the conflict-第53章

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　text…books　at　our　colleges。''

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

‘‘I　do　believe　you're　envious　of　Victor　Dorn；''　retorted　Jane。

‘‘What　a　disagreeable　mood　you're　in　to…day；''　said　Davy。

‘‘So　a　man　always　thinks　when　a　woman　speaks　well　of　another　man　in　his　presence。''

‘‘I　didn't　suspect　you　of　being　envious　of　Selma。　　Why　should　you　suspect　me　of　feeling　ungenerously　about　Victor？　　Fall　in　love　with　him　if　you　like。　　Heaven　knows；　I'd　do　nothing　to　stop　it。''

‘‘Perhaps　I　shall；''　said　Jane；　with　unruffled　amiability。　　‘‘You're　setting　a　dangerous　example　of　breaking　down　class　lines。''

‘‘Now；　Jane；　you　know　perfectly　well　that　while；　if　I　married　Selma　she'd　belong　to　my　class；　a　woman　of　our　class　marrying　Victor　Dorn　would　sink　to　his　class。　　Why　quarrel　about　anything　so　obviously　true？''

‘‘Victor　Dorn　belongs　to　a　class　by　himself；''　replied　Jane。　　‘‘You　forget　that　men　of　genius　are　not　regarded　like　you　poor　ordinary　mortals。''

Davy　was　relieved　that　they　had　reached　the　turning　at　which　they　had　to　separate。　　‘‘I　believe　you　are　in　love　with　him；''　said　he　as　a　parting　shot。

Jane；　riding　into　her　lane；　laughed　gayly；　mockingly。　　She　arrived　at　home　in　fine　humor。　　It　pleased　her　that　Davy；　for　all　his　love　for　Selma；　could　yet　be　jealous　of　Victor　Dorn　on　her　account。　　And　more　than　ever；　after　this　talk　with　himthe　part　of　it　that　preceded　the　quarrelshe　felt　that　she　was　doing　a　fine；　brave；　haughtily　aristocratic　thing　in　loving　Victor　Dorn。　　Only　a　woman　with　a　royal　soul　would　venture　to　be　thus　audacious。

Should　she　encourage　or　discourage　the　affair　between　Davy　and　Selma？　　There　was　much　to　be　said　for　this　way　of　removing　Selma　from　her　path；　also；　if　a　man　of　Davy　Hull's　position　married　beneath　him；　less　would　be　thought　of　her　doing　the　same　thing。　　On　the　other　hand；　she　felt　that　she　had　a　certain　property　right　in　David　Hull；　and　that　Selma　was　taking　what　belonged　to　her。　　This；　she　admitted　to　herself；　was　mean　and　small；　was　unworthy　of　the　woman　who　was　trying　to　be　worthy　of　Victor　Dorn；　of　such　love　as　she　professed　for　him。　　Yes；　mean　and　small。　　She　must　try　to　conquer　it。

Butwhen　she　met　Selma　in　the　woods　a　few　mornings　later；　her　dominant　emotions　were　anything　but　high…minded　and　generous。　　Selma　was　looking　her　most　fascinatingwild　and　strange　and　unique。　　They　caught　sight　of　each　other　at　the　same　instant。　　Jane　came　composedly　onSelma　made　a　darting　movement　toward　a　by…path　opening　near　her；　hesitated；　stood　like　some　shy；　lovely　bird　of　the　deep　wilderness　ready　to　fly　away　into　hiding。

‘‘Hello；　Selma！''　said　Jane　carelessly。

Selma　looked　at　her　with　wide；　serious　eyes。

‘‘Where　have　you　been　keeping　yourself　of　late？　　Busy　with　the　writing；　I　suppose？''

‘‘I　owe　you　an　apology；''　said　Selma；　in　a　queer；　suppressed　voice。　　‘‘I　have　been　hating　you；　and　trying　to　think　of　some　way　to　keep　you　and　Victor　Dorn　apart。　　I　thought　it　was　from　my　duty　to　the　cause。　　I've　found　out　that　it　was　a　low；　mean　personal　reason。''

Jane　had　stopped　short；　was　regarding　her　with　eyes　that　glowed　in　a　pallid　face。　　‘‘Because　you　are　in　love　with　him？''　she　said。

Selma　gave　a　quick；　shamed　nod。　　‘‘Yes；''　she　said　the　sound　was　scarcely　audible。

Selma's　frank　and　generousand　confidingself…　sacrifice　aroused　no　response　in　Jane　Hastings。　　For　the　first　time　in　her　life　she　was　knowing　what　it　meant　to　hate。

‘‘And　I've　got　to　warn　you；''　Selma　went　on；　‘‘that　I　am　going　to　do　whatever　I　can　to　keep　you　from　hindering　him。　　Not　because　I　love　him；　but　because　I　owe　it　to　the　cause。　　He　belongs　to　it；　and　I　must　help　him　be　single…hearted　for　it。　　You　could　only　be　a　bad　influence　in　his　life。　　I　think　you　would　like　to　be　a　sincere　woman；　but　you　can't。　　Your　class　is　too　strong　for　you。　　Soit　would　be　wrong　for　Victor　Dorn　to　love　and　to　marry　you。　　I　think　he　realizes　it　and　is　struggling　to　be　true　to　himself。　　I　intend　to　help　him；　if　I　can。''

