april hopes-第14节

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prevented　her　from　making　a　thorough　study　of　Alice's　costume　and　a
correct　conjecture　as　to　its　authorship。

Miss　Anderson；　who　claimed　a　collateral　Dutch　ancestry　by　the　Van　Hook；
tucked　in　between　her　non…committal　family　name　and　the　Julia　given　her
in　christening；　was　of　the　ordinary　slender　make　of　American　girlhood；
with　dull　blond　hair；　and　a　dull　blond　complexion；　which　would　have　left
her　face　uninteresting　if　it　had　not　been　for　the　caprice　of　her　nose　in
suddenly　changing　from　the　ordinary　American　regularity；　after　getting
over　its　bridge；　and　turning　out　distinctly　'retrousse'。　　This　gave　her
profile　animation　and　character；　you　could　not　expect　a　girl　with　that
nose　to　be　either　irresolute　or　commonplace；　and　for　good　or　for　ill　Miss
Anderson　was　decided　and　original。　　She　carried　her　figure；　which　was　no
great　things　of　a　figure　as　to　height；　with　vigorous　erectness；　she
walked　with　long　strides；　knocking　her　skirts　into　fine　eddies　and
tangles　as　she　went；　and　she　spoke　in　a　bold；　deep　voice；　with　tones　like
a　man　in　it；　all　the　more　amusing　and　fascinating　because　of　the
perfectly　feminine　eyes　with　which　she　looked　at　you；　and　the　nervous；
feminine　gestures　which　she　used　while　she　spoke。

She　took　Mrs。　Pasmer　into　her　confidence　with　regard　to　Alice　at　an　early
stage　of　their　acquaintance；　which　from　the　first　had　a　patronising　or
rather　protecting　quality　in　it；　if　she　owned　herself　less　fine；　she　knew
herself　shrewder；　and　more　capable　of　coping　with　actualities。

〃I　think　she's　moybid；　Alice　is；〃　she　said。　　〃She　isn't　moybid　in　the
usual　sense　of　the　word；　but　she　expects　more　of　herself　and　of　the　woyld
generally　than　anybody's　going　to　get　out　of　it。　　She　thinks　she's　going
to　get　as　much　as　she　gives；　and　that's　a　great　mistake；　Mrs。　Pasmer；〃
she　said；　with　that　peculiar　liquefaction　of　the　canine　letter　which　the
New…Yorkers　alone　have　the　trick　of；　and　which　it　would　be　tiresome　and
futile　to　try　to　represent　throughout　her　talk。

〃Oh　yes；　I　quite　agree　with　you；〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer；　deep　in　her　throat；
and　reserving　deeper　still　her　enjoyment　of　this　early　wisdom　of　Miss
Anderson's。

〃Now；　even　at　churchshe　carries　the　same　spirit　into　the　church。　　She
doesn't　make　allowance　for　human　nature；　and　the　church　does。〃

〃Oh；　certainly！〃　Mrs。　Pasmer　agreed。

〃She　isn't　like　a　person　that's　been　brought　up　in　the　church。　　It's　more
like　the　old　Puritan　spirit。Excuse　me；　Mrs。　Pasmer！〃

〃Yes；　indeed！　　Say　anything　you　like　about　the　Puritans！〃　said　Mrs。
Pasmer；　delighted　that；　as　a　Bostonian；　she　should　be　thought　to　care　for
them。

〃I　always　forget　that　you're　a　Bostonian；〃　Miss　Anderson　apologized。

〃Oh；　thank　you！〃　cried　Mrs。　Pasmer。

〃I'm　going　to　try　to　make　her　like　other　girls；〃　continued　Miss　Anderson。

〃Do；〃　said　Alice's　mother；　with　the　effect　of　wishing　her　joy　of　the
undertaking。

