Pending1 the call of trial, Thorpe took a three weeks' vacation to visit his sister. Time, filled with excitement and responsibility, had erased2 from his mind the bitterness of their parting. He had before been too busy, too grimly in earnest, to allow himself the luxury of anticipation3. Now he found himself so impatient that he could hardly wait to get there. He pictured their meeting, the things they would say to each other.
As formerly4, he learned on his arrival that she was not at home. It was the penalty of an attempted surprise. Mrs. Renwick proved not nearly so cordial as the year before; but Thorpe, absorbed in his eagerness, did not notice it. If he had, he might have guessed the truth: that the long propinquity of the fine and the commonplace, however safe at first from the insulation5 of breeding and natural kindliness6, was at last beginning to generate sparks.
No, Mrs. Renwick did not know where Helen was: thought she had gone over to the Hughes's. The Hughes live two blocks down the street and three to the right, in a brown house back from the street. Very well, then; she would expect Mr. Thorpe to spend the night.
The latter wandered slowly down the charming driveways of the little western town. The broad dusty street was brown with sprinkling from numberless garden hose. A double row of big soft maples7 met over it, and shaded the sidewalk and part of the wide lawns. The grass was fresh and green. Houses with capacious verandas9 on which were glimpsed easy chairs and hammocks, sent forth10 a mild glow from a silk-shaded lamp or two. Across the evening air floated the sounds of light conversation and laughter from these verandas, the tinkle11 of a banjo, the thrum of a guitar. Automatic sprinklers whirled and hummed here and there. Their delicious artificial coolness struck refreshingly12 against the cheek.
Thorpe found the Hughes residence without difficulty, and turned up the straight walk to the veranda8. On the steps of the latter a rug had been spread. A dozen youths and maidens13 lounged in well-bred ease on its soft surface. The gleam of white summer dresses, of variegated14 outing clothes, the rustle15 o frocks, the tinkle of low, well-bred laughter confused Thorpe, so that, as he approached the light from a tall lamp just inside the hall, he hesitated, vainly trying to make out the figures before him.
So it was that Helen Thorpe saw him first, and came fluttering to meet him.
"Oh, Harry16! What a surprise!" she cried, and flung her arms about his neck to kiss him.
"How do you do, Helen," he replied sedately17.
This was the meeting he had anticipated so long. The presence of others brought out in him, irresistibly18, the repression19 of public display which was so strong an element of his character.
A little chilled, Helen turned to introduce him to her friends. In the cold light of her commonplace reception she noticed what in a warmer effusion of feelings she would never have seen,--that her brother's clothes were out of date and worn; and that, though his carriage was notably20 strong and graceful21, the trifling22 constraint23 and dignity of his younger days had become almost an awkwardness after two years among uncultivated men. It occurred to Helen to be just a little ashamed of him.
He took a place on the steps and sat without saying a word all the evening. There was nothing for him to say. These young people talked thoughtlessly, as young people do, of the affairs belonging to their own little circle. Thorpe knew nothing of the cotillion, or the brake ride, or of the girl who visited Alice Southerland; all of which gave occasion for so much lively comment. Nor was the situation improved when some of them, in a noble effort at politeness, turned the conversation into more general channels. The topics of the day's light talk were absolutely unknown to him. The plays, the new books, the latest popular songs, jokes depending for their point on an intimate knowledge of the prevailing24 vaudeville25 mode, were as unfamiliar26 to him as Miss Alice Southerland's guest. He had thought pine and forest and the trail so long, that he found these square-elbowed subjects refusing to be jostled aside by any trivialities.
So he sat there silent in the semi-darkness. This man, whose lightest experience would have aroused the eager attention of the entire party, held his peace because he thought he had nothing to say.
He took Helen back to Mrs. Renwick's about ten o'clock. They walked slowly beneath the broad-leaved maples, whose shadows danced under the tall electric lights,--and talked.
Helen was an affectionate, warm-hearted girl. Ordinarily she would have been blind to everything except the delight of having her brother once more with her. But his apparently27 cold reception had first chilled, then thrown her violently into a critical mood. His subsequent social inadequacy28 had settled her into the common-sense level of everyday life.
"How have you done, Harry?" she inquired anxiously. "Your letters have been so vague."
"Pretty well," he replied. "If things go right, I hope some day to have a better place for you than this."
Her heart contracted suddenly. It was all she could do to keep from bursting into tears. One would have to realize perfectly29 her youth, the life to which she had been accustomed, the lack of encouragement she had labored30 under, the distastefulness of her surroundings, the pent-up dogged patience she had displayed during the last two years, the hopeless feeling of battering31 against a brick wall she always experienced when she received the replies to her attempts on Harry's confidence, to appreciate how the indefiniteness of his answer exasperated32 her and filled her with sullen34 despair. She said nothing for twenty steps. Then:
"Harry," she said quietly, "can't you take me away from Mrs. Renwick's this year?"
