第43章

She was in her drawing-room, alone; she had on her bonnet, as if she had been going out. She gave him a joyous, demonstrative little welcome; she was evidently very glad to see him. Bernard had thought it possible she had "improved," and she was certainly prettier than ever.

He instantly perceived that she was still a chatterbox; it remained to be seen whether the quality of her discourse were finer.

"Well, Mr. Longueville," she exclaimed, "where in the world did you drop from, and how long did it take you to cross the Atlantic?

Three days, eh? It could n't have taken you many more, for it was only the other day that Gordon told me you were not to sail till the 20th. You changed your mind, eh? I did n't know you ever changed your mind. Gordon never changes his.

That 's not a reason, eh, because you are not a bit like Gordon.

Well, I never thought you were, except that you are a man.

Now what are you laughing at? What should you like me call you? You are a man, I suppose; you are not a god.

That 's what you would like me to call you, I have no doubt.

I must keep that for Gordon? I shall certainly keep it a good while.

I know a good deal more about gentlemen than I did when I last saw you, and I assure you I don't think they are a bit god-like. I suppose that 's why you always drop down from the sky--you think it 's more divine. I remember that 's the way you arrived at Baden when we were there together; the first thing we knew, you were standing in the midst of us.

Do you remember that evening when you presented yourself? You came up and touched Gordon on the shoulder, and he gave a little jump.

He will give another little jump when he sees you to-day. He gives a great many little jumps; I keep him skipping about!

I remember perfectly the way we were sitting that evening at Baden, and the way you looked at me when you came up.

I saw you before Gordon--I see a good many things before Gordon.

What did you look at me that way for? I always meant to ask you.

I was dying to know."

"For the simplest reason in the world," said Bernard.

"Because you were so pretty."

"Ah no, it was n't that! I know all about that look.

It was something else--as if you knew something about me.

I don't know what you can have known. There was very little to know about me, except that I was intensely silly. Really, I was awfully silly that summer at Baden--you would n't believe how silly I was. But I don't see how you could have known that--before you had spoken to me. It came out in my conversation--it came out awfully. My mother was a good deal disappointed in Mrs. Vivian's influence; she had expected so much from it.

But it was not poor Mrs. Vivian's fault, it was some one's else.

Have you ever seen the Vivians again? They are always in Europe; they have gone to live in Paris. That evening when you came up and spoke to Gordon, I never thought that three years afterward I should be married to him, and I don't suppose you did either. Is that what you meant by looking at me?

Perhaps you can tell the future. I wish you would tell my future!"

"Oh, I can tell that easily," said Bernard.

"What will happen to me?"

"Nothing particular; it will be a little dull--the perfect happiness of a charming woman married to the best fellow in the world."

"Ah, what a horrid future!" cried Blanche, with a little petulant cry.

"I want to be happy, but I certainly don't want to be dull.

If you say that again you will make me repent of having married the best fellow in the world. I mean to be happy, but I certainly shall not be dull if I can help it."

"I was wrong to say that," said Bernard, "because, after all, my dear young lady, there must be an excitement in having so kind a husband as you have got. Gordon's devotion is quite capable of taking a new form--of inventing a new kindness--every day in the year."

Blanche looked at him an instant, with less than her usual consciousness of her momentary pose.

"My husband is very kind," she said gently.

She had hardly spoken the words when Gordon came in.

He stopped a moment on seeing Bernard, glanced at his wife, blushed, flushed, and with a loud, frank exclamation of pleasure, grasped his friend by both hands. It was so long since he had seen Bernard that he seemed a good deal moved; he stood there smiling, clasping his hands, looking him in the eyes, unable for some moments to speak. Bernard, on his side, was greatly pleased; it was delightful to him to look into Gordon's honest face again and to return his manly grasp. And he looked well--he looked happy; to see that was more delightful yet.

During these few instants, while they exchanged a silent pledge of renewed friendship, Bernard's elastic perception embraced several things besides the consciousness of his own pleasure.