april hopes-第54章

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maledictions　on　his　folly；　which　attracted　the　notice　of　the　operator。

One　morning　when　he　sent　up　his　name　to　Miss　Anderson；　whom　he　did　not
find　in　the　hotel　parlour；　the　servant　came　back　with　word　that　Miss　Van
Hook　would　like　to　have　him　come　up　to　their　rooms。　　But　it　was　Miss
Anderson　who　met　him　at　the　door。

〃It　seemed　rather　formal　to　send　you　word　that　Miss　Van　Hook　was
indisposed；　and　Miss　Anderson　would　be　unable　to　walk　this　morning；
and　I　thought　perhaps　you'd　rather　come　up　and　get　my　regrets　in　person。
And　I　wanted　you　to　see　our　view。〃

She　led　the　way　to　the　window　for　it；　but　they　did　not　look　at　it；　though
they　sat　down　there　apparently　for　the　purpose。　　Dan　put　his　hat　beside
his　chair；　and　observed　some　inattentive　civilities　in　inquiring　after
Miss　Van　Hook's　health；　and　in　hearing　that　it　was　merely　a　bad　headache；
one　of　a　sort　in　which　her　niece　hated　to　leave　her　to　serve　herself　with
the　wet　compresses　which　Miss　Van　Hook　always　bore　on　her　forehead　for　it。

〃One　thing：　it's　decided　us　to　be　off　for　Fortress　Monroe　at　last。　　We
shall　go　by　the　boat　to…morrow；　if　my　aunt's　better。〃

〃To…morrow？〃　said　Dan。　　〃What's　to　become　of　me　when　you're　gone？〃

〃Oh；　we　shall　not　take　the　whole　population　with　us；〃　suggested　Miss
Anderson。

〃I　wish　you　would　take　me。　　I　told　Mrs。　Brinkley　I　would　come　while　she
was　there；　but　I'm　afraid　I　can't　get　off。　　Lafflin　is　developing　into　all
sorts　of　strange　propositions。〃

〃I　think　you'd　better　look　out　for　that　man；〃　said　Miss　Anderson。

〃Oh；　I　do　nothing　without　consulting　my　father。　　But　I　shall　miss　you。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　said　the　girl　gravely。

〃I　don't　mean　in　a　business　capacity　only。〃

They　both　laughed；　and　Dan　looked　about　the　room；　which　he　found　was　a
private　hotel　parlour；　softened　to　a　more　domestic　effect　by　the　signs　of
its　prolonged　occupation　by　two　refined　women。　　On　a　table　stood　a　leather
photograph　envelope　with　three　cabinet　pictures　in　it。　　Along　the　top　lay
a　spray　of　withered　forceythia。　　Dan's　wandering　eyes　rested　on　it。　　Miss
Anderson　went　and　softly　closed　the　door　opening　into　the　next　room。

〃I　was　afraid　our　talking　might　disturb　my　aunt；〃　she　said；　and　on　her　way
back　to　him　she　picked　up　the　photograph　case　and　brought　it　to　the　light。
〃These　are　my　father　and　mother。　　We　live　at　Yonkers；　but　I'm　with　my　aunt
a　good　deal　of　the　time　in　towneven　when　I'm　at　home。〃　　She　laughed　at
her　own　contradictory　statement；　and　put　the　case　back　without　explaining
the　third　figurea　figure　in　uniform。　　Dan　conjectured　a　military
brother；　or　from　her　indifference　perhaps　a　militia　brother；　and
then　forgot　about　him。　　But　the　partial　Yonkers　residence　accounted　for
traits　of　unconventionality　in　Miss　Anderson　which　he　had　not　been　able　to
reconcile　with　the　notion　of　an　exclusively　New　York　breeding。　　He　felt
the　relief；　the　sympathy；　the　certainty　of　intelligence　which　every　person
whose　life　has　been　partly　spent　in　the　country　feels　at　finding　that　a
suspected　cockney　has　also　had　the　outlook　into　nature　and　simplicity。

On　the　Yonkers　basis　they　became　more　intimate；　more　personal；　and　Dan
told　her　about　Ponkwasset　Falls　and　his　mother　and　sisters；　he　told　her
about　his　father；　and　she　said　she　should　like　to　see　his　father；　she
thought　he　must　be　like　her　father。

〃All　at　once；　and　for　no　reason　that　he　could　think　of　afterward；　except；
perhaps；　the　desire　to　see　the　case　with　her　eyes；　he　began　to　tell　her　of
his　affair　with　Alice；　and　how　and　why　it　was　broken　off；　he　told　the
whole　truth　in　regard　to　that；　and　did　not　spare　himself。

She　listened　without　once　speaking；　but　without　apparent　surprise　at　the
confidence；　though　she　may　have　felt　surprised。　　At　times　she　looked　as　if
her　thoughts　were　away　from　what　he　was　saying。

