an open-eyed conspiracy-第16部分

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concerning　them。

I　suggested　this　to　Mrs。　March　when　we　got　home；　and；　in　the　need　of
some　relief　from　the　tension　she　had　been　in；　she　was　fain　to　accept
the　theory　provisionally；　though　I　knew　that　her　later　rejection　of
it　would　be　all　the　more　violent　for　this　respite。



CHAPTER　XV



There　was　to　be　a　hop　at　the　Grand　Union　that　night；　and　I　had　got
tickets　for　it　in　virtue　of　my　relation　to　Every　Other　Week。　　I　must
say　the　clerk　who　gave　them　me　was　very　civil　about　it；　he　said　they
were　really　only　for　the　hotel　guests；　but　he　was　glad　to　give　them
to　outsiders　who　applied　with　proper　credentials；　and　he　even
offered　me　more　tickets　than　I　asked　for。

Miss　Gage　was　getting　a　dress　for　the　hop；　and　it　was　to　be　finished
that　day。　　I　think　women　really　like　the　scare　of　thinking　their
dresses　will　not　be　done　for　a　given　occasion；　and　so　arrange　to
have　them　at　the　last　moment。　　Mrs。　March　went　with　the　girl　early
in　the　afternoon　to　have　it　tried　on　for　the　last　time；　and　they
came　home　reporting　that　it　was　a　poem。　　My　wife　confided　to　me　that
it　was　not　half　donemerely　begun；　in　factand　would　never　be
finished　in　time　in　the　world。　　She　also　assured　Miss　Gage　that　she
need　not　be　the　least　uneasy；　that　there　was　not　an　hour's　work　on
the　dress；　and　that　the　dress…maker's　reputation　was　at　stake；　and
she　would　not　dare　to　fail　her。　　I　knew　she　was　perfectly　sincere　in
both　these　declarations；　which　were；　indeed；　merely　the　expression
of　two　mental　attitudes；　and　had　no　relation　to　the　facts。

She　added　to　me　that　she　was　completely　worn　out　with　anxiety　and
worry；　and　I　must　not　think　of　her　going　to　the　hop。　　I　would　have
to　do　the　chaperoning　for　her；　and　she　did　hope　that　I　would　not
forget　what　I　was　sent　for；　or　get　talking　with　somebody；　and　leave
Miss　Gage　altogether　to　Kendricks。　　She　said　that　quite　likely　there
might　be　friends　or　acquaintances　of　his　at　the　hopsuch　a　large
affairwhom　he　would　want　to　show　some　attention；　and　I　must　take
charge　of　Miss　Gage　myself；　and　try　to　find　her　other　partners。　　She
drilled　me　in　the　duties　of　my　position　until　I　believed　that　I　was
letter…perfect；　and　then　she　said　that　she　supposed　I　would　commit
some　terrible　blunder　that　would　ruin　everything。

I　thought　that　this　was　very　likely；　too；　but　I　would　not　admit　it。

The　dress　came　home　at　nine　o'clock；　and　operated　a　happy　diversion
from　my　imaginable　shortcomings；　for　it　appeared　from　Mrs。　March's
asides　to　me　that　it　was　a　perfect　horror　in　the　set；　and　that
everybody　could　see　that　it　had　been　simply　SLUNG　together　at　the
last　moment；　and　she　would　never；　as　long　as　the　world　stood；　go　to
that　woman　for　anything　again。

I　must　say　I　could　not　myself　see　anything　wrong　about　the　dress。　　I
thought　it　exquisite　in　tint　and　texture；　a　delicate；　pale…greenish
film　that　clung　and　floated；　and　set　off　the　girl's　beauty　as　the
leafage　of　a　flower　heightens　the　loveliness　of　a　flower。　　I　did　not
dare　to　say　this　in　the　face　of　Mrs。　March's　private　despair；　and　I
was　silent　while　the　girl　submitted　to　be　twirled　about　for　my
inspection　like　a　statue　on　a　revolving　pedestal。　　Kendricks；
however；　had　no　such　restrictions　upon　him；　and　I　could　see　him
start　with　delight　in　the　splendid　vision　before　he　spoke。

