the man between-第12节

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〃I　think　you　permit　Fred　Mostyn　to　take　too　much　liberty　with　you；　Dora；〃　she　said　as　soon　as　they　were　in　Dora's　parlor；　and　as　she　spoke　she　threw　off　her　coat　in　a　temper　which　effectively　emphasized　the　words。

〃I　have　been　expecting　this　ill…nature；　Ethel。　You　were　cross　all　the　time　we　were　at　lunch。　You　spoiled　all　our　pleasure　Pray；　what　have　I　been　doing　wrong　with　Fred　Mostyn？〃

〃It　was　Fred　who　did　wrong。　His　compliments　to　you　were　outrageous。　He　has　no　right　to　say　such　things；　and　you　have　no　right　to　listen　to　them。〃

〃I　am　not　to　blame　if　he　compliments　me　instead　of　you。　He　was　simply　polite；　but　then　it　was　to　the　wrong　person。〃


〃Of　course　it　was。　Such　politeness　he　had　no　right　to　offer　you。〃

〃It　would　have　been　quite　proper　if　offered　you；　I　suppose？〃

〃It　would　not。　It　would　have　been　a　great　impertinence。　I　have　given　him　neither　claim　nor　privilege　to　address　me　as　‘My　lovely　Ethel！'　He　called　you　many　times　‘My　lovely　Dora！'　You　are　not　his　lovely　Dora。　When　he　put　on　your　coat；　he　drew　you　closer　than　was　proper；　and　I　saw　him　take　your　hand　and　hold　it　in　a　claspnot　necessary。〃

〃Why　do　you　listen　and　watch？　It　is　vulgar。　You　told　me　so　yourself。　And　I　am　lovely。　Basil　says　that　as　well　as　Fred。　Do　you　want　a　man　to　lie　and　say　I　am　ugly？〃

〃You　are　fencing　the　real　question。　He　had　no　business　to　use　the　word　‘my。'　You　are　engaged　to　Basil　Stanhope；　not　to　Fred　Mostyn。〃

〃I　am　Basil's　lovely　fiancee；　I　am　Fred's　lovely　friend。〃

〃Oh！　I　hope　Fred　understands　the　difference。〃

〃Of　course　he　does。　Some　people　are　always　thinking　evil。〃

〃I　was　thinking　of　Mr。　Stanhope's　rights。〃

〃Thank　you；　Ethel；　but　I　can　take　care　of　Mr。　Stanhope's　rights　without　your　assistance。　If　you　had　said　you　were　thinking　of　Ethel　Rawdon's　rights　you　would　have　been　nearer　the　truth。〃

〃Dora；　I　will　not　listen〃

〃Oh；　you　shall　listen　to　me！　I　know　that　you　expected　Fred　to　fall　in　love　with　you；　but　if　he　did　not　like　to　do　so；　am　I　to　blame？〃　Ethel　was　resuming　her　coat　at　this　point　in　the　conversation；　and　Dora　understood　the　proud　silence　with　which　the　act　was　being　accomplished。　Then　a　score　of　good　reasons　for　preventing　such　a　definite　quarrel　flashed　through　her　selfish　little　mind；　and　she　threw　her　arms　around　Ethel　and　begged　a　thousand　pardons　for　her　rudeness。　And　Ethel　had　also　reasons　for　avoiding　dissension　at　this　time。　A　break　in　their　friendship　now　would　bring　Dora　forward　to　explain；　and　Dora　had　a　wonderful　cleverness　in　presenting　her　own　side　of　any　question。　Ethel　shrunk　from　her　innuendoes　concerning　Fred；　and　she　knew　that　Basil　would　be　made　to　consider　her　a　meddling；　jealous　girl　who　willingly　saw　evil　in　Dora's　guileless　enjoyment　of　a　clever　man's　company。

