april hopes-第51章

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The　beasts；　in　their　rough　winter　coats；　some　bedaubed　with　frozen　clots
of　the　mud　in　which　they　had　been　rolling　earlier　in　the　afternoon；　stood
motionless　in　the　thin；　keen　breeze　that　crept　over　the　hillside　from　the
March　sunset；　and　blew　their　manes　and　tails　out　toward　Dan　and　his
father。　　Dan's　pony　sent　him　a　gleam　of　recognition　from　under　his　frowsy
bangs；　but　did　not　stir。

〃Bunch　looks　like　a　caterpillar；〃　he　said；　recalling　the　time　when　his
father　had　given　him　the　pony；　he　was　a　boy　then；　and　the　pony　was　as　much
to　him；　it　went　through　his　mind；　as　Alice　had　ever　been。　　Was　it　all　a
jest；　an　irony？　he　asked　himself。

〃He's　getting　pretty　old；〃　said　his　father。　　〃Let's　see：　you　were　only
twelve。〃

〃Ten；〃　said　Dan。　　〃We've　had　him　thirteen　years。〃

Some　of　the　horses　pricked　up　their　ears　at　the　sound　of　their　voices。
One　of　them　bit　another's　neck；　the　victim　threw　up　his　heels　and
squealed。

Pat　called　from　the　stable；　〃Heigh；　you　divils！〃

〃I　think　he'd　better　take　them　in；〃　said　Dan's　father；　and　he　continued；
as　if　it　were　all　the　same　subject；　〃I　hope　you'll　have　seen　something
more　of　the　world　before　you　fall　in　love　the　next　time。〃

〃Thank　you；　there　won't　be　any　next　time。　　But　do　you　consider　the　world
such　a　school　of　morals；　then？　　I　supposed　it　was　a　very　bad　place。〃

〃We　seem　to　have　been　all　born　into　it；〃　said　the　father。　　He　lifted　his
arms　from　the　fence；　and　Dan　mechanically　followed　him　into　the　stable。
A　warm；　homely　smell　of　hay　and　of　horses　filled　the　place；　a　lantern
glimmered；　a　faint　blot；　in　the　loft　where　Pat　was　pitching　some　hay
forward　to　the　edge　of　the　boards；　the　naphtha　gas　weakly　flared　from　the
jets　beside　the　harness…room；　whence　a　smell　of　leather　issued　and　mingled
with　the　other　smell。　　The　simple；　earthy　wholesomeness　of　the　place
appealed　to　Dan　and　comforted　him。　　The　hay　began　to　tumble　from　the　loft
with　a　pleasant　rustling　sound。

His　father　called　up　to　Pat；　〃I　think　you'd　better　take　the　horses　in
now。〃

〃Yes；　sir：　I've　got　the　box…stalls　ready　for　'em。〃

Dan　remembered　how　he　and　Eunice　used　to　get　into　the　box…stall　with　his
pony；　and　play　at　circus　with　it；　he　stood　up　on　the　pony；　and　his　sister
was　the　ring…master。　　The　picture　of　his　careless　childhood　reflected　a
deeper　pathos　upon　his　troubled　present；　and　he　sighed　again。

His　father　said；　as　they　moved　on　through　the　barn：　〃Some　of　the　best
people　I've　ever　known　were　what　were　called　worldly　people。　　They　are　apt
to　be　sincere；　and　they　have　none　of　the　spiritual　pride；　the　conceit　of
self…righteousness；　which　often　comes　to　people　who　are　shut　up　by
conscience　or　circumstance　to　the　study　of　their　own　motives　and　actions。〃

〃I　don't　think　she　was　one　of　that　kind；〃　said　Dan。

〃Oh；　I　don't　know　that　she　was。　　But　the　chances　of　happiness；　of
goodness；　would　be　greater　with　a　less　self…centred　personfor　you。〃

〃Ah；　Yes！　　For　me！〃　said　Dan　bitterly。　　〃Because　I　hadn't　it　in　me　to　be
frank　with　her。　　With　a　man　like　me；　a　woman　had　better　be　a　little
scampish；　too！　　Father；　I　could　get　over　the　loss；　she　might　have　died；
and　I　could　have　got　over　that；　but　I　can't　get　over　being　to　blame。〃

〃I　don't　think　I'd　indulge　in　any　remorse；〃　said　his　father。　　〃There's
nothing　so　useless；　so　depraving；　as　that。　　If　you　see　you're　wrong；　it's
for　your　warning；　not　for　your　destruction。〃

Dan　was　not　really　feeling　very　remorseful；　he　had　never　felt　that　he　was
much　to　blame；　but　he　had　an　intellectual　perception　of　the　case；　and　he
thought　that　he　ought　to　feel　remorseful；　it　was　this　persuasion　that　he
took　for　an　emotion。　　He　continued　to　look　very　disconsolate。

