rs.undertheandes-第3部分

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　Was　she　beautiful？　How　well　did　I　know　her？　Would　I　take　him　to　see　her？
　And　within　half　an　hour　the　last　question　was　repeated　so　many　times　and　with　such　insistence　that　I　finally　consented　and　left　Harry　delighted　beyond　words。
　My　own　experience　with　Desiree　Le　Mire　had　been　anything　but　exciting。　The　woman　was　interesting；　there　could　be　no　doubt　of　that；　but　she　possessed　little　attraction　for　me。　Her　charms；　on　close　inspection；　were　really　quite　too　evident。
　I　require　subtlety　in　a　woman；　and　so　far　as　I　could　discover　Le　Mire　knew　not　the　meaning　of　the　word。　We　had　spent　many　hours　during　the　trip　across　in　pleasant　panionship；　she　had　done　me　the　honor　to　tell　me　that　she　found　my　conversation　amusing；　and；　after　all；　she　was　undeniably　a　pretty　woman。　She　had　invited　me　with　evident　sincerity　to　call　on　her　in　New　York；　but　I　had　not　as　yet　taken　advantage　of　the　invitation。
　I　did　not　then　think；　and　I　do　not　now　believe；　that　I　acted　foolishly　when　I　took　Harry　to　see　her。　In　any　event；　he　would　have　seen　her　sooner　or　later；　and　since　all　temptations　meet　us　at　one　time　or　another；　it　is　best　to　have　it　out　with　them　at　as　early　a　date　as　possible。　At　the　time；　indeed；　I　gave　the　subject　no　thought　whatever；　but　if　I　had　I　should　not　have　hesitated。
　We　took　tea　with　her　the　following　afternoon　in　her　apartment；　and　I　must　confess　that　I　myself　was　more　than　a　little　impressed　when　I　entered。　I　realized　then　that　on　the　ship　nothing　had　been　in　her　favor；　she　had　been　pletely　out　of　her　element；　and　she　was　not　a　good　sailor。
　Here　all　was　different。　The　stiffly　ostentatious　hotel　rooms；　by　her　own　genius　or　that　of　her　maid；　had　been　transformed　into　something　very　nearly　approaching　perfection。　I　was　amazed　at　the　excellent　taste　displayed　in　her　furniture　and　its　arrangement；　for　it　was　clear　that　these　were　no　hotel　properties。　Certainly　a　woman　is　at　her　best　only　when　she　is　able　to　choose　or　create　her　own　surroundings。
　Harry　was　captivated；　and　I　can　scarcely　blame　him。　But　the　poor　lad　betrayed　himself　so　frankly！　Though　I　suppose　Le　Mire　was　more　or　less　accustomed　to　immediate　surrender。
　On　that　day；　at　least；　she　had　reason　to　expect　it。　She　satisfied　the　eye；　which　is　saying　a　great　deal　and　is　the　highest　praise　possible　for　a　woman's　beauty；　when　you　consider　the　full　strength　of　the　word。
　She　was　radiant；　adorable；　irresistible；　I　had　to　own　that　my　first　impression　of　her　had　been　far　too　weak。
　We　talked　for　an　hour。　Harry　had　little　to　say　as　he　sat　devouring　Le　Mire　with　his　eyes；　and　whenever　she　turned　to　him　for　an　answer　to　a　question　or　confirmation　of　an　opinion　he　stammered　and　kept　his　posure　with　difficulty。　Never；　I　suppose；　did　woman　have　clearer　evidence　of　her　power；　nor　sweeter；　for　Harry　was　by　no　means　a　fool　to　be　carried　away　by　the　first　pretty　face　that　came　in　his　way。
　She　simply　overwhelmed　him；　and　I　repeat　that　I　do　not　wonder　at　it；　for　my　own　pulse　was　not　exactly　steady。　She　asked　us　to　dine　with　her。
　I　pleaded　an　engagement　at　the　club　and　signed　to　Harry　to　do　likewise；　but　he　was　pletely　gone　and　paid　no　attention　to　me。
　He　accepted　the　invitation　gratefully；　with　frank　delight；　and　I　left　them　together。
　It　was　about　ten　o'clock　when　he　came　home　that　evening。　I　was　seated　in　the　library　and；　hearing　him　enter　the　hall；　called　to　him。
