CHAPTER XII. EXPLANATIONS.

asmuchannoyedatClayton'ssilence,andhisquiet,observantreserve,aswithCarson'sforth-putting.Risingfromtable,shepassedonbeforethecompany,withahalf-flyingtrip,intothehall,whichlaynowcool,calm,andbreezy,inthetwilight,withtheodorofthepillar-rosesfloatinginatthewindow.Thepalewhitemoon,setintherosybeltoftheeveningsky,lookedinattheopendoor.Ninawouldhavegivenalltheworldtobestillbut,wellawarethatstillnesswasoutofthequestion,shedeterminedtoselectherownnoiseand,sittingdownatthepiano,beganplayingveryfast,inarapid,restless,disconnectedmanner.ClaytonthrewhimselfonaloungebytheopendoorwhileCarsonbusiedhimselfflutteringthemusic,openingandshuttingmusic-books,andinterspersingrunningcommentariesandnotesofadmirationontheplaying. Atlast,asifshecouldbearitnolonger,sherose,withaverydecidedair,fromthepiano,and,facingabouttowardsMr.Carson,said:— "Itlooksverybeautifullyoutdoors.Don'tyouwanttocomeout?There'sapointofviewattheendofoneofthepaths,wherethemoonlooksonthewater,thatIshouldliketoshowyou." "Won'tyoucatchcold,Nina?"saidAuntNesbit. "No,indeed!Inevercatchcold,"saidNina,springingintotheporch,andtakingthedelightedMr.Carson'sarm.Andawayshewentwithhim,withalmostaskipandajump,leavingClaytontête-à-têtewithAuntNesbit. Ninawentsofastthatherattendantwasalmostoutofbreath.Theyreachedalittleknoll,andthereNinastoppedsuddenly,andsaid,"Lookhere,Mr.CarsonIhavesomethingtosaytoyou." "Ishouldbedelighted,mydearNina!I'mperfectlycharmed!" "No—no—ifyouplease—don't!"saidNina,puttingupherhandtostophim."JustwaittillyouhearwhatIhavetosay.IbelieveyoudidnotgetaletterwhichIwroteyouafewdaysago,didyou?" "Aletter!no,indeed.Howunfortunate!" "Veryunfortunateforme!"saidNina"andforyou,too.Because,ifyouhad,itwouldhavesavedyouandmethetroubleofthisinterview.Iwrotethatlettertotellyou,Mr.Carson,thatIcannotthinkofsuchathingasanengagementwithyou!ThatI'veactedverywrongandveryfoolishlybutthatIcannotdoit.InNewYork,whereeverybodyandeverythingseemedtobetrifling,andwherethegirlsalltrifledwiththesethings,Iwasengaged—justforfrolic—nothingmore.IhadnoideawhatitwouldamounttonoideawhatIwassaying,norhowIshouldfeelafterwards.ButeveryhoursinceI'vebeenhome,here,sinceI'vebeensomuchalone,hasmademefeelhowwrongitis.Now,I'mverysorry,I'msure.ButImustspeakthetruth,thistime.Butitis—Ican'ttellyouhow—disagreeabletometohaveyoutreatmeasyouhavesinceyou'vebeenhere!" "MissGordon!"saidMr.Carson,"Iampositivelyastonished!I—Idon'tknowwhattothink!" "Well,IonlywantyoutothinkthatIaminearnestandthat,thoughIcanlikeyouverywellasanacquaintance,andshallalwayswishyouwell,yetanythingelseisjustasfaroutofthequestionasthatmoonthereisfromus.Ican'ttellyouhowsorryIamthatI'vemadeyouallthistrouble.Ireallyam,"saidshe,good-naturedly"butpleasenowtounderstandhowwestand."Sheturned,andtrippedaway. "There!"saidshe,toherself,"atanyrate,I'vedoneonething!" Mr.Carsonstoodstill,graduallyrecoveringfromthestuporintowhichthiscommunicationhadthrownhim.Hestretchedhimself,rubbedhiseyes,tookouthiswatchandlookedatit,andthenbeganwalkingoffwithaverysoberpaceintheoppositedirectionfromNina.Happily-constitutedmortalthathewas,nothingevercouldbesubtractedfromhissumofcomplacencethatcouldnotbeeasilybalancedbyaboutaquarterofanhour'sconsideration.Thewalkthroughtheshrubberyinwhichhewasengagedwasanextremelyprettyone,andwoundalongonthebanksoftheriverthroughmanypicturesquepointsofview,andfinallyledagaintothehousebyanotherapproach.DuringthecourseofthiswalkMr.Carsonhadsettledthewholequestionforhimself.Inthefirstplace,herepeatedthecomfortableoldproverb,thattherewereasgoodfishintheseaaseverwerecaught.Inthesecondplace,asMr.Carsonwasashrewdbusiness-man,itoccurredtohim,inthisconnection,thattheplantationwasratherrundown,andnotaprofitableacquisition.And,inthethirdplace,contemplatingNinaasthefoxofolddidhisbunchofsourgrapes,hebegantorememberthat,afterall,shewasdressy,expensive,andextravagant.Then,ashedidnotwantthatimperturbablegood-naturewhichbelongstoaveryshallowcapabilityoffeeling,hesaidtohimselfthatheshouldn'tlikethegirlabittheless.Infact,whenhethoughtofhisownfinefortune,hishouseinNewYork,andalltheaccessorieswhichwenttomakeuphimself,heconsideredher,onthewhole,asanobjectofpityand,bythetimethatheascendedthebalconystepsagain,hewasinascharitableandChristianaframeasanyrejectedsuitorcoulddesire. Heenteredthedrawing-room.AuntNesbithadorderedcandles,andwassittingupwithhergloveson,alone.Whathadtranspiredduringhiswalk,hedidnotknowbutwewilltakeourreadersintoconfidence. Ninareturnedtothehousewiththesamedecidedairwithwhichshewentout,andawakenedMr.Claytonfromareveriewithabrisklittletapofherfanonhisshoulder. "Comeupherewithme,"shesaid,"andlookoutofthelibrarywindow,andseethismoonlight." Andupshewent,overtheoldoakenstaircase,stoppingoneachlandingand,beckoningtoClayton,withawhimsicallyauthoritativegesture,threwopenthedoorofalarge,black-wainscotedroom,andusheredhimin.Theroomlayjustabovetheonewheretheyhadbeensitting,and,likethat,openedontotheverandabylong-sashedwindows,throughwhich,atthepresentmoment,afloodofmoonlightwaspouring.Alarge,mahoganywriting-table,coveredwithpapers,stoodinthemiddleoftheroom,andthemoonshoneinsobrightlythatthepatternofthebronzeinkstand,andthecolorofthewafersandsealing-wax,wereplainlyrevealed.Thewindowcommandedasplendidviewoftheriveroverthedistanttree-tops,asitlayshimmeringandglitteringinthemoonlight. "Isn'tthatabeautifulsight?"saidNina,inahurriedvoice. "Verybeautiful!"saidClayton,sittingdowninthelargelounging-chairbeforethewindow,andlookingoutwiththeabstractedairwhichwashabitu