april hopes-第41节

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Eunice；　looking　at　her　father。

〃There's　no　hurry　about　that。〃

〃And　about　the　excursion　to　aesthetic　centres　abroad？〃　Minnie　added。

〃That　could　be　managed；〃　said　her　father；　with　the　same　ironical　smile。

The　mother　and　the　girls　went　on　wildly　planning　Dan's　future　for　him。　　It
was　all　in　a　strain　of　extravagant　burlesque。　　But　he　could　not　take　his
part　in　it　with　his　usual　zest。　　He　laughed　and　joked　too；　but　at　the
bottom　of　his　heart　was　an　uneasy　remembrance　of　the　different　future　he
had　talked　over　with　Mrs。　Pasmer　so　confidently。　　But　he　said　to　himself
buoyantly　at　last　that　it　would　come　out　all　right。　　His　mother　would　give
in；　or　else　Alice　could　reconcile　her　mother　to　whatever　seemed　really
best。

He　parted　from　his　mother　with　fond　gaiety。　　His　sisters　came　out　of　the
room　with　him。

〃I'm　perfectly　sore　with　laughing；〃　said　Minnie。　　〃It　seems　like　old
timesdoesn't　it；　Dan？such　a　gale　with　mother。〃




XXXI。

An　engagement　must　always　be　a　little　incredible　at　first　to　the　families
of　the　betrothed；　and　especially　to　the　family　of　the　young　man；　in　the
girl's；　the　mother；　at　least；　will　have　a　more　realising　sense　of　the
situation。　　If　there　are　elder　sisters　who　have　been　accustomed　to　regard
their　brother　as　very　young；　he　will　seem　all　the　younger　because　in　such
a　matter　he　has　treated　himself　as　if　he　were　a　man；　and　Eunice　Mavering
said；　after　seeing　the　Pasmers；　〃Well；　Dan；　it's　all　well　enough；　I
suppose；　but　it　seems　too　ridiculous。〃

〃What's　ridiculous　about　it；　I　should　like　to　know？〃　he　demanded。

〃Oh；　I　don't　know。　　Who'll　look　after　you　when　you're　married？　　Oh；　I
forgot　Ma'am　Pasmer！〃

〃I　guess　we　shall　be　able　to　look　after　ourselves；〃　said　Dan；　a　little
sulkily。

〃Yes；　if　you'll　be　allowed　to；〃　insinuated　his　sister。

They　spoke　at　the　end　of　a　talk　in　which　he　had　fretted　at　the　reticence
of　both　his　sister　and　his　father　concerning　the　Pasmers；　whom　they　had
just　been　to　see。　　He　was　vexed　with　his　father；　because　he　felt　that　he
had　been　influenced　by　Eunice；　and　had　somehow　gone　back　on　him。　　He　was
vexed　and　he　was　grieved　because　his　father　had　left　them　at　the　door　of
the　hotel　without　saying　anything　in　praise　of　Alice；　beyond　the
generalities　that　would　not　carry　favour　with　Eunice；　and　he　was　depressed
with　a　certain　sense　of　Alice's　father　and　mother；　which　seemed　to　have
imparted　itself　to　him　from　the　others；　and　to　be　the　Mavering　opinion　of
them。　　He　could　no　longer　see　Mrs。　Pasmer　harmless　if　trivial；　and　good…
hearted　if　inveterately　scheming；　he　could　not　see　the　dignity　and
refinement　which　he　had　believed　in　Mr。　Pasmer；　they　had　both　suffered　a
sort　of　shrinkage　or　collapse；　from　which　he　could　not　rehabilitate　them。
But　this　would　have　been　nothing　if　his　sister's　and　his　father's　eyes；
through　which　he　seemed　to　have　been　looking；　had　not　shown　him　Alice　in　a
light　in　which　she　appeared　strange　and　queer　almost　to　eccentricity。　　He
was　hurt　at　this　effect　from　their　want　of　sympathy；　his　pride　was
touched；　and　he　said　to　himself　that　he　should　not　fish　for　Eunice's
praise；　but　he　found　himself　saying；　without　surprise；　〃I　suppose　you　will
do　what　you　can　to　prejudice　mother　and　Min。〃

