the dust-第36节

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ous　quantities　of　liquor　he　had　drunk　in　the　last　few　days　had　not　been　without　effect。　Alcohol；　the　general　stimulant；　inevitably　brings　out　in　strong　relief　a　man's　dominant　qualities。　　The　dominant　quality　of　Norman　was　love　of　combat。

〃Josephine　tells　me　you　are　in　a　blue　fury；〃　said　Norman　pleasantly　when　the　door　was　closed　and　the　three　were　alone。　　〃Nonot　a　blue　fury。　　A　black　fury。〃

At　the　covert　insolence　of　his　tone　Josephine　became　violently　agitated。　　〃Father；〃　she　said；　with　the　imperiousness　of　an　only　and　indulged　child；　〃I　have　asked　you　not　to　interfere　between　Fred　and　me。　　I　thought　I　had　your　promise。〃

〃I　said　I'd　think　about　it；〃　replied　her　father。　　He　had　a　heavy　voice　that　now　and　then　awoke　some　string　of　the　lower　octaves　of　the　piano　in　the　corner　to　a　dismal　groan。　　〃I've　decided　to　speak　out。〃

〃That's　right；　sir；〃　said　Norman。　　〃Is　your　quarrel　with　me？〃

Josephine　attempted　an　easy　laugh。　　〃It's　that　silly　story　we　were　talking　about　the　other　day；　Fred。〃

〃I　supposed　so；〃　said　he。　　〃You　are　not　smoking；　Mr。　Burroughs〃　　He　laughed　amiably〃at　least　not　a　cigar。〃

〃The　doctor　only　allows　me　one；　and　I've　had　it；〃　replied　Burroughs；　his　eyes　sparkling　viciously　at　this　flick　of　the　whip。　　〃What　is　the　truth　about　that　business；　Norman？〃

Norman's　amused　glance　encountered　the　savage　glare　mockingly。　　〃Why　do　you　ask？〃　he　inquired。

〃Because　my　daughter's　happiness　is　at　stake。　Because　I　cannot　but　resent　a　low　scandal　about　a　man　who　wishes　to　marry　my　daughter。〃

〃Very　proper；　sir；〃　said　Norman　graciously。

〃My　daughter；〃　continued　Burroughs　with　accele…　rating　anger；　〃tells　me　you　have　denied　the　story。〃


｛illust。　caption　=　〃　‘Father　。　。　。　I　have　asked　you　not　to　interfere　between　Fred　and　me。'　〃｝



Norman　interrupted　with　an　astonished　look　at　Josephine。　　She　colored；　gazed　at　him　imploringly。　　His　face　terrified　her。　　When　body　and　mind　are　in　health　and　at　rest　the　fullness　of　the　face　hides　the　character　to　a　great　extent。　　But　when　a　human　being　is　sick　or　very　tired　the　concealing　roundness　goes　and　in　the　clearly　marked　features　the　true　character　is　revealed。　In　Norman's　face；　haggard　by　his　wearing　emotions；　his　character　stood　forththe　traits　of　strength；　of　tenacity；　of　inevitable　purpose。　　And　Josephine　saw　and　dreaded。

〃But；〃　Burroughs　went　on；　〃I　have　it　on　the　best　authority　that　it　is　true。〃

Norman；　looking　into　the　fascinating　face　of　danger；　was　thrilled。　　〃Then　you　wish　to　break　off　the　engagement？〃　he　said　in　the　gentlest；　smoothest　tone。

Burroughs　brought　his　fist　down　on　the　tableand　Norman　recognized　the　gesture　of　the　bluffer。　　〃I　wish　you　to　break　off　with　that　woman！〃　he　cried。　　〃I　insist　upon　itupon　positive　assurances　from　you。〃

〃Fred！〃　pleaded　Josephine。　　〃Don't　listen　to　him。　Remember；　I　have　said　nothing。〃

He　had　long　been　looking　for　a　justifying　grievance　against　her。　　It　now　seemed　to　him　that　he　had　found　it。　　〃Why　should　you？〃　he　said　genially　but　with　subtle　irony；　〃since　you　are　getting　your　father　to　speak　for　you。〃

