the cost-第14章

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〃We　played　again　the　next　afternoonlet's　have　a　game　of　poker。　　I'm　bored　to　death　today。〃

This　was　Scarborough's　first　move　toward　the　fast　set　of　which　Pierson　was　leader。　　It　was　a　small　fast　setthere　were　not　many　spoiled　sons　at　Battle　Field。　　But　its　pace　was　rapid；　for　every　member　of　it　had　a　constitution　that　was　a　huge　reservoir　of　animal　spirits　and　western　energy。　　They　〃cribbed〃　their　way　through　recitations　and　examinationsas　the　faculty　did　not　put　the　students　on　honor　but　watched　them；　they　reasoned　that　cribbing　was　not　dishonorable　provided　one　did　barely　enough　of　it　to　pull　him　through。　　They　drank　a　great　dealusually　whisky；　which　they　disliked　but　poured　down　raw；　because　it　was　the　〃manly〃　drink　and　to　take　it　undiluted　was　the　〃manly〃　way。　　They　made　brief　excursions　to　Indianapolis　and　Chicago　for　the　sort　of　carousals　that　appeal　to　the　strong　appetites　and　undiscriminating　tastes　of　robust　and　curious　youth。

Scarborough　at　once　began　to　reap　the　reward　of　his　advantagesa　naturally　bold　spirit；　an　unnaturally　reckless　mood。　　In　two　weeks　he　won　three　hundred　dollars；　half　of　it　from　Pierson。　　He　went　to　Chicago　and　in　three　nights'　play　increased　this　to　twenty…nine　hundred。　　The　noise　of　the　unprecedented　achievement　echoed　through　the　college。　　In　its　constellation　of　bad　examples　a　new　star　had　blazed　out；　a　star　of　the　first　magnitude。

Bladen　Scarborough　had　used　his　surplus　to　improve　and　extend　his　original　farm。　　But　farms　were　now　practically　unsalable；　and　Hampden　and　Arabella　were　glad　to　let　their　cousin　EdEd　Warfieldstay　on；　rent　free；　because　with　him　there　they　were　certain　that　the　place　would　be　well　kept　up。　　Hampden；　poor　in　cash；　had　intended　to　spend　the　summer　as　a　book　agent。　　Instead；　he　put　by　a　thousand　dollars　of　his　winnings　to　insure　next　year's　expenses　and　visited　Pierson　at　his　family's　cottage　in　the　summer　colony　at　Mackinac。　　He　won　at　poker　there　and　went　on　East；　taking　Pierson。　　He　lost　all　he　had　with　him；　all　Pierson　could　lend　him；　telegraphed　to　Battle　Field　for　half　his　thousand　dollars；　won　back　all　he　had　lost　and　two　thousand　besides。

When　he　reappeared　at　Battle　Field　in　September　he　was　dazzling　to　behold。　　His　clothes　were　many　and　had　been　imported　for　him　by　the　Chicago　agent　of　a　London　tailor。　　His　shirts　and　ties　were　in　patterns　and　styles　that　startled　Battle　Field。　　He　had　taken　on　manners　and　personal　habits　befitting　a　〃man　of　the　world〃but　he　had　not　lost　that　simplicity　and　directness　which　were　as　unchangeably　a　part　of　him　as　the　outlines　of　his　face　or　the　force　which　forbade　him　to　be　idle　for　a　moment。　　He　and　PiersonPierson　was　pupil；　nowtook　a　suite　of　rooms　over　a　shop　in　the　town　and　furnished　them　luxuriously。　　They　had　brought　from　New　York　to　look　after　them　and　their　belongings　the　first　English　manservant　Battle　Field　had　seen。

Scarborough　kept　up　his　college　work；　he　continued　regularly　to　attend　the　Literary　Society　and　to　be　its　most　promising　orator　and　debater；　he　committed　no　overt　actothers　might　break　the　college　rules；　might　be　publicly　intoxicated　and　noisy；　but　he　was　always　master　of　himself　and　of　the　situation。　　Some　of　the　fanatical　among　the　religious　students　believed　and　said　that　he　had　sold　himself　to　the　devil。　　He　would　have　been　expelled　summarily　but　for　PiersonPierson's　father　was　one　of　the　two　large　contributors　to　the　support　of　the　college；　and　it　was　expected　that　he　would　will　it　a　generous　endowment。　　To　entrap　Scarborough　was　to　entrap　Pierson。　　To　entrap　Pierson　The　faculty　strove　to　hear　and　see　as　little　as　possible　of　their　doings。

In　the　college　Y。M。C。A。　prayers　were　offered　for　Scarboroughhis　name　was　not　spoken；　but　every　one　understood。　　A　delegation　of　the　religious　among　his　faithful　fellow　barbs　called　upon　him　to　pray　and　to　exhort。　　They　came　away　more　charmed　than　ever　with　their　champion；　and　convinced　that　he　was　the　victim　of　slander　and　envy。　　Not　that　he　had　deliberately　deceived　them；　for　he　hadn't；　he　was　simply　courteous　and　respectful　of　their　sincerity。

