cressy-第17章

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struck。　　On　the　way　thither　he　was　once　or　twice　tempted　to　change

his　mind；　and　hesitated　even　at　the　very　door。　　But　the　fear　that

his　hesitation　would　be　noticed　by　the　few　loungers　before　it；　and

the　fact　that　some　of　them　were　already　hesitating　through

bashfulness；　determined　him　to　enter。



The　clerks'　office　and　judges'　chambers　on　the　lower　floor　had　been

invaded　by　wraps；　shawls；　and　refreshments；　but　the　dancing　was

reserved　for　the　upper　floor　or　courtroom；　still　unfinished。

Flags；　laurel…wreaths；　and　appropriate　floral　inscriptions　hid　its

bare　walls；　but　the　coat　of　arms　of　the　State；　already　placed　over

the　judges'　dais　with　its　illimitable　golden　sunset；　its　triumphant

goddess；　and　its　implacable　grizzly；　seemed　figuratively　to　typify

the　occasion　better　than　the　inscriptions。　　The　room　was　close　and

crowded。　　The　flickering　candles　in　tin　sconces　against　the　walls；

or　depending　in　rude　chandeliers　of　barrel…hoops　from　the　ceiling；

lit　up　the　most　astounding　diversity　of　female　costume　the　master

had　ever　seen。　　Gowns　of　bygone　fashions；　creased　and　stained　with

packing　and　disuse；　toilets　of　forgotten　festivity　revised　with

modern　additions；　garments　in　and　out　of　seasona　fur…trimmed

jacket　and　a　tulle　skirt；　a　velvet　robe　under　a　pique　sacque；　fresh

young　faces　beneath　faded　head…dresses；　and　mature　and　buxom　charms

in　virgin'　white。　　The　small　space　cleared　for　the　dancers　was

continually　invaded　by　the　lookers…on；　who　in　files　of　three　deep

lined　the　room。



As　the　master　pushed　his　way　to　the　front；　a　young　girl；　who　had

been　standing　in　the　sides　of　a　quadrille；　suddenly　darted　with　a

nymph…like　quickness　among　the　crowd　and　was　for　an　instant　hidden。

Without　distinguishing　either　face　or　figure；　Mr。　Ford　recognized

in　the　quick；　impetuous　action　a　characteristic　movement　of

Cressy's；　with　an　embarrassing　instinct　that　he　could　not　account

for；　he　knew　she　had　seen　him；　and　that；　for　some　inexplicable

reason；　he　was　the　cause　of　her　sudden　disappearance。



But　it　was　only　for　a　moment。　　Even　while　he　was　vaguely　scanning

the　crowd　she　reappeared　and　took　her　place　beside　her　mystified

partnerthe　fascinating　stranger　of　Johnny's　devotion　and　Rupert's

dislike。　　She　was　pale；　he　had　never　seen　her　so　beautiful。　　All

that　he　had　thought　distasteful　and　incongruous　in　her　were　but

accessories　of　her　loveliness　at　that　moment；　in　that　light；　in

that　atmosphere；　in　that　strange　assembly。　　Even　her　full　pink

gauze　dress；　from　which　her　fair　young　shoulders　slipped　as　from　a

sunset　cloud；　seemed　only　the　perfection　of　virginal　simplicity；

her　girlish　length　of　limb　and　the　long　curves　of　her　neck　and　back

were　now　the　outlines　of　thorough　breeding。　　The　absence　of　color

in　her　usually　fresh　face　had　been　replaced　by　a　faint　magnetic

aurora　that　seemed　to　him　half　spiritual。　　He　could　not　take　his

eyes　from　her；　he　could　not　believe　what　he　saw。　　Yet　that　was

Cressy　McKinstryhis　pupil！　　Had　he　ever　really　seen　her？　　Did　he

know　her　now？　　Small　wonder　that　all　eyes　were　bent　upon　her；　that

a　murmur　of　unspoken　admiration；　or　still　more　intense　hush　of

silence　moved　the　people　around　him。　　He　glanced　hurriedly　at　them；

and　was　oddly　relieved　by　this　evident　participation　in　his

emotions。



She　was　dancing　now；　and　with　that　same　pale　restraint　and　curious

quiet　that　had　affected　him　so　strongly。　　She　had　not　even　looked

in　his　direction；　yet　he　was　aware　by　the　same　instinct　that　had　at

first　possessed　him　that　she　knew　he　was　present。　　His　desire　to

catch　her　eye　was　becoming　mingled　with　a　certain　dread；　as　if　in　a

single　interchange　of　glances　the　illusions　of　the　moment　would

either　vanish　utterly　or　become　irrevocably　fixed。　　He　forced

himself；　when　the　set　was　finished；　to　turn　away；　partly　to　avoid

contact　with　some　acquaintances　who　had　drifted　before　him；　and

whom　politeness　would　have　obliged　him　to　ask　to　dance；　and　partly

