the pit-第28节
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of the days of feudalism。
Her coal…black hair； high…piled； she wore as if it were a coronet。 The warmth of the exuberant spring days had just perceptibly mellowed the even paleness of her face； but to compensate for this all the splendour of coming midsummer nights flashed from her deep…brown eyes。
On this occasion she had put on her coat over her shirt…waist； and a great bunch of violets was tucked into her belt。 But no sooner had she exchanged greetings with the others and settled herself in her place than she slipped her coat from her shoulders。
It was while she was doing this that she noted； for the first time； Landry Court standing half in and half out of the shadow of the vestibule behind Mr。 Cressler's chair。
〃This is the first time he has been here sincesince that night；〃 Mrs。 Cressler hastened to whisper in Laura's ear。 〃He told me aboutwell； he told me what occurred； you know。 He came to dinner to…night； and afterwards the poor boy nearly wept in my arms。 You never saw such penitence。〃
Laura put her chin in the air with a little movement of incredulity。 But her anger had long since been a thing of the past。 Good…tempered； she could not cherish resentment very long。 But as yet she had greeted Landry only by the briefest of nods。
〃Such a warm night！〃 she murmured； fanning herself with part of Mr。 Cressler's evening paper。 〃And I never was so thirsty。〃
〃Why； of course；〃 exclaimed Mrs。 Cressler。 〃Isabel；〃 she called； addressing Miss Gretry； who sat on the opposite side of the steps； 〃isn't the lemonade near you？ Fill a couple of glasses for Laura and Page。〃
Page murmured her thanks； but Laura declined。
〃No； just plain water for me；〃 she said。 〃Isn't there some inside？ Mr。 Court can get it for me； can't he？〃 Landry brought the pitcher back； running at top speed and spilling half of it in his eagerness。 Laura thanked him with a smile； addressing him； however； by his last name。 She somehow managed to convey to him in her manner the information that though his offence was forgotten； their old…time relations were not； for one instant； to be resumed。
Later on； while Page was thrumming her mandolin； Landry whistling a 〃second；〃 Mrs。 Cressler took occasion to remark to Laura：
〃I was reading the Paris letter in the 'Inter…Ocean' to…day； and I saw Mr。 Corthell's name on the list of American arrivals at the Continental。 I guess；〃 she added； 〃he's going to be gone a long time。 I wonder sometimes if he will _ever_ come back。 A fellow with his talent； I should imagine would find Chicagowell； less congenial； anyhow； than Paris。 But； just the same； I do think it was mean of him to break up our play by going。 I'll bet a cookie that he wouldn't take part any more just because you wouldn't。 He was just crazy to do that love scene in the fourth act with you。 And when _you_ wouldn't play； of course _he_ wouldn't； and then every…body seemed to lose interest with you two out。 'J。' took it all very decently though； don't you think？〃
Laura made a murmur of mild assent。
〃He was disappointed； too；〃 continued Mrs。 Cressler。 〃I could see that。 He thought the play was going to interest a lot of our church people in his Sunday… school。 But he never said a word when it fizzled out。 Is he coming to…night？〃
〃Well I declare；〃 said Laura。 〃How should I know； if you don't？〃
Jadwin was an almost regular visitor at the Cresslers' during the first warm evenings。 He lived on the South Side； and the distance between his home and that of the Cresslers was very considerable。 It was seldom； however； that Jadwin did not drive over。 He came in his double…seated buggy； his negro coachman beside him the two coach dogs； 〃Rex〃 and 〃Rox；〃 trotting under the rear axle。 His horses were not showy； nor were they made conspicuous by elaborate boots； bandages； and all the other solemn paraphernalia of the stable； yet men upon the sidewalks； amateurs； breeders； and the like men who understood good stocknever failed to stop to watch the team go by； heads up； the check rein swinging loose； ears all alert； eyes all alight； the breath deep； strong； and slow； and the stride； machine…like； even as the swing of a metronome； thrown out from the shoulder to knee； snapped on from knee to fetlock； from fetlock to pastern； finishing squarely； beautifully； with the thrust of the hoof； planted an instant； then； as it were； flinging the roadway behind it； snatched up again； and again cast forward。
