the call of the canyon-第41章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


oes　in　for　fads；　the　ultra　stuff　you　mentioned。　New　York　City　gets　all　the　great　artists；　lecturers；　and　surely　the　great　fakirs。　The　New　York　women　support　them。　The　men　laugh；　but　they　furnish　the　money。　They　take　the　women　to　the　theaters；　but　they　cut　out　the　reception　to　a　Polish　princess；　a　lecture　by　an　Indian　magician　and　mystic；　or　a　benefit　luncheon　for　a　Home　for　Friendless　Cats。　The　truth　is　most　of　our　young　girls　or　brides　have　a　wonderful　enthusiasm　worthy　of　a　better　cause。　What　is　to　become　of　their　surplus　energy；　the　bottled…lightning　spirit　so　characteristic　of　modern　girls？　Where　is　the　outlet　for　intense　feelings？　What　use　can　they　make　of　education　or　of　gifts？　They　just　can't；　that's　all。　I'm　not　taking　into　consideration　the　new…woman　species；　the　faddist　or　the　reformer。　I　mean　normal　girls　like　you　and　me。　Just　think；　Carley。　A　girl's　every　wish；　every　need；　is　almost　instantly　satisfied　without　the　slightest　effort　on　her　part　to　obtain　it。　No　struggle；　let　alone　work！　If　women　crave　to　achieve　something　outside　of　the　arts；　you　know；　something　universal　and　helpful　which　will　make　men　acknowledge　her　worth；　if　not　the　equality；　where　is　the　opportunity？〃

〃Opportunities　should　be　made；〃　replied　Carley。

〃There　are　a　million　sides　to　this　question　of　the　modern　young　womanthe　fin…de…siecle　girl。　I'm　for　her！〃

〃How　about　the　extreme　of　style　in　dress　for　this　remarkably…to…be…pitied　American　girl　you　champion　so　eloquently？〃　queried　Carley；　sarcastically。

〃Immoral！〃　exclaimed　Eleanor　with　frank　disgust。

〃You　admit　it？〃

〃To　my　shame；　I　do。〃

〃Why　do　women　wear　extreme　clothes？　Why　do　you　and　I　wear　open…work　silk　stockings；　skirts　to　our　knees；　gowns　without　sleeves　or　bodices？〃

〃We're　slaves　to　fashion；〃　replied　Eleanor；　〃That's　the　popular　excuse。〃

〃Bah！〃　exclaimed　Carley。

Eleanor　laughed　in　spite　of　being　half　nettled。　〃Are　you　going　to　stop　wearing　what　all　the　other　women　wearand　be　looked　at　askance？　Are　you　going　to　be　dowdy　and　frumpy　and　old…fashioned？〃

〃No。　But　I'll　never　wear　anything　again　that　can　be　called　immoral。　I　want　to　be　able　to　say　why　I　wear　a　dress。　You　haven't　answered　my　question　yet。　Why　do　you　wear　what　you　frankly　admit　is　disgusting？〃

〃I　don't　know；　Carley；〃　replied　Eleanor；　helplessly。　〃How　you　harp　on　things！　We　must　dress　to　make　other　women　jealous　and　to　attract　men。　To　be　a　sensation！　Perhaps　the　word　'immoral'　is　not　what　I　mean。　A　woman　will　be　shocking　in　her　obsession　to　attract；　but　hardly　more　than　that；　if　she　knows　it。〃

〃Ah！　So　few　women　realize　how　they　actually　do　look。　Haze　Ruff　could　tell　them。〃

〃Haze　Ruff。　Who　in　the　world　is　he　or　she？〃　asked　Eleanor。

〃Haze　Ruff　is　a　he；　all　right；〃　replied　Carley；　grimly。

〃Well；　who　is　he？〃

〃A　sheep…dipper　in　Arizona；〃　answered　Carley；　dreamily。

〃Humph！　And　what　can　Mr。　Ruff　tell　us？〃

〃He　told　me　I　looked　like　one　of　the　devil's　angelsand　that　I　dressed　to　knock　the　daylights　out　of　men。〃

〃Well；　Carley　Burch；　if　that　isn't　rich！〃　exclaimed　Eleanor；　with　a　peal　of　laughter。　〃I　dare　say　you　appreciate　that　as　an　original　compliment。〃

〃No。　。　。　。　I　wonder　what　Ruff　would　say　about　jazzI　just　wonder；〃　murmured　Carley。

〃Well；　I　wouldn't　care　what　he　said；　and　I　don't　care　what　you　say；〃　returned　Eleanor。　〃The　preachers　and　reformers　and　bishops　and　rabbis　make　me　sick。　They　rave　about　jazz。　Jazzthe　discordant　note　of　our　decadence！　Jazzthe　harmonious　expression　of　our　musicless；　mindless；　soulless　materialism！The　idiots！　If　they　could　be　women　for　a　while　they　would　realize　the　error　of　their　ways。　But　they　will　never；　never　abolish　jazz　never；　for　it　is　the　grandest；　the　most　wonderful；　the　most　absolutely　necessary　thing　for　women　in　this　terrible　age　of　smotheration。〃

〃All　right；　Eleanor；　we　understand　each　other；　even　if　we　do　not　agree；〃　said　Carley。　〃You　leave　the　future　of　women　to　chance；　to　life；　to　materialism；　not　to　their　own　conscious　efforts。　I　want　to　leave　it　to　free　will　and　idealism。〃

〃Carley；　you　are　getting　a　little　beyond　me；〃　declared　Eleanor；　dubiously。

〃What　are　you　going　to　do？　It　all　comes　home　to　each　individual　woman。　Her　attitude　toward　life。〃

