april hopes-第63节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


the　door　of　the　ladies　parlour；　and　at　the　sound　of　women's　voices　Dan
halted。　　For　no　other　reason　than　that　such　voices　always　irresistibly
allured　him；　he　went　in；　putting　on　an　air　of　having　come　to　look　for　some
one。　　There　were　two　or　three　groups　of　ladies　receiving　friends　in
different　parts　of　the　room。　　At　the　window　a　girl's　figure　silhouetted
itself　against　the　keen　light；　and　as　he　advanced　into　the　room；　peering
about；　it　turned　with　a　certain　vividness　that　seemed　familiar。　　This
young　lady；　whoever　she　was；　had　the　advantage　of　Dan　in　seeing　him　with
the　light　on　his　face；　and　he　was　still　in　the　dark　about　her；　when　she
advanced　swiftly　upon　him；　holding　out　her　hand。

〃You　don't　seem　to　know　your　old　friends；　Mr。　Mavering；〃　and　the　manly
tones　left　him　no　doubt。

He　felt　a　rush　of　gladness；　and　he　clasped　her　hand　and　clung　to　it　as　if
he　were　not　going　to　let　it　go　again；　bubbling　out　incoherencies　of
pleasure　at　meeting　her。　　〃　Why；　Miss　Anderson！　　You　here？〃　　What　a　piece
of　luck！　　Of　course　I　couldn't　see　you　against　the　windowmake　you　out！
But　something　looked　familiarand　the　way　you　turned！　　And　when　you
started　toward　me！　　I'm　awfully　glad！　　Whenwhere　are　youthat　is〃

Miss　Anderson　kept　laughing　with　him；　and　bubbled　back　that　she　was　very
glad　too；　and　she　was　staying　with　her　aunt　in　that　hotel；　and　they　had
been　there　a　month；　and　didn't　he　think　Washington　was　charming？　　But　it
was　too　bad　he　had　just　got　there　with　that　blizzard。　　The　weather　had
been　perfectly　divine　till　the　day　before　yesterday。

He　took　the　spray　of　forceythia　out　of　his　buttonhole。　　〃I　can　believe　it。
I　found　this　in　one；　of　the　squares；　and　I　think　it　belongs　to　you。〃　　He。
offered　it　with　a　bow　and　a　laugh；　and　she　took　it　in　the　same　humour。

〃What　is　the　language　of　forceythia？〃　she　asked。

〃It　has　noneonly　expressive　silence；　you　know。〃

A　middle…aged　lady　came　in；　and　Miss　Anderson　said；　〃My　aunt；　Mr。
Mavering。〃

〃Mr。　Mavering　will　hardly　remember　me；〃　said　the　lady；　giving　him　her
hand。　　He　protested　that　he　should　indeed；　but　she　had　really　made　but　a
vague　impression　upon　him　at　Campobello。　　He　knew　that　she　was　there　with
Miss　Anderson；　he　had　been　polite　to　her　as　he　was　to　all　women；　but　he
had　not　noticed　her　much；　and　in　his　heart　he　had　a　slight　for　her；　as
compared　with　the　Boston　people　he　was　more　naturally　thrown　with；　he
certainly　had　not　remembered　that　she　was　a　little　hard　of　hearing。

Miss　Van　Hook　was　in　a　steel…grey　effect　of　dress；　and；　she　had　carried
this　up　into　her　hair；　of　which　she　worn　two　short　vertical　curls　on　each
temple。

She　did　not　sit　down；　and　Dan　perceived　that　the　ladies　were　going　out。
In　her　tailor…made　suit　of　close…fitting　serge　and　her　Paris　bonnet；
carried　like　a　crest　on　her　pretty　little　head；　Miss　Anderson　was
charming。　　She　had　a　short　veil　that　came　across　the　base　of　her　lively
nose；　and　left　her　mouth　and　chin　to　make　the　most　of　themselves；
unprejudiced　by　its　irregularity。

