april hopes-第12节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


They're　going　into　politics　too；　aren't　they？〃　　She　looked　from　one　young
man　to　the　other　with　an　idea　that　she　was　perhaps　shooting　rather　wild；
and　an　amiable　willingness　to　be　laughed　at　if　she　were。　　〃Why　don't　you
go　into　politics；　Mr。　Mavering？〃

〃Well；　the　fact　is〃

〃So　many　of　the　young　University　men　do　in　England；〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer；
fortifying　her　position。

〃Well；　you　see；　they　haven't　got　such　a　complete　machine　in　England〃

〃Oh　yes；　that　dreadful　machine！〃　sighed　Mrs。　Pasmer；　who　had　heard　of　it；
but　did　not　know　in　the　least　what　it　was。

〃Do　you　think　the　Harvard　crew　will　beat　this　time？〃　Alice　asked　of
Boardman。

〃Well；　to　tell　you　the　truth〃

〃Oh；　but　you　must　never　believe　him　when　he　begins　that　way！〃　cried
Mavering。　　〃To　be　sure　they　will　beat。　　And　you　ought　to　be　there　to　see
it。　　Now；　why　won't　you　come；　Mrs。　Pasmer？〃　he　pleaded；　turning　to　her
mother。

〃Oh；　I'm　afraid　we　must　be　getting　away　from　Boston　by　that　time。　　It's
very　tiresome；　but　there　seems　to　be　nobody　left；　and　one　can't　stay
quite　alone；　even　if　you're　sick　of　moving　about。　　Have　you　ever　been
we　think　of　going　thereto　Campobello？〃

〃No；　but　I　hear　that　it's　charming；　there。　　I　had　a　friend　who　was　there
last　year；　and　he　said　it　was　charming。　　The　only　trouble　is　it's　so　far。
You're　pretty　well　on　the　way　to　Europe　when　you　get　there。　　You　know
it's　all　hotel　life？〃

〃Yes。　　It's　quite　a　new　place；　isn't　it？〃

〃Well；　it's　been　opened　up　several　years。　　And　they　say　it　isn't　like　the
hotel　life　anywhere　else；　it's　charming。　　And　there's　the　very　nicest
class　of　people。〃

〃Very　nice　Philadelphia　people；　I　hear；〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer；　〃and
Baltimore。　　Don't　you　think　it's　well；〃　she　asked　deferentially；　and
under　correction；　if　she　were　hazarding　too　much；　〃to　see　somebody
besides　Boston　people　sometimesif　they're　nice？　　That　seems　to　be　one
of　the　great　advantages　of　living　abroad。〃

〃Oh；　I　think　there　are　nice　people　everywhere；〃　said　the　young　man；　with
the　bold　expansion　of　youth。

〃Yes；〃　sighed　Mrs。　Pasmer。　　〃We　saw　two　such　delightful　young　people
coming　in　and　out　of　the　hotel　in　Rome。　　We　were　sure　they　were　English。
And　they　were　from　Chicago！　　But　there　are　not　many　Western　people　at
Campobello；　are　there？〃

〃I　really　don't　know；〃　said　Mavering。　　〃How　is　it；　Boardman？　　Do　many　of
your　people　go　there？〃

〃You　know　you　do　make　it　so　frightfully　expensive　with　your　money；〃　said
Mrs。　Pasmer；　explaining　with　a　prompt　effect　of　having　known　all　along
that　Boardman　was　from　the　West；　〃You　drive　us　poor　people　all　away。〃

