Риф, або Там, де розбивається щастя

IX

           

           ShewasstillquiveringwiththepainandbewildermentofthisadventurewhenFraserLeathappeared.ShemethimfirstinItaly,whereshewastravellingwithherparents;andthefollowingwinterhecametoNewYork.InItalyhehadseemedinteresting:inNewYorkhebecameremarkable.HeseldomspokeofhislifeinEurope,andletdropbutthemostincidentalallusionstothefriends,thetastes,thepursuitswhichfilledhiscosmopolitandays;butintheatmosphereofWestFifty-fifthStreetheseemedtheembodimentofastoriedpast.HepresentedMissSummerswithaprettily-boundanthologyoftheoldFrenchpoetsand,whensheshowedadiscriminatingpleasureinthegift,observedwithhisgravesmile:“Ididn’tsupposeIshouldfindanyoneherewhowouldfeelaboutthesethingsasIdo.”Onanotheroccasionheaskedheracceptanceofahalf-effacedeighteenthcenturypastelwhichhehadsurprisinglypickedupinaNewYorkauction-room.“Iknownoonebutyouwhowouldreallyappreciateit,”heexplained.

           Hepermittedhimselfnoothercomments,buttheseconveyedwithsufficientdirectnessthathethoughtherworthyofadifferentsetting.Thatsheshouldbesoregardedbyamanlivinginanatmosphereofartandbeauty,andesteemingthemthevitalelementsoflife,madeherfeelforthefirsttimethatshewasunderstood.Herewassomeonewhosescaleofvalueswasthesameashers,andwhothoughtheropinionworthhearingontheverymatterswhichtheybothconsideredofsupremeimportance.Thediscoveryrestoredherself-confidence,andsherevealedherselftoMr.

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