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第37节

april hopes-第37节

小说: april hopes 字数: 每页4000字

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Alice over with her mother did more to realise the fact that she was his
than anything else had yet done。

In that dark passage outside he felt two arms go tenderly round his neck;
and a soft shape strain itself to his heart。  〃I know you have been
laughing about me。  But you may。  I'm yours now; even to laugh at; if you
want。〃

〃You are mine to fall down and worship;〃 he vowed; with an instant
revulsion of feeling。

Alice didn't say anything; he felt her hand fumbling about his coat lapel。
〃Where is your breast pocket?〃 she asked; and he took hold of her hand;
which left a carte…de…visite…shaped something in his。

〃It isn't very good;〃 she murmured; as well as she could; with her lips
against his cheek; 〃but I thought you'd like to show them some proof of my
existence。  I shall have none of yours while you're gone。〃

〃O Alice! you think of everything!〃

His heart was pierced by the soft reproach implied in her words; he had
not thought to ask her for her photograph; but she had thought to give it;
she must have felt it strange that he had not asked for it; and she had
meant to slip it in his pocket and let him find it there。  But even his
pang of self…upbraiding was a part of his transport。  He seemed to float
down the stairs; his mind was in a delirious whirl。  〃I shall go mad;〃 he
said to himself in the excess of his joy〃I shall die!〃




XXVIII。

The parting scene with Alice persisted in Mavering's thought far on the
way to Ponkwasset Falls。  He now succeeded in saying everything to her:
how deeply he felt her giving him her photograph to cheer him in his
separation from her; how much he appreciated her forethought in providing
him with some answer when his mother and sisters should ask him about her
looks。  He took out the picture; and pretended to the other passengers to
be looking very closely at it; and so managed to kiss it。  He told her
that now he understood what love really was; how powerful; how it did
conquer everything; that it had changed him and made him already a better
man。  He made her refuse all merit in the work。

When he began to formulate the facts for communication to his family; love
did not seem so potent; he found himself ashamed of his passion; or at
least unwilling to let it be its own excuse even; he had a wish to give it
almost any other appearance。  Until he came in sight of the station and
the Works; it had not seemed possible for any one to object to Alice。  He
had been going home as a matter of form to receive the adhesion of his
family。  But now he was forced to see that she might be considered
critically; even reluctantly。  This would only be because his family did
not understand how perfect Alice was; but they might not understand。

With his father there would be no difficulty。  His father had seen Alice
and admired her; he would be all right。  Dan found himself hoping this
rather anxiously; as if from the instinctive need of his father's support
with his mother and sisters。  He stopped at the Works when he left the
train; and found his father in his private office beyond the book…keeper's
picket…fence; which he penetrated; with a nod to the accountant。

〃Hello; Dan!〃 said his father; looking up; and 〃Hello; father!〃 said Dan。
Being alone; the father and son not only shook hands; but kissed each
other; as they used to do in meeting after an absence when Dan was
younger。

He had closed his father's door with his left hand in giving his right;
and now he said at once; 〃Father; I've come home to tell you that I'm
engaged to be married。〃

Dan had prearranged his father's behaviour at this announcement; but he
now perceived that he would have to modify the scene if it were to
represent the facts。  His father did not brighten all over and demand;
〃Miss Pasmer; of course?〃 he contrived to hide whatever start the news had
given him; and was some time in asking; with his soft lisp; 〃Isn't that
rather sudden; Dan?〃

〃Well; not for me;〃 said Dan; laughing uneasily。  It'syou know her;
fatherMiss Pasmer。〃

〃Oh yes;〃 said his father; certainly not with displeasure; and yet not
with enthusiasm。

〃I've had ever since Class Day to think it over; and itcame to a climax
yesterday。〃

〃And then you stopped thinking;〃 said his fatherto gain time; it
appeared to Dan。

〃Yes; sir;〃 said Dan。  〃I haven't thought since。〃

〃Well;〃 said his father; with an amusement which was not unfriendly。  He
added; after a moment; 〃But I thought that had been broken off;〃 and Dan's
instinct penetrated to the lurking fact that his father must have talked
the rupture over with his mother; and not wholly regretted it。

