下载辰思小说免费APP
“Intolerable……Theywantmetobeapeerandaprivycouncillor。
I’vecomeoutherepartlyinordertosettlethematter。It’sgottobesettled。EitherImustgotothebar，orImuststayoninCambridge。
Ofcourse，thereareobviousdrawbackstoeach，buttheargumentscertainlydoseemtomeinfavourofCambridge。Thiskindofthing！“
hewavedhishandatthecrowdedballroom。“Repulsive。I’mconsciousofgreatpowersofaffectiontoo。I’mnotsusceptible，ofcourse，inthewayHewetis。I’mveryfondofafewpeople。Ithink，forexample，thatthere’ssomethingtobesaidformymother，thoughsheisinmanywayssodeplorable……AtCambridge，ofcourse，Ishouldinevitablybecomethemostimportantmanintheplace，butthereareotherreasonswhyIdreadCambridge——“
heceased。
“Areyoufindingmeadreadfulbore？“heasked。Hechangedcuriouslyfromafriendconfidinginafriendtoaconventionalyoungmanataparty。
“Notintheleast，“saidHelen。“Ilikeitverymuch。“
“Youcan’tthink，“heexclaimed，speakingalmostwithemotion，“whatadifferenceitmakesfindingsomeonetotalkto！
DirectlyIsawyouIfeltyoumightpossiblyunderstandme。
I’mveryfondofHewet，buthehasn’ttheremotestideawhatI’mlike。
You’retheonlywomanI’veevermetwhoseemstohavethefaintestconceptionofwhatImeanwhenIsayathing。“
Thenextdancewasbeginning；itwastheBarcarolleoutofHoffman，whichmadeHelenbeathertoeintimetoit；butshefeltthataftersuchacomplimentitwasimpossibletogetupandgo，and，besidesbeingamused，shewasreallyflattered，andthehonestyofhisconceitattractedher。Shesuspectedthathewasnothappy，andwassufficientlyfemininetowishtoreceiveconfidences。
“I’mveryold，“shesighed。
“TheoddthingisthatIdon’tfindyouoldatall，“hereplied。
“Ifeelasthoughwewereexactlythesameage。Moreover——“
herehehesitated，buttookcouragefromaglanceatherface，“IfeelasifIcouldtalkquiteplainlytoyouasonedoestoaman——
abouttherelationsbetweenthesexes，about……and……“
Inspiteofhiscertaintyaslightrednesscameintohisfaceashespokethelasttwowords。
Shereassuredhimatoncebythelaughwithwhichsheexclaimed，“Ishouldhopeso！“
Helookedatherwithrealcordiality，andthelineswhichweredrawnabouthisnoseandlipsslackenedforthefirsttime。
“ThankGod！“heexclaimed。“Nowwecanbehavelikecivilisedhumanbeings。“
Certainlyabarrierwhichusuallystandsfasthadfallen，anditwaspossibletospeakofmatterswhicharegenerallyonlyalludedtobetweenmenandwomenwhendoctorsarepresent，ortheshadowofdeath。Infiveminuteshewastellingherthehistoryofhislife。
Itwaslong，foritwasfullofextremelyelaborateincidents，whichledontoadiscussionoftheprinciplesonwhichmoralityisfounded，andthustoseveralveryinterestingmatters，whicheveninthisballroomhadtobediscussedinawhisper，lestoneofthepouterpigeonladiesorresplendentmerchantsshouldoverhearthem，andproceedtodemandthattheyshouldleavetheplace。
Whentheyhadcometoanend，or，tospeakmoreaccurately，whenHelenintimatedbyaslightslackeningofherattentionthattheyhadsattherelongenough，Hirstrose，exclaiming，“Sothere’snoreasonwhateverforallthismystery！“
“None，exceptthatweareEnglishpeople，“sheanswered。Shetookhisarmandtheycrossedtheball-room，makingtheirwaywithdifficultybetweenthespinningcouples，whowerenowperceptiblydishevelled，andcertainlytoacriticaleyebynomeanslovelyintheirshapes。
Theexcitementofundertakingafriendshipandthelengthoftheirtalk，madethemhungry，andtheywentinsearchoffoodtothedining-room，whichwasnowfullofpeopleeatingatlittleseparatetables。InthedoorwaytheymetRachel，goinguptodanceagainwithArthurVenning。Shewasflushedandlookedveryhappy，andHelenwasstruckbythefactthatinthismoodshewascertainlymoreattractivethanthegeneralityofyoungwomen。
Shehadnevernoticeditsoclearlybefo
