the dust-第24节

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ate　the　state　of　her　mind　as　if　it　were　an　affair　of　mightiest　momentwhich；　indeed；　it　was　to　him。　　And　presently　his　doubt　strengthened　into　conviction。　　She　must　be　secretly　pleased；　flattered；　responsive。　　She　had　been　in　the　office　long　enough　to　be　impressed　by　his　position。　　Yes；　there　must　be　more　or　less　pretense　in　her　apparently　complete　indifferencemore　or　less　pretense；　more　or　less　coquetry；　probably　not　a　little　timidity。

She　would　come　down　from　her　high　horsewith　help　and　encouragement　from　him。　　He　was　impatient　to　get　to　the　office　and　see　just　how　she　would　do　it　what　absurd；　amusing　attractive　child's　trick　she　would　think　out；　imagining　she　could　fool　him；　as　lesser　intelligences　are　ever　fatuously　imagining　they　can　outwit　greater。

He　rather　thought　she　would　come　in　to　see　him　on　some　pretext；　would　maneuver　round　like　a　bird　pretending　to　flutter　away　from　the　trap　it　has　every　intention　of　entering。　　But　eleven　o'clock　of　a　wasted　morning　came　and　she　did　not　appear。　　He　went　out　to　see　if　she　was　thereshe　must　be　sick；　she　could　not　be　there　or　he　would　have　heard　from　her。　。　。　。　　Yes；　she　was　at　her　desk；　exactly　as　always。　　No；　not　exactly　the　same。　She　was　obviously　attractive　now；　the　air　of　insignificance　had　gone；　and　not　the　dullest　eyes　in　that　office　could　fail　to　see　at　least　something　of　her　beauty。　And　Tetlow　was　hanging　over　her；　while　the　girls　and　boys　grinned　and　whispered。　　Clearly；　the　office　was　〃on　to〃　Tetlow。　。　。　。　　Norman；　erect　and　coldly　infuriate；　called　out：

〃Mr。　Tetlowone　moment；　please。〃

He　went　back　to　his　den；　Tetlow　startling　and　following　like　one　on　the　way　to　the　bar　for　sentence。　〃Mr。　Tetlow；〃　he　said；　when　they　were　shut　in　to…　gether；　〃you　are　making　a　fool　of　yourself　before　the　whole　office。〃

〃Be　a　little　patient　with　me；　Mr。　Norman；〃　said　the　head　clerk　humbly。　　〃I've　got　another　place　for　her。　She's　going　to　take　it　to…morrow。　　Thenthere'll　be　no　more　trouble。〃

Norman　paled。　　〃She　wishes　to　leave？〃　he　contrived　to　articulate。

〃She　spoke　to　me　about　leaving　before　I　told　her　I　had　found　her　another　job。〃

Norman　debatedbut　for　only　a　moment。　　〃I　do　not　wish　her　to　leave；〃　he　said　coldly。　　〃I　find　her　useful　and　most　trustworthy。〃

Tetlow's　eyes　were　fixed　strangely　upon　him。

〃What's　the　matter　with　you？〃　asked　Norman；　the　under…note　of　danger　but　thinly　covered。

〃Then　she　was　right；〃　said　Tetlow　slowly。　　〃I　thought　she　was　mistaken。　　I　see　that　she　is　right。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　said　Normana　mere　inquiry；　devoid　of　bluster　or　any　other　form　of　nervousness。

〃You　know　very　well　what　I　mean；　Fred　Norman；〃　said　Tetlow。　　〃And　you　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　yourself。〃

〃Don't　stand　there　scowling　and　grimacing　like　an　idiot；〃　said　Norman　with　an　amused　smile。　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃She　told　meabout　your　coming　to　see　her　about　your　offer　to　do　something　for　her　fatherabout　your　acting　in　a　way　that　made　her　uneasy。〃

For　an　instant　Norman　was　panic…stricken。　　Then　his　estimate　of　her　reassured　him。　　〃I　took　your　advice；〃　said　he。　　〃I　went　to　see　for　myself。　　How　did　I　act　that　she　was　made　uneasy？〃

