april hopes-第15节

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though。

〃And　we　shall　actually　see　a　young　man；〃　she　said　finally；　〃in　the　act　of
deciding　his　own　destiny！〃

He　laughed　for　pleasure　in　her　persiflage。　　〃Yes；　only　don't　give　me
away。　　Nobody　else　knows　it。〃

〃Oh　no；　indeed。　　Too　much　flattered；　Mr。　Mavering。　　Shall　you　let　me　know
when　you've　decided？　　I　shall　be　dying　to　know；　and　I　shall　be　too　high…
minded　to　ask。〃

It　was　not　then　too　late　to　adapt　'Pinafore'　to　any　exigency　of　life；　and
Mavering　said；　〃You　will　learn　from　the　expression　of　my　eyes。〃




XIII。

The　witnesses　of　Mavering's　successful　efforts　to　make　everybody　like　him
were　interested　in　his　differentiation　of　the　attentions　he　offered　every
age　and　sex　from　those　he　paid　Alice。　　But　while　they　all　agreed　that
there　never　was　a　sweeter　fellow；　they　would　have　been　puzzled　to　say　in
just　what　this　difference　consisted；　and　much　as　they　liked　him；　the
ladies　of　her　cult　were　not　quite　satisfied　with　him　till　they　decided
that　it　was　marked　by　an　anxiety；　a　timidity；　which　was　perfectly
fascinating　in　a　man　so　far　from　bashfulness　as　he。　　That　is；　he　did　nice
things　for　others　without　asking；　but　with　her　there　was　always　an
explicit　pause；　and　an　implicit　prayer　and　permission；　first。　　Upon　this
condition　they　consented　to　the　glamour　which　he　had　for　her；　and　which
was　evident　to　every　one　probably　but　him。

Once　agreeing　that　no　one　was　good　enough　for　Alice　Pasmer；　whose
qualities　they　felt　that　only　women　could　really　appreciate；　they　were
interested　to　see　how　near　Mavering　could　come　to　being　good　enough；　and
as　the　drama　played　itself　before　their　eyes；　they　pleased　themselves　in
analysing　its　hero。

〃He　is　not　bashful；　certainly；〃　said　one　of　a　little　group　who　sat　midway
of　the　piazza　while　Alice　and　Mavering　walked　up　and　down　together。
〃But　don't　you　think　he's　modest？　　There's　that　difference；　you　know。〃

The　lady　addressed　waited　so　long　before　answering　that　the　young　couple
came　abreast　of　the　group；　and　then　she　had　to　wait　till　they　were　out　of
hearing。　　〃Yes；〃　she　said　then；　with　a　tender；　sighing　thoughtfulness；
〃I've　felt　that　in　him。　　And　really　think　he　is　a　very　loveable　nature。
The　only　question　would　be　whether　he　wasn't　too　loveable。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　first　lady；　with　the　same　kind　of　suspiration；　〃I　know
what　you　mean。　　And　I　suppose　they　ought　to　be　something　more　alike　in
disposition。〃

〃Or　sympathies？〃　suggested　the　other。

〃Yes；　or　sympathies。〃

A　third　lady　laughed　a　little。　　〃Mr。　Mavering　has　so　many　sympathies　that
he　ought　to　be　like　her　in　some　of　them。〃

〃Do　you　mean　that　he's　too　sympatheticthat　he　isn't　sincere？〃　asked　the
firsta　single　lady　of　forty…nine；　a　Miss　Cotton；　who　had　a　little　knot
of　conscience　between　her　pretty　eyebrows；　tied　there　by　the　unremitting
effort　of　half　a　century　to　do　and　say　exactly　the　truth；　and　to　find　it
out。

Mrs。　Brinkley；　whom　she　addressed；　was　of　that　obesity　which　seems　often
to　incline　people　to　sarcasm。　　〃No；　I　don't　think　he's　insincere。　　I
think　he　always　means　what　he　says　and　doesWell；　do　you　think　a　little
more　concentration　of　good…will　would　hurt　him　for　Miss　Pasmer's　purpose
if　she　has　it？〃

