the conflict-第52章

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‘‘Ohto　be　sure；''　said　Jane；　with　smiling　insincerity。　　‘‘I　had　almost　forgotten　what　you　told　me。　　Well；　it's　easy　enough　to　bribe　her　to　silence。　　Go　offer　yourself　to　her。''

A　long　silence；　then　Davy　said：　　‘‘I　don't　believe　she'd　accept　me。''

‘‘Try　it；''　said　Jane。

Again　a　long　pause。　　David　said　sullenly：　　‘‘I　did。''

Selma　Gordon　had　refused　David　Hull！　　Half　a　dozen　explanations　of　this　astounding　occurrence　rapidly　suggested　themselves。　　Jane　rejected　each　in　turn　at　a　glance。　　‘‘You're　sure　she　understood　you？''

‘‘I　made　myself　as　clear　as　I　did　when　I　proposed　to　you；''　replied　Davy　with　a　lack　of　tact　which　a　woman　of　Jane's　kind　would　never　forget　or　forgive。

Jane　winced；　ignored。　　Said　she：　　‘‘You　must　have　insisted　on　some　conditions　she　hesitated　to　accept。''

‘‘On　her　own　terms；''　said　Davy。

Jane　gave　up　trying　to　get　the　real　reason　from　him；　sought　it　in　Selma's　own　words　and　actions。　　She　inquired：　　‘‘What　did　she　say？　　What　reason　did　she　give？''

‘‘That　she　owed　it　to　the　cause　of　her　class　not　to　marry　a　man　of　my　class；''　answered　Hull；　believing　that　he　was　giving　the　exact　and　the　only　reason　she　assigned　or　had。

Jane　gave　a　faint　smile　of　disdain。　　‘‘Women　don't　act　from　a　sense　of　duty；''　she　said。

‘‘She's　not　the　ordinary　woman；''　said　Hull。　　‘‘You　must　remember　she　wasn't　brought　up　as　you　and　I　werehasn't　our　ideas　of　life。　　The　things　that　appeal　to　us　most　strongly　don't　touch　her。　　She　knows　nothing　about　them。''　　He　added；　‘‘And　that's　her　great　charm　for　me。''

Jane　nodded　sympathetically。　　Her　own　case　exactly。　　After　a　brief　hesitation　she　suggested：

‘‘Perhaps　Selma's　in　love　withsome　one　else。''　　The　pause　before　the　vague　‘‘some　one　else''　was　almost　unnoticeable。

‘‘With　Victor　Dorn；　you　mean？''　said　Davy。　　‘‘I　asked　her　about　that。　　No；　she's　not　in　love　with　him。''

‘‘As　if　she'd　tell　you！''

Davy　looked　at　her　a　little　scornfully。　　‘‘Don't　insinuate；''　he　said。　　‘‘You　know　she　would。　　There's　nothing　of　the　ordinary　tricky；　evasive；　faking　woman　about　her。　　And　although　she's　got　plenty　of　excuse　for　being　conceited；　she　isn't　a　bit　so。　　She　isn't　always　thinking　about　herself；　like　the　girls　of　our　class。''

‘‘I　don't　in　the　least　wonder　at　your　being　in　love　with　her；　Davy；''　said　Jane　sweetly。　　‘‘Didn't　I　tell　you　I　admired　your　tasteand　your　courage？''

‘‘You're　sneering　at　me；''　said　Davy。　　‘‘All　the　same；　it　did　take　couragefor　I'm　a　snob　at　bottomlike　youlike　all　of　us　who've　been　brought　up　so　foolishly　so　rottenly。　　But　I'm　proud　that　I　had　the　courage。　　I've　had　a　better　opinion　of　myself　ever　since。　　And　if　you　have　any　unspoiled　womanhood　in　you；　you　agree　with　me。''

‘‘I　do　agree　with　you；''　said　Jane　softly。　　She　reached　out　and　laid　her　hand　on　his　arm　for　an　instant。　　‘‘That's　honest；　Davy。''

He　gave　her　a　grateful　look。　　‘‘I　know　it；''　said　he。　　‘‘The　reason　I　confide　things　to　you　is　because　I　know　you're　a　real　woman　at　bottom；　Janethe　only　real　person　I've　ever　happened　across　in　our　class。''

‘‘It　took　more　courage　for　you　to　do　that　sort　of　thing　than　it　would　for　a　woman；''　said　Jane。　　‘‘It's　more　natural；　easier　for　a　woman　to　stake　everything　in　love。　　If　she　hasn't　the　man　she　wants　she　hasn't　anything；　while　a　man's　wife　can　be　a　mere　detail　in　his　life。　　He　can　forget　he's　married；　most　of　the　time。''

‘‘That　isn't　the　way　I　intend　to　be　married；''　said　Davy。　　‘‘I　want　a　wife　who'll　be　half；　full　half；　of　the　whole。　　And　I'll　get　her。''

‘‘You　mean　you　haven't　given　up？''

‘‘Why　should　I？　　She　doesn't　love　another　man。　　So；　there's　hope。

Don't　you　think　so？''

Jane　was　silent。　　She　hastily　debated　whether　it　would　be　wiser　to　say　yes　or　to　say　no。

‘‘Don't　you　think　so？''　repeated　he。

‘‘How　can　I　tell？''　replied　Jane；　diplomatically。　　‘‘I'd　have　to　see　her　with　yousee　how　she　feels　toward　you。''

‘‘I　think　she　likes　me；''　said　Davy；　‘‘likes　me　a　good　deal。''

