an open-eyed conspiracy-第8部分

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couldn't。〃

〃I　believe　the　good　Deering　didn't　even　think　her　handsome。〃

〃That's　it。　　And　he　thought　anything　that　was　good　enough　for　his
wife　was　good　enough　for　Miss　Gage；　and　he'd　be　stubborn　about　doing
things　on　her　account；　even　to　please　his　wife。〃

〃Such　conduct　is　imaginable　of　the　good　Deering。　　I　don't　think　he
liked　her。〃

〃Nor　she　him。　　Mrs。　Deering　helplessly　hinted　as　much。　　She　said　he
didn't　like　to　have　her　worrying　so　much　about　Miss　Gage's　not
having　a　good　time；　and　she　couldn't　make　him　feel　as　she　did　about
it；　and　she　was　half　glad　for　his　own　sake　that　he　had　to　go　home。〃

〃Did　she　say　that？〃

〃Not　exactly；　but　you　could　see　that　she　meant　it。　　Do　you　think　it
would　do　for　them　to　change　from　their　hotel；　and　go　to　the　Grand
Union　or　the　States　or　Congress　Hall？〃

〃Have　you　been　putting　them　up　to　that；　Isabel？〃

〃I　knew　you　would　suspect　me；　and　I　wouldn't　have　asked　for　your
opinion　if　I　had　cared　anything　for　it；　really。　　What　would　be　the
harm　of　their　doing　it？〃

〃None　whatever；　if　you　really　want　my　worthless　opinion。　　But　what
could　they　do　there？〃

〃They　could　see　something　if　they　couldn't　do　anything；　and　as　soon
as　Miss　Gage　has　got　her　new　gowns　I'm　going　to　tell　them　you
thought　they　could　do　it。　　It　was　their　own　idea；　at　any　rate。〃

''Miss　Gage's？〃

〃Mrs。　Deering's。　　She　has　the　courage　of　aI　don't　know　what。　　She
sees　that　it's　a　desperate　case；　and　she　wouldn't　stop　at　anything。〃

〃Now　that　her　husband　has　gone　home。〃

〃Well；　which　hotel　shall　they　go　to？〃

〃Oh；　that　requires　reflection。〃

〃Very　well；　then；　when　you've　reflected　I　want　you　to　go　to　the
hotel　you've　chosen；　and　introduce　yourself　to　the　clerk；　and　tell
him　your　wife　has　two　friends　coming；　and　you　want　something　very
pleasant　for　them。　　Tell　him　all　about　yourself　and　Every　Other
Week。〃

〃He'll　think　I　want　them　deadheaded。〃

〃No　matter；　if　your　conscience　is　clear；　and　don't　be　so　shamefully
modest　as　you　always　are；　but　speak　up　boldly。　　Now；　will　you？
Promise　me　you　will！〃

〃I　will　try；　as　the　good　little　boy　says。　　But；　Isabel；　we　don't
know　these　people　except　from　their　own　account。〃

〃And　that　is　quite　enough。〃

〃It　will　be　quite　enough　for　the　hotel…keeper　if　they　run　their
board。　　I　shall　have　to　pay　it。〃

〃Now；　Basil　dear；　don't　be　disgusting；　and　go　and　do　as　you're　bid。〃

It　was　amusing；　but　it　was　perfectly　safe；　and　there　was　no　reason
why　I　should　not　engage　rooms　for　the　ladies　at　another　hotel。　　I
had　not　the　least　question　of　them；　and　I　had　failed　to　worry　my
wife　with　a　pretended　doubt。　　So　I　decided　that　I　would　go　up　at
once　and　inquire　at　the　Grand　Union。　　I　chose　this　hotel　because；
though　it　lacked　the　fine　flower　of　the　more　ancient　respectability
and　the　legendary　charm　of　the　States；　it　was　so　spectacular　that　it
would　be　in　itself　a　perpetual　excitement　for　those　ladies；　and
would　form　an　effect　of　society　which；　with　some　help　from　us；　might
very　well　deceive　them。　　This　was　what　I　said　to　myself；　though　in
my　heart　I　knew　better。　　Whatever　Mrs。　Deering　might　think；　that
girl　was　not　going　to　be　taken　in　with　any　such　simple　device；　and　I
must　count　upon　the　daily　chances　in　the　place　to　afford　her　the
good　time　she　had　come　for。

