the lost road-第16章
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call for her。
Exactly an hour later Post arrived at his office。 He went directly
to Cochran。
〃Charles；〃 he said； 〃I'm afraid I got you into trouble yesterday。
I took a client to see your house。 You have often let us do it before；
but since I was there last you've made some changes。 In your bedroom〃
Post stopped。
Cochran's naive habit of blushing told him it was not necessary
to proceed。 In tones of rage and mortification Cochran swore
explosively； Post was relieved to find he was swearing at himself。
〃I ought to be horsewhipped！〃 roared Cochran。 〃I'll never forgive
myself！ Who；〃 he demanded； 〃saw the pictures？ Was it a man or a
woman？〃
Post laughed unhappily。
〃It was Chester Griswold。〃
A remarkable change came over Cochran。 Instead of sobering him；
as Post supposed it would； the information made him even more
angryonly now his anger was transferred from himself to Griswold。
〃The blankety…blank bounder！〃 yelled Cochran。 〃That was what he
wanted！ That's why he came here！〃
〃Here！〃 demanded Post。
〃Not an hour ago；〃 cried Cochran。 〃He asked me about Bar Harbor。
He saw those pictures were taken at Bar Harbor！〃
〃I think；〃 said Post soothingly； 〃he'd a right to ask questions。
There were so many pictures； and they were verywellvery！〃
〃I'd have answered his questions；〃 roared Cochran； 〃if he'd asked
them like a man； but he came snooping down here to spy on me。
He tried to trick me。 He insulted me！ He insulted her！〃 He emitted
a howl of dismay。 〃And I told him I'd never been to Bar Harbor
that I'd never met Aline Proctor！〃
Cochran seized his coat and hat。 He shouted to one of the office
boys to telephone the garage for his car。
〃What are youwhere are you going？〃 demanded Post。
〃I'm going home first；〃 cried Cochran； 〃to put those pictures in
a safe； as I should have done three months ago。 And then I'm
going to find Chester Griswold and tell him he's an ass and a
puppy！〃
〃If you do that；〃 protested Post； 〃you're likely to lose us a very
valuable client。〃
〃And your client；〃 roared Charles； 〃is likely to lose some very
valuable teeth！〃
As Charles whirled into the country road in which stood his house
he saw drawn up in front of it the long gray car in which； that morning；
Chester Griswold had called at the office。 Cochran emitted a howl of
anger。 Was his home again to be invaded？ And again while he was
absent？ To what extreme would Griswold's jealousy next lead him？
He fell out of his own car while it still moved； and leaped up the garden
walk。 The front rooms of the house were empty； but from his bedroom
he heard； raised in excited tones； the voice of Griswold。 The audacity
of the man was so surprising； and his own delight at catching him
red…handed so satisfying； that no longer was Cochran angry。 The Lord
had delivered his enemy into his hands！ And； as he advanced toward his
bedroom； not only was he calm； but； at the thought of his revenge；
distinctly jubilant。 In the passageway a frightened maid servant； who；
at his unexpected arrival； was now even more frightened； endeavored
to give him an explanation； but he waved her into silence； and； striding
before her； entered his bedroom。
He found confronting him a tall and beautiful young woman。 It was
not the Aline Proctor he knew。 It was not the well…poised； gracious；
and distinguished beauty he had seen gliding among the tables at
Sherry's or throwing smiles over the footlights。 This Aline Proctor
was a very indignant young person； with flashing eyes； tossing head；
and a stamping foot。 Extended from her at arm's length； she held a
photograph of herself in a heavy silver frame； and； as though it were
a weapon； she was brandishing it in the face of Chester Griswold。
As Cochran； in amazement； halted in the doorway she was exclaiming：
〃I told you I didn't know Charles Cochran！ I tell you so now！ If you
can't believe me…〃
Out of the corner of her flashing eyes the angry lady caught sight of
Cochran in the doorway。 She turned upon the intruder as though she
