the cost-第14节

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and　Brigham　sat　down　to　a　game　of　poker。　　They　had　played　about　an　hour；　the　cards　steadily　against　Chalmers　and　Brighamthe　cards　were　usually　against　Brigham。　　He　was　a　mere　boy；　with　passionate　aspirations　to　be　considered　a　sport。　　He　had　been　going　a　rapid　gait　for　a　year。　　He　had　lost　to　Scarborough　alone　as　much　as　he　had　expected　to　spend　on　the　year's　education。

Toward　ten　o'clock　there　was　a　jack…pot　with　forty…three　dollars　in　it　and　Brigham　was　betting　wildly；　his　hands　and　his　voice　trembling；　his　lips　shriveled。　　With　a　sudden　gesture　Chalmers　caught　the　ends　of　the　table　and　jerked　it　back。　　Therein　Brigham's　lapwere　two　cards。

〃I　thought　so！〃　exclaimed　Chalmers。　　〃You　dirty　little　cheat！　　I've　been　watching　you。〃

The　boy　looked　piteously　at　Chalmers'　sneering　face；　at　the　faces　of　the　others。　　The　tears　rolled　down　his　cheeks。　　〃For　God's　sake；　boys；〃　he　moaned；　〃don't　be　hard　on　me。　　I　was　desperate。　　I've　lost　everything；　and　my　father　can't　give　me　any　more。　　He's　a　poor　man；　and　he　and　mother　have　been　economizing　and　sacrificing　to　send　me　here。　　And　when　I　saw　I　was　ruinedGod　knows；　I　didn't　think　what　I　was　doing。〃　　He　buried　his　face　in　his　hands。　　〃Don't　be　hard　on　me；〃　he　sobbed。　　〃Any　one　of　you　might　have　done　the　same　if　he　was　in　my　fix。〃

〃You　sniveling　cur；〃　said　Chalmers；　high　and　virtuous；　〃how　dare　you　say　such　a　thing！　　You　forget　you're　among　gentlemen〃

〃None　of　that；　Chalmers；〃　interrupted　Scarborough。　　〃The　boy's　telling　the　truth。　　And　nobody　knows　it　better　than　YOU。〃　　This　with　a　significant　look　into　Chalmers'　eyes。　　They　shifted　and　he　colored。

〃I　agree　with　Scarborough；〃　said　Wilton。　　〃We　oughtn't　to　have　let　the　boy　into　our　games。　　We　must　never　mention　what　has　happened　here　this　evening。〃

〃But　we　can't　allow　a　card　sharp　to　masquerade　as　a　gentleman；〃　objected　Chalmers。　　〃I　confess；　Scarborough；　I　don't　understand　how　you　can　be　so　easy…going　in　a　matter　of　honor。〃

〃You　think　I　must　have　a　fellow…feeling　for　dishonor；　eh？〃　　Scarborough　smiled　satirically。　　〃I　suppose　because　I　was　sympathetic　enough　with　you　to　overlook　the　fact　that　you　were　shy　on　your　share　of　our　Chicago　trip。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃The　three　hundred　you　borrowed　of　Pierson　when　you　thought　he　was　too　far　gone　to　know　what　he　was　doing。　　My　back　was　turnedbut　there　was　the　mirror。〃

Chalmers'　sullen；　red　face　confirmed　Scarborough's　charge。

〃No；〃　continued　Scarborough；　〃we　GENTLEMEN　ought　to　be　charitable　toward　one　another's　DISCOVERED　lapses。〃　　He　seated　himself　at　his　desk　and　wrote　rapidly：


We；　the　undersigned；　exonerate　Edwin　Brigham　of　cheating　in　the　poker　game　in　Hampden　Scarborough's　rooms　on　Saturday　evening；　February　20；　18。　　And　we　pledge　ourselves　never　to　speak　of　the　matter　either　to　each　other　or　to　any　one　else。


〃I've　signed　first；〃　said　Scarborough；　rising　and　holding　the　pen　toward　Chalmers。　　〃Now；　you　fellows　sign。　　Chalmers！〃

Chalmers　signed；　and　then　Wilton。

〃Take　Chalmers　away　with　you；〃　said　Scarborough　to　Wilton　in　an　undertone。　　〃I've　something　to　say　to　Brigham。〃

