the patagonia-第7章

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〃Young　Nettlepoint？　　Yes；　I　see　he　didn't。　　Miss　Mavis　then　has　given

him　half　her　dinner。〃



〃It's　very　kind　of　her！　　She　has　been　engaged　half　her　life。〃



〃Yes；　but　that　will　soon　be　over。〃



〃So　I　supposeas　quick　as　ever　we　land。　　Every　one　knows　it　on

Merrimac　Avenue；〃　Mrs。　Peck　pursued。　　〃Every　one　there　takes　a　great

interest　in　it。〃



〃Ah　of　coursea　girl　like　that　has　many　friends。〃



But　my　informant　discriminated。　　〃I　mean　even　people　who　don't　know

her。〃



〃I　see；〃　I　went　on：　　〃she's　so　handsome　that　she　attracts　attention

people　enter　into　her　affairs。〃



Mrs。　Peck　spoke　as　from　the　commanding　centre　of　these。　　〃She　USED　to

be　pretty；　but　I　can't　say　I　think　she's　anything　remarkable　today。

Anyhow；　if　she　attracts　attention　she　ought　to　be　all　the　more

careful　what　she　does。　　You　had　better　tell　her　that。〃



〃Oh　it's　none　of　my　business！〃　I　easily　made　out；　leaving　the

terrible　little　woman　and　going　above。　　This　profession；　I　grant；　was

not　perfectly　attuned　to　my　real　idea；　or　rather　my　real　idea　was　not

quite　in　harmony　with　my　profession。　　The　very　first　thing　I　did　on

reaching　the　deck　was　to　notice　that　Miss　Mavis　was　pacing　it　on

Jasper　Nettlepoint's　arm　and　that　whatever　beauty　she　might　have

lost；　according　to　Mrs。　Peck's　insinuation；　she　still　kept　enough　to

make　one's　eyes　follow　her。　　She　had　put　on　a　crimson　hood；　which　was

very　becoming　to　her　and　which　she　wore　for　the　rest　of　the　voyage。

She　walked　very　well；　with　long　steps；　and　I　remember　that　at　this

moment　the　sea　had　a　gentle　evening　swell　which　made　the　great　ship

dip　slowly；　rhythmically；　giving　a　movement　that　was　graceful　to

graceful　pedestrians　and　a　more　awkward　one　to　the　awkward。　　It　was

the　loveliest　hour　of　a　fine　day；　the　clear　early　evening；　with　the

glow　of　the　sunset　in　the　air　and　a　purple　colour　on　the　deep。　　It

was　always　present　to　me　that　so　the　waters　ploughed　by　the　Homeric

heroes　must　have　looked。　　I　became　conscious　on　this　particular

occasion　moreover　that　Grace　Mavis　would　for　the　rest　of　the　voyage

be　the　most　visible　thing　in　one's　range；　the　figure　that　would　count

most　in　the　composition　of　groups。　　She　couldn't　help　it；　poor　girl；

nature　had　made　her　conspicuousimportant；　as　the　painters　say。　　She

paid　for　it　by　the　corresponding　exposure；　the　danger　that　people

would；　as　I　had　said　to　Mrs。　Peck；　enter　into　her　affairs。



Jasper　Nettlepoint　went　down　at　certain　times　to　see　his　mother；　and

I　watched　for　one　of　these　occasionson　the　third　day　outand　took

advantage　of　it　to　go　and　sit　by　Miss　Mavis。　　She　wore　a　light　blue

veil　drawn　tightly　over　her　face；　so　that　if　the　smile　with　which　she

greeted　me　rather　lacked　intensity　I　could　account　for　it　partly　by

that。



〃Well；　we're　getting　onwe're　getting　on；〃　I　said　cheerfully；

looking　at　the　friendly　twinkling　sea。



〃Are　we　going　very　fast？〃



〃Not　fast；　but　steadily。　　Ohne　Hast；　ohne　Rastdo　you　know　German？〃



〃Well；　I've　studied　itsome。〃



〃It　will　be　useful　to　you　over　there　when　you　travel。〃



〃Well　yes；　if　we　do。　　But　I　don't　suppose　we　shall　much。　　Mr。

Nettlepoint　says　we　ought；〃　my　young　woman　added　in　a　moment。



〃Ah　of　course　HE　thinks　so。　　He　has　been　all　over　the　world。〃



〃Yes；　he　has　described　some　of　the　places。　　They　must　be　wonderful。

I　didn't　know　I　should　like　it　so　much。〃



〃But　it　isn't　'Europe'　yet！〃　I　laughed。



Well；　she　didn't　care　if　it　wasn't。　　〃I　mean　going　on　this　way。　　I

could　go　on　for　everfor　ever　and　ever。〃