〃ISN'T　it　a　poem？〃　demanded　Mrs。　March。　　〃Isn't　it　a　perfect　LYRIC？〃

〃Why　should　you　have　allowed　her　to　be　transported　altogether　into
the　ideal？　　Wasn't　she　far　enough　from　us　before？〃　he　asked；　and　I
found　myself　wishing　that　he　would　be　either　less　or　more
articulate。　　He　ought　to　have　been　mute　with　passion；　or　else　he
ought　to　have　been　frankly　voluble　about　the　girl's　gown；　and　gone
on　about　it　longer。　　But　he　simply　left　the　matter　there；　and　though
I　kept　him　carefully　under　my　eye；　I　could　not　see　that　he　was
concealing　any　further　emotion。　　She；　on　her　part；　neither　blushed
nor　frowned　at　his　compliment；　she　did　nothing　by　look　or　gesture　to
provoke　more　praise；　she　took　it　very　much　as　the　beautiful　evening
might；　so　undeniably　fine；　so　perfect　in　its　way。

She　and　the　evening　were　equally　fitted　for　the　event　to　which　they
seemed　equally　dedicated。　　The　dancing　was　to　be　out　of　doors　on　a
vast　planking；　or　platform；　set　up　in　the　heart　of　that　bosky　court
which　the　hotel　incloses。　　Around　this　platform　drooped　the　slim；
tall　Saratogan　trees；　and　over　it　hung　the　Saratogan　sky；　of　a
nocturnal　blue　very　rare　in　our　latitude；　with　the　stars　faint　in
its　depths；　and　by　and　by　a　white　moon　that　permitted　itself　a
modest　competition　with　the　electric　lights　effulgent　everywhere。
There　was　a　great　crowd　of　people　in　the　portico；　the　vestibule；　and
the　inner　piazzas；　and　on　the　lawn　around　the　platform；　where　〃the
trodden　weed〃　sent　up　the　sweet　scent　of　bruised　grass　in　the　cool
night　air。　　My　foolish　old　heart　bounded　with　a　pulse　of　youth　at
the　thought　of　all　the　gay　and　tender　possibilities　of　such　a　scene。

But　the　young　people　under　my　care　seemed　in　no　haste　to　mingle　in
it。　　We　oldsters　are　always　fancying　youth　impatient；　but　there　is
no　time　of　life　which　has　so　much　patience。　　It　behaves　as　if　it　had
eternity　before　itan　eternity　of　youthinstead　of　a　few　days　and
years；　and　then　the　frosty　poll。　　We　who　are　young　no　longer　think
we　would　do　so　and　so　if　we　were　young；　as　women　think　they　would　do
so　and　so　if　they　were　men；　but　if　we　were　really　young　again；　we
should　not　do　at　all　what　we　think。　　We　should　not　hurry　to
experience　our　emotions；　we　should　not　press　forward　to　discharge
our　duties　or　repair　our　mistakes；　we　should　not　seize　the　occasion
to　make　a　friend　or　reconcile　an　enemy；　we　should　let　weeks　and
months　go　by　in　the　realisation　of　a　passion；　and　trust　all　sorts　of
contingencies　and　accidents　to　help　us　out　with　its　confession。　　The
thoughts　of　youth　are　very　long；　and　its　conclusions　are　deliberate
and　delayed；　and　often　withheld　altogether。　　It　is　age　which　is
tremulously　eager　in　these　matters；　and　cannot　wait　with　the　fine
patience　of　nature　in　her　growing　moods。

As　soon；　even；　as　I　was　in　the　hotel　I　was　impatient　to　press
through　to　the　place　where　the　dancing　was；　and　where　I　already
heard　the　band　playing。　　I　knew　very　well　that　when　we　got　there　I
should　have　to　sit　down　somewhere　on　the　edge　of　the　platform　with
the　other　frumps　and　fogies；　and　begin　taking　cold　in　my　dress…coat；
and　want　to　doze　off　without　being　able　to；　while　my　young　people
were　waltzing　together；　or　else　promenading　up　and　down　ignoring　me；
or　recognising　me　by　the　offer　of　a　fan；　and　the　question　whether　I
was　not　simply　melting；　I　have　seen　how　the　poor　chaperon　fares　at
such　times。　　But　they；　secure　of　their　fun；　were　by　no　means
desirous　to　have　it　over；　or　even　to　have　it　begin。　　They　dawdled
through　the　thronged　hotel　office；　where　other　irresponsible　pairs
were　coming　and　going　under　the　admiring　eyes　of　the　hotel　loungers；
and　they　wandered　up　and　down　the　waste　parlours；　and　sat　on　tete…a…
tetes　just　to　try　them；　apparently；　and　Miss　Gage　verified　in　the
mirrors　the　beauty　which　was　reflected　in　all　eyes。　　They　amused
themselves　with　the　extent　of　the　richly…carpeted　and　upholstered
desolation　around　them；　where　only　a　few　lonely　and　aging　women
lurked　about　on　sofas　and　ottomans；　and　they　fell　to　playing　with
their　compassion　for　the　plebeian　spectators　at　the　long　verandah
windows　trying　to　penetrate　with　their　forbidden　eyes　to　the　hop
going　on　in　the　court　far　beyond　the　intermediary　desert　of　the
parlours。

