lady baltimore-第33部分

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I　wanted　to　say　to　her；　〃You　are　quite　splendidas　splendid　as　you　look；　through　and　through！　You　wouldn't　have　run　away　from　any　battle　of　Chattanooga！〃　But　what　I　did　say　was；　〃These　flowers　here　will　fade；　but　may　I　not　hope　to　see　you　again　in　Kings　Port？〃

She　was　looking　at　me　with　eyes　half　closed；　half　closed　for　the　sake　of　insolenceand　better　observation；　when　eyes　like　that　take　on　drowsiness；　you　will　be　wise　to　leave　all　your　secrets　behind　you；　locked　up　in　the　bank；　or　else　toss　them　right　down　on　the　open　table。　Well；　I　tossed　mine　down；　thereto　precipitated　by　a　warning　from　the　stranger　in　the　launch：

〃We　shall　need　all　the　tide　we　can　get。〃

〃I'm　sure　you'd　be　glad　to　know；〃　I　then　said　immediately　（to　Charley；　of　course）；　〃that　Miss　La　Heu；　whose　dog　you　killed；　is　back　at　her　work　as　usual　this　morning。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　returned　Charley。　〃If　there　could　be　any　chance　for　me　to　replace〃

〃Miss　La　Heu　is　her　name？〃　inquired　Hortense。　〃I　did　not　catch　it　yesterday。　She　works；　you　say？〃

〃At　the　Woman's　Exchange。　She　bakes　cakes　for　weddingsamong　her　other　activities。〃

〃So　interesting！〃　said　Hortense；　and　bowing　to　me；　she　allowed　the　spellbound　Charley　to　help　her　down　into　the　launch。

Each　step　of　the　few　that　she　had　to　take　was　upon　unsteady　footing；　and　each　was　taken　with　slow　security　and　grace；　and　with　a　mastery　of　her　skirts　so　complete　that　they　seemed　to　do　it　of　themselves；　falling　and　folding　in　the　soft；　delicate　curves　of　discretion。

For　the　sake　of　not　seeming　too　curious　about　this　party；　I　turned　from　watching　it　before　the　launch　had　begun　to　move；　and　it　was　immediately　hidden　from　me　by　the　bank；　so　that　I　did　not　see　it　get　away。　As　I　crossed　an　open　space　toward　the　gardens　I　found　myself　far　behind　the　other　pilgrims；　whose　wandering　bands　I　could　half　discern　among　winding　walks　and　bordering　bushes。　I　was　soon　taken　into　somewhat　reprimanding　charge　by　an　admirable；　if　important；　negro；　who　sighted　me　from　a　door　beneath　the　porch　of　the　house；　and　advanced　upon　me　speedily。　From　him　I　learned　at　once　the　rule　of　the　place；　that　strangers　were　not　allowed　to　〃go　loose；〃　as　he　expressed　it；　and　recognizing　the　perfect　propriety　of　this　restriction；　I　was　humble；　and　even　went　so　far　as　to　put　myself　right　with　him　by　quite　ample　purchases　of　the　beautiful　flowers　that　he　had　for　sale；　some　of　these　would　be　excellent　for　the　up…country　bride；　who　certainly　ought　to　have　repentance　from　me　in　some　form　for　my　silence　as　we　had　come　up　the　river：　the　scenery　had　caused　me　most　ungallantly　to　forget　her。

My　rule…breaking　turned　out　all　to　my　advantage。　The　admirable　and　important　negro　was　so　pacified　by　my　liberal　amends　that　he　not　only　placed　the　flowers　which　I　had　bought　in　a　bucket　of　water　to　wait　in　freshness　until　my　tour　of　the　gardens　should　be　finished　and　the　moment　for　me　to　return　upon　the　boat　should　arrive；　but　he　also　honored　me　with　his　own　special　company；　and　instead　of　depositing　me　in　one　of　the　groups　of　other　travellers；　he　took　me　to　see　the　sights　alone；　as　if　I　were　somebody　too　distinguished　to　receive　my　impressions　with　the　common　herd。　Thus　I　was　able　to　linger　here　and　there；　and　even　to　return　to　certain　points　for　another　look。

