fennel and rue-第12部分

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always　with　themselves；　with　their　sex；　their　femininity；　and　the
necessity　of　getting　it　out　of　the　way　before　they　could　really　begin　to
fight。　　Whatever　they　attempted　it　must　be　in　relation　to　the　man's　world
in　which　livings　were　made；　but　the　immemorial　conditions　were　almost
wholly　unchanged。　　A　woman　approached　this　world　as　a　woman；　with　the
inborn　instinct　of　tempting　it　as　a　woman；　to　win　it　to　love　her　and　make
her　a　wife　and　mother；　and　although　she　might　stoically　overcome　the
temptation　at　last；　it　might　recur　at　any　moment　and　overcome　her。　　This
was　perpetually　weakening　and　imperilling　her；　and　she　must　feel　it　at
the　encounter　with　each　man　she　met。　　She　must　feel　the　tacit　and　even
unconscious　irony　of　his　attitude　towards　her　in　her　enterprise；　and　the
finer　her　make　the　crueller　and　the　more　humiliating　and　disheartening
this　must　be。

Of　course；　this　Miss　Shirley　felt　Verrian's　irony；　which　he　had　guarded
from　any　expression　with　genuine　compassion　for　her。　　She　must　feel　that
to　his　knowledge　of　life　she　and　her　experiment　had　an　absurdity　which
would　not　pass；　whatever　their　success　might　be。　　If　she　meant　business；
and　business　only；　they　ought　to　have　met　as　two　men　would　have　met；　but
he　knew　that　they　had　not　done　so；　and　she　must　have　known　it。　　All　that
was　plain　sailing　enough；　but　beyond　this　lay　a　sea　of　conjecture　in
which　he　found　himself　without　helm　or　compass。　　Why；　should　she　have
acted　a　fib　about　his　being　an　actor；　and　why；　after　the　end；　should　she
have　added　an　end；　in　which　she　returned　to　own　that　she　had　been
fibbing？　　For　that　was　what　it　came　to；　and　though　Verrian　tasted　a
delicious　pleasure　in　the　womanish　feat　by　which　she　overcame　her
womanishness；　he　could　not　puzzle　out　her　motive。　　He　was　not　sure　that
he　wished　to　puzzle　it　out。　　To　remain　with　illimitable　guesses　at　his
choice　was　more　agreeable；　for　the　present　at　least；　and　he　was　not　aware
of　having　lapsed　from　them　when　he　woke　so　late　as　to　be　one　of　the
breakfasters　whose　plates　were　kept　for　them　after　the　others　were　gone。




XVI。

It　was　the　first　time　that　Verrian　had　come　down　late；　and　it　was　his
novel　experience　to　find　himself　in　charge　of　Mrs。　Stager　at　breakfast；
instead　of　the　butler　and　the　butler's　man；　who　had　hitherto　served　him
at　the　earlier　hour。　　There　were　others；　somewhat　remote　from　him；　at
table；　who　were　ending　when　he　was　beginning；　and　when　they　had　joked
themselves　out　of　the　room　and　away　from　Mrs。　Stager's　ministrations　he
was　left　alone　to　her。　　He　had　instantly　appreciated　a　quality　of
motherliness　in　her　attitude　towards　him；　and　now　he　was　sensible　of　a
kindly　intimacy　to　which　he　rather　helplessly　addressed　himself。

〃Well；　Mrs。　Stager；　did　you　see　a　ghost　on　your　way　to　bed？〃

〃I　don't　know　as　I　really　expected　to；〃　she　said。　　〃Won't　you　have　a　few
more　of　the　buckwheats？〃

〃Do　you　think　I'd　better？　　I　believe　I　won't。　　They're　very　tempting。　
Miss　Shirley　makes　a　very　good　ghost；〃　he　suggested。

Mrs。　Stager　would　not　at　first　commit　herself　further　than　to　say　in
bringing　him　the　butter；　〃She's　just　up　from　a　long　fit　of　sickness。〃　
She　impulsively　added；　〃She　ain't　hardly　strong　enough　to　be　doing　what
she　is；　I　tell　her。〃

〃I　understood　she　had　been　ill；〃　Verrian　said。　　〃We　drove　over　from　the
station　together；　the　other　day。〃

〃Yes；〃　Mrs。　Stager　admitted。　　〃Kind　of　a　nervous　breakdown；　I　believe。　
But　she's　got　an　awful　spirit。　　Mrs。　Westangle　don't　want　her　to　do　all
she　is　doing。〃

