frances waldeaux-第4节

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He　obeyed　her　at　last；　and　would　come　down　but　once　during　the　day；　and　then　for　only　a　few　hurried　minutes。　　His　mother　was　alarmed　at　the　ghastliness　of　his　face　and　the　expression　of　anxious　wretchedness　new　to　it。　　〃His　eye　avoids　mine　craftily；　like　that　of　an　insane　man；〃　she　told　herself；　and　when　the　doctor　came；　she　asked　him　whether　sea…sickness　affected　the　brain。

On　the　last　day　of　the　voyage　the　breeze　was　from　land；　and　with　the　first　breath　of　it　Frances　found　her　vigor　suddenly　return。　　She　rose　and　dressed　herself。　　George　had　not　been　near　her　that　day。　　〃He　must　be　very　ill；〃　she　thought；　and　hurried　out。　　〃Is　Mr。　Waldeaux　in　his　stateroom？〃　she　asked　the　steward。

〃No；　madam。　　He　is　on　deck。　　All　the　passengers　are　on　deck；〃　the　man　added；　smiling。　　Land　is　in　sight。〃

Land！　　And　George　had　not　come　to　tell　her！　　He　must　be　desperately　ill！

She　groped　up　the　steps；　holding　by　the　brass　rail。　　〃I　will　give　him　a　fine　surprise！〃　she　said　to　herself。　　〃I　can　take　care　of　him；　now。　　To…night　we　shall　be　on　shore　and　this　misery　all　over。　　And　then　the　great　joy　will　begin！〃

She　came　out　on　deck。　　The　sunshine　and　cold　pure　wind　met　her。　　She　looked　along　the　crowded　deck　for　her　invalid。　　Every…body　was　in　holiday　clothes；　every…body　was　smiling　and　talking　at　once。　　Ah！　there　he　was！

He　was　leaning　over　Frances'　steamer　chair；　on　which　a　woman　lay　indolently。　　He　was　in　rude　health；　laughing；　his　face　flushed；　his　eyes　sparkling。

Looking　up；　he　saw　his　mother　and　came　hastily　to　meet　her。　　The　laugh　was　gone。　　〃So　you　came　up？〃　he　said　impatiently。　　〃I　would　have　called　you　in　time。　　I　　Mother！〃　　He　caught　her　by　the　arm。　　〃Wait；　I　must　see　you　alone　for　a　minute。〃　　Urged　by　the　amazed　fright　in　her　face；　he　went　on　desperately；　〃I　have　something　to　tell　you。　　I　intended　to　break　it　to　you。　　I　don't　want　to　hurt　you；　God　knows。　　But　I　have　not　been　idle　in　these　days。　　I　have　found　your　daughter。　　She　is　here。〃

He　led　her　up　to　the　chair。　　The　girl's　head　was　wrapped　in　a　veil　and　turned　from　her。

Mrs。　Waldeaux　held　out　her　hands。　　〃Lucy！　　Lucy　Dunbar！〃　she　heard　herself　say。

〃Mais　non！　　Cest　moi！〃　said　a　shrill　voice；　and　Mlle。　　Arpent；　turning　her　head　lazily；　looked　at　her；　smiling。



CHAPTER　II

Clara　Vance　had　her　faults；　but　nobody　could　deny　that；　in　this　crisis；　she　acted　with　feeling　and　tact。　　She　ignored　mademoiselle　and　her　lover；　whose　bliss　was　in　evidence　on　deck　all　day；　and　took　possession　of　Mrs。　Waldeaux；　caring　for　her　as　tenderly　as　if　she　had　been　some　poor　wretch　sentenced　to　death。　　〃She　has　no　intellect　left　except　her　ideas　about　George；〃　she　told　herself；　〃and　if　he　turns　his　back　on　her　for　life　in　this　way　　She　never　was　too　sane！〃　shaking　her　head　ominously。

She　thought　it　best　to　talk　frankly　of　the　matter　to　little　Lucy　Dunbar；　and　was　relieved　to　find　her　ready　to　joke　and　laugh　at　it。　　〃No　bruise　in　that　tender　heart！〃　thought　Clara；　who　was　anxious　as　a　mother　for　her　girls。

