confidence-第16章

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erly　as　to　the　whereabouts　of　Mrs。　Vivian。

〃Gad；　I　believe　they　've　left　the　placeleft　the　place　without　giving　a　fellow　warning！〃　cried　Lovelock。

〃Oh　no；　I　think　they　are　here　still；〃　said　Bernard。　　〃My　friend　Wright

has　gone　away　for　a　week　or　two；　but　I　suspect　the　ladies　are　simply　staying　at　home。〃

〃Gad；　I　was　afraid　your　friend　Wright　had　taken　them　away　with　him；　he　seems　to　keep　them　all　in　his　pocket。　　I　was　afraid　he　had　given　them　marching　orders；　they　'd　have　been　sure　to　gothey　're　so　awfully　fond　of　his　pocket！　　I　went　to　look　them　up　yesterdayupon　my　word　I　did。　They　live　at　a　baker's　in　a　little　back…street；　people　do　live　in　rum　places　when　they　come　abroad！　　But　I　assure　you；　when　I　got　there；　I　'm　damned　if　I　could　make　out　whether　they　were　there　or　not。　　I　don't　speak　a　word　of　German；　and　there　was　no　one　there　but　the　baker's　wife。　She　was　a　low　brute　of　a　womanshe　could　n't　understand　a　word　I　said；　though　she　gave　me　plenty　of　her　own　tongue。　　I　had　to　give　it　up。　They　were　not　at　home；　but　whether　they　had　left　Baden　or　notthat　was　beyond　my　finding　out。　　If　they　are　here；　why　the　deuce　don't　they　show？　Fancy　coming　to　Baden…Baden　to　sit　moping　at　a　pastry…cook's！〃

Captain　Lovelock　was　evidently　irritated；　and　it　was　Bernard's　impression　that　the　turn　of　luck　over　yonder　where　the　gold…pieces　were　chinking　had　something　to　do　with　the　state　of　his　temper。　But　more　fortunate　himself；　he　ascertained　from　the　baker's　wife　that　though　Mrs。　Vivian　and　her　daughter　had　gone　out；　their　companion；　〃the　youngest　ladythe　little　young　lady〃　was　above　in　the　sitting…room。

Blanche　Evers　was　sitting　at　the　window　with　a　book；　but　she　relinquished　the　volume　with　an　alacrity　that　showed　it　had　not　been　absorbing；　and　began　to　chatter　with　her　customary　frankness。

〃Well；　I　must　say　I　am　glad　to　see　some　one！〃　cried　the　young　girl；　passing　before　the　mirror　and　giving　a　touch　to　her　charming　tresses。

〃Even　if　it　's　only　me；〃　Bernard　exclaimed；　laughing。

〃I　did　n't　mean　that。　　I　am　sure　I　am　very　glad　to　see　you　I　should　think　you　would　have　found　out　that　by　this　time。　I　mean　I　'm　glad　to　see　any　oneespecially　a　man。　I　suppose　it　's　improper　for　me　to　say　thatespecially　to　you！　Thereyou　see　I　do　think　more　of　you　than　of　some　gentlemen。　Why　especially　to　you？　　Well；　because　you　always　seem　to　me　to　want　to　take　advantage。　　I　did　n't　say　a　base　advantage；　I　did　n't　accuse　you　of　anything　dreadful。　　I　'm　sure　I　want　to　take　advantage；　tooI　take　it　whenever　I　can。　You　see　I　take　advantage　of　your　being　hereI　've　got　so　many　things　to　say。　　I　have　n't　spoken　a　word　in　three　days；　and　I　'm　sure　it　is　a　pleasant　changea　gentleman's　visit。　All　of　a　sudden　we　have　gone　into　mourning；　I　'm　sure　I　don't　know　who　's　dead。　　Is　it　Mr。　Gordon　Wright？　It　's　some　idea　of　Mrs。　Vivian'sI　'm　sure　it　is　n't　mine。　She　thinks　we　have　been　often　enough　to　the　Kursaal。　　I　don't　know　whether　she　thinks　it　's　wicked；　or　what。　　If　it　's　wicked　the　harm　's　already　done；　I　can't　be　any　worse　than　I　am　now。　I　have　seen　all　the　improper　people　and　I　have　learnt　all　their　names；　Captain　Lovelock　has　told　me　their　names；　plenty　of　times。　I　don't　see　what　good　it　does　me　to　be　shut　up　here　with　all　those　names　running　in　my　ears。　　I　must　say　I　do　prefer　society。　We　have　n't　been　to　the　Kursaal　for　four　dayswe　have　only　gone　out　for　a　drive。　　We　have　taken　the　most　interminable　drives。　I　do　believe　we　have　seen　every　old　ruin　in　the　whole　country。　Mrs。　Vivian　and　Angela　are　so　awfully　fond　of　scenerythey　talk　about　it　by　the　half…hour。　They　talk　about　the　mountains　and　trees　as　if　they　were　people　they　knewas　if　they　were　gentlemen！　I　mean　as　if　the　mountains　and　trees　were　gentlemen。　Of　course　scenery　's　lovely；　but　you　can't　walk　about　with　a　tree。　At　any　rate；　that　has　been　all　our　societyfoliage！　Foliage　and　women；　but　I　suppose　women　are　a　sort　of　foliage。　They　are　always　rustling　about　and　dropping　off。　　That　's　why　I　could　n't　make　up　my　mind　to　go　out　with　them　this　afternoon。　They　've　gone　to　see　the　Waterworthsthe　Waterworths　arrived　yesterday　and　are　staying　at　some　hotel。　　Five　daughters　all　unmarried！　　I　don't　know　what　kind　of　foliage　they　are；　some　peculiar　kindthey　don't　drop　off。　　I　thought　I　had　had　about　enough　ladies'　societythree　women　all　sticking　together！　I　don't　think　it　's　good　for　a　young　girl　to　have　nothing　but　ladies'　societyit　's　so　awfully　limited。　　I　suppose　I　ought　to　stand　up　for　my　own　sex　and　tell　you　that　when　we　are　alone　together　we　want　for　nothing。　　But　we　want　for　everything；　as　it　happens！　　Women's　talk　is　limitedevery　one　knows　that。　That　's　just　what　mamma　did　n't　want　when　she　asked　Mrs。　Vivian　to　take　charge　of　me。　　Now；　Mr。　Longueville；　what　are　you　laughing　at？　you　are　always　laughing　at　me。　　She　wanted　me　to　be　unlimited　is　that　what　you　say？　　Well；　she　did　n't　want　me　to　be　narrowed　down；　she　wanted　me　to　have　plenty　of　conversation。　She　wanted　me　to　be　fitted　for　societythat　's　what　mamma　wanted。　She　wanted　me　to　have　ease　of　manner；　she　thinks　that　if　you　don't　acquire　it　when　you　are　young　you　never　have　it　at　all。　She　was　so　happy　to　think　I　should　come　to　Baden；　but　she　would　n't　approve　of　the　life　I　've　been　leading　the　last　four　days。　That　's　no　way　to　acquire　ease　of　mannersitting　all　day　in　a　small　parlor　with　two　persons　of　one's　own　sex！　Of　course　Mrs。　Vivian's　influencethat　's　the　great　thing。　Mamma　said　it　was　like　the　odor　of　a　flower。　　But　you　don't　want　to　keep　smelling　a　flower　all　day；　even　the　sweetest；　that　's　the　shortest　way　to　get　a　headache。　　Apropos　of　flowers；　do　you　happen　to　have　heard　whether　Captain　Lovelock　is　alive　or　dead？　　Do　I　call　him　a　flower？　　No；　I　call　him　a　flower…pot。　He　always　has　some　fine　young　plant　in　his　button…hole。　He　has　n't　been　near　me　these　ten　yearsI　never　heard　of　anything　so　rude！〃

