an open-eyed conspiracy-第15节

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flames　looked　like　crocuses　breaking　through　the　sod。　　If　it　ever
happened　I　fancy　it　would　be　quite　as　simple　as　that。　　But　perhaps
you　don't　like　gloomy　poetry？〃

'Yes；　yes；　I　do。　　It's　the　only　kind　that　I　care　about。〃

〃Then　you　hate　funny　poetry？〃

〃I　think　it's　disgusting。　　Papa　is　always　cutting　it　out　of　the
papers　and　wanting　to　send　it　to　me；　and　we　have　the　greatest
TIMES！〃

〃I　suppose；〃　said　Kendricks；　〃it　expresses　some　moods；　though。〃

〃Oh　yes；　it　expresses　some　moods；　and　sometimes　it　makes　me　laugh　in
spite　of　myself；　and　ashamed　of　anything　serious。〃

〃That's　always　the　effect　of　a　farce　with　me。〃

〃But　then　I'm　ashamed　of　being　ashamed　afterward；〃　said　the　girl。
〃I　suppose　you　go　to　the　theatre　a　great　deal　in　New　York。〃

〃It's　a　school　of　life；〃　said　Kendricks。　　〃I　mean　the　audience。〃

〃I　would　like　to　go　to　the　opera　once。　　I　am　going　to　make　papa　take
me　in　the　winter。〃　　She　laughed　with　a　gay　sense　of　power；　and　he
said　…

〃You　seem　to　be　great　friends　with　your　father。〃

〃Yes；　we're　always　together。　　I　always　went　everywhere　with　him；
this　is　the　first　time　I've　been　away　without　him。　　But　I　thought
I'd　come　with　Mrs。　Deering　and　see　what　Saratoga　was　like；　I　had
never　been　here。〃

〃And　is　it　like　what　you　thought？〃

〃No。　　The　first　week　we　didn't　do　anything。　　Then　we　got　acquainted
with　Mr。　and　Mrs。　March；　and　I　began　to　really　see　something。　　But　I
supposed　it　was　all　balls　and　gaiety。〃

〃We　must　get　up　a　few　if　you're　so　fond　of　them；〃　Kendricks
playfully　suggested。

〃Oh；　I　don't　know　as　I　am。　　I　never　went　much　at　home。　　Papa　didn't
care　to　have　me。〃

〃Ah；　do　you　think　it　was　right　for　him　to　keep　you　all　to　himself？〃
The　girl　did　not　answer；　and　they　had　both　halted　so　abruptly　that　I
almost　ran　into　them。　　〃I　don't　quite　make　out　where　we　are。〃
Kendricks　seemed　to　be　peering　about。　　I　plunged　across　the　street
lest　he　should　ask　me。　　I　heard　him　add；　〃Oh　yes；　I　know　now；〃　and
then　they　pressed　forward。

We　were　quite　near　our　hotel；　but　I　thought　it　best　to　walk　round
the　square　and　let　them　arrive　first。　　On　the　way　I　amused　myself
thinking　how　different　the　girl　had　shown　herself　to　him　from　what
she　had　ever　shown　herself　to　my　wife　or　me。　　She　had　really；　this
plain…minded　goddess；　a　vein　of　poetic　feeling；　some　inner　beauty　of
soul　answering　to　the　outer　beauty　of　body。　　She　had　a　romantic
attachment　to　her　father；　and　this　shed　a　sort　of　light　on　both　of
them；　though　I　knew　that　it　was　not　always　a　revelation　of
character。



CHAPTER　XIII



When　I　reached　the　hotel　I　found　Miss　Gage　at　the　door；　and
Kendricks　coming　out　of　the　office　toward　her。

〃Oh；　here　he　is！〃　she　called　to　him　at　sight　of　me。

〃Where　in　the　world　have　you　been？〃　he　demanded。　　〃I　had　just　found
out　from　the　clerk　that　you　hadn't　come　in　yet；　and　I　was　going　back
for　you　with　a　searchlight。〃

