frances waldeaux-第8节

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〃No。　　What　do　you　suppose　is　his　object？〃　asked　Jean；　with　one　of　her　quick；　furtive　glances。

Mr。　Perry's　jaws　grew　red　as　his　beard。　　〃How　can　I　tell？〃　he　said　gruffly。　　He　went　on　irritably；　a　moment　later：　　〃Of　course　you　see　it。　　The　fellow　has　no　delicacy。　　He　makes　no　more　secret　of　his　plans　than　if　he　were　going　to　run　down　a　rabbit。　　Last　night　at　Stirling；　over　his　beer；　he　held　forth　upon　the　dimples　on　Miss　Dunbar's　pink　elbows；　and　asked　me　if　her　hair　were　all　her　own。　　I　said；　at　last；　that　American　men　did　not　value　women　like　sheep　by　their　flesh　and　fleece　and　the　money　they　were　rated　at　in　the　market。　　I　hit　him　square　that　time；　prince　or　no　prince！〃

〃Yes；　you　did；　indeed；〃　said　Jean　vaguely。　　Her　keen　eyes　followed　Lucy　and　the　prince；　who　were　loitering　through　the　gallery；　pausing　before　the　faded　portraits。　　〃You　think　it　is　only　her　money　that　draws　him　after　us？〃

〃Why；　of　course！　　A　fellow　like　that　could　not　appreciate　Miss　Dunbar's　beauty　and　wit。〃

〃You　think　Lucy　witty？〃　said　Jean　dryly。　　〃And　you　think　she　would　not　marry　for　a　title？〃


〃I　don't　believe　any　pure　American　girl　would　sell　herself；　like　a　sheep　in　the　shambles！　　And　she　is　pure！　　A　lamb；　a　lily！　cried　Perry；　growing　incoherent　in　his　heat。

〃She　would　not　if　her　heart　were　preoccupied；〃　said　Jean　thoughtfully。

〃And　you　think〃　he　said　breathlessly。

But　Jean　only　laughed；　and　said　no　more。

The　guide　had　been　paying　profound　deference　to　Prince　Wolfburgh；　keeping　close　to　his　heels。　　Now　he　swung　open　a　door。　　〃If　your　Highnesses　will　come　this　way？〃　he　said；　bowing　profoundly　to　Lucy。

The　little　girl　started　and　hurried　back　to　Miss　Vance。　　Her　face　was　scarlet；　and　she　laughed　nervously。　　Prince　Wolfburgh　also　laughed；　loudly　and　meaningly。　　He　swore　at　the　old　man　and　went　out　into　the　cloister　where　his　cousin　stood　smoking。

〃Had　enough　of　the　old　barracks？〃　said　the　captain。

〃I　found　I　was　making　too　fast　running　in　there；〃　said　the　prince　uneasily；　〃I'll　waken　up　and　find　that　girl　married　to　me　some　day。〃

〃Not　so　bad　a　dream；〃　puffed　his　cousin。

〃I'll　take　a　train　somewhere；〃　said　the　prince。　　〃But　no　matter　where　I　go；　I'll　find　an　American　old　woman　with　a　girl　to　marry。　　They　all　carry　the　Hof　Kalender　in　their　pockets；　and　know　every　bachelor　in　Germany。〃

The　captain　watched　him　attentively。　　〃I　don't　believe　those　women　inside　mean　to　drive　any　marriage　bargain　with　you；　Hugo；〃　he　said　gruffly。　　〃I　doubt　whether　the　little　mees　would　marry　you　if　you　asked　her。　　Her　dot；　I　hear；　is　e…normous！〃　waving　his　hand　upward　as　if　to　mountain　heights。　　〃And　as　for　beauty；　she　is　a　wild　rose！〃

Now；　there　were　reasons　why　the　captain　should　rejoice　when　Hugo　allied　himself　to　the　little　mees。　　On　the　day　when　he　would　take　these　hills　of　gold　and　wild　rose　to　himself；　the　captain　would　become　the　head　of　the　house　of　Wolfburgh。　　It　was；　perhaps；　a　mean；　ungilded　throne；　but　by　German　law　no　nameless　Yankee　woman　could　sit　upon　it。

