an open-eyed conspiracy-第13章
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〃Not a word。 It is curious；〃 I went on； 〃how we let this idiotic
love…passion absorb us to the very last。 It is wholly unimportant
who marries who； or whether anybody marries at all。 And yet we no
sooner have the making of a love…affair within reach than we revert
to the folly of our own youth； and abandon ourselves to it as if it
were one of the great interests of life。〃
〃Who is talking about love？ It isn't a question of that。 It's a
question of making a girl have a pleasant time for a few days； and
what is the harm of it？ Girls have a dull enough time at the very
best。 My heart aches for them； and I shall never let a chance slip
to help them； I don't care what you say。〃
〃Now； Isabel；〃 I returned； 〃don't you be a humbug。 This is a
perfectly plain case； and you are going in for a very risky affair
with your eyes open。 You shall not pretend you're not。〃
〃Very well； then； if I am going into it with my eyes open； I shall
look out that nothing happens。〃
〃And you think prevision will avail！ I wish；〃 I said； 〃that instead
of coming home that night and telling you about this girl； I had
confined my sentimentalising to that young French…Canadian mother；
and her dirty little boy who ate the pea…nut shells。 I've no doubt
it was really a more tragical case。 They looked dreadfully poor and
squalid。 Why couldn't I have amused my idle fancy with their
fortunesthe sort of husband and father they had； their shabby
home； the struggle of their life？ That is the appeal that a genuine
person listens to。 Nothing does more to stamp me a poseur than the
fact that I preferred to bemoan myself for a sulky girl who seemed
not to be having a good time。〃
There was truth in my joking； but the truth did not save me； it lost
me rather。 〃Yes；〃 said my wife； 〃it was your fault。 I should never
have seen anything in her if it had not been for you。 It was your
coming back and working me up about her that began the whole thing；
and now if anything goes wrong you will have yourself to thank for
it。〃
She seized the opportunity of my having jestingly taken up this load
to buckle it on me tight and fast； clasping it here； tying it there；
and giving a final pull to the knots that left me scarcely the power
to draw my breath； much less the breath to protest。 I was forced to
hear her say again that all her concern from the beginning was for
Mrs。 Deering； and that now； if she had offered to do something for
Miss Gage； it was not because she cared anything for her； but
because she cared everything for Mrs。 Deering； who could never lift
up her head again at De Witt Point if she went back so completely
defeated in all the purposes she had in asking Miss Gage to come
with her to Saratoga。
I did not observe that this wave of compassion carried Mrs。 March so
far as to leave her stranded with Mrs。 Deering that evening when we
called with Kendricks； and asked her and Miss Gage to go with us to
the Congress Park concert。 Mrs。 Deering said that she had to pack；
that she did not feel just exactly like going； and my tender heart
ached with a knowledge of her distress。 Miss Gage made a faint；
false pretence of refusing to come with us； too； but Mrs。 Deering
urged her to go； and put on the new dress； which had just come home；
so that Mrs。 March could see it。 The girl came back looking
radiant； divine； and〃Will it do？〃 she palpitated under my wife's
critical glance。
〃Do？ It will OUTdo！ I never saw anything like it！〃 The
connoisseur patted it a little this way and a little that。 〃It is a
dream！ Did the hat come too？〃
It appeared that the hat had come too。 Miss Gage rematerialised
with it on； after a moment's evanescence； and looked at my wife with
the expression of being something impersonal with a hat on。
〃Simply； there is nothing to say！〃 cried Mrs。 March。 The girl put
up her hands to it。 〃Good gracious！ You mustn't take it off！ Your
costume is perfect for the concert。〃
〃Is it； really？〃 asked the girl joyfully； and she seemed to find
this the first fitting moment to say； for sole recognition of our
self…sacrifice； 〃I'm much obliged to you； Mr。 March； for getting me
that room。〃
I begged her not to speak of it； and turned an ironical eye upon my
wife； but she was lost in admiration of the hat。
〃Yes；〃 she sighed； 〃it's much better than the one I wanted you to
get at first。〃 And she afterward explained that the girl seemed to
have a perfect instinct for what went with her style。
Kendricks kept himself discreetly in the background； and； with his
unfailing right feeling； was talking to Mrs。 Deering； in spite of
her not paying much attention to him。 I must own that I too was
absorbed in the spectacle of Miss Gage。
She went off with us； and did not say another word to Mrs。 Deering
about helping her to pack。 Perhaps this was best； though it seemed
heartless； it may not have been so heartless as it seemed。 I dare
say it would have been more suffering to the woman if the girl had
missed this chance。
CHAPTER X
We had undertaken rather a queer affair but it was not so queer
after all； when Miss Gage was fairly settled with us。 There were
other young girls in that pleasant house who had only one another's
protection and the general safety of the social atmosphere。 We
could not conceal from ourselves； of course； that we had done a
rather romantic thing； and； in the light of Europe； which we had
more or less upon our actions； rather an absurd thing； but it was a
comfort to find that Miss Gage thought it neither romantic nor
absurd。 She took the affair with an apparent ignorance of anything
unusual in itwith so much ignorance； indeed； that Mrs。 March had
her occasional question whether she was duly impressed with what was
being done for her。 Whether this was so or not； it is certain that
she was as docile and as biddable as need be。 She did not always
ask what she should do； that would not have been in the tradition of
village independence； but she always did what she was told； and did
not vary from her instructions a hair's…breadth。 I do not suppose
she always knew why she might do this and might not do that； and I
do not suppose that young girls often understand the reasons of the
proprieties。 They are told that they must； and that they must not；
and this in an astonishing degree suffices them if they are nice
girls。
Of course there was pretty constant question of Kendricks in the
management of Miss Gage's amusement； for that was really what our
enterprise resolved itself into。 He showed from the first the
sweetest disposition to forward all our plans in regard to her； and；
in fact； he even anticipated our wishes。 I do not mean to give the
notion that he behaved from an interested motive in going to the
station the morning Mrs。 Deering left； and getting her ticket for
her； and checking her baggage； and posting her in the changes she
would have to make。 This was something I ought to have thought of
myself； but I did not think of it； and I am willing that he should
have all the credit。
I know that he did it out of the lovely generosity of nature which
always took me in him。 Miss Gage was there with her； and she
remained to be consoled after Mrs。 Deering departed。 They came
straight to us from the train； and then； when he had consigned Miss
Gage to Mrs。 March's care； he offered to go and see that her things
were transferred from her hotel to ours； they were all ready； she
said； and the bill was paid。
He did not come back that day； and； in fact； he delicately waited
for some sign from us that his help was wanted。 But when he did
come he had formulated Saratoga very completely； and had a better
conception of doing it than I had； after my repeated sojourns。
We went very early in our explorations to the House of Pansa； which
you find in very much better repair at Saratoga than you do at
Pompeii； and we contrived to pass a whole afternoon there。 My wife
and I had been there before more than once； but it always pleasantly
recalled our wander…years； when we first met in Europe； and we
suffered round after those young things with a patience which I hope
will not be forgotten at the day of
