the pit-第27节

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She　slept　late　the　next　morning　and　breakfasted　in　bed　between　ten　and　eleven。　　Then；　as　the　last　vibrations　of　last　night's　commotion　died　away；　a　very　natural　curiosity　began　to　assert　itself。　　She　wondered　how　each　of　the　three　men　〃would　take　it。〃　　In　spite　of　herself　she　could　not　keep　from　wishing　that　she　could　be　by　when　they　read　their　dismissals。

Towards　the　early　part　of　the　afternoon；　while　Laura　was　in　the　library　reading　〃Queen's　Gardens；〃　the　special　delivery　brought　Landry　Court's　reply。　　It　was　one　_roulade_　of　incoherence；　even　in　places　blistered　with　tears。　　Landry　protested；　implored；　debased　himself　to　the　very　dust。　　His　letter　bristled　with　exclamation　points；　and　ended　with　a　prolonged　wail　of　distress　and　despair。

Quietly；　and　with　a　certain　merciless　sense　of　pacification；　Laura　deliberately　reduced　the　letter　to　strips；　burned　it　upon　the　hearth；　and　went　back　to　her　Ruskin。

A　little　later；　the　afternoon　being　fine；　she　determined　to　ride　out　to　Lincoln　Park；　not　fifteen　minutes　from　her　home；　to　take　a　little　walk　there；　and　to　see　how　many　new　buds　were　out。

As　she　was　leaving；　Annie　gave　into　her　hands　a　pasteboard　box；　just　brought　to　the　house　by　a　messenger　boy。

The　box　was　full　of　Jacqueminot　roses；　to　the　stems　of　which　a　note　from　Corthell　was　tied。　　He　wrote　but　a　single　line：


〃So　it　should　have　been　'good…by　'　after　all。〃


Laura　had　Annie　put　the　roses　in　Page's　room。

〃Tell　Page　she　can　have　them；　I　don't　want　them。　　She　can　wear　them　to　her　dance　to…night；〃　she　said。

While　to　herself　she　added：

〃The　little　buds　in　the　park　will　be　prettier。〃

She　was　gone　from　the　house　over　two　hours；　for　she　had　elected　to　walk　all　the　way　home。　　She　came　back　flushed　and　buoyant　from　her　exercise；　her　cheeks　cool　with　the　Lake　breeze；　a　young　maple　leaf　in　one　of　the　revers　of　her　coat。　　Annie　let　her　in；　murmuring：

〃A　gentleman　called　just　after　you　went　out。　　I　told　him　you　were　not　at　home；　but　he　said　he　would　wait。　He　is　in　the　library　now。〃

〃Who　is　he？　　Did　he　give　his　name？〃　demanded　Laura。

The　maid　handed　her　Curtis　Jadwin's　card。



V


That　year　the　spring　burst　over　Chicago　in　a　prolonged　scintillation　of　pallid　green。　　For　weeks　continually　the　sun　shone。　　The　Lake；　after　persistently　cherishing　the　greys　and　bitter　greens　of　the　winter　months；　and　the　rugged　white…caps　of　the　northeast　gales；　mellowed　at　length；　turned　to　a　softened　azure　blue；　and　lapsed　by　degrees　to　an　unrumed　calmness；　incrusted　with　innumerable　coruscations。

In　the　parks；　first　of　all；　the　buds　and　earliest　shoots　asserted　themselves。　　The　horse…chestnut　bourgeons　burst　their　sheaths　to　spread　into　trefoils　and　flame…shaped　leaves。　　The　elms；　maples；　and　cottonwoods　followed。　　The　sooty；　blackened　snow　upon　the　grass　plats；　in　the　residence　quarters；　had　long　since　subsided；　softening　the　turf；　filling　the　gutters　with　rivulets。　　On　all　sides　one　saw　men　at　work　laying　down　the　new　sod　in　rectangular　patches。

