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Daisy Miller
by Henry James
IN TWO PARTS
PART I
At the little town of Vevey； in Switzerland； there is a
particularly comfortable hotel。 There are； indeed； many hotels；
for the entertainment of tourists is the business of the place；
which； as many travelers will remember； is seated upon the edge
of a remarkably blue lakea lake that it behooves every tourist
to visit。 The shore of the lake presents an unbroken array
of establishments of this order； of every category； from the
〃grand hotel〃 of the newest fashion； with a chalk…white front；
a hundred balconies； and a dozen flags flying from its roof；
to the little Swiss pension of an elder day； with its name
inscribed in German…looking lettering upon a pink or yellow
wall and an awkward summerhouse in the angle of the garden。
One of the hotels at Vevey； however； is famous； even classical；
being distinguished from many of its upstart neighbors
by an air both of luxury and of maturity。 In this region；
in the month of June； American travelers are extremely numerous；
it may be said； indeed； that Vevey assumes at this period
some of the characteristics of an American watering place。
There are sights and sounds which evoke a vision； an echo；
of Newport and Saratoga。 There is a flitting hither and thither
of 〃stylish〃 young girls； a rustling of muslin flounces；
a rattle of dance music in the morning hours； a sound of
high…pitched voices at all times。 You receive an impression
of these things at the excellent inn of the 〃Trois Couronnes〃
and are transported in fancy to the Ocean House or to Congress Hall。
But at the 〃Trois Couronnes；〃 it must be added； there are other
features that are much at variance with these suggestions：
neat German waiters； who look like secretaries of legation；
Russian princesses sitting in the garden； little Polish
boys walking about held by the hand； with their governors；
a view of the sunny crest of the Dent du Midi and the picturesque
towers of the Castle of Chillon。
I hardly know whether it was the analogies or the differences that were
uppermost in the mind of a young American； who； two or three years ago；
sat in the garden of the 〃Trois Couronnes；〃 looking about him；
rather idly； at some of the graceful objects I have mentioned。
It was a beautiful summer morning； and in whatever fashion the young
American looked at things； they must have seemed to him charming。
He had come from Geneva the day before by the little steamer；
to see his aunt； who was staying at the hotelGeneva having been
for a long time his place of residence。 But his aunt had a headache
his aunt had almost always a headacheand now she was shut up in
her room； smelling camphor； so that he was at liberty to wander about。
He was some seven…and…twenty years of age； when his friends spoke
of him； they usually said that he was at Geneva 〃studying。〃
When his enemies spoke of him； they saidbut； after all； he had
no enemies； he was an extremely amiable fellow； and universally liked。
What I should say is； simply； that when certain persons spoke
of him they affirmed that the reason of his spending so much
time at Geneva was that he was extremely devoted to a lady
who lived therea foreign ladya person older than himself。
Very few Americansindeed； I think nonehad ever seen this lady；
about whom there were some singular stories。 But Winterbourne
had an old attachment for the little metropolis of Calvinism；
he had been put to school there as a boy； and he had afterward
gone to college therecircumstances which had led to his forming
a great many youthful friendships。 Many of these he had kept；
and they were a source of great satisfaction to him。
After knocking at his aunt's door and learning that she was indisposed；
he had taken a walk about the town； and then he had come in to
his breakfast。 He had now finished his breakfast； but he was drinking
a small cup of coffee； which had been served to him on a little table
in the garden by one of the waiters who looked like an attache。
At last he finished his coffee and lit a cigarette。 Presently a
small boy came walking along the pathan urchin of nine or ten。
The child； who was diminutive for his years； had an aged expression
of countenance； a pale complexion； and sharp little features。
He was dressed in knickerbockers； with red stockings； which displayed
