the pit-第30节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


e　matinees。　　I　wouldn't　let　that　bother　me；　Laura。　There's　no　doubt　that　'_J。_'　loves　_you。_〃

Laura　brightened　a　little。　　〃Oh；　no；〃　she　answered；　〃there's　no　doubt　about　that。　　It's　splendid；　that　part　of　it。　　He　seems　to　think　there's　nothing　in　the　world　too　good　for　me。　　Just　imagine；　only　yesterday　I　was　saying　something　about　my　gloves；　I　really　forget　what　something　about　how　hard　it　was　for　me　to　get　the　kind　of　gloves　I　liked。　　Would　you　believe　it；　he　got　me　to　give　him　my　measure；　and　when　I　saw　him　in　the　evening　he　told　me　he　had　cabled　to　Brussels　to　some　famous　glovemaker　and　had　ordered　I　don't　know　how　many　pairs。〃

〃Just　like　him；　just　like　him！〃　cried　Mrs。　Cressler。　〃I　know　you　will　be　happy；　Laura；　dear。　　You　can't　help　but　be　with　a　man　who　loves　you　as　'J。'　does。〃

〃I　think　I　shall　be　happy；〃　answered　Laura；　suddenly　grave。　　〃Oh；　Mrs。　Cressler；　I　want　to　be。　　I　hope　that　I　won't　come　to　myself　some　day；　after　it　is　too　late；　and　find　that　it　was　all　a　mistake。〃　　Her　voice　shook　a　little。　　〃You　don't　know　how　nervous　I　am　these　days。　One　minute　I　am　one　kind　of　girl；　and　the　next　another　kind。　　I'm　so　nervous　andoh；　I　don't　know。　　Oh；　I　guess　it　will　be　all　right。〃　　She　wiped　her　eyes；　and　laughed　a　note。　　〃I　don't　see　why　I　should　cry　about　it；〃　she　murmured。

〃Well；　Laura；〃　answered　Mrs。　Cressler；　〃if　you　don't　love　Curtis；　don't　marry　him。　　That's　very　simple。〃

〃It's　like　this；　Mrs。　Cressler；〃　Laura　explained。　　〃I　suppose　I　am　very　uncharitable　and　unchristian；　but　I　like　the　people　that　like　me；　and　I　hate　those　that　don't　like　me。　　I　can't　help　it。　　I　know　it's　wrong；　but　that's　the　way　I　am。　　And　I　love　to　be　loved。　　The　man　that　would　love　me　the　most　would　make　me　love　him。　And　when　Mr。　Jadwin　seems　to　care　so　much；　and　do　so　much；　andyou　know　how　I　mean；　it　does　make　a　difference　of　course。　　I　suppose　I　care　as　much　for　Mr。　Jadwin　as　I　ever　will　care　for　any　man。　　I　suppose　I　must　be　cold　and　unemotional。〃

Mrs。　　Cressler　could　not　restrain　a　movement　of　surprise。

〃You　unemotional？　　Why；　I　thought　you　just　said；　Laura；　that　you　had　imagined　love　would　be　like　Juliet　and　like　that　girl　in　'Faust'that　it　was　going　to　shake　you　all　to　pieces。〃

〃Did　I　say　that？　　Well；　I　told　you　I　was　one　girl　one　minute　and　another　another。　　I　don't　know　myself　these　days。　　Oh；　hark；〃　she　said；　abruptly；　as　the　cadence　of　hoofs　began　to　make　itself　audible　from　the　end　of　the　side　street。　　〃That's　the　team　now。　　I　could　recognise　those　horses'　trot　as　far　as　I　could　hear　it。　　Let's　go　out。　　I　know　he　would　like　to　have　me　there　when　he　drives　up。　　And　you　know〃she　put　her　hand　on　Mrs。　Cressler's　arm　as　the　two　moved　towards　the　front　door　〃this　is　all　absolutely　a　secret　as　yet。〃

〃Why；　of　course；　Laura　dear。　　But　tell　me　just　one　thing　more；〃　Mrs。　Cressler　asked；　in　a　whisper；　〃are　you　going　to　have　a　church　wedding？〃

