little novels-第74部分

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eeable　incident　occurred。　A　snake　wound　his　undulating　way　across　the　open　space；　passing　close　by　me；　and　I　was　fool　enough　to　scream。　The　Captain　killed　the　creature　with　his　riding…cane；　taking　a　pleasure　in　doing　it　which　I　did　not　like　to　see。

We　left　the　clearing　and　tried　another　path；　and　then　another。　And　still　the　horrid　wood　preyed　on　my　spirits。　I　agreed　with　my　aunt　that　we　should　do　well　to　return　to　the　carriage。　On　our　way　back　we　missed　the　right　path；　and　lost　ourselves　for　the　moment。　Mr。　Varleigh　consulted　his　compass；　and　pointed　in　one　direction。　Captain　Stanwick；　consulting　nothing　but　his　own　jealous　humor；　pointed　in　the　other。　We　followed　Mr。　Varleigh's　guidance；　and　got　back　to　the　clearing。　He　turned　to　the　Captain；　and　said；　good…humoredly：　〃You　see　the　compass　was　right。〃　Captain　Stanwick；　answered；　sharply：　〃There　are　more　ways　than　one　out　of　an　English　wood；　you　talk　as　if　we　were　in　one　of　your　American　forests。〃

Mr。　Varleigh　seemed　to　be　at　a　loss　to　understand　his　rudeness；　there　was　a　pause。　The　two　men　looked　at　each　other；　standing　face　to　face　on　the　brown　earth　of　the　clearingthe　Englishman's　ruddy　countenance；　light　auburn　hair　and　whiskers；　and　well…opened　bold　blue　eyes；　contrasting　with　the　pale　complexion；　the　keenly…observant　look；　the　dark　closely…cut　hair；　and　the　delicately…lined　face　of　the　American。　It　was　only　for　a　moment：　I　had　barely　time　to　feel　uneasy　before　they　controlled　themselves　and　led　us　back　to　the　carriage；　talking　as　pleasantly　as　if　nothing　had　happened。　For　days　afterward；　nevertheless；　that　scene　in　the　clearingthe　faces　and　figures　of　the　two　men；　the　dark　line　of　trees　hemming　them　in　on　all　sides；　the　brown　circular　patch　of　ground　on　which　they　stoodhaunted　my　memory；　and　got　in　the　way　of　my　brighter　and　happier　thoughts。　When　my　aunt　inquired　if　I　had　enjoyed　the　day；　I　surprised　her　by　saying　No。　And　when　she　asked　why；　I　could　only　answer：　〃It　was　all　spoiled　by　Herne　Wood。〃

III。

THREE　weeks　passed。

The　terror　of　those　dreadful　days　creeps　over　me　again　when　I　think　of　them。　I　mean　to　tell　the　truth　without　shrinking；　but　I　may　at　least　consult　my　own　feelings　by　dwelling　on　certain　particulars　as　briefly　as　I　can。　I　shall　describe　my　conduct　toward　the　two　men　who　courted　me　in　the　plainest　terms；　if　I　say　that　I　distinguished　neither　of　them。　Innocently　and　stupidly　I　encouraged　them　both。

In　books；　women　are　generally　represented　as　knowing　their　own　minds　in　matters　which　relate　to　love　and　marriage。　This　is　not　my　experience　of　myself。　Day　followed　day；　and；　ridiculous　as　it　may　appear；　I　could　not　decide　which　of　my　two　admirers　I　liked　best！

