confidence-第49章

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…day　any　more　than　he　was　three　years　ago。　He　thinks　he　is；　because　he　is　full　of　sorrow　and　bitterness；　and　because　the　news　of　our　engagement　has　given　him　a　shock。　But　that　's　only　a　pretexta　chance　to　pour　out　the　grief　and　pain　which　have　been　accumulating　in　his　heart　under　a　sense　of　his　estrangement　from　Blanche。　　He　is　too　proud　to　attribute　his　feelings　to　that　cause；　even　to　himself；　but　he　wanted　to　cry　out　and　say　he　was　hurt；　to　demand　justice　for　a　wrong；　and　the　revelation　of　the　state　of　things　between　you　and　me　which　of　course　strikes　him　as　incongruous；　we　must　allow　largely　for　thatcame　to　him　as　a　sudden　opportunity。　No；　no；〃　the　girl　went　on；　with　a　generous　ardor　in　her　face；　following　further　the　train　of　her　argument；　which　she　appeared　to　find　extremely　attractive；　〃I　know　what　you　are　going　to　say　and　I　deny　it。　　I　am　not　fanciful；　or　sophistical；　or　irrational；　and　I　know　perfectly　what　I　am　about。　　Men　are　so　stupid；　it　's　only　women　that　have　real　discernment。　　Leave　me　alone；　and　I　shall　do　something。　　Blanche　is　silly；　yes；　very　silly；　but　she　is　not　so　bad　as　her　husband　accused　her　of　being；　in　those　dreadful　words　which　he　will　live　to　repent　of。　She　is　wise　enough　to　care　for　him；　greatly；　at　bottom；　and　to　feel　her　little　heart　filled　with　rage　and　shame　that　he　does　n't　appear　to　care　for　her。　　If　he　would　take　her　a　little　more　seriouslyit　's　an　immense　pity　he　married　her　because　she　was　silly！she　would　be　flattered　by　it；　and　she　would　try　and　deserve　it。　　No；　no；　no！　she　does　n't；　in　reality；　care　a　straw　for　Captain　Lovelock；　I　assure　you；　I　promise　you　she　does　n't。　A　woman　can　tell。　　She　is　in　danger；　possibly；　and　if　her　present　situation；　as　regards　her　husband；　lasts；　she　might　do　something　as　horrid　as　he　said。　But　she　would　do　it　out　of　spitenot　out　of　affection　for　the　Captain；　who　must　be　got　immediately　out　of　the　way。　She　only　keeps　him　to　torment　her　husband　and　make　Gordon　come　back　to　her。　　She　would　drop　him　forever　to…morrow。〃　Angela　paused　a　moment；　reflecting；　with　a　kindled　eye。　　〃And　she　shall！〃

Bernard　looked　incredulous。

〃How　will　that　be；　Miss　Solomon？〃

〃You　shall　see　when　you　come　back。〃

〃When　I　come　back？　　Pray；　where　am　I　going？〃

〃You　will　leave　Paris　for　a　fortnightas　I　promised　our　poor　friend。〃

Bernard　gave　an　irate　laugh。

〃My　dear　girl；　you　are　ridiculous！　　Your　promising　it　was　almost　as　childish　as　his　asking　it。〃

〃To　play　with　a　child　you　must　be　childish。　　Just　see　the　effect　of　this　abominable　passion　of　love；　which　you　have　been　crying　up　to　me　so！　By　its　operation　Gordon　Wright；　the　most　sensible　man　of　our　acquaintance；　is　reduced　to　the　level　of　infancy！　　If　you　will　only　go　away；　I　will　manage　him。〃

〃You　certainly　manage　me！　　Pray；　where　shall　I　go？〃

〃Wherever　you　choose。　　I　will　write　to　you　every　day。〃

〃That　will　be　an　inducement；〃　said　Bernard。　　〃You　know　I　have　never　received　a　letter　from　you。〃

〃I　write　the　most　delightful　ones！〃　　Angela　exclaimed；　and　she　succeeded　in　making　him　promise　to　start　that　night　for　London。

She　had　just　done　so　when　Mrs。　Vivian　presented　herself；　and　the　good　lady　was　not　a　little　astonished　at　being　informed　of　his　intention。

〃You　surely　are　not　going　to　give　up　my　daughter　to　oblige　Mr。　Wright？〃　she　observed。

〃Upon　my　word；　I　feel　as　if　I　were！〃　said　Bernard。

〃I　will　explain　it；　dear　mamma；〃　said　Angela。　　〃It　is　very　interesting。　Mr。　Wright　has　made　a　most　fearful　scene；　the　state　of　things　between　him　and　Blanche　is　dreadful。〃

Mrs。　Vivian　opened　her　clear　eyes。

〃You　really　speak　as　if　you　liked　it！〃

〃She　does　like　itshe　told　Gordon　so；〃　said　Bernard。　　〃I　don't　know　what　she　is　up　to！　　Gordon　has　taken　leave　of　his　wits；　he　wishes　to　put　away　his　wife。〃

〃To　put　her　away？〃

〃To　repudiate　her；　as　the　historians　say！〃

〃To　repudiate　little　Blanche！〃　murmured　Mrs。　Vivian；　as　if　she　were　struck　with　the　incongruity　of　the　operation。

