april hopes-第79章

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eyes　she　invited　her　mother　to　come　with　her　round　the　corner　into　that
sheltered　recess；　and　invited　Mrs。　Brinkley　not　to　come。

It　was　that　effect　of　resentment　which　is　lighter　even　than　a　touch；　the
waft　of　the　arrow's　feather；　but　it　could　wound　a　guilty　heart；　and　Mrs。
Brinkley　sat　down　where　she　was；　realising　with　a　pang　that　the　time　when
she　might　have　been　everything　to　this　unhappy　girl　had　just　passed　for
ever；　and　henceforth　she　could　be　nothing。　　She　remained　musing　sadly　upon
the　contradictions　she　had　felt　in　the　girl's　character；　the　confusion　of
good　and　evil；　the　potentialities　of　misery　and　harm；　the　potentialities
of　bliss　and　good；　and　she　felt　less　and　less　satisfied　with　herself。　　She
had　really　presumed　to　interfere　with　Fate；　perhaps　she　had　interfered
with　Providence。　　She　would　have　given　anything　to　recall　her　act；　and
then　with　a　flash　she　realised　that　it　was　quite　possible　to　recall　it。
She　could　telegraph　Mavering　to　come；　and　she　rose；　humbly　and　gratefully；
as　if　from　an　answered　prayer；　to　go　and　do　so。

She　was　not　at　all　a　young　woman；　and　many　things　had　come　and　gone　in　her
life　that　ought　to　have　fortified　her　against　surprise；　but　she　wanted　to
scream　like　a　little　frightened　girl　as　Dan　Mavering　stepped　out　of　the
parlour　door　toward　her。　　The　habit　of　not　screaming；　however；　prevailed；
and　she　made　a　tolerably　successful　effort　to　treat　him　with　decent
composure。　　She　gave　him　a　rigid　hand。　　〃Where　in　the　world　did　you　come
from？　　Did　you　get　my　telegram？〃

〃No。　　Did　you　get　my　letter？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Well；　I　took　a　notion　to　come　right　on　after　I　wrote；　and　I　started　on
the　same　train　with　it。　　But　they　said　it　was　no　use　trying　to　get　into
the　Hygeia；　and　I　stopped　last　night　at　the　little　hotel　in　Hampton。　　I've
just　walked　over；　and　Mr。　Brinkley　told　me　you　were　out　here　somewhere。
That's　the　whole　story；　I　believe。〃　　He　gave　his　nervous　laugh；　but　it
seemed　to　Mrs。　Brinkley　that　it　had　not　much　joy　in　it。

〃Hush！〃　she　said　involuntarily；　receding　to　her　chair　and　sinking　back
into　it　again。　　He　looked　surprised。　　〃You　know　the　Van　Hooks　are　gone？〃

He　laughed　harshly。　　〃I　should　think　they　were　dead　from　your　manner；　Mrs。
Brinkley。　　But　I　didn't　come　to　see　the　Van　Hooks。　　What　made　you　think　I
did？〃

He　gave　her　a　look　which　she　found　so　dishonest；　so　really　insincere；　that
she　resolved　to　abandon　him　to　Providence　as　soon　as　she　could。　　〃Oh；　I
didn't　know　but　there　had　been　some　little　understanding　at　Washington。〃

〃Perhaps　on　their　part。　　They　were　people　who　seemed　to　take　a　good　many
things　for　granted；　but　they　could　hardly　expect　to　control　other　people's
movements。〃

He　looked　sharply　at　Mrs。　Brinkley；　as　if　to　question　how　much　she　knew；
but　she　had　now　measured　him；　and　she　said；　〃Oh！　then　the　visit's　to　me？〃

〃Entirely；〃　cried　Dan。　　The　old　sweetness　came　into　his　laughing　eyes
again；　and　went　to　Mrs。　Brinkley's　heart。　　She　wished　him　to　be　happy；
somehow；　she　would　have　done　anything　for　him；　she　wished　she　knew　what　to
do。　　Ought　she　to　tell　him　the　Pasmers　were　there？　　Ought　she　to　make　up
some　excuse　and　get　him　away　before　he　met　them？　　She　felt　herself　getting
more　and　more　bewildered　and　helpless。　　Those　women　might　come　round　that
corner　any　moment　and　then　she　know　the　first　sight　of　Alice's　face　would
do　or　undo　everything　with　Dan。　　Did　she　wish　them　reconciled？　　Did　she
wish　them　for　ever　parted？　　She　no　longer　knew　what　she　wished；　she　only
knew　that　she　had　no　right　to　wish　anything。　　She　continued　to　talk　on
with　Dan；　who　grew　more　and　more　at　ease；　and　did　most　of　the　talking；
while　Mrs。　Brinkley's　whole　being　narrowed　itself　to　the　question。　　Would
the　Pasmers　come　back　that　way；　or　would　they　go　round　the　further　corner；
and　get　into　the　hotel　by　another　door？

The　suspense　seemed　interminable；　they　must　have　already　gone　that　other
way。　　Suddenly　she　heard　the　pushing　back　of　chairs　in　that　recess。　　She
could　not　bear　it。　　She　jumped　to　her　feet。

〃Just　wait　a　moment；　Mr。　Mavering！　　I'll　join　you　again。　　Mr。　Brinkley　is
expectingI　must〃

