fennel and rue-第8部分

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he　had　the　pleasure　of　having　mystified　Miss　Macroyd。　　He　felt　dismissal
in　the　roving　eye　which　she　cast　from　him　round　the　room；　and　he
willingly　let　another　young　man　replace　him　at　her　side。

Yet　he　was　not　altogether　satisfied。　　A　certain　meaner　self　that　there
was　in　him　was　not　pleased　with　his　relegation　even　merely　in　his　own
consciousness　to　the　championship　of　a　girl　who　was　going　to　make　her
living　in　a　sort　of　menial　way。　　It　had　better　be　owned　for　him　that；　in
his　visions　of　literary　glory；　he　had　figured　in　social　triumphs　which；
though　vague；　were　resplendent　with　the　glitter　of　smart　circles。　　He　had
been　so　ignorant　of　such　circles　as　to　suppose　they　would　have　some　use
for　him　as　a　brilliant　young　author；　and　though　he　was　outwearing　this
illusion；　he　still　would　not　have　liked　a　girl　like　Julia　Macroyd；　whose
family；　if　not　smart；　was　at　least　chic；　to　know　that　he　had　come　to　the
house　with　a　professional　mistress　of　the　revels；　until　Miss　Shirley
should　have　approved　herself　chic；　too。　　The　notion　of　such　an　employment
as　hers　was　in　itself　chic；　but　the　girl　was　merely　a　paid　part　of　the
entertainment；　as　yet；　and　had　not　risen　above　the　hireling　status。　　If
she　had　sunk　to　that　level　from　a　higher　rank　it　would　be　all　right；　but
there　was　no　evidence　that　she　had　ever　been　smart。　　Verrian　would；
therefore；　rather　not　be　mixed　up　with　herat　any　rate；　in　the
imagination　of　a　girl　like　Julia　Macroyd；　and　as　he　left　her　side　he　drew
a　long　breath　of　relief　and　went　and　put　down　his　teacup　where　he　had　got
it。

By　this　time　the　girl　who　was　〃pouring〃　had　exhausted　one　of　the　two
original　guards　on　whom　she　had　been　dividing　her　vision；　and　Verrian
made　a　pretence；　which　she　favored；　that　he　had　come　up　to　push　the　man
away。　　The　man　gracefully　submitted　to　be　dislodged；　and　Verrian　remained
in　the　enjoyment　of　one　of　the　girl's　distorted　eyes　till；　yet　another
man　coming　up；　she　abruptly　got　rid　of　Verrian　by　presenting　him　to　yet
another　girl。　　In　such　manoeuvres　the　hour　of　afternoon　tea　will　pass；
and　the　time　really　wore　on　till　it　was　time　to　dress　for　dinner。

By　the　time　that　the　guests　came　down　to　dinner　they　were　all　able　to
participate　in　the　exchange　of　the　discovery　which　each　had　made；　that　it
was　snowing　outdoors；　and　they　kept　this　going　till　one　girl　had　the
good…luck　to　say；　〃I　don't　see　anything　so　astonishing　in　that　at　this
time　of　year。　　Now；　if　it　was　snowing　indoors；　it　would　be　different。〃

This　relieved　the　tension　in　a　general　laugh；　and　a　young　man　tried　to
contribute　further　to　the　gayety　by　declaring　that　it　would　not　be
surprising　to　have　it　snow　in…doors。　　He　had　once　seen　the　thing　done　in
a　crowded　hall；　one　night；　when　somebody　put　up　a　window；　and　the
freezing　current　of　air　congealed　the　respiration　of　the　crowd；　which
came　down　in　a　light　fall　of　snow…flakes。　　He　owned　that　it　was　in
Boston。

〃Oh；　that　excuses　it；　then；〃　Miss　Macroyd　said。　　But　she　lost　the　laugh
which　was　her　due　in　the　rush　which　some　of　the　others　made　to　open　a
window　and　see　whether　it　could　be　made　to　snow　in…doors　there。

〃Oh；　it　isn't　crowded　enough　here；〃　the　young　man　explained　who　had
alleged　the　scientific　marvel。

〃And　it　isn't　Boston；〃　Miss　Macroyd　tried　again　on　the　same　string；　and
this　time　she　got　her　laugh。

The　girl　who　had　first　spoken　remained；　at　the　risk　of　pneumonia；　with
her　arm　prettily　lifted　against　the　open　sash；　for　a　moment　peering　out；
and　then　reported；　in　dashing　it　down　with　a　shiver；　〃It　seems　to　be　a
very　soft　snow。〃