There　was　a　delicious　smell　of　ripening　in　the　air；　a　smell　of　sap　once　more　on　the　move；　of　humid　earths　disintegrating　from　the　winter　rigidity；　of　twigs　and　slender　branches　stretching　themselves　under　the　returning　warmth；　elastic　once　more；　straining　in　their　bark。

On　the　North　Side；　in　Washington　Square；　along　the　Lake…shore　Drive；　all　up　and　down　the　Lincoln　Park　Boulevard；　and　all　through　Erie；　Huron；　and　Superior　streets；　through　North　State　Street；　North　Clarke　Street；　and　La　Salle　Avenue；　the　minute　sparkling　of　green　flashed　from　tree　top　to　tree　top；　like　the　first　kindling　of　dry　twigs。　　One　could　almost　fancy　that　the　click　of　igniting　branch　tips　was　audible　as　whole　beds　of　yellow…green　sparks　defined　themselves　within　certain　elms　and　cottonwoods。

Every　morning　the　sun　invaded　earlier　the　east　windows　of　Laura　Dearborn's　bedroom。　　Every　day　at　noon　it　stood　more　nearly　overhead　above　her　home。　　Every　afternoon　the　checkered　shadows　of　the　leaves　thickened　upon　the　drawn　curtains　of　the　library。　　Within　doors　the　bottle…green　flies　came　out　of　their　lethargy　and　droned　and　bumped　on　the　panes。　　The　double　windows　were　removed；　screens　and　awnings　took　their　places；　the　summer　pieces　were　put　into　the　fireplaces。

All　of　a　sudden　vans　invaded　the　streets；　piled　high　with　mattresses；　rocking…chairs；　and　bird　cages；　the　inevitable　〃spring　moving〃　took　place。　　And　these　furniture　vans　alternated　with　great　trucks　laden　with　huge　elm　trees　on　their　way　from　nursery　to　lawn。　Families　and　trees　alike　submitted　to　the　impulse　of　transplanting；　abandoning　the　winter　quarters；　migrating　with　the　spring　to　newer　environments；　taking　root　in　other　soils。　　Sparrows　wrangled　on　the　sidewalks　and　built　ragged　nests　in　the　interstices　of　cornice　and　coping。　　In　the　parks　one　heard　the　liquid　modulations　of　robins。　　The　florists'　wagons　appeared；　and　from　house　to　house；　from　lawn　to　lawn；　iron　urns　and　window　boxes　filled　up　with　pansies；　geraniums；　fuchsias；　and　trailing　vines。　　The　flower　beds；　stripped　of　straw　and　manure；　bloomed　again；　and　at　length　the　great　cottonwoods　shed　their　berries；　like　clusters　of　tiny　grapes；　over　street　and　sidewalk。

At　length　came　three　days　of　steady　rain；　followed　by　cloudless　sunshine　and　full…bodied；　vigorous　winds　straight　from　out　the　south。

Instantly　the　living　embers　in　tree　top　and　grass　plat　were　fanned　to　flame。　　Like　veritable　fire；　the　leaves　blazed　up。　　Branch　after　branch　caught　and　crackled；　even　the　dryest；　the　deadest；　were　enfolded　in　the　resistless　swirl　of　green。　　Tree　top　ignited　tree　top；　the　parks　and　boulevards　were　one　smother　of　radiance。　From　end　to　end　and　from　side　to　side　of　the　city；　fed　by　the　rains；　urged　by　the　south　winds；　spread　billowing　and　surging　the　superb　conflagration　of　the　coming　summer。

Then；　abruptly；　everything　hung　poised；　the　leaves；　the　flowers；　the　grass；　all　at　fullest　stretch；　stood　motionless；　arrested；　while　the　heat；　distilled；　as　it　were；　from　all　this　seething　green；　rose　like　a　vast　pillar　over　the　city；　and　stood　balanced　there　in　the　iridescence　of　the　sky；　moveless　and　immeasurable。

