confidence-第42章

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〃So　intelligent；　so　reasonable；　so　sensible。〃

〃Have　you　discovered　all　that　in　two　minutes'　talk？〃

〃Yes；　in　two　minutes'　talk。　　I　should　n't　hesitate　about　her　now！〃

〃It　's　better　you　should　n't　say　that；〃　said　Bernard。

〃Why　should　n't　I　say　it？　　It　seems　to　me　it　's　my　duty　to　say　it。〃

〃Noyour　duty　lies　elsewhere；〃　said　Bernard。　　〃There　are　two　reasons。　One　is　that　you　have　married　another　woman。〃

〃What　difference　does　that　make？〃　cried　Gordon。

Bernard　made　no　attempt　to　answer　this　inquiry；　he　simply　went　on

〃The　other　isthe　other　is〃

But　here　he　paused。

〃What　is　the　other？〃　　Gordon　asked。

〃That　I　am　engaged　to　marry　Miss　Vivian。〃

And　with　this　Bernard　took　his　hand　off　Gordon's　shoulder。

Gordon　stood　staring。

〃To　marry　Miss　Vivian？〃

Now　that　Bernard　had　heard　himself　say　it；　audibly；　distinctly；　loudly；　the　spell　of　his　apprehension　seemed　broken；　and　he　went　on　bravely。

〃We　are　to　be　married　very　shortly。　　It　has　all　come　about　within　a　few　weeks。　　It　will　seem　to　you　very　strangeperhaps　you　won't　like　it。　That　's　why　I　have　hesitated　to　tell　you。〃

Gordon　turned　pale；　it　was　the　first　time　Bernard　had　ever　seen　him　do　so；　evidently　he　did　not　like　it。　　He　stood　staring　and　frowning。

〃Why；　I　thoughtI　thought；〃　he　began　at　last〃I　thought　that　you　disliked　her！〃

〃I　supposed　so；　too；〃　said　Bernard。　　〃But　I　have　got　over　that。〃

Gordon　turned　away；　looking　up　the　great　avenue　into　the　crowd。　Then　turning　back；　he　said

〃I　am　very　much　surprised。〃

〃And　you　are　not　pleased！〃

Gordon　fixed　his　eyes　on　the　ground　a　moment。

〃I　congratulate　you　on　your　engagement；〃　he　said　at　last；　looking　up　with　a　face　that　seemed　to　Bernard　hard　and　unnatural。

〃It　is　very　good　of　you　to　say　that；　but　of　course　you　can't　like　it！　I　was　sure　you　would　n't　like　it。　　But　what　could　I　do？　　I　fell　in　love　with　her；　and　I　could　n't　run　away　simply　to　spare　you　a　surprise。　My　dear　Gordon；〃　Bernard　added；　〃you　will　get　used　to　it。〃

〃Very　likely；〃　said　Gordon；　dryly。　　〃But　you　must　give　me　time。〃

〃As　long　as　you　like！〃

Gordon　stood　for　a　moment　again　staring　down　at　the　ground。

〃Very　well；　then；　I　will　take　my　time；〃　he　said。　　〃Good…bye！〃

And　he　turned　away；　as　if　to　walk　off　alone。

〃Where　are　you　going？〃　asked　Bernard；　stopping　him。

〃I　don't　knowto　the　hotel；　anywhere。　　To　try　to　get　used　to　what　you　have　told　me。〃

〃Don't　try　too　hard；　it　will　come　of　itself；〃　said　Bernard。

〃We　shall　see！〃

And　Gordon　turned　away　again。

〃Do　you　prefer　to　go　alone？〃

〃Very　muchif　you　will　excuse　me！〃

〃I　have　asked　you　to　excuse　a　greater　want　of　ceremony！〃　said　Bernard；　smiling。

〃I　have　not　done　so　yet！〃　　Gordon　rejoined；　and　marching　off；　he　mingled　with　the　crowd。

Bernard　watched　him　till　he　lost　sight　of　him；　and　then；　dropping　into　the　first　empty　chair　that　he　saw；　he　sat　and　reflected　that　his　friend　liked　it　quite　as　little　as　he　had　feared。






CHAPTER　XXVI

Bernard　sat　thinking　for　a　long　time；　at　first　with　a　good　deal　of　mortificationat　last　with　a　good　deal　of　bitterness。　He　felt　angry　at　last；　but　he　was　not　angry　with　himself。　He　was　displeased　with　poor　Gordon；　and　with　Gordon's　displeasure。　He　was　uncomfortable；　and　he　was　vexed　at　his　discomfort。　It　formed；　it　seemed　to　him；　no　natural　part　of　his　situation；　he　had　had　no　glimpse　of　it　in　the　book　of　fate　where　he　registered　on　a　fair　blank　page　his　betrothal　to　a　charming　girl。　That　Gordon　should　be　surprised；　and　even　a　little　shocked　and　annoyedthis　was　his　right　and　his　privilege；　Bernard　had　been　prepared　for　that；　and　had　determined　to　make　the　best　of　it。　　But　it　must　not　go　too　far；　there　were　limits　to　the　morsel　of　humble　pie　that　he　was　disposed　to　swallow。　Something　in　Gordon's　air　and　figure；　as　he　went　off　in　a　huff；　looking　vicious　and　dangerousyes；　that　was　positively　his　lookleft　a　sinister　impression　on　Bernard's　mind；　and；　after　a　while；　made　him　glad　to　take　refuge　in　being　angry。　One　would　like　to　know　what　Gordon　expected；　par　exemple！　Did　he　expect　Bernard　to　give　up　Angela　simply　to　save　him　a　shock；　or　to　back　out　of　his　engagement　by　way　of　an　ideal　reparation？　No；　it　was　too　absurd；　and；　if　Gordon　had　a　wife　of　his　own；　why　in　the　name　of　justice　should　not　Bernard　have　one？

