fennel and rue-第13部分

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〃No；　their　questions　have　got　to　be　impromptu。　　Or；　at　least；　the　first
one　has。　　Of　course；　after　the　scheme　has　once　been　given　away；　the
ghost…seers　will　be　more　or　less　prepared；　and　the　ghost　will　have　to
stand　it。〃

〃I　think　it's　great。　　Are　you　going　to　let　me　have　a　chance　with　a
question？〃

〃Are　you　going　to　see　a　ghost？〃

〃To　be　sure　I　am。　　May　I　really　ask　it　what　I　please？〃

〃If　you're　honest。〃

〃Oh；　I　shall　be　honest〃

He　stopped　breathlessly；　but　she　did　not　seem　called　upon　to　supply　any
meaning　for　his　abruptness。　　〃I'm　awfully　glad　you　like　the　idea；〃　she
said；　〃I　have　had　to　think　the　whole　thing　out　for　myself；　and　I　haven't
been　quite　certain　that　the　question…asking　wasn't　rather　silly；　or；　at
least；　sillier　than　the　rest。　　Thank　you　so　much；　Mr。　Verrian。〃

〃I've　thought　of　my　question；〃　he　began　again；　as　abruptly　as　he　had
stopped　before。　　〃May　I　ask　it　now？〃

Cries　of　laughter　came　up　from　the　meadow　below；　and　the　voices　seemed
coming　nearer。

〃Oh；　I　mustn't　be　seen！〃　Miss　Shirley　lamented。　　〃Oh；　dear！　　If　I'm　seen
the　whole　thing　is　given　away。　　What　shall　I　do？〃　She　whirled　about　and
ran　down　the　road　towards　a　path　that　entered　the　wood。

He　ran　after　her。　　〃My　question　is；　May　I　come　to　see　you　when　you　get
back　to　town？〃

〃Yes；　certainly。　　But　don't　come　now！　　You　mustn't　be　seen　with　me！　　I'm
not　supposed　to　be　in　the　house　at　all。〃

If　Verrian's　present　mood　had　been　more　analytic；　it　might　have　occurred
to　him　that　the　element　of　mystery　which　Miss　Shirley　seemed　to　cherish
in　regard　to　herself　personally　was　something　that　she　could　dramatically
apply　with　peculiar　advantage　to　the　phantasmal　part　she　was　to　take　in
her　projected　entertainment。　　But　he　was　reduced　from　the　exercise　of　his
analytic　powers　to　a　passivity　in　which　he　was　chiefly　conscious　of　her
pathetic　fascination。　　This　seemed　to　emanate　from　her　frail　prettiness
no　less　than　from　the　sort　of　fearful　daring　with　which　she　was　pushing
her　whole　enterprise　through；　it　came　as　much　from　her　undecided
blondnessfrom　her　dust…colored　hair；　for　instanceas　from　the
entreating　look　of　her　pinched　eyes；　only　just　lighting　their
convalescent　fires；　and　from　the　weakness　that　showed；　with　the　grace；
in　her　run　through　the　wintry　woods；　where　he　watched　her　till　the
underbrush　thickened　behind　her　and　hid　her　from　him。　　Altogether　his
impression　was　very　complex；　but　he　did　not　get　so　far　even　as　the
realization　of　this；　in　his　mental　turmoil；　as　he　turned　with　a　deep　sigh
and　walked　meditatively　homeward　through　the　incipient　thaw。

It　did　not　rain　at　night；　as　it　seemed　so　likely　to　do；　and　by　morning
the　cloudiness　of　the　sky　had　so　far　thinned　that　the　sun　looked　mildly
through　it　without　more　than　softening　the　frozen　surface　of　the　pond；
so　that　Mrs。　Westangle's　ice…tea　（as　everybody　called　it；　by　a　common
inspiration；　or　by　whatever　circuitous　adoption　of　Verrian's　phrase）　came
off　with　great　success。　　People　from　other　houses　were　there；　and　they
all　said　that　they　wondered　how　she　came　to　have　such　a　brilliant　idea；
and　they　kept　her　there　till　nearly　dark。　　Then　the　retarded　rain　began；
in　a　fine　drizzle；　and　her　house　guests　were　forced　homeward；　but　not　too
soon　to　get　a　good；　long　rest　before　dressing　for　dinner。　　She　was
praised　for　her　understanding　with　the　weather；　and　for　her
meteorological　forecast　as　much　as　for　her　invention　in　imagining　such　a
delightful　and　original　thing　as　an　ice…tea；　which　no　one　else　had　ever
thought　of。　　Some　of　the　women　appealed　to　Verrian　to　say　if　he　had　ever
heard　of　anything　like　it；　and　they　felt　that　Mrs。　Westangle　was
certainly　arriving；　and　by　no　beaten　track。