〃Then　it　will　be　rain　by　morning；〃　another　predicted；　and　the　girl　tried
hard　to　think　of　something　to　say　in　support　of　the　hit　she　had　made
already。　　But　she　could　not；　and　was　silent　almost　through　the　whole
first　course　at　dinner。

In　spite　of　its　being　a　soft　snow；　it　continued　to　fall　as　snow　and　not
as　rain。　　It　lent　the　charm　of　stormy　cold　without　to　the　brightness　and
warmth　within。　　Much　later；　when　between　waltzes　some　of　the　dancers　went
out　on　the　verandas　for　a　breath　of　air；　they　came　back　reporting　that
the　wind　was　rising　and　the　snow　was　drifting。

Upon　the　whole；　the　snow　was　a　great　success；　and　her　guests
congratulated　Mrs。　Westangle　on　having　thought　to　have　it。　　The
felicitations　included　recognition　of　the　originality　of　her　whole
scheme。　　She　had　downed　the　hoary　superstition　that　people　had　too　much
of　a　good　time　on　Christmas　to　want　any　good　time　at　all　in　the　week
following；　and　in　acting　upon　the　well…known　fact　that　you　never　wanted　a
holiday　so　much　as　the　day　after　you　had　one；　she　had　made　a　movement　of
the　highest　social　importance。　　These　were　the　ideas　which　Verrian　and
the　young　man　of　the　in…doors　snow…storm　urged　upon　her；　his　name　was
Bushwick；　and　he　and　Verrian　found　that　they　were　very　good…fellows　after
they　had　rather　supposed　the　contrary。

Mrs。　Westangle　received　their　ideas　with　the　twittering　reticence　that
deceived　so　many　people　when　they　supposed　she　knew　what　they　were
talking　about。




XII。

At　breakfast；　where　the　guests　were　reasonably　punctual；　they　were　all
able　to　observe；　in　the　rapid　succession　in　which　they　descended　from
their　rooms；　that　it　had　stopped　snowing　and　the　sun　was　shining
brilliantly。

〃There　isn't　enough　for　sleighing；〃　Mrs。　Westangle　proclaimed　from　the
head　of　the　table　in　her　high　twitter；　〃and　there　isn't　any　coasting　here
in　this　flat　country　for　miles。〃

〃Then　what　are　we　going　to　do　with　it？〃　one　of　the　young　ladies
humorously　pouted。

〃That's　what　I　was　going　to　suggest；〃　Mrs。　Westangle　replied。　　She
pronounced　it　'sujjest'；　but　no　one　felt　that　it　mattered。　　〃And；　of
course；〃　she　continued；　〃you　needn't　any　of　you　do　it　if　you　don't　like。〃

〃We'll　all　do　it；　Mrs。　Westangle；〃　Bushwick　said。　　〃We　are　unanimous　in
that。〃

〃Perhaps　you'll　think　it　rather　funnyodd；〃　she　said。

〃The　odder　the　better；　I　think；〃　Verrian　ventured；　and　another　man
declared　that　nothing　Mrs。　Westangle　would　do　was　odd；　though　everything
was　original。

〃Well；　there　is　such　a　thing　as　being　too　original；〃　she　returned。　　Then
she　turned　her　head　aside　and　looked　down　at　something　beside　her　plate
and　said；　without　lifting　her　eyes；　〃You　know　that　in　the　Middle　Ages
there　used　to　be　flower…fights　among　the　young　nobility　in　Italy。　　The
women　held　a　tower；　and　the　men　attacked　it　with　roses　and　flowers
generally。〃

〃Why；　is　this　a　speech？〃　Miss　Macroyd　interrupted。

〃A　speech　from　the　throne；　yes；〃　Bushwick　solemnly　corrected　her。　　〃And
she's　got　it　written　down；　like　a　queenhaven't　you；　Mrs。　Westangle？〃

〃Yes；　I　thought　it　would　be　more　respectful。〃

〃She　coming　out；〃　Bushwick　said　to　Verrian　across　the　table。

〃And　if　I　got　mixed　up　I　could　go　back　and　straighten　it；〃　the　hostess
declared；　with　a　goodhumored　candor　that　took　the　general　fancy；　〃and
you　could　understand　without　so　much　explaining。　　We　haven't　got　flowers
enough　at　this　season；〃　she　went　on；　looking　down　again　at　the　paper
beside　her　plate；　〃but　we　happen　to　have　plenty　of　snowballs；　and　the
notion　is　to　have　the　women　occupy　a　snow　tower　and　the　men　attack　them
with　snowballs。〃

