She had received the announcement of his approaching long absence with sullen1 anger. And as the purpose of the campaign gradually became clear she had watched him with growing suspicion and hate. He felt it in every glance she flashed from the depth of her greenish eyes.
Though she had never said it in so many words, he was sure that the last hope of a resumption of their old relations was fast dying in her heart, and that the moment she realized that he was lost to her would be the signal for a desperate attack. What form the attack would take he could only guess. He was sure it would be as deadly as her ingenuity2 could invent. Yet in the wildest flight of his imagination he never dreamed the daring thing she had really decided3 to do.
On the night before his departure he was working late in his room at the house. The office he had placed in Tom's hands before the meeting of the convention. The boy's eager young face just in front of him when he made his speech that day had been an inspiration. It had beamed with pride and admiration4, and when[Pg 223] his father's name rang from every lip in the great shout that shook the building Tom's eyes had filled with tears.
Norton was seated at his typewriter, which he had moved to his room, writing his final instructions. The last lines he put in caps:
"Under no conceivable circumstances annoy me with anything that happens at home, unless a matter of immediate5 life and death, anything else can wait until my return."
He had just finished this important sentence when the sound of a footstep behind his chair caused him to turn suddenly.
Cleo had entered the room and stood glaring at him with a look of sullen defiance6.
By a curious coincidence or by design, she was dressed in a scarlet7 kimono of the same shade of filmy Japanese stuff as the one she wore in his young manhood. His quick eye caught this fact in a flash and his mind took rapid note of the changes the years had wrought8. Their burdens had made slight impression on her exhaustless vitality9. Whatever might be her personality or her real character, she was alive from the crown of her red head to the tips of her slippered10 toes.
Her attitude of tense silence sparkled with this vital power more eloquently11 than when she spoke12 with quick energy in the deep voice that was her most remarkable13 possession.
Her figure was heavier by twenty pounds than when she had first entered his home, but she never produced the impression of stoutness14. Her form was too sinuous15, pliant16 and nervous to take on flesh. She was no[Pg 224] longer the graceful17 girl of eighteen whose beauty had drugged his senses, but she was beyond all doubt a woman of an extraordinary type, luxuriant, sensuous18, dominant19. There was not a wrinkle on her smooth creamy skin nor a trace of approaching age about the brilliant greenish eyes that were gazing into his now with such grim determination.
He wheeled from his machine and faced her, his eyes taking in with a quick glance the evident care with which she had arranged her hair and the startling manner in which she was dressed.
He spoke with sharp, incisive20 emphasis:
"It was a condition of your return that you should never enter my room while I am in this house."
"I have not forgotten," she answered firmly, her eyes holding his steadily21.
"Why have you dared?"
"You are still afraid of me?" she asked with a light laugh that was half a sneer22.
"Have I given you any such evidence during the past twenty years?"
There was no bitterness or taunt23 in the even, slow drawl with which he spoke, but the woman knew that he never used the slow tone with which he uttered those words except he was deeply moved.
She flushed, was silent and then answered with a frown:
"No, you haven't shown any fear for something more than twenty years—until a few days ago."
The last clause she spoke very quickly as she took a step closer and paused.
"A few days ago?" he repeated slowly.
"Yes. For the past week you have been afraid of me—not[Pg 225] in the sense I asked you just now perhaps"—her white teeth showed in two even perfect rows—"but you have been watching me out of the corners of your eyes—haven't you?"
"Perhaps."
"I wonder why?"
"And you haven't guessed?"
"No, but I'm going to find out."
"You haven't asked."
"I'm going to."
"Be quick about it!"
"I'm going to find out—that's why I came in here to-night in defiance of your orders."
"All right—the quicker the better!"
"Thank you, I'm not in a hurry."
"What do you want?" he demanded with anger.
She smiled tauntingly24:
"It's no use to get mad about it! I'm here now, you see that I'm not afraid of you and I'm quite sure that you will not put me out until I'm ready to go——"
He sprang to his feet and advanced on her:
"I'm not so sure of that!"
"Well, I am," she cried, holding his gaze steadily.
He threw up his hands with a gesture of disgust and resumed his seat:
"What is it?"
She crossed the room deliberately25, carrying a chair in front of her, sat down, leaned her elbow on his table and studied him a moment, their eyes meeting in a gaze of deadly hostility26.
"What is the meaning of this long absence you have planned?"[Pg 226]
"I have charge of this campaign. I am going to speak in every county in the state."
