april hopes-第75章

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left　West　Pointand　we've　always　been　in　hopes　that　he　would　be　removed
to　some　post　where　he　could　meet　other　ladies　and　become　interested　in
some　one　else。　　But　he　never　has；　and　so　the　affair　remains。　　It's　most
undesirable　they　should　marry；　and　in　the　meantime　she　won't　break　it　off；
and　it's　spoiling　her　chances　in　life。〃

〃It　is　too　bad；〃　sighed　Mrs。　Brinkley；　〃but　of　course　you　can　do　nothing。
I　see　that。〃

〃No；　we　can　do　nothing。　　We　have　tried　everything。　　I　used　to　think　it　was
because　she　was　so　dull　there　at　Yonkers　with　her　family；　and　brooded　upon
the　one　idea　all　the　time；　that　she　could　not　get　over　it；　and　at　first　it
did　seem　when　she　came　to　me　that　she　would　get　over　it。　　She　is　very　fond
of　gaietyof　young　men's　society；　and　she's　had　plenty　of　little
flirtations　that　didn't　mean　anything；　and　never　amounted　to　anything。
Every　now　and　then　a　letter　would　come　from　the　wilds　where　he　was
stationed；　and　spoil　it　all。　　She　seemed　to　feel　a　sort　of　chivalrous
obligation　because　he　was　so　far　off　and　helpless　and　lonely。〃

〃Yes；　I　understand；〃　said　Mrs。　Brinkley。　　〃What　a　pity　she　couldn't　be
made　to　feel　that　that　didn't　deepen　the　obligation　at　all。〃

〃I've　tried　to　make　her；〃　said　Miss　Van　Hook；　〃and　I've　been　everywhere
with　her。　　One　winter　we　were　up　the　Nile；　and　another　in　Nice；　and　last
winter　we　were　in　Rome。　　She　met　young　men　everywhere；　and　had　offers　upon
offers；　but　it　was　of　no　use。　　She　remained　just　the　same；　and　till　she
met　Mr。　Mavering　in　Washington　I　don't　believe〃

Miss　Van　Hook　stopped；　and　Mrs。　Brinkley　said；　〃And　yet　she　always　seemed
to　me　particularly　practical　and　level…headedas　the　men　say。〃

〃So　she　is。　　But　she　is　really　very　romantic　about　some　things；　and　when
it　comes　to　a　matter　of　that　kind；　girls　are　about　all　alike；　don't　you
think？〃

〃Oh　yes；〃　said　Mrs。　Brinkley　hopelessly；　and　both　ladies　looked　out　over
the　water；　where　the　waves　came　rolling　in　one　after　another　to　waste
themselves　on　the　shore　as　futilely　as　if　they　had　been　lives。

In　the　evening　Miss　Anderson　got　two　letters　from　the　clerk；　at　the　hour
when　the　ladies　all　flocked　to　his　desk　with　the　eagerness　for　letters
which　is　so　engaging　in　them。　　One　she　pulled　open　and　glanced　at　with　a
sort　of　impassioned　indifference；　the　other　she　read　in　one　intense
moment；　and　then　ran　it　into　her　pocket；　and　with　her　hand　still　on　it
hurried　vividly　flushing　to　her　room；　and　read　and　read　it　again　with
constantly　mounting　emotion。

〃WORMLEY's　HOTEL；　Washington；　April　7；　188…。

〃DEAR　MISS　ANDERSON；I　have　been　acting　on　your　parting　advice　to　look
out　for　that　Mr。　Lafflin　of　mine；　and　I　have　discovered　that　he　is　an
unmitigated　scamp。　　Consequently　there　is　nothing　more　to　keep　me　in
Washington；　and　I　should　now　like　your　advice　about　coming　to　Fortress
Monroe。　　Do　you　find　it　malarial？　　On　the　boat　your　aunt　asked　me　to　come；
but　you　said　nothing　about　it；　and　I　was　left　to　suppose　that　you　did　not
think　it　would　agree　with　me。　　Do　you　still　think　so？　or　what　do　you
think？　　I　know　you　think　it　was　uncalled　for　and　in　extremely　bad　taste
for　me　to　tell　you　what　I　did　the　other　day；　and　I　have　thought　so　too。
There　is　only　one　thing　that　could　justify　itthat　is；　I　think　it　might
justify　itif　you　thought　so。　　But　I　do　not　feel　sure　that　you　would　like
to　know　it；　or；　if　you　knew　it；　would　like　it。　　I've　been　rather　slow
coming　to　the　conclusion　myself；　and　perhaps　it's　only　the　beginning　of
the　end；　and　not　the　conclusionif　there　is　such　a　difference。　　But　the
question　now　is　whether　I　may　come　and　tell　you　what　I　think　it　is
justify　myself；　or　make　things　worse　than　they　are　now。　　I　don't　know　that
they　can　be　worse；　but　I　think　I　should　like　to　try。　　I　think　your
presence　would　inspire　me。

〃Washington　is　a　wilderness　since　MissVan　Hook　left。　　It　is　not　a
howling　wilderness　simply　because　it　has　not　enough　left　in　it　to　howl；
but　it　has　all　the　other　merits　of　a　wilderness。