〃We　all　worshipped　Mr。　George；〃　said　Lucy　saucily。　　〃I；　most　of　all。　　He　is　so　cold；　so　exalted　and　ahh；　so　good…looking！　　Like　a　Greek　god。　　But　he　never　gave　a　look　to　poor　little　me！　　The　fraulein　came　on　deck　as　soon　as　we　all　went　down　with　sea…sickness；　and　bewitched　him　with　her　eyes。　　It　must　have　been　her　eyes；　they　are　yellowwitch's　eyes。　　Or　maybe　that　cheap　smell　about　her　is　a　love…philter！　　Or　was　it　just　soul　calling　to　soul？　　I　should　have　said　the　fraulein　had　the　soul　of　a　milliner。　　She　put　great　ideas　into　the　hat　that　she　altered　for　me；〃　Lucy　added；　with　an　unsteady　laugh。

〃I　care　nothing　for　them　or　their　souls；〃　said　Miss　Vance　crossly。　　〃It　is　his　mother　that　I　think　of。〃

〃But　really；〃　said　Lucy；　〃mademoiselle　is　quite　raw　material。　　No　ideasno　manners　whatever。　　Mrs。　Waldeaux　may　mould　her　into　something　good　and　fine。〃

〃She　will　not　try。　　She　will　never　accept　that　creature　as　a　daughter。〃

〃She　seems　to　me　to　be　indifferent；〃　said　Lucy。　　〃She　does　not　see　how　terrible　it　is。　　She　was　leaning　over　the　bulwark　just　now；　laughing　at　the　queer　gossoons　selling　their　shillalahs。〃

〃Oh；　she　will　laugh　at　Death　himself　when　he　comes　to　fetch　her；　and　see　something　‘queer'in　him；〃　said　Clara。

But　her　little　confidence　with　Lucy　had　relieved　her。　　The　child　cared　nothing　for　George；　that　was　plain。

Mademoiselle；　watching　Mrs。　Waldeaux　closely　all　day；　was　not　deceived　by　her　laugh。　　〃The　old　lady；　your　mother；〃　she　said　to　George；　〃is　what　you　men　call　‘game。'　　She　has　blood　and　breeding。　　More　than　you；　monsieur。　　That　keeps　her　up。　　I　did　not　count　on　that；〃　said　the　young　woman　thoughtfully。

George　took　off　his　glasses　and　rubbed　them　nervously　as　he　talked。　　〃I　don't　understand　my　mother　at　all！　　She　has　always　been　very　considerate　and　kind。　　I　never　thought　that　she　would　receive　my　wife；　when　I　brought　her　to　her；　with　calm　civility。　　Not　a　kiss　nor　a　blessing！〃

〃A　kiss？　　A　blessing　for　me？〃　　Lisa　laughed　and　nodded　meaningly　to　the　sea　and　world　at　large。　　〃She　could　hardly　have　blessed　a　woman　lolling　full　length　in　her　chair；〃　she　thought。　　〃It　IS　her　　chair。　　And　I　have　unseated　her　for　life　curling　herself　up　in　the　rugs。

Yet　she　had　a　twinge　of　pity　for　the　old　lady。　　Even　the　wild　boar　has　its　affections　and　moments　of　gentleness。　　A　week　ago　Lisa　could　have　trampled　the　life　out　of　this　woman　who　had　slandered　her　dead　mother；　with　the　fury　of　any　wild　beast。　For　she　was　Pauline　Felix's　daughter。　　It　was　her　mother's　name　that　Mrs。　Waldeaux　had　said　could　not　be　spoken　by　any　decent　woman。　　Lisa　had　been　but　a　child；　but　she　had　held　her　mother's　head　close　to　her　stout　little　heart　as　she　lay　dyingthat　awful　mysterious　death　of　which　the　young　man　had　tried　to　make　a　telling　story。　　The　girl　crossed　herself　now　and　closed　her　tired　eyes　as　she　thought　of　it。　　She　had　been　a　wicked　child　and　a　wicked　woman；　but　she　knew　certainly　that　the　Virgin　and　her　Son　had　come　near　to　her　that　day；　and　had　helped　her。

George；　who　was　poring　fondly　on　her　face；　exclaimed：　　〃Your　eyes　are　wet。　　You　are　in　trouble！〃

