april hopes-第24节

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thing　in　her　presence。〃

〃Oh；　perhaps　it's　that　that　pleases　her　in　him。　　They　say　we're　always
taken　with　opposites。〃

〃Yesdo　you　think　so？〃　asked　Miss　Cotton。

The　curtains　were　flung　apart；　and　the　Judgment　of　Paris　followed　rather
tamely　upon　what　had　gone　before；　though　the　two　young　fellows　who　did
Juno　and　Minerva　were　very　amusing；　and　the　dialogue　was　full　of　hits。
Some　of　the　audience；　an　appreciative　minority；　were　of　opinion　that
Mavering　and　Miss　Anderson　surpassed　themselves　in　it；　she　promised　him
the　most　beautiful　and　cultured　wife　in　Greece。　　〃That　settles　it；〃　he
answered。　　They　came　out　arm　in　arm；　and　Paris；　having　put　on　a　striped
tennis　coat　over　his　short…sleeved　Greek　tunic；　moved　round　among　the
company　for　their　congratulations；　Venus　ostentatiously　showing　the　apple
she　had　won。

〃I　can　haydly　keep　from　eating　it；〃　she　explained　to　Alice；　before　whom
she　dropped　Mavering's　arm。　　〃I'm　awfully　hungry。　　It's　hayd　woyk。〃

Alice　stood　with　her　head　drawn　back；　looking　at　the　excited　girl　with　a
smile；　in　which　seemed　to　hover　somewhere　a　latent　bitterness。

Mavering；　with　a　flushed　face　and　a　flying　tongue；　was　exchanging　sallies
with　her　mother；　who　smothered　him　in　flatteries。

Mrs。　Trevor　came　toward　the　group；　and　announced　supper。　　〃Mr。　Paris；
will　you　take　Miss　Aphrodite　out？〃

Miss　Anderson　swept　a　low　bow　of　renunciation；　and　tacitly　relinquished
Mavering　to　Alice。

〃Oh；　no；　no！〃　said　Alice；　shrinking　back　from　him；　with　an
intensification　of　her　uncertain　smile。　　〃A　mere　mortal？〃

〃Oh；　how　very　good！〃　said　Mrs。　Trevor。

There　began　to　be；　without　any　one's　intending　it；　that　sort　of　tacit
misunderstanding　which　is　all　the　worse　because　it　can　only　follow　upon　a
tacit　understanding　like　that　which　had　established　itself　between　Alice
and　Mavering。　　They　laughed　and　joked　together　gaily　about　all　that　went
on；　they　were　perfectly　good　friends；　he　saw　that　she　and　her　mother　were
promptly　served；　he　brought　them　salad　and　ice…cream　and　coffee　himself；
only　waiting　officially　upon　Miss　Anderson　first；　and　Alice　thanked　him；
with　the　politest　deprecation　of　his　devotion；　but　if　their　eyes　met；　it
was　defensively；　and　the　security　between　them　was　gone。　　Mavering
vaguely　felt　the　loss；　without　knowing　how　to　retrieve　it；　and　it　made
him　go　on　more　desperately　with　Miss　Anderson。　　He　laughed　and　joked
recklessly；　and　Alice　began　to　mark　a　more　explicit　displeasure　with　her。
She　made　her　mother　go　rather　early。

On　her　part；　Miss　Anderson　seemed　to　find　reason　for　resentment　in
Alice's　bearing　toward　her。　　As　if　she　had　said　to　herself　that　her　frank
loyalty　had　been　thrown　away　upon　a　cold　and　unresponsive　nature；　and
that　her　harmless　follies　in　the　play　had　been　met　with　unjust
suspicions；　she　began　to　make　reprisals；　she　began　in　dead　earnest　to
flirt　with　Mavering。　　Before　the　evening　passed　she　had　made　him　seem
taken　with　her；　but　how　justly　she　had　done　this；　and　with　how　much　fault
of　his；　no　one　could　have　said。　　There　were　some　who　did　not　notice　it　at
all；　but　these　were　not　people　who　knew　Mavering；　or　knew　Alice　very
well。




