the man between-第15章

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ed　satin　in　which　a　glittering　thread　of　silver　was　interwoven。　The　satin　had　won　the　day；　and　the　sunshine　fell　upon　its　beauty；　as　she　knelt　at　the　altar；　like　sunshine　falling　upon　snow。　It　shone　and　gleamed　and　glistened　as　if　it　were　an　angel's　robe；　and　this　scintillating　effect　was　much　increased　by　the　sparkling　of　the　diamonds　in　her　hair；　and　at　her　throat　and　waist　and　hands　and　feet。　Nor　was　her　brilliant　youth　affected　by　the　overshadowing　tulle　usually　so　unbecoming。　It　veiled　her　from　head　to　feet；　and　was　held　in　place　by　a　diamond　coronal。　All　her　eight　maids；　though　lovely　girls；　looked　wan　and　of　the　earth　beside　her。　For　her　sake　they　had　been　content　with　the　simplicity　of　chiffon　and　white　lace　hats；　and　she　stood　among　them　lustrous　as　some　angelic　being。　Stanhope　was　entranced　by　her　beauty；　and　no　one　on　this　day　wondered　at　his　infatuation　or　thought　remarkable　the　ecstasy　of　reverent　rapture　with　which　he　received　the　hand　of　his　bride。　His　sense　of　the　gift　was　ravishing。　She　was　now　his　love；　his　wife　forever；　and　when　Ethel　slipped　forward　to　part　and　throw　backward　the　concealing　veil；　he　very　gently　restrained　her；　and　with　his　own　hands　uncovered　the　blushing　beauty；　and　kissed　her　there　at　the　altar。　Then　amid　a　murmur　and　stir　of　delighted　sympathy　he　took　his　wife　upon　his　arm；　and　turned　with　her　to　the　life　they　were　to　face　together。

Two　hours　later　all　was　a　past　dream。　Bride　and　bridegroom　had　slipped　quietly　away；　and　the　wedding　guests　had　arrived　at　that　rather　noisy　indifference　which　presages　the　end　of　an　entertainment。　Then　flushed　and　tired　with　hurrying　congratulations　and　good　wishes　that　stumbled　over　each　other；　carriage　after　carriage　departed；　and　Ethel　and　her　companions　went　to　Dora's　parlor　to　rest　awhile　and　discuss　the　event　of　the　day。　But　Dora's　parlor　was　in　a　state　of　confusion。　It　had；　too；　an　air　of　loss；　and　felt　like　a　gilded　cage　from　which　the　bird　had　flown。　They　looked　dismally　at　its　discomfort　and　went　downstairs。　Men　were　removing　the　faded　flowers　or　sitting　at　the　abandoned　table　eating　and　drinking。　Everywhere　there　was　disorder　and　waste；　and　from　the　servants'　quarter　came　a　noisy　sense　of　riotous　feasting。

〃Where　is　Mrs。　Denning？〃　Ethel　asked　a　footman　who　was　gathering　together　the　silver　with　the　easy　unconcern　of　a　man　whose　ideas　were　rosy　with　champagne。　He　looked　up　with　a　provoking　familiarity　at　the　question；　and　sputtered　out；　〃She's　lying　down　crying　and　making　a　fuss。　Miss　Day　is　with　her；　soothing　of　her。〃

〃Let　us　go　home；〃　said　Ethel。

And　so；　weary　with　pleasure；　and　heart…　heavy　with　feelings　that　had　no　longer　any　reason　to　exist；　pale　with　fatigue；　untidy　with　crush；　their　pretty　white　gowns　sullied　and　passe；　each　went　her　way；　in　every　heart　a　wonder　whether　the　few　hilarious　hours　of　strange　emotions　were　worth　all　they　claimed　as　their　right　and　due。

Ruth　had　gone　home　earlier；　and　Ethel　found　her　resting　in　her　room。　〃I　am　worn　out；　Ruth；〃　was　her　first　remark。　〃I　am　going　to　bed　for　three　or　four　days。　It　was　a　dreadful　ordeal。〃

〃One　to　which　you　may　have　to　submit。〃

〃Certainly　not。　My　marriage　will　be　a　religious　ceremony；　with　half　a　dozen　of　my　nearest　relatives　as　witnesses。〃

〃I　noticed　Fred　slip　away　before　Dora　went。　He　looked　ill。〃

〃I　dare　say　he　is　illand　no　wonder。　Good　night；　Ruth。　I　am　going　to　sleep。　Tell　father　all　about　the　wedding。　I　don't　want　to　hear　it　named　againnot　as　long　as　I　live。〃



CHAPTER　VI

THREE　days　passed　and　Ethel　had　regained　her　health　and　spirits；　but　Fred　Mostyn　had　not　called　since　the　wedding。　Ruth　thought　some　inquiry　ought　to　be　made；　and　Judge　Rawdon　called　at　the　Holland　House。　There　he　was　told　that　Mr。　Mostyn　had　not　been　well；　and　the　young　man's　countenance　painfully　confessed　the　same　thing。

〃My　dear　Fred；　why　did　you　not　send　us　word　you　were　ill？〃　asked　the　Judge。

〃I　had　fever；　sir；　and　I　feared　it　might　be　typhoid。　Nothing　of　the　kind；　however。　I　shall　be　all　right　in　a　day　or　two。〃