There　was　just　enough　truth　in　this　to　entangle　her　and　throw　her　into　disorder。　　She　had　been　afraid　of　the　consequences　of　her　father's　interfering　with　a　man　so　spirited　as　Norman；　but　at　the　same　time　she　had　longed　to　have　some　one　put　a　check　upon　him。　　Norman's　suave　remark　made　her　feel　that　he　could　see　into　her　inmost　soulcould　see　the　anger；　the　jealousy；　the　doubt；　the　hatred…tinged　love；　the　love…saturated　hate　seething　and　warring　there。

Burroughs　was　saying：　　〃If　we　had　not　committed　ourselves　so　deeply；　I　should　deal　very　differently　with　this　matter。〃

〃Why　should　that　deter　you？〃　said　Normanand　Josephine　gave　a　piteous　gasp。　　〃If　this　goes　much　farther；　I　assure　you　I　shall　not　be　deterred。〃

Burroughs；　firmly　planted　in　a　big　leather　chair；　looked　at　the　young　man　in　puzzled　amazement。　　〃I　see　you　think　you　have　us　in　your　power；〃　he　said　at　last。　　〃But　you　are　mistaken。〃

〃On　the　contrary；〃　rejoined　the　young　man；　〃I　see　you　believe　you　have　me　in　your　power。　　And　in　a　sense　you　are　NOT　mistaken。〃

〃Father；　he　is　right；〃　cried　Josephine　agitatedly。　〃I　shouldn't　love　and　respect　him　as　I　do　if　he　would　submit　to　this　hectoring。〃

〃Hectoring！〃　exclaimed　Burroughs。　　〃Josephine；　leave　the　room。　　I　cannot　discuss　this　matter　properly　before　you。〃

〃I　hope　you　will　not　leave；　Josephine；〃　said　Nor…　man。　　〃There　is　nothing　to　be　said　that　you　cannot　and　ought　not　to　hear。〃

〃I'm　not　an　infant；　father；〃　said　Josephine。　〃Besides；　it　is　as　Fred　says。　　He　has　done　nothing　improper。〃

〃Then　why　does　he　not　say　so？〃　demanded　Burroughs；　seeing　a　chance　to　recede　from　his　former　too　advanced　position。　　〃That's　all　I　ask。〃

〃But　I　told　you　all　about　it；　father；〃　said　Josephine　angrily。　　〃They've　been　distorting　the　truth；　and　the　truth　is　to　his　credit。〃

Norman　avoided　the　glance　she　sent　to　him；　it　was　only　a　glance　and　away；　for　more　formidably　than　ever　his　power　was　enthroned　in　his　haggard　face。　　He　stood　with　his　back　to　the　fire　and　it　was　plain　that　the　muscles　of　his　strong　figure　were　braced　to　give　and　to　receive　a　shock。　　〃Mr。　Burroughs；〃　he　said；　〃your　daughter　is　mistaken。　　Perhaps　it　is　my　fault　in　having　helped　her　to　mislead　herself。　　The　plain　truth　is；　I　have　become　infatuated　with　a　young　woman。　She　cares　nothing　about　mehas　repulsed　me。　　I　have　been　and　am　making　a　fool　of　myself　about　her。　　I've　been　hoping　to　cure　myself。　　I　still　hope。　　But　I　am　not　cured。〃

There　was　absolute　silence　in　the　room。　　Norman　stole　a　glance　at　Josephine。　　She　was　sitting　erect；　a　greenish　pallor　over　her　ghastly　face。

He　said：　　〃If　she　will　take　me；　now　that　she　knows　the　truth；　I　shall　be　gratefuland　I　shall　make　what　effort　I　can　to　do　my　best。〃

He　looked　at　her　and　she　at　him。　　And　for　an　instant　her　eyes　softened。　　There　was　the　appeal　of　weak　human　heart　to　weak　human　heart　in　his　gaze。　　Her　lip　quivered。　　A　brief　struggle　between　vanity　and　love　and　vanity；　the　stronger；　the　strongest　force　in　her　life；　dominating　it　since　earliest　babyhood　and　only　seeming　to　give　way　to　love　when　love　cameit　was　vanity　that　won。　　She　stiffened　herself　and　her　mouth　curled　with　proud　scorn。　　She　laugheda　sneer　of　jealous　rage。　〃Father；〃　she　said；　〃the　lady　in　the　case　is　a　common　typewriter　in　his　office。〃

