the dust-第37节

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Burroughs　disappeared　in　the　direction　his　daughter　had　taken。　　Norman　waited　several　minuteslong　enough　slowly　to　smoke　a　cigarette。　　Then　he　went　into　the　hall　and　put　on　his　coat　with　deliberation。　　No　one　appeared；　not　even　a　servant。　　He　went　out　into　the　street。

In　the　morning　papers　he　found　the　announcement　of　the　withdrawal　of　the　invitationsand　from　half　a　column　to　several　columns　of　comment；　much　of　it　extremely　unflattering　to　him。



XIII


WHEN　a　〃high　life〃　engagement　such　as　that　of　Norman　and　Miss　Burroughs；　collapses　on　the　eve　of　the　wedding；　the　gossip　and　the　scandal；　however　great；　are　but　a　small　part　of　the　mess。　　Doubtless　many　a　marriageand　not　in　high　life　alone；　eitherhas　been　put　through；　although　the　one　party　or　the　other　or　both　have　discovered　that　disaster　was　inevitablesolely　because　of　the　appalling　muddle　the　sensible　course　would　precipitate。　　In　the　case　of　the　Norman…Burroughs　fiasco；　there　wereto　note　only　a　few　big　items　such　difficulties　as　several　car　loads　of　presents　from　all　parts　of　the　earth　to　be　returned；　a　house　furnished　throughout　and　equipped　to　the　last　scullery　maid　and　stable　boy　to　be　disposed　of；　the　entire　Burroughs　domestic　economy　which　had　been　reconstructed　to　be　put　back　upon　its　former　basis。

It　is　not　surprising　that；　as　Ursula　Fitzhugh　was　credibly　informed；　Josephine　almost　decided　to　send　for　Bob　Culver　and　marry　him　on　the　day　before　the　day　appointed　for　her　marriage　to　Fred。　　The　reason　given　for　her　not　doing　this　sounded　plausible。　　Culver；　despairing　of　making　the　match　on　which　his　ambition　and　therefore　his　heart　was　setand　seeing　a　chance　to　get　suddenly　rich；　had　embarked　for　a　career　as　a　blackmailer　of　corporations。　　That　is；　he　nosed　about　for　a　big　corporation　stealthily　doing　or　arranging　to　do　some　unlawful　but　highly　profitable　acts；　he　bought　a　few　shares　of　its　stock；　using　a　fake　client　as　a　blind；　he　then　proceeded　to　threaten　it　with　exposure；　expensive　hindrances　and　the　like；　unless　it　bought　him　off　at　a　huge　profit　to　himself。　　This　business　was　regarded　as　most　disreputable　andthanks　to　the　power　of　the　big　corporations　over　the　courtshad　resulted　in　the　sending　of　several　of　its　practisers　to　jail　or　on　hasty　journeys　to　foreign　climes。　　But　Culver；　almost　if　not　quite　as　good　a　lawyer　as　Norman；　was　too　clever　to　be　caught　in　that　way。　　However；　while　he　was　getting　very　rich　rapidly；　he　was　as　yet　far　from　rich　enough　to　overcome　the　detestation　of　old　Burroughs；　and　to　be　eligible　for　the　daughter。

