the pit-第54节

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and　all　her　power　to　attract；　to　compel　admiration。

When　Corthell　came　to　see　her　on　the　Wednesday　evening　in　question；　Laura　said　to　him；　after　a　few　moments；　conversation　in　the　drawing…room：

〃Oh；　you　remember　the　picture　you　taught　me　to　appreciatethe　picture　of　the　little　pool　in　the　art　gallery；　the　one　you　called　'Despair'？〃　I　have　hung　it　in　my　own　particular　room　upstairsmy　sitting…roomso　as　to　have　it　where　I　can　see　it　always。　　I　love　it　now。　　But；〃　she　added；　〃I　am　not　sure　about　the　light。　I　think　it　could　be　hung　to　better　advantage。〃　　She　hesitated　a　moment；　then；　with　a　sudden；　impulsive　movement；　she　turned　to　him。

〃Won't　you　come　up　with　me；　and　tell　me　where　to　hang　it？〃

They　took　the　little　elevator　to　the　floor　above；　and　Laura　led　the　artist　to　the　room　in　questionher　〃sitting…room；〃　a　wide；　airy　place；　the　polished　floor　covered　with　deep　skins；　the　walls　wainscotted　half　way　to　the　ceiling；　in　dull　woods。　　Shelves　of　books　were　everywhere；　together　with　potted　plants　and　tall　brass　lamps。　　A　long　〃Madeira〃　chair　stood　at　the　window　which　overlooked　the　park　and　lake；　and　near　to　it　a　great　round　table　of　San　Domingo　mahogany；　with　tea　things　and　almost　diaphanous　china。

〃What　a　beautiful　room；〃　murmured　Corthell；　as　she　touched　the　button　in　the　wall　that　opened　the　current；　〃and　how　much　you　have　impressed　your　individuality　upon　it。　　I　should　have　known　that　you　lived　here。　　If　you　were　thousands　of　miles　away　and　I　had　entered　here；　I　should　have　known　it　was　yoursand　loved　it　for　such。〃

〃Here　is　the　picture；〃　she　said；　indicating　where　it　hung。　　〃Doesn't　it　seem　to　you　that　the　light　is　bad？〃

But　he　explained　to　her　that　it　was　not　so；　and　that　she　had　but　to　incline　the　canvas　a　little　more　from　the　wall　to　get　a　good　effect。

〃Of　course；　of　course；〃　she　assented；　as　he　held　the　picture　in　place。　　〃Of　course。　　I　shall　have　it　hung　over　again　to…morrow。〃

For　some　moments　they　remained　standing　in　the　centre　of　the　room；　looking　at　the　picture　and　talking　of　it。　And　then；　without　remembering　just　how　it　had　happened；　Laura　found　herself　leaning　back　in　the　Madeira　chair；　Corthell　seated　near　at　hand　by　the　round　table。

〃I　am　glad　you　like　my　room；〃　she　said。　　〃It　is　here　that　I　spend　most　of　my　time。　　Often　lately　I　have　had　my　dinner　here。　　Page　goes　out　a　great　deal　now；　and　so　I　am　left　alone　occasionally。　　Last　night　I　sat　here　in　the　dark　for　a　long　time。　　The　house　was　so　still；　everybody　was　outeven　some　of　the　servants。　　It　was　so　warm；　I　raised　the　windows　and　I　sat　here　for　hours　looking　out　over　the　lake。　　I　could　hear　it　lapping　and　washing　against　the　shorealmost　like　a　sea。　　And　it　was　so　still；　so　still；　and　I　was　thinking　of　the　time　when　I　was　a　little　girl　back　at　Barrington；　years　and　years　ago；　picking　whortle…berries　down　in　the　'water　lot；'　and　how　I　got　lost　once　in　the　cornthe　stalks　were　away　above　my　headand　how　happy　I　was　when　my　father　would　take　me　up　on　the　hay　wagon。　　Ah；　I　was　happy　in　those　daysjust　a　freckled；　black…haired　slip　of　a　little　girl；　with　my　frock　torn　and　my　hands　all　scratched　with　the　berry　bushes。〃

