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第16章

april hopes-第16章

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〃But how are you going to make a girl like other girls when there are no
young men?〃

〃That's very true;〃 said Mrs。 Pasmer; with an interest which she of
course did her best to make impersonal。  〃Do you think there will be
more; later on?〃

〃They will have to Huey up if they are comin';〃 said Miss Anderson。
〃It's the middle of August now; and the hotel closes the second week in
September。〃

〃Yes;〃 said Mrs。 Pasmer; vaguely looking at Alice。  She had just appeared
over the brow of the precipice; along whose face the arrivals and
departures by the ferry…boat at Campobello obliquely ascend and descend。

She came walking swiftly toward the hotel; and; for her; so excitedly
that Mrs。 Pasmer involuntarily rose and went to meet her at the top of
the broad hotel steps。

〃What is it; Alice?〃

〃Oh; nothing!  I thought I saw Mr。 Munt coming off the boat。〃

〃Mr。 Munt?〃

〃Yes。〃  She would not stay for further question。

Her mother looked after her with the edge of her fan over her mouth till
she disappeared in the depths of the hotel corridor; then she sat down
near the steps; and chatted with some half…grown boys lounging on the
balustrade; and waited for Munt to come up over the brink of the
precipice。  Dan Mavering came with him; running forward with a polite
eagerness at sight of Mrs。 Pasmer。  She distributed a skillful
astonishment equally between the two men she had equally expected to see;
and was extremely cordial with them; not only because she was pleased
with them; but because she was still more pleased with her daughter's
being; after all; like other girls; when it came to essentials。




XII。

Alice came down to lunch in a dress which reconciled the seaside and the
drawing…room in an effect entirely satisfactory to her mother; and gave
her hand to both the gentlemen without the affectation of surprise at
seeing either。

〃I saw Mr。 Munt coning up from the boat;〃 she said in answer to
Mavering's demand for some sort of astonishment from her。  〃I wasn't
certain that it was you。〃

Mrs。 Pasmer; whose pretences had been all given away by this simple
confession; did not resent it; she was so much pleased with her
daughter's evident excitement at the young man's having come。  Without
being conscious of it; perhaps; Alice prettily assumed the part of
hostess from the moment of their meeting; and did the honours of the
hotel with a tacit implication of knowing that he had come to see her
there。  They had only met twice; but now; the third time; meeting after a
little separation; their manner toward each other was as if their
acquaintance had been making progress in the interval。  She took him
about quite as if he had joined their family party; and introduced him to
Miss Anderson and to all her particular friends; for each of whom; within
five minutes after his presentation; he contrived to do some winning
service。  She introduced him to her father; whom he treated with deep
respect and said 〃Sir〃 to。  She showed him the bowling alley; and began
to play tennis with him。

Her mother; sitting with John Munt on the piazza; followed these polite
attentions to Mavering with humorous satisfaction; which was qualified as
they went on。

〃Alice;〃 she said to her; at a chance which offered itself during the
evening; and then she hesitated for the right word。

〃Well; mamma?〃 said the girl impatiently; stopping on her way to walk up
and down the piazza with Mavering; she had run in to get a wrap and a
Tam…o'…Shanter cap。

〃Don'toverdothe honours。〃

〃What do you mean; mamma?〃 asked the girl; dropping her arms before her;
and letting the shawl trail on the floor。

〃Don't you think he was very kind to us on Class Day?〃

Her mother laughed。  〃But every one mayn't know it's gratitude。〃

Alice went out; but she came back in a little while; and went up to her
room without speaking to any one。

The fits of elation and depression with which this first day passed for
her succeeded one another during Mavering's stay。  He did not need
Alice's chaperonage long。  By the next morning he seemed to know and to
like everybody in the hotel; where he enjoyed a general favour which at
that moment had no exceptions。  In the afternoon he began to organise
excursions and amusements with the help of Miss Anderson。

The plans all referred to Alice; who accepted and approved with an
authority which every one tacitly admitted; just as every one recognised
that Mavering had come to Campobello because she was there。  Such a phase
is perhaps the prettiest in the history of a love affair。  All is yet in
solution; nothing has been precipitated in word or fact。  The parties to
it even reserve a final construction of what they themselves say or do;
they will not own to their hearts that they mean exactly this or that。
It is this phase which in its perfect freedom is the most American of
all; under other conditions it is an instant; perceptible or
imperceptible; under ours it is a distinct stage; unhurried by any
outside influences。

The nearest approach to a definition of the situation was in a walk
between Mavering and Mrs。 Pasmer; and this talk; too; light and brief;
might have had no such intention as her fancy assigned his part of it。

She recurred to something that had been said on Class Day about his
taking up the law immediately; or going abroad first for a year。

〃Oh; I've abandoned Europe altogether for the present;〃 he said laughing。
〃And I don't know but I may go back on the law too。〃

〃Indeed!  Then you are going to be an artist?〃

〃Oh no; not so bad as that。  It isn't settled yet; and I'm off here to
think it over a while before the law school opens in September。  My
father wants me to go into his business and turn my powers to account in
designing wall…papers。〃

〃Oh; how very interesting!〃  At the same time Mrs。 Pasmer ran over the
whole field of her acquaintance without finding another wall…paper maker
in it。  But she remembered what Mrs。 Saintsbury had said: it was
manufacturing。  This reminded her to ask if he had seen the Saintsburys
lately; and he said; No; he believed they were still in Cambridge;
though。

〃And we shall actually see a young man;〃 she said finally; 〃in the act of
deciding his own destiny!〃

He laughed for pleasure in her persiflage。  〃Yes; only don't give me
away。  Nobody else knows it。〃

〃Oh no; indeed。  Too much flattered; Mr。 Mavering。  Shall you let me know
when you've decided?  I shall be dying to know; and I shall be too high…
minded to ask。〃

It was not then too late to adapt 'Pinafore' to any exigency of life; and
Mavering said; 〃You will learn from the expression of my eyes。〃




XIII。

The witnesses of Mavering's successful efforts to make everybody like him
were interested in his differentiation of the attentions he offered every
age and sex from those he paid Alice。  But while they all agreed that
there never was a sweeter fellow; they would have been puzzled to say in
just what this difference consisted; and much as they liked him; the
ladies of her cult were not quite satisfied with him till they decided
that it was marked by an anxiety; a timidity; which was perfectly
fascinating in a man so far from bashfulness as he。  That is; he did nice
things for others without asking; but with her there was always an
explicit pause; and an implicit prayer and permission; first。  Upon this
condition they consented to the glamour which he had for her; and which
was evident to every one probably but him。

Once agreeing that no one was good enough for Alice Pasmer; whose
qualities they felt that only women could really appreciate; they were
interested to see how near Mavering could come to being good enough; and
as the drama played itself before their eyes; they pleased themselves in
analysing its hero。

〃He is not bashful; certainly;〃 said one of a little group who sat midway
of the piazza while Alice and Mavering walked up and down together。
〃But don't you think he's modest?  There's that difference; you know。〃

The lady addressed waited so long before answering that the young couple
came abreast of the group; and then she had to wait till they were out of
hearing。  〃Yes;〃 she sai

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