the dust-第5章

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But　he　had　no　impulse　to　question　her。　　And　with　some　surprise　he　noted　that　his　reason　for　refraining　was　not　the　usual　reasonunwillingness　uselessly　to　add　to　one's　own　burdens　by　inviting　the　mournful　confidences　of　another。　　No；　he　checked　himself　because　in　the　manner　of　this　frail　and　mouselike　creature；　dim　though　she　once　more　was；　there　appeared　a　dignity；　a　reserve；　that　made　intrusion　curiously　impossible。　　With　an　apologetic　note　in　his　voicea　kind　and　friendly　voicehe　said：

〃Please　have　your　typewriter　brought　in　here。　　I　want　you　to　do　some　work　for　mework　that　isn't　to　be　spoken　ofnot　even　to　Mr。　Tetlow。〃　　He　looked　at　her　with　grave　penetrating　eyes。　　〃You　will　not　speak　of　it？〃

〃No；〃　replied　she；　and　nothing　more。　　But　she　accompanied　the　simple　negative　with　a　clear　and　honest　sincerity　of　the　eyes　that　set　his　mind　completely　at　rest。　　He　felt　that　this　girl　had　never　in　her　life　told　a　real　lie。

One　of　the　office　boys　installed　the　typewriter；　and　presently　Norman　and　the　quiet　nebulous　girl　at　whom　no　one　would　trouble　to　look　a　second　time　were　seated　opposite　each　other　with　the　broad　table　desk　between；　he　leaning　far　back　in　his　desk　chair；　fingers　interlocked　behind　his　proud；　strong…looking　head；　she　holding　sharpened　pencil　suspended　over　the　stenographic　note…　book。　　Long　before　she　seated　herself　he　had　forgotten　her　except　as　machine。　　There　followed　a　troubled　hour；　as　he　dictated；　ordered　erasure；　redictated；　ordered　re…　readings；　skipped　back　and　forth；　in　the　effort　to　frame　the　secret　agreement　in　the　fewest　and　simplest；　and　least　startlingly　unlawful；　words。　　At　last　he　leaned　forward　with　the　shine　of　triumph　in　his　eyes。

〃Read　straight　through；〃　he　commanded。

She　read；　interrupted　occasionally　by　a　sharp　order　from　him　to　correct　some　mistake　in　her　notes。

〃Again；〃　he　commanded；　when　she　translated　the　last　of　her　notes。

This　time　she　was　not　interrupted　once。　　When　she　ended；　he　exclaimed：　　〃Good！　　I　don't　see　how　you　did　it　so　well。〃

〃Nor　do　I；〃　said　she。

〃You　say　you　are　only　a　beginner。〃

〃I　couldn't　have　done　it　so　well　for　anyone　else；〃　said　she。　　〃You　aredifferent。〃

The　remark　was　worded　most　flatteringly；　but　it　did　not　sound　so。　　He　saw　that　she　did　not　herself　understand　what　she　meant　by　〃different。〃　　HE　understood；　for　he　knew　the　difference　between　the　confused　and　confusing　ordinary　minds　and　such　an　intelligence　as　his　ownsimple；　luminous；　enlightening　all　minds；　however　dark；　so　long　as　they　were　in　the　light…flooded　region　around　it。

〃Have　I　made　the　meaning　clear？〃　he　asked。

He　hoped　she　would　reply　that　he　had　not；　though　this　would　have　indicated　a　partial　defeat　in　the　object　he　hadto　put　the　complex　thing　so　plainly　that　no　one　could　fail　to　understand。　　But　she　answered；　〃Yes。〃

He　congratulated　himself　that　his　overestimate　of　her　ignorance　of　affairs　had　not　lured　him　into　giving　her　the　names　of　the　parties　at　interest　to　transcribe。　But　did　she　really　understand？　　To　test　her；　he　said：

〃What　do　you　think　of　it？〃

〃That　it's　wicked；〃　replied　she；　without　hesitation　and　in　her　small；　quiet　voice。

He　laughed。　　In　a　way　this　girl；　sitting　there　this　inconsequential　and　negligible　atomtypefied　the　masses　of　mankind　against　whom　that　secret　agreement　was　directed。　　They；　the　feeble　and　powerless　ones；　with　their　necks　ever　bent　under　the　yoke　of　the　mighty　and　their　feet　ever　stumbling　into　the　traps　of　the　crafty　they；　too；　would　utter　an　impotent　〃Wicked！〃　if　they　knew。　　His　voice　had　the　note　of　gentle　raillery　in　it　as　he　said：

〃Nonot　wicked。　　Just　business。〃

She　was　looking　down　at　her　book；　her　face　expressionless。　　A　few　moments　before　he　would　have　said　it　was　an　empty　face。　　Now　it　seemed　to　him　sphynxlike。

〃Just　business；〃　he　repeated。　　〃It　is　going　to　take　money　from　those　who　don't　know　how　to　keep　or　to　spend　it　and　give　it　to　those　who　do　know　how。　　The　money　will　go　for　building　up　civilization；　instead　of　for　beer　and　for　bargain…trough　finery　to　make　working　men's　wives　and　daughters　look　cheap　and　nasty。〃

