april hopes-第2节

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a　girl's　life　in　America　was　one　long　triumph；　but　they　say　now　that
girls　have　more　attention　in　London　even　than　in　Cambridge。　　One　hears
such　dreadful　things！〃

〃Like　what？〃　asked　Mr。　Mavering；　with　the　unserious　interest　which　Mrs。
Primer　made　most　people　feel　in　her　talk。

〃Oh；　it's　too　vast　a　subject。　　But　they　tell　you　about　charming　girls
moping　the　whole　evening　through　at　Boston　parties；　with　no　young　men　to
talk　with；　and　sitting　from　the　beginning　to　the　end　of　an　assembly　and
not　going　on　the　floor　once。　　They　say　that　unless　a　girl　fairly　throws
herself　at　the　young　men's　heads　she　isn't　noticed。　　It's　this　terrible
disproportion　of　the　sexes　that's　at　the　root　of　it；　I　suppose；　it
reverses　everything。　　There　aren't　enough　young　men　to　go　half　round；　and
they　know　it；　and　take　advantage　of　it。　　I　suppose　it　began　in　the　war。〃

He　laughed；　and；　〃I　should　think；〃　he　said；　laying　hold　of　a　single　idea
out　of　several　which　she　had　presented；　〃that　there　would　always　be
enough　young　men　in　Cambridge　to　go　round。〃

Mrs。　Pasmer　gave　a　little　cry。　　〃In　Cambridge！〃

〃Yes；　when　I　was　in　college　our　superiority　was　entirely　numerical。〃

〃But　that's　all　passed　long　ago；　from　what　I　hear；〃　retorted　Mrs。　Pasmer。
〃I　know　very　well　that　it　used　to　be　thought　a　great　advantage　for　a　girl
to　be　brought　up　in　Cambridge；　because　it　gave　her　independence　and　ease
of　manner　to　have　so　many　young　men　attentive　to　her。　　But　they　say　the
students　all　go　into　Boston　now；　and　if　the　Cambridge　girls　want　to　meet
them；　they　have　to　go　there　too。　　Oh；　I　assure　you　that；　from　what　I
hear；　they've　changed　all　that　since　our　time；　Mr。　Mavering。〃

Mrs。　Pasmer　was　certainly　letting　herself　go　a　little　more　than　she　would
have　approved　of　in　another。　　The　result　was　apparent　in　the　jocosity　of
this　heavy　Mr。　Mavering's　reply。

〃Well；　then；　I'm　glad　that　I　was　of　our　time；　and　not　of　this　wicked
generation。　　But　I　presume　that　unnatural　supremacy　of　the　young　men　is
brought　low；　so　to　speak；　after　marriage？〃

Mrs。　Primer　let　herself　go　a　little　further。　　〃Oh；　give　us　an　equal
chance；〃　she　laughed；　〃and　we　can　always　take　care　of　ourselves；　and
something　more。　　They　say；〃　she　added；　〃that　the　young　married　women　now
have　all　the　attention　that　girls　could　wish。〃

〃H'm！〃　said　Mr。　Mavering；　frowning。　　〃I　think　I　should　be　tempted　to　box
my　boy's　ears　if　I　saw　him　paying　another　man's　wife　attention。〃

〃What　a　Roman　father！〃　cried　Mrs。　Pasmer；　greatly　amused；　and　letting
herself　go　a　little　further　yet。　　She　said　to　herself　that　she　really
must　find　out　who　this　remarkable　Mr。　Mavering　was；　and　she　cast　her　eye
over　the　hall　for　some　glimpse　of　the　absent　Munt；　whose　arm　she　meant　to
take；　and　whose　ear　she　meant　to　fill　with　questions。　　But　she　did　not
see　him；　and　something　else　suggested　itself。　　〃He　probably　wouldn't　let
you　see　him；　or　if　he　did；　you　wouldn't　know　it。〃

〃How　not　know　it？〃

Mrs。　Primer　did　not　answer。　　〃One　hears　such　dreadful　things。　　What　do
you　sayor　you'll　think　I'm　a　terrible　gossip〃