〃If　there　were　a　few　young　men　about；　a　little　over　seventeen　and　a
little　under　fifty；　it　would　be　easier；〃　said　Miss　Anderson　thoughtfully。
〃But　how　are　you　going　to　make　a　girl　like　other　girls　when　there　are　no
young　men？〃

〃That's　very　true；〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer；　with　an　interest　which　she　of
course　did　her　best　to　make　impersonal。　　〃Do　you　think　there　will　be
more；　later　on？〃

〃They　will　have　to　Huey　up　if　they　are　comin'；〃　said　Miss　Anderson。
〃It's　the　middle　of　August　now；　and　the　hotel　closes　the　second　week　in
September。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer；　vaguely　looking　at　Alice。　　She　had　just　appeared
over　the　brow　of　the　precipice；　along　whose　face　the　arrivals　and
departures　by　the　ferry…boat　at　Campobello　obliquely　ascend　and　descend。

She　came　walking　swiftly　toward　the　hotel；　and；　for　her；　so　excitedly
that　Mrs。　Pasmer　involuntarily　rose　and　went　to　meet　her　at　the　top　of
the　broad　hotel　steps。

〃What　is　it；　Alice？〃

〃Oh；　nothing！　　I　thought　I　saw　Mr。　Munt　coming　off　the　boat。〃

〃Mr。　Munt？〃

〃Yes。〃　　She　would　not　stay　for　further　question。

Her　mother　looked　after　her　with　the　edge　of　her　fan　over　her　mouth　till
she　disappeared　in　the　depths　of　the　hotel　corridor；　then　she　sat　down
near　the　steps；　and　chatted　with　some　half…grown　boys　lounging　on　the
balustrade；　and　waited　for　Munt　to　come　up　over　the　brink　of　the
precipice。　　Dan　Mavering　came　with　him；　running　forward　with　a　polite
eagerness　at　sight　of　Mrs。　Pasmer。　　She　distributed　a　skillful
astonishment　equally　between　the　two　men　she　had　equally　expected　to　see；
and　was　extremely　cordial　with　them；　not　only　because　she　was　pleased
with　them；　but　because　she　was　still　more　pleased　with　her　daughter's
being；　after　all；　like　other　girls；　when　it　came　to　essentials。




XII。

Alice　came　down　to　lunch　in　a　dress　which　reconciled　the　seaside　and　the
drawing…room　in　an　effect　entirely　satisfactory　to　her　mother；　and　gave
her　hand　to　both　the　gentlemen　without　the　affectation　of　surprise　at
seeing　either。

〃I　saw　Mr。　Munt　coning　up　from　the　boat；〃　she　said　in　answer　to
Mavering's　demand　for　some　sort　of　astonishment　from　her。　　〃I　wasn't
certain　that　it　was　you。〃

Mrs。　Pasmer；　whose　pretences　had　been　all　given　away　by　this　simple
confession；　did　not　resent　it；　she　was　so　much　pleased　with　her
daughter's　evident　excitement　at　the　young　man's　having　come。　　Without
being　conscious　of　it；　perhaps；　Alice　prettily　assumed　the　part　of
hostess　from　the　moment　of　their　meeting；　and　did　the　honours　of　the
hotel　with　a　tacit　implication　of　knowing　that　he　had　come　to　see　her
there。　　They　had　only　met　twice；　but　now；　the　third　time；　meeting　after　a
little　separation；　their　manner　toward　each　other　was　as　if　their
acquaintance　had　been　making　progress　in　the　interval。　　She　took　him
about　quite　as　if　he　had　joined　their　family　party；　and　introduced　him　to
Miss　Anderson　and　to　all　her　particular　friends；　for　each　of　whom；　within
five　minutes　after　his　presentation；　he　contrived　to　do　some　winning
service。　　She　introduced　him　to　her　father；　whom　he　treated　with　deep
respect　and　said　〃Sir〃　to。　　She　showed　him　the　bowling　alley；　and　began
to　play　tennis　with　him。