〃Yes；　I　see；〃　said　Miss　Cotton。　　She　waited；　with　her　kind　eyes　fixed
wistfully　upon　Alice；　for　the　young　people　to　approach　and　get　by。
〃I　wonder　what　the　men　think　of　him？〃

〃You　might　ask　Miss　Anderson；〃　said　Mrs。　Brinkley。

〃Oh；　do　you　think　they　tell　her？〃

〃Not　that　exactly；〃　said　Mrs。　Brinkley；　shaking　with　good…humoured
pleasure　in　her　joke。

〃Her　voiceoh　yes。　　She　and　Alice　are　great　friends；　of　course。〃

〃I　should　think；〃　said　Mrs。　Stamwell；　the　second　speaker；　〃that　Mr。
Mavering　would　be　jealous　sometimestill　he　looked　twice。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Miss　Cotton；　obliged　to　admit　the　force　of　the　remark；　but
feeling　that　Mr。　Mavering　had　been　carried　out　of　the　field　of　her　vision
by　the　turn　of　the　talk。　　〃I　suppose；〃　she　continued；　〃that　he　wouldn't
be　so　well　liked　by　other　young　men　as　she　is　by　other　girls；　do　you
think？〃

〃I　don't　think；　as　a　rule；〃　said　Mrs。　Brinkley；　〃that　men　are　half　so
appreciative　of　one　another　as　women　are。　　It's　most　amusing　to　see　the
open　scorn　with　which　two　young　fellows　treat　each　other　if　a　pretty　girl
introduces　them。〃

All　the　ladies　joined　in　the　laugh　with　which　Mrs。　Brinkley　herself　led
off。　　But　Miss　Cotton　stopped　laughing　first。

〃Do　you　mean；〃；　she　asked；　〃that　if　a　gentleman　were　generally　popular
with　gentlemen　it　would　be〃

〃Because　he　wasn't　generally　so　with　women？　　Something　like　thatif
you'll　leave　Mr。　Mavering　out　of　the　question。　　Oh；　how　very　good　of
them！〃　she　broke　off；　and　all　the　ladies　glanced　at　Mavering　and　Alice
where　they　had　stopped　at　the　further　end　of　the　piazza；　and　were　looking
off。　　〃Now　I　can　probably　finish　before　they　get　back　here　again。　　What　I
do　mean；　Miss　Cotton；　is　that　neither　sex　willingly　accepts　the
favourites　of　the　other。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Miss　Cotton　admissively。

〃And　all　that　saves　Miss　Pasmer　is　that　she　has　not　only　the　qualities
that　women　like　in　women；　but　some　of　the　qualities　that　men；　like　in
them。　　She's　thoroughly　human。〃

A　little　sensation；　almost　a　murmur；　not　wholly　of　assent；　went　round
that　circle　which　had　so　nearly　voted　Alice　a　saint。

〃In　the　first　place；　she　likes　to　please　men。〃

〃Oh！〃　came　from　the　group。

〃And　that　makes　them　like　herif　it　doesn't　go　too　far；　as　her　mother
says。〃

The　ladies　all　laughed；　recognising　a　common　turn　of　phrase　in　Mrs。
Pasmer。

〃I　should　think；〃　said　Mrs。　Stamwell；　〃that　she　would　believe　a　little　in
heredity　if　she　noticed　that　in　her　daughter；〃　and　the　ladies　laughed
again。

〃Then；〃　Mrs。　Brinkley　resumed　concerning　Alice；　〃she　has　a　very　pretty
facean　extremely　pretty　face；　she　has　a　tender　voice；　and　she's　very；
very　gracefulin　rather　an　odd　way；　perhaps　it's　only　a　fascinating
awkwardness。　　Then　she　dressesor　her　mother　dresses　herexquisitely。〃
The　ladies；　with　another　sensation；　admitted　the　perfect　accuracy　with
which　these　points　had　been　touched。

〃That's　what　men　like；　what　they　fall　in　love　with；　what　Mr。　Mavering's
in　love　with　this　instant。　　It's　no　use　women's　flattering　themselves
that　they　don't；　for　they　do。　　The　rest　of　the　virtues　and　graces　and
charms　are　for　women。　　If　that　serious　girl　could　only　know　the　silly
things　that　that　amiable　simpleton　is　taken　with　in　her；　she'd〃

