an open-eyed conspiracy-第15部分

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〃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　conscious　in　the　bridling　glance　that　met
my　keen　gaze。

〃Good　heavens！〃　I　thought。　　〃Has　it　really　gone　so　far？〃　and　more
than　ever　I　resolved　not　to　tell　Mrs。　March。

I　went　out　to　engage　a　carriage　to　take　us　to　the　races；　and　to
agree　with　the　driver　that　he　should　wait　for　us　at　a　certain　corner
some　blocks　distant　from　our　hotel；　where　we　were　to　walk　and　find
him。　　We　always　did　this；　because　there　were　a　number　of　clergymen
in　our　house；　and　Mrs。　March　could　not　make　it　seem　right　to　start
for　the　races　direct　from　the　door；　though　she　held　that　it　was
perfectly　right　for　us　to　go。　　For　the　same　reason　she　made　the
driver　stop　short　of　our　destination　on　our　return；　and　walked　home
the　rest　of　the　way。　　Almost　the　first　time　we　practised　this
deception　I　was　met　at　the　door　by　the　sweetest　and　dearest　of　these
old　divines；　who　said；　〃Have　you　ever　seen　the　races　here？　　I'm　told
the　spectacle　is　something　very　fine；〃　and　I　was　obliged　to　own　that
I　had　once　had　a　glimpse　of　them。　　But　it　was　in　vain　that　I　pleaded
this　fact　with　Mrs。　March；　she　insisted　that　the　appearance　of　not
going　to　the　races　was　something　that　we　owed　the　cloth；　and　no
connivance　on　their　part　could　dispense　us　from　it。

As　I　now　went　looking　up　and　down　the　street　for　the　driver　who　was
usually　on　the　watch　for　me　about　eleven　o'clock　on　a　fair　day　of
the　races；　I　turned　over　in　my　mind　the　several　accidents　which　are
employed　in　novels　to　bring　young　people　to　a　realising　sense　of
their　feelings　toward　each　other；　and　wondered　which　of　them　I　might
most　safely　invoke。　　I　was　not　anxious　to　have　Kendricks　and　Miss
Gage　lovers；　it　would　be　altogether　simpler　for　us　if　they　were　not；
but　if　they　were；　the　sooner　they　knew　it　and　we　knew　it　the　better。
I　thought　of　a　carriage　accident；　in　which　he　should　seize　her　and
leap　with　her　from　the　flying　vehicle；　while　the　horses　plunged
madly　on；　but　I　did　not　know　what　in　this　case　would　become　of　Mrs。
March　and　me。　　Besides；　I　could　think　of　nothing　that　would　frighten
our　driver's　horses；　and　I　dismissed　the　fleeting　notion　of　getting
any　others　because　Mrs。　March　liked　their　being　so　safe；　and　she
had；　besides；　interested　herself　particularly　in　the　driver；　who　had
a　family　and　counted　upon　our　custom。　　The　poor　fellow　came　in　sight
presently；　and　smilingly　made　the　usual　arrangement　with　me；　and　an
hour　later　he　delivered　us　all　sound　in　wind　and　limb　at　the
racecourse。

I　watched　in　vain　for　signs　of　uncommon　tenderness　in　the　two　young
people。　　If　anything　they　were　rather　stiff　and　distant　with　each
other；　and　I　asked　myself　whether　this　might　not　be　from　an　access
of　consciousness。　　Kendricks　was　particularly　devoted　to　Mrs。　March；
who；　in　the　airy　detachment　with　which　she　responded　to　his
attentions；　gave　me　the　impression　that　she　had　absolutely　dismissed
her　suspicions　of　the　night　before；　or　else　had　heartlessly
abandoned　the　affair　to　me　altogether。　　If　she　had　really　done　this；
then　I　saw　no　way　out　of　it　for　me　but　by　an　accident　which　should
reveal　them　to　each　other。　　Perhaps　some　one　might　insult　Miss　Gage…
…some　ruffianand　Kendricks　might　strike　the　fellow；　but　this
seemed　too　squalid。　　There　might　be　a　terrible　jam；　and　he　interpose
his　person　between　her　and　the　danger　of　her　being　crushed　to　death；
or　the　floor　of　the　grand　stand　might　give　way；　and　everybody　be
precipitated　into　the　space　beneath；　and　he　fight　his　way；　with　her
senseless　form　on　his　arm；　over　the　bodies　of　the　mangled　and　dying。
Any　of　these　things　would　have　availed　in　a　novel；　and　something　of
the　kind　would　have　happened；　too。　　But；　to　tell　the　truth；　nothing
whatever　happened；　and　if　it　had　not　been　for　that　anxiety　on　my
mind　I　should　have　thought　it　much　pleasanter　so。

