And when some days later she arrived in New York, she found that, though unconfirmed in authoritative5 quarters, the rumors6 still persisted among her own friends and Jane’s. Of Phil Gallatin she saw nothing and learned that he was out of town on an important legal matter and would not return for a week. When she called on the Lorings, Jane showed a disposition7 to avoid personal topics and at the mention of Philip Gallatin’s name skillfully turned the conversation into other channels.
To a woman of Mrs. Pennington’s experience the hint was enough and she departed from the Loring mausoleum aware that something serious had happened which threatened[226] Phil Gallatin’s happiness. But, in spite of the warmth of Jane’s greeting and the careless way in which she had discussed the gossip of the hour, Nellie Pennington was not deceived, and by the time she was in her own brougham had made one of those rapid deductions8 for which she was famous. Jane looked jaded9. Therefore, she was unhappy; therefore, she still loved Phil Gallatin. Phil Gallatin was working hard. Therefore, Phil was keeping straight; there must be some other cause for Jane’s defection. What? Obviously—a woman. Who? Nina Jaffray.
Having reached this triumphant10 conclusion, Mrs. Pennington set about proving her several premises11 without the waste of a single moment of time. To this end she sought out Percy Endicott, who as she knew was better informed upon most people’s affairs than they were themselves, and from him learned the truth. Philip Gallatin had been discovered with Nina Jaffray in his arms on the kitchen stairs at the “Pot and Kettle.” Percy Endicott’s talent for the ornamentation of bare narrative12 was well known and before he had finished the story he had convinced himself, if not his listener, that this happy event had brought to a culmination13 a romance of many years’ standing14 and that Nina and Phil would soon be directing their steps, with all speed, to church.
Mrs. Pennington laughed, not because what Percy told amused her, but because this narrative showed her that however much she was still lacking in reliable details, her earliest deductions had been correct. She would not believe the story until it had been confirmed by “Bibby” Worthington to whom Coleman Van Duyn had related it as an eye-witness, and then herself supplied the grain of salt to make it palatable15.
The grain of salt was her knowledge of Nina Jaffray’s[227] extraordinary personality, which must account for any differences she discovered between the Phil Gallatin who kissed upon the back stairs and the Phil Gallatin with whom she was familiar. Whatever his deficiencies in other respects, he had never been considered as available timber by the gay young married women of Mrs. Pennington’s own set who had given him up in the susceptive sense as a hopeless case; and if Phil had been addicted16 to the habit of promiscuous17 kissing, he had gone about the pursuit with a stealth which belied18 the record of his unsentimental but somewhat tempestuous19 history. She found herself wondering not so much about what had happened to Phil as about how Nina had managed what had happened. Nina’s remarkable20 confession21 a few days before Egerton Savage’s party recurred22 to her mind, and Nina’s clearly expressed intention to bring Phil to her chariot-wheel seemed somehow to have an intimate bearing upon the present situation. And yet, even admitting Nina’s direct methods of seeking results, she could not understand how a fellow as much in love with another girl as Phil was could have been made so ready a victim. Could it be? No. There was no talk of that. And if Phil had again been in trouble, Mrs. Pennington knew that the indefatigable23 Percy would have told her of it.
She thought about the matter awhile and finally gave it up, uncertain whether to be anxious or only amused. But as the week went by she was given tangible24 evidence that whatever feelings Jane Loring cherished in her heart for Phil Gallatin, the wings of victory, for the present at least, were perched upon the banneret of Mr. Coleman Van Duyn. Jane rode, walked, and danced with him, and within a few short weeks, from a state of ponderous25 misery26 Coleman Van Duyn had revived and now bore the definite outlines of a well-fed and happy cupid.
[228]
The rumors of an engagement persisted, and Mrs. Pennington was not the only person forced against her judgment27 or inclination28 to believe that the old Van Duyn mansion29 would once more have a mistress. Dirwell De Lancey, whose tenderness in Jane’s quarter had been remarked, went into retirement30 for a brief period, and only emerged when resignation had conquered surprise. Colonel Crosby Broadhurst sat in his corner at the Cosmos31 and wondered, as other people did, what the devil Jane Loring could see in Coley. Bibby Worthington still hovered32 amiably33 in Jane’s background and would not be dislodged. He had proposed in due form to Jane and had been refused, but the cheerful determination of his bearing and his taste in cravats34 advised all who chose to concern themselves that he was still undismayed.
After Mrs. Pennington, who thought that she saw a light, perhaps the person most surprised at Jane’s sudden attachment35 for Coleman Van Duyn was Mrs. Loring. She had listened with incredulity to Jane’s first confession of her relations with Philip Gallatin and had waited with resignation a resumption of the conversation. But as the days passed and her daughter said nothing, she thought it time to take the matter into her own hands and told Jane of her intention to speak of it to her husband.
