the price she paid-第25节
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said in a correct tone of conventional friendliness； ‘‘Then you'll let me know when you're settled？'' He bowed； moved toward the door； shook hands with the general； and passed out； giving from start to finish a model example of a man of the world extricating him… self from an impossible situation and leaving it the better for his having been entangled。 To a man of Siddall's incessant and clumsy self…consciousness such unaffected ease could not but be proof positive of Mildred's innocenceunless he had overheard。 And his first words convinced her that he had not。 Said he：
‘‘So you sent for your old admirer？''
‘‘I ran across him accidentally；'' replied Mildred。
‘‘I know；'' said the little general。 ‘‘My men picked you up at the pier and haven't lost sight of you since。 It's fortunate that I've kept myself informed； or I might have misunderstood that chap's being here。'' A queer； cloudy look came into his eyes。 ‘‘I must give him a warning for safety's sake。'' He waved his hand in dismissal of such an unimportant trifle as the accidental Baird。 He went on； his wicked eyes bent coldly and dully upon her： ‘‘Do you know what kind of a house this is？''
‘‘Stanley Baird urged me to leave；'' replied she。 ‘‘But I shall stay until I find a betterand that's not easy。''
‘‘Yes； my men have reported to me on the difficulties you've had。 It was certainly fortunate for you that I had them look after you。 Otherwise I'd never have understood your landing in this sort of a house。 You are ready to come with me？''
‘‘Your secretary explained that if I left the hotel it was the end。''
‘‘He told you that by my orders。''
‘‘So he explained；'' said Mildred。 She seated herself； overcome by a sudden lassitude that was accompanied not by fear； but by indifference。 ‘‘Won't you sit down？ I am willing to hear what you have to say。''
The little general； about to sit； was so astonished that he straightened and stiffened himself。 ‘‘In consenting to overlook your conduct and take you back I have gone farther than I ever intended。 I have taken into consideration your youth and inexperience。''
‘‘But I am not going back；'' said Mildred。
The little general slowly seated himself。 ‘‘You have less than two hundred and fifty dollars left；'' said he。
‘‘Really？ Your spies know better than I。''
‘‘I have seen Presbury。 He assures me that in no circumstances will he and your mother take you back。''
‘‘They will not have the chance to refuse；'' said Mildred。
‘‘As for your brother''
‘‘I have no brother；'' said she coldly。
‘‘Then you are coming back with me。''
‘‘No；'' said Mildred。 ‘‘I should''she cast about for an impressive alternative‘‘I should stay on here； rather。''
The little generalhis neat varnished leather and be…spatted shoes just touched the floorexamined his highly polished top…hat at several angles。 Finally he said： ‘‘You need not fear that your misconduct will be remembered against you。 I shall treat you in every way as my wife。 I shall assume that youryour flight was an impulse that you regret。''
‘‘I shan't go back；'' said Mildred。 ‘‘Nothing you could offer would change me。''
‘‘I cannot make any immediate concession on the the matter that caused you to go；'' pursued he； as if she had not spoken； ‘‘but if I see that you have reliability and good sense； I'll agree to give you an allowance later。''
Mildred eyed him curiously。 ‘‘Why are you making these offers； these concessions？'' she said。 ‘‘You think everyone in the world is a fool except yourself。 You're greatly deceived。 I know that you don't mean what you've been saying。 I know that if you got me in your power again； you would do something frightful。 I've seen through that mask you wear。 I know the kind of man you are。''
‘‘If you know that；'' said the general in his even slow way； monotonous； almost lifeless； ‘‘you know you'd better come with me than stand out against me。''
She did not let him see how this struck terror into her。 She said： ‘‘No matter what you might do to me； when I'm away from you； it would be less than you'd do with me under your roof。 At any rate； it'd seem less。''
The general reflected； decided to change to another point： ‘‘You made a bargain with me。 You've broken it。 I never let anyone break a bargain with me without making them regret it。 I'm giving you a chance to keep your bargain。''
She was tempted to discuss； but she could not find the words； or the strength。 Besides； how futile to discuss with such a man。 She sank back in her chair wearily。 ‘‘I shall never go back；'' she said。
