the three partners-第17章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



which　was；　that　she　was　sorry　to　say；　on　arriving；　the　poor　child

was　nearly　wild　with　a　headache　from　fatigue　and　had　gone　to　bed；

and　she　had　promised　not　to　disturb　her。



The　undisguised　amusement；　mingled　with　relief；　that　had　overspread

Barker's　face　during　this　lively　recital　might　have　pricked　the

conscience　of　Mrs。　Horncastle；　but　for　some　reason　I　fear　it　did

not。　　But　it　emboldened　her　to　go　on。　　〃I　said　I　promised　her　that

I　would　see　she　wasn't　disturbed；　but；　of　course；　now　that　YOU；　her

HUSBAND；　have　come；　if〃



〃Not　for　worlds；〃　interrupted　Barker　earnestly。　　〃I　know　poor

Kitty's　headaches；　and　I　never　disturb　her；　poor　child；　except　when

I'm　thoughtless。〃　　And　here　one　of　the　most　thoughtful　men　in　the

world　in　his　sensitive　consideration　of　others　beamed　at　her　with

such　frank　and　wonderful　eyes　that　the　arch　hypocrite　before　him

with　difficulty　suppressed　a　hysterical　desire　to　laugh；　and　felt

the　conscious　blood　flush　her　to　the　root　of　her　hair。　　〃You　know；〃

he　went　on；　with　a　sigh；　half　of　relief　and　half　of　reminiscence；

〃that　I　often　think　I'm　a　great　bother　to　a　clear…headed；　sensible

girl　like　Kitty。　　She　knows　people　so　much　better　than　I　do。　　She's

wonderfully　equipped　for　the　world；　and；　you　see；　I'm　only　'lucky；'

