an open-eyed conspiracy-第23节

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corrected　too　soon。〃

This　time　I　could　not　resent　his　insinuation；　for　since　he　had　begun
to　speak　I　had　become　guiltily　aware　of　having　felt　a　sort　of　ease
in　regard　to　Kendricks's　modesty　of　competence　from　a　belief；　given
me；　I　suspect；　by　the　talk　of　Deering；　that　Mr。　Gage　had　plenty　of
money；　and　could　come　to　the　rescue　in　any　amount　needed。　　I　could
only　say；　〃Mr。　Gage；　all　this　is　so　far　beyond　my　control　that　I
ought　not　to　allow　you　to　say　it　to　me。　　It　is　something　that　you
must　say　to　Mr。　Kendricks。〃

As　I　spoke　I　saw　the　young　fellow　come　round　the　corner　of　the
street；　and　mount　the　hotel　steps。　　He　did　not　see　me；　for　he　did
not　look　toward　the　little　corner　of　lawn　where　Mr。　Gage　and　I　had
put　our　chairs　for　the　sake　of　the　morning　shade；　and　for　the
seclusion　that　the　spot　afforded　us。　　It　was　at　the　angle　of　the
house　farthest　from　our　peculiar　corner　of　the　piazza；　whither　I　had
the　belief　that　the　girl　had　withdrawn　when　she　left　me　to　her
father。　　I　was　sure　that　Kendricks　would　seek　her　there；　far　enough
beyond　eyeshot　or　earshot　of　us；　and　I　had　no　doubt　that　she　was
expecting　him。

〃You　are　Mr。　Kendricks's　friend〃

〃I　have　tried　much　more　to　be　Miss　Gage's　friend；　and　Mrs。　March〃
It　came　into　my　mind　that　she　was　most　selfishly　and　shamelessly
keeping　out　of　the　way；　and　I　could　not　go　on　and　celebrate　her
magnanimous　impartiality；　her　eager　and　sleepless　vigilance。

〃I　have　no　doubt　of　that；〃　said　the　little　man；　〃and　I　am　very　much
obliged　to　you　for　all　the　trouble　you　have　taken　on　my　daughter's
account。　　But　you　are　his　friend；　and　I　can　speak　to　you　much　more
fully　and　frankly　than　I　could　to　him。〃

I　did　not　know　just　what　to　say　to　this；　and　he　went　on：　　〃In　point
of　fact；　I　don't　think　that　I　shall　speak　to　him　at　all。〃

〃That　is　quite　your　affair；　my　dear　sir；〃　I　said　dryly。　　〃It　isn't
to　be　supposed　that　you　would　seek　an　interview　with　him。〃

〃And　if　he　seeks　an　interview　with　me；　I　shall　decline　it。〃　　He
looked　at　me　defiantly　and　yet　interrogatively。　　I　could　see　that　he
was　very　angry；　and　yet　uncertain。

〃I　must　say；　then；　Mr。　Gage；　that　I　don't　think　you　would　be　right。〃

〃How；　not　right？〃

〃I　should　say　that　in　equity　he　had　a　full　and　perfect　right　to　meet
you；　and　to　talk　this　matter　over　with　you。　　He　has　done　you　no
wrong　whatever　in　admiring　your　daughter；　and　wishing　to　marry　her。
It's　for　you　and　her　to　decide　whether　you　will　let　him。　　But　as　far
as　his　wish　goes；　and　his　expression　of　it　to　her；　he　is　quite
within　his　rights。　　You　must　see　that　yourself。〃

〃I　consider；〃　he　answered；　〃that　he　has　done　me　a　wrong　in　that　very
thing。　　A　man　without　means；　or　any　stated　occupation；　he　had　no
business　to　speak　to　my　daughter　without　speaking　to　me。　　He　took
advantage　of　the　circumstances。　　What　does　he　think？　　Does　he
suppose　I　am　MADE　of　money？　　Does　he　suppose　I　want　to　support　a
son…in…law？　　I　can　tell　you　that　if　I　were　possessed　of　unlimited
means；　I　should　not　do　it。〃　　I　began　to　suspect　that　Deering　was
nearer　right；　after　all；　in　his　representations　of　the　man's
financial　ability；　I　fancied　something　of　the　anxiety；　the　tremor　of
avarice；　in　his　resentment　of　poor　Kendricks's　possible；　or　rather
impossible；　designs　upon　his　pocket。　　〃If　he　had　any　profession；　or
any　kind　of　business；　I　should　feel　differently；　and　I　should　be
willing　to　assist　him　to　a　reasonable　degree；　or　if　he　had　a
business　training；　I　might　take　him　in　with　me；　but　as　it　is；　I
should　have　a　helpless　burden　on　my　hands；　and　I　can　tell　you　I　am
not　going　in　for　that　sort　of　thing。　　I　shall　make　short　work　of　it。
I　shall　decline　to　meet　Mr。　Hendricks；　or　Kendricks；　and　I　shall　ask
you　to　say　as　much　to　him　from　me。〃

