april hopes-第52章

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off。　　Miss　Anderson　asked　him　how　long　he　was　to　be　in　Washington；　and
said　he　must　come　to　see　them；　they　meant　to　stay　two　weeks　yet；　and　then
they　were　going　to　Old　Point　Comfort；　they　had　their　rooms　engaged。

He　walked　down　to　their　carriage　with　the　ladies　and　put　them　into　it；　and
Miss　Anderson　still　kept　him　talking　there。

Her　aunt　said：　〃Why　shouldn't　you　come　with　us；　Mr。　Mavering？　　We're　going
to　Mrs。　Secretary　Miller's　reception。〃

Dan　gave　himself　a　glance。　　〃I　don't　knowif　you　want　me？〃

〃We　want　you；〃　said　Miss　Anderson。　　〃Very　well；　then；　I'll　go。〃

He　got　in；　and　they　began　rolling　over　that　smooth　Washington　asphalt
which　makes　talk　in　a　carriage　as　easy　as　in　a　drawing…room。　　Dan　kept
saying　to　himself；　〃Now　she's　going　to　bring　up　Campobello；〃　but　Miss
Anderson　never　recurred　to　their　former　meeting；　and　except　for　the　sense
of　old　acquaintance　which　was　manifest　in　her　treatment　of　him　he　might
have　thought　that　they　had　never　met　before。　　She　talked　of　Washington　and
its　informal　delights；　and　of　those　plans　which　her　aunt　had　made；　like
every　one　who　spends　a　month　in　Washington；　to　spend　all　the　remaining
winters　of　her　life　there。

It　seemed　to　Dan　that　Miss　Anderson　was　avoiding　Campobello　on　his
account；　he　knew　from　what　Alice　had　told　him　that　there　had　been　much
surmise　about　their　affair　after　he　had　left　the　island；　and　he　suspected
that　Miss　Anderson　thought　the　subject　was　painful　to　him。　　He　wished　to
reassure　her。　　He　asked　at　the　first　break　in　the　talk　about　Washington；
〃How　are　the　Trevors？〃

〃Oh；　quite　well；〃　she　said；　promptly　availing　herself　of　the　opening。
〃Have　you　seen　any　of　our　Campobello　friends　lately　in　Boston？〃

〃No；　I've　been　at　home　for　the　last　monthin　the　country。〃　　He　scanned
her　face　to　see　if　she　knew　anything　of　his　engagement。　　But　she　seemed
honestly　ignorant　of　everything　since　Campobello；　she　was　not　just　the
kind　of　New　York　girl　who　would　visit　in　Boston；　or　have　friends　living
there；　probably　she　had　never　heard　of　his　engagement。　　Somehow　this
seemed　to　simplify　matters　for　Dan。　　She　did　not　ask　specifically　after
the　Pasmers；　but　that　might　have　been　because　of　the　sort　of　break　in　her
friendship　with　Alice　after　that　night　at　the　Trevors'；　she　did　not　ask
specifically　after　Mrs。　Brinkley　or　any　of　the　others。

At　Mrs。　Secretary　Miller's　door　there　was　a　rapid　arrival　and　departure　of
carriages；　of　coupes；　of　hansoms；　and　of　herdics；　all　managed　by　a　man　in
plain　livery；　who　opened　and　shut　the　doors；　and　sent　the　drivers　off
without　the　intervention　of　a　policeman；　it　is　the　genius　of　Washington；
which　distinguishes　it　from　every　other　capital；　from　every　other　city；　to
make　no　show　of　formality；　of　any　manner　of　constraint　anywhere。　　People
were　swarming　in　and　out；　coming　and　going　on　foot　as　well　as　by　carriage。
The　blandest　of　coloured　uncles　received　their　cards　in　the　hall　and　put
them　into　a　vast　tray　heaped　up　with　pasteboard；　smiling　affectionately
upon　them　as　if　they　had　done　him　a　favour。

〃Don't　you　like　them？〃　asked　Dan　of　Miss　Anderson；　he　meant　the　Southern
negroes。

〃I　adoye　them；〃　she　responded；　with　equal　fervour。　　〃You　must　study　some
new　types　here　for　next　summer；〃　she　added。

Dan　laughed　and　winced　too。　　〃Yes！〃　　Then　be　said　solemnly；　〃I　am　not
going　to　Campobello　next　summer。〃

