lady baltimore-第32节

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The　female　now　leaned　from　her　seat；　and　with　the　tone　of　setting　the　whole　thing　right；　explained　：　〃We　had　no　idea　it　was　a　lady。〃

〃Doubtless　you're　not　accustomed　to　their　appearance；〃　said　John　to　Charley。

I　don't　know　what　Charley　would　have　done　about　this；　for　while　the　completely　foreign　voice　was　delightedly　whispering；　〃Toujours　le　panache！〃　a　new；　deep；　and　altogether　different　female　voice　exclaimed：

〃Why；　John；　it's　you！〃

So　that　was　Hortense；　then！　That　rich　and　quiet　utterance　was　hers；　a　schooled　and　studied　management　of　speech。　I　found　myself　surprised；　and　I　knew　directly　why；　that　word　of　one　of　the　old　ladles；　〃I　consider　that　she　looks　like　a　steel　wasp；〃　had　implanted　in　me　some　definite　antici…　pations　to　which　the　voice　certainly　did　not　correspond。　How　fervently　I　desired　that　she　would　lift　her　thick　veil；　while　John；　with　hat　in　hand；　was　greeting　her；　and　being　presented　to　her　companions！　Why　she　had　not　spoken　to　John　sooner　was　of　course　a　recondite　question；　and　beyond　my　power　to　determine　with　merely　the　given　situation　to　guide　me。　Hadn't　she　recognized　him　before？　Had　her　thick　veil；　and　his　position；　and　the　general　slight　flurry　of　the　misadventure；　intercepted　recognition　until　she　heard　his　voice　when　he　addressed　Charley。　Or　had　she　known　her　lover　at　once；　and　rapidly　decided　that　the　moment　was　an　unpropitious　one　for　a　first　meeting　after　absence；　and　that　she　would　pass　on　to　Kings　Port　unrevealed；　but　then　had　found　this　plan　become　impossible　through　the　collision　between　Charley　and　John？　It　was　not　until　certain　incidents　of　the　days　following　brought　Miss　Rieppe's　nature　a　good　deal　further　home　to　me；　that　a　third　interpretation　of　her　delay　in　speaking　to　John　dawned　upon　my　mind；　that　I　was　also　made　aware　how　a　woman's　understanding　of　the　words　〃Steel　wasp；〃　when　applied　by　her　to　one　of　her　own　sex；　may　differ　widely　from　a　man's　understanding　of　them；　and　that　Miss　Rieppe；　through　her　thick　veil；　saw　from　her　seat　in　the　automobile　something　which　my　own　unencumbered　vision　had　by　no　means　detected。

But　now；　here　on　the　bridge；　even　her　outward　appearance　was　as　shrouded　as　her　inward　qualitiessave　such　as　might　be　audible　in　that　voice；　as　her　skilful；　well…placed　speeches　to　one　and　the　other　of　the　company　tided　over　and　carried　off　into　ease　this　uneasy　moment。　All　men；　at　such　a　voice；　have　pricked　up　their　ears　since　the　beginning；　there　was　much　woman　in　it；　each　slow；　schooled　syllable　called　its　challenge　to　questing　man。　But　I　got　no　chance　to　look　in　the　eye　that　went　with　that　voice；　she　took　all　the　advantages　which　her　veil　gave　her；　and　how　well　she　used　them　I　was　to　learn　later。

In　the　general　smoothing…out　process　which　she　was　so　capably　effecting；　her　attention　was　about　to　reach　me；　when　my　name　was　suddenly　called　out　from　behind　her。　It　was　Beverly　Rodgers；　that　accomplished　and　inveterate　bachelor　of　fashion。　Ten　years　before；　when　I　had　seen　much　of　him；　he　had　been　more　particular　in　his　company；　frequently　declaring　in　his　genial；　irresponsible　way　that　New　York　society　was　going　to　the　devil。　But　many　tempting　dances　on　the　land；　and　cruises　on　the　water；　had　taken　him　deep　among　our　lower　classes　that　have　boiled　up　from　the　bottom　with　their　millionsand　besides；　there　would　be　nothing　to　marvel　at　in　Beverly's　presence　in　any　company　that　should　include　Hortense　Rieppe；　if　she　carried　out　the　promise　of　her　voice。

