the three partners-第13节

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He　reached　the　lower　hall；　which　he　knew　was　a　favorite　promenade

for　the　nurses　who　were　gathered　at　the　farther　end；　where　a　large

window　looked　upon　Montgomery　Street。　　But　Norah；　the　Irish　nurse；

was　not　among　them；　he　passed　through　several　corridors　in　his

search；　but　in　vain。　　At　last；　worried　and　a　little　anxious；　he

turned　to　regain　his　rooms　through　the　long　saloon　where　he　had

found　his　wife　previously。　　It　was　deserted　now；　the　last　caller

had　lefteven　frivolity　had　its　prescribed　limits。　　He　was

consequently　startled　by　a　gentle　murmur　from　one　of　the　heavily

curtained　window　recesses。　　It　was　a　woman's　voicelow；　sweet；

caressing；　and　filled　with　an　almost　pathetic　tenderness。　　And　it

was　followed　by　a　distinct　gurgling　satisfied　crow。



Barker　turned　instantly　in　that　direction。　　A　step　brought　him　to

the　curtain；　where　a　singular　spectacle　presented　itself。



Seated　on　a　lounge；　completely　absorbed　and　possessed　by　her

treasure；　was　the　〃horrid　woman〃　whom　his　wife　had　indicated　only　a

little　while　ago；　holding　a　babyKitty's　sacred　babyin　her

wanton　lap！　　The　child　was　feebly　grasping　the　end　of　the　slender

jeweled　necklace　which　the　woman　held　temptingly　dangling　from　a

thin　white　jeweled　finger　above　it。　　But　its　eyes　were　beaming　with

an　intense　delight；　as　if　trying　to　respond　to　the　deep；

concentrated　love　in　the　handsome　face　that　was　bent　above　it。



At　the　sudden　intrusion　of　Barker　she　looked　up。　　There　was　a　faint

rise　in　her　color；　but　no　loss　of　sell…possession。



〃Please　don't　scold　the　nurse；〃　she　said；　〃nor　say　anything　to　Mrs。

Barker。　　It　is　all　my　fault。　　I　thought　that　both　the　nurse　and

child　looked　dreadfully　bored　with　each　other；　and　I　borrowed　the

little　fellow　for　a　while　to　try　and　amuse　him。　　At　least　I　haven't

made　him　cry；　have　I；　dear？〃　　The　last　epithet；　it　is　needless　to

say；　was　addressed　to　the　little　creature　in　her　lap；　but　in　its

tender　modulation　it　touched　the　father's　quick　sympathies　as　if　he

had　shared　it　with　the　child。　　〃You　see；〃　she　said　softly；

disengaging　the　baby　fingers　from　her　necklace；　〃that　OUR　sex　is

not　the　only　one　tempted　by　jewelry　and　glitter。〃



Barker　hesitated；　the　Madonna…like　devotion　of　a　moment　ago　was

gone；　it　was　only　the　woman　of　the　world　who　laughingly　looked　up

at　him。　　Nevertheless　he　was　touched。　　〃Have　youeverhad　a

child；　Mrs。　Horncastle？〃　he　asked　gently　and　hesitatingly。　　He　had

a　vague　recollection　that　she　passed　for　a　widow；　and　in　his　simple

eyes　all　women　were　virgins　or　married　saints。



〃No；〃　she　said　abruptly。　　Then　she　added　with　a　laugh；　〃Or　perhaps

I　should　not　admire　them　so　much。　　I　suppose　it's　the　same　feeling

bachelors　have　for　other　people's　wives。　　But　I　know　you're　dying

to　take　that　boy　from　me。　　Take　him；　then；　and　don't　be　ashamed　to

carry　him　yourself　just　because　I'm　here；　you　know　you　would

delight　to　do　it　if　I　weren't。〃



Barker　bent　over　the　silken　lap　in　which　the　child　was　comfortably

nestling；　and　in　that　attitude　had　a　faint　consciousness　that　Mrs。

Horncastle　was　mischievously　breathing　into　his　curls　a　silent

laugh。　　Barker　lifted　his　firstborn　with　proud　skillfulness；　but

that　sagacious　infant　evidently　knew　when　he　was　comfortable；　and

in　a　paroxysm　of　objection　caught　his　father's　curls　with　one　fist；

while　with　the　other　he　grasped　Mrs。　Horncastle's　brown　braids　and

brought　their　heads　into　contact。　　Upon　which　humorous　situation

Norah；　the　nurse；　entered。



〃It's　all　right；　Norah；〃　said　Mrs。　Horncastle；　laughing；　as　she

disengaged　herself　from　the　linking　child。　　〃Mr。　Barker　has　claimed

the　baby；　and　has　agreed　to　forgive　you　and　me　and　say　nothing　to

Mrs。　Barker。〃　　Norah；　with　the　inscrutable　criticism　of　her　sex　on

her　sex；　thought　it　extremely　probable；　and　halted　with

exasperating　discretion。　　〃There；〃　continued　Mrs。　Horncastle；

playfully　evading　the　child's　further　advances；　〃go　with　papa；

that's　a　dear。　　Mr。　Barker　prefers　to　carry　him　back；　Norah。〃



〃But；〃　said　the　ingenuous　and　persistent　Barker；　still　lingering　in

hopes　of　recalling　the　woman's　previous　expression；　〃you　DO　love

children；　and　you　think　him　a　bright　little　chap　for　his　age？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Mrs。　Horncastle；　putting　back　her　loosened　braid；　〃so

