initials only-第35部分

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that　firm　restraint　upon　himself　still　in　full　force；　remarked；　with　a　courteous　inclination：

〃The　hour　is　late　for　further　conversation。　　I　have　a　room　at　the　hotel　and　will　return　to　it　at　once。　　In　the　morning　I　hope　to　see　my　brother。〃

He　was　going；　Doris　not　knowing　what　to　say；　Mr。　Challoner　not　desirous　of　detaining　him；　when　there　came　the　sound　of　a　little　tinkle　from　the　other　side　of　the　hall；　blanching　the　young　girl's　cheeks　and　causing　Orlando　Brotherson's　brows　to　rise　in　peculiar　satisfaction。

〃My　brother？〃　he　asked。

〃Yes；〃　came　in　faltering　reply。　　〃He　has　heard　our　voices；　I　must　go　to　him。〃

〃Say　that　Orlando　wishes　him　a　good　night；〃　smiled　her　heart's　enemy；　with　a　bow　of　infinite　grace。

She　shuddered；　and　was　hastening　from　the　room　when　her　glance　fell　on　Mr。　Challoner。　　He　was　pale　and　looked　greatly　disturbed。　　The　prospect　of　being　left　alone　with　a　man　whom　she　had　herself　denounced　to　him　as　his　daughter's　murderer；　might　prove　a　tax　to　his　strength　to　which　she　had　no　right　to　subject　him。　　Pausing　with　an　appealing　air；　she　made　him　a　slight　gesture　which　he　at　once　understood。

〃　I　will　accompany　you　into　the　hall；〃　said　he。　　〃Then　if　anything　is　wrong；　you　have　but　to　speak　my　name。〃

But　Orlando　Brotherson；　displeased　by　this　move；　took　a　step　which　brought　him　between　the　two。　　　　〃You　can　hear　her　from　here　if　she　chooses　to　speak。　　There's　a　point　to　be　settled　between　us　before　either　of　us　leaves　this　house；　and　this　opportunity　is　as　good　as　another。　　Go　to　my　brother；　Miss　Scott；　we　will　await　your　return。〃

A　flash　from　the　proud　banker's　eye；　but　no　demur；　rather　a　gesture　of　consent。　　Doris；　with　a　look　of　deep　anxiety；　sped　away；　and　the　two　men　stood　face　to　face。

It　was　one　of　those　moments　which　men　recognise　as　memorable。　　What　had　the　one　to　say　or　the　other　to　hear；　worthy　of　this　preamble　and　the　more　than　doubtful　relation　in　which　they　stood　each　to　each？　Mr。　Challoner　had　more　time　than　he　expected　in　which　to　wonder　and　gird　himself　for　whatever　suffering　or　shock　awaited　him。　　For；　Orlando　Brotherson；　unlike　his　usual　self；　kept　him　waiting　while　he　collected　his　own　wits；　which；　strange　to　say；　seemed　to　have　vanished　with　the　girl。

But　the　question　finally　came。

〃Mr。　Challoner；　do　you　know　my　brother？〃

〃I　have　never　seen　him。〃

〃Do　you　know　him？　　Does　he　know　you？〃

〃Not　at　all。　　We　are　strangers。〃

It　was　said　honestly。　　They　did　not　know　each　other。　　Mr。　Challoner　was　quite　correct　in　his　statement。

But　the　other　had　his　doubts。　　Why　shouldn't　he　have？　　The　coincidence　of　finding　this　mourner　if　not　avenger　of　Edith　Challoner；　in　his　own　direct　radius　again；　at　a　spot　so　distant；　so　obscure　and　so　disconnected　with　any　apparent　business　reason；　was　certainly　startling　enough　unless　the　tie　could　be　found　in　his　brother's　name　and　close　relationship　to　himself。

He；　therefore；　allowed　himself　to　press　the　question：

〃Men　sometimes　correspond　who　do　not　know　each　other。　　You　knew　that　a　Brotherson　lived　here？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃And　hoped　to　learn　something　about　me

〃No；　my　interest　was　solely　with　your　brother。〃

〃With　my　brother？　　With　Oswald？　　What　interest　can　you　have　in　him　apart　from　me？　　Oswald　is　…〃

Suddenly　a　thought　name　…　an　unimaginable　one；　one　with　power　to　blanch　even　his　hardy　cheek　and　shake　a　soul　unassailable　by　all　small　emotions。