his poor little spindle…shanks； he also wore a brilliant red cravat。
He carried in his hand a long alpenstock； the sharp point of which
he thrust into everything that he approachedthe flowerbeds；
the garden benches； the trains of the ladies' dresses。 In front
of Winterbourne he paused； looking at him with a pair of bright；
penetrating little eyes。
〃Will you give me a lump of sugar？〃 he asked in a sharp； hard little voice
a voice immature and yet； somehow； not young。
Winterbourne glanced at the small table near him； on which his coffee
service rested； and saw that several morsels of sugar remained。
〃Yes； you may take one；〃 he answered； 〃but I don't think sugar
is good for little boys。〃
This little boy stepped forward and carefully selected three of
the coveted fragments； two of which he buried in the pocket of
his knickerbockers； depositing the other as promptly in another place。
He poked his alpenstock； lance…fashion； into Winterbourne's bench
and tried to crack the lump of sugar with his teeth。
〃Oh； blazes； it's har…r…d！〃 he exclaimed； pronouncing the adjective
in a peculiar manner。
Winterbourne had immediately perceived that he might
have the honor of claiming him as a fellow countryman。
〃Take care you don't hurt your teeth；〃 he said； paternally。
〃I haven't got any teeth to hurt。 They have all come out。
I have only got seven teeth。 My mother counted them last night；
and one came out right afterward。 She said she'd slap me
if any more came out。 I can't help it。 It's this old Europe。
It's the climate that makes them come out。 In America they
didn't come out。 It's these hotels。〃
Winterbourne was much amused。 〃If you eat three lumps of sugar；
your mother will certainly slap you；〃 he said。
〃She's got to give me some candy； then；〃 rejoined his young interlocutor。
〃I can't get any candy hereany American candy。 American candy's
the best candy。〃
〃And are American little boys the best little boys？〃 asked Winterbourne。
〃I don't know。 I'm an American boy；〃 said the child。
〃I see you are one of the best！〃 laughed Winterbourne。
〃Are you an American man？〃 pursued this vivacious infant。
And then； on Winterbourne's affirmative reply〃American men
are the best；〃 he declared。
His companion thanked him for the compliment； and the child；
who had now got astride of his alpenstock； stood looking
about him； while he attacked a second lump of sugar。
Winterbourne wondered if he himself had been like this in his infancy；
for he had been brought to Europe at about this age。
〃Here comes my sister！〃 cried the child in a moment。
〃She's an American girl。〃
Winterbourne looked along the path and saw a beautiful
young lady advancing。 〃American girls are the best girls；〃
he said cheerfully to his young companion。
〃My sister ain't the best！〃 the child declared。
〃She's always blowing at me。〃
〃I imagine that is your fault； not hers；〃 said Winterbourne。
The young lady meanwhile had drawn near。 She was dressed in white muslin；
with a hundred frills and flounces； and knots of pale…colored ribbon。
She was bareheaded； but she balanced in her hand a large parasol；
with a deep border of embroidery； and she was strikingly； admirably pretty。
〃How pretty they are！〃 thought Winterbourne； straightening himself
in his seat； as if he were prepared to rise。
The young lady paused in front of his bench； near the parapet of the garden；
which overlooked the lake。 The little boy had now converted his alpenstock
into a vaulting pole； by the aid of which he was springing about in the gravel
and kicking it up not a little。
〃Randolph；〃 said the young lady； 〃what ARE you doing？〃
〃I'm going up the Alps；〃 replied Randolph。 〃This is the way！〃
And he gave another little jump； scattering the pebbles
about Winterbourne's ears。
〃That's the way they come down；〃 said Winterbourne。
〃He's an American man！〃 cried Randolph； in his little hard voice。
The young lady gave no heed to this announcement； but looked
straight at her brother。 〃Well； I guess you had better be quiet；〃
she simply observed。
It seemed to Winterbourne that he had been in a manner presented。 He got
up and stepped slowly toward the young girl； throwing away his cigarette。
〃This little boy and I have made acquaintance；〃 he said； with great civility。
In Geneva； as he had been perfectly aware； a young man was not at liberty
to speak to a young unmarried lady except under certain rarely occurring
conditions； bu
