the three partners-第41章

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Barker　felt　the　same　thrill　from　her　warm　hand　slowly　possess　his

whole　being　as　it　had　the　evening　before；　but　this　time　he　was

prepared　and　answered　the　grasp　and　her　eyes　together　as　he　said

breathlessly；　〃I　will　beI　AM　your　friend。〃



She　withdrew　her　hand　and　passed　it　over　her　eyes。　　After　a　moment

she　caught　his　hand　again；　and；　holding　it　tightly　as　if　she　feared

he　might　fly　from　her；　bit　her　lip；　and　then　slowly；　without

looking　at　him；　said；　〃I　lied　to　you　about　myself　and　Kitty　that

night；　I　did　not　come　with　her。　　I　came　alone　and　secretly　to

Boomville　to　seeto　see　the　man　who　is　my　husband。〃



〃Your　husband！〃　said　Barker　in　surprise。　　He　had　believed；　with　the

rest　of　the　world；　that　there　had　been　no　communication　between

them　for　years。　　Yet　so　intense　was　his　interest　in　her　that　he　did

not　notice　that　this　revelation　was　leaving　now　no　excuse　for　his

wife's　presence　at　Boomville。



Mrs。　Horncastle　went　on　with　dogged　bitterness；　〃Yes；　my　husband。

I　went　to　him　to　beg　and　bribe　him　to　let　me　see　my　child。　　Yes；　MY

child；〃　she　said　frantically；　tightening　her　hold　upon　his　hand；

〃for　I　lied　to　you　when　I　once　told　you　I　had　none。　　I　had　a　child；

and；　more　than　that；　a　child　who　at　his　birth　I　did　not　dare　to

openly　claim。〃



She　stopped　breathlessly；　stared　at　his　face　with　her　former

intensity　as　if　she　would　pluck　the　thought　that　followed　from　his

brain。　　But　he　only　moved　closer　to　her；　passed　his　arm　over　her

shoulders　with　a　movement　so　natural　and　protecting　that　it　had　a

certain　dignity　in　it；　and；　looking　down　upon　her　bent　head　with

eyes　brimming　with　sympathy；　whispered；　〃Poor；　poor　child！〃



Whereat　Mrs。　Horncastle　again　burst　into　tears。　　And　then；　with　her

head　half　drawn　towards　his　shoulder；　she　told　him　all；all　that

had　passed　between　her　and　her　husband；even　all　that　they　had

then　but　hinted　at。　　It　was　as　if　she　felt　she　could　now；　for　the

first　time；　voice　all　these　terrible　memories　of　the　past　which　had

come　back　to　her　last　night　when　her　husband　had　left　her。　　She

concealed　nothing；　she　veiled　nothing；　there　were　intervals　when

her　tears　no　longer　flowed；　and　a　cruel　hardness　and　return　of　her

old　imperiousness　of　voice　and　manner　took　their　place；　as　if　she

was　doing　a　rigid　penance　and　took　a　bitter　satisfaction　in　laying

bare　her　whole　soul　to　him。　　〃I　never　had　a　friend；〃　she　whispered；

〃there　were　women　who　persecuted　me　with　their　jealous　sneers；

there　were　men　who　persecuted　me　with　their　selfish　affections。

When　I　first　saw　YOU；　you　seemed　something　so　apart　and　different

from　all　other　men　that；　although　I　scarcely　knew　you；　I　wanted　to

tell　you；　even　then；　all　that　I　have　told　you　now。　　I　wanted　you　to

be　my　friend；　something　told　me　that　you　could；that　you　could

separate　me　from　my　past；　that　you　could　tell　me　what　to　do；　that

you　could　make　me　think　as　you　thought；　see　life　as　YOU　saw　it；　and

trust　always　to　some　goodness　in　people　as　YOU　did。　　And　in　this

faith　I　thought　that　you　would　understand　me　now；　and　even　forgive

me　all。〃



She　made　a　slight　movement　as　if　to　disengage　his　arm；　and；

possibly；　to　look　into　his　eyes；　which　she　knew　instinctively　were

bent　upon　her　downcast　head。　　But　he　only　held　her　the　more　tightly

until　her　cheek　was　close　against　his　breast。　　〃What　could　I　do？〃

she　murmured。　　〃A　man　in　sorrow　and　trouble　may　go　to　a　woman　for

sympathy　and　support　and　the　world　will　not　gainsay　or　misunderstand

him。　　But　a　womanweaker；　more　helpless；　credulous；　ignorant；　and

craving　for　lightmust　not　in　her　agony　go　to　a　man　for　succor　and

sympathy。〃



〃Why　should　she　not？〃　burst　out　Barker　passionately；　releasing　her

in　his　attempt　to　gaze　into　her　face。　　〃What　man　dare　refuse　her？〃



〃Not　THAT；〃　she　said　slowly；　but　with　still　averted　eyes；　〃but

because　the　world　would　say　she　LOVED　him。〃



〃And　what　should　she　care　for　the　opinion　of　a　world　that　stands

