the titan-第113章

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d　addressed　her　motherthe　horror；　the　shame　of　it。　　Could　even　a　drunken　man；　if　utterly　mistaken；　be　so　defiant；　so　persistent；　so　willing　to　explain？　What　shameful　things　had　she　been　hearing？

〃Come；　mother；〃　she　said；　gently；　and　with　dignity；　〃never　mind；　it　is　all　right。　　We　can　go　home　at　once。　　You　will　feel　better　when　you　are　out　of　here。〃

She　called　a　waiter　and　asked　him　to　say　to　the　gentlemen　that　they　had　gone　to　the　women's　dressing…room。　　She　pushed　an　intervening　chair　out　of　the　way　and　gave　her　mother　her　arm。

〃To　think　I　should　be　so　insulted；〃　Mrs。　Carter　mumbled　on；　〃here　in　a　great　hotel；　in　the　presence　of　Lieutenant　Braxmar　and　Mr。　Cowperwood！　This　is　too　dreadful。　　Well；　I　never。〃

She　half　whimpered　as　she　walked；　and　Berenice；　surveying　the　room　with　dignity；　a　lofty　superiority　in　her　face；　led　solemnly　forth；　a　strange；　lacerating　pain　about　her　heart。　　What　was　at　the　bottom　of　these　shameful　statements？　Why　should　this　drunken　roisterer　have　selected　her　mother；　of　all　other　women　in　the　dining…room；　for　the　object　of　these　outrageous　remarks？　Why　should　her　mother　be　stricken；　so　utterly　collapsed；　if　there　were　not　some　truth　in　what　he　had　said？　It　was　very　strange；　very　sad；　very　grim；　very　horrible。　　What　would　that　gossiping；　scandal…loving　world　of　which　she　knew　so　much　say　to　a　scene　like　this？　For　the　first　time　in　her　life　the　import　and　horror　of　social　ostracism　flashed　upon　her。

The　following　morning；　owing　to　a　visit　paid　to　the　Jefferson　Market　Police　Court　by　Lieutenant　Braxmar；　where　he　proposed；　if　satisfaction　were　not　immediately　guaranteed；　to　empty　cold　lead　into　Mr。　Beales　Chadsey's　stomach；　the　following　letter　on　Buckingham　stationery　was　written　and　sent　to　Mrs。　Ira　George　Carter36　Central　Park　South：

DEAR　MADAM：

Last　evening；　owing　to　a　drunken　debauch；　for　which　I　have　no　satisfactory　or　suitable　explanation　to　make；　I　was　the　unfortunate　occasion　of　an　outrage　upon　your　feelings　and　those　of　your　daughter　and　friends；　for　which　I　wish　most　humbly　to　apologize。　　I　cannot　tell　you　how　sincerely　I　regret　whatever　I　said　or　did；　which　I　cannot　now　clearly　recall。　　My　mental　attitude　when　drinking　is　both　contentious　and　malicious；　and　while　in　this　mood　and　state　I　was　the　author　of　statements　which　I　know　to　be　wholly　unfounded。　In　my　drunken　stupor　I　mistook　you　for　a　certain　notorious　woman　of　Louisvillewhy；　I　have　not　the　slightest　idea。　　For　this　wholly　shameful　and　outrageous　conduct　I　sincerely　ask　your　pardonbeg　your　forgiveness。　　I　do　not　know　what　amends　I　can　make；　but　anything　you　may　wish　to　suggest　I　shall　gladly　do。　　In　the　mean　while　I　hope　you　will　accept　this　letter　in　the　spirit　in　which　it　is　written　and　as　a　slight　attempt　at　recompense　which　I　know　can　never　fully　be　made。　　

Very　sincerely；

BEALES　CHADSEY。

At　the　same　time　Lieutenant　Braxmar　was　fully　aware　before　this　letter　was　written　or　sent　that　the　charges　implied　against　Mrs。　Carter　were　only　too　well　founded。　　Beales　Chadsey　had　said　drunk　what　twenty　men　in　all　sobriety　and　even　the　police　at　Louisville　would　corroborate。　　Chadsey　had　insisted　on　making　this　clear　to　Braxmar　before　writing　the　letter。




Chapter　LII



Behind　the　Arras

Berenice；　perusing　the　apology　from　Beales　Chadsey；　which　her　mothervery　much　fagged　and　wearyhanded　her　the　next　morning；　thought　that　it　read　like　the　overnight　gallantry　of　some　one　who　was　seeking　to　make　amends　without　changing　his　point　of　view。　　Mrs。　Carter　was　too　obviously　self…conscious。　　She　protested　too　much。　　Berenice　knew　that　she　could　find　out　for　herself　if　she　chose；　but　would　she　choose？　The　thought　sickened　her；　and　yet　who　was　she　to　judge　too　severely？

Cowperwood　came　in　bright　and　early　to　put　as　good　a　face　on　the　matter　as　he　could。　　He　explained　how　he　and　Braxmar　had　gone　to　the　police　station　to　make　a　charge；　how　Chadsey；　sobered　by　arrest；　had　abandoned　his　bravado　and　humbly　apologized。　　When　viewing　the　letter　handed　him　by　Mrs。　Carter　he　exclaimed：

