the cost-第15章

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

〃I　happen　to　know；〃　she　began；　〃that　they're　going　to　expel　you　and　Fred　Pierson　the　next　time　you　leave　here　without　permission。〃

〃Indeed！　　You　are　very　kind　to　warn　me　of　my　awful　danger。〃　　He　looked　down　at　her　with　a　quizzical　smile。

〃And　I　wish　to　say　I　think　it's　a　disgrace　that　they　didn't　do　it　long　ago；〃　she　went　on；　her　anger　rising　to　the　bait　of　his　expression。

〃Your　opinions　are　always　interesting；〃　he　replied。　　〃If　you　have　nothing　further　I'll　ask　your　permission　to　relieve　you　of〃

〃No；〃　she　interrupted。　　〃I've　not　said　what　I　wished　to　say。　　You're　making　it　hard　for　me。　　I　can't　get　accustomed　to　the　change　in　you　since　last　year。　　There　used　to　be　a　good　side　to　you；　a　side　one　could　appeal　to。　　And　I　want　to　talk　aboutFred。　　You're　RUINING　him。〃

〃You　flatter　me。〃　　He　bowed　mockingly。　　〃But　I　doubt　if　HE'D　feel　flattered。〃

〃I've　told　him　the　same　thing；　but　you're　too　strong　for　me。〃　　Her　voice　trembled；　she　steadied　it　with　a　frown。　　〃I　can't　influence　him　any　longer。〃

〃Really；　Miss　Shrewsbury〃

〃Please！〃　she　said。　　〃Fred　and　I　were　engaged。　　I　broke　it　last　night。　　I　broke　it　becauseyou　know　why。〃

Scarborough　flushed　crimson。

〃Oh；〃　he　said。　　〃I　didn't　know　he　was　engaged。〃

〃I　know　you；　Hampden　Scarborough；〃　Olivia　continued。　　〃I've　understood　why　you've　been　degrading　yourself。　　And　I　haven't　blamed　youthough　I've　wondered　at　your　lack　of　manhood。〃

〃You　are　imposing　on　my　courtesy；〃　he　said　haughtily。

〃I　can't　help　it。　　You　and　I　must　talk　this　thing　to　the　end。　　You're　robbing　me　of　the　man　I　love。　　Worse　than　that；　you're　destroying　him；　dragging　him　down　to　a　level　at　which　HE　may　stay；　while　YOU　are　sure　to　rise　again。　　You've　got　your　living　to　makeI　don't　agree　with　those　who　think　you'll　become　a　professional　gambler。　　But　he　his　father's　rich　and　indulgent；　andGod　only　knows　how　low　he'll　sink　if　you　keep　on　pushing　him。〃

〃You　are　excited；　hysterical。　　You　misjudge　him；　believe　me；〃　said　Scarborough；　gently。

〃NoI　know　he's　not　depravedyet。　　Do　you　think　_I_　could　care　for　him　if　he　were？〃

〃I　hope　so。　　That's　when　he'd　need　it　most。〃

Olivia　grew　red。　　〃Well；　perhaps　I　should。　　I'm　a　fool；　like　all　women。　　But　I　ask　you　to　let　him　alone；　to　give　his　better　self　a　chance。〃

〃Why　not　ask　him　to　let　ME　aloneto　give　MY　better　nature　a　chance？〃

〃Youlaughing　at　me　in　these　circumstances！　　You　who　pretended　to　be　a　man；　pretended　to　love　Pauline　Gardiner〃

He　started　and　his　eyes　blazed；　as　if　she　had　cut　him　across　the　face　with　a　whip。　　Then　he　drew　himself　up　with　an　expression　of　insolent　fury。　　His　lips；　his　sharp　white　teeth；　were　cruel。

She　bore　his　look　without　flinching。

〃Yes；〃　she　went　on；　〃you　think　you　love　her。　　Yet　you　act　as　if　her　love　were　a　degrading　influence　in　your　life；　as　if　she　were　a　bad　woman　instead　of　one　who　ought　to　inspire　a　man　to　do　and　be　his　best。　　How　ashamed　she'd　be　of　you；　of　your　love；　if　she　could　see　you　as　you　are　nowthe　tempter　of　all　the　bad　impulses　in　this　college。〃

He　could　not　trust　himself　to　reply。　　He　was　suffocating　with　rage　and　shame。　　He　lifted　his　hat；　walked　rapidly　away　from　her　and　went　home。　　Pierson　had　never　seen　him　in　an　ugly　mood　before。　　And　he；　too；　was　in　an　ugly　mooddisgusted　with　his　own　conduct；　angry　at　Scarborough；　whom　he　held　responsible　for　the　unprecedented　excesses　of　this　last　trip　to　Chicago　and　for　their　consequences。

〃What's　happened？〃　he　asked　sourly。　　〃What's　the　matter　with　YOU？〃

〃Your　Olivia；〃　replied　Scarborough；　with　a　vicious　sneer；　〃has　been　insulting　me　for　your　sins。　　She　is　a　shrew！　　I　don't　wonder　you　dropped　her。〃

Pierson　rose　slowly　and　faced　him。

〃You　astonish　me；〃　he　said。　　〃I　shouldn't　have　believed　you　capable　of　a　speech　which　no　gentleman　could　possibly　utter。〃

〃YOU；　sitting　as　a　court　of　honor　to　decide　what's　becoming　a　gentleman！〃　　Scarborough　looked　amused　contempt。　　〃My　dear　Pierson；　you're　worse　than　offensiveyou　are　ridiculous。〃

