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！
while there； had arrested a dangerous meeting between him and
herself and her husband in her own house； impressed her more than
all。 It imparted to her a hideous tranquillity born of the
doctrines of her youthPredestination！ She reflected with secret
exultation that her moral resolution to fly from him and her
conscientiously broken promise had been the direct means of
bringing him there； that step by step circumstances not in
themselves evil or to be combated had led her along； that even her
husband and mother had felt it their duty to assist towards this
fateful climax！ If Edward had never kept up his worldly
friendship； if she had never been restricted and compassed in her
own； if she had ever known the freedom of other girls；all this
might not have happened。 She had been elected to share with
Demorest and her husband the effects of their ungodliness。 She
was no longer a free agent； what availed her resolutions？ To
Demorest's imperious hope； she had said； 〃God knows。〃 What more
could she say？ Her small red lips grew white and compressed； her
face rigid； her eyes hollow and abstracted； she looked like the
genius of asceticism as she sat there； grimly formulating a
dogmatic explanation of her lawless and unlicensed passion。
The wind had risen to a gale without； and stirred even the sealed
sepulchre of the fireplace with dull rumblings and muffled moans。
At times the hot…air drum in the corner seemed to expand as with
some pent…up emotion。 Strange currents of air crossed the empty
room like the passage of unseen spirits； and she even fancied she
heard whispers at the window。 This caused her to rise and open it；
when she found that the sleet had given way to a dry feathery snow
that was swarming through the slits of the shutter； a faint
reflection from the already whitened fences glimmered in the panes。
She shut the window hastily； with a little shiver of cold。 Where
was Demorest in this storm？ Would it stop him？ She thought with
pride now of the dominant energy that had frightened her； and knew
it would not。 But her husband？what kept him？ It was twelve
o'clock； he had seldom stayed out so late before。 During the first
half hour of her reflections she had been relieved by his absence；
she had even believed that he had met Demorest in the town； and was
not alarmed by it； for she knew that the latter would avoid any
further confidence； and cut short any return to it。 But why had
not Edward returned？ For an instant the terrible thought that
something had happened； and that they might both return together；
took possession of her； and she trembled。 But no； Demorest； who
had already taken such extreme measures； could not consistently
listen to any suggestion for delay。 As her only danger lay in
Demorest's presence； the absence of her husband caused her more
undefinable uneasiness than actual alarm。
The room had become cold with the dying out of the dining…room fire
that warmed the drum。 She would go to bed。 She nevertheless
arranged the room again with a singular impression that she was
doing it for the last time in her present existing circumstances；
and placing the lamp on the table in the hall； went up to her own
room。 By the light of a single candle she undressed herself
hastily； said her prayers punctiliously； and got into bed； with an
unexpected relief at finding herself still occupying it alone。
Then she fell asleep and dreamed of Demorest。
CHAPTER IV
When Edward Blandford found himself alone after his wife had
undertaken to fulfil his abandoned filial duty at her parents'
house； he felt a slight twinge of self…reproach。 He could not deny
that this was not the first time he had evaded the sterile Sabbath
evenings at his mother…in…law's； or that even at other times he was
not in accord with the cold and colorless sanctity of the family。
Yet he remembered that when he picked out from the budding
womanhood of North Liberty this pure； scentless blossom； he had
endured the privations of its surroundings with a sense of security
in inhaling the atmosphere in which it grew； and knowing the
integrity of its descent。 There was a certain pleasure also in
invading this seclusion with human passion； the first pressure of
her hand when they were kneeling together at family prayers had the
zest without the sin of a forbidden pleasure； the first kiss he
had given her with their heads over the family Bible had fairly
intoxicated him in the thin； rarefied air of their surroundings。 In
transplanting this blossom to his own home with the fond belief that
it would eventually borrow the hues and color of his own passion； he
had no further interest in the house he had left behind。 When he
found； however； that the ancestral influence was stronger than he
expected； that the young wife； instead of assimilating to his
conditions； had imported into their little household the rigors of
her youthful home； he had been chilled and disappointed。 But he
could not help also remembering that his own boyhood had been spent
in an atmosphere like her own in everything but its sincerity and
deep conviction。 His father had recognized the business value of
placating the narrow tyranny of the respectable well…to…do religious
community； and had become a conscious hypocrite and a popular
citizen。 He had himself been under that influence； and it was
partly a conviction of this that had drawn him towards her as
something genuine and real。 It occurred to him now for the first
time； as he looked around upon that compromise of their two lives in
this chilly artificial home； that it was only natural that she would
prefer the more truthful austerities of her mother's house。 Had she
detected the sham； and did she despise him for it？
These were questions which seemed to bring another self…accusing
doubt in his own mind； although； without his being conscious of it；
they had been really the outcome of that doubt。 He could not help
dwelling on the singular human interest she had taken in Demorest's
love affair； and the utterly unexpected emotion she had shown。 He
had never seen her as charmingly illogical； capricious； and
bewitchingly feminine。 Had he not made a radical mistake in not
giving her a frequent provocation for this innocent emotionin
fact； in not taking her out into a world of broader sympathies and
experiences？ What a household they might have hadif necessary
in some other townaway from those cramped prejudices and
limitations！ What friends she might have been with Dick and his
other worldly acquaintances； what social pleasuresguiltless
amusements for her pure mindin theatres； parties； and concerts！
Would she have objected to them？had he ever seriously proposed
them to her？ No！ if she had objected there would have been time
enough to have made this present compromise； she would have at
least respected and understood his sacrificeand his friends。
Even the artificial externals of his household had never before so
visibly impressed him。 Now that she was no longer in the room it
did not even bear a trace of her habitation； it certainly bore no
suggestion of his own。 Why had he bought that hideous horsehair
furniture？ To remind her of the old provincial heirlooms of her
father's sitting…room。 Did it remind her of it？ The stiff and
stony emptiness of this room had been fashioned upon the decorous
respectability of his own father's parlorin which his father； who
usually spent his slippered leisure in the family sitting…room；
never entered except on visits from the minister。 It had chilled
his own youthful soulwhy had he perpetuated it here？
He could only answer these questions by moodily wandering about the
house； and regretting he had not gone with her。 After a vain
attempt to establish social and domestic relations with the hot…air
drum by putting his feet upon itafter an equally futile attempt
to extract interest from the book of sermons by opening its pages
at randomhe glanced at the clock and suddenly resolved to go and
fetch her。 It would remind him of the old times when he used to
accompany her from church； and； after her parents had retired；
spend a blissful half…hour alone with her。 With