the conflict-第1节

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The　Conflict

by　David　Graham　Phillips



I


Four　years　at　Wellesley；　two　years　about　equally　divided　among　Paris；　Dresden　and　Florence。　　And　now　Jane　Hastings　was　at　home　again。　　At　home　in　the　unchanged　housespacious；　old…fashionedlooking　down　from　its　steeply　sloping　lawns　and　terraced　gardens　upon　the　sooty；　smoky　activities　of　Remsen　City；　looking　out　upon　a　charming　panorama　of　hills　and　valleys　in　the　heart　of　South　Central　Indiana。　　Six　years　of　striving　in　the　East　and　abroad　to　satisfy　the　restless　energy　she　inherited　from　her　father；　and　here　she　was；　as　restless　as　everyet　with　everything　done　that　a　woman　could　do　in　the　way　of　an　active　career。　　She　looked　back　upon　her　years　of　elaborate　preparation；　she　looked　forward　uponnothing。　　That　is；　nothing　but　marriagedropping　her　name；　dropping　her　personality；　disappearing　in　the　personality　of　another。　　She　had　never　seen　a　man　for　whom　she　would　make　such　a　sacrifice；　she　did　not　believe　that　such　a　man　existed。

She　meditated　bitterly　upon　that　cruel　arrangement　of　Nature's　whereby　the　father　transmits　his　vigorous　qualities　in　twofold　measure　to　the　daughter；　not　in　order　that　she　may　be　a　somebody；　but　solely　in　order　that　she　may　transmit　them　to　sons。　　‘‘I　don't　believe　it；''　she　decided。　　‘‘There's　something　for　ME　to　do。''　　But　what？　　She　gazed　down　at　Remsen　City；　connected　by　factories　and　pierced　from　east；　west　and　south　by　railways。　　She　gazed　out　over　the　fields　and　woods。　　Yes；　there　must　be　something　for　her　besides　merely　marrying　and　breedingjust　as　much　for　her　as　for　a　man。　　But　what？　　If　she　should　marry　a　man　who　would　let　her　rule　him；　she　would　despise　him。　　If　she　should　marry　a　man　she　could　respecta　man　who　was　of　the　master　class　like　her　fatherhow　she　would　hate　him　for　ignoring　her　and　putting　her　in　her　ordained　inferior　feminine　place。　　She　glanced　down　at　her　skirts　with　an　angry　sense　of　enforced　masquerade。　　And　then　she　laughed　for　she　had　a　keen　sense　of　humor　that　always　came　to　her　rescue　when　she　was　in　danger　of　taking　herself　too　seriously。

Through　the　foliage　between　her　and　the　last　of　the　stretches　of　highroad　winding　up　from　Remsen　City　she　spied　a　man　climbing　in　her　directiona　long；　slim　figure　in　cap；　Norfolk　jacket　and　knickerbockers。　　Instantlyand　long　before　he　saw　herthere　was　a　grotesque　whisking　out　of　sight　of　the　serious　personality　upon　which　we　have　been　intruding。　　In　its　stead　there　stood　ready　to　receive　the　young　man　a　woman　of　the　type　that　possesses　physical　charm　and　knows　how　to　use　itand　does　not　scruple　to　use　it。　　For　a　woman　to　conquer　man　by　physical　charm　is　far　and　away　the　easiest；　the　most　fleeting　and　the　emptiest　of　victories。　　But　for　woman　thus　to　conquer　without　herself　yielding　anything　whatsoever；　even　so　little　as　an　alluring　glance　of　the　eyethat　is　quite　another　matter。　　It　was　this　sort　of　conquest　that　Jane　Hastings　delighted　inand　sought　to　gain　with　any　man　who　came　within　range。　　If　the　men　had　known　what　she　was　about；　they　would　have　denounced　her　conduct　as　contemptible　and　herself　as　immoral；　even　brazen。　　But　in　their　innocence　they　accused　only　their　sophisticated　and　superbly　masculine　selves　and　regarded　her　as　the　soul　of　innocence。　　This　was　the　more　absurd　in　them　because　she　obviously　excelled　in　the　feminine　art　of　inviting　display　of　charm。　　To　glance　at　her　was　to　realize　at　once　the　beauty　of　her　figure；　the　exceeding　grace　of　her　long　back　and　waist。　　A　keen　observer　would　have　seen　the　mockery　lurking　in　her　light…brown　eyes；　and　about　the　corners　of　her　full　red　lips。

