the pit-第22部分

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n　years　to　save　a　thousand；　and　here　he's　made　it　in　a　single　morning。　Think　you　can　keep　him　out　of　speculation　then？　　First　thing　you　know　he's　thrown　up　his　honest；　humdrum　positionoh；　I've　seen　it　hundreds　of　timesand　takes　to　hanging　round　the　customers'　rooms　down　there　on　La　Salle　Street；　and　he　makes　a　little；　and　makes　a　little　more；　and　finally　he　is　so　far　in　that　he　can't　pull　out；　and　then　some　billionaire　fellow；　who　has　the　market　in　the　palm　of　his　hand；　tightens　one　finger；　and　our　young　man　is　ruined；　body　and　mind。　　He's　lost　the　taste；　the　very　capacity　for　legitimate　business；　and　he　stays　on　hanging　round　the　Board　till　he　gets　to　beall　of　a　suddenan　old　man。　　And　then　some　day　some　one　says；　'Why；　where's　So…and…so？'　and　you　wake　up　to　the　fact　that　the　young　fellow　has　simply　disappearedlost。　　I　tell　you　the　fascination　of　this　Pit　gambling　is　something　no　one　who　hasn't　experienced　it　can　have　the　faintest　conception　of。　　I　believe　it's　worse　than　liquor；　worse　than　morphine。　　Once　you　get　into　it；　it　grips　you　and　draws　you　and　draws　you；　and　the　nearer　you　get　to　the　end　the　easier　it　seems　to　win；　till　all　of　a　sudden；　ah！　there's　the　whirlpool。。。。　'J。；'　keep　away　from　it；　my　boy。〃

Jadwin　laughed；　and　leaning　over；　put　his　fingers　upon　Cressler's　breast；　as　though　turning　off　a　switch。

〃Now；　Miss　Dearborn；〃　he　announced；　〃we've　shut　him　off。　　Charlie　means　all　right；　but　now　and　then　some　one　brushes　against　him　and　opens　that　switch。〃

Cressler；　good…humouredly　laughed　with　the　others；　but　Laura's　smile　was　perfunctory　and　her　eyes　were　grave。　But　there　was　a　diversion。　　While　the　others　had　been　talking　the　rehearsal　had　proceeded；　and　now　Page　beckoned　to　Laura　from　the　far　end　of　the　parlor；　calling　out：

〃Laura'Beatrice；'　it's　the　third　act。　　You　are　wanted。〃

〃Oh；　I　must　run；〃　exclaimed　Laura；　catching　up　her　play…book。　　〃Poor　Monsieur　Gerardywe　must　be　a　trial　to　him。〃


She　hurried　across　the　room；　where　the　coach　was　disposing　the　furniture　for　the　scene；　consulting　the　stage　directions　in　his　book：

〃Here　the　kitchen　table；　here　the　old…fashioned　writing…desk；　here　the　_armoire_　with　practicable　doors；　here　the　window。　　Soh！　Who　is　on？　　Ah；　the　young　lady　of　the　sick　nose；　'Marion。'　She　is　discovered　knitting。　　And　then　the　duchesslater。　　That's　you　Mademoiselle　Dearborn。　　You　interruptyou　remember。　But　then　you；　ah；　you　always　are　right。　　If　they　were　all　like　you。　　Very　well；　we　begin。〃

Creditably　enough　the　Gretry　girl　read　her　part；　Monsieur　Gerardy　interrupting　to　indicate　the　crossings　and　business。　　Then　at　her　cue；　Laura；　who　was　to　play　the　role　of　the　duchess；　entered　with　the　words：

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　but　the　door　stood　open。　　May　I　come　in？〃

Monsieur　Gerardy　murmured：

〃_Elle　est　vraiment　superbe。_〃

Laura　to　the　very　life；　to　every　little　trick　of　carriage　and　manner　was　the　high…born　gentlewoman　visiting　the　home　of　a　dependent。　　Nothing　could　have　been　more　dignified；　more　gracious；　more　gracefully　condescending　than　her　poise。　　She　dramatised　not　only　her　role；　but　the　whole　of　her　surroundings。　　The　interior　of　the　little　cottage　seemed　to　define　itself　with　almost　visible　distinctness　the　moment　she　set　foot　upon　the　scene。

Gerardy　tiptoed　from　group　to　group；　whispering：

〃Eh？　　Very　fine；　our　duchess。　　She　would　do　well　professionally。〃

But　Mrs。　Wessels　was　not　altogether　convinced。　　Her　eyes　following　her　niece；　she　said　to　Corthell：

