the argonauts of north liberty-第4节

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hand　and　placed　them　in　shameless　publicity　on　the　volume　before
her。　　This　implied　desecration　was　too　much　for　Blandford；　he
withdrew　his　hand。

〃Does　that　man　propose　to　go　with　you？〃　asked　Mrs。　Blandford；
coldly。

〃No；　he's　preoccupied　with　other　matters　that　he　wanted　me　to　talk
to　you　about；〃　said　her　husband；　hesitatingly。　　〃He　is〃

〃Because〃continued　Mrs。　Blandford　in　the　same　measured　tone；　〃if
he　does　not　add　his　own　evil　company　to　his　advice；　it　is　the　best
he　has　ever　given　yet。　　I　think　he　might　have　taken　another　day
than　the　Lord's　to　talk　about　it；　but　we　must　not　despise　the　means
nor　the　hour　whence　the　truth　comes。　　Father　wanted　me　to　take　some
reasonable　moment　to　prepare　you　to　consider　it　seriously；　and　I
thought　of　talking　to　you　about　it　to…morrow。　　He　thinks　it　would
be　a　very　judicious　plan。　　Even　Deacon　Truesdail〃

〃Having　sold　his　invoice　of　damaged　sugar　kettles　for　mining
purposes；　is　converted；〃　said　Blandford；　goaded　into　momentary
testiness　by　his　wife's　unexpected　acquiescence　and　a　sudden
recollection　of　Demorest's　prophecy。　　〃You　have　changed　your
opinion；　Joan；　since　last　fall；　when　you　couldn't　bear　to　think　of
my　leaving　you；〃　he　added　reproachfully。

〃I　couldn't　bear　to　think　of　your　joining　the　mob　of　lawless　and
sinful　men　who　use　that　as　an　excuse　for　leaving　their　wives　and
families。　　As　for　my　own　feelings；　Edward；　I　have　never　allowed
them　to　stand　between　me　and　what　I　believed　best　for　our　home　and
your　Christian　welfare。　　Though　I　have　no　cause　to　admire　the
influence　that　I　find　this　man；　Demorest；　still　holds　over　you；　I
am　willing　to　acquiesce；　as　you　see；　in　what　he　advises　for　your
good。　　You　can　hardly　reproach　ME；　Edward；　for　worldly　or　selfish
motives。

Blandford　felt　keenly　the　bitter　truth　of　his　wife's　speech。　　For
the　moment　he　would　gladly　have　exchanged　it　for　a　more　illogical
and　selfish　affection；　but　he　reflected　that　he　had　married　this
religious　girl　for　the　security　of　an　affection　which　he　felt　was
not　subject　to　the　temptations　of　the　worldor　even　its　own
weaknessas　was　too　often　the　case　with　the　giddy　maidens　whom　he
had　known　through　Demorest's　companionship。　　It　was；　therefore；
more　with　a　sense　of　recalling　this　distinctive　quality　of　his　wife
than　any　loyalty　to　Demorest　that　he　suddenly　resolved　to　confide
to　her　the　latter's　fatuous　folly。

〃I　know　it；　dear；〃　he　said；　apologetically；　〃and　we'll　talk　it　over
to…morrow；　and　it　may　be　possible　to　arrange　it　so　that　you　shall
go　with　me。　　But；　speaking　of　Demorest；　I　think　you　don't　quite　do
HIM　justice。　　He　really　respects　YOUR　feelings　and　your　knowledge
of　right　and　wrong　more　than　you　imagine。　　I　actually　believe　he
came　here　to…night　merely　to　get　me　to　interest　you　in　an
extraordinary　love　affair　of　his。　　I　mean；　Joan；〃　he　added　hastily；
seeing　the　same　look　of　dull　repression　come　over　her　face；　〃I
mean；　Joanthat　is；　you　know；　from　all　I　can　judgeit　is
something　really　serious　this　time。　　He　intends　to　reform。　　And
this　is　because　he　has　become　violently　smitten　with　a　young　woman
whom　he　has　only　seen　half　a　dozen　times；　at　long　intervals；　whom
he　first　met　in　a　railway　train；　and　whose　name　and　residence　he
don't　even　know。〃