〃Hey；　Carrie；〃　called　Mr。　Cressler　from　the　stoop；　〃here's　J。〃

Laura　shook　her　head。

〃No；　I　want　it　to　be　very　quietat　our　house。　　We'll　go　to　Geneva　Lake　for　the　summer。　　That's　why；　you　see；　I　couldn't　promise　to　go　to　Oconomowoc　with　you。〃

They　came　out　upon　the　front　steps；　Mrs。　Cressler's　arm　around　Laura's　waist。　　It　was　dark　by　now；　and　the　air　was　perceptibly　warmer。

The　team　was　swinging　down　the　street　close　at　hand；　the　hoof　beats　exactly　timed；　as　if　there　were　but　one　instead　of　two　horses。

〃Well；　what's　the　record　to…night　J。？〃　cried　Cressler；　as　Jadwin　brought　the　bays　to　a　stand　at　the　horse　block。　　Jadwin　did　not　respond　until　he　had　passed　the　reins　to　the　coachman；　and　taking　the　stop　watch　from　the　latter's　hand；　he　drew　on　his　cigar；　and　held　the　glowing　tip　to　the　dial。

〃Eleven　minutes　and　a　quarter；〃　he　announced；　〃and　we　had　to　wait　for　the　bridge　at　that。〃

He　came　up　the　steps；　fanning　himself　with　his　slouch　hat；　and　dropped　into　the　chair　that　Landry　had　brought　for　him。

〃Upon　my　word；〃　he　exclaimed；　gingerly　drawing　off　his　driving　gloves；　〃I've　no　feeling　in　my　fingers　at　all。　Those　fellows　will　pull　my　hands　clean　off　some　day。〃

But　he　was　hardly　settled　in　his　place　before　he　proposed　to　send　the　coachman　home；　and　to　take　Laura　for　a　drive　towards　Lincoln　Park；　and　even　a　little　way　into　the　park　itself。　　He　promised　to　have　her　back　within　an　hour。

〃I　haven't　any　hat；〃　objected　Laura。　　〃I　should　love　to　go；　but　I　ran　over　here　to…night　without　any　hat。〃

〃Well；　I　wouldn't　let　that　stand　in　my　way；　Laura；〃　protested　Mrs。　Cressler。　　〃It　will　be　simply　heavenly　in　the　Park　on　such　a　night　as　this。〃

In　the　end　Laura　borrowed　Page's　hat；　and　Jadwin　took　her　away。　　In　the　light　of　the　street　lamps　Mrs。　Cressler　and　the　others　watched　them　drive　off；　sitting　side　by　side　behind　the　fine　horses。　　Jadwin；　broad…　shouldered；　a　fresh　cigar　in　his　teeth；　each　rein　in　a　double　turn　about　his　large；　hard　hands；　Laura；　slim；　erect；　pale；　her　black；　thick　hair　throwing　a　tragic　shadow　low　upon　her　forehead。

〃A　fine…looking　couple；〃　commented　Mr。　Cressler　as　they　disappeared。

The　hoof　beats　died　away；　the　team　vanished。　　Landry　Court；　who　stood　behind　the　others；　watching；　turned　to　Mrs。　Cressler。　　She　thought　she　detected　a　little　unsteadiness　in　his　voice；　but　he　repeated　bravely：

〃Yes；　yes；　that's　right。　　They　are　a　fine；　aa　fine…　looking　couple　together；　aren't　they？　　A　fine…looking　couple；　to　say　the　least〃

A　week　went　by；　then　two；　soon　May　had　passed。　　On　the　fifteenth　of　that　month　Laura's　engagement　to　Curtis　Jadwin　was　formally　announced。　　The　day　of　the　wedding　was　set　for　the　first　week　in　June。

During　this　time　Laura　was　never　more　changeable；　more　puzzling。　　Her　vivacity　seemed　suddenly　to　have　been　trebled；　but　it　was　invaded　frequently　by　strange　reactions　and　perversities　that　drove　her　friends　and　family　to　distraction。

