the man between- 第2部分

〃And　enemies；〃　interrupted　Judge　Rawdon。

〃And　enemies！　You　are　right；　father。　But　he　enjoys　one　as　much　as　the　otherthat　is；　he　would　as　willingly　fight　his　enemies　as　feast　his　friends。　He　says　a　big　day　in　Wall　Street　makes　him　alive　from　head　to　foot。　He　really　looks　happy。　Bryce　Denning　has　got　into　two　clubs；　and　his　money　passes　him；　for　he　plays；　and　is　willing　to　love　prudently。　But　no　one　cares　about　Mrs。　Denning。　She　is　quite　oldforty…five；　I　dare　say；　and　she　is　stout；　and　does　not　wear　the　colors　and　style　she　ought　to　wearnone　of　her　things　have　the　right　‘look；'　and　of　course　I　cannot　advise　a　matron。　Then；　her　fine　English　servants　take　her　house　out　of　her　hands。　She　is　afraid　of　them。　The　butler　suavely　tries　to　inform　her；　the　housekeeper　removed　the　white　crotcheted　scarfs　and　things　from　the　gilded　chairs；　and　I　am　sure　Mrs。　Denning　had　a　heartache　about　their　loss；　but　she　saw　that　they　had　also　vanished　from　Dora's　parlor；　so　she　took　the　hint；　and　accepted　the　lesson。　Really；　her　humility　and　isolation　are　pitiful。　I　am　going　to　ask　grandmother　to　go　and　see　her。　Grandmother　might　take　her　to　church；　and　get　Dr。　Simpson　and　Mrs。　Simpson　to　introduce　her。　Her　money　and　adaptability　would　do　the　rest。　There；　I　have　had　a　good　breakfast；　though　I　was　late。　It　is　not　always　the　early　bird　that　gets　chicken　and　mushrooms。　Now　I　will　go　and　see　what　Dora　wants〃and　lifting　her　furs　with　a　smile；　and　a　〃Good　morning！〃　equally　charming；　she　disappeared。

〃Did　you　notice　her　voice；　Ruth？〃　asked　Judge　Rawdon。　What　a　tone　there　is　in　her　‘good　morning！'〃

〃There　is　a　tone　in　every　one's　good　morning；　Edward。　I　think　people's　salutations　set　to　music　would　reveal　their　inmost　character。　Ethel's　good　morning　says　in　D　major　‘How　good　is　the　day！'　and　her　good　night　drops　into　the　minor　third；　and　says　pensively　‘How　sweet　is　the　night！'〃

〃Nay；　Ruth；　I　don't　understand　all　that；　but　I　do　understand　the　voice。　It　goes　straight　to　my　heart。〃

〃And　to　my　heart　also；　Edward。　I　think　too　there　is　a　measured　music；　a　central　time　and　tune；　in　every　life。　Quick；　melodious　natures　like　Ethel's　never　wander　far　from　their　keynote；　and　are　therefore　joyously　set；　while　slow；　irresolute　people　deviate　far；　and　only　come　back　after　painful　dissonances　and　frequent　changes。〃

〃You　are　generally　right；　Ruth；　even　where　I　cannot　follow　you。　I　hope　Ethel　will　be　home　for　dinner。　I　like　my　Sunday　dinner　with　both　of　you；　and　I　may　bring　my　mother　back　with　me。〃

Then　he　said　〃Good　morning〃　with　an　intentional　cheerfulness；　and　Ruth　was　left　alone　with　her　book。　She　gave　a　moment's　thought　to　the　value　of　good　example；　and　then　with　a　sigh　of　content　let　her　eyes　rest　on　the　words　Ethel's　presence　had　for　awhile　silenced：

