the pit-第8节

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k　was　rather　to　guide　than　to　enforce　her　application。　　She　soon　acquired　a　reading　knowledge　of　French；　and　knew　her　Racine　in　the　original　almost　as　well　as　her　Shakespeare。　　Literature　became　for　her　an　actual　passion。　　She　delved　into　Tennyson　and　the　Victorian　poets；　and　soon　was　on　terms　of　intimacy　with　the　poets　and　essayists　of　New　England。　　The　novelists　of　the　day　she　ignored　almost　completely；　and　voluntarily。　　Only　occasionally；　and　then　as　a　concession；　she　permitted　herself　a　reading　of　Mr。　Howells。

Moderately　prosperous　while　he　himself　was　conducting　his　little　mill；　Dearborn　had　not　been　able　to　put　by　any　money　to　speak　of；　and　when　Laura　and　the　local　lawyer　had　come　to　close　up　the　business；　to　dispose　of　the　mill；　and　to　settle　the　claims　against　what　the　lawyer　grandiloquently　termed　〃the　estate；〃　there　was　just　enough　money　left　to　pay　for　Page's　tickets　to　Chicago　and　a　course　of　tuition　for　her　at　a　seminary。

The　Cresslers　on　the　event　of　Dearborn's　death　had　advised　both　sisters　to　come　West；　and　had　pledged　themselves　to　look　after　Page　during　the　period　of　her　schooling。　　Laura　had　sent　the　little　girl　on　at　once；　but　delayed　taking　the　step　herself。

Fortunately；　the　two　sisters　were　not　obliged　to　live　upon　their　inheritance。　　Dearborn　himself　had　a　sister　a　twin　of　Aunt　Wess'who　had　married　a　wealthy　woollen　merchant　of　Boston；　and　this　one；　long　since；　had　provided　for　the　two　girls。　　A　large　sum　had　been　set　aside；　which　was　to　be　made　over　to　them　when　the　father　died。　　For　years　now　this　sum　had　been　accumulating　interest。　　So　that　when　Laura　and　Page　faced　the　world；　alone；　upon　the　steps　of　the　Barrington　cemetery；　they　had　the　assurance　that；　at　least；　they　were　independent。

For　two　years；　in　the　solidly　built　colonial　dwelling；　with　its　low　ceilings　and　ample　fireplaces；　where　once　the　minute…men　had　swung　their　kettles；　Laura；　alone；　thought　it　all　over。　　Mother　and　father　were　dead；　even　the　Boston　aunt　was　dead。　　Of　all　her　relations；　Aunt　Wess'　alone　remained。　　Page　was　at　her　finishing　school　at　Geneva　Lake；　within　two　hours　of　Chicago。　　The　Cresslers　were　the　dearest　friends　of　the　orphan　girls。　Aunt　Wess'；　herself　a　widow；　living　also　in　Chicago；　added　her　entreaties　to　Mrs。　Cressler's。　　All　things　seemed　to　point　her　westward；　all　things　seemed　to　indicate　that　one　phase　of　her　life　was　ended。

Then；　too；　she　had　her　ambitions。　　These　hardly　took　definite　shape　in　her　mind；　but　vaguely　she　chose　to　see　herself；　at　some　far…distant　day；　an　actress；　a　tragedienne；　playing　the　roles　of　Shakespeare's　heroines。　　This　idea　of　hers　was　more　a　desire　than　an　ambition；　but　it　could　not　be　realised　in　Barrington；　Massachusetts。　　For　a　year　she　temporised；　procrastinated；　loth　to　leave　the　old　home；　loth　to　leave　the　grave　in　the　cemetery　back　of　the　Methodist…　Episcopal　chapel。　　Twice　during　this　time　she　visited　Page；　and　each　time　the　great　grey　city　threw　the　spell　of　its　fascination　about　her。　　Each　time　she　returned　to　Barrington　the　town　dwindled　in　her　estimation。　　It　was　picturesque；　but　lamentably　narrow。　　The　life　was　barren；　the　〃New　England　spirit〃　prevailed　in　all　its　severity；　and　this　spirit　seemed　to　her　a　veritable　cult；　a　sort　of　religion；　wherein　the　Old　Maid　was　the　priestess；　the　Spinster　the　officiating　devotee；　the　thing　worshipped　the　Great　Unbeautiful；　and　the　ritual　unremitting；　unrelenting　Housework。　　She　detested　it。

