april hopes-第6章

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Day？〃

〃Well；　I'm　beginning　to　feel　as　if　it　wouldn't　be　exactly　modest　for　me
to　say　so；　whatever　I　think。　　You'd　better　ask　Mrs。　Saintsbury；　she
pretends　to　know　all　about　it。〃

〃No；　I'm　bound　to　say　they're　not；〃　said　the　Professor's　wife　candidly。
〃Your　daughter；〃　she　added；　in　a　low　tone　for　all　to　hear；　〃decides　that
question。〃

〃I'm　so　glad　you　said　that；　Mrs。　Saintsbury；〃　said　the　young　man。　　He
looked　at　the　girl；　who　blushed　with　a　pleasure　that　seemed　to　thrill　to
the　last　fibre　of　her　pretty　costume。

She　could　not　say　anything；　but　her　mother　asked；　with　an　effort　at　self…
denial：　〃Do　you　think　so　really？　　It's　one　of　those　London　things。　　They
have　so　much　taste　there　now；〃　she　added　yielding　to　her　own　pride　in　the
dress。

〃Yes；　I　supposed　it　must　be；〃　said　Mrs。　Saintsbury；　〃We　used　to　come　in
muslins　and　tremendous　hoopsdon't　you　remember？〃

〃Did　you　look　like　your　photographs？〃　asked　young　Mavering；　over　his
shoulder。

〃Yes；　but　we　didn't　know　it　then；〃　said　the　Professor's　wife。

〃Neither　did　we；〃　said　the　Professor。　　〃We　supposed　that　there　had　never
been　anything　equal　to　those　hoops　and　white　muslins。〃

〃Thank　you；　my　dear；〃　said　his　wife；　tapping　him　between　the　shoulders
with　her　fan。　　〃Now　don't　go　any　further。〃

〃Do　you　mean　about　our　first　meeting　here　on　Class　Day？〃　asked　her
husband。

〃They'll　think　so　now；〃　said　Mrs。　Saintsbury　patiently；　with　a　playful
threat　of　consequences　in　her　tone。

〃When　I　first　saw　the　present　Mrs。　Saintsbury；〃　pursued　the　Professorit
was　his　joking　way；　of　describing　her；　as　if　there　had　been　several　other
Mrs。　Saintsburys〃she　was　dancing　on　the　green　here。〃

〃Ah；　they　don't　dance　on　the　green　any　more；　I　hear；〃　sighed　Mrs。　Pasmer。

〃No；　they　don't；〃　said　the　other　lady；　〃and　I　think　it's　just　as　well。
It　was　always　a　ridiculous　affectation　of　simplicity。〃

〃It　must　have　been　rather　public；〃　said　young　Mavering；　in　a　low　voice；
to　Miss　Pasmer。

〃It　doesn't　seem　as　if　it　could　ever　have　been　in　character　quite；〃　she
answered。

〃We're　a　thoroughly　indoors　people；〃　said　the　Professor。　　〃And　it　seems
as　if　we　hadn't　really　begun　to　get　well　as　a　race　till　we　had　come　in
out　of　the　weather。〃

〃How　can　you　say　that　on　a　day　like　this？〃　cried　Mrs。　Pasmer。　　〃I　didn't
suppose　any　one　could　be　so　unromantic。〃

〃Don't　flatter　him；〃　cried　his　wife。

〃Does　he　consider　that　a　compliment？〃

〃Not　personally；〃　he　answered：　〃But　it's　the　first　duty　of　a　Professor　of
Comparative　Literature　to　be　unromantic。〃

〃I　don't　understand；〃　faltered　Mrs。　Pasmer。

〃He　will　be　happy　to　explain；　at　the　greatest　possible　length；〃　said　Mrs。
Saintsbury。　　〃But　you　shan't　spoil　our　pleasure　now；　John。〃

They　all　laughed；　and　the　Professor　looked　proud　of　the　wit　at　his
expense；　the　American　husband　is　so；　and　the　public　attitude　of　the
American　husband　and　wife　toward　each　other　is　apt　to　be　amiably
satirical；　their　relation　seems　never　to　have　lost　its　novelty；　or　to
lack　droll　and　surprising　contrasts　for　them。

Besides　these　passages　with　her　husband；　Mrs。　Saintsbury　kept　up　a　full
flow　of　talk　with　the　elder　Mavering；　which　Mrs。　Pasmer　did　her　best　to
overhear；　for　it　related　largely　to　his　son；　whom；　it　seemed；　from　the
father's　expressions；　the　Saintsburys　had　been　especially　kind　to。

No；　I　assure　you；　〃Mrs。　Pasmer　heard　her　protest；　〃Mr。　Saintsbury　has；
been　very　much　interested　in　him。　　I　hope　he　has　not　put　any　troublesome
ideas　into　his　head。　　Of　course　he's　very　much　interested　in　literature；
from　his　point　of　view；　and　he's　glad　to　find　any　of　the　young　men
interested　in　it；　and　that's　apt　to　make　him　overdo　matters　a　little。〃

〃Dan　wished　me　to　talk　with　him；　and　I　shall　certainly　be　glad　to　do　so；〃
said　the　father；　but　in　a　tone　which　conveyed　to　Mrs。　Pasmer　the
impression　that　though　he　was　always　open　to　conviction；　his　mind　was
made　up　on　this　point；　whatever　it　was。




