tales of trail and town-第25章

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〃Of　course。　　And　she　knows　all　about　your　friendship　with　this

man。〃



〃I　don't　think　she　does。　　I　haven't　told　her。　　Why　should　I？〃

returned　Helen；　raising　her　clear　eyes　to　his。



〃Really；　I　don't　know；〃　stammered　Sir　James。　　〃But　here　she　is。　　Of

course　if　you　prefer　it；　I　won't　say　anything　of　this　to　her。〃



Helen　gave　him　her　first　glance　of　genuine　emotion；　it　happened；

however；　to　be　scorn。



〃How　odd！〃　she　said；　as　the　duchess　leisurely　approached　them；　her

glass　still　in　her　eye。　　〃Sir　James；　quite　unconsciously；　has　just

been　showing　me　a　sketch　of　my　dear　old　mansarde　in　Paris。　　Look！

That　little　window　was　my　room。　　And；　only　think　of　it；　Sir　James

bought　it　of　an　old　friend　of　mine；　who　painted　it　from　the

opposite　attic；　where　he　lived。　　And　quite　unconsciously；　too。〃



〃How　very　singular！〃　said　the　duchess；　〃indeed；　quite　romantic！〃



〃Very！〃　said　Sir　James。



〃Very！〃　said　Helen。



The　tone　of　their　voices　was　so　different　that　the　duchess　looked

from　one　to　the　other。



〃But　that　isn't　all；〃　said　Helen　with　a　smile；　〃Sir　James　actually

fancied〃



〃Will　you　excuse　me　for　a　moment？〃　said　Sir　James；　interrupting；

and　turning　hastily　to　the　duchess　with　a　forced　smile　and　a

somewhat　heightened　color。　　〃I　had　forgotten　that　I　had　promised

Lady　Harriet　to　drive　you　over　to　Deep　Hill　after　luncheon　to　meet

that　South　American　who　has　taken　such　a　fancy　to　your　place；　and　I

must　send　to　the　stables。〃



As　Sir　James　disappeared；　the　duchess　turned　to　Helen。　　〃I　see　what

has　happened；　dear；　don't　mind　me；　for　I　frankly　confess　I　shall

now　eat　my　luncheon　less　guiltily　than　I　feared。　　But　tell　me；　HOW

did　you　refuse　him？〃



〃I　didn't　refuse　him；〃　said　Helen。　　〃I　only　prevented　his　asking

me。〃



〃How？〃



Then　Helen　told　her　all；everything　except　her　first　meeting　with

Ostrander　at　the　restaurant。　　A　true　woman　respects　the　pride　of

those　she　loves　more　even　than　her　own；　and　while　Helen　felt　that

although　that　incident　might　somewhat　condone　her　subsequent

romantic　passion　in　the　duchess's　eyes；　she　could　not　tell　it。



The　duchess　listened　in　silence。



〃Then　you　two　incompetents　have　never　seen　each　other　since？〃　she

asked。



〃No。〃



〃But　you　hope　to？〃



〃I　cannot　speak　for　HIM；〃　said　Helen。



〃And　you　have　never　written　to　him；　and　don't　know　whether　he　is

alive　or　dead？〃



〃No。〃



〃Then　I　have　been　nursing　in　my　bosom　for　three　years　at　one　and

the　same　time　a　brave；　independent；　matter…of…fact　young　person　and

the　most　idiotic；　sentimental　heroine　that　ever　figured　in　a

romantic　opera　or　a　country　ballad。〃　　Helen　did　not　reply。　　〃Well；

my　dear；〃　said　the　duchess　after　a　pause；　〃I　see　that　you　are

condemned　to　pass　your　days　with　me　in　some　cheap　hotel　on　the

continent。〃　　Helen　looked　up　wonderingly。　　〃Yes；〃　she　continued；　〃I

suppose　I　must　now　make　up　my　mind　to　sell　my　place　to　this　gilded

South　American；　who　has　taken　a　fancy　to　it。　　But　I　am　not　going　to

spoil　my　day　by　seeing　him　NOW。　　No；　we　will　excuse　ourselves　from

going　to　Deep　Hill　to…day；　and　we　will　go　back　home　quietly　after

luncheon。　　It　will　be　a　mercy　to　Sir　James。〃



〃But；〃　said　Helen　earnestly；　〃I　can　go　back　to　my　old　life；　and

earn　my　own　living。〃



〃Not　if　I　can　help　it；〃　said　the　duchess　grimly。　　〃Your　independence

has　made　you　a　charming　companion　to　me；　I　admit；　but　I　shall　see

that　it　does　not　again　spoil　your　chances　of　marrying。　Here　comes

Sir　James。　　Really；　my　dear；　I　don't　know　which　one　of　you　looks　the

more　relieved。〃



On　their　way　back　through　the　park　Helen　again　urged　the　duchess　to

give　up　the　idea　of　selling　Hamley　Court；　and　to　consent　to　her

taking　up　her　old　freedom　and　independence　once　more。　　〃I　shall

never；　never　forget　your　loving　kindness　and　protection；〃　continued

the　young　girl；　tenderly。　　〃You　will　let　me　come　to　you　always　when

you　want　me；　but　you　will　let　me　also　shape　my　life　anew；　and　work

