an open-eyed conspiracy-第14部分

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poem　about　the　end　of　the　world　by　that　City　of　Dreadful　Night　man？〃
Miss　Gage　impulsively　caught　me　by　the　coat　lapel　and　shook　me。

〃Ah；　it　was　you　all　the　time！　　I　knew　there　was　somebody　following
us；　and　I　might　have　KNOWN　who　it　was！〃

We　all　gave　way　in　a　gale　of　laughter；　and　sat　down　on　the　verandah
and　had　our　joke　out　in　full　recognition　of　the　fact。　　When
Kendricks　rose　to　go　at　last；　I　said；　〃We　won't　say　anything　about
this　little　incident　to　Mrs。　March；　hey？〃　　And　then　they　laughed
again　as　if　it　were　the　finest　wit　in　the　world；　and　Miss　Gage　bade
me　a　joyful　good…night　at　the　head　of　the　stairs　as　she　went　off　to
her　room　and　I　to　mine。

I　found　Mrs。　March　waiting　up　with　a　book；　and　as　soon　as　I　shut
myself　in　with　her　she　said；　awfully；　〃What　WERE　you　laughing　so
about？〃

〃Laughing？　　Did　you　hear　me　laughing？〃

〃The　whole　house　heard　you；　I'm　afraid。　　You　certainly　ought　to　have
known　better；　Basil。　　It　was　very　inconsiderate　of　you。〃　　And　as　I
saw　she　was　going　on　with　more　of　that　sort　of　thing；　to　divert　her
thoughts　from　my　crime　I　told　her　the　whole　story。　　It　had　quite　the
effect　I　intended　up　to　a　certain　point。　　She　even　smiled　a　little；
as　much　as　a　woman　could　be　expected　to　smile　who　was　not　originally
in　the　joke。

〃And　they　had　got　to　comparing　weird　experiences？〃　she　asked。

〃Yes；　the　staleness　of　the　thing　almost　made　me　sick。　　Do　you
remember　when　we　first　compared　our　weird　experiences？　　But　I
suppose　they　will　go　on　doing　it　to　the　end　of　time；　and　it　will
have　as　great　a　charm　for　the　last　man　and　woman　as　it　had　for　Adam
and　Eve　when　they　compared　THEIR　weird　experiences。〃

〃And　was　that　what　you　were　laughing　at？〃

〃We　were　laughing　at　the　wonderful　case　of　telepathy　I　put　up　on
them。〃

Mrs。　March　faced　her　open　book　down　on　the　table　before　her；　and
looked　at　me　with　profound　solemnity。　　〃Well；　then；　I　can　tell　you；
my　dear；　it　is　no　laughing　matter。　　If　they　have　got　to　the　weird　it
is　very　serious；　and　her　talking　to　him　about　her　family；　and　his
wanting　to　know　about　her　father；　that's　serious　toofar　more
serious　than　either　of　them　can　understand。　　I　don't　like　it；　Basil；
we　have　got　a　terrible　affair　on　our　hands。〃

〃Terrible？〃

〃Yes；　terrible。　　As　long　as　he　was　interested　in　her　simply　from　a
literary　point　of　view；　though　I　didn't　like　that　either；　I　could
put　up　with　it；　but　now　that　he's　got　to　telling　her　about　himself；
and　exchanging　weird　experiences　with　her；　it's　another　thing
altogether。　　Oh；　I　never　wanted　Kendricks　brought　into　the　affair　at
all。〃

〃Come　now；　Isabel！　　Stick　to　the　facts；　please。〃

〃No　matter！　　It　was　you　that　discovered　the　girl；　and　then　something
had　to　be　done。　　I　was　perfectly　shocked　when　you　told　me　that　Mr。
Kendricks　was　in　town；　because　I　saw　at　once　that　he　would　have　to
be　got　in　for　it；　and　now　we　have　to　think　what　we　shall　do。〃

〃Couldn't　we　think　better　in　the　morning？〃

〃No；　we　must　think　at　once。　　I　shall　not　sleep　to…night　anyhow。　　My
peace　is　gone。　　I　shall　have　to　watch　them　every　instant。〃

〃Beginning　at　this　instant。　　Why　not　wait　till　you　can　see　them？〃

〃Oh；　you　can't　joke　it　away；　my　dear。　　If　I　find　they　are　really
interested　in　each　other　I　shall　have　to　speak。　　I　am　responsible。〃

