a second home-第2部分

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uth　and　charm；　that　the　observer；　seeing　her　bent　over　her　work；　and　unmoved　by　any　sound；　was　inclined　to　think　of　her　as　a　coquette。　Such　inviting　promise　had　excited　the　interest　of　more　than　one　young　man；　who　turned　round　in　the　vain　hope　of　seeing　that　modest　countenance。

〃Caroline；　there　is　a　new　face　that　passes　regularly　by；　and　not　one　of　the　old　ones　to　compare　with　it。〃

These　words；　spoken　in　a　low　voice　by　her　mother　one　August　morning　in　1815；　had　vanquished　the　young　needlewoman's　indifference；　and　she　looked　out　on　the　street；　but　in　vain；　the　stranger　was　gone。

〃Where　has　he　flown　to？〃　said　she。

〃He　will　come　back　no　doubt　at　four；　I　shall　see　him　coming；　and　will　touch　your　foot　with　mine。　I　am　sure　he　will　come　back；　he　has　been　through　the　street　regularly　for　the　last　three　days；　but　his　hours　vary。　The　first　day　he　came　by　at　six　o'clock；　the　day　before　yesterday　it　was　four；　yesterday　as　early　as　three。　I　remember　seeing　him　occasionally　some　time　ago。　He　is　some　clerk　in　the　Prefet's　office　who　has　moved　to　the　Marais。Why！〃　she　exclaimed；　after　glancing　down　the　street；　〃our　gentleman　of　the　brown　coat　has　taken　to　wearing　a　wig；　how　much　it　alters　him！〃

The　gentleman　of　the　brown　coat　was；　it　would　seem；　the　individual　who　commonly　closed　the　daily　procession；　for　the　old　woman　put　on　her　spectacles　and　took　up　her　work　with　a　sigh；　glancing　at　her　daughter　with　so　strange　a　look　that　Lavater　himself　would　have　found　it　difficult　to　interpret。　Admiration；　gratitude；　a　sort　of　hope　for　better　days；　were　mingled　with　pride　at　having　such　a　pretty　daughter。

At　about　four　in　the　afternoon　the　old　lady　pushed　her　foot　against　Caroline's；　and　the　girl　looked　up　quickly　enough　to　see　the　new　actor；　whose　regular　advent　would　thenceforth　lend　variety　to　the　scene。　He　was　tall　and　thin；　and　wore　black；　a　man　of　about　forty；　with　a　certain　solemnity　of　demeanor；　as　his　piercing　hazel　eye　met　the　old　woman's　dull　gaze；　he　made　her　quake；　for　she　felt　as　though　he　had　the　gift　of　reading　hearts；　or　much　practice　in　it；　and　his　presence　must　surely　be　as　icy　as　the　air　of　this　dank　street。　Was　the　dull；　sallow　complexion　of　that　ominous　face　due　to　excess　of　work；　or　the　result　of　delicate　health？

The　old　woman　supplied　twenty　different　answers　to　this　question；　but　Caroline；　next　day；　discerned　the　lines　of　long　mental　suffering　on　that　brow　that　was　so　prompt　to　frown。　The　rather　hollow　cheeks　of　the　Unknown　bore　the　stamp　of　the　seal　which　sorrow　sets　on　its　victims　as　if　to　grant　them　the　consolation　of　common　recognition　and　brotherly　union　for　resistance。　Though　the　girl's　expression　was　at　first　one　of　lively　but　innocent　curiosity；　it　assumed　a　look　of　gentle　sympathy　as　the　stranger　receded　from　view；　like　a　last　relation　following　in　a　funeral　train。

The　heat　of　the　weather　was　so　great；　and　the　gentleman　was　so　absent…　minded；　that　he　had　taken　off　his　hat　and　forgotten　to　put　it　on　again　as　he　went　down　the　squalid　street。　Caroline　could　see　the　stern　look　given　to　his　countenance　by　the　way　the　hair　was　brushed　from　his　forehead。　The　strong　impression；　devoid　of　charm；　made　on　the　girl　by　this　man's　appearance　was　totally　unlike　any　sensation　produced　by　the　other　passengers　who　used　the　street；　for　the　first　time　in　her　life　she　was　moved　to　pity　for　some　one　else　than　herself　and　her　mother；　she　made　no　reply　to　the　absurd　conjectures　that　supplied　material　for　the　old　woman's　provoking　volubility；　and　drew　her　long　needle　in　silence　through　the　web　of　stretched　net；　she　only　regretted　not　having　seen　the　stranger　more　closely；　and　looked　forward　to　the　morrow　to　form　a　definite　opinion　of　him。

