the red acorn-第9部分

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He　sat　down　at　his　desk　and　wrote　a　long　letter　to　Ned；　inveighing　bitterly　against　the　stupidity　and　malice　of　people　living　in　small　villages；　and　informing　him　of　his　intention　to　remove　to　Cincinnati　as　soon　as　an　opening　could　be　found　for　him　there；　which　he　begged　Ned　to　busy　himself　in　discovering。

Attired　in　his　most　becoming　garb；　and　neglecting　nothing　that　could　enhance　his　personal　appearance；　he　walked　slowly　up　the　hill　in　the　evening　to　Rachel　Bond's　house。　　The　shrinkage　which　his　self…sufficiency　had　suffered　had　left　room　for　a　wonderful　expansion　of　his　affection　for　Rachel；　whose　love　and　loyalty　were　now　essential　to　him；　to　compensate　for　the　falling　away　of　others。　The　question　of　whether　he　should　break　with　her　was　now　one　the　answering　of　which　could　be　postponed　indefinitely。　　There　was　no　reason　why　he　should　not　enjoy　the　sweet　privileges　of　an　affianced　lover　during　his　stay　in　Sardis。　　What　would　happen　afterward　would　depend　upon　the　shape　that　things　took　in　his　new　home。

He　found　Rachel　sitting　on　the　piazza。　　Though　dressed　in　the　deepest　and　plainest　black　she　had　never　looked　so　surpassingly　beautiful。　As　is　usually　the　case　with　young　women　of　her　type　of　beauty；　grief　had　toned　down　the　rich　coloring　that　had　at　times　seemed　almost　too　exuberant　into　that　delicate　shell…like　tint　which　is　the　perfection　of　nature's　painting。　　Her　round　white　arms　shone　like　Juno's；　as　the　outlines　were　revealed　by　the　graceful　motions　which　threw　back　the　wide　sleeves。　　Her　wealth　of　silken　black　hair　was　drawn　smoothly　back　from　her　white　forehead；　over　her　shapely　head；　and　gathered　into　a　simple　knot　behind。　　Save　a　black　brooch　at　her　throat；　she　wore　no　ornamentsnot　even　a　plain　ring。

She　rose　as　Harry　came　upon　the　piazza；　and　for　a　moment　her　face　was　rigid　with　intensity　of　feeling。　　This　evidence　of　emotion　went　as　quickly　as　it　came；　however；　and　she　extended　her　hand　with　calm　dignity；　saying　simply：

〃You　have　returned；　Mr。　Glen。〃

In　his　anxiety　to　so　play　the　impassioned　lover　as　to　conceal　the　recreancy　he　had　fostered　in　his　own　heart；　Harry　did　not　notice　the　coolness　of　this　greeting。　　Then；　too；　his　self…satisfaction　had　always　done　him　the　invaluable　service　of　preventing　a　ready　perception　of　the　repellant　attitudes　of　others。

He　came　forward　eagerly　to　press　a　kiss　upon　her　lips；　but　she　checked　him　with　uplifted　hand。

〃O；　the　family's　in　there；　are　they？〃　said　he；　looking　toward　the　open　windows　of　the　parlor。　　〃Well；　what　matter？　　Isn't　it　expected　that　a　fellow　will　kiss　his　affianced　wife　on　his　return；　and　not　care　who　knows　it？〃

He　pointed　to　the　old　apple…tree　where　they　had　plighted　their　troth　that　happy　night；　with　a　gesture　and　a　look　that　was　a　reminder　of　their　former　meeting　and　an　invitation　to　go　thither　again。　　She　comprehended；　but　refused　with　a　shudder；　and；　turning；　motioned　him　to　the　farther　end　of　the　piazza；　to　which　she　led　the　way；　moving　with　a　sweeping　gracefulness　of　carriage　that　Harry　thought　had　wonderfully　ripened　and　perfected　in　the　three　months　that　had　elapsed　since　their　parting。

〃'Fore　gad；〃　he　said　to　himself。　　（This　was　a　new　addition　to　his　expletory　vocabulary；　which　had　accrued　from　Ned　Burnleigh's　companionship。）　　〃I'd　like　to　put　her　alongside　of　one　of　the　girls　that　Ned's　always　talking　about。　　I　don't　believe　she's　got　her　equal　anywhere。〃

Arriving　at　the　end　of　the　piazza　he　impetuously　renewed　his　attempt　at　an　embrace；　but　her　repulse　was　now　unmistakable。

