the price she paid-第8节

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‘‘She　can　have　himif　she　wants　him；''　replied　Presbury。　　‘‘But　it's　only　fair　to　warn　her　that　he's　a　stiff　dose。''

‘‘Is　the　moneyCERTAIN？''　inquired　Mildred's　mother　with　that　shrewdness　whose　rare　occasional　displays　laid　her　open　to　the　unjust　suspicion　of　feigning　her　habitual　stupidity。

‘‘Yes；''　said　Presbury　amiably。　　‘‘It's　nothing　like　yours　was。　　He's　so　rich　he　doesn't　know　what　to　do　with　his　income。　　He　owns　mines　scattered　all　over　the　world。　　And　if　they　all　failed；　he's　got　bundles　of　railway　stocks　and　bonds；　and　gilt…edged　trust　stocks；　too。　And　he's　a　comparatively　young　manhardly　fifty；　I　should　say。　　He　pretends　to　be　forty。''

‘‘It's　strange　I　never　heard　of　him；''　said　Mrs。　Presbury。

‘‘If　you　went　to　South　America　or　South　Africa　or　Alaska；　you'd　hear　of　him；''　said　Presbury。　　He　laughed。　‘‘And　I　guess　you'd　hear　some　pretty　dreadful　things。　When　I　knew　him　twenty…five　years　ago　he　had　just　been　arrested　for　forging　my　father's　name　to　a　check。　But　he　got　out　of　thatand　it's　all　past　and　gone。　Probably　he　hasn't　committed　any　worse　crimes　than　have　most　of　our　big　rich　men。　　Bill's　handicap　has　been　that　he　hadn't　much　education　or　any　swell　relatives。　　But　he's　a　genius　at　money…making。''　Presbury　looked　at　Mildred　with　a　grin。　　‘‘And　he's　just　the　husband　for　Mildred。　　She　can't　afford　to　be　too　particular。　　Somebody's　got　to　support　her。　　_I_　can't　and　won't；　and　she　can't　support　herself。''

‘‘You'll　gowon't　you；　Mildred？''　said　her　mother。　‘‘He　may　not　be　so　bad。''

‘‘Yes；　I'll　go；''　said　Mildred。　　Her　gaze　was　upon　the　untouched　food　on　her　plate。

‘‘Of　course　she'll　go；''　said　Presbury。　　‘‘And　she'll　marry　him　if　she　can。　　Won't　you；　miss？''

He　spoke　in　his　amiably　insulting　wayas　distinguished　from　the　way　of　savagely　sneering　insult　he　usually　took　with　her。　　He　expected　no　reply。　　She　surprised　him。　　She　lifted　her　tragic　eyes　and　looked　fixedly　at　him。　　She　said：

‘‘Yes；　I'll　go。　　And　I'll　marry　him　if　I　can。''

‘‘I　told　him　he　could　have　you；''　said　Presbury。　　‘‘I　explained　to　him　that　you　were　a　rare　specimen　of　the　perfect　ladyjust　what　he　wantedand　that　you；　and　all　your　family；　would　be　grateful　to　anybody　who　would　undertake　your　support。''

Mrs。　Presbury　flushed　angrily。　　‘‘You've　made　it　perfectly　useless　for　her　to　go！''　she　cried。

‘‘Calm　yourself；　my　love；''　said　her　husband。　　‘‘I　know　Bill　Siddall　thoroughly。　　I　said　what　would　help。　I　want　to　get　rid　of　her　as　much　as　you　doand　that's　saying　a　great　deal。''

Mrs。　Presbury　flamed　with　the　wrath　of　those　who　are　justly　accused。　　‘‘If　Mildred　left；　I　should　go；　too；''　cried　she。

‘‘Go　where？''　inquired　her　husband。　　‘‘To　the　poorhouse？''

By　persistent　rubbing　in　Presbury　had　succeeded　in　making　the　truth　about　her　poverty　and　dependence　clear　to　his　wife。　　She　continued　to　frown　and　to　look　unutterable　contempt；　but　he　had　silenced　her。　He　noted　this　with　a　sort　of　satisfaction　and　went　on：

