april hopes-第32章

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makes　you　forget　it。〃

〃She's　got　style；　there's　no　mistake　about　that。〃

〃Style！〃　sighed　Mavering；　but　he　attempted　no　exemplification。

〃She's　awfully　graceful。　　What　a　walk　she's　got！〃

〃Oh；　don't；　don't；　Boardman！　　All　that's　true；　and　all　that's　nothing
nothing　to　her　goodness。　　She's　so　good；　Boardman！　　Well；　I　give　it　up！
She's　religious。　　You　wouldn't　think　that；　may　be；　you　can't　imagine　a
pretty　girl　religious。　　And　she's　all　the　more　intoxicating　when　she's
serious；　and　when　she's　forgotten　your　whole　worthless　existence　she's
ten　thousand　times　more　fascinating　than　and　other　girl　when　she's　going
right　for　you。　　There's　a　kind　of　look　comes　into　her　eyeskind　of
absence；　rapture；　don't　you　knowwhen　she's　serious；　that　brings　your
heart　right　into　your　mouth。　　She　makes　you　think　of　some　of　those
picturesI　want　to　tell　you　what　she　said　the　other　day　at　a　picnic　when
we　were　off　getting　blueberries；　and　you'll　understand　that　she　isn't
like　other　girlsthat　she　has　a　soul　fall　ofofyou　know　what；
Boardman。　　She　has　high　thoughts　about　everything。　　I　don't　believe　she's
ever　had　a　mean　or　ignoble　impulseshe　couldn't　have。〃　　In　the　business
of　imparting　his　ideas　confidentially；　Mavering　had　drawn　himself　across
the　table　toward　Boardman；　without　heed　to　what　was　on　it。

〃Look　out！　　You'll　be　into　my　steak　first　thing　you　know。〃

〃0h；　confound　your　steak？〃　cried　Mavering；　pushing　the　dish　away。　　What
difference　does　it　make？　　I've　lost　her；　anyway。〃

〃I　don't　believe　you've　lost　her；〃　said　Boardman。

〃What's　the　reason　you　don't？〃　retorted　Mavering；　with　contempt。

〃Because；　if　she's　the　serious　kind　of　a　girl　you　say　she　is；　she
wouldn't　let　you　come　up　there　and　dangle　round　a　whole　fortnight　without
letting　you　know　she　didn't　like　it；　unless　she　did　like　it。　　Now　you
just　go　a　little　into　detail。〃

Mavering　was　quite　willing。　　He　went　so　much　into　detail　that　he　left
nothing　to　Boardman's　imagination。　　He　lost　the　sense　of　its　calamitous
close　in　recounting　the　facts　of　his　story　at　Campobello；　he　smiled　and
blushed　and　laughed　in　telling　certain　things；　he　described　Miss　Anderson
and　imitated　her　voice；　he　drew　heads　of　some　of　the　ladies　on　the　margin
of　a　newspaper；　and　the　tears　came　into　his　eyes　when　he　repeated　the
cruel　words　which　Alice　had　used　at　their　last　meeting。

〃Oh；　well；　you　must　brace　up；〃　said　Boardman。　　〃I've　got　to　go　now。　　She
didn't　mean　it；　of　course。〃

〃Mean　what？〃

〃That　you　were　ungentlemanly。　　Women　don't　know　half　the　time　how　hard
they're　hitting。〃

〃I　guess　she　meant　that　she　didn't　want　me；　anyway；〃　said　Mavering
gloomily。

〃Ah；　I　don't　know　about　that。　　You'd　better　ask　her　the　next　time　you　see
her。　　Good…bye。〃　　He　had　risen；　and　he　offered　his　hand　to　Mavering；　who
was　still　seated。

〃Why；　I've　half　a　mind　to　go　with　you。〃

〃All　right；　come　along。　　But　I　thought　you　might　be　going　right　on　to
Boston。〃

〃No；　I'll　wait　and　go　on　with　you。　　How；　do　you　go　to　the　race？〃

〃In　the　press　boat。〃

〃Any　women？〃

〃No；　we　don't　send　them　on　this　sort　of　duty。〃

〃That　settles　it。　　I　have　got　all　I　want　of　that　particular　sex　for　the
time　being。〃　　Mavering　wore　a　very　bitter　air　as　he　said　this；　it　seemed
to　him　that　he　would　always　be　cynical；　he　rose；　and　arranged　to　leave
his　bag　with　the　restaurateur；　who　put　it　under　the　counter；　and　then　he
went　out　with　his　friend。

The　sun　had　come　out；　and　the　fog　was　burning　away；　there　was　life　and
lift　in　the　air；　which　the　rejected　lover　could　not　refuse　to　feel；　and
he　said；　looking　round；　and　up　and　down　the　animated　street。　　〃I　guess
you're　going　to　have　a　good　day　for　it。〃

The　pavement　was　pretty　well　filled　with　women　who　had　begun　shopping。
Carriages　were　standing　beside　the　pavement；　a　lady　crossed　the　pavement
from　a　shop　door　toward　a　coupe　just　in　front　of　them；　with　her　hand　full
of　light　packages；　she　dropped　one　of　them；　and　Mavering　sprang　forward
instinctively　and　picked　it　up　for　her。

