the pit-第2节

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Page　nudged　her　sister　and　whispered：　〃That's　the　Helmick　failure　they're　talking　about；　those　men。　Landry　Court　told　me　all　about　it。　　Mr。　Helmick　had　a　corner　in　corn；　and　he　failed　to…day；　or　will　fail　soon；　or　something。〃

But　Laura；　preoccupied　with　looking　for　the　Cresslers；　hardly　listened。　　Aunt　Wess'；　whose　count　was　confused　by　all　these　figures　murmured　just　behind　her；　began　over　again；　her　lips　silently　forming　the　words；　〃sixty…one；　sixty…two；　and　two　is　sixty…four。〃　　Behind　them　the　voice　continued：

〃They　say　Porteous　will　peg　the　market　at　twenty…six。〃

〃Well　he　ought　to。　　Corn　is　worth　that。〃

〃Never　saw　such　a　call　for　margins　in　my　life。　　Some　of　the　houses　called　eight　cents。〃

Page　turned　to　Mrs。　Wessels：　〃By　the　way；　Aunt　Wess'；　look　at　that　man　there　by　the　box　office　window；　the　one　with　his　back　towards　us；　the　one　with　his　hands　in　his　overcoat　pockets。　　Isn't　that　Mr。　Jadwin？　　The　gentleman　we　are　going　to　meet　to…night。　　See　who　I　mean？〃

〃Who？　　Mr。　Jadwin？　　I　don't　know。　　I　don't　know；　child。　I　never　saw　him；　you　know。〃

〃Well　I　think　it　is　he；〃　continued　Page。　　〃He　was　to　be　with　our　party　to…night。　　I　heard　Mrs。　Cressler　say　she　would　ask　him。　　That's　Mr。　Jadwin；　I'm　sure。　　He's　waiting　for　them；　too。〃

〃Oh；　then　ask　him　about　it；　Page；〃　exclaimed　Laura。　〃We're　missing　everything。〃

But　Page　shook　her　head：

〃I　only　met　him　once；　ages　ago；　he　wouldn't　know　me。　It　was　at　the　Cresslers；　and　we　just　said　'How　do　you　do。'　And　then　maybe　it　isn't　Mr。　Jadwin。〃

〃Oh；　I　wouldn't　bother；　girls；〃　said　Mrs。　Wessels。　〃It's　all　right。　　They'll　be　here　in　a　minute。　　I　don't　believe　the　curtain　has　gone　up　yet。〃

But　the　man　of　whom　they　spoke　turned　around　at　the　moment　and　cast　a　glance　about　the　vestibule。　　They　saw　a　gentleman　of　an　indeterminate　agejudged　by　his　face　he　might　as　well　have　been　forty　as　thirty…five。　　A　heavy　mustache　touched　with　grey　covered　his　lips。　　The　eyes　were　twinkling　and　good…tempered。　　Between　his　teeth　he　held　an　unlighted　cigar。

〃It　is　Mr。　Jadwin；〃　murmured　Page；　looking　quickly　away。　　〃But　he　don't　recognise　me。〃

Laura　also　averted　her　eyes。

〃Well；　why　not　go　right　up　to　him　and　introduce　ourself；　or　recall　yourself　to　him？〃　she　hazarded。

〃Oh；　Laura；　I　_couldn't；_〃　gasped　Page。　　〃I　wouldn't　for　worlds。〃

〃Couldn't　she；　Aunt　Wess'？〃　appealed　Laura。　　〃Wouldn't　it　be　all　right？〃

But　Mrs。　Wessels；　ignoring　forms　and　customs；　was　helpless。　　Again　she　withdrew　from　any　responsibility　in　the　matter。

〃I　don't　know　anything　about　it；〃　she　answered。　〃But　Page　oughtn't　to　be　bold。〃

〃Oh；　bother；　it　isn't　that；〃　protested　Page。　　〃But　it's　just　becauseI　don't　know；　I　don't　want　toLaura；　I　should　just　_die；_〃　she　exclaimed　with　abrupt　irrelevance；　〃and　besides；　how　would　that　help　any？〃　she　added。

〃Well；　we're　just　going　to　miss　it　_all；_〃　declared　Laura　decisively。　　There　were　actual　tears　in　her　eyes。　〃And　I　had　looked　forward　to　it　so。〃

