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！
try。〃 As the horse now travelled more easily with the wind behind
him； Demorest； dismissing abruptly all other subjects； laid his
hand with brusque familiarity on his companion's knee； and as if
the hour for social and confidential greeting had only just then
arrived； said： 〃Well； Neddy； old boy； how are you getting on？〃
〃So； so；〃 said Blandford； dubiously。 〃You see；〃 he began；
argumentatively； 〃in my business there's a good deal of
competition； and I was only saying this morning〃
But either Demorest was already familiar with his friend's
arguments； or had as usual exhausted his topic； for without paying
the slightest attention to him； he again demanded abruptly； 〃Why
don't you go to California？ Here everything's played out。 That's
the country for a young man like youjust starting into life； and
without incumbrances。 If I was free and fixed in my family affairs
like you I'd go to…morrow。〃
There was such an occult positivism in Demorest's manner that for
an instant Blandford； who had been married two years； and was
transacting a steady and fairly profitable manufacturing business
in the adjacent town； actually believed he was more fitted for
adventurous speculation than the grimly erratic man of energetic
impulses and pleasures beside him。 He managed to stammer
hesitatingly：
〃But there's Joanshe〃
〃Nonsense！ Let her stay with her mother； you sell out your
interest in the business； put the money into an assorted cargo； and
clap it and yourself into the first ship out of Bostonand there
you are。 You've been married going on two years now； and a little
separation until you've built up a business out there； won't do
either of you any harm。〃
Blandford； who was very much in love with his wife； was not；
however； above putting the onus of embarrassing affection upon HER。
〃You don't know； Joan； Dick；〃 he replied。 〃She'd never consent to
a separation； even for a short time。〃
〃Try her。 She's a sensible womana deuced sight more than you
are。 You don't understand women； Ned。 That's what's the matter
with you。〃
It required all of Blandford's fond memories of his wife's
conservative habits； Puritan practicality； religious domesticity；
and strong family attachments； to withstand Demorest's dogmatic
convictions。 He smiled； however； with a certain complacency； as
he also recalled the previous autumn when the first news of the
California gold discovery had penetrated North Liberty； and he had
expressed to her his belief that it would offer an outlet to
Demorest's adventurous energy。 She had received it with ill…
disguised satisfaction； and the remark that if this exodus of
Mammon cleared the community of the godless and unregenerate it
would only be another proof of God's mysterious providence。
With the tumultuous wind at their backs it was not long before the
buggy rattled once more over the cobble…stones of the town。 Under
the direction of his friend； Demorest； who still retained possession
of the reins； drove briskly down a side street of more pretentious
dwellings； where Blandford lived。 One or two wayfarers looked up。
〃Not so fast； Dick。〃
〃Why？ I want to bring you up to your door in style。〃
〃Yesbutit's Sunday。 That's my house； the corner one。〃
They had stopped before a square； two…storied brick house； with an
equally square wooden porch supported by two plain； rigid wooden
columns； and a hollow sweep of dull concavity above the door；
evidently of the same architectural order as the church。 There was
no corner or projection to break the force of the wind that swept
its smooth glacial surface； there was no indication of light or
warmth behind its six closed windows。
〃There seems to be nobody at home；〃 said Demorest； briefly。 〃Come
along with me to the hotel。〃
〃Joan sits in the back parlor； Sundays；〃 explained the husband。
〃Shall I drive round to the barn and leave the horse and buggy
there while you go in？〃 continued Demorest； good…humoredly；
pointing to the stable gate at the side。
〃No； thank you；〃 returned Blandford； 〃it's locked； and I'll have to
open it from the other side after I go in。 The horse will stand
until then。 I think I'll have to say good…night； now；〃 he added；
with a sudden half…ashamed consciousness of the forbidding aspect
of the house； and his own inhospitality。 〃I'm sorry I can't ask
you inbut you understand why。〃
〃All right；〃 returned Demorest； stoutly； turning up his coat…
collar； and unfurling his umbrella。 〃The hotel is only four blocks
awayyou'll find me there to…morrow morning if you call。 But mind
you tell your wife just what I told youand no meandering of your
ownyou hear！ She'll strike out some idea with her woman's wits；
you bet。 Good…night； old man！ He reached out his hand； pressed
Blandford's strongly and potentially； and strode down the street。
Blandford hitched his steaming horse to a sleet…covered horse block
with a quick sigh of impatient sympathy over the animal and
himself； and after fumbling in his pocket for a latchkey； opened
the front door。 A vista of well…ordered obscurity with shadowy
trestle…like objects against the walls； and an odor of chill
decorum； as if of a damp but respectable funeral； greeted him on
entering。 A faint light； like a cold dawn； broke through the glass
pane of a door leading to the kitchen。 Blandford paused in the
mid…darkness and hesitated。 Should he first go to his wife in the
back parlor； or pass silently through the kitchen； open the back
gate； and mercifully bestow his sweating beast in the stable？ With
the reflection that an immediate conjugal greeting； while his horse
was still exposed to the fury of the blast in the street； would
necessarily be curtailed and limited； he compromised by quickly
passing through the kitchen into the stable yard； opening the gate；
and driving horse and vehicle under the shed to await later and
more thorough ministration。 As he entered the back door； a faint
hope that his wife might have heard him and would be waiting for
him in the hall for an instant thrilled him； but he remembered it
was Sunday； and that she was probably engaged in some devotional
reading or exercise。 He hesitatingly opened the back…parlor door
with a consciousness of committing some unreasonable trespass； and
entered。
She was there； sitting quietly before a large； round； shining
centre…table； whose sterile emptiness was relieved only by a shaded
lamp and a large black and gilt open volume。 A single picture on
the opposite wallthe portrait of an elderly gentleman stiffened
over a corresponding volume； which he held in invincible mortmain
in his rigid hand； and apparently defied posterity to take from
himseemed to offer a not uncongenial companionship。 Yet the
greenish light of the shade fell upon a young and pretty face；
despite the color it extracted from it； and the hand that supported
her low white forehead over which her full hair was simply parted；
like a brown curtain； was slim and gentle…womanly。 In spite of her
plain lustreless silk dress； in spite of the formal frame of sombre
heavy horsehair and mahogany furniture that seemed to set her off；
she diffused an atmosphere of cleanl