〃Oh；　thank　you！〃　she　said；　with　the　deep　gratitude　which　society
cultivates　for　the　smallest　services。　　Then　she　lifted　her　drooped
eyelashes；　and；　with　a　flash　of　surprise；　exclaimed；　〃Mr。　Mavering！〃　and
dropped　all　her　packages　that　she　might　shake　hands　with　him。

Boardman　sauntered　slowly　on；　but　saw　with　a　backward　glance　Mavering
carrying　the　lady's　packages　to　the　coupe　for　her；　saw　him　lift　his　hat
there；　and　shake　hands　with　somebody　in　the　coupe；　and　then　stand　talking
beside　it。　　He　waited　at　the　corner　of　the　block　for　Mavering　to　come　up；
affecting　an　interest　in　the　neck…wear　of　a　furnisher's　window。

In　about　five　minutes　Mavering　joined　him。

〃Look　here；　Boardman！　　Those　ladies　have　snagged　onto　me。〃

〃Are　there　two　of　them？〃

〃Yes；　one　inside。　　And　they　want　me　to　go　with　then　to　see　the　race。
Their　father's　got　a　little　steam…yacht。　　They　want　you　to　go　too。〃

Boardman　shook　his　head。

〃Well；　that's　what　I　told　themtold　them　that　you　had　to　go　on　the　press
boat。　　They　said　they　wished　they　were　going　on　the　press　boat　too。　　But
I　don't　see　how　I　can　refuse。　　They're　ladies　that　I　met　Class　Day；　and　I
ought　to　have　shown　them　a　little　more　attention　then；　but　I　got　so　taken
up　with〃

〃I　see；〃　said　Boardman；　showing　his　teeth；　fine　and　even　as　grains　of
pop…corn；　in　a　slight　sarcastic　smile。　　〃Sort　of　poetical　justice；〃　he
suggested。

〃Well；　it　issort　of；〃　said　Mavering；　with　a　shamefaced　consciousness。
〃What　train　are　you　going　back　on？〃

〃Seven　o'clock。〃

〃I'll　be　there。〃

He　hurried　back　to　rejoin　the　ladies；　and　Boardman　saw　him；　after　some
parley　and　laughter；　get　into　the　coupe；　from　which　he　inferred　that　they
had　turned　down　the　little　seat　in　front；　and　made　him　take　it；　and　he
inferred　that　they　must　be　very　jolly；　sociable　girls。

He　did　not　see　Mavering　again　till　the　train　was　on　its　way；　when　he　came
in；　looking　distraughtly　about　for　his　friend。　　He　was　again　very
melancholy；　and　said　dejectedly　that　they　had　made　him　stay　to　dinner；
and　had　then　driven　him　down　to　the　station；　bag　and　all。　　〃The　old
gentleman　came　too。　　I　was　in　hopes　I'd　find　you　hanging　round　somewhere；
so　that　I　could　introduce　you。　　They're　awfully　nice。　　None　of　that
infernal　Boston　stiffness。　　The　one　you　saw　me　talking　with　is　married；
though。〃

Boardman　was　writing　out　his　report　from　a　little　book　with　shorthand
notes　in　it。　　There　were　half　a　dozen　other　reporters　in　the　car　busy
with　their　work。　　A　man　who　seemed　to　be　in　authority　said　to　one　of
them；　〃Try　to　throw　in　a　little　humour。〃

Mavering　pulled　his　hat　over　his　eyes；　and　leaned　his　head　on　the　back　of
his　seat；　and　tried　to　sleep。




XXIII。

At　his　father's　agency　in　Boston　he　found；　the　next　morning；　a　letter
from　him　saying　that　he　expected　to　be　down　that　day；　and　asking　Dan　to
meet　him　at　the　Parker　House　for　dinner。　　The　letter　intimated　the　elder
Mavering's　expectation　that　his　son　had　reached　some　conclusion　in　the
matter　they　had　talked　of　before　he　left　for　Campobello。

It　gave　Dan　a　shiver　of　self…disgust　and　a　sick　feeling　of　hopelessness。
He　was　quite　willing　now　to　do　whatever　his　father　wished；　but　he　did　not
see　haw　he　could　face　him　and　own　his　defeat。

When　they　met；　his　father　did　not　seem　to　notice　his　despondency；　and　he
asked　him　nothing　about　the　Pasmers；　of　course。　　That　would　not　have　been
the　American　way。　　Nothing　had　been　said　between　the　father　and　son　as　to
the　special　advantages　of　Campobello　for　the　decision　of　the　question
pending　when　they　saw　each　other　last；　but　the　son　knew　that　the　father
guessed　why　he　chose　that　island　for　the　purpose；　and　now　the　elder　knew
that　if　the　younger　had　anything　to　tell　him　he　would　tell　it；　and　if　he
had　not　he　would　keep　it。　　It　was　tacitly　understood　that　there　was　no
objection　on　the　father's　part　to　Miss　Pasmer；　in　fact；　there　had　been　a
glimmer　of　humorous　intelligence　in　his　eye　when　the　son　said　he　thought
he　should　run　down　to　Bar　Harbour；　and　perhaps　to　Campobello；　but　he　had
said　nothing　to　betray　his　consciousness。

They　met　in　the　reading…room　at　Parker's；　and　Dan　said；　〃Hello；　father；〃
and　his　father　answered；　〃Well；　Dan；〃　and　the