the pit-第76节

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〃My　husband；　my　husband！〃

Together　they　made　their　way　to　the　divan；　and　sank　down　upon　it　side　by　side；　holding　to　each　other；　trembling　and　fearful；　like　children　in　the　night。

〃Honey；〃　whispered　Jadwin；　after　a　while。　　〃Honey；　it's　dark；　it's　dark。　　Something　happened。。。。　I　don't　remember；〃　he　put　his　hand　uncertainly　to　his　head；　〃I　can't　remember　very　well；　but　it's　darka　little。〃

〃It's　dark；〃　she　repeated；　in　a　low　whisper。　　〃It's　dark；　dark。　　Something　happened。　　Yes。　　I　must　not　remember。〃

They　spoke　no　further。　　A　long　time　passed。　　Pressed　close　together；　Curtis　Jadwin　and　his　wife　sat　there　in　the　vast；　gorgeous　room；　silent　and　trembling；　ridden　with　unnamed　fears；　groping　in　the　darkness。

And　while　they　remained　thus；　holding　close　by　one　another；　a　prolonged　and　wailing　cry　rose　suddenly　from　the　street；　and　passed　on　through　the　city　under　the　stars　and　the　wide　canopy　of　the　darkness。

〃Extra；　oh…h…h；　extra！　All　about　the　Smash　of　the　Great　Wheat　Corner！　　All　about　the　Failure　of　Curtis　Jadwin！〃



CONCLUSION


The　evening　had　closed　in　wet　and　misty。　　All　day　long　a　chill　wind　had　blown　across　the　city　from　off　the　lake；　and　by　eight　o'clock；　when　Laura　and　Jadwin　came　down　to　the　dismantled　library；　a　heavy　rain　was　falling。

Laura　gave　Jadwin　her　arm　as　they　made　their　way　across　the　roomtheir　footsteps　echoing　strangely　from　the　uncarpeted　boards。

〃There；　dear；〃　she　said。　　〃Give　me　the　valise。　　Now　sit　down　on　the　packing　box　there。　　Are　you　tired？　　You　had　better　put　your　hat　on。　　It　is　full　of　draughts　here；　now　that　all　the　furniture　and　curtains　are　out。〃

〃No；　no。　　I'm　all　right；　old　girl。　　Is　the　hack　there　yet？〃

〃Not　yet。　　You're　sure　you're　not　tired？〃　she　insisted。　〃You　had　a　pretty　bad　siege　of　it；　you　know；　and　this　is　only　the　first　week　you've　been　up。　　You　remember　how　the　doctor〃

〃I've　had　too　good　a　nurse；〃　he　answered；　stroking　her　hand；　〃not　to　be　fine　as　a　fiddle　by　now。　　You　must　be　tired　yourself；　Laura。　　Why；　for　whole　days　thereand　nights；　too；　they　tell　meyou　never　left　the　room。〃

She　shook　her　head；　as　though　dismissing　the　subject。

〃I　wonder；〃　she　said；　sitting　down　upon　a　smaller　packing…box　and　clasping　a　knee　in　her　hands；　〃I　wonder　what　the　West　will　be　like。　　Do　you　know　I　think　I　am　going　to　like　it；　Curtis？〃

〃It　will　be　starting　in　all　over　again；　old　girl；〃　he　said；　with　a　warning　shake　of　his　head。　　〃Pretty　hard　at　first；　I'm　afraid。〃

She　laughed　an　almost　contemptuous　note。

〃Hard！　Now？〃　She　took　his　hand　and　laid　it　to　her　cheek。

〃By　all　the　rules　you　ought　to　hate　me；〃　he　began。　〃What　have　I　done　for　you　but　hurt　you　and；　at　last；　bring　you　to〃

But　she　shut　her　gloved　hand　over　his　mouth。

〃Stop！〃　she　cried。　　〃Hush；　dear。　　You　have　brought　me　the　greatest　happiness　of　my　life。〃

Then　under　her　breath；　her　eyes　wide　and　thoughtful；　she　murmured：

〃A　capitulation　and　not　a　triumph；　and　I　have　won　a　victory　by　surrendering。〃

〃Heywhat？〃　demanded　Jadwin。　　〃I　didn't　hear。〃

〃Never　mind；〃　she　answered。　　〃It　was　nothing。　　'The　world　is　all　before　us　where　to　choose；'　now；　isn't　it？　And　this　big　house　and　all　the　life　we　have　led　in　it　was　just　an　incident　in　our　livesan　incident　that　is　closed。〃

