april hopes-第53章

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ladies。　　The　time　comes　to　every　man；　no　matter　how　great　a　power　he　may
be　in　society；　when　the　general　social　opinion　retires　him　for　senility；
and　this　time　had　come　for　Bromfield　Corey。　　He　could　no　longer　make　or
mar　any　success；　and　Charles　Bellingham　was　so　notoriously　amiable；　so
deeply　compromised　by　his　inveterate　habit　of　liking　nearly　every　one；
that　his　notice　could　not　distinguish　or　advantage　a　newcomer。

He　and　Corey　took　the　ladies　down　to　supper。　　Mrs。　Brinkley　saw　them　there
together；　and　a　little　later　she　saw　old　Corey　wander　off；　forgetful　of
Miss　Wrayne。　　She　saw　Dan　Mavering；　but　not　the　Pasmers；　and　then；　when
Corey　forgot　Miss　Wrayne；　she　saw　Dan；　forlorn　and　bewildered　looking；
approach　the　girl；　and　offer　her　his　arm　for　the　return　to　the　drawing…
room；　she　took　it　with　a　bright；　cold　smile；　making　white　rings　of
ironical　deprecation　around　the　pupils　of　her　eyes。

〃What　is　that　poor　boy　doing；　I　wonder？〃　said　Mrs。　Brinkley　to　herself。




XXXVII。

The　next　morning　Dan　Mavering　knocked　at　Boardman's　door　before　the
reporter　was　up。　　This　might　have　been　any　time　before　one　o'clock；　but　it
was　really　at　half…past　nine。　　Boardman　wanted　to　know　who　was　there；　and
when　Mavering　had　said　it　was　he；　Boardman　seemed　to　ponder　the　fact
awhile　before　Mavering　heard　him　getting　out　of　bed　and　coming　barefooted
to　the　door。　　He　unlocked　it；　and　got　back　into　bed；　then　he　called　out；
〃Come　in；〃　and　Mavering　pushed　the　door　open　impatiently。　　But　he　stood
blank　and　silent；　looking　helplessly　at　his　friend。　　A　strong　glare　of
winter　light　came　in　through　the　naked　sashfor　Boardman　apparently　not
only　did　not　close　his　window…blinds；　but　did　not　pull　down　his　curtains；
when　he　went　to　bedand　shone　upon　his　gay；　shrewd　face　where　he　lay；
showing　his　pop…corn　teeth　in　a　smile　at　Mavering。

〃Prefer　to　stand？〃　he　asked　by　and　by；　after　Mavering　had　remained
standing　in　silence；　with　no　signs　of　proposing　to　sit　down　or　speak。
Mavering　glanced　at　the　only　chair　in　the　room：　Boardman's　clothes　dripped
and　dangled　over　it。　　〃Throw　'em　on　the　bed；〃　he　said；　following
Mavering's　glance。

〃I'll　take　the　bed　myself；〃　said　Mavering；　and　he　sat　down　on　the　side　of
it；　and　was　again　suggestively　silent。

Boardman　moved　his　head　on　the　pillow；　as　he　watched　Mavering's　face；　with
the　agreeable　sense　of　personal　security　which　we　all　feel　in　viewing
trouble　from　the　outside：　〃You　seem　balled　up　about　something。〃

Mavering　sighed　heavily。　　〃Balled　up？　　It's　no　word　for　it。　　Boardman；　I'm
done　for。　　Yesterday　I　was　the　happiest　fellow　in　the　world；　and　nowYes；
it's　all　over　with　me；　and　it's　my　own　fault；　as　usual。　　Look；　at　that！〃
He　jerked　Boardman　a　note　which　he　had　been　holding　fast　in　his　band；　and
got　up　and　went　to　look　himself　at　the　wide　range　of　chimney…pots　and
slated　roofs　which　Boardman's　dormer…window　commanded。

〃Want　me　to　read　it？〃　Boardman　asked；　and　Mavering　nodded　without　glancing
round。　　It　dispersed　through　the　air　of　Boardman's　room；　as　he　unfolded
it；　a　thin；　elect　perfume；　like　a　feminine　presence；　refined　and　strict；
and　Boardman　involuntarily　passed　his　hand　over　his　rumpled　hair；　as　if　to
make　himself　a　little　more　personable　before　reading　the　letter。

〃DEAR　MR。　MAVERING；I　enclose　the　ring　you　gave　me　the　other　day；　and　I
release　you　from　the　promise　you　gave　with　it。　　I　am　convinced　that　you
wronged　yourself　in　offering　either　without　your　whole　heart；　and　I　care
too　much　for　your　happiness　to　let　you　persist　in　your　sacrifice。

〃In　begging　that　you　will　not　uselessly　attempt　to　see　me；　but　that　you
will　consider　this　note　final；　I　know　you　will　do　me　the　justice　not　to
attribute　an　ungenerous　motive　to　me。　　I　shall　rejoice　to　hear　of　any　good
that　may　befall　you；　and　I　shall　try　not　to　envy　any　one　through　whom　it
comes。Yours　sincerely；〃　〃ALICE　PASMER。〃

〃P。S。I　say　nothing　of　circumstances　or　of　persons；　I　feel　that　any
comment　of　mine　upon　them　would　be　idle。〃


Mavering　looked　up　at　the　sound　Boardman　made　in　refolding　the　letter。
Boardman　grinned；　with　sparkling　eyes。　　〃Pretty　neat；〃　he　said。

