the pit-第24部分

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rmitted　themselves　to　misunderstand　her；　they　were　to　be　corrected　at　once；　were　to　be　shown　their　place；　and　that　without　mercy。

She　called　for　the　maid；　Annie；　whose　husband　was　the　janitor　of　the　house；　and　who　slept　in　the　top　story。

〃If　Henry　hasn't　gone　to　bed；〃　said　Laura；　〃tell　him　to　wait　up　till　I　call　him；　or　to　sleep　with　his　clothes　on。　　There　is　something　I　want　him　to　do　for　me　something　important。〃

It　was　close　upon　midnight。　　Laura　turned　back　into　her　room；　removed　her　hat　and　veil；　and　tossed　them；　with　her　coat；　upon　the　bed。　　She　lit　another　burner　of　the　chandelier；　and　drew　a　chair　to　her　writing…desk　between　the　windows。

Her　first　note　was　to　Landry　Court。　　She　wrote　it　almost　with　a　single　spurt　of　the　pen；　and　dated　it　carefully；　so　that　he　might　know　it　had　been　written　immediately　after　he　had　left。　　Thus　it　ran：


〃Please　do　not　try　to　see　me　again　at　any　time　or　under　any　circumstances。　　I　want　you　to　understand；　very　clearly；　that　I　do　not　wish　to　continue　our　acquaintance。〃


Her　letter　to　Corthell　was　more　difficult；　and　it　was　not　until　she　had　rewritten　it　two　or　three　times　that　it　read　to　her　satisfaction。


〃My　dear　Mr。　Corthell；〃　so　it　was　worded；　〃you　asked　me　to…night　that　our　fencing　and　quibbling　be　brought　to　an　end。　　I　quite　agree　with　you　that　it　is　desirable。　I　spoke　as　I　did　before　you　left　upon　an　impulse　that　I　shall　never　cease　to　regret。　　I　do　not　wish　you　to　misunderstand　me；　nor　to　misinterpret　my　attitude　in　any　way。　　You　asked　me　to　be　your　wife；　and；　very　foolishly　and　wrongly；　I　gave　youintentionallyan　answer　which　might　easily　be　construed　into　an　encouragement。　　Understand　now　that　I　do　not　wish　you　to　try　to　make　me　love　you。　　I　would　find　it　extremely　distasteful。　　And；　believe　me；　it　would　be　quite　hopeless。　　I　do　not　now；　and　never　shall　care　for　you　as　I　should　care　if　I　were　to　be　your　wife。　　I　beseech　you　that　you　will　not；　in　any　manner；　refer　again　to　this　subject。　　It　would　only　distress　and　pain　me。

〃Cordially　yours；

〃LAURA　DEARBORN。〃


The　letter　to　Curtis　Jadwin　was　almost　to　the　same　effect。　　But　she　found　the　writing　of　it　easier　than　the　others。　　In　addressing　him　she　felt　herself　grow　a　little　more　serious；　a　little　more　dignified　and　calm。　It　ran　as　follows：


MY　DEAR　MR。　JADWIN：

〃When　you　asked　me　to　become　your　wife　this　evening；　you　deserved　a　straightforward　answer；　and　instead　I　replied　in　a　spirit　of　capriciousness　and　disingenuousness；　which　I　now　earnestly　regret；　and　which　ask　you　to　pardon　and　to　ignore。

〃I　allowed　myself　to　tell　you　that　you　might　find　encouragement　in　my　foolishly　spoken　words。　　I　am　deeply　sorry　that　I　should　have　so　forgotten　what　was　due　to　my　own　self…respect　and　to　your　sincerity。

〃If　I　have　permitted　myself　to　convey　to　you　the　impression　that　I　would　ever　be　willing　to　be　your　wife；　let　me　hasten　to　correct　it。　　Whatever　I　said　to　you　this　evening；　I　must　answer　nowas　I　should　have　answered　thentruthfully　and　unhesitatingly；　no。

〃This；　I　insist；　must　be　the　last　word　between　us　upon　this　unfortunate　subject；　if　we　are　to　continue；　as　I　hope；　very　good　friends。

〃Cordially　yours；

〃LAURA　DEARBORN。


She　sealed；　stamped；　and　directed　the　three　envelopes；　and　glanced　at　the　little　leather…cased　travelling　clock　that　stood　on　the　top　of　her　desk。　　It　was　nearly　two。

