the conflict-第17部分

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She　tried　to　draw　out　her　father　on　the　subject　of　the　young　man；　with　a　view　to　getting　a　hint　as　to　whether　he　purposed　doing　anything　further。　　But　old　Hastings　would　not　talk　about　it；　he　was　still　debating；　was　looking　at　the　matter　from　a　standpoint　where　his　daughter's　purely　theoretical　acumen　could　not　help　him　to　a　decision。　　Jane　rather　feared　that　where　her　father　was　evidently　so　doubtful　he　would　follow　his　invariable　rule　in　doubtful　cases。

On　the　fourth　day；　being　still　unable　to　think　of　anything　but　her　project　for　showing　her　prowess　by　conquering　this　man　with　no　time　for　women；　she　donned　a　severely　plain　walking　costume　and　went　to　his　office。

At　the　threshold　of　the　‘‘Sanctum''　she　stopped　short。　　Selma；　pencil　poised　over　her　block　of　copy　paper　and　every　indication　of　impatience；　albeit　polite　impatience；　in　her　fascinating　Cossack　face；　was　talking　toor；　rather；　listening　toDavid　Hull。　　Like　not　a　few　young　menand　young　womenbrought　up　in　circumstances　that　surround　them　with　people　deferential　for　the　sake　of　what　there　is；　or　may　possibly　be；　in　itDavy　Hull　had　the　habit　of　assuming　that　all　the　world　was　as　fond　of　listening　to　him　as　he　was　of　listening　to　himself。　　So　it　did　not　often　occur　to　him　to　observe　his　audience　for　signs　of　a　willingness　to　end　the　conversation。

Selma；　turning　a　little　further　in　her　nervousness；　saw　Jane　and　sprang　up　with　a　radiant　smile　of　welcome。

‘‘I'm　SO　glad！''　she　cried；　rushing　toward　her　and　kissing　her。　　‘‘I've　thought　about　you　often；　and　wished　I　could　find　time　to　come　to　see　you。''

Jane　was　suddenly　as　delighted　as　Selma。　　For　Selma's　burst　of　friendliness；　so　genuine；　so　unaffected；　in　this　life　of　blackness　and　cold　always　had　the　effect　of　sun　suddenly　making　summer　out　of　a　chill　autumnal　day。　　Nor；　curiously　enough；　was　her　delight　lessened　by　Davy　Hull's　blundering　betrayal　of　himself。　　His　color；　his　eccentric　twitchings　of　the　lips　and　the　hands　would　have　let　a　far　less　astute　young　woman　than　Jane　Hastings　into　the　secret　of　the　reason　for　his　presence　in　that　office　when　he　had　said　he　couldn't　‘‘afford''　to　go。　　So　guilty　did　he　feel　that　he　stammered　out：

‘‘I　dropped　in　to　see　Dorn。''

‘‘You　wished　to　see　Victor？''　exclaimed　the　guileless　Selma。　　‘‘Why　didn't　you　say　so？　　I'd　have　told　you　at　once　that　he　was　in　Indianapolis　and　wouldn't　be　back　for　two　or　three　days。''

Jane　straightway　felt　still　better。　　The　disgusting　mystery　of　the　books　that　did　not　come　was　now　cleared　up。　　Secure　in　the　certainty　of　Selma's　indifference　to　Davy　she　proceeded　to　punish　him。　　‘‘What　a　stupid　you　are；　Davy！''　she　cried　mockingly。　　‘‘The　instant　I　saw　your　face　I　knew　you　were　here　to　flirt　with　Miss　Gordon。''

‘‘Oh；　no；　Miss　Hastings；''　protested　Selma　with　quaint　intensity　of　seriousness；　‘‘I　assure　you　he　was　not　flirting。　　He　was　telling　me　about　the　reform　movement　he　and　his　friends　are　organizing。''

‘‘That　is　his　way　of　flirting；''　said　Jane。　　‘‘Every　animal　has　its　own　wayand　an　elephant's　way　is　different　from　a　mosquito's。''

Selma　was　eyeing　Hull　dubiously。　　It　was　bad　enough　for　him　to　have　taken　her　time　in　a　well…meaning　attempt　to　enlighten　her　as　to　a　new　phase　of　local　politics；　to　take　her　time；　to　waste　it；　in　flirtingthat　was　too　exasperating！

‘‘Miss　Hastings　has　a　sense　of　humor　that　runs　riot　at　times；''　said　Hull。

‘‘You　can't　save　yourself；　Davy；''　mocked　Jane。　　‘‘Come　along。　　Miss　Gordon　has　no　time　for　either　of　us。''

