april hopes-第21节

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you'll　please　step　out　of　the　way；　Mr。　Mavering；〃　she　said　severely；　〃I
shall　not　need　anybody's　help　just　here。〃

He　instantly　moved　aside；　and　they　were　both　silent；　till　she　said；　as
she　quickened　her　pace　to　overtake　the　others　in　front；　〃I　don't　see　how
you　can　help　liking　nature　in　such　a　place　as　this。〃

〃I　can'thuman　nature；〃　he　said。　　It　was　mere　folly；　and　an　abstract
folly　at　that；　but　the　face　that　she　held　down　and　away　from　him　flushed
with　sweet　consciousness　as　she　laughed。

On　the　cliff　beetling　above　the　bay；　where　she　sat　to　look　out　over　the
sad　northern　sea；　lit　with　the　fishing　sail　they　had　seen　before；　and　the
surge　washed　into　the　rocky　coves　far　beneath　them；　he　threw　himself　at
her　feet；　and　made　her　alone　in　the　company　that　came　and　went　and　tried
this　view　and　that　from　the　different　points　where　the　picnic　hostess
insisted　they　should　enjoy　it。　　She　left　the　young　couple　to　themselves；
and　Mrs。　Pasmer　seemed　to　have　forgotten　that　she　had　bidden　Alice　to　be
a　little　more　with　her。

Alice　had　forgotten　it　too。　　She　sat　listening　to　Mavering's　talk　with　a
certain　fascination；　but　not　so　much　apparently　because　the　meaning　of
the　words　pleased　her　as　the　sound　of　his　voice；　the　motion　of　his　lips
in　speaking；　charmed　her。　　At　first　he　was　serious；　and　even　melancholy；
as　if　he　were　afraid　he　had　offended　her；　but　apparently　he　soon　believed
that　he　had　been　forgiven；　and　began　to　burlesque　his　own　mood；　but　still
with　a　deference　and　a　watchful　observance　of　her　changes　of　feeling
which　was　delicately　flattering　in　its　way。　　Now　and　then　when　she
answered　something　it　was　not　always　to　the　purpose；　he　accused　her　of
not　hearing　what　he　said；　but　she　would　have　it　that　she　did；　and　then　he
tried　to　test　her　by　proofs　and　questions。　　It　did　not　matter　for
anything　that　was　spoken　or　done；　speech　and　action　of　whatever　sort　were
mere　masks　of　their　young　joy　in　each　other；　so　that　when　he　said；　after
he　had　quoted　some　lines　befitting　the　scene　they　looked　out　on；　〃Now　was
that　from　Tennyson　or　from　Tupper？〃　and　she　answered；　〃Neither；　it　was
from　Shakespeare；〃　they　joined；　in　the　same　happy　laugh；　and　they　laughed
now　and　then　without　saying　anything。　　Neither　this　nor　that　made　them
more　glad　or　less；　they　were　in　a　trance；　vulnerable　to　nothing　but　the
summons　which　must　come　to　leave　their　dream　behind；　and　issue　into　the
waking　world。

In　hope　or　in　experience　such　a　moment　has　come　to　all；　and　it　is　so
pretty　to　those　who　recognise　it　from　the　outside　that　no　one　has　the
heart　to　hurry　it　away　while　it　can　be　helped。　　The　affair　between　Alice
and　Mavering　had　evidently　her　mother's　sanction；　and　all　the　rest　were
eager　to　help　it　on。　　When　the　party　had　started　to　return；　they　called
to　them；　and　let　them　come　behind　together。　　At　the　carriages　they　had
what　Miss　Anderson　called　a　new　deal；　and　Alice　and　Mavering　found
themselves　together　in　the　rear　seat　of　the　last。

