the pit-第57节

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　rows　was　burning　brilliantly。　It　was　turned　from　Jadwin　as　he　entered；　and　its　broad　cone　of　intense　white　light　was　thrown　full　upon　Laura；　who　stood　over　against　the　organ　in　the　full　costume　of　〃Theodora。〃

For　an　instant　Jadwin　was　taken　all　aback。

〃What　the　devil！；〃　he　ejaculated；　stopping　short　in　the　doorway。

Laura　ran　forward　to　him；　the　chains；　ornaments；　and　swinging　pendants　chiming　furiously　as　she　moved。

〃I　did　surprise　you；　I　did　surprise　you；〃　she　laughed。　〃Isn't　it　gorgeous？〃　She　turned　about　before　him；　her　arms　raised。　　〃Isn't　it　superb？　　Do　you　remember　Bernhardtand　that　scene　in　the　Emperor　Justinian's　box　at　the　amphitheatre？　　Say　now　that　your　wife　isn't　beautiful。　　I　am；　am　I　not？〃　she　exclaimed　defiantly；　her　head　raised。　　〃Say　it；　say　it。〃

〃Well；　what　for　a　girl！〃　gasped　Jadwin；　〃to　get　herself　up〃

〃Say　that　I　am　beautiful；〃　commanded　Laura。

〃Well；　I　just　about　guess　you　are；〃　he　cried。

〃The　most　beautiful　woman　you　have　ever　known？　　she　insisted。　　Then　on　the　instant　added：　〃Oh；　I　may　be　really　as　plain　as　a　kitchen…maid；　but　you　must　believe　that　I　am　not。　　I　would　rather　be　ugly　and　have　you　think　me　beautiful；　than　to　be　the　most　beautiful　woman　in　the　world　and　have　you　think　me　plain。　　Tell　meam　I　not　the　most　beautiful　woman　you　ever　saw？〃

〃The　most　beautiful　I　ever　saw；〃　he　repeated；　fervently。　　〃ButLord；　what　will　you　do　next？　Whatever　put　it　into　your　head　to　get　into　this　rig？〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　know。　　I　just　took　the　notion。　　You've　seen　me　in　every　one　of　my　gowns。　　I　sent　down　for　this；　this　morning；　just　after　you　left。　　Curtis；　if　you　hadn't　made　me　love　you　enough　to　be　your　wife；　Laura　Dearborn　would　have　been　a　great　actress。　　I　feel　it　in　my　finger　tips。　　Ah！〃　she　cried；　suddenly　flinging　up　her　head　till　the　pendants　of　the　crown　clashed　again。　　〃I　could　have　been　magnificent。　　You　don't　believe　it。　　Listen。　　This　is　Athaliathe　queen　in　the　Old　Testament；　you　remember。〃

〃Hold　on；〃　he　protested。　　〃I　thought　you　were　this　Theodora　person。〃

〃I　knowbut　never　mind。　　I　am　anything　I　choose。　　Sit　down；　listen。　　It's　from　Racine's　'Athalie；'　and　the　wicked　queen　has　had　this　terrible　dream　of　her　mother　Jezabel。　　It's　French；　but　I'll　make　you　see。〃

And　〃taking　stage；〃　as　it　were；　in　the　centre　of　the　room；　Laura　began：


　　　〃Son　ombre　vers　mon　lit　a　paru　se　baisser　　　　Et　moi；　je　lui　tendais　les　mains　pour　l'embrasser；　　　　Mais　je　n'ai　plus　trouve　q'un　horrible　melange　　　　D'os　et　de　chair　meurtris　et　traines　dans　la　fange；　　　　Des　lambeaux　pleins　de　sang；　et　des　membres　affreux　　　　Que　les　chiens　d'evorants　se　disputaient　entre　eux。〃


〃Great　God！〃　exclaimed　Jadwin；　ignorant　of　the　words　yet；　in　spite　of　himself；　carried　away　by　the　fury　and　passion　of　her　rendering。

Laura　struck　her　palms　together。

〃Just　what　'Abner'　says；〃　she　cried。　　〃The　very　words。〃

〃Abner？〃

〃In　the　play。　　I　knew　I　could　make　you　feel　it。〃

〃Well；　well；〃　murmured　her　husband；　shaking　his　head；　bewildered　even　yet。　　〃Well；　it's　a　strange　wife　I've　got　here。〃