〃Well；〃　hazarded　Aunt　Wess'；　〃you　girls　can　do　just　as　you　please。　　Only　I　wouldn't　be　bold。〃

〃Well；　would　it　be　bold　if　Page；　or　ifif　I　were　to　speak　to　him？　　We're　going　to　meet　him　anyways　in　just　a　few　minutes。〃

〃Better　wait；　hadn't　you；　Laura；〃　said　Aunt　Wess'；　〃and　see。　　Maybe　he'll　come　up　and　speak　to　us。〃

〃Oh；　as　if！〃　contradicted　Laura。　　〃He　don't　know　us；　just　as　Page　says。　　And　if　he　did；　he　wouldn't。　　He　wouldn't　think　it　polite。〃

〃Then　I　guess；　girlie；　it　wouldn't　be　polite　for　you。〃

〃I　think　it　would；〃　she　answered。　　〃I　think　it　would　be　a　woman's　place。　　If　he's　a　gentleman；　he　would　feel　that　he　just　_couldn't_　speak　first。　　I'm　going　to　do　it；〃　she　announced　suddenly。

〃Just　as　you　think　best；　Laura；〃　said　her　aunt。

But　nevertheless　Laura　did　not　move；　and　another　five　minutes　went　by。

Page　took　advantage　of　the　interval　to　tell　Laura　about　Jadwin。　　He　was　very　rich；　but　a　bachelor；　and　had　made　his　money　in　Chicago　real　estate。　　Some　of　his　holdings　in　the　business　quarter　of　the　city　were　enormous；　Landry　Court　had　told　her　about　him。　　Jadwin；　unlike　Mr。　Cressler；　was　not　opposed　to　speculation。　　Though　not　a　member　of　the　Board　of　Trade；　he　nevertheless　at　very　long　intervals　took　part　in　a　〃deal〃　in　wheat；　or　corn；　or　provisions。　　He　believed　that　all　corners　were　doomed　to　failure；　however；　and　had　predicted　Helmick's　collapse　six　months　ago。　　He　had　influence；　was　well　known　to　all　Chicago　people；　what　he　said　carried　weight；　financiers　consulted　him；　promoters　sought　his　friendship；　his　name　on　the　board　of　directors　of　a　company　was　an　all…sufficing　endorsement；　in　a　word；　a　〃strong〃　man。

〃I　can't　understand；〃　exclaimed　Laura　distrait；　referring　to　the　delay　on　the　part　of　the　Cresslers。　〃This　was　the　night；　and　this　was　the　place；　and　it　is　long　past　the　time。　　We　could　telephone　to　the　house；　you　know；〃　she　said；　struck　with　an　idea；　〃and　see　if　they've　started；　or　what　has　happened。〃

〃I　don't　knowI　don't　know；〃　murmured　Mrs。　Wessels　vaguely。　　No　one　seemed　ready　to　act　upon　Laura's　suggestion；　and　again　the　minutes　passed。

〃I'm　going；〃　declared　Laura　again；　looking　at　the　other　two；　as　if　to　demand　what　they　had　to　say　against　the　idea。

〃I　just　couldn't；〃　declared　Page　flatly。

〃Well；〃　continued　Laura；　〃I'll　wait　just　three　minutes　more；　and　then　if　the　Cresslers　are　not　here　I　will　speak　to　him。　　It　seems　to　me　to　be　perfectly　natural；　and　not　at　all　bold。〃

She　waited　three　minutes；　and　the　Cresslers　still　failing　to　appear；　temporised　yet　further；　for　the　twentieth　time　repeating：

〃I　don't　seeI　can't　understand。〃

Then；　abruptly　drawing　her　cape　about　her；　she　crossed　the　vestibule　and　came　up　to　Jadwin。

