marjorie daw-第3章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ice；　interspersed　with　marvellous　silvery　fjords。　In　the　far
distance　the　Isle　of　Shoals　loomed　up　like　a　group　of　huge　bergs
drifting　down　on　us。　The　Polar　Regions　in　a　June　thaw！　It　was
exceedingly　fine。　What　did　we　talk　about？　We　talked　about　the
weatherand　you！　The　weather　has　been　disagreeable　for　several
days　pastand　so　have　you。　I　glided　from　one　topic　to　the　other
very　naturally。　I　told　my　friends　of　your　accident；　how　it　had
frustrated　all　our　summer　plans；　and　what　our　plans　were。　I　played
quite　a　spirited　solo　on　the　fibula。　Then　I　described　you；　or；
rather；　I　didn't。　I　spoke　of　your　amiability；　of　your　patience
under　this　severe　affliction；　of　your　touching　gratitude　when
Dillon　brings　you　little　presents　of　fruit；　of　your　tenderness　to
your　sister　Fanny；　whom　you　would　not　allow　to　stay　in　town　to
nurse　you；　and　how　you　heroically　sent　her　back　to　Newport；
preferring　to　remain　alone　with　Mary；　the　cook；　and　your　man
Watkins；　to　whom；　by　the　way；　you　were　devotedly　attached。　If　you
had　been　there；　Jack；　you　wouldn't　have　known　yourself。　I　should
have　excelled　as　a　criminal　lawyer；　if　I　had　not　turned　my
attention　to　a　different　branch　of　jurisprudence。　

Miss　Marjorie　asked　all　manner　of　leading　questions　concerning　you。
It　did　not　occur　to　me　then；　but　it　struck　me　forcibly　afterwards；
that　she　evinced　a　singular　interest　in　the　conversation。　When　I
got　back　to　my　room；　I　recalled　how　eagerly　she　leaned　forward；
with　her　full；　snowy　throat　in　strong　moonlight；　listening　to　what
I　said。　Positively；　I　think　I　made　her　like　you！

Miss　Daw　is　a　girl　whom　you　would　like　immensely；　I　can　tell　you
that。　A　beauty　without　affectation；　a　high　and　tender　natureif
one　can　read　the　soul　in　the　face。　And　the　old　colonel　is　a　noble
character；　too。

I　am　glad　that　the　Daws　are　such　pleasant　people。　The　Pines　is　an
isolated　spot；　and　my　resources　are　few。　I　fear　I　should　have　found
life　here　somewhat　monotonous　before　long；　with　no　other　society
than　that　of　my　excellent　sire。　It　is　true；　I　might　have　made　a
target　of　the　defenceless　invalid；　but　I　haven't　a　taste　for
artillery；　moi。


VI。

JOHN　FLEMMING　TO　EDWARD　DELANEY。

August　17；　1872。

For　a　man　who　hasn't　a　taste　for　artillery；　it　occurs　to　me；　my
friend；　you　are　keeping　up　a　pretty　lively　fire　on　my　inner　works。
But　go　on。　Cynicism　is　a　small　brass　field…piece　that　eventually
bursts　and　kills　the　artilleryman。

You　may　abuse　me　as　much　as　you　like；　and　I'll　not　complain；　for　I
don't　know　what　I　should　do　without　your　letters。　They　are　curing
me。　I　haven't　hurled　anything　at　Watkins　since　last　Sunday；　partly
because　I　have　grown　more　amiable　under　your　teaching；　and　partly
because　Watkins　captured　my　ammunition　one　night；　and　carried　it
off　to　the　library。　He　is　rapidly　losing　the　habit　he　had　acquired
of　dodging　whenever　I　rub　my　ear；　or　make　any　slight　motion　with　my
right　arm。　He　is　still　suggestive　of　the　wine…cellar；　however。　You
may　break；　you　may　shatter　Watkins；　if　you　will；　but　the　scent　of
the　Roederer　will　hang　round　him　still。

Ned；　that　Miss　Daw　must　be　a　charming　person。　I　should　certainly
like　her。　I　like　her　already。　When　you　spoke　in　your　first　letter
of　seeing　a　young　girl　swinging　in　a　hammock　under　your　chamber
window；　I　was　somehow　strangely　drawn　to　her。　I　cannot　account　for
it　in　the　least。　What　you　have　subsequently　written　of　Miss　Daw　has
strengthened　the　impression。　You　seem　to　be　describing　a　woman　I
have　known　in　some　previous　state　of　existence；　or　dreamed　of　in
this。　Upon　my　word；　if　you　were　to　send　me　her　photograph；　I
believe　I　should　recognize　her　at　a　glance。　Her　manner；　that
listening　attitude；　her　traits　of　character；　as　you　indicate　them；
the　light　hair　and　the　dark　eyesthey　are　all　familiar　things　to
me。　Asked　a　lot　of　questions；　did　she？　Curious　about　me？　That　is
strange。

