malvina of brittany-第27节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


leaf。　　He　honestly　meant　to　do　so；　but；　like　many　another　repentant
sinner；　found　himself　feeble　before　the　difficulties　of　performance。
He　might　have　succeeded　better　had　it　not　been　for　her　soft　deep
eyes　beneath　her　level　brows。

〃You're　not　much　like　your　mother；〃　so　he　explained　to　her　one　day；
〃except　about　the　eyes。　　Looking　into　your　eyes　I　can　almost　see
your　mother。〃

He　was　smoking　a　pipe　beside　the　fire；　and　Ann；　who　ought　to　have
been　in　bed；　had　perched　herself　upon　one　of　the　arms　of　his　chair
and　was　kicking　a　hole　in　the　worn　leather　with　her　little　heels。

〃She　was　very　beautiful；　my　mother；　wasn't　she？〃　suggested　Ann。

Abner　Herrick　blew　a　cloud　from　his　pipe　and　watched　carefully　the
curling　smoke。

〃In　a　way；　yes；〃　he　answered。　　〃Quite　beautiful。〃

〃What　do　you　mean；　'In　a　way'？〃　demanded　Ann　with　some　asperity。

〃It　was　a　spiritual　beauty；　your　mother's；〃　Abner　explained。　　〃The
soul　looking　out　of　her　eyes。　　I　don't　think　it　possible　to　imagine
a　more　beautiful　disposition　than　your　mother's。　　Whenever　I　think
of　your　mother；〃　continued　Abner　after　a　pause；　〃Wordsworth's　lines
always　come　into　my　mind。〃

He　murmured　the　quotation　to　himself；　but　loud　enough　to　be　heard　by
sharp　ears。　　Miss　Kavanagh　was　mollified。

〃You　were　in　love　with　my　mother；　weren't　you？〃　she　questioned　him
kindly。

〃Yes；　I　suppose　I　was；〃　mused　Abner；　still　with　his　gaze　upon　the
curling　smoke。

〃What　do　you　mean　by　'you　suppose　you　were'？〃　snapped　Ann。　　〃Didn't
you　know？〃

The　tone　recalled　him　from　his　dreams。

〃I　was　in　love　with　your　mother　very　much；〃　he　corrected　himself；
turning　to　her　with　a　smile。

〃Then　why　didn't　you　marry　her？〃　asked　Ann。　　〃Wouldn't　she　have
you？〃

〃I　never　asked　her；〃　explained　Abner。

〃Why　not？〃　persisted　Ann；　returning　to　asperity。

He　thought　a　moment。

〃You　wouldn't　understand；〃　he　told　her。

〃Yes；　I　would；〃　retorted　Ann。

〃No；　you　wouldn't；〃　he　contradicted　her　quite　shortly。　　They　were
both　beginning　to　lose　patience　with　one　another。　　〃No　woman　ever
could。〃

〃I'm　not　a　woman；〃　explained　Ann；　〃and　I'm　very　smart。　　You've　said
so　yourself。〃

〃Not　so　smart　as　all　that；〃　growled　Abner。　　〃Added　to　which；　it's
time　for　you　to　go　to　bed。〃

Her　anger　with　him　was　such　that　it　rendered　her　absolutely　polite。
It　had　that　occasional　effect　upon　her。　　She　slid　from　the　arm　of
his　chair　and　stood　beside　him；　a　rigid　figure　of　frozen　femininity。

〃I　think　you　are　quite　right；　Uncle　Herrick。　　Good　night！〃　　But　at
the　door　she　could　not　resist　a　parting　shot：

〃You　might　have　been　my　father；　and　then　perhaps　she　wouldn't　have
died。　　I　think　it　was　very　wicked　of　you。〃

After　she　was　gone　Abner　sat　gazing　into　the　fire；　and　his　pipe　went
out。　　Eventually　the　beginnings　of　a　smile　stole　to　the　corners　of
his　mouth；　but　before　it　could　spread　any　farther　he　dismissed　it
with　a　sigh。

Abner；　for　the　next　day　or　two；　feared　a　renewal　of　the
conversation；　but　Ann　appeared　to　have　forgotten　it；　and　as　time
went　by　it　faded　from　Abner's　own　memory。　　Until　one　evening　quite　a
while　later。

