the man between-第37章

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she　would　forever　remember　his　goodness。〃　Mostyn　mocked　at　her　〃play…acting；〃　and　was　sternly　reproved　by　the　Justice；　and　then　Tyrrel　and　Ethel　took　charge　of　Mrs。　Mostyn　until　she　was　ready　to　leave　for　London。

She　was　more　nearly　ready　than　they　ex…　pected。　All　her　trunks　were　packed；　and　the　butler　promised　to　take　them　immediately　to　the　railway　station。　In　a　quarter　of　an　hour　she　appeared　in　traveling　costume；　with　her　jewels　in　a　bag；　which　she　carried　in　her　hand。　There　was　a　train　for　London　passing　Monk…　Rawdon　at　eight　o'clock；　and　after　Justice　Manningham　had　left；　the　cook　brought　in　some　dinner；　which　Dora　asked　the　Rawdons　to　share　with　her。　It　was；　perhaps；　a　necessary　but　a　painful　meal。　No　one　noticed　Mostyn。　He　was　enforced　to　sit　still　and　watch　its　progress；　which　he　accompanied　with　curses　it　would　be　a　kind　of　sacrilege　to　write　down。　But　no　one　answered　him；　and　no　one　noticed　the　orders　he　gave　for　his　own　dinner；　until　Dora　rose　to　leave　forever　the　house　of　bondage。　Then　she　said　to　the　cook：

〃See　that　those　gentlemanly　constables　have　something　good　to　eat　and　to　drink；　and　when　they　have　been　served　you　may　give　that　man〃pointing　to　Mostyn〃the　dinner　of　bread　and　water　he　has　so　often　prescribed　for　me。　After　my　train　leaves　you　are　all　free　to　go　to　your　own　homes。　Farewell；　friends！〃

Then　Mostyn　raved　again；　and　finally　tried　his　old　loving　terms。　〃Come　back　to　me；　Dora；〃　he　called　frantically。　〃Come　back；　dearest；　sweetest　Dora；　I　will　be　your　lover　forever。　I　will　never　say　another　cross　word　to　you。〃

But　Dora　heard　not　and　saw　not。　She　left　the　room　without　a　glance　at　the　man　sitting　cowering　between　the　officers；　and　blubbering　with　shame　and　passion　and　the　sense　of　total　loss。　In　a　few　minutes　he　heard　the　Rawdon　carriage　drive　to　the　door。　Tyrrel　and　Ethel　assisted　Dora　into　it；　and　the　party　drove　at　once　to　the　railway　station。　They　were　just　able　to　catch　the　London　train。　The　butler　came　up　to　report　all　the　trunks　safely　forwarded；　and　Dora　dropped　gold　into　his　hand；　and　bade　him　clear　the　house　of　servants　as　soon　as　the　morning　broke。　Fortunately　there　was　no　time　for　last　words　and　promises；　the　train　began　to　move；　and　Tyrrel　and　Ethel；　after　watching　Dora's　white　face　glide　into　the　darkness；　turned　silently　away。　That　depression　which　so　often　follows　the　lifting　of　burdens　not　intended　for　our　shoulders　weighed　on　their　hearts　and　made　speech　difficult。　Tyrrel　was　especially　affected　by　it。　A　quick　feeling　of　something　like　sympathy　for　Mostyn　would　not　be　reasoned　away；　and　he　drew　Ethel　close　within　his　arm；　and　gave　the　coachman　an　order　to　drive　home　as　quickly　as　possible；　for　twilight　was　already　becoming　night；　and　under　the　trees　the　darkness　felt　oppressive。

The　little　fire　on　the　hearth　and　their　belated　dinner　somewhat　relieved　the　tension；　but　it　was　not　until　they　had　retired　to　a　small　parlor；　and　Tyrrel　had　smoked　a　cigar；　that　the　tragedy　of　the　evening　became　a　possible　topic　of　conversation。　Tyrrel　opened　the　subject　by　a　question　as　to　whether　〃he　ought　to　have　gone　with　Dora　to　London。〃

〃Dora　opposed　the　idea　strongly　when　I　named　it　to　her；〃　answered　Ethel。　〃She　said　it　would　give　opportunities　for　Mostyn　to　slander　both　herself　and　you；　and　I　think　she　was　correct。　Every　way　she　was　best　alone。〃

〃Perhaps；　but　I　feel　as　if　I　ought　to　have　gone；　as　if　I　had　been　something　less　than　a　gentleman；　in　fact；　as　if　I　had　been　very　un…　gentle。〃

〃There　is　no　need；〃　answered　Ethel　a　little　coldly。

〃It　is　a　terrible　position　for　Mostyn。〃

〃He　deserves　it。〃

〃He　is　so　sensitive　about　public　opinion。〃

〃In　that　case　he　should　behave　decently　in　private。〃

Then　Tyrrel　lit　another　cigar；　and　there　was　another　silence；　which　Ethel　occupied　in　irritating　thoughts　of　Dora's　unfortunate　fatality　in　trouble…making。　She　sat　at　a　little　table　standing　between　herself　and　Tyrrel。　It　held　his　smoking　utensils；　and　after　awhile　she　pushed　them　aside；　and　let　the　splendid　rings　which　adorned　her　hand　fall　into　the　cleared　space。　Tyrrel　watched　her　a　few　moments；　and　then　asked；　〃What　are　you　doing；　Ethel；　my　dear？〃

