the pit-第32节

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n　and　plan；　and　go　to　the　most　expensive　dressmakers　so　that　you　will　be　well　dressed；　and　just　as　soon　as　I　dare　to　express　the　desire　to　see　you　appear　like　a　gentlewoman；　I　get　it　thrown　in　my　face。　　And　why　do　I　do　it？　　I'm　sure　I　don't　know。　　It's　because　I'm　a　poor　weak；　foolish；　indulgent　sister。　　I've　given　up　the　idea　of　ever　being　loved　by　you；　but　I　do　insist　on　being　respected。〃　Laura　rose；　stately；　severe。　　It　was　the　〃grand　manner〃　now；　unequivocally；　unmistakably。　　〃I　do　insist　upon　being　respected；〃　she　repeated。　　〃It　would　be　wrong　and　wicked　of　me　to　allow　you　to　ignore　and　neglect　my　every　wish。　　I'll　not　have　it；　I'll　not　tolerate　it。〃

Page；　aroused；　indignant；　disdained　an　answer；　but　drew　in　her　breath　and　held　it　hard；　her　lips　tight　pressed。

〃It's　all　very　well　for　you　to　pose；　miss；〃　Laura　went　on；　〃to　pose　as　injured　innocence。　　But　you　understand　very　well　what　I　mean。　　If　you　don't　lave　me；　at　least　I　shall　not　allow　you　to　flout　medeliberately；　defiantly。　　And　it　does　seem　strange；〃　she　added；　her　voice　beginning　to　break；　〃that　when　we　two　are　all　alone　in　the　world；　when　there's　no　father　or　mother　and　you　are　all　I　have；　and　when　I　love　you　as　I　do；　that　there　might　be　on　your　parta　little　considerationwhen　I　only　want　to　be　loved　for　my　own　sake；　and　notand　notwhen　I　want　to　be；　oh；　loved　lovedloved〃

The　two　sisters　were　in　each　other's　arms　by　now；　and　Page　was　crying　no　less　than　Laura。

〃Oh；　little　sister；〃　exclaimed　Laura；　〃I　know　you　love　me。　　I　know　you　do。　　I　didn't　mean　to　say　that。　　You　must　forgive　me　and　be　very　kind　to　me　these　days。　　I　know　I'm　cross；　but　sometimes　these　days　I'm　so　excited　and　nervous　I　can't　help　it；　and　you　must　try　to　bear　with　me。　　Hark；　there's　the　bell。〃

Listening；　they　heard　the　servant　open　the　door；　and　then　the　sound　of　Jadwin's　voice　and　the　clank　of　his　cane　in　the　porcelain　cane　rack。　　But　still　Laura　could　not　be　persuaded　to　go　down。　　No；　she　was　going　to　bed；　she　had　neuralgia；　she　was　too　nervous　to　so　much　as　think。　　Her　gown　was　〃Dutchy。〃　　And　in　the　end；　so　unshakable　was　her　resolve；　that　Page　and　her　aunt　had　to　sit　through　the　dinner　with　Jadwin　and　entertain　him　as　best　they　could。

But　as　the　coffee　was　being　served　the　three　received　a　genuine　surprise。　　Laura　appeared。　　All　her　finery　was　laid　off。　　She　wore　the　simplest；　the　most　veritably　monastic；　of　her　dresses；　plain　to　the　point　of　severity。　　Her　hands　were　bare　of　rings。　　Not　a　single　jewel；　not　even　the　most　modest　ornament　relieved　her　sober　appearance。　　She　was　very　quiet；　spoke　in　a　low　voice　and　declared　she　had　come　down　only　to　drink　a　glass　of　mineral　water　and　then　to　return　at　once　to　her　room。

As　a　matter　of　fact；　she　did　nothing　of　the　kind。　　The　others　prevailed　upon　her　to　take　a　cup　of　coffee。　Then　the　dessert　was　recalled；　and；　forgetting　herself　in　an　animated　discussion　with　Jadwin　as　to　the　name　of　their　steam　yacht；　she　ate　two　plates　of　wine　jelly　before　she　was　aware。　　She　expressed　a　doubt　as　to　whether　a　little　salad　would　do　her　good；　and　after　a　vehement　exhortation　from　Jadwin；　allowed　herself　to　be　persuaded　into　accepting　a　sufficiently　generous　amount。

