the man between-第29节

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rly　to　Ethel　that　her　youth　and　beauty　had　been　wasted；　that　she　was　only　nineteen；　and　her　life　was　over。　She　wanted　to　go　to　Paris；　to　get　away　from　New　York　anywhere　and　anyhow。　She　began　to　dislike　even　the　presence　of　Basil。　His　stately　beauty　offended　her；　his　low；　calm　voice　was　the　very　keynote　of　irritation。

One　morning　near　Christmas　he　came　to　her　with　a　smiling；　radiant　face。　〃Dora；〃　he　said；　〃Dora；　my　love；　I　have　something　so　interesting　to　tell　you。　Mrs。　Colby　and　Mrs。　Schaffler　and　some　other　ladies　have　a　beautiful　idea。　They　wish　to　give　all　the　children　of　the　church　under　eight　years　old　the　grandest　Christmas　tree　imaginable　really　rich　presents　and　they　thought　you　might　like　to　have　it　here。〃

〃What　do　you　say；　Basil！〃

〃You　were　always　so　fond　of　children。　You〃

〃I　never　could　endure　them。〃

〃We　all　thought　you　might　enjoy　it。　Indeed；　I　was　so　sure　that　I　promised　for　you。　It　will　be　such　a　pleasure　to　me　also；　dear。〃

〃I　will　have　no　such　childish　nonsense　in　my　house。〃

〃I　promised　it；　Dora。〃

〃You　had　no　right　to　do　so。　This　is　my　house。　My　father　bought　it　and　gave　me　it；　and　it　is　my　own。　I〃

〃It　seems；　then；　that　I　intrude　in　your　house。　Is　it　so？　Speak；　Dora。〃

〃If　you　will　ask　questions　you　must　take　the　answer。　You　do　intrude　when　you　come　with　such　ridiculous　proposalsin　fact；　you　intrude　very　often　lately。〃

〃Does　Mr。　Mostyn　intrude？〃

〃Mr。　Mostyn　takes　me　out；　gives　me　a　little　sensible　pleasure。　You　think　I　can　be　interested　in　a　Christmas　tree。　The　idea！〃

〃Alas；　alas；　Dora；　you　are　tired　of　me！　You　do　not　love　me！　You　do　not　love　me！〃

〃I　love　nobody。　I　am　sorry　I　got　married。　It　was　all　a　mistake。　I　will　go　home　and　then　you　can　get　a　divorce。〃

At　this　last　word　the　whole　man　changed。　He　was　suffused；　transfigured　with　an　anger　that　was　at　once　righteous　and　impetuous。

〃How　dare　you　use　that　word　to　me？〃　he　demanded。　〃To　the　priest　of　God　no　such　word　exists。　I　do　not　know　it。　You　are　my　wife；　willing　or　unwilling。　You　are　my　wife　forever；　whether　you　dwell　with　me　or　not。　You　cannot　sever　bonds　the　Almighty　has　tied。　You　are　mine；　Dora　Stanhope！　Mine　for　time　and　eternity！　Mine　forever　and　ever！〃

She　looked　at　him　in　amazement；　and　saw　a　man　after　an　image　she　had　never　imagined。　She　was　terrified。　She　flung　herself　on　the　sofa　in　a　whirlwind　of　passion。　She　cried　aloud　against　his　claim。　She　gave　herself　up　to　a　vehement　rage　that　was　strongly　infused　with　a　childish　dismay　and　panic。

〃I　will　not　be　your　wife　forever！〃　she　shrieked。　〃I　will　never　be　your　wife　again　never；　not　for　one　hour！　Let　me　go！　Take　your　hands　off　me！〃　For　Basil　had　knelt　down　by　the　distraught　woman；　and　clasping　her　in　his　arms　said；　even　on　her　lips；　〃You　ARE　my　dear　wife！　You　are　my　very　own　dear　wife！　Tell　me　what　to　do。　Anything　that　is　right；　reasonable　I　will　do。　We　can　never　part。〃

〃I　will　go　to　my　father。　I　will　never　come　back　to　you。〃　And　with　these　words　she　rose；　threw　off　his　embrace；　and　with　a　sobbing　cry　ran；　like　a　terrified　child；　out　of　the　room。

