initials only-第38部分

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nees　in　an　unconscious　appeal　for　strength。　If　that　one　sad　revelation　had　been　all！

But　the　rest　must　be　told；　his　brother　exacted　it　and　so　did　the　situation。　　Further　waiting；　further　hiding　of　the　truth　would　be　insupportable　after　this。　　But　oh；　the　bitterness　of　it！　　No　wonder　that　she　turned　away　from　those　frenzied；　wildly…demanding　eyes。

〃Doris？〃

She　trembled　and　looked　behind　her。　　She　had　not　recognised　his　voice。　　Had　another　entered？　　Had　his　brother　dared　…　No；　they　were　alone；　seemingly　so；　that　is。　　She　knew；…　no　one　better　…　that　they　were　not　really　alone；　that　witnesses　were　within　hearing；　if　not　within　sight。

〃Doris；〃　he　urged　again；　and　this　time　she　turned　in　his　direction　and　gazed；　aghast。　　If　the　voice　were　strange；　what　of　the　face　which　now　confronted　her。　　The　ravages　of　sickness　had　been　marked；　but　they　were　nothing　to　those　made　in　an　instant　by　a　blasting　grief。　　She　was　startled；　although　expecting　much；　and　could　only　press　his　hands　while　she　waited　for　the　question　he　was　gathering　strength　to　utter。　　It　was　simple　when　it　came；　just　two　words：

〃How　long？〃

She　answered　them　as　simply。

〃Just　as　long　as　you　have　been　ill；〃　said　she；　then；　with　no　attempt　to　break　the　inevitable　shock；　she　went　on：　Miss　Challoner　was　struck　dead　and　you　were　taken　down　with　typhoid　on　the　self…same　day。〃

〃Struck　dead！　　Why　do　you　use　that　word；　struck？　　Struck　dead！　　she；　a　young　woman。　　Oh；　Doris；　an　accident！　　My　darling　has　been　killed　in　an　accident！　　　　〃They　do　not　call　it　accident。　　They　call　it　what　it　never　was。　What　it　never　was；〃　she　insisted；　pressing　him　back　with　frightened　hands；　as　he　strove　to　rise。　　〃　Miss　Challoner　was　…〃　　How　nearly　the　word　shot　had　left　her　lips。　　How　fiercely　above　all　else；　in　that　harrowing　moment　had　risen　the　desire　to　fling　the　accusation　of　that　word　into　the　ears　of　him　who　listened　from　his　secret　hiding…place。　　But　she　refrained　out　of　compassion　for　the　man　she　loved；　and　declared　instead；　〃Miss　Challoner　died　from　a　wound；　how　given；　why　given；　no　one　knows。　　I　had　rather　have　died　myself　than　have　to　tell　you　this。　　Oh；　Mr。　Brotherson；　speak；　sob；　do　anything　but　…〃

She　started　back；　dropping　his　hands　as　she　did　so。　　With　quick　intuition　she　saw　that　he　must　be　left　to　himself　if　he　were　to　meet　this　blow　without　succumbing。　　The　body　must　have　freedom　if　the　spirit　would　not　go　mad。　　Conscious；　or　perhaps　not　conscious；　of　his　release　from　her　restraining　hand；　albeit　profiting　by　it；　he　staggered　to　his　feet；　murmuring　that　word　of　doom：　〃Wound！　wound！　　my　darling　died　of　a　wound！　　What　kind　of　a　wound？〃　　he　suddenly　thundered　out。　　〃I　cannot　understand　what　you　mean　by　wound。　　Make　it　clear　to　me。　　Make　it　clear　to　me　at　once。　　If　I　must　bear　this　grief；　let　me　know　its　whole　depth。　　Leave　nothing　to　my　imagination　or　I　cannot　answer　for　myself。　　Tell　it　all；　Doris。〃

And　Doris　told　him：

〃She　was　on　the　mezzanine　floor　of　the　hotel　where　she　lives。　　She　was　seemingly　happy　and　had　been　writing　a　letter　…　a　letter　to　me　which　they　never　forwarded。　　There　was　no　one　else　by　but　some　strangers　…　good　people　whom　one　must　believe。　　She　was　crossing　the　floor　when　suddenly　she　threw　up　her　hands　and　fell。　　A　thin；　narrow　paper…cutter　was　in　her　grasp；　and　it　flew　into　the　lobby。　Some　say　she　struck　herself　with　that　cutter；　for　when　they　picked　her　up　they　found　a　wound　in　her　breast　which　that　cutter　might　have　made。〃

