confidence-第13章

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I　done　to　offend　you？〃

These　observations　Bernard　Longueville　was　disposed　to　make；　and　one　afternoon；　the　opportunity　offering；　they　rose　to　his　lips　and　came　very　near　passing　them。　　In　fact；　however；　at　the　last　moment；　his　eloquence　took　another　turn。　It　was　the　custom　of　the　orchestra　at　the　Kursaal　to　play　in　the　afternoon；　and　as　the　music　was　often　good；　a　great　many　people　assembled　under　the　trees；　at　three　o'clock；　to　listen　to　it。　This　was　not；　as　a　regular　thing；　an　hour　of　re…union　for　the　little　group　in　which　we　are　especially　interested；　Miss　Vivian；　in　particular；　unless　an　excursion　of　some　sort　had　been　agreed　upon　the　day　before；　was　usually　not　to　be　seen　in　the　precincts　of　the　Conversation…house　until　the　evening。　Bernard；　one　afternoon；　at　three　o'clock；　directed　his　steps　to　this　small　world…centre　of　Baden；　and；　passing　along　the　terrace；　soon　encountered　little　Blanche　Evers　strolling　there　under　a　pink　parasol　and　accompanied　by　Captain　Lovelock。　　This　young　lady　was　always　extremely　sociable；　it　was　quite　in　accordance　with　her　habitual　geniality　that　she　should　stop　and　say　how　d'　ye　do　to　our　hero。


〃Mr。　Longueville　is　growing　very　frivolous；〃　she　said；　〃coming　to　the　Kursaal　at　all　sorts　of　hours。〃

〃There　is　nothing　frivolous　in　coming　here　with　the　hope　of　finding　you；〃　the　young　man　answered。　　〃That　is　very　serious。〃

〃It　would　be　more　serious　to　lose　Miss　Evers　than　to　find　her；〃　remarked　Captain　Lovelock；　with　gallant　jocosity。

〃I　wish　you　would　lose　me！〃　cried　the　young　girl。　　〃I　think　I　should　like　to　be　lost。　　I　might　have　all　kinds　of　adventures。〃

〃I　'guess'　so！〃　said　Captain　Lovelock；　hilariously。

〃Oh；　I　should　find　my　way。　　I　can　take　care　of　myself！〃　Blanche　went　on。

〃Mrs。　Vivian　does　n't　think　so；〃　said　Bernard；　who　had　just　perceived　this　lady；　seated　under　a　tree　with　a　book；　over　the　top　of　which　she　was　observing　her　pretty　protege。　Blanche　looked　toward　her　and　gave　her　a　little　nod　and　a　smile。　Then　chattering　on　to　the　young　men

〃She　's　awfully　careful。　　I　never　saw　any　one　so　careful。　But　I　suppose　she　is　right。　　She　promised　my　mother　she　would　be　tremendously　particular；　but　I　don't　know　what　she　thinks　I　would　do。〃

〃That　is　n't　flattering　to　me；〃　said　Captain　Lovelock。　〃Mrs。　Vivian　does　n't　approve　of　meshe　wishes　me　in　Jamaica。　What　does　she　think　me　capable　of？〃

〃And　me；　now？〃　　Bernard　asked。　　〃She　likes　me　least　of　all；　and　I；　on　my　side；　think　she　's　so　nice。〃

〃Can't　say　I　'm　very　sweet　on　her；〃　said　the　Captain。　〃She　strikes　me　as　feline。〃

Blanche　Evers　gave　a　little　cry　of　horror。

〃Stop；　sir；　this　instant！　　I　won't　have　you　talk　that　way　about　a　lady　who　has　been　so　kind　to　me。〃

〃She　is　n't　so　kind　to　you。　　She　would　like　to　lock　you　up　where　I　can　never　see　you。〃

〃I　'm　sure　I　should　n't　mind　that！〃　cried　the　young　girl；　with　a　little　laugh　and　a　toss　of　her　head。　　〃Mrs。　Vivian　has　the　most　perfect　character　that　's　why　my　mother　wanted　me　to　come　with　her。　　And　if　she　promised　my　mother　she　would　be　careful；　is　n't　she　right　to　keep　her　promise？　She　's　a　great　deal　more　careful　than　mamma　ever　was；　and　that　's　just　what　mamma　wanted。　　She　would　never　take　the　trouble　herself。　And　then　she　was　always　scolding　me。　　Mrs。　Vivian　never　scolds　me。　She　only　watches　me；　but　I　don't　mind　that。〃

〃I　wish　she　would　watch　you　a　little　less　and　scold　you　a　little　more；〃　said　Captain　Lovelock。

〃I　have　no　doubt　you　wish　a　great　many　horrid　things；〃　his　companion　rejoined；　with　delightful　asperity。

〃Ah；　unfortunately　I　never　have　anything　I　wish！〃　sighed　Lovelock。

〃Your　wishes　must　be　comprehensive；〃　said　Bernard。　　〃It　seems　to　me　you　have　a　good　deal。〃

The　Englishman　gave　a　shrug。

〃It　's　less　than　you　might　think。　　She　is　watching　us　more　furiously　than　ever；〃　he　added；　in　a　moment；　looking　at　Mrs。　Vivian。　〃Mr。　Gordon　Wright　is　the　only　man　she　likes。　　She　is　awfully　fond　of　Mr。　Gordon　Wright。〃

