alone!Thecontiguousforestcouldnotbeboltedout,andtheIndianwifeheardall.Recognizingthesituationwithaboriginaldirectnessofpurpose,shecommittedsuicideinthefondbeliefthatitwouldreunitethesurvivors.Butinvain;thecousinspartedonthespottomeetnomore.
EvenMrs.Ashwood\'spredilectionfortheyouthfulwritercouldnotoverlookthefactthatthedenouementwasbynomeansnovelnorthesituationhuman,butyetitwasherethatshewasmostinterestedandfascinated.ThedescriptionoftheforestwasadescriptionofthewoodwhereshehadfirstmetHarcourt;thecharmofitreturned,untilshealmostseemedtoagaininhaleitsbalsamicfreshnessinthepagesbeforeher.Now,asthen,heryouthcamebackwiththesamelongingandregret.Butmorebewilderingthanall,itwasherselfthatmovedthere,paintedwiththelovinghandofthenarrator.Forthefirsttimesheexperiencedthedeliciousflatteryofseeingherselfasonlyalovercouldseeher.Thesmallestdetailofhercostumewassuggestedwithanaccuracythatpleasantlythrilledherfemininesense.Thegraceofherfigureslowlymovingthroughtheshadow,thecurvesofherarmandthedelicacyofherhandthatheldthebridlerein,thegentleglowofhersoftlyroundedcheek,thesweetmysteryofherveiledeyesandforehead,andtheescapinggoldofherlovelyhairbeneathherhatwereallinturnmasterfullytouchedortenderlysuggested.Andwhentothiswasaddedthefaintperfumeofhernearerpresence——
thescentshealwaysused——thedelicaterevelationsofherwithdrawngauntlet,thebraceletclaspingherwhitewrist,andatlastthethrillingcontactofhersofthandonhisarm,——sheputdownthemanuscriptandblushedlikeaverygirl.Thenshestarted.
Ashout!——HISvoicesurely!——andthesoundofoarsintheirrowlocks.
Aninstantrevulsionoffeelingovertookher.Withaquickmovementsheinstantlyhidthemanuscriptbeneathhercloakandstooduperectandindignant.Nottwentyyardsaway,apparentlyadvancingfromtheoppositeshoreofthebay,wasaboat.ItcontainedonlyJohnMilton,restingonhisoarsandscanningthegroupofrocksanxiously.Hisface,whichwasquitestrainedwithanxiety,suddenlyflushedwhenhesawher,andthenrecognizingtheunmistakablesignificanceofherlookandattitude,paledoncemore.Hebentoverhisoarsagain;afewstrokesbroughthimclosetotherock.
\"Ibegyourpardon,\"hesaidhesitatingly,asheturnedtowardsherandlaidasidehisoars,\"but——Ithought——youwere——indanger.\"
Sheglancedquicklyroundher.Shehadforgottenthetide!Theledgebetweenherandtheshorewasalreadyafootunderbrownsea-
water.Yetifshehadnotthoughtthatitwouldlookridiculous,shewouldhaveleapeddowneventhenandwadedashore.
\"It\'snothing,\"shesaidcoldly,withtheairofonetowhomthesituationwasaneverydayoccurrence;\"it\'sonlyafewstepsandaslightwetting——andmybrotherwouldhavebeenhereinamomentmore.\"
JohnMilton\'sfrankeyesmadenosecretofhismortification.\"I
oughtnottohavedisturbedyou,Iknow,\"hesaidquickly,\"Ihadnoright.ButIwasontheothershoreoppositeandIsawyoucomedownhere——thatis\"——heblushedprodigiously——\"IthoughtitMIGHT
BEyou——andIventured——Imean——won\'tyouletmerowyouashore?\"
Thereseemedtobenoreasonableexcuseforrefusing.Sheslippedquicklyintotheboatwithoutwaitingforhishelpinghand,avoidingthatcontactwhichonlyamomentagoshewastryingtorecall.