〃Oh　no；〃　said　Mr：　Mavering；　impatient　for　the　dreadful　thing；　whatever　it
was。

Mrs。　Primer　resumed：　〃to　the　young　married　women　meeting　last　winter
just　after　a　lot　of　pretty　girls　had　came　out；　and　magnanimously
resolving　to　give　the　Buds　a　chance　in　society？〃

〃The　Buds？〃

〃Yes；　the　Rose…budsthe　debutantes；　it's　an　odious　little　word；　but
everybody　uses　it。　　Don't　you　think　that's　a　strange　state　of　things　for
America？　　But　I　can't　believe　all　those　things；〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer；
flinging　off　the　shadow　of　this　lurid　social　condition。　　〃Isn't　this　a
pretty　scene？〃

〃Yes；　it　is；〃　Mr。　Mavering　admitted；　withdrawing　his　mind　gradually　from
a　consideration　of　Mrs。　Pasmer's　awful　instances。　　〃Yes！〃　he　added；　in
final　self…possession。　　〃The　young　fellows　certainly　do　things　in　a　great
deal　better　style　nowadays　than　we　used　to。〃

〃Oh　yes；　indeed！　　And　all　those　pretty　girls　do　seem　to　be　having　such　a
good　time！〃

〃Yes；　they　don't　have　the　despised　and　rejected　appearance　that　you'd
like　to　have　one　believe。〃

〃Not　in　the　least！〃　Mrs。　Pasmer　readily　consented。　　〃They　look　radiantly
happy。　　It　shows　that　you　can't　trust　anything　that　people　say　to　you。〃
She　abandoned　the　ground　she　had　just　been　taking　without　apparent　shame
for　her　inconsistency。　　〃I　fancy　it's　pretty　much　as　it's　always　been：　if
a　girl　is　attractive；　the　young　men　find　it　out。〃

〃Perhaps；〃　said　Mr：　Mavering；　unbending　with　dignity；　〃the　young　married
women　have　held　another　meeting；　and　resolved　to　give　the　Buds　one　more
chance。〃

〃Oh；　there　are　some　pretty　mature　Roses　here；〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer；　laughing
evasively。　　〃But　I　suppose　Class　Day　can　never　be　taken　from　the　young
girls。〃

〃I　hope　not；〃　said　Mr。　Mavering。　　His　wandering　eye　fell　upon　some　young
men　bringing　refreshments　across　the　nave　toward　them；　and　he　was
reminded　to　ask　Mrs。　Pasmer；　〃Will　you　have　something　to　eat？〃　　He　had
himself　had　a　good　deal　to　eat；　before　he　took　up　his　position　at　the
advantageous　point　where　John　Munt　had　found　him。

〃Why；　yes；　thank　you；〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer。　　〃I　ought　to　say；　'An　ice；
please；'　but　I'm　really　hungry；　and〃

〃I'll　get　you　some　of　the　salad；〃　said　Mr。　Mavering；　with　the　increased
liking　a　man　feels　for　a　woman　when　she　owns　to　an　appetite。　　〃Sit　down
here；〃　he　added；　and　he　caught　a　vacant　chair　toward　her。　　When　he　turned
about　from　doing　so；　he　confronted　a　young　gentleman　coming　up　to　Mrs。
Pasmer　with　a　young　lady　on　his　arm；　and　making　a　very　low　bow　of
relinquishment。




II。

The　men　looked　smilingly　at　each　other　without　saying　anything；　and　the
younger　took　in　due　form　the　introduction　which　the　young　lady　gave　him。

