the price she paid-第14章

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o　her　that　Siddall　was　still　more　costly　and　elegant…looking　than　before；　though　this　may　have　been　due　to　the　fact　that　he　always　created　an　impression　that　in　the　retrospect　of　memory　seemed　exaggerated。　　It　seemed　impossible　that　anyone　could　be　so　clean；　so　polished　and　scoured；　so　groomed　and　tailored；　so　bedecked；　so　high…heeled　and　loftily　coiffed。　His　mean　little　countenance　with　its　grotesquely　waxed　mustache　and　imperial　wore　an　expression　of　gracious　benignity　that　assured　his　guests　they　need　anticipate　no　disagreeable　news。

‘‘I　owe　you　an　apology　for　keeping　you　in　suspense　so　long；''　said　he。　　‘‘I'm　a　very　busy　man；　with　interests　in　all　parts　of　the　world。　　I　keep　house　some　of　'em　bigger　than　thisopen　and　going　in　sis　different　places。　　I　always　like　to　be　at　home　wherever　my　business　takes　me。''

Mrs。　Presbury　rolled　her　eyes。　　‘‘Isn't　that　WONDERFUL！''　she　exclaimed。　　‘‘What　an　interesting　life　you　must　lead！''

‘‘Oh；　soso；''　replied　the　general。　　‘‘But　I　get　awful　lonesome。　　I'm　naturally　a　domestic　man。　　I　don't　care　for　friends。　　They're　expensive　and　dangerous。　A　man　in　my　position　is　like　a　king。　　He　can't　have　friends。　　So；　if　he　hasn't　got　a　family；　he　hasn't　got　nothanything。''

‘‘Nothing　like　home　life；''　said　Presbury。

‘‘Yes；　indeed；''　cried　Mrs。　Presbury。

The　little　general　smiled　upon　Mildred；　sitting　pale　and　silent；　with　eyes　downcast。　　‘‘Well；　I　don't　intend　to　be　alone　much　longer；　if　I　can　help　it；''　said　he。　‘‘And　I　may　say　that　I　can　make　a　woman　happy　if　she's　the　right　sortif　she　has　sense　enough　to　appreciate　a　good　husband。''　　This　last　he　said　sternly；　with　more　than　a　hint　of　his　past　matrimonial　misfortunes　in　his　frown　and　in　his　voice。　　‘‘The　trouble　with　a　great　many　women　is　that　they're　foolsflighty；　ungrateful　fools。　　If　I　married　a　woman　like　that；　I'd　make　short　work　of　her。''

‘‘And　she'd　deserve　it；　General；''　said　Mildred's　mother　earnestly。　　‘‘But　you'll　have　no　trouble　if　you　select　a　ladya　girl　who's　been　well　brought　up　and　has　respect　for　herself。''

‘‘That's　my　opinion；　ma'am；''　said　the　general。　‘‘I'm　convinced　that　while　a　man　can　become　a　gentleman；　a　woman's　got　to　be　born　a　lady　or　she　never　is　one。''

‘‘Very　true；　General；''　cried　Mrs。　Presbury。　　‘‘I　never　thought　of　it　before；　but　it's　the　truest　thing　I　ever　heard。''

Presbury　grinned　at　his　plate。　　He　stole　a　glance　at　Mildred。　　Their　eyes　met。　　She　flushed　faintly。

‘‘I've　had　a　great　deal　of　experience　of　women；''　pur…　sued　the　general。　　‘‘In　my　boyhood　days　I　was　a　ladies'　man。　　And　of　course　since　I've　had　money　they've　swarmed　round　me　like　bees　in　a　clover…patch。''

‘‘Oh；　General；　you're　far　too　modest；''　cried　Mrs。　Presbury。　　‘‘A　man　like　you　wouldn't　need　to　be　afraid；　if　he　hadn't　a　cent。''

‘‘But　not　the　kind　of　women　I　want；''　replied　he；　firmly　if　complacently。　　‘‘A　lady　needs　money　to　keep　up　her　position。　　She　has　to　have　it。　　On　the　other　hand；　a　man　of　wealth　and　station　needs　a　lady　to　assist　him　in　the　proper　kind　of　life　for　men　of　his　sort。　So　they　need　each　other。　　They've　got　to　have　each　other。　　That's　the　practical；　sensible　way　to　look　at　it。''

‘‘Exactly；''　said　Presbury。

‘‘And　I've　made　up　my　mind　to　marry；　and　marry　right　away。　　But　we'll　come　back　to　this　later　on。　Presbury；　you're　neglecting　that　wine。''

‘‘I'm　drinking　it　slowly　to　enjoy　it　better；''　said　Presbury。

The　dinner　was　the　same　unending　and　expensive　function　that　had　wearied　them　and　upset　their　digestions　on　Thanksgiving　Day。　　There　was　too　much　of　everything；　and　it　was　all　just　wrong。　　The　general　was　not　quite　so　voluble　as　he　had　been　before；　his　gaze　was　fixed　most　of　the　time　on　Mildredroving　from　her　lovely　face　to　her　smooth；　slender　shoulders　and　back　again。　　As　he　drank　and　ate　his　gesture　of　slightly　smacking　his　thin　lips　seemed　to　include　an　enjoyment　of　the　girl's　charms。　　And　a　sensitive　observer　might　have　suspected　that　she　was　not　unconscious　of　this　and　was　suffering　some　such　pain　as　if　abhorrent　and　cruel　lips　and　teeth　were　actually　mouthing　and　mumbling　her。　　She　said　not　a　word　from　sitting　down　at　table　until　they　rose　to　go　into　the　library　for　coffee。