〃I　was　thinking　of　my　mother；〃　she　said　gently；　holding　out　her　hand　to　him。

He　took　it　and　said　presently；　〃Will　you　not　talk　to　me　about　her；　Lisa？　　You　have　not　told　me　any　thing　of　your　people；　my　darling。　　Nor　of　yourself。　　Why；　I　don't　even　know　whether　you　are　French　or　German。〃

〃Oh；　you　shall　hear　the　whole　story　when　we　are　married；〃　she　replied　softly；　a　wicked　glitter　in　her　eyes。　　〃Some　of　the　noblest　blood　in　Europe　is　in　my　veins。　　I　will　give　you　my　genealogical　tree　to　hang　up　in　that　old　homestead　of　yours。　　It　will　interest　the　people　of　Weirand　please　your　mother。〃

〃It　is　good　in　you　to　think　of　her；〃　he　said；　tenderly　looking　down　at　her。

He　was　not　blind。　　He　saw　the　muddy　skin；　the　thick　lips；　the　soiled；　ragged　lace。　　They　would　have　disgusted　him　in　another　woman。

But　this　wasLisa。　　There　was　no　more　to　be　said。

These　outside　trifles　would　fall　off　when　she　came　into　his　life。　　Even　with　them　she　was　the　breath　and　soul　of　it。

She　saw　the　difference　between　them　more　sharply　than　he　did。　　She　had　been　cast　for　a　low　part　in　the　play；　and　knew　it。　　Sometimes　she　had　earned　the　food　which　kept　her　alive　in　ways　of　which　this　untempted　young　priest　had　never　even　heard。　　There　was　something　in　this　clean　past　of　his；　in　his　cold　patrician　face　and　luxurious　habits　new　to　her；　and　she　had　a　greedy　relish　for　it　all。

She　had　been　loved　before；　caressed　as　men　caress　a　dog；　kicking　it　off　when　it　becomes　troublesome。　　George's　boyish　shyness；　his　reverent　awe　of　her；　startled　her。

〃He　thinks　Lisa　Arpent　a　jeune　fillelike　these　others。　　A　little　white　rose！〃　she　thought；　and　laughed。　　She　would　not　tell　him　why　she　laughed；　and　muttered　an　oath　when　he　stupidly　insisted　on　knowing。

He　was　the　first　lover　who　had　ever　believed　in　her。

She　had　begun　this　affair　simply　to　punish　the　〃old　woman〃；　the　man　in　it　had　counted　for　nothing。　　But　now；　as　they　crossed　the　gangway；　she　looked　up　at　him　with　eyes　that　for　the　moment　were　honest　and　true　as　a　child's；　and　her　firm　hand　suddenly　trembled　in　his。


Three　weeks　later　Mrs。　Waldeaux　came　into　Miss　Vance's　little　parlor　on　Half　Moon　Street。　　Her　face　was　red　from　the　wind；　her　eyes　sparkled；　and　she　hummed　some　gay　air　which　an　organ　ground　outside。　　Clara　laid　down　her　pen。

〃Where　have　you　been；　Frances？　　It　is　a　week　since　I　saw　you。〃

〃Oh；　everywhere！　　George　has　been　showing　me　London！〃　She　sat　down　before　the　fire　with　a　gurgle　of　comfort　and　dropped　her　bonnet　and　gloves　on　the　floor　beside　her。　　〃Yesterday　we　spent　at　the　Museum。　　George　explained　the　Elgin　marbles　to　me。　　I　don't　suppose　any　body　in　London　has　studied　their　history　so　thoroughly。　　I　did　wish　you　could　have　heard　him。　　And　the　day　before　I　was　at　the　Housein　the　ladies'　gallery。　　I　can't　imagine　how　he　got　admission　for　me。　　He　IS　so　clever！〃

〃We　are　going　down　to　Canterbury　for　a　couple　of　days；〃　said　Clara。　　〃We　start　at　noon。　　Will　you　go　with　us？〃

〃No；　I　think　not。　　George　does　not　seem　to　care　for　cathedrals。　　And　he　has　plans　for　me；　no　doubt。〃

Miss　Vance　brushed　the　bonnet　and　carefully　rolled　up　the　strings。　　〃Are　yo