fennel and rue-第5部分

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notion　where　she　lived。　　But　she　seemed　to　have　social　authority；　though
Verrian；　in　looking　round　at　his　hostess　and　her　daughter；　who　stood
near；　letting　people　take　leave；　learned　nothing　from　their　common　smile。　
Mrs。　Westangle　had　glided　close　to　him；　in　the　way　she　had　of　getting
very　near　without　apparently　having　advanced　by　steps；　and　she　stood
gleaming　and　twittering　up　at　him。

〃I　shall　send　you　a　little　note；　I　won't　let　you　forget；〃　she　said。　　Then
she　suddenly　shook　hands　with　the　ladies　of　the　house　and　was　flashingly
gone。

Verrian　thought　he　might　ask　the　daughter　of　the　house；　〃And　if　I　don't
forget；　am　I　engaged　to　spend　Christmas　week　with　her？〃

The　girl　laughed。　　〃If　she　doesn't　forget；　you　are。　　But　you'll　have　a
good　time。　　She'll　know　how　to　manage　that。〃　　Other　guests　kept　coming　up
to　take　leave；　and　Verrian；　who　did　not　want　to　go　just　yet；　was　retired
to　the　background；　where　the　girl's　voice；　thrown　over　her　shoulder　at
him；　reached　him　in　the　words；　as　gay　as　if　they　were　the　best　of　the
joke；　〃It's　on　the　Sound。〃

The　inference　was　that　Mrs。　Westangle's　place　was　on　the　Sound；　and　that
was　all　Verrian　knew　about　it　till　he　got　her　little　note。　　Mrs。
Westangle　knew　how　to　write　in　a　formless　hand；　but　she　did　not　know　how
to　spell；　and　she　had　thought　it　best　to　have　a　secretary　who　could　write
well　and　spell　correctly。　　Though；　as　far　as　literacy　was　concerned；　she
was　such　an　almost　incomparably　ignorant　woman；　she　had　all　the　knowledge
the　best　society　wants；　or；　if　she　found　herself　out　of　any；　she　went　and
bought　some；　she　was　able　to　buy　almost　anything。

Verrian　thanked　the　secretary　for　remembering　him；　in　the　belief　that　he
was　directly　thanking　Mrs。　Westangle；　whose　widespread　consciousness　his
happiness　in　accepting　did　not　immediately　reach；　and　in　the　very　large
house　party；　which　he　duly　joined　under　her　roof；　he　was　aware　of　losing
distinctiveness　almost　to　the　point　of　losing　identity。　　This　did　not
quite　happen　on　the　way　to　Belford；　for；　when　he　went　to　take　his　seat　in
the　drawing…room　car；　a　girl　in　the　chair　fronting　him　put　out　her　hand
with　the　laugh　of　Miss　Macroyd。

〃She　did　remember　you！〃　she　cried　out。　　〃How　delightful！　　I　don't　see　how
she　ever　got　onto　you〃she　made　the　slang　her　own〃in　the　first　place；
and　she　must　have　worked　hard　to　be　sure　of　you　since。〃

Verrian　hung　up　his　coat　and　put　his　suit…case　behind　his　chair；　the
porter　having　put　it　where　he　could　not　wheel　himself　vis…a…vis　with　the
girl。　　〃She　took　all　the　time　there　was；〃　he　answered。　　〃I　got　my
invitation　only　the　day　before　yesterday；　and　if　I　had　been　in　more
demand；　or　had　a　worse　conscience〃

〃Oh；　do　say　worse　conscience！　　It's　so　much　more　interesting；〃　the　girl
broke　in。

〃I　shouldn't　have　the　pleasure　of　going　to　Seasands　with　you　now；〃　he
concluded；　and　she　gave　her　laugh。　　〃Do　I　understand　that　simply　my
growing　fame　wouldn't　have　prevailed　with　her？〃

Anything　seemed　to　make　Miss　Macroyd　laugh。　　〃She　couldn't　have　cared
about　that；　and　she　wouldn't　have　known。　　You　may　be　sure　that　it　was　a
social　question　with　her　after　the　personal　question　was　settled。　　She
must　have　liked　your　looks！〃　　Again　Miss　Macroyd　laughed。

〃On　that　side　I'm　invulnerable。　　It's　only　a　literary　vanity　to　be
soothed　or　to　be　wounded　that　I　have；〃　Verrian　said。

