april hopes-第58章

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do。　　Ought　she　to　tell　him　the　Pasmers　were　there？　　Ought　she　to　make　up
some　excuse　and　get　him　away　before　he　met　them？　　She　felt　herself　getting
more　and　more　bewildered　and　helpless。　　Those　women　might　come　round　that
corner　any　moment　and　then　she　know　the　first　sight　of　Alice's　face　would
do　or　undo　everything　with　Dan。　　Did　she　wish　them　reconciled？　　Did　she
wish　them　for　ever　parted？　　She　no　longer　knew　what　she　wished；　she　only
knew　that　she　had　no　right　to　wish　anything。　　She　continued　to　talk　on
with　Dan；　who　grew　more　and　more　at　ease；　and　did　most　of　the　talking；
while　Mrs。　Brinkley's　whole　being　narrowed　itself　to　the　question。　　Would
the　Pasmers　come　back　that　way；　or　would　they　go　round　the　further　corner；
and　get　into　the　hotel　by　another　door？

The　suspense　seemed　interminable；　they　must　have　already　gone　that　other
way。　　Suddenly　she　heard　the　pushing　back　of　chairs　in　that　recess。　　She
could　not　bear　it。　　She　jumped　to　her　feet。

〃Just　wait　a　moment；　Mr。　Mavering！　　I'll　join　you　again。　　Mr。　Brinkley　is
expectingI　must〃

　　　　　　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。

One　morning　of　the　following　June　Mrs。　Brinkley　sat　well　forward　in　the
beautiful　church　where　Dan　and　Alice　were　to　be　married。　　The　lovely　day
became　a　still　lovelier　day　within；　enriched　by　the　dyes　of　the　stained
windows　through　which　it　streamed；　the　still　place　was　dim　yet　bright　with
it；　the　figures　painted　on　the　walls　had　a　soft　distinctness；　a　body　of
light　seemed　to　irradiate　from　the　depths　of　the　dome　like　lamp…light。

There　was　a　subdued　murmur　of　voices　among　the　people　in　the　pews：　they
were　in　a　sacred　edifice　without　being　exactly　at　church；　and　they　might
talk；　now　and　then　a　muffled；　nervous　laugh　escaped。　　A　delicate　scent　of
flowers　from　the　masses　in　the　chancel　mixed　with　the　light　and　the
prevailing　silence。　　There　was　a　soft；　continuous　rustle　of　drapery　as　the
ladies　advanced　up　the　thickly　carpeted　aisles　on　the　arms　of　the　young
ushers　and　compressed　themselves　into　place　in　the　pews。

Two　or　three　people　whom　she　did　not　know　were　put　into　the　pew　with　Mrs。
Brinkley；　but　she　kept　her　seat　next　the　aisle；　presently　an　usher　brought
up　a　lady　who　sat　down　beside　her；　and　then　for　a　moment　or　two　seemed　to
sink　and　rise；　as　if　on　the　springs　of　an　intense　excitement。

It　was　Miss　Cotton；　who；　while　this　process　of　quiescing　lasted；　appeared
not　to　know　Mrs。　Brinkley。　　When　she　became　aware　of　her；　all　was　lost
again。　　〃Mrs。　Brinkley！〃　she　cried；　as　well　as　one　can　cry　in　whisper。
〃Is　it　possible？〃

〃I　have　my　doubts；〃　Mrs。　Brinkley　whispered　back。　　〃But　we'll　suppose　the
case。〃

〃Oh；　it's　all　too　good　to　he　true！　　How　I　envy　you　being　the　means　of
bringing　them　together；　Mrs。　Brinkley！〃

〃Means？〃

〃Yesthey　owe　it　all　to　you；　you　needn't　try　to　deny　it；　he's　told　every
one！〃

〃I　was　sure　she　hadn't；〃　said　Mrs。　Brinkley；　remembering　how　Alice　had
marked　an　increasing　ignorance　of　any　part　she　might　have　had　in　the
affair　from　the　first　moment　of　her　reconciliation　with　Dan；　she　had　the
effect　of　feeling　that　she　had　sacrificed　enough　to　Mrs。　Brinkley；　and
Mrs。　Brinkley　had　been　restored　to　all　the　original　strength　of　her
conviction　that　she　was　a　solemn　little　unconscious　egotist；　and　Dan　was
as　unselfish　and　good　as　he　was　unequal　to　her　exactions。

