april hopes-第48章

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costly　kinds；　weighed　down　with　bud　and　bloom。　　The　air　was　thick　with
their　breath　and　the　pungent　odours　of　the　rich　soil　from　which　they　grew；
and　the　glass　roof　was　misted　with　the　mingled　exhalations。

Mr。　Mavering　walked　beside　Alice；　modestly　explaining　the　difficulties　of
rose　culture；　and　his　method　of　dealing　with　the　red　spider。　　He　had　a
stout　knife　in　his　hand；　and　he　cropped　long；　heavy…laden　stems　of　roses
from　the　walls　and　the　beds；　casually　giving　her　their　different　names；
and　laying　them　along　his　arm　in　a　massive　sheaf。

Mrs。　Pasmer　and　Eunice　had　gone　forward　with　Dan；　and　were　waiting　for
them　at　the　thither　end　of　the　rose…house。

〃Alice！　just　imagine：　the　grapery　is　beyond　this；〃　cried　the　girl's
mother。

〃It's　a　cold　grapery；〃　said　Mr。　Mavering。　　〃I　hope　you'll　see　it　to…
morrow。〃

〃Oh；　why　not　to…night？〃　shouted　Dan。

〃Because　it's　a　cold　grapery；〃　said　Eunice；　〃and　after　this　rose…house；
it's　an　Arctic　grapery。　　You're　crazy；　Dan。〃

〃Well；　I　want　Alice　to　see　it　anyway；〃　he　persisted　wilfully。　　〃There's
nothing　like　a　cold　grapery　by　starlight。　　I'll　get　some　wraps。〃　　They　all
knew　that　he　wished　to　be　alone　with　her　a　moment；　and　the　three　women；
consenting　with　their　hearts；　protested　with　their　tongues；　following　him
in　his　flight　with　their　chorus；　and　greeting　his　return。　　He　muffled　her
to　the　chin　in　a　fur…lined　overcoat；　which　he　had　laid　hands　on　the　first
thing；　and　her　mother；　still　protesting；　helped　to　tie　a　scarf　over　her
hair　so　as　not　to　disarrange　it。　　〃Here；〃　he　pointed；　〃we　can　run　through
it；　and　it's　worth　seeing。　　Better　come；〃　he　said　to　the　others　as　he
opened　the　door；　and　hurried　Alice　down　the　path　under　the　keen　sparkle　of
the　crystal　roof；　blotched　with　the　leaves　and　bunches　of　the　vines。
Coming　out　of　the　dense；　sensuous；　vaporous　air　of　the　rose…house　into
this　clear；　thin　atmosphere；　delicately　penetrated　with　the　fragrance；
pure　and　cold；　of　the　fruit；　it　was　as　if　they　had　entered　another　world。
His　arm　crept　round　her　in　the　odorous　obscurity。

〃Look　up！　　See　the　stars　through　the　vines！　　But　when　she　lifted　her　face
he　bent　his　upon　it　for　a　wild　kiss。

〃Don't！　　don't！〃　she　murmured。　　〃I　want　to　think；　I　don't　know　what　I'm
doing。〃

〃Neither　do　I。　　I　feel　as　if　I　were　a　blessed　ghost。〃

Perhaps　it　is　only　in　these　ecstasies　of　the　senses　that　the　soul　ever
reaches　self…consciousness　on　earth；　and　it　seems　to　be　only　the　man…soul
which　finds　itself　even　in　this　abandon。　　The　woman…soul　has　always
something　else　to　think　of。

〃What　shall　we　do；〃　said　the　girl；　〃if　weOh；　I　dread　to　meet　your
mother！　　Is　she　like　either　of　your　sisters？〃

〃No；〃　he　cried　joyously；　〃she's　like　me。　　If　you're　not　afraid　of　me；　and
you　don't　seem　to　be　〃

〃You're　all　I　haveyou're　all　I　have　in　the　world。　　Do　you　think　she'll
like　me？　　Oh；　do　you　love　me；　Dan？

〃You　darling！　　you　divine〃　　The　rest　was　a　mad　embrace。　　〃If　you're　not
afraid　of　me；　you　won't　mind　mother。　　I　wanted　you　here　alone　for　just　a
last　word；　to　tell　you　you　needn't　be　afraid；　to　tell　you　to　　But　I
needn't　tell　you　how　to　act。　　You　mustn't　treat　her　as　an　invalidyou
must　treat　her　like　any　one　else；　that's　what　she　likes。　　But　you'll　know
what's　best；　Alice。　　Be　yourself；　and　she'll　like　you　well　enough。　　I'm
not　afraid。〃




XXXIII：

When　she　entered　Mrs。　Mavering's　room　Alice　first　saw　the　pictures；　the
bric…a…brac；　the　flowers；　the　dazzle　of　lights；　and　then　the　invalid
propped　among　her　pillows；　and　vividly　expectant　of　her。　　She　seemed　all
eager　eyes　to　the　girl；　aware　next　of　the　strong　resemblance　to　Dan　in　her
features；　and　of　the　careful　toilet　the　sick　woman　had　made　for　her。　　To
youth　all　forms　of　suffering　are　abhorrent；　and　Alice　had　to　hide　a
repugnance　at　sight　of　this　spectre　of　what　had　once　been　a　pretty　woman。
Through　the　egotism　with　which　so　many　years　of　flattering　subjection　in
her　little　world　had　armed　her；　Mrs。　Mavering　probably　did　not　feel　the
girl's　shrinking；　or；　if　she　did；　took　it　for　the　natural　embarrassment
which　she　would　feel。　　She　had　satisfied　herself　that　she　was　looking　her
best；　and　that　her　cap　and　the　lace　jacket　she　wore　were　very　becoming；
and　softened　her　worst　points；　the　hangings　of　her　bed　and　the　richly
embroidered　crimson　silk　coverlet　were　part　of　the　coquetry　of　her
costume；　from　which　habit　had　taken　all　sense　of　ghastliness；　she　was
proud　of　them；　and　she　was　not　aware　of　the　scent　of　drugs　that　insisted
through　the　odour　of　the　flowers。

