fennel and rue-第1部分

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Fennel　and　Rue

By　William　Dean　Howells







I。

The　success　of　Verrian　did　not　come　early；　and　it　did　not　come　easily。　
He　had　been　trying　a　long　time　to　get　his　work　into　the　best　magazines；
and　when　he　had　won　the　favor　of　the　editors；　whose　interest　he　had
perhaps　had　from　the　beginning；　it　might　be　said　that　they　began　to
accept　his　work　from　their　consciences；　because　in　its　way　it　was　so　good
that　they　could　not　justly　refuse　it。　　The　particular　editor　who　took
Verrian's　serial；　after　it　had　come　back　to　the　author　from　the　editors
of　the　other　leading　periodicals；　was　in　fact　moved　mainly　by　the　belief
that　the　story　would　please　the　better　sort　of　his　readers。　　These；　if
they　were　not　so　numerous　as　the　worse；　he　felt　had　now　and　then　the
right　to　have　their　pleasure　studied。

It　was　a　serious　story；　and　it　was　somewhat　bitter；　as　Verrian　himself
was；　after　his　struggle　to　reach　the　public　with　work　which　he　knew
merited　recognition。　　But　the　world　which　does　not　like　people　to　take
themselves　too　seriously　also　likes　them　to　take　themselves　seriously；
and　the　bitterness　in　Verrian's　story　proved　agreeable　to　a　number　of
readers　unexpectedly　great。　　It　intimated　a　romantic　personality　in　the
author；　and　the　world　still　likes　to　imagine　romantic　things　of　authors。　
It　likes　especially　to　imagine　them　of　novelists；　now　that　there　are　no
longer　poets；　and　when　it　began　to　like　Verrian's　serial；　it　began　to
write　him　all　sorts　of　letters；　directly；　in　care　of　the　editor；　and
indirectly　to　the　editor；　whom　they　asked　about　Verrian　more　than　about
his　story。

It　was　a　man's　story　rather　than　a　woman's　story；　as　these　may　be
distinguished；　but　quite　for　that　reason　women　seemed　peculiarly　taken
with　it。　　Perhaps　the　women　had　more　leisure　or　more　courage　to　write　to
the　author　and　the　editor；　at　any　rate；　most　of　the　letters　were　from
women；　some　of　the　letters　were　silly　and　fatuous　enough；　but　others　were
of　an　intelligence　which　was　none　the　less　penetrating　for　being
emotional　rather　than　critical。　　These　maids　or　matrons；　whoever　or
whichever　they　were；　knew　wonderfully　well　what　the　author　would　be　at；
and　their　interest　in　his　story　implied　a　constant　if　not　a　single
devotion。　　Now　and　then　Verrian　was　tempted　to　answer　one　of　them；　and
under　favor　of　his　mother；　who　had　been　his　confidant　at　every　point　of
his　literary　career；　he　yielded　to　the　temptation；　but　one　day　there　came
a　letter　asking　an　answer；　which　neither　he　nor　his　mother　felt　competent
to　deal　with。　　They　both　perceived　that　they　must　refer　it　to　the　editor
of　the　magazine；　and　it　seemed　to　them　so　important　that　they　decided
Verrian　must　go　with　it　in　person　to　the　editor。　　Then　he　must　be　so　far
ruled　by　him；　if　necessary；　as　to　give　him　the　letter　and　put　himself；　as
the　author；　beyond　an　appeal　which　he　found　peculiarly　poignant。

