the lion and the unicorn-第4节

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what　she　wanted　solely　on　the　ground　that　the　cause　was　just。

She　had　taken　more　than　a　fancy　for　Helen；　and　the　position　of
the　beautiful；　motherless　girl　had　appealed　to　her　as　one　filled
with　dangers。　　When　she　grew　to　know　Helen　better；　she　recognized
that　these　fears　were　quite　unnecessary；　and　as　she　saw　more　of
her　she　learned　to　care　for　her　deeply。　　Helen　had　told　her　much
of　Carroll　and　of　his　double　purpose　in　coming　to　London；　of
his　brilliant　work　and　his　lack　of　success　in　having　it
recognized；　and　of　his　great　and　loyal　devotion　to　her；　and　of
his　lack　of　success；　not　in　having　that　recognized；　but　in　her
own　inability　to　return　it。　　Helen　was　proud　that　she　had　been
able　to　make　Carroll　care　for　her　as　he　did；　and　that　there　was
anything　about　her　which　could　inspire　a　man　whom　she　admired　so
much；　to　believe　in　her　so　absolutely　and　for　so　long　a　time。　
But　what　convinced　her　that　the　outcome　for　which　he　hoped　was
impossible；　was　the　very　fact　that　she　could　admire　him；　and　see
how　fine　and　unselfish　his　love　for　her　was；　and　yet　remain
untouched　by　it。

She　had　been　telling　Lady　Gower　one　day　of　the　care　he　had　taken
of　her　ever　since　she　was　fourteen　years　of　age；　and　had　quoted
some　of　the　friendly　and　loverlike　acts　he　had　performed　in　her
service；　until　one　day　they　had　both　found　out　that　his　attitude
of　the　elder　brother　was　no　longer　possible；　and　that　he　loved
her　in　the　old　and　only　way。　　Lady　Gower　looked　at　her　rather
doubtfully　and　smiled。

〃I　wish　you　would　bring　him　to　see　me；　Helen〃　she　said；　〃I　think
I　should　like　your　friend　very　much。　　From　what　you　tell　me　of
him　I　doubt　if　you　will　find　many　such　men　waiting　for　you　in
this　country。　　Our　men　marry　for　reasons　of　property；　or　they
love　blindly；　and　are　exacting　and　selfish　before　and　after　they
are　married。　　I　know；　because　so　many　women　came　to　me　when　my
husband　was　alive　to　ask　how　it　was　that　I　continued　so　happy　in
my　married　life。〃

〃But　I　don't　want　to　marry　any　one；〃　Helen　remonstrated　gently。　
〃American　girls　are　not　always　thinking　only　of　getting　married。〃

〃What　I　meant　was　this；〃　said　Lady　Gower；　〃that；　in　my
experience；　I　have　heard　of　but　few　men　who　care　in　the　way　this
young　man　seems　to　care　for　you。　　You　say　you　do　not　love　him；
but　if　he　had　wanted　to　gain　my　interest；　he　could　not　have
pleaded　his　cause　better　than　you　have　done。　　He　seems　to　see
your　faults　and　yet　love　you　still；　in　spite　of　themor　on
account　of　them。　　And　I　like　the　things　he　does　for　you。　　I　like；
for　instance；　his　sending　you　the　book　of　the　moment　every
week　for　two　years。　　That　shows　a　most　unswerving　spirit　of
devotion。　　And　the　story　of　the　broken　bridge　in　the　woods　is　a
wonderful　story。　　If　I　were　a　young　girl；　I　could　love　a　man　for
that　alone。　　It　was　a　beautiful　thing　to　do。〃

Helen　sat　with　her　chin　on　her　hands；　deeply　considering　this　new
point　of　view。

〃I　thought　it　very　foolish　of　him；〃　she　confessed　questioningly；
〃to　take　such　a　risk　for　such　a　little　thing。〃

