the cost-第2章

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t　Xso　every　one　called　Saint　Christopherwere　going　a　more　rapid　gait。　　Those　turbulent　fretters　against　the　dam　of　dullness　and　stern　repression　of　even　normal　and　harmless　gaiety　had　long　caused　scandal。　　But　never　before　had　they　been　so　daring；　so　defiant。

One　night　after　leaving　Pauline　he　went　to　play　poker　in　Charley　Braddock's　rooms。　　Braddock；　only　son　of　the　richest　banker　in　Saint　X；　had　furnished　the　loft　of　his　father's　stable　as　bachelor　quarters　and　entertained　his　friends　there　without　fear　that　the　noise　would　break　the　sleep　and　rouse　the　suspicions　of　his　father。　　That　night；　besides　Braddock　and　Dumont；　there　were　Jim　Cauldwell　and　his　brother　Will。　　As　they　played　they　drank；　and　Dumont；　winning　steadily；　became　offensive　in　his　raillery。　　There　was　a　quarrel；　a　fight；　Will　Cauldwell；　accidently　toppled　down　a　steep　stairway　by　Dumont；　was　picked　up　with　a　broken　arm　and　leg。

By　noon　the　next　day　the　town　was　boiling　with　this　outbreak　of　deviltry　in　the　leading　young　men；　the　sons　and　prospective　successors　of　the　〃bulwarks　of　religion　and　morality。〃　　The　Episcopalian　and　Methodist　ministers　preached　against　Dumont；　that　〃importer　of　Satan's　ways　into　our　peaceful　midst；〃　and　against　Charley　Braddock　with　his　〃ante…room　to　Sheol〃the　Reverend　Sweetser　had　just　learned　the　distinction　between　Sheol　and　Hades。　　The　Presbyterian　preacher　wrestled　spiritually　with　Will　Cauldwell　and　so　wrought　upon　his　depression　that　he　gave　out　a　solemn　statement　of　confession；　remorse　and　reform。　　In　painting　himself　in　dark　colors　he　painted　Jack　Dumont　jet　black。

Pauline　had　known　that　Dumont　was　〃lively〃he　was　far　too　proud　of　his　wild　oats　wholly　to　conceal　them　from　her。　　And　she　had　all　the　tolerance　and　fascinated　admiration　of　feminine　youth　for　the　friskiness　of　masculine　freedom。　　Thus；　though　she　did　not　precisely　approve　what　he　and　his　friends　had　done；　she　took　no　such　serious　view　of　it　as　did　her　parents　and　his。　　The　most　she　could　do　with　her　father　was　to　persuade　him　to　suspend　sentence　pending　the　conclusion　of　an　investigation　into　Jack's　doings　at　the　University　of　Michigan　and　in　Detroit。　　Colonel　Gardiner　was　not　so　narrow　or　so　severe　as　Jack　said　or　as　Pauline　thought。　　He　loved　his　daughter；　so　he　inquired　thoroughly。　　He　knew　that　his　daughter　loved　Dumont；　so　he　judged　liberally。　　When　he　had　done　he　ordered　the　engagement　broken　and　forbade　Dumont　the　house。

〃He　is　not　wild　merely；　he　isworse　than　you　can　imagine；〃　said　the　colonel　to　his　wife；　in　concluding　his　account　of　his　discoveries　and　of　Dumont's　evasive　and　reluctant　admissionsan　account　so　carefully　expurgated　that　it　completely　misled　her。　　〃Tell　Pauline　as　much　as　you　canenough　to　convince　her。〃

This；　when　Mrs。　Gardiner　was　not　herself　convinced。　　She　regarded　the　colonel　as　too　high…minded　to　be　a　fit　judge　of　human　frailty；　and　his　over…caution　in　explanation　had　given　her　the　feeling　that　he　had　a　standard　for　a　husband　for　their　daughter　which　only　another　such　rare　man　as　himself　could　live　up　to。　　Further；　she　had　always　been　extremely　reserved　in　mother…and…daughter　talk　with　Pauline；　and　thus　could　not　now　give　her　a　clear　idea　of　what　little　she　had　been　able　to　gather　from　Colonel　Gardiner's　half…truths。　　This　typical　enacting　of　a　familiar　domestic　comedy…tragedy　had　the　usual　result：　the　girl　was　confirmed　in　her　original　opinion　and　stand。

〃Jack's　been　a　little　too　lively；〃　was　her　unexpressed　conclusion　from　her　mother's　dilution　of　her　father's　dilution　of　the　ugly　truth。　　〃He's　sorry　and　won't　do　it　again；　andwell；　I'd　hate　a　milksop。　　Father　has　forgotten　that　he　was　young　himself　once。〃

Dumont's　father　and　mother　charged　against　Ann　Arbor　that　which　they　might　have　charged　against　their　own　alternations　of　tyranny　and　license；　had　they　not　been　humanly　lenient　in　self…excuse。　　〃No　more　college！〃　said　his　father。

〃The　place　for　you；　young　man；　is　my　office；　where　I　can　keep　an　eye　or　two　on　you。〃

〃That　suits　me；〃　replied　the　son；　indifferentlyhe　made　small　pretense　of　repentance　at　home。

〃I　never　wanted　to　go　to　college。〃

〃Yes；　it　was　your　mother's　doing；〃　said　old　Dumont。　　〃Now　we'll　try　MY　way　of　educating　a　boy。〃

