the three partners-第24章

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to　say　HEhave　been　at　least　so　unlucky　that　they　might　have

learned　prudence。　　The　loss　of　twenty　thousand　dollars　in　three

months〃



〃Twenty　thousand！〃　echoed　Mrs。　Horncastle。



〃Yes。　　Why；　you　knew　that；　it　was　in　the　mine　you　and　she　visited；

or；　perhaps；〃　he　added　hastily；　as　he　flushed　at　his　indiscretion；

〃she　didn't　tell　you　that。〃



But　Mrs。　Horncastle　as　hastily　said；　〃Yesyesof　course；　only　I

had　forgotten　the　amount；〃　and　he　continued：



〃That　loss　would　have　frightened　any　man；　but　you　women　are　more

daring。　　Only　Van　Loo　ought　to　have　withdrawn。　　Don't　you　think　so？

Of　course　I　couldn't　say　anything　to　him　without　seeming　to　condemn

my　own　wife；　I　couldn't　say　anything　to　HER　because　it's　her　own

money。〃



〃I　didn't　know　that　Mrs。　Barker　had　any　money　of　her　own；〃　said

Mrs。　Horncastle。



〃Well；　I　gave　it　to　her；〃　said　Barker；　with　sublime　simplicity；

〃and　that　would　make　it　all　the　worse　for　me　to　speak　about　it。〃



Mrs。　Horncastle　was　silent。　　A　new　theory　flashed　upon　her　which

seemed　to　reconcile　all　the　previous　inconsistencies　of　the

situation。　　Van　Loo；　under　the　guise　of　a　lover；　was　really

possessing　himself　of　Mrs。　Barker's　money。　　This　accounted　for　the

risks　he　was　running　in　this　escapade；　which　were　so　incongruous　to

the　rascal's　nature。　　He　was　calculating　that　the　scandal　of　an

intrigue　would　relieve　him　of　the　perils　of　criminal　defalcation。

It　was　compatible　with　Kitty's　innocence；　though　it　did　not　relieve

her　vanity　of　the　part　it　played　in　this　despicable　comedy　of

passion。　　All　that　Mrs。　Horncastle　thought　of　now　was　the　effect　of

its　eventful　revelation　upon　the　man　before　her。　　Of　course；　he

would　overlook　his　wife's　trustfulness　and　business　ignoranceit

would　seem　so　like　his　own　unselfish　faith！　　That　was　the　fault　of

all　unselfish　goodness；　it　even　took　the　color　of　adjacent　evil；

without　altering　the　nature　of　either。　　Mrs。　Horncastle　set　her

teeth　tightly　together；　but　her　beautiful　mouth　smiled　upon　Barker；

though　her　eyes　were　bent　upon　the　tablecloth　before　her。



〃I　shall　do　all　I　can　to　impress　your　views　upon　her；〃　she　said　at

last；　〃though　I　fear　they　will　have　little　weight　if　given　as　my

own。　　And　you　overrate　my　general　influence　with　her。〃



Her　handsome　head　drooped　in　such　a　thoughtful　humility　that　Barker

instinctively　drew　nearer　to　her。　　Besides；　she　had　not　lifted　her

dark　lashes　for　some　moments；　and　he　had　the　still　youthful　habit

of　looking　frankly　into　the　eyes　of　those　he　addressed。



〃No；〃　he　said　eagerly；　〃how　could　I？　　She　could　not　help　but　love

you　and　do　as　you　would　wish。　　I　can't　tell　you　how　glad　and

relieved　I　am　to　find　that　you　and　she　have　become　such　friends。

You　know　I　always　thought　you　beautiful；　I　always　thought　you　so

cleverI　was　even　a　little　frightened　of　you；　but　I　never　until

now　knew　you　were　so　GOOD。　　No；　stop！　　Yes；　I　DID　know　it。　　Do　you

remember　once　in　San　Francisco；　when　I　found　you　with　Sta　in　your

lap　in　the　drawing…room？　　I　knew　it　then。　　You　tried　to　make　me

think　it　was　a　whimthe　fancy　of　a　bored　and　worried　woman。　　But　I

knew　better。　　And　I　knew　what　you　were　thinking　then。　　Shall　I　tell

you？〃



As　her　eyes　were　still　cast　down；　although　her　mouth　was　still

smiling；　in　his　endeavors　to　look　into　them　his　face　was　quite　near

hers。　　He　fancied　that　it　bore　the　look　she　had　worn　once　before。



〃You　were　thinking；〃　he　said　in　a　voice　which　had　grown　suddenly

quite　hesitating　and　tremulous；he　did　not　know　why；〃that　the

poor　little　baby　was　quite　friendless　and　alone。　　You　were　pitying

ityou　know　you　werebecause　there　was　no　one　to　give　it　the

loving　care　that　was　its　due；　and　because　it　was　intrusted　to　that

hired　nurse　in　that　great　hotel。　　You　were　thinking　how　you　would

love　it　if　it　were　yours；　and　how　cruel　it　was　that　Love　was　sent

without　an　object　to　waste　itself　upon。　　You　were：　I　saw　it　in　your

face。〃



