malvina of brittany-第30章

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occasion　be　yielding　and　affectionate；　but　that；　as　Mrs。　Travers
took　care　to　point　out　to　her；　was　a　small　thing　to　her　credit。

〃If　you　had　the　instincts　of　an　ordinary　Christian　child；〃　explained
Mrs。　Travers　to　her；　〃you'd　be　thinking　twenty…four　hours　a　day　of
what　you　could　do　to　repay　him　for　all　his　loving　kindness　to　you；
instead　of　causing　him；　as　you　know　you　do；　a　dozen　heartaches　in　a
week。　　You're　an　ungrateful　little　monkey；　and　when　he's　gone
you'll〃

Upon　which　Miss　Kavanagh；　not　waiting　to　hear　more；　flew　upstairs
and；　locking　herself　in　her　own　room；　gave　herself　up　to　howling　and
remorse；　but　was　careful　not　to　emerge　until　she　felt　bad　tempered
again；　and　able；　should　opportunity　present　itself；　to　renew　the
contest　with　Mrs。　Travers　unhampered　by　sentiment。

But　Mrs。　Travers's　words　had　sunk　in　deeper　than　that　good　lady
herself　had　hoped　for；　and　one　evening；　when　Abner　Herrick　was
seated　at　his　desk　penning　a　scathing　indictment　of　the　President
for　lack　of　firmness　and　decision　on　the　tariff　question；　Ann；
putting　her　thin　arms　round　his　neck　and　rubbing　her　little　sallow
face　against　his　right…hand　whisker；　took　him　to　task　on　the
subject。

〃You're　not　bringing　me　up　properlynot　as　you　ought　to；〃　explained
Ann。　　〃You　give　way　to　me　too　much；　and　you　never　scold　me。〃

〃Not　scold　you！〃　exclaimed　Abner　with　a　certain　warmth　of
indignation。　　〃Why；　I'm　doing　it　all〃

〃Not　what　_I_　call　scolding；〃　continued　Ann。　　〃It's　very　wrong　of
you。　　I　shall　grow　up　horrid　if　you　don't　help　me。〃

As　Ann　with　great　clearness　pointed　out　to　him；　there　was　no　one
else　to　undertake　the　job　with　any　chance　of　success。　　If　Abner
failed　her；　then　she　supposed　there　was　no　hope　for　her：　　she　would
end　by　becoming　a　wicked　woman；　and　everybody；　including　herself；
would　hate　her。　　It　was　a　sad　prospect。　　The　contemplation　of　it
brought　tears　to　Ann's　eyes。

He　saw　the　justice　of　her　complaint　and　promised　to　turn　over　a　new
leaf。　　He　honestly　meant　to　do　so；　but；　like　many　another　repentant
sinner；　found　himself　feeble　before　the　difficulties　of　performance。
He　might　have　succeeded　better　had　it　not　been　for　her　soft　deep
eyes　beneath　her　level　brows。

〃You're　not　much　like　your　mother；〃　so　he　explained　to　her　one　day；
〃except　about　the　eyes。　　Looking　into　your　eyes　I　can　almost　see
your　mother。〃

He　was　smoking　a　pipe　beside　the　fire；　and　Ann；　who　ought　to　have
been　in　bed；　had　perched　herself　upon　one　of　the　arms　of　his　chair
and　was　kicking　a　hole　in　the　worn　leather　with　her　little　heels。

〃She　was　very　beautiful；　my　mother；　wasn't　she？〃　suggested　Ann。

Abner　Herrick　blew　a　cloud　from　his　pipe　and　watched　carefully　the
curling　smoke。

〃In　a　way；　yes；〃　he　answered。　　〃Quite　beautiful。〃

〃What　do　you　mean；　'In　a　way'？〃　demanded　Ann　with　some　asperity。

〃It　was　a　spiritual　beauty；　your　mother's；〃　Abner　explained。　　〃The
soul　looking　out　of　her　eyes。　　I　don't　think　it　possible　to　imagine
a　more　beautiful　disposition　than　your　mother's。　　Whenever　I　think
of　your　mother；〃　continued　Abner　after　a　pause；　〃Wordsworth's　lines
always　come　into　my　mind。〃

He　murmured　the　quotation　to　himself；　but　loud　enough　to　be　heard　by
sharp　ears。　　Miss　Kavanagh　was　mollified。

〃You　were　in　love　with　my　mother；　weren't　you？〃　she　questioned　him
kindly。

〃Yes；　I　suppose　I　was；〃　mused　Abner；　still　with　his　gaze　upon　the
curling　smoke。

〃What　do　you　mean　by　'you　suppose　you　were'？〃　snapped　Ann。　　〃Didn't
you　know？〃

The　tone　recalled　him　from　his　dreams。

〃I　was　in　love　with　your　mother　very　much；〃　he　corrected　himself；
turning　to　her　with　a　smile。

〃Then　why　didn't　you　marry　her？〃　asked　Ann。　　〃Wouldn't　she　have
you？〃

〃I　never　asked　her；〃　explained　Abner。

〃Why　not？〃　persisted　Ann；　returning　to　asperity。

He　thought　a　moment。

〃You　wouldn't　understand；〃　he　told　her。

〃Yes；　I　would；〃　retorted　Ann。

〃No；　you　wouldn't；〃　he　contradicted　her　quite　shortly。　　They　were
both　beginning　to　lose　patience　with　one　another。　　〃No　woman　ever
could。〃

〃I'm　not　a　woman；〃　explained　Ann；　〃and　I'm　very　smart。　　You've　said
so　yourself。〃