〃She　didn't　say。　　But　a　woman　can　tell　what　a　man　has　in　the　back　of　his　headwhen　it　concerns　her。　　And　she　is　a　good　womanso　innocent　that　you　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　yourself　for　even　thinking　of　her　in　that　way。　　God　has　given　innocence　instincts；　and　she　felt　what　you　were　about。〃

Norman　laugheda　deliberate　provocation。　　〃Love　has　made　a　fool　of　you；　old　man；〃　he　said。

〃I　notice　you　don't　deny；〃　retorted　Tetlow　shrewdly。

〃Deny　what？　　There's　nothing　to　deny。〃　　He　felt　secure　now　that　he　knew　she　had　been　reticent　with　Tetlow　as　to　the　happenings　in　the　cottage。

〃Maybe　I'm　wronging　you；〃　said　Tetlow；　but　not　in　the　tone　of　belief。　　〃However　that　may　be；　I　know　you'll　not　refuse　to　listen　to　my　appeal。　　I　love　her；　Norman。　　I'm　going　to　make　her　my　wife　if　I　can。　And　I　ask　youfor　the　sake　of　our　old　friendship　to　let　her　alone。　　I've　no　doubt　you　could　dazzle　her。　You　couldn't　make　a　bad　woman　of　her。　　But　you　could　make　her　very　miserable。〃

Norman　pushed　about　the　papers　before　him。　　His　face　wore　a　cynical　smile；　but　Tetlow；　who　knew　him　in　all　his　moods；　saw　that　he　was　deeply　agitated。

〃I　don't　know　that　I　can　win　her；　Fred；〃　he　pleaded。　〃But　I　feel　that　I　might　if　I　had　a　fair　chance。〃

〃You　think　she'd　refuse　YOU？〃　said　Norman。

〃Like　a　flash；　unless　I'd　made　her　care　for　me。　That's　the　kind　she　is。〃

〃That　sounds　absurd。　　Why；　there　isn't　a　woman　in　New　York　who　would　refuse　a　chance　to　take　a　high　jump　up。〃

〃I'd　have　said　so；　too。　　But　since　I've　gotten　acquainted　with　her　I've　learned　better。　　She　may　be　spoiled　some　day；　but　she　hasn't　been　yet。　　God　knows；　I　wish　I　could　tempt　her。　　But　I　can't。〃

〃You're　entirely　too　credulous；　old　man。　　She'll　make　a　fool　of　you。〃

〃I　know　better；〃　Tetlow　stubbornly　maintained。　〃Anyhow；　I　don't　care。　　I　love　her；　and　I'd　marry　her；　no　matter　what　her　reason　for　marrying　me　was。〃

What　pitiful　infatuation！worse　than　his　own。　Poor　Tetlow！he　deserved　a　better　fate　than　to　be　drawn　into　this　girl's　trapfor；　of　course；　she　never　could　care　for　such　a　heavy　citizenheavy　and　homely　the　loosely　fat　kind　of　homely　that　is　admired　by　no　one；　not　even　by　a　woman　with　no　eye　at　all　for　the　physical　points　of　the　male。　　It　would　be　a　real　kindness　to　save　worthy　Tetlow。　　What　a　fool　she'd　make　of　him！how　she'd　squander　his　moneyand　torment　him　with　jealousyand　unfit　him　for　his　career。　　Poor　Tetlow！　　If　he　could　get　what　he　wanted；　he'd　be　well　punished　for　his　imprudence　in　wanting　it。　　Really；　could　friendship　do　him　a　greater　service　than　to　save　him？

Norman　gave　Tetlow　a　friendly；　humorous　glance。　〃You're　a　hopeless　case；　Billy；〃　he　said。　　〃But　at　least　don't　rush　into　trouble。　　Take　your　time。　　You　can　always　get　in；　you　know；　and　you　may　not　get　in　quite　so　deep。〃

〃You　promise　to　let　her　alone？〃　said　Tetlow　eagerly。

Again　his　distinguished　friend　laughed。　　〃Don't　be　an　ass；　old　man。　　Why　imagine　that；　just　because　you've　taken　a　fancy　to　a　girl；　everyone　wants　her？〃　He　clapped　him　on　the　shoulder；　gave　him　a　push　toward　the　door。　　〃I've　wasted　enough　time　on　this　nonsense。〃

