the woman in the alcove-第2节

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he　had　planned　to　raise　it　to　the　level　of　the　eye　by　having　the　alcove　floor　built　a　few　feet　higher　than　the　main　one。　A　flight　of　low；　wide　steps　connected　the　two；　which；　following　the　curve　of　the　wall；　added　much　to　the　beauty　of　this　portion　of　the　hall。

The　group　was　a　failure　and　was　never　shipped；　but　the　alcove　remained；　and；　possessing　as　it　did　all　the　advantages　of　a　room　in　the　way　of　heat　and　light；　had　been　turned　into　a　miniature　retreat　of　exceptional　beauty。

The　seclusion　it　offered　extended；　or　so　we　were　happy　to　think；　to　the　solitary　divan　at　its　base　on　which　Mr。　Durand　and　I　were　seated。　With　possibly　an　undue　confidence　in　the　advantage　of　our　position；　we　were　discussing　a　subject　interesting　only　to　ourselves；　when　Mr。　Durand　interrupted　himself　to　declare：　〃You　are　the　woman　I　want；　you　and　you　only。　And　I　want　you　soon。　When　do　you　think　you　can　marry　me？　Within　a　weekif〃

Did　my　look　stop　him？　I　was　startled。　I　had　heard　no　incoherent　phrase　from　him　before。

〃A　week！〃　I　remonstrated。　〃We　take　more　time　than　that　to　fit　ourselves　for　a　journey　or　some　transient　pleasure。　I　hardly　realize　my　engagement　yet。〃

〃You　have　not　been　thinking　of　it　for　these　last　two　months　as　I　have。〃

〃No；〃　I　replied　demurely；　forgetting　everything　else　in　my　delight　at　this　admission。

〃Nor　are　you　a　nomad　among　clubs　and　restaurants。〃

〃No；　I　have　a　home。〃

〃Nor　do　you　love　me　as　deeply　as　I　do　you。〃

This　I　thought　open　to　argument。

〃The　home　you　speak　of　is　a　luxurious　one；〃　he　continued。　〃I　can　not　offer　you　its　equal　Do　you　expect　me　to？〃

I　was　indignant。

〃You　know　that　I　do　not。　Shall　I；　who　deliberately　chose　a　nurse's　life　when　an　indulgent　uncle's　heart　and　home　were　open　to　me；　shrink　from　braving　poverty　with　the　man　I　love？　We　will　begin　as　simply　as　you　please〃

〃No；〃　he　peremptorily　put　in；　yet　with　a　certain　hesitancy　which　seemed　to　speak　of　doubts　he　hardly　acknowledged　to　himself；　〃I　will　not　marry　you　if　I　must　expose　you　to　privation　or　to　the　genteel　poverty　I　hate。　I　love　you　more　than　you　realize；　and　wish　to　make　your　life　a　happy　one。　I　can　not　give　you　all　you　have　been　accustomed　to　in　your　rich　uncle's　house；　but　if　matters　prosper　with　me；　if　the　chance　I　have　built　on　succeeds　and　it　will　fail　or　succeed　tonightyou　will　have　those　comforts　which　love　will　heighten　into　luxuries　andand〃

He　was　becoming　incoherent　again；　and　this　time　with　his　eyes　fixed　elsewhere　than　on　my　face。　Following　his　gaze；　I　discovered　what　had　distracted　his　attention。　The　lady　with　the　diamond　was　approaching　us　on　her　way　to　the　alcove。　She　was　accompanied　by　two　gentlemen；　both　strangers　to　me；　and　her　head；　sparkling　with　brilliants；　was　turning　from　one　to　the　other　with　an　indolent　grace。　I　was　not　surprised　that　the　man　at　my　side　quivered　and　made　a　start　as　if　to　rise。　She　was　a　gorgeous　image。　In　comparison　with　her　imposing　figure　in　its　trailing　robe　of　rich　pink　velvet；　my　diminutive　frame　in　its　sea…green　gown　must　have　looked　as　faded　and　colorless　as　a　half…obliterated　pastel。

