april hopes-第8章

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warned　us　that　it　was　getting　near　the　time？　　Why　should　he　have　gone　on
pretending　that　there　was　no　hurry？　　It　isn't　insincerity　exactly；　but　it
isn't　candour；　no；　it's　uncandid。　　Oh；　I　suppose　it's　the　artistic
temperamentnever　coming　straight　to　the　point。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　Mrs。　Pasmer　eagerly。

〃I'll　tell　you　sometime。〃　　She　looked　round　and　halted　a　little　for
Alice；　who　was　walking　detached　and　neglected　by　the　preoccupation　of　the
two　elderly　men。　　〃I'm　afraid　you're　tired；〃　she　said　to　the　girl。

〃Oh　no。〃

〃Of　course　not；　on　Class　Day。　　But　I　hope　we　shall　get　seats。　　What
weather！〃

The　sun　had　not　been　oppressive　at　any　time　during　the　day；　though　the
crowded　building　had　been　close　and　warm；　and　now　it　lay　like　a　painted
light　on　the　grass　and　paths　over　which　they　passed　to　the　entrance　of
the　grounds　around　the　Tree。　　Holden　Chapel；　which　enclosed　the　space　on
the　right　as　they　went　in；　shed　back　the　sun　from　its　brick…red　flank；
rising　unrelieved　in　its　venerable　ugliness　by　any　touch　of　the　festive
preparations；　but　to　their　left　and　diagonally　across　from　them　high
stagings　supported　tiers　of　seats　along　the　equally　unlovely　red　bulks　of
Hollis　and　of　Harvard。　　These　seats；　and　the　windows　in　the　stories　above
them；　were　densely　packed　with　people；　mostly　young　girls　dressed　in　a
thousand　enchanting　shades　and　colours；　and　bonneted　and　hatted　to　the
last　effect　of　fashion。　　They　were　like　vast　terraces　of　flowers　to　the
swift　glance；　and　here　and　there　some　brilliant　parasol；　spread　to　catch
the　sun　on　the　higher　ranks；　was　like　a　flaunting　poppy；　rising　to　the
light　and　lolling　out　above　the　blooms　of　lower　stature。　　But　the
parasols　were　few；　for　the　two　halls　flung　wide　curtains　of　shade　over
the　greater　part　of　the　spectators；　and　across　to　the　foot　of　the　chapel；
while　a　piece　of　the　carpentry　whose　simplicity　seems　part　of　the　Class
Day　tradition　shut　out　the　glare　and　the　uninvited　public；　striving　to
penetrate　the　enclosure　next　the　street。　　In　front　of　this　yellow　pine
wall；　with　its　ranks　of　benches；　stood　the　Class　Day　Tree；　girded　at　ten
or　fifteen　feet　from　the　ground　with　a　wide　band　of　flowers。

Mrs。　Pasmer　and　her　friends　found　themselves　so　late　that　if　some
gentlemen　who　knew　Professor　Saintsbury　had　not　given　up　their　places
they　could　have　got　no　seats。　　But　this　happened；　and　the　three　ladies
had　harmoniously　blended　their　hues　with　those　of　the　others　in　that　bank
of　bloom；　and　the　gentlemen　had　somehow　made　away　with　their
obstructiveness　in　different　crouching　and　stooping　postures　at　their
feet；　when　the　Junior　Class　filed　into　the　green　enclosure　amidst　the
'rahs　of　their　friends；　and　sank　in　long　ranks　on　the　grass　beside　the
chapel。　　Then　the　Sophomores　appeared；　and　were　received　with　cheers　by
the　Juniors；　with　whom　they　joined；　as　soon　as　they　were　placed；　in
heaping　ignominy　upon　the　freshmen。　　The　Seniors　came　last；　grotesque　in
the　variety　of　their　old　clothes；　and　a　fierce　uproar　of　'rahs　and　yells
met　them　from　the　students　squatted　upon　the　grass　as　they　loosely
grouped　themselves　in　front　of　the　Tree；　the　men　of　the　younger　classes
formed　in　three　rings；　and　began　circling　in　different　directions　around
them。

Mrs。　Pasmer　bent　across　Mrs。　Saintsbury　to　her　daughter：　〃Can　you　make
out　Mr。　Mavering　among　them；　Alice？〃

〃No。　　Hush；　mamma！〃　pleaded　the　girl。

With　the　subsidence　of　the　tumult　in　the　other　classes；　the　Seniors　had
broken　from　the　stoical　silence　they　kept　through　it；　and　were　now　with
an　equally　serious　clamour　applauding　the　first　of　a　long　list　of
personages；　beginning　with　the　President；　and　ranging　through　their
favourites　in　the　Faculty　down　to　Billy　the　Postman。　　The　leader　who
invited　them　to　this　expression　of　good　feeling　exacted　the　full　tale　of
nine　cheers　for　each　person　he　named；　and　before　he　reached　the　last　the
'rahs　came　in　gasps　from　their　dry　throats。

