confidence-第46章

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　has　n't　been　able　to　trust　himself　to　tell　her！〃　And　this　fact　seemed　pregnant　with　evidence　as　to　Gordon's　state　of　mind；　it　did　not　appear　to　simplify　the　situation。　After　a　moment；　while　Bernard　stood　there　with　his　back　turned　he　felt　rather　awkward　and　foolishhe　heard　Blanche　begin　with　her　little　surprised　voice。

〃Ah；　you　are　going　away？　　You　are　going　to　travel？　　But　that　's　charming；　we　can　travel　together。　　You　are　not　going　to　travel？　What　then　are　you　going　to　do？　　You　are　going　back　to　America？　Ah；　but　you　must　n't　do　that；　as　soon　as　I　come　abroad；　that　's　not　nice　or　friendly；　Mrs。　Vivian；　to　your　poor　little　old　Blanche。　You　are　not　going　back　to　America？　　Ah；　then；　I　give　it　up！　What　's　the　great　mystery？　　Is　it　something　about　Angela？　There　was　always　a　mystery　about　Angela。　　I　hope　you　won't　mind　my　saying　it；　my　dear；　but　I　was　always　afraid　of　you。　My　husbandhe　admires　you　so　much；　you　knowhas　often　tried　to　explain　you　to　me；　but　I　have　never　understood。　What　are　you　going　to　do　now？　　Are　you　going　into　a　convent？　Are　you　going　to　beA…a…h！〃

And；　suddenly；　quickly；　interrupting　herself；　Mrs。　Gordon　gave　a　long；　wondering　cry。　　Bernard　heard　her　spring　to　her　feet；　and　the　two　other　ladies　rise　from　their　seats。　　Captain　Lovelock　got　up　as　well；　Bernard　heard　him　knock　over　his　little　gilded　chair。　There　was　a　pause；　during　which　Blanche　went　through　a　little　mute　exhibition　of　amazement　and　pleasure。　　Bernard　turned　round；　to　receive　half　a　dozen　quick　questions。

〃What　are　you　hiding　away　for？　　What　are　you　blushing　for？　I　never　saw　you　do　anything　like　that　before！　　Why　do　you　look　so　strange；　and　what　are　you　making　me　say？　　Angela；　is　it　true　is　there　something　like　that？〃　　Without　waiting　for　the　answer　to　this　last　question；　Blanche　threw　herself　upon　Mrs。　Vivian。　〃My　own　Mrs。　Vivian；〃　she　cried；　〃is　she　married？〃

〃My　dear　Blanche；〃　said　Bernard；　coming　forward；　〃has　not　Gordon　told　you？　Angela　and　I　are　not　married；　but　we　hope　to　be　before　long。　　Gordon　only　knew　it　this　morning；　we　ourselves　have　only　known　it　a　short　time。　　There　is　no　mystery　about　it；　and　we　only　want　your　congratulations。〃

〃Well；　I　must　say　you　have　been　very　quiet　about　it！〃　cried　Blanche。　〃When　I　was　engaged；　I　wrote　you　all　a　letter。〃

〃By　Jove；　she　wrote　to　me！〃　observed　Captain　Lovelock。

Angela　went　to　her　and　kissed　her。

〃Your　husband　does　n't　seem　to　have　explained　me　very　successfully！〃

Mrs。　Gordon　held　Bernard's　intended　for　a　moment　at　arm's　length；　with　both　her　hands；　looking　at　her　with　eyes　of　real　excitement　and　wonder。　Then　she　folded　her　in　a　prolonged；　an　exaggerated；　embrace。

〃Why　did　n't　he　tell　mewhy　did　n't　he　tell　me？〃　she　presently　began。　　〃He　has　had　all　day　to　tell　me；　and　it　was　very　cruel　of　him　to　let　me　come　here　without　knowing　it。　Could　anything　be　more　absurdmore　awkward？　　You　don't　think　it　's　awkwardyou　don't　mind　it？　　Ah　well；　you　are　very　good！　But　I　like　it；　AngelaI　like　it　extremely；　immensely。　　I　think　it　's　delightful；　and　I　wonder　it　never　occurred　to　me。　Has　it　been　going　on　long？　　Ah；　of　course；　it　has　been　going　on！　Did　n't　it　begin　at　Baden；　and　did　n't　I　see　it　there？　Do　you　mind　my　alluding　to　that？　　At　Baden　we　were　all　so　mixed　up　that　one　could　n't　tell　who　was　attentive　to　whom！　　But　Bernard　has　been　very　faithful；　my　dear；　I　can　assure　you　of　that。　When　he　was　in　America　he　would　n't　look　at　another　woman。　I　know　something　about　that！　　He　stayed　three　months　in　my　house　and　he　never　spoke　to　me。　　Now　I　know　why；　Mr。　Bernard；　but　you　might　have　told　me　at　the　time。　　The　reason　was　certainly　good　enough。　　I　always　want　to　know　why；　you　know。　Why　Gordon　never　told　me；　for　instance；　that　's　what　I　want　to　know！〃

