april hopes-第37节

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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