confidence-第11章

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inment　of　the　quiet　little　circle　of　which　he　was　a　member。　　They　sat　on　the　terrace　and　talked　in　the　mingled　starlight　and　lamplight；　and　they　strolled　in　the　deep　green　forests　and　wound　along　the　side　of　the　gentle　Baden　hills；　under　the　influence　of　colloquial　tendencies。　　The　Black　Forest　is　a　country　of　almost　unbroken　shade；　and　in　the　still　days　of　midsummer　the　whole　place　was　covered　with　a　motionless　canopy　of　verdure。　Our　friends　were　not　extravagant　or　audacious　people；　and　they　looked　at　Baden　life　very　much　from　the　outsidethey　sat　aloof　from　the　brightly　lighted　drama　of　professional　revelry。　Among　themselves　as　well；　however；　a　little　drama　went　forward　in　which　each　member　of　the　company　had　a　part　to　play。　Bernard　Longueville　had　been　surprised　at　first　at　what　he　would　have　called　Miss　Vivian's　approachableness　at　the　frequency　with　which　he　encountered　opportunities　for　sitting　near　her　and　entering　into　conversation。　He　had　expected　that　Gordon　Wright　would　deem　himself　to　have　established　an　anticipatory　claim　upon　the　young　lady's　attention；　and　that；　in　pursuance　of　this　claim；　he　would　occupy　a　recognized　place　at　her　side。　　Gordon　was；　after　all；　wooing　her；　it　was　very　natural　he　should　seek　her　society。　　In　fact；　he　was　never　very　far　off；　but　Bernard；　for　three　or　four　days；　had　the　anomalous　consciousness　of　being　still　nearer。　　Presently；　however；　he　perceived　that　he　owed　this　privilege　simply　to　his　friend's　desire　that　he　should　become　acquainted　with　Miss　Vivianshould　receive　a　vivid　impression　of　a　person　in　whom　Gordon　was　so　deeply　interested。　After　this　result　might　have　been　supposed　to　be　attained；　Gordon　Wright　stepped　back　into　his　usual　place　and　showed　her　those　small　civilities　which　were　the　only　homage　that　the　quiet　conditions　of　their　life　rendered　possiblewalked　with　her；　talked　with　her；　brought　her　a　book　to　read；　a　chair　to　sit　upon；　a　couple　of　flowers　to　place　in　the　bosom　of　her　gown；　treated　her；　in　a　word；　with　a　sober　but　by　no　means　inexpressive　gallantry。　He　had　not　been　making　violent　love；　as　he　told　Longueville；　and　these　demonstrations　were　certainly　not　violent。　Bernard　said　to　himself　that　if　he　were　not　in　the　secret；　a　spectator　would　scarcely　make　the　discovery　that　Gordon　cherished　an　even　very　safely　tended　flame。　　Angela　Vivian；　on　her　side；　was　not　strikingly　responsive。　　There　was　nothing　in　her　deportment　to　indicate　that　she　was　in　love　with　her　systematic　suitor。　　She　was　perfectly　gracious　and　civil。　She　smiled　in　his　face　when　he　shook　hands　with　her；　she　looked　at　him　and　listened　when　he　talked；　she　let　him　stroll　beside　her　in　the　Lichtenthal　Alley；　she　read；　or　appeared　to　read；　the　books　he　lent　her；　and　she　decorated　herself　with　the　flowers　he　offered。　　She　seemed　neither　bored　nor　embarrassed；　neither　irritated　nor　oppressed。　But　it　was　Bernard's　belief　that　she　took　no　more　pleasure　in　his　attentions　than　a　pretty　girl　must　always　take　in　any　recognition　of　her　charms。　　〃If　she　's　not　indifferent；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃she　is；　at　any　rate；　impartialprofoundly　impartial。〃

It　was　not　till　the　end　of　a　week　that　Gordon　Wright　told　him　exactly　how　his　business　stood　with　Miss　Vivian　and　what　he　had　reason　to　expect　and　hopea　week　during　which　their　relations　had　been　of　the　happiest　and　most　comfortable　cast；　and　during　which　Bernard；　rejoicing　in　their　long　walks　and　talks；　in　the　charming　weather；　in　the　beauty　and　entertainment　of　the　place；　and　in　other　things　besides；　had　not　ceased　to　congratulate　himself　on　coming　to　Baden。　Bernard；　after　the　first　day；　had　asked　his　friend　no　questions。　He　had　a　great　respect　for　opportunity；　coming　either　to　others　or　to　himself；　and　he　left　Gordon　to　turn　his　lantern　as　fitfully　as　might　be　upon　the　subject　which　was　tacitly　open　between　them；　but　of　which　as　yet　only　the　mere　edges　had　emerged　into　light。　Gordon；　on　his　side；　seemed　content　for　the　moment　with　having　his　clever　friend　under　his　hand；　he　reserved　him　for　final　appeal　or　for　some　other　mysterious　use。

〃You　can't　tell　me　you　don't　know　her　now；〃　he　said；　one　evening　as　the　two　young　men　strolled　along　the　Lichtenthal　Alley〃now　that　you　have　had　a　whole　week's　observation　of　her。〃

〃What　is　a　week's　observation　of　a　singularly　clever　and　complicated　woman？〃　Bernard　asked。

