lady baltimore-第41部分

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〃My　mother's　family；〃　said　Mrs。　Weguelin。

〃And　nowadays；〃　inquired　Beverly；　〃what　do　they　find　instead　of　military　careers？〃

〃There　are　no　more　of　us　nowadays；　theythey　were　killed　in　the　war。〃

And　immediately　she　smiled；　and　with　her　hand　she　made　a　light　gesture；　as　if　to　dismiss　this　subject　from　mutual　embarrassment　and　pain。

〃I　might　have　known　better；〃　murmured　the　understanding　Beverly。

But　Charley　now　had　his　question。　〃How　many；　did　you　say？〃

〃How　many？〃　Mrs。　Weguelin　did　not　quite　understand　him。

〃Were　killed？〃　explained　Charley。

Again　there　was　a　little　pause　before　Mrs。　Weguelin　answered；　〃My　four　brothers　met　their　deaths。〃

Charley　was　interested。　〃And　what　was　the　percentage　of　fatality　in　their　regiments？〃

〃Oh；〃　said　Mrs。　Weguelin；　〃we　did　not　think　of　it　in　that　way。〃　And　she　turned　aside。

〃Charley；〃　said　Kitty；　with　some　precipitancy；　〃do　make　Mr。　Bohm　look　at　the　church！〃　and　she　turned　after　Mrs。　Weguelin。　〃It　is　such　a　gem！〃

But　I　saw　the　little　lady　try　to　speak　and　fail；　and　then　I　noticed　that　she　was　leaning　against　a　window…sill。

Beverly　Rodgers　also　noticed　this；　and　he　hastened　to　her。

〃Thank　you；〃　she　returned　to　his　hasty　question；　〃I　am　quite　well。　If　you　are　not　tired　of　it；　shall　we　go　on？〃

〃It　is　such　a　gem！〃　repeated　Kitty；　throwing　an　angry　glance　at　Charley　and　Bohm。　And　so　we　went　on。

Yes；　Kitty　did　her　best　to　cover　it　up；　Kitty；　as　she　would　undoubtedly　have　said　herself；　could　see　a　few　things。　But　nobody　could　cover　it　up；　though　Beverly　was　now　vigilant　in　his　efforts　to　do　so。　Indeed；　Replacers　cannot　be　covered　up　by　human　agency；　they　bulge；　they　loom；　they　stare；　they　dominate　the　road　of　life；　even　as　their　automobiles　drive　horses　and　pedestrians　to　the　wall。　Bohm；　roused　from　his　financial　torpor　by　Kitty's　sharp　command；　did　actually　turn　his　eyes　upon　the　church；　which　he　had　now　been　inside　for　some　twenty　minutes　without　noticing。　Instinct　and　long　training　had　given　his　eye；　when　it　really　looked　at　anything；　a　particular　glancethe　glance　of　the　Replacer　which　plainly　calculated：　〃Can　this　be　made　worth　money　to　me？〃　and　which　died　instantly　to　a　glaze　of　indifference　on　seeing　that　no　money　could　be　made。　Bohm's　eye；　accordingly；　waked　and　then　glazed。　Manners；　courtesy；　he　did　not　need；　not　yet；　he　had　looked　at　them　with　his　Replacer　glance；　and；　seeing　no　money　in　them；　had　gone　on　looking　at　railroads；　and　mines；　and　mills；and　bare　shoulders；　and　bottles。　Should　manners　and　courtesy　come；　some　day；　to　mean　money　to　him；　then　he　could　have　them；　in　his　fashion；　so　that　his　admirers　and　his　apologists　should　alike　declare　of　him；　〃A　rough　diamond；　but　consider　what　he　has　made　of　himself！〃

〃After　what；　did　you　say？〃　This　was　the　voice　of　Gazza；　addressing　Mrs。　Weguelin　St。　Michael。　It　must　be　said　of　Gazza　that　he；　too；　made　a　certain　presence　of　interest　in　the　traditions　of　Kings　Port。

〃After　the　revocation　of　the　Edict　of　Nantes；〃　replied　Mrs。　Weguelin。

〃Built　it　in　Savannah；〃　Charley　was　saying　to　Bohm；　〃or　Norfolk。　This　is　a　good　place　to　bury　people　in；　but　not　money。　Now　the　phosphate　proposition〃

