the cost-第15节

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　the　furnishings　for　her　own　house；　when　she　went　for　the　furnishings　for　her　son's　house；　she　got　Mrs。　Gardiner　to　go　alongand　Pauline's　mother　gave　another　of　her　many　charming　illustrations　of　the　valuable　truth　that　tact　can　always　have　its　own　way。　　Saint　X　was　too　keen…eyed　and　too　interested　in　the　new　Mrs。　Dumont　to　fail　to　note　a　change　in　her。　　It　was　satisfied　with　the　surface　explanation　that　Europe　in　general　and　Paris　in　particular　were　responsible。　　And　it　did　not　note　that；　while　she　had　always　been　full　of　life　and　fond　of　company；　she　was　now　feverish　in　her　restlessness；　incessantly　seeking　distraction；　never　alone　when　she　could　either　go　somewhere　or　induce　some　one　to　come　to　her。

〃You　MUST　be　careful；　my　dear；〃　said　her　mother…in…law；　as　soon　as　she　learned　that　she　had　a　grandmotherly　interest　in　her　daughter…in…law's　health。　　〃You'll　wear　yourself　out　with　all　this　running　about。〃

Pauline　laughed　carelessly；　recklessly。

〃Oh；　I'm　disgustingly　healthy。　　Nothing　hurts　me。　　Besides；　if　I　were　quiet；　I　think　I　shouldEXPLODE！〃

Late　in　September　Dumont　had　to　go　to　New　York。　　He　asked　her　to　go　with　him；　assuming　that　she　would　decline；　as　she　had　visitors　coming。　　But　she　was　only　too　glad　of　the　chance　to　give　her　increasing　restlessness　wider　range。　　They　went　to　the　WaldorfScarborough　and　Pierson　had　been　stopping　there　not　a　week　before；　making　ready　for　that　sensational　descent　upon　Battle　Field　which　has　already　been　recorded。　　The　first　evening　Dumont　took　her　to　the　play。　　The　next　morning　he　left　her　early　for　a　busy　day　down…town〃and　I　may　not　be　able　to　return　for　dinner。　　I　warned　you　before　we　left　Saint　X；〃　he　said；　as　he　rose　from　breakfast　in　their　sitting…room。

〃I　understand；〃　she　answered。　　〃You　needn't　bother　to　send　word　even；　if　you　don't　wish。　　I'll　be　tired　from　shopping　and　shan't　care　to　go　out　this　evening；　anyhow。〃

In　the　afternoon　she　drove　with　Mrs。　Fanshaw；　wife　of　one　of　Jack's　business　acquaintancesthey　had　dined　at　the　Fanshaws'　when　they　paused　in　New　York　on　the　way　home　from　Europe。　　Pauline　was　at　the　hotel　again　at　five；　while　she　and　Mrs。　Fanshaw　were　having　tea　together　in　the　palm　garden　a　telegram　was　handed　to　her。　　She　read　it；　then　said　to　Mrs。　Fanshaw：　　〃I　was　going　to　ask　you　and　your　husband　to　dine　with　us。　　Jack　sends　word　he　can't　be　here；　butwhy　shouldn't　you　come　just　the　same？〃

〃No　you　must　go　with　us；〃　Mrs。　Fanshaw　replied。　　〃We've　got　a　box　at　Weber　and　Fields'；　and　two　men　asked；　and　we　need　another　woman。　　I'd　have　asked　you　before；　but　there　wouldn't　be　room　for　any　more　men。〃

Mrs。　Fanshaw　had　to　insist　until　she　had　proved　that　the　invitation　was　sincere；　then；　Pauline　accepteda　distraction　was　always　agreeable；　never　so　agreeable　as　when　it　offered　itself　unannounced。　　It　was　toward　the　end　of　the　dinner　that　Mrs。　Fanshaw　happened　to　say：　　〃I　see　your　husband's　like　all　of　them。　　I　don't　believe　there　ever　was　a　woman　an　American　man　wouldn't　desert　for　business。〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　in　the　least　mind；〃　replied　Pauline。　　〃I　like　him　to　show　that　he　feels　free。　　Why；　when　we　were　in　Paris　on　the　return　trip　and　had　been　married　only　two　months；　he　got　tangled　up　in　business　and　used　to　leave　me　for　a　dayfor　two　days；　once。〃

