the man between-第28节

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〃Before　she　was　married　Dora　said　she　felt　a　great　interest　in　church　work。〃

〃I　dare　say　she　did。　Marriage　makes　a　deal　of　difference　in　a　woman's　likes　and　dislikes。　Church　work　was　courting…time　before　marriage；　after　marriage　she　had　other　opportunities。〃

〃I　think　you　might　speak　to　Fred　Mostyn〃

〃I　might；　but　it　wouldn't　be　worth　while。　Be　true　to　your　friend　as　long　as　you　can。　In　Yorkshire　we　stand　by　our　friends；　right　or　wrong；　and　we　aren't　too　particular　as　to　their　being　right。　My　father　enjoyed　justifying　a　man　that　everyone　else　was　down　on；　and　I've　stood　by　many　a　woman　nobody　had　a　good　word　for。　I　was　never　sorry　for　doing　it；　either。　I'll　be　going　into　a　strange　country　soon；　and　I　should　not　wonder　if　some　of　them　that　have　gone　there　first　will　be　ready　to　stand　by　me。　We　don't　know　what　friends　we'll　be　glad　of　there。〃

The　dinner　bell　broke　up　this　conversation；　and　Ethel　during　it　told　Madam　about　the　cook　and　cooking　at　the　Court　and　at　Nicholas　Rawdon's；　where　John　Thomas　had　installed　a　French　chef。　Other　domestic　arrangements　were　discussed；　and　when　the　Judge　called　for　his　daughter　at　four　o'clock；　Madam　vowed　〃she　had　spent　one　of　the　happiest　days　of　her　life。〃

〃Ruth　tells　me；〃　said　the　Judge；　〃that　Dora　Stanhope　called　for　Ethel　soon　after　she　left　home　this　morning。　Ruth　seems　troubled　at　the　continuance　of　this　friendship。　Have　you　spoken　to　your　grandmother；　Ethel；　about　Dora？〃

〃She　has　told　me　all　there　is　to　tell；　I　dare　say；〃　answered　Madam。

〃Well；　mother；　what　do　you　think？〃

〃I　see　no　harm　in　it　yet　awhile。　It　is　not　fair；　Edward；　to　condemn　upon　likelihoods。　We　are　no　saints；　sinful　men　and　women；　all　of　us；　and　as　much　inclined　to　forbidden　fruit　as　any　good　Christians　can　be。　Ethel　can　do　as　she　feels　about　it；　she's　got　a　mind　of　her　own；　and　I　hope　to　goodness　she'll　not　let　Ruth　Bayard　bit　and　bridle　it。〃

Going　home　the　Judge　evidently　pondered　this　question；　for　he　said　after　a　lengthy　silence；　〃Grandmother's　ethics　do　not　always　fit　the　social　ethics　of　this　day；　Ethel。　She　criticises　people　with　her　heart；　not　her　intellect。　You　must　be　prudent。　There　is　a　remarkable　thing　called　Respectability　to　be　reckoned　with　remember　that。〃

And　Ethel　answered；　〃No　one　need　worry　about　Dora。　Some　women　may　show　the　edges　of　their　character　soiled　and　ragged；　but　Dora　will　be　sure　to　have　hers　reputably　finished　with　a　hem　of　the　widest　propriety。〃　And　after　a　short　silence　the　Judge　added；　almost　in　soliloquy；　〃And；　moreover；　Ethel；

　　〃‘There's　a　divinity　that　shapes　our　ends；　　　Rough…hew　them　how　we　will。'〃





PART　FOURTH



THE　REAPING　OF　THE　SOWING

CHAPTER　X

WHEN　Ethel　and　Tyrrel　parted　at　the　steamer　they　did　not　expect　a　long　separation；　but　Colonel　Rawdon　never　recovered　his　health；　and　for　many　excellent　reasons　Tyrrel　could　not　leave　the　dying　man。　Nor　did　Ethel　wish　him　to　do　so。　Under　these　circumstances　began　the　second　beautiful　phase　of　Ethel's　wooing；　a　sweet；　daily　correspondence；　the　best　of　all　preparations　for　matrimonial　oneness　and　understanding。　Looking　for　Tyrrel's　letters；　reading　them；　and　answering　them　passed　many　happy　hours；　for　to　both　it　was　an　absolute　necessity　to　assure　each　other　constantly；

