the cost-第34节
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have some sort of misunderstanding at college？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Pauline； slowly。 〃Aa misunderstanding。〃
〃And you both remember it； after all these years？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Pauline。
〃How relentless you are；〃 said Gladys； 〃and how tenacious！〃 But she was too intent upon her own affairs to pursue a subject which seemed to lead away from them。 Presently she rose。
〃I'll be ashamed of having confessed when I see you in daylight。 But I don't care。 I shan't be sorry。 I feel a little better。 After all； why should I be ashamed of any one knowing I care for him？〃 And she sighed； laughed； went into the house； whistling softlysad； depressed； but hopeful； feeling deep down that she surely must win where she had never known what it was to lose。
Pauline looked after her。 〃No； it isn't fair；〃 she repeated。 She stayed on the veranda； walking slowly to and fro not to make up her mind； for she had done that while Gladys was confessing； but to decide how she could best accomplish what she saw she must now no longer delay。 It was not until two hours later that she went up to bed。
When Gladys came down at nine the next morning Pauline had just gone out〃I think； Miss Gladys； she told the coachman to drive to her father's；〃 said the butler。
Gladys set out alone。 Instead of keeping to the paths and the woods along the edge of the bluff she descended to the valley and the river road。 She walked rapidly； her face glowing； her eyes sparklingshe was quick to respond to impressions through the senses； and to…day she felt so well physically that it reacted upon her mind and forced her spirits up。 At the turn beyond Deer Creek bridge she met Scarborough suddenly。 He； too； was afoot and alone； and his greeting was interpreted to her hopes by her spirits。
〃May I turn and walk with you？〃 he asked。
〃I'm finding myself disagreeable company today。〃
〃You did look dull；〃 she said； as they set out together； 〃dull as a love…sick German。 But I supposed it was your executive pose。〃
〃I was thinking that I'll be old before I know it。〃 His old…young face was shadowed for an instant。 〃Oldthat's an unpleasant thought； isn't it？〃
〃Unpleasant for a man；〃 said Gladys； with a laugh； light as youth's dread of age。 〃For a woman； ghastly！ Old and aloneeither one's dreadful enough。 Butthe two together！ I often think of them。 Don't laugh at mereally I do。 Don't you？〃
〃If you keep to that； our walk'll be a dismal failure。 It's a road I never takeif I can help it。〃
〃You don't look as though you were ever gloomy。〃 Gladys glanced up at him admiringly。 〃I should have said you were one person the blue devils wouldn't dare attack。〃
〃Yes； but they do。 And sometimes they throw me。〃
〃And trample you？〃
〃And trample me；〃 he answered absently。
〃That's because you're alone too much；〃 she said with a look of tactful sympathy。
〃Precisely；〃 he replied。 〃But how am I to prevent that？〃
〃Marry； of course；〃 she retorted； smiling gaily up at him； letting her heart just peep from her eyes。
〃Thank you！ And it sounds so easy！ May I ask why you've refused to take your own medicineyou who say you are so often blue？〃
She shrugged her shoulders。 〃I've always suspected the men who asked me。 They were〃 She did not finish what she feared might be an unwise； repelling remark in the circumstances。
〃They were after your money；〃 he finished for her。
She nodded。 〃They were Europeans；〃 she explained。 〃Europeans want money when they marry。〃
〃That's another of the curses of riches；〃 he said judicially。 〃And if you marry a rich man over here； you may be pretty sure he'll marry you for your money。 I've observed that rich men attach an exaggerated importance to money； always。〃
〃I'd prefer to marry a poor man；〃 she hastened to answer； her heart beating fastercertainly his warning against rich suitors must have been designed to help his own cause with her。
〃Yes； that might be better；〃 he agreed。 〃But you would have to be careful after you were married or he might fancy you were using your money to tyrannize over him。 I've noticed that the poor husbands of rich women are supersensitiveoften for cause。〃
〃Oh； I'd give it all to him。 He could do what he pleased with it。 I'd not care so long as we were happy。〃
Scarborough liked the spirit of this； liked her look as she said it。
〃That's very generousvery like you；〃 he replied warmly。 〃But I don't think it would be at all wise。 You'd be in a dangerous position。 You might spoil himgreat wealth is a great danger； and when it's suddenly acquired； and so easily No； you'd better put your wealth aside and only use so much of it as will make your income equal to hisif you can stand living economically。〃
