in the cage-第23节

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it！〃



Our　young　woman　considered　afresh。　　〃Why　it　was　what　was　found　that

precisely　saved　him。〃



Mrs。　Jordan；　however；　was　positive。　　〃I　beg　your　pardon。　　I　happen

to　know。〃



Her　disciple　faltered　but　an　instant。　　〃Do　you　mean　through　Mr。

Drake？　　Do　they　tell　him　these　things？〃



〃A　good　servant；〃　said　Mrs。　Jordan；　now　thoroughly　superior　and

proportionately　sententious；　〃doesn't　need　to　be　told！　　Her

ladyship　savedas　a　woman　so　often　saves！the　man　she　loves。〃



This　time　our　heroine　took　longer　to　recover　herself；　but　she　found

a　voice　at　last。　　〃Ah　wellof　course　I　don't　know！　　The　great

thing　was　that　he　got　off。　　They　seem　then；　in　a　manner；〃　she

added；　〃to　have　done　a　great　deal　for　each　other。〃



〃Well；　it's　she　that　has　done　most。　　She　has　him　tight。〃



〃I　see；　I　see。　　Good…bye。〃　　The　women　had　already　embraced；　and

this　was　not　repeated；　but　Mrs。　Jordan　went　down　with　her　guest　to

the　door　of　the　house。　　Here　again　the　younger　lingered；　reverting；

though　three　or　four　other　remarks　had　on　the　way　passed　between

them；　to　Captain　Everard　and　Lady　Bradeen。　　〃Did　you　mean　just　now

that　if　she　hadn't　saved　him；　as　you　call　it；　she　wouldn't　hold　him

so　tight？〃



〃Well；　I　dare　say。〃　　Mrs。　Jordan；　on　the　doorstep；　smiled　with　a

reflexion　that　had　come　to　her；　she　took　one　of　her　big　bites　of

the　brown　gloom。　　〃Men　always　dislike　one　when　they've　done　one　an

injury。〃



〃But　what　injury　had　he　done　her？〃



〃The　one　I've　mentioned。　　He　MUST　marry　her；　you　know。〃



〃And　didn't　he　want　to？〃



〃Not　before。〃



〃Not　before　she　recovered　the　telegram？〃



Mrs。　Jordan　was　pulled　up　a　little。　　〃Was　it　a　telegram？〃



The　girl　hesitated。　　〃I　thought　you　said　so。　　I　mean　whatever　it

was。〃



〃Yes；　whatever　it　was；　I　don't　think　she　saw　THAT。〃



〃So　she　just　nailed　him？〃



〃She　just　nailed　him。〃　　The　departing　friend　was　now　at　the　bottom

of　the　little　flight　of　steps；　the　other　was　at　the　top；　with　a

certain　thickness　of　fog。　　〃And　when　am　I　to　think　of　you　in　your

little　home？next　month？〃　asked　the　voice　from　the　top。



〃At　the　very　latest。　　And　when　am　I　to　think　of　you　in　yours？〃



〃Oh　even　sooner。　　I　feel；　after　so　much　talk　with　you　about　it；　as

if　I　were　already　there！〃　　Then　〃GOOD…bye！〃　came　out　of　the　fog。



〃Good…BYE！〃　went　into　it。　　Our　young　lady　went　into　it　also；　in　the

opposed　quarter；　and　presently；　after　a　few　sightless　turns；　came

out　on　the　Paddington　canal。　　Distinguishing　vaguely　what　the　low

parapet　enclosed　she　stopped　close　to　it　and　stood　a　while　very

intently；　but　perhaps　still　sightlessly；　looking　down　on　it。　　A

policeman；　while　she　remained；　strolled　past　her；　then；　going　his

way　a　little　further　and　half　lost　in　the　atmosphere；　paused　and

watched　her。　　But　she　was　quite　unawareshe　was　full　of　her

thoughts。　　They　were　too　numerous　to　find　a　place　just　here；　but

two　of　the　number　may　at　least　be　mentioned。　　One　of　these　was

that；　decidedly；　her　little　home　must　be　not　for　next　month；　but

for　next　week；　the　other；　which　came　indeed　as　she　resumed　her　walk

and　went　her　way；　was　that　it　was　strange　such　a　matter　should　be

at　last　settled　for　her　by　Mr。　Drake











End