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！
out of his talk。
The night when the last number of his story came to them in the magazine；
and was already announced as a book； he sat up with his mother
celebrating； as he said； and exulting in the future as well as the past。
They had a little supper； which she cooked for him in a chafing…dish； in
the dining…room of the tiny apartment where they lived together； and she
made some coffee afterwards； to carry off the effect of the Newburg
lobster。 Perhaps because there was nothing to carry off the effect of
the coffee； he heard her； through the partition of their rooms； stirring
restlessly after he had gone to bed； and a little later she came to his
door； which she set ajar； to ask； 〃Are you awake； Philip？〃
〃You seem to be； mother；〃 he answered； with an amusement at her question
which seemed not to have imparted itself to her when she came in and
stood beside his bed in her dressing…gown。
〃You don't think we have judged her too harshly； Philip？〃
〃Do you； mother？〃
〃No； I think we couldn't be too severe in a thing like that。 She
probably thought you were like some of the other story…writers； she
couldn't feel differences； shades。 She pretended to be taken with the
circumstances of your work； but she had to do that if she wanted to fool
you。 Well； she has got her come…uppings； as she would probably say。〃
Verrian replied； thoughtfully； 〃She didn't strike me as a country person
at least； in her first letter。〃
〃Then you still think she didn't write both？〃
〃If she did； she was trying her hand in a personality she had invented。〃
〃Girls are very strange；〃 his mother sighed。 〃They like excitement；
adventure。 It's very dull in those little places。 I shouldn't wish you
to think any harm of the poor thing。〃
〃Poor thing？ Why this magnanimous compassion； mother？〃
〃Oh； nothing。 But I know how I was myself when I was a girl。 I used
almost to die of hunger for something to happen。 Can you remember just
what you said in your letter？〃
Verrian laughed。 〃NO； I can't。 But I don't believe I said half enough。
You're nervous； mother。〃
〃Yes； I am。 But don't you get to worrying。 I merely got to thinking how
I should hate to have anybody's unhappiness mixed up with this happiness
of ours。 I do so want your pleasure in your success to be pure； not
tainted with the pain of any human creature。〃
Verrian answered with light cynicism： 〃It will be tainted with the pain
of the fellows who don't like me； or who haven't succeeded； and they'll
take care to let me share their pain if ever they can。 But if you mean
that merry maiden up country； she's probably thinking； if she thinks
about it at all； that she's the luckiest girl in the United States to
have got out of an awful scrape so easily。 At the worst； I only had fun
with her in my letter。 Probably she sees that she has nothing to grieve
for but her own break。〃
〃No； and you did just as you should have done； and I am glad you don't
feel bitterly about it。 You don't； do you？〃
〃Not the least。〃
His mother stooped over and kissed him where he lay smiling。 〃Well；
that's good。 After all； it's you I cared for。 Now I can say good…
night。〃 But she lingered to tuck him in a little； from the persistence
of the mother habit。 〃I wish you may never do anything that you will be
sorry for。〃
〃Well； I won'tif it's a good action。〃
They laughed together； and she left the room； still looking back to see
if there was anything more she could do for him； while he lay smiling；
intelligently for what she was thinking； and patiently for what she was
doing。
VII。
Even in the time which was then coming and which now is； when successful
authors are almost as many as millionaires； Verrian's book brought him a
pretty celebrity； and this celebrity was in a way specific。 It related
to the quality of his work； which was quietly artistic and psychological；
whatever liveliness of incident it uttered on the surface。 He belonged
to the good school which is of no fashion and of every time； far both
from actuality and unreality； and his recognition came from people whose
recognition was worth having。 With this came the wider notice which was
not worth having； like the notice of Mrs。 Westangle； since so well known
to society reporters as a society woman； which could not be called
recognition of him； because it did not involve any knowledge of his book；
not even its title。 She did not read any sort of books； and she
assimilated him by a sort of atmospheric sense。 She was sure of nothing
but the attention paid him in a certain very goodish house； by people
whom she heard talking in unintelligible but unmistakable praise； when
she said； casually； with a liquid glitter of her sweet； small eyes；
〃I wish you would come down to my place； Mr。 Verrian。 I'm asking a few
young people for Christmas week。 Will you？〃
〃Why； thank youthank you very much；〃 Verrian said； waiting to hear more
in explanation of the hospitality launched at him。 He had never seen
Mrs。 Westangle till then； or heard of her； and he had not the least
notion where she lived。 But she seemed to have social authority； though
Verrian； in looking round at his hostess and her daughter； who stood
near； letting people take leave； learned nothing from their common smile。
Mrs。 Westangle had glided close to him； in the way she had of getting
very near without apparently having advanced by steps； and she stood
gleaming and twittering up at him。
〃I shall send you a little note； I won't let you forget；〃 she said。 Then
she suddenly shook hands with the ladies of the house and was flashingly
gone。
Verrian thought he might ask the daughter of the house； 〃And if I don't
forget； am I engaged to spend Christmas week with her？〃
The girl laughed。 〃If she doesn't forget； you are。 But you'll have a
good time。 She'll know how to manage that。〃 Other guests kept coming up
to take leave； and Verrian； who did not want to go just yet； was retired
to the background； where the girl's voice； thrown over her shoulder at
him； reached him in the words； as gay as if they were the best of the
joke； 〃It's on the Sound。〃
The inference was that Mrs。 Westangle's place was on the Sound； and that
was all Verrian knew about it till he got her little note。 Mrs。
Westangle knew how to write in a formless hand； but she did not know how
to spell； and she had thought it best to have a secretary who could write
well and spell correctly。 Though； as far as literacy was concerned； she
was such an almost incomparably ignorant woman； she had all the knowledge
the best society wants； or； if she found herself out of any； she went and
bought some； she was able to buy almost anything。
Verrian thanked the secretary for remembering him； in the belief that he
was directly thanking Mrs。 Westangle； whose widespread consciousness his
happiness in accepting did not immediately reach； and in the very large
house party； which he duly joined under her roof； he was aware of losing
distinctiveness almost to the point of losing identity。 This did not
quite happen on the way to Belford； for； when he went to take his seat in
the drawing…room car； a girl in the chair