confidence-第28章

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nts　to　have　a　name　at　all。　When　I　was　telling　some　one　about　the　young　men　who　work　under　his　ordersthe　young　savantshe　said　I　must　not　say　that　I　must　not　speak　of　their　working　'under　his　orders。'　I　don't　know　what　he　would　like　me　to　say！　　Under　his　inspiration！〃

During　the　hours　of　Gordon's　absence；　Bernard　had　frequent　colloquies　with　his　friend's　wife；　whose　irresponsible　prattle　amused　him；　and　in　whom　he　tried　to　discover　some　faculty；　some　quality；　which　might　be　a　positive　guarantee　of　Gordon's　future　felicity。　But　often；　of　course；　Gordon　was　an　auditor　as　well；　I　say　an　auditor；　because　it　seemed　to　Bernard　that　he　had　grown　to　be　less　of　a　talker　than　of　yore。　　Doubtless；　when　a　man　finds　himself　united　to　a　garrulous　wife；　he　naturally　learns　to　hold　his　tongue；　but　sometimes；　at　the　close　of　one　of　Blanche's　discursive　monologues；　on　glancing　at　her　husband　just　to　see　how　he　took　it；　and　seeing　him　sit　perfectly　silent；　with　a　fixed；　inexpressive　smile；　Bernard　said　to　himself　that　Gordon　found　the　lesson　of　listening　attended　with　some　embarrassments。　Gordon；　as　the　years　went　by；　was　growing　a　little　inscrutable；　but　this；　too；　in　certain　circumstances；　was　a　usual　tendency。　The　operations　of　the　mind；　with　deepening　experience；　became　more　complex；　and　people　were　less　apt　to　emit　immature　reflections　at　forty　than　they　had　been　in　their　earlier　days。　Bernard　felt　a　great　kindness　in　these　days　for　his　old　friend；　he　never　yet　had　seemed　to　him　such　a　good　fellow；　nor　appealed　so　strongly　to　the　benevolence　of　his　disposition。　　Sometimes；　of　old；　Gordon　used　to　irritate　him；　but　this　danger　appeared　completely　to　have　passed　away。　　Bernard　prolonged　his　visit；　it　gave　him　pleasure　to　be　able　to　testify　in　this　manner　to　his　good　will。　Gordon　was　the　kindest　of　hosts；　and　if　in　conversation；　when　his　wife　was　present；　he　gave　precedence　to　her　superior　powers；　he　had　at　other　times　a　good　deal　of　pleasant　bachelor…talk　with　his　guest。　He　seemed　very　happy；　he　had　plenty　of　occupation　and　plenty　of　practical　intentions。　　The　season　went　on；　and　Bernard　enjoyed　his　life。　　He　enjoyed　the　keen　and　brilliant　American　winter；　and　he　found　it　very　pleasant　to　be　treated　as　a　distinguished　stranger　in　his　own　landa　situation　to　which　his　long　and　repeated　absences　had　relegated　him。　　The　hospitality　of　New　York　was　profuse；　the　charm　of　its　daughters　extreme；　the　radiance　of　its　skies　superb。　Bernard　was　the　restless　and　professionless　mortal　that　we　know；　wandering　in　life　from　one　vague　experiment　to　another；　constantly　gratified　and　never　satisfied；　to　whom　no　imperious　finality　had　as　yet　presented　itself；　and；　nevertheless；　for　a　time　he　contrived　to　limit　his　horizon　to　the　passing　hour；　and　to　make　a　good　many　hours　pass　in　the　drawing…room　of　a　demonstrative　flirt。

For　Mrs。　Gordon　was　a　flirt；　that　had　become　tolerably　obvious。　Bernard　had　known　of　old　that　Blanche　Evers　was　one；　and　two　or　three　months'　observation　of　his　friend's　wife　assured　him　that　she　did　not　judge　a　certain　ethereal　coquetry　to　be　inconsistent　with　the　conjugal　character。　Blanche　flirted；　in　fact；　more　or　less　with　all　men；　but　her　opportunity　for　playing　her　harmless　batteries　upon　Bernard　were　of　course　exceptionally　large。　　The　poor　fellow　was　perpetually　under　fire；　and　it　was　inevitable　that　he　should　reply　with　some　precision　of　aim。　It　seemed　to　him　all　child's　play；　and　it　is　certain　that　when　his　back　was　turned　to　his　pretty　hostess　he　never　found　himself　thinking　of　her。　He　had　not　the　least　reason　to　suppose　that　she　thought　of　him　excessive　concentration　of　mind　was　the　last　vice　of　which　he　accused　her。　But　before　the　winter　was　over；　he　discovered　that　Mrs。　Gordon　Wright　was　being　talked　about；　and　that　his　own　name　was；　as　the　newspapers　say；　mentioned　in　connection　with　that　of　his　friend's　wife。　　The　discovery　greatly　disgusted　him；　Bernard　Longueville's　chronicler　must　do　him　the　justice　to　say　that　it　failed　to　yield　him　an　even　transient　thrill　of　pleasure。　He　thought　it　very　improbable　that　this　vulgar　rumor　had　reached　Gordon's　ears；　but　he　neverthelessvery　naturallyinstantly　made　up　his　mind　to　leave　the　house。　　He　lost　no　time　in　saying　to　Gordon　that　he　had　suddenly　determined　to　go　to　California；　and　that　he　was　sure　he　must　be　glad　to　get　rid　of　him。　　Gordon　expressed　no　surprise　and　no　regret。　He　simply　laid　his　hand　on　his　shoulder　and　said；　very　quietly；　looking　at　him　in　the　eyes

