confidence-第32章

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　feeling。　He　had　come　to　speak　to　her　in　order　to　tell　her　that　he　was　going　away；　and　yet；　at　the　end　of　five　minutes；　he　had　asked　leave　to　come　and　see　her。　　This　sudden　gyration　of　mind　was　grotesque；　and　Bernard　knew　it；　but；　nevertheless；　he　had　an　immense　expectation　that；　if　he　should　give　her　time；　she　would　manifest　some　curiosity　as　to　his　own　situation。　　He　tried　to　give　her　time；　he　held　his　tongue；　but　she　continued　to　say　nothing。　　They　passed　along　a　sort　of　winding　lane；　where　two　or　three　fishermen's　cottages；　with　old　brown　nets　suspended　on　the　walls　and　drying　in　the　sun；　stood　open　to　the　road；　on　the　other　side　of　which　was　a　patch　of　salt…looking　grass；　browsed　by　a　donkey　that　was　not　fastidious。

〃It　's　so　long　since　we　parted；　and　we　have　so　much　to　say　to　each　other！〃　Bernard　exclaimed　at　last；　and　he　accompanied　this　declaration　with　a　laugh　much　more　spontaneous　than　the　one　he　had　given　a　few　moments　before。

It　might　have　gratified　him；　however；　to　observe　that　his　companion　appeared　to　see　no　ground　for　joking　in　the　idea　that　they　should　have　a　good　deal　to　say　to　each　other。

〃Yes；　it　's　a　long　time　since　we　spent　those　pleasant　weeks　at　Baden；〃　she　rejoined。　　〃Have　you　been　there　again？〃

This　was　a　question；　and　though　it　was　a　very　simple　one；　Bernard　was　charmed　with　it。

〃I　would　n't　go　back　for　the　world！〃　he　said。　　〃And　you？〃

〃Would　I　go　back？　　Oh　yes；　I　thought　it　so　agreeable。〃

With　this　he　was　less　pleased；　he　had　expected　the　traces　of　resentment；　and　he　was　actually　disappointed　at　not　finding　them。　But　here　was　the　little　house　of　which　his　companion　had　spoken；　and　it　seemed；　indeed；　a　rather　bad　one。　　That　is；　it　was　one　of　those　diminutive　structures　which　are　known　at　French　watering…places　as　〃chalets；〃　and；　with　an　exiguity　of　furniture；　are　let　for　the　season　to　families　that　pride　themselves　upon　their　powers　of　contraction。　This　one　was　a　very　humble　specimen　of　its　class；　though　it　was　doubtless　a　not　inadequate　abode　for　two　quiet　and　frugal　women。　It　had　a　few　inches　of　garden；　and　there　were　flowers　in　pots　in　the　open　windows；　where　some　extremely　fresh　white　curtains　were　gently　fluttering　in　the　breath　of　the　neighboring　ocean。　The　little　door　stood　wide　open。

〃This　is　where　we　live；〃　said　Angela；　and　she　stopped　and　laid　her　hand　upon　the　little　garden…gate。

〃It　's　very　fair；〃　said　Bernard。　　〃I　think　it　's　better　than　the　pastry…cook's　at　Baden。〃

They　stood　there；　and　she　looked　over　the　gate　at　the　geraniums。　She　did　not　ask　him　to　come　in；　but；　on　the　other　hand；　keeping　the　gate　closed；　she　made　no　movement　to　leave　him。　The　Casino　was　now　quite　out　of　sight；　and　the　whole　place　was　perfectly　still。　　Suddenly；　turning　her　eyes　upon　Bernard　with　a　certain　strange　inconsequence

〃I　have　not　seen　you　here　before；〃　she　observed。

He　gave　a　little　laugh。

〃I　suppose　it　's　because　I　only　arrived　this　morning。　I　think　that　if　I　had　been　here　you　would　have　noticed　me。〃

〃You　arrived　this　morning？〃

〃Three　or　four　hours　ago。　　So；　if　the　remark　were　not　in　questionable　taste；　I　should　say　we　had　not　lost　time。〃

〃You　may　say　what　you　please；〃　said　Angela；　simply。　　〃Where　did　you　come　from？〃

Interrogation；　now　it　had　come；　was　most　satisfactory；　and　Bernard　was　glad　to　believe　that　there　was　an　element　of　the　unexpected　in　his　answer。

〃From　California。〃

〃You　came　straight　from　California　to　this　place？〃

〃I　arrived　at　Havre　only　yesterday。〃

〃And　why　did　you　come　here？〃

〃It　would　be　graceful　of　me　to　be　able　to　answer'Because　I　knew　you　were　here。'　　But　unfortunately　I　did　not　know　it。　It　was　a　mere　chance；　or　rather；　I　feel　like　saying　it　was　an　inspiration。〃

Angela　looked　at　the　geraniums　again。

〃It　was　very　singular；〃　she　said。　　〃We　might　have　been　in　so　many　places　besides　this　one。　　And　you　might　have　come　to　so　many　places　besides　this　one。〃

〃It　is　all　the　more　singular；　that　one　of　the　last　persons　I　saw　in　America　was　your　charming　friend　Blanche；　who　married　Gordon　Wright。　She　did　n't　tell　me　you　were　here。〃

〃She　had　no　reason　to　know　it；〃　said　the　girl。　　〃She　is　not　my　friend　as　you　are　her　husband's　friend。〃

