april hopes-第68部分

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coming。〃

Mr。　Pasmer　isn't　with　you；〃　said　Mrs。　Brinkley；　feeling　that　it　was　decent
to　say　something　about　him。

〃No；　he　was　detained。〃　　Mrs。　Pasmer　did　not　explain　the　cause　of　his
detention；　and　the　two　ladies　slowly　waved　their　fans　a　moment　in　silence。
〃Are　there　many　Boston　People　in　the　house？〃　Mrs。　Pasmer　asked。

〃It's　full　of　them；〃　cried　Mrs。　Brinkley。

〃I　had　scarcely　noticed；〃　sighed　Mrs。　Pasmer；　and　Mrs。　Brinkley　knew　that
this　was　not　true。　　〃　Alice　takes　up　all　my　thoughts；〃　she　added；　and　this
might　be　true　enough。　　She　leaned　a　little　forward　and　asked；　in　a　low；
entreating　voice　over　her　fan；　〃Mrs。　Brinkley；　have　you　seen　Mr。　Mavering
lately？〃

Mrs。　Brinkley　considered　this　a　little　too　bold；　a　little　too　brazen。　　Had
they　actually　come　South　in　pursuit　of　him？　　It　was　shameless；　and　she　let
Mrs：　Pasmer　know　something　of　her　feeling　in　the　shortness　with　which　she
answered；　〃I　saw　him　in　Washington　the　other　dayfor　a　moment。〃　　She
shortened　the　time　she　had　spent　in　Dan's　company　so　as　to　cut　Mrs。　Pasmer
off　from　as　much　comfort　as　possible；　and　she　stared　at　her　in　open
astonishment。

Mrs。　Pasmer　dropped　her　eyes　and　fingered　the　edge　of　her　fan　with　a
submissiveness　that　seemed　to　Mrs。　Brinkley　the　perfection　of　duplicity；
she　wanted　to　shake　her。　　〃I　knew；〃　sighed　Mrs。　Pasmer；　〃that　you　had
always　been　such　a　friend　of　his。〃

It　is　the　last　straw　which　breaks　the　camel's　back；　Mrs。　Brinkley　felt　her
moral　vertebrae　give　way；　she　almost　heard　them　crack；　but　if　there　was
really　a　detonation；　the　drowned　the　noise　with　a　harsh　laugh。　　〃Oh；　he
had　other　friends　in　Washington。　　I　met　him　everywhere　with　Miss
Anderson。〃　　This　statement　conflicted　with　the　theory　of　her　single
instant　with　Dan；　but　she　felt　that　in　such　a　cause；　in　the　cause　of
giving　pain　to　a　woman　like　Mrs。　Pasmer；　the　deflection　from　exact　truth
was　justifiable。　　She　hurried　on：　〃I　rather　expected　he　might　run　down
here；　but　now　that　they're　gone；　I　don't　suppose　he'll　come。　　You　remember
Miss　Anderson's　aunt；　Miss　Van　Hook？〃

〃Oh　yes；〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer。

〃She　was　here　with　her。〃

〃Miss　Van　Hook　was　such　a　New　York　typeof　a　certain　kind；〃　said　Mrs。
Pasmer。　　She　rose；　with　a　smile　at　once　so　conventional；　so　heroic；　and　so
pitiful　that　Mrs。　Brinkley　felt　the　remorse　of　a　generous　victor。

She　went　to　her　room；　hardening　her　heart；　and　she　burst　in　with　a　flood
of　voluble　exasperation　that　threatened　all　the　neighbouring　rooms　with
overflow。

〃Well；　she　cried；　〃they　have　shown　their　hands　completely。　　They　have　come
here　to　hound　Dan　Mavering　down；　and　get　him　into　their　toils　again。　　Why；
the　woman　actually　said　as　much！　　But　I　fancy　I　have　given　her　a　fit　of
insomnia　that　will　enable　her　to　share　her　daughter's　vigils。　　Really　such
impudence　I　never　heard　of！〃

〃Do　you　want　everybody　in　the　corridor　to　hear　of　it？〃　asked　Brinkley；
from　behind　a　newspaper。

