the man between-第35节

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　and　went　with　Ethel　to　her　room。

Ethel　looked　at　her　with　astonishment。　She　was　not　like　any　Dora　she　had　previously　seen。　Her　beauty　had　developed　wondrously；　she　had　grown　much　taller；　and　her　childish　manner　had　been　superseded　by　a　carriage　and　air　of　superb　grace　and　dignity。　She　had　now　a　fine　color；　and　her　eyes　were　darker；　softer；　and　more　dreamy　than　ever。　〃Take　off　your　hat；　Dora；〃　said　Ethel；　〃and　tell　me　what　has　happened。　You　are　positively　splendid。　Where　is　Mr。　Mostyn？〃

〃I　neither　know　nor　care。　He　is　tramping　round　the　world　after　me；　and　I　intend　to　keep　him　at　it。　But　I　forget。　I　must　tell　you　how　THAT　has　come　about。〃

〃We　heard　from　Mrs。　Denning。　She　said　she　had　received　you　safely。〃

〃My　dear　mother！　She　met　me　like　an　angel；　comforted　and　cared　for　me；　never　said　one　word　of　blame；　only　kissed　and　pitied　me。　We　talked　things　over；　and　she　advised　me　to　go　to　New　York。　So　we　took　three　passages　under　the　names　of　Mrs。　John　Gifford；　Miss　Gifford；　and　Miss　Diana　Gifford。　Miss　Diana　was　my　maid；　but　mother　thought　a　party　of　three　would　throw　Mostyn　off　our　track。〃

〃A　very　good　idea。〃

〃We　sailed　at　once。　On　the　second　day　out　I　had　a　son。　The　poor　little　fellow　died　in　a　few　hours；　and　was　buried　at　sea。　But　his　birth　has　given　me　the　power　to　repay　to　Fred　Mostyn　some　of　the　misery　he　caused　me。〃

〃How　so？　I　do　not　see。〃

〃Oh；　you　must　see；　if　you　will　only　remember　how　crazy　Englishmen　are　about　their　sons。　Daughters　don't　count；　you　know；　but　a　son　carries　the　property　in　the　family　name。　He　is　its　representative　for　the　next　generation。　As　I　lay　suffering　and　weeping；　a　fine　scheme　of　revenge　came　clearly　to　me。　Listen！　Soon　after　we　got　home　mother　cabled　Mostyn's　lawyer　that　‘Mrs。　Mostyn　had　had　a　son。'　Nothing　was　said　of　the　boy's　death。　Almost　immediately　I　was　notified　that　Mr。　Mostyn　would　insist　on　the　surrender　of　the　child　to　his　care。　I　took　no　notice　of　the　letters。　Then　he　sent　his　lawyer　to　claim　the　child　and　a　woman　to　take　care　of　it。　I　laughed　them　to　scorn；　and　defied　them　to　find　the　child。　After　them　came　Mostyn　himself。　He　interviewed　doctors；　overlooked　baptismal　registers；　advertised　far　and　wide；　bribed　our　servants；　bearded　father　in　his　office；　abused　Bryce　on　the　avenue；　waylaid　me　in　all　my　usual　resorts；　and　bombarded　me　with　letters；　but　he　knows　no　more　yet　than　the　cable　told　him。　And　the　man　is　becoming　a　monomaniac　about　HIS　SON。〃

〃Are　you　doing　right；　Dora？〃

〃If　you　only　knew　how　he　had　tortured　me！　Father　and　mother　think　he　deserves　all　I　can　do　to　him。　Anyway；　he　will　have　it　to　bear。　If　he　goes　to　the　asylum　he　threatened　me　with；　I　shall　be　barely　satisfied。　The　‘cat…faced　woman'　is　getting　her　innings　now。〃

〃Have　you　never　spoken　to　him　or　written　to　him？　Surely〃

〃He　caught　me　one　day　as　I　came　out　of　our　house；　and　said；　‘Madam；　where　is　my　son？'　And　I　answered；　‘You　have　no　son。　The　child　WAS　MINE。　You　shall　never　see　his　face　in　this　world。　I　have　taken　good　care　of　that。'

