the three partners-第15章

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himself　a　delicious　condonation　of　the　strange　feeling　that　had

sprung　up　in　her　heart　for　Barker's　simple；　straightforward　nature。

How　could　HE　understand；　how　could　THEY　understand　（by　the　plural

she　meant　Mrs。　Barker　and　Horncastle）；　a　character　so　innately

noble。　　In　her　strange　attraction　towards　him　she　had　felt　a

charming　sense　of　what　she　believed　was　a　superior　and　even　matronly

protection；　in　the　utter　isolation　of　her　life　nowand　with　her

husband's　foolish　abuse　of　him　ringing　in　her　earsit　seemed　a

sacred　duty。　　She　had　lost　a　son。　　Providence　had　sent　her　an　ideal

friend　to　replace　him。　　And　this　was　quite　consistent；　too；　with　a

faint　smile　that　began　to　play　about　her　mouth　as　she　recalled　some

instances　of　Barker's　delightful　and　irresistible　youthfulness。



There　was　a　clatter　of　hoofs　and　the　sound　of　many　voices　from　the

street。　　Mrs。　Horncastle　knew　it　was　the　down　coach　changing

horses；　it　would　be　off　again　in　a　few　moments；　and；　no　doubt；

bearing　her　husband　away　with　it。　　A　new　feeling　of　relief　came

over　her　as　she　at　last　heard　the　warning　〃All　aboard！〃　and　the

great　vehicle　clattered　and　rolled　into　the　darkness；　trailing　its

burning　lights　across　her　walls　and　ceiling。　　But　now　she　heard

steps　on　the　staircase；　a　pause　before　her　room；　a　whisper　of

voices；　the　opening　of　the　door；　the　rustle　of　a　skirt；　and　a

little　feminine　cry　of　protest　as　a　man　apparently　tried　to　follow

the　figure　into　the　room。　　〃No；　no！　　I　tell　you　NO！〃　remonstrated

the　woman's　voice　in　a　hurried　whisper。　　〃It　won't　do。　　Everybody

knows　me　here。　　You　must　not　come　in　now。　　You　must　wait　to　be

announced　by　the　servant。　　Hush！　　Go！〃



There　was　a　slight　struggle；　the　sound　of　a　kiss；　and　the　woman

succeeded　in　finally　shutting　the　door。　　Then　she　walked　slowly；

but　with　a　certain　familiarity　towards　the　mantel；　struck　a　match

and　lit　the　candle。　　The　light　shone　upon　the　bright　eyes　and

slightly　flushed　face　of　Mrs。　Barker。　　But　the　motionless　woman　in

the　chair　had　recognized　her　voice　and　the　voice　of　her　companion

at　once。　　And　then　their　eyes　met。



Mrs。　Barker　drew　back；　but　did　not　utter　a　cry。　　Mrs。　Horncastle；

with　eyes　even　brighter　than　her　companion's；　smiled。　　The　red

deepened　in　Mrs。　Barker's　cheek。



〃This　is　my　room！〃　she　said　indignantly；　with　a　sweeping　gesture

around　the　walls。



〃I　should　judge　so；〃　said　Mrs。　Horncastle；　following　the　gesture；

〃but；〃　she　added　quietly；　〃they　put　ME　into　it。　　It　appears；

however；　they　did　not　expect　you。〃



Mrs。　Barker　saw　her　mistake。　　〃No；　no；〃　she　said　apologetically；

〃of　course　not。〃　　Then　she　added；　with　nervous　volubility；　sitting

down　and　tugging　at　her　gloves；　〃You　see；　I　just　ran　down　from

Marysville　to　take　a　look　at　my　father's　old　house　on　my　way　to

Hymettus。　　I　hope　I　haven't　disturbed　you。　　Perhaps；〃　she　said；

with　sudden　eagerness；　〃you　were　asleep　when　I　came　in！〃



〃No；〃　said　Mrs。　Horncastle；　〃I　was　not　sleeping　nor　dreaming。　　I

heard　you　come　in。〃



〃Some　of　these　men　are　such　idiots；〃　said　Mrs。　Barker；　with　a　half…

hysterical　laugh。　　〃They　seem　to　think　if　a　woman　accepts　the　least

courtesy　from　them　they've　a　right　to　be　familiar。　　But　I　fancy

that　fellow　was　a　little　astonished　when　I　shut　the　door　in　his

face。〃



〃I　fancy　he　WAS；〃　returned　Mrs。　Horncastle　dryly。　　〃But　I　shouldn't

call　Mr。　Van　Loo　an　idiot。　　He　has　the　reputation　of　being　a

