april hopes-第6部分

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！


did　not　seem　to　her　that　the　Franklin　stove　and　the　aesthetic　papering
and　painting　of　young　Mavering's　room　brought　it　up　to　the　level　of　those
others　that　she　had　seen。　　But　with　her　habit　of　saying　some　friendly
lying　thing；　no　matter　what　her　impressions　were；　she　exclaimed；　〃Oh；　how
cosy！〃　and　glad　of　the　word；　she　went　about　from　one　to　another；　asking；
〃Isn't　this　cosy？〃

Mrs。　Saintsbury　said：　〃It's　supposed　to　be　the　cell　of　a　recluse；　but　it
is　cosyyes。〃

〃It　looks　as　if　some　hermit　had　been　using　it　as　a　store…room；〃　said　her
husband；　for　there　were　odds　and　ends　of　furniture　and　clothes　and　boxes
and　handbags　scattered　about　the　floor。

〃I　forgot　all　about　them　when　I　asked　you；〃　cried　Mavering；　laughing　out
his　delight。　　〃They　belong　to　some　fellows　that　are　giving　spreads　in
their　rooms；　and　I　let　them　put　them　in　here。〃

〃Do　you　commonly　let　people　put　things　in　your　room　that　they　want　to　get
rid　off？〃　asked　Mrs。　Pasmer。

〃Well；　not　when　I'm　expecting　company。〃

〃He　couldn't　refuse　even　then；　if　they　pressed　the　matter；〃　said　Mrs。
Saintsbury；　lecturing　upon　him　to　her　friend。

〃I'm　afraid　you're　too　amiable　altogether；　Mr。　Mavering。　　I'm　sure　you
let　people　impose　upon　you；〃　said　the　other　lady。　　〃You　have　been　letting
us　impose　upon　you。〃

〃Ah！　now　that　proves　you're　all　wrong；　Mrs。　Pasmer。〃

〃It　proves　that　you　know　how　to　say　things　very　prettily。〃

〃Oh；　thank　you。　　I　know　when　I'm　having　a　good　time；　and　I　do　my　best　to
enjoy　it。〃　　He　ended　with　the　nervous　laugh　which　seemed　habitual　with
him。

〃He；　does　laugh　a　good　deal；〃　thought　Mrs。　Pasmer；　surveying　him　with
smiling　steadiness。　　〃I　suppose　it　tires　Alice。　　Some　of　his　teeth　are
filled　at　the　sides。　　That　vein　in　his　foreheadthey　say　that　means
genius。〃　　She　said　to　him：　〃I　hope　you　know　when　others　are　having　a　good
time　too；　Mr。　Mavering？　　You　ought　to　have　that　reward。〃

They　both　looked　at　Alice。　　〃Oh；　I　should　be　so　happy　to　think　you　hadn't
been　bored　with　it　all；　Mrs：　Pasmer；〃　he　returned；with…deep　feeling。

Alice　was　looking　at　one　of　the　sketches　which　were　pretty　plentifully
pinned　about　the　wall；　and　apparently　seeing　it　and　apparently　listening
to　what　Professor　Saintsbury　was　saying；　but　her　mother　believed　from　a
tremor　of　the　ribbons　on　her　hat　that　she　was　conscious　of　nothing　but
young　Mavering's　gaze　and　the　sound　of　his　voice。

〃We've　been　delighted；　simply　enchanted；〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer。　　And　she
thought；　〃Now　if　Alice　were　to　turn　round　just　as　she　stands；　he　could
see　all　the　best　points　of　her　face。　　I　wonder　what　she　really　thinks　of
him？　　What　is　it　you　have　there；　Alice？〃　she　asked　aloud。

The　girl　turned　her　face　over　her　shoulder　so　exactly　in　the　way　her
mother　wished　that　Mrs。　Pasmer　could　scarcely　repress　a　cry　of　joy。　　〃A
sketch　of　Mr。　Mavering's。〃

〃Oh；　how　very　interesting！〃　said　Mrs。　Pasmer。　　〃Do　you　sketch；　Mr。
Mavering？　　But　of　course。〃　　She　pressed　forward；　and　studied　the　sketch
inattentively。　　〃How　very；　very　good！〃　she　buzzed　deep　in　her　throat；
while；　with　a　glance　at　her　daughter；　she　thought；　〃How　impassive　Alice
is！　　But　she　behaves　with　great　dignity。　　Yes。　　Perhaps　that's　best。
And　are　you　going　to　be　an　artist？〃　she　asked　of　Mavering。

