the lost road-第72章

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of　others　he　would　have　recognized　her　as　a　woman　of　exceptional
character；　as　one　especially　charming。　　He　wanted　to　justify　this
idea　of　her；　he　wanted　to　talk　of　Mrs。　Adair　to　Harris；　not　to　learn
more　concerning　her；　but　just　for　the　pleasure　of　speaking　her　name。

He　was　much　upset　at　that；　and　the　discovery　that　on　meeting　a
woman　for　the　first　time　he　still　could　be　so　boyishly　and　ingenuously
moved　greatly　pleased　him。　　It　was　a　most　delightful　secret。　　So　he　acted
on　the　principle　that　when　a　man　immensely　admires　a　woman　and
wishes　to　conceal　that　fact　from　every　one　else　he　can　best　do　so　by
declaring　his　admiration　in　the　frankest　and　most　open　manner。　　After
the　tea…party；　as　Harris　and　himself　sat　in　the　consulate；　he　so　expressed
himself。

〃What　an　extraordinary　nice　girl；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃is　that　Mrs。　Adair！
I　had　a　long　talk　with　her。　　She　is　most　charming。　　However　did　a
woman　like　that　come　to　be　in　a　place　like　this？〃

Judging　from　his　manner；　it　seemed　to　Hemingway　that　at　the
mention　of　Mrs。　Adair's　name　he　had　found　Harris　mentally　on
guard；　as　though　the　consul　had　guessed　the　question　would　come
and　had　prepared　for　it。　

〃She　just　dropped　in　here　one　day；〃　said　Harris；　〃from　no　place
in　particular。　　Personally；　I　always　have　thought　from　heaven。〃

〃It's　a　good　address；〃　said　Hemingway。　

〃It　seems　to　suit　her；〃　the　consul　agreed。　　〃Anyway；　if　she　doesn't　come
from　there；　that's　where　she's　goingjust　on　account　of　the　good　she's
done　us　while　she's　been　here。　　She　arrived　four　months　ago　with　a
typewriting…machine　and　letters　to　me　from　our　consuls　in　Cape　Town
and　Durban。　　She　had　done　some　typewriting　for　them。　　It　seems　that
after　her　husband　died；　which　was　a　few　months　after　they　were　married；
she　learned　to　make　her　living　by　typewriting。　　She　worked　too　hard
and　broke　down；　and　the　doctor　said　she　must　go　to　hot　countries；　the
'hotter　the　better。'　　So　she's　worked　her　way　half　around　the　world
typewriting。　　She　worked　chiefly　for　her　own　consuls　or　for　the　American
commission　houses。　　Sometimes　she　stayed　a　month；　sometimes　only　over
one　steamer　day。　　But　when　she　got　here　Lady　Firth　took　such　a　fancy　to
her　that　she　made　Sir　George　engage　her　as　his　private　secretary；　and　she's
been　here　ever　since。〃

In　a　community　so　small　as　was　that　of　Zanzibar　the　white　residents
saw　one　another　every　day；　and　within　a　week　Hemingway　had　met
Mrs。　Adair　many　times。　　He　met　her　at　dinner；　at　the　British　agency；
he　met　her　in　the　country　club；　where　the　white　exiles　gathered　for
tea　and　tennis。　　He　hired　a　launch　and　in　her　honor　gave　a　picnic
on　the　north　coast　of　the　island；　and　on　three　glorious　and　memorable
nights；　after　different　dinner…parties　had　ascended　to　the　roof；　he　sat
at　her　side　and　across　the　white　level　of　the　housetops　looked　down
into　the　moonlit　harbor。

What　interest　the　two　young　people　felt　in　each　other　was　in　no
way　discouraged　by　their　surroundings。　　In　the　tropics　the　tender
emotions　are　not　winter　killed。　　Had　they　met　at　home；　the
conventions；　his　own　work；　her　social　duties　would　have　kept　the
progress　of　their　interest　within　a　certain　speed　limit。　　But　they
were　in　a　place　free　of　conventions；　and　the　preceding　eight
months　which　Hemingway　had　spent　in　the　jungle　and　on　the　plain
had　made　the　society　of　his　fellow　man；　and　of　Mrs。　Adair　in
particular；　especially　attractive。

Hemingway　had　no　work　to　occupy　his　time；　and　he　placed　it
unreservedly　at　the　disposition　of　his　countrywoman。　　In　doing　so
it　could　not　be　said　that　Mrs。　Adair　encouraged　him。　　Hemingway
himself　would　have　been　the　first　to　acknowledge　this。　　From　the
day　he　met　her　he　was　conscious　that　always　there　was　an　intangible
barrier　between　them。　　Even　before　she　possibly　could　have　guessed
that　his　interest　in　her　was　more　than　even　she；　attractive　as　she　was；
had　the　right　to　expect；　she　had　wrapped　around　herself　an　invisible
mantle　of　defense。

