tales of trail and town-第22章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！





He　had　not　thought　of　it。　　He　was　lost　in　a　greater　abstraction。

That　infinite　tenderness；far　above　a　woman's；the　tenderness　of

strength　and　manliness　towards　weakness　and　delicacy；　the

tenderness　that　looks　down　and　not　up；　was　already　possessing　him。

An　instinct　of　protection　drew　him　nearer　this　bowed　but　charming

figure；　and　if　he　then　noticed　that　the　shoulders　were　pretty；　and

the　curves　of　the　slim　waist　symmetrical；　it　was　rather　with　a

feeling　of　timidity　and　a　half…consciousness　of　unchivalrous

thought。　　Yet　why　should　he　not　try　to　keep　the　brave　and　honest

girl　near　him　always？　　Why　should　he　not　claim　the　right　to　protect

her？　　Why　should　they　notthey　who　were　alone　in　a　strange　land

join　their　two　lonely　lives　for　mutual　help　and　happiness？



A　sudden　perception　of　delicacy；　the　thought　that　he　should　have

spoken　before　her　failure　at　the　Conservatoire　had　made　her　feel

her　helplessness；　brought　a　slight　color　to　his　cheek。　　Would　it

not　seem　to　her　that　he　was　taking　an　unfair　advantage　of　her

misfortune？　　Yet　it　would　be　so　easy　now　to　slip　a　loving　arm

around　her　waist；　while　he　could　work　for　her　and　protect　her　with

the　other。　　THE　OTHER！　　His　eye　fell　on　his　empty　sleeve。　　Ah；　he

had　forgotten　that！　　He　had　but　ONE　arm！



He　rose　up　abruptly；so　abruptly　that　Helen；　rising　too；　almost

touched　the　arm　that　was　hurriedly　withdrawn。　　Yet　in　that

accidental　contact；　which　sent　a　vague　tremor　through　the　young

girl's　frame；　there　was　still　time　for　him　to　have　spoken。　　But　he

only　said：



〃Perhaps　we　had　better　dine。〃



She　assented　quickly；she　knew　not　why；with　a　feeling　of　relief。

They　walked　very　quietly　and　slowly　towards　the　restaurant。　　Not　a

word　of　love　had　been　spoken；　not　even　a　glance　of　understanding

had　passed　between　them。　　Yet　they　both　knew　by　some　mysterious

instinct　that　a　crisis　of　their　lives　had　come　and　gone；　and　that

they　never　again　could　be　to　each　other　as　they　were　but　a　brief

moment　ago。　　They　talked　very　sensibly　and　gravely　during　their

frugal　meal；　the　previous　spectator　of　their　confidences　would　have

now　thought　them　only　simple　friends　and　have　been　as　mistaken　as

before。　　They　talked　freely　of　their　hopes　and　prospects；all　save

one！　　They　even　spoke　pleasantly　of　repeating　their　little

expedition　after　his　return　from　the　country；　while　in　their　secret

hearts　they　had　both　resolved　never　to　see　each　other　again。　　Yet

by　that　sign　each　knew　that　this　was　love；　and　were　proud　of　each

other's　pride；　which　kept　it　a　secret。



The　train　was　late；　and　it　was　past　ten　o'clock　when　they　at　last

appeared　before　the　concierge　of　Helen's　home。　　During　their

journey；　and　while　passing　though　the　crowds　at　the　station　and　in

the　streets；　Ostrander　had　exhibited　a　new　and　grave　guardianship

over　the　young　girl；　and；　on　the　first　landing；　after　a

scrutinizing　and　an　almost　fierce　glance　at　one　or　two　of　Helen's

odd　fellow　lodgers；　he　had　extended　his　protection　so　far　as　to

accompany　her　up　the　four　flights　to　the　landing　of　her　apartment。

Here　he　took　leave　of　her　with　a　grave　courtesy　that　half　pained；

half　pleased　her。　　She　watched　his　broad　shoulders　and　dangling

sleeve　as　he　went　down　the　stairs；　and　then　quickly　turned；　entered

her　room；　and　locked　the　door。　　The　smile　had　faded　from　her　lips。

Going　to　the　window；　she　pressed　her　hot　forehead　against　the　cool

glass　and　looked　out　upon　the　stars　nearly　level　with　the　black

roofs　around　her。　　She　stood　there　some　moments　until　another　star

appeared　higher　up　against　the　roof　ridge；　the　star　she　was　looking

for。　　But　here　the　glass　pane　before　her　eyes　became　presently　dim

with　moisture；　she　was　obliged　to　rub　it　out　with　her　handkerchief；

yet；　somehow；　it　soon　became　clouded；　at　which　she　turned　sharply

away　and　went　to　bed。



But　Miss　Helen　did　not　know　that　when　she　had　looked　after　the

retreating　figure　of　her　protector　as　he　descended　the　stairs　that

night　that　he　was　really　carrying　away　on　those　broad　shoulders　the

character　she　had　so　laboriously　gained　during　her　four　years'