Lady　Gower　smiled　down　at　her　from　the　height　of　her　many　years。

〃Wait；〃　she　said　dryly；　〃you　are　very　young　nowand　very　rich；
every　one　is　crowding　to　give　you　pleasure；　to　show　his
admiration。　　You　are　a　very　fortunate　girl。　　But　later；　these
things　which　some　man　has　done　because　he　loved　you；　and　which
you　call　foolish；　will　grow　large　in　your　life；　and　shine　out
strongly；　and　when　you　are　discouraged　and　alone；　you　will　take
them　out；　and　the　memory　of　them　will　make　you　proud　and　happy。　
They　are　the　honors　which　women　wear　in　secret。〃

Helen　came　back　to　town　in　September；　and　for　the　first　few　days
was　so　occupied　in　refurnishing　her　studio　and　in　visiting　the
shops　that　she　neglected　to　send　Carroll　word　of　her　return。　
When　she　found　that　a　whole　week　had　passed　without　her　having
made　any　effort　to　see　him；　and　appreciated　how　the　fact　would
hurt　her　friend；　she　was　filled　with　remorse；　and　drove　at　once
in　great　haste　to　Jermyn　Street；　to　announce　her　return　in
person。　　On　the　way　she　decided　that　she　would　soften　the　blow　of
her　week　of　neglect　by　asking　him　to　take　her　out　to　luncheon。　
This　privilege　she　had　once　or　twice　accorded　him；　and　she　felt
that　the　pleasure　these　excursions　gave　Carroll　were　worth　the
consternation　they　caused　to　Lady　Gower。

The　servant　was　uncertain　whether　Mr。　Carroll　was　at　home　or　not；
but　Helen　was　too　intent　upon　making　restitution　to　wait　for　the
fact　to　be　determined；　and；　running　up　the　stairs；　knocked
sharply　at　the　door　of　his　study。

A　voice　bade　her　come　in；　and　she　entered；　radiant　and　smiling
her　welcome。　　But　Carroll　was　not　there　to　receive　it；　and
instead；　Marion　Cavendish　looked　up　at　her　from　his　desk　where
she　was　busily　writing。　　Helen　paused　with　a　surprised　laugh；　but
Marion　sprang　up　and　hailed　her　gladly。　　They　met　half　way　across
the　room　and　kissed　each　other　with　the　most　friendly　feeling。

Philip　was　out；　Marion　said；　and　she　had　just　stepped　in　for　a
moment　to　write　him　a　note。　　If　Helen　would　excuse　her；　she　would
finish　it；　as　she　was　late　for　rehearsal。

But　she　asked　over　her　shoulder；　with　great　interest；　if　Helen
had　passed　a　pleasant　summer。　　She　thought　she　had　never　seen　her
looking　so　well。　　Helen　thought　Miss　Cavendish　herself　was
looking　very　well　also；　but　Marion　said　no；　that　she　was　too
sunburnt；　she　would　not　be　able　to　wear　a　dinner…dress　for　a
month。　　There　was　a　pause　while　Marion's　quill　scratched
violently　across　Carroll's　note…paper。　　Helen　felt　that　in　some
way　she　was　being　treated　as　an　intruder；　or　worse；　as　a　guest。　
She　did　not　sit　down；　it　seemed　impossible　to　do　so；　but　she
moved　uncertainly　about　the　room。　　She　noted　that　there　were
many　changes；　it　seemed　more　bare　and　empty；　her　picture　was
still　on　the　writing…desk；　but　there　were　at　least　six　new
photographs　of　Marion。　　Marion　herself　had　brought　them　to　the
room　that　morning；　and　had　carefully　arranged　them　in　conspicuous
places。　　But　Helen　could　not　know　that。　　She　thought　there　was　an
unnecessary　amount　of　writing　scribbled　over　the　face　of　each。

