the dust-第47章

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〃So　glad　to　see　you。〃　　Then；　turning　the　radiant　smile　upon　Dorothy；　〃And　is　this　your　wife？　　Is　this　the　pretty　little　typewriter　girl？〃

Dorothy　noddeda　charming；　ingenuous　bend　of　the　head。　　Norman　felt　a　thrill　of　pride　in　her；　so　beautifully　unconscious　of　the　treacherous　attempt　at　insult。　It　particularly　delighted　him　that　she　had　not　made　the　mistake　of　rising　to　return　Josephine's　greeting　but　had　remained　seated。　　Surely　this　wife　of　his　had　the　right　instincts　that　never　fail　to　cause　right　manners。　For　Josephine's　benefit；　he　gazed　down　at　Dorothy　with　the　proudest；　fondest　eyes。　　〃Yesthis　is　she；〃　said　he。　　〃Can　you　blame　me？〃

Josephine　paled　and　winced　visibly；　as　if　the　blow　she　had　aimed　at　him　had；　after　glancing　off　harmlessly；　returned　to　crush　her。　　She　touched　Dorothy's　proffered　hand；　murmured　a　few　stammering　phrases　of　vague　compliment；　rejoined　her　friends。　　Said　Dorothy；　when　she　and　Norman　were　settled　again：

〃I　shall　never　like　her。　　Nor　she　me。〃

〃But　you　do　like　this　cheese？　　Waiter；　another　bottle　of　that　same。〃

〃Why　did　she　put　you　in　such　a　good　humor？〃　inquired　his　wife。

〃It　wasn't　she。　　It　was　you！〃　replied　he。　　But　he　refused　to　explain。



XXI


GALLOWAY　accepted　Norman's　terms。　　He　would　probably　have　accepted　terms　far　less　easy。　　But　Norman　as　yet　knew　with　the　thoroughness　which　must　precede　intelligent　plan　and　action　only　the　legal　side　of　financial　operations；　he　had　been　as　indifferent　to　the　commercial　side　as　a　pilot　to　the　value　of　the　cargo　in　the　ship　he　engages　to　steer　clear　of　shoals　and　rocks。　So　with　the　prudence　of　the　sagacious　man's　audacities　he　contented　himself　with　a　share　of　this　first　venture　that　would　simply　make　a　comfortable　foundation　for　the　fortune　he　purposed　to　build。　　As　the　venture　could　not　fail　outright；　even　should　Galloway　die；　he　rented　a　largish　place　at　Hempstead；　with　the　privilege　of　purchase；　and　installed　his　wife　and　himself　with　a　dozen　servants　and　a　housekeeper。

〃This　housekeeper；　this　Mrs。　Lowell；〃　said　he　to　Dorothy；　〃is　a　good　enough　person　as　housekeepers　go。　　But　you　will　have　to　look　sharply　after　her。〃

Dorothy　seemed　to　fade　and　shrink　within　herself；　which　was　her　way　of　confessing　lack　of　courage　and　fitness　to　face　a　situation：　　〃I　don't　know　anything　about　those　things；〃　she　confessed。

〃I　understand　perfectly；〃　said　he。　　〃But　you　learned　something　at　the　place　in　Jersey　Cityquite　enough　for　the　start。　　Really；　all　you　need　to　know　just　now　is　whether　the　place　is　clean　or　not；　and　whether　the　food　comes　on　the　table　in　proper　condition。　The　rest　you'll　pick　up　gradually。〃

〃I　hope　so；〃　said　she；　looking　doubtful　and　helpless；　these　new　magnitudes　were　appalling；　especially　now　that　she　was　beginning　to　get　a　point　of　view　upon　life。

〃At　any　rate；　don't　bother　me　for　these　few　next　months；〃　said　he。　　〃I'm　going　to　be　very　busyshall　leave　early　in　the　morning　and　not　be　back　until　near　dinner　timeif　I　come　at　all。　　No；　you'll　not　be　annoyed　by　me。　　You'll　be　absolute　mistress　of　your　time。〃

She　tried　to　look　as　if　this　contented　her。　　But　he　could　not　have　failed　to　see　how　dissatisfied　and　disquieted　she　really　was。　　He　had　the　best　of　reasons　for　thinking　that　she　was　living　under　the　same　roof　with　him　only　because　she　preferred　the　roof　he　could　provide　to　such　a　one　as　she　could　provide　for　herself　whether　by　her　own　earnings　or　by　marrying　a　man　more　to　her　liking　personally。　　Yet　here　she　was；　piqued　and　depressed　because　of　his　indifferencebecause　he　was　not　thrusting　upon　her　gallantries　she　would　tolerate　only　through　prudence！

