the pit-第26节

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〃Of　course；　Landry；　I　understand。〃

He　thrilled　at　once。

〃Ah；〃　he　cried；　〃you　don't　know　what　it　_means_　to　me　to　look　into　the　eyes　of　a　woman　who　really　understands。〃

Laura　stared；　wondering　just　what　she　had　said。

〃Will　you　turn　this　hall　light　out　for　me；　Landry？〃　she　asked。　　〃I　never　can　reach。〃

He　left　the　front　door　open　and　extinguished　the　jet　in　its　dull　red　globe。　　Promptly　they　were　involved　in　darkness。

〃Good…night；〃　she　said。　　〃Isn't　it　dark？〃

He　stretched　out　his　hand　to　take　hers；　but　instead　his　groping　fingers　touched　her　waist。　　Suddenly　Laura　felt　his　arm　clasp　her。　　Then　all　at　once；　before　she　had　time　to　so　much　as　think　of　resistance；　he　had　put　both　arms　about　her　and　kissed　her　squarely　on　her　cheek。

Then　the　front　door　closed；　and　she　was　left　abruptly　alone；　breathless；　stunned；　staring　wide…eyed　into　the　darkness。

Her　first　sensation　was　one　merely　of　amazement。　　She　put　her　hand　quickly　to　her　cheek；　first　the　palm　and　then　the　back；　murmuring　confusedly：

〃What？　　Why？why？〃

Then　she　whirled　about　and　ran　up　the　stairs；　her　silks　clashing　and　fluttering　about　her　as　she　fled；　gained　her　own　room；　and　swung　the　door　violently　shut　behind　her。　　She　turned　up　the　lowered　gas　and；　without　knowing　why；　faced　her　mirror　at　once；　studying　her　reflection　and　watching　her　hand　as　it　all　but　scoured　the　offended　cheek。

Then；　suddenly；　with　an　upward；　uplifting　rush；　her　anger　surged　within　her。　　She；　Laura；　Miss　Dearborn；　who　loved　no　man；　who　never　conceded；　never　capitulated；　whose　〃grand　manner〃　was　a　thing　proverbial；　in　all　her　pitch　of　pride；　in　her　own　home；　her　own　fortress；　had　been　kissed；　like　a　school…girl；　like　a　chambermaid；　in　the　dark；　in　a　corner。

And　bygreat　heavens！_Landry　Court。_　　The　boy　whom　she　fancied　she　held　in　such　subjection；　such　profound　respect。　　Landry　Court　had　dared；　had　dared　to　kiss　her；　to　offer　her　this　wretchedly　commonplace　and　petty　affront；　degrading　her　to　the　level　of　a　pretty　waitress；　making　her　ridiculous。

She　stood　rigid；　drawn　to　her　full　height；　in　the　centre　of　her　bedroom；　her　fists　tense　at　her　sides；　her　breath　short；　her　eyes　flashing；　her　face　aflame。　From　time　to　time　her　words；　half　smothered；　burst　from　her。

〃What　does　he　_think_　I　_am？_　How　dared　he？　　How　dared　he？〃

All　that　she　could　say；　any　condemnation　she　could　formulate　only　made　her　position　the　more　absurd；　the　more　humiliating。　　It　had　all　been　said　before　by　generations　of　shop…girls；　school…girls；　and　servants；　in　whose　company　the　affront　had　ranged　her。　　Landry　was　to　be　told　in　effect　that　he　was　never　to　presume　to　seek　her　acquaintance　again。　　Just　as　the　enraged　hussy　of　the　street　corners　and　Sunday　picnics　shouted　that　the　offender　should　〃never　dare　speak　to　her　again　as　long　as　he　lived。〃　　Never　before　had　she　been　subjected　to　this　kind　of　indignity。　　And　simultaneously　with　the　assurance　she　could　hear　the　shrill　voice　of　the　drab　of　the　public　balls　proclaiming　that　she　had　〃never　been　kissed　in　all　her　life　before。〃

