miss sarah jack, of spanish town, jamaica-第6章

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Leslie；　if　you　will　take　my　hand　you　will　soon　be　over　all　the
difficulty。〃　　And　then　a　party　of　seven　or　eight；　scrambling　over
some　stones；　came　nearly　on　the　level　on　which　he　stood；　in　full　view
of　him；　and　leading　the　others　were　Captain　Ewing　and　Miss　Leslie。

He　turned　on　his　heel　to　go　away；　when　he　caught　the　sound　of　a　step
following　him；　and　a　voice　saying；　〃Oh；　there　is　Mr。　Cumming；　and　I
want　to　speak　to　him；〃　and　in　a　minute　a　light　hand　was　on　his　arm。

〃Why　are　you　running　away　from　us？〃　said　Marian。

〃Becauseoh；　I　don't　know。　　I　am　not　running　away。　　You　have　your
party　made　up；　and　I　am　not　going　to　intrude　on　it。〃

〃What　nonsense！　　Do　come　now；　we　are　going　to　this　wonderful　grotto。
I　thought　it　so　ill…natured　of　you；　not　joining　us　at　dinner。　　Indeed
you　know　you　had　promised。〃

He　did　not　answer　her；　but　he　looked　at　herfull　in　the　face；　with
his　sad　eyes　laden　with　love。　　She　half　understood　his　countenance；
but　only　half　understood　it。

〃What　is　the　matter；　Maurice？〃　she　said。　　〃Are　you　angry　with　me？
Will　you　come　and　join　us？〃

〃No；　Marian；　I　cannot　do　that。　　But　if　you　can　leave　them　and　come
with　me　for　half　an　hour；　I　will　not　keep　you　longer。〃

She　stood　hesitating　a　moment；　while　her　companion　remained　on　the
spot　where　she　had　left　him。　　〃Come；　Miss　Leslie；〃　called　Captain
Ewing。　　〃You　will　have　it　dark　before　we　can　get　down。〃

〃I　will　come　with　you；〃　whispered　she　to　Maurice；　〃but　wait　a
moment。〃　　And　she　tripped　back；　and　in　some　five　minutes　returned
after　an　eager　argument　with　her　friends。　　〃There；〃　she　said；　〃I
don't　care　about　the　grotto；　one　bit；　and　I　will　walk　with　you　now；
only　they　will　think　it　so　odd。〃　　And　so　they　started　off　together。

Before　the　tropical　darkness　had　fallen　upon　them　Maurice　had　told
the　tale　of　his　love；and　had　told　it　in　a　manner　differing　much
from　that　of　Marian's　usual　admirers；　he　spoke　with　passion　and
almost　with　violence；　he　declared　that　his　heart　was　so　full　of　her
image　that　he　could　not　rid　himself　of　it　for　one　minute；　〃nor　would
he　wish　to　do　so；〃　he　said；　〃if　she　would　be　his　Marian；　his　own
Marian；　his　very　own。　　But　if　not〃　and　then　he　explained　to　her；
with　all　a　lover's　warmth；　and　with　almost　more　than　a　lover's
liberty；　what　was　his　idea　of　her　being　〃his　own；　his　very　own；〃　and
in　doing　so　inveighed　against　her　usual　light…heartedness　in　terms
which　at　any　rate　were　strong　enough。

But　Marian　here　it　all　well。　　Perhaps　she　knew　that　the　lesson　was
somewhat　deserved；　and　perhaps　she　appreciated　at　its　value　the　love
of　such　a　man　as　Maurice　Cumming；　weighing　in　her　judgment　the
difference　between　him　and　the　Ewings　and　the　Grahams。

And　then　she　answered　him　well　and　prudently；　with　words　which
startled　him　by　their　prudent　seriousness　as　coming　from　her。　　She
begged　his　pardon　heartily；　she　said；　for　any　grief　which　she　had
caused　him；　but　yet　how　was　she　to　he　blamed；　seeing　that　she　had
known　nothing　of　his　feelings？　　Her　father　and　mother　had　said
something　to　her　of　this　proposed　marriage；　something；　but　very
little；　and　she　had　answered　by　saying　that　she　did　not　think　Maurice
had　any　warmer　regard　for　her　than　of　a　cousin。　　After　this　answer
neither　father　nor　mother　had　pressed　the　matter　further。　　As　to　her
own　feelings　she　could　then　say　nothing；　for　she　then　knew　nothing；
nothing　but　this；　that　she　loved　no　one　better　than　him；　or　rather
that　she　loved　no　one　else。　　She　would　ask　herself　if　she　could　love
him；　but　he　must　give　her　some　little　time　for　that。　　In　the
meantimeand　she　smiled　sweetly　at　him　as　she　made　the　promiseshe
would　endeavour　to　do　nothing　that　would　offend　him；　and　then　she
added　that　on　that　evening　she　would　dance　with　him　any　dances　that
he　liked。　　Maurice；　with　a　self…denial　that　was　not　very　wise；
contented　himself　with　engaging　her　for　the　first　quadrille。

They　were　to　dance　that　night　in　the　mess…room　of　the　officers　at
Newcastle。　　This　scheme　had　been　added　on　as　an　adjunct　to　the
picnic；　and　it　therefore　became　necessary　that　the　ladies　should
retire　to　their　own　or　their　friends'　houses　at　Newcastle　to　adjust
their　dresses。　　Marian　Leslie　and　Julia　Davis　were　there　accommodated
with　the　loan　of　a　small　room　by　the　major's　wife；　and　as　they　were
brushing　their　hair；　and　putting　on　their　dancing…shoes；　something
was　said　between　them　about　Maurice　Cumming。