〃The　young　lady；〃　I　said；　more　to　gain　time　than　anything　else；
〃seems　quite　capable　of　taking　care　of　herself。〃

〃That　makes　it　all　the　worse。　　Do　you　think　I　care　for　her　only？
It's　Kendricks　too　that　I　care　for。　　I　don't　know　that　I　care　for
her　at　all。〃

〃Oh；　then　I　think　we　may　fairly　leave　Kendricks　to　his　own　devices；
and　I'm　not　alarmed　for　Miss　Gage　either；　though　I　do　care　for　her　a
great　deal。〃

〃I　don't　understand　how　you　can　be　so　heartless　about　it；　Basil；〃
said　Mrs。　March；　plaintively。　　〃She　is　a　young　girl；　and　she　has
never　seen　anything　of　the　world；　and　of　course　if　he　keeps　on
paying　her　attention　in　this　way　she　can't　help　thinking　that　he　is
interested　in　her。　　Men　never　can　see　such　things　as　women　do。　　They
think　that；　until　a　man　has　actually　asked　a　girl　to　marry　him；　he
hasn't　done　anything　to　warrant　her　in　supposing　that　he　is　in　love
with　her；　or　that　she　has　any　right　to　be　in　love　with　him。〃

〃That　is　true；　we　can't　imagine　that　she　would　be　so　indelicate。〃

〃I　see　that　you're　determined　to　tease；　my　dear；〃　said　Mrs。　March；
and　she　took　up　her　book　with　an　air　of　offence　and　dismissal。　　〃If
you　won't　talk　seriously；　I　hope　you　will　think　seriously；　and　try
to　realise　what　we've　got　in　for。　　Such　a　girl　couldn't　imagine　that
we　had　simply　got　Mr　Kendricks　to　go　about　with　her　from　a　romantic
wish　to　make　her　have　a　good　time；　and　that　he　was　doing　it　to
oblige　us；　and　wasn't　at　all　interested　in　her。〃

〃It　does　look　a　little　preposterous；　even　to　the　outsider；〃　I
admitted。

〃I　am　glad　you　are　beginning　to　see　it　in　that　light；　my　dear；　and
if　you　can　think　of　anything　to　do　by　morning　I　shall　be　humbly
thankful。　　_I_　don't　expect　to。〃

〃Perhaps　I　shall　dream　of　something；〃　I　said　more　lightly　than　I
felt。　　〃How　would　it　do　for　you　to　have　a　little　talk　with　hera
little　motherly　talkand　hint　round；　and　warn　her　not　to　let　her
feelings　run　away　with　her　in　Kendricks's　direction？〃　　Mrs。　March
faced　her　book　down　in　her　lap；　and　listened　as　if　there　might　be
some　reason　in　the　nonsense　I　was　talking。　　〃You　might　say　that　he
was　a　society　man；　and　was　in　great　request；　and　then　intimate　that
there　was　a　prior　attachment；　or　that　he　was　the　kind　of　man　who
would　never　marry；　but　was　really　cold…hearted　with　all　his
sweetness；　and　merely　had　a　passion　for　studying　character。〃

〃Do　you　think　that　would　do；　Basil？〃　she　asked。

〃Well；　I　thought　perhaps　you　might　think　so。〃

〃I'm　afraid　it　wouldn't；〃　she　sighed。

〃All　that　we　can　do　now　is　to　watch　them；　and　act　promptly；　if　we
see　that　they　are　really　in　love；　either　of　them。〃

〃I　don't　believe；〃　I　said；　〃that　I　should　know　that　they　were　in
love　even　if　I　saw　it。　　I　have　forgotten　the　outward　signs；　if　I
ever　knew　them。　　Should　he　give　her　flowers？　　He's　done　it　from　the
start；　he's　brought　her　boxes　of　Huyler　candy；　and　lent　her　books；
but　I　dare　say　he's　been　merely　complying　with　our　wishes　in　doing
it。　　I　doubt　if　lovers　sigh　nowadays。　　I　didn't　sigh　myself；　even　in
my　time；　and　I　don't　believe　any　passion　could　make　Kendricks
neglect　his　dress。　　He　keeps　his　eyes　on　her　all　the　time；　but　that
may　be　merely　an　effort　to　divine　her　character。　　I　don't　believe　I
should　know；　indeed　I　don't。〃

