按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
no confidences。 On account of what that same evening Harris told
him of Mrs。 Adair； he asked none。
Harris himself was a young man in no way inclined to withhold
confidences。 He enjoyed giving out information。 He enjoyed
talking about himself； his duties； the other consuls； the Zanzibaris；
and his native State of Iowa。 So long as he was permitted to talk；
the listener could select the subject。 But； combined with his loquacity；
Hemingway had found him kind…hearted； intelligent； observing； and
the call of a common country had got them quickly together。
Hemingway was quite conscious that the girl he had seen but once
had impressed him out of all proportion to what he knew of her。
She seemed too good to be true。 And he tried to persuade himself
that after eight months in the hinterland among hippos and zebras
any reasonably attractive girl would have proved equally disturbing。
But he was not convinced。 He did not wish to be convinced。 He
assured himself that had he met Mrs。 Adair at home among hundreds
of others he would have recognized her as a woman of exceptional
character； as one especially charming。 He wanted to justify this
idea of her； he wanted to talk of Mrs。 Adair to Harris； not to learn
more concerning her； but just for the pleasure of speaking her name。
He was much upset at that； and the discovery that on meeting a
woman for the first time he still could be so boyishly and ingenuously
moved greatly pleased him。 It was a most delightful secret。 So he acted
on the principle that when a man immensely admires a woman and
wishes to conceal that fact from every one else he can best do so by
declaring his admiration in the frankest and most open manner。 After
the tea…party； as Harris and himself sat in the consulate； he so expressed
himself。
〃What an extraordinary nice girl；〃 he exclaimed； 〃is that Mrs。 Adair！
I had a long talk with her。 She is most charming。 However did a
woman like that come to be in a place like this？〃
Judging from his manner； it seemed to Hemingway that at the
mention of Mrs。 Adair's name he had found Harris mentally on
guard； as though the consul had guessed the question would come
and had prepared for it。
〃She just dropped in here one day；〃 said Harris； 〃from no place
in particular。 Personally； I always have thought from heaven。〃
〃It's a good address；〃 said Hemingway。
〃It seems to suit her；〃 the consul agreed。 〃Anyway； if she doesn't come
from there； that's where she's goingjust on account of the good she's
done us while she's been here。 She arrived four months ago with a
typewriting…machine and letters to me from our consuls in Cape Town
and Durban。 She had done some typewriting for them。 It seems that
after her husband died； which was a few months after they were married；
she learned to make her living by typewriting。 She worked too hard
and broke down； and the doctor said she must go to hot countries； the
'hotter the better。' So she's worked her way half around the world
typewriting。 She worked chiefly for her own consuls or for the American
commission houses。 Sometimes she stayed a month； sometimes only over
one steamer day。 But when she got here Lady Firth took such a fancy to
her that she made Sir George engage her as his private secretary； and she's
been here ever since。〃
In a community so small as was that of Zanzibar the white residents
saw one another every day； and within a week Hemingway had met
Mrs。 Adair many times。 He met her at dinner； at the British agency；
he met her in the country club； where the white exiles gathered for
tea and tennis。 He hired a launch and in her honor gave a picnic
on the north coast of the island； and on three glorious and memorable
nights； after different dinner…parties had ascended to the roof； he sat
at her side and across the white level of the housetops looked down
into the moonlit harbor。
What interest the two young people felt in each other was in no
way discouraged by their surroundings。 In the tropics the tender
emotions are not winter killed。 Had they met at home； the
conventions； his own work； her social duties would have kept the
progress of their interest within a certain speed limit。 But they
were in a place free of conventions； and the preceding eight
months which Hemingway had spent in the jungle and on the plain
had made the society of his fellow man； and of Mrs。 Adair in
particular； especially attractive。
Hemingway had no work to occupy his time； and he placed it
unreservedly at the disposition of his countrywoman。 In doing so
it could not be said that Mrs。 Adair encouraged him。 Hemingway
himself would have been the first to acknowledge this。 From the
day he met her he was conscious that always there was an intangible
barrier between them。 Even before she possibly could have guessed
that his interest in her was more than even she； attractive as she was；
had the right to expect； she had wrapped around herself an invisible
mantle of defense。
There were certain speeches of his which she never heard； certain tones
to which she never responded。 At moments when he was complimenting
himself that at last she was content to be in his company； she would
suddenly rise and join the others； and he would be left wondering in
what way he could possibly have offended。
He assured himself that a woman； young and attractive； in a
strange land in her dependent position must of necessity be
discreet； but in his conduct there certainly had been nothing
that was not considerate； courteous； and straightforward。
When he appreciated that he cared for her seriously； that he was
gloriously happy in caring； and proud of the way in which he
cared； the fact that she persistently held him at arm's length
puzzled and hurt。 At first when he had deliberately set to work
to make her like him he was glad to think that； owing to his
reticence about himself； if she did like him it would be for himself
alone and not for his worldly goods。 But when he knew her better
he understood that if once Mrs。 Adair made up her mind to take
a second husband； the fact that he was a social and financial
somebody； and not； as many in Zanzibar supposed Hemingway
to be； a social outcast； would make but little difference。
Nor was her manner to be explained by the fact that the majority
of women found him unattractive。 As to that； the pleasant burden
of his experience was to the contrary。 He at last wondered if
there was some one else； if he had come into her life too late。
He set about looking for the man and so； he believed； he soon
found him。
Of the little colony； Arthur Fearing was the man of whom Hemingway
had seen the least。 That was so because Fearing wished it。 Like
himself； Fearing was an American； young； and a bachelor； but；
very much unlike Hemingway； a hermit and a recluse。
Two years before he had come to Zanzibar looking for an
investment for his money。 In Zanzibar there were gentlemen
adventurers of every country； who were welcome to live in any
country save their own。
To them Mr。 Fearing seemed a heaven…sent victim。 But to him their
alluring tales of the fortunes that were to rise from buried treasures；
lost mines； and pearl beds did not appeal。 Instead he conferred
with the consuls； the responsible merchants； the partners in the
prosperous trading houses。 After a month of 〃looking around〃 he
had purchased outright the goodwill and stock of one of the oldest
of the commission houses； and soon showed himself to be a most
capable man of business。 But； except as a man of business； no one
knew him。 From the dim recesses of his warehouse he passed each
day to the seclusion of his bungalow in the country。 And； although
every one was friendly to him； he made no friends。
It was only after the arrival of Mrs。 Adair that he consented to show
himself； and it was soon noted that it was only when she was invited
that he would appear； and that on these occasions he devoted himself
entirely to her。 In the presence of others； he still was shy； gravely
polite； and speaking but little； and never of himself； but with
Mrs。 Adair his shyness seemed to leave him； and when with her
he was seen to talk easily and eagerly。 And； on her part； to what
he said； Polly Adair listened with serious interest。
Lady Firth； who； at home； was a trained and successful match…maker；
and who； in Zanzibar； had found but a limited field for her activities；
decided that if her companion and protegee must marry； she should
marry Fearing。
Fearing was no gentleman adventurer； remittance…man； or humble
clerk serving his apprenticeship to a steamship line or an ivory
house。 He was one of the pillars of Zanzibar society。 The trading
house he had purchased had had its beginnings in the slave…trade；
and now under his alert direction was making a turnover equal to
that of any of its ancient rivals。 Personally； Fearing was a most
desirable catch。 He was well…mannered； well…read； of good
appearance； steady； and； in a latitude only six degrees removed
from the equator； of impeccable morals。
It is said that it is the person who is in love who always is the
first to discover his successful rival。 It is either