　　〃Since　I　wrote　thee　yester　eve　　　I　do　love　thee；　Love；　believe；　　　Twelve　times　dearer；　twelve　hours　longer；　　　One　dream　deeper　one　night　stronger；　　　One　sun　surerthis　much　more　　　Than　I　loved　thee；　dear；　before。〃

And　for　the　rest；　she　took　up　her　old　life　with　a　fresh　enthusiasm。

Among　these　interests　none　were　more　urgent　in　their　claims　than　Dora　Stanhope；　and　fortified　by　her　grandmother's　opinion；　Ethel　went　at　once　to　call　on　her。　She　found　Basil　with　his　wife；　and　his　efforts　to　make　Ethel　see　how　much　he　expected　from　her　influence；　and　yet　at　the　same　time　not　even　hint　a　disapproval　of　Dora；　were　almost　pathetic；　for　he　was　so　void　of　sophistry　that　his　innuendoes　were　flagrantly　open　to　detection。　Dora　felt　a　contempt　for　them；　and　he　had　hardly　left　the　room　ere　she　said：

〃Basil　has　gone　to　his　vestry　in　high　spirits。　When　I　told　him　you　were　coming　to　see　me　to…day　he　smiled　like　an　angel。　He　believes　you　will　keep　me　out　of　mischief；　and　he　feels　a　grand　confidence　in　something　which　he　calls　‘your　influence。'〃

〃What　do　you　mean　by　mischief？〃

〃Oh；　I　suppose　going　about　with　Fred　Mostyn。　I　can't　help　that。　I　must　have　some　one　to　look　after　me。　All　the　young　men　I　used　to　know　pass　me　now　with　a　lifted　hat　or　a　word　or　two。　The　girls　have　forgotten　me。　I　don't　suppose　I　shall　be　asked　to　a　single　dance　this　winter。〃

〃The　ladies　in　St。　Jude's　church　would　make　a　pet　of　you　if〃

〃The　old　cats　and　kittens！　No；　thank　you；　I　am　not　going　to　church　except　on　Sunday　morningsthat　is　respectable　and　right；　but　as　to　being　the　pet　of　St。　Jude's　ladies！　No；　no！　How　they　would　mew　over　my　delinquencies；　and　what　scratches　I　should　get　from　their　velvet…shod　claws！　If　I　have　to　be　talked　about；　I　prefer　the　ladies　of　the　world　to　discuss　my　frailties。〃

〃But　if　I　were　you；　I　would　give　no　one　a　reason　for　saying　a　word　against　me。　Why　should　you？〃

〃Fred　will　supply　them　with　reasons。　I　can't　keep　the　man　away　from　me。　I　don't　believe　I　want　tohe　is　very　nice　and　useful。〃

〃You　are　talking　nonsense；　things　you　don't　mean；　Dora。　You　are　not　such　a　foolish　woman　as　to　like　to　be　seen　with　Fred　Mostyn；　that　little　monocular　snob；　after　the　aristocratic；　handsome　Basil　Stanhope。　The　comparison　is　a　mockery。　Basil　is　the　finest　gentleman　I　ever　saw。　Socially；　he　is　perfection；　and〃

〃He　is　only　a　clergyman。〃

〃Even　as　a　clergyman　he　is　of　religiously　royal　descent。　There　are　generations　of　clergymen　behind　him；　and　he　is　a　prince　in　the　pulpit。　Every　man　that　knows　him　gives　him　the　highest　respect；　every　woman　thinks　you　the　most　fortunate　of　wives。　No　one　cares　for　Fred　Mostyn。　Even　in　his　native　place　he　is　held　in　contempt。　He　had　nine　hundred　votes　to　young　Rawdon's　twelve　thousand。〃