〃Looks　like　it；　to　look　around　this　room；〃　he　said；　grimly。　　〃Nothing　left　but　the　wall　paper。　　What　do　you　suppose　are　in　these　boxes？〃

〃They're　labelled　'books　and　portieres。'〃

〃Who　bought　'em　I　wonder？　　I'd　have　thought　the　party　who　bought　the　house　would　have　taken　them。　　Well；　it　was　a　wrench　to　see　the　place　and　all　go　so　_dirt_　cheap；　and　the　'Thetis'；〃　too；　by　George！　But　I'm　glad　now。　　It's　as　though　we　had　lightened　ship。〃　　He　looked　at　his　watch。　　〃That　hack　ought　to　be　here　pretty　soon。　I'm　glad　we　checked　the　trunks　from　the　house；　gives　us　more　time。〃

〃Oh；　by　the　way；〃　exclaimed　Laura；　all　at　once　opening　her　satchel。　　〃I　had　a　long　letter　from　Page　this　morning；　from　New　York。　　Do　you　want　to　hear　what　she　has　to　say？　　I've　only　had　time　to　read　part　of　it　myself。　　It's　the　first　one　I've　had　from　her　since　their　marriage。〃

He　lit　a　cigar。

〃Go　ahead；〃　he　said；　settling　himself　on　the　box。　〃What　does　Mrs。　Court　have　to　say？〃

〃'My　dearest　sister；'〃　began　Laura。　　〃'Here　we　are；　Landry　and　I；　in　New　York　at　last。　　Very　tired　and　mussed　after　the　ride　on　the　cars；　but　in　a　darling　little　hotel　where　the　proprietor　is　head　cook　and　everybody　speaks　French。　　I　know　my　accent　is　improving；　and　Landry　has　learned　any　quantity　of　phrases　already。　　We　are　reading　George　Sand　out　loud；　and　are　making　up　the　longest　vocabulary。　　To…night　we　are　going　to　a　concert；　and　I've　found　out　that　there's　a　really　fine　course　of　lectures　to　be　given　soon　on　〃Literary　Tendencies；〃　or　something　like　that。　　_Quel　chance。_　　Landry　is　intensely　interested。　　You've　no　idea　what　a　deep　mind　he　has；　Lauraa　real　thinker。

〃'But　here's　really　a　big　piece　of　news。　　We　may　not　have　to　give　up　our　old　home　where　we　lived　when　we　first　came　to　Chicago。　　Aunt　Wess'　wrote　the　other　day　to　say　that；　if　you　were　willing；　she　would　rent　it；　and　then　sublet　all　the　lower　floor　to　Landry　and　me；　so　we　could　have　a　real　house　over　our　heads　and　not　the　under　side　of　the　floor　of　the　flat　overhead。　　And　she　is　such　an　old　dear；　I　know　we　could　all　get　along　beautifully。　　Write　me　about　this　as　soon　as　you　can。　I　know　you'll　be　willing；　and　Aunt　Wess；　said　she'd　agree　to　whatever　rent　you　suggested。

〃'We　went　to　call　on　Mrs。　Cressler　day　before　yesterday。　　She's　been　here　nearly　a　fortnight　by　now；　and　is　living　with　a　maiden　sister　of　hers　in　a　very　beautiful　house　fronting　Central　Park　（not　so　beautiful　as　our　palace　on　North　Avenue。　　Never；　never　will　I　forget　that　house）。　　She　will　probably　stay　here　now　always。　　She　says　the　very　sight　of　the　old　neighbourhoods　in　Chicago　would　be　more　than　she　could　bear。　　Poor　Mrs。　Cressler！　　How　fortunate　for　her　that　her　sister'and　so　on；　and　so　on；〃　broke　in　Laura；　hastily。

〃Read　it；　read　it；〃　said　Jadwin；　turning　sharply　away。　〃Don't　skip　a　line。　　I　want　to　hear　every　word。〃