That　she　was　an　Episcopalian；　and　preferred　to　read　her　prayers　rather　than　to　listen　to　those　written　and　memorised　by　the　Presbyterian　minister；　seemed　to　be　regarded　as　a　relic　of　heathenish　ritesa　thing　almost　cannibalistic。　　When　she　elected　to　engage　a　woman　and　a　〃hired　man〃　to　manage　her　house；　she　felt　the　disapprobation　of　the　entire　village；　as　if　she　had　sunk　into　some　decadent　and　enervating　Lower…Empire　degeneracy。

The　crisis　came　when　Laura　travelled　alone　to　Boston　to　hear　Modjeska　in　〃Marie　Stuart〃　and　〃Macbeth；〃　and　upon　returning　full　of　enthusiasm；　allowed　it　to　be　understood　that　she　had　a　half…formed　desire　of　emulating　such　an　example。　　A　group　of　lady…　deaconesses；　headed　by　the　Presbyterian　minister；　called　upon　her；　with　some　intention　of　reasoning　and　labouring　with　her。

They　got　no　farther　than　the　statement　of　the　cause　of　this　visit。　　The　spirit　and　temper　of　the　South；　that　she　had　from　her　mother；　flamed　up　in　Laura　at　last；　and　the　members　of　the　〃committee；〃　before　they　were　well　aware；　came　to　themselves　in　the　street　outside　the　front　gate；　dazed　and　bewildered；　staring　at　each　other；　all　confounded　and　stunned　by　the　violence　of　an　outbreak　of　long…repressed　emotion　and　long…restrained　anger；　that　like　an　actual　physical　force　had　swept　them　out　of　the　house。

At　the　same　moment　Laura；　thrown　across　her　bed；　wept　with　a　vehemence　that　shook　her　from　head　to　foot。　But　she　had　not　the　least　compunction　for　what　she　had　said；　and　before　the　month　was　out　had　said　good…by　to　Barrington　forever；　and　was　on　her　way　to　Chicago；　henceforth　to　be　her　home。

A　house　was　bought　on　the　North　Side；　and　it　was　arranged　that　Aunt　Wess'　should　live　with　her　two　nieces。　　Pending　the　installation　Laura　and　Page　lived　at　a　little　family　hotel　in　the　same　neighbourhood。　The　Cresslers'　invitation　to　join　the　theatre　party　at　the　Auditorium　had　fallen　inopportunely　enough；　squarely　in　the　midst　of　the　ordeal　of　moving　in。　Indeed　the　two　girls　had　already　passed　one　night　in　the　new　home；　and　they　must　dress　for　the　affair　by　lamplight　in　their　unfurnished　quarters　and　under　inconceivable　difficulties。　　Only　the　lure　of　Italian　opera；　heard　from　a　box；　could　have　tempted　them　to　have　accepted　the　invitation　at　such　a　time　and　under　such　circumstances。

The　morning　after　the　opera；　Laura　woke　in　her　bed　almost　the　only　article　of　furniture　that　was　in　place　in　the　whole　housewith　the　depressing　consciousness　of　a　hard　day's　work　at　hand。　　Outside　it　was　still　raining；　the　room　was　cold；　heated　only　by　an　inadequate　oil　stove；　and　through　the　slats　of　the　inside　shutters；　which；　pending　the　hanging　of　the　curtains　they　had　been　obliged　to　close；　was　filtering　a　gloomy　light　of　a　wet　Chicago　morning。

