the patagonia-第4节

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of　the　girl：　　〃Do　you　mean　you're　going　to　Europe？〃



〃Yes；　tomorrow。　　In　the　same　ship　as　your　mother。〃



〃That's　what　we've　come　here　for；　to　see　all　about　it；〃　said　Mrs。

Mavis。



〃My　son；　take　pity　on　me　and　tell　me　what　light　your　telegram

throws；〃　Mrs。　Nettlepoint　went　on。



〃I　will；　dearest；　when　I've　quenched　my　thirst。〃　　And　he　slowly

drained　his　glass。



〃Well；　I　declare　you're　worse　than　Gracie；〃　Mrs。　Mavis　commented。

〃She　was　first　one　thing　and　then　the　otherbut　only　about　up　to

three　o'clock　yesterday。〃



〃Excuse　mewon't　you　take　something？〃　Jasper　inquired　of　Gracie；　who

however　still　declined；　as　if　to　make　up　for　her　mother's　copious

consommation。　　I　found　myself　quite　aware　that　the　two　ladies　would

do　well　to　take　leave；　the　question　of　Mrs。　Nettlepoint's　good　will

being　so　satisfactorily　settled　and　the　meeting　of　the　morrow　at　the

ship　so　near　at　hand　and　I　went　so　far　as　to　judge　that　their

protracted　stay；　with　their　hostess　visibly　in　a　fidget；　gave　the

last　proof　of　their　want　of　breeding。　　Miss　Grace　after　all　then　was

not　such　an　improvement　on　her　mother；　for　she　easily　might　have

taken　the　initiative　of　departure；　in　spite　of　Mrs。　Mavis's　evident

〃game〃　of　making　her　own　absorption　of　refreshment　last　as　long　as

possible。　　I　watched　the　girl　with　increasing　interest；　I　couldn't

help　asking　myself　a　question　or　two　about　her　and　even　perceiving

already　（in　a　dim　and　general　way）　that　rather　marked　embarrassment；

or　at　least　anxiety　attended　her。　　Wasn't　it　complicating　that　she

should　have　needed；　by　remaining　long　enough；　to　assuage　a　certain

suspense；　to　learn　whether　or　no　Jasper　were　going　to　sail？　　Hadn't

something　particular　passed　between　them　on　the　occasion　or　at　the

period　to　which　we　had　caught　their　allusion；　and　didn't　she　really

not　know　her　mother　was　bringing　her　to　HIS　mother's；　though　she

apparently　had　thought　it　well　not　to　betray　knowledge？　　Such　things

were　symptomaticthough　indeed　one　scarce　knew　of　whaton　the　part

of　a　young　lady　betrothed　to　that　curious　cross…barred　phantom　of　a

Mr。　Porterfield。　　But　I　am　bound　to　add　that　she　gave　me　no　further

warrant　for　wonder　than　was　conveyed　in　her　all　tacitly　and　covertly

encouraging　her　mother　to　linger。　　Somehow　I　had　a　sense　that　SHE　was

conscious　of　the　indecency　of　this。　　I　got　up　myself　to　go；　but　Mrs。

Nettlepoint　detained　me　after　seeing　that　my　movement　wouldn't　be

taken　as　a　hint；　and　I　felt　she　wished　me　not　to　leave　my　fellow

visitors　on　her　hands。　　Jasper　complained　of　the　closeness　of　the

room；　said　that　it　was　not　a　night　to　sit　in　a　roomone　ought　to　be

out　in　the　air；　under　the　sky。　　He　denounced　the　windows　that

overlooked　the　water　for　not　opening　upon　a　balcony　or　a　terrace；

until　his　mother；　whom　he　hadn't　yet　satisfied　about　his　telegram；

reminded　him　that　there　was　a　beautiful　balcony　in　front；　with　room

