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Файл:Элис Эдамс. Учебное пособие – книга для чтения на английском языке
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Alice Adams
in the air, and in the thickened foliage of the shade-tr
and in the sky. Stars were unveiled by the passing of the
denser smoke fogs, and tonight they could be seen clearly;
they looked war
and stoops in Alices street, cheerful as young fishermen
along the banks of a stream.
Alice could hear them from time to time; thin sopranos
persistent in laughter that fell dismally upon her ears. She
had set no lines or nets herself, and what she had of
expectations, as Walter called them, were vanished. For
Alice was experienced; and one of the conclusions she
drew from her experience was that when a man says, Id
take you for anything you wanted me to, he may mean it
or
, he may not; but, if he does, he will not postpone the
first opportunity to say something more. Little affairs, once
begun, must be warmed quickly; for if they cool they are
dead.
But Alice was not thinking of Arthur Russell. When she
tossed away the carnations she likewise tossed away her
thoughts of that young man. She had been like a boy who
sees upon the street, some distance before him, a bit of
something round and glittering, a possible dime. He hopes
it is a dime, and, until he comes near enough to make
sure, he plays that it is a dime. In his mind he has an
adventure with it: he buys something delightful. If he
picks it up, discovering only some tin-foil which has
happened upon a round shape, he feels a sinking. A
dulness falls upon him.
So Alice was dull with the loss of an adventure; and
when the laughter of other girls reached her
she had not sprightliness enough left in her to be envious
of their gaiety. Besides, these neighbours were ineligible
even for her envy, being of another caste; they could
never know a dance at the Palmers, except remotely,
through a newspaper
encouragement of snappy young men of the stores and
offices down-town, clerks, bookkeepers, what not some
of them probably graduates of Frinckes Business College.
m and near. Other girls sat upon verandas
, inter
. Their laughter was for the
ees,
mittently,
111
Booth Tarkington
Then, as she recalled that dark portal, with its dusty
stairway mounting between close walls to disappear in the
upper shadows, her mind drew back as from a doorway to
Purgatory. Nevertheless, it was a picture often in her
reverie; and sometimes it came suddenly, without sequence,
into the midst of her other thoughts, as if it leaped up
among them from a lower darkness; and when it arrived
it wanted to stay. So a traveller, still r
afar, sometimes br
family burial lot: I wonder if I shall end there.
The foreboding passed abruptly, with a jerk of her
breath, as the street-lamp revealed a tall and easy figure
approaching from the north, swinging a stick in time to its
stride. She had given Russell up and he came.
What luck for me! he exclaimed. To find you alone!
Alice gave him her hand for an instant, not otherwise
moving. Im glad it happened so, she said. Lets stay out
here, shall we? Do you think its too provincial to sit on
a girls front steps with her?
Provincial? Why, its the very best of our institutions,
he retur
so tonight.
else?
I come too soon?
wanting to come, Miss Adams, instead of doing what I was
doing.
are immensely hospitable to a newcomer
Didnt you find yourself charmed?
seemed to think I ought to be shown to the principal
business men.
ned, taking his place beside her. At least, I think
Thanks! Is that practice for other nights somewhere
No, he laughed. The practicing all led up to this. Did
No, she replied, gravely. Just in time!
Im glad to be so accurate; Ive spent two evenings
What was that?
Dinners. Large and long dinners. Y
Oh, no, Alice said. W
One was a mens dinner
oods without apparent reason upon his
e dont do it for everybody.
, he explained. Mr
oaming the world
our fellow-citizens
.
. Palmer
112
Alice Adams
What was the other dinner?
My cousin Mildred gave it.
Oh, DID she! Alice said, sharply, but she recovered
herself in the same instant, and laughed. She wanted to
show you to the principal business women, I suppose.
I dont know. At all events, I shouldnt give myself out to
be so much feted by your fellow-citizens, after all, seeing these
were both done by my r
are others to follow, Im afraid. I was wondering I hoped
maybe youd be coming to some of them. Arent you?