〃I　know　one　thing；〃　continued　Mrs。　Brinkley；　dropping　her　voice　a　couple
of　octaves。　　They　will　never　get　him　here　if　I　can　help　it。　　He　won't
come；　anyway；　now　Miss　Anderson　is　gone；　but　I'll　make　assurance　doubly
sure　by　writing　him　not　to　come；　I'll　tell　him　they've　gone；　and　than　we
are　going　too。〃

〃You　had　better　remember　the　man　in　Chicago；〃　said　her　husband。

〃Well；　this　is　my　businessor　I'll　make　it　my　business！〃　cried　Mrs。
Brinkley。　　She　went　on　talking　rapidly；　rising　with　great　excitement　in
her　voice　at　times；　and　then　remembering　to　speak　lower；　and　her　husband
apparently　read　on　through　most　of　her　talk；　though　now　and　then　he　made
some　comment　that　seemed　of　almost　inspired　aptness。

〃The　way　they　both　made　up　to　me　was　disgusting。　　But　I　know　the　girl　is
just　a　tool　in　her　mother's　hands。　　Her　mother　seemed　actually　passive　in
comparison。　　For　skilful　wheedling　I　could　fall　down　and　worship　that
woman；　I　really　admire　her。　　As　long　as　the　girl　was　with　us　she　kept
herself　in　the　background　and　put　the　girl　at　me。　　It　was　simply　a
masterpiece。〃

〃How　do　you　know　she　put　her　at　you？〃　asked　Brinkley。

〃How？　　By　the　way　she　seemed　not　to　do　it！　　And　because　from　what　I　know
of　that　stupid　Pasmer　pride　it　would　be　perfectly　impossible　for　any　one
who　was　a　Pasmer　to　take　her　deprecatory　manner　toward　me　of　herself。　　You
ought　to　have　seen　it！　　It　was　simply　perfect。〃

〃Perhaps；〃　said　Brinkley；　with　a　remote　dreaminess；　〃she　was　truly　sorry。〃

〃Truly　stuff！　　No；　indeed；　she　hates　me　as　much　as　evermore！〃

〃Well；　then；　may　be　she's　doing　it　because　she　hates　youdoing　it　for　her
soul's　goodsort　of　penance；　sort　of　atonement　to　Mavering。〃

Mrs。　Brinkley　turned　round　from　her　dressing…table　to　see　what　her　husband
meant；　but　the　newspaper　hid　him。　　We　all　know　that　our　own　natures　are
mixed　and　contradictory；　but　we　each　attribute　to　others　a　logical
consistency　which　we　never　find　in　any　one　out　of　the　novels。　　Alice
Pasmer　was　cold　and　reticent；　and　Mrs。　Brinkley；　who　had　lived　half　a
century　in　a　world　full　of　paradoxes；　could　not　imagine　her　subject　to
gusts　of　passionate　frankness；　she　knew　the　girl　to　be　proud　and　distant；
and　she　could　not　conceive　of　an　abject　humility　and　longing　for　sympathy
in　her　heart。　　If　Alice　felt；　when　she　saw　Mrs。　Brinkley；　that　she　had　a
providential　opportunity　to　punish　herself　for　her　injustice　to　Dan；　the
fact　could　not　be　established　upon　Mrs。　Brinkley's　theory　of　her。　　If　the
ascetic　impulse　is　the　most　purely　selfish　impulse　in　human　nature；　Mrs。
Brinkley　might　not　have　been　mistaken　in　suspecting　her　of　an　ignoble
motive；　though　it　might　have　had　for　the　girl　the　last　sublimity　of　self…
sacrifice。　　The　woman　who　disliked　her　and　pitied　her　knew　that　she　had
no　arts；　and　rather　than　adopt　so　simple　a　theory　of　her　behaviour　as　her
husband　had　advanced　she　held　all　the　more　strenuously　to　her　own　theory
that　Alice　was　practising　her　mother's　arts。　　This　was　inevitable；　partly
from　the　sense　of　Mrs。　Pasmer's　artfulness　which　everybody　had；　and　partly
from　the　allegiance　which　we　payand　women　especially　like　to　payto　the
tradition　of　the　playwrights　and　the　novelists；　that　social　results　of　all
kinds　are　the　work　of　deep；　and　more　or　less　darkling；　design　on　the　part
of　other　womensuch　other　women　as　Mrs。　Pasmer。

