confidence-第10章

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　is　n't　she　right　to　keep　her　promise？　She　's　a　great　deal　more　careful　than　mamma　ever　was；　and　that　's　just　what　mamma　wanted。　　She　would　never　take　the　trouble　herself。　And　then　she　was　always　scolding　me。　　Mrs。　Vivian　never　scolds　me。　She　only　watches　me；　but　I　don't　mind　that。〃

〃I　wish　she　would　watch　you　a　little　less　and　scold　you　a　little　more；〃　said　Captain　Lovelock。

〃I　have　no　doubt　you　wish　a　great　many　horrid　things；〃　his　companion　rejoined；　with　delightful　asperity。

〃Ah；　unfortunately　I　never　have　anything　I　wish！〃　sighed　Lovelock。

〃Your　wishes　must　be　comprehensive；〃　said　Bernard。　　〃It　seems　to　me　you　have　a　good　deal。〃

The　Englishman　gave　a　shrug。

〃It　's　less　than　you　might　think。　　She　is　watching　us　more　furiously　than　ever；〃　he　added；　in　a　moment；　looking　at　Mrs。　Vivian。　〃Mr。　Gordon　Wright　is　the　only　man　she　likes。　　She　is　awfully　fond　of　Mr。　Gordon　Wright。〃

〃Ah；　Mrs。　Vivian　shows　her　wisdom！〃　said　Bernard。

〃He　is　certainly　very　handsome；〃　murmured　Blanche　Evers；　glancing　several　times；　with　a　very　pretty　aggressiveness；　at　Captain　Lovelock。　　〃I　must　say　I　like　Mr。　Gordon　Wright。　Why　in　the　world　did　you　come　here　without　him？〃　she　went　on；　addressing　herself　to　Bernard。　　〃You　two　are　so　awfully　inseparable。　I　don't　think　I　ever　saw　you　alone　before。〃

〃Oh；　I　have　often　seen　Mr。　Gordon　Wright　alone；〃　said　Captain　Lovelock〃that　is；　alone　with　Miss　Vivian。　　That　's　what　the　old　lady　likes；　she　can't　have　too　much　of　that。〃

The　young　girl；　poised　for　an　instant　in　one　of　her　pretty　attitudes；　looked　at　him　from　head　to　foot。

〃Well；　I　call　that　scandalous！　　Do　you　mean　that　she　wants　to　make　a　match？〃

〃I　mean　that　the　young　man　has　six　thousand　a　year。〃

〃It　's　no　matter　what　he　hassix　thousand　a　year　is　n't　much！　And　we　don't　do　things　in　that　way　in　our　country。　We　have　n't　those　horrid　match…making　arrangements　that　you　have　in　your　dreadful　country。　　American　mothers　are　not　like　English　mothers。〃

〃Oh；　any　one　can　see；　of　course；〃　said　Captain　Lovelock；　〃that　Mr。　Gordon　Wright　is　dying　of　love　for　Miss　Vivian。〃

〃I　can't　see　it！〃　cried　Blanche。

〃He　dies　easier　than　I；　eh？〃

〃I　wish　you　would　die！〃　said　Blanche。　　〃At　any　rate；　Angela　is　not　dying　of　love　for　Mr。　Wright。〃

〃Well；　she　will　marry　him　all　the　same；〃　Lovelock　declared。

Blanche　Evers　glanced　at　Bernard。

〃Why　don't　you　contradict　that？〃　she　asked。　　〃Why　don't　you　speak　up　for　your　friend？〃

〃I　am　quite　ready　to　speak　for　my　friend；〃　said　Bernard；　〃but　I　am　not　ready　to　speak　for　Miss　Vivian。〃

〃Well；　I　am；〃　Blanche　declared。　　〃She　won't　marry　him。〃

〃If　she　does　n't；　I　'll　eat　my　hat！〃　said　Captain　Lovelock。　〃What　do　you　mean；〃　he　went　on；　〃by　saying　that　in　America　a　pretty　girl's　mother　does　n't　care　for　a　young　fellow's　property？〃

〃Well；　they　don'twe　consider　that　dreadful。　　Why　don't　you　say　so；　Mr。　Longueville？〃　　Blanche　demanded。　　〃I　never　saw　any　one　take　things　so　quietly。　　Have　n't　you　got　any　patriotism？〃

〃My　patriotism　is　modified　by　an　indisposition　to　generalize；〃　said　Bernard；　laughing。　　〃On　this　point　permit　me　not　to　generalize。　I　am　interested　in　the　particular　casein　ascertaining　whether　Mrs。　Vivian　thinks　very　often　of　Gordon　Wright's　income。〃

Miss　Evers　gave　a　little　toss　of　disgust。

〃If　you　are　so　awfully　impartial；　you　had　better　go　and　ask　her。〃

〃That　's　a　good　ideaI　think　I　will　go　and　ask　her；〃　said　Bernard。

Captain　Lovelock　returned　to　his　argument。

〃Do　you　mean　to　say　that　your　mother　would　be　indifferent　to　the　fact　that　I　have　n't　a　shilling　in　the　world？〃

