the pit-第53节

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　his　way　home　one　feature　of　their　talk　suddenly　occurred　to　him。　　It　struck　him　as　significant；　but　of　what　he　did　not　care　to　put　into　words。　　Neither　he　nor　Laura　had　once　spoken　of　Jadwin　throughout　the　entire　evening。

Little　by　little　the　companionship　grew。　　Corthell　shut　his　eyes；　his　ears。　　The　thought　of　Laura；　the　recollection　of　their　last　evening　together；　the　anticipation　of　the　next　meeting　filled　all　his　waking　hours。　　He　refused　to　think；　he　resigned　himself　to　the　drift　of　the　current。　　Jadwin　he　rarely　saw。　　But　on　those　few　occasions　when　he　and　Laura's　husband　met；　he　could　detect　no　lack　of　cordiality　in　the　other's　greeting。　　Once　even　Jadwin　had　remarked：

〃I'm　very　glad　you　have　come　to　see　Mrs。　Jadwin；　Corthell。　　I　have　to　be　away　so　much　these　days；　I'm　afraid　she　would　be　lonesome　if　it　wasn't　for　some　one　like　you　to　drop　in　now　and　then　and　talk　art　to　her。〃

By　slow　degrees　the　companionship　trended　toward　intimacy。　　At　the　various　theatres　and　concerts　he　was　her　escort。　　He　called　upon　her　two　or　three　times　each　week。　　At　his　studio　entertainments　Laura　was　always　present。　　HowCorthell　asked　himselfdid　she　regard　the　affair？　　She　gave　him　no　sign；　she　never　intimated　that　his　presence　was　otherwise　than　agreeable。　　Was　this　tacit　acquiescence　of　hers　an　encouragement？　　Was　she　willing　to　_afficher_　herself；　as　a　married　woman；　with　a　cavalier？　　Her　married　life　was　intolerable；　he　was　sure　of　that；　her　husband　uncongenial。　　He　told　himself　that　she　detested　him。

Once；　however；　this　belief　was　rather　shocked　by　an　unexpected　and　（to　him）　an　inconsistent　reaction　on　Laura's　part。　　She　had　made　an　engagement　with　him　to　spend　an　afternoon　in　the　Art　Institute；　looking　over　certain　newly　acquired　canvases。　　But　upon　calling　for　her　an　hour　after　luncheon　he　was　informed　that　Mrs。　Jadwin　was　not　at　home。　　When　next　she　saw　him　she　told　him　that　she　had　spent　the　entire　day　with　her　husband。　They　had　taken　an　early　train　and　had　gone　up　to　Geneva　Lake　to　look　over　their　country　house；　and　to　prepare　for　its　opening；　later　on　in　the　spring。　　They　had　taken　the　decision　so　unexpectedly　that　she　had　no　time　to　tell　him　of　the　change　in　her　plans。　　Corthell　wondered　if　she　hadas　a　matter　of　factforgotten　all　about　her　appointment　with　him。　　He　never　quite　understood　the　incident；　and　afterwards　asked　himself　whether　or　no　he　could　be　so　sure；　after　all；　of　the　estrangement　between　the　husband　and　wife。　　He　guessed　it　to　be　possible　that　on　this　occasion　Jadwin　had　suddenly　decided　to　give　himself　a　holiday；　and　that　Laura　had　been　quick　to　take　advantage　of　it。　　Was　it　true；　then；　that　Jadwin　had　but　to　speak　the　word　to　have　Laura　forget　all　else？　　Was　it　true　that　the　mere　nod　of　his　head　was　enough　to　call　her　back　to　him？　Corthell　was　puzzled。　　He　would　not　admit　this　to　be　true。　　She　was；　he　was　persuaded；　a　woman　of　more　spirit；　of　more　pride　than　this　would　seem　to　indicate。　Corthell　ended　by　believing　that　Jadwin　had；　in　some　way；　coerced　her；　though　he　fancied　that　for　the　few　days　immediately　following　the　excursion　Laura　had　never　been　gayer；　more　alert；　more　radiant。

