frances waldeaux-第10节

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uch　vulgarity。　　I　couldn't　do　that。　　If　ever　a　man　wants　to　marry　me；　I'll　fly　to　him　or　away　from　him；　as　quick　as　the　steel　needle　does　when　the　magnet　touches　it。〃　Miss　Vance　listened　to　her　attentively。　　〃Jean；〃　she　said；　after　a　pause；　〃are　you　sure　that　it　is　Lucy　whom　the　prince　wishes　to　marry？〃

〃It　is　not　I；〃　said　Miss　Hassard　promptly。　　〃He　has　thought　of　me　several　timeshe　has　weighed　my　qualifications。　　But　the　man　is　in　love　with　Lucy　as　honestly　as　a　ploughman　could　be。　　Don't　you　think　I've　tough　luck？〃　she　said；　resting　her　elbow　on　the　table　and　her　chin　on　her　palm；　her　keen　gray　eyes　following　Miss　Dunbar　and　her　lover　as　they　loitered　under　the　shadow　of　the　church。　　〃I　am　as　young　as　Lucy。　　I　have　a　better　brain　and　as　big　a　dot。　　But　her　lovers　make　her　life　a　burden；　and　I　never　have　had　one。　　Just　because　our　noses　and　chins　are　made　up　differently！〃

〃Oh；　my　dear！〃　said　Clara　anxiously。　　〃I　never　thought　you　cared　for　that　kind　of　success！〃

〃I'm　only　human；〃　Jean　laughed。　　〃Of　course　I'm　an　artist。　　I'm　going　to　paint　a　great　picture　some　day　that　all　the　world　shall　go　mad　about。　　Of　Eve。　　I'll　put　all　the　power　of　all　women　into　her。　　But　in　the　meantime　I'd　like　to　see　one　man　turn　pale　and　pant　before　me　as　the　fat　little　prince　does　when　Lucy　snubs　him。〃

〃Lucy　is　very　hard　to　please；〃　complained　Miss　Vance。　　〃She　snubs　Mr。　Perrynaturally。　　But　the　princewhy　should　she　not　marry　the　prince？〃

〃Your　generation；〃　said　Jean；　smiling　slyly；　〃used　to　think　that　an　unreasonable　whim　called　love　was　a　good　thing　in　marriage〃

〃But　why　should　she　not　love　the　prince？　　He　is　honorable　and　kind；　and　quite　passable　as　to　looks　　Can　there　be　any　one　else？〃　turning　suddenly　to　Jean。

Miss　Hassard　looked　at　her　a　moment；　hesitating。　　〃Your　cousin　George　used　to　be　Lucy's　type　of　a　hero〃

〃Why！　the　man　is　married！〃　　Miss　Vance　stood　up；　her　lean　face　reddening。　　〃Jean！　　You　surprise　me！　　That　kind　of　talkit's　indecent！　　It　is　that　loose　American　idea　of　marriage　that　ends　in　hideous　divorce　cases。　　But　for　one　of　my　girls〃

〃It　is　a　very　old　idea；〃　said　Jean　calmly。

〃David　loved　another　man's　wife。　　Mind　you；　I　don't　accuse　Lucy　of　loving　any　body；　but　when　the　needle　has　once　touched　the　magnet　it　answers　to　its　call　ever　after。〃

Miss　Vance　vouchsafed　no　answer。　　She　walked　away　across　the　Platz；　jerking　her　bonnet　strings　into　a　knot。　　Jean　was　one　of　the　New　Women！　　Her　opinions　stuck　out　on　every　side　like　Briareus'　hundred　elbows！　　You　could　not　come　near　her　without　being　jabbed　by　them。　　Such　women　were　all　opinions；　there　was　no　softness；　no　feeling；　no　delicacy　about　them。　　Skeletons　with　no　flesh！　　As　for　Lucy；　she　had　no　fear。　　If　even　the　child　had　loved　George；　she　would　have　cast　out　every　thought　of　him　on　his　wedding　day；　as　a　Christian　girl　should　do！

She　passed　Lucy　at　that　moment。　　She　was　leaning　against　one　of　the　huge　stone　lions　which　crouch　in　front　of　the　church；　listening　to　Mr。　Perry。　　If　ever　a　pure　soul　looked　into　the　world　it　was　through　those　limpid　eyes！

