the dust-第13章

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nesses　push　back　without　effort　assault　upon　their　solitudes。　　〃We　made　no　arrangement；〃　said　she。

〃You　are　not　more　than　eighteen；　are　you？〃　inquired　he　abruptly。

The　irrelevant　question　startled　her。　　She　looked　as　if　she　thought　she　had　not　heard　aright。　　〃I　am　twenty；〃　she　said。

〃You　have　a　mostmost　unusual　way　of　shifting　to　various　ages　and　personalities；〃　explained　he；　with　some　embarrassment。

She　simply　looked　at　him　and　waited。

His　embarrassment　increased。　　It　was　a　novel　sensation　to　him；　this　feeling　ill　at　ease　with　a　woman　he　who　was　at　ease　with　everyone　and　put　others　at　their　ease　or　not　as　he　pleased。　　〃I'm　sorry　you　and　Miss　Burroughs　didn't　arrange　something。　　I　suppose　she　found　the　hours　difficult。〃

〃She　made　me　an　offer；〃　replied　the　girl。　　〃I　refused　it。〃

〃But；　as　I　told　you；　we　can　let　you　offanything　within　reason。〃

〃Thank　you；　but　I　do　not　care　to　do　that　kind　of　work。　　No　doubt　any　kind　of　work　for　wages　classes　one　as　a　servant。　　But　those　people　up　therethey　make　one　FEEL　itfeel　menial。〃

〃Not　Miss　Burroughs；　I　assure　you。〃

A　satirical　smile　hovered　round　the　girl's　lips。　　Her　face　was　altogether　lovely　now；　and　no　lily　ever　rose　more　gracefully　from　its　stem　than　did　her　small　head　from　her　slender　form。　　〃She　meant　to　be　kind；　but　she　was　insulting。　　Those　people　up　there　don't　understand。　　They're　vain　and　narrow。　　Oh；　I　don't　blame　them。　　Only；　I　don't　care　to　be　brought　into　contact　with　them。〃

He　looked　at　her　in　wonder。　　She　talked　of　Josephine　as　if　she　were　Josephine's　superior；　and　her　expression　and　accent　were　such　that　they　contrived　to　convey　an　impression　that　she　had　the　right　to　do　it。　　He　grew　suddenly　angry　at　her；　at　himself　for　listening　to　her。　〃I　am　sorry；〃　he　said　stiffly；　and　took　up　a　pen　to　indicate　that　he　wished　her　to　go。

He　rather　expected　that　she　would　be　alarmed。　　But　if　she　was；　she　wholly　concealed　it。　　She　smiled　slightly　and　moved　toward　the　door。　　Looking　after　her；　he　relented。　　She　seemed　so　youngwas　so　youngand　was　evidently　poor。　　He　said：

〃It's　all　right　to　be　proud；　Miss　Hallowell。　　But　there　is　such　a　thing　as　supersensitiveness。　　You　are　earning　your　living。　　If　you'll　pardon　me　for　thrusting　advice　upon　you；　I　think　you've　made　a　mistake。　I'm　sure　Miss　Burroughs　meant　well。　　If　you　had　been　less　sensitive　you'd　soon　have　realized　it。〃

〃She　patronized　me；〃　replied　the　girl；　not　angrily；　but　with　amusement。　　〃It　was　all　I　could　do　not　to　laugh　in　her　face。　　The　idea　of　a　woman　who　probably　couldn't　make　five　dollars　a　week　fancying　she　was　the　superior　of　any　girl　who　makes　her　own　living；　no　matter　how　poor　a　living　it　is。〃

Norman　laughed。　　It　had　often　appealed　to　his　own　sense　of　humor；　the　delusion　that　the　tower　one　happened　to　be　standing　upon　was　part　of　one's　own　stature。　　But　he　said：　　〃You're　a　very　foolish　young　person。　　You'll　not　get　far　in　the　world　if　you　keep　to　that　road。　　It　winds　through　Poverty　Swamps　to　the　Poor　House。〃

〃Oh；　no；〃　replied　she。　　〃One　can　always　die。〃

Again　he　laughed。　　〃But　why　die？　　Why　not　be　sensible　and　live？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　replied　she。　　She　was　looking　away　dreamily；　and　her　eyes　were　wonderful　to　see。　　〃There　are　many　things　I　feel　and　doand　I　don't　at　all　understand　why。　　But〃　　An　expression　of　startling　resolu…　tion　flashed　across　her　face。　　〃But　I　do　them；　just　the　same。〃　　

A　brief　silence；　then；　as　she　again　moved　toward　the　door；　he　said；　〃You　have　been　working　for　some　time？〃

〃Four　years。〃

〃You　support　yourself？〃

〃I　work　to　help　out　father's　income。　　He　makes　almost　enough；　but　not　quite。〃

Almost　enough！　　The　phrase　struck　upon　Norman's　fancy　as　both　amusing　and　sad。　　Almost　enough　for　what？　　For　keeping　body　and　soul　together；　for　keeping　body　barely　decently　clad。　　Yet　she　was　content。　He　said：

〃You　like　to　work？〃

〃Not　yet。　　But　I　think　I　shall　when　I　learn　this　business。　　One　feels　secure　when　one　has　a　trade。〃

〃It　doesn't　impress　me　as　an　interesting　life　for　a　girl　of　your　age；〃　he　suggested。

