the argonauts of north liberty-第3章

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are。　　You　don't　understand　women；　Ned。　　That's　what's　the　matter
with　you。〃

It　required　all　of　Blandford's　fond　memories　of　his　wife's
conservative　habits；　Puritan　practicality；　religious　domesticity；
and　strong　family　attachments；　to　withstand　Demorest's　dogmatic
convictions。　　He　smiled；　however；　with　a　certain　complacency；　as
he　also　recalled　the　previous　autumn　when　the　first　news　of　the
California　gold　discovery　had　penetrated　North　Liberty；　and　he　had
expressed　to　her　his　belief　that　it　would　offer　an　outlet　to
Demorest's　adventurous　energy。　　She　had　received　it　with　ill…
disguised　satisfaction；　and　the　remark　that　if　this　exodus　of
Mammon　cleared　the　community　of　the　godless　and　unregenerate　it
would　only　be　another　proof　of　God's　mysterious　providence。

With　the　tumultuous　wind　at　their　backs　it　was　not　long　before　the
buggy　rattled　once　more　over　the　cobble…stones　of　the　town。　　Under
the　direction　of　his　friend；　Demorest；　who　still　retained　possession
of　the　reins；　drove　briskly　down　a　side　street　of　more　pretentious
dwellings；　where　Blandford　lived。　　One　or　two　wayfarers　looked　up。

〃Not　so　fast；　Dick。〃

〃Why？　　I　want　to　bring　you　up　to　your　door　in　style。〃

〃Yesbutit's　Sunday。　　That's　my　house；　the　corner　one。〃

They　had　stopped　before　a　square；　two…storied　brick　house；　with　an
equally　square　wooden　porch　supported　by　two　plain；　rigid　wooden
columns；　and　a　hollow　sweep　of　dull　concavity　above　the　door；
evidently　of　the　same　architectural　order　as　the　church。　　There　was
no　corner　or　projection　to　break　the　force　of　the　wind　that　swept
its　smooth　glacial　surface；　there　was　no　indication　of　light　or
warmth　behind　its　six　closed　windows。

〃There　seems　to　be　nobody　at　home；〃　said　Demorest；　briefly。　　〃Come
along　with　me　to　the　hotel。〃

〃Joan　sits　in　the　back　parlor；　Sundays；〃　explained　the　husband。

〃Shall　I　drive　round　to　the　barn　and　leave　the　horse　and　buggy
there　while　you　go　in？〃　continued　Demorest；　good…humoredly；
pointing　to　the　stable　gate　at　the　side。

〃No；　thank　you；〃　returned　Blandford；　〃it's　locked；　and　I'll　have　to
open　it　from　the　other　side　after　I　go　in。　　The　horse　will　stand
until　then。　　I　think　I'll　have　to　say　good…night；　now；〃　he　added；
with　a　sudden　half…ashamed　consciousness　of　the　forbidding　aspect
of　the　house；　and　his　own　inhospitality。　　〃I'm　sorry　I　can't　ask
you　inbut　you　understand　why。〃

〃All　right；〃　returned　Demorest；　stoutly；　turning　up　his　coat…
collar；　and　unfurling　his　umbrella。　　〃The　hotel　is　only　four　blocks
awayyou'll　find　me　there　to…morrow　morning　if　you　call。　　But　mind
you　tell　your　wife　just　what　I　told　youand　no　meandering　of　your
ownyou　hear！　　She'll　strike　out　some　idea　with　her　woman's　wits；
you　bet。　　Good…night；　old　man！　　He　reached　out　his　hand；　pressed
Blandford's　strongly　and　potentially；　and　strode　down　the　street。

Blandford　hitched　his　steaming　horse　to　a　sleet…covered　horse　block
with　a　quick　sigh　of　impatient　sympathy　over　the　animal　and
himself；　and　after　fumbling　in　his　pocket　for　a　latchkey；　opened
the　front　door。　　A　vista　of　well…ordered　obscurity　with　shadowy
trestle…like　objects　against　the　walls；　and　an　odor　of　chill
decorum；　as　if　of　a　damp　but　respectable　funeral；　greeted　him　on
entering。　　A　faint　light；　like　a　cold　dawn；　broke　through　the　glass
pane　of　a　door　leading　to　the　kitchen。　　Blandford　paused　in　the
mid…darkness　and　hesitated。　　Should　he　first　go　to　his　wife　in　the
back　parlor；　or　pass　silently　through　the　kitchen；　open　the　back
gate；　and　mercifully　bestow　his　sweating　beast　in　the　stable？　　With
the　reflection　that　an　immediate　conjugal　greeting；　while　his　horse
was　still　exposed　to　the　fury　of　the　blast　in　the　street；　would
necessarily　be　curtailed　and　limited；　he　compromised　by　quickly
passing　through　the　kitchen　into　the　stable　yard；　opening　the　gate；
and　driving　horse　and　vehicle　under　the　shed　to　await　later　and
more　thorough　ministration。　　As　he　entered　the　back　door；　a　faint
hope　that　his　wife　might　have　heard　him　and　would　be　waiting　for
him　in　the　hall　for　an　instant　thrilled　him；　but　he　remembered　it
was　Sunday；　and　that　she　was　probably　engaged　in　some　devotional
reading　or　exercise。　　He　hesitatingly　opened　the　back…parlor　door
with　a　consciousness　of　committing　some　unreasonable　trespass；　and
entered。

