the dust-第32章

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〃Life；〃　continued　the　juggler；　transformed　now　into　practical　man；　leader　of　men；　〃life　has　been　demonstrated　to　be　simply　one　of　the　forms　of　energy；　or　one　of　the　consequences　of　energy。　　The　final　discovery　is　scientifically　not　far　away。　　Then〃　　His　eyes　lighted　up。

〃Then　what？〃　asked　Norman。

〃Then　immortalityin　the　body。　　Eternal　youth　and　health。　　A　body　that　is　renewable　much　as　any　of　our　inanimate　machines　of　the　factory　is　renewable。　Why　not？　　So　far　as　we　know；　no　living　thing　ever　dies　except　by　violence。　　Diseaseold　agethey　are　quite　as　much　violence　as　the　knife　and　the　bullet。　　What　science　can　now　do　with　these　‘worms；'　as　my　daughter　calls　themthat　it　will　be　able　to　do　with　the　higher　organisms。〃

〃And　the　world　would　soon　be　jammed　to　the　last　acre；〃　objected　Norman。

Hallowell　shrugged　his　shoulders。　　〃Not　at　all。　There　will　be　no　necessity　to　create　new　people；　except　to　take　the　place　of　those　who　may　be　accidentally　obliterated。〃

〃But　the　world　is　dyingthe　earth；　itself；　I　mean。〃

〃True。　　But　science　may　learn　how　to　arrest　that　cooling　processor　to　adapt　man　to　it。　　Or；　it　may　be　that　when　the　world　ceases　to　be　inhabitable　we　shall　have　learned　how　to　cross　the　star　spaces；　as　I　think　I've　suggested　before。　　Thenwe　should　simply　find　a　planet　in　its　youth　somewhere；　and　migrate　to　it；　as　a　man　now　moves　to　a　new　house　when　the　old　ceases　to　please　him。〃

〃That　is　a　long　flight　of　the　fancy；〃　said　Norman。

〃Longbut　no　stronger　than　the　telegraph　or　the　telephone。　　The　trouble　with　us　is　that　we　have　been　long　stupefied　by　the　ignorant　theological　ideas　of　the　universeideas　that　have　come　down　to　us　from　the　childhood　of　the　race。　　We　haven't　got　used　to　the　new　erathe　scientific　era。　　And　that　is　natural。　　Why；　until　less　than　three　generations　ago　there　was　really　no　such　thing　as　science。〃

〃I　hadn't　thought　of　that；〃　admitted　Norman。　〃We　certainly　have　got　on　very　fast　in　those　three　generations。〃

〃Rather　fast。　　Not　so　fast；　however；　as　we　shall　in　the　next　three。　　Sciencechemistryis　going　speedily　to　change　all　the　conditions　of　life　because　it　will　turn　topsy…turvy　all　the　ways　of　producing　thingsfood；　clothing；　shelter。　　Less　than　two　generations　ago　men　lived　much　as　they　had　for　thousands　of　years。　　But　it's　very　different　to…day。　　It　will　be　inconceivably　different　to…morrow。〃

Norman　could　not　get　these　ideas　out　of　his　brain。　He　began　to　understand　why　Hallowell　cared　nothing　about　the　active　life　of　the　dayabout　its　religion；　politics；　modes　of　labor；　its　habits　of　one　creature　preying　upon　another。　　To…morrow；　not　religion；　not　politics；　but　chemistry；　not　priests　nor　politicians；　but　chemists；　would　change　all　thatand　change　it　by　the　only　methods　that　compel。　　An　abstract　idea　of　liberty　or　justice　can　be　rejected；　evaded；　nullified。　　But　a　telephone；　a　steam　engine；　a　mode　of　prolonging　lifethose　realizations　of　ideas　COMPEL。

When　Dorothy　came；　Norman　went　into　the　garden　with　her　in　a　frame　of　mind　so　different　from　any　he　had　ever　before　experienced　that　he　scarcely　recognized　himself。　　As　the　influence　of　the　father's　glowing　imagination　of　genius　waned　before　the　daughter's　physical　loveliness　and　enchantment　for　him；　he　said　to　himself；　〃I'll　keep　away　from　him。〃　　Why？　　He　did　not　permit　himself　to　go　on　to　examine　into　his　reasons。　　But　he　could　not　conceal　them　from　himself　quickly　enough　to　hide　the　knowledge　that　they　were　moral。

〃What　is　the　matter　with　you　to…day？〃　said　Dorothy。　　〃You　are　not　a　bit　interesting。〃

〃Interested；　you　mean；〃　he　said　with　a　smile　of　raillery；　for　he　had　long　since　discovered　that　she　was　not　without　the　feminine　vanity　that　commands　the　centering　of　all　interest　in　the　woman　herself　and　resents　any　wandering　of　thought　as　a　slur　upon　her　own　powers　of　fascination。

