fennel and rue-第18部分

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waving　line。　　Why　shouldn't　the　waving　line；　at　its　highest　points；　touch
the　same　altitude　as　the　straight　line？〃

〃It　wouldn't　touch　it　all　the　time；　and　in　character；　or　nature；　as　you
call　it；　that　is　the　great　thing。　　It's　at　the　lowest　points　that　the
waving　line　is　dangerous。〃

〃Well；　I　don't　deny　that。　　But　I'm　anxious　to　be　just　to　a　person　who
hasn't　experienced　a　great　deal　of　mercy　for　what；　after　all；　wasn't　such
a　very　heinous　thing　as　I　used　to　think　it。　　You　must　allow　that　she
wasn't　obliged　to　tell　me　anything　about　herself。〃

〃Yes；　she　was；　Philip。　　As　I　said　before；　she　hadn't　the　physical　or
moral　strength　to　keep　it　from　you　when　she　was　brought　face　to　face　with
you。　　Besides〃　Mrs。　Verrian　hesitated。

〃Out　with　it；　mother！　　We；　at　least；　won't　have　any　concealments。〃

〃She　may　have　thought；　she　could　clinch　it　in　that　way。〃

〃Clinch　what？〃

〃You　know。　　Is　she　pretty？〃

〃She'sinteresting。〃

〃That　can　always　be　managed。　　Is　she　tall？〃

〃NO；　I　think　she's　rather　out　of　style　there；　she's　rather　petite。〃

〃And　what's　her　face　like？〃

〃Well；　she　has　no　particular　complexion；　but　it's　not　thick。　　Her　eyes
are　the　best　of　her；　though　there　isn't　much　of　them。　　They're　the
'waters　on　a　starry　night'　sort；　very　sweet　and　glimmering。　　She　has　a
kind　of　ground…colored　hair　and　a　nice　little　chin。　　Her　mouth　helps　her
eyes　out；　it　looks　best　when　she　speaks；　it's　pathetic　in　the　play　of　the
lips。〃

〃I　see；〃　Mrs。　Verrian　said。




XX。

The　following　week　Verrian　and　his　mother　were　at　a　show　of　paintings；　in
the　gallery　at　the　rear　of　a　dealer's　shop；　and　while　they　were　bending
together　to　look　at　a　picture　he　heard　himself　called　to　in　a　girlish
voice；　〃Oh；　Mr。　Verrian！〃　as　if　his　being　there　was　the　greatest　wonder
in　the　world。

His　mother　and　he　lifted　themselves　to　encounter　a　tall；　slim　girl；　who
was　stretching　her　hand　towards　him；　and　who　now　cried　out；　joyously；
〃Oh；　Mr。　Verrian；　I　thought　it　must　be　you；　but　I　was　afraid　it　wasn't　as
soon　as　I　spoke。　　Oh；　I'm　so　glad　to　see　you；　I　want　so　much　to　have　you
know　my　motherMr。　Verrian；〃　she　said；　presenting　him。

〃And　I　you　mine；〃　Verrian　responded；　in　a　violent　ellipse；　and　introduced
his　own　mother；　who　took　in　the　fact　of　Miss　Andrews's　tall　thinness；
topped　with　a　wide；　white　hat　and　waving　white　plumes；　and　her　little
face；　irregular　and　somewhat　gaunt；　but　with　a　charm　in　the　lips　and　eyes
which　took　the　elder　woman's　heart　with　pathos。　　She　made　talk　with　Mrs。
Andrews；　who　affected　one　as　having　the　materials　of　social　severity　in
her　costume　and　manner。

〃Oh；　I　didn't　believe　I　should　ever　see　you　again；〃　the　girl　broke　out
impulsively　upon　Verrian。　　〃Oh；　I　wanted　to　ask　you　so　about　Miss
Shirley。　　Have　you　seen　her　since　you　got　back？〃

〃No；〃　Verrian　said；　〃I　haven't　seen　her。〃

〃Oh；　I　thought　perhaps　you　had。　　I've　been　to　the　address　that　Mrs。
Westangle　gave　me；　but　she　isn't　there　any　more；　she's　gone　up　into
Harlem　somewhere；　and　I　haven't　been　able　to　call　again。　　Oh；　I　do　feel
so　anxious　about　her。　　Oh；　I　do　hope　she　isn't　ill。　　Do　you　think　she
is？〃

〃I　don't　believe　so；〃　Verrian　began。　　But　she　swept　over　his　prostrate
remark。

〃Oh；　Mr。　Verrian；　don't　you　think　she's　wonderful？　　I've　been　telling
mother　about　it；　and　I　don't　feel　at　all　the　way　she　does。　　Do　you？〃

