Duke of course would be their principal theme; though the appearance in Fifth Avenue of a golden-haired lady in a small canary-coloured brougham with a pair of black cobs (for which Beaufort was generally thought responsible) would also doubtless be thoroughly gone into. Such "women" (as they were called) were few in New York, those driving their own carriages still fewer, and the appearance of Miss Fanny Ring in Fifth Avenue at the fashionable hour had profoundly agitated society. Only the day before, her carriage had passed Mrs. Lovell Mingott's, and the latter had instantly rung the little bell at her elbow and ordered the coachman to drive her home. "What if it had happened to Mrs. van der Luyden?" people asked each other with a shudder. Archer could hear Lawrence Lefferts, at that very hour, holding forth on the disintegration of society.
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32
Easy English
His sister Janey came in. He raised his head, not pleased. Then he bent quickly over his book, as if he did not see her. The book was Swinburne's "Chastelard" — just out.
Janey looked at the writing-table, covered with books. She picked up one of them, the "Contes Drolatiques," a book of funny old French stories. She made a face at the strange old French. "What learned things you read!" she said.
Source English
He raised his head irritably when his sister Janey entered, and then quickly bent over his book (Swinburne's "Chastelard"--just out) as if he had not seen her. She glanced at the writing-table heaped with books, opened a volume of the "Contes Drolatiques," made a wry face over the archaic French, and sighed: "What learned things you read!"
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33
Easy English
"Well — ?" he asked. She hung there before him like Cassandra. In the old Greek stories, Cassandra always came with news of trouble.
Source English
"Well--?" he asked, as she hovered Cassandra-like before him.
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34
Easy English
"Mother's very angry."
Source English
"Mother's very angry."
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35
Easy English
"Angry? With whom? About what?"
Source English
"Angry? With whom? About what?"
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36
Easy English
"Miss Sophy Jackson has just been here. She brought word that her brother will come in after dinner. She couldn't say very much, because he told her not to. He wishes to give all the details himself. He's with cousin Louisa van der Luyden now."
Source English
"Miss Sophy Jackson has just been here. She brought word that her brother would come in after dinner: she couldn't say very much, because he forbade her to: he wishes to give all the details himself. He's with cousin Louisa van der Luyden now."
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37
Easy English
"Good God, my dear girl — begin again at the beginning. Only God himself could know what you're talking about."
Source English
"For heaven's sake, my dear girl, try a fresh start. It would take an omniscient Deity to know what you're talking about."
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38
Easy English
"This is no time to make jokes about God, Newland.... Mother feels bad enough already about your not going to church..."
Source English
"It's not a time to be profane, Newland.... Mother feels badly enough about your not going to church ..."
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39
Easy English
With a sound of deep suffering, he sank back into his book.
Source English
With a groan he plunged back into his book.
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40
Easy English
"Newland! Do listen. Your friend Madame Olenska was at Mrs. Lemuel Struthers's party last night. She went there with the Duke and Mr. Beaufort."
Source English
"Newland! Do listen. Your friend Madame Olenska was at Mrs. Lemuel Struthers's party last night: she went there with the Duke and Mr. Beaufort."
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41
Easy English
At those last words, a wild anger, without sense or reason, rose in the young man's breast. To press it down, he laughed. "Well, what of it? I knew she meant to go."
Source English
At the last clause of this announcement a senseless anger swelled the young man's breast. To smother it he laughed. "Well, what of it? I knew she meant to."
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42
Easy English
Janey went pale, and her eyes went wide. "You knew she meant to — and you didn't try to stop her? To warn her?"
Source English
Janey paled and her eyes began to project. "You knew she meant to--and you didn't try to stop her? To warn her?"
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43
Easy English
"Stop her? Warn her?" He laughed again. "I'm not engaged to be married to the Countess Olenska!" The words sounded wild and strange in his own ears.
Source English
"Stop her? Warn her?" He laughed again. "I'm not engaged to be married to the Countess Olenska!" The words had a fantastic sound in his own ears.
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44
Easy English
"You're marrying into her family."
Source English
"You're marrying into her family."
