some short stories-第18部分

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be　plainer　than　that　this　was　ineffectual　so　long　as　he　himself
resisted　the　ordeal。　　To　plead　that　he　remained　because　he　was　too
weak　to　move　was　only　to　throw　themselves　back　on　the　other　horn　of
their　dilemma。　　If　he　was　too　weak　to　move　Addie　would　bring　him
her　strengthof　which；　when　she　got　there；　she　would　give　them
specimens　enough。　　One　morning　he　broke　out　at　breakfast　with　an
intimate　conviction。　　They'd　see　that　she　was　actually　starting
they'd　receive　a　wire　by　noon。　　They　didn't　receive　it；　but　by　his
theory　the　portent　was　only　the　stronger。　　It　had　moreover　its
grave　as　well　as　its　gay　side；　since　Granger's　paradox　and
pleasantry　were　only　the　method　most　open　to　him　of　conveying　what
he　felt。　　He　literally　heard　the　knell　sound；　and　in　expressing
this　to　Miss　Wenham　with　the　conversational　freedom　that　seemed
best　to　pay　his　way　he　the　more　vividly　faced　the　contingency。　　He
could　never　return；　and　though　he　announced　it　with　a　despair　that
did　what　might　be　to　make　it　pass　as　a　joke；　he　saw　how；　whether　or
no　she　at　last　understood；　she　quite　at　last　believed　him。　　On
this；　to　his　knowledge；　she　wrote　again　to　Addie；　and　the　contents
of　her　letter　excited　his　curiosity。　　But　that　sentiment；　though
not　assuaged；　quite　dropped　when；　the　day　after；　in　the　evening；
she　let　him　know　she　had　had　a　telegram　an　hour　before。

〃She　comes　Thursday。〃

He　showed　not　the　least　surprise。　　It　was　the　deep　calm　of　the
fatalist。　　It　HAD　to　be。　　〃I　must　leave　you　then　to…morrow。〃

She　looked；　on　this；　as　he　had　never　seen　her；　it　would　have　been
hard　to　say　whether　what　showed　in　her　face　was　the　last　failure　to
follow　or　the　first　effort　to　meet。　　〃And　really　not　to　come　back？〃

〃Never；　never；　dear　lady。　　Why　should　I　come　back？　　You　can　never
be　again　what　you　HAVE　been。　　I　shall　have　seen　the　last　of　you。〃

〃Oh！〃　she　touchingly　urged。

〃Yes；　for　I　should　next　find　you　simply　brought　to　self…
consciousness。　　You'll　be　exactly　what　you　are；　I　charitably　admit…
…nothing　more　or　less；　nothing　different。　　But　you'll　be　it　all　in
a　different　way。　　We　live　in　an　age　of　prodigious　machinery；　all
organised　to　a　single　end。　　That　end　is　publicitya　publicity　as
ferocious　as　the　appetite　of　a　cannibal。　　The　thing　therefore　is
not　to　have　any　illusionsfondly　to　flatter　yourself　in　a　muddled
moment　that　the　cannibal　will　spare　you。　　He　spares　nobody。　　He
spares　nothing。　　It　will　be　all　right。　　You'll　have　a　lovely　time。
You'll　be　only　just　a　public　characterblown　about　the　world　'for
all　you're　worth；'　and　proclaimed　'for　all　you're　worth'　on　the
house…tops。　　It　will　be　for　THAT；　mind；　I　quite　recognisebecause
Addie　is　superioras　well　as　for　all　you　aren't。　　So　good…bye。〃

He　remained　however　till　the　next　day；　and　noted　at　intervals　the
different　stages　of　their　friend's　journey；　the　hour；　this　time；
she　would　really　have　started；　the　hour　she'd　reach　Dover；　the　hour
she'd　get　to　town；　where　she'd　alight　at　Mrs。　Dunn's。　　Perhaps
she'd　bring　Mrs。　Dunn；　for　Mrs。　Dunn　would　swell　the　chorus。　　At
the　last；　on　the　morrow；　as　if　in　anticipation　of　this　stillness
settled　between　them：　　he　became　as　silent　as　his　hostess。　　But
before　he　went　she　brought　out　shyly　and　anxiously；　as　an　appeal；
the　question　that　for　hours　had　clearly　been　giving　her　thought。
〃Do　you　meet　her　then　to…night　in　London？〃

