april hopes-第3节

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you。　　Wouldn't　you　like　to　go　round　to　some　of　the　smaller　spreads？　　I
think　it　would　amuse　you。　　And　have　you　got　tickets　to　the　Tree；　to　see
us　make　fools　of　ourselves？　　It's　worth　seeing；　Mrs。　Pasmer；　I　assure
you。〃

He　rattled　on　very　rapidly　but　with　such　a　frankness　in　his　urgency；　such
amiable　kindliness；　that　Mrs。　Pasmer　could　not　feel　that　it　was　pushing。
She　looked　at　her　daughter；　but　she　stood　as　passive　in　the　transaction
as　the　elder　Mavering。　　She　was　taller　than　her　mother；　and　as　she
waited；　her　supple　figure　described　that　fine　lateral　curve　which　one
sees　in　some　Louis　Quinze　portraits；　this　effect　was　enhanced　by　the
fashion　of　her　dress　of　pale　sage　green；　with　a　wide　stripe　or　sash　of
white　dropping　down　the　front；　from　her　delicate　waist。　　The　same　simple
combination　of　colours　was　carried　up　into　her　hat；　which　surmounted
darker　hair　than　Mrs。　Pasmer's；　and　a　complexion　of　wholesome　pallor；　her
eyes　were　grey　and　grave；　with　black　brows；　and　her　face；　which　was
rather　narrow；　had　a　pleasing　irregularity　in　the　sharp　jut　of　the　nose；
in　profile　the　parting　of　the　red　lips　showed　well　back　into　the　cheek；

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer；　in　her　own　behalf；　and　she　added　in
his；　〃about　letting　you　take　so　much　trouble；〃　so　smoothly　that　it　would
have　been　quite　impossible　to　detect　the　point　of　union　in　the　two
utterances。

〃Well；　don't　call　it　names；　anyway；　Mrs。　Pasmer；〃　pleaded　the　young　man。
〃I　thought　it　was　nothing　but　a　pleasure　and　a　privilege〃

〃The　fact　is；〃　she　explained；　neither　consenting　nor　refusing；　〃that　we
were　expecting　to　meet　some　friends　who　had　tickets　for　us〃young
Mavering's　face　fell〃　and　I　can't　imagine　what's　happened。〃

〃Oh；　let's　hope　something　dreadful；〃　he　cried。

Perhaps　you　know　them；〃　she　delayed　further。　　〃Professor　Saintsbury！〃

〃Well；　rather！　　Why；　they　were　here　about　an　hour　agoboth　of　them。
They　must　have　been　looking　for　you。〃

〃Yes；　we　were　to　meet　them　here。　　We　waited　to　come　out　with　other
friends；　and　I　was　afraid　we　were　late。〃　　Mrs。　Pasmer's　face　expressed　a
tempered　disappointment；　and　she　looked　at　her　daughter　for　indications
of　her　wishes　in　the　circumstances；　seeing　in　her　eye　a　willingness　to
accept　young　Mavering's　invitation；　she　hesitated　more　decidedly　than　she
had　yet　done；　for　she　was；　other　things　being　equal；　quite　willing　to
accept　it　herself。　　But　other　things　were　not　equal；　and　the　whole
situation　was　very　odd。　　All　that　she　knew　of　Mr。　Mavering　the　elder　was
that　he　was　the　old　friend　of　John　Munt；　and　she　knew　far　too　little　of
John　Munt；　except　that　he　seemed　to　go　everywhere；　and　to　be　welcome；　not
to　feel　that　his　introduction　was　hardly　a　warrant　for　what　looked　like
an　impending　intimacy。　　She　did　not　dislike　Mr。　Mavering；　he　was
evidently　a　country　person　of　great　self…respect；　and　no　doubt　of　entire
respectability。　　He　seemed　very　intelligent；　too。　　He　was　a　Harvard　man；
he　had　rather　a　cultivated　manner；　or　else　naturally　a　clever　way　of
saying　things。　　But　all　that　was　really　nothing；　if　she　knew　no　more
about　him；　and　she　certainly　did　not。　　If　she　could　only　have　asked　her
daughter　who　it　was　that　presented　young　Mavering　to　her；　that　might　have
formed　some　clew；　but　there　was　no　earthly　chance　of　asking　this；　and；
besides；　it　was　probably　one　of　those　haphazard　introductions　that　people
give　on　such　occasions。　　Young　Mavering's　behaviour　gave　her　still
greater　question：　his　self…possession；　his　entire　absence　of　anxiety；
or　any　expectation　of　rebuff　or　snub；　might　be　the　ease　of　unimpeachable
social　acceptance；　or　it　might　be　merely　adventurous　effrontery；　only
something　ingenuous　and　good　in　the　young　fellow's　handsome　face　forbade
this　conclusion。　　That　his　face　was　so　handsome　was　another　of　the
complications。　　She　recalled；　in　the　dreamlike　swiftness　with　which　all
these　things　passed　through　her　mind；　what　her　friends　had　said　to　Alice
about　her　being　sure　to　meet　her　fate　on　Class　Day；　and　she　looked　at　her
again　to　see　if　she　had　met　it。