When　they　were　gone　he　again　seated　himself　at　his　desk　and；　taking　his　check…book；　wrote　a　check　and　tore　it　out。

〃Now；　listen　to　me；　Brig；〃　he　said　friendlily　to　Brigham；　who　seemed　to　be　in　a　stupor。　　〃I've　won　about　six　hundred　dollars　from　you；　first　and　lastmore；　rather　than　less。　　Will　that　amount　put　you　in　the　way　of　getting　straight？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Brigham；　dully。

〃Then　here's　a　check　for　it。　　And　here's　the　paper　exonerating　you。　　AndI　guess　you　won't　play　again　soon。〃

The　boy　choked　back　his　sobs。

〃I　don't　know　how　I　ever　came　to　do　it；　Scarborough。　　Oh；　I'm　a　dog；　a　dog！　　When　I　started　to　come　here　my　mother　took　me　up　to　her　bedroom　and　opened　the　drawer　of　her　bureau　and　took　out　a　savings…bank　bookit　had　a　credit　of　twelve　hundred　dollars。　　‘Do　you　see　that？'　she　said。　　‘When　you　were　born　I　began　to　put　by　as　soon　as　I　was　ableevery　cent　I　could　from　the　butter　and　the　eggsto　educate　my　boy。　　And　now　it's　all　coming　true；'　she　said；　Scarborough；　and　we　cried　together。　　And〃　　Brigham　burst　into　a　storm　of　tears　and　sobs。　　〃Oh；　how　could　I　do　it！〃　he　said。　　〃How　COULD　I！〃

〃You've　done　wrong；〃　said　Scarborough；　shakily；　〃but　I've　done　much　worse；　Eddie。　　And　it's　over　now；　and　everything'll　be　all　right。〃

〃But　I　can't　take　your　money；　Scarborough。　　I　must　pay　for　what　I've　done。〃

〃You　mean；　make　your　mother　pay。　　No；　you　must　take　it　back；　Brigham。　　I　owe　it　to　youI　owe　it　to　your　mother。　　This；　is　the　butter　and　egg　money　that　II　stole　from　her。〃

He　put　the　papers　into　the　boy's　pocket。　　〃You　and　I　are　going　to　be　friends；〃　he　went　on。

〃Come　round　and　see　me　to…morrowno；　I'll　look　you　up。〃　　He　put　out　his　hand　and　held　Brigham's　hand　in　a　courage…giving　grasp。　　〃AndI　hope　I'll　have　the　honor　of　meeting　your　mother　some　day。〃

Brigham　could　only　look　his　feelings。　　Soon　after　he　left　Pierson　came。　　His　anger　had　evaporated　and　his　chief　emotion　was　dread　lest　Scarborough　might　still　be　angry。　　〃I　want　to　take　back〃　he　began　eagerly；　as　soon　as　his　head　was　inside　the　door。

〃I　know　you　do；　but　you　shan't；〃　replied　Scarborough。　　〃What　you　said　was　true；　what　Olivia　said　was　true。　　I've　been　acting　like　a　blackguard。〃

〃No；〃　said　Pierson；　〃what　I　said　was　a　disgraceful　lie。　　Will　you　try　to　forget　it；　Scarborough？〃

〃FORGET　it？〃　Scarborough　looked　at　his　friend　with　brilliant　eyes。　　〃Never！　　So　help　me　God；　never！　　It's　one　of　three　things　that　have　occurred　to…day　that　I　must　never　forget。〃

〃Then　we　can　go　on　as　before。　　You'll　still　be　my　friend？〃

〃Not　STILL；　Fred；　but　for　the　first　time。〃

He　looked　round　the　luxurious　study　with　a　laugh　and　a　sigh。　　〃It'll　be　a　ghastly　job；　getting　used　to　the　sort　of　surroundings　I　can　earn　for　myself。　　But　I've　got　to　grin　and　bear　it。　　We'll　stay　on　here　together　to　the　end　of　the　termmy　share's　paid；　and　besides；　I'm　not　going　to　do　anything　sensational。　　Next　yearwe'll　see。〃

