戈登·基思是一位绅士的儿子。这个事实，就像诚实的磨坊主留给他小儿子的猫一样，是他唯一的遗产。在这种情况下，它对拥有者来说可以代替许多其他东西。这帮助他度过了许多困难的地方。他随身携带着它，就像一位虔诚的罗马教徒将神圣的肩胛骨佩戴在心脏旁边一样。

他的父亲，“埃尔芬斯通”的麦克道尔·基思将军是一位老式绅士，这种绅士风格非常守旧，以至于如今几乎不被人们所接受。他了解过去并生活在其中；他不了解现在，也不知道未来。在他的晚年，当他的儿子长大时，战争像一场大洪水一样席卷了这片土地，埋葬了几乎所有没有带走的东西，基思将军仍然幸存下来，没有改变，没有感动，没有受到损害，是一个古老的生命纪念碑他是其中的一个遗迹。他的标准之一就是绅士。

这个想法是儿子从父亲那里继承下来的，还有其他一些老式的东西，他起初不知道这些东西的价值，但随着年龄的增长，他逐渐明白了这些东西。

后来，当戈登·基思在大城市匆忙的生活中，在不同的场景和新的生活方式中，回顾基思种植园的旧生活时，他觉得自己仿佛生活在另一个世界。

埃尔芬斯通确实是一个独立的世界：一栋长长的、杂乱无章的房子，坐落在山上，有白色柱子的阳台，面向傍晚阳光的一侧被绿色的百叶窗封闭，另一侧则透过草坪望向远处宽阔的田野上长满了树木，棕色的休耕地，绿色的牧场上点缀着牛群，谷物随风飘扬，一直延伸到远处黑暗的树林边缘。向西的“山脊”形成一条笔直的水平线，除非在晴朗的日子里，那时更远的山脉会在天空中呈现出柔和的蓝色扇形。

一个在战前经过这个国家的陌生人可能对埃尔芬斯通基思种植园有很多耳闻，但他从主干道上看到的只是长长的连绵起伏的耕地（除了夏天，路况糟糕得令人难以忍受），他们远处的一座高山上有一片小树林，这座宅邸傲然地坐落在古老的橡树和榆树之间，脚下似乎有一个小村庄。如果他在大门处转弯并行驶一英里左右，他就会发现埃尔芬斯通确实是一个自成一体的世界。与外界隔绝的程度几乎与基思夫妇在故乡的家乡一样。许多小黑人会为他打开大门；几个男孩会跑去牵他的马，他会在房子周围找到一大群仆人。他会发现这个小村庄由广阔的马厩和谷仓组成，还有商店和房屋，机械师们在里面用锤子的响声、织布机的叮当声和纺车的嗡嗡声进行着他们的工作——所有这些都是为了种植园;而在后方较远的一座较低的山上，仆人的住处布置在街道上，里面住满了孩子。

如果来访者请求庇护，无论他的状况如何，他都会受到热情的款待，就像他是这片土地上最高的人一样。他会发现文化与哲学，财富与内容，他会被他的优雅的娱乐所迷住。然而，如果他来自南方以外的任何其他国家或地区，他会带着一种神秘感离开，就好像他一直在逆流中漂流，发现了世界上一个受到庇护并在某种程度上与世隔绝的地方。生命的总体运动和进步。

那么，这个种植园就是戈登的世界。周围的树林就是他的地平线，就像基思家族世世代代的地平线一样。它们或多或少总是影响着他的视野。他的父亲向男孩显现，统治世界；他管理着这里最重要的部分——种植园——却从未发出过任何声音。他的话具有自然法则的说服力。他的语气低沉，让人无法抗拒。那张平静的脸，时而闪烁着灰色的眼睛，总是显得威严：他看起来就像图书馆里的大照片一样，是一个高大挺拔的男人，穿着靴子和马刺，部分穿着盔甲，戴着钢盔。帽子遮住了长长的卷发，一张严肃的脸看起来就像阳光照在上面一样。男孩想，当他从墨西哥战争中回来时，国家给了他一把剑，这并不奇怪。难怪总督任命他为参议员，但他因妻子健康状况不佳而拒绝了这一职位。戈登感到奇怪的是，他的父亲没有被任命为总统或陆军总司令。他没有想到任何人能够抵挡他的父亲，就像他张开双臂六次才围住屋前的大橡树一样，他也没有想到会倒下。

然而，几年之内，一支入侵军队就穿过了种植园，在草坪上扎营，砍倒了树木；戈登·基思（Gordon Keith）还是个孩子的时候，就看到埃尔芬斯通落入陌生人手中，而他的父亲和他自己则被抛弃在这个世界上。

当戈登还是个孩子的时候，他的母亲就去世了。在那之前，她对男孩来说并不引人注目：她就像大气、阳光、蓝色、拱形的天空，无处不在，理所当然地存在。然而，正如她儿子死后记忆中的那样，她是一切的中心，从不闲着，从不匆忙；每一个人、每一件事都围绕着她转，接受着她的光和温暖。她是一切烦恼的避难所，她的笑容迷人。直到最后一次，当小男孩站在母亲的床边，敬畏地站在母亲的床边，在笼罩在他们身上的巨大黑暗的阴影下默默哭泣时，他才知道她是多么绝对的中心和他生命的呼吸。他的父亲跪在床边，脸色和他母亲一样惨白，神情中夹杂着痛苦和无奈，戈登永远也忘不了这一幕。正如，由于父亲的教导，儿子在以后的生活中试图公正地对待每个男人，因此，为了母亲的缘故，他记得要善待每个女人。

在战前发生的巨大动乱中，基思少校支持联邦，但遭到失败。当他的州脱离联邦时，他在国会选区组建了一个军团，他曾代表该军团任职一到两届。由于工作需要，他大部分时间都不在家，所以他把戈登送到了著名的格拉默博士的学校。格拉默博士是一位思想活跃、手臂活跃的人，他的孩子们给他起的名字是“老山核桃”。

戈登和一些年长的人一样，全心全意地希望战争。他的曾祖父是革命时期的一线军官，祖父是 1812 年的海军，他的父亲是墨西哥战争中的少校，国家赠予他一把金柄剑，赋予了他良好的血统，他期待自己成为一名伟大的将军。他至少是朱利叶斯·凯撒或亚历山大大帝。这是他对职业的偏爱，除非成为一名山地车手。有一次，他陪着父亲为国会做游说，他在山里见过一两个这样的人。从那时起，他的梦想时常受到笨拙的教练和叮叮当当的球队的祝福。

有一天，戈登被叫回家。第二天早上，当他下楼时，他的父亲站在客厅里，穿着全套制服，尽管它并不像戈登想象的那么华丽，也不像男孩前一天看到的几十套制服。关于他回家途中的火车站，华丽的金色蕾丝。然而，他意识到发生了一些变化，男孩突然注意到图书馆壁炉架上那幅画中那个盔甲男子的相似之处。他的神情很高，眼睛里有同样的光芒，嘴角也同样严肃。当他的父亲告别仆人后，穿着灰色制服，骑着一匹枣红马“骑士”，身旁佩剑，前往县城与他的部下汇合，让戈登陪伴他度过了一段漫长的时光。最初的几英里，男孩感觉自己好像突然被带到了一个他读过的世界，骑在一位古老的骑士后面。啊!如果大门处只有几个圆头虫，他们会如何驱散它们！

大约在战争的第三年，现已成为准将的基思先生受了重伤，人们认为他再也无法在战场上服役，他被政府派往国外，在英国代表政府处于半机密、半外交的立场。他以前出过国——这在当时是很不寻常的事情。

基思将军无法忍受把他的儿子抛在身后，他们之间隔着大海，所以他带着戈登一起去。

在经历了一个危险的夜晚进行封锁后，基思将军和戈登将军遭到枪击，只能通过发射火箭并​​作为封锁中队的一员逃脱，然后从拿骚转移到他们的轮船上。船在哈利法克斯靠岸，船上的乘客中有一位美国女士，纽约的威克沙姆夫人和她的儿子费迪·威克沙姆，一个英俊的黑眼睛男孩，比戈登大一两岁。由于这两个小伙子是船上唯一与他们年龄相仿的乘客，他们很快就变得像其他小动物一样友好，一切都进展得很顺利，直到他们在下层甲板上玩游戏时发生了争吵。正如基思将军告诉戈登，他在船上必须非常谨慎，不要惹上任何麻烦，如果不是水手们对戈登的同情，这场争吵可能会以言语结束。这激怒了争执中的另一个男孩，他称戈登是个骗子。根据戈登的准则，这是战争的原因。他打了费迪一巴掌，下一秒他们就全力以赴。只要他们站起来，懂得拳击的费迪就可以发挥出最大的优势，并严厉地惩罚戈登，直到后者冲向他，抓住了他。

在摔跤方面，费迪不是他的对手，因为戈登和种植园里的每个男孩都摔跤过，在短暂的扭打之后，他举起费迪，把他仰面扔到甲板上，把他震得喘不过气来。费迪拒绝和好，并向他的母亲哭泣，从那时起，她的母亲就在船上充满了对戈登的辱骂。

小男孩的胜利使他在水手中享有很高的威望，前堡的恶霸迈克·多赫蒂在剩下的航程中给他上了拳击课，教他“侧摆”的奥秘和“侧摆”的奥秘。 “左手上勾拳”，迈克说“就像一根保护针一样好”。

“对于女孩来说，你的舌头很光滑，而对于女孩来说，你的上勾拳就像踩在你的脚趾上一样，你就可以了，”多尔蒂先生说。 “你已经准备好进行炖菜了。但是，孩子，记住两者都要快点，不要忘记是谁教你的。”

因此，当戈登·基思还是个大约十二岁或十三岁的男孩时，他并没有在大树林环绕的古老种植园里度过一生，除了在他呆过的那段短暂时期之外。在格拉默博士的学校里，有一个夏天，他发现自己身处英国一个像瓷盘一样蓝的湖岸上的一个小水洼里，周围是高高的绿色山丘，山上坐落着漂亮的白色或棕色别墅，周围环绕着花园和花园。公园。

水对戈登来说是一个新元素。基思一家的家位于高地，远离大水道，戈登手里从来没有过桨，也不会游泳；但他想学习。看到同龄男孩划着小船，他心中充满了羡慕。其中一个，当他第一次看到它时，激发了他一种比嫉妒更强烈的感觉。它被漆成白色，船舷周围有蓝色和红色条纹，颜色鲜艳。里面坐着两个男孩。其中一位坐在船尾，年龄与戈登相仿。另一个比戈登大一点，正在划船，像熟练的人一样使用桨。船头有一面旗帜，戈登正盯着它看，突然意识到那是一面“洋基”旗帜。有半分钟他意识到，他为桨手比其他船上的男孩优越而感到自豪。他的下一个想法是他的行李箱里有一面小南方联盟旗帜。这是他从家里带来的，和他的其他珍宝一起带来的。他会表现出自己的风格，不会让洋基队的男孩们获得所有的荣誉。于是，他用尽双腿的力气离开了。回到水边，他从系在楼梯上的船中租了一条船，很快就挂起了小旗，坐了下来，拿起桨就出发了。这比看上去要困难得多。桨无法并拢。然而，过了一会儿，他能够缓慢地移动，当他发现自己在湖上时，他为自己的成功感到非常高兴。就在这时，他听到一声喊叫：

“把那面旗帜拿下来！”

戈登想调转船头四处看看，但没能做到。然而，其中一根桨露出了水面，当船稍微转向时，他看到白色船上的男孩们，英国国旗向他迎面而来。

桨手回头望去，划桨有力而迅速，小船笔直如箭，清澈的海水在船头盘旋。戈登有一瞬间希望自己不要那么大胆，但下一秒他的战斗热血就沸腾了，另一个男孩专横地喊道：

“击打那面旗帜！”

戈登现在可以看到他的脸了，因为他几乎就在他身上。它圆圆的，被晒黑了，眼睛是蓝色的，清澈的，闪烁着兴奋的光芒。为他加油的同伴是费迪·威克沙姆。

“我说，击打那面旗帜，”桨手喊道。

“我不会。”你是谁？击打自己的旗帜。”

“我是诺曼·温特沃斯。我就是这样的人，如果你不把那面旗帜取下来，我就会为你把它取下来，你这个小黑鬼驾驶的叛逆者。”

戈登·基思并不是一个会忽视这个场合的便利设施的孩子。

“那就来试试吧，你们这些偷黑鬼的北方佬！”他称。 “我会和你们两个战斗。”他选择了防守。

“好吧，我会的，”袭击者喊道。 “放下舵柄，费迪，坐下来。我会公平地战斗。”然后再次对戈登说：“我已经给了你合理的警告，我将拿下那面旗帜，否则就会击沉你。”

戈登的回答是放下一根桨，因为它毫无用处，抓住另一根，并尽可能稳定自己，将其高高举起作为武器。

“如果你尝试的话，我会杀了你。”他咬牙切齿地说。

然而，划另一条船的男孩并没有被吓到。他用力划动桨，把他的船直接撞到了戈登的船舷上。

两艘船撞在一起的冲击力使戈登跪倒在地，差点把他扔进水里。但他立刻又站起来，举起桨，狠狠地一击，不是打船上的男孩，而是打在船头的旗帜上。然而，他的脚步不稳，导致他没有瞄准目标，结果只把船桨劈成了碎片。

“用桨打他，诺曼，”船尾的男孩喊道。 “把他从船上打下来。”

另一个男孩没有回答，但他的手腕快速一转，把他的船扭转了原来的航线，并把它抛到了一边。然后，他放下一只桨，用双手抓住另一只桨，迅速而灵巧地挥动，一股瀑布般的水扫到了戈登的脸上，把他淋湿了，弄瞎了他的眼睛，意想不到的洪水淹没了他的眼睛、嘴巴和耳朵。戈登气喘吁吁，语无伦次，还没等他从这种意想不到的侧翼运动中恢复过来，手腕又一转，攻击船就猛地冲过他的船头，诺曼发出一声胜利的欢呼，把那面挑衅的旗帜从插座里扯了出来。

戈登没有时间思考。他只有时间去行动。他大喊一声，一半是愤怒，一半是反抗，他跳到了自己船的船头，伸出双臂，向另一艘船的船头（俘获者投下旗帜的地方）跳去，用双桨划动。 。他的船从他脚下滑落，他跌倒了，但抓住了另一艘船的舷缘，把自己拖了上来。他坚持的时间刚好抓住了两面旗帜，下一秒，带着微弱的欢呼声，他滚了下去，溅起水花沉入水中。

诺曼·温特沃斯已经站了起来，他的眼睛闪闪发亮，他举起桨，正爬向船头去击退登船者，但登船者却消失了。诺曼瞪大眼睛注视着这个地方。下一秒，他意识到发生了什么事，惊呼一声，猛然跳入水中。当他到达山顶时，他正拉着另一个男孩一起上来。

尽管诺曼游泳技术很好，但也有过极度危险的时刻。因为，戈登在半昏迷的状态下，有一次把他拉了下去。但幸运的是，诺曼保持了清醒，并用尽全力挣脱了溺水男孩的束缚，再次把他拉到了山顶。对两人来说幸运的是，一个人看到了麻烦，把他的船带到了现场，当诺曼带着他的负担浮出水面时，他伸出手抓住了他，把他和现在昏迷不醒的戈登拖上了他的船。

过了几天，戈登才能够坐起来，同时他得知袭击者和救援者每天都在询问他的情况，而他的父亲温特沃斯先生已经写信给戈登的父亲，表达了他对此事的担忧。事故。

“这是一种奇怪的命运，”他写道，“这么多年过去了，我们竟然如此互相对抗，让我们的孩子们在异国他乡面对面。我听说你的儿子表现得很勇敢，我知道你的儿子也会表现出来。”

基思将军则对对方的儿子及时有效地意识到并应对危险表示感谢。

“我儿子欠他一条命，”他说。 “至于旗帜，这是战争的财富”，他认为这一事件为双方战斗人员赢得了荣誉。他说，他“只希望在每一次争夺旗帜的斗争中，都有同样的能力让捍卫旗帜的人起死回生。”

然而，戈登无法认同他父亲的这种哲学观点。他失去了他的旗帜；他在战斗中被击败了。他将自己的生命归功于胜利的敌人。

他还只是个孩子，他的失败对他来说是苦痛和痛苦。得知他的胜利者来询问他的情况，这并没有让他感到高兴。

一天下午，他躺在床上，孤独、想家、悲伤。他父亲不在，大概有一小时没有人来找过他了。孩子们尖锐的声音和男孩们的叫喊声从远处从开着的窗户里飘了进来。他无法加入他们。这让他感到沮丧，他开始怀念那个古老的种植园——这个习惯在他抑郁的时候伴随了他一生。

突然屋外传来一阵窃窃私语的声音，过了一会儿，门轻轻地打开了，一位女士探头进来，看着他。她是个陌生人，穿着旅行服。戈登凝视着她，没有动，也没有发出声音。她进来，轻轻关上门，然后轻手轻脚地走到床边，低头用慈祥的目光看着他。她并不完全漂亮，但对戈登来说，她看起来很漂亮，而且他知道她是一个朋友。突然，她跪在他身边，用手臂爱抚地搂住他。

“我是诺曼的母亲，”她说，“我是来照顾你的，如果他们愿意的话，我会把你带回家。”她弯下腰吻了他。

男孩抬起被捏紧的脸，吻了她。

“我去。”他用微弱的声音说道。

她再次吻了他，用湿润的眼睛低头对他微笑，用温柔的语气和他说话，抚摸着他的头发，告诉他诺曼对这个麻烦的悲伤，她自己的不幸，以及她对医生不让她感到遗憾的遗憾。他被感动了。当她离开时，她承诺会再次回来见他；戈登知道他在英国有一个同类的朋友，不知怎的，一个真理已经潜入他的心中，这使许多他认为是原则的观点产生了分歧。他从来没有想过要对一个北方佬有好感。

当戈登再次出来时，他的父亲希望他去感谢救了他的前敌人。但这对男孩来说实在是太艰难了。即使是温特沃斯夫人的记忆也无法让他接受这一点。

“你不知道这有多难，父亲，”他说道，语气里带着少年时代总是在自己和世界其他地方划清界限的自信。 “你是否曾向与你打斗的人请求原谅？”

基斯将军的脸上露出了奇异的表情。突然，他的右侧有一处有一种奇怪的感觉，他正站在春天早晨一片林地中露水的空地上，看着一个身材瘦削、表情严肃的年轻人笔直地站在几步之外，手里握着一把手枪，奇怪的是，他的名字也叫诺曼·温特沃斯。但他并没有想他。他想起了一个有着平静的蓝眼睛的高个子女孩，前一天和她一起散步，然后她带着茫然和半疯狂的心情送他离开。然后，稍靠一侧的一个人说了几句话，开始数数：“一，二——”同时传来两把手枪的声音，两股小烟，等烟雾散去后，另一个人用手枪慢慢地沉到了地上，而他自己也摇摇晃晃地投入了离他最近的人的怀里。

他喘着气回到了现实。

“我的儿子，”他严肃地说，“我曾经被征召过，但失败了。我一生都为此感到遗憾，但幸运的是，后果并不像我曾经担心的那么致命。如果每一代人都不能改进前人的愚蠢和弱点，世界就不会有进步。我希望你比我更聪明、更坚强。”

戈登报仇的机会来得比他预想的要早。再次出门后不久，他正在前往湖边学习游泳的路上，这时他经过的一些男孩开始向他大喊大叫。他们中间有费迪·威克沙姆，那个和他一起漂洋过海的男孩。他正在安排其他人。戈登听到的喊声是：“黑鬼司机！黑鬼司机！”有时，命运、机会或任何可能是偶然发生的神灵，都会把武器放在我们手边。如果那天大卫和歌利亚之间没有一条石溪，他会怎么做？正当戈登满脸火辣辣地转身反抗那些嘲笑他的人时，他的脚边躺着一堆小石头。它看起来像普罗维登斯。他不会划船，但他能像年轻的大卫一样扔石头。不一会儿，他就以如此之快的速度向山上扔石头，以至于他上面的一群人陷入了混乱。

然后戈登陷入了更多著名将军的错误。他抓住了一批导弹，径直向山上冲去。虽然这群人在突然的袭击中溃散了，但当他到达山顶时，他们已经集结起来，趁他弹药耗尽的时候，他们向他发起了冲锋。他风驰电掣地冲下山去，追赶者高喊着胜利的口号，追了上去。当他到达石堆时，他转身站了起来，这让他们暂时停了下来。就在这时，他的下方突然传来一声叫喊。戈登转身看到诺曼·温特沃斯正冲上山向他走来。他边跑边捡石头。戈登听见他喊了一声，但没等他说话。这是他的头号敌人，他的征服者，而在这里，至少，他是他的对手。戈登没有再和上面的人浪费时间，他向新的袭击者跳去，稳住自己，扔出了最重的石头。幸运的是，诺曼·温特沃斯是在乡下长大的，懂得如何躲闪和扔石头，否则他的日子可能就到此为止了。

“坚持，稍等！别扔！”他喊道：“我来帮你了。”然后，没等多久，他就把一块石头扔到了高处聚会上的戈登的头上。戈登正准备再开一枪，他在瞄准时惊讶地停了下来，张大了嘴，睁大了眼睛。

“来吧，”诺曼喊道。 “你和我一起可以舔它们。我知道路，我们会超越他们的。”说着，他冲进了一条小巷，戈登紧随其后，几分钟后，他们在敌人上方的山上出现了，敌人正在为轻松的胜利而欢欣鼓舞，打了他们一个措手不及。 ，瞬间将他们击溃、分散。

费迪·威克沙姆（Ferdy Wickersham）发现自己被击败了，立即投降并提出加入他们一边。然而诺曼却没想到这么容易就放过他。

“我要把你俘虏，但除非我狠狠地踢了你一脚。你知道最好不要站在美国人一边。”

“他是一个叛逆者，”费迪说。

“他是美国人，”诺曼说。他立刻就兑现了他的诺言，并且以如此诚实的方式做到了这一点，以至于费迪起初将其视为一个玩笑后，生气并嚎叫着逃跑了。

戈登怀疑这种严厉的做法是否明智。

“他会告诉的，”他说。

“让他去吧，”诺曼轻蔑地说。 “他知道如果这样做他会得到什么。去年我和他一起上学，今年我又和他一起上学。我要教他和任何人一起对抗美国人！”

