the dust-第54节

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Galloway　was　disconcerted。　　〃I　beg　your　pardon；　Mr。　Norman；〃　he　said。　　〃I　misunderstood　you。　　I　thought　I　heard　you　say　in　effect　that　you　purposed　to　be　rich；　and　that　you　purposed　to　compel　me　to　make　you　so。〃

〃So　I　did；〃　replied　Norman。　　〃But　not　by　the　methods　you　financiers　are　so　adept　at　using。　　Not　by　high…class　blackmail　and　blackjacking。　　I　meant　that　my　abilities　were　such　that　you　and　your　fellow　masters　of　modern　society　would　be　compelled　to　employ　me　on　my　own　terms。　　A　few　moments　ago　you　outlined　to　me　a　plan。　　It　may　be　you　can　find　other　lawyers　competent　to　steer　it　through　the　channel　of　the　law。　　I　doubt　it。　I　may　exaggerate　my　value。　　But〃　　He　smiled　pleasantly〃I　don't　think　so。〃

In　this　modern　world　of　ours　there　is　no　more　delicate　or　more　important　branch　of　the　art　of　material　success　than　learning　to　play　one's　own　tune　on　the　trumpets　of　fame。　　To　those　who　watch　careers　intelligently　and　critically；　and　not　merely　with　mouth　agape　and　ears　awag　for　whatever　sounds　the　winds　of　credulity　bear；　there　is　keen　interest　in　noting　how　differently　this　high　art　is　practiced　by　the　fame…seekershow　well　some　modest　heroes　disguise　themselves　before　essaying　the　trumpet；　how　timidly　some　play；　how　brazenly　others。　It　is　an　art　of　infinite　variety。　　How　many　there　are　who　can　echo　Shakespeare's　sad　lament；　through　Hamlet's　lips〃I　lack　advancement！〃　Those　are　they　who　have　wholly　neglected；　as　did　Shakespeare；　this　essential　part　of　the　art　of　advancementShakespeare；　who　lived　almost　obscure　and　was　all　but　forgotten　for　two　centuries　after　his　death。

Norman；　frankly　seeking　mere　material　success；　and　with　the　colossal　egotism　that　disdains　egotism　and　shrugs　at　the　danger　of　being　accused　of　itNorman　did　not　hesitate　to　proclaim　his　own　merits。　　He　reasoned　that　he　had　the　wares；　that　crying　them　would　attract　attention　to　them；　that　he　whose　attention　was　attracted；　if　he　were　a　judge　of　wares　and　a　seeker　of　the　best；　would　see　that　the　Norman　wares　were　indeed　as　Norman　cried　them。　　At　first　blush　Galloway　was　amused　by　Norman's　candid　self…esteem。　　But　he　had　often　heard　of　Norman's　conceitand　in　a　long　and　busy　life　he　had　not　seen　an　able　man　who　was　unaware　of　his　ability；　any　more　than　he　had　seen　a　pretty　woman　unaware　of　her　prettiness。　　So；　at　second　blush；　Galloway　was　tempted　by　Norman's　calm　strong　blast　upon　his　own　trumpet　to　look　again　at　the　wares。

〃I　always　have　had　a　high　opinion　of　you；　young　man；〃　said　he；　with　laughing　eyes。　　〃Almost　as　high　an　opinion　as　you　have　of　yourself。　　Think　over　the　legal　side　of　my　plan。　　When　you　get　your　thoughts　in　order；　let　me　knowand　make　me　a　proposition　as　to　your　own　share。　　Does　that　satisfy　you？〃

〃It's　all　I　ask；〃　said　Norman。

And　they　parted　on　the　friendliest　termsand　Norman　knew　that　his　fortune　was　assured；　if　Galloway　lived　another　nine　months。　　When　he　was　alone；　the　sweat　burst　out　upon　him　and；　trembling　from　head　to　foot；　he　locked　his　door　and　flung　himself　at　full　length　upon　the　rug。　　It　was　half　an　hour　before　the　fit　of　silent　hysterical　reaction　passed　sufficiently　to　let　him　gather　strength　to　rise。　　He　tottered　to　his　desk　chair；　and　sat　with　his　head　buried　in　his　arms　upon　the　desk。　After　a　while　the　telephone　at　his　side　rang　insistently。　He　took　the　receiver　in　a　hand　he　could　not　steady。

