the man between-第8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！



〃I　fancy　his　daughter　will　take　that　subject　in　her　own　hand。　She　looks　like　a　girl　of　spirit；　and　this　man　is　not　as　handsome　as　most　Englishmen。〃

〃Not　if　you　judge　him　by　bulk；　but　women　want　more　than　mere　bulk；　he　has　an　air　of　breeding　you　can't　mistake；　and　he　looks　clever。〃

〃His　name　is　Mostyn。　I　have　heard　him　spoken　of。　Would　you　like　to　know　him？〃

〃I　could　live　without　that　honor〃then　Bryce　turned　the　conversation　upon　a　recent　horse　sale；　and　a　few　moments　later　was　sauntering　up　the　avenue。　He　was　now　resolved　to　make　up　his　quarrel　with　Dora。　Through　Dora　he　could　manage　to　meet　Mostyn　socially；　and　he　smiled　in　anticipation　of　that　proud　moment　when　he　should　parade　in　his　own　friendly　leash　McLaren's　new　British　lion。　Besides；　the　introduction　to　Mr。　Mostyn　might；　if　judiciously　managed；　promote　his　own　acquaintance　with　Shaw　McLaren；　a　sequence　to　be　much　desired；　an　end　he　had　persistently　looked　for。

He　went　straight　to　his　sister's　apartments　and　touched　the　bell　quite　gently。　Her　maid　opened　the　door　and　looked　annoyed　and　uncertain。　She　knew　all　about　the　cruelly　wicked　opposition　of　Miss　Denning's　brother　to　that　nice　young　man；　Basil　Stanhope；　and　also　the　general　attitude　of　the　Denning　household；　which　was　a　comprehensive　disapproval　of　all　that　Mr。　Bryce　said　and　did。

Dora　had；　however；　talked　all　her　anger　away；　she　wished　now　to　be　friends　with　her　brother。　She　knew　that　his　absence　from　her　wedding　would　cause　unpleasant　notice；　and　she　had　other　reasons；　purely　selfish；　all　emphasizing　the　advantages　of　a　reconciliation。　So　she　went　to　meet　Bryce　with　a　pretty；　pathetic　air　of　injury　patiently　endured；　and　when　Bryce　put　out　his　hands　and　said；　〃Forgive　me；　Dodo！　I　cannot　bear　your　anger　any　longer！〃　she　was　quite　ready　for　the　next　act；　which　was　to　lay　her　pretty　head　on　his　shoulder　and　murmur；　〃I　am　not　angry；　BryceI　am　grieved；　dear。〃

〃I　know；　Dodoforgive　me！　It　was　all　my　fault。　I　think　I　was　jealous　of　you；　it　was　hard　to　find　that　you　loved　a　stranger　better　than　you　loved　me。　Kiss　me；　and　be　my　own　sweet；　beautiful　sister　again。　I　shall　try　to　like　all　the　people　you　likefor　your　sake；　you　know。〃

Then　Dora　was　charming。　She　sat　and　talked　and　planned　and　told　him　all　that　had　been　done　and　all　that　was　yet　to　do。　And　Bryce　never　once　named　either　Ethel　or　Mr。　Mostyn。　He　knew　Dora　was　a　shrewd　little　woman；　and　that　he　would　have　to　be　very　careful　in　introducing　the　subject　of　Mr。　Mostyn；　or　else　she　would　be　sure　to　reach　the　central　truth　of　his　submission　to　her。　But；　somehow；　things　happen　for　those　who　are　content　to　leave　their　desires　to　contingencies　and　accidentals。　The　next　morning　he　breakfasted　with　the　family　and　felt　himself　repaid　for　his　concession　to　Dora　by　the　evident　pleasure　their　renewed　affection　gave　his　father　and　mother；　and　though　the　elder　Denning　made　no　remark　in　the　renewed　family　solidarity；　Bryce　anticipated　many　little　favors　and　accommodations　from　his　father's　satisfaction。

After　breakfast　he　sat　down；　lit　his　cigar　and　waited。　Both　his　mother　and　Dora　had　much　to　tell　him；　and　he　listened；　and　gave　them　such　excellent　advice　that　they　were　compelled　to　regret　the　arrangements　already　made　had　lacked　the　benefit　of　his　counsels。

〃But　you　had　Ethel　Rawdon；〃　he　said。　〃I　thought　she　was　everybody　rolled　into　one。〃

〃Oh；　Ethel　doesn't　know　as　much　as　she　thinks　she　does；〃　said　Mrs。　Denning。　〃I　don't　agree　with　lots　of　things　she　advises。〃

〃Then　take　my　advice；　mother。〃

〃Oh；　Bryce；　it　is　the　best　of　all。〃

〃Bryce　does　not　know　about　dress　and　such　things；　mother。　Ethel　finds　out　what　she　does　not　know。　Bryce　cannot　go　to　modistes　and　milliners　with　me。〃

〃Well；　Ethel　does　not　pay　as　much　atten…　tion　as　she　mightshe　is　always　going　somewhere　or　other　with　that　Englishman；　that　she　says　is　a　relativefor　my　part；　I　doubt　it。〃

〃Oh；　mother！〃

〃Girls　will　say　anything；　Dora；　to　hide　a　love　affair。　Why　does　she　never　bring　him　here　to　call？〃

〃Because　I　asked　her　not。　I　do　not　want　to　make　new　friends；　especially　English　ones；　now。　I　am　so　busy　all　day；　and　of　course　my　evenings　belong　to　Basil。〃

