the man between-第28章

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it；　every　incident　of　its　growth　had　been　charming　and　romantic；　and；　as　they　believed；　appointed　from　afar。　As　the　sum…　mer　waxed　hotter　the　beautiful　place　took　on　an　appearance　of　royal　color　and　splendor；　and　the　air　was　languid　with　the　perfume　of　the　clove　carnations　and　tall　white　August　lilies。　Fluted　dahlias；　scarlet　poppies；　and　all　the　flowers　that　exhale　their　spice　in　the　last　hot　days　of　August　burned　incense　for　them。　Their　very　hair　was　laden　with　odor；　their　fingers　flower…sweet；　their　minds　took　on　the　many　colors　of　their　exquisite　surroundings。

And　it　was　part　of　this　drama　of　love　and　scent　and　color　that　they　should　see　it　slowly　assume　the　more　ethereal　loveliness　of　September；　and　watch　the　subtle　amber　rays　shine　through　the　thinning　boughs；　and　feel　that　all　nature　was　becoming　idealized。　The　birds　were　then　mostly　silent。　They　had　left　their　best　notes　on　the　hawthorns　and　among　the　roses；　but　the　crickets　made　a　cheerful　chirrup；　and　the　great　brown　butterflies　displayed　their　richest　velvets；　and　the　gossamer…like　insects　in　the　dreamy　atmosphere　performed　dances　and　undulations　full　of　grace　and　mystery。　And　all　these　marvelous　changes　imparted　to　love　that　sweet　sadness　which　is　beyond　all　words　poetic　and　enchaining。

Yet　however　sweet　the　hours；　they　pass　away；　and　it　is　not　much　memory　can　save　from　the　mutable；　happy　days　of　love。　Still；　when　the　hour　of　departure　came　they　had　garnered　enough　to　sweeten　all　the　after…　straits　and　stress　of　time。　September　had　then　perceptibly　begun　to　add　to　the　nights　and　shorten　the　days；　and　her　tender　touch

had　been　laid　on　everything。　With　a　smile　and　a　sigh　the　Rawdons　turned　their　faces　to　their　pleasant　home　in　the　Land　of　the　West。　It　was　to　be　but　a　short　farewell。　They　had　promised　the　Squire　to　return　the　following　summer；　but　he　felt　the　desolation　of　the　parting　very　keenly。　With　his　hat　slightly　lifted　above　his　white　head；　he　stood　watching　them　out　of　sight。　Then　he　went　to　his　organ；　and　very　soon　grand　waves　of　melody　rolled　outward　and　upward；　and　blended　themselves　with　the　clear；　soaring　voice　of　Joel；　the　lad　who　blew　the　bellows　of　the　instrument；　and　shared　all　his　master's　joy　in　it。　They　played　and　sang　until　the　Squire　rose　weary；　but　full　of　gladness。　The　look　of　immortality　was　in　his　eyes；　its　sure　and　certain　hope　in　his　heart。　He　let　Joel　lead　him　to　his　chair　by　the　window；　and　then　he　said　to　himself　with　visible　triumph：

〃What　Mr。　Spencer　or　anyone　else　writes　about　‘the　Unknowable'　I　care　not。　I　KNOW　IN　WHOM　I　have　believed。　Joel；　sing　that　last　sequence　again。　Stand　where　I　can　see　thee。〃　And　the　lad's　joyful　voice　rang　exulting　out：

〃Lord；　Thou　hast　been　our　dwelling…place　in　all　generations。　Before　the　mountains　were　brought　forth；　or　ever　Thou　hadst　formed　the　world；　from　everlasting　to　everlasting　Thou　art　God！　Thou　art　God！　Thou　art　God！〃

〃That　will　do；　Joel。　Go　thy　ways　now。　Lord；　Thou　hast　been　our　dwelling…place　in　all　generations。　‘Unknowable；'　Thou　hast　been　our　dwelling…place　in　all　generations。　No；　no；　no；　what　an　ungrateful　sinner　I　would　be　to　change　the　Lord　everlasting　for　the　Unknowable。'〃



CHAPTER　IX

NEW　YORK　is　at　its　very　brightest　and　best　in　October。　This　month　of　the　year　may　be　safely　trusted　not　to　disappoint。　The　skies　are　blue；　the　air　balmy；　and　there　is　generally　a　delightful　absence　of　wind。　The　summer　exiles　are　home　again　from　Jersey　boarding　houses；　and　mountain　camps；　and　seaside　hotels；　and　thankful　to　the　point　of　hilarity　that　this　episode　of　the　year　is　over；　that　they　can　once　more　dwell　under　their　own　roofs　without　breaking　any　of　the　manifest　laws　of　the　great　goddess　Custom　or　Fashion。

Judge　Rawdon's　house　had　an　especially　charming　〃at　home〃　appearance。　During　the　absence　of　the　family　it　had　been　made　beautiful　inside　and　outside；　and　the　white　stone；　the　plate　glass；　and　falling　lace　evident　to　the　street；　had　an　almost　conscious　look　of　luxurious　propriety。

