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！
for avoiding dissension at this time。 A break in their friendship now would
bring Dora forward to explain； and Dora had a wonderful cleverness in
presenting her own side of any question。 Ethel shrunk from her
innuendoes concerning Fred； and she knew that Basil would be made to
consider her a meddling； jealous girl who willingly saw evil in Dora's
guileless enjoyment of a clever man's company。
To be misunderstood； to be blamed and pitied； to be made a pedestal
for Dora's superiority； was a situation not to be contemplated。 It was better
to look over Dora's rudeness in the flush of Dora's pretended sorrow for it。
So they forgave each other； or said they did； and then Dora explained
herself。 She declared that she had not the least intention of any wrong。
〃You see； Ethel； what a fool the man is about me。 Somebody says we
51
… Page 52…
The Man Between
ought to treat a fool according to his folly。 That is all I was doing。 I am
sure Basil is so far above Fred Mostyn that I could never put them in
comparisonand Basil knows it。 He trusts me。〃
〃Very well； Dora。 If Basil knows it； and trusts you； I have no more to
say。 I am now sorry I named the subject。〃
〃Never mind； we will forget that it was named。 The fact is； Ethel； I
want all the fun I can get now。 When I am Basil's wife I shall have to be
very sedate； and of course not even pretend to know if any other man
admires me。 Little lunches with Fred； theater and opera parties； and even
dances will be over for me。 Oh； dear； how much I am giving up for Basil！
And sometimes I think he never realizes how dreadful it must be for me。〃
〃You will have your lover all the time then。 Surely his constant
companionship will atone for all you relinquish。〃
〃Take off your coat and hat； Ethel； and sit down comfortably。 I don't
know about Basil's constant companionship。 Tete…a…tetes are tiresome
affairs sometimes。〃
〃Yes；〃 replied Ethel； as she half…reluc… tantly removed her coat； 〃they
were a bore undoubtedly even in Paradise。 I wonder if Eve was tired of
Adam's conversation； and if that made her listen tothe other party。〃
〃I am so glad you mentioned that circumstance； Ethel。 I shall
remember it。 Some day； no doubt； I shall have to remind Basil of the
failure of Adam to satisfy Eve's idea of perfect companionship。〃 And Dora
put her pretty； jeweled hands up to her ears and laughed a low； musical
laugh with a childish note of malice running through it。
This pseudo…reconciliation was not conducive to pleasant intercourse。
After a short delay Ethel made an excuse for an early departure； and Dora
accepted it without her usual remonstrance。 The day had been one of
continual friction； and Dora's irritable pettishness hard to bear； because it
had now lost that childish unreason which had always induced Ethel's
patience； for Dora had lately put away all her ignorant immaturities。 She
had become a person of importance； and had realized the fact。 The young
ladies of St。 Jude's had made a pet of their revered rector's love； and the
elder ladies had also shown a marked interest in her。 The Dennings' fine
house was now talked about and visited。 Men of high financial power
52
… Page 53…
The Man Between
respected Mr。 Dan Denning； and advised the social recognition of his
family； and Mrs。 Denning was not now found more eccentric than many
other of the new rich； who had been tolerated in the ranks of the older
plutocrats。 Even Bryce had made the standing he desired。 He was seen
with the richest and idlest young men； and was invited to the best houses。
Those fashionable women who had marriageable daughters considered
him not ineligible； and men temporarily hampered for cash knew that they
could find smiling assistance for a consideration at Bryce's little office on
William Street。
These and other points of reflection troubled Ethel； and she was glad
the long trial was nearing its end； for she knew quite well the disagreement
of that evening had done no good。 Dora would certainly repeat their
conversation； in her own way of interpreting it； to both Basil Stanhope and
Fred Mostyn。 More than likely both Bryce and Mrs。 Denning would also
hear how her innocent kindness had been misconstrued； and in each case
she could imagine the conversation that took place； and the subsequent
bestowal of pitying； scornful or angry feeling that would insensibly find its
way to her consciousness without any bird of the air to carry it。
She felt； too； that reprisals of any kind were out of the question。 They
were not only impolitic； they were difficult。 Her father had an aversion to
Dora； and was likely to seize the first opportunity for requesting Ethel to
drop the girl's acquaintance。 Ruth also had urged her to withdraw from any
active part in the wedding； strengthening her advice with the assurance
that when a friendship began to decline it ought to be abandoned at once。
There was only her grandmother to go to； and at first she did not find her
at all interested in the trouble。 She had just had a dispute with her milkman；
was inclined to give him all her suspicions and all her angry words〃an
impertinent； cheating creature；〃 she said； and then Ethel had to hear the
history of the month's cream and of the milkman's extortion； with the old
lady's characteristic declaration：
〃I told him plain what I thought of his ways； but I paid him every cent
I owed him。 Thank God； I am not unreasonable！〃
Neither was she unreasonable when Ethel finally got her to listen to
her own serious grievance with Dora。
53
… Page 54…
The Man Between
〃If you will have a woman for a friend； Ethel； you must put up with
womanly ways； and it is best to keep your mouth shut concerning such
ways。 I hate to see you whimpering and whining about wrongs you have
been cordially inviting for weeks and months and years。〃
〃Grandmother！〃
〃Yes； you have been sowing thorns for yourself； and then you go
unshod over them。 I mean that Dora has this fine clergyman； and Fred
Mostyn； and her brother； and mother； and father all on her side； all of them
sure that Dora can do no wrong； all of them sure that Ethel； poor girl； must
be mistaken； or prudish； or jealous； or envious。〃
〃Oh； grandmother； you are too cruel；〃
〃Why didn't you have a few friends on your own side？〃
〃Father and Ruth never liked Dora。 And FredI told you how Fred
acted as soon as he saw her！〃
〃There was Royal Wheelock； James Clifton； or that handsome Dick
Potter。 Why didn't you ask them to join you at your lunches and dances？
You ought to have pillared your own side。 A girl without her beaux is
always on the wrong side if the girl with beaux is against her。〃
〃It was the great time of Dora's life。 I wished her to have all the glory
of it。〃
〃All her own sharethat was right。 All of your share； alsothat was as
wrong as it could be。〃
〃Clifton is yachting； Royal and I had a little misunderstanding； and
Dick Potter is too effusive。〃
〃But Dick's effusiveness would have been a good thing for Fred's
effusiveness。 Two men can't go on a complimentary ran…tan at the same
table。 They freeze one another out。 That goes without saying。 But Dora's
indiscretions are none of your business while she is under her father's roof；
and I don't know if she hadn't a friend in the world； if they would be your
business。 I have always been against people trying to do the work of
THEM that are above us。 We are told THEY seek and THEY save； and it's
likely they will look after Dora in spite of her being so unknowing of
herself as to marry a priest in a surplice； when a fool in motley would have
been more like the thing。〃