april hopes-第3章

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sympathy　she　had　the　use　of；　〃Oh；　but　you　won't　miss　one　pleasure　out　of
so　many　to…day；　Mr。　Mavering；　and　think　of　the　little　dramatic　surprise！〃

〃Oh；　perfect；〃　he　said；　with　another　laugh。　　〃I　told　Miss　Pasmer　as　we
came　up。〃

〃Oh；　then　you　were　in　the　surprise；　Alice！〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer；　searching
her　daughter's　eyes　for　confession　or　denial　of　this　little　community　of
interest。　　The　girl　smiled　slightly　upon　the　young　man；　but　not
disapprovingly；　and　made　no　other　answer　to　her　mother；　who　went　on：
〃Where　in　the　world　have　you　been？　　Did　Mr。　Munt　find　you？　　Who　told　you
where　I　was？　　Did　you　see　me？　　How　did　you　know　I　was　here？　　Was　there
ever　anything　so　droll？〃　　She　did　not　mean　her　questions　to　be　answered；
or　at　least　not　then；　for；　while　her　daughter　continued　to　smile　rather
more　absently；　and　young　Mavering　broke　out　continuously　in　his　nervous
laugh；　and　his　father　stood　regarding　him　with　visible　satisfaction；　she
hummed　on；　turning　to　the　young　man：　〃But　I'm　quite　appalled　at　Alice's
having　monopolised　even　for　a　few　minutes　a　whole　Seniorand　probably　an
official　Senior　at　that；〃　she　said；　with　a　glance　at　the　pink　and　white
club　button　in　his　coat　lapel；　〃and　I　can't　let　you　stay　another　instant；
Mr。　Mavering。　　I　know　very　well　how　many　demands　you　have　upon　you　and
you　must　go　back　directly　to　your　sisters　and　your　cousins　and　your
aunts；　and　all　the　rest　of　them；　you　must　indeed。〃

〃Oh　no！　　Don't　drive　me　away；　Mrs。　Pasmer；〃　pleaded　the　young　man；
laughing　violently；　and　then　wiping　his　face。　　〃I　assure　you　that　I've　no
encumbrances　of　any　kind　here　except　my　father；　and　he　seems　to　have　been
taking　very　good　care　of　himself。〃　　They　all　laughed　at　this；　and　the
young　fellow　hurried　on：　〃Don't　be　alarmed　at　my　button；　it　only　means　a
love　of　personal　decoration；　if　that's　where　you　got　the　notion　of　my
being　an　official　Senior。　　This　isn't　my　spread；　I　shall　hope　to　welcome
you　at　Beck　Hall　after　the　Tree；　and　I　wish　you'd　let　me　be　of　use　to
you。　　Wouldn't　you　like　to　go　round　to　some　of　the　smaller　spreads？　　I
think　it　would　amuse　you。　　And　have　you　got　tickets　to　the　Tree；　to　see
us　make　fools　of　ourselves？　　It's　worth　seeing；　Mrs。　Pasmer；　I　assure
you。〃

He　rattled　on　very　rapidly　but　with　such　a　frankness　in　his　urgency；　such
amiable　kindliness；　that　Mrs。　Pasmer　could　not　feel　that　it　was　pushing。
She　looked　at　her　daughter；　but　she　stood　as　passive　in　the　transaction
as　the　elder　Mavering。　　She　was　taller　than　her　mother；　and　as　she
waited；　her　supple　figure　described　that　fine　lateral　curve　which　one
sees　in　some　Louis　Quinze　portraits；　this　effect　was　enhanced　by　the
fashion　of　her　dress　of　pale　sage　green；　with　a　wide　stripe　or　sash　of
white　dropping　down　the　front；　from　her　delicate　waist。　　The　same　simple
combination　of　colours　was　carried　up　into　her　hat；　which　surmounted
darker　hair　than　Mrs。　Pasmer's；　and　a　complexion　of　wholesome　pallor；　her
eyes　were　grey　and　grave；　with　black　brows；　and　her　face；　which　was
rather　narrow；　had　a　pleasing　irregularity　in　the　sharp　jut　of　the　nose；
in　profile　the　parting　of　the　red　lips　showed　well　back　into　the　cheek；

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer；　in　her　own　behalf；　and　she　added　in
his；　〃about　letting　you　take　so　much　trouble；〃　so　smoothly　that　it　would
have　been　quite　impossible　to　detect　the　point　of　union　in　the　two
utterances。

〃Well；　don't　call　it　names；　anyway；　Mrs。　Pasmer；〃　pleaded　the　young　man。
〃I　thought　it　was　nothing　but　a　pleasure　and　a　privilege〃

〃The　fact　is；〃　she　explained；　neither　consenting　nor　refusing；　〃that　we
were　expecting　to　meet　some　friends　who　had　tickets　for　us〃young
Mavering's　face　fell〃　and　I　can't　imagine　what's　happened。〃

〃Oh；　let's　hope　something　dreadful；〃　he　cried。

Perhaps　you　know　them；〃　she　delayed　further。　　〃Professor　Saintsbury！〃

〃Well；　rather！　　Why；　they　were　here　about　an　hour　agoboth　of　them。
They　must　have　been　looking　for　you。〃

