the man between- 第23部分

The　Judge　frankly　admitted　his　pleasure　in　his　home　surroundings。　He　said；　as　they　ate　their　first　meal　in　the　familiar　room；　that　〃a　visit　to　foreign　countries　was　a　grand；　patriotic　tonic。〃　He　vowed　that　the　〃first　sight　of　the　Stars　and　Stripes　at　Sandy　Hook　had　given　him　the　finest　emotion　he　had　ever　felt　in　his　life；〃　and　was　altogether　in　his　proudest　American　mood。　Ruth　sympathized　with　him。　Ethel　listened　smiling。　She　knew　well　that　the　English　strain　had　only　temporarily　exhausted　itself；　it　would　have　its　period　of　revival　at　the　proper　time。

〃I　am　going　to　see　grandmother；〃　she　said　gayly。　〃I　shall　stay　with　her　all　day。〃

〃But　I　have　a　letter　from　her；〃　interrupted　the　Judge；　〃and　she　will　not　return　home　until　next　week。〃

〃I　am　sorry。　I　was　anticipating　so　eagerly　the　joy　of　seeing　her。　Well；　as　I　cannot　do　so；　I　will　go　and　call　on　Dora　Stanhope。〃

〃I　would　not　if　I　were　you；　Ethel；〃　said　Ruth。　〃Let　her　come　and　call　on　you。〃

〃I　had　a　little　note　from　her　this　morning；　welcoming　me　home；　and　entreating　me　to　call。〃

The　Judge　rose　as　Ethel　was　speaking；　and　no　more　was　said　about　the　visit　at　that　time　but　a　few　hours　later　Ethel　came　down　from　her　room　ready　for　the　street　and　frankly　told　Ruth　she　had　made　up　her　mind　to　call　on　Dora。

〃Then　I　will　only　remind　you；　Ethel；　that　Dora　is　not　a　fortunate　woman　to　know。　As　far　as　I　can　see；　she　is　one　of　those　who　sow　pain　of　heart　and　vexation　of　spirit　about　every　house　they　enter；　even　their　own。　But　I　cannot　gather　experience　for　you；　it　will　have　to　grow　in　your　own　garden。〃

〃All　right；　dear　Ruth；　and　if　I　do　not　like　its　growth；　I　will　pull　it　up　by　the　roots；　I　assure　you。〃

Ruth　went　with　her　to　the　door　and　watched　her　walk　leisurely　down　the　broad　steps　to　the　street。　The　light　kindled　in　her　eyes　and　on　her　face　as　she　did　so。　She　already　felt　the　magnetism　of　the　great　city；　and　with　a　laughing　farewell　walked　rapidly　toward　Dora's　house。

Her　card　brought　an　instant　response；　and　she　heard　Dora's　welcome　before　the　door　was　opened。　And　her　first　greeting　was　an　enthusiastic　compliment；　〃How　beautiful　you　have　grown；　Ethel！〃　she　cried。　〃Ah；　that　is　the　European　finish。　You　have　gained　it；　my　dear；　you　really　are　very　much　improved。〃

〃And　you　also；　Dora？〃

The　words　were　really　a　question；　but　Dora　accepted　them　as　an　assertion；　and　was　satisfied。

〃I　suppose　I　am；〃　she　answered；　〃though　I'm　sure　I　can't　tell　how　it　should　be　so；　unless　worry　of　all　kinds　is　good　for　good　looks。　I've　had　enough　of　that　for　a　lifetime。〃

〃Now；　Dora。〃

〃Oh；　it's　the　solid　truthpartly　your　fault　too。〃

〃I　never　interfered〃

〃Of　course　you　didn't；　but　you　ought　to　have　interfered。　When　you　called　on　me　in　London　you　might　have　seen　that　I　was　not　happy；　and　I　wanted　to　come　to　Rawdon　Court；　and　you　would　not　invite　me。　I　called　your　behavior　then　‘very　mean；'　and　I　have　not　altered　my　opinion　of　it。〃

〃There　were　good　reasons；　Dora；　why　I　could　not　ask　you。〃

〃Good　reasons　are　usually　selfish　ones；　Ethel；　and　Fred　Mostyn　told　me　what　they　were。

〃He　likely　told　you　untruths；　Dora；　for　he　knew　nothing　about　my　reasons。　I　saw　very　little　of　him。〃

〃I　know。　You　treated　him　as　badly　as　you　treated　me；　and　all　for　some　wild　West　creaturea　regular　cowboy；　Fred　said；　but　then　a　Rawdon！〃

