the price she paid-第6章

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er　by　saying：

‘‘What'll　we　live　onthat's　what　I'd　like　to　know？''

An　eavesdropper　upon　the　preceding　violence　of　upward　of　an　hour　would　have　assumed　that　at　its　end　this　pair　must　separate；　never　to　see　each　other　again　voluntarily。　　But　that　idea；　even　as　a　possibility；　had　not　entered　the　mind　of　either。　　They　had　lived　a　long　time；　they　were　practical　people。　　They　knew　from　the　outset　that　somehow　they　must　arrange　to　go　on　together。　The　alternative　meant　a　mere　pittance　of　alimony　for　her；　meant　for　him　social　ostracism　and　the　small　income　cut　in　half；　meant　for　both　scandal　and　confusion。

Said　she　fretfully：　　‘‘Oh；　I　suppose　we'll　get　along；　somehow。　　I　don't　know　anything　about　those　things。　I've　always　been　looked　afterkept　from　contact　with　the　sordid　side　of　life。''

‘‘That　house　you　live　in；''　he　went　on；　‘‘does　it　belong　to　you？''

She　gave　him　a　contemptuous　glance。　　‘‘Of　course；''　said　she。　　‘‘What　low　people　you　must　have　been　used　to！''

‘‘I　thought　perhaps　you　had　rented　it　for　your　bunco　game；''　retorted　he。　　‘‘The　furniture；　the　horses；　the　motorall　those　thingsdo　they　belong　to　you？''

‘‘I　shall　leave　the　room　if　you　insult　me；''　said　she。

‘‘Did　you　include　them　in　the　seven　thousand　dollars？''

‘‘The　money　is　in　the　bank。　　It　has　nothing　to　do　with　our　house　and　our　property。''

He　reflected；　presently　said：　　‘‘The　horses　and　carriages　must　be　sold　at　onceand　all　those　servants　dismissed　except　perhaps　two。　　We　can　live　in　the　house。''

She　grew　purple　with　rage。　　‘‘Sell　MY　carriages！　Discharge　MY　servants！　　I'd　like　to　see　you　try！''

‘‘Who's　to　pay　for　keeping　up　that　establishment？''　demanded　he。

She　was　silent。　　She　saw　what　he　had　in　mind。

‘‘If　you　want　to　keep　that　house　and　live　comfortably；''　he　went　on；　‘‘you've　got　to　cut　expenses　to　the　bone。　　You　see　that；　don't　you？''

‘‘I　can't　live　any　way　but　the　way　I've　been　used　to　all　my　life；''　wailed　she。

He　eyed　her　disgustedly。　　Was　there　anything　equal　to　a　woman　for　folly？

‘‘We've　got　to　make　the　most　of　what　little　we　have；''　said　he。

‘‘I　tell　you　I　don't　know　anything　about　those　things；''　repeated　she。　　‘‘You'll　have　to　look　after　them。　Mildred　and　I　aren't　like　the　women　you've　been　used　to。　We　are　ladies。''

Presbury's　rage　boiled　over　again　at　the　mention　of　Mildred。　　‘‘That　daughter　of　yours！''　he　cried。　‘‘What's　to　be　done　about　her？　　I've　got　no　money　to　waste　on　her。''

‘‘You　miserable　Tammany　THING！''　exclaimed　she。　‘‘Don't　you　dare　SPEAK　of　my　daughter　except　in　the　most　respectful　way。''

And　once　more　she　opened　out　upon　him；　wreaking　upon　him　all　her　wrath　against　fate；　all　the　pent…up　fury　of　two　yearsfury　which　had　been　denied　such　fury's　usual　and　natural　expression　in　denunciations　of　the　dead　bread…winner。　　The　generous　and　ever…kind　Henry　Gower　could　not　be　to　blame　for　her　wretched　plight；　and；　of　course；　she　herself　could　not　be　to　blame　for　it。　　So；　until　now　there　had　been　no　scapegoat。　Presbury　therefore　received　the　whole　burden。　　He；　alarmed　lest　a　creature　apparently　so　irrational；　should　in　wild　rage　drive　him　away；　ruin　him　socially；　perhaps　induce　a　sympathetic　court　to　award　her　a　large　part　of　his　income　as　alimony；　said　not　a　word　in　reply。　　He　bade　his　wrath　wait。　　Later　on；　when　the　peril　was　over；　when　he　had　a　firm　grip　upon　the　situationthen　he　would　take　his　revenge。

They　gave　up　the　expensive　suite　at　the　Waldorf　that　very　day　and　returned　to　Hanging　Rock。　　They　alternated　between　silence　and　the　coarsest；　crudest　quarrelings；　for　neither　had　the　intelligence　to　quarrel　wittily　or　the　refinement　to　quarrel　artistically。　　As　soon　as　they　arrived　at　the　Gower　house；　Mildred　was　dragged　into　the　wrangle。

‘‘I　married　this　terrible　man　for　your　sake；''　was　the　burden　of　her　mother's　wail。　　‘‘And　he　is　a　beggar　wants　to　sell　off　everything　and　dismiss　the　servants。''

‘‘You　are　a　pair　of　paupers；''　cried　the　old　man。　‘‘You　are　shameless　tricksters。　　Be　careful　how　you　goad　me！''

