april hopes-第21章

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He　burst　into　a　ringing　laugh。　　〃Oh　no；　don't！〃

〃Why？〃　she　demanded；　with　provisional　indignation。

〃Because　then　there　wouldn't　be　any　Miss　Pasmer。〃

It　seemed　to　Alice　that　this　joking　was　rather　an　unwarranted　liberty。
Again　she　could　not　help　joining　in　his　light…heartedness；　but　she
checked　herself　so　abruptly；　and　put　on　a　look　so　austere；　that　he　was
quelled　by　it。

〃I　mean；〃　he　began〃that　is　to　sayI　mean　that　I　don't　understand　why
ladies　are　always　saying　that。　　I　am　sure　they　can　do　what　they　like；　as
it　is。〃

〃Do　you　mean　that　everything　is　open　to　them　now？〃　she　asked；
disentangling　a　cluster　of　the　berries　from　those　in　her　lap；　and
beginning　a　fresh　bunch。

〃Yes；〃　said　Mavering。　　〃Something　like　thatyes。　　They　can　do　anything
they　like。　　Lots　of　them　do。〃

〃Oh　yes；　I　know；〃　said　the　girl。　　〃But　people　don't　like　them　to。〃

〃Why；　what　would　you　like　to　be？〃　he　asked。

She　did　not　answer；　but　sorted　over　the　clusters　in　her　lap。　　〃We've　got
enough　now；　haven't　we？〃　she　said。

〃Oh；　not　half；〃　he　said。　　〃But　if　you're　tired　you　must　let　me　make　up
some　of　the　bunches。〃

〃No；　no！　　I　want　to　do　them　all　myself；〃　she　said；　gesturing　his　offered
hands　away；　with　a　little　nether　appeal　in　her　laughing　refusal

〃So　as　to　feel　that　you've　been　of　some　use　in　the　world？〃　he　said；
dropping　contentedly　on　the　ground　near　her；　and　watching　her　industry。

〃Do　you　think　that　would　be　very　wrong？〃　she　asked。　　〃What　made　that
friend　of　yoursMr。　Boardmango　into　journalism？〃

〃Oh；　virtuous　poverty。　　You're　not　thinking　of　becoming　a　newspaper
woman；　Miss　Pasmer！〃

〃Why　not？〃　　She　put　the　final　cluster　into　the　bunch　in　hand；　and　began
to　wind　a　withe　of　sweet…grass　around　the　stems。　　He　dropped　forward　on
his　knees　to　help　her；　and　together　they　managed　the　knot。　　They　were
both　flushed　a　little　when　it　was　tied；　and　were　serious。

〃Why　shouldn't　one　be　a　newspaper　woman；　if　Harvard　graduates　are　to　be
journalists？〃

〃Well；　you　know；　only　a　certain　kind　are。〃

〃What　kind？〃

〃Well；　not　exactly　what　you'd　call　the　gentlemanly　sort。〃

〃I　thought　Mr。　Boardman　was　a　great　friend　of　yours？〃

〃He　is。　　He　is　one　of　the　best　fellows　in　the　world。　　But　you　must　have
seen　that　he　wasn't　a　swell。〃

〃I　should　think　he'd　be　glad　he　was　doing　something　at　once。　　If　I　were
a〃　　She　stopped；　and　they　laughed　together。　　〃I　mean　that　I　should　hate
to　be　so　long　getting　ready　to　do　something　as　men　are。〃

〃Then　you'd　rather　begin　making　wall…paper　at　once　than　studying　law？〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　say　that。　　I'm　not　competent　to　advise。　　But　I　should　like
to　feel　that　I　was　doing　something。　　I　suppose　it's　hereditary。〃
Mavering　stared　a　little。　　〃One　of　my　father's　sisters　has　gone　into　a
sisterhood。　　She's　in　England。〃

〃Is　she　aCatholic？〃　asked　Mavering。

〃She　isn't　a　Roman　Catholic。〃

〃Oh　yes！〃　　He　dropped　forward　on　his　knees　again　to　help　her　tie　the
bunch　she　had　finished。　　It　was　not　so　easy　as　the　first。

〃Oh；　thank　you！〃　she　said；　with　unnecessary　fervour。

〃But　you　shouldn't　like　to　go　into　a　sisterhood；　I　suppose？〃　said
Mavering；　ready　to　laugh。

〃Oh；　I　don't　know。　　Why　not？〃　　She　looked　at　him　with　a　flying　glance；
and　dropped　her　eyes。

〃Oh；　no　reason；　if　you　have　a　fancy　for　that　kind　of　thing。〃

〃That　kind　of　thing？〃　repeated　Alice　severely。

〃Oh；　I　don't　mean　anything　disrespectful　to　it；〃　said　Mavering；　throwing
his　anxiety　off　in　the　laugh　he　had　been　holding　back。　　〃And　I　beg　your
pardon。　　But　I　don't　suppose　you're　in　earnest。〃

〃Oh　no；　I'm　not　in　earnest；〃　said　the　girl；　letting　her　wrists　fall　upon
her　knees；　and　the　clusters　drop　from　her　hands。　　〃I'm　not　in　earnest
about　anything；　that's　the　truththat's　the　shame。　　Wouldn't　you　like；〃
she　broke　off；　〃to　be　a　priest；　and　go　round　among　these　people　up　here
on　their　frozen　islands　in　the　winter？〃

