第15章

alone!Thecontiguousforestcouldnotbeboltedout,andtheIndianwifeheardall.Recognizingthesituationwithaboriginaldirectnessofpurpose,shecommittedsuicideinthefondbeliefthatitwouldreunitethesurvivors.Butinvain;thecousinspartedonthespottomeetnomore.

EvenMrs.Ashwood\'spredilectionfortheyouthfulwritercouldnotoverlookthefactthatthedenouementwasbynomeansnovelnorthesituationhuman,butyetitwasherethatshewasmostinterestedandfascinated.ThedescriptionoftheforestwasadescriptionofthewoodwhereshehadfirstmetHarcourt;thecharmofitreturned,untilshealmostseemedtoagaininhaleitsbalsamicfreshnessinthepagesbeforeher.Now,asthen,heryouthcamebackwiththesamelongingandregret.Butmorebewilderingthanall,itwasherselfthatmovedthere,paintedwiththelovinghandofthenarrator.Forthefirsttimesheexperiencedthedeliciousflatteryofseeingherselfasonlyalovercouldseeher.Thesmallestdetailofhercostumewassuggestedwithanaccuracythatpleasantlythrilledherfemininesense.Thegraceofherfigureslowlymovingthroughtheshadow,thecurvesofherarmandthedelicacyofherhandthatheldthebridlerein,thegentleglowofhersoftlyroundedcheek,thesweetmysteryofherveiledeyesandforehead,andtheescapinggoldofherlovelyhairbeneathherhatwereallinturnmasterfullytouchedortenderlysuggested.Andwhentothiswasaddedthefaintperfumeofhernearerpresence——

thescentshealwaysused——thedelicaterevelationsofherwithdrawngauntlet,thebraceletclaspingherwhitewrist,andatlastthethrillingcontactofhersofthandonhisarm,——sheputdownthemanuscriptandblushedlikeaverygirl.Thenshestarted.

Ashout!——HISvoicesurely!——andthesoundofoarsintheirrowlocks.

Aninstantrevulsionoffeelingovertookher.Withaquickmovementsheinstantlyhidthemanuscriptbeneathhercloakandstooduperectandindignant.Nottwentyyardsaway,apparentlyadvancingfromtheoppositeshoreofthebay,wasaboat.ItcontainedonlyJohnMilton,restingonhisoarsandscanningthegroupofrocksanxiously.Hisface,whichwasquitestrainedwithanxiety,suddenlyflushedwhenhesawher,andthenrecognizingtheunmistakablesignificanceofherlookandattitude,paledoncemore.Hebentoverhisoarsagain;afewstrokesbroughthimclosetotherock.

"Ibegyourpardon,"hesaidhesitatingly,asheturnedtowardsherandlaidasidehisoars,"but——Ithought——youwere——indanger."

Sheglancedquicklyroundher.Shehadforgottenthetide!Theledgebetweenherandtheshorewasalreadyafootunderbrownsea-

water.Yetifshehadnotthoughtthatitwouldlookridiculous,shewouldhaveleapeddowneventhenandwadedashore.

"It\'snothing,"shesaidcoldly,withtheairofonetowhomthesituationwasaneverydayoccurrence;"it\'sonlyafewstepsandaslightwetting——andmybrotherwouldhavebeenhereinamomentmore."

JohnMilton\'sfrankeyesmadenosecretofhismortification."I

oughtnottohavedisturbedyou,Iknow,"hesaidquickly,"Ihadnoright.ButIwasontheothershoreoppositeandIsawyoucomedownhere——thatis"——heblushedprodigiously——"IthoughtitMIGHT

BEyou——andIventured——Imean——won\'tyouletmerowyouashore?"

Thereseemedtobenoreasonableexcuseforrefusing.Sheslippedquicklyintotheboatwithoutwaitingforhishelpinghand,avoidingthatcontactwhichonlyamomentagoshewastryingtorecall.