round　and　fat　and　soft。　　And　such　a　discriminating　eye　for　jewelry。

Really　you　ought　to　get　a　necklace　like　mine　for　Mrs。　Barkerit

would　please　both；　you　know。〃　　She　moved　slowly　away；　the　united

efforts　of　Norah　and　Barker　scarcely　sufficing　to　restrain　the

struggling　child　from　leaping　after　her　as　she　turned　at　the　door

and　blew　him　a　kiss。



When　Barker　regained　his　room　he　found　that　Mrs。　Barker　had

dismissed　Stacy　from　her　mind　except　so　far　as　to　invoke　Norah's

aid　in　laying　out　her　smartest　gown　for　dinner。　　〃But　why　take　all

this　trouble；　dear？〃　said　her　simple…minded　husband；　〃we　are　going

to　dine　in　a　private　room　so　that　we　can　talk　over　old　times　all　by

ourselves；　and　any　dress　would　suit　him。　　And；　Lord；　dear！〃　he

added；　with　a　quick　brightening　at　the　fancy；　〃if　you　could　only

just　rig　yourself　up　in　that　pretty　lilac　gown　you　used　to　wear　at

Boomvilleit　would　be　too　killing；　and　just　like　old　times。　　I　put

it　away　myself　in　one　of　our　trunksI　couldn't　bear　to　leave　it

behind；　I　know　just　where　it　is。　　I'll〃　　But　Mrs。　Barker's

restraining　scorn　withheld　him。



〃George　Barker；　if　you　think　I　am　going　to　let　you　throw　away　and

utterly　WASTE　Mr。　Stacy　on　us；　alone；　in　a　private　room　with　closed

doorsand　I　dare　say　you'd　like　to　sit　in　your　dressing…gown　and

slippersyou　are　entirely　mistaken。　　I　know　what　is　due；　not　to

your　old　partner；　but　to　the　great　Mr。　Stacy；　the　financier；　and　I

know　what　is　due　FROM　HIM　TO　US！　　No！　　We　dine　in　the　great　dining…

room；　publicly；　and；　if　possible；　at　the　very　next　table　to　those

stuck…up　Peterburys　and　their　Eastern　friends；　including　that

horrid　woman；　which；　I'm　sure；　ought　to　satisfy　you。　　Then　you　can

talk　as　much　as　you　like；　and　as　loud　as　you　like；　about　old

times；and　the　louder　and　the　more　the　better；but　I　don't　think

HE'LL　like　it。〃



〃But　the　baby！〃　expostulated　Barker。　　〃Stacy's　just　wild　to　see

himand　we　can't　bring　him　down　to　the　tablethough　we　MIGHT；〃　he

added；　momentarily　brightening。



〃After　dinner；〃　said　Mrs。　Barker　severely；　〃we　will　walk　through

the　big　drawing…rooms；　and　THEN　Mr。　Stacy　may　come　upstairs　and　see

him　in　his　crib；　but　not　before。　　And　now；　George；　I　do　wish　that

to…night；　FOR　ONCE；　you　would　not　wear　a　turn…down　collar；　and　that

you　would　go　to　the　barber's　and　have　him　cut　your　hair　and　smooth

out　the　curls。　　And；　for　Heaven's　sake！　let　him　put　some　wax　or　gum

or　SOMETHING　on　your　mustache　and　twist　it　up　on　your　cheek　like

Captain　Heath's；　for　it　positively　droops　over　your　mouth　like　a

girl's　ringlet。　　It's　quite　enough　for　me　to　hear　people　talk　of

your　inexperience；　but　really　I　don't　want　you　to　look　as　if　I　had

run　away　with　a　pretty　schoolboy。　　And；　considering　the　size　of

that　child；　it's　positively　disgraceful。　　And；　one　thing　more；

George。　　When　I'm　talking　to　anybody；　please　don't　sit　opposite　to

me；　beaming　with　delight；　and　your　mouth　open。　　And　don't　roar　if

by　chance　I　say　something　funny。　　Andwhatever　you　dodon't　make

eyes　at　me　in　company　whenever　I　happen　to　allude　to　you；　as　I　did

before　Captain　Heath。　　It　is　positively　too　ridiculous。〃



Nothing　could　exceed　the　laughing　good　humor　with　which　her　husband

received　these　cautions；　nor　the　evident　sincerity　with　which　he

promised　amendment。　　Equally　sincere　was　he；　though　a　little　more

thoughtful；　in　his　severe　self…examination　of　his　deficiencies；

when；　later；　he　seated　himself　at　the　window　with　one　hand　softly

encompassing　his　child's　chubby　fist　in　the　crib　beside　him；　and；

in　the　instinctive　fashion　of　all　loneliness；　looked　out　of　the

window。　　The　southern　trades　were　whipping　the　waves　of　the　distant

bay　and　harbor　into　yeasty　crests。　　Sheets　of　rain　swept　the

sidewalks　with　the　regularity　of　a　fusillade；　against　which　a　few

pedestrians　struggled　with　flapping　waterproofs　and　slanting

umbrellas。　　He　could　look　along　the　deserted　length　of　Montgomery

Street　to　the　heights　of　Telegraph　Hill　and　its　long…disused

semaphore。　　It　seemed　lonelier　to　him　than　the　mile…long　sweep　of

Heavy　Tree　Hill；　writhing　against　the　mountain　wind　and　its　aeolian

song。　　He　had　never　felt　so　lonely　THERE。　　In　his　rigid　self…

examination　he　thought　Kitty　right　in　protesting　against　the　effect

of　his　youthfulness　and　optimism。　　Yet　he　was　also　right　in　being

himself。　　There　is　an　egoism　in　the　highest　simplicity；　and　Barker；

while　willing　to　believe　in　others'　methods；　never　abandoned　his

own　aims。　　He　was　right　in　loving　Kitty　as　he　did；　he　knew　that　she

was　better　and　more　lovable　than　she　could　believe　herself　to　be；

but　he　was　willing　to　believe　it　pained　and　discomposed　her　if　he

showed　it　before　company。　　He　wou