〃I　am　filled　with　a　sense　of　sweetness　and　wonder　that　such；　little　things　can　make　a　mortal　so　exceedingly　rich。　But　I　confess　that　the　chiefest　of　all　my　delights　is　still　the　religious。〃　（Theodore　Parker。）　She　read　the　words　again；　then　closed　her　eyes　and　let　the　honey　of　some　sacred　memory　satisfy　her　soul。　And　in　those　few　minutes　of　reverie；　Ruth　Bayard　revealed　the　keynote　of　her　being。　Wanderings　from　it；　caused　by　the　exigencies　and　duties　of　life；　frequently　occurred；　but　she　quickly　returned　to　its　central　and　controlling　harmony；　and　her　serenity　and　poise　were　therefore　as　natural　as　was　her　niece's　joyousness　and　hope。　Nor　was　her　religious　character　the　result　of　temperament；　or　of　a　secluded　life。　Ruth　Bayard　was　a　woman　of　thought　and　culture；　and　wise　in　the　ways　of　the　world；　but　not　worldly。　Her　personality　was　very　attractive；　she　had　a　good　form；　an　agreeable　face；　speaking　gray　eyes；　and　brown　hair；　soft　and　naturally　wavy。　She　was　a　distant　cousin　of　Ethel's　mother；　but　had　been　brought　up　with　her　in　the　same　household；　and　always　regarded　her　as　a　sister；　and　Ethel　never　remembered　that　she　was　only　her　aunt　by　adoption。　Ten　years　older　than　her　niece；　she　had　mothered　her　with　a　wise　and　loving　patience；　and　her　thoughts　never　wandered　long　or　far　from　the　girl。　Consequently；　she　soon　found　herself　wondering　what　reason　there　could　be　for　Dora　Denning's　urgency。

In　the　meantime　Ethel　had　reached　her　friend's　residence　a　new　building　of　unusual　size　and　very　ornate　architecture。　Liveried　footmen　and　waiting　women　bowed　her　with　mute　attention　to　Miss　Denning's　suite；　an　absolutely　private　arrangement　of　five　rooms；　marvelously　furnished　for　the　young　lady's　comfort　and　delight。　The　windows　of　her　parlor　overlooked　the　park；　and　she　was　standing　at　one　of　them　as　Ethel　entered　the　room。　In　a　passion　of　welcoming　gladness　she　turned　to　her；　exclaiming：　〃I　have　been　watching　for　you　hours　and　hours；　Ethel。　I　have　the　most　wonderful　thing　to　tell　you。　I　am　so　happy！　So　happy！　No　one　was　ever　as　happy　as　I　am。〃

Then　Ethel　took　both　her　hands；　and；　as　they　stood　together；　she　looked　intently　at　her　friend。　Some　new　charm　transfigured　her　face；　for　her　dark；　gazelle　eyes　were　not　more　lambent　than　her　cheeks；　though　in　a　different　way；　while　her　black　hair　in　its　picturesquely　arranged　disorder　seemed　instinct　with　life；　and　hardly　to　be　restrained。　She　was　constantly　pushing　it　back；　caressing　or　arranging　it；　and　her　white；　slender　fingers；　sparkling　with　jewels；　moved　among　the　crimped　and　wavy　locks；　as　if　there　was　an　intelligent　sympathy　between　them。

〃How　beautiful　you　are　to…day；　Dora！　Who　has　worked　wonders　on　you？〃

〃Basil　Stanhope。　He　loves　me！　He　loves　me！　He　told　me　so　last　nightin　the　sweetest　words　that　were　ever　uttered。　I　shall　never　forget　one　of　themnever；　as　long　as　I　live！　Let　us　sit　down。　I　want　to　tell　you　everything。〃

〃I　am　astonished；　Dora！〃

〃So　was　mother；　and　father；　and　Bryce。　No　one　suspected　our　affection。　Mother　used　to　grumble　about　my　going　‘at　all　hours'　to　St。　Jude's　church；　but　that　was　because　St。　Jude's　is　so　very　High　Church；　and　mother　is　a　Methodist　Episcopal。　It　was　the　morning　and　evening　prayers　she　objected　to。　No　one　had　any　suspicion　of　the　clergyman。　Oh；　Ethel；　he　is　so　handsome！　So　good！　So　clever！　I　think　every　woman　in　the　church　is　in　love　with　him。〃

〃Then　if　he　is　a　good　man；　he　must　be　very　unhappy。〃

〃Of　course　he　is　quite　ignorant　of　their　admiration；　and　therefore　quite　innocent。　I　am　the　only　woman　he　loves；　and　he　never　even　remembers　me　when　he　is　in　the　sacred　office。　If　you　could　see　him　come　out　of　the　vestry　in　his　white　surplice；　with　his　rapt　face　and　prophetic　eyes。　So　mystical！　So　beautiful！　You　would　not　wonder　that　I　worship　him。〃

〃But　I　do　not　understandhow　did　you　meet　him　socially？〃

〃I　met　him　at　Mrs。　Taylor's　first。　Then　he　spoke　to　me　one　morning　as　I　came　out　of　church；　and　the　next　morning　he　walked　through　the　park　with　me。　And　after　that　all　was　easy　enough。〃