‘‘If　Bill　Siddall　takes　her；　you　certainly　won't　go　there。　　He　wouldn't　have　you。　　He　feels　strongly　on　the　subject　of　mothers…in…law。''

‘‘Has　he　been　married　before？''　asked　Mrs。　Presbury。

‘‘Twice；''　replied　her　husband。　　‘‘His　first　wife　died。　He　divorced　the　second　for　unfaithfulness。''

Mildred　saw　in　this　painstaking　recital　of　all　the　disagreeable　and　repellent　facts　about　Siddall　an　effort　further　to　humiliate　her　by　making　it　apparent　how　desperately　off　she　was；　how　she　could　not　refuse　any　offer；　revolting　though　it　might　be　to　her　pride　and　to　her　womanly　instincts。　　Doubtless　this　was　in　part　the　explanation　of　Presbury's　malicious　candor。　　But　an　element　in　that　candor　was　a　prudent　preparing　of　the　girl's　mind　for　worse　than　the　reality。　　That　he　was　in　earnest　in　his　profession　of　a　desire　to　bring　about　the　match　showed　when　he　proposed　that　they　should　take　rooms　at　a　hotel　in　New　York；　to　give　her　a　chance　to　dress　properly　for　the　dinner。　　True；　he　hastened　to　say　that　the　expense　must　be　met　altogether　out　of　the　remnant　of　Mildred's　share　of　her　father's　estate；　but　the　idea　would　not　have　occurred　to　him　had　he　not　been　really　planning　a　marriage。

Never　had　Mildred　looked　more　beautiful　or　more　attractive　than　when　the　three　were　ready　to　sally　forth　from　the　Manhattan　Hotel　on　that　Thanksgiving　evening。　At　twenty…five；　a　soundly　healthy　and　vigorous　twenty…five；　it　is　impossible　for　mind　and　nerves；　however　wrought　upon；　to　make　serious　inroads　upon　surface　charms。　　The　hope　of　emancipation　from　her　hideous　slavery　had　been　acting　upon　the　girl　like　a　powerful　tonic。　　She　had　gained　several　pounds　in　the　three　intervening　days；　her　face　had　filled　out；　color　had　come　back　in　all　its　former　beauty　to　her　lips。　　Perhaps　there　was　some　slight　aid　from　art　in　the　extraordinary　brilliancy　of　her　eyes。

Presbury　inventoried　her　with　a　succession　of　grunts　of　satisfaction。　　‘‘Yes；　he'll　want　you；''　he　said。　‘‘You'll　strike　him　as　just　the　show　piece　he　needs。　And　he's　too　shrewd　not　to　be　aware　that　his　choice　is　limited。''

‘‘You　can't　frighten　me；''　said　Mildred；　with　a　radiant；　coquettish　smilefor　practice。　　‘‘Nothing　could　frighten　me。''

‘‘I'm　not　trying；''　replied　Presbury。　　‘‘Nor　will　Siddall　frighten　you。　　A　woman　who's　after　a　bill…payer　can　stomach　anything。''

‘‘Or　a　man；''　said　Mildred。

‘‘Oh；　your　mother　wasn't　as　bad　as　all　that；''　said　Presbury；　who　never　lost　an　opportunity。

Mrs。　Presbury；　seated　beside　her　daughter　in　the　cab；　gave　an　exclamation　of　rage。　　‘‘My　own　daughter　insulting　me！''　she　said。

‘‘Such　a　thought　did　not　enter　my　head；''　protested　Mildred。　　‘‘I　wasn't　thinking　of　anyone　in　particular。''

‘‘Let's　not　quarrel　now；''　said　Presbury；　with　unprecedented　amiability。　　‘‘We　must　give　Bill　a　spectacle　of　the　happy　family。''

