the man between-第20节

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　trouble　I　had　with　my　maid；　Julia；　he　actually　yawned。　He　tried　to　smother　the　yawn；　but　he　could　not；　and　of　course　the　honeymoon　is　over　when　your　bridegroom　yawns　in　your　face　while　you　are　telling　him　your　troubles。〃

〃I　should　think　you　would　be　glad　it　was　over。　Of　all　the　words　in　the　English　language　‘honeymoon'　is　the　most　ridiculous　and　imbecile。〃

〃I　suppose　when　you　get　married　you　will　take　a　honeymoon。〃

〃I　shall　have　more　sense　and　more　selfishness。　A　girl　could　hardly　enter　a　new　life　through　a　medium　more　trying。　I　am　sure　it　would　need　long…tested　affections　and　the　sweetest　of　tempers　to　make　it　endurable。〃

〃I　cannot　imagine　what　you　mean。〃

〃I　mean　that　all　traveling　just　after　marriage　is　a　great　blunder。　Traveling　makes　the　sunniest　disposition　hasty　and　peevish；　for　women　don't　love　changes　as　men　do。　Not　one　in　a　thousand　is　seen　at　her　best　while　traveling；　and　the　majority　are　seen　at　their　very　worst。　Then　there　is　the　discomfort　and　desolation　of　European　hotels　their　mysterious　methods　and　hours；　and　the　ways　of　foreigners；　which　are　not　as　our　ways。〃

〃Don't　talk　of　them；　Ethel。　They　are　dreadful　places；　and　such　queer　people。〃

〃Add　to　these　troubles　ignorance　of　language　and　coinage；　the　utter　weariness　of　railway　travel；　the　plague　of　customs；　the　trunk　that　won't　pack；　the　trains　that　won't　wait；　the　tiresome　sight…seeing；　the　climatic　irritability；　broiling　suns；　headache；　loneliness；　fretfulnessconsequently　the　pitiful　boredom　of　the　new　husband。〃

〃Ethel；　what　you　say　is　certainly　too　true。　I　am　weary　to　death　of　it　all。　I　want　to　be　at　Newport　with　mother；　who　is　having　a　lovely　time　there。　Of　course　Basil　is　very　nice　to　me；　and　yet　there　have　been　little　tiffs　and　strugglesvery　gentle　onesfor　the　mastery；　which　he　is　not　going　to　get。　To…day　he　wanted　me　to　go　with　him　and　Canon　Shackleton　to　see　something　or　other　about　the　poor　of　London。　I　would　not　do　it。　I　am　so　lonely；　Ethel；　I　want　to　see　some　one。　I　feel　fit　to　cry　all　the　time。　I　like　Basil　best　of　anyone　in　the　world；　but〃

〃But　in　the　solitude　of　a　honeymoon　among　strangers　you　find　out　that　the　person　you　like　best　in　the　world　can　bore　you　as　badly　as　the　person　you　don't　like　at　all。　Is　that　so？〃

〃Exactly。　Just　fancy　if　we　were　among　our　friends　in　Newport。　I　should　have　some　pleasure　in　dressing　and　looking　lovely。　Why　should　I　dress　here？　There　is　no　one　to　see　me。〃

〃Basil。〃

〃Of　course；　but　Basil　spends　all　the　time　in　visiting　cathedrals　and　clergymen。　If　we　go　out；　it　is　to　see　something　about　the　poor；　or　about　schools　and　such　like。　We　were　not　in　London　two　hours　until　he　was　off　to　Westminster　Abbey；　and　I　didn't　care　a　cent　about　the　old　place。　He　says　I　must　not　ask　him　to　go　to　theaters；　but　historical　old　houses　don't　interest　me　at　all。　What　does　it　matter　if　Cromwell　slept　in　a　certain　ancient　shabby　room？　And　as　for　all　the　palaces　I　have　seen；　my　father's　house　is　a　great　deal　handsomer；　and　more　convenient；　and　more　comfortable；　and　I　wish　I　were　there。　I　hate　Europe；　and　England　I　hate　worst　of　all。〃

〃You　have　not　seen　England。　We　are　all　enraptured　with　its　beauty　and　its　old　houses　and　pleasant　life。〃

