fennel and rue-第9部分

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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；　boating；
swimmingall　the　vigorous　sports　in　which　women　now　excelwere　boldly
athletic；　and　yet　you　could　not　feel　quite　that　they　were　tomboyish。　　Was
it　because　the　bent　of　Miss　Shirley　was　so　academic　that　she　was　periling
upon　tomboyishness　without　knowing　it　in　this　primal　inspiration　of　hers？　
Inwardly　he　resented　the　word　academic；　although　outwardly　he　had
assented　to　it　when　Miss　Macroyd　proposed　it。　　To　be　academic　would　be
even　more　fatal　to　Miss　Shirley's　ambition　than　to　be　tomboyish；　and　he
thought　with　pathos　of　that　touch　about　the　Italian　nobility　in　the
Middle　Ages；　and　how　little　it　could　have　moved　the　tough　fancies　of　that
crowd　of　well…groomed　young　people　at　the　breakfast…table　when　Mrs。
Westangle　brought　it　out　with　her　ignorant　acceptance　of　it　as　a　social
force。　　After　all；　Miss　Macroyd　was　about　the　only　one　who　could　have
felt　it　in　the　way　it　was　meant；　and　she　had　chosen　to　smile　at　it。　　He
wondered　if　possibly　she　could　feel　the　secondary　pathos　of　it　as　he　did。　
But　to　make　talk　with　her　he　merely　asked：

〃Do　you　intend　to　take　part　in　the　fray？〃

〃Not　unless　I　can　be　one　of　the　reserve　corps　that　won't　need　to　be
brought　up　till　it's　all　over。　　I've　no　idea　of　getting　my　hair　down。〃

〃Ah；〃　he　sighed；　〃you　think　it's　going　to　be　rude：〃

〃That　is　one　of　the　chances。　　But　you　seem　to　be　suffering　about　it；　Mr。
Verrian！〃　she　said；　and；　of　course；　she　laughed。

〃Who？　　I？〃　he　returned；　in　the　temptation　to　deny　it。　　But　he　resisted。　
〃I　always　suffer　when　there's　anything　silly　happening；　as　if　I　were
doing　it　myself。　　Don't　you？〃

〃No；　thank　you；　I　believe　not。　　But　perhaps　you　are　doing　this？　　One
can't　suppose　Mrs。　Westangle　imagined　it。〃

〃No；　I　can't　plead　guilty。　　But　why　isn't　it　predicable　of　Mrs。
Westangle？〃

〃You　mustn't　ask　too　much　of　me；　Mr。　Verrian。　　Somehow；　I　won't　say　how；
it's　been　imagined　for　her。　　She's　heard　of　its　being　done　somewhere。　　It
can't　be　supposed　she's　read　of　it；　anywhere。〃

〃No；　I　dare　say　not。〃

Miss　Macroyd　came　out　with　her　laugh。　　〃I　should　like　to　know　what　she
makes　of　you；　Mr。　Verrian；　when　she　is　alone　with　herself。　　She　must　have
looked　you　up　and　authenticated　you　in　her　own　way；　but　it　would　be　as
far　from　your　way　aswell；　saythe　Milky　Way。〃

〃You　don't　think　she　asked　me　because　she　met　me　at　your　house？〃

〃No；　that　wouldn't　be　enough；　from　her　point　of　view。　　She　means　to　go
much　further　than　we've　ever　got。〃

〃Then　a　year　from　now　she　wouldn't　ask　me？〃

〃It　depends　upon　who　asks　you　in　the　mean　time。

You　might　get　to　be　a　fad；　and　then　she　would　feel　that　she　would　have　to
have　you。〃

〃You're　not　flattering　me？〃

〃Do　you　find　it　flattering？〃

〃It　isn't　exactly　my　idea　of　the　reward　I've　been　working　for。　　What
shall　I　do　to　be　a　fad？〃

〃Well；　rather　degrading　stunts；　if　you　mean　in　the　smart　set。　　Jump　about
on　all　fours　and　pick　up　a　woman's　umbrella　with　your　teeth；　and　bark。　　
Anything　else　would　be　easier　for　you　among　chic　people；　where　your
brilliancy　would　count。〃

