frances waldeaux-第25章

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Clara　gave　an　annoyed　shrug。　　〃But　really；　_I_　make　the　thought　of　death　my　constant　companion。　　And　you　are　older　than　I。〃


　　〃‘After　the　busy　day　　　Comes　the　calm　sleep　of　night；'〃


she　quoted；　with　a　sententious　sigh。

〃Calm　and　sleep　do　not　appear　to　me　to　be　the　highest　conditions　of　life。　　No！　　I　will　not　be　set　aside；　even　when　I　am　dead；　like　a　burned…out　candle！〃　　The　indignant　tears　stood　in　her　eyes。　　〃Why；　even　in　that　other　world　I　shall　not　be　a　barren　stock；　thank　God！　　I　have　given　a　family　to　mankind。　　To　watch　a　long　line　of　your　descendants　at　work；　to　see　in　them　your　own　thoughts　and　your　own　soul　reaching　out；　live　powers　through　all　eternityI　often　think　of　it。　　That　will　benot　calm　nor　sleep。〃

Miss　Vance　touched　Mrs。　Waldeaux's　arm　affectionately。　　〃What　a　queer　idea；　Frances。　　Well；　I　never　argue；　you　know。　　Drop　in　the　harness；　if　you　choose。　　Let　us　go　in　now。　　It　is　chilly。〃

The　older　woman　looked　after　her；　and　smiled　good…humoredly。　　After　a　moment　she　raised　her　hand；　examining　it　attentively。　　Her　hand　had　been　very　beautiful　in　shape；　white　and　dimpled；　and　she　had　been　vain　enough　to　wear　fine　rings。　　Now　it　was　yellow　and　wrinkled。　　The　great　emerald　looked　like　a　bit　of　glass　upon　it。

〃Yes；　I　see；〃　she　said；　with　a　miserable　little　laugh；　and　then　stood　looking　out　into　the　far　distance。　　〃But　_I_　am　not　growing　old。〃　　She　spoke　aloud；　as　if　to　one　who　stood　apart　with　her　and　could　understand。　　〃Even　out　in　that　other　world　I　shall　not　be　only　a　mother。　　I　shall　be　me。　　ME！〃　touching　her　breast。　　〃After　a　million　of　yearsit　will　still　be　me。〃

There　stirred　within　the　lean　body　and　rheumatic　limbs　depths　of　unused　power；　of　thought；　of　love　and　passion；　and；　deeper　than　all；　awful　possibilities　of　change。

〃I　have　it　in　me　still　to　be　worse　than　a　murderer；〃　she　thought；　with　whitening　face。

She　stood　a　long　time；　alone。　　A　strange　content　and　light　came　slowly　into　her　face。　　〃Come　what　will；　I　shall　never　be　left　to　myself　again；〃　she　said　at　last；　speaking　to　a　Friend　whom　she　had　found　long　ago。

Then　she　went　in　search　of　the　boy。　　〃Come；　Jack；〃　she　said　cheerfully；　〃there　are　busy　days　before　us。〃


George　and　Lucy　that　evening　reached　Dover；　prettiest　of　American　towns。　　They　strolled　down　the　shaded　street　out　into　a　quiet　country　lane。　　Lucy　sat　down　upon　a　fallen　tree；　and　George　threw　himself　upon　the　grass　beside　her。

〃To…morrow　we　shall　be　at　home；〃　she　said；　pushing　his　hair　back。　　〃Do　you　know　that　your　profile　is　absolutely　Greek？〃　　Her　eyes　half　closed　critically。　　〃Yes；　we　shall　be　at　home　about　eleven　o'clock。　　I　wrote　to　Stephen　to　order　all　the　dishes　that　you　like　for　luncheon。　　Your　mother　and　Jack　are　coming。　　It　will　be　such　a　gay；　happy　day！〃

He　took　her　hand。　　He　would　tell　her　now。　　It　would　not　distress　her。　　The　money　weighed　for　nothing　in　her　life。　　He　was　her　world；　he　knew　that。

〃Lucy！〃　he　said。

She　turned；　startled　at　his　grave　tone。　　The　color　rose　in　her　delicate　little　face；　and　there　was　a　keen　flash　of　intelligence　in　her　blue　eyes。　　It　vanished；　and　they　were　only　blue　and　innocent。

〃Lucy；　would　you　be　willing　to　come　to　my　house？　　To　take　it　for　home？　　To　be　a　poor　man's　wife；　there？　　God　knows　I'll　try　to　make　you　happy　in　it。〃

〃No；〃　she　said　gently。　　〃That　is　your　mother's　home。　　She　has　made　it。　　It　is　not　fair　to　bring　young　queen　bees　into　the　old　queen's　hive。　　We　will　live　at　your　house；　Dunbar　Place；　George。〃

〃It　is　not　mine　nor　yours！〃　George　broke　out。　　〃Oh；　my　darling；　I　have　hidden　something　from　you。　　It　is　all　gone。　　Your　property；　income；　every　thing！　　The　Consolidated　Consolidated　Companies　failed。　　Their　depositors　are　ruined。〃

〃Yes；　I　know；〃　said　Lucy；　brushing　a　fallen　leaf　from　her　gown。　　〃But　they　had　no　control　over　my　affairs。　　I　withdrew　them　from　their　management　in　February。〃

George　started　up。　　〃Then　youyou　are　a　great　heiress　still？〃

〃No。〃　　She　rose；　holding　out　her　hands；　laughing。　　〃My　husband；　I　believe；　is　a　rich　man；　and　I　shall　have　what　he　gives　me。〃

But　he　did　not　hear　her。　　He　walked　away　down　the　road；　shaken　by　a　dumb　fury。　　He　had　been　tricked！　　Who　had　tricked　him？

Then　he　heard　a　miserable　sob　and　turned。　　Great　God！　　Was　any　thing　on　earth　so　dear　as　that　little　woman　standing　there？　　She　was　crying！　　Had　he　struck　her？　　He　was　a　brute。　　What　had　he　done？

He　ran　to　her；　and　taking　her　outstretched　hands；　kissed　them　passionately。

〃They　are　minemine！〃　he　whispered；　and　knew　nothing　beyond。


They　walked　together　like　two　happy　children　down　the　shady　lane　toward　the　golden　sunset。　　The　money　was　forgotten。





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