There　was　an　ominous　silenceso　hushed　that　the　ticking　of　the
allegorical　clock　came　like　a　grim　monitor。　　〃Then；〃　said　Mrs。
Blandford；　in　a　hard；　dry　voice　that　her　alarmed　husband　scarcely
recognized；　〃he　proposed　to　insult　your　wife　by　taking　her　into　his
shameful　confidence。〃

〃Good　heavens！　　Joan；　noyou　don't　understand。　　At　the　worst；　this
is　some　virtuous　but　silly　school…girl；　who；　though　she　may　be
intending　only　an　innocent　flirtation　with　him；　has　made　this　man
actually　and　deeply　in　love　with　her。　　Yes；　it　is　a　fact；　Joan。　　I
know　Dick　Demorest；　and　if　ever　there　was　a　man　honestly　in　love；
it　is　he。〃

〃Then　you　mean　to　say　that　this　manan　utter　stranger　to　mea　man
whom　I've　never　laid　my　eyes　onwhom　I　wouldn't　know　if　I　met　in
the　streetexpects　me　to　advise　himtoto〃　　She　stopped。
Blandford　could　scarcely　believe　his　senses。　　There　were　tears　in
her　eyesthis　woman　who　never　cried；　her　voice　trembledshe　who
had　always　controlled　her　emotions。

He　took　advantage　of　this　odd　but　opportune　melting。　　He　placed　his
arm　around　her　shoulders。　　She　tried　to　escape　it；　but　with　a　coy；
shy　movement；　half　hysterical；　half　girlish；　unlike　her　usual
stony；　moral　precision。　　〃Yes；　Joan；〃　he　repeated；　laughingly；　〃but
whose　fault　is　it？　　Not　HIS；　remember！　　And　I　firmly　believe　he
thinks　you　can　do　him　good。〃

〃But　he　has　never　seen　me；〃　she　continued；　with　a　nervous　little
laugh；　〃and　probably　considers　me　some　old　Gorgonlikelike
Sister　Jemima　Skerret。〃

Blandford　smiled　with　the　complacency　of　far…reaching　masculine
intuition。　　Ah！　that　shrewd　fellow；　Demorest；　was　right。　　Joan；
dear　Joan；　was　only　a　woman　after　all。

〃Then　he'll　be　the　more　agreeably　astonished；〃　he　returned；　gayly；
〃and　I　think　YOU　will；　too；　Joan。　　For　Dick　isn't　a　bad…looking
fellow；　most　women　like　him。　　It's　true；〃　he　continued；　much　amused
at　the　novelty　of　the　perfectly　natural　toss　and　grimace　with　which
Mrs。　Blandford　received　this　statement。

〃I　think　he's　been　pointed　out　to　me　somewhere；〃　she　said；
thoughtfully；　〃he's　a　tall；　dark；　dissipated…looking　man。〃

〃Nothing　of　the　kind；〃　laughed　her　husband。　　〃He's　middle…sized　and
as　blond　as　your　cousin　Joe；　only　he's　got　a　long　yellow　moustache；
and　has　a　quick；　abrupt　way　of　talking。　　He　isn't　at　all　fancy…
looking；　you'd　take　him　for　an　energetic　business　man　or　a　doctor；
if　you　didn't　know　him。　　So　you　see；　Joan；　this　correct　little　wife
of　mine　has　been　a　little；　just　a　little；　prejudiced。〃

