confidence-第5节

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grace　from　a　powerful　yellow　moustache；　to　which　its　wearer　occasionally　gave　a　martial　twist。　Gordon　Wright　was　not　tall；　but　he　was　strong；　and　in　his　whole　person　there　was　something　well…planted　and　sturdy。　He　almost　always　dressed　in　light…colored　garments；　and　he　wore　round　his　neck　an　eternal　blue　cravat。　　When　he　was　agitated　he　grew　very　red。　　While　he　questioned　Longueville　about　his　journey　and　his　health；　his　whereabouts　and　his　intentions；　the　latter；　among　his　own　replies；　endeavored　to　read　in　Wright's　eyes　some　account　of　his　present　situation。　Was　that　pretty　girl　at　his　side　the　ambiguous　object　of　his　adoration；　and；　in　that　case；　what　was　the　function　of　the　elder　lady；　and　what　had　become　of　her　argumentative　daughter？　Perhaps　this　was　another；　a　younger　daughter；　though；　indeed；　she　bore　no　resemblance　to　either　of　Longueville's　friends。　Gordon　Wright；　in　spite　of　Bernard's　interrogative　glances；　indulged　in　no　optical　confidences。　　He　had　too　much　to　tell。　He　would　keep　his　story　till　they　should　be　alone　together。　It　was　impossible　that　they　should　adjourn　just　yet　to　social　solitude；　the　two　ladies　were　under　Gordon's　protection。　Mrs。　VivianBernard　felt　a　satisfaction　in　learning　her　name；　it　was　as　if　a　curtain；　half　pulled　up　and　stopped　by　a　hitch；　had　suddenly　been　raised　altogetherMrs。　Vivian　sat　looking　up　and　down　the　terrace　at　the　crowd　of　loungers　and　talkers　with　an　air　of　tender　expectation。　　She　was　probably　looking　for　her　elder　daughter；　and　Longueville　could　not　help　wishing　also　that　this　young　lady　would　arrive。　　Meanwhile；　he　saw　that　the　young　girl　to　whom　Gordon　had　been　devoting　himself　was　extremely　pretty；　and　appeared　eminently　approachable。　Longueville　had　some　talk　with　her；　reflecting　that　if　she　were　the　person　concerning　whom　Gordon　had　written　him；　it　behooved　him　to　appear　to　take　an　interest　in　her。　This　view　of　the　case　was　confirmed　by　Gordon　Wright's　presently　turning　away　to　talk　with　Mrs。　Vivian；　so　that　his　friend　might　be　at　liberty　to　make　acquaintance　with　their　companion。

Though　she　had　not　been　with　the　others　at　Siena；　it　seemed　to　Longueville；　with　regard　to　her；　too；　that　this　was　not　the　first　time　he　had　seen　her。　She　was　simply　the　American　pretty　girl；　whom　he　had　seen　a　thousand　times。　It　was　a　numerous　sisterhood；　pervaded　by　a　strong　family　likeness。　This　young　lady　had　charming　eyes　（of　the　color　of　Gordon's　cravats）；　which　looked　everywhere　at　once　and　yet　found　time　to　linger　in　some　places；　where　Longueville's　own　eyes　frequently　met　them。　　She　had　soft　brown　hair；　with　a　silky…golden　thread　in　it；　beautifully　arranged　and　crowned　by　a　smart　little　hat　that　savoured　of　Paris。　　She　had　also　a　slender　little　figure；　neatly　rounded；　and　delicate；　narrow　hands；　prettily　gloved。　　She　moved　about　a　great　deal　in　her　place；　twisted　her　little　flexible　body　and　tossed　her　head；　fingered　her　hair　and　examined　the　ornaments　of　her　dress。　　She　had　a　great　deal　of　conversation；　Longueville　speedily　learned；　and　she　expressed　herself　with　extreme　frankness　and　decision。　　He　asked　her；　to　begin　with；　if　she　had　been　long　at　Baden；　but　the　impetus　of　this　question　was　all　she　required。　　Turning　her　charming；　conscious；　coquettish　little　face　upon　him；　she　instantly　began　to　chatter。

