the man between- 第10部分

Oh；　why　are　our　hearts　so　accessible　to　our　eyes？　Only　a　smiling　glance　had　passed　between　Ethel　and　the　Unknown；　yet　his　image　was　prisoned　behind　the　bars　of　her　eyelids。　On　this　day　of　days　she　had　met　Love　on　the　crowded　street；　and　he　had

　　〃But　touched　his　lute　wherein　was　audible　　　The　certain　secret　thing　he　had　to　tell；　　　Only　their　mirrored　eyes　met　silently〃；

and　a　sweet　trouble；　a　restless；　pleasing　curiosity；　had　filled　her　consciousness。　Who　was　he？　Where　had　he　gone　to？　When　should　they　meet　again？　Ah；　she　understood　now　how　Emmeline　Labiche　had　felt　constrained　to　seek　her　lover　from　the　snows　of　Canada　to　the　moss…veiled　oaks　of　Louisiana。

But　her　joyous；　hopeful　soul　could　not　think　of　love　and　disappointment　at　the　same　moment。　〃I　have　seen　him；　and　I　shall　see　him　again。　We　met　by　appointment。　Destiny　introduced　us。　Neither　of　us　will　forget；　and　somewhere；　some　day；　I　shall　be　waiting；　and　he　will　come。〃

Thus　this　daughter　of　sunshine　and　hope　answered　herself；　and　why　not？　All　good　things　come　to　those　who　can　wait　in　sweet　tranquillity　for　them；　and　seldom　does　Fortune　fail　to　bring　love　and　heart's…ease　upon　the　changeful　stream　of　changeful　days　to　those　who　trust　her　for　them。

On　the　following　morning；　when　the　two　girls　entered　the　parlor；　they　found　the　Judge　smoking　there。　He　had　already　breakfasted；　and　looked　over　the　three　or　four　newspapers　whose　opinions　he　thought　worthy　of　his　consideration。　They　were　lying　in　a　state　of　confusion　at　his　side；　and　Ethel　glanced　at　them　curiously。

〃Did　any　of　the　papers　speak　of　the　singing　before　the　Holland　House？〃　she　asked。

〃Yes。　I　think　reporters　must　be　ubiquitous。　All　my　papers　had　some　sort　of　a　notice　of　the　affair。〃

〃What　do　they　say？〃

〃One　gave　the　bare　circumstances　of　the　case；　another　indulged　in　what　was　supposed　to　be　humorous　description；　a　third　thought　it　might　have　been　the　result　of　a　bet　or　dare；　a　fourth　was　of　the　opinion　that　conspiracy　between　the　old　beggar　and　the　young　man　was　not　unlikely；　and　credited　the　exhibition　as　a　cleverly　original　way　of　obtaining　money。　But　all　agreed　in　believing　the　singer　to　be　a　member　of　some　opera　company　now　in　the　city。〃

Ethel　was　indignant。　〃It　was　neither　‘bet'　nor　‘dare'　nor　‘conspiracy；'〃　she　said。　〃I　saw　the　singer　as　he　came　walking　rapidly　down　the　avenue；　and　he　looked　as　happy　and　careless　as　a　boy　whistling　on　a　country　lane。　When　his　eyes　fell　on　the　old　man　he　hesitated；　just　a　moment；　and　then　spoke　to　him。　I　am　sure　they　were　absolute　strangers　to　each　other。〃

〃But　how　can　you　be　sure　of　a　thing　like　that；　Ethel？〃

〃I　don't　know　‘how；'　Ruth；　but　all　the　same；　I　am　sure。　And　as　for　it　being　a　new　way　of　begging；　that　is　not　correct。　Not　many　years　ago；　one　of　the　De　Reszke　brothers　led　a　crippled　soldier　into　a　Paris　cafe；　and　sang　the　starving　man　into　comfort　in　twenty　minutes。〃

〃And　the　angelic　Parepa　Rosa　did　as　much　for　a　Mexican　woman；　whom　she　found　in　the　depths　of　sorrow　and　povertybrought　her　lifelong　comfort　with　a　couple　of　her　songs。　Is　it　not　likely；　then；　that　the　gallant　knight　of　the　Holland　House　is　really　a　member　of　some　opera　company；　that　he　knew　of　these　examples　and　followed　them？〃

〃It　is　not　unlikely；　Ruth；　yet　I　do　not　believe　that　is　the　explanation。〃

〃Well；〃　said　the　Judge；　throwing　his　cigarette　into　the　fire；　〃if　the　singer　had　never　heard　of　De　Reszke　and　Parepa　Rosa；　we　may　suppose　him　a　gentleman　of　such　culture　as　to　be　familiar　with　the　exquisite　Greek　legend　of　Phoebus　Apollothat　story　would　be　sufficient　to　inspire　any　man　with　his　voice。　Do　you　know　it？〃

