the pit-第38节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ces。　　She　had　not　sympathised　sufficiently　with　her　small　troublesso　she　made　herself　believeand　had　found　too　many　occasions　to　ridicule　Page's　intenseness　and　queer　little　solemnities。　　True　she　had　given　her　a　good　home；　good　clothes；　and　a　good　education；　but　she　should　have　given　moremore　than　mere　duty…gifts。　　She　should　have　been　more　of　a　companion　to　the　little　girl；　more　of　a　help；　in　fine；　more　of　a　mother。　　Laura　felt　all　at　once　the　responsibilities　of　the　elder　sister　in　a　family　bereft　of　parents。　　Page　was　growing　fast；　and　growing　astonishingly　beautiful；　in　a　little　while　she　would　be　a　young　woman；　and　over　the　near　horizon；　very　soon　now；　must　inevitably　loom　the　grave　question　of　her　marriage。

But　it　was　only　this　realisation　of　certain　responsibilities　that　during　the　first　years　of　her　married　life　at　any　time　drew　away　Laura's　consideration　of　her　husband。　　She　began　to　get　acquainted　with　the　real　man…within…the…man　that　she　knew　now　revealed　himself　only　after　marriage。　　Jadwin　her　husband　was　so　different　from；　so　infinitely　better　than；　Jadwin　her　lover；　that　Laura　sometimes　found　herself　looking　back　with　a　kind　of　retrospective　apprehension　on　the　old　days　and　the　time　when　she　was　simply　Miss　Dearborn。　　How　little　she　had　known　him　after　all！　　And　how；　in　the　face　of　this　ignorance；　this　innocence；　this　absence　of　any　insight　into　his　real　character；　had　she　dared　to　take　the　irretrievable　step　that　bound　her　to　him　for　life？　　The　Curtis　Jadwin　of　those　early　days　was　so　much　another　man。　　He　might　have　been　a　rascal；　she　could　not　have　known　it。　　As　it　was；　her　husband　had　promptly　come　to　be；　for　her；　the　best；　the　finest　man　she　had　ever　known。　　But　it　might　easily　have　been　different。

His　attitude　towards　her　was　thoughtfulness　itself。　Hardly　ever　was　he　absent　from　her；　even　for　a　day；　that　he　did　not　bring　her　some　little　present；　some　little　keep…sakeor　even　a　bunch　of　flowerswhen　he　returned　in　the　evening。　　The　anniversariesChristmas；　their　wedding　day；　her　birthdayhe　always　observed　with　great　eclat。　　He　took　a　holiday　from　his　business；　surprised　her　with　presents　under　her　pillow；　or　her　dinner…plate；　and　never　failed　to　take　her　to　the　theatre　in　the　evening。

However；　it　was　not　only　Jadwin's　virtues　that　endeared　him　to　his　wife。　　He　was　no　impeccable　hero　in　her　eyes。　　He　was　tremendously　human。　　He　had　his　faults；　his　certain　lovable　weaknesses；　and　it　was　precisely　these　traits　that　Laura　found　so　adorable。

For　one　thing；　Jadwin　could　be　magnificently　inconsistent。　　Let　him　set　his　mind　and　heart　upon　a　given　pursuit；　pleasure；　or　line　of　conduct　not　altogether　advisable　at　the　moment；　and　the　ingenuity　of　the　excuses　by　which　he　justified　himself　were　monuments　of　elaborate　sophistry。　　Yet；　if　later　he　lost　interest；　he　reversed　his　arguments　with　supreme　disregard　for　his　former　words。

Then；　too；　he　developed　a　boyish　pleasure　in　certain　unessential　though　cherished　objects　and　occupations；　that　he　indulged　extravagantly　and　to　the　neglect　of　things；　not　to　say　duties；　incontestably　of　more　importance。

One　of　these　objects　was　the　〃Thetis。〃　　In　every　conceivable　particular　the　little　steam　yacht　was　complete　down　to　the　last　bolt；　the　last　coat　of　varnish；　but　at　times　during　their　summer　vacations；　when　Jadwin；　in　all　reason；　should　have　been　supervising　the　laying　out　of　certain　unfinished　portions　of　the　〃grounds〃supervision　which　could　be　trusted　to　no　subordinatehe　would　be　found　aboard　the　〃Thetis；〃　hatless；　in　his　shirt…sleeves；　in　solemn　debate　with　the　grey　MacKenny　anda　cleaning　rag；　or　monkey…wrench；　or　paint　brush　in　his　handtinkering　and　pottering　about　the　boat；　over　and　over　again。　Wealthy　as　he　was；　he　could　have　maintained　an　entire　crew　on　board　whose　whole　duty　should　have　been　to　screw；　and　scrub；　and　scour。　　But　Jadwin　would　have　none　of　it。　　〃Costs　too　much；〃　he　would　declare；　with　profound　gravity。　　He　had　the　self…made　American's　handiness　with　implements　and　paint　brushes；　and　he　would；　at　high　noon　and　under　a　murderous　sun；　make　the　trip　from　the　house　to　the　dock　where　the　〃Thetis〃　was　moored；　for　the　trivial　pleasure　of　tightening　a　bolt　which　did　not　need　tightening；　or　wake　up　in　the　night　to　tell　Laura　of　some　wonderful　new　idea　he　had　conceived　as　to　the　equipment　or　decoration　of　the　yacht。　　He　had　blustered　about　the　extravagance　of　a　〃crew；〃　but　the　sums　of　money　that　went　to　the　brightening；　refitting；　overhauling；　repainting；　and　reballasting　of　the　boatall　absolutely　uncalled…for　made　even　Laura　gasp；　and　would　have　maintained　a　dozen　sailors　an　entire　year。