〃I　have　been　here　about　four　weeks。　　I　don't　know　whether　you　call　that　long。　It　does　n't　seem　long　to　me；　I　have　had　such　a　lovely　time。　　I　have　met　ever　so　many　people　here　I　knowevery　day　some　one　turns　up。　　Now　you　have　turned　up　to…day。〃

〃Ah；　but　you　don't　know　me；〃　said　Longueville；　laughing。

〃Well；　I　have　heard　a　great　deal　about　you！〃　cried　the　young　girl；　with　a　pretty　little　stare　of　contradiction。　　〃I　think　you　know　a　great　friend　of　mine；　Miss　Ella　Maclane；　of　Baltimore。　　She　's　travelling　in　Europe　now。〃　　Longueville's　memory　did　not　instantly　respond　to　this　signal；　but　he　expressed　that　rapturous　assent　which　the　occasion　demanded；　and　even　risked　the　observation　that　the　young　lady　from　Baltimore　was　very　pretty。　　〃She　's　far　too　lovely；〃　his　companion　went　on。　　〃I　have　often　heard　her　speak　of　you。　I　think　you　know　her　sister　rather　better　than　you　know　her。　She　has　not　been　out　very　long。　　She　is　just　as　interesting　as　she　can　be。　Her　hair　comes　down　to　her　feet。　　She　's　travelling　in　Norway。　She　has　been　everywhere　you　can　think　of；　and　she　's　going　to　finish　off　with　Finland。　　You　can't　go　any　further　than　that；　can　you？　That　's　one　comfort；　she　will　have　to　turn　round　and　come　back。　　I　want　her　dreadfully　to　come　to　Baden…Baden。〃

〃I　wish　she　would；〃　said　Longueville。　　〃Is　she　travelling　alone？〃

〃Oh；　no。　　They　've　got　some　Englishman。　　They　say　he　's　devoted　to　Ella。　　Every　one　seems　to　have　an　Englishman；　now。　We　've　got　one　here；　Captain　Lovelock；　the　Honourable　Augustus　Lovelock。　　Well；　they　're　awfully　handsome。　　Ella　Maclane　is　dying　to　come　to　Baden…Baden。　I　wish　you　'd　write　to　her。　Her　father　and　mother　have　got　some　idea　in　their　heads；　they　think　it　's　improperwhat　do　you　call　it？immoral。　　I　wish　you　would　write　to　her　and　tell　her　it　is　n't。　I　wonder　if　they　think　that　Mrs。　Vivian　would　come　to　a　place　that　's　immoral。　Mrs。　Vivian　says　she　would　take　her　in　a　moment；　she　does　n't　seem　to　care　how　many　she　has。　　I　declare；　she　's　only　too　kind。　You　know　I　'm　in　Mrs。　Vivian's　care。　　My　mother　's　gone　to　Marienbad。　She　would　let　me　go　with　Mrs。　Vivian　anywhere；　on　account　of　the　influenceshe　thinks　so　much　of　Mrs。　Vivian's　influence。　I　have　always　heard　a　great　deal　about　it；　have　n't　you？　I　must　say　it　's　lovely；　it　's　had　a　wonderful　effect　upon　me。　I　don't　want　to　praise　myself；　but　it　has。　　You　ask　Mrs。　Vivian　if　I　have　n't　been　good。　　I　have　been　just　as　good　as　I　can　be。　I　have　been　so　peaceful；　I　have　just　sat　here　this　way。　Do　you　call　this　immoral？　　You　're　not　obliged　to　gamble　if　you　don't　want　to。　　Ella　Maclane's　father　seems　to　think　you　get　drawn　in。　　I　'm　sure　I　have　n't　been　drawn　in。　I　know　what　you　're　going　to　sayyou　're　going　to　say　I　have　been　drawn　out。　　Well；　I　have；　to…night。　We　just　sit　here　so　quietly　there　's　nothing　to　do　but　to　talk。　　We　make　a　little　party　by　ourselvesare　you　going　to　belong　to　our　party？　Two　of　us　are　missingMiss　Vivian　and　Captain　Lovelock。　Captain　Lovelock　has　gone　with　her　into　the　rooms　to　explain　the　gamblingMiss　Vivian　always　wants　everything　explained。　I　am　sure　I　understood　it　the　first　time　I　looked　at　the　tables。　Have　you　ever　seen　Miss　Vivian？　　She　's　very　much　admired；　she　's　so　very　unusual。　　Black　hair　's　so　uncommonI　see　you　have　got　it　too　but　I　mean　for　young　ladies。　　I　am　sure　one　sees　everything　here。　There　's　a　woman　that　comes　to　the　tablesa　Portuguese　countess　who　has　hair　that　is　positively　blue。　　I　can't　say　I　admire　it　when　it　comes　to　that　shade。　　Blue　's　my　favorite　color；　but　I　prefer　it　in　the　eyes；〃　continued　Longueville's　companion；　resting　upon　him　her　own　two　brilliant　little　specimens　of　the　tint。

