the argonauts of north liberty-第2节

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〃Wait；　and　I'll　tell　you。〃　　He　drew　the　reins　tightly　to　accelerate
the　horse's　speed；　and；　half　turning　to　his　companion；　without；
however；　moving　his　eyes　from　the　darkness　before　him；　spoke
quickly　between　the　blasts：　〃I've　seen　her　only　half　a　dozen　times。
Met　her　first　in　6。40　train　out　from　Boston　last　fall。　　She　sat
next　to　me。　　Covered　up　with　wraps　and　veils；　never　looked　twice　at
her。　　She　spoke　firstkind　of　half　bold；　half　frightened　way。
Then　got　more　comfortable　and　unwound　herself；　you　know；　and　I　saw
she　was　young　and　not　bad…looking。　　Thought　she　was　some　school…
girl　out　for　a　larkbut　rather　new　at　it。　　Inexperienced；　you
know；　but　quite　able　to　take　care　of　herself；　by　George！　and
although　she　looked　and　acted　as　if　she'd　never　spoken　to　a
stranger　all　her　life；　didn't　mind　the　kind　of　stuff　I　talked　to
her。　　Rather　encouraged　it；　and　laughedsuch　a　pretty　little　odd
laugh；　as　if　laughing　wasn't　in　her　usual　line；　either；　and　she
didn't　know　how　to　manage　it。　　Well；　it　ended　in　her　slipping　out
at　one　end　of　the　car　when　we　arrived；　while　I　was　looking　out　for
a　cab　for　her　at　the　other。〃　　He　stopped　to　recover　from　a　stronger
gust　of　wind。　　〃II　thought　it　a　good　joke　on　me；　and　let　the
thing　drop　out　of　my　mind；　although；　mind　you；　she'd　promised　to
meet　me　a　month　afterwards　at　the　same　time　and　place。　　Well；　when
the　day　came　I　happened　to　be　in　Boston；　and　went　to　the　station。
Don't　know　why　I　went；　for　I　didn't　for　a　moment　think　she'd　keep
her　appointment。　　First；　I　couldn't　find　her　in　the　train；　but
after　we'd　started　she　came　along　out　of　some　seat　in　the　corner；
prettier　than　ever；　holding　out　her　hand。〃　　He　drew　a　long
inspiration。　　〃You　can　bet　your　life；　Ned；　I　didn't　let　go　that
little　hand　the　rest　of　the　journey。〃

His　passion；　or　what　passed　for　it；　seemed　to　impart　its　warmth　to
the　vehicle；　and　even　stirred　the　chilled　pulses　of　the　man　beside
him。

〃Well；　who　and　what　was　she？〃

〃Didn't　find　out；　don't　know　now。　　For　the　first　thing　she　made　me
promise　was　not　to　follow　her；　nor　to　try　to　know　her　name。　　In
return　she　said　she　would　meet　me　again　on　another　train　near
Hartford。　　She　didand　again　and　againbut　always　on　the　train
for　about　an　hour；　going　or　coming。　　Then　she　missed　an　appointment。
I　was　regularly　cut　up；　I　tell　you；　and　swore　as　she　hadn't　kept　her
word；　I　wouldn't　keep　mine；　and　began　to　hunt　for　her。　　In　the　midst
of　it　I　saw　her　accidentally；　no　matter　where；　I　followed　her
towell；　that's　no　matter　to　you；　either。　　Enough　that　I　saw　her
againand；　well；　Ned；　such　is　the　influence　of　that　girl　over　me
that；　by　George！　she　made　me　make　the　same　promise　again！〃

Blandford；　a　little　disappointed　at　his　friend's　dogmatic
suppression　of　certain　material　facts；　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃If　that's　all　your　story；〃　he　said；　〃I　must　say　I　see　no　prospect
of　your　reforming。　　It's　the　old　thing　over　again；　only　this　time
you　are　evidently　the　victim。　　She's　some　designing　creature　who
will　have　you　if　she　hasn't　already　got　you　completely　in　her
power。〃