这一事件让两个男孩比在和平的一年里更加亲密。

基思将军发现他的任务毫无结果，立即请假回家，这样戈登就很少见到他的前敌人和新盟友了。

出发前几天，戈登经过一条路，遇到了三个人，两个孩子和一个法国家庭女教师，她头发卷曲，眼睛很黑，腰细。其中一个孩子是个很小的女孩，穿着一件华丽的白色连衣裙，蓝色的腰带几乎遮住了它，长着一双棕色的大眼睛和黄色的卷发。另一个孩子是个衣衫褴褛的女孩，比她大几岁，头发乱七八糟，眼睛灰白，脸颊红润，胖乎乎的，这是同班孩子们常见的。家庭女教师非常兴奋，法语说得太快了，任何人都能说出这些话真是一个奇迹。穿着精美连衣裙、棕色眼睛的小女孩，带着挑衅的神情，紧紧抓住她怀里的一个大洋娃娃，家庭女教师正试图从她手中夺走这个洋娃娃，而另一个孩子则站在旁边，先看看他们中的一个，然后又看看另一个。 ，表情分为胆怯和渴望。招牌上的一张耀眼的广告上有一张芭蕾舞演员穿着艳丽连衣裙和红色鞋子的大照片，这与这次麻烦有关。现在，女孩靠近另一个孩子，跳了几步，伸出了手。现在她回头看了一眼山下，仿佛看到她的退路还没有被切断。

“我就是我-它的 my 玩具娃娃。我 将 拿着它，”小女孩坚持说，一边退后一边紧紧地握住它。这时，家庭女教师又开始绝望地几乎撕扯自己的头发，不过最后她还是拍了拍头发，看是否没事。

戈登的走近引起了她的注意。

“噢，”她绝望地喊道，“这是值得的——太可怕了！这位年轻的女士我们要把娃娃送给那个可看见的生物！”

“她不是‘可看见的生物’！”小女孩坚持道，嘲笑她，棕色的眼睛闪闪发光。 “她为我跳舞，我会把它送给她——我喜欢她。”

“哦， CIEL！我该怎么办！威尔夫人虐待我——威尔让我丧命！”

“妈妈不会介意的；这是 my 玩具娃娃。艾比阿姨把它给了我。 “我可以再拿很多，我就给她。”小女孩又坚持道。突然间，她鼓足了勇气，迅速转身，在家庭女教师阻止之前，把布娃娃塞进了另一个孩子的怀里。

“在这里，你 将 有它。”

家庭女教师愤怒地叫喊着，把孩子抱了起来，但为时已晚：肮脏的小手抓住了娃娃，没有说一声感谢就转过身来，这个小生物像一只受惊的动物一样沿着道路飞驰而过，她的破烂的连衣裙在她身后飘扬。

“为什么，她没有说‘谢谢’！”孩子用失望的语气喊道，悲伤地看着那个远去的身影。

家庭女教师用法语对她大发雷霆，非常滑稽地混合了对她的指控的谴责、对小女孩的虐待以及对“夫人”的担忧。

“没关系;她不知道更多，”戈登说。

孩子的脸因这种友好的鼓励而变得明亮。

“她真是个令人讨厌的小东西！你不准和她玩。”家庭女教师愤怒地喊道。

“她并不讨厌！我喜欢她，我会和她一起玩。”孩子挑衅地说。

“你叫什么名字？”男孩问道，他对这么小的孩子如此坚强感到很有趣。

“路易斯·亨廷顿。你叫什么名字？”她抬起头，用棕色的大眼睛看着他。

“戈登·基思。”

“你好吗，戈登·基思？”她伸出了手。

“你好吗，路易斯·亨廷顿？”

她郑重地与他握手。

一两天后，当戈登穿过村子下面的一条街道时，他遇到了一支胡迪古迪，正在演奏比大多数人通常演奏的更活泼的曲子。街上聚集了一群孩子。其中有一个光着腿的小女孩，她受到音乐的启发，在舞蹈中保持着完美的节奏，她来回绊倒，旋转，用裸露的脚趾尖摇摆，调情她的破烂小连衣裙，并在空气中踢腿芭蕾舞演员的肖像。她与忧郁的萨瓦人分享了荣誉，萨瓦人埋头苦干他的管风琴，她让他古铜色、肮脏的脸上闪过一丝钦佩，因为他一遍又一遍地为她演奏同一首曲子，用点头和勇敢来鼓励她。她和任何在更雄心勃勃的舞台上绊倒的首席女歌手一样享受着自己的胜利。

戈登认出了那个小舞者，就是几天前带着小女孩的洋娃娃逃跑的头发缠结的孩子。

战争结束后，尽管一开始并没有得到承认，南方的古老文明却消失了。即使在地基被破坏之后，曾经如此美丽而雄伟的建筑的碎片仍然矗立了一段时间：这里是堡垒，那里是塔楼；但随着时间的推移，它们随着全面的推翻而逐渐崩溃，只剩下废墟和腐烂。

一时间，人们希望破败的地方能够得到修复，重新过上往日的生活。基思将军和许多其他人一样，虽然身体疲惫不堪，但仍借钱进行重建，但结果却是灾难性的。这些条件都对他不利。

三、四年来努力挽回颓势，结果却让他负债累累。基思将军像他的大多数邻居和朋友一样，发现自己面临着无力偿债的现实。当他发现自己无法偿还债务时，他立即停止支出并通知了债权人。

“我看不到前方有什么，”他写道，“除了更大的毁灭。我就像一匹陷入流沙的马：我尽一切努力，却让我陷得更深。”

他的一些邻居受益于通过的破产法来给予救济。有人敦促基思将军也这样做，但他拒绝了。

“虽然我无力偿还债务，”他说，“但我至少能做的就是承认我欠债。我不愿意表现出否认我所知道的事实，即使是很短的时间。”

他放弃了自己拥有的一切，没有保留任何能带来金钱的东西。

当埃尔芬斯通被出售时，它带来的收益少于其债务。那个印有基思徽章的旧盘子，曾用它招待过好几代的客人，是管家老理查德在战争期间保存下来的，现在却以银子的重量出售。图书馆被洗劫一空，所剩无几。基思的旧画，其中一些是最好的艺术家的作品，在战后一直被装箱并存放在其他地方，现在以低于画框的价格到达了该地方的购买者手中。其中有一幅身穿钢衣、戴着钢帽的男子的肖像，长着将军的脸。

也许没有人知道基思将军在这一转变期间的感受。当然，他的儿子并不知道这一点，而且直到晚年才梦想到这一点。

然而，战争造成财富损失的不仅是南方。尽管北方那些待在家里的人的财富增加了很多，但它并没有延伸到那些走上战场的人。其中有一位名叫亨廷顿的年轻军官，来自布鲁克福德，这是一个位于阳光明媚的山坡上的小镇，从阿勒根尼山脉向东延伸到特拉华河。亨廷顿上尉在战争爆发时入伍，与基思上校一样晋升为将军，并且与基思将军一样，因受伤而无法服役。他的妻子是一位南方妇女，在战争结束时在国外去世，给他留下了一个小女孩，她是他心中的偶像。他对南方感兴趣，并来到南方试图从战争期间受伤和暴露的影响中恢复过来。

埃尔芬斯通附近最漂亮的地方是“罗斯代尔”，伯克利家族的家族所在地。伯克利先生在战争中阵亡，种植园像埃尔芬斯通和大多数其他老庄园一样负债累累。亨廷顿将军购买了它。

基思将军一听说他来到附近，就去拜访了他，并邀请他住在他的家里，直到罗斯代尔重新装修好并再次变得舒适为止。这两位先生很快就成为了好朋友，尽管许多邻居都对这位联邦官员投以斜视，并抱怨他拥有伯克利家族的旧家族席位，但这位庄重、军人般的年轻军官的彬彬有礼和真正的善良很快就让他受到了欢迎。更容易赢得他的尊重（即使不是友谊）。当一个人在二十六岁当上将军时，就意味着他是一个男人；当基思将军宣称他是一位绅士时，就意味着他是一位绅士。邻居们如此推理。

他唯一的孩子是一个五六岁的漂亮小女孩，长着一双棕色的大眼睛，黄色的卷发，玫瑰花蕾般的脸，笑起来时会露出可爱的酒窝。当戈登看到她时，他立刻认出她就是两年前把洋娃娃送给小舞者的那个小孩。她的眼睛不会看错的。她常常开着村里最小的马车，由最小利普特式的小马拉着，戈登常常叫她“辛迪”——灰姑娘的缩写——这让她感到好笑和高兴。她反过来称他为她的甜心。霸道地欺压他，最后还宣布要嫁给他。

“为什么，你不打算为心上人找个叛逆者？”她父亲说。

“我是。我要让他加入联盟，”她严肃地宣称。

“嗯，这是一个好办法。我认为这是迄今为止尝试过的最好的重建系统。”

他把这个故事告诉了基思将军，基思将军很快就骑马来看望了这个孩子，从此称她为他的仙女。

有一天，她和戈登发生了争执，她向他宣布她不会再吻他了。

“哦，是的，你是，”他说，取笑她。

“我不是。”她的眼睛闪闪发光。尽管事后他经常取笑她，并常常在脸颊上画一个圆圈，他说这是她特别的保留，但她还是信守诺言，尽管他向她发出诱惑，要她带她去骑马，如果她会软化的。

有一年春天，亨廷顿将军的咳嗽突然加重，病情开始急剧恶化，令他的朋友们感到不安。基思将军催促他去山边的一个小地方，那里在战前曾是一个相当不错的疗养胜地。

“据我所知，里奇利是最健康的地方之一，不会遇到像你这样的麻烦。 Theophilus Balsam 医生是该州最好的医生之一。战争期间他是我的团外科医生。他是战前来到南方的北方人。我认为他有过一段不幸的恋情。”

“没有地方容得下像我这样的麻烦。”年轻人严肃地说。 “那颗子弹射得太深了一点。”尽管如此，他还是去了里奇利。

在鲍尔萨姆医生的照顾下，这位年轻的军官一度恢复了活力，并在一两年内似乎正在康复。突然，他的老毛病又回来了，他像中弹一样倒下了。亨廷顿这个名字与这位老医生有着密切的联系。因为他的老情人阿比盖尔·布鲁克的妹妹洛伊丝·布鲁克娶了亨廷顿一家人，而阿比盖尔·布鲁克拒绝嫁给他，于是把他送去了南方。博士在与这位年轻警官相识之初就发现他是阿比盖尔·布鲁克的侄子。然而，他没有提及他以前与病人的人民的关系。

他们之间存在比他所参加的那场战争更痛苦的分裂，这种分裂使他的生活变得痛苦，并使他被人民流放。但这个有着一双大而严肃的眼睛的小女孩成了老医生的偶像和暴君，而他对她的父亲是多么的下毒啊！即使在结局出乎意料地出现的最后几个小时里，亨廷顿将军也以同样的勇气做出了最后的安排，而这正是他在孩提时代就成为著名军官的勇气，医生几乎一直坚持到最后。

“我还能活多久，医生？”当这个垂死的人从把他击倒的攻击中恢复过来时，他气喘吁吁地说。

“不是很长。”

“那么我希望你派人去找基思将军。我希望他把我的孩子带到我的姨妈阿比盖尔·布鲁克小姐那里。”

“我会处理的。”医生说。

“只要她还活着，她就会照顾她。但她现在已经是个老太婆了，当她死后，天知道她会变成什么样子。”

“只要我还活着，我就会照顾她。”医生说。

“谢谢医生。”一阵停顿。 “她是一位圣人。”他的思绪又回到了早年的生活。对此，巴尔萨姆博士没有做出任何回应。 “她的一生很悲伤。她在爱情中很生气，但这并没有让她变酸，反而让她变得甜蜜。”

“我就是那个人，”医生平静地说。 “我会照顾你的孩子。”

“你之前是！我从来不知道他的名字。她从未结过婚。”

他吩咐了几句，旋即道：“我的小姑娘？我想见见她。不会伤害我吧？”

“不，它不会伤害你，”医生平静地说。

孩子被带来了，临终者的眼睛停在她粉红色的脸上，棕色的眼睛里充满了模糊的惊奇。

“你一定要记得爸爸。”

她踮起脚尖，倾身吻了他。

“我走后你必须去找艾比姨妈。”

“我会带上戈登·基思，”孩子说。

垂死之人的眼中闪烁着一丝微笑。然后是一阵咳嗽，咳嗽了几声后，他的头又沉了下去。

医生一声令下，服务员就带着孩子走出了房间。

那天晚上，老医生看到小女孩被放到床上，那天晚上他独自坐在尸体旁边。还有很多人来接替他，但他拒绝了他们，独自守夜。

他有什么回忆？谁知道他在那些孤独的时光里想到了什么！

基思将军得知亨廷顿将军去世的消息后立即前往里奇利。他带着戈登，认为他可以帮助安慰这个孤儿小女孩。男孩不知道多年后他对这个水源的了解程度如何。孩子在他的照顾下，紧紧地贴着他，最后在他的怀里睡着了。在进行安排的同时，他们搬到了山脊地区首领罗森乡绅家住了一两天，罗森乡绅的孙女，一个十几岁或十二岁的新面孔女孩，在那里照顾这个小孤儿和让她保持兴趣。

按照亨廷顿将军的遗愿，葬礼在里奇利小墓地的一角举行，墓地位于一个阳光明媚的小山丘上，俯瞰着东北方向的长坡。孩子紧握着戈登的手，跟在棺材后面，巴尔萨姆医生和基思将军跟在他们后面。

基思将军一听到布鲁克小姐的消息，就把孩子带到了她身边。但直到最后，路易斯说她希望戈登和她一起去。

不久之后，亨廷顿将军的财产似乎几乎消失殆尽。他的种植园被卖掉了。

洛伊丝有几次用幼稚的笔迹给戈登写了一些古怪的小信，询问她曾经的朋友小牛、鸽子和鸡的情况。但过了一段时间，就没有再收到信了。

当埃尔芬斯通被出售时，买家是纽约的艾伦·威克沙姆先生，他是费迪·威克沙姆的父亲，戈登曾与费迪·威克沙姆进行过摇滚大战。威克沙姆先生五十岁，身材粗壮，脾气很好，脑袋像台球环，脸上既精明又和善。战争期间，他靠合同赚了一大笔钱，现在正准备在南方增加这笔钱，那里的山区充满了煤和铁，是第一个来者的处女地，有足够的勇气和机敏来占领它。 。他发现新的国家立法机关非常适合他手中的工具。它可以被操纵。

威克沙姆夫妇最近搬进了第五大道上的一栋新大房子，时尚杂志正沿着山坡向公园方向爬去，试图登上默里山，并可能俯视下面那些坚固而有些平淡的豪宅，它们的门有有时发现很难进入。威克沙姆夫人来自布鲁克福德，亨廷顿一家就来自同一个小镇。当时，一位年轻英俊的女孩怀揣着社会抱负，嫁给了亚伦·威克沙姆，当时他还只是温特沃斯父子银行的一名职员。而且，据说，她在物质上帮助了他提升他的财富。她是一位漂亮的女人，她的社交野心也越来越大。费迪是她唯一的孩子，是她心中的喜悦和骄傲。她的野心集中在他身上。他应该成为镇上的领袖，因为她觉得他的美貌和聪明使他有资格担任这个职务。正是出于这个目的，她说服丈夫在大道上建造了这座精美的新房子。她知道在时尚区拥有一座又大又漂亮的豪宅的价值。 Aaron Wickersham 对时尚知之甚少。但他知道金钱的力量，他对妻子的能力有绝对的信心。他会提供手段，剩下的就交给她了。这座房子是按合同建造和装修的，威克沙姆夫人感到自豪的是，它比华盛顿广场上的温特沃斯宅邸好得多，而且比约克家的房子更贵，约克家是华盛顿广场上的大房子之一。大道，十年前建成时曾是镇上的话题。其中一位爱开玩笑的威尔·斯特林表示，威克沙姆先生没有将这份合同据为己有，这是一件好事。

威克沙姆先生花费了大量资金来规划和准备他的南方事业，并从州立法机关获得了一份特许状，赋予他几乎可以做任何他想做的事情的权力，突然发现自己对以下事实感到犹豫不决：他希望通过道路到达的山区强烈反对任何此类创新，以至于危及了他的整个计划。从该地区最富有的人、一位名叫罗森的老牛贩子和伐木工，到将舞台从伊甸园开到冈博尔特峡的蒂姆·吉尔西，他们都反对任何“新奇”的观念，他们认为一切来自于地毯式装袋者是“抢劫和腐败”。

他得知“那里最有影响力的人”是基思将军，而且他的位置正在出售。

“我能联系到他，”威克沙姆先生眼中闪烁着光芒说道。 “我会在他脖子上套上一根绳子，引导他。”于是他买下了这个地方。

也许对威克沙姆先生来说幸运的是，他向他的律师暗示了他的一些意图，这位律师是一位精明的国家老律师，他认为他可以比威克沙姆先生更好地安排这件事。

“你不知道如何对付这些老家伙，”他说。

“我了解男人，”威克沙姆先生说，“我知道当我抓住一个男人时——”

“你不了解基思将军，”巴格先生说。他眼中的光芒给对方留下了深刻的印象，他屈服了。

因此，威克沙姆先生买下了基思种植园，并将其留给格林·巴格先生来管理业务。巴格先生给基思将军写了一封外交信，赞扬南方和威克沙姆先生对南方的兴趣，并邀请将军暂时留在该地担任经理。

基思将军在这封信上坐了一会儿，他的脸像在战斗中一样严肃。他的精神视野中掠过什么，谁会知道呢？两百年的历史将基思家族与埃尔芬斯通联系在一起。他们从森林里砍下它，并用它对抗印第安人。从那里他们去了国家最高办公室。爱情、婚姻、死亡——生命中所有神圣的事情——都与它息息相关。他和戈登讨论了这件事。

戈登的脸沉了下来。

“哎呀，父亲，你只不过是个监督而已。”

基思将军笑了。戈登很久以后才想起那笑容是多么令人渴望，他为自己的演讲感到羞耻。

“是的;我将成为比这更重要的人。至少我会是一个忠实的人。我希望我也能像这样成功。”

他写道，由于他自己失败了，他不知道如何才能为别人取得成功。但在得到非常讨人喜欢的保证后，他接受了这个提议。因此，将军仍然作为该庄园的一名雇员，该庄园作为基思家族的故乡而世世代代享有盛誉。作为新主人的代理人，他在经营这个地方时所投入的精力和成功远远超过了他自己的表现。让父亲担任“监督者”对戈登来说是一件痛苦的事。但即使这对基思将军有任何苦涩，他也从未表现出丝毫的证据，也没有以丝毫的迹象表明他的感情。

当威克沙姆先生参观他的新庄园时，他承认巴格先生比他更清楚如何与基思将军打交道。

当他在车站遇见一位身材高大、头发灰白、看上去介于将军和教堂执事之间的绅士时，他有点害羞。但是，当那位绅士握住他的手，用一种毫无疑问的真诚的声音说他亲自出去迎接他，欢迎他加入他们之中时，他感到宾至如归。

“我们必须向像您这样的绅士寻求保护我们文明的机会，”基思将军说道，并亲自向他遇到的每一个人介绍他，“是买下我老房子的绅士，而不是‘地毯式打包者’” ，’但是一位对我们国家的发展感兴趣的绅士，先生。”

事实上，威克沙姆先生受到了他在以前访问南方时所不曾感受到的特殊待遇。他喜欢它。他给人的感觉很像一位南方绅士，遇到一两个北方人就显得有些疏远。

有一两次，埃尔芬斯通的新主人和一群朋友一起来“看看这个国家”。他们对开发它很感兴趣，并且考虑到这一点，一直在让立法机关通过各种法案。 （提到立法机关时，基思将军的鼻子总是微微翘起。）基思将军招待来访者的方式与他当主人时的做法一模一样，威克沙姆先生和他的客人们基本上对待他就像对待他一样。仍然是主人。基思将军坐在威克沙姆先生对面的桌脚，指挥着仆人们，仆人们仍然称他为“主人”，并照此服从他。

威克沙姆先生对基思将军怀有极大的敬意，同时也对他无法利用新的条件表示蔑视。 “好老伙计，”他对朋友们说。 “没有比孩子更多的商业头脑。如果他有的话，他会和我们一起去为自己赚钱，而不是告诉我们如何赚钱。”他不知道基思将军不会和他一起“参与”他通过立法机关实施的拯救他生命的计划。但他更加尊敬这位老家伙。他为将军挺身而出，反对威克沙姆夫人，威克沙姆夫人因为费迪的缘故而憎恨所有基思一家。老将军像个孩子一样忘记了这一点，他总是向威克沙姆夫人问好。

“也许，她想下来看看这个地方？”他建议。 “现在已经不一样了，但我们可以让她感到舒服。”他的目光扫过他，充满了爱意。

威克沙姆先生说，他担心威克沙姆夫人的健康状况不允许她来南方。

“这正是她的区域，”将军说。 “山上有一个很好的疗养胜地，离我们不远。我去过那里，负责人是我的一位老朋友巴尔萨姆医生，他是该州最好的医生之一。他是我的团外科医生。我可以推荐他。把她放下来，让我们看看能为她做些什么。”

威克沙姆先生微笑着向他表示感谢。威克沙姆夫人曾一度对小型疗养胜地感到满意。但那个时代已经过去了。他没有告诉基思将军，威克沙姆夫人记得她儿子和戈登之间的争斗，同意他买下这个地方的动机并不高尚，并发誓只要基思还在，她就永远不会踏上这片土地。留在那里。他只是向将军保证他会转达他的邀请。

然而，威克沙姆先生真正的兴趣在于西边的山脉。基思将军给了他一些关于山脊和山脊以外山脉的矿藏的宝贵提示。

“我会给你写信给该地区的领导人，”他说。 “那里最有影响力的两个人是巴尔萨姆博士和乡绅罗森。他们就像亚伯拉罕和罗得一样，几乎瓜分了国家。”

威克沙姆先生的眼睛闪闪发光。他向他表示感谢，并表示可以拜访他。

有一次，威克沙姆先生和基思将军之间差点发生冲突。当威克沙姆先生提到他邀请了一些立法机构成员——“对国家资源开发感兴趣的先生们”——与他会面时，将军的脸色变了。鼻子微微倾斜，鼻孔轻微颤抖。过了一会儿他开口了。

“我会为您的——f——为您的客人准备好一切；但我必须请你原谅我不去见他们。”

威克沙姆先生茫然地惊讶地转向他。

“为什么，将军？”

老先生脸上的表情回答了他。他知道一句话，他就会失去他的经纪人，而他对他有用。他有着深远的计划，将军可以为他提供很大的帮助。

当政治家到达时，现场一切都井然有序。他们在车站准时迎接，并受到房主的欢迎。供他们娱乐的一切都准备好了。就连新鲜的薄荷糖也放在旧餐具柜的酒杯里。只有做好这些准备的人缺席。

就在车辆从铁路返回之前，基思将军走进威克沙姆先生休息的房间。他被靴子和马刺骑着。

“为您的客人准备的一切都准备好了，先生。理查德会看到他们受到照顾。这些是关键。理查德对他们都了如指掌，而且完全可靠。我请你原谅我——一两天。”

威克沙姆先生一直在心里盘算着该对这位老先生说些什么。他几乎决定向他坦白地谈谈这种狭隘的愚蠢行为。然而，将军的气质再次让他望而却步：鼻孔变薄；嘴巴异常紧绷。他突然觉得自己与壁炉架上那个盔甲男子的相似度越来越高——一种混合着骄傲和严肃的感觉。这使他远离了一百年。

