the conflict-第63章

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Every　human　being　has　his　or　her　fundamental　vanity　that　must　be　kept　alive；　if　life　is　to　be　or　to　seem　to　be　worth　living。　　In　man　this　vanity　is　usually　some　form　of　belief　in　his　mental　ability；　in　woman　some　form　of　belief　in　her　physical　charm。　　Fortunately　or；　rather；　necessarilynot　much　is　required　to　keep　this　vanity　aliveor　to　restore　it　after　a　shock；　however　severe。　　Victor　Dorn　had　been　compelled　to　give　Jane　Hastings'　vanity　no　slight　shock。　　But　it　recovered　at　once。　　Jane　saw　that　his　failure　to　yield　was　due　not　to　lack　of　potency　in　her　charms；　but　to　extraordinary　strength　of　purpose　in　his　character。　　Thus；　not　only　was　she　able　to　save　herself　from　any　sense　of　humiliation；　but　also　she　was　without　any　feeling　of　resentment　against　him。　　She　liked　him　and　admired　him　more　than　ever。　　She　saw　his　point　of　view；　she　admitted　that　he　was　rightIF　it　were　granted　that　a　life　such　as　he　had　mapped　for　himself　was　better　for　him　than　the　career　he　could　have　made　with　her　help。

Her　heart；　however；　was　hastily；　even　rudely　thrust　to　the　background　when　she　discovered　that　her　brother　had　been　gambling　in　wheat　with　practically　her　entire　fortune。　　With　an　adroitness　that　irritated　her　against　herself；　as　she　looked　back；　he　had　continued　to　induce　her　to　disregard　their　father's　cautionings　and　to　ask　him　to　take　full　charge　of　her　affairs。　　He　had　not　lost　her　fortune；　but　he　had　almost　lost　it。　　But　for　an　accidental　stroke；　a　week　of　weather　destructive　to　crops　all　over　the　country；　she　would　have　been　reduced　to　an　income　of　not　more　than　ten　or　fifteen　thousand　a　yeartwenty　times　the　income　of　the　average　American　family　of　five；　but　for　Miss　Hastings　straitened　subsistence　and　a　miserable　state　of　shornness　of　all　the　radiance　of　life。　　And；　pushing　her　inquiries　a　little　farther；　she　learned　that　her　brother　would　still　have　been　rich；　because　he　had　taken　care　to　settle　a　large　sum　on　his　wifein　such　a　way　that　if　she　divorced　him　it　would　pass　back　to　him。

In　the　course　of　her　arrangings　to　meet　this　situation　and　to　prevent　its　recurrence　she　saw　much　of　Doctor　Charlton。　　He　gave　her　excellent　advice　and　found　for　her　a　man　to　take　charge　of　her　affairs　so　far　as　it　was　wise　for　her　to　trust　any　one。　　The　man　was　a　bank　cashier；　Robert　Headley　by　nameone　of　those　rare　beings　who　care　nothing　for　riches　for　themselves　and　cannot　invest　their　own　money　wisely；　but　have　a　genius　for　fidelity　and　wise　counsel。

‘‘It's　a　pity　he's　married；''　said　Charlton。　　‘‘If　he　weren't　I'd　urge　you　to　take　him　as　a　husband。''

Jane　laughed。　　A　plainer；　duller　man　than　Headley　it　would　have　been　hard　to　find；　even　among　the　respectabilities　of　Remsen　City。

‘‘Why　do　you　laugh？''　said　Charlton。　　‘‘What　is　there　absurd　in　a　sensible　marriage？''

‘‘Would　you　marry　a　woman　because　she　was　a　good　housekeeper？''

‘‘That　would　be　one　of　the　requirements；''　said　Charlton。　　‘‘I've　sense　enough　to　know　that；　no　matter　how　much　I　liked　a　woman　before　marriage；　it　couldn't　last　long　if　she　were　incompetent。　　She'd　irritate　me　every　moment　in　the　day。　　I'd　lie　awake　of　nights　despising　her。　　And　how　she　would　hate　me！''

‘‘I　can't　imagine　you　a　husband；''　laughed　Jane。

‘‘That　doesn't　speak　well　for　your　imagination；'　rejoined　Charlton。　　‘‘I　have　perfect　healthwhich　means　that　I　have　a　perfect　disposition；　for　only　people　with　deranged　interiors　are　sour　and　snappy　and　moody。　　And　I　am　sympathetic　and　understanding。　　I　appreciate　that　women　are　rottenly　brought　up　and　have　everything　to　learneverything　that's　worth　while　if　one　is　to　live　comfortably　and　growingly。　　So；　I　shouldn't　expect　much　at　the　outset　beyond　a　desire　to　improve　and　a　capacity　to　improve。　　Yes；　I've　about　all　the　virtues　for　a　model　husbanda　companionable；　helpful　mate　for　a　woman　who　wants　to　be　more　of　a　person　every　day　she　lives。''

‘‘No；　thanks；''　said　Jane；　mockingly。　　‘‘The　advertisement　reads　well；　but　I　don't　care　to　invest。''

‘‘Oh；　I　looked　you　over　long　ago；''　said　Charlton　with　a　coolness　that　both　amused　and　exasperated　her。　　‘‘You　wouldn't　do　at　all。　　You　are　very　attractive　to　look　at　and　to　talk　with。　　Your　money　would　be　useful　to　some　plans　I've　got　for　some　big　sanatoriums　along　the　line　of　Schulze's　up　at　Saint　Christopher。　　But…''　　He　shook　his　head；　smiling　at　her　through　a　cloud　of　cigarette　smoke。