‘‘Do　tell　me　about　your　early　life；　General；''　Mrs。　Presbury　said。　　‘‘Only　the　other　day　Millie　was　saying　she　wished　she　could　read　a　biography　of　your　romantic　career。''

‘‘Yes；　it　has　been　ratherunusual；''　conceded　the　general　with　swelling　chest　and　gently　waving　dollar…　and…a…half…apiece　cigar。

‘‘I　do　so　ADMIRE　a　man　who　carves　out　his　own　fortune；''　Mrs。　Presbury　went　onshe　had　not　obeyed　her　husband's　injunction　as　to　the　champagne。　　‘‘It　seems　so　wonderful　to　me　that　a　man　could　with　his　own　hands　just　dig　a　fortune　out　of　the　ground。''

‘‘He　couldn't；　ma'am；''　said　the　general；　with　gracious　tolerance。　　‘‘It　wasn't　till　I　stopped　the　fool　digging　and　hunting　around　for　gold　that　I　began　to　get　ahead。　　I　threw　away　the　pick　and　shovel　and　opened　a　hotel。''　　（There　were　two　or　three　sleeping…rooms　of　a　kind　in　that　‘‘hotel；''　but　it　was　rather　a　saloon　of　the　species　known　as　‘‘doggery。''）　　‘‘Yes；　it　was　in　the　hotel　that　I　got　my　start。　　The　fellows　that　make　the　money　in　mining　countries　ain't　the　prospectors　and　diggers；　ma'am。''

‘‘Really！''　cried　Mrs。　Presbury　breathlessly。　　‘‘How　interesting！''

‘‘They're　fools；　they　are；''　proceeded　the　general。　‘‘No；　the　money's　made　by　the　fellows　that　grub…stake　the　foolsgive　'em　supplies　and　send　'em　out　to　nose　around　in　the　mountains。　　Then　them　that　find　any…　thing　have　to　give　half　to　the　fellow　that　did　the　grub…　staking。　　And　he　looks　into　the　claim；　and　if　there's　anything　in　it；　why；　he　buys　the　fool　out。　　In　mines；　like　everywhere　else；　ma'am；　it　ain't　work；　it's　brains　that　makes　the　money。　　No　miner　ever　made　a　mining　fortunenot　one。　　It's　the　brainy；　foxy　fellows　that　stay　back　in　the　camps。　　I　used　to　send　out　fifty　and　a　hundred　men　a　year。　　Maybe　only　two　or　three'd　turn　up　anything　worth　while。　　No；　ma'am；　I　never　got　a　dollar　ahead　on　my　digging。　　All　the　gold　I　ever　dug　went　right　off　for　grubor　a　good　time。''

‘‘Wonderful！''　exclaimed　Mrs。　Presbury。　　‘‘I　never　heard　of　such　a　thing。''

‘‘But　we're　not　here　to　talk　about　mines；''　said　the　general；　his　eyes　upon　Mildred。　　‘‘I've　been　looking　into　mattersto　get　down　to　businessand　I've　asked　you　here　to　let　you　know　that　I'm　willing　to　go　ahead。''

Profound　silence。　　Mildred　suddenly　drew　in　her　breath　with　a　sound　so　sharp　that　the　three　others　started　and　glanced　hastily　at　her。　　But　she　made　no　further　sign。　　She　sat　still　and　cold　and　pale。

The　general；　perfectly　at　ease；　broke　the　silence。　‘‘I　think　Miss　Gower　and　I　would　get　on　faster　alone。''

Presbury　at　once　stood　up；　his　wife　hesitated；　her　eyes　uneasily　upon　her　daughter。　　Presbury　said：　‘‘Come　on；　Alice。''　　She　rose　and　preceded　him　into　the　adjoining　conservatory。　　The　little　general　posed　himself　before　the　huge　open　fire；　one　hand　behind　him；　the　other　at　the　level　of　his　waistcoat；　the　big　cigar　be…　tween　his　first　and　second　fingers。　　‘‘Well；　my　dear？''　said　he。

Mildred　somewhat　hesitatingly　lifted　her　eyes；　but；　once　she　had　them　up；　their　gaze　held　steadily　enough　upon　histoo　steadily　for　his　comfort。　　He　addressed　himself　to　his　cigar：

‘‘I'm　not　quite　ready　to　say　I'm　willing　to　go　the　limit；''　said　he。　　‘‘We　don't　exactly　know　each　other　sufficiently　well　as　yet；　do　we？''

‘‘No；''　said　Mildred。

‘‘I've　been　making　inquiries；''　he　went　on；　‘‘that　is；　I　had　my　chief　secretary　make　themand　he's　a　very　thorough　man；　thanks　to　my　training。　　He　reports　everything　entirely　all　right。　　I　admire　dignity　and　reserve　in　a　woman；　and　you　have　been　very　particular。　Were　you　engaged　to　Stanley　Baird？''

Mildred　flushed；　veiled　her　eyes　to　hide　their　resentful　flash　at　this　impertinence。　　She　debated　with　herself；　decided　that　any　rebuke　short　of　one　that　would　anger　him　would　be　wasted　upon　him。　　‘‘No；''　said　she。

‘‘That　agrees　with　Harding's　report；''　said　the　general。　　‘‘It　was　a　mere　girlish　flirtationvery　dignified　and　proper；''　he　hastened　to　add。　　‘‘I　don't　mean　to　suggest　that　you　were　at　all　flighty。''

‘‘Thank　you；''　said　Mildred　sweetly。

‘‘Are　there　any　questions　you　would　like　to　as