What stunned1 him was that Tom had already taken sides with the girl. He had not said so in words. But his embarrassment2 and uneasiness could mean but one thing. He must move with caution, yet he must act at once and end the dangerous situation. A clandestine3 love affair was a hideous4 possibility. Up to a moment ago he had held such a thing out of the question with the boy's high-strung sense of honor and his lack of experience with girls.
He was afraid now of both the boy and girl. She had convinced him of her purity when the first words had fallen from her lips. Yet wiser men had been deceived before. The thought of her sleek5, tawny6 mother came with a shudder7. No daughter could escape such an inheritance.
There was but one thing to do and it must be done quickly. He would send Helen abroad and if necessary tell her the whole hideous truth.
He lifted his head at the sound of Cleo's footsteps, rose and confronted her. As his deep-set eyes surveyed her he realized that the hour had come for a fight to the finish.[Pg 330]
She gazed at him steadily8 with a look of undisguised hate:
"What is it?"
He took a step closer, planted his long legs apart and met her greenish eyes with an answering flash of rage:
"When I think of your damned impudence9, using my typewriter and letterheads to send an invitation to that girl to spend the summer here with Tom at home, and signing my name——"
"I have the right to use your name with her," she broke in with a sneer10.
"It will be the last time I'll give you the chance."
"We'll see," was the cool reply.
Norton slowly drew a chair to the table, seated himself and said:
"I want the truth from you now."
"You'll get it. I've never had to lie to you, at least——"
"I've no time to bandy words—will you tell me exactly what's been going on between Tom and Helen during my absence in this campaign?"
"I haven't seen anything!" was the light answer.
His lips moved to say that she lied, but he smiled instead. What was the use? He dropped his voice to a careless, friendly tone:
"They have seen each other every day?"
"Certainly."
"How many hours have they usually spent together?"
"I didn't count them."
Norton bit his lips to keep back an oath:
"How often have they been riding?"[Pg 331]
"Perhaps a dozen times."
"They returned late occasionally?"
"Twice."
"How late?"
"It was quite dark——"
"What time?—eight, nine, ten or eleven o'clock?"
"As late as nine one night, half-past nine another—the moon was shining." She said it with a taunting11 smile.
"Were they alone?"
"Yes."
"You took pains to leave them alone, I suppose?"
"Sometimes"—she paused and looked at him with a smile that was a sneer. "What are you afraid of?"
He returned her gaze steadily:
"Anything is possible of your daughter—the thought of it strangles me!"
Cleo laughed lightly:
"Then all you've got to do is to speak—tell Tom the truth."
"I'll die first!" he fiercely replied. "At least I've taught him racial purity. I've been true to my promise to the dead in this. He shall never know the depths to which I once fell! You have robbed me of everything else in life, this boy's love and respect is all that you've left me"—he stopped, his breast heaving with suppressed passion. "Why—why did you bring that girl into this house?"
"I wished to see her—that's enough. For twenty years, I've lived here as a slave, always waiting and hoping for a sign from you that you were human——"[Pg 332]
"For a sign that I'd sink again to your level! Well, I found out twenty years ago that beneath the skin of every man sleeps an ape and a tiger—I fought that battle and won——"
"And I have lost?"
"Yes."
"Perhaps I haven't begun to fight yet."
"I shouldn't advise you to try it. I know now that I made a tragic12 blunder when I brought you back into this house. I've cursed myself a thousand times that I didn't put the ocean between us. If my boy hadn't loved you, if he hadn't slipped his little arms around your neck and clung to you sobbing14 out the loneliness of his hungry heart—if I hadn't seen the tears in your own eyes and known that you had saved his life once—I wouldn't have made the mistake that I did. But I gave you my word, and I've lived up to it. I've reared and educated your child and given you the protection of my home——"
"Yes," she broke in, "that you might watch and guard me and know that your secret was safely kept while you've grown to hate me each day with deeper and fiercer hatred—God!—I've wondered sometimes that you haven't killed me!"