She　arranged　her　thick　dark　hair　to　make　a　secret；　half…　revealed　charm　of　her　fascinating　pink　ears　and　to　reveal　in　dazzling　unexpectedness　the　soft；　round　whiteness　of　the　nape　of　her　neck。

Because　you　are　thus　let　into　Miss　Hastings'　naughty　secret；　so　well　veiled　behind　an　air　of　earnest　and　almost　cold　dignity；　you　must　not　do　her　the　injustice　of　thinking　her　unusually　artful。　　Such　artfulness　is　common　enough；　it　secures　husbands　by　the　thousand　and　by　the　tens　of　thousands。　　No；　only　in　the　skill　of　artfulness　was　Miss　Hastings　unusual。

As　the　long　strides　of　the　tall；　slender　man　brought　him　rapidly　nearer；　his　face　came　into　plain　view。　　A　refined；　handsome　face；　dark　and　serious。　　He　had　dark…brown　eyesand　Miss　Hastings　did　not　like　brown　eyes　in　a　man。　　She　thought　that　men　should　have　gray　or　blue　or　greenish　eyes；　and　if　they　were　cruel　in　their　love　of　power　she　liked　it　the　better。

‘‘Hello；　Dave；''　she　cried　in　a　pleasant；　friendly　voice。　　She　was　posedin　the　most　unconscious　of　attitudes　upon　a　rustic　bench　so　that　her　extraordinary　figure　was　revealed　at　its　most　attractive。

The　young　man　halted　before　her；　his　breath　coming　quicklynot　altogether　from　the　exertion　of　his　steep　and　rapid　climb。　　‘‘Jen；　I'm　mad　about　you；''　he　said；　his　brown　eyes　soft　and　luminous　with　passion。　　‘‘I've　done　nothing　but　think　about　you　in　the　week　you've　been　back。　　I　didn't　sleep　last　night；　and　I've　come　up　here　as　early　as　I　dared　to　tell　youto　ask　you　to　marry　me。''

He　did　not　see　the　triumph　she　felt；　the　joy　in　having　subdued　another　of　these　insolently　superior　males。　　Her　eyes　were　discreetly　veiled；　her　delightful　mouth　was　arranged　to　express　sadness。

‘‘I　thought　I　was　an　ambition　incarnate；''　continued　the　young　man；　unwittingly　adding　to　her　delight　by　detailing　how　brilliant　her　conquest　was。　　‘‘I've　never　cared　a　rap　about　womenuntil　I　saw　you。　　I　was　all　for　politicsfor　trying　to　do　something　to　make　my　fellow　men　the　better　for　my　having　lived。　　Nowit's　all　gone。　　I　want　you；　Jen。　　Nothing　else　matters。''

As　he　paused；　gazing　at　her　in　speechless　longing；　she　lifted　her　eyessimply　a　glance。　　With　a　stifled　cry　he　darted　forward；　dropped　beside　her　on　the　bench　and　tried　to　enfold　her　in　his　arms。　　The　veins　stood　out　in　his　forehead；　the　expression　of　his　eyes　was　terrifying。

She　shrank；　sprang　up。　　His　baffled　hands　had　not　even　touched　her。　　‘‘David　Hull！''　she　cried；　and　the　indignation　and　the　repulsion　in　her　tone　and　in　her　manner　were　not　simulated；　though　her　artfulness　hastened　to　make　real　use　of　them。　　She　loved　to　rouse　men　to　frenzy。　　She　knew　that　the　sight　of　their　frenzy　would　chill　herwould　fill　her　with　an　emotion　that　would　enable　her　to　remain　mistress　of　the　situation。

