the pit-第12部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃That　Mr。　Jadwinthe　one　you　met　at　the　opera。〃

Genuinely　taken　aback；　Laura　sat　upright　and　stared　wide…eyed。

〃Mr。　Jadwin！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃Why；　we　didn't　have　five　minutes'　talk。　　Why；　I　hardly　know　the　man。　　I　only　met　him　last　night。〃

But　Mrs。　Cressler　shook　her　head；　closing　her　eyes　and　putting　her　lips　together。

〃That　don't　make　any　difference；　Laura。　　Trust　me　to　tell　when　a　man　is　taken　with　a　girl。　　My　dear；　you　can　have　him　as　easy　as　_that。_〃　She　snapped　her　fingers。

〃Oh；　I'm　sure　you're　mistaken；　Mrs。　Cressler。〃

〃Not　in　the　least。　　I've　known　Curtis　Jadwin　now　for　fifteen　yearsnobody　better。　　He's　as　old　a　family　friend　as　Charlie　and　I　have。　　I　know　him　like　a　book。　And　I　tell　you　the　man　is　in　love　with　you。〃

〃Well；　I　hope　he　didn't　tell　you　as　much；〃　cried　Laura；　promising　herself　to　be　royally　angry　if　such　was　the　case。　　But　Mrs。　Cressler　hastened　to　reassure　her。

〃Oh　my；　no。　　But　all　the　way　home　last　nighthe　came　home　with　us；　you　knowhe　kept　referring　to　you；　and　just　so　soon　as　the　conversation　got　on　some　other　subject　he　would　lose　interest。　　He　wanted　to　know　all　about　youoh；　you　know　how　a　man　will　talk；〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃And　he　said　you　had　more　sense　and　more　intelligence　than　any　girl　he　had　ever　known。〃

〃Oh；　well；〃　answered　Laura　deprecatingly；　as　if　to　say　that　that　did　not　count　for　much　with　her。

〃And　that　you　were　simply　beautiful。　　He　said　that　he　never　remembered　to　have　seen　a　more　beautiful　woman。〃

Laura　turned　her　head　away；　a　hand　shielding　her　cheek。　She　did　not　answer　immediately；　then　at　length：

〃Has　hethis　Mr。　Jadwinhas　he　ever　been　married　before？〃

〃No；　no。　　He's　a　bachelor；　and　rich！　He　could　buy　and　sell　us。　　And　don't　think；　Laura　dear；　that　I'm　jumping　at　conclusions。　　I　hope　I'm　woman　of　the　world　enough　to　know　that　a　man　who's　taken　with　a　pretty　face　and　smart　talk　isn't　going　to　rush　right　into　matrimony　because　of　that。　　It　wasn't　so　much　what　Curtis　Jadwin　saidthough；　dear　me　_suz；_　he　talked　enough　about　youas　what　he　didn't　say。　　I　could　tell。　　He　was　thinking　hard。　　He　was　_hit；_　Laura。　　I　know　he　was。　And　Charlie　said　he　spoke　about　you　again　this　morning　at　breakfast。　　Charlie　makes　me　tired　sometimes；〃　she　added　irrelevantly。

〃Charlie？〃　repeated　Laura。

〃Well；　of　course　I　spoke　to　him　about　Jadwin；　and　how　taken　he　seemed　with　you；　and　the　man　roared　at　me。〃

〃_He_　didn't　believe　it；　then。〃

〃Yes　he　didwhen　I　could　get　him　to　talk　seriously　about　it；　and　when　I　made　him　remember　how　Mr。　Jadwin　had　spoken　in　the　carriage　coming　home。〃

Laura　curled　her　leg　under　her　and　sat　nursing　her　foot　and　looking　into　the　fire。　　For　a　long　time　neither　spoke。　　A　little　clock　of　brass　and　black　marble　began　to　chime；　very　prettily；　the　half　hour　of　nine。　　Mrs。　Cressler　observed：

〃That　Sheldon　Corthell　seems　to　be　a　very　agreeable　kind　of　a　young　man；　doesn't　he？〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　Laura　thoughtfully；　〃he　is　agreeable。〃

〃And　a　talented　fellow；　too；〃　continued　Mrs。　Cressler。　〃But　somehow　it　never　impressed　me　that　there　was　very　much　_to_　him。〃

〃Oh；〃　murmured　Laura　indifferently；　〃I　don't　know。〃

〃I　suppose；〃　Mrs。　Cressler　went　on；　in　a　tone　of　resignation；　〃I　suppose　he　thinks　the　world　and　all　of　_you？_〃

