下载辰思小说免费APP
AweekorsoaftertheelectionIreceivedaletterfromGeorgeHutchinsaskingmetocometoElkington.Ishallnotenterintothedetailsofthelegalmatterinvolved.ManytimesthatwinterIwasaguestattheyellow-brickhouse,andIhavetoconfess,asspringcameon,thatImadeseveraltripstoElkingtonwhichbusinessnecessitydidnotabsolutelydemand.
IconsideredMaudeHutchins,andfoundtheconsiderationratheradelightfulprocess.Asbecameaneligibleandsuccessfulyoungman,I
wascarefulnottobetraytoomuchinterest;andIoccupiedmyselfatfirstwithareviewofwhatIdeemedhershortcomings.NotthatIwasthinkingofmarriage——butIhadimaginedthefutureMrs.Paretastall;
Maudewasuptomychin:again,thehairofthefortunateladywastobedark,andMaude\'swasgoldenred:myidealhadesprit,lightnessoftouch,thefacultyofseizingjusttheaspectofasubjectthatdelightedme,andaknowledgeoftheworld;Maudewassimple,direct,andinawordprovincial.Herprovinciality,however,wasnegativeratherthanpositive,shehadnodisagreeablemannerisms,hervoicewasnotnasal;
herplasticityappealedtome.IsupposeIwaslostwithoutknowingitwhenIbegantothinkofmouldingher.
Allofthiswentonatfrequentintervalsduringthewinter,andwhileI
wasorganizingtheElkingtonPowerandTractionCompanyforGeorgeI
foundtimetodineandsupatMaude\'shouse,andtotakewalkswithher.
IthoughtIdetectedanincensedeliciouslysweet;bynomeansoverpowering,likethelily\'s,butmoreliketheshyfragranceofthewoodflower.Irecallherkindwelcomes,thefaintdeepeningofcolourinhercheekswhenshegreetedme,andwhileIsuspectedthatshelookeduptomeshehadasurprisingandtantalizingself-command.
TherecamemomentswhenIgrewslightlyalarmed,as,forinstance,oneSundayintheearlyspringwhenIwasdiningattheEzraHutchins\'shouseandsurprisedMrs.Hutchins\'sglanceonme,suspectingherofseekingtodivinewhatmannerofmanIwas.Ibecameself-conscious;IdarednotlookatMaude,whosatacrossthetable;thereafterIbegantofeelthattheHutchinsconnectionregardedmeasasuitor.IhadgrownintimatewithGeorgeandhiswife,whodidnotrefrainfromslyallusions;andGeorgehimselfonceremarked,withcharacteristictact,thatIwasmostconscientiousinmyattentiontothetractionaffair;IhavereasontobelievetheywereevenlessdelicatewithMaude.Thiswasthelogicaltimetowithdraw——butIdallied.Theexperiencewasbecomingmoreengrossing,——ifImaysodescribeit,——andspringwasapproaching.Thestarsintheircourseswereconspiring.Iwasbynomeansasyetaself-
acknowledgedwooer,andwediscussedloveinitslighterphasesthroughthemediumofliterature.Heavenforgivemeforcallingitso!Aboutthatperiod,itwillberemembered,amushroomgrowthofvolumesofacertainkindsprangintoexistence;littlebookswith"artistic"bindingsandwidemargins,sweetenedessays,someofthemwritteninbeautifulEnglishbydilettanteauthorsfordrawing-roomconsumption;andcollectionsofshortstories,nodoubtchieflyboughtbyphilandererslikemyself,whowerethusenabledtoskateonthiniceoverdeepwater.
Itwasamostdelightfulrelationshipthatthesehelpedtosupport,andI
fondlybelievedIcouldreachshoreagainwheneverIchose.
TherecameaSundayinearlyMay,oneofthosedayswhenthefeminineassumesalargeimportance.IhadbeentotheHutchinses\'church;andMaude,asshesatandprayeddecorouslyinthepewbesideme,suddenlyincreasedinattractivenessanddesirability.Hervoicewasverysweet,andIfeltadeliciousandlanguorousthrillwhichIidentifiednotonlywithlove,butalsowitharevivingspirituality.Howoftenthetwoseemtogohandinhand!
Sheworeadressofafilmymaterial,mauve,withadesigningoldthreadrunningthroughit.Oflate,itseemed,shehadhadmorenewdresses:
andtheirmodesseemedmorecosmopolitan;atleasttothemasculineeye.
Howdelicatelyherhairgrew,inlittle,shiningwisps,aroundherwhiteneck!Icouldhavereachedoutmyhandandtouchedher.Anditwasthisdesire,——althoughbynomeansoverwhelming,——thatstartledme.DidI
reallywanther?Theconsiderationofthisvitalquestionoccupiedthewholetimeofthesermon;mademedistraitatdinner,——alargefamilygathering.LaterIfoundmyselfalonewithheronabenchintheHutchinses\'gardenwherewehadwalkedthedayofmyarrival,duringthecampaign.
Thegardenswereverydifferent,now.Thetreeshadburstforthagainintoleaf,thespiraeabushesseemedweighteddownwithsnow,andwithanotelikethatofthequiveringbassstringofa\'cellothebeeshummedamongthefruitblossoms.AndtherebesidemeinherfilmydresswasMaude,apartofitall——themeaningofallthatsetmybeingclamouring.
Shewaslikesomeripened,deliciousflowerreadytobepickedOneofthosepernicious,make-believevolumeshadfallenonthebenchbetweenus,forIcouldnotreadanymore;Icouldnotthink;Itouchedherhand,andwhenshedrewitgentlyawayIglancedather.Reasonmadeavaliantbuthopelessefforttoassertitself.WasIsurethatIwantedher——forlife?Nouse!Iwantedhernow,nomatterwhatpricethatfuturemightdemand.Anawkwardsilencefellbetweenus——awkwardtome,atleast——andI,herguideandmentor,becamebanal,apologetic,confused.ImadesomeidioticremarkaboutbeingtogetherintheGardenofEden.
"IrememberMr.DoddridgesayinginBibleclassthatitwassupp