Dan　felt　it　a　hardship　to　part　with　them；　but　he　prepared　to　take　himself
off。　　Miss　Anderson　asked　him　how　long　he　was　to　be　in　Washington；　and
said　he　must　come　to　see　them；　they　meant　to　stay　two　weeks　yet；　and　then
they　were　going　to　Old　Point　Comfort；　they　had　their　rooms　engaged。

He　walked　down　to　their　carriage　with　the　ladies　and　put　them　into　it；　and
Miss　Anderson　still　kept　him　talking　there。

Her　aunt　said：　〃Why　shouldn't　you　come　with　us；　Mr。　Mavering？　　We're　going
to　Mrs。　Secretary　Miller's　reception。〃

Dan　gave　himself　a　glance。　　〃I　don't　knowif　you　want　me？〃

〃We　want　you；〃　said　Miss　Anderson。　　〃Very　well；　then；　I'll　go。〃

He　got　in；　and　they　began　rolling　over　that　smooth　Washington　asphalt
which　makes　talk　in　a　carriage　as　easy　as　in　a　drawing…room。　　Dan　kept
saying　to　himself；　〃Now　she's　going　to　bring　up　Campobello；〃　but　Miss
Anderson　never　recurred　to　their　former　meeting；　and　except　for　the　sense
of　old　acquaintance　which　was　manifest　in　her　treatment　of　him　he　might
have　thought　that　they　had　never　met　before。　　She　talked　of　Washington　and
its　informal　delights；　and　of　those　plans　which　her　aunt　had　made；　like
every　one　who　spends　a　month　in　Washington；　to　spend　all　the　remaining
winters　of　her　life　there。

It　seemed　to　Dan　that　Miss　Anderson　was　avoiding　Campobello　on　his
account；　he　knew　from　what　Alice　had　told　him　that　there　had　been　much
surmise　about　their　affair　after　he　had　left　the　island；　and　he　suspected
that　Miss　Anderson　thought　the　subject　was　painful　to　him。　　He　wished　to
reassure　her。　　He　asked　at　the　first　break　in　the　talk　about　Washington；
〃How　are　the　Trevors？〃

〃Oh；　quite　well；〃　she　said；　promptly　availing　herself　of　the　opening。
〃Have　you　seen　any　of　our　Campobello　friends　lately　in　Boston？〃

〃No；　I've　been　at　home　for　the　last　monthin　the　country。〃　　He　scanned
her　face　to　see　if　she　knew　anything　of　his　engagement。　　But　she　seemed
honestly　ignorant　of　everything　since　Campobello；　she　was　not　just　the
kind　of　New　York　girl　who　would　visit　in　Boston；　or　have　friends　living
there；　probably　she　had　never　heard　of　his　engagement。　　Somehow　this
seemed　to　simplify　matters　for　Dan。　　She　did　not　ask　specifically　after
the　Pasmers；　but　that　might　have　been　because　of　the　sort　of　break　in　her
friendship　with　Alice　after　that　night　at　the　Trevors'；　she　did　not　ask
specifically　after　Mrs。　Brinkley　or　any　of　the　others。

At　Mrs。　Secretary　Miller's　door　there　was　a　rapid　arrival　and　departure　of
carriages；　of　coupes；　of　hansoms；　and　of　herdics；　all　managed　by　a　man　in
plain　livery；　who　opened　and　shut　the　doors；　and　sent　the　drivers　off
without　the　intervention　of　a　policeman；　it　is　the　genius　of　Washington；
which　distinguishes　it　from　every　other　capital；　from　every　other　city；　to
make　no　show　of　formality；　of　any　manner　of　constraint　anywhere。　　People
were　swarming　in　and　out；　coming　and　going　on　foot　as　well　as　by　carriage。
The　blandest　of　coloured　uncles　received　their　cards　in　the　hall　and　put
them　into　a　vast　tray　heaped　up　with　pasteboard；　smiling　affectionately
upon　them　as　if　they　had　done　him　a　favour。