〃Brilliancy？　　Oh；　thank　you！　　Go　on。〃

〃Now；　a　girlif　you　were　a　girl〃

〃Oh　yes；　if　I　were　a　girl！　　That　will　be　so　much　more　interesting。〃

〃A　girl；〃　Miss　Macroyd　continued；　〃might　do　it　by　posing　effectively　for
amateur　photography。　　Or　doing　something　original　in　dramatics　or
pantomimics　or　recitationbut　very　original；　because　chic　people　are
critical。　　Or　if　she　had　a　gift　for　getting　up　things　that　would　show
other　girls　off；　or　suggesting　amusements；　but　that　would　be　rather　in
the　line　of　swell　people；　who　are　not　good　at　getting　up　things　and　are
glad　of　help。〃

〃I　see；　I　see！〃　Verrian　said；　eagerly。　　But　he　walked　along　looking　down
at　the　snow；　and　not　meeting　the　laughing　glance　that　Miss　Macroyd　cast
at　his　face。　　〃Well？〃

〃I　believe　that's　all；〃　she　said；　sharply。　　She　added；　less　sharply：
〃She　couldn't　afford　to　fail；　though；　at　any　point。　　The　fad　that　fails
is　extinguished　forever。　　Will　these　simple　facts　do　for　fiction？　　Or　is
it　for　somebody　in　real　life　you're　asking；　Mr。　Verrian？〃

〃Oh；　for　fiction。　　And　thank　you　very　much。　　Oh；　that's　rather　pretty！〃




XIII。

They　had　come　into　the　meadow　where　the　snow　battle　was　to　be；　and　on　its
slope；　against　the　dark　weft　of　the　young　birch…trees；　there　was　a　mimic
castle　outlined　in　the　masonry　of　white　blocks　quarried　from　the　drifts
and　built　up　in　courses　like　rough　blocks　of　marble。　　A　decoration　of
green　from　the　pines　that　mixed　with　the　birches　had　been　suggested
rather　than　executed；　and　was　perhaps　the　more　effective　for　its
sketchiness。

〃Yes；　it's　really　beautiful；〃　Miss　Macroyd　owned；　and　though　she　did　not
join　her　cries　to　those　of　the　other　girls；　who　stood　scattered　about
admiring　it；　and　laughing　and　chattering　with　the　men　whose　applause；
of　course；　took　the　jocose　form；　there　was　no　doubt　but　she　admired　it。　
〃What　I　can't　understand　is　how　Mrs。　Westangle　got　the　notion　of　this。　
There's　the　soprano　note　in　it；　and　some　woman　must　have　given　it　to
her。〃

〃Not　contralto；　possibly？〃　Verrian　asked。

〃I　insist　upon　the　soprano；〃　she　said。

But　he　did　not　notice　what　she　said。　　His　eyes　were　following　a　figure
which　seemed　to　be　escaping　up　through　the　birches　behind　the　snow　castle
and　ploughing　its　way　through　the　drifts；　in　front　of　the　structure　they
had　been　levelled　to　make　an　easier　battle…field。　　He　knew　that　it　was
Miss　Shirley；　and　he　inferred　that　she　had　been　in　the　castle　directing
the　farmhands　building　it；　and　now；　being　caught　by　the　premature
arrival　of　the　contesting　forces；　had　fled　before　them　and　left　her
subordinates　to　finish　the　work。　　He　felt；　with　a　throe　of　helpless
sympathy；　that　she　was　undertaking　too　much。　　It　was　hazardous　enough　to
attempt　the　practice　of　her　novel　profession　under　the　best　of
circumstances；　but　to　keep　herself　in　abeyance　so　far　as　not　to　be　known
at　all　in　it；　and；　at　the　same　time；　to　give　way　to　her　interest　in　it　to
the　extent　of　coming　out；　with　her　infirmly　established　health；　into　that
wintry　weather；　and　superintending　the　preparations　for　the　first　folly
she　had　planned；　was　a　risk　altogether　too　great　for　her。

Who　in　the　world；　〃Miss　Macroyd　suddenly　demanded；　〃is　the　person
floundering　about　in　the　birch　woods？〃

〃Perhaps　the　soprano；〃　Verrian　returned；　hardily。

Bushwick　detached　himself　from　a　group　of　girls　near　by　and　intercepted
any　response　from　Miss　Macroyd　to　Verrian　by　calling　to　her　before　he
came　up；　〃Are　you　going　to　be　one　of　the　enemy；　Miss　Macroyd？〃