The　letter；　which　had　overcome　the　tacit　misgivings　of　his　mother　as　they
read　it　and　read　it　again　together；　was　from　a　girl　who　had　perhaps　no
need　to　confess　herself　young；　or　to　own　her　inexperience　of　the　world
where　stories　were　written　and　printed。　　She　excused　herself　with　a
delicacy　which　Verrian's　correspondents　by　no　means　always　showed　for
intruding　upon　him；　and　then　pleaded　the　power　his　story　had　over　her　as
the　only　shadow　of　right　she　had　in　addressing　him。　　Its　fascination；
she　said；　had　begun　with　the　first　number；　the　first　chapter；　almost　the
first　paragraph。　　It　was　not　for　the　plot　that　she　cared；　she　had　read
too　many　stories　to　care　for　the　plot；　it　was　the　problem　involved。　　It
was　one　which　she　had　so　often　pondered　in　her　own　mind　that　she　felt；　in
a　way　she　hoped　he　would　not　think　conceited；　almost　as　if　the　story　was
written　for　her。　　She　had　never　been　able　to　solve　the　problem；　how　he
would　solve　it　she　did　not　see　how　she　could　wait　to　know；　and　here　she
made　him　a　confidence　without　which；　she　said；　she　should　not　have　the
courage　to　go　on。　　She　was　an　invalid；　and　her　doctor　had　told　her　that；
though　she　might　live　for　months；　there　were　chances　that　she　might　die
at　any　moment　suddenly。　　He　would　think　it　strange；　and　it　was　strange
that　she　should　tell　him　this；　and　stranger　still　that　she　should　dare　to
ask　him　what　she　was　going　to　ask。　　The　story　had　yet　four　months　to　run；
and　she　had　begun　to　have　a　morbid　foreboding　that　she　should　not　live　to
read　it　in　the　ordinary　course。　　She　was　so　ignorant　about　writers　that
she　did　not　know　whether　such　a　thing　was　ever　done；　or　could　be　done；
but　if　he　could　tell　her　how　the　story　was　to　come　out　he　would　be　doing
more　for　her　than　anything　else　that　could　be　done　for　her　on　earth。　　She
had　read　that　sometimes　authors　began　to　print　their　serial　stories
before　they　had　written　them　to　the　end；　and　he　might　not　be　sure　of　the
end　himself；　but　if　he　had　finished　this　story　of　his；　and　could　let　her
see　the　last　pages　in　print；　she　would　owe　him　the　gratitude　she　could
never　express。

The　letter　was　written　in　an　educated　hand；　and　there　were　no　foibles　of
form　or　excesses　of　fashion　in　the　stationery　to　mar　the　character　of
sincerity　the　simple　wording　conveyed。　　The　postal　address；　with　the
date；　was　fully　given；　and　the　name　signed　at　the　end　was　evidently
genuine。

Verrian　himself　had　no　question　of　the　genuineness　of　the　letter　in　any
respect；　his　mother；　after　her　first　misgivings；　which　were　perhaps
sensations；　thought　as　he　did　about　it。　　She　said　the　story　dealt　so
profoundly　with　the　deepest　things　that　it　was　no　wonder　a　person；
standing　like　that　girl　between　life　and　death；　should　wish　to　know　how
the　author　solved　its　problem。　　Then　she　read　the　letter　carefully　over
again；　and　again　Verrian　read　it；　with　an　effect　not　different　from　that
which　its　first　perusal　had　made　with　him。　　His　faith　in　his　work　was　so
great；　so　entire；　that　the　notion　of　any　other　feeling　about　it　was　not
admissible。

〃Of　course；〃　he　said；　with　a　sigh　of　satisfaction；　〃I　must　show　the
letter　to　Armiger　at　once。〃

〃Of　course；〃　his　mother　replied。　　〃He　is　the　editor；　and　you　must　not　do
anything　without　his　approval。〃

The　faith　in　the　writer　of　the　letter；　which　was　primary　with　him；　was
secondary　with　her；　but　perhaps　for　that　reason；she　was　all　the　more
firmly　grounded　in　it。




II。

There　was　nothing　to　cloud　the　editor's　judgment；　when　Verrian　came　to
him；　except　the　fact　that　he　was　a　poet　as　well　as　an　editor。　　He　read　in
a　silence　as　great　as　the　author's　the　letter　which　Verrian　submitted。　
Then　he　remained　pondering　it　for　as　long　a　space　before　he　said；　〃That
is　very　touching。〃

Verrian　jumped　to　his　question。　　〃Do　you　mean　that　we　ought　to　send　her
the　proofs　of　the　story？〃

〃No；〃　the　editor　faltered；　but　even　in　this　decision　he　did　not　deny　the
author　his　sympathy。　　〃You've　touched　bottom　in　that　story；　Verrian。　　You
may　go　higher；　but　you　can　never　go　deeper。〃