He looked at her； his face devoid of expression； but she had a sense of malignance unutterable eying her from behind a screen。 He said： ‘‘I see you've misunderstood my generosity。 You think I'm weak where you are concerned because I've come to you instead of doing as I said and making you come to me。'' He rose。 ‘‘Well； my offer to you is closed。 And once more I say； you will come to me and ask to be taken back。 I may or may not take you back。 It depends on how I'll feel at that time。''
Slowly； with his ludicrously pompous strut； he marched to the drawing…room door。 She had not felt like smiling； but if there had been any such inclination it would have fled before the countenance that turned upon her at the threshold。 It was the lean； little face with the funny toupee and needle…like mustache and imperial； but behind it lay a personality like the dull； cold； yellow eyes of the devil…fish ambushed in the hazy mass of dun…colored formlessness of collapsed body and tentacles。 He said：
‘‘You'd best be careful how you conduct yourself。 You'll be under constant observation。 And any friends you makethey'd do well to avoid you。''
He was gone。 She sat without the power of motion； without the power of thought。 After a timeperhaps long； perhaps short； she did not knowMrs。 Belloc came in and entered upon a voluble apology for the maid's having shown ‘‘the little gentleman'' into the drawing…room when another was already there。 ‘‘That maid's as green as spring corn；'' said she。 ‘‘Such a thing never happened in my house before。 And it'll never happen again。 I do hope it didn't cause trouble。''
‘‘It was my husband；'' said Mildred。 ‘‘I had to see him some time。''
‘‘He's certainly a very elegant little gentleman；'' said Mrs。 Belloc。 ‘‘I rather like small men； myself。''
Mildred gazed at her vaguely and said； ‘‘Tell me a rich man； a very rich manif he hates anyone； can he make trouble？''
‘‘Money can do anything in this town；'' replied Mrs。 Belloc。 ‘‘But usually rich men are timid and stingy。 If they weren't； they'd make us all cringe。 As it is； I've heard some awful stories of how men and women who've got some powerful person down on them have been hounded。''
Mildred turned deathly sick。 ‘‘I think I'll go to my room；'' she said； rising uncertainly and forcing herself toward the door。
Mrs。 Belloc's curiosity could not restrain itself。 ‘‘You're leaving？'' she asked。 ‘‘You're going back to your husband？''
She was startled when the girl abruptly turned on her and cried with flashing eyes and voice strong and vibrant with passion： ‘‘Never！ Never！ No matter what comesNEVER！''
The rest of the day and that night she hid in her room and made no effort to resist the terror that preyed upon her。 Just as our strength is often the source of weakness； so our weaknesses often give birth to strength。 Her terror of the little general； given full swing； shrieked and grimaced itself into absurdity。 She was ashamed of her orgy； was laughing at it as the sun and intoxicating air of a typical New York morning poured in upon her。 She accepted Mrs。 Belloc's invitation to take a turn through the park and up Riverside Drive in a taxicab； came back restored to her normal state of blind confidence in the future。 About noon Stanley Baird telephoned。
‘‘We must not see each other again for some time；'' said he。 ‘‘I rather suspect that youknowwho may be having you watched。''
‘‘I'm sure of it；'' said she。 ‘‘He warned me。''
‘‘Don't let that disturb you；'' pursued Stanley。 ‘‘A mana singing teacherhis name's Eugene Jennings will call on you this afternoon at three。 Do exactly as he suggests。 Let him do all the talking。''
She had intended to tell Baird frankly that she thought； indeed knew； that it was highly dangerous for him to enter into her affairs in any way； and to urge him to draw off。 She felt that it was only fair to act so toward one who had been unselfishly generous to her。 But now that the time for speaking had come； she found herself unable to speak。 Only by flatly refusing to have anything to do with his project could she prevail upon him。 To say less than that she had completely and finally changed her mind would sound； and would be； insincere。 And that she could not say。 She felt how noble it would be to say this； how selfish； and weak； too； it was to cling to him； possibly to involve him in disagreeable and even dangerous complications； but she had no strength to do what she would have denounced another as base for not doing。 Instead of the lofty words that flow so freely from the lips of stage and fiction heroines； instead of the words that any and every reader of
