the dust-第8章

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〃He　probably　likes　her。〃

〃No；〃　said　Norman；　too　indifferent　to　be　cautious。　〃She　has　no　‘gentlemen　friends。'　〃

〃How　do　you　know　that？〃　said　the　girl；　and　she　could　not　keep　a　certain　sharpness　out　of　her　voice。

〃Tetlow；　the　head　clerk；　told　me。　　I　asked　him　a　few　questions　about　her。　　I　had　some　confidential　work　to　do　and　didn't　want　to　trust　her　without　being　sure。〃

He　saw　that　she　was　now　prey　to　her　jealous　suspicion。　He　was　uncertain　whether　to　be　amused　or　irritated。　She　had　to　pause　long　and　with　visible　effort　collect　herself　before　venturing：

〃Oh；　she　does　confidential　work　for　you？　　I　thought　you　said　she　was　incompetent。〃

He；　the　expert　cross…examiner；　had　to　admire　her　skill　at　that　high　science　and　art。　　〃I　felt　sorry　for　her；〃　he　said。　　〃She　seemed　such　a　forlorn　little　creature。〃

She　laughed　with　a　constrained　attempt　at　raillery。　〃I　never　should　have　suspected　you　of　such　weakness。　To　give　confidential　things　to　a　forlorn　little　incompetent；　out　of　pity。〃

He　was　irritated；　distinctly。　　The　whole　thing　was　preposterous。　　It　reminded　him　of　feats　of　his　own　before　a　jury。　　By　clever　questioning；　Josephine　had　made　about　as　trifling　an　incident　as　could　be　imagined　take　on　really　quite　imposing　proportions。　　There　was　annoyance　in　his　smile　as　he　said：

〃Shall　I　send　her　up　to　see　you？　　You　might　find　it　amusing；　and　maybe　you　could　do　something　for　her。〃

Josephine　debated。　　〃Yes；〃　she　finally　said。　　〃I　wish　you　would　send　her〃　with　a　little　sarcasm　〃if　you　can　spare　her　for　an　hour　or　so。〃

〃Don't　make　it　longer　than　that；〃　laughed　he。　〃Everything　will　stop　while　she's　gone。〃

It　pleased　him；　in　a　way；　this　discovery　that　Josephine　had　such　a　common；　commonplace　weakness　as　jealousy。　But　it　also　took　away　something　from　his　high　esteem　for　heran　esteem　born　of　the　lover's　idealizings；　for；　while　he　was　not　of　the　kind　of　men　who　are　on　their　knees　before　women；　he　did　have　a　deep　respect　for　Josephine；　incarnation　of　all　the　material　things　that　dazzled　hima　respect　with　something　of　the　reverential　in　it；　and　something　of　awemore　than　he　would　have　admitted　to　himself。　　To…day；　as　of　old；　the　image…　makers　are　as　sincere　worshipers　as　visit　the　shrines。　In　our　prostrations　and　genuflections　in　the　temple　we　do　not　discriminate　against　the　idols　we　ourselves　have　manufactured；　on　the　contrary；　them　we　worship　with　peculiar　gusto。　　Norman　knew　his　gods　were　frauds；　that　their　divine　qualities　were　of　the　earth　earthy。　　But　he　served　them；　and　what　most　appealed　to　him　in　Josephine　was　that　she　incorporated　about　all　their　divine　qualities。

He　and　his　sister　went　home　together。　　Her　first　remark　in　the　auto　was：　　〃What　were　you　and　Josie　quarreling　about？〃

〃Quarreling？〃　inquired　he　in　honest　surprise。

〃I　looked　at　her　through　my　glasses　and　saw　that　the　was　all　upsetand　you；　too。〃

〃This　is　too　ridiculous；〃　cried　he。

〃She　lookedjealous。〃

〃Nonsense！　　What　an　imagination　you　have！〃

〃I　saw　what　I　saw；〃　Ursula　maintained。　　〃Well；　I　suppose　she　has　heard　somethingsomething　recent。　I　thought　you　had　sworn　off；　Fred。　　But　I　might　have　known。〃

Norman　was　angry。　　He　wondered　at　his　own　exasperation；　out　of　all　proportion　to　any　apparent　provoking　cause。　　And　it　was　most　unusual　for　him　to　feel　temper；　all　but　unprecedented　for　him　to　show　it；　no　matter　how　strong　the　temptation。

〃It's　a　good　idea；　to　make　her　jealous；〃　pursued　his　sister。　　〃Nothing　like　jealousy　to　stimulate　interest。〃

〃Josephine　is　not　that　sort　of　woman。〃

〃You　know　better。　　All　women　are　that　sort。　　All　men；　too。　　Of　course；　some　men　and　women　grow　angry　and　go　away　when　they　get　jealous　while　others　stick　closer。　　So　one　has　to　be　judicious。〃

