april hopes-第46节

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〃I　know　it。　　And　you've　no　idea　how　horrible　a　bed　is　that　you　can't　sleep
in。〃　　The　old　man's　voice　broke　in　a　tremor。　　〃Ah；　it's　a　bed　of　torture！
I　spend　many　a　wicked　hour　in　mine；　envying　St。　Lawrence　his　gridiron。
But　what　do　you　think　of　my　theory？〃

〃It's　a　very　pretty　theory。　　My　only　objection　to　it　is　that　it's　too
flattering。　　You　know　I　rather　prefer　to　abuse　my　sex；　and　to　be　set　up　as
a　natural　aristocracyI　don't　know　that　I　can　quite　agree　to　that；　even
to　account　satisfactorily　for　being　at　your　sister…in…law's　reception。〃

〃You're　too　modest；　Mrs。　Brinkley。〃

〃No；　really。　　There　ought　to　be　some　men　among　usmen　without　morrows。
Now；　why　don't　you　and　my　husband　set　an　example　to　your　sex？　　Why　don't
you　relax　your　severe　sense　of　duty？　　Why　need　you　insist　upon　being　at
your　offices　every　morning　at　nine？　　Why　don't　you　fling　off　these　habits
of　lifelong　industry；　and　be　gracefully　indolent　in　the　interest　of　the
higher　civilisation？〃

Bromfield　Corey　looked　round　at　her　with　a　smile　of　relish　for　her　satire。
Her　husband　was　a　notoriously　lazy　man；　who　had　chosen　to　live
restrictedly　upon　an　inherited　property　rather　than　increase　it　by　the
smallest　exertion。

〃Do　you　think　we　could　get　Andy　Pasmer　to　join　us？〃

〃No；　I　can't　encourage　you　with　that　idea。　　You　must　get　on　without　Mr。
Pasmer；　he's　going　back　to　Europe　with　his　son…in…law。〃

〃Do　you　mean　that　their　girl's　married？〃

〃No…engaged。　　It's　just　out。〃

〃Well；　I　must　say　Mrs。　Pasmer　has　made　use　of　her　time。〃　　He　too　liked　to
imply　that　it　was　all　an　effect　of　her　manoeuvring；　and　that　the　young
people　had　nothing　to　do　with　it；　this　survival　from　European　fiction　dies
hard。　　〃Who　is　the　young　man？〃

Mrs。　Brinkley　gave　him　an　account　of　Dan　Mavering　as　she　had　seen　him　at
Campobello；　and　of　his　family　as　she　just　heard　of　them。　　〃Mr。　Munt　was
telling　me　about　them　as　you　came　up。〃

〃Why；　was　that　John　Munt？〃

〃Yes；　didn't　you　know　him？〃

〃No；〃　said　Corey　sadly。　　〃I　don't　know　anybody　nowadays。　　I　seem　to　be
going　to　pieces　every　way。　　I　don't　call　sixty…nine　such　a　very　great
age。〃

〃Not　at　all！〃　cried　Mrs。　Brinkley。　　〃I'm　fifty…four　myself；　and　Brinkley's
sixty。〃

〃But　I　feel　a　thousand　years　old。　　I　don't　see　people；　and　when　I　do　I
don't　know　'em。　　My　head's　in　a　cloud。〃　　He　let　it　hang　heavily；　then　he
lifted　it；　and　said：　〃He's　a　nice；　comfortable　fellow；　Munt　is。　　Why
didn't　he　stop　and　talk　a　bit？〃

〃Well；　Munt's　modest；　you　know；　and　I　suppose　he　thought　he　might　be　the
third　that　makes　company　a　crowd。　　Besides；　nobody　stops　and　talks　a　bit
at　these　things。　　They're　afraid　of　boring　or　being　bored。〃