"I don't know, Helen. I can't tell yet. Not just now, at any rate."
"Harry," she cried, "you don't know what you're doing. I tell you I can't STAND Mrs. Renwick any longer." She calmed herself with an effort, and went on more quietly. "Really, Harry, she's awfully35 disagreeable. If you can't afford to keep me anywhere else--" she glanced timidly at his face and for the first time saw the strong lines about the jaw36 and the tiny furrows37 between the eyebrows38. "I know you've worked hard, Harry dear," she said with a sudden sympathy, "and that you'd give me more, if you could. But so have I worked hard. Now we ought to change this in some way. I can get a position as teacher, or some other work somewhere. Won't you let me do that?"
Thorpe was thinking that it would be easy enough to obtain Wallace Carpenter's consent to his taking a thousand dollars from the profits of the year. But he knew also that the struggle in the courts might need every cent the new company could spare. It would look much better were he to wait until after the verdict. If favorable, there would be no difficulty about sparing the money. If adverse39, there would be no money to spare. The latter contingency40 he did not seriously anticipate, but still it had to be considered. And so, until the thing was absolutely certain, he hesitated to explain the situation to Helen for fear of disappointing her!
"I think you'd better wait, Helen," said he. "There'll be time enough for all that later when it becomes necessary. You are very young yet, and it will not hurt you a bit to continue your education for a little while longer."
"And in the meantime stay with Mrs. Renwick?" flashed Helen.
"Yes. I hope it will not have to be for very long."
"How long do you think, Harry?" pleaded the girl.
"That depends on circumstances," replied Thorpe
"Oh!" she cried indignantly.
"Harry," she ventured after a time, "why not write to Uncle Amos?"
Thorpe stopped and looked at her searchingly.
"You can't mean that, Helen," he said, drawing a long breath.
"But why not?" she persisted.
"You ought to know."
"Who would have done any different? If you had a brother and discovered that he had--appropriated--most all the money of a concern of which you were president, wouldn't you think it your duty to have him arrested?"
"No!" cried Thorpe suddenly excited. "Never! If he was my brother, I'd help him, even if he'd committed murder!"
"We differ there," replied the girl coldly. "I consider that Uncle Amos was a strong man who did his duty as he saw it, in spite of his feelings. That he had father arrested is nothing against him in my eyes. And his wanting us to come to him since, seems to me very generous. I am going to write to him."
"You will do nothing of the kind," commanded Thorpe sternly. "Amos Thorpe is an unscrupulous man who became unscrupulously rich. He deliberately41 used our father as a tool, and then destroyed him. I consider that anyone of our family who would have anything to do with him is a traitor42!"
The girl did not reply.
Next morning Thorpe felt uneasily repentant43 for his strong language. After all, the girl did lead a monotonous44 life, and he could not blame her for rebelling against it from time to time. Her remarks had been born of the rebellion; they had meant nothing in themselves. He could not doubt for a moment her loyalty45 to the family.
But he did not tell her so. That is not the way of men of his stamp. Rather he cast about to see what he could do.
Injin Charley had, during the winter just past, occupied odd moments in embroidering46 with beads47 and porcupine48 quills49 a wonderful outfit50 of soft buckskin gauntlets, a shirt of the same material, and moccasins of moose-hide. They were beautifully worked, and Thorpe, on receiving them, had at once conceived the idea of giving them to his sister. To this end he had consulted another Indian near Marquette, to whom he had confided51 the task of reducing the gloves and moccasins. The shirt would do as it was, for it was intended to be worn as a sort of belted blouse. As has been said, all were thickly beaded, and represented a vast quantity of work. Probably fifty dollars could not have bought them, even in the north country.
Thorpe tendered this as a peace offering. Not understanding women in the least, he was surprised to see his gift received by a burst of tears and a sudden exit from the room. Helen thought he had bought the things; and she was still sore from the pinch of the poverty she had touched the evening before. Nothing will exasperate33 a woman more than to be presented with something expensive for which she does not particularly care, after being denied, on the ground of economy, something she wants very much.
Thorpe stared after her in hurt astonishment53. Mrs. Renwick sniffed54.
That afternoon the latter estimable lady attempted to reprove Miss Helen, and was snubbed; she persisted, and an open quarrel ensued.
"I will not be dictated55 to by you, Mrs. Renwick," said Helen, "and I don't intend to have you interfere56 in any way with my family affairs."
