tales of trail and town-第22节

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though　he　never　would　part　with　it。　　I　rather　fancy；　don't　you

know；　that　the　girl　had　something　to　do　with　it。　　It's　a

wonderfully　realistic　sketch；　don't　you　see；　and　I　shouldn't　wonder

if　it　was　the　girl　herself　who　lived　behind　one　of　those　queer

little　windows　in　the　roof　there。〃



〃She　did　live　there；〃　said　Helen　in　a　low　voice。



Sir　James　uttered　a　vague　laugh。　　Helen　looked　around　her。　　The

duchess　had　quietly　and　unostentatiously　passed　into　the　library；

and　in　full　view；　though　out　of　hearing；　was　examining；　with　her

glass　to　her　eye；　some　books　upon　the　shelves。



〃I　mean；〃　said　Helen；　in　a　perfectly　clear　voice；　〃that　the　young

girl　did　NOT　run　away　from　the　painter；　and　that　he　had　neither　the

right　nor　the　cause　to　believe　her　faithless　or　attribute　his

misfortunes　to　her。〃　　She　hesitated；　not　from　any　sense　of　her

indiscretion；　but　to　recover　from　a　momentary　doubt　if　the　girl

were　really　her　own　selfbut　only　for　a　moment。



〃Then　you　knew　the　painter；　as　I　did？〃　he　said　in　astonishment。



〃Not　as　YOU　did；〃　responded　Helen。　　She　drew　nearer　the　picture；

and；　pointing　a　slim　finger　to　the　canvas；　said：



〃Do　you　see　that　small　window　with　the　mignonette？〃



〃Perfectly。〃



〃That　was　MY　room。　　His　was　opposite。　　He　told　me　so　when　I　first

saw　the　sketch。　　I　am　the　girl　you　speak　of；　for　he　knew　no　other；

and　I　believe　him　to　have　been　a　truthful；　honorable　man。〃



〃But　what　were　you　doing　there？　　Surely　you　are　joking？〃　said　Sir

James；　with　a　forced　smile。



〃I　was　a　poor　pupil　at　the　Conservatoire；　and　lived　where　I　could

afford　to　live。〃



〃Alone？〃



〃Alone。〃



〃And　the　man　was〃



〃Major　Ostrander　was　my　friend。　　I　even　think　I　have　a　better　right

to　call　him　that　than　you　had。〃



Sir　James　coughed　slightly　and　grasped　the　lapel　of　his　coat。　　〃Of

course；　I　dare　say；　I　had　no　idea　of　this；　don't　you　know；　when　I

spoke。〃　　He　looked　around　him　as　if　to　evade　a　scene。　　〃Ah！　suppose

we　ask　the　duchess　to　look　at　the　sketch；　I　don't　think　she's　seen

it。〃　　He　began　to　move　in　the　direction　of　the　library。



〃She　had　better　wait；〃　said　Helen　quietly。



〃For　what？〃



〃Until〃hesitated　Helen　smilingly。



〃Until？　　I　am　afraid　I　don't　understand；〃　said　Sir　James　stiffly；

coloring　with　a　slight　suspicion。



〃Until　you　have　APOLOGIZED。〃



〃Of　course；〃　said　Sir　James；　with　a　half…hysteric　laugh。　　〃I　do。

You　understand　I　only　repeated　a　story　that　was　told　me；　and　had　no

idea　of　connecting　YOU　with　it。　　I　beg　your　pardon；　I'm　sure。　　I

ererin　fact；〃　he　added　suddenly；　the　embarrassed　smile　fading

from　his　face　as　he　looked　at　her　fixedly；　〃I　remember　now　it　must

have　been　the　concierge　of　the　house；　or　the　opposite　one；　who　told

me。　　He　said　it　was　a　Russian　who　carried　off　that　young　girl。　　Of

course　it　was　some　made…up　story。〃



〃I　left　Paris　with　the　duchess；〃　said　Helen　quietly；　〃before　the

war。〃