〃I could stand anything with or from any one I cared for。〃 Gladys was eager for the conversation to turn from the general to the particular。 She went on； forcing her voice to hide her interest： 〃And you； why don't you cure your blues？〃
〃Oh； I shall；〃 he replied carelessly。 〃But not with your medicine。 Every one to his own prescription。〃
〃And what's yours for yourself？〃 said Gladys； feeling tired and nervous from the strain of this delayed happiness。
〃Mine？〃 He laughed。 〃My dreams。〃
〃You are a strange combination； aren't you？ In one way you're so very practicalwith your politics and all that。 And in another wayI suspect you of being sentimentalalmost romantic。〃
〃You've plucked out the heart of my mystery。 My real name is non Quixote de Saint X。〃
〃And has your Dulcinea red hands and a flat nose and freckles like the lady of Toboso？〃 Gladys' hands were white； her nose notably fine； her skin transparently clear。
〃Being Don Quixote； I don't know it if she has。〃
〃And you prefer to worship afar； and to send her news of your triumphs instead of going to her yourself？〃
〃I dare not go。〃 He was looking away； far away。 〃There are wicked enchanters。 I'm powerless。 She alone can break their spells。〃
They walked in silence； her heart beating so loudly that she thought he must be hearing it； must be hearing what it was saying。 Yesshe must break the spells。 But howbut how？ What must she say to make him see？ Did he expect her to ask him to marry her？ She had heard that rich women often were forced to make this concession to the pride of the men they wished to marry。 On the other hand； was there ever a man less likely than Scarborough to let any obstacle stand between him and what he wanted？
The first huge drops of a summer rain pattered in big； round stains； brown upon the white of the road。 He glanced upa cloud was rolling from beyond the cliffs； was swiftly curtaining the blue。
〃Come；〃 he commanded； and they darted into the underbrush； he guiding her by her arm。 A short dash among the trees and bushes and they were at the base of the bluff； were shielded by a shelf of rock。
〃It'll be over soon；〃 he assured her。 〃But you must stand close or you'll be drenched。〃
A clap of thunder deafened them as a flame and a force enswathed the sycamore tree a few yards away； blowing off its bark； scattering its branches； making it all in an instant a blackened and blasted wreck。 Gladys gave a low scream of terror； fell against him； hid her face in his shoulder。 She was trembling violently。 He put his arm round herif he had not supported her she would have fallen。 She leaned against him； clinging to him； so that he felt the beat of her heart； the swell and fall of her bosom； felt the rush of her young blood through her veins； felt the thrill from her smooth； delicate； olive skin。 And he； too； was tremblingshaken in all his nerves。
〃Don't be afraid；〃 he saidin his voice he unconsciously betrayed the impulse that was fighting for possession of him。
She drew herself closer to him with a long； tremulous sigh。
〃I'm a coward；〃 she murmured。 〃I'm shaking so that I can't stand。〃 She tried to draw herself awayor did she only make pretense to him and to herself that she was trying？then relaxed again into his arms。
The thunder cracked and crashed； the lightnings leaped in streaks and in sheets； the waters gushed from the torn clouds and obscured the light like a heavy veil。 She looked up at him in the dimnessshe； too； was drunk with the delirium of the storms raging without and within them。 His brain swam giddily。 The points of gold in her dark eyes were drawing him like so many powerful magnets。 Their lips met and he caught her up in his arms。 And for a moment all the fire of his intensely masculine nature； so long repressed； raged over her lips； her eyes； her hair； her cheeks； her chin。
A moment she lay； happy as a petrel； beaten by a tempest； a moment her thirsty heart drank in the ecstasy of the lightnings through her lips and skin and hair。
She opened her eyes to find out why there was a sudden calm。 She saw him staring with set； white face through the rain…veil。 His arms still held her； but where they had been like the clasp of life itself； they were now dead as the arms of a statue。 A feeling of cold chilled her skin； trickled icily in and in。 She released herselfhe did not oppose her。
〃It seems to me I'll never be able to look youor myselfin the face again；〃 he said at last。
〃I didn't know it was in me toto
