按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
t this superior creature who came back to him out of an episode of his past； he thought of her simply as an unprotected woman toward whom he had been indelicate。 It is not an agreeable thing for a delicate man like Bernard Longueville to have to accommodate himself to such an accident； but this is nevertheless what it seemed needful that he should do。 If she bore him a grudge he must think it natural； if she had vowed him a hatred he must allow her the comfort of it。 He had done the only thing possible； but that made it no better for her。 He had wronged her。 The circumstances mattered nothing； and as he could not make it up to her； the only reasonable thing was to keep out of her way。 He had stepped into her path now； and the proper thing was to step out of it。 If it could give her no pleasure to see him again； it could certainly do him no good to see her。 He had seen her by this time pretty wellas far as mere seeing went； and as yet； apparently； he was none the worse for that； but his hope that he should himself escape unperceived had now become acute。 It is singular that this hope should not have led him instantly to turn his back and move away； but the explanation of his imprudent delay is simply that he wished to see a little more of Miss Vivian。 He was unable to bring himself to the point。 Those clever things that he might have said to her quite faded away。 The only good taste was to take himself off； and spare her the trouble of inventing civilities that she could not feel。 And yet he continued to sit there from moment to moment； arrested； detained； fascinated； by the accident of her not looking round of her having let him watch her so long。 She turned another page； and another； and her reading absorbed her still。 He was so near her that he could have touched her dress with the point of his umbrella。 At last she raised her eyes and rested them a while on the blue horizon； straight in front of her； but as yet without turning them aside。 This； however； augmented the danger of her doing so； and Bernard； with a good deal of an effort； rose to his feet。 The effort； doubtless； kept the movement from being either as light or as swift as it might have been； and it vaguely attracted his neighbor's attention。 She turned her head and glanced at him； with a glance that evidently expected but to touch him and pass。 It touched him； and it was on the point of passing； then it suddenly checked itself； she had recognized him。 She looked at him； straight and open…eyed； out of the shadow of her parasol； and Bernard stood theremotionless nowreceiving her gaze。 How long it lasted need not be narrated。 It was probably a matter of a few seconds； but to Bernard it seemed a little eternity。 He met her eyes； he looked straight into her face； now that she had seen him he could do nothing else。 Bernard's little eternity； however； came to an end； Miss Vivian dropped her eyes upon her book again。 She let them rest upon it only a moment； then she closed it and slowly rose from her chair； turning away from Bernard。 He still stood looking at herstupidly； foolishly； helplessly enough； as it seemed to him； no sign of recognition had been exchanged。 Angela Vivian hesitated a minute； she now had her back turned to him； and he fancied her light； flexible figure was agitated by her indecision。 She looked along the sunny beach which stretched its shallow curve to where the little bay ended and the white wall of the cliffs began。 She looked down toward the sea； and up toward the little Casino which was perched on a low embankment； communicating with the beach at two or three points by a short flight of steps。 Bernard saw or supposed he sawthat she was asking herself whither she had best turn to avoid him。 He had not blushed when she looked at him he had rather turned a little pale； but he blushed now； for it really seemed odious to have literally driven the poor girl to bay。 Miss Vivian decided to take refuge in the Casino； and she passed along one of the little pathways of planks that were laid here and there across the beach； and directed herself to the nearest flight of steps。 Before she had gone two paces a complete change came over Bernard's feeling； his only wish now was to speak to her to explainto tell her he would go away。 There was another row of steps at a short distance behind him； he rapidly ascended them and reached the little terrace of the Casino。 Miss Vivian stood there； she was apparently hesitating again which way to turn。 Bernard came straight up to her； with a gallant smile and a greeting。 The comparison is a coarse one； but he felt that he was taking the bull by the horns。 Angela Vivian stood watching him arrive。
〃You did n't recognize me；〃 he said； 〃and your not recognizing me made me made me hesitate。〃
For a moment she said nothing； and then
〃You are more timid than you used to be！〃 she answered。
He could hardly have said what expression he had expected to find in her face； his apprehension had； perhaps； not painted her obtrusively pale and haughty； aggressively cold and stern； but it had figured something different from the look he encountered。 Miss Vivian was simply blushingthat was what Bernard mainly perceived； he saw that her surprise had been extremecomplete。 Her blush was re…assuring； it contradicted the idea of impatient resentment； and Bernard took some satisfaction in noting that it was prolonged。
〃Yes； I am more timid than I used to be；〃 he said。
In spite of her blush； she continued to look at him very directly； but she had always done thatshe always met one's eye； and Bernard now instantly found all the beauty that he had ever found before in her pure； unevasive glance。
〃I don't know whether I am more brave；〃 she said； 〃but I must tell the truth I instantly recognized you。〃
〃You gave no sign！〃
〃I supposed I gave a striking onein getting up and going away。〃
〃Ah！〃 said Bernard； 〃as I say； I am more timid than I was； and I did n't venture to interpret that as a sign of recognition。〃
〃It was a sign of surprise。〃
〃Not of pleasure！〃 said Bernard。 He felt this to be a venturesome； and from the point of view of taste perhaps a reprehensible； remark； but he made it because he was now feeling his ground； and it seemed better to make it gravely than with assumed jocosity。
〃Great surprises are to me never pleasures；〃 Angela answered； 〃I am not fond of shocks of any kind。 The pleasure is another matter。 I have not yet got over my surprise。〃
〃If I had known you were here； I would have written to you beforehand；〃 said Bernard； laughing。
Miss Vivian； beneath her expanded parasol； gave a little shrug of her shoulders。
〃Even that would have been a surprise。〃
〃You mean a shock； eh？ Did you suppose I was dead？〃
Now； at last； she lowered her eyes； and her blush slowly died away。
〃I knew nothing about it。〃
〃Of course you could n't know； and we are all mortal。 It was natural that you should n't expectsimply on turning your head to find me lying on the pebbles at Blanquais…les…Galets。 You were a great surprise to me； as well； but I differ from you I like surprises。〃
〃It is rather refreshing to hear that one is a surprise；〃 said the girl。
〃Especially when in that cap