Being　angry　was　a　relief；　but　it　was　not　exactly　a　solution；　and　Bernard；　at　last；　leaving　his　place；　where　for　an　hour　or　two　he　had　been　absolutely　unconscious　of　everything　that　went　on　around　him；　wandered　about　for　some　time　in　deep　restlessness　and　irritation。　　At　one　moment　he　thought　of　going　back　to　Gordon's　hotel；　to　see　him；　to　explain。　But　then　he　became　aware　that　he　was　too　angry　for　that　to　say　nothing　of　Gordon's　being　too　angry　also；　and；　moreover；　that　there　was　nothing　to　explain。　　He　was　to　marry　Angela　Vivian；　that　was　a　very　simple　factit　needed　no　explanation。　Was　it　so　wonderful；　so　inconceivable；　an　incident　so　unlikely　to　happen？　　He　went；　as　he　always　did　on　Sunday；　to　dine　with　Mrs。　Vivian；　and　it　seemed　to　him　that　he　perceived　in　the　two　ladies　some　symptoms　of　a　discomposure　which　had　the　same　origin　as　his　own。　　Bernard；　on　this　occasion；　at　dinner；　failed　to　make　himself　particularly　agreeable；　he　ate　fast　as　if　he　had　no　idea　what　he　was　eating；　and　talked　little；　every　now　and　then　his　eyes　rested　for　some　time　upon　Angela；　with　a　strange；　eagerly　excited　expression；　as　if　he　were　looking　her　over　and　trying　to　make　up　his　mind　about　her　afresh。　This　young　lady　bore　his　inscrutable　scrutiny　with　a　deal　of　superficial　composure；　but　she　was　also　silent；　and　she　returned　his　gaze；　from　time　to　time；　with　an　air　of　unusual　anxiety。　She　was　thinking；　of　course；　of　Gordon；　Bernard　said　to　himself；　and　a　woman's　first　meeting；　in　after　years；　with　an　ex…lover　must　always　make　a　certain　impression　upon　her。　　Gordon；　however；　had　never　been　a　lover；　and　if　Bernard　noted　Angela's　gravity　it　was　not　because　he　felt　jealous。　　〃She　is　simply　sorry　for　him；〃　he　said　to　himself；　and　by　the　time　he　had　finished　his　dinner　it　began　to　come　back　to　him　that　he　was　sorry；　too。　　Mrs。　Vivian　was　probably　sorry　as　well；　for　she　had　a　slightly　confused　and　preoccupied　looka　look　from　which；　even　in　the　midst　of　his　chagrin；　Bernard　extracted　some　entertainment。　It　was　Mrs。　Vivian's　intermittent　conscience　that　had　been　reminded　of　one　of　its　lapses；　her　meeting　with　Gordon　Wright　had　recalled　the　least　exemplary　episode　of　her　lifethe　time　when　she　whispered　mercenary　counsel　in　the　ear　of　a　daughter　who　sat；　grave　and　pale；　looking　at　her　with　eyes　that　wondered。　Mrs。　Vivian　blushed　a　little　now；　when　she　met　Bernard's　eyes；　and　to　remind　herself　that　she　was　after　all　a　virtuous　woman；　talked　as　much　as　possible　about　superior　and　harmless　things　the　beauty　of　the　autumn　weather；　the　pleasure　of　seeing　French　papas　walking　about　on　Sunday　with　their　progeny　in　their　hands；　the　peculiarities　of　the　pulpit…oratory　of　the　country　as　exemplified　in　the　discourse　of　a　Protestant　pasteur　whom　she　had　been　to　hear　in　the　morning。

When　they　rose　from　table　and　went　back　into　her　little　drawing…room；　she　left　her　daughter　alone　for　awhile　with　Bernard。　　The　two　were　standing　together　before　the　fire；　Bernard　watched　Mrs。　Vivian　close　the　door　softly　behind　her。　　Then；　looking　for　a　moment　at　his　companion

〃He　is　furious！〃　he　announced　at　last。

〃Furious？〃　said　Angela。　　〃Do　you　mean　Mr。　Wright？〃

〃The　amiable；　reasonable　Gordon。　　He　takes　it　very　hard。〃

〃Do　you　mean　about　me？〃　asked　Angela。

〃It　's　not　with　you　he　's　furious；　of　course；　it　is　with　me。　He　won't　let　me　off　easily。〃

Angela　looked　for　a　moment　at　the　fire。

〃I　am　very　sorry　for　him；〃　she　said；　at　last。

〃It　seems　to　me　I　am　the　one　to　be　pitied；〃　said　Bernard；　〃and　I　don't　see　what　compassion　you；　of　all　people　in　the　world；　owe　him。〃

Angela　again　rested　her　eyes　on　the　fire；　then　presently；　looking　up

〃He　liked　me　very　much；〃　she　remarked。

〃All　the　more　shame　to　him！〃　cried　Bernard。

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　the　girl；　with　her　beautiful　stare。

〃If　he　liked　you；　why　did　he　give　you　up？〃

〃He　did　n't　give　me　up。〃

〃What　do　you　mean；　please？〃　asked　Bernard；　staring　back　at　her。

〃I