〃Oh　no？〃　said　Miss　Cotton。　　〃She　couldn't！〃　implying　that　Alice　would　be
too　delicate　to　speak　of　it。

〃Do　you　see　any　of　his　family　here？〃　asked　Mrs。　Brinkley。

〃Yes；　over　thereup　front。〃　　Miss　Cotton　motioned；　with　her　eyes　toward　a
pew　in　which　Mrs。　Brinkley　distinguished　an　elderly　gentleman's　down…
misted　bald　head　and　the　back　of　a　young　lady's　bonnet。　　〃His　father　and
sister；　the　other's　a　bridemaid；　mother　bed…ridden　and　couldn't　come。〃

〃They　might　have　brought　her　in　an…arm…chair；〃　suggested　Mrs。　Brinkley
ironically；　〃on　such　an　occasion。　　But　perhaps　they　don't　take　much
interest　in　such　a　patched…up　affair。〃

〃Oh　yes；　they　do！〃　　exclaimed　Miss　Cotton。　　〃They　idolise　Alice。〃

〃And　Mrs。　Pasmer　and　Mister；　too？〃

〃I　don't　suppose　that　so　much　matters。〃

〃They　know　how　to　acquiesce；　I've　no　doubt。〃

〃Oh　yes！　　You've　heard？　　The　young　people　are　going　abroad　first　with　her
family　for　a　year；　and　then　they　come　back　to　live　with　hiswhere　the
Works　are。〃

〃Poor　fellow！〃　said　Mrs。　Brinkley。

〃Why；　Mrs。　Brinkley；　do　you　still　feel　that　way？〃　asked　Miss　Cotton；　with
a　certain　distress。　　It　seems　to　me　that　if　ever　two　young　people　had　the
promise　of　happiness；　they　have。　　Just　see　what　their　love　has　done　for
them　already！〃

〃And　you　still　think　that　in　these　cases　love　can　do　everything？〃

Miss　Cotton　was　about　to　reply；　when　she　observed　that　the　people　about
her　had　stopped　talking。　　The　bridegroom；　with　his　best　man；　in　whom　his
few　acquaintances　there　recognised　Boardman　with　some　surprise；　came　over
the　chancel　from　one　side。

Miss　Cotton　bent　close　to　Mrs。　Brinkley　and　whispered　rapidly：　〃Alice
found　out　Mr。　Mavering　wished　it；　and　insisted　on　his　having　him。　　It　was
a　great　concession；　but　she's　perfectly　magnanimous。　　Poor　fellow！　how　he
does　look！〃

Alice；　on　her　father's　arm；　with　her　bridemaids；　of　whom　the　first　was
Minnie　Mavering；　mounted　the　chancel　steps；　where　Mr。　Pasmer　remained
standing　till　he　advanced　to　give　away　the　bride。　　He　behaved　with　great
dignity；　but　seemed　deeply　affected；　the　ladies　in　the　front　pews　said
they　could　see　his　face　twitch；　but　he　never　looked　handsomer。

The　five　clergymen　carne　from　the　back　of　the　chancel　in　their　white
surplices。　　The　ceremony　proceeded　to　the　end。

The　young　couple　drove　at　once　to　the　station；　where　they　were　to　take　the
train　for　New　York；　and　wait　there　a　day　or　two　for　Mrs。　and　Mr。　Pasmer
before　they　all　sailed。

As　they　drove　along；　Alice　held　Dan's　wrist　in　the　cold　clutch　of　her
trembling　little　ungloved　hand；　on　which　her　wedding　ring　shone。　　〃O
dearest！　let　us　be　good！〃　she　said。　　〃I　will　try　my　best。　　I　will　try　not
to　be　exacting　and　unreasonable；　and　I　know　I　can。　　I　won't　even　make　any
conditions；　if　you　will　always　be　frank　and　open　with　me；　and　tell　me
everything。〃

He　leaned　over　and　kissed　her　behind　the　drawn　curtains。　　〃I　will；　Alice！
I　will　indeed！　　I　won't　keep　anything　from　you　after　this。〃

He　resolved　to　tell　her　all　about　Julia　Anderson　at　the　right　moment；　when
Alice　was　in　the　mood；　and　as　soon　as　he　thoroughly　understood　what　he　had
really　meant　himself。

If　he　had　been　different　she　would　not　have　asked　him　to　be　frank　and
open；　if　she　had　been　different；　he　might　have　been　frank　and　open。　　This
was　the　beginning　of　their　married　life。







End