〃Oswald　Brotherson！〃　he　repeated；　adding　in　unintelligible　tones　to　himself　…　〃O。　B。　　The　same　initials！　　They　are　following　up　these　initials。　　Poor　Oswald。〃　　Then　aloud：　〃It　hardly　becomes　me；　perhaps；　to　question　your　motives　in　this　attempt　at　making　my　brother's　acquaintance。　　I　think　I　can　guess　them；　but　your　labour　will　be　wasted。　　Oswald's　interests　do　not　extend　beyond　this　town；　they　hardly　extend　to　me。　　We　are　strangers；　almost。　　You　will　learn　nothing　from　him　on　the　subject　which　naturally　engrosses　you。〃

Mr。　Challoner　simply　bowed。　　〃I　do　not　feel　called　upon；〃　said　he；　〃to　explain　my　reasons　for　wishing　to　know　your　brother。　　I　will　simply　satisfy　you　upon　a　point　which　may　well　rouse　your　curiosity。　You　remember　that　…　that　my　daughter's　last　act　was　the　writing　of　a　letter　to　a　little　protegee　of　hers。　　Miss　Scott　was　that　protegee。　In　seeking　her；　I　came　upon　him。　　Do　you　require　me　to　say　more　on　this　subject？　　Wait　till　I　have　seen　Mr。　Oswald　Brotherson　and　then　perhaps　I　can　do　so。〃

Receiving　no　answer　to　this；　Mr。　Challoner　turned　again　to　the　man　who　was　the　object　of　his　deepest　suspicions；　to　find　him　still　in　the　daze　of　that　unimaginable　thought；　battling　with　it；　scoffing　at　it；　succumbing　to　it　and　all　without　a　word。　　Mr。　Challoner　was　without　clew　to　this　struggle；　but　the　might　of　it　and　the　mystery　of　it；　drove　him　in　extreme　agitation　from　the　room。　　Though　proof　was　lacking；　though　proof　might　never　come；　nothing　could　ever　alter　his　belief　from　this　moment　on　that　Doris　was　right　in　her　estimate　of　this　man's　guilt；　however　unsubstantial　her　reasoning　might　appear。

How　far　he　might　have　been　carried　by　this　new　conviction；　whether　he　would　have　left　the　house　without　seeing　Doris　again　or　exchanging　another　word　with　the　man　whose　very　presence　stifled　him；　he　had　no　opportunity　to　show；　for　before　he　had　taken　another　step；　he　encountered　the　hurrying　figure　of　Doris；　who　was　returning　to　her　guests　with　an　air　of　marked　relief。

〃He　does　not　know　that　you　are　here；〃　she　whispered　to　Mr。　Challoner；　as　she　passed　him。　　Then；　as　she　again　confronted　Orlando　who　hastened　to　dismiss　his　trouble　at　her　approach；　she　said　quite　gaily；　〃Mr。　Brotherson　heard　your　voice；　and　is　glad　to　know　that　you're　here。　　He　bade　me　give　you　this　key　and　say　that　you　would　have　found　things　in　better　shape　if　he　had　been　in　condition　to　superintend　the　removal　of　the　boxes　to　the　place　he　had　prepared　for　you　before　he　became　ill。　　I　was　the　one　to　do　that；〃　she　added；　controlling　her　aversion　with　manifest　effort。　　〃When　Mr。　Brotherson　came　to　himself　he　asked　if　I　had　heard　about　any　large　boxes　having　arrived　at　the　station　shipped　to　his　name。　　I　said　that　several　notices　of　such　had　come　to　the　house。　　At　which　he　requested　me　to　see　that　they　were　carried　at　once　to　the　strange　looking　shed　he　had　had　put　up　for　him　in　the　woods。　　I　thought　that　they　were　for　him；　and　I　saw　to　the　thing　myself。　　Two　or　three　others　have　come　since　and　been　taken　to　the　same　place。　　I　think　you　will　find　nothing　broken　or　disturbed；　Mr。　Brotherson's　wishes　are　usually　respected。〃

〃　That　is　fortunate　for　me；〃　was　the　courteous　reply。

But　Orlando　Brotherson　was　not　himself；　not　at　all　himself　as　he　bowed　a　formal　adieu　and　　past　the　drawn…up　sentinel…like　figure　of　Mr。　Challoner；　without　a　motion　on　his　part　or　on　the　part　of　that　gentleman　to　lighten　an　exit　which　had　something　in　it　of　doom　and　dread　presage。



