the pit-第40部分

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Laura　looked　down　at　him；　smiling。

〃I　should　have　thought　you　had　cut　yours　long　ago；〃　she　said。

〃Not　my　wisdom　teeth；〃　he　urged。　　〃I　feel　now　that　I　have　come　to　that　time　of　life　when　it　is　expedient　to　have　wisdom。〃

〃I　have　never　known　that　feeling；〃　she　confessed；　〃and　I　live　in　the　'hard；　harsh'　city。〃

〃Oh；　that　is　because　you　have　never　known　what　it　meant　not　to　have　wisdom；〃　he　retorted。　　〃Tell　me　about　everybody；〃　he　went　on。　　〃Your　husband；　he　is　well；　of　course；　and　distressfully　rich。　　I　heard　of　him　in　New　York。　　And　Page；　our　little；　solemn　Minerva　of　Dresden　china？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　Page　is　well；　but　you　will　hardly　recognise　her；　such　a　young　lady　nowadays。〃

〃And　Mr。　Court；　'Landry'？　　I　remember　he　always　impressed　me　as　though　he　had　just　had　his　hair　cut；　and　the　Cresslers；　and　Mrs。　Wessels；　and〃


〃All　well。　　Mrs。　Cressler　will　be　delighted　to　hear　you　are　back。　　Yes；　everybody　is　well。〃

〃And；　last　of　all；　Mrs。　Jadwin？　　But　I　needn't　ask；　I　can　see　how　well　and　happy　you　are。〃

〃And　Mr。　Corthell；〃　she　queried；　〃is　also　well　and　happy？〃

〃Mr。　Corthell；〃　he　responded；　〃is　very　well；　and　tolerablyhappy；　thank　you。　　One　has　lost　a　few　illusions；　but　has　managed　to　keep　enough　to　grow　old　on。　　One's　latter　days　are　provided　for。〃

〃I　shouldn't　imagine；〃　she　told　him；　〃that　one　lost　illusions　in　Tuscan　gardens。〃

〃Quite　right；〃　he　hastened　to　reply；　smiling　cheerfully。　　〃One　lost　no　illusions　in　Tuscany。　　One　went　there　to　cherish　the　few　that　yet　remained。　　But；〃　he　added；　without　change　of　manner；　〃one　begins　to　believe　that　even　a　lost　illusion　can　be　very　beautiful　sometimeseven　in　Chicago。〃

〃I　want　you　to　dine　with　us；〃　said　Laura。　　〃You've　hardly　met　my　husband；　and　I　think　you　will　like　some　of　our　pictures。　　I　will　have　all　your　old　friends　there；　the　Cresslers　and　Aunt　Wess；　and　all。　　When　can　you　come？〃

〃Oh；　didn't　you　get　my　note？〃　he　asked。　　〃I　wrote　you　yesterday；　asking　if　I　might　call　to…night。　　You　see；　I　am　only　in　Chicago　for　a　couple　of　days。　　I　must　go　on　to　St。　Louis　to…morrow；　and　shall　not　be　back　for　a　week。〃

〃Note？　　No；　I've　had　no　note　from　you。　　Oh；　I　know　what　happened。　　Curtis　left　in　a　hurry　this　morning；　and　he　swooped　all　the　mail　into　his　pocket　the　last　moment。　I　knew　some　of　my　letters　were　with　his。　　There's　where　your　note　went。　　But；　never　mind；　it　makes　no　difference　now　that　we've　met。　　Yes；　by　all　means；　come　to…nightto　dinner。　　We're　not　a　bit　formal。　　Curtis　won't　have　it。　　We　dine　at　six；　and　I'll　try　to　get　the　others。　　Oh；　but　Page　won't　be　there；　I　forgot。　　She　and　Landry　Court　are　going　to　have　dinner　with　Aunt　Wess'；　and　they　are　all　going　to　a　lecture　afterwards。〃

The　artist　expressed　his　appreciation　and　accepted　her　invitation。

〃Do　you　know　where　we　live？〃　she　demanded。　　〃You　know　we've　moved　since。〃

〃Yes；　I　know；〃　he　told　her。　　〃I　made　up　my　mind　to　take　a　long　walk　here　in　the　Park　this　morning；　and　I　passed　your　house　on　my　way　out。　　You　see；　I　had　to　look　up　your　address　in　the　directory　before　writing。　　Your　house　awed　me；　I　confess；　and　the　style　is　surprisingly　good。〃

〃But　tell　me；〃　asked　Laura；　〃you　never　speak　of　yourself；　what　have　you　been　doing　since　you　went　away？〃