〃Why；〃　Bushwick　said；　〃this　is　the　snow…fort　business　of　our　boyhood！　
Let's　go　out　and　fortify　the　ladies　at　once。〃　　He　appealed　to　Verrian　and
made　a　feint　of　pushing　his　chair　back。　　〃May　we　use　water…soaked
snowballs；　or　must　they　all　be　soft　and　harmless？〃　he　asked　of　Mrs。
Westangle；　who　was　now　the　centre　of　a　storm　of　applause　and　question
from　the　whole　table。

She　kept　her　head　and　referred　again　to　her　paper。　　〃The　missiles　of　the
assailants　are　to　be　very　soft　snowballs；　hardly　more　than　mere　clots；　so
that　nobody　can　be　hurt　in　the　assault；　but　the　defenders　may　repel　the
assailants　with　harder　snowballs。〃

〃Oh；〃　Miss　Macroyd　protested；　〃this　is　consulting　the　weakness　of　our
sex。〃

〃In　the　fury　of　the　onset　we'll　forget　it；〃　Verrian　reassured　her。

〃Do　you　think　you　really　will；　Mr。　Verrian？〃　she　asked。　　〃What　is　all　our
athletic　training　to　go　for　if　you　do？〃

Mrs。　Westangle　read　on：

〃The　terms　of　capitulation　can　be　arranged　on　the　ground；　whether　the
castle　is　carried　or　the　assailing　party　are　made　prisoners　by　its
defenders。〃

〃Hopeless　captivity　in　either　case！〃　Bushwick　lamented。

〃Isn't　it　rather　academic？〃　Miss　Macroyd　asked　of　Verrian；　in　a　low
voice。

〃I'm　afraid；　rather；〃　he　owned。

〃But　why　are　you　so　serious？〃　she　pursued。

〃Am　I　serious？〃　he　retorted；　with　a　trace　of　exasperation；　and　she
laughed。

Their　parley　was　quite　lost　in　the　clamor　which　raged　up　and　down　the
table　till　Mrs。　Westangle　ended　it　by　saying；　〃There's　no　obligation　on
any　one　to　take　part　in　the　hostilities。　　There　won't　be　any
conscription；　it's　a　free　fight　that　will　be　open　to　everybody。〃　　She
folded　the　paper　she　had　been　reading　from　and　put　it　in　her　lap；　in
default　of　a　pocket。　　She　went　on　impromptu：

〃You　needn't　trouble　about　building　the　fort；　Mr。　Bushwick。　　I've　had　the
farmer　and　his　men　working　at　the　castle　since　daybreak；　and　the　ladies
will　find　it　all　ready　for　them；　when　they're　ready　to　defend　it；　down　in
the　meadow　beyond　the　edge　of　the　birchlot。　　The　battle　won't　begin　till
eleven　o'clock。〃

She　rose；　and　the　clamor　rose　again　with　her；　and　her　guests　crushed
about　her；　demanding　to　be　allowed　at　least　to　go　and　look　at　the　castle
immediately。

One　of　the　men's　voices　asked；　〃May　I　be　one　of　the　defenders；　Mrs。
Westangle？　　I　want　to　be　on　the　winning　side；　sure。〃

〃Oh；　is　this　going　to　be　a　circus　chariot…race？〃　another　lamented。

〃No；　indeed；〃　a　girl　cried；　〃it's　to　be　the　real　thing。〃

It　fell　to　Verrian；　in　the　assortment　of　couples　in　which　Mrs。
Westangle's　guests　sallied　out　to　view　the　proposed　scene　of　action；　to
find　himself；　not　too　willingly；　at　Miss　Macroyd's　side。　　In　his　heart
and　in　his　mind　he　was　defending　the　amusement　which　he　instantly　divined
as　no　invention　of　Mrs。　Westangle's；　and　both　his　heart　and　his　mind
misgave　him　about　this　first　essay　of　Miss　Shirley　in　her　new　enterprise。　
It　was；　as　Miss　Macroyd　had　suggested；　academic；　and　at　the　same　time　it
had　a　danger　in　it　of　being　tomboyish。　　Golf；　tennis；　riding；　boati