the dust-第4节

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pprobation：　　How　can　the　reign　of　justice　be　more　speedily　brought　about　than　by　making　the　reign　of　lawlawyer　lawintolerable？

About　a　fortnight　after　the　trifling　incident　related　in　the　previous　chapter；　Norman　had　to　devise　a　secret　agreement　among　several　of　the　most　eminent　of　his　clients。　　They　wished　to　band　together；　to　do　a　thing　expressly　forbidden　by　the　law；　they　wished　to　conspire　to　lower　wages　and　raise　prices　in　several　railway　systems　under　their　control。　　But　none　would　trust　the　others；　so　there　must　be　something　in　writing；　laid　away　in　a　secret　safety　deposit　box　along　with　sundry　bundles　of　securities　put　up　as　forfeit；　all　in　the　custody　of　Norman。　　When　he　had　worked　out　in　his　mind　and　in　fragmentary　notes　the　details　of　their　agreement；　he　was　ready　for　some　one　to　do　the　clerical　work。　　The　some　one　must　be　absolutely　trustworthy；　as　the　plain　language　of　the　agreement　would　make　clear　to　the　dullest　mind　dazzling　opportunities　for　profitnot　only　in　stock　jobbing　but　also　in　blackmail。　　He　rang　for　Tetlow；　the　head　clerk。　　Tetlowsmooth　and　sly　and　smug；　lacking　only　courageous　initiative　to　make　him　a　great　lawyer；　but；　lacking　that；　lacking　allTetlow　entered　and　closed　the　door　behind　him。

Norman　leaned　back　in　his　desk　chair　and　laced　his　fingers　behind　his　head。　　〃One　of　your　typewriters　is　a　slight　blonde　girlsits　in　the　corner　to　the　far　left　if　she's　still　here。〃

〃Miss　Hallowell；〃　said　Tetlow。　　〃We　are　letting　her　go　at　the　end　of　this　week。　　She's　nice　and　ladylike；　and　willingin　fact；　most　anxious　to　please。　　But　the　work's　too　difficult　for　her。　　She's　ratherratherwell；　not　exactly　stupid；　but　slow。〃

〃Um；〃　said　Norman　reflectively。　　〃There's　Miss　Bostwickperhaps　she'll　do。〃

〃Miss　Bostwick　got　married　last　week。〃

Norman　smiled。　　He　remembered　the　girl　because　she　was　the　oldest　and　homeliest　in　the　office。　　〃There's　somebody　for　everybodyeh；　Tetlow？〃

〃He　was　a　lighthouse　keeper；〃　said　Tetlow。　〃There's　a　story　that　he　advertised　for　a　wife。　　But　that　may　be　a　joke。〃

〃Why　not　that　MissMiss　Halloway？〃　mused　Norman。

〃Miss　Hallowell；〃　corrected　Tetlow。

〃Hallowellyes。　　Is　sheVERY　incompetent？

〃Not　exactly　that。　　But　business　is　slackening　and　she's　been　only　temporaryand〃

Norman　cut　him　off　with；　〃Send　her　in。〃

〃You　don't　wish　her　dismissed？　　I　haven't　told　her　yet。〃

〃Oh；　I'm　not　interfering　in　your　department。　　Do　as　you　like。　。　。　。　　Noin　this　caselet　her　stay　on　for　the　present。〃

〃I　can　use　her；〃　said　Tetlow。　　〃And　she　gets　only　ten　a　week。〃

Norman　frowned。　　He　did　not　like　to　HEAR　that　an　establishment　in　which　he　had　control　paid　less　than　decent　living　wageseven　if　the　market　price　did　excuseyes；　compel　it。　　〃Send　her　in；〃　he　repeated。　Then；　as　Tetlow　was　about　to　leave；　〃She　is　trustworthy？〃

〃All　our　force　is。　　I　see　to　that；　Mr。　Norman。〃

〃Has　she　a　young　mansteady　company；　I　think　they　call　it？〃

〃She　has　no　friends　at　all。　　She's　extremely　shy　at　least；　reserved。　　Lives　with　her　father；　an　old　crank　of　an　analytical　chemist　over　in　Jersey　City。　　She　hasn't　even　a　lady　friend。〃

