miss sarah jack, of spanish town, jamaica-第4节

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want　to　make　you　comfortable。　　Let　us　speak　to　Mr。　Leslie。〃

But　Maurice　would　not。　　He　took　her　hand　and　thanked　her；　but　said
that　on　this　matter　he　must　he　his　own　master。　　〃Very　well；　sir；〃　she
exclaimed；　〃I　have　done。　　In　future　you　may　manage　for　yourself。　　As
for　me；　I　shall　go　back　with　Mr。　Leslie　to　Kingston。〃　　And　so　she
did。　　Mr。　Leslie　returned　that　day；　taking　her　with　him。　　When　he
took　his　leave；　his　invitation　to　Maurice　to　come　to　Shandy　Hall　was
not　very　pressing。　　〃Mrs。　Leslie　and　the　children　will　always　be　glad
to　see　you；〃　said　he。

〃Remember　me　very　kindly　to　Mrs。　Leslie　and　the　children；〃　said
Maurice。　　And　so　they　parted。

〃You　have　brought　me　down　here　on　a　regular　fool's　errand；〃　said　Mr。
Leslie；　on　their　journey　back　to　town。

〃It　will　all　come　right　yet；〃　replied　Miss　Jack。　　〃Take　my　word　for
it　he　loves　her。〃

〃Fudge；〃　said　Mr。　Leslie。　　But　he　could　not　afford　to　quarrel　with
his　rich　connection。

In　spite　of　all　that　he　had　said　and　thought　to　the　contrary；　Maurice
did　look　forward　during　the　remainder　of　the　summer　to　his　return　to
Spanish　Town　with　something　like　impatience；　it　was　very　dull　work；
being　there　alone　at　Mount　Pleasant；　and　let　him　do　what　he　would　to
prevent　it；　his　very　dreams　took　him　to　Shandy　Hall。　　But　at　last　the
slow　time　made　itself　away；　and　he　found　himself　once　more　in　his
aunt's　house。

A　couple　of　days　passed　and　no　word　was　said　about　the　Leslies。　　On
the　morning　of　the　third　day　he　determined　to　go　to　Shandy　Hall。
Hitherto　he　had　never　been　there　without　staying　for　the　night；　but
on　this　occasion　he　made　up　his　mind　to　return　the　same　day。　　〃It
would　not　be　civil　of　me　not　to　go　there；〃　he　said　to　his　aunt。

〃Certainly　not；〃　she　replied；　forbearing　to　press　the　matter　further。
〃But　why　make　such　a　terrible　hard　day's　work　of　it？〃

〃Oh；　I　shall　go　down　in　the　cool；　before　breakfast；　and　then　I　need
not　have　the　bother　of　taking　a　bag。〃

And　in　this　way　he　started。　　Miss　Jack　said　nothing　further；　but　she
longed　in　her　heart　that　she　might　be　at　Marian's　elbow　unseen　during
the　visit。

He　found　them　all　at　breakfast；　and　the　first　to　welcome　him　at　the
hall　door　was　Marian。　　〃Oh；　Mr。　Cumming；　we　are　so　glad　to　see　you；〃
and　she　looked　into　his　eyes　with　a　way　she　had；　that　was　enough　to
make　a　man's　heart　wild。　　But　she　not　call　him　Maurice　now。

Miss　Jack　had　spoken　to　her　sister；　Mrs。　Leslie；　as　well　as　to　Mr。
Leslie；　about　this　marriage　scheme。　　〃Just　let　them　alone；〃　was　Mrs。
Leslie's　advice。　　〃You　can't　alter　Marian　by　lecturing　her。　　If　they
really　love　each　other　they'll　come　together；　and　if　they　don't；　why
then　they'd　better　not。〃

〃And　you　really　mean　that　you're　going　back　to　Spanish　Town　to…day？〃
said　Mrs。　Leslie　to　her　visitor。

〃I'm　afraid　I　must。　　Indeed　I　haven't　brought　my　things　with　me。〃
And　then　he　again　caught　Marian's　eye；　and　began　to　wish　that　his
resolution　had　not　been　so　sternly　made。