〃Very　well；　the　pleasantest　things　must　come　to　an　end。〃

It　was　not　till　an　hour　afterwards　that　Bernard　said　to　himself　that　his　friend's　manner　of　receiving　the　announcement　of　his　departure　had　been　rather　odd。　　He　had　neither　said　a　word　about　his　staying　longer　nor　urged　him　to　come　back　again；　and　there　had　been　（it　now　seemed　to　Bernard）　an　audible　undertone　of　relief　in　the　single　sentence　with　which　he　assented　to　his　visitor's　withdrawal。　　Could　it　be　possible　that　poor　Gordon　was　jealous　of　him；　that　he　had　heard　this　loathsome　gossip；　or　that　his　own　observation　had　given　him　an　alarm？　He　had　certainly　never　betrayed　the　smallest　sense　of　injury；　but　it　was　to　be　remembered　that　even　if　he　were　uneasy；　Gordon　was　quite　capable；　with　his　characteristic　habit　of　weighing　everything；　his　own　honor　included；　in　scrupulously　adjusted　scales；　of　denying　himself　the　luxury　of　active　suspicion。　He　would　never　have　let　a　half　suspicion　make　a　difference　in　his　conduct；　and　he　would　not　have　dissimulated；　he　would　simply　have　resisted　belief。　　His　hospitality　had　been　without　a　flaw；　and　if　he　had　really　been　wishing　Bernard　out　of　his　house；　he　had　behaved　with　admirable　self…control。　Bernard；　however；　followed　this　train　of　thought　a　very　short　distance。　　It　was　odious　to　him　to　believe　that　he　could　have　appeared　to　Gordon；　however　guiltlessly；　to　have　invaded　even　in　imagination　the　mystic　line　of　the　marital　monopoly；　not　to　say　that；　moreover；　if　one　came　to　that；　he　really　cared　about　as　much　for　poor　little　Blanche　as　for　the　weather…cock　on　the　nearest　steeple。　He　simply　hurried　his　preparations　for　departure；　and　he　told　Blanche　that　he　should　have　to　bid　her　farewell　on　the　following　day。　He　had　found　her　in　the　drawing…room；　waiting　for　dinner。　She　was　expecting　company　to　dine；　and　Gordon　had　not　yet　come　down。

She　was　sitting　in　the　vague　glow　of　the　fire…light；　in　a　wonderful　blue　dress；　with　two　little　blue　feet　crossed　on　the　rug　and　pointed　at　the　hearth。　　She　received　Bernard's　announcement　with　small　satisfaction；　and　expended　a　great　deal　of　familiar　ridicule　on　his　project　of　a　journey　to　California。　　Then；　suddenly　getting　up　and　looking　at　him　a　moment

〃I　know　why　you　are　going；〃　she　said。

〃I　am　glad　to　hear　my　explanations　have　not　been　lost。〃

〃Your　explanations　are　all　nonsense。　　You　are　going　for　another　reason。　〃

〃Well；〃　said　Bernard；　〃if　you　insist　upon　it；　it　's　because　you　are　too　sharp　with　me。〃

〃It　's　because　of　me。　　So　much　as　that　is　true。〃　　Bernard　wondered　what　she　was　going　to　sayif　she　were　going　to　be　silly　enough　to　allude　to　the　most　impudent　of　fictions；　then；　as　she　stood　opening　and　closing　her　blue　fan　and　smiling　at　him　in　the　fire…light；　he　felt　that　she　was　silly　enough　for　anything。　　〃It　's　because　of　all　the　talkit　's　because　of　Gordon。　You　need　n't　be　afraid　of　Gordon。〃

〃Afraid　of　him？　　I　don't　know　what　you　mean；〃　said　Bernard；　gravely。

Blanche　gave　a　little　laugh。

〃You　have　discovered　that　people　are　talking　about　usabout　you　and　me。　I　must　say　I　wonder　you　care。　　I　don't　care；　and　if　it　's　because　of　Gordon；　you　might　as　well　know　that　he　does　n't　care。　　If　he　does　n't　care；　I　don't　see　why　I　should；　and　if　I　don't；　I　don't　see　why　you　should！〃

〃You　pay　too　much　attention　to　such　insipid　drivel　in　even　mentioning　it。〃

〃Well；　if　I　have　the　credit　of　saying　what　I　should　n'tto　you　or　to　any　one　elseI　don't　see　why　I　should　n't　have　the　advantage　too。　Gordon　does　n't　carehe　does　n't　care　what　I　do　or　say。　　He　does　n't　care　a　pin　for　me！〃

She　spoke　in　her　usual　rattling；　rambling　voice；　and　brought　out　this　declaration　with　a　curious　absence　of　resentment。

〃You　talk　about　advantage；〃　said　Bernard。　　〃I　don't　see　what　advantage　it　is　to