〃Well；　mamma？〃　said　the　girl；　smiling　at　her　mother's　look。

Mrs。　Pasmer　thought　she　must　have　been　keeping　young　Mavering　waiting　a
long　time　for　his　answer。　　〃Why；　of　course；　Alice。　　But　I　really　don't
know　what　to　do　about　the　Saintsburys。〃　　This　was　not　in　the　least　true；
but　it　instantly　seemed　so　to　Mrs。　Pasmer；　as　a　plausible　excuse　will
when　we　make　it。

〃Why；　I'll　tell　you　what；　Mrs。　Pasmer；〃　said　young　Mavering；　with　a
cordial　unsuspicion　that　both　won　and　reassured　her；　〃we'll　be　sure　to
find　them　at　some　of　the　spreads。　　Let　me　be　of　that　much　use；　anyway；
you　must。〃

〃We　really　oughtn't　to　let　you；〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer；　making　a　last　effort
to　cling　to　her　reluctance；　but　feeling　it　fail；　with　a　sensation　that
was　not　disagreeable。　　She　could　not　help　being　pleased　with　the　pleasure
that　she　saw　in　her　daughter's　face。

Young　Mavering's　was　radiant。　　〃I'll　be　back　in　just　half　a　minute；〃　he
said；　and　he　took　a　gay　leave　of　them　in　running　to　speak　to　another
student　at　the　opposite　end　of　the　hall。




III。

〃You　must　allow　me　to　get　you　something　to　eat　first；　Mrs。　Pasmer；〃　said
the　elder　Mavering。

〃Oh　no；　thank　you；〃　Mrs。　Pasmer　began。　　But　she　changed　her　mind　and
said；　〃Or；　yes；　I　will；　Mr。　Mavering：　a　very　little　salad；　please。〃　　She
had　really　forgotten　her　hunger；　as　a　woman　will　in　the　presence　of　any
social　interest；　but　she　suddenly　thought　his　going　would　give　her　a
chance　for　two　words　with　her　daughter；　and　so　she　sent　him。　　As　he
creaked　heavily　across　the　smooth　floor　of　the　nave；　〃Alice；〃　she
whispered；　〃I　don't　know　exactly　what　I've　done：　Who　introduced　this
young　Mr。　Mavering　to　you？〃

〃Mr。　Munt。〃

〃Mr。　Munt！〃

〃Yes；　he　came　for　me；　he　said　you　sent　him。　　He　introduced　Mr。　Mavering；
and　he　was　very　polite。　　Mr。　Mavering　said　we　ought　to　go　up　into　the
gallery　and　see　how　it　looked；　and　Mr。　Munt　said　he'd　been　up；　and　Mr。
Mavering　promised　to　bring　me　back　to　him；　but　he　was　not　there　when　we
got　back。　　Mr。　Mavering　got　me　some　ice　cream　first；　and　then　he　found
you　for　me。〃