Again　I　dragged　my　attention　by　force　away　from　that　quiet；　relentless　monologue；　and　listened　as　well　as　I　could　to　Mrs。　Weguelin。　There　had　come　to　be　among　us　all；　I　thinkBeverly；　Kitty；　Gazza；　and　myselfa　joint　impulse　to　shield　her；　to　cluster　about　her；　to　follow　her　steps　from　each　little　lecture　that　she　finished　to　the　new　point　where　the　next　lecture　began；　and　we　did　it；　performed　our　pilgrimage　to　the　end；　but　there　was　less　and　less　nature　in　our　performance。　I　knew　（and　it　was　like　a　dream　which　I　could　not　stop）　that　we　pressed　a　little　too　close；　that　our　questions　were　a　little　too　eager；　that　we　overprinted　our　faces　with　attention；　knowing　this　did　not　help；　nothing　helped；　and　we　went　on　to　the　end；　seeing　ourselves　doing　it；　and　it　must　have　been　that　Mrs。　Weguelin　saw　us　likewise。　But　she　was　truly　admirable　in　giving　no　sign；　she　came　out　well　ahead；　the　lectures　were　not　hurried；　one　had　no　sense　of　points　being　skipped　to　accommodate　our　unworthiness；　it　required　a　previous　familiarity　with　the　church　to　know　（as　I　did）　that　there　was；　indeed；　more　and　more　skipping；　yet　the　little　lady　played　her　part　so　evenly　and　with　never　a　falter　of　voice　nor　a　change　in　the　gentle　courtesy　of　her　manner；　that　I　do　not　thinksave　for　that　moment　at　the　window…sillI　could　have　been　sure　what　she　thought；　or　how　much　she　noticed。　Her　face　was　always　so　pale；　it　may　well　have　been　all　imagination　with　me　that　she　seemed；　when　we　emerged　at　last　into　the　light　of　the　street；　paler　than　usual；　but　I　am　almost　certain　that　her　hand　was　trembling　as　she　stood　receiving　the　thanks　of　the　party。　These　thanks　were　cut　a　little　short　by　the　arrival　of　one　of　the　automobiles；　and；　at　the　same　time；　the　appearance　of　Hortense　strolling　toward　us　with　John　Mayrant。

Charley　had　resumed　to　Bohm；　〃A　tax　of　twenty…five　cents　on　the　ton　is　nothing　with　deposits　of　this　richness；〃　when　his　voice　ceased；　and　looking　at　him　to　see　the　cause；　I　perceived　that　his　eye　was　on　John；　and　that　his　polished　finger…nail　was　running　meditatively　along　his　thin　mustache。

Hortense　took　the　matterwhatever　the　matter　wasin　hand。

〃You　haven't　much　time；〃　she　said　to　Charles；　who　consulted　his　watch。

〃Who's　coming　to　see　me　off？〃　he　inquired。

〃Where's　he　going？〃　I　asked　Beverly。

〃She's　sending　him　North；〃　Beverly　answered；　and　then　he　spoke　with　his　very　best　simple　manner　to　Mrs。　Weguelin　St。　Michael。　〃May　I　not　walk　home　with　you　after　all　your　kindness？〃

She　was　going　to　say　no；　for　she　had　had　enough　of　this　party；　but　she　looked　at　Beverly；　and　his　face　and　his　true　solicitude　won　her；　she　said；　〃Thank　you；　if　you　will。〃　And　the　two　departed　together　down　the　shabby　street；　the　little　veiled　lady　in　black；　and　Beverly　with　his　excellent　London　clothes　and　his　still　more　excellent　look　of　respectful；　sheltering　attention。

And　now　Bohm　pronounced　the　only　utterance　that　I　heard　fall　from　his　lips　during　his　stay　in　Kings　Port。　He　looked　at　the　church　he　had　come　from；　he　looked　at　the　neighboring　larger　church　whose　columns　stood　out　at　the　angle　of　the　street；　he　looked　at　the　graveyard　opposite　that；　then　at　the　stale；　dusty　shop　of　old　furniture；　and　then　up　the　shabby　street；　where　no　life　or　movement　was　to　be　seen；　except　the　distant　forms　of　Beverly　and　Mrs。　Weguelin　St。　Michael。　Then　from　a　gold　cigar…case；　curved　to　fit　his　breast　pocket；　he　took　a　cigar　and　lighted　it　from　a　gold　match…box。　Offering　none　of　us　a　cigar；　he　placed　the　case　again　in　his　pocket；　and　holding　his　lighted　cigar　a　moment　with　two　fingers　in　his　strong　glove；　he　spoke：

