april hopes-第31节

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the　corner　of　the　car；　and　from　moment　to　moment　she　stirred　slightly　as
if　some　stress　of　rapture　made　it　hard　for　her　to　get　her　breath；　a
little　gleam　of　light　fell　from　under　her　fallen　eyelids　into　the　eyes　of
the　young　man　beside　her；　who　leaned　forward　slightly　and　slanted　his
face　upward　to　meet　her　glances。　　They　said　some　words；　now　and　then；
indistinguishable　to　the　others；　in　speaking　they　smiled　slightly。
Sometimes　her　hand　wavered　across　her　lap；　in　both　their　faces　there　was
something　beyond　happinessa　transport；　a　passion；　the　brief　splendour
of　a　supreme　moment。

They　left　the　car　at　the　Arlington　Street　corner　of　the　Public　Garden；
and　followed　the　winding　paths　diagonally　to　the　further　corner　on
Charles　Street。

〃How　stupid　we　were　to　get　into　that　ridiculous　horse…car！〃　she　said。
〃What　in　the　world　possessed　us　to　do　it？〃

〃I　can't　imagine；〃　he　answered。　　〃What　a　waste　of　time　it　was！　　If　we　had
walked；　we　might　have　been　twice　as　long　coming。　　And　now　you're　going　to
send　me　off　so　soon！〃

〃I　don't　send　you；〃　she　murmured。

〃But　you　want　me　to　go。〃

〃Oh　no！　　But　you'd　better。〃

〃I　can't　do　anything　against　your　wish。〃

〃I　wish　itfor　your　own　good。〃

〃Ah；　do　let　me　go　home　with　you；　Alice？〃

〃Don't　ask　it；　or　I　must　say　yes。〃

〃Part　of　the　way；　then？〃

〃No；　not　a　step！　　You　must　take　the　first　car　for　Cambridge。　　What　time
is　it　now？〃

〃You　can　see　by　the　clock　on　the　Providence　Depot。〃

〃But　I　wish　you　to　go　by　your　watch；　now。　　Look！〃

〃Alice！〃　he　cried；　in　pure　rapture。

〃Look！〃

〃It's　a　quarter　of　one。〃

〃And　we've　been　three　hours　together　already！　　Now　you　must　simply　fly。
If　you　came　home　with　me　I　should　be　sure　to　let　you　come　in；　and　if　I
don't　see　mamma　alone　first；　I　shall　die。　　Can't　you　understand？〃

〃No；　but　I　can　do　the　next　best　thing：　I　can　misunderstand。　　You　want　to
be　rid　of　me。〃

〃Shall　you　be　rid　of　me　when　we've　parted？〃　she　asked；　with　an　inner
thrill　of　earnestness　in　her　gay　tone。

〃Alice！〃

〃You　know　I　didn't　mean　it；　Dan。〃

〃Say　it　again。〃

〃What？〃

〃Dan。〃

〃Dan；　love！　　Dan；　dearest！〃

〃Will　that　car　of　yours　never　come？　　I've　promised　myself　not　to　leave
you　till　it　does；　and　if　I　stay　here　any　longer　I　shall　go　wild。　　I　can't
believe　it's　happened。　　Say　it　again！〃

〃Say　what？〃

〃That〃

〃That　I　love　you？　　That　we're　engaged？〃

〃I　don't　believe　it。　　I　can't。〃　　She　looked　impatiently　up　the　street。
〃Oh；　there　comes　your　car！　　Run！　　Stop　it！〃

〃I　don't　run　to　stop　cars。〃　　He　made　a　sign；　which　the　conductor　obeyed；
and　the　car　halted　at　the　further　crossing。

She　seemed　to　have　forgotten　it；　and　made　no　movement　to　dismiss　him。
〃Oh；　doesn't　it　seem　too　good　to　be　standing　here　talking　in　this　way；
and　people　think　it's　about　the　weather；　or　society？〃　　She　set　her　head　a
little　on　one　side；　and　twirled　the　open　parasol　on　her　shoulder。

〃Yes；　it　does。　　Tell　me　it's　true；　love！〃

〃It's　true。　　How　splendid　you　are！〃　　She　said　it　with　an　effect　for　the
world　outside　of　saying　it　was　a　lovely　day。