〃Ah　you　know　it's　not　always　like　this；〃　I　hastened　to　mention。



〃Well；　it's　better　than　Boston。〃



〃It　isn't　so　good　as　Paris；〃　I　still　more　portentously　noted。



〃Oh　I　know　all　about　Paris。　　There's　no　freshness　in　that。　　I　feel　as

if　I　had　been　there　all　the　time。〃



〃You　mean　you've　heard　so　much　of　it？〃



〃Oh　yes；　nothing　else　for　ten　years。〃



I　had　come　to　talk　with　Miss　Mavis　because　she　was　attractive；　but　I

had　been　rather　conscious　of　the　absence　of　a　good　topic；　not　feeling

at　liberty　to　revert　to　Mr。　Porterfield。　　She　hadn't　encouraged　me；

when　I　spoke　to　her　as　we　were　leaving　Boston；　to　go　on　with　the

history　of　my　acquaintance　with　this　gentleman；　and　yet　now；

unexpectedly；　she　appeared　to　implyit　was　doubtless　one　of　the

disparities　mentioned　by　Mrs。　Nettlepointthat　he　might　be　glanced

at　without　indelicacy。



〃I　seeyou　mean　by　letters；〃　I　remarked。



〃We　won't　live　in　a　good　part。　　I　know　enough　to　know　that；〃　she　went

on。



〃Well；　it　isn't　as　if　there　were　any　very　bad　ones；〃　I　answered

reassuringly。



〃Why　Mr。　Nettlepoint　says　it's　regular　mean。〃



〃And　to　what　does　he　apply　that　expression？〃



She　eyed　me　a　moment　as　if　I　were　elegant　at　her　expense；　but　she

answered　my　question。　　〃Up　there　in　the　Batignolles。　　I　seem　to　make

out　it's　worse　than　Merrimac　Avenue。〃



〃Worsein　what　way？〃



〃Why；　even　less　where　the　nice　people　live。〃



〃He　oughtn't　to　say　that；〃　I　returned。　　And　I　ventured　to　back　it　up。

〃Don't　you　call　Mr。　Porterfield　a　nice　person？〃



〃Oh　it　doesn't　make　any　difference。〃　　She　watched　me　again　a　moment

through　her　veil；　the　texture　of　which　gave　her　look　a　suffused

prettiness。　　〃Do　you　know　him　very　little？〃　she　asked。



〃Mr。　Porterfield？〃



〃No；　Mr。　Nettlepoint。〃



〃Ah　very　little。　　He's　very　considerably　my　junior；　you　see。〃



She　had　a　fresh　pause；　as　if　almost　again　for　my　elegance；　but　she

went　on：　　〃He's　younger　than　me　too。〃　　I　don't　know　what　effect　of

the　comic　there　could　have　been　in　it；　but　the　turn　was　unexpected

and　it　made　me　laugh。　　Neither　do　I　know　whether　Miss　Mavis　took

offence　at　my　sensibility　on　this　head；　though　I　remember　thinking　at

the　moment　with　compunction　that　it　had　brought　a　flush　to　her　cheek。

At　all　events　she　got　up；　gathering　her　shawl　and　her　books　into　her

arm。　　〃I'm　going　downI'm　tired。〃



〃Tired　of　me；　I'm　afraid。〃



〃No；　not　yet。〃



〃I'm　like　you；〃　I　confessed。　　〃I　should　like　it　to　go　on　and　on。〃



She　had　begun　to　walk　along　the　deck　to　the　companionway　and　I　went

with　her。　　〃Well；　I　guess　_I_　wouldn't；　after　all！〃



I　had　taken　her　shawl　from　her　to　carry　it；　but　at　the　top　of　the

steps　that　led　down　to　the　cabins　I　had　to　give　it　back。　　〃Your

mother　would　be　glad　if　she　could　know；〃　I　observed　as　we　parted。



But　she　was　proof　against　my　graces。　　〃If　she　could　know　what？〃



〃How　well　you're　getting　on。〃　　I　refused　to　be　discouraged。　　〃And

that　good　Mrs。　Allen。〃



〃Oh　mother；　mother！　　She　made　me　come；　she　pushed　me　off。〃　　And

almost　as　if　not　to　say　more　she　went　quickly　below。



I　paid　Mrs。　Nettlepoint　a　morning　visit　after　luncheon　and　another　in

the　evening；　before　she　〃turned　in。〃　　That　same　day；　in　the　evening；

she　said　to　me　suddenly：　　〃Do　you　know　what　I've　done？　　I've　asked

Jasper。〃



〃Asked　him　what？〃



〃Why；　if　SHE　asked　him；　you　understand。〃



I　wondered。　　〃DO　I　understand？〃



〃If　you　don't　it's　because　you　'regular'　won't；　as　she　says。　　If　that

girl　really　asked　himon　the　balconyto　sail　with　us。〃



〃My　dear　lady；　do　you　suppose　that　if　she　did　he'd　tell　you？〃



She　had　to　recognise　my　acuteness。　　〃That's　just　what　he　says。　　But

