第7部分(第1/7 页)

She　made　her　call　about　three　o'clock。

〃My　dear；　I'm　so　glad；〃　she　said　warmly；　as　she　squeezed　Katherine's　hand。　〃And　everyone　in　the　village　will　be　glad　too。〃

〃It's　very　nice　of　you　to　e　and　tell　me；〃　said　Katherine。　〃I　hoped　you　would　e；　because　I　wanted　to　ask　about　Johnnie。〃

〃Oh！　Johnnie。　Well　…〃

Johnnie　was　Mrs　Harrison's　youngest　son。　In　another　minute　she　was　off；　retailing　a　long　history　in　which　Johnnie's　adenoids　and　tonsils　bulked　largely。　Katherine　listened　sympathetically。　Habits　die　hard。　Listening　had　been　her　portion　for　ten　years　now。　〃My　dear；　I　wonder　if　I　ever　told　you　about　that　naval　ball　at　Portsmouth？　When　Lord　Charles　admired　my　gown？〃　And　posedly；　kindly；　Katherine　would　reply：　〃I　rather　think　you　have；　Mrs　Harfield；　but　I've　forgotten　about　it。　Won't　you　tell　it　me　again？〃　And　then　the　old　lady　would　start　off　full　swing；　with　numerous　details。　And　half　of　Katherine's　mind　would　be　listening；　saying　the　right　things　mechanically　when　the　old　lady　paused。。。

Now；　with　that　same　curious　feeling　of　duality　to　which　she　was　accustomed；　she　listened　to　Mrs　Harrison。

At　the　end　of　half　an　hour；　the　latter　recalled　herself　suddenly。

〃I've　been　talking　about　myself　all　this　time；〃　she　exclaimed。　〃And　I　came　here　to　talk　about　you　and　your　plans。〃

〃I　don't　know　that　I've　got　any　yet。〃

〃My　dear　…　you're　not　going　to　stay　on　here。〃

Katherine　smiled　at　the　horror　in　the　other's　tone。

〃No；　I　think　I　want　to　travel。　I've　never　seen　much　of　the　world；　you　know。〃

〃I　should　think　not。　It　must　have　been　an　awful　life　for　you　cooped　up　here　all　these　years。〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Katherine。　〃It　gave　me　a　lot　of　freedom。〃

She　caught　the　other's　gasp；　and　reddened