〃Edith？　　never！〃

The　words　were　chokingly　said；　he　was　swaying；　almost　falling；　but　he　steadied　himself。

〃Who　says　that？〃　he　asked。

〃It　was　the　coroner's　verdict。〃

〃And　she　died　that　way　…　died？〃

〃Immediately。〃

〃After　writing　to　you？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃What　was　in　that　letter？〃

〃Nothing　of　threat；　they　say。　　Only　just　cheer　and　expressions　of　hope。　　Just　like　the　others；　Mr。　Brotherson。〃

〃And　they　accuse　her　of　taking　her　own　life？　　Their　verdict　is　a　lie。　　They　did　not　know　her。〃

Then；　after　some　moments　of　wild　and　confused　feeling；　he　declared；　with　a　desperate　effort　at　self…control：　〃You　said　that　some　believe　this。　　Then　there　must　be　others　who　do　not。　　What　do　they　say？〃

〃Nothing。　　They　simply　feel　as　you　do。　　They　see　no　reason　for　the　act　and　no　evidence　of　her　having　meditated　it。　　Her　father　and　her　friend　insist　besides；　that　she　was　incapable　of　such　a　horror。　　The　mystery　of　it　is　killing　us　all；　me　above　others；　for　I've　had　to　show　you　a　cheerful　face；　with　my　brain　reeling　and　my　heart　like　lead　in　my　bosom。〃　

She　held　out　her　hands。　　She　tried　to　draw　his　attention　to　herself；　not　from　any　sentiment　of　egotism；　but　to　break；　if　she　could；　the　strain　of　these　insupportable　horrors　where　so　short　a　time　before　Hope　sang　and　Life　revelled　in　re…awakened　joys。

Perhaps　some　faint　realisation　of　this　reached　him；　for　presently　he　caught　her　by　the　hands　and　bowed　his　head　upon　her　shoulder　and　finally　let　her　seat　him　again；　before　he　said：

〃Do　they　know　of　…　of　my　interest　in　this？〃

〃Yes；　they　know　about　the　two　0。　B。s。〃

〃The　two　…〃　　He　was　on　his　feet　again；　but　only　for　a　moment；　his　weakness　was　greater　than　his　will　power。

〃Orlando　and　Oswald　Brotherson；〃　she　explained；　in　answer　to　his　broken　appeal。　　〃Your　brother　wrote　letters　to　her　as　well　as　you；　and　signed　them　just　as　you　did；　with　his　initials　only。　　These　letters　were　found　in　her　desk；　and　he　was　supposed；　for　a　time；　to　have　been　the　author　of　all　that　were　so　signed。　　But　they　found　out　the　difference　after　awhile。　　Yours　were　easily　recognised　after　they　learned　there　was　another　O。　B。　who　loved　her。〃

The　words　were　plain　enough；　but　the　stricken　listener　did　not　take　them　in。　　They　carried　no　meaning　to　him。　　How　should　they？　　The　very　idea　she　sought　to　impress　upon　him　by　this　seemingly　careless　allusion　was　an　incredible　one。　　She　found　it　her　dreadful　task　to　tell　him　the　hard；　bare　truth。

〃Your　brother；〃　said　she；　〃was　devoted　to　Miss　Challoner；　too。　　He　even　wanted　to　marry　her。　　I　cannot　keep　back　this　fact。　　It　is　known　everywhere；　and　by　everybody　but　you。

〃Orlando？〃　　His　lips　took　an　ironical　curve；　as　he　uttered　the　word。　This　was　a　young　girl's　imaginative　fancy　to　him。　　〃Why　Orlando　never　knew　her；　never　saw　her；　never　…〃

〃He　met　her　at　Lenox。〃

The　name　produced　its　effect。　　He　stared；　made　an　effort　to　think；　repeated　Lenox　over　to　himself；　then　suddenly　lost　his　hold　upon　the　idea　which　that　word　suggested；　struggled　again　for　it；　seized　it　in　an　instant　of　madness　and　shouted　out：

〃Yes；　yes；　I　remember。　　I　sent　him　there　…〃　and　paused；　his　mind　blank　again。

Poor　Doris；　frightened　to　her　very　soul；　looked　blindly　about　for　help；　but　she　did　not　quit　his　side；　she　did　not　dare　to；　for　his　lips　had　reopened；　the　continuity　of　his　thoughts　had　returned；　he　was　going　to　speak。