XX。

The　next　morning　Alice　was　walking　slowly　along　the　road　toward　the
fishing　village；　when　she　heard　rapid；　plunging　strides　down　the　wooded
hillside　on　her　right。　　She　knew　them　for　Mavering's；　and　she　did　not
affect　surprise　when　he　made　a　final　leap　into　the　road；　and　shortened
his　pace　beside　her。

〃May　I　join　you；　Miss　Pasmer？〃

〃I　am　only　going　down　to　the　herring…houses；〃　she　began。

〃And　you'll　let　me　go　with　you？〃　said　the　young　fellow。　　〃The　fact　is
you're　always　so　frank　that　you　make　everything　else　seem　sillyI've
been　waiting　up　there　in　the　woods　for　you　to　come　by。　　Mrs。　Pasmer　told
me　you　had　started　this　way；　and　I　cut　across　lots　to　overtake　you；　and
then；　when　you　came　in　sight；　I　had　to　let　you　pass　before　I　could　screw
my　courage　up　to　the　point　of　running　after　you。　　How　is　that　for　open…
mindedness？〃

〃It's　a　very　good　beginning；　I　should　think。〃

〃Well；　don't　you　think　you　ought　to　say　now　that　you're　sorry　you　were　so
formidable？〃

〃Am　I　so　formidable？〃　she　asked；　and　then　recognised　that　she　had　been
trapped　into　a　leading　question。

〃You　are　to　me。　　Because　I　would　like　always　to　be　sure　that　I　had
pleased　you；　and　for　the　last　twelve　hours　I've　only　been　able　to　make
sure　that　I　hadn't。　　That's　the　consolation　I'm　going　away　with。　　I
thought　I'd　get　you　to　confirm　my　impression　explicitly。　　That's　why　I
wished　to　join　you。〃

〃Are　youwere　you　going　away？〃

〃I'm　going　by　the　next　boat。　　What's　the　use　of　staying？　　I　should　only
make　bad　worse。　　Yesterday　I　hoped　　But　last　night　spoiled　everything。
〃Miss　Pasmer；〃　he　broke　out；　with　a　rush　of　feeling；　〃you　must　know　why　I
came　up　here　to　Campobello。〃

His　steps　took　him　a　little　ahead　of　her；　and　he　could　look　back　into　her
face　as　he　spoke。　　But　apparently　he　saw　nothing　in　it　to　give　him
courage　to　go　on；　for　he　stopped；　and　then　continued；　lightly：　〃And　I'm
going　away　because　I　feel　that　I've　made　a　failure　of　the　expedition。　　I
knew　that　you　were　supremely　disgusted　with　me　last　night；　but　it　will　be
a　sort　of　comfort　if　you'll　tell　me　so。〃

〃Oh；〃　said　Alice；　〃everybody　thought　it　was　very　brilliant；　I'm　sure。〃

〃And　you　thought　it　was　a　piece　of　buffoonery。　　Well；　it　was。　　I　wish
you'd　say　so；　Miss　Pasmer；　though　I　didn't　mean　the　playing　entirely。　　It
would　be　something　to　start　from；　and　I　want　to　make　a　beginningturn
over　a　new　leaf。　　Can't　you　help　me　to　inscribe　a　good　resolution　of　the
most　iron…clad　description　on　the　stainless　page？　　I've　lain　awake　all
night　composing　one。　　Wouldn't　you　like　to　hear　it？〃

〃I　can't　see　what　good　that　would　do；〃　she　said；　with　some　relenting
toward　a　smile；　in　which　he　instantly　prepared　himself　to　bask。

〃But　you　will　when　I've　done　it。　　Now　listen！〃

〃Please　don't　go　on。〃　　She　cut　him　short　with　a　return　to　her　severity；
which　he　would　not　recognise。

