the pit-第21节

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　conversation　in　the　foyer　of　the　Auditorium；　only　by　some　unexplained　subtlety　of　attitude　he　managed　to　convey　to　her　the　distinct　impression　that　he　loved　her　always。　　That　he　was　patient；　waiting　for　some　indefinite；　unexpressed　development。

Landry　Court　called　upon　her　as　often　as　she　would　allow。　　Once　he　had　prevailed　upon　her　and　Page　to　accompany　him　to　the　matinee　to　see　a　comic　opera。　　He　had　pronounced　it　〃bully；〃　unable　to　see　that　Laura　evinced　only　a　mild　interest　in　the　performance。　　On　each　propitious　occasion　he　had　made　love　to　her　extravagantly。　　He　continually　protested　his　profound　respect　with　a　volubility　and　earnestness　that　was　quite　uncalled　for。

But；　meanwhile；　the　situation　had　speedily　become　more　complicated　by　the　entrance　upon　the　scene　of　an　unexpected　personage。　　This　was　Curtis　Jadwin。　　It　was　impossible　to　deny　the　fact　that　〃J。〃　was　in　love　with　Mrs。　Cressler's　_protegee。_　　The　business　man　had　none　of　Corthell's　talent　for　significant　reticence；　none　of　his　tact；　and　older　than　she；　a　man…of…the…world；　accustomed　to　deal　with　situations　with　unswerving　directness；　he；　unlike　Landry　Court；　was　not　in　the　least　afraid　of　her。　　From　the　very　first　she　found　herself　upon　the　defensive。　　Jadwin　was　aggressive；　assertive；　and　his　addresses　had　all　the　persistence　and　vehemence　of　veritable　attack。　　Landry　she　could　manage　with　the　lifting　of　a　finger；　Corthell　disturbed　her　only　upon　those　rare　occasions　when　he　made　love　to　her。　　But　Jadwin　gave　her　no　time　to　so　much　as　think　of　_finesse。_　　She　was　not　even　allowed　to　choose　her　own　time　and　place　for　fencing；　and　to　parry　his　invasion　upon　those　intimate　personal　grounds　which　she　pleased　herself　to　keep　secluded　called　upon　her　every　feminine　art　of　procrastination　and　strategy。

He　contrived　to　meet　her　everywhere。　　He　impressed　Mrs。　Cressler　as　auxiliary　into　his　campaign；　and　a　series　of　_rencontres_　followed　one　another　with　astonishing　rapidity。　　Now　it　was　another　opera　party；　now　a　box　at　McVicker's；　now　a　dinner；　or　more　often　a　drive　through　Lincoln　Park　behind　Jadwin's　trotters。　　He　even　had　the　Cresslers　and　Laura　over　to　his　mission　Sunday…school　for　the　Easter　festival；　an　occasion　of　which　Laura　carried　away　a　confused　recollection　of　enormous　canvas　mottoes；　that　looked　more　like　campaign　banners　than　texts　from　the　Scriptures；　sheaves　of　calla　lilies；　imitation　bells　of　tin…foil；　revival　hymns　vociferated　with　deafening　vehemence　from　seven　hundred　distended　mouths；　and　through　it　all　the　disagreeable　smell　of　poverty；　the　odor　of　uncleanliness　that　mingled　strangely　with　the　perfume　of　the　lilies　and　the　aromatic　whiffs　from　the　festoons　of　evergreen。

Thus　the　first　month　of　her　new　life　had　passed　Laura　did　not　trouble　herself　to　look　very　far　into　the　future。　　She　was　too　much　amused　with　her　emancipation　from　the　narrow　horizon　of　her　New　England　environment。　She　did　not　concern　herself　about　consequences。　　Things　would　go　on　for　themselves；　and　consequences　develop　without　effort　on　her　part。　　She　never　asked　herself　whether　or　not　she　was　in　love　with　any　of　the　three　men　who　strove　for　her　favor。　　She　was　quite　sure　she　was　not　readyyetto　be　married。　　There　was　even　something　distasteful　in　the　idea　of　marriage。　　She　liked　Landry　Court　immensely；　she　found　the　afternoons　in　Corthell's　studio　delightful；　she　loved　the　rides　in　the　park　behind　Jadwin's　horses。　　She　had　no　desire　that　any　one　of　these　affairs　should　exclude　the　other　two。　　She　wished　nothing　to　be　consummated。　　As　for　love；　she　never　let　slip　an　occasion　to　shock　Aunt　Wess'　by　declaring：