He　drew　her　again　gently　backwards　and　nearer　his　seat；　but　she
caught　his　wrists　in　her　slim　hands；　and　rising　from　the　chair　at
the　same　moment；　dexterously　slipped　from　his　embrace　with　her　back
towards　him。　　〃I　do　not　know　why　I　should　be　unprejudiced　by
anything　you've　told　me；〃　she　said；　sharply　closing　the　book　of
sermons；　and；　with　her　back　still　to　her　husband；　reinstating　it
formally　in　its　place　on　the　cabinet。　　〃It's　probably　one　of　his
many　scandalous　pursuits　of　defenceless　and　believing　women；　and
he；　no　doubt；　goes　off　to　Boston；　laughing　at　you　for　thinking　him
in　earnest；　and　as　ready　to　tell　his　story　to　anybody　else　and
boast　of　his　double　deceit。〃　　Her　voice　had　a　touch　of　human
asperity　in　it　now；　which　he　had　never　before　noticed；　but
recognizing；　as　he　thought；　the　human　cause；　it　was　far　from
exciting　his　displeasure。

〃Wrong　again；　Joan；　he's　waiting　here　at　the　Independence　House　for
me　to　see　him　to…morrow；〃　he　returned；　cheerfully。　　〃And　I　believe
him　so　much　in　earnest　that　I　would　be　ready　to　swear　that　not
another　person　will　ever　know　the　story　but　you　and　I　and　he。　　No；
it　is　a　real　thing　with　him；　he's　dead　in　love；　and　it's　your　duty
as　a　Christian　to　help　him。〃

There　was　a　moment　of　silence。　　Mrs。　Blandford　remained　by　the
cabinet；　methodically　arranging　some　small　articles　displaced　by
the　return　of　the　book。　　〃Well；〃　she　said；　suddenly；　〃you　don't
tell　me　what　mother　had　to　say。　　Of　course；　as　you　came　home
earlier　than　you　expected；　you　had　time　to　stop　THEREonly　four
doors　from　this　house。〃

〃Well；　no；　Joan；〃　replied　Blandford；　in　awkward　discomfiture。　　〃You
see　I　met　Dick　first；　and　thenthen　I　hurried　here　to　youand
andI　clean　forgot　it。　　I'm　very　sorry；〃　he　added；　dejectedly。

〃And　I　more　deeply　so；〃　she　returned；　with　her　previous　bloodless
moral　precision；　〃for　she　probably　knows　by　this　time；　Edward；　why
you　have　omitted　your　usual　Sabbath　visit；　and　with　WHOM　you　were。〃

〃But　I　can　pull　on　my　boots　again　and　run　in　there　for　a　moment；〃
he　suggested；　dubiously；　〃if　you　think　it　necessary。　　It　won't　take
me　a　moment。〃

〃No；〃　she　said；　positively；　〃it　is　so　late　now　that　your　visit
would　only　show　it　to　be　a　second　thought。　　I　will　go　myselfit
will　be　a　call　for　us　both。〃

〃But　shall　I　go　with　you　to　the　door？　　It　is　dark　and　sleeting；〃
suggested　Blandford；　eagerly。

〃No；〃　she　replied；　peremptorily。　　〃Stay　where　you　are；　and　when
Ezekiel　and　Bridget　come　in　send　them　to　bed；　for　I　have　made
everything　fast　in　the　kitchen。　　Don't　wait　up　for　me。〃

She　left　the　room；　and　in　a　few　moments　returned；　wrapped　from　head
to　foot　in　an　enormous　plaid　shawl。　　A　white　woollen　scarf　thrown
over　her　bare　brown　head；　and　twice　rolled　around　her　neck；　almost
concealed　her　face　from　view。　　When　she　had　parted　from　her
husband；　and　reached　the　darkened　hall　below；　she　drew　from　beneath
the　folds　of　her　shawl　a　thick　blue　veil；　with　which　she　completely
enveloped　her　features。　　As　she　opened　the　front　door　and　peered
out　into　the　night；　her　own　husband　would　have　scarcely　recognized
her。

With　her　head　lowered　against　the　keen　wind　she　walked　rapidly　down
the　street　and　stopped　for　an　instant　at　the　door　of　the　fourth
house。　　Glancing　quickly　back　at　the　house　she　had　left　and　then　at
the　closed　windows　of　the　one　she　had　halted　before；　she　gathered
her　skirts　with　one　hand　and　sped　away　from　both；　never　stopping
until　she　reached　the　door　of　the　Independence　Hotel。