the pit-第34节

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faintest；　most　distant　vibration；　the　whole　world　was　suddenly　removed；　while　the　great　moment　in　the　lives　of　the　Man　and　the　Woman　began。

Page　held　her　breath；　the　intensity　of　the　situation　seemed　to　her；　almost　physically；　straining　tighter　and　tighter　with　every　passing　instant。　　She　was　awed；　stricken；　and　Laura　appeared　to　her　to　be　all　at　once　a　woman　transfigured；　semi…angelic；　unknowable；　exalted。　The　solemnity　of　those　prolonged；　canorous　syllables：　〃I　require　and　charge　you　both；　as　ye　shall　answer　at　the　dreadful　day　of　judgment；　when　the　secrets　of　all　hearts　shall　be　disclosed；〃　weighed　down　upon　her　spirits　with　an　almost　intolerable　majesty。　　Oh；　it　was　all　very　well　to　speak　lightly　of　marriage；　to　consider　it　in　a　vein　of　mirth。　　It　was　a　pretty　solemn　affair；　after　all；　and　she　herself；　Page　Dearborn；　was　a　wicked；　wicked　girl；　full　of　sins；　full　of　deceits　and　frivolities；　meriting　of　punishmenton　〃that　dreadful　day　of　judgment。〃　　Only　last　week　she　had　deceived　Aunt　Wess'　in　the　matter　of　one　of　her　〃young　men。〃　　It　was　time　she　stopped。　　To…day　would　mark　a　change。　Henceforward；　she　resolved；　she　would　lead　a　new　life。

〃God　the　Father；　God　the　Son；　and　God　the　Holy　Ghost　。。。〃

To　Page's　mind　the　venerable　bishop's　voice　was　filling　all　the　church；　as　on　the　day　of　Pentecost；　when　the　apostles　received　the　Holy　Ghost；　the　building　was　filled　with　a　〃mighty　rushing　wind。〃

She　knelt　down　again；　but　could　not　bring　herself　to　close　her　eyes　completely。　　From　under　her　lids　she　still　watched　her　sister　and　Jadwin。　　How　Laura　must　be　feeling　now！　She　was；　in　fact；　very　pale。　　There　was　emotion　in　Jadwin's　eyes。　　Page　could　see　them　plainly。　It　seemed　beautiful　that　even　he；　the　strong；　modern　man…of…affairs；　should　be　so　moved。　　How　he　must　love　Laura。　　He　was　fine；　he　was　noble；　and　all　at　once　this　fineness　and　nobility　of　his　so　affected　her　that　she　began　to　cry　again。　　Then　suddenly　came　the　words：

〃。。。　That　in　the　world　to　come　ye　may　have　life　everlasting。　　Amen。〃

There　was　a　moment's　silence；　then　the　group　about　the　altar　rail　broke　up。

〃Come；〃　said　Aunt　Wess'；　getting　to　her　feet；　〃it's　all　over；　Page。　　Come；　and　kiss　your　sisterMrs。　Jadwin。〃

In　the　vestry　room　Laura　stood　for　a　moment；　while　one　after　another　of　the　wedding　partyeven　Mr。　Cressler　kissed　her。　　When　Page's　turn　came；　the　two　sisters　held　each　other　in　a　close　embrace　a　long　moment；　but　Laura's　eyes　were　always　dry。　　Of　all　present　she　was　the　least　excited。

〃Here's　something；〃　vociferated　the　ubiquitous　clerk；　pushing　his　way　forward。　　〃It　was　on　the　table　when　we　came　out　just　now。　　The　sexton　says　a　messenger　boy　brought　it。　　It's　for　Mrs。　Jadwin。〃

He　handed　her　a　large　box。　　Laura　opened　it。　　Inside　was　a　great　sheaf　of　Jacqueminot　roses　and　a　card；　on　which　was　written：


〃May　that　same　happiness　which　you　have　always　inspired　in　the　lives　and　memories　of　all　who　know　you　be　with　you　always。