〃Yours　sincerely；

〃D。　F。　MAVERING。〃


After　a　second　perusal　of　this　note；　Miss　Anderson　recurred　to　the　other
letter　which　she　had　neglected　for　it；　and　read　it　with　eyes　from　which
the　tears　slowly　fell　upon　it。　　Then　she　sat　a　long　time　at　her　table　with
both　letters　before　her；　and　did　not　move；　except　to　take　her　handkerchief
out　of　her　pocket　and　dry　her　eyes；　from　which　the　tears　began　at　once　to
drip　again。　　At　last　she　started　forward；　and　caught　pen　and　paper　toward
her；　biting　her　lip　and　frowning　as　if　to　keep　herself　firm；　and　she　said
to　the　central　figure　in　the　photograph　case　which　stood　at　the　back　of
the　table；　〃I　will；　I　will！　　You　are　a　man；　anyway。〃

She　sat　down；　and　by　a　series　of　impulses　she　wrote　a　letter；　with　which
she　gave　herself　no　pause　till　she　put　it　in　the　clerk's　hands；　to　whom
she　ran　downstairs　with　it；　kicking　her　skirt　into　wild　whirls　as　she　ran；
and　catching　her　foot　in　it　and　stumbling。

〃Will　it　gogo　to…night？〃　she　demanded　tragically。

〃Just　in　time；〃　said　the　clerk；　without　looking　up；　and　apparently　not
thinking　that　her　tone　betrayed　any　unusual　amount　of　emotion　in　a　lady
posting　a　letter；　he　was　used　to　intensity　on　such　occasions。

The　letter　ran

〃DEAR　MR。　MAVERING；We　shall　now　be　here　so　short　a　time　that　I　do　not
think　it　advisable　for　you　to　come。

〃Your　letter　was　rather　enigmatical；　and　I　do　not　know　whether　I
understood　it　exactly。　　I　suppose　you　told　me　what　you　did　for　good
reasons　of　your　own；　and　I　did　not　think　much　about　it。　　I　believe　the
question　of　taste　did　not　come　up　in　my　mind。

〃My　aunt　joins　me　in　kindest　regards。

〃Yours　very　sincerely；

〃JULIA　V。　H。　ANDERSON。〃

〃P。S。I　think　that　I　ought　to　return　your　letter。　　I　know　that　you　would
not　object　to　my　keeping　it；　but　it　does　not　seem　right。　　I　wish　to　ask
your　congratulations。　　I　have　been　engaged　for　several　years　to　Lieutenant
Willing；　of　the　Army。　　He　has　been　transferred　from　his　post　in　Montana　to
Fort　Hamilton　at　New　York；　and　we　are　to　be　married　in　June。


The　next　morning　Mrs。　Brinkley　came　up　from　breakfast　in　a　sort　of　duplex
excitement；　which　she　tried　to　impart　to　her　husband；　he　stood　with　his
back　toward　the　door；　bending　forward　to　the　glass　for　a　more　accurate
view　of　his　face；　from　which　he　had　scraped　half　the　lather　in　shaving。

She　had　two　cards　in　her　hand：　〃Miss　Van　Hook　and　Miss　Anderson　have　gone。
They　went　this　morning。　　I　found　their　P。　P。　C。's　by　my　plate。〃

Mr。　Brinkley　made　an　inarticulate　noise　for　comment；　and　assumed　the
contemptuous　sneer　which　some　men　find　convenient　for　shaving　the　lower
lip。

〃And　guess　who's　come；　of　all　people　in　the　world？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Brinkley；　seizing　his　chance　to　speak。

〃The　Pasmers！Alice　and　her　mother！　　Isn't　it　awful？〃

Mr。　Brinkley　had　entered　upon　a　very　difficult　spot　at　the　corner　of　his
left　jaw。　　He　finished　it　before　he　said；　〃I　don't　see　anything　awful
about　it；　so　long　as　Pasmer　hasn't　come　too。〃

〃But　Dan　Mavering！　　He's　in　Washington；　and　he　may　come　down　here　any　day。
Just　think　how　shocking　that　would　be！〃

〃Isn't　that　rather　a　theory？〃　asked　Mr。　Brinkley；　finding　such
opportunities　for　conversation　as　he　could。　　〃I　dare　say　Mrs。　Pasmer　would
be　very　glad　to　see　him。〃

〃I've　no　doubt　she　would；〃　said　Mrs。　Brinkley。　　But　it's　the　worst　thing
that　could　happenfor　him。　　And　I　feel　like　writing　him　not　to　come
telegraphing　him。〃

〃You　know　how　the　man　made　a　fortune　in　Chicago；〃　said　her　husband；　drying
his　razor　tenderly　on　a　towel　before　beginning　to　strop　it。　　〃I　advise　you
to　let　the　whole　thing　alone。　　It　doesn't　concern　us　in　any　way　whatever。〃

〃Then；〃　said　Mrs。　Brinkley；　〃there　ought　to　be　a　committee　to　take　it　in
hand　and　warn　him。〃

〃I　dare　say　you　could　make　one　up　among　the　ladies。　　But　don't　be　the
first　to　move　in　the　matter。〃

〃I　really　believe；〃　said　his　wife；　with　her　mind　taken　off　the　point　by
the　attractiveness　of　a　surmise　which　had　just　occurred　to　her；　〃that　Mrs。
Pasmer　would　be　capable　of　following　him　down　if　she　knew　he　was　in
Washington。〃

〃Yes；　if　she　know。　　But　she　probably　doesn't。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Mrs。　Brinkley　disappointedly。　　〃I　think　the　sudden　departure