for　a　dozen　people。　　She　assured　him　we　would　go　and　sit　there　if　it

would　please　him。



〃It　will　be　nice　and　cool　tomorrow；　when　we　steam　into　the　great

ocean；〃　said　Miss　Mavis；　expressing　with　more　vivacity　than　she　had

yet　thrown　into　any　of　her　utterances　my　own　thought　of　half　an　hour

before。　　Mrs。　Nettlepoint　replied　that　it　would　probably　be　freezing

cold；　and　her　son　murmured　that　he　would　go　and　try　the　drawing…room

balcony　and　report　upon　it。　　Just　as　he　was　turning　away　he　said；

smiling；　to　Miss　Mavis：　　〃Won't　you　come　with　me　and　see　if　it's

pleasant？〃



〃Oh　well；　we　had　better　not　stay　all　night！〃　her　mother　exclaimed；

but　still　without　moving。　　The　girl　moved；　after　a　moment's

hesitation；she　rose　and　accompanied　Jasper　to　the　other　room。　　I

saw　how　her　slim　tallness　showed　to　advantage　as　she　walked；　and　that

she　looked　well　as　she　passed；　with　her　head　thrown　back；　into　the

darkness　of　the　other　part　of　the　house。　　There　was　something　rather

marked；　rather　surprisingI　scarcely　knew　why；　for　the　act　in　itself

was　simple　enoughin　her　acceptance　of　such　a　plea；　and　perhaps　it

was　our　sense　of　this　that　held　the　rest　of　us　somewhat　stiffly

silent　as　she　remained　away。　　I　was　waiting　for　Mrs。　Mavis　to　go；　so

that　I　myself　might　go；　and　Mrs。　Nettlepoint　was　waiting　for　her　to

go　so　that　I　mightn't。　　This　doubtless　made　the　young　lady's　absence

appear　to　us　longer　than　it　really　wasit　was　probably　very　brief。

Her　mother　moreover；　I　think；　had　now　a　vague　lapse　from　ease。

Jasper　Nettlepoint　presently　returned　to　the　back　drawing…room　to

serve　his　companion　with　our　lucent　syrup；　and　he　took　occasion　to

remark　that　it　was　lovely　on　the　balcony：　　one　really　got　some　air；

the　breeze　being　from　that　quarter。　　I　remembered；　as　he　went　away

with　his　tinkling　tumbler；　that　from　MY　hand；　a　few　minutes　before；

Miss　Mavis　had　not　been　willing　to　accept　this　innocent　offering。　　A

little　later　Mrs。　Nettlepoint　said：　　〃Well；　if　it's　so　pleasant　there

we　had　better　go　ourselves。〃　　So　we　passed　to　the　front　and　in　the

other　room　met　the　two　young　people　coming　in　from　the　balcony。　　I

was　to　wonder；　in　the　light　of　later　things；　exactly　how　long　they

had　occupied　together　a　couple　of　the　set　of　cane　chairs　garnishing

the　place　in　summer。　　If　it　had　been　but　five　minutes　that　only　made

subsequent　events　more　curious。　　〃We　must　go；　mother；〃　Miss　Mavis

immediately　said；　and　a　moment　after；　with　a　little　renewal　of

chatter　as　to　our　general　meeting　on　the　ship；　the　visitors　had　taken

leave。　　Jasper　went　down　with　them　to　the　door　and　as　soon　as　they

had　got　off　Mrs。　Nettlepoint　quite　richly　exhaled　her　impression。

〃Ah　but'll　she　be　a　boreshe'll　be　a　bore　of　bores！〃



〃Not　through　talking　too　much；　surely。〃



〃An　affectation　of　silence　is　as　bad。　　I　hate　that　particular　pose；

it's　coming　up　very　much　now；　an　imitation　of　the　English；　like

everything　else。　　A　girl　who　tries　to　be　statuesque　at　seathat　will

act　on　one's　nerves！〃



