the pit-第45节

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〃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　the　servant。　　〃Mr。　Jadwin　told　Jarvis　not　to　wait。　　He　said　he　would　come　in　the　street　cars。〃

Laura　reflected　that　she　could　delay　dinner　a　half　hour；　and　gave　orders　to　that　effect。

〃We　shall　have　to　wait　a　little；〃　she　explained　to　Corthell　as　they　exchanged　greetings　in　the　drawing…　room。　　〃Curtis　has　some　special　business　on　hand　to…　day；　and　is　half　an　hour　late。〃

They　sat　down　on　either　side　of　the　fireplace　in　the　lofty　apartment；　with　its　sombre　hangings　of　wine…　coloured　brocade　and　thick；　muffling　rugs；　and　for　upwards　of　three…quarters　of　an　hour　Corthell　interested　her　with　his　description　of　his　life　in　the　cathedral　towns　of　northern　Italy。　　But　at　the　end　of　that　time　dinner　was　announced。

〃Has　Mr。　Jadwin　come　in　yet？〃　Laura　asked　of　the　servant。

〃No；　madam。〃

She　bit　her　lip　in　vexation。

〃I　can't　imagine　what　can　keep　Curtis　so　late；〃　she　murmured。　　〃Well；〃　she　added；　at　the　end　of　her　resources；　〃we　must　make　the　best　of　it。　　I　think　we　will　go　in；　Mr。　Corthell；　without　waiting。　　Curtis　must　be　here　soon　now。〃

But；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　he　was　not。　　In　the　great　dining…room；　filled　with　a　dull　crimson　light；　the　air　just　touched　with　the　scent　of　lilies　of　the　valley；　Corthell　and　Mrs。　Jadwin　dined　alone。

〃I　suppose；〃　observed　the　artist；　〃that　Mr。　Jadwin　is　a　very　busy　man。〃

〃Oh；　no；〃　Laura　answered。　　〃His　real　estate；　he　says；　runs　itself；　and；　as　a　rule；　Mr。　Gretry　manages　most　of　his　Board　of　Trade　business。　　It　is　only　occasionally　that　anything　keeps　him　down　town　late。　　I　scolded　him　this　morning；　however；　about　his　speculating；　and　made　him　promise　not　to　do　so　much　of　it。　　I　hate　speculation。　　It　seems　to　absorb　some　men　so；　and　I　don't　believe　it's　right　for　a　man　to　allow　himself　to　become　absorbed　altogether　in　business。〃

〃Oh；　why　limit　one's　absorption　to　business？〃　replied　Corthell；　sipping　his　wine。　　〃Is　it　right　for　one　to　be　absorbed　'altogether'　in　anythingeven　in　art；　even　in　religion？〃

〃Oh；　religion；　I　don't　know；〃　she　protested。

〃Isn't　that　certain　contribution；〃　he　hazarded；　〃which　we　make　to　the　general　welfare；　over　and　above　our　own　individual　work；　isn't　that　the　essential？　　I　suppose；　of　course；　that　we　must　hoe；　each　of　us；　his　own　little　row；　but　it's　the　stroke　or　two　we　give　to　our　neighbour's　rowdon't　you　think？that　helps　most　to　cultivate　the　field。〃

〃But　doesn't　religion　mean　more　than　a　stroke　or　two？〃　she　ventured　to　reply。

〃I'm　not　so　sure；〃　he　answered；　thoughtfully。　　〃If　the　stroke　or　two　is　taken　from　one's　own　work　instead　of　being　given　in　excess　of　it。　　One　must　do　one's　own　hoeing　first。　　That's　the　foundation　of　things。　　A　religion　that　would　mean　to　be　'altogether　absorbed'　in　my　neighbour's　hoeing　would　be　genuinely　pernicious；　surely。　　My　row；　meanwhile；　would　lie　open　to　weeds。〃

〃But　if　your　neighbour's　row　grew　flowers？〃

〃Unfortunately　weeds　grow　faster　than　the　flowers；　and　the　weeds　of　my　row　would　spread　until　they　choked　and　killed　my　neighbour's　flowers；　I　am　sure。〃

