john ingerfield and other stories-第3部分

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sounding　suspicious　old　dowagers；　bribing　confidential　servants；

fishing　for　information　among　friends　of　the　family。　　By　Jove；　I

shall　be　able　to　join　the　Duke's　staff　as　spy…in…chief　to　His

Majesty's　entire　forces　after　this！〃



〃What　is　she　like？〃　asks　John；　without　stopping　his　writing。



〃Like！　　My　dear　Jack；　you'll　fall　over　head　and　ears　in　love　with　her

the　moment　you　see　her。　　A　little　cold；　perhaps；　but　that　will　just

suit　you。〃



〃Good　family？〃　asks　John；　signing　and　folding　the　letter　he　has

finished。



〃So　good　that　I　was　afraid　at　first　it　would　be　useless　thinking　of

her。　　But　she's　a　sensible　girl；　no　confounded　nonsense　about　her；

and　the　family　are　poor　as　church　mice。　　In　factwell；　to　tell　the

truth；　we　have　become　most　excellent　friends；　and　she　told　me　herself

frankly　that　she　meant　to　marry　a　rich　man；　and　didn't　much　care

whom。〃



〃That　sounds　hopeful；〃　remarks　the　would…be　bridegroom；　with　his

peculiar　dry　smile：　　〃when　shall　I　have　the　pleasure　of　seeing　her？〃



〃I　want　you　to　come　with　me　to…night　to　the　Garden；〃　replies　the

other；　〃she　will　be　in　Lady　Heatherington's　box；　and　I　will　introduce

you。〃



So　that　evening　John　Ingerfield　goes　to　Covent　Garden　Theatre；　with

the　blood　running　a　trifle　quicker　in　his　veins；　but　not　much；　than

would　be　the　case　were　he　going　to　the　docks　to　purchase　tallow

examines；　covertly；　the　proposed　article　from　the　opposite　side　of

the　house；　and　approves　heris　introduced　to　her；　and；　on　closer

inspection；　approves　her　still　morereceives　an　invitation　to　visit…

…visits　frequently；　and　each　time　is　more　satisfied　of　the　rarity；

serviceableness；　and　quality　of　the　article。



If　all　John　Ingerfield　requires　for　a　wife　is　a　beautiful　social

machine；　surely　here　he　has　found　his　ideal。　　Anne　Singleton；　only

daughter　of　that　persistently　unfortunate　but　most　charming　of

baronets；　Sir　Harry　Singleton　（more　charming；　it　is　rumoured；　outside

his　family　circle　than　within　it）；　is　a　stately　graceful；　high…bred

woman。　　Her　portrait；　by　Reynolds；　still　to　be　seen　above　the　carved

wainscoting　of　one　of　the　old　City　halls；　shows　a　wonderfully

handsome　and　clever　face；　but　at　the　same　time　a　wonderfully　cold　and

heartless　one。　　It　is　the　face　of　a　woman　half　weary　of；　half

sneering　at　the　world。　　One　reads　in　old　family　letters；　whereof　the

ink　is　now　very　faded　and　the　paper　very　yellow；　long　criticisms　of

this　portrait。　　The　writers　complain　that　if　the　picture　is　at　all

like　her　she　must　have　greatly　changed　since　her　girlhood；　for　they

remember　her　then　as　having　a　laughing　and　winsome　expression。



They　saythey　who　knew　her　in　after…lifethat　this　earlier　face

came　back　to　her　in　the　end；　so　that　the　many　who　remembered　opening

their　eyes　and　seeing　her　bending　down　over　them　could　never

recognise　the　portrait　of　the　beautiful　sneering　lady；　even　when　they

were　told　whom　it　represented。



But　at　the　time　of　John　Ingerfield's　strange　wooing　she　was　the　Anne

Singleton　of　Sir　Joshua's　portrait；　and　John　Ingerfield　liked　her　the

better　that　she　was。



He　had　no　feeling　of　sentiment　in　the　matter　himself；　and　it

simplified　the　case　that　she　had　none　either。　　He　offered　her　a　plain