Even　as　it　was　I　felt　a　measure　of　the　hilarity　which　commonly　fills
me　at　a　running　race；　and　I　began　to　lose　in　the　charm　of　the　gay
scene　the　sense　of　my　responsibility；　and　little　by　little　to　abate
the　vigilance　apparently　left　all　to　me。　　The　day　was　beautiful；　the
long　heat　had　burned　itself　out；　and　there　was　a　clear　sparkle　in
the　sunshine；　which　seemed　blown　across　the　wide　space　within　the
loop　of　the　track　by　the　delicate　breeze。　　A　vague；　remote　smell　of
horses　haunted　the　air；　with　now　and　then　a　breath　of　the　pines　from
the　grove　shutting　the　race…ground　from　the　highway。　　We　got
excellent　places；　as　one　always　may；　the　grand　stand　is　so　vast；　and
the　young　people　disposed　themselves　on　the　bench　in　front　of　us；
but　so　near　that　we　were　not　tempted　to　talk　them　over。　　The
newsboys　came　round　with　papers；　and　the　boys　who　sold　programmes　of
the　races；　from　the　bar　below　there　appeared　from　time　to　time
shining　negroes　in　white　linen　jackets；　with　trays　bearing　tall
glasses　of　lemonade；　and　straws　tilted　in　the　glasses。　　Bookmakers
from　the　pool…rooms　took　the　bets　of　the　ladies；　who　formed　by　far
the　greater　part　of　the　spectators　on　the　grand　stand；　and
contributed；　with　their　summer　hats　and　gowns；　to　the　gaiety　of　the
ensemble。　　They　were　of　all　types；　city　and　country　both；　and　of　the
Southern　dark　as　well　as　the　Northern　fair　complexion；　with　so　thick
a　sprinkling　of　South　Americans　that　the　Spanish　gutturals　made
themselves　almost　as　much　heard　as　the　Yankee　nasals。　　Among　them
moved　two　nuns　of　some　mendicant　order；　receiving　charity　from　the
fair　gamblers；　who　gave　for　luck　without　distinction　of　race　or
religion。

I　leaned　forward　and　called　Kendricks's　attention　to　the　nuns；　and
to　the　admirable　literary　quality　of　the　whole　situation。　　He　was
talking　to　Miss　Gage；　and　he　said　as　impatiently　as　he　ever　suffered
himself　to　speak；　〃Yes；　yes；　tremendously　picturesque。〃

〃You　ought　to　get　something　out　of　it；　my　dear　fellow。　　Don't　you
feel　copy　in　it？〃

〃Oh；　splendid；　of　course；　but　it's　your　ground；　Mr。　March。　　I
shouldn't　feel　it　right　to　do　anything　with　Saratoga　after　you　had
discovered　it；〃　and　he　turned　eagerly　again　to　Miss　Gage。