"Why?"
"Because I'll win that way, by a direct appeal to the people."
"Why do you want to win?"
"Because I generally do what I undertake."
"Why do you want to do this thing?"
He looked at her in amazement27. Her eyes had narrowed to the tiniest lines as she asked these questions with a steadily increasing intensity28.
"What are you up to?" he asked her abruptly29.
"I want to know why you began this campaign at all?"
"I decline to discuss the question with you," he answered abruptly.
"I insist on it!"
"You wouldn't know what I was talking about," he replied with contempt.
"I think I would."
"Bah!"
He turned from her with a wave of angry dismissal, seized his papers and began to read again his instructions to Tom.
"I'm not such a fool as you think," she began menacingly. "I've read your platform with some care and I've been thinking it over at odd times since your speech was reported."
"And you contemplate30 entering politics?" he interrupted with a smile.
"Who knows?"
She watched him keenly while she slowly uttered these words and saw the flash of uneasiness cross his face,[Pg 227] "But don't worry," she laughed.
"I'll not!"
"You may for all that!" she sneered31, "but I'll not enter politics as you fear. That would be too cheap. I don't care what you do to negroes. I've a drop of their blood in me——"
"One in eight, to be exact."
"But I'm not one of them, except by your laws, and I hate the sight of a negro. You can herd32 them, colonize33 them, send them back to Africa or to the devil for all I care. Your program interests me for another reason"—she paused and watched him intently.
"Yes?" he said carelessly.
"It interests me for one reason only—you wrote that platform, you made that speech, you carried that convention. Your man Friday is running for Governor. You are going to take the stump34, carry this election and take the ballot35 from the Negro!"
"Well?"
"I'm excited about it merely because it shows the inside of your mind."
"Indeed!"
"Yes. It shows either that you are afraid of me or that you're not——"
"It couldn't well show both," he interrupted with a sneer.
"It might," she answered. "If you are afraid of me and my presence is the cause of this outburst, all right. I'll still play the game with you and win or lose. I'll take my chances. But if you're not afraid of me, if you've really not been on your guard for twenty years, it means another thing. It means that you've learned your lesson, that the book of the past is closed, and[Pg 228] that you have simply been waiting for the time to come to do this thing and save your people from a danger before which you once fell."
"And which horn of the dilemma36 do you take?" he asked coldly.
"I haven't decided—but I will to-night."
"How interesting!"
"Yes, isn't it?" she leaned close. "With a patience that must have caused you wonder, with a waiting through years as God waits, I have endured your indifference37, your coldness, your contempt. Each year I have counted the last that you could resist the call of my body and soul, and at the end of each year I have seen you further and further away from me and the gulf38 between us deeper and darker. This absence you have planned in this campaign means the end one way or the other. I'm going to face life now as it is, not as I've hoped it might be."
"I told you when you made your bargain to return to this house, that there could be nothing between us except a hate that is eternal——"
"And I didn't believe it! Now I'm going to face it if I must——"
She paused, breathed deeply and her eyes were like glowing coals as she slowly went on:
"I'm not the kind to give up without a fight. I've lived and learned the wisdom of caution and cunning. I'm not old and I've still a fool's confidence in my powers. I'm not quite thirty-nine, strong and sound in body and spirit, alive to my finger tips with the full blood of a grown woman—and so I warn you——"
"You warn me"—he cried with a flush of anger.
"Yes. I warn you not to push me too far. I have[Pg 229] negro blood in me, but I'm at least human, and I'm going to be treated as a human being."
"And may I ask what you mean by that?" he asked sarcastically39.
"That I'm going to demand my rights."
"Demand?"
"Exactly."
"Your rights?"
"The right to love——"
Norton broke into a bitter, angry laugh:
"Are you demanding that I marry you?"
"I'm not quite that big a fool. No. Your laws forbid it. All right—there are higher laws than yours. The law that drew you to me in this room twenty years ago, in spite of all your fears and your prejudices"—she paused and her eyes glowed in the shadows—"I gave you my soul and body then——"
"Gifts I never sought——"
"Yet you took them and I'm here a part of your life. What are you going to do with me? I'm not the negro race. I'm just a woman who loves you and asks that you treat her fairly."