〃Ah；　your　week　has　been　of　some　use。　　You　have　found　out　she　is　complicated！〃　Gordon　rejoined。

〃My　dear　Gordon；〃　Longueville　exclaimed；　〃I　don't　see　what　it　signifies　to　you　that　I　should　find　Miss　Vivian　out！　When　a　man　's　in　love；　what　need　he　care　what　other　people　think　of　the　loved　object？〃

〃It　would　certainly　be　a　pity　to　care　too　much。　　But　there　is　some　excuse　for　him　in　the　loved　object　being；　as　you　say；　complicated。〃

〃Nonsense！　　That　's　no　excuse。　　The　loved　object　is　always　complicated。〃

Gordon　walked　on　in　silence　a　moment。

〃Well；　then；　I　don't　care　a　button　what　you　think！〃

〃Bravo！　　That　's　the　way　a　man　should　talk；〃　cried　Longueville。

Gordon　indulged　in　another　fit　of　meditation；　and　then　he　said

〃Now　that　leaves　you　at　liberty　to　say　what　you　please。〃

〃Ah；　my　dear　fellow；　you　are　ridiculous！〃　said　Bernard。

〃That　's　precisely　what　I　want　you　to　say。　　You　always　think　me　too　reasonable。〃

〃Well；　I　go　back　to　my　first　assertion。　　I　don't　know　Miss　Vivian　I　mean　I　don't　know　her　to　have　opinions　about　her。　　I　don't　suppose　you　wish　me　to　string　you　off　a　dozen　mere　banalites'She　's　a　charming　girlevidently　a　superior　personhas　a　great　deal　of　style。'　〃

〃Oh　no；〃　said　Gordon；　〃I　know　all　that。　　But；　at　any　rate；〃　he　added；　〃you　like　her；　eh？〃

〃I　do　more；〃　said　Longueville。　　〃I　admire　her。〃

〃Is　that　doing　more？〃　asked　Gordon；　reflectively。

〃Well；　the　greater；　whichever　it　is；　includes　the　less。〃

〃You　won't　commit　yourself；〃　said　Gordon。　　〃My　dear　Bernard；〃　he　added；　〃I　thought　you　knew　such　an　immense　deal　about　women！〃

Gordon　Wright　was　of　so　kindly　and　candid　a　nature　that　it　is　hardly　conceivable　that　this　remark　should　have　been　framed　to　make　Bernard　commit　himself　by　putting　him　on　his　mettle。　Such　a　view　would　imply　indeed　on　Gordon's　part　a　greater　familiarity　with　the　uses　of　irony　than　he　had　ever　possessed；　as　well　as　a　livelier　conviction　of　the　irritable　nature　of　his　friend's　vanity。　　In　fact；　however；　it　may　be　confided　to　the　reader　that　Bernard　was　pricked　in　a　tender　place；　though　the　resentment　of　vanity　was　not　visible　in　his　answer。

〃You　were　quite　wrong；〃　he　simply　said。　　〃I　am　as　ignorant　of　women　as　a　monk　in　his　cloister。〃

〃You　try　to　prove　too　much。　　You　don't　think　her　sympathetic！〃　And　as　regards　this　last　remark；　Gordon　Wright　must　be　credited　with　a　certain　ironical　impulse。

Bernard　stopped　impatiently。

〃I　ask　you　again；　what　does　it　matter　to　you　what　I　think　of　her？〃

〃It　matters　in　this　sensethat　she　has　refused　me。〃

〃Refused　you？　　Then　it　is　all　over；　and　nothing　matters。〃

〃No；　it　is　n't　over；〃　said　Gordon；　with　a　positive　head…shake。　〃Don't　you　see　it　is　n't　over？〃

Bernard　smiled；　laid　his　hand　on　his　friend's　shoulder　and　patted　it　a　little。

〃Your　attitude　might　almost　pass　for　that　of　resignation。〃

〃I　'm　not　resigned！〃　said　Gordon　Wright。

〃Of　course　not。　　But　when　were　you　refused？〃

Gordon　stood　a　minute　with　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　ground。　Then；　at　last　looking　up；

〃Three　weeks　agoa　fortnight　before　you　came。　　But　let　us　walk　along；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　will　tell　you　all　about　it。〃

〃I　proposed　to　her　three　weeks　ago；〃　said　Gordon；　as　they　walked　along。　〃My　heart　was　very　much　set　upon　it。　　I　was　very　hard　hitI　was　deeply　smitten。　　She　had　been　very　kind　to　meshe　had　been　charming　I　thought　she　liked　me。　　Then　I　thought　her　mother　was　pleased；　and　would　have　liked　it。　　Mrs。　Vivian；　in　fact；　told　me　as　much；　for　of　course　I　spoke　to　her　first。　　Well；　Angela　does　like　me　or　at　least　she　didand　I　see　no　reason　to　suppose　she　has　changed。　Only　she　did　n't　like　me　enough。　　She　said　the　friendliest　and　pleasantest　things　to　me；　but　she　thought　that　she　knew　me　too　little；　and　that　I　knew　her　even　less。　　She　made　a　great　point　of　that　that　I　had　no　right；　as　yet；　to　trust　her。　　I　told　her　that　if　she　would　trust　me；　I　was　perfectly　willing