options-第22章
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。 If I don't marry this season I honestly believe mamma will force me into settlement work or trimming hats。 It isn't because I'm getting old or ugly； but we haven't enough money left to butt in at any of the swell places any more。 And I don't want to marryunless it's somebody I like。 That's why I'd like to be a hermit。 Hermits don't ever marry； do they ？〃
〃Hundreds of 'em；〃 said the hermit； 〃when they've found the right one。〃
〃But they're hermits；〃 said the youngest and beautifulest； 〃because they've lost the right one； aren't they？〃
〃Because they think they have；〃 answered the recluse； fatuously。 〃Wisdom comes to one in a mountain cave as well as to one in the world of 'swells；' as I believe they are called in the argot。〃
〃When one of the 'swells' brings it to them；〃 said Miss Trenholme。 〃And my folks are swells。 That's the trouble。 But there are so many swells at the seashore in the summer…time that we hardly amount to more than ripples。 So we've had to put all our money into river and harbor appropriations。 We were all girls； you know。 There were four of us。 I'm the only surviving one。 The others have been married off。 All to money。 Mamma is so proud of my sisters。 They send her the loveliest pen…wipers and art calendars every Christmas。 I'm the only one on the market now。 I'm forbidden to look at any one who hasn't money。〃
〃But〃 began the hermit。
〃But； oh；〃 said the beautifulest 〃of course hermits have great pots of gold and doubloons buried somewhere near three great oak…trees。 They all have。〃
〃I have not；〃 said the hermit； regretfully。
〃I'm so sorry；〃 said Miss Trenholme。 〃I always thought they had。 I think I must go now。〃
Oh； beyond question； she was the beautifulest。
〃Fair lady〃 began the hermit。
〃I am Beatrix Trenholmesome call me Trix；〃 she said。 〃You must come to the inn to see me。〃
〃I haven't been a stone'sthrow from my cave in ten years；〃 said the hermit。
〃You must come to see me there；〃 she repeated。 〃Any evening except Thursday。〃
The hermit smiled weakly。
〃Good…bye；〃 she said； gathering the folds of her pale…blue skirt。 〃I shall expect you。 But not on Thursday evening； remember。〃
What an interest it would give to the future menu cards of the Viewpoint Inn to have these printed lines added to them： 〃Only once during the more than ten years of his lonely existence did the mountain hermit leave his famous cave。 That was when he was irresistibly drawn to the inn by the fascinations of Miss Beatrix Trenholme； youngest and most beautiful of the celebrated Trenholme sisters； whose brilliant marriage to〃
Aye； to whom？
The hermit walked back to the hermitage。 At the door stood Bob Binkley； his old friend and companion of the days before he had renounced the worldBob； himself； arrayed like the orchids of the greenhouse in the summer man's polychromatic garbBob； the millionaire； with his fat； firm； smooth； shrewd face； his diamond rings； sparkling fob…chain； and pleated bosom。 He was two years older than the hermit； and looked five years younger。
〃You're Hamp Ellison； in spite of those whiskers and that going…away bathrobe；〃 he shouted。 〃I read about you on the bill of fare at the inn。 They've run your biography in between the cheese and 'Not Responsible for Coats and Umbrellas。' What 'd you do it for； Hamp？ And ten years； toogeewhilikins！〃
〃You're just the same；〃 said the hermit。 〃Come in and sit down。 Sit on that limestone rock over there； it's softer than the granite。〃
〃I can't understand it； old man；〃 said Binkley。 〃I can see how you could give up a woman for ten years； but not ten years for a woman。 Of course I know why you did it。 Everybody does。 Edith Carr。 She jilted four or five besides you。 But you were the only one who took to a hole in the ground。 The others had recourse to whiskey； the Klondike； politics； and that similia similibus cure。 But； sayHamp； Edith Carr was just about the finest woman in the worldhigh…toned and proud and noble； and playing her ideals to win at all kinds of odds。 She certainly was a crackerjack。〃
〃After I renounced the world；〃 said the hermit； 〃I never heard of her again。〃
〃She married me；〃 said Binkley。
The hermit leaned against the wooden walls of his ante…cave and wriggled his toes。
〃I know how you feel about it；〃 said Binkley。 〃What else could she do？ There were her four sisters and her mother and old man Carryou remember how he put all the money he had into dirigible balloons？ Well； everything was coming down and nothing going up with 'em； as you might say。 Well； I know Edith as well as you doalthough I married her。 I was worth a million then； but I've run it up since to between five and six。 It wasn't me she wanted as much aswell； it was about like this。 She had that bunch on her hands； and they had to be taken care of。 Edith married me two months after you did the ground…squirrel act。 I thought she liked me； too； at the time。〃
〃And now？〃 inquired the recluse。
〃We're better friends than ever now。 She got a divorce from me two years ago。 Just incompatibility。 I didn't put in any defence。 Well； well； well； Hamp； this is certainly a funny dugout you've built here。 But you always were a hero of fiction。 Seems like you'd have been the very one to strike Edith's fancy。 Maybe you didbut it's the bank … roll that catches 'em； my boyyour caves and whiskers won't do it。 Honestly； Hamp； don't you think you've been a darned fool？〃
The hermit smiled behind his tangled beard。 He was and always had been so superior to the crude and mercenary Binkley that even his vulgarities could not anger him。 Moreover； his studies and meditations in his retreat had raised him far above the little vanities of the world。 His little mountain…side had been almost an Olympus； over the edge of which he saw； smiling； the bolts hurled in the valleys of man below。 Had his ten years of renunciation； of thought； of devotion to an ideal； of living scorn of a sordid world； been in vain？ Up from the world had come to him the youngest and beautifulestfairer than Edithone and three…seventh times lovelier than the seven…years…served Rachel。 So the hermit smiled in his beard。
When Binkley had relieved the hermitage from the blot of his presence and the first faint star showed above the pines； the hermit got the can of baking…powder from his cupboard。 He still smiled behind his beard。
There was a slight rustle in the doorway。 There stood Edith Carr； with all the added beauty and stateliness and noble bearing that ten years had brought her。
She was never one to chatter。 She looked at the hermit with her large； thinking； dark eyes。 The hermit stood still； surprised into a pose as motionless as her own。 Only his subconscious sense of the fitness of things caused him to turn the baking…powder can slowly in his hands until its red label was hidden against his bosom。
〃I am stopping at the inn；〃 said Edith； in low but clear tones。 〃I heard of you there。 I told myself that I must see you。 I want to ask your forgiveness。 I sold my happiness for money。 There were others to be provided forbut that does not excuse me。 I just wanted to see you and ask your forgiveness。 You have lived here ten years； they tell me； cherishing my memory！ I was blind； Hampton。 I could not see then that all the money in the world cannot weigh in the scales against a faithful heart。 Ifbut it is too late now； of course。〃
Her assertion was a question clothed as best it could be in a loving woman's pride。 But through the thin disguise the hermit saw easily that his lady had come back to himif he chose。 He had won a golden crownif it pleased him to take it。 The reward of his decade of faithfulness was ready for his handif he desired to stretch it forth。
For the space of one minute the old enchantment shone upon him with a reflected radiance。 And then by turns he felt the manly sensations of indignation at having been discarded； and of repugnance at having beenas it weresought again。 And last of allhow strange that it should have come at last！the pale…blue vision of the beautifulest of
