frances waldeaux-第5节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


〃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　you　satisfied？　　Is　London　the　London　you　have　been　thinking　of　these　twenty　years？〃　she　asked。

〃Oh；　a　thousand　times　more！　　And　George　has　been　with　me　every　dayevery　day！〃

Miss　Vance　picked　up　the　gloves；　looking　impatiently　at　the　poor　lady's　happy　face。　　〃Now　she　has　gone　off　into　one　of　her　silly　transports　of　delight；　and　for　no　earthly　reason！〃

〃I　noticed　that　George　has　seen　very　little　of　Lisa　lately；〃　she　said　tentatively。　　〃If　he　really　means　to　marry　her〃

〃Marry　her！　　Clara！　　You　surely　never　feared　THAT？〃

〃He　certainly　told　us　plainly　enough　that　he　would　do　it；〃　said　Miss　Vance　testily。

〃Oh；　you　don't　understand　him！　　You　have　had　so　little　to　do　with　young　men。　　They　are　all　liable　to　attacks　like　thatas　to　measles　and　scarlet　fever。　　But　they　pass　off。　　Now；　George　is　not　as　susceptible　as　most　of　them。　　But；〃　lowering　her　voice；　〃he　was　madly　in　love　with　the　butcher's　Kate　when　he　was　ten；　and　five　years　afterward　offered　to　marry　the　widow　Potts。　　I　thought　he　had　outgrown　the　disease。　　There　has　been　nothing　of　the　kind　since；　until　this　fancy。　　It　is　passing　off。　　Of　course　it　is　mortifying　enough　to　think　that　such　a　poor　creature　as　that　could　attract　him　for　an　hour。〃

〃I　was　to　blame；〃　Miss　Vance　said；　with　an　effort。　　〃I　brought　her　in　his　way。　　But　how　was　I　to　know　that　she　was　such　a　cat；　and　he　such　　If　he　should　marry　her〃

Mrs。　Waldeaux　laughed　angrily。　　〃You　are　too　absurd；　Clara。　　A　flirtation　with　such　a　woman　was　degrading　enough；　but　George　is　not　quite　mad。　　He　has　not　even　spoken　of　her　for　days。　　Oh；　here　he　comes！　　That　is　his　step　on　the　stairs。〃　　She　ran　to　the　door。　　〃He　found　that　I　was　out　and　has　followed　me。　　He　is　the　most　ridiculous　mother's　boy！　　Well；　George；　here　I　am！　　Have　you　thought　of　some　thing　new　for　me　to　see？〃　　She　glanced　at　Miss　Vance；　well　pleased　that　she　should　see　the　lad's　foolish　fondness　for　her。

George　forced　a　smile。　　He　looked　worn　and　jaded。　　Miss　Vance　noticed　that　his　usually　neat　cravat　was　awry　and　his　hands　were　gloveless。　　〃Yes；〃　he　said。　　〃It　is　a　lit…　tle　church。　　The　oldest　in　London。　　I　want　to　show　it　to　you。〃

Miss　Vance　tied　on　Mrs。　Waldeaux's　bonnet；　smoothing　her　hair　affectionately。　　〃There　are　too　many　gray　hairs　here　for　your　age；　Frances；〃　she　said。　　〃George；　you　should　keep　your　mother　from　worry　and　work。　　Don't　let　her　hair　grow　gray　so　soon。〃

George　bowed。　　〃I　hope　I　shall　do　my　duty；〃　he　said；　with　dignity。　　〃Come；　mother。〃

As　they　drove　down　Piccadilly　Mrs。　Waldeaux　chattered　eagerly　to　her　son。　　She　could　not　pour　out　her　teeming　fancies　about　this　new　world　to　any　body　else；　but　she　could　not　talk　fast　enough　to　him。　　Had　they　not　both　been　waiting　for　a　lifetime　to　see　this　London？

