the man between-第40章

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and　Ruth；　in　spite　of　her　supposed　〃docility；〃　had　quite　reversed　the　situation。　It　was　the　Judge　who　was　now　docile；　and　even　admiringly　obedient　to　all　Ruth's　wifely　advices　and　admonitions。

The　breakfast　was　a　talkative；　tardy　one；　but　at　length　the　Judge　went　to　his　office　and　Tyrrel　had　to　go　to　the　Custom　House。　Ethel　was　eager　to　see　her　grandmother；　and　she　was　sure　the　dear　old　lady　was　anxiously　waiting　her　arrival。　And　Ruth　was　just　as　anxious　for　Ethel　to　visit　her　renovated　home。　She　had　the　young　wife's　delight　in　its　beauty；　and　she　wanted　Ethel　to　admire　it　with　her。

〃We　will　dine　with　you　to…morrow；　Ruth；〃　said　Ethel；　〃and　I　will　come　very　early　and　see　all　the　improvements。　I　feel　sure　the　house　is　lovely；　and　I　am　glad　father　made　you　such　a　pretty　nest。　Nothing　is　too　pretty　for　you；　Ruth。〃　And　there　was　no　insincerity　in　this　compliment。　These　two　women　knew　and　loved　and　trusted　each　other　without　a　shadow　of　doubt　or　variableness。

So　Ruth　went　to　her　home；　and　Ethel　hastened　to　Gramercy　Park。　Madam　was　eagerly　watching　for　her　arrival。

〃I　have　been　impatient　for　a　whole　hour；　all　in　a　quiver；　dearie；〃　she　cried。　〃It　is　nearly　noon。〃

〃I　have　been　impatient　also；　Granny；　but　father　and　Ruth　met　us　at　the　pier　and　stayed　to　breakfast　with　us；　and　you　know　how　men　talk　and　talk。〃

〃Ruth　and　father　down　at　the　pier！　How　you　dream！〃

〃They　were　really　there。　And　they　do　seem　so　happy；　grandmother。　They　are　so　much　in　love　with　each　other。〃

〃I　dare　say。　There　are　no　fools　like　old　fools。　So　you　have　sold　the　Court　to　Nicholas　Rawdon；　and　a　cotton…spinner　is　Lord　of　the　Manor。　Well；　well；　how　are　the　mighty　fallen！〃

〃I　made　twenty　thousand　pounds　by　the　sale。　Nicholas　Rawdon　is　a　gentleman；　and　John　Thomas　is　the　most　popular　man　in　all　the　neighborhood。　And；　Granny；　he　has　two　sonstwinsthe　handsomest　little　chaps　you　ever　saw。　No　fear　of　a　Rawdon　to　heir　the　Manor　now。〃

〃Fortune　is　a　baggage。　When　she　is　ill　to　a　man　she　knows　no　reason。　She　sent　John　Thomas　to　Parliament；　and　kept　Fred　out　at　a　loss；　too。　She　took　the　Court　from　Fred　and　gave　it　to　John　Thomas；　and　she　gives　him　two　sons　about　the　same　time　she　gives　Fred　one；　and　that　one　she　kidnaps　out　of　his　sight　and　knowledge。　Poor　Fred！〃

〃Well；　grandmother；　it　is　‘poor　Fred's'　own　doing；　and；　I　assure　you；　Fred　would　have　been　most　unwelcome　at　the　Court。　And　the　squires　and　gentry　round　did　not　like　a　woman　in　the　place；　they　were　at　a　loss　what　to　do　with　me。　I　was　no　good　for　dinners　and　politics　and　hunting。　I　embarrassed　them。〃　〃Of　course　you　would。　They　would　have　to　talk　decently　and　behave　politely；　and　they　would　not　be　able　to　tell　their　choicest　stories。　Your　presence　would　be　a　bore；　but　could　not　Tyrrel　take　your　place？〃

〃Granny；　Tyrrel　was　really　unhappy　in　that　kind　of　life。　And　he　was　a　foreigner；　so　was　I。　You　know　what　Yorkshire　people　think　of　foreigners。　They　were　very　courteous；　but　they　were　glad　to　have　the　Yorkshire　Rawdons　in　our　place。　And　Tyrrel　did　not　like　working　with　the　earth；　he　loves　machinery　and　electricity。〃

〃To　be　sure。　When　a　man　has　got　used　to　delving　for　gold　or　silver；　cutting　grass　and　wheat　does　seem　a　slow　kind　of　business。〃

〃And　he　disliked　the　shut…up　feeling　the　park　gave　him。　He　said　we　were　in　the　midst　of　solitude　three　miles　thick。　It　made　him　depressed　and　lonely。〃

〃That　is　nonsense。　I　am　sure　on　the　Western　plains　he　had　solitude　sixty　miles　thickoften。〃

〃Very　likely；　but　then　he　had　an　horizon；　even　if　it　were　sixty　miles　away。　And　no　matter　how　far　he　rode；　there　was　always　that　line　where　earth　seemed　to　rise　to　heaven。　But　the　park　was　surrounded　by　a　brick　wall　fourteen　feet　high。　It　had　no　horizon。　You　felt　as　if　you　were　in　a　large；　green　box　at　least　Tyrrel　did。　The　wall　was　covered　with　roses　and　ivy；　but　still　it　was　a　boundary　you　could　not　pass；　and　could　not　see　over。　Don't　you　understand；　Granny；　how　Tyrrel　would　feel　this？〃

