stories by modern american authors-第6节

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the　carriage　which　chanced　to　be　abreast　of　mine；　and　idly　read　the

black　letters　painted　on　a　white　board　swinging　from　the　brass

handrail：　BERLINCOLOGNEPARIS。　　Then　I　looked　up　at　the　window

above。　　I　started　violently；　and　the　cold　perspiration　broke　out

upon　my　forehead。　　In　the　dim　light；　not　six　feet　from　where　I　sat；

I　saw　the　face　of　a　woman；　the　face　I　loved；　the　straight；　fine

features；　the　strange　eyes；　the　wonderful　mouth；　the　pale　skin。

Her　head…dress　was　a　dark　veil　which　seemed　to　be　tied　about　her

head　and　passed　over　the　shoulders　under　her　chin。　　As　I　threw　down

the　window　and　knelt　on　the　cushioned　seat；　leaning　far　out　to　get

a　better　view；　a　long　whistle　screamed　through　the　station；

followed　by　a　quick　series　of　dull；　clanking　sounds；　then　there　was

a　slight　jerk；　and　my　train　moved　on。　　Luckily　the　window　was

narrow；　being　the　one　over　the　seat；　beside　the　door；　or　I　believe

I　would　have　jumped　out　of　it　then　and　there。　　In　an　instant　the

speed　increased；　and　I　was　being　carried　swiftly　away　in　the

opposite　direction　from　the　thing　I　loved。



For　a　quarter　of　an　hour　I　lay　back　in　my　place；　stunned　by　the

suddenness　of　the　apparition。　　At　last　one　of　the　two　other

passengers；　a　large　and　gorgeous　captain　of　the　White　Konigsberg

Cuirassiers；　civilly　but　firmly　suggested　that　I　might　shut　my

window；　as　the　evening　was　cold。　　I　did　so；　with　an　apology；　and

relapsed　into　silence。　　The　train　ran　swiftly　on　for　a　long　time；

and　it　was　already　beginning　to　slacken　speed　before　entering

another　station；　when　I　roused　myself　and　made　a　sudden　resolution。

As　the　carriage　stopped　before　the　brilliantly　lighted　platform；　I

seized　my　belongings；　saluted　my　fellow…passengers；　and　got　out；

determined　to　take　the　first　express　back　to　Paris。



This　time　the　circumstances　of　the　vision　had　been　so　natural　that

it　did　not　strike　me　that　there　was　anything　unreal　about　the　face；

or　about　the　woman　to　whom　it　belonged。　　I　did　not　try　to　explain

to　myself　how　the　face；　and　the　woman；　could　be　traveling　by　a　fast

train　from　Berlin　to　Paris　on　a　winter's　afternoon；　when　both　were

in　my　mind　indelibly　associated　with　the　moonlight　and　the

fountains　in　my　own　English　home。　　I　certainly　would　not　have

admitted　that　I　had　been　mistaken　in　the　dusk；　attributing　to　what

I　had　seen　a　resemblance　to　my　former　vision　which　did　not　really

exist。　　There　was　not　the　slightest　doubt　in　my　mind；　and　I　was

positively　sure　that　I　had　again　seen　the　face　I　loved。　　I　did　not

hesitate；　and　in　a　few　hours　I　was　on　my　way　back　to　Paris。　　I

could　not　help　reflecting　on　my　ill　luck。　　Wandering　as　I　had　been

for　many　months；　it　might　as　easily　have　chanced　that　I　should　be

traveling　in　the　same　train　with　that　woman；　instead　of　going　the

other　way。　　But　my　luck　was　destined　to　turn　for　a　time。



I　searched　Paris　for　several　days。　　I　dined　at　the　principal