"They won't stand MUCH investigation," replied Mrs. Renwick, goaded57 out of her placidity58.
Thorpe entered to hear the last two speeches. He said nothing, but that night he wrote to Wallace Carpenter for a thousand dollars. Every stroke of the pen hurt him. But of course Helen could not stay here now.
"And to think, just to THINK that he let that woman insult me so, and didn't say a word!" cried Helen to herself.
Her method would have been to have acted irrevocably on the spot, and sought ways and means afterwards. Thorpe's, however, was to perfect all his plans before making the first step.
Wallace Carpenter was not in town. Before the letter had followed him to his new address, and the answer had returned, a week had passed. Of course the money was gladly put at Thorpe's disposal. The latter at once interviewed his sister.
"Helen," he said, "I have made arrangements for some money. What would you like to do this year?"
She raised her head and looked at him with clear bright gaze. If he could so easily raise the money, why had he not done so before? He knew how much she wanted it. Her happiness did not count. Only when his quixotic ideas of family honor were attacked did he bestir himself.
"I am going to Uncle Amos's," she replied distinctly.
"What?" asked Thorpe incredulously.
For answer she pointed59 to a letter lying open on the table. Thorpe took it and read:
"My dear Niece:
"Both Mrs. Thorpe and myself more than rejoice that time and reflection have removed that, I must confess, natural prejudice which the unfortunate family affair, to which I will not allude60, raised in your mind against us. As we said long ago, our home is your's when you may wish to make it so. You state your present readiness to come immediately. Unless you wire to the contrary, we shall expect you next Tuesday evening on the four-forty train. I shall be at the Central Station myself to meet you. If your brother is now with you, I should be pleased to see him also, and will be most happy to give him a position with the firm.
"Aff. your uncle,
"Amos Thorpe.
"New York, June 6, 1883."
On finishing the last paragraph the reader crumpled61 the letter and threw it into the grate.
"I am sorry you did that, Helen," said he, "but I don't blame you, and it can't be helped. We won't need to take advantage of his 'kind offer' now."
"I intend to do so, however," replied the girl coldly.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean," she cried, "that I am sick of waiting on your good pleasure. I waited, and slaved, and stood unbearable62 things for two years. I did it cheerfully. And in return I don't get a civil word, not a decent explanation, not even a--caress," she fairly sobbed63 out the last word. "I can't stand it any longer. I have tried and tried and tried, and then when I've come to you for the littlest word of encouragement, you have pecked at me with those stingy little kisses, and have told me I was young and ought to finish my education. You put me in uncongenial surroundings, and go off into the woods camping yourself. You refuse me money enough to live in a three-dollar boarding-house, and you buy expensive rifles and fishing tackle for yourself. You can't afford to send me away somewhere for the summer, but you bring me back gee-gaws you have happened to fancy, worth a month's board in the country. You haven't a cent when it is a question of what I want; but you raise money quick enough when your old family is insulted. Isn't it my family too? And then you blame me because, after waiting in vain two years for you to do something, I start out to do the best I can for myself. I'm not of age but you're not my guardian64!"
During this long speech Thorpe had stood motionless, growing paler and paler. Like most noble natures, when absolutely in the right, he was incapable65 of defending himself against misunderstandings. He was too wounded; he was hurt to the soul.
"You know that is not true, Helen," he replied, almost sternly.
"It IS true!" she asseverated66, "and I'm THROUGH!"
"It's a little hard," said Thorpe passing his hand wearily before his eyes, "to work hard this way for years, and then--"
She laughed with a hard little note of scorn.
"Helen," said Thorpe with new energy, "I forbid you to have anything to do with Amos Thorpe. I think he is a scoundrel and a sneak67."
"What grounds have you to think so?"
"None," he confessed, "that is, nothing definite. But I know men; and I know his type. Some day I shall be able to prove something. I do not wish you to have anything to do with him."
"I shall do as I please," she replied, crossing her hands behind her.
Thorpe's eyes darkened.
"We have talked this over a great many times," he warned, "and you've always agreed with me. Remember, you owe something to the family."
"Most of the family seem to owe something," she replied with a flippant laugh. "I'm sure I didn't choose the family. If I had, I'd have picked out a better one!"
The flippancy68 was only a weapon which she used unconsciously, blindly, in her struggle. The man could not know this. His face hardened, and his voice grew cold.
"You may take your choice, Helen," he said formally. "If you go into the household of Amos Thorpe, if you deliberately prefer your comfort to your honor, we will have nothing more in common."
They faced each other with the cool, deadly glance of the race, so similar in appearance but so unlike in nature.
"I, too, offer you a home, such as it is," repeated the man. "Choose!"