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45
Easy English
"Oh, family — family!" he said with a hard laugh.
Source English
"Oh, family--family!" he jeered.
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46
Easy English
"Newland — don't you care about Family?"
Source English
"Newland--don't you care about Family?"
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47
Easy English
"Not one penny's worth."
Source English
"Not a brass farthing."
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48
Easy English
"Not even about what cousin Louisa van der Luyden will think?"
Source English
"Nor about what cousin Louisa van der Luyden will think?"
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49
Easy English
"Not one half-penny's worth — if what she thinks is such old maid's foolishness."
Source English
"Not the half of one--if she thinks such old maid's rubbish."
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50
Easy English
An old maid was an older woman who never married.
"Mother is not an old maid," said his unmarried sister, her lips pressed thin.
Source English
"Mother is not an old maid," said his virgin sister with pinched lips.
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51
Easy English
He wanted to shout back at her: "Yes, she is. The van der Luydens are too. We all are, the moment Reality brushes us with the very tip of its wing." But he saw her long, gentle face beginning to break into tears. He felt ashamed of giving her pain for nothing.
Source English
He felt like shouting back: "Yes, she is, and so are the van der Luydens, and so we all are, when it comes to being so much as brushed by the wing-tip of Reality." But he saw her long gentle face puckering into tears, and felt ashamed of the useless pain he was inflicting.
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52
Easy English
"Oh, hang Countess Olenska! Don't be silly, Janey — I'm not her keeper."
Source English
"Hang Countess Olenska! Don't be a goose, Janey--I'm not her keeper."
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53
Easy English
"No. But you did ask the Wellands to announce your engagement early, so that we might all support her. Cousin Louisa invited her to the dinner for the Duke only because of that."
Source English
"No; but you did ask the Wellands to announce your engagement sooner so that we might all back her up; and if it hadn't been for that cousin Louisa would never have invited her to the dinner for the Duke."
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54
Easy English
"Well — what harm was there in inviting her? She was the best-looking woman in the room. She made the dinner a little more alive than most van der Luyden dinners."
Source English
"Well--what harm was there in inviting her? She was the best-looking woman in the room; she made the dinner a little less funereal than the usual van der Luyden banquet."
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55
Easy English
"You know cousin Henry asked her only to please you. He made cousin Louisa agree. And now they're so upset that they're going back to Skuytercliff tomorrow. Newland, I think you'd better come down. You don't seem to understand how mother feels."
Source English
"You know cousin Henry asked her to please you: he persuaded cousin Louisa. And now they're so upset that they're going back to Skuytercliff tomorrow. I think, Newland, you'd better come down. You don't seem to understand how mother feels."
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56
Easy English
Newland found his mother in the drawing-room. She raised a troubled face from her work and asked: "Has Janey told you?"
Source English
In the drawing-room Newland found his mother. She raised a troubled brow from her needlework to ask: "Has Janey told you?"
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57
Easy English
"Yes." He tried to keep his voice as quiet and level as her own. "But I can't take it very seriously."
Source English
"Yes." He tried to keep his tone as measured as her own. "But I can't take it very seriously."
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58
Easy English
"Not even the fact that cousin Louisa and cousin Henry are hurt and angry?"
Source English
"Not the fact of having offended cousin Louisa and cousin Henry?"
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59
Easy English
"The fact that they can be angry over such a small thing," he said. "Countess Olenska went to the house of a woman they consider common. That is all."
Source English
"The fact that they can be offended by such a trifle as Countess Olenska's going to the house of a woman they consider common."
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60
Easy English
"Consider — !"
Source English
"Consider--!"
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61
Easy English
"Well, she is common. But she has good music, and she gives people something to enjoy on Sunday evenings. And that is when the whole of New York is dying of emptiness."
Source English
"Well, who is; but who has good music, and amuses people on Sunday evenings, when the whole of New York is dying of inanition."
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62
Easy English
"Good music? All I know is this. A woman got up on a table. She sang the things they sing in the places you go to in Paris. There was smoking, and there was champagne."
