the pit-第66部分

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ho　for　three　hours　had　done　nothing　but　shout　and　struggle。　　She　had　seen　Jadwin　come　into　the　Pit；　and　almost　at　once　the　shouts　had　turned　to　cheers。　　That　must　have　meant；　she　thought；　that　Jadwin　had　done　something　to　please　those　excited　men。　　They　were　all　his　friends；　no　doubt。　　They　were　cheering　himcheering　his　success。　　He　had　won　then！　And　yet　that　announcement　from　the　opposite　balcony；　to　the　effect　that　business　with　Mr。　Gretry　must　be　stopped；　immediately！　That　had　an　ominous　ring。　　Or；　perhaps；　that　meant　only　a　momentary　check。

As　she　descended　the　stairways；　with　the　departing　spectators；　she　distinctly　heard　a　man's　voice　behind　her　exclaim：

〃Well；　that　does　for　_him！_〃

Possibly；　after　all；　Mr。　Jadwin　had　lost　some　money　that　morning。　　She　was　desperately　anxious　to　find　Landry；　and　to　learn　the　truth　of　what　had　happened；　and　for　a　long　moment　after　the　last　visitors　had　disappeared　she　remained　at　the　foot　of　the　gallery　stairway；　hoping　that　he　would　come　for　her。　　But　she　saw　nothing　of　him；　and　soon　remembered　she　had　told　him　to　come　for　her；　only　in　case　he　was　able　to　get　away。　　No　doubt　he　was　too　busy　now。　　Even　if　Mr。　Jadwin　had　won；　the　morning's　work　had　evidently　been　of　tremendous　importance。　　This　had　been　a　great　day　for　the　wheat　speculators。　　It　was　not　surprising　that　Landry　should　be　detained。　　She　would　wait　till　she　saw　him　the　next　day　to　find　out　all　that　had　taken　place。

Page　returned　home。　　It　was　long　past　the　hour　for　luncheon　when　she　came　into　the　dining…room　of　the　North　Avenue　house。

〃Where　is　my　sister？〃　she　asked　of　the　maid；　as　she　sat　down　to　the　table；　〃has　she　lunched　yet？〃

But　it　appeared　that　Mrs。　Jadwin　had　sent　down　word　to　say　that　she　wanted　no　lunch；　that　she　had　a　headache　and　would　remain　in　her　room。

Page　hurried　through　with　her　chocolate　and　salad；　and　ordering　a　cup　of　strong　tea；　carried　it　up　to　Laura's　〃sitting…room〃　herself。

Laura；　in　a　long　tea…gown　lay　back　in　the　Madeira　chair；　her　hands　clasped　behind　her　head；　doing　nothing　apparently　but　looking　out　of　the　window。　　She　was　paler　even　than　usual；　and　to　Page's　mind　seemed　preoccupied；　and　in　a　certain　indefinite　way　tense　and　hard。　　Page；　as　she　had　told　Landry　that　morning；　had　remarked　this　tenseness；　this　rigidity　on　the　part　of　her　sister；　of　late。　　But　to…day　it　was　more　pronounced　than　ever。　　Something　surely　was　the　matter　with　Laura。　She　seemed　like　one　who　had　staked　everything　upon　a　hazard　and；　blind　to　all　else；　was　keeping　back　emotion　with　all　her　strength；　while　she　watched　and　waited　for　the　issue。　　Page　guessed　that　her　sister's　trouble　had　to　do　with　Jadwin's　complete　absorption　in　business；　but　she　preferred　to　hold　her　peace。　　By　nature　the　young　girl　〃minded　her　own　business；〃　and　Laura　was　not　a　woman　who　confided　her　troubles　to　anybody。　　Only　once　had　Page　presumed　to　meddle　in　her　sister's　affairs；　and　the　result　had　not　encouraged　a　repetition　of　the　intervention。　　Since　the　affair　of　the　silver　match　box　she　had　kept　her　distance。

Laura　on　this　occasion　declined　to　drink　the　tea　Page　had　brought。　　She　wanted　nothing；　she　said；　her　head　ached　a　little；　she　only　wished　to　lie　down　and　be　quiet。