At the mention of the home for which means were so quickly forthcoming when Thorpe, not she, considered it needful, the girl's eyes flashed. She stooped and dragged violently from beneath the bed a flat steamer trunk, the lid of which she threw open. A dress lay on the bed. With a fine dramatic gesture she folded the garment and laid it in the bottom of the trunk. Then she knelt, and without vouchsafing69 another glance at her brother standing52 rigid70 by the door, she began feverishly71 to arrange the folds.
The choice was made. He turned and went out.
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1
pending
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| prep.直到，等待…期间；adj.待定的；迫近的 | |
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erased
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| v.擦掉( erase的过去式和过去分词 )；抹去；清除 | |
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anticipation
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| n.预期，预料，期望 | |
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formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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insulation
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| n.隔离；绝缘；隔热 | |
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kindliness
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| n.厚道，亲切，友好的行为 | |
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maples
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| 槭树，枫树( maple的名词复数 )； 槭木 | |
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veranda
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| n.走廊；阳台 | |
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verandas
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| 阳台，走廊( veranda的名词复数 ) | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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tinkle
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| vi.叮当作响；n.叮当声 | |
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refreshingly
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| adv.清爽地，有精神地 | |
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maidens
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| 处女( maiden的名词复数 )； 少女； 未婚女子； （板球运动）未得分的一轮投球 | |
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variegated
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| adj.斑驳的，杂色的 | |
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rustle
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| v.沙沙作响；偷盗(牛、马等)；n.沙沙声声 | |
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harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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sedately
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| adv.镇静地，安详地 | |
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irresistibly
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| adv.无法抵抗地，不能自持地；极为诱惑人地 | |
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repression
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| n.镇压，抑制，抑压 | |
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notably
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| adv.值得注意地，显著地，尤其地，特别地 | |
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graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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trifling
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| adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的 | |
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constraint
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| n.(on)约束，限制；限制(或约束)性的事物 | |
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prevailing
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| adj.盛行的；占优势的；主要的 | |
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vaudeville
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| n.歌舞杂耍表演 | |
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unfamiliar
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| adj.陌生的，不熟悉的 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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inadequacy
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| n.无法胜任，信心不足 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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labored
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| adj.吃力的，谨慎的v.努力争取(for)( labor的过去式和过去分词 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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battering
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| n.用坏，损坏v.连续猛击( batter的现在分词 ) | |
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exasperated
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| adj.恼怒的 | |
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exasperate
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| v.激怒，使（疾病）加剧，使恶化 | |
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sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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jaw
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| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 | |
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furrows
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| n.犁沟( furrow的名词复数 )；（脸上的）皱纹v.犁田，开沟( furrow的第三人称单数 ) | |
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eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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adverse
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| adj.不利的；有害的；敌对的，不友好的 | |
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contingency
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| n.意外事件，可能性 | |
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deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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traitor
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| n.叛徒，卖国贼 | |
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repentant
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| adj.对…感到悔恨的 | |
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monotonous
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| adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的 | |
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loyalty
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| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
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embroidering
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| v.（在织物上）绣花( embroider的现在分词 )；刺绣；对…加以渲染（或修饰）；给…添枝加叶 | |
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beads
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| n.（空心）小珠子( bead的名词复数 )；水珠；珠子项链 | |
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porcupine
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| n.豪猪， 箭猪 | |
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49
quills
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| n.（刺猬或豪猪的）刺( quill的名词复数 )；羽毛管；翮；纡管 | |
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outfit
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| n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装 | |
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51
confided
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| v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的过去式和过去分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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54
sniffed
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| v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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55
dictated
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| v.大声讲或读( dictate的过去式和过去分词 )；口授；支配；摆布 | |
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56
interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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57
goaded
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| v.刺激( goad的过去式和过去分词 )；激励；（用尖棒）驱赶；驱使（或怂恿、刺激）某人 | |
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58
placidity
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| n.平静，安静，温和 | |
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59
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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60
allude
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| v.提及，暗指 | |
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61
crumpled
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| adj. 弯扭的, 变皱的 动词crumple的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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62
unbearable
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| adj.不能容忍的；忍受不住的 | |
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63
sobbed
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| 哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说 | |
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64
guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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65
incapable
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| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
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66
asseverated
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| v.郑重声明，断言( asseverate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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67
sneak
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| vt.潜行(隐藏,填石缝)；偷偷摸摸做；n.潜行；adj.暗中进行 | |
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68
flippancy
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| n.轻率；浮躁；无礼的行动 | |
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69
vouchsafing
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| v.给予，赐予( vouchsafe的现在分词 )；允诺 | |
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70
rigid
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| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
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71
feverishly
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| adv. 兴奋地 | |
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