the argonauts of north liberty-第18章

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you；〃　he　drawled。

〃What　reasons？〃　asked　Blandford；　with　a　sudden　relapse　of　his
former　harshness。

〃Wa'al；　Squire　Blandford；　sens　you　wanter　knowI　reckon　your
business　wasn't　payin'；　and　there　was　a　matter　of　two　hundred　and
fifty　dollars　ye　took　with　ye；　that　your　creditors　would　hev　liked
to　hev　back。〃

〃Who　dare　say　that？〃　demanded　Blandford；　angrily。

〃Your　wife　that　wasMrs。　Demorest　ez　istold　it　to　her　mother；〃
returned　Ezekiel；　lazily。

The　blow　struck　deeper　than　even　Ezekiel's　dry　malice　imagined。
For　an　instant；　Blandford　remained　stupefied。　　In　the　five　years'
retrospect　of　his　resolution　on　that　fatal　night；　whatever　doubt
of　its　wisdom　might　have　obtruded　itself　upon　him；　he　had　never
thought　of　THIS。　　He　had　been　willing　to　believe　that　his　wife　had
quietly　forgotten　him　as　well　as　her　treachery　to　him；　he　had
passively　acquiesced　in　the　results　of　that　forgetfulness　and　his
own　silence；　he　had　been　conscious　that　his　wound　had　healed　sooner
than　he　expected；　but　if　this　consciousness　had　enabled　him　to
extend　a　certain　passive　forgiveness　to　his　wife　and　Demorest；　it
was　always　with　the　conviction　that　his　mysterious　effacement　had
left　an　inexplicable　shadow　upon　them　which　their　consciences　alone
could　explain。　　But　for　this　unjust；　vulgar；　and　degrading
interpretation　of　his　own　act　of　expiation；　he　was　totally
unprepared。　　It　completely　crushed　whatever　sentiment　remained　of
that　act　in　the　horrible　irony　of　finding　himself　put　upon　his
defence　before　the　world；　without　being　able　now　to　offer　the　real
cause。　　The　anguish　of　that　night　had　gone　forever；　but　the
ridiculous　interpretation　of　it　had　survived；　and　would　survive　it。
In　the　eyes　of　the　man　before　him　he　was　not　a　wronged　husband；　but
an　absconding　petty　defaulter；　whom　he　had　just　detected！

His　mind　was　quickly　made　up。　　In　that　instant　he　had　resolved　upon
a　step　as　fateful　as　his　former　one；　and　a　fitting　climax　to　its
results。　　For　five　years　he　had　clearly　misunderstood　his　attitude
towards　his　treacherous　wife　and　perjured　friend。　　Thanks　to　this
practical；　selfish　machine　before　him；　he　knew　it　now。

〃Look　here；　Corwin；〃　he　said；　turning　upon　Ezekiel　a　colorless
face；　but　a　steady；　merciless　eye。　　〃I　can　guess；　without　your
telling　me；　what　lies　may　be　circulated　about　me　by　the　man　and
woman　who　know　that　I　have　only　to　declare　myself　alive　to　convict
them　of　infamyperhaps　even　of　criminality　before　the　law。　　You
are　not　MY　friend；　or　you　would　not　have　believed　them；　if　you　are
THEIRS；　you　have　two　courses　open　to　you　now。　　Keep　this　meeting　to
yourself　and　trust　to　my　mercy　to　keep　it　a　secret　also；　or；　tell
Mrs。　Demorest　that　you　have　seen　Mr。　Johnson；　who　is　not　afraid
to　come　forward　at　any　moment　and　proclaim　that　he　is　Edward
Blandford；　her　only　lawful　husband。　　Choose　which　course　you　like
it　is　nothing　more　to　me。〃

〃Wa'al；　I　reckon　that；　as　far　as　I　know　Mrs。　Demorest；〃　said
Ezekiel；　dryly；　〃it　don't　make　the　least　difference　to　her　either；
but　if　you　want　to　know　my　opinion　o'　this　matter；　it　is　that
neither　you　nor　Demorest　exactly　understand　that　woman。　　I've　known
Joan　Salisbury　since　she　was　so　high；　but　if　ye　expected　me　to　tell
you　wot　she　was　goin'　to　do　next；　I'd　be　able　to　tell　ye　where　the
next　flash　o'　lightnin'　would　strike。　　It's　wot　you　don't　expect　of
Joan　Salisbury　that　she　does。　　And　the　best　proof　of　it　is　that　she
filed　papers　for　a　divorce　agin　you　in　Chicago　and　got　it　by
default　a　few　weeks　afore　she　married　Demorestand　you　don't　know
it。〃

Blandford　recoiled。　　〃Impossible；〃　he　said；　but　his　voice　too
plainly　showed　how　clearly　its　possibility　struck　him　now。

〃It's　so；　but　it　was　kept　secret　by　Deacon　Salisbury。　　I　overheerd
it。　　Wa'al；　that's　a　proof　that　you　don't　understand　Joan；　I
reckon。　　And　considerin'　that　Demorest　HIMSELF　don't　know　it；　ez　I
found　out　only　the　other　day　in　talking　to　him；　I　kalkilate　I'm
safe　in　sayin'　that　you're　neither　o'　you　quite　up　to　Deacon
Salisbury's　darter　in　nat'ral　cuteness。　　I　don't　like　to　obtrude　my
opinion；　Squire　Blandford；　ez　we're　old　friends；　but　I　do　say；　that
wot　with　Demorest's　prematooriness　and　yer　own　hangfiredness；　it's
a　good　thing　that　you　two　worldly　men　hev　got　Joan　Salisbury　to
stand　up　for　North　Liberty　and　keep　it　from　bein'　scandalized　by
the　ungodly。　　Ef　it　hadn't　been　for　her　smartness；　whar　y'd　both　be
landed　now？　　There's　a　heap　in　Christian　bringin'　up；　and　a　power
in　grace；　Squire　Blandford。〃

