the cost-第23节

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；　it　did　not　exactly　inspire　distrust；　but　it　put　Pauline　vaguely　on　guard。　　Also；　she　was　candidly　mercenary；　and；　in　some　moods；　rapaciously　envious。　　〃But　no　worse；〃　thought　Pauline；　〃than　so　many　of　the　others　here；　once　one　gets　below　their　surface。　　Besides；　it's　in　a　good…natured；　good…hearted　way。〃

She　wished　Fanshaw　were　as　rich　as　Leonora　longed　for　him　to　be。　　She　was　glad　Dumont　seemed　to　be　putting　him　in　the　way　of　making　a　fortune。　　He　was　distasteful　to　her；　because　she　saw　that　he　was　an　ill…tempered　sycophant　under　a　pretense　of　manliness　thick　enough　to　shield　him　from　the　unobservant　eyes　of　a　world　of　men　and　women　greedy　of　flattery　and　busy　each　with　himself　or　herself。　　But　for　Leonora's　sake　she　invited　him。　　And　Leonora　was　appreciative；　was　witty；　never　monotonous　or　commonplace；　most　helpful　in　getting　up　entertainments；　and　good　to　look　atalways　beautifully　dressed　and　as　fresh　as　if　just　from　a　bath；　sparkling　green　eyes；　usually　with　good…humored　mockery　in　them；　hard；　smooth；　glistening　shoulders　and　arms；　lips　a　crimson　line；　at　once　cold　and　sensuous。

On　a　Friday　in　December　Pauline　came　up　from　Dawn　Hill　and；　after　two　hours　at　the　new　house；　went　to　the　jeweler's　to　buy　a　wedding　present　for　Aurora　Galloway。　　As　she　was　passing　the　counter　where　the　superintendent　had　his　office；　his　assistant　said：　　〃Beg　pardon；　Mrs。　Dumont。　　The　necklace　came　in　this　morning。　　Would　you　like　to　look　at　it？〃

She　paused；　not　clearly　hearing　him。　　He　took　a　box　from　the　safe　behind　him　and　lifted　from　it　a　magnificent　necklace　of　graduated　pearls　with　a　huge　solitaire　diamond　clasp。　　〃It's　one　of　the　finest　we　ever　got　together；〃　he　went　on。　　〃But　you　can　see　for　yourself。〃　　He　was　flushing　in　the　excitement　of　his　eagerness　to　ingratiate　himself　with　such　a　distinguished　customer。

〃Beautiful！〃　said　Pauline；　taking　the　necklace　as　he　held　it　out　to　her。　　〃May　I　ask　whom　it's　for？〃

The　clerk　looked　puzzled；　then　frightened；　as　the　implications　of　her　obvious　ignorance　dawned　upon　him。

〃OhII〃　　He　almost　snatched　it　from　her；　dropped　it　into　the　box；　put　on　the　lid。　　And　he　stood　with　mouth　ajar　and　forehead　beaded。

〃Please　give　it　to　me　again；〃　said　Pauline；　coldly。　　〃I　had　not　finished　looking　at　it。〃

His　uneasy　eyes　spied　the　superintendent　approaching。　　He　grew　scarlet；　then　white；　and　in　an　agony　of　terror　blurted　out：　　〃Here　comes　the　superintendent。　　I　beg　you；　Mrs。　Dumont；　don't　tell　him　I　showed　it　to　you。　　I've　made　some　sort　of　a　mistake。　　You'll　ruin　me　if　you　speak　of　it　to　any　one。　　I　never　thought　it　might　be　intended　as　a　surprise　to　you。　　Indeed；　I　wasn't　supposed　to　know　anything　about　it。　　Maybe　I　was　mistaken〃

His　look　and　voice　were　so　pitiful　that　Pauline　replied　reassuringly：　　〃I　understandI'll　say　nothing。　　Please　show　me　those；〃　and　she　pointed　to　a　tray　of　unset　rubies　in　the　show…case。

