the pit-第23部分

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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　_can_　I　say？〃　she　protested。　　〃I　don't　know　Iwhat　_can_　I　say？〃

〃It　must　be　yes　or　no　for　me；〃　he　broke　out。　　〃I　can't　go　on　this　way。〃

〃But　why　not？　　Why　not？〃　exclaimed　Laura。　　〃Why　must　we　terminate　anything？　　Why　not　let　things　go　on　just　as　they　are？　　We　are　quite　happy　as　we　are。　　There's　never　been　a　time　of　my　life　when　I've　been　happier　than　this　last　three　or　four　months。　　I　don't　want　to　change　anything。　　Ah；　here　we　are。〃

The　hansom　drew　up　in　front　of　the　house。　　Aunt　Wess'　and　Page　were　already　inside。　　The　maid　stood　in　the　vestibule　in　the　light　that　streamed　from　the　half…open　front　door；　an　umbrella　in　her　hand。　　And　as　Laura　alighted；　she　heard　Page's　voice　calling　from　the　front　hall　that　the　others　had　umbrellas；　that　the　maid　was　not　to　wait。

The　hansom　splashed　away；　and　Corthell　and　Laura　mounted　the　steps　of　the　house。

〃Won't　you　come　in？〃　she　said。　　〃There　is　a　fire　in　the　library。〃

But　he　said　no；　and　for　a　few　seconds　they　stood　under　the　vestibule　light；　talking。　　Then　Corthell；　drawing　off　his　right…hand　glove；　said：

〃I　suppose　that　I　have　my　answer。　　You　do　not　wish　for　a　change。　　I　understand。　　You　wish　to　say　by　that；　that　you　do　not　love　me。　　If　you　did　love　me　as　I　love　you；　you　would　wish　for　just　thata　change。　　You　would　be　as　eager　as　I　for　that　wonderful；　wonderful　change　that　makes　a　new　heaven　and　a　new　earth。〃

This　time　Laura　did　not　answer。　　There　was　a　moment's　silence。　　Then　Corthell　said：

〃Do　you　know；　I　think　I　shall　go　away。〃

〃Go　away？〃

〃Yes；　to　New　York。　　Possibly　to　Paris。　　There　is　a　new　method　of　fusing　glass　that　I've　promised　myself　long　ago　I　would　look　into。　　I　don't　know　that　it　interests　me　muchnow。　　But　I　think　I　had　better　go。　　At　once；　within　the　week。　　I've　not　much　heart　in　it；　but　it　seemsunder　the　circumstancesto　be　appropriate。〃　　He　held　out　his　bared　hand。　　Laura　saw　that　he　was　smiling。

〃Well；　Miss　Dearborngood…by。〃

〃But　_why_　should　you　go？〃　she　cried；　distressfully。　〃How　perfectlyah；　don't　go；〃　she　exclaimed；　then　in　desperate　haste　added：　〃It　would　be　absolutely　foolish。〃

〃_Shall_　I　stay？〃　he　urged。　　〃Do　you　tell　me　to　stay？〃

〃Of　course　I　do；〃　she　answered。　　〃It　would　break　up　the　playyour　going。　　It　would　spoil　my　part。　　You　play　opposite　me；　you　know。　　Please　stay。〃

〃Shall　I　stay；〃　he　asked；　〃for　the　sake　of　your　part？　There　is　no　one　else　you　would　rather　have？〃　He　was　smiling　straight　into　her　eyes；　and　she　guessed　what　he　meant。

She　smiled　back　at　him；　and　the　spirit　of　daring　never　more　awake　in　her；　replied；　as　she　caught　his　eye：

〃There　is　no　one　else　I　would　rather　have。〃

Corthell　caught　her　hand　of　a　sudden。

〃Laura；〃　he　cried；　〃let　us　end　this　fencing　and　quibbling　once　and　for　all。　　Dear；　dear　girl；　I　_love_　you　with　all　the　strength　of　all　the　good　in　me。　　Let　me　be　the　best　a　man　can　be　to　the　woman　he　loves。〃

Laura　flashed　a　smile　at　him。

〃If　you　can　make　me　love　you　enough；〃　she　answered。

〃And　you　think　I　can？〃　he　exclaimed；

〃You　have　my　permission　to　try；〃　she　said。

She　hoped　fervently　that　now；　without　further　words；　he　would　leave　her。　　It　seemed　to　her　that　it　would　be　the　most　delicate　chivalry　on　his　parthaving　won　this　muchto　push　his　advantage　no　further。　　She　waited　anxiously　for　his　next　words。　　She　began　to　fear　that　she　had　trusted　too　much　upon　her　assurance　of　his　tact。

