fennel and rue-第11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！


of　the　house　were　still　lighted；　and　he　looked　out　to　see。　　Apparently　it
was　as　brilliantly　illuminated　as　when　the　company　had　separated　there
for　the　night；　and　he　pushed　across　the　foyer　hall　that　separated　the
billiard…room　from　the　drawing…zoom　and　library。　　He　entered　the　drawing…
room；　and　in　the　depths　of　the　library；　relieved　against　the　rows　of
books　in　their　glass　cases；　he　startled　Miss　Shirley　from　a　pose　which
she　seemed　to　be　taking　there　alone。

At　the　instant　of　their　mutual　recognition　she　gave　a　little　muted
shriek；　and　then　gasped　out；　〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　while　he　was　saying；
too；　〃I　beg　your　pardon。〃

After　a　tacit　exchange　of　forgiveness；　he　said；　〃I　am　afraid　I　startled
you。　　I　was　just　coming　for　a　book　to　read　myself　asleep　with。　　I〃

〃Not　at　all；〃　she　returned。　　〃I　was　just〃　　Then　she　did　not　say　what；
and　he　asked：

〃Making　some　studies？〃

〃Yes；〃　she　owned；　with　reluctant　promptness。

〃I　mustn't　ask　what；〃　he　suggested；　and　he　made　an　effort　to　smile　away
what　seemed　a　painful　perturbation　in　her　as　he　went　forward　to　look　at
the　book…shelves；　from　which；　till　then；　she　had　not　slipped　aside。

〃I'm　in　your　way；〃　she　said；　and　he　answered；　〃Not　at　all。〃　　He　added　to
the　other　sentence　he　had　spoken；　〃If　it's　going　to　be　as　good　as　what
you　gave　us　today〃

〃You　are　very　kind。〃　　She　hesitated；　and　then　she　said；　abruptly：　〃What　I
did　to…day　owed　everything　to　you；　Mr。　Verrian；〃　and　while　he　desisted
from　searching　the　book…shelves；　she　stood　looking　anxiously　at　him；　with
the　pulse　in　her　neck　visibly　throbbing。　　Her　agitation　was　really
painful；　but　Verrian　did　not　attribute　it　to　her　finding　herself　there
alone　with　him　at　midnight；　for　though　the　other　guests　had　all　gone　to
bed；　the　house　was　awake　in　some　of　the　servants；　and　an　elderly　woman
came　in　presently　bringing　a　breadth　of　silvery　gauze；　which　she　held　up；
asking　if　it　was　that。

〃Not　exactly；　but　it　will　do　nicely；　Mrs。　Stager。　　Would　you　mind　getting
me　the　very　pale…blue　piece　that　electric　blue？〃

〃I'm　looking　for　something　good　and　dull；〃　Verrian　said；　when　the　woman
was　gone。

〃Travels　are　good；　or　narratives；　for　sleeping　on；〃　she　said；　with　a
breathless　effort　for　calm。　　〃I　found；〃　she　panted；　〃in　my　own　insomnia；
that　merely　the　broken…up　look　of　a　page　of　dialogue　in　a　novel　racked　my
nerves　so　that　I　couldn't　sleep。　　But　narratives　were　beautifully
soothing。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　he　responded；　〃that's　a　good　idea。〃　　And　stooping；　with　his
hands　on　his　knees；　he　ranged　back　and　forth　along　the　shelves。　　〃But
Mrs。　Westangle's　library　doesn't　seem　to　be　very　rich　in　narrative。〃

He　had　not　his　mind　on　the　search　perhaps；　and　perhaps　she　knew　it。　　She
presently　said；　〃I　wish　I　dared　ask　you　a　favorI　mean　your　advice；　Mr。
Verrian。〃

He　lifted　himself　from　his　stooping　posture　and　looked　at　her；　smiling。　
〃Would　that　take　much　courage？〃　His　smile　was　a　little　mocking；　he　was
thinking　that　a　girl　who　would　hurry　that　note　to　him；　and　would
personally　see　that　it　did　not　fail　to　reach　him；　would　have　the　courage
for　much　more。

She　did　not　reply　directly。　　〃I　should　have　to　explain；　but　I　know　you
won't　tell。　　This　is　going　to　be　my　piece　de　resistance；　my　grand　stunt。　
I'm　going　to　bring　it　off　the　last　night。〃　　She　stopped　long　enough　for
Verrian　to　revise　his　resolution　of　going　away　with　the　fellows　who　were
leaving　the　middle　of　the　week；　and　to　decide　on　staying　to　the　end。
〃I　am　going　to　call　it　Seeing　Ghosts。〃

