下载辰思小说免费APP
Ihadafeelingthatheunderstoodme,notintellectually,butemotionally.Whatacompanionhemighthavebeen!MoretonandBiddymovedmeless.Theyweremorerobust,morenormal,lessintrospectiveandimaginative;Europemeantnothingtothem,buttheywerefranklydelightedandexcitedattheprospectofgoingontheocean,askingdozensofquestionsaboutthegreatship,impatienttoembark
"Ishan\'tneedallthat,Hugh,"Maudesaid,whenIhandedheraletterofcredit."I——Iintendtolivequitesimply,andmychiefexpenseswillbethechildren\'seducation.Iamgoingtogivethemthebest,ofcourse."
"Ofcourse,"Ireplied."ButIwantyoutoliveoverthereasyouhavebeenaccustomedtolivehere.It\'snotexactlygenerosityonmypart,——I
haveenough,andmorethanenough."
Shetooktheletter.
"Anotherthing——I\'dratheryoudidn\'tgotoNewYorkwithus,Hugh.I
knowyouarebusy——"
"OfcourseI\'mgoing,"Istartedtoprotest.
"No,"shewenton,firmly."I\'dratheryoudidn\'t.Thehotelpeoplewillputmeonthesteamerverycomfortably,——andthereareotherreasonswhyIdonotwishit."IdidnotinsistOntheafternoonofherdeparture,whenIcameuptown,Ifoundherpinningsomerosesonherjacket.
"PerryandLuciasentthem,"sheinformedme.Shemaintainedthefriendly,impersonalmannertotheveryend;butmysoul,aswedrovetothetrain,wasfullofun-probedwounds.Ihadhadrosesputinhercompartmentsinthecar;TomandSusanPetersweretherewithmoreroses,andlittlepresentsforthechildren.Theircheerfulnessseemedforced,andIwonderedwhethertheysuspectedthatMaude\'sabsencewouldbeprolonged.
"Writeusoften,andtellusallaboutit,dear,"saidSusan,asshesatbesideMaudeandheldherhand;TomhadBiddyonhisknee.Maudewaspale,butsmilingandcomposed.
"IhopetogetalittlevillainFrance,nearthesea,"shesaid."I\'llsendyouaphotographofit,Susan."
"AndChickabiddy,whenshecomesback,willberattlingoffFrenchlikeanative,"exclaimedTom,givingherahug.
"IhateFrench,"saidBiddy,andshelookedathimsolemnly."Iwishyouwerecomingalong,UncleTom."
Bellsresoundedthroughthegreatstation.Theporterwarnedusoff.I
kissedthechildrenonebyone,scarcelyrealizingwhatIwasdoing.I
kissedMaude.Shereceivedmyembracepassively.
"Good-bye,Hugh,"shesaid.
Ialighted,andstoodontheplatformasthetrainpulledout.Thechildrencrowdedtothewindows,butMaudedidnotappearIfoundmyselfwalkingwithTomandSusanpasthurryingtravellersandporterstotheDecaturStreetentrance,wheremyautomobilestoodwaiting.
"I\'lltakeyouhome,Susan,"Isaid.
"We\'reeversomuchobliged,Hugh,"sheanswered,"butthestreet-carsgoalmosttoferry\'sdoor.We\'rediningthere."
Hereyeswerefilledwithtears,andsheseemedtaller,moreungainlythanever——older.Asuddenimpressionofhergreatnessofheartwasbornehometome,andIgraspedthevalueofsuchruggedfriendshipashers——asTom\'s.
"Weshouldn\'tknowhowtobehaveinanautomobile,"hesaid,asthoughtosoftenherrefusal.AndIstoodwatchingtheirrecedingfiguresastheywalkedoutintothestreetandhailedthehugeelectriccarthatcametoastopbeyondthem.Aboveitswindowswaspainted"TheAshuelaTractionCompany,"alabelreminiscentofmyprofessionalactivities.ThenI
heardthechauffeurask:——
"Wheredoyouwishtogo,sir?"
"TotheClub,"Isaid.
Myroomwasready,mypersonalbelongings,myclotheshadbeenlaidout,myphotographswereonthedressing-table.Itookup,mechanically,theeveningnewspaper,butIcouldnotreadit;IthoughtofMaude,ofthechildren,memoriesflowedinuponme,——afloodnottobedammed
Presentlytheclubvaletknockedatmydoor.Hehadadinnercard.
"Willyoubedininghere,sir?"heinquired.
Iwentdownstairs.FredGriersonwastheonlymaninthedining-room.
"Hello,Hugh,"hesaid,"comeandsitdown.Ihearyourwife\'sgoneabroad."
"Yes,"Ianswered,"shethoughtshe\'dtryitinsteadoftheSouthShorethissummer."
PerhapsIimaginedthathelookedatmequeerly.IhadmadeagreatdealofmoneyoutofmyassociationwithGrierson,Ihadvaluedveryhighlybeinganimportantmemberofthegrouptowhichhebelonged;butto-
night,asIwatchedhimeatinganddrinkinggreedily,IhatedhimevenasIhatedmyself.Andafterdinner,whenhestartedtalkingwitharidiculethatwasathinlydisguisedbitternessabouttheCitizensUnionandtheirpreparationsforacampaignIlefthimandwenttobed.
Beforeaweekhadpassedmypainfulemotionshadlargelysubsided,andwithmyaccustomedresiliencyIhadregainedthefeelingofself-respectsoessentialtomyhappiness.Iwasfree.MyonlyanxietywasforNancy,whohadgonetoNewYorkthedayaftermylasttalkwithher;anditwasonlybytelephoningtoherhousethatIdiscoveredwhenshewasexpectedtoreturnIfoundhersittingbesideoneoftheopenFrenchwindowsofhersalon,gazingacrossatthewoodedhillsbeyondtheAshuela.Shewasserious,alittlepale;moreexquisite,moredesirablethanever;buthermannerimpliedthepressureofcontrol,andhervoicewasnotquitesteadyasshegreetedme.
"You\'vebeenawayalongtime,"Isaid.
"Thedressmakers,"sheanswered.Hercolourrosealittle."Ithoughtthey\'dnevergetthrough."
"Butwhydidn\'tyoudropmealine,letmeknowwhenyouwerecoming?"I
asked,takingachairbesideher,andlayingmyhandonhers.Shedrewitgentlyaway.
"What\'sthematter?"Iasked.
"I\'vebeenthinkingitallover——whatwe\'redoing.Itdoesn\'tseemright,itseemsterriblywrong."
"ButIthoughtwe\'dgoneoverallthat,"Ireplied,aspatientlyasI
could."You\'reputtingitonanold-fashioned,moralbasis."
"Buttheremustbesamebasis,"sheurged."Thereareresponsibilities,obligations——theremustbe!——thatwecan\'tgetawayfrom.Ican\'thelpfeelingthatweoughttostandbyourmistakes,andbyourbargains;wemadeachoice——it\'scheating,s