这位目光敏锐的资本家很喜欢这位将军，并且在某种程度上非常尊重他。他的老式想法让他很开心。所以他说的话都是善意的。他对将军不能留下感到遗憾。他“希望他认识他的朋友”。

“毕竟，他们并不是那么坏的家伙。嘿，其中一个是传教士，”他走到门口时开玩笑地说，“而且是一个非常聪明的人。 J.昆西·普卢姆被认为是一位才华横溢的人。

“是的先生;我听说过他。他的教义来自《邪恶的圣经》；他省略了“不”。早上好。”基思将军也退出了。

当客人到来时，威克沙姆先生承认他们是一群奇怪的“形形色色的政治家”。将军没有留下，他松了口气。那天晚上，在冰镇酒和香槟都被递上之后，当他环顾餐桌时，他更加高兴了。老理查德的那副脑袋和翘起的鼻子就足够正脸了。一只养尊处优的老猎犬在一群小狗面前表现得再轻蔑不过了。

他提到的传教士 J. 昆西·普卢姆 (J. Quincy Plume) 先生是该党最年轻的成员之一，也是最引人注目的成员之一，当然也是最欢乐、最不羞愧的成员之一。用普鲁姆先生自己的话来说，他“从许多翅膀上拔下一根羽毛，并将他闪闪发光的小齿轮沐浴在许多球体的虹彩光芒中”。他曾经是“一名医生”；然后成为一名传教士——再次引用他的话，“不完全是像死气沉沉的神学家所理解的福音，‘一种过时的信条’”，而是“新时代的福音，新兄弟情谊的福音——福音自由、平等、博爱。”现在他找到了自己真正的职业，即政治家的职业，在那里他可以实践他所宣扬的事业。他可以“沐浴在进步的灿烂阳光下，穿上水星的凉鞋，翱翔到前所未有的更高境界”。所有这些经过翻译后，意味着普拉姆先生在几项职业上都失败了，现在一心想通过无知的追随者的选票来提升自己，他正在哄骗这些追随者接受他作为领导者。

威克沙姆先生与他打过交道，发现他有能力并准备好胜任任何工作。当他在房子里呆了一小时后，威克沙姆先生对他很满意，并在心里决定让他成为他的经纪人。当他在那里一天时，威克沙姆先生在心里质疑自己是否最好把他从他的计划中完全剔除。

一件奇怪的事情是，每一位客人都暗中警告他要提防其他人。

价格远高于威克沙姆先生的预期。但它们会受到缩放的影响。

“那么，理查德，你觉得先生们怎么样？”威克沙姆先生问老仆人，他的蔑视让他觉得好笑。

“什么先生们？”

“为什么，我们的客人。”他使用了将军所使用的所有格。

“你称他们为‘绅士’吗？”老仆人盯着他问道。

” “好吧，不；我想我不这么认为——所有这些。”

“也不，先生；迪伊不是绅士；迪伊的无赖！”理查德轻蔑地说。 “我估计我已经活了六十年了，以前我从来没见过像他们这样在家里的餐桌上吃饭、睡在床上的人。”

当政治家们离开、基思将军回来后，老理查德向威克沙姆先生展示了对待绅士的方式。

迦太基废墟中的马吕斯对我们年轻时来说并不是一个鼓舞人心的人物；他是一个伟大的人物。马吕斯率领他那响亮的军团骑着圣路而上，让我们眼花缭乱。但随着年龄的增长，我们会看到当他坐在废墟中向罗马发出轻蔑的信息时，他有多么伟大。所以，戈登·基思小时候认为做一个绅士是一件很容易、很平常的事情。他一生都认识一些绅士——他是在他们中间长大的。直到后来，当他走出社会后，他才看到这个老人是多么的优秀和高贵，他不为所动，不仅在他的生活和财富的废墟中，而且在他的世界的废墟中。

基思将军甚至无法筹集到送这个男孩上大学所需的一小笔钱，但在老家的废墟中仍然保留着曾经选择的图书馆的遗物，基思将军自己成了他儿子的老师。这是一个非常不规则的学习体系，但男孩却在不知不觉中，在那些永远新鲜翠绿的牧场上吃草。没有任何东西与科学相关。

“先生，我对科学的了解并不比印度人多，”将军常说。 “我自以为自己了解的唯一科学就是政治和战争，而我在这两方面都失败了。”

他对这个世界知之甚少——至少对现代世界知之甚少。有一次，在餐桌上，戈登希望他们有钱。

“我的孩子，”他的父亲平静地说，“有些事情是绅士们在餐桌上从不讨论的。金钱就是其中之一。”这就是他的老式观点。

对于他的儿子来说，幸运的是，大约在这个时候，威克沙姆先生派遣了一支小型工程队来到附近，对一条通往基思将军家上方的山脊地区的铁路线进行初步勘察。年轻的工程师格林内尔·罗兹先生给基思将军带来了威克沙姆先生的一封信。他派儿子和年轻人一起下去，请求将军稍微照顾一下他，并为罗兹先生提供力所能及的帮助。这位身材高大的年轻工程师，眼神清澈，声音悦耳，动作敏捷，立刻就讨好了基思将军和戈登将军。看到这些乐器，更重要的是，这位年轻“酋长”的外表，他对世界的了解，以及他令人眼花缭乱的权威，他穿着灯芯绒衣服，扣着高高的黄色绑腿，日复一日地带着他的小孩子大步走来。党并运行他的路线，挥挥手就将他的棒民向右或向左穿过深谷和高地，唤醒了戈登·基思灵魂中的新野心。建造大桥、跨越巨大鸿沟和挖掘山脉的谈话激发了男孩的灵感。牛顿是根据什么计算来推导出他的基本定律的，或者伽利略在他的佛罗伦萨塔上观察星星的？这位年轻的队长是阿基米德和欧几里得、牛顿和伽利略的合一。他让他们活了下来。

对于戈登来说，这是一个新世界。他突然醒了。

工程师和戈登都可以饶过工程师的一名助手。费迪·威克沙姆已经实现了他童年时的承诺，如果不是他那双黑眼睛的表情引起了疑问，他本来会非常英俊。他很受女孩子欢迎，但在男人中却很少交到朋友，他和罗德先生已经发生了冲突。罗德下达了一些命令，但费迪拒绝服从。罗德用冰冷的蓝眼睛看着他。 “你说什么？”

“我猜这是我父亲的聚会；他付了运费，我猜我是他的儿子。”

“我想这是我的聚会，你要么就按照我说的做，要么回家，”罗兹先生冷冷地说。 “你父亲在这个党里没有‘儿子’。我有一个罗德曼。除非你生病了，否则你就做好你那份工作。”

费迪出于自己的原因屈服了；但他的目光垂了下来，他并没有忘记罗德先生。

两个年轻人很快就闹翻了。费迪开始对这个地方发号施令，就好像他是主人一样。将军警告戈登不要介意他所说的话。 “他被宠坏了一点；但别介意他。独生子女处于非常不利的地位。”他说话的语气就好像戈登是十几个孩子中的一个。

但费迪·威克沙姆误解了对方的让步。他对罗德和戈登之间日益亲密的关系感到不满。他发现戈登对旧种植园最为敏感，他运用了他的知识。当罗兹先生介入时，这只给戏弄戈登的游戏增添了新的意义。

一天早上，当三人在一起时，费迪开始嘲笑戈登吹嘘他的种植园，这可能是他的玩笑。

“罗德先生，你应该听听他过去是怎么吹嘘这件事的。”

“我没有吹嘘这件事，”戈登红着脸说道。

罗德没有抬头，在座位上不安地动了动。

“费迪，闭嘴——你打扰我了。我在工作。”

但费迪没有理会这个警告，也没有理会戈登脸上的表情。他的比赛现在有了双重热情：他可以刺痛戈登，也可以让罗德担心。

“无论如何，我不明白为什么我的老人会这么傻，想要一个如此破旧、偏僻的老地方，”他笑着说道。 “当我得到它时，我会把它送给别人。”

戈登的脸色又白又红，眼睛开始眯起来。

“那么，这是你唯一愿意放弃的东西，”罗兹先生尖锐地说，眼睛没有从他的工作上抬起。

戈登振作起来。 “既然你有这样的感觉，为什么还要来这里呢？”

“因为如果我来的话，我的老人愿意给我五千块钱。你不会以为我会无缘无故地来到这个空荡荡的老地方吧？不多，儿子。”

“如果他认识你就不会，”罗德先生看着他说道。 “如果他认识你，他就会知道你从来没有白做任何事，费迪。”

费迪脸红了。 “我想我和你一样经常这样做。我猜你给我的州长带来了一大笔钱。”

罗德先生脸色一沉，目光死死的盯着他。 “如果我愿意，我会诚实地为之努力。我不同意工作，然后对他扮演‘老战士’。”

“我想如果你不用工作的话你会的。”

“好吧，我不会，”罗兹先生坚定地说，“我不想再听到任何关于这件事的消息。如果你不肯工作，那我希望你让我工作。”

费迪低声咆哮，因为他猜测罗兹先生正在“努力得到哈丽特·克里默小姐和她的那帮人”。但如果罗兹先生听到他的话，他也不会在意，费迪转身面向男孩。

与此同时，戈登一直在盘算着。五千块钱！哎呀，真是一笔财富！这会让他父亲松一口气，也许还能拯救这个地方。他惊讶得几乎忘记了对这个能如此轻描淡写地说出这么多钱的男孩的愤怒。

费迪敏锐地看了他一眼。 “基思，你这么生气干什么？”他问道。 “我不认为我所说的关于这个地方的事情对你有什么影响。你不拥有它。我想一个人有权说出他自己的选择。”

戈登用炽热的目光看着他，然后转身快步走开。他几乎无法忍住泪水。另一个男孩若无其事地看着他，然后转向罗德先生，后者正怒视着他的文件。 “我会让他落后一两分。他总是吹嘘他那被指责的老地方，好像它仍然是他的。他比那个老头子还要糟糕，老头子总是在胡言乱语“战前”、他的祖父和他的旧照片。我花二十美元就能在百老汇买到更好的祖先。”

罗兹先生收起文件，站了起来。

“你不可能让自己成为百万富翁的好后裔，”他说道，目光冷酷地盯着费迪。

“哦，我不能吗？嗯，我想我可以。我想我和他差不多，或者你也一样。”

“好吧，你可以把我排除在这个案子之外，”罗德先生尖锐地说。 “我告诉你，你不如他，如果你们的立场对调的话，他绝对不会对你说出你对他说的话。”

“我不明白你的意思。”

“我不希望你这么做，”罗兹先生说。他大步走开。 “我受不了那个男孩。他让我恶心。”他对自己说。 “如果我没有答应他的州长让他坚持下去，我就会动摇他。”

当三人再次聚到一起时，费迪还在罗德先生尖刻的讽刺下感到痛苦。他打算跟罗德算账，他伺机而动。

罗兹是温特沃斯家族的亲戚，在大学时得到了诺曼父亲的帮助，费迪也知道这一点。他们当中最漂亮的女孩之一，路易丝·考德威尔小姐，是罗德的表妹，诺曼爱上了她。费迪永远不会看到任何人成功而不希望取代他，最近他开始幻想自己也爱上了她，但他知道罗德先生是诺曼的朋友。他还知道诺曼是罗兹先生的朋友，罗兹先生正在与镇上一位著名的美女哈里特·克里默小姐发生关系，她是克里默·克拉斯特贝克公司的尼古拉斯·克里默的女儿。

那天，费迪收到了他母亲的一封信，信中说路易丝·考德威尔的母亲正在诺曼为她的女儿制作一套。费迪的嫉妒达到了边缘，他现在开始谈论诺曼。听到这个冷嘲热讽的名字，罗德嗤之以鼻，而一脸阴沉的戈登则竖起了耳朵。

“你不必总是嘲笑诺曼，”威克沙姆对罗德斯说。 “如果我告诉你我对他的了解，你就不会这样了。他并不比其他人更好。”

“哦，他比一些人都好，费迪，”罗兹先生说。戈登赞赏地哼了一声，吸引了费迪的目光。

“我想你也这么认为，基思？”他说。 “嗯，你不需要。你不必声称自己是他的朋友。我可以告诉你，他并不是你的朋友。我听他说过很多关于你的坏话。”

这是戈登的机会。他一直在等一个人。

“我不相信。我相信这是一个谎言，”他宣称，当他集中精神时，他的脸色变白了。他原本火热的双眸，突然变得熊熊燃烧起来。

罗德先生抬起头来。他什么也没说，但他的眼睛开始闪闪发光。

“你自己就是个骗子。”威克沙姆脸红了，反驳道。

戈登向他伸出手。 “把它收回！”与此同时，罗德斯跳了起来，抓住了他，但来得并不及时。戈登拍打费迪的指尖刚好碰到费迪的脸颊，留下一道红痕。

“把它收回来，”当罗德用手臂搂住他时，他再次从牙缝里说道。

作为回答，费迪直接打在他脸上，打得他鼻子流血，头晕。

“拿着它！”

戈登奋力挣脱，但徒劳无功。罗德单臂一臂将威克沙姆扫了回来。他用另一只手紧紧地握着戈登。 “别走开，不然我就放了他。”他说道。

男孩停止了扭动，抬头看着年轻人的脸。 “你还是放了我吧。我要去鞭打他。他对我的朋友撒了谎，他救了我的命。而且他还打了我。让我走。”他开始呜咽。

“现在，看这里，孩子们，”罗德说。 “你必须在这里停下来和好。我不会打架。”

“放了他。我可以鞭打他，”费迪说着，摆正自己的姿势，并加上了一个绰号。

戈登一动不动地站着。 “我要和他战斗，”他说，“然后鞭打他。如果他鞭打我，我会再次打他，直到我鞭打他为止。”

罗德先生脸上露出了疑惑的表情。他低头看着那张坚毅的脸，目光坚定，嘴巴紧闭，下巴突然变得更方。

“如果我放你走，你能保证不再打架吗？”

“如果他从谷仓后面出来，我保证不会在这里与他战斗，”戈登说。 “但如果他不这样做，我就会在这里和他战斗。我要和他战斗，我要鞭打他。”

罗德先生思考着。 “如果我和你一起出去，让你玩两轮，你会和好并同意不再提及这个话题吗？”

“是的，”威克沙姆说。

“如果我鞭打他，”戈登说。

“跟我一起来。我会让你们两个男孩比试两轮的勇气，但是，记住，当我宣布时间到的时候，你们必须停下来。”

于是他们来到了一个僻静的地方，两个男孩在那里脱掉了外套。

“来吧，你们现在最好化妆了，”罗兹先生幽默而友善地站在他们上方说道。

“我不明白我们在争论什么，”费迪说。

“收回你对诺曼的言论，”戈登要求道。

“没有什么可以收回的，”费迪宣称。

“那就拿着那个吧！”戈登说着，向前走去，用手背拍拍他的嘴。

他没想到另一个男孩反应这么快。还没等他做好警惕，费迪就开枪了，正中他的眼睛，把他打得踉踉跄跄地向后退去。不过下一秒他又站了起来，下一刻就如猛虎一般扑向了对手。威克沙姆的这一冲势就像戈登对威克沙姆的一击一样出乎意料，过了一会儿，迈克·多赫蒂的教训开始显现，戈登低下头，躲避威克沙姆的打击；他开始把他往后赶。

“天哪！ “他知道自己的事。”罗德自言自语道。

就在这时，他表现出了他知道自己的职责，因为他首先用右手挥出，将属于多尔蒂先生的那一球带了进来。 主厨他抓住威克沙姆的下巴，把他摔倒在地。

罗兹先生叫了时间来接他。

“来吧，现在就够了，”他说。

戈登擦掉脸上的血迹。

“他必须收回他对诺曼的言论，否则我还要再打一轮。”

“你最好收回它，费迪。是你先开始的，”裁判说。

“这不是我开始的。这是一个谎言！”

“你做到了，”罗德先生冷冷地说。他转向戈登。 “你还有一轮。”

“我收回这句话，”费迪咆哮道。

就在这时，草地上响起了脚步声，基思将军站在他们旁边。当他斥责男孩们打架时，他的脸色非常严肃。但他眼中闪过一丝光芒，向罗德先生以及可能向那两名战斗人员表明，他并不完全不高兴。在他和罗兹先生的要求下，两个男孩握了握手，并承诺不再提起这件事。

当威克沙姆继续逃避罗德曼的工作时，罗德将戈登带入他的队伍，指导​​他如何使用仪器，并激发他对工作的热情，尽管如此，他还是因为将戈登与费迪进行了对比而感到不那么渴望。罗德知道基斯将军的名号有多值钱，他认为自己的儿子是他的一员，对他来说不会有任何妨碍。

当他向将军提议支付戈登的工作报酬时，麻烦来了。

“先生，他目前不值一文钱，”将军说。 “我很高兴让他和你一起去，你的指导将给我们带来更多的补偿。”

此事最终以罗德积极拒绝接受戈登而得到解决，除非按照他自己的条件。他需要一名斧头手，并且愿意付给他这样的报酬。除非他在他的管辖之下，否则他根本无法带走他。

罗德先生没有看错。基思将军的名字很容易让人想起。罗森乡绅是整个山脊地区的头号人物，据罗兹所知，他曾公开表示坚决反对修建铁路。他是个高大魁梧的男人，胸膛深邃，四肢粗壮，头发花白，胡须花白，嘴巴比想象中的与周围环境合得更近，眼睛小而深陷，但非常敏锐。 。他的两层白色房子，有侧翼和门廊，虽然不大，但比这个地区的大多数房子更自命不凡，他的白色建筑坐落在一座绿色山上的果树丛中，俯瞰山谷和峡湾，达成了相当的和解。他是一个拥有大量财产和影响力的人，在里奇地区，和其他地方一样，财富是地位和影响力的基础。区别在于程度之一。山脊地区财富的证据是土地和牲畜，而这些乡绅罗森拥有丰富的土地和牲畜。他被认为是该地区最好的牛判断者。

一致性是一颗宝石；但在某些地区，热情好客被视为比一致性更重要，当老乡绅得知基思将军的儿子与测量队在一起时，尽管用一句常见的话来说，“来干扰”那个国家，他骑马来到他们的营地，邀请戈登和他的“朋友”做他的客人，只要他们留在那个街区。

“我不想让你以为，年轻人，”他对罗兹说，“我会同意你那条破烂的路穿过我的任何一块土地，杀死我的牲畜；但我会给你一张床和一些吃的。”

罗德感觉自己获得了胜利；戈登对此表示怀疑。

尽管乡绅总是提醒这位年轻的工程师，后者是北方佬，因此是南方的天然和必要的敌人，但他和罗兹成了好朋友，而乡绅热情好客的屋顶仍然是工程队的总部。比它有任何必要性更重要。

乡绅一家由他的妻子组成，她是一位和蔼可亲、忙碌的小老太太，她管理一切和所有人，包括乡绅，但只有一个例外。这是她的孙女尤弗洛妮娅·特里珀，一个丰润清新的少女，浅色的头发，白皙的皮肤，明亮的眼睛。乡绅为他周围的人制定了法律，但罗森夫人——“伊莉齐”——为他制定了法律。老家伙已经准备好承认这一点了。有时，当他听到她的呼唤“亚当，我需要你”而站起来时，他的深邃眼眸中会闪现出滑稽的光芒。

“孩子们，要学会及时服从，”他说。 “省去了一点麻烦。在家庭中最好是“na melojeon”。它迟早会到来，而且越早对你越好。我和这里大多数已婚男人的区别在于，他们对此撒谎，而我不会。我知道我属于伊丽莎。她拥有我，但她对我很好。当她在身边时，我有点温顺，但当我离开家时，我就变得非常独立来弥补这一点。此外，无论你来还是留下，被某人指派为你服务总比世界上没有任何人为你服务要好得多。”

除了罗森夫人之外，家里还有一个丧偶的女儿特里珀夫人，她是一位身材高大、苍白、瘦弱、眼神悲伤的女人，曾经很漂亮，还有她的女儿尤弗洛尼亚（前面已提到过），她有权长得很漂亮，是老乡绅的偶像，做任何事都不会受挫。因此，她是一个被宠坏的小姑娘，任性、虚荣，而且像变色龙一样容易受到影响。她能轻而易举地将家人左右为难，这让她对他们产生了某种蔑视。起初，她非常迷恋这位年轻的工程师；后来，她爱上了这位年轻的工程师。但罗德先生太忙了，无暇顾及一个被他视为小孩子的女孩，她把目光转向了戈登。戈登也对她的魅力无动于衷。他对女孩子一点也不冷漠。参加圣马丁教堂的几个小姑娘曾一度成为他的明星。但他骨子里是个贵族，把自己看得比尤弗洛妮娅小姐这样的女孩高得多。

费迪·威克沙姆并没有像克制罗兹和基思那样的动机来克制与这个年轻女孩的调情。

尤弗洛尼亚一开始并没有太注意他。她一直不太喜欢费迪·威克沙姆，认为他是北方佬。但当另外两个人都辜负了她的期望时，威克沙姆就接受了她的甜言蜜语。她对他的冷漠激怒了他，并激起了他的兴趣，否则他可能不会有这种兴趣。作为一个年轻人，他见识过很多世界，可以用他所知道的来打出精彩的表演。他会弹钢琴，尽管这位老乡下人为他的孙女买来的二手钢琴发出的声音可能来自叮叮当当的铙钹，但费迪弹奏起来有一定的力度，可以从中带出曲调。女孩觉得很好。两人很快就开始变得如此亲密，以至于罗兹和基思都开始团结费迪来征服他。费迪沾沾自喜地接受了。

“我想你们在山上工作的时候我应该留在这里，”当他们离开的时间临近时，他对他的首领说道。

“你不会做这样的事。我答应过要带你一起走，无论死活，我都会带你走。”

年轻人的脸上开始皱起眉头，但很快就消失了，取而代之的是一抹暗自得意的表情。

“我以为你父亲愿意给你五千美元，如果你能坚持到底，整个旅程？”基思说。

费迪慢慢闭上一只眼睛，另一只眼睛盯着戈登。

“疾病是被禁止的。我会告诉那位我研究过的老人。他永远不会放弃比赛。无论如何，他是一只温柔的老鸟。”

“你的意思是你要骗他？”戈登问道。

“哎呀，你真是多愁善感啊！所有的人都对他们的州长撒谎。”费迪轻松地宣称。 “哎呀，如果我不说谎的话，我就一点乐趣也没有了。儿子，你陪我一会儿，我会教你一些有用的东西。”

“谢谢。我毫不怀疑你是一位有能力的老师。”戈登嗤之以鼻。 “不过我想我不会麻烦你的。”

那天晚上，当基思下班回来时，他横穿了田野和果园，在一棵遮荫的树下，他看到了费迪和尤弗洛尼亚。他们太投入了，基思急忙退出，绕道绕过果园回到了家里。

晚饭时，特里珀太太漫不经心地询问女儿去了哪里，如果不是费迪·威克沙姆匆忙回答的话，基思可能不会注意到这句话。

“她去追奶牛，”他快速看了她一眼，说道，“我去钓鱼，但什么也没钓到。”