〃That's　good；〃　Verrian　said；　provisionally。

〃Yes；　I　might　say　I　was　surprised　at　my　thinking　it　up。〃

〃That　would　be　one　form　of　modesty。〃

〃Yes；〃　she　said；　with　a　wan　smile　she　had；　〃and　then　again　it　mightn't　be
another。〃　　She　went　on；　abruptly；　〃As　many　as　like　can　take　part　in　the
performance。　　It's　to　be　given　out；　and　distinctly　understood　beforehand；
that　the　ghost　isn't　a　veridical　phantom；　but　just　an　honest；　made…up；
every…day　spook。　　It　may　change　its　pose　from　time　to　time；　or　its
drapery；　but　the　setting　is　to　be　always　the　same；　and　the　people　who
take　their　turns　in　seeing　it　are　to　be　explicitly　reassured；　one　after
another；　that　there's　nothing　in　it；　you　know。　　The　fun　will　be　in　seeing
how　each　one　takes　it；　after　they　know　what　it　really　is。〃

〃Then　you're　going　to　give　us　a　study　of　temperaments。〃

〃Yes；〃　she　assented。　　And　after　a　moment；　given　to　letting　the　notion　get
quite　home　with　her；　she　asked；　vividly；　〃Would　you　let　me　use　it？〃

〃The　phrase？　　Why；　certainly。　　But　wouldn't　it　be　rather　too
psychological？　　I　think　just　Seeing　Ghosts　would　be　better。〃

〃Better　than　Seeing　Ghosts：　A　Study　of　Temperaments？　　Perhaps　it　would。　
It　would　be　simpler。〃

〃And　in　this　house　you　need　all　the　simplicity　you　can　get；〃　he
suggested。

She　smiled；　intelligently　but　reticently。　　〃My　idea　is　that　every　one
somehow　really　believes　in　ghostsI　know　I　doand　so　fully　expects　to
see　one　that　any　sort　of　make…up　will　affect　them　for　the　moment　just　as
if　they　did　see　one。　　I　thoughtthat　perhapsI　don't　know　how　to　say　it
without　seeming　to　make　use　of　you〃

〃Oh；　do　make　use　of　me；　Miss　Shirley！〃

〃That　you　could　give　me　some　hints　about　the　setting；　with　your　knowledge
of　the　stage〃　She　stopped；　having　rushed　forward　to　that　point；　while
he　continued　to　look　steadily　at　her　without　answering　her。　　She　faced
him　courageously；　but　not　convincingly。

〃Did　you　think　that　I　was　an　actor？〃　he　asked；　finally。

〃Mrs。　Westangle　seemed　to　think　you　were。〃

〃But　did　you？〃

〃I'm　sure　I　didn't　meanI　beg　your　pardon〃

〃It's　all　right。　　If　I　were　an　actor　I　shouldn't　be　ashamed　of　it。　　But　I
was　merely　curious　to　know　whether　you　shared　the　prevalent　superstition。　
I'm　afraid　I　can't　help　you　from　a　knowledge　of　the　stage；　but　if　I　can
be　of　use；　from　a　sort　of　amateur　interest　in　psychology；　with　an　affair
like　this　I　shall　be　only　too　glad。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　she　said；　somewhat　faintly；　with　an　effect　of　dismay
disproportionate　to　the　occasion。

She　sank　into　a　chair　before　which　she　had　been　standing；　and　she　looked
as　if　she　were　going　to　swoon。

He　started　towards　her　with　an　alarmed　〃Miss　Shirley。

She　put　out　a　hand　weakly　to　stay　him。　　〃Don't！〃　she　entreated。
〃I'm　a　littleI　shall　be　all　right　in　a　moment。〃

〃Can't　I　get　you　somethingcall　some　one？〃

〃Not　for　the　world！〃　she　commanded；　and　she　pulled　herself　together　and
stood　up。　　〃But　I　think　I'll　stop　for　to…night。　　I'm　glad　my　idea　strikes
you　favorably。　　It's　merely　Oh；　you　found　it；　Mrs。　Stager！〃　　She　broke
off　to　address　the　woman　who　had　now　come　back　and　was　holding　up　the
trailing　breadths　of　the　electric…blue　gauze。　　〃Isn't　it　lovely？〃
She　gave　herself　time　to　adore　the　drapery；　with　its　changes　of　meteoric
lucence；　before　she　rose　and　took　it。　　She　went　with　it　to　the　background
in　the　library；　where；　against　the　glass　door　of　the　cases；　she　involved
herself　in　it　and　stood　shimmering。　　A　thrill　pierced　to　Verrian's　heart；
she　was　indeed　wraithlike；　so　that　he　hated　to　have　her　call；　〃How　will
that　do　？〃