‘‘I　do　want　YOU　to　stay；''　she　said　to　Jane。　　‘‘But；　unfortunately；　with　Victor　away''　　She　looked　disconsolately　at　the　half…finished　page　of　copy。

‘‘I　came　only　to　snatch　Davy　away；''　said　Jane。

‘‘Next　thing　we　know；　he'll　be　one　of　Mr。　Dorn's　lieutenants。''

Thus　Jane　escaped　without　having　to　betray　why　she　had　come。　　In　the　street　she　kept　up　her　raillery。　　‘‘And　a　WORKING　girl；　Davy！

What　would　our　friends　say！　　And　you　who　are　always　boasting　of　your　fastidiousness！　　Flirting　with　a　girl　whoI've　seen　her　three　times；　and　each　time　she　has　had　on　exactly　the　same　plain；　cheap　little　dress。''

There　was　a　nastiness；　a　vulgarity　in　this　that　was　as　unworthy　of　Jane　as　are　all　the　unlovely　emotions　of　us　who　are　always　sweet　and　refined　when　we　are　our　true　selvesbut　have　a　bad　habit　of　only　too　often　not　being　what　we　flatter　ourselves　is　our　true　selves。　　Jane　was　growing　angry　as　she；　away　from　Selma；　resumed　her　normal　place　in　the　world　and　her　normal　point　of　view。　　Davy　Hull　belonged　to　her；　he　had　no　right　to　be　hanging　about　another；　anywayespecially　an　attractive　woman。　　Her　anger　was　not　lessened　by　Davy's　retort。　　Said　he：

‘‘Her　dress　may　have　been　the　same。　　But　her　face　wasn'tand　her　mind　wasn't。　　Those　things　are　more　difficult　to　change　than　a　dress。''

She　was　so　angry　that　she　did　not　take　warning　from　this　reminder　that　Davy　was　by　no　means　merely　a　tedious　retailer　of　stale　commonplaces。　　She　said　with　fine　ironyand　with　no　show　of　anger：　　‘‘It　is　always　a　shock　to　a　lady　to　realize　how　coarse　men　arehow　they　don't　discriminate。''

Davy　laughed。　　‘‘Women　get　their　rank　from　men；''　said　he　coolly。

‘‘In　themselves　they　have　none。　　That's　the　philosophy　of　the　peculiarity　you've　noted。''

This　truth；　so　galling　to　a　lady；　silenced　Jane；　made　her　bite　her　lips　with　rage。　　‘‘I　beg　your　pardon；''　she　finally　said。　　‘‘I　didn't　realize　that　you　were　in　love　with　Selma。''

‘‘Yes；　I　am　in　love　with　her；''　was　Davy's　astounding　reply。　　‘‘She's　the　noblest　and　simplest　creature　I've　ever　met。''

‘‘You　don't　mean　you　want　to　marry　her！''　exclaimed　Jane；　so　amazed　that　she　for　the　moment　lost　sight　of　her　own　personal　interest　in　this　affair。

Davy　looked　at　her　sadly；　and　a　little　contemptuously。

‘‘What　a　poor　opinion　at　bottom　you　womenyour　sort　of　womenhave　of　woman；''　said　he。

‘‘What　a　poor　opinion　of　men　you　mean；''　retorted　she。　　‘‘After　a　little　experience　of　them　a　girleven　a　girllearns　that　they　are　incapable　of　any　emotion　that　isn't　gross。''

‘‘Don't　be　so　ladylike；　Jane；''　said　Hull。

Miss　Hastings　was　recovering　control　of　herself。　　She　took　a　new　tack。　　‘‘You　haven't　asked　her　yet？''

‘‘Hardly。　　This　is　the　second　time　I've　seen　her。　　I　suspected　that　she　was　the　woman　for　me　the　moment　I　saw　her。　　To…day　I　confirmed　my　idea。　　She　is　all　that　I　thoughtand　more。　　And；　Jane；　I　know　that　you　appreciate　her；　too。''

Jane　now　saw　that　Davy　was　being　thus　abruptly　and　speedily　confiding　because　he　had　decided　it　was　the　best　way　out　of　his　entanglement　with　her。　　Behind　his　coolness　she　could　see　an　uneasy　watchfulnessthe　fear　that　she　might　try　to　hold　him。　　Up　boiled　her　ragethe　higher　because　she　knew　that　if　there　were　any　possible　way　of　holding　Davy；　she　would　take　it　not　because　she　wished　to；　or　would；　marry　him；　but　because　she　had　put　her　mark　upon　him。　　But　this　new　rage　was　of　the　kind　a　clever　woman　has　small　difficulty　in　dissembling。

