lavender and old lace-第6章

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〃I　think　she's　right；　Hepsey；〃　laughed　Ruth；　〃though　I　never　thought　of　it　in　just　that　way。　I'll　have　to　wait　until　she　comes　home。〃

In　the　afternoon　she　donned　the　short　skirt　and　heavy　shoes　of　her　〃office　rig；〃　and　started　down　hill　to　explore　the　village。　It　was　a　day　to　tempt　one　out　of　doors；cool　and　bright；　with　that　indefinable　crispness　which　belongs　to　Spring。

The　hill　rose　sheer　from　the　highlands；　which　sloped　to　the　river　on　the　left；　as　she　went　down；　and　on　the　right　to　the　forest。　A　side　path　into　the　woods　made　her　hesitate　for　a　moment；　but　she　went　straight　on。

It　was　the　usual　small　town；　which　nestles　at　the　foot　of　a　hill　and　eventually　climbs　over　it；　through　the　enterprise　of　its　wealthier　residents；　but；　save　for　Miss　Hathaway's　house；　the　enterprise　had　not；　as　yet；　become　evident。　At　the　foot　of　the　hill；　on　the　left；　was　Miss　Ainslie's　house　and　garden；　and　directly　opposite；　with　the　width　of　the　hill　between　them；　was　a　brown　house；　with　a　lawn；　but　no　garden　except　that　devoted　to　vegetables。

As　she　walked　through　the　village；　stopping　to　look　at　the　display　of　merchandise　in　the　window　of　the　single　shop；　which　was　also　post…office　and　grocery；　she　attracted　a　great　deal　of　respectful　attention；　for；　in　this　community；　strangers　were　an　event。　Ruth　reflected　that　the　shop　had　only　to　grow　to　about　fifty　times　its　present　size　in　order　to　become　a　full…fledged　department　store　and　bring　upon　the　town　the　rank　and　dignity　of　a　metropolis。

When　she　turned　her　face　homeward；　she　had　reached　the　foot　of　the　hill　before　she　realised　that　the　first　long　walk　over　country　roads　was　hard　for　one　accustomed　to　city　pavements。　A　broad；　flat　stone　offered　an　inviting　resting…place；　and　she　sat　down；　in　the　shadow　of　Miss　Ainslie's　hedge；　hoping　Joe　would　pass　in　time　to　take　her　to　the　top　of　the　hill。　The　hedge　was　high　and　except　for　the　gate　the　garden　was　secluded。

〃I　seem　to　get　more　tired　every　minute；〃　she　thought。　〃I　wonder　if　I've　got　the　rheumatism。〃

She　scanned　the　horizon　eagerly　for　the　dilapidated　conveyance　which　she　had　once　both　feared　and　scorned。　No　sound　could　have　been　more　welcome　than　the　rumble　of　those　creaking　wheels；　nor　any　sight　more

　pleasing　than　the　conflicting　expressions　in　〃Mamie's〃　single　useful　eye。　She　sat　there　a　long　time；　waiting　for　deliverance；　but　it　did　not　come。

〃I'll　get　an　alpenstock；〃　she　said　to　herself；　as　she　rose；　wearily；　and　tried　to　summon　courage　to　start。　Then　the　gate　clicked　softly　and　the　sweetest　voice　in　the　world　said：　〃My　dear；　you　are　tiredwon't　you　come　in？〃

Turning；　she　saw　Miss　Ainslie；　smiling　graciously。　In　a　moment　she　had　explained　that　she　was　Miss　Hathaway's　niece　and　that　she　would　be　very　glad　to　come　in　for　a　few　moments。

〃Yes；　〃　said　the　sweet　voice　again；　〃I　know　who　you　are。　Your　aunt　told　me　all　about　you　and　I　trust　we　shall　be　friends。〃

Ruth　followed　her　up　the　gravelled　path　to　the　house；　and　into　the　parlour；　where　a　wood　fire　blazed　cheerily　upon　the　hearth。　〃It　is　so　damp　this　time　of　year；〃　she　went　on；　〃that　I　like　to　keep　my　fire　burning。〃

While　they　were　talking；　Ruth's　eyes　rested　with　pleasure　upon　her　hostess。　She　herself　was　tall；　but　Miss　Ainslie　towered　above　her。　She　was　a　woman　of　poise　and　magnificent　bearing；　and　she　had　the　composure　which　comes　to　some　as　a　right　and　to　others　with　long　social　training。

Her　abundant　hair　was　like　spun　silverit　was　not　merely　white；　but　it　shone。　Her　skin　was　as　fresh　and　fair　as　a　girl's；　and　when　she　smiled；　one　saw　that　her　teeth　were　white　and　even；　but　the　great　charm　of　her　face　was　her　eyes。　They　were　violet；　so　deep　in　colour　as　to　seem　almost　black　in　certain　lights；　and　behind　them　lay　an　indescribable　something　which　made　Ruth　love　her　instinctively。　She　might　have　been　forty；　or　seventy；　but　she　was　beautiful；　with　the　beauty　that　never　fades。

At　intervals；　not　wishing　to　stare；　Ruth　glanced　around　the　room。　Having　once　seen　the　woman；　one　could　not　fail　to　recognise　her　house；　for　it　suited　her。　The　floors　were　hardwood；　highly　polished；　and　partly　covered　with　rare　Oriental　rugs。　The　walls　were　a　soft；　dark　green；　bearing　no　disfiguring　design；　and　the　windows　were　draped　with　net；　edged　with　Duchesse　lace。　Miss　Hathaway's　curtains　hung　straight　to　the　floor；　but　Miss　Ainslie's　were　tied　back　with　white　cord。