〃Oh；　I　wasn't　so　badly　lost　as　all　that；〃　I　returned。　　〃I　missed　you
in　the　crowd　at　the　door；　but　I　knew　you'd　get　home　somehow；　and　so
I　came　on　without　you。　　But　my　aged　steps　are　not　so　quick　as
yours。〃

The　words；　mechanically　uttered；　suggested　something；　and　I　thought
that　if　they　were　in　for　weirdness　I　would　give　them　as　much
weirdness　as　they　could　ask　for。　　〃When　you　get　along　toward　fifty
you'll　find　that　the　foot　you've　still　got　out　of　the　grave　doesn't
work　so　lively　as　it　used。　　Besides；　I　was　interested　in　the　night
effect。　　It's　so　gloriously　dark；　and　I　had　a　fine　sense　of
isolation　as　I　came　along；　as　if　I　were　altogether　out　of　my　epoch
and　my　environment。　　I　felt　as　if　the　earth　was　a　sort　of　Flying
Dutchman；　and　I　was　the　only　passenger。　　It　was　about　the　weirdest
sensation　I　ever　had。　　It　reminded　me；　I　don't　know　how；　exactly　of
the　feeling　I　had　when　I　was　young；　and　I　saw　the　sunset　one　evening
through　the　woods　after　a　sleet…storm。〃

They　stared　at　each　other　as　I　went　on；　and　I　could　see　Kendricks's
fine　eyes　kindle　with　an　imaginative　appreciation　of　the　literary
quality　of　the　coincidence。　　But　when　I　added；　〃Did　you　ever　read　a
poem　about　the　end　of　the　world　by　that　City　of　Dreadful　Night　man？〃
Miss　Gage　impulsively　caught　me　by　the　coat　lapel　and　shook　me。

〃Ah；　it　was　you　all　the　time！　　I　knew　there　was　somebody　following
us；　and　I　might　have　KNOWN　who　it　was！〃

We　all　gave　way　in　a　gale　of　laughter；　and　sat　down　on　the　verandah
and　had　our　joke　out　in　full　recognition　of　the　fact。　　When
Kendricks　rose　to　go　at　last；　I　said；　〃We　won't　say　anything　about
this　little　incident　to　Mrs。　March；　hey？〃　　And　then　they　laughed
again　as　if　it　were　the　finest　wit　in　the　world；　and　Miss　Gage　bade
me　a　joyful　good…night　at　the　head　of　the　stairs　as　she　went　off　to
her　room　and　I　to　mine。

I　found　Mrs。　March　waiting　up　with　a　book；　and　as　soon　as　I　shut
myself　in　with　her　she　said；　awfully；　〃What　WERE　you　laughing　so
about？〃

〃Laughing？　　Did　you　hear　me　laughing？〃

〃The　whole　house　heard　you；　I'm　afraid。　　You　certainly　ought　to　have
known　better；　Basil。　　It　was　very　inconsiderate　of　you。〃　　And　as　I
saw　she　was　going　on　with　more　of　that　sort　of　thing；　to　divert　her
thoughts　from　my　crime　I　told　her　the　whole　story。　　It　had　quite　the
effect　I　intended　up　to　a　certain　point。　　She　even　smiled　a　little；
as　much　as　a　woman　could　be　expected　to　smile　who　was　not　originally
in　the　joke。

〃And　they　had　got　to　comparing　weird　experiences？〃　she　asked。

〃Yes；　the　staleness　of　the　thing　almost　made　me　sick。　　Do　you
remember　when　we　first　compared　our　weird　experiences？　　But　I
suppose　they　will　go　on　doing　it　to　the　end　of　time；　and　it　will
have　as　great　a　charm　for　the　last　man　and　woman　as　it　had　for　Adam
and　Eve　when　they　compared　THEIR　weird　experiences。〃

〃And　was　that　what　you　were　laughing　at？〃

〃We　were　laughing　at　the　wonderful　case　of　telepathy　I　put　up　on
them。〃

Mrs。　March　faced　her　open　book　down　on　the　table　before　her；　and
looked　at　me　with　profound　solemnity。　　〃Well；　then；　I　can　tell　you；
my　dear；　it　is　no　laughing　matter。　　If　they　have　got　to　the　weird　it
is　very　serious；　and　her　talking　to　him　about　her　family；　and　his
wanting　to　know　about　her　father；　that's　serious　toofar　more
serious　than　either　of　them　can　understand。　　I　don't　like　it；　Basil；
we　have　got　a　terrible　affair　on　our　hands。〃

