the three partners-第13章

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with　persistent　gravity；　〃and　I　suppose　he's　satisfied　with　it。〃

But　so　heterodox　an　opinion　only　irritated　his　antagonist　the　more；

especially　as　he　noticed　that　the　handsome　woman　in　the　back　seat

appeared　to　be　interested　in　the　conversation；　and　even　sympathetic

with　Demorest。　　The　man　was　in　the　main　a　good…natured　fellow　and

loyal　to　his　friends；　but　this　did　not　preclude　any　virulent

criticism　of　others；　and　for　a　moment　he　hated　this　bronze…faced

stranger；　and　even　saw　blemishes　in　the　handsome　woman's　beauty。

〃That　may　be　YOUR　idea　of　an　Eastern　man；〃　he　said　bluntly；　〃but　I

kin　tell　ye　that　Californy　ain't　run　on　those　lines。　　No；　sir。〃

Nevertheless；　his　curiosity　got　the　better　of　his　ill　humor；　and　as

the　coach　at　last　pulled　up　at　the　cross…road　for　Demorest　to

descend　he　smiled　affably　at　his　departing　companion。



〃You　allowed　just　now　that　you'd　bin　five　years　away。　　Whar　mout　ye

have　bin？〃



〃In　Europe；〃　said　Demorest　pleasantly。



〃I　reckoned　ez　much；〃　returned　his　interrogator；　smiling

significantly　at　the　other　passengers。　　〃But　in　what　place？〃



〃Oh；　many；〃　said　Demorest；　smiling　also。



〃But　what　place　war　ye　last　livin'　at？〃



〃Well；〃　said　Demorest；　descending　the　steps；　but　lingering　for　a

moment　with　his　hand　on　the　door　of　the　coach；　〃oddly　enough；　now

you　remind　me　of　itat　Hymettus！〃



He　closed　the　door；　and　the　coach　rolled　on。　　The　passenger

reddened；　glanced　indignantly　after　the　departing　figure　of

Demorest　and　suspiciously　at　the　others。　　The　lady　was　looking　from

the　window　with　a　faint　smile　on　her　face。



〃He　might　hev　given　me　a　civil　answer；〃　muttered　the　passenger；　and

resumed　his　novel。



When　the　coach　drew　up　before　Carter's　Hotel　the　lady　got　down；　and

the　curiosity　of　her　susceptible　companions　was　gratified　to　the

extent　of　learning　from　the　register　that　her　name　was　Horncastle。



She　was　shown　to　a　private　sitting…room；　which　chanced　to　be　the

one　which　had　belonged　to　Mrs。　Barker　in　the　days　of　her

maidenhood；　and　was　the　sacred；　impenetrable　bower　to　which　she

retired　when　her　daily　duties　of　waiting　upon　her　father's　guests

were　over。　　But　the　breath　of　custom　had　passed　through　it　since

then；　and　but　little　remained　of　its　former　maiden　glories；　except

a　few　schoolgirl　crayon　drawings　on　the　wall　and　an　unrecognizable

portrait　of　herself　in　oil；　done　by　a　wandering　artist　and　still

preserved　as　a　receipt　for　his　unpaid　bill。　　Of　these　facts　Mrs。

Horncastle　knew　nothing；　she　was　evidently　preoccupied；　and　after

she　had　removed　her　outer　duster　and　entered　the　room；　she　glanced

at　the　clock　on　the　mantel…shelf　and　threw　herself　with　an　air　of

resigned　abstraction　in　an　armchair　in　the　corner。　　Her　traveling…

dress；　although　unostentatious；　was　tasteful　and　well…fitting；　a

slight　pallor　from　her　fatiguing　journey；　and；　perhaps；　from　some

absorbing　thought；　made　her　beauty　still　more　striking。　　She　gave

even　an　air　of　elegance　to　the　faded；　worn　adornments　of　the　room；

which　it　is　to　be　feared　it　never　possessed　in　Miss　Kitty's

occupancy。　　Again　she　glanced　at　the　clock。　　There　was　a　tap　at　the

door。



〃Come　in。〃



The　door　opened　to　a　Chinese　servant　bearing　a　piece　of　torn　paper

with　a　name　written　on　it　in　lieu　of　a　card。



Mrs。　Horncastle　took　it；　glanced　at　the　name；　and　handed　the　paper

back。



〃There　must　be　some　mistake；〃　she　said。　　〃it　do　not　know　Mr。

Steptoe。〃



〃No；　but　you　know　ME　all　the　same；〃　said　a　voice　from　the　doorway

as　a　man　entered；　coolly　took　the　Chinese　servant　by　the　elbows　and

thrust　him　into　the　passage；　closing　the　door　upon　him。　　〃Steptoe

and　Horncastle　are　the　same　man；　only　I　prefer　to　call　myself

Steptoe　HERE。　　And　I　see　YOU'RE　down　on　the　register　as　'Horncastle。'