〃It's　Laura's　'grand　manner。'　My　word；　I　know　her　in　_that_　part。　　That's　the　way　she　is　when　she　comes　down　to　the　parlor　of　an　evening；　and　Page　introduces　her　to　one　of　her　young　men。〃

〃I　nearly　die；〃　protested　Page；　beginning　to　laugh。　〃Of　course　it's　very　natural　I　should　want　my　friends　to　like　my　sister。　　And　Laura　comes　in　as　though　she　were　walking　on　eggs；　and　gets　their　names　wrong；　as　though　it　didn't　much　matter；　and　calls　them　Pinky　when　their　name　is　Pinckney；　and　don't　listen　to　what　they　say；　till　I　want　to　sink　right　through　the　floor　with　mortification。〃

In　haphazard　fashion　the　rehearsal　wore　to　a　close。　Monsieur　Gerardy　stormed　and　fretted　and　insisted　upon　repeating　certain　scenes　over　and　over　again。　　By　ten　o'clock　the　actors　were　quite　worn　out。　　A　little　supper　was　served；　and　very　soon　afterward　Laura　made　a　move　toward　departing。　　She　was　wondering　who　would　see　her　home；　Landry；　Jadwin；　or　Sheldon　Corthell。

The　day　had　been　sunshiny；　warm　even；　but　since　nine　o'clock　the　weather　had　changed　for　the　worse；　and　by　now　a　heavy　rain　was　falling。　　Mrs。　Cressler　begged　the　two　sisters　and　Mrs。　Wessels　to　stay　at　her　house　over　night；　but　Laura　refused。　　Jadwin　was　suggesting　to　Cressler　the　appropriateness　of　having　the　coupe　brought　around　to　take　the　sisters　home；　when　Corthell　came　up　to　Laura。

〃I　sent　for　a　couple　of　hansoms　long　since；〃　he　said。　〃They　are　waiting　outside　now。〃　　And　that　seemed　to　settle　the　question。

For　all　Jadwin's　perseverance；　the　artist　seemedfor　this　time　at　leastto　have　the　better　of　the　situation。

As　the　good…bys　were　being　said　at　the　front　door　Page　remarked　to　Landry：

〃You　had　better　go　with　us　as　far　as　the　house；　so　that　you　can　take　one　of　our　umbrellas。　　You　can　get　in　with　Aunt　Wess'　and　me。　　There's　plenty　of　room。　　You　can't　go　home　in　this　storm　without　an　umbrella。〃

Landry　at　first　refused；　haughtily。　　He　might　be　too　poor　to　parade　a　lot　of　hansom　cabs　around；　but　he　was　too　proud；　to　say　the　least；　to　ride　in　'em　when　some　one　else　paid。

Page　scolded　him　roundly。　　What　next？　　The　idea。　　He　was　not　to　be　so　completely　silly。　　She　didn't　propose　to　have　the　responsibility　of　his　catching　pneumonia　just　for　the　sake　of　a　quibble。

〃Some　people；〃　she　declared；　〃never　seemed　to　be　able　to　find　out　that　they　are　grown　up。〃

〃Very　well；〃　he　announced；　〃I'll　go　if　I　can　tip　the　driver　a　dollar。〃

Page　compressed　her　lips。

〃The　man　that　can　afford　dollar　tips；〃　she　said；　〃can　afford　to　hire　the　cab　in　the　first　place。〃

〃Seventy…five　cents；　then；〃　he　declared　resolutely。　〃Not　a　cent　less。　　I　should　feel　humiliated　with　any　less。〃

〃Will　you　please　take　me　down　to　the　cab；　Landry　Court？〃　she　cried。　　And　without　further　comment　Landry　obeyed。

〃Now；　Miss　Dearborn；　if　you　are　ready；〃　exclaimed　Corthell；　as　he　came　up。　　He　held　the　umbrella　over　her　head；　allowing　his　shoulders　to　get　the　drippings。

They　cried　good…by　again　all　around；　and　the　artist　guided　her　down　the　slippery　steps。　　He　handed　her　carefully　into　the　hansom；　and　following；　drew　down　the　glasses。

Laura　settled　herself　comfortably　far　back　in　her　corner；　adjusting　her　skirts　and　murmuring：