XXX

CHAOS


It　is　not　difficult　to　understand　Mr。　Challoner's　feelings　or　even　those　of　Doris　at　the　moment　of　Mr。　Brotherson's　departure。　　But　why　this　change　in　Brotherson　himself？　　Why　this　sense　of　something　new　and　terrible　rising　between　him　and　the　suddenly　beclouded　future？　Let　us　follow　him　to　his　lonely　hotel…room　and　see　if　we　can　solve　the　puzzle。

But　first；　does　he　understand　his　own　trouble？　　He　does　not　seem　to。　For　when；　his　hat　thrown　aside；　he　stops；　erect　and　frowning　under　the　flaring　gas…jet　he　had　no　recollection　of　lighting；　his　first　act　was　to　lift　his　hand　to　his　head　in　a　gesture　of　surprising　helplessness　for　him；　while　snatches　of　broken　sentences　fell　from　his　lips　among　which　could　be　heard：

〃What　has　come　to　me？　　Undone　in　an　hour！　　Doubly　undone！　　　First　by　a　face　and　then　by　this　thought　which　surely　the　devils　have　whispered　to　me。　　Mr。　Challoner　and　Oswald！　　What　is　the　link　between　them？　　Great　God！　　　what　is　the　link？　　Not　myself？　　Who　then　or　what？〃

Flinging　himself　into　a　chair；　he　buried　his　face　in　his　hands。　There　were　two　demons　to　fight　…　the　first　in　the　guise　of　an　angel。　Doris！　　Unknown　yesterday；　unknown　an　hour　ago；　but　now！　　Had　there　ever　been　a　day　…　an　hour　…　when　she　had　not　been　as　the　very　throb　of　his　heart；　the　light　of　his　eyes；　and　the　crown　or　all　imaginable　blisses？

He　was　startled　at　his　own　emotion　as　he　contemplated　her　image　in　his　fancy　and　listened　for　the　lost　echo　of　the　few　words　she　had　spoken　…　words　so　full　of　music　when　they　referred　to　his　brother；　so　hard　and　cold　when　she　simply　addressed　himself。

This　was　no　passing　admiration　of　youth　for　a　captivating　woman。　This　was　not　even　the　love　he　had　given　to　Edith　Challoner。　　This　was　something　springing　full…born　out　of　nothing！　　a　force　which；　for　the　first　time　in　his　life；　made　him　complaisant　to　the　natural　weaknesses　of　man！　a　dream　and　yet　a　reality　strong　enough　to　blot　out　the　past；　remake　the　present；　change　the　aspect　of　all　his　hopes；　and　outline　a　new　fate。　　He　did　not　know　himself。　　There　was　nothing　in　his　whole　history　to　give　him　an　understanding　of　such　feelings　as　these。

Can　a　man　be　seized　as　it　were　by　the　hair；　and　swung　up　on　the　slopes　of　paradise　or　down　the　steeps　of　hell　…　without　a　forewarning；　without　the　chance　even　to　say　whether　he　wished　such　a　cataclysm　in　his　life　or　no？

He；　Orlando　Brotherson；　had　never　thought　much　of　love。　　Science　had　been　his　mistress；　ambition　his　lode…star。　　Such　feeling　as　he　had　acknowledged　to　had　been　for　men　…　struggling　men；　men　who　were　down…trodden　and　gasping　in　the　narrow　bounds　of　poverty　and　helplessness。　　Miss　Challoner　had　roused　…　well；　his　pride。　　He　could　see　that　now。　　The　might　of　this　new　emotion　made　plain　many　things　he　had　passed　by　as　useless；　puerile；　unworthy　of　a　man　of　mental　calibre　and　might。　　He　had　never　loved　Edith　Challoner　at　any　moment　of　their　acquaintanceship；　though　he　had　been　sincere　in　thinking　that　he　did。　　Doris'　beauty；　the　hour　he　had　just　passed　with　her；　had　undeceived　him。

Did　he　hail　the　experience？　　　It　was　not　likely　to　bring　him　joy。　This　young　girl　whose　image　floated　in　light　before　his　eyes；　would　never　love　him。　　She　loved　his　brother。　　He　had　heard　their　names　mentioned　together　before　he　had　been　in　town　an　hour。　　Oswald；　the　cleverest　man；　Doris；　the　most　beautiful　girl　in　Western　Pen