〃Yes？〃　he　called。

〃It's　Tetlow。　　How'd　you　come　out？〃

〃Oh〃　　He　paused　to　stiffen　his　throat　to　attack　the　words　naturally〃all　right。　　We　go　ahead。〃

〃With　G。？〃

〃Certainly。　　But　keep　quiet。　　Don't　let　him　know　you've　heard；　if　you　see　him　or　he　sends　for　you。　Remember；　it's　in　my　hands　entirely。〃

〃Trust　me。〃　　Tetlow's　voice；　suppressed　and　jubilant；　suggested　a　fat；　hoarse　rooster　trying　to　finish　a　crow　before　a　coming　stone　from　a　farm　boy　reaches　him。　　〃It　seems　natural　and　easy　to　you；　old　man。　But　I'm　about　crazy　with　joy。　　I'll　come　right　over。〃

〃No。　　I'm　going　home。〃

〃Can't　I　see　you　there？〃

〃No。　　I've　other　matters　to　attend　to。　　Come　about　lunch　time　to…morrowto　the　office；　here。〃

〃All　right；〃　said　Tetlow　disappointedly；　and　Norman　rang　off。



XX


IN　the　faces　of　men　who　have　dominion　of　whatever　kind　over　their　fellow　menbe　it　the　brutal　rule　of　the　prize　fighter　over　his　gang　or　the　apparently　gentle　sway　of　the　apparently　meek　bishop　over　his　loving　flockin　the　faces　of　all　men　of　power　there　is　a　dangerous　look。　　They　may　never　lose　their　tempers。　They　may　never　lift　their　voices。　　They　may　be　ever　suave　and　civil。　　The　dangerous　look　is　thereand　the　danger　behind　it。　　And　the　sense　of　that　look　and　of　its　cause　has　a　certain　restraining　effect　upon　all　but　the　hopelessly　impudent　or　solidly　dense。　　Norman　was　one　of　the　men　without　fits　of　temper。　　In　his　moments　of　irritation；　no　one　ever　felt　that　a　storm　of　violent　language　might　be　impending。　　But　the　danger　signal　flaunted　from　his　face。　　Danger　of　what？　　No　one　could　have　said。　　Most　people　would　have　laughed　at　the　idea　that　so　even　tempered　a　man；　pleased　with　himself　and　with　the　world；　could　ever　be　dangerous。　　Yet　everyone　had　instinctively　respected　that　danger　flaguntil　Dorothy。

Perhaps　it　had　struck　for　herhad　really　not　been　there　when　she　looked　at　him。　　Perhaps　she　had　been　too　inexperienced；　perhaps　too　self…centered；　to　see　it。　Perhaps　she　had　never　before　seen　his　face　in　an　hour　of　weariness　and　relaxationwhen　the　true　character；　the　dominating　and　essential　trait　or　traits；　shows　nakedly　upon　the　surface；　making　the　weak　man　or　woman　look　pitiful；　the　strong　man　or　woman　formidable。

However　that　may　be；　when　he　walked　into　the　sitting　room；　greeted　her　placidly　and　kissed　her　on　the　brow；　she；　glancing　uncertainly　up　at　him；　saw　that　danger　signal　for　the　first　time。　　She　studied　his　face；　her　own　face　wearing　her　expression　of　the　puzzled　child。　　No；　not　quite　that　expression　as　it　always　had　been　theretofore；　but　a　modified　form　of　it。　　To　any　self…centered；　self…absorbed　womanthere　comes　in　her　married　life；　unless　she　be　married　to　a　booby；　a　time；　an　hour；　a　moment　evenfor　it　can　be　narrowed　down　to　a　pointwhen　she　takes　her　first　SEEING　look　at　the　man　upon　whom　she　is　dependent　for　protection；　whether　spiritual　or　material；　or　both。　　In　her　egotism　and　vanity　she　has　been　regarding　him　as　her　property。　Suddenly；　and　usually　disagreeably；　it　has　been　revealed　to　her　that　she　is　his　property。　　That　hour　had　come　for　Dorothy　Norman。　　And　she　was　looking　at　her　husband；　was　wondering　who　and　what　he　was。

