frances waldeaux-第5章

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　she　thought。　　〃It　IS　her　　chair。　　And　I　have　unseated　her　for　life　curling　herself　up　in　the　rugs。

Yet　she　had　a　twinge　of　pity　for　the　old　lady。　　Even　the　wild　boar　has　its　affections　and　moments　of　gentleness。　　A　week　ago　Lisa　could　have　trampled　the　life　out　of　this　woman　who　had　slandered　her　dead　mother；　with　the　fury　of　any　wild　beast。　For　she　was　Pauline　Felix's　daughter。　　It　was　her　mother's　name　that　Mrs。　Waldeaux　had　said　could　not　be　spoken　by　any　decent　woman。　　Lisa　had　been　but　a　child；　but　she　had　held　her　mother's　head　close　to　her　stout　little　heart　as　she　lay　dyingthat　awful　mysterious　death　of　which　the　young　man　had　tried　to　make　a　telling　story。　　The　girl　crossed　herself　now　and　closed　her　tired　eyes　as　she　thought　of　it。　　She　had　been　a　wicked　child　and　a　wicked　woman；　but　she　knew　certainly　that　the　Virgin　and　her　Son　had　come　near　to　her　that　day；　and　had　helped　her。

George；　who　was　poring　fondly　on　her　face；　exclaimed：　　〃Your　eyes　are　wet。　　You　are　in　trouble！〃

〃I　was　thinking　of　my　mother；〃　she　said　gently；　holding　out　her　hand　to　him。

He　took　it　and　said　presently；　〃Will　you　not　talk　to　me　about　her；　Lisa？　　You　have　not　told　me　any　thing　of　your　people；　my　darling。　　Nor　of　yourself。　　Why；　I　don't　even　know　whether　you　are　French　or　German。〃

〃Oh；　you　shall　hear　the　whole　story　when　we　are　married；〃　she　replied　softly；　a　wicked　glitter　in　her　eyes。　　〃Some　of　the　noblest　blood　in　Europe　is　in　my　veins。　　I　will　give　you　my　genealogical　tree　to　hang　up　in　that　old　homestead　of　yours。　　It　will　interest　the　people　of　Weirand　please　your　mother。〃

〃It　is　good　in　you　to　think　of　her；〃　he　said；　tenderly　looking　down　at　her。

He　was　not　blind。　　He　saw　the　muddy　skin；　the　thick　lips；　the　soiled；　ragged　lace。　　They　would　have　disgusted　him　in　another　woman。

But　this　wasLisa。　　There　was　no　more　to　be　said。

These　outside　trifles　would　fall　off　when　she　came　into　his　life。　　Even　with　them　she　was　the　breath　and　soul　of　it。

She　saw　the　difference　between　them　more　sharply　than　he　did。　　She　had　been　cast　for　a　low　part　in　the　play；　and　knew　it。　　Sometimes　she　had　earned　the　food　which　kept　her　alive　in　ways　of　which　this　untempted　young　priest　had　never　even　heard。　　There　was　something　in　this　clean　past　of　his；　in　his　cold　patrician　face　and　luxurious　habits　new　to　her；　and　she　had　a　greedy　relish　for　it　all。

She　had　been　loved　before；　caressed　as　men　caress　a　dog；　kicking　it　off　when　it　becomes　troublesome。　　George's　boyish　shyness；　his　reverent　awe　of　her；　startled　her。

〃He　thinks　Lisa　Arpent　a　jeune　fillelike　these　others。　　A　little　white　rose！〃　she　thought；　and　laughed。　　She　would　not　tell　him　why　she　laughed；　and　muttered　an　oath　when　he　stupidly　insisted　on　knowing。

He　was　the　first　lover　who　had　ever　believed　in　her。

She　had　begun　this　affair　simply　to　punish　the　〃old　woman〃；　the　man　in　it　had　counted　for　nothing。　　But　now；　as　they　crossed　the　gangway；　she　looked　up　at　him　with　eyes　that　for　the　moment　were　honest　and　true　as　a　child's；　and　her　firm　hand　suddenly　trembled　in　his。


Three　weeks　later　Mrs。　Waldeaux　came　into　Miss　Vance's　little　parlor　on　Half　Moon　Street。　　Her　face　was　red　from　the　wind；　her　eyes　sparkled；　and　she　hummed　some　gay　air　which　an　organ　ground　outside。　　Clara　laid　down　her　pen。

〃Where　have　you　been；　Frances？　　It　is　a　week　since　I　saw　you。〃

〃Oh；　everywhere！　　George　has　been　showing　me　London！〃　She　sat　down　before　the　fire　with　a　gurgle　of　comfort　and　dropped　her　bonnet　and　gloves　on　the　floor　beside　her。　　〃Yesterday　we　spent　at　the　Museum。　　George　explained　the　Elgin　marbles　to　me。　　I　don't　suppose　any　body　in　London　has　studied　their　history　so　thoroughly。　　I　did　wish　you　could　have　heard　him。　　And　the　day　before　I　was　at　the　Housein　the　ladies'　gallery。　　I　can't　imagine　how　he　got　admission　for　me。　　He　IS　so　clever！〃

〃We　are　going　down　to　Canterbury　for　a　couple　of　days；〃　said　Clara。　　〃We　start　at　noon。　　Will　you　go　with　us？〃

〃No；　I　think　not。　　George　does　not　seem　to　care　for　cathedrals。　　And　he　has　plans　for　me；　no　doubt。〃

