lady baltimore-第56节

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But　（you　may　be　asking）　how　on　earth　did　all　this　come　about？　What　happened　in　Kings　Port　on　the　day　following　that　important　swim　which　Hortense　and　John　took　together　in　the　waters　of　the　harbor？

I　wish　that　I　could　tell　you　all　that　happened；　but　I　can　only　tell　you　of　the　outside　of　things；　the　inside　was　wholly　invisible　and　inaudible　to　me；　although　we　may　be　sure；　I　think；　that　when　the　circles　that　widened　from　Hortense's　plunge　reached　the　shores　of　the　town；　there　must　have　been　in　certain　quarters　a　considerable　splashing。　I　presume　that　John　communicated　to　somebody　the　news　of　his　broken　engagement；　for　if　he　omitted　to　do　so；　with　the　wedding　invitations　to　be　out　the　next　day；　he　was　remiss　beyond　excuse；　and　I　think　this　very　unlikely；　and　I　also　presume　（with　some　evidence　to　go　on）　that　Hortense　did　not；　in　the　somewhat　critical　juncture　of　her　fortunes；　allow　the　grass　to　grow　under　her　feetif　such　an　expression　may　be　used　of　a　person　who　is　shut　up　in　the　stateroom　of　a　steam　yacht。　To　me　John　Mayrant　made　no　sign　of　any　sort　by　word　or　in　writing；　and　this　is　the　highest　proof　he　ever　gave　me　of　his　own　delicacy；　and　also　of　his　reliance　upon　mine；　for　he　must　have　been　pretty　sure　that　I　had　overheard　those　last　destiny…deciding　words　spoken　between　himself　and　Hortense　in　the　boat；　as　we　reached　the　Hermana's　gangway。　In　John's　place　almost　any　man；　even　Beverly　Rodgers；　would　have　either　dropped　a　hint　at　the　moment；　or　later　sent　me　some　line　to　the　effect　that　the　incident　was；　of　course；　〃between　ourselves。〃　That　would　have　been　both　permissible　and　practical；　but　there　it　was；　the　difference　between　John　of　Kings　Port　and　us　others；　he　was　not　practical　when　it　came　to　something　〃between　gentlemen；〃　as　he　would　have　said。　The　finest　flower　of　breeding　blossoms　above　the　level　of　the　practical；　and　that　is　why　you　do　not　find　it　growing　in　the　huge　truck…garden　of　our　age；　save　in　corners　where　it　has　not　yet　been　uprooted。　John's　silence　to　me　was　something　that　I　liked　very　much；　and　he　must　have　found　that　it　was　not　misplaced。

The　first　external　splash　of　the　few　that　I　have　to　narrate　was　a　negative　manifestation；　and　occurred　at　breakfast：　Juno　supposed　if　the　wedding　invitations　would　be　out　later　in　the　day。　The　next　splash　was　somewhat　louder　on；　was　at　dinner；　when　Juno　inquired　of　Mrs。　Trevise　if　she　had　received　any　wedding　invitation。　At　tea　time　was　very　decided　splashing。　No　invitation　had　come　to　anybody。　Juno　had　called　at　five　of　the　St。　Michael　houses　and　got　in　at　none　of　them；　and　there　was　a　rumor　that　the　Hermana　had　disappeared　from　the　harbor。　So　far；　none　of　the　splashing　had　wet　me　but　I　now　came　in　for　a　light　sprinkle。

〃Were　you　not　on　board　that　boat　yesterday？〃　Juno　inquired；　and　to　see　her　look　at　me　you　might　have　gathered　that　I　was　suspected　of　sinking　the　vessel。

〃A　most　delightful　occasion！〃　I　exclaimed；　filling　my　face　with　a　bright　blankness。

〃Isn't　he　awful　to　speak　that　way　about　Sunday！〃　said　the　up…country　bride。

This　was　a　chance　for　the　poetess；　and　she　took　it。　〃To　me；〃　she　mused；　〃every　day　seems　fraught　with　an　equal　holiness。〃

