april hopes-第5章

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the　Tree？　　Ah；　she　doesn't　hear　me！〃

Mrs。　Saintsbury　was　just　then　saying　to　the　elder　Mavering；　〃I'm　so　glad
you　decided　to　come　today。　　It　would　have　been　a　shame　if　none　of　you
were　here。〃　　She　made　a　feint　of　dropping　her　voice；　with　a　glance　at　Dan
Mavering。　　〃He's　such　a　nice　boy；〃　which　made　him　laugh；　and　cry　out

〃Oh；　now？　　Don't　poison　my　father's　mind；　Mrs。　Saintsbury。〃

〃Oh；　some　one　would　be　sure　to　tell　him；〃　retorted　the　Professor's　wife；
〃and　he'd　better　hear　it　from　a　friend。〃

The　young　fellow　laughed　again；　and　then　he　shook　hands　with　some　ladies
going　out；　and　asked　were　they　going　so　soon；　from　an　abstract
hospitality；　apparently；　for　he　was　not　one　of　the　hosts；　and　so　turned
once　more　to　Miss　Pasmer。　　〃We　must　get　away　from　here；　or　the　afternoon
will　get　away　from　us；　and　leave　us　nothing　to　show　for　it。　　Suppose　we
make　a　start；　Miss　Pasmer？〃

He　led　the　way　with　her　out　of　the　vestibule；　banked　round　with　pots　of
palm　and　fern；　and　down　the　steps　into　the　glare　of　the　Cambridge
sunshine；　blown　full；　as　is　the　case　on　Class　Day；　of　fine　Cambridge
dust；　which　had　drawn　a　delicate　grey　veil　over　the　grass　of　the
Gymnasium　lawn；　and　mounted　in　light　clouds　from　the　wheels　powdering　it
finer　and　finer　in　the　street。　　Along　the　sidewalks　dusty　hacks　and
carriages　were　ranged；　and　others　were　driving　up　to　let　people　dismount
at　the　entrances　to　the　college　yard。　　Within　the　temporary　picket…
fences；　secluding　a　part　of　the　grounds　for　the　students　and　their
friends；　were　seen　stretching　from　dormitory　to　dormitory　long　lines　of
Chinese　lanterns；　to　be　lit　after　nightfall；　swung　between　the　elms。
Groups　of　ladies　came　and　went；　nearly　always　under　the　escort　of　some
student；　the　caterers'　carts；　disburdened　of　their　ice…creams　and　salads；
were　withdrawn　under　the　shade　in　the　street；　and　their　drivers　lounged
or　drowsed　upon　the　seats；　now　and　then　a　black　waiter；　brilliant　as　a
bobolink　in　his　white　jacket　and　apron；　appeared　on　some　errand；　the
large；　mild　Cambridge　policemen　kept　the　entrances　to　the　yard　with　a
benevolent　vigilance　which　was　not　harsh　with　the　little　Irish　children
coming　up　from　the　Marsh　in　their　best　to　enjoy　the　sight　of　other
people's　pleasure。

〃Isn't　it　a　perfect　Class　Day？〃　cried　young　Mavering；　as　he　crossed
Kirkland　Street　with　Miss　Pasmer；　and　glanced　down　its　vaulted
perspective　of　elms；　through　which　the　sunlight　broke；　and　lay　in　the
road　in　pools　and　washes　as　far　as　the　eye　reached。　　〃Did　you　ever　see
anything　bluer　than　the　sky　to…day？　　I　feel　as　if　we'd　ordered　the
weather；　with　the　rest　of　the　things；　and　I　had　some　credit　for　it　as
host。　　Do　make　it　a　little　compliment；　Miss　Pasmer；　I　assure　you　I'll　be
very　modest　about　it。〃

〃Ah；　I　think　it's　fully　up　to　the　occasion；〃　said　the　girl；　catching　the
spirit　of　his　amiable　satisfaction。　　〃Is　it　the　usual　Class　Day　weather？〃

〃You　spoil　everything　by　asking　that；〃　cried　the　young　man；　〃it　obliges
me　to　make　a　confessionit's　always　good　weather　on　Class　Day。　　There
haven't　been　more　than　a　dozen　bad　Class　Days　in　the　century。　　But　you'll
admit　that　there　can't　have　been　a　better　Class　Day　than　this？〃

〃Oh　yes；　it's　certainly　the　pleasantest　Class　Day　I've　seen；〃　said　the
girl；　and　now　when　Mavering　laughed　she　laughed　too。

〃Thank　you　so　much　for　saying　that！　　I　hope　it　will　pass　off　in　unclouded
brilliancy；　it　will；　if　I　can　make　it。　　Why；　hallo！　　They're　on　the　other
side　of　the　street　yet；　and　looking　about　as　if　they　were　lost。〃

He　pulled　his　handkerchief　from　his　pocket；　and　waved　it　at　the　others　of
their　party。

They　caught　sight　of　it；　and　came　hurrying　over　through　the　dust。

Mrs。　Saintsbury　said；　apparently　as　the　sum　of　her　consultations　with
Mrs。　Pasmer：　〃The　Tree　is　to　be　at　half…past　five；　and　after　we've　seen　a
few　spreads；　I'm　going　to　take　the　ladies　hone　for　a　little　rest。〃

〃Oh　no；　don't　do　that；〃　pleaded　the　young　man。　　After　making　this　protest
he　seemed　not　to　have　anything　to　say　immediately　in　support　of　it。　　He
merely　added：　〃This　is　Miss　Pasmer's　first　Class　Day；　and　I　want　her　to
see　it　all。〃