The　Platz　was　nearly　empty。　　One　or　two　men　in　blouses　clattered　across　the　cobblestones　and　going　into　the　dark　church　dropped　on　their　knees。　　The　wind　was　high；　and　now　and　then　swept　heavy　clouds　low　across　the　sunlight　space　overhead。

Lucy；　as　Jean　had　guessed；　knew　why　the　man　beside　her　had　crossed　the　Atlantic；　and　she　had　decided　last　night　to　end　the　matter　at　once。　　The　tears　had　stood　in　her　eyes　for　pity　at　the　thought　of　the　pain　she　must　give　him。　　Yet　she　had　put　on　her　new　close…fitting　coat　and　a　becoming　fur　cap；　and　pulled　out　the　loose　hair　which　she　knew　at　this　moment　was　blowing　about　her　pink　cheeks　in　curly　wisps　in　a　way　that　was　perfectly　maddening。　　Clara；　seeing　the　mischief　in　her　eyes　as　she　listened　shyly　to　Perry；　went　on　satisfied。　　There　was　no　abyss　of　black　loss　in　that　girl's　life！

Lucy　just　now　was　concerned　only　for　Perry。　　How　the　poor　man　loved　her！　　Why　not　marry　him　after　all；　and　put　him　out　of　his　pain？　　She　was　twenty…four。　　Most　women　at　twenty…four　had　gone　through　their　little　tragedy　of　love。　　But　she　had　had　no　tragedy。　　She　told　herself　firmly　that　there　had　been　no　story　of　love　in　her　life。　　There　never　could　be；　now。　　She　was　too　old。

She　was　tired；　too；　and　very　lonely。　　This　man　would　seat　her　on　a　throne　and　worship　her　every　day。　　That　would　be　pleasant　enough。

〃I　am　ashamed　of　myself；〃　he　was　saying；　〃to　pursue　you　in　this　way。　　You　have　given　me　no　encouragement；　I　know。　　But　whenever　I　go　to　New　York　and　bone　down　to　work；　something　tells　me　to　come　back　and　try　again。〃

Lucy　did　not　answer；　and　there　was　a　brief　silence。

〃Of　course　I'm　a　fool；〃prodding　the　ground　with　his　stick。　　〃But　if　a　man　were　in　a　jail　cell　and　knew　that　the　sun　was　shining　just　outside；　he'd　keep　on　beating　at　the　wall。〃

〃Your　life　is　not　a　jail　cell。　　It's　very　comfortable；　I　think。〃

〃It　has　been　bare　enough。　　I　have　had　a　hard　fight　to　live　at　all。　　I　told　you　that　I　began　as　a　canal…boy。〃

She　looked　at　him　with　quick　sympathy。　　At　once　she　fancied　that　she　could　read　old　marks　of　want　on　his　face。　　His　knuckles　were　knobbed　like　a　laborer's。　　He　had　had　a　hard　fight！　　It　certainly　would　be　pleasant　to　rain　down　comfort　and　luxury　on　the　good；　plucky　fellow！

〃Of　course　that　was　all　long　ago；〃　said　Perry。　　〃I'm　not　ashamed　of　it。　　As　Judge　Baker　remarked　the　other　day；　‘The　acknowledged　aristocrats　of　America；　to…day；　are　its　self…made　men。'　　He　ought　to　know。　　The　Bakers　are　the　top　of　the　heap　in　New　York。　　Very　exclusive。　　I've　been　intimate　there　for　years。　　No；　Miss　Dunbar；　I　may　have　begun　as　a　mule…driver　on　a　canal；　but　I　am　choice　in　my　society。　　My　wife　will　not　find　a　man　or　woman　in　my　circle　who　is　half…cut。〃

Lucy　drew　a　long　breath。　　To　live　all　day　and　every　day　with　this　man！

And　yetshe　was　so　tired！　　There　was　a　good　deal　of　money　to　manage；　and　he　could　do　that。　　He　would　like　a　gay；　hospitable　house；　and　so　would　she；　and　they　would　be　kind　to　the　poorand　he　was　an　Episcopalian；　too。　　There　would　be　no　hitch　there。　　Lucy　was　a　zealous　High　Churchwoman。

Why　should　she　not　do　it？　　The　man　was　as　good　as　gold　at　heart。　　Jean　called　him　a　cad；　but　the　caddishness　was　only　skin　deep。

