the titan-第101节

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〃Oh　yes。　　He　was　very　glad　to　promise　to　write　that　if　we　would　let　him　off。　　Braxmar　seemed　to　think　it　was　necessary　that　he　should。　　I　wanted　the　judge　to　impose　a　fine　and　let　it　go　at　that。　He　was　drunk；　and　that's　all　there　was　to　it。〃

He　assumed　a　very　unknowing　air　when　in　the　presence　of　Berenice　and　her　mother；　but　when　alone　with　the　latter　his　manner　changed　completely。

〃Brazen　it　out；〃　he　commanded。　　〃It　doesn't　amount　to　anything。　　Braxmar　doesn't　believe　that　this　man　really　knows　anything。　　This　letter　is　enough　to　convince　Berenice。　　Put　a　good　face　on　it；　more　depends　on　your　manner　than　on　anything　else。　　You're　much　too　upset。　　That　won't　do　at　all；　you'll　tell　the　whole　story　that　way。〃

At　the　same　time　he　privately　regarded　this　incident　as　a　fine　windfall　of　chancein　all　likelihood　the　one　thing　which　would　serve　to　scare　the　Lieutenant　away。　　Outwardly；　however；　he　demanded　effrontery；　assumption；　and　Mrs。　Carter　was　somewhat　cheered；　but　when　she　was　alone　she　cried。　　Berenice；　coming　upon　her　accidentally　and　finding　her　eyes　wet；　exclaimed：

〃Oh；　mother；　please　don't　be　foolish。　　How　can　you　act　this　way？　We　had　better　go　up　in　the　country　and　rest　a　little　while　if　you　are　so　unstrung。〃

Mrs。　Carter　protested　that　it　was　merely　nervous　reaction；　but　to　Berenice　it　seemed　that　where　there　was　so　much　smoke　there　must　be　some　fire。

Her　manner　in　the　aftermath　toward　Braxmar　was　gracious；　but　remote。　He　called　the　next　day　to　say　how　sorry　he　was；　and　to　ask　her　to　a　new　diversion。　　She　was　sweet；　but　distant。　　In　so　far　as　she　was　concerned　it　was　plain　that　the　Beales　Chadsey　incident　was　closed；　but　she　did　not　accept　his　invitation。

〃Mother　and　I　are　planning　to　go　to　the　country　for　a　few　days；〃　she　observed；　genially。　　〃I　can't　say　just　when　we　shall　return；　but　if　you　are　still　here　we　shall　meet；　no　doubt。　　You　must　be　sure　and　come　to　see　us。〃　　She　turned　to　an　east　court…window；　where　the　morning　sun　was　gleaming　on　some　flowers　in　a　window…box；　and　began　to　pinch　off　a　dead　leaf　here　and　there。

Braxmar；　full　of　the　tradition　of　American　romance；　captivated　by　her　vibrant　charm；　her　poise　and　superiority　under　the　circumstances；　her　obvious　readiness　to　dismiss　him；　was　overcome；　as　the　human　mind　frequently　is；　by　a　riddle　of　the　spirit；　a　chemical　reaction　as　mysterious　to　its　victim　as　to　one　who　is　its　witness。　　Stepping　forward　with　a　motion　that　was　at　once　gallant；　reverent；　eager；　unconscious；　he　exclaimed：

〃Berenice！　Miss　Fleming！　Please　don't　send　me　away　like　this。　　Don't　leave　me。　　It　isn't　anything　I　have　done；　is　it？　I　am　mad　about　you。　　I　can't　bear　to　think　that　anything　that　has　happened　could　make　any　difference　between　you　and　me。　　I　haven't　had　the　courage　to　tell　you　before；　but　I　want　to　tell　you　now。　　I　have　been　in　love　with　you　from　the　very　first　night　I　saw　you。　　You　are　such　a　wonderful　girl！　I　don't　feel　that　I　deserve　you；　but　I　love　you。　　I　love　you　with　all　the　honor　and　force　in　me。　　I　admire　and　respect　you。　　Whatever　may　or　may　not　be　true；　it　is　all　one　and　the　same　to　me。　　Be　my　wife；　will　you？　Marry　me；　please！　Oh；　I'm　not　fit　to　be　the　lacer　of　your　shoes；　but　I　have　position　and　I'll　make　a　name　for　myself；　I　hope。　　Oh；　Berenice！〃　He　extended　his　arms　in　a　dramatic　fashion；　not　outward；　but　downward；　stiff　and　straight；　and　declared：　〃I　don't　know　what　I　shall　do　without　you。　　Is　there　no　hope　for　me　at　all？〃