I rather doubt it, Alice said, slowly. Mildreds dance
was almost the only evening Ive gone out since my
fathers illness began. He seemed better that day; so I
went. He was better the other day when he wanted those
cigars. Hes very much up and down. She paused. Id
almost forgotten that Mildred is your cousin.
Not a very near one, he explained. Mr. Palmers
father was my great-uncle.
Still, of course you are related.
Yes; that distantly.
Alice said placidly, Its quite an advantage.
He agreed. Y
No, she said, in the same placid tone. I mean for
Mildred.
I dont see
She laughed. No. You wouldnt. I mean its an advantage
over the rest of us who might like to compete for some of
your time; and the worst of it is we cant accuse her of
being unfair about it. W
trickiness in having you for a cousin. Whatever else she
might plan to do with you, she didnt plan that. So the
rest of us must just bear it!
The rest of you! he laughed. Its going to mean a
great deal of suffering!
Alice resumed her placid tone. Y
Palmers, arent you?
No, not now. Ive taken an apartment. Im going to
live here; Im permanent. Didnt I tell you?
elatives, the Palmers. However
es. It is.
e cant prove she showed any
our
e staying at the
, there
113
Booth Tarkington
I think Id heard somewhere that you were, she said.
Do you think youll like living here?
How can one tell?
If I were in your place I think I should be able to tell,
Mr. Russell.
How?
Why, good gracious! she cried. Havent you got the
most perfect creature in town for your your cousin? SHE
expects to make you like living here, doesnt she? How
could you keep from liking it, even if you tried not to,
under the circumstances?
Well, you see, theres such a lot of cir
explained; Im not sure Ill like getting back into a
business again. I suppose most of the men of my age in
the country have been going through the same experience:
the War left us with a considerable r
You wer
quickly answered herself, Of course you were!
I was a left-over; they only let me out about four
months ago, he said. Its quite a shake-up trying to settle
down again.
You were in France, then?
Oh, yes; but I didnt get up to the front much only
two or three times, and then just for a day or so. I was
in the transportation service.
Y
ou were an officer
Yes, he said. They let me play I was a major
I guessed a major
grand, of course.
Russell was amused. Well, you see, he infor
as it happened, we had at least several other majors in our
army. Why would I always be something pretty grand?
Youre r
always affect the pretty grand?
Then you think Im only one of their affectations, I
take it.
Yes, you seem to be the most successful one theyve
got! Alice said, lightly. Y
e in the War? she asked, quickly, and as
, of course.
, she said. Y
elated to the Palmers. Dont you notice they
ou certainly do belong to them.
cumstances, he
estlessness of spirit.
.
oud always be pr
med her,
etty
114
Alice Adams
And she laughed as if at something hidden from him.
Dont you?
But youve just excused me for that, he protested.
You said nobody could be blamed for my being their
third cousin. What a contradictory girl you are!
Alice shook her head. Lets keep away from the kind
of girl I am.
No, he said. Thats just what I came here to talk
about.
She shook her head again. Lets keep first to the kind
of man you ar
Why?
Oh, I dont know. She was quiet a moment, for she was
thinking that here she spoke the truth: his service put about
him a little glamour that helped to please her with him. She
had been pleased with him during their walk; pleased with
him on his own account; and now that pleasure was growing
keener. She looked at him, and though the light in which she
saw him was little more than starlight, she saw that he was
looking steadily at her with a kindly and smiling seriousness.
All at once it seemed to her that the night air was sweeter
to breathe, as if a distant fragrance of new blossoms had
been blown to her
what kind of man are you?
I dont know; Ive often wondered, he replied. What
kind of girl are you?
Dont you remember? I told you the other day. Im just
me!
But who is that?
You forget everything; said Alice. Y
kind of a girl I am. Y
a fancy to me from the very first.
So I did, he agreed, heartily.
But how quickly you forgot it!
Oh, no. I only want YOU to say what kind of a girl
you are.