The　furniture　was　colonial　mahogany；　unspoiled　by　varnish；　and　rubbed　until　it　shone。

〃You　have　a　beautiful　home；〃　said　Ruth；　during　a　pause。

〃Yes；〃　she　replied；　〃I　like　it。〃

〃You　have　a　great　many　beautiful　things。〃

〃Yes；〃　she　answered　softly；　〃they　were　given　to　me　by　aa　friend。〃

〃She　must　have　had　a　great　many；〃　observed　Ruth；　admiring　one　of　the　rugs。

A　delicate　pink　suffused　Miss　Ainslie's　face。　〃My　friend；〃　she　said；　with　quiet　dignity；　〃is　a　seafaring　gentleman。〃

That　explained　the　rugs；　Ruth　thought；　and　the　vase；　of　finest　Cloisonne；　which　stood　upon　the　mantel…shelf。　It　accounted　also　for　the　bertha　of　Mechlin　lace；　which　was　fastened　to　Miss　Ainslie's　gown；　of　lavender　cashmere；　by　a　large　amethyst　inlaid　with　gold　and　surrounded　by　baroque　pearls。

For　some　little　time；　they　talked　of　Miss　Hathaway　and　her　travels。　〃I　told　her　she　was　too　old　to　go；〃　said　Miss　Ainslie；。　smiling；　〃but　she　assured　me　that　she　could　take　care　of　herself；　and　I　think　she　can。　Even　if　she　couldn't；　she　is　perfectly　safe。　These'personally　conducted'　parties　are　by　far　the　best；　if　one　goes　alone；　for　the　first　time。〃

Ruth　knew　that；　but　she　was　surprised；　nevertheless。　〃Won't　you　tell　me　about　my　aunt；　Miss　Ainslie？〃　she　asked。　〃You　know　I've　never　seen　her。〃

〃Why；　yes；　of　course　I　will！　Where　shall　I　begin？〃

〃At　the　beginning；〃　answered　Ruth；　with　a　little　laugh。

〃The　beginning　is　very　far　away；　deary；〃　said　Miss　Ainslie；　and　Ruth　fancied　she　heard　a　sigh。　〃She　came　here　long　before　I　did；　and　we　were　girls　together。　She　lived　in　the　old　house　at　the　top　of　the　hill；　with　her　father　and　mother；　and　I　lived　here　with　mine。　We　were　very　intimate　for　a　long　time；　and　then　we　had　a　quarrel；　about　something　that　was　so　silly　and　foolish　that　I　cannot　even　remember　what　it　was。　For　five　yearsno；　for　almost　six；　we　passed　each　other　like　strangers；　because　each　was　too　proud　and　stubborn　to　yield。　But　death；　and　trouble；　brought　us　together　again。〃

〃Who　spoke　first；〃　asked　Ruth；　much　interested；　〃you　or　Aunt　Jane？〃

〃It　was　I；　of　course。　I　don't　believe　she　would　have　done　it。　She　was　always　stronger　than　I；　and　though　I　can't　remember　the　cause　of　the　quarrel；　I　can　feel　the　hurt　to　my　pride；　even　at　this　day。〃

〃I　know；〃　answered　Ruth；　quickly；　〃something　of　the　same　kind　once　happened　to　me；　only　it　wasn't　pride　that　held　me　backit　was　just　plain　stubbornness。　Sometimes　I　am　conscious　of　two　selvesone　of　me　is　a　nice；　polite　person　that　I'm　really　fond　of；　and　the　other　is　so　contrary　and　so　mulish　that　I'm　actually　afraid　of　her。　When　the　two　come　in　conflict；　the　stubborn　one　always　wins。　I'm　sorry；　but　I　can't　help　it。〃

〃Don't　you　think　we're　all　like　that？〃　asked　Miss　Ainslie；　readily　understanding。　〃I　do　not　believe　any　one　can　have　strength　of　character　without　being　stubborn。　To　hold　one's　position　in　the　face　of　obstacles；　and　never　be　tempted　to　yield　to　me；　that　seems　the　very　foundation。〃

〃Yes；　but　to　be　unable　to　yield　when　you　know　you　shouldthat's　awful。〃

〃Is　it？〃　inquired　Miss　Ainslie；　with　quiet　amusement。

〃Ask　Aunt　Jane；〃　returned　Ruth；　laughing。　〃I　begin　to　perceive　our　definite　relationship。〃

Miss　Ainslie　leaned　forward　to　put　another　maple　log　on　the　fire。　〃Tell　me　more　about　Aunt　Jane；〃　Ruth　suggested。　〃I'm　getting　to　be　somebody's　relative；　instead　of　an　orphan；　stranded　on　the　shore　of　the　world。〃

〃She's　hard　to　analyse；〃　began　the　older　woman。　〃I　have　never　been　able　to　reconcile　her　firmness　with　her　softness。　She's　as　hard　as　New　England　granite；　but　I　think　she　wears　it　like　a　mask。　Sometimes；　one　sees　through。　She　scolds　me　very　often；　about　anything　that　occurs　to　her；　but　I　never　pay　any　attention　to　it。　She　says　I　shouldn't　live　here　all　alone；　and　that　I　deserve　to　have　something　dreadful　happen　to　me；　but　she　had　all　the　trees　cut　dow