Mr。　Perry　watched　her；　reading　her　thoughts　more　keenly　than　she　guessed。

〃One　thing　I　will　say　in　justice　to　myself；〃　he　said。　　〃You　are　a　rich　woman。　　If　you　marry　me；　YOU　will　know；　if　nobody　else　does；　that　I　am　no　fortune…hunter。　　I　shall　always　be　independent　of　my　wife。　　Every　dollar　she　owns　shall　be　settled　on　her　before　I　go　with　her　to　the　altar。〃

〃Oh；　I'm　not　thinking　of　the　money；〃　said　Lucy　impatiently。

〃Then　you　are　thinking　of　me！〃　　He　leaned　over　her。　　She　felt　as　if　she　had　been　suddenly　dragged　too　close　to　a　big　unpleasant　fire。　　〃I　know　you　don't　love　me；〃　he　panted；　〃you　cold　little　angel；　you！　　But　you　do　like　me？　　Eh？　just　a　little　bit；　Lucy？　　Marry　me。　　Give　me　a　chance。　　I'll　bring　you　to　me。　　If　there　is　a　single　spark　of　love　in　your　heart　for　me；　I'll　blow　it　into　a　flame！　　I　can　do　it；　I　tell　you！〃　　He　caught　her　fiercely　by　the　shoulder。

Lucy　drew　back　and　threw　out　her　hands。　　〃Let　me　have　time　to　think！〃

〃Time？　　You've　had　a　year！〃

〃One　more　day。　　Come　again　this　evening〃

〃This　evening？　　I've　come　so　often！〃　staring　breathlessly　into　her　face。　　〃It　will　be　no　use；　I　can　see　that。　　Well；　as　you　please。　　I'll　come　once　more。〃

The　young　fellow　in　his　jaunty　new　clothes　shook　as　if　he　had　the　ague。　　He　had　touched　her。　　For　one　minute　she　had　been　his！

He　turned　and　walked　quickly　across　the　Platz。

Lucy；　left　alone；　was　full　of　remorse。　　She　looked　down　into　her　heart；　she　had　forgotten　to　do　it　before。　　No；　not　a　spark　for　him　to　blow　into　a　flame；　not　a　single　warm　thought　of　him！

The　girl　was　ashamed　of　herself。　　He　might　be　a　cad；　but　he　was　real；　his　honest　love　possessed　him　body　and　soul。　　It　was　a　matter　of　expediency　to　her；　a　thing　to　debate　with　herself；　to　dally　over；　with　paltry　pros　and　cons。

Miss　Vance　came　hurriedly　up　the　street；　an　open　letter　in　her　hand。　　Lucy　ran　to　meet　her。

〃What　is　it？　　You　have　heard　bad　news？〃

〃I　suppose　we　ought　not　to　call　it　that。　　It　is　from　George　Waldeaux。　　They　have　a　son；　two　months　old。　　He　tells　it　as　a　matter　for　rejoicing。〃

〃Oh；　yes；〃　said　Lucy　feebly。

〃They　are　at　Vannesin　Brittany。　　He　has　a　cough。　　He　seems　to　know　nobodyto　have　no　friends；　and；　I　suspect；　not　much　money。　　He　is　terribly　depressed。〃　　Clara　folded　the　letter　thoughtfully。　　〃He　asks　me　to　tell　his　mother　that　the　baby　has　come。〃

〃Where　is　his　mother？〃

〃In　Switzerland。〃

〃Why　is　she　not　with　him？〃　demanded　Lucy　angrily。　　〃Wandering　about　gathering　edelweiss；　while　he　is　alone　and　wretched！〃

〃He　has　his　wife。　　You　probably　do　not　understand　the　case　fully；〃　said　Clara　coldly。　　〃I　am　going　to　wire　to　his　mother　now。〃　　She　turned　away　and　Lucy　stood　irresolute；　her　hand　clutching　the　shaggy　head　of　the　stone　beast　beside　her。

〃I　can　give　him　money。　　I'll　go　to　him。　　He　needs　me！〃　she　said　aloud。　　Then　her　whole　body　burned　with　shame。　　SheLucy　Dunbar；　good　proper　Lucy；　whose　conscience　hurt　her　if　she　laid　her　handkerchiefs　away　aw