Of　all　slights；　of　all　insults；　it　was　the　one　that　robbed　her　of　the　very　dignity　she　should　assume　to　rebuke　it。　　The　more　vehemently　she　resented　it；　the　more　laughable　became　the　whole　affair。

But　she　would　resent　it；　she　would　resent　it；　and　Landry　Court　should　be　driven　to　acknowledge　that　the　sorriest　day　of　his　life　was　the　one　on　which　he　had　forgotten　the　respect　in　which　he　had　pretended　to　hold　her。　　He　had　deceived　her；　then；　all　along。　　Because　she　hadfoolishlyrelaxed　a　little　towards　him；　permitted　a　certain　intimacy；　this　was　how　he　abused　it。　　Ah；　well；　it　would　teach　her　a　lesson。　　Men　were　like　that。　　She　might　have　known　it　would　come　to　this。　Wilfully　they　chose　to　misunderstand；　to　take　advantage　of　her　frankness；　her　good　nature；　her　good　comradeship。

She　had　been　foolish　all　along；　flirtingyes；　that　was　the　word　for　it　flirting　with　Landry　and　Corthell　and　Jadwin。　　No　doubt　they　all　compared　notes　about　her。　Perhaps　they　had　bet　who　first　should　kiss　her。　　Or；　at　least；　there　was　not　one　of　them　who　would　not　kiss　her　if　she　gave　him　a　chance。

But　if　she；　in　any　way；　had　been　to　blame　for　what　Landry　had　done；　she　would　atone　for　it。　　She　had　made　herself　too　cheap；　she　had　found　amusement　in　encouraging　these　men；　in　equivocating；　in　coquetting　with　them。　　Now　it　was　time　to　end　the　whole　business；　to　send　each　one　of　them　to　the　right…about　with　an　unequivocal　definite　word。　　She　was　a　good　girl；　she　told　herself。　　She　was；　in　her　heart；　sincere；　she　was　above　the　inexpensive　diversion　of　flirting。　　She　had　started　wrong　in　her　new　life；　and　it　was　time；　high　time；　to　begin　over　againwith　a　clean　pageto　show　these　men　that　they　dared　not　presume　to　take　liberties　with　so　much　as　the　tip　of　her　little　finger。

So　great　was　her　agitation；　so　eager　her　desire　to　act　upon　her　resolve；　that　she　could　not　wait　till　morning。　It　was　a　physical　impossibility　for　her　to　remain　under　what　she　chose　to　believe　suspicion　another　hour。　　If　there　was　any　remotest　chance　that　her　three　lovers　had　permitted　themselves　to　misunderstand　her；　they　were　to　be　corrected　at　once；　were　to　be　shown　their　place；　and　that　without　mercy。

She　called　for　the　maid；　Annie；　whose　husband　was　the　janitor　of　the　house；　and　who　slept　in　the　top　story。

〃If　Henry　hasn't　gone　to　bed；〃　said　Laura；　〃tell　him　to　wait　up　till　I　call　him；　or　to　sleep　with　his　clothes　on。　　There　is　something　I　want　him　to　do　for　me　something　important。〃

It　was　close　upon　midnight。　　Laura　turned　back　into　her　room；　removed　her　hat　and　veil；　and　tossed　them；　with　her　coat；　upon　the　bed。　　She　lit　another　burner　of　the　chandelier；　and　drew　a　chair　to　her　writing…desk　between　the　windows。

Her　first　note　was　to　Landry　Court。　　She　wrote　it　almost　with　a　single　spurt　of　the　pen；　and　dated　it　carefully；　so　that　he　might　know　it　had　been　written　immediately　after　he　had　left。　　Thus　it　ran：


〃Please　do　not　try　to　see　me　again　at　any　time　or　under　any　circumstances。　　I　want　you　to　understand；　very　clearly；　that　I　do　not　wish　to　continue　our　acquaintance。〃


Her　letter　to　Corthell　was　more　difficult；　and　it　was　not　until　she　had　rewritten　it　two　or　three　times　that　it　read　to　her　satisfaction。


