fennel and rue-第19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！



〃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　for　him　to　ask　who；
but　he　did　not　ask。　　〃I　see　you　are　dying　to　know　what　friend：　Mr。
Bushwick。〃

〃Oh；　he's　a　good…fellow。　　I　wonder　I　don't　run　across　him。〃

〃Perhaps　that's　because　you　never　call　on　Miss　Shirley。〃　　Miss　Macroyd
waited　for　this　to　take　effect；　but　he　kept　a　glacial　surface　towards
her；　and　she　went　on：

〃They　were　walking　together　in　the　park　at　noon。　　I　suppose　they　had　been
to　church　together。〃

Verrian　manifested　no　more　than　a　polite　interest　in　the　fact。　　He
managed　so　well　that　he　confirmed　Miss　Macroyd　in　a　tacit　conjecture。　
She　went　on：　〃　Miss　Shirley　was　looking　quite　blooming　for　her。　　But　so
was　he；　for　that　matter。　　Why　don't　you　ask　if　they　inquired　for　you？〃

〃I　thought　you　would　tell　me　without。〃

〃I　will　tell　you　if　he　did。　　He　was　very　cordial　in　his　inquiries；　and　I
had　to　pretend；　to　gratify　him；　that　you　were　very　well。　　I　implied　that
you　came　here　every　Tuesday；　but　your　Thursdays　were　dedicated　to　Miss
Andrews。〃

〃You　are　a　clever　woman；　Miss　Macroyd。　　I　should　never　have　thought　of　so
much　to　say　on　such　an　uninteresting　subject。　　And　Miss　Shirley　showed　no
curiosity？〃

〃Ah；　she　is　a　clever　woman；　too。　　She　showed　the　prettiest　kind　of
curiosityso　perfectly　managed。　　She　has　a　studioI　don't　know　just　how
she　puts　it　to　usewith　a　painter　girl　in　one　of　those　studio　apartment
houses　on　the　West　Side：　The　Veronese；　I　believe。　　You　must　go　and　see
her；　I'll　let　you　have　next　Tuesday　off；　Tuesday's　her　day；　too。〃

〃You　are　generosity　itself；　Miss　Macroyd。〃

〃Yes；　there's　nothing　mean　about　me；〃　she　returned；　in　slang　rather　older
than　she　ordinarily　used。　　〃If　you're　not　here　next　Tuesday　I　shall　know
where　you　are。〃

〃Then　I　must　take　a　good　many　Tuesdays　off；　unless　I　want　to　give　myself
away。〃

〃Oh；　don't　do　that；　Mr。　Verrian！　　Please！　　Or　else　I　can't　let　you　have
any　Tuesday　off。〃




XXI。

Upon　the　whole；　Verrian　thought　he　would　go　to　see　Miss　Shirley　the　next
Tuesday；　but　he　did　not　say　so　to　Miss　Macroyd。　　Now　that　he　knew　where
the　girl　was；　all　the　peculiar　interest　she　had　inspired　in　him　renewed
itself。　　It　was　so　vivid　that　he　could　not　pay　his　usual　Thursday　call　at
Miss　Andrews's；　and　it　filled　his　mind　to　the　exclusion　of　the　new　story
he　had　begun　to　write。　　He　loafed　his　mornings　away　at　his　club；　and　he
lunched　there；　leaving　his　mother　to　lunch　alone；　and　was　dreamily
preoccupied　in　the　evenings　which　he　spent　at　home；　sitting　at　his　desk；
with　the　paper　before　him；　unable　to　coax　the　thoughts　from　his　brain　to
its　alluring　blank；　but　restive　under　any　attempts　of　hers　to　talk　with
him。

In　his　desperation　he　would　have　gone　to　the　theatre；　but　the　fact　that
the　ass　who　rightfully　called　himself　Verrian　was　playing　at　one　of　them
blocked　his　way；　through　his　indignation；　to　all　of　them。　　By　Saturday
afternoon　the　tedious　time　had　to　be　done　something　with；　and　he　decided
to　go　and　see　what　the　ass　was　like。

