the dust-第14节

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s；　so　symmetrical　in　her　rather　tight　sleeves；　and　emerging　into　view　in　the　most　delicate　wrists。　　What　a　marvelous　skin！

〃Have　you　ever　posed？〃

She　startled　and　the　color　flamed　in　her　cheeks。　　Her　eyes　shot　a　glance　of　terror　at　him。　　〃II；〃　she　stammered。　　Then　almost　defiantly；　〃Yes；　I　didfor　a　while。　But　I　didn't　suppose　anyone　knew。　　At　the　time　we　needed　the　money　badly。〃

Norman　felt　deep　disgust　with　himself　for　bursting　out　with　such　a　question；　and　for　having　surprised　her　secret。　　〃There's　nothing　to　be　ashamed　of；〃　he　said　gently。

〃Oh；　I'm　not　ashamed；〃　she　returned。　　Her　agitation　had　subsided。　　〃The　only　reason　I　quit　was　because　the　work　was　terribly　hard　and　the　pay　small　and　uncertain。　　I　was　confused　because　they　discharged　me　at　the　last　place　I　had；　when　they　found　out　I　had　been　a　model。　　It　was　a　church　paper　office。〃

Again　she　poised　her　pencil　and　lowered　her　eyes。　But　he　did　not　take　the　hint。　　〃Is　there　anything　you　would　rather　do　than　this　sort　of　work？〃　he　asked。

〃Nothing　I　could　afford；〃　replied　she。

〃If　you　had　been　kind　to　Miss　Burroughs　yesterday　she　would　have　helped　you。〃

〃I　couldn't　afford　to　do　that；〃　said　the　girl　in　her　quiet；　reticent　way。

〃To　do　what？〃

〃To　be　nice　to　anyone　for　what　I　could　get　out　of　it。〃

Norman　smiled　somewhat　cynically。　　Probably　the　girl　fancied　she　was　truthful；　but　human　beings　rarely　knew　anything　about　their　real　selves。　　〃What　would　you　like　to　do？〃

She　did　not　answer　his　question　until　she　had　shrunk　completely　within　herself　and　was　again　thickly　veiled　with　the　expression　which　made　everyone　think　her　insignificant。　　〃Nothing　I　could　afford　to　do；〃　said　she。　It　was　plain　that　she　did　not　wish　to　be　questioned　further　along　that　line。

〃The　stage？〃　he　persisted。

〃I　hadn't　thought　of　it；〃　was　her　answer。

〃What　then？〃

〃I　don't　think　about　things　I　can't　have。　　I　never　made　any　definite　plans。〃

〃But　isn't　it　a　good　idea　always　to　look　ahead？　　As　long　as　one　has　to　be　moving；　one　might　as　well　move　in　a　definite　direction。〃

She　was　waiting　with　pencil　poised。

〃There　isn't　much　of　a　future　at　this　business。〃

She　shrank　slightly。　　He　felt　that　she　regarded　his　remark　as　preparation　for　a　kindly　hint　that　she　was　not　giving　satisfaction。　。　。　。　　Well；　why　not　leave　it　that　way？　　Perhaps　she　would　quit　of　her　own　accord　would　spare　him　the　troubleand　embarrassmentof　arranging　with　Tetlow　for　another　place　for　her。　　He　began　to　dictategave　her　a　few　sentences　mockingly　different　from　his　usual　terse　and　clear　statements　interrupted　himself　with：

〃You　misunderstood　me　a　while　ago。　　I　didn't　mean　you　weren't　doing　your　work　well。　　On　the　contrary；　I　think　you'll　soon　be　expert。　　But　I　thought　perhaps　I　might　be　able　to　help　you　to　something　you'd　like　better。〃

He　listened　to　his　own　words　in　astonishment。　　What　new　freak　of　madness　was　this？　　Instead　of　clearing　himself　of　this　uncanny　girl；　he　was　proposing　things　to　her　that　would　mean　closer　relations。　　And　what　reason　had　he　to　think　she　was　fitted　for　anything　but　just　what　she　was　now　doingdoing　indifferently　well？