hotels；　I　went　to　the　theaters；　I　rode　in　the　Bois　de　Boulogne　in

the　morning；　and　picked　up　an　acquaintance；　whom　I　forced　to　drive

with　me　in　the　afternoon。　　I　went　to　mass　at　the　Madeleine；　and　I

attended　the　services　at　the　English　Church。　　I　hung　about　the

Louvre　and　Notre　Dame。　　I　went　to　Versailles。　　I　spent　hours　in

parading　the　Rue　de　Rivoli；　in　the　neighborhood　of　Meurice's

corner；　where　foreigners　pass　and　repass　from　morning　till　night。

At　last　I　received　an　invitation　to　a　reception　at　the　English

Embassy。　　I　went；　and　I　found　what　I　had　sought　so　long。



There　she　was；　sitting　by　an　old　lady　in　gray　satin　and　diamonds；

who　had　a　wrinkled　but　kindly　face　and　keen　gray　eyes　that　seemed

to　take　in　everything　they　saw；　with　very　little　inclination　to

give　much　in　return。　　But　I　did　not　notice　the　chaperon。　　I　saw

only　the　face　that　had　haunted　me　for　months；　and　in　the　excitement

of　the　moment　I　walked　quickly　toward　the　pair；　forgetting　such　a

trifle　as　the　necessity　for　an　introduction。



She　was　far　more　beautiful　than　I　had　thought；　but　I　never　doubted

that　it　was　she　herself　and　no　other。　　Vision　or　no　vision　before；

this　was　the　reality；　and　I　knew　it。　　Twice　her　hair　had　been

covered；　now　at　last　I　saw　it；　and　the　added　beauty　of　its

magnificence　glorified　the　whole　woman。　　It　was　rich　hair；　fine　and

abundant；　golden；　with　deep　ruddy　tints　in　it　like　red　bronze　spun

fine。　　There　was　no　ornament　in　it；　not　a　rose；　not　a　thread　of

gold；　and　I　felt　that　it　needed　nothing　to　enhance　its　splendor；

nothing　but　her　pale　face；　her　dark　strange　eyes；　and　her　heavy

eyebrows。　　I　could　see　that　she　was　slender　too；　but　strong　withal；

as　she　sat　there　quietly　gazing　at　the　moving　scene　in　the　midst　of

the　brilliant　lights　and　the　hum　of　perpetual　conversation。



I　recollected　the　detail　of　introduction　in　time；　and　turned　aside

to　look　for　my　host。　　I　found　him　at　last。　　I　begged　him　to　present

me　to　the　two　ladies；　pointing　them　out　to　him　at　the　same　time。



〃Yesuhby　all　meansuh；〃　replied　his　Excellency　with　a　pleasant

smile。　　He　evidently　had　no　idea　of　my　name；　which　was　not　to　be

wondered　at。



〃I　am　Lord　Cairngorm；〃　I　observed。



〃Ohby　all　means；〃　answered　the　Ambassador　with　the　same

hospitable　smile。　　〃Yesuhthe　fact　is；　I　must　try　and　find　out

who　they　are；　such　lots　of　people；　you　know。〃



〃Oh；　if　you　will　present　me；　I　will　try　and　find　out　for　you；〃　said

I；　laughing。



〃Ah；　yesso　kind　of　youcome　along；〃　said　my　host。　　We　threaded

the　crowd；　and　in　a　few　minutes　we　stood　before　the　two　ladies。



〃'Lowmintrduce　L'd　Cairngorm；〃　he　said；　then；　adding　quickly　to　me；

〃Come　and　dine　to…morrow；　won't　you？〃　he　glided　away　with　his

pleasant　smile　and　disappeared　in　the　crowd。




I　sat　down　beside　the　beautiful　girl；　conscious　that　the　eyes　of

the　duenna　were　upon　me。



〃I　think　we　have　been　very　near　meeting　before；〃　I　remarked；　by　way

of　opening　the　conversation。



My　companion　turned　her　eyes　full　upon　me　with　an　air　of　inquiry。