〃Indifferent？〃　　Blanche　demanded。　　〃Oh　no；　she　would　be　sorry　for　you。　She　is　very　charitableshe　would　give　you　a　shilling！〃

〃She　would　n't　let　you　marry　me；〃　said　Lovelock。

〃She　would　n't　have　much　trouble　to　prevent　it！〃　cried　the　young　girl。

Bernard　had　had　enough　of　this　intellectual　fencing。

〃Yes；　I　will　go　and　ask　Mrs。　Vivian；〃　he　repeated。　　And　he　left　his　companions　to　resume　their　walk。






CHAPTER　X

It　had　seemed　to　him　a　good　idea　to　interrogate　Mrs。　Vivian；　but　there　are　a　great　many　good　ideas　that　are　never　put　into　execution。　As　he　approached　her　with　a　smile　and　a　salutation；　and；　with　the　air　of　asking　leave　to　take　a　liberty；　seated　himself　in　the　empty　chair　beside　her；　he　felt　a　humorous　relish　of　her　own　probable　dismay　which　relaxed　the　investigating　impulse。　　His　impulse　was　now　simply　to　prove　to　her　that　he　was　the　most　unobjectionable　fellow　in　the　world　a　proposition　which　resolved　itself　into　several　ingenious　observations　upon　the　weather；　the　music；　the　charms　and　the　drawbacks　of　Baden；　the　merits　of　the　volume　that　she　held　in　her　lap。　　If　Mrs。　Vivian　should　be　annoyed；　should　be　fluttered；　Bernard　would　feel　very　sorry　for　her；　there　was　nothing　in　the　world　that　he　respected　more　than　the　moral　consciousness　of　a　little　Boston　woman　whose　view　of　life　was　serious　and　whose　imagination　was　subject　to　alarms。　　He　held　it　to　be　a　temple　of　delicacy；　where　one　should　walk　on　tiptoe；　and　he　wished　to　exhibit　to　Mrs。　Vivian　the　possible　lightness　of　his　own　step。　She　herself　was　incapable　of　being　rude　or　ungracious；　and　now　that　she　was　fairly　confronted　with　the　plausible　object　of　her　mistrust；　she　composed　herself　to　her　usual　attitude　of　refined　liberality。　Her　book　was　a　volume　of　Victor　Cousin。

〃You　must　have　an　extraordinary　power　of　abstracting　your　mind；〃　Bernard　said　to　her；　observing　it。　　〃Studying　philosophy　at　the　Baden　Kursaal　strikes　me　as　a　real　intellectual　feat。〃

〃Don't　you　think　we　need　a　little　philosophy　here？〃

〃By　all　meanswhat　we　bring　with　us。　　But　I　should　n't　attempt　the　use　of　the　text…book　on　the　spot。〃

〃You　should　n't　speak　of　yourself　as　if　you　were　not　clever；〃　said　Mrs。　Vivian。　　〃Every　one　says　you　are　so　very　clever。〃

Longueville　stared；　there　was　an　unexpectedness　in　the　speech　and　an　incongruity　in　Mrs。　Vivian's　beginning　to　flatter　him。　He　needed　to　remind　himself　that　if　she　was　a　Bostonian；　she　was　a　Bostonian　perverted。

〃Ah；　my　dear　madam；　every　one　is　no　one；〃　he　said；　laughing。

〃It　was　Mr。　Wright；　in　particular；〃　she　rejoined。　　〃He　has　always　told　us　that。〃

〃He　is　blinded　by　friendship。〃

〃Ah　yes；　we　know　about　your　friendship；〃　said　Mrs。　Vivian。　〃He　has　told　us　about　that。〃

〃You　are　making　him　out　a　terrible　talker！〃

〃We　think　he　talks　so　wellwe　are　so　very　fond　of　his　conversation。〃

〃It　's　usually　excellent；〃　said　Bernard。　　〃But　it　depends　a　good　deal　on　the　subject。〃

〃Oh；〃　rejoined　Mrs。　Vivian；　〃we　always　let　him　choose　his　subjects。〃　And　dropping　her　eyes　as　if　in　sudden　reflection；　she　began　to　smooth　down　the　crumpled　corner　of　her　volume。

It　occurred　to　Bernard　thatby　some　mysterious　impulse　she　was　suddenly　presenting　him　with　a　chance　to　ask　her　the　question　that　Blanche　Evers　had　just　suggested。　Two　or　three　other　things　as　well　occurred　to　him。　Captain　Lovelock　had　been　struck　with　the　fact　that　she　favored　Gordon　Wright's　addresses　to　her　daughter；　and　Captain　Lovelock　had　a　grotesque　theory　that　she　had　set　her　heart　upon　seeing　this　young　lady　come　into　six　thousand　a　year。　Miss　Evers's　devoted　swain　had　never　struck　Bernard　as　a　brilliant　reasoner；　but　our　friend　suddenly　found　himself　regarding　him　as　one　of　the　inspired。　　The　form　of　depravity　into　which　the　New　England　conscience　had　lapsed　on　Mrs。　Vivian's　part　was　an　undue　appreciation　of　a　possible　son…in…law's　income！　In　this　illuminating　discovery　everything　else　became　clear。　Mrs。　Vivian　disliked　her　humble　servant　because　he　had　not　thirty　thousand　dollars　a　year；　and　because　at　a　moment　when　it　was　Angela's　prime　duty　to　concentrate　her　thoughts　upon　Gordon　Wright's　great　advantages；　a　clever　young　man　of　paltry　fortune　was　a　superfluous　diversion。