In　the　midst　of　the　tumult　the　marshal　flung　his　hat　at　the　elm；　then　the
rush　upon　the　tree　took　place；　and　the　scramble　for　the　flowers。　　The
first　who　swarmed　up　the　trunk　were　promptly　plucked　down　by　the　legs　and
flung　upon　the　ground；　as　if　to　form　a　base　there　for　the　operations　of
the　rest；　who　surged　and　built　themselves　up　around　the　elm　in　an
irregular　mass。　　From　time　to　time　some　one　appeared　clambering　over
heads　and　shoulders　to　make　a　desperate　lunge　and　snatch　at　the　flowers；
and　then　fall　back　into　the　fluctuant　heap　again。　　Yells；　cries；　and
clappings　of　hands　came　from　the　other　students；　and　the　spectators　in
the；　seats；　involuntarily　dying　away　almost　to　silence　as　some　stronger
or　wilfuler　aspirant　held　his　own　on　the　heads　and　shoulders　of　the
others；　or　was　stayed　there　by　his　friends　among　them　till　he　could　make
sure　of　a　handful　of　the　flowers。　　A　rush　was　made　upon　him　when　be
reached　the　ground；　if　he　could　keep　his　flowers　from　the　hands　that
snatched　at　them；　he　staggered　away　with　the　fragments。　　The　wreath　began
to　show　wide　patches　of　the　bark　under　it；　the　surging　and　struggling
crowd　below　grew　less　dense；　here　and　there　one　struggled　out　of　it　and
walked　slowly　about；　panting　pitiably。

〃Oh；　I　wonder　they　don't　kill　each　other！〃　cried　Mrs。　Pasmer。　　〃Isn't　it
terrible？〃　　She　would　not　have　missed　it　on　any　account；　but　she　liked　to
get　all　she　could　out　of　her　emotions。

〃They　never　get　hurt；〃　said　Mrs。　Saintsbury。　　〃Oh；　look！　　There's　Dan
Mavering！〃

The　crowd　at　the　foot　of　the　tree　had　closed　densely；　and　a　wilder　roar
went　up　from　all　the　students。　　A　tall；　slim　young　fellow；　lifted　on　the
shoulders　of　the　mass　below；　and　staying　himself　with　one　hand　against
the　tree；　rapidly　stripped　away　the　remnants　of　the　wreath；　and　flung
them　into　the　crowd　under　him。　　A　single　tuft　remained；　the　crowd　was
melting　away　under　him　in　a　scramble　for　the　fallen　flowers；　he　made　a
crooked　leap；　caught　the　tuft；　and　tumbled　with　it　headlong。

〃Oh！〃　breathed　the　ladies　on　the　Benches；　with　a　general　suspiration　lost
in　the　'rahs　and　clappings；　as　Mavering　reappeared　with　the　bunch　of
flowers　in　his　hand。　　He　looked　dizzily　about；　as　if　not　sure；　of　his
course；　then　his　face；　flushed　and　heated；　with　the　hair　pulled　over　the
eyes；　brightened　with　recognition；　and　he　advanced　upon　Mrs。　Saintsbury's
party　with　rapid　paces；　each　of　which　Mrs。　Pasmer　commentated　with　inward
conjecture。

〃Is　he　bringing　the　flowers　to　Alice？。　　Isn't　it　altogether　too
conspicuous？　　Has　he　really　the　right　to　do　it？　　What　will　people　think？
Will　he　give　them　to　me　for　her；　or　will　he　hand　them　directly　to　her？
Which　should　I　prefer　him　to　do？　　I　wonder　if　I　know？〃

When　she　looked　up　with　the　air　of　surprise　mixed　with　deprecation　and
ironical　disclaimer　which　she　had　prepared　while　these　things　were
passing　through　her　mind；　young　Mavering　had　reached　them；　and　had　paused
in　a　moment's　hesitation　before　his　father。　　With　a　bow　of　affectionate
burlesque；　from　which　he　lifted　his　face　to　break　into　laughter　at　the
look　in　all　their　eyes；　he　handed　the　tattered　nosegay　to　his　father。

〃Oh；　how　delightful！　how　delicate！　how　perfect！〃　　Mrs。　Pasmer　confided　to
herself。

〃I　think　this　must　be　for　you；　Mrs。　Pasmer；〃　said　the　elder　Mavering；
offering　her　the　bouquet；　with　a　grave　smile　at　his　son's　whim。

〃Oh　no；　indeed！〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer。　　〃For　Mrs。　Saintsbury；　of　course。〃

She　gave　it　to　her；　and　Mrs。　Saintsbury　at　once　transferred　it　to　Miss
Pasmer。

〃They　wished　me　to　pass　this　to　you；　Alice；〃　and　at　this　consummation　Dan
Mavering　broke　into　another　happy　laugh。

〃Mrs。　Saintsbury；　you　always　do　the　right　thing　at　once；〃　he　cried。

〃That's　more　than　I　can　say　of　you；　Mr。　Mavering；〃　she　retorted。

〃Oh；　thank　you；　Mr。　Mavering！〃　said　the　girl；　receiving　the　flowers。　　It
was　as　if　she　had　been　too　intent　upon　them　and　him　to　have　noticed　the
little　comedy　that　had　conveyed　them　to　her。




VIII。

As　soon　after　Class　Day　as　Mrs。　Pasmer's　complaisant　sense　of　the
decencies　would　let　her；　she　went　out　from　Boston　to　call　on　Mrs。
Saintsbury　in　Cambridge；　and　thank　her　for　her　kindness　to　Alice　and
herself。　　〃She　will　know　well　enough　what　I　come　for；〃　sh