Washington Square by Henry James
page 28 of 258 (10%)
page 28 of 258 (10%)
![]() | ![]() |
|
jealous of Aunt Lavinia, but she was a little envious, and above all
she wondered; for Morris Townsend was an object on which she found that her imagination could exercise itself indefinitely. His cousin had been describing a house that he had taken in view of his union with Marian, and the domestic conveniences he meant to introduce into it; how Marian wanted a larger one, and Mrs. Almond recommended a smaller one, and how he himself was convinced that he had got the neatest house in New York. "It doesn't matter," he said; "it's only for three or four years. At the end of three or four years we'll move. That's the way to live in New York--to move every three or four years. Then you always get the last thing. It's because the city's growing so quick--you've got to keep up with it. It's going straight up town--that's where New York's going. If I wasn't afraid Marian would be lonely, I'd go up there--right up to the top--and wait for it. Only have to wait ten years--they'd all come up after you. But Marian says she wants some neighbours--she doesn't want to be a pioneer. She says that if she's got to be the first settler she had better go out to Minnesota. I guess we'll move up little by little; when we get tired of one street we'll go higher. So you see we'll always have a new house; it's a great advantage to have a new house; you get all the latest improvements. They invent everything all over again about every five years, and it's a great thing to keep up with the new things. I always try and keep up with the new things of every kind. Don't you think that's a good motto for a young couple--to keep 'going higher'? That's the name of that piece of poetry--what do they call it?-- Excelsior!" Catherine bestowed on her junior visitor only just enough attention |
|