an open-eyed conspiracy-第14章

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abandoned　the　affair　to　me　altogether。　　If　she　had　really　done　this；
then　I　saw　no　way　out　of　it　for　me　but　by　an　accident　which　should
reveal　them　to　each　other。　　Perhaps　some　one　might　insult　Miss　Gage…
…some　ruffianand　Kendricks　might　strike　the　fellow；　but　this
seemed　too　squalid。　　There　might　be　a　terrible　jam；　and　he　interpose
his　person　between　her　and　the　danger　of　her　being　crushed　to　death；
or　the　floor　of　the　grand　stand　might　give　way；　and　everybody　be
precipitated　into　the　space　beneath；　and　he　fight　his　way；　with　her
senseless　form　on　his　arm；　over　the　bodies　of　the　mangled　and　dying。
Any　of　these　things　would　have　availed　in　a　novel；　and　something　of
the　kind　would　have　happened；　too。　　But；　to　tell　the　truth；　nothing
whatever　happened；　and　if　it　had　not　been　for　that　anxiety　on　my
mind　I　should　have　thought　it　much　pleasanter　so。

Even　as　it　was　I　felt　a　measure　of　the　hilarity　which　commonly　fills
me　at　a　running　race；　and　I　began　to　lose　in　the　charm　of　the　gay
scene　the　sense　of　my　responsibility；　and　little　by　little　to　abate
the　vigilance　apparently　left　all　to　me。　　The　day　was　beautiful；　the
long　heat　had　burned　itself　out；　and　there　was　a　clear　sparkle　in
the　sunshine；　which　seemed　blown　across　the　wide　space　within　the
loop　of　the　track　by　the　delicate　breeze。　　A　vague；　remote　smell　of
horses　haunted　the　air；　with　now　and　then　a　breath　of　the　pines　from
the　grove　shutting　the　race…ground　from　the　highway。　　We　got
excellent　places；　as　one　always　may；　the　grand　stand　is　so　vast；　and
the　young　people　disposed　themselves　on　the　bench　in　front　of　us；
but　so　near　that　we　were　not　tempted　to　talk　them　over。　　The
newsboys　came　round　with　papers；　and　the　boys　who　sold　programmes　of
the　races；　from　the　bar　below　there　appeared　from　time　to　time
shining　negroes　in　white　linen　jackets；　with　trays　bearing　tall
glasses　of　lemonade；　and　straws　tilted　in　the　glasses。　　Bookmakers
from　the　pool…rooms　took　the　bets　of　the　ladies；　who　formed　by　far
the　greater　part　of　the　spectators　on　the　grand　stand；　and
contributed；　with　their　summer　hats　and　gowns；　to　the　gaiety　of　the
ensemble。　　They　were　of　all　types；　city　and　country　both；　and　of　the
Southern　dark　as　well　as　the　Northern　fair　complexion；　with　so　thick
a　sprinkling　of　South　Americans　that　the　Spanish　gutturals　made
themselves　almost　as　much　heard　as　the　Yankee　nasals。　　Among　them
moved　two　nuns　of　some　mendicant　order；　receiving　charity　from　the
fair　gamblers；　who　gave　for　luck　without　distinction　of　race　or
religion。

I　leaned　forward　and　called　Kendricks's　attention　to　the　nuns；　and
to　the　admirable　literary　quality　of　the　whole　situation。　　He　was
talking　to　Miss　Gage；　and　he　said　as　impatiently　as　he　ever　suffered
himself　to　speak；　〃Yes；　yes；　tremendously　picturesque。〃

〃You　ought　to　get　something　out　of　it；　my　dear　fellow。　　Don't　you
feel　copy　in　it？〃

〃Oh；　splendid；　of　course；　but　it's　your　ground；　Mr。　March。　　I
shouldn't　feel　it　right　to　do　anything　with　Saratoga　after　you　had
discovered　it；〃　and　he　turned　eagerly　again　to　Miss　Gage。

