cressy-第15节

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whole　moral　being　into　play　to　evade　it。



As　he　crossed　the　passage　he　came　upon　Mrs。　Tripp　hooded　and

elaborately　attired　in　a　white　ball　dress；　which　however　did　not；

to　his　own　fancy；　become　her　as　well　as　her　ordinary　costume。　　He

was　passing　her　with　a　bow；　when　she　said；　with　complacent

consciousness　of　her　appearance；　〃Aren't　you　going　to　the　ball　to…

night？〃



He　remembered　then　that　〃an　opening　ball〃　at　the　Court…house　was　a

part　of　the　celebration。　　〃No；〃　he　said　smiling；　〃but　it　is　a　pity

that　Rupert　couldn't　have　seen　you　in　your　charming　array。〃



〃Rupert；〃　said　the　lady；　with　a　slightly　coquettish　laugh；　〃you

have　made　him　as　much　a　woman…hater　as　yourself。　　I　offered　to　take

him　in　our　party；　and　he　ran　away　to　you。〃　　She　paused；　and　giving

him　a　furtive　critical　glance　said；　with　an　easy　mingling　of

confidence　and　audacity；　〃Why　don't　YOU　go？　　Nobody'll　hurt　you。〃



〃I'm　not　so　sure　of　that；〃　replied　Mr。　Ford　gallantly。　　〃There's

the　melancholy　example　of　Rupert　always　before　me。〃



Mrs。　Tripp　tossed　her　chignon　and　descended　a　step　of　the　stairs。

〃You'd　better　go；〃　she　continued；　looking　up　over　the　balusters。

〃You　can　look　on　if　you　can't　dance。〃



Now　Mr。　Ford　COULD　dance；　and　it　so　chanced；　rather　well；　too。

With　this　consciousness　he　remained　standing　in　half　indignant

hesitation　on　the　landing　as　she　disappeared。　　Why　shouldn't　he　go？

It　was　true；　he　had　half　tacitly　acquiesced　in　the　reserve　with

which　he　had　been　treated；　and　had　never　mingled　socially　in　the

gatherings　of　either　sex　at　Indian　Springbut　that　was　no　reason。

He　could　at　least　dress　himself；　walk　to　the　Court…house　andlook

on。



Any　black　coat　and　white　shirt　was　sufficiently　de　rigueur　for

Indian　Spring。　　Mr。　Ford　added　the　superfluous　elegance　of　a

forgotten　white　waistcoat。　　When　he　reached　the　sidewalk　it　was

only　nine　o'clock；　but　the　windows　of　the　Court…house　were　already

flaring　like　a　stranded　steamer　on　the　barren　bank　where　it　had

struck。　　On　the　way　thither　he　was　once　or　twice　tempted　to　change

his　mind；　and　hesitated　even　at　the　very　door。　　But　the　fear　that

his　hesitation　would　be　noticed　by　the　few　loungers　before　it；　and

the　fact　that　some　of　them　were　already　hesitating　through

bashfulness；　determined　him　to　enter。



The　clerks'　office　and　judges'　chambers　on　the　lower　floor　had　been

invaded　by　wraps；　shawls；　and　refreshments；　but　the　dancing　was

reserved　for　the　upper　floor　or　courtroom；　still　unfinished。

Flags；　laurel…wreaths；　and　appropriate　floral　inscriptions　hid　its

bare　walls；　but　the　coat　of　arms　of　the　State；　already　placed　over

the　judges'　dais　with　its　illimitable　golden　sunset；　its　triumphant

goddess；　and　its　implacable　grizzly；　seemed　figuratively　to　typify

the　occasion　better　than　the　inscriptions。　　The　room　was　close　and

crowded。　　The　flickering　candles　in　tin　sconces　against　the　walls；

or　depending　in　rude　chandeliers　of　barrel…hoops　from　the　ceiling；

lit　up　the　most　astounding　diversity　of　female　costume　the　master

had　ever　seen。　　Gowns　of　bygone　fashions；　creased　and　stained　with

packing　and　disuse；　toilets　of　forgotten　festivity　revised　with

modern　additions；　garments　in　and　out　of　seasona　fur…trimmed

jacket　and　a　tulle　skirt；　a　velvet　robe　under　a　pique　sacque；　fresh

young　faces　beneath　faded　head…dresses；　and　mature　and　buxom　charms

in　virgin'　white。　　The　small　space　cleared　for　the　dancers　was

continually　invaded　by　the　lookers…on；　who　in　files　of　three　deep

lined　the　room。



As　the　master　pushed　his　way　to　the　front；　a　young　girl；　who　had

been　standing　in　the　sides　of　a　quadrille；　suddenly　darted　with　a

nymph…like　quickness　among　the　crowd　and　was　for　an　instant　hidden。

Without　distinguishing　either　face　or　figure；　Mr。　Ford　recognized

in　the　quick；　impetuous　action　a　characteristic　movement　of

Cressy's；　with　an　embarrassing　instinct　that　he　could　not　account

for；　he　knew　she　had　seen　him；　and　that；　for　some　inexplicable

reason；　he　was　the　cause　of　her　sudden　disappearance。



But　it　was　only　for　a　moment。　　Even　while　he　was　vaguely　scanning

the　crowd　she　reappeared　and　took　her　place　beside　her　mystified

partnerthe　fascinating　stranger　of　Johnny's　devotion　and　Rupert's

dislike。　　She　was　pale；　he　had　never　seen　her　so　beautiful。　　All

that　he　had　thought　distasteful　and　incongruous　in　her　were　but

accessories　of　her　loveliness　at　that　moment；　in　that　light；　in

