confidence-第10章

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The　young　girl　colored　as　she　listened　to　this　observation。

〃I　don't　think　you　know；〃　she　murmured；　looking　away。　　Then；　〃Set　it　down　to　modesty；〃　she　added。

〃That；　of　course；　is　what　I　have　done。　　To　what　else　could　one　possibly　attribute　an　indifference　to　compliments？〃

〃There　is　something　else。　　One　might　be　proud。〃

〃There　you　are　again！〃　　Bernard　exclaimed。　　〃You　won't　even　let　me　praise　your　modesty。〃

〃I　would　rather　you　should　rebuke　my　pride。〃

〃That　is　so　humble　a　speech　that　it　leaves　no　room　for　rebuke。〃

For　a　moment　Miss　Vivian　said　nothing。

〃Men　are　singularly　base；〃　she　declared　presently；　with　a　little　smile。　〃They　don't　care　in　the　least　to　say　things　that　might　help　a　person。　They　only　care　to　say　things　that　may　seem　effective　and　agreeable。〃

〃I　see：　　you　think　that　to　say　agreeable　things　is　a　great　misdemeanor。　〃

〃It　comes　from　their　vanity；〃　Miss　Vivian　went　on；　as　if　she　had　not　heard　him。　　〃They　wish　to　appear　agreeable　and　get　credit　for　cleverness　and　tendresse；　no　matter　how　silly　it　would　be　for　another　person　to　believe　them。〃

Bernard　was　a　good　deal　amused；　and　a　little　nettled。

〃Women；　then；〃　he　said；　〃have　rather　a　fondness　for　producing　a　bad　impressionthey　like　to　appear　disagreeable？〃

His　companion　bent　her　eyes　upon　her　fan　for　a　moment　as　she　opened　and　closed　it。

〃They　are　capable　of　resigning　themselves　to　itfor　a　purpose。〃

Bernard　was　moved　to　extreme　merriment。

〃For　what　purpose？〃

〃I　don't　know　that　I　mean　for　a　purpose；〃　said　Miss　Vivian；　〃but　for　a　necessity。〃

〃Ah；　what　an　odious　necessity！〃

〃Necessities　usually　are　odious。　　But　women　meet　them。　Men　evade　them　and　shirk　them。〃

〃I　contest　your　proposition。　　Women　are　themselves　necessities；　but　they　are　not　odious　ones！〃　　And　Bernard　added；　in　a　moment；　〃One　could　n't　evade　them；　if　they　were！〃

〃I　object　to　being　called　a　necessity；〃　said　Angela　Vivian。　〃It　diminishes　one's　merit。〃

〃Ah；　but　it　enhances　the　charm　of　life！〃

〃For　men；　doubtless！〃

〃The　charm　of　life　is　very　great；〃　Bernard　went　on；　looking　up　at　the　dusky　hills　and　the　summer　stars；　seen　through　a　sort　of　mist　of　music　and　talk；　and　of　powdery　light　projected　from　the　softly　lurid　windows　of　the　gaming…rooms。　〃The　charm　of　life　is　extreme。　I　am　unacquainted　with　odious　necessities。　　I　object　to　nothing！〃

Angela　Vivian　looked　about　her　as　he　had　donelooked　perhaps　a　moment　longer　at　the　summer　stars；　and　if　she　had　not　already　proved　herself　a　young　lady　of　a　contradictory　turn；　it　might　have　been　supposed　she　was　just　then　tacitly　admitting　the　charm　of　life　to　be　considerable。

〃Do　you　suppose　Miss　Evers　often　resigns　herself　to　being　disagreeable　for　a　purpose？〃　asked　Longueville；　who　had　glanced　at　Captain　Lovelock's　companion　again。

〃She　can't　be　disagreeable；　she　is　too　gentle；　too　soft。〃

〃Do　you　mean　too　silly？〃

〃I　don't　know　that　I　call　her　silly。　　She　is　not　very　wise；　but　she　has　no　pretensionsabsolutely　noneso　that　one　is　not　struck　with　anything　incongruous。〃

〃What　a　terrible　description！　　I　suppose　one　ought　to　have　a　few　pretensions。〃

〃You　see　one　comes　off　more　easily　without　them；〃　said　Miss　Vivian。

〃Do　you　call　that　coming　off　easily？〃

She　looked　at　him　a　moment　gravely。

〃I　am　very　fond　of　Blanche；〃　she　said。

〃Captain　Lovelock　is　rather　fond　of　her；〃　Bernard　went　on。

The　girl　assented。

〃He　is　completely　fascinatedhe　is　very　much　in　love　with　her。〃

〃And　do　they　mean　to　make　an　international　match？〃

〃I　hope　not；　my　mother　and　I　are　greatly　troubled。〃

〃Is　n't　he　a　good　fellow？〃

〃He　is　a　good　fellow；　but　he　is　a　mere　trifler。　　He　has　n't　a　penny；　I　believe；　and　he　has　very　expensive　habits。　　He　gambles　a　great　deal。　We　don't　know　what　to　do。〃

〃You　should　send　for　the　young　lady's　mother。〃

〃We　have　written　to　her　pressingly。　　She　answers　that　Blanche　can　take　care　of　herself；　and　that　she　must　stay　at　Marienbad　to　finish　her　cure。　She　has　just　begun　a　new　one。〃