He　listened　with　that　expression　of　clear　amusement　which　is　not　always　an　indication　of　high　esteem；　but　which　even　pretty　chatterers；　who　are　not　the　reverse　of　estimable；　often　prefer　to　masculine　inattention；　and　while　he　listened　Bernard；　according　to　his　wont；　made　his　reflections。　He　said　to　himself　that　there　were　two　kinds　of　pretty　girls　the　acutely　conscious　and　the　finely　unconscious。　　Mrs。　Vivian's　protege　was　a　member　of　the　former　category；　she　belonged　to　the　genus　coquette。　We　all　have　our　conception　of　the　indispensable；　and　the　indispensable；　to　this　young　lady；　was　a　spectator；　almost　any　male　biped　would　serve　the　purpose。　　To　her　spectator　she　addressed；　for　the　moment；　the　whole　volume　of　her　beingaddressed　it　in　her　glances；　her　attitudes；　her　exclamations；　in　a　hundred　little　experiments　of　tone　and　gesture　and　position。　　And　these　rustling　artifices　were　so　innocent　and　obvious　that　the　directness　of　her　desire　to　be　well　with　her　observer　became　in　itself　a　grace；　it　led　Bernard　afterward　to　say　to　himself　that　the　natural　vocation　and　metier　of　little　girls　for　whom　existence　was　but　a　shimmering　surface；　was　to　prattle　and　ruffle　their　plumage；　their　view　of　life　and　its　duties　was　as　simple　and　superficial　as　that　of　an　Oriental　bayadere。　　It　surely　could　not　be　with　regard　to　this　transparent　little　flirt　that　Gordon　Wright　desired　advice；　you　could　literally　see　the　daylightor　rather　the　Baden　gaslight　on　the　other　side　of　her。　　She　sat　there　for　a　minute；　turning　her　little　empty　head　to　and　fro；　and　catching　Bernard's　eye　every　time　she　moved；　she　had　for　the　instant　the　air　of　having　exhausted　all　topics。　Just　then　a　young　lady；　with　a　gentleman　at　her　side；　drew　near　to　the　little　group；　and　Longueville；　perceiving　her；　instantly　got　up　from　his　chair。

〃There　's　a　beauty　of　the　unconscious　class！〃　he　said　to　himself。　He　knew　her　face　very　well；　he　had　spent　half　an　hour　in　copying　it。

〃Here　comes　Miss　Vivian！〃　said　Gordon　Wright；　also　getting　up；　as　if　to　make　room　for　the　daughter　near　the　mother。

She　stopped　in　front　of　them；　smiling　slightly；　and　then　she　rested　her　eyes　upon　Longueville。　　Their　gaze　at　first　was　full　and　direct；　but　it　expressed　nothing　more　than　civil　curiosity。　This　was　immediately　followed；　however；　by　t