It　was　the　first　time；　indeed；　that　a　man　passing　down　the　street　had　ever　given　rise　to　much　thought　in　her　mind。　She　generally　had　nothing　but　a　smile　in　response　to　her　mother's　hypotheses；　for　the　old　woman　looked　on　every　passer…by　as　a　possible　protector　for　her　daughter。　And　if　such　suggestions；　so　crudely　presented；　gave　rise　to　no　evil　thoughts　in　Caroline's　mind；　her　indifference　must　be　ascribed　to　the　persistent　and　unfortunately　inevitable　toil　in　which　the　energies　of　her　sweet　youth　were　being　spent；　and　which　would　infallibly　mar　the　clearness　of　her　eyes　or　steal　from　her　fresh　cheeks　the　bloom　that　still　colored　them。

For　two　months　or　more　the　〃Black　Gentleman〃the　name　they　had　given　himwas　erratic　in　his　movements；　he　did　not　always　come　down　the　Rue　du　Tourniquet；　the　old　woman　sometimes　saw　him　in　the　evening　when　he　had　not　passed　in　the　morning；　and　he　did　not　come　by　at　such　regular　hours　as　the　clerks　who　served　Madame　Crochard　instead　of　a　clock；　moreover；　excepting　on　the　first　occasion；　when　his　look　had　given　the　old　mother　a　sense　of　alarm；　his　eyes　had　never　once　dwelt　on　the　weird　picture　of　these　two　female　gnomes。　With　the　exception　of　two　carriage…gates　and　a　dark　ironmonger's　shop；　there　were　in　the　Rue　du　Tourniquet　only　barred　windows；　giving　light　to　the　staircases　of　the　neighboring　houses；　thus　the　stranger's　lack　of　curiosity　was　not　to　be　accounted　for　by　the　presence　of　dangerous　rivals；　and　Madame　Crochard　was　greatly　piqued　to　see　her　〃Black　Gentleman〃　always　lost　in　thought；　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　ground；　or　straight　before　him；　as　though　he　hoped　to　read　the　future　in　the　fog　of　the　Rue　du　Tourniquet。　However；　one　morning；　about　the　middle　of　September；　Caroline　Crochard's　roguish　face　stood　out　so　brightly　against　the　dark　background　of　the　room；　looking　so　fresh　among　the　belated　flowers　and　faded　leaves　that　twined　round　the　window…bars；　the　daily　scene　was　gay　with　such　contrasts　of　light　and　shade；　of　pink　and　white　blending　with　the　light　material　on　which　the　pretty　needlewoman　was　working；　and　with　the　red　and　brown　hues　of　the　chairs；　that　the　stranger　gazed　very　attentively　at　the　effects　of　this　living　picture。　In　point　of　fact；　the　old　woman；　provoked　by　her　〃Black　Gentleman's〃　indifference；　had　made　such　a　clatter　with　her　bobbins　that　the　gloomy　and　pensive　passer…by　was　perhaps　prompted　to　look　up　by　the　unusual　noise。

The　stranger　merely　exchanged　glances　with　Caroline；　swift　indeed；　but　enough　to　effect　a　certain　contact　between　their　souls；　and　both　were　aware　that　they　would　think　of　each　other。　When　the　stranger　came　by　again；　at　four　in　the　afternoon；　Caroline　recognized　the　sound　of　his　step　on　the　echoing　pavement；　they　looked　steadily　at　each　other；　and　with　evident　purpose；　his　eyes　had　an　expression　of　kindliness　which　made　him　smile；　and　Caroline　colored；　the　old　mother　noted　them　with　satisfaction。　Ever　after　that　memorable　afternoon；　the　Gentleman　in　Black　went　by　twice　a　day；　with　rare　exceptions；　which　both　the　women　observed。　They　concluded　from　the　irregularity　of　the　hours　of　his　homecoming　that　he　was　not　released　so　early；　nor　so　precisely　punctual　as　a　subordinate　official。