At　Pauline's　right　sat　a　carefully　dressed　young　man　whose　name　she　had　not　caughtshe　learned　afterward　that　he　was　Mowbray　Langdon。　　He　was　now　giving　her　a　stare　of　amused　mock…admiration。　　When　he　saw　that　he　had　her　attention；　he　said：　　〃Really；　Mrs。　Dumont；　I　can't　decide　which　to　admire　mostYOUR　trust　or　your　husband's。〃

Pauline　laughedit　struck　her　as　ridiculous　that　either　she　or　Jack　should　distrust　the　other。　　Indeed；　she　only　hazily　knew　what　distrust　meant；　and　hadn't　any　real　belief　that　〃such　things〃　actually　existed。

Half　an　hour　later　the　party　was　driving　up　to　Weber　and　Fields'。　　Pauline；　glancing　across　the　thronged　sidewalk　and　along　the　empty；　brilliantly　lighted　passage　leading　into　the　theater；　saw　a　striking；　peculiar…looking　woman　standing　at　the　box…office　while　her　escort　parleyed　with　the　clerk　within。　　〃How　much　that　man　looks　like　Jack；〃　she　said　to　herselfand　then　she　saw　that　it　was　indeed　Jack。　　Not　the　Jack　she　thought　she　knew；　but　quite　another　person；　the　one　he　tried　to　hide　from　hertoo　carelessly；　because　he　made　the　common　mistake　of　underestimating　the　sagacity　of　simplicity。　　A　glance　at　the　woman；　a　second　glance　at　Dumont；　his　flushed；　insolent　face　now　turned　full　frontand　she　KNEW　this　unfamiliar　and　hitherto…only…hinted　Jack。

The　omnibus　was　caught　in　a　jam　of　cars　and　carriages；　there　were　several　moments　of　confusion　and　excitement。　　When　the　Fanshaw　party　was　finally　able　to　descend；　she　saw　that　Jack　and　his　companion　were　gonethe　danger　of　a　scene　was　over　for　the　moment。　　She　lingered　and　made　the　others　linger；　wishing　to　give　him　time　to　get　to　his　seats。　　When　they　entered　the　theater　it　was　dark　and　the　curtain　was　up。　　But　her　eyes；　searching　the　few　boxes　visible　from　the　rear　aisle；　found　the　woman；　or；　at　least；　enough　of　her　for　recognitionthe　huge　black　hat　with　its　vast　pale　blue　feather。　　Pauline　drew　a　long　breath　of　relief　when　the

Fanshaws'　box　proved　to　be　almost　directly　beneath；　the　box。

If　she　had　been　a　few　years　older；　she　would　have　given　its　proper　significance　to　the　curious　fact　that　this　sudden　revelation　of　the　truth　about　her　husband　did　not　start　a　tempest　of　anger　or　jealousy；　but　set　her　instantly　to　sacrificing　at　the　shrine　of　the　great　god　Appearances。　　It　is　notorious　that　of　all　the　household　gods　he　alone　erects　his　altar　only　upon　the　hearth　where　the　ashes　are　cold。

As　she　sat　there　through　the　two　acts；　she　seemed　to　be　watching　the　stage　and　taking　part　in　the　conversation　of　the　Fanshaws　and　their　friends；　yet　afterward　she　could　not　recall　a　single　thing　that　had　occurred；　a　single　word　that　had　been　said。　　At　the　end　of　the　last　act　she　again　made　them　linger　so　that　they　were　the　last　to　emerge　into　the　passage。　　In　the　outside　doorway；　she　saw　the　womanjust　a　glimpse　of　a　pretty；　empty；　laughing　face　with　a　mouth　made　to　utter　impertinences　and　eyes　that　invited　them。