〃I　think　a　classical　name　would　be　best　for　the　boat；〃　she　declared。　　〃Something　like　'Arethusa'　or　'The　Nereid。'〃

They　rose　from　the　table　and　passed　into　the　library。　The　evening　was　sultry；　threatening　a　rain…storm；　and　they　preferred　not　to　sit　on　the　〃stoop。〃　　Jadwin　lit　a　cigar；　he　still　wore　his　business　clothesthe　inevitable　〃cutaway；〃　white　waistcoat；　and　grey　trousers　of　the　middle…aged　man　of　affairs。

〃Oh；　call　her　the　'Artemis；'〃　suggested　Page。

〃Well　now；　to　tell　the　truth；〃　observed　Jadwin　〃those　names　look　pretty　in　print；　but　somehow　I　don't　fancy　them。　　They're　hard　to　read；　and　they　sound　somehow　frilled　up　and　fancy。　　But　if　you're　satisfied；　Laura〃

〃I　knew　a　young　man　once；〃　began　Aunt　Wess'；　〃who　had　a　boatthat　was　when　we　lived　at　Kenwood　and　Mr。　Wessels　belonged　to　the　'Farragut'and　this　young　man　had　a　boat　he　called　'Fanchon。'　He　got　tipped　over　in　her　one　day；　he　and　the　three　daughters　of　a　lady　I　knew　well；　and　two　days　afterward　they　found　them　at　the　bottom　of　the　lake；　all　holding　on　to　each　other；　and　they　fetched　them　up　just　like　that　in　one　piece。　　The　mother　of　those　girls　never　smiled　once　since　that　day；　and　her　hair　turned　snow　white。　　That　was　in　'seventy…　nine。　　I　remember　it　perfectly。　　The　boat's　name　was　'Fanchon。'〃

〃But　that　was　a　sail　boat；　Aunt　Wess'；〃　objected　Laura。　〃Ours　is　a　steam　yacht。　　There's　all　the　difference　in　the　world。〃

〃I　guess　they're　all　pretty　risky；　those　pleasure　boats；〃　answered　Aunt　Wess'。　　〃My　word；　you　couldn't　get　me　to　set　foot　on　one。〃

Jadwin　nodded　his　head　at　Laura；　his　eyes　twinkling。

〃Well；　we'll　leave　'em　all　at　home；　Laura；　when　we　go；〃　he　said。

A　little　later　one　of　Page's　〃young　men〃　called　to　see　her；　and　Page　took　him　off　into　the　drawing…room　across　the　hall。　　Mrs。　Wessels　seized　upon　the　occasion　to　slip　away　unobserved；　and　Laura　and　Jadwin　were　left　alone。

〃Well；　my　girl；〃　began　Jadwin；　〃how's　the　day　gone　with　you？〃

She　had　been　seated　at　the　centre　table；　by　the　drop　lightthe　only　light　in　the　roomturning　over　the　leaves　of　〃The　Age　of　Fable；〃　looking　for　graceful　and　appropriate　names　for　the　yacht。　　Jadwin　leaned　over　her　and　put　his　hand　upon　her　shoulder。

〃Oh；　about　the　same　as　usual；〃　she　answered。　　〃I　told　Page　and　Aunt　Wess'　this　morning。〃

〃What　did　they　have　to　say？〃　Jadwin　laid　a　soft　but　clumsy　hand　upon　Laura's　head；　adding；　〃Laura；　you　have　the　most　wonderful　hair　I　ever　saw。〃

〃Oh；　they　were　not　surprised。　　Curtis；　don't；　you　are　mussing　me。〃　　She　moved　her　head　impatiently；　but　then　smiling；　as　if　to　mitigate　her　abruptness；　said；　〃It　always　makes　me　nervous　to　have　my　hair　touched。　　No；　they　were　not　surprised；　unless　it　was　that　we　were　to　be　married　so　soon。　　They　were　surprised　at　that。　　You　know　I　always　said　it　was　too　soon。　　Why　not　put　it　off；　Curtisuntil　the　winter？〃

But　he　scouted　this；　and　then；　as　she　returned　to　the　subject　again；　interrupted　her；　drawing　some　papers　from　his　pocket。

