Read Online Henry James: Complete Stories 1864-1874 by Henry James - Free Book Online
Authors: Henry James
Tags: test
Ads: Link
should not come back often after that; they would be so much oc-
Page 40
cupied by their brother and his wife! As he moved across the glassy bay, to the rhythm of the oars, he wished either that the sisters would leave Naples or that his confounded commodore would send for him.
When Kate returned from her errand, ten minutes later, Milly told her of the Captain's visit, and added that she had never seen anything so sudden as the way he left her. He wouldn't wait for you, my dear, and he said he thought it more than likely that he should never see us again. It is as if he thought you were going to die too!
Is his ship called away? Kate Theory asked.
He didn't tell me so; he said we should be so busy with Percival and Agnes.
He has got tired of us; that is all. There is nothing wonderful in that; I knew he would.
Mildred said nothing for a moment; she was watching her sister, who was very attentively arranging some flowers. Yes, of course, we are very dull, and he is like everybody else.
I thought you thought he was so wonderful, said Kateand so fond of us.
So he is; I am surer of that than ever. That's why he went away so abruptly.
Kate looked at her sister now. I don't understand.
Neither do I, cara. But you will, one of these days.
How, if he never comes back?
Oh, he willafter a whilewhen I am gone. Then he will explain; that, at least, is clear to me.
My poor precious, as if I cared! Kate Theory exclaimed, smiling as she distributed her flowers. She carried them to the window, to place them near her sister, and here she paused a moment, her eye caught by an object, far out in the bay, with which she was not unfamiliar. Mildred noticed its momentary look, and followed its direction.
It's the Captain's gig going back to the ship, Milly said. It's so still one can almost hear the oars.
Kate Theory turned away, with a sudden, strange violence, a movement and exclamation which, the very next minute, as she became conscious of what she had saidand, still more, of what she feltsmote her own heart (as it flushed her face)
Page 41
with surprise and with the force of a revelation. I wish it would sink him to the bottom of the sea!
Her sister stared, then caught her by the dress, as she passed from her, drawing her back with a weak hand. Oh, my darling dear! And she drew Kate down and down toward her, so that the girl had nothing for it but to sink on her knees and bury her face in Mildred's lap. If that ingenious invalid did not know everything now, she knew a great deal.
XI.
Mrs. Percival proved very pretty; it is more gracious to begin with this declaration, instead of saying, in the first place, that she proved very vapid. It took a long day to arrive at the end of her silliness, and the two ladies at Posilippo, even after a week had passed, suspected that they had only skirted its edges. Kate Theory had not spent half an hour in her company before she gave a little private sigh of relief; she felt that a situation which had promised to be embarrassing was now quite clear, was even of a primitive simplicity. She would spend with her sister-in-law, in the coming time, one week in the year; that was all that would be mortally possible. It was a blessing that one could see exactly what she was, for in that way the question settled itself. It would have been much more tiresome if Agnes had been a little less obvious; then one would have had to hesitate and consider and weigh one thing against another. She was pretty and silly, as distinctly as an orange is yellow and round; and Kate Theory would as soon have thought of looking to her to give interest to the future as she would have thought of looking to an orange to impart solidity to the prospect of dinner. Mrs. Percival travelled in the hope of meeting her American acquaintance, or of making acquaintance with such Americans as she did meet, and for the purpose of buying mementos for her relations. She was perpetually adding to her store of articles in tortoise-shell, in
Page 40
cupied by their brother and his wife! As he moved across the glassy bay, to the rhythm of the oars, he wished either that the sisters would leave Naples or that his confounded commodore would send for him.
When Kate returned from her errand, ten minutes later, Milly told her of the Captain's visit, and added that she had never seen anything so sudden as the way he left her. He wouldn't wait for you, my dear, and he said he thought it more than likely that he should never see us again. It is as if he thought you were going to die too!
Is his ship called away? Kate Theory asked.
He didn't tell me so; he said we should be so busy with Percival and Agnes.
He has got tired of us; that is all. There is nothing wonderful in that; I knew he would.
Mildred said nothing for a moment; she was watching her sister, who was very attentively arranging some flowers. Yes, of course, we are very dull, and he is like everybody else.
I thought you thought he was so wonderful, said Kateand so fond of us.
So he is; I am surer of that than ever. That's why he went away so abruptly.
Kate looked at her sister now. I don't understand.
Neither do I, cara. But you will, one of these days.
How, if he never comes back?
Oh, he willafter a whilewhen I am gone. Then he will explain; that, at least, is clear to me.
My poor precious, as if I cared! Kate Theory exclaimed, smiling as she distributed her flowers. She carried them to the window, to place them near her sister, and here she paused a moment, her eye caught by an object, far out in the bay, with which she was not unfamiliar. Mildred noticed its momentary look, and followed its direction.
It's the Captain's gig going back to the ship, Milly said. It's so still one can almost hear the oars.
Kate Theory turned away, with a sudden, strange violence, a movement and exclamation which, the very next minute, as she became conscious of what she had saidand, still more, of what she feltsmote her own heart (as it flushed her face)
Page 41
with surprise and with the force of a revelation. I wish it would sink him to the bottom of the sea!
Her sister stared, then caught her by the dress, as she passed from her, drawing her back with a weak hand. Oh, my darling dear! And she drew Kate down and down toward her, so that the girl had nothing for it but to sink on her knees and bury her face in Mildred's lap. If that ingenious invalid did not know everything now, she knew a great deal.
XI.
Mrs. Percival proved very pretty; it is more gracious to begin with this declaration, instead of saying, in the first place, that she proved very vapid. It took a long day to arrive at the end of her silliness, and the two ladies at Posilippo, even after a week had passed, suspected that they had only skirted its edges. Kate Theory had not spent half an hour in her company before she gave a little private sigh of relief; she felt that a situation which had promised to be embarrassing was now quite clear, was even of a primitive simplicity. She would spend with her sister-in-law, in the coming time, one week in the year; that was all that would be mortally possible. It was a blessing that one could see exactly what she was, for in that way the question settled itself. It would have been much more tiresome if Agnes had been a little less obvious; then one would have had to hesitate and consider and weigh one thing against another. She was pretty and silly, as distinctly as an orange is yellow and round; and Kate Theory would as soon have thought of looking to her to give interest to the future as she would have thought of looking to an orange to impart solidity to the prospect of dinner. Mrs. Percival travelled in the hope of meeting her American acquaintance, or of making acquaintance with such Americans as she did meet, and for the purpose of buying mementos for her relations. She was perpetually adding to her store of articles in tortoise-shell, in
Similar Books