Mrs。　Fanshaw　was　speaking〃You're　very　tired；　aren't　you？〃

〃Very；〃　replied　Pauline；　with　a　struggle　to　smile。

〃What　a　child　you　look！　　It　seems　absurd　that　you　are　a　married　woman。　　Why；　you　haven't　your　full　growth　yet。〃　　And　on　an　impulse　of　intuitive　sympathy　Mrs。　Fanshaw　pressed　her　arm；　and　Pauline　was　suddenly　filled　with　gratitude；　and　liked　her　from　that　moment。

Alone　in　her　sitting…room　at　the　hotel；　she　went　up　to　the　mirror　over　the　mantel；　and；　staring　absently　at　herself；　put　her　hands　up　mechanically　to　take　out　her　hat…pins。　　〃No；　I'll　keep　my；　hat　on；〃　she　thought；　without　knowing　why。　　And　she　sat；　hat　and　wrap　on；　and　looked　at　a　book。　　Half　an　hour；　and　she　took　off　her　hat　and　wrap；　put　them　in　a　chair　near　where　she　was　sitting。　　The　watched　hands　of　the　clock　crawled　wearily　round　to　half…past　one；　to　two；　to　half…past　two；　to　threeeach　half…hour　an　interminable　stage。　　She　wandered　to　the　window　and　looked　down　into　empty　Fifth　Avenue。　　When　she　felt　that　at　least　an　hour　had　passed；　she　turned　to　look　at　the　clock　againtwenty…five　minutes　to　four。　　Her　eyes　were　heavy。

〃He　is　not　coming；〃　she　said　aloud；　and；　leaving　the　lights　on　in　the　sitting…room；　locked　herself　in　the　bedroom。

At　five　o'clock　she　started　up　and　seized　the　dressing…gown　on　the　chair　near　the　head　of　the　bed。　　She　listenedheard　him　muttering　in　the　sitting…room。　　She　knew　now　that　a　crash　of　some　kind　had　roused　her。　　Several　minutes　of　profound　silence；　then　through　the　door　came　a　steady；　heavy　snore。

The　dressing…gown　dropped　from　her　hand。　　She　slid　from　the　bed；　slowly　crossed　the　room；　softly　opened　the　door；　looked　into　the　sitting…room。　　A　table　and　a　chair　lay　upset　in　the　middle　of　the　floor。　　He　was　on　a　sofa；　sprawling；　disheveled；　snoring。

Slowly　she　advanced　toward　himshe　was　barefooted；　and　the　white　nightgown　clinging　to　her　slender　figure　and　the　long　braid　down　her　back　made　her　look　as　young　as　her　soulthe　soul　that　gazed　from　her　fixed；　fascinated　eyes；　the　soul　of　a　girl　of　eighteen；　full　as　much　child　as　woman　still。　　She　sat　down　before　him　in　a　low　chair；　her　elbows　on　her　knees；　her　chin　supported　by　her　hands；　her　eyes　never　leaving　his　swollen；　dark　red；　brutish　facea　cigar　stump；　much　chewed；　lay　upon　his　cheek　near　his　open　mouth。　　He　was　as　absurd　and　as　repulsive　as　a　gorged　pig　asleep　in　a　wallow。

The　dawn　burst　into　broad　day；　but　she　sat　on　motionless　until　the　clock　struck　the　half…hour　after　six。　　Then　she　returned　to　the　bedroom　and　locked　herself　in　again。

Toward　noon　she　dressed　and　went　into　the　sitting…room。　　He　was　gone　and　it　had　been　put　to　rights。　　When　he　came；　at　twenty　minutes　to　one；　she　was　standing　at　the　window；　but　she　did　not　turn。

〃Did　you　get　my　note？〃　he　asked；　in　a　carefully　careless　tone。　　He　went　on　to　answer　himself：　　〃No；　there　it　is　on　the　floor　just　where　I　put　it；　under　the　bedroom　door。　　No　matterit　was　only　to　say　I　had　to　go　out　but　would　be　back　to　lunch。　　Sorry　I　was　kept　so　late　last　night。　　Glad　you　didn't　wait　up　for　mebut　you　might　have　left　t