‘‘Indeed　I　do　appreciate　her；　Davy；''　said　she　sweetly。　　‘‘And　I　hope　you　will　be　happy　with　her。''

‘‘You　think　I　can　get　her？''　said　he；　fatuously　eager。　　‘‘You　think　she　likes　me？　　I've　been　rather　hoping　that　because　it　seized　me　so　suddenly　and　so　powerfully　it　must　have　seized　her；　too。　　I　think　often　things　occur　that　way。''

‘‘In　novels；''　said　Jane；　pleasantly　judicial。　　‘‘But　in　real　life　about　the　hardest　thing　to　do　is　for　a　man　to　make　a　woman　care　for　himreally　care　for　him。''

‘‘Well；　no　matter　how　hard　I　have　to　try''

‘‘Of　course；''　pursued　Miss　Hastings；　ignoring　his　interruption；　‘‘when　a　man　who　has　wealth　and　position　asks　a　woman　who　hasn't　to　marry　him；　she　usually　acceptsunless　he　happens　to　be　downright　repulsive；　or　she　happens　to　be　deeply　and　hopefully　in　love　with　another　man。''

Davy　winced　satisfactorily。　　‘‘Do　you　suspect；''　he　presently　asked；　‘‘that　she's　in　love　with　Victor　Dorn？''

‘‘Perhaps；''　said　Jane　reflectively。　　‘‘Probably。　　But　I'd　not　feel　discouraged　by　that　if　I　were　you。''

‘‘Dorn's　a　rather　attractive　chap　in　some　ways。''

Davy's　manner　was　so　superior　that　Jane　almost　laughed　in　his　face。　　What　fools　men　were。　　If　Victor　Dorn　had　position；　weren't　surrounded　by　his　unquestionably；　hopelessly　common　family；　weren't　deliberately　keeping　himself　commonwas　there　a　woman　in　the　world　who　wouldn't　choose　him　without　a　second　thought　being　necessary；　in　preference　to　a　Davy　Hull？　　How　few　men　there　were　who　could　reasonably　hope　to　hold　their　women　against　all　comers。

Victor　Dorn　might　possibly　be　of　those　few。　　But　Davy　Hullthe　idea　was　ridiculous。　　All　his　advantagesheight；　looks；　money；　positionwere　excellent　qualities　in　a　show　piece；　but　they　weren't　the　qualities　that　make　a　woman　want　to　live　her　life　with　a　man；　that　make　her　hope　he　will　be　able　to　give　her　the　emotions　woman…nature　craves　beyond　anything。

‘‘He　is　very　attractive；''　said　Jane；　‘‘and　I've　small　doubt　that　Selma　Gordon　is　infatuated　with　him。　　But　I　shouldn't　let　that　worry　me　if　I　were　you。''　　She　paused　to　enjoy　his　anxiety；　then　proceeded：　　‘‘She　is　a　level…headed　girl。　　The　girls　of　the　working　class　the　intelligent　oneshave　had　the　silly　sentimentalities　knocked　out　of　them　by　experience。　　So；　when　you　ask　her　to　marry　you；　she　will　accept。''

‘‘What　a　low　opinion　you　have　of　her！''　exclaimed　Davy。　　‘‘What　a　low　view　you　take　of　life！''most　inconsistent　of　him；　since　he　was　himself　more　than　half　convinced　that　Jane's　observations　were　not　far　from　the　truth。

‘‘Women　are　sensible；''　said　Jane　tranquilly。　　‘‘They　appreciate　that　they've　got　to　get　a　man　to　support　them。　　Don't　forget；　my　dear　Davy；　that　marriage　is　a　woman's　career。''

‘‘You　lived　abroad　too　long；''　said　Hull　bitterly。

‘‘I've　lived　at　home　and　abroad　long　enough　and　intelligently　enough　not　to　think　stupid　hypocrisies；　even　if　I　do　sometimes　imitate　other　people　and　SAY　them。''

‘‘I　am　sure　that　Selma　Gordon　would　no　more　think　of　marrying　me　for　any　other　reason　but　lovewould　no　more　think　of　it　thanthan　YOU　would！''

‘‘No　more；''　was　Jane's　unruffled　reply。　　‘‘But　just　as　much。　　I　didn't　absolutely　refuse　you；　when　you　asked　me　the　other　day；　partly　because　I　saw　no　other　way　of　stopping　your　tiresome　talkand　your　unattractive　way　of　trying　to　lay　hands　on　me。