Miss　Vance　brushed　the　bonnet　and　carefully　rolled　up　the　strings。　　〃Are　you　satisfied？　　Is　London　the　London　you　have　been　thinking　of　these　twenty　years？〃　she　asked。

〃Oh；　a　thousand　times　more！　　And　George　has　been　with　me　every　dayevery　day！〃

Miss　Vance　picked　up　the　gloves；　looking　impatiently　at　the　poor　lady's　happy　face。　　〃Now　she　has　gone　off　into　one　of　her　silly　transports　of　delight；　and　for　no　earthly　reason！〃

〃I　noticed　that　George　has　seen　very　little　of　Lisa　lately；〃　she　said　tentatively。　　〃If　he　really　means　to　marry　her〃

〃Marry　her！　　Clara！　　You　surely　never　feared　THAT？〃

〃He　certainly　told　us　plainly　enough　that　he　would　do　it；〃　said　Miss　Vance　testily。

〃Oh；　you　don't　understand　him！　　You　have　had　so　little　to　do　with　young　men。　　They　are　all　liable　to　attacks　like　thatas　to　measles　and　scarlet　fever。　　But　they　pass　off。　　Now；　George　is　not　as　susceptible　as　most　of　them。　　But；〃　lowering　her　voice；　〃he　was　madly　in　love　with　the　butcher's　Kate　when　he　was　ten；　and　five　years　afterward　offered　to　marry　the　widow　Potts。　　I　thought　he　had　outgrown　the　disease。　　There　has　been　nothing　of　the　kind　since；　until　this　fancy。　　It　is　passing　off。　　Of　course　it　is　mortifying　enough　to　think　that　such　a　poor　creature　as　that　could　attract　him　for　an　hour。〃

〃I　was　to　blame；〃　Miss　Vance　said；　with　an　effort。　　〃I　brought　her　in　his　way。　　But　how　was　I　to　know　that　she　was　such　a　cat；　and　he　such　　If　he　should　marry　her〃

Mrs。　Waldeaux　laughed　angrily。　　〃You　are　too　absurd；　Clara。　　A　flirtation　with　such　a　woman　was　degrading　enough；　but　George　is　not　quite　mad。　　He　has　not　even　spoken　of　her　for　days。　　Oh；　here　he　comes！　　That　is　his　step　on　the　stairs。〃　　She　ran　to　the　door。　　〃He　found　that　I　was　out　and　has　followed　me。　　He　is　the　most　ridiculous　mother's　boy！　　Well；　George；　here　I　am！　　Have　you　thought　of　some　thing　new　for　me　to　see？〃　　She　glanced　at　Miss　Vance；　well　pleased　that　she　should　see　the　lad's　foolish　fondness　for　her。

George　forced　a　smile。　　He　looked　worn　and　jaded。　　Miss　Vance　noticed　that　his　usually　neat　cravat　was　awry　and　his　hands　were　gloveless。　　〃Yes；〃　he　said。　　〃It　is　a　lit…　tle　church。　　The　oldest　in　London。　　I　want　to　show　it　to　you。〃

Miss　Vance　tied　on　Mrs。　Waldeaux's　bonnet；　smoothing　her　hair　affectionately。　　〃There　are　too　many　gray　hairs　here　for　your　age；　Frances；〃　she　said。　　〃George；　you　should　keep　your　mother　from　worry　and　work。　　Don't　let　her　hair　grow　gray　so　soon。〃

George　bowed。　　〃I　hope　I　shall　do　my　duty；〃　he　said；　with　dignity。　　〃Come；　mother。〃

As　they　drove　down　Piccadilly　Mrs。　Waldeaux　chattered　eagerly　to　her　son。　　She　could　not　pour　out　her　teeming　fancies　about　this　new　world　to　any　body　else；　but　she　could　not　talk　fast　enough　to　him。　　Had　they　not　both　been　waiting　for　a　lifetime　to　see　this　London？

〃The　thing；〃　she　said　earnestly；　as　she　settled　herself　beside　him；　〃the　thing　that　has　impressed　me　most；　I　think；　were　those　great　Ninevite　gods　yesterday。　　I　sat　for　hours　before　them　while　you　were　gone。　　There　they　sit；　their　hands　on　their　knees；　and　stare　out　of　their　awful　silence　at　the　London　fog；　just　as　they　stared　at　the　desert　before　Christ　was　born。　　I　felt　so　miserably　young　and　sham！〃

George　adjusted　his　cravat　impatiently。　　〃I'm　afraid　I　don't　quite　follow　you；　mother。　　These　little　flights　of　yours　　They　belong　to　your　generation；　I　suppose。　　It　was　a　more　sentimental　one　than　mine。　　You　are　not　very　young。　　And　you　certainly　are　not　a　sham。　　The　statues　are　interesting；　but　I　fail　to　see　why　they　should　have　had　such　an　effect　upon　you。〃

〃Oh！〃　said　Frances。　　〃But　you　did　not　stay　alone　with　them　as　long　as　I　did；　or　you　would　have　felt　it　too。　　Now　I　am　sure　that　the　debates　in　Parliament　impressed　you　just　as　they　did　me？〃

George　said　nothing；　but　she　went　on　eagerly。　　It　never　occurred　to　her　that　he　could　be　bored　by　her　impressions　in　these　greatest　days　of　her　life。　　〃To　see　a　half…dozen　well…groomed　young　men　settle　the　affairs　of　India　and　Australia　in　a　short；　indifferent　colloquy！　　How　shy　and　awkward　they　were；　too！　　They　actually　stuttered　out　their　sentences　in　their　fear　of　posing　or　se