The　Judge　frankly　admitted　his　pleasure　in　his　home　surroundings。　He　said；　as　they　ate　their　first　meal　in　the　familiar　room；　that　〃a　visit　to　foreign　countries　was　a　grand；　patriotic　tonic。〃　He　vowed　that　the　〃first　sight　of　the　Stars　and　Stripes　at　Sandy　Hook　had　given　him　the　finest　emotion　he　had　ever　felt　in　his　life；〃　and　was　altogether　in　his　proudest　American　mood。　Ruth　sympathized　with　him。　Ethel　listened　smiling。　She　knew　well　that　the　English　strain　had　only　temporarily　exhausted　itself；　it　would　have　its　period　of　revival　at　the　proper　time。

〃I　am　going　to　see　grandmother；〃　she　said　gayly。　〃I　shall　stay　with　her　all　day。〃

〃But　I　have　a　letter　from　her；〃　interrupted　the　Judge；　〃and　she　will　not　return　home　until　next　week。〃

〃I　am　sorry。　I　was　anticipating　so　eagerly　the　joy　of　seeing　her。　Well；　as　I　cannot　do　so；　I　will　go　and　call　on　Dora　Stanhope。〃

〃I　would　not　if　I　were　you；　Ethel；〃　said　Ruth。　〃Let　her　come　and　call　on　you。〃

〃I　had　a　little　note　from　her　this　morning；　welcoming　me　home；　and　entreating　me　to　call。〃

The　Judge　rose　as　Ethel　was　speaking；　and　no　more　was　said　about　the　visit　at　that　time　but　a　few　hours　later　Ethel　came　down　from　her　room　ready　for　the　street　and　frankly　told　Ruth　she　had　made　up　her　mind　to　call　on　Dora。

〃Then　I　will　only　remind　you；　Ethel；　that　Dora　is　not　a　fortunate　woman　to　know。　As　far　as　I　can　see；　she　is　one　of　those　who　sow　pain　of　heart　and　vexation　of　spirit　about　every　house　they　enter；　even　their　own。　But　I　cannot　gather　experience　for　you；　it　will　have　to　grow　in　your　own　garden。〃

〃All　right；　dear　Ruth；　and　if　I　do　not　like　its　growth；　I　will　pull　it　up　by　the　roots；　I　assure　you。〃

Ruth　went　with　her　to　the　door　and　watched　her　walk　leisurely　down　the　broad　steps　to　the　street。　The　light　kindled　in　her　eyes　and　on　her　face　as　she　did　so。　She　already　felt　the　magnetism　of　the　great　city；　and　with　a　laughing　farewell　walked　rapidly　toward　Dora's　house。

Her　card　brought　an　instant　response；　and　she　heard　Dora's　welcome　before　the　door　was　opened。　And　her　first　greeting　was　an　enthusiastic　compliment；　〃How　beautiful　you　have　grown；　Ethel！〃　she　cried。　〃Ah；　that　is　the　European　finish。　You　have　gained　it；　my　dear；　you　really　are　very　much　improved。〃

〃And　you　also；　Dora？〃

The　words　were　really　a　question；　but　Dora　accepted　them　as　an　assertion；　and　was　satisfied。

〃I　suppose　I　am；〃　she　answered；　〃though　I'm　sure　I　can't　tell　how　it　should　be　so；　unless　worry　of　all　kinds　is　good　for　good　looks。　I've　had　enough　of　that　for　a　lifetime。〃

〃Now；　Dora。〃

〃Oh；　it's　the　solid　truthpartly　your　fault　too。〃

〃I　never　interfered〃

〃Of　course　you　didn't；　but　you　ought　to　have　interfered。　When　you　called　on　me　in　London　you　might　have　seen　that　I　was　not　happy；　and　I　wanted　to　come　to　Rawdon　Court；　and　you　would　not　invite　me。　I　called　your　behavior　then　‘very　mean；'　and　I　have　not　altered　my　opinion　of　it。〃

〃There　were　good　reasons；　Dora；　why　I　could　not　ask　you。〃

〃Good　reasons　are　usually　selfish　ones；　Ethel；　and　Fred　Mostyn　told　me　what　they　were。

〃He　likely　told　you　untruths；　Dora；　for　he　knew　nothing　about　my　reasons。　I　saw　very　little　of　him。〃

〃I　know。　You　treated　him　as　badly　as　you　treated　me；　and　all　for　some　wild　West　creaturea　regular　cowboy；　Fred　said；　but　then　a　Rawdon！〃

〃Mr。　Mostyn　has　misrepresented　Mr。　Tyrrel　Rawdonthat　is　all　about　it。　I　shall　not　explain　‘how'　or　‘why。'　Did　you　enjoy　yourself　at　Stanhope　Castle？〃

〃Enjoy　myself！　Are　you　making　fun　of　me？　Ethel；　dear；　it　was　the　most　awful　experience。　You　never　can　imagine　such　a　life；　and　such　women。　They　were　dressed　for　a　walk　at　six　o'clock；　they　had　breakfast　at　half…　past　seven。　They　went　to　the　village　and　inspected　cottages；　and　gave　lessons　in　housekeeping　or　dressmaking　or　some　other　drudgery　till　noon。　They　walked　back　to　the　Castle　for　lunch。　They　attended　to　their　own　improvement　from　half…past　one　until　four；　had　lessons　in　drawing　and　chemistry；　and；　I　believe；　electricity。　They　had　another　walk；　and　then　indulged　themselves　with　a　cup　of　tea。　They　dressed　and　received　visitors；　and　read　science　or　theology　between　whiles。　There　was　always　some　noted　preacher　or　scholar　at　the　dinner　table。　The　conversation　was　about