the lost road-第13节

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room　and　you　would　occupy　the　one　adjoining；　which　Cochran　now
uses　as　a　guest…room。　　As　you　see；　they　are　entirely　cut　off　from…〃

Mr。　Griswold　did　not　see。　　Up　to　that　moment　he　had　given　every
appearance　of　being　both　bored　and　sulky。　　Now　his　attention　was
entirely　engagedbut　not　upon　the　admirable　simplicity　of　Mr。
Cochran's　ground…plan；　as　Mr。　Post　had　hoped。　　Instead；　the　eyes
of　the　greatest　catch　in　America　were　intently　regarding　a　display
of　photographs　that　smiled　back　at　him　from　every　corner　of　the
room。　　Not　only　did　he　regard　these　photographs　with　a　savage　glare；
but　he　approached　them　and　carefully　studied　the　inscriptions　scrawled
across　the　face　of　each。

Post　himself　cast　a　glance　at　the　nearest　photographs；　and　then
hastily　manoeuvred　his　client　into　the　hall　and　closed　the　door。

〃We　will　now；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃visit　the　butler's　pantry；　which
opens　upon　the　dining…room　and　kitchen；　thus　saving〃

But　Griswold　did　not　hear　him。　　Without　giving　another　glance　at
the　house　he　stamped　out　of　it　and；　plumping　himself　down　in　the
motor…car；　banged　the　door。　　Not　until　Post　had　driven　him　well
into　New　York　did　he　make　any　comment。

〃What　did　you　say；〃　he　then　demanded；　〃is　the　name　of　the　man　who
owns　that　last　house　we　saw？〃

Post　told　him。

〃I　never　heard　of　him！〃　said　Griswold　as　though　he　were
delivering　young　Cochran's　death　sentence。　　〃Who　is　he？〃

〃He's　an　architect　in　our　office；〃　said　Post。　　〃We　think　a　lot　of
him。　　He'll　leave　us　soon；　of　course。　　The　best　ones　always　do。　　His
work　is　very　popular。　　So　is　he。〃

〃I　never　heard　of　him；〃　repeated　Griswold。　　Then；　with　sudden
heat；　he　added　savagely：　〃But　I　mean　to　to…night。〃

When　Griswold　had　first　persuaded　Aline　Proctor　to　engage　herself
to　him　he　had　suggested　that；　to　avoid　embarrassment；　she　should
tell　him　the　names　of　the　other　men　to　whom　she　had　been　engaged。

〃What　kind　of　embarrassment　would　that　avoid？〃

〃If　I　am　talking　to　a　man；〃　said　Griswold；　〃and　he　knows　the
woman　I'm　going　to　marry　was　engaged　to　him　and　I　don't　know
that；　he　has　me　at　a　disadvantage。〃

〃I　don't　see　that　he　has；〃　said　Aline。　　〃If　we　suppose；　for　the　sake
of　argument；　that　to　marry　me　is　desirable；　I　would　say　that　the
man　who　was　going　to　marry　me　had　the　advantage　over　the　one
I　had　declined　to　marry。〃

〃I　want　to　know　who　those　men　are；〃　explained　Griswold；　〃because
I　want　to　avoid　them。　　I　don't　want　to　talk　to　them。　　I　don't　want
even　to　know　them。〃

〃I　don't　see　how　I　can　help　you；〃　said　Aline。　　〃I　haven't　the
slightest　objection　to　telling　you　the　names　of　the　men　I　have
cared　for；　if　I　can　remember　them；　but　I　certainly　do　not　intend
to　tell　you　the　name　of　any　man　who　cared　for　me　enough　to　ask　me
to　marry　him。　　That's　his　secret；　not　minecertainly　not　yours。〃

Griswold　thought　he　was　very　proud。　　He　really　was　very　vain；　and
as　jealousy　is　only　vanity　in　its　nastiest　development　he　was
extremely　jealous。　　So　he　persisted。

