the crusade of the excelsior-第29节

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the　beautiful　arm　with　which　she　emphasized　it。　　Neither　did　it

strike　him　that　the　distinguishing　indications　of　a　poetic

exaltation　were　at　all　unlike　the　effects　of　a　grosser　stimulant

known　as　〃Champagne　cocktail〃　on　the　less　sensitive　organization　of

her　colleagues。　　Touched　by　her　melancholy　but　fascinating　smile；

he　said　gallantly　that　he　had　observed　no　sign　of　exhaustion；　or

want　of　power　in　her　performance　that　evening。



〃Then　you　were　there！〃　she　said；　fixing　her　eyes　upon　him　with　an

expression　of　mournful　gratitude。　　〃You　actually　left　your　business

and　the　calls　of　public　duty　to　see　the　poor　mountebank　perform　her

nightly　task。〃



〃I　was　there　with　a　friend　of　yours；〃　answered　Brimmer　soberly；

〃who　actually　asked　me　to　the　supper　to　which　Mr。　Keene　had　already

invited　me；　and　which　YOU　had　been　kind　enough　to　suggest　to　me　a

week　ago。〃



〃True；　I　had　forgotten；〃　said　Miss　Montgomery；　with　a　large

goddess…like　indifference　that　was　more　effective　with　the　man

before　her　than　the　most　elaborate　explanation。　　〃You　don't　mind

themdo　you？for　we　are　all　friends　together。　　My　position；　you

know；〃　she　added　sadly；　〃prevents　my　always　following　my　own

inclinations　or　preferences。　　Poor　Markham；　I　fear　the　world　does

not　do　justice　to　his　gentle；　impressible　nature。　　I　sympathize

with　him　deeply；　we　have　both　had　our　afflictions；　we　have　both

lost。　　Good　heavens！〃　she　exclaimed；　with　a　sudden　exaggerated

start　of　horror；　〃what　have　I　done？　　Forgive　my　want　of　tact；　dear

friend；　I　had　forgotten；　wretched　being　that　I　am；　that　YOU；　too〃



She　caught　his　hand　in　both　hers；　and　bowed　her　head　over　it　as　if

unable　to　finish　her　sentence。



Brimmer；　who　had　been　utterly　mystified　and　amazed　at　this　picture

of　Markham's　disconsolate　attitude　to　the　world；　and　particularly

to　the　woman　before　him；　was　completely　finished　by　this　later

tribute　to　his　own　affliction。　　His　usually　composed　features；

however；　easily　took　upon　themselves　a　graver　cast　as　he　kept；　and

pressed；　the　warm　hands　in　his　own。



〃Fool　that　I　was；〃　continued　Miss　Montgomery；　〃in　thinking　of　poor

Markham's　childlike；　open　grief；　I　forgot　the　deeper　sorrow　that

the　more　manly　heart　experiences　under　an　exterior　that　seems　cold

and　impassible。　　Yes；〃　she　said；　raising　her　languid　eyes　to

Brimmer；　〃I　ought　to　have　felt　the　throb　of　that　volcano　under　its

mask　of　snow。　　You　have　taught　me　a　lesson。〃



Withdrawing　her　hands　hastily；　as　if　the　volcano　had　shown　some

signs　of　activity；　she　leaned　back　on　the　sofa　again。



〃You　are　not　yet　reconciled　to　Mr。　Keene's　expedition；　then？〃　she

asked　languidly。



〃I　believe　that　everything　has　been　already　done；〃　said　Brimmer；

somewhat　stiffly；　〃all　sources　of　sensible　inquiry　have　been

exhausted　by　me。　　But　I　envy　Keene　the　eminently　practical

advantages　his　impractical　journey　gives　him；〃　he　added；　arresting

himself；　gallantly；　〃he　goes　with　you。〃



〃Truly！〃　said　Miss　Montgomery；　with　the　melancholy　abstraction　of　a

stage　soliloquy。　　〃Beyond　obeying　the　dictates　of　his　brotherly

affection；　he　gains　no　real　advantage　in　learning　whether　his

sister　is　alive　or　dead。　　The　surety　of　her　death　would　not　make

him　freer　than　he　is　nowfreer　to　absolutely　follow　the　dictates

of　a　new　affection；　free　to　make　his　own　life　again。　　It　is　a

sister；　not　a　wife；　he　seeks。〃



Mr。　Brimmer's　forehead　slightly　contracted。　　He　leaned　back　a

little　more　rigidly　in　his　chair；　and　fixed　a　critical；　half

supercilious　look　upon　her。　　She　did　not　seem　to　notice　his　almost

impertinent　scrutiny；　but　sat　silent；　with　her　eyes　bent　on　the

carpet；　in　gloomy　abstraction。



〃Can　you　keep　a　secret？〃　she　said；　as　if　with　a　sudden　resolution。



〃Yes；〃　said　Brimmer　briefly；　without　changing　his　look。



〃You　know　I　am　a　married　woman。　　You　have　heard　the　story　of　my

wrongs？〃



〃I　have　heard　them；〃　said　Brimmer　dryly。



〃Well；　the　husband　who　abused　and　deserted　me　was；　I　have　reason　to

believe；　a　passenger　on　the　Excelsior。〃



〃M'Corkle！impossible。　　There　was　no　such　name　on　the　passenger

list。〃



〃M'Corkle！〃　repeated　Miss　Montgomery；　with　a　dissonant　tone　in　her

voice　and　a　slight　flash　in　her　eyes。　　〃What　are　you　thinking　of？

There　never　was　a　Mr。　M'Corkle；　it　was　one　of　my　noms　de　plume。

And　where　did　YOU　hear　it？〃



〃I　beg　your　pardon；　I　must　have　got　it　from　the　press　notices　of

