fennel and rue-第7部分

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or；　if　not　spoiled；　made　it　more　difficult。　　Don't　think　me　ungrateful。　
Mr。　Merriam〃

〃My　name　isn't　Merriam；〃　he　resented；　at　last；　a　misnomer　which　had
annoyed　him　from　the　first。

〃Oh；　I　am　so　glad！　　Don't　tell　me　what　it　is！〃　she　said；　giving　a　laugh
which　had　to　go　on　a　little　before　he　recognized　the　hysterical　quality
in　it。　　When　she　could　check　it　she　explained：　〃Now　we　are　not　even
acquainted；　and　I　can　thank　a　stranger　for　the　kindness　you　have　shown
me。　　I　am　truly　grateful。　　Will　you　do　me　another　favor？〃

〃Yes；〃　Verrian　assented；　but　he　thought　he　had　a　right　to　ask；　as　though
he　had　not　promised；　〃What　is　it？〃

〃Not　to　speak　of　me　to　Mrs。　Westangle　unless　she　speaks　of　me　first。〃

〃That's　simple。　　I　don't　know　that　I　should　have　any　right　to　speak　of
you。〃

〃Oh　yes；　you　would。　　She　will　expect　you；　perhaps；　to　laugh　about　the
little　adventure；　and　I　would　rather　she　began　the　laughing　you　have　been
so　good。〃

〃All　right。　　But　wouldn't　my　silence　make　it　rather　more　awkward？〃

〃I　will　take　care　of　the　awkwardness；　thank　you。　　And　you　promise？〃

〃Yes；　I　promise。〃

〃That　is　very　good　of　you。〃　　She　put　her　hand　impulsively　across　the
goat…skin；　and　gave　his；　with　which　he　took　it　in　some　surprise；　a　quick
clasp。　　Then　they　were　both　silent；　and　they　got　out　of　the　carryall
under　Mrs。　Westangle's　porte…cochere　without　having　exchanged　another
word。　　Miss　Shirley　did　not　bow　to　him　or　look　at　him　in　parting。




X。

Verrian　kept　seeing　before　his　inner　eyes　the　thin　face　of　the　girl；
dimmed　rather　than　lighted　with　her　sick　yes。　　When　she　should　be
stronger；　there　might　be　a　pale　flush　in　it；　like　sunset　on　snow；　but
Verrian　had　to　imagine　that。　　He　did　not　find　it　difficult　to　imagine
many　things　about　the　girl；　whom；　in　another　mood；　a　more　judicial　mood；
he　might　have　accused　of　provoking　him　to　imagine　them。　　As　it　was；　he
could　not　help　noting　to　that　second　self　which　we　all　have　about　us；
that　her　confidences；　such　as　they　were；　had　perhaps　been　too　voluntary；
certainly　they　had　not　been　quite　obligatory；　and　they　could　not　be　quite
accounted　for；　except　upon　the　theory　of　nerves　not　yet　perfectly　under
her　control。　　To　be　sure；　girls　said　all　sorts　of　things　to　one；
ignorantly　and　innocently；　but　she　did　not　seem　the　kind　of　girl　who；　in
different　circumstances；　would　have　said　anything　that　she　did　not　choose
or　that　she　did　not　mean　to　say。　　She　had　been　surprisingly　frank；　and
yet；　at　heart；　Verrian　would　have　thought　she　was　a　very　reticent　person
or　a　secret　personthat　is；　mentally　frank　and　sentimentally　secret；
possibly　she　was　like　most　women　in　that。　　What　he　was　sure　of　was　that
the　visual　impression　of　her　which　he　had　received　must　have　been　very
vivid　to　last　so　long　in　his　consciousness；　all　through　his　preparations
for　going　down　to　afternoon　tea　her　face　remained　subjectively　before
him；　and　when　he　went　down　and　found　himself　part　of　a　laughing　and
chattering　company　in　the　library　he　still　found　it；　in　his　inner　sense；
here；　there；　and　yonder。

