the man between-第31章

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〃You　cannot　do　without　me。　You　would　break　your　heart；　and　I　should　break　mine。〃　Whereupon　Ethel　began　to　cry　with　a　passion　that　quite　gratified　the　old　lady。　She　watched　her　a　few　moments；　and　then　said　gently：

〃There　now；　that　will　do。　When　he　comes　to　New　York　bring　him　to　see　me。　And　don't　name　the　man　in　the　meantime。　I　won't　talk　about　him　till　I've　seen　him。　It　isn't　fair　either　way。　Fred　didn't　like　him。〃

〃Fred　likes　no　one　but　Dora　Stanhope。〃

〃Eh！　What！　Is　that　nonsense　going　on　yet？〃

Then　Ethel　described　her　last　two　interviews　with　Dora。　She　did　this　with　scrupulous　fidelity；　making　no　suggestions　that　might　prejudice　the　case。　For　she　really　wanted　her　grandmother's　decision　in　order　to　frame　her　own　conduct　by　it。　Madam　was　not；　however；　in　a　hurry　to　give　it。

〃What　do　you　think？〃　she　asked　Ethel。

〃I　have　known　Dora　for　many　years；　she　has　always　told　me　everything。〃

〃But　nothing　about　Fred？〃

〃Nothing。〃

〃Nothing　to　tell；　perhaps？〃

〃Perhaps。〃

〃Where　does　her　excellent　husband　come　in？〃

〃She　says　he　is　very　kind　to　her　in　his　way。〃

〃And　his　way　is　to　drag　her　over　the　world　to　see　the　cathedrals　thereof；　and　to　vary　that　pleasure　with　inspecting　schools　and　reformatories　and　listening　to　great　preachers。　Upon　my　word；　I　feel　sorry　for　the　child！　And　I　know　all　about　such　excellent　people　as　the　Stanhopes。　I　used　to　go　to　what　they　call　‘a　pleasant　evening'　with　them。　We　sat　around　a　big　room　lit　with　wax　candles；　and　held　improving　conversation；　or　some　one　sang　one　or　two　of　Mrs。　Hemans'　songs；　like　‘Passing　Away'　or　‘He　Never　Smiled　Again。'　Perhaps　there　was　a　comic　recitation；　at　which　no　one　laughed；　and　finally　we　had　wine　and　hot　waterthey　called　it　‘port　negus'and　tongue　sandwiches　and　caraway　cakes。　My　dear　Ethel；　I　yawn　now　when　I　think　of　those　dreary　evenings。　What　must　Dora　have　felt；　right　out　of　the　maelstrom　of　New　York's　operas　and　theaters　and　dancing　parties？〃

〃Still；　Dora　ought　to　try　to　feel　some　interest　in　the　church　affairs。　She　says　she　does　not　care　a　hairpin　for　them；　and　Basil　feels　so　hurt。〃

〃I　dare　say　he　does；　poor　fellow！　He　thinks　St。　Jude's　Kindergarten　and　sewing　circles　and　missionary　societies　are　the　only　joys　in　the　world。　Right　enough　for　Basil；　but　how　about　Dora？〃

〃They　are　his　profession；　she　ought　to　feel　an　interest　in　them。〃

〃Come　now；　look　at　the　question　sensibly。　Did　Dora's　father　bring　his　‘deals'　and　stock…jobbery　home；　and　expect　Dora　and　her　mother　to　feel　an　interest　in　them？　Do　doctors　tell　their　wives　about　their　patients；　and　expect　them　to　pay　sympathizing　visits？　Does　your　father　expect　Ruth　and　yourself　to　listen　to　his　cases　and　arguments；　and　visit　his　poor　clients　or　make　underclothing　for　them？　Do　men；　in　general；　consider　it　a　wife's　place　to　interfere　in　their　profession　or　business？〃

〃Clergymen　are　different。〃

〃Not　at　all。　Preaching　and　philanthropy　is　their　business。　They　get　so　much　a　year　for　doing　it。　I　don't　believe　St。　Jude's　pays　Mrs。　Stanhope　a　red　cent。　There　now；　and　if　she　isn't　paid；　she's　right　not　to　work。　Amen　to　that！〃

〃Before　she　was　married　Dora　said　she　felt　a　great　interest　in　church　work。〃

〃I　dare　say　she　did。　Marriage　makes　a　deal　of　difference　in　a　woman's　likes　and　dislikes。　Church　work　was　courting…time　before　marriage；　after　marriage　she　had　other　opportunities。〃

〃I　think　you　might　speak　to　Fred　Mostyn〃

〃I　might；　but　it　wouldn't　be　worth　while。　Be　true　to　your　friend　as　long　as　you　can。　In　Yorkshire　we　stand　by　our　friends；　right　or　wrong；　and　we　aren't　too　particular　as　to　their　being　right。　My　father　enjoyed　justifying　a　man　that　everyone　else　was　down　on；　and　I've　stood　by　many　a　woman　nobody　had　a　good　word　for。　I　was　never　sorry　for　doing　it；　either。　I'll　be　going　into　a　strange　country　soon；　and　I　should　not　wonder　if　some　of　them　that　have　gone　there　first　will　be　ready　to　stand　by　me。　We　don't　know　what　friends　we'll　be　glad　of　there。〃

