april hopes-第30部分

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〃Yes；　but　not　yetnot　so　soon。　　He　must　think　I'm　very　gloomy；　and　I　want
to　be　always　bright　and　cheerful　with　him。　　He　knows　why　I　wouldn't　let
him　come　in；　he　knew　I　was　going　to　have　a　cry。〃

Mrs。　Pasmer　continued　to　laugh。

Don't；　mamma！〃　pleaded　Alice。

〃No；　I　won't；〃　replied　her　mother；　as　before。　　〃I　suppose　he　was
mystified。　　But　now；　if　it's　really　settled　between　you；　he'll　be　coming
here　soon　to　see　your　papa　and　me。〃

〃Yesto…night。〃

〃Well；　it's　very　sudden；〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer。　　〃Though　I　suppose　these
things　always　seem　so。〃

〃Is　it　too　sudden？〃　asked　Alice；　with　misgiving。　　〃It　seemed　so　to　me　when
it　was　going　on；　but　I　couldn't　stop　it。〃

Her　mother　laughed　at　her　simplicity。　　〃No；　when　it　begins　once；　nothing
can　stop　it。　　But　you've　really　known　each　other　a　good　while；　and　for　the
last　six　weeks　at　least　you've　known　you　own　mind　about　him　pretty
clearly。　　It's　a　pity　you　couldn't　have　known　it　before。〃

〃Yes；　that's　what　he　says。　　He　says　it　was　such　a　waste　of　time。　　Oh；
everything　he　says　is　perfectly　fascinating！〃

Her　mother　laughed　and　laughed　again。

〃What　is　it；　mamma？　　Are　you　laughing　at　me？〃

〃Oh　no。　　What　an　idea！〃

〃He　couldn't　seem　to　understand　why　I　didn't　say　Yes　the　first　time；　if　I
meant　it。〃　　She　looked　down　dreamily　at　her　hands　in　her　lap；　and　then　she
said；　with　a　blush　and　a　start；　〃They're　very　queer；　don't　you　think？〃

〃Who？〃

〃Young　men。〃

〃Oh；　very。〃

〃Yes；〃　Alice　went　on　musingly。　　〃Their　minds　are　so　different。　　Everything
they　say　and　do　is　so　unexpected；　and　yet　it　seems　to　be　just　right。〃

Mrs。　Pasmer　asked　herself　if　this　single…mindedness　was　to　go　on　for　ever；
but　she　had　not　the　heart　to　treat　it　with　her　natural　levity。　　Probably
it　was　what　charmed　Mavering　with　the　child。　　Mrs。　Pasmer　had　the　firm
belief　that　Mavering　was　not　single…minded；　and　she　respected　him　for　it。
She　would　not　spoil　her　daughter's　perfect　trust　and　hope　by　any　of　the
cynical　suggestions　of　her　own　dark　wisdom；　but　entered　into　her　mood；　as
such　women　are　able　to　do；　and　flattered　out　of　her　every　detail　of　the
morning's　history。　　This　was　a　feat　which　Mrs。　Pasmer　enjoyed　for　its　own
sake；　and　it　fully　satisfied　the　curiosity　which　she　naturally　felt　to
know　all。　　She　did　not　comment　upon　many　of　the　particulars；　she　opened
her　eyes　a　little　at　the　notion　of　her　daughter　sitting　for　two　or　three
hours　and　talking　with　a　young　man　in　the　galleries　of　the　Museum；　and　she
asked　if　anybody　they　knew　had　come　in。　　When　she　heard　that　there　were
only　strangers；　and　very　few　of　them；　she　said　nothing；　and　she　had　the
same　consolation　in　regard　to　the　walking　back　and　forth　in　the　Garden。
She　was　so　full　of　potential　escapades　herself；　so　apt　to　let　herself　go
at　times；　that　the　fact　of　Alice's　innocent　self…forgetfulness　rather
satisfied　a　need　of　her　mother's　nature；　she　exulted　in　it　when　she
learned　that　there　were　only　nurses　and　children　in　the　Garden。

〃And　so　you　think　you　won't　take　up　art　this　winter？〃　she　said；　when；　in
the　process　of　her　cross…examination；　Alice　had　left　the　sofa　and　got　as
far　as　the　door；　with　her　hat　in　her　hand　and　her　sacque　on　her　arm。

