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〃She　may　make　her　own　life　miserable；　but　not　mine；〃　replied　he。　　〃If　I　were　the　ordinary　man　counting　himself　lucky　to　have　induced　any　woman　to　marry　himafraid　if　he　lost　his　woman　he'd　not　be　able　to　get　anotherable　to　give　his　woman　only　an　indifferent　poor　support；　and　so　onif　I　were　one　of　those　men；　what　you　say　might　be　true。　　But　what　deep　and　permanent　mischief　can　a　frail　woman　do　a　strong　man？〃

〃There's　instance　after　instance　in　history〃

〃Of　strong　men　wrecking　THEMSELVES　through　various　kinds　of　madness；　including　sex　madness。　　But；　my　dear　Ursula；　not　an　instancenot　onewhere　the　woman　was　responsible。　　If　history　were　truth；　instead　of　liesyou　women　might　have　less　conceit。〃

〃Youtalking　this　way！〃　mocked　Ursula。

〃Meaning；　I　suppose；　my　late　infatuation？〃　inquired　he；　unruffled。

〃I　never　saw　or　read　of　a　worse　case。〃

〃Am　I　ruined？〃

〃No。　　But　why　not？　　Because　you　got　her。　　If　you　hadn't〃　　Ursula　blew　out　a　large　cloud　of　cigarette　smoke　with　a　〃Pouf！〃

〃If　I　hadn't　got　her；〃　said　Norman；　〃I'd　have　got　well；　just　the　same；　in　due　time。　　A　sick　WEAK　man　goes　down；　a　sick　STRONG　man　gets　well。　　When　a　man　who's　reputed　to　be　strong　doesn't　get　well；　it's　because　he　merely　seemed　strong　but　wasn't。　　The　poets　and　novelists　and　the　historians　and　the　rest　of　the　nature　fakers　fail　to　tell　ALL　the　facts；　dear　sister。　　All　the　facts　would　spoil　a　pretty　story。〃

Ursula　thought　a　few　minutes；　suddenly　burst　out　with；　〃Do　you　think　Dorothy　loves　you　now？〃

Norman　rose　to　go　out　doors。　　〃I　don't　think　about　such　unprofitable　things；〃　said　he。　　〃As　long　as　we　suit　each　other　and　get　along　pleasantlywhy　bother　about　a　name　for　it？〃

In　the　French　window　he　paused；　stood　looking　out　with　an　expression　so　peculiar　that　Ursula；　curious；　came　to　see　the　cause。　　A　few　yards　away；　under　a　big　symmetrical　maple　in　full　leaf　sat　Dorothy　with　the　baby　on　her　lap。　　She　was　dressed　very　simply　in　white。　There　was　a　little　sunlight　upon　her　hair；　a　sheen　of　gold　over　her　skin。　　She　was　looking　down　at　the　baby。　　Her　expression

Said　Ursula：　　〃Several　of　the　great　painters　have　tried　to　catch　that　expression。　　But　they've　failed。〃

Norman　made　no　reply。　　He　had　not　heard。　　All　in　an　instant　there　had　been　revealed　to　him　a　whole　new　worlda　view　of　man　and　womanof　woman　of　sexits　meaning　so　different　from　what　he　had　believed　and　lived。

〃What're　you　thinking　about；　Fred？〃　inquired　his　sister。

He　shook　his　head；　with　a　mysterious　smile；　and　strolled　away。



XXII


THE　baby　grew　and　thrived；　as　the　habit　is　with　healthy　children　well　taken　care　of。　　Mrs。　Norman　soon　got　back　her　strength；　her　figure；　and　perhaps　more　than　her　former　beautyas　the　habit　is　with　healthy　women　well　taken　care　of。　　Norman's　career　continued　to　prosper；　likewise　according　to　the　habit　of　all　healthy　things　well　taken　care　of。　　In　a　world　where　nothing　happens　by　chance；　mischance；　to　be　serious；　must　have　some　grave　fault　as　its　hidden　cause。　　We　mortals；　who　love　to　live　at　haphazard　and　to　blame　God　or　destiny　or　〃bad　luck〃　for　our　calamities；　hate　to　take　this　modern　and　scientific　view　of　the　world　and　life。　　But；　whether　we　like　it　or　not；　it　is　the　truthand；　as　we　can't　get　round　it；　why　not　accept　it　cheerfully　and；　so　appear　a　little　less　ignorant　and　ridiculous？

