lavender and old lace-第13章

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His　fingers　unclasped　slowly。　〃Yes；　I　will；〃　he　said；　strangely　moved。　〃It's　a　beautiful　giftin　more　ways　than　one。　You　are　very　kindthank　yougood　night！〃



VII。　The　Man　Who　Hesitates

〃Isn't　fair'；〃　said　Winfield　to　himself；　miserably；　〃no　sir；　't　isn't　fair！〃

He　sat　on　the　narrow　piazza　which　belonged　to　Mrs。　Pendleton's　brown　house；　and　took　stern　account　of　his　inner　self。　The　morning　paper　lay　beside　him；　unopened；　though　his　fingers　itched　to　tear　the　wrapper；　and　his　hat　was　pulled　far　down　over　his　eyes；　to　shade　them　from　the　sun。

〃If　I　go　up　there　I'm　going　to　fall　in　love　with　her；　and　I　know　it！〃

That　moment　of　revelation　the　night　before；　when　soul　stood　face　to　face　with　soul；　had　troubled　him　strangely。　He　knew　himself　for　a　sentimentalist　where　women　were　concerned；　but　until　they　stood　at　the　gate　together；　he　had　thought　himself　safe。　Like　many　another　man；　on　the　sunny　side　of　thirty；　he　had　his　ideal　woman　safely　enshrined　in　his　inner　consciousness。

She　was　a　pretty　little　thing；　this　dream　maidena　blonde；　with　deep　blue　eyes；　a　rosy　complexion；　and　a　mouth　like　Cupid's　bow。　Mentally；　she　was　of　the　clinging　sort；　for　Winfield　did　not　know　that　in　this　he　was　out　of　fashion。　She　had　a　dainty；　bird…like　air　about　her　and　a　high；　sweet　voicea　most　adorable　little　woman；　truly；　for　a　man　to　dream　of　when　business　was　not　too　pressing。

In　almost　every　possible　way；　Miss　Thorne　was　different。　She　was　dark；　and　nearly　as　tall　as　he　was；　dignified；　self…possessed；　and　calm；　except　for　flashes　of　temper　and　that　one　impulsive　moment。　He　had　liked　her；　found　her　interesting　in　a　tantalising　sort　of　way；　and　looked　upon　her　as　an　oasis　in　a　social　desert；　but　that　was　all。

Of　course；　he　might　leave　the　village；　but　he　made　a　wry　face　upon　discovering；　through　laboured　analysis；　that　he　didn't　want　to　go　away。　It　was　really　a　charming　spothunting　and　fishing　to　be　had　for　the　asking；　fine　accommodations　at　Mrs。　Pendleton's；　beautiful　scenery；　bracing　airin　every　way　it　was　just　what　he　needed。　Should　he　let　himself　be　frightened　out　of　it　by　a　newspaper　woman　who　lived　at　the　top　of　the　hill？　Hardly！

None　the　less；　he　realised　that　a　man　might　firmly　believe　in　Affinity；　and；　through　a　chain　of　unfortunate　circumstances；　become　the　victim　of　Propinquity。　He　had　known　of　such　instances　and　was　now　face　to　face　with　the　dilemma。

Then　his　face　flooded　with　dull　colour。　〃Darn　it；〃　he　said　to　himself；　savagely；　〃what　an　unmitigated　cad　I　am！　All　this　is　on　the　assumption　that　she's　likely　to　fall　on　my　neck　at　any　minute！　Lord！〃

Yet　there　was　a　certain　comfort　in　the　knowledge　that　he　was　safe；　even　if　he　should　fall　in　love　with　Miss　Thorne。　That　disdainful　young　woman　would　save　him　from　himself；　undoubtedly；　when　he　reached　the　danger　point；　if　not　before。

〃I　wonder　how　a　fellow　would　go　about　it　anyway；〃　he　thought。　〃He　couldn't　make　any　sentimental　remarks；　without　being　instantly　frozen。　She's　like　the　Boston　girls　we　read　about　in　the　funny　papers。　He　couldn't　give　her　things；　either；　except　flowers　or　books；　or　sweets；　or　music。　She　has　more　books　than　she　wants；　because　she　reviews'em　for　the　paper；　and　I　don't　think　she's　musical。　She　doesn't　look　like　the　candy　fiends；　and　I　imagine　she'd　pitch　a　box　of　chocolates　into　the　sad　sea；　or　give　it　to　Hepsey。　There's　nothing　left　but　flowersand　I　suppose　she　wouldn't　notice'em。

〃A　man　would　have　to　teach　her　to　like　him；　and；　on　my　soul；　I　don't　know　how　he'd　do　that。　Constant　devotion　wouldn't　have　any　effectI　doubt　if　she'd　permit　it；　and　a　fellow　might　stay　away　from　her　for　six　months；　without　a　sign　from　her。　I　guess　she's　coldno；　she　isn't；　eithereyes　and　temper　like　hers　don't　go　with　the　icebergs。

〃Ithat　is；　he　couldn't　take　her　out；　because　there's　no　place　to　go。　It's　different　in　the　city；　of　course；　but　if　he　happened　to　meet　her　in　the　country；　as　I've　done

〃Might　ask　her　to　drive；　possibly；　if　I　could　rent　Alfred　and　Mamie　for　a　few　hoursno；　we'd　have　to　have　the　day；　for　anything　over　two　miles；　and　that　wouldn't　be　good　form；　without　a　chaperone。　Not　that　she　needs　oneshe's　equal　to　any　emergency；　I　fancy。　Besides；　she　wouldn't　go。　If　I　could　get　those　two　plugs　up　the　hill；　without　pushing　'em；　gravity　would　take'em　back；　but　I　couldn't　ask　her　to　walk　up　the　hill　after　the　pleasure　excursion　was　over。　I　don't　believe　a　drive　would　entertain　her。

