rs.undertheandes-第3节

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　The　newspapers　were　full　of　her　and　filled　entire　columns　with　lists　of　the　kings；　princes；　and　dukes　who　had　been　at　her　feet。
　Bets　were　made　on　her　nationality；　the　color　of　her　eyes；　the　value　of　her　pearls；　the　number　of　suicides　she　had　caused…corresponding；　in　some　sort；　to　the　notches　on　the　gun　of　a　Western　bad　man。　Gowns　and　hats　were　named　for　her　by　the　enterprising　department　stores。
　It　was　announced　that　her　engagement　at　the　Stuyvesant　would　open　in　ten　days；　and　when　the　box…office　opened　for　the　advance　sale　every　seat　for　every　performance　was　sold　within　a　few　hours。
　In　the　mean　time　the　great　Le　Mire　kept　herself　secluded　in　her　hotel。　She　had　appeared　but　once　in　the　public　dining…room；　and　on　that　occasion　had　nearly　caused　a　riot；　whereupon　she　had　discreetly　withdrawn。　She　remained　unseen　while　the　town　shouted　itself　hoarse。
　I　had　not　mentioned　her　name　to　Harry；　nor　had　I　heard　him　speak　of　her；　until　one　evening　about　two　weeks　after　my　return。
　We　were　at　dinner　and　had　been　discussing　some　monplace　subject；　from　which；　by　one　of　the　freaks　of　association；　the　conversation　veered　and　touched　on　classical　dancing。
　〃The　Russians　are　preeminent；〃　said　I；　〃because　they　possess　both　the　inspiration…the　fire…and　the　training。　In　no　other　nation　or　school　are　the　two　so　perfectly　joined。　In　the　Turkish　dancers　there　is　perfect　grace　and　freedom；　but　no　life。　In　Desiree　Le　Mire；　for　example；　there　is　indeed　life；　but　she　has　not　had　the　necessary　training。〃
　〃What？　Le　Mire！　Have　you　seen　her？〃　cried　Harry。
　〃Not　on　the　stage；〃　I　answered；　〃but　I　crossed　on　the　same　ship　with　her；　and　she　was　kind　enough　to　give　me　a　great　deal　of　her　time。　She　seems　to　understand　perfectly　her　own　artistic　limitations；　and　I　am　taking　her　word　for　it。〃
　But　Harry　was　no　longer　interested　in　the　subject　of　dancing。
　I　was　besieged　on　the　instant　with　a　thousand　questions。
　Had　I　known　Le　Mire　long？　What　was　she　like？　Was　it　true　that　Prince　Dolansky　had　shot　himself　in　despair　at　losing　her？
　Was　she　beautiful？　How　well　did　I　know　her？　Would　I　take　him　to　see　her？
　And　within　half　an　hour　the　last　question　was　repeated　so　many　times　and　with　such　insistence　that　I　finally　consented　and　left　Harry　delighted　beyond　words。
　My　own　experience　with　Desiree　Le　Mire　had　been　anything　but　exciting。　The　woman　was　interesting；　there　could　be　no　doubt　of　that；　but　she　possessed　little　attraction　for　me。　Her　charms；　on　close　inspection；　were　really　quite　too　evident。
　I　require　subtlety　in　a　woman；　and　so　far　as　I　could　discover　Le　Mire　knew　not　the　meaning　of　the　word。　We　had　spent　many　hours　during　the　trip　across　in　pleasant　panionship；　she　had　done　me　the　honor　to　tell　me　that　she　found　my　conversation　amusing；　and；　after　all；　she　was　undeniably　a　pretty　woman。　She　had　invited　me　with　evident　sincerity　to　call　on　her　in　New　York；　but　I　had　not　as　yet　taken　advantage　of　the　invitation。