〃I　mean　to　keep　them　together；〃　said　Angela；　with　a　firm　decision。

Her　mother　looked　at　her　with　admiration。

〃My　dear　daughter；　I　will　assist　you。〃

The　two　ladies　had　such　an　air　of　mysterious　competence　to　the　task　they　had　undertaken　that　it　seemed　to　Bernard　that　nothing　was　left　to　him　but　to　retire　into　temporary　exile。　He　accordingly　betook　himself　to　London；　where　he　had　social　resources　which　would；　perhaps；　make　exile　endurable。　He　found　himself；　however；　little　disposed　to　avail　himself　of　these　resources；　and　he　treated　himself　to　no　pleasures　but　those　of　memory　and　expectation。　　He　ached　with　a　sense　of　his　absence　from　Mrs。　Vivian's　deeply　familiar　sky…parlor；　which　seemed　to　him　for　the　time　the　most　sacred　spot　on　earth　if　on　earth　it　could　be　calledand　he　consigned　to　those　generous　postal　receptacles　which　ornament　with　their　brilliant　hue　the　London　street…corners；　an　inordinate　number　of　the　most　voluminous　epistles　that　had　ever　been　dropped　into　them。　He　took　long　walks；　alone；　and　thought　all　the　way　of　Angela；　to　whom；　it　seemed　to　him；　that　the　character　of　ministering　angel　was　extremely　becoming。　　She　was　faithful　to　her　promise　of　writing　to　him　every　day；　and　she　was　an　angel　who　wielded　so　at　least　Bernard　thought；　and　he　was　particular　about　letters　a　very　ingenious　pen。　　Of　course　she　had　only　one　topic　the　success　of　her　operations　with　regard　to　Gordon。　〃Mamma　has　undertaken　Blanche；〃　she　wrote；　〃and　I　am　devoting　myself　to　Mr。　W。　It　is　really　very　interesting。〃　　She　told　Bernard　all　about　it　in　detail；　and　he　also　found　it　interesting；　doubly　so；　indeed；　for　it　must　be　confessed　that　the　charming　figure　of　the　mistress　of　his　affections　attempting　to　heal　a　great　social　breach　with　her　light　and　delicate　hands；　divided　his　attention　pretty　equally　with　the　distracted；　the　distorted；　the　almost　ludicrous；　image　of　his　old　friend。

Angela　wrote　that　Gordon　had　come　back　to　see　her　the　day　after　his　first　visit；　and　had　seemed　greatly　troubled　on　learning　that　Bernard　had　taken　himself　off。　〃It　was　because　you　insisted　on　it；　of　course；〃　he　said；　〃it　was　not　from　feeling　the　justice　of　it　himself。〃　　〃I　told　him；〃　said　Angela；　in　her　letter；　〃that　I　had　made　a　point　of　it；　but　that　we　certainly　ought　to　give　you　a　little　credit　for　it。　But　I　could　n't　insist　upon　this；　for　fear　of　sounding　a　wrong　note　and　exciting　afresh　what　I　suppose　he　would　be　pleased　to　term　his　jealousy。　　He　asked　me　where　you　had　gone；　and　when　I　told　him'Ah；　how　he　must　hate　me！'　he　exclaimed。　'There　you　are　quite　wrong；'　I　answered。　　'He　feels　as　kindly　to　you　asas　I　do。'　　He　looked　as　if　he　by　no　means　believed　this；　but；　indeed；　he　looks　as　if　he　believed　nothing　at　all。　He　is　quite　upset　and　demoralized。　　He　stayed　half　an　hour　and　paid　me　his　visittrying　hard　to　'please'　me　again！　Poor　man；　he　is　in　a　charming　state　to　please　the　fair　sex！　But　if　he　does　n't　please　me；　he　interests　me　more　and　more；　I　make　bold　to　say　that　to　you。　　You　would　have　said　it　would　be　very　awkward；　but；　strangely　enough；　I　found　it　very　easy。　I　suppose　it　is　because　I　am　so　interested。　　Very　likely　it　was　awkward　for　him；　poor　fellow；　for　I　can　certify　that　he　was　not　a　whit　happier　at　the　end　of　his　half…hour；　in　spite　of　the　privilege　he　had　enjoyed。　　He　said　nothing　more　about　you；　and　we　talked　of　Paris　and　New　York；　of　Baden　and　Rome。　Imagine　the　situation！　　I　shall　make　no　resistance　whatever　to　it；　I　shall　simply　let　him　perceive　that　conversing　with　me　on　these　topics　does　not　make　him　feel　a　bit　more　comfortable；　and　that　he　must　look　elsewhere　for　a　remedy。　　I　said　not　a　word　about　Blanche。〃

She　spoke　of　Blanche；　however；　the　next　time。　　〃He　came　again　this　afternoon；〃　she　said　in　her　second　letter；　〃and　he　wore　exactly　the　same　face　as　yesterdaynamely；　a　very　unhappy　one。　If　I　were　not　entirely　too　wise　to　believe　his　account　of　himself；　I　might　suppose　that　he　was　unhappy　because　Blanche　shows　symptoms　of　not　taking　flight。　　She　has　been　with　us　a　great　dealshe　has　no　idea　what　is　going　on　and　I　can't　honestly　say　that　she　chatters　any　less　than　usual。　But　she　is　greatly　interested　in　certain　shops　that　she　is　buying　out；　and　especially　in　her　visits　to　her　tailor。　Mamma　has　proposed　to　herin　view　of　your　absence