the man between-第32章

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

〃Fred　will　supply　them　with　reasons。　I　can't　keep　the　man　away　from　me。　I　don't　believe　I　want　tohe　is　very　nice　and　useful。〃

〃You　are　talking　nonsense；　things　you　don't　mean；　Dora。　You　are　not　such　a　foolish　woman　as　to　like　to　be　seen　with　Fred　Mostyn；　that　little　monocular　snob；　after　the　aristocratic；　handsome　Basil　Stanhope。　The　comparison　is　a　mockery。　Basil　is　the　finest　gentleman　I　ever　saw。　Socially；　he　is　perfection；　and〃

〃He　is　only　a　clergyman。〃

〃Even　as　a　clergyman　he　is　of　religiously　royal　descent。　There　are　generations　of　clergymen　behind　him；　and　he　is　a　prince　in　the　pulpit。　Every　man　that　knows　him　gives　him　the　highest　respect；　every　woman　thinks　you　the　most　fortunate　of　wives。　No　one　cares　for　Fred　Mostyn。　Even　in　his　native　place　he　is　held　in　contempt。　He　had　nine　hundred　votes　to　young　Rawdon's　twelve　thousand。〃

〃I　don't　mind　that。　I　am　going　to　the　matinee　to…morrow　with　Fred。　He　wanted　to　take　me　out　in　his　auto　this　afternoon；　but　when　I　said　I　would　go　if　you　would　he　drew　back。　What　is　the　reason？　Did　he　make　you　offer　of　his　hand？　Did　you　refuse　it？〃

〃He　never　made　me　an　offer。　I　count　that　to　myself　as　a　great　compliment。　If　he　had　done　such　a　thing；　he　would　certainly　have　been　refused。〃

〃I　can　tell　that　he　really　hates　you。　What　dirty　trick　did　you　serve　him　about　Rawdon　Court？〃

〃So　he　called　the　release　of　Squire　Rawdon　a　‘dirty　trick'？　It　would　have　been　a　very　dirty　trick　to　have　let　Fred　Mostyn　get　his　way　with　Squire　Rawdon。〃

〃Of　course；　Ethel；　when　a　man　lends　his　money　as　an　obligation　he　expects　to　get　it　back　again。〃

〃Mostyn　got　every　farthing　due　him；　and　he　wanted　one　of　the　finest　manors　in　Eng…　land　in　return　for　the　obligation。　He　did　not　get　it；　thank　God　and　my　father！〃

〃He　will　not　forget　your　father's　interference。〃

〃I　hope　he　will　remember　it。〃

〃Do　you　know　who　furnished　the　money　to　pay　Fred？　He　says　he　is　sure　your　father　did　not　have　it。〃

〃Tell　him　to　ask　my　father。　He　might　even　ask　your　father。　Whether　my　father　had　the　money　or　not　was　immaterial。　Father　could　borrow　any　sum　he　wanted；　I　think。〃

〃Whom　did　he　borrow　from？〃

〃I　am　sure　that　Fred　told　you　to　ask　that　question。　Is　he　writing　to　you；　Dora？〃

〃Suppose　he　is？〃

〃I　cannot　suppose　such　a　thing。　It　is　too　impossible。〃

This　was　the　beginning　of　a　series　of　events　all　more　or　less　qualified　to　bring　about　unspeakable　misery　in　Basil's　home。　But　there　is　nothing　in　life　like　the　marriage　tie。　The　tugs　it　will　bear　and　not　break；　the　wrongs　it　will　look　over；　the　chronic　misunderstandings　it　will　forgive；　make　it　one　of　the　mysteries　of　humanity。　It　was　not　in　a　day　or　a　week　that　Basil　Stanhope's　dream　of　love　and　home　was　shattered。　Dora　had　frequent　and　then　less　frequent　times　of　return　to　her　better　self；　and　every　such　time　renewed　her　husband's　hope　that　she　was　merely　passing　through　a　period　of　transition　and　assimilation；　and　that　in　the　end　she　would　be　all　his　desire　hoped　for。

But　Ethel　saw　what　he　did　not　see；　that　Mostyn　was　gradually　inspiring　her　with　his　own　opinions；　perhaps　even　with　his　own　passion。　In　this　emergency；　however；　she　was　gratified　to　find　that　Dora's　mother　appeared　to　have　grasped　the　situation。　For　if　Dora　went　to　the　theater　with　Mostyn；　Mrs。　Denning　or　Bryce　was　also　there；　and　the　reckless　auto　driving；　shopping；　and　lunching　had　at　least　a　show　of　respectable　association。　Yet　when　the　opera　season　opened；　the　constant　companionship　of　Mostyn　and　Dora　became　entirely　too　remarkable；　not　only　in　the　public　estimation；　but　in　Basil's　miserable　conception　of　his　own　wrong。　The　young　husband　used　every　art　and　persuasionand　failed。　And　his　failure　was　too　apparent　to　be　slighted。　He　became　feverish　and　nervous；　and　his　friends　read　his　misery　in　eyes　heavy　with　unshed　tears；　and　in　the　wasting　pallor　caused　by　his　sleepless；　sorrowful　nights。

Dora　also　showed　signs　of　the　change　so　rapidly　working　on　her。　She　was　sullen　and　passionate　by　turns；　she　complained　bitterly　to　Ethel　that　her　youth　and　beauty　had　been　wasted；　that　she　was　only　nineteen；　and　her　life　was　over。　She　wanted　to　go　to　Paris；　to　get　away　from　New　York　anywhere　and　anyhow。　She　began　to　dislike　even　the　presence　of　Basil。　His　stately　beauty　offended　her；　his　low；　calm　voice　was　the　very　keynote　of　irritation。