〃Dear　no。　　In　what　position　am　I；　alas！　to　do　that？　　When　can　I
EVER　meet　her　again？〃　　He　had　turned　it　all　over。　　〃If　I　could　meet
Addie　after　this；　you　know；　I　could　meet　YOU。　　And　if　I　do　meet
Addie；〃　he　lucidly　pursued；　〃what　will　happen　by　the　same　stroke　is
that　I　SHALL　meet　you。　　And　that's　just　what　I've　explained　to　you
I　dread。〃

〃You　mean　she　and　I　will　be　inseparable？〃

He　hesitated。　　〃I　mean　she'll　tell　me　all　about　you。　　I　can　hear
her　and　her　ravings　now。〃

She　gave　againand　it　was　infinitely　sadher　little　whinnying
laugh。　　〃Oh　but　if　what　you　say　is　true　you'll　know。〃

〃Ah　but　Addie　won't！　　Won't；　I　mean；　know　that　_I_　knowor　at
least　won't　believe　it。　　Won't　believe　that　any　one　knows。　　Such；〃
he　added　with　a　strange　smothered　sigh；　〃is　Addie。　　Do　you　know；〃
he　wound　up；　〃that　what；　after　all；　has　most　definitely　happened　is
that　you've　made　me　see　her　as　I've　never　done　before？〃

She　blinked　and　gasped；　she　wondered　and　despaired。　　〃Oh　no；　it
will　be　YOU。　　I've　had　nothing　to　do　with　it。　　Everything's　all
you！〃

But　for　all　it　mattered　now！　　〃You'll　see；〃　he　said；　〃that　she's
charming。　　I　shall　go　for　to…night　to　Oxford。　　I　shall　almost　cross
her　on　the　way。〃

〃Then　if　she's　charming　what　am　I　to　tell　her　from　you　in
explanation　of　such　strange　behaviour　as　your　flying　away　just　as
she　arrives？〃

〃Ah　you　needn't　mind　about　thatyou　needn't　tell　her　anything。〃

She　fixed　him　as　if　as　never　again。　　〃It's　none　of　my　business；　of
course　I　feel；　but　isn't　it　a　little　cruel　if　you're　engaged？〃

Granger　gave　a　laugh　almost　as　odd　as　one　of　her　own。　　〃Oh　you've
cost　me　that！〃and　he　put　out　his　hand　to　her。

She　wondered　while　she　took　it。　　〃Cost　you？〃

〃We're　not　engaged。　　Good…bye。〃




MRS。　MEDWIN




CHAPTER　I



〃Well；　we　ARE　a　pair！〃　the　poor　lady's　visitor　broke　out　to　her　at
the　end　of　her　explanation　in　a　manner　disconcerting　enough。　　The
poor　lady　was　Miss　Cutter；　who　lived　in　South　Audley　Street；　where
she　had　an　〃upper　half〃　so　concise　that　it　had　to　pass　boldly　for
convenient；　and　her　visitor　was　her　half…brother；　whom　she　hadn't
seen　for　three　years。　　She　was　remarkable　for　a　maturity　of　which
every　symptom　might　have　been　observed　to　be　admirably　controlled；
had　not　a　tendency　to　stoutness　just　affirmed　its　independence。
Her　present；　no　doubt；　insisted　too　much　on　her　past；　but　with　the
excuse；　sufficiently　valid；　that　she　must　certainly　once　have　been
prettier。　　She　was　clearly　not　contented　with　onceshe　wished　to
be　prettier　again。　　She　neglected　nothing　that　could　produce　that
illusion；　and；　being　both　fair　and　fat；　dressed　almost　wholly　in
black。　　When　she　added　a　little　colour　it　was　not；　at　any　rate；　to
her　drapery。　　Her　small　rooms　had　the　peculiarity　that　everything
they　contained　appeared　to　testify　with　vividness　to　her　position
in　society；　quite　as　if　they　had　been　furnished　by　the　bounty　of
admiring　friends。　　They　were　adorned　indeed　almost　exclusively　with
objects　that　nobody　buys；　as　had　more　than　once　been　remarked　by
spectators　of　her　own　sex；　for　herself；　and　would　have　been
luxurious　if　luxury　consisted　mainly　in　photographic　portraits
slashed　across　with　signatures；　in　baskets　of　flowers　beribboned
with　the　cards　of　passing　compatriots；　and　in　a　neat　collection　of
red　volumes；　blue　volumes；　alphabetical　volumes；　aids　to　London
lucidity；　of　every　sort；　devoted　to　addresses　and　engagements。　　To
be　in　Miss　Cutter's　tiny　drawing…room；　in　short；　even　with　Miss
Cutter　aloneshould　you　by　any　chance　have　found　her　sowas
somehow　to　be　in　the　world　and　in　a　crowd。　　It　was　like　an　agency
it　bristled　with　particulars。

