O’Hara and the Fraülein were chatting animatedly14, but Grey was still depressed15 and silent. The delay irritated him. He was impatient to be gone. For the hundredth time he was wondering whether he had said too much or too little in his letter to Hope Van Tuyl; wondering how she regarded it; whether she was still obdurate16. He had not given her an address and there was no way in which she could communicate with him. He regretted this now. A word from her would be a talisman17.
His memory of her as he had seen her yesterday at Versailles was very vivid. It was only a glimpse, but in that instant he had drunk in greedily the marvellous perfection of her beauty; and the picture had dwelt with him since. Sleeping181 and waking he could see the bronze dusk of her hair, the gentleness of her eyes, the softly flushed curve of her cheek, the tender sympathy of her mouth, the supple18 grace of her figure. The portrait was not new to him, to be sure—he had many times revelled19 in fond contemplation of those rare features—but absence had its usual effect, and it had been centuries, it seemed, since his vision had been so blessed. Against the dull, dun, grimy background of the railway station this radiant reflection was projected, clear and sharp. He saw her mentally just as he had seen her physically20 on the previous afternoon.
And as he gazed a miracle was wrought21. For into and out of the image came and grew the reality, and he suddenly realised that she was standing22 before him, that in one hand he was holding his hat and that his other hand was clasping hers. All the sights and sounds of the platform died away, and he saw only her, more beautiful even than he had dreamed, her eyes alight with love, her lips smiling forgiveness.
O’Hara and the Fr?ulein had passed on, and he and the one woman in the world had drawn23 aside182 out of the hurry and scurry24. A few steps away stood Marcelle, the maid, her interest decorously diverted.
“Oh, how good you are!” Grey was saying, his heart in his voice; “how very, very good you are!”
Her hand answered the ardent25 pressure of his.
“I just couldn’t let you go without seeing you,” she returned. “You cannot imagine what I have suffered. I tried to be brave—I tried so hard, dear; but I’m only a weak woman and my soul longed for you every minute.”
What bliss26 it was to hear her speak! It set the man’s pulses surging. His face was flushed and young and happy again, as it had not been since his awakening27.
“The whole thing has been frightful,” he told her, clenching28 his teeth at the recollection. “You haven’t an idea what a net of circumstance has been thrown around me.”
“Yes,” she hastened, “I know—they told me you had been ill, irresponsible; that you had had brain fever or something, and—oh, Carey, why did you do that?” and she pointed29 to his beard.
183 He smiled grimly.
“I didn’t do it,” he answered, with emphasis. “You surely don’t think I’d be guilty of such a ridiculous transformation30, do you?”
“But——”
“I’ll explain some day, dear heart,” he interrupted her, “but there isn’t time now; the train leaves in about five minutes, and I want all of that in which to tell you how very beautiful you are and how very, very much I love you.”
She wore a perfectly31 fitting gown of white with rich lace, and a large hat of pale blue with a circling ostrich32 plume33 of the same delicate tint34. Her tall and shapely figure was quite unavoidably a little conspicuous35, and a target for admiring glances.
“Leaves in five minutes?” she repeated, dolorously36. “But I can’t let you go in five minutes. I have so much to say to you. It has been five months since I spoke37 to you. You must wait and take the next train—wait until tomorrow.”
“If only I might!” Grey replied, his eyes in hers. “If it could only be we should never part184 again, never! Ah, my own, how my arms ache for you!”
“But you can stay,” she urged. He was still holding her hand, and now she placed her other hand over his as she pleaded. “There is no reason why you shouldn’t. What difference will twenty-four hours make? Are you going for the King’s funeral? It is set for Friday, you know. We are thinking of going ourselves. Wait until tomorrow, and you and papa and I can go together.”
“But, my darling,” Grey protested, arguing against his inclination38, “don’t you see that that would be quite impossible? Your father could not afford to be seen with me. I am a supposed fugitive39 from justice. He would be guilty of aiding and abetting40 a criminal,” and he smiled grimly again.
“What would he care?” the young woman demanded, airily. “He doesn’t believe you guilty. He knows you are not. He has said as much. I can’t let you go, dear; I can’t—I won’t.”
“Please, please don’t make it more difficult for me to part from you than it is already,” he begged.185 “You know how much I long to have you with me, and yet another day’s delay might ruin everything. I should be in Kürschdorf at this very minute.”