Her　mother；　sitting　with　John　Munt　on　the　piazza；　followed　these　polite
attentions　to　Mavering　with　humorous　satisfaction；　which　was　qualified　as
they　went　on。

〃Alice；〃　she　said　to　her；　at　a　chance　which　offered　itself　during　the
evening；　and　then　she　hesitated　for　the　right　word。

〃Well；　mamma？〃　said　the　girl　impatiently；　stopping　on　her　way　to　walk　up
and　down　the　piazza　with　Mavering；　she　had　run　in　to　get　a　wrap　and　a
Tam…o'…Shanter　cap。

〃Don'toverdothe　honours。〃

〃What　do　you　mean；　mamma？〃　asked　the　girl；　dropping　her　arms　before　her；
and　letting　the　shawl　trail　on　the　floor。

〃Don't　you　think　he　was　very　kind　to　us　on　Class　Day？〃

Her　mother　laughed。　　〃But　every　one　mayn't　know　it's　gratitude。〃

Alice　went　out；　but　she　came　back　in　a　little　while；　and　went　up　to　her
room　without　speaking　to　any　one。

The　fits　of　elation　and　depression　with　which　this　first　day　passed　for
her　succeeded　one　another　during　Mavering's　stay。　　He　did　not　need
Alice's　chaperonage　long。　　By　the　next　morning　he　seemed　to　know　and　to
like　everybody　in　the　hotel；　where　he　enjoyed　a　general　favour　which　at
that　moment　had　no　exceptions。　　In　the　afternoon　he　began　to　organise
excursions　and　amusements　with　the　help　of　Miss　Anderson。

The　plans　all　referred　to　Alice；　who　accepted　and　approved　with　an
authority　which　every　one　tacitly　admitted；　just　as　every　one　recognised
that　Mavering　had　come　to　Campobello　because　she　was　there。　　Such　a　phase
is　perhaps　the　prettiest　in　the　history　of　a　love　affair。　　All　is　yet　in
solution；　nothing　has　been　precipitated　in　word　or　fact。　　The　parties　to
it　even　reserve　a　final　construction　of　what　they　themselves　say　or　do；
they　will　not　own　to　their　hearts　that　they　mean　exactly　this　or　that。
It　is　this　phase　which　in　its　perfect　freedom　is　the　most　American　of
all；　under　other　conditions　it　is　an　instant；　perceptible　or
imperceptible；　under　ours　it　is　a　distinct　stage；　unhurried　by　any
outside　influences。

The　nearest　approach　to　a　definition　of　the　situation　was　in　a　walk
between　Mavering　and　Mrs。　Pasmer；　and　this　talk；　too；　light　and　brief；
might　have　had　no　such　intention　as　her　fancy　assigned　his　part　of　it。

She　recurred　to　something　that　had　been　said　on　Class　Day　about　his
taking　up　the　law　immediately；　or　going　abroad　first　for　a　year。

〃Oh；　I've　abandoned　Europe　altogether　for　the　present；〃　he　said　laughing。
〃And　I　don't　know　but　I　may　go　back　on　the　law　too。〃

〃Indeed！　　Then　you　are　going　to　be　an　artist？〃

〃Oh　no；　not　so　bad　as　that。　　It　isn't　settled　yet；　and　I'm　off　here　to
think　it　over　a　while　before　the　law　school　opens　in　September。　　My
father　wants　me　to　go　into　his　business　and　turn　my　powers　to　account　in
designing　wall…papers。〃

〃Oh；　how　very　interesting！〃　　At　the　same　time　Mrs。　Pasmer　ran　over　the
whole　field　of　her　acquaintance　without　finding　another　wall…paper　maker
in　it。　　But　she　remembered　what　Mrs。　Saintsbury　had　said：　it　was
manufacturing。　　This　reminded　her　to　ask　if　he　had　seen　the　Saintsburys
lately；　and　he　said；　No；　he　believed　they　were　still　in　Cambridge；
though。

〃And　we　shall　actually　see　a　young