whirligigs-第13部分
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〃Vivienne；〃 said Hartley； looking at her pleadingly；
〃you did not answer my last letter。 It was only by nearly
a week's search that I found where you had moved to。
Why have you kept me in suspense when you knew how
anxiously I was waiting to see you and hear from you？〃
The girl looked out the window dreamily。
〃Mr。 Hartley；〃 she said hesitatingly； 〃I hardly know
what to say to you。 I realize all the advantages of your
offer； and sometimes I feel sure that I could be contented
with you。 But； again； I am doubtful。 I was born a
city girl； and I am afraid to bind myself to a quiet sub…
urban life。〃
〃My dear girl；〃 said Hartley； ardently； 〃have I not
told you that you shall have everything that your heart
can desire that is in my power to give you？ You shall
come to the city for the theatres； for shopping and to visit
your friends as often as you care to。 You can trust me；
can you not？〃
〃To the fullest；〃 she said； turning her frank eyes upon
him with a smile。 〃I know you are the kindest of men；
and that the girl you get will be a lucky one。 I learned
all about you when I was at the Montgomerys'。〃
〃Ah！〃 exclaimed Hartley； with a tender； reminiscent
light in his eye； 〃I remember well the evening I first saw
you at the Montgomerys'。 Mrs。 Montgomery was sound…
ing your praises to me all the evening。 And she hardly
did you justice。 I shall never forget that supper。 Come；
Vivienne； promise me。 I want you。 You'll never
regret coming with me。 No one else will ever give you
as pleasant a home。〃
The girl sighed and looked down at her folded hands。
A sudden jealous suspicion seized Hartley。
〃Tell me； Vivienne；〃 he asked； regarding her keenly；
〃is there another is there some one else ？〃
A rosy flush crept slowly over her fair cheeks and
neck。
〃You shouldn't ask that； Mr。 Hartley；〃 she said； in
some confusion。 〃But I will tell you。 There is one
other but he has no right I have promised him
nothing。〃
〃His name？〃 demanded Hartley； sternly。
〃Townsend。〃
〃Rafford Townsend！〃 exclaimed Hartley； with a grim
tightening of his jaw。 〃How did that man come to know
you？ After all I've done for him 〃
〃His auto has just stopped below；〃 said Vivienne；
bending over the window…sill。 〃He's coming for his
answer。 Oh I don't know what to do！〃
The bell in the flat kitchen whirred。 Vivienne hurried
to press the latch button。
〃Stay here；〃 said Hartley。 〃I will meet him in the
hall。〃
Townsend； looking like a Spanish grandee in his light
tweeds； Panama hat and curling black mustache； came
up the stairs three at a time。 He stopped at sight of
Hartley and looked foolish。
〃Go back；〃 said Hartley； firmly； pointing downstairs
with his forefinger。
〃Hullo！〃 said Townsend； feigning surprise。 〃What's
up？ What are you doing here； old man？〃
〃Go back；〃 repeated Hartley； inflexibly。 〃The Law
of the Jungle。 Do you want the Pack to tear you in
pieces？ The kill is mine。〃
〃I came here to see a plumber about the bathroom
connections；〃 said Townsend； bravely。
〃All right；〃 said Hartley。 〃You shall have that lying
plaster to stick upon your traitorous soul。 But； go back。〃
Townsend went downstairs； leaving a bitter word to
be wafted up the draught of the staircase。 Hartley went
back to his wooing。
〃Vivienne；〃 said he； masterfully。 〃I have got to
have you。 I will take no more refusals or dilly…dallying。〃
〃When do you want me？〃 she asked。
〃Now。 As soon as you can get ready。〃
She stood calmly before him and looked him in the
eye。
〃Do you think for one moment；〃 she said； 〃that
I would enter your home while H閘oise is there？〃
Hartley cringed as if from an unexpected blow。 He
folded his arms and paced the carpet once or twice。
〃She shall go；〃 he declared grimly。 Drops stood upon
his brow。 〃Why should I let that woman make my
life miserable？ Never have I seen one day of freedom
from trouble since I have known her。 You are right；
Vivienne。 H閘oise must be sent away before I can take
you home。 But she shall go。 I have decided。 I will
turn her from my doors。〃
〃When will you do this？〃 asked the girl。
Hartley clinched his teeth and bent his brows together。
〃To…night；〃 he said； resolutely。 〃I will send her
away to…night。〃
〃Then；〃 said Vivienne； 〃my answer is 'yes。' Come
for me when you will。〃
She looked into his eyes with a sweet； sincere light in
her own。 Hartley could scarcely believe that her sur…
render was true； it was so swift and complete。
〃Promise me；〃 he said feelingly； 〃on your word and
honour。〃
〃On my word and honour；〃 repeated Vivienne； softly。
At the door he turned and gazed at her happily； but
yet as one who scarcely trusts the foundations of his joy。
〃To…morrow；〃 he said； with a forefinger of reminder
uplifted。
〃To…morrow；〃 she repeated with a smile of truth and