She　had　begun　by　dramatising；　but　by　now　she　was　actingacting　with　all　her　histrionic　power　at　fullest　stretch；　acting　the　part　of　a　woman　unhappy　amid　luxuries；　who　looked　back　with　regret　and　with　longing　towards　a　joyous；　simple　childhood。　　She　was　sincere　and　she　was　not　sincere。　　Part　of　herone　of　those　two　Laura　Jadwins　who　at　different　times；　but　with　equal　right　called　themselves　〃I；〃　knew　just　what　effect　her　words；　her　pose；　would　have　upon　a　man　who　sympathised　with　her；　who　loved　her。　　But　the　other　Laura　Jadwin　would　have　resented　as　petty；　as　even　wrong；　the　insinuation　that　she　was　not　wholly；　thoroughly　sincere。　　All　that　she　was　saying　was　true。　　No　one；　so　she　believed；　ever　was　placed　before　as　she　was　placed　now。　　No　one　had　ever　spoken　as　now　she　spoke。　　Her　chin　upon　one　slender　finger；　she　went　on；　her　eyes　growing　wide：

〃If　I　had　only　known　then　that　those　days　were　to　be；　the　happiest　of　my　life。。。。　　This　great　house；　all　the　beauty　of　it；　and　all　this　wealth；　what　does　it　amount　to？〃　Her　voice　was　the　voice　of　Phedre；　and　the　gesture　of　lassitude　with　which　she　let　her　arms　fall　into　her　lap　was　precisely　that　which　only　the　day　before　she　had　used　to　accompany　Portia's　plaint　of


　　　　　my　little　body　is　a…weary　of　this　great　world。


Yet；　at　the　same　time；　Laura　knew　that　her　heart　was　genuinely　aching　with　real　sadness；　and　that　the　tears　which　stood　in　her　eyes　were　as　sincere　as　any　she　had　ever　shed。

〃All　this　wealth；〃　she　continued；　her　head　dropping　back　upon　the　cushion　of　the　chair　as　she　spoke；　〃what　does　it　matter；　for　what　does　it　compensate？　　Oh；　I　would　give　it　all　gladly；　gladly；　to　be　that　little　black…haired　girl　again；　back　in　Squire　Dearborn's　water　lot；　with　my　hands　stained　with　the　whortle…　berries　and　the　nettles　in　my　fingersand　my　little　lover；　who　called　me　his　beau…heart　and　bought　me　a　blue　hair　ribbon；　and　kissed　me　behind　the　pump　house。〃

〃Ah；〃　said　Corthell；　quickly　and　earnestly；　〃that　is　the　secret。　　It　was　loveeven　the　foolish　boy　and　girl　lovelove　that　after　all　made　your　life　sweet　then。〃

She　let　her　hands　fall　into　her　lap；　and；　musing；　turned　the　rings　back　and　forth　upon　her　fingers。

〃Don't　you　think　so？〃　he　asked；　in　a　low　voice。

She　bent　her　head　slowly；　without　replying。　　Then　for　a　long　moment　neither　spoke。　　Laura　played　with　her　rings。　　The　artist；　leaning　forward　in　his　chair；　looked　with　vague　eyes　across　the　room。　　And　no　interval　of　time　since　his　return；　no　words　that　had　ever　passed　between　them；　had　been　so　fraught　with　significance；　so　potent　in　drawing　them　together　as　this　brief；　wordless　moment。

At　last　Corthell　turned　towards　her。

〃You　must　not　think；〃　he　murmured；　〃that　your　life　is　without　love　now。　　I　will　not　have　you　believe　that。〃