The　fog　began　to　come　in　from　the　sea；　and　followed　them　through　the
woods。　　When　they　emerged　upon　the　highway　it　wrapped　them　densely　round；
and　formed　a　little　world；　cosy；　intimate；　where　they　two　dwelt　alone
with　these　friends　of　theirs；　each　of　whom　they　praised　for　delightful
qualities。　　The　horses　beat　along　through　the　mist；　in　which　there　seemed
no　progress；　and　they　lived　in　a　blissful　arrest　of　time。　　Miss　Anderson
called　back　from　the　front　seat；　〃My　ear　buyns；　you're　talkin'　about　me。〃

〃Which　ear？〃　cried　Mavering。

〃Oh；　the　left；　of　couyse。〃

〃Then　it's　merely　habit；　Julie。　　You　ought　to　have　heard　the　nice　things
we　were　saying　about　you；〃　Alice　called。

〃I'd　like　to　hear　all　the　nice　things　you've　been　saying。〃

This　seemed　the　last　effect　of　subtle　wit。　　Mavering　broke　out　in　his
laugh；　and　Alice's　laugh　rang　above　it。

Mrs。　Pasmer　looked　involuntarily　round　from　the　carriage　ahead。

〃They　seem　to　be　having　a　good　time；〃　said　Mrs。　Brinkley　at　her　side。

〃Yes；　I　hope　Alice　isn't　overdoing。〃

〃I'm　afraid　you're　dreadfully　tired；〃　said　Mavering　to　the　girl；　in　a　low
voice；　as　he　lifted　her　from　her　place　when　they　reached　the　hotel
through　the　provisional　darkness；　and　found　that　after　all　it　was　only
dinner…time。

〃Oh　no。　　I　feel　as　if　the　picnic　were　just　beginning。〃

〃Then　you　will　come　to…night？〃

〃I　will　see　what　mamma　says。〃

〃Shall　I　ask　her？〃

〃Oh；　perhaps　not；〃　said　the　girl；　repressing　his　ardour；　but　not
severely。




XVIII。

They　were　going　to　have　some　theatricals　at　one　of　the　cottages；　and　the
lady　at　whose　house　they　were　to　be　given　made　haste　to　invite　all　the
picnic　party　before　it　dispersed。　　Mrs。　Pasmer　accepted　with　a　mental
reservation；　meaning　to　send　an　excuse　later　if　she　chose；　and　before　she
decided　the　point　she　kept　her　husband　from　going　after　dinner　into　the
reading…room；　where　he　spent　nearly　all　his　time　over　a　paper　and　a
cigar；　or　in　sitting　absolutely　silent　and　unoccupied；　and　made　him　go　to
their　own　room　with　her。

〃There　is　something　that　I　must　speak　to　you　about；〃　she　said；　closing
the　door；　〃and　you　must　decide　for　yourself　whether　you　wish　to　let　it　go
any　further。〃

〃What　go　any　further？〃　asked　Mr。　Pasmer；　sitting　down　and　putting　his
hand　to　the　pocket　that　held　his　cigar…case　with　the　same　series　of
motions。

〃No；　don't　smoke；〃　she　said；　staying　his　hand　impatiently。　　〃I　want　you
to　think。〃

〃How　can　I　think　if　I　don't　smoke？〃

〃Very　well；　smoke；　then。　　Do　you　want　this　affair　with　young　Mavering　to
go　any　farther？〃

〃Oh！〃　said　Pasmer；　〃I　thought　you　had　been　looking　after　that。〃　　He　had
in　fact　relegated　that　to　the　company　of　the　great　questions　exterior　to
his　personal　comfort　which　she　always　decided。

〃I　have　been　looking　after　it；　but　now　the　time　has　come　when　you　must；
as　a　father；　take　some　interest　in　it。〃

Pasmer's　noble　mask　of　a　face；　from　the　point　of　his　full　white　beard　to
his　fine　forehead；　crossed　by　his　impressive　black　eyebrows；　expressed
all　the　dignified　concern　which　a　father　ought　to　feel　in　such　an　affair；
but　what　he　was　really　feeling　was　a　grave　reluctance　to　have　to
intervene　in　any　way。　　〃What　do　you　want　me　to　say　to　him？〃　he　asked。