〃Well；　send　her　in。〃

A　moment　later　Norman；　looking　up　from　his　work；　saw　the　dim　slim　nonentity　before　him。　　Again　he　leaned　back　and；　as　he　talked　with　her；　studied　her　face　to　make　sure　that　his　first　judgment　was　correct。　　〃Do　you　stay　late　every　night？〃　asked　he　smilingly。

She　colored　a　little；　but　enough　to　bring　out　the　exquisite　fineness　of　her　white　skin。　　〃Oh；　I　don't　mind；〃　said　she；　and　there　was　no　embarrassment　in　her　manner。　〃I've　got　to　learnand　doing　things　over　helps。〃

〃Nothing　equal　to　it；〃　declared　Norman。　　〃You've　been　to　school？〃

〃Only　six　weeks；〃　confessed　she。　　〃I　couldn't　afford　to　stay　longer。〃

〃I　mean　the　other　sort　of　schoolnot　the　typewriting。〃

〃Oh！　　Yes；〃　said　she。　　And　once　more　he　saw　that　extraordinary　transformation。　　She　became　all　in　an　instant　delicately；　deliciously　lovely；　with　the　moving；　in　a　way　pathetic　loveliness　of　sweet　children　and　sweet　flowers。　　Her　look　was　mystery；　but　not　a　mystery　of　guile。　　She　evidently　did　not　wish　to　have　her　past　brought　to　view；　but　it　was　equally　apparent　that　behind　it　lay　hid　nothing　shameful；　only　the　sad；　perhaps　the　painful。　　Of　all　the　periods　of　life　youth　is　the　best　fitted　to　bear　deep　sorrows；　for　then　the　spirit　has　its　full　measure　of　elasticity。　　Yet　a　shadow　upon　youth　is　always　more　moving　than　the　shadows　of　maturer　yearsthose　shadows　that　do　not　lie　upon　the　surface　but　are　heavy　and　corroding　stains。　　When　Norman　saw　this　shadow　upon　her　youth；　so　immature…looking；　so　helpless…looking；　he　felt　the　first　impulse　of　genuine　interest　in　her。　　Perhaps；　had　that　shadow　happened　to　fall　when　he　was　seeing　her　as　the　commonplace　and　colorless　little　struggler　for　bread；　and　seeming　doomed　speedily　to　be　worsted　in　the　struggleperhaps；　he　would　have　felt　no　interest；　but　only　the　brief　qualm　of　pity　that　we　dare　not　encourage　in　ourselves；　on　a　journey　so　beset　with　hopeless　pitiful　things　as　is　the　journey　through　life。

But　he　had　no　impulse　to　question　her。　　And　with　some　surprise　he　noted　that　his　reason　for　refraining　was　not　the　usual　reasonunwillingness　uselessly　to　add　to　one's　own　burdens　by　inviting　the　mournful　confidences　of　another。　　No；　he　checked　himself　because　in　the　manner　of　this　frail　and　mouselike　creature；　dim　though　she　once　more　was；　there　appeared　a　dignity；　a　reserve；　that　made　intrusion　curiously　impossible。　　With　an　apologetic　note　in　his　voicea　kind　and　friendly　voicehe　said：

〃Please　have　your　typewriter　brought　in　here。　　I　want　you　to　do　some　work　for　mework　that　isn't　to　be　spoken　ofnot　even　to　Mr。　Tetlow。〃　　He　looked　at　her　with　grave　penetrating　eyes。　　〃You　will　not　speak　of　it？〃

〃No；〃　replied　she；　and　nothing　more。　　But　she　accompanied　the　simple　negative　with　a　clear　and　honest　sincerity　of　the　eyes　that　set　his　mind　completely　at　rest。　　He　felt　that　this　girl　had　never　in　her　life　told　a　real　lie。