〃I　don't　think　my　money　would　do　it；〃　said　Boardman　quietly。

〃Oh；　you　wait　till　you're　a　Syndicate　Correspondent；〃　said；　Mavering；
putting　his　hand　on　his　friend's　shoulder；　and　rising　by　aid　of　it。　　He
left　Mrs。　Pasmer　to　fill　the　chasm　that　had　so　suddenly　yawned　between
her　and　Boardman；　and　while　she　tumbled　into　every　sort　of　flowery
friendliness　and　compliment；　telling　him　she　should　look　out　for　his
account　of　the　race　with　the　greatest　interest；　and　expressing　the　hope
that　he　would　get　as　far　as　Campobello　during　the　summer；　Mavering　found
some　minutes　for　talk　with　Alice。　　He　was　graver　with　herfar　graver
than　with　her　mothernot　only　because　she　was　a　more　serious　nature；　but
because　they　were　both　young；　and　youth　is　not　free　with　youth　except　by
slow　and　cautious　degrees。　　In　that　little　space　of　time　they　talked　of
pictures；　'a　propos'　of　some　on　the　wall；　and　of　books；　because　of　those
on　the　table。

〃Oh　yes；〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer　when　they　paused；　and　she　felt　that　her　piece
of　difficult　engineering　had　been　quite　successful；　〃Mrs。　Saintsbury　was
telling　me　what　a　wonderful　connoisseur　of　etchings　your　father　is。〃

〃I　believe　he　does　know　something　about　them；〃　said　the　young　man
modestly。

〃And　he's　gone　back　already？〃

〃Oh　yes。　　He　never　stays　long　away　from　my　mother。　　I　shall　be　going　home
myself　as　soon　as　I　get　back　from　the　race。〃

〃And　shall　you　spend　the　summer　there？〃

〃Part　of　it。　　I　always　like　to　do　that。〃

〃Perhaps　when　you　get　away　you'll　come　as　far　as　Campobellowith　Mr。
Boardman；〃　she　added。

〃Has　Boardman　promised　to　go？〃　laughed　Mavering。　　〃He　will　promise
anything。　　Well；　I'll　come　to　Campobello　if　you'll　come　to　New　London。
Do　come；　Mrs。　Pasmer！〃

The　mother　stood　watching　the　two　young　men　from　the　window　as　they　made
their　way　across　the　square　together。　　She　had　now；　for　some　reason；　no
apparent　scruple　in　being　seen　to　do　so。

〃How　ridiculous　that　stout　little　Mr。　Boardman　is　with　him！〃　said　Mrs。
Pasmer。　　〃He　hardly　comes　up　to　his　shoulder。　　Why　in　the　world　should　he
have　brought　him？〃

〃I　thought　he　was　very　pleasant；〃　said　the　girl。

〃Yes；　yes；　of　course。　　And　I　suppose　he'd　have　felt　that　it　was　rather
pointed　coming　alone。〃

〃Pointed？〃

〃Young　men　are　so　queer！　　Did　you　like　that　kind　of　collar　he　had　on？〃

〃I　didn't　notice　it。〃

〃So　very；　very　high。〃

〃I　suppose　he　has　rather　a　long　neck。〃

〃Well；　what　did　you　think　of　his　urging　us　to　go　to　the　race？　　Do　you
think　he　meant　it？　　Do　you　think　he　intended　it　for　an　invitation？〃

〃I　don't　think　he　meant　anything；　or；　if　he　did；　I　think　he　didn't　know
what。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer　vaguely；　〃that　must　be　what　Mrs。　Saintsbury　meant
by　the　artistic　temperament。〃

〃I　like　people　to　be　sincere；　and　not　to　say　things　they　don't　mean；　or
don't　know　whether　they　mean　or　not；〃　said　Alice。

〃Yes；　of　course；　that's　the　best　way；〃　admitted　Mrs。　Pasmer。　　〃It's　the
only　way；〃　she　added；　as　if　it　were　her　own　invariable　practice。　　Then
she　added　further；　〃I　wonder　what　he　did　mean？〃

She　began　to　yawn；　for　after　her　simulation　of　vivid　interest　in　them　the
visit　of　the　young　men　had　fatigued　her。　　In　the　midst　of　her　yawn　her
daughter　went　out　of　the　room；　with　an　impatient　gesture；　and　she
suspended　the　yawn　long　enough　to　smile；　and　then　finished　it。



