the pit-第33部分

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。　　I　had　to　get　Laura　to　tell　me　about　it。〃

The　elevator　sank　to　the　lower　floor；　and　Jadwin　and　the　broker　stepped　out　into　the　main　hallway。　　From　the　drawing…room　near　by　came　the　sound　of　women　s　voices。

〃Before　we　go　in；〃　said　Jadwin；　〃I　want　you　to　see　our　art　gallery　and　the　organ。　　Last　time　you　were　up；　remember；　the　men　were　still　at　work　in　here。〃

They　passed　down　a　broad　corridor；　and　at　the　end；　just　before　parting　the　heavy；　sombre　curtains；　Jadwin　pressed　a　couple　of　electric　buttons；　and　in　the　open　space　above　the　curtain　sprang　up　a　lambent；　steady　glow。

The　broker；　as　he　entered；　gave　a　long　whistle。　　The　art　gallery　took　in　the　height　of　two　of　the　stories　of　the　house。　　It　was　shaped　like　a　rotunda；　and　topped　with　a　vast　airy　dome　of　coloured　glass。　　Here　and　there　about　the　room　were　glass　cabinets　full　of　bibelots；　ivory　statuettes；　old　snuff　boxes；　fans　of　the　sixteenth　and　seventeenth　centuries。　　The　walls　themselves　were　covered　with　a　multitude　of　pictures；　oils；　water…colours；　with　one　or　two　pastels。

But　to　the　left　of　the　entrance；　let　into　the　frame　of　the　building；　stood　a　great　organ；　large　enough　for　a　cathedral；　and　giving　to　view；　in　the　dulled　incandescence　of　the　electrics；　its　sheaves　of　mighty　pipes。

〃Well；　this　is　something　like；〃　exclaimed　the　broker。

〃I　don't　know　much　about　'em　myself；〃　hazarded　Jadwin；　looking　at　the　pictures；　〃but　Laura　can　tell　you。　　We　bought　most　of　'em　while　we　were　abroad；　year　before　last。　　Laura　says　this　is　the　best。〃　　He　indicated　a　large　〃Bougereau〃　that　represented　a　group　of　nymphs　bathing　in　a　woodland　pool。

〃H'm！〃　said　the　broker；　〃you　wouldn't　want　some　of　your　Sunday…school　superintendents　to　see　this　now。　　This　is　what　the　boys　down　on　the　Board　would　call　a　bar…room　picture。〃

But　Jadwin　did　not　laugh。

〃It　never　struck　me　in　just　that　way；〃　he　said；　gravely。

〃It's　a　fine　piece　of　work；　though；〃　Gretry　hastened　to　add。　　〃Fine；　great　colouring。〃

〃I　like　this　one　pretty　well；〃　continued　Jadwin；　moving　to　a　canvas　by　Detaille。　　It　was　one　of　the　inevitable　studies　of　a　cuirassier；　in　this　case　a　trumpeter；　one　arm　high　in　the　air；　the　hand　clutching　the　trumpet；　the　horse；　foam…flecked；　at　a　furious　gallop。　　In　the　rear；　through　clouds　of　dust；　the　rest　of　the　squadron　was　indicated　by　a　few　points　of　colour。

〃Yes；　that's　pretty　neat；〃　concurred　Gretry。　　〃He's　sure　got　a　gait　on。　　Lord；　what　a　lot　of　accoutrements　those　French　fellows　stick　on。　　Now　our　boys　would　chuck　about　three…fourths　of　that　truck　before　going　into　action。。。。　　Queer　way　these　artists　work；〃　he　went　on；　peering　close　to　the　canvas。　　〃Look　at　it　close　up　and　it's　just　a　lot　of　little　daubs；　but　you　get　off　a　distance〃he　drew　back；　cocking　his　head　to　one　side　〃and　you　see　now。　　Heysee　how　the　thing　bunches　up。　Pretty　neat；　isn't　it？〃　He　turned　from　the　picture　and　rolled　his　eyes　about　the　room。

〃Well；　well；〃　he　murmured。　　〃This　certainly　is　the　real　thing；　J。　I　suppose；　now；　it　all　represents　a　pretty　big　pot　of　money。〃

〃I'm　not　quite　used　to　it　yet　myself；〃　said　Jadwin。　　〃I　was　in　here　last　Sunday；　thinking　it　all　over；　the　new　house；　and　the　money　and　all。　　And　it　struck　me　as　kind　of　queer　the　way　things　have　turned　out　for　me。。。。　Sam；　do　you　know；　I　can　remember　the　time；　up　there　in　Ottawa　County；　Michigan；　on　my　old　dad's　farm；　when　I　used　to　have　to　get　up　before　day…break　to　tend　the　stock；　and　my　sister　and　I　used　to　run　out　quick　into　the　stable　and　stand　in　the　warm　cow　fodder　in　the　stalls　to　warm　our　bare　feet。

