the lion and the unicorn-第3节

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〃Oh；　yes；　do；　run　away　before　you　are　beaten；〃　said　Miss
Cavendish；　scornfully。　　〃Why；　you　can't　go　now。　　Everybody　will
be　back　in　town　soon；　and　there　are　a　lot　of　new　plays　coming　on；
and　some　of　them　are　sure　to　be　failures；　and　that's　our　chance。　
You　rush　in　with　your　piece　and　somebody　may　take　it　sooner　than
close　the　theatre。〃

〃I'm　thinking　of　closing　the　theatre　myself；〃　said　Carroll。　
〃What's　the　use　of　my　hanging　on　here？〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃It
distresses　Helen　to　know　I　am　in　London；　feeling　about　her　as　I
doand　the　Lord　only　knows　how　it　distresses　me。　　And；　maybe；　if
I　went　away；〃　he　said；　consciously；　〃she　might　miss　me。　　She
might　see　the　difference。〃

Miss　Cavendish　held　herself　erect　and　pressed　her　lips　together
with　a　severe　smile。　　〃If　Helen　Cabot　doesn't　see　the　difference
between　you　and　the　other　men　she　knows　now；〃　she　said；　〃I　doubt
if　she　ever　will。　　Besides〃　she　continued；　and　then　hesitated。　
〃Well；　go　on；〃　urged　Carroll。

〃Well；　I　was　only　going　to　say；〃　she　explained；　〃that　leaving　the
girl　alone　never　did　the　man　any　good　unless　he　left　her　alone
willingly。　　If　she's　sure　he　still　cares；　it's　just　the　same　to
her　where　he　is。　　He　might　as　well　stay　on　in　London　as　go　to
South　Africa。　　It　won't　help　him　any。　　The　difference　comes　when
she　finds　he　has　stopped　caring。　　Why；　look　at　Reggie。　　He　tried
that。　　He　went　away　for　ever　so　long；　but　he　kept　writing　me　from
wherever　he　went；　so　that　he　was　perfectly　miserableand　I　went
on　enjoying　myself。　　Then　when　he　came　back；　he　tried　going　about
with　his　old　friends　again。　　He　used　to　come　to　the　theatre　with
themoh；　with　such　nice　girlsbut　he　always　stood　in　the　back
of　the　box　and　yawned　and　scowledso　I　knew。　　And；　anyway；　he'd
always　spoil　it　all　by　leaving　them　and　waiting　at　the　stage
entrance　for　me。　　But　one　day　he　got　tired　of　the　way　I　treated
him　and　went　off　on　a　bicycle　tour　with　Lady　Hacksher's　girls　and
some　men　from　his　regiment；　and　he　was　gone　three　weeks　and　never
sent　me　even　a　line；　and　I　got　so　scared；　I　couldn't　sleep；　and
I　stood　it　for　three　days　more；　and　then　I　wired　him　to　come
back　or　I'd　jump　off　London　Bridge；　and　he　came　back　that　very
night　from　Edinburgh　on　the　express；　and　I　was　so　glad　to　see　him
that　I　got　confused；　and　in　the　general　excitement　I　promised　to
marry　him；　so　that's　how　it　was　with　us。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　American；　without　enthusiasm；　〃but　then　I　still
care；　and　Helen　knows　I　care。〃

〃Doesn't　she　ever　fancy　that　you　might　care　for　some　one　else？　
You　have　a　lot　of　friends；　you　know。〃

〃Yes；　but　she　knows　they　are　just　thatfriends；〃　said　the
American。

Miss　Cavendish　stood　up　to　go；　and　arranged　her　veil　before　the
mirror　above　the　fireplace。

〃I　come　here　very　often　to　tea；〃　she　said。

〃It's　very　kind　of　you；〃　said　Carroll。　　He　was　at　the　open
window；　looking　down　into　the　street　for　a　cab。

〃Well；　no　one　knows　I　am　engaged　to　Reggie；〃　continued　Miss
Cavendish；　〃except　you　and　Reggie；　and　he　isn't　so　sure。　　SHE
doesn't　know　it。〃