Jane　smiled　cruelly。　　‘‘What　hypocrisy！''　she　said；　and　turned　and　walked　away。



VIII

In　America　we　have　been　bringing　up　our　women　like　men；　and　treating　them　like　children。　　They　have　active　minds　with　nothing　to　act　upon。　　Thus　they　are　driven　to　think　chiefly　about　themselves。　　With　Jane　Hastings；　self…centering　took　the　form　of　self…analysis　most　of　the　time。　　She　was　intensely　interested　in　what　she　regarded　as　the　new　development　of　her　character。　　This　definite　and　apparently　final　decision　for　the　narrow　and　the　ungenerous。　　In　fact；　it　was　no　new　development；　but　simply　a　revelation　to　herself　of　her　own　real　character。　　She　was　seeing　at　last　the　genuine　Jane　Hastings；　inevitable　product　of　a　certain　heredity　in　a　certain　environment。　　The　high　thinking　and　talking；　the　idealistic　aspiration　were　pose　and　pretense。　　Jane　Hastings　was　a　selfish；　self…absorbed　person；　ready　to　do　almost　any　base　thing　to　gain　her　ends；　ready　to　hate　to　the　uttermost　any　one　who　stood　between　her　and　her　object。

‘‘I'm　certainly　not　a　lovely　personnot　a　lovable　person；''　thought　she；　with　that　gentle　tolerance　wherewith　we　regard　our　ownselves；　whether　in　the　dress　of　pretense　or　in　the　undress　of　deformed　humanness。　　‘‘StillI　am　what　I　am；　and　I've　got　to　make　the　best　of　it。''

As　she　thought　of　Selma's　declaration　of　war　she　became　less　and　less　disturbed　about　it。　　Selma　neither　would　nor　could　do　anything　sly。　　Whatever　she　attempted　in　the　open　would　only　turn　Victor　Dorn　more　strongly　toward　herself。　　However；　she　must　continue　to　try　to　see　him；　must　go　to　see　him　in　a　few　days　if　she　did　not　happen　upon　him　in　her　rides　or　walks。　　How　poorly　he　would　think　of　her　if　he　knew　the　truth　about　her！　　But　then；　how　poor　most　womenand　men；　toowould　look　in　a　strong　and　just　light。　　Few　indeed　could　stand　idealizing；　except　Victor；　no　one　she　knew。　　And　he　was　human　enough　not　to　make　her　uncomfortable　in　his　presence。

But　it　so　happened　that　before　she　could　see　Victor　Dorn　her　father　disobeyed　Dr。　Charlton　and　gave　way　to　the　appetite　that　was　the　chief　cause　of　his　physical　woes。　　He　felt　so　well　that　he　ate　the　family　dinner；　including　a　peach　cobbler　with　whipped　cream；　which　even　the　robust　Jane　adventured　warily。　　Martha　was　dining　with　them。　　She　abetted　her　father。　　‘‘It's　light；''　said　she。　　‘‘It　couldn't　harm　anybody。''

‘‘You　mustn't　touch　it；　popsy；''　said　Jane。

She　unthinkingly　spoke　a　little　too　commandingly。　　Her　father；　in　a　perverse　and　reckless　mood；　took　Martha's　advice。　　An　hour　later　Dr。　Charlton　was　summoned；　and　had　he　not　arrived　promptly

‘‘Another　fifteen　or　twenty　minutes；''　said　he　to　the　old　man　when　he　had　him　out　of　immediate　danger；　‘‘and　I'd　have　had　nothing　to　do　but　sign　a　certificate　of　natural　death。''

‘‘Murder　would　have　been　nearer　the　truth；''　said　Martin　feebly。　　‘‘That　there　fool　Martha！''

‘‘Come　out　from　behind　that　petticoat！''　cried　Charlton。　　‘‘Didn't　I　spend　the　best　part　of　three　days　in　giving　you　the　correct　ideas　as　to　health　and　disease　in　showing　you　that　ALL　disease　comes　from　indigestion　ALL　disease；　from　falling　hair　and　sore　eyes　to　weak　ankles　and　corns？　　And　didn't　I　convince　you　that　you　could　eat　only　the　things　I　told　you　about？''

‘‘Don't　hit　a　man　when　he's　down；''　groaned　Hastings。

‘‘If　I　don't；　you'll　do　the　same　idiotic　trick　again　when　I　get　you　upif　I　get　you　up。''

Hastings　looked　quickly　at　him。　　This　was　the　first　time　Charlton　had　ever　expressed　a　doubt　about　his　living。　　‘‘Do　you　mean　that？''　he　said　hoarsely。　　‘‘Or　are　you　just　trying　to　scare　me？''

‘‘Both；''　said　Charlton。　　‘‘I'll　do　my　best；　but　I　can't　promise。

I've　lost　confidence　in　you。　　No　wonder　doctors；　after　they've　been　in　practice　a　few　years；　stop　talking　food　and　digestion　to　their　patients。　　I've　never　been　able　to　convince　a　single　human　being　that　appetite　is　not　the　sign　of　health；　and　yielding　to　it　the　way　to　health。　　But　I've　made　lots　of　people　angry　and　have　lost　their　trade。　　I　had　hopes　of　you。　　You　were　such　a　hopeless　wreck。　　But　no。　　And　you　call　yourself　an　intelligent　man！''

‘‘I'll　never　do　it　again；''　said　Hastings；　pleading；　but　smiling；　tooCharlton's　way　of　talking　delighted　him。

‘‘You　think　t