The　prince　looked　at　Captain　Odo。　　〃You　cannot　put　me　into　a　gallop　when　I　choose　to　walk；〃　he　said。　　〃She's　a　pretty　girl；　and　a　good　girl；　and　some　time　I　may　marry　her；　but　not　now。〃

Odo　laughed　good…humoredly；　and　they　sauntered　down　the　path　together。

The　prince　had　offered　to　dine　with　Miss　Vance　that　evening；　but　sent　a　note　to　say　that　he　was　summoned　to　the　Highlands　unexpectedly。

〃It　is　adieu；　not　auf　wiedersehen；　I　fear；　with　his　Highness；〃　Miss　Vance　said；　folding　the　note　pensively。　　She　had　not　meant　to　drive　a　marriage　bargain；　and　yetto　have　placed　a　pupil　upon　even　such　a　bric…a…brac　throne　as　that　of　Wolfburgh！　　She　looked　thoughtfully　at　Lucy's　chubby　cheeks。　　A　princess？　　The　man　was　not　objectionable　in　himself；　eithera　kindly；　overgrown　boy。　〃He　told　me；〃　said　Jean；　〃that　he　was　going　to　a　house　party　at　Inverary　Castle。〃

〃Whose　house　is　that；　Jean？〃　asked　Lucy。

〃It　is　the　ancestral　seat　of　the　Dukes　of　Argyll。〃

〃Oh！〃　Lucy　gave　a　little　sigh。　　Prince　Hugo　was　undeniably　fat　and　very　slow　to　catch　a　joke；　but　there　was　certainly　a　different　flavor　in　this　talk　of　dukes　and　ancestral　seats　to　the　gossip　about　the　Whites　and　Greens　at　home。

Indeed；　the　whole　party；　including　even　Mr。　Perry；　experienced　a　sensation　of　sudden　vacancy　and　flatness　when　his　Highness　left　them。　　It　was　as　though　they　had　been　sheltering　a　royal　eagle　that　was　used　to　dwelling　in　sunlit　heights　unknown　to　them；　and　now　they　were　left　on　flat　ground　to　consort　with　common　poultry。




CHAPTER　VI

Miss　Vance　led　her　party　slowly　through　Scotland　and　down　again　to　London。　　Mrs。　Waldeaux　went　with　them。　　The　girls　secretly　laughed　together　at　her　fine　indomitable　politeness；　and　her　violent　passion　for　the　Stuarts；　and　hate　of　the　Roundheads。　　But　Mr。　Perry　was　bored　by　her。

〃What　is　it　to　us；〃　he　said；　〃that　Queen　Mary　paddled　over　this　lake；　or　Cromwell's　soldiers　whitewashed　that　fresco？　　Give　me　a　clean；　new　American　church；　anyhow；　before　all　of　your　mouldy；　tomby　cathedrals。　　These　things　are　so　many　cancelled　cheques　to　me。　　I　have　nothing　to　pay　on　them。　　It　is　live　issues　that　draw　on　my　heart。　　You　American　girls　ought　to　be　at　home　looking　into　the　negro　problem；　or　Tammany；　or　the　Sugar　Trust；　instead　of　nosing　into　Rembrandts；　or　miracles　at　Lourdes；　or　palaces。　　These　are　all　back　numbers。　　Write　n。　g。　on　them　and　bury　them。　　So；　by　the　way；　is　your　Mrs。　Waldeaux　a　back　number。　　My　own　opinion　is　that　all　men　and　women　at　fifty　ought　to　go　willingly　and　be　shut　up　in　the　room　where　the　world　keeps　its　second…hand　lumber！〃

〃Yet　nobody；〃　said　Lucy　indignantly；　〃is　more　careful　or　tender　with　Mrs。　Waldeaux　than　you！〃

〃That　is　because　Mr。　Perry　has　the　genuine　American　awe　of　people　of　good　birth；〃　said　Jean　slyly。　　〃It　is　the　only　trait　which　makes　me　suspect　that　he　is　a　self…made　man。〃　Mr。　Perry；　for　answer；　only　bowed　gravely。　　He　long　ago　had　ceased　to　hide　his　opinion　that　Miss　Hassard　was　insufferable。