〃I　see。　What　does　your　father　and　mother　thinkor　rather；　what　do　they　say？〃

〃Father　always　says　what　he　thinks；　and　mother　thinks　and　says　what　I　do。　This　condition　simplified　matters　very　much。　Basil　wrote　to　father；　and　yesterday　after　dinner　he　had　an　interview　with　him。　I　expected　it；　and　was　quite　prepared　for　any　climax　that　might　come。　I　wore　my　loveliest　white　frock；　and　had　lilies　of　the　valley　in　my　hair　and　on　my　breast；　and　father　called　me　‘his　little　angel'　and　piously　wondered　‘how　I　could　be　his　daughter。'　All　dinner　time　I　tried　to　be　angelic；　and　after　dinner　I　sang　‘Little　Boy　Blue'　and　some　of　the　songs　he　loves；　and　I　felt；　when　Basil's　card　came　in；　that　I　had　prepared　the　proper　atmosphere　for　the　interview。〃

〃You　are　really　very　clever；　Dora。〃

〃I　tried　to　continue　singing　and　playing；　but　I　could　not；　the　notes　all　ran　together；　the　words　were　lost。　I　went　to　mother's　side　and　put　my　hand　in　hers；　and　she　said　softly：　‘I　can　hear　your　father　storming　a　little；　but　he　will　settle　down　the　quicker　for　it。　I　dare　say　he　will　bring　Mr。　Stanhope　in　here　before　long。〃

〃Did　he？〃

〃No。　That　was　Bryce's　fault。　How　Bryce　happened　to　be　in　the　house　at　that　hour；　I　cannot　imagine；　but　it　seems　to　be　natural　for　him　to　drop　into　any　interview　where　he　can　make　trouble。　However；　it　turned　out　all　for　the　best；　for　when　mother　heard　Bryce's　voice　above　all　the　other　sounds；　she　said；　‘Come　Dora；　we　shall　have　to　interfere　now。'　Then　I　was　delighted。　I　was　angelically　dressed；　and　I　felt　equal　to　the　interview。〃

〃Do　you　really　mean　that　you　joined　the　three　quarreling　men？〃

〃Of　course。　Mother　was　quite　calmcalm　enough　to　freeze　a　tempestbut　she　gave　father　a　look　he　comprehended。　Then　she　shook　hands　with　Basil；　and　would　have　made　some　remark　to　Bryce；　but　with　his　usual　impertinence　he　took　the　initiative；　and　told　he：　very　authoritatively　to　‘retire　and　take　me　with　her'calling　me　that　‘demure　little　flirt'　in　a　tone　that　was　very　offensive。　You　should　have　seen　father　blaze　into　anger　at　his　words。　He　told　Bryce　to　remember　that　‘Mr。　Ben　Denning　owned　the　house；　and　that　Bryce　had　four　or　five　rooms　in　it　by　his　courtesy。'　He　said　also　that　the　‘ladies　present　were　Mr。　Ben　Denning's　wife　and　daughter；　and　that　it　was　impertinent　in　him　to　order　them　out　of　his　parlor；　where　they　were　always　welcome。'　Bryce　was　white　with　passion；　but　he　answered　in　his　affected　way‘Sir；　that　sly　girl　with　her　pretended　piety　and　her　sneak　of　a　lover　is　my　sister；　and　I　shall　not　permit　her　to　disgrace　my　family　without　making　a　protest。'〃

〃And　then？〃

〃I　began　to　cry；　and　I　put　my　arms　around　father's　neck　and　said　he　must　defend　me；　that　I　was　not　‘sly；'　and　Basil　was　not　‘a　sneak；'　and　father　kissed　me；　and　said　he　would　settle　with　any　man；　and　every　man；　who　presumed　to　call　me　either　sly　or　a　flirt。〃

〃I　think　Mr。　Denning　acted　beautifully。　What　did　Bryce　say？〃

〃He　turned　to　Basil；　and　said：　‘Mr。　Stanhope；　if　you　are　not　a　cad；　you　will　leave　the　house。　You　have　no　right　to　intrude　yourself　into　family　affairs　and　family　quarrels。'　Basil　had　seated　mother；　and　was　standing　with　one　hand　on　the　back　of　her　chair；　and　he　did　not　answer　Brycethere　was　no　need；　father　answered　quick　enough。　He　said　Mr。　Stanhope　had　asked　to　become　one　of　the　family；　and　for　his　part　he　would　welcome　him　freely；　and　then　he　asked　mother　if　she　was　of　his　mind；　and　mother　smiled　and　reached　her　hand　backward　to　Basil。　Then