〃When　you've　realised　that；〃　returned　Laura；　〃you've　just　begun　to　understand　me。〃

Never　had　he　seen　her　gayer。　　Her　vivacity　was　bewildering。

〃I　wish；〃　she　cried；　all　at　once；　〃I　wish　I　had　dressed　as　'Carmen；'　and　I　would　have　danced　for　you。　　Oh；　and　you　could　have　played　the　air　for　me　on　the　organ。　　I　have　the　costume　upstairs　now。　　Wait！　I　will；　I　will！　Sit　right　where　you　areno；　fix　the　attachment　to　the　organ　while　I'm　gone。　　Oh；　be　gay　with　me　to…night；　she　cried；　throwing　her　arms　around　him。　　〃This　is　my　night；　isn't　it？　　And　I　am　to　be　just　as　foolish　as　I　please。〃

With　the　words　she　ran　from　the　room；　but　was　back　in　an　incredibly　short　time；　gowned　as　Bizet's　cigarette　girl；　a　red　rose　in　her　black　hair；　castanets　upon　her　fingers。

Jadwin　began　the　bolero。

〃Can　you　see　me　dance；　and　play　at　the　same　time？〃

〃Yes；　yes。　　Go　on。　　How　do　you　know　anything　about　a　Spanish　dance？〃

〃I　learned　it　long　ago。　　I　know　everything　about　anything　I　choose；　to…night。　　Play；　play　it　_fast。_

She　danced　as　though　she　would　never　tire；　with　the　same　force　of　passion　that　she　had　thrown　into　Athalie。　Her　yellow　skirt　was　a　flash　of　flame　spurting　from　the　floor；　and　her　whole　body　seemed　to　move　with　the　same　wild；　untamed　spirit　as　a　tongue　of　fire。　　The　castanets　snapped　like　the　crackling　of　sparks；　her　black　mantilla　was　a　hovering　cloud　of　smoke。　　She　was　incarnate　flame；　capricious　and　riotous；　elusive　and　dazzling。

Then　suddenly　she　tossed　the　castanets　far　across　the　room　and　dropped　upon　the　couch；　panting　and　laughing。

〃There；〃　she　cried；　〃now　I　feel　better。　　That　had　to　come　out。　　Come　over　here　and　sit　by　me。　　Now；　maybe　you'll　admit　that　I　can　dance　too。〃

〃You　sure　can；〃　answered　Jadwin；　as　she　made　a　place　for　him　among　the　cushions。　　〃That　was　wonderful。　　But；　at　the　same　time；　old　girl；　I　wouldn'twouldn't〃

〃Wouldn't　what？〃

〃Well；　do　too　much　of　that。　　It's　sort　of　over…wrought　a　little；　and　unnatural。　　I　like　you　best　when　you　are　your　old　self；　quiet；　and　calm；　and　dignified。　　It's　when　you　are　quiet　that　you　are　at　your　best。　　I　didn't　know　you　had　this　streak　in　you。　　You　are　that　excitable　to…night！〃

〃Let　me　be　so　then。　　It's　myself；　for　the　moment　whatever　it　is。　　But　now　I'll　be　quiet。　　Now　we'll　talk。　　Have　you　had　a　hard　day？　　Oh；　and　did　your　head　bother　you　again？〃

〃No；　things　were　a　little　easier　down　town　to…day。　　But　that　queer　feeling　in　my　head　did　come　back　as　I　was　coming　homeand　my　head　aches　a　little　now；　besides。〃

〃Your　head　aches！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃Let　me　do　something　for　it。　　And　I've　been　making　it　worse　with　all　my　foolishness。〃

〃No；　no；　that's　all　right；〃　he　assured　her。　　〃I　tell　you　what　we'll　do。　　I'll　lie　down　here　a　bit；　and　you　play　something　for　me。　　Something　quiet。　　I　get　so　tired　down　there　in　La　Salle　Street；　Laura；　you　don't　know。〃

And　while　he　stretched　out　at　full　length　upon　the　couch；　his　wife；　at　the　organ；　played　the　music　she　knew　he　liked　bestold　songs；　〃Daisy　Dean；〃　〃Lord　Lovell；〃　〃When　Stars　Are　in　the　Quiet　Sky；〃　and　〃Open　Thy　Lattice　to　Me。〃