VI。

The　party　went　to　half　a　dozen　spreads；　some　of　which　were　on　a　scale　of
public　grandeur　approaching　that　of　the　Gymnasium；　and　others　of　a
subdued　elegance　befitting　the　more　private　hospitalities　in　the
students'　rooms。　　Mrs。　Pasmer　was　very　much　interested　in　these　rooms；
whose　luxurious　appointments　testified　to　the　advance　of　riches　and　of
the　taste　to　apply　them　since　she　used　to　visit　students'　rooms　in　far…
off　Class　Days。　　The　deep　window　nooks　and　easy…chairs　upholstered　in　the
leather　that　seems　sacred　alike　to　the　seats　and　the　shelves　of
libraries；　the　aesthetic　bookcases；　low　and　topped　with　bric…a…brac；　the
etchings　and　prints　on　the　walls；　which　the　elder　Mavering　went　up　to
look　at　with　a　mystifying　air　of　understanding　such　things；　the　foils
crossed　over　the　chimney；　and　the　mantel　with　its　pipes；　and　its
photographs　of　theatrical　celebrities　tilted　about　over　itspoke　of
conditions　mostly　foreign　to　Mrs。　Pasmer's　memories　of　Harvard。　　The
photographed　celebrities　seemed　to　be　chosen　chiefly　for　their　beauty；
and　for　as　much　of　their　beauty　as　possible；　Mrs。　Pasmer　perceived；　with
an　obscure　misgiving　of　the　sort　which　an　older　generation　always　likes
to　feel　concerning　the　younger；　but　with　a　tolerance；　too；　which　was
personal　to　herself；　it　was　to　be　considered　that　the　massive　thought　and
honest　amiability　of　Salvini's　face；　and　the　deep　and　spiritualized　power
of　Booth's；　varied　the　effect　of　these　companies　of　posturing　nymphs。

At　many　places　she　either　met　old　friends　with　whom　she　clamoured　over
the　wonder　of　their　encounter　there；　or　was　made　acquainted　with　new
people　by　the　Saintsburys。　　She　kept　a　mother's　eye　on　her　daughter；　to
whom　young　Mavering　presented　everybody　within　hail　or　reach；　and　whom
she　could　see；　whenever　she　looked　at　her；　a　radiant　centre　of
admiration。　　She　could　hear　her　talk　sometimes；　and　she　said　to　herself
that　really　Alice　was　coming　out；　she　had　never　heard　her　say　so　many
good　things　before；　she　did　not　know　it　was　in　her。　　She　vas　very　glad
then　that　she　had　let　her　wear　that　dress；　it　was　certainly
distinguished；　and　the　girl　carried　it　off；　to　her　mother's　amusement；
with　the　air　of　a　superb　lady　of　the　period　from　which　it　dated。　　She
thought　what　a　simple　child　Alice　really　was；　all　the　time　those　other
children；　the　Seniors；　were　stealing　their　glances　of　bold　or　timid
worship　at　her；　and　doubtless　thinking　her　a　brilliant　woman　of　the
world。　　But　there　could　be　no　mistake　that　she　was　a　success。

Part　of　her　triumph　was　of　course　due　to　Mrs。　Saintsbury；　whose
chaperonage；　Mrs。　Pasmer　could　see；　was　everywhere　of　effect。　　But　it　was
also　largely　due　to　the　vigilant　politeness　of　young　Mavering；　who　seemed
bent　on　making　her　have　good　time；　and　who　let　no　chance　slip　him。　　Mrs。
Pasmer　felt　his　kindness　truly；　and　she　did　not　feel　it　the　less　because
she　knew　that　there　was　but　one　thing　that　could；　at　his　frankly　selfish
age；　make　a　young　fellow　wish　to　make　a　girl　have　a　good　time；　except　for
that　reason　he　must　be　bending　the　whole　soul　of　egotistic　youth　to
making　some　other　girl　have　a　good　time。　　But　all　the　same；　it　gave　her
pause　when　some　one　to　whom　she　was　introduced　spoke　to　her　of　her
friends　the　Maverings；　as　if　they　were　friends　of　the　oldest　standing
instead　of　acquaintances　of　very　recent　accident。　　She　did　not　think　of
disclaiming　the　intimacy；　but　〃Really　I　shall　die　of　these　Maverings；〃
she　said　to　herself；　〃unless　I　find　out　something　about　them　pretty
soon。〃

〃I'm　not　going　to　take　you　to　the　Omicron　spread；　Mrs。　Pasmer；〃　said
young　Mavering；　coming　up　to　her　with　such　an　effect　of　sympathetic
devotion　that　she　had　to　ask　herself；　〃Are　they　my　friends；　the
Maverings？〃　　〃The　Saintsburys　have　been　there　already；　and　it　is　a　little
too　common。〃　　The　tone　of　superiority　gave　Mrs。　Pasmer　courage。　　〃They're
good　fellows；　and　all　that；　but　I　want　you　to　see　the　best。　　I　suppose　it
will　get　back　to　giving　the　spreads　all　in　the　fellows'　rooms　again。
It's　a　good　deal　pleasanter；　don't　you　think？〃

〃Oh　yes；　indeed；〃　assented　Mrs。　Pasmer；　though　she　had　really　been
thinking　the　private　spreads　were　not　nearly　so　amusing　as　the　large
spread　she　had　seen　at　the　Gymnasium。　　She　had　also　wondered