Her eyes glistened41 and tears hung on her lashes42.
“Why?” she asked, simply.
“All my hopes of undoing43 the wrong that has been done me lie in that direction,” he answered, gravely. “It was a conspiracy44, dear, involving men high in the Budavian government. The work of unmasking them will grow more difficult with each hour it is put off.”
She gazed at him in sudden alarm.
“You are going into danger,” she murmured. Her voice trembled. Anxiety was in her tone. She pressed his hands nervously, convulsively. “Tell me the truth. You are, aren’t you?”
Grey laughed to reassure45 her.
“Not a bit, my darling,” he answered, with an assumption of nonchalance46; “the whole affair can, I think, be adjusted most peacefully.”
For a moment she was silent, her eyes reading his thoughts.
“I’m going with you,” she exclaimed, suddenly.
186 Grey stared at her in surprise.
“I only wish you could,” he said, refusing to take her seriously, “but I don’t see just how——”
“I’m going,” she interrupted, determinedly47. “I shan’t be in the least in your way, that I promise. But I’m going. I refuse to be left behind.”
“En voiture, messieurs et mesdames!”
The guard’s command had grown imperative48. The second bell had rung.
Grey pulled out his watch. It showed thirty seconds of starting time. O’Hara was standing at the car’s step looking anxiously towards him. Johann was at his side, his hat deferentially49 raised.
“The train is now to start, Herr Arndt,” he said.
The man turned to the woman he loved.
“I am going with you,” she reiterated50 before he could speak; and she beckoned51 to Marcelle.
“En voiture!” shouted the guards.
There was no time for further protest or parley52. The four crossed the platform hurriedly. Hope entered the car, her maid following; and then Grey, with O’Hara at his heels and Johann bringing187 up the rear, stepped from the platform of the station to the platform of the wagon-lit.
The third bell rang; the locomotive whistled its piping treble, gates clashed, doors slammed, and the Orient Express drew slowly and solemnly out of the hot, dingy53 station into the red glare of the torrid June sunset.
After the presentation of Miss von Altdorf and Lieutenant54 O’Hara had been accomplished55 Grey left Hope in their company and went in search of the conductor. As it happened, there were several berths56 to spare in the sleeping-car, and he arranged for the accommodation of Miss Van Tuyl and her maid. There would be no stop, however, he learned, until they reached Chateau-Thierry, at 8.15. From there, the conductor told him, a telegram might be sent.
Before returning to the compartment6 Grey lit a cigarette and stood for a few minutes in the refreshing57 draft that swept through the narrow passage. To have Hope with him was a joy undreamt, and yet he could not repress a little uneasiness over her action. He feared that in a calmer mood she might regret her impulsiveness188 as savouring too strongly of a sensational58 elopement. He wondered how Nicholas Van Tuyl would regard it. He was, Grey knew, the most indulgent of fathers, but his anxiety over her absence would necessarily be poignant59, and there was no possible means of getting word to him of her safety until hours after he had missed her. But in spite of these reflections Carey Grey was experiencing a gratified pride in the fact that the girl had acted as she had. She was proving her love for him and her faith in him by a disregard of convention that was undeniably very flattering, particularly grateful after his recent trying experiences, and his affection for her, if possible, waxed warmer under the stimulus60 of appreciation61.
Meanwhile the trio Grey had left to their own devices, with scarcely a word of explanation, were getting into a wellnigh inextricable tangle62.
“Fancy my deciding to run off this way on the spur of the moment, without even a handful of luggage,” Miss Van Tuyl had exclaimed, “but Mr. Grey and I have so much to talk about I just couldn’t think of waiting another twenty-four189 hours, and he said he couldn’t possibly stop over another day in Paris.”
Minna had recognised her minutes before on the platform, as the beautiful lady she had noticed the previous afternoon at Versailles, and she had been and was still wondering how it came about that her Uncle Max had not seen her and spoken to her there. And now this mention of a Mr. Grey perplexed63 her. Was he in another car or another compartment? And if she had so much to say to him why had she stood talking to another man until the train was on the point of leaving? and why was she sitting here now instead of being with him?
“American women are such fun,” O’Hara was saying, his cheery, ruddy face one broad smile. “I admire them awfully64. They’re so superbly self-reliant.”