Corthell　held　out　his　hand　again。

〃It　is　good…night；　then；　not　good…by。〃

〃It　is　good…night；〃　said　Laura。

With　the　words　he　was　gone；　and　Laura；　entering　the　house；　shut　the　door　behind　her　with　a　long　breath　of　satisfaction。

Page　and　Landry　were　still　in　the　library。　　Laura　joined　them；　and　for　a　few　moments　the　three　stood　before　the　fireplace　talking　about　the　play。　　Page　at　length；　at　the　first　opportunity；　excused　herself　and　went　to　bed。　　She　made　a　great　show　of　leaving　Landry　and　Laura　alone；　and　managed　to　convey　the　impression　that　she　understood　they　were　anxious　to　be　rid　of　her。

〃Only　remember；〃　she　remarked　to　Laura　severely；　〃to　lock　up　and　turn　out　the　hall　gas。　　Annie　has　gone　to　bed　_long_　ago。〃

〃I　must　dash　along；　too；〃　declared　Landry　when　Page　was　gone。

He　buttoned　his　coat　about　his　neck；　and　Laura　followed　him　out　into　the　hall　and　found　an　umbrella　for　him。

〃You　were　beautiful　to…night；〃　he　said；　as　he　stood　with　his　hand　on　the　door　knob。　　〃Beautiful。　　I　could　not　keep　my　eyes　off　of　you；　and　I　could　not　listen　to　anybody　but　you。　　And　now；〃　he　declared；　solemnly；　〃I　will　see　your　eyes　and　hear　your　voice　all　the　rest　of　the　night。　　I　want　to　explain；〃　he　added；　〃about　those　hansomsabout　coming　home　with　Miss　Page　and　Mrs。　Wessels。　　Mr。　Corthellthose　were　_his_　hansoms；　of　course。　　But　I　wanted　an　umbrella；　and　I　gave　the　driver　seventy…five　cents。〃

〃Why　of　course；　of　course；〃　said　Laura；　not　quite　divining　what　he　was　driving　at。

〃I　don't　want　you　to　think　that　I　would　be　willing　to　put　myself　under　obligations　to　anybody。〃

〃Of　course；　Landry；　I　understand。〃

He　thrilled　at　once。

〃Ah；〃　he　cried；　〃you　don't　know　what　it　_means_　to　me　to　look　into　the　eyes　of　a　woman　who　really　understands。〃

Laura　stared；　wondering　just　what　she　had　said。

〃Will　you　turn　this　hall　light　out　for　me；　Landry？〃　she　asked。　　〃I　never　can　reach。〃

He　left　the　front　door　open　and　extinguished　the　jet　in　its　dull　red　globe。　　Promptly　they　were　involved　in　darkness。

〃Good…night；〃　she　said。　　〃Isn't　it　dark？〃

He　stretched　out　his　hand　to　take　hers；　but　instead　his　groping　fingers　touched　her　waist。　　Suddenly　Laura　felt　his　arm　clasp　her。　　Then　all　at　once；　before　she　had　time　to　so　much　as　think　of　resistance；　he　had　put　both　arms　about　her　and　kissed　her　squarely　on　her　cheek。

Then　the　front　door　closed；　and　she　was　left　abruptly　alone；　breathless；　stunned；　staring　wide…eyed　into　the　darkness。

Her　first　sensation　was　one　merely　of　amazement。　　She　put　her　hand　quickly　to　her　cheek；　first　the　palm　and　then　the　back；　murmuring　confusedly：

〃What？　　Why？why？〃

Then　she　whirled　about　and　ran　up　the　stairs；　her　silks　clashing　and　fluttering　about　her　as　she　fled；　gained　her　own　room；　and　swung　the　door　violently　shut　behind　her。　　She　turned　up　the　lowered　gas　and；　without　knowing　why；　faced　her　mirror　at　once；　studying　her　reflection　and　watching　her　hand　as　it　all　but　scoured　the　offended　cheek。

Then；　suddenly；　with　an　upward；　uplifting　rush；　her　anger　surged　within　her。　　She；　Laura；　Miss　Dearborn；　who　loved　no　man；　who　never　conceded；　never　capitulated；　whose　〃grand　manner〃　was　a　thing　proverbial；　in　all　her　pitch　of　pride；　in　her　own　home；　her　own　fortress；　had　been　kissed；　like　a　school…girl；　like　a　chambermaid；　in　the　dark；　in　a　corner。

