malvina of brittany-第30节

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door。

It　gave　Matthew　a　few　minutes　to　recover　himself；　for　which　he　was
glad。　　Then　the　door　opened　again　suddenly。

〃You　are　to　come　upstairs；〃　said　the　small　servant。

It　sounded　so　like　Ann　that　it　quite　put　him　at　his　ease。　　He
followed　the　small　servant　up　the　stairs。

〃Mr。　Matthew　Pole；〃　she　announced　severely；　and　closed　the　door
behind　him。

Ann　was　standing　by　the　window　and　came　to　meet　him。　　It　was　in
front　of　Abner's　empty　chair　that　they　shook　hands。

〃So　you　have　come　back　to　the　old　house；〃　said　Matthew。

〃Yes；〃　she　answered。　　〃It　never　let　well。　　The　last　people　who　had
it　gave　it　up　at　Christmas。　　It　seemed　the　best　thing　to　do；　even
from　a　purely　economical　point　of　view。

〃What　have　you　been　doing　all　these　years？〃　she　asked　him。

〃Oh；　knocking　about；〃　he　answered。　　〃Earning　my　living。〃　　He　was
curious　to　discover　what　she　thought　of　Matthew；　first　of　all。

〃It　seems　to　have　agreed　with　you；〃　she　commented；　with　a　glance
that　took　him　in　generally；　including　his　clothes。

〃Yes；〃　he　answered。　　〃I　have　had　more　luck　than　perhaps　I　deserved。〃

〃I　am　glad　of　that；〃　said　Ann。

He　laughed。　　〃So　you　haven't　changed　so　very　much；〃　he　said。
〃Except　in　appearance。

〃Isn't　that　the　most　important　part　of　a　woman？〃　suggested　Ann。

〃Yes；〃　he　answered；　thinking。　　〃I　suppose　it　is。〃

She　was　certainly　very　beautiful。

〃How　long　are　you　stopping　in　New　York？〃　she　asked　him。

〃Oh；　not　long；〃　he　explained。

〃Don't　leave　it　for　another　ten　years；〃　she　said；　〃before　letting　me
know　what　is　happening　to　you。　　We　didn't　get　on　very　well　together
as　children；　but　we　mustn't　let　him　think　we're　not　friends。　　It
would　hurt　him。〃

She　spoke　quite　seriously；　as　if　she　were　expecting　him　any　moment
to　open　the　door　and　join　them。　　Involuntarily　Matthew　glanced　round
the　room。　　Nothing　seemed　altered。　　The　worn　carpet；　the　faded
curtains；　Abner's　easy　chair；　his　pipe　upon　the　corner　of　the
mantelpiece　beside　the　vase　of　spills。

〃It　is　curious；〃　he　said；　〃finding　this　vein　of　fancy；　of　tenderness
in　you。　　I　always　regarded　you　as　such　a　practical；　unsentimental
young　person。〃

〃Perhaps　we　neither　of　us　knew　each　other　too　well；　in　those　days；〃
she　answered。

The　small　servant　entered　with　the　tea。

〃What　have　you　been　doing　with　yourself？〃　he　asked；　drawing　his
chair　up　to　the　table。

She　waited　till　the　small　servant　had　withdrawn。

〃Oh；　knocking　about；〃　she　answered。　　〃Earning　my　living。〃

〃It　seems　to　have　agreed　with　you；〃　he　repeated；　smiling。

〃It's　all　right　now；〃　she　answered。　　〃It　was　a　bit　of　a　struggle　at
first。〃

〃Yes；〃　he　agreed。　　〃Life　doesn't　temper　the　wind　to　the　human　lamb。
But　was　there　any　need　in　your　case？〃　he　asked。　　〃I　thought〃

〃Oh；　that　all　went；〃　she　explained。　　〃Except　the　house。〃

〃I'm　sorry；〃　said　Matthew。　　〃I　didn't　know。〃

〃Oh；　we　have　been　a　couple　of　pigs；〃　she　laughed；　replying　to　his
thoughts。　　〃I　did　sometimes　think　of　writing　you。　　I　kept　the
address　you　gave　me。　　Not　for　any　assistance；　I　wanted　to　fight　it
out　for　myself。　　But　I　was　a　bit　lonely。〃