Well；　it's　plucky　of　you；　and　it's　not　a　bad　name　to　keep；　you　might

be　thankful　that　I　have　always　left　it　to　you。　　And　if　I　call　myself

Steptoe　here　it's　a　good　blind　against　any　of　your　swell　friends

knowing　you　met　your　HUSBAND　here。〃



In　the　half…scornful；　half…resigned　look　she　had　given　him　when　he

entered　there　was　no　doubt　that　she　recognized　him　as　the　man　she

had　come　to　see。　　He　had　changed　little　in　the　five　years　that　had

elapsed　since　he　entered　the　three　partners'　cabin　at　Heavy　Tree

Hill。　　His　short　hair　and　beard　still　clung　to　his　head　like　curled

moss　or　the　crisp　flocculence　of　Astrakhan。　　He　was　dressed　more

pretentiously；　but　still　gave　the　same　idea　of　vulgar　strength。

She　listened　to　him　without　emotion；　but　said；　with　even　a

deepening　of　scorn　in　her　manner：



〃What　new　shame　is　this？〃



〃Nothing　NEW；〃　he　replied。　　〃Only　five　years　ago　I　was　livin'　over

on　the　Bar　at　Heavy　Tree　Hill　under　the　name　of　Steptoe；　and　folks

here　might　recognize　me。　　I　was　here　when　your　particular　friend；

Jim　Stacy；　who　only　knew　me　as　Steptoe；　and　doesn't　know　me　as

Horncastle；　your　HUSBAND；for　all　he's　bound　up　my　property　for

you；made　his　big　strike　with　his　two　partners。　　I　was　in　his

cabin　that　very　night；　and　drank　his　whiskey。　　Oh；　I'm　all　right

there！　　I　left　everything　all　right　behind　meonly　it's　just　as

well　he　doesn't　know　I'm　Horncastle。　　And　as　the　boy　happened　to　be

there　with　me〃　　He　stopped；　and　looked　at　her　significantly。



The　expression　of　her　face　changed。　　Eagerness；　anxiety；　and　even

fear　came　into　it　in　turn；　but　always　mingling　with　some　scorn　that

dominated　her。　　〃The　boy！〃　she　said　in　a　voice　that　had　changed

too；　〃well；　what　about　him？　　You　promised　to　tell　me　all；all！〃



〃Where's　the　money？〃　he　said。　　〃Husband　and　wife　are　ONE；　I　know；〃

he　went　on　with　a　coarse　laugh；　〃but　I　don't　trust　MYSELF　in　these

matters。〃



She　took　from　a　traveling…reticule　that　lay　beside　her　a　roll　of

notes　and　a　chamois　leather　bag　of　coin；　and　laid　them　on　the　table

before　him。　　He　examined　both　carefully。



〃All　right；〃　he　said。　　〃I　see　you've　got　the　checks　made　out　'to

bearer。'　　Your　head's　level；　Conny。　　Pity　you　and　me　can't　agree。〃



〃I　went　to　the　bank　across　the　way　as　soon　as　I　arrived；〃　she　said；

with　contemptuous　directness。　　〃I　told　them　I　was　going　over　to

Hymettus　and　might　want　money。〃



He　dropped　into　a　chair　before　her　with　his　broad　heavy　hands　upon

his　knees；　and　looked　at　her　with　an　equal；　though　baser；　contempt：

for　his　was　mingled　with　a　certain　pride　of　mastery　and　possession。



〃And；　of　course；　you'll　go　to　Hymettus　and　cut　a　splurge　as　you

always　do。　　The　beautiful　Mrs。　Horncastle！　　The　helpless　victim　of

a　wretched；　dissipated；　disgraced；　gambling　husband。　　So　dreadfully

sad；　you　know；　and　so　interesting！　　Could　get　a　divorce　from　the

brute　if　she　wanted；　but　won't；　on　account　of　her　religious

scruples。　　And　so　while　the　brute　is　gambling；　swindling；

disgracing　himself；　and　dodging　a　shot　here　and　a　lynch　committee

there；　two　or　three　hundred　miles　away；　you're　splurging　round　in

first…class　hotels　and　watering…places；　doing　the　injured　and

abused；　and　run　after　by　a　lot　of　men　who　are　ready　to　take　my

place；　and；　maybe；　some　of　my　reputation　along　with　it。〃



〃Stop！〃　she　said　suddenly；　in　a　voice　that　made　the　glass

chandelier　ring。　　He　had　risen　too；　with　a　quick；　uneasy　glance

towards　the　door。　　But　her　outbreak　passed　as　suddenly；　and　sinking

back　into　her　chair；　she　said；　with　her　previous　scornful