〃You　don't　know　what　you're　talking　about；　Ned；　and　you'd　better
quit；〃　returned　Demorest；　with　cheerful　authoritativeness。　　〃I　tell
you　that　that's　the　sort　of　girl　I'm　going　to　marry；　if　I　can；　and
settle　down　upon。　　You　can　make　a　memorandum　of　that；　old　man；　if
you　like。〃

〃Then　I　don't　really　see　why　you　want　to　talk　to　ME　about　it。　　And
if　you　are　thinking　that　such　a　story　would　go　down　for　a　moment
with　Joan　as　an　evidence　of　your　reformation；　you're　completely
out；　Dick。　　Was　that　your　idea？〃

〃Yesand　I　can　tell　you；　you're　wrong　again；　Ned。　　You　don't　know
anything　about　women。　　You　do　just　as　I　saydo　you　understand？
and　don't　interfere　with　your　own　wrong…headed　opinions　of　what
other　people　will　think；　and　I'll　take　the　risks　of　Mrs。　Blandford
giving　me　good　advice。　　Your　wife　has　got　a　heap　more　sense　on
these　subjects　than　you　have；　you　bet。　　You　just　tell　her　that　I
want　to　marry　the　girl　and　want　her　to　help　methat　I　mean
business；　this　timeand　you'll　see　how　quick　she'll　come　down。
That's　all　I　want　of　you。　　Will　you　or　won't　you？〃

With　an　outward　expression　of　sceptical　consideration　and　an　inward
suspicion　of　the　peculiar　force　of　this　man's　dogmatic　insight；
Blandford　assented；　with；　I　fear；　the　mental　reservation　of　telling
the　story　to　his　wife　in　his　own　way。　　He　was　surprised　when　his
friend　suddenly　drew　the　horse　up　sharply；　and　after　a　moment's
pause　began　to　back　him；　cramp　the　wheels　of　the　buggy　and　then
skilfully；　in　the　almost　profound　darkness；　turn　the　vehicle　and
horse　completely　round　to　the　opposite　direction。

〃Then　you　are　not　going　over　the　bridge？〃　said　Blandford。

Demorest　made　an　imperative　gesture　of　silence。　　The　tumultuous
rush　and　roar　of　swollen　and　rapid　water　came　from　the　darkness
behind　them。　　〃There's　been　another　break…out　somewhere；　and　I
reckon　the　bridge　has　got　all　it　can　do　to…night　to　keep　itself　out
of　water　without　taking　us　over。　　At　least；　as　I　promised　to　set
you　down　at　your　wife's　door　inside　of　the　hour；　I　don't　propose　to
try。〃　　As　the　horse　now　travelled　more　easily　with　the　wind　behind
him；　Demorest；　dismissing　abruptly　all　other　subjects；　laid　his
hand　with　brusque　familiarity　on　his　companion's　knee；　and　as　if
the　hour　for　social　and　confidential　greeting　had　only　just　then
arrived；　said：　〃Well；　Neddy；　old　boy；　how　are　you　getting　on？〃

〃So；　so；〃　said　Blandford；　dubiously。　　〃You　see；〃　he　began；
argumentatively；　〃in　my　business　there's　a　good　deal　of
competition；　and　I　was　only　saying　this　morning〃

But　either　Demorest　was　already　familiar　with　his　friend's
arguments；　or　had　as　usual　exhausted　his　topic；　for　without　paying
the　slightest　attention　to　him；　he　again　demanded　abruptly；　〃Why
don't　you　go　to　California？　　Here　everything's　played　out。　　That's
the　country　for　a　young　man　like　youjust　starting　into　life；　and
without　incumbrances。　　If　I　was　free　and　fixed　in　my　family　affairs
like　you　I'd　go　to…morrow。〃