He　ended　with；　〃I'm　sure　I　don't　know　why　I've　told　you　all　this。　　But　I
wanted　you　to　know　about　me。　　The　worst。〃

Miss　Anderson　said；　looking　down；　〃I　always　thought　she　was　a　very
conscientious　giyl。〃　　Then　after　a　pause；　in　which　she　seemed　to　be
overcoming　an　embarrassment　in　being　obliged　to　speak　of　another　in　such　a
conviction；　〃I　think　she　was　very　moybid。　　She　was　like　ever　so　many　New
England　giyls　that　I've　met。　　They　seem　to　want　some　excuse　for　suffering；
and　they　must　suffer　even　if　it's　through　somebody　else。　　I　don't　know；
they're　romantic；　New　England　giyls　are；　they　have　too　many　ideals。〃

Dan　felt　a　balm　in　this；　he　too　had　noticed　a　superfluity　of　ideals　in
Alice；　he　had　borne　the　burden　of　realising　some　of　them；　they　all　seemed
to　relate　in　objectionable　degree　to　his　perfectionation。　　So　he　said
gloomily；　〃She　was　very　good。　　And　I　was　to　blame。〃

〃Oh　yes！〃　said　Miss　Anderson；　catching　her　breath　in　a　queer　way；　〃she
seyved　you　right。〃

She　rose　abruptly；　as　if　she　heard　her　aunt　speak；　and　Dan　perceived　that
he　had　been　making　a　long　call。

He　went　away　dazed　and　dissatisfied；　he　knew　now　that　he　ought　not　to　have
told　Miss　Anderson　about　his　affair；　unless　he　meant　more　by　his
confidence　than　he　really　didunless　he　meant　to　follow　it　up。

He　took　leave　of　her；　and　asked　her　to　make　his　adieux　to　her　aunt；　but
the　next　day　he　came　down　to　the　boat　to　see　them　off。　　It　seemed　to　him
that　their　interview　had　ended　too　hastily；　he　felt　sore　and　restless　over
it；　he　hoped　that　something　more　conclusive　might　happen。　　But　at　the　boat
Miss　Anderson　and　her　aunt　were　inseparable。　　Miss　Van　Hook　said　she　hoped
they　should　soon　see　him　at　the　Hygeia；　and　he　replied　that　he　was　not
sure　that　he　should　be　able　to　come　after　all。

Miss　Anderson　called　something　after　him　as　he　turned　from　them　to　go
ashore。　　He　ran　back　eagerly　to　know　what　it　was。　　〃　Better　lookout　for
that　Mr。　Lafflin　of　yours；〃　she　repeated。

〃Oh！　oh　yes；〃　he　said；　indefinitely　disappointed。　　〃I　shall　keep　a　sharp
eye　on　him。〃　　He　was　disappointed；　but　he　could　not　have　said　what　he　had
hoped　or　expected　her　to　say。　　He　was　humbled　before　himself　for　having
told　Miss　Anderson　about　his　affair　with　Alice；　and　had　wished　she　would
say　something　that　he　might　scramble　back　to　his　self…esteem　upon。　　He　had
told　her　all　that　partly　from　mere　weakness；　from　his　longing　for　the
sympathy　which　he　was　always　so　ready　to　give；　and　partly　from　the
willingness　to　pose　before　her　as　a　broken　heart；　to　dazzle　her　by　the
irony　and　persiflage　with　which　he　could　treat　such　a　tragical　matter；　but
he　could　not　feel　that　he　had　succeeded。　　The　sum　of　her　comment　had　been
that　Alice　had　served　him　right。　　He　did　not　know　whether　she　really
believed　that　or　merely　said　it　to　punish　him　for　some　reason；　but　he
could　never　let　it　be　the　last　word。　　He　tingled　as　he　turned　to　wave　his
handkerchief　to　her　on　the　boat；　with　the　suspicion　that　she　was　laughing
at　him；　and　he　could　not　console　himself　with　any　hero　of　a　novel　who　had
got　himself　into　just　such　a　box。　　There　were　always　circumstances；
incidents；　mitigations；　that　kept　the　hero　still　a　hero；　and　ennobled　the
box　into　an　unjust　prison　cell。




L。

On　the　long　sunny　piazza　of　the　Hygeia　Mrs。　Brinkley　and　Miss　Van　Hook　sat
and　talked　in　a　community　of　interest　which　they　had　not　discovered　during
the　summer　before　at　Campobello；　and　with　an　equality　of　hearing　which　the
sound　of　the　waves　washing　almost　at　their　feet　established　between　them。
In　this　pleasant　noise　Miss　Van　Hook　heard　as　well　as　any　one；　and　Mrs。
Brinkley　gradually　realised　that　it　was　the　trouble　of　having　to　lift　her
voice　that　had　kept　her　from　cultivating　a　very　agreeable　acquaintance
before。　　The　ladies　sat　in　a　secluded　corner；　wearing　light　wraps　that
they　had　often　found　comfortable　at　Campobello　in　August；　and　from　time　to
time　attested　to　each　other　their　astonishment　that　they　needed　no　more　at
Old　Point　in　early　April。