〃No；〃　shouted　Mavering；　〃I　certainly　shouldn't。　　I　don't　see　how　anybody
stands　it。　　Ponkwasset　Falls　is　bad　enough　in　the　winter；　and　compared　to
this　region　Ponkwasset　Falls　is　a　metropolis。　　I　believe　in　getting　all
the　good　you　can　out　of　the　world　you　were　born　inof　course　without
hurting　anybody　else。〃　　He　stretched　his　legs　out　on　the　bed　of　sweet…
fern；　where　he　had　thrown　himself；　and　rested　his　head　on　his　hand　lifted
on　his　elbow。　　〃I　think　this　is　what　this　place　is　fit　fora　picnic；　and
I　wish　every　one　well　out　of　it　for　nine　months　of　the　year。〃

〃I　don't；〃　said　the　girl；　with　a　passionate　regret　in　her　voice。　　〃It
would　be　heavenly　here　withBut　youno；　you're　different。　　You　always
want　to　share　your　happiness。〃

〃I　shouldn't　call　that　happiness。　　But　don't　you？〃　asked　Mavering。

〃No。　　I'm　selfish。〃

〃You　don't　expect　me　to　be　believe　that；　I　suppose。〃

〃Yes；〃　she　went　on；　〃it　must　be　selfishness。　　You　don't　believe　I'm　so；
because　you　can't　imagine　it。　　But　it's　true。　　If　I　were　to　be　happy；　I
should　be　very　greedy　about　it；　I　couldn't　endure　to　let　any　one　else
have　a　part　in　it。　　So　it's　best　for　me　to　be　wretched；　don't　you　seeto
give　myself　up　entirely　to　doing　for　others；　and　not　expect　any　one　to　do
anything　for　me；　then　I　can　be　of　some　use　in　the　world。　　That's　why　I
should　like　to　go　into　a　sisterhood。〃

Mavering　treated　it　as　the　best　kind　of　joke；　and　he　was　confirmed　in
this　view　of　it　by　her　laughing　with　him；　after　a　first　glance　of　what　he
thought　mock　piteousness。




XVI。

The　clouds　sailed　across　the　irregular　space　of　pale　blue　Northern　sky
which　the　break　in　the　woods　opened　for　them　overhead。　　It　was　so　still
that　they　heard；　and　smiled　to　hear；　the　broken　voices　of　the　others；　who
had　gone　to　get　berries　in　another　directionMiss　Anderson's　hoarse
murmur　and　Munt's　artificial　bass。　　Some　words　came　from　the　party　on　the
rocks。

〃Isn't　it　perfect？〃　cried　the　young　fellow　in　utter　content。

〃Yes；　too　perfect；〃　answered　the　girl；　rousing　herself　from　the　reverie
in　which　they　had　both　lost　themselves；　she　did　not　know　how　long。
〃Shall　you　gather　any　more？〃

〃No；　I　guess　there's　enough。　　Let's　count　them。〃　　He　stooped　over　on　his
hand's　and　knees；　and　made　as　much　of　counting　the　bunches　as　he　could。
〃There's　about　one　bunch　and　a　half　a　piece。　　How　shall　we　carry　them？
We　ought　to　come　into　camp　as　impressively　as　possible。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Alice；　looking　into　his　face　with　dreamy　absence。　　It　was
going　through　her　mind；　from　some　romance　she　had　read；　What　if　he　were
some　sylvan　creature；　with　that　gaiety；　that　natural　gladness　and
sweetness　of　his；　so　far　from　any　happiness　that　was　possible　to　her？
Ought　not　she　to　be　afraid　of　him？　　She　was　thinking　she　was　not　afraid。

〃I'll　tell　you；〃　he　said。　　〃Tie　the　stems　of　all　the　bunches　together；
and　swing　them　over　a　pole；　like　grapes　of　Eshcol。　　Don't　you　know　the
picture？〃

〃Oh　yes。〃

〃Hold　on！　　I'll　get　the　pole。〃　　He　cut　a　white　birch　sapling；　and　swept
off　its　twigs　and　leaves；　then　he　tied　the　bunches　together；　and　slung
them　over　the　middle　of　the　pole。

〃Well？〃　she　asked。

〃Now　we　must　rest　the　ends　on　our　shoulders。〃

〃Do　you　think　so？〃　she　asked；　with　the　reluctance　that　complies。

〃Yes；　but　not　right　away。　　I'll　carry　them　out　of　the　woods；　and　we'll
form　the　procession　just　before　we　come　in　sight。〃

Every　one　on　the　ledge　recognised　the　tableau　when　it　appeared；　and
saluted　it　with　cheers　and　hand…clapping。　　Mrs。　Pasmer　bent　a　look　on　her
daughter　which　she　faced　impenetrably。

〃Where　have　you　been？〃　　〃We　thought　you　were　lost！〃　　〃We　were　just
organising　a　search　expedition！〃　different　ones　shouted　at　them。

The　lady　with　the　coffee…pot　was　kneeling　over　it　with　her　hand　on　it。
〃Have　some　coffee；　you　poor　things！　　You　must　be　almost　starved。〃

〃We　looked　about　for　you　everywhere；〃　said　Munt；　〃and　shouted　ourselves
dumb。〃

Miss　Anderson　passed　near　Alice。　　〃I　knew　where　you　were　all　the　time！〃

Then　the　whole　party　fell　to　praising　the　novel　conception　of　the
bouquets　of　blueberries；　and　the　talk　began　to　flow　away　from　Alice　and
Mavering　in　various　channels。

All　that　had　happened　a　few　minutes　ago　in　the　blueberry　patch　seemed　a
far…off　dream；　the　reality　had　died　out　of　the　looks　and　words。

He　ran　about　from　one