　I　did　not　then　think；　and　I　do　not　now　believe；　that　I　acted　foolishly　when　I　took　Harry　to　see　her。　In　any　event；　he　would　have　seen　her　sooner　or　later；　and　since　all　temptations　meet　us　at　one　time　or　another；　it　is　best　to　have　it　out　with　them　at　as　early　a　date　as　possible。　At　the　time；　indeed；　I　gave　the　subject　no　thought　whatever；　but　if　I　had　I　should　not　have　hesitated。
　We　took　tea　with　her　the　following　afternoon　in　her　apartment；　and　I　must　confess　that　I　myself　was　more　than　a　little　impressed　when　I　entered。　I　realized　then　that　on　the　ship　nothing　had　been　in　her　favor；　she　had　been　pletely　out　of　her　element；　and　she　was　not　a　good　sailor。
　Here　all　was　different。　The　stiffly　ostentatious　hotel　rooms；　by　her　own　genius　or　that　of　her　maid；　had　been　transformed　into　something　very　nearly　approaching　perfection。　I　was　amazed　at　the　excellent　taste　displayed　in　her　furniture　and　its　arrangement；　for　it　was　clear　that　these　were　no　hotel　properties。　Certainly　a　woman　is　at　her　best　only　when　she　is　able　to　choose　or　create　her　own　surroundings。
　Harry　was　captivated；　and　I　can　scarcely　blame　him。　But　the　poor　lad　betrayed　himself　so　frankly！　Though　I　suppose　Le　Mire　was　more　or　less　accustomed　to　immediate　surrender。
　On　that　day；　at　least；　she　had　reason　to　expect　it。　She　satisfied　the　eye；　which　is　saying　a　great　deal　and　is　the　highest　praise　possible　for　a　woman's　beauty；　when　you　consider　the　full　strength　of　the　word。
　She　was　radiant；　adorable；　irresistible；　I　had　to　own　that　my　first　impression　of　her　had　been　far　too　weak。
　We　talked　for　an　hour。　Harry　had　little　to　say　as　he　sat　devouring　Le　Mire　with　his　eyes；　and　whenever　she　turned　to　him　for　an　answer　to　a　question　or　confirmation　of　an　opinion　he　stammered　and　kept　his　posure　with　difficulty。　Never；　I　suppose；　did　woman　have　clearer　evidence　of　her　power；　nor　sweeter；　for　Harry　was　by　no　means　a　fool　to　be　carried　away　by　the　first　pretty　face　that　came　in　his　way。
　She　simply　overwhelmed　him；　and　I　repeat　that　I　do　not　wonder　at　it；　for　my　own　pulse　was　not　exactly　steady。　She　asked　us　to　dine　with　her。
　I　pleaded　an　engagement　at　the　club　and　signed　to　Harry　to　do　likewise；　but　he　was　pletely　gone　and　paid　no　attention　to　me。
　He　accepted　the　invitation　gratefully；　with　frank　delight；　and　I　left　them　together。
　It　was　about　ten　o'clock　when　he　came　home　that　evening。　I　was　seated　in　the　library　and；　hearing　him　enter　the　hall；　called　to　him。
　What　a　face　was　his！　His　lips　trembled　with　nervous　feeling；　his　eyes　glowed　like　the　eyes　of　a　madman。　I　half　started　from　my　chair　in　amazement。
　〃I　have　no　time；〃　said　he　in　answer　to　my　invitation　to　join　me　with　a　bottle。　〃I　have　a　letter　or　two　to　write；　and…and　I　must　get　some　sleep。〃
　〃Did　you　just　leave　Le　Mire？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　I　looked　at　my　watch。
　〃What　under　the　sun　did　you　find　to　talk　about？〃
　〃Oh；　anything…nothing。　I　say；　she's　charming。〃
　His　essay　at　indifference　was　amusing。
　〃You　find　her　so？〃
　〃Rather。〃
　〃She　seems　to　have　taken　a　fancy　to　you。〃
　Harry　actually　grew　red。
　〃Hardly；〃　he　said；　but　there　was　hope　in　the　word。
