confidence-第40章

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ess。　　It　was　one　of　the　rare　occasions　of　his　life　when　he　was　at　a　loss　for　a　verbal　expedient。

〃It　's　a　great　match；〃　he　nevertheless　murmured；　jestingly。　〃You　must　excuse　my　inflated　appearance。〃

〃It　has　absorbed　you　so　much　that　you　have　had　no　time　to　write　to　me；〃　said　Gordon。　　〃I　expected　to　hear　from　you　after　you　arrived。〃

〃I　wrote　to　you　a　fortnight　agojust　before　receiving　your　own　letter。　You　left　New　York　before　my　letter　reached　it。〃

〃Ah；　it　will　have　crossed　us；〃　said　Gordon。　　〃But　now　that　we　have　your　society　I　don't　care。　　Your　letters；　of　course；　are　delightful；　but　that　is　still　better。〃

In　spite　of　this　sympathetic　statement　Bernard　cannot　be　said　to　have　enjoyed　his　lunch；　he　was　thinking　of　something　else　that　lay　before　him　and　that　was　not　agreeable。　　He　was　like　a　man　who　has　an　acrobatic　feat　to　perform　a　wide　ditch　to　leap；　a　high　pole　to　climband　who　has　a　presentiment　of　fractures　and　bruises。　　Fortunately　he　was　not　obliged　to　talk　much；　as　Mrs。　Gordon　displayed　even　more　than　her　usual　vivacity；　rendering　her　companions　the　graceful　service　of　lifting　the　burden　of　conversation　from　their　shoulders。

〃I　suppose　you　were　surprised　to　see　us　rushing　out　here　so　suddenly；〃　she　observed　in　the　course　of　the　repast。　〃We　had　said　nothing　about　it　when　you　last　saw　us；　and　I　believe　we　are　supposed　to　tell　you　everything；　ain't　we？　　I　certainly　have　told　you　a　great　many　things；　and　there　are　some　of　them　I　hope　you　have　n't　repeated。　I　have　no　doubt　you　have　told　them　all　over　Paris；　but　I　don't　care　what　you　tell　in　ParisParis　is　n't　so　easily　shocked。　Captain　Lovelock　does　n't　repeat　what　I　tell　him；　I　set　him　up　as　a　model　of　discretion。　　I　have　told　him　some　pretty　bad　things；　and　he　has　liked　them　so　much　he　has　kept　them　all　to　himself。　I　say　my　bad　things　to　Captain　Lovelock；　and　my　good　things　to　other　people；　he　does　n't　know　the　difference　and　he　is　perfectly　content。〃

〃Other　people　as　well　often　don't　know　the　difference；〃　said　Gordon；　gravely。　　〃You　ought　always　to　tell　us　which　are　which。〃

Blanche　gave　her　husband　a　little　impertinent　stare。

〃When　I　am　not　appreciated；〃　she　said；　with　an　attempt　at　superior　dryness；　〃I　am　too　proud　to　point　it　out。　I　don't　know　whether　you　know　that　I　'm　proud；〃　she　went　on；　turning　to　Gordon　and　glancing　at　Captain　Lovelock；　〃it　's　a　good　thing　to　know。　　I　suppose　Gordon　will　say　that　I　ought　to　be　too　proud　to　point　that　out；　but　what　are　you　to　do　when　no　one　has　any　imagination？　　You　have　a　grain　or　two；　Mr。　Longueville；　but　Captain　Lovelock　has　n't　a　speck。　As　for　Gordon；　je　n'en　parle　pas！　　But　even　you；　Mr。　Longueville；　would　never　imagine　that　I　am　an　interesting　invalid　that　we　are　travelling　for　my　delicate　health。　　The　doctors　have　n't　given　me　up；　but　I　have　given　them　up。　　I　know　I　don't　look　as　if　I　were　out　of　health；　but　that　's　because　I　always　try　to　look　my　best。　　My　appearance　proves　nothing　absolutely　nothing。　　Do　you　think　my　appearance　proves　anything；　Captain　Lovelock？〃

Captain　Lovelock　scrutinized　Blanche's　appearance　with　a　fixed　and　solemn　eye；　and　then　he　replied

〃It　proves　you　are　very　lovely。〃

Blanche　kissed　her　finger…tips　to　him　in　return　for　this　compliment。

〃You　only　need　to　give　Captain　Lovelock　a　chance；〃　she　rattled　on；　〃and　he　is　as　clever　as　any　one。　　That　's　what　I　like　to　do　to　my　friendsI　like　to　make　chances　for　them。　Captain　Lovelock　is　like　my　dear　little　blue　terrier　that　I　left　at　home。　　If　I　hold　out　a　stick　he　will　jump　over　it。　He　won't　jump　without　the　stick；　but　as　soon　as　I　produce　it　he　knows　what　he　has　to　do。　　He　looks　at　it　a　moment　and　then　he　gives　his　little　hop。　　He　knows　he　will　have　a　lump　of　sugar；　and　Captain　Lovelock　expects　one　as　well。　　Dear　Captain　Lovelock；　shall　I　ring　for　a　lump？　　Would　n't　it　be　touching？　Gar；alcon；　un　morceau　de　sucre　pour　Monsieur　le　Capitaine！　But　what　I　give　Monsieur　le　Capitaine　is　moral　sugar！　　I　usually　administer　it　in　private；　and　he　shall　have　a　good　big　morsel　when　you　go　away。〃