Afewstrokesbroughtthemashore.Hecontinuedhisexplanationwiththehopelessfranknessandpersistencyofyouthandinexperience.\"Ionlycameherethedaybeforeyesterday.Iwouldnothavecome,butMr.Fletcher,whohasacottageontheothershore,sentformetooffermemyoldplaceonthe\'Clarion.\'I
hadnoideaofintrudinguponyourprivacybycallingherewithoutpermission.\"
Mrs.Ashwoodhadresumedherconventionalcourtesywithouthoweverlosingherfemininedesiretomakehercompanionpayfortheagitationhehadcausedher.\"Wewouldhavebeenalwayspleasedtoseeyou,\"shesaidvaguely,\"andIhope,asyouareherenow,youwillcomewithmetothehotel.Mybrother\"——
Buthestillretainedhisholdoftheboat-ropewithoutmoving,andcontinued,\"Isawyouyesterday,throughthetelescope,sittinginyourbalcony;andlateratnightIthinkitwasyourshadowIsawneartheblueshadedlampinthesitting-roombythewindow,——I
don\'tmeantheREDLAMPthatyouhaveinyourownroom.Iwatchedyouuntilyouputoutthebluelampandlittheredone.Itellyouthis——because——because——IthoughtyoumightbereadingamanuscriptIsentyou.Atleast,\"hesmiledfaintly,\"ILIKEDtothinkitso.\"
Inherpresentmoodthisstruckheronlyaspersistentandsomewhategotistical.Butshefeltherselfnowongroundwhereshecoulddealfirmlywithhim.
\"Oh,yes,\"shesaidgravely.\"Igotitandthankyouverymuchforit.Iintendedtowritetoyou.\"
\"Don\'t,\"hesaid,lookingatherfixedly.\"Icanseeyoudon\'tlikeit.\"
\"Onthecontrary,\"shesaidpromptly,\"Ithinkitbeautifullywritten,andveryingeniousinplotandsituation.Ofcourseitisn\'tthestoryItoldyou——Ididn\'texpectthat,forI\'mnotagenius.Themanisnotatalllikemycousin,youknow,andthewoman——wellreally,totellthetruth,SHEissimplyinconceivable!\"
\"Youthinkso?\"hesaidgravely.Hehadbeengazingabstractedlyatsomeshiningbrownseaweedinthewater,andwhenheraisedhiseyestoherstheyseemedtohavecaughtitscolor.
\"Thinkso?I\'mpositive!There\'snosuchawoman;sheisn\'tHUMAN.Butletuswalktothehotel.\"
\"Thankyou,butImustgobacknow.\"
\"Butatleastletmybrotherthankyoufortakinghisplace——inrescuingme.ItwassothoughtfulinyoutoputoffatoncewhenyousawIwassurrounded.Imighthavebeeningreatdanger.\"
\"Pleasedon\'tmakefunofme,Mrs.Ashwood,\"hesaidwithafaintreturnofhisboyishsmile.\"Youknowtherewasnodanger.Ihaveonlyinterruptedyouinanaporareverie——andIcanseenowthatyouevidentlycameheretobealone.\"
Holdingthemanuscriptmorecloselyhiddenunderthefoldsofhercloak,shesmiledenigmatically.\"IthinkIDID,anditseemsthatthetidethoughtsotoo,andacteduponit.Butyouwillcomeuptothehotelwithme,surely?\"
\"No,Iamgoingbacknow.\"Therewasasuddenfirmnessabouttheyoungfellowwhichshehadneverbeforenoticed.Thiswasevidentlythecreaturewhohadmarriedinspiteofhisfamily.