〃Oh；　there　wouldn't　be　anything　personal　in　her　liking　your　looks。　　It
would　be　merely　deciding　that　personally　you　would　do；　〃Miss　Macroyd
laughed；　as　always；　and　Verrian　put　on　a　mock　seriousness　in　asking：

〃Then　I　needn't　be　serious　if　there　should　happen　to　be　anything　so
Westangular　as　a　Mr。　Westangle？〃

〃Not　the　least　in　the　world。〃

〃But　there　is　something？〃

〃Oh；　I　believe　so。　　But　not　probably　at　Seasands。〃

〃Is　that　her　house？〃

〃Yes。　　Every　other　name　had　been　used；　and　she　couldn't　say　Soundsands。〃

〃Then　where　would　the　Mr。　Westangular　part　more　probably　be　found？〃

〃Oh；　in　Montana　or　Mesopotamia；　or　any　of　those　places。　　Don't　you　know
about　him？　　How　ignorant　literary　people　can　be！　　Why；　he　was　the
Amalgamated　Clothespin。　　You　haven't　heard　of　that？〃

She　went　on　to　tell　him；　with　gay　digressions；　about　the　invention　which
enabled　Westangle　to　buy　up　the　other　clothes…pins　and　merge　them　in　his
ownto　become　a　commercial　octopus；　clutching　the　throats　of　other
clothespin　inventors　in　the　tentacles　of　the　Westangle　pin。　　〃But　he
isn't　in　clothespins　now。　　He's　in　mines；　and　banks；　and　steamboats；　and
railroads；　and　I　don't　know　what　all；　and　Mrs。　Westangle；　the　second　of
her　name；　never　was　in　clothespins。〃

Miss　Macroyd　laughed　all　through　her　talk；　and　she　was　in　a　final　burst
of　laughing　when　the　train　slowed　into　Stamford。　　There　a　girl　came　into
the　car　trailing　her　skirts　with　a　sort　of　vivid　debility　and　overturning
some　minor　pieces　of　hand…baggage　which　her　draperies　swept　out　of　their
shelter　beside　the　chairs。　　She　had　to　take　one　of　the　seats　which　back
against　the　wall　of　the　state…room；　where　she　must　face　the　whole　length
of　the　car。　　She　sat　weakly　fallen　back　in　the　chair　and　motionless；　as
if　almost　unconscious；　but　after　the　train　had　begun　to　stir　she　started
up；　and　with　a　quick　flinging　of　her　veil　aside　turned　to　look　out　of　the
window。　　In　the　flying　instant　Verrian　saw　a　colorless　face　with　pinched
and　sunken　eyes　under　a　worn…looking　forehead；　and　a　withered　mouth　whose
lips　parted　feebly。

On　her　part；　Miss　Macroyd　had　doubtless　already　noted　that　the　girl　was；
with　no　show　of　expensiveness；　authoritatively　well　gowned　and　personally
hatted。　　She　stared　at　her；　and　said；　〃What　a　very　hunted　and　escaping
effect。〃

〃She　does　look　rather…fugitive；〃　Verrian　agreed；　staring　too。

〃One　might　almost　fancyan　asylum。〃

〃Yes；　or　a　hospital。〃

They　continued　both　to　stare　at　her；　helpless　for　what　ever　different
reasons　to　take　their　eyes　away；　and　they　were　still　interested　in　her
when　they　heard　her　asking　the　conductor；　〃Must　I　change　and　take　another
train　before　we　get　to　Belford？　　My　friends　thought〃

〃No；　this　train　stops　at　Southfield；〃　the　conductor　answered；　absently
biting　several　holes　into　her　drawing…room　ticket。

〃Can　she　be　one　of　us？〃　Miss　Macroyd　demanded；　in　a　dramatic　whisper。

〃She　might　be　anything；〃　Verrian　returned；　trying　instantly；　with　a　whir
of　his　inventive　machinery；　to　phrase　her。　　He　made　a　sort　of　luxurious
failure　of　it；　and　rested　content　with　her　face；　which　showed　itself　now
in　profile　and　now　fronted　him　in　full；　and　now　was　restless　and　now
subsided　in　a　look　of　delicate　exhaustion。　　He　would　have　said；　if　he
would　have　said　anything　absolute；　that　she　was　a　person　who　had
something　on　her　mind；　at　instants　she　had　that　hunted　air；　passing　at
other　instants　into　that　air　of　escape。　　He　discussed　these　appearances
with　Miss　Macroyd；　but　found　her　too　frankly　disputatious；　and　she
laughed　too　much　and　too　loud。