〃Well；　perhaps　I'd　better　not；〃　he　consented。　　〃It's　rather　a　long
resolution；　and　I　don't　know　that　I've　committed　it　perfectly　yet。　　But　I
do　assure　you　that　if　you　were　disgusted　last　night；　you　were　not　the
only　one。　　I　was　immensely　disgusted　myself；　and　why　I　wanted　you　to　tell
me　so；　was　because　when　I　have　a　strong　pressure　brought　to　bear　I　can
brace　up；　and　do　almost　anything；〃　he　said；　dropping　into　earnest。　　Then
he　rose　lightly　again；　and　added；　〃You　have　no　idea　how　unpleasant　it　is
to　lie　awake　all　night　throwing　dust　in　the　eyes　of　an　accusing
conscience。〃

〃It　must　have　been；　if　you　didn't　succeed；〃　said　Alice　drily。

〃Yes；　that's　itthat's　just　the　point。　　If　I'd　succeeded；　I　should　be
all　right；　don't　you　see。　　But　it　was　a　difficult　case。〃　　She　turned　her
face　away；　but　he　saw　the　smile　on　her　cheek；　and　he　laughed　as　if　this
were　what　he　had　been　trying　to　make　her　do。　　〃I　got　beaten。　　I　had　to
give　up；　and　own　it。　　I　had　to　say　that　I　had　thrown　my　chance　away；
and　I　had　better　take　myself　off。〃　　He　looked　at　her　with　a　real　anxiety
in　his　gay　eyes。

〃The　boat　goes　just　after　lunch；　I　believe；〃　she　said　indifferently。

〃Oh　yes；　I　shall　have　time　to　get　lunch　before　I　go；〃　he　said；　with
bitterness。　　〃But　lunch　isn't　the　only　thing；　it　isn't　even　the　main
thing；　Miss　Pasmer。〃

〃No？〃　　She　hardened　her　heart。

He　waited　for　her　to　say　something　more；　and　then　he　went　on。　　〃The
question　is　whether　there's　time　to　undo　last　night；　abolish　it；　erase　it
from　the　calendar　of　recorded　timesponge　it　out；　in　shortand　get　back
to　yesterday　afternoon。〃　　She　made　no　reply　to　this。　　〃Don't　you　think　it
was　a　very　pleasant　picnic；　Miss　Pasmer？〃　he　asked；　with　pensive
respectfulness。

〃Very；〃　she　answered　drily。

He　cast　a　glance　at　the　woods　that　bordered　the　road　on　either　side。
〃That　weird　forestI　shall　never　forget　it。〃

〃No；　it　was　something　to　remember；〃　she　said。

〃And　the　blueberry　patch？　　We　mustn't　forget　the　blueberry　patch。〃

〃There　were　a　great　many　blueberries。〃

She　walked　on；　and　he　said；　〃And　that　bridgeyou　don't　have　that　feeling
of　having　been　here　before？〃

〃No。〃

〃Am　I　walking　too　fast　for　you；　Miss　Pasmer？〃

〃No；　I　like　to　walk　fast。〃

〃But　wouldn't　you　like　to　sit　down？　　On　this　wayside　log；　for　example？〃
He　pointed　it　out　with　his　stick。　　〃It　seems　to　invite　repose；　and　I　know
you　must　be　tired。〃

〃I'm　not　tired。〃

〃Ah；　that　shows　that　you　didn't　lie　awake　grieving　over　your　follies　all
night。　　I　hope　you　rested　well；　Miss　Pasmer。〃　　She　said　nothing。　　〃If　I
thoughtif　I　could　hope　that　you　hadn't；　it　would　be　a　bond　of　sympathy；
and　I　would　give　almost　anything　for　a　bond　of　sympathy　just　now；　Miss
Pasmer。　　Alice！〃　he　said；　with　sudden　seriousness。　　〃I　know　that　I'm　not
worthy　even　to　think　of　you；　and　that　you're　whole　worlds　above　me　in
every　way。　　It's　that　that　takes　all　heart　out　of　me；　and　leaves　me
without　a　word　to　say　when　I'd　like　to　say　so　much。　　I　would　like　to
speaktell　you〃

She　interrupted　him。　　〃I　wish　to　speak　to　you；　Mr。　Mavering；　and　tell　you
thatI'm　very　tired；　and　I'm　going　back　to　the　hotel。　　I　must　ask　you　to
let　me　go　back　alone。〃

〃Alice；　I　love　you。〃