april hopes-第4章

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you　for　me。〃

〃Really；〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer　to　herself；　〃the　combat　thickens！〃　　To　her
daughter　she　said；　〃He's　very　handsome。〃

〃He　laughs　too　much；〃　said　the　daughter。　　Her　mother　recognised　her
uncandour　with　a　glance。　　〃But　he　waltzes　well；〃　added　the　girl。

〃Waltzes？〃　echoed　the　mother。　　〃Did　you　waltz　with　him；　Alice？〃

〃Everybody　else　was　dancing。　　He　asked　me　for　a　turn　or　two；　and　of
course　I　did　it。　　What　difference？〃

〃Oh；　nonenone。　　OnlyI　didn't　see　you。〃

〃Perhaps　you　weren't　looking。〃

〃Yes；　I　was　looking　all　the　time。〃

〃What　do　you　mean；　mamma？〃

〃Well；〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer；　in　a　final　despair；　〃we　don't　know　anything
about　them。〃

〃We're　the　only　people　here　who　don't；　then；〃　said　her　daughter。　　〃The
ladies　were　bowing　right　left　to　him　all　the　time；　and　he　kept　asking
if　I　knew　this　one　and　that　one；　and　all　I　could　say　was　that　some　of
them　were　distant　cousins；　but　I　wasn't　acquainted　with　them。　　I　would
think　he'd　wonder　who　we　were。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　mother　thoughtfully。

〃There！　he's　laughing　with　that　other　student。　　But　don't　look！〃

Mrs。　Pasmer　saw　well　enough　out　of　the　corner　of　her　eye　the　joking　that
went　on　between　Mavering　and　his　friend；　and　it　did　not　displease　her　to
think　that　it　probably　referred　to　Alice。　　While　the　young　man　came
hurrying　back　to　them　she　glanced　at　the　girl　standing　near　her　with　a
keenly　critical　inspection；　from　which　she　was　able　to　exclude　all
maternal　　partiality；　and　justly　decided　that　she　was　one　of　the　most
effective　girls　in　the　place。　　That　costume　of　hers　was　perfect。　　Mrs。
Pasmer　wished　now　that　she　could　have　compared　it　more　carefully　with
other　costumes；　she　had　noticed　some　very　pretty　ones；　and　a　feeling　of
vexation　that　Alice　should　have　prevented　this　by　being　away　so　long　just
when　the　crowd　was　densest　qualified　her　satisfaction。　　The　people　were
going　very　fast　now。　　The　line　of　the　oval　in　the　nave　was　broken　into
groups　of　lingering　talkers；　who　were　conspicuous　to　each　other；　and　Mrs。
Pasmer　felt　that　she　and　her　daughter　were　conspicuous　to　all　the　rest
where　they　stood　apart；　with　the　two　Maverings　converging　upon　them　from
different　points；　the　son　nodding　and　laughing　to　friends　of　both　sexes
as　he　came；　the　father　wholly　absorbed　in　not　spilling　the　glass　of
claret　punch　which　he　carried　in　one　hand；　and　not　falling　down　on　the
slippery　floor　with　the　plate　of　salad　which　he　bore　in　the　other。　　She
had　thoughts　of　feigning　unconsciousness；　she　would　have　had　no　scruple
in　practising　this　or　any　other　social　stratagem；　for　though　she　kept　a
conscience　in　regard　to　certain　matterswhat　she　considered　essentials
she　lived　a　thousand　little　lies　every　day；　and　taught　her　daughter　by
precept　and　example　to　do　the　same。　　You　must　seem　to　be　looking　one　way
when　you　were　really　looking　another；　you　must　say　this　when　you　meant
that；　you　must　act　as　if　you　were　thinking　one　thing　when　you　were
thinking　something　quite　different；　and　all　to　no　end；　for；　as　she
constantly　said；　people　always　know　perfectly　well　what　you　were　about；
whichever　way　you　looked　or　whatever　you　said；　or　no　matter　how　well　you
acted　the　part　of　thinking　what　you　did　not　think。　　Now；　although　she
seemed　not　to　look；　she　saw　all　that　has　been　described　at　a　glance；　and
at　another　she　saw　young　Mavering　slide　easily　up　to　his　father　and
relieve　him　of　the　plate　and　glass；　with　a　laugh　as　pleasant　and　a　show
of　teeth　as　dazzling　as　he　bestowed　upon　any　of　the　ladies　he　had　passed。
She　owned　to　her　recondite　heart　that　she　liked　this　in　young　Mavering；
though　at　the　same　time　she　asked　herself　what　motive　he　really　had　in
being　so　polite　to　his　father　before　people。　　But　she　had　no　time　to
decide；　she　had　only　time　to　pack　the　question　hurriedly　away　for　future
consideration；　when　young　Mavering　arrived　at　her　elbow；　and　she　turned
with　a　little　〃Oh！〃　of　surprise　so　perfectly　acted　that　it　gave　her　the
greatest　pleasure。




IV。

〃I　don't　think　my　father　would　have　got　here　alive　with　these　things；〃
said　young　Mavering。　　〃Did　you　see　how　I　came　to　his　rescue？〃

Mrs。　Pasmer　instantly　threw　away　all　pretext　of　not　having　seen。　　〃Oh
yes！　my　heart　was　in　my　mouth　when　you　bore　down　upon　him；　Mr。　Mavering。
It　was　a　beautiful　instance　of　filial　devotion。〃

