marjorie daw-第4章
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friend Flemming； then the sombre blue eyes would come back to me
instantly。
Now； is not this the oddest thing in the world？ No； not the oddest。
The effect which you tell me was produced on you by my casual
mention of an unknown girl swinging in a hammock is certainly as
strange。 You can conjecture how that passage in your letter of
Friday startled me。 Is it possible； than； that two people who have
never met； and who are hundreds of miles apart； can exert a
magnetic influence on each other？ I have read of such psychological
phenomena； but never credited them。 I leave the solution of the
problem to you。 As for myself； all other things being favorable； it
would be impossible for me to fall in love with a woman who listens
to me only when I am talking of my friend！
I am not aware that any one is paying marked attention to my fair
neighbor。 The lieutenant of the navyhe is stationed at Rivermouth
sometimes drops in of an evening； and sometimes the rector from
Stillwater； the lieutenant the oftener。 He was there last night。 I
should not be surprised if he had an eye to the heiress； but he is
not formidable。 Mistress Daw carries a neat little spear of irony；
and the honest lieutenant seems to have a particular facility for
impaling himself on the point of it。 He is not dangerous； I should
say； though I have known a woman to satirize a man for years； and
marry him after all。 Decidedly； the lowly rector is not dangerous；
yet； again； who has not seen Cloth of Frieze victorious in the
lists where Cloth of Gold went down？
As to the photograph。 There is an exquisite ivory…type of Marjorie；
in passe…partout； on the drawing room mantel…piece。 It would be
missed at once if taken。 I would do anything reasonable for you；
Jack； but I've no burning desire to be hauled up before the local
justice of the peace； on a charge of petty larceny。
P。S。Enclosed is a spray of mignonette； which I advise you to
treat tenderly。 Yes； we talked of you again last night； as usual。
It is becoming a little dreary for me。
VIII。
EDWARD DELANEY TO JOHN FLEMMING。
August 22； 1872。
Your letter in reply to my last has occupied my thoughts all the
morning。 I do not know what to think。 Do you mean to say that you
are seriously half in love with a woman whom you have never seen
with a shadow； a chimera？ for what else can Miss Daw to be you？ I
do not understand it at all。 I understand neither you nor her。 You
are a couple of ethereal beings moving in finer air than I can
breathe with my commonplace lungs。 Such delicacy of sentiment is
something that I admire without comprehending。 I am bewildered。 I
am of the earth earthy； and I find myself in the incongruous
position of having to do with mere souls； with natures so finely
tempered that I run some risk of shattering them in my awkwardness。
I am as Caliban among the spirits！
Reflecting on your letter； I am not sure that it is wise in me to
continue this correspondence。 But no； Jack； I do wrong to doubt the
good sense that forms the basis of your character。 You are deeply
interested in Miss Daw； you feel that she is a person whom you may
perhaps greatly admire when you know her： at the same time you bear
in mind that the chances are ten to five that； when you do come to
know her； she will fall far short of your ideal； and you will not
care for her in the least。 Look at it in this sensible light； and I
will hold back nothing from you。
Yesterday afternoon my father and myself rode over to Rivermouth
with the Daws。 A heavy rain in the morning had cooled the
atmosphere and laid the dust。 To Rivermouth is a drive of eight
miles； along a winding road lined all the way with wild barberry
bushes。 I never saw anything more brilliant than these bushes； the
green of the foliage and the faint blush of the berries intensified
by the rain。 The colonel drove； with my father in front； Miss Daw
and I on the back seat。 I resolved that for the first five miles
your name should not pass my lips。 I was amused by the artful
attempts she made； at the start； to break through my reticence。
Then a silence fell upon her； and then she became suddenly gay。
That keenness which I enjoyed so much when it was exercised on the
lieutenant was not so satisfactory directed against myself。 Miss
Daw has great sweetness of disposition； but she can be
disagreeable。 She is like the young lady in the rhyme； with the
curl on her forehead；
〃When she is good；
She is very； very good；
And when she is bad； she is horrid！〃
I kept to my resolution； however； but on the return home I
relented； and talked of your mare！ Miss Daw is going to try a side…
saddle on Margot some morning。 The animal is a trifle too light for
my weight。 By the bye； I nearly forgot to say that Miss Daw sat for
a picture yesterday to a Rivermouth artist。 If the negative turns
out well； I am to have a copy。 So our ends will be accomplished
without crime。 I wish； though； I could send you the ivorytype in
the drawing…room； it is cleverly colored； and would give you an
idea of her hair and eyes； which of course the other will not。
No； Jack； the spray of mignonette did not come from me。 A man of
twenty…eight doesn't enclose flowers in his lettersto another
man。 But don't attach too much significance to the circumstance。
She gives sprays of mignonette to the rector； sprays to the
lieutenant。 She has even given a rose from her bosom to your slave。
It is her jocund nature to scatter flowers； like Spring。
If my letters sometimes read disjointedly； you must understand that
I never finish one at a sitting； but write at intervals； when the
mood is on me。
The mood is not on me now。
IX。
EDWARD DELANEY TO JOHN FLEMMING。
August 23； 1872。
I have just returned from the strangest interview with Marjorie。
She has all but confessed to me her interest in you。 But with what
modesty and dignity！ Her words elude my pen as I attempt to put
them on paper； and； indeed； it was not so much what she said as her
manner； and that I cannot reproduce。 Perhaps it was of a piece with
the strangeness of this whole business； that she should tacitly
acknowledge to a third party the love she feels for a man she has
never beheld！ But I have lost； through your aid； the faculty of
being surprised。 I accept things as people do in dreams。 Now that I
am again in my room； it all appears like an illusionthe black
masses of Rembrandtish shadow under the trees； the fireflies
whirling in Pyrrhic dances among the shrubbery； the sea over there；
Marjorie sitting on the hammock！
It is past midnight； and I am too sleepy to write more。
Thursday Morning。
My father has suddenly taken it into his head to spend a few days
at the Shoals。 In the meanwhile you will not hear from me。 I see
Marjorie walking in the garden with the colonel。 I wish I could
speak to her alone； but shall probably not have an opportunity
before we leave。
X。
EDWARD DELANEY TO JOHN FLEMMING。
August 28； 1872。
You were passing into your second childhood； were you？ Your
intellect was so reduced that my epistolary gifts seemed quite
considerable to you； did they？ I rise superior to the sarcasm in
your favor of the 11th instant； when I notice that five days'
silence on my part is sufficient to throw you into the depths of
despondency。
We returned only this morning from Appledore； that enchanted island
at four dollars per day。 I find on my desk three letters from
you！ Evidently there is no lingering doubt in your mind as to the
pleasure I derive from your correspondence。 These letters are
undated； but in what I take to be the latest are two passages that
require my consideration。 You will pardon my candor； dear Flemming；
but the conviction forces itself upon me that as your leg grows
stronger your head becomes weaker。 You ask my advice on a certain
point。 I will give it。 In my opinion you could do nothing more
unwise that to address a note to Miss Daw； thanking her for the
flower。 It would； I am sure； offend her delicacy beyond pardon。 She
knows you only through me； you are to her an abstraction； a figure
in a dreama dream from which the faintest shock would awaken her。
