the lost road-第14节

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the　door　and　said：

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

Cochran；　conscious　of　five　years　of　devotion；　found　that　he　was
blushing；　and　longed　to　strangle　himself。　　Nor　was　the　blush　lost
upon　Griswold。

〃I'm　sorry；〃　said　Cochran；　〃but　I've　not　had　that　honor。　　On　the
stage；　of　course〃

He　shrugged　the　broad　shoulders　deprecatingly；　as　though　to　suggest
that　not　to　know　Miss　Proctor　as　an　artist　argues　oneself　unknown。

Griswold　pretended　to　be　puzzled。　　As　though　endeavoring　to　recall
a　past　conversation　he　frowned。

〃But　Aline；〃　he　said；　〃told　me　she　had　met　you…met　you　at　Bar
Harbor。〃　　In　the　fatal　photographs　the　familiar　landfalls　of　Bar
Harbor　had　been　easily　recognized。

The　young　architect　shook　his　head。

〃It　must　be　another　Cochran；〃　he　suggested。　　〃I　have　never　been　in
Bar　Harbor。〃

With　the　evidence　of　the　photographs　before　him　this　last
statement　was　a　verdict　of　guilty；　and　Griswold；　not　with　the
idea　of　giving　Cochran　a　last　chance　to　be　honest；　but　to　cause
him　to　dig　the　pit　still　deeper；　continued　to　lead　him　on。　　〃Maybe
she　meant　York　Harbor？〃

Again　Cochran　shook　his　head　and　laughed。

〃Believe　me；〃　he　said；　〃if　I'd　ever　met　Miss　Proctor　anywhere　I
wouldn't　forget　it！〃

Ten　minutes　later　Griswold　was　talking　to　Aline　over　the　telephone。
He　intended　to　force　matters。　　He　would　show　Aline　she　could　neither
trifle　with　nor　deceive　Chester　Griswold；　but　the　thought　that　he　had
been　deceived　was　not　what　most　hurt　him。　　What　hurt　him　was　to
think　that　Aline　had　preferred　a　man　who　looked　like　an　advertisement
for　ready…made　clothes　and　who　worked　in　his　shirt…sleeves。

Griswold　took　it　for　granted　that　any　woman　would　be　glad　to　marry　him。
So　many　had　been　willing　to　do　so　that　he　was　convinced；　when　one　of
them　was　not；　it　was　not　because　there　was　anything　wrong　with　him；
but　because　the　girl　herself　lacked　taste　and　perception。

That　the　others　had　been　in　any　degree　moved　by　his　many　millions
had　never　suggested　itself。　　He　was　convinced　each　had　loved　him　for
himself　alone；　and　if　Aline；　after　meeting　him；　would　still　consider　any
one　else；　it　was　evident　something　was　very　wrong　with　Aline。　　He　was
determined　that　she　must　be　chastenedmust　be　brought　to　a　proper
appreciation　of　her　good　fortune　and　of　his　condescension。

On　being　called　to　the　telephone　at　ten　in　the　morning；　Aline
demanded　to　know　what　could　excuse　Griswold　for　rousing　her
in　the　middle　of　the　night！

Griswold　replied　that；　though　the　day　was　young；　it　also　was
charming；　that　on　Sunday　there　might　be　rain；　and　that　if　she
desired　to　see　the　house　he　and　Post　thought　would　most　suit　her；
he　and　his　car　would　be　delighted　to　convey　her　to　it。　　They　could
make　the　run　in　an　hour；　lunch　with　friends　at　Westbury；　and
return　in　plenty　of　time　for　the　theatre。　　Aline　was　delighted　at
the　sudden　interest　Griswold　was　showing　in　the　new　house。
Without　a　moment's　hesitation　she　walked　into　the　trap。　　She
would　go；　she　declared；　with　pleasure。　　In　an　hour　he　should
call　for　her。

