fennel and rue-第4部分

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〃Yes；　and　you　did　quite　right；　I　am　more　and　more　convinced　of　that。　　But
such　a　very　tough　young　person　might　have　refused　to　stay　crushed。　　She
might　very　naturally　have　got　herself　into　shape　again　and　smoothed　out
the　creases；　at　least　so　far　to　try　some　further　defence。〃

〃It　seems　that　she　hasn't；〃　Verrian　said；　still　darkly；　but　not　so
frowningly。

〃I　should　have　fancied；〃　his　mother　suggested；　〃that　if　she　had　wanted　to
open　a　correspondence　with　youif　that　was　her　original　objectshe
would　not　have　let　it　drop　so　easily。〃

〃Has　she　let　it　drop　easily？　　I　thought　I　had　left　her　no　possible　chance
of　resuming　it。〃

〃That　is　true；〃　his　mother　said；　and　for　the　time　she　said　no　more　about
the　matter。

Not　long　after　this　he　came　home　from　the　magazine　office　and　reported　to
her　from　Armiger　that　the　story　was　catching　on　more　and　more　with　the
best　class　of　readers。　　The　editor　had　shown　Verrian　some　references　to
it　in　newspapers　of　good　standing　and　several　letters　about　it。

〃I　thought　you　might　like　to　look　at　the　letters；〃　Verrian　said；　and　he
took　some　letters　from　his　pocket　and　handed　them　to　her　across　the
lunch…table。　　She　did　not　immediately　look　at　them；　because　he　went　on　to
add　something　that　they　both　felt　to　be　more　important。　　〃Armiger　says
there　has　been　some　increase　of　the　sales；　which　I　can　attribute　to　my
story　if　I　have　the　cheek。〃

〃That　is　good。〃

〃And　the　house　wants　to　publish　the　book。　　They　think；　down　there；　that
it　will　have　a　very　pretty　successnot　be　a　big　seller；　of　course；　but
something　comfortable。〃

Mrs。　Verrian's　eyes　were　suffused　with　pride　and　fondness。　　〃And　you　can
always　think；　Philip；　that　this　has　come　to　you　without　the　least
lowering　of　your　standard；　without　forsaking　your　ideal　for　a　moment。〃

〃That　is　certainly　a　satisfaction。〃

She　kept　her　proud　and　tender　gaze　upon　him。　　〃No　one　will　ever　know　as　I
do　how　faithful　you　have　been　to　your　art。　　Did　any　of　the　newspapers
recognize　thator　surmise　it；　or　suspect　it？〃

〃No；　that　isn't　the　turn　they　take。　　They　speak　of　the　strong　love
interest　involved　in　the　problem。　　And　the　abundance　of　incident。
I　looked　out　to　keep　something　happening；　you　know。　　I'm　sorry　I　didn't
ask　Armiger　to　let　me　bring　the　notices　home　to　you。　　I'm　not　sure　that　I
did　wisely　not　to　subscribe　to　that　press…clippings　bureau。〃

His　mother　smiled。　　〃You　mustn't　let　prosperity　corrupt　you；　Philip。　
Wouldn't　seeing　what　the　press　is　saying　of　it　distract　you　from　the　real
aim　you　had　in　your　story？〃

〃We're　all　weak；　of　course。　　It　might；　if　the　story　were　not　finished；
but　as　it　is；　I　think　I　could　be　proof　against　the　stupidest　praise。〃

〃Well；　for　my　part；　I'm　glad　you　didn't　subscribe　to　the　clippings
bureau。　　It　would　have　been　a　disturbing　element。〃　　She　now　looked　down
at　the　letters　as　if　she　were　going　to　take　them　up；　and　he　followed　the
direction　of　her　eyes。　　As　if　reminded　of　the　fact　by　this；　he　said：

〃Armiger　asked　me　if　I　had　ever　heard　anything　more　from　that　girl。〃

〃Has　he？〃　his　mother　eagerly　asked；　transferring　her　glance　from　the
letters　to　her　son's　face。

〃Not　a　word。　　I　think　I　silenced　her　thoroughly。〃

〃Yes；〃　his　mother　said。　　〃There　could　have　been　no　good　object　in
prolonging　the　affair　and　letting　her　confirm　herself　in　the　notion　that
she　was　of　sufficient　importance　either　to　you　or　to　him　for　you　to
continue　the　correspondence　with　her。　　She　couldn't　learn　too　distinctly
that　she　had　donea　very　wrong　thing　in　trying　to　play　such　a　trick　on
you。〃

