the cost-第6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！



The　old　man　drew　a　big；　rusty　pocketbook　from　the　inside　pocket　of　the　old…fashioned；　flowered…velvet　waistcoat　he　wore　even　when　he　fed　the　pigs。　　He　counted　out　upon　his　knee　ten　one…hundred…dollar　bills。　　He　held　them　toward　his　son。　　〃That'll　have　to　do　you；〃　he　said。　　〃That's　all　you'll　get。〃

〃No；　thank　you；〃　replied　Hampden。　　〃I　wish　no　favors　from　anybody。〃

〃You've　earned　it　over　and　above　your　keep；〃　retorted　his　father。　　〃It　belongs　to　you。〃

〃If　I　need　it　I'll　send　for　it；〃　said　Hampden；　that　being　the　easiest　way　quickly　to　end　the　matter。

But　he　did　tell　Pauline　that　he　purposed　to　pay　his　own　way　through　college。

〃My　father　has　a　notion；〃　said　he；　〃that　the　things　one　works　for　and　earns　are　the　only　things　worth　having。　　And　I　think　one　can't　begin　to　act　on　that　notion　too　early。　　If　one　is　trying　to　get　an　education；　why　not　an　all…round　education；　instead　of　only　lessons　out　of　books？〃

From　that　moment　Pauline　ceased　to　regard　dress　or　any　other　external　feature　as　a　factor　in　her　estimate　of　Hampden　Scarborough。

〃But　your　plan　might　make　a　man　too　late　in　getting　a　startsome　men；　at　least；〃　she　suggested。

〃A　startfor　what？〃　he　asked。

〃For　fame　or　fortune　or　success　of　any　kind。〃

Scarborough's　eyes；　fixed　on　the　distance；　had　a　curious　look　in　themhe　was　again　exactly　like　that　first　view　she　had　had　of　him。

〃But　suppose　one　isn't　after　any　of　those　things；〃　he　said。　　〃Suppose　he　thinks　of　life　as　simply　an　opportunity　for　self…development。　　He　starts　at　it　when　he's　born；　and　the　more　of　it　he　does　the　more　he　has　to　do。　　Andhe　can't　possibly　fail；　and　every　moment　is　a　triumphand〃　　He　came　back　from　his　excursion　and　smiled　apologetically　at　her。

But　she　was　evidently　interested。

〃Don't　you　think　a　man　ought　to　have　ambition？〃　she　asked。　　She　was　thinking　of　her　lover　　and　his　audacious　schemes　for　making　himself　powerful。

〃Oha　man　is　what　he　is。　　Ambition　means　so　many　different　things。〃

〃But　shouldn't　you　like　to　be　rich　and　famous　andall　that？〃

〃It　depends〃　　Scarborough　felt　that　if　he　said　what　was　in　his　mind　it　might　sound　like　cant。　　So　he　changed　the　subject。　　〃Just　now　my　ambition　is　to　get　off　that　zoology　condition。〃



IV。

A　DUMONT　TRIUMPH。


But　in　the　first　week　of　her　second　month　Pauline's　interest　in　her　surroundings　vanished。　　She　was　corresponding　with　Jennie　Atwater　and　Jennie　began　to　write　of　Dumonthe　had　returned　to　Saint　X；　Caroline　Sylvester；　of　Cleveland；　was　visiting　his　mother；　it　was　all　but　certain　that　Jack　and　Caroline　would　marry。　　〃Her　people　want　it；〃　Jennie　went　onshe　pretended　to　believe　that　Jack　and　Pauline　had　given　each　the　other　up〃and　Jack's　father　is　determined　on　it。　　They're　together　morning；　noon　and　evening。　　She's　really　very　swell；　though　_I_　don't　think　she's　such　a　raving　beauty。〃　　Following　this　came　the　Saint　X　News…Bulletin　with　a　broad　hint　that　the　engagement　was　about　to　be　announced。

〃It's　ridiculously　false；〃　said　Pauline　to　herself；　but　she　tossed　for　hours　each　night；　trying　to　soothe　the　sick　pain　in　her　heart。　　And　while　she　scouted　the　possibility　of　losing　him；　she　was　for　the　first　time　entertaining　ita　cloud　in　the　great　horizon　of　her　faith　in　the　future；　a　small　cloud；　but　black　and　bold　against　the　blue。　　And　she　had　no　suspicion　that　he　had　returned　from　Chicago　deliberately　to　raise　that　cloud。

A　few　days　later　another　letter　from　Jennie；　full　of　gossip　about　Jack　and　Caroline；　a　News…Bulletin　with　a　long　article　about　Caroline；　ending　with　an　even　broader　hint　of　her　approaching　marriageand　Dumont　sent　Pauline　a　note　from　the　hotel　in　Villeneuve；　five　miles　from　Battle　Field：　　〃I　must　see　you。　　Do　not　deny　me。　　It　means　everything　to　both　of　uswhat　I　want　to　say　to　you。〃　　And　he　asked　her　to　meet　him　in　the　little　park　in　Battle　Field　on　the　bank　of　the　river　where　no　one　but　the　factory　hands　and　their　families　ever　went；　and　they　only　in　the　evenings。　　The　hour　he　fixed　was　ten　the　next　morning；　and　she　〃cut〃　ancient　history　and　was　there。　　As　he　advanced　to　meet　her　she　thought　she　had　never　before　appreciated　how　handsome　he　was；　how　distinguished…lookingperfectly　her　ideal　of　what　a　man　should　be；　especially　in　that　important；　and　at　Battle　Field　neglected；　matter；　dress。