〃Well？〃　said　Carroll。

Miss　Cavendish　smiled　a　mischievous　kindly　smile　at　him　from　the
mirror。

〃Well？〃　she　repeated；　mockingly。　　Carroll　stared　at　her　and
laughed。　　After　a　pause　he　said：　　〃It's　like　a　plot　in　a　comedy。　
But　I'm　afraid　I'm　too　serious　for　play…acting。〃

〃Yes；　it　is　serious；〃　said　Miss　Cavendish。　　She　seated　herself
again　and　regarded　the　American　thoughtfully。　　〃You　are　too　good
a　man　to　be　treated　the　way　that　girl　is　treating　you；　and　no　one
knows　it　better　than　she　does。　　She'll　change　in　time；　but　just
now　she　thinks　she　wants　to　be　independent。　　She's　in　love　with
this　picture…painting　idea；　and　with　the　people　she　meets。　　It's
all　new　to　herthe　fuss　they　make　over　her　and　the　titles；　and
the　way　she　is　asked　about。　　We　know　she　can't　paint。　　We　know
they　only　give　her　commissions　because　she's　so　young　and　pretty；
and　American。　　She　amuses　them；　that's　all。　　Well；　that　cannot
last；　she'll　find　it　out。　　She's　too　clever　a　girl；　and　she　is
too　fine　a　girl　to　be　content　with　that　long。　　Thenthen　she'll
come　back　to　you。　　She　feels　now　that　she　has　both　you　and　the
others；　and　she's　making　you　wait：　so　wait　and　be　cheerful。　
She's　worth　waiting　for；　she's　young；　that's　all。　　She'll　see　the
difference　in　time。　　But；　in　the　meanwhile；　it　would　hurry
matters　a　bit　if　she　thought　she　had　to　choose　between　the　new
friends　and　you。〃

〃She　could　still　keep　her　friends；　and　marry　me；〃　said　Carroll；
〃I　have　told　her　that　a　hundred　times。　　She　could　still　paint
miniatures　and　marry　me。　　But　she　won't　marry　me。〃

〃She　won't　marry　you　because　she　knows　she　can　whenever　she　wants
to；〃　cried　Marion。　　〃Can't　you　see　that？　　But　if　she　thought　you
were　going　to　marry　some　one　else　now？〃

〃She　would　be　the　first　to　congratulate　me；〃　said　Carroll。　　He
rose　and　walked　to　the　fireplace；　where　he　leaned　with　his　arm　on
the　mantel。　　There　was　a　photograph　of　Helen　Cabot　near　his　hand；
and　he　turned　this　toward　him　and　stood　for　some　time　staring　at
it。　　〃My　dear　Marion；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃I've　known　Helen　ever
since　she　was　as　young　as　that。　　Every　year　I've　loved　her　more；
and　found　new　things　in　her　to　care　for；　now　I　love　her　more
than　any　other　man　ever　loved　any　other　woman。〃

Miss　Cavendish　shook　her　head　sympathetically。

〃Yes；　I　know；〃　she　said；　〃that's　the　way　Reggie　loves　me；　too。〃

Carroll　went　on　as　though　he　had　not　heard　her。

〃There's　a　bench　in　St。　James's　Park；〃　he　said；　〃where　we　used　to
sit　when　she　first　came　here；　when　she　didn't　know　so　many
people。　　We　used　to　go　there　in　the　morning　and　throw　penny　buns
to　the　ducks。　　That's　been　my　amusement　this　summer　since　you've
all　been　awaysitting　on　that　bench；　feeding　penny　buns　to　the
silly　ducksespecially　the　black　one；　the　one　she　used　to　like
best。　　And　I　make　pilgrimages　to　all　the　other　places　we　ever
visited　together；　and　try　to　pretend　she　is　with　me。　　And　I
support　the　crossing　sweeper　at　Lansdowne　Passage　because　she
once　said　she　felt　sorry　for　him。　　I　do　all　the　other　absurd
things　that　a　man　in　love　tortures　himself　by　doing。　　But　to　what
end？　　She　knows　how　I　care；　and　yet　she　won't　see　why　we
can't　go　on　being　friends　as　we　once　were。　　What's　the　use　of　it
all？　〃

