the man between(夹在中间的人)-第36节
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God no such word exists。 I do not know it。 You are my wife； willing or
unwilling。 You are my wife forever； whether you dwell with me or not。
You cannot sever bonds the Almighty has tied。 You are mine； Dora
Stanhope！ Mine for time and eternity！ Mine forever and ever！〃
She looked at him in amazement； and saw a man after an image she
had never imagined。 She was terrified。 She flung herself on the sofa in a
whirlwind of passion。 She cried aloud against his claim。 She gave herself
up to a vehement rage that was strongly infused with a childish dismay
and panic。
〃I will not be your wife forever！〃 she shrieked。 〃I will never be your
wife again never； not for one hour！ Let me go！ Take your hands off me！〃
For Basil had knelt down by the distraught woman； and clasping her in his
arms said； even on her lips； 〃You ARE my dear wife！ You are my very
own dear wife！ Tell me what to do。 Anything that is right； reasonable I will
do。 We can never part。〃
〃I will go to my father。 I will never come back to you。〃 And with these
words she rose； threw off his embrace； and with a sobbing cry ran； like a
terrified child； out of the room。
He sat down exhausted by his emotion； and sick with the thought she
had evoked in that one evil word。 The publicity； the disgrace； the wrong to
Holy Churchah； that was the cruelest wound！ His own wrong was hard
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enough； but that he； who would gladly die for the Church； should put her
to open shame！ How could he bear it？ Though it killed him； he must
prevent that wrong； yes； if the right eye offended it must be plucked out。
He must throw off his cassock； and turn away from the sacred aisles； he
musthe could not say the word； he would wait a little。 Dora would not
leave him； it was impossible。 He waited in a trance of aching suspense。
Nothing for an hour or more broke itno footfall； no sound of command
or complaint。 He was finally in hopes that Dora slept。 Then he was called
to lunch； and he made a pretense of eating it alone。 Dora sent no excuse
for her absence； and he could not trust himself to make inquiry about her。
In the middle of the afternoon he heard a carriage drive to the door； and
Dora； with her jewel… case in her hand； entered it and was driven away。
The sight astounded him。 He ran to her room； and found her maid packing
her clothing。 The woman answered his questions sullenly。 She said 〃Mrs。
Stanhope had gone to Mrs。 Denning's； and had left orders for her trunks to
be sent there。〃 Beyond this she was silent and ignorant。 No sympathy for
either husband or wife was in her heart。 Their quarrel was interfering with
her own plans； she hated both of them in consequence。
In the meantime Dora had reached her home。 Her mother was
dismayed and hesitating； and her attitude raised again in Dora's heart the
passion which had provoked the step she had taken。 She wept like a lost
child。 She exclaimed against the horror of being Basil's wife forever and
ever。 She reproached her mother for suffering her to marry while she was
only a child。 She said she had been cruelly used in order to get the family
into social recognition。 She was in a frenzy of grief at her supposed
sacrifice when her father came home。 Her case was then won。 With her
arms round his neck； sobbing against his heart； her tears and entreaties on
his lips； Ben Denning had no feeling and no care for anyone but his
daughter。 He took her view of things at once。 〃She HAD been badly used。
It WAS a shame to tie a girl like Dora to sermons and such like。 It was like
shutting her up in a convent。〃 Dora's tears and complaints fired him
beyond reason。 He promised her freedom whatever it cost him。
And while he sat in his private room considering the case； all the racial
passions of his rough ancestry burning within him； Basil Stanhope called
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to see him。 He permitted him to come into his presence； but he rose as he
entered； and walked hastily a few steps to meet him。
〃What do you want here； sir？〃 he asked。
〃My wife。〃
〃My daughter。 You shall not see her。 I have taken her back to my own
care。〃
〃She is my wife。 No one can take her from me。〃
〃I will teach you a different lesson。〃
〃The law of God。〃
〃The law of the land goes here。 You'll find it more than you can defy。〃
〃Sir； I entreat you to let me speak to Dora。〃
〃I will not。〃
〃I will stay here until I see her。〃
〃I will give you five minutes。 I do not wish to offer your profession an
insult； if you have any respect for it you will obey me。〃
Answer me one questionwhat have I done wrong？〃
〃A man can be so intolerably right； that he becomes unbearably wrong。
You have no business with a wife and a home。 You are a d sight too
good for a good little girl that wants a bit of innocent amusement。 Sermons
and Christmas trees！ Great Scott； what sensible woman would not be sick
of it all？ Sir； I don't want another minute of your company。 Little wonder
that my Dora is ill with it。 Oblige me by leaving my house as quietly as
possible。〃 And he walked to the door； flung it open； and stood glaring at
the distracted husband。 〃Go；〃 he said。 〃Go at once。 My lawyer will see you
in the future。 I have nothing further to say to you。〃
Basil went； but not to his desolate home。 He had a private key to the
vestry in his church； and in its darkness and solitude he faced the first
shock of his ruined life； for he knew well all was over。 All had been。 He
sank to the floor at the foot of the large cross which hung on its bare white
walls。 Grief's illimitable wave went over him； and like a drowning man he
uttered an inarticulate cry of agony the cry of a soul that had wronged its
destiny。 Love had betrayed him to ruin。 All he had done must be
abandoned。 All he had won must be given up。 Sin and shame indeed it
would be if in his person a sacrament of the Church should be dragged
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through a divorce court。 All other considerations paled before this disgrace。
He must resign his curacy； strip himself of the honorable livery of heaven；
obliterate his person and his name。 It was a kind of death。
After awhile he rose； drank some water； lifted the shade and let the
moonlight in。 Then about that little room he walked with God through the
long night； telling Him his sorrow and perplexity。 And there is a depth in
our own nature where the divine and human are one。 That night Basil
Stanhope found it； and henceforward knew that the bitterness of death was
behind him； not before。 〃I made my nest too dear on earth；〃 he sighed；
〃and it has been swept barethat is； that I may build in heaven。
Now； the revelation of sorrow is the clearest of all revelations。
Stanhope understood that hour what he must do。 No doubts weakened his
course。 He went back to the house Dora called 〃hers；〃 took away what he
valued； and while the servants were eating their breakfast and talking over
his marital troubles； he passed across its threshold for the last time。 He
told no one where he was going； he dropped as silently and dumbly out of
the life that had known him as a stone dropped into mid…ocean。
Ethel considered herself fortunate in being from home at the time this
disastrous culmination of Basil Stanhope's married life was reached。 On
that same morning the Judge； accompanied by Ruth and herself； had gone
to Lenox to spend the holidays with some old friends； and she was quite
ignorant of the matter when she returned after the New Year。 Bryce was
her first informant。 He called specially to give her the news。 He said his
sister had been too ill and too busy to write。 He had no word of sympathy
for the unhappy pair。 He spoke only of the anxiety it had caused him。 〃He
was now engaged；〃 he said； 〃to Miss Caldwell； and she was such an
extremely proper； innocent lady； and a member of St。 Jude's； it had really
been a trying time for her。〃 Bryce also reminded Ethel that he had been
against Basil Stanhope from
