in the cage-第9部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



fingers'…endsdressing　for　dinner。　　We　may　let　it　pass　that　if　she

couldn't　bring　herself　to　hover　till　he　was　dressed；　this　was

simply　because　such　a　process　for　such　a　person　could　only　be

terribly　prolonged。　　When　she　went　in　the　middle　of　the　day　to　her

own　dinner　she　had　too　little　time　to　do　anything　but　go　straight；

though　it　must　be　added　that　for　a　real　certainty　she　would

joyously　have　omitted　the　repast。　　She　had　made　up　her　mind　as　to

there　being　on　the　whole　no　decent　pretext　to　justify　her　flitting

casually　past　at　three　o'clock　in　the　morning。　　That　was　the　hour

at　which；　if　the　ha'penny　novels　were　not　all　wrong；　he　probably

came　home　for　the　night。　　She　was　therefore　reduced　to　the　vainest

figuration　of　the　miraculous　meeting　toward　which　a　hundred

impossibilities　would　have　to　conspire。　　But　if　nothing　was　more

impossible　than　the　fact；　nothing　was　more　intense　than　the　vision。

What　may　not；　we　can　only　moralise；　take　place　in　the　quickened

muffled　perception　of　a　young　person　with　an　ardent　soul？　　All　our

humble　friend's　native　distinction；　her　refinement　of　personal

grain；　of　heredity；　of　pride；　took　refuge　in　this　small　throbbing

spot；　for　when　she　was　most　conscious　of　the　objection　of　her

vanity　and　the　pitifulness　of　her　little　flutters　and　manoeuvres；

then　the　consolation　and　the　redemption　were　most　sure　to　glow

before　her　in　some　just　discernible　sign。　　He　did　like　her！







CHAPTER　XIII







He　never　brought　Cissy　back；　but　Cissy　came　one　day　without　him；　as

fresh　as　before　from　the　hands　of　Marguerite；　or　only；　at　the

season's　end；　a　trifle　less　fresh。　　She　was；　however；　distinctly

less　serene。　　She　had　brought　nothing　with　her　and　looked　about

with　impatience　for　the　forms　and　the　place　to　write。　　The　latter

convenience；　at　Cocker's；　was　obscure　and　barely　adequate；　and　her

clear　voice　had　the　light　note　of　disgust　which　her　lover's　never

showed　as　she　responded　with　a　〃There？〃　of　surprise　to　the　gesture

made　by　the　counter…clerk　in　answer　to　her　sharp　question。　　Our

young　friend　was　busy　with　half　a　dozen　people；　but　she　had

dispatched　them　in　her　most　businesslike　manner　by　the　time　her

ladyship　flung　through　the　bars　this　light　of　re…appearance。　　Then

the　directness　with　which　the　girl　managed　to　receive　the

accompanying　missive　was　the　result　of　the　concentration　that　had

caused　her　to　make　the　stamps　fly　during　the　few　minutes　occupied

by　the　production　of　it。　　This　concentration；　in　turn；　may　be

described　as　the　effect　of　the　apprehension　of　imminent　relief。　　It

was　nineteen　days；　counted　and　checked　off；　since　she　had　seen　the

object　of　her　homage；　and　as；　had　he　been　in　London；　she　should；

with　his　habits；　have　been　sure　to　see　him　often；　she　was　now　about

to　learn　what　other　spot　his　presence　might　just　then　happen　to

sanctify。　　For　she　thought　of　them；　the　other　spots；　as

ecstatically　conscious　of　it；　expressively　happy　in　it。



But；　gracious；　how　handsome　was　her　ladyship；　and　what　an　added

price　it　gave　him　that　the　air　of　intimacy　he　threw　out　should　have

flowed　originally　from　such　a　source！　　The　girl　looked　straight

through　the　cage　at　the　eyes　and　lips　that　must　so　often　have　been

so　near　as　ownlooked　at　them　with　a　strange　passion　that　for　an