She　was　without　practice　in　indirection；　but　she　successfully　hid　her　jealousy　and　her　fears；　though　his　manner　was　making　their　taunts　and　threats　desperately　real。　　He　seemed　depressed　and　gloomy；　he　would　not　look　at　her；　he　shook　hands　with　her　almost　coldly；　though　they　had　not　seen　each　other　for　weeks；　had　not　talked　together　for　months。　　She　felt　faint；　and　her　thoughts　were　like　flocks　of　circling；　croaking　crows。

〃Polly；〃　he　began；　when　they　were　in　the　secluded　corner　of　the　park；　〃father　wants　me　to　get　married。　　He's　in　a　rage　at　your　father　for　treating　me　so　harshly。　　He　wants　me　to　marry　a　girl　who's　visiting　us。　　He's　always　at　me　about　it；　making　all　sorts　of　promises　and　threats。　　Her　father's　in　the　same　business　that　we　are；　and〃

He　glanced　at　her　to　note　the　effect　of　his　words。　　She　had　drawn　her　tall　figure　to　its　full　height；　and　her　cheeks　were　flushed　and　her　eyes　curiously　bright。　　He　had　stabbed　straight　and　deep　into　the　heart　of　her　weakness；　but　also　into　the　heart　of　her　pride。

The　only　effect　of　his　thrust　that　was　visible　to　him　put　him　in　a　panic。　　〃Don'tPLEASE　don't　look　that　way；　Polly；〃　he　went　on　hastily。　　〃You　don't　see　what　I'm　driving　at　yet。　　I　didn't　mean　that　I'd　marry　her；　or　think　of　it。　　There　isn't　anybody　but　you。　　There　couldn't　be；　you　know　that。〃

〃Why　did　you　tell　me；　then？〃　she　asked　haughtily。

〃BecauseI　had　to　begin　somewhere。　　Polly；　I'm　going　away；　going　abroad。　　And　I'm　not　to　see　you　forfor　I　don't　know　how　longandwe　must　be　married！〃

She　looked　at　him　in　a　daze。

〃We　can　cross　on　the　ferry　at　half…past　ten；〃　he　went　on。　　〃You　see　that　housethe　white　one？〃　　He　pointed　to　the　other　bank　of　the　river　where　a　white　cottage　shrank　among　the　trees　not　far　from　a　little　church。　　〃Mr。　Barker　lives　thereyou　must　have　heard　of　him。　　He's　married　scores　and　hundreds　of　couples　from　this　side。　　And　we　can　be　back　here　at　half…past　eleventwelve　at　the　latest。〃

She　shook　her　head　expressed；　not　determination；　only　doubt。

〃I　can't；　Jack；〃　she　said。　　〃They〃

〃Then　you　aren't　certain　you're　ever　going　to　marry　me；〃　he　interrupted　bitterly。　　〃You　don't　mean　what　you　promised　me。　　You　care　more　for　them　than　you　do　for　me。　　You　don't　really　care　for　me　at　all。〃

〃You　don't　believe　that；〃　she　protested；　her　eyes　and　her　mind　on　the　little　white　cottage。　〃You　couldn'tyou　know　me　too　well。〃

〃Then　there's　no　reason　why　we　shouldn't　get　married。　　Don't　we　belong　to　each　other　now？　　Why　should　we　refuse　to　stand　up　and　say　so？〃

That　seemed　unanswerablea　perfect　excuse　for　doing　what　she　wished　to　do。　　For　the　little　white　cottage　fascinated　herhow　she　did　long　to　be　sure　of　him！　　And　she　felt　so　free；　so　absolutely　her　own　mistress　in　these　new　surroundings；　where　no　one　attempted　to　exercise　authority　over　another。

〃I　must　feel　sure　of　you；　Pauline。　　Sometimes　everything　seems　to　be　against　me；　and　I　even　doubt　you。　　Andthat's　when　the　temptations　pull　hardest。　　If　we　were　married　it'd　all　be　different。〃

Yes；　it　would　be　different。　　And　he　would　be　securely　hers；　with　her　mind　at　rest　instead　of　harassed　as　it　would　be　if　she　let　him　go　so　far　away；　free。　　And　where　was　the　harm　in　merely　repeating　before　a　preacher　the　promise　that　now　bound　them　both？　　She　looked　at　him　and　he　at　her。

〃You　don't　put　any　others　before　me；　do　you；　dear？〃　he　asked。

〃No；　Jackno　one。　　I　belong　to　you。〃

〃Come！〃　he　pleaded；　and　they　went　down　to　the　boat。　　She　seemed　to　herself　to　be　in　a　dreamin　a　trance。

As　she　walked　beside　him　along　the　country　road　on　the　other　shore　a　voice　was　ringing　in　her　ears：　　〃Don't！　　Don't！　　Ask　Olivia's　advice　first！〃　　But　she　walked　on；　her　will　suspended；　substituted　for　it　his　will　and　her　jealousy　and　her　fears　of　his　yielding　to　the　urgings　of　his　father　and　the　blandishments　of　〃that　Cleveland　girl。〃　　He　said　little　but　kept　close　to　her；　watching　her　narrowly；　touching　her　tenderly　now　and　then。