None　of　the　others　put　it　in　these　terms；　of　course；　it　was　merely　a
consensus　of　feeling　with　them；　and　what　was　more　articulate　was　dropped
among　the　ironies　with　which　Miss　Macroyd　more　confidentially　celebrated
the　event。　　Out　of　hearing　of　the　others；　in　slowly　following　them　with
Verrian；　she　recurred　to　their　talk。　　〃Yes；　it's　only　a　question　of　money
enough　for　Newport；　after　this。　　She's　chic　now；　and　after　a　season　there
she　will　be　smart。　　But　oh；　dear！　　How　came　she　to　be　chic？　　Can　you
imagine？〃

Verrian　did　not　feel　bound　to　a　categorical　answer；　and　in　his　private
reflections　he　dealt　with　another　question。　　This　was　how　far　Miss
Shirley　was　culpable　in　the　fraud　she　was　letting　Mrs。　Westangle　practise
on　her　innocent　guests。　　It　was　a　distasteful　question；　and　he　did　not
find　it　much　more　agreeable　when　it　subdivided　itself　into　the　question
of　necessity　on　her　part；　and　of　a　not　very　clearly　realized　situation　on
Mrs。　Westangle's。　　The　girl　had　a　right　to　sell　her　ideas；　and　perhaps
the　woman　thought　they　were　her　own　when　she　had　paid　for　them。　　There
could　be　that　view　of　it　all。　　The　furtive　nature　of　Miss　Shirley's
presence　in　the　house　might　very　well　be　a　condition　of　that　grand　event
she　was　preparing。　　It　was　all　very　mysterious。




XVII。

It　rained　throughout　the　evening；　with　a　wailing　of　the　wind　in　the
gables；　and　a　weeping　and　a　sobbing　of　the　water　from　the　eaves　that　Mrs。
Westangle's　guests；　securely　housed　from　the　storm；　made　the　most　of　for
weirdness。　　There　had　been　a　little　dancing；　which　gave　way　to　so　much
sitting…out　that　the　volunteer　music　abruptly　ceased　as　if　in　dudgeon；
and　there　was　nothing　left　but　weirdness　to　bring　young　hearts　together。　
Weirdness　can　do　a　good　deal　with　girls　lounging　in　low　chairs；　and　young
men　on　rugs　round　a　glowing　hearth　at　their　feet；　and　every　one　told　some
strange　thing　that　had　happened　at　first　hand；　or　second　or　third　hand；
either　to　himself　or　herself；　or　to　their　fathers　or　brothers　or
grandmothers　or　old　servants。　　They　were　stimulated　in　eking　out　these
experiences　not　only　by　the　wildness　of　the　rain　without；　but　by　the
mystery　of　being　shut　off　from　the　library　into　the　drawing…room　and　hall
while　the　preparations　for　the　following　night　were　beginning。　　But
weirdness　is　not　inexhaustible；　even　when　shared　on　such　propitious　terms
between　a　group　of　young　people　rapidly　advanced　in　intimacy　by　a　week's
stay　under　the　same　roof；　and　at　the　first　yawn　a　gay　dispersion　of　the
votaries　ended　it　all。

The　yawn　came　from　Bushwick；　who　boldly　owned；　when　his　guilt　was　brought
home　to　him；　that　he　was　sleepy；　and　then　as　he　expected　to　be　scared　out
of　a　year's　growth　the　next　night；　and　not　be　able　to　sleep　for　a　week
afterwards；　he　was　now　going　to　bed。　　He　shook　hands　with　Mrs。　Westangle
for　good…night。　　The　latest　to　follow　him　was　Verrian；　who；　strangely
alert；　and　as　far　from　drowsiness　as　he　had　ever　known　himself；　was　yet
more　roused　by　realizing　that　Mrs。　Westangle　was　not　letting　his　hand　go
at　once；　but；　unless　it　was　mere　absent…mindedness；　was　conveying　through
it　the　wish　to　keep　him。　　She　fluttered　a　little　more　closely　up　to　him；
and　twittered　out；　〃Miss　Shirley　wants　me　to　let　you　know　that　she　has
told　me　about　your　coming　together；　and　everything。〃