He　sat　down　exhausted　by　his　emotion；　and　sick　with　the　thought　she　had　evoked　in　that　one　evil　word。　The　publicity；　the　disgrace；　the　wrong　to　Holy　Churchah；　that　was　the　cruelest　wound！　His　own　wrong　was　hard　enough；　but　that　he；　who　would　gladly　die　for　the　Church；　should　put　her　to　open　shame！　How　could　he　bear　it？　Though　it　killed　him；　he　must　prevent　that　wrong；　yes；　if　the　right　eye　offended　it　must　be　plucked　out。　He　must　throw　off　his　cassock；　and　turn　away　from　the　sacred　aisles；　he　musthe　could　not　say　the　word；　he　would　wait　a　little。　Dora　would　not　leave　him；　it　was　impossible。　He　waited　in　a　trance　of　aching　suspense。　Nothing　for　an　hour　or　more　broke　itno　footfall；　no　sound　of　command　or　complaint。　He　was　finally　in　hopes　that　Dora　slept。　Then　he　was　called　to　lunch；　and　he　made　a　pretense　of　eating　it　alone。　Dora　sent　no　excuse　for　her　absence；　and　he　could　not　trust　himself　to　make　inquiry　about　her。　In　the　middle　of　the　afternoon　he　heard　a　carriage　drive　to　the　door；　and　Dora；　with　her　jewel…　case　in　her　hand；　entered　it　and　was　driven　away。　The　sight　astounded　him。　He　ran　to　her　room；　and　found　her　maid　packing　her　clothing。　The　woman　answered　his　questions　sullenly。　She　said　〃Mrs。　Stanhope　had　gone　to　Mrs。　Denning's；　and　had　left　orders　for　her　trunks　to　be　sent　there。〃　Beyond　this　she　was　silent　and　ignorant。　No　sympathy　for　either　husband　or　wife　was　in　her　heart。　Their　quarrel　was　interfering　with　her　own　plans；　she　hated　both　of　them　in　consequence。

In　the　meantime　Dora　had　reached　her　home。　Her　mother　was　dismayed　and　hesitating；　and　her　attitude　raised　again　in　Dora's　heart　the　passion　which　had　provoked　the　step　she　had　taken。　She　wept　like　a　lost　child。　She　exclaimed　against　the　horror　of　being　Basil's　wife　forever　and　ever。　She　reproached　her　mother　for　suffering　her　to　marry　while　she　was　only　a　child。　She　said　she　had　been　cruelly　used　in　order　to　get　the　family　into　social　recognition。　She　was　in　a　frenzy　of　grief　at　her　supposed　sacrifice　when　her　father　came　home。　Her　case　was　then　won。　With　her　arms　round　his　neck；　sobbing　against　his　heart；　her　tears　and　entreaties　on　his　lips；　Ben　Denning　had　no　feeling　and　no　care　for　anyone　but　his　daughter。　He　took　her　view　of　things　at　once。　〃She　HAD　been　badly　used。　It　WAS　a　shame　to　tie　a　girl　like　Dora　to　sermons　and　such　like。　It　was　like　shutting　her　up　in　a　convent。〃　Dora's　tears　and　complaints　fired　him　beyond　reason。　He　promised　her　freedom　whatever　it　cost　him。

And　while　he　sat　in　his　private　room　considering　the　case；　all　the　racial　passions　of　his　rough　ancestry　burning　within　him；　Basil　Stanhope　called　to　see　him。　He　permitted　him　to　come　into　his　presence；　but　he　rose　as　he　entered；　and　walked　hastily　a　few　steps　to　meet　him。

〃What　do　you　want　here；　sir？〃　he　asked。

〃My　wife。〃

〃My　daughter。　You　shall　not　see　her。　I　have　taken　her　back　to　my　own　care。〃

〃She　is　my　wife。　No　one　can　take　her　from　me。〃

〃I　will　teach　you　a　different　lesson。〃

〃The　law　of　God。〃

〃The　law　of　the　land　goes　here。　You'll　find　it　more　than　you　can　defy。〃

〃Sir；　I　entreat　you　to　let　me　speak　to　Dora。〃

〃I　will　not。〃

〃I　will　stay　here　until　I　see　her。〃

〃I　will　give　you　five　minutes。　I　do　not　wish　to　offer　your　profession　an　insult；　if　you　have　any　respect　for　it　you　will　obey　me。〃

