the cost-第6节

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He　glanced　at　her　to　note　the　effect　of　his　words。　　She　had　drawn　her　tall　figure　to　its　full　height；　and　her　cheeks　were　flushed　and　her　eyes　curiously　bright。　　He　had　stabbed　straight　and　deep　into　the　heart　of　her　weakness；　but　also　into　the　heart　of　her　pride。

The　only　effect　of　his　thrust　that　was　visible　to　him　put　him　in　a　panic。　　〃Don'tPLEASE　don't　look　that　way；　Polly；〃　he　went　on　hastily。　　〃You　don't　see　what　I'm　driving　at　yet。　　I　didn't　mean　that　I'd　marry　her；　or　think　of　it。　　There　isn't　anybody　but　you。　　There　couldn't　be；　you　know　that。〃

〃Why　did　you　tell　me；　then？〃　she　asked　haughtily。

〃BecauseI　had　to　begin　somewhere。　　Polly；　I'm　going　away；　going　abroad。　　And　I'm　not　to　see　you　forfor　I　don't　know　how　longandwe　must　be　married！〃

She　looked　at　him　in　a　daze。

〃We　can　cross　on　the　ferry　at　half…past　ten；〃　he　went　on。　　〃You　see　that　housethe　white　one？〃　　He　pointed　to　the　other　bank　of　the　river　where　a　white　cottage　shrank　among　the　trees　not　far　from　a　little　church。　　〃Mr。　Barker　lives　thereyou　must　have　heard　of　him。　　He's　married　scores　and　hundreds　of　couples　from　this　side。　　And　we　can　be　back　here　at　half…past　eleventwelve　at　the　latest。〃

She　shook　her　head　expressed；　not　determination；　only　doubt。

〃I　can't；　Jack；〃　she　said。　　〃They〃

〃Then　you　aren't　certain　you're　ever　going　to　marry　me；〃　he　interrupted　bitterly。　　〃You　don't　mean　what　you　promised　me。　　You　care　more　for　them　than　you　do　for　me。　　You　don't　really　care　for　me　at　all。〃

〃You　don't　believe　that；〃　she　protested；　her　eyes　and　her　mind　on　the　little　white　cottage。　〃You　couldn'tyou　know　me　too　well。〃

〃Then　there's　no　reason　why　we　shouldn't　get　married。　　Don't　we　belong　to　each　other　now？　　Why　should　we　refuse　to　stand　up　and　say　so？〃

That　seemed　unanswerablea　perfect　excuse　for　doing　what　she　wished　to　do。　　For　the　little　white　cottage　fascinated　herhow　she　did　long　to　be　sure　of　him！　　And　she　felt　so　free；　so　absolutely　her　own　mistress　in　these　new　surroundings；　where　no　one　attempted　to　exercise　authority　over　another。

〃I　must　feel　sure　of　you；　Pauline。　　Sometimes　everything　seems　to　be　against　me；　and　I　even　doubt　you。　　Andthat's　when　the　temptations　pull　hardest。　　If　we　were　married　it'd　all　be　different。〃

Yes；　it　would　be　different。　　And　he　would　be　securely　hers；　with　her　mind　at　rest　instead　of　harassed　as　it　would　be　if　she　let　him　go　so　far　away；　free。　　And　where　was　the　harm　in　merely　repeating　before　a　preacher　the　promise　that　now　bound　them　both？　　She　looked　at　him　and　he　at　her。

〃You　don't　put　any　others　before　me；　do　you；　dear？〃　he　asked。

〃No；　Jackno　one。　　I　belong　to　you。〃

〃Come！〃　he　pleaded；　and　they　went　down　to　the　boat。　　She　seemed　to　herself　to　be　in　a　dreamin　a　trance。

As　she　walked　beside　him　along　the　country　road　on　the　other　shore　a　voice　was　ringing　in　her　ears：　　〃Don't！　　Don't！　　Ask　Olivia's　advice　first！〃　　But　she　walked　on；　her　will　suspended；　substituted　for　it　his　will　and　her　jealousy　and　her　fears　of　his　yielding　to　the　urgings　of　his　father　and　the　blandishments　of　〃that　Cleveland　girl。〃　　He　said　little　but　kept　close　to　her；　watching　her　narrowly；　touching　her　tenderly　now　and　then。

