fennel and rue-第14部分

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Bushwick　sat　down　before　the　fire　and　rubbed　his　shins　with　his　two　hands
unrestfully；　drawing　in　a　long　breath　between　his　teeth。　　〃These　things
get　on　to　my　nerves　sometimes。　　I　shouldn't　want　the　ghost…dance　to
fail。〃

〃On　Mrs。　Westangle's　account？〃

〃I　guess　Mrs。　Westangle　could　stand　it。　　Look　here！〃　It　was　rather　a
customary　phrase　of　his；　Verrian　noted。　　As　he　now　used　it　he　looked
alertly　round　at　Verrian；　with　his　hands　still　on　his　shins。　　〃What's　the
use　of　our　beating　round　the　bush？〃

Verrian　delayed　his　answer　long　enough　to　decide　against　the　aimless　pun
of　asking；　〃What　Bushwick？〃　and　merely　asked；　〃What　bush？〃

〃The　bush　where　the　milk　in　the　cocoanut　grows。　　You　don't　pretend　that
you　believe　Mrs。　Westangle　has　been　getting　up　all　these　fairy　stunts？〃

Verrian　returned　to　his　cigar；　from　which　the　ashen　wraith　dropped　into
his　lap。　　〃I　guess　you'll　have　to　be　a　little　clearer。〃　　But　as　Bushwick
continued　silently　looking　at　him；　the　thing　could　not　be　left　at　this
point；　and　he　was　obliged　to　ask　of　his　own　initiative；　〃How　much　do　you
know？〃

Bushwick　leaned　back　in　his　chair；　with　his　eyes　still　on　Verrian's
profile。　　〃As　much　as　Miss　Macroyd　could　tell　me。〃

〃Ah；　I'm　still　in　the　dark；〃　Verrian　politely　regretted；　but　not　with　a
tacit　wish　to　wring　Miss　Macroyd's　neck；　which　he　would　not　have　known
how　to　account　for。

〃Well；　she　says　that　Mrs。　Westangle　has　a　professional　assistant　who's
doing　the　whole　job　for　her；　and　that　she　came　down　on　the　same　train
with　herself　and　you。〃

〃Did　she　say　that　she　grabbed　the　whole　victoria　for　herself　and　maid　at
the　station？〃　Verrian　demanded；　in　a　burst　of　rage；　〃and　left　us　to　get
here　the　best　way　we　could？〃

Bushwick　grinned。　　〃She　supposed　there　were　other　carriages；　and　when　she
found　there　weren't　she　hurried　the　victoria　back　for　you。〃

〃You　think　she　believes　all　that？　　I'm　glad　she　has　the　decency　to　be
ashamed　of　her　behavior。〃

〃I'm　not　defending　her。　　Miss　Macroyd　knows　how　to　take　care　of　herself。〃

The　matter　rather　dropped　for　the　moment；　in　which　Bushwick　filled　a　pipe
he　took　from　his　pocket　and　lighted　it。　　After　the　first　few　whiffs　he
took　it　from　his　mouth；　and；　with　a　droll　look　across　at　Verrian；　said；
〃Who　was　your　fair　friend？〃

If　Verrian　was　going　to　talk　of　this　thing；　he　was　not　going　to　do　it
with　the　burden　of　any　sort　of　reserve　or　contrivance　on　his　soul。　　〃This
afternoon？〃　　Bushwick　nodded；　and　Verrian　added；　〃That　was　she。〃　　Then　he
went　on；　wrathfully：　〃She's　a　girl　who　has　to　make　her　living；　and　she's
doing　it　in　a　new　way　that　she's　invented　for　herself。　　She　has　supposed
that　the　stupid　rich；　or　the　lazy　rich；　who　want　to　entertain　people　may
be　willing　to　pay　for　ideas；　and　she　proposes　to　supply　the　ideas　for　a
money　consideration。　　She's　not　a　guest　in　the　house；　and　she　won't　take
herself　on　a　society　basis　at　all。　　I　don't　know　what　her　history　is；　and
I　don't　care。　　She's　a　lady　by　training；　and；　if　she　had　the　accent；　I
should　say　she　was　from　the　South；　for　she　has　the　enterprise　of　the
South　that　comes　North　and　tries　to　make　its　living。　　It's　all
inexpressibly　none　of　my　business；　but　I　happen　to　be　knowing　to　so　much
of　the　case；　and　if　you're　knowing　to　anything　else；　Mr。　Bushwick；　I　want
you　to　get　it　straight。　　That's　why　I'm　talking　of　it；　and　not　because　I
think　you've　any　right　to　know　anything　about　it。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　Bushwick　returned；　unruffled。　　〃It's　about　what　Miss　Macroyd
told　me。　　That's　the　reason　I　don't　want　the　ghost…dance　to　fail。〃