He　went　early；　and　found　himself　in　the　end　seat　of　a　long　row　of　many
rows　of　women；　who　were　prolonging　the　time　of　keeping　their　hats　on　till
custom　obliged　them　to　take　them　off。　　He　gave　so　much　notice　to　the
woman　next　him　as　to　see　that　she　was　deeply　veiled　as　well　as　widely
hatted；　and　then　he　lapsed　into　a　dreary　muse；　which　was　broken　by　the
first　strains　of　the　overture。　　Then　he　diverted　himself　by　looking　round
at　all　those　ranks　of　women　lifting　their　arms　to　take　out　them　hat…pins
and　dropping　them　to　pin　their　hats　to　the　seat…backs　in　front　of　them；
or　to　secure　them　somehow　in　their　laps。　　Upon　the　whole；　he　thought　the
manoeuvre　graceful　and　pleasing；　he　imagined　a　consolation　in　it　for　the
women；　who；　if　they　were　forced　by　public　opinion　to　put　off　their
charming　hats；　would　know　how　charmingly　they　did　it。　　Each　turned　a
little；　either　her　body　or　her　head；　and　looked　in　any　case　out　of　the
corner　of　her　eyes；　and　he　was　phrasing　it　all　for　a　scene　in　his　story；
when　he　looked　round　at　his　neighbor　to　see　how　she　had　managed；　or　was
managing；　with　her　veil。　　At　the　same　moment　she　looked　at　him；　and　their
eyes　met。

〃Mr。　Verrian！〃

〃Miss　Shirley！〃

The　stress　of　their　voices　fell　upon　different　parts　of　the　sentences
they　uttered；　but　did　not　commit　either　of　them　to　a　special　role。

〃How　very　strange　we　should　meet　here！〃　she　said；　with　pleasure　in　her
voice。　　〃Do　you　know；　I　have　been　wanting　to　come　all　winter　to　see　this　
man；　on　account　of　his　name？　　And　to　think　that　I　should　meet　the　other
Mr。　Verrian　as　soon　as　I　yielded　to　the　temptation。〃

〃I　have　just　yielded　myself；〃　Verrian　said。　　〃I　hope　you　don't　feel
punished　for　yielding。〃

〃Oh；　dear；　no！　　It　seems　a　reward。〃

She　did　not　say　why　it　seemed　so；　and　he　suggested；　〃The　privilege　of
comparing　the　histrionic　and　the　literary　Verrian？〃

〃Could　there　be　any　comparison？〃　she　came　back；　gayly。

〃I　don't　know。　　I　haven't　seen　the　histrionic　Verrian　yet。〃

They　were　laughing　when　the　curtain　rose；　and　the　histrionic　Verrian　had
his　innings　for　a　long；　long　first　act。　　When　the　curtain　fell　she　turned
to　the　literary　Verrian　and　said；　〃Well？〃

〃He　lasted　a　good　while；〃　Verrian　returned。

〃Yes。　　Didn't　he？〃　　She　looked　at　the　little　watch　in　her　wristlet。
〃A　whole　hour！　　Do　you　know；　Mr。　Verrian；　I　am　going　to　seem　very　rude。　
I　am　going　to　leave　you　to　settle　this　question　of　superiority；　I　know
you'll　be　impartial。　　I　have　an　appointmentwith　the　dressmaker；　to　be
specificat　half…past　four；　and　it's　half…past　three　now；　and　I　couldn't
well　leave　in　the　middle　of　the　next　act。　　So　I　will　say　good…bye　now〃

〃Don't！〃　he　entreated。　　〃I　couldn't　bear　to　be　left　alone　with　this
dreadful　double　of　mine。　　Let　me　go　out　with　you。〃

〃Can　I　accept　such　self…sacrifice？　　Well！〃

She　had　put　on　her　hat　and　risen；　and　he　now　stepped　out　of　his　place　to
let　her　pass　and　then　followed　her。　　At　the　street　entrance　he　suggested；
〃A　hansom；　or　a　simple　trolley？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　she　murmured；　meditatively；　looking　up　the　street　as　if
that　would　settle　it。　　〃If　it's　only　half…past　three　now；　I　should　have
time　to　get　home　more　naturally。〃

〃Oh！　　And　will　you　let　me　walk　with　you？〃

〃Why；　if　you're　going　that　way。〃

〃I　will　say　when　I　know　which　way　it　is。〃

They　started　on　their　walk　so　blithely　that　they　did　not　sadden　in　the
retrospect　of　their　joint　experiences　at　Mrs。　Westangle's。　　By　the　time
they　reached　the　park　gate　at　Columbus　Circle　they　had　come　so　distinctly
to　the　end　of　their　retrospect　that　she　made　an　offer　of　letting　him
leave　her；　a　very　tacit　offer；　but　unmistakable；　if　he　chose　to　take　it。　
He　interpreted　her　hesitation　as　he　chose。　　〃No；〃　he　said；　〃it　won't　be
any　longer　if　we　go　up　through　the　park。〃