〃‘I　will　find　him　some　day；'　he　said；　and　I　laughed　at　him；　and　answered；　‘He　is　too　cunningly　hid。　Do　you　think　I　would　let　the　boy　know　he　had　such　a　father　as　you？　No；　indeed。　Not　unless　there　was　property　for　the　disgrace。'　I　touched　him　on　the　raw　in　that　remark；　and　then　I　got　into　my　carriage　and　told　the　coachman　to　drive　quickly。　Mostyn　attempted　to　follow　me；　but　the　whip　lashing　the　horses　was　in　the　way。〃　And　Dora　laughed；　and　the　laugh　was　cruel　and　mocking　and　full　of　meaning。

〃Dora；　how　can　you？　How　can　you　find　pleasure　in　such　revenges；〃

〃I　am　having　the　greatest　satisfaction　of　my　life。　And　I　am　only　beginning　the　just　retribution；　for　my　beauty　is　enthralling　the　man　again；　and　he　is　on　the　road　to　a　mad　jealousy　of　me。〃

〃Why　don't　you　get　a　divorce？　This　is　a　case　for　that　remedy。　He　might　then　marry　again；　and　you　also。〃

〃Even　so；　I　should　still　torment　him。　If　he　had　sons　he　would　be　miserable　in　the　thought　that　his　unknown　son　might；　on　his　death；　take　from　them　the　precious　Mostyn　estate；　and　that　wretched；　old；　haunted　house　of　his。　I　am　binding　him　to　misery　on　every　hand。〃

〃Is　Mrs。　Denning　here　with　you？〃

〃Both　my　father　and　mother　are　with　me。　Father　is　going　to　take　a　year's　rest；　and　we　shall　visit　Berlin；　Vienna；　Rome；　Paris　or　wherever　our　fancy　leads　us。〃

〃And　Mr。　Mostyn？〃

〃He　can　follow　me　round；　and　see　nobles　and　princes　and　kings　pay　court　to　the　beauty　of　the　‘cat…faced　woman。'　I　shall　never　notice　him；　never　speak　to　him；　but　you　need　not　look　so　suspicious；　Ethel。　Neither　by　word　nor　deed　will　I　break　a　single　convention　of　the　strictest　respectability。〃

〃Mr。　Mostyn　ought　to　give　you　your　freedom。〃

〃I　have　given　freedom　to　myself。　I　have　already　divorced　him。　When　they　brought　my　dead　baby　for　me　to　kiss；　I　slipped　into　its　little　hand　the　ring　that　made　me　his　mother。　They　went　to　the　bottom　of　the　sea　together。　As　for　ever　marrying　again；　not　in　this　life。　I　have　had　enough　of　it。　My　first　husband　was　the　sweetest　saint　out　of　heaven；　and　my　second　was　some　mean　little　demon　that　had　sneaked　his　way　out　of　hell；　and　I　found　both　insupportable。〃　She　lifted　her　hat　as　she　spoke；　and　began　to　pin　it　on　her　beautifully　dressed　hair。　〃Have　no　fear　for　me；〃　she　continued。　〃I　am　sure　Basil　watches　over　me。　Some　day　I　shall　be　good；　and　he　will　be　happy。〃　Then；　hand　in　hand；　they　walked　to　the　door　together；　and　there　were　tears　in　both　voices　as　they　softly　said　〃Good…by。〃



CHAPTER　XII


A　WEEK　after　this　interview　Tyrrel　and　Ethel　were　in　New　York。　They　landed　early　in　the　morning；　but　the　Judge　and　Ruth　were　on　the　pier　to　meet　them；　and　they　breakfasted　together　at　the　fashionable　hotel；　where　an　elegant　suite　had　been　reserved　for　the　residence　of　the　Tyrrel…Rawdons　until　they　had　perfected　their　plans　for　the　future。　Tyrrel　was　boyishly　excited；　but　Ethel's　interest　could　not　leave　her　father　and　his　new　wife。　These　two　had　lived　in　the　same　home　for　fifteen　years；　and　then　they　had　married　each　other；　and　both　of　them　looked　fifteen　years　younger。　The　Judge　was　actually　merry；　and　Ruth；　in　spite　of　her　supposed　〃docility；〃　had　quite　reversed　the　situation。　It　was　the　Judge　who　was　now　docile；　and　even　admiringly　obedient　to　all　Ruth's　wifely　advices　and　admonitions。