At　sight　of　her　aversion　his　eyes　sank。　　‘‘Forgive　me；''　he　muttered。　　‘‘You　make　meCRAZY。''

‘‘I！''　she　cried；　laughing　in　angry　derision。　　‘‘What　have　I　ever　done　to　encourage　you　to　beimpertinent？''

‘‘Nothing；''　he　admitted。　　‘‘That　is；　nothing　but　just　being　yourself。''

‘‘I　can't　help　that；　can　I？''

‘‘No；''　said　he；　adding　doggedly：　　‘‘But　neither　can　men　help　going　crazy　about　you。''

She　looked　at　him　sitting　there　at　once　penitent　and　impenitent；　and　her　mind　went　back　to　the　thoughts　that　had　engaged　it　before　he　came　into　view。　　Marriage　to　marry　one　of　these　men；　with　their　coarse　physical　ideas　of　women；　with　their　pitiful　weakness　before　an　emotion　that　seemed　to　her　to　have　no　charm　whatever。　　And　these　were　the　creatures　who　ruled　the　world　and　compelled　women　to　be　their　playthings　and　mere　appendages！　　Wellno　doubt　it　was　the　women's　own　fault；　for　were　they　not　a　poor；　spiritless　lot；　trembling　with　fright　lest　they　should　not　find　a　man　to　lean　on　and　then；　having　found　the　man；　settling　down　into　fat　and　stupid　vacuity　or　playing　the　cat　at　the　silly　game　of　social　position？　　But　not　Jane　Hastings！　　Her　bosom　heaved　and　her　eyes　blazed　scorn　as　she　looked　at　this　person　who　had　dared　think　the　touch　of　his　coarse　hands　would　be　welcome。　　Welcome！

‘‘And　I　have　been　thinking　what　a　delightful　friendship　ours　was；''　said　she；　disgustedly。　　‘‘And　all　the　time；　your　talk　about　your　ambitionthe　speeches　you　were　going　to　makethe　offices　you　were　going　to　hold　the　good　you　were　going　to　do　in　purifying　politics　it　was　all　a　blind！''

‘‘All　a　blind；''　admitted　he。　　‘‘From　the　first　night　that　you　came　to　our　house　to　dinnerJen；　I'll　never　forget　that　dress　you　woreor　the　way　you　looked　in　it。''

Miss　Jane　had　thought　extremely　well　of　that　toilet　herself。　　She　had　heard　how　impervious　this　David　Hull；　the　best　catch　in　the　town；　was　to　feminine　charm；　and　she　had　gone　prepared　to　give　battle。　　But　she　said　dejectedly；　‘‘You　don't　know　what　a　shock　you've　given　me。''

‘‘Yes；　I　do；''　cried　he。　　‘‘I'm　ashamed　of　myself。　　But　I　love　you；　Jen！　　Can't　you　learn　to　love　me？''

‘‘I　hadn't　even　thought　of　you　in　that　way；''　said　she。　　‘‘I　haven't　bothered　my　head　about　marriage。　　Of　course；　most　girls　have　to　think　about　it；　because　they　must　get　some　one　to　support　them''

‘‘I　wish　to　God　you　were　one　of　that　sort；''　interrupted　he。　　‘‘Then　I　could　have　some　hope。''

‘‘Hope　of　what；''　said　she　disdainfully。　　‘‘You　don't　mean　that　you'd　marry　a　girl　who　was　marrying　you　because　she　had　to　have　food；　clothing　and　shelter？''

‘‘I'd　marry　the　woman　I　loved。　　ThenI'd　MAKE　her　love　me。　　She　simply　couldn't　help　it。''

Jane　Hastings　shuddered。　　‘‘Thank　heaven；　I　don't　have　to　marry！''　　Her　eyes　flashed。　　‘‘But　I　wouldn't；　even　if　I　were　poor。　　I'd　rather　go　to　work。　　Why　shouldn't　a　woman　work；　anyhow？''

‘‘At　what？''　inquired