Source English
"Good music? All I know is, there was a woman who got up on a table and sang the things they sing at the places you go to in Paris. There was smoking and champagne."
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63
Easy English
"Well — things of that kind happen in other places, and the world still goes on."
Source English
"Well--that kind of thing happens in other places, and the world still goes on."
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64
Easy English
"I don't suppose, dear, that you are really defending the French Sunday?"
Source English
"I don't suppose, dear, you're really defending the French Sunday?"
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65
Easy English
"I've heard you complain often enough about the English Sunday, mother, when we've been in London."
Source English
"I've heard you often enough, mother, grumble at the English Sunday when we've been in London."
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66
Easy English
"New York is neither Paris nor London."
Source English
"New York is neither Paris nor London."
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67
Easy English
"Oh, no, it is not!" said her son heavily.
Source English
"Oh, no, it's not!" her son groaned.
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68
Easy English
"You mean, I suppose, that society here is not as brilliant? I dare say you're right. But we belong here. When people come among us, they should respect our ways. Ellen Olenska most of all — she came back to get away from the life people lead in brilliant societies."
Source English
"You mean, I suppose, that society here is not as brilliant? You're right, I daresay; but we belong here, and people should respect our ways when they come among us. Ellen Olenska especially: she came back to get away from the kind of life people lead in brilliant societies."
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69
Easy English
Newland made no answer. After a moment his mother tried again. "I was going to put on my hat," she said. "I meant to ask you to take me to see cousin Louisa for a moment before dinner."
His face darkened, and she went on: "I thought you might explain to her what you've just said. That society abroad is different. That people there are not as particular. Perhaps Madame Olenska does not know how we feel about such things."
"It would be, you know, dear," she added with innocent skill, "for Madame Olenska's own good if you did."
Source English
Newland made no answer, and after a moment his mother ventured: "I was going to put on my bonnet and ask you to take me to see cousin Louisa for a moment before dinner." He frowned, and she continued: "I thought you might explain to her what you've just said: that society abroad is different ... that people are not as particular, and that Madame Olenska may not have realised how we feel about such things. It would be, you know, dear," she added with an innocent adroitness, "in Madame Olenska's interest if you did."
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70
Easy English
"Dearest mother, I really don't see how this concerns us. The Duke took Madame Olenska to Mrs. Struthers's house. In fact, he first brought Mrs. Struthers to call on her. I was there when they came. If the van der Luydens want to fight with anybody, the real guilty one is under their own roof."
Source English
"Dearest mother, I really don't see how we're concerned in the matter. The Duke took Madame Olenska to Mrs. Struthers's--in fact he brought Mrs. Struthers to call on her. I was there when they came. If the van der Luydens want to quarrel with anybody, the real culprit is under their own roof."
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71
Easy English
"Fight? Newland, did you ever once know cousin Henry to fight with anyone? Besides, the Duke is his guest. And a stranger, too."
"Strangers cannot see our fine differences — how should they? But Countess Olenska was born a New Yorker, and she owed respect to the feelings of New York."
Source English
"Quarrel? Newland, did you ever know of cousin Henry's quarrelling? Besides, the Duke's his guest; and a stranger too. Strangers don't discriminate: how should they? Countess Olenska is a New Yorker, and should have respected the feelings of New York."
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72
Easy English
"Well, then, if they must punish somebody, you may throw Madame Olenska to them," her son cried, out of patience. "I don't see myself — or you either — offering ourselves up to pay for her crimes."
Source English
"Well, then, if they must have a victim, you have my leave to throw Madame Olenska to them," cried her son, exasperated. "I don't see myself--or you either--offering ourselves up to expiate her crimes."
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73
Easy English
"Oh, of course you see only the Mingott side," his mother answered. Her voice was hurt, and a hurt voice was the nearest she ever came to anger.
Source English
"Oh, of course you see only the Mingott side," his mother answered, in the sensitive tone that was her nearest approach to anger.
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74
Easy English
The sad servant drew back the heavy cloth that hung across the doorway. He announced: "Mr. Henry van der Luyden."
Source English
The sad butler drew back the drawing-room portières and announced: "Mr. Henry van der Luyden."