One　morning　near　Christmas　he　came　to　her　with　a　smiling；　radiant　face。　〃Dora；〃　he　said；　〃Dora；　my　love；　I　have　something　so　interesting　to　tell　you。　Mrs。　Colby　and　Mrs。　Schaffler　and　some　other　ladies　have　a　beautiful　idea。　They　wish　to　give　all　the　children　of　the　church　under　eight　years　old　the　grandest　Christmas　tree　imaginable　really　rich　presents　and　they　thought　you　might　like　to　have　it　here。〃

〃What　do　you　say；　Basil！〃

〃You　were　always　so　fond　of　children。　You〃

〃I　never　could　endure　them。〃

〃We　all　thought　you　might　enjoy　it。　Indeed；　I　was　so　sure　that　I　promised　for　you。　It　will　be　such　a　pleasure　to　me　also；　dear。〃

〃I　will　have　no　such　childish　nonsense　in　my　house。〃

〃I　promised　it；　Dora。〃

〃You　had　no　right　to　do　so。　This　is　my　house。　My　father　bought　it　and　gave　me　it；　and　it　is　my　own。　I〃

〃It　seems；　then；　that　I　intrude　in　your　house。　Is　it　so？　Speak；　Dora。〃

〃If　you　will　ask　questions　you　must　take　the　answer。　You　do　intrude　when　you　come　with　such　ridiculous　proposalsin　fact；　you　intrude　very　often　lately。〃

〃Does　Mr。　Mostyn　intrude？〃

〃Mr。　Mostyn　takes　me　out；　gives　me　a　little　sensible　pleasure。　You　think　I　can　be　interested　in　a　Christmas　tree。　The　idea！〃

〃Alas；　alas；　Dora；　you　are　tired　of　me！　You　do　not　love　me！　You　do　not　love　me！〃

〃I　love　nobody。　I　am　sorry　I　got　married。　It　was　all　a　mistake。　I　will　go　home　and　then　you　can　get　a　divorce。〃

At　this　last　word　the　whole　man　changed。　He　was　suffused；　transfigured　with　an　anger　that　was　at　once　righteous　and　impetuous。

〃How　dare　you　use　that　word　to　me？〃　he　demanded。　〃To　the　priest　of　God　no　such　word　exists。　I　do　not　know　it。　You　are　my　wife；　willing　or　unwilling。　You　are　my　wife　forever；　whether　you　dwell　with　me　or　not。　You　cannot　sever　bonds　the　Almighty　has　tied。　You　are　mine；　Dora　Stanhope！　Mine　for　time　and　eternity！　Mine　forever　and　ever！〃

She　looked　at　him　in　amazement；　and　saw　a　man　after　an　image　she　had　never　imagined。　She　was　terrified。　She　flung　herself　on　the　sofa　in　a　whirlwind　of　passion。　She　cried　aloud　against　his　claim。　She　gave　herself　up　to　a　vehement　rage　that　was　strongly　infused　with　a　childish　dismay　and　panic。

〃I　will　not　be　your　wife　forever！〃　she　shrieked。　〃I　will　never　be　your　wife　again　never；　not　for　one　hour！　Let　me　go！　Take　your　hands　off　me！〃　For　Basil　had　knelt　down　by　the　distraught　woman；　and　clasping　her　in　his　arms　said；　even　on　her　lips；　〃You　ARE　my　dear　wife！　You　are　my　very　own　dear　wife！　Tell　me　what　to　do。　Anything　that　is　right；　reasonable　I　will　do。　We　can　never　part。〃

〃I　will　go　to　my　father。　I　will　never　come　back　to　you。〃　And　with　these　words　she　rose；　threw　off　his　embrace；　and　with　a　sobbing　cry　ran；　like　a　terrified　child；　out　of　the　room。

He　sat　down　exhausted　by　his　emotion；　and　sick　with　the　thought　she　had　evoked　in　that　one　evil　word。　The　publicity；　the　disgrace；　the　wrong　to　Holy　Churchah；　that　was　the　cruelest　wound！　His　own　wrong　was　hard　enough；　but　that　he；　who　would　gladly　die　for　the　Church；　should　put　her　to　open　shame！　How　could　he　bear　it？　Though　it　killed　him；　he　must　prevent　that　wrong；　yes；　if　the　right　eye　offended　it　must　be　plucked　out。　He　must　throw　off　his　cassock；　and　turn　away　from　the　sacred　aisles；　he　musthe　could　not　say　the　word；　he　would　wait　a　little。　Dora　would　not　leave　him；　it　was　impossible。　He　waited　in　a　trance　of　aching　suspense。　Nothing　for　an　hour　or　more　broke　itno　footfall；　no　sound　of　command　or　complaint。　He　was　finally　in　hopes　that　Dora　slept。　Then　he　was　called　to　lunch；　and　he　made　a　pretense　of　eating　it　alone。　Dora　sent　no　excuse　for　her　absence；　and　he　could　not　trust　himself　to　make　inquiry　about　her。　In　the　middle　of　the　afternoon　he　heard　a　carriage　drive　to　the　door；　and　Dora；　with　her　jewel…　case　in　her　hand；　entered　it　and　was　dri