〃Isn't　that　a　little　previous？〃　asked　Eunice。　　〃Have　I　said　anything
against　Miss　Pasmer？〃

〃You　haven't　because　you　couldn't；〃　said　Dan；　with　foolish　bitterness。

〃Oh；　I　don't　know　about　that。　　She's　a　human　being；　I　supposeat　least
that　was　the　impression　I　got　from　her　parentage。〃

〃What　have　you　got　to　say　against　her　parents？〃　demanded　Dan　savagely。

〃Oh；　nothing。　　I　didn't　come　down　to　Boston　to　denounce　the　Pasmer
family。〃

〃I　suppose　you　didn't　like　their　being　in　a　flat；　you'd　have　liked　to　find
them　in　a　house　on　Commonwealth　Avenue　or　Beacon　Street。〃

〃I'll　own　I'm　a　snob；〃　said　Eunice；　with　maddening　meekness。　　〃So's
father。〃

〃They　are　connected　with　the　best　families　in　the　city；　and　they　are　in
the　best　society。　　They　do　what　they　please；　and　they　live　where　they
like。　　They　have　been　so　long　in　Europe　that　they　don't　care　for　those
silly　distinctions。　　But　what　you　say　doesn't　harm　them。　　It's　simply
disgraceful　to　you；　that's　all；〃　said　Dan　furiously。

〃I'm　glad　it's　no　worse；　Dan；〃　said　his　sister；　with　a　tranquil　smile。
〃And　if　you'll　stop　prancing　up　and　down　the　room；　and　take　a　seat；　and
behave　yourself　in　a　Christian　manner；　I'll　talk　with　you；　and　if　you
don't；　I　won't。　　Do　you　suppose　I'm　going　to　be　bullied　into　liking　them？〃

〃You　can　like　them　or　not；　as　you　please；〃　said　Dan　sullenly；　but　he　sat
down；　and　waited　decently　for　his　sister　to　speak。　　〃But　you　can't　abuse
themat　least　in　my　presence。〃

〃I　didn't　know　men　lost　their　heads　as　well　as　their　hearts；〃　said　Eunice。
〃Perhaps　it's　only　an　exchange；　though；　and　it's　Miss　Pasmer's　head。〃　　Dan
started；　but　did　not　say　anything；　and　Eunice　smoothly　continued：　〃No；　I
don't　believe　it　is。　　She　looked　like　a　sensible　girl；　and　she　talked
sensibly。　　I　should　think　she　had　a　very　good　head。　　She　has　good　manners；
and　she's　extremely　pretty；　and　very　graceful。　　I'm　surprised　she　should
be　in　love　with　such　a　simpleton。〃

〃Oh；　go　on！　　Abuse　me　as　much　as　you　like；〃　said　Dan。　　He　was　at　once
soothed　by　her　praise　of　Alice。

〃No；　it　isn't　necessary　to　go　on；　the　case　is　a　little　too　obvious。　　But　I
think　she　will　do　very　well。　　I　hope　you're　not　marrying　the　whole　family；
though。　　I　suppose　that　it's　always　a　question　of　which　shall　be　scooped
up。　　They　will　want　to　scoop　you　up；　and　we　shall　want　to　scoop　her　up。　　I
dare　say　Ma'am　Pasmer　has　her　little　plan；　what　is　it？〃

Dan　started　at　this　touch　on　the　quick；　but　he　controlled　himself；　and
said；　with　dignity；　〃I　have　my　own　plans。〃

〃Well；　you　know　what　mother's　are；〃　returned　Eunice　easily。　　〃You　seem　so
cheerful　that　I　suppose　yours　are　quite　the　same；　and　you're　just　keeping
them　for　a　surprise。〃　　She　laughed　provokingly；　and　Dan　burst　forth　again

〃You　seem　to　live　to　give　people　pain。　　You　take　a　fiendish　delight　in
torturing　others。　　But　if　you　think　you　can　influence　me　in　the　slightest
degree；　you're　very　much　mistaken。〃

