the dark flower-第13节

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unsuitable　to　show。　　Still；　she　was　happy。　　Never　had　her　favourite
College　garden　seemed　so　beautiful；　with　each　tree　and　flower　so
cared　for；　and　the　very　wind　excluded；　never　had　the　birds　seemed
so　tame　and　friendly。　　The　sun　shone　softly；　even　the　clouds　were
luminous　and　joyful。　　She　sat　a　long　time；　musing；　and　went　back
forgetting　all　she　had　come　out　to　do。　　Having　both　courage　and
decision；　she　did　not　leave　the　letter　to　burn　a　hole　in　her
corsets；　but　gave　it　to　her　husband　at　lunch；　looking　him　in　the
face；　and　saying　carelessly：

〃Providence；　you　see；　answers　your　question。〃

He　read　it；　raised　his　eyebrows；　smiled；　and；　without　looking　up；
murmured：

〃You　wish　to　prosecute　this　romantic　episode？〃

Did　he　mean　anythingor　was　it　simply　his　way　of　putting　things？

〃I　naturally　want　to　be　anywhere　but　here。〃

〃Perhaps　you　would　like　to　go　alone？〃

He　said　that；　of　course；　knowing　she　could　not　say：　Yes。　　And　she
answered　simply：　〃No。〃

〃Then　let　us　both　goon　Monday。　　I　will　catch　the　young　man's
trout；　thou　shalt　catchh'm！he　shall　catch　　What　is　it　he
catchestrees？　　Good！　　That's　settled。〃

And；　three　days　later；　without　another　word　exchanged　on　the
subject；　they　started。

Was　she　grateful　to　him？　　No。　　Afraid　of　him？　　No。　　Scornful　of
him？　　Not　quite。　　But　she　was　afraid　of　HERSELF；　horribly。　　How
would　she　ever　be　able　to　keep　herself　in　hand；　how　disguise　from
these　people　that　she　loved　their　boy？　　It　was　her　desperate　mood
that　she　feared。　　But　since　she　so　much　wanted　all　the　best　for　him
that　life　could　give；　surely　she　would　have　the　strength　to　do
nothing　that　might　harm　him。　　Yet　she　was　afraid。

He　was　there　at　the　station　to　meet　them；　in　riding　things　and　a
nice　rough　Norfolk　jacket　that　she　did　not　recognize；　though　she
thought　she　knew　his　clothes　by　heart；　and　as　the　train　came　slowly
to　a　standstill　the　memory　of　her　last　moment　with　him；　up　in　his
room　amid　the　luggage　that　she　had　helped　to　pack；　very　nearly
overcame　her。　　It　seemed　so　hard　to　have　to　meet　him　coldly；
formally；　to　have　to　waitwho　knew　how　longfor　a　minute　with　him
alone！　　And　he　was　so　polite；　so　beautifully　considerate；　with　all
the　manners　of　a　host；　hoping　she　wasn't　tired；　hoping　Mr。　Stormer
had　brought　his　fishing…rod；　though　they　had　lots；　of　course；　they
could　lend　him；　hoping　the　weather　would　be　fine；　hoping　that　they
wouldn't　mind　having　to　drive　three　miles；　and　busying　himself
about　their　luggage。　　All　this　when　she　just　wanted　to　take　him　in
her　arms　and　push　his　hair　back　from　his　forehead；　and　look　at　him！

He　did　not　drive　with　themhe　had　thought　they　would　be　too
crowdedbut　followed；　keeping　quite　close　in　the　dust　to　point　out
the　scenery；　mounted　on　a　'palfrey；'　as　her　husband　called　the　roan
with　the　black　swish　tail。

This　countryside；　so　rich　and　yet　a　little　wild；　the　independent…
looking　cottages；　the　old　dark　cosy　manor…house；　all　was　very　new
to　one　used　to　Oxford；　and　to　London；　and　to　little　else　of
England。　　And　all　was　delightful。　　Even　Mark's　guardian　seemed　to
her　delightful。　　For　Gordy；　when　absolutely　forced　to　face　an
unknown　woman；　could　bring　to　the　encounter　a　certain　bluff
ingratiation。　　His　sister；　too；　Mrs。　Doone；　with　her　faded
gentleness；　seemed　soothing。