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75
Easy English
Mrs. Archer dropped her work and pushed back her chair with a hand that shook.
Source English
Mrs. Archer dropped her needle and pushed her chair back with an agitated hand.
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76
Easy English
"Another lamp!" she called after the servant, while Janey bent over to straighten her mother's cap.
Source English
"Another lamp," she cried to the retreating servant, while Janey bent over to straighten her mother's cap.
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77
Easy English
Mr. van der Luyden's tall figure filled the doorway, and Newland Archer went forward to greet his cousin.
Source English
Mr. van der Luyden's figure loomed on the threshold, and Newland Archer went forward to greet his cousin.
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78
Easy English
"We were just talking about you, sir," he said.
Source English
"We were just talking about you, sir," he said.
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79
Easy English
The news troubled Mr. van der Luyden. He removed his glove and smoothed his tall hat. Janey offered a chair. Archer added, "And about the Countess Olenska."
Source English
Mr. van der Luyden seemed overwhelmed by the announcement. He drew off his glove to shake hands with the ladies, and smoothed his tall hat shyly, while Janey pushed an arm-chair forward, and Archer continued: "And the Countess Olenska."
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80
Easy English
Mrs. Archer went pale.
Source English
Mrs. Archer paled.
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81
Easy English
"Ah — a charming woman. I have just been to see her," said Mr. van der Luyden, calm and pleased once more. He sank into the chair and laid his hat and gloves on the floor beside him, in the old-fashioned way.
"She has a real gift for arranging flowers," he went on. "I sent her a few carnations from Skuytercliff, and what she did with them surprised me very much. She did not pack them into big heavy bunches, as our head gardener does. She spread them about loosely, here and there ... I can't say how."
"The Duke told me about it," he said. "He said: 'Go and see how cleverly she has arranged her drawing-room.' And she has. I should really like to take Louisa to see her. But the part of the town where she lives is so — unpleasant."
Source English
"Ah--a charming woman. I have just been to see her," said Mr. van der Luyden, complacency restored to his brow. He sank into the chair, laid his hat and gloves on the floor beside him in the old-fashioned way, and went on: "She has a real gift for arranging flowers. I had sent her a few carnations from Skuytercliff, and I was astonished. Instead of massing them in big bunches as our head-gardener does, she had scattered them about loosely, here and there ... I can't say how. The Duke had told me: he said: 'Go and see how cleverly she's arranged her drawing-room.' And she has. I should really like to take Louisa to see her, if the neighbourhood were not so--unpleasant."
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82
Easy English
A dead silence met this unusual flow of words. Mrs. Archer's hands shook over her work. Newland turned a humming-bird feather screen. The second lamp lit Janey's open mouth.
Source English
A dead silence greeted this unusual flow of words from Mr. van der Luyden. Mrs. Archer drew her embroidery out of the basket into which she had nervously tumbled it, and Newland, leaning against the chimney-place and twisting a humming-bird-feather screen in his hand, saw Janey's gaping countenance lit up by the coming of the second lamp.
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83
Easy English
Mr. van der Luyden smoothed his long grey leg with one bloodless hand. He wore the great ring of the old Patroon. The Patroon was the old Dutch head of the family.
"The fact is," he said, "I called to thank her for the pretty note she wrote me about my flowers. And also — but this stays between ourselves, of course — to give her a friendly warning. She must not let the Duke carry her off to parties with him. I don't know if you've heard —"
Source English
"The fact is," Mr. van der Luyden continued, stroking his long grey leg with a bloodless hand weighed down by the Patroon's great signet-ring, "the fact is, I dropped in to thank her for the very pretty note she wrote me about my flowers; and also--but this is between ourselves, of course--to give her a friendly warning about allowing the Duke to carry her off to parties with him. I don't know if you've heard--"
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84
Easy English
Mrs. Archer gave a soft, forgiving smile. "Has the Duke been carrying her off to parties?"
Source English
Mrs. Archer produced an indulgent smile. "Has the Duke been carrying her off to parties?"