An　artist　in　all　the　graces　of　sexhistrionic；　plastic；　many…faceted　Berenice　debated　for　the　fraction　of　a　minute　what　she　should　do　and　say。　　She　did　not　love　the　Lieutenant　as　he　loved　her　by　any　means；　and　somehow　this　discovery　concerning　her　mother　shamed　her　pride；　suggesting　an　obligation　to　save　herself　in　one　form　or　another；　which　she　resented　bitterly。　　She　was　sorry　for　his　tactless　proposal　at　this　time；　although　she　knew　well　enough　the　innocence　and　virtue　of　the　emotion　from　which　it　sprung。

〃Really；　Mr。　Braxmar；〃　she　replied；　turning　on　him　with　solemn　eyes；　you　mustn't　ask　me　to　decide　that　now。　　I　know　how　you　feel。　I'm　afraid；　though；　that　I　may　have　been　a　little　misleading　in　my　manner。　　I　didn't　mean　to　be。　　I'm　quite　sure　you'd　better　forget　your　interest　in　me　for　the　present　anyhow。　　I　could　only　make　up　my　mind　in　one　way　if　you　should　insist。　　I　should　have　to　ask　you　to　forget　me　entirely。　　I　wonder　if　you　can　see　how　I　feelhow　it　hurts　me　to　say　this？〃

She　paused；　perfectly　poised；　yet　quite　moved　really；　as　charming　a　figure　as　one　would　have　wished　to　seepart　Greek；　part　Orientalcontemplative；　calculating。

In　that　moment；　for　the　first　time；　Braxmar　realized　that　he　was　talking　to　some　one　whom　he　could　not　comprehend　really。　　She　was　strangely　self…contained；　enigmatic；　more　beautiful　perhaps　because　more　remote　than　he　had　ever　seen　her　before。　　In　a　strange　flash　this　young　American　saw　the　isles　of　Greece；　Cytherea；　the　lost　Atlantis；　Cyprus；　and　its　Paphian　shrine。　　His　eyes　burned　with　a　strange；　comprehending　luster；　his　color；　at　first　high；　went　pale。

〃I　can't　believe　you　don't　care　for　me　at　all；　Miss　Berenice；〃　he　went　on；　quite　strainedly。　　〃I　felt　you　did　care　about　me。　　But　here；〃　he　added；　all　at　once；　with　a　real；　if　summoned；　military　force；　〃I　won't　bother　you。　　You　do　understand　me。　　You　know　how　I　feel。　　I　won't　change。　　Can't　we　be　friends；　anyhow？〃

He　held　out　his　hand；　and　she　took　it；　feeling　now　that　she　was　putting　an　end　to　what　might　have　been　an　idyllic　romance。

〃Of　course　we　can；〃　she　said。　　〃I　hope　I　shall　see　you　again　soon。〃

After　he　was　gone　she　walked　into　the　adjoining　room　and　sat　down　in　a　wicker　chair；　putting　her　elbows　on　her　knees　and　resting　her　chin　in　her　hands。　　What　a　denouement　to　a　thing　so　innocent；　so　charming！　And　now　he　was　gone。　　She　would　not　see　him　any　more；　would　not　want　to　see　himnot　much；　anyhow。　　Life　had　sad；　even　ugly　facts。　　Oh　yes；　yes；　and　she　was　beginning　to　perceive　them　clearly。

