Although Miss Frink had presented herself so promptly1 at breakfast that morning, she had been as sleepless2 as Adèle. Waves of wonder and joy had passed over her in the consideration of her happiness, and kept her awake. That honest boy—honest in spite of the part he had been induced to play—admired her, loved her. He had said so, and she believed him. She had not thought her life empty before, but now she felt compassion3 for her past. Her brain seethed4 with plans and possibilities, and certain charitable institutions lost a great deal of money that night.
As she thought thus, the remembrance of Adèle clouded the radiance of her reflections. She had yet this problem to meet. If the young woman would solve it by leaving town, what a mercy it would be! Of course, she had fallen in love with Hugh, head over heels. So, thought Miss Frink, sighing, would probably every girl who met him; but Adèle had hazarded all, tried to rush the boy off his feet, and, if she had known that he was related to Miss Frink, it[234] would not have deterred5 her. Her sort fears neither God nor man. Miss Frink shrank into her pillow and closed her sleepless eyes as she recalled Adèle’s bitter attitude toward herself, and the young woman’s triumphant6 hope of wounding her.
Miss Frink was a strong woman; but her excitement as she dressed that morning was not sufficient to lift her above her sense of weariness. Explaining the situation to Leonard Grimshaw was before her. It rankled7 that he would believe her splendid boy to be blameworthy. Then there was John Ogden to be met, and, looming8 dark above all these, was Adèle to be dealt with. She had been intending to have a final talk with Adèle this morning in any case; so, when the waitress at last went up to Mrs. Lumbard’s room with her breakfast, she carried a message that Miss Frink would come in to see her at ten o’clock.
“Pleasant prospect9!” thought Adèle as she sat up in bed to receive the tray. “Thank you, Janet,” she said sweetly to the maid.
“You look awful tired, Mrs. Lumbard,” said the girl, “and so does Miss Frink. There’s all sorts of doings down in the breakfast room.” Janet’s eyes were big. “What do you think! Mr. Stanwood’s name is something else and he’s[235] some sort of relation to Miss Frink all this time, and nobody knew it!”
“Are you sure, Janet?” Adèle put the cream in her coffee.
“Yes, ma’am,” returned the excited girl. “Stebbins heard Miss Frink say so herself to Mr. Grimshaw.”
“Did Miss Frink seem pleased?” Adèle broke off a piece of toast, speaking languidly.
“Oh, yes, indeed, and holding his hand.”
“No, Mr. Stanwood’s; and she seemed so happy over it.”
“Who wouldn’t be happy holding Mr. Stanwood’s hand?”
Janet giggled12. “Yes, ain’t he awful handsome?—and now he’ll be the biggest catch in Farrandale; but I guess there won’t any o’ the girls have a chance when you’re around, Mrs. Lumbard.”
The latter smiled and nodded at her: “You’d better run along, Janet.”
The maid disappeared, and Adèle again clamped down the lid on the humiliating memories of last evening. She must not be humiliated15 when Miss Frink came in. She remembered[236] the violence of her own attack upon that lady and regretted it as most unwise; nevertheless, her head might be “bloody,” but it should be “unbowed.” It had been quite evident for some time that Miss Frink’s hospitality was being strained; Adèle could not in any case have hoped to remain here much longer. Why should she be ashamed of loving Hugh? Why should she be ashamed of trying to get him? She was not. It was all in the game. She had lost for the present, but who could tell?
By the time Miss Frink’s knock sounded on the door, the young woman was dressed and ready to open it with an attempt at a smile.
“Good-morning, Aunt Susanna.”
“Good-morning, Adèle.” Miss Frink regarded the calm face and unfallen eyes uncomfortably; and felt her own self-possession strengthened by such control.
“Well,” she began, as they sat down in neighboring chairs, “we have come to the parting of the ways, Adèle.”
“Have we? Where are you going?” was the astonishing reply.
Miss Frink grimaced16 her glasses off the eyes beneath which were dark shadows, and at once replaced them.
“You certainly help me not to beat about the[237] bush,” she said. “I thought perhaps last night’s experience would make you feel you did not care to stay in Farrandale.”