The　Reverend　Josiah　Barker　was　waiting　for　theman　oily　smirk　on　a　face　smooth　save　where　a　thin　fringe　of　white　whiskers　dangled　from　his　jaw…bone；　ear　to　ear；　fat；　damp　hands　rubbing　in　anticipation　of　the　large　fee　that　was　to　repay　him　for　celebrating　the　marriage　and　for　keeping　quiet　about　it　afterward。　　At　the　proper　place　in　the　brief　ceremony　Dumont；　with　a　sly　smile　at　Pauline　which　she　faintly　returned；　produced　the　ringhe　had　bought　it　at　Saint　X　a　week　before　and　so　had　started　a　rumor　that　he　and　Caroline　Sylvester　were　to　be　married　in　haste。　　He　held　Pauline's　hand　firmly　as　he　put　the　ring　on　her　fingerhe　was　significantly　cool　and　calm　for　his　age　and　for　the　circumstances。　　She　was　trembling　violently；　was　pale　and　wan。　　The　ring　burned　into　her　flesh。

〃Whom　God　hath　joined　together　let　no　man　put　asunder；〃　ended　Barker；　with　pompous　solemnity。

Dumont　kissed　herher　cheek　was　cold　and　at　the　touch　of　his　lips　she　shuddered。

〃Don't　be　afraid；〃　he　said　in　a　low　voice　that　was　perfectly　steady。

They　went　out　and　along　the　sunny　road　in　silence。　　〃Whom　God　hath　joined；〃　the　voice　was　now　dinning　into　her　ears。　　And　she　was　saying　to　herself；　〃Has　GOD　joined　us？　　If　so；　why　do　I　feel　as　if　I　had　committed　a　crime？〃　　She　looked　guiltily　at　himshe　felt　no　thrill　of　pride　or　love　at　the　thought　that　he　was　her　husband；　she　his　wife。　　And　into　her　mind　poured　all　her　father's　condemnations　of　him；　with　a　vague　menacing　fear　riding　the　crest　of　the　flood。

〃You're　sorry　you've　done　it？〃　he　said　sullenly。

She　did　not　answer。

〃Well；　it's　done；〃　he　went　on；　〃and　it　can't　be　undone。　　And　I've　got　you；　Polly；　in　spite　of　them。　　They　might　have　known　better　than　to　try　to　keep　me　from　getting　what　I　wanted。　　I　always　did；　and　I　always　shall！〃

She　looked　at　him　startled；　then　hastily　looked　away。　　Even　more　than　his　words　and　his　tone；　she　disliked　his　eyesgloating；　triumphant。　　But　not　until　she　was　years　more　experienced　did　she　study　that　never…forgotten　expression；　study　it　as　a　wholewords；　tone；　look。　　Then；　and　not　until　then；　did　she　know　that　she　had　instinctively　shrunk　because　he　had　laid　bare　his　base　and　all　but　loveless　motive　in　marrying　her。

〃And；〃　he　added；　〃I'll　force　father　to　give　me　a　big　interest　in　the　business　very　soon。　　Thenwe'll　announce　it。〃

Announce　IT？　　Announce　WHAT？　　〃Why；　I'm　a　married　woman；〃　she　thought；　and　she　stumbled　and　almost　fell。　　The　way　danced　before　her　eyes；　all　spotted　with　black。　　She　was　just　able　to　walk　aboard　the　boat　and　drop　into　a　seat。

He　sat　beside　her；　took　her　hand　and　bent　over　it；　as　he　kissed　it　a　tear　fell　on　it。　　He　looked　at　her　and　she　saw　that　his　eyes　were　swimming。　　A　sob　surged　into　her　throat；　but　she　choked　it　back。　　〃Jack！〃　she　murmured；　and　hid　her　face　in　her　handkerchief。