Norton's voice sank to a whisper:
"I've wondered sometimes, too"—a look of anguish15 swept his face—"but I gave you my word, and I've kept it."
"Because you had to keep it!"
He sprang to his feet:
"Had to keep it—you say that to me?"
"I do."
"This house is still mine——"[Pg 333]
"But your past is mine!" she cried with a look of triumph.
"Indeed! We'll see. Helen leaves this house immediately."
"She shall not!"
"You refuse to obey my orders?"
"And what's more," she cried with angry menace, "I refuse to allow you to put her out!"
"To allow?"
"I said it!"
"So I am your servant? I must ask your permission?—God!—--" he sprang angrily toward the bell and Cleo stepped defiantly16 before him:
"Don't you touch that bell——"
Norton thrust her aside:
"Get out of my way!"
"Ring that bell if you dare!" she hissed17.
"Dare?"
The woman drew her form erect18:
"If you dare! And in five minutes I'll be in that newspaper office across the way from yours! The editor doesn't love you. To-morrow morning the story of your life and mine will blaze on that first page!"
Norton caught a chair for support, his face paled and he sank slowly to a seat.
Cleo leaned toward him, trembling with passion:
"I'll give you fair warning. There are plenty of negroes to-day your equal in wealth and culture. Do you think they have been listening to their great leader's call to battle for nothing—building fine houses, buying land, piling up money, sending their sons and daughters to college, to come at your beck and call? You're a fool if you do. They are only waiting their chance[Pg 334] to demand social equality and get it. Wealth and culture will give it in the end, ballot19 or no ballot. Once rich, white men and women will come at their command. I've got my chance now to demand my rights of you and do a turn for the negro race. You've got to recognize Helen before your son. I've brought her here for that purpose. With her by my side, I'll be the mistress of this house. Now resign your leadership and get out of this campaign!"
With a stamp of her foot she ended her mad speech in sharp, high tones, turned quickly and started to the door.
Between set teeth Norton growled20:
"And you think that I'll submit?"
The woman wheeled suddenly and rushed back to his side, her eyes flaming:
"You've got to submit—you've got to submit—or begin with me a fight that can only end in your ruin! I've nothing to lose, and I tell you now that I'll fight to win, I'll fight to kill! I'll ask no quarter of you and I'll give none. I'll fight with every ounce of strength I've got, body and soul—and if I lose I'll still have strength enough left to pull you into hell with me!"
Her voice broke in a sob13, she pulled herself together, straightened her figure and cried:
"Now what are you going to do? What are you going to do? Accept my terms or fight?"
Norton's face was livid, his whole being convulsed as he leaped to his feet and confronted her:
"I'll fight!"
"All right! All right!" she said with hysterical21 passion, backing toward the door. "I've warned you now—I didn't want to fight—but I'll show you—I'll show you!"
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收听单词发音
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1
stunned
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| adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词 | |
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2
embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
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3
clandestine
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| adj.秘密的，暗中从事的 | |
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4
hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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5
sleek
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| adj.光滑的，井然有序的；v.使光滑，梳拢 | |
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6
tawny
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| adj.茶色的，黄褐色的；n.黄褐色 | |
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7
shudder
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| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
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8
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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9
impudence
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| n.厚颜无耻；冒失；无礼 | |
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10
sneer
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| v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语 | |
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11
taunting
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| 嘲讽( taunt的现在分词 )； 嘲弄； 辱骂； 奚落 | |
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12
tragic
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| adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的 | |
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13
sob
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| n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣 | |
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14
sobbing
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| <主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
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15
anguish
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| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
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16
defiantly
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| adv.挑战地，大胆对抗地 | |
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17
hissed
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| 发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对 | |
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18
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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19
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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20
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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21
hysterical
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| adj.情绪异常激动的，歇斯底里般的 | |
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