the pit-第40节

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　〃alive。〃

〃I'm　not　long　very　many　of　art；〃　he　announced。　　〃But　I　believe　that　any　art　that　don't　make　the　world　better　and　happier　is　no　art　at　all；　and　is　only　fit　for　the　dump　heap。〃

But　at　last　Laura　found　his　abiding　affinity　in　Howells。

〃Nothing　much　happens；〃　he　said。　　〃But　I　_know_　all　those　people。〃　　He　never　could　rid　himself　of　a　surreptitious　admiration　for　Bartley　Hubbard。　　He；　too；　was　〃smart〃　and　〃alive。〃　　He　had　the　〃get　there〃　to　him。　〃Why；〃　he　would　say；　〃I　know　fifty　boys　just　like　him　down　there　in　La　Salle　Street。〃　　Lapham　he　loved　as　a　brother。　　Never　a　point　in　the　development　of　his　character　that　he　missed　or　failed　to　chuckle　over。　Bromfield　Cory　was　poohed　and　boshed　quite　out　of　consideration　as　a　〃loafer；〃　a　〃dilletanty；〃　but　Lapham　had　all　his　sympathy。

〃Yes；　sir；〃　he　would　exclaim；　interrupting　the　narrative；　〃that's　just　it。　　That's　just　what　I　would　have　done　if　I　had　been　in　his　place。　　Come；　this　chap　knows　what　he's　writing　aboutnot　like　that　Middleton　ass；　with　his　'Dianas'　and　'Amazing　Marriages。'〃

Occasionally　the　Jadwins　entertained。　　Laura's　husband　was　proud　of　his　house；　and　never　tired　of　showing　his　friends　about　it。　　Laura　gave　Page　a　〃coming…out〃　dance；　and　nearly　every　Sunday　the　Cresslers　came　to　dinner。　　But　Aunt　Wess'　could；　at　first；　rarely　be　induced　to　pay　the　household　a　visit。　　So　much　grandeur　made　the　little　widow　uneasy；　even　a　little　suspicious。　She　would　shake　her　head　at　Laura；　murmuring：

〃My　word；　it's　all　very　fine；　but；　dear　me；　Laura；　I　hope　you　do　pay　for　everything　on　the　nail；　and　don't　run　up　any　bills。　　I　don't　know　what　your　dear　father　would　say　to　it　all；　no；　I　don't。〃　　And　she　would　spend　hours　in　counting　the　electric　bulbs；　which　she　insisted　were　only　devices　for　some　new…fangled　gas。

〃Thirty…three　in　this　one　room　alone；〃　she　would　say。　〃I'd　like　to　see　your　dear　husband's　face　when　he　gets　his　gas　bill。　　And　a　dressmaker　that　_lives_　in　the　house。。。。　　Well；I　don't　want　to　say　anything。〃

Thus　three　years　had　gone　by。　　The　new　household　settled　to　a　regime。　　Continually　Jadwin　grew　richer。　His　real　estate　appreciated　in　value；　rents　went　up。　Every　time　he　speculated　in　wheat；　it　was　upon　a　larger　scale；　and　every　time　he　won。　　He　was　a　Bear　always；　and　on　those　rare　occasions　when　he　referred　to　his　ventures　in　Laura's　hearing；　it　was　invariably　to　say　that　prices　were　going　down。　　Till　at　last　had　come　that　spring　when　he　believed　that　the　bottom　had　been　touched；　had　had　the　talk　with　Gretry；　and　had；　in　secret；　〃turned　Bull；〃　with　the　suddenness　of　a　strategist。

The　matter　was　yet　in　Gretry's　mind　while　the　party　remained　in　the　art　gallery；　and　as　they　were　returning　to　the　drawing…room　he　detained　Jadwin　an　instant。

〃If　you　are　set　upon　breaking　your　neck；〃　he　said；　〃you　might　tell　me　at　what　figure　you　want　me　to　buy　for　you　to…morrow。〃

