the dust-第42章

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osephine　sailed；　Lockyer；　senior　partner　of　the　firm；　got　an　intimation　that　unless　Norman　left；　Burroughs　would　take　his　law　business　elsewhere；　and　would　〃advise〃　others　of　their　clients　to　follow　his　example。　　Lockyer　no　sooner　heard　than　he　began　to　bestir　himself。　　He　called　into　consultation　the　learned　Benchley　and　the　astute　Sanders　and　the　soft　and　sly　Lockyer　junior。　　There　could　be　no　question　that　Norman　must　be　got　rid　of。　　The　only　point　was；　who　should　inform　the　lion　that　he　had　been　deposed？

After　several　hours　of　anxious　discussion；　Lockyer；　his　inward　perturbations　hid　beneath　that　mask　of　smug　and　statesmanlike　respectability；　entered　the　lion's　den　a　sick　lion；　sick　unto　death　probably；　but　not　a　dead　lion。　　〃When　you're　ready　to　go　uptown；　Frederick；〃　said　he　in　his　gentlest；　most　patriarchal　manner；　〃let　me　know。　　I　want　to　have　a　little　talk　with　you。〃

Norman；　heavy　eyed　and　listless；　looked　at　the　handsome　old　fraud。　　As　he　looked　something　of　the　piercing　quality　and　something　of　the　humorous　came　back　into　his　eyes。　　〃Sit　down　and　say　it　now；〃　said　he。

〃I'd　prefer　to　talk　where　we　can　be　quiet。〃

Norman　rang　his　bell　and　when　an　office　boy　appeared；　said　　〃No　one　is　to　disturb　me　until　I　ring　again。〃　　Then　as　the　boy　withdrew　he　said　to　Lockyer：　〃Now；　sir；　what　is　it？〃

Lockyer　strolled　to　the　window；　looked　out　as　if　searching　for　something　he　failed　to　find；　came　back　to　the　chair　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　desk　from　Norman；　seated　himself。　　〃I　don't　know　how　to　begin；〃　said　he。　〃It　is　hard　to　say　painful　things　to　anyone　I　have　such　an　affection　for　as　I　have　for　you。〃

Norman　pushed　a　sheet　of　letter　paper　across　the　desk　toward　his　partner。　　〃Perhaps　that　will　help　you；〃　observed　he　carelessly。

Lockyer　put　on　his　nose　glasses　with　the　gesture　of　grace　and　intellect　that　was　famous。　　He　reada　brief　demand　for　a　release　from　the　partnership　and　a　request　for　an　immediate　settlement。　　Lockyer　blinked　off　his　glasses　with　the　gesture　that　was　as　famous　and　as　admiringly　imitated　by　lesser　legal　lights　as　was　his　gesture　of　be…spectacling　himself。　　〃This　is　most　astounding；　my　boy；〃　said　he。　　〃It　is　mostmost〃

〃Gratifying？〃　suggested　Norman　with　a　sardonic　grin。

〃Not　in　the　least；　Frederick。　　The　very　reverse　the　exact　reverse。〃

Norman　gave　a　shrug　that　said　〃Why　do　you　persist　in　those　fraudsand　with　ME？〃　　But　he　did　not　speak。

〃I　know；〃　pursued　Lockyer；　〃that　you　would　not　have　taken　this　step　without　conclusive　reasons。　　And　I　shall　not　venture　the　impertinence　of　prying　or　of　urging。〃

〃Thanks；〃　said　Norman　drily。　　〃Now；　as　to　the　terms　of　settlement。〃

Lockyer；　from　observation　and　from　gossip；　had　a　pretty　shrewd　notion　of　the　state　of　his　young　partner's　mind；　and　drew　the　not　unwarranted　conclusion　that　he　would　be　indifferent　about　termswould　be　〃easy。〃　With　the　suavity　of　Mr。　Great…and…Good…Heart　he　said：　〃My　dear　boy；　there　can't　be　any　question　of　money　with　us。　　We'll　do　the　generously　fair　thingfor；　we're　not　hucksterers　but　gentlemen。〃

〃That　sounds　terrifying；〃　observed　the　young　man；　with　a　faint　ironic　smile。　　〃I　feel　my　shirt　going　and　the　cold　winds　whistling　about　my　bare　body。　　To　save　time；　let　ME　state　the　terms。　　You　want　to　be　rid　of　me。　I　want　to　go。　　It's　a　whim　with　me。　　It's　a　necessity　for　you。〃

Lockyer　shifted　uneasily　at　these　evidences　of　unimpaired　mentality　and　undaunted　spirit。

〃Here　are　my　terms；〃　proceeded　Norman。　　〃You　are　to　pay　me　forty　thousand　a　year　for　five　years　unless　I　open　an　office　or　join　another　firm。　　In　that　case；　payments　are　to　cease　from　the　date　of　my　re…　entering　practice。〃

Lockyer　leaned　back　and　laughed　benignantly。　　〃My　dear　Norman；〃　he　said　with　a　gently　remonstrant　shake　of　the　head；　〃those　terms　are　impossible。　　Forty　thousand　a　year！　　Why　that　is　within　ten　thousand　of　the　present　share　of　any　of　us　but　you。　　It　is　the　income　of　nearly　three　quarters　of　a　million　at　six　per　centof　a　million　at　four　per　cent！〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　Norman；　settling　back　in　his　chair。　　〃Then　I　stand　pat。〃