Laura　raised　a　shoulder　without　answering。

〃Charlie　can't　abide　him；〃　said　Mrs。　Cressler。　　〃Funny；　isn't　it　what　prejudices　men　have？　　Charlie　always　speaks　of　him　as　though　he　were　a　higher　order　of　glazier。　　Curtis　Jadwin　seems　to　like　him。。。。　　What　do　you　think　of　him；　Lauraof　Mr。　Jadwin？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　she　answered；　looking　vaguely　into　the　fire。　　〃I　thought　he　was　a　_strong_　manmentally　I　mean；　and　that　he　would　be　kindly　andandgenerous。　Somehow；〃　she　said；　musingly；　〃I　didn't　think　he　would　be　the　sort　of　man　that　women　would　take　to；　at　first　but　then　I　don't　know。　　I　saw　very　little　of　him；　as　I　say。　　He　didn't　impress　me　as　being　a　_woman's_　man。〃

〃All　the　better；〃　said　the　other。　　〃Who　would　want　to　marry　a　woman's　man？　　I　wouldn't。　　Sheldon　Corthell　is　that。　　I　tell　you　one　thing；　Laura；　and　when　you　are　as　old　as　I　am；　you'll　know　it's　true：　the　kind　of　a　man　that　_men_　likenot　womenis　the　kind　of　a　man　that　makes　the　best　husband。〃

Laura　nodded　her　head。

〃Yes；〃　she　answered；　listlessly；　〃I　suppose　that's　true。〃

〃You　said　Jadwin　struck　you　as　being　a　kindly　man；　a　generous　man。　　He's　just　that；　and　that　charitable！　You　know　he　has　a　Sunday…school　over　on　the　West　Side；　a　Sunday…school　for　mission　children；　and　I　do　believe　he's　more　interested　in　that　than　in　his　business。　　He　wants　to　make　it　the　biggest　Sunday…school　in　Chicago。　It's　an　ambition　of　his。　　I　don't　want　you　to　think　that　he's　good　in　a　goody…goody　way；　because　he's　not。　Laura；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃he's　a　_fine　man_。　　I　didn't　intend　to　brag　him　up　to　you；　because　I　wanted　you　to　like　him。　　But　no　one　knowsas　I　sayno　one　knows　Curtis　Jadwin　better　than　Charlie　and　I；　and　we　just　_love_　him。　　The　kindliest；　biggest…hearted　fellowoh；　well；　you'll　know　him　for　yourself；　and　then　you'll　see。　　He　passes　the　plate　in　our　church。〃

〃Dr。　Wendell's　church？〃　asked　Laura。

〃Yes　you　knowthe　Second　Presbyterian。〃

〃I'm　Episcopalian　myself；〃　observed　Laura；　still　thoughtfully　gazing　into　the　fire。

〃I　know；　I　know。　　But　Jadwin　isn't　the　blue…nosed　sort。　And　now　see　here；　Laura；　I　want　to　tell　you。　　J。　that's　what　Charlie　and　I　call　JadwinJ。　was　talking　to　us　the　other　day　about　supporting　a　ward　in　the　Children's　Hospital　for　the　children　of　his　Sunday…　school　that　get　hurt　or　sick。　　You　see　he　has　nearly　eight　hundred　boys　and　girls　in　his　school；　and　there's　not　a　week　passes　that　he　don't　hear　of　some　one　of　them　who　has　been　hurt　or　taken　sick。　　And　he　wants　to　start　a　ward　at　the　Children's　Hospital；　that　can　take　care　of　them。　　He　says　he　wants　to　get　other　people　interested；　too；　and　so　he　wants　to　start　a　contribution。　　He　says　he'll　double　any　amount　that's　raised　in　the　next　six　monthsthat　is；　if　there's　two　thousand　raised；　he'll　make　it　four　thousand；　understand？　　And　so　Charlie　and　I　and　the　Gretrys　are　going　to　get　up　an　amateur　playa　charity　affairand　raise　as　much　money　as　we　can。　　J。　thinks　it's　a　good　idea；　andhere's　the　pointwe　were　talking　about　it　coming　home　in　the　carriage；　and　J。　said　he　wondered　if　that　Miss　Dearborn　wouldn't　take　part。　　And　we　are　all　wild　to　have　you。　　You　know　you　do　that　sort　of　thing　so　well。　　Now　don't　say　yes　or　no　to…night。　　You　sleep　over　it。　　J。　is　crazy　to　have　you　in　it。〃

〃I'd　love　to　do　it；〃　answered　Laura。　　〃But　I　would　have　to　seeit　takes　so　long　to　get　settled；　and　there's　so　much　to　do　about　a　big　house　like　ours；　I　might　not　have　time。　　But　I　will　let　you　know。〃