So　Jack　entered　the　service　of　his　father's　god…of…the…six…days；　and　immediately　showed　astonishing　talent　and　twelve…to…fourteen…hour　assiduity。　　He　did　not　try　to　talk　with　Pauline。　　He　went　nowhere　but　to　business；　he　avoided　the　young　men。

〃It's　a　bad　idea　to　let　your　home　town　know　too　much　about　you；〃　he　reflected；　and　he　resolved　that　his　future　gambols　out　of　bounds　should　be　in　the　security　of　distant　and　large　citiesand　they　were。　　Seven　months　after　he　went　to　work　he　amazed　and　delighted　his　father　by　informing　him　that　he　had　bought　five　hundred　shares　of　stock　in　the　millshe　had　made　the　money；　fifty…odd　thousand　dollars；　by　a　speculation　in　wool。　　He　was　completely　reestablished　with　his　father　and　with　all　Saint　X　except　Colonel　Gardiner。

〃That　young　Jack　Dumont's　a　wonder；〃　said　everybody。　　〃He'll　make　the　biggest　kind　of　a　fortune　or　the　biggest　kind　of　a　smash　before　he　gets　through。〃

He　felt　that　he　was　fully　entitled　to　the　rights　of　the　regenerate；　he　went　to　Colonel　Gardiner's　law　office　boldly　to　claim　them。

At　sight　of　him　the　colonel's　face　hardened　into　an　expression　as　near　to　hate　as　its　habit　of　kindliness　would　concede。　　〃Well；　sir！〃　said　he；　sharply；　eying　the　young　man　over　the　tops　of　his　glasses。

Dumont　stiffened　his　strong；　rather　stocky　figure　and　said；　his　face　a　study　of　youthful　frankness：　　〃You　know　what　I've　come　for；　sir。　　I　want　you　to　give　me　a　trial。〃

〃No！〃　Colonel　Gardiner　shut　his　lips　firmly。

〃Good　morning；　sir！〃　　And　he　was　writing　again。

〃You　are　very　hard；〃　said　Dumont；　bitterly。

〃You　are　driving　me　to　ruin。〃

〃How　DARE　you！〃　　The　old　man　rose　and　went　up　to　him；　eyes　blazing　scorn。　　〃You　deceive　others；　but　not　me　with　my　daughter's　welfare　as　my　first　duty。　　It　is　an　insult　to　her　that　you　presume　to　lift　your　eyes　to　her。〃

Dumont　colored　and　haughtily　raised　his　head。　　He　met　the　colonel's　fiery　gaze　without　flinching。

〃I　was　no　worse　than　other　young　men〃

〃It's　a　slander　upon　young　men　for　you　to　say　that　theythat　any　of　them　with　a　spark　of　decencywould　do　as　you　have　done；　as　you　DO！　　Leave　my　office　at　once；　sir！〃

〃I've　not　only　repentedI've　shown　that　I　was　ashamed　ofof　that；〃　said　Dumont。　　〃Yet　you　refuse　me　a　chance！〃

The　colonel　was　shaking　with　anger。

〃You　left　here　for　New　York　last　Thursday　night；〃　he　said。　　〃Where　and　how　did　you　spend　Saturday　night　and　Sunday　and　Monday？〃

Dumont's　eyes　shifted　and　sank。

〃It's　false；〃　he　muttered。　　〃It's　lies。〃

〃I　expected　this　call　from　you；〃　continued　Colonel　Gardiner；　〃and　I　prepared　for　it　so　that　I　could　do　what　was　right。　　I'd　rather　see　my　daughter　in　her　shroud　than　in　a　wedding…dress　for　you。〃

Dumont　left　without　speaking　or　looking　up。

〃The　old　fox！〃　he　said　to　himself。　　〃Spying　on　mewhat　an　idiot　I　was　not　to　look　out　for　that。　　The　narrow　old　fool！　　He　doesn't　know　what　‘man　of　the　world'　means。　　But　I'll　marry　her　in　spite　of　him。　　I'll　let　nobody　cheat　me　out　of　what　I　want；　what　belongs　to　me。〃

A　few　nights　afterward　he　went　to　a　dance　at　Braddock's；　hunted　out　Pauline　and　seated　himself　beside　her。　　In　a　year　he　had　not　been　so　near　her；　though　they　had　seen　each　other　every　few　days　and　he　had　written　her　many　letters　which　she　had　read；　had　treasured；　but　had　been　held　from　answering　by　her　sense　of　honor；　unless　her　looks　whenever　their　eyes　met　could　be　called　answers。

〃You　mustn't；　Jack；〃　she　said；　her　breath　coming　fast；　her　eyes　fever…bright。　　〃Father　has　forbidden　meand　it'll　only　make　him　the　harder。〃

〃You；　too；　Polly？　　Well；　then；　I　don't　care　what　becomes　of　me。〃

He　looked　so　desperate　that　she　was　frightened。

〃It　isn't　that；　Jackyou　KNOW　it　isn't　that。〃

〃I've　been　to　see　your　father。　　And　he　told　me　he'd　never　consentnever！　　I　don't　deserve　thatand　I　can't　stand　it　to　lose　you。　　No　matter　what　I've　done；　God　knows　I　love　you；　Polly。〃

Pauline's　face　was　pale。　　Her　hands；　in　her　lap；　were　gripping　her　little　handkerchief。

〃You　don't　say　that；　tooyou　don't　say　‘never'