an open-eyed conspiracy-第4节

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〃Not　at　all！〃　I　cried。　　〃There's　an　abundance　of　room。　　My　wife's
keeping　the　places　for　you；〃in　fact；　I　saw　her　putting　her　arm　out
along　the　bench；　and　explaining　to　a　couple　who　had　halted　in　front
of　her　that　the　seats　were　taken〃and　she'll　be　disappointed。〃

〃Well；〃　the　woman　consented；　with　a　little　sigh　of　triumph　that
touched　me；　and　reanimated　all　my　interest　in　her　and　in　her　friend。
She　said；　with　a　sort　of　shy；　instinctive　politeness；　〃I　don't　know
as　you　and　Mr。　Deering　got　acquainted　last　night。〃

〃My　name　is　March；〃　I　said；　and　I　shook　the　hand　of　Mr。　Deering。　　It
was　rather　thick。

〃And　thisis　our　friend；〃　Mrs。　Peering　went　on；　in　presentation　of
me　to　the　young　lady；　〃Miss　Gage；　that's　come　with　us。〃

I　was　delighted　that　I　had　guessed　their　relative　qualities　so
perfectly；　and　when　we　arrived　at　Mrs。　March　I　glibly　presented
them。　　My　wife　was　all　that　I　could　have　wished　her　to　be　of
sympathetic　and　intelligent。　　She　did　not　overdo　it　by　shaking
hands；　but　she　made　places　for　the　ladies；　smiling　cordially；　and
Mrs。　Deering　made　Miss　Gage　take　the　seat　between　them。　　Her　husband
and　I　stood　awhile　in　front　of　them；　and　then　I　said　we　would　go　off
and　find　chairs　somewhere。

We　did　not　find　any　till　we　had　climbed　to　the　upland　at　the　south…
east　of　the　park；　and　then　only　two　iron　ones；　which　it　was　useless
to　think　of　transporting。　　But　there　was　no　reason　why　we　should　not
sit　in　them　where　they　were：　　we　could　keep　the　ladies　in　plain
sight；　and　I　could　not　mistake　〃Washington　Post〃　when　the　band　came
to　it。　　Mr。　Deering　sank　into　one　of　the　chairs　with　a　sigh　of
satisfaction　which　seemed　to　complete　itself　when　he　discovered　in
the　thick　grass　at　his　feet　a　twig　from　one　of　the　tall；　slim　pines
above　us。　　He　bent　over　for　it；　and　then；　as　he　took　out　his
penknife　and　clicked　open　a　blade　to　begin　whittling；　he　cast　up　a
critical　glance　at　the　trees。

〃Pretty　nice　pines；〃　he　said；　and　he　put　his　hand　on　the　one　next　to
us　with　a　sort　of　appreciation　that　interested　me。

〃Yes；　the　trees　of　Saratoga　are　the　glory　of　the　place；〃　I　returned。
〃I　never　saw　them　grow　anywhere　else　so　tall　and　slim。　　It　doesn't
seem　the　effect　of　crowding　either。　　It's　as　if　there　was　some
chemical　force　in　the　soil　that　shot　them　up。　　They're　like　rockets
that　haven't　left　the　ground　yet。〃

〃It's　the　crowding；〃　he　said　seriously；　as　if　the　subject　were　not
to　be　trifled　with。　　〃It's　the　habit　of　all　these　treespines　and
oaks　and　maples；　I　don't　care　what　they　areto　spread；　and　that's
what　we　tell　our　customers。　　Give　the　trees　plenty　of　room；　don't
plant　'em　too　thick　if　you　want　to　get　all　the　good　out　of　'em。〃　　As
if　he　saw　a　question　in　my　eye；　he　went　on：　　〃We　do　a　forest…tree
business　exclusively；　these　shade…trees；　and　walnuts；　hickories；
chestnuts；　and　all　kinds。　　It's　a　big　trade；　getting　to　be；　and
growing　all　the　time。　　Folks　have　begun　to　find　out　what　fools　they
were　to　destroy　the　forests；　and　the　children　want　to　buy　back　what
the　fathers　threw　away。〃