Beverly　was　his　customary；　charming；　effusive　self；　coming　out　of　the　automobile　to　me　with　his　〃By　Jove；　old　man；〃　and　his　〃Who'd　have　thought　it；　old　fellow？〃　and　sprinkling　urbane　little　drops　of　jocosity　over　us　collectively；　as　the　garden　water…turning　apparatus　sprinkles　a　lawn。　His　knowing　me；　and　the　way　he　brought　it　out；　and　even　the　tumbling　into　the　road　of　a　few　wraps　and　chattels　of　travel　as　he　descended　from　the　automobile；　and　the　necessity　of　picking　these　up　and　handing　them　back　with　delightful　little　jocular　apologies；　such　as；　〃By　Jove；　what　a　lout　I　am；〃　all　this　helped　the　meeting　on　prodigiously；　and　got　us　gratefully　away　from　the　disconcerting　incident　of　the　torn　money。　Charley　was　helpful；　too；　you　would　never　have　supposed　from　the　polite　small…talk　which　he　was　now　offering　to　John　Mayrant　that　he　had　within　some　three　minutes　received　the　equivalent　of　a　slap　across　the　eyes　from　that　youth；　and　carried　the　soiled　consequences　m　his　pocket。　And　such　a　thing　is　it　to　be　a　true　man　of　the　world　of　finance；　that　upon　the　arrival　now　of　a　second　automobile；　also　his　property；　and　containing　a　set　of　maids　and　valets；　and　also　some　live　dogs　sitting　up；　covered　with　glass　eyes　and　wrappings　like　their　owners；　munificent　Charley　at　once　offered　the　dead　dog　and　his　mistress　a　place　in　it；　and　begged　she　would　let　it　take　her　wherever　she　wished　to　go。　Everybody　exclaimed　copiously　and　condolingly　over　the　unfortunate　occurrence。　What　a　fine　animal　he　was；　to　be　sure！　What　breed　was　he？　Of　course；　he　wasn't　used　to　automobiles！　Was　it　quite　certain　that　he　was　dead？　Quel　dommage！　And　Charley　would　be　so　happy　to　replace　him。

And　how　was　Eliza　La　Heu　bearing　herself　amid　these　murmurously　chattered　infelicities？　She　was　listening　with　composure　to　the　murmurs　of　Hortense　Rieppe；　more　felicitous；　no　doubt。　Miss　Rieppe；　through　her　veil；　was　particularly　devoting　herself　to　Miss　La　Lieu。　I　could　not　hear　what　she　said；　the　little　chorus　of　condolence　and　suggestion　intercepted　all　save　her　tone；　and　that；　indeed；　coherently　sustained　its　measured　cadence　through　the　texture　of　fragments　uttered　by　Charley　and　the　others。　Eliza　La　Heu　had　now　got　herself　altogether　in　hand；　and；　saving　her　pale　cheeks；　no　sign　betrayed　that　the　young　girl's　feelings　had　been　so　recently　too　strong　for　her。　To　these　strangers；　ignorant　of　her　usual　manner；　her　present　strange　quietness　may　very　well　have　been　accepted　as　her　habit。

〃Thank　you；〃　she　replied　to　munificent　Charley's　offer　that　she　would　use　his　second　automobile。　She　managed　to　make　her　polite　words　cut　like　a　scythe。　〃I　should　crowd　it。〃

〃But　they　shall　get　out　and　walk；　it　will　be　good　for　them；〃　said　Charley；　indicating　the　valets　and　maids；　and　possibly　the　dogs；　too。