as　everybody　says；　and　I　dare　say　part　of　my　luck　was　to　have　got

her。　　I'm　very　glad　she's　a　friend　of　yours；　you　know；　for　somehow

I　fancied　always　that　you　were　not　interested　in　her；　or　that　you

didn't　understand　each　other　until　now。　　It's　odd　that　nice　women

don't　always　like　nice　women；　isn't　it？　　I'm　glad　she　was　with　you；

I　was　quite　startled　to　learn　she　was　here；　and　couldn't　make　it

out。　　I　thought　at　first　she　might　have　got　anxious　about　our

little　Sta；　who　is　with　me　and　the　nurse　at　Hymettus。　　But　I'm　glad

it　was　only　a　lark。　　I　shouldn't　wonder；〃　he　added；　with　a　laugh；

〃although　she　always　declares　she　isn't　one　of　those　'doting；

idiotic　mothers；'　that　she　found　it　a　little　dull　without　the　boy；

for　all　she　thought　it　was　better　for　ME　to　take　him　somewhere　for

a　change　of　air。〃



The　situation　was　becoming　more　difficult　for　Mrs。　Horncastle　than

she　had　conceived。　　There　had　been　a　certain　excitement　in　its

first　direct　appeal　to　her　tact　and　courage；　and　even；　she

believed；　an　unselfish　desire　to　save　the　relations　between　husband

and　wife　if　she　could。　　But　she　had　not　calculated　upon　his

unconscious　revelations；　nor　upon　their　effect　upon　herself。　　She

had　concluded　to　believe　that　Kitty　had；　in　a　moment　of　folly；　lent

herself　to　this　hare…brained　escapade；　but　it　now　might　be　possible

that　it　had　been　deliberately　planned。　　Kitty　had　sent　her　husband

and　child　away　three　weeks　before。　　Had　she　told　the　whole　truth？

How　long　had　this　been　going　on？　　And　if　the　soulless　Van　Loo　had

deserted　her　now；　was　it　not；　perhaps；　the　miserable　ending　of　an

intrigue　rather　than　its　beginning？　　Had　she　been　as　great　a　dupe

of　this　woman　as　the　husband　before　her？　　A　new　and　double

consciousness　came　over　her　that　for　a　moment　prevented　her　from

meeting　his　honest　eyes。　　She　felt　the　shame　of　being　an　accomplice

mingled　with　a　fierce　joy　at　the　idea　of　a　climax　that　might

separate　him　from　his　wife　forever。



Luckily　he　did　not　notice　it；　but　with　a　continued　sense　of　relief

threw　himself　back　in　his　chair；　and　glancing　familiarly　round　the

walls　broke　into　his　youthful　laugh。　　〃Lord！　how　I　remember　this

room　in　the　old　days。　　It　was　Kitty's　own　private　sitting…room；　you

know；　and　I　used　to　think　it　looked　just　as　fresh　and　pretty　as

she。　　I　used　to　think　her　crayon　drawing　wonderful；　and　still　more

wonderful　that　she　should　have　that　unnecessary　talent　when　it　was

quite　enough　for　her　to　be　just　'Kitty。'　　You　know；　don't　you；　how

you　feel　at　those　times　when　you're　quite　happy　in　being　inferior〃

He　stopped　a　moment　with　a　sudden　recollection　that　Mrs。　Horncastle's

marriage　had　been　notoriously　unhappy。　　〃I　mean；〃　he　went　on　with　a

shy　little　laugh　and　an　innocent　attempt　at　gallantry　which　the　very

directness　of　his　simple　nature　made　atrociously　obvious；〃I　mean

what　you've　made　lots　of　young　fellows　feel。　　There　used　to　be　a

picture　of　Colonel　Brigg　on　the　mantelpiece；　in　full　uniform；　and

signed　by　himself　'for　Kitty；'　and　Lord！　how　jealous　I　was　of　it；

for　Kitty　never　took　presents　from　gentlemen；　and　nobody　even　was

allowed　in　here；　though　she　helped　her　father　all　over　the　hotel。

She　was　awfully　strict　in　those　days；〃　he　interpolated；　with　a

thoughtful　look　and　a　half…sigh；　〃but　then　she　wasn't　married。　　I

proposed　to　her　in　this　very　room！　　Lord！　　I　remember　how　frightened

I　was。〃　　He　stopped　for　an　instant；　and　then　said　with　a　certain

timidity；　〃Do　you　mind　my　telling　you　something　about　it？〃



Mrs。　Horncastle　was　hardly　prepared　to　hear　these　ingenuous

domestic　details；　but　she　smiled　vaguely；　although　she　could　not

suppress　a　somewhat　impatient　movement　with　her　hands。　　Even　Barker

noticed　it；　but　to　her　surprise　moved　a　little　nearer　to　her；　and

in　a　half…entreating　way　said；　〃I　hope　I　don't　bore　you；　but　it's

something　confidential。　　Do　you　know　that　she　first　REFUSED　me？〃



Mrs。　Horncastle　smiled；　but　could　not　resist　a　slight　toss　of　her

head。　　〃I　believe　they　all　do　when　they　are　sure　of　a　man。〃



〃No！〃　said　Barker　eagerly；　〃you　don't　understand。　　I　proposed　to

her　because　I　thought　I　was　rich。　　In　a　foolish　moment　I　thought　I

had　discovered　that　some　old　stocks　I　had　had　acquired　a　fabulous

value。　　She　believed　it；　too；　but　because　she　thought　I　was　now　a

rich　man　and　she　only　a　poor　girla　mere　servant　to　her　father's

guestsshe　refused　me。　　Refused　me　because　she　thought　I　might

regret　it　in　the　future；　because　she　would　not　have　it　said　that

she　had　taken　advantage　of　my　proposal　only　when　I　was　rich　enough

to　make　it。〃



〃Well？〃　said　Mrs。　Horncastle　incredulously；　gazing　straight　before

her；　〃and　then？〃



〃In　about　an　hour　I　discovered　my　error；　that　my　stocks　were

worthless；　that　I　was　still　a　poor　man。　　I　thought　it　only　honest