〃At　the　market；〃　returned　Jadwin。　　〃I　want　to　get　into　the　thing　quick。〃

A　little　later；　when　they　had　all　reassembled　in　the　drawing…room；　and　while　Mrs。　Gretry　was　telling　an　interminable　story　of　how　Isabel　had　all　but　asphyxiated　herself　the　night　before；　a　servant　announced　Landry　Court；　and　the　young　man　entered；　spruce　and　debonair；　a　bouquet　in　one　hand　and　a　box　of　candy　in　the　other。

Some　days　before　this　Page　had　lectured　him　solemnly　on　the　fact　that　he　was　over…absorbed　in　business；　and　was　starving　his　soul。　　He　should　read　more；　she　told　him；　and　she　had　said　that　if　he　would　call　upon　her　on　this　particular　night；　she　would　indicate　a　course　of　reading　for　him。

So　it　came　about　that；　after　a　few　moments；　conversation　with　the　older　people　in　the　drawing…room；　the　two　adjourned　to　the　library。

There；　by　way　of　a　beginning；　Page　asked　him　what　was　his　favourite　character　in　fiction。　　She　spoke　of　the　beauty　of　Ruskin's　thoughts；　of　the　gracefulness　of　Charles　Lamb's　style。　　The　conversation　lagged　a　little。　　Landry；　not　to　be　behind　her；　declared　for　the　modern　novel；　and　spoke　of　the　〃newest　book。〃　　But　Page　never　read　new　books；　she　was　not　interested；　and　their　talk；　unable　to　establish　itself　upon　a　common　ground；　halted；　and　was　in　a　fair　way　to　end；　until　at　last；　and　by　insensible　degrees；　they　began　to　speak　of　themselves　and　of　each　other。　　Promptly　they　were　all　aroused。　　They　listened　to　one　another's　words　with　studious　attention；　answered　with　ever…ready　promptness；　discussed；　argued；　agreed；　and　disagreed　over　and　over　again。

Landry　had　said：

〃When　I　was　a　boy；　I　always　had　an　ambition　to　excel　all　the　other　boys。　　I　wanted　to　be　the　best　baseball　player　on　the　blockand　I　was；　too。　　I　could　pitch　three　curves　when　I　was　fifteen；　and　I　find　I　am　the　same　now　that　I　am　a　man　grown。　　When　I　do　a　thing；　I　want　to　do　it　better　than　any　one　else。　　From　the　very　first　I　have　always　been　ambitious。　　It　is　my　strongest　trait。　　Now；〃　he　went　on；　turning　to　Page；　〃your　strongest　trait　is　your　thoughtfulness。　　You　are　what　they　call　introspective。〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　she　answered。　　〃Yes；　I　think　so；　too。〃

〃You　don't　need　the　stimulation　of　competition。　　You　are　at　your　best　when　you　are　with　just　one　person。　　A　crowd　doesn't　interest　you。〃

〃I　hate　it；〃　she　exclaimed。

〃Now　with　me；　with　a　man　of　my　temperament；　a　crowd　is　a　real　inspiration。　　When　every　one　is　talking　and　shouting　around　me；　or　to　me；　even；　my　mind　works　at　its　best。　　But；〃　he　added；　solemnly；　〃it　must　be　a　crowd　of　men。　　I　can't　abide　a　crowd　of　women。〃

〃They　chatter　so；〃　she　assented。　　〃I　can't　either。〃

〃But　I　find　that　the　companionship　of　one　intelligent；　sympathetic　woman　is　as　much　of　a　stimulus　as　a　lot　of　men。　　It's　funny；　isn't　it；　that　I　should　be　like　that？〃

〃Yes；〃　she　said；　〃it　is　funnystrange。　　But　I　believe　in　companionship。　　I　believe　that　between　man　and　woman　that　is　the　great　thingcompanionship。　　Love；〃　she　added；　abruptly；　and　then　broke　off　with　a　deep　sigh。　〃Oh；　I　don't　know；〃　she　murmured。　　〃Do　you　remember　those　lines：


　　　　　〃Man's　love　is　of　his　life　a　thing　apart；　　　　　　'Tis　woman's　whole　existence。


Do　you　believe　that？〃

〃Well；〃　he　asserted；　gravely；　choosing　his　words　with　deliberation；　〃it　might　be　so；　but　all　depends　upon　the　man　and　woman。　　Love；〃　he　added；　with　tremendous　gravity；　〃is　the　greatest　power　in　the　universe。〃

