the cost-第38章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ung　about　her　bare　shoulders。　　〃I　can't　help　ithe's　the　besthe　makes　all　the　others　look　and　talk　like　cheap　imitations。　　He's　the　best；　and　a　woman　can't　help　wanting　the　best。〃

Pauline　rose　and　leaned　against　the　railingshe　could　evade　the　truth　no　longer。　　Gladys　was　in　love　with　Scarborough；　was　at　last　caught　in　her　own　toils；　would　go　on　entangling　herself　deeper　and　deeper；　abandoning　herself　more　and　more　to　a　hopeless　love；　unless

〃What　would　you　do；　Pauline？〃　pleaded　Gladys。　　〃There　must　be　some　reason　why　he　doesn't　speak。　　It　isn't　fair　to　meit　isn't　fair！　　I　could　stand　anythingeven　giving　him　upbetter　than　this　uncertainty。　　It'sit's　breaking　my　heartI　who　thought　I　didn't　have　a　heart。〃

〃No；　it　isn't　fair；〃　said　Pauline；　to　herself　rather　than　to　Gladys。

〃I　suppose　you　don't　sympathize　with　me；〃　Gladys　went　on。　　〃I　know　you　don't　like　him。　　I've　noticed　how　strained　and　distant　you　are　toward　each　other。　　And　you　seem　to　avoid　each　other。　　And　he'll　never　talk　of　you　to　me。　　Did　you　have　some　sort　of　misunderstanding　at　college？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Pauline；　slowly。　　〃Aa　misunderstanding。〃

〃And　you　both　remember　it；　after　all　these　years？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Pauline。

〃How　relentless　you　are；〃　said　Gladys；　〃and　how　tenacious！〃　　But　she　was　too　intent　upon　her　own　affairs　to　pursue　a　subject　which　seemed　to　lead　away　from　them。　　Presently　she　rose。

〃I'll　be　ashamed　of　having　confessed　when　I　see　you　in　daylight。　　But　I　don't　care。　　I　shan't　be　sorry。　　I　feel　a　little　better。　　After　all；　why　should　I　be　ashamed　of　any　one　knowing　I　care　for　him？〃　　And　she　sighed；　laughed；　went　into　the　house；　whistling　softlysad；　depressed；　but　hopeful；　feeling　deep　down　that　she　surely　must　win　where　she　had　never　known　what　it　was　to　lose。

Pauline　looked　after　her。　　〃No；　it　isn't　fair；〃　she　repeated。　　She　stayed　on　the　veranda；　walking　slowly　to　and　fro　not　to　make　up　her　mind；　for　she　had　done　that　while　Gladys　was　confessing；　but　to　decide　how　she　could　best　accomplish　what　she　saw　she　must　now　no　longer　delay。　　It　was　not　until　two　hours　later　that　she　went　up　to　bed。

When　Gladys　came　down　at　nine　the　next　morning　Pauline　had　just　gone　out〃I　think；　Miss　Gladys；　she　told　the　coachman　to　drive　to　her　father's；〃　said　the　butler。

Gladys　set　out　alone。　　Instead　of　keeping　to　the　paths　and　the　woods　along　the　edge　of　the　bluff　she　descended　to　the　valley　and　the　river　road。　　She　walked　rapidly；　her　face　glowing；　her　eyes　sparklingshe　was　quick　to　respond　to　impressions　through　the　senses；　and　to…day　she　felt　so　well　physically　that　it　reacted　upon　her　mind　and　forced　her　spirits　up。　　At　the　turn　beyond　Deer　Creek　bridge　she　met　Scarborough　suddenly。　　He；　too；　was　afoot　and　alone；　and　his　greeting　was　interpreted　to　her　hopes　by　her　spirits。

〃May　I　turn　and　walk　with　you？〃　he　asked。

〃I'm　finding　myself　disagreeable　company　today。〃

〃You　did　look　dull；〃　she　said；　as　they　set　out　together；　〃dull　as　a　love…sick　German。　　But　I　supposed　it　was　your　executive　pose。〃

〃I　was　thinking　that　I'll　be　old　before　I　know　it。〃　　His　old…young　face　was　shadowed　for　an　instant。　　〃Oldthat's　an　unpleasant　thought；　isn't　it？〃

〃Unpleasant　for　a　man；〃　said　Gladys；　with　a　laugh；　light　as　youth's　dread　of　age。　　〃For　a　woman；　ghastly！　　Old　and　aloneeither　one's　dreadful　enough。　　Butthe　two　together！　　I　often　think　of　them。　　Don't　laugh　at　mereally　I　do。　　Don't　you？〃

〃If　you　keep　to　that；　our　walk'll　be　a　dismal　failure。　　It's　a　road　I　never　takeif　I　can　help　it。〃

〃You　don't　look　as　though　you　were　ever　gloomy。〃　　Gladys　glanced　up　at　him　admiringly。　　〃I　should　have　said　you　were　one　person　the　blue　devils　wouldn't　dare　attack。〃

〃Yes；　but　they　do。　　And　sometimes　they　throw　me。〃

〃And　trample　you？〃

〃And　trample　me；〃　he　answered　absently。

〃That's　because　you're　alone　too　much；〃　she　said　with　a　look　of　tactful　sympathy。

〃Precisely；〃　he　replied。　　〃But　how　am　I　to　prevent　that？〃

〃Marry；　of　course；〃　she　retorted；　smiling　gaily　up　at　him；　letting　her　heart　just　peep　from　her　eyes。