But　she　made　no　answer。

〃If　you　would　only　see；〃　he　went　on。　　〃If　you　would　only　condescend　to　look；　you　would　know　that　there　is　a　love　which　has　enfolded　your　life　for　years。　　You　have　shut　it　out　from　you　always。　　But　it　has　been　yours；　just　the　same；　it　has　lain　at　your　door；　it　has　looked　oh；　God　knows　with　what　longing！through　your　windows。　　You　have　never　stirred　abroad　that　it　has　not　followed　you。　　Not　a　footprint　of　yours　that　it　does　not　know　and　cherish。　　Do　you　think　that　your　life　is　without　love？　　Why；　it　is　all　around　youall　around　you　but　voiceless。　　It　has　no　right　to　speak；　it　only　has　the　right　to　suffer。〃

Still　Laura　said　no　word。　　Her　head　turned　from　him；　she　looked　out　of　the　window；　and　once　more　the　seconds　passed　while　neither　spoke。　　The　clock　on　the　table　ticked　steadily。　　In　the　distance；　through　the　open　window；　came　the　incessant；　mournful　wash　of　the　lake。　All　around　them　the　house　was　still。　　At　length　Laura　sat　upright　in　her　chair。

〃I　think　I　will　have　this　room　done　over　while　we　are　away　this　summer；〃　she　said。　　〃Don't　you　think　it　would　be　effective　if　the　wainscotting　went　almost　to　the　ceiling？〃

He　glanced　critically　about　the　room。

〃Very；〃　he　answered；　briskly。　　〃There　is　no　background　so　beautiful　as　wood。〃

〃And　I　might　finish　it　off　at　the　top　with　a　narrow　shelf。〃

〃Provided　you　promised　not　to　put　brass　'plaques'　or　pewter　kitchen　ware　upon　it。〃

〃Do　smoke；〃　she　urged　him。　　〃I　know　you　want　to。　　You　will　find　matches　on　the　table。〃

But　Corthell；　as　he　lit　his　cigarette；　produced　his　own　match　box。　　It　was　a　curious　bit　of　antique　silver；　which　he　had　bought　in　a　Viennese　pawnshop；　heart…　shaped　and　topped　with　a　small　ducal　coronet　of　worn　gold。　　On　one　side　he　had　caused　his　name　to　be　engraved　in　small　script。　　Now。　　as　Laura　admired　it；　he　held　it　towards　her。

〃An　old　pouncet…box；　I　believe；〃　he　informed　her；　〃or　possibly　it　held　an　ointment　for　her　finger　nails。〃　　He　spilled　the　matches　into　his　hand。　　〃You　see　the　red　stain　still　on　the　inside；　andsmell；〃　he　added；　as　she　took　it　from　him。　　〃Even　the　odour　of　the　sulphur　matches　cannot　smother　the　quaint　old　perfume；　distilled　perhaps　three　centuries　ago。〃

An　hour　later　Corthell　left　her。　　She　did　not　follow　him　further　than　the　threshold　of　the　room；　but　let　him　find　his　way　to　the　front　door　alone。

When　he　had　gone　she　returned　to　the　room；　and　for　a　little　while　sat　in　her　accustomed　place　by　the　window　overlooking　the　park　and　the　lake。　　Very　soon　after　Corthell's　departure　she　heard　Page；　Landry　Court；　and　Mrs。　Wessels　come　in；　then　at　length　rousing　from　her　reverie　she　prepared　for　bed。　　But；　as　she　passed　the　round　mahogany　table；　on　her　way　to　her　bedroom；　she　was　aware　of　a　little　object　lying　upon　it；　near　to　where　she　had　sat。

〃Oh；　he　forgot　it；〃　she　murmured；　as　she　picked　up　Corthell's　heart…shaped　match　box。　　She　glanced　at　it　a　moment；　indifferently；　but　her　mind　was　full　of　other　things。　　She　laid　it　down　again　upon　the　table；　and　going　on　to　her　own　room；　went　to　bed。

Jadwin　did　not　come　home　that　night；　and　in　the　morning　Laura　presided　at　breakfast　table　in　his　place。　　Landry　Court；　Page；　and　Aunt　Wess'　were　there；　for　occasionally　nowadays；　when　the　trio　went　to　one　of　their　interminable　concerts　or　lectures；　Landry　stayed　over　nig