the argonauts of north liberty-第5节

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until　she　reached　the　door　of　the　Independence　Hotel。


CHAPTER　III


Mrs。　Blandford　entered　the　side　door　boldly。　　Luckily　for　her；　the
austerities　of　the　Sabbath　were　manifest　even　here；　the　bar…room
was　closed；　and　the　usual　loungers　in　the　passages　were　absent。
Without　risking　the　recognition　of　her　voice　in　an　inquiry　to　the
clerk；　she　slipped　past　the　office；　still　muffled　in　her　veil；　and
quickly　mounted　the　narrow　staircase。　　For　an　instant　she　hesitated
before　the　public　parlor；　and　glanced　dubiously　along　the　half…lit
corridor。　　Chance　befriended　her；　the　door　of　a　bedroom　opened　at
that　moment；　and　Richard　Demorest；　with　his　overcoat　and　hat　on；
stepped　out　in　the　hall。

With　a　quick　and　nervous　gesture　of　her　hand　she　beckoned　him　to
approach。　　He　came　towards　her　leisurely；　with　an　amused　curiosity
that　suddenly　changed　to　utter　astonishment　as　she　hurriedly　lifted
her　veil；　dropped　it；　turned；　and　glided　down　the　staircase　into
the　street　again。　　He　followed　rapidly；　but　did　not　overtake　her
until　she　had　reached　the　corner；　when　she　slackened　her　pace　an
instant　for　him　to　join　her。

〃Lulu；〃　he　said　eagerly；　〃is　it　you？〃

〃Not　a　word　here；〃　she　said；　breathlessly。　　〃Follow　me　at　a
distance。〃

She　started　forward　again　in　the　direction　of　her　own　house。
He　followed　her　at　a　sufficient　interval　to　keep　her　faintly
distinguishable　figure　in　sight　until　she　had　crossed　three
streets；　and　near　the　end　of　the　next　block　glided　up　the　steps　of
a　house　not　far　from　the　one　where　he　remembered　to　have　left
Blandford。　　As　he　joined　her；　she　had　just　succeeded　in　opening　the
door　with　a　pass…key；　and　was　awaiting　him。　　With　a　gesture　of
silence　she　took　his　hand　in　her　cold　fingers；　and　leading　him
softly　through　the　dark　hall　and　passage；　quickly　entered　the
kitchen。　　Here　she　lit　a　candle；　turned；　and　faced　him。　　He　could
see　that　the　outside　shutters　were　bolted；　and　the　kitchen
evidently　closed　for　the　night。

As　she　removed　the　veil　from　her　face　he　made　a　movement　as　if　to
regain　her　hand　again；　but　she　drew　it　away。

〃You　have　forced　this　upon　me；〃　she　said　hurriedly；　〃and　it　may　be
ruin　to　us　both。　　Why　have　you　betrayed　me？〃

〃Betrayed　you；　LuluGood　God！　what　do　you　mean？〃

She　looked　him　full　in　the　eye；　and　then　said　slowly；　〃Do　you　mean
to　say　that　you　have　told　no　one　of　our　meetings？〃

〃Only　onemy　old　friend　Blandford；　who　lives　　Ah；　yes！　　I　see　it
now。　　You　are　neighbors。　　He　has　betrayed　me。　　This　house　is〃

〃My　father's！〃　she　replied　boldly。

The　momentary　uneasiness　passed　from　Demorest's　resolute　face。　　His
old　self…sufficiency　returned。　　〃Good；〃　he　said；　with　a　frank
laugh；　〃that　will　do　for　me。　　Open　the　door　there；　Lulu；　and　take
me　to　him。　　I'm　not　ashamed　of　anything　I've　done；　my　girl；　nor
need　you　be。　　I'll　tell　him　my　real　name　is　Dick　Demorest；　as　I
ought　to　have　told　you　before；　and　that　I　want　to　marry　you；　fairly
and　squarely；　and　let　him　make　the　conditions。　　I'm　not　a　vagabond
nor　a　thief；　Lulu；　if　I　have　met　you　on　the　sly。　　Come；　dear；　let
us　end　this　now。　　Come〃

