an open-eyed conspiracy-第2章

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on　the　contrary；　means　to　go　conquering　and　enslaving　forward；　to　be
in　and　out　of　love　right　and　left；　and　to　end；　after　many　years　of
triumph；　in　the　possession　of　the　best　and　wisest　and　fairest　of　her
sex。　　I　know　the　breed；　my　dear　sir；　I　have　been　a　young　man　myself。
We　men　have　liberty；　we　have　initiative；　we　are　not　chaperoned；　we
can　go　to　this　one　and　that　one　freely　and　fearlessly。　　But　women
must　sit　still；　and　be　come　to　or　shied　off　from。　　They　cannot　cast
the　bold　eye　of　interest；　they　can　at　most　bridle　under　it；　and
furtively　respond　from　the　corner　of　the　eye　of　weak　hope　and　gentle
deprecation。　　Be　patient；　then；　with　this　poor　child　if　she　darkles
a　little　under　the　disappointment　of　not　finding　Saratoga　so
personally　gay　as　she　supposed　it　would　be；　and　takes　it　out　of　you
and　your　wife；　as　if　you　were　to　blame　for　it；　in　something　like
sulks。

He　remained　silent　under　these　tacit　appeals；　but　at　the　end　he
heaved　a　deep　sigh；　as　he　might　if　he　were　acknowledging　their
justice；　and　were　promising　to　do　his　very　best　in　the
circumstances。　　His　wife　looked　round　at　him；　but　did　not　speak。　　In
fact；　they　none　of　them　spoke　after　the　first　words　of　greeting　to
the　girl；　as　I　can　very　well　testify；　for　I　sat　eavesdropping　with
all　my　might；　resolved　not　to　lose　a　syllable；　and　I　am　sure　I　lost
none。

The　young　girl　did　not　look　round　at　that　deep…drawn　sigh　of　the
man's；　she　did　not　lift　her　head　even　when　he　cleared　his　throat：
but　I　was　intent　upon　him；　for　I　thought　that　these　sounds　preluded
an　overture　（I　am　not　sure　of　the　figure）　to　my　acquaintance；　and　in
fact　he　actually　asked；　〃Do　you　know　just　when　the　concert　begins？〃

I　was　overjoyed　at　his　question；　for　I　was　poignantly　interested　in
the　little　situation　I　had　created；　and　I　made　haste　to　answer：
〃Well；　nominally　at　eight　o'clock；　but　the　first　half…hour　is
usually　taken　up　in　tuning　the　instruments。　　If　you　get　into　the
pavilion　at　a　quarter　to　nine　you　won't　lose　much。　　It　isn't　so　bad
when　it　really　begins。〃

The　man　permitted　himself　a　smile　of　the　pleasure　we　Americans　all
feel　at　having　a　thing　understated　in　that　way。　　His　wife　asked
timidly；　〃Do　we　have　to　engage　our　seats　in　thepavilion？〃

〃Oh；　no；〃　I　laughed；　〃there's　no　such　rush　as　that。　　Haven't　you
been　at　the　concerts　before？〃

The　man　answered　for　her：　　〃We　haven't　been　here　but　a　few　days。　　I
should　think；〃　he　added　to　her；　〃it　would　be　about　as　comfortable
outside　of　the　house。〃　　I　perceived　that　he　maintained　his
independence　of　my　superior　knowledge　by　refusing　to　say　〃pavilion〃；
and　in　fact　I　do　not　know　whether　that　is　the　right　name　for　the
building　myself。

〃It　will　be　hot　enough　anywhere；〃　I　assented；　as　if　the　remark　had
been　made　to　me；　but　here　I　drew　the　line　out　of　self…respect；　and
resolved　that　he　should　make　the　next　advances。

The　young　girl　looked　up　at　the　first　sound　of　my　voice；　and
verified　me　as　the　elderly　man　whom　she　had　seen　before；　and　then
she　looked　down　at　the　water　again。　　I　understood；　and　I　freely
forgave　her。　　If　my　beard　had　been　brown　instead　of　grey　I　should
have　been　an　adventure；　but　to　the　eye　of　girlhood　adventure　can
never　wear　a　grey　beard。　　I　was　truly　sorry　for　her；　I　could　read　in
the　pensive　droop　of　her　averted　face　that　I　was　again　a
disappointment。

They　all　three　sat；　without　speaking　again；　in　the　mannerless
silence　of　Americans。　　The　man　was　not　going　to　feel　bound　in
further　civility　to　me　because　I　had　civilly　answered　a　question　of
his。　　I　divined　that　he　would　be　glad　to　withdraw　from　the　overture
he　had　made；　he　may　have　thought　from　my　readiness　to　meet　him　half
way　that　I　might　be　one　of　those　sharpers　in　whom　Saratoga　probably
abounded。　　This　did　not　offend　me；　it　amused　me；　I　fancied　his
confusion　if　he　could　suddenly　know　how　helplessly　and　irreparably
honest　I　was。

