the game-第2章

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drew　him　away　from　her；　robbed　her　of　part　of　him。　　It　was　a　rival

she　did　not　understand。　　Nor　could　she　understand　its　seductions。

Had　it　been　a　woman　rival；　another　girl；　knowledge　and　light　and

sight　would　have　been　hers。　　As　it　was；　she　grappled　in　the　dark

with　an　intangible　adversary　about　which　she　knew　nothing。　　What

truth　she　felt　in　his　speech　made　the　Game　but　the　more　formidable。



A　sudden　conception　of　her　weakness　came　to　her。　　She　felt　pity　for

herself；　and　sorrow。　　She　wanted　him；　all　of　him；　her　woman's　need

would　not　be　satisfied　with　less；　and　he　eluded　her；　slipped　away

here　and　there　from　the　embrace　with　which　she　tried　to　clasp　him。

Tears　swam　into　her　eyes；　and　her　lips　trembled；　turning　defeat　into

victory；　routing　the　all…potent　Game　with　the　strength　of　her

weakness。



〃Don't；　Genevieve；　don't；〃　the　boy　pleaded；　all　contrition；　though

he　was　confused　and　dazed。　　To　his　masculine　mind　there　was　nothing

relevant　about　her　break…down；　yet　all　else　was　forgotten　at　sight

of　her　tears。



She　smiled　forgiveness　through　her　wet　eyes；　and　though　he　knew　of

nothing　for　which　to　be　forgiven；　he　melted　utterly。　　His　hand　went

out　impulsively　to　hers；　but　she　avoided　the　clasp　by　a　sort　of

bodily　stiffening　and　chill；　the　while　the　eyes　smiled　still　more

gloriously。



〃Here　comes　Mr。　Clausen；〃　she　said；　at　the　same　time；　by　some

transforming　alchemy　of　woman；　presenting　to　the　newcomer　eyes　that

showed　no　hint　of　moistness。



〃Think　I　was　never　coming　back；　Joe？〃　queried　the　head　of　the

department；　a　pink…and…white…faced　man；　whose　austere　side…whiskers

were　belied　by　genial　little　eyes。



〃Now　let　me　seehum；　yes；　we　was　discussing　ingrains；〃　he　continued

briskly。　　〃That　tasty　little　pattern　there　catches　your　eye；　don't

it　now；　eh？　　Yes；　yes；　I　know　all　about　it。　　I　set　up　housekeeping

when　I　was　getting　fourteen　a　week。　　But　nothing's　too　good　for　the

little　nest；　eh？　　Of　course　I　know；　and　it's　only　seven　cents　more；

and　the　dearest　is　the　cheapest；　I　say。　　Tell　you　what　I'll　do；

Joe；〃this　with　a　burst　of　philanthropic　impulsiveness　and　a

confidential　lowering　of　voice；〃seein's　it's　you；　and　I　wouldn't

do　it　for　anybody　else；　I'll　reduce　it　to　five　cents。　　Only；〃here

his　voice　became　impressively　solemn；〃only　you　mustn't　ever　tell

how　much　you　really　did　pay。〃



〃Sewed；　lined；　and　laidof　course　that's　included；〃　he　said；　after

Joe　and　Genevieve　had　conferred　together　and　announced　their

decision。



〃And　the　little　nest；　eh？〃　he　queried。　　〃When　do　you　spread　your

wings　and　fly　away？　　To…morrow！　　So　soon？　　Beautiful！　　Beautiful！〃



He　rolled　his　eyes　ecstatically　for　a　moment；　then　beamed　upon　them

with　a　fatherly　air。



Joe　had　replied　sturdily　enough；　and　Genevieve　had　blushed　prettily；

but　both　felt　that　it　was　not　exactly　proper。　　Not　alone　because　of

the　privacy　and　holiness　of　the　subject；　but　because　of　what　might

have　been　prudery　in　the　middle　class；　but　which　in　them　was　the

modesty　and　reticence　found　in　individuals　of　the　working　class　when

they　strive　after　clean　living　and　morality。



Mr。　Clausen　accompanied　them　to　the　elevator；　all　smiles；　patronage；

and　beneficence；　while　the　clerks　turned　their　heads　to　follow　Joe's

retreating　figure。



〃And　to…night；　Joe？〃　Mr。　Clausen　asked　anxiously；　as　they　waited　at

the　shaft。　　〃How　do　you　feel？　　Think　you'll　do　him？〃



〃Sure；〃　Joe　answered。　　〃Never　felt　better　in　my　life。〃



〃You　feel　all　right；　eh？　　Good！　　Good！　　You　see；　I　was　just　a…

wonderin'you　know；　ha！　ha！goin'　to　get　married　and　the　rest

thought　you　might　be　unstrung；　eh；　a　trifle？nerves　just　a　bit　off；

you　know。　　Know　how　gettin'　married　is　myself。　　But　you're　all

right；　eh？　　Of　course　you　are。　　No　use　asking　YOU　that。　　Ha！　ha！

Well；　good　luck；　my　boy！　　I　know　you'll　win。　　Never　had　the　least

doubt；　of　course；　of　course。〃



〃And　good…by；　Miss　Pritchard；〃　he　said　to　Genevieve；　gallantly