The　morning　had　brought　him　his　English　mail。　　It　had　been　arriving
with　some　regularity；　and　Ann　had　noticed　that　Abner　always　opened
it　before　his　other　correspondence。　　One　letter　he　read　through
twice；　and　Ann；　who　was　pretending　to　be　reading　the　newspaper；　felt
that　he　was　looking　at　her。

〃I　have　been　thinking；　my　dear；〃　said　Abner；　〃that　it　must　be　rather
lonely　for　you　here；　all　by　yourself。〃

〃It　would　be；〃　answered　Ann；　〃if　I　were　here　all　by　myself。〃

〃I　mean；〃　said　Abner；　〃without　any　other　young　person　to　talk　to
andand　to　play　with。〃

〃You　forget；〃　said　Ann；　〃that　I'm　nearly　thirteen。〃

〃God　bless　my　soul；〃　said　Abner。　　〃How　time　does　fly！〃

〃Who　is　she？〃　asked　Ann。

〃It　isn't　a　'she；'〃　explained　Abner。　　〃It's　a　'he。'　Poor　little　chap
lost　his　mother　two　years　ago；　and　now　his　father's　dead。　　I
thoughtit　occurred　to　me　we　might　put　him　up　for　a　time。　　Look
after　him　a　bit。　　What　do　you　think？　　It　would　make　the　house　more
lively；　wouldn't　it？〃

〃It　might；〃　said　Ann。

She　sat　very　silent；　and　Abner；　whose　conscience　was　troubling　him；
watched　her　a　little　anxiously。　　After　a　time　she　looked　up。

〃What's　he　like？〃　she　asked。

〃Precisely　what　I　am　wondering　myself；〃　confessed　Abner。　　〃We　shall
have　to　wait　and　see。　　But　his　motherhis　mother；〃　repeated　Abner；
〃was　the　most　beautiful　woman　I　have　ever　known。　　If　he　is　anything
like　she　was　as　a　girl〃　　He　left　the　sentence　unfinished。

〃You　have　not　seen　her　sincesince　she　was　young？〃　questioned　Ann。

Abner　shook　his　head。　　〃She　married　an　Englishman。　　He　took　her　back
with　him　to　London。〃

〃I　don't　like　Englishmen；〃　said　Ann。

〃They　have　their　points；〃　suggested　Abner。　　〃Besides；　boys　take
after　their　mothers；　they　say。〃　　And　Abner　rose　and　gathered　his
letters　together。

Ann　remained　very　thoughtful　all　that　day。　　In　the　evening；　when
Abner　for　a　moment　laid　down　his　pen　for　the　purpose　of　relighting
his　pipe；　Ann　came　to　him；　seating　herself　on　the　corner　of　the
desk。

〃I　suppose；〃　she　said；　〃that's　why　you　never　married　mother？〃

Abner's　mind　at　the　moment　was　much　occupied　with　the　Panama　Canal。

〃What　mother？〃　he　asked。　　〃Whose　mother？〃

〃My　mother；〃　answered　Ann。　　〃I　suppose　men　are　like　that。〃

〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃　said　Abner；　dismissing　altogether　the
Panama　Canal。

〃You　loved　my　mother　very　much；〃　explained　Ann　with　cold
deliberation。　　〃She　always　made　you　think　of　Wordsworth's　perfect
woman。〃

〃Who　told　you　all　that？〃　demanded　Abner。

〃You　did。〃

〃I　did？〃

〃It　was　the　day　you　took　me　away　from　Miss　Carew's　because　she　said
she　couldn't　manage　me；〃　Ann　informed　him。

〃Good　Lord！　Why；　that　must　be　two　years　ago；〃　mused　Abner。

〃Three；〃　Ann　corrected　him。　　〃All　but　a　few　days。〃

〃I　wish　you'd　use　your　memory　for　things　you're　wanted　to　remember；〃
growled　Abner。

〃You　said　you　had　never　asked　her　to　marry　you；〃　pursued　Ann
relentlessly；　〃you　wouldn't　tell　me　why。　　You　said　I　shouldn't
understand。〃