She　up　and　died　when　she　was　about　eighteengalloping　consumption。　　Yes；　sir。　　By　George；　how　I　loved　that　little　sister　of　mine！　_You_　remember　her；　Sam。　Remember　how　you　used　to　come　out　from　Grand　Rapids　every　now　and　then　to　go　squirrel　shooting　with　me？〃

〃Sure；　sure。　　Oh；　I　haven't　forgot。〃

〃Well；　I　was　wishing　the　other　day　that　I　could　bring　Sadie　down　here；　andoh；　I　don't　knowgive　her　a　good　time。　　She　never　had　a　good　time　when　she　was　alive。　Work；　work；　work；　morning；　noon；　and　night。　　I'd　like　to　have　made　it　up　to　her。　　I　believe　in　making　people　happy；　Sam。　　That's　the　way　I　take　my　fun。　　But　it's　too　late　to　do　it　now　for　my　little　sister。〃

〃Well；〃　hazarded　Gretry；　〃you　got　a　good　wife　in　yonder　to〃

Jadwin　interrupted　him。　　He　half　turned　away；　thrusting　his　hands　suddenly　into　his　pockets。　　Partly　to　himself；　partly　to　his　friend　he　murmured：

〃You　bet　I　have；　you　bet　I　have。　　Sam；〃　he　exclaimed；　then　turned　away　again。　　〃。。。　　Oh；　well；　never　mind；〃　he　murmured。

Gretry；　embarrassed；　constrained；　put　his　chin　in　the　air；　shutting　his　eyes　in　a　knowing　fashion。

〃I　understand；〃　he　answered。　　〃I　understand；　J。〃

〃Say；　look　at　this　organ　here；〃　said　Jadwin　briskly。　〃Here's　the　thing　I　like　to　play　with。〃

They　crossed　to　the　other　side　of　the　room。

〃Oh；　you've　got　one　of　those　attachment　things；〃　observed　the　broker。

〃Listen　now；〃　said　Jadwin。　　He　took　a　perforated　roll　from　the　case　near　at　hand　and　adjusted　it；　Gretry　looking　on　with　the　solemn　interest　that　all　American　business　men　have　in　mechanical　inventions。　　Jadwin　sat　down　before　it；　pulled　out　a　stop　or　two；　and　placed　his　feet　on　the　pedals。　　A　vast　preliminary　roaring　breath　soughed　through　the　pipes；　with　a　vibratory　rush　of　power。　　Then　there　came　a　canorous　snarl　of　bass；　and　then；　abruptly；　with　resistless　charm；　and　with　full…bodied；　satisfying　amplitude　of　volume　the　opening　movement　of　the　overture　of　〃Carmen。〃

〃Great；　great！〃　shouted　Gretry；　his　voice　raised　to　make　himself　heard。　　〃That's　immense。〃

The　great…lunged　harmony　was　filling　the　entire　gallery；　clear　cut；　each　note　clearly；　sharply　treated　with　a　precision　that；　if　mechanical；　was　yet　effective。　　Jadwin；　his　eyes　now　on　the　stops；　now　on　the　sliding　strip　of　paper；　played　on。　　Through　the　sonorous　clamour　of　the　pipes　Gretry　could　hear　him　speaking；　but　he　caught　only　a　word　or　two。

〃Toreador　。。。　　horse　power　。。。　　Madame　Calve　。。。　electric　motor　。。。　　fine　song　。。。　　storage　battery。〃

The　〃movement　　thinned　out；　and　dwindled　to　a　strain　of　delicate　lightness；　sustained　by　the　smallest　pipes　and　developing　a　new　motive；　this　was　twice　repeated；　and　then　ran　down　to　a　series　of　chords　and　bars　that　prepared　for　and　prefigured　some　great　effect　close　at　hand。　　There　was　a　short　pause；　then　with　the　sudden　releasing　of　a　tremendous　rush　of　sound；　back　surged　the　melody；　with　redoubled　volume　and　power；　to　the　original　movement。

〃That's　bully；　bully！〃　shouted　Gretry；　clapping　his　hands；　and　his　eye；　caught　by　a　movement　on　the　other　side　of　the　room；　he　turned　about　to　see　Laura　Jadwin　standing　between　the　opened　curtains　at　the　entrance。