〃Terrible？〃

〃Yes；　terrible。　　As　long　as　he　was　interested　in　her　simply　from　a
literary　point　of　view；　though　I　didn't　like　that　either；　I　could
put　up　with　it；　but　now　that　he's　got　to　telling　her　about　himself；
and　exchanging　weird　experiences　with　her；　it's　another　thing
altogether。　　Oh；　I　never　wanted　Kendricks　brought　into　the　affair　at
all。〃

〃Come　now；　Isabel！　　Stick　to　the　facts；　please。〃

〃No　matter！　　It　was　you　that　discovered　the　girl；　and　then　something
had　to　be　done。　　I　was　perfectly　shocked　when　you　told　me　that　Mr。
Kendricks　was　in　town；　because　I　saw　at　once　that　he　would　have　to
be　got　in　for　it；　and　now　we　have　to　think　what　we　shall　do。〃

〃Couldn't　we　think　better　in　the　morning？〃

〃No；　we　must　think　at　once。　　I　shall　not　sleep　to…night　anyhow。　　My
peace　is　gone。　　I　shall　have　to　watch　them　every　instant。〃

〃Beginning　at　this　instant。　　Why　not　wait　till　you　can　see　them？〃

〃Oh；　you　can't　joke　it　away；　my　dear。　　If　I　find　they　are　really
interested　in　each　other　I　shall　have　to　speak。　　I　am　responsible。〃

〃The　young　lady；〃　I　said；　more　to　gain　time　than　anything　else；
〃seems　quite　capable　of　taking　care　of　herself。〃

〃That　makes　it　all　the　worse。　　Do　you　think　I　care　for　her　only？
It's　Kendricks　too　that　I　care　for。　　I　don't　know　that　I　care　for
her　at　all。〃

〃Oh；　then　I　think　we　may　fairly　leave　Kendricks　to　his　own　devices；
and　I'm　not　alarmed　for　Miss　Gage　either；　though　I　do　care　for　her　a
great　deal。〃

〃I　don't　understand　how　you　can　be　so　heartless　about　it；　Basil；〃
said　Mrs。　March；　plaintively。　　〃She　is　a　young　girl；　and　she　has
never　seen　anything　of　the　world；　and　of　course　if　he　keeps　on
paying　her　attention　in　this　way　she　can't　help　thinking　that　he　is
interested　in　her。　　Men　never　can　see　such　things　as　women　do。　　They
think　that；　until　a　man　has　actually　asked　a　girl　to　marry　him；　he
hasn't　done　anything　to　warrant　her　in　supposing　that　he　is　in　love
with　her；　or　that　she　has　any　right　to　be　in　love　with　him。〃

〃That　is　true；　we　can't　imagine　that　she　would　be　so　indelicate。〃

〃I　see　that　you're　determined　to　tease；　my　dear；〃　said　Mrs。　March；
and　she　took　up　her　book　with　an　air　of　offence　and　dismissal。　　〃If
you　won't　talk　seriously；　I　hope　you　will　think　seriously；　and　try
to　realise　what　we've　got　in　for。　　Such　a　girl　couldn't　imagine　that
we　had　simply　got　Mr　Kendricks　to　go　about　with　her　from　a　romantic
wish　to　make　her　have　a　good　time；　and　that　he　was　doing　it　to
oblige　us；　and　wasn't　at　all　interested　in　her。〃

〃It　does　look　a　little　preposterous；　even　to　the　outsider；〃　I
admitted。

〃I　am　glad　you　are　beginning　to　see　it　in　that　light；　my　dear；　and
if　you　can　think　of　anything　to　do　by　morning　I　shall　be　humbly
thankful。　　_I_　don't　expect　to。〃

〃Perhaps　I　shall　dream　of　something；〃　I　said　more　lightly　than　I
felt。　　〃How　would　it　do　for　you　to　have　a　little　talk　with　hera
little　mo