One　of　the　office　boys　installed　the　typewriter；　and　presently　Norman　and　the　quiet　nebulous　girl　at　whom　no　one　would　trouble　to　look　a　second　time　were　seated　opposite　each　other　with　the　broad　table　desk　between；　he　leaning　far　back　in　his　desk　chair；　fingers　interlocked　behind　his　proud；　strong…looking　head；　she　holding　sharpened　pencil　suspended　over　the　stenographic　note…　book。　　Long　before　she　seated　herself　he　had　forgotten　her　except　as　machine。　　There　followed　a　troubled　hour；　as　he　dictated；　ordered　erasure；　redictated；　ordered　re…　readings；　skipped　back　and　forth；　in　the　effort　to　frame　the　secret　agreement　in　the　fewest　and　simplest；　and　least　startlingly　unlawful；　words。　　At　last　he　leaned　forward　with　the　shine　of　triumph　in　his　eyes。

〃Read　straight　through；〃　he　commanded。

She　read；　interrupted　occasionally　by　a　sharp　order　from　him　to　correct　some　mistake　in　her　notes。

〃Again；〃　he　commanded；　when　she　translated　the　last　of　her　notes。

This　time　she　was　not　interrupted　once。　　When　she　ended；　he　exclaimed：　　〃Good！　　I　don't　see　how　you　did　it　so　well。〃

〃Nor　do　I；〃　said　she。

〃You　say　you　are　only　a　beginner。〃

〃I　couldn't　have　done　it　so　well　for　anyone　else；〃　said　she。　　〃You　aredifferent。〃

The　remark　was　worded　most　flatteringly；　but　it　did　not　sound　so。　　He　saw　that　she　did　not　herself　understand　what　she　meant　by　〃different。〃　　HE　understood；　for　he　knew　the　difference　between　the　confused　and　confusing　ordinary　minds　and　such　an　intelligence　as　his　ownsimple；　luminous；　enlightening　all　minds；　however　dark；　so　long　as　they　were　in　the　light…flooded　region　around　it。

〃Have　I　made　the　meaning　clear？〃　he　asked。

He　hoped　she　would　reply　that　he　had　not；　though　this　would　have　indicated　a　partial　defeat　in　the　object　he　hadto　put　the　complex　thing　so　plainly　that　no　one　could　fail　to　understand。　　But　she　answered；　〃Yes。〃

He　congratulated　himself　that　his　overestimate　of　her　ignorance　of　affairs　had　not　lured　him　into　giving　her　the　names　of　the　parties　at　interest　to　transcribe。　But　did　she　really　understand？　　To　test　her；　he　said：

〃What　do　you　think　of　it？〃

〃That　it's　wicked；〃　replied　she；　without　hesitation　and　in　her　small；　quiet　voice。

He　laughed。　　In　a　way　this　girl；　sitting　there　this　inconsequential　and　negligible　atomtypefied　the　masses　of　mankind　against　whom　that　secret　agreement　was　directed。　　They；　the　feeble　and　powerless　ones；　with　their　necks　ever　bent　under　the　yoke　of　the　mighty　and　their　feet　ever　stumbling　into　the　traps　of　the　crafty　they；　too；　would　utter　an　impotent　〃Wicked！〃　if　they　knew。　　His　voice　had　the　note　of　gentle　raillery　in　it　as　he　said：

〃Nonot　wicked。　　Just　business。〃

She　was　looking　down　at　her　book；　her　face　expressionless。　　A　few　moments　before　he　would　have　said　it　was　an　empty　face。　　Now　it　seemed　to　him　sphynxlike。

〃Just　business；〃　he　repeated。　　〃It　is　going　to　take　money　from　those　who　don't　know　how　to　keep　or　to　spend　it　and　give　it　to　those　who　do　know　how。　　The　money　will　go　for　building　up　civilization；　instead　of　for　beer　and　for　bargain…trough　finery　to　make　working　men's　wives　and　daughters　look　cheap　and　nasty。〃

She　was　silent。

〃Now；　do　you　understand？〃

〃I　understand　what　you　said。〃　　She　looked　at　him　as　she　spoke