When　Anna　was　alone　in　her　room；　reached　by　an　unexpected　little
stairway；　she　stood　looking　at　its　carved　four…poster　bed　and　the
wide　lattice　window　with　chintz　curtains；　and　the　flowers　in　a　blue
bowl。　　Yes；　all　was　delightful。　　And　yet！　　What　was　it？　　What　had
she　missed？　　Ah；　she　was　a　fool　to　fret！　　It　was　only　his　anxiety
that　they　should　be　comfortable；　his　fear　that　he　might　betray
himself。　　Out　there　those　last　few　dayshis　eyes！　　And　now！　　She
brooded　earnestly　over　what　dress　she　should　put　on。　　She；　who
tanned　so　quickly；　had　almost　lost　her　sunburn　in　the　week　of
travelling　and　Oxford。　　To…day　her　eyes　looked　tired；　and　she　was
pale。　　She　was　not　going　to　disdain　anything　that　might　help。　　She
had　reached　thirty…six　last　month；　and　he　would　be　nineteen　to…
morrow！　　She　decided　on　black。　　In　black　she　knew　that　her　neck
looked　whiter；　and　the　colour　of　her　eyes　and　hair　stranger。　　She
put　on　no　jewellery；　did　not　even　pin　a　rose　at　her　breast；　took
white　gloves。　　Since　her　husband　did　not　come　to　her　room；　she　went
up　the　little　stairway　to　his。　　She　surprised　him　ready　dressed；
standing　by　the　fireplace；　smiling　faintly。　　What　was　he　thinking
of；　standing　there　with　that　smile？　　Was　there　blood　in　him　at　all？

He　inclined　his　head　slightly　and　said：

〃Good！　　Chaste　as　the　night！　　Black　suits　you。　　Shall　we　find　our
way　down　to　these　savage　halls？〃

And　they　went　down。

Everyone　was　already　there；　waiting。　　A　single　neighbouring　squire
and　magistrate；　by　name　Trusham；　had　been　bidden；　to　make　numbers
equal。

Dinner　was　announced；　they　went　in。　　At　the　round　table　in　a
dining…room；　all　black　oak；　with　many　candles；　and　terrible
portraits　of　departed　ancestors；　Anna　sat　between　the　magistrate
and　Gordy。　　Mark　was　opposite；　between　a　quaint…looking　old　lady
and　a　young　girl　who　had　not　been　introduced；　a　girl　in　white；　with
very　fair　hair　and　very　white　skin；　blue　eyes；　and　lips　a　little
parted；　a　daughter　evidently　of　the　faded　Mrs。　Doone。　　A　girl　like
a　silvery　moth；　like　a　forget…me…not！　　Anna　found　it　hard　to　take
her　eyes　away　from　this　girl's　face；　not　that　she　admired　her
exactly；　pretty　she　wasyes；　but　weak；　with　those　parted　lips　and
soft　chin；　and　almost　wistful　look；　as　if　her　deep…blue　half…eager
eyes　were　in　spite　of　her。　　But　she　was　youngso　young！　　That　was
why　not　to　watch　her　seemed　impossible。　　〃Sylvia　Doone？〃　　Indeed！
Yes。　　A　soft　name；　a　pretty　nameand　very　like　her！　　Every　time
her　eyes　could　travel　away　from　her　duty　to　Squire　Trusham；　and　to
Gordy　（on　both　of　whom　she　was　clearly　making　an　impression）；　she
gazed　at　this　girl；　sitting　there　by　the　boy；　and　whenever　those
two　young　things　smiled　and　spoke　together　she　felt　her　heart
contract　and　hurt　her。　　Was　THIS　why　that　something　had　gone　out　of
his　eyes？　　Ah；　she　was　foolish！　　If　every　girl　or　woman　the　boy
knew　was　to　cause　such　a　feeling　in　her；　what　would　life　be　like？
And　her　will　hardened　against　her　fears。　　She　was　looking　brilliant
herself；　and　she　saw　that　the　girl　in　her　turn　could　not　help
gazing　at　her　eagerly；　wistfully；　a　little　bewilderedhatefully
young。　　And　the　boy？　　Slowly；　surely；　as　a　magnet　draws；　Anna　could
feel　that　she　was　drawing　him；　could　see　him　stealing　chances　to
look　at　her。　　Once　she　surprised　him　full。　　What　troubled　eyes！　　It
was　not　the　old　adoring　face；　yet　she　knew　from　its　expression　that
she　could　make　him　want　hermake　him　jealouseasily　fire　him　with
her　kisses；　if　she　would。

