an open-eyed conspiracy-第5章

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and　its　heterogeneous　hops；　and　I　don't　suppose　there's　ever　such　a
thing　as　a　society　person　at　any　of　them。　　That　wouldn't　be　so　bad。
But　the　unsociety　people　seem　to　be　afraid　of　one　another。　　They
feel　that　there　is　something　in　the　airsomething　they　don't　and
can't　understand；　something　alien；　that　judges　their　old…fashioned
American　impulse　to　be　sociable；　and　contemns　it。　　No；　we　can't　do
anything　for　our　hapless　friendsI　can　hardly　call　them　our
acquaintances。　　We　must　avoid　them；　and　keep　them　merely　as　a
pensive　colour　in　our　own　vivid　memories　of　Saratoga。　　If　we　made
them　have　a　good　time；　and　sent　them　on　their　way　rejoicing；　I
confess　that　I　should　feel　myself　distinctly　a　loser。　　As　it　is；
they're　a　strain　of　melancholy　poetry　in　my　life；　of　music　in　the
minor　key。　　I　shall　always　associate　their　pathos　with　this　hot
summer　weather；　and　I　shall　think　of　them　whenever　the　thermometer
registers　eighty…nine。　　Don't　you　see　the　advantage　of　that？　　I
believe　I　can　ultimately　get　some　literature　out　of　them。　　If　I　can
think　of　a　fitting　fable　for　them　Fulkerson　will　feature　it　in　Every
Other　Week。　　He'll　get　out　a　Saratoga　number；　and　come　up　here　and
strike　the　hotels　and　springs　for　ad's。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Mrs。　March；　〃I　wish　I　had　never　seen　them；　and　it's　all
your　fault；　Basil。　　Of　course；　when　you　played　upon　my　sympathies　so
about　them；　I　couldn't　help　feeling　interested　in　them。　　We　are　a
couple　of　romantic　old　geese；　my　dear。〃

〃Not　at　all；　or　at　least　I'm　not。　　I　simply　used　these　people
conjecturally　to　give　myself　an　agreeable　pang。　　I　didn't　want　to
know　anything　more　about　them　than　I　imagined；　and　I　certainly
didn't　dream　of　doing　anything　for　them。　　You'll　spoil　everything　if
you　turn　them　from　fiction　into　fact；　and　try　to　manipulate　their
destiny。　　Let　them　alone；　they　will　work　it　out　for　themselves。〃

〃You　know　I　can't　let　them　alone　now；〃　she　lamented。　　〃I　am　not　one
of　those　who　can　give　themselves　an　agreeable　pang　with　the
unhappiness　of　their　fellow…creatures。　　I'm　not　satisfied　to　study
them；　I　want　to　relieve　them。〃

She　went　on　to　praise　herself　to　my　disadvantage；　as　I　notice　wives
will　with　their　husbands；　and　I　did　not　attempt　to　deny　her　this
source　of　consolation。　　But　when　she　ended　by　saying；　〃I　believe　I
shall　send　you　alone；〃　and　explained　that　she　had　promised　Mrs。
Deering　we　would　come　to　their　hotel　for　them　after　tea；　and　go　with
them　to　hear　the　music　at　the　United　States　and　the　Grand　Union；　I
protested。　　I　said　that　I　always　felt　too　sneaking　when　I　was
prowling　round　those　hotels　listening　to　their　proprietary　concerts；
and　I　was　aware　of　looking　so　sneaking　that　I　expected　every　moment
to　be　ordered　off　their　piazzas。　　As　for　convoying　a　party　of　three
strangers　about　alone；　I　should　certainly　not　do　it。

〃Not　if　I've　a　headache？〃

〃Not　if　you've　a　headache。〃

〃Oh；　very　well；　then。〃

〃What　are　you　two　quarrelling　about？〃　cried　a　gay　voice　behind　us；
and　we　looked　round　into　the　laughing　eyes　of　Miss　Dale。　　She　was
the　one　cottager　we　knew　in　Saratoga；　but　when　we　were　with　her　we
felt　that　we　knew　everybody；　so　hospitable　was　the　sense　of　world
which　her　kindness　exhaled。

〃It　was　Mrs。　March　who　was　quarrelling；〃　I　said。　　〃I　was　only　trying
to　convince　her　that　she　was　wrong；　and　of　course　one　has　to　lift
one's　voice。　　I　hope　I　hadn't　the　effect　of　halloaing。〃

〃Well；　I　merely　heard　you　above　the　steam　harmonicon　at　the
switchback；〃　said　Miss　Dale。　　〃I　don't　know　whether　you　call　THAT
holloaing。〃