〃No　man　shall　say　such　things　to　me　especially　a　man　who　notoriously　lives　by　his　wits。〃

Scarborough　caught　him　up　as　if　he　had　been　a　child　and　pinned　him　against　the　wall。　　〃Take　that　back；〃　he　said；　〃or　I'll　kill　you。〃　　His　tone　was　as　colorless　as　his　face。

〃Kill　and　be　damned；〃　replied　Pierson；　cool　and　disdainful。　　〃You're　a　coward。〃

Scarborough's　fingers　closed　on　Pierson's　throat。　　Then　flashed　into　his　mind　that　warning　which　demands　and　gets　a　hearing　in　the　wildest　tempest　of　passion　before　an　irrevocable　act　can　be　done。　　It　came　to　him　in　the　form　of　a　reminder　of　his　laughing　remark　to　Pauline　when　he　told　her　of　the　traditions　of　murder　in　his　family。　　He　released　Pierson　and　fled　from　the　apartment。

Half　an　hour　later　Pierson　was　reading　a　note　from　him：

〃I've　invited　some　friends　this　evening。　　I　trust　it　will　be　convenient　for　you　to　absent　yourself。　　They'll　be　out　by　eleven；　and　then；　if　you　return；　we　can　decide　which　is　to　stay　in　the　apartment　and　which　to　leave。〃

Pierson　went　away　to　his　fraternity　house　and　at　half…past　eight　Scarborough；　Chalmers；　Jack　Wilton　and　Brigham　sat　down　to　a　game　of　poker。　　They　had　played　about　an　hour；　the　cards　steadily　against　Chalmers　and　Brighamthe　cards　were　usually　against　Brigham。　　He　was　a　mere　boy；　with　passionate　aspirations　to　be　considered　a　sport。　　He　had　been　going　a　rapid　gait　for　a　year。　　He　had　lost　to　Scarborough　alone　as　much　as　he　had　expected　to　spend　on　the　year's　education。

Toward　ten　o'clock　there　was　a　jack…pot　with　forty…three　dollars　in　it　and　Brigham　was　betting　wildly；　his　hands　and　his　voice　trembling；　his　lips　shriveled。　　With　a　sudden　gesture　Chalmers　caught　the　ends　of　the　table　and　jerked　it　back。　　Therein　Brigham's　lapwere　two　cards。

〃I　thought　so！〃　exclaimed　Chalmers。　　〃You　dirty　little　cheat！　　I've　been　watching　you。〃

The　boy　looked　piteously　at　Chalmers'　sneering　face；　at　the　faces　of　the　others。　　The　tears　rolled　down　his　cheeks。　　〃For　God's　sake；　boys；〃　he　moaned；　〃don't　be　hard　on　me。　　I　was　desperate。　　I've　lost　everything；　and　my　father　can't　give　me　any　more。　　He's　a　poor　man；　and　he　and　mother　have　been　economizing　and　sacrificing　to　send　me　here。　　And　when　I　saw　I　was　ruinedGod　knows；　I　didn't　think　what　I　was　doing。〃　　He　buried　his　face　in　his　hands。　　〃Don't　be　hard　on　me；〃　he　sobbed。　　〃Any　one　of　you　might　have　done　the　same　if　he　was　in　my　fix。〃

〃You　sniveling　cur；〃　said　Chalmers；　high　and　virtuous；　〃how　dare　you　say　such　a　thing！　　You　forget　you're　among　gentlemen〃

〃None　of　that；　Chalmers；〃　interrupted　Scarborough。　　〃The　boy's　telling　the　truth。　　And　nobody　knows　it　better　than　YOU。〃　　This　with　a　significant　look　into　Chalmers'　eyes。　　They　shifted　and　he　colored。

〃I　agree　with　Scarborough；〃　said　Wilton。　　〃We　oughtn't　to　have　let　the　boy　into　our　games。　　We　must　never　mention　what　has　happened　here　this　evening。〃

〃But　we　can't　allow　a　card　sharp　to　masquerade　as　a　gentleman；〃　objected　Chalmers。　　〃I　confess；　Scarborough；　I　don't　understand　how　you　can　be　so　easy…going　in　a　matter　of　honor。〃

〃You　think　I　must　have　a　fellow…feeling　for　dishonor；　eh？〃　　Scarborough　smiled　satirically。　　〃I　suppose　because　I　was　sympathetic　enough　with　you　to　overlook　the　fact　that　you　were　shy　on　your　share　of　our　Chicago　trip。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃The　three　hundred　you　borrowed　of　Pierson　when　you　thought　he　was　too　far　gone　to　know　what　he　was　doing。　　My　back　was　turnedbut　there　was　the　mirror。〃

Chalmers'　sullen；　red　face　confirmed　Scarborough's　charge。

〃No；〃　continued　Scarborough；　〃we　GENTLEMEN　ought　to　be　charitable　toward　one　another's　DISCOVERED　lapses。〃　　He　seated　himself　at　his　desk　and　wrote　rapidly：


We；　the　undersigned；　exonerate　Edwin　Brigham　of　cheating　in　the　poker　game　in　Hampden　Scarborough's　rooms　on　Saturday　evening；　February　20；　18。　　And　we　pledge　ourselves　never　to　speak　of　the　matter　either　to　each　other　or　to　any　one　else。


〃I've　signed　first；〃　said　Scarborough；　rising　and　holding　the　pen　toward　Chalmers。　　〃Now；　you　fellows　sign。　　Chalmers！〃

Chalmers　signed；　and　then　Wilton。

〃Take　Chalmers　away　with　you；〃　said　Scarborough　to　Wilton　in　an　undertone