confidence-第15章

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ppealing　to　his　sense　of　propriety。　Nothing　could　be　more　natural　than　that　Mrs。　Vivian　should　suppose　that　Bernard　desired　his　friend's　success；　for；　as　our　thoughtful　hero　said　to　himself；　what　she　had　hitherto　taken　it　into　her　head　to　fear　was　not　that　Bernard　should　fall　in　love　with　her　daughter；　but　that　her　daughter　should　fall　in　love　with　him。　Watering…place　life　is　notoriously　conducive　to　idleness　of　mind；　and　Bernard　strolled　for　half　an　hour　along　the　overarched　avenue；　glancing　alternately　at　these　two　insupposable　cases。

A　few　days　afterward；　late　in　the　evening；　Gordon　Wright　came　to　his　room　at　the　hotel。

〃I　have　just　received　a　letter　from　my　sister；〃　he　said。　〃I　am　afraid　I　shall　have　to　go　away。〃

〃Ah；　I　'm　sorry　for　that；〃　said　Bernard；　who　was　so　well　pleased　with　the　actual　that　he　desired　no　mutation。

〃I　mean　only　for　a　short　time；〃　Gordon　explained。　　〃My　poor　sister　writes　from　England；　telling　me　that　my　brother…in…law　is　suddenly　obliged　to　go　home。　She　has　decided　not　to　remain　behind；　and　they　are　to　sail　a　fortnight　hence。　She　wants　very　much　to　see　me　before　she　goes；　and　as　I　don't　know　when　I　shall　see　her　again；　I　feel　as　if　I　ought　to　join　her　immediately　and　spend　the　interval　with　her。　　That　will　take　about　a　fortnight。〃

〃I　appreciate　the　sanctity　of　family　ties　and　I　project　myself　into　your　situation；〃　said　Bernard。　　〃On　the　other　hand；　I　don't　envy　you　a　breathless　journey　from　Baden　to　Folkestone。〃

〃It　's　the　coming　back　that　will　be　breathless；〃　exclaimed　Gordon；　smiling。

〃You　will　certainly　come　back；　then？〃

〃Most　certainly。　　Mrs。　Vivian　is　to　be　here　another　month。〃

〃I　understand。　　Well；　we　shall　miss　you　very　much。〃

Gordon　Wright　looked　for　a　moment　at　his　companion。

〃You　will　stay　here；　then？　　I　am　so　glad　of　that。〃

〃I　was　taking　it　for　granted；　but　on　reflectionwhat　do　you　recommend？〃

〃I　recommend　you　to　stay。〃

〃My　dear　fellow；　your　word　is　law；〃　said　Bernard。

〃I　want　you　to　take　care　of　those　ladies；〃　his　friend　went　on。　〃I　don't　like　to　leave　them　alone。〃

〃You　are　joking！〃　cried　Bernard。　　〃When　did　you　ever　hear　of　my　'taking　care'　of　any　one？　　It　's　as　much　as　I　can　do　to　take　care　of　myself。〃

〃This　is　very　easy；〃　said　Gordon。　　〃I　simply　want　to　feel　that　they　have　a　man　about　them。〃

〃They　will　have　a　man　at　any　ratethey　have　the　devoted　Lovelock。〃

〃That　's　just　why　I　want　them　to　have　another。　　He　has　only　an　eye　to　Miss　Evers；　who；　by　the　way；　is　extremely　bored　with　him。　You　look　after　the　others。　　You　have　made　yourself　very　agreeable　to　them；　and　they　like　you　extremely。〃

〃Ah；〃　said　Bernard；　laughing；　〃if　you　are　going　to　be　coarse　and　flattering；　I　collapse。　　If　you　are　going　to　titillate　my　vanity；　I　succumb。〃

〃It　won't　be　so　disagreeable；〃　Gordon　observed；　with　an　intention　vaguely　humorous。

〃Oh　no；　it　won't　be　disagreeable。　　I　will　go　to　Mrs。　Vivian　every　morning；　hat　in　hand；　for　my　orders。〃

Gordon　Wright；　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets　and　a　meditative　expression；　took　several　turns　about　the　room。

〃It　will　be　a　capital　chance；〃　he　said；　at　last；　stopping　in　front　of　his　companion。

〃A　chance　for　what？〃

〃A　chance　to　arrive　at　a　conclusion　about　my　young　friend。〃

Bernard　gave　a　gentle　groan。

〃Are　you　coming　back　to　that？　　Did　n't　I　arrive　at　a　conclusion　long　ago？　Did　n't　I　tell　you　she　was　a　delightful　girl？〃

〃Do　you　call　that　a　conclusion？　　The　first　comer　could　tell　me　that　at　the　end　of　an　hour。〃

〃Do　you　want　me　to　invent　something　different？〃　　Bernard　asked。　〃I　can't　invent　anything　better。〃

〃I　don't　want　you　to　invent　anything。　　I　only　want　you　to　observe　her　to　study　her　in　complete　independence。　　You　will　have　her　to　yourself　my　absence　will　leave　you　at　liberty。　　Hang　it；　sir；〃　Gordon　declared；　〃I　should　think　you　would　like　it！〃

〃Damn　it；　sir；　you　're　delicious！〃　　Bernard　answered；　and　he　broke　into　an　irrepressible　laugh。　　〃I　don't　suppose　it　's　for　my　pleasure　that　you　suggest　the　arrangement。〃