candour。
In an hour and forty minutes Hartley stepped off the
train at Floralhurst。 A brisk walk of ten minutes brought
him to the gate of a handsome two…story cottage set upon
a wide and well…tended lawn。 Halfway to the house he
was met by a woman with jet…black braided hair and
flowing white summer gown； who half strangled him
without apparent cause。
When they stepped into the hall she said：
〃Mamma's here。 The auto is coming for her in half
an hour。 She came to dinner； but there's no dinner。〃
〃I've something to tell you；〃 said Hartley。 〃I thought
to break it to you gently； but since your mother is here
we may as well out with it。〃
He stooped and whispered something at her ear。
His wife screamed。 Her mother came running into
the hall。 The dark…haired woman screamed again…
the joyful scream of a well…beloved and petted woman。
〃Oh； mamma！〃 she cried ecstatically； 〃what do you
think？ Vivienne is coming to cook for us！ She is the
one that stayed with the Montgomerys a whole year。
And now； Billy； dear；〃 she concluded； 〃you must go
right down into the kitchen and discharge H閘oise。 She
has been drunk again the whole day long。〃
SOCIOLOGY IN SERGE AND STRAW
The season of irresponsibility is at hand。 Come；
let us twine round our brows wreaths of poison ivy （that
is for idiocy）； and wander hand in hand with sociology
in the summer fields。
Likely as not the world is flat。 The wise men have
tried to prove that it is round； with indifferent success。
They pointed out to us a ship going to sea； and bade us
observe that； at length； the convexity of the earth hid
from our view all but the vessel's topmast。 But we
picked up a telescope and looked； and saw the decks
and hull again。 Then the wise men said： 〃Oh； pshaw！
anyhow； the variation of the intersection of the equator
and the ecliptic proves it。〃 We could not see this through
our telescope； so we remained silent。 But it stands to
reason that； if the world were round； the queues of China…
Men would stand straight up from their heads instead
of hanging down their backs； as travellers assure us they do。
Another hot…weather corroboration of the flat theory
is the fact that all of life； as we know it； moves in little；
unavailing circles。 More justly than to anything else；
it can be likened to the game of baseball。 Crack！ we
hit the ball； and away we go。 If we earn a run （in life
we call it success） we get back to the home plate and sit
upon a bench。 If we are thrown out； we walk back to the
home plate and sit upon a bench。
The circumnavigators of the alleged globe may
have sailed the rim of a watery circle back to the same
port again。 The truly great return at the high tide of
their attainments to the simplicity of a child。 The
billionaire sits down at his mahogany to his bowl of bread
and milk。 When you reach the end of your career； just
take down the sign 〃Goal〃 and look at the other side of
it。 You will find 〃Beginning Point〃 there。 It has been
reversed while you were going around the track。
But this is humour； and must be stopped。 Let us
get back to the serious questions that arise whenever
Sociology turns summer boarder。 You are invited to
consider the scene of the story…wild； Atlantic waves；
thundering against a wooded and rock…bound shore
in the Greater City of New York。
The town of Fishampton； on the south shore of Long
Island； is noted for its clam fritters and the summer
residence of the Van Plushvelts。
The Van Plushvelts have a hundred million dollars；
and their name is a household word with tradesmen and
photographers。
On the fifteenth of June the Van Plushvelts boarded
up the front door of their city house； carefully deposited
their cat on the sidewalk； instructed the caretaker not
to allow it to eat any of the ivy on the walls； and whizzed
away in a 40…horse…power to Fishampton to stray alone
the shade Amaryllis not being in their class。 If
a subscriber to the Toadies' Magazine； you have
often You say you are not？ Well； you buy it at a
news…stand； thinking that the newsdealer is not wise to
you。 But he knows about it all。 HE knows HE
knows！ I say that you have often seen in the Toadies'
Magazine pictures of the Van Plushvelts' summer home；
so it will not be described here。 Our business is with
young Haywood Van Plushvelt； sixteen years old； heir
to the century of millions； darling of the financial gods
and great grandson of Peter Van Plushvelt； former owner
of a particularly fine cabbage patch that has been ruined
by an intrusive lot of downtown skyscrapers。
One afternoon young Haywood Van Plushvelt strolled
out between the granite gate posts of 〃Dolce far Niente〃
that's what they called the place； and it was an improve…
ment on dolce Far Rockaway； I can tell you。
Haywood walked down in