　What　a　face　was　his！　His　lips　trembled　with　nervous　feeling；　his　eyes　glowed　like　the　eyes　of　a　madman。　I　half　started　from　my　chair　in　amazement。
　〃I　have　no　time；〃　said　he　in　answer　to　my　invitation　to　join　me　with　a　bottle。　〃I　have　a　letter　or　two　to　write；　and…and　I　must　get　some　sleep。〃
　〃Did　you　just　leave　Le　Mire？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　I　looked　at　my　watch。
　〃What　under　the　sun　did　you　find　to　talk　about？〃
　〃Oh；　anything…nothing。　I　say；　she's　charming。〃
　His　essay　at　indifference　was　amusing。
　〃You　find　her　so？〃
　〃Rather。〃
　〃She　seems　to　have　taken　a　fancy　to　you。〃
　Harry　actually　grew　red。
　〃Hardly；〃　he　said；　but　there　was　hope　in　the　word。
　〃She　is　hardly　your　kind；　Harry。　You　know　that。　You　aren't　going　in　for　this　sort　of　thing？〃
　〃This　sort…I　don't　know　what　you　mean。〃
　〃Yes；　you　do；　Hal。　You　know　exactly　what　I　mean。　To　put　the　thing　plainly；　Le　Mire　is　a　dangerous　woman…none　more　so　in　all　the　world；　and；　Harry　boy；　be　sure　you　keep　your　head　and　watch　your　step。〃
　He　stood　for　a　moment　looking　at　me　in　silence　with　a　half…angry　frown；　then　opened　his　mouth　as　though　to　speak；　and　finally　turned；　without　a　word；　and　started　for　the　door。　There　he　turned　again　uncertainly；　hesitating。
　〃I　am　to　ride　with　Desiree　in　the　morning；〃　said　he；　and　the　next　moment　was　gone。
　〃Desiree！〃
　He　called　her　Desiree！
　I　think　I　smiled　for　an　hour　over　that；　and；　though　my　reflections　were　not　free　from　apprehension；　I　really　felt　but　little　anxiety。　Not　that　I　underrated　Le　Mire's　fascination　and　power；　to　confess　the　truth；　my　ease　of　mind　was　the　result　of　my　own　vanity。　Le　Mire　had　flattered　me　into　the　belief　that　she　was　my　friend。
　A　week　passed…a　dull　week；　during　which　I　saw　little　of　Harry　and　Le　Mire　not　at　all。　At　the　time；　I　remember；　I　was　interested　in　some　chemical　experiments…I　am　a　dabbler　with　the　tubes…and　went　out　but　little。　Then…this　was　on　Friday…Harry　sought　me　out　in　the　laboratory　to　tell　me　he　was　going　away。　In　answer　to　my　question；　〃Where？〃　he　said；　〃I　don't　know。〃
　〃How　long　will　you　be　gone？〃
　〃Oh；　a　week…perhaps　a　month。〃
　I　looked　at　him　keenly；　but　said　nothing。　It　would　have　done　no　good　to　force　him　into　an　equivocation　by　questions。　Early　the　next　morning　he　departed；　with　three　trunks；　and　with　no　further　word　to　me　save　a　farewell。　No　sooner　was　he　gone　than　I　started　for　the　telephone　to　call　up　Le　Mire；　but　thought　better　of　it　and　with　a　shrug　of　the　shoulders　returned　to　the　laboratory。
　It　was　the　following　Monday　that　was　to　see　the　first　appearance　of　Le　Mire　at　the　Stuyvesant。　I　had　not　thought　of　going；　but　on　Monday　afternoon　Billy　Du　Mont　telephoned　me　that　he　had　an　extra　ticket　and　would　like　to　have　me　join　him。　I　was　really　a　little　curious　to　see　Le　Mire　perform　and　accepted。
　We　dined　at　the　club　and　arrived　at　the　theater　rather　late。
　The　audience　was　brilliant；　indeed；　though　I　had　been　an　ardent　first…nighter　for　a　year　or　two　in　my　callow　youth；　I　think　I　have　never　seen　such　a　representation　of　fashion　and　genius　in　America；　except　at　the　opera。
　Billy　and　I　sat　in　the　orchestra…about　the　twelfth　row…and　half　the　faces　in　sight　were　well　known　to　me。　Whether　Le　Mire　could　dance　or　not；　she　most　assuredly　was；　or　had；　a　good　press…agent。　We　were　soon　to　receive　an　exemplification　of　at　least　a　portion　of　the　reputation　that　had　preceded　her。