〃Yes；　and　there　is　no　one　to　talk　to　me。　Ethel　and　the　Englishman　would　pass　an　hour　or　two　very　nicely；　and　your　father　is　very　fond　of　foreigners。　I　think　you　ought　to　ask　Ethel　to　introduce　him　to　us；　then　we　could　have　a　little　dinner　for　him　and　invite　him　to　our　opera　boxdon't　you　agree　with　me；　Bryce？〃

〃If　Dora　does。　Of　course；　at　this　time；　Dora's　wishes　and　engagements　are　the　most　important。　I　have　seen　the　young　man　at　the　club　with　Shaw　McLaren　and　about　town　with　Judge　Rawdon　and　others。　He　seems　a　nice　little　fellow。　Jack　Lacy　wanted　to　introduce　me　to　him　yesterday；　but　I　told　him　I　could　live　without　the　honor。　Of　course；　if　Dora　feels　like　having　him　here　that　is　a　very　dif…　ferent　matter。　He　is　certainly　distinguished　looking；　and　would　give　an　air　to　the　wedding。〃

〃Is　he　handsome；　Bryce？〃

〃Yesand　no。　Women　would　rave　about　him；　men　would　think　him　finical　and　dandified。　He　looks　as　if　he　were　the　happiest　fellow　in　the　worldin　fact；　he　looked　to　me　so　provokingly　happy　that　I　disliked　him；　but　now　that　Dodo　is　my　little　sister　again；　I　can　be　happy　enough　to　envy　no　one。〃

Then　Dora　slipped　her　hand　into　her　brother's　hand；　and　Bryce　knew　that　he　might　take　his　way　to　his　little　office　in　William　Street；　the　advent　of　Mr。　Mostyn　into　his　life　being　now　as　certain　as　anything　in　this　questionable；　fluctuating　world　could　be。　As　he　was　sauntering　down　the　avenue　he　met　Ethel　and　he　turned　and　walked　back　with　her　to　the　Denning　house。　He　was　so　good…natured　and　so　good…humored　that　Ethel　could　not　avoid　an　inquisitive　look　at　the　usually　glum　young　man；　and　he　caught　it　with　a　laugh　and　said；　〃I　suppose　you　wonder　what　is　the　matter　with　me；　Miss　Rawdon？〃

〃You　look　more　than　usually　happy。　If　I　suppose　you　have　found　a　wife　or　a　fortune；　shall　I　be　wrong？〃

〃You　come　near　the　truth；　I　have　found　a　sister。　Do　you　know　I　am　very　fond　of　Dora　and　we　have　made　up　our　quarrel？〃

Then　Ethel　looked　at　him　again。　She　did　not　believe　him。　She　was　sure　that　Dora　was　not　the　only　evoker　of　the　unbounded　satisfaction　in　Bryce　Denning's　face　and　manner。　But　she　let　the　reason　pass；　she　had　no　likely　arguments　to　use　against　it。　And　that　day　Mrs。　Denning；　with　a　slight　air　of　injury；　opened　the　subject　of　Mr。　Mostyn's　introduction　to　them。　She　thought　Ethel　had　hardly　treated　the　Dennings　fairly。　Everyone　was　wondering　they　had　not　met　him。　Of　course；　she　knew　they　were　not　aristocrats　and　she　supposed　Ethel　was　ashamed　of　them；　but；　for　her　part；　she　thought　they　were　as　good　as　most　people；　and　if　it　came　to　money；　they　could　put　down　dollar　for　dollar　with　any　multi…millionaire　in　America；　or　England　either；　for　that　matter。

When　the　reproach　took　this　tone　there　seemed　to　be　only　one　thing　for　Ethel　to　say　or　to　do；　but　that　one　thing　was　exactly　what　she　did　not　say　or　do。　She　took　up　Mrs。　Denning's　reproach　and　complained　that　〃her　relative　and　friend　had　been　purposely　and　definitely　ignored。　Dora　had　told　her　plainly　she　did　not　wish　to　make　Mr。　Mostyn's　acquaintance；　and；　in　accord　with　this　feeling；　no　one　in　the　Denning　family　had　called　on　Mr。　Mostyn；　or　shown　him　the　least　courtesy。　She　thought　the　whole　Rawdon　family　had　the　best　of　reasons　for　feeling　hurt　at　the　neglect。〃

This　view　of　the　case　had　not　entered　Mrs。　Denning's　mind。　She　was　quickly　sorry　and　apologetic　for　Dora's　selfishness　and　her　own　thoughtlessness；　and　Ethel　was　not　difficult　to　pacify。　There　was　then　no　duty　so　imperative　as　the　arrangement　of　a　little　dinner　for　Mr。　Mostyn。　〃We　will　make　it　quite　a　family　affair；〃　said　Mrs。　Denning；　〃then　we　can　go　to　the　opera　afterwards。　Shall　I　call　on　Mr。　Mostyn　at　the　Holland　House？〃　she　asked　anxiously。

〃I　will　ask　Bryce　to　call；〃　said　Dora。　〃Bryce　will　do　anything　to　please　me　now；　mother。〃

In　this　way；　Bryce　Denning's　desires　were　all　arranged　for　him；　and　that　evening　Dora　made　her　request。　Bryce　heard　it　with　a　pronounced　pout　of　his　lips；　but　finally　told　Dora　she　was　〃irresistible；〃　and　as　his　time　for　pleasing　her　was　nearly　out；　he　would　even　call　on　the　Englishman