Captain　Lovelock　came　on　the　morrow；　Bernard　finding　him　in　Mrs。　Vivian's　little　sitting…room　on　paying　a　second　visit。　On　this　occasion　the　two　other　ladies　were　at　home　and　Bernard　was　not　exclusively　indebted　to　Miss　Evers　for　entertainment。　It　was　to　this　source　of　hospitality；　however；　that　Lovelock　mainly　appealed；　following　the　young　girl　out　upon　the　little　balcony　that　was　suspended　above　the　confectioner's　window。　Mrs。　Vivian　sat　writing　at　one　of　the　windows　of　the　sitting…room；　and　Bernard　addressed　his　conversation　to　Angela。

〃Wright　requested　me　to　keep　an　eye　on　you；〃　he　said；　〃but　you　seem　very　much　inclined　to　keep　out　of　my　jurisdiction。〃

〃I　supposed　you　had　gone　away；〃　she　answered〃now　that　your　friend　is　gone。〃

〃By　no　means。　　Gordon　is　a　charming　fellow；　but　he　is　by　no　means　the　only　attraction　of　Baden。　　Besides；　I　have　promised　him　to　look　after　you　to　take　care　of　you。〃

The　girl　looked　at　him　a　moment　in　silencea　little　askance。

〃I　thought　you　had　probably　undertaken　something　of　that　sort；〃　she　presently　said。

〃It　was　of　course　a　very　natural　request　for　Gordon　to　make。〃

Angela　got　up　and　turned　away；　she　wandered　about　the　room　and　went　and　stood　at　one　of　the　windows。　　Bernard　found　the　movement　abrupt　and　not　particularly　gracious；　but　the　young　man　was　not　easy　to　snub。　He　followed　her；　and　they　stood　at　the　second　windowthe　long　window　that　opened　upon　the　balcony。　　Miss　Evers　and　Captain　Lovelock　were　leaning　on　the　railing；　looking　into　the　street　and　apparently　amusing　themselves　highly　with　what　they　saw。

〃I　am　not　sure　it　was　a　natural　request　for　him　to　make；〃　said　Angela。

〃What　could　have　been　more　sodevoted　as　he　is　to　you？〃

She　hesitated　a　moment；　then　with　a　little　laugh

〃He　ought　to　have　locked　us　up　and　said　nothing　about　it。〃

〃It　's　not　so　easy　to　lock　you　up；〃　said　Bernard。　　〃I　know　Wright　has　great　influence　with　you；　but　you　are　after　all　independent　beings。〃

〃I　am　not　an　independent　being。　　If　my　mother　and　Mr。　Wright　were　to　agree　together　to　put　me　out　of　harm's　way　they　could　easily　manage　it。〃

〃You　seem　to　have　been　trying　something　of　that　sort；〃　said　Bernard。　〃You　have　been　so　terribly　invisible。〃

〃It　was　because　I　thought　you　had　designs　upon　us；　that　you　were　watching　for　usto　take　care　of　us。〃

〃You　contradict　yourself！　　You　said　just　now　that