confidence-第20章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


o　enjoyment　so　that　he　might　have　the　pleasure　of　seeing　a　pretty　girl　attempt　to　remove　them。　　But　it　must　be　admitted　that　if　Bernard　really　thought　at　present　that　he　had　better　leave　Baden；　the　observation　I　have　just　quoted　was　not　so　much　a　sign　of　this　conviction　as　of　the　hope　that　his　companion　would　proceed　to　gainsay　it。　The　hope　was　not　disappointed；　though　I　must　add　that　no　sooner　had　it　been　gratified　than　Bernard　began　to　feel　ashamed　of　it。

〃This　certainly　is　not　one　of　those　cases；〃　said　Angela。　〃The　thing　is　surely　very　simple　now。〃

〃What　makes　it　so　simple？〃

She　hesitated　a　moment。

〃The　fact　that　I　ask　you　to　stay。〃

〃You　ask　me？〃　he　repeated；　softly。

〃Ah；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃one　does　n't　say　those　things　twice！〃

She　turned　away；　and　they　went　back　to　her　mother；　who　gave　Bernard　a　wonderful　little　look　of　half　urgent；　half　remonstrant　inquiry。　As　they　left　the　garden　he　walked　beside　Mrs。　Vivian；　Angela　going　in　front　of　them　at　a　distance。　　The　elder　lady　began　immediately　to　talk　to　him　of　Gordon　Wright。

〃He　's　not　coming　back　for　another　week；　you　know；〃　she　said。　〃I　am　sorry　he　stays　away　so　long。〃

〃Ah　yes；〃　Bernard　answered；　〃it　seems　very　long　indeed。〃

And　it　had；　in　fact；　seemed　to　him　very　long。

〃I　suppose　he　is　always　likely　to　have　business；〃　said　Mrs。　Vivian。

〃You　may　be　very　sure　it　is　not　for　his　pleasure　that　he　stays　away。〃

〃I　know　he　is　faithful　to　old　friends；〃　said　Mrs。　Vivian。　〃I　am　sure　he　has　not　forgotten　us。〃

〃I　certainly　count　upon　that；〃　Bernard　exclaimed〃remembering　him　as　we　do！〃

Mrs。　Vivian　glanced　at　him　gratefully。

〃Oh　yes；　we　remember　himwe　remember　him　daily；　hourly。　At　least；　I　can　speak　for　my　daughter　and　myself。　　He　has　been　so　very　kind　to　us。〃　　Bernard　said　nothing；　and　she　went　on。　〃And　you　have　been　so　very　kind　to　us；　too；　Mr。　Longueville。　I　want　so　much　to　thank　you。〃

〃Oh　no；　don't！〃　said　Bernard；　frowning。　　〃I　would　rather　you　should　n't。〃

〃Of　course；〃　Mrs。　Vivian　added；　〃I　know　it　's　all　on　his　account；　but　that　makes　me　wish　to　thank　you　all　the　more。　　Let　me　express　my　gratitude；　in　advance；　for　the　rest　of　the　time；　till　he　comes　back。　That　's　more　responsibility　than　you　bargained　for；〃　she　said；　with　a　little　nervous　laugh。

〃Yes；　it　's　more　than　I　bargained　for。　　I　am　thinking　of　going　away。〃

Mrs。　Vivian　almost　gave　a　little　jump；　and　then　she　paused　on　the　Baden　cobble…stones；　looking　up　at　him。

〃If　you　must　go；　Mr。　Longuevilledon't　sacrifice　yourself！〃

The　exclamation　fell　upon　Bernard's　ear　with　a　certain　softly　mocking　cadence　which　was　sufficient；　however；　to　make　this　organ　tingle。

〃Oh；　after　all；　you　know；〃　he　said；　as　they　walked　on〃after　all；　you　know；　I　am　not　like　WrightI　have　no　business。〃

He　walked　with　the　ladies　to　the　door　of　their　lodging。　Angela　kept　always　in　front。　　She　stood　there；　however；　at　the　little　confectioner's　window　until　the　others　came　up。　She　let　her　mother　pass　in；　and　then　she　said　to　Bernard；　looking　at　him

〃Shall　I　see　you　again？〃

〃Some　time；　I　hope。〃

〃I　meanare　you　going　away？〃

Bernard　looked　for　a　moment　at　a　little　pink　sugar　cherub　a　species　of　Cupid；　with　a　gilded　bowwhich　figured　among　the　pastry…cook's　enticements。　　Then　he　said

〃I　will　come　and　tell　you　this　evening。〃

And　in　the　evening　he　went　to　tell　her；　she　had　mentioned　during　the　walk　in　the　garden　of　the　Schloss　that　they　should　not　go　out。　As　he　approached　Mrs。　Vivian's　door　he　saw　a　figure　in　a　light　dress　standing　in　the　little　balcony。　　He　stopped　and　looked　up；　and　then　the　person　in　the　light　dress；　leaning　her　hands　on　the　railing；　with　her　shoulders　a　little　raised；　bent　over　and　looked　down　at　him。　It　was　very　dark；　but　even　through　the　thick　dusk　he　thought　he　perceived　the　finest　brilliancy　of　Angela　Vivian's　smile。

〃I　shall　not　go　away；〃　he　said；　lifting　his　voice　a　little。

She　made　no　answer；　she　only　stood　looking　down　at　him　through　the　warm　dusk　and　smiling。　　He　went　into　the　house；　and　he　remained　at　Baden…Baden　till　Gordon　came　back。