solitude。　　For　when　she　came　down　the　next　morning　the　concierge

bowed　to　her　with　an　air　of　easy；　cynical　abstraction；　the　result

of　a　long　conversation　with　his　wife　the　night　before。　　He　had

taken　Helen's　part　with　a　kindly　cynicism。　　〃Ah！　what　would　youit

was　bound　to　come。　　The　affair　of　the　Conservatoire　had　settled

that。　　The　poor　child　could　not　starve；　penniless；　she　could　not

marry。　　Only　why　consort　with　other　swallows　under　the　eaves　when

she　could　have　had　a　gilded　cage　on　the　first　etage？〃　　But　girls

were　so　foolishin　their　first　affair；　then　it　was　always　LOVE！

The　second　time　they　were　wiser。　　And　this　maimed　warrior　and

painter　was　as　poor　as　she。　　A　compatriot；　too；　well；　perhaps　that

saved　some　scandal；　one　could　never　know　what　the　Americans　were

accustomed　to　do。　　The　first　floor；　which　had　been　inclined　to　be

civil　to　the　young　teacher；　was　more　so；　but　less　respectful；　one

or　two　young　men　were　tentatively　familiar　until　they　looked　in　her

gray　eyes　and　remembered　the　broad　shoulders　of　the　painter。　　Oddly

enough；　only　Mademoiselle　Fifine；　of　her　own　landing；　exhibited　any

sympathy　with　her；　and　for　the　first　time　Helen　was　frightened。

She　did　not　show　it；　however；　only　she　changed　her　lodgings　the

next　day。　　But　before　she　left　she　had　a　few　moments'　conversation

with　the　concierge　and　an　exchange　of　a　word　or　two　with　some　of

her　fellow　lodgers。　　I　have　already　hinted　that　the　young　lady　had

great　precision　of　statement；　she　had　a　pretty　turn　for　handling

colloquial　French　and　an　incisive　knowledge　of　French　character。

She　left　No。　34；　Rue　de　Frivole；　working　itself　into　a　white　rage；

but　utterly　undecided　as　to　her　real　character。



But　all　this　and　much　more　was　presently　blown　away　in　the　hot

breath　that　swept　the　boulevards　at　the　outburst　of　the　Franco…

German　War；　and　Miss　Helen　Maynard　disappeared　from　Paris　with　many

of　her　fellow　countrymen。　　The　excitement　reached　even　a　quaint　old

chateau　in　Brittany　where　Major　Ostrander　was　painting。　　The　woman

who　was　standing　by　his　side　as　he　sat　before　his　easel　on　the

broad　terrace　observed　that　he　looked　disturbed。



〃What　matters？〃　she　said　gently。　　〃You　have　progressed　so　well　in

your　work　that　you　can　finish　it　elsewhere。　　I　have　no　great　desire

to　stay　in　France　with　a　frontier　garrisoned　by　troops　while　I　have

a　villa　in　Switzerland　where　you　could　still　be　my　guest。　　Paris

can　teach　you　nothing　more；　my　friend；　you　have　only　to　create　now

and　be　famous。〃



〃I　must　go　to　Paris；〃　he　said　quietly。　　〃I　have　friends

countrymenthere；　who　may　want　me　now。〃



〃If　you　mean　the　young　singer　of　the　Rue　de　Frivole；　you　have

compromised　her　already。　　You　can　do　her　no　good。〃



〃Madame！〃



The　pretty　face　which　he　had　been　familiar　with　for　the　past　six

weeks　somehow　seemed　to　change　its　character。　　Under　the　mask　of

dazzling　skin　he　fancied　he　saw　the　high　cheek…bones　and　square

Tartar　angle；　the　brilliant　eyes　were　even　brighter　than　before；

but　they　showed　more　of　the　white　than　he　had　ever　seen　in　them。



Nevertheless　she　smiled；　with　an　equally　stony　revelation　of　her

white　teeth；　yet　said；　still　gently；　〃Forgive　me　if　I　thought　our

friendship　justified　me　in　being　frank；perhaps　too　frank　for　my

own　good。〃



She　stopped　as　if　half　expecting　an　interruption；　but　as　he

remained　looking　wonderingly　at　her；　she　bit　her　lip；　and　went　on：

〃You　have　a　great　career　before　you。　　Those　who　help　you　must　do　so

without　entangling　you；　a　chain　of　roses　may　be　as　impeding　as

lead。　　Until　you　are　independent；　youwho　may　in　time　compass

everything　yourselfwill　need　to　be　helped。　　You　know；〃　she　added

with　a　smile；　〃you　have　but　one　arm。〃



〃In　your　kindness　and　appreciation　you　have　made　me　forget　it；〃　he

stammered。　　Yet　he　had　a　swift　vision　of　the　little　bench　at

Versailles　where　he　had　NOT　forgotten