She　lifted　herself　on　her　elbow　as　Dan　approached　with　Alice；　and　the　girl
felt　as　if　an　intense　light　had　been　thrown　upon　her　from　head　to　foot　in
the　moment　of　searching　scrutiny　that　followed。　　The　invalid's　set　look
broke　into　a　smile；　and　she　put　out　her　hand；　neither　hot　nor　cold；　but　of
a　dry　neutral；　spiritual　temperature；　and　pulled　Alice　down　and　kissed
her。

〃Why；　child；　your　hand's　like　ice！〃　she　exclaimed　without　preamble。　　〃We
used　to　say　that　came　from　a　warm　heart。〃

〃I　guess　it　comes　from　a　cold　grapery　in　this　case；　mother；〃　said　Dan；
with　his　laugh。　　〃I've　just　been　running　Alice　through　it。　　And　perhaps　a
little　excitement〃

〃Excitement？〃　echoed　his　mother。　　〃Cold　grapery；　I　dare　say；　and　very
silly　of　you；　Dan；　but　there's　no　occasion　for　excitement；　as　if　we　were
strangers。　　Sit　down　in　that　chair；　my　dear。　　And；　Dan；　you　go　round　to
the　other　side　of　the　bed；　I　want　Alice　all　to　myself。　　I　saw　your
photograph　a　week　ago；　and　I've　thought　about　you　for　ages　since；　and
wondered　whether　you　would　approve　of　your　old　friend。〃

〃Oh　yes；〃　whispered　the　girl；　suppressing　a　tremor；　and　Dan's　eyes　were
suffused　with　grateful　tears　at　his　mother's　graciousness。

Alice's　reticence　seemed　to　please　the　invalid。　　〃I　hope　you'll　like　all
your　old　friends　here；　you've　begun　with　the　worst　among　us；　but　perhaps
you　like　him　the　best　because　he　is　the　worst；　I　do。〃

〃You　may　believe　just　half　of　that；　Alice；〃　cried　Dan。

〃Then　believe　the　best　half；　or　the　half　you　like　best；〃　said　Mrs。
Mavering。　　〃There　must　be　something　good　in　him　if　you　like　him。　　Have
they　welcomed　you　home；　my　dear？〃

We've　all　made　a　stagger　at　it；〃　said　Dan；　while　Alice　was　faltering　over
the　words　which　were　so　slow　to　come。

〃Don't　try　to　answer　my　formal　stupidities。　　You　are　welcome；　and　that's
enough；　and　more　than　enough　of　speeches。　　Did　you　have　a　comfortable
journey　up？〃

〃Oh；　very。〃

〃Was　it　cold？〃

〃Not　at　all。　　The　cars　were　very　hot。〃

〃Have　you　had　any　snow　yet　at　Boston？〃

〃No；　none　at　all　yet。〃

〃Now　I　feel　that　we're　talking　sense。　　I　hope　you　found　everything　in　your
room？〃　　I　can't　look　after　things　as　I　would　like；　and　so　I　inquire。〃

〃There's　everything；〃　said　Alice。　　〃We're　very　comfortable。〃

〃I'm　very　glad。　　I　had　Dan　look；　he's　my　housekeeper；　he　understands　me
better　than　my　girls；　he's　like　me；　more。　　That's　what　makes　us　so　fond　of
each　other；　it's　a　kind　of　personal　vanity。　　But　he　has　his　good　points；
Dan　has。　　He's　very　amiable；　and　I　was　too；　at　his　ageand　till　I　came
here。　　But　I'm　not　going　to　tell　you　of　his　good　points；　I　dare　say　you've
found　them　out。　　I'll　tell　you　about　his　bad　ones。　　He　says　you're　very
serious。　　Are　you？〃　　She　pressed　the　girl's　hand；　which　she　had　kept　in
hers；　and　regarded　her　keenly。

Alice　dropped　her　eyes　at　the　odd　question。　　〃I　don't　know；〃　she　faltered。
〃Sometimes。〃

〃Well；　that's　good。　　Dan's　frivolous。〃

〃Oh；　sometimesonly　sometimes！〃　he　interposed。

〃He's　frivolous；　and　he's　very　light…minded；　but　he's　none　the　worse　for
that。〃

〃Oh；　thank　you；〃　said　Dan；　and　Alice；　still　puzzled；　laughed
provisionally。

〃No；　I　want　you　to　understand　that。　　He's　light…hearted　too；　and　that's　a
great　thing　in　this　world。　　If　you're　serious　you'll　be　apt　to　be
heavyhearted；　and　then　you'll　find　Dan　of　use。　　And　I　hope　he'll　know　how；
to　turn　your　seriousness　to　account　too。　　he　needs　something　to　keep　him
downto　keep　him　from　blowing　away。　　〃Yes；　it's　very　well　for　people　to
be　opposites。　　Only　they　must　understand　each　other；　If　they　do　that；　then
they　get　along。　　Light…heartedness　or　heavy…heartedness　comes　to　the　same
thing　if