cautious　business　man。〃



Mrs。　Barker　bit　her　lip。　　Her　companion　had　been　recognized。　　She

rose　with　a　slight　flirt　of　her　skirt。　　〃I　suppose　I　must　go　and

get　a　room；　there　was　nobody　in　the　office　when　I　came。　　Everything

is　badly　managed　here　since　my　father　took　away　the　best　servants

to　Hymettus。〃　　She　moved　with　affected　carelessness　towards　the

door；　when　Mrs。　Horncastle；　without　rising　from　her　seat；　said：



〃Why　not　stay　here？〃



Mrs。　Barker　brightened　for　a　moment。　　〃Oh；〃　she　said；　with　polite

deprecation；　〃I　couldn't　think　of　turning　you　out。〃



〃I　don't　intend　you　shall；〃　said　Mrs。　Horncastle。　　〃We　will　stay

here　together　until　you　go　with　me　to　Hymettus；　or　until　Mr。　Van

Loo　leaves　the　hotel。　　He　will　hardly　attempt　to　come　in　here　again

if　I　remain。〃



Mrs。　Barker；　with　a　half…laugh；　sat　down　irresolutely。　　Mrs。

Horncastle　gazed　at　her　curiously；　she　was　evidently　a　novice　in

this　sort　of　thing。　　But；　strange　to　say；and　I　leave　the　ethics

of　this　for　the　sex　to　settle；the　fact　did　not　soften　Mrs。

Horncastle's　heart；　nor　in　the　least　qualify　her　attitude　towards

the　younger　woman。　　After　an　awkward　pause　Mrs。　Barker　rose　again。

〃Well；　it's　very　good　of　you；　andand…I'll　just　run　out　and　wash

my　hands　and　get　the　dust　off　me；　and　come　back。〃



〃No；　Mrs。　Barker；〃　said　Mrs。　Horncastle；　rising　and　approaching

her；　〃you　will　first　wash　your　hands　of　this　Mr。　Van　Loo；　and　get

some　of　the　dust　of　the　rendezvous　off　you　before　you　do　anything

else。　　You　CAN　do　it　by　simply　telling　him；　SHOULD　YOU　MEET　HIM　IN

THE　HALL；　that　I　was　sitting　here　when　he　came　in；　and　heard

EVERYTHING！　　Depend　upon　it；　he　won't　trouble　you　again。〃



But　Mrs。　Barker；　though　inexperienced　in　love；　was　a　good　fighter。

The　best　of　the　sex　are。　　She　dropped　into　the　rocking…chair；　and

began　rocking　backwards　and　forwards　while　still　tugging　at　her

gloves；　and　said；　in　a　gradually　warming　voice；　〃I　certainly　shall

not　magnify　Mr。　Van　Loo's　silliness　to　that　importance。　　And　I　have

yet　to　learn　what　you　mean　by　talking　about　a　rendezvous！　　And　I

want　to　know；〃　she　continued；　suddenly　stopping　her　rocking　and

tilting　the　rockers　impertinently　behind　her；　as；　with　her　elbows

squared　on　the　chair　arms；　she　tilted　her　own　face　defiantly　up

into　Mrs。　Horncastle's；　〃how　a　woman　in　your　positionwho　doesn't

live　with　her　husbanddares　to　talk　to　ME！〃



There　was　a　lull　before　the　storm。　　Mrs。　Horncastle　approached

nearer；　and；　laying　her　hand　on　the　back　of　the　chair；　leaned　over

her；　and；　with　a　white　face　and　a　metallic　ring　in　her　voice；　said：

〃It　is　just　because　I　am　a　woman　IN　MY　POSITION　that　I　do！　　It　is

because　I　don't　live　with　my　husband　that　I　can　tell　you　what　it

will　be　when　you　no　longer　live　with　yourswhich　will　be　the

inevitable　result　of　what　you　are　now　doing。　　It　is　because　I　WAS

in　this　position　that　the　very　man　who　is　pursuing　you；　because　he

thinks　you　are　discontented　with　YOUR　husband；　once　thought　he

could　pursue　me　because　I　had　left　MINE。　　You　are　here　with　him

alone；　without　the　knowledge　of　your　husband；　call　it　folly；

caprice；　vanity；　or　what　you　like；　it　can　have　but　one　endto　put

you　in　my　place　at　last；　to　be　considered　the　fair　game　afterwards

for　any　man　who　may　succeed　him。　　You　can　test　him　and　the　truth　of

what　I　say　by　telling　him　now　that　I　heard　all。〃



〃Suppose　he　doesn't　care　what　you　have　heard；〃　said　Mrs。　Barker

sharply。　　〃Suppose　he　says　nobody　would　believe　you；　if　'telling'

