the man between-第14节

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o　voice　a　woe　beyond　remedy。　Then　he　stood　still　and　called　will　and　reason　to　council　him。　〃This　way　madness　lies；〃　he　thought。　〃I　must　be　quietI　must　sleep　I　must　forget。〃

But　it　was　not　until　the　third　day　that　a　dismal；　sullen　stillness　succeeded　the　storm　of　rage　and　grief；　and　he　awoke　from　a　sleep　of　exhaustion　feeling　as　if　he　were　withered　at　his　heart。　He　knew　that　life　had　to　be　taken　up　again；　and　that　in　all　its　farces　he　must　play　his　part。　At　first　the　thought　of　Mostyn　Hall　presented　itself　as　an　asylum。　It　stood　amid　thick　woods；　and　there　were　miles　of　wind…blown　wolds　and　hills　around　it。　He　was　lord　and　master　there；　no　one　could　intrude　upon　his　sorrow；　he　could　nurse　it　in　those　lonely　rooms　to　his　heart's　content。　Every　day；　however；　this　gloomy　resolution　grew　fainter；　and　one　morning　he　awoke　and　laughed　it　to　scorn。

〃Frederick's　himself　again；〃　he　quoted；　〃and　he　must　have　been　very　far　off　himself　when　he　thought　of　giving　up　or　of　running　away。　No；　Fred　Mostyn；　you　will　stay　here。　'Tis　a　country　where　the　impossible　does　not　exist；　and　the　unlikely　is　sure　to　happena　country　where　marriage　is　not　for　life　or　death；　and　where　the　roads　to　divorce　are　manifold　and　easy。　There　are　a　score　of　ways　and　means。　I　will　stay　and　think　them　over；　'twill　be　odd　if　I　cannot　force　Fate　to　change　her　mind。〃

A　week　after　Dora's　marriage　he　found　himself　able　to　walk　up　the　avenue　to　the　Rawdon　house；　but　he　arrived　there　weary　and　wan　enough　to　instantly　win　the　sympathy　of　Ruth　and　Ethel；　and　he　was　immensely　strengthened　by　the　sense　of　home　and　kindred；　and　of　genuine　kindness　to　which　he　felt　a　sort　of　right。　He　asked　Ruth　if　he　might　eat　dinner　with　them。　He　said　he　was　hungry；　and　the　hotel　fare　did　not　tempt　him。　And　when　Judge　Rawdon　returned　he　welcomed　him　in　the　same　generous　spirit；　and　the　evening　passed　delightfully　away。　At　its　close；　however；　as　Mostyn　stood　gloved　and　hatted；　and　the　carriage　waited　for　him；　he　said　a　few　words　to　Judge　Rawdon　which　changed　the　mental　and　social　atmosphere。　〃I　wish　to　have　a　little　talk　with　you；　sir；　on　a　business　matter　of　some　importance。　At　what　hour　can　I　see　you　to…morrow？〃

〃I　am　engaged　all　day　until　three　in　the　afternoon；　Fred。　Suppose　I　call　on　you　about　four　or　half…past？〃

〃Very　well；　sir。〃

But　both　Ethel　and　Ruth　wondered　if　it　was　〃very　well。〃　A　shadow；　fleeting　as　thought；　had　passed　over　Judge　Rawdon's　face　when　he　heard　the　request　for　a　business　interview；　and　after　the　young　man's　departure　he　lost　himself　in　a　reverie　which　was　evidently　not　a　happy　one。　But　he　said　nothing　to　the　girls；　and　they　were　not　accustomed　to　question　him。

The　next　morning；　instead　of　going　direct　to　his　office；　he　stopped　at　Madam；　his　moth…　er's　house　in　Gramercy　Park。　A　visit　at　such　an　early　hour　was　unusual；　and　the　old　lady　looked　at　him　in　alarm。

〃We　are　well；　mother；〃　he　said　as　she　rose。　〃I　called　to　talk　to　you　about　a　little　business。〃　Whereupon　Madam　sat　down；　and　became　suddenly　about　twenty　years　younger；　for　〃business〃　was　a　word　like　a　watch…cry；　she　called　all　her　senses　together　when　it　was　uttered　in　her　presence。

