an open-eyed conspiracy-第3部分

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of　himself。　　I　tried　to　treat　his　question；　by　the　quantity　and
quality　of　my　answer；　as　one　of　the　most　natural　things　in　the
world；　and　I　probably　deceived　them　all　by　this　effort；　though　I　am
sure　that　I　was　most　truthful　and　just　concerning　the　claims　of　the
different　hotels　to　be　the　centre　of　excitement。　　I　thought　I　had
earned　the　right　to　ask　at　the　end；　〃Are　you　stopping　at　the　Grand
Union？〃

〃No；〃　he　said；　and　he　mentioned　one　of　the　smaller　hotels；　which
depend　upon　the　great　houses　for　the　entertainment　of　their　guests。
〃Are　you　there？〃　he　asked；　meaning　the　Grand　Union。

〃Oh　no；〃　I　said；　〃we　couldn't　do　that　sort　of　thing；　even　if　we
wanted。〃　　And　in　my　turn　I　named　the　modest　hotel　where　we　were；　and
said　that　I　thought　it　by　all　odds　the　pleasantest　place　in
Saratoga。　　〃But　I　can't　say；〃　I　added；　〃that　there　is　a　great　deal
going　on　there；　either。　　If　you　want　that　sort　of　thing　you　will
have　to　go　to　some　of　the　great　hotels。　　We　have　our　little
amusements；　but　they're　all　rather　mild。〃　　I　kept　talking　to　the
man；　but　really　addressing　myself　to　the　women。　　〃There's　something
nearly　every　evening：　　prestidigitating；　or　elocutioning；　or　a
little　concert；　or　charades；　or　impromptu　theatricals；　or　something
of　that　sort。　　I　can't　say　there's　dancing；　though　really；　I
suppose；　if　any　one　wanted　to　dance　there　would　be　dancing。〃

I　was　aware　that　the　women　listened　intelligently；　even　if　the　man
did　not。　　The　wife　drew　a　long　breath；　and　said；　〃It　must　be　very
pleasant。〃

The　girl　saidrather　more　hungrily；　I　fancied〃Yes；　indeed。〃

I　don't　know　why　their　interest　should　have　prompted　me　to　go　on　and
paint　the　lily　a　little；　but　I　certainly　did　so。　　I　did　not　stop
till　the　music　began　again；　and　I　had　to　stop。　　By　the　time　the
piece　was　finished　I　had　begun　to　have　my　misgivings；　and　I　profited
by　the　brief　interval　of　silence　to　say　to　the　young　girl；　〃I
wouldn't　have　you　think　we　are　a　whirl　of　gaiety　exactly。〃

〃Oh　no；〃　she　answered　pathetically；　as　if　she　were　quite　past
expecting　that　or　anything　like　it。

We　were　silent　again。　　At　the　end　of　the　next　piece　they　all　rose；
and　the　wife　said　timidly　to　me；　〃Well；　good…evening；〃　as　if　she
might　be　venturing　too　far；　and　her　husband　came　to　her　rescue　with
〃Well；　good…evening；　sir。〃　　The　young　girl　merely　bowed。

I　did　not　stay　much　longer；　for　I　was　eager　to　get　home　and　tell　my
wife　about　my　adventure；　which　seemed　to　me　of　a　very　rare　and
thrilling　kind。　　I　believed　that　if　I　could　present　it　to　her　duly；
it　would　interest　her　as　much　as　it　had　interested　me。　　But　somehow；
as　I　went　on　with　it　in　the　lamplight　of　her　room；　it　seemed　to　lose
colour　and　specific　character。

〃You　are　always　making　up　these　romances　about　young　girls　being　off
and　disappointed　of　a　good　time　ever　since　we　saw　that　poor　little
Kitty　Ellison　with　her　cousins　at　Niagara；〃　said　Mrs。　March。　　〃You
seem　to　have　it　on　the　brain。〃

〃Because　it's　the　most　tragical　thing　in　the　world；　and　the
commonest　in　our　transition　state；〃　I　retorted。　　I　was　somewhat
exasperated　to　have　my　romance　treated　as　so　stale　a　situation；
though　I　was　conscious　now　that　it　did　want　perfect　novelty。　　〃It's
precisely　for　that　reason　that　I　like　to　break　my　heart　over　it。　　I
see　it　every　summer；　and　it　keeps　me　in　a　passion　of　pity。
Something　ought　to　be　done　about　it。〃