My　wife　put　her　hand　on　my　sleeve　and　frowned；　and　I　had　so　far　lost
myself　in　my　appreciation　of　the　scene　that　I　was　going　to　ask　her
what　the　matter　was；　when　a　general　sensation　about　me　made　me　look
at　the　track；　where　the　horses　for　the　first　race　had　already
appeared；　with　their　jockeys　in　vivid　silk　jackets　of　various　dyes。
They　began　to　form　for　the　start　with　the　usual　tricks　and　feints；
till　I　became　very　indignant　with　them；　though　I　had　no　bets
pending；　and　did　not　care　in　the　least　which　horse　won。　　What　I
wanted　was　to　see　the　race；　the　flight；　and　all　this　miserable
manoeuvring　was　retarding　it。　　Now　and　then　a　jockey　rode　his　horse
far　off　on　the　track　and　came　back　between　the　false　starts；　now　and
then　one　kept　stubbornly　behind　the　rest　and　would　not　start　with
them。　　How　their　several　schemes　and　ambitions　were　finally
reconciled　I　never　could　tell；　but　at　last　the　starter's　flag　swept
down　and　they　were　really　off。　　Everybody　could　have　seen　perfectly
well　as　they　sat；　but　everybody　rose　and　watched　the　swift　swoop　of
the　horses；　bunched　together　in　the　distance；　and　scarcely
distinguishable　by　the　colours　of　their　riders。　　The　supreme　moment
came　for　me　when　they　were　exactly　opposite　the　grand　stand；　full
half　a　mile　awaythe　moment　that　I　remembered　from　year　to　year　as
one　of　exquisite　illusionfor　then　the　horses　seemed　to　lift　from
the　earth　as　with　wings；　and　to　skim　over　the　track　like　a　covey　of
low…flying　birds。　　The　finish　was　tame　to　this。　　Mrs。　March　and　I
had　our　wonted　difference　of　opinion　as　to　which　horse　had　won；　and
we　were　rather　uncommonly　controversial　because　we　had　both　decided
upon　the　same　horse；　as　we　found；　only　she　was　talking　of　the
jockey's　colours；　and　I　was　talking　of　the　horse's。　　We　appealed　to
Kendricks；　who　said　that　another　horse　altogether　had　won　the　race；
and　this　compromise　pacified　us。

We　were　all　on　foot；　and　he　suggested；　〃We　could　see　better；
couldn't　we；　if　we　went　farther　down　in　front？〃　　And　Mrs。　March
answered　…

〃No；　we　prefer　to　stay　here；　but　you　two　can　go。〃　　And　when　they　had
promptly　availed　themselves　of　her　leave；　she　said　to　me；　〃This　is
killing　me　dead；　Basil；　and　if　it　keeps　up　much　longer　I　don't
believe　I　can　live　through　it。　　I　don't　care　now；　and　I　believe　I
shall　throw　them　together　all　I　can　from　this　out。　　The　quicker　they
decide　whether　they're　in　love　or　not　the　better。　　_I_　have　some
rights　too。〃

Her　whirling　words　expressed　the　feeling　in　my　own　mind。　　I　had　the
same　sense　of　being　trifled　with　by　these　young　people；　who　would
not　behave　so　conclusively　toward　each　other　as　to　justify　our
interference　on　the　ground　that　they　were　in　love；　nor　yet　treat
each　other　so　indifferently　as　to　relieve　us　of　the　strain　of
apprehension。　　I　had　lost　all　faith　in　accident　by　this　time；　and　I
was　quite　willing　to　leave　them　to　their　own　devices；　I　was　so
desperate　that　I　said　I　hoped　they　would　get　lost　from　us；　as　they
had　from　me　the　night　before；　and　never　come　back；　but　just　keep　on
wandering　round　for　ever。　　All　sorts　of　vengeful　thoughts　went
through　my　mind　as　I　saw　them　leaning　toward　each　other　to　say
something；　and　then　drawing　apart　to　laugh　in　what　seemed　an
indefinite　comradery　instead　of　an　irrepressible　passion。　　Did　they
think　we　were　going　to　let　this　sort　of　thing　go　on？　　What　did　they
suppose　our　nerves　were　made　of？　　Had　they　no　mercy；　no
consideration？　　It　was　quite　like　the　selfishness　of　youth　to　wish
to　continue　in　that　fool's　paradise；　but　they　would　find　out　that
middle　age　had　its　rights　too。　　I　felt　capable　of　asking　them
bluntly　what　they　meant　by　it。　　But　when　they　docilely　rejoined　us
at　the　end　of　the　races；　hurrying　up　with　some　joke　about　not
letting　me　get　lost　this　time；　and　Miss　Gage　put　herself　at　my
wife's　side　and　Kendricks　dropped　into　step　with　me；　all　I　had　been
thinking　seemed　absurd。　　They　were　just　two　young　people　who　were
enjoying　a　holiday…time　together；　and　we　were　in　no　wise　culpable
concerning　them。

I　suggested　this　to　Mrs。　March　when　we　got　home；　and；　in　the　need　of
some　relief　from　the　tension　she　had　been　in；　she　was　fain　to　accept
the　theory　provisionally；　though　I　knew　that　her　later　rejection　of
it　would　be　all　the　more　violent　for　this　respite。



