a far country-第60章
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others。 It is hard for a womanespecially a young womancoming among
strangers。〃 She glanced down the table to where Maude sat talking to
Ham。 〃She has an air about her；a great deal of self…possession。〃
I； too； had noticed this； with pride and relief。 For I knew Maude had
been nervous。
〃You are luckier than you deserve to be；〃 Nancy reminded me。 〃But I hope
you realize that she has a mind of her own； that she will form her own
opinions of people； independently of you。〃
I must have betrayed the fact that I was a little startled； for the
remark came as a confirmation of what I had dimly felt。
〃Of course she has；〃 I agreed； somewhat lamely。 〃Every woman has； who is
worth her salt。〃
Nancy's smile bespoke a knowledge that seemed to transcend my own。
〃You do like her？〃 I demanded。
〃I like her very much indeed；〃 said Nancy； a little gravely。 〃She's
simple； she's real； she has that which so few of us possess nowadays
character。 ButI've got to be prepared for the possibility that she may
not get along with me。〃
〃Why not？〃 I demanded。
〃There you are again； with your old unwillingness to analyze a situation
and face it。 For heaven's sake； now that you have married her； study
her。 Don't take her for granted。 Can't you see that she doesn't care
for the things that amuse me； that make my life？〃
〃Of course； if you insist on making yourself out a hardened；
sophisticated woman〃 I protested。 But she shook her head。
〃Her roots are deeper；she is in touch； though she may not realize it；
with the fundamentals。 She is one of those women who are race…makers。〃
Though somewhat perturbed； I was struck by the phrase。 And I lost sight
of Nancy's generosity。 She looked me full in the face。
〃I wonder whether you can rise to her；〃 she said。 〃If I were you； I
should try。 You will be happierfar happier than if you attempt to use
her for your own ends； as a contributor to your comfort and an auxiliary
to your career。 I was afraidI confess itthat you had married an
aspiring； simpering and empty…headed provincial like that Mrs。 George
Hutchins' whom I met once； and who would sell her soul to be at my table。
Well； you escaped that； and you may thank God for it。 You've got a
chance； think it over。
〃A chance！〃 I repeated； though I gathered something of her meaning。
〃Think it over； said Nancy again。 And she smiled。
〃Butdo you want me to bury myself in domesticity？〃 I demanded； without
grasping the significance of my words。
〃You'll find her reasonable； I think。 You've got a chance now； Hugh。
Don't spoil it。〃
She turned to Leonard Dickinson； who sat on her other side。。。。
When we got home I tried to conceal my anxiety as to Maude's impressions
of the evening。 I lit a cigarette； and remarked that the dinner had been
a success。
〃Do you know what I've been wondering all evening？〃 Maude asked。 〃Why
you didn't marry Nancy instead of me。〃
〃Well；〃 I replied； 〃it just didn't come off。 And Nancy was telling me at
dinner how fortunate I was to have married you。〃
Maude passed this。
〃I can't see why she accepted Hambleton Durrett。 It seems horrible that
such a woman as she is could have marriedjust for money。
〃Nancy has an odd streak in her；〃 I said。 〃But then we all have odd
streaks。 She's the best friend in the world； when she is your friend。〃
〃I'm sure of it；〃 Maude agreed； with a little note of penitence。
〃You enjoyed it；〃 I ventured cautiously。
〃Oh； yes；〃 she agreed。 〃And everyone was so nice to mefor your sake of
course。〃
〃Don't be ridiculous！〃 I said。 〃I shan't tell you what Nancy and the
others said about you。〃
Maude had the gift of silence。
〃What a beautiful house！〃 she sighed presently。 〃I know you'll think me
silly； but so much luxury as that frightens me a little。 In England； in
those places we saw； it seemed natural enough； but in America！ And
they all your friendsseem to take it as a matter of course。〃
〃There's no reason why we shouldn't have beautiful things and well served
dinners； too； if we have the money to pay for them。〃
〃I suppose not；〃 she agreed； absently。
XV。
That winter many other entertainments were given in our honour。 But the
conviction grew upon me that Maude had no real liking for the social side
of life； that she acquiesced in it only on my account。 Thus； at the very
outset of our married career； an irritant developed： signs of it； indeed；
were apparent from the first； when we were preparing the house we had
rented for occupancy。 Hurrying away from my office at odd times to
furniture and department stores to help decide such momentous questions
as curtains； carpets； chairs and tables I would often spy the tall；
uncompromising figure of Susan Peters standing beside Maude's； while an
obliging clerk spread out； anxiously； rugs or wall…papers for their
inspection。
〃Why don't you get Nancy to help you； too！〃 I ventured to ask her once。
〃Ours is such a little housecompared to Nancy's； Hugh。〃
My attitude towards Susan had hitherto remained undefined。 She was Tom's
wife and Tom's affair。 In spite of her marked disapproval of the modern
trend in business and social life；a prejudice she had communicated to
Tom； as a bachelor I had not disliked her； and it was certain that these
views had not mitigated Tom's loyalty and affection for me。 Susan had
been my friend； as had her brother Perry； and Lucia； Perry's wife： they
made no secret of the fact that they deplored in me what they were
pleased to call plutocratic obsessions； nor had their disapproval always
been confined to badinage。 Nancy； too； they looked upon as a renegade。
I was able to bear their reproaches with the superior good nature that
springs from success； to point out why the American tradition to which
they so fatuously clung was a things of the past。 The habit of taking
dinner with them at least once a week had continued； and their arguments
rather amused me。 If they chose to dwell in a backwater out of touch
with the current of great affairs； this was a matter to be deplored； but
I did not feel strongly enough to resent it。 So long as I remained a
bachelor the relationship had not troubled me； but now that I was married
I began to consider with some alarm its power to affect my welfare。
It had remained for Nancy to inform me that I had married a woman with a
mind of her own。 I had flattered myself that I should be able to control
Maude； to govern her predilections； and now at the very beginning of our
married life she was showing a disquieting tendency to choose for
herself。 To be sure； she had found my intimacy with the Peterses and
Blackwoods already formed； but it was an intimacy from which I was
growing away。 I should not have quarrelled with her if she had not
discriminated： Nancy made overtures； and Maude drew back； Susan presented
herself； and with annoying perversity and in an extraordinarily brief
time Maude had become her intimate。 It seemed to me that she was always
at Susan's； lunching or playing with the children； who grew devoted to
her； or with Susan； choosing carpets and clothes； while more and more
frequently we dined with the Peterses and the Blackwoods； or they with
us。 With Perry's wife Maude was scarcely less intimate than with Susan。
This was the more surprising to me since Lucia Blackwood was a dyed…in…
the…wool 〃intellectual；〃 a graduate of Radcliffe； the daughter of a
Harvard professor。 Perry had fallen in love with her during her visit to
Susan。 Lucia was； perhaps； the most influential of the group； she
scorned the world； she held strong views on the higher education of
women； she had long discarded orthodoxy for what may be called a
Cambridge stoicism of simple living and high thinking； while Maude was a
strict Presbyterian； and not in the least given to theories。 When； some
months after our homecoming； I ventured to warn her gently of the dangers
of confining one's self to a coterieespecially one of such narrow
viewsher answer was rather bewildering。
〃But isn't Tom your best friend？〃 she asked。
I admitted that he was。
〃And you always went there such a lot before we were married。〃
This； too； was undeniable。 〃At the
