an open-eyed conspiracy-第16节

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felt。　　〃How　would　it　do　for　you　to　have　a　little　talk　with　hera
little　motherly　talkand　hint　round；　and　warn　her　not　to　let　her
feelings　run　away　with　her　in　Kendricks's　direction？〃　　Mrs。　March
faced　her　book　down　in　her　lap；　and　listened　as　if　there　might　be
some　reason　in　the　nonsense　I　was　talking。　　〃You　might　say　that　he
was　a　society　man；　and　was　in　great　request；　and　then　intimate　that
there　was　a　prior　attachment；　or　that　he　was　the　kind　of　man　who
would　never　marry；　but　was　really　cold…hearted　with　all　his
sweetness；　and　merely　had　a　passion　for　studying　character。〃

〃Do　you　think　that　would　do；　Basil？〃　she　asked。

〃Well；　I　thought　perhaps　you　might　think　so。〃

〃I'm　afraid　it　wouldn't；〃　she　sighed。

〃All　that　we　can　do　now　is　to　watch　them；　and　act　promptly；　if　we
see　that　they　are　really　in　love；　either　of　them。〃

〃I　don't　believe；〃　I　said；　〃that　I　should　know　that　they　were　in
love　even　if　I　saw　it。　　I　have　forgotten　the　outward　signs；　if　I
ever　knew　them。　　Should　he　give　her　flowers？　　He's　done　it　from　the
start；　he's　brought　her　boxes　of　Huyler　candy；　and　lent　her　books；
but　I　dare　say　he's　been　merely　complying　with　our　wishes　in　doing
it。　　I　doubt　if　lovers　sigh　nowadays。　　I　didn't　sigh　myself；　even　in
my　time；　and　I　don't　believe　any　passion　could　make　Kendricks
neglect　his　dress。　　He　keeps　his　eyes　on　her　all　the　time；　but　that
may　be　merely　an　effort　to　divine　her　character。　　I　don't　believe　I
should　know；　indeed　I　don't。〃

〃I　shall；〃　said　Mrs。　March。



CHAPTER　XIV



We　were　to　go　the　next　day　to　the　races；　and　I　woke　with　more
anxiety　about　the　weather　than　about　the　lovers；　or　potential
lovers。　　But　after　realising　that　the　day　was　beautiful；　on　that
large　scale　of　loveliness　which　seems　characteristic　of　the　summer
days　at　Saratoga；　where　they　have　them　almost　the　size　of　the　summer
days　I　knew　when　I　was　a　boy；　I　was　sensible　of　a　secondary　worry　in
my　mind；　which　presently　related　itself　to　Kendricks　and　Miss　Gage。
It　was　a　haze　of　trouble　merely；　however；　such　as　burns　off；　like　a
morning　fog；　when　the　sun　gets　higher；　and　it　was　chiefly　on　my
wife's　account。

