the three partners-第22章
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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 was a streak of rustic decorum in
Mrs。 Barker's naturethe instinct that made Kitty Carter keep a
perfectly secluded and distinct sitting…room in the days when she
served her father's gueststhat now had impelled her to make it a
proviso that the first step of her journey should be from her old
home in her father's hotel。 It was this instinct of the proprieties
that had revived in her suddenly at the door of the old sitting…room。
Then a new phase of the situation flashed upon her。 It was hard
for her vanity to accept Van Loo's desertion as voluntary and
final。 What if that hateful woman had lured him away by some trick
or artfully designed message? She was capable of such meanness to
insure the fulfillment of her prophecy。 Or; more dreadful thought;
what if she had some hold on his affectionsshe had said that he
had pursued her; or; more infamous still; there were some secret
understanding between them; and that sheMrs。 Barkerwas the dupe
of them both! What was she doing in the hotel at such a moment?
What was her story of going to Hymettus but a lie as transparent as
her own? The tortures of jealousy; which is as often the incentive
as it is the result of passion; began to rack her。 She had
probably yet known no real passion for this man; but with the
thought of his abandoning her; and the conception of his
faithlessness; came the wish to hold and keep him that was
dangerously near it。 What if he were even then in that room; the
room where she had said she would not stay to be insulted; and
they; thus secured against her intrusion; were laughing at her now?
She half rose at the thought; but a sound of a horse's hoofs in the
stable…yard arrested her。 She ran to the window which gave upon
it; and; crouching down beside it; listened eagerly。 The clatter
of hoofs ceased; the stableman was talking to some one; suddenly
she heard the stableman say; 〃Mrs。 Barker is here。〃 Her heart
leaped;Van Loo had returned。
But here the voice of the other man which she had not yet heard
arose for the first time clear and distinct。 〃Are you quite sure?
I didn't know she left San Francisco。〃
The room reeled around her。 The voice was George Barker's; her
husband! 〃Very well;〃 he continued。 〃You needn't put up my horse
for the night。 I may take her back a little later in the buggy。〃
In another moment she had swept down the passage; and burst into
the other room。 Mrs。 Horncastle was sitting by the table with a
book in her hand。 She started as the half…maddened woman closed
the door; locked it behind her; and cast herself on her knees at
her feet。
〃My husband is here;〃 she gasped。 〃What shall I do? In heaven's
name help me!〃
〃Is Van Loo still here?〃 said Mrs。 Horncastle quickly。
〃No; gone。 He went when I came。〃
Mrs。 Horncastle caught her hand and looked intently into her
frightened face。 〃Then what have you to fear from your husband?〃
she said abruptly。
〃You don't understand。 He didn't know I was here。 He thought me
in San Francisco。〃
〃Does he know it now?〃
〃Yes。 I heard the stableman tell him。 Couldn't you say I came
here with you; that we were here together; that it was just a
little freak of ours? Oh; do!〃
Mrs。 Horncastle thought a moment。 〃Yes;〃 she said; 〃we'll see him
here together。〃
〃Oh no! no!〃 said Mrs。 Barker suddenly; clinging to her dress and
looking fearfully towards the door。 〃I couldn't; COULDN'T see him
now。 Say I'm sick; tired out; gone to my room。〃
〃But you'll have to see him later;〃 said Mrs。 Horncastle wonderingly。
〃Yes; but he may go first。 I heard him tell them not to put up his
horse。〃
〃Good!〃 said Mrs。 Horncastle suddenly。 〃Go to your room and lock
the door; and I'll come to you later。 Stop! Would Mr。 Barker be
likely to disturb you if I told him you would like to be alone?〃
〃No; he never does。 I often tell him that。〃
Mrs。 Horncastle smiled faintly。 〃Come; quick; then;〃 she said;
〃for he may come HERE first。〃
Opening the door she passed into the half…dark and empty hall。
〃Now run!〃 She heard the quick rustle of Mrs。 Barker's skirt die
away in the distance; the opening and shutting of a doorsilence
and then turned back into her own room。
She was none too soon。 Presently she heard Barker's voice saying;
〃Thank you; I can find the way;〃 his still buoyant step on the
staircase; and then saw his brown curls rising above the railing。
The light streaming through the open door of the sitting room into
the half…lit hall had partially dazzled him; and; already
bewildered; he was still more dazzled at the unexpected apparition
of the smiling face and bright eyes of Mrs。 Horncastle standing in
the doorway。
〃You have fairly caught us;〃 she said; with charming composure;
〃but I had half a mind to let you wander round the hotel a little
longer。 Come in。〃 Barker followed her in mechanically; and she
closed the door。 〃Now; sit down;〃 she said gayly; 〃and tell me how
you knew we were here; and what you mean by surprising us at this
hour。〃
Barker's ready color always rose on meeting Mrs。 Horncastle; for
whom he entertained a respectful admiration; not without some fear
of her worldly superiority。 He flushed; bowed; and stared somewhat
blankly around the room; at the familiar walls; at the chair from
which Mrs。 Horncastle had just risen; and finally at his wife's
glove; which Mrs。 Horncastle had a moment before ostentatiously
thrown on the table。 Seeing which she pounced upon it with assumed
archness; and pretended to conceal it。
〃I had no idea my wife was here;〃 he said at last; 〃and I was quite
surprised when the man told me; for she had not written to me about
it。〃 As his face was brightening; she for the first time noticed
that his frank gray eyes had an abstracted look; and there was a
faint line of contraction on his youthful forehead。 〃Still less;〃
he added; 〃did I look for the pleasure of meeting you。 For I only
came here to inquire about my old partner; Demorest; who arrived
from Europe a few days ago; and who should have reached Hymettus
early this afternoon。 But now I hear he came all the way by coach
instead of by rail; and got off at the cross…road; and we must have
passed each other on the different trails。 So my journey would
have gone for nothing; only that I now shall have the pleasure of
going back with you and Kitty。 It will be a lovely drive by
moonlight。〃
Relieved by this revelation; it was easy work for Mrs。 Horncastle
to launch out into a playful; tantalizing; wittybut; I grieve to
say; entirely imaginativeaccount of her escapade with Mrs。
Barker。 How; left alone at the San Francisco hotel while their
gentlemen friends were enjoying themselves at Hymettus; they
resolved upon a little trip; partly for the purpose of looking into
some small investments of their own; and partly for the fun of the
thing。 What funny experiences they had! How; in particular; one
horrid inquisitive; vulgar wretch had been boring a European fellow
passenger who was going to Hymettus; finally asking him where he
had come from last; and when he answered 〃Hymettus;〃 thought the
man was insulting him
〃But;〃 interrupted the laughing Barker; 〃that passenger may have
been Demorest; who has just come from Greece; and surely Kitty
would have recognized him。〃
Mrs。 Horncastle instantly saw her blunder; and not only retrieved
it; but turned it to account。 Ah; yes! but by that time poor
Kitty; unused to long journeys and the heat; was utterly fagged
out; was asleep; and perfectly unrecognizable in veils and dusters
on the back seat of the coach。 And this brought her to the point
which was; that she was sorry to say; on arriving; the poor child
was nearly wild with a headach