“我想，弗罗尼，我在果园里看到了你，”她的母亲说。

威克沙姆再次快速地看着她。

“不，她不在果园里，”他说，“因为我在那里。”

“不，今晚我不在果园，”尤弗洛尼亚说。 “我去追奶牛了。”她低头看着自己的盘子。

基思默默地吃完了剩下的晚餐。他无法透露费迪的情况。那不会是“方形”。他咨询了他的导师、他的首领，但他只是嘲笑他。

“别管他们，”他劝告道。 “我猜她在他来之前就知道如何撒谎。费迪有一定道理。一会儿我们就要出发去山里了。我只是等着把老乡绅带过来。”

戈登摇摇头。

“我父亲说你误以为他的热情好客是让步，”他说。 “你永远无法让他同意你的计划。”

罗德笑道。

“噢，我不会！我以前也曾与这些老乡人打过交道。只要给他们时间并向他们展示美元即可。他会过来的。等我把谢克尔挂在他面前。”

但罗兹先生发现，在那个省级领域，有些东西比谢克尔更强大。其中就有偏见。年轻工程师越说，老乡人就显得越固执。

“我养牛，”他对自己的雄辩作了最后的回答。

“养牛吧！一年养煤赚的钱比养一辈子牛赚的钱还要多。哎呀，这里几乎是世界上矿产最丰富的国家，”这位年轻的外交官很有说服力地说。

“这就是我不想让铁路进入的原因，”乡绅轻轻地喘着气说道。 “我不希望洋基队下来并把它从我们身边夺走。”

罗德笑道。 “我希望看到有人从你身上拿走任何东西。他们会为你开发它。”

“我从未见过有人为另一个人发展任何东西，至少是洋基队，”斯奎尔·罗森若有所思地说。

就在这时，费迪插话了。他厌倦了被排除在外。

“我父亲会来这里，给你们这些老苔藓们看一两件事，”他笑着说。

老者缓缓将目光转向他。费迪并不是他最喜欢的人。一方面，他弹钢琴。但还有其他原因。

“孩子，你的父亲是谁？”乡绅从烟斗里长长地吸了一口。

“Wickersham & Company 的 Aaron Wickersham，他正在为这条铁路安装芯片。我们将穿过这里，使其成为全国最伟大的线路之一。”

“哦，你是 进去' 运行它！从你说话的方式来看，我想也许你 民政事务总署 运行。一个名叫亚伦的人曾经认为他比他的兄弟更了解“关于远征”的知识。听说过他的近况吗？”

“不，”费迪说。

“嗯，他把其中一些埋在地里。他没有理智去区分牛犊和上帝。”

费迪脸红了。

“嗯，我老爸知道的足以管理这条铁路。他做过比这更伟大的事情。”

“如果他知道的和他儿子一样多，那他就知道很多了。他应该能够统治世界。”乡绅转身对罗德说道：

“我的儿子，当你完成了你所说的为我们做的一切之后，你打算做什么？你太优秀了，不能生活在北方佬中间；我想你必须回到这里。”

“不; “我要结婚了，安定下来。”罗德开玩笑地说。 “也许有一天我会回到这里，只是为了接受你的感谢，感谢你让你在我来之前看到你是多么愚昧，以及我给你的建议。”

“他想娶一个有钱的女人。”费迪说道，罗德听了这话，脸有些红了。

老人没有注意到有人打扰。

“好吧，你必须这样做，”他对罗德说道，目光仁慈地落在他身上。 “你一定要找个时间回来看看我。我喜欢听一个无所不知的年轻人说话。但你要听从我的建议，我的孩子；不要娶任何有钱人的女儿。他们总是认为他们帮了你一个忙，并且他们会尽力让你也这么认为，即使你的妻子不这样做。你接受我的警告。当我结婚时，我只有十六美元，而我的妻子则有十七美元，我向你保证，从那天到现在，我再也没有听说过那一美元。”

罗德笑道，他会记住他的建议。

“有时我想，”老人说，“我搞错了我的使命。我生来就是为了给别人提供建议，而且他们一生都在给我建议。这是除了物理之外我唯一给予我的东西。”

派对离开的前一天晚上，费迪将他的装备和其他东西打包在一起。但第二天早上他就病倒在床上了。他的脉搏不快，但他抱怨四肢疼痛。巴尔萨姆医生来看望他，但没发现有什么严重的事情。然而，他建议罗德留下他。所以，聚会在山里的时候，费迪一直住在乡绅罗森家。但他写信给父亲说他正在学习。

罗兹一行人在山区期间，罗森乡绅与他们一起骑马巡查土地、检查煤层，为这项事业的成功做出了巨大贡献。

他似乎主要对狩猎牛感兴趣，在他介绍了工程师并获得地主迟来的同意让他们进行调查后，他会花几个小时与几头山牛讨价还价，或者骑着马到处走走。山里寻找别人。

许多农民在老罗森花了一两个小时观察他的“牛”，或者与他和他饱经风霜的妻子谈论了“垃圾”和“孩子”。

“你是一个奇迹！”年轻的罗德带着由衷的钦佩说道。 “你是怎么处理的？”

老乡人谦虚地接受了这个称赞。

“不好了;这不是什么奇迹。我所知道的一切都是我在里奇学院、从我的一位老叔叔那里以及在战争中学到的。他常常说：‘亚当，别犯傻了；了解牛之间的区别。现在，在你来之前，我对所有这些外国国家一无所知——它们有点模糊，比如新耶路撒冷——也不了解煤炭。你已经告诉我这一切了。我有一个想法，这一切都是开玩笑的——正如我们发现的那样，开玩笑——正如圣经所说的那样；“是的”。但你知道的东西比摩西知道的还要多，而且他“精通埃及人的一切知识”。你对牛的态度不像我希望的那样好，但你对煤炭了解很多。了解牛之间的区别，我的儿子。他们之间有明显的区别。”

罗德宣称他会记住他的建议，两人互相尊重地分手了。

这位年轻的工程师回到纽约后，向他的雇主做了报告。他说，矿产资源实在是巨大，而且就在眼前，任何一个懂得如何与矿产资源所属的人打交道的人都可以去采摘。几乎只要提出要求就可以得到它们。但他补充说：立法宪章很难成立，即使成立，也需要一支军队来维持他们违背人民意愿的规定。他建议获得乡绅罗森和其他几位当地巨头的服务。

威克沙姆先生听了这直白的话，皱起了眉头，然后用笔快速浏览了报告的这一部分。 “我非常感谢你关于矿物的报告。剩下的都是垃圾。你并没有因为你的建议而得到报酬。当我想要法律时，我会去找律师。”

罗德先生愤怒地站了起来。

“好吧，你的观点毫无价值，比每一个向你出卖他的观点和他自己的无赖政客的观点更有价值，你会发现它的。”

威克沙姆先生确实发现了这一点。不管关于这条路的报道有多少，这条路多年来一直没有修建。 J·昆西·普卢姆先生和他的同事们通过的立法宪章，旨在将该地区变成现代戈尔康达，但已被创建它们的立法机关一扫而空，必须获得新的宪章。

然而，乡绅罗森继续购买牛群，据报道还购买了矿权，而戈登·基思仍然顽强地追随罗兹先生走过的道路，确信有一天他会发现他是一个伟大的人，建造桥梁和挖掘隧道，像往常一样，用他的手臂快速挥动，命令其他人，让他们向右或向左移动。戈登以前把学习当作一项任务，现在他为了野心而工作，这把钥匙打开了未知的宝藏。

罗兹先生在与威克沙姆先生面谈后不久就结识了诺曼。他仍然对威克沙姆先生对待他的报告的方式感到痛苦。他为此付出了很大的努力。他将其部分归因于费迪对他的抱怨。他现在向诺曼讲述了他的旅行，并漫不经心地提到了他与戈登·基思的会面。

“他是一个好孩子，”他说，“一个好孩子。他舔了费迪——一件非常漂亮的小作品。费迪的体重和触及范围都在他身上。”

“舔了费迪！我猜这是宿怨吧？”诺曼说。

“不。他们一开始是很好的朋友。是关于你的。”

“关于我？”诺曼的脸上露出了新的兴趣。

“是的;费迪说了些什么，基思接了起来。他看起来很喜欢你。我认为他是为了费迪，因为费迪一直在为这个地方困扰他。你知道老威克沙姆拥有它。费迪的强项不是品味。所以我认为戈登感觉有点酸痛，当费迪向你发脾气时，基思打了他一巴掌。”

诺曼现在完全警觉了。

“出色地？哪个舔了？”

“哦，就这样了。基思在第一轮比赛结束时获胜。如果他没有舔他，他现在就会打架了。”

剩下的谈话是关于基思将军和他的处境的艰辛。

“他们穷得要死，”罗兹说。他讲述了他周围的情况。

当诺曼回到家时，他去找他的母亲。当她看到那警觉、充满活力的身材和清新、男子气概、热切的脸庞时，她的眼睛闪闪发亮。她知道他心里有事。

“妈妈，我有一个计划，”他说。 “你还记得戈登·基思，那个我在英国沉没的男孩——‘反叛者基思’吗？”

温特沃斯夫人记得很清楚。她记得一场比那更古老的战斗，发生在基思和温特沃斯之间。

“嗯，我刚刚听说过他。罗德——你还记得罗德吗？格林内尔·罗德？曾经是中风，有史以来最严重的中风。好吧，罗德已经南下并住在基思父亲的家里。他说这是一个美丽的老地方，现在属于费迪的父亲威克沙姆先生，而老绅士基思将军曾经是这片土地的所有者，为他耕种这片土地。想想看！就好像父亲必须在银行当簿记员一样！罗德斯说他是一个很好的老家伙，戈登是最好的老家伙之一。他在那里为威克沙姆先生经营一条铁路线，并带着戈登。他说他是最优秀的人，非常想上大学，但没有一分钱，也没有办法得到任何东西。罗德说那里很糟糕。他们太穷了。”

温特沃斯夫人笑了。 “出色地？”

诺曼脸红了，有点结巴，就像他尴尬时经常做的那样。

“嗯，你知道我自己也有一些钱，我想如果你不介意的话我想借给他一点。当这样的人愿意为了上大学的机会而献出自己的眼睛时，我觉得自己浪费了很多钱，却又无所事事，真是太猪了。格林内尔·罗兹说他非常喜欢我；费迪有一次吹了气，说了一些反对我的话，戈登直接跳到他身上——说我是他的朋友，费迪不应该在他面前说任何反对我的话。他把费迪打倒了。我告诉你，一个人见过他之后，还准备再打几年，那他就是一个好朋友了。”

温特沃斯夫人的表情表明她也很欣赏这样的朋友。

“你怎么知道他需要它，或者如果他需要它会接受它？”

“为什么，罗兹说我们不知道那里的贫困情况。他说，与那些人相比，我们最穷的职员是富有的。我会给他写一封信并提出借给他。我会告诉他这是我的。”

温特沃斯夫人走过去亲吻了男孩。她脑海中浮现这样的画面：一个刚从田野里出来的年轻人，他在那里赢得了声誉，受到国家的尊敬，拥有财富和地位所能给予的一切，把他的荣誉放在一个贫穷的年轻女孩的脚下。

“好吧，我的儿子。”

那天晚上，诺曼坐下来写了一封信。

几天后，戈登·基思收到一封邮戳为“纽约”的信。纽约有谁认识他？不是他的年轻工程师。他了解自己的手。他现在在国外。当他读到这封信时，他有了更多的疑问。这是诺曼·温特沃斯寄来的。他说，他遇到了一位老朋友，他向他讲述了戈登和他父亲的不幸。他说，他自己正在上大学，他发现自己能够帮助朋友。他不知道援助能起到多大作用；但他自己有一些钱，他请求戈登允许他借给他任何可能需要的东西，以减轻他父亲和他自己的负担。

当戈登读完这封信时，他的眼里含着泪水。

他把信放在父亲的腿上，老先生慢慢地读了一遍。他坐在那里沉思了一会儿，然后把信还给了戈登。

“写信给他并感谢他，我的儿子——为我们俩热烈地感谢他。我永远不会忘记他的恩情。他是一位绅士。”

这就是全部了；但他的脸上也表明，那道遥远的光束已经到达了他的心脏并停在那里。

将军事后深深地思考了这一行动是否明智。然而就在这时，上帝似乎向他伸出了援助之手。

老亚当·罗森听说他手头拮据，或者受到某种善意的冲动，主动提出向他提供贷款。他写道，他“碰巧有一小堆东西放在他身边，当时他没有任何特别的用途，他突然想到，也许将军可以利用它来获得好处。他根本不关心安全或利益。”

将军很困惑。他自己并不需要这笔钱，但他很高兴能借到足够的钱供戈登上大学一年。他派戈登带着一封信去老罗森家。

老人读了信，然后看了看戈登。他读了一遍，又打量了他一眼，就像在打量一头小公牛一样。

“好吧，我并没有说我会把它借给你，”他说；“我没有说过要借给你。” “但是，也许，如果对将军有帮助，我会这么做。投资一个年轻人是有风险的；这就像把你的钱投入到一个哈利迪克身上——你不知道他会变成什么样子。你所要做的就是框架和你的判断。”

对基思来说幸运的是，老牛贩子对他的“判断”有很好的评价。他继续说道：“但我承认血液计数有一定的作用，而且我不太愿意在你的血液上冒险。”

戈登笑了。他说，他很乐意以任何理由接受审判，并且一定会偿还这笔钱。

“好吧，如果可以的话，我相信你会的，”乡绅说。 “这超出了我对每个人的评价。我会为你的未来投资一点钱，我想对你说，你的未来取决于你是否还钱。我从来没有见过一个年轻人不还债会给我的生活带来任何好处，我也从来没有见过一个年轻人不还债而没有还债。我见过很多人，如果你胆敢质疑他的荣誉，他就会开枪打死你；如果他对他们表现不好，他也不会付给你一美元。”他拿出钱包，小心翼翼地解开绳子，开始数美元。

“我得带一大堆东西来买小牛，”他笑着说。 “但我认为你会成为一两个人的合理替代者。你想要多少——我的意思是，你能得到多少？

戈登告诉了他父亲建议的金额。这笔钱并不多。

“这对于书本学习来说似乎是一大笔钱，”老人若有所思地说，他的眼睛盯着戈登。 “我的整个治疗花费不到二十五美元。通过所有这些学习，你的知识足以在里奇学院任教。”

想通了这一点的戈登开始缴纳必要的开支。说完，老人开始数帐单。戈登说他会给他一张便条，他的父亲也会签署。另一个人摇摇头。

“不;我不想要任何债券。我会记住它，你也会记住它。我知道有太多的人在交出保证金后就认为自己还清了债务。我不想让你这么想。如果你要付钱给我，你就可以不用保证金，如果你不付钱，我也不会起诉你；我开玩笑地想，你真是个混蛋。”

于是戈登回到家，几周后开始深入研究新的谜团。

戈登的大学生活可能就这样过去了。他工作得很好，因为他觉得工作是必要的。

离开大学后环顾四周，戈登·基思唯一能想到的就是在学校教书。可以肯定的是，业务；正如他父亲微笑着引用的那样，“受过教育的穷人的普遍避难所”已经人满为患。但戈登听说有一所学校迄今为止还没有因申请者过多而不堪重负。里奇学院有一个空缺。最后，可怜的冈恩在尽可能长时间地坚持之后，放下了武器，就像所有士兵迟早必须做的那样，戈登申请了这个职位。老乡绅用父亲的眼神记住了那个笔直宽肩的男孩，也记住了自己欠他的债，用一个面容严肃、双眸喷火的男人隔着炮弹静静地骑在部下前面的目光——耕完田后，他写信叫戈登来。

“如果他身上有一半的父亲的血统，他就会纠正这些错误，”他说。

于是，戈登成为了一名学校老师。

“我不知道可以给你什么更好的建议，”基思将军向戈登告别时说道，“除了告诉你管理自己，你将能够管理他们。 ‘不轻易发怒的人胜过勇猛的人；统治自己精神的人胜过占领城市的人。”

在戈登·基思努力获得最好的教育的那些年里，费迪·威克沙姆就读于该国最早的大学之一。诺曼·温特沃斯就读于同一所大学。事实上，诺曼的存在是费迪被派到那里的主要原因。威克沙姆先生希望他的儿子能够拥有最好的优势。威克沙姆夫人也希望如此，但她还有更进一步的动机。她希望她的儿子能够超越诺曼·温特沃斯。两人都是年轻人，而且都拥有无限的财力，所以两人都没有义务学习。

然而，诺曼·温特沃斯致力于获得一项高级荣誉，由于他受到普遍尊重并且非常受欢迎，他被认为肯定会获得这一荣誉，直到一个意想不到的申请人突然出现作为竞争对手。

费迪·威克沙姆从来不费心去竞争任何东西，直到他发现其他人重视它。这是他从母亲那里遗传来的一个特质，母亲永远不会看到任何人拥有一件东西而不去垂涎它。

这位年轻人很快在大学里被认为是同性恋界的领袖之一。他布置豪华的房间、昂贵的晚餐以及他与舞女的相识都被人们谈论，他很快就被誉为班上最狂野的年轻人之一。

“你的儿子会花掉你能为他赚到的所有钱，”他的一位朋友对威克沙姆先生说。

“好吧，”父亲说，“我希望他在花钱时能像我在赚钱时一样快乐，仅此而已。”

他不仅给了费迪他建议需要的所有钱，而且还向他提供了大笔奖金，以防他获得他听说过的大学工作奖的任何荣誉。

威克沙姆夫人非常渴望他赢得这个特别的奖项。除了她天生的野心之外，她还有一个特殊的原因。诺曼温特沃斯父子公司是该国最古老、最著名的公司之一。诺曼·温特沃斯 (Norman Wentworth) 的住宅被认为是这座城市最优雅、最独特的住宅之一，温特沃斯先生和夫人都被公认为旧时代贵族的代表。威克沙姆夫人或许能够忍受这座豪宅的优雅的赞誉。她对家居装修有自己的想法，而温特沃斯宅邸的装修风格过于安静和陈旧，不适合她更现代的品味。如果说里面装满了旧桃花心木，挂着锦缎，那么威克沙姆夫人则用雕刻的胡桃木和华丽的帷幔装饰。至于那些白色大理石半身像和随处可见的书籍，她更喜欢她“在欧洲买的”那些辉煌的人物，而书籍“对房子来说是一种麻烦”。它们应该存放在图书馆里，就像她存放自己的一样——放在一个带玻璃门的雕刻胡桃木盒里。

威克沙姆夫人不喜欢温特沃斯夫人的真正原因有更深层次的原因。

当他们见面时，老太太总是对威克沙姆太太很客气，就像她对每个人都客客气气一样，当她举办一场盛大的招待会时，她也会邀请威克沙姆太太参加。但威克沙姆夫人觉得温特沃斯夫人生活在一个迷人的圈子里。威克沙姆夫人很羡慕。

必须说，费迪不需要任何煽动来以任何不需要太多工作的方式取代诺曼。他和诺曼是非常好的朋友。诺曼当然是这么想的；但费迪内心深处嫉妒诺曼的地位和威望，内心深处对诺曼怀有长期的怨恨，最近又增加了更大的怨恨。诺曼和他喜欢上了同一个女孩，而路易丝·考德威尔也开始喜欢诺曼。

费迪向他的父亲宣布，如果他给他足够的钱，他就能赢得班级荣誉，老威克沙姆很高兴，告诉他可以从他那里提取他想要的所有钱。费迪很快就这么做了。他突然放弃了逃大学，转而致力于结交同学，在娱乐上大手大脚地花钱，一时之间，他似乎有可能从诺曼手中夺取奖品。

然而，大学生是一群充满好奇心的人。青年人的心灵是善良的。在以后的生活中，它变得肮脏。费迪写信给他的父亲说，他获得了奖项，而他唯一的对手诺曼已经放弃了战斗。威克沙姆夫人公开吹嘘她儿子的成功和她的动机，并慷慨地给他寄了钱。然而，年轻的威克沙姆的野心，就像其他许多人的野心一样，最终实现了。威克沙姆为他招来了很多同伴，但他们主要是体重轻的人、喧闹者和游手好闲的人，而他的同学中的高年级学生很快就意识到了这一点。大学政治中引入了一个新元素。对危险的认识足以在学院中设置最好的人员来应对危险。当费迪·威克沙姆感到自己胜利了，并沉浸在新鲜的快乐之中时，一股新的、不可抗拒的力量意外地出现了，改变了当天的命运。威克沙姆试图阻止水流，但徒劳无功。这是一场浪潮。费迪·威克沙姆面临着失败，他无法忍受。据说，他突然放弃了大学学业，带着一个coryphée离开了。他走后一段时间，他的父母并不知道这件事。

威克沙姆先生从遥远的地方收到一份草稿，得到了第一个暗示。威克沙姆夫人得知此事后，勃然大怒，然后躺在床上。她的希望和野心的破灭是由于她在地球上最爱的人造成的。最后，她病得很重，威克沙姆先生电告他的儿子回家，过了一段合理的时间，年轻人就出现了。

母亲见到他时的喜悦压倒了她的一切，她以宽恕的态度接待了浪子，这既是母亲内心的弱点，也是母亲内心的力量。然而，父亲和母亲一样深受打击。他的野心，即使是另一种野心，也和威克沙姆夫人的野心一样大，而这位头脑冷静、目光敏锐的男人一生都在为前线而奋斗，常常很少考虑到周围的环境。他人的权利，他感到自己的一种动机和一种回报已经一起消失了。

他和儿子在他办公室里进行的那次会面给年长的男人留下了明显的印记，有一段时间，他的傲慢和不屈不挠的自私似乎甚至对年轻人也产生了影响。当亚伦·威克沙姆打开他的私家门并允许他的儿子和继承人出去时，外办公室的职员从年轻人的表情以及从紧闭的门传来的雷鸣声中知道， “老人”一直在向年轻人表达自己的想法。

起初，年轻人有叛逆的倾向。但他生平第一次发现自己已经超出了放纵的极限，而他曾一度鄙视他愚蠢柔顺的父亲却出乎意料地成为了他的主人。他以一种令费迪不得不承认的力量，向费迪展示了他从小就表现出的自私和残忍。他向他讲述了自己早年的困苦、辛劳和抱负。

“我已经尽心尽力了，”他说，“为了你的母亲，也为了你。我从来不知道有片刻的休息或你所谓的“乐趣”。当你母亲答应嫁给我时，我就摆在我面前，我会让她和这个国家——也就是纽约——的第一夫人一样优秀。她应该拥有像温特沃斯老太太或布鲁克福德的老布鲁克太太一样大的房子、一辆漂亮的马车和漂亮的衣服，她们是我所认识的最伟大的人。我为此付出了一生。我在我的时代之前就已经老了。我已经变得对事物失去了兴趣；我做了一些我从未梦想过的事情来实现它。我已经失去了为之工作的能力，而当你到来时，我以为我会从你身上得到回报。我不仅从不吝惜你的钱，而且还为你挥霍金钱，就好像我是纽约首富一样。我希望你拥有我从未有过的优势：与诺曼·温特沃斯或其他任何人一样优秀。我给了你一些东西，然后看着你把它们扔掉，当我还是个孩子的时候，我会跪着从我的老家爬到这个办公室去拿这些东西。我以为你会成为我的骄傲、我的停留和我的奖赏。你说你正在做这件事，你的母亲和我都把我们的心寄托在你身上。而你一直在逃跑，对我和她撒谎，没有做任何诚实的工作。”