“I’ll save you the trouble, Mother,” said Jane, kissing her gravely on the forehead. “There is nothing between Mr. Gallatin and myself.”
Mrs. Loring concealed36 her delight with difficulty.
“Jane, dear, something has happened.”
“Nothing—nothing at all,” said Jane. “I’ve changed my mind—that’s all.”
“Oh,” said Mrs. Loring. This much imparted, Jane would say no more; the matter was dropped, and to Mrs.[229] Loring it seemed that in so far as Jane was concerned, Mr. Gallatin had simply ceased to exist.
But it was not without some difficulty that Jane convinced herself that this was the case. The day after the “Pot and Kettle” affair, Phil Gallatin wrote, ’phoned, wired and called. His note Jane consigned37 to the fire, his telephone was answered by Hastings, his wire followed his note, and to his visit she was out. This, she thought, should have concluded their relations, but the following morning brought another letter—a long one. She hesitated before deciding whether to open it or to return it, but at last she broke the seal and read it through, her lips compressed, her brows tangled38 angrily. It was a plea for forgiveness, and that was all. There were many regrets, many protestations of love, but not one word of explanation! He had even gone so far as to call the incident a trifle (a trifle, indeed!) and to call her to account for an intolerance which he had the temerity39 to say was unworthy of the great love that he had given her.
The impudence40 of him! What did he mean? Was the man mad? Or was this the New York idea? She realized now that he was an animal that she had met in an unfamiliar41 habitat, and that perhaps the things to be expected of him here were those dictated42 by the inconsiderable ideals of the day. It dismayed her to think that after all here in New York, she had only known him a little more than a week. His vision appeared—and was banished43, and his letter, torn again and again into small pieces was consigned to the flames of her open fire. She made no reply.
Another letter came on the morrow, was read like the other, but likewise destroyed. His persistence44 was amazing. Would he not take a hint and save her the unpleasant[230] duty of sending his letters back to him unopened? Apparently45 not! And with the letters came baskets of flowers which, like those from Mr. Van Duyn, filled her room with pleasant odors.
She was willing to believe now that a word of explanation, a clue to his extraordinary behavior might have paved the way to reconciliation46, and she found herself wondering in a material way what was becoming of him and worrying, in spite of herself, as to his future, of which, as she had once fondly believed, she was the guardian47. What was he doing with himself in the evenings?
This thought sent the blood rushing to her cheeks and hardened her heart against him. He was with Nina Jaffray, of course. In his last letter he had written that he must go away on business and for two mornings no letter arrived. She missed these letters and was furious with herself that it was so. But the energy of her anger was conserved48 in the form of further favors for Coley Van Duyn who radiated it in rapturous good-will toward all the world. When the letters were resumed, she locked them in her desk unread, determining upon his return to town to make them into a package and send them back in bulk. Many times she unlocked her desk and scrutinized49 the envelopes, but it was always to thrust them into their drawer which she shut and locked each time with quite unnecessary violence.
Another matter which caused some inquietude was Nellie Pennington’s return to town, for Mrs. Pennington was the only person, besides Mr. Gallatin and her mother, in actual possession of her secret, the only person besides Mr. Gallatin whom it was necessary to convince as to the definiteness of her recantation. At their first meeting Jane had carried off the situation with a carelessness[231] which she felt had rather overshot the mark. Her visitor had accepted the hints with a disconcerting readiness and composure, and Jane had a feeling after Mrs. Pennington left the house that her efforts had been singularly ineffective; for she was conscious that her visitor had scrutinized her keenly and that anything she had said had been carefully sifted50, weighed and subjected to that kind of cunning alchemy which clever women use to transmute51 the baser metals of sophistry52 into gold.
Mrs. Pennington had now taken an initiative in the friendship and refused to be disconcerted. Jane’s engagements with Coleman Van Duyn provided no effectual hindrance53 to Mrs. Pennington’s enthusiastic fellowship, and she frequently helped to make a party in which, to Mr. Van Duyn at least, three was a crowd. Mrs. Pennington accepted his presence without surprise, without annoyance54 or other emotion; and somehow succeeded in conveying the impression that she was conferring a favor upon them both, a favor for which, in her own heart at least, Jane was grateful.
It was not surprising to Jane, therefore, when one morning Nellie Pennington called up on the ’phone and made an engagement for the afternoon at five, at the Loring house, urging a need of Jane’s advice upon an important matter. She entered the library, where Jane had been reading, with a radiance which did much to dispel55 the gloom of the day which had been execrable; and when her hostess suggested that they go upstairs to her own dressing-room, where they might be undisturbed, Nellie Pennington threw off her furs.
