the argonauts of north liberty-第4章
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closed behind him； Mrs。 Blandford went to the mantel…shelf； where a
grimly allegorical clock cut down the hours and minutes of men with
a scythe； and consulted it with a slight knitting of her pretty
eyebrows。 Then she fell into a vague abstraction； standing before
the open book on the centre…table。 Then she closed it with a snap；
and methodically putting it exactly in the middle of the top of a
black cabinet in the corner； lifted the shaded lamp in her hand and
passed slowly with it up the stairs to her bedroom； where her light
steps were heard moving to and fro。 In a few moments she reappeared；
stopping for a moment in the hall with the lighted lamp as if to
watch and listen for her husband's return。 Seen in that favorable
light； her cheeks had caught a delicate color； and her dark eyes
shone softly。 Putting the lamp down in exactly the same place as
before； she returned to the cabinet for the book； brought it again
to the table； opened it at the page where she had placed her
perforated cardboard book…marker； sat down beside it； and with her
hands in her lap and her eyes on the page began abstractedly to tear
a small piece of paper into tiny fragments。 When she had reduced it
to the smallest shreds； she scraped the pieces out of her silk lap
and again collected them in the pink hollow of her little hand；
kneeling down on the scrupulously well…swept carpet to peck up with
a bird…like action of her thumb and forefinger an escaped atom here
and there。 These and the contents of her hand she poured into the
chilly cavity of a sepulchral…looking alabaster vase that stood on
the etagere。 Returning to her old seat； and making a nest for her
clasped fingers in the lap of her dress； she remained in that
attitude； her shoulders a little narrowed and bent forward； until
her husband returned。
〃I've lit the fire in the bedroom for you to change your clothes
by；〃 she said； as he entered； then evading the caress which this
wifely attention provoked； by bending still more primly over her
book； she added； 〃Go at once。 You're making everything quite damp
here。〃
He returned in a few moments in his slippers and jacket； but
evidently found the same difficulty in securing a conjugal and
confidential contiguity to his wife。 There was no apparent social
centre or nucleus of comfort in the apartment； its fireplace；
sealed by an iron ornament like a monumental tablet over dead
ashes； had its functions superseded by an air…tight drum in the
corner； warmed at second…hand from the dining…room below； and
offered no attractive seclusion； the sofa against the wall was
immovable and formally repellent。 He was obliged to draw a chair
beside the table； whose every curve seemed to facilitate his wife's
easy withdrawal from side…by…side familiarity。
〃Demorest has been urging me very strongly to go to California；
but； of course； I spoke of you；〃 he said； stealing his hand into
his wife's lap； and possessing himself of her fingers。
Mrs。 Blandford slowly lifted her fingers enclosed in his clasping
hand and placed them in shameless publicity on the volume before
her。 This implied desecration was too much for Blandford； he
withdrew his hand。
〃Does that man propose to go with you？〃 asked Mrs。 Blandford；
coldly。
〃No； he's preoccupied with other matters that he wanted me to talk
to you about；〃 said her husband； hesitatingly。 〃He is〃
〃Because〃continued Mrs。 Blandford in the same measured tone； 〃if
he does not add his own evil company to his advice； it is the best
he has ever given yet。 I think he might have taken another day
than the Lord's to talk about it； but we must not despise the means
nor the hour whence the truth comes。 Father wanted me to take some
reasonable moment to prepare you to consider it seriously； and I
thought of talking to you about it to…morrow。 He thinks it would
be a very judicious plan。 Even Deacon Truesdail〃
〃Having sold his invoice of damaged sugar kettles for mining
purposes； is converted；〃 said Blandford； goaded into momentary
testiness by his wife's unexpected acquiescence and a sudden
recollection of Demorest's prophecy。 〃You have changed your
opinion； Joan； since last fall； when you couldn't bear to think of
my leaving you；〃 he added reproachfully。
〃I couldn't bear to think of your joining the mob of lawless and
sinful men who use that as an excuse for leaving their wives and
families。 As for my own feelings； Edward； I have never allowed
them to stand between me and what I believed best for our home and
your Christian welfare。 Though I have no cause to admire the
influence that I find this man； Demorest； still holds over you； I
am willing to acquiesce； as you see； in what he advises for your
good。 You can hardly reproach ME； Edward； for worldly or selfish
motives。
Blandford felt keenly the bitter truth of his wife's speech。 For
the moment he would gladly have exchanged it for a more illogical
and selfish affection； but he reflected that he had married this
religious girl for the security of an affection which he felt was
not subject to the temptations of the worldor even its own
weaknessas was too often the case with the giddy maidens whom he
had known through Demorest's companionship。 It was； therefore；
more with a sense of recalling this distinctive quality of his wife
than any loyalty to Demorest that he suddenly resolved to confide
to her the latter's fatuous folly。
〃I know it； dear；〃 he said； apologetically； 〃and we'll talk it over
to…morrow； and it may be possible to arrange it so that you shall
go with me。 But； speaking of Demorest； I think you don't quite do
HIM justice。 He really respects YOUR feelings and your knowledge
of right and wrong more than you imagine。 I actually believe he
came here to…night merely to get me to interest you in an
extraordinary love affair of his。 I mean； Joan；〃 he added hastily；
seeing the same look of dull repression come over her face； 〃I
mean； Joanthat is； you know； from all I can judgeit is
something really serious this time。 He intends to reform。 And
this is because he has become violently smitten with a young woman
whom he has only seen half a dozen times； at long intervals； whom
he first met in a railway train； and whose name and residence he
don't even know。〃
There was an ominous silenceso hushed that the ticking of the
allegorical clock came like a grim monitor。 〃Then；〃 said Mrs。
Blandford； in a hard； dry voice that her alarmed husband scarcely
recognized； 〃he proposed to insult your wife by taking her into his
shameful confidence。〃
〃Good heavens！ Joan； noyou don't understand。 At the worst； this
is some virtuous but silly school…girl； who； though she may be
intending only an innocent flirtation with him； has made this man
actually and deeply in love with her。 Yes； it is a fact； Joan。 I
know Dick Demorest； and if ever there was a man honestly in love；
it is he。〃
〃Then you mean to say that this manan utter stranger to mea man
whom I've never laid my eyes onwhom I wouldn't know if I met in
the streetexpects me to advise himtoto〃 She stopped。
Blandford could scarcely believe his senses。 There were tears in
her eyesthis woman who never cried； her voice trembledshe who
had always controlled her emotions。
He took advantage of this odd but opportune melting。 He placed his
arm around her shoulders。 She tried to escape it； but with a coy；
shy movement； half hysterical； half girlish； unlike her usual
stony； moral precision。 〃Yes； Joan；〃 he repeated； laughingly； 〃but
whose fault is it？ Not HIS； remember！ And I firmly believe he
thinks you can do him good。〃
〃But he has never seen me；〃 she continued； with a nervous little
laugh； 〃and probably considers me some old Gorgonlikelike
Sister Jemima Skerret。〃
Blandford smiled with the complacency of far…reaching masculine
intuition。 Ah！ that shrewd fellow； Demorest； was right。 Joan；
dear Joan； was only a woman after all。
〃Then he'll be the more agreeably astonished；〃 he returned； gayly；
〃and I think YOU will； too； Joan。 For Dick isn't a bad…looking
fellow； most women like him。 It's true；〃 he continued； much amused
at the novelty of the perfectly natural toss and