〃I　have　never　been　in　love；〃　said　Page。　　〃Yes；　love　is　a　wonderful　power。〃

〃I've　never　been　in　love；　either。〃

〃Never；　never　been　in　love？〃

〃Oh；　I've　thought　I　was　in　love；〃　he　said；　with　a　wave　of　his　hand。

〃I've　never　even　thought　I　was；〃　she　answered；　musing。

〃Do　you　believe　in　early　marriages？〃　demanded　Landry。

〃A　man　should　never　marry；〃　she　said；　deliberately；　〃till　he　can　give　his　wife　a　good　home；　and　good　clothes　andand　that　sort　of　thing。　　I　do　not　think　I　shall　ever　marry。〃

〃You！　　Why；　of　course　you　will。　　Why　not？〃

〃No；　no。　　It　is　my　disposition。　　I　am　morose　and　taciturn。　　Laura　says　so。〃

Landry　protested　with　vehemence。

〃And；〃　she　went　on；　〃I　have　long；　brooding　fits　of　melancholy。〃

〃Well；　so　have　I；〃　he　threw　out　recklessly。　　〃At　night；　sometimeswhen　I　wake　up。　　Then　I'm　all　down　in　the　mouth；　and　I　say；　'What's　the　use；　by　jingo？'〃

〃Do　you　believe　in　pessimism？　　I　do。　　They　say　Carlyle　was　a　terrible　pessimist。〃

〃Welltalking　about　love。　　I　understand　that　you　can't　believe　in　pessimism　and　love　at　the　same　time。　Wouldn't　you　feel　unhappy　if　you　lost　your　faith　in　love？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　terribly。〃

There　was　a　moment's　silence；　and　then　Landry　remarked：

〃Now　you　are　the　kind　of　woman　that　would　only　love　once；　but　love　for　that　once　mighty　deep　and　strong。〃

Page's　eyes　grew　wide。　　She　murmured：

〃'Tis　a　woman's　whole　existencewhole　existence。'　Yes；　I　think　I　am　like　that。〃

〃Do　you　think　Enoch　Arden　did　right　in　going　away　after　he　found　them　married？〃

〃Oh；　have　you　read　that？　　Oh；　isn't　that　a　beautiful　poem？　　Wasn't　he　noble？　　Wasn't　he　grand？　　Oh；　yes；　yes；　he　did　right。〃

〃By　George；　I　wouldn't　have　gone　away。　　I'd　have　gone　right　into　that　house；　and　I　would　have　made　things　hum。　　I'd　have　thrown　the　other　fellow　out；　lock；　stock；　and　barrel。〃

〃That's　just　like　a　man；　so　selfish；　only　thinking　of　himself。　　You　don't　know　the　meaning　of　lovegreat；　true；　unselfish　love。〃

〃I　know　the　meaning　of　what's　mine。　　Think　I'd　give　up　the　woman　I　loved　to　another　man？〃

〃Even　if　she　loved　the　other　man　best？〃

〃I'd　have　my　girl　first；　and　find　out　how　she　felt　about　the　other　man　afterwards。〃

〃Oh；　but　think　if　you　gave　her　up；　how　noble　it　would　be。　　You　would　have　sacrificed　all　that　you　held　the　dearest　to　an　ideal。　　Oh；　if　I　were　in　Enoch　Arden's　place；　and　my　husband　thought　I　was　dead；　and　I　knew　he　was　happy　with　another　woman；　it　would　just　be　a　joy　to　deny　myself；　sacrifice　myself　to　spare　him　unhappiness。　That　would　be　my　idea　of　love。　　Then　I'd　go　into　a　convent。〃

〃Not　much。　　I'd　let　the　other　fellow　go　to　the　convent。　If　I　loved　a　woman；　I　wouldn't　let　anything　in　the　world　stop　me　from　winning　her。〃

〃You　have　so　much　determination；　haven't　you？〃　she　said；　looking　at　him。

Landry　enlarged　his　shoulders　a　little　and　wagged　his　head。

〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃I　don't　know；　but　I'd　try　pretty　hard　to　get　what　I　wanted；　I　guess。〃

〃I　lo