the man between-第30节

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　some　old　friends；　and　she　was　quite　ignorant　of　the　matter　when　she　returned　after　the　New　Year。　Bryce　was　her　first　informant。　He　called　specially　to　give　her　the　news。　He　said　his　sister　had　been　too　ill　and　too　busy　to　write。　He　had　no　word　of　sympathy　for　the　unhappy　pair。　He　spoke　only　of　the　anxiety　it　had　caused　him。　〃He　was　now　engaged；〃　he　said；　〃to　Miss　Caldwell；　and　she　was　such　an　extremely　proper；　innocent　lady；　and　a　member　of　St。　Jude's；　it　had　really　been　a　trying　time　for　her。〃　Bryce　also　reminded　Ethel　that　he　had　been　against　Basil　Stanhope　from　the　first。　〃He　had　always　known　how　that　marriage　would　end；〃　and　so　on。

Ethel　declined　to　give　any　opinion。　〃She　must　hear　both　sides；〃　she　said。　〃Dora　had　been　so　reasonable　lately；　she　had　appeared　happy。〃

〃Oh；　Dora　is　a　little　fox；〃　he　replied；　〃she　doubles　on　herself　always。〃

Ruth　was　properly　regretful。　She　wondered　〃if　any　married　woman　was　really　happy。〃　She　did　not　apparently　concern　herself　about　Basil。　The　Judge　rather　leaned　to　Basil's　consideration。　He　understood　that　Dora's　overt　act　had　shattered　his　professional　career　as　well　as　his　personal　happiness。　He　could　feel　for　the　man　there。　〃My　dears；〃　he　said；　with　his　dilettante　air；　〃the　goddess　Calamity　is　delicate；　and　her　feet　are　tender。　She　treads　not　upon　the　ground；　but　makes　her　path　upon　the　hearts　of　men。〃　In　this　non…committal　way　he　gave　his　comment；　for　he　usually　found　a　bit　of　classical　wisdom　to　fit　modern　emergencies；　and　the　habit　had　imparted　an　antique　bon…ton　to　his　conversation。　Ethel　could　only　wonder　at　the　lack　of　real　sympathy。

In　the　morning　she　went　to　see　her　grandmother。　The　old　lady　had　〃heard〃　all　she　wanted　to　hear　about　Dora　and　Basil　Stanhope。　If　men　would　marry　a　fool　because　she　was　young　and　pretty；　they　must　take　the　consequences。　〃And　why　should　Stanhope　have　married　at　all？〃　she　asked　indignantly。　〃No　man　can　serve　God　and　a　woman　at　the　same　time。　He　had　to　be　a　bad　priest　and　a　good　husband；　or　a　bad　husband　and　a　good　priest。　Basil　Stanhope　was　honored；　was　doing　good；　and　he　must　needs　be　happy　also。　He　wanted　too　much；　and　lost　everything。　Serve　him　right。〃

〃All　can　now　find　some　fault　in　poor　Basil　Stanhope；〃　said　Ethel。　〃Bryce　was　bitter　against　him　because　Miss　Caldwell　shivers　at　the　word　‘divorce。'〃

〃What　has　Bryce　to　do　with　Jane　Caldwell？〃

〃He　is　going　to　marry　her；　he　says。〃

〃Like　enough；　she's　a　merry　miss　of　two…　score；　and　rich。　Bryce's　marriage　with　anyone　will　be　a　well…considered　affaira　marriage　with　all　the　advantages　of　a　good　bargain。　I'm　tired　of　the　whole　subject。　If　women　will　marry　they　should　be　as　patient　as　Griselda；　in　case　there　ever　was　such　a　woman；　if　not；　there's　an　end　of　the　matter。〃

〃There　are　no　Griseldas　in　this　century；　grandmother。〃

〃Then　there　ought　to　be　no　marriages。　Basil　Stanhope　was　a　grand　man　in　public。　What　kind　of　a　man　was　he　in　his　home？　Measure　a　man　by　his　home　conduct；　and　you'll　not　go　wrong。　It's　the　right　place　to　draw　your　picture　of　him；　I　can　tell　you　that。〃