〃Thank　you！　　And　it　sounds　so　easy！　　May　I　ask　why　you've　refused　to　take　your　own　medicineyou　who　say　you　are　so　often　blue？〃

She　shrugged　her　shoulders。　　〃I've　always　suspected　the　men　who　asked　me。　　They　were〃　　She　did　not　finish　what　she　feared　might　be　an　unwise；　repelling　remark　in　the　circumstances。

〃They　were　after　your　money；〃　he　finished　for　her。

She　nodded。　　〃They　were　Europeans；〃　she　explained。　　〃Europeans　want　money　when　they　marry。〃

〃That's　another　of　the　curses　of　riches；〃　he　said　judicially。　　〃And　if　you　marry　a　rich　man　over　here；　you　may　be　pretty　sure　he'll　marry　you　for　your　money。　　I've　observed　that　rich　men　attach　an　exaggerated　importance　to　money；　always。〃

〃I'd　prefer　to　marry　a　poor　man；〃　she　hastened　to　answer；　her　heart　beating　fastercertainly　his　warning　against　rich　suitors　must　have　been　designed　to　help　his　own　cause　with　her。

〃Yes；　that　might　be　better；〃　he　agreed。　　〃But　you　would　have　to　be　careful　after　you　were　married　or　he　might　fancy　you　were　using　your　money　to　tyrannize　over　him。　　I've　noticed　that　the　poor　husbands　of　rich　women　are　supersensitiveoften　for　cause。〃

〃Oh；　I'd　give　it　all　to　him。　　He　could　do　what　he　pleased　with　it。　　I'd　not　care　so　long　as　we　were　happy。〃

Scarborough　liked　the　spirit　of　this；　liked　her　look　as　she　said　it。

〃That's　very　generousvery　like　you；〃　he　replied　warmly。　　〃But　I　don't　think　it　would　be　at　all　wise。　　You'd　be　in　a　dangerous　position。　　You　might　spoil　himgreat　wealth　is　a　great　danger；　and　when　it's　suddenly　acquired；　and　so　easily　No；　you'd　better　put　your　wealth　aside　and　only　use　so　much　of　it　as　will　make　your　income　equal　to　hisif　you　can　stand　living　economically。〃

〃I　could　stand　anything　with　or　from　any　one　I　cared　for。〃　　Gladys　was　eager　for　the　conversation　to　turn　from　the　general　to　the　particular。　　She　went　on；　forcing　her　voice　to　hide　her　interest：　　〃And　you；　why　don't　you　cure　your　blues？〃

〃Oh；　I　shall；〃　he　replied　carelessly。　　〃But　not　with　your　medicine。　　Every　one　to　his　own　prescription。〃

〃And　what's　yours　for　yourself？〃　said　Gladys；　feeling　tired　and　nervous　from　the　strain　of　this　delayed　happiness。

〃Mine？〃　He　laughed。　　〃My　dreams。〃

〃You　are　a　strange　combination；　aren't　you？　　In　one　way　you're　so　very　practicalwith　your　politics　and　all　that。　　And　in　another　wayI　suspect　you　of　being　sentimentalalmost　romantic。〃

〃You've　plucked　out　the　heart　of　my　mystery。　　My　real　name　is　non　Quixote　de　Saint　X。〃

〃And　has　your　Dulcinea　red　hands　and　a　flat　nose　and　freckles　like　the　lady　of　Toboso？〃　　Gladys'　hands　were　white；　her　nose　notably　fine；　her　skin　transparently　clear。

〃Being　Don　Quixote；　I　don't　know　it　if　she　has。〃

〃And　you　prefer　to　worship　afar；　and　to　send　her　news　of　your　triumphs　instead　of　going　to　her　yourself？〃

〃I　dare　not　go。〃　　He　was　looking　away；　far　away。　　〃There　are　wicked　enchanters。　　I'm　powerless。　　She　alone　can　break　their　spells。〃

They　walked　in　silence；　her　heart　beating　so　loudly　that　she　thought　he　must　be　hearing　it；　must　be　hearing　what　it　was　saying。　　Yesshe　must　break　the　spells。　　But　howbut　how？　　What　must　she　say　to　make　him　see？　　Did　he　expect　her　to　ask　him　to　marry　her？　　She　had　heard　that　rich　women　often　were　forced　to　make　this　concession　to　the　pride　of　the　men　they　wished　to　marry。　　On　the　other　hand；　was　there　ever　a　man　less　likely　than　Scarborough　to　let　any　obstacle　stand　between　him　and　what　he　wanted？

The　first　huge　drops　of　a　summer　rain　pattered　in　big；　round　stains；　brown　upon　the　white　of　the　road。　　He　glanced　upa　cloud　was　rolling　from　beyond　the　cliffs；　was　swiftly　curtaining　the　blue。

〃Come；〃　he　commanded；　and　they　darted　into　the　underbrush；　he　guiding　her　by　her　arm。　　A　short　dash　among　the　trees　and　bushes　and　they　were　at　the　base　of　the　bluff；　were　shielded　by　a　shelf　of　rock。

〃It'll　be　over　soon；〃　he　assured　her。　　〃But　you　must　stand　close　or　you'll　be　drenched。〃

A　clap　of　thunder　deafened　them　as　a　flame　and　a　force　enswathed　the　sycamore　tree　a　few　yards　away；　blowing　off　its　bark；　scattering　its　branches；　making　it　all　in　an　instant　a　blackened　and　blasted　wreck。　　Gladys　gave　a　low　scream　of　terror；　fell　against　him；　h