is　your　game。　　Suppose　he　is　a　friend　of　my　husband　and　he　thinks

him　a　much　better　guardian　of　my　reputation　than　a　woman　like　you。

Suppose　he　should　be　the　first　one　to　tell　my　husband　of　the　foul

slander　invented　by　you！〃



For　an　instant　Mrs。　Horncastle　was　taken　aback　by　the　audacity　of

the　woman　before　her。　　She　knew　the　simple　confidence　and　boyish

trust　of　Barker　in　his　wife　in　spite　of　their　sometimes　strained

relations；　and　she　knew　how　difficult　it　would　be　to　shake　it。　　And

she　had　no　idea　of　betraying　Mrs。　Barker's　secret　to　him；　though

she　had　made　this　scene　in　his　interest。　　She　had　wished　to　save

Mrs。　Barker　from　a　compromising　situation；　even　if　there　was　a

certain　vindictiveness　in　her　exposing　her　to　herself。　　Yet　she

knew　it　was　quite　possible　now；　if　Mrs。　Barker　had　immediate　access

to　her　husband；　that　she　would　convince　him　of　her　perfect

innocence。　　Nevertheless；　she　had　still　great　confidence　in　Van

Loo's　fear　of　scandal　and　his　utter　unmanliness。　　She　knew　he　was

not　in　love　with　Mrs。　Barker；　and　this　puzzled　her　when　she

considered　the　evident　risk　he　was　running　now。　　Her　face；　however；

betrayed　nothing。　　She　drew　back　from　Mrs。　Barker；　and；　with　an

indifferent　and　graceful　gesture　towards　the　door；　said；　as　she

leaned　against　the　mantel；　〃Go；　then；　and　see　this　much…abused

gentleman；　and　then　go　together　with　him　and　make　peace　with　your

husbandeven　on　those　terms。　　If　I　have　saved　you　from　the

consequences　of　your　folly　I　shall　be　willing　to　bear　even　HIS

blame。〃



〃Whatever　I　do；〃　said　Mrs。　Barker；　rising　hotly；　〃I　shall　not　stay

here　any　longer　to　be　insulted。〃　　She　flounced　out　of　the　room　and

swept　down　the　staircase　into　the　office。　　Here　she　found　an

overworked　clerk；　and　with　crimson　cheeks　and　flashing　eyes　wanted

to　know　why　in　her　own　father's　hotel　she　had　found　her　own

sitting…room　engaged；　and　had　been　obliged　to　wait　half　an　hour

before　she　could　be　shown　into　a　decent　apartment　to　remove　her　hat

and　cloak　in；　and　how　it　was　that　even　the　gentleman　who　had　kindly

escorted　her　had　evidently　been　unable　to　procure　her　any

assistance。　　She　said　this　in　a　somewhat　high　voice；　which　might

have　reached　the　ears　of　that　gentleman　had　he　been　in　the

vicinity。　　But　he　was　not；　and　she　was　forced　to　meet　the　somewhat

dazed　apologies　of　the　clerk　alone；　and　to　accompany　the

chambermaid　to　a　room　only　a　few　paces　distant　from　the　one　she　had

quitted。　　Here　she　hastily　removed　her　outer　duster　and　hat；　washed

her　hands；　and　consulted　her　excited　face　in　the　mirror；　with　the

door　ajar　and　an　ear　sensitively　attuned　to　any　step　in　the

corridor。　　But　all　this　was　effected　so　rapidly　that　she　was　at

last　obliged　to　sit　down　in　a　chair　near　the　half…opened　door；　and

wait。　　She　waited　five　minutestenbut　still　no　footstep。　　Then

she　went　out　into　the　corridor　and　listened；　and　then；　smoothing

her　face；　she　slipped　downstairs；　past　the　door　of　that　hateful

room；　and　reappeared　before　the　clerk　with　a　smiling　but　somewhat

pale　and　languid　face。　　She　had　found　the　room　very　comfortable；

but　it　was　doubtful　whether　she　would　stay　over　night　or　go　on　to

Hymettus。　　Had　anybody　been　inquiring　for　her？　　She　expected　to

meet　friends。　　No！　　And　her　escortthe　gentleman　who　came　with

herwas　possibly　in　the　billiard…room　or　the　bar？



〃Oh　no！　　He　was　gone；〃　said　the　clerk。



〃Gone！〃　echoed　Mrs。　Barker。　　〃Impossible！　　He　washe　was　here　only

a　moment　ago。〃



The　clerk　rang　a　bell　sharply。　　The　stableman　appeared。



〃That　tall；　smooth…faced　man；　in　a　high　hat；　who　came　with　the

lady；〃　said　the　clerk　severely　and　concisely；〃didn't　you　tell　me

he　was　gone？〃



〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　the　stableman。



〃Are　you　sure？〃　interrupted　Mrs。　Barker；　with　a　dazzling　smile

that；　however；　masked　a　sudden　tightening　round　her　heart。



〃Quite　sure；　miss；〃　said　the　stableman；　〃for　he　was　in　the　yard

when　Steptoe　came；　after　missing　the　coach。　　He　wanted　a　buggy　to

take　him　over　to　the　Divide。　　W