handing　her　into　the　elevator。　　〃Hope　you　call　often。　　Will　be

charmedcharmedI　assure　you。〃



〃Everybody　calls　you　'Joe'；〃　she　said　reproachfully；　as　the　car

dropped　downward。　　〃Why　don't　they　call　you　'Mr。　Fleming'？　　That's

no　more　than　proper。〃



But　he　was　staring　moodily　at　the　elevator　boy　and　did　not　seem　to

hear。



〃What's　the　matter；　Joe？〃　she　asked；　with　a　tenderness　the　power　of

which　to　thrill　him　she　knew　full　well。



〃Oh；　nothing；〃　he　said。　　〃I　was　only　thinkingand　wishing。〃



〃Wishing？what？〃　　Her　voice　was　seduction　itself；　and　her　eyes

would　have　melted　stronger　than　he；　though　they　failed　in　calling

his　up　to　them。



Then；　deliberately；　his　eyes　lifted　to　hers。　　〃I　was　wishing　you

could　see　me　fight　just　once。〃



She　made　a　gesture　of　disgust；　and　his　face　fell。　　It　came　to　her

sharply　that　the　rival　had　thrust　between　and　was　bearing　him　away。



〃II'd　like　to；〃　she　said　hastily　with　an　effort；　striving　after

that　sympathy　which　weakens　the　strongest　men　and　draws　their　heads

to　women's　breasts。



〃Will　you？〃



Again　his　eyes　lifted　and　looked　into　hers。　　He　meant　itshe　knew

that。　　It　seemed　a　challenge　to　the　greatness　of　her　love。



〃It　would　be　the　proudest　moment　of　my　life；〃　he　said　simply。



It　may　have　been　the　apprehensiveness　of　love；　the　wish　to　meet　his

need　for　her　sympathy；　and　the　desire　to　see　the　Game　face　to　face

for　wisdom's　sake；and　it　may　have　been　the　clarion　call　of

adventure　ringing　through　the　narrow　confines　of　uneventful

existence；　for　a　great　daring　thrilled　through　her；　and　she　said；

just　as　simply；　〃I　will。〃



〃I　didn't　think　you　would；　or　I　wouldn't　have　asked；〃　he　confessed；

as　they　walked　out　to　the　sidewalk。



〃But　can't　it　be　done？〃　she　asked　anxiously；　before　her　resolution

could　cool。



〃Oh；　I　can　fix　that；　but　I　didn't　think　you　would。〃



〃I　didn't　think　you　would；〃　he　repeated；　still　amazed；　as　he　helped

her　upon　the　electric　car　and　felt　in　his　pocket　for　the　fare。







CHAPTER　II







Genevieve　and　Joe　were　working…class　aristocrats。　　In　an　environment

made　up　largely　of　sordidness　and　wretchedness　they　had　kept

themselves　unsullied　and　wholesome。　　Theirs　was　a　self…respect；　a

regard　for　the　niceties　and　clean　things　of　life；　which　had　held

them　aloof　from　their　kind。　　Friends　did　not　come　to　them　easily；

nor　had　either　ever　possessed　a　really　intimate　friend；　a　heart…

companion　with　whom　to　chum　and　have　things　in　common。　　The　social

instinct　was　strong　in　them；　yet　they　had　remained　lonely　because

they　could　not　satisfy　that　instinct　and　at　that　same　time　satisfy

their　desire　for　cleanness　and　decency。



If　ever　a　girl　of　the　working　class　had　led　the　sheltered　life；　it

was　Genevieve。　　In　the　midst　of　roughness　and　brutality；　she　had

shunned　all　that　was　rough　and　brutal。　　She　saw　but　what　she　chose

to　see；　and　she　chose　always　to　see　the　best；　avoiding　coarseness

and　uncouthness　without　effort；　as　a　matter　of　instinct。　　To　begin

with；　she　had　been　peculiarly　unexposed。　　An　only　child；　with　an

invalid　mother　upon　whom　she　attended；　she　had　not　joined　in　the

street　games　and　frolics　of　the　children　of　the　neighbourhood。　　Her

father；　a　mild…tempered；　narrow…chested；　anaemic　little　clerk；

domestic　because　of　his　inherent　disability　to　mix　with　men；　had

done　his　full　share　toward　giving　the　home　an　atmosphere　of

sweetness　and　tenderness。



An　orphan　at　twelve；　Genevieve　had　gone　straight　from　her　father's

funeral　to　live　with　the　Silversteins　in　their　rooms　above　the　candy

store；　and　here；　sheltered　by　kindly　aliens；　she　earned　her　keep　and

clothes　by　waiting　on　the　shop。　　Being　Gentile；　she　was　especially

necessary　to　the　Silversteins；　who　would　not　run　the　business

themselves　when　the　day　of　their　Sabbath　came　round。



And　here；　in　the　uneventful　little　shop；　six　maturing　years　had

slipped　by。　　Her　acquaintances　were　few。　　She　had　elected　to　have　no

girl　chum　for　the　reason　that　no　satisfa