〃The　fraternities　are　in　this　somewhere；〃　the　barbs　decided。　　〃They're　trying　to　destroy　him　by　lying　about　him。〃　　And　they　liked　it　that　their　leader　was　the　brilliant；　the　talked…about；　the　sought…after　person　in　the　college。　　When　he　stood　up　to　speak　in　the　assembly　hall　or　the　Literary　Society　they　always　greeted　him　with　several　rounds　of　applause。

To　the　chagrin　of　the　faculty　and　the　irritation　of　the　fraternities　a　jury　of　alumni　selected　him　to　represent　Battle　Field　at　the　oratorical　contest　among　the　colleges　of　the　state。　　And　he　not　only　won　there　but　also　at　the　interstate　contesta　victory　over　the　orators　of　the　colleges　of　seven　western　states　in　which　public　speaking　was；　and　is；　an　essential　part　of　higher　education。　　His　oratory　lacked　style；　they　thought　at　Battle　Field。　　It　was　the　same　then；　essentially；　as　it　was　a　few　years　later　when　the　whole　western　country　was　discussing　it。　　He　seemed　to　depend　entirely　upon　the　inherent　carrying　power　of　his　ably　constructed　sentenceslike　so　many　arrows；　some　flying　gracefully；　others　straight　and　swift；　all　reaching　the　mark　at　which　they　were　aimed。　　In　those　days；　as　afterward；　he　stood　upon　the　platform　almost　motionless；　his　voice　was　clear　and　sweet；　never　noisy；　but　subtly　penetrating　and；　when　the　sense　demanded　it；　full　of　that　mysterious　quality　which　makes　the　blood　run　more　swiftly　and　the　nerves　tingle。　　〃Merely　a　talker；　not　an　orator；〃　declared　the　professor　of　elocution；　and　few　of　those　who　saw　him　every　day　appreciated　his　genius　then。　　It　was　on　the　subject…matter　of　his　oration；　not　on　his　〃delivery；〃　that　the　judges　decided　for　himso　they　said　and　thought。

In　February　of　this　resplendent　sophomore　year　there　came　in　his　mail　a　letter　postmarked　Battle　Field　and　addressed　in　printed　handwriting。　　The　envelope　contained　only　a　newspaper　cuttingfrom　the　St。　Christopher　Republic：


At　four　o'clock　yesterday　afternoon　a　boy　was　born　to　Mr。　and　Mrs。　John　Dumont。　　It　is　their　first　child；　the　first　grandchild　of　the　Dumont　and　Gardiner　families。　　Mother　and　son　are　reported　as　doing　well。


Scarborough　spent　little　time　in　the　futile　effort　to　guess　what　coward　enemy　had　sped　this　anonymous　shaft　on　the　chance　of　its　hitting　him。　　His　only　enemies　that　interested　him　were　those　within　himself。　　He　destroyed　envelope　and　clipping；　then　said　to　Pierson：　　〃I　neglected　to　celebrate　an　important　event　not　long　ago。〃　　He　paused　to　laughso　queerly　that　Pierson　looked　at　him　uneasily。　　〃We　must　go　to　Chicago　to　celebrate　it。〃

〃Very　good；〃　said　Fred。　　〃We'll　get　Chalmers　to　go　with　us　to…morrow。〃

〃No…to…daythe　four…o'clock　trainwe've　got　an　hour　and　a　half。　　And　we'll　have　four　clear　days。〃

〃But　there's　the　ball　to…night　and　I'm　down　for　several　dances。〃

〃We'll　dance　them　in　Chicago。　　I've　never　been　really　free　to　dance　before。〃　　He　poured　out　a　huge　drink。　　〃I'm　impatient　for　the　ball　to　begin。〃　　He　lifted　his　glass。　　〃To　our　ancestors；〃　he　said；　〃who　repressed　themselves；　denied　themselves；　who　hoarded　health　and　strength　and　capacity　for　joy；　and　transmitted　them　in　great　oceans　to　usto　drown　our　sorrows　in！〃

He　won　six　hundred　dollars　at　faro　in　a　club　not　far　from　the　Auditorium；　Pierson　won　two　hundred　at　roulette；　Chalmers　lost　seventythey　had　about　fourteen　hundred　dollars　for　their　four　days'　〃dance。〃　　When　they　took　the　train　for　Battle　Field　they　had　spent　all　they　had　with　themhad　flung　it　away　for　dinners；　for　drives；　for　theaters；　for　suppers；　for　champagne。　　All　the　return　journey　Scarborough　stared　moodily　out　of　the　car　window。　　And　at　every　movement　that　disturbed　his　clothing　there　rose　to　nauseate　him；　to　fill　him　with　self…loathing；　the　odors　of　strong；　sickening…sweet　perfumes。

The　next　day　but　one；　as　he　was　in　the　woods　near　Indian　Rock；　he　saw　Olivia　coming　toward　him。　　They　had　hardly　spoken　for　several　months。　　He　turned　to　avoid　her　but　she　came　on　after　him。

〃I　wish　to　talk　with　you　a　few　minutes；　Mr。　Scarborough；〃　she　said　coldly；　storm　in　her　brave　eyes。

〃At　your　service；〃　he　answered　with　strained　courtesy。　　And　he　walked　beside　her。

〃I　happen　to　know；〃　she　began；　〃tha