Verrian　looked　at　her　in　surprise。　　He　had　not　expected　that　of　the
India…rubber　nature　he　had　attributed　to　Mrs。　Westangle。　　In　view　of　Mrs。
Stager's　privity　to　the　unimagined　kindliness　of　his　hostess；　he　relaxed
himself　in　a　further　interest　in　Miss　Shirley；　as　if　it　would　now　be
safe。　　〃She's　done　splendidly；　so　far；〃　he　said；　meaning　the　girl。
〃I'm　glad　Mrs。　Westangle　appreciates　her　work。〃

〃I　guess；〃　Mrs。　Stager　said；　〃that　if　it　hadn't　been　for　you　at　the　snow…
fight　She　got　back　from　getting　ready　for　it；　that　morning；　almost　down
sick；　she　was　afraid　so　it　was　going　to　fail。〃

〃I　didn't　do　anything；〃　Verrian　said；　putting　the　praise　from　him。

Mrs。　Stager　lowered　her　voice　in　an　octave　of　deeper　confidentiability。　
〃You　got　the　note？　　I　put　it　under；　and　I　didn't　know。〃

〃Oh　yes；　I　got　it；〃　Verrian　said；　sensible　of　a　relief；　which　he　would
not　assign　to　any　definite　reason；　in　knowing　that　Miss　Shirley　had　not
herself　put　it　under　his　door。　　But　he　now　had　to　take　up　another　burden
in　the　question　whether　Miss　Shirley　were　of　an　origin　so　much　above　that
of　her　confidant　that　she　could　have　a　patrician　fearlessness　in　making
use　of　her；　or　were　so　near　Mrs。　Stager's　level　of　life　that　she　would
naturally　turn　to　her　for　counsel　and　help。　　Miss　Shirley　had　the　accent；
the　manners；　and　the　frank　courage　of　a　lady；　but　those　things　could　be
learned；　they　were　got　up　for　the　stage　every　day。

Verrian　was　roused　from　the　muse　he　found　he　had　fallen　into　by　hearing
Mrs。　Stager　ask；　〃Won't　you　have　some　more　coffee？〃

〃No；　thank　you；〃　he　said。　　And　now　he　rose　from　the　table；　on　which　he
dreamily　dropped　his　napkin；　and　got　his　hat　and　coat　and　went　out　for　a
walk。　　He　had　not　studied　the　art　of　fiction　so　long；　in　the　many　private
failures　that　had　preceded　his　one　public　success；　without　being　made　to
observe　that　life　sometimes　dealt　in　the　accidents　and　coincidences　which
his　criticism　condemned　as　too　habitually　the　resource　of　the　novelist。　
Hitherto　he　had　disdained　them　for　this　reason；　but　since　his　serial
story　was　off　his　hands；　and　he　was　beginning　to　look　about　him　for　fresh
material；　he　had　doubted　more　than　once　whether　his　severity　was　not　the
effect　of　an　unjustifiable　prejudice。

It　struck　him　now；　in　turning　the　corner　of　the　woodlot　above　the　meadow
where　the　snow…battle　had　taken　place；　and　suddenly　finding　himself　face
to　face　with　Miss　Shirley；　that　nature　was　in　one　of　her　uninventive
moods　and　was　helping　herself　out　from　the　old　stock…in…trade　of　fiction。　
All　the　same；　he　felt　a　glow　of　pleasure；　which　was　also　a　glow　of　pity；
for　while　Miss　Shirley　looked；　as　always；　interesting；　she　look　tired；
too；　with　a　sort　of　desperate　air　which　did　not　otherwise　account　for
itself。　　She　had　given；　at　sight　of　him；　a　little　start；　and　a　little
〃Oh！〃　dropped　from　her　lips；　as　if　it　had　been　jostled　from　them。　　She
made　haste　to　go　on；　with　something　like　the　voluntary　hardiness　of　the
courage　that　plucks　itself　from　the　primary　emotion　of　fear；　〃You　are
going　down　to　try　the　skating？〃

〃Do　I　look　it；　without　skates？〃

〃You　may　be　going　to　try　the　sliding；〃　she　returned。　　〃I'm　afraid　there
won't　be　much　of　either　for　long。　　This　soft　air　is　going　to　make　havoc
of　my　plans　for　to…morrow。〃

〃That's　too　bad　of　it。　　Why　not　hope　for　a　hard　freeze　to…night？　　You
might　as　well。　　The　weather　has　been　known　to　change　its　mind。　　You　might
even　change　your　plans。〃