　Many　were　the　angry　adjectives　heaped　on　the　head　of　the　dancer　on　that　memorable　evening。　Mrs。　Frederick　Marston；　I　remember；　called　her　an　insolent　hussy；　but　then　Mrs。　Frederick　Marston　was　never　original。　Others：　rash；　impudent；　saucy；　impertinent；　in　each　instance　acpanied　by　threats。
　Indeed；　it　is　little　wonder　if　those　people　of　fashion　and　wealth　and　position　were　indignant　and　sore。　For　they　had　dressed　and　dined　hastily　and　e　all　the　way　down…town　to　see　Le　Mire；　they　waited　for　her　for　two　hours　and　a　half　in　stuffy　theater　seats；　and　Le　Mire　did　not　appear。
　The　announcement　was　finally　made　by　the　manager　of　the　theater　at　a　little　before　eleven…o'clock。　He　could　not　understand；　he　said…the　poor　fellow　was　on　the　point　of　wringing　his　hands　with　agitation　and　despair…he　could　not　understand　why　the　dancer　did　not　arrive。
　She　had　rehearsed　in　the　theater　on　the　previous　Thursday　afternoon；　and　had　then　seemed　to　have　every　intention　of　fulfilling　her　engagement。　No　one　connected　with　the　theater　had　seen　her　since　that　time；　but　everything　had　gone　smoothly；　they　had　had　no　reason　to　fear　such　a　contretemps　as　her　nonappearance。
　They　had　sent　to　her　hotel；　she　was　gone；　bag　and　baggage。
　She　had　departed　on　Friday；　leaving　no　word　as　to　her　destination。
　They　had　asked　the　police；　the　hotels；　the　railroads；　the　steamship　panies…and　could　find　no　trace　of　her。
　The　manager　only　hoped…he　hoped　with　all　his　heart…that　his　frank　and　unreserved　explanation　would　appease　his　kind　patrons　and　prevent　their　resentment；　that　they　would　understand…　I　made　my　way　out　of　the　theater　as　rapidly　as　possible；　with　Billy　Du　Mont　at　my　side；　and　started　north　on　Broadway。
　My　panion　was　laughing　unrestrainedly。
　〃What　a　joke！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃And　gad；　what　a　woman！　She　es　in　and　turns　the　town　upside　down　and　then　leaves　it　standing　on　its　head。　What　wouldn't　I　give　to　know　her！〃
　I　nodded；　but　said　nothing。　At　Forty…Second　Street　we　turned　east　to　Fifth　Avenue；　and　a　few　minutes　later　were　at　the　club。
　I　took　Du　Mont　to　a　secluded　corner　of　the　grill；　and　there；　with　a　bottle　of　wine　between　us；　I　spoke。
　〃Billy；〃　said　I；　〃there's　the　deuce　to　pay。　You're　an　old　friend　of　mine；　and　you　possess　a　share　of　discretion；　and　you've　got　to　help　me。　Le　Mire　is　gone。　I　must　find　her。〃
　〃Find　Le　Mire？〃　He　stared　at　me　in　amazement。　〃What　for？〃
　〃Because　my　brother　Harry　is　with　her。〃
　Then　I　explained　in　as　few　words　as　possible；　and　I　ended；　I　think；　with　something　like　this：
　〃You　know；　Billy；　there　are　very　few　things　in　the　world　I　consider　of　any　value。　She　can　have　the　lad's　money；　and；　if　necessary；　my　own　into　the　bargain。　But　the　name　of　Lamar　must　remain　clean；　and　I　tell　you　there　is　more　than　a　name　in　danger。
　Whoever　that　woman　touches　she　kills。　And　Harry　is　only　a　boy。〃
　Billy　helped　me；　as　I　knew　he　would；　nor　did　he　insist　on　unnecessary　details。　I　didn't　need　his　assistance　in　the　search；　for　I　felt　that　I　could　acplish　that　as　well　alone。
　But　it　was　certainly　known　that　Harry　had　been　calling　on　Le　Mire　at　her　hotel；　conjectures　were　sure　to　be　made；　leading　to　the　assertions　of　busy　tongues；　and　it　was　the　part　of　my　friend　to　counteract　and　smother　the　inevitable　gossip。　This　he　promised　to　do；　and　I　knew　Billy。　As　for　finding　Harry；　it　was　too　late　to　do　anything　that　night；　and　I　went　home　and　to　bed。
　The　next　morning　I　began　by　calling　at　her　hotel。　But　though　the　manager　of　the　theater　had　gotten　no　informat