〃This　town's　worse　than　Sunday。〃

Then　he　got　into　the　automobile。　They　all　followed　to　see　Charley　off；　and　he　addressed　me。

〃I　shall　be　glad；〃　he　said；　〃if　you　will　make　one　of　a　little　party　on　the　yacht　next　Sunday；　when　I　come　back。　And　you　also；〃　he　added　to　John。

Both　John　and　I　expressed　our　acceptance　in　suitable　forms；　and　the　automobile　took　its　way　to　the　train。

〃Your　Kings　Port　streets；〃　I　said；　as　we　walked　back　toward　Mrs。　Trevise's；　〃are　not　very　favorable　for　automobiles。〃

〃No；〃　he　returned　briefly。　I　don't　remember　that　either　of　us　found　more　to　say　until　we　had　reached　my　front　door；　when　he　asked；　〃Will　the　day　after　to…morrow　suit　you　for　Udolpho？〃

〃Whenever　you　say；〃　I　told　him。

〃Weather　permitting；　of　course。　But　I　hope　that　it　will；　for　after　that　I　suppose　my　time　will　not　be　quite　so　free。〃

After　we　had　parted　it　struck　me　that　this　was　the　first　reference　to　his　approaching　marriage　that　John　had　ever　made　in　my　hearing　since　that　day　long　ago　（it　seemed　long　ago；　at　least）　when　he　had　come　to　the　Exchange　to　order　the　wedding…cake；　and　Eliza　La　Heu　had　fallen　in　love　with　him　at　sight。　That；　in　my　opinion；　looking　back　now　with　eyes　at　any　rate　partially　opened；　was　what　Eliza　had　done。　Had　John　returned　the　compliment　then；　or　since？



XIX：　Udolpho

It　was　to　me　continuously　a　matter　of　satisfaction　and　of　interest　to　see　Hortense　disturbedwhether　for　causes　real　or　imaginaryabout　the　security　of　her　title　to　her　lover　John；　nor　can　I　say　that　my　misinterpreted　bunch　of　roses　diminished　this　satisfaction。　I　should　have　been　glad　to　know　if　the　accomplished　young　woman　had　further　probed　that　question　and　discovered　the　truth；　but　it　seemed　scarce　likely　that　she　could　do　this　without　the　help　of　one　of　three　persons；　Eliza　and　myself　who　knew　all；　or　John　who　knew　nothing；　for　the　up…country　bride；　and　whatever　other　people　in　Kings　Port　there　were　to　whom　the　bride　might　gayly　recite　the　tale　of　my　roses；　were　none　of　them　likely　to　encounter　Miss　Rieppe；　their　paths　and　hers　would　not　meet　until　they　met　in　church　at　the　wedding　of　Hortense　and　John。　No；　she　could　not　have　found　out　the　truth；　for　never　in　the　world　would　she；　at　this　eleventh　hour；　risk　a　conversation　with　John　upon　a　subject　so　full　of　well…packed　explosives；　and　so　she　must　be　simply　keeping　on　both　him　and　Eliza　an　eye　as　watchful　as　lay　in　her　power。　As　for　Charley；　what　bait；　what　persuasion；　what　duress　she　had　been　able　to　find　that　took　him　at　an　hour　so　critical　from　her　side　to　New　York；　I　could　not　in　the　least　conjecture。　Had　she　said　to　the　little　banker；　Go；　because　I　must　think　it　over　alone？　It　did　not　seem　strong　enough。　Or　had　she　said；　Go；　and　on　your　return　you　shall　have　my　answer？　Not　adequate　either；　I　thought。　Or　had　it　been；　If　you　don't　go；　it　shall　be　〃no；〃　to…day　and　forever？　This　last　was　better；　but　there　was　no　telling；　nor　did　Beverly　Rodgers；　to　whom　I　propounded　all　my　theories；　have　any　notion　of　what　was　between　Hortense　and　Charley。　He　only　knew　that　Charley　was　quite　aware　of　the　existence　of　John；　but　had　always　been　merely　amused　at　the　notion　of　him。

〃So　have　you　been　merely　amused；〃　I　reminded　him。

〃Not　since　that　look　I　saw　her　give　him；　old　chap。　I　know　she　wants　him；　only　not　why　she　wants　him。　And　Charley；　you　knowwell；　of　course；　poor　Charley's　a　banker；　just　a　banker　and　no　more；　and　a　banker　is　merely　the　ace　in　the　same　pack　where　the　drummer　is　the　two…spot。　Our　American　civilization　sh