It was with no thought of mischief5 that he said to Montague, "The fellow's wife is dead!"
"Whose?" asked that young man in astonishment6.
"Why, Lawson's!"
"Lawson's!" in incredulous horror; "he was not married?"
"Divorced, you know!"
Montague stopped short, the hazy7, misty8, spring-tide world reeled about him.
"He met me on the quadrangle this morning and told me." The professor did not[Pg 300] add that his haughty9 manner of doing so had been a most unpleasant and rankling10 memory all the day; nor did he know that his uneasiness was the cause of his confidence.
"Said that, as I had known the other, he wished me to know this; as if it mattered," testily11.
"How long have you known?"
"Since—since Christmas." The professor was hot and cold, and saw with lightning glance his blunder.
But Montague's manner assured him quickly. His instant return to the subject in hand, his quick and voluble speaking on the affairs they had come out to discuss, blinded him. He had been a fool, he told himself, but it made no difference. It did.
They had been sauntering about the farm and out to the edge of the corn-field. Bill at the farther end was replanting. The crows overhead called raucously12, the mountain at their side ran sheer to the sky-line with its waves of color, gray, green, and vivid green. The valley far below [Pg 301]shimmered13 in the heat, and the far-off mountains beyond it lifted slumberous14 peaks into the veiling blue haze15. Montague had felt all its beauty to the full; with his soft hat pulled over his eyes, and his hands thrust in his pockets, he had been loitering happily about showing the professor his spring work.
It had been a season of unnamable happiness to him; joy after joy undreamed, because it was unknown, had blossomed in his heart, like the sweet spring flowers in the circle of the flower-plot, unseen, unthought-of, until they lifted their heads into the sunny atmosphere, and all the world was more beautiful for their coming; hopes and plans were unfolding about his life like the leaves on the old oaks, slowly, sturdily, of beautiful growth, and steady persistence16; the sunny atmosphere of love enwrapped him and brought into his life—restrained and chary17 of giving its best gifts, though steadfast18, true, and deep—thoughts beautiful as the butterflies unfolding their wings, and sweet as the apple-blossoms flushing the[Pg 302] orchard19 behind the great house, which was no longer empty and lonely, but was filled with a visionary presence.
Now its sunshine was blotted20 out at a word. He shivered a little as they turned back. "Bring the mare21 around to the front!" he called as they passed the stable. "I think I will ride back with you!" he added to Mr. Holloway.
He left the professor to attend to some affairs in town, and when he got out to the University he found that Frances was lazily asleep. He sent to ask if she would take a ride, and waited with no show of impatience22 until she came running down the stair, habited and gloved.
"A ride!" she called. "How delightful23! If I had had Starlight, I should not have been so lazy, but father was out with you. Has he any new suggestions?"
"Not one!" Montague smiled, and in the darkened room, Frances did not notice how white he was.
"We had better hurry!" she said, "or we will lose the sunset."
[Pg 303]
Montague opened the door as she spoke24. The shadows of the maples25 stretched long across the quadrangle, and the corridor and houses across the way shimmered in the low and golden sunlight. The vine about the pillar stretched brave new tendrils upward, and proudly waved its glossy26 leaves.
Frances, with quick sight for each beauty of the outside world and ready speech of field and flower and wayside growth and bloom, kept her own blithe27 atmosphere about her, as they rode.
Far out where the road climbed high, she drew rein29. They were in time for the sunset glory. It flooded the valley below them with mystic light, kindled30 the skies beyond the hill-tops with scarlet31 fires, against which the peaks loomed32 dark, and sent banners of trailing clouds far over the zenith.
With hands clasped upon the pommel, she watched the scene with delighted eyes. Montague pulled his horse close to hers, and leaned over, his hand on Starlight's mane. So, with the golden light of the sun [Pg 304]streaming around her, he could see every line of her face.
What he had to say to her he had determined33 to say shortly, bravely, with no embroidery34 of verbiage35.
"Frances," he said as he watched her intently, "I heard to-day that Lawson's wife was dead; did you know it?"
Frances straightened in her saddle as if she had been struck. Her eyes, which had been dark and dreamy, flashed. "Yes," she said shortly, "I knew it!"
"Does it make any difference with you?"
"How dare you?"
"It's not a question of daring," he said simply, "but of truth. You remember last winter—" he went on mercilessly.
