the three partners-第21章

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her；　and；　with　a　white　face　and　a　metallic　ring　in　her　voice；　said：

〃It　is　just　because　I　am　a　woman　IN　MY　POSITION　that　I　do！　　It　is

because　I　don't　live　with　my　husband　that　I　can　tell　you　what　it

will　be　when　you　no　longer　live　with　yourswhich　will　be　the

inevitable　result　of　what　you　are　now　doing。　　It　is　because　I　WAS

in　this　position　that　the　very　man　who　is　pursuing　you；　because　he

thinks　you　are　discontented　with　YOUR　husband；　once　thought　he

could　pursue　me　because　I　had　left　MINE。　　You　are　here　with　him

alone；　without　the　knowledge　of　your　husband；　call　it　folly；

caprice；　vanity；　or　what　you　like；　it　can　have　but　one　endto　put

you　in　my　place　at　last；　to　be　considered　the　fair　game　afterwards

for　any　man　who　may　succeed　him。　　You　can　test　him　and　the　truth　of

what　I　say　by　telling　him　now　that　I　heard　all。〃



〃Suppose　he　doesn't　care　what　you　have　heard；〃　said　Mrs。　Barker

sharply。　　〃Suppose　he　says　nobody　would　believe　you；　if　'telling'

is　your　game。　　Suppose　he　is　a　friend　of　my　husband　and　he　thinks

him　a　much　better　guardian　of　my　reputation　than　a　woman　like　you。

Suppose　he　should　be　the　first　one　to　tell　my　husband　of　the　foul

slander　invented　by　you！〃



For　an　instant　Mrs。　Horncastle　was　taken　aback　by　the　audacity　of

the　woman　before　her。　　She　knew　the　simple　confidence　and　boyish

trust　of　Barker　in　his　wife　in　spite　of　their　sometimes　strained

relations；　and　she　knew　how　difficult　it　would　be　to　shake　it。　　And

she　had　no　idea　of　betraying　Mrs。　Barker's　secret　to　him；　though

she　had　made　this　scene　in　his　interest。　　She　had　wished　to　save

Mrs。　Barker　from　a　compromising　situation；　even　if　there　was　a

certain　vindictiveness　in　her　exposing　her　to　herself。　　Yet　she

knew　it　was　quite　possible　now；　if　Mrs。　Barker　had　immediate　access

to　her　husband；　that　she　would　convince　him　of　her　perfect

innocence。　　Nevertheless；　she　had　still　great　confidence　in　Van

Loo's　fear　of　scandal　and　his　utter　unmanliness。　　She　knew　he　was

not　in　love　with　Mrs。　Barker；　and　this　puzzled　her　when　she

considered　the　evident　risk　he　was　running　now。　　Her　face；　however；

betrayed　nothing。　　She　drew　back　from　Mrs。　Barker；　and；　with　an

indifferent　and　graceful　gesture　towards　the　door；　said；　as　she

leaned　against　the　mantel；　〃Go；　then；　and　see　this　much…abused

gentleman；　and　then　go　together　with　him　and　make　peace　with　your

husbandeven　on　those　terms。　　If　I　have　saved　you　from　the

consequences　of　your　folly　I　shall　be　willing　to　bear　even　HIS

blame。〃



〃Whatever　I　do；〃　said　Mrs。　Barker；　rising　hotly；　〃I　shall　not　stay

here　any　longer　to　be　insulted。〃　　She　flounced　out　of　the　room　and

swept　down　the　staircase　into　the　office。　　Here　she　found　an

overworked　clerk；　and　with　crimson　cheeks　and　flashing　eyes　wanted

to　know　why　in　her　own　father's　hotel　she　had　found　her　own

sitting…room　engaged；　and　had　been　obliged　to　wait　half　an　hour

before　she　could　be　shown　into　a　decent　apartment　to　remove　her　hat

and　cloak　in；　and　how　it　was　that　even　the　gentleman　who　had　kindly

escorted　her　had　evidently　been　unable　to　procure　her　any

assistance。　　She　said　this　in　a　somewhat　high　voice；　which　might

have　reached　the　ears　of　that　gentleman　had　he　been　in　the

vicinity。　　But　he　was　not；　and　she　was　forced　to　meet　the　somewhat

dazed　apologies　of　the　clerk　alone；　and　to　accompany　the

chambermaid　to　a　room　only　a　few　paces　distant　from　the　one　she　had

quitted。　　Here　she　hastily　removed　her　outer　duster　and　hat；　washed

her　hands；　and　consulted　her　excited　face　in　the　mirror；　with　the

door　ajar　and　an　ear　sensitively　attuned　to　any　step　in　the

corridor。　　But　all　this　was　effected　so　rapidly　that　she　was　at

last　obliged　to　sit　down　in　a　chair　near　the　half…opened　door；　and

wait。　　She　waited　five　minutestenbut　still　no　footstep。　　Then

she　went　out　into　the　corridor　and　listened；　and　then；　smoothing

her　face；　she　slipped　downstairs；　past　the　door　of　that　hateful

