april hopes-第42节

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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　going　to　make　it　hard　for　me；　and　I　know
you　can　make　it　just　what　you　please。　　But　I　want　you　to　be　frank　with
mother。　　Of　course　I　wish　you　felt　about　the　whole　affair　just　as　I　do；
but　if　you're　right　on　the　main　question；　I　don't　care　for　the　rest。　　I'd
rather　mother　would　know　just　how　you　feel　about　it；〃　said　Dan；　with　a
sigh　for　the　honesty　which　he　felt　to　be　not　immediately　attainable　in　his
own　case。

〃Well；　I'll　see　what　can　be　done；〃　Eunice　finally　assented。

Whatever　her　feelings　were　in　regard　to　the　matter；　she　must　have
satisfied　herself　that　the　situation　was　not　to　be　changed　by　her
disliking　it；　and　she　began　to　talk　so　sympathetically　with　Dan　that　she
soon　had　the　whole　story　of　his　love　out　of　him。　　They　laughed　a　good　deal
together　at　it；　but　it　convinced　her　that　he　had　not　been　hoodwinked　into
the　engagement。　　It　is　always　the　belief　of　a　young　man's　family；
especially　his　mother　and　sisters；　that　unfair　means　have　been　used　to　win
him；　if　the　family　of　his　betrothed　are　unknown　to　them；　and　it　was　a
relief；　if　not　exactly　a　comfort；　for　Eunice　Mavering　to　find　that　Alice
was　as　great　a　simpleton　as　Dan；　and　perhaps　a　sincerer　simpleton。




XXXII。

A　week　later；　in　fulfilment　of　the　arrangement　made　by　Mrs。　Pasmer　and
Eunice　Mavering；　Alice　and　her　mother　returned　the　formal　visit　of　Dan's
people。

While　Alice　stood　before　the　mirror　in　one　of　the　sumptuously　furnished
rooms　assigned　them；　arranging　a　ribbon　for　the　effect　upon　Dan's　mother
after　dinner；　and　regarding　its　relation　to　her　serious　beauty；　Mrs。
Pasmer　came　out　of　her　chamber　adjoining；　and　began　to　inspect　the　formal
splendour　of　the　place。

〃What　a　perfect　man's　house！〃　she　said；　peering　about。　　〃You　can　see　that
everything　has　been　done　to　order。　　They　have　their　own　taste；　they're
artistic　enough　for　thator　the　father　isand　they've　given　orders　to
have　things　done　so　and　so；　and　the　New　York　upholsterer　has　come　up　and
taken　the　measure　of　the　rooms　and　done　it。　　But　it　isn't　like　New　York；
and　it　isn't　individual。　　The　whole　house　is　just　like　those　girls'
tailor…made　costumes　in　character。　　They　were　made　in　New　York；　but　they
don't　wear　them　with　the　New　York　style；　there's　no　more　atmosphere　about
them　than　if　they　were　young　men　dressed　up。　　There　isn't　a　thing　lacking
in　the　house　here；　there's　an　awful　completeness；　but　even　the　ornaments
seem　laid　on；　like　the　hot　and　cold　water。　　I　never　saw　a　handsomer；　more
uninviting　room　than　that　drawing　room。　　I　suppose　the　etching　will　come
some　time　after　supper。　　What　do　you　think　of　it　all；　Alice？〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　know。　　They　must　be　very　rich；〃　said　the　girl　indifferently。

〃You　can't　tell。　　Country　people　of　a　certain　kind　are　apt　to　put
everything　on　their　backs　and　their　walls　and　floors。　　Of　course　such　a
house　here　doesn't　mean　what　it　would　in　town。〃　　She　examined　the　texture
of　the　carpet　more　critically；　and　the　curtains；　she　had　no　shame　about　a
curiosity　that　made　her　daughter　shrink。

〃Don't；　mamma！〃　pleaded　the　girl。　　〃What　if　they　should　come？〃

〃They　won't　come；〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer；　and　her　notice　being　called　to　Alice；
she　made　her　take　off　the　ribbon。　　〃You're　better　without　it。〃