〃Come；〃　said　his　father；　touching　his　arm；　〃I　don't　want　you　to　brood　upon
these　things。　　It　can　do　no　manner　of　good。　　I　want　you　to　go　to　New　York
next　week　and　look　after　that　Lafflin　process。　　If　it's　what　he　thinksif
he　can　really　cast　his　brass　patterns　without　air…holesit　will
revolutionise　our　business。　　I　want　to　get　hold　of　him。〃

The　Portuguese　cook　was　standing　in　the　basement　door　which　they　passed　at
the　back　of　the　house。　　He　saluted　father　and　son　with　a　glittering　smile。

〃Hello；　Joe！〃　said　Dan。

〃Ah；　Joe！〃　said　his　father；　he　touched　his　hat　to　the　cook；　who　snatched
his　cap　off。

〃What　a　brick　you　are；　father！〃　thought　Dan。　　His　heart　leaped　at　the
notion　of　getting　away　from　Ponkwasset；　he　perceived　how　it　had　been
irking　him　to　stay。　　〃If　you　think　I　could　manage　it　with　Lafflin　〃

〃Oh；　I　think　you　could。　　He's　another　slippery　chap。〃

Dan　laughed　for　pleasure　and　pain　at　his　father's　joke。




XLIX。

In　New　York　Dan　found　that　Lafflin　had　gone　to　Washington　to　look　up
something　in　connection　with　his　patent。　　In　his　eagerness　to　get　away
from　home；　Dan　had　supposed　that　his　father　meant　to　make　a　holiday　for
him；　and　he　learned　with　a　little　surprise　that　he　was　quite　in　earnest
about　getting　hold　of　the　invention。　　he　wrote　home　of　Lafflin's　absence；
and　he　got　a　telegram　in　reply　ordering　him　to　follow　on　to　Washington。

The　sun　was　shining　warm　on　the　asphalt　when　he　stepped　out　of　the
Pennsylvania　Depot　with　his　bag　in　his　hand；　and　put　it　into　the　hansom
that　drove　up　for　him。　　The　sky　overhead　was　of　an　intense　blue　that　made
him　remember　the　Boston　sky　as　pale　and　grey；　when　the　hansom　tilted　out
into　the　Avenue　he　had　a　joyous　glimpse　of　the　White　House；　of　the　Capitol
swimming　like　a　balloon　in　the　cloudless　air。　　A　keen　March　breeze　swept
the　dust　before　him；　and　through　its　veil　the　classic　Treasury　Building
showed　like　one　edifice　standing　perfect　amid　ruin　represented　by　the　jag…
tooth　irregularities　of　the　business　architecture　along　the　wide　street。

He　had　never　been　in　Washington　before；　and　he　had　a　confused　sense　of
having　got　back　to　Rome；　which　he　remembered　from　his　boyish　visit。
Throughout　his　stay　he　seemed　to　be　coming　up　against　the　facade　of　the
Temple　of　Neptune；　but　it　was　the　Patent　Office；　or　the　Treasury　Building；
or　the　White　House；　and　under　the　gay　Southern　sky　this　reversion　to　the
sensations　of　a　happier　time　began　at　once；　and　made　itself　a　lasting
relief。　　He　felt　a　lift　in　his　spirits　from　the　first。　　They　gave　him　a
room　at　Wormley's；　where　the　chairs　comported　themselves　as　self…
respectfully　upon　two　or　three　legs　as　they　would　have　done　at　Boston　upon
four；　the　cooking　was　excellent；　and　a　mercenary　welcome　glittered　from
all　the　kind　black　faces　around　him。　　After　the　quiet　of　Ponkwasset　and
the　rush　of　New　York；　the　lazy　ease　of　the　hotel　pleased　him；　the　clack　of
boots　over　its　pavements；　the　clouds　of　tobacco　smoke；　the　Southern　and
Western　accents；　the　spectacle　of　people　unexpectedly　encountering　and
recognising　each　other　in　the　office　and　the　dining…room；　all　helped　to
restore　him　to　a　hopefuller　mood。　　Without　asking　his　heart　too　curiously
why；　he　found　it　lighter；　he　felt　that　he　was　still　young。

