the three partners-第36节

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But　here　Mrs。　Horncastle's　foot　slipped　upon　the　glassy　pine…

needles；　and　not　only　stopped　an　answer；　but　obliged　Barker　to　give

all　his　attention　to　keep　his　companion　from　falling　again　until

they　reached　the　open。　　Then　came　the　plunge　through　the　manzanita

thicket；　then　a　cool　wade　through　waist…deep　ferns；　and　then　they

emerged；　holding　each　other's　hand；　breathless　and　panting　before

the　spring。



It　did　not　belie　his　enthusiastic　description。　　A　triangular

hollow；　niched　in　a　shelf　of　the　mountain…side；　narrowed　to　a　point

from　which　the　overflow　of　the　spring　percolated　through　a　fringe

of　alder；　to　fall　in　what　seemed　from　the　valley　to　be　a　green

furrow　down　the　whole　length　of　the　mountain…side。　　Overhung　by

pines　above；　which　met　and　mingled　with　the　willows　that　everywhere

fringed　it；　it　made　the　one　cooling　shade　in　the　whole　basking

expanse　of　the　mountain；　and　yet　was　penetrated　throughout　by　the

intoxicating　spice　of　the　heated　pines。　　Flowering　reeds　and　long

lush　grasses　drew　a　magic　circle　round　an　open　bowl…like　pool　in

the　centre；　that　was　always　replenished　to　the　slow　murmur　of　an

unseen　rivulet　that　trickled　from　a　white…quartz　cavern　in　the

mountain…side　like　a　vein　opened　in　its　flank。　　Shadows　of　timid

wings　crossed　it；　quick　rustlings　disturbed　the　reeds；　but　nothing

more。　　It　was　silent；　but　breathing；　it　was　hidden　to　everything

but　the　sky　and　the　illimitable　distance。



They　threaded　their　way　around　it　on　the　spongy　carpet；　covered　by

delicate　lace…like　vines　that　seemed　to　caress　rather　than　trammel

their　moving　feet；　until　they　reached　an　open　space　before　the

pool。　　It　was　cushioned　and　matted　with　disintegrated　pine　bark；

and　here　they　sat　down。　　Mrs。　Horncastle　furled　her　parasol　and

laid　it　aside；　raised　both　hands　to　the　back　of　her　head　and　took

two　hat…pins　out；　which　she　placed　in　her　smiling　mouth；　removed

her　hat；　stuck　the　hat…pins　in　it；　and　handed　it　to　Barker；　who

gently　placed　it　on　the　top　of　a　tall　reed；　where　during　the　rest

of　that　momentous　meeting　it　swung　and　drooped　like　a　flower；

removed　her　gloves　slowly；　drank　still　smilingly　and　gratefully

nearly　a　wineglassful　of　the　water　which　Barker　brought　her　in　the

green　twisted　chalice　of　a　lily　leaf；　looked　the　picture　of

happiness；　and　then　burst　into　tears。



Barker　was　astounded；　dismayed；　even　terror…stricken。　　Mrs。

Horncastle　crying！　　Mrs。　Horncastle；　the　imperious；　the　collected；

the　coldly　critical；　the　cynical；　smiling　woman　of　the　world；

actually　crying！　　Other　women　might　cryKitty　had　cried　oftenbut

Mrs。　Horncastle！　　Yet；　there　she　was；　sobbing；　actually　sobbing

like　a　schoolgirl；　her　beautiful　shoulders　rising　and　falling　with

her　grief；　crying　unmistakably　through　her　long　white　fingers；

through　a　lace　pocket…handkerchief　which　she　had　hurriedly　produced

and　shaken　from　behind　her　like　a　conjurer's　trick；　her　beautiful

eyes　a　thousand　times　more　lustrous　for　the　sparkling　beads　that

brimmed　her　lashes　and　welled　over　like　the　pool　before　her。



〃Don't　mind　me；〃　she　murmured　behind　her　handkerchief。　　〃It's　very

foolish；　I　know。　　I　was　nervousworried；　I　suppose；　I'll　be　better

in　a　moment。　　Don't　notice　me；　please。〃



But　Barker　had　drawn　beside　her　and　was　trying；　after　the　fashion

of　his　sex；　to　take　her　handkerchief　away　in　apparently　the　firm

belief　that　this　action　would　stop　her　tears。　　〃But　tell　me　what　it

is。　　Do　Mrs。　Horncastle；　please；〃　he　pleaded　in　his　boyish　fashion。

〃Is　it　anything　I　can　do？　　Only　say　the　word；　only　tell　me

SOMETHING！〃



But　he　had　succeeded　in　partially　removing　the　handkerchief；　and　so

caught　a　glimpse　of　her　wet　eyes；　in　which　a　faint　smile　struggled

out　like　sunshine　through　rain。　　But　they　clouded　again；　although

she　didn't　cry；　and　her　breath　came　and　went　with　the　action　of　a

sob；　and　her　hands　still　remained　against　her　flushed　face。



〃I　was　only　going　to　talk　to　you　of　Kitty〃　（sob）〃but　I　suppose

I'm　weak〃　（sob）〃and　such　a　fool〃　（sob）　〃and　I　got　to　thinking　of

myself　and　my　own　sorrows　when　I　ought　to　be　thinking　only　of　you

and　Kitty。〃



〃Never　mind　Kitty；〃　said　Barker　impulsively。　　〃Tell　me　about

yourselfyour　own　sorrows。　　I　am　a　brute　to　have　bothered　you

about　her　at　such　a　moment；　and　now　until　you　have　told　me　what　is

paining　you　so　I　shall　not　let　you　speak　of　her。〃　　He　was　perfectly

sincere。　　What　were　Kitty's　possible　and　easy　tears　over　the　loss

