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！
fluencing one's life every day。〃
They talked on of Battle Field； of the boys and girls they had knownhow Thiebaud was dead and Mollie Crittenden had married the man who was governor of California； what Howe was not doing； the novels Chamberlayne was writing； the big women's college in Kansas that Grace Wharton was vice…president of。 Then of Piersonin the state senate and in a fair way to get to Congress the next year。 Then Scarborough againhow he had distanced all the others； how he might have the largest practice in the state if he would take the sort of clients most lawyers courted assiduously； how strong he was in politics in spite of the opposition of the professionalsstrong because he had a genius for organization and also had the ear and the confidence of the people and the enthusiastic personal devotion of the young men throughout the state。 Olivia； more of a politician than Fred even； knew the whole story； and Pauline listened appreciatively。 Few indeed are the homes in strenuously political Indiana where politics is not the chief subject of conversation； and Pauline had known about parties and campaigns as early as she had known about dolls and dresses。
〃But you must have heard most of this；〃 said Olivia； 〃from people here in Saint X。〃
〃Some of itfrom father and mother；〃 Pauline answered。 〃They're the only people I've seen really to talk to on my little visits。 They know him very well indeed。 I think mother admires him almost as much as you do。 Here's our place；〃 she added； the warmth fading from her face as from a spring landscape when the shadow of the dusk begins to creep over it。
They were in the grounds of the Eyriethe elder Dumont was just completing it when he died early in the previous spring。 His widow went abroad to live with her daughter and her sister in Paris； so her son and his wife had taken it。 It was a great rambling stone house that hung upon and in a lofty bluff。 From its windows and verandas and balconies could be seen the panorama of Saint Christopher。 To the left lay the town； its ugly partits factories and railway yardshidden by the jut of a hill。 Beneath and beyond to the right； the shining river wound among fields brown where the harvests had been gathered； green and white where myriads of graceful tassels waved above acres on acres of Indian corn。 And the broad leaves sent up through the murmur of the river a rhythmic rustling like a sigh of content。 Once in a while a passing steamboat made the sonorous cry of its whistle and the melodious beat of its paddles echo from hill to hill。 Between the house and the hilltop； highway lay several hundred acres of lawn and garden and wood。
The rooms of the Eyrie and its well…screened verandas were in a cool twilight； though the September sun was hot。
〃They're all out； or asleep；〃 said Pauline； as she and Olivia entered the wide reception hall。 〃Let's have tea on the east veranda。 Its view isn't so good； but we'll be cooler。 You'd like to go to your room first？〃
Olivia said she was comfortable as she was and needed the tea。 So they went on through the splendidly…furnished drawing…room and were going through the library when Olivia paused before a portrait〃Your husband； isn't it？〃
〃Yes；〃 replied Pauline； standing behind her cousin。 〃We each had one done in Paris。〃
〃What a masterful face！〃 said Olivia。 〃I've never seen a better forehead。〃 And she thought；
〃He's of the same type as Scarborough； exceptwhat is it I dislike in his expression？〃
〃Do you notice a resemblance to any one you know？〃 asked Pauline。
〃Ye…e…s；〃 replied Olivia； coloring。 〃I think〃
〃Scarborough； isn't it？〃
〃Yes；〃 admitted Olivia。
After a pause Pauline said ambiguously： 〃The resemblance is stronger there than in life。〃
Olivia glanced at her and was made vaguely uneasy by the look she was directing at the face of the portrait。 But though Pauline must have seen that she was observed； she did not change expression。 They went out upon the east veranda and Olivia stood at the railing。 She hardly noted the view in the press of thoughts roused by the hints of what was behind the richly embroidered curtain of her cousin's life。
All along the bluff； some exposed； some half hid by dense foliage； were the pretentious houses of the thirty or forty families who had grown rich through the industries developed within the past ten years。 Two foreign…looking servants in foreign…looking house…liveries were bringing a table on which was an enormous silver tray with a tea…service of antique silver and artistic china。 As Olivia turned to seat herself a young man and a woman of perhaps forty； obviously from the East； came through the doors at the far end of the long porch。 Both were in white； carefully dressed and groomed； both suggested a mode of life whose leisure had never been interrupted。