〃I've　been　down　to　the　Board　of　Trade　all　the　morning；〃　Page　remarked。

Laura　fixed　her　with　a　swift　glance；　she　demanded　quickly：

〃Did　you　see　Curtis？〃

〃Noor；　yes；　once；　he　came　out　on　the　floor。　　Oh；　Laura；　it　was　so　exciting　there　this　morning。　Something　important　happened；　I　know。　　I　can't　believe　it's　that　way　all　the　time。　　I'm　afraid　Mr。　Jadwin　lost　a　great　deal　of　money。　　I　heard　some　one　behind　me　say　so；　but　I　couldn't　understand　what　was　going　on。　　For　months　I've　been　trying　to　get　a　clear　idea　of　wheat　trading；　just　because　it　was　Landry's　business；　but　to…　day　I　couldn't　make　anything　of　it　at　all。〃

〃Did　Curtis　say　he　was　coming　home　this　evening？〃

〃No。　　Don't　you　understand；　I　didn't　see　him　to　talk　to。〃

〃Well；　why　didn't　you；　Page？〃

〃Why；　Laura；　honey；　don't　be　cross。　　You　don't　know　how　rushed　everything　was。　　I　didn't　even　try　to　see　Landry。〃

〃Did　he　seem　very　busy？〃

〃Who；　Landry？　　I〃

〃No；　no；　no；　Curtis。〃

〃Oh；　I　should　say　so。　　Why；　Laura；　I　think；　honestly；　I　think　wheat　went　down　tooh；　way　down。　　They　say　that　means　so　much　to　Mr。　Jadwin；　and　it　went　down；　down；　down。　　It　looked　that　way　to　me。　　Don't　that　mean　that　he'll　lose　a　great　deal　of　money？　　And　Landry　seemed　so　brave　and　courageous　through　it　all。　　Oh；　I　felt　for　him　so；　I　just　wanted　to　go　right　into　the　Pit　with　him　and　stand　by　his　shoulder。〃

Laura　started　up　with　a　sharp　gesture　of　impatience　and　exasperation；　crying：

〃Oh；　what　do　I　care　about　wheatabout　this　wretched　scrambling　for　money。　　Curtis　was　busy；　you　say？　　He　looked　that　way？〃

Page　nodded：　〃Everybody　was；〃　she　said。　　Then　she　hazarded：

〃I　wouldn't　worry；　Laura。　　Of　course；　a　man　must　give　a　great　deal　of　time　to　his　business。　　I　didn't　mind　when　Landry　couldn't　come　home　with　me。〃

〃OhLandry；〃　murmured　Laura。

On　the　instant　Page　bridled；　her　eyes　snapping。

〃I　think　that　was　very　uncalled　for；〃　she　exclaimed；　sitting　bolt　upright；　〃and　I　can　tell　you　this；　Laura　Jadwin；　if　you　did　care　a　little　more　about　wheat　about　your　husband's　businessif　you　had　taken　more　of　an　interest　in　his　work；　if　you　had　tried　to　enter　more　into　his　life；　and　be　a　help　to　himandand　sympathiseand〃　Page　caught　her　breath；　a　little　bewildered　at　her　own　vehemence　and　audacity。　　But　she　had　committed　herself　now；　recklessly　she　plunged　on。　〃Just　think；　he　may　be　fighting　the　battle　of　his　life　down　there　in　La　Salle　Street；　and　you　don't　know　anything　about　itno；　nor　want　to　know。　　'What　do　you　care　about　wheat；'　that's　what　you　said。　　Well；　I　don't　care　either；　just　for　the　wheat　itself；　but　it's　Landry's　business；　his　work；　and　right　or　wrong〃　Page　jumped　to　her　feet；　her　fists　tight　shut；　her　face　scarlet；　her　head　upraised；　〃right　or　wrong；　good　or　bad；　I'd　put　my　two　hands　into　the　fire　to　help　him。〃

〃What　business〃　began　Laura；　but　Page　was　not　to　be　interrupted。　　〃And　if　he　did　leave　me　alone　sometimes；〃　she　said；　〃do　you　think　I　would　draw　a　long　face；　and　think　only　of　my　own　troubles。　　I　guess　he's　got　his　own　troubles　too。　　If　my　husband　had　a　battle　to　fight；　do　you　think　I'd　mope　and　pine　because　he　left　me　at　home；　no　I　wouldn't。　　I'd　help　him　buckle　his　sword　on；　and　when　he　came　back　to　me　I　wouldn't　tell　him　how　lonesome　I'd　been；　but　I'd　take　care　of　him　and　cry　over　his　wounds；　and　tell　him　to　be　braveandand　and　I'd　help　him。〃

And　with　the　words；　Page；　the　tears　in　her　eyes　and　the　sobs　in　her　throat；　flung　out　of　the　room；　shutting　the　door　violently　behind　her。