But　the　days　went　on；　and　it　was　easy　to　see　that　his　business　kept　Jadwin　more　and　more　from　his　wife。　Often　now；　Corthell　knew；　he　passed　the　night　down　town；　and　upon　those　occasions　when　he　managed　to　get　home　after　the　day's　work；　he　was　exhausted；　worn　out；　and　went　to　bed　almost　immediately　after　dinner。　　More　than　ever　now　the　artist　and　Mrs。　Jadwin　were　thrown　together。

On　a　certain　Sunday　evening；　the　first　really　hot　day　of　the　year；　Laura　and　Page　went　over　to　spend　an　hour　with　the　Cresslers；　andas　they　were　all　wont　to　do　in　the　old　days　before　Laura's　marriagethe　party　〃sat　out　on　the　front　stoop。〃　　For　a　wonder；　Jadwin　was　able　to　be　present。　　Laura　had　prevailed　upon　him　to　give　her　this　evening　and　the　evening　of　the　following　Wednesdayon　which　latter　occasion　she　had　planned　that　they　were　to　take　a　long　drive　in　the　park　in　the　buggy；　just　the　two　of　them；　as　it　had　been　in　the　days　of　their　courtship。

Corthell　came　to　the　Cresslers　quite　as　a　matter　of　course。　　He　had　dined　with　the　Jadwins　at　the　great　North　Avenue　house　and　afterwards　the　three；　preferring　to　walk；　had　come　down　to　the　Cresslers　on　foot。

But　evidently　the　artist　was　to　see　but　little　of　Laura　Jadwin　that　evening。　　She　contrived　to　keep　by　her　husband　continually。　　She　even　managed　to　get　him　away　from　the　others；　and　the　two；　leaving　the　rest　upon　the　steps；　sat　in　the　parlour　of　the　Cresslers'　house；　talking。

By　and　by　Laura；　full　of　her　projects；　exclaimed：

〃Where　shall　we　go？　　I　thought；　perhaps；　we　would　not　have　dinner　at　home；　but　you　could　come　back　to　the　house　just　a　littlea　little　bitearly；　and　you　could　drive　me　out　to　the　restaurant　there　in　the　park；　and　we　could　have　dinner　there；　just　as　though　we　weren't　married　just　as　though　we　were　sweethearts　again。　　Oh；　I　do　hope　the　weather　will　be　fine。〃

〃Oh；〃　answered　Jadwin；　〃you　mean　Wednesday　evening。　Dear　old　girl；　honestly；　II　don't　believe　I　can　make　it　after　all。　　You　see；　Wednesday〃

Laura　sat　suddenly　erect。

〃But　you　said；〃　she　began；　her　voice　faltering　a　little；　〃you　said〃

〃Honey；　I　know　I　did；　but　you　must　let　me　off　this　time　again。〃

She　did　not　answer。　　It　was　too　dark　for　him　to　see　her　face；　but；　uneasy　at　her　silence；　he　began　an　elaborate　explanation。　　Laura；　however；　interrupted。　　Calmly　enough；　she　said：

〃Oh；　that's　all　right。　　No；　no；　I　don't　mind。　　Of　course；　if　you　are　busy。〃

〃Well；　you　see；　don't　you；　old　girl？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　yes；　I　see；〃　she　answered。　　She　rose。

〃I　think；〃　she　said；　〃we　had　better　be　going　home。　Don't　you？〃

〃Yes；　I　do；〃　he　assented。　　〃I'm　pretty　tired　myself。　I've　had　a　hard　day's　work。　　I'm　thirsty；　too；〃　he　added；　as　he　got　up。　　〃Would　you　like　to　have　a　drink　of　water；　too？〃

She　shook　her　head；　and　while　he　disappeared　in　the　direction　of　the　Cresslers'　dining…room；　she　stood　alone　a　moment　in　the　darkened　room　looking　out　into　the　street。　　She　felt　that　her　cheeks　were　hot。　　Her　hands；　hanging　at　her　sides；　shut　themselves　into　tight　fists。