〃Oh；　I'm　not　unhappy。　　And　at　home；　of　evenings　and　Sundays；　I'm　happy。〃

〃Doing　what？〃

〃Reading　and　talking　with　father　anddoing　the　houseworkand　all　the　rest　of　it。〃

What　a　monotonous　narrow　little　life！　　He　wanted　to　pity　her；　but　somehow　he　could　not。　　There　was　no　suggestion　in　her　manner　that　she　was　an　object　of　pity。　　〃What　did　Miss　Burroughs　say　to　youif　I　may　ask？〃

〃Certainly。　　You　sent　me；　and　I'm　much　obliged　to　you。　　I　realize　it　was　an　opportunityfor　another　sort　of　girl。　　I　half　tried　to　accept　because　I　knew　refusing　was　only　myqueerness。〃　　She　smiled　charmingly。　〃You　are　not　offended　because　I　couldn't　make　myself　take　it？〃

〃Not　in　the　least。〃　　And　all　at　once　he　felt　that　it　was　true。　　This　girl　would　have　been　out　of　place　in　service。　　〃What　was　the　offer？〃

Suddenly　before　him　there　appeared　a　clever；　willful　child；　full　of　the　childish　passion　for　imitation　and　mockery。　　And　she　proceeded　to　〃take　off〃　the　grand　Miss　Burroughsenough　like　Josephine　to　give　the　satire　point　and　barb。　　He　could　see　Josephine　resolved　to　be　affable　and　equal；　to　make　this　doubtless　bedazzled　stray　from　the　〃lower　classes〃　feel　comfortable　in　those　palatial　surroundings。　　She　imitated　Josephine's　walk；　her　way　of　looking；　her　voice　for　the　menialsgracious　and　condescending。　　The　exhibition　was　clever；　free　from　malice；　redolent　of　humor。　　Norman　laughed　until　the　tears　rolled　down　his　cheeks。

〃You　ought　to　go　on　the　stage；〃　said　he。　　〃How　JosephineMiss　Burroughs　would　appreciate　it！　　For　she's　got　a　keen　sense　of　humor。〃

〃Not　for　the　real　jokeslike　herself；〃　replied　Miss　Hallowell。

〃You're　prejudiced。〃

〃No。　　I　see　her　as　she　is。　　Probably　everyone　else　those　around　hersee　her　money　and　her　clothes　and　all　that。　　But　I　sawjust　her。〃

He　nodded　thoughtfully。　　Then　he　looked　penetratingly　at　her。　　〃How　did　you　happen　to　learn　to　do　that？〃　he　asked。　　〃To　see　people　as　they　are？〃

〃Father　taught　me。〃　　Her　eyes　lighted　up；　her　whole　expression　changed。　　She　became　beautiful　with　the　beauty　of　an　intense　and　adoring　love。　　〃Father　is　a　wonderful　manone　of　the　most　wonderful　that　ever　lived。　　He〃

There　was　a　knock　at　the　door。　　She　startled；　he　looked　confused。　　Both　awakened　to　a　sense　of　their　forgotten　surroundings；　of　who　and　what　they　were。　　She　went　and　Mr。　Sanders　entered。　　But　even　in　his　confusion　Norman　marveled　at　the　vanishing　of　the　fascinating　personality　who　had　been　captivating　him　into　forgetting　everything　else；　at　the　reappearance　of　the　blank；　the　pale　and　insignificant　personality　attached　to　a　typewriting　machine　at　ten　dollars　a　week。　　No；　not　insignificant；　not　blanknever　again　that；　for　him。　He　saw　now　the　full　realityand　also　why　he；　everyone；　was　so　misled。　　She　made　him　think　of　the　surface　of　the　sea　when　the　sky　is　gray　and　the　air　calm。　　It　lies　smooth　and　flat　and　expressionlessinert；　monotonous。　But　let　sunbeam　strike　or　breeze　ever　so　faint　start　up；　and　what　a　commotion　of　unending　variety！　　He　could　never　look　at　her　again　without　being　reminded　of　those　infinite　latent　possibilities；　without　wondering　what　new　and　perhaps　more　charming；　more　surprising　varieties　of　look　and　tone　and　manner　could　be　evoked。

And　while　Sanders　was　talkingprosing　on　and　on　about　things　Norman　either　already　knew　or　did　not　wish　to　knowhe　was　thinking　of　her。　　〃If　she　happens　to　meet　a　man　with　enough　discernment　to　fall　in　love　with　her；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃he　certainly　will　never　weary。　　What　a　pity　that　such　a　girl　shouldn't　have　had　a　chance；　should　be　wasted　on　some　unappreciative　chucklehead　of　her　class！　　What　a　pity　she　hasn't　ambitionor　the　quality；　whatever　it　isthat　makes　those　who　have　it　get　on；　whether　they　wish　or　no。〃

During　the　rest　of　the　day　he　revolved　from　time　to　time　indistinct　ideas　of　somehow　giving　this　girl　a　chance。　　He　wished　Josephine　would　and　could　help；　or　perhaps　his　sister　Ursula。　　It　was　not　a　matter　that　could　be　settled；　or　even　taken　up；　in　haste。　　No　man　of　his　mentality　and　experience　fails　to　learn　how　perilous　it　is　in　the　least　to　interfere　in　the　destiny　of　anyone。　And　his　notion　involved　not　slight　interference　with　advice　or　suggestion　or　momenta