children of the whirlwind-第34节

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Left　to　herself；　and　the　imposing　propriety　and　magnificent　stupidity　of　Miss　Grierson；　Maggie　made　no　attempt　to　keep　up　her　appearance　of　confidence。　All　her　thoughts　were　upon　this　opportunity　which　insisted　upon　looking　to　her　like　a　menace。　She　tried　to　whip　her　self…　confidence；　of　which　she　was　so　proud；　into　a　condition　of　constant　regnancy。　But　the　plain　fact　was　that　Maggie；　the　misguided　child　of　a　stolen　birthright；　whose　soaring　spirit　was　striving　so　hard　to　live　up　to　the　traditions　and　conventions　of　cynicism；　whose　young　ambition　it　was　to　outshine　and　surpass　all　possible　competitors　in　this　world　in　which　she　had　been　placed；　who　in　her　pride　believed　she　knew　so　much　of　lifethe　plain　fact　was　that　Maggie　was　in　a　state　bordering　on　funk。

This　invitation　from　Miss　Sherwood　was　an　ordeal　she　had　never　counted　on。　She　had　watched　the　fine　ladies　at　the　millinery　shop　and　while　selling　cigarettes　at　the　Ritzmore；　when　she　had　been　modeling　her　manners；　and　had　believed　herself　just　as　fine　a　lady　as　they。　But　that　had　been　in　the　abstract。　Now　she　was　face　to　face　with　a　situation　that　was　painfully　concretea　real　test：　she　had　to　place　herself　into　close　contrast　with；　and　under　the　close　observation　of；　a　real　lady；　and　in　that　lady's　own　home。　And　in　all　her　life　she　had　not　once　been　in　a　fine　home！　In　fine　hotels；　yesbut　fine　hotels　were　the　common　refuge　of　butcher；　baker；　floor…walker；　thief；　swell；　and　each　had　approximately　the　same　attention；　and　all　she　now　felt　she　had　really　learned　were　a　few　such　matters　as　the　use　of　table　silver　and　finger　bowls。

It　came　to　her　that　Barney；　in　his　moment　of　doubt；　had　spoken　more　soundly　than　he　had　imagined　when　he　had　said　that　it　was　easier　to　fool　a　man　about　a　woman　than　it　was　to　fool　a　woman。　How　tragically　true　that　was！　While　trying　to　learn　to　be　a　lady　by　working　in　smart　shops；　she　had　learned　that　the　occasional　man　who　had　ventured　in　after　woman's　gear　was　hopelessly　ignorant　and　bought　whatever　was　skillfully　thrust　upon　him；　but　that　it　was　impossible　to　slip　an　inferior　or　unsuitable　or　out…dated　article　over　on　the　woman　who　really　knew。

And　Miss　Sherwood　was　the　kind　of　woman　who　really　knew！　Who　knew　everything。　Could　she　possibly；　possibly　pass　herself　off　on　Miss　Sherwood　as　the　genuine　article？　。　。　。

Could　Larry　have　foreseen　the　very　real　miseryfor　any　doubt　of　her　own　qualities；　any　fear　of　her　ability　to　carry　herself　well　in　any　situation；　are　among　the　most　acute　of　a　proud　woman's　miserieswhich　for　some　twenty…four　hours　was　brought　upon　Maggie　by　the　well…meant　intrigue　of　which　he　was　pulling　the　hidden　strings；　he　might；　because　of　his　love　for　Maggie；　have　discarded　his　design　even　while　he　was　creating　it；　and　have　sought　a　measure　pregnant　with　less　distress。　But　perhaps　it　was　just　as　well　that　Larry　did　not　know。　Perhaps；　even；　it　was　just　as　well　that　he　did　not　know　what　his　grandmother　knew。