Both　girls　answered　with　an　enthusiastic　entreaty　for　its　recital；　and　the　Judge　went　to　the　library　and　returned　with　a　queer…looking　little　book；　bound　in　marbled　paper。

〃It　was　my　father's　copy；〃　he　said；　〃an　Oxford　edition。〃　And　he　turned　the　leaves　with　loving　carefulness　until　he　came　to　the　incident。　Then　being　a　fine　reader；　the　words　fell　from　his　lips　in　a　stately　measure　better　than　music：

〃After　Troy　fell　there　came　to　Argos　a　scarred　soldier　seeking　alms。　Not　deigning　to　beg；　he　played　upon　a　lyre；　but　the　handling　of　arms　had　robbed　him　of　his　youthful　power；　and　he　stood　by　the　portico　hour　after　hour；　and　no　one　dropped　him　a　lepton。　Weary；　hungry　and　thirsty；　he　leaned　in　despair　against　a　pillar。　A　youth　came　to　him　and　asked；　‘Why　not　play　on；　Akeratos？〃　And　Akeratos　meekly　answered；　‘I　am　no　longer　skilled。'　‘Then；'　said　the　stranger；　‘hire　me　thy　lyre；　here　is　a　didrachmon。　I　will　play；　and　thou　shalt　hold　out　thy　cap　and　be　dumb。'　So　the　stranger　took　the　lyre　and　swept　the　strings；　and　men　heard；　as　it　were；　the　clashing　of　swords。　And　he　sang　the　fall　of　Troyhow　Hector　perished；　slain　by　Achilles；　the　rush　of　chariots；　the　ring　of　hoofs；　the　roar　of　flamesand　as　he　sang　the　people　stopped　to　listen；　breathless　and　eager；　with　rapt；　attentive　ear。　And　when　the　singer　ceased　the　soldier's　cap　was　filled　with　coins；　and　the　people　begged　for　yet　another　song。　Then　he　sang　of　Venus；　till　all　men's　hearts　were　softly　stirred；　and　the　air　was　purple　and　misty　and　full　of　the　scent　of　roses。　And　in　their　joy　men　cast　before　Akeratos　not　coins　only；　but　silver　bracelets　and　rings；　and　gems　and　ornaments　of　gold；　until　the　heap　had　to　its　utmost　grown；　making　Akeratos　rich　in　all　men's　sight。　Then　suddenly　the　singer　stood　in　a　blaze　of　light；　and　the　men　of　Argos　saw　their　god　of　song；　Phoebus　Apollo；　rise　in　glory　to　the　skies。〃

The　girls　were　delighted；　the　Judge　pleased　both　with　his　own　rendering　of　the　legend　and　the　manifest　appreciation　with　which　it　had　been　received。　For　a　moment　or　two　all　felt　the　exquisite　touch　of　the　antique　world；　and　Ethel　said；　in　a　tone　of　longing；

〃I　wish　that　I　had　been　a　Greek　and　lived　in　Argos。〃

〃You　would　not　have　liked　it　as　well　as　being　an　American　and　living　in　New　York；〃　said　her　father。

〃And　you　would　have　been　a　pagan；〃　added　Ruth。

〃They　were　such　lovely　pagans；　Ruth；　and　they　dreamed　such　beautiful　dreams　of　life。　Leave　the　book　with　me；　father；　I　will　take　good　care　of　it。〃

Then　the　Judge　gave　her　the　book；　and　with　a　sigh　looked　into　the　modern　street。　〃I　ought　to　be　down　at　Bowling　Green　instead　of　reading　Greek　stories　to　you　girls；〃　he　said　rather　brusquely。　〃I　have　a　very　important　railway　case　on　my　mind；　and　Phoebus　Apollo　has　nothing　to　do　with　it。　Good　morning。　And；　Ethel；　do　not　deify　the　singer　on　the　avenue。　He　will　not　turn　out；　like　the　singer　by　the　portico；　to　be　a　god；　be　sure　of　that。〃

The　door　closed　before　she　could　answer；　and　both　women　remained　silent　a　few　minutes。　Then　Ethel　went　to　the　window；　and　Ruth　asked　if　she　was　going　to　Dora's。

