the man between-第3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！




〃Then　if　he　is　a　good　man；　he　must　be　very　unhappy。〃

〃Of　course　he　is　quite　ignorant　of　their　admiration；　and　therefore　quite　innocent。　I　am　the　only　woman　he　loves；　and　he　never　even　remembers　me　when　he　is　in　the　sacred　office。　If　you　could　see　him　come　out　of　the　vestry　in　his　white　surplice；　with　his　rapt　face　and　prophetic　eyes。　So　mystical！　So　beautiful！　You　would　not　wonder　that　I　worship　him。〃

〃But　I　do　not　understandhow　did　you　meet　him　socially？〃

〃I　met　him　at　Mrs。　Taylor's　first。　Then　he　spoke　to　me　one　morning　as　I　came　out　of　church；　and　the　next　morning　he　walked　through　the　park　with　me。　And　after　that　all　was　easy　enough。〃

〃I　see。　What　does　your　father　and　mother　thinkor　rather；　what　do　they　say？〃

〃Father　always　says　what　he　thinks；　and　mother　thinks　and　says　what　I　do。　This　condition　simplified　matters　very　much。　Basil　wrote　to　father；　and　yesterday　after　dinner　he　had　an　interview　with　him。　I　expected　it；　and　was　quite　prepared　for　any　climax　that　might　come。　I　wore　my　loveliest　white　frock；　and　had　lilies　of　the　valley　in　my　hair　and　on　my　breast；　and　father　called　me　‘his　little　angel'　and　piously　wondered　‘how　I　could　be　his　daughter。'　All　dinner　time　I　tried　to　be　angelic；　and　after　dinner　I　sang　‘Little　Boy　Blue'　and　some　of　the　songs　he　loves；　and　I　felt；　when　Basil's　card　came　in；　that　I　had　prepared　the　proper　atmosphere　for　the　interview。〃

〃You　are　really　very　clever；　Dora。〃

〃I　tried　to　continue　singing　and　playing；　but　I　could　not；　the　notes　all　ran　together；　the　words　were　lost。　I　went　to　mother's　side　and　put　my　hand　in　hers；　and　she　said　softly：　‘I　can　hear　your　father　storming　a　little；　but　he　will　settle　down　the　quicker　for　it。　I　dare　say　he　will　bring　Mr。　Stanhope　in　here　before　long。〃

〃Did　he？〃

〃No。　That　was　Bryce's　fault。　How　Bryce　happened　to　be　in　the　house　at　that　hour；　I　cannot　imagine；　but　it　seems　to　be　natural　for　him　to　drop　into　any　interview　where　he　can　make　trouble。　However；　it　turned　out　all　for　the　best；　for　when　mother　heard　Bryce's　voice　above　all　the　other　sounds；　she　said；　‘Come　Dora；　we　shall　have　to　interfere　now。'　Then　I　was　delighted。　I　was　angelically　dressed；　and　I　felt　equal　to　the　interview。〃

〃Do　you　really　mean　that　you　joined　the　three　quarreling　men？〃

〃Of　course。　Mother　was　quite　calmcalm　enough　to　freeze　a　tempestbut　she　gave　father　a　look　he　comprehended。　Then　she　shook　hands　with　Basil；　and　would　have　made　some　remark　to　Bryce；　but　with　his　usual　impertinence　he　took　the　initiative；　and　told　he：　very　authoritatively　to　‘retire　and　take　me　with　her'calling　me　that　‘demure　little　flirt'　in　a　tone　that　was　very　offensive。　You　should　have　seen　father　blaze　into　anger　at　his　words。　He　told　Bryce　to　remember　that　‘Mr。　Ben　Denning　owned　the　house；　and　that　Bryce　had　four　or　five　rooms　in　it　by　his　courtesy。'　He　said　also　that　the　‘ladies　present　were　Mr。　Ben　Denning's　wife　and　daughter；　and　that　it　was　impertinent　in　him　to　order　them　out　of　his　parlor；　where　they　were　always　welcome。'　Bryce　was　white　with　passion；　but　he　answered　in　his　affected　way‘Sir；　that　sly　girl　with　her　pretended　piety　and　her　sneak　of　a　lover　is　my　sister；　and　I　shall　not　permit　her　to　disgrace　my　family　without　making　a　protest。'〃

〃And　then？〃

〃I　began　to　cry；　and　I　put　my　arms　around　father's　neck　and　said　he　must　defend　me；　that　I　was　not　‘sly；'　and　Basil　was　not　‘a　sneak；'　and　father　kissed　me；　and　said　he　would　settle　with　any　man；　and　every　man；　who　presumed　to　call　me　either　sly　or　a　flirt。〃

〃I　think　Mr。　Denning　acted　beautifully。　What　did　Bryce　say？〃

〃He　turned　to　Basil；　and　said：　‘Mr。　Stanhope；　if　you　are　not　a　cad；　you　will　leave　the　house。　You　have　no　right　to　intrude　yourself　into　family　affairs　and　family　quarrels。'　Basil　had　seated　mother；　and　was　standing　with　one　hand　on　the　back　of　her　chair；　and　he　did　not　answer　Brycethere　was　no　need；　father　answered　quick　enough。　He　said　Mr。　Stanhope　had　asked　to　become　one　of　the　family；　and　for　his　part　he　would　welcome　him　freely；　and　then　he　asked　mother　if　she　was　of　his　mind；　and　mother　smiled　and　reached　her　hand　backward　to　Basil。　Then　father　kissed　me　again；　and　somehow　Basil's　arm　was　round　me；　and　I　know　I　looked　lovely　almost　like　a　bride！　Oh；　Ethel；　it　was　just　heavenly！〃