〃Thank　you；〃　she　said；　so　quietly　that　it　seemed　coldly；　〃but　I'm　satisfied　as　I　am。〃

Her　manner　seemed　to　say　with　polite　and　restrained　plainness　that　she　was　not　in　the　least　appreciative　of　his　interest　or　of　himself。　　But　this　could　not　be。　　No　girl　in　her　position　could　fail　to　be　grateful　for　his　interest。　No　woman；　in　all　his　life；　had　ever　failed　to　respond　to　his　slightest　advance。　　No；　it　simply　could　not　be。　　She　was　merely　shy；　and　had　a　peculiar　way　of　showing　it。　He　said：

〃You　have　no　ambition？〃

〃That's　not　for　a　woman。〃

She　was　making　her　replies　as　brief　as　civility　permitted。　　He　observed　her　narrowly。　　She　was　not　shy；　not　embarrassed。　　What　kind　of　game　was　this？　　It　could　not　be　in　sincere　nature　for　a　person　in　her　position　thus　to　treat　overtures；　friendly　and　courteous　overtures；　from　one　in　his　position。　　And　never　before　neverhad　a　woman　been　thus　unresponsive。　　Instead　of　feeling　relief　that　she　had　disentangled　him　from　the　plight　into　which　his　impulsive　offer　had　flung　him；　he　was　piquedangeredand　his　curiosity　was　inflamed　as　never　before　about　any　woman。

The　relations　of　the　sexes　are　for　the　most　part　governed　by　traditions　of　sex　allurements　and　sex　tricks　so　ancient　that　they　have　ceased　to　be　conscious　and　have　become　instinctive。　　One　of　these　venerable　first　principles　is　that　mystery　is　the　arch　provoker。　　Norman；　an　old　and　expert　student　of　the　great　gamethe　only　game　for　which　the　staidest　and　most　serious　will　abandon　all　else　to　follow　its　merry　callNorman　knew　this　trick　of　mystery。　　The　woman　veils　herself　and　makes　believe　to　flyan　excellent　trick；　as　good　to…day　as　ever　after　five　thousand　years　of　service。　　And　he　knew　that　in　it　lay　the　explanation　for　the　sudden　and　high　upflaming　of　his　interest　in　this　girl。　　〃What　an　ass　I'm　making　of　myself！〃　reflected　he。　　〃When　I　care　nothing　about　the　girl；　why　should　I　care　about　the　mystery　of　her？　　Of　course；　it's　some　poor　little　affair；　a　puzzle　not　worth　puzzling　out。〃

All　true　and　clear　enough。　　Yet　seeing　it　did　not　abate　his　interest　a　particle。　　She　had　veiled　herself；　she　was　pretendingperhaps　honestlyto　fly。　　He　rose　and　went　to　the　window；　stood　with　his　back　to　her；　resumed　dictating。　　But　the　sentences　would　not　come。　　He　whirled　abruptly。　　〃I'm　not　ready　to　do　the　thing　yet；〃　he　said。　　〃I'll　send　for　you　later。〃

Without　a　word　or　a　glance　she　stood；　took　her　book　and　went　toward　the　door。　　He　gazed　after　her。　　He　could　not　refrain　from　speaking　again。　　〃I'm　afraid　you　misunderstood　my　offer　a　while　ago；〃　said　he；　neither　curt　nor　friendly。　　〃I　forgot　how　such　things　from　a　man　to　a　young　woman　might　be　misinterpreted。〃

〃I　never　thought　of　that；〃　replied　she　unembarrassed。　〃It　was　simply　that　I　can't　put　myself　under　obligation　to　anyone。〃