〃Perhaps　she'd　like　to　fishno；　she　wouldn't；　for　she　said　she　didn't　like　worms。　Might　sail　on　the　briny　deep；　except　that　there's　no　harbour　within　ten　miles；　and　she　wouldn't　trust　her　fair　young　life　to　me。　She'd　be　afraid　I'd　drown　her。

〃I　suppose　the　main　idea　is　to　cultivate　a　clinging　dependence；　but　I'd　like　to　see　the　man　who　could　woo　any　dependence　from　Miss　Thorne。　She　holds　her　head　like　a　thoroughbred　touched　with　the　lash。　She　said　she　was　afraid　of　Carlton；　but　I　guess　she　was

just　trying　to　be　pleasant。　I'll　tell　him　about　itno；　I　won't；　for　I　said　I　wouldn't。

〃I　wish　there　was　some　other　girl　here　for　me　to　talk　to；　but　I'll　be　lucky　if　I　can　get　along　peaceably　with　the　one　already　here。　I'll　have　to　discover　all　her　pet　prejudices　and　be　careful　not　to　walk　on　any　of　'em。　There's　that　crazy　woman；　for　instanceI　mustn't　allude　to　her；　even　respectfully；　if　I'm　to　have　any　softening　feminine　influence　about　me　before　I　go　back　to　town。　She　didn't　seem　to　believe　I　had　any　letter　from　Carltonthat's　what　comes　of　being　careless。

〃I　shouldn't　have　told　her　that　people　said　she　had　large　feet　and　wore　men's　shoes。　She's　got　a　pretty　foot；　I　noticed　it　particularly　before　I　spokeI　suppose　she　didn't　like　thatmost　girls　wouldn't；　I　guess；　but　she　took　it　as　a　hunter　takes　a　fence。　Even　after　that；　she　said　she'd　help　me　be　patient；　and　last　night；　when　she　said　she'd　read　the　papers　to　meshe　was　awfully　sweet　to　me　then。

〃Perhaps　she　likes　me　a　little　bitI　hope　so。　She'd　never　care　very　much　for　anybody；　thoughshe's　too　independent。　She　wouldn't　even　let　me　help　her　up　the　hill；　I　don't　know　whether　it　was　independence；　or　whether　she　didn't　want　me　to　touch　her。　If　we　ever　come　to　a　place　where　she　has　to　be　helped；　I　suppose　I'll　have　to　put　gloves　on；　or　let　her　hold　one　end　of　a　stick　while　I　hang　on　to　the　other。

〃Still　she　didn't　take　her　hand　away　last　night；　when　I　grabbed　it。　Probably　she　was　thinking　about　something　else；　and　didn't　notice。　It's　a　particularly　nice　hand　to　hold；　but　I'll　never　have　another　chance；　I　guess。

〃Carlton　said　she'd　take　the　conceit　out　of　me；　if　I　had　any。　I'm　glad　he　didn't　put　that　in　the　letterstill　it　doesn't　matter；　since　I've　lost　it。　I　wish　I　hadn't；　for　what　he　said　about　me　was　really　very　nice。　Carlton　is　a　good　fellow。

〃How　she　lit　on　me　when　I　thought　the　crazy　person　might　make　a　good　special！　Jerusalem！　I　felt　like　the　dust　under　her　feet。　I'd　be　glad　to　have　anybody　stand　up　for　me；　like　that；　but　nobody　ever　will。　She's　mighty　pretty　when　she's　angry；　but　I'd　rather　she　wouldn't　get　huffy　at　me。　She's　a　tremendously　nice　girlthere's　no　doubt　of　that。〃

At　this　juncture；　Joe　came　out　on　the　porch；　hat　in　hand。　〃Mornin'；　Mr。　Winfield。〃

〃Good　morning；　Joe；　how　are　your　troubles　this　morning？〃

〃They're　ill　right；　I　guess；〃　he　replied；　pleased　with　the　air　of　comradeship。　〃Want　me　to　read　the　paper　to　yer？〃

〃No；　thank　you；　Joe；　not　this　morning。〃

The　tone　was　a　dismissal；　but　Joe　lingered；　shifting　from　one　foot　to　the　other。　〃Ain't　I　done　it　to　suit　yer？〃

〃Quite　so；〃　returned　Winfield；　serenely。

〃I　don't　mind　doin'　it；〃　Joe　continued；　after　a　long　silence。　〃I　won't　charge　yer　nothin'。〃

〃You're　very　kind；　Joe；　but　I　don't　care　about　it　to…day。〃　Winfield　rose　and　walked　to　the　other　end　of　the　porch。　The　apple　trees　were　in　bloom；　and　every　wandering　wind　was　laden　with　sweetness。　Even　the　gnarled　old　tree　in　Miss　Hathaway's　yard；　that　had　been　out　of　bearing　for　many　a　year；　had　put　forth　a　bough　of　fragrant　blossoms。　He　saw　it　from　where　he　stood；　a　mass　of　pink　and　white　against　the　turquoise　sky；　and　thought　that　Miss　Thorne　would　make　a　charming　picture　if　she　stood　beneath　the　tree　with　the　blown　petals　drifting　around　her。

He　lingered　upon　the　vision