〃Oh；　Miss　Dale；〃　said　my　wife；　〃we　are　in　such　a　fatal〃

〃Pickle；〃　I　suggested；　and　she　instantly　adopted　the　word　in　her
extremity。

〃pickle　with　some　people　that　Providence　has　thrown　in　our　way；
and　that　we　want　to　do　something　for〃；　and　in　a　labyrinth　of
parentheses　that　no　man　could　have　found　his　way　into　or　out　of；　she
possessed　Miss　Dale　of　the　whole　romantic　fact。　　〃It　was　Mr。　March；
of　course；　who　first　discovered　them；〃　she　concluded；　in　plaintive
accusation。

〃Poor　Mr。　March！〃　cried　Miss　Dale。　　〃Well；　it　is　a　pathetic　case；
but　it　isn't　the　only　one；　if　that's　any　comfort。　　Saratoga　is
reeking　with　just　such　forlornities　the　whole　summer　long；　but　I　can
quite　understand　how　you　feel　about　it；　Mrs。　March。〃　　We　came　to　a
corner；　and　she　said　abruptly：　　〃Excuse　my　interrupting　your
quarrel！　　Not　quite　so　LOUD；　Mr。　March！〃　and　she　flashed　back　a
mocking　look　at　me　as　she　skurried　off　down　the　street　with
astonishing　rapidity。

〃How　perfectly　heartless！〃　cried　my　wife。　　〃I　certainly　thought　she
would　suggest　somethingoffer　to　do　something。〃

〃I　relied　upon　her；　too；〃　I　said；　〃but　now　I　have　my　doubts　whether
she　was　really　going　down　that　street　till　she　saw　that　it　was　the
best　way　to　escape。　　We're　certainly　in　trouble；　my　dear；　if　people
avoid　us　in　this　manner。〃



CHAPTER　V



〃I　am　doing　it　entirely　on　Mrs。　Deering's　I　account；〃　said　my　wife
that　evening　after　tea；　as　we　walked　down　the　side…street　that
descended　from　our　place　to　Broadway。　　〃She　has　that　girl　on　her
hands；　and　I　know　she　must　be　at　her　wits'　end。〃

〃And　I　do　it　entirely　on　Deering's　account；〃　I　retorted。　　〃He　has
both　of　those　women　on　HIS　hands。〃

We　emerged　into　the　glistening　thoroughfare　in　front　of　the　vast
hotels；　and　I　was　struck；　as　I　never　fail　to　be；　with　its　futile　and
unmeaning　splendour。　　I　think　there　is　nothing　in　our　dun…coloured
civilisation　prettier　than　that　habit　the　ladies　have　in　Saratoga　of
going　out　on　the　street　after　dark　in　their　bare　heads。　　When　I
first　saw　them　wandering　about　so　in　the　glitter　of　the　shop…windows
and　the　fitful　glare　of　the　electrics　everywhere；　I　thought　they
must　be　some　of　those　Spanish…Americans　mistaking　the　warm；　dry　air
of　the　Northern　night　for　that　of　their　own　latitudes；　but　when　I
came　up　with　them　I　could　hear；　if　I　could　not　see；　that　they　were
of　our　own　race。　　Those　flat　and　shapeless　tones　could　come　through
the　noses　of　no　other。　　The　beauty　and　the　elegance　were　also　ours；
and　the　fearless　trust　of　circumstance。　　They　sauntered　up　and　down
before　the　gaunt；　high　porticoes　of　the　hotels；　as　much　at　home　as
they　could　have　been　in　their　own　houses；　and　in　much　the　same　dress
as　if　they　had　been　receiving　there。　　The　effect　is　one　of
incomparable　cheer；　and　is　a　promise　of　social　brilliancy　which
Saratoga　no　more　keeps　than　she　does　that　of　her　other
characteristic　aspects；　say　the　forenoon　effect　of　the　same
thoroughfare；　with　the　piazzas　banked　with　the　hotel　guests；　and　the
street　full　of　the　light　equipages　which　seem　peculiar　to　the　place
passing　and　repassing；　in　the　joyous　sunlight　and　out　of　it；　on　the
leaf…flecked　street。　　Even　the　public　carriages　of　Saratoga　have　a
fresh；　unjaded　air；　and　to　issue　from　the　railway　station　in　the
midst　of　those　buoyant　top…phaetons　and　surreys；　with　their　light…
limbed　horses；　is　to　be　thrilled　by　some　such　insensate　expectation
of　pleasure　as　fills　the　heart　of　a　boy　at　his　first　sally　into　the
world。　　I　always　expect　to　find　my　lost　youth　waiting　for　me　around
the　corner　of　the　United　States　Hotel；　and　I　accuse　myself　of　some
fault　if　it　disappoints　me；　as　it　always　does。　　I　can　imagine　what
gaudy　hopes　by　day　and　by　night　the　bright　staging　of　the　potential
drama　must　awaken　in　the　breast　of　a　young　girl　when　she　first　sees
it；　and　how　blank　she　must　feel　when　the　curtain　goes　down　and　there
has　been　no　play。　　It　was　a　real　anguish　to　me　when　that　young　girl
with　the　Deerings　welcomed　my　wife　and　me　with　a　hopeful　smile；　as
if　we　were　the　dramatis　personae；　and　now　the　performance　must　be
going　to　begin。　　I　could　see　how　much　our　chance　acquaintance　had
brightened　the　perspective　for　her；　and　how　eagerly　she　had　repaired
all　her　illusions；　and　I　thought　how　much　better　it　would　have　been
if　she　had　been　left　to　the　dull　and　spiritless　resignation　in　which
I　had　first　seen　her。　　From　that　there　could　no　fall；　at　least；　and
now　she　had　risen　from　it　only　to　sink　again。