VIII。

At　Southfield；　where　they　all　descended；　Miss　Macroyd　promptly　possessed
herself　of　a　groom；　who　came　forward　tentatively；　touching　his　hat。　
〃Miss　Macroyd　？〃　she　suggested。

〃Yes；　miss；〃　the　man　said；　and　led　the　way　round　the　station　to　the
victoria　which；　when　Miss　Macroyd's　maid　had　mounted　to　the　place　beside
her；　had　no　room；　for　any　one　else。

Verrian　accounted　for　her　activity　upon　the　theory　of　her　quite
justifiable　wish　not　to　arrive　at　Seasands　with　a　young　man　whom　she
might　then　have　the　effect　of　having　voluntarily　come　all　the　way　with；
and　after　one　or　two　circuits　of　the　station　it　was　apparent　to　him　that
he　was　not　to　have　been　sent　for　from　Mrs。　Westangle's；　but　to　have　been
left　to　the　chances　of　the　local　drivers　and　their　vehicles。　　These　were
reduced　to　a　single　carryall　and　a　frowsy　horse　whose　rough　winter　coat
recalled　the　aspect　of　his　species　in　the　period　following　the　glacial
epoch。　　The　mud；　as　of　a　world…thaw；　encrusted　the　wheels　and　curtains　of
the　carryall。

Verrian　seized　upon　it　and　then　went　into　the　waiting…room；　where　he　had
left　his　suit…case。　　He　found　the　stranger　there　in　parley　with　the　young
woman　in　the　ticket…office　about　a　conveyance　to　Mrs。　Westangle's。　　It
proved　that　he　had　secured　not　only　the　only　thing　of　the　sort；　but　the
only　present　hope　of　any　other；　and　in　the　hard　case　he　could　not
hesitate　with　distress　so　interesting。　　It　would　have　been　brutal　to
drive　off　and　leave　that　girl　there；　and　it　would　have　been　a　vulgar
flourish　to　put　the　entire　vehicle　at　her　service。　　Besides；　and　perhaps
above　all；　Verrian　had　no　idea　of　depriving　himself　of　such　a　chance　as
heaven　seemed　to　offer　him。

He　advanced　with　the　delicacy　of　the　highest…bred　hero　he　could　imagine；
and　said；　〃I　am　going　to　Mrs。　Westangle's；　and　I'm　afraid　I've　got　the
only　conveyancesuch　as　it　is。　　If　you　would　let　me　offer　you　half　of
it？　　Mr。　Verrian；〃　he　added；　at　the　light　of　acceptance　instantly
kindling　in　her　face；　which　flushed　thinly；　as　with　an　afterglow　of
invalidism。

〃Why；　thank　you；　I'm　afraid　I　must；　Mr。　Merriam；〃　and　Verrian　was　aware
of　being　vexed　at　her　failure　to　catch　his　name；　the　name　of　Verrian
ought　to　have　been　unmistakable。　　〃The　young　lady　in　the　office　says
there　won't　be　another；　and　I'm　expected　promptly。〃　　She　added；　with　a
little　tremor　of　the　lip；　〃I　don't　understand　why　Mrs。　Westangle〃
But　then　she　stopped。

Verrian　interpreted　for　her：　〃The　sea…horses　must　have　given　out　at
Seasands。　　Or　probably　there's　some　mistake；〃　and　he　reflected　bitterly
upon　the　selfishness　of　Miss　Macroyd　in　grabbing　that　victoria　for
herself　and　her　maid；　not　considering　that　she　could　not　know；　and　has　no
business　to　ask；　whether　this　girl　was　going　to　Mrs。　Westangle's；　too。
〃Have　you　a　check？〃　he　asked。　　〃I　think　our　driver　could　find　room　for
something　besides　my　valise。　　Or　I　could　have　it　come〃

〃Not　at　all；〃　the　girl　said。　　〃I　sent　my　trunk　ahead　by　express。〃

A　frowsy　man；　to　match　the　frowsy　horse；　looked　in　impatiently。　　〃Any
other　baggage？〃

〃No；〃　Verrian　answered；　and　he　led　the　way　out　after　the　vanishing
driver。　　〃Our　chariot　is　back　here　in　hiding；　Miss〃

〃Shirley；〃　she　said；　and　trailed　before　him　through　the　door　he　opened。

He　felt　that