confidence-第38章

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〃I　have　always　tried　to　do　what　I　could　to　oblige　you；〃　Bernard　answered；　smiling。

〃You　must　have　cursed　me　over　there；〃　Gordon　went　on。

〃I　did；　a　little。　　As　you　were　cursing　me　here；　it　was　permissible。〃

〃That　's　over　now；〃　said　Gordon。　　〃I　came　to　welcome　you　back。　It　seemed　to　me　I　could　n't　lay　my　head　on　my　pillow　without　speaking　to　you。〃

〃I　am　glad　to　get　back；〃　Bernard　admitted；　smiling　still。　〃I　can't　deny　that。　　And　I　find　you　as　I　believed　I　should。〃　Then　he　added；　seriously〃I　knew　Angela　would　keep　us　good　friends。〃

For　a　moment　Gordon　said　nothing。　　Then；　at　last

〃Yes；　for　that　purpose　it　did　n't　matter　which　of　us　should　marry　her。　If　it　had　been　I；〃　he　added；　〃she　would　have　made　you　accept　it。〃

〃Ah；　I　don't　know！〃　　Bernard　exclaimed。

〃I　am　sure　of　it；〃　said　Gordon　earnestlyalmost　argumentatively。　〃She　's　an　extraordinary　woman。〃

〃Keeping　you　good　friends　with　methat　's　a　great　thing。　But　it　's　nothing　to　her　keeping　you　good　friends　with　your　wife。〃

Gordon　looked　at　Bernard　for　an　instant；　then　he　fixed　his　eyes　for　some　time　on　the　fire。

〃Yes；　that　is　the　greatest　of　all　things。　　A　man　should　value　his　wife。　He　should　believe　in　her。　　He　has　taken　her；　and　he　should　keep　her　especially　when　there　is　a　great　deal　of　good　in　her。　　I　was　a　great　fool　the　other　day；〃　he　went　on。　　〃I　don't　remember　what　I　said。　　It　was　very　weak。〃

〃It　seemed　to　me　feeble；〃　said　Bernard。　　〃But　it　is　quite　within　a　man's　rights　to　be　a　fool　once　in　a　while；　and　you　had　never　abused　of　the　license。〃

〃Well；　I　have　done　it　for　a　lifetimefor　a　lifetime。〃　And　Gordon　took　up　his　hat。　　He　looked　into　the　crown　of　it　for　a　moment；　and　then　he　fixed　his　eyes　on　Bernard's　again。　〃But　there　is　one　thing　I　hope　you　won't　mind　my　saying。　I　have　come　back　to　my　old　impression　of　Miss　Vivian。〃

〃Your　old　impression？〃

And　Miss　Vivian's　accepted　lover　frowned　a　little。

〃I　mean　that　she　's　not　simple。　　She　's　very　strange。〃

Bernard's　frown　cleared　away　in　a　sudden；　almost　eager　smile。

〃Say　at　once　that　you　dislike　her！　　That　will　do　capitally。〃

Gordon　shook　his　head；　and　he；　too；　almost　smiled　a　little。

〃It　's　not　true。　　She　's　very　wonderful。　　And　if　I　did　dislike　her；　I　should　struggle　with　it。　　It　would　never　do　for　me　to　dislike　your　wife！〃

After　he　had　gone；　when　the　night　was　half　over；　Bernard；　lying　awake　a　while；　gave　a　laugh　in　the　still　darkness；　as　this　last　sentence　came　back　to　him。

On　the　morrow　he　saw　Blanche；　for　he　went　to　see　Gordon。　The　latter；　at　first；　was　not　at　home；　but　he　had　a　quarter　of　an　hour's　talk　with　his　wife；　whose　powers　of　conversation　were　apparently　not　in　the　smallest　degree　affected　by　anything　that　had　occurred。