As　she　approached　she　saw　him　catch　her　eye。　　Then；　as　he　appeared　to　understand　that　this　young　woman　was　about　to　speak　to　him；　she　noticed　an　expression　of　suspicion；　almost　of　distrust；　come　into　his　face。　　No　doubt　he　knew　nothing　of　this　other　party　who　were　to　join　the　Cresslers　in　the　vestibule。　　Why　should　this　girl　speak　to　him？　　Something　had　gone　wrong；　and　the　instinct　of　the　man；　no　longer　very　young；　to　keep　out　of　strange　young　women's　troubles　betrayed　itself　in　the　uneasy　glance　that　he　shot　at　her　from　under　his　heavy　eyebrows。　　But　the　look　faded　as　quickly　as　it　had　come。　　Laura　guessed　that　he　had　decided　that　in　such　a　place　as　this　he　need　have　no　suspicions。　　He　took　the　cigar　from　his　mouth；　and　she；　immensely　relieved；　realised　that　she　had　to　do　with　a　man　who　was　a　gentleman。　　Full　of　trepidation　as　she　had　been　in　crossing　the　vestibule；　she　was　quite　mistress　of　herself　when　the　instant　came　for　her　to　speak；　and　it　was　in　a　steady　voice　and　without　embarrassment　that　she　said：

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　but　I　believe　this　is　Mr。　Jadwin。〃

He　took　off　his　hat；　evidently　a　little　nonplussed　that　she　should　know　his　name；　and　by　now　she　was　ready　even　to　browbeat　him　a　little　should　it　be　necessary。

〃Yes；　yes；〃　he　answered；　now　much　more　confused　than　she；　〃my　name　is　Jadwin。〃

〃I　believe；〃　continued　Laura　steadily；　〃we　were　all　to　be　in　the　same　party　to…night　with　the　Cresslers。　　But　they　don't　seem　to　come；　and　wemy　sister　and　my　aunt　and　Idon't　know　what　to　do。〃

She　saw　that　he　was　embarrassed；　convinced；　and　the　knowledge　that　she　controlled　the　little　situation；　that　she　could　command　him；　restored　her　all　her　equanimity。

〃My　name　is　Miss　Dearborn；〃　she　continued。　　〃I　believe　you　know　my　sister　Page。〃

By　some　trick　of　manner　she　managed　to　convey　to　him　the　impression　that　if　he　did　not　know　her　sister　Page；　that　if　for　one　instant　he　should　deem　her　to　be　bold；　he　would　offer　a　mortal　affront。　　She　had　not　yet　forgiven　him　that　stare　of　suspicion　when　first　their　eyes　had　met；　he　should　pay　her　for　that　yet。

〃Miss　Page；your　sister；Miss　Page　Dearborn？　Certainly　I　know　her；〃　he　answered。　　〃And　you　have　been　waiting；　too？　　What　a　pity！〃　And　he　permitted　himself　the　awkwardness　of　adding：　〃I　did　not　know　that　you　were　to　be　of　our　party。〃

〃No；〃　returned　Laura　upon　the　instant；　〃I　did　not　know　you　were　to　be　one　of　us　to…nightuntil　Page　told　me。〃　She　accented　the　pronouns　a　little；　but　it　was　enough　for　him　to　know　that　he　had　been　rebuked。　　How；　he　could　not　just　say；　and　for　what　it　was　impossible　for　him　at　the　moment　to　determine；　and　she　could　see　that　he　began　to　experience　a　certain　distress；　was　beating　a　retreat；　was　ceding　place　to　her。　　Who　was　she；　then；　this　tall　and　pretty　young　woman；　with　the　serious；　unsmiling　face；　who　was　so　perfectly　at　ease；　and　who　hustled　him　about　and　made　him　feel　as　though　he　were　to　blame　for　the　Cresslers'　non…appearance；　as　though　it　was　his　fault　that　she　must　wait　in　the　draughty　vestibule。　　She　had　a　great　air　with　her；　how　had　he　offended　her？　　If　he　had　introduced　himself　to　her；　had　forced　himself　upon　her；　she　could　not　be　more　lofty；　more　reserved。

〃I　thought　perhaps　you　might　telephone；〃　she　observed。

〃They　haven't　a　telephone；　unfortunately；〃　he　answered。

〃Oh！〃

This　was　quite　the　last　slight；　the　Cresslers　had　not　a　telephone！　He　was　to　blame　for　that；　too；　it　seemed。　At　his　wits'　end；　he　entertained　for　an　instant　the　notion　of　dashing　out　into　the　street　in　a　search　for　a　messenger　boy；　who　would　take　a　note　to　Cressle