〃Oh　yes。　　He　was　very　glad　to　promise　to　write　that　if　we　would　let　him　off。　　Braxmar　seemed　to　think　it　was　necessary　that　he　should。　　I　wanted　the　judge　to　impose　a　fine　and　let　it　go　at　that。　He　was　drunk；　and　that's　all　there　was　to　it。〃

He　assumed　a　very　unknowing　air　when　in　the　presence　of　Berenice　and　her　mother；　but　when　alone　with　the　latter　his　manner　changed　completely。

〃Brazen　it　out；〃　he　commanded。　　〃It　doesn't　amount　to　anything。　　Braxmar　doesn't　believe　that　this　man　really　knows　anything。　　This　letter　is　enough　to　convince　Berenice。　　Put　a　good　face　on　it；　more　depends　on　your　manner　than　on　anything　else。　　You're　much　too　upset。　　That　won't　do　at　all；　you'll　tell　the　whole　story　that　way。〃

At　the　same　time　he　privately　regarded　this　incident　as　a　fine　windfall　of　chancein　all　likelihood　the　one　thing　which　would　serve　to　scare　the　Lieutenant　away。　　Outwardly；　however；　he　demanded　effrontery；　assumption；　and　Mrs。　Carter　was　somewhat　cheered；　but　when　she　was　alone　she　cried。　　Berenice；　coming　upon　her　accidentally　and　finding　her　eyes　wet；　exclaimed：

〃Oh；　mother；　please　don't　be　foolish。　　How　can　you　act　this　way？　We　had　better　go　up　in　the　country　and　rest　a　little　while　if　you　are　so　unstrung。〃

Mrs。　Carter　protested　that　it　was　merely　nervous　reaction；　but　to　Berenice　it　seemed　that　where　there　was　so　much　smoke　there　must　be　some　fire。

Her　manner　in　the　aftermath　toward　Braxmar　was　gracious；　but　remote。　He　called　the　next　day　to　say　how　sorry　he　was；　and　to　ask　her　to　a　new　diversion。　　She　was　sweet；　but　distant。　　In　so　far　as　she　was　concerned　it　was　plain　that　the　Beales　Chadsey　incident　was　closed；　but　she　did　not　accept　his　invitation。

〃Mother　and　I　are　planning　to　go　to　the　country　for　a　few　days；〃　she　observed；　genially。　　〃I　can't　say　just　when　we　shall　return；　but　if　you　are　still　here　we　shall　meet；　no　doubt。　　You　must　be　sure　and　come　to　see　us。〃　　She　turned　to　an　east　court…window；　where　the　morning　sun　was　gleaming　on　some　flowers　in　a　window…box；　and　began　to　pinch　off　a　dead　leaf　here　and　there。

Braxmar；　full　of　the　tradition　of　American　romance；　captivated　by　her　vibrant　charm；　her　poise　and　superiority　under　the　circumstances；　her　obvious　readiness　to　dismiss　him；　was　overcome；　as　the　human　mind　frequently　is；　by　a　riddle　of　the　spirit；　a　chemical　reaction　as　mysterious　to　its　victim　as　to　one　who　is　its　witness。　　Stepping　forward　with　a　motion　that　was　at　once　gallant；　reverent；　eager；　unconscious；　he　exclaimed：

〃Berenice！　Miss　Fleming！　Please　don't　send　me　away　like　this。　　Don't　leave　me。　　It　isn't　anything　I　have　done；　is　it？　I　am　mad　about　you。　　I　can't　bear　to　think　that　anything　that　has　happened　could　make　any　difference　between　you　and　me。　　I　haven't　had　the　courage　to　tell　you　before；　but　I　want　to　tell　you　now。　　I　have　been　in　love　with　you　from　the　very　first　night　I　saw　you。　　You　are　such　a　wonderful　girl！　I　don't　feel　that　I　deserve　you；　but　I　love　you。　　I　love　you　with　all　the　honor　and　force　in　me。　　I　admire　and　respect　you。　　Whatever　may　or　may　not　be　true；　it　is　all　one　and　the　same　to　me。　　Be　my　wife；　will　you？　Marry　me；　please！　Oh；　I'm　not　fit　to　be　the　lacer　of　your　shoes；　but　I　have　position　and　I'll　make　a　name　for　myself；　I　hope。　　Oh；　Berenice！〃　He　extended　his　arms　in　a　dramatic　fashion；　not　outward；　but　downward；　stiff　and　straight；　and　declared：　〃I　don't　know　what　I　shall　do　without　you。　　Is　there　no　hope　for　me　at　all？〃

An　artist　in　all　the　graces　of　sexhistrionic；　plastic；　many…faceted　Berenice　debated　for　the　fraction　of　a　minute　what　she　should　do　and　say。　　She　did　not　love　the　Lieutenant　as　he　loved　her　by　any　means；　and　somehow　this　discovery　concerning　her　mother　shamed　her　pride；　suggesting　an　obligation　to　save　herself　in　one　form　or　another；　which　she　resented　bitterly。　　She　was　sorry　for　his　tactless　proposal　at　this　time；　although　she　knew　well　enough　the　innocence　and　virtue　of　the　emotion　from　which　it　sprung。

〃Really；　Mr。　Braxmar；〃　she　replied；　turning　on　him　with　solemn　eyes；　you　mustn't　ask　me　to　decide　that　now。　　I　know　how　you　feel。　I'm　afraid；　though；　that　I　may　have　been　a　little　misleading　in　my　manner。　　I　didn't　mean　to　be。　　I