the awakening and selected short stories(苏醒)-第24部分
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Highcamp called for her one bright afternoon in Arobin's drag。 Mrs。
Highcamp was a worldly but unaffected； intelligent； slim； tall blonde
woman in the forties； with an indifferent manner and blue eyes that stared。
She had a daughter who served her as a pretext for cultivating the society
of young men of fashion。 Alcee Arobin was one of them。 He was a
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familiar figure at the race course； the opera； the fashionable clubs。 There
was a perpetual smile in his eyes； which seldom failed to awaken a
corresponding cheerfulness in any one who looked into them and listened
to his good…humored voice。 His manner was quiet； and at times a little
insolent。 He possessed a good figure； a pleasing face； not overburdened
with depth of thought or feeling； and his dress was that of the conventional
man of fashion。
He admired Edna extravagantly； after meeting her at the races with her
father。 He had met her before on other occasions； but she had seemed to
him unapproachable until that day。 It was at his instigation that Mrs。
Highcamp called to ask her to go with them to the Jockey Club to witness
the turf event of the season。
There were possibly a few track men out there who knew the race
horse as well as Edna； but there was certainly none who knew it better。
She sat between her two companions as one having authority to speak。
She laughed at Arobin's pretensions； and deplored Mrs。 Highcamp's
ignorance。 The race horse was a friend and intimate associate of her
childhood。 The atmosphere of the stables and the breath of the blue grass
paddock revived in her memory and lingered in her nostrils。 She did not
perceive that she was talking like her father as the sleek geldings ambled
in review before them。 She played for very high stakes； and fortune
favored her。 The fever of the game flamed in her cheeks and eves； and it
got into her blood and into her brain like an intoxicant。 People turned
their heads to look at her； and more than one lent an attentive car to her
utterances； hoping thereby to secure the elusive but ever…desired 〃tip。〃
Arobin caught the contagion of excitement which drew him to Edna like a
magnet。 Mrs。 Highcamp remained； as usual； unmoved； with her
indifferent stare and uplifted eyebrows。
Edna stayed and dined with Mrs。 Highcamp upon being urged to do so。
Arobin also remained and sent away his drag。
The dinner was quiet and uninteresting； save for the cheerful efforts of
Arobin to enliven things。 Mrs。 Highcamp deplored the absence of her
daughter from the races； and tried to convey to her what she had missed by
going to the 〃Dante reading〃 instead of joining them。 The girl held a
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geranium leaf up to her nose and said nothing； but looked knowing and
noncommittal。 Mr。 Highcamp was a plain； bald…headed man； who only
talked under compulsion。 He was unresponsive。 Mrs。 Highcamp was full
of delicate courtesy and consideration toward her husband。 She
addressed most of her conversation to him at table。 They sat in the
library after dinner and read the evening papers together under the
droplight； while the younger people went into the drawing…room near by
and talked。 Miss Highcamp played some selections from Grieg upon the
piano。 She seemed to have apprehended all of the composer's coldness
and none of his poetry。 While Edna listened she could not help
wondering if she had lost her taste for music。
When the time came for her to go home； Mr。 Highcamp grunted a lame
offer to escort her； looking down at his slippered feet with tactless concern。
It was Arobin who took her home。 The car ride was long； and it was late
when they reached Esplanade Street。 Arobin asked permission to enter for
a second to light his cigarettehis match safe was empty。 He filled his
match safe； but did not light his cigarette until he left her； after she had
expressed her willingness to go to the races with him again。
Edna was neither tired nor sleepy。 She was hungry again； for the
Highcamp dinner； though of excellent quality； had lacked abundance。
She rummaged in the larder and brought forth a slice of Gruyere and some
crackers。 She opened a bottle of beer which she found in the icebox。
Edna felt extremely restless and excited。 She vacantly hummed a fantastic
tune as she poked at the wood embers on the hearth and munched a
cracker。
She wanted something to happensomething； anything； she did not
know what。 She regretted that she had not made Arobin stay a half hour
to talk over the horses with her。 She counted the money she had won。
But there was nothing else to do； so she went to bed； and tossed there for
hours in a sort of monotonous agitation。
In the middle of the night she remembered that she had forgotten to
write her regular letter to her husband； and she decided to do so next day
and tell him about her afternoon at the Jockey Club。 She lay wide awake
composing a letter which was nothing like the one which she wrote next
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day。 When the maid awoke her in the morning Edna was dreaming of Mr。
Highcamp playing the piano at the entrance of a music store on Canal
Street； while his wife was saying to Alcee Arobin； as they boarded an
Esplanade Street car：
〃What a pity that so much talent has been neglected！ but I must go。〃
When； a few days later； Alcee Arobin again called for Edna in his drag；
Mrs。 Highcamp was not with him。 He said they would pick her up。 But
as that lady had not been apprised of his intention of picking her up； she
was not at home。 The daughter was just leaving the house to attend the
meeting of a branch Folk Lore Society； and regretted that she could not
accompany them。 Arobin appeared nonplused； and asked Edna if there
were any one else she cared to ask。
She did not deem it worth while to go in search of any of the
fashionable acquaintances from whom she had withdrawn herself。 She
thought of Madame Ratignolle； but knew that her fair friend did not leave
the house； except to take a languid walk around the block with her
husband after nightfall。 Mademoiselle Reisz would have laughed at such
a request from Edna。 Madame Lebrun might have enjoyed the outing；
but for some reason Edna did not want her。 So they went alone； she and
Arobin。
The afternoon was intensely interesting to her。 The excitement came
back upon her like a remittent fever。 Her talk grew familiar and
confidential。 It was no labor to become intimate with Arobin。 His
manner invited easy confidence。 The preliminary stage of becoming
acquainted was one which he always endeavored to ignore when a pretty
and engaging woman was concerned。
He stayed and dined with Edna。 He stayed and sat beside the wood
fire。 They laughed and talked； and before it was time to go he was telling
her how different life might have been if he had known her years before。
With ingenuous frankness he spoke of what a wicked； ill…disciplined boy
he had been； and impulsively drew up his cuff to exhibit upon his wrist the
scar from a saber cut which he had received in a duel outside of Paris
when he was nineteen。 She touched his hand as she scanned the red
cicatrice on the inside of his white wrist。 A quick impulse that was
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somewhat spasmodic impelled her fingers to close in a sort of clutch upon
his hand。 He felt the pressure of her pointed nails in the flesh of his palm。
She arose hastily and walked toward the mantel。
〃The sight of a wound or scar always agitates and sickens me；〃 she
said。 〃I shouldn't have looked at it。〃
〃I beg your pardon；〃 he entreated； following her； 〃it never occurred to
me that it might be repulsive。〃
He stood close to her； and the effrontery in his eyes repelled the old；
vanishing self in her； yet drew all her awakening sensuousness。 He saw
enough in her face to impel him to take her hand and hold it while he said
his lingering good night。
〃Will you go to the races again？〃 he asked。
〃No；〃 she said。 〃I've had enough of the races。 I don't want to lose
all the money I've won； and I've got