〃How　does　she　feel？　　I　must　know　that　before　I　say。〃

〃Why；　of　course！　　I　hadn't　told　you！　　She　thinks　it　was　a　make…up　between
Miss　Shirley　and　that　Mr。　Bushwick。　　But　I　say　it　couldn't　have　been。　　Do
you　think　it　could？〃

Verrian　found　the　suggestion　so　distasteful；　for　a　reason　which　he　did
not　quite　seize　himself；　that　he　answered；　resentfully；　〃It　could　have
been；　but　I　don't　think　it　was。〃

〃I　will　tell　her　what　you　say。　　Oh；　may　I　tell　her　what　you　say？〃

〃I　don't　see　why　you　shouldn't。　　It　isn't　very　important；　either　way；　is
it？〃

〃Oh；　don't　you　think　so？　　Not　if　it　involved　pretending　what　wasn't
true？〃

She　bent　towards　him　in　such　anxious　demand　that　he　could　not　help
smiling。

〃The　whole　thing　was　a　pretence；　wasn't　it？〃　he　suggested。

〃Yes；　but　that　would　have　been　a　pretence　that　we　didn't　know　of。〃

〃It　would　be　incriminating　to　that　extent；　certainly；〃　Verrian　owned；
ironically。　　He　found　the　question　of　Miss　Shirley's　blame　for　the
collusion　as　distasteful　as　the　supposition　of　the　collusion；　but　there
was　a　fascination　in　the　innocence　before　him；　and　he　could　not　help
playing　with　it。

Sometimes　Miss　Andrews　apparently　knew　that　he　was　playing　with　her
innocence；　and　sometimes　she　did　not。　　But　in　either　case　she　seemed　to
like　being　his　jest；　from　which　she　snatched　a　fearful　joy。　　She　was
willing　to　prolong　the　experience；　and　she　drifted　with　him　from　picture
to　picture；　and　kept　the　talk　recurrently　to　Miss　Shirley　and　the
phenomena　of　Seeing　Ghosts。

Her　mother　and　Mrs。　Verrian　evidently　got　on　together　better　than　either
of　them　at　first　expected。　　When　it　came　to　their　parting；　through　Mrs。
Andrews's　saying　that　she　must　be　going；　she　shook　hands　with　Mrs。
Verrian　and　said　to　Philip；　〃I　am　so　glad　to　have　met　you；　Mr。　Verrian。　
Will　you　come　and　see　us？〃

〃Yes；　thank　you；〃　he　answered；　taking　the　hand　she　now　offered　him；　and
then　taking　Miss　Andrews's　hand；　while　the　girl's　eyes　glowed　with
pleasure。　　〃I　shall　be　very　glad。〃

〃Oh；　shall　you？〃　she　said；　with　her　transparent　sincerity。　　〃And　you
won't　forget　Thursdays！　　But　any　day　at　five　we　have　tea。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　Verrian　said。　　I　might　forget　the　Thursdays；　but　I　couldn't
forget　all　the　days　of　the　week。〃

Miss　Andrews　laughed　and　blushed　at　once。　　〃Then　we　shall　expect　you
every　day。〃

〃Well；　every　day　but　Thursday；〃　he　promised。

When　the　mother　and　daughter　had　gone　Mrs。　Verrian　said；　〃She　is　a　great
admirer　of　yours；　Philip。　　She's　read　your　story；　and　I　suspect　she　wants
an　opportunity　to　talk　with　you　about　it。〃

〃You　mean　Mrs。　Andrews？〃

〃Yes。　　I　suppose　the　daughter　hasn't　waited　for　an　opportunity。　　The
mother　had　read　that　publisher's　paragraph　about　your　invalid；　and　wanted
to　know　if　you　had　ever　heard　from　her　again。　　Women　are　personal　in
their　literary　interests。〃

Philip　asked；　in　dismay；　〃You　didn't　give　it　away　did　you；　mother？〃

〃Certainly　not；　my　dear。　　You　have　brought　me　up　too　carefully。〃

〃Of　course。　　I　didn't　imagine　you　had。〃

Then；　as　they　could　not　pretend　to　look　at　the　pictures　any　longer；　they
went　away；　too。　　Their　issue　into　the　open　air　seemed　fraught　with　novel
emotion　for　Mrs。　Verrian。　　〃Well；　now；〃　she　said；　〃I　have　seen　the　woman
I　would　be　willing　my　son　should　marry。〃

〃Child；　you　mean；〃　Philip　said；　not　pretending　that　he　did　not　know　she
meant　Miss　Andrews。

〃That　girl；〃　his　mother　returned；　〃is　innocence　itself。　　Oh；　Philip；
dear；　do　marry　her！〃

