the pit-第10节

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〃As　if　you　really　meant　that；〃　she　said；　willing　to　prolong　the　little　situation。　　It　was　very　sweet　to　have　this　clean；　fine…fibred　young　boy　so　earnestly　in　love　with　her；　very　sweet　that　the　lifting　of　her　finger；　the　mere　tremble　of　her　eyelid　should　so　perturb　him。

〃Mean　it！　Mean　it！〃　he　vociferated。　　〃You　don't　know　how　much　I　do　mean　it。　　Why；　Laura；　whywhy；　I　can't　think　of　anything　else。〃

〃You！〃　she　mocked。　　〃As　if　I　believed　that。　　How　many　other　girls　have　you　said　it　to　this　year？〃

Landry　compressed　his　lips。

〃Miss　Dearborn；　you　insult　me。〃

〃Oh；　my！〃　exclaimed　Laura；　at　last　withdrawing　her　hand。

〃And　now　you're　mocking　me。　　It　isn't　kind。　　No；　it　isn't；　it　isn't　_kind。_〃

〃I　never　answered　your　question　yet；〃　she　observed。

〃What　question？〃

〃About　your　coming　to　see　me　when　we　were　settled。　I　_thought_　you　wanted　to　know。〃

〃How　about　lunch？〃　said　Page；　from　the　doorway。　　〃Do　you　know　it's　after　twelve？〃

〃The　girl　has　got　something　for　us；〃　said　Laura。　　〃I　told　her　about　it。　　Oh；　just　a　pick…up　lunchcoffee；　chops。　　I　thought　we　wouldn't　bother　to…day。　　We'll　have　to　eat　in　the　kitchen。〃

〃Well；　let's　be　about　it；〃　declared　Landry；　〃and　finish　with　these　curtains　afterward。　　Inwardly　I'm　a　ravening　wolf。〃

It　was　past　one　o'clock　by　the　time　that　luncheon；　〃picked　up〃　though　it　was；　was　over。　　By　then　everybody　was　very　tired。　　Aunt　Wess'　exclaimed　that　she　could　not　stand　another　minute；　and　retired　to　her　room。　Page；　indefatigable；　declaring　they　never　would　get　settled　if　they　let　things　dawdle　along；　set　to　work　unpacking　her　trunk　and　putting　her　clothes　away。　　Her　fox　terrier；　whom　the　family；　for　obscure　reasons；　called　the　Pig；　arrived　in　the　middle　of　the　afternoon　in　a　crate；　and　shivering　with　the　chill　of　the　house；　was　tied　up　behind　the　kitchen　range；　where；　for　all　the　heat；　he　still　trembled　and　shuddered　at　long　intervals；　his　head　down；　his　eyes　rolled　up；　bewildered　and　discountenanced　by　so　much　confusion　and　so　many　new　faces。

Outside　the　weather　continued　lamentable。　　The　rain　beat　down　steadily　upon　the　heaps　of　snow　on　the　grass…　plats　by　the　curbstones；　melting　it；　dirtying　it；　and　reducing　it　to　viscid　slush。　　The　sky　was　lead　grey；　the　trees；　bare　and　black　as　though　built　of　iron　and　wire；　dripped　incessantly。　　The　sparrows；　huddling　under　the　house…eaves　or　in　interstices　of　the　mouldings；　chirped　feebly　from　time　to　time；　sitting　disconsolate；　their　feathers　puffed　out　till　their　bodies　assumed　globular　shapes。　　Delivery　wagons　trundled　up　and　down　the　street　at　intervals；　the　horses　and　drivers　housed　in　oil…skins。

The　neighborhood　was　quiet。　　There　was　no　sound　of　voices　in　the　streets。　　But　occasionally；　from　far　away　in　the　direction　of　the　river　or　the　Lake　Front；　came　the　faint　sounds　of　steamer　and　tug　whistles。　　The　sidewalks　in　either　direction　were　deserted。　　Only　a　solitary　policeman；　his　star　pinned　to　he　outside　of　his　dripping　rubber　coat；　his　helmet　shedding　rivulets；　stood　on　the　corner　absorbed　in　the　contemplation　of　the　brown　torrent　of　the　gutter　plunging　into　a　sewer　vent。