〃Ah　no；　I　don't　suppose　that。　　But　she　might　have　heard　from　you。〃

〃She　does　n't　hear　from　us。　　My　mother　used　to　write　to　her　for　a　while　after　she　left　Europe；　but　she　has　given　it　up。〃　She　paused　a　moment；　and　then　she　added〃Blanche　is　too　silly！〃

Bernard　noted　this；　wondering　how　it　bore　upon　his　theory　of　a　spiteful　element　in　his　companion。　　Of　course　Blanche　was　silly；　but；　equally　of　course；　this　young　lady's　perception　of　it　was　quickened　by　Blanche's　having　married　a　rich　man　whom　she　herself　might　have　married。

〃Gordon　does　n't　think　so；〃　Bernard　said。

Angela　looked　at　him　a　moment。

〃I　am　very　glad　to　hear　it；〃　she　rejoined；　gently。

〃Yes；　it　is　very　fortunate。〃

〃Is　he　well？〃　the　girl　asked。　　〃Is　he　happy？〃

〃He　has　all　the　air　of　it。〃

〃I　am　very　glad　to　hear　it；〃　she　repeated。　　And　then　she　moved　the　latch　of　the　gate　and　passed　in。　　At　the　same　moment　her　mother　appeared　in　the　open　door…way。　Mrs。　Vivian　had　apparently　been　summoned　by　the　sound　of　her　daughter's　colloquy　with　an　unrecognized　voice；　and　when　she　saw　Bernard　she　gave　a　sharp　little　cry　of　surprise。　Then　she　stood　gazing　at　him。

Since　the　dispersion　of　the　little　party　at　Baden…Baden　he　had　not　devoted　much　meditation　to　this　conscientious　gentlewoman　who　had　been　so　tenderly　anxious　to　establish　her　daughter　properly　in　life；　but　there　had　been　in　his　mind　a　tacit　assumption　that　if　Angela　deemed　that　he　had　played　her　a　trick　Mrs。　Vivian's　view　of　his　conduct　was　not　more　charitable。　　He　felt　that　he　must　have　seemed　to　her　very　unkind；　and　that　in　so　far　as　a　well…regulated　conscience　permitted　the　exercise　of　unpractical　passions；　she　honored　him　with　a　superior　detestation。　The　instant　he　beheld　her　on　her　threshold　this　conviction　rose　to　the　surface　of　his　consciousness　and　made　him　feel　that　now；　at　least；　his　hour　had　come。

〃It　is　Mr。　Longueville；　whom　we　met　at　Baden；〃　said　Angela　to　her　mother；　gravely。

Mrs。　Vivian　began　to　smile；　and　stepped　down　quickly　toward　the　gate。

〃Ah；　Mr。　Longueville；〃　she　murmured；　〃it　's　so　longit　's　so　pleasant　it　's　so　strange〃

And　suddenly　she　stopped；　still　smiling。　　Her　smile　had　an　odd　intensity；　she　was　trembling　a　little；　and　Bernard；　who　was　prepared　for　hissing　scorn；　perceived　with　a　deep；　an　almost　violent；　surprise；　a　touching　agitation；　an　eager　friendliness。

〃Yes；　it　's　very　long；〃　he　said；　〃it　's　very　pleasant。　I　have　only　just　arrived；　I　met　Miss　Vivian。〃

〃And　you　are　not　coming　in？〃　asked　Angela's　mother；　very　graciously。

〃Your　daughter　has　not　asked　me！〃　said　Bernard。

〃Ah；　my　dearest；〃　murmured　Mrs。　Vivian；　looking　at　the　girl。

Her　daughter　returned　her　glance；　and　then　the　elder　lady　paused　again；　and　simply　began　to　smile　at　Bernard；　who　recognized　in　her　glance　that　queer　little　intimationshy　and　cautious；　yet　perfectly　discernible　of　a　desire　to　have　a　private　understanding　with　what　he　felt　that　she　mentally　termed　his　better　nature；　which　he　had　more　than　once　perceived　at　Baden…Baden。

〃Ah　no；　she　has　not　asked　me；〃　Bernard　repeated；　laughing　gently。

Then　Angela　turned　her　eyes　upon　him；　and　the　expression　of　those　fine　organs　was　strikingly　agreeable。　　It　had；　moreover；　the　merit　of　being　easily　interpreted；　it　said　very　plainly；　〃Please　don't　insist；　but　leave　me　alone。〃　　And　it　said　it　not　at　all　sharplyvery　gently　and　pleadingly。　Bernard　found　himself　understanding　it　so　well　that　he　literally　blushed　with　intelligence。

〃Don't　you　come　to　the　Casino　in　the　evening；　as　you　used　to　come　to　the　Kursaal？〃　he　asked。

Mrs。　Vivian　looked　again　at　her　daughter；　who　had　passed　into　the　door…way　of　the　cottage；　then　she　said

〃We　will　go　this　evening。〃

〃I　shall　look　for　you　eagerly；〃　Bernard　rejoined。　　〃Auf　wiedersehen；　as　we　used　to　say　at　Baden！〃

Mrs。　Vivian　waved　him　a　response　over　the　gate；　her　daughter　gave　him　a　glance　from　the　threshold；　and　he　took　his　way　back　to　his　inn。

He　awaited　the　evening　with　great　impatience；　he　fancied　he　had　made　a　discovery；　and　he　wished　to　confirm