XI。

After　first　going　to　the　Owen；　at　Campobello；　the　Pasmers　took　rooms　at
the　Ty'n…y…Coed；　which　is　so　much　gayer；　even　if　it　is　not　so
characteristic　of　the　old　Welsh　Admiral's　baronial　possession　of　the
island。　　It　is　characteristic　enough；　and　perched　on　its　bluff
overlooking　the　bay；　or　whatever　the　body　of　water　is；　it　sees　a　score　of
pretty　isles　and　long　reaches　of　mainland　coast；　with　a　white　marble
effect　of　white…painted　wooden　Eastport；　nestled　in　the　wide　lap　of　the
shore；　in　apparent　luxury　and　apparent　innocence　of　smuggling　and　the
manufacture　of　herring　sardines。　　The　waters　that　wrap　the　island　in
morning　and　evening　fog　temper　the　air　of　the　latitude　to　a　Newport
softness　in　summer；　with　a　sort　of　inner　coolness　that　is　peculiarly
delicious；　lulling　the　day　with　long　calms　and　light　breezes；　and　after
nightfall　commonly　sending　a　stiff　gale　to　try　the　stops　of　the　hotel's
gables　and　casements；　and　to　make　the　cheerful　blaze　on　its　public
hearths　acceptable。　　Once　or　twice　a　day　the　Eastport　ferry…boat　arrives；
with　passengers　from　the　southward；　at　a　floating　wharf　that　sinks　or
swims　half　a　hundred　feet　on　the　mighty　tides　of　the　Northeast；　but　all
night　long　the　island　is　shut　up　to　its　own　memories　and　devices。　　The
pretty　romance　of　the　old　sailor　who　left　England　to　become　a　sort　of
feudal　seigneur　here；　with　a　holding　of　the　entire　island；　and　its
fisher…folk　for　his　villeins；　forms　a　picturesque　background　for　the
aesthetic　leisure　and　society　in　the　three　hotels　remembering　him　and　his
language　in　their　names；　and　housing　with　a　few　cottages　all　the
sojourners　on　the　island。　　By　day　the　broad　hotel　piazzas　shelter　such　of
the　guests　as　prefer　to　let　others　make　their　excursions　into　the　heart
of　the　island；　and　around　its　rocky；　sea…beaten　borders；　and　at　night；
when　the　falling　mists　have　brought　the　early　dark；　and　from　lighthouse
to　lighthouse　the　fog…horns　moan　and　low　to　one　another；　the　piazzas　cede
to　the　corridors　and　the　parlours　and　smoking…rooms。　　The　life　does　not
greatly　differ　from　other　seaside　hotel　life　on　the　surface；　and　if　one
were　to　make　distinctions　one　would　perhaps　begin　by　saying　that　hotel
society　there　has　much　of　the　tone　of　cottage　society　elsewhere；　with　a
little　more　accessibility。　　As　the　reader　doubtless　knows；　the　great　mass
of　Boston　society；　thoughtful　of　its　own　weight　and　bulk；　transports
itself　down　the　North　Shore　scarcely　further　than　Manchester　at　the
furthest；　but　there　are　more　courageous　or　more　detachable　spirits　who
venture　into　more　distant　regions。　　These　contribute　somewhat　toward
peopling　Bar　Harbour　in　the　summer；　but　they　scarcely　characterise　it　in
any　degree；　while　at　Campobello　they　settle　in　little　daring　colonies；
whose　self…reliance　will　enlist　the　admiration　of　the　sympathetic
observer。　　They　do　not　refuse　the　knowledge　of　other　colonies　of　other
stirps　and　origins；　and　they　even　combine　in　temporary　alliance　with
them。　　But；　after　all；　Boston　speaks　one　language；　and　New　York　another；
and　Washington　a　third；　and　though　the　several　dialects　have　only　slight
differences　of　inflection；　their　moral　accents　render　each　a　little
difficult　for　the　others。　　In　fact　every　society　is　repellant　of
strangers　in　the　degree　that　it　is　suffi