〃Why　didn't　you？〃　he　asked。

She　hesitated　for　a　moment。

〃It's　rather　soon　to　make　up　one's　mind；〃　she　said；　〃but　you　seem　to
me　to　have　changed。　　Your　voice　sounds　so　different。　　But　as　a　boy
well；　you　were　a　bit　of　a　prig；　weren't　you？　　I　imagined　you　writing
me　good　advice　and　excellent　short　sermons。　　And　it　wasn't　that　that
I　was　wanting。〃

〃I　think　I　understand；〃　he　said。　　〃I'm　glad　you　got　through。

〃What　is　your　line？〃　he　asked。　　〃Journalism？〃

〃No；〃　she　answered。　　〃Too　self…opinionated。〃

She　opened　a　bureau　that　had　always　been　her　own　and　handed　him　a
programme。　　〃Miss　Ann　Kavanagh；　Contralto；〃　was　announced　on　it　as
one　of　the　chief　attractions。

〃I　didn't　know　you　had　a　voice；〃　said　Matthew。

〃You　used　to　complain　of　it；〃　she　reminded　him。

〃Your　speaking　voice；〃　he　corrected　her。　　〃And　it　wasn't　the　quality
of　that　I　objected　to。　　It　was　the　quantity。〃

She　laughed。

〃Yes；　we　kept　ourselves　pretty　busy　bringing　one　another　up；〃　she
admitted。

They　talked　a　while　longer：　　of　Abner　and　his　kind；　quaint　ways；　of
old　friends。　　Ann　had　lost　touch　with　most　of　them。　　She　had　studied
singing　in　Brussels；　and　afterwards　her　master　had　moved　to　London
and　she　had　followed　him。　　She　had　only　just　lately　returned　to　New
York。

The　small　servant　entered　to　clear　away　the　tea　things。　　She　said
she　thought　that　Ann　had　rung。　　Her　tone　implied　that　anyhow　it　was
time　she　had。　　Matthew　rose　and　Ann　held　out　her　hand。

〃I　shall　be　at　the　concert；〃　he　said。

〃It　isn't　till　next　week；〃　Ann　reminded　him。

〃Oh；　I'm　not　in　any　particular　hurry；〃　said　Matthew。　　〃Are　you
generally　in　of　an　afternoon？〃

〃Sometimes；〃　said　Ann。


He　thought　as　he　sat　watching　her　from　his　stall　that　she　was　one　of
the　most　beautiful　women　he　had　ever　seen。　　Her　voice　was　not　great。
She　had　warned　him　not　to　expect　too　much。

〃It　will　never　set　the　Thames　on　fire；〃　she　had　said。　　〃I　thought　at
first　that　it　would。　　But　such　as　it　is　I　thank　God　for　it。〃

It　was　worth　that。　　It　was　sweet　and　clear　and　had　a　tender　quality。

Matthew　waited　for　her　at　the　end。　　She　was　feeling　well　disposed
towards　all　creatures　and　accepted　his　suggestion　of　supper　with
gracious　condescension。

He　had　called　on　her　once　or　twice　during　the　preceding　days。　　It
was　due　to　her　after　his　long　neglect　of　her；　he　told　himself；　and
had　found　improvement　in　her。　　But　to…night　she　seemed　to　take　a
freakish　pleasure　in　letting　him　see　that　there　was　much　of　the　old
Ann　still　left　in　her：　　the　frank　conceit　of　her；　the　amazing
self…opinionatedness　of　her；　the　waywardness；　the　wilfulness；　the
unreasonableness　of　her；　the　general　uppishness　and　dictatorialness
of　her；　the　contradictoriness　and　flat　impertinence　of　her；　the
swift　temper　and　exasperating　tongue　of　her。