She　suddenly　lifted　her　eyes　and　looked　full　into　his　with　a　look

that　held　and　possessed　him。　　For　a　moment　his　whole　soul　seemed　to

tremble　on　the　verge　of　their　lustrous　depths；　and　he　drew　back

dizzy　and　frightened。　　What　he　saw　there　he　never　clearly　knew；

but；　whatever　it　was；　it　seemed　to　suddenly　change　his　relations　to

her；　to　the　room；　to　his　wife；　to　the　world　without。　　It　was　a

glimpse　of　a　world　of　which　he　knew　nothing。　　He　had　looked　frankly

and　admiringly　into　the　eyes　of　other　pretty　women；　he　had　even

gazed　into　her　own　before；　but　never　with　this　feeling。　　A　sudden

sense　that　what　he　had　seen　there　he　had　himself　evoked；　that　it

was　an　answer　to　some　question　he　had　scarcely　yet　formulated；　and

that　they　were　both　now　linked　by　an　understanding　and　consciousness

that　was　irretrievable；　came　over　him。　　He　rose　awkwardly　and　went

to　the　window。　　She　rose　also；　but　more　leisurely　and　easily；　moved

one　of　the　books　on　the　table；　smoothed　out　her　skirts；　and　changed

her　seat　to　a　little　sofa。　　It　is　the　woman　who　always　comes　out　of

these　crucial　moments　unruffled。



〃I　suppose　you　will　be　glad　to　see　your　friend　Mr。　Demorest　when

you　go　back；〃　she　said　pleasantly；　〃for　of　course　he　will　be　at

Hymettus　awaiting　you。〃



He　turned　eagerly；　as　he　always　did　at　the　name。　　But　even　then　he

felt　that　Demorest　was　no　longer　of　such　importance　to　him。　　He

felt；　too；　that　he　was　not　yet　quite　sure　of　his　voice　or　even　what

to　say。　　As　he　hesitated　she　went　on　half　playfully：　〃It　seems　hard

that　you　had　to　come　all　the　way　here　on　such　a　bootless　errand。

You　haven't　even　seen　your　wife　yet。〃



The　mention　of　his　wife　recalled　him　to　himself；　oddly　enough；　when

Demorest's　name　had　failed。　　But　very　differently。　　Out　of　his

whirling　consciousness　came　the　instinctive　feeling　that　he　could

not　see　her　now。　　He　turned；　crossed　the　room；　sat　down　on　the　sofa

beside　Mrs。　Horncastle；　and　without；　however；　looking　at　her；　said；

with　his　eyes　on　the　floor；　〃No；　and　I've　been　thinking　that　it's

hardly　worth　while　to　disturb　her　so　early　to…morrow　as　I　should

have　to　go。　　So　I　think　it's　a　good　deal　better　to　let　her　have　a

good　night's　rest；　remain　here　quietly　with　you　to…morrow　until　the

stage　leaves；　and　that　both　of　you　come　over　together。　　My　horse　is

still　saddled；　and　I　will　be　back　at　Hymettus　before　Demorest　has

gone　to　bed。〃



He　was　obliged　to　look　up　at　her　as　he　rose。　　Mrs。　Horncastle　was

sitting　erect；　beautiful　and　dazzling　as　even　he　had　never　seen　her

before。　　For　his　resolution　had　suddenly　lifted　a　great　weight　from

her　shoulders；the　dangerous　meeting　of　husband　and　wife　the　next

morning；　and　its　results；　whatever　they　might　be；　had　been　quietly

averted。　　She　felt；　too；　a　half…frightened　joy　even　in　the

constrained　manner　in　which　he　had　imparted　his　determination。

That　frankness　which　even　she　had　sometimes　found　so　crushing　was

gone。



〃I　really　think　you　are　quite　right；〃　she　said；　rising　also；　〃and；

besides；　you　see；　it　will　give　me　a　chance　to　talk　to　her　as　you

wished。〃



〃To　talk　to　her　as　I　wished？〃　echoed　Barker　abstractedly。



〃Yes；　about　Van　Loo；　you　know；〃　said　Mrs。　Horncastle；　smiling。



〃Oh；　certainlyabout　Van　Loo；　of　course；〃　he　returned　hurriedly。



〃And　then；〃　said　Mrs。　Horncastle　brightly；　〃I'll　tell　her。　　Stay！〃

she　interrupted　herself　hurriedly。　　〃Why　need　I　say　anything　about

your　having　been　here　AT　ALL？　　It　might　only　annoy　her；　as　you

yourself　suggest。〃　　She　stopped　breathlessly　with　parted　lips。



〃Why；　indeed？〃　said　Barker　vaguely。　　Yet　all　this　was　so　unlike　his

usual　truthfulness　that　he　slightly　hesitated。



〃Besides；〃　continued　Mrs。　Horncastle；　noticing　it；　〃you　know　you

can　always　tell　her　later；　if　necessary。〃　　And　she　added　with　a

charming　mischievousness；　〃As　she　didn't　tell　you　she　was　coming；　I

really　don't　see　why　you　are　bound　to　tell　her　that　you　were　here。〃



The　sophistry　pleased　Barker；　even　though　it　put　him　into　a　certain

retaliating　attitude　towar