As　I　mounted　the　steps　to　the　portico　of　the　Grand　Union　with　my
head　down；　and　lost　in　a　calculation　of　these　chances；　I　heard　my
name　gaily　called；　and　I　looked　up　to　see　young　Kendricks；　formerly
of　our　staff　on　Every　Other　Week；　and　still　a　frequent　contributor；
and　a　great　favourite　of　my　wife's　and　my　own。　　My　heart　gave　a
great　joyful　bound　at　sight　of　him。

〃My　dear　boy；　when　in　the　world　did　you　come？〃

〃This　morning　by　the　steamboat　train；　and　I　am　never；　never　going
away！〃

〃You　like　it；　then？〃

〃Like　it！　　It's　the　most　delightful　thing　in　the　universe。　　Why；　I'm
simply　wild　about　it；　Mr。　March。　　I　go　round　saying　to　myself；　Why
have　I　thrown　away　my　life？　　Why　have　I　never　come　to　Saratoga
before？　　It's　simply　supreme；　and　it's　American　down　to　the　ground。
Yes；　that's　what　makes　it　so　delightful。　　No　other　people　could　have
invented　it；　and　it　doesn't　try　to　be　anything　but　what　we　made　it。〃

〃I'm　so　glad　you　look　at　it　in　that　way。　　WE　like　it。　　We　discovered
it　three　or　four　years　ago；　and　we　never　let　a　summer　slip；　if　we
can　help　it；　without　coming　here　for　a　week　or　a　month。　　The　place；〃
I　enlarged；　〃has　the　charm　of　ruin；　though　it's　in　such　obvious
repair；　it　has　a　past；　it's　so　completely　gone　by　in　a　society
sense。　　The　cottage　life　here　hasn't　killed　the　hotel　life；　as　it
has　at　Newport　and　Bar　Harbour；　but　the　ideal　of　cottage　life
everywhere　else　has　made　hotel　life　at　Saratoga　ungenteel。　　The
hotels　are　full；　but　at　the　same　time　they　are　society　solitudes。〃

〃How　gay　it　is！〃　said　the　young　fellow；　as　he　gazed　with　a　pensive
smile　into　the　street；　where　all　those　festive　vehicles　were　coming
and　going；　dappled　by　the　leaf…shadows　from　the　tall　trees　overhead。
〃What　air！　what　a　sky！〃　　The　one　was　indeed　sparkling；　and　the　other
without　a　cloud；　for　it　had　rained　in　the　night；　and　it　seemed　as　if
the　weather　could　never　be　hot　and　close　again。

I　forgot　how　I　had　been　sweltering　about；　and　said：　　〃Yes；　it　is　a
Saratoga　day。　　It's　supposed　that　the　sparkle　of　the　air　comes　from
the　healthful　gases　thrown　off　by　the　springs。　　Some　people　say　the
springs　are　doctored；　that's　what　makes　their　gases　so　healthful。〃

〃Why；　anything　might　happen　here；〃　Kendricks　mused；　unheedful　of　me。
〃What　a　scene！　what　a　stage！　　Why　has　nobody　done　a　story　about
Saratoga？〃　he　asked；　with　a　literary　turn　I　knew　his　thoughts　would
be　taking。　　All　Gerald　Kendricks's　thoughts　were　of　literature；　but
sometimes　they　were　not　of　immediate　literary　effect；　though　that
was　never　for　long。

〃Because；〃　I　suggested；　〃one　probably　couldn't　get　his　young　lady
characters　to　come　here　if　they　were　at　all　in　society。　　But　of
course　there　must　be　charming　presences　here　accidentally。　　Some
young　girl；　say；　might　come　here　from　a　country　place；　expecting　to
see　social　gaiety〃

〃Ah；　but　that　would　be　too　heart…breaking！〃

〃Not　at　all。　　Not　if　she　met　some　young　fellow　accidentallydon't
you　see？〃

〃It　would　be　difficult　to　manage；　and　hasn't　it　been　done？〃

〃Everything　has　been　done；　my　dear　fellow。　　Or；　you　might　suppose　a
young　lady　who　comes　on　here　with　her　father；　a　veteran　politician；
delegate　to　the　Republican　or　Democratic　conventionall　the
conventions　meet　in　Saratoga；and　some　ardent　young　delegate　falls
in　love　with　her。　　That　would　be　new　ground。　　There　you　would　have
the　political　novel；　which　they　wonder　every　now　and　then　some　of　us
don't　write。〃　　The　smile　faded　from　Kendricks's　lips；　and　I　laughed。
〃Well；　then；　there's　nothing　for　it　but　the　Social　Science　Congress。
Have　a　brilliant　professor　win　the　heart　of　a　lovely　sister…in…law
of　another　member　by　a　paper　he　reads　before　the　Congress。　　No？
You're　difficult。　　Are　you　stopping　here？〃