〃Ah；　Mrs。　Vivian　shows　her　wisdom！〃　said　Bernard。

〃He　is　certainly　very　handsome；〃　murmured　Blanche　Evers；　glancing　several　times；　with　a　very　pretty　aggressiveness；　at　Captain　Lovelock。　　〃I　must　say　I　like　Mr。　Gordon　Wright。　Why　in　the　world　did　you　come　here　without　him？〃　she　went　on；　addressing　herself　to　Bernard。　　〃You　two　are　so　awfully　inseparable。　I　don't　think　I　ever　saw　you　alone　before。〃

〃Oh；　I　have　often　seen　Mr。　Gordon　Wright　alone；〃　said　Captain　Lovelock〃that　is；　alone　with　Miss　Vivian。　　That　's　what　the　old　lady　likes；　she　can't　have　too　much　of　that。〃

The　young　girl；　poised　for　an　instant　in　one　of　her　pretty　attitudes；　looked　at　him　from　head　to　foot。

〃Well；　I　call　that　scandalous！　　Do　you　mean　that　she　wants　to　make　a　match？〃

〃I　mean　that　the　young　man　has　six　thousand　a　year。〃

〃It　's　no　matter　what　he　hassix　thousand　a　year　is　n't　much！　And　we　don't　do　things　in　that　way　in　our　country。　We　have　n't　those　horrid　match…making　arrangements　that　you　have　in　your　dreadful　country。　　American　mothers　are　not　like　English　mothers。〃

〃Oh；　any　one　can　see；　of　course；〃　said　Captain　Lovelock；　〃that　Mr。　Gordon　Wright　is　dying　of　love　for　Miss　Vivian。〃

〃I　can't　see　it！〃　cried　Blanche。

〃He　dies　easier　than　I；　eh？〃

〃I　wish　you　would　die！〃　said　Blanche。　　〃At　any　rate；　Angela　is　not　dying　of　love　for　Mr。　Wright。〃

〃Well；　she　will　marry　him　all　the　same；〃　Lovelock　declared。

Blanche　Evers　glanced　at　Bernard。

〃Why　don't　you　contradict　that？〃　she　asked。　　〃Why　don't　you　speak　up　for　your　friend？〃

〃I　am　quite　ready　to　speak　for　my　friend；〃　said　Bernard；　〃but　I　am　not　ready　to　speak　for　Miss　Vivian。〃

〃Well；　I　am；〃　Blanche　declared。　　〃She　won't　marry　him。〃

〃If　she　does　n't；　I　'll　eat　my　hat！〃　said　Captain　Lovelock。　〃What　do　you　mean；〃　he　went　on；　〃by　saying　that　in　America　a　pretty　girl's　mother　does　n't　care　for　a　young　fellow's　property？〃

〃Well；　they　don'twe　consider　that　dreadful。　　Why　don't　you　say　so；　Mr。　Longueville？〃　　Blanche　demanded。　　〃I　never　saw　any　one　take　things　so　quietly。　　Have　n't　you　got　any　patriotism？〃

〃My　patriotism　is　modified　by　an　indisposition　to　generalize；〃　said　Bernard；　laughing。　　〃On　this　point　permit　me　not　to　generalize。　I　am　interested　in　the　particular　casein　ascertaining　whether　Mrs。　Vivian　thinks　very　often　of　Gordon　Wright's　income。〃

Miss　Evers　gave　a　little　toss　of　disgust。

〃If　you　are　so　awfully　impartial；　you　had　better　go　and　ask　her。〃

〃That　's　a　good　ideaI　think　I　will　go　and　ask　her；〃　said　Bernard。

Captain　Lovelock　returned　to　his　argument。

〃Do　you　mean　to　say　that　your　mother　would　be　indifferent　to　the　fact　that　I　have　n't　a　shilling　in　the　world？〃

〃Indifferent？〃　　Blanche　demanded。　　〃Oh　no；　she　would　be　sorry　for　you。　She　is　very　charitableshe　would　give　you　a　shilling！〃

〃She　would　n't　let　you　marry　me；〃　said　Lovelock。

〃She　would　n't　have　much　trouble　to　prevent　it！〃　cried　the　young　girl。

Bernard　had　had　enough　of　this　intellectual　fencing。

〃Yes；　I　will　go　and　ask　Mrs。　Vivian；〃　he　repeated。　　And　he　left　his　companions　to　resume　their　walk。






CHAPTER　X

It　had　seemed　to　him　a　good　idea　to　interrogate　Mrs。　Vivian；　but　there　are　a　great　many　good　ideas　that　are　never　put　into　execution。　As　he　approached　her　with　a　smile　and　a　salutation；　and；　with　the　air　of　asking　leave　to　take　a　liberty；　seated　himself　in　the　empty　chair　beside　her；　he　felt　a　humorous　relish　of　her　own　probable　dismay　which　relaxed　the　investigating　impulse。　　His　impulse　was　now　simply　to　prove　to　her　that　he　was　the　most　unobjectionable　fellow　in　the　world　a　proposition　which　resolved　itself　into　several　ingenious　observations　upon　the　weather；　the　music；　the　charms　and　the　drawbacks　of　Baden；　the　merits　of　the　volume　that　she　held　in　her　lap。　　If　Mrs。　Vivian　should　be　annoyed；　should　be　fluttered；　Bernard　would　feel　very　sorry　for　her；　there　was　nothing　in　the　world　that　he　respected　more　than　the　moral　consciousness　of　a　little　Boston　woman　whose　view　of　life　was　serious　and　whose　imagination　was　subject　to　alarms。　　He　held　it　to　be　a　temple　of　delicacy；　where　one　should　walk　on　tiptoe；　and　he　wished　to　exhibit　to　Mrs。　Vivian　the　possible　lightness　of　his　own　step。　She　herself　was　incapable　of　being　rude　or　ungracious；　and　now　that　s