the cost-第17章
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d in New York on the way home from Europe。 Pauline was at the hotel again at five； while she and Mrs。 Fanshaw were having tea together in the palm garden a telegram was handed to her。 She read it； then said to Mrs。 Fanshaw： 〃I was going to ask you and your husband to dine with us。 Jack sends word he can't be here； butwhy shouldn't you come just the same？〃
〃No you must go with us；〃 Mrs。 Fanshaw replied。 〃We've got a box at Weber and Fields'； and two men asked； and we need another woman。 I'd have asked you before； but there wouldn't be room for any more men。〃
Mrs。 Fanshaw had to insist until she had proved that the invitation was sincere； then； Pauline accepteda distraction was always agreeable； never so agreeable as when it offered itself unannounced。 It was toward the end of the dinner that Mrs。 Fanshaw happened to say： 〃I see your husband's like all of them。 I don't believe there ever was a woman an American man wouldn't desert for business。〃
〃Oh； I don't in the least mind；〃 replied Pauline。 〃I like him to show that he feels free。 Why； when we were in Paris on the return trip and had been married only two months； he got tangled up in business and used to leave me for a dayfor two days； once。〃
At Pauline's right sat a carefully dressed young man whose name she had not caughtshe learned afterward that he was Mowbray Langdon。 He was now giving her a stare of amused mock…admiration。 When he saw that he had her attention； he said： 〃Really； Mrs。 Dumont； I can't decide which to admire mostYOUR trust or your husband's。〃
Pauline laughedit struck her as ridiculous that either she or Jack should distrust the other。 Indeed； she only hazily knew what distrust meant； and hadn't any real belief that 〃such things〃 actually existed。
Half an hour later the party was driving up to Weber and Fields'。 Pauline； glancing across the thronged sidewalk and along the empty； brilliantly lighted passage leading into the theater； saw a striking； peculiar…looking woman standing at the box…office while her escort parleyed with the clerk within。 〃How much that man looks like Jack；〃 she said to herselfand then she saw that it was indeed Jack。 Not the Jack she thought she knew； but quite another person； the one he tried to hide from hertoo carelessly； because he made the common mistake of underestimating the sagacity of simplicity。 A glance at the woman； a second glance at Dumont； his flushed； insolent face now turned full frontand she KNEW this unfamiliar and hitherto…only…hinted Jack。
The omnibus was caught in a jam of cars and carriages； there were several moments of confusion and excitement。 When the Fanshaw party was finally able to descend； she saw that Jack and his companion were gonethe danger of a scene was over for the moment。 She lingered and made the others linger； wishing to give him time to get to his seats。 When they entered the theater it was dark and the curtain was up。 But her eyes； searching the few boxes visible from the rear aisle； found the woman； or； at least； enough of her for recognitionthe huge black hat with its vast pale blue feather。 Pauline drew a long breath of relief when the
Fanshaws' box proved to be almost directly beneath； the box。
If she had been a few years older； she would have given its proper significance to the curious fact that this sudden revelation of the truth about her husband did not start a tempest of anger or jealousy； but set her instantly to sacrificing at the shrine of the great god Appearances。 It is notorious that of all the household gods he alone erects his altar only upon the hearth where the ashes are cold。
As she sat there through the two acts； she seemed to be watching the stage and taking part in the conversation of the Fanshaws and their friends； yet afterward she could not recall a single thing that had occurred； a single word that had been said。 At the end of the last act she again made them linger so that they were the last to emerge into the passage。 In the outside doorway； she saw the womanjust a glimpse of a pretty； empty； laughing face with a mouth made to utter impertinences and eyes that invited them。
Mrs。 Fanshaw was speaking〃You're very tired； aren't you？〃
〃Very；〃 replied Pauline； with a struggle to smile。
〃What a child you look！ It seems absurd that you are a married woman。 Why； you haven't your full growth yet。〃 And on an impulse of intuitive sympathy Mrs。 Fanshaw pressed her arm； and Pauline was suddenly filled with gratitude； and liked her from that moment。
Alone in her sitting…room at the hotel； she went up to the mirror over the mantel； and； staring absently at herself； put her hands up mechanically to take out her hat…pins。 〃No； I'll keep my； hat on；〃 she thought； without knowing why。 And she sat； hat and wrap on； and looked at a book。 Half an hour； and she took off her hat and wrap； put them in a chair near where she was sitting。 The watched hands of the clock crawled wearily round to half…past one； to two； to half…past two； to threeeach half…hour an interminable stage。 She wandered to the window and looked down into empty Fifth Avenue。 When she felt that at least an hour had passed； she turned to look at the clock againtwenty…five minutes to four。 Her eyes were heavy。
〃He is not coming；〃 she said aloud； and； leaving the lights on in the sitting…room； locked herself in the bedroom。
At five o'clock she started up and seized the dressing…gown on the chair near the head of the bed。 She listenedheard him muttering in the sitting…room。 She knew now that a crash of some kind had roused her。 Several minutes of profound silence； then through the door came a steady； heavy snore。
The dressing…gown dropped from her hand。 She slid from the bed； slowly crossed the room； softly opened the door； looked into the sitting…room。 A table and a chair lay upset in the middle of the floor。 He was on a sofa； sprawling； disheveled； snoring。
Slowly she advanced toward himshe was barefooted； and the white nightgown clinging to her slender figure and the long braid down her back made her look as young as her soulthe soul that gazed from her fixed； fascinated eyes； the soul of a girl of eighteen； full as much child as woman still。 She sat down before him in a low chair； her elbows on her knees； her chin supported by her hands； her eyes never leaving his swollen； dark red； brutish facea cigar stump； much chewed； lay upon his cheek near his open mouth。 He was as absurd and as repulsive as a gorged pig asleep in a wallow。
The dawn burst into broad day； but she sat on motionless until the clock struck the half…hour after six。 Then she returned to the bedroom and locked herself in again。
Toward noon she dressed and went into the sitting…room。 He was gone and it had been put to rights。 When he came； at twenty minutes to one； she was standing at the window； but she did not turn。
〃Did you get my note？〃 he asked； in a carefully careless tone。 He went on to answer himself： 〃No； there it is on the floor just where I put it； under the bedroom door。 No matterit was only to say I had to go out but would be back to lunch。 Sorry I was kept so late last night。 Glad you didn't wait up for mebut you might have left the bedroom door openit'd have been perfectly safe。〃 He laughed good…naturedly。 〃As it was； I was so kind…hearted that I didn't disturb you； but slept on the sofa。〃
As he advanced toward her with the obvious intention of kissing her； she slowly turned and faced him。 Their eyes met and he stopped shorther look was like the eternal ice that guards the pole。
〃I saw you at the theater last night；〃 she said evenly。 〃And this morning； I sat and watched you as you lay on the sofa over there。〃
He was taken completely off his guard。 With a gasp that was a kind of groan he dropped into a chair； the surface of his mind strewn with the wreckage of the lying excuses he had got ready。
〃Please don't try to explain；〃 she went on in the same even tone。 〃I understand now aboutabout Paris andeverything。 I know thatfather was right。〃
He gave her a terrified glanceno tears； no trace of excitement； only calmness and all the strength he knew was in her nature and； in addition； a strength he had not dreamed was