She　drew　in　her　breath　softly；　smoothing　down　her　muff　with　her　right
hand　while　she　kept　her　left　in　it。　　〃And　it　will　certainly　be
pleasanter。〃　　When　they　were　well　up　the　path；　in　that　part　of　it　where
it　deflects　from　the　drive　without　approaching　the　street　too　closely；
and　achieves　something　of　seclusion；　she　said：

〃Your　speaking　of　him　just　now　makes　me　want　to　tell　you　something；　Mr。
Verrian。　　You　would　hear　of　it　very　soon；　anyway；　and　I　feel　that　it　is
always　best　to　be　very　frank　with　you；　but　you'll　regard　it　as　a　secret
till　it　comes　out。〃

The　currents　that　had　been　playing　so　warmly　in　and　out　of　Verrian's
heart　turned　suddenly　cold。　　He　said；　with　joyless　mocking；　〃You　know；
I'm　used　to　keeping　your　secrets。　　Ishall　feel　honored；　I'm　sure；　if
you　trust　me　with　another。〃

〃Yes；〃　she　returned；　pathetically；　〃you　have　always　been　faithfuleven
in　your　wounds。〃　　It　was　their　joint　tribute　to　the　painful　past；　and
they　had　paid　no　other。　　She　was　looking　away　from　him；　but　he　knew　she
was　aware　of　his　hanging　his　head。　　〃That's　all　over　now；〃　she　uttered；
passionately。　　〃What　I　wanted　to　sayto　tell　youis　that　I　am　engaged
to　Mr。　Bushwick。〃

He　could　have　answered　that　she　had　no　need　to　tell　him。　　The　cold
currents　in　and　out　of　his　heart　stiffened　frozenly　and　ceased　to　flow；
his　heart　itself　stood　still　for　an　eternal　instant。　　It　was　in　this
instant　that　he　said；　〃He　is　a　fine　fellow。〃　　Afterwards；　amid　the　wild
bounding　of　his　recovered　pulse；　he　could　add；　〃I　congratulate　him；　I
congratulate　you　both。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　she　said。　　〃No　one　knows　as　I　do　how　good　he　ishas　been；
all　through。〃　　Probably　she　had　not　meant　to　convey　any　reproach　to
Verrian　by　Bushwick's　praise；　but　he　felt　reproach　in　it。　　〃It　only
happened　last　week。　　You　do　wish　me　happy；　don't　you？　　No　one　knows　what
a　winter　I　have　had　till　now。　　Everything　seeming　to　fail〃

She　choked；　and　did　not　say　more。　　He　said；　aimlessly；　〃I　am　sorry〃

〃Let　me　sit　down　a　moment；〃　she　begged。　　And　she　dropped　upon　the　bench
at　which　she　faltered；　and　rested　there；　as　if　from　the　exhaustion　of
running。　　When　she　could　get　her　breath　she　began　again：　〃There　is
something　else　I　want　to　tell　you。〃

She　stopped。　　And　he　asked；　to　prompt　her；　〃Yes？〃

〃Thank　you；〃　she　answered；　piteously。　　And　she　added；　with　superficial
inconsequence；　〃I　shall　always　think　you　were　very　cruel。〃

He　did　not　pretend　not　to　know　what　she　meant；　and　he　said；　〃I　shall
always　think　so；　too。　　I　tried　to　revenge　myself　for　the　hurt　your
harmless　hoax　did　my　vanity。　　Of　course；　I　made　believe　at　the　time　that
I　was　doing　an　act　of　justice；　but　I　never　was　able　to　brave　it　out
afterwards。〃

〃But　you　wereyou　were　doing　an　act　of　justice。　　I　deserved　what　you
said；　but　I　didn't　deserve　what　has　followed。　　I　meant　no　harmit　was　a
silly　prank；　and　I　have　suffered　for　it　as　if　it　were　a　crime；　and　the
consequences　are　not　ended　yet。　　I　should　think　that；　if　there　is　a　moral
government　of　the　universe；　the　Judge　of　all　the　earth　would　know　when　to
hold　his　hand。　　And　now　the　worst　of　it　is　to　come　yet。〃　　She　caught
Verrian's　arm；　as　if　for　help。

〃Don'tdon't！〃　he　besought　her。　　〃What　will　people　think？〃


〃Yes；　Yes！〃　she　owned；　releasing　him　and　withdrawing　to　the　other　end　of
the　seat。

〃But　it　almost　drives　me　wild。　　What　shall　I