〃No。〃

〃And　the　Sisters　of　St。　Jamesyou　won't　join　them　either？〃

The　girl　escaped　from　the　room。

〃Alice！　　Alice！〃　her　mother　called　after　her；　she　came　back。　　You　haven't
told　me　how　he　happened　to　be　there。〃

〃Oh；　that　was　the　most　amusing　part　of　it。　　He　had　gone　there　to　keep　an
appointment　with　two　ladies　from　Portland。　　They　were　to　take　him　up　in
their　carriage　and　drive　out　to　Cambridge；　and　when　he　saw　me　he　forgot
all　about　them。〃

〃And　what　became　of　them？〃

〃We　don't　know。　　Isn't　it　ridiculous？〃

If　it　appeared　other　or　more　than　this　to　Mrs。　Pasmer；　she　did　not　say。
She　merely　said；　after　a　moment；　〃Well；　it　was　certainly　devoted；　Alice；〃
and　let　her　go。




XXVI。

Mavering　came　in　the　evening；　rather　excessively　well　dressed；　and　with　a
hot　face　and　cold　hands。　　While　he　waited；　nominally　alone；　in　the　little
drawing　room　for　Mr。　Pasmer；　Alice　flew　in　upon　him　for　a　swift　embrace；
which　prolonged　itself　till　the　father's　step　was　heard　outside　the　door；
and　then　she　still　had　time　to　vanish　by　another：　the　affair　was　so　nicely
adjusted　that　if　Mavering　had　been　in　his　usual　mind　he　might　have　fancied
the　connivance　of　Mrs。　Pasmer。

He　did　not　say　what　he　had　meant　to　say　to　Alice's　father；　but　it　seemed
to　serve　the　purpose；　for　he　emerged　presently　from　the　sound　of　his　own
voice；　unnaturally　clamorous；　and　found　Mr。　Pasmer　saying　some　very　civil
things　to　him　about　his　character　and　disposition；　so　far　as　they　had　been
able　to　observe　it；　and　their　belief　and　trust　in　him。　　There　seemed　to　be
something　provisional　or　probational　intended；　but　Dan　could　not　make　out
what　it　was；　and　finally　it　proved　of　no　practical　effect。　　He　merely
inferred　that　the　approval　of　his　family　was　respectfully　expected；　and　he
hastened　to　say；　〃Oh；　that's　all　right；　sir。〃　　Mr。　Pasmer　went　on　with
more　civilities；　and　lost　himself　in　dumb　conjecture　as　to　whether
Mavering's　father　had　been　in　the　class　before　him　or　the　class　after　him
in　Harvard。　　He　used　his　black　eyebrows　a　good　deal　during　the　interview；
and　Mavering　conceived　an　awe　of　him　greater　than　he　had　felt　at
Campobello；　yet　not　unmixed　with　the　affection　in　which　the　newly　accepted
lover　embraces　even　the　relations　of　his　betrothed。　　From　time　to　time　Mr。
Pasmer　looked　about　with　the　vague　glance　of　a　man　unused　to　being　so　long
left　to　his　own　guidance；　and　one　of　these　appeals　seemed　at　last　to　bring
Mrs。　Pasmer　through　the　door；　to　the　relief　of　both　the　men；　for　they　had
improvidently　despatched　their　business；　and　were　getting　out　of　talk。
Mr。　Pasmer　had；　in　fact；　already　asked　Dan　about　the　weather　outside　when
his　wife　appeared。

Dan　did　not　know　whether　he　ought　to　kiss　her　or　not；　but　Mrs。　Pasmer　did
not　in　the　abstract　seem　like　a　very　kissing　kind　of　person；　and　he　let
himself　be　guided　by　this　impression；　in　the　absence　of　any　fixed
principle　applying　to　the　case。　　She　made　some　neat　remark　concerning　the
probable　settlement　of　the　affair　with　her　husband；　and　began　to　laugh　and
joke　about　it　in　a　manner　that　was　very　welcome　to　Dan；　it　did　not　seem　to
him　that　it　ought　to　be　treated　so　solemnly。