The　cab　entered　the　porte…cochere　of　a　huge　palace　of　white　stone　just　off　Fifth　Avenue。　　The　house　was　even　grander　than　they　had　anticipated。　　The　wrought…　iron　fence　around　it　had　cost　a　small　fortune；　the　house　itself；　without　reference　to　its　contents；　a　large　fortune。　The　massive　outer　doors　were　opened　by　two　lackeys　in　cherry…colored　silk　and　velvet　livery；　a　butler；　looking　like　an　English　gentleman；　was　waiting　to　receive　them　at　the　top　of　a　short　flight　of　marble　steps　between　the　outer　and　the　inner　entrance　doors。　　As　Mildred　ascended；　she　happened　to　note　the　sculpturing　over　the　inner　entrancea　reclining　nude　figure　of　a　woman；　Cupids　with　garlands　and　hymeneal　torches　hovering　about　her。

Mildred　had　been　in　many　pretentious　houses　in　and　near　New　York；　but　this　far　surpassed　the　grandest　of　them。　　Everything　was　brand　new；　seemed　to　have　been　only　that　moment　placed；　and　was　of　the　costliest…　statuary；　carpets；　armor；　carved　seats　of　stone　and　wood；　marble　staircase　rising　majestically；　tapestries；　pictures；　drawing…room　furniture。　　The　hall　was　vast；　but　the　drawing…room　was　vaster。　　Empty；　one　would　have　said　that　it　could　not　possibly　be　furnished。　　Yet　it　was　not　only　full；　but　crowded…chairs　and　sofas；　hassocks　and　tete…a…tetes；　cabinets；　tables；　pictures；　statues；　busts；　palms；　flowers；　a　mighty　fireplace　in　which；　behind　enormous　and　costly　andirons；　crackled　enormous　and　costly　logs。　　There　was　danger　in　moving　about；　one　could　not　be　sure　of　not　upsetting　something；　and　one　felt　that　the　least　damage　that　could　be　done　there　would　be　an　appallingly　expensive　matter。

Before　that　cavernous　fireplace　posed　General　Siddall。　　He　was　a　tiny　mite　of　a　man　with　a　thin　wiry　body　supporting　the　head　of　a　professional　barber。　His　black　hair　was　glossy　and　most　romantically　arranged。　　His　black　mustache　and　imperial　were　waxed　and　brilliantined。　　There　was　no　mistaking　the　liberal　use　of　dye；　also。　　From　the　rather　thin；　very　sharp　face　looked　a　pair　of　small；　muddy；　brown…green　eyes　dull；　crafty；　cold；　cruel。　　But　the　little　man　was　so　insignificant　and　so　bebarbered　and　betailored　that　one　could　not　take　him　seriously。　　Never　had　there　been　so　new；　so　carefully　pressed；　so　perfectly　fitting　evening　clothes；　never　a　shirt　so　expensively　got　together；　or　jeweled　studs；　waistcoat　buttons　and　links　so　high　priced。　　From　every　part　of　the　room；　from　every　part　of　the　little　man's　perfumed　and　groomed　person；　every　individual　article　seemed　to　be　shrieking；　‘‘The　best　is　not　too　good　for　Bill　Siddall！''

Mildred　was　agreeably　surprisedshe　was　looking　with　fierce　determination　for　agreeable　surprises　when　the　costly　little　man　spoke；　in　a　quiet；　pleasant　voice　with　an　elusive；　attractive　foreign　accent。

‘‘My；　but　this　is　grandgrand；　General　Siddall！''　said　Presbury　in　the　voice　of　the　noisy　flatterer。　‘‘Princely！　　Royal！''

Mildred　glanced　nervously　at　Siddall。　　She　feared　that　Presbury　had　taken　the　wrong　tone。　　She　saw　in　the　unpleasant　eyes　a　glance　of　gratified　vanity。　　Said　he：

‘‘Not　so　bad；　not　so　bad。　　I　saw　the　house　in　Paris；　when　I　was　taking　a　walk　one　day。　　I　went　to　the　American　ambassador　and　asked　for　the　best　architect　in　Paris。　　I　went　to　him；　told　him　about　the　house　and　here　it　is。''

‘‘Decorations；　furniture；　and　all！''　exclaimed　Presbury。

‘‘No；　just　the　house。　　I　picked　up　the　interiors　in　different　parts　of　Europehad　everything　reproduced　where　I　couldn't　buy　outright。　　I　want