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！
own at the baby。 Her expression
Said Ursula： 〃Several of the great painters have tried to catch that expression。 But they've failed。〃
Norman made no reply。 He had not heard。 All in an instant there had been revealed to him a whole new worlda view of man and womanof woman of sexits meaning so different from what he had believed and lived。
〃What're you thinking about； Fred？〃 inquired his sister。
He shook his head； with a mysterious smile； and strolled away。
XXII
THE baby grew and thrived； as the habit is with healthy children well taken care of。 Mrs。 Norman soon got back her strength； her figure； and perhaps more than her former beautyas the habit is with healthy women well taken care of。 Norman's career continued to prosper； likewise according to the habit of all healthy things well taken care of。 In a world where nothing happens by chance； mischance； to be serious； must have some grave fault as its hidden cause。 We mortals； who love to live at haphazard and to blame God or destiny or 〃bad luck〃 for our calamities； hate to take this modern and scientific view of the world and life。 But； whether we like it or not； it is the truthand； as we can't get round it； why not accept it cheerfully and； so appear a little less ignorant and ridiculous？
During their first year at the Hempstead place the results in luxury and comfort had at no time accounted for the money it cost and the servants it employed that is to say； paid。 But Norman was neither unreasonable nor impatient。 Also； in his years of experience with his sister's housekeeping； and of observation of the other women； he had grown exceedingly moderate in his estimate of the ability of women and in his expectations from them。 He had reached the conclusion that the women who were sheltered and pampered by the men of the successful classes were proficient only in those things that call for no skill or effort beyond the wagging of the tongue。 He saw that Dorothy was making honest endeavor to learn her business； and he knew that learning takes timemuch time。
He believed that in the end she would do better than any other wife of his acquaintance； at the business of wife and mother。
Before the baby was two years old； his belief was rewarded。 Things began to run betterbegan to run well； even。 Dorothya serious person； unhampered of a keen sense of humor； had taught herself the duties of her new position in much the same slow plodding way in which she had formerly made of herself a fair stenographer and a tolerable typewriter。 Mrs。 Lowell had helpedand Ursula； tooand Norman not a little。 But Dorothy； her husband discovered； was one of those who thoroughly assimilate what they take inwho make it over into part of themselves。 So； her manner of keeping house； of arranging the gardens； of bringing up the baby； of dressing herself； was peculiarly her own。 It was not by any means the best imaginable way。 It was even what many energetic； systematic and highly competent persons would speak contemptuously of。 But it satisfied Normanand that was all Dorothy had in mind。
If those who have had any considerable opportunity to observe married life will forget what they have read in novels and will fix their minds on what they have observed at first hand； they will recognize the Norman marriage； with the husband and wife living together yet apart as not peculiar but of a rather common type。 Neither Fred nor Dorothy had any especial reason on any given day to try to alter their relations； so the law of inertia asserted itself and matters continued as they had begun。 It was； perhaps； a chance remark of Tetlow's that was the remote but efficient cause of a change； as the single small stone slipping high up on the mountain side results in a vast landslide into the valley miles below。 Tetlow said one day； in connection with some estate they were settling：
〃I've always pitied the only child。 It must be miserably lonesome。〃
No sooner were the words out of his mouth than he colored violently； for； he remembered that the Normans had but one child and he knew the probable reason for it。 Norman seemed not to have heard or seen。 Tetlow hoped he hadn't； but； knowing the man； feared otherwise。 And he was right。
In the press of other matters Norman forgot Tetlow's remarkremembered it again a few days later when he was taking the baby out for an airing in the motorforgot it againfinally； when he took a several days' rest at home； remembered it and kept it in mind。 He began to think of Dorothy once more in a definite； personal way； began to observe her as his wife； instead of as mere part of his establishment。 An intellectual person she certainly was not。 She had a quaint individual way of speaking and of acting。 She had the marvelous changeable beauty that had once caused him to take the bit in his teeth and run wild。 But he would no more think of talking with her about the affairs that really interested him thanwell； than the other men of large career in his acquaintance would think of talking those matters to their wives。
But He was astonished to discover that he liked this slim； quiet； unobtrusive little wife of his better than he liked anyone else in the world； that he eagerly turned away from the clever and amusing companionship he might have at his clubs to come down to the country and be with her and the babynot the baby alone； but her also。 Why？ He could not find a satisfactory reason。 He saw that she created at that Hempstead place an atmosphere of rest； of tranquility。 But this merely thrust the mystery one step back。 HOW did she create this atmosphereand for a man of his varied and discriminating tastes？ To that question he could work out no answer。 She had for him now a charm as different from the infatuation of former days as calm sea is from tempest…racked seautterly different； yet fully as potent。 As he observed her and wondered at these discoveries of his； the ghost of a delight he had thought forever dead stirred in his heart； in his fancy。 Yes； it was a pleasure； a thrilling pleasure to watch her。 There was music in those quiet； graceful movements of hers； in that quiet； sweet voice。 Not the wild； blood… heating music of the former days； but a kind far more melodioustender； restful to nerves sorely tried by the tensions of ambition。 He made some sort of an attempt to define his feeling for her； but could not。 It seemed to fit into none of the usual classifications。
Then； he wondered 〃What is SHE thinking of ME？〃
To find out he resorted to various elaborate round about methods that did credit to the ingenuity of his mind。 But he made at every cunning cast a barren water…haul。 Either she was not thinking of him at all or what she thought swam too deep for any casts he knew how to make in those hidden and unfamiliar waters。 Or； perhaps she did not herself know what she thought； being too busy with the baby and the household to have time for such abstract and not pressing； perhaps not important； matters。 He moved slowly in his inquiries into her state of mind because there was all the time in the world and no occasion for haste。 He moved cautiously because he wished to do nothing that might disturb the present