Afewstrokesbroughtthemashore.Hecontinuedhisexplanationwiththehopelessfranknessandpersistencyofyouthandinexperience."Ionlycameherethedaybeforeyesterday.Iwouldnothavecome,butMr.Fletcher,whohasacottageontheothershore,sentformetooffermemyoldplaceonthe\'Clarion.\'I

hadnoideaofintrudinguponyourprivacybycallingherewithoutpermission."

Mrs.Ashwoodhadresumedherconventionalcourtesywithouthoweverlosingherfemininedesiretomakehercompanionpayfortheagitationhehadcausedher."Wewouldhavebeenalwayspleasedtoseeyou,"shesaidvaguely,"andIhope,asyouareherenow,youwillcomewithmetothehotel.Mybrother"——

Buthestillretainedhisholdoftheboat-ropewithoutmoving,andcontinued,"Isawyouyesterday,throughthetelescope,sittinginyourbalcony;andlateratnightIthinkitwasyourshadowIsawneartheblueshadedlampinthesitting-roombythewindow,——I

don\'tmeantheREDLAMPthatyouhaveinyourownroom.Iwatchedyouuntilyouputoutthebluelampandlittheredone.Itellyouthis——because——because——IthoughtyoumightbereadingamanuscriptIsentyou.Atleast,"hesmiledfaintly,"ILIKEDtothinkitso."

Inherpresentmoodthisstruckheronlyaspersistentandsomewhategotistical.Butshefeltherselfnowongroundwhereshecoulddealfirmlywithhim.

"Oh,yes,"shesaidgravely."Igotitandthankyouverymuchforit.Iintendedtowritetoyou."

"Don\'t,"hesaid,lookingatherfixedly."Icanseeyoudon\'tlikeit."

"Onthecontrary,"shesaidpromptly,"Ithinkitbeautifullywritten,andveryingeniousinplotandsituation.Ofcourseitisn\'tthestoryItoldyou——Ididn\'texpectthat,forI\'mnotagenius.Themanisnotatalllikemycousin,youknow,andthewoman——wellreally,totellthetruth,SHEissimplyinconceivable!"

"Youthinkso?"hesaidgravely.Hehadbeengazingabstractedlyatsomeshiningbrownseaweedinthewater,andwhenheraisedhiseyestoherstheyseemedtohavecaughtitscolor.

"Thinkso?I\'mpositive!There\'snosuchawoman;sheisn\'tHUMAN.Butletuswalktothehotel."

"Thankyou,butImustgobacknow."

"Butatleastletmybrotherthankyoufortakinghisplace——inrescuingme.ItwassothoughtfulinyoutoputoffatoncewhenyousawIwassurrounded.Imighthavebeeningreatdanger."

"Pleasedon\'tmakefunofme,Mrs.Ashwood,"hesaidwithafaintreturnofhisboyishsmile."Youknowtherewasnodanger.Ihaveonlyinterruptedyouinanaporareverie——andIcanseenowthatyouevidentlycameheretobealone."

Holdingthemanuscriptmorecloselyhiddenunderthefoldsofhercloak,shesmiledenigmatically."IthinkIDID,anditseemsthatthetidethoughtsotoo,andacteduponit.Butyouwillcomeuptothehotelwithme,surely?"

"No,Iamgoingbacknow."Therewasasuddenfirmnessabouttheyoungfellowwhichshehadneverbeforenoticed.Thiswasevidentlythecreaturewhohadmarriedinspiteofhisfamily.

"Won\'tyoucomebacklongenoughtotakeyourmanuscript?IwillpointoutthepartIreferto,and——wewilltalkitover."

"Thereisnonecessity.Iwrotetoyouthatyoumightkeepit;itisyours;itwaswrittenforyouandnoneother.Itisquiteenoughformetoknowthatyouweregoodenoughtoreadit.Butwillyoudoonethingmoreforme?Readitagain!Ifyoufindanythinginitthesecondtimetochangeyourviews——ifyoufind"——

"Iwillletyouknow,"shesaidquickly."IwillwritetoyouasI

intended."

