第61章

Apennyforyourthoughts。

What？repliedGertywithasmilereinforcedbythewhitestofteeth。

Iwasonlywonderingwasitlate。

Becauseshewishedtogoodnessthey’dtakethesnottynosedtwinsandtheirbabyhometothemischiefoutofthatsothatwaswhyshejustgaveagentlehintaboutitsbeinglate。AndwhenCissycameupEdyaskedherthetimeandMissCissy，asglibasyoulike，saiditwashalfpastkissingtime，timetokissagain。ButEdywantedtoknowbecausetheyweretoldtobeinearly。

Wait，saidCissy，I’llaskmyunclePeterovertherewhat’sthetimebyhisconundrum。

Soovershewentandwhenhesawhercomingshecouldseehimtakehishandoutofhispocket，gettingnervous，andbeginningtoplaywithhiswatchchain，lookingatthechurch。PassionatenaturethoughhewasGertycouldseethathehadenormouscontroloverhimself。Onemomenthehadbeenthere，fascinatedbyalovelinessthatmadehimgaze，andthenextmomentitwasthequietgravefacedgentleman，selfcontrolexpressedineverylineofhisdistinguishedlookingfigure。

CissysaidtoexcuseherwouldhemindtellingherwhatwastherighttimeandGertycouldseehimtakingouthiswatch，listeningtoitandlookingupandclearinghisthroatandhesaidhewasverysorryhiswatchwasstoppedbuthethoughtitmustbeaftereightbecausethesunwasset。

Hisvoicehadaculturedringinitandthoughhespokeinmeasuredaccentstherewasasuspicionofaquiverinthemellowtones。Cissysaidthanksandcamebackwithhertongueoutandsaidunclesaidhiswaterworkswereoutoforder。

ThentheysangthesecondverseoftheTantumergoandCanonO’HanlongotupagainandcensedtheBlessedSacramentandkneltdownandhetoldFatherConroythatoneofthecandleswasjustgoingtosetfiretotheflowersandFatherConroygotupandsettleditallrightandshecouldseethegentlemanwindinghiswatchandlisteningtotheworksandsheswungherlegmoreinandoutintime。Itwasgettingdarkerbuthecouldseeandhewaslookingallthetimethathewaswindingthewatchorwhateverhewasdoingtoitandthenheputitbackandputhishandsbackintohispockets。ShefeltaKindofasensationrushingalloverherandsheknewbythefeelofherscalpandthatirritationagainstherstaysthatthatthingmustbecomingonbecausethelasttimetoowaswhensheclippedherhaironaccountofthemoon。Hisdarkeyesfixedthemselvesonheragaindrinkinginhereverycontour，literallyworshippingathershrine。Ifevertherewasundisguisedadmirationinaman’spassionategazeitwasthereplaintobeseenonthatman’sface。Itisforyou，GertrudeMacDowell，andyouknowit。

EdybegantogetreadytogoanditwashightimeforherandGertynoticedthatthatlittlehintshegavehadthedesiredeffectbecauseitwasalongwayalongthestrandtowheretherewastheplacetopushupthepushcarandCissytookoffthetwins’capsandtidiedtheirhairtomakeherselfattractiveofcourseandCanonO’HanlonstoodupwithhiscopepokingupathisneckandFatherConroyhandedhimthecardtoreadoffandhereadoutPanemdecloprstitistieisandEdyandCissyweretalkingaboutthetimeallthetimeandaskingherbutGertycouldpaythembackintheirowncoinandshejustansweredwithscathingpolitenesswhenEdyaskedherwassheheartbrokenaboutherbestboythrowingherover。Gertywincedsharply。Abriefcoldblazeshonefromhereyesthatspokevolumesofscornimmeasurable。Ithurt。Oyes，itcutdeepbecauseEdyhadherownquietwayofsayingthingslikethatsheknewwouldwoundliketheconfoundedlittlecatshewas。Gerty’slipspartedswiftlytoframethewordbutshefoughtbackthesobthatrosetoherthroat，soslim，soflawless，sobeautifullymouldeditseemedoneanartistmighthavedreamedof。Shehadlovedhimbetterthanheknew。Lighthearteddeceiverandficklelikeallhissexhewouldneverunderstandwhathehadmeanttoherandforaninstanttherewasintheblueeyesaquickstingingoftears。Theireyeswereprobinghermercilesslybutwithabraveeffortshesparkledbackinsympathyassheglancedathernewconquestforthemtosee。

O，respondedGerty，quickaslightning，laughing，andtheproudheadflashedup，IcanthrowmycapatwhoIlikebecauseit’