〃That　was　the　way　I　looked　at　it；〃　Verrian　said；　but　he　drew　a　light
sigh；　rather　wearily。

〃I　hope；〃　his　mother　said；　with　a　recurrent　glance　at　the　letters；　〃that
there　is　nothing　of　that　silly　kind　among　these。〃

〃No；　these　are　blameless　enough；　unless　they　are　to　be　blamed　for　being
too　flattering。　　That　girl　seems　to　be　sole　of　her　kind；　unless　the　girl
that　she　'got　together　with'　was　really　like　her。〃

〃I　don't　believe　there　was　any　other　girl。　　I　never　thought　there　was
more　than　one。〃

〃There　seemed　to　be　two　styles　and　two　grades　of　culture；　such　as　they
were。〃

〃Oh；　she　could　easily　imitate　two　manners。　　She　must　have　been　a　clever
girl；〃　Mrs。　Verrian　said；　with　that　admiration　for　any　sort　of　cleverness
in　her　sex　which　even　very　good　women　cannot　help　feeling。

〃Well；　perhaps　she　was　punished　enough　for　both　the　characters　she
assumed；〃　Verrian　said；　with　a　smile　that　was　not　gay。

〃Don't　think　about　her！〃　his　mother　returned；　with　a　perception　of　his
mood。　　〃I'm　only　thankful　that　she's　out　of　our　lives　in　every　sort　of
way。〃




VI。

Verrian　said　nothing；　but　he　reflected　with　a　sort　of　gloomy　amusement
how　impossible　it　was　for　any　woman；　even　a　woman　so　wide…minded　and
high…principled　as　his　mother；　to　escape　the　personal　view　of　all　things
and　all　persons　which　women　take。　　He　tacitly　noted　the　fact；　as　the
novelist　notes　whatever　happens　or　appears　to　him；　but　he　let　the
occasion　drop　out　of　his　mind　as　soon　as　he　could　after　it　had　dropped
out　of　his　talk。

The　night　when　the　last　number　of　his　story　came　to　them　in　the　magazine；
and　was　already　announced　as　a　book；　he　sat　up　with　his　mother
celebrating；　as　he　said；　and　exulting　in　the　future　as　well　as　the　past。　
They　had　a　little　supper；　which　she　cooked　for　him　in　a　chafing…dish；　in
the　dining…room　of　the　tiny　apartment　where　they　lived　together；　and　she
made　some　coffee　afterwards；　to　carry　off　the　effect　of　the　Newburg
lobster。　　Perhaps　because　there　was　nothing　to　carry　off　the　effect　of
the　coffee；　he　heard　her；　through　the　partition　of　their　rooms；　stirring
restlessly　after　he　had　gone　to　bed；　and　a　little　later　she　came　to　his
door；　which　she　set　ajar；　to　ask；　〃Are　you　awake；　Philip？〃

〃You　seem　to　be；　mother；〃　he　answered；　with　an　amusement　at　her　question
which　seemed　not　to　have　imparted　itself　to　her　when　she　came　in　and
stood　beside　his　bed　in　her　dressing…gown。

〃You　don't　think　we　have　judged　her　too　harshly；　Philip？〃

〃Do　you；　mother？〃

〃No；　I　think　we　couldn't　be　too　severe　in　a　thing　like　that。　　She
probably　thought　you　were　like　some　of　the　other　story…writers；　she
couldn't　feel　differences；　shades。　　She　pretended　to　be　taken　with　the
circumstances　of　your　work；　but　she　had　to　do　that　if　she　wanted　to　fool
you。　　Well；　she　has　got　her　come…uppings；　as　she　would　probably　say。〃

Verrian　replied；　thoughtfully；　〃She　didn't　strike　me　as　a　country　person
at　least；　in　her　first　letter。〃

〃Then　you　still　think　she　didn't　write　both？〃

〃If　she　did；　she　was　trying　her　hand　in　a　personality　she　had　invented。〃

〃Girls　are　very　strange；〃　his　mother　sighed。　　〃They　like　excitement；
adventure。　　It's　very　dull　in　those　little　places。　　I　shouldn't　wish　you
to　think　any　harm　of　the　poor　thing。〃

