drift from two shores(漂流)-第3章
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with folded arms； looked from the one to the other。
〃I have not thought much of you for a twelvemonth；〃 he said； quietly；
〃but I have not forgotten you。 Come！〃
He led the way a few steps in advance； they following silently。 In
this brief interview they felt he had resumed the old dominance and
independence； against which they had rebelled； more than that； in this half
failure of their first concerted action they had changed their querulous
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bickerings to a sullen distrust of each other； and walked moodily apart as
they followed James North into his house。 A fire blazed brightly on the
hearth； a few extra seats were quickly extemporized from boxes and chests；
and the elder lady； with the skirt of her dress folded over her knees；
looking not unlike an exceedingly overdressed jointed doll；dried her
flounces and her tears together。 Miss Maria took in the scant
appointments of the house in one single glance； and then fixed her eyes
upon James North； who； the least concerned of the party； stood before
them； grave and patiently expectant。
〃Well；〃 began the elder lady in a high key； 〃after all this worry and
trouble you have given us； James； haven't you anything to say？ Do you
knowhave you the least idea what you are doing？ what egregious folly
you are committing？ what everybody is saying？ Eh？ Heavens and
earth！do you know who I am？〃
〃You are my father's brother's widow； Aunt Mary；〃 returned James；
quietly。 〃If I am committing any folly it only concerns myself； if I cared
for what people said I should not be here； if I loved society enough to
appreciate its good report I should stay with it。〃
〃But they say you have run away from society to pine alone for a
worthless creaturea woman who has used you； as she has used and
thrown away othersa〃
〃A woman；〃 chimed in Dick； who had thrown himself on James's bed
while his patent leathers were drying； 〃a woman that all the fellers know
never intended〃here； however； he met James North's eye； and muttering
something about 〃whole thing being too idiotic to talk about；〃 relapsed
into silence。
〃You know；〃 continued Mrs。 North； 〃that while we and all our set shut
our eyes to your very obvious relations with that woman； and while I
myself often spoke of it to others as a simple flirtation； and averted a
scandal for your sake； and when the climax was reached； and she herself
gave you an opportunity to sever your relations； and nobody need have
been wiserand she'd have had all the blameand it's only what she's
accustomed toyouyou！ you； James North！you must nonsensically go；
and； by this extravagant piece of idiocy and sentimental tomfoolery； let
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everybody see how serious the whole affair was； and how deep it hurt you！
and here in this awful place； alonewhere you're half drowned to get to it
and are willing to be wholly drowned to get away！ Oh； don't talk to me！
I won't hear itit's just too idiotic for anything！〃
The subject of this outburst neither spoke nor moved a single muscle。
〃Your aunt； Mr。 North； speaks excitedly；〃 said the elder gentleman；
〃yet I think she does not overestimate the unfortunate position in which
your odd fancy places you。 I know nothing of the reasons that have
impelled you to this step； I only know that the popular opinion is that the
cause is utterly inadequate。 You are still young； with a future before you。
I need not say how your present conduct may imperil that。 If you
expected to achieve any good even to your own satisfactionbut this
conduct〃
〃Yesif there was anything to be gained by it！〃 broke in Mrs。 North。
〃If you ever thought she'd come back！but that kind of woman don't。
They must have change。 Why〃began Dick suddenly； and as suddenly
lying down again。
〃Is this all you have come to say？〃 asked James North； after a
moment's patient silence； looking from one to the other。
〃All？〃 screamed Mrs。 North； 〃is it not enough？〃
〃Not to change my mind nor my residence at present；〃 replied North；
coolly。
〃Do you mean to continue this folly all your life？〃
〃And have a coroner's inquest； and advertisements and all the facts in
the papers？〃
〃And have HER read the melancholy details； and know that you were
faithful and she was not？〃
This last shot was from the gentle Maria； who bit her lips as it glanced
from the immovable man。