Mrs。　Stager　modestly　referred　the　question　to　him　by　her　silence。
〃I　will　answer　for　its　doing；　if　it　does　for　the　others　as　it's　done　for
me。〃

She　laughed。　　〃And　you　doubly　knew　what　it　was。　　Yes；　I　think　it　will
go。〃　　She　took　another　pose；　and　then　another。　　〃What　do　you　think　of　it；
Mrs。　Stager？〃　she　called　to　the　woman　standing　respectfully　abeyant　at
one　side。

〃It's　awful。　　I　don't　know　but　I'll　be　afraid　to　go　to　my　room。〃

〃Sit　down；　and　I'll　go　to　your　room　with　you　when　I'm　through。　　I　won't
be　long；　now。〃

She　tried　different　gauzes；　which　she　had　lying　on　one　of　the　chairs；　and
crowned　herself　with　triumph　in　the　applauses　of　her　two　spectators；
rejoicing　with　a　glee　that　Verrian　found　childlike　and　winning。
〃If　they're　all　like　you；　it　will　be　the　greatest　success！〃

〃They'll　all　be　like　me；　and　more；〃　he　said；　〃I'm　really　very　severe。〃

〃Are　you　a　severe　person？〃　she　asked；　coming　forward　to　him。　　〃Ought
people　to　be　afraid　of　you？〃

〃Yes；　people　with　bad　consciences。　　I'm　rattier　afraid　of　myself　for　that
reason。〃

〃Have　you　got　a　bad　conscience？〃　she　asked；　letting　her　eyes　rest　on　his。

〃Yes。　　I　can't　make　my　conduct　square　with　my　ideal　of　conduct。〃

〃I　know　what　that　is！〃　she　sighed。　　〃Do　you　expect　to　be　punished　for
it？〃

〃I　expect　to　be　got　even　with。〃

〃Yes；　one　is。　　I've　noticed　that　myself。　　But　I　didn't　suppose　that
actors　Oh；　I　forgot！　　I　beg　your　pardon　again；　Mr。　Verrian。　　Oh
Goodnight！〃　　She　faced　him　evanescently　in　going　out；　with　the　woman
after　her；　but；　whether　she　did　so　more　in　fear　or　more　in　defiance；　she
left　him　standing　motionless　in　his　doubt；　and　she　did　nothing　to　solve
his　doubt　when　she　came　quickly　back　alone；　before　he　was　aware　of　having
moved；　to　say；　〃Mr。　Verrian；　I　want　toI　have　totell　you　that
I　didn't　think　you　were　the　actor。〃　　Then　she　was　finally　gone；　and
Verrian　had　nothing　for　it　but　to　go　up　to　his　room　with　the　book　he
found　he　had　in　his　hand　and　must　have　had　there　all　the　time。

If　he　had　read　it；　the　book　would　not　have　eased　him　off　to　sleep；　but　he
did　not　even　try；　to　read　it。　　He　had　no　wish　to　sleep。　　The　waking　dream
in　which　he　lost　himself　was　more　interesting　than　any　vision　of　slumber
could　have　been；　and　he　had　no　desire　to　end　it。　　In　that　he　could　still
be　talking　with　the　girl　whose　mystery　appealed　to　him　so　pleasingly。
It　was　none　the　less　pleasing　because；　at　what　might　be　called　her　first
blushes；　she　did　not　strike　him　as　altogether　ingenuous；　but　only　able　to
discipline　herself　into　a　final　sincerity　from　a　consciousness　which　had
been　taught　wisdom　by　experience。

She　was　still　a　scarcely　recovered　invalid；　and　it　was　pathetic　that　she
should　be　commencing　the　struggle　of　life　with　strength　so　little
proportioned　to　the　demand　upon　it；　and　the　calling　she　had　taken　up　was
of　a　fantasticality　in　some　aspects　which　was　equally　pathetic。　　But　all
the　undertakings　of　women；　he　mused；　were　piteous；　not　only　because　women
were　unequal　to　the　struggle　at　the　best；　but　because　they　were　hampered
always　with　themselves；　with　their　sex；　their　femininity；　and　the
necessity　of　getting　it　out　of　t