〃Ah　well；〃　said　Bernard；　〃doubtless　Blanche　can　take　care　of　herself。〃

For　a　moment　his　companion　said　nothing；　then　she　exclaimed

〃It　's　what　a　girl　ought　to　be　able　to　do！〃

〃I　am　sure　you　are！〃　said　Bernard。

She　met　his　eyes；　and　she　was　going　to　make　some　rejoinder；　but　before　she　had　time　to　speak；　her　mother's　little；　clear；　conciliatory　voice　interposed。　Mrs。　Vivian　appealed　to　her　daughter；　as　she　had　done　the　night　before。

〃Dear　Angela；　what　was　the　name　of　the　gentleman　who　delivered　that　delightful　course　of　lectures　that　we　heard　in　Geneva；　on　what　was　the　title？'The　Redeeming　Features　of　the　Pagan　Morality。'　〃

Angela　flushed　a　little。

〃I　have　quite　forgotten　his　name；　mamma；〃　she　said；　without　looking　round。

〃Come　and　sit　by　me；　my　dear；　and　we　will　talk　them　over。　I　wish　Mr。　Wright　to　hear　about　them；〃　Mrs。　Vivian　went　on。

〃Do　you　wish　to　convert　him　to　paganism？〃　　Bernard　asked。

〃The　lectures　were　very　dull；　they　had　no　redeeming　features；〃　said　Angela；　getting　up；　but　turning　away　from　her　mother。　She　stood　looking　at　Bernard　Longueville；　he　saw　she　was　annoyed　at　her　mother's　interference。　　〃Every　now　and　then；〃　she　said；　〃I　take　a　turn　through　the　gaming…rooms。　The　last　time；　Captain　Lovelock　went　with　me。　　Will　you　come　to…night？〃

Bernard　assented　with　expressive　alacrity；　he　was　charmed　with　her　not　wishing　to　break　off　her　conversation　with　him。

〃Ah；　we　'll　all　go！〃　said　Mrs。　Vivian；　who　had　been　listening；　and　she　invited　the　others　to　accompany　her　to　the　Kursaal。

They　left　their　places；　but　Angela　went　first；　with　Bernard　Longueville　by　her　side；　and　the　idea　of　her　having　publicly　braved　her　mother；　as　it　were；　for　the　sake　of　his　society；　lent　for　the　moment　an　almost　ecstatic　energy　to　his　tread。　If　he　had　been　tempted　to　presume　upon　his　triumph；　however；　he　would　have　found　a　check　in　the　fact　that　the　young　girl　herself　tasted　very　soberly　of　the　sweets　of　defiance。　She　was　silent　and　grave；　she　had　a　manner　which　took　the　edge　from　the　wantonness　of　filial　independence。　　Yet；　for　all　this；　Bernard　was　pleased　with　his　position；　and；　as　he　walked　with　her　through　the　lighted　and　crowded　rooms；　where　they　soon　detached　themselves　from　their　companions；　he　felt　that　peculiar　satisfaction　which　best　expresses　itself　in　silence。　Angela　looked　a　while　at　the　rows　of　still；　attentive　faces；　fixed　upon　the　luminous　green　circle；　across　which　little　heaps　of　louis　d'or　were　being　pushed　to　and　fro；　and　she　continued　to　say　nothing。　　Then　at　last　she　exclaimed　simply；　〃Come　away！〃　　They　turned　away　and　passed　into　another　chamber；　in　which　there　was　no　gambling。　　It　was　an　immense　apartment；　apparently　a　ball…room；　but　at　present　it　was　quite　unoccupied。　There　were　green　velvet　benches　all　around　it；　and　a　great　polished　floor　stretched　away；　shining　in　the　light　of　chandeliers　adorned　with　innumerable　glass　drops。　Miss　Vivian　stood　a　moment　on　the　threshold；　then　she　passed　in；　and　they　stopped　in　the　middle　of　the　place；　facing　each　other；　and　with　their　figures　reflected　as　if　they　had　been　standing　on　a　sheet　of　ice。　　There　was　no　one　in　the　room；　they　were　entirely　alone。

〃Why　don't　you　recognize　me？〃　　Bernard　murmured　quickly。

〃Recognize　you？〃

〃Why　do　you　seem　to　forget　our　meeting　at　Siena？〃

She　might　have　answered　if　she　had　answered　immediately；　but　she　hesitated；　and　while　she　did　so　something　happened　at　the　other　end　of　the　room　which　caused　her　to　shift　her　glance。　A　green　velvet　porti；　agere　suspended　in　one　of　the　door…ways　not　that　through　which　our　friends　had　passedwas　lifted；　and　Gordon　Wright　stood　there；　holding　it　up；　and　looking　at　them。　His　companions　were　behind　him。

〃Ah；　here　they　are！〃　cried　Gordon；　in　his　loud；　clear　voice。

This　appeared　to　strike　Angela　Vivian　as　an　interruption；　and　Bernard　saw　it　very　much　in　the　same　light。






CHAPTER　VIII

He　forbore　to　ask　her　his　question　againshe　might　tell　him　at　her　convenience。　　But　the　days　passed　by；　and　she　never　told　him　she　had　her　own　reasons。　　Bernard　talked　with　her　very　often；　conversation　formed　indeed　the　chief　entertainment　of　the　quiet　little　circle　of　which　he　was　a　member。　　They　sat　on　the　terrace　and　talked　in