〃Yes；〃　was　the　answer；　but　without　interest。

〃You　are　tired　with　all　this　shopping　and　worry？〃

〃It　is　not　only　that　I　am　tired；　I　am　troubled　about　Fred　Mostyn。〃

〃Why？〃

〃I　do　not　know　why。　It　is　only　a　vague　unrest　as　yet。　But　one　thing　I　know；　I　shall　oppose　anything　like　Fred　making　himself　intimate　with　Dora。〃

〃I　think　you　will　do　wisely　in　that。〃

But　in　a　week　Ethel　realized　that　in　opposing　a　lover　like　Fred　Mostyn　she　had　a　task　beyond　her　ability。　Fred　had　nothing　to　do　as　important　in　his　opinion　as　the　cultivation　of　his　friendship　with　Dora　Denning。　He　called　it　〃friendship；〃　but　this　misnomer　deceived　no　one；　not　even　Dora。　And　when　Dora　encouraged　his　attentions；　how　was　Ethel　to　prevent　them　without　some　explanation　which　would　give　a　sort　of　reality　to　what　was　as　yet　a　nameless　suspicion？

Yet　every　day　the　familiarity　increased。　He　seemed　to　divine　their　engagements。　If　they　went　to　their　jeweler's；　or　to　a　bazaar；　he　was　sure　to　stroll　in　after　them。　When　they　came　out　of　the　milliner's　or　modiste's；　Fred　was　waiting。　〃He　had　secured　a　table　at　Sherry's；　he　had　ordered　lunch；　and　all　was　ready。〃　It　was　too　great　an　effort　to　resist　his　entreaty。　Perhaps　no　one　wished　to　do　so。　The　girls　were　utterly　tired　and　hungry；　and　the　thought　of　one　of　Fred's　lunches　was　very　pleasant。　Even　if　Basil　Stanhope　was　with　them；　it　appeared　to　be　all　the　better。　Fred　always　included　Dora's　lover　with　a　charming　courtesy；　and；　indeed；　at　such　hours；　was　in　his　most　delightful　mood。　Stanhope　appeared　to　inspire　him。　His　mentality　when　the　clergyman　was　present　took　possession　of　every　incident　that　came　and　went；　and　clothed　it　in　wit　and　pleasantry。　Dora's　plighted　lover　honestly　thought　Dora's　undeclared　lover　the　cleverest　and　most　delightful　of　men。　And　he　had　no　opportunity　of　noting；　as　Ethel　did；　the　difference　in　Fred's　attitude　when　he　was　not　present。　Then　Mostyn's　merry　mood　became　sentimental；　and　his　words　were　charged　with　soft　meanings　and　looks　of　adoration；　and　every　tone　and　every　movement　made　to　express　far　more　than　the　tongue　would　have　dared　to　utter。

As　this　flirtation　progressedfor　on　Dora's　part　it　was　only　vanity　and　flirtationEthel　grew　more　and　more　uneasy。　She　almost　wished　for　some　trifling　overt　act　which　would　give　her　an　excuse　for　warning　Dora；　and　one　day；　after　three　weeks　of　such　philandering；　the　opportunity　came。

〃I　think　you　permit　Fred　Mostyn　to　take　too　much　liberty　with　you；　Dora；〃　she　said　as　soon　as　they　were　in　Dora's　parlor；　and　as　she　spoke　she　threw　off　her　coat　in　a　temper　which　effectively　emphasized　the　words。

〃I　have　been　expecting　this　ill…nature；　Ethel。　You　were　cross　all　the　time　we　were　at　lunch。　You　spoiled　all　our　pleasure　Pray；　what　have　I　been　doing　wrong　with　Fred　Mostyn？〃

〃It　was　Fred　who　did　wrong。　His　compliments　to　you　were　outrageous。　He　has　no　right　to　say　such　things；　and　you　have　no　right　to　listen　to　them。〃

〃I　am　not　to　blame　if　he　compliments　me　instead　of　you。　He　was　simply　polite；　but　then　it　was　to　the　wrong　person。〃


〃Of　course　it　was。　Such　politeness　he　had　no　right　to　offer　you。〃

〃It　would　have　been　quite　proper　if　offered　you；　I　suppose？〃

〃It　would　not。　It　would　have　been　a　great　impertinence。　I　have　given　him　neither　claim　nor　privilege　to　address　me　as　‘My　lovely　Ethel！'　He　called　you　many　times　‘My　lovely　Dora！'　You　are　not　his　lovely　Dora。　When　he　put　on　your　coat；　he　drew　you　closer　than　was　proper；　and　I　saw　him　take　your　hand　and　hold　it　in　a　claspnot　necessary。〃

〃Why　do　you　list