My　wife　put　her　hand　on　my　sleeve　and　frowned；　and　I　had　so　far　lost
myself　in　my　appreciation　of　the　scene　that　I　was　going　to　ask　her
what　the　matter　was；　when　a　general　sensation　about　me　made　me　look
at　the　track；　where　the　horses　for　the　first　race　had　already
appeared；　with　their　jockeys　in　vivid　silk　jackets　of　various　dyes。
They　began　to　form　for　the　start　with　the　usual　tricks　and　feints；
till　I　became　very　indignant　with　them；　though　I　had　no　bets
pending；　and　did　not　care　in　the　least　which　horse　won。　　What　I
wanted　was　to　see　the　race；　the　flight；　and　all　this　miserable
manoeuvring　was　retarding　it。　　Now　and　then　a　jockey　rode　his　horse
far　off　on　the　track　and　came　back　between　the　false　starts；　now　and
then　one　kept　stubbornly　behind　the　rest　and　would　not　start　with
them。　　How　their　several　schemes　and　ambitions　were　finally
reconciled　I　never　could　tell；　but　at　last　the　starter's　flag　swept
down　and　they　were　really　off。　　Everybody　could　have　seen　perfectly
well　as　they　sat；　but　everybody　rose　and　watched　the　swift　swoop　of
the　horses；　bunched　together　in　the　distance；　and　scarcely
distinguishable　by　the　colours　of　their　riders。　　The　supreme　moment
came　for　me　when　they　were　exactly　opposite　the　grand　stand；　full
half　a　mile　awaythe　moment　that　I　remembered　from　year　to　year　as
one　of　exquisite　illusionfor　then　the　horses　seemed　to　lift　from
the　earth　as　with　wings；　and　to　skim　over　the　track　like　a　covey　of
low…flying　birds。　　The　finish　was　tame　to　this。　　Mrs。　March　and　I
had　our　wonted　difference　of　opinion　as　to　which　horse　had　won；　and
we　were　rather　uncommonly　controversial　because　we　had　both　decided
upon　the　same　horse；　as　we　found；　only　she　was　talking　of　the
jockey's　colours；　and　I　was　talking　of　the　horse's。　　We　appealed　to
Kendricks；　who　said　that　another　horse　altogether　had　won　the　race；
and　this　compromise　pacified　us。

We　were　all　on　foot；　and　he　suggested；　〃We　could　see　better；
couldn't　we；　if　we　went　farther　down　in　front？〃　　And　Mrs。　March
answered　…

〃No；　we　prefer　to　stay　here；　but　you　two　can　go。〃　　And　when　they　had
promptly　availed　themselves　of　her　leave；　she　said　to　me；　〃This　is
killing　me　dead；　Basil；　and　if　it　keeps　up　much　longer　I　don't
believe　I　can　live　through　it。　　I　don't　care　now；　and　I　believe　I
shall　throw　them　together　all　I　can　from　this　out。　　The　quicker　they
decide　whether　they're　in　love　or　not　the　better。　　_I_　have　some
rights　too。〃

Her　whirling　words　expressed　the　feeling　in　my　own　mind。　　I　had　the
same　sense　of　being　trifled　with　by　these　young　people；　who　would
not　behave　so　conclusively　toward　each　other　as　to　justify　our
interference　on　the　ground　that　they　were　in　love；　nor　yet　treat
each　other　so　indifferently　as　to　relieve　us　of　the　strain　of
apprehension。　　I　had　lost　all　faith　in　accident　by　this　time；　and　I
was　quite　willing　to　leave　them　to　their　own　devices；　I　was　so
desperate　that　I　said　I　hoped　they　would　get　lost　from　us；　as　they
had　from　me　the　night　before；　and　never　come　back；　but　just　keep　on
wandering　round　for　ever。　　All　sorts　of　vengeful　thoughts　went
through　my　mind　as　I　saw　them　leaning　toward　each　other　to　say
something；　and　then　drawing　apart　to　laugh　in　what　seemed　an
indefinite　comradery　instead　of　an　irrepressible　passion。　　Did　they
think　we　were　going　to　let　this　sort　of　thing　go　on？　　What　did　they
suppose　our　nerves　were　made　of？　　Had　they　no　mercy；　no
consideration？　　It　was　quite　like　the　selfishness　of　youth　to　wish
to　continue　in　that　fool's　paradise；　but　they　would　find　out　that
middle　age　had　its　rights　too。　　I　felt　capable　of　asking　them
bluntly　what　they　meant　by　it。　　But　when　they　docilely　rejoined　us
at　the　end　of　the　races；　hurrying　up　with　some　joke　about　not
letting　me　get　lost　this　time；　and　Miss　Gage　put　herself　at　my
wife's　side　and　Kendricks　dropped　into　step　with　me；　all　I　had　been
thinking　seemed　absurd。　　They　were　just　two　young　people　who　were
enjoying　a　holiday…time　together；　and　we　were　in　no　wise　culpable
concerning　them。

I　suggested　this　to　Mrs。　March　when　we　got　home；