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！
When Dan came down to breakfast he found the Brinkleys at a pleasant place
by one of the windows； and after they had exchanged a pleased surprise
with him that they should all happen to be in the same hotel； they asked
him to sit at their table。
There was a bright sun shining； and the ache was gone out of Dan's heart。
He began to chatter gaily with Mrs。 Brinkley about Washington。
〃Oh； better come on to Fortress Monroe；〃 said her husband。 〃Better come
on with us。〃
〃No； I can't just yet；〃 said Dan。 〃I've got some business here that will
keep me for awhile。 Perhaps I may run down there a little later。〃
〃Miss Anderson seems to have a good deal of business in Washington too；〃
observed Brinkley； with some hazy notion of saying a pleasant rallying
thing to the young man。 He wondered at the glare his wife gave him。 With
those panned oysters before him he had forgotten all about Dan's love
affair with Miss Pasmer。
Mrs。 Brinkley hastened to make the mention of Miss Anderson as impersonal
as possible。
〃It was so nice to meet her again。 She is such an honest； wholesome
creature； and so bright and full of sense。 She always made me think of
the broad daylight。 I always liked that girl。〃
〃Yes； isn't she jolly？〃 said Dan joyously。 〃She seems to know everybody
here。 It's a great piece of luck for me。 They're going to take a house
in Washington next winter。〃
〃Yes； I know that stage；〃 said Mrs。 Brinkley。 〃Her aunt's an amusingly
New…York respectability。 I don't think you'd find just such Miss Mitford
curls as hers in all Boston。〃
〃Yes； they are like the portraits； aren't they？〃 said Dan； delighted。
〃She's very nice； don't you think？〃
〃Very。 But Miss Anderson is more than that。 I was disposed to be
critical of her at Campobello for a while； but she wore extremely well。
All at once you found yourself admiring her uncommon common…sense。
〃Yes。 That's just it；〃 cried Dan。 〃She is so sensible！〃
〃I think she's very pretty；〃 said Mrs。 Brinkley。〃
〃Well； her nose；〃 suggested Dan。 〃It seems a little capricious。〃
〃It's a trifle bizarre； I suppose。 But what beautiful eyes！ And her
figure！ I declare that girl's carriage is something superb。〃
〃Yes； she has a magnificent walk。〃
〃Walks with her carriage；〃 mused Brinkley aloud。
His wife did not regard him。 〃I don't know what Miss Anderson's
principles are； but her practices are perfect。 I never knew her do an
unkind or shabby thing。 She seems very good and very wise。 And that deep
voice of hers has such a charm。 It's so restful。 You feel as if you
could repose upon it for a thousand years。 Well！ You will get down
before we leave？〃
〃Yes； I will；〃 said Dan。 〃I'm here after a man who's after a patent； and
as soon as I can finish up my business with him I believe I will run down
to Fortress Monroe。〃
〃This eleven…o'clock train will get you there at six；〃 said Brinkley。
〃Better telegraph for your rooms。〃
〃Or； let us know；〃 said Mrs。 Brinkley； 〃and we'll secure them for you。〃
〃Oh； thank you；〃 said Dan。
He went away； feeling that Mrs。 Brinkley was the pleasantest woman he ever
met。 He knew that she had talked Miss Anderson so fully in order to take
away the implication of her husband's joke； and he admired her tact。 He
thought of this as he loitered along the street from Wormley's to the
Arlington； where he was going to find Miss Anderson； by an appointment of
the night before； and take a walk with her； and thinking of tact made him
think of Mrs。 Pasmer。 Mrs。 Pasmer was full of tact； and how kind she had
always been to him！ She had really been like a mother to him； he was sure
she had understood him； he believed she had defended him； with a futility
of which he felt the pathos； he made her defend him now to Alice。 Alice
was very hard and cold； as when he saw her last； her mother's words fell
upon her as upon a stone； even Mrs。 Pasmer's tears； which Dan made her
shed； had no effect upon the haughty girl。 Not that he cared now。
The blizzard of the previous days had whirled away； the sunshine lay
still； with a warm glisten and sparkle； on the asphalt which seemed to
bask in it； and which it softened to the foot。 He loitered by the gate of
the little park or plantation where the statue of General Jackson is
riding a cock…horse to Banbury Cross； and looked over at the French…
Italian classicism of the White House architecture with a pensive joy at
finding pleasure in it； and then he went on to the Arlington。
Miss Anderson was waiting for him in the parlour； and they went a long
walk up the avenues and across half the alphabet in the streets； and
through the pretty squares and circles； where the statues were sometimes
beautiful and always picturesque； and the sparrows made a vernal chirping
in the naked trees and on the green grass。 In two or three they sat down
on the iron benches and rested。
They talked and talkedabout the people they knew； and of whom they found
that they thought surprisingly alike； and about themselves； whom they
found surprisingly alike in a great many things； and then surprisingly
unlike。 Dan brought forward some points of identity which he； and Alice
had found in themselves； it was just the same with Miss Anderson。 She
found herself rather warm with the seal…skin sacque she had put on； she
let him carry it on his arm while they walked； and then lay it over her
shoulders when they sat down。 He felt a pang of self…reproach； as if he
had been inconstant to Alice。 This was an old habit of feeling； formed
during the months of their engagement； when； at her inspiration； he was
always bringing himself to book about something。 He replied to her
bitterly； in the colloquy which began to hold itself in his mind； and told
her that she had no claim upon him now； that if his thoughts wandered from
her it was her fault； not his； that she herself had set them free。 But in
fact he was like all young men； with a thousand； potentialities of loving。
There was no aspect of beauty that did not tenderly move him； he could not
help a soft thrill at the sight of any pretty shape； the sound of any
piquant voice； and Alice had merely been the synthesis of all that was
most charming to this fancy。 This is a truth which it is the convention
of the poets and the novelists to deny； but it is also true that she might
have remained the sum of all that was loveliest if she would； or if she
could。
It was chiefly because she would not or could not that his glance
recognised the charm of Miss Anderson's back hair； both in its straying
gossamer and in the loose mass in which it was caught up under her hat；
when he laid her sacque on her shoulders。 They met that afternoon at a
Senator's； and in the house of a distinguished citizen； to whose wife Dan
had been presented at Mrs。 Whittington's； and who had somehow got his
address； and sent him a card for her evening。 They encountered here with
a jocose old friendliness； and a profession of being tired of always
meeting Miss Anderson and Mr。 Mavering。 He brought her salad and ice； and
they made an appointment for another walk in the morning； if it was fine。
He carried her some flowers。 A