〃A　striking　woman；〃　I　remarked　as　I　saw　he　was　not　likely　to　resume　the　conversation　which　her　presence　had　interrupted。　〃And　what　a　diamond！〃

The　glance　he　cast　me　was　peculiar。

〃Did　you　notice　it　particularly？〃　he　asked。

Astonished；　for　there　was　something　very　uneasy　in　his　manner　so　that　I　half　expected　to　see　him　rise　and　join　the　group　he　was　so　eagerly　watching　without　waiting　for　my　lips　to　frame　a　response；　I　quickly　replied：

〃It　would　be　difficult　not　to　notice　what　one　would　naturally　expect　to　see　only　on　the　breast　of　a　queen。　But　perhaps　she　is　a　queen。　I　should　judge　so　from　the　homage　which　follows　her。〃

His　eyes　sought　mine。　There　was　inquiry　in　them；　but　it　was　an　inquiry　I　did　not　understand。

〃What　can　you　know　about　diamonds？〃　he　presently　demanded。　〃Nothing　but　their　glitter；　and　glitter　is　not　all；the　gem　she　wears　may　be　a　very　tawdry　one。〃

I　flushed　with　humiliation。　He　was　a　dealer　in　gemsthat　was　his　businessand　the　check　which　he　had　put　upon　my　enthusiasm　certainly　made　me　conscious　of　my　own　presumption。　Yet　I　was　not　disposed　to　take　back　my　words。　I　had　had　a　better　opportunity　than　himself　for　seeing　this　remarkable　jewel；　and；　with　the　perversity　of　a　somewhat　ruffled　mood；　I　burst　forth；　as　soon　as　the　color　had　subsided　from　my　cheeks：

〃No；　no！　It　is　glorious；　magnificent。　I　never　saw　its　like。　I　doubt　if　you　ever　have；　for　all　your　daily　acquaintance　with　jewels。　Its　value　must　be　enormous。　Who　is　she？　You　seem　to　know　her。〃

It　was　a　direct　question；　but　I　received　no　reply。　Mr。　Durand's　eyes　had　followed　the　lady；　who　had　lingered　somewhat　ostentatiously　on　the　top　step　and　they　did　not　return　to　me　till　she　had　vanished　with　her　companions　behind　the　long　plush　curtain　which　partly　veiled　the　entrance。　By　this　time　he　had　forgotten　my　words；　if　he　had　ever　heard　them　and　it　was　with　the　forced　animation　of　one　whose　thoughts　are　elsewhere　that　he　finally　returned　to　the　old　plea：

When　would　I　marry　him？　If　he　could　offer　me　a　home　in　a　month　and　he　would　know　by　to…morrow　if　he　could　do　sowould　I　come　to　him　then？　He　would　not　say　in　a　week；　that　was　perhaps　to　soon；　but　in　a　month？　Would　I　not　promise　to　be　his　in　a　month？

What　I　answered　I　scarcely　recall。　His　eyes　had　stolen　back　to　the　alcove　and　mine　had　followed　them。　The　gentlemen　who　had　accompanied　the　lady　inside　were　coming　out　again；　but　others　were　advancing　to　take　their　places；　and　soon　she　was　engaged　in　holding　a　regular　court　in　this　favored　retreat。

Why　should　this　interest　me？　Why　should　I　notice　her　or　look　that　way　at　all？　Because　Mr。　Durand　did？　Possibly。　I　remember　that　for　all　his　ardent　love…making；　I　felt　a　little　piqued　that　he　should　divide　his　attentions　in　this　way。　Perhaps　I　thought　that　for　this　evening；　at　least；　he　might　have　been　blind　to　a　mere　coquette's　fascinations。

I　was　thus　doubly　engaged　in　listening　to　my　lover's　words　and　in　watching　the　various　gentlemen　who　went　up　and　down　the　steps；　when　a　former　partner　advanced　and　reminded　me　that　I　had　promised　him　a　waltz。　Loath　to　leave　Mr。　Durand；　yet　seeing　no　way　of　excusing　myself　to　Mr。　Fox；　I　cast　an　appealing　glance　at　the　former　and　was　greatly　chagrined　to　find　him　already　on　his　feet。