“No, thanks, darling,” she said. “I can’t stay long. And you know when one reaches my mature years, each stair has a separate menace.”
“There’s the lift,” Jane laughed.
[232]
“Oh, never! That would be a public confession. I’ll stay here if you don’t mind,” and she sank into an armchair by the fire.
“Coley isn’t coming?” she inquired.
“No,” said Jane. “I had a headache.”
Nellie Pennington sighed gratefully.
“You know, Jane, Coley is a nice fellow, but he’s just about as plastic as the Pyramid of Cheops. You’ve done wonders with him, of course, and he is really quite bearable now, but it must have been wearing, wasn’t it?”
“Oh, no,” Jane smiled. “He’s quite obedient.”
“I sometimes wonder whether men are worth the pains we women waste on them.” Mrs. Pennington went on reflectively. “When we are single they adore us for our defects; married, we have a real difficulty in making them love us for our virtues56. But love abhors57 the word obedience58. It knows no arbitrary laws. An obedient husband is like an egg without salt and far more indigestible. You’re not going to marry Coley, are you, Jane?” she finished abruptly59.
Jane paled and her head tilted60 the fraction of an inch. It was the first time Nellie Pennington had approached the subject so directly, and Jane had not decided61 whether to silence her questioner at once or to laugh her off when she broke in again.
“Oh, don’t reply if you don’t want to. I’m sure nothing I could say would have the slightest influence on your decision. It doesn’t matter in the least whom one marries anyway, because whatever the lover is, the husband is always sure to be something quite different. If Coley is obedient now, married he’ll be a Tartar.”
“I—I didn’t say I was going to marry Mr. Van Duyn.”
“You didn’t say you weren’t.”
[233]
“Why should I? Must a girl marry, because she receives the attentions——”
“Exclusive attentions,” put in Mrs. Pennington quickly. “Jane, you’re rather overdoing62 it,” she finished frankly63.
“I like Mr. Van Duyn very much,” said Jane, her head lowered.
“But you don’t love him. Oh, Jane,” she whispered earnestly, “play the scene in your own way if you like, but don’t try to hide the real drama from me.”
“There is no drama,” put in Jane. “It was a farce——”
“It’s a drama in Phil Gallatin’s heart. Can you be blind to his struggle?”
“I care nothing for Mr. Gallatin’s struggles,” said Jane, her head high.
“You do. Love like yours comes only once in a woman’s eyes. I saw it——”
“You’re mistaken.”
“No. And it isn’t quenched64 with laughter——”
“Don’t, Nellie.”
“I must. You’re trying to kill something in you that will not die.”
“It’s dead now.”
“No—nor even sleeping. Don’t you suppose I read you, silly child, your false gayety, the mockery of your smiles, and the way you’ve thrown Coley Van Duyn into the breach65 to soothe66 your pride—even let an engagement be undenied so that Phil could think how little you cared? You once let me behind the scenes; no matter how much you regret it, I’m still there.”
“Mr. Gallatin is nothing to me.”
Mrs. Pennington leaned back in her chair and smiled.
“You told me that your faith in Phil was unending.[234] Your eternity67, my dear, lasted precisely68 one week.”
Jane flashed around at her passionately69, aroused at last, as Nellie Pennington intended that she should be.
“Oh, why couldn’t he have explained?”
“Explain! At the expense of another girl? Phil is a gentleman.”
Mrs. Pennington had had that reply ready. She had considered it carefully for some days.
Jane paused, and her eyes, scarcely credulous70, sought the face of her visitor. Nellie Pennington met her look eagerly.
“Nina Jaffray’s,” she went on. “Could Phil tell why it happened? Obviously not.”
“But he kissed her——”
Mrs. Pennington shrugged71 her pretty shoulders.
“As to that, Nina, of course, had reasons of her own.”
“Nina—Miss Jaffray—reasons?”
“She probably asked him to——”
“Impossible!”
“She did.”
“Do you know that?”
“No, but I know Nina.”
“I can’t see that that alters anything.”
“But it does—amazingly—if you’ll only think about it.”
“I saw it all.”
“Oh! Did you? I’m glad.”
“Glad! Oh, Nellie!”
“Of course. Think how much worse it might have seemed if you hadn’t.”
“I don’t understand.”
“If some one else had told you, you might have believed anything.”
[235]
“I saw enough to believe——”
“What did you see?”
“He—he—he just kissed her.”
“Oh, Jane, think! What did you see? Why should Phil kiss a girl he doesn’t love? Aren’t there any kisses in the world but lovers kisses? Think. You must. Phil’s whole life and yours depend upon it.”
Jane rose and walked quickly to the window.
“This conversation—is impossible.”