Verrian　flushed　a　little。　　〃Oh；　thank　you！〃

〃I'm　not　surprised　the　girl　wants　to　know　how　you　manage　your　problem
such　a　girl；　standing　in　the　shadow　of　the　other　world；　which　is　always
eclipsing　this；　and　seeing　how　you've　caught　its　awful　outline。〃

Verrian　made　a　grateful　murmur　at　the　praise。　　〃That　is　what　my　mother
felt。　　Then　you　have　no　doubt　of　the　good　faith〃

〃No；〃　the　editor　returned；　with　the　same　quantity；　if　not　the　same
quality；　of　reluctance　as　before。　　〃You　see；　it　would　be　too　daring。〃

〃Then　why　not　let　her　have　the　proofs？〃

〃The　thing　is　so　unprecedented〃

〃Our　doing　it　needn't　form　a　precedent。〃

〃No。〃

〃And　if　you've　no　doubt　of　its　being　a　true　case〃

〃We　must　prove　that　it　is；　or；　rather；　we　must　make　her　prove　it。　　I
quite　feel　with　you　about　it。　　If　I　were　to　act　upon　my　own　impulse；　my
own　convictions；　I　should　send　her　the　rest　of　the　story　and　take　the
chances。　　But　she　may　be　an　enterprising　journalist　in　disguise　it's
astonishing　what　women　will　do　when　they　take　to　newspaper　workand　we
have　no　right　to　risk　anything；　for　the　magazine's　sake；　if　not　yours　and
mine。　　Will　you　leave　this　letter　with　me？〃

〃I　expected　to　leave　the　whole　affair　in　your　hands。　　Do　you　mind　telling
me　what　you　propose　to　do？　　Of　course；　it　won't　be　anythingabrupt〃

〃Oh　no；　and　I　don't　mind　telling　you　what　has　occurred　to　me。　　If　this　is
a　true　case；　as　you　say；　and　I've　no　question　but　it　is；　the　writer　will
be　on　confidential　terms　with　her　pastor　as　well　as　her　doctor　and　I
propose　asking　her　to　get　him　to　certify；　in　any　sort　of　general　terms；
to　her　identity。　　I　will　treat　the　matter　delicately　Or；　if　you　prefer
to　write　to　her　yourself〃

〃Oh　no；　it's　much　better　for　you　to　do　it；　you　can　do　it
authoritatively。〃

〃Yes；　and　if　she　isn't　the　real　thing；　but　merely　a　woman　journalist
trying　to　work　us　for　a　'story'　in　her　Sunday　edition；　we　shall　hear　no
more　from　her。〃

〃I　don't　see　anything　to　object　to　in　your　plan；〃　Verrian　said；　upon
reflection。　　〃She　certainly　can't　complain　of　our　being　cautious。〃

〃No；　and　she　won't。　　I　shall　have　to　refer　the　matter　to　the　house〃

〃Oh；　will　you？〃

〃Why；　certainly！　　I　couldn't　take　a　step　like　that　without　the　approval
of　the　house。〃

〃No；〃　Verrian　assented；　and　he　made　a　note　of　the　writer's　address　from
the　letter。　　Then；　after　a　moment　spent　in　looking　hard　at　the　letter；　he
gave　it　back　to　the　editor　and　went　abruptly　away。

He　had　proof；　the　next　morning；　that　the　editor　had　acted　promptly；　at
least　so　far　as　regarded　the　house。　　The　house　had　approved　his　plan；　if
one　could　trust　the　romantic　paragraph　which　Verrian　found　in　his　paper
at　breakfast；　exploiting　the　fact　concerned　as　one　of　the　interesting
evidences　of　the　hold　his　serial　had　got　with　the　magazine　readers。　　He
recognized　in　the　paragraph　the　touch　of　the　good　fellow　who　prepared　the
weekly　bulletins　of　the　house；　and　offered　the　press　literary
intelligence　in　a　form　ready　for　immediate　use。　　The　case　was　fairly
stated；　but　the　privacy　of　the　author's　correspondent　was　perfectly
guarded；　it　was　not　even　made　known　that　she　was　a　woman。　　Yet　Verrian
felt；　in　reading　the　paragraph；　a　shock　of　guilty　dismay；　as　if　he　had
betrayed　a　confidence　reposed　in　him；　and　he