　〃She　is　hardly　your　kind；　Harry。　You　know　that。　You　aren't　going　in　for　this　sort　of　thing？〃
　〃This　sort…I　don't　know　what　you　mean。〃
　〃Yes；　you　do；　Hal。　You　know　exactly　what　I　mean。　To　put　the　thing　plainly；　Le　Mire　is　a　dangerous　woman…none　more　so　in　all　the　world；　and；　Harry　boy；　be　sure　you　keep　your　head　and　watch　your　step。〃
　He　stood　for　a　moment　looking　at　me　in　silence　with　a　half…angry　frown；　then　opened　his　mouth　as　though　to　speak；　and　finally　turned；　without　a　word；　and　started　for　the　door。　There　he　turned　again　uncertainly；　hesitating。
　〃I　am　to　ride　with　Desiree　in　the　morning；〃　said　he；　and　the　next　moment　was　gone。
　〃Desiree！〃
　He　called　her　Desiree！
　I　think　I　smiled　for　an　hour　over　that；　and；　though　my　reflections　were　not　free　from　apprehension；　I　really　felt　but　little　anxiety。　Not　that　I　underrated　Le　Mire's　fascination　and　power；　to　confess　the　truth；　my　ease　of　mind　was　the　result　of　my　own　vanity。　Le　Mire　had　flattered　me　into　the　belief　that　she　was　my　friend。
　A　week　passed…a　dull　week；　during　which　I　saw　little　of　Harry　and　Le　Mire　not　at　all。　At　the　time；　I　remember；　I　was　interested　in　some　chemical　experiments…I　am　a　dabbler　with　the　tubes…and　went　out　but　little。　Then…this　was　on　Friday…Harry　sought　me　out　in　the　laboratory　to　tell　me　he　was　going　away。　In　answer　to　my　question；　〃Where？〃　he　said；　〃I　don't　know。〃
　〃How　long　will　you　be　gone？〃
　〃Oh；　a　week…perhaps　a　month。〃
　I　looked　at　him　keenly；　but　said　nothing。　It　would　have　done　no　good　to　force　him　into　an　equivocation　by　questions。　Early　the　next　morning　he　departed；　with　three　trunks；　and　with　no　further　word　to　me　save　a　farewell。　No　sooner　was　he　gone　than　I　started　for　the　telephone　to　call　up　Le　Mire；　but　thought　better　of　it　and　with　a　shrug　of　the　shoulders　returned　to　the　laboratory。
　It　was　the　following　Monday　that　was　to　see　the　first　appearance　of　Le　Mire　at　the　Stuyvesant。　I　had　not　thought　of　going；　but　on　Monday　afternoon　Billy　Du　Mont　telephoned　me　that　he　had　an　extra　ticket　and　would　like　to　have　me　join　him。　I　was　really　a　little　curious　to　see　Le　Mire　perform　and　accepted。
　We　dined　at　the　club　and　arrived　at　the　theater　rather　late。
　The　audience　was　brilliant；　indeed；　though　I　had　been　an　ardent　first…nighter　for　a　year　or　two　in　my　callow　youth；　I　think　I　have　never　seen　such　a　representation　of　fashion　and　genius　in　America；　except　at　the　opera。
　Billy　and　I　sat　in　the　orchestra…about　the　twelfth　row…and　half　the　faces　in　sight　were　well　known　to　me。　Whether　Le　Mire　could　dance　or　not；　she　most　assuredly　was；　or　had；　a　good　press…agent。　We　were　soon　to　receive　an　exemplification　of　at　least　a　portion　of　the　reputation　that　had　preceded　her。
　Many　were　the　angry　adjectives　heaped　on　the　head　of　the　dancer　on　that　memorable　evening。　Mrs。　Frederick　Marston；　I　remember；　called　her　an　insolent　hussy；　but　then　Mrs。　Frederick　Marston　was　never　original。　Others：　rash；　impudent；　saucy；　impertinent；　in　each　instance　acpanied　by　threats。
　Indeed；　it　is　little　wonder　if　those　people　of　fashion　and　wealth　and　position　were　indignant　and　sore。　For　they　had　dressed　and　dined　hastily　and　e　all