On these occasions Jadwin himself inevitably wore a black 〃slouch〃 hat； suggestive of the general of the Civil War； a grey 〃dust overcoat〃 with a black velvet collar； and tan gloves； discoloured with the moisture of his palms and all twisted and crumpled with the strain of holding the thoroughbreds to their work。
He always called the time of the trip from the buggy at the Cresslers' horse block； his stop watch in his hand； and； as he joined the groups upon the steps； he was almost sure to remark： 〃Tugs were loose all the way from the river。 They pulled the whole rig by the reins。 My hands are about dislocated。〃
〃Page plays very well；〃 murmured Mrs。 Cressler as the young girl laid down her mandolin。 〃I hope J。 does come to…night；〃 she added。 〃I love to have him 'round。 He's so hearty and whole…souled。〃
I aura did not reply。 She seemed a little preoccupied this evening； and conversation in the group died away。 The night was very beautiful； serene； quiet； and； at this particular hour of the end of the twilight； no one cared to talk much。 Cressler lit another cigar； and the filaments of delicate blue smoke hung suspended about his head in the moveless air。 Far off； from the direction of the mouth of the river； a lake steamer whistled a prolonged tenor note。 Somewhere from an open window in one of the neighbouring houses a violin； accompanied by a piano； began to elaborate the sustained phrases of 〃Schubert's Serenade。〃 Theatrical as was the theme； the twilight and the muffled hum of the city； lapsing to quiet after the febrile activities of the day； combined to lend it a dignity； a persuasiveness。 The children were still playing along the sidewalks； and their staccato gaiety was part of the quiet note to which all sounds of the moment seemed chorded。
After a while Mrs。 Cressler began to talk to Laura in a low voice。 She and Charlie were going to spend a part of June at Oconomowoc； in Wisconsin。 Why could not Laura make up her mind to come with them？ She had asked Laura a dozen times already； but couldn't get a yes or no answer from her。 What was the reason she could not decide？ Didn't she think she would have a good time？
〃Page can go；〃 said Laura。 〃I would like to have you take her。 But as for me； I don't know。 My plans are so unsettled this summer。〃 She broke off suddenly。 〃Oh； now； that I think of it； I want to borrow your 'Idylls of the King。' May I take it for a day or two？ I'll run in and get it now；〃 she added as she rose。 〃I know just where to find it。 No； please sit still； Mr。 Cressler。 I'll go。〃
And with the words she disappeared in doors； leaving Mrs。 Cressler to murmur to her husband：
〃Strange girl。 Sometimes I think I don't know Laura at all。 She's so inconsistent。 How funny she acts about going to Oconomowoc with us！〃
Mr。 Cressler permitted himself an amiable grunt of protest。
〃Pshaw！ Laura's all right。 The handsomest girl in Cook County。〃
〃Well； that's not much to do with it； Charlie；〃 sighed Mrs。 Cressler。 〃Oh； dear；〃 she added vaguely。 〃I don't know。〃
〃Don't know what？〃
〃I hope Laura's life will be happy。〃
〃Oh； for God's sake； Carrie！〃
〃There's something about that girl；〃 continued Mrs。 Cressler； 〃that makes my heart bleed for her。〃
Cressler frowned； puzzled and astonished。
〃Heywhat！〃 he exclaimed。 〃You're crazy； Carrie！〃
〃Just the same；〃 persisted Mrs。 Cressler； 〃I just yearn towards her sometimes like a mother。 Some people are born to trouble； Charlie； born to trouble； as the sparks fly upward。 And you mark my words； Charlie Cressler； Laura is that sort。 There's all the pathos in the world in just the way she looks at you from under all that black； black hair； and out of her eyes the saddest eyes sometimes； great； sad； mournful eyes。〃
〃Fiddlesticks！〃 said Mr。 Cressler； resuming his paper。
〃I'm positive that Sheldon Corthell asked her to marry him；〃 mused Mrs。 Cressler after a moment's silence。 〃I'm sure that's why he left so suddenly。〃
Her husband grunted grimly as he turned his paper so as to catch the reflection of the vestibule light。
〃Don't you think so； Charlie？〃
〃Uh！ _I_ don't know。 I never had much use for that fellow； anyhow。〃
〃He's wonderfully talented；〃 she commented； 〃and so refined。 He always had the most beautiful manners。 Did you ever notice his hands？〃
〃I thought they were like a barber's。 Put him in 'J。's' rig there； behind those horses of his； and how long do you suppose he'd hold those trotters with that pair of hands？ Why；〃 he blustered； suddenly； 〃they'd pull him right over the dashboard。〃
〃Poor little Landry Court！〃 murmured his wife； lowering her voice。 〃He's just about heart…broken。 He wanted to marry her too。 My goodness； she must have brought him up with a round turn。 I can see Laura