Gordon　got　up；　turning　to　Bernard　and　looking　at　his　watch。

〃Let　us　go　away；　in　that　case；〃　he　said；　smiling；　〃and　leave　Captain　Lovelock　to　receive　his　reward。　　We　will　go　and　take　a　walk；　we　will　go　up　the　Champs　Elysees。　　Good　morning；　Monsieur　le　Capitaine。〃

Neither　Blanche　nor　the　Captain　offered　any　opposition　to　this　proposal；　and　Bernard　took　leave　of　his　hostess　and　joined　Gordon；　who　had　already　passed　into　the　antechamber。






CHAPTER　XXV

Gordon　took　his　arm　and　they　gained　the　street；　they　strolled　in　the　direction　of　the　Champs　Elysees。

〃For　a　little　exercise　and　a　good　deal　of　talk；　it　's　the　pleasantest　place；〃　said　Gordon。　　〃I　have　a　good　deal　to　say；　I　have　a　good　deal　to　ask　you。〃

Bernard　felt　the　familiar　pressure　of　his　friend's　hand；　as　it　rested　on　his　arm；　and　it　seemed　to　him　never　to　have　lain　there　with　so　heavy　a　weight。　　It　held　him　fastit　held　him　to　account；　it　seemed　a　physical　symbol　of　responsibility。　　Bernard　was　not　re…assured　by　hearing　that　Gordon　had　a　great　deal　to　say；　and　he　expected　a　sudden　explosion　of　bitterness　on　the　subject　of　Blanche's　irremediable　triviality。　　The　afternoon　was　a　lovely　one　the　day　was　a　perfect　example　of　the　mellowest　mood　of　autumn。　The　air　was　warm　and　filled　with　a　golden　haze；　which　seemed　to　hang　about　the　bare　Parisian　trees；　as　if　with　a　tender　impulse　to　drape　their　nakedness。　　A　fine　day　in　Paris　brings　out　a　wonderfully　bright　and　appreciative　multitude　of　strollers　and　loungers；　and　the　liberal　spaces　of　the　Champs　Elysees　were　on　this　occasion　filled　with　those　placid　votaries　of　inexpensive　entertainment　who　abound　in　the　French　capital。　　The　benches　and　chairs　on　the　edge　of　the　great　avenue　exhibited　a　dense　fraternity　of　gazers；　and　up　and　down　the　broad　walk　passed　the　slow…moving　and　easily　pleased　pedestrians。　　Gordon；　in　spite　of　his　announcement　that　he　had　a　good　deal　to　say；　confined　himself　at　first　to　superficial　allusions；　and　Bernard　after　a　while　had　the　satisfaction　of　perceiving　that　he　was　not　likely；　for　the　moment；　to　strike　the　note　of　conjugal　discord。　He　appeared；　indeed；　to　feel　no　desire　to　speak　of　Blanche　in　any　manner　whatever。　　He　fell　into　the　humor　of　the　hour　and　the　scene；　looked　at　the　crowd；　talked　about　trifles。　　He　remarked　that　Paris　was　a　wonderful　place　after　all；　and　that　a　little　glimpse　of　the　Parisian　picture　was　a　capital　thing　as　a　change；　said　he　was　very　glad　they　had　come；　and　that　for　his　part　he　was　willing　to　stay　three　months。

〃And　what　have　you　been　doing　with　yourself？〃　he　asked。　〃How　have　you　been　occupied；　and　what　are　you　meaning　to　do？〃

Bernard　said　nothing　for　a　moment；　and　Gordon　presently　glanced　at　his　face　to　see　why　he　was　silent。　　Bernard；　looking　askance；　met　his　companion's　eyes；　and　then；　resting　his　own　upon　them；　he　stopped　short。　　His　heart　was　beating；　it　was　a　question　of　saying　to　Gordon　outright；　〃I　have　been　occupied　in　becoming　engaged　to　Angela　Vivian。〃　　But　he　could　n't　say　it；　and　yet　he　must　say　something。　　He　tried　to　invent　something；　but　he　could　think　of　nothing；　and　still　Gordon　was　looking　at　him。

〃I　am　so　glad　to　see　you！〃　he　exclaimed；　for　want　of　something　better；　and　he　blushedhe　felt　foolish；　he　felt　falseas　he　said　it。

〃My　dear　Bernard！〃　　Gordon　murmured　gratefully；　as　they　walked　on。　〃It　's　very　good　of　you　to　say　that；　I　am　very　glad　we　are　together　again。　I　want　to　say　something；〃　he　added；　in　a　moment；　〃I　hope　you　won't　mind　it〃　Bernard　gave　a　little　laugh　at　his　companion's　scruples；　and　Gordon　continued。　　〃To　tell　the　truth；　it　has　sometimes　seemed　to　me　that　we　were　not　so　good　friends　as　we　used　to　be　that　something　had　come　between　usI　don't　know　what；　I　don't　know　why。　I　don't　know　what　to　call　it　but　a　sort　of　lowering　of　the　temperature。　I　don't　know　whether　you　have　felt　it；　or　whether　it　has　been　simply　a　fancy　of　mine。　　Whatever　it　may　have　been；　it　's　all　over；　is　n't　it？　We　are　too　old　friendstoo　good　friendsnot　to　stick　together。　Of　course；　the　rubs　of　life　may　occasionally　loosen　the　cohesion；　but　it　is　very　good　to　feel　that；　with　a　little　direct　contact；　it　may　easily　be　re…established。　Is　n't　that　so？　　But　we　should　n't