Mrs。　Brinkley　continued　to　talk；　but　the　god　spoke　no　more　from　behind　the
newspaper；　and　afterward　Mrs。　Brinkley　lay　a　long　time　awake；　hardening
her　heart。　　But　she　was　haunted　to　the　verge　of　her　dreams　by　that　girl's
sick　look；　by　her　languid　walk；　and　by　the　effect　which　she　had　seen　her
own　words　take　upon　Mrs。　Pasmeran　effect　so　admirably　disowned；　so
perfectly　obvious。　　Before　she　could　get　to　sleep　she　was　obliged　to　make
a　compromise　with　her　heart；　in　pursuance　of　which；　when　she　found　Mrs。
Pasmer　at　breakfast　alone　in　the　morning；　she　went　up　to　her；　and　said；
holding　her　hand　a　moment；　〃I　hope　your　daughter　slept　well　last　night。〃

〃No；〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer；　slipping　her　hand　away；　〃I　can't　say　that　she
did。〃　　There　was　probably　no　resentment　expressed　in　the　way　she　withdrew
her　hand；　but　the　other　thought　there　was。

〃I　wish　I　could　do　something　for　her；〃　she　cried。

〃Oh；　thank　you；〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer。　　〃It's　very　good　of　you。〃　　And　Mrs。
Brinkley　fancied　she　smiled　rather　bitterly。

Mrs。　Brinkley　went　out　upon　the　seaward　verandah　of　the　hotel　with　this
bitterness　of　Mrs。　Pasmer's　smile　in　her　thoughts；　and　it　disposed　her　to
feel　more　keenly　the　quality　of　Miss　Pasmer's　smile。　　She　found　the　girl
standing　there　at　a　remote　point　of　that　long　stretch　of　planking；　and
looking　out　over　the　water；　she　held　with　both　hands　across　her　breast　the
soft　chuddah　shawl　which　the　wind　caught　and　fluttered　away　from　her
waist。　　She　was　alone；　said　as　Mrs。　Brinkley's　compunctions　goaded　her
nearer；　she　fancied　that　the　saw　Alice　master　a　primary　dislike　in　her
face；　and　put　on　a　look　of　pathetic　propitiation。　　She　did　not　come
forward　to　meet　Mrs。　Brinkley；　who　liked　better　her　waiting　to　be
approached；　but　she　smiled　gratefully　when　Mrs。　Brinkley　put　out　her　hand；
and　she　took　it　with　a　very　cold　one。

〃You　must　find　it　chilly　here；〃　said　the　elder　woman。

〃I　had　better　be　out　in　the　air　all　I　could；　the　doctor　said；〃　answered
Alice。

〃Well；　then；　come　with　me　round　the　corner；　there's　a　sort　of　recess
there；　and　you　won't　be　blown　to　pierces；〃　said　Mrs。　Brinkley；　with
authority。　　They　sat　down　together　in　the　recess；　and　she　added：　〃I　used
to　sit　here　with　Miss　Van　Hook；　she　could　hear　better　in　the　noise　the
waves　made。　　I　hope　it　isn't　too　much　for　you。〃

〃Oh　no；〃　said　Alice。　　〃Mamma　said　you　told　her　they　were　here。〃　　Mrs。
Brinkley　reassured　herself　from　this；　Miss　Van　Hook's　name　had　rather
slipped　out；　but　of　course　Mrs。　Pasmer　had　not　repeated　what　she　had　said
about　Dan　in　this　connection。　　〃I　wish　I　could　have　seen　Julia；〃　Alice
went　on。　　〃It　would　have　been　quite　like　Campobello　again。〃

〃Oh；　quite；〃　said　Mrs。　Brinkley；　with　a　short　breath；　and　not　knowing
whither　this　tended。　　Alice　did　not　leave　her　in　doubt。

〃I　should　like　to　have　seen　her；　and　begged　her　for　the　way　I　treated　her
the　last　part　of　the　time　there。　　I　feel　as　if　I　could　make　my　whole　life
a　repar