the pit-第44节

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red　past。　　Possibly　she　had　grown　a　little　careless　in　looking　out　for　pedestrians　at　the　crossings；　for　as　she　turned　eastward　at　the　La　Salle　statue；　she　all　but　collided　with　a　gentleman　who　was　traversing　the　road　at　the　same　time。

She　brought　her　horse　to　a　standstill　with　a　little　start　of　apprehension；　and　started　again　as　she　saw　that　the　gentleman　was　Sheldon　Corthell。

〃Well；〃　she　cried；　taken　all　aback；　unable　to　think　of　formalities；　and　relapsing　all　at　once　into　the　young　girl　of　Barrington；　Massachusetts；　〃well；　I　neverof　all　the　people。〃

But；　no　doubt；　she　had　been　more　in　his　mind　than　he　in　hers；　and　a　meeting　with　her　was　for　him　an　eventuality　not　at　all　remote。　　There　was　more　of　pleasure　than　of　embarrassment　in　that　first　look　in　which　he　recognised　the　wife　of　Curtis　Jadwin。

The　artist　had　changed　no　whit　in　the　four　years　since　last　she　had　seen　him。　　He　seemed　as　young　as　ever；　there　was　the　same　〃elegance〃　to　his　figure；　his　hands　were　just　as　long　and　slim　as　ever；　his　black　beard　was　no　less　finely　pointed；　and　the　mustaches　were　brushed　away　from　his　lips　in　the　same　French　style　that　she　remembered　he　used　to　affect。　　He　was；　as　always；　carefully　dressed。　　He　wore　a　suit　of　tweeds　of　a　foreign　cut；　but　no　overcoat；　a　cloth　cap　of　greenish　plaid　was　upon　his　head；　his　hands　were　gloved　in　dogskin；　and　under　his　arm　he　carried　a　slender　cane　of　varnished　brown　bamboo。　　The　only　unconventionality　in　his　dress　was　the　cravat；　a　great　bow　of　black　silk　that　overflowed　the　lapels　of　his　coat。

But　she　had　no　more　than　time　to　register　a　swift　impression　of　the　details；　when　he　came　quickly　forward；　one　hand　extended；　the　other　holding　his　cap。

〃I　cannot　tell　you　how　glad　I　am；〃　he　exclaimed。

It　was　the　old　Corthell　beyond　doubting　or　denial。　　Not　a　single　inflection　of　his　low…pitched；　gently　modulated　voice　was　wanting；　not　a　single　infinitesimal　mannerism　was　changed；　even　to　the　little　tilting　of　the　chin　when　he　spoke；　or　the　quick　winking　of　the　eyelids；　or　the　smile　that　narrowed　the　corners　of　the　eyes　themselves；　or　the　trick　of　perfect　repose　of　his　whole　body。　　Even　his　handkerchief；　as　always；　since　first　she　had　known　him；　was　tucked　into　his　sleeve　at　the　wrist。

〃And　so　you　are　back　again；〃　she　cried。　　〃And　when；　and　how？〃

〃And　soyesso　I　am　back　again；〃　he　repeated；　as　they　shook　hands。　　〃Only　day　before　yesterday；　and　quite　surreptitiously。　　No　one　knows　yet　that　I　am　here。　　I　crept　inor　my　train　didunder　the　cover　of　night。　　I　have　come　straight　from　Tuscany。〃

〃From　Tuscany？〃

〃and　gardens　and　marble　pergolas。〃

〃Now　why　any　one　should　leave　Tuscan　gardens　andand　all　that　kind　of　thing　for　a　winter　in　Chicago；　I　cannot　see；〃　she　said。

〃It　is　a　little　puzzling；〃　he　answered。　　〃But　I　fancy　that　my　gardens　and　pergolas　and　all　the　rest　had　come　to　seem　to　me　a　littleas　the　French　would　put　it　_malle。_　　I　began　to　long　for　a　touch　of　our　hard；　harsh　city　again。　　Harshness　has　its　place；　I　think；　if　it　is　only　to　cut　one's　teeth　on。〃