Exactly　an　hour　later　Post　arrived　at　his　office。　　He　went　directly
to　Cochran。

〃Charles；〃　he　said；　〃I'm　afraid　I　got　you　into　trouble　yesterday。
I　took　a　client　to　see　your　house。　　You　have　often　let　us　do　it　before；
but　since　I　was　there　last　you've　made　some　changes。　　In　your　bedroom〃
Post　stopped。

Cochran's　naive　habit　of　blushing　told　him　it　was　not　necessary
to　proceed。　　In　tones　of　rage　and　mortification　Cochran　swore
explosively；　Post　was　relieved　to　find　he　was　swearing　at　himself。

〃I　ought　to　be　horsewhipped！〃　roared　Cochran。　　〃I'll　never　forgive
myself！　Who；〃　he　demanded；　〃saw　the　pictures？　Was　it　a　man　or　a
woman？〃

Post　laughed　unhappily。

〃It　was　Chester　Griswold。〃

A　remarkable　change　came　over　Cochran。　　Instead　of　sobering　him；
as　Post　supposed　it　would；　the　information　made　him　even　more
angryonly　now　his　anger　was　transferred　from　himself　to　Griswold。

〃The　blankety…blank　bounder！〃　yelled　Cochran。　　〃That　was　what　he
wanted！　That's　why　he　came　here！〃

〃Here！〃　demanded　Post。

〃Not　an　hour　ago；〃　cried　Cochran。　　〃He　asked　me　about　Bar　Harbor。
He　saw　those　pictures　were　taken　at　Bar　Harbor！〃

〃I　think；〃　said　Post　soothingly；　〃he'd　a　right　to　ask　questions。
There　were　so　many　pictures；　and　they　were　verywellvery！〃

〃I'd　have　answered　his　questions；〃　roared　Cochran；　〃if　he'd　asked
them　like　a　man；　but　he　came　snooping　down　here　to　spy　on　me。
He　tried　to　trick　me。　　He　insulted　me！　He　insulted　her！〃　He　emitted
a　howl　of　dismay。　　〃And　I　told　him　I'd　never　been　to　Bar　Harbor
that　I'd　never　met　Aline　Proctor！〃

Cochran　seized　his　coat　and　hat。　　He　shouted　to　one　of　the　office
boys　to　telephone　the　garage　for　his　car。

〃What　are　youwhere　are　you　going？〃　demanded　Post。

〃I'm　going　home　first；〃　cried　Cochran；　〃to　put　those　pictures　in
a　safe；　as　I　should　have　done　three　months　ago。　　And　then　I'm
going　to　find　Chester　Griswold　and　tell　him　he's　an　ass　and　a
puppy！〃

〃If　you　do　that；〃　protested　Post；　〃you're　likely　to　lose　us　a　very
valuable　client。〃

〃And　your　client；〃　roared　Charles；　〃is　likely　to　lose　some　very
valuable　teeth！〃

As　Charles　whirled　into　the　country　road　in　which　stood　his　house
he　saw　drawn　up　in　front　of　it　the　long　gray　car　in　which；　that　morning；
Chester　Griswold　had　called　at　the　office。　　Cochran　emitted　a　howl　of
anger。　　Was　his　home　again　to　be　invaded？　And　again　while　he　was
absent？　To　what　extreme　would　Griswold's　jealousy　next　lead　him？
He　fell　out　of　his　own　car　while　it　still　moved；　and　leaped　up　the　garden
walk。　　The　front　rooms　of　the　house　were　empty；　but　from　his　bedroom
he　heard；　raised　in　excited　tones；　the　voice　of　Griswold。　　The　audacity
of　the　man　was　so　surprising；　and　his　own　delight　at　catching　him
red…handed　so　satisfying；　that　no　longer　was　Cochran　angry。　　The　Lord
had　delivered　his　enemy　into　his　hands！　And；　as　he　advanced　toward　his
bedroom；　not　only　was　he　calm；　but；　at　the　thought　of　his　revenge；
distinctly　jubilant。　　In　the　passageway　a　frightened　maid　servant；　who；
at　his　unexpected　arrival；　was　now　even　more　frightened；　endeavored
to　give　him　an　explanation；　but　he　waved　her　into　silence；　and；　striding
before　her；　entered　his　bedroom。