You　would　laugh　in　your　sleeve；　you　wretched　old　cynic；　if　you　knew
how　I　lie　awake　nights；　with　my　gas　turned　down　to　a　star；　thinking
of　The　Pines　and　the　house　across　the　road。　How　cool　it　must　be
down　there！　I　long　for　the　salt　smell　in　the　air。　I　picture　the
colonel　smoking　his　cheroot　on　the　piazza。　I　send　you　and　Miss　Daw
off　on　afternoon　rambles　along　the　beach。　Sometimes　I　let　you
stroll　with　her　under　the　elms　in　the　moonlight；　for　you　are　great
friends　by　this　time；　I　take　it；　and　see　each　other　every　day。　I
know　your　ways　and　your　manners！　Then　I　fall　into　a　truculent
mood；　and　would　like　to　destroy　somebody。　Have　you　noticed　anything
in　the　shape　of　a　lover　hanging　around　the　colonel　Lares　and
Penates？　Does　that　lieutenant　of　the　horse…marines　or　that　young
Stillwater　parson　visit　the　house　much？　Not　that　I　am　pining　for
news　of　them；　but　any　gossip　of　the　kind　would　be　in　order。　I
wonder；　Ned；　you　don't　fall　in　love　with　Miss　Daw。　I　am　ripe　to　do
it　myself。　Speaking　of　photographs；　couldn't　you　manage　to　slip
one　of　her　cartes…de…visite　from　her　albumshe　must　have　an　album；
you　knowand　send　it　to　me？　I　will　return　it　before　it　could　be
missed。　That's　a　good　fellow！　Did　the　mare　arrive　safe　and　sound？
It　will　be　a　capital　animal　this　autumn　for　Central　Park。

Ohmy　leg？　I　forgot　about　my　leg。　It's　better。


VII。

EDWARD　DELANEY　TO　JOHN　FLEMMIMG。

August　20；　1872。

You　are　correct　in　your　surmises。　I　am　on　the　most　friendly　terms
with　our　neighbors。　The　colonel　and　my　father　smoke　their　afternoon
cigar　together　in　our　sitting…room　or　on　the　piazza　opposite；　and　I
pass　an　hour　or　two　of　the　day　or　the　evening　with　the　daughter。　I
am　more　and　more　struck　by　the　beauty；　modesty；　and　intelligence　of
Miss　Daw。

You　asked　me　why　I　do　not　fall　in　love　with　her。　I　will　be　frank；
Jack；　I　have　thought　of　that。　She　is　young；　rich；　accomplished；
uniting　in　herself　more　attractions；　mental　and　personal；　than　I
can　recall　in　any　girl　of　my　acquaintance；　but　she　lacks　the
something　that　would　be　necessary　to　inspire　in　me　that　kind　of
interest。　Possessing　this　unknown　quality；　a　woman　neither
beautiful　nor　wealthy　nor　very　young　could　bring　me　to　her　feet。
But　not　Miss　Daw。　If　we　were　shipwrecked　together　on　an　uninhabited
islandlet　me　suggest　a　tropical　island；　for　it　costs　no　more　to
be　picturesqueI　would　build　her　a　bamboo　hut；　I　would　fetch　her
bread…fruit　and　cocoanuts；　I　would　fry　yams　for　her；　I　would　lure
the　ingenuous　turtle　and　make　her　nourishing　soups；　but　I　wouldn't
make　love　to　hernot　under　eighteen　months。　I　would　like　to　have
her　for　a　sister；　that　I　might　shield　her　and　counsel　her；　and
spend　half　my　income　on　old　threadlace　and　camel's…hair　shawls。　（We
are　off　the　island　now。）　If　such　were　not　my　feeling；　there　would
still　be　an　obstacle　to　my　loving　Miss　Daw。　A　greater　misfortune
could　scarcely　befall　me　than　to　love　her。　Flemming；　I　am　about　to
make　a　revelation　that　will　astonish　you。　I　may　be　all　wrong　in　my
premises　and　consequently　in　my　conclusions；　but　you　shall　judge。

That　night　when　I　returned　to　my　room　after　the　croquet　party　at
the　Daw's；　and　was　thinking　over　the　trivial　events　of　the　evening；
I　was　suddenly　impressed　by　the　air　of　eager　attention　with　which
Miss　Daw　had　followed　my　account　of　your　accident。　I　think　I
mentioned　this　to　you。　Well；　the　next　morning；　as　I　went　to　mail　my
letter；　I　overtook　Miss　Daw　on　the　road　to　Rye；　where　the　post…
office　is；　and　accompanied　her　thither　and　back；　an　hour's　walk。
The　conversation　again　turned　to　you；　and　again　I　remarked　that
inexplicable　look　of　interest　which　had　lighted　up　her　face　the
previous　evening。　Since　then；　I　have　seen　Miss　Daw　perhaps　ten
times；　perhaps　oftener；　and　on　each　occasion　I　found　that　when　I
was　not　speaking　of　you；　or　your　sister；　or　some　person　or　place
associated　with　you；　I　was　not　holding　her　attention。　She　would　be
absent…minded；　her　eyes　would　wander　away　from　me　to　the　sea；　or　to
some　distant　object　in　the　landscape；　her　fingers　would　play　with
the　leaves　of　a　book　in　a　way　that　convinced　me　she　was　not
listening。　At　these　moments　if　I　abruptly　changed　the　themeI　did
it　several　times　as　an　experimentand　dropped　some　remark　about　my
friend　Flemming；　then　the　sombre　blue　eyes　would　come　back　to　me
instantly。

Now；　is