This　same　inconsistency　prevailed　also　in　other　directions。　　In　the　matter　of　business　Jadwin's　economy　was　unimpeachable。　　He　would　cavil　on　a　half…dollar's　overcharge；　he　would　put　himself　to　downright　inconvenience　to　save　the　useless　expenditure　of　a　dimeand　boast　of　it。　　But　no　extravagance　was　ever　too　great；　no　time　ever　too　valuable；　when　bass　were　to　be　caught。

For　Jadwin　was　a　fisherman　unregenerate。　　Laura；　though　an　early　riser　when　in　the　city；　was　apt　to　sleep　late　in　the　country；　and　never　omitted　a　two…hours'　nap　in　the　heat　of　the　afternoon。　　Her　husband　improved　these　occasions　when　he　was　deprived　of　her　society；　to　indulge　in　his　pastime。　　Never　a　morning　so　forbidding　that　his　lines　were　not　in　the　water　by　five　o'clock；　never　a　sun　so　scorching　that　he　was　not　coaxing　a　〃strike〃　in　the　stumps　and　reeds　in　the　shade　under　the　shores。

It　was　the　one　pleasure　he　could　not　share　with　his　wife。　　Laura　was　unable　to　bear　the　monotony　of　the　slow…moving　boat；　the　hours　spent　without　results；　the　enforced　idleness；　the　cramped　positions。　　Only　occasionally　could　Jadwin　prevail　upon　her　to　accompany　him。　　And　then　what　preparations！　　Queen　Elizabeth　approaching　her　barge　was　attended　with　no　less　solicitude。　　MacKenny　（who　sometimes　acted　as　guide　and　oarsman）　and　her　husband　exhausted　their　ingenuity　to　make　her　comfortable。　　They　held　anxious　debates：　〃Do　you　think　she'll　like　that？〃　〃Wouldn't　this　make　it　easier　for　her？〃　〃Is　that　the　way　she　liked　it　last　time？〃　Jadwin　himself　arranged　the　cushions；　spread　the　carpet　over　the　bottom　of　the　boat；　handed　her　in；　found　her　old　gloves　for　her；　baited　her　hook；　disentangled　her　line；　saw　to　it　that　the　mineral　water　in　the　ice…box　was　sufficiently　cold；　and　performed　an　endless　series　of　little　attentions　looking　to　her　comfort　and　enjoyment。　　It　was　all　to　no　purpose；　and　at　length　Laura　declared：

〃Curtis；　dear；　it　is　no　use。　　You　just　sacrifice　every　bit　of　your　pleasure　to　make　me　comfortableto　make　me　enjoy　it；　and　I　just　don't。　　I'm　sorry；　I　want　to　share　every　pleasure　with　you；　but　I　don't　like　to　fish；　and　never　will。　　You　go　alone。　　I'm　just　a　hindrance　to　you。〃　　And　though　he　blustered　at　first；　Laura　had　her　way。

Once　in　the　period　of　these　three　years　Laura　and　her　husband　had　gone　abroad。　　But　her　experience　in　Englandthey　did　not　get　to　the　Continenthad　been　a　disappointment　to　her。　　The　museums；　art　galleries；　and　cathedrals　were　not　of　the　least　interest　to　Jadwin；　and　though　he　followed　her　from　one　to　another　with　uncomplaining　stoicism；　she　felt　his　distress；　and　had　contrived　to　return　home　three　months　ahead　of　time。

It　was　during　this　trip　that　they　had　bought　so　many　of　the　pictures　and　appointments　for　the　North　Avenue　house；　and　Laura's　disappointment　over　her　curtailed　European　travels　was　mitigated　by　the　anticipation　of　her　pleasure　in　settling　in　the　new　home。　　This　had　not　been　possible　immediately　after　their　marriage。　　For　nearly　two　years　the　great　place　had　been　given　over　to　contractors；　architects；　decorators；　and　gardeners；　and　Laura　and　her　husband　had　lived；　while　in　Chicago；　at　a　hotel；　giving　up　the　one…time　rectory　on　Cass　Street　to　Page　and　to　Aunt　Wess'。

But　when　at　last　Laura　entered　upon　possession　of　the　North　Avenue　house；　she　was　notafter　the　first　enthusiasm　and　excitement　over　its　magnificence　had　died　downaltogether　pleased　with　it；　though　she　told　herself　the　contrary。　　Outwardly　it　was　all　that　she　could　desire。　　It　fronted　Lincoln　Park；　and　from　all　the　windows　upon　that　side　the　most　delightful　outlooks　were　obtainablegreen　woods；　open　lawns；　the　parade　ground；　the　Lincoln　monument；　dells；　bushes；　smooth　drives；　flower　beds；　and　fountains。　　From　the　great　bay　window　of　Laura's　own　sitting…room　she　could　see　far　out　over　Lake　Michigan；　and　watch　the　procession　of　great　lake　steamers；　from　Milwaukee；　far…distant　Duluth；　and　the　Sault　Sainte　Mariethe　famous　〃Soo〃　defiling　majestically　past；　making　for　the　mouth　of　the　river；　laden　to　the　water's　edge　with　whole　harvests　of　wheat。　　At　night；　when　the　windows　were　open　in　the　warm　weather；　she　could　hear　the　mournful　wash　and　lapping　of　the　water　on　the　embankments。

The　grounds　about　her　home　were　beautiful。　　The　stable　itself　was　half　again　as　large　as　her　old　home　opposite　St。　James's；　and　the　conservatory；　in　which　she　took　the　keenest　delight；　was　a　wonderful　affaira　vast　bubble…like　structure　of　green　panes；　whence；　winter　and　summer；　came　a　multitude　of　flowers　for　the　house　violets；　lilies　of　the　valley；　jonquils；　hyacinths；　tulips；　and　her　own　loved　roses。

But　the　interior　of　the　hou