Blanche　refused　to　sit　down　again；　she　declared　that　she　was　so　agitated　by　this　charming　news　that　she　could　not　be　quiet；　and　that　she　must　presently　take　her　departure。　　Meanwhile　she　congratulated　each　of　her　friends　half　a　dozen　times；　she　kissed　Mrs。　Vivian　again；　she　almost　kissed　Bernard；　she　inquired　about　details；　she　longed　to　hear　all　about　Angela's　〃things。〃　Of　course　they　would　stop　for　the　wedding；　but　meantime　she　must　be　very　discreet；　she　must　not　intrude　too　much。　Captain　Lovelock　addressed　to　Angela　a　few　fragmentary；　but　well…intentioned　sentences；　pulling　his　beard　and　fixing　his　eyes　on　the　door…knoban　implement　which　presently　turned　in　his　manly　fist；　as　he　opened　the　door　for　his　companion　to　withdraw。　Blanche　went　away　in　a　flutter　of　ejaculations　and　protestations　which　left　our　three　friends　in　Mrs。　Vivian's　little　drawing…room　standing　looking　at　each　other　as　the　door　closed　behind　her。

〃It　certainly　would　have　been　better　taste　in　him　to　tell　her；〃　said　Bernard；　frowning；　〃and　not　let　other　people　see　how　little　communication　there　is　between　them。　　It　has　mortified　her。〃

〃Poor　Mr。　Wright　had　his　reasons；〃　Mrs。　Vivian　suggested；　and　then　she　ventured　to　explain：　　〃He　still　cares　for　Angela；　and　it　was　painful　to　him　to　talk　about　her　marrying　some　one　else。〃

This　had　been　Bernard's　own　reflection；　and　it　was　no　more　agreeable　as　Mrs。　Vivian　presented　it；　though　Angela　herself　seemed　indifferent　to　itseemed；　indeed；　not　to　hear　it；　as　if　she　were　thinking　of　something　else。

〃We　must　simply　marry　as　soon　as　possible；　to…morrow；　if　necessary；〃　said　Bernard；　with　some　causticity。　　〃That　's　the　best　thing　we　can　do　for　every　one。　　When　once　Angela　is　married；　Gordon　will　stop　thinking　of　her。　He　will　never　permit　his　imagination　to　hover　about　a　married　woman；　I　am　very　sure　of　that。　　He　does　n't　approve　of　that　sort　of　thing；　and　he　has　the　same　law　for　himself　as　for　other　people。〃

〃It　does　n't　matter；〃　said　Angela；　simply。

〃How　do　you　mean；　my　daughter；　it　does　n't　matter？〃

〃I　don't　feel　obliged　to　feel　so　sorry　for　him　now。〃

〃Now？　　Pray；　what　has　happened？　　I　am　more　sorry　than　ever；　since　I　have　heard　poor　Blanche's　dreadful　tone　about　him。〃

The　girl　was　silent　a　moment；　then　she　shook　her　head；　lightly。

〃Her　toneher　tone？　　Dearest　mother；　don't　you　see？　She　is　intensely　in　love　with　him！〃






CHAPTER　XXVIII

This　observation　struck　Bernard　as　extremely　ingenious　and　worthy　of　his　mistress's　fine　intelligence；　he　greeted　it　with　enthusiasm；　and　thought　of　it　for　the　next　twelve　hours。　The　more　he　thought　of　it　the　more　felicitous　it　seemed　to　him；　and　he　went　to　Mrs。　Vivian's　the　next　day　almost　for　the　express　purpose　of　saying　to　Angela　that；　decidedly；　she　was　right。　He　was　admitted　by　his　old　friend；　the　little　femme　de　chambre；　who　had　long　since　bestowed　upon　him；　definitively；　her　confidence；　and　as　in　the　ante…chamber　he　heard　the　voice　of　a　gentleman　raised　and　talking　with　some　emphasis；　come　to　him　from　the　salon；　he　paused　a　moment；　looking　at　her　with　an　interrogative　eye。

〃Yes；〃　said　Mrs。　Vivian's　attendant；　〃I　must　tell　Monsieur　frankly　that　another　gentleman　is　there。　　Moreover；　what　does　it　matter？　Monsieur　would　perceive　it　for　himself！〃

〃Has　he　been　here　long？〃　asked　Bernard。

〃A　quarter　of　an　hour。　　It　probably　does　n't　seem　long　to　the　gentleman！〃

〃Is　he　alone　with　Mademoiselle？〃

〃He　asked　for　Mademoiselle　only。　　I　introduced　him　into　the　salon；　and　Mademoiselle；　after　conversing　a　little　while　with　Madame；　consented　to　receive　him。　　They　have　been　alone　together；　as　I　have　told　Monsieur；　since　about　three　o'clock。　Madame　is　in　her　own　apartment。　　The　position　of　Monsieur；〃　added　this　discriminating　woman；　〃certainly　justifies　him　in　entering　the　salon。〃

Bernard　was　quite　of　this　opinion；　and　in　a　moment　more　he　had　crossed　the　threshold　of　the　little　drawing…room　and　closed　the　door　behind　him。

Angela　sat　there　on　a　sofa；　leaning　back　with　her　hands　clasped　in　her　lap　and　her　eyes　fixed　upon　Gordon　Wright；　who　stood　squarely　before　her；　as　if　he　had　been　making　her　a　resolute　speech。　Her　face　wore　a　look　of　distress；　almost　of　alarm；　she　kept　her　place；　but　her　eyes　gave　Bernard　a　mute　welcome。　Gordon　turned　and　looked　at　him　slowly　from　head　to　foot。　Bernard　remembered；　with　a　good　deal　of　vividness；　the　last　look　his　friend　had　given　him　in　the　Champs　Elysees　the　day　before；　and　he　saw　with　some　satisfaction　that　this　was　not　exactly