Laura　looked　down　at　him；　smiling。

〃I　should　have　thought　you　had　cut　yours　long　ago；〃　she　said。

〃Not　my　wisdom　teeth；〃　he　urged。　　〃I　feel　now　that　I　have　come　to　that　time　of　life　when　it　is　expedient　to　have　wisdom。〃

〃I　have　never　known　that　feeling；〃　she　confessed；　〃and　I　live　in　the　'hard；　harsh'　city。〃

〃Oh；　that　is　because　you　have　never　known　what　it　meant　not　to　have　wisdom；〃　he　retorted。　　〃Tell　me　about　everybody；〃　he　went　on。　　〃Your　husband；　he　is　well；　of　course；　and　distressfully　rich。　　I　heard　of　him　in　New　York。　　And　Page；　our　little；　solemn　Minerva　of　Dresden　china？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　Page　is　well；　but　you　will　hardly　recognise　her；　such　a　young　lady　nowadays。〃

〃And　Mr。　Court；　'Landry'？　　I　remember　he　always　impressed　me　as　though　he　had　just　had　his　hair　cut；　and　the　Cresslers；　and　Mrs。　Wessels；　and〃


〃All　well。　　Mrs。　Cressler　will　be　delighted　to　hear　you　are　back。　　Yes；　everybody　is　well。〃

〃And；　last　of　all；　Mrs。　Jadwin？　　But　I　needn't　ask；　I　can　see　how　well　and　happy　you　are。〃

〃And　Mr。　Corthell；〃　she　queried；　〃is　also　well　and　happy？〃

〃Mr。　Corthell；〃　he　responded；　〃is　very　well；　and　tolerablyhappy；　thank　you。　　One　has　lost　a　few　illusions；　but　has　managed　to　keep　enough　to　grow　old　on。　　One's　latter　days　are　provided　for。〃

〃I　shouldn't　imagine；〃　she　told　him；　〃that　one　lost　illusions　in　Tuscan　gardens。〃

〃Quite　right；〃　he　hastened　to　reply；　smiling　cheerfully。　　〃One　lost　no　illusions　in　Tuscany。　　One　went　there　to　cherish　the　few　that　yet　remained。　　But；〃　he　added；　without　change　of　manner；　〃one　begins　to　believe　that　even　a　lost　illusion　can　be　very　beautiful　sometimeseven　in　Chicago。〃

〃I　want　you　to　dine　with　us；〃　said　Laura。　　〃You've　hardly　met　my　husband；　and　I　think　you　will　like　some　of　our　pictures。　　I　will　have　all　your　old　friends　there；　the　Cresslers　and　Aunt　Wess；　and　all。　　When　can　you　come？〃

〃Oh；　didn't　you　get　my　note？〃　he　asked。　　〃I　wrote　you　yesterday；　asking　if　I　might　call　to…night。　　You　see；　I　am　only　in　Chicago　for　a　couple　of　days。　　I　must　go　on　to　St。　Louis　to…morrow；　and　shall　not　be　back　for　a　week。〃

〃Note？　　No；　I've　had　no　note　from　you。　　Oh；　I　know　what　happened。　　Curtis　left　in　a　hurry　this　morning；　and　he　swooped　all　the　mail　into　his　pocket　the　last　moment。　I　knew　some　of　my　letters　were　with　his。　　There's　where　your　note　went。　　But；　never　mind；　it　makes　no　difference　now　that　we've　met。　　Yes；　by　all　means；　come　to…nightto　dinner。　　We're　not　a　bit　formal。　　Curtis　won't　have　it。　　We　dine　at　six；　and　I'll　try　to　get　the　others。　　Oh；　but　Page　won't　be　there；　I　forgot。　　She　and　Landry　Court　are　going　to　have　dinner　with　Aunt　Wess'；　and　they　are　all　going　to　a　lecture　afterwards。〃

The　artist　expressed　his　appreciation　and　accepted　her　invitation。

〃Do　you　know　where　we　live？〃　she　demanded。　　〃You　know　we've　moved　since。〃

〃Yes；　I　know；〃　he　told　her。　　〃I　made　up　my　mind　to　take　a　long　walk　here　in　the　Park　this　morning；　and　I　passed　your　house　on　my　way　out。　　You　see；　I　had　to　look　up　your　address　in　the　directory　before　writing。　　Your　house　awed　me；　I　confess；　and　the　style　is　surprisingly　good。〃