When　at　length　she　paused；　he　nodded　his　head　with　pleasure。

〃That's　pretty；〃　he　said。　　〃Ah；　that　_is_　blame　pretty。　Honey；　it's　just　like　medicine　to　me；〃　he　continued；　〃to　lie　here；　quiet　like　this；　with　the　lights　low；　and　have　my　dear　girl　play　those　old；　old　tunes。　　My　old　governor；　Laura；　used　to　play　that　'Open　the　Lattice　to　me；'　that　and　'Father；　oh；　Father；　Come　Home　with　me　Now'used　to　play　'em　on　his　fiddle。〃　　His　arm　under　his　head；　he　went　on；　looking　vaguely　at　the　opposite　wall。　　〃Lord　love　me；　I　can　see　that　kitchen　in　the　old　farmhouse　as　plain！　　The　walls　were　just　logs　and　plaster；　and　there　were　upright　supports　in　each　corner；　where　we　used　to　measure　our　heightswe　children。　　And　the　fireplace　was　there；〃　he　added；　gesturing　with　his　arm；　〃and　there　was　the　wood　box；　and　over　here　was　an　old　kind　of　dresser　with　drawers；　and　the　torty…shell　cat　always　had　her　kittens　under　there。　　Honey；　I　was　happy　then。　　Of　course　I've　got　you　now；　and　that's　all　the　difference　in　the　world。　But　you're　the　only　thing　that　does　make　a　difference。　We've　got　a　fine　place　and　a　mint　of　money　I　suppose　and　I'm　proud　of　it。　　But　I　don't　know。。。。　　If　they'd　let　me　be　and　put　us　twojust　you　and　meback　in　the　old　house　with　the　bare　floors　and　the　rawhide　chairs　and　the　shuck　beds；　I　guess　we'd　manage。　　If　you're　happy；　you're　happy；　that's　about　the　size　of　it。　　And　sometimes　I　think　that　we'd　be　happieryou　and　I　chumming　along　shoulder　to　shoulder；　poor　an'　working　hard；　than　making　big　money　an'　spending　big　money；　whyoh；　I　don't　know　。。。　if　you're　happy；　that's　the　thing　that　counts；　and　if　all　this　stuff；〃　he　kicked　out　a　careless　foot　at　the　pictures；　the　heavy　hangings；　the　glass　cabinets　of　bibelots；　〃if　all　this　stuff　stood　in　the　way　of　itwellit　could　go　to　the　devil！　That's　not　poetry　maybe；　but　it's　the　truth。〃

Laura　came　over　to　where　her　husband　lay；　and　sat　by　him；　and　took　his　head　in　her　lap；　smoothing　his　forehead　with　her　long　white　hands。

〃Oh；　if　I　could　only　keep　you　like　this　always；〃　she　murmured。　　〃Keep　you　untroubled；　and　kind；　and　true。　This　is　my　husband　again。　　Oh；　you　are　a　man；　Curtis；　a　great；　strong；　kind…hearted　man；　with　no　little　graces；　nor　petty　culture；　nor　trivial　fine　speeches；　nor　false　sham；　imitation　polish。　　I　love　you。　　Ah；　I　love　you；　love　you；　dear！〃

〃Old　girl！〃　said　Jadwin；　stroking　her　hand。

〃Do　you　want　me　to　read　to　you　now？〃　she　asked。

〃Just　this　is　pretty　good；　it　seems　to　me。〃

As　he　spoke；　there　came　a　step　in　the　hall　and　a　knock。

Laura　sat　up；　frowning。

〃I　told　them　I　was　not　to　be　disturbed；〃　she　exclaimed　under　her　breath。　　Then；　〃Come　in；〃　she　called。

〃Mr。　Gretry；　sir；〃　announced　the　servant。　　〃Said　he　wished　to　see　you　at　once；　sir。〃

〃Tell　him；〃　cried　Laura；　turning　quickly　to　Jadwin；　〃tell　him　you're　not　at　homethat　you　can't　see　him。〃

〃I've　got　to　see　him；〃　answered　Jadwin；　sitting　up。　〃He　wouldn't　come　here　himself　unless　it　was　for　something　important。〃

〃Can　I　come　in；　J。？〃　spoke　the　broker；　from　the　hall。　And　even　through　the　thick　curtains　they　could　hear　how　his　voice　rang