〃But　you'll　have　to　leave　us　very　soon　to　get　yourself　ready　for　the
Tree〃　suggested　the　Professor's　lady；　with　a　motherly　prevision。

〃I　shall　want　just　fifteen　minutes　for　that。〃

〃I　know；　better；　Mr。　Mavering；〃　said　Mrs。　Saintsbury；　with　finality。
〃You　will　want　a　good　three…quarters　of　an　hour　to　make　yourself　as
disreputable　as　you'll　look　at　the　Tree；　and　you'll　have　to　take　time　for
counsel　and　meditation。　　You　may　stay　with　us　just　half　an　hour；　and
then　we　shall　part　inexorably。　　I've　seen　a　great　many　more　Class
Days　than　you　have；　and　I　know　what　they　are　in　their　demands　upon　the
Seniors。〃

〃Oh；　well！　　Then　we　won't　think　about　the　time；〃　said　the　young　man；
starting　on　with　Miss　Pasmer。

〃Well；　don't　undertake　too　much；〃　said　the　lady。　　She　came　last　in　the
little　procession；　with　the　elder　Mavering；　and　her　husband　and　Mrs
Pasmer　preceded　her。

〃What？〃　young　Mavering　called　back；　with　his　smiling　face　over　his
shoulder。

〃She　says　not　to　bite　off　more　than　you　can　chew；〃　the　professor　answered
for　her。

Mavering　broke　into　a　conscious　laugh；　but　full　of　delight；　and　with　his
handkerchief　to　his　face　had　almost　missed　the　greeting　of　some　ladies
who　bowed　to　him。　　He　had　to　turn　round　to　acknowledge　it；　and　he　was
saluting　and　returning　salutations　pretty　well　all　along　the　line　of
their　progress。

〃I'm　afraid　you'll　think　I'm　everybody's　friend　but　my　own；　Miss　Pasmer；
but　I　assure　you　all　this　is　purely　accidental。　　I　don't　know　so　many
people；　after　all；　only　all　that　I　do　know　seem　to　be　here　this　morning。〃

〃I　don't　think　it's　a　thing　to　be　sorry　for；〃　said　the　girl。　　〃I　wish　we
knew　more　people。　　It's　rather　forlorn〃

〃Oh；　will　you　let　me　introduce　some　of　the　fellows　to　you？　　They'll　be　so
glad。〃

〃If　you'll　tell　them　how　forlorn　I　said　I　was；〃　said　the　girl；　with　a
smile。

〃Oh；　no；　no；　no！　　I　understand　that。　　And　I　assure　you　that　I　didn't
supposeBut　of　course！〃　he　arrested　himself　in　the　superfluous
reassurance　he　was　offering；　〃All　that　goes　without　saying。　　Only　there
are　some　of　the　fellows　coming　back　to　the　law　school；　and　if　you'll
allow　me〃

〃We　shall　be　very　happy　indeed；　Mr。　Mavering；〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer；　behind
him。

〃Oh；　thank　you　ever　so　much；　Mrs。　Pasmer。〃　　This　was　occasion　for　another
burst　of　laughter　with　him。　　He　seemed　filled　with　the　intoxication　of
youth；　whose　spirit　was　in　the　bright　air　of　the　day　and　radiant　in　the
young　faces　everywhere。　　The　paths　intersecting　one　another　between　the
different　dormitories　under　the　drooping　elms　were　thronged　with　people
coming　and　going　in　pairs　and　groups；　and　the　academic　fete；　the
prettiest　flower　of　our　tough　old　Puritan　stem；　had　that　charm；　at　once
sylvan　and　elegant；　which　enraptures　in　the　pictured　fables　of　the
Renaissance。　　It　falls　at　that　moment　of　the　year　when　the　old　university
town；　often　so　commonplace　and　sometimes　so　ugly；　becomes　briefly　and
almost　pathetically　beautiful　under　the　leafage　of　her　hovering　elms　and
in；　the　perfume　of　her　syringas；　and　bathed　in　this　joyful　tide　of　youth
that　overflows　her　heart。　　She　seems　fit　then　to　be　the　home　of　the　poets
who　have　loved　her　and　sung　her；　and　the　regret　of　any　friend　of　the
humanities　who　has　left　her。

〃Alice；〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer；　leaning　forward　a　little　to　speak　to　her
daughter；　and　ignoring　a　remark　of　the　Professor's；　〃did　you　ever　see　so
many　pretty　costumes？〃

〃Never；〃　said　the　girl；　with　equal　intensity。

〃Well；　it　makes　you　feel　that　you　have　got　a　country；　after　all；〃　sighed
Mrs。　Pasmer；　in　a　sort　of　apostrophe　to　her　European　self。　　〃You　see
splendid　dressing　abroad；　but　it's　mostly　upon　old　people　who　ought　to　be
sick　and　ashamed　of　their　pomps　and　vanities。　　But　here　it's　the　young
girls　who　dress；　and　how　lovely　they　are！　　I　thought　they　were　charming
in　the　Gymnasium；　but　I　see　you　must　get　them　out…of…doors　to　have　the
full　effect。　　Mr。　Mavering；　are　they　always　so　prettily　dressed　on　Class
Day？〃

〃Well；　I'm　beginning　to　feel　as　if　it　wouldn't　be　exactly　modest　for　me
to　say　so；　whatev