But　she　had　thrown　herself　before　him　and　placed　her　hand　upon　his
lips。　　〃Hush！　are　you　mad？　　Listen　to　me；　I　tell　youpleaseoh；
dono　you　must　not！〃　　He　had　covered　her　hand　with　kisses　and　was
drawing　her　face　towards　his　own。　　〃Nonot　again；　it　was　wrong
then；　it　is　monstrous　now。　　I　implore　you；　listen；　if　you　love　me；
stop。〃

He　released　her。　　She　sank　into　a　chair　by　the　kitchen…table；　and
buried　her　flushed　face　in　her　hands。

He　stood　for　a　moment　motionless　before　her。　　〃Lulu；　if　that　is
your　name；〃　he　said　slowly；　but　gently；　〃tell　me　all　now。　　Be　frank
with　me；　and　trust　me。　　If　there　is　anything　stands　in　the　way；　let
me　know　what　it　is　and　I　can　overcome　it。　　If　it　is　my　telling　Ned
Blandford；　don't　let　that　worry　you；　he's　as　loyal　a　fellow　as　ever
breathed；　and　I'm　a　dog　to　ever　think　he　willingly　betrayed　us。
His　wife；　well；　she's　one　of　those　pious　saintsbut　no；　she　would
not　be　such　a　cursed　hypocrite　and　bigot　as　this。〃

〃Hush；　I　tell　you！　　WILL　you　hush；〃　she　said；　in　a　frantic　whisper；
springing　to　her　feet　and　grasping　him　convulsively　by　the　lapels
of　his　overcoat。　　〃Not　a　word　more；　or　I'll　kill　myself。　　Listen！
Do　you　know　what　I　brought　you　here　for？　why　I　left　mythis　house
and　dragged　you　out　of　your　hotel？　　Well；　it　was　to　tell　you　that
you　must　leave　me；　leave　HEREgo　out　of　this　house　and　out　of　this
town　at　once；　to…night！　　And　never　look　on　it　or　me　again！　　There！
you　have　said　we　must　end　this　now。　　It　is　ended；　as　only　it　could
and　ever　would　end。　　And　if　you　open　that　door　except　to　go；　or　if
you　attempt　toto　touch　me　again；　I'll　do　something　desperate。
There！〃

She　threw　him　off　again　and　stepped　back；　strangely　beautiful　in
the　loosened　shackles　of　her　long　repressed　human　emotion。　　It　was
as　if　the　passion…rent　robes　of　the　priestess　had　laid　bare　the
flesh　of　the　woman　dazzling　and　victorious。　　Demorest　was
fascinated　and　frightened。

〃Then　you　do　not　love　me？〃　he　said　with　a　constrained　smile；　〃and　I
am　a　fool？〃

〃Love　you！〃　she　repeated。　　〃Love　you；〃　she　continued；　bowing　her
brown　head　over　her　hanging　arms　and　clasped　hands。　　〃What　then　has
brought　me　to　this？　　Oh；〃　she　said　suddenly；　again　seizing　him　by
his　two　arms；　and　holding　him　from　her　with　a　half…prudish；　half…
passionate　gesture；　〃why　could　you　not　have　left　things　as　they
were；　why　could　we　not　have　met　in　the　same　old　way　we　used　to
meet；　when　I　was　so　foolish　and　so　happy？　　Why　could　you　spoil　that
one　dream　I　have　clung　to？　　Why　didn't　you　leave　me　those　few　days
of　my　wretched　life　when　I　was　weak；　silly；　vain；　but　not　the
unhappy　woman　I　am　now。　　You　were　satisfied　to　sit　beside　me　and
talk　to　me　then。　　You　respected　my　secret；　my　reserve。　　My　God！　I
used　to　think　you　loved　me　as　I　loved　youfor　THAT！　　Why　did　you
break　your　promise　and　follow　me　here？　　I　believed　you　the　first
day　we　met；　when　you　said　there　was　no　wrong　in　my　listening　to
you；　that　it　should　go　no　further；　that　you　would　never　seek　to
renew　it　without　my　consent。　　You　tell　me　I　don't　love　you；　and　I
tell　you　now　that　we　must　part；　that　frightened　as　I　was；　foolish
as　I　was；　that　day　was　the　first　day　I　had　ever　lived　and　felt　as
other　women　live　and　feel。　　If　I　ran　away　from　you　then　it　was
because　I　was　running　away　from　my　old　self　too。　　Don't　you
understand　me？　　Could　you　not　have　trusted　me　as　I　trusted　you？〃