Nellie Pennington watched her narrowly. She had created a diversion upon the flank, which, if it did nothing else, had temporarily driven Jane’s forces back in confusion. She looked anxiously toward the door of the drawing-room and then smiled, for a figure had entered and was coming forward without hesitation72.
With one eye on Jane, who was still looking out of the window, Nellie Pennington rose and greeted the newcomer.
“Hello, Phil. I had almost given you up. You don’t mind, do you, Jane. I had to see Mr. Gallatin and asked if he wouldn’t stop for me here.”
At the sound of his name Jane had twisted around and now faced them, breathless. Mrs. Pennington was smiling carelessly, but Phil Gallatin, hat in hand, stood with bowed head before her. At the door into the hallway, the butler, somewhat uncertainly, hovered.
“Thank you, Hastings,” Jane summoned her tongue to say. “That will be all.”
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1
ennui
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| n.怠倦，无聊 | |
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compensated
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| 补偿，报酬( compensate的过去式和过去分词 )； 给（某人）赔偿（或赔款） | |
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pang
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| n.剧痛，悲痛，苦闷 | |
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controvert
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| v.否定；否认 | |
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authoritative
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| adj.有权威的，可相信的；命令式的；官方的 | |
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rumors
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| n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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deductions
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| 扣除( deduction的名词复数 )； 结论； 扣除的量； 推演 | |
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jaded
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| adj.精疲力竭的；厌倦的；（因过饱或过多而）腻烦的；迟钝的 | |
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triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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premises
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| n.建筑物，房屋 | |
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narrative
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| n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的 | |
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culmination
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| n.顶点；最高潮 | |
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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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palatable
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| adj.可口的，美味的；惬意的 | |
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addicted
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| adj.沉溺于....的，对...上瘾的 | |
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promiscuous
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| adj.杂乱的，随便的 | |
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belied
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| v.掩饰( belie的过去式和过去分词 )；证明（或显示）…为虚假；辜负；就…扯谎 | |
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tempestuous
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| adj.狂暴的 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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confession
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| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
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recurred
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| 再发生，复发( recur的过去式和过去分词 )； 治愈 | |
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indefatigable
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| adj.不知疲倦的，不屈不挠的 | |
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tangible
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| adj.有形的，可触摸的，确凿的，实际的 | |
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ponderous
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| adj.沉重的，笨重的，(文章)冗长的 | |
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misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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inclination
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| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
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mansion
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| n.大厦，大楼；宅第 | |
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retirement
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| n.退休，退职 | |
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cosmos
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| n.宇宙；秩序，和谐 | |
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hovered
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| 鸟( hover的过去式和过去分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
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amiably
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| adv.和蔼可亲地，亲切地 | |
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cravats
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| n.（系在衬衫衣领里面的）男式围巾( cravat的名词复数 ) | |
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attachment
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| n.附属物，附件；依恋；依附 | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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consigned
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| v.把…置于（令人不快的境地）( consign的过去式和过去分词 )；把…托付给；把…托人代售；丟弃 | |
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tangled
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| adj. 纠缠的，紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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temerity
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| n.鲁莽，冒失 | |
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impudence
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| n.厚颜无耻；冒失；无礼 | |
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unfamiliar
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| adj.陌生的，不熟悉的 | |
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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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banished
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| v.放逐，驱逐( banish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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persistence
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| n.坚持，持续，存留 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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reconciliation
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| n.和解，和谐，一致 | |
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guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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conserved
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| v.保护，保藏，保存( conserve的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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scrutinized
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| v.仔细检查，详审( scrutinize的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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sifted
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| v.筛( sift的过去式和过去分词 )；筛滤；细查；详审 | |
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transmute
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| vt.使变化，使改变 | |
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sophistry
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| n.诡辩 | |
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hindrance
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| n.妨碍，障碍 | |
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annoyance
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| n.恼怒，生气，烦恼 | |
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dispel
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| vt.驱走，驱散，消除 | |
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virtues
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| 美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处 | |
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abhors
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| v.憎恶( abhor的第三人称单数 )；（厌恶地）回避；拒绝；淘汰 | |
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obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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tilted
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| v. 倾斜的 | |
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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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overdoing
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| v.做得过分( overdo的现在分词 )；太夸张；把…煮得太久；（工作等）过度 | |
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frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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quenched
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| 解（渴）( quench的过去式和过去分词 )； 终止（某事物）； （用水）扑灭（火焰等）； 将（热物体）放入水中急速冷却 | |
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65
breach
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| n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破 | |
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66
soothe
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| v.安慰；使平静；使减轻；缓和；奉承 | |
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67
eternity
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| n.不朽，来世；永恒，无穷 | |
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68
precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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69
passionately
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| ad.热烈地，激烈地 | |
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70
credulous
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| adj.轻信的，易信的 | |
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71
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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72
hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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