confidence-第14章

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　his　attention；　all　contributed　to　this　result。

Such　a　result　was　certainly　a　remarkable　one；　for　it　is　almost　superfluous　to　intimate　that　Miss　Vivian　was；　in　fact；　perpetually　in　his　thoughts。　He　made　it　a　point　of　conscience　not　to　think　of　her；　but　he　was　thinking　of　her　most　when　his　conscience　was　most　lively。　　Bernard　had　a　conscience　a　conscience　which；　though　a　little　irregular　in　its　motions；　gave　itself　in　the　long　run　a　great　deal　of　exercise；　but　nothing　could　have　been　more　natural　than　that；　curious；　imaginative；　audacious　as　he　was；　and　delighting；　as　I　have　said；　in　the　play　of　his　singularly　nimble　intelligence；　he　should　have　given　himself　up　to　a　sort　of　unconscious　experimentation。　〃I　will　leave　her　aloneI　will　be　hanged　if　I　attempt　to　draw　her　out！〃　he　said　to　himself；　and　meanwhile　he　was　roaming　afield　and　plucking　personal　impressions　in　great　fragrant　handfuls。　　All　this；　as　I　say；　was　natural；　given　the　man　and　the　situation；　the　only　oddity　is　that　he　should　have　fancied　himself　able　to　persuade　the　person　most　interested　that　he　had　renounced　his　advantage。

He　remembered　her　telling　him　that　she　cared　very　much　what　he　should　say　of　her　on　Gordon　Wright's　return；　and　he　felt　that　this　declaration　had　a　particular　significance。　After　this；　of　her　own　movement；　she　never　spoke　of　Gordon；　and　Bernard　made　up　his　mind　that　she　had　promised　her　mother　to　accept　him　if　he　should　repeat　his　proposal；　and　that　as　her　heart　was　not　in　the　matter　she　preferred　to　drop　a　veil　over　the　prospect。　　〃She　is　going　to　marry　him　for　his　money；〃　he　said；　〃because　her　mother　has　brought　out　the　advantages　of　the　thing。　Mrs。　Vivian's　persuasive　powers　have　carried　the　day；　and　the　girl　has　made　herself　believe　that　it　does　n't　matter　that　she　does　n't　love　him。　　Perhaps　it　does　n'tto　her；　it　's　hard；　in　such　a　case；　to　put　one's　self　in　the　woman's　point　of　view。　　But　I　should　think　it　would　matter；　some　day　or　other；　to　poor　Gordon。　　She　herself　can't　help　suspecting　it　may　make　a　difference　in　his　happiness；　and　she　therefore　does　n't　wish　to　seem　any　worse　to　him　than　is　necessary。　She　wants　me　to　speak　well　of　her；　if　she　intends　to　deceive　him　she　expects　me　to　back　her　up。　　The　wish　is　doubtless　natural；　but　for　a　proud　girl　it　is　rather　an　odd　favor　to　ask。　Oh　yes；　she　's　a　proud　girl；　even　though　she　has　been　able　to　arrange　it　with　her　conscience　to　make　a　mercenary　marriage。　To　expect　me　to　help　her　is　perhaps　to　treat　me　as　a　friend；　but　she　ought　to　rememberor　at　least　I　ought　to　remember　that　Gordon　is　an　older　friend　than　she。　　Inviting　me　to　help　her　as　against　my　oldest　friendis　n't　there　a　grain　of　impudence　in　that？〃