There　was　such　an　occult　positivism　in　Demorest's　manner　that　for
an　instant　Blandford；　who　had　been　married　two　years；　and　was
transacting　a　steady　and　fairly　profitable　manufacturing　business
in　the　adjacent　town；　actually　believed　he　was　more　fitted　for
adventurous　speculation　than　the　grimly　erratic　man　of　energetic
impulses　and　pleasures　beside　him。　　He　managed　to　stammer
hesitatingly：

〃But　there's　Joanshe〃

〃Nonsense！　　Let　her　stay　with　her　mother；　you　sell　out　your
interest　in　the　business；　put　the　money　into　an　assorted　cargo；　and
clap　it　and　yourself　into　the　first　ship　out　of　Bostonand　there
you　are。　　You've　been　married　going　on　two　years　now；　and　a　little
separation　until　you've　built　up　a　business　out　there；　won't　do
either　of　you　any　harm。〃

Blandford；　who　was　very　much　in　love　with　his　wife；　was　not；
however；　above　putting　the　onus　of　embarrassing　affection　upon　HER。
〃You　don't　know；　Joan；　Dick；〃　he　replied。　　〃She'd　never　consent　to
a　separation；　even　for　a　short　time。〃

〃Try　her。　　She's　a　sensible　womana　deuced　sight　more　than　you
are。　　You　don't　understand　women；　Ned。　　That's　what's　the　matter
with　you。〃

It　required　all　of　Blandford's　fond　memories　of　his　wife's
conservative　habits；　Puritan　practicality；　religious　domesticity；
and　strong　family　attachments；　to　withstand　Demorest's　dogmatic
convictions。　　He　smiled；　however；　with　a　certain　complacency；　as
he　also　recalled　the　previous　autumn　when　the　first　news　of　the
California　gold　discovery　had　penetrated　North　Liberty；　and　he　had
expressed　to　her　his　belief　that　it　would　offer　an　outlet　to
Demorest's　adventurous　energy。　　She　had　received　it　with　ill…
disguised　satisfaction；　and　the　remark　that　if　this　exodus　of
Mammon　cleared　the　community　of　the　godless　and　unregenerate　it
would　only　be　another　proof　of　God's　mysterious　providence。

With　the　tumultuous　wind　at　their　backs　it　was　not　long　before　the
buggy　rattled　once　more　over　the　cobble…stones　of　the　town。　　Under
the　direction　of　his　friend；　Demorest；　who　still　retained　possession
of　the　reins；　drove　briskly　down　a　side　street　of　more　pretentious
dwellings；　where　Blandford　lived。　　One　or　two　wayfarers　looked　up。

〃Not　so　fast；　Dick。〃

〃Why？　　I　want　to　bring　you　up　to　your　door　in　style。〃

〃Yesbutit's　Sunday。　　That's　my　house；　the　corner　one。〃

They　had　stopped　before　a　square；　two…storied　brick　house；　with　an
equally　square　wooden　porch　supported　by　two　plain；　rigid　wooden
columns；　and　a　hollow　sweep　of　dull　concavity　above　the　door；
evidently　of　the　same　architectural　order　as　the　church。　　There　was
no　corner　or　projection　to　break　the　force　of　the　wind　that　swept
its　smooth　glacial　surface；　there　was　no　indication　of　light　or
warmth　behind　its　six　closed　windows。

〃There　seems　to　be　nobody　at　home；〃　said　Demorest；　briefly。　　〃Come
along　with　me　to　the　hotel。〃

〃Joan　sits　in　the　back　parlor；　Sundays；〃　explained　the　husband。

〃Shall　I　drive　round　to　the　barn　and　leave　the　horse　and　buggy
there　while　you　go　in？〃　continued　Demorest；　good…humoredly；
pointing　to　the　stable　gate　at　the　side。

〃No；　thank　you；〃　returned　Blandford；　〃it's　locked；　and　I'll　have　to
open　it　from　t