〃But　tell　me；〃　asked　Laura；　〃you　never　speak　of　yourself；　what　have　you　been　doing　since　you　went　away？〃

〃Nothing。　　Merely　idling；　and　painting　a　little；　and　studying　some　thirteenth　century　glass　in　Avignon　and　Sienna。〃

〃And　shall　you　go　back？〃

〃Yes；　I　think　so；　in　about　a　month。　　So　soon　as　I　have　straightened　out　some　little　businesses　of　minewhich　puts　me　in　mind；〃　he　said；　glancing　at　his　watch；　〃that　I　have　an　appointment　at　eleven；　and　should　be　about　it。〃

He　said　good…by　and　left　her；　and　Laura　cantered　homeward　in　high　spirits。　　She　was　very　glad　that　Corthell　had　come　back。　　She　had　always　liked　him。　　He　not　only　talked　well　himself；　but　seemed　to　have　the　faculty　of　making　her　do　the　same。　　She　remembered　that　in　the　old　days；　before　she　had　met　Jadwin；　her　mind　and　conversation；　for　undiscoverable　reasons；　had　never　been　nimbler；　quicker；　nor　more　effective　than　when　in　the　company　of　the　artist。

Arrived　at　home；　Laura　（as　soon　as　she　had　looked　up　the　definition　of　〃pergola〃　in　the　dictionary）　lost　no　time　in　telephoning　to　Mrs。　Cressler。

〃What；〃　this　latter　cried　when　she　told　her　the　news；　〃that　Sheldon　Corthell　back　again！　　Well；　dear　me；　if　he　wasn't　the　last　person　in　my　mind。　　I　do　remember　the　lovely　windows　he　used　to　paint；　and　how　refined　and　elegant　he　always　wasand　the　loveliest　hands　and　voice。〃

〃He's　to　dine　with　us　to…night；　and　I　want　you　and　Mr。　Cressler　to　come。〃

〃Oh；　Laura；　child；　I　just　simply　can't。　　Charlie's　got　a　man　from　Milwaukee　coming　here　to…night；　and　I've　got　to　feed　him。　　Isn't　it　too　provoking？　　I've　got　to　sit　and　listen　to　those　two；　clattering　commissions　and　percentages　and　all；　when　I　might　be　hearing　Sheldon　Corthell　talk　art　and　poetry　and　stained　glass。　　I　declare；　I　never　have　any　luck。〃

At　quarter　to　six　that　evening　Laura　sat　in　the　library；　before　the　fireplace；　in　her　black　velvet　dinner　gown；　cutting　the　pages　of　a　new　novel；　the　ivory　cutter　as　it　turned　and　glanced　in　her　hand；　appearing　to　be　a　mere　prolongation　of　her　slender　fingers。　　But　she　was　not　interested　in　the　book；　and　from　time　to　time　glanced　nervously　at　the　clock　upon　the　mantel…shelf　over　her　head。　　Jadwin　was　not　home　yet；　and　she　was　distressed　at　the　thought　of　keeping　dinner　waiting。　　He　usually　came　back　from　down　town　at　five　o'clock；　and　even　earlier。　　To…day　she　had　expected　that　quite　possibly　the　business　implied　in　the　Liverpool　cable　of　the　morning　might　detain　him；　but　surely　he　should　be　home　by　now；　and　as　the　minutes　passed　she　listened　more　and　more　anxiously　for　the　sound　of　hoofs　on　the　driveway　at　the　side　of　the　house。

At　five　minutes　of　the　hour；　when　Corthell　was　announced；　there　was　still　no　sign　of　her　husband。　　But　as　she　was　crossing　the　hall　on　her　way　to　the　drawing…　room；　one　of　the　servants　informed　her　that　Mr。　Jadwin　had　just　telephoned　that　he　would　be　home　in　half　an　hour。

〃Is　he　on　the　telephone　now？〃　she　asked；　quickly。　〃Where　did　he　telephone　from？〃

But　it　appeared　that　Jadwin　had　〃hung　up〃　without　mentioning　his　whereabouts。

〃The　buggy　came　home；〃　said　t