〃Not　if　it　can　be　prevented；〃　he　answered；　laughing　again。

〃But　his　laugh　is　very　pleasant；〃　reflected　Mrs。　Pasmer。　　〃Does　Alice
dislike　it　so　much？〃　She　repeated　aloud；　〃If　it　can　be　prevented？〃

〃They　think　I　might　spoil　a　great　lawyer　in　the　attempt。〃

〃Oh；　I　see。　　And　are　you　going　to　be　a　lawyer？　　But　to　be　a　great
painter！　　And　America　has　so　few　of　them。〃　　She　knew　quite　well　that　she
was　talking　nonsense；　but　she　was　aware；　through　her　own　indifference　to
the　topic　that　he　was　not　minding　what　she　said；　but　was　trying　to　bring
himself　into　talk　with　Alice　again。　　The　girl　persistently　listened　to
Professor　Saintsbury。

〃Is　she　punishing　him　for　something？〃　her　mother　asked　herself。　　〃What
can　it　be　for。　　Does　she　think　he's　a　little　too　pushing？　　Perhaps；　he　is
a　little　pushing。〃　　She　reflected；　with　an　inward　sigh；　that　she　would
know　whether　he　was　if　she　only　knew　more　about　him。

He　did　the　honours　of　his　room　very　simply　and　nicely；　and　he　said　it　was
pretty　rough　to　think　this　was　the　last　of　it。　　After　which　he　faltered；
and　something　occurred　to　Mrs　Saintsbury。

〃Why；　we're　keeping　you！　　It's　time　for　you　to　dress　for　the　Tree。
John〃she　reproached　her　husband〃how　could　you　let　us　do　it？〃

〃Far　be　it　from　me　to　hurry　ladies　out　of　other　people's　houses
especially　ladies　who　have　put　themselves　in　charge　of　other　people。〃

〃No；　don't　hurry；〃　pleaded　Mavering；　〃there's　plenty　of　time。〃

〃How　much　time？〃　asked　Mrs。　Saintsbury。

He　looked　at　his　watch。　　〃Well；　a　good　quarter　of　an　hour。〃

〃And　I　was　to　have　taken　Mrs。　Pasmer　and　Alice　home　for　a　little　rest
before　the　Tree！〃　cried　Mrs　Saintsbury。　　And　now　we　must　go　at　once；　or
we　shall　get　no　sort　of　places；〃

In　the　civil　and　satirical　parley　which　followed；　no　one　answered
another；　but　young　Mavering　bore　as　full　a　part　as　the　elder　ladies；　and
only　his　father　and　Alice　were　silent：　his　guests　got　themselves　out　of
his　room。　　They　met　at　the　threshold　a　young　fellow；　short　and　dark　and
stout；　in　an　old　tennis　suit。　　He　fell　back　at　sight　of　them；　and　took
off　his　hat　to　Mrs。　Saintsbury。

〃Why；　Mr。　Boardman！〃

〃Don't　be　bashful；　Boardman？〃　young　Mavering　called　out。　　〃Come　in　and
show　them　how　I　shall　look　in　five　minutes。〃

Mr。　Boardman　took　his　introductions　with　a　sort　of　main…force　self…
possession；　and　then　said；　〃You'll　have　to　look　it　in　less　than　five
minutes　now；　Mavering。　　You're　come　for。〃

〃What？　　Are　they　ready？〃

〃We　must　fly；〃　panted　Mrs。　Saintsbury；　without　waiting　for　the　answer；
which　was　lost　in　the　incoherencies　of　all　sorts　of　au　revoirs　called
after　and　called　back。




VII。

〃That　is　one　thing；〃　said　Mrs。　Saintsbury；　looking　swiftly　round　to　see
that　the　elder　Mavering　was　not　within　hearing；　as　she　hurried　ahead　with
Mrs。　Pasmer；　〃that　I　can't　stand　in　Dan　Mavering。　　Why　couldn't　he　have
warned　us　that　it　was　getting　near　the　time？　　Why　should　he　have　gone　on
pretending　that　there　was　no　hurry？　　It　isn't　insincerity　exactly；　but　it
isn't　candour；　no；　it's　uncandid。　　Oh；　I　suppose　it's　the　artistic
temperamentnever　coming　straight　to　the　point。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　Mrs。　Pasmer　eagerly。

〃I'll　tell　you　sometime。〃　　She　looked　round　and　halted　a　little　for
Alice；　who　was　walking　detached　and　neglected　by　the　preoccupation　of　the
two　elderly　men。　　〃I'm　afraid　you're　tired；〃　she　said　to　the　girl。