for　my　living。〃　　The　duchess　turned　her　grave；　half　humorous　face

towards　her。　　〃That　means　you　have　determined　to　seek　HIM。　　Well！

Perhaps　if　you　give　up　your　other　absurd　idea　of　independence；　I

may　assist　you。　　And　now　I　really　believe；　dear；　that　there　is　that

dreadful　South　American；〃　pointing　to　a　figure　that　was　crossing

the　lawn　at　Hamley　Court；　〃hovering　round　like　a　vulture。　　Well；　I

can't　see　him　to…day　if　he　calls；　but　YOU　may。　　By　the　way；　they

say　he　is　not　bad…looking；　was　a　famous　general　in　the　South

American　War；　and　is　rolling　in　money；　and　comes　here　on　a　secret

mission　from　his　government。　　But　I　forgetthe　rest　of　our　life　is

to　be　devoted　to　seeking　ANOTHER。　　And　I　begin　to　think　I　am　not　a

good　matchmaker。〃



Helen　was　in　no　mood　for　an　interview　with　the　stranger；　whom；　like

the　duchess；　she　was　inclined　to　regard　as　a　portent　of　fate　and

sacrifice。　　She　knew　her　friend's　straitened　circumstances；　which

might　make　such　a　sacrifice　necessary　to　insure　a　competency　for

her　old　age；　and；　as　Helen　feared　also；　a　provision　for　herself。

She　knew　the　strange　tenderness　of　this　masculine　woman；　which　had

survived　a　husband's　infidelities　and　a　son's　forgetfulness；　to　be

given　to　her；　and　her　heart　sank　at　the　prospect　of　separation；

even　while　her　pride　demanded　that　she　should　return　to　her　old

life　again。　　Then　she　wondered　if　the　duchess　was　right；　did　she

still　cherish　the　hope　of　meeting　Ostrander　again？　　The　tears　she

had　kept　back　all　that　day　asserted　themselves　as　she　flung　open

the　library　door　and　ran　across　the　garden　into　the　myrtle　walk。

〃In　hospital！〃　　The　words　had　been　ringing　in　her　ears　though　Sir

James's　complacent　speech；　through　the　oddly　constrained　luncheon；

through　the　half…tender；　half…masculine　reasoning　of　her　companion。

He　HAD　loved　herhe　had　suffered　and　perhaps　thought　her　false。

Suddenly　she　stopped。　　At　the　further　end　of　the　walk　the　ominous

stranger　whom　she　wished　to　avoid　was　standing　looking　towards　the

house。



How　provoking！　　She　glanced　again；　he　was　leaning　against　a　tree

and　was　obviously　as　preoccupied　as　she　was　herself。　　He　was

actually　sketching　the　ivy…covered　gable　of　the　library。　　What

presumption！　　And　he　was　sketching　with　his　left　hand。　　A　sudden

thrill　of　superstition　came　over　her。　　She　moved　eagerly　forward

for　a　better　view　of　him。　　No！　he　had　two　arms！



But　his　quick　eye　had　already　caught　sight　of　her；　and　before　she

could　retreat　she　could　see　that　he　had　thrown　away　his　sketch…book

and　was　hastening　eagerly　toward　her。　　Amazed　and　confounded　she

would　have　flown；　but　her　limbs　suddenly　refused　their　office；　and

as　he　at　last　came　near　her　with　the　cry　of　〃Helen！〃　upon　his　lips；

she　felt　herself　staggering；　and　was　caught　in　his　arms。



〃Thank　God；〃　he　said。　　〃Then　she　HAS　let　you　come　to　me！〃



She　disengaged　herself　slowly　and　dazedly　from　him　and　stood

looking　at　him　with　wondering　eyes。　　He　was　bronzed　and　worn；　there

was　the　second　arm：　but　still　it　was　HE。　　And　with　the　love；　which

she　now　knew　he　had　felt；　looking　from　his　honest　eyes！



〃SHE　has　let　me　come！〃　she　repeated　vacantly。　　〃Whom　do　you　mean？〃



〃The　duchess。〃



〃The　duchess？〃



〃Yes。〃　　He　stopped　suddenly；　gazing　at　her　blank　face；　while　his

own　grew　ashy　white。　　〃Helen！　　For　God's　sake　tell　me！　　You　have

not　accepted　him？〃



〃I　have　accepted　no　one；〃　she　stammered；　with　a　faint　color　rising

to　her　cheeks。　　〃I　do　not　understand　you。〃



A　look　of　relief　came　over　him。　　〃But；〃　he　said　amazedly；　〃has　not

the　duchess　told　you　how　I　happen　to　be　here？　　How；　when　you

disappeared　from　Paris　long　agowith　my　ambition　crushed；　and

nothing　left　to　me　but　my　old　trade　of　the　fighterI　joined　a

secret　expedition　to　help　the　Chilian　revolutionists？　　How　I；　who

might　have　starved　as　a　painter；　gained　distinction　as　a　partisan

general；　and　was　rewarded　with　an　envoyship　in　Europe？　　How　I　came

to　Paris　to　seek　you？　　How　I　found　tha