an episode of fiddletown-第9节

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former　writing　master　in　such　gratuitous　variety　of　elegant

calligraphic　trifling　as　to　abate　considerably　the　serious　value　of

the　composition；　to　three　views　of　Genoa　from　the　Institute；　which

nobody　ever　recognized；　taken　on　the　spot　by　the　drawing　teacher；

from　two　illuminated　texts　of　Scripture　in　an　English　letter；　so

gratuitously　and　hideously　remote　as　to　chill　all　human　interest；

to　a　large　photograph　of　the　senior　class；　in　which　the　prettiest

girls　were　Ethiopian　in　complexion；　and　sat；　apparently；　on　each

other's　heads　and　shoulders。　　His　fingers　had　turned　listlessly　the

leaves　of　school…catalogues；　the　SERMONS　of　Dr。　Crammer；　the　POEMS

of　Henry　Kirke　White；　the　LAYS　OF　THE　SANCTUARY　and　LIVES　OF

CELEBRATED　WOMEN。　　His　fancy；　and　it　was　a　nervously　active　one；

had　gone　over　the　partings　and　greetings　that　must　have　taken　place

here；　and　wondered　why　the　apartment　had　yet　caught　so　little　of

the　flavor　of　humanity；　indeed；　I　am　afraid　he　had　almost　forgotten

the　object　of　his　visit　when　the　door　opened；　and　Carry　Tretherick

stood　before　him。



It　was　one　of　those　faces　he　had　seen　the　night　before；　prettier

even　than　it　had　seemed　then；　and　yet　I　think　he　was　conscious　of

some　disappointment；　without　knowing　exactly　why。　　Her　abundant

waving　hair　was　of　a　guinea…golden　tint；　her　complexion　of　a

peculiar　flowerlike　delicacy；　her　brown　eyes　of　the　color　of

seaweed　in　deep　water。　　It　certainly　was　not　her　beauty　that

disappointed　him。



Without　possessing　his　sensitiveness　to　impression；　Carry　was；　on

her　part；　quite　as　vaguely　ill　at　ease。　　She　saw　before　her　one　of

those　men　whom　the　sex　would　vaguely　generalize　as　〃nice；〃　that　is

to　say；　correct　in　all　the　superficial　appointments　of　style；

dress；　manners；　and　feature。　　Yet　there　was　a　decidedly

unconventional　quality　about　him：　he　was　totally　unlike　anything　or

anybody　that　she　could　remember；　and　as　the　attributes　of

originality　are　often　as　apt　to　alarm　as　to　attract　people；　she　was

not　entirely　prepossessed　in　his　favor。



〃I　can　hardly　hope；〃　he　began　pleasantly；　〃that　you　remember　me。

It　is　eleven　years　ago；　and　you　were　a　very　little　girl。　　I　am

afraid　I　cannot　even　claim　to　have　enjoyed　that　familiarity　that

might　exist　between　a　child　of　six　and　a　young　man　of　twenty…one。

I　don't　think　I　was　fond　of　children。　　But　I　knew　your　mother　very

well。　　I　was　editor　of　the　AVALANCHE　in　Fiddletown　when　she　took

you　to　San　Francisco。〃



〃You　mean　my　stepmother；　she　wasn't　my　mother；　you　know；〃

interposed　Carry　hastily。



Mr。　Prince　looked　at　her　curiously。　　〃I　mean　your　stepmother；〃　he

said　gravely。　　〃I　never　had　the　pleasure　of　meeting　your　mother。〃



〃No；　MOTHER　hasn't　been　in　California　these　twelve　years。〃



There　was　an　intentional　emphasizing　of　the　title　and　of　its

distinction　that　began　to　interest　coldly　Prince　after　his　first

astonishment　was　past。



〃As　I　come　from　your　stepmother　now；〃　he　went　on　with　a　slight

laugh；　〃I　must　ask　you　to　go　back　for　a　few　moments　to　that　point。

After　your　father's　death；　your　motherI　mean　your　stepmother

recognized　the　fact　that　your　mother；　the　first　Mrs。　Tretherick；

was　legally　and　morally　your　guardian　and；　although　much　against

her　inclination　and　affections；　placed　you　again　in　her　charge。〃



〃My　stepmother　married　again　within　a　month　after　father　died；　and

sent　me　home；〃　said　Carry　with　great　directness；　and　the　faintest

toss　of　her　head。



Mr。　Prince　smiled　so　sweetly；　and　apparently　so　sympathetically；

that　Carry　began　to　like　him。　　With　no　other　notice　of　the

interruption　he　went　on；　〃After　your　stepmother　had　performed　this

act　of　simple　justice；　she　entered　into　an　agreement　with　your

mother　to　defray　the　expenses　of　your　education　until　your

eighteenth　year；　when　you　were　to　elect　and　choose　which　of　the　two

should　thereafter　be　your　guardian；　and　with　whom　you　would　make

your　home。　　This　agreement；　I　think；　you　are　already　aware　of；　and；

I　believe；　knew　at　the　time。〃



〃I　was　a　mere　child　then；〃　said　Carry。



〃Certainly；〃　said　Mr。　Prince；　with　the　same　smile。　　〃Still　the

conditions；　I　think；　have　never　been　oppressive　to　you　nor　your

mother；　and　the　only　time　they　are　likely　to　give　you　the　least

uneasiness　will　be　when　you　come　to　make　up　your　mind　in　the　choice

of　your　guardian。　　That　will　be　on　your　eighteenth　birthdaythe

twentieth；　I　think；　of　the　present　month。〃