bargain；　and　she　accepted　it。　　For　all　he　knew　or　cared；　her　attitude

towards　this　subject　of　marriage　was　the　usual　one　assumed　by　women。

Very　young　girls　had　their　heads　full　of　romantic　ideas。　　It　was

better　for　her　and　for　him　that　she　had　got　rid　of　them。



〃Ours　will　be　a　union　founded　on　good　sense；〃　said　John　Ingerfield。



〃Let　us　hope　the　experiment　will　succeed；〃　said　Anne　Singleton。







CHAPTER　II。







But　the　experiment　does　not　succeed。　　The　laws　of　God　decree　that　man

shall　purchase　woman；　that　woman　shall　give　herself　to　man；　for　other

coin　than　that　of　good　sense。　　Good　sense　is　not　a　legal　tender　in

the　marriage　mart。　　Men　and　women　who　enter　therein　with　only　sense

in　their　purse　have　no　right　to　complain　if；　on　reaching　home；　they

find　they　have　concluded　an　unsatisfactory　bargain。



John　Ingerfield；　when　he　asked　Anne　Singleton　to　be　his　wife；　felt　no

more　love　for　her　than　he　felt　for　any　of　the　other　sumptuous

household　appointments　he　was　purchasing　about　the　same　time；　and

made　no　pretence　of　doing　so。　　Nor；　had　he　done　so；　would　she　have

believed　him；　for　Anne　Singleton　has　learned　much　in　her　twenty…two

summers　and　winters；　and　knows　that　love　is　only　a　meteor　in　life's

sky；　and　that　the　true　lodestar　of　this　world　is　gold。　　Anne

Singleton　has　had　her　romance　and　buried　it　deep　down　in　her　deep

nature　and　over　its　grave；　to　keep　its　ghost　from　rising；　has　piled

the　stones　of　indifference　and　contempt；　as　many　a　woman　has　done

before　and　since。　　Once　upon　a　time　Anne　Singleton　sat　dreaming　out　a

story。　　It　was　a　story　old　as　the　hillsolder　than　some　of　thembut

to　her；　then；　it　was　quite　new　and　very　wonderful。　　It　contained　all

the　usual　stock　material　common　to　such　stories：　　the　lad　and　the

lass；　the　plighted　troth；　the　richer　suitors；　the　angry　parents；　the

love　that　was　worth　braving　all　the　world　for。　　One　day　into　this

dream　there　fell　from　the　land　of　the　waking　a　letter；　a　poor；

pitiful　letter：　　〃You　know　I　love　you　and　only　you；〃　it　ran；　〃my

heart　will　always　be　yours　till　I　die。　　But　my　father　threatens　to

stop　my　allowance；　and；　as　you　know；　I　have　nothing　of　my　own　except

debts。　　Some　would　call　her　handsome；　but　how　can　I　think　of　her

beside　you？　　Oh；　why　was　money　ever　let　to　come　into　the　world　to

curse　us？〃　with　many　other　puzzling　questions　of　a　like　character；

and　much　severe　condemnation　of　Fate　and　Heaven　and　other　parties

generally；　and　much　self…commiseration。



Anne　Singleton　took　long　to　read　the　letter。　　When　she　had　finished

it；　and　had　read　it　through　again；　she　rose；　and；　crushing　it　her

hand；　flung　it　in　the　fire　with　a　laugh；　and　as　the　flame　burnt　up

and　died　away　felt　that　her　life　had　died　with　it；　not　knowing　that

bruised　hearts　can　heal。



So　when　John　Ingerfield　comes　wooing；　and　speaks　to　her　no　word　of

love　but　only　of　money；　she　feels　that　here　at　last　is　a　genuine

voice　that　she　can　trust。　　Love　of　the　lesser　side　of　life　is　still

left　to　her。　　It　will　be　pleasant　to　be　the　wealthy　mistress　of　a

fine　house；　to　give　great　receptions；　to　exchange　the　secret　poverty

of　home　for　display　and　luxury。　　These　things　are　offered　to　her　on

the　very　terms　she　would　have　suggested　herself。　　Accompanied　by　love

she　would　have　refused　them；　knowing　she　could　give　none　in　return。