〃Pretty　infernally　neat；〃　roared　Mavering。

〃Do　you　suppose　she　means　business？〃

〃Of　course　she　means　business。　　Why　shouldn't　she？〃

〃I　don't　know。　　Why　should　she？〃

〃Well；　I'll　tell　you；　Boardman。　　I　suppose　I　shall　have　to　tell　you　if　I'm
going　to　get　any　good　out　of　you；　but　it's　a　dose。〃　　He　came　away　from
the　window；　and　swept　Boardman's　clothes　off　the　chair　preparatory　to
taking　it。

Boardman　lifted　his　head　nervously　from　the　pillow。

〃Oh；　I'll　put　them　on　the　bed；　if　you're　so　punctilious！〃　cried　Mavering。

〃I　don't　mind　the　clothes；〃　said　Boardman。　　〃I　thought　I　heard　my　watch
knock　on　the　floor　in　my　vest　pocket。　　Just　take　it　out；　will　you；　and　see
if　you've　stopped　it？〃

〃Oh；　confound　your　old　Waterbury！　　All　the　world's　stopped；　why　shouldn't
your　watch　stop　too？〃　　Mavering　tugged　it　out　of　the　pocket；　and　then
shoved　it　back　disdainfully。　　〃You　couldn't　stop　that　thing　with　anything
short　of　a　sledgehammer；　it's　rattling　away　like　a　mowing…machine。　　You
know　those　Portland　womenthose　ladies　I　spent　the　day　with　when　you　were
down　there　at　the　regattathe　day　I　came　from　CampobelloMrs。　Frobisher
and　her　sister？〃　　He　agglutinated　one　query　to　another　till　he　saw　a　light
of　intelligence　dawn　in　Boardman's　eye。　　〃Well；　they're　at　the　bottom　of
it；　I　suppose。　　I　was　introduced　to　them　on　Class　Day；　and　I　ought　to　have
shown　them　some　attention　there；　but　the　moment　I　saw　AliceMiss　Pasmer
I　forgot　all　about　'em。　　But　they　didn't　seem　to　have　noticed　it　much；　and
I　made　it　all　right　with　'em　that　day　at　Portland；　and　they　came　up　in　the
fall；　and　I　made　an　appointment　with　them　to　drive　out　to　Cambridge　and
show　them　the　place。　　They　were　to　take　me　up　at　the　Art　Museum；　but　that
was　the　day　I　met　Miss　Pasmer；　and　II　forgot　about　those　women　again。〃

Boardman　was　one　of　those　who　seldom　laugh；　but　his　grin　expressed　all
the　malicious　enjoyment　he　felt。　　He　said　nothing　in　the　impressive
silence　which　Mavering　let　follow　at　this　point。

〃Oh；　you　think　it　was　funny？〃　cried　Mavering。　　〃I　thought　it　was　funny
too；　but　Alice　herself　opened　my　eyes　to　what　I'd　done；　and　I　always
intended　to　make　it　all　right　with　them　when　I　got　the　chance。　　I　supposed
she　wished　me　too。〃

Boardman　grinned　afresh。

〃She　told　me　I　must；　though　she　seemed　to　dislike　my　having　been　with　them
the　day　after　she'd　thrown　me　over。　　But　if〃Mavering　interrupted　himself
to　say；　as　the　grin　widened　on　Boardman's　face〃if　you　think　it　was　any
case　of　vulgar　jealousy；　you're　very　much　mistaken；　Boardman。　　She　isn't
capable　of　it；　and　she　was　so　magnanimous　about　it　that　I　made　up　my　mind
to　do　all　I　could　to　retrieve　myself。　　I　felt　that　it　was　my　duty　to　her。
Well；　last　night　at　Mrs。　Jim　Bellingham's　reception〃

A　look　of　professional　interest　replaced　the　derision　in　Boardman's　eyes。
〃Any　particular　occasion　for　the　reception？　　Given　in　honour　of　anybody？〃

〃I'll　contribute　to　your　society　notes　some　other　time；　Boardman；〃　said
Mavering　haughtily。　　〃I'm　speaking　to　a　friend；　not　an　interviewer。　　Well；
whom　should　I　see　after　the　first　waltzI'd　been　dancing　with　Alice；　and
we　were　taking　a　turn　through　the　drawing…room；　and　she　hanging　on　my　arm；
and　I　knew　everybody　saw　how　it　was；　and　I　was　feeling　wellwhom　should　I
see　but　these　women。　　They　were　in　a　corner　by　themselves；　looking　at　a
picture；　and　trying　to　look　as　if　they　were　doing　it　voluntarily。　　But　I
could　see　at　a　glance　that　they　didn't　know　anybody；　and　I　knew　they　had
better　be　in　the　heart　of　the　Sahara　without　acquaintances　than　where　they
were；　and　when　they　bowed　forlornly　across　the　room　to　me；　my　heart　was　in
my　mouth；　I　felt　so　sorry　for　them；　and　I　told　Alice　who　they　were；　and　I
supposed　she'd　want　to　rush　right　over　to　them　with　me〃

〃And　did　she　rush？〃　asked　Boardman；　filling　up　a　pause　which　Mavering　made
in　wiping　his　face。

〃How　infernally　hot　you　have　it　in　here！〃　　He　went　to　the　window　and　threw
it　up；　and　then　did　not　sit　down　again；　but　continued　to　walk　back　and
forth　as　he　talked。　　〃She　didn't　seem　to　kno