april hopes-第76章

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Washington。〃

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

〃Yes；〃　said　Mrs。　Brinkley　disappointedly。　　〃I　think　the　sudden　departure
of　the　Van　Hooks　must　have　had　something　to　do　with　Dan　Mavering。〃

〃Seems　a　very　influential　young　man；〃　said　her　husband。　　〃He　attracts　and
repels　people　right　and　left。　　Did　you　speak　to　the　Pasmers？〃

〃No；　you'd　better；　when　you　go　down。　　They've　just　come　into　the　dining…
room。　　The　girl　looks　like　death。〃

〃Well；　I'll　talk　to　her　about　Mavering。　　That'll　cheer　her　up。〃

Mrs。　Brinkley　looked　at　him　for　an　instant　as　if　she　really　thought　him
capable　of　it。　　Then　she　joined　him　in　his　laugh。

Mrs。　Brinkley　had　theorised　Alice　Pasmer　as　simply　and　primitively
selfish；　like　the　rest　of　the　Pasmers　in　whom　the　family　traits　prevailed。

When　Mavering　stopped　coming　to　her　house　after　his　engagement　she　justly
suspected　that　it　was　because　Alice　had　forbidden　him；　and　she　had
rejoiced　at　the　broken　engagement　as　an　escape　for　Dan；　she　had　frankly
said　so；　and　she　had　received　him　back　into　full　favour　at　the　first
moment　in　Washington。　　She　liked　Miss　Anderson；　and　she　had　hoped；　with
the　interest　which　women　feel　in　every　such　affair；　that　her　flirtation
with　him　might　become　serious。　　But　now　this　had　apparently　not　happened。
Julia　Anderson　was　gone　with　mystifying　precipitation；　and　Alice　Pasmer
had　come　with　an　unexpectedness　which　had　the　aspect　of　fatality。

Mrs。　Brinkley　felt　bound；　of　course；　since　there　was　no　open　enmity
between　them；　to　meet　the　Pasmers　on　the　neutral　ground　of　the　Hygeia　with
conventional　amiability。　　She　was　really　touched　by　the　absent　wanness　of
the　girls　look；　and　by　the　later…coming　recognition　which　shaped　her　mouth
into　a　pathetic　snide。　　Alice　did　not　look　like　death　quite；　as　Mrs。
Brinkley　had　told　her　husband；　with　the　necessity　her　sex　has　for　putting
its　superlatives　before　its　positives；　but　she　was　pale　and　thin；　and　she
moved　with　a　languid　step　when　they　all　met　at　night　after　Mrs。　Brinkley
had　kept　out　of　the　Pasmers'　way　during　the　day。

〃She　has　been　ill　all　the　latter　part　of　the　winter；〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer　to
Mrs。　Brinkley　that　night　in　the　corner　of　the　spreading　hotel　parlours；
where　they　found　themselves。　　Mrs。　Pasmer　did　not　look　well　herself；　she
spoke　with　her　eyes　fixed　anxiously　on　the　door　Alice　had　just　passed　out
of。　　〃She　is　going　to　bed；　but　I　know　I　shall　find　her　awake　whenever　I
go。〃

〃Perhaps；〃　suggested　Mrs。　Brinkley；　〃this　soft；　heavy　sea　air　will　put　her
to　sleep。〃　　She　tried　to　speak　drily　and　indifferently；　but　she　could　not；
she　was；　in　fact；　very　much　interested　by　the　situation；　and　she　was
touched；　in　spite　of　her　distaste　for　them　both；　by　the　evident
unhappiness　of　mother　and　daughter。　　She　knew　what　it　came　from；　and　she
said　to　herself　that　they　deserved　it；　but　this　did　not　altogether　fortify
her　against　their　pathos。　　〃I　can　hardly　keep　awake　myself；〃　she　added
gruffly。

〃I　hope　it　may　help　her；〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer；　〃the　doctor　strongly　urged　our
coming。〃

Mr。　Pasmer　isn't　with　you；〃　said　Mrs。　Brinkley；　feeling　that　it　was　decent
to　say　something　about　him。

〃No；　he　was　detained。〃　　Mrs。　Pasmer　did　not　explain　the　cause　of　his
detention；　and　the　two　ladies　slowly　waved　their　fans　a　moment　in　silence。
〃Are　there　many　Boston　People　in　the　house？〃　Mrs。　Pasmer　asked。

〃It's　full　of　them；〃　cried　Mrs。　Brinkley。

〃I　had　scarcely　noticed；〃　sighed　Mrs。　Pasmer；　and　Mrs。　Brinkley　knew　that
this　was　not　true。　　〃　Alice　takes　up　all　my　thoughts；〃　she　added；　and　this
might　be　true　enough。　　She　leaned　a　little　forward　and　asked；　in　a　low；
entreating　voice　over　her　fan；　〃Mrs。　Brinkley；　have　you　seen　Mr。　Mavering
lately？〃

Mrs。　Brinkley　considered　this　a　little　too　bold；　a　little　too　brazen。　　Had
they　actually　come　South　in　pursuit　of　him？　　It　was　shameless；　and　she　let
Mrs：　Pasmer　know　something　of　her　feeling　in　the　shortness　with　which　she
answered；　〃I　saw　him　in　Washington　the　other　dayfor　a　moment。〃　　She
shortened　the　time　she　had　spent　in　Dan's　company　so　as　to　cut　Mrs。　Pasmer
off　from　as　much　comfort　as　possible；　and　she　stared　at　her　in　open
astonishment。