〃Well；　I　don't　know。　　If　her　mother　is　behaving　as　sagely　with　her　as　you
are　with　me　the　chances　are　that　she　won't　let　me。　　Besides；　I　don't　know
that　I　want　to　marry　quite　so　much　innocence。〃

〃She　is　conscience　incarnate；〃　his　mother　uttered；　perfervidly。
〃You　could　put　your　very　soul　in　her　keeping。〃

〃Then　you　would　be　out　of　a　job；　mother。〃

〃Oh；　I　am　not　worthy　of　the　job；　my　dear。　　I　have　always　felt　that。　　I　am
too　complex；　and　sometimes　I　can't　see　the　right　alone；　as　she　could。〃

Philip　was　silent　a　moment　while　he　lost　the　personal　point　of　view。
〃I　suspect　we　don't　see　the　right　when　we　see　it　alone。　　We　ought　to　see
the　wrong；　too。〃

〃Ah；　Philip；　don't　let　your　fancy　go　after　that　girl！〃

〃Miss　Andrews？　　I　thought〃

〃Don't　you　be　complex；　my　dear。　　You　know　I　mean　Miss　Shirley。　　What　has
become　of　her；　I　wonder。　　I　heard　Miss　Andrews　asking　you。〃

〃I　wasn't　able　to　tell　her。　　Do　you　want　me　to　try　telling　you？〃

〃I　would　rather　you　never　could。〃

Philip　laughed　sardonically。　　〃Now；　I　shall　forget　Thursdays　and　all　the
other　days；　too。　　You　are　a　very　unwise　parent；　mother。〃

They　laughed　with　each　other　at　each　other；　and　treated　her　enthusiasm
for　Miss　Andrews　as　the　joke　it　partly　was。　　Mrs。　Verrian　did　not　follow
him　up　about　her　idol；　and　a　week　or　so　later　she　was　able　to　affect　a
decent　surprise　when　he　came　in　at　the　end　of　an　afternoon　and　declined
the　cup　of　tea　she　proposed　on　the　ground　that　he　had　been　taking　a　cup
of　tea　with　the　Andrewses。　　〃You　have　really　been　there？〃

〃Didn't　you　expect　me　to　keep　my　promise？〃

〃But　I　was　afraid　I　had　put　a　stumbling…block　in　the　way。〃

〃Oh；　I　found　I　could　turn　the　consciousness　you　created　in　me　into
literary　material；　and　so　I　was　rather　eager　to　go。　　I　have　got　a　point
for　my　new　story　out　of　it。　　I　shall　have　my　fellow　suffer　all　I　didn't
suffer　in　meeting　the　girl　he　knows　his　mother　wants　him　to　marry。　　I　got
on　very　well　with　those　ladies。　　Mrs。　Andrews　is　the　mother　of　innocence；
but　she　isn't　innocence。　　She　managed　to　talk　of　my　story　without　asking
about　the　person　who　wanted　to　anticipate　the　conclusion。　　That　was　what
you　call　complex。　　She　was　insincere；　it　was　the　only　thing　she　wanted　to
talk　about。〃

〃I　don't　believe　it；　Philip。　　But　what　did　Miss　Andrews　talk　about？〃

〃Well；　she　is　rather　an　optimistic　conscience。　　She　talked　about　books
and　plays　that　some　people　do　not　think　are　quite　proper。　　I　have　a
notion　that；　where　the　point　involved　isn't　a　fact　of　her　own　experience；
she　is　not　very　severe　about　it。　　You　think　that　would　be　quite　safe　for
me？〃

〃Philip；　I　don't　like　your　making　fun　of　her！〃

〃Oh；　she　wasn't　insipid；　she　was　only　limpid。　　I　really　like　her；　and；
as　for　reverencing　her；　of　course　I　feel　that　in　a　way　she　is　sacred。〃　
He　added；　after　a　breath；　〃　Too　sacred。　　We　none　of　us　can　expect　to
marry　Eve　before　the　Fall　now；　perhaps　we　have　got　over　wanting　to。〃

〃You　are　very　perverse；　my　dear。　　But　you　will　get　over　that。〃

〃Don't　take　away　my　last　defence；　mother。〃

Verrian　began　to　go　rather　regularly　to　the　Andrews　house；　or；　at　least；
he　was　accused　of　doing　it　by　Miss　Macroyd　when；　very　irregularly；　he
went　one　day　to　see　her。　　〃How　did　you　know　it？〃　he　asked。

〃I　didn't　say　I　knew　it。　　I　only　wished　to　know　it。　　Now　I　am　satisfied。　
I　met　another　friend　of　yours　on　Sunday。〃　　She　paused　f