As　she　stood　there；　her　full　beauty　flashed　upon　himthe　exquisite　form；　the　subtly　graceful　poise　of　her　body；　of　her　headthe　loveliness　of　that　golden…　hued　white　skinthe　charm　of　her　small　rosy　mouth　the　delicate；　sensitive；　slightly　tilted　noseand　her　eyes　above　all；　her　eyes！so　clear；　so　sweet。　　Her　voice　had　seemed　thin　and　faint　to　him；　its　fineness　now　seemed　the　rarest　delicacythe　exactly　fitting　kind　for　so　evasive　and　delicate　a　beauty　as　hers。　　He　made　a　slight　bow　of　dismissal；　turned　abruptly　away。　　Never　in　all　his　life；　strewn　with　gallant　experiencesnever　had　a　woman　thus　treated　him；　and　never　had　a　woman　thus　affected　him。　　〃I　am　madstark　mad！〃　he　muttered。　〃A　ten…dollar…a…week　typewriter；　whom　nobody　on　earth　but　myself　would　look　at　a　second　time！〃　　But　something　within　him　hurled　back　this　scornful　fling。　Though　no　one　else　on　earth　saw　or　appreciatedwhat　of　it？　　She　affected　HIM　thusand　that　was　enough。　〃_I_　want　her！　。　。　。　　I　WANT　her！　　I　have　never　wanted　a　woman　before。〃

He　rushed　into　the　dressing　room　attached　to　his　office；　plunged　his　face　into　ice…cold　water。　　This　somewhat　eased　the　burning　sensation　that　was　becoming　intolerable。　　Many　were　the　unaccountable　incidents　in　his　acquaintance　with　this　strange　creature；　the　most　preposterous　was　this　sudden　seizure。　　He　realized　now　that　his　feeling　for　her　had　been　like　the　quiet；　steady；　imperceptible　filling　of　a　reservoir　that　suddenly　announces　itself　by　the　thunder　and　roar　of　a　mighty　cascade　over　the　dam。　　〃This　is　madnesssheer　madness！　I　am　still　master　within　myself。　　I　will　make　short　work　of　this　rebellion。〃　　And　with　an　air　of　calmness　so　convincing　that　he　believed　in　it　he　addressed　himself　to　the　task　of　sanity　and　wisdom　lying　plain　before　him。　　〃A　man　of　my　position　caught　by　a　girl　like　that！　　A　man　such　as　I　am；　caught　by　ANY　woman　whatever！〃　　It　was　grotesque。　　He　opened　his　door　to　summon　Tetlow。

The　gate　in　the　outside　railing　was　directly　opposite；　and　about　thirty　feet　away。　　Tetlow　and　Miss　Hallowell　were　going　outevidently　to　lunch　together。　She　was　looking　up　at　the　chief　clerk　with　laughing　eyesthey　seemed　coquettish　to　the　infuriated　Norman。　And　Tetlowthe　serious　and　squab　young　ass　was　gazing　at　her　with　the　expression　men　of　the　stupid　squab　sort　put　on　when　they　wish　to　impress　a　woman。　At　this　spectacle；　at　the　vision　of　that　slim　young　loveliness；　that　perfect　form　and　deliciously　smooth　soft　skin；　white　beyond　belief　beneath　its　faintly　golden　tint　the　hot　blood　steamed　up　into　Norman's　brain；　blinded　his　sight；　reddened　it　with　desire　and　jealousy。　　He　drew　back；　closed　his　door　with　a　bang。

〃This　is　not　I；〃　he　muttered。　　〃What　has　happened？　　Am　I　insane？〃


When　Tetlow　returned　from　lunch　the　office　boy　on　duty　at　the　gate　told　him　that　Mr。　Norman　wished　to　see　him　at　once。　　Like　all　men　trying　to　advance　along　ways　where　their　fellow　men　can　help　or　hinder；　the　head　clerk　was　full　of　more　or　less　clever　little　tricks　thought　out　with　a　view　to　making　a　good　impression。　　One　of　them　was　to　stamp　upon　all　minds　his　virtue　of　promptness　of　what　use　to　be　prompt　unless　you　forced　every　one　to　feel　how　prompt　you　were？　　He　went　in　to　see　Norman；　with　hat　in　hand　and　overcoat　on　his　back　and　one　glove　off；　the　other　still　on。　　Norman　was　standing　at　a　window；　sm