And　when　the　superintendent；　bowing　obsequiously；　came　up　himself　to　take　charge　of　this　important　customer；　she　was　deep　in　the　rubies　which　the　assistant　was　showing　her　with　hands　that　shook　and　fingers　that　blundered。

She　did　not　permit　her　feelings　to　appear　until　she　was　in　her　carriage　again　and　secure　from　observation。　　The　clerk's　theory　she　could　not　entertain　for　an　instant；　contradicted　as　it　was　by　the　facts　of　eight　years。　　She　knew　she　had　surprised　Dumont。　　She　had　learned　nothing　new；　but　it　forced　her　to　stare　straight　into　the　face　of　that　which　she　had　been　ignoring；　that　which　she　must　continue　to　ignore　if　she　was　to　meet　the　ever　heavier　and　crueler　exactions　of　the　debt　she　had　incurred　when　she　betrayed　her　father　and　mother　and　herself。　　At　a　time　when　her　mind　was　filled　with　bitter　contrasts　between　what　was　and　what　might　have　been；　it　brought　bluntly　to　her　the　precise　kind　of　life　she　was　leading；　the　precise　kind　of　surroundings　she　was　tolerating。

〃Whom　can　he　be　giving　such　a　gift？〃　she　wondered。　　And　she　had　an　impulse　to　confide　in　Leonora　to　the　extent　of　encouraging　her　to　hint　who　it　was。　　〃She　would　certainly　know。　　No　doubt　everybody　knows；　except　me。〃

She　called　for　her；　as　she　had　promised；　and　took　her　to　lunch　at　Sherry's。　　But　the　impulse　to　confide　died　as　Leonora　talkedof　money；　of　ways　of　spending　money；　of　people　who　had　money；　and　those　who　hadn't　money；　of　people　who　were　spending　too　much　money；　of　those　who　weren't　spending　enough　money；　of　what　she　would　do　if　she　had　money；　of　what　many　did　to　get　money。　　Money；　money；　moneyit　was　all　of　the　web　and　most　of　the　woof　of　her　talk。　　Now　it　ran　boldly　on　the　surface　of　the　pattern；　now　it　was　half　hid　under　something　about　art　or　books　or　plays　or　schemes　for　patronizing　the　poor　and　undermining　their　self…respectbut　it　was　always　there。

For　the　first　time　Leonora　jarred　upon　her　fiercelyunendurably。　　She　listened　until　the　sound　grew　indistinct；　became　mingled　with　the　chatter　of　that　money…flaunting　throng。　　And　presently　the　chatter　seemed　to　her　to　be　a　maddening　repetition　of　one　word；　moneythe　central　idea　in　all　the　thought　and　all　the　action　of　these　people。　　〃I　must　get　away；〃　she　thought；　〃or　I　shall　cry　out。〃　　And　she　left　abruptly；　alleging　that　she　must　hurry　to　catch　her　train。

Money…mad！　her　thoughts　ran　on。　　The　only　test　of　honormoney；　and　ability　and　willingness　to　spend　it。　　They　must　have　money　or　they're　nobodies。　　And　if　they　have　money；　who　cares　where　it　came　from？　　No　one　asks　where　the　men　get　itwhy　should　any　one　ask　where　the　women　get　it？



XVI。

CHOICE　AMONG　EVILS。


A　few　days　afterwardit　was　a　WednesdayPauline　came　up　to　town　early　in　the　afternoon；　as　she　had　an　appointment　with　the　dressmaker　and　was　going　to　the　opera　in　the　evening。　　At　the　dressmaker's；　while　she　waited　for　a　fitter　to　return　from　the　workroom；　she　glanced　at　a　newspaper　spread　upon　the　table　so　that　its　entire　front　page　was　in　view。　　It　was　filled　with　an　account　of　how　the　Woolens　Monopoly　had；　in　that　bitter　winter；　advanced　prices　twenty　to　thirty…five　per　cent。　　all　along　the　line。　　From　the　center　of　the　page　stared　a　picture　of　John　Dumontits　expression　peculiarly　arrogant　and　sinister。