All　through　the　first　three　winter　months；　twice　a　day；　Caroline　and　the　stranger　thus　saw　each　other　for　so　long　as　it　took　him　to　traverse　the　piece　of　road　that　lay　along　the　length　of　the　door　and　three　windows　of　the　house。　Day　after　day　this　brief　interview　had　the　hue　of　friendly　sympathy　which　at　last　had　acquired　a　sort　of　fraternal　kindness。　Caroline　and　the　stranger　seemed　to　understand　each　other　from　the　first；　and　then；　by　dint　of　scrutinizing　each　other's　faces；　they　learned　to　know　them　well。　Ere　long　it　came　to　be；　as　it　were；　a　visit　that　the　Unknown　owed　to　Caroline；　if　by　any　chance　her　Gentleman　in　Black　went　by　without　bestowing　on　her　the　half…smile　of　his　expressive　lips；　or　the　cordial　glance　of　his　brown　eyes；　something　was　missing　to　her　all　day。　She　felt　as　an　old　man　does　to　whom　the　daily　study　of　a　newspaper　is　such　an　indispensable　pleasure　that　on　the　day　after　any　great　holiday　he　wanders　about　quite　lost；　and　seeking；　as　much　out　of　vagueness　as　for　want　of　patience；　the　sheet　by　which　he　cheats　an　hour　of　life。

But　these　brief　meetings　had　the　charm　of　intimate　friendliness；　quite　as　much　for　the　stranger　as　for　Caroline。　The　girl　could　no　more　hide　a　vexation；　a　grief；　or　some　slight　ailment　from　the　keen　eye　of　her　appreciative　friend　than　he　could　conceal　anxiety　from　hers。

〃He　must　have　had　some　trouble　yesterday；〃　was　the　thought　that　constantly　arose　in　the　embroideress'　mind　as　she　saw　some　change　in　the　features　of　the　〃Black　Gentleman。〃

〃Oh；　he　has　been　working　too　hard！〃　was　a　reflection　due　to　another　shade　of　expression　which　Caroline　could　discern。

The　stranger；　on　his　part；　could　guess　when　the　girl　had　spent　Sunday　in　finishing　a　dress；　and　he　felt　an　interest　in　the　pattern。　As　　quarter…day　came　near　he　could　see　that　her　pretty　face　was　clouded　by　anxiety；　and　he　could　guess　when　Caroline　had　sat　up　late　at　work；　but　above　all；　he　noted　how　the　gloomy　thoughts　that　dimmed　the　cheerful　and　delicate　features　of　her　young　face　gradually　vanished　by　degrees　as　their　acquaintance　ripened。　When　winter　had　killed　the　climbers　and　plants　of　her　window　garden；　and　the　window　was　kept　closed；　it　was　not　without　a　smile　of　gentle　amusement　that　the　stranger　observed　the　concentration　of　the　light　within；　just　at　the　level　of　Caroline's　head。　The　very　small　fire　and　the　frosty　red　of　the　two　women's　faces　betrayed　the　poverty　of　their　home；　but　if　ever　his　own　countenance　expressed　regretful　compassion；　the　girl　proudly　met　it　with　assumed　cheerfulness。

Meanwhile　the　feelings　that　had　arisen　in　their　hearts　remained　buried　there；　no　incident　occurring　to　reveal　to　either　of　them　how　deep　and　strong　they　were　in　the　other；　they　had　never　even　heard　the　sound　of　each　other's　voice。　These　mute　friends　were　even　on　their　guard　against　any　nearer　acquaintance；　as　though　it　meant　disaster。　Each　seemed　to　fear　lest　it　should　bring　on　the　other　some　grief　more　serious　than　those　they　felt　tempted　to　share。　Was　it　shyness　or　friendship　that　checked　them？　Was　it　a　dread　of　meeting　with　selfishness；　or　the　odious　distrust　which　sunders　all　the　residents　within　the　walls　of　a　populous　city？　Did　the　voice　of　conscience　warn　them　of　approaching　danger？　It　would　be　impossible　to　explain　the　instinct　which　made　them　as　much　enemies　as　friends；　at　once　indifferent　and　attached；　drawn　to　each　other　b