the man between-第13章

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are　of　it。〃

Then　the　Judge　gave　her　the　book；　and　with　a　sigh　looked　into　the　modern　street。　〃I　ought　to　be　down　at　Bowling　Green　instead　of　reading　Greek　stories　to　you　girls；〃　he　said　rather　brusquely。　〃I　have　a　very　important　railway　case　on　my　mind；　and　Phoebus　Apollo　has　nothing　to　do　with　it。　Good　morning。　And；　Ethel；　do　not　deify　the　singer　on　the　avenue。　He　will　not　turn　out；　like　the　singer　by　the　portico；　to　be　a　god；　be　sure　of　that。〃

The　door　closed　before　she　could　answer；　and　both　women　remained　silent　a　few　minutes。　Then　Ethel　went　to　the　window；　and　Ruth　asked　if　she　was　going　to　Dora's。

〃Yes；〃　was　the　answer；　but　without　interest。

〃You　are　tired　with　all　this　shopping　and　worry？〃

〃It　is　not　only　that　I　am　tired；　I　am　troubled　about　Fred　Mostyn。〃

〃Why？〃

〃I　do　not　know　why。　It　is　only　a　vague　unrest　as　yet。　But　one　thing　I　know；　I　shall　oppose　anything　like　Fred　making　himself　intimate　with　Dora。〃

〃I　think　you　will　do　wisely　in　that。〃

But　in　a　week　Ethel　realized　that　in　opposing　a　lover　like　Fred　Mostyn　she　had　a　task　beyond　her　ability。　Fred　had　nothing　to　do　as　important　in　his　opinion　as　the　cultivation　of　his　friendship　with　Dora　Denning。　He　called　it　〃friendship；〃　but　this　misnomer　deceived　no　one；　not　even　Dora。　And　when　Dora　encouraged　his　attentions；　how　was　Ethel　to　prevent　them　without　some　explanation　which　would　give　a　sort　of　reality　to　what　was　as　yet　a　nameless　suspicion？

Yet　every　day　the　familiarity　increased。　He　seemed　to　divine　their　engagements。　If　they　went　to　their　jeweler's；　or　to　a　bazaar；　he　was　sure　to　stroll　in　after　them。　When　they　came　out　of　the　milliner's　or　modiste's；　Fred　was　waiting。　〃He　had　secured　a　table　at　Sherry's；　he　had　ordered　lunch；　and　all　was　ready。〃　It　was　too　great　an　effort　to　resist　his　entreaty。　Perhaps　no　one　wished　to　do　so。　The　girls　were　utterly　tired　and　hungry；　and　the　thought　of　one　of　Fred's　lunches　was　very　pleasant。　Even　if　Basil　Stanhope　was　with　them；　it　appeared　to　be　all　the　better。　Fred　always　included　Dora's　lover　with　a　charming　courtesy；　and；　indeed；　at　such　hours；　was　in　his　most　delightful　mood。　Stanhope　appeared　to　inspire　him。　His　mentality　when　the　clergyman　was　present　took　possession　of　every　incident　that　came　and　went；　and　clothed　it　in　wit　and　pleasantry。　Dora's　plighted　lover　honestly　thought　Dora's　undeclared　lover　the　cleverest　and　most　delightful　of　men。　And　he　had　no　opportunity　of　noting；　as　Ethel　did；　the　difference　in　Fred's　attitude　when　he　was　not　present。　Then　Mostyn's　merry　mood　became　sentimental；　and　his　words　were　charged　with　soft　meanings　and　looks　of　adoration；　and　every　tone　and　every　movement　made　to　express　far　more　than　the　tongue　would　have　dared　to　utter。

As　this　flirtation　progressedfor　on　Dora's　part　it　was　only　vanity　and　flirtationEthel　grew　more　and　more　uneasy。　She　almost　wished　for　some　trifling　overt　act　which　would　give　her　an　excuse　for　warning　Dora；　and　one　day；　after　three　weeks　of　such　philandering；　the　opportunity　came。

〃I　think　you　permit　Fred　Mostyn　to　take　too　much　liberty　with　you；　Dora；〃　she　said　as　soon　as　they　were　in　Dora's　parlor；　and　as　she　spoke　she　threw　off　her　coat　in　a　temper　which　effectively　emphasized　the　words。

〃I　have　been　expecting　this　ill…nature；　Ethel。　You　were　cross　all　the　time　we　were　at　lunch。　You　spoiled　all　our　pleasure　Pray；　what　have　I　been　doing　wrong　with　Fred　Mostyn？〃

〃It　was　Fred　who　did　wrong。　His　compliments　to　you　were　outrageous。　He　has　no　right　to　say　such　things；　and　you　have　no　right　to　listen　to　them。〃

〃I　am　not　to　blame　if　he　compliments　me　instead　of　you。　He　was　simply　polite；　but　then　it　was　to　the　wrong　person。〃


〃Of　course　it　was。　Such　politeness　he　had　no　right　to　offer　you。〃

〃It　would　have　been　quite　proper　if　offered　you；　I　suppose？〃

〃It　would　not。　It　would　have　been　a　great　impertinence。　I　have　given　him　neither　claim　nor　privilege　to　address　me　as　‘My　lovely　Ethel！'　He　called　you　many　times　‘My　lovely　Dora！'　You　are　not　his　lovely　Dora。　When　he　put　on　your　coat；　he　drew　you　closer　than　was　proper；　and　I　saw　him　take　your　hand　and　hold　it　in　a　claspnot　necessary。〃

〃Why　do　you　listen　and　watch？　It　is　vulgar。　You　told　me　so　yourself。　And　I　am　lovely。　Basil　says　that　as　well　as　Fred。　Do　you　want　a　man　to　lie　and　say　I　am　ugly？〃

〃You　are　fencing　the　real　question。　He　had　no　business　to　use　the　word　‘my。'　You　are　engaged　to　Basil　Stanhope；　not　to　Fred　Mostyn。〃

〃I　am　Basil's　lovely　fiancee；　I　am　Fred's　lovely　friend。〃

〃Oh！　I　hope　Fred　understands　the　difference。〃

〃Of　course　he　does。　Some　people　are　always　thinking　evil。〃

〃I　was　thinking　of　Mr。　Stanhope's　rights。〃

〃Thank　you；　Ethel；　but　I　can　take　care　of　Mr。　Stanhope's　rights　without　your　assistance。　If　you　had　said　you　were　thinking　of　Ethel　Rawdon's　rights　you　would　have　been　nearer　the　truth。〃

〃Dora；　I　will　not　listen〃

〃Oh；　you　shall　listen　to　me！　I　know　that　you　expected　Fred　to　fall　in　love　with　you；　but　if　he　did　not　like　to　do　so；　am　I　to　blame？〃　Ethel　was　resuming　her　coat　at　this　point　in　the　conversation；　and　Dora　understood　the　proud　silence　with　which　the　act　was　being　accomplished。　Then　a　score　of　good　reasons　for　preventing　such　a　definite　quarrel　flashed　through　her　selfish　little　mind；　and　she　threw　her　arms　around　Ethel　and　begged　a　thousand　pardons　for　her　rudeness。　And　Ethel　had　also　reasons　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　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　importanc