〃That　seems　selfish　though；〃　she　persisted。　　〃Suppose　my　neighbour　were　maimed　or　halt　or　blind？　　His　poor　little　row　would　never　be　finished。　　My　stroke　or　two　would　not　help　very　much。〃

〃Yes；　but　every　row　lies　between　two　others；　you　know。　The　hoer　on　the　far　side　of　the　cripple's　row　would　contribute　a　stroke　or　two　as　well　as　you。　　No；〃　he　went　on；　〃I　am　sure　one's　first　duty　is　to　do　one's　own　work。　　It　seems　to　me　that　a　work　accomplished　benefits　the　whole　worldthe　peoplepro　rata。　　If　we　help　another　at　the　expense　of　our　work　instead　of　in　excess　of　it；　we　benefit　only　the　individual；　and；　pro　rata　again；　rob　the　people。　　A　little　good　contributed　by　everybody　to　the　race　is　of　more；　infinitely　more；　importance　than　a　great　deal　of　good　contributed　by　one　individual　to　another。〃

〃Yes；〃　she　admitted；　beginning　at　last　to　be　convinced；　〃I　see　what　you　mean。　　But　one　must　think　very　large　to　see　that。　　It　never　occurred　to　me　before。　　The　individualI；　Laura　Jadwincounts　for　nothing。　　It　is　the　type　to　which　I　belong　that's　important；　the　mould；　the　form；　the　sort　of　composite　photograph　of　hundreds　of　thousands　of　Laura　Jadwins。　　Yes；〃　she　continued；　her　brows　bent；　her　mind　hard　at　work；　〃what　I　am；　the　little　things　that　distinguish　me　from　everybody　else；　those　pass　away　very　quickly；　are　very　ephemeral。　　But　the　type　Laura　Jadwin；　that　always　remains；　doesn't　it？　One　must　help　building　up　only　the　permanent　things。　Then；　let's　see；　the　individual　may　deteriorate；　but　the　type　always　grows　better。。。。　Yes；　I　think　one　can　say　that。〃

〃At　least　the　type　never　recedes；〃　he　prompted。

〃Oh；　it　began　good；〃　she　cried；　as　though　at　a　discovery；　〃and　can　never　go　back　of　that　original　good。　　Something　keeps　it　from　going　below　a　certain　point；　and　it　is　left　to　us　to　lift　it　higher　and　higher。　　No；　the　type　can't　be　bad。　　Of　course　the　type　is　more　important　than　the　individual。　　And　that　something　that　keeps　it　from　going　below　a　certain　point　is　God。〃

〃Or　nature。〃

〃So　that　God　and　nature；〃　she　cried　again；　〃work　together？　　No；　no；　they　are　one　and　the　same　thing。〃

〃There；　don't　you　see；〃　he　remarked；　smiling　back　at　her；　〃how　simple　it　is？〃

〃Oh…h；〃　exclaimed　Laura；　with　a　deep　breath；　〃isn't　it　beautiful？〃　She　put　her　hand　to　her　forehead　with　a　little　laugh　of　deprecation。　　〃My；〃　she　said；　〃but　those　things　make　you　think。〃

Dinner　was　over　before　she　was　aware　of　it；　and　they　were　still　talking　animatedly　as　they　rose　from　the　table。

〃We　will　have　our　coffee　in　the　art　gallery；〃　Laura　said；　〃and　please　smoke。〃

He　lit　a　cigarette；　and　the　two　passed　into　the　great　glass…roofed　rotunda。

〃Here　is　the　one　I　like　best；〃　said　Laura；　standing　before　the　Bougereau。

〃Yes？〃　he　queried；　observing　the　picture　thoughtfully。　〃I　suppose；〃　he　remarked；　〃it　is　because　it　demands　less　of　you　than　some　others。　　I　see　what　you　mean。　　It　pleases　you　because　it　satisfies　you　so　easily。　　You　can　grasp　it　without　any　effort。〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　know；〃　she　ventured。