〃I　could　not　sleep；　I　could　not　sleep；〃　she　murmured；　〃if　I　did　not　know　they　were　on　the　way。〃

In　answer　to　the　bell　Henry　appeared；　and　Laura　gave　him　the　letters；　with　orders　to　mail　them　at　once　in　the　nearest　box。

When　it　was　all　over　she　sat　down　again　at　her　desk；　and　leaning　an　elbow　upon　it；　covered　her　eyes　with　her　hand　for　a　long　moment。　　She　felt　suddenly　very　tired；　and　when　at　last　she　lowered　her　hand；　her　fingers　were　wet。　　But　in　the　end　she　grew　calmer。　　She　felt　that；　at　all　events；　she　had　vindicated　herself；　that　her　life　would　begin　again　to…morrow　with　a　clean　page；　and　when　at　length　she　fell　asleep；　it　was　to　the　dreamless　unconsciousness　of　an　almost　tranquil　mind。

She　slept　late　the　next　morning　and　breakfasted　in　bed　between　ten　and　eleven。　　Then；　as　the　last　vibrations　of　last　night's　commotion　died　away；　a　very　natural　curiosity　began　to　assert　itself。　　She　wondered　how　each　of　the　three　men　〃would　take　it。〃　　In　spite　of　herself　she　could　not　keep　from　wishing　that　she　could　be　by　when　they　read　their　dismissals。

Towards　the　early　part　of　the　afternoon；　while　Laura　was　in　the　library　reading　〃Queen's　Gardens；〃　the　special　delivery　brought　Landry　Court's　reply。　　It　was　one　_roulade_　of　incoherence；　even　in　places　blistered　with　tears。　　Landry　protested；　implored；　debased　himself　to　the　very　dust。　　His　letter　bristled　with　exclamation　points；　and　ended　with　a　prolonged　wail　of　distress　and　despair。

Quietly；　and　with　a　certain　merciless　sense　of　pacification；　Laura　deliberately　reduced　the　letter　to　strips；　burned　it　upon　the　hearth；　and　went　back　to　her　Ruskin。

A　little　later；　the　afternoon　being　fine；　she　determined　to　ride　out　to　Lincoln　Park；　not　fifteen　minutes　from　her　home；　to　take　a　little　walk　there；　and　to　see　how　many　new　buds　were　out。

As　she　was　leaving；　Annie　gave　into　her　hands　a　pasteboard　box；　just　brought　to　the　house　by　a　messenger　boy。

The　box　was　full　of　Jacqueminot　roses；　to　the　stems　of　which　a　note　from　Corthell　was　tied。　　He　wrote　but　a　single　line：


〃So　it　should　have　been　'good…by　'　after　all。〃


Laura　had　Annie　put　the　roses　in　Page's　room。

〃Tell　Page　she　can　have　them；　I　don't　want　them。　　She　can　wear　them　to　her　dance　to…night；〃　she　said。

While　to　herself　she　added：

〃The　little　buds　in　the　park　will　be　prettier。〃

She　was　gone　from　the　house　over　two　hours；　for　she　had　elected　to　walk　all　the　way　home。　　She　came　back　flushed　and　buoyant　from　her　exercise；　her　cheeks　cool　with　the　Lake　breeze；　a　young　maple　leaf　in　one　of　the　revers　of　her　coat。　　Annie　let　her　in；　murmuring：

〃A　gentleman　called　just　after　you　went　out。　　I　told　him　you　were　not　at　home；　but　he　said　he　would　wait。　He　is　in　the　library　now。〃

〃Who　is　he？　　Did　he　give　his　name？〃　demanded　Laura。

The　maid　handed　her　Curtis　Jadwin's　card。



V


That　year　the　spring　burst　over　Chicago　in　a　prolonged　scintillation　of　pallid　green。　　For　weeks　continually　the　sun　shone。　　The　Lake；　after　persistently　cherishing　the　greys　and　bitter　greens　of　the　winter　months；　and　the　rugged　white…caps　of　the　northeast　gales；　mellowed　at　length；　turned　to　a　softened　azure　blue；　and　lapsed　by　degrees　to　an　unrumed　calmness；　incrusted　with　innumerable　coruscations。