I　suppose　that　the　great　difference　between　her　conscience　and　one
originating　outside　of　New　England　（if　any　conscience　can　originate
outside　of　New　England）　is　that　it　cannot　leave　the　moral　government
of　the　universe　in　the　hands　of　divine　Providence。　　I　was　willing　to
leave　so　many　things　which　I　could　not　control　to　the　Deity；　who
probably　could　that　she　accused　me　of　fatalism；　and　I　was　held　to　be
little　better　than　one　of　the　wicked　because　I　would　not　forecast
the　effects　of　what　I　did　in　the　lives　of　others。　　I　insisted　that
others　were　also　probably　in　the　hands　of　the　somma　sapienza　e　il
primo　amore；　and　that　I　was　so　little　aware　of　the　influence　of
other　lives　upon　my　own；　even　where　there　had　been　a　direct　and
strenuous　effort　to　affect　me；　that　I　could　not　readily　believe
others　had　swerved　from　the　line　of　their　destiny　because　of　me。
Especially　I　protested　that　I　could　not　hold　myself　guilty　of
misfortunes　I　had　not　intended；　even　though　my　faulty　conduct　had
caused　them。　　As　to　this　business　of　Kendricks　and　Miss　Gage；　I
denied　in　the　dispute　I　now　began　tacitly　to　hold　with　Mrs。　March's
conscience　that　my　conduct　had　been　faulty。　　I　said　that　there　was
no　earthly　harm　in　my　having　been　interested　by　the　girl's
forlornness　when　I　first　saw　her；　that　I　did　not　do　wrong　to
interest　Mrs。　March　in　her；　that　she　did　not　sin　in　going　shopping
with　Miss　Gage　and　Mrs。　Deering；　that　we　had　not　sinned；　either　of
us；　in　rejoicing　that　Kendricks　had　come　to　Saratoga；　or　in　letting
Mrs。　Deering　go　home　to　her　sick　husband　and　leave　Miss　Gage　on　our
hands；　that　we　were　not　wicked　in　permitting　the　young　fellow　to
help　us　make　her　have　a　good　time。　　In　this　colloquy　I　did　all　the
reasoning；　and　Mrs。　March's　conscience　was　completely　silenced；　but
it　rose　triumphant　in　my　miserable　soul　when　I　met　Miss　Gage　at
breakfast；　looking　radiantly　happy；　and　disposed　to　fellowship　me　in
an　unusual　confidence　because；　as　I　clearly　perceived；　of　our　last
night's　adventure。　　I　said　to　myself　bitterly　that　happiness　did　not
become　her　style；　and　I　hoped　that　she　would　get　away　with　her
confounded　rapture　before　Mrs。　March　came　down。　　I　resolved　not　to
tell　Mrs。　March　if　it　fell　out　so；　but　at　the　same　time；　as　a　sort
of　atonement；　I　decided　to　begin　keeping　the　sharpest　kind　of　watch
upon　Miss　Gage　for　the　outward　signs　and　tokens　of　love。

She　said；　〃When　you　began　to　talk　that　way　last　night；　Mr。　March；　it
almost　took　my　breath；　and　if　you　hadn't　gone　so　far；　and　mentioned
about　the　sunset　through　the　sleety　trees；　I　never　should　have
suspected　you。〃

〃Ah；　that's　the　trouble　with　men；　Miss　Gage。〃　　And　when　I　said　〃men〃
I　fancied　she　flushed　a　little。　　〃We　never　know　when　to　stop；　we
always　overdo　it；　if　it　were　not　for　that　we　should　be　as　perfect　as
women。　　Perhaps　you'll　give　me　another　chance；　though。〃

〃No；　we　shall　be　on　our　guard　after　this。〃　　She　corrected　herself
and　said；　〃I　shall　always　be　looking　out　for　you　now；〃　and　she
certainly　showed　herself　conscious　in　the　bridling　glance　that　met
my　keen　gaze。

〃Good　heavens！〃　I　thought。　　〃Has　it　really　gone　so　far？〃　and　more
than　ever　I　resolved　not　to　tell　Mrs。　March。

I　went　out　to　engage　a　carriage　to　take　us　to　the　races；　and　to
agree　with　the　driver　that　he　should　wait　for　us　at　a　certain　corner
some　blocks　distant　from　our　hotel；　where　we　were　to　walk　and　find
him。　　We　always　did　this；　because　there　were　a　number　of　clergymen
in　our　house；　and　Mrs。　March　could　not　make　it　seem　right　to　start
for　the　races　direct　from　the　door；　though　she　held　that　it　was
perfectly　right　for　us　to　go。　　For　the　same　reason　she　made　the
driver　stop　short　of　our　destination　on　our　return；　and　walked　home
the　rest　of　the　way。　　Almost　the　first　time　we　practised　this
deception　I　was　met　at　the　door　by　the　sweetest　and　dearest　of　these
old　divines；　who　said；　〃Have　you　ever　seen　the　races　here？　　I'm　told
the　spectacle　is　something　very　fine；〃　and　I　was　obliged　to　own　that
I　had　once　had　a　glimpse　of　them。　　But　it　was　in　vain　that　I　pleaded
this　fact　with　Mrs。　March；　she　insisted　that　the　appearance　of　not
going　to　the　races　was　something　that　we　owed　the　cloth；　and　no
connivance　on　their　part　could　dispense　us　from　it。