During　their　first　year　at　the　Hempstead　place　the　results　in　luxury　and　comfort　had　at　no　time　accounted　for　the　money　it　cost　and　the　servants　it　employed　that　is　to　say；　paid。　　But　Norman　was　neither　unreasonable　nor　impatient。　　Also；　in　his　years　of　experience　with　his　sister's　housekeeping；　and　of　observation　of　the　other　women；　he　had　grown　exceedingly　moderate　in　his　estimate　of　the　ability　of　women　and　in　his　expectations　from　them。　　He　had　reached　the　conclusion　that　the　women　who　were　sheltered　and　pampered　by　the　men　of　the　successful　classes　were　proficient　only　in　those　things　that　call　for　no　skill　or　effort　beyond　the　wagging　of　the　tongue。　　He　saw　that　Dorothy　was　making　honest　endeavor　to　learn　her　business；　and　he　knew　that　learning　takes　timemuch　time。

He　believed　that　in　the　end　she　would　do　better　than　any　other　wife　of　his　acquaintance；　at　the　business　of　wife　and　mother。

Before　the　baby　was　two　years　old；　his　belief　was　rewarded。　　Things　began　to　run　betterbegan　to　run　well；　even。　　Dorothya　serious　person；　unhampered　of　a　keen　sense　of　humor；　had　taught　herself　the　duties　of　her　new　position　in　much　the　same　slow　plodding　way　in　which　she　had　formerly　made　of　herself　a　fair　stenographer　and　a　tolerable　typewriter。　　Mrs。　Lowell　had　helpedand　Ursula；　tooand　Norman　not　a　little。　But　Dorothy；　her　husband　discovered；　was　one　of　those　who　thoroughly　assimilate　what　they　take　inwho　make　it　over　into　part　of　themselves。　　So；　her　manner　of　keeping　house；　of　arranging　the　gardens；　of　bringing　up　the　baby；　of　dressing　herself；　was　peculiarly　her　own。　　It　was　not　by　any　means　the　best　imaginable　way。　　It　was　even　what　many　energetic；　systematic　and　highly　competent　persons　would　speak　contemptuously　of。　　But　it　satisfied　Normanand　that　was　all　Dorothy　had　in　mind。

If　those　who　have　had　any　considerable　opportunity　to　observe　married　life　will　forget　what　they　have　read　in　novels　and　will　fix　their　minds　on　what　they　have　observed　at　first　hand；　they　will　recognize　the　Norman　marriage；　with　the　husband　and　wife　living　together　yet　apart　as　not　peculiar　but　of　a　rather　common　type。　Neither　Fred　nor　Dorothy　had　any　especial　reason　on　any　given　day　to　try　to　alter　their　relations；　so　the　law　of　inertia　asserted　itself　and　matters　continued　as　they　had　begun。　　It　was；　perhaps；　a　chance　remark　of　Tetlow's　that　was　the　remote　but　efficient　cause　of　a　change；　as　the　single　small　stone　slipping　high　up　on　the　mountain　side　results　in　a　vast　landslide　into　the　valley　miles　below。　　Tetlow　said　one　day；　in　connection　with　some　estate　they　were　settling：

〃I've　always　pitied　the　only　child。　　It　must　be　miserably　lonesome。〃

No　sooner　were　the　words　out　of　his　mouth　than　he　colored　violently；　for；　he　remembered　that　the　Normans　had　but　one　child　and　he　knew　the　probable　reason　for　it。　　Norman　seemed　not　to　have　heard　or　seen。　Tetlow　hoped　he　hadn't；　but；　knowing　the　man；　feared　otherwise。　　And　he　was　right。

In　the　press　of　other　matters　Norman　forgot　Tetlow's　remarkremembered　it　again　a　few　days　later　when　he　was　taking　the　baby　out　for　an　airing　in　the　motorforgot　it　againfinally；　when　he　took　a　several　days'　rest　at　home；　remembered　it　and　kept　it　in　mind。　He　began　to　think　of　Dorothy　once　more　in　a　definite；　personal　way；　began　to　observe　her　as　his　wife；　instead　of　as　mere　part　of　his　establishment。　　An　intellectual　person　she　certainly　was　not。　　She　had　a　quaint　individual　way　of　speaking　and　of　acting。　　She　had　the　marvelous　changeable　beauty　that　had　once　caused　him　to　take　the　bit　in　his　teeth　and　run　wild。　　But　he　would　no　more　think　of　talking　with　her　about　the　affairs　that　really　interested　him　thanwell；　than　the　other　men　of　large　career　in　his　acquaintance　would　think　of　talking　those　matters　to　their　wives。