Mildred　had　anticipated　an　unhappy　ending　to　her　mother's　marriage；　but　she　had　not　knowledge　enough　of　life　or　of　human　nature　to　anticipate　any　such　horrors　as　now　began。　　Every　day；　all　day　long　the　vulgar　fight　raged。　　Her　mother　and　her　stepfather　withdrew　from　each　other's　presence　only　to　think　up　fresh　insults　to　fling　at　each　other。　　As　soon　as　they　were　armed　they　hastened　to　give　battle　again。　　She　avoided　Presbury。　　Her　mother　she　could　not　avoid；　and　when　her　mother　was　not　in　combat　with　him；　she　was　weeping　or　wailing　or　railing　to　Mildred。

It　was　at　Mildred's　urging　that　her　mother　acquiesced　in　Presbury's　plans　for　reducing　expenses　within　income。　　At　first　the　girl；　even　more　ignorant　than　her　mother　of　practical　affairs；　did　not　appreciate　the　wisdom；　not　to　say　the　necessity；　of　what　he　wished　to　do；　but　soon　she　saw　that　he　was　right；　that　the　servants　must　go；　that　the　horses　and　carriages　and　the　motors　must　be　sold。　　When　she　was　convinced　and　had　convinced　her　mother；　she　still　did　not　realize　what　the　thing　really　meant。　　Not　until　she　no　longer　had　a　maid　did　she　comprehend。　　To　a　woman　who　has　never　had　a　maid；　or　who　has　taken　on　a　maid　as　a　luxury；　it　will　seem　an　exaggeration　to　say　that　Mildred　felt　as　helpless　as　a　baby　lying　alone　in　a　crib　before　it　has　learned　to　crawl。　　Yet　that　is　rather　an　understatement　of　her　plight。　　The　maid　left　in　the　afternoon。　Mildred；　not　without　inconveniences　that　had　in　the　novelty　their　amusing　side；　contrived　to　dress　that　evening　for　dinner　and　to　get　to　bed；　but　when　she　awakened　in　the　morning　and　was　ready　to　dress；　the　loss　of　Therese　became　a　tragedy。　　It　took　the　girl　nearly　four　hours　to　get　herself　together　presentablyand　then；　never　had　she　looked　so　unkempt。　　With　her　hair；　thick　and　soft；　she　could　do　nothing。

‘‘What　a　wonderful　person　Therese　was！''　thought　she。　　‘‘And　I　always　regarded　her　as　rather　stupid。''　Her　mother；　who　had　not　had　a　maid　until　she　was　about　thirty　and　had　never　become　completely　dependent；　fared　somewhat　better；　though；　hearing　her　moans；　you　would　have　thought　she　was　faring　worse。

Mildred's　unhappiness　increased　from　day　to　day；　as　her　wardrobe　fell　into　confusion　and　disrepair。　　She　felt　that　she　must　rise　to　the　situation；　must　teach　herself；　must　save　herself　from　impending　dowdiness　and　slovenliness。　　But　her　brain　seemed　to　be　paralyzed。　She　did　not　know　how　or　where　to　begin　to　learn。　　She　often　in　secret　gave　way　to　the　futility　of　tears。

There　were　now　only　a　cook　and　one　housemaid　and　a　man　of　all　workall　three　newcomers；　for　Presbury　insistedmost　wiselythat　none　of　the　servants　of　the　luxurious；　wasteful　days　would　be　useful　in　the　new　circumstances。　　He　was　one　of　those　small；　orderly　men　who　have　a　genius　for　just　such　situations　as　the　one　he　now　proceeded　to　grapple　with　and　solve。　　In　his　pleasure　at　managing　everything　about　that　house；　in　distributing　the　work　among　the　three　servants；　in　marketing；　and；　in　inspecting　purchases　and　nosing　into　the　garbage…barrel；　in　looking　for　dust　on　picture…　frames　and　table…tops　and　for　neglected　weeds　in　the　garden　walksin　this　multitude　of　engrossing　delights　he　forgot　his　anger　over　the　trick　that　had　been　played　upon　him。　　He　still　fought　with　his　wife　and　denounced　her　and　met　insult　with　insult。　　But　that；　too；　was　one　of　his　pleasures。　　Also；　he　felt　that　on　the　whole　he　had　done　well　in　marrying。　　He　had　been　lonely　as　a　bachelor；　had　had　no　one　to　talk　with；　or　to　quarrel　with；　nothing　to　do。　　The　marriage　was　not　so　expensive；　as　his　wife　had　brought　him　a　houseand　it　such　a　one　as　he　had　always　regarded　as　the　apogee　of　elegance。　　Living　was　not　dear　in　Hanging　Rock；　if　one　understood　managing　and　gave　time　to　it。　　And　socially　he　was　at　last　established。

Soon　his　wife　was　about　as　contented　as　she　had　ever　been　in　her　life。　　She　hated　and　despised　her　husband；　but　quarreling　with　him　and　railing　against　him　gave　her　occupation　and　aimtwo　valuable　assets　toward　happiness　that　she　had　theretofore　lacked。　　Her　living　shelter；　food；　clothing　enoughwas　now　secure。　But　the　most　important　factor　of　all　in　her　content　was　the　one　apparently　too　trivial　to　be　worthy　of　record。　From　girlhood　she　could　not