〃Mr。　Mostyn　has　misrepresented　Mr。　Tyrrel　Rawdonthat　is　all　about　it。　I　shall　not　explain　‘how'　or　‘why。'　Did　you　enjoy　yourself　at　Stanhope　Castle？〃

〃Enjoy　myself！　Are　you　making　fun　of　me？　Ethel；　dear；　it　was　the　most　awful　experience。　You　never　can　imagine　such　a　life；　and　such　women。　They　were　dressed　for　a　walk　at　six　o'clock；　they　had　breakfast　at　half…　past　seven。　They　went　to　the　village　and　inspected　cottages；　and　gave　lessons　in　housekeeping　or　dressmaking　or　some　other　drudgery　till　noon。　They　walked　back　to　the　Castle　for　lunch。　They　attended　to　their　own　improvement　from　half…past　one　until　four；　had　lessons　in　drawing　and　chemistry；　and；　I　believe；　electricity。　They　had　another　walk；　and　then　indulged　themselves　with　a　cup　of　tea。　They　dressed　and　received　visitors；　and　read　science　or　theology　between　whiles。　There　was　always　some　noted　preacher　or　scholar　at　the　dinner　table。　The　conversation　was　about　acids　and　explosives；　or　the　planets　or　bishops；　or　else　on　the　never；　never…ending　subject　of　elevating　the　workingman　and　building　schools　for　his　children。　Basil；　of　course；　enjoyed　it。　He　thought　he　was　giving　me　a　magnificent　object　lesson。　He　was　never　done　praising　the　ladies　Mary　Elinor　and　Adelaide　Stanhope。　I'm　sure　I　wish　he　had　married　one　or　all　of　themand　I　told　him　so。〃

〃You　could　not　be　so　cruel；　Dora。〃

〃I　managed　it　with　the　greatest　ease　imaginable。　He　was　always　trotting　at　their　side。　They　spoke　of　him　as　‘the　most　pious　young　man。'　I　have　no　doubt　they　were　all　in　love　with　him。　I　hope　they　were。　I　used　to　pretend　to　be　very　much　in　love　when　they　were　present。　I　dare　say　it　made　them　wretched。　Besides；　they　blushed　and　thought　me　improper。　Basil　didn't　approve；　either；　so　I　hit　all　round。〃

She　rose　at　this　memory　and　shook　out　her　silk　skirts；　and　walked　up　and　down　the　room　with　an　air　that　was　the　visible　expression　of　the　mockery　and　jealousy　in　her　heart。　This　was　an　entirely　different　Dora　to　the　lachrymose；　untidy　wife　at　the　Savoy　Hotel　in　London；　and　Ethel　had　a　momentary　pang　at　the　thought　of　the　suffering　which　was　responsible　for　the　change。

〃If　I　had　thought；　Dora；　you　were　so　uncomfortable；　I　would　have　asked　Basil　and　you　to　the　Court。〃

〃You　saw　I　was　not　happy　when　I　was　at　the　Savoy。〃

〃I　thought　you　and　Basil　had　had　a　kind　of　lovers'　quarrel；　and　that　it　would　blow　over　in　an　hour　or　two；　no　one　likes　to　meddle　with　an　affair　of　that　kind。　Are　you　going　to　Newport；　or　is　Mrs。　Denning　in　New　York？〃

〃That　is　another　trouble；　Ethel。　When　I　wrote　mother　I　wanted　to　come　to　her；　she　sent　me　word　she　was　going　to　Lenox　with　a　friend。　Then；　like　you；　she　said　‘she　had　no　liberty　to　invite　me；'　and　so　on。　I　never　knew　mother　act　in　such　a　way　before。　I　nearly　broke　my　heart　about　it　for　a　few　days；　then　I　made　up　my　mind　I　wouldn't　care。〃

〃Mrs。　Denning；　I　am　sure；　thought　she　did　the　wisest　and　kindest　thing　possible。〃

〃I　didn't　want　mother　to　be　wise。　I　wanted　her　to　understand　that　I　was　fairly　worn　out　with　my　present　life　and　needed　a　change。　I'm　sure　she　did　understand。　Then　why　was　she　so　cruel？〃　and　she　shrugged　her　shoulders　impatiently　and　sat　down。　〃I'm　so　tired　of　life；〃　she　continued。　〃When　did　you　hear　of　Fred　Mostyn？〃

〃I　know　nothing　of　his　movements。　Is　he　in　America？〃

〃Somewhere。　I　asked　mother　if　he　was　in　Newport；　and　she　never　answered　the　ques…　tion。　I　suppose　he　will　be　in　New　York　for　the　winter　season。　I　hope　so。〃

