an open-eyed conspiracy-第4部分

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I　scarcely　needed　to　prompt　him；　he　was　only　too　glad　to　talk　on
about　his　business；　and　he　spoke　with　a　sort　of　homesick　fondness。
He　told　me　that　he　had　his　nurseries　at　De　Witt　Point；　up　on　the　St。
Lawrence；　where　he　could　raise　stock　hardy　enough　for　any　climate；
and　ship　by　land　or　water。

〃I've　got　to　be　getting　home　right　away　now；〃　he　said　finally；
clicking　his　knife…blade　half　shut　and　open　with　his　thumb。

〃It's　about　time　for　our　evergreen　trade；　and　I　don't　want　the　trees
to　stay　a　minute　in　the　ground　after　the　middle　of　the　month。〃

〃Won't　the　ladies　find　it　hard　to　tear　themselves　away　from　the
gaieties　of　Saratoga？〃　I　asked　with　apparent　vagueness。

〃Well；　that's　it；〃　said　Mr。　Deering；　and　he　shut　his　knife　and
slipped　it　into　his　pocket；　in　order　to　take　his　knee　between　his
clasped　hands　and　lift　his　leg　from　the　ground。　　I　have　noticed　that
this　is　a　philosophical　attitude　with　some　people；　and　I　was
prepared　by　it　for　some　thoughtful　generalising　from　my　companion。
〃Women　would　be　willing　to　stay　on　in　a　place　for　a　year　to　see　if
something　wouldn't　happen；　and　if　you　take　'em　away　before　anything
happens；　they'll　always　think　that　if　they'd　stayed　something　would
have　happened　the　next　day；　or　maybe　the　day　they　left。〃

He　stared　upward　into　the　pine　boughs；　and　I　said：　　〃Yes；　that's　so。
I　suppose　we　should　be　like　them　if　we　had　the　same　conditions。
Their　whole　life　is　an　expectation　of　something　to　happen。　　Men　have
the　privilege　of　making　things　happenor　trying　to。〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　know　as　I　want　to　criticise　'em。　　As　you　say；　I　guess
WE　should　be　just　so。〃　　He　dropped　his　leg；　and　bent　over　as　if　to
examine　the　grass；　he　ended　by　taking　a　blade　of　it　between　his
teeth　before　he　spoke　again；　with　his　head　still　down。　　〃I　don't
want　to　hurry　'em；　I　want　to　give　'em　a　fair　show　now　we're　here；
and　I'll　let　the　stock　go　as　long　as　I　can。　　But　I　don't　see　very
much　gaiety　around。〃

I　laughed。　　〃Why；　it's　all　gaiety；　in　one　way。　　Saratoga　is　a
perpetual　Fourth　of　July；　we　think。〃

〃Oh　yes；　there's　enough　going　on；　and　my　wife　and　me　we　could　enjoy
it　first　rate。〃

〃If　the　young　lady　could？〃　I　ventured；　with　a　smile　of　sympathetic
intelligence。

〃Well；　yes。　　You　see；　we　don't　know　anybody；　and　I　suppose　we　didn't
take　that　into　account。　　Well；　I　suppose　it's　like　this：　　they
thought　it　would　be　easy　to　get　acquainted　in　the　hotel；　and
commence　having　a　good　time　right　away。　　I　don't　know；　my　wife　had
the　idea　when　they　cooked　it　up　amongst　'em　that　she　was　to　come
with　us。　　But　I　SWEAR　_I_　don't　know　how　to　go　about　it。　　I　can't
seem　to　make　up　my　mouth　to　speak　to　folks　first；　and　then　you　can't
tell　whether　a　man　ain't　a　gambler；　or　on　for　the　horse…races
anyway。　　So　we've　been　here　a　week　now；　and　you're　the　first　ones
we've　spoken　to　besides　the　waiters　since　we　came。〃

I　couldn't　help　laughing；　their　experience　was　so　exactly　as　I　had
imagined　it　when　I　first　saw　this　disconsolate　party。　　In　my　triumph
at　my　own　penetration；　I　would　not　have　had　their　suffering　in　the
past　one　pang　the　less；　but　the　simple　frankness　of　his　confession
fixed　me　in　the　wish　that　the　future　might　be　brighter　for　them。　　I
thought　myself　warranted　by　my　wife's　imprudence　in　taking　a　step
toward　their　further　intimacy　on　my　own　account；　and　I　said：

