按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
to know in due time。 But let her enjoy her freedom now。〃
〃Yes；〃 Mrs。 Kenton doubtfully assented。
The judge was thoughtfully silent。 Then he said： 〃Few girls could have
worked out her problem as Ellen has。 Think how differently Lottie would
have done it！〃
〃Lottie has her good points； too；〃 said Mrs。 Kenton。 〃And； of course； I
don't blame Richard。 There are all kinds of girls； and Lottie means no
more harm than Ellen does。 She's the kind that can't help attracting；
but I always knew that Ellen was attractive； too； if she would only find
it out。 And I knew that as soon as anything worth while took up her mind
she would never give that wretch another thought。〃
Kenton followed her devious ratiocinations to a conclusion which he could
not grasp。 〃What do you mean； Sarah？〃
〃If I only；〃 she explained； in terms that did not explain； 〃felt as sure
of him as I do about him！〃
Her husband looked densely at her。 〃Bittridge？〃
〃No。 Mr。 Breckon。 He is very nice； Rufus。 Yes； he is！ He's been
showing me the map of Holland； and we've had a long talk。 He isn't the
way we thoughtor I did。 He is not at all clerical； or worldly。 And he
appreciates Ellen。 I don't suppose he cares so much for her being
cultivated； I suppose she doesn't seem so to him。 But he sees how wise
she ishow good。 And he couldn't do that without being good himself！
Rufus！ If we could only hope such a thing。 But； of course； there are
thousands after him！〃
〃There are not thousands of Ellens after him；〃 said the judge； before he
could take time to protest。 〃And I don't want him to suppose that she is
after him at all。 If he will only interest her and help her to keep her
mind off herself； it's all I will ask of him。 I am not anxious to part
with her； now that she's all ours again。〃
〃Of course；〃 Mrs。 Kenton soothingly assented。 〃And I don't say that she
dreams of him in any such way。 She can't help admiring his mind。 But
what I mean is that when you see how he appreciates her； you can't help
wishing he could know just how wise； and just how good she is。 It did
seem to me as if I would give almost anything to have him know what she
had been through with thatrapscallion！〃
〃Sarah！〃
〃Oh； you may Sarah me！ But I can tell you what； Mr。 Kenton： I believe
that you could tell him every word of it； and only make him appreciate
her the more。 Till you know that about Ellen； you don't know what a
character she is。 I just ached to tell him！〃
〃I don't understand you； my dear；〃 said Kenton。 〃But if you mean to tell
him〃
〃Why； who could imagine doing such a thing？ Don't you see that it is
impossible？ Such a thing would never have come into my head if it hadn't
been for some morbid talk of Ellen's。〃
〃Of Ellen's？〃
〃Oh； about wanting to disgust him by telling him why she was such a
burden to us。〃
〃She isn't a burden！〃
〃I am saying what she said。 And it made me think that if such a person
could only know the high…minded way she had found to get out of her
trouble！ I would like somebody who is capable of valuing her to value
her in all her preciousness。 Wouldn't you be glad if such a man as he is
could know how and why she feels free at last？〃
〃I don't think it's necessary；〃 said Kenton； haughtily； 〃There's only one
thing that could give him the right to know it； and we'll wait for that
first。 I thought you said that he was frivolous。〃
〃Boyne said that； and Lottie。 I took it for granted； till I talked with
him to…day。 He is light…hearted and gay； he likes to laugh and joke； but
he can be very serious when he wants to。〃
〃According to all precedent；〃 said the judge； glumly； 〃such a man ought
to be hanging round Lottie。 Everybody was that amounted to anything in
Tuskingum。〃
〃Oh； in Tuskingum！ And who were the men there that amounted to anything？
A lot of young lawyers； and two students of medicine； and some railroad
clerks。 There wasn't one that would compare with Mr。 Breckon for a
moment。〃
〃All the more reason why he can't really care for Ellen。 Now see here；
Sarah！ You know I don't interfere with you and the children； but I'm
afraid you're in a craze about this young fellow。 He's got these friends
of his who have just turned up； and we'll wait and see what he does with
them。 I guess he appreciates the young lady as much as he does Ellen。〃
Mrs。 Kenton's heart went down。 〃She doesn't compare with Ellen！〃 she
piteously declared。
〃That's what we think。 He may think differently。〃
Mrs。 Kenton was silenced； but all the more she was determined to make
sure that Mr。 Breckon was not interested in Miss Rasmith in any measure
or manner detrimental to Ellen。 As for Miss Rasmith herself； Mrs。 Kenton
would have had greater reason to be anxious about her behavior with Boyne
than Mr。 Breckon。 From the moment that the minister had made his two
groups of friends acquainted； the young lady had fixed upon Boyne as that
member of the Kenton group who could best repay a more intimate
friendship。 She was polite to them all； but to Boyne she was flattering；
and he was too little used to deference from ladies ten years his senior
not to be very sensible of her worth in offering it。 To be unremittingly
treated as a grown…up person was an experience so dazzling that his
vision was blinded to any possibilities in the behavior that formed it；
and before the day ended Boyne had possessed Miss Rasmith of all that it
was important for any fellow…being to know of his character and history。
He opened his heart to eyes that had looked into others before his； less
for the sake of exploiting than of informing himself。 In the rare
intelligence of Miss Rasmith he had found that serious patience with his
problems which no one else； not Ellen herself； had shown； and after
trying her sincerity the greater part of the day he put it to the supreme
test； one evening； with a book which he had been reading。 Boyne's
literature was largely entomological and zoological； but this was a work
of fiction treating of the fortunes of a young American adventurer； who
had turned his military education to account in the service of a German
princess。 Her Highness's dominions were not in any map of Europe； and
perhaps it was her condition of political incognito that rendered her the
more fittingly the prey of a passion for the American head of her armies。
Boyne's belief was that this character veiled a real identity； and he
wished to submit to Miss Rasmith the question whether in the exclusive
circles of New York society any young millionaire was known to have taken
service abroad after leaving west Point。 He put it in the form of a
scoffing incredulity which it was a comfort to have her take as if almost
hurt by his doubt。 She said that such a thing might very well be； and
with rich American girls marrying all sorts of titles abroad； it was not
impossible for some brilliant young fellow to make his way to the steps
of a throne。 Boyne declared that she was laughing at him； and she
protested that it was the last thing she should think of doing； she was
too much afraid of him。 Then he began to argue against the case supposed
in the romance； he proved from the book itself that the thing could not
happen； such a princess would not be allowed to marry the American； no
matter how rich he was。 She owned that she had not heard of just such an
instance； and he might think her very romantic； and perhaps she was； but
if the princess was an absolute princess； such as she was shown in that
story； she held that no power on earth could keep her from marrying the
young American。 For herself she did not see； though； how the princess
could be in love with that type of American。 If she had been in the
princess's place she should have fancied something quite different。 She
made Boyne agree with her that Eastern Americans were all； more or less；
Europeanized； and it stood to reason； she held； that a European princess
would want something as un…European as possible if she was falling in
love to please herself。 They had some contention upon the point that the
princess would want a Western American； and then Miss Rasmith； with a
delicate audacity；