She　looked　up　with　a　smile；　and　then　down　at　the　hand　she　had　laid　open　upon　the　table。　〃I　am　looking　at　the　Ring　of　all　Rings。　See；　Tyrrel；　it　is　but　a　little　band　of　gold；　and　yet　it　gave　me　more　than　all　the　gems　of　earth　could　buy。　Rubies　and　opals　and　sapphires　are　only　its　guard。　The　simple　wedding　ring　is　the　ring　of　great　price。　It　is　the　loveliest　ornament　a　happy　woman　can　wear。〃

Tyrrel　took　her　hand　and　kissed　it；　and　kissed　the　golden　band；　and　then　answered；　〃Truly　an　ornament　if　a　happy　wife　wears　it；　but　oh；　Ethel；　what　is　it　when　it　binds　a　woman　to　such　misery　as　Dora　has　just　fled　from？〃

〃Then　it　is　a　fetter；　and　a　woman　who　has　a　particle　of　self…respect　will　break　it。　The　Ring　of　all　Rings！〃　she　ejaculated　again；　as　she　lifted　the　rubies　and　opals；　and　slowly　but　smilingly　encircled　the　little　gold　band。

〃Let　us　try　now　to　forget　that　sorrowful　woman；〃　said　Tyrrel。　〃She　will　be　with　her　mother　in　a　few　hours。　Mother…love　can　cure　all　griefs。　It　never　fails。　It　never　blames。　It　never　grows　weary。　It　is　always　young　and　warm　and　true。　Dora　will　be　comforted。　Let　us　forget；　we　can　do　no　more。〃

For　a　couple　of　days　this　was　possible；　but　then　came　Mrs。　Nicholas　Rawdon；　and　the　subject　was　perforce　opened。　〃It　was　a　bad　case；〃　she　said；　〃but　it　is　being　settled　as　quickly　and　as　quietly　as　possible。　I　believe　the　man　has　entered　into　some　sort　of　recognizance　to　keep　the　peace；　and　has　disappeared。　No　one　will　look　for　him。　The　gentry　are　against　pulling　one　another　down　in　any　way；　and　this　affair　they　don't　want　talked　about。　Being　all　of　them　married　men；　it　isn't　to　be　expected；　is　it？　Justice　Manningham　was　very　sorry　for　the　little　lady；　but　he　said　also　‘it　was　a　bad　precedent；　and　ought　not　to　be　discussed。'　And　Squire　Bentley　said；　‘If　English　gentlemen　would　marry　American　women；　they　must　put　up　with　American　women's　ways；'　and　so　on。　None　of　them　think　it　prudent　to　approve　Mrs。　Mostyn's　course。　But　they　won't　get　off　as　easy　as　they　think。　The　women　are　standing　up　for　her。　Did　you　ever　hear　anything　like　that？　And　I'll　warrant　some　husbands　are　none　so　easy　in　their　minds；　as　my　Nicholas　said；　‘Mrs。　Mostyn　had　sown　seed　that　would　be　seen　and　heard　tell　of　for　many　a　long　day。'　Our　Lucy；　I　suspect；　had　more　to　do　with　the　move　than　she　will　confess。　She　got　a　lot　of　new；　queer　notions　at　college；　and　I　do　believe　in　my　heart　she　set　the　poor　woman　up　to　the　business。　John　Thomas；　of　course；　says　not　a　word；　but　he　looks　at　Lucy　in　a　very　proud　kind　of　way；　and　I'll　be　bound　he　has　got　an　object　lesson　he'll　remember　as　long　as　he　lives。　So　has　Nicholas；　though　he　bluffs　more　than　a　little　as　to　what　he'd　do　with　a　wife　that　got　a　running…　away　notion　into　her　head。　Bless　you；　dear；　they　are　all　formulating　their　laws　on　the　subject；　and　their　wives　are　smiling　queerly　at　them；　and　holding　their　heads　a　bit　higher　than　usual。　I've　been　doing　it　myself；　so　I　know　how　they　feel。〃

Thus；　though　very　little　was　said　in　the　newspapers　about　the　affair；　the　notoriety　Mostyn　dreaded　was　complete　and　thorough。　It　was　the　private　topic　of　conversation　in　every　household。　Men　talked　it　over　in　all　the　places　where　men　met；　and　women　hired　the　old　Mostyn　servants　in　order　to　get　the　very　surest　and　latest　story　of　the　poor　wife's　wrongs；　and　then　compared　reports　and　even　discussed　the　circumstances　in　their　own　particular　clubs。

At　the　Court；　Tyrrel　and　Ethel　tried　to　forget；　and　their　own　interests　were　so　many　and　so　important　that　they　usually　succeeded；　especially　after　a　few　lines　from　Mrs。　Denning　assured　them　of　Dora's　safety　and　comfort。　And　for　many　weeks　the　busy　life　of　the　Manor　sufficed；　there　was　the　hay　to　cut　in　the　meadow　lands；　and　after　it　the　wheat　fields　to　harvest。　The　stables；　the　kennels；　the　farms　and　timber；　the　park　and　the　garden　kept　Tyrrel　constantly　busy。　And　to　these　duties　were　added　the　social　ones；　the　dining　and　dancing　and　entertaining；　the　horse　racing；　the　regattas；　and　the　enthusiasm　which　automobiling　in　its　first　fever　engenders。

And　yet　there　were　times　when　T