〃The　thing；〃　she　said　earnestly；　as　she　settled　herself　beside　him；　〃the　thing　that　has　impressed　me　most；　I　think；　were　those　great　Ninevite　gods　yesterday。　　I　sat　for　hours　before　them　while　you　were　gone。　　There　they　sit；　their　hands　on　their　knees；　and　stare　out　of　their　awful　silence　at　the　London　fog；　just　as　they　stared　at　the　desert　before　Christ　was　born。　　I　felt　so　miserably　young　and　sham！〃

George　adjusted　his　cravat　impatiently。　　〃I'm　afraid　I　don't　quite　follow　you；　mother。　　These　little　flights　of　yours　　They　belong　to　your　generation；　I　suppose。　　It　was　a　more　sentimental　one　than　mine。　　You　are　not　very　young。　　And　you　certainly　are　not　a　sham。　　The　statues　are　interesting；　but　I　fail　to　see　why　they　should　have　had　such　an　effect　upon　you。〃

〃Oh！〃　said　Frances。　　〃But　you　did　not　stay　alone　with　them　as　long　as　I　did；　or　you　would　have　felt　it　too。　　Now　I　am　sure　that　the　debates　in　Parliament　impressed　you　just　as　they　did　me？〃

George　said　nothing；　but　she　went　on　eagerly。　　It　never　occurred　to　her　that　he　could　be　bored　by　her　impressions　in　these　greatest　days　of　her　life。　　〃To　see　a　half…dozen　well…groomed　young　men　settle　the　affairs　of　India　and　Australia　in　a　short；　indifferent　colloquy！　　How　shy　and　awkward　they　were；　too！　　They　actually　stuttered　out　their　sentences　in　their　fear　of　posing　or　seeming　pretentious。　　So　English！　　Don't　you　think　it　was　very　English；　George？〃

〃I　really　did　not　think　about　it　at　all。　　I　have　had　very　different　things　to　occupy　me；〃　said　George；　coldly　superior　to　all　mothers　and　Parliaments。　　This　is　the　church。〃

The　cab　stopped　before　an　iron　door　between　two　shops　in　the　most　thronged　part　of　Bishopsgate　Street。　　He　pushed　it　open；　and　they　passed　suddenly　out　of　the　hurrying　crowd　into　the　solemn　silence　of　an　ancient　dingy　building。　　A　dim　light　fell　through　a　noble　window　of　the　thirteenth　century　upon　cheap　wooden　pews。　　The　church　was　empty；　and　had　that　curious　significance　and　half…spoken　message　of　its　own　which　belongs　to　a　vacant　house。

〃I　remember；〃　whispered　Frances；　awestruck。　　〃This　was　built　by　the　first　Christian　convert；　St。　Ethelburga。〃

〃You　believe　every　thing；　mother！〃　said　George　irritably。　She　wandered　about；　looking　at　the　sombre　walls　and　inscriptions；　and　then　back　uneasily；　to　his　moody　face。

Suddenly　she　came　up　to　him　as　he　stood　leaning　against　a　pillar。　　〃Something　has　happened！〃　she　said。　　〃You　did　not　bring　me　here　to　look　at　the　church。　　You　have　something　to　tell　me。〃

The　young　man　looked　at　her　and　turned　away。　　〃Yes；　I　have。　　It　isn't　a　death；〃　he　said；　with　a　nervous　laugh。　　〃You　need　not　look　in　that　way。　　It　issomething　very　different。　　II　was　married　in　this　church　yesterday　to　Lisa　Arpent。〃

Frances　did　not　at　first　comprehend　the　great　disaster　that　bulked　black　across　her　whole　life；　but；　woman…like；　grasped　at　a　fragment　of　it。

〃You　were　married　and　I　was　not　there！　　Yesterday！　　My　boy　was　married　and　he　forgot　me！〃

〃Mother！　　Don't　look　like　that！　　Here；　sit　down；〃　grabbing　her　helplessly　by　the　arms。　　〃I　didn't　want　to　hurt　you。　　I　brought　you　here　to　tell　you　quietly。　　Cry！　　Why　don't　you　cry　if　you're　worried！　　Oh！　I　believe　she's　dying！〃　he　shouted；　staring　around　the　empty　church。

She　spoke　at　last。

〃You　were　married　and　I　couldn't　say　God　bless　you！　　You　forgot　me！　　I　never　forgot　you；　George；　for　one　minute　since　you　were　born。〃