〃Sit　down；〃　she　said；　pointing　to　a　chair；　〃I　have　something　to　say　to　you。〃

Harry's　first　thought　was　a　rush　of　jealously。　　〃Some　rascal　has　supplanted　me；〃　he　said　bitterly；　but　under　his　breath。

She　took　a　chair　near　by；　put　away　the　arm　he　would　have　placed　about　her　waist；　drew　from　her　pocket　a　dainty　handkerchief　bordered　with　black；　and　opened　it　deliberately。　　It　shed　a　delicate　odor　of　violets。

Harry　waited　anxiously　for　her　to　speak。

〃This　mourning　which　I　wear；〃　she　began　gently；　〃I　put　on　when　I　received　the　news　of　your　downfall。〃

〃My　downfall？〃　broke　in　Harry　hotly。　　〃Great　heavens；　you　don't　say　that　you；　too；　have　been　carried　away　by　this　wretched　village　slander？〃

〃I　put　it　on；〃　she　continued；　unmindful　of　the　interruption；　〃because　I　suffered　a　loss　which　was　greater　than　any　merely　physical　death　could　have　occasioned。〃

〃I　don't　understand　you。〃

〃My　faith　in　you　as　a　man　superior　to　your　fellows　died　then。　　This　was　a　much　more　cruel　blow　than　your　bodily　death　would　have　been。〃

〃'Fore　gad；　you　take　a　pleasant　view　of　my　deceasea　much　cooler　one；　I　must　confess；　than　I　am　able　to　take　of　that　interesting　event　in　my　history。〃

Her　great　eyes　blazed；　and　she　seemed　about　to　reply　hotly；　but　she　restrained　herself　and　went　on　with　measured　calmness：

〃The　reason　I　selected　you　from　among　all　other　men；　and　loved　you；　and　joyfully　accepted　as　my　lot　in　life　to　be　your　devoted　wife　and　helpmate；　was　that　I　believed　you　superior　in　all　manly　things　to　other　men。　　Without　such　a　belief　I　could　love　no　man。〃

She　paused　for　an　instant；　and　Harry　managed　to　stammer：

〃But　what　have　I　done　to　deserve　being　thrown　over　in　this　unexpected　way？〃

〃You　have　not　done　anything。　　That　is　the　trouble。　　You　have　failed　to　do　that　which　was　rightfully　expected　of　you。　　You　have　allowed　others；　who　had　no　better　opportunities；　to　surpass　you　in　doing　your　manly　duty。　　Whatever　else　my　husband　may　not　be　he　must　not　fail　in　this。〃

〃Rachel；　you　are　hard　and　cruel。〃

〃No；　I　am　only　kind　to　you　and　to　myself。　　I　know　myself　too　well　to　make　a　mistake　in　this　respect。　　I　have　seen　too　many　women　who　have　been　compelled　to　defend；　apologize；　or　blush　for　their　husband's　acts；　and　have　felt　too　keenly　the　abject　misery　of　their　lives　to　take　the　least　chance　of　adding　myself　to　their　sorrowful　number。　　If　I　were　married　to　you　I　could　endure　to　be　beaten　by　you　and　perhaps　love　you　still；　but　the　moment　I　was　compelled　to　confess　your　inferiority　to　some　other　woman's　husband　I　should　hate　you；　and　in　the　end　drag　both　of　us　down　to　miserable　graves。〃

〃But　let　me　explain　this。〃

〃It　would　be　a　waste　of　time；〃　she　answered　coldly。　　〃It　is　sufficient　for　me　to　know　that　you　are　convicted　by　general　opinion　of　having　failed　where　a　number　of　commonplace　fellows　succeeded。　　You；　yourself；　admit　the　justice　of　this　verdict　by　tame　submission　to　it；　making　no　effort　to　retrieve　your　reputation。　　I　can　not　understand　how　this　could　be　so　if　you　had　any　of　the　qualities　that　I　fondly　imagined　you　possessed　in　a　high　degree。　　But　this　interview　is　being　protracted　to　a　painful　extent。　　Let　us　say　good　night　and　part。〃

〃Forever？〃　he　stammered。

〃Yes。〃

She　held　out　her　hand　for　farewell。　　Harry　caught　it　and　would　have　carried　it　to　his　lips；　but　she　drew　it　away。

〃No；　all　that　must　be　ended　now；〃　she　said；　with　the　first　touch　of　gentleness　that　had　shaded　her　sad；　serious　eyes。

〃Will　you　give　me　no　hope？〃　said　Harry；　pleadingly。

〃When　you　can　make　people　forget　the　pastif　ever〃　she　said；　〃then　I　will　change　this　dress　and　you　can　come　back　to　me。〃

She　bowed　and　entered　the　house。





Chapter