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85
Easy English
"You know what these great English gentlemen are. They're all alike. Louisa and I are very fond of our cousin. But men used to the courts of Europe never trouble themselves about our little republican ways. A republican country is a country with no king."
"The Duke goes where the fun is," he added. Mr. van der Luyden paused, but no one spoke.
"Yes — it seems he took her with him last night to Mrs. Lemuel Struthers's. Sillerton Jackson has just been to us with the foolish story, and Louisa was rather troubled."
"So I thought the shortest way was to go straight to Countess Olenska myself. I explained — with the lightest touch, you know — how we feel in New York about certain things."
"I felt I could speak without rudeness. At our dinner, she seemed to welcome a guiding hand. And she was glad."
Source English
"You know what these English grandees are. They're all alike. Louisa and I are very fond of our cousin--but it's hopeless to expect people who are accustomed to the European courts to trouble themselves about our little republican distinctions. The Duke goes where he's amused." Mr. van der Luyden paused, but no one spoke. "Yes--it seems he took her with him last night to Mrs. Lemuel Struthers's. Sillerton Jackson has just been to us with the foolish story, and Louisa was rather troubled. So I thought the shortest way was to go straight to Countess Olenska and explain--by the merest hint, you know--how we feel in New York about certain things. I felt I might, without indelicacy, because the evening she dined with us she rather suggested ... rather let me see that she would be grateful for guidance. And she was."
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86
Easy English
Mr. van der Luyden looked pleased with himself. Yet on his pure face, pride became gentle kindness. Mrs. Archer's face reflected it.
Source English
Mr. van der Luyden looked about the room with what would have been self-satisfaction on features less purged of the vulgar passions. On his face it became a mild benevolence which Mrs. Archer's countenance dutifully reflected.
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87
Easy English
"How kind you both are, dear Henry — always!" she said. "Newland will value what you have done more than anyone, because of dear May and his new family."
Source English
"How kind you both are, dear Henry--always! Newland will particularly appreciate what you have done because of dear May and his new relations."
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88
Easy English
She shot a warning look at her son, who said: "Very much indeed, sir. But I was sure you'd like Madame Olenska."
Source English
She shot an admonitory glance at her son, who said: "Immensely, sir. But I was sure you'd like Madame Olenska."
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89
Easy English
Mr. van der Luyden looked at him with great gentleness. "My dear Newland, I never ask anyone to my house whom I do not like," he said. "And I have just told Sillerton Jackson the same thing."
With a look at the clock, he rose. "But Louisa will be waiting. We are having an early dinner, for we are taking the Duke to the Opera."
Source English
Mr. van der Luyden looked at him with extreme gentleness. "I never ask to my house, my dear Newland," he said, "any one whom I do not like. And so I have just told Sillerton Jackson." With a glance at the clock he rose and added: "But Louisa will be waiting. We are dining early, to take the Duke to the Opera."
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90
Easy English
The heavy cloth closed slowly behind their visitor, and a silence fell on the Archer family.
Source English
After the portières had solemnly closed behind their visitor a silence fell upon the Archer family.
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91
Easy English
"Goodness — how romantic!" The words burst from Janey at last. No one ever knew quite where her strange, half-finished comments came from. Her family long ago stopped trying to understand them.
Source English
"Gracious--how romantic!" at last broke explosively from Janey. No one knew exactly what inspired her elliptic comments, and her relations had long since given up trying to interpret them.
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92
Easy English
Mrs. Archer shook her head slowly. "If only it all ends well," she said. Her voice was the voice of one who knows quite well that it will not. "Newland, you must stay and see Sillerton Jackson when he comes this evening. I really will not know what to say to him."
Source English
Mrs. Archer shook her head with a sigh. "Provided it all turns out for the best," she said, in the tone of one who knows how surely it will not. "Newland, you must stay and see Sillerton Jackson when he comes this evening: I really shan't know what to say to him."
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93
Easy English
"Poor mother! But he won't come —" her son laughed, bending down to kiss the trouble from her forehead.
Source English
"Poor mother! But he won't come--" her son laughed, stooping to kiss away her frown.