About　a　week　after　her　talk　with　Mrs。　Cressler；　Laura　broke　the　news　to　Page。　　It　was　a　Monday　morning。　　She　had　spent　the　time　since　breakfast　in　putting　her　bureau　drawers　to　rights；　scattering　sachet　powder's　in　them；　then　leaving　them　open　so　as　to　perfume　the　room。　At　last　she　came　into　the　front　〃upstairs　sitting…　room；〃　a　heap　of　gloves；　stockings；　collarettesthe　odds　and　ends　of　a　wildly　disordered　wardrobein　her　lap。　　She　tumbled　all　these　upon　the　hearth　rug；　and　sat　down　upon　the　floor　to　sort　them　carefully。　　At　her　little　desk　near　by；　Page；　in　a　blue　and　white　shirt　waist　and　golf　skirt；　her　slim　little　ankles　demurely　crossed；　a　cone　of　foolscap　over　her　forearm　to　guard　against　ink　spots；　was　writing　in　her　journal。　　This　was　an　interminable　affair；　voluminous；　complex；　that　the　young　girl　had　kept　ever　since　she　was　fifteen。　She　wrote　in　itshe　hardly　knew　whatthe　small　doings　of　the　previous　day；　her　comings　and　goings；　accounts　of　dances；　estimates　of　new　acquaintances。　　But　besides　this　she　filled　page　after　page　with　〃impressions；〃　〃outpourings；〃　queer　little　speculations　about　her　soul；　quotations　from　poets；　solemn　criticisms　of　new　novels；　or　as　often　as　not　mere　purposeless　meanderings　of　words；　exclamatory；　rhapsodicinvolved　lucubrations　quite　meaningless　and　futile；　but　which　at　times　she　re…read　with　vague　thrills　of　emotion　and　mystery。

On　this　occasion　Page　wrote　rapidly　and　steadily　for　a　few　moments　after　Laura's　entrance　into　the　room。　　Then　she　paused；　her　eyes　growing　wide　and　thoughtful。　　She　wrote　another　line　and　paused　again。　　Seated　on　the　floor；　her　hands　full　of　gloves；　Laura　was　murmuring　to　herself。

〃Those　are　good　。。。　and　those；　and　the　black　suedes　make　eight。。。。　And　if　I　could　only　find　the　mate　to　this　white　one。。。。　Ah；　here　it　is。　　That　makes　nine；　nine　pair。〃

She　put　the　gloves　aside；　and　turning　to　the　stockings　drew　one　of　the　silk　ones　over　her　arm；　and　spread　out　her　fingers　in　the　foot。

〃Oh；　dear；〃　she　whispered；　〃there's　a　thread　started；　and　now　it　will　simply　run　the　whole　length。。。。〃

Page's　scratching　paused　again。

〃Laura；〃　she　asked　dreamily；　〃Laura；　how　do　you　spell　'abysmal'？〃

〃With　a　y；　honey；〃　answered　Laura；　careful　not　to　smile。

〃Oh；　Laura；〃　asked　Page；　〃do　you　ever　get　very；　very　sad　without　knowing　why？〃

〃No；　indeed；〃　answered　her　sister；　as　she　peeled　the　stocking　from　her　arm。　　〃When　I'm　sad　I　know　just　the　reason；　you　may　be　sure。〃

Page　sighed　again。

〃Oh；　I　don't　know；〃　she　murmured　indefinitely。　　〃I　lie　awake　at　night　sometimes　and　wish　I　were　dead。〃

〃You　mustn't　get　morbid；　honey；〃　answered　her　older　sister　calmly。　　〃It　isn't　natural　for　a　young　healthy　little　body　like　you　to　have　such　gloomy　notions。〃

〃Last　night；〃　continued　Page；　〃I　got　up　out　of　bed　and　sat　by　the　window　a　long　time。　　And　everything　was　so　still　and　beautiful；　and　the　moonlight　and　alland　I　said　right　out　loud　to　myself；


　　　　　〃My　breath　to　Heaven　in　vapour　goes


You　know　those　lines　from　Tennyson：


　　　　　〃My　breath　to　Heaven　in　vapour　goes；　　　　　　　May　my　soul　follow　soon。〃


I　said　it　right　out　loud　just　like　that；　and　it　was　just　as　though　something　in　me　had　spoken。　　I　got　my　journal　and　wrote　down；　'Yet　in　a　few　days；　and　thee；　the　all…beholding　sun　shall　see　no　more。'　It's　from　Thanatopsis；　you　know；　and　I　thought　how　beautiful　it　would　be　to　leave　all　this　world；　and　soar　and　soar；　right　up