And　bygreat　heavens！_Landry　Court。_　　The　boy　whom　she　fancied　she　held　in　such　subjection；　such　profound　respect。　　Landry　Court　had　dared；　had　dared　to　kiss　her；　to　offer　her　this　wretchedly　commonplace　and　petty　affront；　degrading　her　to　the　level　of　a　pretty　waitress；　making　her　ridiculous。

She　stood　rigid；　drawn　to　her　full　height；　in　the　centre　of　her　bedroom；　her　fists　tense　at　her　sides；　her　breath　short；　her　eyes　flashing；　her　face　aflame。　From　time　to　time　her　words；　half　smothered；　burst　from　her。

〃What　does　he　_think_　I　_am？_　How　dared　he？　　How　dared　he？〃

All　that　she　could　say；　any　condemnation　she　could　formulate　only　made　her　position　the　more　absurd；　the　more　humiliating。　　It　had　all　been　said　before　by　generations　of　shop…girls；　school…girls；　and　servants；　in　whose　company　the　affront　had　ranged　her。　　Landry　was　to　be　told　in　effect　that　he　was　never　to　presume　to　seek　her　acquaintance　again。　　Just　as　the　enraged　hussy　of　the　street　corners　and　Sunday　picnics　shouted　that　the　offender　should　〃never　dare　speak　to　her　again　as　long　as　he　lived。〃　　Never　before　had　she　been　subjected　to　this　kind　of　indignity。　　And　simultaneously　with　the　assurance　she　could　hear　the　shrill　voice　of　the　drab　of　the　public　balls　proclaiming　that　she　had　〃never　been　kissed　in　all　her　life　before。〃

Of　all　slights；　of　all　insults；　it　was　the　one　that　robbed　her　of　the　very　dignity　she　should　assume　to　rebuke　it。　　The　more　vehemently　she　resented　it；　the　more　laughable　became　the　whole　affair。

But　she　would　resent　it；　she　would　resent　it；　and　Landry　Court　should　be　driven　to　acknowledge　that　the　sorriest　day　of　his　life　was　the　one　on　which　he　had　forgotten　the　respect　in　which　he　had　pretended　to　hold　her。　　He　had　deceived　her；　then；　all　along。　　Because　she　hadfoolishlyrelaxed　a　little　towards　him；　permitted　a　certain　intimacy；　this　was　how　he　abused　it。　　Ah；　well；　it　would　teach　her　a　lesson。　　Men　were　like　that。　　She　might　have　known　it　would　come　to　this。　Wilfully　they　chose　to　misunderstand；　to　take　advantage　of　her　frankness；　her　good　nature；　her　good　comradeship。

She　had　been　foolish　all　along；　flirtingyes；　that　was　the　word　for　it　flirting　with　Landry　and　Corthell　and　Jadwin。　　No　doubt　they　all　compared　notes　about　her。　Perhaps　they　had　bet　who　first　should　kiss　her。　　Or；　at　least；　there　was　not　one　of　them　who　would　not　kiss　her　if　she　gave　him　a　chance。

But　if　she；　in　any　way；　had　been　to　blame　for　what　Landry　had　done；　she　would　atone　for　it。　　She　had　made　herself　too　cheap；　she　had　found　amusement　in　encouraging　these　men；　in　equivocating；　in　coquetting　with　them。　　Now　it　was　time　to　end　the　whole　business；　to　send　each　one　of　them　to　the　right…about　with　an　unequivocal　definite　word。　　She　was　a　good　girl；　she　told　herself。　　She　was；　in　her　heart；　sincere；　she　was　above　the　inexpensive　diversion　of　flirting。　　She　had　started　wrong　in　her　new　life；　and　it　was　time；　high　time；　to　begin　over　againwith　a　clean　pageto　show　these　men　that　they　dared　not　presume　to　take　liberties　with　so　much　as　the　tip　of　her　little　finger。

So　great　was　her　agitation；　so　eager　her　desire　to　act　upon　her　resolve；　that　she　could　not　wait　till　morning。　It　was　a　physical　impossibility　for　her　to　remain　under　what　she　chose　to　believe　suspicion　another　hour。　　If　there　was　any　remotest　chance　that　her　three　lovers　had　permitted　themselves　to　misu