But　though　Mrs。　Pasmer　laughed　and　joked；　he　was　aware　of　her　meaning
businessbusiness　in　the　nicest　sort　of　a　way；　but　business　after　all；
and　he　liked　her　for　it。　　He　was　glad　to　be　explicit　about　his　hopes　and
plans；　and　told　what　his　circumstances　were　so　fully　that　Mrs。　Pasmer；
whom　his　frankness　gratified　and　amused；　felt　obliged　to　say　that　she　had
not　meant　to　ask　so　much　about　his　affairs；　and　he　must　excuse　her　if　she
had　seemed　to　do　so。　　She　had　her　own　belief　that　Mavering　would
understand；　but　she　did　not　mind　that。　　She　said　that；　of　course；　till　his
own　family　had　been　consulted；　it　must　not　be　considered　seriouslythat
Mr。　Pasmer　insisted　upon　that　point；　and　when　Dan　vehemently　asserted　the
acquiescence　of　his　family　beforehand；　and　urged　his　father's　admiration
for　Alice　in　proof；　she　reminded　him　that　his　mother　was　to　be　considered；
and　put　Mr。　Pasmer's　scruples　forward　as　her　own　reason　for　obduracy。　　In
her　husband's　presence　she　attributed　to　him；　with　his　silent　assent；　all
sorts　of　reluctances　and　delicate　compunctions；　she　gave　him　the
importance　which　would　have　been　naturally　a　husband's　due　in　such　an
affair；　and　ingratiated　herself　more　and　more　with　the　young　man。　　She
ignored　Mr。　Pasmer's　withdrawal　when　it　took　place；　after　a　certain　lapse
of　time；　and　as　the　moment　had　come　for　that；　she　began　to　let　herself　go。
She　especially　approved　of　the　idea　of　going　abroad　and　confessed　her
disappointment　with　her　present　experiment　of　America；　where　it　appeared
there　was　no　leisure　class　of　men　sufficiently　large　to　satisfy　the　social
needs　of　Mr。　Pasmer's　nature；　and　she　told　Dan　that　he　might　expect　them
in　Europe　before　long。　　Perhaps　they　might　all　three　meet　him　there。　　At
this　he　betrayed　so　clearly　that　he　now　intended　his　going　to　Europe
merely　as　a　sequel　to　his　marrying　Alice；　while　he　affected　to　fall　in
with　all　Mrs。　Pasmer　said；　that　she　grew　fonder　than　ever　of　him　for　his
ardour　and　his　futile　duplicity。　　If　it　had　been　in　Dan's　mind　to　take
part　in　the　rite；　Mrs。　Pasmer　was　quite　ready　at　this　point　to　embrace　him
with　motherly　tenderness。　　Her　tough　little　heart　was　really　in　her　throat
with　sympathy　when　she　made　an　errand　for　the　photograph　of　an　English
vicarage；　which　they　had　hired　the　summer　of　the　year　before；　and　she　sent
Alice　back　with　it　alone。

It　seemed　so　long　since　they　had　met　that　the　change　in　Alice　did　not
strike　him　as　strange　or　as　too　rapidly　operated。　　They　met　with　the
fervour　natural　after　such　a　separation；　and　she　did　not　so　much　assume　as
resume　possession　of　him。　　It　was　charming　to　have　her　do　it；　to　have　her
act　as　if　they　had　always　been　engaged；　to　have　her　try　to　press　down　the
cowlick　that　started　capriciously　across　his　crown；　and　to　straighten　his
necktie；　and　then　to　drop　beside　him　on　the　sofa；　it　thrilled　and　awed
him；　and　he　silently　worshipped　the　superior　composure　which　her　sex　has
in　such　matters。　　Whatever　was　the　provisional　interpretation　which　her
father　and　mother　pretended　to　put　upon　the　affair；　she　apparently　had　no
reservations；　and　they　talked　of　their　future　as　a　thing　assured。　　The
Dark　Ages；　as　they　agreed　to　call　the　period　of　despair　for　ever　closed
that　morning；　had　matured　their　love　till　now　it　was　a　rapture　of　pure
trust。　　They　talked　as　if　nothing　could　prevent　its　fulfilment；　and　they
did　not　even　affect　to　consider　the　question　of　his　family's　liking　it　or
not　liking　it。　　She　said　that　she　thought　his　father　was　delightful；　and
he　told　her　that　his　father　had　taken　the　greatest　fancy　to　her　at　the
beginning；　and　knew　that　Dan　was　in　love　with　her。　　She　asked　him　about
his　mother；　and　she　said　just　what　he　could　have　wished　her　to　say　about
his　mother's　sufferings；　and　the　way　she　bore　them。　　They　talked　about
Alice's　going　to　see　her。

〃Of　course　your　father　will　bring　your　sisters　to　see　me