〃Will　you　do　this？〃　he　demanded。　　〃If　I　ever　ask　you；　'Is　that　one
of　the　men　you　cared　for？'　will　you　tell　me？〃

〃If　you　wish　it；〃　said　Aline；　〃but　I　can't　see　any　health　in　it。
It　will　only　make　you　uncomfortable。　　So　long　as　you　know　I　have
given　you　the　greatest　and　truest　love　I　am　capable　of；　why
should　you　concern　yourself　with　my　mistakes？〃

〃So　that　I　can　avoid　meeting　what　you　call　your　mistakes；〃　said
Griswold〃　and　being　friendly　with　them。〃

〃I　assure　you；〃　laughed　Aline；　〃it　wouldn't　hurt　you　a　bit　to　be
as　friendly　with　them　as　they'd　let　you。　　Maybe　they　weren't　as
proud　of　their　families　as　you　are；　but　they　made　up　for　that　by
being　a　darned　sight　prouder　of　me！〃

Later；　undismayed　by　this　and　unashamed；　on　two　occasions
Griswold　actually　did　demand　of　Aline　if　a　genial　youth　she　had
just　greeted　joyfully　was　one　of　those　for　whom　she　once　had
cared。

And　Aline　had　replied　promptly　and　truthfully　that　he　was。　　But　in
the　case　of　Charles　Cochran；　Griswold　did　not　ask　Aline　if　he　was
one　of　those　for　whom　she　once　had　cared。　　He　considered　the
affair　with　Cochran　so　serious　that；　in　regard　to　that　man；　he
adopted　a　different　course。

In　digging　rivals　out　of　the　past　his　jealousy　had　made　him
indefatigable；　but　in　all　his　researches　he　never　had　heard　the
name　of　Charles　Cochran。　　That　fact　and　the　added　circumstance
that　Aline　herself　never　had　mentioned　the　man　was　in　his　eyes　so
suspicious　as　to　be　almost　a　damning　evidence　of　deception。　　And
he　argued　that　if　in　the　past　Aline　had　deceived　him　as　to　Charles
Cochran　she　would　continue　to　do　so。　　Accordingly；　instead
of　asking　her　frankly　for　the　truth　he　proceeded　to　lay　traps　for
it。　　And　if　there　is　one　thing　Truth　cannot　abide；　it　is　being
hunted　by　traps。

That　evening　Aline　and　he　were　invited　to　a　supper　in　her　honor；
and　as　he　drove　her　from　the　theatre　to　the　home　of　their　hostess
he　told　her　of　his　search　earlier　in　the　day。

The　electric　light　in　the　limousine　showed　Aline's　face　as
clearly　as　though　it　were　held　in　a　spotlight；　and　as　he　prepared
his　trap　Griswold　regarded　her　jealously。

〃Post　tells　me；〃　he　said；　〃he　has　the　very　man　you　want　for　your
architect。　　He's　sure　you'll　find　him　most　understanding　andand…
…
sympathetic。　　He's　a　young　man　who　is　just　coming　to　the　front；
and　he's　very　popular；　especially　with　women。〃

〃What's　his　being　popular　with　women；〃　asked　Aline；　〃got　to　do
with　his　carrying　out　my　ideas　of　a　house？〃

〃That's　just　it；〃　said　Griswold〃it's　the　woman　who　generally　has
the　most　to　say　as　to　how　her　house　shall　be　built；　and　this　man
understands　woman。　　I　have　reasons　for　believing　he　will　certainly
understand　you！〃

〃If　he　understands　me　well　enough　to　give　me　all　the
linen…closets　I　want；〃　said　Aline；　〃he　will　be　perfectly
satisfactory。〃

Before　delivering　his　blow　Griswold　sank　back　into　his　corner　of
the　car；　drew　his　hat　brim　over　his　forehead；　and　fixed　spying
eyes　upon　the　very　lovely　face　of　the　girl　he　had　asked　to　marry
him。