〃I　hope　you　enjoyed　your　visit　to　London；〃　she　said。　〃Did　you　go　to　buy　Angela　a　set　of　diamonds　in　Bond　Street？　You　did　n't　buy　anythingyou　did　n't　go　into　a　shop？　Then　pray　what　did　you　go　for？　　Excuse　my　curiosity　it　seems　to　me　it　's　rather　flattering。　　I　never　know　anything　unless　I　am　told。　　I　have　n't　any　powers　of　observation。　I　noticed　you　wentoh；　yes；　I　observed　that　very　much；　and　I　thought　it　very　strange；　under　the　circumstances。　Your　most　intimate　friend　arrived　in　Paris；　and　you　choose　the　next　day　to　make　a　little　tour！　　I　don't　like　to　see　you　treat　my　husband　so；　he　would　never　have　done　it　to　you。　And　if　you　did　n't　stay　for　Gordon；　you　might　have　staid　for　Angela。　I　never　heard　of　anything　so　monstrous　as　a　gentleman　rushing　away　from　the　object　of　his　affection；　for　no　particular　purpose　that　any　one　could　discover；　the　day　after　she　has　accepted　him。　It　was　not　the　day　after？　　Well；　it　was　too　soon；　at　any　rate。　Angela　could　n't　in　the　least　tell　me　what　you　had　gone　for；　she　said　it　was　for　a　'change。'　　That　was　a　charming　reason！　But　she　was　very　much　ashamed　of　youand　so　was　I；　and　at　last　we　all　sent　Captain　Lovelock　after　you　to　bring　you　back。　You　came　back　without　him？　　Ah；　so　much　the　better；　I　suppose　he　is　still　looking　for　you；　and；　as　he　is　n't　very　clever；　that　will　occupy　him　for　some　time。　　We　want　to　occupy　him；　we　don't　approve　of　his　being　so　idle。　　However；　for　my　own　part；　I　am　very　glad　you　were　away。　　I　was　a　great　deal　at　Mrs。　Vivian's；　and　I　should　n't　have　felt　nearly　so　much　at　liberty　to　go　if　I　had　known　I　should　always　find　you　there　making　love　to　Mademoiselle。　　It　would　n't　have　seemed　to　me　discreet；　I　know　what　you　are　going　to　saythat　it　's　the　first　time　you　ever　heard　of　my　wishing　to　avoid　an　indiscretion。　It　's　a　taste　I　have　taken　up　lately；for　the　same　reason　you　went　to　London；　for　a　'change。'　　〃　Here　Blanche　paused　for　an　appreciable　moment；　and　then　she　added〃Well；　I　must　say；　I　have　never　seen　anything　so　lovely　as　Mrs。　Vivian's　influence。　I　hope　mamma　won't　be　disappointed　in　it　this　time。〃

When　Bernard　next　saw　the　other　two　ladies；　he　said　to　them　that　he　was　surprised　at　the　way　in　which　clever　women　incurred　moral　responsibilities。

〃We　like　them；〃　said　Mrs。　Vivian。　　〃We　delight　in　them！〃

〃Well；〃　said　Bernard；　〃I　would　n't　for　the　world　have　it　on　my　conscience　to　have　reconciled　poor　Gordon　to　Mrs。　Blanche。〃

〃You　are　not　to　say　a　word　against　Blanche；〃　Angela　declared。　〃She　's　a　little　miracle。〃

〃It　will　be　all　right；　dear　Bernard；〃　Mrs。　Vivian　added；　with　soft　authority。

〃I　have　taken　a　great　fancy　to　her；〃　the　younger　lady　went　on。

Bernard　gave　a　little　laugh。

〃Gordon　is　right　in　his　ultimate　opinion。　　You　are　very　strange！〃

〃You　may　abuse　me　as　much　as　you　please；　but　I　will　never　hear　a　word　against　Mrs。　Gordon。〃

And　she　never　would　in　future；　though　it　is　not　recorded　that　Bernard　availed　himself　in　any　special　degree　of　the　license　offered　him　in　conjunction　with　this　warning。

Blanche's　health　within　a　few　days　had；　according　to　her　own　account；　taken　a　marvellous　turn　for　the　better；　but　her　husband　appeared　still　to　think　it　proper　that　they　should　spend　the　winter　beneath　a　brilliant　sun；　and　he　presently　informed　his　friends　that　they　had　at　last　settled　it　between　them　that　a　voyage　up　the　Nile　must　be；　for　a　thoroughly　united　couple；　a　very　agreeable　pastime。　　To　perform　this　expedition　advantageously　they　must　repair　to　Cairo　without　delay；　and　for　this　reason　he　was　sure　that　Bernard　and　Angela　would　easily　understand　their　not　making　a　point　of　waiting　for　the　wedding。　These　happy　people　quite　understood　it。　　Their　nuptials　were　to　be　celebrated　with　extreme　simplicity。　　If；　however；　Gordon　was　not　able　to　be　present；　he；　in　conjunction　with　his　wife；　bought　for　Angela；　as　a　bridal　gift；　a　necklace　of　the　most　beautiful　pearls　the　Rue　de　la　Paix　could　furnish；　and　on　his　arrival　at　Cairo；　while　he　waited　for　his　dragoman　to　give　the　signal　for　starting；　he　found　time；　in　spite　of　the　exactions　of　that　large　correspondence　which　has　been　more　than　once　mentioned　in　the　course　of　our　narrative；　to　write　Bernard　the　longest　letter　he　had　ever　addressed　to　him。　The　letter　reached　Bernard　in　the　middle　of　his　honeymoon。




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