〃Yes；　we　were　to　meet　them　here。　　We　waited　to　come　out　with　other
friends；　and　I　was　afraid　we　were　late。〃　　Mrs。　Pasmer's　face　expressed　a
tempered　disappointment；　and　she　looked　at　her　daughter　for　indications
of　her　wishes　in　the　circumstances；　seeing　in　her　eye　a　willingness　to
accept　young　Mavering's　invitation；　she　hesitated　more　decidedly　than　she
had　yet　done；　for　she　was；　other　things　being　equal；　quite　willing　to
accept　it　herself。　　But　other　things　were　not　equal；　and　the　whole
situation　was　very　odd。　　All　that　she　knew　of　Mr。　Mavering　the　elder　was
that　he　was　the　old　friend　of　John　Munt；　and　she　knew　far　too　little　of
John　Munt；　except　that　he　seemed　to　go　everywhere；　and　to　be　welcome；　not
to　feel　that　his　introduction　was　hardly　a　warrant　for　what　looked　like
an　impending　intimacy。　　She　did　not　dislike　Mr。　Mavering；　he　was
evidently　a　country　person　of　great　self…respect；　and　no　doubt　of　entire
respectability。　　He　seemed　very　intelligent；　too。　　He　was　a　Harvard　man；
he　had　rather　a　cultivated　manner；　or　else　naturally　a　clever　way　of
saying　things。　　But　all　that　was　really　nothing；　if　she　knew　no　more
about　him；　and　she　certainly　did　not。　　If　she　could　only　have　asked　her
daughter　who　it　was　that　presented　young　Mavering　to　her；　that　might　have
formed　some　clew；　but　there　was　no　earthly　chance　of　asking　this；　and；
besides；　it　was　probably　one　of　those　haphazard　introductions　that　people
give　on　such　occasions。　　Young　Mavering's　behaviour　gave　her　still
greater　question：　his　self…possession；　his　entire　absence　of　anxiety；
or　any　expectation　of　rebuff　or　snub；　might　be　the　ease　of　unimpeachable
social　acceptance；　or　it　might　be　merely　adventurous　effrontery；　only
something　ingenuous　and　good　in　the　young　fellow's　handsome　face　forbade
this　conclusion。　　That　his　face　was　so　handsome　was　another　of　the
complications。　　She　recalled；　in　the　dreamlike　swiftness　with　which　all
these　things　passed　through　her　mind；　what　her　friends　had　said　to　Alice
about　her　being　sure　to　meet　her　fate　on　Class　Day；　and　she　looked　at　her
again　to　see　if　she　had　met　it。

〃Well；　mamma？〃　said　the　girl；　smiling　at　her　mother's　look。

Mrs。　Pasmer　thought　she　must　have　been　keeping　young　Mavering　waiting　a
long　time　for　his　answer。　　〃Why；　of　course；　Alice。　　But　I　really　don't
know　what　to　do　about　the　Saintsburys。〃　　This　was　not　in　the　least　true；
but　it　instantly　seemed　so　to　Mrs。　Pasmer；　as　a　plausible　excuse　will
when　we　make　it。

〃Why；　I'll　tell　you　what；　Mrs。　Pasmer；〃　said　young　Mavering；　with　a
cordial　unsuspicion　that　both　won　and　reassured　her；　〃we'll　be　sure　to
find　them　at　some　of　the　spreads。　　Let　me　be　of　that　much　use；　anyway；
you　must。〃

〃We　really　oughtn't　to　let　you；〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer；　making　a　last　effort
to　cling　to　her　reluctance；　but　feeling　it　fail；　with　a　sensation　that
was　not　disagreeable。　　She　could　not　help　being　pleased　with　the　pleasure
that　she　saw　in　her　daughter's　face。

Young　Mavering's　was　radiant。　　〃I'll　be　back　in　just　half　a　minute；〃　he
said；　and　he　took　a　gay　leave　of　them　in　running　to　speak　to　another
student　at　the　opposite　end　of　the　hall。




III。

〃You　must　allow　me　to　get　you　something　to　eat　first；　Mrs。　Pasmer；〃　said
the　elder　Mavering。

〃Oh　no；　thank　you；〃　Mrs。　Pasmer　began。　　But　she　changed　her　mind　and
said；　〃Or；　yes；　I　will；　Mr。　Mavering：　a　very　little　salad；　please。〃　　She
had　really　forgotten　her　hunger；　as　a　woman　will　in　the　presence　of　any
social　interest；　but　she　suddenly　thought　his　going　would　give　her　a
chance　for　two　words　with　her　daughter；　and　so　she　sent　him。　　As　he
creaked　heavily　across　the　smooth　floor　of　the　nave；　〃Alice；〃　she
whispered；　〃I　don't　know　exactly　what　I've　done：　Who　introduced　this
young　Mr。　Mavering　to　you？〃

〃Mr。　Munt。〃

〃Mr。　Munt！〃

〃Yes；　he　came　for　me；　he　said　you　sent　him。　　He　introduced　Mr。　Mavering；
and　he　was　very　polite。　　Mr。　Mavering　said　we　ought　to　go　up　into　the
gallery　and　see　how　it　looked；　and　Mr。　Munt　said　he'd　been　up；　and　Mr。
Mavering　promised　to　bring　me　back　to　him；　but　he　was　not　there　when　we
got　back。　　Mr。　Mavering　got　me　some　ice　cream　first；　and　then　he　found
you　for　me。〃

〃Really；〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer　to　herself；　〃the　combat　thickens！〃　　To　her
daughter　she　sa