Answer　me　one　questionwhat　have　I　done　wrong？〃

〃A　man　can　be　so　intolerably　right；　that　he　becomes　unbearably　wrong。　You　have　no　business　with　a　wife　and　a　home。　You　are　a　d　sight　too　good　for　a　good　little　girl　that　wants　a　bit　of　innocent　amusement。　Sermons　and　Christmas　trees！　Great　Scott；　what　sensible　woman　would　not　be　sick　of　it　all？　Sir；　I　don't　want　another　minute　of　your　company。　Little　wonder　that　my　Dora　is　ill　with　it。　Oblige　me　by　leaving　my　house　as　quietly　as　possible。〃　And　he　walked　to　the　door；　flung　it　open；　and　stood　glaring　at　the　distracted　husband。　〃Go；〃　he　said。　〃Go　at　once。　My　lawyer　will　see　you　in　the　future。　I　have　nothing　further　to　say　to　you。〃

Basil　went；　but　not　to　his　desolate　home。　He　had　a　private　key　to　the　vestry　in　his　church；　and　in　its　darkness　and　solitude　he　faced　the　first　shock　of　his　ruined　life；　for　he　knew　well　all　was　over。　All　had　been。　He　sank　to　the　floor　at　the　foot　of　the　large　cross　which　hung　on　its　bare　white　walls。　Grief's　illimitable　wave　went　over　him；　and　like　a　drowning　man　he　uttered　an　inarticulate　cry　of　agony　the　cry　of　a　soul　that　had　wronged　its　destiny。　Love　had　betrayed　him　to　ruin。　All　he　had　done　must　be　abandoned。　All　he　had　won　must　be　given　up。　Sin　and　shame　indeed　it　would　be　if　in　his　person　a　sacrament　of　the　Church　should　be　dragged　through　a　divorce　court。　All　other　considerations　paled　before　this　disgrace。　He　must　resign　his　curacy；　strip　himself　of　the　honorable　livery　of　heaven；　obliterate　his　person　and　his　name。　It　was　a　kind　of　death。

After　awhile　he　rose；　drank　some　water；　lifted　the　shade　and　let　the　moonlight　in。　Then　about　that　little　room　he　walked　with　God　through　the　long　night；　telling　Him　his　sorrow　and　perplexity。　And　there　is　a　depth　in　our　own　nature　where　the　divine　and　human　are　one。　That　night　Basil　Stanhope　found　it；　and　henceforward　knew　that　the　bitterness　of　death　was　behind　him；　not　before。　〃I　made　my　nest　too　dear　on　earth；〃　he　sighed；　〃and　it　has　been　swept　barethat　is；　that　I　may　build　in　heaven。

Now；　the　revelation　of　sorrow　is　the　clearest　of　all　revelations。　Stanhope　understood　that　hour　what　he　must　do。　No　doubts　weakened　his　course。　He　went　back　to　the　house　Dora　called　〃hers；〃　took　away　what　he　valued；　and　while　the　servants　were　eating　their　breakfast　and　talking　over　his　marital　troubles；　he　passed　across　its　threshold　for　the　last　time。　He　told　no　one　where　he　was　going；　he　dropped　as　silently　and　dumbly　out　of　the　life　that　had　known　him　as　a　stone　dropped　into　mid…ocean。

Ethel　considered　herself　fortunate　in　being　from　home　at　the　time　this　disastrous　culmination　of　Basil　Stanhope's　married　life　was　reached。　On　that　same　morning　the　Judge；　accompanied　by　Ruth　and　herself；　had　gone　to　Lenox　to　spend　the　holidays　with　some　old　friends；　and　she　was　quite　ignorant　of　the　matter　when　she　returned　after　the　New　Year。　Br