〃Business！〃　she　ejaculated　sharply。　〃Whose　business？〃

〃I　think　I　may　say　the　business　of　the　whole　family。〃

〃Nay；　I　am　not　in　it。　My　business　is　just　as　I　want　it；　and　I　am　not　going　to　talk　about　itone　way　or　the　other。〃

〃Is　not　Rawdon　Court　of　some　interest　to　you？　It　has　been　the　home　and　seat　of　the　family　for　many　centuries。　A　good　many。　Mostyn　women　have　been　its　mistress。〃

〃I　never　heard　of　any　Mostyn　woman　who　would　not　have　been　far　happier　away　from　Rawdon　Court。　It　was　a　Calvary　to　them　all。　There　was　little　Nannie　Mostyn；　who　died　with　her　first　baby　because　Squire　Anthony　struck　her　in　a　drunken　passion；　and　the　proud　Alethia　Mostyn；　who　suffered　twenty　years'　martyrdom　from　Squire　John；　and　Sara；　who　took　thirty　thousand　pounds　to　Squire　Hubert；　to　fling　away　at　the　green　table；　and　Harriet；　who　was　made　by　her　husband；　Squire　Humphrey；　to　jump　a　fence　when　out　hunting　with　him；　and　was　brought　home　crippled　and　scarred　for　lifea　lovely　girl　of　twenty　who　went　through　agonies　for　eleven　years　without　aught　of　love　and　help；　and　died　alone　while　he　was　following　a　fox；　and　there　was　pretty　Barbara　Mostyn〃

〃Come；　come；　mother。　I　did　not　call　here　this　morning　to　hear　the　Rawdons　abused；　and　you　forget　your　own　marriage。　It　was　a　happy　one；　I　am　sure。　One　Rawdon；　at　least；　must　be　excepted；　and　I　think　I　treated　my　wife　as　a　good　husband　ought　to　treat　a　wife。〃

〃Not　you！　You　treated　Mary　very　badly。〃

〃Mother；　not　even　from　you〃

〃I'll　say　it　again。　The　little　girl　was　dying　for　a　year　or　more；　and　you　were　so　busy　making　money　you　never　saw　it。　If　she　said　or　looked　a　little　complaint；　you　moved　restless…like　and　told　her　‘she　moped　too　much。'　As　the　end　came　I　spoke　to　you；　and　you　pooh…poohed　all　I　said。　She　went　suddenly；　I　know；　to　most　people；　but　she　knew　it　was　her　last　day；　and　she　longed　so　to　see　you；　that　I　sent　a　servant　to　hurry　you　home；　but　she　died　before　you　could　make　up　your　mind　to　leave　your　‘cases。'　She　and　I　were　alone　when　she　whispered　her　last　message　for　youa　loving　one；　too。〃

〃Mother！　Mother！　Why　recall　that　bitter　day？　I　did　not　thinkI　swear　I　did　not　think〃

〃Never　mind　swearing。　I　was　just　reminding　you　that　the　Rawdons　have　not　been　the　finest　specimens　of　good　husbands。　They　make　landlords；　and　judges；　and　soldiers；　and　even　loom…lords　of　a　very　respectable　sort；　but　husbands！　Lord　help　their　poor　wives！　So　you　see；　as　a　Mostyn　woman；　I　have　no　special　interest　in　Rawdon　Court。〃

〃You　would　not　like　it　to　go　out　of　the　family？〃

〃I　should　not　worry　myself　if　it　did。〃

〃I　suppose　you　know　Fred　Mostyn　has　a　mortgage　on　it　that　the　present　Squire　is　unable　to　lift。〃

〃Aye；　Fred　told　me　he　had　eighty　thousand　pounds　on　the　old　place。　I　told　him　he　was　a　fool　to　put　his　money　on　it。〃

〃One　of　the　finest　manors　and　manor…　houses　in　England；　mother。〃

〃I　have　seen　it。　I　was　born　and　brought　up　near　enough　to　it；　I　think。〃

〃Eighty　thousand　pounds　is　a　bagatelle　for　the　place；　yet　if　Fred　forces　a　sale；　it　may　go　for　that；　or　even　less。　I　can't　bear　to　think　of　it。〃