〃Well；　perhaps　I　ought　to　tell　you　that　I　haven't　been　inside　the
Saratoga　Club　or　bet　on　the　races　since　I've　been　here。　　That's　my
name　in　full；〃and　I　gave　him　my　card；〃and　I'm　in　the　literary
line；　that　is；　I'm　the　editor　of　a　magazine　in　New　Yorkthe　Every
Other　Week。〃

〃Oh　yes；　I　know　who　you　are；〃　said　my　companion；　with　my　card　in　his
hand。　　〃Fact　is；　I　was　round　at　your　place　this　morning　trying　to
get　rooms；　and　the　clerk　told　me　all　about　you　from　my　description。
I　felt　as　mean　as　pu'sley　goin'；　seemed　to　be　takin'　kind　of　an
advantage　of　you。〃

〃Not　at　all；　it's　a　public　house；〃　I　interrupted；　but　I　thought　I
should　be　stronger　with　Mrs。　March　if　I　did　not　give　the　fact　away
to　her；　and　I　resolved　to　keep　it。

〃But　they　couldn't　rest　easy　till　I　tried；　and　I　was　more　than　half
glad　there　wasn't　any　rooms。〃

〃Oh；　I'm　very　sorry；〃　I　said；　and　I　indulged　a　real　regret　from　the
vantage　I　had。　　〃It　would　have　been　very　pleasant　to　have　you　there。
Perhaps　laterwe　shall　be　giving　up　our　rooms　at　the　end　of　the
month。〃

〃No；〃　he　said；　with　a　long　breath。　　〃If　I've　got　to　leave　'em；　I
guess　it'll　be　just　as　well　to　leave　'em　where　they're　acquainted
with　the　house　anyway。〃　　His　remark　betrayed　a　point　in　his　thinking
which　had　not　perhaps　been　reached　in　his　talk　with　the　ladies。
〃It's　a　quiet　place；　and　they're　used　to　it；　and　I　guess　they
wouldn't　want　to　stay　through　the　rest　of　the　month；　quite。　　I　don't
believe　my　wife　would；　anyway。〃

He　did　not　say　this　very　confidently；　but　hopefully　rather；　and　I
thought　it　afforded　me　an　opening　to　find　out　something　yet　more
definite　about　the　ladies。

〃Miss　Gage　is　remarkably　fine…looking；〃　I　began。

〃Think　so？〃　he　answered。　　〃Well；　so　does　my　wife。　　I　don't　know　as　I
like　her　style　exactly；〃　he　said；　with　a　kind　of　latent　grudge。

〃Her　style　is　magnificent；〃　I　insisted。

〃Well；　maybe　so。　　I　guess　she's　good　enough　looking；　if　that's　what
you　mean。　　But　I　think　it's　always　a　kind　of　a　mistake　for　three
persons　to　come　off　together；　I　don't　care　who　they　are。　　Then
there's　three　opinions。　　She's　a　nice　girl；　and　a　good　girl；　and　she
don't　put　herself　forward。　　But　when　you've　got　a　young　lady　on　your
hands；　you've　GOT　her；　and　you　feel　bound　to　keep　doin'　something
for　her　all　the　time；　and　if　you　don't　know　what　to　do　yourself；　and
your　wife　can't　tell〃