His　hard；　dry　face　was　for　an　instant　transfigured　by　a　grim　fealty
and　the　dull　glow　of　some　sectarian　clannishness。　　Or　was　it
possible　that　this　woman's　personality　had　in　some　mysterious　way
disturbed　his　rooted　selfishness？

During　his　speech　Blandford　had　walked　to　the　window。　　When　Corwin
had　ceased　speaking；　Blandford　turned　towards　him　with　an　equally
changed　face　and　cold　imperturbability　that　astonished　him；　and
held　out　his　hand。　　〃Let　bygones　be　bygones；　Corwinwhether　we
ever　meet　again　or　not。　　Yet　if　I　can　do　anything　for　you　for　the
sake　of　old　times；　I　am　ready　to　do　it。　　I　have　some　power　here　and
in　San　Francisco；〃　he　continued；　with　a　slight　touch　of　pride；
〃that　isn't　dependent　upon　the　mere　name　I　may　travel　under。　　I
have　a　purpose　in　coming　here。〃

〃I　know　it；〃　said　Ezekiel；　dryly。　　〃I　heard　it　all　from　your　two
friends。　　You're　huntin'　some　man　that　did　you　an　injury。〃

〃I'm　hunting　down　a　dog　who；　suspecting　I　had　some　secret　in
emigrating　here；　tried　to　blackmail　and　ruin　me；〃　said　Blandford；
with　a　sudden　expression　of　hatred　that　seemed　inconsistent　with
anything　that　Ezekiel　had　ever　known　of　his　old　master's　character
〃a　scoundrel　who　tried　to　break　up　my　new　life　as　another　had
broken　up　the　old。〃　　He　stopped　and　recovered　himself　with　a　short
laugh。　　〃Well；　Ezekiel；　I　don't　know　as　his　opinion　of　me　was　any
worse　than　yours　or　HERS。　　And　until　I　catch　HIM　to　clear　my　name
again；　I　let　the　other　slanderers　go。〃

〃Wa'al；　I　reckon　you　might　lay　hands　on　that　devil　yet；　and　not　far
away；　either。　　I　was　up　at　Demorest's　to…day；　and　I　heard　Joan　and
a　skittish　sort　o'　Mexican　young　lady　talkin'　about　some　tramp　that
had　frightened　her。　　And　Miss　Pico　said〃

〃What！　　Who　did　you　say？〃　demanded　Blandford；　with　a　violent　start。

〃Wa'al；　I　reckoned　I　heerd　the　first　name　tooRosita。〃

A　quick　flush　crossed　Blandford's　face；　and　left　it　glowing　like　a
boy's。

〃Is　SHE　there？〃

〃Wa'al；　I　reckon　she's　visitin'　Joan；〃　said　Ezekiel；　narrowly
attentive　of　Blandford's　strange　excitement；　〃but　wot　of　it？〃

But　Blandford　had　utterly　forgotten　Ezekiel's　presence。　　He　had
remained　speechless　and　flushed。　　And　then；　as　if　suddenly　dazzled
by　an　inspiration；　he　abruptly　dashed　from　the　room。　　Ezekiel　heard
him　call　to　his　passive　host　with　a　Spanish　oath；　but　before　he
could　follow；　they　had　both　hurriedly　left　the　house。

Ezekiel　glanced　around　him　and　contemplatively　ran　his　fingers
through　his　beard。　　〃It　ain't　Joan　Salisbury　nor　Dick　Demorest　ez
giv'　him　that　start！　　Humph！　　Wa'alI　wanter　know！〃


CHAPTER　IV


Mrs。　Demorest　was　so　fascinated　by　the　company　of　Dona　Rosita　Pico
and　her　romantic　memories；　that　she　prevailed　upon　that　heart…
broken　but　scarcely　attenuated　young　lady　to　prolong　her　visit
beyond　the　fortnight　she　had　allotted　to　communion　with　the　past。
For　a　day　or　two　following　her　singular　experience　in　the　garden；
Mrs。　Demorest　plied　her　with　questions　regarding　the　apparition　she
had　seen；　and　finally　extorted　from　her　the　admission　that　she
could　not　positively　swear　to　its　being　the　real　Johnson；　or　even
a　perfectly　consistent　shade　of　that　faithless　man。　　When　Joan
pointed　out　to　her　that　such　masculine　perfections　as　curling　raven
locks；　long　silken　mustachios；　and　dark　eyes；　were　attributes　by　no
means　exclusive　to　her　lover；　but　were　occasionally　seen　among
other　less　favored　and　even　equally　dangerous　Americans；　Dona
Rosita　assented　with　less　objection　than　Joan　anticipated。
〃Besides；　dear；〃　said　Joan；　eying　her　with　feline　watchfulness；　〃it
is　four　years　since　you've　seen　him；　and　surely　the　man　has　either
shaved　since；　or　else　he　took　a　ridiculous　vow　never　to　do　it；