〃I　can't　say　I　do。　Why　didn't　he　come　with　you？〃

〃He　had　to　go　to　the　Customs　about　our　trunks；　and　there　were　other　things。　He　will　see　you　to…morrow。　Then　we　are　going　to　dine　with　father；　and　if　you　will　join　us；　we　will　call　at　six　for　you。　Do；　Granny。〃

〃Very　well；　I　shall　be　ready。〃　But　after　a　moment's　thought　she　continued；　〃No；　I　will　not　go。　I　am　only　a　mortal　woman；　and　the　company　of　angels　bores　me　yet。〃

〃Now；　Granny；　dear。〃

〃I　mean　what　I　say。　Your　father　has　married　such　a　piece　of　perfection　that　I　feel　my　shortcomings　in　her　presence　more　than　I　can　bear。　But　I'll　tell　you　what；　dearie；　Tyrrel　may　come　for　me　Saturday　night　at　six；　and　I　will　have　my　dinner　with　you。　I　want　to　see　the　dining…room　of　a　swell　hotel　in　full　dress；　and　I　will　wear　my　violet　satin　and　white　Spanish　lace；　and　look　as　smart　as　can　be；　dear。　And　Tyrrel　may　buy　me　a　bunch　of　white　violets。　I　am　none　too　old　to　wear　them。　Who　knows　but　I　may　go　to　the　theater　also？〃

〃Oh；　Granny；　you　are　just　the　dearest　young　lady　I　know！　Tyrrel　will　be　as　proud　as　a　peacock。〃

〃Well；　I　am　not　as　young　as　I　might　be；　but　I　am　a　deal　younger　than　I　look。　Listen；　dearie；　I　have　never　FELT　old　yet！　Isn't　that　a　thing　to　be　grateful　for？　I　don't　read　much　poetry；　except　it　be　in　the　Church　Hymnal；　but　I　cut　a　verse　out　of　a　magazine　a　year　ago　which　just　suits　my　idea　of　life；　and；　what　is　still　more　wonderful；　I　took　the　trouble　to　learn　it。　Oliver　Wendell　Holmes　wrote　it；　and　I'll　warrant　him　for　a　good；　cheerful；　trust…in…God　man；　or　he'd　never　have　thought　of　such　sensible　words。〃

〃I　am　listening；　Granny；　for　the　verse。〃

〃Yes；　and　learn　it　yourself。　It　will　come　in　handy　some　day；　when　Tyrrel　and　you　are　getting　white…haired　and　handsome；　as　everyone　ought　to　get　when　they　have　passed　their　half…century　and　are　facing　the　light　of　the　heavenly　world：

　　〃At　sixty…two　life　has　begun；　　　　　　　　At　seventy…three　begins　once　more；　　　Fly　swifter　as　thou　near'st　the　sun；　　　　　　　　And　brighter　shine　at　eighty…four。　　　　　　　　　　　　　At　ninety…five；　　　　　　　　　　　　　Should　thou　arrive；　　　Still　wait　on　God；　and　work　and　thrive。〃

Such　words　as　those；　Ethel；　keep　a　woman　young；　and　make　her　right　glad　that　she　was　born　and　thankful　that　she　lives。〃

〃Thank　you　for　them；　dear　Granny。　Now　I　must　run　away　as　fast　as　I　can。　Tyrrel　will　be　wondering　what　has　happened　to　me。〃

In　this　conjecture　she　was　right。　Tyrrel　was　in　evening　dress；　and　walking　restlessly　about　their　private　parlor。　〃Ethel；〃　he　said；　plaintively；　〃I　have　been　so　uneasy　about　you。〃

〃I　am　all　right；　dearest。　I　was　with　grandmother。　I　shall　be　ready　in　half　an　hour。〃

Even　if　she　had　been　longer；　she　would　have　earned　the　delay；　for　she　returned　to　him　in　pink　silk　and　old　Venice　point　de　rose；　with　a　pretty　ermine　tippet　across　her　shoulders。　It　was　a　joy　to　see　her；　a　delight　to　hear　her　speak；　and　she　walked　as　if　she　heard　music。　The　dining…room　was　crowded　when　they　entered；　but　they　made　a　sensation。　Many　rose　and　came　to　welcome　them　home。　Others　smiled　across　the　busy　space　and　lifted　their　wineglass　in　recognition。　The　room　was　electric；　sensitive　and　excited。　It　was　flooded　with　a　soft　light；　it　was　full　of　the　perfume　of　flowers。　The　brilliant　coloring　of　silks　and　satins；　and　the　soft　miracle　of　white　lace　blended　with　the　artistically　painted　walls　and　roof。　The　aroma　of　delicate　food；　the　tinkle　of　crystal；　the　low　murmur　of　happy　voices；　the　thrill　of　sudden　laughter；　and　the　delicious　accompaniment　of　soft；　sensuous　music　completed　the　charm　of　the　room。　To　eat　in　such　surroundings　was　as　far　beyond　the　famous　flower…crowned　feasts　of　Rome　and　Greece　as　the　east　is　from　the　west。　It　was　impossible　to　resist　its　influence。　From　the　point　of　the　senses；　the　soul　was　drinking　life　out　of　a　cup　of　overflowing　delight。　And　it　was　only　natural　that　in　their　hearts　both　Tyrrel　and　Ethel　should　make　a　swift；　though　silent；　comparison　between　this　feast　of　sensation　and　flow　of　human　attraction　and　the　still；　sweet　order　of　the　Rawdon　dining…room；　with　its　noiseless　service；　and　its　latticed　win…　dows　open　to　all　the　wandering　scents　and　songs　of　the　garden。

Perhaps　the　latter　would　have　the　sweetest　and　dearest　and　most　abiding　place　in　their　hearts；　but　just　in　the　p