your　book　of　poetry。　　I　knew　that　Montgomery　was　only　a　stage　name；

and　as　it　was　necessary　that　I　should　have　another　in　making　the

business　investments　you　were　good　enough　to　charge　me　with；　I　used

what　I　thought　was　your　real　name。　　It　can　be　changed；　or　you　can

sign　M'Corkle。〃



〃Let　it　go；〃　said　Miss　Montgomery；　resuming　her　former　manner。

〃What　matters？　　I　wish　there　was　no　such　thing　as　business。　　Well；〃

she　resumed；　after　a　pause；　〃my　husband's　name　is　Hurlstone。〃



〃But　there　was　no　Hurlstone　on　the　passenger　list　either；〃　said

Brimmer。　　〃I　knew　them　all；　and　their　friends。〃



〃Not　in　the　list　from　the　States；　but　if　he　came　on　board　at

Callao；　you　wouldn't　have　known　it。　　I　knew　that　he　arrived　there

on　the　Osprey　a　few　days　before　the　Excelsior　sailed。〃



Mr。　Brimmer's　eyes　changed　their　expression。



〃And　you　want　to　find　him？〃



〃No；〃　she　said；　with　an　actress's　gesture。　　〃I　want　to　know　the

truth。　　I　want　to　know　if　I　am　still　tied　to　this　man；　or　if　I　am

free　to　follow　the　dictates　of　my　own　conscience；to　make　my　life

anew；to　becomeyou　see　I　am　not　ashamed　to　say　itto　become　the

honest　wife　of　some　honest　man。〃



〃A　divorce　would　suit　your　purpose　equally；〃　said　Brimmer　coldly。

〃It　can　be　easily　obtained。〃



〃A　divorce！　　Do　you　know　what　that　means　to　a　woman　in　my

profession？　　It　is　a　badge　of　shame；a　certificate　of　disgrace；

an　advertisement　to　every　miserable　wretch　who　follows　me　with　his

advances　that　I　have　no　longer　the　sanctity　of　girlhood；　nor　the

protection　of　a　wife。〃



There　was　tragic　emotion　in　her　voice；　there　were　tears　in　her

eyes。　Mr。　Brimmer；　gazing　at　her　with　what　he　firmly　thought　to　be

absolute　and　incisive　penetration；　did　not　believe　either。　　But

like　most　practical　analysts　of　the　half…motived　sex；　he　was　only

half　right。　　The　emotion　and　the　tears　were　as　real　as　anything

else　in　the　woman　under　criticism；　notwithstanding　that　they　were

not　as　real　as　they　would　have　been　in　the　man　who　criticised。　　He；

however；　did　her　full　justice　on　a　point　where　most　men　and　all

women　misjudged　her：　he　believed　that；　through　instinct　and

calculation；　she　had　been　materially　faithful　to　her　husband；　that

this　large　goddess…like　physique　had　all　the　impeccability　of　a

goddess；　that　the　hysterical　dissipation　in　which　she　indulged

herself　was　purely　mental；　and　usurped　and　preoccupied　all　other

emotions。　　In　this　public　exposition　of　her　beauty　there　was　no

sense　of　shame；　for　there　was　no　sense　of　the　passion　it　evoked。

And　he　was　right。　　But　there　he　should　have　stopped。　Unfortunately；

his　masculine　logic　forced　him　to　supply　a　reason　for　her　coldness

in　the　existence　of　some　more　absorbing　passion。　He　believed　her

ambitious　and　calculating：　she　was　neither。　　He　believed　she　might

have　made　him　an　admirable　copartner　and　practical　helpmeet：　he　was

wrong。



〃You　know　my　secret　now；〃　she　continued。　　〃You　know　why　I　am

anxious　to　know　my　fate。　　You　understand　now　why　I　sympathize

with〃she　stopped；　and　made　a　half　contemptuous　gesture〃with

these　men　Markham　and　Keene。　　THEY　do　not　know　it；　perhaps　they

prefer　to　listen　to　their　own　vanitythat's　the　way　of　most　men；

but　you　do　know　it；　and　you　have　no　excuse　for　misjudging　me；　or

undeceiving　them。〃　　She　stopped　and　looked　at　the　clock。　　〃They

will　be　here　in　five　minutes；　do　you　wish　them　to　find　you　already

here？〃



〃It　is　as　YOU　wish；〃　stammered　Brimmer；　completely　losing　his　self…

possession。



〃I　have　no　wish；〃　she　said；　with　a　sublime　gesture　of　indifference。

〃If　you　wait　you　can　entertain　them　here；　while　Rosina　is　dressing

me　in　the　next　room。　　We　sup　in　the　larger　room　across　the　hall。〃



As　she　disappeared；　Quincy　Brimmer　rose　irresolutely　from　his　seat

and　checked　a　half　uttered　exclamation。　　Then　he　turned　nervously

to　the　parlor…door。　　What　a　senseless　idiot　he　had　become！　　He　had

never　for　an　instant　conceived　the　idea　of　making　this　preliminary

confidential　visit　known　to　the　others；　he　had　no　wish　to　suggest

the　appearance　of　an　assignation　with　the　woman；　who；　rightly　or

wrongly；　was　notorious；　he　had　nothing　to　gain　by　this　voluntary

assumption　of　a　compromising　attitude；　yet　here　he　was；　heMr。

Brimmerwith　the　appearance　of　being　installed　in　her　parlor；

receiving　her　visitors；　and　dispensing　her　courtesies。　　Only　a　man

recklessly　in　love　would　be　guilty　of　such　an　indiscretioneven

Markham's　feebleness　had　never　reached　this　absurdity。　　In　the

midst　of　his　uneasiness　there　was　a　knock　at　the　door；　he