〃I　broke　my　promise　only　when　you　broke　yours。　　When　you　would　not
meet　me　I　followed　you　here；　because　I　loved　you。〃

〃And　that　is　why　you　must　leave　me　now；〃　she　said；　starting　from
his　outstretched　arms　again。　　〃Do　not　ask　me　why；　but　go；　I　implore
you。　　You　must　leave　this　town　to…night；　to…morrow　will　be　too
late。〃

He　cast　a　hurried　glance　around　him；　as　if　seeking　to　gather
some　reason　for　this　mysterious　haste；　or　a　clue　for　future
identification。　　He　saw　only　the　Sabbath…sealed　cupboards；　the　cold
white　china　on　the　dresser；　and　the　flicker　of　the　candle　on　the
partly…opened　glass　transom　above　the　door。　　〃As　you　wish；〃　he
said；　with　quiet　sadness。　　〃I　will　go　now；　and　leave　the　town　to…
night；　but〃his　voice　struck　its　old　imperative　note〃this　shall
not　end　here；　Lulu。　　There　will　be　a　next　time；　and　I　am　bound　to
win　you　yet；　in　spite　of　all　and　everything。〃

She　looked　at　him　with　a　half…frightened；　half…hysterical　light　in
her　eyes。　　〃God　knows！〃

〃And　you　will　be　frank　with　me　then；　and　tell　me　all？〃

〃Yes；　yes；　another　time；　but　go　now。〃　　She　had　extinguished　the
candle；　turned　the　handle　of　the　door　noiselessly；　and　was　holding
it　open。　　A　faint　light　stole　through　the　dark　passage。　　She　drew
back　hastily。　　〃You　have　left　the　front　door　open；〃　she　said　in　a
frightened　voice。　　〃I　thought　you　had　shut　it　behind　me；〃　he
returned　quickly。　　〃Good　night。〃　　He　drew　her　towards　him。　　She
resisted　slightly。　　They　were　for　an　instant　clasped　in　a
passionate　embrace；　then　there　was　a　sudden　collapse　of　the　light
and　a　dull　jar。　　The　front　door　had　swung　to。

With　a　desperate　bound　she　darted　into　the　passage　and　through　the
hall；　dragging　him　by　the　hand；　and　threw　the　front　door　open。
Without；　the　street　was　silent　and　empty。

〃Go；〃　she　whispered　frantically。

Demorest　passed　quickly　down　the　steps　and　disappeared。　　At　the
same　moment　a　voice　came　from　the　banisters　of　the　landing　above。
〃Who's　there？〃

〃It's　I；　mother。〃

〃I　thought　so。　　And　it's　like　Edward　to　bring　you　and　sneak　off　in
that　fashion。〃

Mrs。　Blandford　gave　a　quick　sigh　of　relief。　　Demorest's　flight　had
been　mistaken　for　her　husband's　habitual　evasion。　　Knowing　that　her
mother　would　not　refer　to　the　subject　again；　she　did　not　reply；　but
slowly　mounted　the　dark　staircase　with　an　assumption　of　more　than
usual　hesitating　precaution；　in　order　to　recover　her　equanimity。


The　clocks　were　striking　eleven　when　she　left　her　mother's　house
and　re…entered　her　own。　　She　was　surprised　to　find　a　light　burning
in　the　kitchen；　and　Ezekiel；　their　hired　man；　awaiting　her　in　a
dominant　and　nasal　key　of　religious　and　practical　disapprobation。
〃Pity　you　wern't　tu　hum　afore；　ma'am；　considerin'　the　doins　that's
goin'　on　i