april hopes-第18节
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more southern sun seems to make them。 They hung dense upon the low
bushes; and gave them their tint through the soft grey bloom that veiled
their blue。 Sweet…fern in patches broke their mass here and there; and
exhaled its wild perfume to the foot or skirt brushing through it。
〃I don't think there's anything much prettier than these clusters; do
you; Miss Pasmer?〃 asked Mavering; as he lifted a bunch pendent from the
little tree before he stripped it into the bowl he carried。 〃And see!
it spoils the bloom to gather them。〃 He held out a handful; and then
tossed them away。 〃It ought to be managed more aesthetically for an
occasion like this。 I'll tell you what; Miss Pasmer: are you used to
blueberrying?〃
〃No;〃 she said; 〃I don't know that I ever went blueberrying before。
Why?〃 she asked。
〃Because; if you haven't; you wouldn't be very efficient perhaps; and so
you might resign yourself to sitting on that log and holding the berries
in your lap; while I pick them。〃
〃But what about the bowls; then?〃
〃Oh; never mind them。 I've got an idea。 See here!〃 He clipped off a
bunch with his knife; and held it up before her; tilting it this way and
that。 〃Could anything be more graceful! My idea is to serve the
blueberry on its native stem at this picnic。 What do you think? Sugar
would profane it; and of course they've only got milk enough for the
coffee。〃
〃Delightful!〃 Alice arranged herself on the log; and made a lap for the
bunch。 He would not allow that the arrangement was perfect till he had
cushioned the seat and carpeted the ground for her feet with sweet…fern。
〃Now you're something like a wood…nymph;〃 he laughed。 〃Only; wouldn't a
real wood…nymph have an apron?〃 he asked; looking down at her dress。
〃Oh; it won't hurt the dress。 You must begin now; or they'll be calling
us。〃
He was standing and gazing at her with a distracted enjoyment of her
pose。 〃Oh yes; yes;〃 he answered; coming to himself; and he set about
his work。
He might have got on faster if he had not come to her with nearly every
bunch he cut at first; and when he began to deny himself this pleasure he
stopped to admire an idea of hers。
〃Well; that's charmingmaking them into bouquets。〃
〃Yes; isn't it?〃 she cried delightedly; holding a bunch of the berries up
at arm's…length to get the effect。
〃Ah; but you must have some of this fern and this tall grass to go with
it。 Why; it's sweet…grassthe sweet…grass of the Indian baskets!〃
〃Is it?〃 She looked up at him。 〃And do you think that the mixture would
be better than the modest simplicity of the berries; with a few leaves of
the same?〃
〃No; you're right; it wouldn't;〃 he said; throwing away his ferns。 〃But
you'll want something to tie the stems with; you must use the grass。〃 He
left that with her; and went back to his bushes。 He added; from beyond a
little thicket; as if what he said were part of the subject; 〃I was
afraid you wouldn't like my skipping about there on the rocks; doing the
coloured uncle。〃
〃Like it?〃
〃I meanIyou thought it undignifiedtrivial〃
She said; after a moment: 〃It was very funny; and people do all sorts of
things at picnics。 That's the pleasure of it; isn't it?〃
〃Yes; it is; but I know you don't always like that kind of thing。〃
〃Do I seem so very severe?〃 she asked。
〃Oh no; not severe。 I should be afraid of you if you were。 I shouldn't
have dared to come to Campobello。〃
He looked at her across the blueberry bushes。 His gay speech meant
everything or nothing。 She could parry it with a jest; and then it would
mean nothing。 She let her head droop over her work; and made no answer。
〃I wish you could have seen those fellows on the boat;〃 said Mavering。
〃Hello; Mavering!〃 called the voice of John Munt; from another part of
the woods。
〃Alice!Miss Pasmer!〃 came that of Miss Anderson。
He was going to answer; when he looked at Alice。 〃We'll let them see if
they can find us;〃 he said; and smiled。
Alice said nothing at first; she smiled too。 〃You know more about the
woods than I do。 I suppose if they keep looking〃
〃Oh yes。〃 He came toward her with a mass of clusters which he had
clipped。 〃How fast you do them!〃 he said; standing and looking down at
her。 〃I wish you'd let me come and make up the withes for you when you
need them。〃
〃No; I couldn't allow that on any account;〃 she answered; twisting some
stems of the grass together。
〃Well; will you let me hold the bunches while you tie them; or tie them
when you hold them?〃
〃No。〃
〃This once; then?〃