He　was　aware　of　suffering　a　little　disappointment　in　Mrs。　Westangle's
entire　failure　to　mention　Miss　Shirley；　though　he　was　aware　that　his
disappointment　was　altogether　unreasonable；　and　he　more　reasonably
decided　that　if　she　knew　anything　of　his　arrival；　or　the　form　of　it；　she
had　too　much　of　the　making　of　a　grande　dame　to　be　recognizant　of　it。　　He
did　not　know　from　her　whether　she　had　meant　to　send　for　him　at　the
station　or　not；　or　whether　she　had　sent　her　carriage　back　for　him　when　he
did　not　arrive　in　it　at　first。　　Nothing　was　left　in　her　manner　of　such
slight　specialization　as　she　had　thrown　into　it　when；　at　the　Macroyds'；
she　asked　him　down　to　her　house　party；　she　seemed；　if　there　were　any
difference；　to　have　acquired　an　additional　ignorance　of　who　and　what　he
was；　though　she　twittered　and　flittered　up　close　to　his　elbow；　after　his
impersonal　welcome；　and　asked　him　if　she　might　introduce　him　to　the　young
lady　who　was　pouring　tea　for　her；　and　who；　after　the　brief　drama
necessary　for　possessing　him　of　a　cup　of　it；　appeared　to　have　no　more　use
for　him　than　Mrs。　Westangle　herself　had。　　There　were　more　young　men　than
young　women　in　the　room；　but　he　imagined　the　usual　superabundance　of
girlhood　temporarily　absent　for　repair　of　the　fatigues　of　the　journey。　
Every　girl　in　the　room　had　at　least　one　man　talking　to　her；　and　the　girl
who　was　pouring　tea　had　one　on　each　side　of　her　and　was　trying　to　fix
them　both　with　an　eye　lifted　towards　each；　while　she　struggled　to　keep
her　united　gaze　watchfully　upon　the　tea…urn　and　those　who　came　up　with
cups　to　be　filled　or　refilled。

Verrian　thought　his　fellow…guests　were　all　amiable　enough　looking；　though
he　made　his　reflection　that　they　did　not　look；　any　of　them；　as　if　they
would　set　the　Sound　on　fire；　and　again　he　missed　the　companion　of　his
arrival。

After　he　had　got　his　cup　of　tea；　he　stood　sipping　it　with　a　homeless　air
which　he　tried　to　conceal；　and　cast　a　furtive　eye　round　the　room　till　it
rested　upon　the　laughing　face　of　Miss　Macroyd。　　A　young　man　was　taking
away　her　teacup；　and　Verrian　at　once　went　up　and　seized　his　place。

〃How　did　you　get　here？〃　she　asked；　rather　shamelessly；　since　she　had　kept
him　from　coming　in　the　victoria；　but　amusingly；　since　she　seemed　to　see
it　as　a　joke；　if　she　saw　it　at　all。

〃I　walked；〃　he　answered。

〃Truly？〃

〃No；　not　truly。〃

〃But；　truly；　how　did　you？　　Because　I　sent　the　carriage　back　for　you。〃

〃That　was　very　thoughtful　of　you。　　But　I　found　a　delightful　public
vehicle　behind　the　station；　and　I　came　in　that。　　I'm　so　glad　to　know　that
it　wasn't　Mrs。　Westangle　who　had　the　trouble　of　sending　the　carriage　back
for　me。〃

Miss　Macroyd　laughed　and　laughed　at　his　resentment。　　〃But　surely　you　met
it　on　the　way？　　I　gave　the　man　a　description　of　you。　　Didn't　he　stop　for
you？〃

〃Oh　yes；　but　I　was　too　proud　to　change　by　that　time。　　Or　perhaps　I　hated
the　trouble。〃

Miss　Macroyd　laughed　the　more；　then　she　purposely　darkened　her
countenance　so　as　to　suit　it　to　her　lugubrious　whisper；　〃How　did　she　get
here？〃

〃What　she？〃

〃The　mysterious　fugitive。　　Wasn't　she　coming　here；　after　all？〃

〃After　all　your　trouble　in　supposing　so？〃　　Verrian　reflected　a　moment；
and　then　he　said；　deliberately；　〃　I　don't　know。〃

Miss　Macroyd　was　not　going　to　let　him　off　like　that。　　〃You　don't　know　how
she　came；　or　you　don't　know　whether　she　was　coming？〃

〃I　didn't　say。〃

Her　laugh　resounded　again。　　〃Now　you　are　trying　to　be　wicked；　and　that　is
very　wrong　for　a　novelist。〃

〃But　what　object　could　I　have　in　concealing　the　fact　from　you；　Miss
Macroyd？〃　he　entreated；　with　mock　earnestness。