〃Yes；　are　you？〃

〃I　try　to　give　myself　the　air　of　it　when　I　am　feeling　very　proud。
But　really；　we　live　at　a　most　charming　little　hotel　on　a　back
street；　out　of　the　whirl　and　rush　that　we　should　prefer　to　be　in　if
we　could　afford　it。〃　　He　said　it　must　be　delightful；　and　he　made　the
proper　inquiries　about　Mrs。　March。　　Kendricks　never　forgot　the
gentleman　in　the　artist；　and　he　was　as　true　to　the　convenances　as　if
they　had　been　principles。　　That　was　what　made　Mrs。　March　like　his
stories　so　much　more　than　the　stories　of　some　people　who　wrote
better。　　He　said　he　would　drop　in　during　the　afternoon；　and　I　went
indoors　on　the　pretext　of　buying　a　newspaper。　　Then；　without
engaging　rooms　for　Mrs。　Deering　and　Miss　Gage；　I　hurried　home。



CHAPTER　VIII



〃Well；　did　you　get　the　rooms？〃　asked　my　wife　as　soon　as　she　saw　me。

She　did　not　quite　call　it　across　the　street　to　me　as　I　came　up　from
where　she　sat　on　the　piazza。

〃No；　I　didn't；〃　I　said　boldly；　if　somewhat　breathlessly。

〃Why　didn't　you？　　You　ought　to　have　gone　to　the　States　if　they　were
full　at　the　Grand　Union。〃

〃They　were　not　full；　unless　Kendricks　got　their　last　room。〃

〃Do　you　mean　that　HE　was　there？　　Mr。　Kendricks？　　If　you　are　hoaxing
me；　Basil！〃

〃I　am　not；　my　dear；　indeed　I'm　not；〃　said　I；　beginning　to　laugh；　and
this　made　her　doubt　me　the　more。

〃Because　if　you　are　I　shall　simply　never　forgive　you。　　And　I'm　in
earnest　this　time；〃　she　replied。

〃Why　should　I　want　to　hoax　you　about　such　a　vital　thing　as　that。
Couldn't　Kendricks　come　to　Saratoga　as　well　as　we？　　He's　here
looking　up　the　ground　of　a　story　I　should　think　from　what　he　said。〃

〃No　matter　what　he's　here　for；　he's　here；　and　that's　enough。　　I
never　knew　of　anything　so　perfectly　providential。　　Did　you　TELL　him；
Basil？　　Did　you　dare？〃

〃Tell　him　what？〃

〃You　know；　about　Miss　Gage。〃

〃Well；　I　came　very　near　it。　　I　dangled　the　fact　before　his　eyes
once；　but　I　caught　it　away　again　in　time。　　He　never　saw　it。　　I
thought　I'd　better　let　you　tell　him。〃

〃Is　he　coming　here　to　see　us？〃

〃He　asked　if　he　might。〃

〃He's　always　nice。　　I　don't　know　that　I　shall　ask　him　to　do　anything
for　them；　after　all；　I'm　not　sure　that　she's　worth　it。　　I　wish　some
commoner　person　had　happened　along。　　Kendricks　is　too　precious。　　I
shall　have　to　think　about　it；　and　don't　you　tease　me；　Basil；　will
you？〃

〃I　don't　know。　　If　I'm　not　allowed　to　have　any　voice　in　the　matter；
I'm　afraid　I　shall　take　it　out　in　teasing。　　I　don't　see　why　Miss
Gage　isn't　quite　as　good　as　Kendricks。　　I　believe　she's　taller；　and
though　he's　pretty　good…looking；　I　prefer　her　style　of　beauty。　　I
dare　say　his　family　is　better；　but　I　fancy　she's　richer；　and　his
family　isn't　good　beyond　New　York　city；　and　her　money　will　go
anywhere。　　It's　a　pretty　even　thing。〃

〃Good　gracious；　Basil！　you　talk　as　if　it　were　a　question　of
marriage。〃

〃And　you　THINK　it　is。〃

〃Now　I　see　that　you're　bent　upon　teasing；　and　we　won't　talk　any
more；　please。　　What　time　did　he　say　he　would　call？〃

〃If　I　mayn't　talk；　I　can't　tell。〃

〃You　may　talk　that　much。〃

〃Well；　then；　he　didn't　say。〃

〃Basil；〃　said　my　wife；　after　a　moment；　〃if　you　could　be　serious；　I
should　like　very　much　to　talk　with　you