the dust-第37章

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　absurdities　of　those　days　of　extravagant　folly。

〃Are　you　coming　over　to…day？〃　she　asked。

〃Right　away；　if　you　wish。〃

〃Oh；　no。　　Any　time　will　do。〃

〃I'll　come　at　once。　　I'm　not　busy。〃

〃No。　　Late　this　afternoon。　　Father　asked　me　to　call　up　and　make　sure。　　He　wants　to　see　you。〃

〃Ohnot　you？〃

〃I'm　a　business　person；〃　retorted　she。　　〃I　know　better　than　to　annoy　you；　as　I've　often　said。〃

He　knew　it　was　foolish；　tiresome；　yet　he　could　not　resist　the　impulse　to　say；　〃Now　that　I've　heard　your　voice　I　can't　stay　away。　　I'll　come　over　to　lunch。〃

Her　answering　voice　was　irritated。　　〃Please　don't。　I'm　cleaning　house。　　You'd　be　in　the　way。〃

He　shrank　and　quivered　like　a　boy　who　has　been　publicly　rebuked。　　〃I'll　come　when　you　say；〃　he　replied。

〃Not　a　minute　before　four　o'clock。〃

〃That's　a　long　timenow　you've　made　me　crazy　to　see　you。〃

〃Don't　talk　nonsense。　　I　must　go　back　to　work。〃

〃What　are　you　doing？〃　he　asked；　to　detain　her。

〃Dusting　and　polishing。　　Molly　did　the　sweeping　and　is　cleaning　windows　now。〃

〃What　have　you　got　on？〃

〃How　silly　you　are！〃

〃No　one　knows　that　better　than　I。　　But　I　want　to　have　a　picture　of　you　to　look　at。〃

〃I've　got　on　an　old　white　skirt　and　an　old　shirt　waist；　both　dirty；　and　a　pair　of　tennis　shoes　that　were　white　once　but　are　gray　now；　where　they　aren't　black。　And　I've　got　a　pink　chiffon　rag　tied　round　my　hair。〃

〃Pink　is　wonderful　when　you　wear　it。〃

〃I　look　a　fright。　　And　my　face　is　streakedand　my　arms。〃

〃Oh；　you've　got　your　sleeves　rolled　up。　　That's　an　important　detail。〃

〃You're　making　fun　of　me。〃

〃No；　I'm　thinking　of　your　arms。　　They　are　ravishing。〃

〃That's　quite　enough。　　Good…by。〃

And　she　rang　off。　　He　was　used　to　her　treating　compliment　and　flattery　from　him　in　that　fashion。　　He　could　notor　was　it　would　not？understand　why。　　He　had　learned　that　she　was　not　at　all　the　indifferent　and　unaware　person　in　the　matter　of　her　physical　charms　he　had　at　first　fancied　her。　　On　the　contrary；　she　had　more　than　her　share　of　physical　vanitynot　more　than　was　her　right；　in　view　of　her　charms；　but　more　than　she　could　carry　off　well。　　With　many　a　secret　smile　he　had　observed　that　she　thought　herself　perfect　physically。　　This　did　not　repel　him；　it　never　does　repel　a　manwhen　and　so　long　as　he　is　under　the　enchantment　of　the　charms　the　woman　more　or　less　exaggerates。　But；　while　he　had　often　seen　women　with　inordinate　physical　vanity；　so　often　that　he　had　come　to　regarding　it　as　an　essential　part　of　feminine　character；　never　before　had　he　seen　one　so　content　with　her　own　good　opinion　of　herself　that　she　was　indifferent　to　appreciation　from　others。

He　did　not　go　back　to　the　office　after　lunch。　Several　important　matters　were　coming　up；　if　he　got　within　reach　they　might　conspire　to　make　it　impossible　for　him　to　be　with　her　on　time。　　If　his　partners；　his　clients　knew！　　He　the　important　man　of　affairs　kneeling　at　the　feet　of　a　nobody！and　why？　　Chiefly　because　he　was　unable　to　convince　her　that　he　amounted　to　anything。　　His　folly　nauseated　him。　　He　sat　in　a　corner　in　the　dining　room　of　the　Lawyers'　Club　and　drank　one　whisky　and　soda　after　another　and　brooded　over　his　follies　and　his　unhappiness；　muttering　monotonously　from　time　to　time：　　〃No　wonder　she　makes　a　fool　of　me。　　I　invite　it；　I　beg　for　it；　damned　idiot　that　I　am！〃　By　three　o'clock　he　had　drunk　enough　liquor　to　have　dispatched　the　average　man　for　several　days。　　It　had　produced　no　effect　upon　him　beyond　possibly　a　slight　aggravation　of　his　moodiness。

It　took　only　twenty　minutes　to　get　from　New　York　to　her　house。　　He　set　out　at　a　few　minutes　after　three；　arrived　at　twenty　minutes　to　four。　　As　experience　of　her　ways　had　taught　him　that　she　was　much　less　friendly　when　he　disobeyed　her　requests；　he　did　not　dare　go　to　the　house；　but；　after　looking　at　it　from　a　corner　two　blocks　away；　made　a　detour　that　would　use　up　some　of　the　time　he　had　to　waste。　　And　as　he　wandered　he　indulged　in　his　usual　alternations　between　self…derision　and　passion。　　He　appeared　at　the　house　at　five　minutes　to　four。　　Patrick；　who　with　Molly　his　wife　looked　after　the　domestic　affairs；　was　at　the　front　gate　gazing　down　the　street　in　the　direction　from　which　he　always　came。　At　sight　of　him　Pat　came　running。　　Norman　quickened　his　pace；　and　every　part　of　his　nervous　system　was　in　turmoil。