〃But　I　should　think；〃　observed　the　Briton；　〃that　you　could　knock　off　a　hymn　better　on　Sundays。〃

All　this　while　Juno　was　looking　at　me；　and　I　knew　it；　and　therefore　I　ate　my　food　in　a　kindly　sort　of　unconscious　way；　until　she　fired　another　shot　at　me。　〃There　is　an　absurd　report　that　somebody　fell　overboard。〃

〃Dear　me！〃　I　laughed。　〃So　that　is　what　it　has　grown　to　already！　I　did　go　out　on　the　boat　boom；　and　I　did　drop　offbut　into　a　boat。〃

At　this　confession　of　mine　the　up…country　bride　became　extraordinarily　arch　on　the　subject　of　the　well…known　hospitality　of　steam　yachts；　and　for　this　I　was　honestly　grateful　to　her；　but　Juno　brooded　still。　〃I　hope　there　is　nothing　wrong；〃　she　said　solemnly。

Feeling　that　silence　at　this　point　would　not　be　golden；　I　went　into　it　with　spirit　I　told　them　of　our　charming　party；　of　General　Rieppe's　rich　store　of　quotations；　of　the　strict　discipline　on　board　the　well…appointed　Hermana；　of　the　great　beauty　of　Hortense；　and　her　evident　happiness　when　her　lover　was　by　her　side。　This　talk　of　mine　turned　off　any　curiosity　or　suspicion　which　the　rest　of　the　company　may　have　begun　to　entertain；　but　upon　Juno　I　think　it　made　scant　impression；　save　causing　her　to　set　me　down　as　an　imbecile。　For　there　was　Doctor　Beaugarcon　when　we　came　into　the　sitting…room；　who　told　us　before　any　one　could　even　say　〃How…do…you…do；〃　that　Miss　Hortense　Rieppe　had　broken　her　engagement　with　John　Mayrant；　and　that　he　had　it　from　Mrs。　Cornerly；　whom　he　was　visiting　professionally。　I　caught　the　pitying　look　which　Juno　threw　at　me　at　this　news；　and　I　was　happy　to　have　acquitted　myself　so　creditably　in　the　manipulation　of　my　secret：　nobody　asked　me　any　more　questions！

There　is　almost　nothing　else　to　tell　you　of　how　the　splashes　broke　on　Kings　Port。　Before　the　day　when　I　was　obliged　to　call　in　Doctor　Beaugarcon's　professional　services　（quite　a　sharp　attack　put　me　to　bed　for　half　a　week）　I　found　merely　the　following　things：　the　Hermana　gone　to　New　York；　the　automobiles　and　the　Replacers　had　also　disappeared；　and　people　were　divided　on　the　not　strikingly　important　question　as　to　whether　Hortense　and　the　General　had　accompanied　Charley　on　the　yacht；　or　continued　northward　in　an　automobile；　or　taken　the　train。　Gone；　in　any　case；　the　whole　party　indubitably　was；　leaving；　I　must　say；　a　sense　of　emptiness：　the　comedy　was　over；　the　players　departed。　I　never　heard　any　one；　not　even　Juno；　doubt　that　it　was　Hortense　who　had　broken　the　engagement；　this　part　of　the　affair　was　conducted　by　the　principals　with　great　skill。　Hortense　had　evidently　written　her　version　to　the　Cornerlys；　and　not　a　word　to　any　other　effect　ever　came　from　John's　mouth；　of　course。　One　result　I　had　not　looked　for；　though　it　was　a　natural　one：　if　the　old　ladies　had　felt　indignation　at　Hortense　for　her　determination　to　marry　John　Mayrant；　this　indignation　was　doubled　by　her　determination　not　to！　I　fear　that　few　of　us　live　by　logic；　even　in　Kings　Port；　and　then；　they　had　all　called　upon　her　in　that　garden　for　nothing！　The　sudden　thought　of　this　made　me　laugh　alone　in　my　bed　of　sickness；　and　when　I　came　out　of　it；　had　such　a　thing　been　possible；　I　should　have　liked　to　congratulate　Miss　Josephine　St。　Michael　on　her　absence　from　the　garden　occasion。　I　said；　however；　nothing　to　her；　or　to　any　of　the　other　ladies；　upon　this　or　any　subject；　for　I　was　so　unlucky　as　to　find　them　not　at　home　when　I　paid　my　round　of　farewell　visits。　Nor　（to　my　real　distress）　did　I　see　John　Mayrant　again。　The　boy　wrote　me　（I　received　it　in　bed）　a　short；　warm　note　of　regret；　with　nothing　else　in　it　save　the　fact　that　he　was　leaving　town；　having　become　free　from　the　Custom　House　at　last。　I　fancy　that　he　ran　away　for　a　judicious　interval。　Who　would　not？