They　did　this　not　only　as　a　just　tribute　to　the　amiable　climate；　but　as　a
relief　from　the　topic　which　had　been　absorbing　them；　and　to　which　they
constantly　returned。

〃No；〃　said　Mrs。　Brinkley；　with　a　sort　of　finality；　〃I　think　it　is　the　best
thing　that　could　possibly　have　happened　to　him。　　He　is　bearing　it　in　a
very　manly　way；　but　I　fancy　he　has　felt　it　deeply；　poor　fellow。　　He's
never　been　in　Boston　since；　and　I　don't　believe　he'd　come　here　if　he'd　any
idea　how　many　Boston　people　there　were　in　the　hotelwe　swarm！　　It　would
be　very　painful　to　him。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Miss　Van　Hook；　〃young　people　seem　to　feel　those　things。〃

〃Of　course　he's　going　to　get　over　it。　　That's　what　young　people　do　too。
At　his　age　he　can't　help　being　caught　with　every　pretty　face　and　every
pretty　figure；　even　in　the　midst　of　his　woe；　and　it's　only　a　question　of
time　till　he　seizes　some　pretty　hand　and　gets　drawn　out　of　it　altogether。〃

〃I　think　that　would　be　the　case　with　my　niece；　too；〃　said　Miss　Van　Hook；
〃if　she　wasn't　kept　in　it　by　a　sense　of　loyalty。　　I　don't　believe　she
really　dares　much　for　Lieutenant　Willing　any　more；　but　he　sees　no　society
where　he's　stationed；　of　course；　and　his　constancy　is　aa　rebuke　and　a
aan　incentive　to　her。　　They　were　engaged　a　long　time　ago　just　after　he
left　West　Pointand　we've　always　been　in　hopes　that　he　would　be　removed
to　some　post　where　he　could　meet　other　ladies　and　become　interested　in
some　one　else。　　But　he　never　has；　and　so　the　affair　remains。　　It's　most
undesirable　they　should　marry；　and　in　the　meantime　she　won't　break　it　off；
and　it's　spoiling　her　chances　in　life。〃

〃It　is　too　bad；〃　sighed　Mrs。　Brinkley；　〃but　of　course　you　can　do　nothing。
I　see　that。〃

〃No；　we　can　do　nothing。　　We　have　tried　everything。　　I　used　to　think　it　was
because　she　was　so　dull　there　at　Yonkers　with　her　family；　and　brooded　upon
the　one　idea　all　the　time；　that　she　could　not　get　over　it；　and　at　first　it
did　seem　when　she　came　to　me　that　she　would　get　over　it。　　She　is　very　fond
of　gaietyof　young　men's　society；　and　she's　had　plenty　of　little
flirtations　that　didn't　mean　anything；　and　never　amounted　to　anything。
Every　now　and　then　a　letter　would　come　from　the　wilds　where　he　was
stationed；　and　spoil　it　all。　　She　seemed　to　feel　a　sort　of　chivalrous
obligation　because　he　was　so　far　off　and　helpless　and　lonely。〃

〃Yes；　I　understand；〃　said　Mrs。　Brinkley。　　〃What　a　pity　she　couldn't　be
made　to　feel　that　that　didn't　deepen　the　obligation　at　all。〃

〃I've　tried　to　make　her；〃　said　Miss　Van　Hook；　〃and　I've　been　everywhere
with　her。　　One　winter　we　were　up　the　Nile；　and　another　in　Nice；　and　last
winter　we　were　in　Rome。　　She　met　young　men　everywhere；　and　had　offers　upon
offers；　but　it　was　of　no　use。　　She　remained　just　the　same；　and　till　she
met　Mr。　Mavering　in　Washington　I　don't　believe〃

Miss　Van　Hook　stopped；　and　Mrs。　Brinkley　said；　〃And　yet　she　always　seemed
to　me　particularly　practical　and　level…headedas　the　men　say。〃

〃So　she　is。　　But　she　is　really　very　romantic　about　some　things；　and　when
it　comes　to　a　matter　of　that　kind；　girls　are　about　all　alike；　don't　you
think？〃

〃Oh　yes；〃　said　Mrs。　Brinkley　hopelessly；　and　both　ladies　looked　out　over
the　water；　where　the　waves　came　rolling　in　one　after　another　to　waste
themselves　on　the　shore　as　futilely　as　if　they　had　been　lives。

In　the　evening　Miss　Anderson　got　two　letters　from　the　clerk；　at　the　hour
when　the