Maggie's　pride　would　not　let　her　evade　the　risk；　and　her　instinct　for　self…preservation　dictated　that　she　should　reduce　the　risk　to　its　minimum。　So　she　wrote　her　acceptanceMiss　Grierson　attended　to　the　phrasing　of　her　notebut　expressed　her　regret　that　she　would　be　able　to　come　only　for　the　tea…hour。　Drinking　tea　must　be　much　the　same；　reasoned　Maggie；　whether　it　be　drunk　in　a　smart　hotel　or　in　a　smart　country　home。

Maggie's　native　shrewdness　suggested　her　simplest　summer　gown　as　likely　to　have　committed　the　fewest　errors；　and　the　invaluable　stupidity　of　Miss　Grierson　aided　her　toward　correctness　if　not　originality。　When　Dick　came　he　was　delighted　with　her　appearance。　On　the　way　out　he　was　ebulliently　excited　in　his　talk。　Maggie　averaged　a　fair　degree　of　sensibility　in　her　responses；　though　only　her　ears　heard　him。　She　was　far　more　excited　than　he；　and　every　moment　her　excitement　mounted；　for　every　moment　she　was　speeding　nearer　the　greatest　ordeal　of　her　life。

When　at　length　they　curved　through　the　lawns　of　satin　smoothness　and　Dick　slowed　down　the　car　before　the　long　white　house；　splendid　in　its　simplicity；　Maggie's　excitement　had　added　unto　it　a　palpitant；　chilling　awe。　And　unto　this　was　added　consternation　when；　as　they　mounted　the　steps；　Miss　Sherwood　smilingly　crossed　the　piazza　and　welcomed　her　without　waiting　for　an　introduction。　Maggie　mumbled　some　reply；　she　later　could　not　remember　what　it　was。　Indeed　she　never　had　met　such　a　woman：　so　finished；　so　gracious；　so　unaffected；　with　a　sparkle　of　humor　in　her　brown　eyes；　and　the　rich　plainness　of　her　white　linen　frock　made　Maggie　conscious　that　her　own　supposed　simplicity　was　cheap　and　ostentatious。　If　Miss　Sherwood　had　received　her　with　hostility；　doubt；　or　even　chilled　civility；　the　situation　would　have　been　easier；　the　aroused　Maggie　would　then　have　made　use　of　her　own　great　endowment　of　hauteur　and　self…esteem。　But　to　be　received　with　this　frank　cordiality；　on　a　basis　of　a　equality　with　this　finished　womanthat　left　Maggie　for　the　moment　without　arms。　She　had；　in　her　high　moments；　believed　herself　an　adventuress　whose　poise　and　plans　nothing　could　unbalance。　Now　she　found　herself　suddenly　just　a　young　girl　of　eighteen　who　didn't　know　what　to　do。

Had　Maggie　but　known　it　that　sudden　unconscious　confusion；　which　seemed　to　betray　her；　was　really　more　effective　for　her　purpose　than　would　have　been　the　best　of　conscious　acting。　It　established　her　at　once　as　an　unstagey　ingenuesimple；　unspoiled；　unacquainted　with　the　formulas　and　formalities　of　the　world。

Miss　Sherwood；　in　her　easy　possession　of　the　situation；　banished　Dick　with　〃Run　away　for　a　while；　Dick；　and　give　us　two　women　a　chance　to　get　acquainted。〃　She　had　caught　Maggie's　embarrassment；　and　led　her　to　a　corner　of　the　veranda　which　looked　down　upon　the　gardens　and　the　glistering　Sound。　She　spoke　of　the　impersonal　beauties　spread　before　their　vision；　until　she　judged　that　Maggie's　first　flutter　had　abated；　then　she　led　the　way　to　wicker　chairs　beside　a　table　where　obviously　tea　was　to　be　spread。

Miss　Sherwood　accepted　Maggie　for　exactly　what　she　seemed　to　be；　and　presently　she　was　saying　in　a　low　voice；　with　her　smiling；　unoffending　directness：