〃I　sent　him　there。〃　　The　words　came　in　a　sort　of　shout。　　〃I　was　so　hungry　to　hear　of　her　and　I　thought　he　might　mention　her　in　his　letter。　　Insane！　　Insane！　　He　saw　her　and　…　What's　that　you　said　about　his　loving　her？　　He　couldn't　have　loved　her；　he's　not　of　the　loving　sort。　　They've　deceived　you　with　strange　tales。　　They've　deceived　the　whole　world　with　fancies　and　mad　dreams。　　He　may　have　admired　her；　but　loved　her；　…　no！　　or　if　he　had；　he　would　have　respected　my　claims。〃

〃He　did　not　know　them。〃

A　laugh；　a　laugh　which　paled　Doris'　cheek；　them　his　tones　grew　even　again；　memory　came　back　and　he　muttered　faintly：

〃That　is　true。　　I　said　nothing　to　him。　　He　had　the　right　to　court　her　…　and　he　did；　you　say；　wrote：　to　her；　imposed　himself　upon　her；　drove　her　mad　with　importunities　she　was　forced　to　rebuke；　and　…　and　what　else？　　There　is　something　else。　　Tell　me　；　I　will　know　it　all。〃

He　was　standing　now；　his　feebleness　all　gone；　passion　in　every　lineament　and　his　eye　alive　and　feverish；　with　emotion。　　〃Tell　me；〃　he　repeated；　with　unrestrained　vehemence。　　〃　Tell　me　all。　　Kill　me　with　sorrow　but　save　me　from　being　unjust。〃

〃He　wrote　her　a　letter；　it　frightened　her。　　He　followed　it　up　by　a　visit　…〃

Doris　paused；　the　sentence　hung　suspended。　　She　had　heard　a　step　　…　a　hand　on　the　door。

Orlando　had　entered　the　room。



XXXIII

ALONE


Oswald　had　heard　nothing；　seen　nothing。　　But　he　took　note　of　Doris'　silence；　and　turning　towards　her　in　frenzy　saw　what　had　happened；　and　so　was　in　a　measure　prepared　for　the　stern；　short　sentence　which　now　rang　through　the　room：

〃Wait；　Miss　Scott！　　you　tell　the　story　badly。　　Let　him　listen　to　me。　》From　my　mouth　only　shall　he　hear　the　stern　and　seemingly　unnatural　part　I　played　in　this　family　tragedy。〃

The　face　of　Oswald　hardened。　　Those　pliant　features　…　beloved　for　their　gracious　kindliness　…　set　themselves　in　lines　which　altered　them　almost　beyond　recognition；　but　his　voice　was　not　without　some　of　its　natural　sweetness；　as；　after　a　long　and　hollow　look　at　the　other's　composed　countenance；　he　abruptly　exclaimed：

〃Speak！　　I　am　bound　to　listen；　you　are　my　brother。〃

Orlando　turned　towards　Doris。　　She　was　slipping　away。

〃Don't　go；〃　said　he。

But　she　was　gone。

Slowly　he　turned　back。

Oswald　raised　his　hand　and　checked　the　words　with　which　he　would　have　begun　his　story。

〃Never　mind　the　beginnings；〃　said　he。　　〃Doris　has　told　all　that。　You　saw　Miss　Challoner　in　Lenox　…　admired　her　…　offered　yourself　to　her　and　afterwards　wrote　her　a　threatening　letter　because　she　rejected　you。〃

〃It　is　true。　　Other　men　have　followed　just　such　unworthy　impulses　　…　and　been　ashamed　and　sorry　afterwards。　　I　was　sorry　and　I　was　ashamed；　and　as　soon　as　my　first　anger　was　over　went　to　tell　her　so。　But　she　mistook　my　purpose　and　…〃

〃And　what？〃

Orlando　hesitated。　　Even　his　iron　nature　trembled　before　the　misery　he　saw　…　a　misery　he　was　destined　to　augment　rather　than　soothe。　With　pains　altogether　out　of　keeping　with　his　character；　he　sought　in　the　recesses　of　his　darkened　mind　for　words　less　bitter　and　less　abrupt　than　those　which　sprang　involuntarily　to　his　lips。　　But　he　did　not　find　them。　　Though　he　pitied　his　brother　and　wished　to　show　that　he　did；　nothing　but　the　stern　language　suitable　to　the　stern　fact　he　wished　to　impart；　would　leave　his　lips。

〃And　ended　the　pitiful　struggle　of　the　moment　with　one　quick；　unpremeditated　blow；〃　was　wha