〃Enjoy　your　dance；〃　he　cried；　〃I　have　a　word　to　say　to　Mrs。　Fairbrother；〃　and　was　gone　before　my　new　partner　had　taken　me　on　his　arm。

Was　Mrs。　Fairbrother　the　lady　with　the　diamond？　Yes；　as　I　turned　to　enter　the　parlor　with　my　partner；　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　Mr。　Durand's　tall　figure　just　disappearing　from　the　step　behind　the　sage…green　curtains。

〃Who　is　Mrs。　Fairbrother？〃　I　inquired　of　Mr。　Fox　at　the　end　of　the　dance。

Mr。　Fox；　who　is　one　of　society's　perennial　beaux；　knows　everybody。

〃She　iswell；　she　was　Abner　Fairbrother's　wife。　You　know　Fairbrother；　the　millionaire　who　built　that　curious　structure　on　Eighty…sixth　Street。　At　present　they　are　living　apartan　amicable　understanding；　I　believe。　Her　diamond　makes　her　conspicuous。　It　is　one　of　the　most　remarkable　stones　in　New　York；　perhaps　in　the　United　States。　Have　you　observed　it？〃

〃Yesthat　is；　at　a　distance。　Do　you　think　her　very　handsome？〃

〃Mrs。　Fairbrother？　She's　called　so；　but　she's　not　my　style。〃　Here　he　gave　me　a　killing　glance。　〃I　admire　women　of　mind　and　heart。　They　do　not　need　to　wear　jewels　worth　an　ordinary　man's　fortune。〃

I　looked　about　for　an　excuse　to　leave　this　none　too　desirable　partner。

〃Let　us　go　back　into　the　long　hall；〃　I　urged。　〃The　ceaseless　whirl　of　these　dancers　is　making　me　dizzy。〃

With　the　ease　of　a　gallant　man　he　took　me　on　his　arm　and　soon　we　were　promenading　again　in　the　direction　of　the　alcove。　A　passing　glimpse　of　its　interior　was　afforded　me　as　we　turned　to　retrace　our　steps　in　front　of　the　yellow　divan。　The　lady　with　the　diamond　was　still　there。　A　fold　of　the　superb　pink　velvet　she　wore　protruded　across　the　gap　made　by　the　half…drawn　curtains；　just　as　it　had　done　a　half…hour　before。　But　it　was　impossible　to　see　her　face　or　who　was　with　her。　What　I　could　see；　however；　and　did；　was　the　figure　of　a　man　leaning　against　the　wall　at　the　foot　of　the　steps。　At　first　I　thought　this　person　unknown　to　me；　then　I　perceived　that　he　was　no　other　than　the　chief　guest　of　the　evening；　the　Englishman　of　whom　I　have　previously　spoken。

His　expression　had　altered。　He　looked　now　both　anxious　and　absorbed；　particularly　anxious　and　particularly　absorbed；　so　much　so　that　I　was　not　surprised　that　no　one　ventured　to　approach　him。　Again　I　wondered　and　again　I　asked　myself　for　whom　or　for　what　he　was　waiting。　For　Mr。　Durand　to　leave　this　lady's　presence？　No；　no；　I　would　not　believe　that。　Mr。　Durand　could　not　be　there　still；　yet　some　women　make　it　difficult　for　a　man　to　leave　them　and；　realizing　this；　I　could　not　forbear　casting　a　parting　glance　behind　me　as；　yielding　to　Mr。　Fox's　importunities；　I　turned　toward　the　supper…room。　It　showed　me　the　Englishman　in　the　act　of　lifting　two　cups　of　coffee　from　a　small　table　standing　near　the　reception…room　door。　As　his　manner　plainly　betokened　whither　he　was　bound　with　this　refreshment；　I　felt　all　my　uneasiness　vanish；　and　was　able　to　take　my　seat　at　one　of　the　small　t