“You’re an American, Miss Van Tuyl?” the Fr?ulein ventured. “Oh, of course. It was in America, I suppose, you met Uncle Max?”
Hope stared questioningly.
“Uncle Max?” she questioned. “I don’t understand you. Who is——”
190 “Didn’t you know he was my uncle?” the girl asked, a little embarrassed.
“Really, I—” she began again. And then O’Hara came to the rescue:
“Our mutual65 friend, Miss Van Tuyl. After all, what’s in a name? Miss von Altdorf calls him ‘Uncle Max’ and you—what is your favourite pet name for him? Or is it rude of me to ask?”
“Oh, I beg your pardon,” Hope implored66, addressing the fair-haired girl beside her; “how stupid of me! Yes, of course; I met him in America when we were both very young. You were with him yesterday at Versailles, weren’t you? I remember you distinctly. Mr. Grey wrote me something very nice about you.”
“About me? Mr. Grey?” It was the Fr?ulein’s turn to be audibly perplexed.
“Yes, certainly, Mr. Grey wrote me about you.”
“But I don’t know any Mr. Grey.”
O’Hara laughed aloud. Should he or should he not, he asked himself, set them right and thus end this game of cross-purposes? It was very amusing, it appealed to his native love of fun and191 he enjoyed it, so he concluded to let the play go on.
“Why, my dear Miss von Altdorf,” Hope insisted, “do you mean to tell me that you don’t know your Uncle Max’s name is Grey?”
Minna’s eyes were wide with amazement67. Could it be possible that her uncle was known in the United States by another name? The supposition was preposterous68.
“My Uncle Max’s name is Arndt,” she said, very decidedly. “He is my mother’s brother, and my mother’s name was Arndt before she married.”
Hope leaned back in the hot, stuffy69 cushions of the railway carriage, nonplussed70. This was altogether beyond her understanding. And the Fr?ulein, a little nettled71, but triumphant72, sat looking at her with something of pity in her great long-lashed blue eyes, while O’Hara on the seat opposite was bent73 double in a convulsion of merriment.
“I don’t really see, Mr. O’Hara,” Minna observed, rebukingly74, a moment later, “what there is to laugh over. Would you mind telling me?”
The Irishman, who had more than a passing192 fondness for the girl, pulled a straight face on the instant.
“I’m sorry, Miss von Altdorf,” he apologised. “It’s too bad of me, isn’t it? And I beg Miss Van Tuyl’s pardon, too. I’d like to explain the whole blessed thing to you both, but to tell the truth, I fancy the gentleman of the mixed nomenclature had better be after doing it himself.”
But when Grey arrived and the situation was laid before him, the explanation was not at the moment forthcoming. He evaded75 it as deftly76 as he knew how, which, if the truth be told, was not by any means to the taste of either of the ladies. It would have been an easy matter to clear the mystery for Hope, but he hesitated to confess to Minna, in the presence of the others, that he had been sailing under false colours. She was a sensitive child, and serious, and he had no relish77 for inflicting78 the pain that his unmasking would, he knew, entail79. So he simply said:
“Ah, that’s a long story and we’ll have it at another time. Just now I want to know what Miss Van Tuyl is going to wire to her doting80 father.”
O’Hara excused himself and went out, and Miss193 von Altdorf extracted a novel from her satchel81 and buried herself in its pages.
“Wire him,” Hope directed, “that I’ve gone on with you unexpectedly to Kürschdorf to secure rooms for the royal obsequies, and that he is to follow tomorrow night with the luggage.”
“But he won’t get it until late tonight, you know; possibly not until tomorrow morning,” Grey told her.
“No, he won’t get it until after two o’clock tomorrow, at the earliest,” she replied, smiling.
“How do you know that?” he asked, surprised.
“Because he went to Trouville last night to see a man,” she laughed. “He does not leave there until nine-one tomorrow morning, and it takes these crawling French railway trains five hours to make the journey.”