They　felt　into　a　stream　of　people　tending　toward　an　archway　between　the
drawing…rooms；　where　Mrs。　Secretary　Miller　stood　with　two　lady　friends　who
were　helping　her　receive。　　They　smiled　wearily　but　kindly　upon　the　crowd；
for　whom　the　Secretary's　wife　had　a　look　of　impartial　hospitality。　　She
could　not　have　known　more　than　one　in　fifty；　and　she　met　them　all　with
this　look　at　first；　breaking　into　incredulous　recognition　when　she　found　a
friend。　　〃Don't　go　away　yet；〃　she　said　cordially；　to　Miss　Van　Hook　and　her
niece；　and　she　held　their　hands　for　a　moment　with　a　gentle　look　of　relief
and　appeal　which　included　Dan。　　〃Let　me　introduce　you　to　Mrs。　Tolliver　and
to　Miss　Dixon。〃

These　ladies　said　that　it　was　not　necessary　in　regard　to　Miss　Anderson　and
Miss　Van　Hook；　and　as　the　crowd　pushed　them　on；　Dan　felt　that　they　had
been　received　with　distinction。

The　crowd　expressed　the　national　variety　of　rich　and　poor；　plain　and
fashionable；　urbane　and　rustic；　they　elbowed　and　shouldered　each　other
upon　a　perfect　equality　in　a　place　where　all　were　as　free　to　come　as　to
the　White　House；　and　they　jostled　quaint　groups　of　almond…eyed　legations
in　the　yellows　and　purples　of　the　East；　who　looked　dreamily　on　as　if
puzzled　past　all　surmise　by　the　scene。　　Certain　young　gentlemen　with　the
unmistakable　air　of　being　European　or　South　American　attaches　found　their
way　about　on　their　little　feet；　which　the　stalwart　boots　of　the　republican
masses　must　have　imperilled；　and　smiled　with　a　faint　diplomatic
superiority；　not　visibly　admitted；　but　all　the　same　indisputable。　　Several
of　these　seemed　to　know　Miss　Anderson；　and　took　her　presentation　of
Mavering　with　exaggerated　effusion。

〃I　want　to　introduce　you　to　my　cousin　over　yonder；〃　she　said；　getting　rid
of　a　minute　Brazilian　under…secretary；　and　putting　her　hand　on　Dan's　arm
to　direct　him：　〃Mrs。　Justice　Averill。〃

Miss　Van　Hook；　keeping　her　look　of　severe　vigilance；　really　followed　her
energetic　niece；　who　took　the　lead；　as　a　young　lady　must　whenever　she　and
her　chaperon　meet　on　equal　terms。

Mrs。　Justice　Averill；　who　was　from　the　far　West　somewhere；　received　Dan
with　the　ease　of　the　far　East；　and　was　talking　London　and　Paris　to　him
before　the　end　of　the　third　minute。　　It　gave　Dan　a　sense　of　liberation；　of
expansion；　he　filled　his　lungs　with　the　cosmopolitan　air　in　a　sort　of
intoxication；　without　formulating　it；　he　felt；　with　the　astonishment　which
must　always　attend　the　Bostonian's　perception　of　the　fact；　that　there　is　a
great　social　life　in　America　outside　of　Boston。　　At　Campobello　he　had
thought　Miss　Anderson　a　very　jolly　girl；　bright；　and　up　to　all　sorts　of
things；　but　in　the　presence　of　the　portable　Boston　there　he　could　not　help
regarding　her　with　a　sort　of　tolerance　which　he　now　blushed　for；　he
thought　he　had　been　a　great　ass。　　She　seemed　to　know　all　sorts　of　nice
people；　and　she　strove　with　generous　hospitality　to　make　him　have　a　good
time。　　She　said　it　was　Cabinet　Day；　and　that　all　the　secretaries'　wives
were　receiving；　and　she　told　him　he　had　better　make　the　rounds　with　them。
He　assented　very　willingly；　and　at　six　o'clock　he　was　already　so　much　in
the　spirit　of　this　free　and　simple　society；　so　much　opener　and　therefore
so　much　wiser　than　any　other；　that　he　professed　a　profound　disappointment
with　the　two　or　three　Cabinet　ladies　whose　failure　to　receive　brought　his
pleasure　to　a　premature　close。

〃But　I　suppose　you're　going　to　Mrs。　Whittington's　to…night！〃　　Miss
Anderson　said　to　him；　as　they　drove　up　to　Wormley's；　where　she　set　him
down。　　Miss　Van　Hook　had　long　ceased　to　say　anything；　Dan　thought　her　a
perfect　duenna。　　〃You　know　you　can　go　late　there；〃　she　added。

〃No；　I　can't　go　at　all；〃　said　Dan。　　〃I　don't　know　them。〃

〃They're　New　England　people；〃　urged　Miss　Anderson；　as　if　to　make　him　try
to　think　that　he　was　asked　to　Mrs。　Whittington's。

〃I　don't　know　more　than　half　the　population　of　New　England；〃　said　Dan；
with　apparent　levity；　but　real　forlornness。