〃I　don't　mind　that。　I　am　going　to　the　matinee　to…morrow　with　Fred。　He　wanted　to　take　me　out　in　his　auto　this　afternoon；　but　when　I　said　I　would　go　if　you　would　he　drew　back。　What　is　the　reason？　Did　he　make　you　offer　of　his　hand？　Did　you　refuse　it？〃

〃He　never　made　me　an　offer。　I　count　that　to　myself　as　a　great　compliment。　If　he　had　done　such　a　thing；　he　would　certainly　have　been　refused。〃

〃I　can　tell　that　he　really　hates　you。　What　dirty　trick　did　you　serve　him　about　Rawdon　Court？〃

〃So　he　called　the　release　of　Squire　Rawdon　a　‘dirty　trick'？　It　would　have　been　a　very　dirty　trick　to　have　let　Fred　Mostyn　get　his　way　with　Squire　Rawdon。〃

〃Of　course；　Ethel；　when　a　man　lends　his　money　as　an　obligation　he　expects　to　get　it　back　again。〃

〃Mostyn　got　every　farthing　due　him；　and　he　wanted　one　of　the　finest　manors　in　Eng…　land　in　return　for　the　obligation。　He　did　not　get　it；　thank　God　and　my　father！〃

〃He　will　not　forget　your　father's　interference。〃

〃I　hope　he　will　remember　it。〃

〃Do　you　know　who　furnished　the　money　to　pay　Fred？　He　says　he　is　sure　your　father　did　not　have　it。〃

〃Tell　him　to　ask　my　father。　He　might　even　ask　your　father。　Whether　my　father　had　the　money　or　not　was　immaterial。　Father　could　borrow　any　sum　he　wanted；　I　think。〃

〃Whom　did　he　borrow　from？〃

〃I　am　sure　that　Fred　told　you　to　ask　that　question。　Is　he　writing　to　you；　Dora？〃

〃Suppose　he　is？〃

〃I　cannot　suppose　such　a　thing。　It　is　too　impossible。〃

This　was　the　beginning　of　a　series　of　events　all　more　or　less　qualified　to　bring　about　unspeakable　misery　in　Basil's　home。　But　there　is　nothing　in　life　like　the　marriage　tie。　The　tugs　it　will　bear　and　not　break；　the　wrongs　it　will　look　over；　the　chronic　misunderstandings　it　will　forgive；　make　it　one　of　the　mysteries　of　humanity。　It　was　not　in　a　day　or　a　week　that　Basil　Stanhope's　dream　of　love　and　home　was　shattered。　Dora　had　frequent　and　then　less　frequent　times　of　return　to　her　better　self；　and　every　such　time　renewed　her　husband's　hope　that　she　was　merely　passing　through　a　period　of　transition　and　assimilation；　and　that　in　the　end　she　would　be　all　his　desire　hoped　for。

But　Ethel　saw　what　he　did　not　see；　that　Mostyn　was　gradually　inspiring　her　with　his　own　opinions；　perhaps　even　with　his　own　passion。　In　this　emergency；　however；　she　was　gratified　to　find　that　Dora's　mother　appeared　to　have　grasped　the　situation。　For　if　Dora　went　to　the　theater　with　Mostyn；　Mrs。　Denning　or　Bryce　was　also　there；　and　the　reckless　auto　driving；　shopping；　and　lunching　had　at　least　a　show　of　respectable　association。　Yet　when　the　opera　season　opened；　the　constant　companionship　of　Mostyn　and　Dora　became　entirely　too　remarkable；　not　only　in　the　public　estimation；　but　in　Basil's　miserable　conception　of　his　own　wrong。　The　young　husband　used　every　art　and　persuasionand　failed。　And　his　failure　was　too　apparent　to　be　slighted。　He　became　feverish　and　nervous；　and　his　friends　read　his　misery　in　eyes　heavy　with　unshed　tears；　and　in　the　wasting　pallor　caused　by　his　sleepless；　sorrowful　nights。

Dora　also　showed　signs　of　the　change　so　rapidly　working　on　her。　She　was　sullen　and　passionate　by　turns；　she　complained　bitterly　to　Ethel　that　her　youth　and　beauty　had　been　wasted；　that　she　was　only　nineteen；　and　her　life