〃Josephine　and　I　understand　each　other　far　too　well　for　such　pettiness。〃

〃Try　her。　　No；　you　needn't。　　You　have。〃

〃Didn't　I　tell　you〃

〃Then　what　was　she　questioning　you　about？〃

〃Just　to　show　you　how　wrong　you　were；　I'll　tell　you。　　She　was　asking　me　about　a　poor　little　girl　down　at　the　officeone　she　wants　to　help。〃

Ursula　laughed。　　〃To　help　out　of　your　office；　I　guess。　　I　thought　you'd　lived　long　enough；　Fred；　to　learn　that　no　woman　trusts　ANY　man　about　ANY　woman。　Who　is　this　‘poor　little　girl'？〃

〃I　don't　even　know　her　name。　　One　of　the　typewriters。〃

〃What　made　Josephine　jealous　of　her？〃

〃Haven't　I　told　you　Josephine　was　not〃

〃But　I　saw。　　Who　is　this　girl？pretty？〃

Norman　pretended　to　stifle　a　yawn。　　〃Josephine　bored　me　half　to　death　talking　about　her。　　Now　it's　you。　　I　never　heard　so　much　about　so　little。〃

〃Is　there　something　up　between　you　and　the　girl？〃　teased　Ursula。

〃Now；　that's　an　outrage！〃　cried　Norman。　　〃She's　got　nothing　but　her　reputation；　poor　child。　　Do　leave　her　that。〃

〃Is　she　very　young？〃

〃How　should　I　know？〃

〃Youth　is　a　charm　in　itself。〃

〃What　sort　of　rot　is　this！〃　exclaimed　he。　　〃Do　you　think　I'd　drop　down　to　anything　of　that　kindin　ANY　circumstances？　　A　little　working　girland　in　my　own　office？〃

〃Why　do　you　heat　so；　Fred？〃　teased　the　sister。　〃Really；　I　don't　wonder　Josephine　was　torn　up。〃

An　auto　almost　ran　into　themone　of　those　innumerable　hairbreadth　escapes　that　make　the　streets　of　New　York　as　exciting　as　a　battleand　as　dangerous。　For　a　few　minutes　Ursula's　mind　was　deflected。　　But　a　fatality　seemed　to　pursue　the　subject　of　the　pale　obscurity　whose　very　name　he　was　uncertain　whether　he　remembered　aright。

Said　Ursula；　as　they　entered　the　house；　〃A　girl　working　in　the　office　with　a　man　has　a　magnificent　chance　at　him。　　It's　lucky　for　the　men　that　women　don't　know　their　business；　but　are　amateurs　and　too　stuck　on　themselves　to　set　and　bait　their　traps　properly。　　Is　that　girl　trying　to　get　round　you？〃

〃What　possesses　everybody　to…night！〃　cried　Norman。　〃I　tell　you　the　girl　's　as　uninteresting　a　specimen　as　you　could　find。〃

〃Then　why　are　YOU　so　interested　in　her？〃　teased　the　sister。

Norman　shrugged　his　shoulders；　laughed　with　his　normal　easy　good　humor　and　went　to　his　own　floor。

On　top　of　the　pile　of　letters　beside　his　plate；　next　morning；　lay　a　note　from　Josephine：


〃Don't　forget　your　promise　about　that　girl；　dear。　I've　an　hour　before　lunch；　and　could　see　her　then。　　I　was　out　of　humor　last　night。　　I'm　very　penitent　this　morning。　　Please　forgive　me。　　Maybe　I　can　do　something　for　her。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃JOSEPHINE。〃


Norman　read　with　amused　eyes。　　〃Well！〃　soliloquized　he；　〃I'm　not　likely　to　forget　that　poor　little　creature　again。　　What　a　fuss　about　nothing！〃



IV


MANY　men；　possibly　a　majority；　have　sufficient　equipment　for　at　least　a　fair　measure　of　success。　　Yet　all　but　a　few　are　downright　failures；　passing　their　lives　in　helpless　dependence；　glad　to　sell　themselves　for　a　small　part　of　the　value　they　create。　　For　this　there　are　two　main　reasons。　　The　first　is；　as　Norman　said；　that　only　a　few　men　have　the　self…restraint　to　resist　the　temptings　of　a　small　pleasure　to…day　in　order　to　gain　a　larger　to…morrow　or　next　day。　　The　second　is　that　few　men　possess　the　power　of　continuous　concentration。　Most　of　us　cannot　concentrate　at　all；　any　slight　distraction　suffices　to　disrupt　and　destroy　the　whole　train　of　thought。　　A　good　many　can　concentrate　for　a　few　hours；　for　a　week　or　so；　for　two　or　three　months。　　But　there　comes　a　small　achievement　and　it　satisfies；　or　a　small　discouragement　and　it　disheartens。　　Only　to　the　rare　few　is　given　the　power　to　concentrate　steadily；　year　in　and　year　out；　through　good　and　evil　event　or　report。