〃Don't　you　like　them？〃　asked　Dan　of　Miss　Anderson；　he　meant　the　Southern
negroes。

〃I　adoye　them；〃　she　responded；　with　equal　fervour。　　〃You　must　study　some
new　types　here　for　next　summer；〃　she　added。

Dan　laughed　and　winced　too。　　〃Yes！〃　　Then　be　said　solemnly；　〃I　am　not
going　to　Campobello　next　summer。〃

They　felt　into　a　stream　of　people　tending　toward　an　archway　between　the
drawing…rooms；　where　Mrs。　Secretary　Miller　stood　with　two　lady　friends　who
were　helping　her　receive。　　They　smiled　wearily　but　kindly　upon　the　crowd；
for　whom　the　Secretary's　wife　had　a　look　of　impartial　hospitality。　　She
could　not　have　known　more　than　one　in　fifty；　and　she　met　them　all　with
this　look　at　first；　breaking　into　incredulous　recognition　when　she　found　a
friend。　　〃Don't　go　away　yet；〃　she　said　cordially；　to　Miss　Van　Hook　and　her
niece；　and　she　held　their　hands　for　a　moment　with　a　gentle　look　of　relief
and　appeal　which　included　Dan。　　〃Let　me　introduce　you　to　Mrs。　Tolliver　and
to　Miss　Dixon。〃

These　ladies　said　that　it　was　not　necessary　in　regard　to　Miss　Anderson　and
Miss　Van　Hook；　and　as　the　crowd　pushed　them　on；　Dan　felt　that　they　had
been　received　with　distinction。

The　crowd　expressed　the　national　variety　of　rich　and　poor；　plain　and
fashionable；　urbane　and　rustic；　they　elbowed　and　shouldered　each　other
upon　a　perfect　equality　in　a　place　where　all　were　as　free　to　come　as　to
the　White　House；　and　they　jostled　quaint　groups　of　almond…eyed　legations
in　the　yellows　and　purples　of　the　East；　who　looked　dreamily　on　as　if
puzzled　past　all　surmise　by　the　scene。　　Certain　young　gentlemen　with　the
unmistakable　air　of　being　European　or　South　American　attaches　found　their
way　about　on　their　little　feet；　which　the　stalwart　boots　of　the　republican
masses　must　have　imperilled；　and　smiled　with　a　faint　diplomatic
superiority；　not　visibly　admitted；　but　all　the　same　indisputable。　　Several
of　these　seemed　to　know　Miss　Anderson；　and　took　her　presentation　of
Mavering　with　exaggerated　effusion。

〃I　want　to　introduce　you　to　my　cousin　over　yonder；〃　she　said；　getting　rid
of　a　minute　Brazilian　under…secretary；　and　putting　her　hand　on　Dan's　arm
to　direct　him：　〃Mrs。　Justice　Averill。〃

Miss　Van　Hook；　keeping　her　look　of　severe　vigilance；　really　followed　her
energetic　niece；　who　took　the　lead；　as　a　young　lady　must　whenever　she　and
her　chaperon　meet　on　equal　terms。

Mrs。　Justice　Averill；　who　was　from　the　far　West　somewhere；　received　Dan
with　the　ease　of　the　far　East；　and　was　talking　London　and　Paris　to　him
before　the　end　of　the　third　minute。　　It　gave　Dan　a　sense　of　liberation；　of
expansion；　he　filled　his　lungs　with　the　cosmopolitan　air　in　a　sort　of
intoxication；　without　formulating　it；　he　felt；　with　the　astonishment　which
must　always　attend　the　Bostonian's　perception　of　the　fact；　that　there　is　a
great　social　life　in　America　outside　of　Boston。　　At　Campobello　he　had
thought　Miss　Anderson　a　very　jolly　girl；　bright；　and　up　to　all　sorts　of
things；　but　in　the　presence　of　the　portable　Boston　there　he　could　not　help
regarding　her　with　a　sort　of　tolerance　which　he　now　b