〃When　you　say　clever；　everything　is　relative；〃　he　presently　observed。　〃Now；　there　is　Captain　Lovelock；　he　has　a　certain　kind　of　cleverness；　he　is　very　observant。〃

Mrs。　Vivian　glanced　up　with　a　preoccupied　air。

〃We　don't　like　Captain　Lovelock；〃　she　said。

〃I　have　heard　him　say　capital　things；〃　Bernard　answered。

〃We　think　him　brutal；〃　said　Mrs。　Vivian。　　〃Please　don't　praise　Captain　Lovelock。〃

〃Oh；　I　only　want　to　be　just。〃

Mrs。　Vivian　for　a　moment　said　nothing。

〃Do　you　want　very　much　to　be　just？〃　she　presently　asked。

〃It　's　my　most　ardent　desire。〃

〃I　'm　glad　to　hear　thatand　I　can　easily　believe　it；〃　said　Mrs。　Vivian。

Bernard　gave　her　a　grateful　smile；　but　while　he　smiled；　he　asked　himself　a　serious　question。　　〃Why　the　deuce　does　she　go　on　flattering　me？You　have　always　been　very　kind　to　me；〃　he　said　aloud。

〃It　's　on　Mr。　Wright's　account；〃　she　answered　demurely。

In　speaking　the　words　I　have　just　quoted；　Bernard　Longueville　had　felt　himself；　with　a　certain　compunction；　to　be　skirting　the　edge　of　clever　impudence；　but　Mrs。　Vivian's　quiet　little　reply　suggested　to　him　that　her　cleverness；　if　not　her　impudence；　was　almost　equal　to　his　own。　　He　remarked　to　himself　that　he　had　not　yet　done　her　justice。

〃You　bring　everything　back　to　Gordon　Wright；〃　he　said；　continuing　to　smile。

Mrs。　Vivian　blushed　a　little。

〃It　is　because　he　is　really　at　the　foundation　of　everything　that　is　pleasant　for　us　here。　　When　we　first　came　we　had　some　very　disagreeable　rooms；　and　as　soon　as　he　arrived　he　found　us　some　excellent　onesthat　were　less　expensive。　　And　then；　Mr。　Longueville；〃　she　added；　with　a　soft；　sweet　emphasis　which　should　properly　have　contradicted　the　idea　of　audacity；　but　which；　to　Bernard's　awakened　sense；　seemed　really　to　impart　a　vivid　color　to　it；　〃he　was　also　the　cause　of　your　joining　our　little　party。〃

〃Oh；　among　his　services　that　should　never　be　forgotten。　　You　should　set　up　a　tablet　to　commemorate　it；　in　the　wall　of　the　Kursaal！　The　wicked　little　woman！〃　　Bernard　mentally　subjoined。

Mrs。　Vivian　appeared　quite　unruffled　by　his　sportive　sarcasm；　and　she　continued　to　enumerate　her　obligations　to　Gordon　Wright。

〃There　are　so　many　ways　in　which　a　gentleman　can　be　of　assistance　to　three　poor　lonely　women；　especially　when　he　is　at　the　same　time　so　friendly　and　so　delicate　as　Mr。　Wright。　　I　don't　know　what　we　should　have　done　without　him；　and　I　feel　as　if　every　one　ought　to　know　it。　He　seems　like　a　very　old　friend。　　My　daughter　and　I　quite　worship　him。　I　will　not　conceal　from　you　that　when　I　saw　you　coming　through　the　grounds　a　short　time　ago　without　him　I　was　very　much　disappointed。　　I　hope　he　is　not　ill。〃

Bernard　sat　listening；　with　his　eyes　on　the　ground。

〃Oh　no；　he　is　simply　at　home　writing　letters。〃

Mrs。　Vivian　was　silent　a　moment。

〃I　suppose　he　has　a　very　large　correspondence。〃

〃I　really　don't　know。　　Just　now　that　I　am　with　him　he　has　a　smaller　one　than　usual。〃

〃Ah　yes。　　When　you　are　separated　I　suppose　you　write　volumes　to　each　other。　But　he　must　have　a　great　many　business　letters。〃

〃It　is　very　likely；〃　said　Bernard。　　〃And　if　he　has；　you　may　be　sure　he　writes　them。〃

〃Order　and　method！〃　　Mrs。　Vivian　exclaimed。　　〃With　his　immense　property　those　virtues　are　necessary。〃

Bernard　glanced　at　her　a　moment。

〃My　dear　Lovelock；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃you　are　not　such　a　fool　as　you　seem。　Gordon's　virtues　are　always　necessary；　doubtless；〃　he　went　on。　　〃But　should　you　say　his　property　was　immense？