〃Oh；　I'm　very　glad；〃　Verrian　said；　not　sure　that　it　was　the　right　thing。

〃I　don't　know　why　she　feels　so；　but　she　has　a　right　to　do　as　she　pleases
about　it。　　She's　not　a　guest。〃

〃No；〃　Verrian　assented。

〃It　happens　very　well；　though；　for　the　ghost…seeing　that　people　don't
know　she's　here。　　After　that　I　shall　tell　them。　　In　fact；　she　wants　me
to；　for　she　must　be　on　the　lookout　for　other　engagements。　　I　am　going　to
do　everything　I　can　for　her；　and　if　you　hear　of　anything〃

Verrian　bowed；　with　a　sense　of　something　offensive　in　her　words　which　he
could　not　logically　feel；　since　it　was　a　matter　of　business　and　was　put
squarely　on　a　business　basis。　　〃I　should　be　very　glad；〃　he　said；
noncommittally。

〃She　was　sure　from　the　first；〃　Mrs。　Westangle　went　on；　as　if　there　were
some　relation　between　the　fact　and　her　request；　〃that　you　were　not　the
actor。　　She　knew　you　were　a　writer。〃

〃Oh；　indeed！〃　Verrian　said。

〃I　thought　that　if　you　were　writing　for　the　newspapers　you　might　know　how
to　help　her…〃

〃I'm　not　a　newspaper　writer；〃　Verrian　answered；　with　a　resentment　which
she　seemed　to　feel；　for　she　said；　with　a　sort　of　apology　in　her　tone：

〃Oh！　　Well；　I　don't　suppose　it　matters。　　She　doesn't　know　I'm　speaking　to
you　about　that；　it　just　came　into　my　head。　　I　like　to　help　in　a　worthy
object；　you　know。　　I　hope　you'll　have　a　good　night's　rest。〃

She　turned　and　looked　round　with　the　air　of　distraction　which　she　had
after　speaking　to　any　one；　and　which　Verrian　fancied　came　as　much　from　a
paucity　as　from　a　multiplicity　of　suggestion　in　her　brain；　and　so　left
him　standing。　　But　she　came　back　to　say；　〃Of　course；　it's　all　between
ourselves　till　after　to…morrow　night；　Mr。　Verrian。〃

〃Oh；　certainly；〃　he　replied；　and　went　vaguely　off　in　the　direction　of　the
billiard…room。　　It　was　light　and　warm　there；　though　the　place　was　empty；
and　he　decided　upon　a　cigar　as　a　proximate　or　immediate　solution。　　He　sat
smoking　before　the　fire　till　the　tobacco's　substance　had　half　turned　into
a　wraith　of　ash；　and　not　really　thinking　of　anything　very　definitely；
except　the　question　whether　he　should　be　able　to　sleep　after　he　went　to
bed；　when　he　heard　a　creeping　step　on　the　floor。　　He　turned　quickly；　with
a　certain　expectance　in　his　nerves；　and　saw　nothing　more　ghostly　than
Bushwick　standing　at　the　corner　of　the　table　and　apparently　hesitating
how　to　speak　to　him。

He　said；　〃Hello！〃　and　at　this　Bushwick　said：

〃Look　here！〃

〃Well？〃　Verrian　asked；　looking　at　him。

〃How　does　it　happen　you're　up　so　late；　after　everybody　else　is　wrapped　in
slumber？〃

〃I　might　ask　the　same　of　you。〃

〃Well；　I　found　I　wasn't　making　it　a　case　of　sleep；　exactly；　and　so　I　got
up。〃

〃Well；　I　hadn't　gone　to　bed　for　much　the　same　reason。　　Why　couldn't　you
sleep？　　A　real…estate　broker　ought　to　have　a　clean　conscience。〃

〃So　ought　a　publisher；　for　that　matter。　　What　do　you　think　of　this　ghost…
dance；　anyway？〃

〃It　might　be　amusingif　it　fails。〃　　Verrian　was　tempted　to　add　the
condition　by　the　opportunity　for　a　cynicism　which　he　did　not　feel。　　It　is
one　of　the　privileges　of　youth　to　be　cynical；　whether　or　no。

Bushwick　sat　down　before　the　fire　and　rubbed　his　shins　with　his　two　h