"No,Ididn\'tmeanthat.Imeantthatifyoufoundthewomanlessinconceivableandmorehuman,don\'twritetome,butputyourredlampinyourwindowinsteadoftheblueone.Iwillwatchforitandseeit."

"IthinkIwillbeabletoexplainmyselfmuchbetterwithsimplepenandink,"shesaiddryly,"anditwillbemuchmoreusefultoyou."

Heliftedhishatgravely,shovedofftheboat,leapedintoit,andbeforeshecouldholdoutherhandwastwentyfeetaway.Sheturnedandranquicklyuptherocks.Whenshereachedthehotel,shecouldseetheboatalreadyhalfacrossthebay.

Enteringhersitting-roomshefoundthatherbrother,tiredofwaitingforher,haddrivenout.Takingthehiddenmanuscriptfromhercloakshetosseditwithaslightgestureofimpatienceonthetable.Thenshesummonedthelandlord.

"Isthereatownacrossthebay?"

"No!thewholemountain-sidebelongstoDonDiegoFletcher.HelivesawaybackinthecoastrangeatLosGatos,buthehasacottageandmillonthebeach."

"DonDiegoFletcher——Fletcher!IsheaSpaniardthen?"

"Halfandhalf,Ireckon;he\'sfromthelowercountry,Ibelieve."

"Ishehereoften?"

"Notmuch;hehasmillsatLosGatos,wheatranchesatSantaClara,andownsanewspaperin\'Frisco!Buthe\'sherenow.Therewerelightsinhishouselastnight,andhiscutterliesoffthepoint."

"Couldyougetasmallpackageandnotetohim?"

"Certainly;itisonlyarowacrossthebay."

"Thankyou."

WithoutremovingherhatandcloakshesatdownatthetableandbeganalettertoDonDiegoFletcher.Shebeggedtoinclosetohimamanuscriptwhichshewassatisfied,fortheinterestsofitsauthor,wasbetterinhishandsthanhers.Ithadbeengiventoherbytheauthor,Mr.J.M.Harcourt,whomsheunderstoodwasengagedonMr.Fletcher\'spaper,the"Clarion."Infact,ithadbeenwrittenatHERsuggestion,andfromanincidentinreallifeofwhichshewascognizant.ShewassorrytosaythatonaccountofsomeveryfoolishcriticismofherownastotheFACTS,thetalentedyoungauthorhadbecomesodissatisfiedwithitastomakeitpossiblethat,iflefttohimself,thisverycharmingandbeautifullywrittenstorywouldremainunpublished.AsanadmirerofMr.Harcourt\'sgenius,andafriendofhisfamily,shefeltthatsuchaneventwouldbedeplorable,andshethereforebeggedtoleaveittoMr.Fletcher\'sdelicacyandtacttoarrangewiththeauthorforitspublication.SheknewthatMr.Fletcherhadonlytoreadittobeconvincedofitsremarkableliterarymerit,andsheagainwouldimpressuponhimthefactthatherplayfulandthoughtlesscriticism——whichwaspersonalandconfidential——wasonlybaseduponthecircumstancesthattheauthorhadreallymadeamorebeautifulandtouchingstorythanthepoorfactswhichshehadfurnishedseemedtowarrant.ShehadonlyjustlearnedthefortunatecircumstancethatMr.Fletcherwasintheneighborhoodofthehotelwhereshewasstayingwithherbrother.

Withthesamepractical,business-likedirectness,butperhapsacertainunbusiness-likehastesuperadded,sherolledupthemanuscriptanddispatcheditwiththeletter.

Thisdone,however,aslightreactionsetin,andhavingtakenoffherhatandshawl,shedroppedlistlesslyonachairbythewindow,butassuddenlyroseandtookaseatinthedarkerpartoftheroom.Shefeltthatshehaddoneright,thathighestbutmostdepressingofhumanconvictions!Itwasentirelyforhisgood.