She　was　there；　sitting　quietly　before　a　large；　round；　shining
centre…table；　whose　sterile　emptiness　was　relieved　only　by　a　shaded
lamp　and　a　large　black　and　gilt　open　volume。　　A　single　picture　on
the　opposite　wallthe　portrait　of　an　elderly　gentleman　stiffened
over　a　corresponding　volume；　which　he　held　in　invincible　mortmain
in　his　rigid　hand；　and　apparently　defied　posterity　to　take　from
himseemed　to　offer　a　not　uncongenial　companionship。　　Yet　the
greenish　light　of　the　shade　fell　upon　a　young　and　pretty　face；
despite　the　color　it　extracted　from　it；　and　the　hand　that　supported
her　low　white　forehead　over　which　her　full　hair　was　simply　parted；
like　a　brown　curtain；　was　slim　and　gentle…womanly。　　In　spite　of　her
plain　lustreless　silk　dress；　in　spite　of　the　formal　frame　of　sombre
heavy　horsehair　and　mahogany　furniture　that　seemed　to　set　her　off；
she　diffused　an　atmosphere　of　cleanly　grace　and　prim　refinement
through　the　apartment。　　The　priestess　of　this　ascetic　temple；　the
femininity　of　her　closely　covered　arms；　her　pink　ears；　and　a　little
serviceable　morocco　house…shoe　that　was　visible　lower　down；　resting
on　the　carved　lion's　paw　that　upheld　the　centre…table；　appeared　to
be　only　the　more　accented。　　And　the　precisely　rounded　but　softly
heaving　bosom；　that　was　pressed　upon　the　edges　of　the　open　book　of
sermons　before　her；　seemed　to　assert　itself　triumphantly　over　the
rigors　of　the　volume。

At　least　so　her　husband　and　lover　thought；　as　he　moved　tenderly
towards　her。　　She　met　his　first　kiss　on　her　forehead；　the　second；
a　supererogatory　one；　based　on　some　supposed　inefficiency　in　the
first；　fell　upon　a　shining　band　of　her　hair；　beside　her　neck。　　She
reached　up　her　slim　hands；　caught　his　wrists　firmly；　and；　slightly
putting　him　aside；　said：

〃There；　Edward？〃

〃I　drove　out　from　Warensboro；　so　as　to　get　here　to…night；　as　I　have
to　return　to　the　city　on　Tuesday。　　I　thought　it　would　give　me　a
little　more　time　with　you；　Joan；〃　he　said；　looking　around　him；　and；
at　last；　hesitatingly　drawing　an　apparently　reluctant　chair　from
its　formal　position　at　the　window。　　The　remembrance　that　he　had
ever　dared　to　occupy　the　same　chair　with　her；　now　seemed　hardly
possible　of　credence。

〃If　it　was　a　question　of　your　travelling　on　the　Lord's　Day；　Edward；
I　would　rather　you　should　have　waited　until　to…morrow；〃　she　said；
with　slow　precision。

〃ButII　thought　I'd　get　here　in　time　for　the　meeting；〃　he　said；
weakly。

〃And　instead；　you　have　driven　through　the　town；　I　suppose；　where
everybody　will　see　you　and　talk　about　it。　　But；〃　she　added；　raising
her　dark　eyes　suddenly　to　his；　〃where　else　have　you　been？　　The
train　gets　into　Warensboro　at　six；　and　it's　only　half　an　hour's
drive　from　there。　　What　have　you　been　doing；　Edward？〃

It　was　scarcely　a　felicitous　moment　for　the　introduction　of
Demorest's　name；　and　he　would　have　avoided　it。　　But　he　reflected
that　he　had　been　seen；　and　he　was　naturally　truthful。　　〃I　met　Dick
Demorest　near　the　church；　and　as　he　had　something　to　tell　me；　we
drove　down　the　turnpike　a　little　wayso　as　to　be　out　of　the　town；
you　know；　Joanandand〃

He　stopped。　　Her　face　had　taken　upon　itself　that　appalling　and
exasperating　calmness　of　very　good　people　who　never　get　angry；　but
drive　others　to　frenzy　by　the　simple　occlusion　of　an　adamantine
veil　between　their　own　feelings　and　their　opponents'。　　〃I'll　tell
you　all　about　it　after　I've　put　up　the　horse；〃　he　said　hurriedly；
glad　to　escape　until　the　veil　was　lifted　again。　　〃I　suppose　the
hired　man　is　out。〃

〃I　should　hope　he　was　in　church；　Edward；　but　I　trust　YOU　won't
delay　taking　care　of　that　poor　dumb　brute　who　has　been　obliged　to
minister　to　your　and　Mr。　Demorest's　Sabbath　pleasures。〃

Blandford　did　not　wait　for　a　further　suggestion。　　When　the　door　had
closed　behind　him；　Mrs。　Blandford　went　to　the　mantel…shelf；　where　a
grimly　allegorical　clock　cut　down　the　hours　and　min