It　was　all　very　mournful；　and　she　regretted　now　that　she　had　not　abided　by　her　original　decision　to　remain　at　the　hotel　until　the　new　house　was　ready　for　occupancy。　　But　it　had　happened　that　their　month　at　the　hotel　was　just　up；　and　rather　than　engage　the　rooms　for　another　four　weeks　she　had　thought　it　easier　as　well　as　cheaper　to　come　to　the　house。　　It　was　all　a　new　experience　for　her；　and　she　had　imagined　that　everything　could　be　moved　in；　put　in　place；　and　the　household　running　smoothly　in　a　week's　time。

She　sat　up　in　bed；　hugging　her　shoulders　against　the　chill　of　the　room　and　looking　at　her　theatre　gown；　thatin　default　of　a　clean　closetshe　had　hung　from　the　gas　fixture　the　night　before。　　From　the　direction　of　the　kitchen　came　the　sounds　of　the　newly　engaged　〃girl〃　making　the　fire　for　breakfast；　while　through　the　register　a　thin　wisp　of　blue　smoke　curled　upward　to　prove　that　the　〃hired　man〃　was　tinkering　with　the　unused　furnace。　　The　room　itself　was　in　lamentable　confusion。　　Crates　and　packing　boxes　encumbered　the　uncarpeted　floor；　chairs　wrapped　in　excelsior　and　jute　were　piled　one　upon　another；　a　roll　of　carpet　leaned　in　one　corner　and　a　pile　of　mattresses　occupied　another。

As　Laura　considered　the　prospect　she　realised　her　blunder。

〃Why；　and　oh；　why；〃　she　murmured；　〃didn't　we　stay　at　the　hotel　till　all　this　was　straightened　out？〃

But　in　an　adjoining　room　she　heard　Aunt　Wess'　stirring。　She　turned　to　Page；　who　upon　the　pillows　beside　her　still　slept；　her　stocking　around　her　neck　as　a　guarantee　against　draughts。

〃Page；　Page！　Wake　up；　girlie。　　It's　late；　and　there's　worlds　to　do。〃

Page　woke　blinking。

〃Oh；　it's　freezing　cold；　Laura。　　Let's　light　the　oil　stove　and　stay　in　bed　till　the　room　gets　warm。　　Oh；　dear；　aren't　you　sleepy；　and；　oh；　wasn't　last　night　lovely？　　Which　one　of　us　will　get　up　to　light　the　stove？　We'll　count　for　it。　　Lie　down；　sissie；　dear；〃　she　begged；　〃you're　letting　all　the　cold　air　in。〃

Laura　complied；　and　the　two　sisters；　their　noses　all　but　touching；　the　bedclothes　up　to　their　ears；　put　their　arms　about　each　other　to　keep　the　warmer。

Amused　at　the　foolishness；　they　〃counted〃　to　decide　as　to　who　should　get　up　to　light　the　oil　stove；　Page　beginning：

〃Eenymeenymynymo〃

But　before　the　〃count〃　was　decided　Aunt　Wess'　came　in；　already　dressed；　and　in　a　breath　the　two　girls　implored　her　to　light　the　stove。　　While　she　did　so；　Aunt　Wess'　remarked；　with　the　alacrity　of　a　woman　who　observes　the　difficulties　of　a　proceeding　in　which　she　has　no　faith：

〃I　don't　believe　that　hired　girl　knows　her　business。　She　says　now　she　can't　light　a　fire　in　that　stove。　　My　word；　Laura；　I　do　believe　you'll　have　enough　of　all　this　before　you're　done。　　You　know　I　advised　you　from　the　very　first　to　take　a　flat。〃

〃Nonsense；　Aunt　Wess'；〃　answered　Laura；　good…naturedly。　〃We'll　work　it　out　all　right。　　I　know　what's　the　matter　with　that　range。　　I'll　be　right　down　and　see　to　it　so　soon　as　I'm　dressed。〃

It　was　nearly　ten　o'clock　before　breakfast；　such　as　it　was；　was　over。　　They　ate　it　on　the　kitchen　ta