〃This once; perhaps。〃
〃How little you let me do for you!〃 he sighed。
〃That gives you a chance to do more for other people;〃 she answered; and
then she dropped her eyes; as if she had been surprised into that answer。
She made haste to add: 〃That's what makes you so popular witheverybody!〃
〃Ah; but I'd rather be popular with somebody!〃
He laughed; and then they both laughed together consciously; and still
nothing or everything had been said。 A little silly silence followed;
and he said; for escape from it; 〃I never saw such berries before; even
in September; on the top of Ponkwasset。〃
〃Why; is it a mountain?〃 she asked。 〃I thought it was afalls。〃
〃It's both;〃 he said。
〃I suppose it's very beautiful; isn't it! All America seems so lovely;
so large。〃
〃It's pretty in the summer。 I don't know that I shall like it there in
the winter if I conclude toDid yourdid Mrs。 Pasmer tell you what my
father wants me to do?〃
〃About going there tomanufacture?〃
Mavering nodded。 〃He's given me three weeks to decide whether I would
like to do that or go in for law。 That's what I came up here for。〃
There was a little pause。 She bent her head down over the clusters she
was grouping。 〃Is the light of Campobello particularly good on such
questions?〃 she asked。
〃I don't mean that exactly; but I wish you could help me to some
conclusion。〃
〃Yes; why not?〃
〃It's the first time I've ever had a business question referred to me。〃
Well; then; you can bring a perfectly fresh mind to it。〃
〃Let me see;〃 she said; affecting to consider。 〃It's really a very
important matter?〃
〃It is to me。〃
After a moment she looked up at him。 〃I should think that you wouldn't
mind living there if your business was there。 I suppose it's being idle
in places that makes them dull。 I thought it was dull in London。 One
ought to be gladoughtn't he?to live in any place where there's
something to do。〃
〃Well; that isn't the way people usually feel;〃 said Mavering。 〃That's
the kind of a place most of them fight shy of。〃
Alice laughed with an undercurrent of protest; perhaps because she had
seen her parents' whole life; so far as she knew it; passed in this sort
of struggle。 〃I mean that I hate my own life because there seems nothing
for me to do with it。 I like to have people do something。〃
〃Do you really?〃 asked Mavering soberly; as if struck by the novelty of
the idea。
〃Yes!〃 she said; with exaltation。 〃If I were a man〃
He burst into a ringing laugh。 〃Oh no; don't!〃
〃Why?〃 she demanded; with provisional indignation。
〃Because then there wouldn't be any Miss Pasmer。〃
It seemed to Alice that this joking was rather an unwarranted liberty。
Again she could not help joining in his light…heartedness; but she
checked herself so abruptly; and put on a look so austere; that he was
quelled by it。
〃I mean;〃 he began〃that is to sayI mean that I don't understand why
ladies are always saying that。 I am sure they can do what they like; as
it is。〃
〃Do you mean that everything is open to them now?〃 she asked;
disentangling a cluster of the berries from those in her lap; and
beginning a fresh bunch。
〃Yes;〃 said Mavering。 〃Something like thatyes。 They can do anything
they like。 Lots of them do。〃
〃Oh yes; I know;〃 said the girl。 〃But people don't like them to。〃
〃Why; what would you like to be?〃 he asked。
She did not answer; but sorted over the clusters in her lap。 〃We've got
enough now; haven't we?〃 she said。
〃Oh; not half;〃 he said。 〃But if you're tired you must let me make up
some of the bunches。〃
〃No; no! I want to do them all myself;〃 she said; gesturing his offered
hands away; with a little nether appeal in her laughing refusal
〃So as to feel that you've been of some use in the world?〃 he said;
dropping contentedly on the ground near her; and watching her industry。
〃Do you think that would be very wrong?〃 she asked。 〃What made that
friend of yoursMr。 Boardmango into journalism?〃
〃Oh; virtuous poverty。 You're not thinking of becoming a newspaper
woman; Miss Pasmer!〃
〃Why not?〃 She put the final cluster into the bunch in hand; and began
to wind a withe of sweet…grass around the stems。 He dropped forward on
his knees to help her; and together they managed the knot。 They were
both flushed a little when it was tied; and were serious。
〃Why shouldn't one be a newspaper woman; if Harvard graduates are to be
journalists?〃
〃Well; you know; only a certain kind are。〃
〃What kind?〃
〃Well; not exactly what you'd call the gentlemanly sort。〃
〃I thought Mr。 Boardman was a great friend of yours?〃
〃He is。 He is