第8章

For the moment, however, they were not apparent; the excellent, honest fellow looked placid and contented. Gordon Wright had a clear gray eye, short, straight, flaxen hair, and a healthy diffusion of color. His features were thick and rather irregular; but his countenance--in addition to the merit of its expression--derived a certain grace from a powerful yellow moustache, to which its wearer occasionally gave a martial twist.

Gordon Wright was not tall, but he was strong, and in his whole person there was something well-planted and sturdy.

He almost always dressed in light-colored garments, and he wore round his neck an eternal blue cravat. When he was agitated he grew very red. While he questioned Longueville about his journey and his health, his whereabouts and his intentions, the latter, among his own replies, endeavored to read in Wright's eyes some account of his present situation.

Was that pretty girl at his side the ambiguous object of his adoration, and, in that case, what was the function of the elder lady, and what had become of her argumentative daughter?

Perhaps this was another, a younger daughter, though, indeed, she bore no resemblance to either of Longueville's friends.

Gordon Wright, in spite of Bernard's interrogative glances, indulged in no optical confidences. He had too much to tell.

He would keep his story till they should be alone together.

It was impossible that they should adjourn just yet to social solitude; the two ladies were under Gordon's protection.

Mrs. Vivian--Bernard felt a satisfaction in learning her name; it was as if a curtain, half pulled up and stopped by a hitch, had suddenly been raised altogether--Mrs. Vivian sat looking up and down the terrace at the crowd of loungers and talkers with an air of tender expectation. She was probably looking for her elder daughter, and Longueville could not help wishing also that this young lady would arrive. Meanwhile, he saw that the young girl to whom Gordon had been devoting himself was extremely pretty, and appeared eminently approachable.

Longueville had some talk with her, reflecting that if she were the person concerning whom Gordon had written him, it behooved him to appear to take an interest in her.

This view of the case was confirmed by Gordon Wright's presently turning away to talk with Mrs. Vivian, so that his friend might be at liberty to make acquaintance with their companion.

Though she had not been with the others at Siena, it seemed to Longueville, with regard to her, too, that this was not the first time he had seen her.

She was simply the American pretty girl, whom he had seen a thousand times.

It was a numerous sisterhood, pervaded by a strong family likeness.

This young lady had charming eyes (of the color of Gordon's cravats), which looked everywhere at once and yet found time to linger in some places, where Longueville's own eyes frequently met them. She had soft brown hair, with a silky-golden thread in it, beautifully arranged and crowned by a smart little hat that savoured of Paris. She had also a slender little figure, neatly rounded, and delicate, narrow hands, prettily gloved. She moved about a great deal in her place, twisted her little flexible body and tossed her head, fingered her hair and examined the ornaments of her dress. She had a great deal of conversation, Longueville speedily learned, and she expressed herself with extreme frankness and decision. He asked her, to begin with, if she had been long at Baden, but the impetus of this question was all she required. Turning her charming, conscious, coquettish little face upon him, she instantly began to chatter.

"I have been here about four weeks. I don't know whether you call that long.

It does n't seem long to me; I have had such a lovely time. I have met ever so many people here I know--every day some one turns up. Now you have turned up to-day."

"Ah, but you don't know me," said Longueville, laughing.

"Well, I have heard a great deal about you!" cried the young girl, with a pretty little stare of contradiction. "I think you know a great friend of mine, Miss Ella Maclane, of Baltimore. She 's travelling in Europe now." Longueville's memory did not instantly respond to this signal, but he expressed that rapturous assent which the occasion demanded, and even risked the observation that the young lady from Baltimore was very pretty. "She 's far too lovely," his companion went on. "I have often heard her speak of you.

I think you know her sister rather better than you know her.

She has not been out very long. She is just as interesting as she can be.

Her hair comes down to her feet. She 's travelling in Norway.

She has been everywhere you can think of, and she 's going to finish off with Finland. You can't go any further than that, can you?

That 's one comfort; she will have to turn round and come back. I want her dreadfully to come to Baden-Baden."

"I wish she would," said Longueville. "Is she travelling alone?"

"Oh, no. They 've got some Englishman. They say he 's devoted to Ella. Every one seems to have an Englishman, now.

We 've got one here, Captain Lovelock, the Honourable Augustus Lovelock. Well, they 're awfully handsome. Ella Maclane is dying to come to Baden-Baden. I wish you 'd write to her.

Her father and mother have got some idea in their heads; they think it 's improper--what do you call it?--immoral. I wish you would write to her and tell her it is n't. I wonder if they think that Mrs. Vivian would come to a place that 's immoral.

Mrs. Vivian says she would take her in a moment; she does n't seem to care how many she has. I declare, she 's only too kind.

You know I 'm in Mrs. Vivian's care. My mother 's gone to Marienbad.

She would let me go with Mrs. Vivian anywhere, on account of the influence--she thinks so much of Mrs. Vivian's influence.

I have always heard a great deal about it, have n't you?

I must say it 's lovely; it 's had a wonderful effect upon me.

I don't want to praise myself, but it has. You ask Mrs. Vivian if I have n't been good. I have been just as good as I can be.