Verrian　did　not　notice　him。　　He　found　it　more　important　to　say：　〃She's
so　loyal　to　Mrs。　Westangle　that　she　wouldn't　have　wished；　in　Mrs。
Westangle's　interest；　to　have　her　presence；　or　her　agency　in　what　is
going　on；　known；　but；　of　course；　if　Mrs。　Westangle　chooses　to；　tell　it；
that's　her　affair。〃

〃She　would　have　had　to　tell　it；　sooner　or　later；　Mrs。　Westangle　would；
and　she　only　told　it　to　Miss　Macroyd　this　afternoon　on　compulsion；　after
Miss　Macroyd　and　I　had　seen　you　in　the　wood…road；　and　Mrs。　Westangle　had
to　account　for　the　young　lady's　presence　there　in　your　company。　　Then
Miss　Macroyd　had　to　tell　me；　but　I　assure　you；　my　dear　fellow；　the　matter
hasn't　gone　any　further。〃

〃Oh；　it's　quite　indifferent　to　me；〃　Verrian　retorted。　　〃I'm　nothing　but
a　dispassionate　witness　of　the　situation。〃

〃Of　course；〃　Bushwick　assented；　and　then　he　added；　with　a　bonhomie　really
so　amiable　that　a　man　with　even　an　unreasonable　grudge　could　hardly
resist　it；　〃If　you　call　it　dispassionate。〃

Verrian　could　not　help　laughing。　　〃Well；　passionate；　then。　　I　don't　know
why　it　should　be　so　confoundedly　vexatious。　　But　somehow　I　would　have
chosen　Miss　Macroyd　Is　shy　specially　dear　to　you？〃

〃Not　the　least！〃

〃I　would　have　chosen　her　as　the　last　person　to　have　the　business；　which
is　so　inexpressibly　none　of　my　business〃

〃Or　mine；　as　I　think　you　remarked；〃　Bushwick　interposed。

〃Come　out　through；〃　Verrian　concluded；　accepting　his　interposition　with　a
bow。

〃I　see　what　you　mean；〃　Bushwick　said；　after　a　moment's　thought。　　〃But；
really；　I　don't　think　it's　likely　to　go　further。　　If　you　want　to　know；
I　believe　Miss　Macroyd　feels　the　distinction　of　being　in　the　secret　so
much　that　she'll　prefer　to　hint　round　till　Mrs。　Westangle　gives　the　thing
away。　　She　had　to　tell　me；　because　I　was　there　with　her　when　she　saw　you
with　the　young　lady；　to　keep　me　from　going　with　my　curiosity　to　you。　
Come；　I　do　think　she's　honest　about　it。〃

〃Don't　you　think　they're　rather　more　dangerous　when　they're　honest？〃

〃Well；　only　when　they're　obliged　to　be。　　Cheer　up！　　I　don't　believe　Miss
Macroyd　is　one　to　spoil　sport。〃

〃Oh；　I　think　I　shall　live　through　it；〃　Verrian　said；　rather　stiffening
again。　　But　he　relaxed；　in　rising　from　his　chair；　and　said；　〃Well；　good…
night；　old　fellow。　　I　believe　I　shall　go　to　bed　now。〃

〃You　won't　wait　for　me　till　my　pipe's　out？〃

〃No；　I　think　not。　　I　seem　to　be　just　making　it；　and　if　I　waited　I　might
lose　my　grip。〃　　He　offered　Bushwick　a　friendly　hand。

〃Do　you　suppose　it's　been　my　soothing　conversation？　　I'm　like　the　actor
that　the　doctor　advised　to　go　and　see　himself　act。　　I　can't　talk　myself
sleepy。〃

〃You　might　try　it；〃　Verrian　said；　going　out。




XVIII。

The　men　who　had　talked　of　going　away　on　Thursday　seemed　to　have　found　it
practicable　to　stay。　　At　any　rate；　they　were　all　there　on　the　Saturday
night　for　the　ghost…seeing；　and；　of　course；　none　of　the　women　had　gone。　
What　was　more　remarkable；　in　a　house　rather　full　of　girls；　nobody　was
sick；　or；　at　least；　everybody　was　well　enough　to　be　at　dinner；　and；　after
dinner；　at　the　dance；　which　impatiently；　if　a　little　ironically；　preceded
the　supernatural　part　of　the　evening's　amusement。　　It　was　the　decorum　of
a　woman　who　might　have　been　expected　not　to　have　it　that　Mrs。　Westangle
had　arranged　that　the　evening's　amusement　should　not　pass　the　bound
between　Saturday　night　and　Sunday　morning。　　The　supper　was　to　be　later；
but　that　was　like　other　eating　and　drinking　on　the　Sabbath；　and　it　was　to
be　a　cold　supper。