〃Yes；　they're　all　in　as　unnatural　a　mood　as　if　they　were　posing　for　a
photograph。　　I　wonder　who　invented　this　sort　of　thing？　　Do　you　know；〃　said
the　old　man；　〃that　I　think　it's　rather　worse　with　us　than　with　any　other
people？　　We're　a　simple；　sincere　folk；　domestic　in　our　instincts；　not
gregarious　or　frivolous　in　any　way；　and　when　we're　wrenched　away　from　our
firesides；　and　packed　in　our　best　clothes　into　Jane's　gilded　saloons；　we
feel　vindictive；　we　feel　wicked。　　When　the　Boston　being　abandons　himself
or　herselfto　fashion；　she　suffers　a　depravation　into　something　quite
lurid。　　She　has　a　bad　conscience；　and　she　hardens　her　heart　with　talk
that's　tremendously　cynical。　　It's　amusing；〃　said　Corey；　staring　round　him
purblindly　at　the　groups　and　files　of　people　surging　and　eddying　past　the
corner　where　he　sat　with　Mrs。　Brinkley。

〃No；　it's　shocking；〃　said　his　companion。　　〃At　any　rate；　you　mustn't　say
such　things；　even　if　you　think　them。　　I　can't　let　you　go　too　far；　you
know。　　These　young　people　think　it　heavenly；　here。〃

She　took　with　him　the　tone　that　elderly　people　use　with　those　older　than
themselves　who　have　begun　to　break；　there　were　authority　and　patronage　in
it。　　At　the　bottom　of　her　heart　she　thought　that　Bromfield　Corey　should
not　have　been　allowed　to　come；　but　she　determined　to　keep　him　safe　and
harmless　as　far　as　she　could。

From　time　to　time　the　crowd　was　a　stationary　mass　in　front　of　them；　then
it　dissolved　and　flowed　away；　to　gather　anew；　there　were　moments　when　the
floor　near　them　was　quite　vacant；　then　it　was　inundated　again　with　silken
trains。　　From　another　part　of　the　house　came　the　sound　of　music；　and　most
of　the　young　people　who　passed　went　two　and　two；　as　if　they　were　partners
in　the　dance；　and　had　come　out　of　the　ball…room　between　dances。　　There　was
a　good　deal　of　nervous　talk；　politely　subdued　among　them；　but　it　was　not
the　note　of　unearthly　rapture　which　Mrs。　Brinkley's　conventional　claim　had
implied；　it　was　self…interested；　eager；　anxious；　and　was　probably　not
different　from　the　voice　of　good　society　anywhere。




XXXVI。

〃Why；　there's　Dan　Mavering　now！〃　said　Mrs。　Brinkley；　rather　to　herself
than　to　her　companion。　　〃And　alone！〃

Dan's　face　showed　above　most　of　the　heads　and　shoulders　about　him；　it　was
flushed；　and　looked　troubled　and　excited。　　He　caught　sight　of　Mrs。
Brinkley；　and　his　eyes　brightened　joyfully。　　He　slipped　quickly　through
the　crowd；　and　bowed　over　her　hand；　while　he　stammered　out；　without　giving
her　a　chance　for　reply　till　the　end：　　〃0　Mrs。　Brinkley；　I'm　so　glad　to　see
you！　　I'm　goingI　want　to　ask　a　great　favour　of　you；　Mrs。　Brinkley。　　I
want　to　bringI　want　to　introduce　some　friends　of　mine　to　yousome
ladies；　Mrs。　Brinkley；　very　nice　people　I　met　last　summer　at　Portland。
Their　fatherGeneral　Wraynehas　been　building　some　railroads　down　East；
and　they're　very　nice　people；　but　they　don't　know　any　oneany　ladiesand
they've　been　looking　at　the　pictures　ever　since　they　came。　　They're　very
good　pictures；　but　it　isn't　an　exhibition！〃　　He　broke　down　with　a　laugh。

〃Why；　of　course；　Mr。　Mavering；　I　shall　be　delighted；〃　said　Mrs。　Brinkley；
with　a　hospitality　rendered　reckless　by　her　sympathy　with　the　young
fellow。　　〃By　all　means！〃

〃Oh；　thanks！thank　you　aver　so　much！〃　said　Dan。　　〃I'll　bring　them　to　you
they'll　understand！〃　　He　slipped　into　the　crowd　again。

Corey　made　an　offer　of　going。　　Mrs。　Brinkley　stopped　him　with　her　fan。
〃Nostay；　Mr。　Corey。　　Unless　you　wish　to　go。　　I　fancy　it's　the　people　you
were　talking　about；　and　you　must　help　me　through　with　them。〃

