april hopes-第38节

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perfectly　natural　when　he　should　get　back　to　his　sisters。　　He　recollected
that　he　had　not　asked　either　them　or　his　father　how　his　mother　was；　but　it
was　certainly　not　because　his　mind　was　not　full　of　her。　　Alice　now　seemed
very　remote　from　him；　further　even　than　his　gun；　or　his　boyish　collection
of　moths　and　butterflies；　on　which　his　eye　fell　in　roving　about　his　room。
For　a　bitter　instant　it　seemed　to　him　as　if　they　were　all　alike　toys；　and
in　a　sudden　despair　he　asked　himself　what　had　become　of　his　happiness。　　It
was　scarcely　half　a　day　since　he　had　parted　in　transport　from　Alice。

He　made　pretexts　to　keep　from　returning　at　once　to　his　sisters；　and　it　was
nearly　half　an　hour　before　he　went　down　to　them。　　By　that　time　his　father
was　with　them　in　the　library；　and　they　were　waiting　tea　for　him。




XXIX。

A　family　of　rich　people　in　the　country；　apart　from　intellectual　interests；
is　apt　to　gormandise；　and　the　Maverings　always　sat　down　to　a　luxurious
table；　which　was　most　abundant　and　tempting　at　the　meal　they　called　tea；
when　the　invention　of　the　Portuguese　man…cook　was　taxed　to　supply　the
demands　of　appetites　at　once　eager　and　fastidious。　　They　prolonged　the
meal　as　much　as　possible　in　winter；　and　Dan　used　to　like　to　get　home　just
in　time　for　tea　when　he　came　up　from　Harvard；　it　was　always　very　jolly；
and　he　brought　a　boy's　hunger　to　its　abundance。　　The　dining…room；　full　of
shining　light；　and　treated　from　the　low…down　grate；　was　a　pleasant　place。
But　now　his　spirits　failed　to　rise　with　the　physical　cheer；　he　was　almost
bashfully　silent；　he　sat　cowed　in　the　presence　of　his　sisters；　and
careworn　in　the　place　where　he　used　to　be　so　gay　and　bold。　　They　were
waiting　to　have　him　begin　about　himself；　as　he　always　did　when　he　had　been
away；　and　were　ready　to　sympathise　with　his　egotism；　whatever　new　turn　it
took。　　He　mystified　them　by　asking　about　them　and　their　affairs；　and　by
dealing　in　futile　generalities；　instead　of　launching　out　with　any　business
that　he　happened　at　the　time　to　be　full　of。　　But　he　did　not　attend　to
their　answers　to　his　questions；　he　was　absent…minded；　and　only　knew　that
his　face　was　flushed；　and　that　he　was　obviously　ill　at　ease。

His　younger　sister　turned　from　him　impatiently　at　last。　　〃Father；　what　is
the　matter　with　Dan？〃

Her　bold　recognition　of　their　common　constraint　broke　it　down。　　Dan　looked
at　his　father　with　helpless　consent；　and　his　father　said　quietly；　〃He
tells　me　he's　engaged。〃

〃What　nonsense！〃　said　his　sister　Eunice。

〃Why；　Dan！〃　cried　Minnie；　and　he　felt　a　reproach　in　her　words　which　the
words　did　not　express。　　A　silence　followed；　in　which　the　father　along　went
on　with　his　supper。　　The　girls　sat　staring　at　Dan　with　incredulous　eyes。
He　became　suddenly　angry。

〃I　don't　know　what's　so　very　extraordinary　about　it；　or　why　there　should
be　such　a　pother；〃　he　began；　and　he　knew　that　he　was　insolently　ignoring
abundant　reasons　for　pother；　if　there　had　been　any　pother。　　〃Yes；　I'm
engaged。〃

He　expected　now　that　they　would　believe　him；　and　ask　whom　he　was　engaged
to；　but　apparently　they　were　still　unable　to　realise　it。　　He　was　obliged
to　go　on。　　〃I'm　engaged　to　Miss　Pasmer。〃