of　her　money　to　the　unknown　agony　that　could　wrench　a　sob　from　a

woman　like　this？　　〃Dear　Mrs。　Horncastle；〃　he　went　on　as

breathlessly；　〃think　of　me　now　not　as　Kitty's　husband；　but　as　your

true　friend。　　Yes；　as　your　BEST　and　TRUEST　friend；　and　speak　to　me

as　you　would　speak　to　him。〃



〃You　will　be　my　friend？〃　she　said　suddenly　and　passionately；

grasping　his　hand；　〃my　best　and　truest　friend？　and　if　I　tell　you

all；everything；　you　will　not　cast　me　from　you　and　hate　me？〃



Barker　felt　the　same　thrill　from　her　warm　hand　slowly　possess　his

whole　being　as　it　had　the　evening　before；　but　this　time　he　was

prepared　and　answered　the　grasp　and　her　eyes　together　as　he　said

breathlessly；　〃I　will　beI　AM　your　friend。〃



She　withdrew　her　hand　and　passed　it　over　her　eyes。　　After　a　moment

she　caught　his　hand　again；　and；　holding　it　tightly　as　if　she　feared

he　might　fly　from　her；　bit　her　lip；　and　then　slowly；　without

looking　at　him；　said；　〃I　lied　to　you　about　myself　and　Kitty　that

night；　I　did　not　come　with　her。　　I　came　alone　and　secretly　to

Boomville　to　seeto　see　the　man　who　is　my　husband。〃



〃Your　husband！〃　said　Barker　in　surprise。　　He　had　believed；　with　the

rest　of　the　world；　that　there　had　been　no　communication　between

them　for　years。　　Yet　so　intense　was　his　interest　in　her　that　he　did

not　notice　that　this　revelation　was　leaving　now　no　excuse　for　his

wife's　presence　at　Boomville。



Mrs。　Horncastle　went　on　with　dogged　bitterness；　〃Yes；　my　husband。

I　went　to　him　to　beg　and　bribe　him　to　let　me　see　my　child。　　Yes；　MY

child；〃　she　said　frantically；　tightening　her　hold　upon　his　hand；

〃for　I　lied　to　you　when　I　once　told　you　I　had　none。　　I　had　a　child；

and；　more　than　that；　a　child　who　at　his　birth　I　did　not　dare　to

openly　claim。〃



She　stopped　breathlessly；　stared　at　his　face　with　her　former

intensity　as　if　she　would　pluck　the　thought　that　followed　from　his

brain。　　But　he　only　moved　closer　to　her；　passed　his　arm　over　her

shoulders　with　a　movement　so　natural　and　protecting　that　it　had　a

certain　dignity　in　it；　and；　looking　down　upon　her　bent　head　with

eyes　brimming　with　sympathy；　whispered；　〃Poor；　poor　child！〃



Whereat　Mrs。　Horncastle　again　burst　into　tears。　　And　then；　with　her

head　half　drawn　towards　his　shoulder；　she　told　him　all；all　that

had　passed　between　her　and　her　husband；even　all　that　they　had

then　but　hinted　at。　　It　was　as　if　she　felt　she　could　now；　for　the

first　time；　voice　all　these　terrible　memories　of　the　past　which　had

come　back　to　her　last　night　when　her　husband　had　left　her。　　She

concealed　nothing；　she　veiled　nothing；　there　were　intervals　when

her　tears　no　longer　flowed；　and　a　cruel　hardness　and　return　of　her

old　imperiousness　of　voice　and　manner　took　their　place；　as　if　she

was　doing　a　rigid　penance　and　took　a　bitter　satisfaction　in　laying

bare　her　whole　soul　to　him。　　〃I　never　had　a　friend；〃　she　whispered；

〃there　were　women　who　persecuted　me　with　their　jealous　sneers；

there　were　men　who　persecuted　me　with　their　selfish　affections。

When　I　first　saw　YOU；　you　seemed　something　so　apart　and　different

from　all　other　men　that；　although　I　scarcely　knew　you；　I　wanted　to

tell　you；　even　then；　all　that　I　have　told　you　now。　　I　wanted　you　to

be　my　friend；　something　told　me　that　you　could；that　you　could

separate　me　from　my　past；　that　you　could　tell　me　what　to　do；　that

you　could　make　me　think　as　you　thought；　see　life　as　YOU　saw　it；　and

trust　always　to　some　goodness　in　people　as　YOU　did。　　And　in　this

faith　I　thought　that　you　would　understand　me　now；　and　even　forgive

me　all。〃



She　made　a　slight　movement　as　if　to　disengage　his　arm；　and；

possibly；　to　look　into　his　eyes；　which　she　knew　instinctively　were

bent　upon　her　downcast　head。　　But　he　only　held　her　the　more　tightly

until　her　cheek　was　close　against　his　breast。　　〃What　could　I　do？〃

she　murmured。　　〃A　man　in　sorrow　and　trouble　may　go　to　a　woman　for

sympathy　and　support　and　the　world　will　not　gainsay　or　misunderstand

him。　　But　a　womanweaker；　more　helpless；　credulous；　ignorant；　and

craving　for　lightmust　not　in　her　agony　go　to　a　man　for　succor　and

sympathy。〃



〃Why　should　she　not？〃　burst　out　Barker　passionately；　releasing　her

in　his　attempt　to　gaze　into　her　face。　　〃What　man　dare　refuse　her？〃



〃Not　THAT；〃　she　said　slowly；　but　with　still　averted　eyes；　〃but

because　the　world　would　say　she　LOVED　him。〃



〃And　what　should　she　care　for　the　opinion　of　a　world　that　stands

aside　and　lets　her　suffer？　　Why　should　she　heed　its　wretched

babble？〃　he　went　on　in　flashi