The　dinner　bell　broke　up　this　conversation；　and　Ethel　during　it　told　Madam　about　the　cook　and　cooking　at　the　Court　and　at　Nicholas　Rawdon's；　where　John　Thomas　had　installed　a　French　chef。　Other　domestic　arrangements　were　discussed；　and　when　the　Judge　called　for　his　daughter　at　four　o'clock；　Madam　vowed　〃she　had　spent　one　of　the　happiest　days　of　her　life。〃

〃Ruth　tells　me；〃　said　the　Judge；　〃that　Dora　Stanhope　called　for　Ethel　soon　after　she　left　home　this　morning。　Ruth　seems　troubled　at　the　continuance　of　this　friendship。　Have　you　spoken　to　your　grandmother；　Ethel；　about　Dora？〃

〃She　has　told　me　all　there　is　to　tell；　I　dare　say；〃　answered　Madam。

〃Well；　mother；　what　do　you　think？〃

〃I　see　no　harm　in　it　yet　awhile。　It　is　not　fair；　Edward；　to　condemn　upon　likelihoods。　We　are　no　saints；　sinful　men　and　women；　all　of　us；　and　as　much　inclined　to　forbidden　fruit　as　any　good　Christians　can　be。　Ethel　can　do　as　she　feels　about　it；　she's　got　a　mind　of　her　own；　and　I　hope　to　goodness　she'll　not　let　Ruth　Bayard　bit　and　bridle　it。〃

Going　home　the　Judge　evidently　pondered　this　question；　for　he　said　after　a　lengthy　silence；　〃Grandmother's　ethics　do　not　always　fit　the　social　ethics　of　this　day；　Ethel。　She　criticises　people　with　her　heart；　not　her　intellect。　You　must　be　prudent。　There　is　a　remarkable　thing　called　Respectability　to　be　reckoned　with　remember　that。〃

And　Ethel　answered；　〃No　one　need　worry　about　Dora。　Some　women　may　show　the　edges　of　their　character　soiled　and　ragged；　but　Dora　will　be　sure　to　have　hers　reputably　finished　with　a　hem　of　the　widest　propriety。〃　And　after　a　short　silence　the　Judge　added；　almost　in　soliloquy；　〃And；　moreover；　Ethel；

　　〃‘There's　a　divinity　that　shapes　our　ends；　　　Rough…hew　them　how　we　will。'〃





PART　FOURTH



THE　REAPING　OF　THE　SOWING

CHAPTER　X

WHEN　Ethel　and　Tyrrel　parted　at　the　steamer　they　did　not　expect　a　long　separation；　but　Colonel　Rawdon　never　recovered　his　health；　and　for　many　excellent　reasons　Tyrrel　could　not　leave　the　dying　man。　Nor　did　Ethel　wish　him　to　do　so。　Under　these　circumstances　began　the　second　beautiful　phase　of　Ethel's　wooing；　a　sweet；　daily　correspondence；　the　best　of　all　preparations　for　matrimonial　oneness　and　understanding。　Looking　for　Tyrrel's　letters；　reading　them；　and　answering　them　passed　many　happy　hours；　for　to　both　it　was　an　absolute　necessity　to　assure　each　other　constantly；

　　〃Since　I　wrote　thee　yester　eve　　　I　do　love　thee；　Love；　believe；　　　Twelve　times　dearer；　twelve　hours　longer；　　　One　dream　deeper　one　night　stronger；　　　One　sun　surerthis　much　more　　　Than　I　loved　thee；　dear；　before。〃

And　for　the　rest；　she　took　up　her　old　life　with　a　fresh　enthusiasm。

Among　these　interests　none　were　more　urgent　in　their　claims　than　Dora　Stanhope；　and　fortified　by　her　grandmother's　opinion；　Ethel　went　at　once　to　call　on　her。　She　found　Basil　with　his　wife；　and　his　efforts　to　make　Ethel　see　how　much　he　expected　from　her　influence；　and　yet　at　the　same　time　not　even　hint　a　disapproval　of　Dora；　were　almost　pathetic；　for　he　was　so　void　of　sophistry　that　his　innuendoes　were　flagrantly　open　to　detection。　Dora　felt　a　contempt　for　them；　and　he　had　hardly　left　the　room　ere　she　said：

〃Basil　has　gone　to　his　vestry　in　high　spirits。　When　I　told　him　you　were　coming　to　see　me　to…day　he　smiled　like　an　angel。　He　believes　you　will　keep　me　out　of　mischief；　and　he　feels　a　grand　confidence　in　something　which　he　calls　‘your　influence。'〃

〃What　do　you　mean　by　mischief？〃

〃Oh；　I　suppose　going　about　with　Fred　Mostyn。　I　can't　help　that。　I　must　have　some　one　to　look　after　me。　All　the　young　men　I　used　to　know　pass　me　now　with　a　lifted　hat　or　a　word　or　two。　The　girls　have　forgotten　me。　I　don't　suppose　I　shall　be　asked　to　a　single　dance　this　winter。〃

〃The　ladies　in　St。　Jude's　church　would　make　a　pet　of　you　if〃

〃The　old　cats　and　kittens！　No；　thank　you；　I　am　not　going　to　church　except　on　Sunday　morningsthat　is　respectable　and　right；　but　as　to　being　the　pet　of　St。　Jude's　ladies！　No；　no！　How　they　would　mew　over　my　delinquencies；　and　what　scratches　I　should　get　from　their　velvet…shod　claws！　If　I　have　to　be　talked　about；　I　prefer　the　ladies　of　the　world　to　discuss　my　frailties。〃

〃But　if　I　were　you；　I　would　give　no　one　a　reason　for　saying　a　word　against　me。　Why　sh