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1
leisurely
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| adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的 | |
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lugubrious
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| adj.悲哀的，忧郁的 | |
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bustle
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| v.喧扰地忙乱，匆忙，奔忙；n.忙碌；喧闹 | |
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nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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compartments
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| n.间隔( compartment的名词复数 )；（列车车厢的）隔间；（家具或设备等的）分隔间；隔层 | |
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compartment
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| n.卧车包房，隔间；分隔的空间 | |
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besieging
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| 包围，围困，围攻( besiege的现在分词 ) | |
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effusive
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| adj.热情洋溢的；感情(过多)流露的 | |
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intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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stereotyped
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| adj.(指形象、思想、人物等)模式化的 | |
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hissing
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| n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式 | |
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shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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rumble
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| n.隆隆声；吵嚷；v.隆隆响；低沉地说 | |
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animatedly
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| adv.栩栩如生地，活跃地 | |
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depressed
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| adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的 | |
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obdurate
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| adj.固执的，顽固的 | |
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talisman
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| n.避邪物，护身符 | |
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supple
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| adj.柔软的，易弯的，逢迎的，顺从的，灵活的；vt.使柔软，使柔顺，使顺从；vi.变柔软，变柔顺 | |
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revelled
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| v.作乐( revel的过去式和过去分词 )；狂欢；着迷；陶醉 | |
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physically
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| adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律 | |
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wrought
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| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
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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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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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scurry
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| vi.急匆匆地走；使急赶；催促；n.快步急跑，疾走；仓皇奔跑声；骤雨，骤雪；短距离赛马 | |
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ardent
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，强烈的，烈性的 | |
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bliss
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| n.狂喜，福佑，天赐的福 | |
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awakening
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| n.觉醒，醒悟 adj.觉醒中的；唤醒的 | |
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clenching
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的现在分词 ) | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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transformation
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| n.变化；改造；转变 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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ostrich
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| n.鸵鸟 | |
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plume
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| n.羽毛；v.整理羽毛，骚首弄姿，用羽毛装饰 | |
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tint
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| n.淡色，浅色；染发剂；vt.着以淡淡的颜色 | |
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conspicuous
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| adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的 | |
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dolorously
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| adj. 悲伤的；痛苦的；悲哀的；阴沉的 | |
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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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inclination
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| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
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fugitive
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| adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者 | |
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abetting
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| v.教唆（犯罪）( abet的现在分词 )；煽动；怂恿；支持 | |
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41
glistened
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| v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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42
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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43
undoing
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| n.毁灭的原因，祸根；破坏，毁灭 | |
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conspiracy
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| n.阴谋，密谋，共谋 | |
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reassure
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| v.使放心，使消除疑虑 | |
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nonchalance
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| n.冷淡，漠不关心 | |
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47
determinedly
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| adv.决意地；坚决地，坚定地 | |
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48
imperative
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| n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的 | |
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49
deferentially
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| adv.表示敬意地，谦恭地 | |
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50
reiterated
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| 反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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51
beckoned
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| v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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52
parley
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| n.谈判 | |
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53
dingy
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| adj.昏暗的，肮脏的 | |
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54
lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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55
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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berths
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| n.（船、列车等的）卧铺( berth的名词复数 )；（船舶的）停泊位或锚位；差事；船台vt.v.停泊( berth的第三人称单数 )；占铺位 | |
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refreshing
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| adj.使精神振作的，使人清爽的，使人喜欢的 | |
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sensational
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| adj.使人感动的，非常好的，轰动的，耸人听闻的 | |
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poignant
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| adj.令人痛苦的，辛酸的，惨痛的 | |
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stimulus
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| n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物 | |
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61
appreciation
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| n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨 | |
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62
tangle
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| n.纠缠；缠结；混乱；v.(使)缠绕；变乱 | |
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63
perplexed
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| adj.不知所措的 | |
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64
awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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65
mutual
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| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
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66
implored
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| 恳求或乞求（某人）( implore的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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preposterous
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| adj.荒谬的，可笑的 | |
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stuffy
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| adj.不透气的，闷热的 | |
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70
nonplussed
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| adj.不知所措的，陷于窘境的v.使迷惑( nonplus的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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71
nettled
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| v.拿荨麻打，拿荨麻刺（nettle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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72
triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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73
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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74
rebukingly
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evaded
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| 逃避( evade的过去式和过去分词 )； 避开； 回避； 想不出 | |
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76
deftly
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| adv.灵巧地，熟练地，敏捷地 | |
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77
relish
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| n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味 | |
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78
inflicting
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| 把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的现在分词 ) | |
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entail
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| vt.使承担，使成为必要，需要 | |
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80
doting
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| adj.溺爱的，宠爱的 | |
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81
satchel
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| n.(皮或帆布的)书包 | |
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