Mrs。　Cressler　told　her　in　detail　about　the　proposed　play。　　Landry　Court　was　to　take　part；　and　she　enlisted　Laura's　influence　to　get　Sheldon　Corthell　to　undertake　a　role。　　Page；　it　appeared；　had　already　promised　to　help。　　Laura　remembered　now　that　she　had　heard　her　speak　of　it。　　However；　the　plan　was　so　immature　as　yet；　that　it　hardly　admitted　of　very　much　discussion；　and　inevitably　the　conversation　came　back　to　its　starting…　point　。

〃You　know；〃　Laura　had　remarked　in　answer　to　one　of　Mrs。　Cressler's　observations　upon　the　capabilities　and　business　ability　of　〃J。；〃　　〃you　know　I　never　heard　of　him　before　you　spoke　of　our　theatre　party。　　I　don't　know　anything　about　him。〃

But　Mrs。　Cressler　promptly　supplied　the　information。　Curtis　Jadwin　was　a　man　about　thirty…five；　who　had　begun　life　without　a　sou　in　his　pockets。　　He　was　a　native　of　Michigan。　　His　people　were　farmers；　nothing　more　nor　less　than　hardy；　honest　fellows；　who　ploughed　and　sowed　for　a　living。　　Curtis　had　only　a　rudimentary　schooling；　because　he　had　given　up　the　idea　of　finishing　his　studies　in　the　High　School　in　Grand　Rapids；　on　the　chance　of　going　into　business　with　a　livery　stable　keeper。　　Then　in　time　he　had　bought　out　the　business　and　had　run　it　for　himself。　　Some　one　in　Chicago　owed　him　money；　and　in　default　of　payment　had　offered　him　a　couple　of　lots　on　Wabash　Avenue。　　That　was　how　he　happened　to　come　to　Chicago。　　Naturally　enough　as　the　city　grew　the　Wabash　Avenue　propertyit　was　near　Monroe　Streetincreased　in　value。　　He　sold　the　lots　and　bought　other　real　estate；　sold　that　and　bought　somewhere　else；　and　so　on；　till　he　owned　some　of　the　best　business　sites　in　the　city。　　Just　his　ground　rent　alone　brought　him；　heaven　knew　how　many　thousands　a　year。　　He　was　one　of　the　largest　real　estate　owners　in　Chicago。　　But　he　no　longer　bought　and　sold。　　His　property　had　grown　so　large　that　just　the　management　of　it　alone　took　up　most　of　his　time。　　He　had　an　office　in　the　Rookery；　and　perhaps　being　so　close　to　the　Board　of　Trade　Building；　　had　given　him　a　taste　for　trying　a　little　deal　in　wheat　now　and　then。　　As　a　rule；　he　deplored　speculation。　　He　had　no　fixed　principles　about　it；　like　Charlie。　　Only　he　was　conservative；　occasionally　he　hazarded　small　operations。　　Somehow　he　had　never　married。　　There　had　been　affairs。　　Oh；　yes；　one　or　two；　of　course。　　Nothing　very　serious；　He　just　didn't　seem　to　have　met　the　right　girl；　that　was　all。　He　lived　on　Michigan　Avenue；　near　the　corner　of　Twenty…　first　Street；　in　one　of　those　discouraging　eternal　yellow　limestone　houses　with　a　basement　dining…room。　His　aunt　kept　house　for　him；　and　his　nieces　and　nephews　overran　the　place。　　There　was　always　a　raft　of　them　there；　either　coming　or　going；　and　the　way　they　exploited　him！　He　supported　them　all；　heaven　knew　how　many　there　were；　such　drabs　and　gawks；　all　elbows　and　knees；　who　soaked　themselves　with　cologne　and　made　companions　of　the　servants。　　They　and　the　second　girls　were　always　squabbling　about　their　things　that　they　found　in　each　other's　rooms。

It　was　growing　late。　　At　length　Mrs。　Cressler　rose。

〃My　goodness；　Laura；　look　at　the　time；　and　I've　been　keeping　you　up　when　you　must　be　killed　for　sleep。〃

She　took　herself　away；　pausing　at　the　doorway　long　enough　to　say：

〃Do　try　to　manage　to　take　part　in　the　play。　　J。　made　me　promise　that　I　would　get　you。〃

〃Well；　I　think　I　can；〃　Laura　answered。　　〃Only　I'll　have　to　see　first　how　our　new　regime　is　going　to　runthe　house　I　mean。〃

When　Mrs。　Cressler　had　gone　Laura　lost　no　time　in　getting　to　bed。　　But　after　she　turned　out　the