“After your giving such an expensive advertisement for me?” Adèle smiled.
Miss Frink’s own deep happiness embarrassed her. Hugh’s earnest “Be kind to Ally,” rang in her ears. This adventuress, pale and defiant18, seemed to her so pitiful that, in spite of the other’s audacity19, she had to summon her customary directness with an effort.
“That wouldn’t be good economy, would it?” added Adèle.
There was a pause; then Miss Frink spoke20 again: “I must tell you that I have discovered, quite by accident, that you are not the granddaughter of my dear friend. Her son married a lady with a little girl, a little pianist.”
Color stole over Adèle’s pallor.
“Ah, Mr. Ogden is a regular god in the machine, isn’t he?” she said lightly. “Delightful man!”
“My informant was unaware21 that he was telling me any news,” went on Miss Frink; “but, this being the case, I feel that it would be rather foolish for us to keep up the pose of aunt and niece.”
“Especially,” returned Adèle “since you[238] have found some one with the right of blood to call you ‘Aunt Susanna.’”
Miss Frink regarded her composed companion in silence. Not with her could she exchange words concerning her heart-warming miracle.
“A few days ago,” she said, “I obtained the refusal for you of a room at the Coopers’: cousins of Leonard’s. If you decide to stay in Farrandale, he will take you over there to-day and introduce you. Mrs. Cooper is ready for you to take possession at any minute. They have a very good piano.”
“I thought,” said Adèle, with unabashed eyes, “that I should like to go to the Duanes’. I hear they have such a pleasant garden, and I believe they are poor and might like a paying guest.”
Miss Frink regarded her incredulously. Was there, then, no limit to her audacity?
“Colonel Duane was very nice to me last evening,” added Adèle. “Such a courtly old gentleman.”
“I shouldn’t be any trouble, for I would help Miss Duane like one of the family.”
Miss Frink felt a sort of horror of the smooth, fair speaker. She had been prepared to be very[239] kind to the poor woman who had blundered so pitifully, but her own assurances to Hugh came back to her: the occurrence was no tragedy to Mrs. Lumbard, evidently to her while there was life, there was hope. To suggest going to the Duanes’! The image of Millicent rose before Miss Frink as the antithesis23 of all that Adèle represented.
“If you are thinking that it will be awkward for me to meet Hugh, you are mistaken. He hasn’t lived all his life in a small town. He knows his way about. No man ever thought less of a woman for caring a lot for him, and Hugh and I will always be pals24. I don’t think any the less of him for coming into your house under false colors. He carried his point.”
Miss Frink’s cheeks flushed. “Why, indeed, should you criticize him? You did the same.”
“Only I didn’t carry my point. You never liked me.”
“Nor were you really my niece,” said Miss Frink briefly. “Adèle,” she added—and there was appeal in her voice—“in this nine days’ wonder that is coming upon Farrandale I wish that, for the sake of such hospitality as I have shown you, you would help to give the true[240] explanation of Hugh’s manner of introducing himself here. It was Mr. Ogden’s idea entirely25, inasmuch as I had not been friendly to Hugh’s family. The sequel you know.”
Miss Frink sat, looking at her and waiting.
“The truth generally comes out about everything,” said the young woman at last.
“Adèle, Adèle,” said Miss Frink solemnly. “Why won’t you try to make your life measure up to the beauty of your art? What I heard last evening will be buried forever, as you know, unless you yourself force a remembrance of it.” She looked at her watch. “Leonard will take you over to Mrs. Cooper’s as soon as you are ready.”
Miss Frink went out and closed the door. For the first time in her life she quivered with feeling. Her cheeks were flushed.
At the foot of the stairway she met John Ogden.
“Just the lady I want to see!” he cried cheerfully.
“Very well—my benefactor,” she said slowly.
“Do my ears deceive me? How good that sounds!” He seized both her hands for a quick[241] moment. Her flushed face and subdued27 tone impressed him.
“I’m afraid you’re very tired, Miss Frink. Too much excitement, perhaps.”