〃I'm　so　nervous　I　don't　know　what　I'm　doing；〃　said　Alice；　removing　it；
with　a　whimper。

〃Well；　I　can't　have　you　breaking　down！〃　cried　her　mother　warningly：　she
really　wished　to　shake　her；　as　a　culmination　of　her　own　conflicting
emotions。　　〃Alice；　stop　this　instant！　　Stop　it；　I　say！〃

〃But　if　I　don't　like　her？〃　whimpered　Alice。

You're　not　going　to　marry　her。　　Now　stop！　　Here；　bathe　your　eyes；　they're
all　red。　　Though　I　don't　know　that　it　matters。　　Yes；　they'll　expect　you　to
have　been　crying；〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer；　seeing　the　situation　more　and　more
clearly。　　〃It's　perfectly　natural。〃　　But　she　took　some　cologne　on　a
handkerchief；　and　recomposed　Alice's　countenance　for　her。　　〃There；　the
colour　becomes　you；　and　I　never　saw　your　eyes　look　so　bright。〃

There　was　a　pathos　in　their　brilliancy　which　of　course　betrayed　her　to　the
Mavering　girls。　　It　softened　Eunice；　and　encouraged　Minnie；　who　had　been　a
little　afraid　of　the　Pasmers。　　They　both　kissed　Alice　with　sisterly
affection。　　Their　father　merely　saw　how　handsome　she　looked；　and　Dan's
heart　seemed　to　melt　in　his　breast　with　tenderness。

In　recognition　of　the　different　habits　of　their　guests；　they　had　dinner
instead　of　tea。　　The　Portuguese　cook　had　outdone　himself；　and　course
followed　course　in　triumphal　succession。　　Mrs。　Pasmer　praised　it　all　with
a　sincerity　that　took　away　a　little　of　the　zest　she　felt　in　making
flattering　speeches。

Everything　about　the　table　was　perfect；　but　in　a　man's　fashion；　like　the
rest　of　the　house。　　It　lacked　the　atmospheric　charm；　the　otherwise
indefinable　grace；　which　a　woman's　taste　gives。　　It　was　in　fact　Elbridge
Mavering's　taste　which　had　characterised　the　whole；　the　daughters　simply
accepted　and　approved。

〃Yes；〃　said　Eunice；　〃we　haven't　much　else　to　do；　so　we　eat。　　And　Joe　does
his　best　to　spoil　us。〃

〃Joe？〃

〃Joe's　the　cook。　　All　Portuguese　cooks　are　Joe。〃

〃How　very　amusing！〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer。　　〃You　must　let　me　speak　of　your
grapes。　　I　never　saw　anything　sowell！except　your　roses。〃

〃There　you　touched　father　in　two　tender　spots。　　He　cultivates　both。〃

〃Really？　　Alice；　did　you　ever　see　anything　like　these　roses？〃

Alice　looked　away　from　Dan　a　moment；　and　blushed　to　find　that　she　had　been
looking　so　long　at　him。