resignation；　〃Never　mind。　　Go　on。　　You　KNOW　you're　lying！〃



He　sat　down　again　and　looked　at　her　critically。　　〃Yes；　as　far　as

you're　concerned　I　WAS　lying！　　I　know　your　style。　　But　as　you　know；

too；　that　I'd　kill　you　and　the　first　man　I　suspected；　and　there

ain't　a　judge　or　a　jury　in　all　Californy　that　wouldn't　let　me　go

free　for　it；　and　even　consider；　too；　that　it　had　wiped　off　the

whole　slate　agin　meit's　to　my　credit！〃



〃I　know　what　you　men　call　chivalry；〃　she　said　coldly；　〃but　I　did

not　come　here　to　buy　a　knowledge　of　that。　　So　now　about　the　child？〃

she　ended　abruptly；　leaning　forward　again　with　the　same　look　of

eager　solicitude　in　her　eyes。



〃Well；　about　the　childour　childthough；　perhaps；　I　prefer　to　say

MY　child；〃　he　began；　with　a　certain　brutal　frankness。　　〃I'll　tell

you。　　But　first；　I　don't　want　you　to　talk　about　BUYING　your

information　of　me。　　If　I　haven't　told　you　anything　before；　it's

because　I　didn't　think　you　oughter　know。　　If　I　didn't　trust　the

child　to　YOU；　it's　because　I　didn't　think　you　could　go　shashaying

about　with　a　child　that　was　three　years　old　when　I〃he　stopped　and

wiped　his　mouth　with　the　back　of　his　hand〃made　an　honest　woman　of

youI　think　that's　what　they　call　it。〃



〃But；〃　she　said　eagerly；　ignoring　the　insult；　〃I　could　have　hidden

it　where　no　one　but　myself　would　have　known　it。　　I　could　have　sent

it　to　school　and　visited　it　as　a　relation。〃



〃Yes；〃　he　said　curtly；　〃like　all　women；　and　then　blurted　it　out

some　day　and　made　it　worse。〃



〃But；〃　she　said　desperately；　〃even　THEN；　suppose　I　had　been　willing

to　take　the　shame　of　it！　　I　have　taken　more！〃



〃But　I　didn't　intend　that　you　should；〃　he　said　roughly。



〃You　are　very　careful　of　my　reputation；〃　she　returned　scornfully。



〃Not　by　a　dd　sight；〃　he　burst　out；　〃but　I　care　for　HIS！　　I'm

not　goin'　to　let　any　man　call　him　a　bastard！〃



Callous　as　she　had　become　even　under　this　last　cruel　blow；　she

could　not　but　see　something　in　his　coarse　eyes　she　had　never　seen

before；　could　not　but　hear　something　in　his　brutal　voice　she　had

never　heard　before！　　Was　it　possible　that　somewhere　in　the　depths

of　his　sordid　nature　he　had　his　own　contemptible　sense　of　honor？　　A

hysterical　feeling　came　over　her　hitherto　passive　disgust　and

scorn；　but　it　disappeared　with　his　next　sentence　in　a　haze　of

anxiety。　　〃No！〃　he　said　hoarsely；　〃he　had　enough　wrong　done　him

already。〃



〃What　do　you　mean？〃　she　said　imploringly。　　〃Or　are　you　again　lying？

You　said；　four　years　ago；　that　he　had　'got　into　trouble；'　that　was

your　excuse　for　keeping　him　from　me。　　Or　was　that　a　lie；　too？〃



His　manner　changed　and　softened；　but　not　for　any　pity　for　his

companion；　but　rather　from　some　change　in　his　own　feelings。　　〃Oh；

that；〃　he　said；　with　a　rough　laugh；　〃that　was　only　a　kind　o'

trouble　any　sassy　kid　like　him　was　likely　to　get　into。　　You　ain't

got　no　call　to　hear　that；　for；〃　he　added；　with　a　momentary　return

to　his　previous　manner；　〃the　wrong　that　was　done　him　is　MY　lookout！

You　want　to　know　what　I　did　with　him；　how　he's　been　looked　arter；

and　where　he　is？　　You　want　the　worth　of　your　money。　　That's　square

enough。　　But　first　I　want　you　to　know；　though　you　mayn't　believe

it；　that　every　red　cent　you've　given　me　to…night　goes　to　HIM。　　And

don't　you　forget　it。〃



For　all　his　vulgar　frankness　she　knew　he　had　lied　to　her　many　times

before；maliciously；　wantonly；　complacently；　but　never　evasively；

yet　there　was　again　that　something　in　his　manner　which　told　her　he

was　now　telling　the　truth。



〃Well；〃　he　began；　settling　himself　back　in　his　chair