〃Of　course。　　And　she　knows　all　about　your　friendship　with　this

man。〃



〃I　don't　think　she　does。　　I　haven't　told　her。　　Why　should　I？〃

returned　Helen；　raising　her　clear　eyes　to　his。



〃Really；　I　don't　know；〃　stammered　Sir　James。　　〃But　here　she　is。　　Of

course　if　you　prefer　it；　I　won't　say　anything　of　this　to　her。〃



Helen　gave　him　her　first　glance　of　genuine　emotion；　it　happened；

however；　to　be　scorn。



〃How　odd！〃　she　said；　as　the　duchess　leisurely　approached　them；　her

glass　still　in　her　eye。　　〃Sir　James；　quite　unconsciously；　has　just

been　showing　me　a　sketch　of　my　dear　old　mansarde　in　Paris。　　Look！

That　little　window　was　my　room。　　And；　only　think　of　it；　Sir　James

bought　it　of　an　old　friend　of　mine；　who　painted　it　from　the

opposite　attic；　where　he　lived。　　And　quite　unconsciously；　too。〃



〃How　very　singular！〃　said　the　duchess；　〃indeed；　quite　romantic！〃



〃Very！〃　said　Sir　James。



〃Very！〃　said　Helen。



The　tone　of　their　voices　was　so　different　that　the　duchess　looked

from　one　to　the　other。



〃But　that　isn't　all；〃　said　Helen　with　a　smile；　〃Sir　James　actually

fancied〃



〃Will　you　excuse　me　for　a　moment？〃　said　Sir　James；　interrupting；

and　turning　hastily　to　the　duchess　with　a　forced　smile　and　a

somewhat　heightened　color。　　〃I　had　forgotten　that　I　had　promised

Lady　Harriet　to　drive　you　over　to　Deep　Hill　after　luncheon　to　meet

that　South　American　who　has　taken　such　a　fancy　to　your　place；　and　I

must　send　to　the　stables。〃



As　Sir　James　disappeared；　the　duchess　turned　to　Helen。　　〃I　see　what

has　happened；　dear；　don't　mind　me；　for　I　frankly　confess　I　shall

now　eat　my　luncheon　less　guiltily　than　I　feared。　　But　tell　me；　HOW

did　you　refuse　him？〃



〃I　didn't　refuse　him；〃　said　Helen。　　〃I　only　prevented　his　asking

me。〃



〃How？〃



Then　Helen　told　her　all；everything　except　her　first　meeting　with

Ostrander　at　the　restaurant。　　A　true　woman　respects　the　pride　of

those　she　loves　more　even　than　her　own；　and　while　Helen　felt　that

although　that　incident　might　somewhat　condone　her　subsequent

romantic　passion　in　the　duchess's　eyes；　she　could　not　tell　it。



The　duchess　listened　in　silence。



〃Then　you　two　incompetents　have　never　seen　each　other　since？〃　she

asked。



〃No。〃



〃But　you　hope　to？〃



〃I　cannot　speak　for　HIM；〃　said　Helen。



〃And　you　have　never　written　to　him；　and　don't　know　whether　he　is

alive　or　dead？〃



〃No。〃



〃Then　I　have　been　nursing　in　my　bosom　for　three　years　at　one　and

the　same　time　a　brave；　independent；　matter…of…fact　young　person　and

the　most　idiotic；　sentimental　heroine　that　ever　figured　in　a

romantic　opera　or　a　country　ballad。〃　　Helen　did　not　reply。　　〃Well；

my　dear；〃　said　the　duchess　after　a　pause；　〃I　see　that　you　are

condemned　to　pass　your　days　with　me　in　some　cheap　hotel　on　the

continent。〃　　Helen　looked　up　wonderingly。　　〃Yes；〃　she　continued；　〃I

suppose　I　must　now　make　up　my　mind　to　sell　my　place　to　this　gilded

South　American；　who　has　taken　a　fancy　to　it。　　But　I　am　not　going　to