〃Who are coming？〃 asked Olivia。 She wished she had gone to her room before tea。 These people made her feel dowdy and mussy。
Pauline glanced round； smiled and nodded； turned back to her cousin。
〃Mrs。 Herron and Mr。 Langdon。 She's the wife of a New York lawyer； and she takes Mr。 Langdon everywhere with her to amuse her； and he goes to amuse himself。 He's a socialist； or something like that。 He thinks up and says things to shock conservative； conventional people。 He's rich and never has workedcouldn't if he would； probably。 But he denounces leisure classes and large fortunes and advocates manual labor every day for everybody。 He's clever in a queer； cynical way。〃
A Mrs。 Fanshaw； also of New York； came from the library in a tea…gown of chiffon and real lace。 All were made acquainted and Pauline poured the tea。 As Olivia felt shy and was hungry； she ate the little sandwiches and looked and listened and thoughtlooked and thought rather than listened。 These were certainly well…bred people； yet she did not like them。
〃They're in earnest about trifles；〃 she said to herself； 〃and trifle about earnest things。〃 Yet it irritated her to feel that； though they would care not at all for her low opinion of them； she did care a great deal because they would fail to appreciate her。
〃They ought to be jailed；〃 Langdon was drawling with considerable emphasis。
〃Who； Mr。 Langdon？〃 inquired Mrs。 Fanshawshe had been as abstracted as Olivia。 〃You've been filling the jails rapidly to…day； and hanging not a few。〃
Mrs。 Herron laughed。 〃He says your husband and Mrs。 Dumont's and mine should be locked up as conspirators。〃
〃Precisely；〃 said Langdon； tranquilly。 〃They'll sign a few papers； and when they're done； what'll have happened？ Not one more sheep'll be raised。 Not one more pound of wool will be shorn。 Not one more laborer'll be employed。 Not a single improvement in any process of manufacture。 But； on the other hand； the farmer'll have to sell his wool cheaper； the consumer'll have to pay a bigger price for blankets and all kinds of clothes； for carpetsfor everything wool goes into。 And these few men will have trebled their fortunes and at least trebled their incomes。 Does anybody deny that such a performance is a crime？ Why； in comparison； a burglar is honorable and courageous。 HE risks liberty and life。〃
〃Dreadful！ Dreadful！〃 exclaimed Mrs。 Fanshaw； in mock horror。 〃You must go at once； Mowbray； and lead the police in a raid on Jack's office。〃
〃Thanksit's more comfortable here。〃 Langdon took a piece of a curious…looking kind of hot bread。 〃Extraordinary good stuff this is；〃 he interjected； then went on： 〃And I've done my duty when I've stated the facts。 Also； I'm taking a little stock in the new trust。 But I don't pose as a ‘captain of industry' or ‘promoter of civilization。' I admit I'm a robber。 My point is the rotten hypocrisy of my fellow banditsno； pickpockets； by gad！〃
Olivia looked at him with disapproving interest。 It was the first time she had been present at a game of battledore and shuttlecock with what she regarded as fundamental morals。 Langdon noted her expression and said to Pauline in a tone of contrition that did not conceal his amusement： 〃I've shocked your cousin； Mrs。 Dumont。〃
〃I hope so；〃 replied Pauline。 〃I'm sure we all ought to be shockedand should be； if it weren't you who are trying to do the shocking。 She'll soon get used to you。〃
〃Then it was a jest？〃 said Olivia to Langdon。
〃A jest？〃 He looked serious。 〃Not at all； my dear Mrs。 Pierson。 Every word I said was true； and worse。 They〃
〃Stop your nonsense； Mowbray；〃 interrupted Mrs。 Herron； who appreciated that Olivia was an 〃outsider。〃 〃Certainly he was jesting； Mrs。 Pierson。 Mr。 Langdon pretends to have eccentric ideasone of them is that everybody with brains should be put under the feet of the numskulls； another is that anybody who has anything should be locked up and his property given to those who have nothing。〃
〃Splendid！〃 exclaimed Langdon。 And he took out a gold cigarette case and lighted a large； expensive…looking cigarette with a match from a gold safe。 〃Go on； dear lady！ Herron should get you to write our prospectus when we're ready to unload on the public。 The dear public！ How it does yearn for a share in any piratical enterprise that flies the snowy flag of respectability。〃 He rose。 〃Who'll pl