april hopes-第42章

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fatherMiss　Pasmer。〃

〃Oh　yes；〃　said　his　father；　certainly　not　with　displeasure；　and　yet　not
with　enthusiasm。

〃I've　had　ever　since　Class　Day　to　think　it　over；　and　itcame　to　a　climax
yesterday。〃

〃And　then　you　stopped　thinking；〃　said　his　fatherto　gain　time；　it
appeared　to　Dan。

〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　Dan。　　〃I　haven't　thought　since。〃

〃Well；〃　said　his　father；　with　an　amusement　which　was　not　unfriendly。　　He
added；　after　a　moment；　〃But　I　thought　that　had　been　broken　off；〃　and　Dan's
instinct　penetrated　to　the　lurking　fact　that　his　father　must　have　talked
the　rupture　over　with　his　mother；　and　not　wholly　regretted　it。

〃There　was　a　kind　ofhitch　at　one　time；〃　he　admitted；　〃but　it's　all　right
now。〃

〃Well；　well；〃　said　his　father；　〃this　is　great　newsgreat　news；〃　and　he
seemed　to　be　shaping　himself　to　the　new　posture　of　affairs；　while　giving
it　a　conditional　recognition。　　〃She's　a　beautiful　creature。〃

〃Isn't　she？〃　cried　Dan；　with　a　little　break　in　his　voice；　for　he　had　found
his　father's　manner　rather　trying。　　〃And　she's　good　too。　　I　assure　you
that　she　isshe　is　simply　perfect　every　way。〃

〃Well；〃　said　the　elder　Mavering；　rising　and　pulling　down　the　rolling　top
of　his　desk；　〃I'm　glad　to　hear　it；　for　your　sake；　Dan。　　Have　you　been　up
at　the　house　yet？〃

〃No；　I'm　just　off　the　train。〃

〃How　is　her　motherhow　is　Mrs。　Pasmer？　　All　well？〃

〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　Dan；　〃they're　all　very　well。　　You　don't　know　Mr。　Pasmer；
I　believe；　sir；　do　you？〃

〃Not　since　college。　　What　sort　of　person　is　he？〃

〃He's　very　refined　and　quiet。　　Very　handsome。　　Very　courteous。　　Very　nice
indeed。〃

〃Ah！　that's　good；〃　said　Elbridge　Mavering；　with　the　effect　of　not　having
been　very　attentive　to　his　son's　answer。

They　walked　up　the　long　slope　of　the　hillside　on　which　the　house　stood；
overlooking　the　valley　where　the　Works　were；　and　fronting　the　plateau
across　the　river　where　the　village　of　operatives'　houses　was　scattered。
The　paling　light　of　what　had　been　a　very　red　sunset　flushed　them；　and
brought　out　the　picturesqueness　which　the　architect；　who　designed　them　for
a　particular　effect　in　the　view　from　the　owner's　mansion；　had　intended。

A　good　carriage　road　followed　the　easiest　line　of　ascent　towards　this
edifice；　and　reached　a　gateway。　　Within　it　began　to　describe　a　curve
bordered　with　asphalted　footways　to　the　broad　verandah　of　the　house；　and
then　descended　again　to　the　gate。　　The　grounds　enclosed　were　planted　with
deciduous　shrubs；　which　had　now　mostly　dropped　their　leaves；　and　clumps　of
firs　darkening　in　the　evening　light　with　the　gleam　of　some　garden　statues
shivering　about　the　lawn　next　the　house。　　The　breeze　grew　colder　and
stiffer　as　the　father　and　son　mounted　toward　the　mansion　which　Dan　used　to
believe　was　like　a　chateau；　with　its　Mansard…roof　and　dormer　windows　and
chimneys。　　It　now　blocked　its　space　sharply　out　of　the　thin　pink　of　the
western　sky；　and　its　lights　sparkled　with　a　wintry　keenness　which　had
often　thrilled　Dan　when　he　climbed　the　hill　from　the　station　in　former
homecomings。　　Their　brilliancy　gave　him　a　strange　sinking　of　the　heart　for
no　reason。　　He　and　his　father　had　kept　up　a　sort　of　desultory　talk　about
Alice；　and　he　could　not　have　said　that　his　father　had　seemed　indifferent；
he　had　touched　the　affair　only　too　acquiescently；　it　was　painfully　like
everything　else。　　When　they　came　in　full　sight　of　the　house；　Dan　left　the
subject；　as　he　realised　presently；　from　a　reasonless　fear　of　being
overheard。

〃It　seems　much　later　here；　sir；　than　it　does　in　Boston；〃　he　said；　glancing
round　at　the　maples；　which　stood　ragged；　with　half　their　leaves　blown　from
them。

〃Yes；　we're　in　the　hills；　and　we're　further　north；〃　answered　his　father。
〃There's　Minnie。〃

Dan　had　seen　his　sister　on　the　verandah；　pausing　at　sight　of　him；　and
puzzled　to　make　out　who　was　with　her　father。　　He　had　an　impulse　to　hail
her　with　a　shout；　but　he　could　not。　　In　his　last　walk　with　her　he　had　told
her　that　he　should　never　marry；　and　they　had　planned　to　live　together。　　It
was　a　joke；　but　now　he　felt　as　if　he　had　come　to　rob　her　of　something；　and
he　walked　soberly　on　with　his　father。