aside　and　lets　her　suffer？　　Why　should　she　heed　its　wretched

babble？〃　he　went　on　in　flashing　indignation。



〃Because；〃　she　said　faintly；　lifting　her　moist　eyes　and　moist　and

parted　lips　towards　him；〃because　it　would　be　TRUE！〃



There　was　a　silence　so　profound　that　even　the　spring　seemed　to

withhold　its　song　as　their　eyes　and　lips　met。　　When　the　spring

recommenced　its　murmur；　and　they　could　hear　the　droning　of　a　bee

above　them　and　the　rustling　of　the　reed；　she　was　murmuring；　too；

with　her　face　against　his　breast：　〃You　did　not　think　it　strange

that　I　should　follow　youthat　I　should　risk　everything　to　tell　you

what　I　have　told　you　before　I　told　you　anything　else？　　You　will

never　hate　me　for　it；　George？〃



There　was　another　silence　still　more　prolonged；　and　when　he　looked

again　into　the　flushed　face　and　glistening　eyes　he　was　saying；　〃I

have　ALWAYS　loved　you。　　I　know　now　I　loved　you　from　the　first；　from

the　day　when　I　leaned　over　you　to　take　little　Sta　from　your　lap　and

saw　your　tenderness　for　him　in　your　eyes。　　I　could　have　kissed　you

THEN；　dearest；　as　I　do　now。〃



〃And；〃　she　said；　when　she　had　gained　her　smiling　breath　again；　〃you

will　always　remember；　George；　that　you　told　me　this　BEFORE　I　told

you　anything　of　her。〃



〃HER？　　Of　whom；　dearest？〃　he　asked；　leaning　over　her　tenderly。



〃Of　Kittyof　your　wife；〃　she　said　impatiently；　as　she　drew　back

shyly　with　her　former　intense　gaze。



He　did　not　seem　to　grasp　her　meaning；　but　said　gravely；　〃Let　us　not

talk　of　her　NOW。　　Later　we　shall　have　MUCH　to　say　of　her。　　For；〃　he

added　quietly；　〃you　know　I　must　tell　her　all。〃



The　color　faded　from　her　cheek。　　〃Tell　her　all！〃　she　repeated

vacantly；　then　suddenly　she　turned　upon　him　eagerly；　and　said；　〃But

what　if　she　is　gone？〃



〃Gone？〃　he　repeated。



〃Yes；　gone。　　What　if　she　has　run　away　with　Van　Loo？　　What　if　she

has　disgraced　you　and　her　child？〃



〃What　do　you　mean？〃　he　said；　seizing　both　her　hands　and　gazing　at

her　fixedly。



〃I　mean；〃　she　said；　with　a　half…frightened　eagerness；　〃that　she　has

already　gone　with　Van　Loo。　　George！　　George！〃　she　burst　out

suddenly　and　passionately；　falling　upon　her　knees　before　him；　〃do

you　think　that　I　would　have　followed　you　here　and　told　you　what　I

did　if　I　thought　that　she　had　now　the　slightest　claim　upon　your

love　or　honor？　　Don't　you　understand　me？　　I　came　to　tell　you　of　her

flight　to　Boomville　with　that　man；　how　I　accidentally　intercepted

them　there；　how　I　tried　to　save　her　from　him；　and　even　lied　to　you

to　try　to　save　her　from　your　indignation；　but　how　she　deceived　me

as　she　has　you；　and　even　escaped　and　joined　her　lover　while　you

were　with　me。　　I　came　to　tell　you　that　and　nothing　more；　George；　I

swear　it。　　But　when　you　were　kind　to　me　and　pitied　me；　I　was　mad

wild！　　I　wanted　to　win　you　first　out　of　your　own　love。　　I　wanted

you　to　respond　to　MINE　before　you　knew　your　wife　was　faithless。

Yet　I　would　have　saved　her　if　I　could。　　Listen；　George！　　A　moment

more　before　you　speak！〃



Then　she　hurriedly　told　him　all；　the　whole　story　of　his　wife's

dishonor；　from　her　entrance　into　the　sitting…room　with　Van　Loo；　her

later　appeal　for　concealment　from　her　husband's　unexpected

presence；　to　the　use　she　made　of　that　concealment　to　fly　with　her

lover。　　She　spared　no　detail；　and　even　repeated　the　insult　Mrs。

Barker　had　cast　upon　her　with　the　triumphant　reproach　that　her

husband　would　not　believe　her。　　〃Perhaps；〃　she　added　bitterly；　〃you

may　not　believe　me　now。　　I　could　even　stand　that　from　you；　George；

if　it　could　make　you　happier；　but　you　would　still　have　to　believe

it　from　others。　　The　people　at　the　Boomville　Hotel　saw　them　leave

it　together。〃



〃I　do　believe　you；〃　be　said　slowly；　but　with　downcast　eyes；　〃and　if

I　did　not　love　you　before　you　told　me　this　I　could　love　you　now　for

the　part　you　have　taken；　but〃　　He　stopped。



〃You　love　her　still；〃　she　burst　out；　〃and　I　might　have　known　it。

Perhaps；〃　she　went　on　distractedly；　〃you　love　her　the　more　that　you

have　lost　her。　　It　is　the