〃My　fault；〃　muttered　Abner。　　〃I　forget　you're　a　child。　　You　ask　all
sorts　of　questions　that　never　ought　to　enter　your　head；　and　I'm　fool
enough　to　answer　you。〃

One　small　tear　that　had　made　its　escape　unnoticed　by　her　was
stealing　down　her　cheek。　　He　wiped　it　away　and　took　one　of　her　small
paws　in　both　his　hands。

〃I　loved　your　mother　very　dearly；〃　he　said　gravely。　　〃I　had　loved
her　from　a　child。　　But　no　woman　will　ever　understand　the　power　that
beauty　has　upon　a　man。　　You　see　we're　built　that　way。　　It's　Nature's
lure。　　Later　on；　of　course；　I　might　have　forgotten；　but　then　it　was
too　late。　　Can　you　forgive　me？〃

〃But　you　still　love　her；〃　reasoned　Ann　through　her　tears；　〃or　you
wouldn't　want　him　to　come　here。〃

〃She　had　such　a　hard　time　of　it；〃　pleaded　Abner。　　〃It　made　things
easier　to　her；　my　giving　her　my　word　that　I　would　always　look　after
the　boy。　　You'll　help　me？〃

〃I'll　try；〃　said　Ann。　　But　there　was　not　much　promise　in　the　tone。

Nor　did　Matthew　Pole　himself；　when　he　arrived；　do　much　to　help
matters。　　He　was　so　hopelessly　English。　　At　least；　that　was　the　way
Ann　put　it。　　He　was　shy　and　sensitive。　　It　is　a　trying　combination。
It　made　him　appear　stupid　and　conceited。　　A　lonely　childhood　had
rendered　him　unsociable；　unadaptable。　　A　dreamy；　imaginative
temperament　imposed　upon　him　long　moods　of　silence：　　a　liking　for
long　solitary　walks。　　For　the　first　time　Ann　and　Mrs。　Travers　were
in　agreement。

〃A　sulky　young　dog；〃　commented　Mrs。　Travers。　　〃If　I　were　your　uncle
I'd　look　out　for　a　job　for　him　in　San　Francisco。〃

〃You　see；〃　said　Ann　in　excuse　for　him；　〃it's　such　a　foggy　country；
England。　　It　makes　them　like　that。〃

〃It's　a　pity　they　can't　get　out　of　it；〃　said　Mrs。　Travers。

Also；　sixteen　is　an　awkward　age　for　a　boy。　　Virtues；　still　in　the
chrysalis　state；　are　struggling　to　escape　from　their　parent　vices。
Pride；　an　excellent　quality　making　for　courage　and　patience；　still
appears　in　the　swathings　of　arrogance。　　Sincerity　still　expresses
itself　in　the　language　of　rudeness。　　Kindness　itself　is　apt　to　be
mistaken　for　amazing　impertinence　and　love　of　interference。

It　was　kindnessa　genuine　desire　to　be　useful；　that　prompted　him　to
point　out　to　Ann　her　undoubted　faults　and　failings；　nerved　him　to
the　task　of　bringing　her　up　in　the　way　she　should　go。　　Mrs。　Travers
had　long　since　washed　her　hands　of　the　entire　business。　　Uncle　Ab；
as　Matthew　also　called　him；　had　proved　himself　a　weakling。
Providence；　so　it　seemed　to　Matthew；　must　have　been　waiting
impatiently　for　his　advent。　　Ann　at　first　thought　it　was　some　new
school　of　humour。　　When　she　found　he　was　serious　she　set　herself　to
cure　him。　　But　she　never　did。　　He　was　too　conscientious　for　that。
The　instincts　of　the　guide；　philosopher；　and　friend　to　humanity　in
general　were　already　too　strong　in　him。　　There　were　times　when　Abner
almost　wished　that　Matthew　Pole　senior　had　lived　a　little　longer。

But　he　did　not　lose　hope。　　At　the　back　of　his　mind　was　the　fancy
that　these　two　children　of　his　loves　would　come　together。　　Nothing
is　quite　so　sentimental　as　a　healthy　old　bachelor。　　He　pictured　them
making　u