Therewasnoreasonwhyhisbestinterestsshouldsufferforhisfolly.Ifanybodywastosufferitwasshe.Butwhatnonsensewasshethinking!Shewouldwritetohimlaterwhenshewasalittlecooler,——asshehadsaid.Butthenhehaddistinctlytoldher,andveryrudelytoo,thathedidn\'twanthertowrite.WantedhertomakeSIGNALStohim,——theidiot!andprobablywasevennowwatchingherwithatelescope.Itwasreallytoopreposterous!

Theresultwasthatherbrotherfoundheronhisreturninasomewhatuncertainmood,and,asacounselor,variableandconflictinginjudgment.IfthisClementina,whoseemedtohavethefamilyqualitiesofobstinacyandaudacity,reallycaredforhim,shecertainlywouldn\'tletdelicacystandinthewayoflettinghimknowit——andhewasthereforesafetowaitalittle.Afewmomentslater,shelanguidlydeclaredthatshewasafraidthatshewasnocounselorinsuchmatters;reallyshewasgettingtoooldtotakeanyinterestinthatsortofthing,andsheneverhadbeenamatchmaker!Bythewaynow,wasn\'titoddthatthisneighbor,thatrichcapitalistacrossthebay,shouldbecalledFletcher,and"JamesFletcher"too,forDiegomeant"James"inSpanish.Exactlythesamenameaspoor"CousinJim"whodisappeared.DidherememberheroldplaymateJim?Butherbrotherthoughtsomethingelsewasadeucedsightmoreodd,namely,thatthissameDonDiegoFletcherwassaidtobeverysweetonClementinanow,andwasalwaysinhercompanyattheRamirez.Andthat,withthis"Clarion"apologyonthetopofit,lookedinfernallyqueer.

Mrs.Ashwoodfeltasuddenconsternation.Herehadshe——Jack\'ssister——justbeentakingJack\'sprobablerivalintoconfidentialcorrespondence!SheturneduponJacksharply:——

"Whydidn\'tyousaythatbefore?"

"Ididtellyou,"hesaidgloomily,"butyoudidn\'tlisten.Butwhatdifferencedoesitmaketoyounow?"

"Nonewhatever,"saidMrs.Ashwoodcalmlyasshewalkedoutoftheroom.

Neverthelesstheafternoonpassedwearily,andherusualrideintotheuplandcanyondidnotreanimateher.Forreasonsknownbesttoherselfshedidnottakeherafter-dinnerstrollalongtheshoretowatchtheoutlyingfog.Atacomparativelyearlyhour,whiletherewasstillaroseateglowinthewesternsky,sheappearedwithgrimdeliberation,andthebluelamp-shadeinherhand,andplaceditoverthelampwhichshelitandstoodonhertablebesidethewindow.Thisdoneshesatdownandbegantowritewithbright-eyedbutviciouscomplacency.

"Butyoudon\'twantthatlightANDthewindow,Constance,"saidJackwonderingly.

Mrs.Ashwoodcouldnotstandthedreadfultwilight.

"Buttakeawayyourlampandyou\'llhavelightenoughfromthesunset,"respondedJack.

Thatwasjustwhatshedidn\'twant!Thelightfromthewindowwasthathorridvulgarredglowwhichshehated.ItmightbeveryromanticandsuitloverslikeJack,butasSHEhadsomeworktodo,shewantedtheblueshadeofthelamptocorrectthatdreadfulglare.

CHAPTERXII.

JohnMiltonhadrowedbackwithoutliftinghiseyestoMrs.

Ashwood\'srecedingfigure.Hebelievedthathewasrightindecliningherinvitation,althoughhehadamiserablefeelingthatitentailedseeingherforthelasttime.Withallthathebelievedwashispreviousexperienceoftheaffections,hewasstillsountutoredastobeconfusedastohisreasonsfordeclining,orhisrighttohavebeenshockedanddisappointedathermanner.Itseemedtohimsufficientlyplainthathehadoffendedthemostperfectwomanhehadeverknownwithoutknowingmore.Thefeelinghehadforherwasnonethelesspowerfulbecause,inhisgreatsimplicity,itwasvagueandunformulated.