〃I　lovenobody。　　I　shall　never　marry。〃

Page；　prim；　with　great　parades　of　her　ideas　of　〃good　form；〃　declared　between　her　pursed　lips　that　her　sister　was　a　flirt。　　But　this　was　not　so。　　Laura　never　manoeuvered　with　her　lovers；　nor　intrigued　to　keep　from　any　one　of　them　knowledge　of　her　companionship　with　the　other　two。　　So　upon　such　occasions　as　this；　when　all　three　found　themselves　face　to　face；　she　remained　unperturbed。

At　last；　towards　half…past　eight；　Monsieur　Gerardy　arrived。　　All　through　the　winter　amateur　plays　had　been　in　great　favor；　and　Gerardy　had　become；　in　a　sense；　a　fad。　　He　was　in　great　demand。　　Consequently；　he　gave　himself　airs。　　His　method　was　that　of　severity；　he　posed　as　a　task…master；　relentless；　never　pleased；　hustling　the　amateur　actors　about　without　ceremony；　scolding　and　brow…beating。　　He　was　a　small；　excitable　man　who　wore　a　frock…coat　much　too　small　for　him；　a　flowing　purple　cravatte　drawn　through　a　finger　ring；　and　enormous　cuffs　set　off　with　huge　buttons　of　Mexican　onyx。　　In　his　lapel　was　an　inevitable　carnation；　dried；　shrunken；　and　lamentable。　　He　was　redolent　of　perfume　and　spoke　of　himself　as　an　artist。　　He　caused　it　to　be　understood　that　in　the　intervals　of　〃coaching　society　plays〃　he　gave　his　attention　to　the　painting　of　landscapes。　　Corthell　feigned　to　ignore　his　very　existence。

The　play…book　in　his　hand；　Monsieur　Gerardy　clicked　his　heels　in　the　middle　of　the　floor　and　punctiliously　saluted　everyone　present；　bowing　only　from　his　shoulders；　his　head　dropping　forward　as　if　propelled　by　successive　dislocations　of　the　vertebrae　of　his　neck。

He　explained　the　cause　of　his　delay。　　His　English　was　without　accent；　but　at　times　suddenly　entangled　itself　in　curious　Gallic　constructions。

〃Then　I　propose　we　begin　at　once；〃　he　announced。　　〃The　second　act　to…night；　then；　if　we　have　time；　the　third　actfrom　the　book。　　And　I　expect　the　second　act　to　be　letter…perfectlet…ter…per…fect。　　There　is　nothing

there　but　that。〃　　He　held　up　his　hand；　as　if　to　refuse　to　consider　the　least　dissention。　　〃There　is　nothing　but　thatno　other　thing。〃

All　but　Corthell　listened　attentively。　　The　artist；　however；　turning　his　back；　had　continued　to　talk　to　Laura　without　lowering　his　tone；　and　all　through　Monsieur　Gerardy's　exhortation　his　voice　had　made　itself　heard。　　〃Management　of　light　and　shade〃　。。。　〃color　scheme〃　。。。　〃effects　of　composition。〃

Monsieur　Gerardy's　eye　glinted　in　his　direction。　　He　struck　his　play…book　sharply　into　the　palm　of　his　hand。

〃Come；　come！〃　he　cried。　　〃No　more　nonsense。　　Now　we　leave　the　girls　alone　and　get　to　work。　　Here　is　the　scene。　　Mademoiselle　Gretry；　if　I　derange　you！〃　He　cleared　a　space　at　the　end　of　the　parlor；　pulling　the　chairs　about。　　〃Be　attentive　now。　　Here〃he　placed　a　chair　at　his　right　with　a　flourish；　as　though　planting　a　banner〃is　the　porch　of　Lord　Glendale's　country　house。〃