In　the　weather　he　had　struck　a　cold　wave；　and　the　wind　was　bitter　in　the
streets；　but　they　were　full　of　sun；　he　found　the　grass　green　in　sheltered
places；　and　in　one　of　the　Circles　he　plucked　a　blossomed　spray　from　an
adventurous　forceythia。　　This　happened　when　he　was　walking　from　Wormley's
to　the　Arlington　by　a　roundabout　way　of　his　own　involuntary　invention；　and
he　had　the　flowers　in　his　button…hole　when　Lafflin　was　pointed　out　to　him
in　the　reading　room　there；　and　he　introduced　himself。　　Lafflin　had　put　his
hat　far　back　on　his　head；　and　was　intensely　chewing　a　toothpick；　with　an
air　of　rapture　from　everything　about　him。　　He　seemed　a　very　simple　soul　to
Dan's　inexperience　of　men；　and　the　young　fellow　had　no　difficulty　in
committing　him　to　a　fair　conditional　arrangement。　　He　was　going　to　stay
some　days　in　Washington；　and　he　promised　other　interviews；　so　that　Dan
thought　it　best　to　stay　too。　　He　used　a　sheet　of　the　Arlington　letter…
paper　in　writing　his　father　of　what　he　had　done；　and　then；　as　Lafflin　had
left　him；　he　posted　his　letter　at　the　clerk's　desk；　and　wandered　out
through　a　corridor　different　from　that　which　he　had　come　in　by。　　It　led　by
the　door　of　the　ladies　parlour；　and　at　the　sound　of　women's　voices　Dan
halted。　　For　no　other　reason　than　that　such　voices　always　irresistibly
allured　him；　he　went　in；　putting　on　an　air　of　having　come　to　look　for　some
one。　　There　were　two　or　three　groups　of　ladies　receiving　friends　in
different　parts　of　the　room。　　At　the　window　a　girl's　figure　silhouetted
itself　against　the　keen　light；　and　as　he　advanced　into　the　room；　peering
about；　it　turned　with　a　certain　vividness　that　seemed　familiar。　　This
young　lady；　whoever　she　was；　had　the　advantage　of　Dan　in　seeing　him　with
the　light　on　his　face；　and　he　was　still　in　the　dark　about　her；　when　she
advanced　swiftly　upon　him；　holding　out　her　hand。

〃You　don't　seem　to　know　your　old　friends；　Mr。　Mavering；〃　and　the　manly
tones　left　him　no　doubt。

He　felt　a　rush　of　gladness；　and　he　clasped　her　hand　and　clung　to　it　as　if
he　were　not　going　to　let　it　go　again；　bubbling　out　incoherencies　of
pleasure　at　meeting　her。　　〃　Why；　Miss　Anderson！　　You　here？〃　　What　a　piece
of　luck！　　Of　course　I　couldn't　see　you　against　the　windowmake　you　out！
But　something　looked　familiarand　the　way　you　turned！　　And　when　you
started　toward　me！　　I'm　awfully　glad！　　Whenwhere　are　youthat　is〃

Miss　Anderson　kept　laughing　with　him；　and　bubbled　back　that　she　was　very
glad　too；　and　she　was　staying　with　her　aunt　in　that　hotel；　and　they　had
been　there　a　month；　and　didn't　he　think　Washington　was　charming？　　But　it
was　too　bad　he　had　just　got　there　with　that　blizzard。　　The　weather　had
been　perfectly　divine　till　the　day　before　yesterday。

He　took　the　spray　of　forceythia　out　of　his　buttonhole。　　〃I　can　believe　it。
I　found　this　in　one；　of　the　squares；　and　I　think　it　belongs　to　you。〃　　He。
offered　it　with　a　bow　and　a　laugh；　and　she　took　it　in　the　same　humour。

〃What　is　the　language　of　forceythia？〃　she　asked。

〃It　has　noneonly　expressive　silence；　you　know。〃

A　middle…aged　lady　came　in；　and　Miss　Anderson　said；　〃My　aunt；　Mr。
Mavering。〃

〃Mr。　Mavering　will　hardly　remember　me；〃　said　the　lady；　giving　him　her
hand。　　He　protested　that　he　should　indeed；　but　she　had　really　made　but　a
vague　impression　upon　him　at　Campobello。　　He　knew　that　she　was　there　with
Miss　Anderson；　he　had　been　polite　to　her　as　he　was　to　all　women；　but　he
had　not　noticed　her　much；　and　in　his　heart　he　had　a　slight　for　her；　as
compared　with　the　Boston　people　he　was　more　naturally　thrown　with；　he
certainly　had　not　remembered　that　she　was　a　little　hard　of　hearing。

Miss　Van　Hook　was　in　a　steel…grey　effect　of　dress；　and；　she　had　carried
this　up　into　her　hair；　of　which　she　worn　two　short　vertical　curls　on　each
temple。

She　did　not　sit　down；　and　Dan　perceived　that　the　ladies　were　going　out。
In　her　tailor…made　suit　of　close…fitting　serge　and　her　Paris　bonnet；
carried　like　a　crest　on　her　pretty　little　head；　Miss　Anderson　was
charming。　　She　had　a　short　veil　that　came　across　the　base　of　her　lively
nose；　and　left　her　mouth　and　chin　to　make　the　most　of　themselves；
unprejudiced　by　its　irregularity。

Dan　felt　it　a　hardship　to　part　with　them；　but　he　prepared　to　take　himself
off。　　Miss　Anderson　asked　him　how　long　he　was　to　b