CHAPTER　XV



There　was　to　be　a　hop　at　the　Grand　Union　that　night；　and　I　had　got
tickets　for　it　in　virtue　of　my　relation　to　Every　Other　Week。　　I　must
say　the　clerk　who　gave　them　me　was　very　civil　about　it；　he　said　they
were　really　only　for　the　hotel　guests；　but　he　was　glad　to　give　them
to　outsiders　who　applied　with　proper　credentials；　and　he　even
offered　me　more　tickets　than　I　asked　for。

Miss　Gage　was　getting　a　dress　for　the　hop；　and　it　was　to　be　finished
that　day。　　I　think　women　really　like　the　scare　of　thinking　their
dresses　will　not　be　done　for　a　given　occasion；　and　so　arrange　to
have　them　at　the　last　moment。　　Mrs。　March　went　with　the　girl　early
in　the　afternoon　to　have　it　tried　on　for　the　last　time；　and　they
came　home　reporting　that　it　was　a　poem。　　My　wife　confided　to　me　that
it　was　not　half　donemerely　begun；　in　factand　would　never　be
finished　in　time　in　the　world。　　She　also　assured　Miss　Gage　that　she
need　not　be　the　least　uneasy；　that　there　was　not　an　hour's　work　on
the　dress；　and　that　the　dress…maker's　reputation　was　at　stake；　and
she　would　not　dare　to　fail　her。　　I　knew　she　was　perfectly　sincere　in
both　these　declarations；　which　were；　indeed；　merely　the　expression
of　two　mental　attitudes；　and　had　no　relation　to　the　facts。

She　added　to　me　that　she　was　completely　worn　out　with　anxiety　and
worry；　and　I　must　not　think　of　her　going　to　the　hop。　　I　would　have
to　do　the　chaperoning　for　her；　and　she　did　hope　that　I　would　not
forget　what　I　was　sent　for；　or　get　talking　with　somebody；　and　leave
Miss　Gage　altogether　to　Kendricks。　　She　said　that　quite　likely　there
might　be　friends　or　acquaintances　of　his　at　the　hopsuch　a　large
affairwhom　he　would　want　to　show　some　attention；　and　I　must　take
charge　of　Miss　Gage　myself；　and　try　to　find　her　other　partners。　　She
drilled　me　in　the　duties　of　my　position　until　I　believed　that　I　was
letter…perfect；　and　then　she　said　that　she　supposed　I　would　commit
some　terrible　blunder　that　would　ruin　everything。

I　thought　that　this　was　very　likely；　too；　but　I　would　not　admit　it。

The　dress　came　home　at　nine　o'clock；　and　operated　a　happy　diversion
from　my　imaginable　shortcomings；　for　it　appeared　from　Mrs。　March's
asides　to　me　that　it　was　a　perfect　horror　in　the　set；　and　that
everybody　could　see　that　it　had　been　simply　SLUNG　together　at　the
last　moment；　and　she　would　never；　as　long　as　the　world　stood；　go　to
that　woman　for　anything　again。

I　must　say　I　could　not　myself　see　anything　wrong　about　the　dress。　　I
thought　it　exquisite　in　tint　and　texture；　a　delicate；　pale…greenish
film　that　clung　and　floated；　and　set　off　the　girl's　beauty　as　the
leafage　of　a　flower　heightens　the　loveliness　of　a　flower。　　I　did　not
dare　to　say　this　in　the　face　of　Mrs。　March's　private　despair；　and　I
was　silent　while　the　girl　submitted　to　be　twirled　about　for　my
inspection　like　a　statue　on　a　revolving　pedestal。　　Kendricks；
however；　had　no　such　restrictions　upon　him；　and　I　could　see　him
start　with　delight　in　the　splendid　vision　before　he　spoke。

〃ISN'T　it　a　poem？〃　demanded　Mrs。　March。　　〃Isn't　it　a　perfect　LYRIC？〃

〃Why　should　you　have　allowed　her　to　be　transported　altogether　into
the　ideal？　　Wasn't　she　far　enough　from　us　before？〃　he　asked；　and　I
found　myself　wishing　that　he　would　be　either　less　or　more
articulate。　　He　ought　to　have　been　mute　with　passion；　or　else　he
ought　to　have　been　frankly　voluble　about　the　girl's　gown；　and　gone
on　about　it　longer。　　But　he　simply　left　the　matter　there；　and　though
I　kept　him　carefully　under　my　eye；　I　could　not　see　that　he　was
concealing　any　further　emotion。　　She；　on　her　part；　neither　blushed
nor　frowned　at　his　compliment；　she　did　nothing　by　look　or　gesture　to
provoke　more　praise；　she　took　it　very　much　as　the　beautiful　evening
might；　so　undeniably　fine；　so　perfect　in　its　way。

She　and　the　evening　were　equally　fitted　for　the　event　to　which　they
seem