Captain　Stanwick　was；　at　first；　the　man　of　my　choice。　While　he　kept　his　temper　under　control；　h　e　charmed　me。　But　when　he　let　it　escape　him；　he　sometimes　disappointed；　sometimes　irritated　me。　In　that　frame　of　mind　I　turned　for　relief　to　Lionel　Varleigh；　feeling　that　he　was　the　more　gentle　and　the　more　worthy　man　of　the　two；　and　honestly　believing；　at　such　times；　that　I　preferred　him　to　his　rival。　For　the　first　few　days　after　our　visit　to　Herne　Wood　I　had　excellent　opportunities　of　comparing　them。　They　paid　their　visits　to　us　together；　and　they　divided　their　attentions　carefully　between　me　and　my　aunt。　At　the　end　of　the　week；　however；　they　began　to　present　themselves　separately。　If　I　had　possessed　any　experience　of　the　natures　of　men；　I　might　have　known　what　this　meant；　and　might　have　seen　the　future　possibility　of　some　more　serious　estrangement　between　the　two　friends；　of　which　I　might　be　the　unfortunate　cause。　As　it　was；　I　never　once　troubled　my　head　about　what　might　be　passing　out　of　my　presence。　Whether　they　came　together；　or　whether　they　came　separately；　their　visits　were　always　agreeable　to　me。　and　I　thought　of　nothing　and　cared　for　nothing　more。

But　the　time　that　was　to　enlighten　me　was　not　far　off。

One　day　Captain　Stanwick　called　much　earlier　than　usual。　My　aunt　had　not　yet　returned　from　her　morning　walk。　The　Captain　made　some　excuse　for　presenting　himself　under　these　circumstances　which　I　have　now　forgotten。

Without　actually　committing　himself　to　a　proposal　of　marriage　he　spoke　with　such　tender　feeling；　he　managed　his　hold　on　my　inexperience　so　delicately；　that　he　entrapped　me　into　saying　some　words；　on　my　side；　which　I　remembered　with　a　certain　dismay　as　soon　as　I　was　left　alone　again。　In　half　an　hour　more；　Mr。　Lionel　Varleigh　was　announced　as　my　next　visitor。　I　at　once　noticed　a　certain　disturbance　in　his　look　and　manner　which　was　quite　new　in　my　experience　of　him。　I　offered　him　a　chair。　To　my　surprise　he　declined　to　take　it。

〃I　must　trust　to　your　indulgence　to　permit　me　to　put　an　embarrassing　question　to　you；〃　he　began。　〃It　rests　with　you；　Miss　Laroche；　to　decide　whether　I　shall　remain　here；　or　whether　I　shall　relieve　you　of　my　presence　by　leaving　the　room。〃

〃What　can　you　possibly　mean？〃　I　asked。

〃Is　it　your　wish；〃　he　went　on；　〃that　I　should　pay　you　no　more　visits　except　in　Captain　Stanwick's　company；　or　by　Captain　Stanwick's　express　permission？〃

My　astonishment　deprived　me　for　the　moment　of　the　power　of　answering　him。　〃Do　you　really　mean　that　Captain　Stanwick　has　forbidden　you　to　call　on　me？〃　I　asked　as　soon　as　I　could　speak。

〃I　have　exactly　repeated　what　Captain　Stanwick　said　to　me　half　an　hour　since；〃　Lionel　Varleigh　answered。

In　my　indignation　at　hearing　this；　I　entirely　forgot　the　rash　words　of　encouragement　which　the　Captain　had　entrapped　me　into　speaking　to　him。　When　I　think　of　it　now；　I　am　ashamed　to　repeat　the　language　in　which　I　resented　this　man's　presumptuous　assertion　of　authority　over　me。　Having　committed　one　act　of　indiscretion　already；　my　anxiety　to　assert　my　freedom　of　action　hurried　me　into　committing　another。　I　bade　Mr。　Varleigh　welcome　whenever　he　chose　to　visit　me；　in　terms　which　made　his　face　flush　under　the　emotions　of　pleasure　and　surprise　which　I　had　aroused　in　him。　My　wounded　vanity　acknowledged　no　restraints。　I　signed　to　him　to　take　a　seat　on　the　sofa　at　my　side；　I　engaged　to　go　to　his　lodgings　the　next　day；　with　my　aunt；　and　see　the　collection　of　curiosities　which　he　had　amassed　in　the　course　of　his　travels。　I　almost　believe；　if　he　had　tried　to　kiss　me；　that　I　was　angry　enough　with　the　Captain　to　have　let　him　do　it！