At　half…past　ten　the　dancing　stopped　in　the　foyer　and　the　drawing…room；
and　by　eleven　the　guests　were　all　seated　fronting　the　closed　doors　of　the
library。　　There　were　not　so　many　of　them　but　that　in　the　handsome　space
there　was　interval　enough　to　lend　a　desired　distance　to　the　apparitions；
and　when　the　doors　were　slid　aside　it　was　applausively　found　that　there
was　a　veil　of　gauze　falling　from　the　roof　to　the　floor；　which　promised
its　aid　in　heightening　the　coming　mystery。　　This　was　again　heightened　by
the　universal　ignorance　as　to　how　the　apparitions　were　to　make　their
advents　and　on　what　terms。

It　was　with　an　access　of　a　certain　nervous　anxiety　that　Verrian　found
himself　next　Miss　Macroyd；　whose　frank　good…fellowship　first　expressed
itself　in　a　pleasure　at　the　chance　which　he　did　not　share；　and　then
extended　to　a　confidential　sympathy　for　the　success　of　the　enterprise
which　he　did　not　believe　she　felt。　　She　laughed；　but　'sotto　voce'；　in
bending　her　head　close　to　his　and　whispering；　〃I　hope　she'll　be　equal　to
her　'mise　en　scene'。　　It's　really　very　nice。　　So　simple。〃　　Besides　the
gauze　veil；　there　was　no　preparation　except　in　the　stretch　of　black
drapery　which　hid　the　book…shelves　at　the　farther　wall　of　the　library。

〃Mrs。　Westangle's　note　is　always　simplicity；〃　Verrian　returned。

〃Oh　yes；　indeed！　　And　you　wish　to　keep　up　the　Westangle　convention？〃

〃I　don't　see　any　reason　for　dropping　it。〃

〃Oh；　none　in　the　world；〃　she　mocked。

He　determined　to　push　her；　since　she　had　tried　to　push　him；　and　he　asked；
〃What　reason　could　there　be？〃

〃Now；　Mr。　Verrian；　asking　a　woman　for　a　reason！　　I　shall　begin　to　think
some　one　else　wrote　your　book；　too！　　Perhaps　she'll　take　up　supplying
ideas　to　authors　as　well　as　hostesses。　　Of　course；　I　mean　Mrs。
Westangle。〃

Verrian　wished　he　had　not　tried　to　push　Miss　Macroyd；　and　he　was　still
grinding　his　teeth　in　a　vain　endeavor　to　get　out　some　fit　retort　between
them；　when　he　saw　Bushwick　shuffling　to　his　feet；　in　the　front　row　of　the
spectators；　and　heard　him　beginning　a　sort　of　speech。

〃Ladies　and　gentlemen：　Mrs。　Westangle　has　chosen　me；　because　a　real…
estate　broker　is　sometimes　an　auctioneer；　and　may　be　supposed　to　have　the
gift　of　oratory；　to　make　known　the　conditions　on　which　you　may　interview
the　ghosts　which　you　are　going　to　see。　　Anybody　may　do　it　who　will　comply
with　the　conditions。　　In　the　first　place；　you　have　got　to　be　serious；　and
to　think　up　something　that　you　would　really　like　to　know　about　your　past；
present；　or　future。　　Remember；　this　is　no　joking　matter；　and　the　only
difference　between　the　ghost　that　you　will　see　here　and　a　real
materialization　under　professional　auspices　is　that　the　ghost　won't
charge　you　anything。　　Of　course；　if　any　lady　or　gentlemanespecially
ladywishes　to　contribute　to　any　charitable　object；　after　a　satisfactory
interview　with　the　ghost；　a　hat　will　be　found　at　the　hall…door　for　the
purpose；　and　Mrs。　Westangle　will　choose　the　object：　I　have　put　in　a
special　plea　for　my　own　firm；　at　a　season　when　the　real…estate　business
is　not　at　its　best。〃　　By　this　time　Bushwick　had　his　audience　laughin