"Treat you fairly! Did I ever want you? Or seek you? You came to me, thrust yourself into my office, and when I discharged you, pushed your way into my home. You won my boy's love and made my wife think you were indispensable to her comfort and happiness. I tried to avoid you. It was useless. You forced yourself into my presence at all hours of the day and night. What happened was your desire, not mine. And when I reproached myself with bitter curses you laughed for joy! And you talk to me to-day of fairness! You who dragged me from that banquet hall the night of my[Pg 230] triumph to hurl40 me into despair! You who blighted41 my career and sent me blinded with grief and shame groping through life with the shadow of death on my soul! You who struck your bargain of a pound of flesh next to my heart, and fought your way back into my house again to hold me a prisoner for life, chained to the dead body of my shame—you talk to me about fairness—great God!"
He stopped, strangled with passion, his tall figure towering above her, his face livid, his hands clutched in rage.
She laughed hysterically43:
"Why don't you strike! I'm not your equal in strength—I dare you to do it—I dare you to do it! I dare you—do you hear?"
With a sudden grip she tore the frail44 silk from its fastenings at her throat, pressed close and thrust her angry face into his in a desperate challenge to physical violence.
His eyes held hers a moment and his hands relaxed:
"I'd like to kill you. I could do it with joy!"
"Why don't you?"
"You're not worth the price of such a crime!"
"You'd just as well do it, as to wish it. Don't be a coward!" Her eyes burned with suppressed fire.
He looked at her with cold anger and his lip twitched45 with a smile of contempt.
The strain was more than her nerves could bear. With a sob46 she threw her arms around his neck. He seized them angrily, her form collapsed47 and she clung to him with blind hysterical42 strength.
He waited a moment and spoke in quiet determined48 tones:
"'I dare you—do you hear?'" "'I dare you—do you hear?'"
[Pg 231]
"Enough of this now."
She raised her eyes to his, pleading with desperation:
"Please be kind to me just this last hour before you go, and I'll be content if you give no more. I'll never intrude49 again."
She relaxed her hold, dropped to a seat and covered her face with her hands:
"Oh, my God! Are you made of stone—have you no pity? Through all these years I've gone in and out of this house looking into your face for a sign that you thought me human, and you've given none. I've lived on the memories of the few hours when you were mine. I've sometimes told myself it was just a dream, that it never happened—until I've almost believed it. You've pretended that it wasn't true. You've strangled these memories and told yourself over and over again that it never happened. I've seen you doing this—seen it in your cold, deep eyes. Well, it's a lie! You were mine! You shall not forget it—you can't forget it—I won't let you, I tell you!"
The voice broke again into sobs50.
He stood with arms folded, watching her in silence. Her desperate appeal to his memories and his physical passion had only stirred anger and contempt. He was seeing now as he had never noticed before the growing marks of her negroid character. The anger was for her, the contempt for himself. He noticed the growth of her lips with age, the heavy sensual thickness of the negroid type!
It was inconceivable that in this room the sight of her had once stirred the Beast in him to incontrollable madness. There was at least some consolation51 in the[Pg 232] fact that he had made progress. He couldn't see this if he hadn't moved to a higher plane.
He spoke at length in quiet tones:
"I am waiting for you to go. I have work to do to-night."
She rose with a quick, angry movement:
"It's all over, then. There's not a chance that you'll change your mind?"
"Not if you were the last woman on earth and I the last man."
He spoke without bitterness but with a firmness that was final.
"All right. I know what to expect now and I'll plan my own life."
"What do you mean?"
"That there's going to be a change in my relations to your servants for one thing."
"Your relations to my servants?" he repeated incredulously.
"Yes."
"In what respect?"
"I'm not going to take any more insolence52 from Minerva——"
"Keep out of the kitchen and let her alone. She's the best cook I ever had."
"If I keep this house for you, I demand the full authority of my position. I'll hire the servants and discharge them when I choose."
"You'll do nothing of the kind," he answered firmly.
"Then I demand that you discharge Minerva and Andy at once."
"What's the matter with Andy?"
"I loathe53 him."[Pg 233]
"Well, I like him, and he's going to stay. Anything else?"
"You'll pay no attention to my wishes?"
"I'm master of this house."
"And in your absence?"
"My son will be here."
"All right, I understand now."
"If I haven't made it plain, I'll do so."
"Quite clear, thank you," she answered slowly.
Norton walked to the mantel, leaned his elbow on the shelf for a moment, returned and confronted her with his hands thrust into his pockets, his feet wide apart, his whole attitude one of cool defiance.