When　they　looked　each　at　the　other　both　smiledher　foreboding　had　retreated　to　the　background。　　She　began　to　turn　the　ring　round　and　round　upon　her　finger。

〃Mrs。　John　Dumont；〃　she　said。　　〃Doesn't　it　sound　queer？〃　　And　she　gazed　dreamily　away　toward　the　ranges　of　hills　between　which　the　river　danced　and　sparkled　as　it　journeyed　westward。　　When　she　again　became　conscious　of　her　immediate　surroundingsother　than　Dumontshe　saw　a　deck…hand　looking　at　her　with　a　friendly　grin。

Instantly　she　covered　the　ring　with　her　hand　and　handkerchief。　　〃But　I　mustn't　wear　it；〃　she　said　to　Dumont。

〃Nonot　on　your　finger。〃　　He　laughed　and　drew　from　his　pocket　a　slender　gold　chain。　　〃But　you　might　wear　it　on　this；　round　your　neck。　　It'll　help　to　remind　you　that　you　don't　belong　to　yourself　any　more；　but　to　me。〃

She　took　the　chainshe　was　coloring　in　a　most　becoming　wayand　hid　it　and　the　ring　in　her　bosom。　　Then　she　drew　off　a　narrow　hoop　of　gold　with　a　small　setting　and　pushed　it　on　his　big　little　finger。

〃And　THAT；　sir；〃　she　said；　with　a　bewitching　look；　〃may　help　you　not　to　forget　that　YOU　belong　to　me。〃

She　left　the　ferry　in　advance　of　him　and　faced　Olivia　just　in　time　for　them　to　go　down　together　to　the　half…past　twelve　o'clock　dinner。



V。

FOUR　FRIENDS。


As　Mrs。　Trent's　was　the　best　board　in　Battle　Field　there　were　more　applicants　than　she　could　make　places　for　at　her　one　table。　　In　the　second　week　of　the　term　she　put　a　small　table　in　the　alcove　of　the　dining…room　and　gave　it　to　her　〃star〃　boardersPierson；　Olivia　and　Pauline。　　They　invited　Scarborough　to　take　the　fourth　place。　　Not　only　did　Pierson　sit　opposite　Olivia　and　Scarborough　opposite　Pauline　three　times　a　day　in　circumstances　which　make　for　intimacy；　but　also　Olivia　and　Pierson　studied　together　in　his　sitting…room　and　Pauline　and　Scarborough　in　her　sitting…room　for　several　hours　three　or　four　times　a　week。　　Olivia　and　Pierson　were　sophomores。　　Pauline　and　Scarborough　were　freshmen；　also；　they　happened　to　have　the　same　three　〃senior　prep〃　conditions　to　〃work　off〃Latin；　zoology　and　mathematics。

Such　intimacies　as　these　were　the　matter…of…course　at　Battle　Field。　　They　were　usually　brief　and　strenuous。　　A　young　man　and　a　young　woman　would　be　seen　together　constantly；　would　fall　in　love；　would　come　to　know　each　the　other　thoroughly。　　Then；　with　the　mind　and　character　and　looks　and　moods　of　each　fully　revealed　to　the　other；　they　would　drift　or　fly　in　opposite　directions；　wholly　disillusioned。　　Occasionally　they　found　that　they　were　really　congenial；　and　either　love　remained　or　a　cordial　friendship　sprang　up。　　The　modes　of　thought；　inconceivable　to　Europeans　or　Europeanized　Americans；　made　catastrophe　all　but　impossible。

It　was　through　the　girls　that　Scarborough　got　his　invitation　to　the　alcove　table。　　There　he　came　to　know　Pierson　and　to　like　him。　　One　evening　he　went　into　Pierson's　roomsthe　suite　under　Olivia　and　Pauline's。　　He　had　never　seenbut　had　dreamed　ofsuch　a　luxurious　bachelor　interior。　　Pierson's　father　had　insisted　that　his　son　must　go　to　the　college　where　forty　years　before　he　had　split　wood　and　lighted　fires　and　swept　corridors　to　earn　two　years　of　higher　education。　　Pierson's　mother；　defeated　in　her　wish　that　her　son　should　go　Eas