the man between-第20章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


what　Fred　says。　My　three　great　friends　are　dead。　They　have　left　children　and　grandchildren；　of　course；　but　I　don't　want　to　make　new　acquaintances　at　my　age；　unless　I　have　the　picking　of　them。　No；　I　shall　get　Miss　Hillis　to　go　with　me　to　my　little　cabin　on　the　Jersey　coast。　We'll　take　our　knitting　and　the　fresh　novels；　and　I'll　warrant　we'll　see　as　much　of　the　new　men　and　women　in　them　as　will　more　than　satisfy　us。　But　you　must　write　me　long　letters；　and　tell　me　everything　about　the　Squire　and　the　way　he　keeps　house；　and　I　don't　care　if　you　fill　up　the　paper　with　the　Tyrrel…Rawdons。〃

〃I　will　write　you　often；　Granny；　and　tell　you　everything。〃

〃I　shouldn't　wonder　if　you　come　across　Dora　Stanhope；　but　I　wouldn't　ask　her　to　Rawdon。　She'll　mix　some　cup　of　bother　if　you　do。〃

〃I　know。〃

In　such　loving　and　intimate　conversation　the　hours　sped　quickly；　and　Ethel　could　not　bear　to　cut　short　her　visit。　It　was　nearly　five　when　she　left　Gramercy　Park；　but　the　day　being　lovely；　and　the　avenue　full　of　carriages　and　pedestrians；　she　took　the　drive　at　its　enforced　tardiness　without　disapproval。　Almost　on　entering　the　avenue　from　Madison　Square　there　was　a　crush；　and　her　carriage　came　to　a　standstill。　She　was　then　opposite　the　store　of　a　famous　English　saddler；　and　near　her　was　an　open　carriage　occupied　by　a　middle…aged　gentleman　in　military　uniform。　He　appeared　to　be　waiting　for　someone；　and　in　a　moment　or　two　a　young　man　came　out　of　the　saddlery　store；　and　with　a　pleasant　laugh　entered　the　carriage。　It　was　the　Apollo　of　her　dreams；　the　singer　of　the　Holland　House　pavement。　She　could　not　doubt　it。　His　face；　his　figure；　his　walk；　and　the　pleasant　smile　with　which　he　spoke　to　his　companion　were　all　positive　characteristics。　She　had　forgotten　none　of　them。　His　dress　was　altered　to　suit　the　season；　but　that　was　an　improvement；　for　divested　of　his　heavy　coat；　and　clothed　only　in　a　stylish　afternoon　suit；　his　tall；　fine　figure　showed　to　great　advantage；　and　Ethel　told　herself　that　he　was　even　handsomer　than　she　had　supposed　him　to　be。

Almost　as　soon　as　he　entered　his　carriage　there　was　a　movement；　and　she　hoped　her　driver　might　advance　sufficiently　to　make　recognition　possible；　but　some　feeling；　she　knew　not　what；　prevented　her　giving　any　order　leading　to　this　result。　Perhaps　she　had　an　instinctive　presentiment　that　it　was　best　to　leave　all　to　Destiny。　Toward　the　upper　part　of　the　avenue　the　carriage　of　her　eager　observation　came　to　a　stand　before　a　warehouse　of　antique　furniture　and　bric…a…brac；　and；　as　it　did　so；　a　beautiful　woman　ran　down　the　steps；　and　Apollo；　for　so　Ethel　had　men…　tally　called　him；　went　hurriedly　to　meet　her。　Finally　her　coachman　passed　the　party；　and　there　was　a　momentary　recognition。　He　was　bending　forward；　listening　to　something　the　lady　was　saying；　when　the　vehicles　almost　touched　each　other。　He　flashed　a　glance　at　them；　and　met　the　flash　of　Ethel's　eyes　full　of　interest　and　curiosity。

It　was　over　in　a　moment；　but　in　that　moment　Ethel　saw　his　astonishment　and　delight；　and　felt　her　own　eager　questioning　answered。　Then　she　was　joyous　and　full　of　hope；　for　〃these　two　silent　meetings　are　promises；〃　she　said　to　Ruth。　〃I　feel　sure　I　shall　see　him　again；　and　then　we　shall　speak　to　each　other。〃

〃I　hope　you　are　not　allowing　yourself　to　feel　too　much　interest　in　this　man；　Ethel；　he　is　very　likely　married。〃

〃Oh；　no！　I　am　sure　he　is　not；　Ruth。〃

〃How　can　you　be　sure？　You　know　nothing　about　him。〃

〃I　cannot　tell　HOW　I　know；　nor　WHY　I　know；　but　I　believe　what　I　feel；　and　he　is　as　much　interested　in　me　as　I　am　in　him。　I　confess　that　is　a　great　deal。〃

〃You　may　never　see　him　again。〃

〃I　shall　expect　to　see　him　next　winter；　he　evidently　lives　in　New　York。〃

〃The　lady　you　saw　may　be　his　wife。　Don't　be　interested　in　any　man　on　unknown　ground；　Ethel。　It　is　not　prudentit　is　not　right。〃

〃Time　will　show。　He　will　very　likely　be　looking　for　me　this　summer　at　Newport　and　elsewhere。　He　will　be　glad　to　see　me　when　I　come　home。　Don't　worry；　Ruth。　It　is　all　right。〃

〃Fred　called　soon　after　you　went　out　this　morning。　He　left　for　Newport　this　afternoon。　He　will　be　at　sea　now。〃