But；　in　fact；　the　whole　party　seemed　falsely　cheered　by　the　event　of
the　afternoon；　and　in　the　few　moments　that　we　sat　with　them　on　their
verandah；　before　going　to　the　music　at　the　Grand　Union；　I　could　hear
the　ladies　laughing　together；　while　Deering　joyously　unfolded　to　me
his　plan　of　going　home　the　next　morning　and　leaving　his　wife　and
Miss　Gage　behind　him。　　〃They　will　stay　in　this　hotelthey　might　as
welland　I　guess　they　can　get　along。　　My　wife　feels　more　acquainted
since　she　met　Mrs。　March；　and　I　shan't　feel　so　much　like　leavin'　her
among　strangers　here　I　don't　know　when　she's　taken　such　a　fancy　to
any　one　as　she　has　to　your　wife；　or　Miss　Gage　either。　　I　guess
she'll　want　to　ask　her　about　the　stores。〃

I　said　that　I　believed　the　fancy　was　mutual；　and　that　there　was
nothing　my　wife　liked　better　than　telling　people　about　stores。　　I
added；　in　generalisation；　that　when　a　woman　had　spent　all　her　own
money　on　dress；　it　did　her　quite　as　much　good　to　see　other　women
spending　theirs；　and　Deering　said　he　guessed　that　was　about　so。　　He
gave　me　a　push　on　the　shoulder　to　make　me　understand　how　keenly　he
appreciated　the　joke；　and　I　perceived　that　we　had　won　his　heart　too。

We　joined　the　ladies；　and　I　thought　that　my　sufferings　for　her
authorised　me　to　attach　myself　more　especially　to　Miss　Gage；　and　to
find　out　all　I　could　about　her。　　We　walked　ahead　of　the　others；　and
I　was　aware　of　her　making　believe　that　it　was　quite　the　same　as　if
she　were　going　to　the　music　with　a　young　man。　　Not　that　she　seemed
disposed　to　trifle　with　my　grey　hairs；　I　quickly　saw　that　this　would
not　be　in　character　with　her；　but　some　sort　of　illusion　was
essential　to　her　youth；　and　she　could　not　help　rejuvenating　me。
This　was　quite　like　the　goddess　she　looked；　I　reflected；　but
otherwise　she　was　not　formidably　divine；　and；　in　fact；　I　suppose　the
goddesses　were；　after　all；　only　nice　girls　at　heart。　　This　one；　at
any　rate；　I　decided；　was　a　very　nice　girl　when　she　was　not　sulking；
and　she　was　so　brightened　by　her　little　adventure；　which　was　really
no　adventure；　that　I　could　not　believe　I　had　ever　seen　her　sulking。

The　hotel　people　did　not　keep　us　from　going　into　the　court　of　the
hotel；　as　I　was　afraid　they　might；　and　we　all　easily　found　places。
In　the　pauses　of　the　music　I　pointed　out　such　notables　and
characters　as　I　saw　about　us；　and　tried　to　possess　her　of　as　much　of
the　Saratoga　world　as　I　knew。　　It　was　largely　there　in　that　bold
evidence　it　loves；　and　in　that　social　solitude　to　which　the　Saratoga
of　the　hotels　condemns　the　denizens　of　her　world。　　I　do　not　mean
that　the　Saratoga　crowd　is　at　all　a　fast…looking　crowd。　　There　are
sporting　people　and　gamblers；　but　the　great　mass　of　the　frequenters
are　plain；　honest　Americans；　out　upon　a　holiday　from　all　parts　of
the　country；　and　of　an　innocence　too　inveterate　to　have　grasped　the
fact　that　there　is　no　fashion　in　Saratoga　now　but　the　fashion　of　the
ladies'　dresses。　　These；　I　must　say；　are　of　the　newest　and
prettiest；　the　dressing　of　the　women　always　strikes　me　there。　　My
companion　was　eager　to　recognise　the　splendours　which　she　had　heard
of；　and　I　pointed　out　an　old　lady　by　the　door；　who　sat　there
displaying　upon　her　vast　person　an　assortment