〃And　I　shall　decline　to　be　the　bearer　of　any　such　message　from　you；
Mr。　Gage；〃　I　answered；　and　I　saw；　not　without　pleasure；　the
bewilderment　that　began　to　mix　with　his　arrogance。

〃Very　well；　then；　sir；〃　he　answered；　after　a　moment；　〃I　shall　simply
take　my　daughter　away　with　me；　and　that　will　end　it。〃

The　prim　little；　grim　little　man　looked　at　me　with　his　hard　eyes；
and　set　his　lips　so　close　that　the　beard　on　the　lower　one　stuck　out
at　me　with　a　sort　of　additional　menace　I　felt　that　he　was　too
capable　of　doing　what　he　said；　and　I　lost　myself　in　a　sense　of　his
sordidness；　a　sense　which　was　almost　without　a　trace　of　compassion。

It　seemed　as　if　I　were　a　long　time　under　the　spell　of　this；　and　the
sight　of　his　repugnant　face；　but　it　could　really　have　been　merely　a
moment；　when　I　heard　a　stir　of　drapery　on　the　grass　near　us；　and　the
soft；　rich　voice　of　Miss　Gage　saying；　〃Papa！〃

We　both　started　to　our　feet。　　I　do　not　know　whether　she　had　heard
what　he　said　or　not。　　We　had　spoken　low；　and　in　the　utmost　vehemence
of　his　speech　he　did　not　lift　his　voice。　　In　any　case；　she　did　not
heed　what　he　said。

〃Papa；〃　she　repeated；　〃I　want　you　to　come　up　and　see　Mrs。　March　on
the　piazza。　　AndMr。　Kendricks　is　there。〃

I　had　a　wild　desire　to　laugh　at　what　followed；　and　yet　it　was　not
without　its　pathos。　　〃IIhm！　hm！　　Icannot　see　Mr。　Kendricks
just　at　present。　　Ithe　fact　is；　I　do　not　want　to　see　him。　　It　is
betternot。　　I　think　you　had　better　get　ready　to　go　home　with　me　at
once；　daughter。　　Ihm！cannot　approve　of　any　engagement　to　Mr。
Kendricks；　and　Iprefer　not　to　meet　him。〃　　He　stopped。

Miss　Gage　said　nothing；　and　I　cannot　say　that　she　looked　anything。
She　simply　CLOUDED　UP；　if　I　may　so　express　the　effect　that　came　and
remained　upon　her　countenance；　which　was　now　the　countenance　she　had
shown　me　the　first　evening　I　saw　her；　when　I　saw　the　Deerings
cowering　in　its　shadow。　　I　had　no　need　to　look　at　the　adamantine
little　man　before　her　to　know　that　he　was　softening　into　wax；　and；
in　fact；　I　felt　a　sort　of　indecency　in　beholding　his　inteneration；
for　I　knew　that　it　came　from　his　heart；　and　had　its　consecration
through　his　love　for　her。

That　is　why　I　turned　away；　and　do　not　know　to　this　moment　just　how
the　change　she　desired　in　him　was　brought　about。　　I　will　not　say
that　I　did　not　look　back　from　a　discreet　distance；　and　continue
looking　until　I　saw　them　start　away　together　and　move　in　the
direction　of　that　corner　of　the　piazza　where　Kendricks　was　waiting
with　Mrs。　March。

It　appeared；　from　her　account；　that　Mr。　Gage；　with　no　uncommon　show
of　ill…will；　but　with　merely　a　natural　dryness；　suffered　Kendricks
to　be　presented　to　him；　and　entered　upon　some　preliminary　banalities
with　him；　such　as　he　had　used　in　opening　a　conversation　with　me。
Before　these　came　to　a　close　Mrs。　March　had　thought　it　well　to　leave
the　three　together。

Afterward；　when　we　knew　the　only　result　that　the　affair　could　have；
she　said；　〃The　girl　has　a　powerful　will。　　I　wonder　what　the　mother
was　like。〃

〃Yes；　evidently　she　didn't　get　that　will　from　her　father。　　I　have
still　a　sense　of　exhaustion　from　it　in　our　own　case。　　What　do　you
think　it　portends　for　poor　Kendricks！〃

〃Poor　Kendricks！〃　she　repeated　thoughtfully。　　〃Yes；　in　that　sense　I
suppose　you　might　call　him　poor。　　It　isn't　an　equal　thing　as　far　as
nature；　as　character；　goes。　　But　isn't　it　always　dreadful　to　see　two
people　who　have　made　up　their　minds　to　get　married？〃

〃It's　very　common；〃　I　suggested。

〃That　doesn't　change　the　fact；　or　lessen　the　risk。　　She　is　very
beautiful；　and　now　he　is　in　love　with　her　beautiful　girlhood。　　But
after　a　while　the　girlhood　will　go。〃

〃And　the　girl　will　remain；〃　I　said。







End