the price she paid-第44章

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‘‘You　mean　that？''　said　Keith；　observing　her　intently。　　‘‘You　wish　to　be　rid　of　him？''

‘‘What　a　poor　opinion　you　have　of　me；''　said　she。　‘‘Really；　I　don't　deserve　quite　that。''

‘‘Then　come　with　me。''

The　look　of　terror　and　shrinking　returned。　‘‘Where？　　To　see　him？''

‘‘For　the　last　time；''　said　Keith。　　‘‘There'll　be　no　scene。''

It　was　the　supreme　test　of　her　confidence　in　him。　Without　hesitation；　she　rose；　preceded　him　into　the　hall；　and　advanced　firmly　toward　the　screen　door　through　which　the　little　general　could　be　seen。　　He　was　standing　at　the　top　step；　his　back　to　them。　　At　the　sound　of　the　opening　door　he　turned。

‘‘This　is　Mr。　Donald　Keith；''　said　Mildred。　　‘‘He　wishes　to　speak　to　you。''

The　general　bowed；　Keith　bent　his　head。　　They　eyed　each　other　with　the　measuring　glance。　　Keith　said　in　his　dry；　terse　way：　　‘‘I　asked　Miss　Gower　to　come　with　me　because　I　wish　her　to　hear　what　I　have　to　say　to　you。''

‘‘You　mean　my　wife；''　said　the　general　with　a　gracious　smile。

‘‘I　mean　Miss　Gower；''　returned　Keith。　　‘‘As　you　know；　she　is　not　your　wife。''

Mildred　uttered　a　cry；　but　the　two　men　continued　to　look　each　at　the　other；　with　impassive　countenances。

‘‘Your　only　wife　is　the　woman　who　has　been　in　the　private　insane　asylum　of　Doctor　Rivers　at　Pueblo；　Colorado；　for　the　past　eleven　years。　　For　about　twenty　years　before　that　she　was　in　the　Delavan　private　asylum　near　Denver。　　You　could　not　divorce　her　under　the　laws　of　Colorado。　　The　divorce　you　got　in　Nevada　was　fraudulent。''

‘‘That's　a　lie；''　said　the　general　coldly。

Keith　went　on；　as　if　he　had　not　heard：　　‘‘You　will　not　annoy　this　lady　again。　　And　you　will　stop　bribing　Stanley　Baird's　wife　to　make　a　fool　of　herself。　　And　you　will　stop　buying　houses　in　the　blocks　where　Baird　owns　real　estate；　and　moving　colored　families　into　them。''

‘‘I　tell　you　that　about　my　divorce　is　a　lie；''　replied　Siddall。

‘‘I　can　prove　it；''　said　Keith。　　‘‘And　I　can　prove　that　you　knew　it　before　you　married　your　second　wife。''

For　the　first　time　Siddall　betrayed　at　the　surface　a　hint　of　how　hard　he　was　hit。　　His　skin　grew　bright　yellow；　wrinkles　round　his　eyes　and　round　the　base　of　his　nose　sprang　into　sudden　prominence。

‘‘I　see　you　know　what　I　meanthat　attempt　to　falsify　the　record　at　Carson　City；''　said　Keith。　　He　opened　the　screen　door　for　Mildred　to　pass　in。　　He　followed　her；　and　the　door　closed　behind　them。　　They　went　into　the　drawing…room。　　He　dropped　into　an　easy　chair；　crossed　his　legs；　leaned　his　head　back　indolentlya　favorite　attitude　of　his。

‘‘How　long　have　you　known？''　said　she。　　Her　cheeks　were　flushed　with　excitement。

‘‘Oh；　a　good　many　years；''　replied　he。　　‘‘It　was　one　of　those　accidental　bits　of　information　a　man　runs　across　in　knocking　about。　　As　soon　as　Baird　told　me　about　you；　I　had　the　thing　looked　up；　quietly。　　I　was　going　up　to　see　him　to…morrowabout　the　negroes　and　Mrs。　Baird's　suit。''

‘‘Does　Stanley　know？''　inquired　she。

‘‘No；''　said　Keith。　　‘‘Not　necessary。　　Never　will　be。　　If　you　like；　you　can　have　the　marriage　annulled　without　notoriety。　　But　that's　not　necessary；　either。''

After　a　long　silence；　she　said：　　‘‘What　does　this　make　out　of　me？''

‘‘You　mean；　what　would　be　thought　of　you；　if　it　were　known？''　inquired　he。　　‘‘Well；　it　probably　wouldn't　improve　your　social　position。''

‘‘I　am　disgraced；''　said　she；　curiously　rather　than　emotionally。

‘‘Would　be；　if　it　were　known；''　corrected　he；　‘‘and　if　you　are　nothing　but　a　woman　without　money　looking　for　a　husband。　　If　you　happened　to　be　a　singer　or　an　actress；　it　would　add　to　your　reputationmake　you　more　talked　about。''

‘‘But　I　am　not　an　actress　or　a　singer。''

‘‘On　the　other　hand；　I　should　say　you　didn't　amount　to　much　socially。　　Except　in　Hanging　Rock；　of　course　if　there　is　still　a　Hanging　Rock。　　Don't　worry　about　your　reputation。　　Fussing　and　fretting　about　your　social　position　doesn't　help　toward　a　career。''

‘‘Naturally；　you　take　it　coolly。　　But　you　can　hardly　expect　me　to；''　cried　she。

‘‘You　are　taking　it　coolly；''　said　he。　　‘‘Then　why　try　to　work　yourself　up　into　a　fit　of　hysterics？　　The　thing　is　of　no　importanceexcept　that　you're　free　nowwill　never　be　bothered　by　Siddall　again。　　You　ought　to　thank　me；　and　forget　it。　　Don't　be　one　of　the　little　people　who　are　forever　agitating　about　trifles。''