Seen　thus　unexpectedly；　the　broker　was　again　overwhelmed　with　a　sense　of　the　beauty　of　Jadwin's　wife。　　Laura　was　in　evening　dress　of　black　lace；　her　arms　and　neck　were　bare。　　Her　black　hair　was　piled　high　upon　her　head；　a　single　American　Beauty　rose　nodded　against　her　bare　shoulder。　　She　was　even　yet　slim　and　very　tall；　her　face　pale　with　that　unusual　paleness　of　hers　that　was　yet　a　colour。　　Around　her　slender　neck　was　a　marvellous　collar　of　pearls　many　strands　deep；　set　off　and　held　in　place　by　diamond　clasps。

With　Laura　came　Mrs。　Gretry　and　Page。　　The　broker's　wife　was　a　vivacious；　small；　rather　pretty　blonde　woman；　a　little　angular；　a　little　faded。　　She　was　garrulous；　witty；　slangy。　　She　wore　turquoises　in　her　ears　morning；　noon；　and　night。

But　three　years　had　made　a　vast　difference　in　Page　Dearborn。　　All　at　once　she　was　a　young　woman。　　Her　straight；　hard；　little　figure　had　developed；　her　arms　were　rounded；　her　eyes　were　calmer。　　She　had　grown　taller；　broader。　　Her　former　exquisite　beauty　was　perhaps　not　quite　so　delicate；　so　fine；　so　virginal；　so　charmingly　angular　and　boyish。　　There　was　infinitely　more　of　the　woman　in　it；　and　perhaps　because　of　this　she　looked　more　like　Laura　than　at　any　time　of　her　life　before。　　But　even　yet　her　expression　was　one　of　gravity；　of　seriousness。　　There　was　always　a　certain　aloofness　about　Page。　　She　looked　out　at　the　world　solemnly；　and　as　if　separated　from　its　lighter　side。　Things　humorous　interested　her　only　as　inexplicable　vagaries　of　the　human　animal。

〃We　heard　the　organ；〃　said　Laura；　〃so　we　came　in。　　I　wanted　Mrs。　Gretry　to　listen　to　it。〃



The　three　years　that　had　just　passed　had　been　the　most　important　years　of　Laura　Jadwin's　life。　　Since　her　marriage　she　had　grown　intellectually　and　morally　with　amazing　rapidity。　　Indeed；　so　swift　had　been　the　change；　that　it　was　not　so　much　a　growth　as　a　transformation。　　She　was　no　longer　the　same　half…　formed；　impulsive　girl　who　had　found　a　delight　in　the　addresses　of　her　three　lovers；　and　who　had　sat　on　the　floor　in　the　old　home　on　State　Street　and　allowed　Landry　Court　to　hold　her　hand。　　She　looked　back　upon　the　Miss　Dearborn　of　those　days　as　though　she　were　another　person。　　How　she　had　grown　since　then！　How　she　had　changed！　How　different；　how　infinitely　more　serious　and　sweet　her　life　since　then　had　become！

A　great　fact　had　entered　her　world；　a　great　new　element；　that　dwarfed　all　other　thoughts；　all　other　considerations。　　This　was　her　love　for　her　husband。　　It　was　as　though　until　the　time　of　her　marriage　she　had　walked　in　darkness；　a　darkness　that　she　fancied　was　day；　walked　perversely；　carelessly；　and　with　a　frivolity　that　was　almost　wicked。　　Then；　suddenly；　she　had　seen　a　great　light。　　Love　had　entered　her　world。　In　her　new　heaven　a　new　light　was　fixed；　and　all　other　things　were　seen　only　because　of　this　light；　all　other　things　were　touched　by　it；　tempered　by　it；　warmed　and　vivified　by　it。

It　had　seemed　to　date　from　a　certain　evening　at　their　country　house　at　Geneva　Lake　in　Wisconsin；　where　she　had　spent　her　honeymoon　with　her　husband。　　They　had　been　married　about　ten　days。　　It　was　a　July　evening；　and　they　were　quite　alone　on　board　the　little　steam　yacht　the　〃Thetis。〃　　She　remembered　it　all　very　plainly。　It　had　been　so　warm　that　she　had　not　changed　her　dress　after　dinnershe　recalled　that　it　was　of　Honiton　lace　over　old…rose　silk；　and　that　Curtis　had　said　it　was　the　prettiest　he　had　ever　seen。　　It　was　an　hour　before　midnight；　and　the　lake　was　so　still　as　to　appear　veritably　solid。　　The　moon　was　reflected　upon　the