As　Norman　stepped　into　his　auto　to　go　to　the　office　he　had　ridden　a　horse　in　the　park　before　breakfast　until　its　hide　was　streaked　with　latherthe　instant　he　entered　his　auto；　he　discharged　his　mind　of　everything　but　the　business　before　him　down　townor；　rather；　business　filled　his　mind　so　completely　that　everything　else　poured　out　and　away。　　A　really　fine　minda　perfect　or　approximately　perfect　instrument　to　the　purposes　of　its　possessoris　a　marvelous　spectacle　of　order。　　It　is　like　a　vast　public　library　constantly　used　by　large　numbers。　　There　are　alcoves；　rows　on　rows；　shelves　on　shelves；　with　the　exactest　system　everywhere　prevailing；　with　the　attendants　moving　about　in　list…bottomed　shoes；　fulfilling　without　the　least　hesitation　or　mistake　the　multitude　of　directions　from　the　central　desk。　　It　is　like　an　admirably　drilled　army；　where　there　is　the　nice　balance　of　freedom　and　discipline　that　gives　mobility　without　confusion；　the　divisions；　down　to　files　and　even　units；　can　be　disposed　along　the　line　of　battle　wherever　needed；　or　can　be　marshaled　in　reserve　for　use　at　the　proper　moment。　　Such　a　mind　may　be　used　for　good　purpose　or　bador　for　mixed　purposes；　after　the　usual　fashion　in　human　action。　　But　whatever　the　service　to　which　it　is　put；　it　acts　with　equal　energy　and　precision。　Characterthat　is　a　thing　apart。　　The　character　determines　the　morality　of　action；　but　only　the　intellect　determines　the　skill　of　action。

In　the　offices　of　that　great　law　firm　one　of　the　keenest　pleasures　of　the　more　intelligent　of　the　staff　was　watching　the　workings　of　Frederick　Norman's　mind　its　ease　of　movement；　its　quickness　and　accuracy；　its　obedience　to　the　code　of　mental　habits　he　had　fixed　for　himself。　　In　large　part　all　this　was　born　with　the　man；　but　it　had　been　brought　to　a　state　of　perfection　by　the　most　painful　labor；　by　the　severest　discipline；　by　years　of　practice　of　the　sacrifice　of　small　temptations　temptations　to　waste　time　and　strength　on　the　little　pleasant　things　which　result　in　such　heavy　billsbills　that　bankrupt　a　man　in　middle　life　and　send　him　in　old　age　into　the　deserts　of　poverty　and　contempt。

Such　an　unique　and　trivial　request　as　that　of　Josephine　Burroughs　being　wholly　out　of　his　mental　habit　for　down　town；　he　forgot　it　along　with　everything　else　having　to　do　with　uptown　onlyalong　with　Josephine　herself；　to　tell　a　truth　which　may　pique　the　woman　reader　and　may　be　wholly　misunderstood　by　the　sentimentalists。　　By　merest　accident　he　was　reminded。

As　the　door　of　his　private　office　opened　to　admit　an　important　client　he　happened　to　glance　up。　　And　between　the　edge　of　the　door　frame　and　his　client's　automobile…fattened　and　carefully　dressed　body；　he　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　〃poor　little　forlornness〃　who　chanced　to　be　crossing　the　outer　office。　　A　glint　of　sunlight　on　her　hair　changed　it　from　lifelessness　to　golden　vital　vividness；　the　same　chance　sunbeam　touched　her　pale　skin　with　a　soft　yellow　radiationand　her　profile　was　delicately　fine　and　regular。　　Thus　Norman；　who　ob…　served　everything；　saw　a　head　of　finely　wrought　gold　a　startling　cameo　against　the　dead　white　of　office　wall。　It　was　only　with　the　second　thought　that　he　recognized　her。　　The　episode　of　the　night　before　came　back　and　Josephine's　penitent　yet　persistent　note。

He　glanced　at　the　clock。　　Said　the　client　in　the　amusing　tone　of　one　who　would　like　to　take　offense　if　he　only　dared；　〃I'll　not　detain　you　long；　Mr。　Norman。　And　really　the　matter　is　extremely　important。〃

There　are　not　many　lawyers；　even　of　the　first　rank；　with　whom　their　big　clients　reverse　the　attitude　of　servant　and　master。　　Norman　might　well　have　been　flattered。　In　that　restrained　tone　from　one　used　to　servility　and　fond　of　it　and　easily　miffed　by　lack　of　it　was　the　whole　story　of　Norman's　long　battl