I　shall　not　attempt　to　describe　the　azaleas　at　Live　Oaks。　You　will　understand　me　quite　well；　I　am　sure；　when　I　say　that　I　had　heard　the　peo…　ple　at　Mrs。　Trevise's　house　talk　so　much　about　them；　and　praise　them　so　superlatively；　that　I　was　not　prepared　for　much：　my　experience　of　life　had　already　included　quite　a　number　of　azaleas。　Moreover；　my　meeting　with　Hortense　and　Charley　had　taken　me　far　away　from　flowers。　But　when　that　marvelous　place　burst　upon　me；　I　forgot　Hortense。　I　have　seen　gardens；　many　gardens；　in　England；　in　France；　in　Italy；　I　have　seen　what　can　be　done　in　great　hothouses；　and　on　great　terraces；　what　can　be　done　under　a　roof；　and　what　can　be　done　in　the　open　air　with　the　aid　of　architecture　and　sculpture　and　ornamental　land　and　water；　but　no　horticulture　that　I　have　seen　devised　by　mortal　man　approaches　the　unearthly　enchantment　of　the　azaleas　at　Live　Oaks。　It　was　not　like　seeing　flowers　at　all；　it　was　as　if　there；　in　the　heart　of　the　wild　and　mystic　wood；　in　the　gray　gloom　of　those　trees　veiled　and　muffled　in　their　long　webs　and　skeins　of　hanging　moss；　a　great；　magic　flame　of　rose　and　red　and　white　burned　steadily。　You　looked　to　see　it　vanish；　you　could　not　imagine　such　a　thing　would　stay。　All　idea　of　individual　petals　or　species　was　swept　away　in　this　glowing　maze　of　splendor；　this　transparent　labyrinth　of　rose　and　red　and　white；　through　which　you　looked　beyond；　into　the　gray　gloom　of　the　hanging　moss　and　the　depths　of　the　wild　forest　trees。

I　turned　back　as　often　as　I　could；　and　to　the　last　I　caught　glimpses　of　it；　burning；　glowing；　and　shining　like　some　miracle；　some　rainbow　exorcism；　with　its　flooding　fumes　of　orange…rose　and　red　and　white；　merging　magically。　It　was　not　until　I　reached　the　landing；　and　made　my　way　on　board　again；　that　Hortense　returned　to　my　thoughts。　She　hadn't　come　to　see　the　miracle；　not　she！　I　knew　that　better　than　ever。　And　who　was　the　other　man　in　the　launch？

〃Wasn't　it　perfectly　elegant！〃　exclaimed　the　up…country　bride。　And　upon　my　assenting；　she　made　a　further　declaration　to　David：　〃It's　just　aivry　bit　as　good　as　the　Isle　of　Champagne。〃

This　I　discovered　to　be　a　comic　opera；　mounted　with　spendthrift　brilliance；　which　David　had　taken　her　to　see　at　the　town　of　Gonzales；　just　before　they　were　married。

As　we　made　our　way　down　the　bending　river　she　continued　to　make　many　observations　to　me　in　that　up…country　accent　of　hers；　which　is　a　fashion　of　speech　that　may　be　said　to　differ　as　widely　from　the　speech　of　the　low…country　as　cotton　differs　from　rice。　I　began　to　fear　that；　in　spite　of　my　truly　good　intentions；　I　was　again　failing　to　be　as　〃attentive〃　as　the　occasion　demanded；　and　so　I　presented　her　with　my　floral　tribute。

She　was　immediately　arch。　〃I'd　surely　be　depriving　somebody！〃　and　on　this　I　got　to　the　full　her　limpid　look。

I　assured　her　that　this　would　not　be　so；　and　pointed　to　the　other　flowers　I　had。

Accordingly；　after　a　little　more　archness；　she　took　them；　as　she　had；　of　course；　fully　meant　to　do　from　the　first；　she　also　took　a　woman's　revenge。　〃I'll　not　be　any　more　lonesome　going　down　than　I　was　coming　up；〃　she　said。　〃David's　enough。〃　And　this　led　me　definitely　to　conclude　that　David　had　secured　a　helpmate　who　could　take　care　of　herself；　in　spite　of　the　limpidity　of　her　eyes。