She　read　the　head…lines　only；　then　turned　from　the　table。　　But　on　the　drive　up…town　she　stopped　the　carriage　at　the　Savoy　and　sent　the　footman　to　the　news…stand　to　get　the　paper。　　She　read　the　article　throughparts　of　it　several　times。

She　had　Langdon　and　Honoria　Longview　at　dinner　that　night；　by　indirect　questioning　she　drew　him　on　to　confirm　the　article；　to　describe　how　the　Woolens　Monopoly　was　〃giving　the　country　an　old…fashioned　winter。〃　　On　the　way　to　the　opera　she　was　ashamed　of　her　ermine　wrap　enfolding　her　from　the　slightest　sense　of　the　icy　air。　　She　did　not　hear　the　singers；　was　hardly　conscious　of　her　surroundings。　　As　they　left　the　Metropolitan　she　threw　back　her　wrap　and　sat　with　her　neck　bared　to　the　intense　cold。

〃I　say；　don't　do　that！〃　protested　Langdon。

She　reluctantly　drew　the　fur　about　her。　　But　when　she　had　dropped　him　and　then　Honoria　and　was　driving　on　up　the　avenue　alone；　she　bared　her　shoulders　and　arms　again〃like　a　silly　child；〃　she　said。　　But　it　gave　her　a　certain　satisfaction；　for　she　felt　like　one　who　has　a　secret　store　of　food　in　time　of　famine　and　feasts　upon　it。　　And　she　sat　unprotected。

〃Is　Mr。　Dumont　in？〃　she　asked　the　butler　as　he　closed　the　door　of　their　palace　behind　her。

〃I　think　he　is；　ma'am。〃

〃Please　tell　him　I'd　like　to　see　himin　the　library。〃

She　had　to　wait　only　three　or　four　minutes　before　he　camein　smoking　jacket　and　slippers。　　It　was　long　since　she　had　looked　at　him　so　carefully　as　she　did　then；　and　she　noted　how　much　grosser　he　was；　the　puffs　under　his　eyes；　the　lines　of　cruelty　that　were　coming　out　strongly　with　autocratic　power　and　the　custom　of　receiving　meek　obedience。　　And　her　heart　sank。　　〃Useless；〃　she　said　to　herself。　　〃Utterly　useless！〃　　And　the　incident　of　the　necklace　and　its　reminders　of　all　she　had　suffered　from　him　and　through　him　came　trooping　into　her　mind；　and　it　seemed　to　her　that　she　could　not　speak；　could　not　even　remain　in　the　room　with　him。

He　dropped　into　a　chair　before　the　open　fire。　　〃Horribly　cold；　isn't　it？〃

She　moved　uneasily。　　He　slowly　lighted　a　cigar　and　began　to　smoke　it；　his　attitude　one　of　waiting。

〃I've　been　thinking；〃　she　began　at　lastshe　was　looking　reflectively　into　the　fire〃about　your　great　talent　for　business　and　finance。　　You　formed　your　big　combination；　and　because　you　understand　everything　about　wool　you　employ　more　men；　you　pay　higher　wages；　and　you　make　the　goods　better　than　ever；　and　at　less　cost。〃

〃Between　a　third　and　a　half　cheaper；〃　he　said。　　〃We　employ　thirty　thousand　more　men；　and　since　we　settled　the　last　strike〃a　grim　smile　that　would　have　meant　a　great　deal　to　her　had　she　known　the　history　of　that　strike　and　how　hard　he　had　fought　before　he　gave　in〃we've　paid　thirty　per　cent。　higher　wages。　　Yet　the　profits　arewell；　you　can　imagine。〃

〃And　you've　made　millions　for　yourself　and　for　those　in　with　you。〃

〃I　haven't　developed　my　ideas　for　nothing。〃

She　paused　again。　　It　was　several　minutes　before　she　went　on：

〃When　a　doctor　or　a　man　of　science　or　a　philosopher　makes　a　discovery　that'll　be　a　benefit　to　the　world〃she　looked　at　him　s