‘‘Go　on；''　urged　Jane。　　‘‘What's　wrong　with　me？''

‘‘You've　been　miseducated　too　far　and　too　deeply。　　You　KNOW　too　much　that　isn't　so。　　You've　got　the　upper　class　American　woman　habit　of　thinking　about　yourself　all　the　time。　　You　are　an　indifferent　housekeeper；　and　you　think　you　are　good　at　it。　　You　don't　know　the　practical　side　of　lifecooking；　sewing；　house　furnishing；　marketing。　　You're　ambitious　for　a　show　careerthe　sort　Davy　Hullexcuse　me；　Governor　David　Hullis　making　so　noisily。　　There's　just　the　man　for　you。　　You　ought　to　marry。　　Marry　Hull。''

Jane　was　furiously　angry。　　She　did　not　dare　show　it；　Charlton　would　merely　laugh　and　walk　away；　and　perhaps　refuse　to　be　friends　with　her。　　It　exasperated　her　to　the　core；　the　narrow　limitations　of　the　power　of　money。　　She　could；　through　the　power　of　her　money；　do　exactly　as　she　pleased　to　and　with　everybody　except　the　only　kind　of　people　she　cared　about　dominating；　these　she　was　apparently　the　less　potent　with　　because　of　her　money。　　It　seemed　to　put　them　on　their　mettle　and　on　their　guard。

She　swallowed　her　anger。　　‘‘Yes；　I've　got　to　get　married；''　said　she。　　‘‘And　I　don't　know　what　to　do　about　it。''

‘‘Hull；''　said　Charlton。

‘‘Is　that　the　best　advice　you　can　give？''　said　she　disdainfully。

‘‘He　needs　you；　and　you　need　him。　　You　like　him　don't　you？''

‘‘Very　much。''

‘‘Thenthe　thing's　done。　　Davy　isn't　the　man　to　fail　to　seize　an　opportunity　so　obviously　to　his　advantage。　　Not　that　he　hasn't　a　heart。　　He　has　a　big　onedoes　all　sorts　of　gracious；　patronizing；　kind　thingsdoes　no　end　of　harm。　　But　he'd　no　more　let　his　emotions　rule　his　life　thanthanVictor　Dornor　I；　for　that　matter。''

Jane　colored；　a　pathetic　sadness　tinged　the　far…away　expression　of　her　eyes。

‘‘No　doubt　he's　half　in　love　with　you　already。　　Most　men　are　who　know　you。　　A　kindly　smile　and　he'll　be　kneeling。''

‘‘I　don't　want　David　Hull；''　cried　Jane。　　‘‘Ever　since　I　can　remember　they've　been　at　me　to　marry　him。　　He　bores　me。　　He　doesn't　make　me　respect　him。　　He　never　could　control　meor　teach　meor　make　me　look　up　to　him　in　any　way。　　I　don't　want　him；　and　I　won't　have　him。''

‘‘I'm　afraid　you've　got　to　do　it；''　said　Charlton。　　‘‘You　act　as　if　you　realized　it　and　were　struggling　and　screaming　against　manifest　destiny　like　a　child　against　a　determined　mother。''

Jane's　eyes　had　a　look　of　terror。　　‘‘You　are　joking；''　said　she。　　‘‘But　it　frightens　me；　just　the　same。''

‘‘I　am　not　joking；''　replied　he。　　‘‘I　can　hear　the　wedding　bellsand　so　can　you。''

‘‘Don't！''　pleaded　Jane。　　‘‘I've　so　much　confidence　in　your　insight　that　I　can't　bear　to　hear　you　saying　such　things　even　to　tease　me。　。　。　。　　Why　haven't　you　told　me　about　these　sanatoriums　you　want？''

‘‘Because　I've　been　hoping　I　could　devise　some　way　of　getting　them　without　the　use　of　money。　　Did　it　ever　occur　to　you　that　almost　nothing　that's　been　of　real　and　permanent　value　to　the　world　was　built　with　money？　　The　things　that　money　has　done　have　always　been　badly　done。''

‘‘Let　me　help　you；''　said　Jane　earnestly。　　‘‘Give　me　something　to　do。　　Teach　me　how　to　do　something。　　I　am　SO　bored！and　so　eager　to　have　an　occupation。　　I　simply　can't　lead　the　life　of　my　class。

‘‘You　want　to　be　a　lady　patronessa　lady　philanthropist；''　said　Charlton；　not　greatly　impressed　by　her　despair。　　‘‘That's　only　another　form　of　the　life　of　your　classand　a　most　offensive　form。''

‘‘Your　own　termsyour　own　terms；　absolutely；''　cried　Jane　in　desperation。

‘‘Nomarry　Hull　and　go　into　upper　and　middle　class　politics。　　You'll　be　a　lady　senator　or　a　lady　ambassador　or　cabinet　officer；　at　least。''

‘‘I　will　not　marry　David　Hullor　anybody；　just　yet；''　cried　Jane。　　‘‘Why　should　I？　　I've　still　got　ten　years　where　there's　a　chance　of　my　being　able　to　attract　some　man　whoattracts　me。　　And　after　that　I　can　buy　as　good　a　husband　as　any　that　offers　now。　　Doctor　Charlt