〃That's　all　there　is　to　it；〃　Laura　returned。　　〃'We'll　be　back；'〃　she　went　on；　turning　a　page　of　the　letter；　〃'in　about　three　weeks；　and　Landry　will　take　up　his　work　in　that　railroad　office。　　No　more　speculating　for　him；　he　says。　　He　talks　of　Mr。　Jadwin　continually。　　You　never　saw　or　heard　of　such　devotion。　　He　says　that　Mr。　Jadwin　is　a　genius；　the　greatest　financier　in　the　country；　and　that　he　knows　he　could　have　won　if　they　all　hadn't　turned　against　him　that　day。　　He　never　gets　tired　telling　me　that　Mr。　Jadwin　has　been　a　father　to　himthe　kindest；　biggest…hearted　man　he　ever　knew'〃

Jadwin　pulled　his　mustache　rapidly。

〃Pshaw；　pish；　nonsenselittle　fool！〃　he　blustered。

〃He　simply　worshipped　you　from　the　first；　Curtis；〃　commented　Laura。　　〃Even　after　he　knew　I　was　to　marry　you。　　He　never　once　was　jealous；　never　once　would　listen　to　a　word　against　you　from　any　one。〃

〃Wellwell；　what　else　does　Mrs。　Court　say？〃

〃'I　am　glad　to　hear；'〃　read　Laura；　〃'that　Mr。　Gretry　did　not　fail；　though　Landry　tells　me　he　must　have　lost　a　great　deal　of　money。　　Landry　tells　me　that　eighteen　brokers'　houses　failed　in　Chicago　the　day　after　Mr。　Gretry　suspended。　　Isabel　sent　us　a　wedding　presenta　lovely　medicine　chest　full　of　homoeopathic　medicines；　little　pills　and　things；　you　know。　　But；　as　Landry　and　I　are　never　sick　and　both　laugh　at　homoeopathy；　I　declare　I　don't　know　just　what　we　will　do　with　it。　Landry　is　as　careful　of　me　as　though　I　were　a　wax　doll。　But　I　do　wish　he　would　think　more　of　his　own　health。　He　never　will　wear　his　mackintosh　in　rainy　weather。　I've　been　studying　his　tastes　so　carefully。　　He　likes　French　light　opera　better　than　English；　and　bright　colours　in　his　cravats；　and　he　simply　adores　stuffed　tomatoes。

〃'We　both　send　our　love；　and　Landry　especially　wants　to　be　remembered　to　Mr。　Jadwin。　　I　hope　this　letter　will　come　in　time　for　us　to　wish　you　both　_bon　voyage_　and　_bon　succes。_　　How　splendid　of　Mr。　Jadwin　to　have　started　his　new　business　even　while　he　was　convalescent！　Landry　says　he　knows　he　will　make　two　or　three　more　fortunes　in　the　next　few　years。

〃'Good…by；　Laura；　dear。　　Ever　your　loving　sister；

〃'PAGE　COURT。

〃'P。S。I　open　this　letter　again　to　tell　you　that　we　met　Mr。　Corthell　on　the　street　yesterday。　　He　sails　for　Europe　to…day。'〃

〃Oh；〃　said　Jadwin；　as　Laura　put　the　letter　quickly　down；　〃Corthellthat　artist　chap。　　By　the　way；　whatever　became　of　him？〃

Laura　settled　a　comb　in　the　back　of　her　hair。

〃He　went　away；〃　she　said。　　〃You　rememberI　told　you　told　you　all　about　it。〃

She　would　have　turned　away　her　head；　but　he　laid　a　hand　upon　her　shoulder。

〃I　remember；〃　he　answered；　looking　squarely　into　her　eyes；　〃I　remember　nothingonly　that　I　have　been　to　blame　for　everything。　　I　told　you　oncelong　agothat　I　_understood。_　　And　I　understand　now；　old　girl；　understand　as　I　never　did　before。　　I　fancy　we　both　have　been　living　according　to　a　wrong　notion　of　things。　　We　started　right　when　we　were　first　married；　but　I　worked　away　from　it　somehow　and　pulled　you　along　with　me。　　But　we've　both　been　through　a　great　big　change；　honey；　a　great　big　change；　and　we're　starting　all　over　again。。。。　Well；　there'