〃Ah；〃　murmured　Landry；　winking　solemnly　at　Page；　〃the　chair　is　the　porch　of　the　house。〃

〃And　here；〃　shouted　Monsieur　Gerardy；　glaring　at　him　and　slamming　down　another　chair；　〃is　a　rustic　bench　and　practicable　table　set　for　breakfast。〃

Page　began　to　giggle　behind　her　play…book。　　Gerardy；　his　nostrils　expanded；　gave　her　his　back。　　The　older　people；　who　were　not　to　take　partJadwin；　the　Cresslers；　and　Aunt　Wess'retired　to　a　far　corner；　Mrs。　Cressler　declaring　that　they　would　constitute　the　audience。

〃On　stage；〃　vociferated　Monsieur　Gerardy；　perspiring　from　his　exertions　with　the　furniture。　　〃'Marion　enters；　timid　and　hesitating；　L。　C。'　Come；　who's　Marion？　　Mademoiselle　Gretry；　if　you　please；　and　for　the　love　of　God　remember　your　crossings。　　Sh！　sh！〃　he　cried；　waving　his　arms　at　the　others。　　〃A　little　silence　if　you　please。　　Now；　Marion。〃

Isabel　Gretry；　holding　her　play…book　at　her　side；　one　finger　marking　the　place；　essayed　an　entrance　with　the　words：

〃'Ah；　the　old　home　once　more。　　See　the　clambering　roses　have'〃

But　Monsieur　Gerardy；　suddenly　compressing　his　lips　as　if　in　a　heroic　effort　to　repress　his　emotion；　flung　himself　into　a　chair；　turning　his　back　and　crossing　his　legs　violently。　　Miss　Gretry　stopped；　very　much　disturbed；　gazing　perplexedly　at　the　coach's　heaving　shoulders。

There　was　a　strained　silence；　then：

〃Isn'tisn't　that　right？〃

As　if　with　the　words　she　had　touched　a　spring；　Monsieur　Gerardy　bounded　to　his　feet。

〃Grand　God！　　Is　that　left…centre　where　you　have　made　the　entrance？　　In　fine；　I　ask　you　a　little_is_　that　left…centre？　　You　have　come　in　by　the　rustic　bench　and　practicable　table　set　for　breakfast。　　A　fine　sight　on　the　night　of　the　performance　that。　　Marion　climbs　over　the　rustic　breakfast　and　practicableover　the　rustic　bench　and　practicable　table；　ha；　ha；　to　make　the　entrance。〃　　Still　holding　the　play…book；　he　clapped　hands　with　elaborate　sarcasm。　　〃Ah；　yes；　good　business　that。　　That　will　bring　down　the　house。〃

Meanwhile　the　Gretry　girl　turned　again　from　left…　centre。

〃'Ah；　the　old　home　again。　　See'〃

〃Stop！〃　thundered　Monsieur　Gerardy。　　〃Is　that　what　you　call　timid　and　hesitating？　　Once　more；　those　lines。。。。　No；　no。　　It　is　not　it　at　all。　　More　of　slowness；　more　ofHere；　watch　me。〃

He　made　the　entrance　with　laborious　exaggeration　of　effect；　dragging　one　foot　after　another；　clutching　at　the　palings　of　an　imaginary　fence；　while　pitching　his　voice　at　a　feeble　falsetto；　he　quavered：

〃'Ah！　The　old　homeah　。。。　once　more。　　See'　like　that；〃　he　cried；　straightening　up。　　〃Now　then。　　We　try　that　entrance　again。　　Don't　come　on　too　quick　after　the　curtain。　　Attention。　　I　clap　my　hands　for　the　curtain；　and　count　three。〃　　He　backed　away　and；　tucking　the　play…　book　under　his　arm；　struck