the man between- 第6部分

Mostyn　did　not　notice　the　criticism　on　music　itself；　but　added　in　a　soft；　disapproving　way：　〃That　man　has　no　music　in　him。　Do　you　know　that　was　one　of　Mendelssohn's　delicious　dreams。　This　is　how　it　should　have　been　rendered；〃　and　he　went　impulsively　to　the　piano　and　then　the　sweet　monotonous　cadences　and　melodious　reveries　slipped　from　his　long　white　fingers　till　the　whole　room　was　permeated　with　a　delicious　sense　of　moonlit　solitude　and　conversation　was　stilled　in　its　languor。　The　young　man　had　played　his　own　dismissal；　but　it　was　an　effective　one；　and　he　complimented　himself　on　his　readiness　to　seize　opportunities　for　display；　and　on　his　genius　in　satisfying　them。

〃I　think　I　astonished　them　a　little；〃　he　mused；　〃and　I　wonder　what　that　pretty；　cousin　of　mine　thought　of　the　music　and　the　musician。　I　fancy　we　shall　be　good　friends；　she　is　proudthat　is　no　fault；　and　she　has　very　decided　opinionswhich　might　be　a　great　fault；　but　I　think　I　rather　astonished　them。〃

To　such　reflections　he　stepped　rather　pompously　down　the　avenue；　not　at　all　influenced　by　any　premonition　that　his　satisfactory　feelings　might　be　imperfectly　shared。　Yet　silence　was　the　first　result　of　his　departure。　Judge　Rawdon　took　out　his　pocketbook　and　began　to　study　its　entries。　Ruth　Bayard　rose　and　closed　the　piano。　Ethel　lifted　a　magazine；　while　it　was　Madam　who　finally　asked　in　an　impatient　tone：

〃What　do　you　think　of　Frederick？　I　suppose；　Edward；　you　have　an　opinion。　Isn't　he　a　very　clever　man？〃

〃I　should　not　wonder　if　he　were；　mother；　clever　to　a　fault。〃

〃I　never　heard　a　young　man　talk　better。〃

〃He　talked　a　great　deal；　but　then；　you　know；　he　was　not　on　his　oath。〃

〃I'll　warrant　every　word　he　said。〃

〃Your　warrant　is　fine　surety；　mother；　but　I　am　not　bound　to　believe　all　I　hear。　You　women　can　please　yourselves。〃

And　with　these　words　he　left　the　women　to　find　out；　if　they　could；　what　manner　of　man　their　newly…found　kinsman　might　be。

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CHAPTER　III

ONE　of　the　most　comfortable　things　about　Frederick　Mostyn　was　his　almost　boyish　delight　in　the　new　life　which　New　York　opened　to　him。　Every　phase　of　it　was　so　fresh；　so　unusual；　that　his　Yorkshire　existence　at　Mostyn　Hall　gave　him　no　precedents　and　no　experiences　by　which　to　measure　events。　The　simplest　things　were　surprising　or　interesting。　He　was　never　weary　of　taking　those　exciting　〃lifts〃　to　the　top　of　twenty…three　story　buildings　and　admiring　the　wonderful　views　such　altitudes　gave　him。　He　did　not　perhaps　comprehend　how　much　he　was　influenced　by　the　friction　of　two　million　wills　and　interests；　did　not　realize　how　they　evoked　an　electric　condition　that　got　behind　the　foreground　of　existence　and　stirred　something　more　at　the　roots　of　his　being　than　any　previous　experience　had　ever　done。　And　this　feeling　was　especially　entrancing　when　he　saw　the　great　city　and　majestic　river　lying　at　his　feet　in　the　white；　uncanny　light　of　electricity；　all　its　color　gone；　its　breath　cold；　its　life　strangely　remote　and　quiet；　men　moving　like　shadows；　and　sounds　hollow　and　faint　and　far　off；　as　if　they　came　from　a　distant　world。　It　gave　him　a　sense　of　dreamland　quite　as　much　as　that　of　reality。　The　Yorkshire　moors　and　words　grew　dull　and　dreary　in　his　memory；　even　the　thought　of　the　hunting　field　could　not　lure　his　desire。　New　York　was　full　of　marvelous　novelties；　its　daily　routine；　even　in　the　hotel　and　on　the　streets；　gripped　his　heart　and　his　imagination；　and　he　confessed　to　himself　that　New　York　was　life　at　first　hand；　fresh　drawn；　its　very　foam　sparkling　and　intoxicating。　He　walked　from　the　Park　to　the　Battery　and　examined　all　that　caught　his　eye。　He　had　a　history　of　the　city　and　sought　out　every　historical　site；　he　even　went　over　to　Weehawken；　and　did　his　best　to　locate　the　spot　where　Burr　and　Hamilton　fought。　He　admired　Hamilton；　but　after　reading　all　about　the　two　men；　gave　his　sympathy　to　Burr；　〃a　clever；　unlucky　little　chap；〃　he　said。　〃Why　do　clever　men　hate　each　other？〃　and　then　he　smiled　queerly　as　he　remembered　political　enemies　of　great　men　in　his　own　day　and　his　own　country；　and　concluded　that　〃it　was　their　nature　to　do　so。〃