〃You　will　be　lonely　at　times；　I'm　afraid；〃　said　he。　〃But　I　can't　provide　friends　or　even　acquaintances　for　you　for　several　monthsuntil　my　affairs　are　in　better　order　and　my　sister　and　her　husband　come　back　from　Europe。〃

〃Oh；　I　shan't　be　lonely；〃　cried　she。　　〃I've　never　cared　for　people。〃

〃You've　your　books；　and　your　musicand　riding　and　shopping　trips　to　townand　the　house　and　grounds　to　look　after。〃

〃Yesand　my　dreams；〃　said　she　hopefully；　her　eyes　suggesting　the　dusky　star　depths。

〃Ohthe　dreams。　　You'll　have　little　time　for　them；〃　said　he　drily。　　〃And　little　inclination；　I　imagine；　as　you　wake　up　to　the　sense　of　how　much　there　is　to　be　learned。　　Dreaming　is　the　pastime　of　people　who　haven't　the　intelligence　or　the　energy　to　accomplish　anything。　If　you　wish　to　please　meand　you　dodon't　you？〃

〃Yes；〃　she　murmured。　　She　forced　her　rebellious　lips　to　the　laconic　assent。　　She　drooped　the　lids　over　her　rebellious　eyes；　lest　he　should　detect　her　wounded　feelings　and　her　resentment。

〃I　assumed　so；〃　said　he；　with　a　secret　smile。　〃Well；　if　you　wish　to　please　me；　you'll　give　your　time　to　practical　thingsthings　that'll　make　you　more　interesting　and　make　us　both　more　comfortable。　　It　was　all　very　well　to　dream；　while　you　had　little　to　do　and　small　opportunity。　　But　now　　Try　to　cut　it　out。〃

It　is　painful　to　an　American　girl　of　any　class　to　find　that　she　has　to　earn　her　position　as　wife。　　The　current　theory；　a　tradition　from　an　early　and　woman…　revering　day；　is　that　the　girl　has　done　her　share　and　more　when　she　has　consented　to　the　suit　of　the　ardent　male　and　has　intrusted　her　priceless　charms　to　his　exclusive　keeping。　　According　to　that　same　theory；　it　is　the　husband　who　must　earn　his　positionmust　continue　to　earn　it。　　He　is　a　humble　creature；　honored　by　the　presence　of　a　wonderful　being；　a　cross　between　a　queen　and　a　goddess。　　He　cannot　do　enough　to　show　his　gratitude。　　Perhapsbut　only　perhapshad　Norman　married　Josephine　Burroughs；　he　might　have　assented；　after　a　fashion；　to　this　idea　of　the　relations　of　the　man　and　the　woman。　　No　doubt；　had　he　remained　under　the　spell　of　Dorothy's　mystery　and　beauty；　he　would　have　felt　and　acted　the　slave　he　had　made　of　himself　at　the　outset。　　But　in　the　circumstances　he　was　looking　at　their　prospective　life　together　with　sane　eyes。　　And　so　she　had；　in　addition　to　all　her　other　reasons　for　heartache；　a　sense　that　she；　the　goddess…queen；　the　American　woman；　with　the　birthright　of　dominion　over　the　male；　was　being　cheated；　humbled；　degraded。

At　first　he　saw　that　this　sense　of　being　wronged　made　it　impossible　for　her　to　do　anything　at　all　toward　educating　herself　for　her　position。　　But　time　brought　about　the　change　he　had　hoped　for。　　A　few　weeks；　and　she　began　to　cheer　up；　almost　in　spite　of　herself。　　What　was　the　use　in　sulking　or　sighing　or　in　self…pitying；　when　it　brought　only　unhappiness　to　oneself？　　The　coarse　and　brutal　male　in　the　case　was　either　unaware　or　indifferent。　　There　was　no　one　and　no　place　to　fly　tounless　she　wished　to　be　much　worse　off　than　her　darkest　mood　of　self…pity　represented　her　to　her　sorrowing　self。　　The　housekeeper；　Mrs。　Lowell；　was　a　〃broken　down　gentlewoman〃　who　had　been　chastened　by　misfortune　into　a　wholesome　state　of　practical　good　sense　about　the　relative　values　of　the　real　and　the　romantic。　　Mrs。　Lowell　diagnosed　the　case　of　the　young　wifeas　Norman　had　shrewdly　guessed　she　would　and　was　soon　adroitly　showing　her　the　many　advantages　of　her　lot。　　Before　they　had　been　three　months　at　Hempstead；　Dorothy　had　discovered　that　she；　in　fact；　was　without　a　single　ground　for　serious　complaint。　　She　had　a　husband　who　was　generous　about　money；　and　left　her　as　absolutely　alone　as　if　he　were　mere　occasional　visitor　at　the　house。　　She　had　her　livingand　such　a　living！she　had　plenty　of　interesting　occupationshe　had　not　a　single　sordid　careand　perfect　health。