〃My　mother；　Mr。　Mavering。〃

〃Mr。　Mavering！〃　cried　Mrs。　Pasmer；　in　a　pure　astonishment；　before　she　had
time　to　colour　it　with　a　polite　variety　of　more　conventional　emotions。
She　glanced　at　the　two　men；　and　gave　a　little　〃Oh？〃　of　inquiry　and
resignation；　and　then　said；　demurely；　〃Let　me　introduce　you　to　Mr。
Mavering；　Alice；〃　while　the　young　fellow　laughed　nervously；　and　pulled
out　his　handkerchief；　partly　to　hide　the　play　of　his　laughter；　and　partly
to　wipe　away　the　perspiration　which　a　great　deal　more　laughing　had
already　gathered　on　his　forehead。　　He　had　a　vein　that　showed　prominently
down　its　centre；　and　large；　mobile；　girlish　blue　eyes　under　good　brows；
an　arched　nose；　and　rather　a　long　face　and　narrow　chin。　　He　had　beautiful
white　teeth；　as　he　laughed　these　were　seen　set　in　a　jaw　that　contracted
very　much　toward　the　front。　　He　was　tall　and　slim；　and　he　wore　with
elegance　the　evening　dress　which　Class　Day　custom　prescribes　for　the
Seniors；　in　his　button…hole　he　had　a　club　button。

〃I　shall　not　have　to　ask　an　introduction　to　Mr。　Mavering；　and　you've
robbed　me　of　the　pleasure　of　giving　him　one　to　you；　Mrs。　Pasmer；〃　he
said。

She　heard　the　young　man　in　the　course　of　a　swift　review　of　what　she　had
said　to　his　father；　and　with　a　formless　resentment　of　the　father's　not
having　told　her　he　had　a　son　there；　but　she　answered　with　the　flattering
sympathy　she　had　the　use　of；　〃Oh；　but　you　won't　miss　one　pleasure　out　of
so　many　to…day；　Mr。　Mavering；　and　think　of　the　little　dramatic　surprise！〃

〃Oh；　perfect；〃　he　said；　with　another　laugh。　　〃I　told　Miss　Pasmer　as　we
came　up。〃

〃Oh；　then　you　were　in　the　surprise；　Alice！〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer；　searching
her　daughter's　eyes　for　confession　or　denial　of　this　little　community　of
interest。　　The　girl　smiled　slightly　upon　the　young　man；　but　not
disapprovingly；　and　made　no　other　answer　to　her　mother；　who　went　on：
〃Where　in　the　world　have　you　been？　　Did　Mr。　Munt　find　you？　　Who　told　you
where　I　was？　　Did　you　see　me？　　How　did　you　know　I　was　here？　　Was　there
ever　anything　so　droll？〃　　She　did　not　mean　her　questions　to　be　answered；
or　at　least　not　then；　for；　while　her　daughter　continued　to　smile　rather
more　absently；　and　young　Mavering　broke　out　continuously　in　his　nervous
laugh；　and　his　father　stood　regarding　him　with　visible　satisfaction；　she
hummed　on；　turning　to　the　young　man：　〃But　I'm　quite　appalled　at　Alice's
having　monopolised　even　for　a　few　minutes　a　whole　Seniorand　probably　an
official　Senior　at　that；〃　she　said；　with　a　glance　at　the　pink　and　white
club　button　in　his　coat　lapel；　〃and　I　can't　let　you　stay　another　instant；
Mr。　Mavering。　　I　know　very　well　how　many　demands　you　have　upon　you　and
you　must　go　back　directly　to　your　sisters　and　your　cousins　and　your
aunts；　and　all　the　rest　of　them；　you　must　indeed。〃

〃Oh　no！　　Don't　drive　me　away；　Mrs。　Pasmer；〃　pleaded　the　young　man；
laughing　violently；　and　then　wiping　his　face。　　〃I　assure　you　that　I've　no
encumbrances　of　any　kind　here　except　my　father；　and　he　seems　to　have　been
taking　very　good　care　of　himself。〃　　They　all　laughed　at　this；　and　the
young　fellow　hurried　on：　〃Don't　be　alarmed　at　my　button；　it　only　means　a
love　of　personal　decoration；　if　that's　where　you　got　the　notion　of　my
being　an　official　Senior。　　This　isn't　my　spread；　I　shall　hope　to　welcome
you　at　Beck　Hall　after　the　Tree；　and　I　wish　you'd　let　me　be　of　use　to
you。　　Wouldn't　you　like　to　go　round　to　some　of　the　smaller　spreads？　　I
think　it　would　amuse　you。　　And　have　y