年轻人打断了他的话。 “事实并非如此，”他阴沉地说。

他父亲拉出一个抽屉，从里面取出一封信。他把它打开放在桌子上，将张开的手掌放在上面。 “不是这样吗？我这里有证据。”他目光平直地看着年轻人，眼中闪烁着冰冷的光芒，让费迪的目光垂了下来。

“我没想到你会这么做 me”亚伦·威克沙姆慢慢地继续说道，眼睛始终没有离开儿子的脸，“因为我发现你对我的愿望一点也不在意；但我确实认为你会为你的母亲做这件事。因为她认为你是神并崇拜你。她已经讲了十年了，她会去看你在班上名列前茅。如果你赢了，她要去巴黎买衣服穿，而你——”他的声音沙哑——“你甚至无法毕业！明年夏天，当温特沃斯夫人去那里看望她的儿子，以及我认识的所有其他有儿子在那里毕业的男女，还有你的母亲——时，你会怎么想？父亲的声音完全消失了，他移开视线。就连费迪也有一瞬间显得严肃而遗憾。然后看了一眼父亲，他就恢复了平静。

“如果她这么做了，”他阴沉地说，“我不应该受到责备。这是她的错。”

亚伦·威克沙姆转向他。

“停下来，”他低声说道。 “别再说了。还有一个词，而且，上帝啊！我会把你的头从你的肩膀上打下来。你可以随意谈论我，但不要对她说任何一句话。我会把你从大学接走，让你去扫这个办公室的地板，每月二十美元，让你也靠工资生活，或者挨饿，如果你再说一句话的话。

费迪的脸因父亲眼中熊熊燃烧的怒火而变得苍白，但更因那闪烁的冰冷光芒。这让他浑身发抖。

不久之后，年轻的威克沙姆进入了他父亲的办公室，虽然年长的职员不太喜欢他，但很快他就找到了一份合适的职业，而且他有天赋。他有生以来第一次显得愿意工作。

戈登所主持的学校并不是一所非常先进的学府，这位年轻的老师可能没有传授给他的学生大量的博学。

他的前任校长和他们的赞助人一样，都是其制度的产物，其保守程度几乎不亚于洛克人的制度。任何提出一项创新的人都会在脖子上套上一根绳子，如果结果不成功，他就会有祸了。

当戈登首先向乡绅报告时，老人显然很高兴。

“怎么，你已经长大了很多。我没想到你是个这么大的人。”他满意地打量着他。 “你一定和你爸爸一样大了。”

“我的肩膀更宽，但没有那么高，”年轻人说。

“他是个很高的男人。”乡绅缓缓说道，眼中闪烁着光芒。 “你要去里奇学院试试，是吗？”当他的眼睛落在年轻人的脸上时，他的眼睛里闪烁着好奇的光芒。

“我要尝试一下。”戈登的脸亮了起来。 “我知道的不多，但我会尽我所能。”

他的谦虚让对方很高兴。

“我想你比杰克·丹尼森懂得更多，除了关于恶魔的知识。我担心你可能不太适应这里的环境；我上次见到你时，你还很年轻。”他像对待一头小公牛一样对待他。

“哦，我想我会的，”年轻人打断道，听到这个建议脸红了。

“你必须学习丹尼森男孩，而丹尼森男孩很难学任何东西。你将需要你所有的勇气。”

“哦，我会教他们，”戈登自信地说。老者的目光落在了他身上。

“'污点 教学 我正在谈论。它是 学习中 我告诉你他们需要。你必须向他们学习很多东西，否则他们就会学习你。这些丹尼森男孩学得相当慢。”

年轻人暗示他认为自己能够胜任。

“好吧，我们拭目以待吧。”老家伙咕哝道，深邃的眼睛里闪烁着某种东西。 “如果你不干涉他们，他们就不会对你造成任何伤害，”他慢吞吞地说。 “但是你还太年轻了，开个玩笑；你也不够大，而且你太大了，无法从猫洞钻进去。我承认，在以任何其他方式进入房子的第一周左右之后，你就无法忍受任何特别的表演了。”

“不过我会进去，而且我也不会从猫洞进去。如果你支持我，我就答应你。”

“哦，我会养活你的，”乡绅慢吞吞地说。 “我会支持你做任何事，除了让他们与 放慢 pizon，我不完全确定这会是开玩笑的过失杀人。”

“好的。”基思的眼睛猛地一瞪，很快，当外面的人的目光落在他身上时，他的眼睛也猛地一瞪。

于是契约就这样达成了，受托人继续提供更多信息。

“你的工作时间和往常一样，”他说：“夏天是七点到两点、凌晨到六点，冬天是七点半到两点、三点到五点，你会在书房里找到所有需要的书。书迷。我们不得不把它们锁起来，以免它们受到老鼠和脏东西的侵害。其中一些人的脸被巧妙地毁掉了，但我想你会和他们相处的。”

“好吧，那是相当长的时间，”戈登说。 “在我看来，它们最好缩短一些。我将-”

“这是平常的时间，”老人积极地打断道。 “我担任受托人已经二十六年了，但他们从来没有发生过任何变化。我不认为它们已经太长了——至少，我从来不认为学者们在其中学到了太多东西。它们并不比一个人在田间工作的时间长，而且工作更容易。”

戈登敏锐地看着老人。这是他的第一次战斗，而且正如他父亲警告他的那样，它立刻就开始了。这场斗争虽然短暂，却很痛苦，但他征服了——征服了自己。老乡下的脸色变得严肃起来。

“如果你想让别人满意，你最好试着去了解他们是学者，而不是受托人，”他干巴巴地说。 “丹尼森男孩很难，但我们更难。”

戈登迅速地看着他。他的目光落在他的身上，眼中闪烁着一丝光芒。

“我们有点像那个老家伙告诉年轻的传道人，他最好坚持滥用以扫、雅各、大卫和彼得的罪，而不要去管那些会众的罪。”

“我会尽力让您满意，”基思说。

乡绅显得很高兴。他的脸色放松了，语气也变了。

“完全 不会有麻烦的。”他幽默地说。 “如果你像你父亲那样就不会。我告诉他们你是他的儿子，我会对你负责。”

戈登·基思用柔和的眼神看着他。提起他的父亲，他总是心潮澎湃。

“我会尽力让你满意。”他认真地说。 “你能帮我一个忙吗？”

“是的。”

“学校开学的时候，你能过来参加一下考试吗，然后让我尝试一下按我的方式运行的实验，比如说两个月，然后再来参加另一次考试？如果我不能让你满意，我就按你说的做；我还是走老路吧。”

“好了。”受托人亲切地说。于是，戈登·基思再次取得胜利，并在有利的支持下创办了学校。

亚当·罗森邀请他来他家住。 “你可以给 Phrony 一些额外的课程，让她适合博丁学校，”他说。 “我希望她拥有最好的优势。”

基思很快就进一步讨好这位老乡绅。他为他驯养幼马，驾驶马车，修理车辆，并准备好处理这个地方发生的任何事情。

随着乡绅对年轻人的信心不断增强，他向基思透露了一个秘密。

“当你和那个来自北方的年轻人一起来到这里时，你会介意的，那个工程师家伙，发生了什么——一条铁路穿过这个国家，并且要带走所有的东西煤炭从阿勒格尼山顶流到托蒙特？”基思想起来了。 “嗯，他很有说服力，”乡绅继续说道，“我想，如果要赚到那么多钱，铁路就必须建成，就像他说的那样，开玩笑，就像水从山上流下来一样确定，我不妨也获取一些。我以前在那儿有一两块小纸条，从我的牛、木材等那里得到了一点钱，我进去又买了几块纸条，开玩笑，以填补类似的空缺，而弗罗尼也长大了，我认为是时候让铁路介入了；所以，如果你能找到你的年轻人，就让他知道我已经改变主意了。”

尤弗洛妮娅·特里珀小姐已经长成一个十五、十六岁的胖漂亮的乡下姑娘，红润的脸颊，亚麻色的头发，蓝色的眼睛，而且她还是老乡绅的唯一继承人，而老乡绅是家族中的一员。整个“国家”中“最固定”的男人使她成为该地区的美女。她已经给大杰克·丹尼森和他的弟弟戴夫留下了深刻的印象。戴夫暗恋着她，但杰克却公开地爱着她，他在她面前明显地、无可救药地被束缚着，就像一只被网缠住的小熊一样。为了她的利益，他会表现出力量的壮举，这可能会给一个男孩赫拉克勒斯带来荣誉。但如果她把脸上的光彩转向他，他就会变成一团无可救药、满头大汗的白痴。

基思发现她是一个有点难对付的学生。她更专注于给他留下深刻的印象，而不是学业上的进步。

当她与这位年轻老师交往时最初的羞涩消失后，有一段时间她开始对他投以眼神，如果基思曾经梦想过这种情况，他却从未表现出丝毫的迹象。因此，她很快就放弃了这场无用的行动，一度对他抱有敬畏和蔑视的态度。

里奇学院是一栋简单的单间木屋，前面有一个小门廊，是用砍伐的原木建造的，内部抹灰。

戈登·基思 (Gordon Keith) 在开始履行新职责后，发现自己的职位比他预期的要容易得多。

无论是这位年轻老师安静的举止、清澈的眼睛、宽阔的肩膀和自信的举止所带来的新奇，还是他开始上课时所采取的考试理念，他度过了令人惊讶的安静的一周。学校日复一日地挤满了人，就连那些著名的丹尼森男孩，从身材魁梧的六英尺高年级学生雅各布·丹尼森，到三人中最年轻、最聪明的戴夫，每天早上都按时出现，用热情的态度对待这位年轻的老师。合理的礼貌，虽然带着些许傲慢的熟悉感。

考试当天，乡绅罗森出席了，他穿着一件多余的白衬衫，庄严而浮夸。尽管检查很简短，但它向基思揭示了他对最简单事物的无知程度，令人震惊。让他难以置信的是，花了这么多时间所谓的学习，却没有取得什么进展。他用通俗易懂的语言阐述了这一点，并概述了他缩短工作时间和更密切应用的计划。男孩们那边传来一个声音，嘀咕道，主人并没有发现过去的时间有什么问题。他们对他们来说已经足够好了。基斯迅速转身：

“那是什么？”

没有答案。

“那是什么，丹尼森？”他问道。 “我以为我听到你说话了。”

“沃尔，如果你这么做了，我就不会跟你说话了，”雅各布·丹尼森阴沉地说。

“好吧，当你在学校讲话时，请对我说话，”基思说。他注意到尤夫洛妮娅·特里珀的目光落在了他身上。

“我可能会，但我也不可能。”雅各布傲慢地说。

“我建议你这样做。”

雅各布的回答介于咕哝和冷笑之间，学校里响起了一阵很像掌声的沙沙声。

第二天早上，基思到达学校后，发现门从里面锁上了。里面传来一声窃笑，表明这并非偶然，而在他严厉命令立即打开门时，人们发出一阵嘲笑，这表明丹尼森家的孩子们又在玩他们的老把戏了。

“杰克·丹尼森，快开门！”他称。

钥匙孔里传来了回答：

“‘Ole Molly 嘿，你在做什么？坐在德科德纳，抽一支烟。”

这是小戴夫的声音，紧接着是一阵烟草烟雾从钥匙孔中飘进来，以及弗罗尼·特里珀带来的一阵笑声。

附近的柴堆上放着一把斧子，两分钟后，校舍的地板上的门就变成了碎片，基思脸色苍白，声音里带着危险的颤抖，正在向惊讶的学校发出命令。他听完了课程，中午，也就是他前一天指定的时间，让所有年轻的学者都散了。他命令丹尼森一家和一两个体型较大的男孩留下来。当学者们鱼贯而出时，雅各布·丹尼森和他的弟弟戴夫进行了一场对话。戴夫是一家人的头脑，他正在对杰克窃窃私语。基思移开椅子，在门边坐下。丹尼森一家进行了简短的低声交谈，然后杰克·丹尼森站起来，慢慢地戴上帽子，对其他男孩说，他不知道他们要做什么，但他“a-gwine”回到家，准备好去盖茨家看舞会。”

他大摇大摆地朝门口走去，其他人跟在他身后。

基思从座位上站起来。

“回你的地方去吧。”他说话的声音很小，几乎听不见他的声音。

“哪儿也不去！你去吧！”大首领轻蔑地冷笑道。 “你试图阻止我是没有用的——我可以和你这样的两个人一起逃跑。”

或许，他本可以这么做，但基思对他来说太快了。他抓住了他起身的那把开底椅子，将其高高地旋转到头顶上方，将袭击者摔倒在地，把他压倒在地板上。然后，他没有丝毫犹豫，就向其他人扑去。

“马上就座！”他喊道，再次举起受损但仍然强大的武器。出于本能，叛变者们坐到了最近的座位上，基思转身面对他的第一个对手，他刚刚从地板上站起来，脸上带着茫然的表情。几滴血顺着他的额头流下来。

“如果你不立即坐到座位上，我就把你的脑袋敲碎，”基思直视着他的眼睛说道。他仍然抓着椅子，当他抓得更紧时，那个垂头丧气的恶霸就瘫倒在长凳上，并开始呜咽起来，因为一个成年人用椅子打了一个男孩。

突然，就在胜利的时刻，基思发现自己遭到了后方的袭击。一个和其他人一起出去的小男孩听到打斗声，冲了回来，正当基思开车送杰克·丹尼森到座位上时，他像一只小野猫一样跳到了他身上。基思转身抓住了他。

“戴夫·丹尼森，你在做什么，让你感到困惑？”他愤怒地质问。

“我是他们中的一员，”男孩哭喊着，试图用拳头和脚去够他。 “我不会让任何人打我弟弟的。”

基思发现他在镇压戴夫（丹尼森部落中最小的成员）时比征服更大的兄弟更困难。

“坐下，规矩点，”他说着，把他推到座位上，把他抱在那里。 “如果他乖一点，我就不会再打他了。”

基思让戴夫安静下来后，看看杰克并没有受到太大的伤害。他拿出手帕。

“拿着这个，用它擦擦脸。”他轻声说道，从桌上取出墨水瓶和一些信纸，坐在靠近门的长凳上，开始写信。天色已晚，但年轻老师却没有动。他写了一封又一封信。天开始黑了。他干脆点亮了书桌上的小灯，拿起一本书，坐下来看了起来​​。当他最后站起来宣布罪犯可以回家时，盖茨乐队中三种乐器的喘息声早已消失，戈登·基思毫无争议地成为了里奇学院的校长。

那天早上，他写给董事会的信说，如果他们支持他的行动，他将尽最大努力使学校成为该地区最好的学校；但如果没有，他的辞职就掌握在他们手中。

“我想他就是那些年轻人需要的良药，”巴尔萨姆博士说。 “我们最好让它发挥作用。”

“我认为他可以骑它们，”乡绅罗森说。

投票结果支持他。

事实上，一个面容光滑的男孩，不像杰克·丹尼森那么重二十磅，“面朝下”并镇压了丹尼森三人，并阻止杰克·丹尼森去他想去的地方，这让受托人很幽默。 ，他们几乎一致支持他们的老师，甚至投票决定支付一扇新门的费用，而他提出自己支付这扇门的费用，因为他说他可能不得不再次把它砍掉。并不是说，那些对他的方法过于新奇的人并不对他怀有敌意。但当他开始教他的学生拳击，并用他的拳头表明他不仅仅是杰克·丹尼森的对手时，他的主要反对者就消失了。年底前，杰克·丹尼森将他从老师那里学到的艺术付诸实践，殴打了威廉·布拉菲先生，这位另一位在山脊高处行走的雄鸡，因为他嘲笑里奇学院的“新奇愚蠢”，并称其老师为“傻瓜皮匠”。在所有反对他的人中，只有小戴夫·丹尼森坚持了下来。他似乎证明了基思竭尽全力成为朋友的证据。

然而有一天，戴夫·丹尼森没有来学校。基思得知他从树上掉下来，摔断了腿——“为弗罗尼获取鹰蛋，”基思的线人报告说。弗罗尼对此颇为轻蔑，但也有些高兴。

“如果一个男孩傻到在被告知树无法支撑他的情况下却爬上树，她也无法控制。无论如何，她不想要鸡蛋。”她轻蔑地说。这就是小戴夫的奉献和勇气所得到的全部回报。

那天下午，基思越过山脊去看戴夫。

丹尼森的家是山脊后面的一座小农舍，位于所谓的“海湾”，山间角度的一个开口，其中一个山岸上有一块平坦或部分平坦的地面。小山溪。当基思到达时，他发现了丹尼森夫人，她身材矮小，棱角分明，眼睛锐利，鼻子细长，嘴唇薄薄，非常僵硬，多疑。她从来没有原谅基思战胜了她的孩子们，现在她看起来好像很乐意让狗扑向他，而不是像当他大步走上小路、尖叫着的狼群冲向他时那样叫住它们。

她“不知道戴夫怎么样，”她闷闷不乐地说。 “医生说他好多了。她看不出有什么变化。是的，她猜想，如果他愿意的话，他可以进去。”她不客气地说。

基思进来了​​。男孩躺在一张大床上，他的头靠在窗户的小开口的框架上，透过窗户，他渴望地窥视外面的世界，而他将与这个世界隔绝了这么多疲惫的星期。他以半傲慢的方式回应了基思的问候，自从争吵那天以来，他一直以这种方式接受基思的示好。但是，当基思坐在床上，开始兴高采烈地跟他谈论他在没有人敢去的地方进行攀登的勇气时，他就缓和了，不久，当基思转向其他勇敢的故事时，他开始变得更加勇敢。感兴趣，过了一段时间之后就变得几乎友好了。

他担心他们可能不得不砍掉他的腿。他的母亲总是对事情持悲观的态度，她告诉他她认为可能必须这样做，这让他感到害怕。但基思能够让他放心。医生告诉他，虽然骨折很严重，但腿会保住。

“如果他不是像轻木结一样坚硬，那次摔倒就会把他压成泥，”博士说。基思重复了这句话，戴夫显然很高兴。苍白的脸庞放松下来，露出笑容。基思给他讲了其他男孩的故事，这些男孩也曾遭遇过类似的事故，并让他们得到了很好的回报——阿克莱特、威廉·琼斯爵士和莫里准将，他们都在双腿骨折躺在床上时为自己未来的成名奠定了基础。

当基思离开时，他给男孩留下了安慰和欢呼，甚至连门口那个忧郁的女人也比她的问候更加礼貌地告别了他。

在男孩康复期间的许多个下午，基思都会越过山脊去看他，给他带来故事书，给他读书，直到他有足够的力量自己读书。几周后，当这个跛脚男孩能够重返学校时，基思在整个山脊地区没有比戴夫·丹尼森更坚定的朋友了，戴夫在精神上取得了进步，也许他在几个月内不会取得这样的进步。在学校里，因为他有一种想要了解并超越自己的冲动。他会让弗罗尼知道他是谁。

戈登觉得自己正在谋生，这让他感觉很好。他已经在这个世界上迈出了自己的一步，年轻的老师常常从梯子的第一级开始，远远地望向闪亮的陡坡，那里的名望和荣耀用他们光芒四射的双手招手。他会被人认识的。他将建造的桥梁应该使史蒂文森的桥梁黯然失色。他会像沃伦·黑斯廷斯一样，买回他父亲的房子，成为一位伟大的绅士。

他收到的第一笔工资使他成为资本家。以前他根本不知道什么是财富的快乐。他把钱付给了老罗森。

“这是你的投资的第一个回报，”他说。

“我不知道这是否是第一次回归，”乡绅慢慢地说。 “但在全部收回之前，投资不算完成。”他敏锐的目光落在基思的脸上。

“我知道，”基思笑着说。

但对于鲍尔萨姆博士来说，基思有时会想，他一定是在第一个冬天就死了，事实上，这个年轻人确实对这个高个子、板面男人有很大的亏欠，他的衣服松松垮垮地挂在他身上，以至于他看起来远处几乎只有一个架子来支撑他们。当他走近时，他是一个朴素的老乡下人，脸上表情深深地严肃，神态蓬乱。再近看，你会发现那双深灰色的眼睛既精明又慈祥；灰色小胡子下的嘴角有细纹，时不时还挂着一丝微笑，但其中却蕴藏着某种严肃。

基思对巴尔萨姆博士的亏欠比他当时所知道的要多得多。因为只有回顾过去，青春才能衡量自己所走过的台阶。

据说，在巴西，一条小溪从一位绅士花园的河岸下发源，流了一段距离后，遇到一块岩石，分成两支，其中一支向北流入亚马逊河，另一支则转向向南，注入普拉塔河。一个非常小的障碍物导致了分歧并决定了这两条河流的路线。生活中也是如此。

早春的一个下午，戈登·基思腋下夹着书本放学回家，可以说，他遇到了一块石头，使他偏离了平静的航道，塑造了他的人生轨迹。

那天下午他要为罗森乡绅操一匹小马驹，所以他很匆忙。但当他沿着蜿蜒的小路大步走去时，嫩绿的叶子的魔力和春天的气味充满了眼睛和鼻孔，用那微妙的声音呼唤着他的灵魂，自从青春自己的春天在绿叶树丛中苏醒以来，这种微妙的声音就一直激励着青春。 。它的呼唤里有自由，有广阔空间的魅力，有青春对世界无声的挑战，有挥之不去的模糊记忆，有未言而喻的爱的低语，所有这些都构成了青春的青春。

不久，戈登意识到，在他前面不远的地方，在拱形树枝下，有两个孩子正在路上寻找什么东西，其中一个在哭泣。与此同时，他们身后的弯道转向他，一个骑在马背上的女孩。当她朝他奔来时，他越来越感兴趣，因为他看到她很年轻，而且很陌生。也许她来自“斯普林斯”，因为她骑着盖茨的一匹马，而且骑得很猛。

当骑手来到孩子们面前时，她勒住了马，停了下来。基思听到她问小孩子怎么了，大孩子回答说她哭是因为她丢了钱。 “她本来打算用它去商店买糖果，但把它掉了。”

女孩从马背上跳了下来。

“噢，你这个可怜的小东西！过来吧，你亲爱的小猫。我给你一些钱。你不牵着我的马吗？他不会伤害你的。”这是给大孩子的。

她跪倒在路上，就像孩子们一样，不顾尘土飞扬，把哭泣的孩子拉到身边，从口袋里掏出手帕，轻轻地擦拭着他那张又脏又脏、脏兮兮的小脸，开始安慰他。以舒缓的语气。基思站了起来，呼吸急促地看着她。他在帽子下只能看到椭圆形的下巴和粉红脸颊的精致曲线，渐渐变成了雪花，小脑袋后面有一撮棕色的头发搭在匀称的颈背上。其余的，她身材苗条，戴着新手套，非常合身。基思心里断定，她大约十六岁或十七岁，而且从他瞥见的那一刻来看，她一定很漂亮。他突然意识到自己穿着最糟糕的衣服。