The　dreams；　too　　It　was　curious　about　those　dreams。　　She　would　now　have　found　it　an　intolerable　bore　to　sit　with　hands　idle　in　her　lap　and　eyes　upon　vacancy；　watching　the　dim；　luminous　shadows　flit　aimlessly　by。　　Yet　that　was　the　way　she　used　to　pass　hoursentire　days。　　She　used　to　fight　off　sleep　at　night　the　longer　to　enjoy　her　one　source　of　pure　happiness。　　There　was　no　doubt　about　it；　the　fire　of　romance　was　burning　low；　and　she　was　becoming　commonplace；　practical；　resigned。　Well；　why　not？　　Was　not　life　over　for　her？that　is；　the　life　a　girl's　fancy　longs　for。　　In　place　of　hope　of　romance；　there　was　an　uneasy　feeling　of　a　necessity　of　pleasing　this　husband　of　hersof　making　him　comfortable。　What　would　befall　her　if　she　neglected　trying　to　please　him　or　if　she；　for　all　her　trying；　failed？　　She　did　not　look　far　in　that　direction。　　Her　uneasiness　remained　indefiniteyet　definite　enough　to　keep　her　working　from　waking　until　bedtime。　　And　she　dropped　into　the　habit　of　watching　his　face　with　the　same　anxiety　with　which　a　farmer　watches　the　weather。　　When　he　happened　one　day　to　make　a　careless；　absent…minded　remark　in　disapproval　of　something　in　the　domestic　arrangements；　she　was　thrown　into　such　a　nervous　flutter　that　he　observed　it。

〃What　is　it？〃　he　asked。

〃Nothingnothing；〃　replied　she　in　the　hurried　tone　of　one　who　is　trying　hastily　to　cover　his　thoughts。

He　reflected；　understood；　burst　into　a　fit　of　hearty　laughter。　　〃So；　you　are　trying　to　make　a　bogey　of　me？〃

She　colored；　protested　faintly。

〃Don't　you　know　I'm　about　the　least　tyrannical；　least　exacting　person　in　the　world？〃

〃You've　been　very　patient　with　me；〃　said　she。

〃Nownow；〃　cried　he　in　a　tone　of　raillery；　〃you　might　as　well　drop　that。　　Don't　you　know　there's　no　reason　for　being　afraid　of　me？〃


〃Yes；　I　KNOW　it；〃　replied　she。　　〃But　I　FEEL　afraid；　just　the　same。　　I　can't　help　it。〃

It　was　impossible　for　him　to　appreciate　the　effect　of　his　personality　upon　othershow；　without　his　trying　or　even　wishing；　it　made　them　dread　a　purely　imaginary　displeasure　and　its　absurdly　imaginary　consequences。　But　this　confession　of　hers　was　not　the　first　time　he　had　heard　of　the　effect　of　potential　and　latent　danger　he　had　upon　those　associated　with　him。　　And；　as　it　was　most　useful；　he　was　not　sorry　that　he　had　it。　　He　made　no　further　attempt　to　convince　her　that　he　was　harmless。　He　knew　that　he　was　harmless　where　she　was　concerned。　Was　it　not　just　as　well　that　she　should　not　know　it；　when　vaguely　dreading　him　was　producing　excellent　results？　　As　with　a　Christian　the　fear　of　the　Lord　was　the　beginning　of　wisdom；　so　with　a　wife　the　fear　of　her　husband　was　the　beginning　of　wisdom。　　In　striving　to　please　him；　to　fit　herself　for　the　position　of　wife；　she　was　using　up　the　time　she　would　otherwise　have　spent　in　making　herself　miserable　with　self…pitythat　supreme　curse　of　the　idle　both　male　and　female；　that　most　prolific　of　the　breeders　of　unhappy　wives。　　Yes；　wives　were　unhappy　not　because　their　husbands　neglected　them；　for　busy　people　have　no　time　to　note　whether　they　are　neglected　or　not；　but　because　they　gave　their　own　worthless；　negligent；　incapable　selves　too　much　attention。

One　evening；　she；　wearing　the　look　of　the　timid　but　resolute　intruder；　came　into　his　room　while　he　was　dressing　for　dinner　and　hung　about　with　an　air　no　man　of　his　experience　could　fail　to　understand。

〃Something　wrong　about　the　house？〃　said　he　finally。　　〃Need　more　money？〃

〃Nonothing；〃　she　replied；　with　a　slight　flush。　He　saw　that　she　was　mustering　all　her　courage　for　some　grand　effort。　　He　waited；　only　mildly　curious；　as　his　mind　was　busy　with　some　new　business　he　and　Tetlow　had　undertaken。　　Presently　she　stood　squarely　before　him；　her　hands　behind　her　back　and　her　face　up…　turned。　　〃Won't　you　kiss　me？〃　she　said。

〃Sure