〃Poor　thing？　　Why　this　magnanimous　compassion；　mother？〃

〃Oh；　nothing。　　But　I　know　how　I　was　myself　when　I　was　a　girl。　　I　used
almost　to　die　of　hunger　for　something　to　happen。　　Can　you　remember　just
what　you　said　in　your　letter？〃

Verrian　laughed。　　〃NO；　I　can't。　　But　I　don't　believe　I　said　half　enough。　
You're　nervous；　mother。〃

〃Yes；　I　am。　　But　don't　you　get　to　worrying。　　I　merely　got　to　thinking　how
I　should　hate　to　have　anybody's　unhappiness　mixed　up　with　this　happiness
of　ours。　　I　do　so　want　your　pleasure　in　your　success　to　be　pure；　not
tainted　with　the　pain　of　any　human　creature。〃

Verrian　answered　with　light　cynicism：　〃It　will　be　tainted　with　the　pain
of　the　fellows　who　don't　like　me；　or　who　haven't　succeeded；　and　they'll
take　care　to　let　me　share　their　pain　if　ever　they　can。　　But　if　you　mean
that　merry　maiden　up　country；　she's　probably　thinking；　if　she　thinks
about　it　at　all；　that　she's　the　luckiest　girl　in　the　United　States　to
have　got　out　of　an　awful　scrape　so　easily。　　At　the　worst；　I　only　had　fun
with　her　in　my　letter。　　Probably　she　sees　that　she　has　nothing　to　grieve
for　but　her　own　break。〃

〃No；　and　you　did　just　as　you　should　have　done；　and　I　am　glad　you　don't
feel　bitterly　about　it。　　You　don't；　do　you？〃

〃Not　the　least。〃

His　mother　stooped　over　and　kissed　him　where　he　lay　smiling。　　〃Well；
that's　good。　　After　all；　it's　you　I　cared　for。　　Now　I　can　say　good…
night。〃　　But　she　lingered　to　tuck　him　in　a　little；　from　the　persistence
of　the　mother　habit。　　〃I　wish　you　may　never　do　anything　that　you　will　be
sorry　for。〃

〃Well；　I　won'tif　it's　a　good　action。〃

They　laughed　together；　and　she　left　the　room；　still　looking　back　to　see
if　there　was　anything　more　she　could　do　for　him；　while　he　lay　smiling；
intelligently　for　what　she　was　thinking；　and　patiently　for　what　she　was
doing。




VII。

Even　in　the　time　which　was　then　coming　and　which　now　is；　when　successful
authors　are　almost　as　many　as　millionaires；　Verrian's　book　brought　him　a
pretty　celebrity；　and　this　celebrity　was　in　a　way　specific。　　It　related
to　the　quality　of　his　work；　which　was　quietly　artistic　and　psychological；
whatever　liveliness　of　incident　it　uttered　on　the　surface。　　He　belonged
to　the　good　school　which　is　of　no　fashion　and　of　every　time；　far　both
from　actuality　and　unreality；　and　his　recognition　came　from　people　whose
recognition　was　worth　having。　　With　this　came　the　wider　notice　which　was
not　worth　having；　like　the　notice　of　Mrs。　Westangle；　since　so　well　known
to　society　reporters　as　a　society　woman；　which　could　not　be　called
recognition　of　him；　because　it　did　not　involve　any　knowledge　of　his　book；
not　even　its　title。　　She　did　not　read　any　sort　of　books；　and　she
assimilated　him　by　a　sort　of　atmospheric　sense。　　She　was　sure　of　nothing
but　the　attention　paid　him　in　a　certain　very　goodish　house；　by　people
whom　she　heard　talking　in　unintelligible　but　unmistakable　praise；　when
she　said；　casually；　with　a　liquid　glitter　of　her　sweet；　small　eyes；
〃I　wish　you　would　come　down　to　my　place；　Mr。　Verrian。　　I'm　asking　a　few
young　people　for　Christmas　week。　　Will　you？〃

〃Why；　thank　youthank　you　very　much；〃　Verrian　said；　waiting　to　hear　more
in　explanation　of　the　hospitality　launched　at　him。　　He　had　never　seen
Mrs。　Westangle　till　then；　or　heard　of　her；　and　he　had　not　the　least
notion　where　she　lived。　　But　she　seemed　to　have　social　authority；　though
Verrian；　in