“晚上好，”他说着，举起了手戴上帽子。

帽子刚被举起，女孩就抬起头来。

“你好吗？”

他们的目光相遇，基思的脸上泛起红晕，帽子啪地一声掉了下来。

为什么，她很漂亮！她的眼睛像湿紫罗兰一样蓝。

“我会帮你寻找它，”他半狡诈半善意地说。 “她把它丢哪儿了？”他的目光没有离开她跪在地上的苗条身影。

“她丢了钱，可怜的小宝贝！她在去商店买糖果的路上，把所有的钱都丢了。”

听到她重新讲述自己的损失，那张沾满污迹的小脸又开始皱了起来。但女孩用一个吻将其清除。

“好了，别哭了。我会给你一些。多少钱？一枚五分钱！整整五分钱！”这是最甜蜜的微笑。 “好吧，你应该有 25 美分，也就是 4 个镍币——我是说 5 个。”

“她算术不强，”基思自言自语道。 “在这一点上，她就像 Phrony。”

她开始摸自己的裙子，脸色变了。

“哦，我一分钱都没有。我把钱包落在酒店了。”这是给基思的。

“让我给她吧。”他也开始摸口袋，但当他这样做时，他的脸色沉了下来。他也一分钱都没有。

“我也把钱包落在家里了，”他说。 “我们要像圣经里的那个女人一样，勤奋地打扫，直到找到她丢失的钱。”

“我们是一群穷光蛋，”爱丽丝·约克笑着说道。然后，当她看到孩子又开始变得不安的大眼睛时，她停了下来。下一秒，她从手腕上抽出了一个小手镯，开始拉扯一个小金符。 “给你，这个；这是金子。”

“哦，别那样做，”基思说。 “她不会欣赏的，弄坏了你的手镯也太可惜了。”

她抬头看了他一眼，蓝眼睛里闪着一丝光芒，用力一扭，那块小金币就从链子上挣脱下来了。

“她会得到它。在那里，看看她笑得怎样。我很享受它，我很高兴你拥有它。现在，你可以拿到你的糖果了。现在，吻我吧。”

不知何故，这句话和语气让基思想起了一个俯瞰英国村庄的山顶，以及下面的蓝色湖泊，就像一面镜子镶嵌在绿色的山丘中。一个穿着白衣、棕色眼睛的小女孩正在把一个布娃娃递给另一个比这个更脏的孩子。回忆就像神灯投射出来的图画一样浮现在他的脑海里。

孩子的目光没有离开那一小块金属，张开了小嘴，女孩吻了她，却被那只又胖又脏的小手擦掉了。

下一刻，两个小家伙就开始沿着路走，他们的头靠在那块黄金上。就在那时，爱丽丝·约克第一次真正地看了基思一眼，这种眼神是因为她刚才随意地看了他一眼，当她这么做的时候，颜色悄悄地爬上了她的脸颊，就像她想起了她刚才对他说话的方式。但他的衣着朴素，看上去颇有绅士风度。他的身材非常好；笔直、肩膀宽阔、眼睛漂亮。

“你能告诉我现在几点了吗？”她结结巴巴地问道。 “我把手表落在酒店了。”

“我没有手表；但我想应该是四点左右——我离开学校时，按照学校的时钟，已经是三点半了；我不确定这是否正确。”

“谢谢。”她看着她的马。 “我必须回酒店了。你可以吗-？”

基思抢先阻止了她。

“我可以帮你站起来吗？”

“谢谢。你知道怎么骑我吗？”

“我想是的，”他轻快地说，然后走近她，抓住她的肘部，把她抬到马鞍上。她伸出一只脚，脚上穿着一双非常漂亮、整洁的鞋子。她显然希望基思会让她落入他的手中。他知道这种搀扶女士的方式，但他从未尝试过。尽管他弯下腰握着他的手，好像已经很习惯了，但他还是觉得很尴尬，没有把她抱起来。所以她没有起床。

“我认为你不能那样做，”女孩说。

“我也不这么认为，”基思说。 “我必须学会它。但我知道该怎么做。”他抓住她的双肘。 “现在跳吧！”

她惊讶地轻轻一弹，他像羽毛一样举起她，让她坐在马鞍上。

当她骑马离开时，他站在一旁，举起帽子，神态让她感到惊讶。而且，当她骑马离开时，他说她的马坐得很好，而且身材非常笔直、苗条。但他脑海中浮现的却是她跪在尘土中，手臂搂着哭泣的小孩子的画面。

当她消失时，一只穿着华丽制服的红鸟飞过马路，在灌木丛中占据一席之地，开始专横地为他的伴侣唱歌。

“啊，你这个幸运的流氓，”基思想，“你没有被一个穿着破烂外套的漂亮女孩抓住。你每天都穿着最好的衣服。”

下一秒，随着鸟儿浓郁的音符响起，一种更深的感触涌上心头，一股对生活的不满席卷了他。他突然显得比以前更孤独了。然后他想起了跪下的女孩的画面，他的心对她软了下来。他决定再见她一面。也许，巴尔萨姆博士认识她？

当年轻的女孩骑车返回旅馆时，她得到了一种愉快的感觉。她帮助安慰了一个小孩子，这是一件好事，任何善意都不会没有这种回报。而且，她还遇到了一个陌生的年轻人，确实是个乡下小伙子，衣着很朴素，但举止和语气却很绅士，长得还不错，也很壮。力量，仅仅是身体上的力量，对所有特定年龄段的女孩都有吸引力，而爱丽丝·约克小姐对陌生人的想法就变得柔和了。哎呀，他简直就是把她抱起来了！他一定和诺曼·温特沃斯一样强壮，诺曼·温特沃斯抚摸着他的船员。她满意地回忆起他那健壮的肩膀。

她会问老医生他是谁。他是一位令人愉快的老人，虽然她的母亲和另一位纽约女士奈勒夫人不喜欢他成为斯普林斯唯一的医生，但他对她很好。前一天他看见她坐在地上，就把自己的马车袍让给她坐，笑道：“你不能坐在湿地上，不然会落到我手里的。”

“我可能会做得更糟，”她说。而他，也用深邃的眸子看着她。

“啊，你这个小妖精！你什么时候开始奉承呢？那你到什么年纪才放过男人呢？”

当爱丽丝·约克小姐到达酒店时，她发现她的母亲和奈勒夫人正在门廊上热烈交谈。

女孩讲述了她在路上发现的一个哭泣的小孩，并幽默地描述了年轻的乡下人试图让她骑上马的故事。

“他也很英俊，”她高兴地宣称。 “我认为他一定是在为传道而学习，就像里蒙先生一样，因为他引用了圣经。”

约克夫人和奈勒夫人都认为她独自在公共道路上骑行是很不合适的。

第二天，基思去学校时穿上了他最好的衣服，那天下午，他像前一天一样，绕着山脊走回家，以为他可能会再次见到那个女孩，但他很失望。第二天下午，他决定去斯普林斯看看她是否还在那儿，并找出她是谁。于是，他离开了环绕山脊底部的主干道，走上了一条蜿蜒穿过山脊上方树林的小路。当戈登想独处时，他经常选择这条路。这条路又陡又多岩石，而且很少有人使用，所以从他一头扎进树林，直到他在山脊的另一边从树林里出来，他常常从未遇到过任何人。有些地方的松树非常茂密，以至于它们之间总是处于暮色之中。在另一些地方，它们高耸而庄严，充满原始生长的威严，彼此保持一定距离，仿佛像另一种生长一样，它们爬得越高，就越希望与其他所有植物保持距离。树与人有如此多的共同点，难怪比我们现在生活得更近的古人会传说，人的思想有时就住在树干里。

戈登·基思这一天的心情格外阴郁。他一直试图激发学生对历史中诗歌的一些概念。他向他们讲述了汉尼拔的故事——他的目标、他的斗争、他的征服。正如他所说，书面记录夺去了生命，他与伟大的迦太基统帅一起行军、战斗和生活——为征服而生。

“阿尔卑斯山那边就是意大利。”他读完这个故事时，嘴唇因感情而颤抖，但当他抬头看着他的小观众时，他看到的只是无精打采的眼睛和呆滞的脸。一个大男孩正在准备一枚别针，以引起一个小邻居的注意，而他自己却没有注意到。邻居是戴夫·丹尼森。戴夫最近确实想学习一些东西。戴夫是唯一在听的男孩。一个口齿不清的小女孩徒劳地试图将她的注意力转移到故事和旁边的男孩正在折磨的一只被囚禁的苍蝇上，而弗罗尼正在偷偷地读一本小说。其他人除了思考汉尼拔或倾听读者之外，都在忙着其他事情。

戈登在失望和厌恶中合上了这本书，并解散了学校，现在他试图为自己的不耐烦的爆发辩护，但收效甚微。他的失败破坏了他原本期待的去斯普林斯寻找尘埃圣母是谁的乐趣。

在岩石脊椎的高处，人们可以看到棕灰色的大树干之间很远的地方，戈登从昏暗的小路上转身走在厚厚的棕色松针地毯上。这是戈登最喜欢的地方，他在这里阅读济慈、爱伦·坡以及其他忧郁诗人的作品，这些作品对年轻人来说是那么珍贵。

在东边的松树之外，有一座巨大的峭壁以某种肩膀的形式突出，这是一座巨大的飞扶壁，支撑着上面覆盖着松树的山脊——一座巨大的石头阿特拉斯，肩上扛着群山。从这块岩石向东望去，下面是连绵起伏的乡村，远远超出了覆盖着森林的倾斜山丘，它融入了柔和的蓝色，逐渐消失在天空中。在那片迷蒙的空间里，躺着戈登·基思过去所认识和喜爱的一切。东边就是他的故乡，那里有广阔的田野，有深深的记忆。他的祖先世世代代居住在那里，成为领袖，使他们的名字始终与君子同名。

更远的地方，在那条昏暗的线之外，是一个伟大的世界，他在孩提时代曾瞥见过这个世界，而且他还将征服这个世界。

基思爬上了山脊的顶峰，正穿过高大的松树，到达了峭壁突出的地方，俯瞰着下面连绵起伏的乡村，当他抬起眼睛时，就在他的上方，一半坐在那儿的，是他两天前见过的那个女孩，半斜倚在一块岩石上。她的眼睛闭着，脸色苍白，基思的脑海里突然闪过她死了的念头，他的心提到了嗓子眼。在几米远的地方，他停了下来，仔细地审视着她。她有骑马的习惯；她的帽子掉在了脖子上；她的黑发披散下来，垂在喉咙处，使她的脸色更加苍白。基斯的怜悯变成了悲伤。突然，当他向前倾身时，心中充满了隐隐约约的悲伤，她睁开了眼睛——他的眼睛是蓝色的，就像他记忆中的那样，但现在却朦胧而暗淡。她没有动，也没有说话，只是定定地看了他一会儿，然后又疲倦地闭上眼睛，头歪到一边，开始往下沉。

戈登向前跳去，阻止她滚下河岸。当他轻轻地抓住她并将她放在柔软的松针地毯上时，他观察到她的五官是多么精致。她的太阳穴和喉咙一侧的青筋清晰可见，她的脸庞带着无意识中常有的精致。

戈登知道最好的办法就是低下头，解开衣领。当他松开衣领时，她喉咙里的白皙几乎让他眼花缭乱。他本能地拿起她身旁松木地毯上那条皱巴巴的小手帕，恭敬地盖在她的喉咙上。他轻轻地抬起她无力的手，摸着她的小手腕，了解她的脉搏。

就在这时，她的眼皮颤抖起来。她的嘴唇轻轻动了动，停了下来，又动了动，发出一声微弱的叹息。然后她的眼皮缓缓睁开，那双蓝眼睛再次抬起头，带着含糊的询问看着他。

下一秒，她似乎恢复了知觉。她深深地吸了一口气，仿佛从某个未知的深处归来，脸颊上闪过一丝淡淡的血色。

“哦，原来是你？”她认出了他。 “你好吗？我想我跌倒时一定伤到了自己。我试图骑马冲下河岸，他滑倒了，和我一起摔倒了，之后我就不记得了。他一定是逃跑了。我试着走路，但是——但我现在好多了。你能帮我抓住我的马吗？”

基思站起身来，沿着小路顺着马的足迹走了一段距离。当他回来时，女孩仍然靠着岩石坐着。

“你有看见他吗？”她坐起身来，慵懒地问道。

“我担心他已经回家了。他正在疾驰。我可以从他的足迹中看出。”

“我想我可以走路了。我必须。”

她想站起来，但由于用力所带来的疼痛，血液一瞬间涌到了脸颊上，然后又流回了心脏，她向后一沉，牙齿猛地咬住嘴唇，压下痛苦的表情。 。

“我必须回去。如果我的马在没有我的情况下到达酒店，我的母亲会非常惊慌。我答应过她会在——之前回来——”

戈登没有听到现在几点了，因为她转过脸，开始小声哭泣。她试图用手指擦去泪水，但还是没有成功。但有一两个人溜过去，掉到了她的衣服上。她仍然侧着脸，开始摸索自己的衣服，寻找手帕。但由于找不到它，她放弃了。

她的哭声如此安静，让年轻人感到非常好奇。她突然显得年轻了很多，就像一个小女孩，他很想亲吻她来安慰她。他做了接下来的事情。

“别哭，”他温柔地说。 “来，拿走我的。”他把手帕按在她身上。他庆幸天堂没有被压皱。

现在，一个人借给另一个人一块手帕，可以大大打破传统的障碍，跨越岁月。基思立刻对这个女孩产生了一种他可能多年都没有感受到的友善，他开始安抚她。

“我不知道我出了什么问题，”她擦干眼睛说道。 “我并不——通常如此——软弱和愚蠢。我只是担心我妈妈会认为我出了什么事——而且她身体不太好。”她努力控制自己，坐直了身子。 “那里。非常感谢。”她几乎冷酷地递给他手帕。 “现在我没事了。但我恐怕无法行走。我尝试过，但是——。如果方便的话，你得去给我找一辆马车。”

基思站起来，开始收拾他的书，塞进口袋里。

“这里没有马车可以上来；下面松树太密，没有路；但我会带你到有车可以到达的地方，然后给你找一辆。”

她瞥了一眼他空闲的身影。 “你抬不动我，你的力气不够，我需要你给我弄一辆马车或马车，拜托了。你可以去酒店。我们在斯普林斯停了下来。”

这时戈登已经把书塞进口袋了，在她面前摆好姿势。

“现在，”他说，没有理会她的抗议。他弯下身子，将双臂伸到她身下，温柔而轻松地抱起她，就像她是一个小女孩一样。

当他带着她一起走时，疼痛减轻了，她找到了机会仔细看看他的脸。他的侧脸轮廓分明，轮廓分明。他的嘴很舒服，微微上翘，但是，在他所承受的重量下，他的嘴闭得很近，下巴大胆地伸出来。颧骨相当高；灰色的眼睛睁得大大的，充满了光芒。当他向前迈进时，在平坦的道路上迈着轻松的步伐，在崎岖不平的道路上小心翼翼地走着，他深褐色的脸颊下的颜色上升了。

她是第一个打破沉默的人。她一直注视着他脸色的涨红，鼻孔的扩张，感受着他胸口的快速起伏。

“现在放我下来休息吧；你累了。”

“我不累。”他艰难地继续前行。他会让她知道，如果他没能让她骑上马，至少不是因为体力不足。

“请把我放下；这让我很痛苦。”她狡猾地说。他立刻停了下来，选了一个空旷的位置，让她轻轻坐下。

“请再说一遍。我是个野蛮人，只考虑自己。”

他在她身边坐下，偷偷地看了她一眼。他们的目光相遇，他移开了视线。他觉得她很漂亮。

为了打破沉默，她问道，语气中带着些许客气：“请问你叫什么名字？我是约克小姐——爱丽丝·约克小姐。”她补充道，想让他感到轻松。

“戈登·基思是我的名字。你从哪来？”他的态度再次变得非常轻松。

“来自纽约。”

“我以为你是。”

她觉得他的脸和态度发生了一点变化，她对此感到不满。她朝山下看去。他一言不发地站了起来，再次开始抱起她。她做出了一个不同意的手势。但还没等她进一步反对，他又把她抱了起来，目光坚定地盯着石路，正小心翼翼地走下陡峭的山坡。

“我非常抱歉，”当她因为轻微的刺痛而惊跳起来时，他和蔼地说。 “这是唯一能下来的方法。目前没有任何车辆可以到达这里，除非是以利亚的飞行战车。现在只差一点点了。”

他的声音多么好听啊！他灵魂中的每一点骄傲和保护都被动员起来。

当他们到达马路时，那位年轻女士要戈登下车去酒店买辆车。但他说他不能把她一个人留在路边。他会把她抱到拐弯处不远的一所房子里。

“哎呀，我能拎一袋盐。”他笔直地站在她面前，用坦率的目光俯视着她，带着孩子般的骄傲。

对比之下，她的眼睛里闪过一丝怨恨。

“女孩和一袋盐有很大不同。”

“并非总是如此——例如罗得的妻子。如果你继续回头看，你不知道自己会发生什么。快点。”

就在这时，远处传来一辆汽车飞驰的声音，下一刻就出现在了眼前。

“妈妈来了，”女孩一边说，一边向车里的女士挥手。

马车一停稳，约克夫人就从车里跳了下来。她是一位英俊的中年妇女，衣着华丽。她现在正处于母亲般的关怀的恐慌之中。

“哦，爱丽丝，你把我吓坏了！”她惊呼道。 “你两小时前就该到酒店了，可你的马却没有带你来！你会害死我！”她双手拍着胸口，气喘吁吁。 “你知道我的心很脆弱！”

爱丽丝表达了她的悲伤，基思替她说了一句话，说她非常担心，唯恐那匹马吓到她。

“她也有可能是，”约克夫人惊呼道，只看了他一眼，然后又转向她的女儿。 “太太。奈勒是第一个听说你的马回家的人。她跑过来告诉我。而且，哦，我太害怕了！她确信你已经被杀了。”

“你可以肯定她会是第一个听到并告诉你的人，”女孩说。 “为什么，妈妈，当马摔倒时，人总是会扭伤膝盖。这是该计划的一部分。这位——绅士碰巧走过来，把我扶到了路上，我们正讨论要不要继续走下去，你就上来了。妈妈，这是基思先生。”

基思鞠了个躬。出于某种原因，他很高兴她没有说出他带她下山脊的方式。

约克夫人转过身来，很有礼貌地向他表示感谢，或许还带着一点居高临下的态度。他意识到她扫了他一眼，并为他的鞋子太旧而感到遗憾。但约克夫人没有再理睬他。

“哦，你父亲会说什么！你知道他想让我们去加利福尼亚；但你会来到南方。在威克沙姆先生告诉你他的住所之后，没有什么能让你满意的了。”

“哦，爸爸！你知道我可以安顿他。”女孩说道。

约克夫人开始哀叹这个地区的悲惨状况，那里没有名誉医生。

“村里有一位非常优秀的外科医生。巴尔萨姆医生是世界上最好的外科医生之一，”基思说。

“噢，我认识那个老头。毫无疑问，他对于一些常见的小病已经足够好了，”约克夫人说，“但是在这种情况下！他对手术了解多少？”她转身面向女儿。 “我会打电话给你父亲，让他立即派皮尔伯里医生过来。”

基思因她的举止脸红了。

“很多人都得把自己的性命托付给他。”他冷冷地说。 “他的外科手术次数与大多数男性一样多。他在军队里。”

女孩又开始贬低自己的伤势。

她宣称，这没什么，绝对没什么。

“而且，”她说，“我认识医生。前几天我遇见了他。他是一位亲爱的老人。”最后她向基思讲话。

“最好的一个，”基思热情地说。

“好吧，我们必须立即把你送进车里，然后送你回家。”她的母亲说道。 “你能帮我把女儿送上马车吗？”约克太太看着车夫，他是一位冷漠的黑人，他因为不得不这么辛苦地赶马而感到沮丧。

男人还没来得及回答，戈登就上前一步，弯腰把女孩抱起来，悄悄放进车里。她只是微笑着说：“谢谢。”就好像她已经习惯了被路边刚认识的陌生年轻人抬上马车一样。

约克夫人睁大了眼睛。

“你的实力该有多强啊！”她大声喊道，语气里带着女人对体力的钦佩。

基思鞠了一躬，脸颊涨得通红，退后了一点。

“哦，他经常举起一袋袋盐，”女孩说，眼睛半转向基思，眼中闪着满意的光芒。

约克夫人惊讶地看着她。

“为什么，爱丽丝！”她低声责备地喊道。

“他亲自告诉我的，”女孩挑衅地断言。

“我可能不得不再次这样做，”基思干巴巴地说。

约克夫人的手伸向口袋，但犹豫不决。因为她不太确定他是什么人。他的脸和神情掩盖了他破旧的衣服。比刚才更仔细地观察了一下，她猛地停了下来。

“先生——啊——？”在试图回忆起这个名字后，她放弃了。 “我非常感谢你对我女儿的善意，”她开始说道。 “我不知道该如何补偿你；但如果你明天某个时候——任何时间——也许会来旅馆——也许有什么事情——？明天可以来酒店吗？”她的语气很居高临下。

“谢谢你，”基思轻声说道。 “恐怕明天我不能去村子了。能够为一位女士提供服务，我已经得到了更多的补偿。我有一所学校，并且我规定除了周五晚上或周六之外任何地方都不去。”他抬起帽子，向后​​退了一步。

当他们开车离开时，女孩非常甜蜜地说了声“谢谢”和“再见”。

“他是谁，爱丽丝？他是什么？”她妈妈问道。

“我不知道。基思先生。他是一位绅士。”

戈登站在路边，看着马车消失在一片尘土中，他感到一种奇怪的孤独感。他的处境似乎突然受到了孤立。那个身材矮胖、声音洪亮、穿着华丽的女人挡在了他和其他同类之间。她一直以居高临下的态度对待他。有一天他会让她知道他是谁。但她的女儿！他陷入了沉思。

他转身，缓慢而沉思地朝他家的方向走去。

一股新的力量突然进入了他的生活，一片新的土地在他面前展开。是一位年轻女孩干的。他的学校突然变成了监狱。他的领域就是世界。

当他走过时，几乎不知道自己在哪里，他遇到了他最想见到的人——博士。香脂。他立即将这起事故告知了医生，并建议他最好赶紧前往斯普林斯。

“一个漂亮的女孩，蓝眼睛，棕色头发？”医生问道。

“是的。”戈登的脸色渐渐红了。

“有一个傻女人当妈妈，总是说心里话，还拍拍你的背？”

“我不知道。是的，我想是这样。”

“我认识她。肢体断了吗？”他饶有兴趣地问道。

“不，我不这么认为；但扭伤得很厉害。我想她是因为疼痛而晕倒的。”

“你说事情发生在山脊上？”

“是的，靠近大松树——在山顶。”