Remember　what　my　life　had　beenremember　how　ignorantly　I　had　passed　the　precious　days　of　my　youth；　how　insidiously　a　sudden　accession　of　wealth　and　importance　had　encouraged　my　folly　and　my　prideand　try；　like　good　Christians；　to　make　some　allowance　for　me！

My　aunt　came　in　from　her　walk；　before　Mr。　Varleigh's　visit　had　ended。　She　received　him　rather　coldly；　and　he　perceived　it。　After　reminding　me　of　our　appointment　for　the　next　day；　he　took　his　leave。

〃What　appointment　does　Mr。　Varleigh　mean？〃　my　aunt　asked；　as　soon　as　we　were　alone。　〃Is　it　wise；　under　the　circumstances；　to　make　appointments　with　Mr。　Varleigh？〃　she　said；　when　I　had　answered　her　question。　I　naturally　inquired　what　she　meant。　My　aunt　replied；　〃I　have　met　Captain　Stanwick　while　I　was　out　walking。　He　has　told　me　something　which　I　am　quite　at　a　loss　to　understand。　Is　it　possible；　Bertha；　that　you　have　received　a　proposal　of　marriage　from　him　favorably；　without　saying　one　word　about　your　intentions　to　me？〃

I　instantly　denied　it。　However　rashly　I　might　have　spoken；　I　had　certainly　said　nothing　to　justify　Captain　Stanwick　in　claiming　me　as　his　promised　wife。　In　his　mean　fear　of　a　fair　rivalry　with　Mr。　Varleigh；　he　had　deliberately　misinterpreted　me。　〃If　I　marry　either　of　the　two；〃　I　said；　〃it　will　be　Mr。　Varleigh！〃

My　aunt　shook　her　head。　〃These　two　gentlemen　seem　to　be　both　in　love　with　you；　Bertha。　It　is　a　trying　position　for　you　between　them；　and　I　am　afraid　you　have　acted　with　some　indiscretion。　Captain　Stanwick　tells　me　that　he　and　his　friend　have　come　to　a　separation　already。　I　fear　you　are　the　cause　of　it。　Mr。　Varleigh　has　left　the　hotel　at　which　he　was　staying　with　the　Captain；　in　consequence　of　a　disagreement　between　them　this　morning。　You　were　not　aware　of　that　when　you　accepted　his　invitation。　Shall　I　write　an　excuse　for　you？　We　must；　at　least；　put　off　the　visit；　my　dear；　until　you　have　set　yourself　right　with　Captain　Stanwick。〃

I　began　to　feel　a　little　alarmed；　but　I　was　too　obstinate　to　yield　without　a　struggle。　〃Give　me　time　to　think　over　it；〃　I　said。　〃To　write　an　excuse　seems　like　acknowledging　the　Captain's　authority。　Let　us　wait　till　to…morrow　morning。〃

IV。

THE　morning　brought　with　it　another　visit　from　Captain　Stanwick。　This　time　my　aunt　was　present。　He　looked　at　her　without　speaking；　and　turned　to　me；　with　his　fiery　temper　showing　itself　already　in　his　eyes。

〃I　have　a　word　to　say　to　you　in　private；〃　he　began。

〃I　have　no　secrets　from　my　aunt；〃　I　answered。　〃Whatever　you　have　to　say；　Captain　Stanwick；　may　be　said　here。〃

He　opened　his　lips　to　reply；　and　suddenly　checked　himself。　He　was　controlling　his　anger　by　so　violent　an　effort　that　it　turned　his　ruddy　face　pale。　For　the　moment　he　conquered　his　temperhe　addressed　himself　to　me　with　the　outward　appearance　of　respect　at　least。

〃Has　that　man　Varleigh　lied？〃　he　asked；　〃or　have　you　given　_him_　hopes；　tooafter　what　you　said　to　me　yesterday？〃

〃I　said　nothing　to　y