〃I　am　sure　it　was。　Did　Bryce　leave　the　room　then？〃

〃Yes；　he　went　out　in　a　passion；　declaring　he　would　never　notice　me　again。　This　morning　at　breakfast　I　said　I　was　sorry　Bryce　felt　so　hurt；　but　father　was　sure　Bryce　would　find　plenty　of　consolation　in　the　fact　that　his　disapproval　of　my　choice　would　excuse　him　from　giving　me　a　wedding　present。　You　know　Bryce　is　a　mean　little　miser！〃

〃On　the　contrary；　I　thought　he　was　very；　luxurious　and　extravagant。〃

〃Where　Bryce　is　concerned；　yes；　toward　everyone　else　his　conduct　is　too　mean　to　consider。　Why；　father　makes　him　an　allowance　of　20；000　a　year　and　he　empties　father's　cigar　boxes　whenever　he　can　do　so　without〃

〃Let　us　talk　about　Mr。　Stanhope　he　is　far　more　interesting。　When　are　you　going　to　marry　him？〃

〃In　the　Spring。　Father　is　going　to　give　me　some　money　and　I　have　the　fortune　Grandmother　Cahill　left　me。　It　has　been　well　invested；　and　father　told　me　this　morning　I　was　a　fairly　rich　little　woman。　Basil　has　some　private　fortune；　also　his　stipendwe　shall　do　very　well。　Basil's　family　is　one　of　the　finest　among　the　old　Boston　aristocrats；　and　he　is　closely　connected　with　the　English　Stanhopes；　who　rank　with　the　greatest　of　the　nobility。〃

〃I　wish　Americans　would　learn　to　rely　on　their　own　nobility。　I　am　tired　of　their　everlasting　attempts　to　graft　on　some　English　noble　family。　No　matter　how　great　or　clever　a　man　may　be；　you　are　sure　to　read　of　his　descent　from　some　Scottish　chief　or　English　earl。〃

〃They　can't　help　their　descent；　Ethel。〃

〃They　need　not　pin　all　they　have　done　on　to　it。　Often　father　frets　me　in　the　same　way。　If　he　wins　a　difficult　case；　he　does　it　naturally；　because　he　is　a　Rawdon。　He　is　handsome；　gentlemanly；　honorable；　even　a　perfect　horseman；　all　because；　being　a　Rawdon；　he　was　by　nature　and　inheritance　compelled　to　such　perfection。　It　is　very　provoking；　Dora；　and　if　I　were　you　I　would　not　allow　Basil　to　begin　a　song　about　‘the　English　Stanhopes。'　Aunt　Ruth　and　I　get　very　tired　often　of　the　English　Rawdons；　and　are　really　thankful　for　the　separating　Atlantic。〃

〃I　don't　think　I　shall　feel　in　that　way；　Ethel。　I　like　the　nobility；　so　does　father；　he　says　the　Dennings　are　a　fine　old　family。〃

〃Why　talk　of　genealogies　when　there　is　such　a　man　as　Basil　Stanhope　to　consider？　Let　us　grant　him　perfection　and　agree　that　he　is　to　marry　you　in　the　Spring；　well　then；　there　is　the　ceremony；　and　the　wedding　garments！　Of　course　it　is　to　be　a　church　wedding？〃

〃We　shall　be　married　in　Basil's　own　church。　I　can　hardly　eat　or　sleep　for　thinking　of　the　joy　and　the　triumph　of　it！　There　will　be　women　there　ready　to　eat　their　hearts　with　envyI　believe　indeed；　Ethel；　that　every　woman　in　the　church　is　in　love　with　Basil。〃

〃You　have　said　that　before；　and　I　am　sure　you　are　wrong。　A　great　many　of　them　are　married　and　are　in　love　with　their　own　husbands；　and　the　kind　of　girls　who　go　to　St。　Jude's　are　not　the　kind　who　marry　clergymen。　Mr。　Stanhope's　whole　income　would　hardly　buy　their　gloves　and　parasols。〃

〃I　don't　think　you　are　pleased　that　I　am　going　to　marry。　You　must　not　be　jealous　of　Basil。　I　shall　love　you　just　the　same。〃

〃Under　no　conditions；　Dora；　would　I　allow　jealousy　to　trouble　my　life。　All　the　same；　you　will　not　love　me　after　your　marriage　as　you　have　loved　me　in　the　past。　I　shall　not　expect　it。〃

Passionate　denials　of　this　assertion；　reminiscences　of　the　past；　assurances　for　the　future　followed；　and　Ethel　accepted　them　without　dispute　and　without　faith。　But　she　understood　that　the　mere　circumstance　of　her　engagement　was　all　that　Dora　could　manage　at　present；　and　that　the　details　of　the　marriage　merged　themselves　constantly　in　the　wonderful　fact　that　Basil　Stanhope　loved　her；　and　that　some　time；　not　far　off；　she　was　going　to　be　his　wife。　This　joyful　certainty　filled　her　heart　and　her　comprehension；　and　she　had　a　natural　reluctance　to　subject　it　to　the　details　of　the　social　and　religious　ceremonies　necessary；　Such　things　permitted　oth