This　was　what　the　tall　lean　loose　gentleman　lounging　there　before
her　might　have　appeared　to　read　in　the　suggestive　scene　over　which；
while　she　talked　to　him；　his　eyes　moved　without　haste　and　without
rest。　　〃Oh　come；　Mamie！〃　he　occasionally　threw　off；　and　the　words
were　evidently　connected　with　the　impression　thus　absorbed。　　His
comparative　youth　spoke　of　waste　even　as　her　positiveher　too
positivespoke　of　economy。　　There　was　only　one　thing；　that　is；　to
make　up　in　him　for　everything　he　had　lost；　though　it　was　distinct
enough　indeed　that　this　thing　might　sometimes　serve。　　It　consisted
in　the　perfection　of　an　indifference；　an　indifference　at　the
present　moment　directed　to　the　pleaa　plea　of　inability；　of　pure
destitutionwith　which　his　sister　had　met　him。　　Yet　it　had　even
now　a　wider　embrace；　took　in　quite　sufficiently　all　consequences　of
queerness；　confessed　in　advance　to　the　false　note　that；　in　such　a
setting；　he　almost　excruciatingly　constituted。　　He　cared　as　little
that　he　looked　at　moments　all　his　impudence　as　that　he　looked　all
his　shabbiness；　all　his　cleverness；　all　his　history。　　These
different　things　were　written　in　himin　his　premature　baldness；
his　seamed　strained　face；　the　lapse　from　bravery　of　his　long　tawny
moustache；　above　all　in　his　easy　friendly　universally　acquainted
eye；　so　much　too　sociable　for　mere　conversation。　　What　possible
relation　with　him　could　be　natural　enough　to　meet　it？　　He　wore　a
scant　rough　Inverness　cape　and　a　pair　of　black　trousers；　wanting　in
substance　and　marked　with　the　sheen　of　time；　that　had　presumably
once　served　for　evening　use。　　He　spoke　with　the　slowness　helplessly
permitted　to　Americansas　something　too　slow　to　be　stoppedand　he
repeated　that　he　found　himself　associated　with　Miss　Cutter　in　a
harmony　calling　for　wonder。　　She　had　been　telling　him　not　only　that
she　couldn't　possibly　give　him　ten　pounds；　but　that　his　unexpected
arrival；　should　he　insist　on　being　much　in　view；　might　seriously
interfere　with　arrangements　necessary　to　her　own　maintenance；　on
which　he　had　begun　by　replying　that　he　of　course　knew　she　had　long
ago　spent　her　money；　but　that　he　looked　to　her　now　exactly　because
she　had；　without　the　aid　of　that　convenience；　mastered　the　art　of
life。

〃I'd　really　go　away　with　a　fiver；　my　dear；　if　you'd　only　tell　me
how　you　do　it。　　It's　no　use　saying　only；　as　you've　always　said；
that　'people　are　very　kind　to　you。'　　What　the　devil　are　they　kind
to　you　FOR？〃

〃Well；　one　reason　is　precisely　that　no　particular　inconvenience　has
hitherto　been　supposed　to　attach　to　me。　　I'm　just　what　I　am；〃　said
Mamie　Cutter；　〃nothing　less　and　nothing　more。　　It's　awkward　to　have
to　explain　to　you；　which　moreover　I　really　needn't　in　the　least。
I'm　clever　and　amusing　and　charming。〃　　She　was　uneasy　and　even
frightened；　but　she　kept　her　temper　and　met　him　with　a　grace　of　her
own。　　〃I　don't　think　you　ought　to　ask　me　more　questions　than　I　ask
you。〃

〃Ah　my　dear；〃　said　the　odd　young　man；　〃I'VE　no　mysteries。　　Why　in
the　world；　since　it　was　what　you　came　out　for　and　have　devoted　so
much　of　your　time　to；　haven't　you　pulled　it　off？　　Why　haven't　you
married？〃

〃Why　haven't　YOU？〃　she　retorted。　　〃Do　you　think　that　if　I　h