〃No；　I　think　I　will　be　neutral。〃　　She　added；　〃Is　there　going　to　be　any
such　thing　as　an　umpire？〃

〃We　hadn't　thought　of　that。　　There　could　be。　　The　office　could　be
created；　but；　you　know；　it's　the　post　of　danger。〃

Verrian　joined　the　group　that　Bushwick　has　left。　　He　found　a　great
scepticism　as　to　the　combat；　mixed　with　some　admiration　for　the　castle；
and　he　set　himself　to　contest　the　prevalent　feeling。　　What　was　the　matter
with　a　snow…fight？　he　demanded。　　It　would　be　great　fun。　　Decidedly　he　was
going　in　for　it。　　He　revived　the　drooping　sentiment　in　its　favor；　and
then；　flown　with　his　success；　he　went　from　group　to　group　and　couple　to
couple；　and　animated　all　with　his　zeal；　which　came；　he　hardly　knew
whence；　what　he　pretended　to　the　others　was　that　they　were　rather　bound
not　to　let　Mrs。　Westangle's　scheme　fall　through。　　Their　doubts　vanished
before　him；　and　the　terms　of　the　battle　were　quickly　arranged。　　He　said
he　had　read　of　one　of　those　mediaeval　flower…fights；　and　he　could　tell
them　how　that　was　done。　　Where　it　would　not　fit　into　the　snow…fight；　they
could　trust　to　inspiration；　every　real　battle　was　the　effect　of
inspiration。

He　came　out；　and　some　of　the　young　women　and　most　of　the　young　men；　who
had　dimly　known　of　him　as　a　sort　of　celebrity；　and　suspected　him　of　being
a　prig；　were　reconciled；　and　accepted　him　for　a　nice　fellow；　and　became
of　his　opinion　as　to　the　details　of　the　amusement　before　them。

It　was　not　very　Homeric；　when　it　came　off；　or　very　mediaeval；　but　it　was
really　lots　of　fun；　or　far　more　fun　than　one　would　have　thought。　　The
storming　of　the　castle　was　very　sincere；　and　the　fortress　was　honestly
defended。　　Miss　Macroyd　was　made　umpire；　as　she　wished；　and　provided　with
a　large　snowball　to　sit　on　at　a　safe　distance；　as　she　was　chosen　by　the
men；　the　girls　wanted　to　have　an　umpire　of　their　own；　who　would　be　really
fair；　and　they　voted　Verrian　into　the　office。　　But　he　refused；　partly
because　he　did　not　care　about　being　paired　off　with　Miss　Macroyd　so
conspicuously；　and　partly　because　he　wished　to　help　the　fight　along。

Attacks　were　made　and　repelled；　and　there　were　feats　of　individual　and
collective　daring　on　the　side　of　the　defenders　which　were　none　the　less
daring　because　the　assailants　stopped　to　cheer　them；　and　to　disable
themselves　by　laughing　at　the　fury　of　the　foe。　　A　detachment　of　the　young
men　at　last　stormed　the　castle　and　so　weakened　its　walls　that　they
toppled　inward；　then　the　defenders；　to　save　themselves　from　being　buried
under　the　avalanche；　swarmed　out　into　the　open　and　made　the　entire　force
of　the　enemy　prisoners。

The　men　pretended　that　this　was　what　might　have　been　expected　from　the
beginning；　but　by　this　time　the　Berserker　madness　had　possessed　Miss
Macroyd；　too；　she　left　her　throne　of　snow　and　came　forward　shouting　that
it　had　been　perfectly　fair；　and　that　the　men　had　been　really　beaten；　and
they　had　no　right　to　pretend　that　they　had　given　themselves　up　purposely。　
The　sex…partisanship；　which　is　such　a　droll　fact　in　women　when　there　is
any　question　of　their　general　opposition　to　men；　possessed　them　all；　and
they　stood　as；　one　girl　for　the　reality　of　their　triumph。　　This　did　not
prevent　them　from　declaring　that　the　men　had　behaved　with　outrageous
unfairness；　and　that　the　only　one　who　fought　with　absolute　sincerity　from
first　to　last　was　Mr。　Verrian。

Neither　their　unity　of　conviction　concerning　the　general　fact　nor　the
surprising　deduction　from　it　in　Verrian's　case　operated　to　make　them
refuse　the　help　of　their　captives　in　ge