Laura's　first　sensation　was　one　of　anger　only。　　As　always；　her　younger　sister　had　presumed　again　to　judge　her；　had　chosen　this　day　of　all　others；　to　annoy　her。　She　gazed　an　instant　at　the　closed　door；　then　rose　and　put　her　chin　in　the　air。　　She　was　right；　and　Page　her　husband；　everybody；　were　wrong。　　She　had　been　flouted；　ignored。　　She　paced　the　length　of　the　room　a　couple　of　times；　then　threw　herself　down　upon　the　couch；　her　chin　supported　on　her　palm。

As　she　crossed　the　room；　however；　her　eye　had　been　caught　by　an　opened　note　from　Mrs。　Cressler；　received　the　day　before；　and　apprising　her　of　the　date　of　the　funeral。　　At　the　sight；　all　the　tragedy　leaped　up　again　in　her　mind　and　recollection；　and　in　fancy　she　stood　again　in　the　back　parlour　of　the　Cressler　home；　her　fingers　pressed　over　her　mouth　to　shut　back　the　cries；　horror　and　the　terror　of　sudden　death　rending　her　heart；　shaking　the　brain　itself。　　Again　and　again　since　that　dreadful　moment　had　the　fear　come　back；　mingled　with　grief；　with　compassion；　and　the　bitter　sorrow　of　a　kind　friend　gone　forever　from　her　side。　　And　then；　her　resolution　girding　itself；　her　will　power　at　fullest　stretch；　she　had　put　the　tragedy　from　her。　　Other　and　for　hermore　momentous　events　impended。　　Everything　in　life；　even　death　itself；　must　stand　aside　while　her　love　was　put　to　the　test。　　Life　and　death　were　little　things。　　Love　only　existed；　let　her　husband's　career　fail；　what　did　it　import　so　only　love　stood　the　strain　and　issued　from　the　struggle　triumphant？　　And　now；　as　she　lay　upon　her　couch；　she　crushed　down　all　compunction　for　the　pitiful　calamity　whose　last　scene　she　had　discovered；　her　thoughts　once　more　upon　her　husband　and　herself。　　Had　the　shock　of　that　spectacle　in　the　Cresslers'　house；　and　the　wearing　suspense　in　which　she　had　lived　of　late；　so　torn　and　disordered　the　delicate　feminine　nerves　that　a　kind　of　hysteria　animated　and　directed　her　impulses；　her　words；　and　actions？　　Laura　did　not　know。　　She　only　knew　that　the　day　was　going　and　that　her　husband　neither　came　near　her　nor　sent　her　word。

Even　if　he　had　been　very　busy；　this　was　her　birthday；　though　he　had　lost　millions！　Could　he　not　have　sent　even　the　foolishest　little　present　to　her；　even　a　line　three　words　on　a　scrap　of　paper？　　But　she　checked　herself。　　The　day　was　not　over　yet；　perhaps；　perhaps　he　would　remember　her；　after　all；　before　the　afternoon　was　over。　　He　was　managing　a　little　surprise　for　her；　no　doubt。　　He　knew　what　day　this　was。　　After　their　talk　that　Sunday　in　his　smoking…room　he　would　not　forget。　And；　besides；　it　was　the　evening　that　he　had　promised　should　be　hers。　　〃If　he　loved　her；〃　she　had　said；　he　would　give　that　evening　to　her。　　Never；　never　would　Curtis　fail　her　when　conjured　by　that　spell。

Laura　had　planned　a　little　dinner　for　that　night。　　It　was　to　be　served　at　eight。　　Page　would　have　dined　earlier；　only　herself　and　her　husband　were　to　be　present。　　It　was　to　be　her　birthday　dinner。　　All　the　noisy；　clamourous　world　should　be　excluded；　no　faintest　rumble　of　the　Pit　would　intrude。　　She　would　have　him　all　to　herself。　　He　would；　so　she　determined；　forget　everything　else　in　his　love　for　her。　　She　would　be　beautiful　as　never　beforebrilliant；　resistless；　and　dazzling。　　She　would　have　him　at　her　feet；　her　own；　her　own　again；　as　much　her　own　as　her　very　hands。　　And　before　she　would　let　him　go　he　would　forever　and　forever　have　abjured　the　Battle　of　the　Street　that　had　so　often　caught　him　from　her。　　The　Pit　should　not　have　him；　the　sweep　of　that　great　whirlpool　should　never　again　prevail　agains