The　breakfast　was　a　talkative；　tardy　one；　but　at　length　the　Judge　went　to　his　office　and　Tyrrel　had　to　go　to　the　Custom　House。　Ethel　was　eager　to　see　her　grandmother；　and　she　was　sure　the　dear　old　lady　was　anxiously　waiting　her　arrival。　And　Ruth　was　just　as　anxious　for　Ethel　to　visit　her　renovated　home。　She　had　the　young　wife's　delight　in　its　beauty；　and　she　wanted　Ethel　to　admire　it　with　her。

〃We　will　dine　with　you　to…morrow；　Ruth；〃　said　Ethel；　〃and　I　will　come　very　early　and　see　all　the　improvements。　I　feel　sure　the　house　is　lovely；　and　I　am　glad　father　made　you　such　a　pretty　nest。　Nothing　is　too　pretty　for　you；　Ruth。〃　And　there　was　no　insincerity　in　this　compliment。　These　two　women　knew　and　loved　and　trusted　each　other　without　a　shadow　of　doubt　or　variableness。

So　Ruth　went　to　her　home；　and　Ethel　hastened　to　Gramercy　Park。　Madam　was　eagerly　watching　for　her　arrival。

〃I　have　been　impatient　for　a　whole　hour；　all　in　a　quiver；　dearie；〃　she　cried。　〃It　is　nearly　noon。〃

〃I　have　been　impatient　also；　Granny；　but　father　and　Ruth　met　us　at　the　pier　and　stayed　to　breakfast　with　us；　and　you　know　how　men　talk　and　talk。〃

〃Ruth　and　father　down　at　the　pier！　How　you　dream！〃

〃They　were　really　there。　And　they　do　seem　so　happy；　grandmother。　They　are　so　much　in　love　with　each　other。〃

〃I　dare　say。　There　are　no　fools　like　old　fools。　So　you　have　sold　the　Court　to　Nicholas　Rawdon；　and　a　cotton…spinner　is　Lord　of　the　Manor。　Well；　well；　how　are　the　mighty　fallen！〃

〃I　made　twenty　thousand　pounds　by　the　sale。　Nicholas　Rawdon　is　a　gentleman；　and　John　Thomas　is　the　most　popular　man　in　all　the　neighborhood。　And；　Granny；　he　has　two　sonstwinsthe　handsomest　little　chaps　you　ever　saw。　No　fear　of　a　Rawdon　to　heir　the　Manor　now。〃

〃Fortune　is　a　baggage。　When　she　is　ill　to　a　man　she　knows　no　reason。　She　sent　John　Thomas　to　Parliament；　and　kept　Fred　out　at　a　loss；　too。　She　took　the　Court　from　Fred　and　gave　it　to　John　Thomas；　and　she　gives　him　two　sons　about　the　same　time　she　gives　Fred　one；　and　that　one　she　kidnaps　out　of　his　sight　and　knowledge。　Poor　Fred！〃

〃Well；　grandmother；　it　is　‘poor　Fred's'　own　doing；　and；　I　assure　you；　Fred　would　have　been　most　unwelcome　at　the　Court。　And　the　squires　and　gentry　round　did　not　like　a　woman　in　the　place；　they　were　at　a　loss　what　to　do　with　me。　I　was　no　good　for　dinners　and　politics　and　hunting。　I　embarrassed　them。〃　〃Of　course　you　would。　They　would　have　to　talk　decently　and　behave　politely；　and　they　would　not　be　able　to　tell　their　choicest　stories。　Your　presence　would　be　a　bore；　but　could　not　Tyrrel　take　your　place？〃

〃Granny；　Tyrrel　was　really　unhappy　in　that　kind　of　life。　And　he　was　a　foreigner；　so　was　I。　You　know　what　Yorkshire　people　think　of　foreigners。　They　were　very　courteous；　but　they　were　glad　to　have　the　Yorkshire　Rawdons　in　our　place。　And　Tyrrel　did　not　like　working　with　the　earth；　he　loves　machinery　and　electricity。〃

〃To　be　sure。　When　a　man　has　got　used　to　delving　for　gold　or　s