It　was　almost　as　if　she　were　warning　him。　　〃You　see；　I　am　not
changed；　except；　as　you　say；　in　appearance。　　I　am　still　Ann　with　all
the　old　faults　and　failings　that　once　made　life　in　the　same　house
with　me　a　constant　trial　to　you。　　Just　now　my　very　imperfections
appear　charms。　　You　have　been　looking　at　the　sunat　the　glory　of　my
face；　at　the　wonder　of　my　arms　and　hands。　　Your　eyes　are　blinded。
But　that　will　pass。　　And　underneath　I　am　still　Ann。　　Just　Ann。〃

They　had　quarrelled　in　the　cab　on　the　way　home。　　He　forgot　what　it
was　about；　but　Ann　had　said　some　quite　rude　things；　and　her　face　not
being　there　in　the　darkness　to　excuse　her；　it　had　made　him　very
angry。　　She　had　laughed　again　on　the　steps；　and　they　had　shaken
hands。　　But　walking　home　through　the　still　streets　Sylvia　had
plucked　at　his　elbow。

What　fools　we　mortals　beespecially　men！　　Here　was　a　noble　womana
restful；　understanding；　tenderly　loving　woman；　a　woman　as　nearly
approaching　perfection　as　it　was　safe　for　a　woman　to　go！　　This
marvellous　woman　was　waiting　for　him　with　outstretched　arms　（why
should　he　doubt　it？）and　just　because　Nature　had　at　last　succeeded
in　making　a　temporary　success　of　Ann's　skin　and　had　fashioned　a
rounded　line　above　her　shoulder…blade！　　It　made　him　quite　cross　with
himself。　　Ten　years　ago　she　had　been　gawky　and　sallow…complexioned。
Ten　years　hence　she　might　catch　the　yellow　jaundice　and　lose　it　all。
Passages　in　Sylvia's　letters　returned　to　him。　　He　remembered　that
far…off　evening　in　his　Paris　attic　when　she　had　knocked　at　his　door
with　her　great　gift　of　thanks。　　Recalled　how　her　soft　shadow　hand
had　stilled　his　pain。　　He　spent　the　next　two　days　with　Sylvia。　　He
re…read　all　her　letters；　lived　again　the　scenes　and　moods　in　which
he　had　replied　to　them。

Her　personality　still　defied　the　efforts　of　his　imagination；　but　he
ended　by　convincing　himself　that　he　would　know　her　when　he　saw　her。
But　counting　up　the　women　on　Fifth　Avenue　towards　whom　he　had　felt
instinctively　drawn；　and　finding　that　the　number　had　already　reached
eleven；　began　to　doubt　his　intuition。　　On　the　morning　of　the　third
day　he　met　Ann　by　chance　in　a　bookseller's　shop。　　Her　back　was
towards　him。　　She　was　glancing　through　Aston　Rowant's　latest　volume。

〃What　I；〃　said　the　cheerful　young　lady　who　was　attending　to　her；
〃like　about　him　is　that　he　understands　women　so　well。〃

〃What　I　like　about　him；〃　said　Ann；　〃is　that　he　doesn't　pretend　to。〃

〃There's　something　in　that；〃　agreed　the　cheerful　young　lady。　　〃They
say　he's　here　in　New　York。〃

Ann　looked　up。

〃So　I've　been　told；〃　said　the　cheerful　young　lady。

〃I　wonder　what　he's　like？〃　said　Ann。

〃He　wrote　for　a　long　time　under　another　name；〃　volunteered　the
cheerful　young　lady。　　〃He's　quite　an　elderly　man。〃

It　irritated　Matthew。　　He　spoke　without　thinking。

〃No；　he　isn't；〃　he　said。　　〃He's　quite　young。〃

The　ladies　turned　and　looked　at　him。

〃You　know　him？〃　queried　Ann。　　She　was　most　astonished；　and　appeared
disbelieving。　　That　irritated　him　further。

〃If　you　care　about　it；〃　he　said。　　〃I　will　introduce　you　to　him。〃

Ann　made　no　answer。　　He　bought　a　copy　of　the　book　for　himself；　and
they　went　out　together。　　They　turned　towards　the　park。

Ann　seemed　thoughtful。　　〃What　is　he　doing　here　in　New　York？〃　she
wondered。

〃Looking　for　a　lady　named　Sylv