〃Never　speak　to　him　again？〃　suggested　Miss　Cotton。

〃No；　I　don't　say　that。　　But　she　would　think　twice　before　marrying　him。〃

〃And　then　do　it；〃　said　Mrs。　Stamwell　pensively；　with　eyes　that　seemed
looking　far　into　the　past。

〃Yes；　and　quite　right　to　do　it；〃　said　Mrs。　Brinkley。　　〃I　don't　know　that
we　should　be　very　proud　ourselves　if　we　confessed　just　what　caught　our
fancy　in　our　husbands。　　For　my　part　I　shouldn't　like　to　say　how　much　a
light　hat　that　Mr。　Brinkley　happened　to　be　wearing　had　to　do　with　the
matter。〃

The　ladies　broke　into　another　laugh；　and　then　checked　themselves；　so　that
Mrs。　Pasmer；　coming　out　of　the　corridor　upon　them；　naturally　thought　they
were　laughing　at　her。　　She　reflected　that　if　she　had　been　in　their　place
she　would　have　shown　greater　tact　by　not　stopping　just　at　that　instant。

But　she　did　not　mind。　　She　knew　that　they　talked　her　over；　but　having　a
very　good　conscience；　she　simply　talked　them　over　in　return。　　〃Have　you
seen　my　daughter　within　a　few　minutes？〃　she　asked。

〃She　was　with　Mr。　Mavering　at　the　end　of　the　piazza　a　moment　ago；〃　said
Mrs。　Brinkley。　　〃They　must　leave　just　gone　round　the　corner　of　the
building。〃

〃Oh；〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer。　　She　had　a　novel；　with　her　finger　between　its
leaves；　pressed　against　her　heart；　after　the　manner　of　ladies　coming　out
on　hotel　piazzas。　　She　sat　down　and　rested　it　on　her　knee；　with　her　hand
over　the　top。

Miss　Cotton　bent　forward；　and　Mrs。　Pasmer　lifted　her　fingers　to　let　her
see　the　name　of　the　book。

〃Oh　yes；〃　said　Miss　Cotton。　　〃But　he's　so　terribly　pessimistic；　don't　you
think？〃

〃What　is　it？〃　asked　Mrs。　Brinkley。

〃Fumee；〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer；　laying　the　book　title　upward　on　her　lap　for
every　one　to　see。

〃Oh　yes；〃　said　Mrs。　Brinkley；　fanning　herself。　　〃Tourguenief。　　That　man
gave　me　the　worst　quarter　of　an　hour　with　his　'Lisa'　that　I　ever　had。〃

〃That's　the　same　as　the　'Nichee　des　Gentilshommes'；　isn't　it？〃　asked　Mrs。
Pasmer；　with　the　involuntary　superiority　of　a　woman　who　reads　her
Tourguenief　in　French。

〃I　don't　know。　　I　had　it　in　English。　　I　don't　build　my　ships　to　cross　the
sea　in；　as　Emerson　says；　I　take　those　I　find　built。〃

〃Ah！　　I　was　already　on　the　other　side；〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer　softly。　　She
added：　〃I　must　get　Lisa。　　I　like　a　good　heart…break；　don't　you？　　If
that's　what　gave　you　the　bad　moment。〃

〃Heart…break？　　Heart…crush！　　Where　Lavretsky　comes　back　old　to　the　scene
of　his　love　for　Lisa；　and　strikes　that　chord　on　the　pianowell；　I　simply
wonder　that　I'm　alive　to　recommend　the　book　to　you。

〃Do　you　know；〃　said　Miss　Cotton；　very　deferentially；　〃that　your　daughter
always　made　me　think　of　Lisa？〃

〃Indeed！〃　cried　Mrs。　Pasmer；　not　wholly　pleased；　but　gratified　that　she
was　able　to　hide　her　displeasure。　　〃You　make　me　very　curious。〃

〃Oh；　I