to　collect　his　thoughts。　　He　determined　to　make　a　tour　of　the　rooms

and　then　go　quietly　home。　　Those　who　recognized　him　made　way　for

him　with　passive　curiosity；　the　middle…aged　and　older　adding　a

confidential　sympathy　and　equality　that　positively　irritated　him。

For　an　instant　he　had　an　idea　of　seeking　out　Mrs。　Tripp　and

claiming　her　as　a　partner；　merely　to　show　her　that　he　danced。



He　had　nearly　made　the　circuit　of　the　room　when　he　was　surprised　by

the　first　strains　of　a　waltz。　　Waltzing　was　not　a　strong　feature　of

Indian　Spring　festivity；　partly　that　the　Church　people　had　serious

doubts　if　David's　saltatory　performances　before　the　Ark　included

〃round　dances；〃　and　partly　that　the　young　had　not　yet　mastered　its

difficulties。　　When　he　yielded　to　his　impulse　to　look　again　at　the

dancers　he　found　that　only　three　or　four　couples　had　been　bold

enough　to　take　the　floor。　　Cressy　McKinstry　and　her　former　partner

were　one　of　them。　　In　his　present　exaltation　he　was　not　astonished

to　find　that　she　had　evidently　picked　up　the　art　in　her　late　visit；

and　was　now　waltzing　with　quiet　grace　and　precision；　but　he　was

surprised　that　her　partner　was　far　from　being　equally　perfect；　and

that　after　a　few　turns　she　stopped　and　smilingly　disengaged　her

waist　from　his　arm。　　As　she　stepped　back　she　turned　with　unerring

instinct　to　that　part　of　the　room　where　the　master　stood；　and　raised

her　eyes　through　the　multitude　of　admiring　faces　to　his。　　Their　eyes

met　in　an　isolation　as　supreme　as　if　they　had　been　alone。　　It　was　an

attraction　the　more　dangerous　because　unformulateda　possession

without　previous　pledge；　promise；　or　even　intentiona　love　that　did

not　require　to　be　〃made。〃



He　approached　her　quietly　and　even　more　coolly　than　he　thought

possible。　　〃Will　you　allow　me　a　trial？〃　he　asked。



She　looked　in　his　face；　and　as　if　she　had　not　heard　the　question

but　was　following　her　own　thought；　said；　〃I　knew　you　would　come；　I

saw　you　when　you　first　came　in。〃　　Without　another　word　she　put　her

hand　in　his；　and　as　if　it　were　part　of　an　instinctive　action　of

drawing　closer　to　him；　caught　with　her　advancing　foot　the　accent　of

the　waltz；　and　the　next　moment　the　room　seemed　to　slip　away　from

them　into　whirling　space。



The　whole　thing　had　passed　so　rapidly　from　the　moment　he　approached

her　to　the　first　graceful　swing　of　her　full　skirt　at　his　side；　that

it　seemed　to　him　almost　like　the　embrace　of　a　lovers'　meeting。　　He

had　often　been　as　near　her　before；　had　stood　at　her　side　at　school；

and　even　leaned　over　her　desk；　but　always　with　an　irritated

instinct　of　reserve　that　had　equally　affected　her；　and　which　he　now

understood。　　With　her　conscious　but　pale　face　so　near　his　own；　with

the　faint　odor　of　her　hair　clinging　to　her；　and　with　the　sweet

confusion　of　the　half　lingering；　half　withheld　contact　of　her　hand

and　arm；　all　had　changed。　　He　did　not　dare　to　reflect　that　he　could

never　again　approach　her　except　with　this　feeling。　　He　did　not　dare

to　think　of　anything；　he　abandoned　himself　to　the　sense　that　had

begun　with　the　invasion　of　her　hair…bound　myrtle　in　the　silent

school…room；　and　seemed　to　have　at　last　led　her　to　his　arms。　　They

were　moving　now　in　such　perfect　rhythm　and　unison　that　they　seemed

scarcely　conscious　of　motion。　　Once　when　they　neared　the　open

window　he　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　round　moon　rising　above　the

solemn　heights　of　the　opposite　shore；　and　felt　the　cool　breath　of

mountain　and　river　sweep　his　cheek　and　mingle　a　few　escaped　threads

of　her　fair　hair　with　his　own。　　With　that　glimpse　and　that

sensation　the　vulgarity　and　the　tawdriness　of　their　surroundings；

the　guttering　candles　in　their　sconces；　the　bizarre　figures；　the

unmeaning　faces　seemed　to　be　whirled　far　into　distant　space。　　They

were　alone　with　night　and　nature；　it　was　they　who　were　still；　all

else　had　receded　in　a　vanishing　perspective　of　dull　reality；　in

which　they　had　no　part。



Play　on；　O　waltz　of　Strauss！　　Whirl　on；　O　love　and　youth！　　For　you

cannot　whirl　so　swiftly　but　that