〃Why　not　buy　it　yourself？〃

〃I　would　lift　the　mortgage　to…morrow　if　I　had　the　means。　I　have　not　at　present。〃

〃Well；　I　am　in　the　same　box。　You　have　just　spoken　as　if　the　Mostyns　and　Rawdons　had　an　equal　interest　in　Rawdon　Court。　Very　well；　then；　it　cannot　be　far　wrong　for　Fred　Mostyn　to　have　it。　Many　a　Mostyn　has　gone　there　as　wife　and　slave。　I　would　dearly　like　to　see　one　Mostyn　go　as　master。〃

〃I　shall　get　no　help　from　you；　then；　I　understand　that。〃

〃I'm　Mostyn　by　birth；　I'm　only　Rawdon　by；　marriage。　The　birth…band　ties　me　fast　to　my　family。〃

〃Good　morning；　mother。　You　have　failed　me　for　the　first　time　in　your　life。〃

〃If　the　money　had　been　for　you；　Edward；　or　yours〃

〃It　isgood…by。〃

She　called　him　back　peremptorily；　and　he　returned　and　stood　at　the　open　door。

〃Why　don't　you　ask　Ethel？〃

〃I　did　not　think　I　had　the　right；　mother。〃

〃More　right　to　ask　her　than　I。　See　what　she　says。　She's　Rawdon；　every　inch　of　her。〃

〃Perhaps　I　may。　Of　course；　I　can　sell　securities；　but　it　would　be　at　a　sacrifice　a　great　sacrifice　at　present。〃

〃Ethel　has　the　cash；　and；　as　I　said；　she　is　RawdonI'm　not。〃

〃I　wish　my　father　were　alive。〃

〃He　wouldn't　move　meyou　needn't　think　that。　What　I　have　said　to　you　I　would　have　said　to　him。　Speak　to　Ethel。　I'll　be　bound　she'll　listen　if　Rawdon　calls　her。〃

〃I　don't　like　to　speak　to　Ethel。〃

〃It　isn't　what　you　like　to　do；　it's　what　you　find　you'll　have　to　do；　that　carries　the　day；　and　a　good　thing；　too；　considering。〃

〃Good　morning；　again。　You　are　not　quite　yourself；　I　think。〃

〃Well；　I　didn't　sleep　last　night；　so　there's　no　wonder　if　I'm　a　bit　cross　this　morning。　But　if　I　lose　my　temper；　I　keep　my　understanding。〃

She　was　really　cross　by　this　time。　Her　son　had　put　her　in　a　position　she　did　not　like　to　assume。　No　love　for　Rawdon　Court　was　in　her　heart。　She　would　rather　have　advanced　the　money　to　buy　an　American　estate。　She　had　been　little　pleased　at　Fred's　mortgage　on　the　old　place；　but　to　the　American　Rawdons　she　felt　it　would　prove　a　white　elephant；　and　the　appeal　to　Ethel　was　advised　because　she　thought　it　would　amount　to　nothing。　In　the　first　place；　the　Judge　had　the　strictest　idea　of　the　sacredness　of　the　charge　committed　to　him　as　guardian　of　his　daughter's　fortune。　In　the　second；　Ethel　inherited　from　her　Yorkshire　ancestry　an　intense　sense　of　the　value　and　obligations　of　money。　She　was　an　ardent　American；　and　not　likely　to　spend　it　on　an　old　English　manor；　and；　furthermore；　Madam's　penetration　had　discovered　a　growing　dislike　in　her　granddaughter　for　Fred　Mostyn。

〃She'd　never　abide　him　for　a　lifelong　neighbor；〃　the　old　lady　decided。　〃It　is　the　Rawdon　pride　in　her。　The　Rawdon　men　have　condescended　to　go　to　Mostyn　for　wives　many　and　many　a　time；　but　never　once　have　the　Mostyn　men　married　a　Rawdon　girlproud；　set…up　women；　as　far　as　I　remember；　and　Ethel　has　a　way　with　her　just　like　them。　Fred　is　good　enough　and　nice　enough　for　any　girl；　and　I　wonder　what　is　the　matter　with　him！　It　is　a　week　and　more　since　he　was　her