Пробный камень
II
Herattitudeseemedindeedtothrowhisownreasonablenessintodistincterrelief:sothattheymighthavestoodforthriftandimprovidenceinanallegoryoftheaffections.
ItwasnotthatMrs.Aubynpermittedherselftobeapensioneronhisbounty.Heknewshehadnowishtokeepherselfaliveonthesmallchangeofsentiment;shesimplyfedonherownfundedpassion,andtheluxuriesitallowedhermadehim,eventhen,dimlyawarethatshehadthesecretofaninexhaustiblealchemy.
Theirrelationsremainedthusnegativelytendertillshesuddenlywrotehimofherdecisiontogoabroadtolive.Herfatherhaddied,shehadnoneartiesinHillbridge,andLondonofferedmorescopethanNewYorktoherexpandingpersonality.Shewasalreadyfamousandherlaurelswereyetunharvested.
ForamomentthenewsrousedGlennardtoajealoussenseoflostopportunities.Hewanted,atanyrate,toreasserthispowerbeforeshemadethefinaleffortofescape.Theyhadnotmetforoverayear,butofcoursehecouldnotlethersailwithoutseeingher.ShecametoNewYorkthedaybeforeherdeparture,andtheyspentitslasthourstogether.Glennardhadplannednocourseofaction—hesimplymeanttolethimselfdrift.Theybothdrifted,foralongtime,downthelanguidcurrentofreminiscence;sheseemedtositpassive,lettinghimpushhiswaybackthroughtheovergrownchannelsofthepast.Atlengthsheremindedhimthattheymustbringtheirexplorationstoanend.Herosetoleave,andstoodlookingatherwiththesameuncertaintyinhisheart.
