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an episode of fiddletown-第12章

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〃I do not know;〃 said Prince gravely。  〃I only know that if you

conclude to see Mrs。 Starbottle; it will be with your mother's

permission。  Mrs。 Starbottle will keep sacredly this part of the

agreement; made ten years ago。  But her health is very poor; and

the change and country quiet of a few days may benefit her。〃  Mr。

Prince bent his keen; bright eyes upon the young girl; and almost

held his breath until she spoke again。



〃Mother's coming up today or tomorrow;〃 she said; looking up。



〃Ah!〃 said Mr。 Prince with a sweet and languid smile。



〃Is Colonel Starbottle here too?〃 asked Carry; after a pause。



〃Colonel Starbottle is dead。  Your stepmother is again a widow。〃



〃Dead!〃 repeated Carry。



〃Yes;〃 replied Mr。 Prince。  〃Your stepmother has been singularly

unfortunate in surviving her affections。〃



Carry did not know what he meant; and looked so。  Mr。 Prince smiled

reassuringly。



Presently Carry began to whimper。



Mr。 Prince softly stepped beside her chair。



〃I am afraid;〃 he said with a very peculiar light in his eye; and a

singular dropping of the corners of his mustache〃I am afraid you

are taking this too deeply。  It will be some days before you are

called upon to make a decision。  Let us talk of something else。  I

hope you caught no cold last evening。〃



Carry's face shone out again in dimples。



〃You must have thought us so queer!  It was too bad to give you so

much trouble。〃



〃None whatever; I assure you。  My sense of propriety;〃 he added

demurely; 〃which might have been outraged had I been called upon to

help three young ladies out of a schoolroom window at night。  was

deeply gratified at being able to assist them in again。〃  The

doorbell rang loudly; and Mr。 Prince rose。  〃Take your own time;

and think well before you make your decision。〃  But Carry's ear and

attention were given to the sound of voices in the hall。  At the

same moment; the door was thrown open; and a servant announced;

〃Mrs。 Tretherick and Mr。 Robinson。〃



The afternoon train had just shrieked out its usual indignant

protest at stopping at Genoa at all as Mr。 Jack Prince entered the

outskirts of the town; and drove toward his hotel。  He was wearied

and cynical。  A drive of a dozen miles through unpicturesque

outlying villages; past small economic farmhouses; and hideous

villas that violated his fastidious taste; had; I fear; left that

gentleman in a captious state of mind。  He would have even avoided

his taciturn landlord as he drove up to the door; but that

functionary waylaid him on the steps。  〃There's a lady in the

sittin'…room; waitin' for ye。〃  Mr。 Prince hurried upstairs; and

entered the room as Mrs。 Starbottle flew toward him。



She had changed sadly in the last ten years。  Her figure was wasted

to half its size。  The beautiful curves of her bust and shoulders

were broken or inverted。  The once full; rounded arm was shrunken

in its sleeve; and the golden hoops that encircled her wan wrists

almost slipped from her hands as her long; scant fingers closed

convulsively around Jack's。  Her cheekbones were painted that

afternoon with the hectic of fever: somewhere in the hollows of

those cheeks were buried the dimples of long ago; but their graves

were forgotten。  Her lustrous eyes were still beautiful; though the

orbits were deeper than before。  Her mouth was still sweet;

although the lips parted more easily over the little teeth; even in

breathing; and showed more of them than she was wont to do before。

The glory of her blond hair was still left: it was finer; more

silken and ethereal; yet it failed even in its plenitude to cover

the hollows of the blue…veined temples。



〃Clara!〃 said Jack reproachfully。



〃Oh; forgive me; Jack!〃 she said; falling into a chair; but still

clinging to his hand〃forgive me; dear; but I could not wait

longer。  I should have died; Jackdied before another night。  Bear

with me a little longer (it will not be long); but let me stay。  I

may not see her; I know; I shall not speak to her: but it's so

sweet to feel that I am at last near her; that I breathe the same

air with my darling。  I am better already; Jack; I am indeed。  And

you have seen her today?  How did she look?  What did she say?

Tell me all; everything; Jack。  Was she beautiful?  They say she

is。  Has she grown?  Would you have known her again?  Will she

come; Jack?  Perhaps she has been here already; perhaps〃she had

risen with tremulous excitement; and was glancing at the door

〃perhaps she is here now。  Why don't you speak; Jack?  Tell me

all。〃



The keen eyes that looked down into hers were glistening with an

infinite tenderness that none; perhaps; but she would have deemed

them capable of。  〃Clara;〃 he said gently and cheerily; 〃try and

compose yourself。  You are trembling now with the fatigue and

excitement of your journey。  I have seen Carry; she is well and

beautiful。  Let that suffice you now。〃



His gentle firmness composed and calmed her now; as it had often

done before。  Stroking her thin hand; he said; after a pause; 〃Did

Carry ever write to you?〃



〃Twice; thanking me for some presents。  They were only schoolgirl

letters;〃 she added; nervously answering the interrogation of his

eyes。



〃Did she ever know of your own troubles? of your poverty; of the

sacrifices you made to pay her bills; of your pawning your clothes

and jewels; of your〃



〃No; no!〃 interrupted the woman quickly: 〃no! How could she?  I

have no enemy cruel enough to tell her that。〃



〃But if sheor if Mrs。 Tretherickhad heard of it?  If Carry

thought you were poor; and unable to support her properly; it might

influence her decision。  Young girls are fond of the position that

wealth can give。  She may have rich friends; maybe a lover。〃



Mrs。 Starbottle winced at the last sentence。  〃But;〃 she said

eagerly; grasping Jack's hand; 〃when you found me sick and helpless

at Sacramento; when youGod bless you for it; Jack!offered to

help me to the East; you said you knew of something; you had some

plan; that would make me and Carry independent。〃



〃Yes;〃 said Jack hastily; 〃but I want you to get strong and well

first。  And; now that you are calmer; you shall listen to my visit

to the school。〃



It was then that Mr。 Jack Prince proceeded to describe the

interview already recorded; with a singular felicity and discretion

that shames my own account of that proceeding。  Without suppressing

a single fact; without omitting a word or detail; he yet managed to

throw a poetic veil over that prosaic episode; to invest the

heroine with a romantic roseate atmosphere; which; though not

perhaps entirely imaginary; still; I fear; exhibited that genius

which ten years ago had made the columns of THE FIDDLETOWN

AVALANCHE at once fascinating and instructive。  It was not until he

saw the heightening color; and heard the quick breathing; of his

eager listener; that he felt a pang of self…reproach。  〃God help

her 
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