So；　Josephine　sailed　away　to　Europe；　with　the　consolation　that　her　father　was　so　chagrined　by　the　fizzle　that　he　had　withdrawn　his　veto　upon　the　purchase　of　a　foreign　titlethat　veto　having　been　the　only　reason　she　had　looked　at　home　for　a　husband。　　Strange　indeed　are　the　ways　of　lovenever　stranger　than　when　it　comes　into　contact　with　the　vanities　of　wealth　and　social　position　and　the　other　things　that　cause　a　human　being　to　feel　that　he　or　she　is　lifted　clear　of　and　high　above　the　human　condition。　　Josephine　had　her　consolation。　　For　Norman　the　only　consolation　was　escape　from　a　marriage　which　had　become　so　irksome　in　anticipation　that　he　did　not　dare　think　what　it　would　be　in　the　reality。　Over　against　this　consolation　was　set　a　long　list　of　disasters。　　He　found　himself　immediately　shunned　by　all　his　friends。　　Their　professed　reason　was　that　he　had　acted　shabbily　in　the　breaking　of　the　engagement；　for；　while　it　was　assumed　that　Josephine　must　have　done　the　actual　breaking；　it　was　also　assumed　that　he　must　have　given　her　provocation　and　to　spare。　　This　virtuous　indignation　was　in　large　part　mere　pretext；　as　virtuous　indignation　in　frail　mortals　toward　frail　mortals　is　apt　to　be。　　The　real　reason　for　shying　off　from　Norman　was　his　atmosphere　of　impending　downfall。　　And　certainly　that　atmosphere　had　eaten　away　and　dissipated　all　his　former　charm。　　He　looked　dull　and　boresomeand　he　was。

But　the　chief　disaster　was　material。　　As　has　been　said；　old　Burroughs；　in　his　own　person　and　in　the　enterprises　he　controlled；　gave　Norman's　firm　about　half　its　income。　　The　day　Josephine　sailed；　Lockyer；　senior　partner　of　the　firm；　got　an　intimation　that　unless　Norman　left；　Burroughs　would　take　his　law　business　elsewhere；　and　would　〃advise〃　others　of　their　clients　to　follow　his　example。　　Lockyer　no　sooner　heard　than　he　began　to　bestir　himself。　　He　called　into　consultation　the　learned　Benchley　and　the　astute　Sanders　and　the　soft　and　sly　Lockyer　junior。　　There　could　be　no　question　that　Norman　must　be　got　rid　of。　　The　only　point　was；　who　should　inform　the　lion　that　he　had　been　deposed？

After　several　hours　of　anxious　discussion；　Lockyer；　his　inward　perturbations　hid　beneath　that　mask　of　smug　and　statesmanlike　respectability；　entered　the　lion's　den　a　sick　lion；　sick　unto　death　probably；　but　not　a　dead　lion。　　〃When　you're　ready　to　go　uptown；　Frederick；〃　said　he　in　his　gentlest；　most　patriarchal　manner；　〃let　me　know。　　I　want　to　have　a　little　talk　with　you。〃

Norman；　heavy　eyed　and　listless；　looked　at　the　handsome　old　fraud。　　As　he　looked　something　of　the　piercing　quality　and　something　of　the　humorous　came　back　into　his　eyes。　　〃Sit　down　and　say　it　now；〃　said　he。

〃I'd　prefer　to　talk　where　we　can　be　quiet。〃

Norman　rang　his　bell　and　when　an　office　boy　appeared；　said　　〃No　one　is　to　disturb　me　until　I　ring　again。〃　　Then　as　the　boy　withdrew　he　said　to　Lockyer：　〃Now；　sir；　what　is　it？〃

Lockyer　strolled　to　the　window；　looked　out　as　if　searching　for　something　he　failed　to　find；　came　back　to　the　chair　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　desk　from　Norman；　seated　himself。　　〃I　don't　know　how　to　begin；〃　said　he。　〃It　is　hard　to　say　painful　things　to　anyone　I　have　such　an　affection　for　as　I　have　for　you。〃

Norman　pushed　a　sheet　of　letter　paper　across　the　desk　toward　his　partner。　　〃Perhaps　that　will　help　you；〃　observed　he　carelessly。

Lockyer　put　on　his　nose　glasses　with　the　gesture　of　grace　and　intellect　that　was　famous。　　He　reada　brief　demand　for　a　release　from　the　partnership　and　a　request　for　an　immediate　settlement。　　Lockyer　blinked　off　his　glasses　with　the　gesture　that　was　as　famous　and　as　admiringly　imitated　by　lesser　legal　lights　as　was　his　gesture　of　be…spectacling　himself。　　〃This　is　most　astounding；　my　boy；〃　said　he。　　〃It　is　mostmost〃