Carry　was　silent。



〃Pray　do　not　think　that　I　am　here　to　receive　your　decision；　even　if

it　be　already　made。　　I　only　came　to　inform　you　that　your

stepmother；　Mrs。　Starbottle；　will　be　in　town　tomorrow；　and　will

pass　a　few　days　at　the　hotel。　　If　it　is　your　wish　to　see　her　before

you　make　up　your　mind；　she　will　be　glad　to　meet　you。　　She　does　not；

however；　wish　to　do　anything　to　influence　your　judgment。



〃Does　Mother　know　she　is　coming？〃　said　Carry　hastily。



〃I　do　not　know；〃　said　Prince　gravely。　　〃I　only　know　that　if　you

conclude　to　see　Mrs。　Starbottle；　it　will　be　with　your　mother's

permission。　　Mrs。　Starbottle　will　keep　sacredly　this　part　of　the

agreement；　made　ten　years　ago。　　But　her　health　is　very　poor；　and

the　change　and　country　quiet　of　a　few　days　may　benefit　her。〃　　Mr。

Prince　bent　his　keen；　bright　eyes　upon　the　young　girl；　and　almost

held　his　breath　until　she　spoke　again。



〃Mother's　coming　up　today　or　tomorrow；〃　she　said；　looking　up。



〃Ah！〃　said　Mr。　Prince　with　a　sweet　and　languid　smile。



〃Is　Colonel　Starbottle　here　too？〃　asked　Carry；　after　a　pause。



〃Colonel　Starbottle　is　dead。　　Your　stepmother　is　again　a　widow。〃



〃Dead！〃　repeated　Carry。



〃Yes；〃　replied　Mr。　Prince。　　〃Your　stepmother　has　been　singularly

unfortunate　in　surviving　her　affections。〃



Carry　did　not　know　what　he　meant；　and　looked　so。　　Mr。　Prince　smiled

reassuringly。



Presently　Carry　began　to　whimper。



Mr。　Prince　softly　stepped　beside　her　chair。



〃I　am　afraid；〃　he　said　with　a　very　peculiar　light　in　his　eye；　and　a

singular　dropping　of　the　corners　of　his　mustache〃I　am　afraid　you

are　taking　this　too　deeply。　　It　will　be　some　days　before　you　are

called　upon　to　make　a　decision。　　Let　us　talk　of　something　else。　　I

hope　you　caught　no　cold　last　evening。〃



Carry's　face　shone　out　again　in　dimples。



〃You　must　have　thought　us　so　queer！　　It　was　too　bad　to　give　you　so

much　trouble。〃



〃None　whatever；　I　assure　you。　　My　sense　of　propriety；〃　he　added

demurely；　〃which　might　have　been　outraged　had　I　been　called　upon　to

help　three　young　ladies　out　of　a　schoolroom　window　at　night。　　was

deeply　gratified　at　being　able　to　assist　them　in　again。〃　　The

doorbell　rang　loudly；　and　Mr。　Prince　rose。　　〃Take　your　own　time；

and　think　well　before　you　make　your　decision。〃　　But　Carry's　ear　and

attention　were　given　to　the　sound　of　voices　in　the　hall。　　At　the

same　moment；　the　door　was　thrown　open；　and　a　servant　announced；

〃Mrs。　Tretherick　and　Mr。　Robinson。〃



The　afternoon　train　had　just　shrieked　out　its　usual　indignant

protest　at　stopping　at　Genoa　at　all　as　Mr。　Jack　Prince　entered　the

outskirts　of　the　town；　and　drove　toward　his　hotel。　　He　was　wearied

and　cynical。　　A　drive　of　a　dozen　miles　through　unpicturesque

outlying　villages；　past　small　economic　farmhouses；　and　hideous

villas　that　violated　his　fastidious　taste；　had；　I　fear；　left　that

gentleman　in　a　captious　state　of　mind。　　He　would　have　even　avoided

his　taciturn　landlord　as　he　drove　up　to　the　door；　but　that

functionary　waylaid　him　on　the　steps。　　〃There's　a　lady　in　the

sittin'…room；　waitin'　for　ye。〃　　Mr。　Prince　hurried　upstairs；　and

entered　the　room　as　Mrs。　Starbottle　flew　toward　him。



She　had　changed　sadly　in　the　last　ten　years。　　Her　figure　was　wasted

to　half　its　size。　　The　beautiful　curves　of　her　bust　and　shoulders

were　broken　or　inverted。　　The　once　full；　rounded　arm　was　shrunken

in　its　sleeve；　and　the　golden　hoops　that　encircled　her　wan　wrists

almost　slipped　from　her　hands　as　her　long；　scant　fingers　closed

convulsively　around　Jack's。　　Her　cheekbones　were　painted　that

afternoon　with　the　hectic　of　fever：　somewhere　in　the　hollows　of

those　cheeks　were　buried　the　dimples　of　long　ago；　but　their　graves

were　forgotten。　　Her　lustrous　eyes　were　still　beautiful；　though　the

orbits　were　deeper　than　before。　　Her　mouth　was　still　sweet；

although　the　lips　parted　more　easily　over　the　little　teeth；　even　in

breathing；　and　showed　more　of　them　than　she　was　wont　to　do　before。

The　glory　of　her　blond　hair　was　still　left：　it　was　finer；　more

silken　and　ethereal；　yet　it　failed　even　in　its　plenitude　to　cover

the　hollows　of　the　blue…veined　temples。



〃Clara！〃　said　Jack　reproachfully。



〃Oh；　forgive　me；　Jack！〃　she　said；　falling　into　a　chair；　but　still

clinging　to　his　hand〃forgive　me；　dear；　but　I　could　not　wait

longer。　　I　should　have　died；　Jackdied　before　another　night。　　Bear

with　me　a　little　longer　（it　will　not　be　long）；　but　let　me　stay。　　I

may　not　see　her；　I　know；　I　shall　not　speak　to　her：　but　it's