the dwelling place of ligh-第12章

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indifferent　to　the　giggling　behind。　　Ever　since　then　Lise　had　had　a　motor　at
her　disposal；　and　on　Sundays　they　took　long　〃joy　rides〃　beyond　the　borders　of
the　state。　　But　it　must　not　be　imagined　that　Mr。　Whey　was　the　proprietor　of　the
vehicle；　nor　was　he　a　chauffeur；her　American　pride　would　not　have　permitted
her　to　keep　company　with　a　chauffeur：　he　was　the　demonstrator　for　the　Wizard；
something　of　a　wizard　himself；　as　Lise　had　to　admit　when　they　whizzed　over　the
tarvia　of　the　Riverside　Boulevard　at　fifty　or　sixty　miles　an　hour　with　the
miner　cut　outa　favourite　diversion　of　Mr。　Whey's；　who　did　not　feel　he　was
going　unless　he　was　accompanied　by　a　noise　like　that　of　a　mitrailleuse　in
action。　　Lise；　experiencing　a　ravishing　terror；　hung　on　to　her　hat　with　one
hand　and　to　Mr。　Wiley　with　the　other；　her　code　permitting　this；　permitting　him
also；　occasionally；　when　they　found　themselves　in　tenebrous　portions　of
Slattery's　Riverside　Park；　to　put　his　arm　around　her　waist　and　kiss　her。　　So
much　did　Lise's　virtue　allow；　and　no　more；　the　result　being　that　he　existed　in
a　tantalizing　state　of　hope　and　excitement　most　detrimental　to　the　nerves。

He　never　lost；　however；in　public　at　least；　or　before　Lise's　family；the　fine
careless；　jaunty　air　of　the　demonstrator；　of　the　free…lance　for　whom　seventy
miles　an　hour　has　no　terrors；　the　automobile；　apparently；　like　the　ship；　sets　a
stamp　upon　its　votaries。　　No　Elizabethan　buccaneer　swooping　down　on　defenceless
coasts　ever　exceeded　in　audacity　Mr。　Wiley's　invasion　of　quiet　Fillmore　Street。
He　would　draw　up　with　an　ear…splitting　screaming　of　brakes　in　front　of　the
clay…yellow　house；　and　sometimes　the　muffler；　as　though　unable　to　repress　its
approval　of　the　performance；　would　let　out　a　belated　pop　that　never　failed　to
jar　the　innermost　being　of　Auermann；　who　had　been　shot　at；　or　rather　shot　past；
by　an　Italian；　and　knew　what　it　was。　　He　hated　automobiles；　he　hated　Mr。　Wiley。

〃Vat　you　do？〃　he　would　demand；　glaring。

And　Mr。　Wiley　would　laugh　insolently。

〃You　think　I　done　it；　do　you；　Dutchiehuh！〃

He　would　saunter　past；　up　the　stairs；　and　into　the　Bumpus　dining…room；　often
before　the　family　had　finished　their　evening　meal。　　Lise　alone　made　him
welcome；　albeit　demurely；　but　Mr。　Wiley；　not　having　sensibilities；　was　proof
against　Hannah's　coldness　and　Janet's　hostility。　　With　unerring　instinct　he
singled　out　Edward　as　his　victim。

〃How's　Mr。　Bumpus　this　evening？〃　he　would　genially　inquire。

Edward　invariably　assured　Mr。　Wiley　that　he　was　well；　invariably　took　a　drink
of　coffee　to　emphasize　the　fact；　as　though　the　act　of　lifting　his　cup　had　in　it
some　magic　to　ward　off　the　contempt　of　his　wife　and　elder　daughter。

〃Well；　I've　got　it　pretty　straight　that　the　Arundel's　going　to　run　nights；
starting　next　week；〃　Lise's　suitor　would　continue。

And　to　save　his　soul　Edward　could　not　refrain　from　answering；　〃You　don't　say
so！〃　　He　feigned　interest　in　the　information　that　the　Hampton　Ball　Team；　owing
to　an　unsatisfactory　season；　was　to　change　managers　next　year。　　Mr。　Wiley
possessed　the　gift　of　gathering　recondite　bits　of　news；　he　had　confidence　in
his　topics　and　in　his　manner　of　dealing　with　them；　and　Edward；　pretending　to　be
entertained；　went　so　far　in　his　politeness　as　to　ask　Mr。　Wiley　if　he　had　had
supper。

〃I　don't　care　if　I　sample　one　of　Mis'　Bumpus's　doughnuts；〃　Mr。　Wiley　would
reply　politely；　reaching　out　a　large　hand　that　gave　evidence；　in　spite　of
Sapolio；　of　an　intimacy　with　grease　cups　and　splash　pans。　　〃I　guess　there's
nobody　in　this　burg　can　make　doughnuts　to　beat　yours；　Miss　Bumpus。〃

If　she　had　only　known　which　doughnut　he　would　take；　Hannah　sometimes　thought
she　might　have　been　capable　of　putting　arsenic　in　it。　　Her　icy　silence　did　not
detract　from　the　delights　of　his　gestation。

Occasionally；　somewhat　to　Edward's　alarm；　Hannah　demanded：　〃Where　are　you
taking　Lise　this　evening？〃

Mr。　Wiley's　wisdom　led　him　to　be　vague。

Oh；　just　for　a　little　spin　up　the　boulevard。　　Maybe　we'll　pick　up　Ella　Schuler
and　one　or　two　other　young　ladies。〃