He　found　confronting　him　a　tall　and　beautiful　young　woman。　　It　was
not　the　Aline　Proctor　he　knew。　　It　was　not　the　well…poised；　gracious；
and　distinguished　beauty　he　had　seen　gliding　among　the　tables　at
Sherry's　or　throwing　smiles　over　the　footlights。　　This　Aline　Proctor
was　a　very　indignant　young　person；　with　flashing　eyes；　tossing　head；
and　a　stamping　foot。　　Extended　from　her　at　arm's　length；　she　held　a
photograph　of　herself　in　a　heavy　silver　frame；　and；　as　though　it　were
a　weapon；　she　was　brandishing　it　in　the　face　of　Chester　Griswold。
As　Cochran；　in　amazement；　halted　in　the　doorway　she　was　exclaiming：

〃I　told　you　I　didn't　know　Charles　Cochran！　I　tell　you　so　now！　If　you
can't　believe　me…〃

Out　of　the　corner　of　her　flashing　eyes　the　angry　lady　caught　sight　of
Cochran　in　the　doorway。　　She　turned　upon　the　intruder　as　though　she
meant　forcibly　to　eject　him。

〃Who　are　you？〃　she　demanded。　　Her　manner　and　tone　seemed　to　add：
〃And　what　the　deuce　are　you　doing　here？〃

Charles　answered　her　tone。

〃I　am　Charles　Cochran；〃　he　said。　　〃I　live　here。　　This　is　my　house！〃

These　words　had　no　other　effect　upon　Miss　Proctor　than　to　switch
her　indignation　down　another　track。　　She　now　turned　upon　Charles。

〃Then；　if　this　is　your　house；〃　cried　that　angry　young　person；
〃why　have　you　filled　it　with　photographs　of　me　that　belong　to
some　one　else？〃

Charles　saw　that　his　hour　had　come。　　His　sin　had　found　him　out。　　He
felt　that　to　prevaricate　would　be　only　stupid。

Griswold　had　tried　devious　methodsand　look　where　his　devious
methods　had　dumped　him！　Griswold　certainly　was　in　wrong。　　Charles
quickly　determined　to　adopt　a　course　directly　opposite。　　Griswold
had　shown　an　utter　lack　of　confidence　in　Aline。　　Charles　decided
that　he　would　give　her　his　entire　confidence；　would　throw　himself
upon　the　mercy　of　the　court。

〃I　have　those　photographs　in　my　house；　Miss　Proctor；〃　he　said；
〃because　I　have　admired　you　a　long　time。　　They　were　more　like　you
than　those　I　could　buy。　　Having　them　here　has　helped　me　a　lot；　and　it
hasn't　done　you　any　harm。　　You　know　very　well　you　have　anonymous
admirers　all　over　this　country。　　I'm　only　one　of　them。　　If　I　have　offended；
I　have　offended　with　many；　many　thousands。〃

Already　it　has　been　related　that　Cochran　was　very　good　to　look
upon。　　At　the　present　moment；　as　he　spoke　in　respectful；　even
soulful　accents；　meekly　and　penitently　proclaiming　his
long…concealed　admiration；　Miss　Proctor　found　her　indignation
melting　like　an　icicle　in　the　sun。

Still；　she　did　not　hold　herself　cheaply。　　She　was　accustomed　to
such　open　flattery。　　She　would　not　at　once　capitulate。

〃But　these　pictures；〃　she　protested；　〃I　gave　to　a　man　I　knew。　　You
have　no　right　to　them。　　They　are　not　at　all　the　sort　of　picture　I
would　give　to　an　utter　stranger！〃　　With　anxiety　the　lovely　lady
paused　for　a　reply。　　She　hoped　that　the　reply　the　tall　young　man
with　appealing　eyes　would　make　would　be　such　as　to　make　it
possibl