〃I　don't　know　but　it's　a　little　too　damp　here；　Rufus；〃　said　the
wife。

〃I　don't　know　but　it　is；〃　he　answered；　but　none　of　them　moved；　and
none　of　them　spoke　again　for　some　minutes。　　Then　the　wife　said
again；　but　this　time　to　the　friend；　〃I　don't　know　but　it's　a　little
too　damp　here；　Julia；〃　and　the　friend　answered；　as　the　husband　had　…

〃I　don't　know　but　it　is。〃

I　had　two　surprises　in　this　slight　event。　　I　could　never　have
imagined　that　the　girl　had　so　brunette　a　name　as　Julia；　or　anything
less　blond　in　sound　than；　say；　Evadne；　at　the　very　darkest；　and　I
had　made　up　my　mindHeaven　knows　whythat　her　voice　would　be
harsh。　　Perhaps　I　thought　it　unfair　that　she　should　have　a　sweet
voice　added　to　all　that　beauty　and　grace　of　hers；　but　she　had　a
sweet　voice；　very　tender　and　melodious；　with　a　plangent　note　in　it
that　touched　me　and　charmed　me。　　Beautiful　and　graceful　as　she　was；
she　had　lacked　atmosphere　before；　and　now　suddenly　she　had
atmosphere。　　I　resolved　to　keep　as　near　to　these　people　as　I　could；
and　not　to　leave　the　place　as　long　as　they　stayed；　but　I　did　not
think　it　well　to　let　them　feel　that　I　was　aesthetically　shadowing
them；　and　I　got　up　and　strolled　away　toward　the　pavilion；　keeping　an
eye　in　the　back　of　my　head　upon　them。

I　sat　down　in　a　commanding　position；　and　watched　the　people
gathering　for　the　concert；　and　in　the　drama　of　a　group　of　Cubans；　or
of　South　Americans；　I　almost　forgot　for　a　moment　the　pale　idyl　of　my
compatriots　at　the　kiosk。　　There　was　a　short；　stout　little　Spanish
woman　speaking　in　the　shapely　sentences　which　the　Latin　race
everywhere　delights　in；　and　around　her　was　an　increasing　number　of
serious　Spanish　men；　listening　as　if　to　important　things；　and　paying
her　that　respectful　attention　which　always　amuses　and　puzzles　me。
In　view　of　what　we　think　their　low　estimate　of　women；　I　cannot　make
out　whether　it　is　a　personal　tribute　to　some　specific　woman　whom
they　regard　differently　from　all　the　rest　of　her　sex；　or　whether
they　choose　to　know　in　her　for　the　nouce　the　abstract　woman　who　is
better　than　woman　in　the　concrete。　　I　am　sure　I　have　never　seen　men
of　any　other　race　abandon　themselves　to　such　a　luxury　of　respect　as
these　black　and　grey　bearded　Spaniards　of　leaden　complexion　showed
this　dumpy　personification　of　womanhood；　with　their　prominent　eyes
bent　in　homage　upon　her；　and　their　hands　trembling　with　readiness　to
seize　their　hats　off　in　reverence。　　It　appeared　presently　that　the
matter　they　were　all　canvassing　so　devoutly　was　the　question　of
where　she　should　sit。　　It　seemed　to　be　decided　that　she　could　not　do
better　than　sit　just　at　that　point。　　When　she　actually　took　a　chair
the　stately　convocation　ended；　and　its　members；　with　low　obeisances；
dispersed　themselves　in　different　directions。　　They　had　probably　all
been　sitting　with　her　the　whole　afternoon　on　the　verandah　of　the
Everett　House；　where　their　race　chiefly　resorts　in　Saratoga；　and
they　were　availing　themselves　of　this　occasion　to　appear　to　be
meeting　her；　after　a　long　interval；　in　society。

I　said　to　myself　that　of　course　they　believed　Saratoga　was　still
that　centre　of　American　fashion　which　it　once　was；　and　that　they
came　and　went　every　summer；　probably　in　the　belief　that　they　saw　a
great　deal　of　social　gaiety　there。　　This　made　me　think；　by　a　natural
series　of　transitions；　of　the　persons　of　my　American　idyl；　and　I
looked　about　the　pavilion　everywhere　for　them　without　discovering；
till　the　last；　that　they　were　just　behind　me。