Landry　and　Laura　were　in　the　library　at　the　rear　of　the　house；　a　small　room；　two　sides　of　which　were　occupied　with　book…cases。　　They　were　busy　putting　the　books　in　place。　　Laura　stood　half…way　up　the　step…ladder　taking　volume　after　volume　from　Landry　as　he　passed　them　to　her。

〃Do　you　wipe　them　carefully；　Landry？〃　she　asked。

He　held　a　strip　of　cloth　torn　from　an　old　sheet　in　his　hand；　and　rubbed　the　dust　from　each　book　before　he　handed　it　to　her。

〃Yes；　yes；　very　carefully；〃　he　assured　her。　　〃Say；〃　he　added；　〃where　are　all　your　modern　novels？　　You've　got　Scott　and　Dickens　and　Thackeray；　of　course；　and　Eliot　yes；　and　here's　Hawthorne　and　Poe。　　But　I　haven't　struck　anything　later　than　Oliver　Wendell　Holmes。〃

Laura　put　up　her　chin。　　〃Modern　novelsno　indeed。　When　I've　yet　to　read　'Jane　Eyre；'　and　have　only　read　'Ivanhoe'　and　'The　Newcomes'　once。〃

She　made　a　point　of　the　fact　that　her　taste　was　the　extreme　of　conservatism；　refusing　to　acknowledge　hardly　any　fiction　that　was　not　almost　classic。　　Even　Stevenson　aroused　her　suspicions。

〃Well；　here's　'The　Wrecker；'　〃observed　Landry；　handing　it　up　to　her。　　〃I　read　it　last　summer…vacation　at　Waukesha。　　Just　about　took　the　top　of　my　head　off。〃

〃I　tried　to　read　it；〃　she　answered。　　〃Such　an　outlandish　story；　no　love　story　in　it；　and　so　coarse；　so　brutal；　and　then　so　improbable。　　I　couldn't　get　interested。〃

But　abruptly　Landry　uttered　an　exclamation：

〃Well；　what　do　you　call　this？　　'Wanda；'　by　Ouida。　How　is　this　for　modern？〃

She　blushed　to　her　hair；　snatching　the　book　from　him。

〃Page　brought　it　home。　　It's　hers。〃

But　her　confusion　betrayed　her；　and　Landry　shouted　derisively。

〃Well；　I　_did_　read　it　then；〃　she　suddenly　declared　defiantly。　　〃No；　I'm　not　ashamed。　　Yes；　I　read　it　from　cover　to　cover。　　It　made　me　cry　like　I　haven't　cried　over　a　book　since　I　was　a　little　tot。　　You　can　say　what　you　like；　but　it's　beautifula　beautiful　love　story　and　it　does　tell　about　noble；　unselfish　people。　　I　suppose　it　has　its　faults；　but　it　makes　you　feel　better　for　reading　it；　and　that's　what　all　your　'Wreckers'　in　the　world　would　never　do。〃

〃Well；〃　answered　Landry；　〃I　don't　know　much　about　that　sort　of　thing。　　Corthell　does。　　He　can　talk　you　blind　about　literature。　　I've　heard　him　run　on　by　the　hour。　He　says　the　novel　of　the　future　is　going　to　be　the　novel　without　a　love　story。〃

But　Laura　nodded　her　head　incredulously。

〃It　will　be　long　after　I　am　deadthat's　one　consolation；〃　she　said。

〃Corthell　is　full　of　crazy　ideas　anyhow；〃　Landry　went　on；　still　continuing　to　pass　the　books　up　to　her。　〃He's　a　good　sort；　and　I　like　him　well　enough；　but　he's　the　kind　of　man　that　gets　up　a　reputation　for　being　clever　and　artistic　by　running　down　the　very　one　particular　thing　that　every　one　likes；　and　cracking　up　some　book　or　picture　or　play　that　no　one　has　ever　heard　of。　　Just　let　anything　get　popular　once　and　Sheldon　Corthell　can't　speak　of　it　without　shuddering。　　But　he'll　go　over　here　to　some　Archer　Avenue　pawn　shop；　dig　up　an　old　brass　stewpan；　or　coffee…pot　that　some　greasy　old　Russian　Jew　has　chucked　away；　and　he'll　stick　it　up　in　his　studio　and　regularly　kow…tow　to　it；　and　talk　about　the　'decadence　of　American　industrial　arts。'　I've　heard　him。　　I　say　it's　pure　affectation；　that's　what　it　is；　pure　affectation。〃