In　the　parks；　first　of　all；　the　buds　and　earliest　shoots　asserted　themselves。　　The　horse…chestnut　bourgeons　burst　their　sheaths　to　spread　into　trefoils　and　flame…shaped　leaves。　　The　elms；　maples；　and　cottonwoods　followed。　　The　sooty；　blackened　snow　upon　the　grass　plats；　in　the　residence　quarters；　had　long　since　subsided；　softening　the　turf；　filling　the　gutters　with　rivulets。　　On　all　sides　one　saw　men　at　work　laying　down　the　new　sod　in　rectangular　patches。

There　was　a　delicious　smell　of　ripening　in　the　air；　a　smell　of　sap　once　more　on　the　move；　of　humid　earths　disintegrating　from　the　winter　rigidity；　of　twigs　and　slender　branches　stretching　themselves　under　the　returning　warmth；　elastic　once　more；　straining　in　their　bark。

On　the　North　Side；　in　Washington　Square；　along　the　Lake…shore　Drive；　all　up　and　down　the　Lincoln　Park　Boulevard；　and　all　through　Erie；　Huron；　and　Superior　streets；　through　North　State　Street；　North　Clarke　Street；　and　La　Salle　Avenue；　the　minute　sparkling　of　green　flashed　from　tree　top　to　tree　top；　like　the　first　kindling　of　dry　twigs。　　One　could　almost　fancy　that　the　click　of　igniting　branch　tips　was　audible　as　whole　beds　of　yellow…green　sparks　defined　themselves　within　certain　elms　and　cottonwoods。

Every　morning　the　sun　invaded　earlier　the　east　windows　of　Laura　Dearborn's　bedroom。　　Every　day　at　noon　it　stood　more　nearly　overhead　above　her　home。　　Every　afternoon　the　checkered　shadows　of　the　leaves　thickened　upon　the　drawn　curtains　of　the　library。　　Within　doors　the　bottle…green　flies　came　out　of　their　lethargy　and　droned　and　bumped　on　the　panes。　　The　double　windows　were　removed；　screens　and　awnings　took　their　places；　the　summer　pieces　were　put　into　the　fireplaces。

All　of　a　sudden　vans　invaded　the　streets；　piled　high　with　mattresses；　rocking…chairs；　and　bird　cages；　the　inevitable　〃spring　moving〃　took　place。　　And　these　furniture　vans　alternated　with　great　trucks　laden　with　huge　elm　trees　on　their　way　from　nursery　to　lawn。　Families　and　trees　alike　submitted　to　the　impulse　of　transplanting；　abandoning　the　winter　quarters；　migrating　with　the　spring　to　newer　environments；　taking　root　in　other　soils。　　Sparrows　wrangled　on　the　sidewalks　and　built　ragged　nests　in　the　interstices　of　cornice　and　coping。　　In　the　parks　one　heard　the　liquid　modulations　of　robins。　　The　florists'　wagons　appeared；　and　from　house　to　house；　from　lawn　to　lawn；　iron　urns　and　window　boxes　filled　up　with　pansies；　geraniums；　fuchsias；　and　trailing　vines。　　The　flower　beds；　stripped　of　straw　and　manure；　bloomed　again；　and　at　length　the　great　cottonwoods　shed　their　berries；　like　clusters　of　tiny　grapes；　over　street　and　sidewalk。

At　length　came　three　days　of　steady　rain；　followed　by　cloudless　sunshine　and　full…bodied；　vigorous　winds　straight　from　out　the　south。

Instantly　the　living　embers　in　tree　top　and　grass　plat　were　fanned　to　flame。　　Like　veritable　fire；　the　leaves　blazed　up。　　Branch　after　branch　caught　and　crackled；　even　the　dryest；　the　deadest；　were　enfolded　in　the　resistless　swirl　of　green。　　Tree　top　ignited　tree　top；　the　parks　and　boulevards　were　one　smother　of　radiance。　From　end　to　end　and　from　side　to　side　of　the　city；　fed　by　the　rains；　urged　by　the　south　winds；　spread　billowing　and　surging　the　superb　conflagration　of　the　coming　summer。

Then；　abruptly；　everything　hung　poised；　the　leaves；　the　flowers；　the　grass；　all　at　fullest　stretch；　stood　motionless；　arrested；　while　the　heat；　distilled；　as　it　were；　from　all　this　seething　green；　rose　like　a　vast　pillar　over　the　city；　and　stood　balanced　there　in　the　iridescence　of　the　sky；　moveless　and　immeasurable。

From　time　to　time　it　appeared　as　if　this　pillar　brok