Frances；　for　her　part；　was　sure　that　the　young　people　were　glad　to　have　her　as　a　companion。　　One　day　she　decided　to　stay　with　them；　and　the　next　to　go　to　New　York　on　the　first　steamer。　　She　seemed　to　see　life　hazily；　as　one　over　whose　mind　a　cataract　was　growing。　　What　had　she　to　do　in　Europe；　she　reasoned？　　George　was　gone。　　Her　one　actual　hold　on　the　world　had　slipped　from　her。　　That　great　mysterious　thing　called　living　was　done　and　past　for　her。

And　yetthere　was　Kenilworth；　and　Scott's　house？　　Scott；　who　had　been　her　friend　and　leader　since　she　was　eight　years　old！　　And　in　that　anthem　at　York　minster　there　was　a　message；　which　she　had　been　waiting　all　of　her　life　to　hear！　　And　here　was　Lucy　beside　her　with　her　soft　voice；　and　loving　blue　eyesLucy；　who　should　have　been　George's　wife！　　In　all　of　these　things　something　high　and　good　called　to　the　poor　lady；　which　she　heard　and　understood　as　a　child　would　the　voice　of　its　mother。

One　hour　she　resolved　to　leave　her　son　with　his　wife；　to　go　back　to　Weir　at　once　and　work　with　the　poultry　and　Quigg's　jokes　for　the　rest　of　her　life。　　She　was　dead。　　Let　her　give　up　and　consent　to　be　dead。

The　next；　she　would　stay　where　she　could　see　George　sometimes；　and　try　to　forgive　the　woman　who　had　him　in　her　keeping。　　Perhaps；　after　all；　she　was　human；　as　Clara　said。　　If　she　could　forgive　Lisa；　she　could　be　happy　with　these　young　people　and　livelive　in　this　wonderful　old　world；　where　all　that　was　best　of　past　ages　was　kept　waiting　for　her。

When　they　came　to　London；　she　went　at　once　to　Morgan's　to　make　a　deposit；　for　she　had　been　hard　at　work　on　her　jokes　as　she　travelled；　and　had　received　her　pay。

〃Your　son；　madam；〃　said　the　clerk；　〃drew　on　his　account　to…day。　　He　said　he　expected　remittances　from　you。　　Is　this　to　be　put　to　his　credit？〃

〃My　son　was　in　London　to…day？

〃He　has　just　left　the　house。〃

〃Did　hehe　left　a　message　for　me？　　A　letter；　perhaps？〃

〃No；　nothing；　madam。〃

〃Put　the　money　to　his　credit；　of　course。〃　She　went　out　into　the　narrow　street　and　wandered　along　to　the　Bank　of　England；　staring　up　at　the　huge　buildings。

He　had　been　looking　at　themhe　had　walked　on　this　very　pavement　a　minute　ago！　　That　might　be　the　smoke　of　his　cigar；　yonder！

She　could　easily　find　him。　　Just　to　look　at　him　once；　to　hold　his　hand！　　He　might　be　ill　and　need　her；　he　never　was　well　in　foggy　weather。

Then　she　remembered　that　Lisa　was　with　him。　　She　would　nurse　him。

She　called　a　cab；　and；　as　she　drove　home；　looked　out　at　the　crowd　with　a　hard；　smiling　face。

Henry　Irving　that　night　played　〃Shylock；〃　and　Mr。　Perry　secured　a　box　for　Miss　Vance。　　Frances　went　with　the　others。　　Before　the　curtain　rose　there　was　a　startled　movement　among　them；　a　whisper；　and　then　Clara　turned　to　Mrs。　Waldeaux。

〃Frances；　Lisa　is　coming　into　the　opposite　box；〃　she　said。　　〃She　is　really　a　beautiful　woman　in　that　decollete　gown；　and　her　cheeks　flushed；　and　her　eyes　　I　had　no　idea！　　She　is　superb！〃

Two　men　in　the　dress　of　French　officers　entered　the　box　with　Lisa。　　They　seated　her；　bending　over　her　with　an　empressement　which；　to　Mrs。　Waldeaux's　heated　fancy；　was　insulting。　　George　came　last；　carrying　his　wife's　cloak；　which　he　placed　upon　a　chair。　　One　of　the　men　tossed　his　cape　to　him；　w