〃Nothing。　　Merely　idling；　and　painting　a　little；　and　studying　some　thirteenth　century　glass　in　Avignon　and　Sienna。〃

〃And　shall　you　go　back？〃

〃Yes；　I　think　so；　in　about　a　month。　　So　soon　as　I　have　straightened　out　some　little　businesses　of　minewhich　puts　me　in　mind；〃　he　said；　glancing　at　his　watch；　〃that　I　have　an　appointment　at　eleven；　and　should　be　about　it。〃

He　said　good…by　and　left　her；　and　Laura　cantered　homeward　in　high　spirits。　　She　was　very　glad　that　Corthell　had　come　back。　　She　had　always　liked　him。　　He　not　only　talked　well　himself；　but　seemed　to　have　the　faculty　of　making　her　do　the　same。　　She　remembered　that　in　the　old　days；　before　she　had　met　Jadwin；　her　mind　and　conversation；　for　undiscoverable　reasons；　had　never　been　nimbler；　quicker；　nor　more　effective　than　when　in　the　company　of　the　artist。

Arrived　at　home；　Laura　（as　soon　as　she　had　looked　up　the　definition　of　〃pergola〃　in　the　dictionary）　lost　no　time　in　telephoning　to　Mrs。　Cressler。

〃What；〃　this　latter　cried　when　she　told　her　the　news；　〃that　Sheldon　Corthell　back　again！　　Well；　dear　me；　if　he　wasn't　the　last　person　in　my　mind。　　I　do　remember　the　lovely　windows　he　used　to　paint；　and　how　refined　and　elegant　he　always　wasand　the　loveliest　hands　and　voice。〃

〃He's　to　dine　with　us　to…night；　and　I　want　you　and　Mr。　Cressler　to　come。〃

〃Oh；　Laura；　child；　I　just　simply　can't。　　Charlie's　got　a　man　from　Milwaukee　coming　here　to…night；　and　I've　got　to　feed　him。　　Isn't　it　too　provoking？　　I've　got　to　sit　and　listen　to　those　two；　clattering　commissions　and　percentages　and　all；　when　I　might　be　hearing　Sheldon　Corthell　talk　art　and　poetry　and　stained　glass。　　I　declare；　I　never　have　any　luck。〃

At　quarter　to　six　that　evening　Laura　sat　in　the　library；　before　the　fireplace；　in　her　black　velvet　dinner　gown；　cutting　the　pages　of　a　new　novel；　the　ivory　cutter　as　it　turned　and　glanced　in　her　hand；　appearing　to　be　a　mere　prolongation　of　her　slender　fingers。　　But　she　was　not　interested　in　the　book；　and　from　time　to　time　glanced　nervously　at　the　clock　upon　the　mantel…shelf　over　her　head。　　Jadwin　was　not　home　yet；　and　she　was　distressed　at　the　thought　of　keeping　dinner　waiting。　　He　usually　came　back　from　down　town　at　five　o'clock；　and　even　earlier。　　To…day　she　had　expected　that　quite　possibly　the　business　implied　in　the　Liverpool　cable　of　the　morning　might　detain　him；　but　surely　he　should　be　home　by　now；　and　as　the　minutes　passed　she　listened　more　and　more　anxiously　for　the　sound　of　hoofs　on　the　driveway　at　the　side　of　the　house。

At　five　minutes　of　the　hour；　when　Corthell　was　announced；　there　was　still　no　sign　of　her　husband。　　But　as　she　was　crossing　the　hall　on　her　way　to　the　drawing…　room；　one　of　the　servants　informed　her　that　Mr。　Jadwin　had　just　telephoned　that　he　would　be　home　in　half　an　hour。

〃Is　he　on　the　telephone　now？〃　she　asked；　quickly。　〃Where　did　he　telephone　from？〃

But　it　appeared　that　Jadwin　had　〃hung　up〃　without　mentioning　his　whereabouts。

〃The　buggy　came　home；〃　said　the　servant。　　〃Mr。　Jadwin　told　Jarvis　not　to　wait。　　He　said　he　would　come　in　the　street　cars。〃

Laura　reflected　that　she　could　delay　dinner　a　half　hour；　and　gave　orders　to　that　effect。

〃We　shall　have　to　wait　a　little；〃　she　explained　to　Corthell　as　they　exchanged　greetings　in　the　drawing…　room。　　〃Curtis　has　some　special　business　on　hand　to…　day；　and　is　half　an　hour　late。〃

They　sat　down　on　either　side　of　the　fireplace　in　the　lofty　apartment；　with　its　sombre　hangings　of　wine…　coloured　brocade　and　thick；　muffling　rugs；　and　for　upwards　of　three…quarters　of　an　hour　Corthell　interested　her　with　his　description　of　his　life　in　the　cathedral　towns　of　northern　Italy。　　But　at　the　end　of　that　time　dinner　was　announced。