〃Yrs。　　　　　　S。　C。〃


The　party；　emerging　from　the　church；　hurried　across　the　street　to　the　Dearborns'　home；　where　Laura　and　Jadwin　were　to　get　their　valises　and　hand　bags。　　Jadwin's　carriage　was　already　at　the　door。

They　all　assembled　in　the　parlor；　every　one　talking　at　once；　while　the　servants；　bare…headed；　carried　the　baggage　down　to　the　carriage。

〃Oh；　waitwait　a　minute；　I'd　forgotten　something；〃　cried　Laura。

〃What　is　it？　　Here；　I'll　get　it　for　you；〃　cried　Jadwin　and　Cressler　as　she　started　toward　the　door。　　But　she　waved　them　off；　crying：

〃No；　no。　　It's　nothing。　　You　wouldn't　know　where　to　look。〃

Alone　she　ran　up　the　stairs；　and　gained　the　second　story；　then　paused　a　moment　on　the　landing　to　get　her　breath　and　to　listen。　　The　rooms　near　by　were　quiet；　deserted。　　From　below　she　could　hear　the　voices　of　the　otherstheir　laughter　and　gaiety。　　She　turned　about；　and　went　from　room　to　room；　looking　long　into　each；　first　Aunt　Wess's　bedroom；　then　Page's；　then　the　〃front　sitting…room；〃　then；　lastly；　her　own　room。　　It　was　still　in　the　disorder　caused　by　that　eventful　morning；　many　of　the　ornamentsher　own　cherished　knick…knacks　were　gone；　packed　and　shipped　to　her　new　home　the　day　before。　　Her　writing…desk　and　bureau　were　bare。　　On　the　backs　of　chairs；　and　across　the　footboard　of　the　bed；　were　the　odds　and　ends　of　dress　she　was　never　to　wear　again。

For　a　long　time　Laura　stood　looking　silently　at　the　empty　room。　　Here　she　had　lived　the　happiest　period　of　her　life；　not　an　object　there；　however　small；　that　was　not　hallowed　by　association。　　Now　she　was　leaving　it　forever。　　Now　the　new　life；　the　Untried；　was　to　begin。　Forever　the　old　days；　the　old　life　were　gone。　　Girlhood　was　gone；　the　Laura　Dearborn　that　only　last　night　had　pressed　the　pillows　of　that　bed；　where　was　she　now？　Where　was　the　little　black…haired　girl　of　Barrington？

And　what　was　this　new　life　to　which　she　was　going　forth；　under　these　leaden　skies；　under　this　warm　mist　of　rain？　　The　tearsat　lastwere　in　her　eyes；　and　the　sob　in　her　throat；　and　she　found　herself；　as　she　leaned　an　arm　upon　the　lintel　of　the　door；　whispering：

〃Good…by。　　Good…by。　　Good…by。〃

Then　suddenly　Laura；　reckless　of　her　wedding　finery；　forgetful　of　trivialities；　crossed　the　room　and　knelt　down　at　the　side　of　the　bed。　　Her　head　in　her　folded　arms；　she　prayedprayed　in　the　little　unstudied　words　of　her　childhood；　prayed　that　God　would　take　care　of　her　and　make　her　a　good　girl；　prayed　that　she　might　be　happy；　prayed　to　God　to　help　her　in　the　new　life；　and　that　she　should　be　a　good　and　loyal　wife。

And　then　as　she　knelt　there；　all　at　once　she　felt　an　arm；　strong；　heavy　even；　laid　upon　her。　　She　raised　her　head　and　lookedfor　the　first　timedirect　into　her　husband's　eyes。

〃I　knew〃　began　Jadwin。　　〃I　thoughtDear；　I　understand；　I　understand。〃

He　said　no　more　than　that。　　But　suddenly　Laura　knew　that　he；　Jadwin；　her　husband；　did　〃understand；〃　and　she　discovered；　too；　in　that　moment　just　what　it　meant　to　be　completely；　thoroughly　understoodunderstood　without　chance　of　misapprehension；　without　shadow　of　doubt；　understood　to　her　heart's　heart。　　And　with　the　knowledge　a　new　feeling　was　born　within　her。　　No　woman；　not　her　dearest　friend；　not　even　Page　had　ever　seemed　so　close　to　her　as　did　her　husband　now。　　How　could　she　be　unhappy　henceforward？　　The　future　was　already　brightening。