〃Ah；　I　have；〃　said　Mavering　gallantly。

〃Does　he　often　do　it？〃　asked　Mrs。　Pasmer；　in　an　obvious　aside　to　Eunice。

Dan　answered　for　him。　　〃He　never　had　such　a　chance　before。〃

Between　coffee；　which　they　drank　at　table；　and　tea；　which　they　were　to
take　in　Mrs。　Mavering's　room；　they　acted　upon　a　suggestion　from　Eunice
that　her　father　should　show　Mrs。　Pasmer　his　rose…house。　　At　one　end　of　the
dining…room　was　a　little　apse　of　glass　full　of　flowering　plants　growing
out　of　the　ground；　and　with　a　delicate　fountain　tinkling　in　their　midst。
Dan　ran　before　the　rest；　and　opened　two　glass　doors　in　the　further　side　of
this　half…bubble；　and　at　the　same　time　with　a　touch　flashed　up　a
succession　of　brilliant　lights　in　some　space　beyond；　from　which　there
gushed　in　a　wave　of　hothouse　fragrance；　warm；　heavy；　humid。　　It　was　a
pretty　little　effect　for　guests　new　to　the　house；　and　was　part　of　Elbridge
Mavering's　pleasure　in　this　feature　of　his　place。　　Mrs。　Pasmer　responded
with　generous　sympathy；　for　if　she　really　liked　anything　with　her　whole
heart；　it　was　an　effect；　and　she　traversed　the　half…bubble　by　its　pebbled
path；　showering　praises　right　and　left　with　a　fulness　and　accuracy　that
missed　no　detail；　while　Alice　followed　silently；　her　hand　in　Minnie
Mavering's；　and　cold　with　suppressed　excitement。　　The　rose…house　was
divided　by　a　wall；　pierced　with　frequent　doorways；　over　which　the　trees
were　trained　and　the　roses　hung；　and　on　either　side　were　ranks　of　rare　and
costly　kinds；　weighed　down　with　bud　and　bloom。　　The　air　was　thick　with
their　breath　and　the　pungent　odours　of　the　rich　soil　from　which　they　grew；
and　the　glass　roof　was　misted　with　the　mingled　exhalations。

Mr。　Mavering　walked　beside　Alice；　modestly　explaining　the　difficulties　of
rose　culture；　and　his　method　of　dealing　with　the　red　spider。　　He　had　a
stout　knife　in　his　hand；　and　he　cropped　long；　heavy…laden　stems　of　roses
from　the　walls　and　the　beds；　casually　giving　her　their　different　names；
and　laying　them　along　his　arm　in　a　massive　sheaf。

Mrs。　Pasmer　and　Eunice　had　gone　forward　with　Dan；　and　were　waiting　for
them　at　the　thither　end　of　the　rose…house。

〃Alice！　just　imagine：　the　grapery　is　beyond　this；〃　cried　the　girl's
mother。

〃It's　a　cold　grapery；〃　said　Mr。　Mavering。　　〃I　hope　you'll　see　it　to…
morrow。〃

〃Oh；　why　not　to…night？〃　shouted　Dan。

〃Because　it's　a　cold　grapery；〃　said　Eunice；　〃and　after　this　rose…house；
it's　an　Arctic　grapery。　　You're　crazy；　Dan。〃

〃Well；　I　want　Alice　to　see　it　anyway；〃　he　persisted　wilfully。　　〃There's
nothing　like　a　cold　grapery　by　starlight。　　I'll　get　some　wraps。〃　　They　all
knew　that　he　wished　to　be　alone　with　her　a　moment；　and　the　three　women；
consenting　with　their　hearts；　protested　with　their　tongues；　following　him
in　his　flight　with　their　chorus；　and　greeting　his　return。　　He　muffled　her
to　the　chin　in　a　fur…lined　overcoat；　which　he　had　laid　hands　on　the　first
thing；　and　her　mother；　still　protesting；　helped　to　tie　a　scarf　over　her
hair　so　as　not　to　disarrange　it。　　〃Here；〃　he　pointed；　〃we　can　run　through
it；　and　it's　worth　seeing。　　Better　come；〃　he　said　to　the　others　as　he
opened　the　door；　and　hurried　Alice　down　the　path　under　the　keen　sparkle　of
the　crystal　roof；　blotched　with　the　leaves　and　bunches　of　the　vines。
Coming　out　of　the　dense；　sensuous；　vaporous　air　of　the　rose…house　into
this　clear；　thin　atmosphere；　delicately　penetrated　with　the　fragrance；
pure　and　cold；　of　the　fruit；　it　was　as　if　they　had　entered　another　world。
His　arm　crept　round　her　in　the　odorous　obscurity。

〃Look　up！　　See　the　stars　through　the　vines！　　But　when　she　lifted　her　fac