〃Mother；　what　fool　talk　is　that？　　I　only　didn't　want　a　scene。　　I　kept　away　from　Lisa　for　weeks　so　as　not　to　vex　you。　　Forget　you！　　I　think　I　have　been　very　considerate　of　you　under　the　circumstances。　　You　have　a　dislike　to　Lisa；　a　most　groundless　dislike〃

〃Oh；　what　is　Lisa？　〃　said　Frances　haughtily。　　〃It　is　that　you　have　turned　away　from　me。　　She　has　nothing　to　do　with　the　relation　between　you　and　me。　　How　can　any　woman　come　between　me　and　my　son？〃　　She　held　up　her　hands。　　〃Why；　you　are　my　boy；　Georgy。　　You　are　all　I　have！〃

He　looked　at　the　face；　curiously　pinched　and　drawn　as　if　by　death；　that　was　turned　up　to　his；　and　shrugged　his　shoulders　impatiently。　　〃Now　this　is　exactly　what　I　tried　to　escape　yesterday。　　Am　I　never　to　be　a　man；　nor　have　the　rights　of　a　man？　　You　must　accept　the　situation；　mother。　　Lisa　is　my　wife；　and　dearer　to　me　than　all　the　world　beside。〃

He　saw　her　lips　move。　　〃Dearer？　　Dearer　than　me！〃　She　sat　quite　still　after　that；　and　did　not　seem　to　hear　when　he　spoke。　　Something　in　her　silence　frightened　him。　　She　certainly　had　been　a　fond；　indulgent　mother；　and　he　perhaps　had　been　abrupt　in　cutting　the　tie　between　them。　　It　must　be　cut。　　He　had　promised　Lisa　the　whole　matter　should　be　settled　to…day。　　But　his　mother　certainly　was　a　weak　woman；　and　he　must　be　patient　with　her。　　Secretly　he　approved　the　manliness　of　his　patience。

〃The　cab　is　waiting；　dear；〃　he　said。　　She　rose　and　walked　to　the　street；　standing　helpless　there　while　the　crowd　jostled　her。　　Was　she　blind　and　deaf？　　He　put　her　into　the　cab　and　sat　down　opposite　to　her。　　〃Half　Moon　Street；〃　he　called　to　the　driver。

〃Mother；〃　touching　her　on　the　knee。

〃Yes；　George。〃

〃I　told　him　to　drive　to　Half　Moon　Street。　　I　will　take　you　to　Clara　Vance。　　We　may　as　well　arrange　things　now；　finally。　　You　do　not　like　my　wife。　　That　is　clear。　　For　the　present；　therefore；　it　is　better　that　we　should　separate。　　I　have　consulted　with　Lisa；　and　she　has　suggested　that　you　shall　join　Clara　Vance's　party　while　we　go　our　own　way。〃

She　stared　at　him。　　〃Do　you　mean　that　you　and　I　are　not　to　see　London　together？　　Not　to　travel　through　Europe　together？〃

He　pitied　her　a　little；　and；　leaning　forward；　kissed　her　clammy　lips。　　〃The　thing　will　seem　clearer　to　you　to…morrow；　no　doubt。　　I　must　leave　you　now。　　Go　to　Clara　and　her　girls。　　They　all　like　to　pet　and　make　much　of　you。　　I　will　bring　Lisa　in　the　morning；　to　talk　business　a　little。　　She　has　an　uncommonly　clear　head　for　business。　　Good…by；　dear！〃　　He　stopped　the　cab；　jumped　out；　and　walked　briskly　to　the　corner　where　his　wife　was　waiting　for　him。

〃You　have　told　her？〃　she　asked　breathlessly。

〃Yes。　　It's　over。〃

〃That　we　must　separate？〃

〃Yes；　yes。　　I　told　her　you　thought　it　best。〃

〃And　she　was　not　willing？〃

〃Well；　she　did　not　approve　very　cordially；〃　said　George；　evading　her　eye。

〃But　she　shall　approve！〃　hanging　upon　his　arm；　her　burning