〃Well；　don't　YOU　try　to　do　anything；　Basil；　unless　you　write　to　the
newspapers。〃

〃I　suppose；〃　I　said；　〃that　if　the　newspapers　could　be　got　to　take
hold　of　it；　perhaps　something　might　be　done。〃　　The　notion　amused　me；
I　went　on　to　play　with　it；　and　imagined　Saratoga；　by　a　joint　effort
of　the　leading　journals；　recolonised　with　the　social　life　that　once
made　it　the　paradise　of　young　people。

〃I　have　been　writing　to　the　children；〃　said　my　wife；　〃and　telling
them　to　stay　on　at　York　Harbour　if　the　Herricks　want　them　so　much。
They　would　hate　it　here。　　You　say　the　girl　looked　cross。　　I　can't
exactly　imagine　a　cross　goddess。〃

〃There　were　lots　of　cross　goddesses；〃　I　said　rather　crossly　myself；
for　I　saw　that；　after　having　trodden　my　romance　in　the　dust；　she　was
willing　I　should　pick　it　up　again　and　shake　it　off；　and　I　wished　to
show　her　that　I　was　not　to　be　so　lightly　appeased。

〃Perhaps　I　was　thinking　of　angels；〃　she　murmured。

〃I　distinctly　didn't　say　she　was　an　angel；〃　I　returned。

〃Now；　come；　Basil；　I　see　you're　keeping　something　back。　　What　did
you　try　to　do　for　those　people？　　Did　you　tell　them　where　you　were
stopping？〃

〃Yes；　I　did。　　They　asked　me；　and　I　told　them。〃

〃Did　you　brag　the　place　up？〃

〃On　the　contrary；　I　understated　its　merits。〃

〃Oh；　very　well；　then；〃　she　said；　quite　as　if　I　had　confessed　my
guilt；　〃they　will　come　here；　and　you　will　have　your　romance　on　your
hands　for　the　rest　of　the　month。　　I'm　thankful　we're　going　away　the
first　of　August。〃



CHAPTER　III



The　next　afternoon；　while　we　were　sitting　in　the　park　waiting　for
the　Troy　band　to　begin　playing；　and　I　was　wondering　just　when　they
would　reach　the　〃Washington　Post　March；〃　which　I　like　because　I　can
always　be　sure　of　it；　my　unknown　friends　came　strolling　our　way。
The　man　looked　bewildered　and　bored；　with　something　of　desperation
in　his　troubled　eye；　and　his　wife　looked　tired　and　disheartened。
The　young　girl；　still　in　white　duck；　wore　the　same　air　of　passive
injury　I　had　noted　in　her　the　night　before。　　Their　faces　all　three
lighted　up　at　sight　of　me；　but　they　faded　again　at　the　cold　and
meagre　response　I　made　to　their　smiles　under　correction　of　my　wife's
fears　of　them。　　I　own　it　was　base　of　me；　but　I　had　begun　to　feel
myself　that　it　might　be　too　large　a　contract　to　attempt　their
consolation；　and；　in　fact；　after　one　is　fifty　scarcely　any　romance
will　keep　overnight。

My　wife　glanced　from　them　to　me；　and　read　my　cowardly　mind；　but　she
waited　till　they　passed；　as　they　did　after　an　involuntary　faltering
in　front　of　us；　and　were　keeping　on　down　the　path；　looking　at　the
benches；　which　were　filled　on　either　hand。　　She　said；　〃Weren't　those
your　friends？〃

〃They　were　the　persons　of　my　romance。〃

〃No　matter。　　Go　after　them　instantly　and　bring　them　back　here；　poor
things。　　We　can　make　room　for　them。〃

I　rose。　　〃Isn't　this　a　little　too　idyllic？　　Aren't　you　rather
overdoing　it？〃

〃Don't　speak　to　me；　Basil！　　I　never　heard　of　anything　so　atrocious。
Go　on　your　knees　to　them　if　they　refuse！　　They　can　sit　here　with　me；
and　you　and　he　can　stand。　　Fly！〃

I　knew　she　was　punishing　me　for　her　own　reluctance；　but　I　flew；　in
that　sense　of　the　term；　and　easily　overhauled　them　in　the　tangle　of
people　coming　and　going　in　the　path；　and　the　nursemaids　pushing
their　perambulators　in　either　direction。　　Hat　in　hand　I　delivered　my
message。　　I　could　see　that　it　gave　the　women　great　pleasure　and　the
man　some　doubt。　　His　mouth　fell　open　a　little；　their　cheeks　flushed
and　their　eyes　shone。