〃Now；　my　dear　Norman；　permit　me　to　propose　terms　that　are　fair　to　all〃

〃When　I　said　I　stood　pat　I　meant　that　I　would　stay　on。〃　　His　eyes　laughed　at　Lockyer。　　〃I　guess　we　can　live　without　Burroughs　and　his　dependents。　　Maybe　they　will　find　they　can't　live　without　us。〃　　He　slowly　leaned　forward　until；　with　his　forearms　against　the　edge　of　his　desk；　he　was　concentrating　a　memorable　gaze　upon　Lockyer。　　〃Mr。　Lockyer；〃　said　he；　〃I　have　been　exercising　my　privilege　as　a　free　man　to　make　a　damn　fool　of　myself。　　I　shall　continue　to　exercise　it　so　long　as　I　feel　disposed　that　way。　　But　let　me　tell　you　something。　I　can　afford　to　do　it。　　If　a　man's　asset　is　money；　or　character　or　position　or　relatives　and　friends　or　popular　favor　or　any　other　perishable　article；　he　must　take　care　how　he　trifles　with　it。　　He　may　find　himself　irretrievably　ruined。　　But　my　asset　happens　to　be　none　of　those　things。　　It　is　one　that　can　be　lost　or　damaged　only　by　insanity　or　death。　　Do　you　follow　me？〃

The　old　man　looked　at　him　with　the　sincere　and　most　flattering　tribute　of　compelled　admiration。　　〃What　a　mind　you've　got；　Frederickand　what　courage！〃

〃You　accept　my　terms？〃

〃If　the　others　agreeand　I　think　they　will。〃

〃They　will；〃　said　Norman。

The　old　man　was　regarding　him　with　eyes　that　had　genuine　anxiety　in　them。　　〃Why　DO　you　do　it；　Fred？〃　he　said。

〃Because　I　wish　to　be　free；〃　replied　Norman。　　He　would　never　have　told　the　full　truth　to　that　incredulous　old　cynic　of　a　time…serverthe　truth　that　he　was　resigning　at　the　dictation　of　a　pride　which　forbade　him　to　involve　others　in　the　ruin　he；　in　his　madness；　was　bent　upon。

〃I　don't　mean；　why　do　you　resign；〃　said　Lockyer。　〃I　mean　the　otherthewoman。〃

Norman　laughed　harshly。

〃I've　seen　too　much　of　the　world　not　to　understand；〃　continued　Lockyer。　　〃The　measureless　power　of　woman　over　manespeciallypardon　me；　my　dear　Normanespecially　a　bad　woman！〃

〃The　measureless　power　of　a　man's　imagination　over　himself；〃　rejoined　Norman。　　〃Did　you　ever　see　or　hear　of　a　man　without　imagination　being　upset　by　a　woman？　　It's　in　here；　Mr。　Lockyer〃he　rapped　his　forehead〃altogether　in　here。〃

〃You　realize　that。　　Yet　you　go　onand　for　such　a　pardon　me；　my　boy；　for　saying　itfor　such　a　trifling　object。〃

〃What　does　‘trifling'　mean；　sir？〃　replied　the　young　man。　　〃What　is　trifling　and　what　is　important？　It　depends　upon　the　point　of　view。　　What　I　want　that　is　vital。　　What　I　do　not　wantthat　is　paltry。　It's　my　nature　to　go　for　what　I　happen　to　wantto　go　for　it　with　all　there　is　in　me。　　I　will　take　nothing　elsenothing　else。〃

There　was　in　his　eyes　the　glitter　called　insanity　the　glitter　that　reflects　the　state　of　mind　of　any　strong　man　when　possessed　of　one　of　those　fixed　ideas　that　are　the　idiosyncrasy　of　the　strong。　　It　would　have　been　impossible　for　Lockyer　to　be　possessed　in　that　way；　he　had　not　the　courage　nor　the　concentration　nor　the　inde…　pendence　of　soul；　like　most　men；　even　able　men；　he　dealt　only　in　the　conventional。　　Not　in　his　wildest　youth　could　he　have　wrecked　or　injured　himself　for　a　woman；　women；　for　him；　occupied　their　conventional　place　in　the　scheme　of　things；　and　had　no　allure　beyond　the　conventionally　proper　and　the　conventionally　improper　for；　be　it　remembered；　vice　has　its　beaten　track　no　less　than　virtue　and　most　of　the　vicious　are　as　tame　and　unimaginative　as　the　plodders　in　the　high　roads　of　propriety。　　Still；　Lockyer　had　associated　with　strong　men；　men　of　boundless　desires；　thus；　he　could　in　a　measure　sympathize　with　his　young　associate。　　What　a　pity　that　these　splendid　powers　should　be　perverted　from　the　ordinary　desires　of　strong　men！

Norman　rose；　to　end　the　interview。　　〃My　address　is　my　house。　　They　will　forwardif　I　go　away。〃

Lockyer　gave　him　a　hearty　handclasp；　made　a　few　phrases　about　good　wishes　and　the　like；　left　him　alone。　The　general　opinion　was　that　Norman　was　done　for。　But　Lockyer　could　not　see　it。　　He　had　seen　too　many　men　fall　only　to　rise　out　of　lowest　depths　to　greater　heights　than　they　had　fallen　from。　　And　Norman　was　only　thirty…seven。　　Perhaps　this　would　prove　to　be　merely　a　dip　in　a　securely　brilliant　career　and　not　a　fall　at　all。　　In　that　casewith