Some　two　days　later；　when　Berenice　had　brooded　and　brooded　until　she　could　endure　it　no　longer；　she　finally　went　to　Mrs。　Carter　and　said：　〃Mother；　why　don't　you　tell　me　all　about　this　Louisville　matter　so　that　I　may　really　know？　I　can　see　something　is　worrying　you。　　Can't　you　trust　me？　I　am　no　longer　a　child　by　any　means；　and　I　am　your　daughter。　　It　may　help　me　to　straighten　things　out；　to　know　what　to　do。〃

Mrs。　Carter；　who　had　always　played　a　game　of　lofty　though　loving　motherhood；　was　greatly　taken　aback　by　this　courageous　attitude。　　She　flushed　and　chilled　a　little；　then　decided　to　lie。

〃I　tell　you　there　was　nothing　at　all；〃　she　declared；　nervously　and　pettishly。　　〃It　is　all　an　awful　mistake。　　I　wish　that　dreadful　man　could　be　punished　severely　for　what　he　said　to　me。　　To　be　outraged　and　insulted　this　way　before　my　own　child！〃

〃Mother；〃　questioned　Berenice；　fixing　her　with　those　cool；　blue　eyes；　〃why　don't　you　tell　me　all　about　Louisville？　You　and　I　shouldn't　have　things　between　us。　　Maybe　I　can　help　you。〃

All　at　once　Mrs。　Carter；　realizing　that　her　daughter　was　no　longer　a　child　nor　a　mere　social　butterfly；　but　a　woman　superior；　cool；　sympathetic；　with　intuitions　much　deeper　than　her　own；　sank　into　a　heavily　flowered　wing…chair　behind　her；　and；　seeking　a　small　pocket…handkerchief　with　one　hand；　placed　the　other　over　her　eyes　and　began　to　cry。

〃I　was　so　driven；　Bevy；　I　didn't　know　which　way　to　turn。　　Colonel　Gillis　suggested　it。　　I　wanted　to　keep　you　and　Rolfe　in　school　and　give　you　a　chance。　　It　isn't　trueanything　that　horrible　man　said。　　It　wasn't　anything　like　what　he　suggested。　　Colonel　Gillis　and　several　others　wanted　me　to　rent　them　bachelor　quarters；　and　that's　the　way　it　all　came　about。　　It　wasn't　my　fault；　I　couldn't　help　myself；　Bevy。〃

〃And　what　about　Mr。　Cowperwood？〃　inquired　Berenice　curiously。　　She　had　begun　of　late　to　think　a　great　deal　about　Cowperwood。　　He　was　so　cool；　deep；　dynamic；　in　a　way　resourceful；　like　herself。

〃There's　nothing　about　him；〃　replied　Mrs。　Carter；　looking　up　defensively。　　Of　all　her　men　friends　she　best　liked　Cowperwood。　　He　had　never　advised　her　to　evil　ways　or　used　her　house　as　a　convenience　to　himself　alone。　　〃He　never　did　anything　but　help　me　out。　　He　advised　me　to　give　up　my　house　in　Louisville　and　come　East　and　devote　myself　to　looking　after　you　and　Rolfe。　　He　offered　to　help　me　until　you　two　should　be　able　to　help　yourselves；　and　so　I　came。　　Oh；　if　I　had　only　not　been　so　foolishso　afraid　of　life！　But　your　father　and　Mr。　Carter　just　ran　through　everything。〃

She　heaved　a　deep；　heartfelt　sigh。

〃Then　we　really　haven't　anything　at　all；　have　we；　motherproperty　or　anything　else？〃

Mrs。　Carter　shook　her　head；　meaning　no。

〃And　the　money　we　have　been　spending　is　Mr。　Cowperwood's？〃

〃Yes。〃

Berenice　paused　and　looked　out　the　window　over　the　wide　stretch　of　park　which　it　commanded。　　Framed　in　it　like　a　picture　were　a　small　lake；　a　hill　of　trees；　with　a　Japanese　pagoda　effect　in　the　foreground。　　Over　the　hill　were　the　yellow　towering　walls　of　a　great　hotel　in　Central　Park　West。　　In　the　street　below　could　be　heard　the　jingle　of　street…cars。　　On　a　road　in　the　park　could　be　seen　a　moving　line　of　pleasure　vehiclessociety　taking　an　airing　in　the　chill　November　afterno