Was　there　one　person　to　whom　he　told　the　truth　before　he　went？　Did　the　girl　behind　the　counter　hear　the　manner　in　which　the　engagement　was　broken？　Ah；　none　of　us　will　ever　know　that！　But；　although　I　could　not；　without　the　highest　impropriety；　have　spoken　to　any　of　the　old　ladies　about　this　business；　unless　they　had　chosen　to　speak　to　meand　somehow　I　feel　that　after　the　abrupt　close　of　it　not　even　Mrs。　Gregory　St。　Michael　would　have　been　likely　to　touch　on　the　subject　with　an　outsiderthere　was　nothing　whatever　to　forbid　my　indulging　in　a　skirmish　with　Eliza　La　Heu；　therefore　I　lunched　at　the　Exchange　on　my　last　day。

〃To　the　mountains？〃　she　said；　in　reply　to　my　information　about　my　plans　of　travel。

〃Doctor　Beaugarcon　says　nothing　else　can　so　quickly　restore　me。〃

〃Stay　there　for　the　rhododendrons；　then；〃　she　bade　me。　〃No　sight　more　beautiful　in　all　the　South。〃

〃Town　seems　deserted；〃　I　pursued。　〃Everybody　gone。〃

〃Oh；　not　everybody！〃

〃All　the　interesting　people。〃

〃Thank　you。〃

〃I　meant；　interesting　to　you。〃

I　saw　her　decide　not　to　be　angry；　and　her　decision　changed　and　saved　our　conversation　from　the　trashy；　bantering　tone　which　it　was　taking；　and　brought　it　to　a　pass　most　unexpected　to　both　of　us。

She　gave　me　a　charming　and　friendly　smile。　〃Well；　you；　at　any　rate；　are　going　away。　And　I　am　really　sorry　for　that。〃

Her　eyes　rested　upon　me　with　perfect　frankness。　I　was　not　in　love　with　Eliza　La　Heu；　but　nearer　to　love　than　I　had　ever　been　then；　and　it　would　have　been　easy；　very　easy；　to　let　one's　self　go　straight　onward　into　love。　There　are　for　a　man　more　ways　of　falling　into　that　state　than　romancers　would　have　us　to　believe；　and　one　of　them　is　by　an　assent　of　the　will　at　a　certain　given　moment；　which　the　heart　promptly　follows　just　as　a　man　in　a　moment　decides　he　will　espouse　a　cause；　and　soon　finds　himself　hotly　fighting　for　it　body　and　soul。　I　could　have　gone　out　of　that　Exchange　completely　in　love　with　Eliza　La　Heu；　but　my　will　did　not　give　its　assent；　and　I　saw　John　Mayrant　not　as　a　rival；　but　as　one　whose　happiness　I　greatly　desired。

〃Thank　you；〃　I　said；　〃for　telling　me　you　are　sorry　I　am　going。　And　now；　may　I　treat　you　more　than　ever　as　a　friend；　and　tell　you　of　a　　circumstance　which　Kings　Port　does　not　know？〃

It　put　her　on　her　guard。　〃Don't　be　indiscreet；〃　she　laughed。

〃Isn't　timely　indiscret