　　　　　　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。

One　morning　of　the　following　June　Mrs。　Brinkley　sat　well　forward　in　the
beautiful　church　where　Dan　and　Alice　were　to　be　married。　　The　lovely　day
became　a　still　lovelier　day　within；　enriched　by　the　dyes　of　the　stained
windows　through　which　it　streamed；　the　still　place　was　dim　yet　bright　with
it；　the　figures　painted　on　the　walls　had　a　soft　distinctness；　a　body　of
light　seemed　to　irradiate　from　the　depths　of　the　dome　like　lamp…light。

There　was　a　subdued　murmur　of　voices　among　the　people　in　the　pews：　they
were　in　a　sacred　edifice　without　being　exactly　at　church；　and　they　might
talk；　now　and　then　a　muffled；　nervous　laugh　escaped。　　A　delicate　scent　of
flowers　from　the　masses　in　the　chancel　mixed　with　the　light　and　the
prevailing　silence。　　There　was　a　soft；　continuous　rustle　of　drapery　as　the
ladies　advanced　up　the　thickly　carpeted　aisles　on　the　arms　of　the　young
ushers　and　compressed　themselves　into　place　in　the　pews。

Two　or　three　people　whom　she　did　not　know　were　put　into　the　pew　with　Mrs。
Brinkley；　but　she　kept　her　seat　next　the　aisle；　presently　an　usher　brought
up　a　lady　who　sat　down　beside　her；　and　then　for　a　moment　or　two　seemed　to
sink　and　rise；　as　if　on　the　springs　of　an　intense　excitement。

It　was　Miss　Cotton；　who；　while　this　process　of　quiescing　lasted；　appeared
not　to　know　Mrs。　Brinkley。　　When　she　became　aware　of　her；　all　was　lost
again。　　〃Mrs。　Brinkley！〃　she　cried；　as　well　as　one　can　cry　in　whisper。
〃Is　it　possible？〃

〃I　have　my　doubts；〃　Mrs。　Brinkley　whispered　back。　　〃But　we'll　suppose　the
case。〃

〃Oh；　it's　all　too　good　to　he　true！　　How　I　envy　you　being　the　means　of
bringing　them　together；　Mrs。　Brinkley！〃

〃Means？〃

〃Yesthey　owe　it　all　to　you；　you　needn't　try　to　deny　it；　he's　told　every
one！〃

〃I　was　sure　she　hadn't；〃　said　Mrs。　Brinkley；　remembering　how　Alice　had
marked　an　increasing　ignorance　of　any　part　she　might　have　had　in　the
affair　from　the　first　moment　of　her　reconciliation　with　Dan；　she　had　the
effect　of　feeling　that　she　had　sacrificed　enough　to　Mrs。　Brinkley；　and
Mrs。　Brinkley　had　been　restored　to　all　the　original　strength　of　her
conviction　that　she　was　a　solemn　little　unconscious　egotist；　and　Dan　was
as　unselfish　and　good　as　he　was　unequal　to　her　exactions。

〃Oh　no？〃　said　Miss　Cotton。　　〃She　couldn't！〃　implying　that　Alice　would　be
too　delicate　to　speak　of　it。

〃Do　you　see　any　of　his　family　here？〃　asked　Mrs。　Brinkley。

〃Yes；　over　thereup　front。〃　　Miss　Cotton　motioned；　with　her　eyes　toward　a
pew　in　which　Mrs。　Brinkley　distinguished　an　elderly　gentleman's　down…
misted　bald　head　and　the　back　of　a　young　lady's　bonnet。　　〃His　father　and
sister；　the　other's　a　bridemaid；　mother　bed…ridden　and　couldn't　come。〃

〃They　might　have　brought　her　in　an…arm…chair；〃　suggested　Mrs。　Brinkley
ironically；　〃on　such　an　occasion。　　But　perhaps　they　don't　take　much
interest　in　such　a　patched…up　affair。〃

〃Oh　yes；　they　do！〃　　exclaimed　Miss　Cotton。　　〃They　idolise　Alice。〃

〃And　Mrs。　Pasmer　and　Mister；　too？〃

〃I　don't　suppose　that　so　much　matters。〃

〃They　know　how　to　acquiesce；　I've　no　doubt。〃

〃Oh　yes！　　You've　heard？　　The　young　people　are　going　abroad　first　with　her
family　for　a　year；　and　then　they　come　back　to　live　with　hiswhere　the
Works　are。〃

〃Poor　fellow！〃　said　Mrs。　Brinkley。

〃Why；　Mrs。　Brinkley；　do　you　still　feel　that　way？〃　asked　Miss　Cotton；　with
a　certain　distress。　　It　seems　to　me　that　if　ever　two　young　people　had　the
promise　of　happiness；　they　have。　　Just　see　what　their　love　has　done　for
them　already！〃

〃And　you　still　think　that　in　these　cases　love　can　do　everything？〃

Miss　Cotton　was　about　to　reply；　when　she　observed　that　the　people　about
her　had　stopped　talking。　　The　bridegroom；　with　his　best　man；　in　whom　his
few　acquaintances　there　recognised　Boardman　with　some　surprise；　came　over
the　chancel　from　one　side。

Miss　Cotton　bent　close　to　Mrs。　Brinkley　and　whispered　rapidly：　〃Alice
found　out　Mr。　Mavering　wished　it；　and　insisted　on　his　having　him。　　It　was
a　great　concession；　but　she's　perfectly　magnanimous。　　P