Anditwasapartofthisstrangesimplicitythatinhismiserablelonelinesshisthoughtsturnedunconsciouslytohisdeadwifeforsympathyandconsolation.Loowouldhaveunderstoodhim!

Mr.Fletcher,whohadreceivedhimonhisarrivalwithsingulareffusivenessandcordiality,hadputofftheirfinalarrangementsuntilafterdinner,onaccountofpressingbusiness.ItwasthereforewithsomesurprisethatanhourbeforethetimehewassummonedtoFletcher\'sroom.Hewasstillmoresurprisedtofindhimsittingathisdesk,fromwhichanumberofbusinesspapersandlettershadbeenhurriedlythrustasidetomakewayforamanuscript.

AsingleglanceatitwasenoughtoshowtheunhappyJohnMiltonthatitwastheonehehadsenttoMrs.Ashwood.Thecolorflashedtohischeekandhefeltamistbeforehiseyes.Hisemployer\'sface,onthecontrary,wasquitepale,andhiseyeswerefixedonHarcourtwithasingularintensity.Hisvoicetoo,althoughundergreatcontrol,washardandstrange.

"Readthat,"hesaid,handingtheyoungmanaletter.

ThecoloragainstreamedintoJohnMilton\'sfaceasherecognizedthehandofMrs.Ashwood,andremainedtherewhilehereadit.

Whenheputitdown,however,heraisedhisfrankeyestoFletcher\'s,andsaidwithacertaindignityandmanliness:"Whatshesaysisthetruth,sir.ButitisIalonewhoamatfault.

ThismanuscriptismerelyMYstupidideaofaverysimplestoryshewasoncekindenoughtotellmewhenweweretalkingofstrangeoccurrencesinreallife,whichshethoughtImightsometimemakeuseofinmywork.Itriedtoembellishit,andfailed.That\'sall.Iwilltakeitback,——itwaswrittenonlyforher."

Therewassuchanirresistibletruthfulnessandsincerityinhisvoiceandmanner,thatanyideaofcomplicitywiththesenderwasdismissedfromFletcher\'smind.AsHarcourt,however,extendedhishandforthemanuscriptFletcherinterfered.

"Youforgetthatyougaveittoher,andshehassentittome.IfIdon\'tkeepit,itcanbereturnedtoheronly.NowmayIaskwhoisthisladywhotakessuchaninterestinyourliterarycareer?

Haveyouknownherlong?Issheafriendofyourfamily?"

Theslightsneerthataccompaniedhisquestionrestoredthenaturalcolortotheyoungman\'sface,butkindledhiseyeominously.

"No,"hesaidbriefly."ImetheraccidentallyabouttwomonthsagoandasaccidentallyfoundoutthatshehadtakenaninterestinoneofthefirstthingsIeverwroteforyourpaper.Sheneitherknewyounorme.Itwasthenthatshetoldmethisstory;shedidnoteventhenknowwhoIwas,thoughshehadmetsomeofmyfamily.

Shewasverygoodandhasgenerouslytriedtohelpme."

Fletcher\'seyesremainedfixeduponhim.

"ButthistellsmeonlyWHATsheis,notWHOsheis."

"Iamafraidyoumustinquireofherbrother,Mr.Shipley,"saidHarcourtcurtly.

"Shipley?"

"Yes;heistravelingwithherforhishealth,andtheyaregoingsouthwhentherainscome.TheyarewealthyPhiladelphians,I

believe,and——andsheisawidow."

Fletcherpickeduphernoteandglancedagainatthesignature,"ConstanceAshwood."Therewasamomentofsilence,whenheresumedinquiteadifferentvoice:"It\'soddInevermetthemnortheyme."

Asheseemedtobewaitingforaresponse,JohnMiltonsaidsimply:

"Isupposeit\'sbecausetheyhavenotbeenherelong,andaresomewhatreserved."