〃I'll　drift　along　with　the　current；　Carley；　and　be　a　good　sport；〃　replied　Eleanor；　smiling。

〃You　don't　care　about　the　women　and　children　of　the　future？　You'll　not　deny　yourself　now；　and　think　and　work；　and　suffer　a　little；　in　the　interest　of　future　humanity？〃

〃How　you　put　things；　Carley！〃　exclaimed　Eleanor；　wearily。　〃Of　course　I　carewhen　you　make　me　think　of　such　things。　But　what　have　I　to　do　with　the　lives　of　people　in　the　years　to　come？〃

〃Everything。　America　for　Americans！　While　you　dawdle；　the　life　blood　is　being　sucked　out　of　our　great　nation。　It　is　a　man's　job　to　fight；　it　is　a　woman's　to　save。　。　。　。　I　think　you've　made　your　choice；　though　you　don't　realize　it。　I'm　praying　to　God　that　I'll　rise　to　mine。〃


Carley　had　a　visitor　one　morning　earlier　than　the　usual　or　conventional　time　for　calls。

〃He　wouldn't　give　no　name；〃　said　the　maid。　〃He　wears　soldier　clothes；　ma'am；　and　he's　pale；　and　walks　with　a　cane。〃

〃Tell　him　I'll　be　right　down；〃　replied　Carley。

Her　hands　trembled　while　she　hurriedly　dressed。　Could　this　caller　be　Virgil　Rust？　She　hoped　so；　but　she　doubted。

As　she　entered　the　parlor　a　tall　young　man　in　worn　khaki　rose　to　meet　her。　At　first　glance　she　could　not　name　him；　though　she　recognized　the　pale　face　and　light…blue　eyes；　direct　and　steady。

〃Good　morning；　Miss　Burch；〃　he　said。　〃I　hope　you'll　excuse　so　early　a　call。　You　remember　me；　don't　you？　I'm　George　Burton；　who　had　the　bunk　next　to　Rust's。〃

〃Surely　I　remember　you；　Mr。　Burton；　and　I'm　glad　to　see　you；〃　replied　Carley；　shaking　hands　with　him。　〃Please　sit　down。　Your　being　here　must　mean　you're　discharged　from　the　hospital。〃

〃Yes；　I　was　discharged；　all　right；〃　he　said。

〃Which　means　you're　well　again。　That　is　fine。　I'm　very　glad。〃

〃I　was　put　out　to　make　room　for　a　fellow　in　bad　shape。　I'm　still　shaky　and　weak；〃　he　replied。　〃But　I'm　glad　to　go。　I've　pulled　through　pretty　good；　and　it'll　not　be　long　until　I'm　strong　again。　It　was　the　'flu'　that　kept　me　down。〃

〃You　must　be　careful。　May　I　ask　where　you're　going　and　what　you　expect　to　do？〃

〃Yes；　that's　what　I　came　to　tell　you；〃　he　replied；　frankly。　〃I　want　you　to　help　me　a　little。　I'm　from　Illinois　and　my　people　aren't　so　badly　off。　But　I　don't　want　to　go　back　to　my　home　town　down　and　out；　you　know。　Besides；　the　winters　are　cold　there。　The　doctor　advises　me　to　go　to　a　little　milder　climate。　You　see；　I　was　gassed；　and　got　the　'flu'　afterward。　But　I　know　I'll　be　all　right　if　I'm　careful。　。　。　。　Well；　I've　always　had　a　leaning　toward　agriculture；　and　I　want　to　go　to　Kansas。　Southern　Kansas。　I　want　to　travel　around　till　I　find　a　place　I　like；　and　there　I'll　get　a　job。　Not　too　hard　a　job　at　firstthat's　why　I'll　need　a　little　money。　I　know　what　to　do。　I　want　to　lose　myself　in　the　wheat　country　and　forget　thethe　war。　I'll　not　be　afraid　of　work；　presently。　。　。　。　Now；　Miss　Burch；　you've　been　so　kindI'm　going　to　ask　you　to　lend　me　a　little　money。　I'll　pay　it　back。　I　can't　promise　just　when。　But　some　day。　Will　you？〃

〃Assuredly　I　will；〃　she　replied；　heartily。　〃I'm　happy　to　have　the　opportunity　to　help　you。　How　much　will　you　need　for　immediate　use？　Five　hundred　dollars？〃

〃Oh　no；　not　so　much　as　that；〃　he　replied。　〃Just　railroad　fare　home；　and　then　to　Kansas；　and　to　pay　board　while　I　get　well；　you　know；　and　look　around。〃

〃We'll　make　it　five　hundred；　anyway；〃　she　replied；　and；　rising；　she　went　toward　the　library。　〃Excuse　me　a　moment。〃　She　wrote　the　check　and；　returning；　gave　it　to　him。

〃You're　very　good；〃　he　said；　rather　low。

〃Not　at　all；〃　replied　Carley。　〃You　have　no　idea　how　much　it　means　to　me　to　be　permitted　to　help　you。　Before　I　forget；　I　must　ask　you；　can　you　cash　that　check　here　in　New　York？〃

〃Not　unless　you　identify　me；〃　he　said；　ruefully；　〃I　don't　know　anyone　I　could　ask。〃

〃Well；　when　you　leave　here　go　at　once　to　my　bankit's　on　Thirty…fourth　Streetand　I'll　telephone　the　cashier。　So　you'll　not　have　any　difficulty。　Will　you　leave　New　York　at　once？〃

〃I　surely　will。　It's　an　awful　place。　Two　years　ago　when　I　came　here　with　my