the price she paid-第13章

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experience　with　those　who　had　the　wealth　to　buy；　if　they　had　had　the　taste　to　select；　the　fine　wines　he　loved。　　So；　resolving　to　indulge　himself；　he　had　put　into　his　bag　his　pair　of　gout…boots。

This　was　a　device　of　his　own　inventing；　on　which　he　prided　himself。　　It　consisted　of　a　pair　of　roomy　doe…　skin　slippers　reenforced　with　heavy　soles　and　provided　with　a　set　of　three　thin　insoles　to　be　used　according　as　the　state　of　his　toes　made　advisable。　　The　cost　of　the　Presbury　gout…boot　had　been；　thanks　to　patient　search　for　a　cheap　cobbler；　something　under　four　dollars　this；　when　men　paid　shoe　specialists　twenty；　thirty；　and　even　forty　dollars　a　pair　for　gout…boots　that　gave　less　comfort。　　The　morning　after　the　dinner　at　which　he　had　drunk　to　drown　his　chagrin　and　to　give　him　courage　and　tongue　for　sycophantry；　he　put　on　the　boots。　Without　them　it　would　have　been　necessary　to　carry　him　from　his　room　to　a　cab　and　from　cab　to　train。　　With　them　he　was　able　to　hobble　to　a　street…car。　　He　tried　to　distract　his　mind　from　his　sufferings　by　lashing　away　without　ceasing　at　his　wife　and　his　step…daughter。

When　they　were　once　more　at　home；　and　the　mother　and　daughter　escaped　from　him；　the　mother　said：

‘‘I　was　glad　to　see　that　you　put　up　with　that　wretch；　and　didn't　answer　him　back。''

‘‘Of　course；''　said　Mildred。　　‘‘He's　mad　to　be　rid　of　me；　but　if　I　offended　him　he　might　snatch　away　this　chance。''

‘‘He　would；''　said　Mrs。　Presbury。　　‘‘I'm　sure　he　would。　　But''　she　laughed　viciously‘‘once　you're　married　you　can　revenge　yourselfand　me！''

‘‘I　wonder；''　said　Mildred　thoughtfully。

‘‘Why　not？''　exclaimed　her　mother；　irritated。

‘‘I　can't　make　Mr。　Presbury　out；''　replied　the　girl。　‘‘I　understand　why　he's　helping　me　to　this　chance；　but　I　don't　understand　why　he　isn't　making　friends　with　me；　in　the　hope　of　getting　something　after　I'm　married。''

Her　mother　saw　the　point；　and　was　instantly　agitated。　‘‘Perhaps　he's　simply　leading　you　on；　intending　to　up…　set　it　all　at　the　last　minute。''　　She　gritted　her　teeth。　‘‘Oh；　what　a　wretch！''

Mildred　was　not　heeding。　　‘‘I　must　have　General　Siddall　looked　up　carefully；''　she　went　on。　　‘‘It　may　be　that　he　isn't　rich；　or　that　he　has　another　wife　somewhere；　or　that　there's　some　other　awful　reason　why　marrying　him　would　be　even　worse　than　it　seems。''

‘‘Worse　than　it　seems！''　cried　her　mother。　　‘‘How　CAN　you　talk　so；　Milly！　　The　general　seems　to　be　an　ideal　husbandsimply　ideal！　　I　wish　_I_　had　your　chance。　　Any　sensible　woman　could　love　him。''

A　strange　look　came　into　the　girl's　face；　and　her　mother　could　not　withstand　her　eyes。　　‘‘Don't；　mother；''　she　said　quietly。　　‘‘Either　you　take　me　for　a　fool　or　you　are　trying　to　show　me　that　you　have　no　self…　respect。　　I　am　not　deceiving　myself　about　what　I'm　doing。''

Mrs。　Presbury　opened　her　lips　to　remonstrate；　changed　her　mind；　drew　a　deep　sigh。　　‘‘It's　frightful　to　be　a　woman；''　she　said。

‘‘To　be　a　lady；　Mr。　Presbury　would　say；''　suggested　Mildred。

After　some　discussion；　they　fixed　upon　Joseph　Tilker　as　the　best　available　investigator　of　General　Siddall。　Tilker　had　been　head　clerk　for　Henry　Gower。　　He　was　now　in　for　himself　and　had　offered　to　look　after　any　legal　business　Mrs。　Presbury　might　have　without　charging　her。　　He　presently　reported　that　there　was　not　a　doubt　as　to　the　wealth　of　the　little　general。　‘‘There　are　all　sorts　of　ugly　stories　about　how　he　made　his　money；''　said　Tilker；　‘‘but　all　the　great　fortunes　have　a　scandalous　history；　and　I　doubt　if　Siddall's　is　any　worse　than　the　others。　　I　don't　see　how　it　well　could　be。　　Siddall　has　the　reputation　of　being　a　mean　and　cruel　little　tyrant。　　He　is　said　to　be　pompous；　vain；　ignorant''

‘‘Indeed　he's　not；''　cried　Mrs。　Presbury。　　‘‘He's　a　rough　diamond；　but　a　natural　gentleman。　　I've　met　him。''

‘‘Well；　he's　rich　enough；　and　that　was　all　you　asked　me　to　find　out；''　said　Tilker。　　‘‘But　I　must　warn　you；　Mrs。　Presbury；　not　to　have　any　business　or　intimate　personal　relations　with　him。''