But　a　woman　finds　it　one　thing　not　to　desire　affection　and　another

thing　not　to　possess　it。　　Day　by　day　the　atmosphere　of　the　fine　house

in　Bloomsbury　grows　cold　and　colder　about　her　heart。　　Guests　warm　it

at　times　for　a　few　hours；　then　depart；　leaving　it　chillier　than

before。



For　her　husband　she　attempts　to　feel　indifference；　but　living

creatures　joined　together　cannot　feel　indifference　for　each　other。

Even　two　dogs　in　a　leash　are　compelled　to　think　of　one　another。　　A

man　and　wife　must　love　or　hate；　like　or　dislike；　in　degree　as　the

bond　connecting　them　is　drawn　tight　or　allowed　to　hang　slack。　　By

mutual　desire　their　chains　of　wedlock　have　been　fastened　as　loosely

as　respect　for　security　will　permit；　with　the　happy　consequence　that

her　aversion　to　him　does　not　obtrude　itself　beyond　the　limits　of

politeness。



Her　part　of　the　contract　she　faithfully　fulfils；　for　the　Singletons

also　have　their　code　of　honour。　　Her　beauty；　her　tact；　her　charm；　her

influence；　are　devoted　to　his　serviceto　the　advancement　of　his

position；　the　furtherance　of　his　ambition。　　Doors　that　would

otherwise　remain　closed　she　opens　to　him。　　Society；　that　would

otherwise　pass　by　with　a　sneer；　sits　round　his　table。　　His　wishes　and

pleasures　are　hers。　　In　all　things　she　yields　him　wifely　duty；　seeks

to　render　herself　agreeable　to　him；　suffers　in　silence　his　occasional

caresses。　　Whatever　was　implied　in　the　bargain；　that　she　will　perform

to　the　letter。



He；　on　his　side；　likewise　performs　his　part　with　businesslike

conscientiousnessnay；　seeing　that　the　pleasing　of　her　brings　no

personal　gratification　to　himselfnot　without　generosity。　　　He　is

ever　thoughtful　of　and　deferential　to　her；　awarding　her　at　all　times

an　unvarying　courteousness　that　is　none　the　less　sincere　for　being

studied。　　Her　every　expressed　want　is　gratified；　her　every　known

distaste　respected。　　Conscious　of　his　presence　being　an　oppression　to

her；　he　is　even　careful　not　to　intrude　it　upon　her　oftener　than　is

necessary。



At　times　he　asks　himself；　somewhat　pertinently；　what　he　has　gained　by

marriagewonders　whether　this　social　race　was　quite　the　most

interesting　game　he　could　have　elected　to　occupy　his　leisurewonders

whether；　after　all；　he　would　not　have　been　happier　over　his　counting…

house　than　in　these　sumptuous；　glittering　rooms；　where　he　always

seems；　and　feels　himself　to　be；　the　uninvited　guest。



The　only　feeling　that　a　closer　intimacy　has　created　in　him　for　his

wife　is　that　of　indulgent　contempt。　　As　there　is　no　equality　between

man　and　woman；　so　there　can　be　no　respect。　　She　is　a　different　being。

He　must　either　look　up　to　her　as　superior　to　himself；　or　down　upon

her　as　inferior。　　When　a　man　does　the　former　he　is　more　or　less　in

love；　and　love　to　John　Ingerfield　is　an　unknown　emotion。　　Her　beauty；

her　charm；　her　social　tacteven　while　he　makes　use　of　them　for　his

own　purposes；　he　despises　as　the　weapons　of　a　weak　nature。



So　in　their　big；　cold　mansion　John　Ingerfield　and　Anne；　his　wife；　sit

far　apart；　strangers　to　one　another；　neither　desiring　to　know　the

other　nearer。



About　his　business　he　never　speaks　to　her；　and　she　never　questions

him。　　To　compensate　for　the　slight　shrinkage　of　time　he　is　able　to

devote　to　it；　he　becomes　more　strict　and　exacting；　grows　a　harsher

master　to　his　people；　a　sterner　creditor；　a　greedier　dealer；

sque