tales of trail and town-第23章

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

Versailles　where　he　had　NOT　forgotten　it；　and　as　he　glanced　around

the　empty　terrace　where　they　stood　he　was　struck　with　a　fateful

resemblance　to　it。



〃And　I　should　not　remind　you　now　of　it；〃　she　went　on；　〃except　to

say　that　money　can　always　take　its　place。　　As　in　the　fairy　story；

the　prince　must　have　a　new　arm　made　of　gold。〃　　She　stopped；　and

then　suddenly　coming　closer　to　him　said；　hurriedly　and　almost

fiercely；　〃Can　you　not　see　that　I　am　advising　you　against　my

interests；against　myself？　　Go；　then；　to　Paris；　and　go　quickly；

before　I　change　my　mind。　　Only　if　you　do　not　find　your　friends

there；　remember　you　have　always　ONE　here。〃　　Before　he　could　reply；

or　even　understand　that　white　face；　she　was　gone。



He　left　for　Paris　that　afternoon。　　He　went　directly　to　the　Rue　de

Frivole；　his　old　resolution　to　avoid　Helen　was　blown　to　the　winds

in　the　prospect　of　losing　her　utterly。　　But　the　concierge　only　knew

that　mademoiselle　had　left　a　day　or　two　after　monsieur　had

accompanied　her　home。　　And；　pointedly；　there　was　another　gentleman

who　had　inquired　eagerlyand　bountifully　as　far　as　money　wentfor

any　trace　of　the　young　lady。　　It　was　a　Russe。　　The　concierge　smiled

to　himself　at　Ostrander's　flushed　cheek。　　It　served　this　one…armed；

conceited　American　poseur　right。　　Mademoiselle　was　wiser　in　this

SECOND　affair。



Ostrander　did　not　finish　his　picture。　　The　princess　sent　him　a

cheque；　which　he　coldly　returned。　　Nevertheless　he　had　acquired

through　his　Russian　patronage　a　local　fame　which　stood　him　well

with　the　picture　dealers；in　spite　of　the　excitement　of　the　war。

But　his　heart　was　no　longer　in　his　work；　a　fever　of　unrest　seized

him；　which　at　another　time　might　have　wasted　itself　in　mere

dissipation。　　Some　of　his　fellow　artists　had　already　gone　into　the

army。　　After　the　first　great　reverses　he　offered　his　one　arm　and

his　military　experience　to　that　Paris　which　had　given　him　a　home。

The　old　fighting　instinct　returned　to　him　with　a　certain

desperation　he　had　never　known　before。　　In　the　sorties　from　Paris

the　one…armed　American　became　famous；　until　a　few　days　before　the

capitulation；　when　he　was　struck　down　by　a　bullet　through　the　lung；

and　left　in　a　temporary　hospital。　　Here　in　the　whirl　and　terror　of

Commune　days　he　was　forgotten；　and　when　Paris　revived　under　the

republic　he　had　disappeared　as　completely　as　his　compatriot　Helen。



But　Miss　Helen　Maynard　had　been　only　obscured　and　not　extinguished。

At　the　first　outbreak　of　hostilities　a　few　Americans　had　still　kept

giddy　state　among　the　ruins　of　the　tottering　empire。　　A　day　or　two

after　she　left　the　Rue　de　Frivole　she　was　invited　by　one　of　her

wealthy　former　schoolmates　to　assist　with　her　voice　and　talent　at

one　of　their　extravagant　entertainments。　　〃You　will　understand；

dear；〃　said　Miss　de　Laine；　with　ingenious　delicacy；　as　she　eyed　her

old　comrade's　well…worn　dress；　〃that　Poppa　expects　to　pay　you

professional　prices；　and　it　may　be　an　opening　for　you　among　our

other　friends。〃



〃I　should　not　come　otherwise；　dear；〃　said　Miss　Helen　with　equal

frankness。　　But　she　played　and　sang　very　charmingly　to　the

fashionable　assembly　in　the　Champs　Elysees；so　charmingly；　indeed；

that　Miss　de　Laine　patronizingly　expatiated　upon　her　worth　and　her

better　days　in　confidence　to　some　of　the　guests。



〃A　most　deserving　creature；〃　said　Miss　de　Laine　to　the　dowager

duchess　of　Soho；　who　was　passing　through　Paris　on　her　way　to

England；　〃you　would　hardly　believe　that　Poppa　knew　her　father　when

he　was　one　of　the　richest　men　in　South　Carolina。〃



〃Your　father　seems　to　have　been　very　fortunate；〃　said　the　duchess

quietly；　〃and　so　are　YOU。　　Introduce　me。〃



This　not　being　exactly　the　reply　that　Miss　de　Laine　expected；　she

momentarily　hesitated：　but　the　duchess　profited　by　it　to　walk　over

to　the　piano　and　introduce　herself。　　When　she　rose　to　go　she