I　found　the　fact　touching。　　They　had　not　wished　to　be　in　any　wise
beholden　to　me；　and　had　even　tried　to　reject　my　friendly　readiness
to　know　them　better；　but　they　had　probably　sought　my　vicinity　in　a
sense　of　their　loneliness　and　helplessness；　which　they　hoped　I　would
not　divine；　but　which　I　divined　instantly。　　Still；　I　thought　it　best
not　to　show　any　consciousness　of　them；　and　we　sat　through　the　first
part　of　the　concert　without　taking　notice　of　one　another。　　Then　the
man　leaned　forward　and　touched　me　on　the　shoulder。

〃Will　you　let　me　take　your　programme　a　minute？〃

〃Why；　certainly；〃　said　I。

He　took　it；　and　after　a　vague　glance　at　it　he　passed　it　to　his　wife；
who　gave　it　in　turn　to　the　young　girl。　　She　studied　it　very　briefly；
and　then；　after　a　questioning　look；　offered　it　back　to　me。

〃Won't　you　keep　it？〃　I　entreated。　　〃I've　quite　done　with　it。〃

〃Oh；　thank　you；〃　she　answered　in　her　tender　voice；　and　she　and　the
wife　looked　hard　at　the　man；　whom　they　seemed　to　unite　in　pushing
forward　by　that　means。

He　hemmed；　and　asked；　〃Have　you　been　in　Saratoga　much？〃

〃Why；　yes；〃　I　said；　〃rather　a　good　deal。　　My　wife　and　I　have　been
here　three　or　four　summers。〃

At　the　confession　of　my　married　state；　which　this　statement
implicated；　the　women　exchanged　a　glance；　I　fancied；　of　triumph；　as
if　they　had　been　talking　about　me；　and　I　had　now　confirmed　the
ground　they　had　taken　concerning　me。　　Then　they　joined　in　goading
the　man　on　again　with　their　eyes。

〃Which　hotel；〃　he　asked；　〃should　you　say　had　the　most　going　on？〃

The　young　girl　and　the　wife　transferred　their　gaze　to　me；　with　an
intensified　appeal　in　it。　　The　man　looked　away　with　a　certain　shame…
…the　shame　of　a　man　who　feels　that　his　wife　has　made　him　make　an　ass
of　himself。　　I　tried　to　treat　his　question；　by　the　quantity　and
quality　of　my　answer；　as　one　of　the　most　natural　things　in　the
world；　and　I　probably　deceived　them　all　by　this　effort；　though　I　am
sure　that　I　was　most　truthful　and　just　concerning　the　claims　of　the
different　hotels　to　be　the　centre　of　excitement。　　I　thought　I　had
earned　the　right　to　ask　at　the　end；　〃Are　you　stopping　at　the　Grand
Union？〃

〃No；〃　he　said；　and　he　mentioned　one　of　the　smaller　hotels；　which
depend　upon　the　great　houses　for　the　entertainment　of　their　guests。
〃Are　you　there？〃　he　asked；　meaning　the　Grand　Union。

〃Oh　no；〃　I　said；　〃we　couldn't　do　that　sort　of　thing；　even　if　we
wanted。〃　　And　in　my　turn　I　named　the　modest　hotel　where　we　were；　and
said　that　I　thought　it　by　all　odds　the　pleasantest　place　in
Saratoga。　　〃But　I　can't　say；〃　I　added；　〃that　there　is　a　great　deal
going　on　there；　either。　　If　you　want　that　sort　of　thing　you　will
have　to　go　to　some　of　the　great　hotels。　　We　have　our　little
amusements；　but　they're　all　rather　mild。〃　　I　kept　talking　to　the
man；　but　really　addressing　myself　to　the　women。　　〃There's　something
nearly　every　evening：　　prestidigitating；　or　elocutioning；　or　a
little　concert；　or　charades；　or　impromptu　theatricals；　or　something
of　that　sort。　　I　can't　say　there's　dancing；　though　really；　I
suppose；　if　any　one　wanted　to　dance　there　would　be　dancing。〃

I　was　aware　that　the　women　listened　intelligently；　even　if　the　man
did　not。　　The　wife　drew　a　long　breath；　and　said；　〃It　must　be　very
pleasant。〃

The　girl　saidrather　more　hungrily；　I　fancied〃Yes；　indeed。〃

I　don't　know　why　their　interest　should　have　prompted　me　to　go　on　and
paint　the　lily　a　little；　but　I　certainly　did　so。　　I　did　not　stop
till　the　music　began　again；　and　I　had　to　stop。　　By　the　time　the
piece　was　finished　I　had　begun　to　have　my　misgivings；　and　I　profited
by　the　brief　interval　of　silence　to　say　to　the　young　girl；　〃I
wouldn't　have　you　think　we　are　a　whirl　of　gaiety　exactly。〃

〃Oh　no；〃　she　answered　pathetically；　as　if　she　were　quite　past
expecting　that　or　anything　like　it。

We　were　silent　again。　　At　the　end　o