Marion　addressed　her　letter　and　wrote　〃Immediate〃　across　the
envelope；　and　placed　it　before　the　clock　on　the　mantelshelf。　
〃You　will　find　Philip　looking　very　badly；〃　she　said；　as　she
pulled　on　her　gloves。　　〃He　has　been　in　town　all　summer；　working
very　hardhe　has　had　no　holiday　at　all。　　I　don't　think　he's
well。　　I　have　been　a　great　deal　worried　about　him；〃　she　added。　
Her　face　was　bent　over　the　buttons　of　her　glove；　and　when　she
raised　her　blue　eyes　to　Helen　they　were　filled　with　serious
concern。

〃Really；〃　Helen　stammered；　〃II　didn't　knowin　his　letters　he
seemed　very　cheerful。〃

Marion　shook　her　head　and　turned　and　stood　looking
thoughtfully　out　of　the　window。　　〃He's　in　a　very　hard　place；〃　she
began　abruptly；　and　then　stopped　as　though　she　had　thought　better
of　what　she　intended　to　say。　　Helen　tried　to　ask　her　to　go　on；
but　could　not　bring　herself　to　do　so。　　She　wanted　to　get　away。

〃I　tell　him　he　ought　to　leave　London；〃　Marion　began　again；　〃he
needs　a　change　and　a　rest。〃

〃I　should　think　he　might；〃　Helen　agreed；　〃after　three　months　of
this　heat。　　He　wrote　me　he　intended　going　to　Herne　Bay　or　over　to
Ostend。〃

〃Yes；　he　had　meant　to　go；〃　Marion　answered。　　She　spoke　with　the
air　of　one　who　possessed　the　most　intimate　knowledge　of　Carroll's
movements　and　plans；　and　change　of　plans。　　〃But　he　couldn't；〃　she
added。　　〃He　couldn't　afford　it。　　Helen；〃　she　said；　turning　to　the
other　girl；　dramatically；　〃do　you　knowI　believe　that　Philip　is
very　poor。〃

Miss　Cabot　exclaimed　incredulously；　〃Poor！〃　　She　laughed。　　〃Why；
what　do　you　mean？〃

〃I　mean　that　he　has　no　money；〃　Marion　answered；　sharply。　　〃These
rooms　represent　nothing。　　He　only　keeps　them　on　because　he　paid
for　them　in　advance。　　He's　been　living　on　three　shillings　a　day。　
That's　poor　for　him。　　He　takes　his　meals　at　cabmen's　shelters　and
at　Lockhart's；　and　he's　been　doing　so　for　a　month。〃

Helen　recalled　with　a　guilty　thrill　the　receipt　of　certain　boxes
of　La　France　rosescut　long；　in　the　American　fashionwhich　had
arrived　within　the　last　month　at　various　country　houses。　　She
felt　indignant　at　herself；　and　miserable。　　Her　indignation　was
largely　due　to　the　recollection　that　she　had　given　these　flowers
to　her　hostess　to　decorate　the　dinner…table。

She　hated　to　ask　this　girl　of　things　which　she　should　have　known
better　than　any　one　else。　　But　she　forced　herself　to　do　it。　　She
felt　she　must　know　certainly　and　at　once。

〃How　do　you　know　this？〃　she　asked。　　〃Are　you　sure　there　is　no
mistake？〃

〃He　told　me　himself；〃　said　Marion；　〃when　he　talked　of　letting　the
plays　go　and　returning　to　America。　　He　said　he　must　go　back；
that　his　money　was　gone。〃

〃He　is　gone　to　America！〃　Helen　said；　blankly。

〃No；　he　wanted　to　go；　but　I　wouldn't　let　him；〃　Marion　went　on。　
〃I　told　him　that　some　one　might　take　his　play　any　day。　　And　this
third　one　he　has　written；　the　one　he　finished　this　summer　in
town；　is　the　best　of　all；　I　think。　　It's　a　love…story。　　It's
quite　beautiful。〃　　She　turned　and　arranged　her　veil　at　the　glass；
and　as　she　did　so；　her　eyes　fell　on　the　photographs　of　herself
sca