〃There was a kind ofhitch at one time;〃 he admitted; 〃but it's all right
now。〃

〃Well; well;〃 said his father; 〃this is great newsgreat news;〃 and he
seemed to be shaping himself to the new posture of affairs; while giving
it a conditional recognition。  〃She's a beautiful creature。〃

〃Isn't she?〃 cried Dan; with a little break in his voice; for he had found
his father's manner rather trying。  〃And she's good too。  I assure you
that she isshe is simply perfect every way。〃

〃Well;〃 said the elder Mavering; rising and pulling down the rolling top
of his desk; 〃I'm glad to hear it; for your sake; Dan。  Have you been up
at the house yet?〃

〃No; I'm just off the train。〃

〃How is her motherhow is Mrs。 Pasmer?  All well?〃

〃Yes; sir;〃 said Dan; 〃they're all very well。  You don't know Mr。 Pasmer;
I believe; sir; do you?〃

〃Not since college。  What sort of person is he?〃

〃He's very refined and quiet。  Very handsome。  Very courteous。  Very nice
indeed。〃

〃Ah! that's good;〃 said Elbridge Mavering; with the effect of not having
been very attentive to his son's answer。

They walked up the long slope of the hillside on which the house stood;
overlooking the valley where the Works were; and fronting the plateau
across the river where the village of operatives' houses was scattered。
The paling light of what had been a very red sunset flushed them; and
brought out the picturesqueness which the architect; who designed them for
a particular effect in the view from the owner's mansion; had intended。

A good carriage road followed the easiest line of ascent towards this
edifice; and reached a gateway。  Within it began to describe a curve
bordered with asphalted footways to the broad verandah of the house; and
then descended again to the gate。  The grounds enclosed were planted with
deciduous shrubs; which had now mostly dropped their leaves; and clumps of
firs darkening in the evening light with the gleam of some garden statues
shivering about the lawn next the house。  The breeze grew colder and
stiffer as the father and son mounted toward the mansion which Dan used to
believe was like a chateau; with its Mansard…roof and dormer windows and
chimneys。  It now blocked its space sharply out of the thin pink of the
western sky; and its lights sparkled with a wintry keenness which had
often thrilled Dan when he climbed the hill from the station in former
homecomings。  Their brilliancy gave him a strange sinking of the heart for
no reason。  He and his father had kept up a sort of desultory talk about
Alice; and he could not have said that his father had seemed indifferent;
he had touched the affair only too acquiescently; it was painfully like
everything else。  When they came in full sight of the house; Dan left the
subject; as he realised presently; from a reasonless fear of being
overheard。

〃It seems much later here; sir; than it does in Boston;〃 he said; glancing
round at the maples; which stood ragged; with half their leaves blown from
them。

〃Yes; we're in the hills; and we're further north;〃 answered his father。
〃There's Minnie。〃

Dan had seen his sister on the verandah; pausing at sight of him; and
puzzled to make out who was with her father。  He had an impulse to hail
her with a shout; but he could not。  In his last walk with her he had told
her that he should never marry; and they had planned to live together。  It
was a joke; but now he felt as if he had come to rob her of something; and
he walked soberly on with his father。

〃Why; Dan; you good…for…nothing fellow!〃 she called out when he came near
enough to be unmistakable; and ran down the steps to kiss him。  〃What in
the world are you doing here?  When did you come?  Why didn't you hollo;
instead of letting me stand here guessing?  You're not sick; are you?〃

The father got himself indoors unnoticed in the excitement of the
brother's arrival。  This would have been the best moment for Dan to tell
his sister of his engagement; he knew it; but he parried her curiosity
about his coming; and then his sister Eunice came out; and he could not
speak。  They all went together into the house flaming with naphtha gas;
and with the steam heat already on; and Dan said he would take his bag to
his room; and then come down again。  He knew that he had left them to
think that there was something very mysterious in his coming; and while he
washed away the grime of his journey he was planning how to appear
perfectly natural when he should get back to his sisters。  He recollected
that he had not asked either them or his father how his

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