She　evidently　did　not　recall　my　face；　if　she　had　ever　seen　me。



〃ReallyI　cannot　remember；〃　she　observed；　in　a　low　and　musical

voice。　　〃When？〃



〃In　the　first　place；　you　came　down　from　Berlin　by　the　express　ten

days　ago。　　I　was　going　the　other　way；　and　our　carriages　stopped

opposite　each　other。　　I　saw　you　at　the　window。〃



〃Yeswe　came　that　way；　but　I　do　not　remember〃　　She　hesitated。



〃Secondly；〃　I　continued；　〃I　was　sitting　alone　in　my　garden　last

summernear　the　end　of　Julydo　you　remember？　　You　must　have

wandered　in　there　through　the　park；　you　came　up　to　the　house　and

looked　at　me〃



〃Was　that　you？〃　she　asked；　in　evident　surprise。　　Then　she　broke

into　a　laugh。　　〃I　told　everybody　I　had　seen　a　ghost；　there　had

never　been　any　Cairngorms　in　the　place　since　the　memory　of　man。　　We

left　the　next　day；　and　never　heard　that　you　had　come　there；　indeed；

I　did　not　know　the　castle　belonged　to　you。〃



〃Where　were　you　staying？〃　I　asked。



〃Where？　　Why；　with　my　aunt；　where　I　always　stay。　　She　is　your

neighbor；　since　it　IS　you。〃



〃Ibeg　your　pardonbut　thenis　your　aunt　Lady　Bluebell？　　I　did

not　quite　catch〃



〃Don't　be　afraid。　　She　is　amazingly　deaf。　　Yes。　　She　is　the　relict

of　my　beloved　uncle；　the　sixteenth　or　seventeenth　Baron　BluebellI

forget　exactly　how　many　of　them　there　have　been。　　And　Ido　you

know　who　I　am？〃　　She　laughed；　well　knowing　that　I　did　not。



〃No；〃　I　answered　frankly。　　〃I　have　not　the　least　idea。　　I　asked　to

be　introduced　because　I　recognized　you。　　Perhapsperhaps　you　are　a

Miss　Bluebell？〃



〃Considering　that　you　are　a　neighbor；　I　will　tell　you　who　I　am；〃

she　answered。　　〃No；　I　am　of　the　tribe　of　Bluebells；　but　my　name　is

Lammas；　and　I　have　been　given　to　understand　that　I　was　christened

Margaret。　　Being　a　floral　family；　they　call　me　Daisy。　　A　dreadful

American　man　once　told　me　that　my　aunt　was　a　Bluebell　and　that　I

was　a　Harebellwith　two　l's　and　an　ebecause　my　hair　is　so　thick。

I　warn　you；　so　that　you　may　avoid　making　such　a　bad　pun。〃



〃Do　I　look　like　a　man　who　makes　puns？〃　I　asked；　being　very

conscious　of　my　melancholy　face　and　sad　looks。



Miss　Lammas　eyed　me　critically。



〃No；　you　have　a　mournful　temperament。　　I　think　I　can　trust　you；〃

she　answered。　　〃Do　you　think　you　could　communicate　to　my　aunt　the

fact　that　you　are　a　Cairngorm　and　a　neighbor？　　I　am　sure　she　would

like　to　know。〃



I　leaned　toward　the　old　lady；　inflating　my　lungs　for　a　yell。　　But

Miss　Lammas　stopped　me。



〃That　is　not　of　the　slightest　use；〃　she　remarked。　　〃You　can　write

it　on　a　bit　of　paper。　　She　is　utterly　deaf。〃



〃I　have　a　pencil；〃　I　answered；　〃but　I　have　no　paper。　　Would　my　cuff

do；　do　you　think？〃



〃Oh；　yes！〃　replied　Miss　Lammas；　with　alacrity；　〃men　often　do　that。〃



I　wrote　on　my　cuff：　〃Miss　Lammas　wishes　me　to　explain　that　I　am

your　neighbor；　Cairngorm。〃　　Then　I　held　out　my　arm　before　the　old

lady's　nose。　　She　seemed　perfectly　accustomed　to　the　proceeding；

put　up　her　glasses；　read　the　words；　smiled；　no