〃Not　so　smart　as　all　that；〃　growled　Abner。　　〃Added　to　which；　it's
time　for　you　to　go　to　bed。〃

Her　anger　with　him　was　such　that　it　rendered　her　absolutely　polite。
It　had　that　occasional　effect　upon　her。　　She　slid　from　the　arm　of
his　chair　and　stood　beside　him；　a　rigid　figure　of　frozen　femininity。

〃I　think　you　are　quite　right；　Uncle　Herrick。　　Good　night！〃　　But　at
the　door　she　could　not　resist　a　parting　shot：

〃You　might　have　been　my　father；　and　then　perhaps　she　wouldn't　have
died。　　I　think　it　was　very　wicked　of　you。〃

After　she　was　gone　Abner　sat　gazing　into　the　fire；　and　his　pipe　went
out。　　Eventually　the　beginnings　of　a　smile　stole　to　the　corners　of
his　mouth；　but　before　it　could　spread　any　farther　he　dismissed　it
with　a　sigh。

Abner；　for　the　next　day　or　two；　feared　a　renewal　of　the
conversation；　but　Ann　appeared　to　have　forgotten　it；　and　as　time
went　by　it　faded　from　Abner's　own　memory。　　Until　one　evening　quite　a
while　later。

The　morning　had　brought　him　his　English　mail。　　It　had　been　arriving
with　some　regularity；　and　Ann　had　noticed　that　Abner　always　opened
it　before　his　other　correspondence。　　One　letter　he　read　through
twice；　and　Ann；　who　was　pretending　to　be　reading　the　newspaper；　felt
that　he　was　looking　at　her。

〃I　have　been　thinking；　my　dear；〃　said　Abner；　〃that　it　must　be　rather
lonely　for　you　here；　all　by　yourself。〃

〃It　would　be；〃　answered　Ann；　〃if　I　were　here　all　by　myself。〃

〃I　mean；〃　said　Abner；　〃without　any　other　young　person　to　talk　to
andand　to　play　with。〃

〃You　forget；〃　said　Ann；　〃that　I'm　nearly　thirteen。〃

〃God　bless　my　soul；〃　said　Abner。　　〃How　time　does　fly！〃

〃Who　is　she？〃　asked　Ann。

〃It　isn't　a　'she；'〃　explained　Abner。　　〃It's　a　'he。'　Poor　little　chap
lost　his　mother　two　years　ago；　and　now　his　father's　dead。　　I
thoughtit　occurred　to　me　we　might　put　him　up　for　a　time。　　Look
after　him　a　bit。　　What　do　you　think？　　It　would　make　the　house　more
lively；　wouldn't　it？〃

〃It　might；〃　said　Ann。

She　sat　very　silent；　and　Abner；　whose　conscience　was　troubling　him；
watched　her　a　little　anxiously。　　After　a　time　she　looked　up。

〃What's　he　like？〃　she　asked。

〃Precisely　what　I　am　wondering　myself；〃　confessed　Abner。　　〃We　shall
have　to　wait　and　see。　　But　his　motherhis　mother；〃　repeated　Abner；
〃was　the　most　beautiful　woman　I　have　ever　known。　　If　he　is　anything
like　she　was　as　a　girl〃　　He　left　the　sentence　unfinished。

〃You　have　not　seen　her　sincesince　she　was　young？〃　questioned　Ann。

Abner　shook　his　head。　　〃She　married　an　Englishman。　　He　took　her　back
with　him　to　London。〃

〃I　don't　like　Englishmen；〃　said　Ann。

〃They　have　their　points；〃　suggested　Abner。　　〃Besides；　boys　take
after　their　mothers；　they　say。〃　　And　Abner　rose　and　gathered　his
letters　together。

Ann　remained　very　thoughtful　all　that　day。　　In　the　evening；　when
Abner　for　a　moment　laid　down　his　pen　for　the　purpose　of　relighting
his　pipe；　Ann　came　to　him；　seating　herself　on　the　corner　of　the
desk。

〃I　suppose；〃　she　said；　〃that's　why　you　never　married　mother？〃

Abner's　mind　at　the　moment　was　much　occupied　with　the　Panama　Canal。

〃What　mother？〃　he　asked。　　〃Whose　mother？〃

〃My　mother；〃　answered　Ann。　　〃I　suppose　men　are　like　that。〃

〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃　said　Abner；　dismissing　altogether　the
Panama　Canal。

〃You　loved　my　mother　very　much；〃　explained　Ann　with　cold
deliberation。　　〃She　always　made　you　think　of　Wordsworth's　perfect
woman。〃

〃Who　told　you　all　that？〃　demanded　Abner。

〃You　did。〃

〃I　did？〃

〃It　was　the　day　you　took　me　away　from　Miss　Carew's　because　she　said
she　couldn't　manage　me；〃　Ann　informed　him。

〃Good　Lord！　Why；　that　must　be　two　years　ago；〃　mused　Abner。

〃Three；〃　Ann　corrected　him。　　〃All　but　a　few　days。〃

〃I　wish　you'd　use　your　memory　for　things　you're　wanted　to　remember；〃
growled　Abner。

〃You　said　you　had　never　asked　her　to　marry　you；〃　pursued　Ann
relentlessly；　〃you　wouldn't　tell　me　why。　　You　said　I　shouldn't
understand。〃

〃My　fault；〃　muttered　Abner。　　〃I　forget　you're　a　child。　　You　ask　all
sorts　of　questions　that　never　ought　to　enter　your　head；　and　I'm　fool
e