She mocked him. I don
What kind of a girl does Mildred tell you I am? What has
e. Im glad you wer
. She smiled back to him, and said, W
ou seemed to think youd taken quite
t know; Ive often wondered!
e in the W
ou told me what
ar.
ell,
115
Booth Tarkington
she said about me since she told you I was a Miss
Adams?
I dont know; I havent asked her
Then DONT ask her
Why?
Because shes such a perfect creature and Im such an
imperfect one. Perfect creatures have the most perfect way
of ruining the imperfect ones.
But then they wouldnt be perfect. Not if they
Oh, yes, they remain perfectly perfect, she assured
him. Thats because they never go into details. Theyre
not so vulgar as to come right out and TELL that youve
been in jail for stealing chickens. They just look absentminded and say in a low voice,
think youd like her particularly; and then begin to talk of
something else right away.
His smile had disappeared. Yes, he said, somewhat
ruefully. That does sound like Mildr
seem to know her! Do you know everybody as well as
that?
Not myself, Alice said. I dont know myself at all. I
got to wondering about that about who I was the
other day after you walked home with me.
He uttered an exclamation, and added, explaining it,
You do give a man a chance to be fatuous, though! As if
it were walking home with me that made you wonder
about yourself!
It was, Alice informed him, coolly. I was wondering
what I wanted to make you think of me, in case I should
ever happen to see you again.
This audacity appeared to take his breath. By George!
he cried.
You mustnt be astonished, she said. What I decided
then was that I would probably never dare to be just
myself with you not if I cared to have you want to see
me again and yet here I am, just being myself after all!
You ARE the cheeriest series of shocks, Russell
exclaimed, whereupon Alice added to the series.
, Alice said, quickly.
.
Oh, very; but I scarcely
ed. You certainly do
116
Alice Adams
Tell me: i
you? she asked, and he found the mockery in her voice
delightful. Would you advise me to offer you shocks as a
sort of vacation from suavity?
Suavity was yet another sketch of Mildred; a recognizable
one, or it would not have been humorous. In Alices
hands, so dexterous in this work, her statuesque friend
was becoming as ridiculous as a fine figure of wax left to
the mercies of a satirist.
But the lively young sculptress knew better than to
overdo: what she did must appear to spring all from mirth;
so she laughed as if unwillingly, and said, I MUSTNT
laugh at Mildred! In the first place, shes your your
cousin. And in the second place, shes not meant to be
funny; it isnt right to laugh at really splendid people who
take themselves seriously. In the third place, you wont
come again if I do.
Dont be sure of that, Russell said, whatever you do.
Whatever I do? she echoed. That sounds as if you
thought I COULD be terrific! Be careful; theres one thing
I could do that would keep you away.
Whats that?
I could tell you not to come, she said. I wonder if
I ought to.
Why do you wonder if you ought to?
Dont you guess?
No.
Then lets both be mysteries to each other
suggested. I mystify you because I wonder
mystify me because you dont guess why I wonder
let it go at that, shall we?
Very well; so long as its certain that you DONT tell
me not to come again.
Ill not tell you that yet, she said. In fact She
paused, reflecting, with her head to one side. In fact, I
wont tell you not to come, probably, until I see thats
what you want me to tell you. Ill let you out easily and
Ill be sure to see it. Even before you do, perhaps.
s it a good policy for me to follow with
, she
, and you
. Well
117
Booth Tarkington
That arrangement suits me, Russell returned, and his
voice held no trace of jocularity: he had become serious.
It suits me better if youre enough in earnest to mean that
I can come oh, not whenever I want to; I dont expect
so much! but if you mean that I can see you pretty
often.
Of course Im in earnest, she said. But before I say
you can come pretty often, Id like to know how much of
my time youd need if you did come whenever you want
to; and of course you wouldnt dare make any answer to
that question except one. Wouldnt you let me have Thursdays
out?
No, no, he protested. I want to know. Will you let
me come pretty often?