〃Really；〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer　to　herself；　〃the　combat　thickens！〃　　To　her
daughter　she　said；　〃He's　very　handsome。〃

〃He　laughs　too　much；〃　said　the　daughter。　　Her　mother　recognised　her
uncandour　with　a　glance。　　〃But　he　waltzes　well；〃　added　the　girl。

〃Waltzes？〃　echoed　the　mother。　　〃Did　you　waltz　with　him；　Alice？〃

〃Everybody　else　was　dancing。　　He　asked　me　for　a　turn　or　two；　and　of
course　I　did　it。　　What　difference？〃

〃Oh；　nonenone。　　OnlyI　didn't　see　you。〃

〃Perhaps　you　weren't　looking。〃

〃Yes；　I　was　looking　all　the　time。〃

〃What　do　you　mean；　mamma？〃

〃Well；〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer；　in　a　final　despair；　〃we　don't　know　anything
about　them。〃

〃We're　the　only　people　here　who　don't；　then；〃　said　her　daughter。　　〃The
ladies　were　bowing　right　left　to　him　all　the　time；　and　he　kept　asking
if　I　knew　this　one　and　that　one；　and　all　I　could　say　was　that　some　of
them　were　distant　cousins；　but　I　wasn't　acquainted　with　them。　　I　would
think　he'd　wonder　who　we　were。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　mother　thoughtfully。

〃There！　he's　laughing　with　that　other　student。　　But　don't　look！〃

Mrs。　Pasmer　saw　well　enough　out　of　the　corner　of　her　eye　the　joking　that
went　on　between　Mavering　and　his　friend；　and　it　did　not　displease　her　to
think　that　it　probably　referred　to　Alice。　　While　the　young　man　came
hurrying　back　to　them　she　glanced　at　the　girl　standing　near　her　with　a
keenly　critical　inspection；　from　which　she　was　able　to　exclude　all
maternal　　partiality；　and　justly　decided　that　she　was　one　of　the　most
effective　girls　in　the　place。　　That　costume　of　hers　was　perfect。　　Mrs。
Pasmer　wished　now　that　she　could　have　compared　it　more　carefully　with
other　costumes；　she　had　noticed　some　very　pretty　ones；　and　a　feeling　of
vexation　that　Alice　should　have　prevented　this　by　being　away　so　long　just
when　the　crowd　was　densest　qualified　her　satisfaction。　　The　people　were
going　very　fast　now。　　The　line　of　the　oval　in　the　nave　was　broken　into
groups　of　lingering　talkers；　who　were　conspicuous　to　each　other；　and　Mrs。
Pasmer　felt　that　she　and　her　daughter　were　conspicuous　to　all　the　rest
where　they　stood　apart；　with　the　two　Maverings　converging　upon　them　from
different　points；　the　son　nodding　and　laughing　to　friends　of　both　sexes
as　he　came；　the　father　wholly　absorbed　in　not　spilling　the　glass　of
claret　punch　which　he　carried　in　one　hand；　and　not　falling　down　on　the
slippery　floor　with　the　plate　of　salad　which　he　bore　in　the　other。　　She
had　thoughts　of　feigning　unconsciousness；　she　would　have　had　no　scruple
in　practising　this　or　any　other　social　stratagem；　for　though　she　kept　a
conscience　in　regard　to　certain　matterswhat　she　considered　essentials
she　lived　a　thousand　little　lies　every　day；　and　taught　her　daughter　by
precept　and　example　to　do　the　same。　　You　must　seem　to　be　looking　one　way
when　you　were　really　looking　another；　you　must　say　this　when　you　meant
that；　you　must　act　as　if　you　were　thinking　one　thing　when　you　were
thinking　something　quite　different；　and　all　to　no　end；　for；　as　she
constantly　said；　people　always　know　perfectly　well　what　you　were　about；
whichever　way　you　looked　or　whate