Tetlow　did　not　venture　to　disregard　a　hint　so　plain。　He　went　with　his　doubt　still　unsolvedhis　doubt　whether　his　jealousy　was　right　or　his　high　opinion　of　his　hero　friend　whose　series　of　ever…mounting　successes　had　filled　him　with　adoration。　　He　knew　the　way　of　success；　knew　no　man　could　tread　it　unless　he　had；　or　acquired；　a　certain　hardness　of　heart　that　made　him　an　uncomfortable　not　to　say　dangerous　associate。　　He　regretted　his　own　inability　to　acquire　that　indispensable　hardness；　and　envied　and　admired　it　in　Fred　Norman。　　But；　at　the　same　time　that　he　admired；　he　could　not　help　distrusting。

Norman　battled　with　his　insanity　an　hour；　then　sent　for　Miss　Hallowell。

The　girl　had　lost　her　look　of　strength　and　vitality。　She　seemed　frail　and　dimso　unimportant　physically　that　he　wondered　why　her　charm　for　him　persisted。　Yet　it　did　persist。　　If　he　could　take　her　in　his　arms；　could　make　her　drooping　beauty　revive！through　love　for　him　if　possible；　if　not；　then　through　anger　and　hate！　　He　must　make　her　feel；　must　make　her　acknowledge；　that　he　had　power。　　It　seemed　to　him　another　instance　of　the　resistless　fascination　which　the　unattainable；　however　unworthy；　has　ever　had　for　the　conqueror　temperament。

〃You　are　leaving？〃　he　said　curtly；　both　a　question　and　an　affirmation。

〃Yes。〃

〃You　are　making　a　mistakea　serious　mistake。〃

She　stood　before　him　listlessly；　as　if　she　had　no　interest　either　in　what　he　was　saying　or　in　him。　　That　maddening　indifference！

〃It　was　a　mistake　to　tattle　your　trouble　to　Tetlow。〃

〃I　did　not　tattle；〃　said　she　quietly；　colorlessly。　　〃I　said　only　enough　to　make　him　help　me。〃

〃And　what　did　he　say　about　me？〃

〃That　I　had　misjudged　youthat　I　must　be　mistaken。〃

Norman　laughed。　　〃How　seriously　the　little　people　of　the　world　do　take　themselves！〃

She　looked　at　him。　　His　amused　eyes　met　hers　frankly。　　〃You　didn't　mean　it？〃　she　said。

He　beamed　on　her。　　〃Certainly　I　did。　　But　I'm　not　a　lunatic　or　a　wild　beast。　　Do　you　think　I　would　take　advantage　of　a　girl　in　your　position？〃

Her　eyes　seemed　to　grow　large　and　weary；　and　an　expression　of　experience　stole　over　her　young　face；　giving　it　a　strange　appearance　of　age…in…youth。　　〃It　has　been　done；〃　said　she。

How　reconcile　such　a　look　with　the　theory　of　her　childlike　innocence？　　But　then　how　reconcile　any　two　of　the　many　varied　personalities　he　had　seen　in　her？　He　said：　　〃Yesit　has　been　done。　　But　not　by　me。　I　shall　take　from　you　only　what　you　gladly　give。〃

〃You　will　get　nothing　else；〃　said　she　with　quiet　strength。

〃That　being　settled〃　he　went　on；　holding　up　a　small　package　of　papers　bound　together　by　an　elastic　〃Here　are　the　proposed　articles　of　incorporation　of　the　Chemical　Research　Company。　　How　do　you　like　the　name？〃

〃What　is　it？〃

〃The　company　that　is　to　back　your　father。　　Capital　stock；　twenty…five　thousand　dollars；　one　half　paid　up。　　Your　father　to　be　employed　as　director　of　the　laboratories　at　five　thousand　a　year；　with　a　fund　of　ten　thousand　to　draw　upon。　　You　to　be　employed　as　secretary