As　I　now　went　looking　up　and　down　the　street　for　the　driver　who　was
usually　on　the　watch　for　me　about　eleven　o'clock　on　a　fair　day　of
the　races；　I　turned　over　in　my　mind　the　several　accidents　which　are
employed　in　novels　to　bring　young　people　to　a　realising　sense　of
their　feelings　toward　each　other；　and　wondered　which　of　them　I　might
most　safely　invoke。　　I　was　not　anxious　to　have　Kendricks　and　Miss
Gage　lovers；　it　would　be　altogether　simpler　for　us　if　they　were　not；
but　if　they　were；　the　sooner　they　knew　it　and　we　knew　it　the　better。
I　thought　of　a　carriage　accident；　in　which　he　should　seize　her　and
leap　with　her　from　the　flying　vehicle；　while　the　horses　plunged
madly　on；　but　I　did　not　know　what　in　this　case　would　become　of　Mrs。
March　and　me。　　Besides；　I　could　think　of　nothing　that　would　frighten
our　driver's　horses；　and　I　dismissed　the　fleeting　notion　of　getting
any　others　because　Mrs。　March　liked　their　being　so　safe；　and　she
had；　besides；　interested　herself　particularly　in　the　driver；　who　had
a　family　and　counted　upon　our　custom。　　The　poor　fellow　came　in　sight
presently；　and　smilingly　made　the　usual　arrangement　with　me；　and　an
hour　later　he　delivered　us　all　sound　in　wind　and　limb　at　the
racecourse。

I　watched　in　vain　for　signs　of　uncommon　tenderness　in　the　two　young
people。　　If　anything　they　were　rather　stiff　and　distant　with　each
other；　and　I　asked　myself　whether　this　might　not　be　from　an　access
of　consciousness。　　Kendricks　was　particularly　devoted　to　Mrs。　March；
who；　in　the　airy　detachment　with　which　she　responded　to　his
attentions；　gave　me　the　impression　that　she　had　absolutely　dismissed
her　suspicions　of　the　night　before；　or　else　had　heartlessly
abandoned　the　affair　to　me　altogether。　　If　she　had　really　done　this；
then　I　saw　no　way　out　of　it　for　me　but　by　an　accident　which　should
reveal　them　to　each　other。　　Perhaps　some　one　might　insult　Miss　Gage…
…some　ruffianand　Kendricks　might　strike　the　fellow；　but　this
seemed　too　squalid。　　There　might　be　a　terrible　jam；　and　he　interpose
his　person　between　her　and　the　danger　of　her　being　crushed　to　death；
or　the　floor　of　the　grand　stand　might　give　way；　and　everybody　be
precipitated　into　the　space　beneath；　and　he　fight　his　way；　with　her
senseless　form　on　his　arm；　over　the　bodies　of　the　mangled　and　dying。
Any　of　these　things　would　have　availed　in　a　novel；　and　something　of
the　kind　would　have　happened；　too。　　But；　to　tell　the　truth；　nothing
whatever　happened；　and　if　it　had　not　been　for　that　anxiety　on　my
mind　I　should　have　thought　it　much　pleasanter　so。

Even　as　it　was　I　felt　a　measure　of　the　hilarity　which　commonly　fills
me　at　a　running　race；　and　I　began　to　lose　in　the　charm　of　the　gay
scene　the　sense　of　my　responsibility；　and　little　by　little　to　abate
the　vigilance　apparently　left　all　to　me。　　The　day　was　beautiful；