He　retorted；　with　the　same　apparent　nonchalance；　〃How　beautiful　you　are！
How　good！　　How　divine！〃

The　conductor；　seeing　himself　apparently　forgotten；　gave　his　bell　a
vicious　snap；　and　his　car　jolted　away。

She　started　nervously。　　〃There！　you've　lost　your　car；　Dan。〃

〃Have　I？〃　asked　Mavering；　without　troubling　himself　to　look　after　it。

She　laughed　now；　with　a　faint　suggestion　of　unwillingness　in　her　laugh。
〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃

〃Walk　home　with　you。〃

〃No；　indeed；　you　know　I　can't　let　you。〃

〃And　are　you　going　to　leave　me　here　alone　on　the　street　corner；　to　be　run
over　by　the　first　bicycle　that　comes　along？〃

〃You　can　sit　down　in　the　Garden；　and　wait　for　the　next　car。〃

〃No；　I　would　rather　go　back　to　the　Art　Museum；　and　make　a　fresh　start。〃

〃To　the　Art　Museum？〃　she　murmured；　tenderly。

〃Yes。　　Wouldn't　you　like　to　see　it　again？〃

〃Again？　　I　should　like　to　pass　my　whole　life　in　it！〃

〃Well；　walk　back　with　me　a　little　way。　　There's　no　hurry　about　the　car。〃

〃Dan！〃　she　said；　in　a　helpless　compliance；　and　they　paced　very；　very
slowly　along　the　Beacon　Street　path　in　the　Garden。　　〃This　is　ridiculous。〃

〃Yes；　but　it's　delightful。〃

〃Yes；　that's　what　I　meant。　　Do　you　suppose　any　one　everever〃

〃Made　love　there　before？〃

〃How　can　you　say　such　things？　　Yes。　　I　always　supposed　it　would　be
somewhere　else。〃
It　was　somewhere　elseonce。〃

〃Oh；　I　meantthe　second　time。〃

〃Then　you　did　think　there　was　going　to　be　a　second　time？〃

〃How　do　I　know？　　I　wished　it。　　Do　you　like　me　to　say　that？〃

〃I　wish　you　would　never　say　anything　else。〃

〃Yes；　there　can't　be　any　harm　in　it　now。　　I　thought　that　if　you　had　ever…
…liked　me；　you　would　still〃

〃So　did　I；　but　I　couldn't　believe　that　you〃

〃Oh；　I　could。〃

〃Alice！〃

〃Don't　you　like　my　confessing　it！　　You　asked　me　to。〃

〃Like　it！〃

〃How　silly　we　are！〃

〃Not　half　so　silly　as　we've　been　for　the　last　two　months。　　I　think　we've
just　come　to　our　senses。　　At　least　I　have。〃

〃Two　months！〃　she　sighed。　　〃Has　it　really　been　so　long　as　that？〃

〃Two　years！　　Two　centuries！　　It　was　back　in　the　Dark　Ages　when　you
refused　me。〃

〃Dark　Ages！　　I　should　think　so！　　But　don't　say　refused。　　It　wasn't
refusing；　exactly。〃

〃What　was　it；　then？〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　know。　　Don't　speak　of　it　now。〃

〃But；　Alice；　why　did　you　refuse　me？〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　know。　　You　mustn't　ask　me　now。　　I'll　tell　you　some　time。〃

〃Well；　come　to　think　of　it；〃　said　Mavering；　laughing　it　all　lightly　away；
〃there's　no　hurry。　　Tell　me　why　you　accepted　me　to…day。〃

〃II　couldn't　help　it。　　When　I　saw　you　I　wanted　to　fall　at　your　feet。〃

〃What　an　idea！　　I　didn't　want　to　fall　at　yours。　　I　was　awfully　mad。　　I
shouldn't　have　spoken　to　you　if　you　hadn't　stopped　me　and　held　out　your
hand。〃

〃Really？　　Did　you　really　hate　me；　Dan？〃

〃Well；　I　haven't　exactly　doted　on　you　since　we　last　met。〃

She　did　not　seem　offended　at　this。　　〃Yes；　I　suppose　so。　　And　I've　gone　on
being　fonder　and　fonder　of　you　every　minute　since　that　day。　　I　wanted　to
call　you　back　when　you　had　got　half…way　to　Eastport。〃

