Літо
VI
Hawes,who,sincehereldestdaughterhaddesertedher,barelyhadthestrengthtocookherownmealswhileAllypickedupherlivingasaseamstress.Mr.Royall’swastheonlyhousewheretheyoungmancouldhavebeenofferedadecenthospitality.Therehadbeennothing,therefore,intheoutwardcourseofeventstoraiseinCharity’sbreastthehopeswithwhichittrembled.ButbeneaththevisibleincidentsresultingfromLuciusHarney’sarrivalthererananundercurrentasmysteriousandpotentastheinfluencethatmakestheforestbreakintoleafbeforetheiceisoffthepools.
ThebusinessonwhichHarneyhadcomewasauthentic;CharityhadseentheletterfromaNewYorkpublishercommissioninghimtomakeastudyoftheeighteenthcenturyhousesinthelessfamiliardistrictsofNewEngland.Butincomprehensibleasthewholeaffairwastoher,andhardasshefoundittounderstandwhyhepausedenchantedbeforecertainneglectedandpaintlesshouses,whileothers,refurbishedand“improved”bythelocalbuilder,didnotarrestaglance,shecouldnotbutsuspectthatEagleCountywaslessrichinarchitecturethanheaverred,andthatthedurationofhisstay(whichhehadfixedatamonth)wasnotunconnectedwiththelookinhiseyeswhenhehadfirstpausedbeforeherinthelibrary.Everythingthathadfollowedseemedtohavegrownoutofthatlook:hiswayofspeakingtoher,hisquicknessincatchinghermeaning,hisevidenteagernesstoprolongtheirexcursionsandtoseizeoneverychanceofbeingwithher.