\"Won\'tyoucomebacklongenoughtotakeyourmanuscript?IwillpointoutthepartIreferto,and——wewilltalkitover.\"
\"Thereisnonecessity.Iwrotetoyouthatyoumightkeepit;itisyours;itwaswrittenforyouandnoneother.Itisquiteenoughformetoknowthatyouweregoodenoughtoreadit.Butwillyoudoonethingmoreforme?Readitagain!Ifyoufindanythinginitthesecondtimetochangeyourviews——ifyoufind\"——
\"Iwillletyouknow,\"shesaidquickly.\"IwillwritetoyouasI
intended.\"
\"No,Ididn\'tmeanthat.Imeantthatifyoufoundthewomanlessinconceivableandmorehuman,don\'twritetome,butputyourredlampinyourwindowinsteadoftheblueone.Iwillwatchforitandseeit.\"
\"IthinkIwillbeabletoexplainmyselfmuchbetterwithsimplepenandink,\"shesaiddryly,\"anditwillbemuchmoreusefultoyou.\"
Heliftedhishatgravely,shovedofftheboat,leapedintoit,andbeforeshecouldholdoutherhandwastwentyfeetaway.Sheturnedandranquicklyuptherocks.Whenshereachedthehotel,shecouldseetheboatalreadyhalfacrossthebay.
Enteringhersitting-roomshefoundthatherbrother,tiredofwaitingforher,haddrivenout.Takingthehiddenmanuscriptfromhercloakshetosseditwithaslightgestureofimpatienceonthetable.Thenshesummonedthelandlord.
\"Isthereatownacrossthebay?\"
\"No!thewholemountain-sidebelongstoDonDiegoFletcher.HelivesawaybackinthecoastrangeatLosGatos,buthehasacottageandmillonthebeach.\"
\"DonDiegoFletcher——Fletcher!IsheaSpaniardthen?\"
\"Halfandhalf,Ireckon;he\'sfromthelowercountry,Ibelieve.\"
\"Ishehereoften?\"
\"Notmuch;hehasmillsatLosGatos,wheatranchesatSantaClara,andownsanewspaperin\'Frisco!Buthe\'sherenow.Therewerelightsinhishouselastnight,andhiscutterliesoffthepoint.\"
\"Couldyougetasmallpackageandnotetohim?\"
\"Certainly;itisonlyarowacrossthebay.\"
\"Thankyou.\"
WithoutremovingherhatandcloakshesatdownatthetableandbeganalettertoDonDiegoFletcher.Shebeggedtoinclosetohimamanuscriptwhichshewassatisfied,fortheinterestsofitsauthor,wasbetterinhishandsthanhers.Ithadbeengiventoherbytheauthor,Mr.J.M.Harcourt,whomsheunderstoodwasengagedonMr.Fletcher\'spaper,the\"Clarion.\"Infact,ithadbeenwrittenatHERsuggestion,andfromanincidentinreallifeofwhichshewascognizant.ShewassorrytosaythatonaccountofsomeveryfoolishcriticismofherownastotheFACTS,thetalentedyoungauthorhadbecomesodissatisfiedwithitastomakeitpossiblethat,iflefttohimself,thisverycharmingandbeautifullywrittenstorywouldremainunpublished.AsanadmirerofMr.Harcourt\'sgenius,andafriendofhisfamily,shefeltthatsuchaneventwouldbedeplorable,andshethereforebeggedtoleaveittoMr.Fletcher\'sdelicacyandtacttoarrangewiththeauthorforitspublication.SheknewthatMr.Fletcherhadonlytoreadittobeconvincedofitsremarkableliterarymerit,andsheagainwouldimpressuponhimthefactthatherplayfulandthoughtlesscriticism——whichwaspersonalandconfidential——wasonlybaseduponthecircumstancesthattheauthorhadreallymadeamorebeautifulandtouchingstorythanthepoorfactswhichshehadfurnishedseemedtowarrant.ShehadonlyjustlearnedthefortunatecircumstancethatMr.Fletcherwasintheneighborhoodofthehotelwhereshewasstayingwithherbrother.
Withthesamepractical,business-likedirectness,butperhapsacertainunbusiness-likehastesuperadded,sherolledupthemanuscriptanddispatcheditwiththeletter.
Thisdone,however,aslightreactionsetin,andhavingtakenoffherhatandshawl,shedroppedlistlesslyonachairbythewindow,butassuddenlyroseandtookaseatinthedarkerpartoftheroom.Shefeltthatshehaddoneright,thathighestbutmostdepressingofhumanconvictions!Itwasentirelyforhisgood.