〃I　suppose　you　are　so　fond　of　that　House　of　Assembly；〃　said　Marian；
〃that　you　cannot　tear　yourself　away　for　more　than　one　day。　　You'll
not　be　able；　I　suppose；　to　find　time　to　come　to　our　picnic　next
week？〃

Maurice　said　he　feared　that　he　should　not　have　time　to　go　to　a
picnic。

〃Oh；　nonsense；〃　said　Fannyone　of　the　younger　girls〃you　must　come。
We　can't　do　without　him；　can　we？〃

〃Marian　has　got　your　name　down　the　first　on　the　list　of　the
gentlemen；〃　said　another。

〃Yes；　and　Captain　Ewing's　second；〃　said　Bell；　the　youngest。

〃I'm　afraid　I　must　induce　your　sister　to　alter　her　list；〃　said
Maurice；　in　his　sternest　manner。　　〃I　cannot　manage　to　go；　and　I'm
sure　she　will　not　miss　me。〃

Marion　looked　at　the　little　girl　who　had　so　unfortunately　mentioned
the　warrior's　name；　and　the　little　girl　knew　that　she　had　sinned。

〃Oh；　we　cannot　possibly　do　without　you；　can　we；　Marian？〃　said　Fanny。
〃It's　to　be　at　Bingley's　Dell；　and　we've　got　a　bed　for　you　at
Newcastle；　quite　near；　you　know。〃

〃And　another　for〃　began　Bell；　but　she　stopped　herself。

〃Go　away　to　your　lessons；　Bell；〃　said　Marion。　　〃You　know　how　angry
mamma　will　be　at　your　staying　here　all　the　morning；〃　and　poor　Bell
with　a　sorrowful　look　left　the　room。

〃We　are　all　certainly　very　anxious　that　you　should　come；　very　anxious
for　a　great　many　reasons；〃　said　Marian；　in　a　voice　that　was　rather
solemn；　and　as　though　the　matter　were　one　of　considerable　import。
〃But　if　you　really　cannot；　why　of　course　there　is　no　more　to　be
said。〃

〃There　will　be　plenty　without　me；　I　am　sure。〃

〃As　regards　numbers；　I　dare　say　there　will；　for　we　shall　have　pretty
nearly　the　whole　of　the　two　regiments；〃　and　Marian　as　she　alluded　to
the　officers　spoke　in　a　tone　which　might　lead　one　to　think　that　she
would　much　rather　be　without　them；　〃but　we　counted　on　you　as　being
one　of　ourselves；　and　as　you　had　been　away　so　long；　we　thoughtwe
thought；〃　and　then　she　turned　away　her　face；　and　did　not　finish　her
speech。　　Before　he　could　make　up　his　mind　as　to　his　answer　she　had
risen　from　her　chair；　and　walked　out　of　the　room。　　Maurice　almost
thought　that　he　saw　a　tear　in　her　eye　as　she　went。

He　did　ride　back　to　Spanish　Town　that　afternoon；　after　an　early
dinner；　but　before　he　went　Marian　spoke　to　him　alone　for　one　minute。

〃I　hope　you　are　not　offended　with　me；〃　she　said。

〃Offended！　oh　no；　how　could　I　be　offended　with　you？〃

〃Because　you　seem　so　stern。　　I　am　sure　I　would　do　anything　I　could　to
oblige　you；　if　I　knew　how。　　It　would　be　so　shocking　not　to　be　good
friends　with　a　cousin　like　you。〃

〃But　there　are　so　many　different　sorts　of　friends；〃　said　Maurice。

〃Of　course　there　are。　　There　are　a　great　many　friends　that　one　does
not　care　a　bit　for；people　that　one　meets　at　balls　and　places　like
that〃

〃And　at　picnics；〃　said　Maurice。

〃'Well；　some　of　them　there　too；　but　we　are　not　like　that；　are　we？〃

What　could　Maurice　do　but　say；　〃no；〃　and　declare　that　their
friendship　was　of　a　warmer　description？　　And　how　could　he　resist
promising　to　go　to　the　picnic；　though　as　he　made　the　promise　he　knew
that　misery　would　be　in　store　for　him？　　He　did　promise；　and　then　she
gave　him　her　hand　and　called　him　Maurice。