This　topic　threatened　to　be　more　dangerous　than　the　other；　and　Ethel；　after　many　and　futile　attempts　to　bring　conversation　into　safe　commonplace　channels；　pleaded　other　engagements　and　went　away。　She　was　painfully　depressed　by　the　interview。　All　the　elements　of　tragedy　were　gathered　together　under　the　roof　she　had　just　left；　and；　as　far　as　she　could　see；　there　was　no　deliverer　wise　and　strong　enough　to　prevent　a　calamity。　She　did　not　repeat　to　Ruth　the　conversation　which　had　been　so　painful　to　her。　She　described　Dora's　dress　and　appearance；　and　commented　on　Fred　Mostyn's　description　of　Tyrrel　Rawdon；　and　on　Mrs。　Denning's　refusal　of　her　daughter's　proposed　visit。

Ruth　thought　the　latter　circumstance　significant。　〃I　dare　say　Mostyn　was　in　Newport　at　that　time；〃　she　answered。　〃Mrs。　Denning　has　some　very　quick　perceptions。〃　And　Ruth's　opinion　was　probably　correct；　for　during　dinner　the　Judge　remarked　in　a　casual　manner　that　he　had　met　Mr。　Mostyn　on　the　avenue　as　he　was　coming　home。　〃He　was　well；〃　he　said；　〃and　made　all　the　usual　inquiries　as　to　your　health。〃　And　both　Ruth　and　Ethel　understood　that　he　wished　them　to　know　of　Mostyn's　presence　in　the　city；　and　to　be　prepared　for　meeting　him；　but　did　not　care　to　discuss　the　subject　further；　at　least　at　that　time。　The　information　brought　precisely　the　same　thought　at　the　same　moment　to　both　women；　and　as　soon　as　they　were　alone　they　uttered　it。

〃She　knew　Mostyn　was　in　the　city；〃　said　Ethel　in　a　low　voice。

〃Certainly。〃

〃She　was　expecting　him。〃

〃I　am　sure　of　it。〃

〃Her　elaborate　and　beautiful　dressing　was　for　him。〃

〃Poor　Basil！〃

〃She　asked　me　to　stay　and　lunch　with　her；　but　very　coolly；　and　when　I　refused；　did　not　press　the　matter　as　she　used　to　do。　Yes；　she　was　expecting　him。　I　understand　now　her　nervous　manner；　her　restlessness；　her　indifference　to　my　short　visit。　I　wish　I　could　do　anything。〃

〃You　cannot；　and　you　must　not　try。〃

〃Some　one　must　try。〃

〃There　is　her　husband。　Have　you　heard　from　Tyrrel　yet；〃

〃I　have　had　a　couple　of　telegrams。　He　will　write　from　Chicago。〃

〃Is　he　going　at　once　to　the　Hot　Springs？〃

〃As　rapidly　as　possible。　Colonel　Rawdon　is　now　there；　and　very　ill。　Tyrrel　will　put　his　father　first　of　all。　The　trouble　at　the　mine　can　be　investigated　afterwards。〃

〃You　will　miss　him　very　much。　You　have　been　so　happy　together。〃

〃Of　course　I　shall　miss　him。　But　it　will　be　a　good　thing　for　us　to　be　apart　awhile。　Love　must　have　some　time　in　which　to　grow。　I　am　a　little　tired　of　being　very　happy；　and　I　think　Tyrrel　also　will　find　absence　a　relief。　In　‘Lalla　Rookh'　there　is　a　line　about　love　‘falling　asleep　in　a　sameness　of　splendor。'　It　might。　How　melancholy　is　a　long　spell　of　hot；　sunshiny　weather；　and　how　gratefully　we　welcome　the　first　shower　of　rain。〃

〃Love　has　made　you　a　philosopher；　Ethel。〃

〃Well；　it　is　rather　an　advantage　than　otherwise。　I　am　going　to　take　a　walk；　Ruth；　into　the　very　heart　of　Broadway。　I　have　had　enough　of　the　peace　of　the　country。　I　want　the　crack；　and　crash；　and　rattle；　and　grind　of　wheels；　the　confused　cries；　the　snatches　of　talk　and　laughter；　the　tread　of　crowds；　the　sound　of　bells；　and　clocks；　and　chimes。　I　long　for　all　the　chaotic；　unintelligible　noise　of　the　streets。　How　suggestive　it　is！　Yet　it　never　explains　itself。　It　only　gives　one　a　full　sense　of　life。　Love　may　need　just　the　same　stimulus。　I　wish　grandmother　would　come　home。　I　should　not　require　Broadway　as　a　stimulus。　I　am　afraid　she　will　be　very　angry　with　me；　and　t