〃I　ask　nothing　better；〃　said　the　old　man；　unresentful　of　Dan's　having　not
even　seemed　to　see　him；　in　his　generous　preoccupation。　　〃I　should　like　to
see　how　you'll　get　on；　and　perhaps　I　can　be　of　use。〃

〃Of　course　you　canthe　greatest。〃

〃But　why　hasn't　he　introduced　them　to　his　Pasmers？　　What？　　Eh？　　Oh！〃
Corey　made　these　utterances　in　response　to　a　sharper　pressure　of　Mrs。
Brinkley's　fan　on　his　arm。

Dan　was　opening　a　way　through　the　crowd　before　them　for　two　ladies；　whom
he　now　introduced。　　〃Mrs。　Frobisher；　Mrs。　Brinkley；　and　Miss　Wrayne。〃

Mrs。　Brinkley　cordially　gave　her　hand　to　the　ladies；　and　said；　〃May　I
introduce　Mr。　Corey？　　Mr。　Mavering；　let　me　introduce　you　to　Mr。　Corey。〃
The　old　man　rose　and　stood　with　the　little　group。

Dan's　face　shone　with　flattered　pride　and　joyous　triumph。　　He　bubbled　out
some　happy　incoherencies　about　the　honour　and　pleasure；　while　at　the　same
time　he　beamed　with　tender　gratitude　upon　Mrs。　Brinkley；　who　was　behaving
with　a　gracious；　humorous　kindliness　to　the　aliens　cast　upon　her　mercies。
Mrs。　Frobisher；　after　a　half…hour　of　Boston　society；　was　not　that　presence
of　easy　gaiety　which　crossed　Dan's　path　on　the　Portland　pavement　the
morning　of　his　arrival　from　Campobello；　but　she　was　still　a　handsome；
effective　woman；　of　whom　you　would　have　hesitated　to　say　whether　she　was
showy　or　distinguished。　　Perhaps　she　was　a　little　of　both；　with　an　air　of
command　bred　of　supremacy　in　frontier　garrisons；　her　sister　was　like　her
in　the　way　that　a　young　girl　may　be　like　a　young　matron。　　They　blossomed
alike　in　the　genial　atmosphere　of　Mrs。　Brinkley　and　of　Mr。　Corey。　　He
began　at　once　to　make　bantering　speeches　with　them　both。　　The　friendliness
of　an　old　man　and　a　stout　elderly　woman　might　not　have　been　their　ideal　of
success　at　an　evening　party；　used　as　they　were　to　the　unstinted　homage　of
young　captains　and　lieutenants；　but　a　brief　experience　of　Mrs。
Bellingham's　hospitality　must　have　taught　them　humility；　and　when　a　stout；
elderly　gentleman；　whose　baldness　was　still　trying　to　be　blond；　joined　the
group；　the　spectacle　was　not　without　its　points　of　resemblance　to　a　social
ovation。　　Perhaps　it　was　a　Boston　social　ovation。

〃Hallo；　Corey！〃　said　this　stout　gentleman；　whom　Mrs。　Brinkley　at　once
introduced　as　Mr。　Bellingham；　and　whose　salutation　Corey　returned　with
〃Hallo；　Charles！〃　of　equal　intimacy。

Mr。　Bellingham　caught　at　the　name　of　Frobisher。　　〃Mrs。　Major　Dick
Frobisher？〃

〃Mrs。　Colonel　now；　but　Dick　always；〃　said　the　lady；　with　immediate
comradery。　　〃Do　you　know　my　husband？〃

〃I　should　think　so！〃　said　Bellingham；　and　a　talk　of　common　interest　and
mutual　reminiscence　sprang　up　between　them。　　Bellingham　graphically
depicted　his　meeting　with　Colonel　Frobisher　the　last　time　he　was　out　on
the　Plains；　and　Mrs。　Frobisher　and　Miss　Wrayne　discovered　to　their　great
satisfaction　that　he　was　the　brother　of　Mrs。　Stephen　Blake；　of　Omaba；　who
had　come　out　to　the　fort　once　with　her　husband；　and　captu