〃He　has　no　home　now；　poor　fellow。〃

〃Whose　fault　was　it？　God　only　knows。　Where　is　his　wife？〃

〃She　has　gone　to　Paris。〃

〃She　has　gone　to　the　right　place　if　she　wants　to　play　the　fool。　But　there；　now；　God　forbid　I　should　judge　her　in　the　dark。　Women　should　stand　by　womenconsidering。〃

〃Considering？〃

〃What　they　may　have　to　put　up　with。　It　is　easy　to　see　faults　in　others。　I　have　sometimes　met　with　people　who　should　see　faults　in　themselves。　They　are　rather　uncommon；　though。〃

〃I　am　sure　Basil　Stanhope　will　be　miserable　all　his　life。　He　will　break　his　heart；　I　do　believe。〃

〃Not　so。　A　good　heart　is　hard　to　break；　it　grows　strong　in　trouble。　Basil　Stanhope's　body　will　fail　long　before　his　heart　does；　and　even　so　an　end　must　come　to　life；　and　after　that　peace　or　what　God　wills。〃

This　scant　sympathy　Ethel　found　to　be　the　usual　tone　among　her　acquaintances。　St。　Jude's　got　a　new　rector　and　a　new　idol；　and　the　Stanhope　affair　was　relegated　to　the　limbo　of　things　〃it　was　proper　to　forget。〃

So　the　weeks　of　the　long　winter　went　by；　and　Ethel　in　the　joy　and　hope　of　her　own　love…life　naturally　put　out　of　her　mind　the　sorrow　of　lives　she　could　no　longer　help　or　influence。　Indeed；　as　to　Dora；　there　were　frequent　reports　of　her　marvelous　social　success　in　Paris；　and　Ethel　did　not　doubt　Stanhope　had　found　some　everlasting　gospel　of　holy　work　to　comfort　his　desolation。　And　then　also

　　〃Each　day　brings　its　petty　dust；　　　　　　Our　soon…choked　souls　to　fill；　　　And　we　forget　because　we　must；　　　　　　And　not　because　we　will。〃


One　evening　when　May　with　heavy　clouds　and　slant　rains　was　making　the　city　as　miserable　as　possible；　Ethel　had　a　caller。　His　card　bore　a　name　quite　unknown；　and　his　appearance　gave　no　clew　to　his　identity。

〃Mr。　Edmonds？〃　she　said　interrogatively。

〃Are　you　Miss　Ethel　Rawdon？〃　he　asked。

〃Yes。〃

〃Mr。　Basil　Stanhope　told　me　to　put　this　parcel　in　your　hands。〃

〃Oh；　Mr。　Stanhope！　I　am　glad　to　hear　from　him。　Where　is　he　now？〃

〃We　buried　him　yesterday。　He　died　last　Sunday　as　the　bells　were　ringing　for　church　pneumonia；　miss。　While　reading　the　ser…　vice　over　a　poor　young　man　he　had　nursed　many　weeks　he　took　cold。　The　poor　will　miss　him　sorely。〃

〃DEAD！〃　She　looked　aghast　at　the　speaker；　and　again　ejaculated　the　pitiful；　astounding　word。

〃Good　evening；　miss。　I　promised　him　to　return　at　once　to　the　work　he　left　me　to　do。〃　And　he　quietly　departed；　leaving　Ethel　standing　with　the　parcel　in　her　hands。　She　ran　upstairs　and　locked　it　away。　Just　then　she　could　not　bear　to　open　it。

〃And　it　is　hardly　twelve　months　since　he　was　married；〃　she　sobbed。　〃Oh；　Ruth；　Ruth；　it　is　too　cruel！〃

〃Dear；〃　answered　Ruth；　〃there　is　no　death　to　such　a　man　as　Basil　Stanhope。〃

〃He　was　so　young；　Ruth。〃

〃I　know。　‘His　high…born　brothers　called　him　hence'　at　the　age　of　twenty…nine；　but

