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！
you；〃 he drawled。
〃What reasons？〃 asked Blandford； with a sudden relapse of his
former harshness。
〃Wa'al； Squire Blandford； sens you wanter knowI reckon your
business wasn't payin'； and there was a matter of two hundred and
fifty dollars ye took with ye； that your creditors would hev liked
to hev back。〃
〃Who dare say that？〃 demanded Blandford； angrily。
〃Your wife that wasMrs。 Demorest ez istold it to her mother；〃
returned Ezekiel； lazily。
The blow struck deeper than even Ezekiel's dry malice imagined。
For an instant； Blandford remained stupefied。 In the five years'
retrospect of his resolution on that fatal night； whatever doubt
of its wisdom might have obtruded itself upon him； he had never
thought of THIS。 He had been willing to believe that his wife had
quietly forgotten him as well as her treachery to him； he had
passively acquiesced in the results of that forgetfulness and his
own silence； he had been conscious that his wound had healed sooner
than he expected； but if this consciousness had enabled him to
extend a certain passive forgiveness to his wife and Demorest； it
was always with the conviction that his mysterious effacement had
left an inexplicable shadow upon them which their consciences alone
could explain。 But for this unjust； vulgar； and degrading
interpretation of his own act of expiation； he was totally
unprepared。 It completely crushed whatever sentiment remained of
that act in the horrible irony of finding himself put upon his
defence before the world； without being able now to offer the real
cause。 The anguish of that night had gone forever； but the
ridiculous interpretation of it had survived； and would survive it。
In the eyes of the man before him he was not a wronged husband； but
an absconding petty defaulter； whom he had just detected！
His mind was quickly made up。 In that instant he had resolved upon
a step as fateful as his former one； and a fitting climax to its
results。 For five years he had clearly misunderstood his attitude
towards his treacherous wife and perjured friend。 Thanks to this
practical； selfish machine before him； he knew it now。
〃Look here； Corwin；〃 he said； turning upon Ezekiel a colorless
face； but a steady； merciless eye。 〃I can guess； without your
telling me； what lies may be circulated about me by the man and
woman who know that I have only to declare myself alive to convict
them of infamyperhaps even of criminality before the law。 You
are not MY friend； or you would not have believed them； if you are
THEIRS； you have two courses open to you now。 Keep this meeting to
yourself and trust to my mercy to keep it a secret also； or； tell
Mrs。 Demorest that you have seen Mr。 Johnson； who is not afraid
to come forward at any moment and proclaim that he is Edward
Blandford； her only lawful husband。 Choose which course you like
it is nothing more to me。〃
〃Wa'al； I reckon that； as far as I know Mrs。 Demorest；〃 said
Ezekiel； dryly； 〃it don't make the least difference to her either；
but if you want to know my opinion o' this matter； it is that
neither you nor Demorest exactly understand that woman。 I've known
Joan Salisbury since she was so high； but if ye expected me to tell
you wot she was goin' to do next； I'd be able to tell ye where the
next flash o' lightnin' would strike。 It's wot you don't expect of
Joan Salisbury that she does。 And the best proof of it is that she
filed papers for a divorce agin you in Chicago and got it by
default a few weeks afore she married Demorestand you don't know
it。〃
Blandford recoiled。 〃Impossible；〃 he said； but his voice too
plainly showed how clearly its possibility struck him now。
〃It's so； but it was kept secret by Deacon Salisbury。 I overheerd
it。 Wa'al； that's a proof that you don't understand Joan； I
reckon。 And considerin' that Demorest HIMSELF don't know it； ez I
found out only the other day in talking to him； I kalkilate I'm
safe in sayin' that you're neither o' you quite up to Deacon
Salisbury's darter in nat'ral cuteness。 I don't like to obtrude my
opinion； Squire Blandford； ez we're old friends； but I do say； that
wot with Demorest's prematooriness and yer own hangfiredness； it's
a good thing that you two worldly men hev got Joan Salisbury to
stand up for North Liberty and keep it from bein' scandalized by
the ungodly。 Ef it hadn't been for her smartness； whar y'd both be
landed now？ There's a heap in Christian bringin' up； and a power
in grace； Squire Blandford。〃
His hard； dry face was for an instant transfigured by a grim fealty
and the dull glow of some sectarian clannishness。 Or was it
possible that this woman's personality had in some mysterious way
disturbed his rooted selfishness？
During his speech Blandford had walked to the window。 When Corwin
had ceased speaking； Blandford turned towards him with an equally
changed face and cold imperturbability that astonished him； and
held out his hand。 〃Let bygones be bygones； Corwinwhether we
ever meet again or not。 Yet if I can do anything for you for the
sake of old times； I am ready to do it。 I have some power here and
in San Francisco；〃 he continued； with a slight touch of pride；
〃that isn't dependent upon the mere name I may travel under。 I
have a purpose in coming here。〃
〃I know it；〃 said Ezekiel； dryly。 〃I heard it all from your two
friends。 You're huntin' some man that did you an injury。〃
〃I'm hunting down a dog who； suspecting I had some secret in
emigrating here； tried to blackmail and ruin me；〃 said Blandford；
with a sudden expression of hatred that seemed inconsistent with
anything that Ezekiel had ever known of his old master's character
〃a scoundrel who tried to break up my new life as another had
broken up the old。〃 He stopped and recovered himself with a short
laugh。 〃Well； Ezekiel； I don't know as his opinion of me was any
worse than yours or HERS。 And until I catch HIM to clear my name
again； I let the other slanderers go。〃
〃Wa'al； I reckon you might lay hands on that devil yet； and not far
away； either。 I was up at Demorest's to…day； and I heard Joan and
a skittish sort o' Mexican young lady talkin' about some tramp that
had frightened her。 And Miss Pico said〃
〃What！ Who did you say？〃 demanded Blandford； with a violent start。
〃Wa'al； I reckoned I heerd the first name tooRosita。〃
A quick flush crossed Blandford's face； and left it glowing like a
boy's。
〃Is SHE there？〃
〃Wa'al； I reckon she's visitin' Joan；〃 said Ezekiel； narrowly
attentive of Blandford's strange excitement； 〃but wot of it？〃
But Blandford had utterly forgotten Ezekiel's presence。 He had
remained speechless and flushed。 And then； as if suddenly dazzled
by an inspiration； he abruptly dashed from the room。 Ezekiel heard
him call to his passive host with a Spanish oath； but before he
could follow； they had both hurriedly left the house。
Ezekiel glanced around him and contemplatively ran his fingers
through his beard。 〃It ain't Joan Salisbury nor Dick Demorest ez
giv' him that start！ Humph！ Wa'alI wanter know！〃
CHAPTER IV
Mrs。 Demorest was so fascinated by the company of Dona Rosita Pico
and her romantic memories； that she prevailed upon that heart…
broken but scarcely attenuated young lady to prolong her visit
beyond the fortnight she had allotted to communion with the past。
For a day or two following her singular experience in the garden；
Mrs。 Demorest plied her with questions regarding the apparition she
had seen； and finally extorted from her the admission that she
could not positively swear to its being the real Johnson； or even
a perfectly consistent shade of that faithless man。 When Joan
pointed out to her that such masculine perfections as curling raven
locks； long silken mustachios； and dark eyes； were attributes by no
means exclusive to her lover； but were occasionally seen among
other less favored and even equally dangerous Americans； Dona
Rosita assented with less objection than Joan anticipated。
〃Besides； dear；〃 said Joan； eying her with feline watchfulness； 〃it
is four years since you've seen him； and surely the man has either
shaved since； or else he took a ridiculous vow never to do it；