〃Has　Mr。　Jadwin　come　in　yet？〃　Laura　asked　of　the　servant。

〃No；　madam。〃

She　bit　her　lip　in　vexation。

〃I　can't　imagine　what　can　keep　Curtis　so　late；〃　she　murmured。　　〃Well；〃　she　added；　at　the　end　of　her　resources；　〃we　must　make　the　best　of　it。　　I　think　we　will　go　in；　Mr。　Corthell；　without　waiting。　　Curtis　must　be　here　soon　now。〃

But；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　he　was　not。　　In　the　great　dining…room；　filled　with　a　dull　crimson　light；　the　air　just　touched　with　the　scent　of　lilies　of　the　valley；　Corthell　and　Mrs。　Jadwin　dined　alone。

〃I　suppose；〃　observed　the　artist；　〃that　Mr。　Jadwin　is　a　very　busy　man。〃

〃Oh；　no；〃　Laura　answered。　　〃His　real　estate；　he　says；　runs　itself；　and；　as　a　rule；　Mr。　Gretry　manages　most　of　his　Board　of　Trade　business。　　It　is　only　occasionally　that　anything　keeps　him　down　town　late。　　I　scolded　him　this　morning；　however；　about　his　speculating；　and　made　him　promise　not　to　do　so　much　of　it。　　I　hate　speculation。　　It　seems　to　absorb　some　men　so；　and　I　don't　believe　it's　right　for　a　man　to　allow　himself　to　become　absorbed　altogether　in　business。〃

〃Oh；　why　limit　one's　absorption　to　business？〃　replied　Corthell；　sipping　his　wine。　　〃Is　it　right　for　one　to　be　absorbed　'altogether'　in　anythingeven　in　art；　even　in　religion？〃

〃Oh；　religion；　I　don't　know；〃　she　protested。

〃Isn't　that　certain　contribution；〃　he　hazarded；　〃which　we　make　to　the　general　welfare；　over　and　above　our　own　individual　work；　isn't　that　the　essential？　　I　suppose；　of　course；　that　we　must　hoe；　each　of　us；　his　own　little　row；　but　it's　the　stroke　or　two　we　give　to　our　neighbour's　rowdon't　you　think？that　helps　most　to　cultivate　the　field。〃

〃But　doesn't　religion　mean　more　than　a　stroke　or　two？〃　she　ventured　to　reply。

〃I'm　not　so　sure；〃　he　answered；　thoughtfully。　　〃If　the　stroke　or　two　is　taken　from　one's　own　work　instead　of　being　given　in　excess　of　it。　　One　must　do　one's　own　hoeing　first。　　That's　the　foundation　of　things。　　A　religion　that　would　mean　to　be　'altogether　absorbed'　in　my　neighbour's　hoeing　would　be　genuinely　pernicious；　surely。　　My　row；　meanwhile；　would　lie　open　to　weeds。〃

〃But　if　your　neighbour's　row　grew　flowers？〃

〃Unfortunately　weeds　grow　faster　than　the　flowers；　and　the　weeds　of　my　row　would　spread　until　they　choked　and　killed　my　neighbour's　flowers；　I　am　sure。〃

〃That　seems　selfish　though；〃　she　persisted。　　〃Suppose　my　neighbour　were　maimed　or　halt　or　blind？　　His　poor　little　row　would　never　be　finished。　　My　stroke　or　two　would　not　help　very　much。〃

〃Yes；　but　every　row　lies　between　two　others；　you　know。　The　hoer　on　the　far　side　of　the　cripple's　row　would　contribute　a　stroke　or　two　as　well　as　you。　　No；〃　he　went　on；　〃I　am　sure　one's　first　duty　is　to　do　one's　own　work。　　It　seems　to　me　that　a　work　accomplished　benefits　the　whole　worldthe　peoplepro　rata。　　If　we　help　another　at　the　expense　of　our　work　instead　of　in　excess　of　it；　we　benefit　only　the　individual；　and；　pro　rata　again；　rob　the　people。　　A　little　good　contributed　by　everybody　to　the　race　is　of　more；　infinitely　more；　importance　than　a　great　deal　of　good　contributed　by　one　individual　to　another。〃

〃Yes；〃　she　admitted；　beginning　at　last　to　be　convinced；　〃I　see　what　you　mean。　　But　one　must　think　very　large　to　see　that。　　It　never　occurred　to　me　before。　　The　individualI；　Laura　Jadwincounts　for　nothing。　　It　is　the　type　to　which　I　bel