〃Oh；　by　the　way；〃　he　said；　〃here　are　the　sketch　plans　for　the　alterations　of　the　house　at　Geneva。　　The　contractor　brought　them　to　the　office　to…day。　　He's　made　that　change　about　the　dining…room。〃

〃Oh；〃　exclaimed　Laura；　interested　at　once；　〃you　mean　about　building　on　the　conservatory？〃

〃Humno；〃　answered　Jadwin　a　little　slowly。　　〃You　see；　Laura；　the　difficulty　is　in　getting　the　thing　done　this　summer。　　When　we　go　up　there　we　want　everything　finished；　don't　we？　　We　don't　want　a　lot　of　workmen　clattering　around。　　I　thought　maybe　we　could　wait　about　that　conservatory　till　next　year；　if　you　didn't　mind。〃

Laura　acquiesced　readily　enough；　but　Jadwin　could　see　that　she　was　a　little　disappointed。　　Thoughtful；　he　tugged　his　mustache　in　silence　for　a　moment。　　Perhaps；　after　all；　it　could　be　arranged。　　Then　an　idea　presented　itself　to　him。　　Smiling　a　little　awkwardly；　he　said：

〃Laura；　I　tell　you　what。　　I'll　make　a　bargain　with　you。〃

She　looked　up　as　he　hesitated。　　Jadwin　sat　down　at　the　table　opposite　her　and　leaned　forward　upon　his　folded　arms。

〃Do　you　know；〃　he　began；　〃I　happened　to　think　Well；　here's　what　I　mean；〃　he　suddenly　declared　decisively。　〃Do　you　know；　Laura；　that　ever　since　we've　been　engaged　you've　never　Well；　you've　nevernever　kissed　me　of　your　own　accord。　　It's　foolish　to　talk　that　way　now；　isn't　it？　　But；　by　George！　　That　would　bewould　be　such　a　wonderful　thing　for　me。　　I　know；〃　he　hastened　to　add；　〃I　know；　Laura；　you　aren't　demonstrative。　　I　ought　not　to　expect；　maybe；　that　you　Well；　maybe　it　isn't　much。　　But　I　was　thinking　a　while　ago　that　there　wouldn't　be　a　sweeter　thing　imaginable　for　me　than　if　my　own　girl　would　come　up　to　me　some　timewhen　I　wasn't　thinkingand　of　her　own　accord　put　her　two　arms　around　me　and　kiss　me。　　Andwell；　I　was　thinking　about　it；　and〃　He　hesitated　again；　then　finished　abruptly　with；　〃And　it　occurred　to　me　that　you　never　had。〃

Laura　made　no　answer；　but　smiled　rather　indefinitely；　as　she　continued　to　search　the　pages　of　the　book；　her　head　to　one　side。

Jadwin　continued：

〃We'll　call　it　a　bargain。　　Some　daybefore　very　long；　mind　youyou　are　going　to　kiss　methat　way；　understand；　of　your　own　accord；　when　I'm　not　thinking　of　it；　and　I'll　get　that　conservatory　in　for　you。　　I'll　manage　it　somehow。　　I'll　start　those　fellows　at　it　to…　morrowtwenty　of　'em　if　it's　necessary。　　How　about　it？　Is　it　a　bargain？　　Some　day　before　long。　　What　do　you　say？〃

Laura　hesitated；　singularly　embarrassed；　unable　to　find　the　right　words。

〃Is　it　a　bargain？〃　persisted　Jadwin。

〃Oh；　if　you　put　it　that　way；〃　she　murmured；　〃I　suppose　soyes。〃

〃You　won't　forget；　because　I　shan't　speak　about　it　again。　　Promise　you　won't　forget。〃

〃No；　I　won't　forget。　　Why　not　call　her　the　'Thetis'？〃

〃I　was　going　to　suggest　the　'Dart；'　or　the　'Swallow；'　or　the　'Arrow。'　Something　like　thatto　give　a　notion　of　speed。〃

〃No。　　I　like　the　'Thetis'　best。〃

〃That　settles　it　then。　　She's　your　steam　yacht；　Laura。〃

Later　on；　when　Jadwin　was　preparing　to　depart；　they　stood　for　a　moment　in　the　hallway；　while　he　drew　on　his　gloves　and　took　a　fres