〃Oh！　　I　am　so　glad；〃　she　said。　　〃It　seemed　so　shocking　that　you
should　refuse　to　join　us。　　And　mind　and　be　early；　Maurice；　for　I
shall　want　to　explain　it　all。　　We　are　to　meet；　you　know；　at　Clifton
Gate　at　one　o'clock；　but　do　you　be　a　little　before　that；　and　we　shall
be　there。〃

Maurice　Cumming　resolved　within　his　own　breast　as　he　rode　back　to
Spanish　Town；　that　if　Marian　behaved　to　him　all　that　day　at　the
picnic　as　she　had　done　this　day　at　Shandy　Hall；　he　would　ask　her　to
be　his　wife　before　he　left　her。

And　Miss　Jack　also　was　to　be　at　the　picnic。

〃There　is　no　need　of　going　early；〃　said　she；　when　her　nephew　made　a
fuss　about　the　starting。　　〃People　are　never　very　punctual　at　such
affairs　as　that；　and　then　they　are　always　quite　long　enough。〃　　But
Maurice　explained　that　he　was　anxious　to　be　early；　and　on　this
occasion　he　carried　his　point。

When　they　reached　Clifton　Gate　the　ladies　were　already　there；　not　in
carriages；　as　people　go　to　picnics　in　other　and　tamer　countries；　but
each　on　her　own　horse　or　her　own　pony。　　But　they　were　not　alone。
Beside　Miss　Leslie　was　a　gentleman；　whom　Maurice　knew　as　Lieutenant
Graham；　of　the　flag…ship　at　Port　Royal；　and　at　a　little　distance
which　quite　enabled　him　to　join　in　the　conversation　was　Captain
Ewing；　the　lieutenant　with　the　narrow　waist　of　the　previous　year。

〃We　shall　have　a　delightful　day；　Miss　Leslie；〃　said　the　lieutenant。

〃Oh；　charming；　isn't　it？〃　said　Marian。

〃But　now　to　choose　a　place　for　dinner；　Captain　Ewing；what　do　you
say？〃

〃Will　you　commission　me　to　select？　　You　know　I'm　very　well　up　in
geometry；　and　all　that？〃

〃But　that　won't　teach　you　what　sort　of　a　place　does　for　a　picnic
dinner；will　it；　Mr。　Cumming？〃　　And　then　she　shook　hands　with
Maurice；　but　did　not　take　any　further　special　notice　of　him。　　〃We'll
all　go　together；　if　you　please。　　The　commission　is　too　important　to
be　left　to　one。〃　　And　then　Marian　rode　off；　and　the　lieutenant　and
the　captain　rode　with　her。

It　was　open　for　Maurice　to　join　them　if　he　chose；　but　he　did　not
choose。　　He　had　come　there　ever　so　much　earlier　than　he　need　have
done；　dragging　his　aunt　with　him；　because　Marian　had　told　him　that
his　services　would　be　specially　required　by　her。　　And　now　as　soon　as
she　saw　him　she　went　away　with　the　two　officers！went　away　without
vouchsafing　him　a　word。　　He　made　up　his　mind；　there　on　the　spot；　that
he　would　never　think　of　her　againnever　speak　to　her　otherwise　than
he　might　speak　to　the　most　indifferent　of　mortals。

And　yet　he　was　a　man　that　could　struggle　right　manfully　with　the
world's　troubles；　one　who　had　struggled　with　them　from　his　boyhood；
and　had　never　been　overcome。　　Now　he　was　unable　to　conceal　the
bitterness　of　his　wrath　because　a　little　girl　had　ridden　off　to　look
for　a　green　spot　for　her　tablecloth　without　asking　his　assistance！

Picnics　are；　I　think；　in　general；　rather　tedious　for　the　elderly
people　who　accompany　them。　　When　the　joints　become　a　little　stiff；
dinners　are　eaten　most　comfortably　with　the　accompaniment　of　chairs
and　tables；　and　a　roof　overhea