〃Well；　do　sit　down　now；　Mrs。　Pasmer；　and　take　it　comfortably；〃　said　the
young　fellow；　and　he　got　her　one　of　the　many　empty　chairs；　and　would　not
give　her　the　things；　which　he　put　in　another；　till　she　sat　down　and　let
him　spread　a　napkin　over　her　lap。

〃Really；〃　she　said；　〃I　feel　as　if　I　were　stopping　all　the　wheels　of　Class
Day。　　Am　I　keeping　them　from　closing　the　Gymnasium；　Mr。　Mavering？〃

〃Not　quite；〃　said　the　young　man；　with　one　of　his　laughs。　　〃I　don't
believe　they　will　turn　us　out；　and　I'll　see　that　they　don't　lock　us　in。
Don't　hurry；　Mrs。　Pasmer。　　I'm　only　sorry　you　hadn't　something　sooner。〃

〃Oh；　your　father　proposed　getting　me　something　a　good　while　ago。〃

〃Did　he？　　Then　I　wonder　you　haven't　had　it。　　He's　usually　on　time。〃

〃You're　both　very　energetic；　I　think；〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer。

He's　the　father　of　his　son；〃　said　the　young　fellow；　assuming　the　merit
with　a　bow　of　burlesque　modesty。

It　went　to　Mrs。　Pasmer's　heart。　　〃Let's　hope　he'll　never　forget　that；〃
she　said；　in　an　enjoyment　of　the　excitement　and　the　salad　that　was
beginning　to　leave　her　question　of　these　Maverings　a　light；　diaphanous
cloud　on　the　verge　of　the　horizon。

The　elder　Mavering　had　been　trying；　without　success；　to　think　of
something　to　say　to　Miss　Pasmer；　he　had　twice　cleared　his　throat　for　that
purpose。　　But　this　comedy　between　his　son　and　the　young　lady's　mother
seemed　so　much　lighter　and　brighter　than　anything　he　could　have　said；
that　he　said　nothing；　and　looked　on　with　his　mouth　set　in　its　queer
smile；　while　the　girl　listened　with　the　gravity　of　a　daughter　who　sees
that　her　mother　is　losing　her　head。　　Mrs。　Pasmer　buzzed　on　in　her
badinage　with　the　young　man；　and　allowed　him　to　go　for　a　cup　of　coffee
before　she　rose　from　her　chair；　and　shook　out　her　skirts　with　an　air　of
pleasant　expectation　of　whatever　should　come　next。

He　came　back　without　it。　　〃The　coffee　urn　has　dried　up　here；　Mrs。　Pasmer。
But　you　can　get　some　at　the　other　spreads；　they'd　be　inconsolable　if　you
didn't　take　something　everywhere。〃

They　all　started　toward　the　door；　but　the　elder　Mavering　said；　holding
back　a　little；　〃Dan；　I　think　I'll　go　and　see〃

〃Oh　no；　you　mustn't；　father；〃　cried　the　young　man；　laying　his　hand　with
caressing　entreaty　on　his　father's　coat　sleeve。　　〃I　don't　want　you　to　go
anywhere　till　you've　seen　Professor　Saintsbury。　　We　shall　be　sure　to　meet
him　at　some　of　the　spreads。　　I　want　you　to　have　that　talk　with　him〃
He　corrected　himself　for　the　instant's　deflection　from　the　interests　of
his　guest；　and　added；　〃I　want　you　to　help　me　hunt　him　up　for　Mrs。　Pasmer。
Now；　Mrs。　Pasmer；　you're　not　to　think　it's　the　least　trouble；　or　anything
but　a　boon；　much　less　say　it；〃　he　cried；　turning　to　the　deprecation　in
Mrs。　Pasmer's　face。　　He　turned　away　from　it　to　acknowledge　the　smiles　and
bows　of　people　going　out　of　the　place；　and　he　returned　their　salutations
with　charming　heartiness。

In　the　vestibule　they　met　the　friends　they　were　going　in　search　of。




V。

〃With　Mr。　Mavering；　of　course！〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Saintsbury：　〃I　might　have
known　it。〃　　Mrs。　Pasmer　would　have　given　anything　she　could　think　of　to
be　able　to　ask　why　her　friend　might　have　known　it；　but　for　the　present
they　could　only　fall　upon　each　other　with　flashes　of　self…accusal　and
explanation；　and　rejoicing　for　their　deferred　and　now　accomplished
meeting。　　The　Professor　stood　by　with　the　satirical　smile　with　which　men
witness　the　effusion　of　women。　　Young　Mavering；　after　sharing　the　ladies'
excitement　fully　with　them；　rewarded　himself　by　an　exclusive　moment　with
Miss　Pasmer。

〃You　must　get　Mrs。　Pasmer　to　let　me　show　you　all　of　Class　Day　that　a
Senior　can。　　I　didn't　know　what　a　perfect　serpent's　tooth　it　was　to　be
one　before。　　Mrs。　Saintsbury；〃　he　broke　off；　〃have　you　got　tickets　for
the　Tree？　　Ah；　she　doesn't　hear　me！〃

Mrs。　Saintsbury　was　just　then　saying　to　the　elder　Mavering；　〃