第59章

Foraninstantshewassilentwithrathersaddowncasteyes。Shewasabouttoretortbutsomethingcheckedthewordsonhertongue。Inclinationpromptedhertospeakout：dignitytoldhertobesilent。TheprettylipspoutedawhilebutthensheglancedupandbrokeoutintoajoyouslittlelaughwhichhadinitallthefreshnessofayoungMaymorning。Sheknewrightwell，no-onebetter，whatmadesquintyEdysaythatbecauseofhimcoolinginhisattentionswhenitwassimplyalovers’quarrel。Asperusualsomebody’snosewasoutofjointabouttheboythathadthebicyclealwaysridingupanddowninfrontofherwindow。OnlynowhisfatherkepthimintheeveningsstudyinghardtogetanexhibitionintheintermediatethatwasonandhewasgoingtoTrinitycollegetostudyforadoctorwhenheleftthehighschoollikehisbrotherW。E。WyliewhowasracinginthebicycleracesinTrinitycollegeuniversity。Littlereckedheperhapsforwhatshefelt，thatdullachingvoidinherheartsometimes，piercingtothecore。Yethewasyoungandperchancehemightlearntoloveherintime。TheywereprotestantsinhisfamilyandofcourseGertyknewWhocamefirstandafterHimtheblessedVirginandthenSaintJoseph。Buthewasundeniablyhandsomewithanexquisitenoseandhewaswhathelooked，everyinchagentleman，theshapeofhisheadtooatthebackwithouthiscaponthatshewouldknowanywheresomethingoffthecommonandthewayheturnedthebicycleatthelampwithhishandsoffthebarsandalsotheniceperfumeofthosegoodcigarettesandbesidestheywerebothofasizeandthatwaswhyEdyBoardmanthoughtshewassofrightfullycleverbecausehedidn’tgoandrideupanddowninfrontofherbitofagarden。

GertywasdressedsimplybutwiththeinstinctivetasteofavotaryofDameFashionforshefeltthattherewasjustamightthathemightbeout。Aneatblouseofelectricblue，selftintedbydollydyes(becauseitwasexpectedintheLady’sPictorialthatelectricbluewouldbeworn)，withasmartveeopeningdowntothedivisionandkerchiefpocket(inwhichshealwayskeptapieceofcottonwoolscentedwithherfavouriteperfumebecausethehandkerchiefspoiledthesit)andanavythreequarterskirtcuttothestrideshowedoffherslimgracefulfiguretoperfection。

Sheworeacoquettishlittleloveofahatofwideleavedniggerstrawcontrasttrimmedwithanunderbrimofeggbluechenilleandatthesideabutterflybowtotone。AllTuesdayweekafternoonshewashuntingtomatchthatchenillebutatlastshefoundwhatshewantedatClery’ssummersales，theveryit，slightlyshopsoiledbutyouwouldnevernotice，sevenfingerstwoandapenny。Shediditupallbyherselfandwhatjoywasherswhenshetrieditonthen，smilingatthelovelyreflectionwhichthemirrorgavebacktoher！Andwhensheputitonthewaterjugtokeeptheshapesheknewthatthatwouldtaketheshineoutofsomepeoplesheknew。Hershoeswerethenewestthinginfootwear(EdyBoardmanpridedherselfthatshewasverypetitebutsheneverhadafootlikeGertyMacDowell，afive，andneverwouldash，oakorelm)withpatenttoecapsandjustonesmartbuckleatherhigharchedinstep。Herwellturnedankledisplayeditsperfectproportionsbeneathherskirtandjusttheproperamountandnomoreofhershapelylimbsencasedinfinespunhosewithhighsplicedheelsandwidegartertops。AsforundiestheywereGerty’schiefcareandwhothatknowstheflutteringhopesandfearsofsweetseventeen(thoughGertywouldneverseeseventeenagain)canfinditinhishearttoblameher？Shehadfourdinkysets，withawfullyprettystitchery，threegarmentsandnightiesextra，andeachsetslottedwithdifferentcolouredribbons，rosepink，paleblue，mauveandpeagreenandsheairedthemherselfandbluedthemwhentheycamehomefromthewashandironedthemandshehadabrickbattokeeptheirononbecauseshewouldn’ttrustthosewasherwomenasfarasshe’dseethemscorchingthethings。Shewaswearingtheblueforluck，hopingagainsthope，herowncolourandtheluckycolourtooforabridetohaveabitofbluesomewhereonherbecausethegreensheworethatdayweekbroughtgriefbecausehisfatherbroughthimintostudyfortheintermediateexhibitionandbecauseshethoughtperhapshemightbeoutbecausewhenshewasdressingthatmorningshenearlyslippeduptheoldpaironherinsideoutandthatwasforluckandlovers’meetingsifyouputthosethingsoninsideoutsolongasitwasn’tofaFriday。

Andyetandyet！Thatstrainedlookonherface！Agnawingsorrowisthereallthetime。Herverysoulisinhereyesandshewouldgiveworld