I　scarcely　needed　to　prompt　him；　he　was　only　too　glad　to　talk　on
about　his　business；　and　he　spoke　with　a　sort　of　homesick　fondness。
He　told　me　that　he　had　his　nurseries　at　De　Witt　Point；　up　on　the　St。
Lawrence；　where　he　could　raise　stock　hardy　enough　for　any　climate；
and　ship　by　land　or　water。

〃I've　got　to　be　getting　home　right　away　now；〃　he　said　finally；
clicking　his　knife…blade　half　shut　and　open　with　his　thumb。

〃It's　about　time　for　our　evergreen　trade；　and　I　don't　want　the　trees
to　stay　a　minute　in　the　ground　after　the　middle　of　the　month。〃

〃Won't　the　ladies　find　it　hard　to　tear　themselves　away　from　the
gaieties　of　Saratoga？〃　I　asked　with　apparent　vagueness。

〃Well；　that's　it；〃　said　Mr。　Deering；　and　he　shut　his　knife　and
slipped　it　into　his　pocket；　in　order　to　take　his　knee　between　his
clasped　hands　and　lift　his　leg　from　the　ground。　　I　have　noticed　that
this　is　a　philosophical　attitude　with　some　people；　and　I　was
prepared　by　it　for　some　thoughtful　generalising　from　my　companion。
〃Women　would　be　willing　to　stay　on　in　a　place　for　a　year　to　see　if
something　wouldn't　happen；　and　if　you　take　'em　away　before　anything
happens；　they'll　always　think　that　if　they'd　stayed　something　would
have　happened　the　next　day；　or　maybe　the　day　they　left。〃

He　stared　upward　into　the　pine　boughs；　and　I　said：　　〃Yes；　that's　so。
I　suppose　we　should　be　like　them　if　we　had　the　same　conditions。
Their　whole　life　is　an　expectation　of　something　to　happen。　　Men　have
the　privilege　of　making　things　happenor　trying　to。〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　know　as　I　want　to　criticise　'em。　　As　you　say；　I　guess
WE　should　be　just　so。〃　　He　dropped　his　leg；　and　bent　over　as　if　to
examine　the　grass；　he　ended　by　taking　a　blade　of　it　between　his
teeth　before　he　spoke　again；　with　his　head　still　down。　　〃I　don't
want　to　hurry　'em；　I　want　to　give　'em　a　fair　show　now　we're　here；
and　I'll　let　the　stock　go　as　long　as　I　can。　　But　I　don't　see　very
much　gaiety　around。〃

I　laughed。　　〃Why；　it's　all　gaiety；　in　one　way。　　Saratoga　is　a
perpetual　Fourth　of　July；　we　think。〃

〃Oh　yes；　there's　enough　going　on；　and　my　wife　and　me　we　could　enjoy
it　first　rate。〃

〃If　the　young　lady　could？〃　I　ventured；　with　a　smile　of　sympathetic
intelligence。

〃Well；　yes。　　You　see；　we　don't　know　anybody；　and　I　suppose　we　didn't
take　that　into　account。　　Well；　I　suppose　it's　like　this：　　they
thought　it　would　be　easy　to　get　acquainted　in　the　hotel；　and
commence　having　a　good　time　right　away。　　I　don't　know；　my　wife　had
the　idea　when　they　cooked　it　up　amongst　'em　that　she　was　to　come
with　us。　　But　I　SWEAR　_I_　don't　know　how　to　go　about　it。　　I　can't
seem　to　make　up　my　mouth　to　speak　to　folks　first；　and　then　you　can't
tell　whether　a　man　ain't　a　gambler；　or　on　for　the　horse…races
anyway。　　So　we've　been　here　a　week　now；　and　you're　the　first　ones
we've　spoken　to　besides　the　waiters　since　we　came。〃

I　couldn't　help　laughing；　their　experience　was　so　exactly　as　I　had
imagined　it　when　I　first　saw　this　disconsolate　party。　　In　my　triumph
at　my　own　penetration；　I　would　not　have　had　their　suffering　in　the
past　one　pang　the　less；　but　the　simple　frankness　of　his　confession
fixed　me　in　the　wish　that　the　future　might　be　brighter　for　them。　　I
thought　myself　warranted　by　my　wife's　imprudence　in　taking　a　step
toward　their　further　intimacy　on　my　own　account；　and　I　said：