It　will　be　gathered　that　Bernard's　meditations　were　not　on　the　whole　favorable　to　this　young　lady；　and　it　must　be　affirmed　that　he　was　forcibly　struck　with　an　element　of　cynicism　in　her　conduct。　On　the　evening　of　her　so…called　midnight　visit　to　the　Kursaal　she　had　suddenly　sounded　a　note　of　sweet　submissiveness　which　re…appeared　again　at　frequent　intervals。　　She　was　gentle；　accessible；　tenderly　gracious；　expressive；　demonstrative；　almost　flattering。　　From　his　own　personal　point　of　view　Bernard　had　no　complaint　to　make　of　this　maidenly　urbanity；　but　he　kept　reminding　himself　that　he　was　not　in　question　and　that　everything　must　be　looked　at　in　the　light　of　Gordon's　requirements。　There　was　all　this　time　an　absurd　logical　twist　in　his　view　of　things。　In　the　first　place　he　was　not　to　judge　at　all；　and　in　the　second　he　was　to　judge　strictly　on　Gordon's　behalf。　　This　latter　clause　always　served　as　a　justification　when　the　former　had　failed　to　serve　as　a　deterrent。　When　Bernard　reproached　himself　for　thinking　too　much　of　the　girl；　he　drew　comfort　from　the　reflection　that　he　was　not　thinking　well。　To　let　it　gradually　filter　into　one's　mind；　through　a　superficial　complexity　of　more　reverent　preconceptions；　that　she　was　an　extremely　clever　coquettethis；　surely；　was　not　to　think　well！　　Bernard　had　luminous　glimpses　of　another　situation；　in　which　Angela　Vivian's　coquetry　should　meet　with　a　different　appreciation；　but　just　now　it　was　not　an　item　to　be　entered　on　the　credit　side　of　Wright's　account。　Bernard　wiped　his　pen；　mentally　speaking；　as　he　made　this　reflection；　and　felt　like　a　grizzled　old　book…keeper；　of　incorruptible　probity。　He　saw　her；　as　I　have　said；　very　often；　she　continued　to　break　her　vow　of　shutting　herself　up；　and　at　the　end　of　a　fortnight　she　had　reduced　it　to　imperceptible　particles。　　On　four　different　occasions；　presenting　himself　at　Mrs。　Vivian's　lodgings；　Bernard　found　Angela　there　alone。　　She　made　him　welcome；　receiving　him　as　an　American　girl；　in　such　circumstances；　is　free　to　receive　the　most　gallant　of　visitors。　She　smiled　and　talked　and　gave　herself　up　to　charming　gayety；　so　that　there　was　nothing　for　Bernard　to　say　but　that　now　at　least　she　was　off　her　guard　with　a　vengeance。　　Happily　he　was　on　his　own！　He　flattered　himself　that　he　remained　so　on　occasions　that　were　even　more　insidiously　relaxingwhen；　in　the　evening；　she　strolled　away　with　him　to　parts　of　the　grounds　of　the　Conversation…house；　where　the　music　sank　to　sweeter　softness　and　the　murmur　of　the　tree…tops　of　the　Black　Forest；　stirred　by　the　warm　night…air；　became　almost　audible；　or　when；　in　the　long　afternoons；　they　wandered　in　the　woods　apart　from　the　others　from　Mrs。　Vivian　and　the　amiable　object　of　her　more　avowed　solicitude；　the　object　of　the　sportive　adoration　of　the　irrepressible；　the　ever…present　Lovelock。　　They　were　constantly　having　parties　in　the　woods　at　this　timedriving　over　the　hills　to　points　of　interest　which　Bernard　had　looked　out　in　the　guide…book。　Bernard；　in　such　matters；　was　extremely　alert　and　considerate；　he　developed　an　unexpected　talent　for　arranging　excursions；　and　he　had　taken　regularly　into　his　service　the　red…waistcoated　proprietor　of　a　big　Teutonic　landau；　which　had　a　courier's　seat　behind　and　was　always　at　the　service　of　the　ladies。　The　functionary　in　the　red　waistcoat　was　a　capital　charioteer；　he　was　constantly　proposing　new　drives；　and　he　introduced　our　little　party　to　treasures　of　romantic　scenery。






CHAPTER　XIII

More　than　a　fortnight　had　elapsed；　but　Gordon　Wright　had　not　re…appeared；　and　Bernard　suddenly　decided　that　he　would　leave　Baden。　He　found　Mrs。　Vivian　and　her　daughter；　very　opportunely；　in　the　garden　of　the　pleasant；　homely　Schloss　which　forms　the　residence　of　the　Grand　Dukes　of　Baden　during　their　visits　to　the　scene　of　our　narrative；　and　which；　perched　upon　the　hill…side　directly　above　the　little　town；　is　surrounded　with　charming　old　shrubberies　and　terraces。　　To　this　garden　a　portion　of　the　public　is　admitted；　and　Bernard；　who　liked　the　place；　had　been　there　more　than　once。　　One　of　the　terraces　had　a　high　parapet；　against　which　Angela　was　leaning；　looking　across　the　valley。　Mrs。　Vivian　was　not　at　first　in　sight；　but　Bernard　presently　perceived　her　seated　under　a　tree　with　Victor　Cousin　in　her　hand。　As　Bernard　approached　the　young　girl；　Angela；　who　had　not　seen　him；　turned　round。

〃Don't　move；〃　he　said。　　〃You　were　just　in　the　position　in　which　I　painted　your　portrait　at　Siena。〃

〃Don't　speak　of　that；〃　she　answered。

〃I　have　never　understood；〃　said　Bernard；　〃why　you　insist　upon　ignoring　that　charming　incident。〃

She　resumed　for　a　moment　her　former　position；　and　stood　looking　at　the　opposite　hills。

〃That　's　just　how　you　werein　profilewith　your　head　a　little　thrown　back。〃

〃It　was　an　odious　incident！〃　　Angela　exclaimed；　rapidly　changing　her　attitude。

Bernard　was　on　the　point　of　making　a　rejoinder；　but　he　thought　of　Gordon　Wright　and　held　his　tongue。　　He　presently　told　her　that　he　intended　to　leave　Baden　on　the　morrow。