The　truth　was　far　from　typhoid；　and　Fred　knew　it。　He　had　left　the　wedding　breakfast　because　he　had　reached　the　limit　of　his　endurance。　Words；　stinging　as　whips；　burned　like　hot　coals　in　his　mouth；　and　he　felt　that　he　could　not　restrain　them　much　longer。　Hastening　to　his　hotel；　he　locked　himself　in　his　rooms；　and　passed　the　night　in　a　frenzy　of　passion。　The　very　remembrance　of　the　bridegroom's　confident　transport　put　mur…　der　in　his　heartmurder　which　he　could　only　practice　by　his　wishes；　impotent　to　compass　their　desires。

〃I　wish　the　fellow　shot！　I　wish　him　hanged！　I　would　kill　him　twenty　times　in　twenty　different　ways！　And　Dora！　Dora！　Dora！　What　did　she　see　in　him？　What　could　she　see？　Love　her？　He　knows　nothing　of　lovesuch　love　as　tortures　me。〃　Backwards　and　forwards　he　paced　the　floor　to　such　imprecations　and　ejaculations　as　welled　up　from　the　whirlpool　of　rage　in　his　heart；　hour　following　hour；　till　in　the　blackness　of　his　misery　he　could　no　longer　speak。　His　brain　had　become　stupefied　by　the　iteration　of　inevitable　loss；　and　so　refused　any　longer　to　voice　a　woe　beyond　remedy。　Then　he　stood　still　and　called　will　and　reason　to　council　him。　〃This　way　madness　lies；〃　he　thought。　〃I　must　be　quietI　must　sleep　I　must　forget。〃

But　it　was　not　until　the　third　day　that　a　dismal；　sullen　stillness　succeeded　the　storm　of　rage　and　grief；　and　he　awoke　from　a　sleep　of　exhaustion　feeling　as　if　he　were　withered　at　his　heart。　He　knew　that　life　had　to　be　taken　up　again；　and　that　in　all　its　farces　he　must　play　his　part。　At　first　the　thought　of　Mostyn　Hall　presented　itself　as　an　asylum。　It　stood　amid　thick　woods；　and　there　were　miles　of　wind…blown　wolds　and　hills　around　it。　He　was　lord　and　master　there；　no　one　could　intrude　upon　his　sorrow；　he　could　nurse　it　in　those　lonely　rooms　to　his　heart's　content。　Every　day；　however；　this　gloomy　resolution　grew　fainter；　and　one　morning　he　awoke　and　laughed　it　to　scorn。

〃Frederick's　himself　again；〃　he　quoted；　〃and　he　must　have　been　very　far　off　himself　when　he　thought　of　giving　up　or　of　running　away。　No；　Fred　Mostyn；　you　will　stay　here。　'Tis　a　country　where　the　impossible　does　not　exist；　and　the　unlikely　is　sure　to　happena　country　where　marriage　is　not　for　life　or　death；　and　where　the　roads　to　divorce　are　manifold　and　easy。　There　are　a　score　of　ways　and　means。　I　will　stay　and　think　them　over；　'twill　be　odd　if　I　cannot　force　Fate　to　change　her　mind。〃

A　week　after　Dora's　marriage　he　found　himself　able　to　walk　up　the　avenue　to　the　Rawdon　house；　but　he　arrived　there　weary　and　wan　enough　to　instantly　win　the　sympathy　of　Ruth　and　Ethel；　and　he　was　immensely　strengthened　by　the　sense　of　home　and　kindred；　and　of　genuine　kindness　to　which　he　felt　a　sort　of　right。　He　asked　Ruth　if　he　might　eat　dinner　with　them。　He　said　he　was　hungry；　and　the　hotel　fare　did　not　tempt　him。　And　when　Judge　Rawdon　returned　he　welcomed　him　in　the　same　generous　spirit；　and　the　evening　passed　delightfully　away。　At　its　close；　however；　as　Mostyn　stood　gloved　and　hatted；　and　the　carriage　waited　for　him；　he　said　a　few　words　to　Judge　Rawdon　which　changed　the　mental　and　social　atmosphere。　〃I　wish　to　have　a　little　talk　with　you；　sir；　on　a　business　matter　of　some　importance。　At　what　hour　can　I　see　you　to…morrow？〃

〃I　am　engaged　all　day　until　three　in　the　afternoon；　Fred。　Suppose　I　call　on　you　about　four　or　half…past？〃

〃Very　well；　sir。〃

But　both　Ethel　and　Ruth　wondered　if　it　was　〃very　well。〃　A　shadow；　fleeting　as　thought；　had　passed　over　Judge　Rawdon's　face　when　he　heard　the　request　for　a　business　interview；　and　after　the　young　man's　departure　he　lost　himself　in　a　reverie　which　was　evidently　not　a　happy　one。　But　he　said　nothing　to　the　girls；　and　they　were　not　accustomed　to　question　him。

The　next　morning；　instead　of　going　direct　to　his　office；　he　stopped　at　Madam；　his　moth…　er's　house　in　Gramercy　Park。　A　visit　at　such　an　early　hour　was　unusual；　and　the　old　lady　looked　at　him　in　alarm。

〃We　are　well；　mother；〃　he　said　as　she　rose。　〃I　called　to　talk　to　you　about　a　little　business。〃　Whereupon　Madam　sat　down；　and　became　suddenly　about　twenty　years　younger；　for　〃business〃　was　a　word　like　a　watch…cry；　she　called　all　her　senses　together　when　it　was　uttered　in　her　presence。