A　steel　wasp？　Again　that　misleading　description　of　Mrs。　Weguelin　St。　Michael's；　to　which；　since　my　early　days　in　Kings　Port；　my　imagination　may　be　said　to　have　been　harnessed；　came　back　into　my　mind。　I　turned　its　injustice　over　and　over　beneath　the　light　which　the　total　Hortense　now　shed　upon　itor　rather；　not　the　total　Hortense；　but　my　whole　impression　of　her；　as　far　as　I　had　got；　I　got　a　good　deal　further　before　we　had　finished。　To　the　slow；　soft　accompaniment　of　these　gliding　river　shores；　where　all　the　shadows　had　changed　since　morning；　so　that　new　loveliness　stood　revealed　at　every　turn；　my　thoughts　dwelt　upon　this　perfected　specimen　of　the　latest　American　momentso　late　that　she　contained　nothing　of　the　past；　and　a　great　deal　of　to…morrow。　I　basked　myself　in　the　memory　of　her　achieved　beauty；　her　achieved　dress；　her　achieved　insolence；　her　luxurious　complexity。　She　was　even　later　than　those　quite　late　athletic　girls；　the　Amazons　of　the　links；　whose　big；　hard　football　faces　stare　at　one　from　public　windows　and　from　public　punts；　whose　giant；　manly　strides　take　them　over　leagues　of　country　and　square　miles　of　dance…floor；　and　whose　bursting；　blatant；　immodest　health　glares　upon　sea…beaches　and　round　supper　tables。　Hortense　knew　that　even　now　the　hour　of　such　is　striking；　and　that　the　American　boy　will　presently　turn　with　relief　to　a　creature　who　will　more　clearly　remind　him　that　he　is　a　man　and　that　she　is　a　woman。

But　why　was　the　insolence　of　Hortense　offensive；　when　the　insolence　of　Eliza　La　Heu　was　not？　Both　these　extremely　feminine　beings　could　exercise　that　quality　in　profusion；　whenever　they　so　wished；　wherein　did　the　difference　lie？　Perhaps　I　thought；　in　the　spirit　of　its　exercise；　Eliza　was　merely　insolent　when　she　happened　to　feel　like　it；　and　man　has　always　been　able　to　forgive　woman　for　thatwhether　the　angels　do　or　not；　but　Hortense；　the　world…wise；　was　insolent　to　all　people　who　could　not　be　of　use　to　her；　and　all　I　have　to　say　is；　that　if　the　angels　can　forgive　them；　they're　welcome；　I　can't！

Had　I　made　sure　of　anything　at　the　landing？　Yes；　Hortense　didn't　care　for　Charley　in　the　least；　and　never　would。　A　woman　can　stamp　her　foot　at　a　man　and　love　him　simultaneously；　but　those　two　light　taps；　and　the　measure　that　her　eyes　took　of　Charley；　meant　that　she　must　love　his　possessions　very　much　to　be　able　to　bear　him　at　all。

Then；　what　was　her　feeling　about　John　Mayrant？　As　Beverly　had　said；　what　could　she　want　him　for？　He　hadn't　a　thing　that　she　valued　or　needed。　His　old…time　notions　of　decency；　the　clean　simplicity　of　his　make；　his　good　Southern　position；　and　his　collection　of　nice　old　relativeswhat　did　these　assets　look　like　from　an　automobile；　or　on　board　the　launch　of　a　modern　steam　yacht？　And　wouldn't　it　be　amusing　if　John　should　grow　need…　lessly　jealous；　and　have　a　〃difficulty〃　with　Charley？　not　a　mere　flinging　of　torn　paper　money　in　the　banker's　face；　but　some　more　decided　punishment　for　the　banker's　presuming　to　rest　his　predatory　eyes　upon　John's　affianced　lady。

I　stared　at　the　now　broadening　river；　where　the　reappearance　of　the　bridge；　and　of　Kings　Port；　and　the　nearer　chimneys　pouring　out　their　smoke　a　few　miles　above　the　town；　betokened　that　our　excursion　was　drawing　to　its　end。　And　then　from　the　chimney's　neighborhood；　from　the　waterside　where　their　factories　stood；　there　shot　out　into　the　smoothness　of　the　stream　a　launch。　It　crossed　into　our　course　ahead　of　us；　preceded　us　quickly；　growing　soon　into　a　dot；　went　through　the　bridge；　and　so　was　seen　no　longer；　and　its　occupants　must　have　reached　town　a　good　half　hour　before　we　did。　And　now；　suddenly；　I　was　stunned　with　a　great　discovery。　The　bride's　voice　sounded　in　my　ear。　〃Well；　I'll　alw