They　were　walking　toward　her　mother。　　She　looked　round　at　him　quickly。

〃Where　are　you　going？〃

〃To　Paris；〃　he　said；　quite　at　hazard；　for　he　had　not　in　the　least　determined　where　to　go。

〃To　Parisin　the　month　of　August？〃　　And　she　gave　a　little　laugh。　〃What　a　happy　inspiration！〃

She　gave　a　little　laugh；　but　she　said　nothing　more；　and　Bernard　gave　no　further　account　of　his　plan。　　They　went　and　sat　down　near　Mrs。　Vivian　for　ten　minutes；　and　then　they　got　up　again　and　strolled　to　another　part　of　the　garden。　They　had　it　all　to　themselves；　and　it　was　filled　with　things　that　Bernard　likedinequalities　of　level；　with　mossy　steps　connecting　them；　rose…trees　trained　upon　old　brick　walls；　horizontal　trellises　arranged　like　Italian　pergolas；　and　here　and　there　a　towering　poplar；　looking　as　if　it　had　survived　from　some　more　primitive　stage　of　culture；　with　its　stiff　boughs　motionless　and　its　leaves　forever　trembling。　They　made　almost　the　whole　circuit　of　the　garden；　and　then　Angela　mentioned　very　quietly　that　she　had　heard　that　morning　from　Mr。　Wright；　and　that　he　would　not　return　for　another　week。

〃You　had　better　stay；〃　she　presently　added；　as　if　Gordon's　continued　absence　were　an　added　reason。

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Bernard。　　〃It　is　sometimes　difficult　to　say　what　one　had　better　do。〃

I　hesitate　to　bring　against　him　that　most　inglorious　of　all　charges；　an　accusation　of　sentimental　fatuity；　of　the　disposition　to　invent　obstacles　to　enjoyment　so　that　he　might　have　the　pleasure　of　seeing　a　pretty　girl　attempt　to　remove　them。　　But　it　must　be　admitted　that　if　Bernard　really　thought　at　present　that　he　had　better　leave　Baden；　the　observation　I　have　just　quoted　was　not　so　much　a　sign　of　this　conviction　as　of　the　hope　that　his　companion　would　proceed　to　gainsay　it。　The　hope　was　not　disappointed；　though　I　must　add　that　no　sooner　had　it　been　gratified　than　Bernard　began　to　feel　ashamed　of　it。

〃This　certainly　is　not　one　of　those　cases；〃　said　Angela。　〃The　thing　is　surely　very　simple　now。〃

〃What　makes　it　so　simple？〃

She　hesitated　a　moment。

〃The　fact　that　I　ask　you　to　stay。〃

〃You　ask　me？〃　he　repeated；　softly。

〃Ah；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃one　does　n't　say　those　things　twice！〃

She　turned　away；　and　they　went　back　to　her　mother；　who　gave　Bernard　a　wonderful　little　look　of　half　urgent；　half　remonstrant　inquiry。　As　they　left　the　garden　he　walked　beside　Mrs。　Vivian；　Angela　going　in　front　of　them　at　a　distance。　　The　elder　lady　began　immediately　to　talk　to　him　of　Gordon　Wright。

〃He　's　not　coming　back　for　another　week；　you　know；〃　she　said。　〃I　am　sorry　he　stays　away　so　long。〃

〃Ah　yes；〃　Bernard　answered；　〃it　seems　very　long　indeed。〃

And　it　had；　in　fact；　seemed　to　him　very　long。

〃I　suppose　he　is　always　likely　to　have　business；〃　said　Mrs。　Vivian。

〃You　may　be　very　sure　it　is　not　for　his　pleasure　that　he　stays　away。〃

〃I　know　he　is　faithful　to　old　friends；〃　said　Mrs。　Vivian。　〃I　am　sure　he　has　not　forgotten　us。〃

〃I　certainly　count　upon　that；〃　Bernard　exclaimed〃remembering　him　as　we　do！〃

Mrs。　Vivian　glanced　at　him　gratefully。

〃Oh　yes；　we　remember　himwe　remember　him　daily；　hourly。　At　least；　I　can　speak　for　my　daughter　and　myself。　　He　has　been　so　very　kind　to　us。〃　　Bernard　said　nothing；　and　she　went　on。　〃And　you　have　been　so　very　kind　to　us；　too；　Mr。　Longueville。　I　want　so　much　to　thank　you。〃

〃Oh　no；　don't！〃　said　Bernard；　frowning。　　〃I　would　rather　you　should　n't。〃

〃Of　course；〃　Mrs。　Vivian　added；　〃I　know　it　's　all　on　his　account；　but　that　makes　me　wish　to　thank　you　all　the　more。　　Let　me　express　my　gratitude；　in　advance；　for