While　Pierson　was　having　his　final　cigarette　before　going　to　bed　he　looked　up　from　his　book　to　see　before　him　Scarborough；　even　more　tremendous　and　handsome　in　his　gaudy　pajamas。

〃I　wish　to　register　a　solemn　vow；〃　said　he；　with　mock　solemnity　that　did　not　hide　the　seriousness　beneath。　　〃Hear　me；　ye　immortal　gods！　　Never　again；　never　again；　will　I　engage　in　any　game　with　a　friend　where　there　is　a　stake。　　I　don't　wish　to　tempt。　　I　don't　wish　to　be　tempted。〃

〃What　nonsense！〃　said　Pierson。　　〃You're　simply　cutting　yourself　off　from　a　lot　of　fun。〃

〃I　have　spoken；〃　said　Scarborough；　and　he　withdrew　to　his　bedroom。　　When　the　door　was　closed　and　the　light　out　he　paused　at　the　edge　of　the　bed　and　said：　　〃And　never　again；　so　long　as　he　wishes　to　retain　his　title　to　the　name　man；　will　Hampden　Scarborough　take　from　anybody　anything　which　he　hasn't　honestly　earned。〃

And　when　he　was　in　bed　he　muttered：　　〃I　shall　be　alone；　and　I　may　stay　poor　and　obscure；　but　I'll　get　back　my　self…respectand　keep　itPauline！〃



X。

MRS。　JOHN　DUMONT。


And　Pauline？She　was　now　looking　back　upon　the　first　year　of　her　married　life。

She　had　been　so　brought　up　that　at　seventeen；　within　a　few　weeks　of　eighteen；　she　had　only　the　vaguest　notion　of　the　meaning　of　the　step　she　was　about　to　take　in　〃really　marrying〃　John　Dumont。　　Also；　it　had　never　occurred　to　her　as　possible　for　a　properly　constituted　woman　not　to　love　her　husband。　　It　was　clearly　her　duty　to　marry　Jack；　therefore；　the　doubting　thoughts　and　the　ache　at　the　heart　which　would　not　ease　were　merely　more　outcroppings　of　the　same　evil　part　of　her　nature　that　had　tempted　her　into　deceiving　her　parents；　and　into　entangling　herself　and　Scarborough。　　She　knew　that；　if　she　were　absolutely　free；　she　would　not　marry　Jack。　　But　she　felt　that　she　had　bartered　away　her　birthright　of　freedom；　and　now；　being　herself；　the　daughter　of　HER　father　and　HER　mother；　she　would　honorably　keep　her　bargain；　would　love　where　she　ought　to　loveat　seventeen　〃I　will〃　means　〃I　shall。〃　　And　sothey　were　〃really　married。〃

But　the　days　passed；　and　there　was　no　sign　of　the　miracle　she　had　confidently　expected。　　The　magic　of　the　marriage　vow　failed　to　transform　her；　Pauline　Dumont　was　still　Pauline　Gardiner　in　mind　and　in　heart。　　There　was；　however；　a　miracle；　undreamed　of；　mysterious；　overwhelmingJohn　Dumont；　the　lover；　became　John　Dumont；　the　husband。　　Beside　this　transformation；　the　revelation　that　the　world　she　loved　and　lived　in　did　not　exist　for　him；　or　his　world　for　her；　seemed　of　slight　importance。　　She　had　not　then　experience　enough　to　enable　her　to　see　that　transformation　and　revelation　were　as　intimately　related　as　a　lock　and　its　key。

〃It's　all　my　fault；〃　she　told　herself。　　〃It　must　be　my　fault。〃　　And　Dumont；　unanalytic　and　self…absorbed；　was　amused　whenever　Pauline's　gentleness　reminded　him　of　his　mother's　half…believed　warnings　that　his　wife　had　〃a　will　of　her　own；　and　a　mighty　strong　one。〃

They　were　back　at　Saint　X　in　August　and　lived　at　the　Frobisher　place　in　Indiana　Streetalmost　as　pretentious　as　the　Dumont　homestead　and　in　better　taste。　　Old　Mrs。　Dumont　had　gone　to　Chicago　alone　for　the　furnishings　for　her　own　house；　when　she　went　for　the　furnishings　for　her　son's　house；　she　got　M