Frances pulled up her loosened reins36. "We had better turn here," she said coldly.
But Montague never moved his hand. "'Turn here'?" He spoke of the way of their love and she read his hidden meaning aright. "Perhaps, but not now. You know, I know that you know, that I value your own happiness beyond my own. I have[Pg 305] thought—but maybe your happiness does not lie with me, Frances?"
She was silent, a curve on her lips he had never seen and did not like to see.
"Are you sure?" he persisted.
"No!" she flashed, "I am sure of nothing, certainly of nothing a man will say or do!"
"It is no time for such words," said Montague; "you know I love you, I could never tell you how much! Day by day I might show you, prove to you—
"I believe," he flushed a little as he spoke, "I could make you happy. But I must give you this opportunity; if there has been any mistake you—you can turn back.
"Only if you wish." He had begun with renunciation; manlike he was ending with pleading. "We have been so happy," he pleaded. He saw the tremble of her lip, "I believe, I believe I could make you happy," he pleaded the old words again.
The reins hung loosened on Starlight's neck, Montague's hand slipped along the horse's mane until it rested on hers.
"Knows so little, knows so little!" rang a[Pg 306] voice in Frances' ears. She stole a glance at him as he waited. She knew, looking through veiled lids, the lithe28 figure, the strong, earnest face and grave, serious eyes; knew his sunny nature, his strength, his clean, honest love for her. She remembered the agony of the day she thought him dead; she remembered the joy of finding him alive; she remembered the happiness of the days afterward—for they had been happy.
"Frances!" he pleaded, "I am waiting."
She straightened herself in her saddle, and picked up the reins. There was a demure37 smile on her red lips, and a flash of amusement in the dark eyes the young man could not see for the drooping38 lashes39.
"Suppose we take the road ahead and ride around the other way home—then," with a careless look along the road behind her, "then we need not turn back."
THE END
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1
peculiarities
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| n. 特质, 特性, 怪癖, 古怪 | |
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reticent
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| adj.沉默寡言的；言不如意的 | |
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withheld
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| withhold过去式及过去分词 | |
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blurted
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| v.突然说出，脱口而出( blurt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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hazy
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| adj.有薄雾的，朦胧的；不肯定的，模糊的 | |
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misty
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| adj.雾蒙蒙的，有雾的 | |
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haughty
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| adj.傲慢的，高傲的 | |
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rankling
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| v.（使）痛苦不已，（使）怨恨不已( rankle的现在分词 ) | |
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testily
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| adv. 易怒地, 暴躁地 | |
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raucously
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| adv.粗声地；沙哑地 | |
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13
shimmered
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| v.闪闪发光，发微光( shimmer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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14
slumberous
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| a.昏昏欲睡的 | |
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haze
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| n.霾，烟雾；懵懂，迷糊；vi.(over)变模糊 | |
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persistence
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| n.坚持，持续，存留 | |
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chary
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| adj.谨慎的，细心的 | |
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steadfast
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| adj.固定的，不变的，不动摇的；忠实的；坚贞不移的 | |
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19
orchard
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| n.果园，果园里的全部果树，(美俚)棒球场 | |
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20
blotted
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| 涂污( blot的过去式和过去分词 )； （用吸墨纸）吸干 | |
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mare
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| n.母马，母驴 | |
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impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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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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maples
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| 槭树，枫树( maple的名词复数 )； 槭木 | |
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glossy
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| adj.平滑的；有光泽的 | |
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blithe
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| adj.快乐的，无忧无虑的 | |
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28
lithe
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| adj.(指人、身体)柔软的，易弯的 | |
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29
rein
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| n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治 | |
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30
kindled
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| （使某物）燃烧，着火( kindle的过去式和过去分词 )； 激起（感情等）； 发亮，放光 | |
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31
scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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32
loomed
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| v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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embroidery
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| n.绣花，刺绣；绣制品 | |
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35
verbiage
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| n.冗词；冗长 | |
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36
reins
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| 感情，激情； 缰( rein的名词复数 )； 控制手段； 掌管； （成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的）保护带 | |
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demure
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| adj.严肃的；端庄的 | |
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drooping
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| adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
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39
lashes
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| n.鞭挞( lash的名词复数 )；鞭子；突然猛烈的一击；急速挥动v.鞭打( lash的第三人称单数 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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