room；　and　reappeared　before　the　clerk　with　a　smiling　but　somewhat

pale　and　languid　face。　　She　had　found　the　room　very　comfortable；

but　it　was　doubtful　whether　she　would　stay　over　night　or　go　on　to

Hymettus。　　Had　anybody　been　inquiring　for　her？　　She　expected　to

meet　friends。　　No！　　And　her　escortthe　gentleman　who　came　with

herwas　possibly　in　the　billiard…room　or　the　bar？



〃Oh　no！　　He　was　gone；〃　said　the　clerk。



〃Gone！〃　echoed　Mrs。　Barker。　　〃Impossible！　　He　washe　was　here　only

a　moment　ago。〃



The　clerk　rang　a　bell　sharply。　　The　stableman　appeared。



〃That　tall；　smooth…faced　man；　in　a　high　hat；　who　came　with　the

lady；〃　said　the　clerk　severely　and　concisely；〃didn't　you　tell　me

he　was　gone？〃



〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　the　stableman。



〃Are　you　sure？〃　interrupted　Mrs。　Barker；　with　a　dazzling　smile

that；　however；　masked　a　sudden　tightening　round　her　heart。



〃Quite　sure；　miss；〃　said　the　stableman；　〃for　he　was　in　the　yard

when　Steptoe　came；　after　missing　the　coach。　　He　wanted　a　buggy　to

take　him　over　to　the　Divide。　　We　hadn't　one；　so　he　went　over　to　the

other　stables；　and　he　didn't　come　back；　so　I　reckon　he's　gone。　　I

remember　it；　because　Steptoe　came　by　a　minute　after　he'd　gone；　in

another　buggy；　and　as　he　was　going　to　the　Divide；　too；　I　wondered

why　the　gentleman　hadn't　gone　with　him。〃



〃And　he　left　no　message　for　me？　　He　said　nothing？〃　asked　Mrs。

Barker；　quite　breathless；　but　still　smiling。



〃He　said　nothin'　to　me　but　'Isn't　that　Steptoe　over　there？'　when

Steptoe　came　in。　　And　I　remember　he　said　it　kinder　suddentas　if

he　was　reminded　o'　suthin'　he'd　forgot；　and　then　he　asked　for　a

buggy。　　Ye　see；　miss；〃　added　the　man；　with　a　certain　rough

consideration　for　her　disappointment；　〃that's　mebbe　why　he　clean

forgot　to　leave　a　message。〃



Mrs。　Barker　turned　away；　and　ascended　the　stairs。　　Selfishness　is

quick　to　recognize　selfishness；　and　she　saw　in　a　flash　the　reason

of　Van　Loo's　abandonment　of　her。　　Some　fear　of　discovery　had

alarmed　him；　perhaps　Steptoe　knew　her　husband；　perhaps　he　had　heard

of　Mrs。　Horncastle's　possession　of　the　sitting…room；　perhapsfor

she　had　not　seen　him　since　their　playful　struggle　at　the　doorhe

had　recognized　the　woman　who　was　there；　and　the　selfish　coward　had

run　away。　　Yes；　Mrs。　Horncastle　was　right：　she　had　been　only　a

miserable　dupe。



Her　cheeks　blazed　as　she　entered　the　room　she　had　just　quitted；　and

threw　herself　in　a　chair　by　the　window。　　She　bit　her　lip　as　she

remembered　how　for　the　last　three　months　she　had　been　slowly

yielding　to　Van　Loo's　cautious　but　insinuating　solicitation；　from　a

flirtation　in　the　San　Francisco　hotel　to　a　clandestine　meeting　in

the　street；　from　a　ride　in　the　suburbs　to　a　supper　in　a　fast

restaurant　after　the　theatre。　　Other　women　did　it　who　were

fashionable　and　rich；　as　Van　Loo　had　pointed　out　to　her。　　Other

fashionable　women　also　gambled　in　stocks；　and　had　their　private

broker　in　a　〃Charley〃　or　a　〃Jack。〃　　Why　should　not　Mrs。　Barker　have

business　with　a　〃Paul〃　Van　Loo；　particularly　as　this　fast　craze

permitted　secret　meetings？for　business　of　this　kind　could　not　be

conducted　in　public；　and　permitted　the　fair　gambler　to　call　at

private　offices　without　fear　and　without　reproach。　　Mrs。　Barker's

vanity；　Mrs。　Barker's　love　of　ceremony　and　form；　Mrs。　Barker's

snobbishness；　were　flattered　by　the　attentions　of　this　polished

gentleman　with　a　foreign　name；　which　even　had　the　flavor　of

nobility；　who　never　picked　up　her　fan　and　handed　it　to　her　without

bowing；　and　always　rose　when　she　entered　the　room。　　Mrs。　Barker's

scant　schoolgirl　knowledge　was　touched　by　this　gentleman；　who　spoke

French　fluently；　and　delicately　explained　to　her　the　libretto　of　a

risky　opera　bouffe。　　And　now　she　had　finally　yielded　to　a　meeting

out　of　San　Franciscoand　an　ostensible　visitstill　as　a

speculatorto　one　or　two　mining　districtswith　HER　BROKER。　　This

was　the　boldest　of　her　stepsan　original　idea　of　the　fashionable

Van　Loowhich；　no　doubt；　in　time　would　become　a　craze；　too。　　But

it　was　a　long　stepand　there