〃My　dear　Mr。　Corthell；〃　so　it　was　worded；　〃you　asked　me　to…night　that　our　fencing　and　quibbling　be　brought　to　an　end。　　I　quite　agree　with　you　that　it　is　desirable。　I　spoke　as　I　did　before　you　left　upon　an　impulse　that　I　shall　never　cease　to　regret。　　I　do　not　wish　you　to　misunderstand　me；　nor　to　misinterpret　my　attitude　in　any　way。　　You　asked　me　to　be　your　wife；　and；　very　foolishly　and　wrongly；　I　gave　youintentionallyan　answer　which　might　easily　be　construed　into　an　encouragement。　　Understand　now　that　I　do　not　wish　you　to　try　to　make　me　love　you。　　I　would　find　it　extremely　distasteful。　　And；　believe　me；　it　would　be　quite　hopeless。　　I　do　not　now；　and　never　shall　care　for　you　as　I　should　care　if　I　were　to　be　your　wife。　　I　beseech　you　that　you　will　not；　in　any　manner；　refer　again　to　this　subject。　　It　would　only　distress　and　pain　me。

〃Cordially　yours；

〃LAURA　DEARBORN。〃


The　letter　to　Curtis　Jadwin　was　almost　to　the　same　effect。　　But　she　found　the　writing　of　it　easier　than　the　others。　　In　addressing　him　she　felt　herself　grow　a　little　more　serious；　a　little　more　dignified　and　calm。　It　ran　as　follows：


MY　DEAR　MR。　JADWIN：

〃When　you　asked　me　to　become　your　wife　this　evening；　you　deserved　a　straightforward　answer；　and　instead　I　replied　in　a　spirit　of　capriciousness　and　disingenuousness；　which　I　now　earnestly　regret；　and　which　ask　you　to　pardon　and　to　ignore。

〃I　allowed　myself　to　tell　you　that　you　might　find　encouragement　in　my　foolishly　spoken　words。　　I　am　deeply　sorry　that　I　should　have　so　forgotten　what　was　due　to　my　own　self…respect　and　to　your　sincerity。

〃If　I　have　permitted　myself　to　convey　to　you　the　impression　that　I　would　ever　be　willing　to　be　your　wife；　let　me　hasten　to　correct　it。　　Whatever　I　said　to　you　this　evening；　I　must　answer　nowas　I　should　have　answered　thentruthfully　and　unhesitatingly；　no。

〃This；　I　insist；　must　be　the　last　word　between　us　upon　this　unfortunate　subject；　if　we　are　to　continue；　as　I　hope；　very　good　friends。

〃Cordially　yours；

〃LAURA　DEARBORN。


She　sealed；　stamped；　and　directed　the　three　envelopes；　and　glanced　at　the　little　leather…cased　travelling　clock　that　stood　on　the　top　of　her　desk。　　It　was　nearly　two。

〃I　could　not　sleep；　I　could　not　sleep；〃　she　murmured；　〃if　I　did　not　know　they　were　on　the　way。〃

In　answer　to　the　bell　Henry　appeared；　and　Laura　gave　him　the　letters；　with　orders　to　mail　them　at　once　in　the　nearest　box。

When　it　was　all　over　she　sat　down　again　at　her　desk；　and　leaning　an　elbow　upon　it；　covered　her　eyes　with　her　hand　for　a　long　moment。　　She　felt　suddenly　very　tired；　and　when　at　last　she　lowered　her　hand；　her　fingers　were　wet。　　But　in　the　end　she　grew　calmer。　　She　felt　that；　at　all　events；　she　had　vindicated　herself；　that　her　life　would　begin　again　to…morrow　with　a　clean　page；　and　when　at　length　she　fell　asleep；　it　was　to　the　dreamless　unconsciousness　of　an　almost　tranquil　mind。

She　slept　late　the　next　morning　and　breakfasted　in　bed　between　ten　and　eleven。　　Then；　a