Therewasnoreasonwhyhisbestinterestsshouldsufferforhisfolly.Ifanybodywastosufferitwasshe.Butwhatnonsensewasshethinking!Shewouldwritetohimlaterwhenshewasalittlecooler,——asshehadsaid.Butthenhehaddistinctlytoldher,andveryrudelytoo,thathedidn\'twanthertowrite.WantedhertomakeSIGNALStohim,——theidiot!andprobablywasevennowwatchingherwithatelescope.Itwasreallytoopreposterous!
Theresultwasthatherbrotherfoundheronhisreturninasomewhatuncertainmood,and,asacounselor,variableandconflictinginjudgment.IfthisClementina,whoseemedtohavethefamilyqualitiesofobstinacyandaudacity,reallycaredforhim,shecertainlywouldn\'tletdelicacystandinthewayoflettinghimknowit——andhewasthereforesafetowaitalittle.Afewmomentslater,shelanguidlydeclaredthatshewasafraidthatshewasnocounselorinsuchmatters;reallyshewasgettingtoooldtotakeanyinterestinthatsortofthing,andsheneverhadbeenamatchmaker!Bythewaynow,wasn\'titoddthatthisneighbor,thatrichcapitalistacrossthebay,shouldbecalledFletcher,and\"JamesFletcher\"too,forDiegomeant\"James\"inSpanish.Exactlythesamenameaspoor\"CousinJim\"whodisappeared.DidherememberheroldplaymateJim?Butherbrotherthoughtsomethingelsewasadeucedsightmoreodd,namely,thatthissameDonDiegoFletcherwassaidtobeverysweetonClementinanow,andwasalwaysinhercompanyattheRamirez.Andthat,withthis\"Clarion\"apologyonthetopofit,lookedinfernallyqueer.
Mrs.Ashwoodfeltasuddenconsternation.Herehadshe——Jack\'ssister——justbeentakingJack\'sprobablerivalintoconfidentialcorrespondence!SheturneduponJacksharply:——
\"Whydidn\'tyousaythatbefore?\"
\"Ididtellyou,\"hesaidgloomily,\"butyoudidn\'tlisten.Butwhatdifferencedoesitmaketoyounow?\"
\"Nonewhatever,\"saidMrs.Ashwoodcalmlyasshewalkedoutoftheroom.
Neverthelesstheafternoonpassedwearily,andherusualrideintotheuplandcanyondidnotreanimateher.Forreasonsknownbesttoherselfshedidnottakeherafter-dinnerstrollalongtheshoretowatchtheoutlyingfog.Atacomparativelyearlyhour,whiletherewasstillaroseateglowinthewesternsky,sheappearedwithgrimdeliberation,andthebluelamp-shadeinherhand,andplaceditoverthelampwhichshelitandstoodonhertablebesidethewindow.Thisdoneshesatdownandbegantowritewithbright-eyedbutviciouscomplacency.
\"Butyoudon\'twantthatlightANDthewindow,Constance,\"saidJackwonderingly.
Mrs.Ashwoodcouldnotstandthedreadfultwilight.
\"Buttakeawayyourlampandyou\'llhavelightenoughfromthesunset,\"respondedJack.
Thatwasjustwhatshedidn\'twant!Thelightfromthewindowwasthathorridvulgarredglowwhichshehated.ItmightbeveryromanticandsuitloverslikeJack,butasSHEhadsomeworktodo,shewantedtheblueshadeofthelamptocorrectthatdreadfulglare.
CHAPTERXII.
JohnMiltonhadrowedbackwithoutliftinghiseyestoMrs.
Ashwood\'srecedingfigure.Hebelievedthathewasrightindecliningherinvitation,althoughhehadamiserablefeelingthatitentailedseeingherforthelasttime.Withallthathebelievedwashispreviousexperienceoftheaffections,hewasstillsountutoredastobeconfusedastohisreasonsfordeclining,orhisrighttohavebeenshockedanddisappointedathermanner.Itseemedtohimsufficientlyplainthathehadoffendedthemostperfectwomanhehadeverknownwithoutknowingmore.Thefeelinghehadforherwasnonethelesspowerfulbecause,inhisgreatsimplicity,itwasvagueandunformulated.