But　　He　was　astonished　to　discover　that　he　liked　this　slim；　quiet；　unobtrusive　little　wife　of　his　better　than　he　liked　anyone　else　in　the　world；　that　he　eagerly　turned　away　from　the　clever　and　amusing　companionship　he　might　have　at　his　clubs　to　come　down　to　the　country　and　be　with　her　and　the　babynot　the　baby　alone；　but　her　also。　　Why？　　He　could　not　find　a　satisfactory　reason。　He　saw　that　she　created　at　that　Hempstead　place　an　atmosphere　of　rest；　of　tranquility。　　But　this　merely　thrust　the　mystery　one　step　back。　　HOW　did　she　create　this　atmosphereand　for　a　man　of　his　varied　and　discriminating　tastes？　　To　that　question　he　could　work　out　no　answer。　　She　had　for　him　now　a　charm　as　different　from　the　infatuation　of　former　days　as　calm　sea　is　from　tempest…racked　seautterly　different；　yet　fully　as　potent。　　As　he　observed　her　and　wondered　at　these　discoveries　of　his；　the　ghost　of　a　delight　he　had　thought　forever　dead　stirred　in　his　heart；　in　his　fancy。　　Yes；　it　was　a　pleasure；　a　thrilling　pleasure　to　watch　her。　There　was　music　in　those　quiet；　graceful　movements　of　hers；　in　that　quiet；　sweet　voice。　　Not　the　wild；　blood…　heating　music　of　the　former　days；　but　a　kind　far　more　melodioustender；　restful　to　nerves　sorely　tried　by　the　tensions　of　ambition。　　He　made　some　sort　of　an　attempt　to　define　his　feeling　for　her；　but　could　not。　　It　seemed　to　fit　into　none　of　the　usual　classifications。

Then；　he　wondered　　〃What　is　SHE　thinking　of　ME？〃

To　find　out　he　resorted　to　various　elaborate　round　about　methods　that　did　credit　to　the　ingenuity　of　his　mind。　　But　he　made　at　every　cunning　cast　a　barren　water…haul。　　Either　she　was　not　thinking　of　him　at　all　or　what　she　thought　swam　too　deep　for　any　casts　he　knew　how　to　make　in　those　hidden　and　unfamiliar　waters。　　Or；　perhaps　she　did　not　herself　know　what　she　thought；　being　too　busy　with　the　baby　and　the　household　to　have　time　for　such　abstract　and　not　pressing；　perhaps　not　important；　matters。　　He　moved　slowly　in　his　inquiries　into　her　state　of　mind　because　there　was　all　the　time　in　the　world　and　no　occasion　for　haste。　He　moved　cautiously　because　he　wished　to　do　nothing　that　might　disturb　the　present　serenity　of　their　home　life。　　Did　she　dislike　him？　　Was　she　indifferent？　　Had　she　developed　a　habit　of　having　him　about　that　was　in　a　way　equivalent　to　liking？

These　languid　but　delightful　investigationsnot　unlike　the　pastimes　one　spins　out　when　one　has　a　long；　long　lovely　summer　day　with　hours　on　hours　for　luxurious　happy　idlingthese　investigations　were　abruptly　suspended　by　a　suddenly　compelled　trip　to　Europe。　He　arranged　for　Dorothy　to　send　him　a　cable　every　day〃about　yourself　and　the　baby〃and　he　sent　an　occasional　cabled　bulletin　about　himself　in　reply。　　But　neither　wrote　to　the　other；　their　relationship　was　not　of　the　letter…exchanging　kindand　had　no　need　of　pretense　at　what　it　was　not。

In　the　third　month　of　his　absence；　his　sister　Ursula　came　over　for　dresses；　millinery　and　truly　aristocratic　society。　　She　had　little　time　for　him；　or　he　for　her；　but　they　happened　to　lunch　alone　about　a　week　after　his　arrival。

〃You're　looking　cross　and　unhappy；〃　said　she。　〃What's　the　matter？　　Business？〃

〃