invited　Helen　to　luncheon　with　her　the　next　day。　　〃Come　early；　my

dear；　and　we'll　have　a　long　talk。〃　　Helen　pointed　out　hesitatingly

that　she　was　practically　a　guest　of　the　de　Laines。　　〃Ah；　well；

that's　true；　my　dear；　then　you　may　bring　one　of　them　with　you。〃



Helen　went　to　the　luncheon；　but　was　unaccompanied。　　She　had　a　long

talk　with　the　dowager。　　〃I　am　not　rich；　my　dear；　like　your　friends；

and　cannot　afford　to　pay　ten　napoleons　for　a　song。　　Like　you　I　have

seen　'better　days。'　　But　this　is　no　place　for　you；　child；　and　if

you　can　bear　with　an　old　woman's　company　for　a　while　I　think　I　can

find　you　something　to　do。〃　　That　evening　Helen　left　for　England

with　the　duchess；　a　piece　of　〃ingratitude；　indelicacy；　and

shameless　snobbery；〃　which　Miss　de　Laine　was　never　weary　of

dilating　upon。　　〃And　to　think　I　introduced　her；　though　she　was　a

professional！〃



　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。



It　was　three　years　after。　　Paris；　reviving　under　the　republic；　had

forgotten　Helen　and　the　American　colony；　and　the　American　colony；

emigrating　to　more　congenial　courts；　had　forgotten　Paris。



It　was　a　bleak　day　of　English　summer　when　Helen；　standing　by　the

window　of　the　breakfast…room　at　Hamley　Court；　and　looking　over　the

wonderful　lawn；　kept　perennially　green　by　humid　English　skies；

heard　the　practical；　masculine　voice　of　the　duchess　in　her　ear　at

the　same　moment　that　she　felt　the　gentle　womanly　touch　of　her　hand

on　her　shoulder。



〃We　are　going　to　luncheon　at　Moreland　Hall　to…day；　my　dear。〃



〃Why；　we　were　there　only　last　week！〃　said　Helen。



〃Undoubtedly；〃　returned　the　duchess　dryly；　〃and　we　may　luncheon

there　next　week　and　the　next　following。　　And；〃　she　added；　looking

into　her　companion's　gray　eyes；　〃it　rests　with　YOU　to　stay　there　if

you　choose。〃



Helen　stared　at　her　protector。



〃My　dear；〃　continued　the　duchess；　slipping　her　arm　around　Helen's

waist；　〃Sir　James　has　honored　MEas　became　my　relations　to　YOU

with　his　confidences。　　As　you　haven't　given　me　YOURS　I　suppose　you

have　none；　and　that　I　am　telling　you　news　when　I　say　that　Sir　James

wishes　to　marry　you。〃



The　unmistakable　astonishment　in　the　girl's　eye　satisfied　the

duchess　even　before　her　voice。



〃But　he　scarcely　knows　me　or　anything　of　me！〃　said　the　young　girl

quickly。



〃On　the　contrary；　my　dear；　he　knows　EVERYTHING　about　you。　　I　have

been　particular　in　telling　him　all　I　knowand　some　things　even　YOU

don't　know　and　couldn't　tell　him。　　For　instance；　that　you　are　a

very　nice　person。　　Come；　my　dear；　don't　look　so　stupefied；　or　I

shall　really　think　there's　something　in　it　that　I　don't　know。　　It's

not　a　laughing　nor　a　crying　matter　yetat　present　it's　only

luncheon　again　with　a　civil　man　who　has　three　daughters　and　a　place

in　the　county。　　Don't　make　the　mistake；　however；　of　refusing　him

before　he　offerswhatever　you　do　afterwards。〃



〃But〃stammered　Helen。



〃Butyou　are　going　to　say　that　you　don't　love　him　and　have　never

thought　of　him　as　a　husband；〃　interrupted　the　duchess；　〃I　read　it

in　your　face；and　it's　a　very　proper　thing　to　say。〃



〃It　is　so　unexpected；〃　urged　Helen。



〃Everything　is　unexpected　from　a　man　in　these　matters；〃　said　the

duchess。　　〃We　women　are　the　only　ones　that　are　prepared。〃



〃But；〃　persisted　Helen；　〃if　I　don't　want　to　marry　at　all？〃



〃I　should　say；　then；　that　it　is　a　sign　that　you　ought；　if　you　were

eager；　my　dear；　I　should　certainly　dissuade　you。〃　　She　paused；　and

then　drawing　Helen　closer　to　her；　said；　with　a　certain　masculine

tenderness；　〃As　long　as　I　live；　dear；　you　know　that　you　have　a　home

here。　　But　I　am　an　old　woman　living　on　the　smallest　of　settlements。

Death　is　as　inevitable　to　me　as　marriage　should　be　to　you。〃



Nevertheless；　they　did　not　renew　the　conversation；　and　later

received　the　greetings　of　their　host　at　Moreland　Hall　with　a

simplicity　and　frankness　that　were；　however；　perfectly　natural　and

unaffected　in　both　women。　　Sir　James；a　tall；　well…preserved　man

of　middle　age；　with　the　unmistakable　be