april hopes-第12章

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she　disappeared　in　the　depths　of　the　hotel　corridor；　then　she　sat　down
near　the　steps；　and　chatted　with　some　half…grown　boys　lounging　on　the
balustrade；　and　waited　for　Munt　to　come　up　over　the　brink　of　the
precipice。　　Dan　Mavering　came　with　him；　running　forward　with　a　polite
eagerness　at　sight　of　Mrs。　Pasmer。　　She　distributed　a　skillful
astonishment　equally　between　the　two　men　she　had　equally　expected　to　see；
and　was　extremely　cordial　with　them；　not　only　because　she　was　pleased
with　them；　but　because　she　was　still　more　pleased　with　her　daughter's
being；　after　all；　like　other　girls；　when　it　came　to　essentials。




XII。

Alice　came　down　to　lunch　in　a　dress　which　reconciled　the　seaside　and　the
drawing…room　in　an　effect　entirely　satisfactory　to　her　mother；　and　gave
her　hand　to　both　the　gentlemen　without　the　affectation　of　surprise　at
seeing　either。

〃I　saw　Mr。　Munt　coning　up　from　the　boat；〃　she　said　in　answer　to
Mavering's　demand　for　some　sort　of　astonishment　from　her。　　〃I　wasn't
certain　that　it　was　you。〃

Mrs。　Pasmer；　whose　pretences　had　been　all　given　away　by　this　simple
confession；　did　not　resent　it；　she　was　so　much　pleased　with　her
daughter's　evident　excitement　at　the　young　man's　having　come。　　Without
being　conscious　of　it；　perhaps；　Alice　prettily　assumed　the　part　of
hostess　from　the　moment　of　their　meeting；　and　did　the　honours　of　the
hotel　with　a　tacit　implication　of　knowing　that　he　had　come　to　see　her
there。　　They　had　only　met　twice；　but　now；　the　third　time；　meeting　after　a
little　separation；　their　manner　toward　each　other　was　as　if　their
acquaintance　had　been　making　progress　in　the　interval。　　She　took　him
about　quite　as　if　he　had　joined　their　family　party；　and　introduced　him　to
Miss　Anderson　and　to　all　her　particular　friends；　for　each　of　whom；　within
five　minutes　after　his　presentation；　he　contrived　to　do　some　winning
service。　　She　introduced　him　to　her　father；　whom　he　treated　with　deep
respect　and　said　〃Sir〃　to。　　She　showed　him　the　bowling　alley；　and　began
to　play　tennis　with　him。

Her　mother；　sitting　with　John　Munt　on　the　piazza；　followed　these　polite
attentions　to　Mavering　with　humorous　satisfaction；　which　was　qualified　as
they　went　on。

〃Alice；〃　she　said　to　her；　at　a　chance　which　offered　itself　during　the
evening；　and　then　she　hesitated　for　the　right　word。

〃Well；　mamma？〃　said　the　girl　impatiently；　stopping　on　her　way　to　walk　up
and　down　the　piazza　with　Mavering；　she　had　run　in　to　get　a　wrap　and　a
Tam…o'…Shanter　cap。

〃Don'toverdothe　honours。〃

〃What　do　you　mean；　mamma？〃　asked　the　girl；　dropping　her　arms　before　her；
and　letting　the　shawl　trail　on　the　floor。

〃Don't　you　think　he　was　very　kind　to　us　on　Class　Day？〃

Her　mother　laughed。　　〃But　every　one　mayn't　know　it's　gratitude。〃

Alice　went　out；　but　she　came　back　in　a　little　while；　and　went　up　to　her
room　without　speaking　to　any　one。

The　fits　of　elation　and　depression　with　which　this　first　day　passed　for
her　succeeded　one　another　during　Mavering's　stay。　　He　did　not　need
Alice's　chaperonage　long。　　By　the　next　morning　he　seemed　to　know　and　to
like　everybody　in　the　hotel；　where　he　enjoyed　a　general　favour　which　at
that　moment　had　no　exceptions。　　In　the　afternoon　he　began　to　organise
excursions　and　amusements　with　the　help　of　Miss　Anderson。

The　plans　all　referred　to　Alice；　who　accepted　and　approved　with　an
authority　which　every　one　tacitly　admitted；　just　as　every　one　recognised
that　Mavering　had　come　to　Campobello　because　she　was　there。　　Such　a　phase
is　perhaps　the　prettiest　in　the　history　of　a　love　affair。　　All　is　yet　in
solution；　nothing　has　been　precipitated　in　word　or　fact。　　The　parties　to
it　even　reserve　a　final　construction　of　what　they　themselves　say　or　do；
they　will　not　own　to　their　hearts　that　they　mean　exactly　this　or　that。
It　is　this　phase　which　in　its　perfect　freedom　is　the　most　American　of
all；　under　other　conditions　it　is　an　instant；　perceptible　or
imperceptible；　under　ours　it　is　a　distinct　stage；　unhurried　by　any
outside　influences。