From　time　to　time　it　appeared　as　if　this　pillar　broke　in　the　guise　of　summer　storms；　and　came　toppling　down　upon　the　city　in　tremendous　detonations　of　thunder　and　weltering　avalanches　of　rain。　　But　it　broke　only　to　reform；　and　no　sooner　had　the　thunder　ceased；　the　rain　intermitted；　and　the　sun　again　come　forth；　than　one　received　the　vague　impression　of　the　swift　rebuilding　of　the　vast；　invisible　column　that　smothered　the　city　under　its　bases；　towering　higher　and　higher　into　the　rain…washed；　crystal…clear　atmosphere。

Then　the　aroma　of　wet　dust；　of　drenched　pavements；　musty；　acutethe　unforgettable　exhalation　of　the　city's　streets　after　a　showerpervaded　all　the　air；　and　the　little　out…door　activities　resumed　again　under　the　dripping　elms　and　upon　the　steaming　sidewalks。

The　evenings　were　delicious。　　It　was　yet　too　early　for　the　exodus　northward　to　the　Wisconsin　lakes；　but　to　stay　indoors　after　nightfall　was　not　to　be　thought　of。　After　six　o'clock；　all　through　the　streets　in　the　neighbourhood　of　the　Dearborns'　home；　one　could　see　the　family　groups　〃sitting　out〃　upon　the　front　〃stoop。〃　Chairs　were　brought　forth；　carpets　and　rugs　unrolled　upon　the　steps。　　From　within；　through　the　opened　windows　of　drawing…room　and　parlour；　came　the　brisk　gaiety　of　pianos。　　The　sidewalks　were　filled　with　children　clamouring　at　〃tag；〃　〃I…spy；〃　or　〃run…sheep…　run。〃　　Girls　in　shirt…waists　and　young　men　in　flannel　suits　promenaded　to　and　fro。　　Visits　were　exchanged　from　〃stoop〃　to　〃stoop；〃　lemonade　was　served；　and　claret　punch。　　In　their　armchairs　on　the　top　step；　elderly　men；　householders；　capitalists；　well…to…do；　their　large　stomachs　covered　with　white　waistcoats；　their　straw　hats　upon　their　knees；　smoked　very　fragrant　cigars　in　silent　enjoyment；　digesting　their　dinners；　taking　the　air　after　the　grime　and　hurry　of　the　business　districts。

It　was　on　such　an　evening　as　this；　well　on　towards　the　last　days　of　the　spring；　that　Laura　Dearborn　and　Page　joined　the　Cresslers　and　their　party；　sitting　out　like　other　residents　of　the　neighbourhood　on　the　front　steps　of　their　house。　　Almost　every　evening　nowadays　the　Dearborn　girls　came　thus　to　visit　with　the　Cresslers。　Sometimes　Page　brought　her　mandolin。

Every　day　of　the　warm　weather　seemed　only　to　increase　the　beauty　of　the　two　sisters。　　Page's　brown　hair　was　never　more　luxuriant；　the　exquisite　colouring　of　her　cheeks　never　more　charming；　the　boyish　outlines　of　her　small；　straight　figureimmature　and　a　little　angular　as　yetnever　more　delightful。　　The　seriousness　of　her　straight…browed；　grave；　grey…blue　eyes　was　still　present；　but　the　eyes　themselves　were；　in　some　indefinable　way；　deepening；　and　all　the　maturity　that　as　yet　was　withheld　from　her　undeveloped　little　form　looked　out　from　beneath　her　long　lashes。

But　Laura　was　veritably　regal。　　Very　slender　as　yet；　no　trace　of　fulness　to　be　seen　over　hip　or　breast；　the　curves　all　low　and　flat；　she　yet　carried　her　extreme　height　with　tranquil　confidence；　the　unperturbed　assurance　of　a　_chatelaine_　of　the　days　of　feudalism。

Her　coal…black　hair；　high…piled；　she　wore　as　if　it　were　a　coronet。　　The