〃If　you'd　like　to　goif　you're　sure　you've　no　other　engagement〃

〃Oh；　I'm　certain　of　that？〃

〃we　would　come　for　you。〃

〃Do！〃

〃At　half…past　ten；　then。〃

Miss　Anderson　explained　to　her　aunt；　who　cordially　confirmed　her
invitation；　and　they　both　shook　hands　with　him　upon　it；　and　he　backed　out
of　the　carriage　with　a　grin　of　happiness　on　his　face；　it　remained　there
while　he　wrote　out　the　order　for　his　dinner；　which　they　require　at
Wormley's　in　holograph。　　The　waiter　reflected　his　smile　with　ethnical
warm…heartedness。　　For　a　moment　Dan　tried　to　think　what　it　was　he　had
forgotten；　he　thought　it　was　some　other　dish；　then　he　remembered　that　it
was　his　broken　heart。　　He　tried　to　subdue　himself；　but　there　was　something
in　the　air　of　the　place；　the　climate；　perhaps；　or　a　pleasant　sense　of　its
facile　social　life；　that　kept　him　buoyant　in　spite　of　himself。　　He　went
out　after　dinner；　and　saw　part　of　a　poor　play；　and　returned　in　time　to
dress　for　his　appointment　with　Miss　Anderson。　　Her　aunt　was　with　her；　of
course；　she　seemed　to　Dan　more　indefatigable　than　she　was　by　day。　　He
could　not　think　her　superfluous；　and　she　was　very　good…natured。　　She　made
little　remarks　full　of　conventional　wisdom；　and　appealed　to　his　judgment
on　several　points　as　they　drove　along。　　When　they　came　to　a　street　lamp
where　she　could　see　him；　he　nodded　and　said　yes；　or　no；　respectfully。
Between　times　he　talked　with　Miss　Anderson；　who　lectured　him　upon
Washington　society；　and　prepared　him　for　the　difference　he　was　to　find
between　Mrs。　Whittington's　evening　of　invited　guests　and　the　Cabinet
ladies'　afternoon　of　volunteer　guests。

〃Volunteer　guests　is　good；〃　he　laughed。　　〃Do　you　mean　that　anybody　can
go？〃

〃Anybody　that　is　able　to　be　about。　　This　is　Cabinet　Day。　　There's　a
Supreme　Court　Day　and　a　Senators'　Day；　and　a　Representatives'　Day。　　Do　you
mean　to　say　you　weren't　going　to　call　upon　your　Senator？〃

〃I　didn't　know　I　had　any。〃

〃Neither　did　I　till　I　came　here。　　But　you've　got　two；　everybody's　got　two。
And　the　President's　wife　receives　three　times　a　week；　and　the　President
has　two　or　three　days。　　They　say　the　public　days　at　the　White　House　are
great　fun。　　I've　been　to　some　of　the　invited；　or　semi…invited　or　official
evenings。〃

He　could　not　see　that　difference　from　the　great　public　receptions　which
Miss　Anderson　had　promised　him　at　Mrs。　Whittington's；　though　he　pretended
afterward　that　he　had　done　so。　　The　people　were　more　uniformly　well
dressed；　there　were　not　so　many　of　them；　and　the　hostess　was　sure　of
knowing　her　acquaintances　at　first　glance；　but　there　was　the　same　ease；
the　same　unconstraint；　the　same　absence　of　provincial　anxiety　which　makes
a　Washington　a　lighter　and　friendlier　London。　　There　were　rather　more
sallow　attaches；　in　their　low…cut　white　waistcoats；　with　small　brass
buttons；　they　moved　more　consciously　about；　and　looked　weightier
personages　than　several　foreign　ministers　who　were　present。

Dan　was　soon　lost　from　the　side　of　Miss　Anderson；　who　more　and　more　seemed
to　him　important　socially。　　She　seemed；　in　her　present　leadership；　to　know
more　of　life；　than　he；　to　be　maturer。　　But　she　did　not　abuse　her
superiority；　she　kept　an　effect　of　her　last　summer's　friendliness　for　him
throughout。　　Several　times；　finding　herself　near　him；　she　introduced　him
to　people。

Guests　kept　arriving　till　midnight。　　Among　the　latest；　when　Dan　had　lost
himself　far　from　Boston　in　talk　with　a　young　lady　from　Richmond；　who　spoke
with　a　slur　of　her　vowels　that　fascinated　him；　came　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Brinkley。
He　felt　himself　grow　pale　and　inattentive　to　his　pretty　Virginian。　　That
accent　of　Mrs。　Brinkley's　recalled　him　to　his　history。　　He　hoped　that　she
would　not　see　him；　but　in　another　moment　he　was　greeting　her　with　a　warmth
which　Bostonians　seldom　show　in　meeting　at　Boston。

〃When　did　you　come　to　Washington？〃　she　asked；　trying　to　keep　her
consciousnes