Mrs。　Presbury　congratulated　herself　on　her　wisdom　in　having　come　alone　to　hear　Tilker's　report。　　She　did　not　repeat　any　part　of　it　to　Mildred　except　what　he　had　said　about　the　wealth。　　That　she　enlarged　upon　until　Mildred's　patience　gave　out。　　She　interrupted　with　a　shrewd：

‘‘Anything　else；　mamma？　　Anything　about　him　personally？''

‘‘We've　got　to　judge　him　in　that　way　for　ourselves；''　replied　Mrs。　Presbury。　　‘‘You　know　how　wickedly　they　lie　about　anyone　who　has　anything。''

‘‘I　should　like　to　read　a　full　account　of　General　Siddall；''　said　Mildred　reflectively；　‘‘just　to　satisfy　my　curiosity。''

Mrs。　Presbury　made　no　reply。

Presbury　had　decided　that　it　was　best　to　make　no　advance；　but　to　wait　until　they　heard　from　Siddall。　　He　let　a　week；　ten　days；　go　by；　then　his　impatience　got　the　better　of　his　shrewdness。　　He　sought　admittance　to　the　great　man　at　the　offices　of　the　International　Metals　and　Minerals　Company　in　Cedar　Street。　　After　being　subjected　to　varied　indignities　by　sundry　under…　strappers；　he　received　a　message　from　the　general　through　a　secretary：　　‘‘The　general　says　he'll　let　you　know　when　he's　ready　to　take　up　that　matter。　　He　says　he　hasn't　got　round　to　it　yet。''　　Presbury　apologized　courteously　for　his　intrusion　and　went　away；　cursing　under　his　breath。　　You　may　be　sure　that　he　made　his　wife　and　his　stepdaughter　suffer　for　what　he　had　been　through。　　Two　weeks　more　passedthreea　month。　One　morning　in　the　mail　there　arrived　this　notetype…　written　upon　business　paper：


JAMES　PRESBURY；　Esqr。：　DEAR　SIR：

General　Siddall　asks　me　to　present　his　compliments　and　to　say　that　he　will　be　pleased　if　you　and　your　wife　and　the　young　lady　will　dine　with　him　at　his　house　next　Thursday　the　seventeenth　at　half…past　seven　sharp。

ROBERT　CHANDLESS；　Secretary。


The　only　words　in　longhand　were　the　two　forming　the　name　of　the　secretary。　　Presbury　laughed　and　tossed　the　note　across　the　breakfast　table　to　his　wife。　‘‘You　see　what　an　ignorant　creature　he　is；''　said　he。　‘‘He　imagines　he　has　done　the　thing　up　in　grand　style。　He's　the　sort　of　man　that　can't　be　taught　manners　because　he　thinks　manners；　the　ordinary　civilities；　are　for　the　lower　orders　of　people。　　Oh；　he's　a　joke；　is　Bill　Siddalla　horrible　joke。''

Mrs。　Presbury　read　and　passed　the　letter　to　Mildred。　She　simply　glanced　at　it　and　returned　it　to　her　step…father。

‘‘I'm　just　about　over　that　last　dinner；''　pursued　Presbury。　　‘‘I'll　eat　little　Thursday　and　drink　less。　And　I'd　advise　you　to　do　the　same；　Mrs。　Presbury。''

He　always　addressed　her　as　‘‘Mrs。　Presbury''　because　he　had　discovered　that　when　so　addressed　she　always　winced；　and；　if　he　put　a　certain　tone　into　his　voice；　she　quivered。

‘‘That　dinner　aged　you　five　years；''　he　went　on。　‘‘Besides；　you　drank　so　much　that　it　went　to　your　head　and　made　you　slather　him　with　flatteries　that　irritated　him。　　He　thought　you　were　a　fool；　and　no　one　is　stupid　enough　to　like　to　be　flattered　by　a　fool。''

Mrs。　Presbury　bridled；　swallowed　hard；　said　mildly：　‘‘We'll　have　to　spend　the　night　in　town　again；　I　suppose。''

‘‘You　and　your　daughter　may　do　as　you　like；''　said　Presbury。　　‘‘I　shall　return　here　that　night。　　I　always　catch　cold　in　strange　beds。''

‘‘We　might　as　well　all　return　here；''　said　Mildred。　‘‘I　shall　not　wear　evening　dress；　that　is；　I'll　wear　a　high…neck　dress　and　a　hat。''

She　had　just　got　a　new　hat　that　was　peculiarly　becoming　to　her。　　She　had　shown　Siddall　herself　at　the　best　in　evening　attire；　another　sort　of　costume　would　give　him　a　different　view　of　her　looks；　one　which　she　flattered　herself　was　not　less　attractive。　　But　Presbury　interposed　an　emphatic　veto。

‘‘You'll　wear　full　evening　dress；''　said　he。　　‘‘Bare　neck　and　arms　for　men　like　Bill　Siddall。　　They　want　to　see　what　they're　getting。''

Mildred　flushed　scarlet　and　her　lips　trembled　as　though　she　were　about　to　cry。　　In　fact；　her　emotion　was　altogether　shamea　shame　so　poignant　that　even　Presbury　was　abashed；　and　mumbled　something　apologetic。　Nevertheless　she　wore　a　low…neck　dress　on　Thursday　evening；　one　as　daring　as　the　extremely　daring　fashions　of　that　year　permitted　an　unmarried　woman　to　wear。　　It　seemed　to　her　that　Siddall　was　still　more　costly　and　elegant…looking　than　before；　though　this　may　have　been