〃I　don't　know　as　we　better；〃　the　wife　hesitated；　〃I'm　afraid　we'll
crowd　you。〃　　And　she　looked　wistfully　toward　my　wife。　　The　young
girl　looked　at　her。

〃Not　at　all！〃　I　cried。　　〃There's　an　abundance　of　room。　　My　wife's
keeping　the　places　for　you；〃in　fact；　I　saw　her　putting　her　arm　out
along　the　bench；　and　explaining　to　a　couple　who　had　halted　in　front
of　her　that　the　seats　were　taken〃and　she'll　be　disappointed。〃

〃Well；〃　the　woman　consented；　with　a　little　sigh　of　triumph　that
touched　me；　and　reanimated　all　my　interest　in　her　and　in　her　friend。
She　said；　with　a　sort　of　shy；　instinctive　politeness；　〃I　don't　know
as　you　and　Mr。　Deering　got　acquainted　last　night。〃

〃My　name　is　March；〃　I　said；　and　I　shook　the　hand　of　Mr。　Deering。　　It
was　rather　thick。

〃And　thisis　our　friend；〃　Mrs。　Peering　went　on；　in　presentation　of
me　to　the　young　lady；　〃Miss　Gage；　that's　come　with　us。〃

I　was　delighted　that　I　had　guessed　their　relative　qualities　so
perfectly；　and　when　we　arrived　at　Mrs。　March　I　glibly　presented
them。　　My　wife　was　all　that　I　could　have　wished　her　to　be　of
sympathetic　and　intelligent。　　She　did　not　overdo　it　by　shaking
hands；　but　she　made　places　for　the　ladies；　smiling　cordially；　and
Mrs。　Deering　made　Miss　Gage　take　the　seat　between　them。　　Her　husband
and　I　stood　awhile　in　front　of　them；　and　then　I　said　we　would　go　off
and　find　chairs　somewhere。

We　did　not　find　any　till　we　had　climbed　to　the　upland　at　the　south…
east　of　the　park；　and　then　only　two　iron　ones；　which　it　was　useless
to　think　of　transporting。　　But　there　was　no　reason　why　we　should　not
sit　in　them　where　they　were：　　we　could　keep　the　ladies　in　plain
sight；　and　I　could　not　mistake　〃Washington　Post〃　when　the　band　came
to　it。　　Mr。　Deering　sank　into　one　of　the　chairs　with　a　sigh　of
satisfaction　which　seemed　to　complete　itself　when　he　discovered　in
the　thick　grass　at　his　feet　a　twig　from　one　of　the　tall；　slim　pines
above　us。　　He　bent　over　for　it；　and　then；　as　he　took　out　his
penknife　and　clicked　open　a　blade　to　begin　whittling；　he　cast　up　a
critical　glance　at　the　trees。

〃Pretty　nice　pines；〃　he　said；　and　he　put　his　hand　on　the　one　next　to
us　with　a　sort　of　appreciation　that　interested　me。

〃Yes；　the　trees　of　Saratoga　are　the　glory　of　the　place；〃　I　returned。
〃I　never　saw　them　grow　anywhere　else　so　tall　and　slim。　　It　doesn't
seem　the　effect　of　crowding　either。　　It's　as　if　there　was　some
chemical　force　in　the　soil　that　shot　them　up。　　They're　like　rockets
that　haven't　left　the　ground　yet。〃

〃It's　the　crowding；〃　he　said　seriously；　as　if　the　subject　were　not
to　be　trifled　with。　　〃It's　the　habit　of　all　these　treespines　and
oaks　and　maples；　I　don't　care　what　they　areto　spread；　and　that's
what　we　tell　our　customers。　　Give　the　trees　plenty　of　room；　don't
plant　'em　too　thick　if　you　want　to　get　all　the　good　out　of　'em。〃　　As
if　he　saw　a　question　in　my　eye；　he　went　on：　　〃We　do　a　forest…tree
business　exclusively；　these　shade…trees；　and　walnuts；　hickories；
chestnuts；　and　all　kinds。　　It's　a　big　trade；　getting　to　be；　and
growing　all　the　time。　　Folks　have　begun　to　find　out　what　fools　they
were　to　destroy　the　forests；　and　the　children　want　to　buy　back　what
the　fathers　threw　away。〃

I　scarcely　needed　to　prompt　him；　he　was　only　too　glad　to　talk　on
about　his　business；　and　he　spoke　with　a　sort　of　homesick　fondness。