〃That　is　what　I　want　to　find　out。〃

〃What　are　you　two　laughing　so　about？〃　the　voice　of　Mrs。　Westangle
twittered　at　Verrian's　elbow；　and；　looking　down；　he　found　her　almost
touching　it。　　She　had　a　very　long；　narrow　neck；　and；　since　it　was　long
and　narrow；　she　had　the　good　sense　not　to　palliate　the　fact　or　try　to
dress　the　effect　of　it　out　of　sight。　　She　took　her　neck　in　both　hands；　as
it　were；　and　put　it　more　on　show；　so　that　you　had　really　to　like　it。　　Now
it　lifted　her　face；　though　she　was　not　a　tall　person；　well　towards　the
level　of　his；　to　be　sure；　he　was　himself　only　of　the　middle　height　of
men；　though　an　aquiline　profile　helped　him　up。

He　stirred　the　tea　which　he　had　ceased　to　drink；　and　said；　〃I　wasn't
'laughing　so　about；'　Mrs。　Westangle。　　It　was　Miss　Macroyd。〃

〃And　I　was　laughing　so　about　a　mysterious　stranger　that　came　up　on　the
train　with　us　and　got　out　at　your　station。〃

〃And　I　was　trying　to　make　out　what　was　so　funny　in　a　mysterious　stranger；
or　even　in　her　getting　out　at　your　station。〃

Mrs。　Westangle　was　not　interested　in　the　case；　or　else　she　failed　to
seize　the　joke。　　At　any　rate；　she　turned　from　them　without　further
question　and　went　away　to　another　part　of　the　room；　where　she　semi…
attached　herself　in　like　manner　to　another　couple；　and　again　left　it　for
still　another。　　This　was　possibly　her　idea　of　looking　after　her　guests；
but　when　she　had　looked　after　them　a　little　longer　in　that　way　she　left
the　room　and　let　them　look　after　themselves　till　dinner。

〃Come；　Mr。　Verrian；〃　Miss　Macroyd　resumed；　〃what　is　the　secret？　　I'll
never　tell　if　you　tell　me。〃

〃You　won't　if　I　don't。〃

〃Now　you　are　becoming　merely　trivial。　　You　are　ceasing　even　to　be
provoking。〃　　Miss　Macroyd；　in　token　of　her　displeasure；　laughed　no
longer。

〃Am　I？〃　he　questioned；　thoughtfully。　　〃Well；　then；　I　am　tempted　to　act
upon　impulse。〃

〃Oh；　do　act　upon　impulse　for　once；〃　she　urged。　　I'm　sure　you'll　enjoy
it。〃

〃Do　you　mean　that　I'm　never　impulsive？〃

〃I　don't　think　you　look　it。〃

〃If　you　had　seen　me　an　hour　ago　you　would　have　said　I　was　very　impulsive。　
I　think　I　may　have　exhausted　myself　in　that　direction；　however。　　I　feel
the　impulse　failing　me　now。〃




XI。

His　impulse　really　had　failed　him。　　It　had　been　to　tell　Miss　Macroyd
about　his　adventure　and　frankly　trust　her　with　it。　　He　had　liked　her　at
several　former　meetings　rather　increasingly；　because　she　had　seemed　open
and　honest　beyond　the　most　of　women；　but　her　piggish　behavior　at　the
station　had　been　rather　too　open　and　honest；　and　the　sense　of　this　now
opportunely　intervened　between　him　and　the　folly　he　was　about　to　commit。　
Besides；　he　had　no　right　to　give　Miss　Shirley's　part　in　his　adventure
away；　and；　since　the　affair　was　more　vitally　hers　than　his；　to　take　it　at
all　out　of　her　hands。　　The　early…falling　dusk　had　favored　an　unnoticed
advent　for　them；　and　there　were　other　chances　that　had　helped　keep
unknown　their　arrival　together　at　Mrs。　Westangle's　in　that　squalid
carryall；　such　as　Miss　Shirley's　having　managed　instantly　to　slip　indoors
before　the　man　came　out　for　Verrian's　suit…case；　and　of　her　having　got　to
her　own　appointed　place　long　before　there　was　any　descent　of　the　company
to　the　afternoon　tea。

It　was　not　for　him　now　to　undo　all　that　and　begin　the　laughing　at　the
affair；　which　she　had　pathetically　intimated　that　she　would　rather　some
one　else　should　begin。　　He　recoiled　from　his　imprudence　with　a　shock；　but
he　had　the　pleasure　of　having　mystified　Miss　Macroyd。　　He　felt　dismissal
in　the　rov