〃I believe there is nothing more to say；〃 continued North； quietly。 〃I
am willing to believe your intentions are as worthy as your zeal。 Let us
say no more；〃 he added； with grave weariness； 〃the tide is rising； and your
coachman is signaling you from the bank。〃
There was no mistaking the unshaken positiveness of the man； which
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was all the more noticeable from its gentle but utter indifference to the
wishes of the party。 He turned his back upon them as they gathered
hurriedly around the elder gentleman； while the words； 〃He cannot be in
his right mind；〃 〃It's your duty to do it；〃 〃It's sheer insanity；〃 〃Look at his
eye！〃 all fell unconsciously upon his ear。
〃One word more； Mr。 North；〃 said the elder gentleman； a little
portentously； to conceal an evident embarrassment。 〃It may be that your
conduct might suggest to minds more practical than your own the
existence of some aberration of the intellectsome temporary maniathat
might force your best friends into a quasi…legal attitude of〃
〃Declaring me insane；〃 interrupted James North； with the slight
impatience of a man more anxious to end a prolix interview than to
combat an argument。 〃I think differently。 As my aunt's lawyer； you
know that within the last year I have deeded most of my property to her
and her family。 I cannot believe that so shrewd an adviser as Mr。
Edmund Carter would ever permit proceedings that would invalidate that
conveyance。〃
Maria burst into a laugh of such wicked gratification that James North；
for the first time； raised his eyes with something of interest to her face。
She colored under them； but returned his glance with another like a
bayonet flash。 The party slowly moved toward the door； James North
following。
〃Then this is your final answer？〃 asked Mrs。 North； stopping
imperiously on the threshold。
〃I beg your pardon？〃 queried North； half abstractedly。
〃Your final answer？〃
〃Oh； certainly。〃
Mrs。 North flounced away a dozen rods in rage。 This was
unfortunate for North。 It gave them the final attack in detail。 Dick began：
〃Come along！ You know you can advertise for her with a personal down
there and the old woman wouldn't object as long as you were careful and
put in an appearance now and then！〃
As Dick limped away； Mr。 Carter thought； in confidence； that the
whole mattereven to suit Mr。 North's sensitive naturemight be settled
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there。 〃SHE evidently expects you to return。 My opinion is that she
never left San Francisco。 You can't tell anything about these women。〃
With this last sentence on his indifferent ear； James North seemed to
be left free。 Maria had rejoined her mother； but as they crossed the ford；
and an intervening sand…hill hid the others from sight； that piquant young
lady suddenly appeared on the hill and stood before him。
〃And you're not coming back？〃 she said directly。
〃No。〃
〃Never？〃
〃I cannot say。〃
〃Tell me！ what is there about some women to make men love them
so？〃
〃Love；〃 replied North； quietly。
〃No； it cannot beit is not THAT！〃
North looked over the hill and round the hill； and looked bored。
〃Oh； I'm going now。 But one moment； Jem！ I didn't want to come。
They dragged me here。 Good…by。〃
She raised a burning face and eyes to his。 He leaned forward and
imprinted the perfunctory cousinly kiss of the period upon her cheek。
〃Not that way；〃 she said angrily； clutching his wrists with her long；
thin fingers； 〃you shan't kiss me in that way； James North。〃
With the faintest； ghost…like passing of a twinkle in the corners of his
sad eyes； he touched his lips to hers。 With the contact； she caught him
round the neck； pressed her burning lips and face to his forehead； his
cheeks； the very curves of his chin and throat； andwith a laugh was gone。
II
Had the kinsfolk of James North any hope that their visit might
revive some lingering desire he still combated to enter once more the
world they represented； that hope would have soon died。 Whatever effect
this episode had upon the solitary；and he had become so self…indulgent of
his sorrow； and so careless of all that came between him and it； as to meet
opposition with profound indifference；the only appreciable result was a
greater attraction for the solitude that protected him； and he grew even to
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love the bleak shore and barren sands that had proved so inhospitable to