To　be　misunderstood；　to　be　blamed　and　pitied；　to　be　made　a　pedestal　for　Dora's　superiority；　was　a　situation　not　to　be　contemplated。　It　was　better　to　look　over　Dora's　rudeness　in　the　flush　of　Dora's　pretended　sorrow　for　it。　So　they　forgave　each　other；　or　said　they　did；　and　then　Dora　explained　herself。　She　declared　that　she　had　not　the　least　intention　of　any　wrong。　〃You　see；　Ethel；　what　a　fool　the　man　is　about　me。　Somebody　says　we　ought　to　treat　a　fool　according　to　his　folly。　That　is　all　I　was　doing。　I　am　sure　Basil　is　so　far　above　Fred　Mostyn　that　I　could　never　put　them　in　comparisonand　Basil　knows　it。　He　trusts　me。〃

〃Very　well；　Dora。　If　Basil　knows　it；　and　trusts　you；　I　have　no　more　to　say。　I　am　now　sorry　I　named　the　subject。〃

〃Never　mind；　we　will　forget　that　it　was　named。　The　fact　is；　Ethel；　I　want　all　the　fun　I　can　get　now。　When　I　am　Basil's　wife　I　shall　have　to　be　very　sedate；　and　of　course　not　even　pretend　to　know　if　any　other　man　admires　me。　Little　lunches　with　Fred；　theater　and　opera　parties；　and　even　dances　will　be　over　for　me。　Oh；　dear；　how　much　I　am　giving　up　for　Basil！　And　sometimes　I　think　he　never　realizes　how　dreadful　it　must　be　for　me。〃

〃You　will　have　your　lover　all　the　time　then。　Surely　his　constant　companionship　will　atone　for　all　you　relinquish。〃

〃Take　off　your　coat　and　hat；　Ethel；　and　sit　down　comfortably。　I　don't　know　about　Basil's　constant　companionship。　Tete…a…tetes　are　tiresome　affairs　sometimes。〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　Ethel；　as　she　half…reluc…　tantly　removed　her　coat；　〃they　were　a　bore　undoubtedly　even　in　Paradise。　I　wonder　if　Eve　was　tired　of　Adam's　conversation；　and　if　that　made　her　listen　tothe　other　party。〃

〃I　am　so　glad　you　mentioned　that　circumstance；　Ethel。　I　shall　remember　it。　Some　day；　no　doubt；　I　shall　have　to　remind　Basil　of　the　failure　of　Adam　to　satisfy　Eve's　idea　of　perfect　companionship。〃　And　Dora　put　her　pretty；　jeweled　hands　up　to　her　ears　and　laughed　a　low；　musical　laugh　with　a　childish　note　of　malice　running　through　it。

This　pseudo…reconciliation　was　not　conducive　to　pleasant　intercourse。　After　a　short　delay　Ethel　made　an　excuse　for　an　early　departure；　and　Dora　accepted　it　without　her　usual　remonstrance。　The　day　had　been　one　of　continual　friction；　and　Dora's　irritable　pettishness　hard　to　bear；　because　it　had　now　lost　that　childish　unreason　which　had　always　induced　Ethel's　patience；　for　Dora　had　lately　put　away　all　her　ignorant　immaturities。　She　had　become　a　person　of　importance；　and　had　realized　the　fact。　The　young　ladies　of　St。　Jude's　had　made　a　pet　of　their　revered　rector's　love；　and　the　elder　ladies　had　also　shown　a　marked　interest　in　her。　The　Dennings'　fine　house　was　now　talked　about　and　visited。　Men　of　high　financial　power　respected　Mr。　Dan　Denning；　and　advised　the　social　recognition　of　his　family；　and　Mrs。　Denning　was　not　now　found　more　eccentric　than　many　other　of　the　new　rich；　who　had　been　tolerated　in　the　ranks　of　the　older　plutocrats。　Even　Bryce　had　made　the　standing　he　desired。　He　was　seen　with　the　richest　and　idlest　young　men；　and　was　invited　to　the　best　houses。　Those　fashionable　women　who　had　marriageable　daughters　considered　him　not　ineligible；　and　men　temporarily　hampered　for　cash　knew　that　they　could　find　smiling　assistance　for　a　consideration　at　Bryce's　little　office　on　William　Street。