that　atmosphere；　in　that　strange　assembly。　　Even　her　full　pink

gauze　dress；　from　which　her　fair　young　shoulders　slipped　as　from　a

sunset　cloud；　seemed　only　the　perfection　of　virginal　simplicity；

her　girlish　length　of　limb　and　the　long　curves　of　her　neck　and　back

were　now　the　outlines　of　thorough　breeding。　　The　absence　of　color

in　her　usually　fresh　face　had　been　replaced　by　a　faint　magnetic

aurora　that　seemed　to　him　half　spiritual。　　He　could　not　take　his

eyes　from　her；　he　could　not　believe　what　he　saw。　　Yet　that　was

Cressy　McKinstryhis　pupil！　　Had　he　ever　really　seen　her？　　Did　he

know　her　now？　　Small　wonder　that　all　eyes　were　bent　upon　her；　that

a　murmur　of　unspoken　admiration；　or　still　more　intense　hush　of

silence　moved　the　people　around　him。　　He　glanced　hurriedly　at　them；

and　was　oddly　relieved　by　this　evident　participation　in　his

emotions。



She　was　dancing　now；　and　with　that　same　pale　restraint　and　curious

quiet　that　had　affected　him　so　strongly。　　She　had　not　even　looked

in　his　direction；　yet　he　was　aware　by　the　same　instinct　that　had　at

first　possessed　him　that　she　knew　he　was　present。　　His　desire　to

catch　her　eye　was　becoming　mingled　with　a　certain　dread；　as　if　in　a

single　interchange　of　glances　the　illusions　of　the　moment　would

either　vanish　utterly　or　become　irrevocably　fixed。　　He　forced

himself；　when　the　set　was　finished；　to　turn　away；　partly　to　avoid

contact　with　some　acquaintances　who　had　drifted　before　him；　and

whom　politeness　would　have　obliged　him　to　ask　to　dance；　and　partly

to　collect　his　thoughts。　　He　determined　to　make　a　tour　of　the　rooms

and　then　go　quietly　home。　　Those　who　recognized　him　made　way　for

him　with　passive　curiosity；　the　middle…aged　and　older　adding　a

confidential　sympathy　and　equality　that　positively　irritated　him。

For　an　instant　he　had　an　idea　of　seeking　out　Mrs。　Tripp　and

claiming　her　as　a　partner；　merely　to　show　her　that　he　danced。



He　had　nearly　made　the　circuit　of　the　room　when　he　was　surprised　by

the　first　strains　of　a　waltz。　　Waltzing　was　not　a　strong　feature　of

Indian　Spring　festivity；　partly　that　the　Church　people　had　serious

doubts　if　David's　saltatory　performances　before　the　Ark　included

〃round　dances；〃　and　partly　that　the　young　had　not　yet　mastered　its

difficulties。　　When　he　yielded　to　his　impulse　to　look　again　at　the

dancers　he　found　that　only　three　or　four　couples　had　been　bold

enough　to　take　the　floor。　　Cressy　McKinstry　and　her　former　partner

were　one　of　them。　　In　his　present　exaltation　he　was　not　astonished

to　find　that　she　had　evidently　picked　up　the　art　in　her　late　visit；

and　was　now　waltzing　with　quiet　grace　and　precision；　but　he　was

surprised　that　her　partner　was　far　from　being　equally　perfect；　and

that　after　a　few　turns　she　stopped　and　smilingly　disengaged　her

waist　from　his　arm。　　As　she　stepped　back　she　turned　with　unerring

instinct　to　that　part　of　the　room　where　the　master　stood；　and　raised

her　eyes　through　the　multitude　of　admiring　faces　to　his。　　Their　eyes

met　in　an　isolation　as　supreme　as　if　they　had　been　alone。　　It　was　an

attraction　the　more　dangerous　because　unformulateda　possession

without　previous　pledge；　promise；　or　even　intentiona　love　that　did

not　require　to　be　〃made。〃



He　approached　her　quietly　and　even　more　coolly　than　he　thought

possible。　　〃Will　you　allow　me　a　trial？〃　he　asked。



She　looked　in　his　face；　and　as　if　she　had　not　heard　the　question

but　was　following　her　own　thought；　said；　〃I　knew　you　would　come；　I

saw　you　when　you　first　came　in。〃　　Without　another　word　she　put　her

hand　in　his；　and　as　if　it　were　part　of　an　instinctive　action　of

drawing　closer　to　him；　caught　with　her　advancing　foot　the　accent　of

the　waltz；　and　the　next　moment　the　room　seemed　to　slip　away　from

them　into　whirling　space。



The　whole　thing　had　passed　so　rapidly　from　the　moment　he　approached

her　to　the　first　graceful　swing　of　her　full　skirt　at　his　side；　that

it　seemed　to　him　almost　like　the　embrace　of　a　lovers'　meeting。　　He

had　often　been　as　near　her　before；　had　stood　at　her　side　at　school；

and　even　leaned　over　her　desk；　but　always　with　an　irritated

instinct　of　reserve　that　had　equally　affected　her；　and　which　he　now

understood。　　With　her　conscious　but　pale　face　so　near　his　own；　with

the　faint　odor　of　her　hair　clinging　to　her；　and　with　the　sweet

confusion　of　the　half　lingering；　half　withheld　contact　of　her　hand

and　arm；　all　had　changed。　　He　did　not　dare　to　reflect　that　he　could

never　again　approach　her　except　with　this　feeling。　　He　did　not　dare

to　think　of　anything；　he　aband