to　return　to　her　and　tell　her；　even　though　I　had　no　hope。　　And　then

she　pitied　me；　and　cried；　and　accepted　me。　　I　tell　it　to　you　as　her

friend。〃　　He　drew　a　little　nearer　and　quite　fraternally　laid　his

hand　upon　her　own。　　〃I　know　you　won't　betray　me；　though　you　may

think　it　wrong　for　me　to　have　told　it；　but　I　wanted　you　to　know　how

good　she　was　and　true。〃



For　a　moment　Mrs。　Horncastle　was　amazed　and　discomfited；　although

she　saw；　with　the　inscrutable　instinct　of　her　sex；　no　inconsistency

between　the　Kitty　of　those　days　and　the　Kitty　now　shamefully　hiding

from　her　husband　in　the　same　hotel。　　No　doubt　Kitty　had　some　good

reason　for　her　chivalrous　act。　　But　she　could　see　the　unmistakable

effect　of　that　act　upon　the　more　logically　reasoning　husband；　and

that　it　might　lead　him　to　be　more　merciful　to　the　later　wrong。　　And

there　was　a　keener　irony　that　his　first　movement　of　unconscious

kindliness　towards　her　was　the　outcome　of　his　affection　for　his

undeserving　wife。



〃You　said　just　now　she　was　more　practical　than　you；〃　she　said

dryly。　　〃Apart　from　this　evidence　of　it；　what　other　reasons　have

you　for　thinking　so？　　Do　you　refer　to　her　independence　or　her

dealings　in　the　stock　market？〃　she　added；　with　a　laugh。



〃No；〃　said　Barker　seriously；　〃for　I　do　not　think　her　quite

practical　there；　indeed；　I'm　afraid　she　is　about　as　bad　as　I　am。

But　I'm　glad　you　have　spoken；　for　I　can　now　talk　confidentially

with　you；　and　as　you　and　she　are　both　in　the　same　ventures；　perhaps

she　will　feel　less　compunction　in　hearing　from　youas　your　own

opinionwhat　I　have　to　tell　you　than　if　I　spoke　to　her　myself。　　I

am　afraid　she　trusts　implicitly　to　Van　Loo's　judgment　as　her

broker。　　I　believe　he　is　strictly　honorable；　but　the　general

opinion　of　his　business　insight　is　not　high。　　Theyperhaps　I　ought

to　say　HEhave　been　at　least　so　unlucky　that　they　might　have

learned　prudence。　　The　loss　of　twenty　thousand　dollars　in　three

months〃



〃Twenty　thousand！〃　echoed　Mrs。　Horncastle。



〃Yes。　　Why；　you　knew　that；　it　was　in　the　mine　you　and　she　visited；

or；　perhaps；〃　he　added　hastily；　as　he　flushed　at　his　indiscretion；

〃she　didn't　tell　you　that。〃



But　Mrs。　Horncastle　as　hastily　said；　〃Yesyesof　course；　only　I

had　forgotten　the　amount；〃　and　he　continued：



〃That　loss　would　have　frightened　any　man；　but　you　women　are　more

daring。　　Only　Van　Loo　ought　to　have　withdrawn。　　Don't　you　think　so？

Of　course　I　couldn't　say　anything　to　him　without　seeming　to　condemn

my　own　wife；　I　couldn't　say　anything　to　HER　because　it's　her　own

money。〃



〃I　didn't　know　that　Mrs。　Barker　had　any　money　of　her　own；〃　said

Mrs。　Horncastle。



〃Well；　I　gave　it　to　her；〃　said　Barker；　with　sublime　simplicity；

〃and　that　would　make　it　all　the　worse　for　me　to　speak　about　it。〃



Mrs。　Horncastle　was　silent。　　A　new　theory　flashed　upon　her　which

seemed　to　reconcile　all　the　previous　inconsistencies　of　the

situation。　　Van　Loo；　under　the　guise　of　a　lover；　was　really

possessing　himself　of　Mrs。　Barker's　money。　　This　accounted　for　the

risks　he　was　running　in　this　escapade；　which　were　so　incongruous　to

the　rascal's　nature。　　He　was　calculating　that　the　scandal　of　an

intrigue　would　relieve　him　of　the　perils　of　criminal　defalcation。

It　was　compatible　with　Kitty's　innocence；　though　it　did　not　relieve

her　vanity　of　the　part　it　played　in　this　despicable　comedy　of

passion。　　All　that　Mrs。　Horncastle　thought　of　now　was　the　effect　of

its　eventful　revelation　upon　the　man　before　her。　　Of　course；　he

would　overlook　his　wife's　trustfulness　and　business　ignoranceit

would　seem　so　like　his　own　unselfish　faith！　　That　was　the　fault　of

all　unselfish　goodness；　it　even　took　the　color　of　adjacent　evil；

without　altering　the　nature　of　either。　　Mrs。　Horncastle　set　her

teeth　tightly　together；　but　her　beautiful　mouth　smiled　upon　Barker；

though　her　eyes　were　bent　upon　the　tablecloth　before　her。



〃I　shall　do　all　I　can　to　impress　your　views　upon　her；〃　she　said　at

last；　〃though　I　fear　they　will　have　little　weight　if　given　as　my

own。　　And　you　overrate　my　general　influence　with　her。〃



Her　handsome　head　drooped　in　such　a　thoughtful　humility　that　Barker

instinctively　drew　nearer　to　her。　　Besides；　she　had　not　lifted　her

dark　lashes　for　some　moments；　and　he　had　the　still　youthful　habit

of　looking　frankly　into　the　eyes　of　those　he　addressed。



〃No；〃　he　said　eagerly；　〃how　could　I？　　She　could　not　help　but　love

you　and　do　as　you　would　wish。　　I　can't　tell　you　how　glad　and

relieved　I　am　to　find　that　you　and　she　have　become　such　friends。

You　know　I　always　thought　you　beautiful；　I　always　thought　you　so

cleverI　was　even　a　little　frightened　of　you；　but　I　never　until

now　knew　you　were　so　GOOD。　　No；　stop！　　Yes；　I　DID　know　it。　　Do　you

remember　once　in　San　Francisco；　when　I　found　you　with　Sta　in　your

lap　in　the　drawing…room？　　I　knew　it　then。　　You　tried　t