〃Bougereau　'fills　a　place。'　I　know　it；〃　he　answered。　〃But　I　cannot　persuade　myself　to　admire　his　art。〃

〃But；〃　she　faltered；　〃I　thought　that　Bougereau　was　considered　the　greatestone　of　the　greatesthis　wonderful　flesh　tints；　the　drawing；　and　colouring〃

〃But　I　think　you　will　see；〃　he　told　her；　〃if　you　think　about　it；　that　for　all　there　is　_in_　his　pictureback　of　ita　fine　hanging；　a　beautiful　vase　would　have　exactly　the　same　value　upon　your　wall。　　Now；　on　the　other　hand；　take　this　picture。〃　　He　indicated　a　small　canvas　to　the　right　of　the　bathing　nymphs；　representing　a　twilight　landscape。

〃Oh；　that　one；〃　said　Laura。　　〃We　bought　that　here　in　America；　in　New　York。　　It's　by　a　Western　artist。　　I　never　noticed　it　much；　I'm　afraid。〃

〃But　now　look　at　it；〃　said　Corthell。　　〃Don't　you　know　that　the　artist　saw　something　more　than　trees　and　a　pool　and　afterglow？　　He　had　that　feeling　of　night　coming　on；　as　he　sat　there　before　his　sketching　easel　on　the　edge　of　that　little　pool。　　He　heard　the　frogs　beginning　to　pipe；　I'm　sure；　and　the　touch　of　the　night　mist　was　on　his　hands。　　And　he　was　very　lonely　and　even　a　little　sad。　　In　those　deep　shadows　under　the　trees　he　put　something　of　himself；　the　gloom　and　the　sadness　that　he　felt　at　the　moment。　　And　that　little　pool；　still　and　black　and　sombrewhy；　the　whole　thing　is　the　tragedy　of　a　life　full　of　dark；　hidden　secrets。　　And　the　little　pool　is　a　heart。　　No　one　can　say　how　deep　it　is；　or　what　dreadful　thing　one　would　find　at　the　bottom；　or　what　drowned　hopes　or　what　sunken　ambitions。　　That　little　pool　says　one　word　as　plain　as　if　it　were　whispered　in　the　eardespair。　　Oh；　yes；　I　prefer　it　to　the　nymphs。〃

〃I　am　very　much　ashamed；〃　returned　Laura；　〃that　I　could　not　see　it　all　before　for　myself。　　But　I　see　it　now。　It　is　better；　of　course。　　I　shall　come　in　here　often　now　and　study　it。　　Of　all　the　rooms　in　our　house　this　is　the　one　I　like　best。　　But；　I　am　afraid；　it　has　been　more　because　of　the　organ　than　of　the　pictures。〃

Corthell　turned　about。

〃Oh；　the　grand；　noble　organ；〃　he　murmured。　　〃I　envy　you　this　of　all　your　treasures。　　May　I　play　for　you？　Something　to　compensate　for　the　dreadful；　despairing　little　tarn　of　the　picture。〃

〃I　should　love　to　have　you；〃　she　told　him。

He　asked　permission　to　lower　the　lights；　and　stepping　outside　the　door　an　instant；　pressed　the　buttons　that　extinguished　all　but　a　very　few　of　them。　　After　he　had　done　this　he　came　back　to　the　organ　and　detached　the　self…playing　〃arrangement〃　without　comment；　and　seated　himself　at　the　console。

Laura　lay　back　in　a　long　chair　close　at　hand。　　The　moment　was　propitious。　　The　artist's　profile　silhouetted　itself　against　the　shade　of　a　light　that　burned　at　the　side　of　the　organ；　and　that　gave　light　to　the　keyboard。　　And　on　this　keyboard；　full　in　the　reflection；　lay　his　long；　slim　hands。　　They　were　the　only　things　that　moved　in　the　room；　and　the　chords　and　bars　of　Mendelssohn's　〃Consolation〃　seemed；　as　he　played；　to　flow；　not　from　the　instrument；　but；　like　some　invisible　ether；