meant forcibly to eject him。
〃Who are you？〃 she demanded。 Her manner and tone seemed to add：
〃And what the deuce are you doing here？〃
Charles answered her tone。
〃I am Charles Cochran；〃 he said。 〃I live here。 This is my house！〃
These words had no other effect upon Miss Proctor than to switch
her indignation down another track。 She now turned upon Charles。
〃Then； if this is your house；〃 cried that angry young person；
〃why have you filled it with photographs of me that belong to
some one else？〃
Charles saw that his hour had come。 His sin had found him out。 He
felt that to prevaricate would be only stupid。
Griswold had tried devious methodsand look where his devious
methods had dumped him！ Griswold certainly was in wrong。 Charles
quickly determined to adopt a course directly opposite。 Griswold
had shown an utter lack of confidence in Aline。 Charles decided
that he would give her his entire confidence； would throw himself
upon the mercy of the court。
〃I have those photographs in my house； Miss Proctor；〃 he said；
〃because I have admired you a long time。 They were more like you
than those I could buy。 Having them here has helped me a lot； and it
hasn't done you any harm。 You know very well you have anonymous
admirers all over this country。 I'm only one of them。 If I have offended；
I have offended with many； many thousands。〃
Already it has been related that Cochran was very good to look
upon。 At the present moment； as he spoke in respectful； even
soulful accents； meekly and penitently proclaiming his
long…concealed admiration； Miss Proctor found her indignation
melting like an icicle in the sun。
Still； she did not hold herself cheaply。 She was accustomed to
such open flattery。 She would not at once capitulate。
〃But these pictures；〃 she protested； 〃I gave to a man I knew。 You
have no right to them。 They are not at all the sort of picture I
would give to an utter stranger！〃 With anxiety the lovely lady
paused for a reply。 She hoped that the reply the tall young man
with appealing eyes would make would be such as to make it
possible for her to forgive him。
He was not given time to reply。 With a mocking snort Griswold
interrupted。 Aline and Charles had entirely forgotten him。
〃An utter stranger！〃 mimicked Griswold。 〃Oh； yes； he's an utter
stranger！ You're pretty good actors； both of you； but you can't
keep that up long； and you'd better stop it now。〃
〃Stop what？〃 asked Miss Proctor。 Her tone was cold and calm； but
in her eyes was a strange light。 It should have warned Griswold
that he would have been safer under the bed。
〃Stop pretending！〃 cried Griswold。 〃I won't have it！〃
〃I don't understand；〃 said Miss Proctor。 She spoke in the same
cold voice； only now it had dropped several degrees nearer freezing。
〃I don't think you understand yourself。 You won't have what？〃
Griswold now was frightened； and that made him reckless。 Instead
of withdrawing he plunged deeper。
〃I won't have you two pretending you don't know each other；〃 he
blustered。 〃I won't stand being fooled！ If you're going to deceive
me before we're married； what will you do after we're married？〃
Charles emitted a howl。 It was made up of disgust； amazement； and
rage。 Fiercely he turned upon Miss Proctor。
〃Let me have him！〃 he begged。
〃No！〃 almost shouted Miss Proctor。 Her tone was no longer coldit
was volcanic。 Her eyes； flashing beautifully； were fixed upon Griswold。
She made a gesture as though to sweep Charles out of the room。
〃Please go！〃 she demanded。 〃This does not concern you。〃
Her tone was one not lightly to be disregarded。 Charles disregarded it。
〃It does concern me；〃 he said briskly。 〃Nobody can insult a woman
in my houseyou； least of all！〃 He turned upon the greatest catch
in America。 〃Griswold；〃 he said； 〃I never met this lady until I
came into this room； but I know her； understand her； value her
better than you'd understand her if you knew her a thousand
years！〃
Griswold allowed him to go no farther。
〃I know this much；〃 he roared： 〃she was in love with the man who
took those photographs； and that man was in