Hannah　and　Janet　knew　very　well　he　had　no　intention　of　doing　this；　and　Hannah
did　not　attempt　to　conceal　her　incredulity。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　Lise
sometimes　did　insist　on　a　〃party。〃

〃I　want　you　should　bring　her　back　by　ten　o'clock。　　That's　late　enough　for　a
girl　who　works　to　be　out。　　It's　late　enough　for　any　girl。〃

〃Sure；　Mis'　Bumpus；〃　Wiley　would　respond　easily。

Hannah　chafed　because　she　had　no　power　to　enforce　this；　because　Mr。　Wiley　and
Lise　understood　she　had　no　power。　　Lise　went　to　put　on　her　hat；　if　she　skimped
her　toilet　in　the　morning；　she　made　up　for　it　in　the　evening　when　she　came　home
from　the　store；　and　was　often　late　for　supper。　　In　the　meantime；　while　Lise　was
in　the　bedroom　adding　these　last　touches；　Edward　would　contemptibly　continue
the　conversation；　fingering　the　Evening　Banner　as　it　lay　in　his　lap；　while　Mr。
Wiley　helped　himself　boldly　to　another　doughnut；　takingas　Janet　observed
elaborate　precautions　to　spill　none　of　the　crumbs　on　a　brown　suit；　supposed　to
be　the　last　creation　in　male　attire。　　Behind　a　plate　glass　window　in　Faber
Street；　belonging　to　a　firm　of　〃custom〃　tailors　whose　stores　had　invaded　every
important　city　in　the　country；　and　who　made　clothes　for　〃college〃　men；　only　the
week　before　Mr。　Wiley　had　seen　this　same　suit　artistically　folded；　combined
with　a　coloured　shirt；　brown　socks；　and　tie　and　〃torture〃　collarlures　for　the
discriminating。　　Owing　to　certain　expenses　connected　with　Lise；　he　had　been
unable　to　acquire　the　shirt　and　the　tie；　but　he　had　bought　the　suit　in　the　hope
and　belief　that　she　would　find　him　irresistible　therein。　　It　pleased　him；　too；
to　be　taken　for　a　〃college〃　man；　and　on　beholding　in　the　mirror　his　broadened
shoulders　and　diminished　waist　he　was　quite　convinced　his　money　had　not　been
spent　in　vain；　that　strange　young　ladiesto　whom；　despite　his　infatuation　for
the　younger　Miss　Bumpus；　he　was　not　wholly　indifferentwould　mistake　him　for
an　undergraduate　of　Harvard；an　imposition　concerning　which　he　had　no
scruples。　　But　Lise；　though　shaken；　had　not　capitulated。。。。。

When　she　returned　to　the　dining…room；　arrayed　in　her　own　finery；　demure；
triumphant；　and　had　carried　off　Mr。　Whey　there　would　ensue　an　interval　of
silence　broken　only　by　the　clattering　together　of　the　dishes　Hannah　snatched
up。

〃I　guess　he's　the　kind　of　son…in…law　would　suit　you；〃　she　threw　over　her
shoulder　once　to　Edward。

〃Why？〃　he　inquired；　letting　down　his　newspaper　nervously。

〃Well；　you　seem　to　favour　him；　to　make　things　as　pleasant　for　him　as　you　can。〃

Edward　would　grow　warm　with　a　sense　of　injustice；　the　inference　being　that　he
was　to　blame　for　Mr。　Wiley；　if　he　had　been　a　different　kind　of　father　another
sort　of　suitor　would　be　courting　Lise。

〃I　have　to　be　civil；〃　he　protested。　　He　pronounced　that；　word　〃civil〃
exquisitely；　giving　equal　value　to　both　syllables。

〃Civil！〃　Hannah　scoffed；　as　she　left　the　room；　and　to　Janet；　who　had　followed
her　into　the　kitchen；　she　added：　　〃That's　the　trouble　with　your　father；　he's
always　be'n　a　little　too　civil。　　Edward　Bumpus　is　just　as　simple　as　a　child；
he's　afraid　of　offending　folks'　feelings　。。。。　　Think　of　being　polite　to　that
Whey！〃　　In　those　two　words　Hannah　announced　eloquently　her　utter　condemnation
of　the　demonstrator　of　the　Wizard。　　It　was　characteristic　of　her；　however；　when
she　went　back　for　another　load　of　dishes　and　perceived　that　Edward　was　only
pretending　to　read　his　Banner；　to　attempt　to　ease　her　husband's　feelings。　　She
thought　it　queer　because　she　was　still　fond　of　Edward　Bumpus；　after　all　he　had
〃brought　on　her。〃

〃It's　Lise；〃　she　said；　as　though　speaking　to　Janet；　〃she　attracts　'em。
Sometimes　I　just　can't　get　used　to　it　that　she's　my　daughter。　　I　don't　know　who
she　takes　after。　　She's　not　like　any　of　my　kin；　nor　any　of　the　Bumpuses。〃

〃What　can　you　do？〃　asked　Edward。　　〃You　can't　order　him　out　of　the　house。　　It's
better　for　him　to　come　here。　　And　you　can't　stop　Lise　from　going　with　him
she's　earning　her　own　money。。。。〃

They　had　talked　over　the　predicament　before；　and　always　came　to　the　same
impasse。　　In　the　privacy　of　the　kitchen　Hannah　paused　suddenl