〃And　so　you　are　to　be　Mrs。　C。　of　Mount　Pleasant；〃　said　Julia。　　〃Well；
I　didn't　think　it　would　come　to　that　at　last。〃

〃But　it　has　not　come　to　that；　and　if　it　did　why　should　I　not　be　Mrs。
C。；　as　you　call　it？〃

〃The　knight　of　the　rueful　countenance；　I　call　him。〃

〃I　tell　you　what　then；　he　is　an　excellent　young　man；　and　the　fact　is
you　don't　know　him。〃

〃I　don't　like　excellent　young　men　with　long　faces。　　I　suppose　you
won't　be　let　to　dance　quick　dances　at　all　now。〃

〃I　shall　dance　whatever　dances　I　like；　as　I　have　always　done；〃　said
Marian；　with　some　little　asperity　in　her　tone。

〃Not　you；　or　if　you　do；　you'll　lose　your　promotion。　　You'll　never
live　to　be　my　Lady　Rue。　　And　what　will　Graham　say？　　You　know　you've
given　him　half　a　promise。〃

〃That's　not　true；　Julia；I　never　gave　him　the　tenth　part　of　a
promise。〃

〃Well；　he　says　so；〃　and　then　the　words　between　the　young　ladies
became　a　little　more　angry。　　But；　nevertheless；　in　due　time　they　came
forth　with　faces　smiling　as　usual；　with　their　hair　brushed；　and
without　any　signs　of　warfare。

But　Marian　had　to　stand　another　attack　before　the　business　of　the
evening　commenced；　and　this　was　from　no　less　doughty　an　antagonist
than　her　aunt；　Miss　Jack。　　Miss　Jack　soon　found　that　Maurice　had　not
kept　his　threat　of　going　home；　and　though　she　did　not　absolutely
learn　from　him　that　he　had　gone　so　far　towards　perfecting　her　dearest
hopes　as　to　make　a　formal　offer　to　Marion；　nevertheless　she　did
gather　that　things　were　fast　that　way　tending。　　If　only　this　dancing
were　over！　she　said　to　herself；　dreading　the　unnumbered　waltzes　with
Ewing；　and　the　violent　polkas　with　Graham。　　So　Miss　Jack　resolved　to
say　one　word　to　Marian〃A　wise　word　in　good　season；〃　said　Miss　Jack
to　herself；　〃how　sweet　a　thing　it　is。〃

〃Marian；〃　said　she。　　〃Step　here　a　moment；　I　want　to　say　a　word　to
you。〃

〃Yes；　aunt　Sarah；〃　said　Marian；　following　her　aunt　into　a　corner；　not
quite　in　the　best　humour　in　the　world；　for　she　had　a　dread　of　some
further　interference。

〃Are　you　going　to　dance　with　Maurice　to…night？〃

〃Yes；　I　believe　so；the　first　quadrille。〃

〃Well；　what　I　was　going　to　say　is　this。　　I　don't　want　you　to　dance
many　quick　dances　to…night；　for　a　reason　I　have；that　is；　not　a
great　many。〃

〃Why；　aunt；　what　nonsense！〃

〃Now　my　dearest；　dearest　girl；　it　is　all　for　your　own　sake。　　Well；
then；　it　must　out。　　He　does　not　like　it；　you　know。〃

〃What　he？〃

〃Maurice。〃

〃Well；　aunt；　I　don't　know　that　I'm　bound　to　dance　or　not　to　dance
just　as　Mr。　Cumming　may　like。　　Papa　does　not　mind　my　dancing。　　The
people　have　come　here　to　dance　and　you　can　hardly　want　to　make　me
ridiculous　by　sitting　still。〃　　And　so　that　wise　word　did　not　appear
to　be　very　sweet。

And　then　the　amusement　of　the　evening　commenced；　and　Marian　stood　up
for　a　quadrille　with　her　lover。　　She　however　was　not　in　the　very　best
humour。　　She　had；　as　she　thought；　said　and　done　enough　for　one　day　in
Maurice's　favour。　　And　she　had　no　idea；　as　she　declared　to　herself；
of　being　lectured　by　aunt　Sarah。

〃Dearest　Marion；〃　he　said　to　her；　as　the　quadrille　came　to　a　close；
〃it　is　an　your　power　to　make　me　so　happy；so　perfectly　happy。〃

〃But　then　people　have　such　different　ideas　of　happiness；〃　she
replied。　　〃They　can't　all　see　with　the　same　eyes；　you　know。〃　　And　so
they　parted。

But　during　the　early　part　of　the　evening　she　was　sufficiently
discreet；　she　did　waltz　with　Lieutenant　Graham；　and　polk　with　Captain
Ewing；　but　she　did　so　in　a　tamer　manner　than　was　usual　with　her；　and
she　made　no　emulous　attempts　to　dance　down　other　couples。　　When　she
had　done　she　would　sit　down；　and　then　she　consented　to　stand　up　for
two　quadrilles　with　two　very　tame　gentlemen；　to　whom　no　lover　could
object。

〃And　so；　Marian；　your　wings　are　regularly　clipped　at　last；〃　sai