〃To　Miss　Pasmer！〃　repeated　Eunice。

〃But　I　thought〃　Minnie　began；　and　then　stopped。

Dan　commanded　his　temper　by　a　strong　effort；　and　condescended　to　explain。
〃There　was　a　misunderstanding；　but　it's　all　right　now；　I　only　met　her
yesterday；　andit's　all　right。〃　　He　had　to　keep　on　ignoring　what　had
passed　between　him　and　his　sisters　during　the　month　he　spent　at　home　after
his　return　from　Campobello。　　He　did　not　wish　to　do　so；　he　would　have　been
glad　to　laugh　over　that　epoch　of　ill…concealed　heart…break　with　them；　but
the　way　they　had　taken　the　fact　of　his　engagement　made　it　impossible。　　He
was　forced　to　keep　them　at　a　distance；　they　forced　him。　　〃I'm　glad；〃　he
added　bitterly；　〃that　the　news　seems　to　be　so　agreeable　to　my　family。
Thank　you　for　your　cordial　congratulations。〃　　He　swallowed　a　large　cup　of
tea；　and　kept　looking　down。

〃How　silly！〃　said　Eunice；　who　was　much　the　oldest　of　the　three。　　〃Did　you
expect　us　to　fall　upon　your　neck　before　we　could　believe　it　wasn't　a　hoax
of　father's？〃

〃A　hoax！〃　Dan　burst　out。

〃I　suppose；〃　said　Minnie；　with　mock　meekness；　〃that　if　we're　to　be
devoured；　it's　no　use　saying　we　didn't　roil　the　brook。　　I'm　sure　I
congratulate　you；　Dan；　with　all　my　heart；〃　she　added；　with　a　trembling
voice。

〃I　congratulate　Miss　Pasmer；〃　said　Eunice；　〃on　securing　such　a　very
reasonable　husband。〃

When　Eunice　first　became　a　young　lady　she　was　so　much　older　than　Dan　that
in　his　mother's　absence　she　sometimes　authorised　herself　to　box　his　ears；
till　she　was　finally　overthrown　in　battle　by　the　growing　boy。　　She　still
felt　herself　so　much　his　tutelary　genius　that　she　could　not　let　the　idea
of　his　engagement　awe　her；　or　keep　her　from　giving　him　a　needed　lesson。
Dan　jumped　to　his　feet；　and　passionately　threw　his　napkin　on　his　chair。

〃There；　that　will　do；　Eunice！〃　interposed　the　father。　　〃Sit　down；　Dan；　and
don't　be　an　ass；　if　you　are　engaged。　　Do　you　expect　to　come　up　here　with　a
bombshell　in　your　pocket；　and　explode　it　among　us　without　causing　any
commotion？　　We　all　desire　your　happiness；　and　we　are　glad　if　you　think
you've　found　it；　but　we　want　to　have　time　to　realise　it。　　We　had　only
adjusted　our　minds　to　the　apparent　fact　that　you　hadn't　found　it　when　you
were　here　before。〃　　His　father　began　very　severely；　but　when　he　ended　with
this　recognition　of　what　they　had　all　blinked　till　then；　they　laughed
together。

〃My　pillow　isn't　dry　yet；　with　the　tears　I　shed　for　you；　Dan；〃　said　Minnie
demurely。

〃I　shall　have　to　countermand　my　mourning；〃　said　Eunice；　〃and　wear　louder
colours　than　ever。　　Unless；〃　she　added；　〃Miss　Pasmer　changes　her　mind
again。〃

This　divination　of　the　past　gave　them　all　a　chance　for　another　laugh；　and
Dan's　sisters　began　to　reconcile　themselves　to　the　fact　of　his　engagement；
if　not　to　Miss　Pasmer。　　In　what　was　abstractly　so　disagreeable　there　was
the　comfort　that　they　could　joke　about　his　happiness；　they　had　not　felt
free　to　make　light　of　his　misery　when　he　was　at　home　before。　　They　began
to　ask　all　the　questions　they　could　think　of　as　to　how　and　when；　and　they
assimilated　the　fact　more　and　more　in　acquiring　these　particulars　and
making　a　mock　of　them　and　him。