I　added　intelligently；　〃Yes。〃

〃Well；　that's　just　where　it　is。　　Sometimes　I　wish　the　whole　dumb
town　would　burn　up。〃　　I　laughed　and　laughed；　and　my　friend；　having
begun　to　unpack　his　heart；　went　on　to　ease　it　of　the　rest　of　its
load。　　I　had　not　waited　for　this　before　making　some　reflections
concerning　him；　but　I　now　formulated　them　to　myself。　　He　really　had
none　of　that　reserve　I　had　attributed　to　him　the　night　before；　it
was　merely　caution　and　this　is　the　case　with　most　country　people。
They　are　cautious；　but　not　reserved；　if　they　think　they　can　trust
you；　they　keep　back　none　of　their　affairs；　and　this　is　the　American
character；　for　we　are　nearly　all　country　people。　　I　understood　him
perfectly　when　he　said；　〃I　ruther　break　stone　than　go　through　what　I
have　been　through　the　last　week！　　You　understand　how　it　is。　　'Tain't
as　if　she　said　anything；　I　wish　she　would；　but　you　feel　all　the
while　that　it　ain't　what　she　expected　it　to　be；　and　you　feel　as　if
it　was　you　that　was　to　blame　for　the　failure。　　By　George！　if　any　man
was　to　come　along　and　make　an　offer　for　my　contract　I　would　sell　out
cheap。　　It's　worse　because　my　wife　asked　her　to　come；　and　thought
she　was　doin'　her　all　kinds　of　a　favour　to　let　her。　　They've　always
been　together；　and　when　we　talked　of　coming　to　Saratoga　this　summer；
nothing　would　do　my　wife　but　Julia　must　come　with　us。　　Her　and　her
father　usually　take　a　trip　off　somewhere　in　the　hot　weather；　but
this　time　he　couldn't　leave；　president　of　our　National　Bank；　and
president　of　the　village；　too。〃　　He　threw　in　the　fact　of　these
dignities　explanatorily；　but　with　a　willingness；　I　could　see；　that
it　should　affect　me。　　He　went　on：　　〃They're　kind　of　connections　of
my　first　wife's。　　Well；　she's　a　nice　girl；　too　nice；　I　guess；　to　get
along　very　fast。　　I　see　girls　all　the　way　along　down　gettin'
acquainted　on　the　cars　and　boatswe　come　east　on　the　Ogdensburg
road　to　Rouse's　Point；　and　then　took　the　boat　down　Lake　Champlain
and　Lake　Georgebut　she　always　seemed　to　hold　back。　　I　don't　know's
she's　proud　either；　I　can't　make　it　out。　　It　balls　my　wife　all　up；
too。　　I　tell　her　she's　fretted　off　all　the　good　her　trip's　goin'　to
do　her　before　she　got　it。〃

He　laughed　ruefully；　and　just　then　the　band　began　to　play　the
〃Washington　Post。〃

〃What　tune's　that？〃　he　demanded。

〃'Washington　Post；'〃　I　said；　proud　of　knowing　it。

〃By　George！　that　tune　goes　right　to　a　fellow's　legs；　don't　it？〃

〃It's　the　new　march；〃　I　said。

He　listened　with　a　simple　joy　in　it；　and　his　pleasure　strengthened
the　mystic　bond　which　had　formed　itself　between　us　through　the
confidences　he　had　made　me；　so　flatteringly　corroborative　of　all　my
guesses　concerning　him　and　his　party。



CHAPTER　IV



I　longed　to　have　the　chance　of　bragging　to　my　wife；　but　this　chance
did　not　come　till　the　concert　was　quite　over；　after　I　rejoined　her
with　my　companion；　and　she　could　take　leave　of　them　all　without
seeming　to　abandon　them。　　Then　I　judged　it　best　to　let　her　have　the
word；　for　I　knew　by　the　way　she　ran　her　hand　through　my　arm；　and
began　pushing　me　along　out　of　earshot；　that　she　was　full　of　it。

〃Well；　Basil；　I　think　that　is　the　sweetest　and　simplest　and　kindest
creature　in　the　world；　and　I'm　perfectly　in　love　with　her。〃

I　did　not　believe　somehow　that　she　meant　the　girl；　but　I　thought　it
best　merely　to　suggest；　〃There　are　two。〃

〃You　know　very　well　which　I　mean；　and　I　would　do　anything　I　could
for　her。　　She's　got　a　difficult　problem　before　her；　and　I　pity　her。
The　girl's　very　well；　and　she　IS　a　beauty；　and　I　suppose　she　HAS
been　having　a　dull　time；　and　of　course　you　couldn't　please　Mrs。
Deering　half　so　well　as　by　doing　something　for　her　friend。　　I
suppose　you're　feeling　very　proud　that　they're　just　what　you
divined。〃

〃Not　at　all；　I'm　so　used　to　divining　people。　　How　did　you　know　I
knew　it？〃

〃I　saw　you　talking　to　him；　and　I　knew　you　were　pumping　him。〃

〃Pumping？　　He　asked　nothing　better　than　to　flow。　　He　would　put　to
shame　the　provoked　spontaneity　of　any　spring　in　Saratoga。〃

〃Well；　did　he　say　that　he　was　going　to　leave　them　here？〃

〃He　would　like　to　do　ityes。　　He　was　very　sweet　and　simple　and
kind；　too；　Isabel。　　He　complained　bitterly　of　the　goddess；　and　all
but　said　she　sulked。〃

〃Why；　I　don't　know；〃　said　my　wife。　　〃I　think；　considering；　that　she
is　rather　amiable。　　She　brightened　up　more　and　more。〃

〃That　was　prosperity；　or　the　hope　of　it；　my　dear。　　Nothing　illumines
us　like　the　prospect　of　pleasant　things。　　She　took　you　for　society
smili