There　were　certain　speeches　of　his　which　she　never　heard；　certain　tones
to　which　she　never　responded。　　At　moments　when　he　was　complimenting
himself　that　at　last　she　was　content　to　be　in　his　company；　she　would
suddenly　rise　and　join　the　others；　and　he　would　be　left　wondering　in
what　way　he　could　possibly　have　offended。　

He　assured　himself　that　a　woman；　young　and　attractive；　in　a
strange　land　in　her　dependent　position　must　of　necessity　be
discreet；　but　in　his　conduct　there　certainly　had　been　nothing
that　was　not　considerate；　courteous；　and　straightforward。

When　he　appreciated　that　he　cared　for　her　seriously；　that　he　was
gloriously　happy　in　caring；　and　proud　of　the　way　in　which　he
cared；　the　fact　that　she　persistently　held　him　at　arm's　length
puzzled　and　hurt。　　At　first　when　he　had　deliberately　set　to　work
to　make　her　like　him　he　was　glad　to　think　that；　owing　to　his
reticence　about　himself；　if　she　did　like　him　it　would　be　for　himself
alone　and　not　for　his　worldly　goods。　　But　when　he　knew　her　better
he　understood　that　if　once　Mrs。　Adair　made　up　her　mind　to　take
a　second　husband；　the　fact　that　he　was　a　social　and　financial
somebody；　and　not；　as　many　in　Zanzibar　supposed　Hemingway
to　be；　a　social　outcast；　would　make　but　little　difference。　

Nor　was　her　manner　to　be　explained　by　the　fact　that　the　majority
of　women　found　him　unattractive。　　As　to　that；　the　pleasant　burden
of　his　experience　was　to　the　contrary。　　He　at　last　wondered　if
there　was　some　one　else；　if　he　had　come　into　her　life　too　late。
He　set　about　looking　for　the　man　and　so；　he　believed；　he　soon
found　him。　

Of　the　little　colony；　Arthur　Fearing　was　the　man　of　whom　Hemingway
had　seen　the　least。　　That　was　so　because　Fearing　wished　it。　　Like
himself；　Fearing　was　an　American；　young；　and　a　bachelor；　but；　
very　much　unlike　Hemingway；　a　hermit　and　a　recluse。

Two　years　before　he　had　come　to　Zanzibar　looking　for　an
investment　for　his　money。　　In　Zanzibar　there　were　gentlemen
adventurers　of　every　country；　who　were　welcome　to　live　in　any
country　save　their　own。

To　them　Mr。　Fearing　seemed　a　heaven…sent　victim。　　But　to　him　their
alluring　tales　of　the　fortunes　that　were　to　rise　from　buried　treasures；
lost　mines；　and　pearl　beds　did　not　appeal。　　Instead　he　conferred
with　the　consuls；　the　responsible　merchants；　the　partners　in　the
prosperous　trading　houses。　　After　a　month　of　〃looking　around〃　he
had　purchased　outright　the　goodwill　and　stock　of　one　of　the　oldest
of　the　commission　houses；　and　soon　showed　himself　to　be　a　most
capable　man　of　business。　　But；　except　as　a　man　of　business；　no　one
knew　him。　　From　the　dim　recesses　of　his　warehouse　he　passed　each
day　to　the　seclusion　of　his　bungalow　in　the　country。　　And；　although
every　one　was　friendly　to　him；　he　made　no　friends。

It　was　only　after　the　arrival　of　Mrs。　Adair　that　he　consented　to　show
himself；　and　it　was　soon　noted　that　it　was　only　when　she　was　invited
that　he　would　appear；　and　that　on　these　occasions　he　devoted　himself
entirely　to　her。　　In　the　presence　of　others；　he　still　was　shy；　gravely
polite；　and　speaking　but　little；　and　never　of　himself；　but　with
Mrs。　Adair　his　shyness　seemed　to　leave　him；　and　when　with　her
he　was　seen　to　talk　easily　and　eagerly。　　And；　on　her　part；　to　what
he　said；　Polly　Adair　listened　with　serious　interest。　

Lady　Firth；　who；　at　home；　was　a　trained　and　successful　match…maker；
and　who；　in　Zanzibar；　had　found　but　a　limited　field　for　her　activities；
decided　that　if　her　companion　and　protegee　must　marry；　she　should
marry　Fearing。　

Fearing　was　no　gentleman　adventurer；　remittance…man；　or　humble
clerk　serving　his　apprenticeship　to　a　steamship　line　or　an　ivory
house。　　He　was　one　of　the　pillars　of　Zanzibar　society。　　The　trading
house　he　had　purchased　had　had　its　beginnings　in　the　slave…trade；
and　now　under　his　alert　direction　was　making　a　turnover　equal　to
that　of　any　of　its　ancient　rivals。　　Personally；　Fearing　was　a　most
desirable　catch。　　He　was　well…mannered；　well…read；　of　good
appearance；　steady；　and；　in　a　latitude　only　six　degrees　removed
from　the　equator；　of　impeccable　morals。

It　is　said　that　it　is　the　person　who　is　in　love　who　always　is　the
first　to　discover　his　successful　rival。　　It　is　either　an　instinct
or　beca