〃You　are　among　friendsat　home；　as　it　were。　I　have　heard　all　about　Rawdon　Court。　Fred　Mostyn　told　me。　He　is　going　to　buy　it。〃

〃When？〃

〃Some　time　this　fall。　Then　next　year　he　will　entertain　us；　and　that　will　be　a　little　different　to　this　desolate　hotel；　I　think。〃

〃How　long　will　you　be　in　London？〃

〃I　cannot　say。　We　are　invited　to　Stanhope　Castle；　but　I　don't　want　to　go　there。　We　stayed　with　the　Stanhopes　a　week　when　we　first　came　over。　They　were　then　in　their　London　house；　and　I　got　enough　of　them。〃

〃Did　you　dislike　the　family？〃

〃No；　I　cared　nothing　about　them。　They　just　bored　me。　They　are　extremely　religious。　We　had　prayers　night　and　morning；　and　a　prayer　before　and　after　every　meal。　They　read　only　very　good　books；　and　the　Honorable　Misses　Stanhope　sew　for　the　poor　old　women　and　teach　the　poor　young　ones。　They　work　harder　than　anyone　I　ever　knew；　and　they　call　it　‘improving　the　time。'　They　thought　me　a　very　silly；　reckless　young　woman；　and　I　think　they　all　prayed　for　me。　One　night　after　they　had　sung　some　very　nice　songs　they　asked　me　to　play；　and　I　began　with　‘My　Little　Brown　Rose'you　know　they　all　adore　the　negro　and　little　by　little　I　dropped　into　the　funniest　coon　songs　I　knew；　and　oh　how　they　laughed！　Even　the　old　lord　stroked　his　knees　and　laughed　out　loud；　while　the　young　ladies　laughed　into　their　handkerchiefs。　Lady　Stanhope　was　the　only　one　who　comprehended　I　was　guying　them；　and　she　looked　at　me　with　half…shut　eyes　in　a　way　that　would　have　spoiled　some　girls'　fun。　It　only　made　me　the　merrier。　So　I　tried　to　show　them　a　cake　walk；　but　the　old　lord　rose　then　and　said　‘I　must　be　tired；　and　they　would　excuse　me。'　Somehow　I　could　not　manage　him。　Basil　was　at　a　workman's　concert；　and　when　he　came　home　I　think　there　were　some　advices　and　remonstrances；　but　Basil　never　told　me。　I　felt　as　if　they　were　all　glad　when　I　went　away；　and　I　don't　wish　to　go　to　the　Castle　and　I　won't　go　either。〃

〃But　if　Basil　wishes　to　go〃

〃He　can　go　alone。　I　rather　think　Fred　Mostyn　will　be　here　in　a　few　days；　and　he　will　take　me　to　places　that　Basil　will　notinnocent　places　enough；　Ethel；　so　you　need　not　look　so　shocked。　Why　do　you　not　ask　me　to　Rawdon　Court？〃

〃Because　I　am　only　a　guest　there。　I　have　no　right　to　ask　you。〃

〃I　am　sure　if　you　told　Squire　Rawdon　how　fond　you　are　of　me；　and　how　lonely　I　am；　he　would　tell　you　to　send　for　me。〃

〃I　do　not　believe　he　would。　He　has　old…　fashioned　ideas　about　newly　married　people。　He　would　hardly　think　it　possible　that　you　would　be　willing　to　go　anywhere　without　Basilyet。〃

〃He　could　ask　Basil　too。〃

〃If　Mr。　Mostyn　is　coming　home；　he　can　ask　you　to　Mostyn　Hall。　It　is　very　near　Rawdon　Court。〃

〃Yes。　Fred　said　as　soon　as　he　had　possession　of　the　Court　he　could　put　both　places　into　a　ring　fence。　Then　he　would　live　at　the　Court。　If　he　asks　us　there　next　summer　I　shall　be　sure　to　beg　an　invitation　for　you　also；　so　I　think　you　might　deserve　it　by　getting　me　one　now。　I　don't　want　to　go　to　Mostyn　yet。　Fred　says　it　needs　entire　refurnishing；　and　if　we　come　to　the　Court　next　summer；　I　have　promised　to　give　him　my　advice　and　help　in　making　the　place　pretty　and　up　to　date。　Have　you　seen　Mostyn　Hall？〃