CHAPTER　XIV

Gordon　asked　him　no　questions　for　twenty…four　hours　after　his　return；　then　suddenly　he　began：

〃Well；　have　n't　you　something　to　say　to　me？〃

It　was　at　the　hotel；　in　Gordon's　apartment；　late　in　the　afternoon。　A　heavy　thunder…storm　had　broken　over　the　place　an　hour　before；　and　Bernard　had　been　standing　at　one　of　his　friend's　windows；　rather　idly；　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　watching　the　rain…torrents　dance　upon　the　empty　pavements。　　At　last　the　deluge　abated；　the　clouds　began　to　breakthere　was　a　promise　of　a　fine　evening。　Gordon　Wright；　while　the　storm　was　at　its　climax；　sat　down　to　write　letters；　and　wrote　half　a　dozen。　　It　was　after　he　had　sealed；　directed　and　affixed　a　postage…stamp　to　the　last　of　the　series　that　he　addressed　to　his　companion　the　question　I　have　just　quoted。

〃Do　you　mean　about　Miss　Vivian？〃　　Bernard　asked；　without　turning　round　from　the　window。

〃About　Miss　Vivian；　of　course。〃　　Bernard　said　nothing　and　his　companion　went　on。　　〃Have　you　nothing　to　tell　me　about　Miss　Vivian？〃

Bernard　presently　turned　round　looking　at　Gordon　and　smiling　a　little。

〃She　's　a　delightful　creature！〃

〃That　won't　doyou　have　tried　that　before；〃　said　Gordon。　〃No；〃　he　added　in　a　moment；　〃that　won't　do。〃　　Bernard　turned　back　to　the　window；　and　Gordon　continued；　as　he　remained　silent。　〃I　shall　have　a　right　to　consider　your　saying　nothing　a　proof　of　an　unfavorable　judgment。　　You　don't　like　her！〃

Bernard　faced　quickly　about　again；　and　for　an　instant　the　two　men　looked　at　each　other。

〃Ah；　my　dear　Gordon；〃　Longueville　murmured。

〃Do　you　like　her　then？〃　asked　Wright；　getting　up。

〃No！〃　said　Longueville。

〃That　's　just　what　I　wanted　to　know；　and　I　am　much　obliged　to　you　for　telling　me。〃

〃I　am　not　obliged　to　you　for　asking　me。　　I　was　in　hopes　you　would　n't。〃

〃You　dislike　her　very　much　then？〃　　Gordon　exclaimed；　gravely。

〃Won't　disliking　her；　simply；　do？〃　said　Bernard。

〃It　will　do　very　well。　　But　it　will　do　a　little　better　if　you　will　tell　me　why。　　Give　me　a　reason　or　two。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Bernard；　〃I　tried　to　make　love　to　her　and　she　boxed　my　ears。〃

〃The　devil！〃　cried　Gordon。

〃I　mean　morally；　you　know。〃

Gordon　stared；　he　seemed　a　little　puzzled。

〃You　tried　to　make　love　to　her　morally？〃

〃She　boxed　my　ears　morally；〃　said　Bernard；　laughing　out。

〃Why　did　you　try　to　make　love　to　her？〃

This　inquiry　was　made　in　a　tone　so　expressive　of　an　unbiassed　truth…seeking　habit　that　Bernard's　mirth　was　not　immediately　quenched。　Nevertheless；　he　replied　with　sufficient　gravity

〃To　test　her　fidelity　to　you。　　Could　you　have　expected　anything　else？　You　told　me　you　were　afraid　she　was　a　latent　coquette。　　You　gave　me　a　chance；　and　I　tried　to　ascertain。〃

〃And　you　found　she　was　not。　　Is　that　what　you　mean？〃

〃She　's　as　firm　as　a　rock。　　My　dear　Gordon；　Miss　Vivian　is　as　firm　as　the　firmest　of　your　geological　formations。〃

Gordon　shook　his　head　with　a　strange　positive　persistence。

〃You　are　talking　nonsense。　　You　are　not　serious。　　You　are　not　telling　me　the　truth。　　I　don't　believe　that　you　attempted　to　make　love　to　her。　You　would　n't　have　played　such　a　game　as　that。　　It　would　n't　have　been　honorable。〃

Bernard　flushed　a　little；　he　was　irritated。

〃Oh　come；　don't　make　too　much　of　a　point　of　that！　　Did　n't　you　tell　me　before　that　it　was　a　great　opportunity？〃

〃An　opportunity　to　be　wisenot　to　be　foolish！〃

〃Ah；　there　is　only　one　sort　of　opportunity；〃　cried　Bernard。　〃You　exaggerate　the　reach　of　human　wisdom。〃

〃Suppose　she　had　let　you　make　love　to　her；〃　said　Gordon。　〃That　would　have　been　a　beautiful　result　of　your　experiment。〃

〃I　should　have　seemed　to　you　a　rascal；　perhaps；　but　I　should　have　saved　you　from　a　latent　coquette。　　You　would　owe　some　thanks　for　that。〃

〃And　now　you　have　n't　saved　me；〃　said　Gordon；　with　a　simple　air　of　noting　a　fact。

〃You　assumein　spite　of　what　I　saythat　she　is　a　coquette！〃

〃I　assume　something　because　you　evidently　conceal　something。　I　want　the　whole　truth。〃

Bernard　turned　back　to　the　window　with　increasing　irritation。

〃If　he　wants　the　whole　truth　he　shall　have　it；〃　he　said　to　himself。

He　stood　a　moment　in　thought　and　t