“怎么，她怎么下来了？没有路。”他抬头凝视着他们上方长满松树的山刺。

“我把她扶下来了。”他的脸上泛起一点红晕。

“啊！你支持她吗？她能走得动吗？”

“呃——不。我把她带下来了。我不得不带她来。她无法行走——一步都不能。”

“哦！啊！我懂了。我赶紧过去看看她怎么样了。”

当他骑马离开时，他咕哝了一声。

“哼！”它可能意味着以下几件事中的任何一件。也许，它真正的意思是“全世界的青春都是一样的，现在给了这个男孩一个出丑的机会，他很可能会这么做，就像我一样。”当医生在岩石路上慢跑时，他的眉头紧锁，陷入了深深的沉思。但他的思绪已经远离了皮斯卡塔夸河上的其他松树。那个男孩的脸把时间拨回了将近四十年。

当约克夫人到达酒店时，巴尔萨姆医生却不见踪影。她正派人去给最近的城市发电报请外科医生，就看到医生快步上山朝酒店走来。

他拴好马，胳膊上挎着马鞍袋，大步走上人行道。他朝她走来的步伐又快又坚定，有一种令人安心的感觉。她并没有相信他有如此大的精力。

约克夫人领着她朝她的房间走去，对这次事故进行了颇为色彩化的描述，医生一言不发地跟在后面，边走边摘下手套。他们走到门口，约克太太慌忙把门打开。

“他终于来了，我可怜的孩子！”她惊呼道。

爱丽丝躺在休息室的景象让约克夫人从医生的脑海中消失了。下一秒，他握住了女孩的手，用一种不会弄皱蝴蝶翅膀的触感握着她的手，测量着她跳动的脉搏。约克夫人继续滔滔不绝地说着，但医生没有理睬她。

“女士，只要专注地休息一下，就足够了。”检查完毕后，他终于平静地说。 “但它必须是休息，四肢、身体和心灵的完全休息，”他停顿了一下后补充道。 “请盖茨夫人尽快给我送一壶热水好吗？”

约克夫人从来没有被任何医生如此彻底地忽视过。她摇摇头，但还是去拿水了。

“所以我的年轻人基思找到了你，并把你带下了山脊？”医生立即对女孩说道。

“是的;你怎么知道？”她问道，蓝眼睛惊讶地睁大。

“没关系;如果你快点康复的话，下次我来的时候我可能会告诉你。”他微笑着说道。

“他是谁？”她问。

“他是山脊那边学校的老师——也就是所谓的山脊学院。”博士微笑着说道。

就在这时，约克夫人匆匆进来了。

“爱丽丝，我以为医生说过你不能说话。”

医生的脸上露出了有趣的表情。

“好吧，还有一个问题，”女孩对他说。 “一袋盐有多重？”

“大约两百磅。准确地说，——”

“难怪他说我很轻。”女孩笑道。

“住在附近的一个叫基思的年轻人是谁？”约克夫人突然问道。

“基思一家不住在这里，”博士说。 “你无疑提到的戈登·基思是基思将军的儿子，基思住在山脊下方的一个邻近县。他的父亲在战争期间是我们的部长——”

就在这时，谈话被盖茨夫人端着想要的一壶热水的出现打断了，而医生则停了下来，把所有的注意力都集中在他的病人身上。

他表现出的自信和工作的灵巧给约克夫人留下了深刻的印象，当他结束时，她说：“医生，我一直想知道像你这样的人怎么能满足在这片山野里定居。我认识城市里许多时髦的医生，他们用如此简单的器具为爱丽丝做的事情不可能比你做得更好——事实上，没有比你做得更好的了。”

巴尔萨姆医生的目光严肃地落在她身上。 “嗯，女士，我们不可能都是城市医生。荒野中的这几只羊生病时需要一点牧养。你们还要反思一下，如果我们都走了，城里人到我们山野来就没有人照顾了，怎么办？他们至少需要良好的出勤率。”

当戈登第二天早上醒来时，他决定要再次见到他的新朋友。他必须见她；他不会允许她就这样从他的生活中消失；至少她应该知道他是谁，约克夫人也应该知道。

那天下午，出于某种奇怪的动机，他再次踏上了翻越山脊的小路。这是漫长而疲惫的一天。他再次尝试过汉尼拔；但他的学生更关心的是窗框上嗡嗡作响的大黄蜂，而不是汉尼拔。出于某种原因，枯燥的课程比平时更加​​枯燥。学者们从来没有这么愚蠢过。前一天他在手臂上看到的那张脸一次又一次地出现在他和他的侍者之间，当眼睛睁开时，它们就像勿忘我一样蓝色。他会猛地惊醒，勇敢地重新投入到自然地理学或复合分数的奥秘中，却发现自己在第一个安静的时刻，在松树中艰难前行，那张苍白的脸靠在他的肩上。

放学时，他拒绝了男孩们和他们一起散步的邀请，而是坐在椅子上，好像他要准备第二天的课程。一刻钟后，他大部分时间都在沉思，站起身来，放下书本，关上门，沿着前一天走过的路走去。当他接近他袭击女孩的地方时，他几乎以为会发现她靠在岩石上，就像他前一天下午发现她一样。她不在那儿，他感到一种明显的孤独震惊。树林里从来没有显得如此空旷过。松树的声音听起来从未如此沉闷。

他倒在厚厚的棕色地毯上。他已经很多年没有感到如此孤独了。他是什么！他还有什么机会啊！他独自一人在旷野里。他一直以自己比周围的人优越而自豪，而当他竭尽全力将女儿安全无痛地送上路时，那个陌生的女人却以居高临下的态度对待他。

他的眼睛停留在他下方远处平坦、苍白的地平线上。那里躺着他所知道和所爱的一切。一切都变了；他的家属于一个外星人。他把脸转开。另一边，远处的群山在天空中筑起一座强大的壁垒。他想知道阿尔卑斯山是否可以更高或更美丽。前一天他向学者解释的一句话又在他脑海中浮现：“那些山脉的那边就是意大利。”

渐渐地，他发现自己比他的学者还要迟钝。那些真正的人类领袖克服了困难。其他人则翻山越岭，去寻找他们梦想中的意大利。他为什么不应该呢？这个念头让他猛地一颤，不知不觉间他已经站直了身子，仰面朝天，神经紧绷，脉搏跳动，呼吸急促。蓝色边缘之外就是世界。他将征服并获得荣誉和名誉，赢回他的故乡，重新建立他的财富，并为他的名誉增光。他抓起书本，又看了一眼远处的高处，转身快步沿着小路大步走去。

也许幸运的是，这一天对于约克夫人和爱丽丝来说都是沉闷的一天。爱丽丝被限制在她的休息室里，在第一次焦虑结束后，约克夫人倾向于责骂她的粗心和她给她带来的恐惧。他们在许多问题上没有达成一致。爱丽丝一直在谈论她的冒险经历，直到约克夫人开始批评她的救助者是“一个瘦弱的乡下男孩”。

“他的力量足以把我抱下一英里外的山，”女孩宣称。 “他说是半英里，但我确信是一英里。”

约克夫人很震惊，指责爱丽丝很容易喜欢所有男人。

“都是那些强壮又漂亮的人。”爱丽丝抗议道。

现在他们的小小分歧已经弥补了，一直沉默地坐着的爱丽丝脸上露出严肃的表情说道：

“妈妈，你为什么不请他来吃饭呢？”

约克夫人惊讶地叫了一声。

“为什么，爱丽丝，我们对他一无所知。”

但女孩却很坚持。

“为什么，妈妈，我确信他是一位绅士。巴尔萨姆博士说他是这里最好的人之一，他的父亲是一名牧师。此外，他很有趣。他的父亲参加过战争；我相信他是一位将军。”

约克夫人把笔举在空中沉思了一会儿。她的思绪飞向纽约和那里的熟人。他们的观点就是她的衡量标准。

“好吧，”她怀疑地说，“也许，稍后我会的；除了奈勒夫人之外，这里没有我们认识的人。我听说如果你能接触到这些人，他们会非常有趣。我会先邀请他参加周六的午餐，看看他怎么样。”

毫无疑问，我们没有人拥有童年时读过的魔镜，它可以显示我们想知道的任何人在做什么。毫无疑问，它会引起许多困惑，但由于我们的无知，我们很高兴摆脱了这些困惑。如果戈登·基思知道邀请他在约克夫人面前吃饭的条件，他一定会被激怒。自从认识她以来，他一直对她的居高临下感到愤怒。然而，他一收到她礼貌的问候，就心情愉快起来。他把破烂的衣服擦干净，给自己戴上一条新领带，这是他一直以来一直保留着的，就在约定的时间，他露出了一张充满期待的脸，他的举止虽然完全谦虚，如此自然、轻松，令约克夫人感到惊讶。她简直不敢相信，这个鼻子秀气、下巴坚挺、声音悦耳的眼睛明亮的年轻人，和她想付钱给的那个满脸灰尘、脸色发烫、衣冠不整的乡下男孩是同一个人。两天前的善意。

当基思第一次进入房间时，爱丽丝·约克坐在一张躺椅上，躺椅上覆盖着柔和的白色，她微笑着向他打招呼。此后的许多年里，每当戈登·基思想到美丽时，都会想到一个女孩从一朵白色的云中向他微笑。这对他来说是一次迷人的拜访，他责备自己对约克夫人的刻薄想法。他向这位善良的女士展示了自己所有的知识，给她留下了很好的印象，她对他变得非常友好。他不知道约克夫人对他的好意是居高临下，她的热情既出于礼貌，又出于好奇。

“博士。鲍尔萨姆一直在向我们介绍您，基思先生。”约克夫人鞠了一躬，年轻人的脸上露出了满意的微笑。

“他有？医生一直对我很好。 “我担心他对我的评价比我应得的高。”他假装谦虚地说道，但他的眼神却与他的话完全不符。

约克夫人向他保证，情况不可能如此。

“你不想知道他说了什么吗？”爱丽丝小姐带着铃声般的笑声问道。

“是的;什么？”他笑了。

“他说，如果你背着一袋盐下山，或者上山，在到达那里之前你将永远不会休息。”

她的眼睛闪烁着光芒，戈登看上去有些被戏弄，但内心却很高兴。

约克夫人看上去很震惊。

“哦，爱丽丝，鲍尔萨姆博士没有这么说，因为我听到了他的声音！”她责备地叫道。 “博士。 “基思先生，鲍尔萨姆对您非常赞赏。”她认真地解释道。 “他说你们的家族是这里最好的家族之一。”她本意是要表现得和蔼可亲；但戈登的脸不由自主地涨红了。那种居高临下的态度太明显了。

“你父亲是一名准牧师？”约克夫人说，她开始说“传教士”，但又用另一个词代替，因为这个词更加恭维。

“我的父亲是一名牧师！不。他足够优秀，可以成为其中一员；但他是一名种植园主和一名士兵，”戈登说。

约克夫人有些困惑地看着她的女儿。这会不会是认错人了？

“为什么，他说他是牧师？”她坚持说。

戈登困惑地看着女孩。

“是的;他说他是一名部长，”她回答了他无声的询问。

戈登突然大笑起来。

“哦，他受伤后是去英国的特使。”

这一消息对约克夫人产生了明显的影响，她立刻对戈登变得更加亲切。她比以前更仔细地观察了他，发现在晒伤和破旧的衣服下，有一些比她以前观察到的更多的东西。年轻人的脸色变了。一提到他的父亲，他总是会清醒过来，并在他的眼中点燃光芒。这是约克夫人第一次明白女儿说他英俊的意思。

“哎呀，他长得可真有气质啊！”她心想。她心里想，这么一个英俊的年轻人，竟然被种在了这个世界的偏僻角落，从而迷失在社会之中，这是多么可惜啊。她不知道她对面那双炽热的眼睛里燃烧着一种决心，不仅约克夫人，而且全世界都应该认识他，她应该承认他的优越性。

此后，令人惊讶的是戈登找到了多少借口来参观这个村庄。他总是想在医生的图书馆里查阅一本书，或者得到一些东西，这确实意味着他想瞥见一个紫罗兰色的眼睛和粉红色的脸颊的年轻女孩，她四肢伸展地躺在躺椅上，风景如画地斜倚着。在白色枕头的云朵之中。他几乎总是随身携带一束罗森夫人花园里的花，这些花会在爱丽丝小姐的枕头上点缀上粉色、红色或黄色的斑点，给她的眼睛带来清新的光芒。有时他还会给约克夫人带一篮子樱桃或草莓。他的朋友，博士和罗森一家，开始团结他，让他对斯普林斯产生新的兴趣。

一天下午，戈登出发时，乡绅罗森说：“我看你是在给老牛吃一些小果子。”戈登的脸涨得通红，就像他手里拿着的樱桃一样。这正是他一直在做的事情。

“嗯，这就是捕获小牛的方法。”老农高兴地说。 “但我‘低妈妈已经习惯了相当高的喂食’。”他看到约克夫人开车时穿着比平时让里奇邻居眼花缭乱的华丽服装，并用敏锐的眼睛打量了她。

事实证明，爱丽丝·约克小姐的扭伤没有预想的那么严重。事实证明，她本人是一个比她母亲认识的人更难治的病人。

两个异性年轻人不需要很长时间就能克服惯例在他们的长辈之间规定的礼节，尤其是当其中一个将另一个抱在怀里下山时。

基思经常在长长的阳台的一个隐蔽的角落里，在温暖的午后给爱丽丝读书，或者在月光灿烂的夜晚，与她一起漫步在他们有限的经历的田野里，引用他所选择的最爱的片段，那些住在他心里的诗，并把她想象为“低头斜视的女仆”。

因此，当爱丽丝·约克再次能够活动时，她和基思已经达到了这样的程度：他们已经互相讲述了很多他们的过去，并且发现现在非常愉快，至少他们中的一个人正开始，当他把目光转向未来时，捕捉到了一丝非常玫瑰色的光芒。

从他的外表、他的脸上可以看出，一种更加明确的野心和更高的决心的新表情开始取而代之。

巴尔萨姆博士注意到了这一点，当他见到戈登时，他深灰色的眼睛里开始闪烁着好奇的光芒。他对女孩说话时，语气也很温柔。也许，他有时会想到另一个乡村小伙子，像这个小伙子一样出身名门，也像这个小伙子一样出身贫寒，和另一个年轻女孩一起在新英格兰的山上流浪，也许比这个小女孩更拘谨，也不那么世故。这位少女从西方来到皮斯卡塔夸河岸度过了一个短暂的假期，她进入了他的生活，从未离开过他的梦想和希望；他为获得教育而奋斗，使他配得上她；然后是一切的推翻：黑暗、流放和流浪。

晚上，当博士坐在门廊上，拿着烟斗，眺望着倾斜的山峦时，有时他的脸色变得近乎忧郁。难道他除了流放之外就没有别的目的吗？他知道，阿比盖尔·布鲁克从未结过婚。如果他回去的话，会发生什么？当他下次见到爱丽丝·约克时，他的语气会变得更加柔和，他会向她讲述比她听过的更深刻、更高尚的哲学，贬低生活中华而不实的回报，并在她的脑海中灌输一些更崇高的想法。并且比他们更好、更好。他甚至曾经向她讲述过他一生的故事，以及愚蠢的骄傲和自私野心的受害者所遭受的痛苦和悲伤。虽然他没有向她透露这是他自己说的，但女孩的直觉立刻告诉她，他讲述的是他自己的经历，她的兴趣被深深地激发了。

“她结过婚吗，医生？”她急切地问道。 “哦，我希望她没有。如果她不这样做，我可能会原谅她；但如果她结婚了，我永远不会原谅她！”

博士的目光落在她热切的脸上，眼神里流露出和善的神色，同时还潜藏着一丝玩味。

“不;她从未结过婚，”他说。 “他也没有。”

“哦，我很高兴，”她惊呼道。然后又轻声补充道：“我知道他没有。”

巴尔萨姆博士平静地看着她。他没有进一步追问这个话题。他认为他讲述故事的方式既传达了寓意，又没有透露他在谈论他自己。然而她立刻就发现了这一点。他想知道她是否也看到了他想要传达的寓意。

艾丽丝·约克现在能够走路了，很多个下午戈登·基思都邀请她和他一起去山边或山脊上散步，当她体力恢复时，拉着她越走越远。

对于第一次亲密接触的年轻人和漂亮女孩来说，春天是一个危险的季节，而发芽的树林对于他们的思绪来说是一个危险的牧场。古代诗人把树妖描绘成森林里的居民，把叮叮当当的泉水和潺潺的溪流当作仙女的栖息地，这并非没有洞察力。

春天来了，粉色和绿色扑面而来。群山呈现出微妙的色调，树木绽放出巨大的花朵，羽毛般，精致得像蕾丝。

自从夏娃发现一个伪装成同性恋的狡猾的陌生人潜伏在那里，并被引诱品尝他提供给她的诱人水果的那一天起，在这片萌芽的树林中游览就一直很危险。收集那些最引人注目的例子可能是一个有趣的调查，这些例子是那些天真而快乐地在凉亭里徘徊的人，在他们本以为天真的地方发现了毒花的蜂蜜。但读者也许会回忆起私人和未记录的历史中足够多的实例来满足说明的需要。那么，只要说，每天下午，戈登·基思和爱丽丝·约克在茂密的树林里漫步，他就在那条危险的小路上越走越远，阳光总是在前方洒落，但尽头却笼罩在薄雾中，在那里有时黑暗降临。

这些漫步对他来说充满了发现的魅力，因为他总是在她身上发现一些新的特质，他认为，每一个特质都是一种额外的魅力，甚至对她意想不到的无知和知识的交替，她的小女人的反复无常的爆发也是如此。 。一天下午，他们比平常漫步得更远，甚至走到了高高的松树旁，远处就是那块向东北望去的大岩石。在那里，她请求他帮助她登上岩石顶，但他拒绝了。他告诉她，她已经走得太远了，他不会允许她爬上去。

“不许我！嗯，我喜欢这样！”她说，蓝眼睛里闪着光；他还没来得及阻止，她就从棕色地毯上的座位上跳了起来，像个男孩一样敏捷地爬上了高高的岩石。

他叫她停下来，但她没有理会。他开始恳求她，但她没有回答。他生怕她摔倒，便跳起来去接住她。但她向上，向上，用他所能表现出的那样稳健的脚步和坚定的目光，直到她到达山顶，这时，她用舞动的眼睛俯视着他，胜利地吻了吻她的手，然后转身走开。 ，她的脸颊通红。当他到达山顶时，她正站在悬崖的边缘，眺望着一望无际的倾斜乡村和蓝色的地平线。基思几乎被她的鲁莽吓倒了。他恳求她不要这么冒险。

“请站得远一点，我求你了，”他走到她身边时说道。

“现在好多了，”她对他点了点头，蓝眼睛里充满了胜利，然后静静地坐在岩石上。

基思开始责骂她，但她却嘲笑他。

她说，他经常这么做，他能做的她也能做。

辽阔风景的美景深深地印入了两人的脑海，过了一会儿，两人的语气都变得凝重起来。

“告诉我你的老家在哪里，”她停顿了很长一段时间后说道，脸上的表情变得若有所思。 “你曾经告诉过我，你可以从这块岩石上看到它。”

基思指着远处地平线上的一个点。他不知道她爬到岩石顶上更多的是为了看到这一幕，而不是为了勇敢地面对他。

“现在告诉我这件事，”她说。 “把你之前告诉我的事情全部告诉我。”基思讲述了他所记得的一切。被她的同情所感动，他以前所未有的感情讲述这件事。当他谈到失去家园、他的屈辱以及他父亲平静的尊严时，她把脸转开，不让他看到她眼中的泪水。

“我有点理解你的感受，”她立刻说道。 “但我不知道会有人对种植园有如此深的感情。我想这是因为它在乡村，有树木、鲜花和小溪。从我记事起，我们已经拥有三栋房子了。我们现在在第五大道上的那个比我第一次记忆中的那个大四倍——是的，六倍大——一百倍，然而，不知何故，我总是想，当我悲伤或孤独，想起那栋小白宫，里面的房间很小，天花板很低，窗户很小，当我还是个小女孩的时候，我经常去那里看望我的父亲的母亲。妈妈不关心它；她是在城里长大的；但我想我的父亲和我一样喜欢它。他总是说他要把它买回来，我就会让他这么做。”

“有一天我会回购我的，”基思非常缓慢地说。

她看了他一眼。他的目光紧盯着远处的地平线，他脸上的表情是她以前从未见过的，这使她比以往更加钦佩他。

“我希望你会的，”她说。当基思告诉她他已经说过话时，她几乎恨费迪·威克沙姆谈到了这个地方。

那天晚上，当基思回到家时，他对那个意外地让他和他在一起的女孩有了一种全新的感觉。他真的很爱她。到目前为止，他只是让自己随波逐流，随波逐流，这在过去的几周里已经出现了。但那天下午她所表现出的样子，她的精神，她的勇气，她反复无常的叛逆，最重要的是，当她坐在岩石上俯瞰着他曾经居住过的广阔土地时，他瞥见了她的内心。 ，它所属的文明的家园，向他展示了一个新的生物，他陷入了爱情。生命突然敞开大门，用玫瑰色的光芒淹没他。

在发芽的树林中漫步，以及瞥见她所看到的一种与她所认识的任何人都有些不同的精神，这些都开始对爱丽丝产生影响。这位年轻的教师如此喜欢她，这让她感到受宠若惊，心里充满了某种满足。然而，她了解自己，这给她一种模糊的感觉，觉得他缺乏她在其他一些仰慕者身上看到的那种正确判断的品质。当她感到自己处于高位时，她感到相当害怕。他常常带着诗歌和幻想离她而去，她担心他会发现这一点，认为她是个伪君子。母亲说过的一句话，一直留在她的脑海里。

“妈妈，他懂得很多。”有一天，爱丽丝说道。 “为什么，他可以引用整页的诗。”

“亲爱的，他太浪漫了，不务实，”约克夫人说，她用像医生的玻璃一样冷静的眼睛看着那些接近她女儿的年轻人。 “也许，他对书籍的了解比我认识的任何同龄男孩都多。但诗歌是一种非常可怜的东西。如果他务实的话，他就不会在荒野中教那所破烂的小学校了。”

“但是，妈妈，他会站起来的。你不知道他有多大的野心，有多大的决心。他们失去了一切。费迪·威克沙姆告诉我，他父亲拥有的那个地方，还有旧照片等等，就是他的老家。老基思先生自从丢了它后，就一直为威克沙姆先生耕种它。你想想看！”

“正是如此，”约克夫人说。 “他继承了它。它们都是不切实际的。你父亲一开始生活很穷；但他很实际，而且有能力取得成功。”

爱丽丝的脸色缓和了。 “亲爱的老爸爸！”她说; “我必须写信给他。”即使她想起他，她也不能不反思，对生意的专注如何阻碍了他获得这位年轻的学校老师让她一睹的文化，并粉碎了（尽管它不能完全消除）生活在其中的善良。他的大心脏。