Gordon　took　a　turn　about　the　room　again。

〃No；　it　's　for　mine。　　At　least；　it　's　for　my　benefit。〃

〃For　your　benefit？〃

〃I　have　got　all　sorts　of　ideasI　told　you　the　other　day。　They　are　all　mixed　up　together　and　I　want　a　fresh　impression。〃

〃My　impressions　are　never　fresh；〃　Bernard　replied。

〃They　would　be　if　you　had　a　little　good…willif　you　entered　a　little　into　my　dilemma。〃　　The　note　of　reproach　was　so　distinct　in　these　words　that　Bernard　stood　staring。　　〃You　never　take　anything　seriously；〃　his　companion　went　on。

Bernard　tried　to　answer　as　seriously　as　possible。

〃Your　dilemma　seems　to　me　of　all　dilemmas　the　strangest。〃

〃That　may　be；　but　different　people　take　things　differently。　Don't　you　see；〃　Gordon　went　on　with　a　sudden　outbreak　of　passion〃don't　you　see　that　I　am　horribly　divided　in　mind？　I　care　immensely　for　Angela　Vivianand　yetand　yetI　am　afraid　of　her。〃

〃Afraid　of　her？〃

〃I　am　afraid　she　's　cleverer　than　Ithat　she　would　be　a　difficult　wife；　that　she　might　do　strange　things。〃

〃What　sort　of　things？〃

〃Well；　that　she　might　flirt；　for　instance。〃

〃That　's　not　a　thing　for　a　man　to　fear。〃

〃Not　when　he　supposes　his　wife　to　be　fond　of　himno。　　But　I　don't　suppose　thatI　have　given　that　up。　　If　I　should　induce　Angela　Vivian　to　accept　me　she　would　do　it　on　grounds　purely　reasonable。　She　would　think　it　best；　simply。　　That　would　give　her　a　chance　to　repent。〃

Bernard　sat　for　some　time　looking　at　his　friend。

〃You　say　she　is　cleverer　than　you。　　It　's　impossible　to　be　cleverer　than　you。〃

〃Oh；　come；　Longueville！〃　said　Gordon；　angrily。

〃I　am　speaking　very　seriously。　　You　have　done　a　remarkably　clever　thing。　You　have　impressed　me　with　the　reality；　and　withwhat　shall　I　term　it？　the　estimable　character　of　what　you　call　your　dilemma。　　Now　this　fresh　impression　of　minewhat　do　you　propose　to　do　with　it　when　you　get　it？〃

〃Such　things　are　always　useful。　　It　will　be　a　good　thing　to　have。〃

〃I　am　much　obliged　to　you；　but　do　you　propose　to　let　anything　depend　upon　it？　Do　you　propose　to　take　or　to　leave　Miss　Vivianthat　is；　to　return　to　the　charge　or　to　give　up　tryingin　consequence　of　my　fresh　impression？〃

Gordon　seemed　perfectly　unembarrassed　by　this　question；　in　spite　of　the　ironical　light　which　it　projected　upon　his　sentimental　perplexity。

〃I　propose　to　do　what　I　choose！〃　he　said。

〃That　's　a　relief　to　me；〃　Bernard　rejoined。　　〃This　idea　of　yours　is；　after　all；　only　the　play　of　the　scientific　mind。〃

〃I　shall　contradict　you　flat　if　I　choose；〃　Gordon　went　on。

〃Ah；　it　's　well　to　warn　me　of　that；〃　said　Bernard；　laughing。　〃Even　the　most　sincere　judgment　in　the　world　likes　to　be　notified　a　little　of　the　danger　of　being　contradicted。〃

〃Is　yours　the　most　sincere　judgment　in　the　world？〃　　Gordon　demanded。

〃That　's　a　very　pertinent　question。　　Does　n't　it　occur　to　you　that　you　may　have　reason　to　be　jealousleaving　me　alone；　with　an　open　field；　with　the　woman　of　your　choice？〃

〃I　wish　to　heaven　I　could　be　jealous！〃　　Gordon　exclaimed。　〃That　would　simplify　the　thingthat　would　give　me　a　lift。〃

And　the　next　day；　after　some　more　talk；　it　seemed　really　with　a　hope　of　this　contingencythough；　indeed；　he　laughed　about　it　that　he　started　for　England。






CHAPTER　XI

For　the　three　or　four　days　that　followed　Gordon　Wright's　departure；　Bernard　saw　nothing　of　the　ladies　who　had　been　committed　to　his　charge。　They　chose　to　remain　in　seclusion；　and　he　was　at　liberty　to　interpret　this　fact　as　an　expression　of　regret　at　the　loss　of　Gordon's　good　offices。　He　knew　other　people　at　Baden；　and　he　went　to　see　them　and　endeavored；　by　cultivating　their　society；　to　await　in　patience　the　re…appearance　of　Mrs。　Vivian　and　her　companions。　　But　on　the　fourth　day　he　became　conscious　that　other　people　were　much　less　interesting　than　the　trio　of　American　ladies　who　had　lodgings　above　the　confectioner's；　and　he　made　bold　to　go　and　knock　at　their　door。　　He　had　been　asked　to　take　care　of　them；　and　this　function　presupposed　contact。　　He　had　met　Captain　Lovelock　the　day　before；　wandering　about　with　a　rather　crest…fallen　aspect；　and　the　young　Englishman　had　questioned　him　eagerly　as　to　the　whereabouts　of　Mrs。　Vivian。

〃Gad；　I　believe　they　've　left　the　placeleft　the　place