〃Mr。　Hallowellhe'sDEAD；〃　gasped　Pat。

〃Dead？〃　echoed　Norman。

〃Three　quarters　of　an　hour　ago；　sir。　　He　came　from　the　lobatry；　walked　in　the　sitting　room　where　Miss　Dorothy　was　oiling　the　furniture　and　I　was　oiling　the　floor。　　And　he　sets　downand　he　looks　at　heras　cool　and　calm　as　could　beand　he　says；　‘Dorothy；　my　child；　I'm　dying。'　　And　she　stands　up　straight　and　looks　at　him　curious　likejust　curious　like。　　And　he　says；　‘Dorothy；　good…by。'　　And　he　shivers；　and　I　jumps　up　just　in　time　to　catch　him　from　rolling　to　the　floor。　　He　was　dead　thenso　the　doctor　says。〃

〃Dead！〃　repeated　Norman；　looking　round　vaguely。

He　went　on　to　the　house；　Pat　walking　beside　him　and　chattering　on　and　ona　stream　of　words　Norman　did　not　hear。　　As　he　entered　the　open　front　door　Dorothy　came　down　the　stairs。　　He　had　thought　he　knew　how　white　her　skin　was。　　But　he　did　not　know　until　then。　　And　from　that　ghostly　pallor　looked　the　eyes　of　grief　beyond　tears。　　He　advanced　toward　her。　　But　she　seemed　to　be　wrapped　in　an　atmosphere　of　aloofness。　He　felt　himself　a　stranger　and　an　alien。　　After　a　brief　silence　she　said：　　〃I　don't　realize　it。　　I've　been　upstairs　where　Pat　carried　himbut　I　don't　realize　it。　　It　simply　can't　be。〃

〃Do　you　know　what　he　wished　to　say　to　me？〃　he　asked。

〃No。　　I　guess　he　felt　this　coming。　　Probably　it　came　quicker　than　he　expected。　　Now　I　can　see　that　he　hasn't　been　well　for　several　days。　　But　he　would　never　let　anything　about　illness　be　said。　　He　thought　talking　of　those　things　made　them　worse。〃

〃You　have　relativessomebody　you　wish　me　to　telegraph？〃

She　shook　her　head。　　〃No　one。　　Our　relatives　out　West　are　second　cousins　or　further　away。　　They　care　nothing　about　us。　　No；　I'm　all　alone。〃

The　tears　sprang　to　his　eyes。　　But　there　were　no　tears　in　her　eyes；　no　forlornness　in　her　voice。　　She　was　simply　stating　a　fact。　　He　said：　　〃I'll　look　after　everything。　　Don't　give　it　a　moment's　thought。〃

〃No；　I'll　arrange；〃　replied　she。　　〃It'll　give　me　something　to　dosomething　to　do　for　him。　　You　see；　it's　my　last　chance。〃　　And　she　turned　to　ascend　the　stairs。　　〃Something　to　do；〃　she　repeated　dully。　　〃I　wish　I　hadn't　cleaned　house　this　morning。　　That　would　be　something　more　to　do。〃

This　jarred　on　himthen　brought　the　tears　to　his　eyes　again。　　How　childish　she　was！and　how　desolate！　〃But　you'll　let　me　stay？〃　he　pleaded。　　〃You'll　need　me。　　At　any　rate；　I　want　to　feel　that　you　do。〃

〃I'd　rather　you　didn't　stay；〃　she　said；　in　the　same　calm；　remote　way。　　〃I'd　rather　be　alone　with　him；　this　last　time。　　I'll　go　up　and　sit　there　until　they　take　him　away。　　And　thenin　a　few　days　I'll　see　what　to　do　I'll　send　for　you。〃

〃I　can't　leave　you　at　such　a　time；〃　he　cried。　　〃You　haven't　realized　yet。　　When　you　do　you　will　need　some　one。〃

〃You　don't　understand；〃　she　interrupted。　　〃He　and　I　understood　each　other　in　some　ways。　　I　know　he'd　not　wantanyone　round。〃

At　her　slight　hesitation　before　〃anyone〃　he　winced。

〃I　must　be　alone　with　him；〃　she　went　on。　　〃Thank　you；　but　I　want　to　go　now。〃

〃Not　just　yet；〃　he　begged。　　Then；　seeing　the　shadow　of　annoyance　on　her　beautiful　white　face；　he　rose　and　said：　　〃I'm　going。　　I　only　want　to　help　you。〃　He　extended　his　hand　impulsively；　drew　it　back　before　she　had　the　chance　to　refuse　it。　　For　he　felt　that　she　would　refuse　it。　　He　said；　〃You　know　you　can　rely　on　me。〃

〃But　I　don't　need　anybody；〃　replied　she。　　〃Good…by。〃

〃If　I　can　do　anything〃

〃Pat　will　telephone。〃　　She　was　already　halfway　upstairs。

He　found　Pat　in　the　front　yard；　and　arranged　with　him　to　get　news　and　to　send　messages　by　way　of　the　drug　store　at　the　corner；　so　that　she　would　know　nothing　about　it。　　He　went　to　a　florist's　in　New　York　and　sent　masses　of　flowers。　　And　thenthere　was　nothing　more　to　do。　　He　stopped　in　at　the　club　and　drank　and　gambled　until　far　into　the　morning。　　He　fretted　gloomily　about　all　the　next　day；　riding　alone　in　the　Park；　driving