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第37章

confidence-第37章

小说: confidence 字数: 每页4000字

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〃I thought I disliked youbut I have come to the conclusion it was just the contrary。  In reality I was in love with you。 I had been so from the first time I saw youwhen I made that sketch of you at Siena。〃

〃That in itself needs an explanation。  I was not at all nice then I was very rude; very perverse。  I was horrid!〃

〃Ah; you admit it!〃 cried Bernard; with a sort of quick elation。

She had been pale; but she suddenly blushed。

〃Your own conduct was singular; as I remember it。  It was not exactly agreeable。〃

〃Perhaps not; but at least it was meant to be。  I did n't know how to please you then; and I am far from supposing that I have learned now。 But I entreat you to give me a chance。〃

She was silent a while; her eyes wandered over the great prospect of Paris。

〃Do you know how you can please me now?〃 she said; at last。 〃By leaving me alone。〃

Bernard looked at her a moment; then came straight back into the drawing…room and took his hat。

〃You see I avail myself of the first chance。  But I shall come back to…morrow。〃

〃I am greatly obliged to you for what you have said。 Such a speech as that deserves to be listened to with consideration。 You may come back to…morrow;〃 Angela added。

On the morrow; when he came back; she received him alone。

〃How did you know; at Baden; that I did n't like you?〃 he asked; as soon as she would allow him。

She smiled; very gently。

〃You assured me yesterday that you did like me。〃

〃I mean that I supposed I did n't。 How did you know that?〃

〃I can only say that I observed。〃

〃You must have observed very closely; for; superficially; I rather had the air of admiring you;〃 said Bernard。

〃It was very superficial。〃

〃You don't mean that; for; after all; that is just what my admiration; my interest in you; were not。  They were deep; they were latent。 They were not superficialthey were subterranean。〃

〃You are contradicting yourself; and I am perfectly consistent;〃 said Angela。  〃Your sentiments were so well hidden that I supposed I displeased you。〃

〃I remember that at Baden; you used to contradict yourself;〃 Bernard answered。

〃You have a terrible memory!〃

〃Don't call it terrible; for it sees everything now in a charming light in the light of this understanding that we have at last arrived at; which seems to shine backwardto shine full on those Baden days。〃

〃Have we at last arrived at an understanding?〃 she asked; with a grave directness which Bernard thought the most beautiful thing he had ever seen。

〃It only depends upon you;〃 he declared; and then he broke out again into a protestation of passionate tenderness。 〃Don't put me off this time;〃 he cried。  〃You have had time to think about it; you have had time to get over the surprise; the shock。  I love you; and I offer you everything that belongs to me in this world。〃  As she looked at him with her dark; clear eyes; weighing this precious vow and yet not committing herself〃Ah; you don't forgive me!〃 he murmured。

She gazed at him with the same solemn brightness。

〃What have I to forgive you?〃

This question seemed to him enchanting。  He reached forward and took her hands; and if Mrs。 Vivian had come in she would have seen him kneeling at her daughter's feet。

But Mrs。 Vivian remained in seclusion; and Bernard saw her only the next time he came。

〃I am very happy; because I think my daughter is happy;〃 she said。

〃And what do you think of me?〃

〃I think you are very clever。  You must promise me to be very good to her。〃

〃I am clever enough to promise that。〃

〃I think you are good enough to keep it;〃 said Mrs。 Vivian。 She looked as happy as she said; and her happiness gave her a communicative; confidential tendency。  〃It is very strange how things come abouthow the wheel turns round;〃 she went on。 〃I suppose there is no harm in my telling you that I believe she always cared for you。〃

〃Why did n't you tell me before?〃 said Bernard; with almost filial reproachfulness。

〃How could I?  I don't go about the world offering my daughter to people especially to indifferent people。〃

〃At Baden you did n't think I was indifferent。  You were afraid of my not being indifferent enough。〃

Mrs。 Vivian colored。

〃Ah; at Baden I was a little too anxious!〃

〃Too anxious I should n't speak to your daughter!〃 said Bernard; laughing。

〃At Baden;〃 Mrs。 Vivian went on; 〃I had views。  But I have n't any now I have given them up。〃

〃That makes your acceptance of me very flattering!〃  Bernard exclaimed; laughing still more gaily。

〃I have something better;〃 said Mrs。 Vivian; laying her finger…tips on his arm。  〃I have confidence。〃

Bernard did his best to encourage this gracious sentiment; and it seemed to him that there was something yet to be done to implant it more firmly in Angela's breast。

〃I have a confession to make to you;〃 he said to her one day。 〃I wish you would listen to it。〃

〃Is it something very horrible?〃  Angela asked。

〃Something very horrible indeed。  I once did you an injury。〃

〃An injury?〃 she repeated; in a tone which seemed to reduce the offence to contemptible proportions by simple vagueness of mind about it。

〃I don't know what to call it;〃 said Bernard。  〃A poor service an ill…turn。〃

Angela gave a shrug; or rather an imitation of a shrug; for she was not a shrugging person。

〃I never knew it。〃

〃I misrepresented you to Gordon Wright;〃 Bernard went on。

〃Why do you speak to me of him?〃 she asked rather sadly。

〃Does it displease you?〃

She hesitated a little。

〃Yes; it displeases me。  If your confession has anything to do with him; I would rather not hear it。〃

Bernard returned to the subject another timehe had plenty of opportunities。 He spent a portion of every day in the company of these dear women; and these days were the happiest of his life。  The autumn weather was warm and soothing; the quartier was still deserted; and the uproar of the great city; which seemed a hundred miles away; reached them through the dense October air with a softened and muffled sound。 The evenings; however; were growing cool; and before long they lighted the first fire of the season in Mrs。 Vivian's heavily draped little chimney…piece。 On this occasion Bernard sat there with Angela; watching the bright crackle of the wood and feeling that the charm of winter nights had begun。  These two young persons were alone together in the gathering dusk; it was the hour before dinner; before the lamp had been lighted。

〃I insist upon making you my confession;〃 said Bernard。 〃I shall be very unhappy until you let me do it。〃

〃Unhappy?  You are the happiest of men。〃

〃I lie upon roses; if you will; but this memory; this remorse; is a folded rose…leaf。 I was completely mistaken about you at Baden; I thought all manner of evil of youor at least I said it。〃

〃Men are dull creatures;〃 said Angela。

〃I think they are。  So much so that; as I look back upon that time; there are some things I don't understand even now。〃

〃I don't see why you should look back。  People in our position are supposed to look forward。〃

〃You don't like those Baden days yourself;〃 said Bernard。 〃You don't like to think of them。〃

〃What a wonderful discovery!〃

Bernard looked at her a moment in the brightening fire…light。

〃What part was it you tried to play there?〃

Angela shook her head。

〃Men are dull creatures。〃

〃I have already granted that; and I am eating humble pie in asking for an explanation。〃

〃What did you say of me?〃  Angela asked; after a silence。

〃I said you were a coquette。  Remember that I am simply historical。〃

She got up and stood in front of the fire; having her hand on the chimney…piece and looking down at the blaze。 For some moments she remained there。  Bernard could not see her face。

〃I said you were a dangerous woman to marry;〃 he went on deliberately。 〃I said it because I thought it。  I gave Gordon an opinion about you it was a very unfavorable one。  I could n't make you outI thought you were playing a double part。  I believed that you were ready to marry him; and yet I sawI thought I saw〃 and Bernard paused again。

〃What did you see?〃 and Angela turned toward him。

〃That you were encouraging meplaying with me。〃

〃And you did n't like tha

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