These　and　other　points　of　reflection　troubled　Ethel；　and　she　was　glad　the　long　trial　was　nearing　its　end；　for　she　knew　quite　well　the　disagreement　of　that　evening　had　done　no　good。　Dora　would　certainly　repeat　their　conversation；　in　her　own　way　of　interpreting　it；　to　both　Basil　Stanhope　and　Fred　Mostyn。　More　than　likely　both　Bryce　and　Mrs。　Denning　would　also　hear　how　her　innocent　kindness　had　been　misconstrued；　and　in　each　case　she　could　imagine　the　conversation　that　took　place；　and　the　subsequent　bestowal　of　pitying；　scornful　or　angry　feeling　that　would　insensibly　find　its　way　to　her　consciousness　without　any　bird　of　the　air　to　carry　it。

She　felt；　too；　that　reprisals　of　any　kind　were　out　of　the　question。　They　were　not　only　impolitic；　they　were　difficult。　Her　father　had　an　aversion　to　Dora；　and　was　likely　to　seize　the　first　opportunity　for　requesting　Ethel　to　drop　the　girl's　acquaintance。　Ruth　also　had　urged　her　to　withdraw　from　any　active　part　in　the　wedding；　strengthening　her　advice　with　the　assurance　that　when　a　friendship　began　to　decline　it　ought　to　be　abandoned　at　once。　There　was　only　her　grandmother　to　go　to；　and　at　first　she　did　not　find　her　at　all　interested　in　the　trouble。　She　had　just　had　a　dispute　with　her　milkman；　was　inclined　to　give　him　all　her　suspicions　and　all　her　angry　words〃an　impertinent；　cheating　creature；〃　she　said；　and　then　Ethel　had　to　hear　the　history　of　the　month's　cream　and　of　the　milkman's　extortion；　with　the　old　lady's　characteristic　declaration：

〃I　told　him　plain　what　I　thought　of　his　ways；　but　I　paid　him　every　cent　I　owed　him。　Thank　God；　I　am　not　unreasonable！〃

Neither　was　she　unreasonable　when　Ethel　finally　got　her　to　listen　to　her　own　serious　grievance　with　Dora。

〃If　you　will　have　a　woman　for　a　friend；　Ethel；　you　must　put　up　with　womanly　ways；　and　it　is　best　to　keep　your　mouth　shut　concerning　such　ways。　I　hate　to　see　you　whimpering　and　whining　about　wrongs　you　have　been　cordially　inviting　for　weeks　and　months　and　years。〃

〃Grandmother！〃

〃Yes；　you　have　been　sowing　thorns　for　yourself；　and　then　you　go　unshod　over　them。　I　mean　that　Dora　has　this　fine　clergyman；　and　Fred　Mostyn；　and　her　brother；　and　mother；　and　father　all　on　her　side；　all　of　them　sure　that　Dora　can　do　no　wrong；　all　of　them　sure　that　Ethel；　poor　girl；　must　be　mistaken；　or　prudish；　or　jealous；　or　envious。〃

〃Oh；　grandmother；　you　are　too　cruel；〃

〃Why　didn't　you　have　a　few　friends　on　your　own　side？〃

〃Father　and　Ruth　never　liked　Dora。　And　FredI　told　you　how　Fred　acted　as　soon　as　he　saw　her！〃

〃There　was　Royal　Wheelock；　James　Clifton；　or　that　handsome　Dick　Potter。　Why　didn't　you　ask　them　to　join　you　at　your　lunches　and　dances？　You　ought　to　have　pillared　your　own　side。　A　girl　without　her　beaux　is　always　on　the　wrong　side　if　the　girl　with　beaux　is　against　her。〃

〃It　was　the　great　time　of　Dora's　life。　I　wished　her　to　have　all　the　glory　of　it。〃

〃All　her　own　sharethat　was　right。　All　of　your　share；　alsothat　was　as　wrong　as　it　could　be。〃

〃Clifton　is　yachting；　Royal　and　I　had　a　little　misunderstanding；　and　Dick　Potter　is　too　effusive。〃

〃But　Dick's　effusiveness　would　have　been　a　good　thing　for　Fred's　effusiveness。　Two　men　can't　go　on　a　comp