〃Excuse　the　liberty　of　an　older　woman；　Miss　Cameronbut　I　don't　wonder　that　Dick　likes　you。　You　see；　he's　told　me。〃

If　Maggie　had　been　at　loss　for　her　cue　before；　she　had　it　now。　It　was　unpretentiousness。

〃But；　Miss　SherwoodI'm　so　crude；〃　she　faltered；　acting　her　best。　〃Out　West　I　never　had　any　chances　to　learn。　Not　any　chances　like　your　Eastern　girls。〃

〃That's　no　difference；　my　dear。　You　are　a　nice；　simple　girlthat's　what　counts！〃

〃Thank　you；〃　said　Maggie。

〃So　few　of　our　rich　girls　of　the　East　know　what　it　is　to　be　simple；〃　continued　Miss　Sherwood。　〃Too　many　are　all　affectation；　and　pose；　and　forwardness。　At　twenty　they　know　all　there　is　to　be　known；　they　are　blaseescynicalready　for　divorce　before　they　are　ready　for　marriage。　By　contrast　you　are　so　wholesome；　so　refreshing。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　Maggie　again　murmured。

And　as　the　two　women　sat　there；　sprung　from　the　extremes　of　life；　but　for　the　moment　on　the　level　of　equals；　and　as　the　older　talked　on；　there　grew　up　in　Maggie　two　violently　contradictory　emotions。　One　was　triumph。　She　had　won　out　here；　just　as　she　had　said　she　would　win　out；　and　won　out　with　what　Barney　had　declared　to　be　the　most　difficult　person　to　get　the　better　of；　a　finished　woman　of　the　world。　Indeed；　that　was　triumph！

The　other　emotion　she　did　not　understand　so　well。　And　just　then　she　could　not　analyze　it。　It　was　an　unexpected　dismaya　vague　but　permeating　sicknessa　dazed　sense　that　she　was　being　carried　by　unfamiliar　forces　toward　she　knew　not　what。

She　held　fast　to　her　sense　of　triumph。　That　was　the　more　apprehendable　and　positive；　triumph　was　what　she　had　set　forth　to　win。　This　sense　of　triumph　was　at　its　highest；　and　she　was　resting　in　its　elating　security；　when　a　car　stopped　before　the　house　and　a　large　man　got　out　and　started　up　the　steps。　From　the　first　moment　there　was　something　familiar　to　Maggie　in　his　carriage；　but　not　till　Miss　Sherwood；　who　had　risen　and　crossed　toward　him；　greeted　him　as　〃Mr。　Hunt；〃　did　Maggie　recognize　the　well…dressed　visitor　as　the　shabby；　boisterous　painter　whom　she　had　last　seen　down　at　the　Duchess's。

Panic　seized　upon　her。　Miss　Sherwood　was　leading　him　toward　where　she　sat　and　his　first　clear　sight　of　her　would　mean　the　end。　There　was　no　possible　escape；　she　could　only　await　her　fate。　And　when　she　was　denounced　as　a　fraud；　and　her　glittering　victory　was　gone；　she　could　only　take　herself　away　with　as　much　of　the　defiance　of　admitted　defeat　as　she　could　assumeand　that　wouldn't　be　much。

She　gazed　up　at　Hunt；　whitely；　awaiting　extermination。　Miss　Sherwood's　voice　came　to　her　from　an　infinite　distance；　introducing　them。　Hunt　bowed；　with　a　formally　polite　smile；　and　said　formally；　〃I'm　very　glad　to　meet　you；　Miss　Cameron。〃

Not　till　he　and　Miss　Sherwood　were　seated　and　chatting　did　Maggie　realize　the　fullness　of　the　astounding　fact　that　he　had　not　recognized　her。　This　was　far　more　upsetting　to　her　than　would　have　been　recognition　and　exposure；　she　had　been　all　braced　for　that；　but　not　for　what　had　actually　happened。　She　was　certain　he　must　have　known　her；　nothing　had　really　changed　abo