〃Such　a　wet　night。　　Who　would　have　thought　it　was　going　to　rain？　　I　was　afraid　you　were　not　coming　at　first；〃　she　added。　　〃At　dinner　Mrs。　Cressler　said　you　had　an　important　committee　meetingsomething　to　do　with　the　Art　Institute；　the　award　of　prizes；　was　that　it？〃

〃Oh；　yes；〃　he　answered；　indifferently；　〃something　of　the　sort　was　on。　　I　suppose　it　was　importantfor　the　Institute。　　But　for　me　there　is　only　one　thing　of　importance　nowadays；〃　he　spoke　with　a　studied　carelessness；　as　though　announcing　a　fact　that　Laura　must　know　already；　〃and　that　is；　to　be　near　you。　　It　is　astonishing。　　You　have　no　idea　of　it；　how　I　have　ordered　my　whole　life　according　to　that　idea。〃

〃As　though　you　expected　me　to　believe　that；〃　she　answered。

In　her　other　lovers　she　knew　her　words　would　have　provoked　vehement　protestation。　　But　for　her　it　was　part　of　the　charm　of　Corthell's　attitude　that　he　never　did　or　said　the　expected；　the　ordinary。　　Just　now　he　seemed　more　interested　in　the　effect　of　his　love　for　Laura　upon　himself　than　in　the　manner　of　her　reception　of　it。

〃It　is　curious；〃　he　continued。　　〃I　am　no　longer　a　boy。　I　have　no　enthusiasms。　　I　have　known　many　women；　and　I　have　seen　enough　of　what　the　crowd　calls　love　to　know　how　futile　it　is；　how　empty；　a　vanity　of　vanities。　　I　had　imagined　that　the　poets　were　wrong；　were　idealists；　seeing　the　things　that　should　be　rather　than　the　things　that　were。　　And　then；〃　suddenly　he　drew　a　deep　breath：　〃_this_　happiness；　and　to　_me。_　　And　the　miracle；　the　wonderful　is　thereall　at　oncein　my　heart；　in　my　very　hand；　like　a　mysterious；　beautiful　exotic。　　The　poets　_are_　wrong；〃　he　added。　　〃They　have　not　been　idealists　enough。　　I　wishah；　well；　never　mind。〃

〃What　is　it　that　you　wish？〃　she　asked；　as　he　broke　off　suddenly。　　Laura　knew　even　before　she　spoke　that　it　would　have　been　better　not　to　have　prompted　him　to　continue。　　Intuitively　she　had　something　more　than　a　suspicion　that　he　had　led　her　on　to　say　these　very　words。　　And　in　admitting　that　she　cared　to　have　the　conversation　proceed　upon　this　footing；　she　realised　that　she　was　sheering　towards　unequivocal　coquetry。　She　saw　the　false　move　now；　knew　that　she　had　lowered　her　guard。　　On　all　accounts　it　would　have　been　more　dignified　to　have　shown　only　a　mild　interest　in　what　Corthell　wished。　　She　realised　that　once　more　she　had　acted　upon　impulse；　and　she　even　found　time　to　wonder　again　how　it　was　that　when　with　this　man　her　impulses；　and　not　her　reason　prevailed　so　often。　　With　Landry　or　with　Curtis　Jadwin　she　was　always　calm；　tranquilly　self…possessed。　　But　Corthell　seemed　able　to　reach　all　that　was　impetuous；　all　that　was　unreasoned　in　her　nature。　　To　Landry　she　was　more　than　anything　else；　an　older　sister；　indulgent；　kind…hearted。　　With　Jadwin　she　found　that　all　the　serious；　all　the　sincere；　earnest　side　of　her　character　was　apt　to　come　to　the　front。　But　Corthell　stirred　troublous；　unknown　deeps　in　her；　certain　undefined　trends　of　recklessness；　and　for　so　long　as　he　held　her　within　his　influence；　she　could　not　forget　her　sex　a　single　instant。

It　dismayed　her　to　have　this　strange　personality　of　hers；　this　other　headstrong；　impetuous　self；　discovered　to　her。　　She　hardly　recognised　it。　　It　made　her　a　little　afraid；　and　yet；　wonder　of　wonders；　she　could　not　altogether　dislike　it。　　There　was　a　certain　fascination　in　resigning　herself　for　little　instants　to　the　dominion　of　this　daring　stranger　that　was　yet　herself。

Meanwhile　Corthell　had　answered　her：

〃I　wish；〃　he　said；　〃I　_wish_　you　could　say　somethingI　hardly　know　whatsomething　to　me。　　So　little　would　be　so　much。〃

〃But　what　_c