〃I　shall；〃　said　Mrs。　March。



CHAPTER　XIV



We　were　to　go　the　next　day　to　the　races；　and　I　woke　with　more
anxiety　about　the　weather　than　about　the　lovers；　or　potential
lovers。　　But　after　realising　that　the　day　was　beautiful；　on　that
large　scale　of　loveliness　which　seems　characteristic　of　the　summer
days　at　Saratoga；　where　they　have　them　almost　the　size　of　the　summer
days　I　knew　when　I　was　a　boy；　I　was　sensible　of　a　secondary　worry　in
my　mind；　which　presently　related　itself　to　Kendricks　and　Miss　Gage。
It　was　a　haze　of　trouble　merely；　however；　such　as　burns　off；　like　a
morning　fog；　when　the　sun　gets　higher；　and　it　was　chiefly　on　my
wife's　account。

I　suppose　that　the　great　difference　between　her　conscience　and　one
originating　outside　of　New　England　（if　any　conscience　can　originate
outside　of　New　England）　is　that　it　cannot　leave　the　moral　government
of　the　universe　in　the　hands　of　divine　Providence。　　I　was　willing　to
leave　so　many　things　which　I　could　not　control　to　the　Deity；　who
probably　could　that　she　accused　me　of　fatalism；　and　I　was　held　to　be
little　better　than　one　of　the　wicked　because　I　would　not　forecast
the　effects　of　what　I　did　in　the　lives　of　others。　　I　insisted　that
others　were　also　probably　in　the　hands　of　the　somma　sapienza　e　il
primo　amore；　and　that　I　was　so　little　aware　of　the　influence　of
other　lives　upon　my　own；　even　where　there　had　been　a　direct　and
strenuous　effort　to　affect　me；　that　I　could　not　readily　believe
others　had　swerved　from　the　line　of　their　destiny　because　of　me。
Especially　I　protested　that　I　could　not　hold　myself　guilty　of
misfortunes　I　had　not　intended；　even　though　my　faulty　conduct　had
caused　them。　　As　to　this　business　of　Kendricks　and　Miss　Gage；　I
denied　in　the　dispute　I　now　began　tacitly　to　hold　with　Mrs。　March's
conscience　that　my　conduct　had　been　faulty。　　I　said　that　there　was
no　earthly　harm　in　my　having　been　interested　by　the　girl's
forlornness　when　I　first　saw　her；　that　I　did　not　do　wrong　to
interest　Mrs。　March　in　her；　that　she　did　not　sin　in　going　shopping
with　Miss　Gage　and　Mrs。　Deering；　that　we　had　not　sinned；　either　of
us；　in　rejoicing　that　Kendricks　had　come　to　Saratoga；　or　in　letting
Mrs。　Deering　go　home　to　her　sick　husband　and　leave　Miss　Gage　on　our
hands；　that　we　were　not　wicked　in　permitting　the　young　fellow　to
help　us　make　her　have　a　good　time。　　In　this　colloquy　I　did　all　the
reasoning；　and　Mrs。　March's　conscience　was　completely　silenced；　but
it　rose　triumphant　in　my　miserable　soul　when　I　met　Miss　Gage　at
breakfast；　looking　radiantly　happy；　and　disposed　to　fellowship　me　in
an　unusual　confidence　because；　as　I　clearly　perceived；　of　our　last
night's　adventure。　　I　said　to　myself　bitterly　that　happiness　did　not
become　her　style；　and　I　hoped　that　she　would　get　away　with　her
confounded　rapture　before　Mrs。　March　came　down。　　I　resolved　not　to
tell　Mrs。　March　if　it　fell　out　so；　but　at　the　same　time；　as　a　sort
of　atonement；　I　decided　to　begin　keeping　the　sharpest　kind　of　watch
upon　Miss　Gage　for　the　outward　signs　and　tokens　of　love。

She　said；　〃When　you　began　to　talk　that　way　last　night；　Mr。　March；　it
almost　took　my　breath；　and　if　you　hadn't　gone　so　far；　and　mentioned
about　the　sunset　through　the　sleety　trees；　I　never　should　have
suspected　you。〃

〃Ah；　that's　the　trouble　with　men；　Miss　Gage。〃　　And　when　I　said　〃men〃
I　fancied　she　flushed　a　little。　　〃We　never　know　when　to　stop；　we
always　overdo　it；　if　it　were　not　for　that　we　should　be　as　perfect　as
women。　　Perhaps　you'll　give　me　another　chance；　though。〃

〃No；　we　shall　be　on　our　guard　after　this。〃　　She　corrected　herself
and　said；　〃I　shall　always　be　looking　out　for　you　now；〃　and　she
certainly　showed　herself　con