Anditwasapartofthisstrangesimplicitythatinhismiserablelonelinesshisthoughtsturnedunconsciouslytohisdeadwifeforsympathyandconsolation.Loowouldhaveunderstoodhim!
Mr.Fletcher,whohadreceivedhimonhisarrivalwithsingulareffusivenessandcordiality,hadputofftheirfinalarrangementsuntilafterdinner,onaccountofpressingbusiness.ItwasthereforewithsomesurprisethatanhourbeforethetimehewassummonedtoFletcher\'sroom.Hewasstillmoresurprisedtofindhimsittingathisdesk,fromwhichanumberofbusinesspapersandlettershadbeenhurriedlythrustasidetomakewayforamanuscript.
AsingleglanceatitwasenoughtoshowtheunhappyJohnMiltonthatitwastheonehehadsenttoMrs.Ashwood.Thecolorflashedtohischeekandhefeltamistbeforehiseyes.Hisemployer\'sface,onthecontrary,wasquitepale,andhiseyeswerefixedonHarcourtwithasingularintensity.Hisvoicetoo,althoughundergreatcontrol,washardandstrange.
\"Readthat,\"hesaid,handingtheyoungmanaletter.
ThecoloragainstreamedintoJohnMilton\'sfaceasherecognizedthehandofMrs.Ashwood,andremainedtherewhilehereadit.
Whenheputitdown,however,heraisedhisfrankeyestoFletcher\'s,andsaidwithacertaindignityandmanliness:\"Whatshesaysisthetruth,sir.ButitisIalonewhoamatfault.
ThismanuscriptismerelyMYstupidideaofaverysimplestoryshewasoncekindenoughtotellmewhenweweretalkingofstrangeoccurrencesinreallife,whichshethoughtImightsometimemakeuseofinmywork.Itriedtoembellishit,andfailed.That\'sall.Iwilltakeitback,——itwaswrittenonlyforher.\"
Therewassuchanirresistibletruthfulnessandsincerityinhisvoiceandmanner,thatanyideaofcomplicitywiththesenderwasdismissedfromFletcher\'smind.AsHarcourt,however,extendedhishandforthemanuscriptFletcherinterfered.
\"Youforgetthatyougaveittoher,andshehassentittome.IfIdon\'tkeepit,itcanbereturnedtoheronly.NowmayIaskwhoisthisladywhotakessuchaninterestinyourliterarycareer?
Haveyouknownherlong?Issheafriendofyourfamily?\"
Theslightsneerthataccompaniedhisquestionrestoredthenaturalcolortotheyoungman\'sface,butkindledhiseyeominously.
\"No,\"hesaidbriefly.\"ImetheraccidentallyabouttwomonthsagoandasaccidentallyfoundoutthatshehadtakenaninterestinoneofthefirstthingsIeverwroteforyourpaper.Sheneitherknewyounorme.Itwasthenthatshetoldmethisstory;shedidnoteventhenknowwhoIwas,thoughshehadmetsomeofmyfamily.
Shewasverygoodandhasgenerouslytriedtohelpme.\"
Fletcher\'seyesremainedfixeduponhim.
\"ButthistellsmeonlyWHATsheis,notWHOsheis.\"
\"Iamafraidyoumustinquireofherbrother,Mr.Shipley,\"saidHarcourtcurtly.
\"Shipley?\"
\"Yes;heistravelingwithherforhishealth,andtheyaregoingsouthwhentherainscome.TheyarewealthyPhiladelphians,I
believe,and——andsheisawidow.\"
Fletcherpickeduphernoteandglancedagainatthesignature,\"ConstanceAshwood.\"Therewasamomentofsilence,whenheresumedinquiteadifferentvoice:\"It\'soddInevermetthemnortheyme.\"
Asheseemedtobewaitingforaresponse,JohnMiltonsaidsimply:
\"Isupposeit\'sbecausetheyhavenotbeenherelong,andaresomewhatreserved.\"