Lean toward me a little, Alice said. I want you to
understand. And as he obediently bent his head near
hers, she inclined toward him as if to whisper; then, in a
half-shout, she cried, YES!
He clapped his hands. By George! he said. What a
girl you are!
Why?
Well, for the first r
gaieties as that one. I should think your father would
actually like being ill, just to be in the house with you all
the time.
Y
ou mean by that, Alice inquir
cheerful with my amusing little ways?
Yes. Dont you?
There were only boys in your family, werent there,
Mr. Russell?
I was an only child, unfortunately.
Yes, she said. I see you hadnt any sisters.
For a moment he puzzled over her meaning, then saw
it, and was mor
answer a question of yours, now, that I couldnt a while
ago.
Yes, I know, she r
But how could you know?
e delighted with her than ever
eason, because you have such
ed, I keep my family
. I can
eturned, quietly.
118
Alice Adams
Its the question I asked you about whether you were
going to like living her
me that now you know you WILL like it.
More telepathy! he exclaimed. Yes, that was it, precisely.
I suppose the same things been said to you so many times
that you
No, it hasnt, Alice said, a little confused for the
moment. Not at all. I meant She paused, then asked in
a gentle voice, W
Yes.
Well, then, I was only afraid you didnt mean it.
See here, he said. I did mean it. I told you it was
being pretty difficult for me to settle down to things again.
W
ell, its more difficult than you know, but I think I can
pull through in fair spirits if I can see a girl like you pretty
often.
All right, she said, in a business-like tone. Ive told
you that you can if you want to.
I do want to, he assur
How often is pr
Would you walk with me sometimes? T
Sometimes. Not tomorrow. The day after
Thats splendid! he said. Y
after tomorrow, and the night after that Ill see you at Miss
Lambs dance, wont I?
But this fell rather chillingly upon Alice. Miss Lambs
dance? Which Miss Lamb? she asked.
I dont know its the one thats just coming out of
mourning.
Oh, Henrietta yes. Is her dance so soon? Id forgotten.
Youll be ther
youre going.
Alice did not respond at once, and he urged her again:
Please do promise youll be there.
No, I cant pr
see, for one thing, papa might not be well enough.
But if he is? said Russell. If he is youll surely come,
wont you? Or
, perhaps He hesitated, then went on
e, she said. Y
ould you really like to know?
ed her. I do, indeed!
etty often, Mr
e, wont you? he asked. Please say
omise anything, she said, slowly. Y
oure about to tell
. Russell?
omorrow?
.
oull walk with me day
ou
119
Booth Tarkington
quickly, I dont know the rules in this place yet, and
different places have different rules; but do you have to
have a chaperone, or dont girls just go to dances with the
men sometimes? If they do, would you would you let me
take you?
Alice was startled. Good gracious!
Whats the matter?
Dont you think your relatives Arent you expected
to go with Mildred and Mrs. Palmer?
Not necessarily. It doesnt matter what I might be
expected to do, he said. Will you go with me?
I No; I couldnt.
Why not?
I cant. Im not going.
But why?
Papas not r
too worried about him to go to a dance. Her voice
sounded emotional, genuinely enough; there was something
almost like a sob in it. Lets talk of other things, please.
He acquiesced gently; but Mrs. Adams, who had been
listening to the conversation at the open window, just overhead,
did not hear him. She had correctly interpreted the sob in
Alices voice, and, tr
her knees, and went fiercely to her husbands room.
eally any better, Alice said, huskily. Im
embling with sudden anger, she r
ose from
Chapter XIII
He had not undressed, and he sat beside the table,
smoking his pipe and reading his newspaper
forehead the lines in that old pattern, the historical map of
his troubles, had grown a little vaguer lately; relaxed by
the complacency of a man who not only finds his health
restored, but sees the days before him promising once
more a familiar routine that he has always liked to follow.
As his wife came in, closing the door behind her
looked up cheerfully, Well, mother
news downstairs?
120
, he said, whats the
. Upon his
, he
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