Beverly　Rodgers　did　much　better　than　Charley。　With　a　charming　gesture　and　bow；　he　offered　his　own　seat　in　the　first　automobile。　〃I　am　going　to　walk　in　any　case；〃　he　assured　her。

〃One　gentleman　among　them；〃　I　heard　John　Mayrant　mutter　behind　me。

Miss　La　Heu　declined；　the　chorus　urged；　but　Beverly　（who　was　indeed　a　gentleman；　every　inch　of　him）　shook　his　head　imperceptibly　at　Charley；　and　while　the　little　exclamations〃Do　come！　So　much　more　comfortable！　So　nice　to　see　more　of　you！〃dropped　away；　Miss　La　Heu　had　settled　her　problem　quite　simply　for　herself。　A　little　procession　of　vehicles；　townward　bound；　had　gathered　on　the　bridge；　waiting　until　the　closing　of　the　draw　should　allow　them　to　continue　upon　their　way。　From　these　most　of　the　occupants　had　descended；　and　were　staring　with　avidity　at　us　all；　the　great　glass　eyes　and　the　great　refulgent　cars　held　them　in　timidity　and　fascination；　and　the　poor　lifeless　white　body　of　General；　stretched　beside　the　way；　heightened　the　hypnotic　mystery；　one　or　two　of　the　boldest　had　touched　him；　and　found　no　outward　injury　upon　him；　and　this　had　sent　their　eyes　back　to　the　automobile　with　increased　awe。　Eliza　La　Heu　summoned　one　of　the　onlookers；　an　old　negro；　at　some　word　she　said　to　him　he　hurried　back　and　returned；　leading　his　horse　and　empty　cart；　and　General　was　lifted　into　this。　The　girl　took　her　seat　beside　the　old　driver。

〃No；〃　she　said　to　John　Mayrant；　〃certainly　not。〃

I　wondered　at　the　needless　severity　with　which　she　declined　his　offer　to　accompany　her　and　help　her。

He　stood　by　the　wheel　of　the　cart；　looking　up　at　her　and　protesting；　and　I　joined　him。

〃Thank　you；〃　she　returned；　〃I　need　no　one。　You　will　both　oblige　me　by　saying　no　more　about　it。〃

〃John！〃　It　was　the　slow；　well…calculated　utterance　of　Hortense　Rieppe。　Did　I　hear　in　it　the　caressing　note　of　love？

John　turned。

The　draw　had　swung　to；　the　mast　and　sail　of　the　vessel　were　separating

away　from　the　bridge　with　a　stealthy　motion；　men　with　iron　bars　were　at　work　fastening　the　draw　secure；　and　horses'　hoofs　knocked　nervously　upon　the　wooden　flooring　as　the　internal　churning　of　the　automobiles　burst　upon　their　innocent　ears。

〃John；　if　Mr。　Rodgers　is　really　not　going　with　us〃

Thus　Hortense；　and　at　that　Miss　La　Heu：

〃Why　do　you　keep　them　waiting？〃　There　was　no　caress　in　that　note！　It　was　polished　granite。

He　looked　up　at　her　on　her　high　seat　by　the　extremely　dilapidated　negro；　and　then　he　walked　forward　and　took　his　place　beside　his　veiled　fiancee；　among　the　glass　eyes。　A　hiss　of　sharp　noise　spurted　from　the　automobiles；　horses　danced；　and　then；　smoothly；　the　two　huge　engines　were　gone　with　their　cargo　of　large；　distorted　shapes；　leaving　behind　themquite　as　our　present　epoch　will　leave　behind　ita　trail　of　power；　of　ingenuity；　of　ruthlessness；　and　a　bad　smell。

〃Hold　hard；　old　boy！〃　chuckled　Beverly；　to　whom　I　communicated　this　sentiment。　〃How　do　you　know　the　stink　of　one　generation　does　not　become　the　perfume　of　the　next？〃　Beverly；　whe