〃Why；　Dan；　you　good…for…nothing　fellow！〃　she　called　out　when　he　came　near
enough　to　be　unmistakable；　and　ran　down　the　steps　to　kiss　him。　　〃What　in
the　world　are　you　doing　here？　　When　did　you　come？　　Why　didn't　you　hollo；
instead　of　letting　me　stand　here　guessing？　　You're　not　sick；　are　you？〃

The　father　got　himself　indoors　unnoticed　in　the　excitement　of　the
brother's　arrival。　　This　would　have　been　the　best　moment　for　Dan　to　tell
his　sister　of　his　engagement；　he　knew　it；　but　he　parried　her　curiosity
about　his　coming；　and　then　his　sister　Eunice　came　out；　and　he　could　not
speak。　　They　all　went　together　into　the　house　flaming　with　naphtha　gas；
and　with　the　steam　heat　already　on；　and　Dan　said　he　would　take　his　bag　to
his　room；　and　then　come　down　again。　　He　knew　that　he　had　left　them　to
think　that　there　was　something　very　mysterious　in　his　coming；　and　while　he
washed　away　the　grime　of　his　journey　he　was　planning　how　to　appear
perfectly　natural　when　he　should　get　back　to　his　sisters。　　He　recollected
that　he　had　not　asked　either　them　or　his　father　how　his　mother　was；　but　it
was　certainly　not　because　his　mind　was　not　full　of　her。　　Alice　now　seemed
very　remote　from　him；　further　even　than　his　gun；　or　his　boyish　collection
of　moths　and　butterflies；　on　which　his　eye　fell　in　roving　about　his　room。
For　a　bitter　instant　it　seemed　to　him　as　if　they　were　all　alike　toys；　and
in　a　sudden　despair　he　asked　himself　what　had　become　of　his　happiness。　　It
was　scarcely　half　a　day　since　he　had　parted　in　transport　from　Alice。

He　made　pretexts　to　keep　from　returning　at　once　to　his　sisters；　and　it　was
nearly　half　an　hour　before　he　went　down　to　them。　　By　that　time　his　father
was　with　them　in　the　library；　and　they　were　waiting　tea　for　him。




XXIX。

A　family　of　rich　people　in　the　country；　apart　from　intellectual　interests；
is　apt　to　gormandise；　and　the　Maverings　always　sat　down　to　a　luxurious
table；　which　was　most　abundant　and　tempting　at　the　meal　they　called　tea；
when　the　invention　of　the　Portuguese　man…cook　was　taxed　to　supply　the
demands　of　appetites　at　once　eager　and　fastidious。　　They　prolonged　the
meal　as　much　as　possible　in　winter；　and　Dan　used　to　like　to　get　home　just
in　time　for　tea　when　he　came　up　from　Harvard；　it　was　always　very　jolly；
and　he　brought　a　boy's　hunger　to　its　abundance。　　The　dining…room；　full　of
shining　light；　and　treated　from　the　low…down　grate；　was　a　pleasant　place。
But　now　his　spirits　failed　to　rise　with　the　physical　cheer；　he　was　almost
bashfully　silent；　he　sat　cowed　in　the　presence　of　his　sisters；　and
careworn　in　the　place　where　he　used　to　be　so　gay　and　bold。　　They　were
waiting　to　have　him　begin　about　himself；　as　he　always　did　when　he　had　been
away；　and　were　ready　to　sympathise　with　his　egotism；　whatever　new　turn　it
took。　　He　mystified　them　by　asking　about　them　and　their　affairs；　and　by
dealing　in　futile　generalities；　instead　of　launching　out　with　any　business
that　he　happened　at　the　time　to　be　full　of。　　But　he　did　not　attend　to
their　answers　to　his　questions；　he　was　absent…minded；　and　only　knew　that
his　face　was　flushed；　and　that　he　was　obviously　ill　at　ease。

His　younger　sister　turned　from　him　impatiently　at　last。　　〃Father；　what　is
the　matter　with　Dan？〃

Her　bold　recognition　of　their　common　constraint　broke　it　down。　　Dan　looked
at　his　father　with　helpless　consent；　and　his　father　said　quietly；　〃He
tells　me　he's　engaged。〃

〃What　nonsense！〃　said　his　sister　Eunice。

〃Why；　Dan！〃　cried　Minnie；　and　he　felt　a　reproach　in　her　words　which　the
words　did　not　express。　　A　silence　followed；　in　which　the　father　along　went
on　with　his　supper。　　The　girls　sat　staring　at　Dan　with　incredulous　eyes。
He　became　suddenly　angry。

〃I　don't　know　what's　so　very　extraordinary　about　it；　or　why　there　should
be　such　a　pother；〃　he　began；　and　he　knew　that　he　was　insolently　ignoring
abundant　reasons　for　pother；　if　there　had　been　any　pother。　　〃Yes；　I'm
engaged。〃

He　expected　now　that　they　would　believe　him；　and　ask　whom　he　was　engaged
to；　but　apparently　they　were　still　unable　to　realise　it。　　He　was　obliged
t