malvina of brittany-第34章
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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 make up one's mind；〃 she said； 〃but you seem to
me to have changed。 Your voice sounds so different。 But as a boy
well； you were a bit of a prig； weren't you？ I imagined you writing
me good advice and excellent short sermons。 And it wasn't that that
I was wanting。〃
〃I think I understand；〃 he said。 〃I'm glad you got through。
〃What is your line？〃 he asked。 〃Journalism？〃
〃No；〃 she answered。 〃Too self…opinionated。〃
She opened a bureau that had always been her own and handed him a
programme。 〃Miss Ann Kavanagh； Contralto；〃 was announced on it as
one of the chief attractions。
〃I didn't know you had a voice；〃 said Matthew。
〃You used to complain of it；〃 she reminded him。
〃Your speaking voice；〃 he corrected her。 〃And it wasn't the quality
of that I objected to。 It was the quantity。〃
She laughed。
〃Yes； we kept ourselves pretty busy bringing one another up；〃 she
admitted。
They talked a while longer： of Abner and his kind； quaint ways； of
old friends。 Ann had lost touch with most of them。 She had studied
singing in Brussels； and afterwards her master had moved to London
and she had followed him。 She had only just lately returned to New
York。
The small servant entered to clear away the tea things。 She said
she thought that Ann had rung。 Her tone implied that anyhow it was
time she had。 Matthew rose and Ann held out her hand。
〃I shall be at the concert；〃 he said。
〃It isn't till next week；〃 Ann reminded him。
〃Oh； I'm not in any particular hurry；〃 said Matthew。 〃Are you
generally in of an afternoon？〃
〃Sometimes；〃 said Ann。
He thought as he sat watching her from his stall that she was one of
the most beautiful women he had ever seen。 Her voice was not great。
She had warned him not to expect too much。
〃It will never set the Thames on fire；〃 she had said。 〃I thought at
first that it would。 But such as it is I thank God for it。〃
It was worth that。 It was sweet and clear and had a tender quality。
Matthew waited for her at the end。 She was feeling well disposed
towards all creatures and accepted his suggestion of supper with
gracious condescension。
He had called on her once or twice during the preceding days。 It
was due to her after his long neglect of her； he told himself； and
had found improvement in her。 But to…night she seemed to take a
freakish pleasure in letting him see that there was much of the old
Ann still left in her： the frank conceit of her； the amazing
self…opinionatedness of her； the waywardness； the wilfulness； the
unreasonableness of her； the general uppishness and dictatorialness
of her； the contradictoriness and flat impertinence of her； the
swift temper and exasperating tongue of her。
It was almost as if she were warning him。 〃You see； I am not
changed； except； as you say； in appearance。 I am still Ann with all
the old faults and failings that once made life in the same house
with me a constant trial to you。 Just now my very imperfections
appear charms。 You have been looking at the sunat the glory of my
face； at the wonder of my arms and hands。 Your eyes are blinded。
But that will pass。 And underneath I am still Ann。 Just Ann。〃
They had quarrelled in the cab on the way home。 He forgot what it
was about； but Ann had said some quite rude things； and her face not
being there in the darkness to excuse her； it had made him very
angry。 She had laughed again on the steps； and they had shaken
hands。 But walking home through the still streets Sylvia had
plucked at his elbow。
What fools we mortals beespecially men！ Here was a noble womana
restful； understanding； tenderly loving woman； a woman as nearly
approaching perfection as it was safe for a woman to go！ This
marvellous woman was waiting for him with outstretched arms （why
should he doubt it？）and just because Nature had at last succeeded
in making a temporary success of Ann's skin and had fashioned a
rounded line above her shoulder…blade！ It made him quite cross with
himself。 Ten years ago she had been gawky and sallow…complexioned。
Ten years hence she might catch the yellow jaundice and lose it all。
Passages in Sylvia's letters returned to him。 He remembered that
far…off evening in his Paris attic when she had knocked at his door
with her great gift of thanks。 Recalled how her soft shadow hand
had stilled his pain。 He spent the next two days with Sylvia。 He
re…read all her letters； lived again the scenes and moods in which
he had replied to them。
Her personality still defied the efforts of his imagination； but he
ended by convincing himself that he would know her when he saw her。
But counting up the women on Fifth Avenue towards whom he had felt
instinctively drawn； and finding that the number had already reached
eleven； began to doubt his intuition。 On the morning of the third
day he met Ann by chance in a bookseller's shop。 Her back was
towards him。 She was glancing through Aston Rowant's latest volume。
〃What I；〃 said the cheerful young lady who was attending to her；
〃like about him is that he understands women so well。〃
〃What I like about him；〃 said Ann； 〃is that he doesn't pretend to。〃
〃There's something in that；〃 agreed the cheerful young lady。 〃They
say he's here in New York。〃
Ann looked up。
〃So I've been told；〃 said the cheerful young lady。
〃I wonder what he's like？〃 said Ann。
〃He wrote for a long time under another name；〃 volunteered the
cheerful young lady。 〃He's quite an elderly man。〃
It irritated Matthew。 He spoke without thinking。
〃No； he isn't；〃 he said。 〃He's quite young。〃
The ladies turned and looked at him。
〃You know him？〃 queried Ann。 She was most astonished； and appeared
disbelieving。 That irritated him further。
〃If you care about it；〃 he said。 〃I will introduce you to him。〃
Ann made no answer。 He bought a copy of the book for himself； and
they went out together。 They turned towards the park。
Ann seemed thoughtful。 〃What is he doing here in New York？〃 she
wondered。
〃Looking for a lady named Sylvia；〃 answered Matthew。
He thought the time was come to break it to her that he was a great
and famous man。 Then perhaps she would be sorry she had said what
she had said in the cab。 Seeing he had made up his mind that his
relationship to her in the future would be that of an affectionate
brother； there would be no harm in also letting her know about
Sylvia。 That also might be good for her。
They walked two blocks before Ann spoke。 Matthew； anticipating a
pleasurable conversation； felt no desire to hasten matters。
〃How intimate are you with him？〃 she demanded。 〃I don't think he
would have said that to a mere acquaintance。〃
〃I'm not a mere acquaintance；〃 said Matthew。 〃I've known him a long
time。〃
〃You never told me；〃 complained Ann。
〃Didn't know it would interest you；〃 replied Matthew。
He waited for further questions； but they did not come。 At Thirty…
fourth Street he saved her from being run over and killed； and again
at Forty…second Street。 Just inside the park she stopped abruptly
and held out her hand。
〃Tell him；〃 she replied； 〃that if he is really serious about finding
Sylvia； I mayI don't say I canbut I may be able to help him。〃
He did not take her hand； but stood stock still in the middle of the
path and stared at her。
〃You！〃 he said。 〃You know her？〃
She was prepared for his surprise。 She was also preparednot with
a lie； that implies evil intention。 Her only object was to have a
talk with the gentleman and see what he was like before deciding on
her future proceedingslet us say； with a plausible story。
〃We crossed on the same boat；〃 she said。 〃We found there was a good
deal in common between us。 Sheshe told me things。〃 When you came
to think it out it was almost the truth。
〃What is she like？〃 demanded Matthew。
〃Oh； justwell； not exactly〃 It was an awkward question。 There
came to her relief the reflection that there was really no need for
her to answer it。
〃What's it got to do with you？〃 she said。
〃I am Aston Rowant；〃 said Matthew。