Trifles！　　To　speak　of　such　things　as　trifles！　　And　yet　　Well；　what　did　they　actually　amount　to　in　her　life？　　‘‘Yes；　I　AM　free；''　she　said　thoughtfully。　　‘‘I've　got　what　I　wantedgot　it　in　the　easiest　way　possible。''

‘‘That's　better；''　said　he　approvingly。

‘‘And　I've　burnt　my　bridges　behind　me；''　pursued　she。　　‘‘There's　nothing　for　me　now　but　to　go　ahead。''

‘‘Which　road？''　inquired　he　carelessly。

‘‘The　career；''　cried　she。　　‘‘There's　no　other　for　me。　Of　course　I　COULD　marry　Stanley；　when　he's　free；　as　he　would　be　before　very　long；　if　I　suggested　it。　　Yes；　I　could　marry　him。''

‘‘Could　you？''　observed　he。

‘‘Doesn't　he　love　me？''

‘‘Undoubtedly。''

‘‘Then　why　do　you　say　he　would　not　marry　me？''　demanded　she。

‘‘Did　I　say　that？''

‘‘You　insinuated　it。　　You　suggested　that　there　was　a　doubt。''

‘‘Then；　there　is　no　doubt？''

‘‘Yes；　there　is；''　she　cried　angrily。　　‘‘You　won't　let　me　enjoy　the　least　bit　of　a　delusion。　　He　might　marry　me　if　I　were　famous。　　But　as　I　am　now　　He's　an　inbred　snob。　　He　can't　help　it。　　He　simply　couldn't　marry　a　woman　in　my　position。　　But　you're　overlooking　one　thingthat　_I_　would　not　marry　HIM。''

‘‘That's　unimportant；　if　true；''　said　Keith。

‘‘You　don't　believe　it？''

‘‘I　don't　care　anything　about　it；　my　dear　lady；''　said　Keith。　　‘‘Have　you　got　time　to　waste　in　thinking　about　how　much　I　am　in　love　with　you？　　What　a　womanly　woman　you　are；　to　be　sure。　　Your　true　woman；　you　know；　never　thinks　of　anything　but　lovenot　how　much　she　loves；　but　how　much　she　is　loved。''

‘‘Be　careful！''　she　warned。　　‘‘Some　day　you'll　go　too　far　in　saying　outrageous　things　to　me。''

‘‘And　then？''　said　he　smilingly。

‘‘You　care　nothing　for　our　friendship？''

‘‘The　experiment　is　the　only　interest　I　have　in　you；''　replied　he。

‘‘That　is　not　true；''　said　she。　　‘‘You　have　always　liked　me。　　That's　why　you　looked　up　my　hus　General　Siddal｛sic｝　and　got　ready　for　him。　　That's　why　you　saved　me　to…day。　　You　are　a　very　tender…hearted　and　generous　manand　you　hide　it　as　you　do　everything　else　about　yourself。''

He　was　looking　off　into　space　from　the　depths　of　the　easy　chair；　a　mocking　smile　on　his　classical；　impassive　face。

‘‘What　puzzles　me；''　she　went　on；　‘‘is　why　you　interest　yourself　in　as　vain　and　shallow　and　vacillating　a　woman　as　I　am。　　You　don't　care　for　my　looksand　that's　all　there　is　to　me。''

‘‘Don't　pause　to　be　contradicted；''　said　he。

She　was　in　a　fine　humor　now。　　‘‘You　might　at　least　have　said　I　was　up　to　the　female　average；　for　I　am。　What　have　they　got　to　offer　a　man　but　their　looks？　Do　you　know　why　I　despise　men？''

‘‘Do　you？''

‘‘I　do。　　And　it's　because　they　put　up　with　women　as　much　as　they　dospend　so　much　money　on　them；　listen　to　their　chatter；　admire　their　ridiculous　clothes。　Oh；　I　understand　why。　　I've　learned　that。　　And　I　can　imagine　myself　putting　up　with　anything　in　some　one　man　I　happened　to　fancy　strongly。　　But　men　are　foolish　about　the　whole　sexor　all　of　them　that　have　a　shadow　of　a　claim　to　good　looks。''

‘‘Yes；　the　men　make　fools　of　themselves；''　admitted　he。　　‘‘But　I　notice　that　the　men　manage　somehow　to　make　the　careers；　and　hold　on　to　the　money　and　the　power；　while　the　women　have　to　wheedle　and　fawn　and　submit　in　order　to　get　what　they　want　from　the　men。　There's　nothing　to　be　said　for　your　sex。　　It's　been　hopelessly　corrupted　by　mine。　　For　all　the　talk　about　the　influence　of　woman；　what　impression　has　your　sex　made　upon　mine？　　And　your　sexit　has　been　made　by　mine　into　exactly　what　we　wished　it　to　be。　　Take　my　advice；　get　out　of　your　sex。　　Abandon　it；　and　make　a　career。''

After　a　while　she　recalled　with　a　start　the　events　of　less　than　an　hour　agoevents　that　ought　to　have　seemed　wildly　exciting；　arousing　the　deepest　and　strongest　emotions。　　Yet　they　had　made　no　impression　upon　her。　　Absolutely　none。　　She　had　no　horror　in　the　thought　that　she　had　been　the　victim　of　a　bigamist；　she　had　no　elation