〃Why；　I　don't　know　that　he's　going　to　ask　you　anything。　　I　don't　know
whether　he's　said　anything　to　Alice　yet；〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer；　with　some
exasperation。

Her　husband　was　silent；　but　his　silence　insinuated　a　degree　of　wonder
that　she　should　approach　him　prematurely　on　such　a　point。

〃They　have　been　thrown　together　all　day；　and　there　is　no　use　to　conceal
from　ourselves　that　they　are　very　much　taken　with　each　other？〃

〃I　thought；〃　Pasmer　said；　〃that　you　said　that　from　the　beginning。　　Didn't
you　want　them　to　be　taken　with　each　other？〃

〃That　is　what　you　are　to　decide。〃

Pasmer　silently　refused　to　assume　the　responsibility。

〃Well？〃　demanded　his　wife；　after　waiting　for　him　to　speak。

〃Well　what？〃

〃What　do　you　decide？〃

〃What　is　the　use　of　deciding　a　thing　when　it　is　all　over？〃

〃It　isn't　over　at　all。　　It　can　be　broken　off　at　any　moment。〃

〃Well；　break　it　off；　then；　if　you　like。〃

Mrs。　Pasmer　resumed　the　responsibility　with　a　sigh。　　She　felt　the　burden；
the　penalty；　of　power；　after　having　so　long　enjoyed　its　sweets；　and　she
would　willingly　have　abdicated　the　sovereignty　which　she　had　spent　her
whole　married　life　in　establishing。　　But　there　was　no　one　to　take　it　up。
〃No；　I　shall　not　break　it　off；〃　she　said　resentfully；　〃I　shall　let　it　go
on。〃　　Then　seeing　that　her　husband　was　not　shaken　by　her　threat　from　his
long…confirmed　subjection；　she　added：　〃It　isn't　an　ideal　affair；　but　I
think　it　will　be　a　very　good　thing　for　Alice。　　He　is　not　what　I　expected；
but　he　is　thoroughly　nice；　and　I　should　think　his　family　was　nice。　　I've
been　talking　with　Mr。　Munt　about　them　to…day；　and　he　confirms　all　that
Etta　Saintsbury　said。　　I　don't　think　there　can　be　any　doubt　of　his
intentions　in　coming　here。　　He　isn't　a　particularly　artless　young　man；
but　he's　been　sufficiently　frank　about　Alice　since　he's　been　here。〃　　Her
husband　smoked　on。　　〃His　father　seems　to　have　taken　up　the　business　from
the　artistic　side；　and　Mr。　Mavering　won't　be　expected　to　enter　into　the
commercial　part　at　once。　　If　it　wasn't　for　Alice；　I　don't　believe　he
would　think　of　the　business　for　a　moment；　he　would　study　law。　　Of　course
it's　a　little　embarrassing　to　have　her　engaged　at　once　before　she's　seen
anything　of　society　here；　but　perhaps　it's　all　for　the　best；　after　all：
the　main　thing　is　that　she　should　be　satisfied；　and　I　can　see　that　she's
only　too　much　so。　　Yes；　she's　very　much　taken　with　him；　and　I　don't
wonder。　　He　is　charming。〃

It　was　not　the　first　time　that　Mrs。　Pasmer　had　reasoned　in　this　round；
but　the　utterance　of　her　thoughts　seemed　to　throw　a　new　light　on　them；
and　she　took　a　courage　from　them　that　they　did　not　always　impart。　　She
arrived　at　the　final　opinion　expressed；　with　a　throb　of　tenderness　for
the　young　fellow　whom　she　believed　eager　to　take　her　daughter　from　her；
and　now　for　the　first　time　she　experienced　a　desolation　in　the　prospect；
as　if　it　were　an　accomplished　fact。　　She　was　morally　a　bundle　of
finesses；　but　at　the　bottom　of　her　heart　her　daughter　was　all　the