She　was　silent。

〃Now；　do　you　understand？〃

〃I　understand　what　you　said。〃　　She　looked　at　him　as　she　spoke。　　He　wondered　how　he　could　have　fancied　those　lack…luster　eyes　beautiful　or　capable　of　expression。

〃You　don't　believe　it？〃　he　asked。

〃No；〃　said　she。　　And　suddenly　in　those　eyes；　gazing　now　into　space；　there　came　the　unutterably　melancholy　lookheavy…lidded　from　heartache；　weary…wise　from　long；　long　and　bitter；　experiences。　　Yet　she　still　looked　younggirlishly　youngbut　it　was　the　youthful　look　the　classic　Greek　sculptors　tried　to　give　their　young　goddessesthe　youth　without　beginning　or　end　younger　than　a　baby's；　older　than　the　oldest　of　the　sons　of　men。　　He　mocked　himself　for　the　fancies　this　queer　creature　inspired　in　him；　but　she　none　the　less　made　him　uneasy。

〃You　don't　believe　it？〃　he　repeated。

〃No；〃　she　answered　again。　　〃My　father　has　taught　mesome　things。〃

He　drummed　impatiently　on　the　table。　　He　resented　her　impertinencefor；　like　all　men　of　clear　and　positive　｛？｝　mind；　he　regarded　contradiction　as　in　one　｛？｝　pudent；　in　another　aspect　evidence　of　the　fol｛？｝　contradictor。　　Then　he　gave　a　short　laughthe　｛？｝　ing　laugh　of　the　clever　man　who　has　tried　to　believe　his　own　sophistries　and　has　failed。　　〃Wellneither　do　I　believe　it；〃　said　he。　　〃Now；　to　get　the　thing　typewritten。〃

She　seated　herself　at　the　machine　and　set　to　work。　As　his　mind　was　full　of　the　agreement　he　could　not　concentrate　on　anything　else。　　From　time　to　time　he　glanced　at　her。　　Then　he　gave　up　trying　to　work　and　sat　furtively　observing　her。　　What　a　quaint　little　mystery　it　was！　　There　was　in　itthat　is；　in　her　not　the　least　charm　for　him。　　But；　in　all　his　experience　with　women；　he　could　recall　no　woman　with　a　comparable　development　of　this　curious　quality　of　multiple　personalities；　showing　and　vanishing　in　swift　succession。

There　had　been　a　time　when　woman　had　interested　him　as　a　puzzle　to　be　worked　out；　a　maze　to　be　explored；　a　temple　to　be　penetrateduntil　one　reached　the　place　where　the　priests　manipulated　the　machinery　for　the　wonders　and　miracles　to　fool　the　devotees　into　awe。　Some　men　never　get　to　this　stage；　never　realize　that　their　own　passions；　working　upon　the　universal　human　love　of　the　mysterious；　are　wholly　responsible　for　the　cult　of　woman　the　sphynx　and　the　sibyl。　　But　Norman；　beloved　of　women；　had　been　let　by　them　into　their　ultimate　secretthe　simple　humanness　of　woman；　the　｛？｝ry　of　the　oracles；　miracles；　and　wonders。　　He　｛？｝red　that　her　〃divine　intuitions〃　were　mere　｛？｝　guesses；　where　they　had　any　meaning　at　all；　that　her　eloquent　silences　were　screens　for　ignorance　or　boredomand　so　on　through　the　list　of　legends　that　prop　the　feminist　cult。

But　this　girlthis　Miss　Hallowellhere　was　a　tangible　mysterya　mystery　of　physics；　of　chemistry。　He　sat　watching　herwatching　the　changes　as　she　bent　to　her　work；　or　relaxed；　or　puzzled　over　the　meaning　of　one　of　her　own　hesitating　stenographic　hieroglyphics　watched　her　as　the　waning　light　of　the　afternoon　varied　its　intensity　upon　her　skin。　　Why；　her　very　hair　partook　of　this　magical　quality　and　altered　its　tint；　its　degree　of　vitality　even；　in　harmony　with　the　other　changes。　。　。　。　　What　was　the　explanation？　　By　means　of　what　rare　mechanism　did　her　nerve　force　ebb　and　flow　from　moment　to　moment；　bringing　about　these　fascinating　surface　changes　in　her　body？　　Could　anything；　even　any　skin；　be　better　made　than　that　superb　skin　of　hers　that　master　work　of　delicacy　and　strength；　of　smoothness　and　color？　　How　had　it　been　possible　for　him　to　fail　to　notice　it；　when　he　was　always　looking　for　signs　of　a　good　skin　down　townand　up　town；　tooin　these　days　of　the　ravages　of　pastry　and　candy？　。　。　。　　What　long　graceful　fingers　she　hadyet　what　small　hands！　Certainly　here　was　a　peculiarity　that　persisted。　　No　absurd　though　it　seemed；　no！　　One　way　he　looked　at　those　hands；　they　were　broad　and　strong；　another　way　narrow　and　gracefully　weak。

He　said　to　himself：　　〃The　man　who　gets　that　girl　will　have　Solomon's　wives　rolled　into　one。　　A　harem　at　the　price　of　a　wifeor　a〃　　He　left　the　thought　unfinished。　　It　seemed　an　insult　to　this　helpless　little　creature；　the　more　rath