　　〃‘It　is　not　growing　like　a　tree；　　　　　　　　In　bulk；　doth　make　men　better　be；　　　Or　standing　like　an　oak　three　hundred　year；　　　To　fall　at　last；　dry；　bald　and　sear：　　　　　　　　A　lily　of　a　day　　　　　　　　Is　fairer　far　in　May；　　　Although　it　fall　and　die　that　night；　　　It　was　the　plant　and　flower　of　light。'〃


At　these　words　the　Judge　put　down　his　Review　to　listen　to　Ethel's　story；　and　when　she　ceased　speaking　he　had　gone　far　further　back　than　any　antique　classic　for　compensation　and　satisfaction：

〃He　being　made　perfect　in　a　short　time　fulfilled　a　long　time。　For　his　soul　pleased　the　Lord；　therefore　hasted　He　to　take　him　away　from　among　the　wicked。〃＇2＇　And　that　evening　there　was　little　conversation。　Every　heart　was　busy　with　its　own　thoughts。


＇2＇　Wisdom　of　Solomon；　IV。；　13；　14。


CHAPTER　XI


TRADE　and　commerce　have　their　heroes　as　well　as　arms；　and　the　struggle　in　which　Tyrrel　Rawdon　at　last　plucked　victory　from　apparent　failure　was　as　arduous　a　campaign　as　any　military　operations　could　have　afforded。　It　had　entailed　on　him　a　ceaseless；　undaunted　watch　over　antagonists　rich　and　powerful；　and　a　fight　for　rights　which　contained　not　only　his　own　fortune；　but　the　honor　of　his　father；　so　that　to　give　up　a　fraction　of　them　was　to　turn　traitor　to　the　memory　of　a　parent　whom　he　believed　to　be　beyond　all　doubt　or　reproach。　Money；　political　power；　civic　influence；　treachery；　bribery；　the　law's　delay　and　many　other　hindrances　met　him　on　every　side；　but　his　heart　was　encouraged　daily　to　perseverance　by　love's　tenderest　sympathy。　For　he　told　Ethel　everything；　and　received　both　from　her　fine　intuitions　and　her　father's　legal　skill　priceless　comfort　and　advice。　But　at　last　the　long　trial　was　over；　the　marriage　day　was　set；　and　Tyrrel；　with　all　his　rights　conceded；　was　honorably　free　to　seek　the　happiness　he　had　safeguarded　on　every　side。

It　was　a　lovely　day　in　the　beginning　of　May；　nearly　two　years　after　their　first　meeting；　when　Tyrrel　reached　New　York。　Ethel　knew　at　what　hour　his　train　would　arrive；　she　was　watching　and　listening　for　his　step。　They　met　in　each　other's　arms；　and　the　blessed　hours　of　that　happy　evening　were　an　over…　payment　of　delight　for　the　long　months　of　their　separation。

In　the　morning　Ethel　was　to　introduce　her　lover　to　Madam　Rawdon；　and　side　by　side；　almost　hand　in　hand；　they　walked　down　the　avenue　together。　Walked？　They　were　so　happy　they　hardly　knew　whether　their　feet　touched　earth　or　not。　They　had　a　constant　inclination　to　clasp　hands；　to　run　as　little　children　run；　They　wished　to　smile　at　everyone；　to　bid　all　the　world　good　morning。　Madam　had　resolved　to　be　cool　and　careful　in　her　advances；　but　she　quickly　found　herself　unable　to　resist　the　sight　of　so　much　love　and　hope　and　happiness。　The　young　people　together　took　her　heart　by　storm；　and　she　felt　herself　compelled　to　express　an　interest　in　their　future；　and　to　question　Tyrrel　about　it。

〃What　are　you　going　to　do　with　yourself　or　make　of　yourself？〃　she　asked　Tyrrel　one　evening　when　they　were　sitting　together。　〃I　do　hope　you'll　find　some　kind　of　work。　Anything　is　better　than　loafing　about　clubs　and　such　like　places。〃

〃I　am　going　to　study　law　with　Judge　Rawdon。　My　late　experience　has　taught　me　its　value。　I　do　not　think　I　shall　loaf　in　his　office。〃

〃Not　if　he　is　anywhere　around。　He　works　and　makes　others　work。　Lawyering　is　a　queer　business；　but　men　can　be