when god laughs and other stories(当上帝发笑时)-第10节
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A WICKED WOMAN
It was because she had broken with Billy that Loretta had come
visiting to Santa Clara。 Billy could not understand。 His sister had
reported that he had walked the floor and cried all night。 Loretta had not
slept all night either； while she had wept most of the night。 Daisy knew
this； because it was in her arms that the weeping had been done。 And
Daisy's husband； Captain Kitt； knew； too。 The tears of Loretta； and the
comforting by Daisy； had lost him some sleep。
Now Captain Kitt did not like to lose sleep。 Neither did he want
Loretta to marry Billynor anybody else。 It was Captain Kitt's belief that
Daisy needed the help of her younger sister in the household。 But he did
not say this aloud。 Instead； he always insisted that Loretta was too young
to think of marriage。 So it was Captain Kitt's idea that Loretta should be
packed off on a visit to Mrs。 Hemingway。 There wouldn't be any Billy
there。
Before Loretta had been at Santa Clara a week； she was convinced that
Captain Kitt's idea was a good one。 In the first place； though Billy
wouldn't believe it； she did not want to marry Billy。 And in the second
place； though Captain Kitt wouldn't believe it； she did not want to leave
Daisy。 By the time Loretta had been at Santa Clara two weeks； she was
absolutely certain that she did not want to marry Billy。 But she was not
so sure about not wanting to leave Daisy。 Not that she loved Daisy less；
but that shehad doubts。
The day of Loretta's arrival； a nebulous plan began shaping itself in
Mrs。 Hemingway's brain。 The second day she remarked to Jack
Hemingway； her husband； that Loretta was so innocent a young thing that
were it not for her sweet guilelessness she would be positively stupid。 In
proof of which； Mrs。 Hemingway told her husband several things that
made him chuckle。 By the third day Mrs。 Hemingway's plan had taken
recognizable form。 Then it was that she composed a letter。 On the
envelope she wrote： 〃Mr。 Edward Bashford； Athenian Club； San
Francisco。〃
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WHEN GOD LAUGHS； AND OTHER STORIES
〃Dear Ned；〃 the letter began。 She had once been violently loved by
him for three weeks in her pre…marital days。 But she had covenanted
herself to Jack Hemingway； who had prior claims； and her heart as well；
and Ned Bashford had philosophically not broken his heart over it。 He
merely added the experience to a large fund of similarly collected data out
of which he manufactured philosophy。 Artistically and temperamentally
he was a Greek a tired Greek。 He was fond of quoting from Nietzsche；
in token that he； too； had passed through the long sickness that follows
upon the ardent search for truth； that he too had emerged； too experienced；
too shrewd； too profound； ever again to be afflicted by the madness of
youths in their love of truth。 〃'To worship appearance；'〃 he often quoted；
〃'to believe in forms； in tones； in words； in the whole Olympus of
appearance！'〃 This particular excerpt he always concluded with； 〃'Those
Greeks were superficialOUT OF PROFUNDITY！'〃
He was a fairly young Greek； jaded and worn。 Women were faithless
and unveracious； he heldat such times that he had relapses and
descended to pessimism from his wonted high philosophical calm。 He
did not believe in the truth of women； but； faithful to his German master；
he did not strip from them the airy gauzes that veiled their untruth。 He
was content to accept them as appearances and to make the best of it。 He
was superficial… …OUT OF PROFUNDITY。
〃Jack says to be sure to say to you； 'good swimming；'〃 Mrs。
Hemingway wrote in her letter； 〃and also 'to bring your fishing duds
along。'〃 Mrs。 Hemingway wrote other things in the letter。 She told him
that at last she was prepared to exhibit to him an absolutely true； unsullied；
and innocent woman。 〃A more guileless； immaculate bud of womanhood
never blushed on the planet；〃 was one of the several ways in which she
phrased the inducement。 And to her husband she said triumphantly； 〃If I
don't marry Ned off this time〃 leaving unstated the terrible alternative
that she lacked either vocabulary to express or imagination to conceive。
Contrary to all her forebodings； Loretta found that she was not
unhappy at Santa Clara。 Truly； Billy wrote to her every day； but his
letters were less distressing than his presence。 Also； the ordeal of being
away from Daisy was not so severe as she had expected。 For the first
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WHEN GOD LAUGHS； AND OTHER STORIES
time in her life she was not lost in eclipse in the blaze of Daisy's brilliant
and mature personality。 Under such favourable circumstances Loretta
came rapidly to the front； while Mrs。 Hemingway modestly and
shamelessly retreated into the background。
Loretta began to discover that she was not a pale orb shining by
reflection。 Quite unconsciously she became a small centre of things。
When she was at the piano； there was some one to turn the pages for her
and to express preferences for certain songs。 When she dropped her
handkerchief； there was some one to pick it up。 And there was some one
to accompany her in ramblings and flower gatherings。 Also； she learned
to cast flies in still pools and below savage riffles； and how not to entangle
silk lines and gut…leaders with the shrubbery。
Jack Hemingway did not care to teach beginners； and fished much by
himself； or not at all； thus giving Ned Bashford ample time in which to
consider Loretta as an appearance。 As such； she was all that his
philosophy demanded。 Her blue eyes had the direct gaze of a boy； and
out of his profundity he delighted in them and forbore to shudder at the
duplicity his philosophy bade him to believe lurked in their depths。 She
had the grace of a slender flower； the fragility of colour and line of fine
china； in all of which he pleasured greatly； without thought of the Life
Force palpitating beneath and in spite of Bernard Shawin whom he
believed。
Loretta burgeoned。 She swiftly developed personality。 She
discovered a will of her own and wishes of her own that were not
everlastingly entwined with the will and the wishes of Daisy。 She was
petted by Jack Hemingway； spoiled by Alice Hemingway； and devotedly
attended by Ned Bashford。 They encouraged her whims and laughed at
her follies； while she developed the pretty little tyrannies that are latent in
all pretty and delicate women。 Her environment acted as a soporific upon
her ancient desire always to live with Daisy。 This desire no longer
prodded her as in the days of her companionship with Billy。 The more
she saw of Billy； the more certain she had been that she could not live
away from Daisy。 The more she saw of Ned Bashford； the more she
forgot her pressing need of Daisy。
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Ned Bashford likewise did some forgetting。 He confused
superficiality with profundity； and entangled appearance with reality until
he accounted them one。 Loretta was different from other women。
There was no masquerade about her。 She was real。 He said as much to
Mrs。 Hemingway； and more； who agreed with him and at the same time
caught her husband's eyelid drooping down for the moment in an
unm