〃Gratifying？〃　suggested　Norman　with　a　sardonic　grin。

〃Not　in　the　least；　Frederick。　　The　very　reverse　the　exact　reverse。〃

Norman　gave　a　shrug　that　said　〃Why　do　you　persist　in　those　fraudsand　with　ME？〃　　But　he　did　not　speak。

〃I　know；〃　pursued　Lockyer；　〃that　you　would　not　have　taken　this　step　without　conclusive　reasons。　　And　I　shall　not　venture　the　impertinence　of　prying　or　of　urging。〃

〃Thanks；〃　said　Norman　drily。　　〃Now；　as　to　the　terms　of　settlement。〃

Lockyer；　from　observation　and　from　gossip；　had　a　pretty　shrewd　notion　of　the　state　of　his　young　partner's　mind；　and　drew　the　not　unwarranted　conclusion　that　he　would　be　indifferent　about　termswould　be　〃easy。〃　With　the　suavity　of　Mr。　Great…and…Good…Heart　he　said：　〃My　dear　boy；　there　can't　be　any　question　of　money　with　us。　　We'll　do　the　generously　fair　thingfor；　we're　not　hucksterers　but　gentlemen。〃

〃That　sounds　terrifying；〃　observed　the　young　man；　with　a　faint　ironic　smile。　　〃I　feel　my　shirt　going　and　the　cold　winds　whistling　about　my　bare　body。　　To　save　time；　let　ME　state　the　terms。　　You　want　to　be　rid　of　me。　I　want　to　go。　　It's　a　whim　with　me。　　It's　a　necessity　for　you。〃

Lockyer　shifted　uneasily　at　these　evidences　of　unimpaired　mentality　and　undaunted　spirit。

〃Here　are　my　terms；〃　proceeded　Norman。　　〃You　are　to　pay　me　forty　thousand　a　year　for　five　years　unless　I　open　an　office　or　join　another　firm。　　In　that　case；　payments　are　to　cease　from　the　date　of　my　re…　entering　practice。〃

Lockyer　leaned　back　and　laughed　benignantly。　　〃My　dear　Norman；〃　he　said　with　a　gently　remonstrant　shake　of　the　head；　〃those　terms　are　impossible。　　Forty　thousand　a　year！　　Why　that　is　within　ten　thousand　of　the　present　share　of　any　of　us　but　you。　　It　is　the　income　of　nearly　three　quarters　of　a　million　at　six　per　centof　a　million　at　four　per　cent！〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　Norman；　settling　back　in　his　chair。　　〃Then　I　stand　pat。〃

〃Now；　my　dear　Norman；　permit　me　to　propose　terms　that　are　fair　to　all〃

〃When　I　said　I　stood　pat　I　meant　that　I　would　stay　on。〃　　His　eyes　laughed　at　Lockyer。　　〃I　guess　we　can　live　without　Burroughs　and　his　dependents。　　Maybe　they　will　find　they　can't　live　without　us。〃　　He　slowly　leaned　forward　until；　with　his　forearms　against　the　edge　of　his　desk；　he　was　concentrating　a　memorable　gaze　upon　Lockyer。　　〃Mr。　Lockyer；〃　said　he；　〃I　have　been　exercising　my　privilege　as　a　free　man　to　make　a　damn　fool　of　myself。　　I　shall　continue　to　exercise　it　so　long　as　I　feel　disposed　that　way。　　But　let　me　tell　you　something。　I　can　afford　to　do　it。　　If　a　man's　asset　is　money；　or　character　or　position　or　relatives　and　friends　or　popular　favor　or　any　other　perishable　article；　he　must　take　care　how　he　trifles　with　it。　　He　may　find　himself　irretrievably　ruined。　　But　my　asset　happens　to　be　none　of　those　things。　　It　is　one　that　can　be　lost　or　damaged　only　by　insanity　or　death。　　Do　you　follow　me？〃

The　old　man　looked　at　him　with　the　sincere　and　most　flattering　tribute　of　co