“Yes; in this world we must accept the bitter with the sweet, but—nothing is any matter. What did you want of me?”
“Why, I’m leaving for New York to-night, and I wish to ask a privilege before I go. I’ve no doubt there are numbers of gentle-folk in Farrandale, but I happen to have made the acquaintance of only two: Colonel Duane and his granddaughter. Tongues are going to buzz for a while now, and I would like to beat the gossips to it with those fine people. I should like to tell them my own part in what has taken place.”
“Very well; I have no objection. Open confession28 is good for the soul.” Miss Frink smiled wearily.
“Now you go to bed, Miss Frink. Please do. Let Grimshaw run the city of Farrandale to-day.”
“He is very soon going to escort Mrs. Lumbard to her new abiding-place at Mrs. Cooper’s.”
“That will rest you, eh?” asked Ogden appreciatively. “She really intends to stay here and teach the young idea?”
[242]
“I don’t know. Perhaps I ought not to let her,” returned Miss Frink, and her companion saw her hold her lip under her teeth to still its quivering. “I seem to be sponsoring her, you see.”
“My dear Miss Frink, don’t you worry,” returned Ogden, speaking low but emphatically, for they were still standing29 at the foot of the stairs. “Don’t worry a minute. She won’t stick to that teaching a month.”
Miss Frink gave him a rather tremulous smile of gratitude30; and, before Ogden took his hat to run out on his errand, he went up to Hugh’s room where the latter was busy with his books.
“Say, boy,” he said, “I’ve just come from Miss Frink, and she had just come from a talk with your friend Ally; and I tell you she was all in.”
“Yes, Miss Frink looked old and tired. Her pep was gone. Mrs. Re—Lumbard is leaving to-day, it seems.”
“Leaving Farrandale?” asked Hugh, with an eagerness which his friend misunderstood.
“No; don’t be afraid. I think Miss Frink is worrying about her being turned loose among the Farrandale lambs; and I just want to say,[243] Hugh, that if you continue to pal17 with Mrs. Lumbard you’ll make a great mistake from every point of view. You owe it to Miss Frink to ease off and not encourage her. Miss Frink doesn’t want her coming here.”
Hugh continued his troubled stare. “I hope you didn’t tell her the damaging thing you told me—about the courts.”
“Of course not,” said Ogden impatiently; “but Miss Frink has the woman’s number all right. I don’t know what their good-bye talk was like, but this fine aunt of yours came out of it wounded. I tell you she was wounded; and you want to think of her and protect her, boy.”
“I’m going to, Ogden. Thank you,” replied Hugh, with a submissiveness that surprised his friend.
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1
promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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2
sleepless
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| adj.不睡眠的，睡不著的，不休息的 | |
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3
compassion
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| n.同情，怜悯 | |
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seethed
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| （液体）沸腾( seethe的过去式和过去分词 )； 激动，大怒； 强压怒火； 生闷气(~with sth|~ at sth) | |
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deterred
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| v.阻止，制止( deter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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7
rankled
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| v.（使）痛苦不已，（使）怨恨不已( rankle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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8
looming
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| n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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9
prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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10
wan
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| (wide area network)广域网 | |
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wanly
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| adv.虚弱地；苍白地，无血色地 | |
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12
giggled
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| v.咯咯地笑( giggle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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13
sentimental
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| adj.多愁善感的，感伤的 | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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15
humiliated
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| 感到羞愧的 | |
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grimaced
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| v.扮鬼相，做鬼脸( grimace的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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pal
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| n.朋友，伙伴，同志；vi.结为友 | |
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defiant
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| adj.无礼的，挑战的 | |
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19
audacity
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| n.大胆，卤莽，无礼 | |
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20
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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21
unaware
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| a.不知道的，未意识到的 | |
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briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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antithesis
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| n.对立；相对 | |
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pals
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| n.朋友( pal的名词复数 )；老兄；小子；（对男子的不友好的称呼）家伙 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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stolid
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| adj.无动于衷的，感情麻木的 | |
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27
subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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28
confession
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| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
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29
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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31
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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