〃She　is　young；　I　tell　you；〃　repeated　Miss　Cavendish；　〃and　she's
too　sure　of　you。　　You've　told　her　you　care；　now　try　making　her
think　you　don't　care。〃

Carroll　shook　his　head　impatiently。

〃I　will　not　stoop　to　such　tricks　and　pretence；　Marion；〃　he　cried
impatiently。　　〃All　I　have　is　my　love　for　her；　if　I　have　to　cheat
and　to　trap　her　into　caring；　the　whole　thing　would　be　degraded。〃

Miss　Cavendish　shrugged　her　shoulders　and　walked　to　the　door。　
〃Such　amateurs！〃　she　exclaimed；　and　banged　the　door　after　her。

Carroll　never　quite　knew　how　he　had　come　to　make　a　confidante　of
Miss　Cavendish。　　Helen　and　he　had　met　her　when　they　first　arrived
in　London；　and　as　she　had　acted　for　a　season　in　the　United
States；　she　adopted　the　two　Americansand　told　Helen　where　to　go
for　boots　and　hats；　and　advised　Carroll　about　placing　his　plays。　
Helen　soon　made　other　friends；　and　deserted　the　artists；　with
whom　her　work　had　first　thrown　her。　　She　seemed　to　prefer　the
society　of　the　people　who　bought　her　paintings；　and　who
admired　and　made　much　of　the　painter。　　As　she　was　very　beautiful
and　at　an　age　when　she　enjoyed　everything　in　life　keenly　and
eagerly；　to　give　her　pleasure　was　in　itself　a　distinct
pleasure；　and　the　worldly　tired　people　she　met　were　considering
their　own　entertainment　quite　as　much　as　hers　when　they　asked　her
to　their　dinners　and　dances；　or　to　spend　a　week　with　them　in　the
country。　　In　her　way；　she　was　as　independent　as　was　Carroll　in
his；　and　as　she　was　not　in　love；　as　he　was；　her　life　was　not
narrowed　down　to　but　one　ideal。　　But　she　was　not　so　young　as　to
consider　herself　infallible；　and　she　had　one　excellent　friend　on
whom　she　was　dependent　for　advice　and　to　whose　directions　she
submitted　implicitly。　　This　was　Lady　Gower；　the　only　person　to
whom　Helen　had　spoken　of　Carroll　and　of　his　great　feeling　for
her。　　Lady　Gower；　immediately　after　her　marriage；　had　been　a
conspicuous　and　brilliant　figure　in　that　set　in　London　which
works　eighteen　hours　a　day　to　keep　itself　amused；　but　after　the
death　of　her　husband　she　had　disappeared　into　the　country　as
completely　as　though　she　had　entered　a　convent；　and　after
several　years　had　then　re…entered　the　world　as　a　professional
philanthropist。　　Her　name　was　now　associated　entirely　with
Women's　Leagues；　with　committees　that　presented　petitions　to
Parliament；　and　with　public　meetings；　at　which　she　spoke　with
marvellous　ease　and　effect。　　Her　old　friends　said　she　had　taken
up　this　new　pose　as　an　outlet　for　her　nervous　energies；　and　as　an
effort　to　forget　the　man　who　alone　had　made　life　serious　to　her。　
Others　knew　her　as　an　earnest　woman；　acting　honestly　for　what　she
thought　was　right。　　Her　success；　all　admitted；　was　due　to　her
knowledge　of　the　world　and　to　her　sense　of　humor；　which　taught
her　with　whom　to　use　her　wealth　and　position；　and　when　to　demand
what　she　wanted　solely　on　the　ground　that　the　cause　was　just。

She　had　taken　more　than　a　fancy　for