The　nearest　approach　to　a　definition　of　the　situation　was　in　a　walk
between　Mavering　and　Mrs。　Pasmer；　and　this　talk；　too；　light　and　brief；
might　have　had　no　such　intention　as　her　fancy　assigned　his　part　of　it。

She　recurred　to　something　that　had　been　said　on　Class　Day　about　his
taking　up　the　law　immediately；　or　going　abroad　first　for　a　year。

〃Oh；　I've　abandoned　Europe　altogether　for　the　present；〃　he　said　laughing。
〃And　I　don't　know　but　I　may　go　back　on　the　law　too。〃

〃Indeed！　　Then　you　are　going　to　be　an　artist？〃

〃Oh　no；　not　so　bad　as　that。　　It　isn't　settled　yet；　and　I'm　off　here　to
think　it　over　a　while　before　the　law　school　opens　in　September。　　My
father　wants　me　to　go　into　his　business　and　turn　my　powers　to　account　in
designing　wall…papers。〃

〃Oh；　how　very　interesting！〃　　At　the　same　time　Mrs。　Pasmer　ran　over　the
whole　field　of　her　acquaintance　without　finding　another　wall…paper　maker
in　it。　　But　she　remembered　what　Mrs。　Saintsbury　had　said：　it　was
manufacturing。　　This　reminded　her　to　ask　if　he　had　seen　the　Saintsburys
lately；　and　he　said；　No；　he　believed　they　were　still　in　Cambridge；
though。

〃And　we　shall　actually　see　a　young　man；〃　she　said　finally；　〃in　the　act　of
deciding　his　own　destiny！〃

He　laughed　for　pleasure　in　her　persiflage。　　〃Yes；　only　don't　give　me
away。　　Nobody　else　knows　it。〃

〃Oh　no；　indeed。　　Too　much　flattered；　Mr。　Mavering。　　Shall　you　let　me　know
when　you've　decided？　　I　shall　be　dying　to　know；　and　I　shall　be　too　high…
minded　to　ask。〃

It　was　not　then　too　late　to　adapt　'Pinafore'　to　any　exigency　of　life；　and
Mavering　said；　〃You　will　learn　from　the　expression　of　my　eyes。〃




XIII。

The　witnesses　of　Mavering's　successful　efforts　to　make　everybody　like　him
were　interested　in　his　differentiation　of　the　attentions　he　offered　every
age　and　sex　from　those　he　paid　Alice。　　But　while　they　all　agreed　that
there　never　was　a　sweeter　fellow；　they　would　have　been　puzzled　to　say　in
just　what　this　difference　consisted；　and　much　as　they　liked　him；　the
ladies　of　her　cult　were　not　quite　satisfied　with　him　till　they　decided
that　it　was　marked　by　an　anxiety；　a　timidity；　which　was　perfectly
fascinating　in　a　man　so　far　from　bashfulness　as　he。　　That　is；　he　did　nice
things　for　others　without　asking；　but　with　her　there　was　always　an
explicit　pause；　and　an　implicit　prayer　and　permission；　first。　　Upon　this
condition　they　consented　to　the　glamour　which　he　had　for　her；　and　which
was　evident　to　every　one　probably　but　him。

Once　agreeing　that　no　one　was　good　enough　for　Alice　Pasmer；　whose
qualities　they　felt　that　only　women　could　really　appreciate；　they　were
interested　to　see　how　near　Mavering　could　come　to　being　good　enough；　and
as　the　drama　played　itself　before　their　eyes；　they　pleased　themselves　in
analysing　its　hero。

〃He　is　not　bashful；　certainly；〃　said　one　of　a　little　group　who　sat　midway
of　the　piazza　while　Alice　and　Mavering　walked　up　and　down　together。
〃But　don't　you　think　he's　modest？　　There's　that　difference；　you　know。〃

The　lady　addressed　waited　so　long　before　answering　that　the　young　couple
came　abreast　of　the　group；　and　then　she　had　to　wait　till　they　were　out　of
hearing。　　〃Yes；〃　she　said　then；　with　a　tender；　sighing　thoughtfulness；
〃I've　felt　that　in　him。　　And　really　think　he　is　a　very　loveable　nature。
The　only　question　would　be　whether　he　wasn't　too　loveable。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　first　lady；　with　the　same　kind　of　suspiration；　〃I　know
what　you　mean。　　And　I　suppose　they　ought　to　be　something　more　alike　in
disposition。〃

〃Or　sympathies？〃　suggested　the　other。

〃Yes；　or　sympathies。〃

A　third　lady　laughed　a　little。　　〃Mr。　Mavering　has　so　many　sympathies　that
he　ought　to　be　like　her　in　some　of　them。〃