instant　had　the　result　of　filling　out　some　of　the　gaps；　supplying

the　missing　answers；　in　his　correspondence。　　Then　as　she　made　out

that　the　features　she　thus　scanned　and　associated　were　totally

unaware　of　it；　that　they　glowed　only　with　the　colour　of　quite　other

and　not　at　all　guessable　thoughts；　this　directly　added　to　their

splendour；　gave　the　girl　the　sharpest　impression　she　had　yet

received　of　the　uplifted；　the　unattainable　plains　of　heaven；　and

yet　at　the　same　time　caused　her　to　thrill　with　a　sense　of　the　high

company　she　did　somehow　keep。　　She　was　with　the　absent　through　her

ladyship　and　with　her　ladyship　through　the　absent。　　The　only　pang

but　it　didn't　matterwas　the　proof　in　the　admirable　face；　in　the

sightless　preoccupation　of　its　possessor；　that　the　latter　hadn't　a

notion　of　her。　　Her　folly　had　gone　to　the　point　of　half　believing

that　the　other　party　to　the　affair　must　sometimes　mention　in　Eaton

Square　the　extraordinary　little　person　at　the　place　from　which　he

so　often　wired。　　Yet　the　perception　of　her　visitor's　blankness

actually　helped　this　extraordinary　little　person；　the　next　instant；

to　take　refuge　in　a　reflexion　that　could　be　as　proud　as　it　liked。

〃How　little　she　knows；　how　little　she　knows！〃　the　girl　cried　to

herself；　for　what　did　that　show　after　all　but　that　Captain

Everard's　telegraphic　confidant　was　Captain　Everard's　charming

secret？　　Our　young　friend's　perusal　of　her　ladyship's　telegram　was

literally　prolonged　by　a　momentary　daze：　　what　swam　between　her　and

the　words；　making　her　see　them　as　through　rippled　shallow　sunshot

water；　was　the　great；　the　perpetual　flood　of　〃How　much　I　knowhow

much　I　know！〃　　This　produced　a　delay　in　her　catching　that；　on　the

face；　these　words　didn't　give　her　what　she　wanted；　though　she　was

prompt　enough　with　her　remembrance　that　her　grasp　was；　half　the

time；　just　of　what　was　NOT　on　the　face。　　〃Miss　Dolman；　Parade

Lodge；　Parade　Terrace；　Dover。　　Let　him　instantly　know　right　one；

Hotel　de　France；　Ostend。　　Make　it　seven　nine　four　nine　six　one。

Wire　me　alternative　Burfield's。〃



The　girl　slowly　counted。　　Then　he　was　at　Ostend。　　This　hooked　on

with　so　sharp　a　click　that；　not　to　feel　she　was　as　quickly　letting

it　all　slip　from　her；　she　had　absolutely　to　hold　it　a　minute　longer

and　to　do　something　to　that　end。　　Thus　it　was　that　she　did　on　this

occasion　what　she　never　didthrew　off　a　〃Reply　paid？〃　that　sounded

officious；　but　that　she　partly　made　up　for　by　deliberately　affixing

the　stamps　and　by　waiting　till　she　had　done　so　to　give　change。　　She

had；　for　so　much　coolness；　the　strength　that　she　considered　she

knew　all　about　Miss　Dolman。



〃Yespaid。〃　　She　saw　all　sorts　of　things　in　this　reply；　even　to　a

small　suppressed　start　of　surprise　at　so　correct　an　assumption；

even　to　an　attempt　the　next　minute　at　a　fresh　air　of　detachment。

〃How　much；　with　the　answer？〃　　The　calculation　was　not　abstruse；　but

our　intense　observer　required　a　moment　more　to　make　it；　and　this

gave　her　ladyship　time　for　a　second　thought。　　〃Oh　just　wait！〃　　The

white　begemmed　hand　bared　to　write　rose　in　sudden　nervousness　to

the　side　of　the　wonderful　face　which；　with　eyes　of　anxiety　for　the

paper　on　the　counter；　she　brought　closer　to　the　bars　of　the　cage。

〃I　think　I　must　alter　a　word！〃　　On　this　she　recovered　her　telegram

