malvina of brittany-第33章
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arrived to plague him。 If she really lived why should he not see
her； speak to her？ So long as she had remained in her hidden
temple； situate in the vague recesses of London； S。E。； her letters
had contented him。 But now that she had moved； now that she was no
longer a voice but a woman！ Well； it would be interesting to see
what she was like。 He imagined the introduction： 〃Miss Somebody…
or…other； allow me to present you to Mr。 Matthew Pole。〃 She would
have no idea he was Aston Rowant。 If she happened to be young；
beautiful； in all ways satisfactory； he would announce himself。 How
astonished； how delighted she would be。
But if not！ If she were elderly； plain？ The wisest； wittiest of
women have been known to have an incipient moustache。 A beautiful
spirit can； and sometimes does； look out of goggle eyes。 Suppose
she suffered from indigestion and had a shiny nose！ Would her
letters ever again have the same charm for him？ Absurd that they
should not。 But would they？
The risk was too great。 Giving the matter long and careful
consideration； he decided to send her back into dreamland。
But somehow she would not go back into dreamland； would persist in
remaining in New York； a living； breathing woman。
Yet even so； how could he find her？ He might； say； in a poem convey
to her his desire for a meeting。 Would she comply？ And if she did；
what would be his position； supposing the inspection to result
unfavourably for her？ Could he； in effect； say to her： 〃Thank you
for letting me have a look at you； that is all I wanted。 Good…bye〃？
She must； she should remain in dreamland。 He would forget her
postscript； in future throw her envelopes unglanced at into the
wastepaper basket。 Having by this simple exercise of his will
replaced her in London； he himself started for New Yorkon his way
back to Europe； so he told himself。 Still； being in New York； there
was no reason for not lingering there a while； if merely to renew
old memories。
Of course； if he had really wanted to find Sylvia it would have been
easy from the date upon the envelope to have discovered the ship
〃sailing the following Saturday。〃 Passengers were compelled to
register their names in full； and to state their intended movements
after arrival in America。 Sylvia was not a common Christian name。
By the help of a five…dollar bill or two。 The idea had not
occurred to him before。 He dismissed it from his mind and sought a
quiet hotel up town。
New York was changed less than he had anticipated。 West Twentieth
Street in particular was precisely as； leaning out of the cab
window； he had looked back upon it ten years ago。 Business had more
and more taken possession of it； but had not as yet altered its
appearance。 His conscience smote him as he turned the corner that
he had never once written to Ann。 He had meant to； it goes without
saying； but during those first years of struggle and failure his
pride had held him back。 She had always thought him a fool； he had
felt she did。 He would wait till he could write to her of success；
of victory。 And then when it had slowly； almost imperceptibly；
arrived！ He wondered why he never had。 Quite a nice little girl；
in some respects。 If only she had been less conceited； less
self…willed。 Also rather a pretty girl she had shown signs of
becoming。 There were times He remembered an evening before the
lamps were lighted。 She had fallen asleep curled up in Abner's easy
chair； one small hand resting upon the arm。 She had always had
quite attractive handsa little too thin。 Something had moved him
to steal across softly without waking her。 He smiled at the memory。
And then her eyes； beneath the level brows！ It was surprising how
Ann was coming back to him。 Perhaps they would be able to tell him；
the people of the house； what had become of her。 If they were
decent people they would let him wander round a while。 He would
explain that he had lived there in Abner Herrick's time。 The room
where they had sometimes been agreeable to one another while Abner；
pretending to read； had sat watching them out of the corner of an
eye。 He would like to sit there for a few moments； by himself。
He forgot that he had rung the bell。 A very young servant had
answered the door and was staring at him。 He would have walked in
if the small servant had not planted herself deliberately in his
way。 It recalled him to himself。
〃I beg pardon；〃 said Matthew； 〃but would you please tell me who
lives here？〃
The small servant looked him up and down with growing suspicion。
〃Miss Kavanagh lives here；〃 she said。 〃What do you want？〃
The surprise was so great it rendered him speechless。 In another
moment the small servant would have slammed the door。
〃Miss Ann Kavanagh？〃 he inquired； just in time。
〃That's her name；〃 admitted the small servant； less suspicious。
〃Will you please tell her Mr。 PoleMr。 Matthew Pole；〃 he requested。
〃I'll see first if she is in；〃 said the small servant； and shut the
door。
It gave Matthew a few minutes to recover himself； for which he was
glad。 Then the door opened again suddenly。
〃You are to come upstairs；〃 said the small servant。
It sounded so like Ann that it quite put him at his ease。 He
followed the small servant up the stairs。
〃Mr。 Matthew Pole；〃 she announced severely； and closed the door
behind him。
Ann was standing by the window and came to meet him。 It was in
front of Abner's empty chair that they shook hands。
〃So you have come back to the old house；〃 said Matthew。
〃Yes；〃 she answered。 〃It never let well。 The last people who had
it gave it up at Christmas。 It seemed the best thing to do； even
from a purely economical point of view。
〃What have you been doing all these years？〃 she asked him。
〃Oh； knocking about；〃 he answered。 〃Earning my living。〃 He was
curious to discover what she thought of Matthew； first of all。
〃It seems to have agreed with you；〃 she commented； with a glance
that took him in generally； including his clothes。
〃Yes；〃 he answered。 〃I have had more luck than perhaps I deserved。〃
〃I am glad of that；〃 said Ann。
He laughed。 〃So you haven't changed so very much；〃 he said。
〃Except in appearance。
〃Isn't that the most important part of a woman？〃 suggested Ann。
〃Yes；〃 he answered； thinking。 〃I suppose it is。〃
She was certainly very beautiful。
〃How long are you stopping in New York？〃 she asked him。
〃Oh； not long；〃 he explained。
〃Don't leave it for another ten years；〃 she said； 〃before letting me
know what is happening to you。 We didn't get on very well together
as children； but we mustn't let him think we're not friends。 It
would hurt him。〃
She spoke quite seriously； as if she were expecting him any moment
to open the door and join them。 Involuntarily Matthew glanced round
the room。 Nothing seemed altered。 The worn carpet； the faded
curtains； Abner's easy chair； his pipe upon the corner of the
mantelpiece beside the vase of spills。
〃It is curious；〃 he said； 〃finding this vein of fancy； of tenderness
in you。 I always regarded you as such a practical； unsentimental
young person。〃
〃Perhaps we neither of us knew each other too well； in those days；〃
she answered。
The small servant entered with the tea。
〃What have you been doing with yourself？〃 he asked； drawing his
chair up to the table。
She waited till the small servant had withdrawn。
〃Oh； knocking about；〃 she answered。 〃Earning my living。〃
〃It seems to have agreed with you；〃 he repeated； smiling。
〃It's all right now；〃 she answered。 〃It was a bit of a struggle at
first。〃
〃Yes；〃 he agreed。 〃Life doesn't temper the wind to the human lamb。
But was there any need in your case？〃 he asked。 〃I thought〃
〃Oh； that all went；〃 she explained。 〃Except the house。〃
〃I'm sorry；〃 said Matthew。 〃I didn't know。〃
〃Oh； we have been a couple of pigs；〃 she laughed； replying to his
thoughts。 〃I did sometimes think of writing you。 I kept the
address you gave me。 Not for any assistance； I wanted to fight it
out for myself。 But I was a bit lonely。〃
〃Why didn't you？〃 he asked。
She hesitated for a moment。
〃It's rather soon to m