〃Do　you　mean　that　he's　too　sympatheticthat　he　isn't　sincere？〃　asked　the
firsta　single　lady　of　forty…nine；　a　Miss　Cotton；　who　had　a　little　knot
of　conscience　between　her　pretty　eyebrows；　tied　there　by　the　unremitting
effort　of　half　a　century　to　do　and　say　exactly　the　truth；　and　to　find　it
out。

Mrs。　Brinkley；　whom　she　addressed；　was　of　that　obesity　which　seems　often
to　incline　people　to　sarcasm。　　〃No；　I　don't　think　he's　insincere。　　I
think　he　always　means　what　he　says　and　doesWell；　do　you　think　a　little
more　concentration　of　good…will　would　hurt　him　for　Miss　Pasmer's　purpose
if　she　has　it？〃

〃Yes；　I　see；〃　said　Miss　Cotton。　　She　waited；　with　her　kind　eyes　fixed
wistfully　upon　Alice；　for　the　young　people　to　approach　and　get　by。
〃I　wonder　what　the　men　think　of　him？〃

〃You　might　ask　Miss　Anderson；〃　said　Mrs。　Brinkley。

〃Oh；　do　you　think　they　tell　her？〃

〃Not　that　exactly；〃　said　Mrs。　Brinkley；　shaking　with　good…humoured
pleasure　in　her　joke。

〃Her　voiceoh　yes。　　She　and　Alice　are　great　friends；　of　course。〃

〃I　should　think；〃　said　Mrs。　Stamwell；　the　second　speaker；　〃that　Mr。
Mavering　would　be　jealous　sometimestill　he　looked　twice。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Miss　Cotton；　obliged　to　admit　the　force　of　the　remark；　but
feeling　that　Mr。　Mavering　had　been　carried　out　of　the　field　of　her　vision
by　the　turn　of　the　talk。　　〃I　suppose；〃　she　continued；　〃that　he　wouldn't
be　so　well　liked　by　other　young　men　as　she　is　by　other　girls；　do　you
think？〃

〃I　don't　think；　as　a　rule；〃　said　Mrs。　Brinkley；　〃that　men　are　half　so
appreciative　of　one　another　as　women　are。　　It's　most　amusing　to　see　the
open　scorn　with　which　two　young　fellows　treat　each　other　if　a　pretty　girl
introduces　them。〃

All　the　ladies　joined　in　the　laugh　with　which　Mrs。　Brinkley　herself　led
off。　　But　Miss　Cotton　stopped　laughing　first。

〃Do　you　mean；〃；　she　asked；　〃that　if　a　gentleman　were　generally　popular
with　gentlemen　it　would　be〃

〃Because　he　wasn't　generally　so　with　women？　　Something　like　thatif
you'll　leave　Mr。　Mavering　out　of　the　question。　　Oh；　how　very　good　of
them！〃　she　broke　off；　and　all　the　ladies　glanced　at　Mavering　and　Alice
where　they　had　stopped　at　the　further　end　of　the　piazza；　and　were　looking
off。　　〃Now　I　can　probably　finish　before　they　get　back　here　again。　　What　I
do　mean；　Miss　Cotton；　is　that　neither　sex　willingly　accepts　the
favourites　of　the　other。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Miss　Cotton　admissively。

〃And　all　that　saves　Miss　Pasmer　is　that　she　has　not　only　the　qualities
that　women　like　in　women；　but　some　of　the　qualities　that　men；　like　in
them。　　She's　thoroughly　human。〃

A　little　sensation；　almost　a　murmur；　not　wholly　of　assent；　went　round
that　circle　which　had　so　nearly　voted　Alice　a　saint。

〃In　the　first　place；　she　likes　to　please　men。〃

〃Oh！〃　came　from　the　group。

〃And　that　makes　them　like　herif　it　doesn't　go　too　far；　as　her　mother
says。〃

The　ladies　all　laughed；　recognising　a　common　turn　of　phrase　in　Mrs。
Pasmer。

〃I　should　think；〃　said　Mrs。　Stamwell；　〃that　she　would　believe　a　little　in
heredity　if　she　noticed　that　in　her　daughter；〃　and　the　ladies　laughed
again。

〃Then；〃　Mrs。　Brinkley　resumed　concerning　Alice；　〃she　has　a　very　pretty
facean　extremely　pretty　face；　she　has　a　tender　voice；　and　she's　very；
very　gracefulin　rather　an　odd　way；　perhaps　it's　only　a　fascinating
awkwardness。　　Then　she　dressesor　her　mother　dresses　herexquisitely。〃
The　ladies；　with　another　sensation；　admitted　the　perfect　accuracy　with
which　these　points　had　been　touched。

〃That's　what　men　like；　what　they　fall