〃Well；　well；　there！　　It　sha'n't　be　teased　any　more；　so　it　sha'n't！　　It
shall　have　its　own　way；　it　shall；　and　nobody　shall　say　a　word　against　its
little　girly's　mother。〃　　Eunice　rose　from　her　chair；　and　patted　Dan　on　the
head　as　she　passed　to　the　adjoining　room。　　He　caught　her　hand；　and　flung
it　violently　away；　she　shrieked　with　delight　in　his　childish　resentment；
and　left　him　sulking。　　She　was　gone　two　or　three　minutes；　and　when　she
came　back　it　was　in　quite　a　different　mood；　as　often　happens　with　women　in
a　little　lapse　of　time。

〃Dan；　I　think　Miss　Pasmer　is　a　beautiful　girl；　and　I　know　we　shall　all
like　her；　if　you　don't　set　us　against　her　by　your　arrogance。　　Of　course　we
don't　know　anything　about　her　yet；　and　you　don't；　really；　but　she　seems　a
very　lovable　little　thing；　and　if　she's　rather　silent　and　undemonstrative；
why；　she'll　be　all　the　better　for　you：　you've　got　demonstration　enough　for
twenty。　　And　I　think　the　family　are　well　enough。　　Mrs。　Pasmer　is
thoroughly　harmless；　and　Mr。　Pasmer　is　a　most　dignified　personage；　his
eyebrows　alone　are　worth　the　price　of　admission。〃　　Dan　could　not　help
smiling。　　〃All　that　there　is　about　it　is；　you　mustn't　expect　to　drive
people　into　raptures　about　them；　and　expect　them　to　go　grovelling　round　on
their　knees　because　you　do。〃

〃Oh；　I　know　I'm　an　infernal　idiot；〃　said　Dan；　yielding　to　the　mingled
sarcasm　and　flattery。　　〃It's　because　I'm　so　anxious；　and　you　all　seem　so
confoundedly　provisional　about　it。　　Eunice；　what　do　you　suppose　father
really　thinks？〃

Eunice　seemed　tempted　to　a　relapse　into　her　teasing；　but　she　did　not
yield。　　〃Oh；father's　all　rightfrom　your　point　of　view。　　He's　been
ridiculous　from　the　first；　perhaps　that's　the　reason　he　doesn't　feel
obliged　to　expatiate　and　expand　a　great　deal　at　present。〃

〃Do　you　think　so？〃　cried　Dan；　instantly　adopting　her　as　an　ally。

〃Well；　if　I　sad　so；　oughtn't　it　to　be　enough？〃

〃It　depends　upon　what　else　you　say。　　Look　here；　now；　Eunice！〃　Dan　said；
with　a　laughing　mixture　of　fun　and　earnest；　〃what　are　you　going　to　say　to
mother？　　It's　no　use；　being　disagreeable；　is　it？　　Of　course；　I　don't
contend　for　ideal　perfection　anywhere；　and　I　don't　expect　it。　　But　there
isn't　anything　experimental　about　this　thing；　and　don't　you　think　we　had
better　all　make　the　best　of　it？〃

〃That　sounds　very　impartial。〃

〃It　is　impartial。　　I'm　a　purely　disinterested　spectator。〃

〃Oh；　quite。〃

〃And　don't　you　suppose　I　understand　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Pasmer　quite　as　well　as
you　do？　　All　I　say　is　that　Alice　is　simply　the　noblest　girl　that　ever
breathed；　and〃

〃Now　you're　talking　sense；　Dan！〃

〃Well；　what　are　you　going　to　say　when　you　get　home；　Eunice？　　Come！〃

〃That　we　had　better　make　the　best　of　it。〃

〃And　what　else？〃

〃That　you're　hopelessly　infatuated；　and　that　she　will　twist　you　round　her
finger。〃

〃Well？〃

〃But　that　you've　had　your　own　way　so　much；　it　will　do　you　good　to　have
somebody　else's　a　while。〃

〃I　guess　you're　pretty　solid；〃　said　Dan；　after　thinking　it　over　for　a
moment。　　〃I　don't　believe　you're　go