When　they　signified　at　last　that　they　were　ready　for　me　to　lead　them
on　to　the　dance；　I　would　so　much　rather　have　gone　to　bed　that　there
are　no　words　for　the　comparison。　　Then；　when　we　got　to　the　place；
which　I　should　never　have　been　able　to　reach　in　the　world　if　it　had
not　been　for　the　young　energy　and　inspiration　of　Kendricks；　and　they
had　put　me　in　a　certain　seat　with　Miss　Gage's　wraps　beside　me　where
they　could　find　me；　they　went　off　and　danced　for　hours　and　hours。
For　hours　and　hours？　　For　ages　and　ages！　while　I　withered　away　amid
mouldering　mothers；　and　saw　my　charges　through　the　dreadful　half…
dreams　of　such　a　state　whirling　in　the　waltz；　hopping　in　the　polka；
sliding　in　the　galop；　and　then　endlessly　walking　up　and　down　between
the　dances；　and　eating　and　drinking　the　chill　refreshments　that　it
made　my　teeth　chatter　to　think　of。　　I　suppose　they　decently　came　to
me　from　time　to　time；　though　they　seemed　to　be　always　dancing；　for　I
could　afterward　remember　Miss　Gage　taking　a　wrap　from　me　now　and
then；　and　quickly　coming　back　to　shed　it　upon　my　lap　again。　　I　got
so　chilled　that　if　they　had　not　been　unmistakably　women's　wraps　I
should　have　bundled　them　all　about　my　shoulders；　which　I　could
almost　hear　creak　with　rheumatism。　　I　must　have　fallen　into　a　sort
of　drowse　at　last；　for　I　was　having　a　dispute　with　some　sort　of
authority；　which　turned　out　to　be　Mrs。　March；　and　upbraiding　her
with　the　fact　that　there　were　no　women's　wraps　which　would　also　do
for　a　man；　when　the　young　people　stood　arm　in　arm　before　me；　and
Miss　Gage　said　that　she　was　tired　to　death　now；　and　they　were　going。

But　it　appeared　that　they　were　only　going　as　far　as　the　parlours　for
the　present；　for　when　they　re…entered　the　hotel；　they　turned　into
them；　and　sat　down　there　quite　as　if　that　had　been　the
understanding。　　When　I　arrived　with　the　wraps；　I　was　reminded　of
something；　and　I　said；　〃Have　you　two　been　dancing　together　the　whole
evening？〃

They　looked　at　each　other　as　if　for　the　first　time　they　now　realised
the　fact；　and　Kendricks　said；　〃Why；　of　course　we　have！　　We　didn't
know　anybody。〃

〃Very　well；　then；〃　I　said；　〃you　have　got　me　into　a　scrape。〃

〃Oh；　poor　Mr。　March！〃　cried　the　girl。　　〃How　have　we　done　it？〃

〃Why；　Mrs。　March　said　that　Mr。　Kendricks　would　be　sure　to　know
numbers　of　people；　and　I　must　get　you　other　partners；　for　it
wouldn't　do　for　you　to　dance　the　whole　evening　together。〃

She　threw　herself　back　in　the　chair　she　had　taken；　and　laughed　as　if
this　were　the　best　joke　in　the　world。

He　said　hardily；　〃You　see　it　HAS　done。〃

〃And　if　it　wouldn't　do；〃　she　gasped；　〃why　didn't　you　bring　me　the
other　partners？〃

〃Because　I　didn't　know　any；〃　I　sai