Mrs。　Pasmer　dropped　her　eyes　and　fingered　the　edge　of　her　fan　with　a
submissiveness　that　seemed　to　Mrs。　Brinkley　the　perfection　of　duplicity；
she　wanted　to　shake　her。　　〃I　knew；〃　sighed　Mrs。　Pasmer；　〃that　you　had
always　been　such　a　friend　of　his。〃

It　is　the　last　straw　which　breaks　the　camel's　back；　Mrs。　Brinkley　felt　her
moral　vertebrae　give　way；　she　almost　heard　them　crack；　but　if　there　was
really　a　detonation；　the　drowned　the　noise　with　a　harsh　laugh。　　〃Oh；　he
had　other　friends　in　Washington。　　I　met　him　everywhere　with　Miss
Anderson。〃　　This　statement　conflicted　with　the　theory　of　her　single
instant　with　Dan；　but　she　felt　that　in　such　a　cause；　in　the　cause　of
giving　pain　to　a　woman　like　Mrs。　Pasmer；　the　deflection　from　exact　truth
was　justifiable。　　She　hurried　on：　〃I　rather　expected　he　might　run　down
here；　but　now　that　they're　gone；　I　don't　suppose　he'll　come。　　You　remember
Miss　Anderson's　aunt；　Miss　Van　Hook？〃

〃Oh　yes；〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer。

〃She　was　here　with　her。〃

〃Miss　Van　Hook　was　such　a　New　York　typeof　a　certain　kind；〃　said　Mrs。
Pasmer。　　She　rose；　with　a　smile　at　once　so　conventional；　so　heroic；　and　so
pitiful　that　Mrs。　Brinkley　felt　the　remorse　of　a　generous　victor。

She　went　to　her　room；　hardening　her　heart；　and　she　burst　in　with　a　flood
of　voluble　exasperation　that　threatened　all　the　neighbouring　rooms　with
overflow。

〃Well；　she　cried；　〃they　have　shown　their　hands　completely。　　They　have　come
here　to　hound　Dan　Mavering　down；　and　get　him　into　their　toils　again。　　Why；
the　woman　actually　said　as　much！　　But　I　fancy　I　have　given　her　a　fit　of
insomnia　that　will　enable　her　to　share　her　daughter's　vigils。　　Really　such
impudence　I　never　heard　of！〃

〃Do　you　want　everybody　in　the　corridor　to　hear　of　it？〃　asked　Brinkley；
from　behind　a　newspaper。

〃I　know　one　thing；〃　continued　Mrs。　Brinkley；　dropping　her　voice　a　couple
of　octaves。　　They　will　never　get　him　here　if　I　can　help　it。　　He　won't
come；　anyway；　now　Miss　Anderson　is　gone；　but　I'll　make　assurance　doubly
sure　by　writing　him　not　to　come；　I'll　tell　him　they've　gone；　and　than　we
are　going　too。〃

〃You　had　better　remember　the　man　in　Chicago；〃　said　her　husband。

〃Well；　this　is　my　businessor　I'll　make　it　my　business！〃　cried　Mrs。
Brinkley。　　She　went　on　talking　rapidly；　rising　with　great　excitement　in
her　voice　at　times；　and　then　remembering　to　speak　lower；　and　her　husband
apparently　read　on　through　most　of　her　talk；　though　now　and　then　he　made
some　comment　that　seemed　of　almost　inspired　aptness。

〃The　way　they　both　made　up　to　me　was　disgusting。　　But　I　know　the　girl　is
just　a　tool　in　her　mother's　hands。　　Her　mother　seemed　actually　passive　in
comparison。　　For　skilful　wheedling　I　could　fall　down　and　worship　that
woman；　I　really　admire　her。　　As　long　as　the　girl　was　with　us　she　kept
herself　in　the　background　and　put　the　girl　at　me。　　It　was　simply　a
masterpiece。〃

〃How　do　you　know　she　put　her　at　you？〃　asked　Brinkley。

〃How？　　By　the　way　she　seemed　not　to　do　it！　　And　because　from　what　I　know
of　that　stupid　Pasmer　pride　it　would　be　perfectly　impossible　for　any　one
who　was　a　Pasmer　to　take　her　deprecatory　manner　toward　me　of　herself。　　You
ought　to　have　seen　it！　　It　was　simply　perfect。〃

〃Perhaps；〃　said　Brinkley；　with　a　remote　dreaminess；　〃she　was　truly　sorry。〃

〃Truly　stuff！　　No；　indeed；　she　hates　me　as　much　as　evermore！〃

〃Well；　then；　may　be　she's　doing　it　because　she　hates　youdoing　it　for　her
soul's　goodsort　of　penance；　sort　of　atonement　to　Mavering。〃

Mrs。　Brinkley　turned　round　from　her　dressing…table　to　see　what　her　husband
meant；　but　the　newspaper　hid　him。　　We　all　know　that　our　own　natures　are
mixed　and　contradictory；　but　we　each　attribute　to　others　a　logical
consistency　which　we　never　find　in　any　one　out　of　the　novels。　　Alice
Pasmer　was　cold　and　reticent；　and　Mrs。　Brinkley；　who　had　lived　half　a
century　in　a　world　full　of　paradoxes；　could　not　imagine　her　subject　to
gusts　of　passionate　frankness；　she　knew　the　girl　to　be　proud　and　distant；
and　she　could　not　conceive　of　an　abject　humility　and