〃What；　you　are　all　alone？〃　said　Corthell's　voice；　behind　her。

She　turned　about　quickly。

〃I　must　be　going；〃　he　said。　　〃I　came　to　say　good　night。〃　　He　held　out　his　hand。

〃Good　night；〃　she　answered；　as　she　gave　him　hers。　　Then　all　at　once　she　added：

〃Come　to　see　me　againsoon；　will　you？　　Come　Wednesday　night。〃

And　then；　his　heart　leaping　to　his　throat；　Corthell　felt　her　hand；　as　it　lay　in　his；　close　for　an　instant　firmly　about　his　fingers。

〃I　shall　expect　you　Wednesday　then？〃　she　repeated。

He　crushed　her　hand　in　his　grip；　and　suddenly　bent　and　kissed　it。

〃Good　night；〃　she　said；　quietly。　　Jadwin's　step　sounded　at　the　doorway。

〃Good　night；〃　he　whispered；　and　in　another　moment　was　gone。

During　these　days　Laura　no　longer　knew　herself。　　At　every　hour　she　changed；　her　moods　came　and　went　with　a　rapidity　that　bewildered　all　those　who　were　around　her。　At　times　her　gaiety　filled　the　whole　of　her　beautiful　house；　at　times　she　shut　herself　in　her　apartments；　denying　herself　to　every　one；　and；　her　head　bowed　upon　her　folded　arms；　wept　as　though　her　heart　was　breaking；　without　knowing　why。

For　a　few　days　a　veritable　seizure　of　religious　enthusiasm　held　sway　over　her。　　She　spoke　of　endowing　a　hospital；　of　doing　church　work　among　the　〃slums〃　of　the　city。　　But　no　sooner　had　her　friends　readjusted　their　points　of　view　to　suit　this　new　development　than　she　was　off　upon　another　tangent；　and　was　one　afternoon　seen　at　the　races；　with　Mrs。　Gretry；　in　her　showiest　victoria；　wearing　a　great　flaring　hat　and　a　bouquet　of　crimson　flowers。

She　never　repeated　this　performance；　however；　for　a　new　fad　took　possession　of　her　the　very　next　day。　　She　memorised　the　role　of　Lady　Macbeth；　built　a　stage　in　the　ballroom　at　the　top　of　the　house；　and；　locking　herself　in；　rehearsed　the　part；　for　three　days　uninterruptedly；　dressed　in　elaborate　costume；　declaiming　in　chest　tones　to　the　empty　room：

〃'The　raven　himself　is　hoarse　that　croaks　the　entrance　of　Duncan　under　my　battlements。'〃

Then；　tiring　of　Lady　Macbeth；　she　took　up　Juliet；　Portia；　and　Ophelia；　each　with　appropriate　costumes；　studying　with　tireless　avidity；　and　frightening　Aunt　Wess'　with　her　declaration　that　〃she　might　go　on　the　stage　after　all。〃　　She　even　entertained　the　notion　of　having　Sheldon　Corthell　paint　her　portrait　as　Lady　Macbeth。

As　often　as　the　thought　of　the　artist　presented　itself　to　her　she　fought　to　put　it　from　her。　　Yes；　yes；　he　came　to　see　her　often；　very　often。　　Perhaps　he　loved　her　yet。　　Well；　suppose　he　did？　　He　had　always　loved　her。　　It　was　not　wrong　to　have　him　love　her；　to　have　him　with　her。　　Without　his　company；　great　heavens；　her　life　would　be　lonely　beyond　words　and　beyond　endurance　Besides；　was　it　to　be　thought；　for　an　instant；　that　she；　she；　Laura　Jadwin；　in　her　pitch　of　pride；　with　all　her　beauty；　with　her　quick；　keen　mind；　was　to　pine；　to　droop　to　fade　in　oblivion　and　neglect？　　Was　she　to　blame？　　Let　those　who　neglected　her　look　to　it。　　Her　youth　was　all　with　her　yet；　and　all　her　power　to　attract；　to　compel　admiration。

When　Corthell　came　to　see　her　on　the　Wednesda