But　in　these　outside　enthusiasms　he　did　not　forget　his　personal　relations。　It　took　him　but　a　few　days　to　domesticate　himself　in　both　the　Rawdon　houses。　When　the　weather　drove　him　off　the　streets；　he　found　a　pleasant　refuge　either　with　Madam　or　with　Ethel　and　Miss　Bayard。　Ethel　he　saw　less　frequently　than　he　liked；　she　was　nearly　always　with　Dora　Denning；　but　with　Ruth　Bayard　he　contracted　a　very　pleasant　friendship。　He　told　her　all　his　adventures　and　found　her　more　sympathetic　than　Madam　ever　pretended　to　be。　Madam　thought　him　provincial　in　his　tastes；　and　was　better　pleased　to　hear　that　he　had　a　visiting　entry　at　two　good　clubs；　and　had　hired　a　motor　ear；　and　was　learning　how　to　manage　it。　Then　she　told　herself　that　if　he　was　good　to　her；　she　would　buy　him　one　to　be　proud　of　before　he　returned　to　Yorkshire。

It　was　at　the　Elite　Club　Bryce　Denning　first　saw　him。　He　came　in　with　Shaw　McLaren；　a　young　man　whose　acquaintance　was　considered　as　most　definitely　satisfactory。　Vainly　Bryce　Denning　had　striven　to　obtain　any　notice　whatever　from　McLaren；　whose　exclusiveness　was　proverbial。　Who　then　was　this　stranger　he　appeared　so　anxious　to　entertain？　His　look　of　supreme　satisfaction；　his　high…　bred　air；　and　peculiar　intonation　quickly　satisfied　Bryce　as　to　his　nationality。

〃English；　of　course；〃　he　reflected；　〃and　probably　one　of　the　aristocrats　that　Shaw　meets　at　his　recently　ennobled　sister's　place。　He　is　forever　bragging　about　them。　I　must　find　out　who　Shaw's　last　British　lion　is；〃　and　just　as　he　arrived　at　this　decision　the　person　appeared　who　could　satisfy　him。

〃That　man！〃　was　the　reply　to　the　inevitable　question〃why；　he　is　some　relative　of　the　old　lady　Rawdon。　He　is　staying　at　the　Holland　House；　but　spends　his　time　with　the　Rawdons；　old　and　young；　the　young　one　is　a　beauty；　you　know。〃

〃Do　you　think　so？　She　is　a　good　deal　at　our　house。　I　suppose　the　fellow　has　some　pretentions。　Judge　Rawdon　will　be　a　man　hard　to　satisfy　with　a　son…in…law。〃

〃I　fancy　his　daughter　will　take　that　subject　in　her　own　hand。　She　looks　like　a　girl　of　spirit；　and　this　man　is　not　as　handsome　as　most　Englishmen。〃

〃Not　if　you　judge　him　by　bulk；　but　women　want　more　than　mere　bulk；　he　has　an　air　of　breeding　you　can't　mistake；　and　he　looks　clever。〃

〃His　name　is　Mostyn。　I　have　heard　him　spoken　of。　Would　you　like　to　know　him？〃

〃I　could　live　without　that　honor〃then　Bryce　turned　the　conversation　upon　a　recent　horse　sale；　and　a　few　moments　later　was　sauntering　up　the　avenue。　He　was　now　resolved　to　make　up　his　quarrel　with　Dora。　Through　Dora　he　could　manage　to　meet　Mostyn　socially；　and　he　smiled　in　anticipation　of　that　proud　moment　when　he　should　parade　in　his　own　friendly　leash　McLaren's　new　British　lion。　Besides；　the　introduction　to　Mr。　Mostyn　might；　if　judiciously　managed；　promote　his　own　acquaintance　with　Shaw　McLaren；　a　sequence　to　be　much　desired；　an　end　he　had　persistently　looked　for。