〃Well；　perhaps　I　ought　to　tell　you　that　I　haven't　been　inside　the
Saratoga　Club　or　bet　on　the　races　since　I've　been　here。　　That's　my
name　in　full；〃and　I　gave　him　my　card；〃and　I'm　in　the　literary
line；　that　is；　I'm　the　editor　of　a　magazine　in　New　Yorkthe　Every
Other　Week。〃

〃Oh　yes；　I　know　who　you　are；〃　said　my　companion；　with　my　card　in　his
hand。　　〃Fact　is；　I　was　round　at　your　place　this　morning　trying　to
get　rooms；　and　the　clerk　told　me　all　about　you　from　my　description。
I　felt　as　mean　as　pu'sley　goin'；　seemed　to　be　takin'　kind　of　an
advantage　of　you。〃

〃Not　at　all；　it's　a　public　house；〃　I　interrupted；　but　I　thought　I
should　be　stronger　with　Mrs。　March　if　I　did　not　give　the　fact　away
to　her；　and　I　resolved　to　keep　it。

〃But　they　couldn't　rest　easy　till　I　tried；　and　I　was　more　than　half
glad　there　wasn't　any　rooms。〃

〃Oh；　I'm　very　sorry；〃　I　said；　and　I　indulged　a　real　regret　from　the
vantage　I　had。　　〃It　would　have　been　very　pleasant　to　have　you　there。
Perhaps　laterwe　shall　be　giving　up　our　rooms　at　the　end　of　the
month。〃

〃No；〃　he　said；　with　a　long　breath。　　〃If　I've　got　to　leave　'em；　I
guess　it'll　be　just　as　well　to　leave　'em　where　they're　acquainted
with　the　house　anyway。〃　　His　remark　betrayed　a　point　in　his　thinking
which　had　not　perhaps　been　reached　in　his　talk　with　the　ladies。
〃It's　a　quiet　place；　and　they're　used　to　it；　and　I　guess　they
wouldn't　want　to　stay　through　the　rest　of　the　month；　quite。　　I　don't
believe　my　wife　would；　anyway。〃

He　did　not　say　this　very　confidently；　but　hopefully　rather；　and　I
thought　it　afforded　me　an　opening　to　find　out　something　yet　more
definite　about　the　ladies。

〃Miss　Gage　is　remarkably　fine…looking；〃　I　began。

〃Think　so？〃　he　answered。　　〃Well；　so　does　my　wife。　　I　don't　know　as　I
like　her　style　exactly；〃　he　said；　with　a　kind　of　latent　grudge。

〃Her　style　is　magnificent；〃　I　insisted。

〃Well；　maybe　so。　　I　guess　she's　good　enough　looking；　if　that's　what
you　mean。　　But　I　think　it's　always　a　kind　of　a　mistake　for　three
persons　to　come　off　together；　I　don't　care　who　they　are。　　Then
there's　three　opinions。　　She's　a　nice　girl；　and　a　good　girl；　and　she
don't　put　herself　forward。　　But　when　you've　got　a　young　lady　on　your
hands；　you've　GOT　her；　and　you　feel　bound　to　keep　doin'　something
for　her　all　the　time；　and　if　you　don't　know　what　to　do　yourself；　and
your　wife　can't　tell〃

I　added　intelligently；　〃Yes。〃

〃Well；　that's　just　where　it　is。　　Sometimes　I　wish　the　whole　dumb
town　would　burn　up。〃　　I　laughed　and　laughed；　and　my　friend；　having
begun　to　unpack　his　heart；　went　on　to　ease　it　of　the　rest　of　its
load。　　I　had　not　waited　for　this　before　making　some　reflections
concerning　him；　but　I　now　formulated　them　to　myself。　　He　really　had
none　of　that　reserve　I　had　attributed　to　him　the　night　before；　it
was　merely　caution　and　this　is　the　ca