〃You've　had　your　lunch？〃　he　said。

〃No；〃　replied　she。

〃You　have　been　out　for　the　air？〃

〃No。〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃You　didn't　tell　me　what　to　do。〃

He　smiled　good　humoredly。　　〃Oh；　you　had　no　money。〃

〃Yesa　little。　　But　I〃　　She　halted。

〃Yes？〃

〃You　hadn't　told　me　what　to　do；〃　she　repeated；　as　if　on　mature　thought　that　sentence　expressed　the　whole　matter。

He　felt　in　his　pockets；　found　a　small　roll　of　bills。　He　laid　twenty…five　dollars　on　the　table。　　〃I'll　keep　thirty；〃　he　said；　〃as　I　shan't　have　any　more　till　I　see　Tetlow　to…morrow。　　Now；　fly　out　and　amuse　yourself。　I'm　going　to　sleep。　　Don't　wake　me　till　you're　ready　for　dinner。〃

And　he　went　into　his　bedroom　and　closed　the　door。　When　he　awoke；　he　saw　that　it　was　dark　outside；　and　some　note　in　the　din　of　street　noises　from　far　below　made　him　feel　that　it　was　late。　　He　wrapped　a　bath…　robe　round　him；　opened　the　door　into　the　sitting　room。　It　was　dark。

〃Dorothy！〃　he　called。

〃Yes；〃　promptly　responded　the　small　quiet　voice；　so　near　that　he　started　back。

〃Oh！〃　he　exclaimed；　and　switched　on　the　light。　〃There　you　areby　the　window。　　What　were　you　doing；　in　the　dark？〃

She　was　dressed　precisely　as　when　he　had　last　seen　her。　　She　was　sitting　with　her　hands　listless　in　her　lap　and　her　face　a　moving　and　beautiful　expression　of　melancholy　dreams。　　On　the　table　were　the　billswhere　he　had　laid　them。　　〃You've　been　out？〃　he　said。

〃No；〃　she　replied。

〃Why　not？〃

〃I've　beenwaiting。〃

〃For　what？〃　laughed　he。

〃ForI　don't　know；〃　she　replied。　　〃Just　waiting。〃

〃But　there's　nothing　to　wait　for。〃

She　looked　at　him　interrogatively。　　〃NoI　suppose　not；〃　she　said。

He　went　back　into　his　room　and　glanced　at　his　watch。　〃Eleven　o'clock！〃　he　cried。　　〃Why　didn't　you　wake　me？　　You　must　be　nearly　starved。〃

〃Yes；　I　am　hungry；〃　said　she。

Her　patient；　passive　resignation　irritated　him。　　〃I'm　ravenous；〃　he　said。　　〃I'll　dressand　you　dress；　too。　We'll　go　downstairs　to　supper。〃

When　he　reappeared　in　the　sitting　room；　in　a　dinner　jacket；　she　was　again　seated　near　the　window；　hands　listless　in　her　lap　and　eyes　gazing　dreamily　into　vacancy。　But　she　was　now　dressed　in　the　black　chiffon　and　the　big　black　hat。　　He　laughed。　　〃You　are　prompt　and　obedient；〃　said　he。　　〃Nothing　like　hunger　to　subdue。〃

A　faint　flush　tinged　her　lovely　skin；　the　look　of　the　child　that　has　been　struck　appeared　in　her　eyes。

He　cast　about　in　his　mind　for　the　explanation。　　Did　she　think　he　meant　it　was　need　that　had　brought　her　meekly　back　to　him？　　That　was　true　enough；　but　he　had　not　intended　to　hint　it。　　In　high　good　humor　because　he　was　so　delightfully　hungry　and　was　about　to　get　food；　he　cried：　　〃Do　cheer　up！　　There's　nothing　to　be　sad　aboutnothing。〃

She　lifte