〃Oh　no。〃

〃Of　course　not；　on　Class　Day。　　But　I　hope　we　shall　get　seats。　　What
weather！〃

The　sun　had　not　been　oppressive　at　any　time　during　the　day；　though　the
crowded　building　had　been　close　and　warm；　and　now　it　lay　like　a　painted
light　on　the　grass　and　paths　over　which　they　passed　to　the　entrance　of
the　grounds　around　the　Tree。　　Holden　Chapel；　which　enclosed　the　space　on
the　right　as　they　went　in；　shed　back　the　sun　from　its　brick…red　flank；
rising　unrelieved　in　its　venerable　ugliness　by　any　touch　of　the　festive
preparations；　but　to　their　left　and　diagonally　across　from　them　high
stagings　supported　tiers　of　seats　along　the　equally　unlovely　red　bulks　of
Hollis　and　of　Harvard。　　These　seats；　and　the　windows　in　the　stories　above
them；　were　densely　packed　with　people；　mostly　young　girls　dressed　in　a
thousand　enchanting　shades　and　colours；　and　bonneted　and　hatted　to　the
last　effect　of　fashion。　　They　were　like　vast　terraces　of　flowers　to　the
swift　glance；　and　here　and　there　some　brilliant　parasol；　spread　to　catch
the　sun　on　the　higher　ranks；　was　like　a　flaunting　poppy；　rising　to　the
light　and　lolling　out　above　the　blooms　of　lower　stature。　　But　the
parasols　were　few；　for　the　two　halls　flung　wide　curtains　of　shade　over
the　greater　part　of　the　spectators；　and　across　to　the　foot　of　the　chapel；
while　a　piece　of　the　carpentry　whose　simplicity　seems　part　of　the　Class
Day　tradition　shut　out　the　glare　and　the　uninvited　public；　striving　to
penetrate　the　enclosure　next　the　street。　　In　front　of　this　yellow　pine
wall；　with　its　ranks　of　benches；　stood　the　Class　Day　Tree；　girded　at　ten
or　fifteen　feet　from　the　ground　with　a　wide　band　of　flowers。

Mrs。　Pasmer　and　her　friends　found　themselves　so　late　that　if　some
gentlemen　who　knew　Professor　Saintsbury　had　not　given　up　their　places
they　could　have　got　no　seats。　　But　this　happened；　and　the　three　ladies
had　harmoniously　blended　their　hues　with　those　of　the　others　in　that　bank
of　bloom；　and　the　gentlemen　had　somehow　made　away　with　their
obstructiveness　in　different　crouching　and　stooping　postures　at　their
feet；　when　the　Junior　Class　filed　into　the　green　enclosure　amidst　the
'rahs　of　their　friends；　and　sank　in　long　ranks　on　the　grass　beside　the
chapel。　　Then　the　Sophomores　appeared；　and　were　received　with　cheers　by
the　Juniors；　with　whom　they　joined；　as　soon　as　they　were　placed；　in
heaping　ignominy　upon　the　freshmen。　　The　Seniors　came　last；　grotesque　in
the　variety　of　their　old　clothes；　and　a　fierce　uproar　of　'rahs　and　yells
met　them　from　the　students　squatted　upon　the　grass　as　they　loosely
grouped　themselves　in　front　of　the　Tree；　the　men　of　the　younger　classes
formed　in　three　rings；　and　began　circling　in　different　directions　around
them。

Mrs。　Pasmer　bent　across　Mrs。　Saintsbury　to　her　daughter：　〃Can　you　make
out　Mr。　Mavering　among　them；　Alice？〃

〃No。　　Hush；　mamma！〃　pleaded　the　girl。

With　the　subsidence　of　the　tumult　in　the　other　classes；　the　Seniors　had
broken　from　the　stoical　silence　they　kept　through　it；　and　were　now　with
an　equally　serious　clamour　applauding　the　first　of　a　long　list　of
personages；　beginning　with　the　President；　and　ranging　through　their
favourites　in　the　Faculty　down　to　Billy　the　Postman。　　The　leader　who
invited　them　to　this　expression　of　good　feeling　exacted　the　full　tale　of
nine　cheers　for　each　person　he　named；　and　before　he　reached　the　last　the
'rahs　came　in　gasps　from　their　dry　throats。

In　the　midst　of　the　tumult　the　marshal　flung　his　hat　at　the　elm；　then　the
rush　upon　the　tree　took　place；　and　the　scramble　for　the　flowers。　　The
first　who　swarmed　up　the　tru