and　looked　over　it　again；　but　she　had　a　new；　an　obvious　trouble；

and　studied　it　without　deciding　and　with　much　of　the　effect　of

making　our　young　woman　watch　her。



This　personage；　meanwhile；　at　the　sight　of　her　expression；　had

decided　on　the　spot。　　If　she　had　always　been　sure　they　were　in

danger　her　ladyship's　expression　was　the　best　possible　sign　of　it。

There　was　a　word　wrong；　but　she　had　lost　the　right　one；　and　much

clearly　depended　on　her　finding　it　again。　　The　girl；　therefore；

sufficiently　estimating　the　affluence　of　customers　and　the

distraction　of　Mr。　Buckton　and　the　counter…clerk；　took　the　jump　and

gave　it。　　〃Isn't　it　Cooper's？〃



It　was　as　if　she　had　bodily　leapedcleared　the　top　of　the　cage　and

alighted　on　her　interlocutress。　　〃Cooper's？〃the　stare　was

heightened　by　a　blush。　　Yes；　she　had　made　Juno　blush。



This　was　all　the　greater　reason　for　going　on。　　〃I　mean　instead　of

Burfield's。〃



Our　young　friend　fairly　pitied　her；　she　had　made　her　in　an　instant

so　helpless；　and　yet　not　a　bit　haughty　nor　outraged。　　She　was　only

mystified　and　scared。　　〃Oh；　you　know？〃



〃Yes；　I　know！〃　　Our　young　friend　smiled；　meeting　the　other's　eyes；

and；　having　made　Juno　blush；　proceeded　to　patronise　her。　　〃I'LL　do

it〃she　put　out　a　competent　hand。　　Her　ladyship　only　submitted；

confused　and　bewildered；　all　presence　of　mind　quite　gone；　and　the

next　moment　the　telegram　was　in　the　cage　again　and　its　author　out

of　the　shop。　　Then　quickly；　boldly；　under　all　the　eyes　that　might

have　witnessed　her　tampering；　the　extraordinary　little　person　at

Cocker's　made　the　proper　change。　　People　were　really　too　giddy；　and

if　they　WERE；　in　a　certain　case；　to　be　caught；　it　shouldn't　be　the

fault　of　her　own　grand　memory。　　Hadn't　it　been　settled　weeks

before？for　Miss　Dolman　it　was　always　to　be　〃Cooper's。〃







CHAPTER　XIV







But　the　summer　〃holidays〃　brought　a　marked　difference；　they　were

holidays　for　almost　every　one　but　the　animals　in　the　cage。　　The

August　days　were　flat　and　dry；　and；　with　so　little　to　feed　it；　she

was　conscious　of　the　ebb　of　her　interest　in　the　secrets　of　the

refined。　　She　was　in　a　position　to　follow　the　refined　to　the　extent

of　knowingthey　had　made　so　many　of　their　arrangements　with　her

aidexactly　where　they　were；　yet　she　felt　quite　as　if　the　panorama

had　ceased　unrolling　and　the　band　stopped　playing。　　A　stray　member

of　the　latter　occasionally　turned　up；　but　the　communications　that

passed　before　her　bore　now　largely　on　rooms　at　hotels；　prices　of

furnished　houses；　hours　of　trains；　dates　of　sailings　and

arrangements　for　being　〃met〃；　she　found　them　for　the　most　part

prosaic　and　coarse。　　The　only　thing　was　that　they　brought　into　her

stuffy　corner　as　straight　a　whiff　of　Alpine　meadows　and　Scotch

moors　as　she　might　hope　ever　to　inhale；　there　were　moreover　in

especial　fat　hot　dull　ladies　who　had　out　with　her；　to　exasperation；

the　terms　for　seaside　lodgings；　which　struck　her　as　huge；　and　the

matter　of　the　number　of　beds　required；　which　was　not　less

portentous：　　this　in　reference　to　places　of　which　the　names

Eastbourne；　Folkestone；　Cromer；　Scarborough；　Whitbytormented　her

with　something　of　the　sound　of　the　plash　of　water　that　haunts　the

traveller　in　the　desert。　　She　had　not　been　out　of　London　for　a

dozen　years；　and　the　only　thing　to　give　a　taste　to　the　present　dead

weeks　w