he　says　she　didn't。〃



〃And　do　you　consider　the　statement　valuable？〃　I　asked；　laughing　out。

〃You　had　better　ask　your　young　friend　herself。〃



Mrs。　Nettlepoint　stared。　　〃I　couldn't　do　that。〃



On　which　I　was　the　more　amused　that　I　had　to　explain　I　was　only

amused。　　〃What　does　it　signify　now？〃



〃I　thought　you　thought　everything　signified。　　You　were　so　full；〃　she

cried；　〃of　signification！〃



〃Yes；　but　we're　further　out　now；　and　somehow　in　mid…ocean　everything

becomes　absolute。〃



〃What　else　CAN　he　do　with　decency？〃　Mrs。　Nettlepoint　went　on。　　〃If；

as　my　son；　he　were　never　to　speak　to　her　it　would　be　very　rude　and

you'd　think　that　stranger　still。　　Then　YOU　would　do　what　he　does；　and

where　would　be　the　difference？〃



〃How　do　you　know　what　he　does？　　I　haven't　mentioned　him　for　twenty…

four　hours。〃



〃Why；　she　told　me　herself。　　She　came　in　this　afternoon。〃



〃What　an　odd　thing　to　tell　you！〃　I　commented。



〃Not　as　she　says　it。　　She　says　he's　full　of　attention；　perfectly

devotedlooks　after　her　all　the　time。　　She　seems　to　want　me　to　know

it；　so　that　I　may　approve　him　for　it。〃



〃That's　charming；　it　shows　her　good　conscience。〃



〃Yes；　or　her　great　cleverness。〃



Something　in　the　tone　in　which　Mrs。　Nettlepoint　said　this　caused　me

to　return　in　real　surprise：　　〃Why　what　do　you　suppose　she　has　in　her

mind？〃



〃To　get　hold　of　him；　to　make　him　go　so　far　he　can't　retreat。　　To

marry　him　perhaps。〃



〃To　marry　him？　　And　what　will　she　do　with　Mr。　Porterfield？〃



〃She'll　ask　me　just　to　make　it　all　right　to　himor　perhaps　you。〃



〃Yes；　as　an　old　friend〃and　for　a　moment　I　felt　it　awkwardly

possible。　　But　I　put　to　her　seriously：　　〃DO　you　see　Jasper　caught

like　that？〃



〃Well；　he's　only　a　boyhe's　younger　at　least　than　she。〃



〃Precisely；　she　regards　him　as　a　child。　　She　remarked　to　me　herself

today；　that　is；　that　he's　so　much　younger。〃



Mrs。　Nettlepoint　took　this　in。　〃Does　she　talk　of　it　with　you？　　That

shows　she　has　a　plan；　that　she　has　thought　it　over！〃



I've　sufficiently　expressedfor　the　interest　of　my　anecdotethat　I

found　an　oddity　in　one　of　our　young　companions；　but　I　was　far　from

judging　her　capable　of　laying　a　trap　for　the　other。　　Moreover　my

reading　of　Jasper　wasn't　in　the　least　that　he　was　catchablecould　be

made　to　do　a　thing　if　he　didn't　want　to　do　it。　　Of　course　it　wasn't

impossible　that　he　might　be　inclined；　that　he　might　take　itor

already　have　taken　itinto　his　head　to　go　further　with　his　mother's

charge；　but　to　believe　this　I　should　require　still　more　proof　than

his　always　being　with　her。　　He　wanted　at　most　to　〃take　up　with　her〃

for　the　voyage。　〃If　you've　questioned　him　perhaps　you've　tried　to

make　him　feel　responsible；〃　I　said　to　my　fellow　critic。



〃A　little；　but　it's　very　difficult。　　Interference　makes　him　perverse。

One　has　to　go　gently。　　Besides；　it's　too　absurdthink　of　her　age。

If　she　can't　take　care　of　herself！〃　cried　Mrs。　Nettlepoint。



〃Yes；　let　us　keep　thinking　of　her　age；　though　it's　not　so　prodigious。

And　if　things　get　very　bad　you've　one　resource　left；〃　I　added。



She　wondered。　　〃To　lock　her　up　in　her　cabin？〃



〃Noto　come　out　of　yours。〃



〃Ah　never；　never！　　If　it　takes　that　to　save　her　she　must　be　lost。

Besides；　what　good　would　it　do？　　If　I　were　to　go　above　she　could　come

below。〃



〃Yes；　but　you　could　keep　Jasper　with　you。〃



〃COULD　I？〃　Mrs。　Nettlepoint　demanded　in　the　manner　of　a　woman　who

knew　her　son。



In　the　saloon　the　next　day；　after　dinner；　over　the　red　cloth　of　the

tables；　beneath　the　swinging　lamps　and　the　racks　of　tumblers；

decanters　and　wine…glasses；　we　sat　down　to　whist；　Mrs。　Peck；　to

oblige