spoil　my　day　by　seeing　him　NOW。　　No；　we　will　excuse　ourselves　from

going　to　Deep　Hill　to…day；　and　we　will　go　back　home　quietly　after

luncheon。　　It　will　be　a　mercy　to　Sir　James。〃



〃But；〃　said　Helen　earnestly；　〃I　can　go　back　to　my　old　life；　and

earn　my　own　living。〃



〃Not　if　I　can　help　it；〃　said　the　duchess　grimly。　　〃Your　independence

has　made　you　a　charming　companion　to　me；　I　admit；　but　I　shall　see

that　it　does　not　again　spoil　your　chances　of　marrying。　Here　comes

Sir　James。　　Really；　my　dear；　I　don't　know　which　one　of　you　looks　the

more　relieved。〃



On　their　way　back　through　the　park　Helen　again　urged　the　duchess　to

give　up　the　idea　of　selling　Hamley　Court；　and　to　consent　to　her

taking　up　her　old　freedom　and　independence　once　more。　　〃I　shall

never；　never　forget　your　loving　kindness　and　protection；〃　continued

the　young　girl；　tenderly。　　〃You　will　let　me　come　to　you　always　when

you　want　me；　but　you　will　let　me　also　shape　my　life　anew；　and　work

for　my　living。〃　　The　duchess　turned　her　grave；　half　humorous　face

towards　her。　　〃That　means　you　have　determined　to　seek　HIM。　　Well！

Perhaps　if　you　give　up　your　other　absurd　idea　of　independence；　I

may　assist　you。　　And　now　I　really　believe；　dear；　that　there　is　that

dreadful　South　American；〃　pointing　to　a　figure　that　was　crossing

the　lawn　at　Hamley　Court；　〃hovering　round　like　a　vulture。　　Well；　I

can't　see　him　to…day　if　he　calls；　but　YOU　may。　　By　the　way；　they

say　he　is　not　bad…looking；　was　a　famous　general　in　the　South

American　War；　and　is　rolling　in　money；　and　comes　here　on　a　secret

mission　from　his　government。　　But　I　forgetthe　rest　of　our　life　is

to　be　devoted　to　seeking　ANOTHER。　　And　I　begin　to　think　I　am　not　a

good　matchmaker。〃



Helen　was　in　no　mood　for　an　interview　with　the　stranger；　whom；　like

the　duchess；　she　was　inclined　to　regard　as　a　portent　of　fate　and

sacrifice。　　She　knew　her　friend's　straitened　circumstances；　which

might　make　such　a　sacrifice　necessary　to　insure　a　competency　for

her　old　age；　and；　as　Helen　feared　also；　a　provision　for　herself。

She　knew　the　strange　tenderness　of　this　masculine　woman；　which　had

survived　a　husband's　infidelities　and　a　son's　forgetfulness；　to　be

given　to　her；　and　her　heart　sank　at　the　prospect　of　separation；

even　while　her　pride　demanded　that　she　should　return　to　her　old

life　again。　　Then　she　wondered　if　the　duchess　was　right；　did　she

still　cherish　the　hope　of　meeting　Ostrander　again？　　The　tears　she

had　kept　back　all　that　day　asserted　themselves　as　she　flung　open

the　library　door　and　ran　across　the　garden　into　the　myrtle　walk。

〃In　hospital！〃　　The　words　had　been　ringing　in　her　ears　though　Sir

James's　complacent　speech；　through　the　oddly　constrained　luncheon；

through　the　half…tender；　half…masculine　reasoning　of　her　companion。

He　HAD　loved　herhe　had　suffered　and　perhaps　thought　her　false。

Suddenly　she　stopped。　　At　the　further　end　of　the　walk　the　ominous

stranger　whom　she　wished　to　avoid　was　standing　looking　towards　the

house。



How　provokin