〃I　don't　know　what　she　tries　to　be；　but　she　succeeds　in　being　very

handsome。〃



〃So　much　the　better　for　you。　　I'll　leave　her　to　you；　for　I　shall　be

shut　up。　　I　like　her　being　placed　under　my　'care'！〃　my　friend　cried。



〃She'll　be　under　Jasper's；〃　I　remarked。



〃Ah　he　won't　go；〃　she　wailed〃I　want　it　too　much！〃



〃But　I　didn't　see　it　that　way。　　I　have　an　idea　he'll　go。〃



〃Why　didn't　he　tell　me　so　thenwhen　he　came　in？〃



〃He　was　diverted　by　that　young　womana　beautiful　unexpected　girl

sitting　there。〃



〃Diverted　from　his　mother　and　her　fond　hope？his　mother　trembling

for　his　decision？〃



〃Well〃I　pieced　it　together〃she's　an　old　friend；　older　than　we

know。　　It　was　a　meeting　after　a　long　separation。〃



〃Yes；　such　a　lot　of　them　as　he　does　know！〃　Mrs。　Nettlepoint　sighed。



〃Such　a　lot　of　them？〃



〃He　has　so　many　female　friendsin　the　most　varied　circles。〃



〃Well；　we　can　close　round　her　then；〃　I　returned；　〃for　I　on　my　side

know；　or　used　to　know；　her　young　man。〃



〃Her　intended？〃she　had　a　light　of　relief　for　this。



〃The　very　one　she's　going　out　to。　　He　can't；　by　the　way；〃　it　occurred

to　me；　〃be　very　young　now。〃



〃How　odd　it　soundsher　muddling　after　him！〃　said　Mrs。　Nettlepoint。



I　was　going　to　reply　that　it　wasn't　odd　if　you　knew　Mr。　Porterfield；

but　I　reflected　that　that　perhaps　only　made　it　odder。　　I　told　my

companion　briefly　who　he　wasthat　I　had　met　him　in　the　old　Paris

days；　when　I　believed　for　a　fleeting　hour　that　I　could　learn　to

paint；　when　I　lived　with　the　jeunesse　des　ecoles；　and　her　comment　on

this　was　simply：　　〃Well；　he　had　better　have　come　out　for　her！〃



〃Perhaps　so。　　She　looked　to　me　as　she　sat　there　as　if；　she　might

change　her　mind　at　the　last　moment。〃



〃About　her　marriage？



〃About　sailing。　　But　she　won't　change　now。〃



Jasper　came　back；　and　his　mother　instantly　challenged　him。　　〃Well；

ARE　you　going？〃



〃Yes；　I　shall　go〃he　was　finally　at　peace　about　it。　　〃I've　got　my

telegram。〃



〃Oh　your　telegram！〃I　ventured　a　little　to　jeer。



〃That　charming　girl's　your　telegram。〃



He　gave　me　a　look；　but　in　the　dusk　I　couldn't　make　out　very　well　what

it　conveyed。　　Then　he　bent　over　his　mother；　kissing　her。　　〃My　news

isn't　particularly　satisfactory。　　I'm　going　for　YOU。〃



〃Oh　you　humbug！〃　she　replied。　　But　she　was　of　course　delighted。







CHAPTER　II







People　usually　spend　the　first　hours　of　a　voyage　in　squeezing

themselves　into　their　cabins；　taking　their　little　precautions；　either

so　excessive　or　so　inadequate；　wondering　how　they　can　pass　so　many

days　in　such　a　hole　and　asking　idiotic　questions　of　the　stewards；　who

appear　in　comparison　rare　men　of　the　world。　　My　own　initiations　were

rapid；　as　became　an　old　sailor；　and　so；　it　seemed；　were　Miss　Mavis's；

for　when　I　mounted　to　the　deck　at　the　end　of　half　an　hour　I　found　her

there　alone；　in　the　stern　of　the　ship；　her　eyes　on　the　dwindling

continent。　　It　dwindled　very　fast　for　so　big　a　place。　　I　accosted

her；　having　had　no　conversation　with　her　amid　the　cro