〃I　have　passed　it　several　times。　It　is　a　large；　gloomy…looking　place　I　was　going　to　say　haunted…looking。　It　stands　in　a　grove　of　yew　trees。〃

〃So　you　are　not　going　to　ask　me　to　Rawdon　Court？〃

〃I　really　cannot；　Dora。　It　is　not　my　house。　I　am　only　a　guest　there。〃

〃Never　mind。　Make　no　more　excuses。　I　see　how　it　is。　You　always　were　jealous　of　Fred's　liking　for　me。　And　of　course　when　he　goes　down　to　Mostyn　you　would　prefer　me　to　be　absent。〃

〃Good…by；　Dora！　I　have　a　deal　of　shopping　to　do；　and　there　is　not　much　time　before　the　ball；　for　many　things　will　be　to　make。〃

〃The　ball！　What　ball？〃

〃Only　one　at　Rawdon　Court。　The　neighbors　have　been　exceedingly　kind　to　us；　and　the　Squire　is　going　to　give　a　dinner　and　ball　on　the　first　of　August。〃

〃Sit　down　and　tell　me　about　the　neighbors　and　the　ball。〃

〃I　cannot。　I　promised　Ruth　to　be　back　at　five。　Our　modiste　is　to　see　us　at　that　hour。〃

〃So　Ruth　is　with　you！　Why　did　she　not　call　on　me？〃

〃Did　you　think　I　should　come　to　London　alone？　And　Ruth　did　not　call　because　she　was　too　busy。〃

〃Everyone　and　everything　comes　before　me　now。　I　used　to　be　first　of　all。　I　wish　I　were　in　Newport　with　dad　and　mamma；　even　Bryce　would　be　a　comfort。〃

〃As　I　said　before；　you　have　Mr。　Stanhope。〃

〃Are　you　going　to　send　for　me　to　the　ball？〃

〃I　cannot　promise　that；　Dora。　Good…by。〃

Dora　did　not　answer。　She　buried　her　face　in　the　soft　pillow；　and　Ethel　closed　the　door　to　the　sound　of　her　sobs。　But　they　did　not　cause　her　to　return　or　to　make　any　foolish　promises。　She　divined　their　insincerity　and　their　motive；　and　had　no　mind　to　take　any　part　in　forwarding　the　latter。

And　Ruth　assured　her　she　had　acted　wisely。　〃If　trouble　should　ever　come　of　this　friendship；〃　she　said；　〃Dora　would　very　likely　complain　that　you　had　always　thrown　Mostyn　in　her　way；　brought　him　to　her　house　in　New　York；　and　brought　her　to　him　at　Rawdon；　in　England。　Marriage　is　such　a　risk；　Ethel；　but　to　marry　without　the　courage　to　adapt　oneself。　AH！〃

〃You　think　that　condition　unspeakably　hard？〃

〃There　are　no　words　for　it。〃

〃Dora　was　not　reticent；　I　assure　you。〃

〃I　am　sorry。　A　wife's　complaints　are　self…　inflicted　wounds；　scattered　seeds；　from　which　only　misery　can　spring。　I　hope　you　will　not　see　her　again　at　this　time。〃

〃I　made　no　promise　to　do　so。〃

〃And　where　all　is　so　uncertain；　we　had　better　suppose　all　is　right　than　that　all　is　wrong。　Even　if　there　was　the　beginning　of　wrong；　it　needs　but　an　accident　to　prevent　it；　and　there　are　so　many。〃

〃Accidents！〃

〃Yes；　for　accident　is　God's　part　in　affairs。　We　call　it　accident；　it　would　be　better　to　say　an　interposition。〃

〃Dora　told　me　Mostyn　intended　to　buy　Rawdon　Court　in　September；　and　he　has　even　invited　the　Stanhopes　to　stay　there　next　summer。〃

〃What　did　you　say？〃

〃Nothing　against　it。〃

〃Very　good。　Do　you　think　Mostyn　is　in　London　now？〃

〃I　should　no