But　to　menespecially　to　practical　men　differences　of　rank　and　position　among　women　are　not　fundamentally　impressive。　　Man　is　in　the　habit　of　taking　what　he　wants　in　the　way　of　womankind　wherever　he　finds　it；　and　he　understands　that　habit　in　other　men。　　He　was　furious　with　Norman；　but　he　did　not　sympathize　with　his　daughter's　extreme　attitude。　　He　said　to　Norman　sharply：

〃You　say　you　have　broken　with　the　woman？〃

〃She　has　broken　with　me；〃　replied　Norman。

〃At　any　rate；　everything　is　broken　off。〃

〃Apparently。〃

〃Then　there　is　no　reason　why　the　marriage　should　not　go　on。〃　　He　turned　to　his　daughter。　　〃If　you　understood　men；　you　would　attach　no　importance　to　this　matter。　　As　you　yourself　said；　the　woman　isn't　a　lady　isn't　in　our　class。　　That　sort　of　thing　amounts　to　nothing。　　Norman　has　acted　well。　　He　has　shown　the　highest　kind　of　honestyhas　been　truthful　where　most　men　would　have　shifted　and　lied。　　Anyhow；　things　have　gone　too　far。〃　　Not　without　the　soundest　reasons　had　Burroughs　accepted　Norman　as　his　son…in…law；　and　he　had　no　fancy　for　giving　him　up；　when　men　of　his　pre…eminent　fitness　were　so　rare。

There　was　another　profound　silence。　　Josephine　looked　at　Norman。　　Had　he　returned　her　gaze；　the　event　might　have　been　different；　for　within　her　there　was　now　going　on　a　struggle　between　two　nearly　evenly　matched　vanitiesthe　vanity　of　her　own　outraged　pride　and　the　vanity　of　what　the　world　would　say　and　think；　if　the　engagement　were　broken　off　at　that　time　and　in　those　circumstances。　　But　he　did　not　look　at　her。　　He　kept　his　eyes　fixed　upon　the　opposite　wall；　and　there　was　no　sign　of　emotion　of　any　kind　in　his　stony　features。　　Josephine　rose；　suppressed　a　sob；　looked　arrogant　scorn　from　eyes　shining　with　tearstears　of　self…　pity。　　〃Send　him　away；　father；〃　she　said。　　〃He　has　tried　to　degrade　ME！　　I　am　done　with　him。〃　　And　she　rushed　from　the　room；　her　father　half　starting　from　his　chair　to　detain　her。

He　turned　angrily　on　Norman。　　〃A　hell　of　a　mess　you've　made！〃　he　cried。

〃A　hell　of　a　mess；〃　replied　the　young　man。

〃Of　course　she'll　come　round。　　But　you've　got　to　do　your　part。〃

〃It's　settled；〃　said　Norman。　　And　he　threw　his　cigar　into　the　fireplace。　　〃Good　night。〃

〃Hold　on！〃　cried　Burroughs。　　〃Before　you　go；　you　must　see　Josie　alone　and　talk　with　her。〃

〃It　would　be　useless；〃　said　Norman。　　〃You　know　her。〃

Burroughs　laid　his　hand　friendlily　but　heavily　upon　the　young　man's　shoulder。　　〃This　outburst　of　nonsense　might　cost　you　two　young　people　your　happiness　for　life。　　This　is　no　time　for　jealousy　and　false　pride。　Wait　a　moment。〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　Norman。　　〃But　it　is　useless。〃　He　understood　Josephine　nowhe　who　had　become　a　connoisseur　of　love。　　He　knew　that　her　vanity…founded　love　had　vanished。

Burroughs　disappeared　in　the　direction　his　daughter　had　taken。　　Norman　waited　several　minuteslong　enough　slowly　to　smoke　a　cigarette。　　Then　he　went　into