Suddenly　she　threw　both　arms　around　his　neck；　and　drawing　his　face　down　to　her；　kissed　him　again　and　again；　and　pressed　her　wet　cheek　to　histear…stained　like　her　own。

〃It's　going　to　be　all　right；　dear；〃　he　said；　as　she　stood　from　him；　though　still　holding　his　hand。　　〃It's　going　to　be　all　right。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　all　right；　all　right；〃　she　assented。　　〃I　never　seemed　to　realise　it　till　this　minute。　　From　the　first　I　must　have　loved　you　without　knowing　it。　　And　I've　been　cold　and　hard　to　you；　and　now　I'm　sorry；　sorry。　　You　were　wrong；　remember　that　time　in　the　library；　when　you　said　I　was　undemonstrative。　　I'm　not。　I　love　you　dearly；　dearly；　and　never　for　once；　for　one　little　moment；　am　I　ever　going　to　allow　you　to　forget　it。

Suddenly；　as　Jadwin　recalled　the　incident　of　which　she　spoke；　an　idea　occurred　to　him。

〃Oh；　our　bargainremember？　　You　didn't　forget　after　all。〃

〃I　did。　　I　did；〃　she　cried。　　〃I　did　forget　it。　　That's　the　very　sweetest　thing　about　it。〃



VI


The　months　passed。　　Soon　three　years　had　gone　by；　and　the　third　winter　since　the　ceremony　in　St。　James'　Church　drew　to　its　close。

Since　that　day　whenacting　upon　the　foreknowledge　of　the　French　import　dutyJadwin　had　sold　his　million　of　bushels　short；　the　price　of　wheat　had　been　steadily　going　down。　　From　ninety…three　and　ninety…four　it　had　dropped　to　the　eighties。　　Heavy　crops　the　world　over　had　helped　the　decline。　　No　one　was　willing　to　buy　wheat。　　The　Bear　leaders　were　strong；　unassailable。　Lower　and　lower　sagged　the　price；　now　it　was　seventy…　five；　now　seventy…two。　　From　all　parts　of　the　country　in　solid；　waveless　tides　wheatthe　mass　of　it　incessantly　crushing　down　the　pricecame　rolling　in　upon　Chicago　and　the　Board　of　Trade　Pit。　　All　over　the　world　the　farmers　saw　season　after　season　of　good　crops。　　They　were　good　in　the　Argentine　Republic；　and　on　the　Russian　steppes。　　In　India；　on　the　little　farms　of　Burmah；　of　Mysore；　and　of　Sind　the　grain；　year　after　year；　headed　out　fat；　heavy；　and　well…favoured。　　In　the　great　San　Joaquin　valley　of　California　the　ranches　were　one　welter　of　fertility。　　All　over　the　United　States；　from　the　Dakotas；　from　Nebraska；　Iowa；　Kansas；　and　Illinois；　from　all　the　wheat　belt　came　steadily　the　reports　of　good　crops。

But　at　the　same　time　the　low　price　of　grain　kept　the　farmers　poor。　　New　mortgages　were　added　to　farms　already　heavily　〃papered〃；　even　the　crops　were　mortgaged　in　advance。　　No　new　farm　implements　were　bought。　　Throughout　the　farming　communities　of　the　〃Middle　West　　there　were　no　longer　purchases　of　buggies　and　parlour　organs。　　Somewhere　in　other　remoter　corners　of　the　world　the　cheap　wheat；　that　meant　cheap　bread；　made　living　easy　and　induced　prosperity；　but　in　the　United　States　the　poverty　of　the　farmer　worked　upward　through　the　cogs　and　wheels　of　the　whole　great　machine　of　business。　　It　was　as　though　a　lubricant　had　dried　up。　　The　cogs　and　wheels　worked　slowly　and　with　dislocations。　　Th