Jane　kept　her　smile　from　the　surface。　　What　a　man　always　thought；　no　matter　how　plainly　a　woman　showed　that　she　detested　him。　　‘‘No　doubt　she　does；''　said　Jane。　　She　had　decided　upon　a　course　of　action。　　‘‘If　I　were　you；　Davy；　I'd　keep　away　from　her　for　the　present　give　her　time　to　think　it　over；　to　see　all　the　advantages。　　If　a　man　forces　himself　on　a　queer；　wild　sort　of　girl　such　as　Selma　is；　he's　likely　to　drive　her　further　away。''

Davy　reflected。　　‘‘Guess　you're　right；''　said　he　finally。　　‘‘My　instinct　is　always　to　actto　keep　on　acting　until　I　get　results。

But　it's　dangerous　to　do　that　with　Selma。　　At　least；　I　think　so。　　I　don't　know。　　I　don't　understand　her。　　I've　got　nothing　to　offer　hernothing　that　she　wantsas　she　frankly　told　me。　　Even　if　she　loved　me；　I　doubt　if　she'd　marry　meon　account　of　her　sense　of　duty。　　What　you　said　awhile　ago　about　women　never　doing　things　from　a　sense　of　duty　that　shows　how　hard　it　is　for　a　woman　to　understand　what's　perfectly　simple　to　a　man。　　Selma　isn't　the　sheltered　woman　sortthe　sort　whose　moral　obligations　are　all　looked　after　by　the　men　of　her　family。　　The　old…fashioned　woman　always　belonged　to　some　man　or　else　was　an　outcast。　　This　new　style　of　woman　looks　at　life　as　a　man　does。''

Jane　listened　with　a　somewhat　cynical　expression。　No　doubt；　in　theory；　there　was　a　new　style　of　woman。　But　practically；　the　new　style　of　woman　merely　TALKED　differently；　at　least；　she　was　still　the　old…fashioned　woman；　longing　for　dependence　upon　some　man　and　indifferent　to　the　obligations　men　made　such　a　fuss　aboutprobably　not　so　sincerely　as　they　fancied。　　But　her　expression　changed　when　Davy　went　on　to　say：

‘‘She'd　look　at　a　thing　of　that　sort　much　as　I　or　Victor　Dorn　would。''

Jane's　heart　suddenly　sank。　　Because　the　unconscious　blow　had　hurt　she　struck　out；　struck　back　with　the　first　weapon　she　could　lay　hold　of。　　‘‘But　you　said　a　minute　ago　that　Victor　was　a　hypocritical　demagogue。''

Davy　flushed　with　confusion。　　He　was　in　a　franker　mood　now；　however。　　‘‘I'd　like　to　think　that；''　he　replied。　　‘‘But　I　don't　honestly　believe　it。''

‘‘You　think　that　if　Victor　Dorn　loved　a　woman　of　our　class　he'd　put　her　out　of　his　life？''

‘‘That's　hardly　worth　discussing；''　said　Davy。　　‘‘No　woman　of　our　classno　woman　he'd　be　likely　to　look　atwould　encourage　him　to　the　point　where　he'd　presume　upon　it。''

‘‘How　narrow　you　are！''　cried　Jane；　derisive　but　even　more　angry。

‘‘It's　differententirely　differentwith　a　man；　even　in　our　class。　　But　a　woman　of　our　classshe's　a　lady　or　she's　nothing　at　all。　　And　a　lady　couldn't　be　so　lacking　in　refinement　as　to　descend　to　a　man　socially　beneath　her。''

‘‘I　can　see　how　ANY　woman　might　fall　in　love　with　Victor　Dorn。''

‘‘You're　just　saying　that　to　be　argumentative；''　said　Davy　with　conviction。　　‘‘Take　yourself；　for　example。''

‘‘I　confess　I　don't　see　any　such　contrast　between　Victor　and　youexcept　where　the　comparison's　altogether　in　his　favor；''　said　Jane　pleasantly。　　‘‘You　don't　know　as　much　as　he　does。　　You　haven't　the　independence　of　characteror　the　courageor　the　sincerity。　　You　couldn't　be　a　real　leader；　as　he　is。　　You　have　to　depend　on　influence；　and　on　trickery。''

A　covert　glance　at　the　tall；　solemn…looking　young　man　riding　silently　beside　her　convinced　her　that　he　was　as　uncomfortable　as　she　had　hoped　to　make　him。

‘‘As　for　mannersand　the　things　that　go　to　make　a　gentleman；''　she　went　on；　‘‘I'm　not　sure　but　that　there；　too；　the　comparison　is　against　you。　　You　always　suggest　to　me　that　if　you　hadn't　the　pattern　set　for　men　of　our　class　and　didn't　follow　it；　you'd　be　absolutely　lost；　Davy；　dear。　　While　Victorhe's　a　fine；　natural　person；　with　the　manners　that　grow　as　naturally　out　of　his　personality　as　oak　leaves　grow　out　of　an　oak。''

Jane　was　astonished　and　delighted　by　this　eloquence　of　hers　about　the　man　she　lovedan　eloquence　far　above　her　usual　rather　commonplace　mode　of　speech　and　thought。　　Love　was　indeed　an　inspirer！　　What　a　person　she　would　become　when　she　had　Victor　always　stimulating　her。　　She　went　on：

‘‘A　woman　would　never　grow　tired　of　Victor。　　He　doesn't　talk　stale　stuff　such　as　all　of　us　get　from　the　stale　little　professors　and　stale；　dreary　text…books　at　our　colleges。''

‘‘Why　don't　you　fall　in　love　with　him？''　said　Davy　sourly。

‘