But　the　book…case　meanwhile　had　been　filling　up；　and　now　Laura　remarked：

〃No　more；　Landry。　　That's　all　that　will　go　here。〃

She　prepared　to　descend　from　the　ladder。　　In　filling　the　higher　shelves　she　had　mounted　almost　to　the　top…　most　step。

〃Careful　now；〃　said　Landry；　as　he　came　forward。　　〃Give　me　your　hand。〃

She　gave　it　to　him；　and　then；　as　she　descended；　Landry　had　the　assurance　to　put　his　arm　around　her　waist　as　if　to　steady　her。　　He　was　surprised　at　his　own　audacity；　for　he　had　premeditated　nothing；　and　his　arm　was　about　her　before　he　was　well　aware。　　He　yet　found　time　to　experience　a　qualm　of　apprehension。　　Just　how　would　Laura　take　it？　　Had　he　gone　too　far？

But　Laura　did　not　even　seem　to　notice；　all　her　attention　apparently　fixed　upon　coming　safely　down　to　the　floor。　　She　descended　and　shook　out　her　skirts。

〃There；〃　she　said；　〃that's　over　with。　　Look；　I'm　all　dusty。〃

There　was　a　knock　at　the　half…open　door。　　It　was　the　cook。

〃What　are　you　going　to　have　for　supper；　Miss　Dearborn？〃　she　inquired。　　〃There's　nothing　in　the　house。〃

〃Oh；　dear；〃　said　Laura　with　sudden　blankness；　〃I　never　thought　of　supper。　　Isn't　there　anything？〃

〃Nothing　but　some　eggs　and　coffee。〃　　The　cook　assumed　an　air　of　aloofness；　as　if　the　entire　affair　were　totally　foreign　to　any　interest　or　concern　of　hers。　　Laura　dismissed　her；　saying　that　she　would　see　to　it。

〃We'll　have　to　go　out　and　get　some　things；〃　she　said。　〃We'll　all　go。　　I'm　tired　of　staying　in　the　house。〃

〃No；　I've　a　better　scheme；〃　announced　Landry。　　〃I'll　invite　you　all　out　to　dine　with　me。　　I　know　a　place　where　you　can　get　the　best　steak　in　America。　　It　has　stopped　raining。　　See；〃　he　showed　her　the　window。

〃But；　Landry；　we　are　all　so　dirty　and　miserable。〃

〃We'll　go　right　now　and　get　there　early。　　There　will　be　nobody　there；　and　we　can　have　a　room　to　ourselves；　Oh；　it's　all　right；〃　he　declared。　　〃You　just　trust　me。〃

〃We'll　see　what　Page　and　Aunt　Wess'　say。　　Of　course　Aunt　Wess'　would　have　to　come。〃

〃Of　course；〃　he　said。　　〃I　wouldn't　think　of　asking　you　unless　she　could　come。〃

A　little　later　the　two　sisters；　Mrs。　Wessels；　and　Landry　came　out　of　the　house；　but　before　taking　their　car　they　crossed　to　the　opposite　side　of　the　street；　Laura　having　said　that　she　wanted　to　note　the　effect　of　her　parlour　curtains　from　the　outside。

〃I　think　they　are　looped　up　just　far　enough；〃　she　declared。　　But　Landry　was　observing　the　house　itself。

〃It　is　the　best…looking　place　on　the　block；〃　he　answered。

In　fact；　the　house　was　not　without　a　certain　attractiveness。　　It　occupied　a　corner　lot　at　the　intersection　of　Huron　and　North　State　streets。　Directly　opposite　was　St。　　James'　Church；　and　at　one　time　the　house　had　served　as　the　rectory。　　For　the　matter　of　that；　it　had　been　built　for　just　that　purpose。　　Its　style　of　architecture　was