〃And　we　shall　be　there　in　a　few　days。　When　I　am　at　the　seaside　I　always　feel　a　delicious　torpor；　yet　Nelly　Baldwin　told　me　she　loved　an　Atlantic　passage　because　she　had　such　fun　on　board。　You　have　crossed　several　times；　Ruth；　is　it　fun　or　torpor？〃

〃All　mirth　at　sea　soon　fades　away；　Ethel。　Passengers　are　a　very　dull　class　of　people；　and　they　know　it；　they　rebel　against　it；　but　every　hour　it　becomes　more　natural　to　be　dull。　Very　soon　all　mentally　accommodate　themselves　to　being　bored；　dreamy　and　dreary。　Then；　as　soon　as　it　is　dark；　comes　that　old　mysterious；　hungering　sound　of　the　sea；　and　I　for　one　listen　till　I　can　bear　it　no　longer；　and　so　steal　away　to　bed　with　a　pain　in　my　heart。〃

〃I　think　I　shall　like　the　ocean。　There　are　games；　and　books；　and　company；　and　dinners；　and　other　things。〃

〃Certainly；　and　you　can　think　yourself　happy；　until　gradually　a　contented　cretinism　steals　over　you；　body　and　mind。〃

〃No；　no！〃　said　Ethel　enthusiastically。　〃I　shall　do　according　to　Swinburne

　　〃‘Have　therefore　in　my　heart；　and　in　my　mouth；　　　The　sound　of　song　that　mingles　North　and　South；　　　And　in　my　Soul　the　sense　of　all　the　Sea！'〃


And　Ruth　laughed　at　her　dramatic　attitude；　and　answered：　〃The　soul　of　all　the　sea　is　a　contented　cretinism；　Ethel。　But　in　ten　days　we　may　be　in　Yorkshire。　And　then；　my　dear；　you　may　meet　your　Princesome　fine　Yorkshire　gentleman。〃

〃I　have　strictly　and　positively　promised　myself　that　my　Prince　shall　be　a　fine　American　gentleman。〃

〃My　dear　Ethel；　it　is　very　seldom

　　　　　　　〃‘the　time；　and　the　place；　　　And　the　Loved　One；　come　together。'〃


〃I　live　in　the　land　of　good　hope；　Ruth；　and　my　hopes　will　be　realized。〃

〃We　shall　see。〃



PART　THIRD


〃I　WENT　DOWN　INTO　THE　GARDEN　　　　　TO　SEE　IF　THE　POMEGRANATES　BUDDED。　Song　of　Solomon；　VI。　11。



CHAPTER　VII

IT　was　a　lovely　afternoon　on　the　last　day　of　May。　The　sea　and　all　the　toil　and　travail　belonging　to　it　was　overpass；　and　Judge　Rawdon；　Ruth　and　Ethel　were　driving　in　lazy；　blissful　contentment　through　one　of　the　lovely　roads　of　the　West　Riding。　On　either　hand　the　beautifully　cut　hedges　were　white　and　sweet；　and　a　caress　of　scentthe　soul　of　the　hawthorne　flower　enfolded　them。　Robins　were　singing　on　the　topmost　sprays；　and　the　linnet's　sweet　babbling　was　heard　from　the　happy　nests　in　its　secret　places；　while　from　some　unseen　steeple　the　joyful　sound　of　chiming　bells　made　music　between　heaven　and　earth　fit　for　bands　of　traveling　angels。

They　had　dined　at　a　wayside　inn　on　jugged　hare；　roast　beef；　and　Yorkshire　pudding；　clotted　cream　and　haver　（oaten）　bread；　and　the　careless　stillness　of　physical　well…being　and　of　minds　at　ease　needed　no　speech；　but　the　mutual　smiling　nod　of　intimate　sympathy。　For　the　sense　of　joy　and　beauty　which　makes　us　eloquent　is　far　inferior　to　that　sense　which　makes　us　silent。

This　exquisite　pause　in　life　was　suddenly　ended　by　an　exclamation　from　the　Judge。　They　were　at　the　great　iron　gates　of　Rawdon　Park；　and　soon　were　slowly　traversing　its　woody　solitudes。　The　soft　light；　the　unspeakable　green　of　the　turf；　the　voice　of　ancient　days　murmuring　in　the　great　oak　trees；　the　deer　asleep　among　the　ferns；　the　stillness　of　the　summer　afternoon　filling　the　air　with　drowsy　peace　this　was　the　atmosphere　into　which　they　entered。　Their　road　through　this　grand　park　of　three　hundred　acres　was　a　wide；　straight　avenue　shaded　with　beech　trees。　The　green　turf　on　either　hand　was　starred　with　primroses。　In　the　deep　undergrowth；　ferns　waved　and　fanned　each　other；　and　the　scent　of　hidden　violets　saluted　as　they　passed。　Drowsily；　as　if　half　asleep；　the　blackbirds　whistled　their　couplets；　and　in　the　thickest　hedges　the　little　brown　thrushes　sang　softly　to　their　brooding　mates。　For　half　an　hour　they　kept　this　heavenly　path；　and　then　a　sudden　turn　brought　them　their　first　sight　of　the　old　home。

It　was　a　stately；　irregular　building　of　red　brick；　sandaled　and　veiled　in　ivy。　The　nu…　merous　windows　were　all　latticed；　the　chimneys　in　picturesque　stacks；　the　sloping　roof　made　of　flags　of　sandstone。　It　stood　in　the　center　of　a　large　garden；　at　the　bottom　of　w