〃No；　I　can't　do　that。　　I　can't　think　of　anything　else。　　It's　to　bridge
over　the　day　that's　left　before　Seeing　Ghosts。　　If　it　does　freeze；　you'll
come　to　Mrs。　Westangle's　afternoon　tea　on　the　pond？〃

〃I　certainly　shall。　　How　is　it　to　be　worked？〃

〃She's　to　have　her　table　on　a　platform；　with　runners；　in　a　bower　of
evergreen　boughs；　and　be　pushed　about；　and　the　people　are　to　skate　up　for
the　tea。　　There　are　to　be　tea　and　chocolate；　and　two　girls　to　pour；　just
as　in　real　life。　　It　isn't　a　very　dazzling　idea；　but　I　thought　it　might
do；　and　Mrs。　Westangle　is　so　good…natured。　　Now；　if　the　thermometer　will
do　its　part！〃

〃I　am　sure　it　will；〃　Verrian　said；　but　a　glance　at　the　gray　sky　did　not
confirm　him　in　his　prophetic　venture。　　The　snow　was　sodden　under　foot；　a
breath　from　the　south　stirred　the　pines　to　an　Aeolian　response　and　moved
the　stiff；　dry　leaves　of　the　scrub…oaks。　　A　sapsucker　was　marking　an
accurate　circle　of　dots　round　the　throat　of　a　tall　young　maple；　and
enjoying　his　work　in　a　low；　guttural　soliloquy；　seemingly；　yet；
dismayingly；　suggestive　of　spring。

〃It's　lovely；　anyway；〃　she　said；　following　his　glance　with　an　upward　turn
of　her　face。

〃Yes；　it's　beautiful。　　I　think　this　sort　of　winter　day　is　about　the　best
the　whole　year　can　do。　　But　I　will　sacrifice　the　chance　of　another　like
it　to　your　skating…tea；　Miss　Shirley。〃

He　did　not　know　why　he　should　have　made　this　speech　to　her；　but
apparently　she　did；　and　she　said；　〃You're　always　coming　to　my　help；　Mr。
Verrian。〃

〃Don't　mention　it！〃

〃I　won't；　then；〃　she　said；　with　a　smile　that　showed　her　thin　face　at　its
thinnest　and　left　her　lip　caught　on　her　teeth　till　she　brought　it　down
voluntarily。　　It　was　a　small　but　full　lip　and　pretty；　and　this　trick　of
it　had　a　fascination。　　She　added；　gravely；　〃I　don't　believe　you　will　like
my　ice…tea。〃

〃I　haven't　any　active　hostility　to　it。　　You　can't　always　be　striking
twelvetwelve　midnightas　you　will　be　in　Seeing　Ghosts。　　But　your　ice…
tea　will　do　very　well　for　striking　five。　　I'm　rather　elaborate！〃

〃Not　too　elaborate　to　hide　your　real　opinion。　　I　wonder　what　you　do　think
of　my　own　elaborationI　mean　of　my　scheme。〃

〃Yes？〃

They　had　moved　on；　at　his　turning　to　walk　with　her；　so　as　not　to　keep　her
standing　in　the　snow；　and　now　she　said；　looking　over　her　shoulder　at　him；
〃I've　decided　that　it　won't　do　to　let　the　ghost　have　all　the　glory。　　I
don't　think　it　will　be　fair　to　let　the　people　merely　be　scared；　even　when
they've　been　warned　that　they're　to　see　a　ghost　and　told　it　isn't　real。〃

She　seemed　to　refer　the　point　to　him；　and　he　said；　provisionally；
〃I　don't　know　what　more　they　can　ask。〃

〃They　can　ask　questions。　　I'm　going　to　let　each　person　speak　to　the
ghost；　if　not　scared　dumb；　and　ask　it　just　what　they　please；　and　I'm
going　to　answer　their　questions　if　I　can。〃

〃Won't　it　be　something　of　an　intellectual　strain？〃

〃Yes；　it　will。　　But　it　will　be　fun；　too；　a　little；　and　it　will　help　the
thing　to　go　off。　　What　do　you　think？〃

〃I　think　it's　fine。　　Are　you　going　to　give　it　out；　so　that　they　can　be
studying　up　their　questions？〃

〃No；　their　questions　have　got　to　be　impromptu。　　Or；　at　least；　the　first
one　has。　　Of　course；　after　the　scheme　has　once　been　given　a