〃Of　course　you　haven't　got　her　photograph；〃　suggested　Eunice。　　〃You　know
we've　never　had　the　pleasure　of　meeting　the　young　lady　yet。〃

〃Yes；〃　Dan　owned；　blushing；　〃I　have。　　She　thought　I　might　like　to　show　it
to　mother：　But　it　isn't〃

〃A　very　good　onethey　never　are；〃　said　Minnie。

〃And　it　was　taken　several　years　agothey　always　are；〃　said　Eunice。

〃And　she　doesn't　photograph　well；　anyway。〃

〃And　this　one　was　just　after　a　long　fit　of　sickness。〃

Dan　drew　it　out　of　his　pocket；　after　some　fumbling　for　it；　while　he
tolerated　their　gibes。

Eunice　put　her　nose　to　it。　　〃I　hope　it's　your　cigarettes　it　smells　of；〃
she　said。

〃Yes；　she　doesn't　use　the　weed；〃　answered　Dan。

〃Oh；　I　didn't　mean　that；　exactly；〃　returned　his　sister；　holding　the
picture　off　at　arm's　length；　and　viewing　it　critically　with　contracted
eyes。

Dan　could　not　help　laughing。　　〃I　don't　think　it's　been　near　any　other
cigar…case；〃　he　answered　tranquilly。

Minnie　looked　at　it　very　near　to；　covering　all　but　the　face　with　her　hand。
〃Dan；　she's　lovely！〃　she　cried；　and　Dan's　heart　leaped　into　his　throat　As
he　gratefully　met　his　sister's　eyes。

〃You'll　like　her；　Min。〃

Eunice　took　the　photograph　from　her　for　a　second　scrutiny。　　〃She's
certainly　very　stylish。　　Rather　a　beak　of　a　nose；　and　a　little　too　bird
like　on　the　whole。　　But　she　isn't　so　bad。　　Is　it　like　her？〃　she　asked　with
a　glance　at　her　father。

〃I　might　sayafter　looking；〃　he　replied。

〃True！　I　didn't　know　but　Dan　had　shown　it　to　you　as　soon　as　you　met。　　He
seemed　to　be　in　such　a　hurry　to　let　us　all　know。〃

The　father　said；　〃I　don't　think　it　flatters　her；〃　and　he　looked　at　it　more
carefully。　　〃Not　much　of　her　mother　there？〃　he　suggested　to　Dan。

〃No；　sir；　she's　more　like　her　father。〃

〃Well；　after　all　this　excitement；　I　believe　I'll　have　another　cup　of　tea；
and　take　something　to　eat；　if　Miss　Pasmer's　photograph　doesn't　object；〃
said　Eunice；　and　she　replenished　her　cup　and　plate。

〃What　coloured　hair　and　eyes　has　she；　Dan？〃　asked　Minnie。

He　had　to　think　so　as　to　be　exact。　　〃Well；　you　might　say　they　were　black；
her　eyebrows　are　so　dark。　　But　I　believe　they're　a　sort　of　greyish…blue。〃

〃Not　an　uncommon　colour　for　eyes；〃　said　Eunice；　〃but　rather　peculiar　for
hair。〃

They　got　to　making　fun　of　the　picture；　and　Dan　told　them　about　Alice　and
her　family；　the　father　left　them　at　the　table；　and　then　came　back　with
word　from　Dan's　mother　that　she　was　ready　to　see　him。




XXX。

By　eight　o'clock　in　the　evening　the　pain　with　which　every　day　began　for
Mrs。　Mavering　was　lulled；　and　her　jarred　nerves　were　stayed　by　the　opiates
till　she　fell　asleep　about　midnight。　　In　this　interval　the　family　gathered
into　her　room；　and　brought　her　their　news　and　the　cheer　of　their　health。
The　girls　chattered　on　one　side　of　her　bed；　and　their　father　sat　with　his
newspaper　on　the　other；　and　read　al