an open-eyed conspiracy-第5章
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perpetual Fourth of July； we think。〃
〃Oh yes； there's enough going on； and my wife and me we could enjoy
it first rate。〃
〃If the young lady could？〃 I ventured； with a smile of sympathetic
intelligence。
〃Well； yes。 You see； we don't know anybody； and I suppose we didn't
take that into account。 Well； I suppose it's like this： they
thought it would be easy to get acquainted in the hotel； and
commence having a good time right away。 I don't know； my wife had
the idea when they cooked it up amongst 'em that she was to come
with us。 But I SWEAR _I_ don't know how to go about it。 I can't
seem to make up my mouth to speak to folks first； and then you can't
tell whether a man ain't a gambler； or on for the horse…races
anyway。 So we've been here a week now； and you're the first ones
we've spoken to besides the waiters since we came。〃
I couldn't help laughing； their experience was so exactly as I had
imagined it when I first saw this disconsolate party。 In my triumph
at my own penetration； I would not have had their suffering in the
past one pang the less； but the simple frankness of his confession
fixed me in the wish that the future might be brighter for them。 I
thought myself warranted by my wife's imprudence in taking a step
toward their further intimacy on my own account； and I said：
〃Well； perhaps I ought to tell you that I haven't been inside the
Saratoga Club or bet on the races since I've been here。 That's my
name in full；〃and I gave him my card；〃and I'm in the literary
line； that is； I'm the editor of a magazine in New Yorkthe Every
Other Week。〃
〃Oh yes； I know who you are；〃 said my companion； with my card in his
hand。 〃Fact is； I was round at your place this morning trying to
get rooms； and the clerk told me all about you from my description。
I felt as mean as pu'sley goin'； seemed to be takin' kind of an
advantage of you。〃
〃Not at all； it's a public house；〃 I interrupted； but I thought I
should be stronger with Mrs。 March if I did not give the fact away
to her； and I resolved to keep it。
〃But they couldn't rest easy till I tried； and I was more than half
glad there wasn't any rooms。〃
〃Oh； I'm very sorry；〃 I said； and I indulged a real regret from the
vantage I had。 〃It would have been very pleasant to have you there。
Perhaps laterwe shall be giving up our rooms at the end of the
month。〃
〃No；〃 he said； with a long breath。 〃If I've got to leave 'em； I
guess it'll be just as well to leave 'em where they're acquainted
with the house anyway。〃 His remark betrayed a point in his thinking
which had not perhaps been reached in his talk with the ladies。
〃It's a quiet place； and they're used to it； and I guess they
wouldn't want to stay through the rest of the month； quite。 I don't
believe my wife would； anyway。〃
He did not say this very confidently； but hopefully rather； and I
thought it afforded me an opening to find out something yet more
definite about the ladies。
〃Miss Gage is remarkably fine…looking；〃 I began。
〃Think so？〃 he answered。 〃Well； so does my wife。 I don't know as I
like her style exactly；〃 he said； with a kind of latent grudge。
〃Her style is magnificent；〃 I insisted。
〃Well； maybe so。 I guess she's good enough looking； if that's what
you mean。 But I think it's always a kind of a mistake for three
persons to come off together； I don't care who they are。 Then
there's three opinions。 She's a nice girl； and a good girl； and she
don't put herself forward。 But when you've got a young lady on your
hands； you've GOT her； and you feel bound to keep doin' something
for her all the time； and if you don't know what to do yourself； and
your wife can't tell〃
I added intelligently； 〃Yes。〃
〃Well； that's just where it is。 Sometimes I wish the whole dumb
town would burn up。〃 I laughed and laughed； and my friend； having
begun to unpack his heart； went on to ease it of the rest of its
load。 I had not waited for this before making some reflections
concerning him； but I now formulated them to myself。 He really had
none of that reserve I had attributed to him the night before； it
was merely caution and this is the case with most country people。
They are cautious； but not reserved； if they think they can trust
you； they keep back none of their affairs； and this is the American
character； for we are nearly all country people。 I understood him
perfectly when he said； 〃I ruther break stone than go through what I
have been through the last week！ You understand how it is。 'Tain't
as if she said anything； I wish she would； but you feel all the
while that it ain't what she expected it to be； and you feel as if
it was you that was to blame for the failure。 By George！ if any man
was to come along and make an offer for my contract I would sell out
cheap。 It's worse because my wife asked her to come； and thought
she was doin' her all kinds of a favour to let her。 They've always
been together； and when we talked of coming to Saratoga this summer；
nothing would do my wife but Julia must come with us。 Her and her
father usually take a trip off somewhere in the hot weather； but
this time he couldn't leave； president of our National Bank； and
president of the village； too。〃 He threw in the fact of these
dignities explanatorily； but with a willingness； I could see； that
it should affect me。 He went on： 〃They're kind of connections of
my first wife's。 Well； she's a nice girl； too nice； I guess； to get
along very fast。 I see girls all the way along down gettin'
acquainted on the cars and boatswe come east on the Ogdensburg
road to Rouse's Point； and then took the boat down Lake Champlain
and Lake Georgebut she always seemed to hold back。 I don't know's
she's proud either； I can't make it out。 It balls my wife all up；
too。 I tell her she's fretted off all the good her trip's goin' to
do her before she got it。〃
He laughed ruefully； and just then the band began to play the
〃Washington Post。〃
〃What tune's that？〃 he demanded。
〃'Washington Post；'〃 I said； proud of knowing it。
〃By George！ that tune goes right to a fellow's legs； don't it？〃
〃It's the new march；〃 I said。
He listened with a simple joy in it； and his pleasure strengthened
the mystic bond which had formed itself between us through the
confidences he had made me； so flatteringly corroborative of all my
guesses concerning him and his party。
CHAPTER IV
I longed to have the chance of bragging to my wife； but this chance
did not come till the concert was quite over； after I rejoined her
with my companion； and she could take leave of them all without
seeming to abandon them。 Then I judged it best to let her have the
word； for I knew by the way she ran her hand through my arm； and
began pushing me along out of earshot； that she was full of it。
〃Well； Basil； I think that is the sweetest and simplest and kindest
creature in the world； and I'm perfectly in love with her。〃
I did not believe somehow that she meant the girl； but I thought it
best merely to suggest； 〃There are two。〃
〃You know very well which I mean； and I would do anything I could
for her。 She's got a difficult problem before her； and I pity her。
The girl's very well； and she IS a beauty； and I suppose she HAS
been having a dull time； and of course you couldn't please Mrs。
Deering half so well as by doing something for her friend。 I
suppose you're feeling very proud that they're just what you
divined。〃
〃Not at all； I'm so used to divining people。 How did you know I
knew it？〃
〃I saw you talking to him； and I knew you were pumping him。〃
〃Pumping？ He asked nothing better than to flow。 He would put to
shame the provoked spontaneity of any spring in Saratoga。〃
〃Well； did he say that he was going to leave them here？〃
〃He would like to do ityes。 He was very sweet and simple and
kind； too； Isabel。 He complained bitterly of the goddess； and all
but said she sulked。〃
〃Why； I don't know；〃 said my wife。 〃I think； considering； that she
is rather amiable。 She brightened up more and more。〃
〃That was prosperity； or the hope of it； my dear。 Nothing illumines
us like the prospect of pleasant things。 She took you for so