And　the　dinner　wore　to　an　end。　　Then　came　the　moment　when　the　girl
and　she　must　meet　under　the　eyes　of　the　mother；　and　that　sharp；
quaint…looking　old　governess。　　It　would　be　a　hard　moment；　that！
And　it　camea　hard　moment　and　a　long　one；　for　Gordy　sat　full　span
over　his　wine。　　But　Anna　had　not　served　her　time　beneath　the　gaze
of　upper　Oxford　for　nothing；　she　managed　to　be　charming；　full　of
interest　and　questions　in　her　still　rather　foreign　accent。　　Miss
Doonesoon　she　became　Sylviamust　show　her　all　the　treasures　and
antiquities。　　Was　it　too　dark　to　go　out　just　to　look　at　the　old
house　by　night？　　Oh；　no。　　Not　a　bit。　　There　were　goloshes　in　the
hall。　　And　they　went；　the　girl　leading；　and　talking　of　Anna　knew
not　what；　so　absorbed　was　she　in　thinking　how　for　a　moment；　just　a
moment；　she　could　contrive　to　be　with　the　boy　alone。

It　was　not　remarkable；　this　old　house；　but　it　was　his　homemight
some　day　perhaps　be　his。　　And　houses　at　night　were　strangely　alive
with　their　window　eyes。

〃That　is　my　room；〃　the　girl　said；　〃where　the　jessamine　isyou　can
just　see　it。　　Mark's　is　abovelook；　under　where　the　eave　hangs
out；　away　to　the　left。　　The　other　night〃

〃Yes；　the　other　night？〃

〃Oh；　I　don't！　　Listen。　　That's　an　owl。　　We　have　heaps　of　owls。
Mark　likes　them。　　I　don't；　much。〃

Always　Mark！

〃He's　awfully　keen；　you　see；　about　all　beasts　and　birdshe　models
them。　　Shall　I　show　you　his　workshop？it's　an　old　greenhouse。
Here；　you　can　see　in。〃

There　through　the　glass　Anna　indeed　could　just　see　the　boy's　quaint
creations　huddling　in　the　dark　on　a　bare　floor；　a　grotesque　company
of　small　monsters。　　She　murmured：

〃Yes；　I　see　them；　but　I　won't　really　look　unless　he　brings　me
himself。〃

〃Oh；　he's　sure　to。　　They　interest　him　more　than　anything　in　the
world。〃

For　all　her　cautious　resolutions　Anna　could　not　for　the　life　of　her
help　saying：

〃What；　more　than　you？〃

The　girl　gave　her　a　wistful　stare　before　she　answered：

〃Oh！　I　don't　count　much。〃

Anna　laughed；　and　took　her　arm。　　How　soft　and　young　it　felt！　　A
pang　went　through　her　heart；　half　jealous；　half　remorseful。

〃Do　you　know；〃　she　said；　〃that　you　are　very　sweet？〃

The　girl　did　not　answer。

〃Are　you　his　cousin？〃

〃No。　　Gordy　is　only　Mark's　uncle　by　marriage；　my　mother　is　Gordy's
sisterso　I'm　nothing。〃

Nothing！

〃I　seejust　what　you　English　call　'a　connection。'〃

They　were　silent；　seeming　to　examine　the　night；　then　the　girl　said：