〃I　wouldn't　have　come。　　It's　bad　luck　to　turn　back。〃

She　laughed　at　his　drolling。　　〃How　funny　you　are！　　Now　I'm　of　rather　a
gloomy　temperament。　　Did；　you　know　it？〃

〃You　don't　look　it。〃

〃Oh；　but　I　am。　　Just　now　I'm　rather　excited　andhappy。〃

〃So　glad！〃

〃Go　on！　go　on！　　I　like　you　to　make　fun　of　me。〃

The　benches　on　either　side　were　filled　with　nursemaids　in　charge　of　baby…
carriages；　and　of　young　children　who　were　digging　in　the　sand　with　their
little　beach　shovels；　and　playing　their　games　back　and　forth　across　the
walk　unrebuked　by　the　indulgent　policemen。　　A　number　of　them　had　enclosed
a　square　in　the　middle　of　the　path　with　four　of　the　benches；　which　they
made　believe　was　a　fort。　　The　lovers　had　to　walk　round　it；　and　the
children；　chasing　one　another；　dashed　into　them　headlong；　or；　backing　off
from　pursuit；　bumped　up　against　them。　　They　did　not　seem　to　know　it；　but
walked　slowly　on　without　noticing：　they　were　not　aware　of　an　occasional
benchful　of　rather　shabby　young　fellows　who　stared　hard　at　the　stylish
girl　and　well…dressed　young　man　talking　together　in　such　intense　low
tones；　with　rapid　interchange　of　radiant　glances。

〃Oh；　as　to　making　fun　of　you；　I　was　going　to　say〃　Mavering　began；　and
after　a　pause　he　broke　off　with　a　laugh。　　〃I　forget　what　I　was　going　to
say。〃

〃Try　to　remember。〃

〃I　can't。〃

How　strange　that　we　should　have　both　happened　to　go　to　the　Museum　this
morning！〃　she　sighed。　　Then；　〃Dan；〃　she　broke　in；　〃do　you　suppose　that
heaven　is　any　different　from　this？〃

〃I　hope　notif　I'm　to　go　there。〃

〃Hush；　dear；　you　mustn't　talk　so。〃

〃Why；　you　provoked　me　to　it。〃

〃Did　I？　　Did　I　really？　　Do　you　think　I　tempted　you　to　do　it？　　Then　I　must
be　wicked；　whether　I　knew　I　was　doing　it　or　not。　　Yes。〃

The　break　in　her　voice　made　him　look　more　keenly　at　her；　and　he　saw　the
tears　glimmer　in　her　eyes。　　〃Alice！〃

〃No；　I'm　not　good　enough　for　you。　　I　always　said　that。〃

〃Then　don't　say　it　any　more。　　That's　the　only　thing　I　won't　let　you　say。〃

〃Do　you　forbid　it；　really？　　Won't　you　let　me　even　think　it？〃

〃No；　not　even　think　it。〃

〃How　lovely　you　are！　　Oh！　I　like　to　be　commanded　by　you。〃

〃Do　you？　　You'll　have　lots　of　fun；　then。　　I'm　an　awfully　commanding
spirit。〃

〃I　didn't　suppose　you　were　so　humorousalways。　　I'm　afraid　you　won't
like　me。　　I've　no　sense　of　fun。〃

〃And　I'm　a　little　too　funny　sometimes；　I'm　afraid。〃

〃No；　you　never　are。　　When？〃

〃That　night　at　the　Trevors'。　　You　didn't　like　it。〃

〃I　thought　Miss　Anderson　was　rather　ridiculous；〃　said　Alice。　　〃I　don't
like　buffoonery　in　women。〃

〃Nor　I　in　men；〃　said　Mavering；　smiling。　　〃I've　dropped　it。〃

〃Well；　now　we　must　part。　　I　must　go　home　at　once；〃　said　Alice。　　〃It's
perfectly　insane。〃

〃Oh　no；　not　yet；　not　till　we've　said　something　else；　not　till　we've
changed　the　subject。〃

〃What　subject？〃

〃Miss　Anderson。〃

Alice　laughed　and　blushed；　but　she　was　not　vexed。　　She　liked　to　have　him
understand　her。　　〃Well；　now；〃　she　said；　as　if　that　were　the　next　thing；
〃I'm　going　to　cross　here　at　once　and　walk　up　the　other　pavement；　and　you
m