〃Well；　interested　then；〃　said　she。　　〃You　are　thinking　about　something　else。〃

〃Not　now；〃　he　assured　her。

But　he　left　early。　　No　sooner　had　he　got　away　from　the　house　than　the　scientific　dreaming　vanished　and　he　wished　himself　back　with　her　againback　where　every　glance　at　her　gave　him　the　most　exquisite　sensations。　And　when　he　came　the　following　day　he　apparently　had　once　more　restored　her　father　to　his　proper　place　of　a　nonessential。　　All　that　definitely　remained　of　the　day　before's　impression　was　a　certain　satisfaction　that　he　was　aiding　with　his　money　an　enterprise　of　greater　value　and　of　less　questionable　character　than　merely　his　own　project。　　But　the　powerful　influences　upon　our　life　and　conduct　are　rarely　direct　and　definite。　　He；　quite　unconsciously；　had　a　wholly　different　feeling　about　Dorothy　because　of　her　father；　because　of　what　his　new　knowledge　of　and　respect　for　her　father　had　revealed　and　would　continue　to　reveal　to　him　as　to　the　girl　herselfher　training；　her　inheritance；　her　character　that　could　not　but　be　touched　with　the　splendor　of　the　father's　noble　genius。　　And　long　afterward；　when　the　father　as　a　distinct　personality　had　been　almost　forgotten；　Nor…　man　was　still；　altogether　unconsciously；　influenced　by　himpowerfully；　perhaps　decisively　influenced。　　Norman　had　no　notion　of　it；　but　ever　after　that　talk　in　the　laboratory；　Dorothy　Hallowell　was　to　him　Newton　Hallowell's　daughter。

When　he　came　the　following　day；　with　his　original　purposes　and　plans　once　more　intact；　as　he　thought；　he　found　that　she　had　made　more　of　a　toilet　than　usual；　had　devised　a　new　way　of　doing　her　hair　that　enabled　him　to　hang　a　highly　prized　addition　in　his　memory　gallery　of　widely　varied　portraits　of　her。

The　afternoon　was　warm。　　They　sat　under　a　big　old　tree　at　the　end　of　the　garden。　　He　saw　that　she　was　much　disturbedand　that　it　had　to　do　with　him。　　From　time　to　time　she　looked　at　him；　studying　his　face　when　she　thought　herself　unobserved。　　As　he　had　learned　that　it　is　never　wise　to　open　up　the　disagreeable；　he　waited。　After　making　several　futile　efforts　at　conversation；　she　abruptly　said：

〃I　saw　Mr。　Tetlow　this　morningin　Twenty…third　Street。　　I　was　coming　out　of　a　chemical　supplies　store　where　father　had　sent　me。〃

She　paused。　　But　Norman　did　not　help　her。　　He　continued　to　wait。

〃HeMr。　Tetlowacted　very　strangely；〃　she　went　on。　　〃I　spoke　to　him。　　He　stared　at　me　as　if　he　weren't　going　to　speakas　if　I　weren't　fit　to　speak　to。〃

〃Oh！〃　said　Norman。

〃Then　he　came　hurrying　after　me。　　And　he　said；　‘Do　you　know　that　Norman　is　to　be　married　in　two　weeks？'　〃

〃So！〃　said　Norman。

〃And　I　said；　‘What　of　it？　　How　does　that　interest　me？'　〃

〃It　didn't　interest　you？〃

〃I　was　surprised　that　you　hadn't　spoken　of　it；〃　replied　she。　　〃But　I　was　more　interested　in　Mr。　Tetlow's　manner。　　What　do　you　think　he　said　next？〃

〃I　can't　imagine；〃　said　Norman。

〃Whythat　I　was　even　more　shameless　than　he　thought。　　He　said：　　‘Oh；　I　know　all　about　you。　　I　found　out　by　accident。　　I　shan't　tell　anyone；　for　I　can't　help　loving　you　still。　　But　it　has　killed　my　belief　in　woman　to　find　out　that　YOU　would　sell　yourself。'　〃

She　was　looking　at　Norman　with　eyes　large　and　grave。　　〃And　what　did　you　say？〃　he　inquired。

〃I　didn't　say　anything。　　I　looked　at　him　as　if　he　weren't　there　and　started　on。　　Then　he　said；　‘When　Norman　abandons　you；　as　he　soon　will；　you　can　count　on　me；　if　you　need　a　friend。'　〃

There　was　a　pause。　　Then　Norman　said；　〃And　that　was　all？〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　she。

Another　pause。　　Norman　said　musingly：　　〃Poor　Tetlow！　　I've　not　seen　him　since　he　went　away　to　Bermudaat　least　he　said　he　was　going　there。　　One　day　he　sent　the　firm　a　formal　letter　of　resignation。　。　。　。　Poor　Tetlow！　　Do　you　regret　not　having　married　him？〃

〃I　couldn't　marry　a　man　I　didn't　love。〃　　She　looked　at　him　with　sweet　friendly　eyes。　　〃I　couldn't　even　marry　you；　much　as　I　like　you。〃

Norman　laugheda　dismal　attempt　at　ease　and　raillery。

〃When　he　told　me　about　your　marrying；〃　she　went　on；　〃I　knew　how　I　felt　about　you。　　For　I　was　not　a　bit　jealous。　　Why　haven't　you　ever　said　anything　about　it？〃

He　disregarded　this。　　He　leaned　forward　and　with　curious　deliberateness　took　her　hand。　　She　let　it　lie　gently　in　his。　　He　put　his　arm　round　her　and　drew　her　close　to　him。　　She　did　not　resist。　　He　kissed　her　upturned　face；　kissed　her　upon　the　lips。　　She　remained　passive；　looking　at　him　wit