He　went　straight　to　his　sister's　apartments　and　touched　the　bell　quite　gently。　Her　maid　opened　the　door　and　looked　annoyed　and　uncertain。　She　knew　all　about　the　cruelly　wicked　opposition　of　Miss　Denning's　brother　to　that　nice　young　man；　Basil　Stanhope；　and　also　the　general　attitude　of　the　Denning　household；　which　was　a　comprehensive　disapproval　of　all　that　Mr。　Bryce　said　and　did。

Dora　had；　however；　talked　all　her　anger　away；　she　wished　now　to　be　friends　with　her　brother。　She　knew　that　his　absence　from　her　wedding　would　cause　unpleasant　notice；　and　she　had　other　reasons；　purely　selfish；　all　emphasizing　the　advantages　of　a　reconciliation。　So　she　went　to　meet　Bryce　with　a　pretty；　pathetic　air　of　injury　patiently　endured；　and　when　Bryce　put　out　his　hands　and　said；　〃Forgive　me；　Dodo！　I　cannot　bear　your　anger　any　longer！〃　she　was　quite　ready　for　the　next　act；　which　was　to　lay　her　pretty　head　on　his　shoulder　and　murmur；　〃I　am　not　angry；　BryceI　am　grieved；　dear。〃

〃I　know；　Dodoforgive　me！　It　was　all　my　fault。　I　think　I　was　jealous　of　you；　it　was　hard　to　find　that　you　loved　a　stranger　better　than　you　loved　me。　Kiss　me；　and　be　my　own　sweet；　beautiful　sister　again。　I　shall　try　to　like　all　the　people　you　likefor　your　sake；　you　know。〃

Then　Dora　was　charming。　She　sat　and　talked　and　planned　and　told　him　all　that　had　been　done　and　all　that　was　yet　to　do。　And　Bryce　never　once　named　either　Ethel　or　Mr。　Mostyn。　He　knew　Dora　was　a　shrewd　little　woman；　and　that　he　would　have　to　be　very　careful　in　introducing　the　subject　of　Mr。　Mostyn；　or　else　she　would　be　sure　to　reach　the　central　truth　of　his　submission　to　her。　But；　somehow；　things　happen　for　those　who　are　content　to　leave　their　desires　to　contingencies　and　accidentals。　The　next　morning　he　breakfasted　with　the　family　and　felt　himself　repaid　for　his　concession　to　Dora　by　the　evident　pleasure　their　renewed　affection　gave　his　father　and　mother；　and　though　the　elder　Denning　made　no　remark　in　the　renewed　family　solidarity；　Bryce　anticipated　many　little　favors　and　accommodations　from　his　father's　satisfaction。

After　breakfast　he　sat　down；　lit　his　cigar　and　waited。　Both　his　mother　and　Dora　had　much　to　tell　him；　and　he　listened；　and　gave　them　such　excellent　advice　that　they　were　compelled　to　regret　the　arrangements　already　made　had　lacked　the　benefit　of　his　counsels。

〃But　you　had　Ethel　Rawdon；〃　he　said。　〃I　thought　she　was　everybody　rolled　into　one。〃

〃Oh；　Ethel　doesn't　know　as　much　as　she　thinks　she　does；〃　said　Mrs。　Denning。　〃I　don't　agree　with　lots　of　things　she　advises。〃

〃Then　take　my　advice；　mother。〃

〃Oh；　Bryce；　it　is　the　best　of　all。〃

〃Bryce　does　not　know　about　dress　and　such　things；　mother。　Ethel　finds　out　what　she　does　not　know。　Bryce　cannot　go　to　modistes　and　milliners　with　me。〃

〃Well；　Ethel　does　not　pay　as　much　atten…　tion　as　she　mightshe　is　always　going　somewhere　or　other　with　that　Englishman；　that　she　says　is　a　relativefor　my　part；　I　doubt　it。〃

〃Oh；　mother！〃

〃Girls　will　say　anything；　Dora；　to　hide　a　love　affair。　Why　does　she　never　bring　him　here　to　call？〃

〃Because　I　asked　her　not。　I　do　not　want　to　make　new　friends；　especially　English　ones；　now。　I　am　so　busy　all　day；　and　of　course　my　evenings　belong　to　Basi