"Now I want to know what you're up to? These absurd demands are a blind. They haven't fooled me. There's something else in the back of your devilish mind. What is it? I want to know exactly what you mean?"
Cleo laughed a vicious little ripple54 of amusement:
"Yes, I know you do—but you won't!"
"All right, as you please. A word from you and Helen's life is blasted. A word from you and I withdraw from this campaign, and another will lead it. Speak that word if you dare, and I'll throw you out of this house and your last hold on my life is broken."
"I've thought of that, too," she said with a smile.
"It will be worth the agony I'll endure," he cried, "to know that I'm free of you and breathe God's clean air at last!"
He spoke the words with an earnestness, a deep and bitter sincerity55, that was not lost on her keen ears.
She started to reply, hesitated and was silent.
He saw his advantage and pressed it:[Pg 234]
"I want you to understand fully56 that I know now and I have always known that I am at your mercy when you see fit to break the word you pledged. Yet there has never been a moment during the past twenty years that I've been really afraid of you. When the hour comes for my supreme57 humiliation58, I'll meet it. Speak as soon as you like."
She had walked calmly to the door, paused and looked back:
"You needn't worry, major," she said smoothly59, "I'm not quite such a fool as all that. I've been silent too many years. It's a habit I'll not easily break." Her white teeth gleamed in a cold smile as she added:
"Good night."
A hundred times he told himself that she wouldn't dare, but he left home next lay with a sickening fear slowly stealing into his heart.
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收听单词发音
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1
sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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ingenuity
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| n.别出心裁；善于发明创造 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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defiance
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| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
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scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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wrought
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| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
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vitality
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| n.活力，生命力，效力 | |
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slippered
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| 穿拖鞋的 | |
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eloquently
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| adv. 雄辩地(有口才地, 富于表情地) | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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13
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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stoutness
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| 坚固，刚毅 | |
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sinuous
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| adj.蜿蜒的，迂回的 | |
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pliant
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| adj.顺从的；可弯曲的 | |
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graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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18
sensuous
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| adj.激发美感的；感官的，感觉上的 | |
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19
dominant
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| adj.支配的，统治的；占优势的；显性的；n.主因，要素，主要的人(或物)；显性基因 | |
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incisive
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| adj.敏锐的，机敏的，锋利的，切入的 | |
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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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22
sneer
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| v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语 | |
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23
taunt
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| n.辱骂，嘲弄；v.嘲弄 | |
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tauntingly
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| 嘲笑地，辱骂地； 嘲骂地 | |
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deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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hostility
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| n.敌对，敌意；抵制［pl.］交战，战争 | |
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27
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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28
intensity
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| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
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29
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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30
contemplate
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| vt.盘算，计议；周密考虑；注视，凝视 | |
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31
sneered
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| 讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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32
herd
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| n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起 | |
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colonize
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| v.建立殖民地，拓殖；定居，居于 | |
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34
stump
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| n.残株，烟蒂，讲演台；v.砍断，蹒跚而走 | |
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ballot
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| n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票 | |
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36
dilemma
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| n.困境，进退两难的局面 | |
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indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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gulf
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| n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂 | |
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sarcastically
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| adv.挖苦地，讽刺地 | |
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40
hurl
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| vt.猛投，力掷，声叫骂 | |
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41
blighted
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| adj.枯萎的，摧毁的 | |
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42
hysterical
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| adj.情绪异常激动的，歇斯底里般的 | |
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hysterically
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| ad. 歇斯底里地 | |
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frail
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| adj.身体虚弱的；易损坏的 | |
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45
twitched
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| vt.& vi.（使）抽动，（使）颤动（twitch的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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46
sob
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| n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣 | |
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47
collapsed
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| adj.倒塌的 | |
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48
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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49
intrude
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| vi.闯入；侵入；打扰，侵扰 | |
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50
sobs
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| 啜泣（声），呜咽（声）( sob的名词复数 ) | |
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51
consolation
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| n.安慰，慰问 | |
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52
insolence
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| n.傲慢；无礼；厚颜；傲慢的态度 | |
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53
loathe
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| v.厌恶，嫌恶 | |
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54
ripple
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| n.涟波，涟漪，波纹，粗钢梳；vt.使...起涟漪，使起波纹； vi.呈波浪状，起伏前进 | |
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55
sincerity
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| n.真诚，诚意；真实 | |
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56
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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57
supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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58
humiliation
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| n.羞辱 | |
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59
smoothly
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| adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地 | |
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