〃His　name；〃　he　said　in　fateful　tones；　〃is　Charles　Cochran！〃

It　was　supposed　to　be　a　body　blow；　but；　to　his　distress；　Aline
neither　started　nor　turned　pale。　　Neither；　for　trying　to　trick
her；　did　she　turn　upon　him　in　reproof　and　anger。　　Instead；　with
alert　eyes；　she　continued　to　peer　out　of　the　window　at　the
electric…light　advertisements　and　her　beloved　Broadway。

〃Well？〃　demanded　Griswold；　his　tone　was　hoarse　and　heavy　with
meaning。

〃Well　what？〃　asked　Aline　pleasantly。

〃How；〃　demanded　Griswold；　〃do　you　like　Charles　Cochran　for　an
architect？〃

〃How　should　I　know？〃　asked　Aline。　　〃I've　not　met　him　yet！〃

She　had　said　it！　And　she　had　said　it　without　the　waver　of　one　of
her　lovely　eyelashes。　　No　wonder　the　public　already　hailed　her　as
a　finished　actress！　Griswold　felt　that　his　worst　fears　were
justified。　　She　had　lied　to　him。　　And；　as　he　knew　she　had　never
before　lied　to　him；　that　now　she　did　so　proved　beyond　hope　of
doubt　that　the　reason　for　it　was　vital；　imperative；　and　compelling。
But　of　his　suspicions　Griswold　gave　no　sign。　　He　would　not　at
once　expose　her。　　He　had　trapped　her；　but　as　yet　she　must　not
know　that。　　He　would　wait　until　he　had　still　further　entangled
heruntil　she　could　not　escape；　and　then；　with　complete　proof
of　her　deceit；　he　would　confront　and　overwhelm　her。

With　this　amiable　purpose　in　mind　he　called　early　the　next　morning
upon　Post　&　Constant　and　asked　to　see　Mr。　Cochran。　　He　wished；
he　said；　to　consult　him　about　the　new　house。　　Post　had　not　yet
reached　the　office；　and　of　Griswold's　visit　with　Post　to　his　house
Cochran　was　still　ignorant。　　He　received　Griswold　most　courteously。
He　felt　that　the　man　who　was　loved　by　the　girl　he　also　had　long　and
hopelessly　worshipped　was　deserving　of　the　highest　consideration。
Griswold　was　less　magnanimous。　　When　he　found　his　rivalfor　as
such　he　beheld　himwas　of　charming　manners　and　gallant　appearance
he　considered　that　fact　an　additional　injury；　but　he　concealed　his
resentment；　for　he　was　going　to　trap　Cochran；　too。

He　found　the　architect　at　work　leaning　over　a　drawing…board；　and
as　they　talked　Cochran　continued　to　stand。　　He　was　in　his　shirt…sleeves；
which　were　rolled　to　his　shoulders；　and　the　breadth　of　those　shoulders
and　the　muscles　of　his　sunburned　arms　were　much　in　evidence。
Griswold　considered　it　a　vulgar　exhibition。

For　over　ten　minutes　they　talked　solely　of　the　proposed　house；
but　not　once　did　Griswold　expose　the　fact　that　he　had　seen　any
more　of　it　than　any　one　might　see　from　the　public　road。　　When　he
rose　to　take　his　leave　he　said：

〃How　would　it　do　if　I　motored　out　Sunday　and　showed　your　house
to　Miss　Proctor？　Sunday　is　the　only　day　she　has　off；　and　if　it　would　not
inconvenience　you〃

The　tender　heart　of　Cochran　leaped　in　wild　tumult；　he　could　not
conceal　his　delight；　nor　did　he　attempt　to　do　so；　and　his　expression
made　it　entirely　unnecessary　for　him　to　assure　Griswold　that　such　a
visit　would　be　entirely　welcome　and　that　they　might　count　on　finding
him　at　home。　　As　though　it　were　an　afterthought；　Griswold　halted　at
the　door　and　said：

〃I　believe　you　are　already　acquainted　with　Miss　Proctor。〃

Cochran；　conscious　of　five　years　of　devotion；　found　that