虽然爱丽丝为基思辩护，但她心里觉得母亲的判断有些道理。他太浪漫了。她很快就得到了证据。

基思将军此时来到山脊看望戈登。至少，他把这个作为他来访的原因，而戈登直到事后才知道还有另一个原因——他与巴尔萨姆博士已经有一段时间书信往来了。他看上去很瘦弱。但当戈登说起这件事时，他微笑着把它搁置了。

“哦，我很好。我们不用担心我的麻烦。我只有两个：旧伤和老年；两者都是无法治愈的。”

戈登很高兴有机会向约克夫人和爱丽丝小姐介绍他的父亲。看着那张瘦削精致的脸，表情平静，线条坚毅，他觉得这张牌打得很好。他与挂在旧餐厅里的那个盔甲人越来越相似了。

将军和爱丽丝小姐很快就成了好朋友。他对待她的态度特别好，这让她很高兴。约克夫人也对他亲切的举止感到既高兴又受宠若惊。然而，她对他的批评比对她女儿的批评还要多。

基思将军很快就发现了戈登对这个年轻女孩的兴趣。这并不难发现，因为他的业余时间都以某种方式奉献给了她。将军看着他们，眼里带着平静的微笑。然而，当他听到戈登表达一些对他来说有些新鲜的观点时，他的笑容时不时就会消失。一天晚上，他们一起坐在阳台上，戈登开始说发财是一个崇高的目标。几天前他曾听约克夫人表达过同样的观点。

“我的儿子，”他的父亲用严肃的目光看着他，温柔地说，“财富在懂得如何花钱的人手中是一种巨大的祝福。但被视为拥有或展示的财富是人类所能拥有的所有目标中最卑鄙和最卑鄙的目标之一。”

约克夫人的眼睛睁得大大的，脸色有些凝重。戈登想到了他为了赚取微薄的薪水而付出的辛劳和耐心，财富对他来说似乎是一个非常理想的获得。

“哎呀，父亲，”他说，“它为一个人打开了世界之门。它为一切事物提供了如此好的机会；旅行、知识、艺术、科学、权力、世界的尊重和尊敬，都是通过它获得的。”

约克夫人曾对他说过这样的话，她的意思是善意地鼓励他追求这一目标。

老将军严肃地笑了笑。

“毫无疑问，财富提供了旅行和获取知识的机会，但幸运的是，他们并不依赖于财富，我的孩子。科学界的哥伦布、伽利略、牛顿、开普勒；世界上的伟大恩人、伟大的发明家、伟大的艺术家、伟大的诗人、哲学家和政治家中很少有人是富有的。”

“他似乎生活在另一个世界，妈妈，”他离开后爱丽丝说道。 “他是一位老亲爱的。我从来没见过这么不食人间烟火的人。”

约克夫人的下巴微微翘起。

“现在，爱丽丝，你别犯傻了。他现在生活在另一个世界，当然，在我认识的所有人中，没有人比他更适合应对这个世界。对他来说，唯一真实的人似乎是那些他读过的人。他从未尝试过财富。”

“他曾经很富有——非常富有。你不记得那位女士跟你说过的话吗？”

“我不相信，”约克夫人斩钉截铁地说。

爱丽丝知道争论就此结束。当她的母亲在这种情况下说她不相信任何事情时，这意味着她的心灵之门已快速关闭，任何理由都无法进入。

约克夫人不禁注意到，爱丽丝最近发生了一些变化。在某种程度上，她无疑有所进步。她更加严肃，更加体贴约克夫人本人，不那么任性。然而约克夫人注意到这一变化并非没有一些疑虑。

她突然睁开了眼睛。她的一位纽约朋友奈勒夫人担任了这一和蔼可亲的职务。她指出了可能的原因，尽管不是直接的——夫人。奈勒很少直接做事。她是一位娇小、咕噜咕噜叫的女士，歪着头，声音异常清晰，含沙射影，带着问号。她出身于一个非常好的家庭，住在默里山的一栋大房子里，并且拥有与纽约任何人一样大的熟人圈子。她为自己认识每个值得认识的人以及每个人的一切而感到自豪。她并不缺乏和蔼可亲的气质；事实上，她是如此和蔼可亲，以至于她几乎会诽谤任何不在场的朋友，以取悦在场的朋友。她对基思有一点怨恨，因为从一开始她就被他明亮的眼睛和良好的举止所打动。但基思太全神贯注于他对爱丽丝·约克的兴趣，以至于他没有给予奈勒太太她认为自己的职位所需要的关注。奈勒夫人现在给了约克夫人一个明智的暗示。

“你有这样识人的天赋吗？”她对她说：“你的女儿很像你吗？”她露出了整齐的牙齿。

约克夫人不太明白她的意思，她冷冷地回答说，她很高兴奈勒夫人这么想。奈勒夫人很快就表明了她的意思。

“少校长——是你女儿感兴趣的校长吧？是的？看来他读书多啊？你女儿的马跟她跑的那天，他就把她带下了山？这么浪漫的认识，真羡慕你？现在真正的浪漫太少了！找到它很高兴吗？”她叹了口气，约克夫人想起了丹尼尔·奈勒和他的小光头和圆嘴。 “是的，我很羡慕你——还有你的女儿。他是谁？”

约克夫人说他出身于一个古老而显赫的家庭。她给了他一个血统书，这本来可以为德比冠军赢得荣誉。

“我很高兴，”奈勒夫人说道。 “我当然知道他一定是这样。我确信你永远不会鼓励这种亲密关系，除非他这样做？”她笑笑了，留下约克夫人很生气。

“那个女人总是把针扎到人身上，”她自言自语道。但这根别针卡得太紧了，约克太太非常惊慌。

约克夫人决定一有机会就和爱丽丝谈谈。但她不会做得太突然。所需要的只是明智地给出一个提示。像爱丽丝这样理智的女孩，一个受过如此明智教育的女孩，肯定不会想到做出如此愚蠢的事情。约克夫人确实觉得她自己很喜欢这个年轻人。她可能会为他做一些事情——一些对他来世有用的事情。起初，这个计划的形式是让她的丈夫给他一个位置。但她想到，这将有必要把他带到他与他们相识可能不方便的地方。她将帮助他再读一年大学。这将是一种微妙的方式来履行他的善意赋予她的义务。

与此同时，基思很高兴对针对他的阴谋一无所知。温暖的天气即将来临，他知道不久之后约克夫人和爱丽丝就会飞向北方。然而，他会在阳光明媚的时候晒干草。于是，一天下午，基思带着爱丽丝小姐去了他最喜欢去的地方——山脊树林里的高处岩石。他的精神状态非同寻常。因为他是从奈勒夫人那里逃出来的，而奈勒夫人最近似乎一直在埋伏着等待他。这是他最喜欢的地方；因为他身后的松树似乎将世界其他地方拒之门外，他觉得在这里，他比其他任何地方都更接近拥有爱丽丝。正是在这里，他瞥见了她的内心，他觉得这让她向他敞开了心扉。

今天下午他谈论爱情和他自己；哪个年轻人谈论爱情不是谈论自己呢？她一身白衣，衣裙上别着一朵他送她的红玫瑰。他一直在给她读一首诗。里面有一张爱神女神的照片，她打扮得漂漂亮亮，以供“无尽的崇拜”。书现在放在他身边，他躺在她脚边。

“如果我恋爱了，”他突然说道，“那一定会是一个女孩，她一定能满足我的梦想。”他的目光透过松树，望向远处的天空。但他脸上柔和的光芒并非来自远处的蓝色帐篷。他模模糊糊地在想，她的眼睛比天空还要蓝多少。

“是的？”她的语气很温柔。

“当然，她一定是个美人。”他凝视着她，眼里仿佛有言语可以表达的那样：“你很美丽。”

但她转过头去，心里想这可能是谁。

“我的意思是她一定有什么 I 这就是美丽，”他解释道。 “我不认为红白之美。 Phrony Tripper 有这个。”这并非无心之举。有一天，爱丽丝在学校见到弗罗尼时，曾谈到她的美丽。

“但是她很漂亮，”女孩断言，“那么清新，那么颜色！”

“哦好漂亮！是的;和颜色——酒汁苹果有颜色。但我说的是真正的美，玫瑰的美，你无法定义的新鲜感，它含有芬芳，是你所爱的东西，你感受到的比你看到的还要多。”

她想起了她的一个学校朋友，路易丝·考德威尔，一个身材高大、雕像般的美女，她的另一个朋友诺曼·温特沃斯正在爱上她，她想知道基思是否会认为她像他所描述的那样美丽。

“她一定很可爱，”他继续说道，心里想着对她有利。 “我也无法定义，但你知道我的意思吗？”

她心里认定路易丝·考德威尔不会满足他的要求。

“只有某些女孩才会有这样的共同点，例如紫罗兰。”

“哦，我不太喜欢可爱的女孩，”她说，想起了女孩们过去称呼的另一位同学 甜酒.

“你愿意，”他积极地说。 “我不是在说那种事。这是女人味、温柔、芬芳、温暖、美丽，一切。”

“哦是的。那样？”她默许的说道。 “好吧，继续吧；你希望能找到一笔划算的交易。”

“我愿意，”他简短地说，然后坐了起来。 “我希望能找到最好的。”

她以新的兴趣看了他一眼。他精神抖擞的时候，非常好看。而他的眼睛现在充满了光芒。

“嗯，美丽又甜蜜，”她说； “还有什么？我必须知道，因为我可能得帮你找到她。里奇利周围似乎没有多少人，因为你拒绝接受我见过的唯一一个漂亮女孩。”

“她一定是善良而真实的。她一定知道真相——”在那一刻，他的目光落在了一只蜂鸟上，这是一颗闪烁着变化的蓝宝石的宝石，它架着半隐形的翅膀，漂浮在一束粉红色金银花小枝前的阳光中。 “——正如那只鸟知道蜜所在的花朵。”

“你希望在哪里找到这位典范？”

仿佛是在回答，蜂鸟突然看到了她衣服上的红玫瑰，它猛地扑向它，把它的喙深深地插进了花的深红色花心。两人都发出了一声惊喜的惊叹。

“我找到她了，”他坚定地说，稍微向她倾斜了一点，脸颊厚重，嘴唇紧闭，他的眼睛闪闪发亮地看着她的脸。 “那只鸟帮我找到了她。”

那只鸟飞走了。

“啊，不见了！你会给她什么回报？”她转向他，半开玩笑地说道，希望离开这片脆弱的土地。

他转身凝视着她的眼睛。

“‘敬拜无止境。’”他脸上的表情让她脸色变色。她移开视线，开始思考自己的理想。她发现她心目中所爱的男人就是身材高耸、肩宽、面容英俊、衣着时尚。她想象中的他又高又直，比这个男孩还要高，而且各个方面都更大，有直鼻子、棕色的眼睛和深色的头发。但她主要想到的是他的衣服款式。她想象着他应该系的领带，以及领带上应该别的别针。当然，他必须很勇敢，是一位美丽的舞者，一位优秀的网球运动员。她曾经以为，黑眼睛、英俊的年轻费迪·威克沙姆和她认识的其他人一样接近她的理想。他神圣地领导了德国人。但他很自私，她从来没有像另一个男人那样钦佩他，这个男人不那么张扬，但她知道，他更像一个男人：诺曼·温特沃斯，一个勇敢的游泳运动员，一个优秀的骑手，也是他们的领导者。 。她现在突然想到诺曼·温特沃斯这个男人比费迪·威克沙姆更像这个男人，随着她想到这两个人，她突然登上了一个更高的高度，并意识到某种兴高采烈，就像她曾经拥有过的那样。那天，她爬到戈登·基思面前那块突出的岩石上，俯视着广阔的森林和田野，看到了他原来的家。

她坐了一会儿，陷入了深深的沉思。过了一会儿，她非常严肃地、有点害羞地说道：

“你知道，我一点也不像你想象的那样。为什么，你对待我就好像我是一个高人一样。而我不是；我是一个很务实的女孩。”

他用不同意的手势打断了她的话，眼睛里充满了光芒。

“废话！你不了解我，你不了解男人，否则你就会知道任何女孩都是最好的男人的上级，”他重申。

“你不了解女孩，”她反驳道。

“至少我认识一个，”他说道，脸上的微笑表达了他的钦佩。

“我不确定你会不会，”她坚持说，语速缓慢而严肃。她用一种好奇而沉思的方式看着他。

“我认识的人对我来说就足够了。”他俯下身，害羞地握住她的手，举到唇边，然后松开。她没有反抗，只是随即试探性的说道：

“我相信我宁愿被当作我本来的样子来对待，也不愿被当作我不是的东西来对待。我太喜欢你了，不想欺骗你，而且我认为你被欺骗了。”

当然，他抗议说他没有被欺骗。他说，他“非常清楚”。她不相信。但她放手了。她不想因为他欣赏她而与他争吵。

那天下午，当爱丽丝进来时，她的态度与最近的情况大不相同，以至于她的母亲不得不观察到这一点。一会儿她心不在焉，一会儿又心不在焉。接下来她变得不耐烦，甚至烦躁。然后这种情绪发生了变化，她变得异常快乐。她的脸颊容光焕发，眼睛闪闪发光；但就在她反思的时候，变化发生了，她又陷入了棕色的书房里。

第二天，当约克夫人还在考虑该怎么做时，一张卡片递给了她。这是一个简单写在下面酒店柜台上的一张纸条上的名字。基思最近没有寄出他的名片。一个仆人简单地宣布了他的名字。这，然后，决定了她。爱丽丝离开并避开了，这真是世界上最幸运的事情。这给了约克夫人她所渴望的机会。如果，正如她所猜测的，这个年轻人想和她谈论任何私人的事情，她就会友善地对他说话，但要说得那么直白，让他永远不会忘记。毕竟，这样做对他来说才是真正的善意。她对着镜子抚平头发，有一种贤惠的感觉。

她下来时，他不在客厅里。于是她在他们通常坐的一处长廊上寻找他。他坐在远端，在那里他或多或少会与世隔绝，而她向他走来。显然，他正在注视着她，她一出现，他就从座位上站了起来。她已经非常清楚地决定要对他说什么；但当她走近他时，事情并不像她想象的那么容易说出来。他的举止和表情中有些东西阻止了她使用她所表达的相当居高临下的话语。他的脸色有些苍白。他的嘴抿得紧紧的，下巴向外突出，显得十分有力。他的眼神充满焦急，但又很稳定。他的身形非常挺拔，肩膀非常方正。在她看来，他比她想象的要老。光顾这个人是不行的。打完招呼后，他一本正经地将椅子递给她，下一刻就开始进入正题。这一切来得太突然，几乎让她屏住了呼吸。在她意识到之前，他的脸颊上流着血，向她表达了他对女儿的爱，并请求她允许他向她支付地址。喝了一两口之后，他就不再尴尬了，说话直率、有男子气概。他的脸上恢复了血色，眼睛里充满了光芒。约克夫人觉得有必要做点什么。所以，虽然心里有些忐忑，但她还是鼓足了勇气，开始回答他。走着走着，她的勇气又回来了，见他心烦意乱，她也平静了下来。

她说，她非常后悔没有预见到这一点。这一切都出乎她的意料，让她不知所措。她觉得这是一个谎言，她也不确定他不知道。当然，他的提议，她是不可能答应的。

“你的意思是因为她来自北方而我来自南方？”他认真地问道。

“不;当然不是。我自己也有南方血统。我的祖母是南方人。”她对他的单纯微笑。

“那么为什么？”

虽然这很尴尬，但她必须回答。

“为什么，你——我们——搬到了——完全不同的——领域，而且——啊，这真的不能被认为是基思先生，”她半绝望地说。

他自己也曾想到过他们活动的不同领域，但他已经克服了这个困难。据他所知，虽然她的父亲是一名店童，而她的母亲也不是世界上最有学问的人，但爱丽丝·约克却是一位十足的淑女，在她自己的优秀品格中，无可争议的证据表明某处有温柔的血统。那些精致的五官、纤细的双手、修长的脚踝和丝滑的头发讲述着自己的故事。

所以他近乎说：“那没有什么区别”；但他克制住了自己。他反而说：“我不知道我是否理解你。”

说得这么直白是很烦人的，但约克夫人觉得，这是很有必要的。

“为什么，我的意思是，我的女儿一直生活在——最排外的社会里；她拥有最好的优势，并且有权期待能够给予她最好的优势。”

“你的意思是，你觉得我家配不上你女儿？”

他平静的声音里有一种语气让她抬头看了他一眼，而他脸上的表情让她很快回答道：

“不好了;当然不是那样。我毫不怀疑你的家人是——事实上，我听说是——你的——。但我的女儿完全有权利期待生活所能给予的最好的。她有权期待——一个——机构。”

“你是说钱？”基思问道，声音有些沙哑。

“为什么，不是按照你所说的方式；但金钱代表着什么——舒适、奢侈、地位。现在，不要再为这件事而烦恼了。你不过是个傻孩子而已。你幻想自己爱上了我的女儿，因为她是这里唯一的漂亮女孩。”

“她不是;但她是我认识的最漂亮的人。”基思痛苦地说。

“你这么想，所以你觉得你爱上了她。”

“这并不花哨；我是，”基思固执地断言。 “如果她像她美丽一样丑陋，我就会爱上她。”

“哦，不，你不会的，”约克夫人冷静地宣称。 “现在，你要做的就是忘记她，因为她很快就会忘记你。”

“我知道她会的，尽管我希望她不会，”年轻人呻吟道。 “我永远不会忘记她——永远不会。”

他的声音和态度表现出如此真诚的痛苦，这位女士不禁对他感到真正的同情，尤其是当他似乎接受了她对此案的看法时。她近乎友善地看了他一眼。

“我就没有什么能为你做的吗？我非常想做点什么——做一些事情来表达我对你们为我们所做的一切的感激之情，让我们在这里的住宿不再那么沉闷。”

“谢谢。什么都没有，”基思说。 “我现在要把注意力转向——建立一个机构。”他的语气半是讽刺，但约克夫人没有看到。

“没错，”她热情地说。

“这是不对的，”基思突然激烈地宣称。 “这一切都是错误的。我知道这一切都是错的。”

“世人认为正确的事情不可能都是错误的。”约克夫人语气果断。

“你什么时候走？”年轻人突然问道。

“在几天内。”她的语气含糊不清，但话虽如此，她却已经决定明天就走。

“我感谢你对我的好意，”基思站得很直，声音有些沙哑地说。

约克夫人的心猛地一颤。如果不是为了女儿的利益，她可能会喜欢这个男孩并和他成为朋友。她从昏暗的过去中看到了一个幻象；一个肩膀宽阔的乡村男孩突然闪现在她的面前。但在事情弄清楚之前她就把它关掉了。她亲切地对基思说话，并向他伸出了手，语气比她很长一段时间以来都更加真诚。

“你是个好孩子，”她说，“我希望我能回答你，但那简直就是疯狂。有一天你会知道，让你赤裸裸地看待事实对你更友善。”

“我想是的，”基思礼貌地说。 “但是有一天，约克夫人，你会听到我的消息。如果你不这样做，记住我就死了。”

带着这样的悲剧，他转身离开了她，约克夫人站着看着他大步走下小路，意思是，如果他转身，就要向他友好地挥手告别，同时也注视着，以免发生她所害怕的事情。可能会发生一刻钟。如果她的女儿现在遇见他，那就太可怕了。然而他并没有转身，当他最后消失时，约克夫人松了一口气，走进她的房间，开始快速地写起来。

当爱丽丝·约克短途旅行回来时，她的脸上露出了愉快的期待表情。她一直在和鲍尔萨姆医生说话，他说了一些关于戈登·基思的话，让她的脸颊发麻。 “拥有两大洲最优秀的血统，”他这样评价他。 “他拥有造就英格兰和美国的东西。”真正浪漫的光芒开始笼罩着她。

当她走进大厅时，她遇到了奈勒太太。奈勒太太会意地对她微笑，就像猫一样，她会微笑，也可能会对老鼠微笑。

“我想你妈妈就在阳台的尽头。不久前我看见她在那里和你的朋友、年轻的校长谈话。他是一个多么好的年轻人？很不寻常，不是吗？”

爱丽丝微微一惊。不愧是“少校长”！

“是的，我想是的。我不知道。”她讨厌奈勒太太那种安静、猫般的举止和好奇心。她现在比以往任何时候都更恨她，因为她意识到自己脸红了，而奈勒太太也注意到了。

“你妈妈对学校很感兴趣？是的？我觉得她这样很好？重视教育的人这么少吗？”她的神情绝对天真无邪。

“我不知道。我相信她对一切都感兴趣。”爱丽丝结结巴巴地说。她想补充一句，“看来你也是。”

“现在很少有人关心教育了，”奈勒夫人小声地接着说道。 “那个年轻人真是个好人？他有好学校吗？听说你也在场？你也对学校感兴趣？”她像个日本小玩具一样点点头。

“我确信我不知道。是的;我想他有。你为什么不走？少女随意问道。

“哦，我没有被邀请。”奈勒夫人和蔼地微笑着。 “也许，你会让我和你一起去？”

爱丽丝逃脱了，跑上楼，尽管她很想走到门廊上。然而，他应该惩罚他，在她被叫去之前离开，而她不能在奈勒太太的猫眼盯着她的情况下去。

她发现母亲坐在桌旁忙碌地写着。约克夫人只是抬头看了一眼，说道：“你回来了？希望您度过愉快的时光？”并继续写作。

爱丽丝用惊讶的眼神看着她。她脸上的表情是那么严肃。

“你在干什么？”她尽量用冷漠的语气说话。

“写信给你父亲。”笔继续忙碌着。

“什么事？爸爸生病了吗？有什么事吗？”

“不;什么也没发生。我写信是想告诉你，我们将在本周最后一天回家。”

“离开！”

“是的;你不觉得我们已经在这里呆得够久了吗？我们原本预计要呆到三月底，现在已经快五月了。”

“但是到底是怎么回事呢？你怎么突然下定决心？妈妈，你真是太秘密了！我确信出了什么问题。爸爸身体不好吗？”她走过去，站在母亲身边。

约克夫人说完一个字，停顿了一会儿，银笔杆的一端抵在牙齿上。

“爱丽丝，”她若有所思地说，“我有话想对你说，而且我现在很想说。我想我应该非常坦白地和你谈谈。”

“好吧，看在上帝的份上，就这么做吧，妈妈；因为我很想知道发生了什么事。”她坐在椅子边上寻求支撑。她的脸色几乎惨白。

“爱丽丝——”

“是的，妈妈。”她的礼貌是不祥的。

“爱丽丝，我已经和那个年轻人谈过了——”

爱丽丝的脸顿时涨红了。

“什么年轻人？”她问道，仿佛里奇斯普林斯的每片灌木丛后面都挤满了年轻人。

“那个年轻人——先生。基思”坚定地说道。

“哦！”爱丽丝说。 “和基思先生一起吗？是吗，妈妈？”她的颜色现在正在迅速变化。

“是的，我和基思先生进行了一次非常非常非同寻常的谈话。”当约克夫人再次陷入沉思时，爱丽丝不得不问道：

“那怎么办，妈妈？”

“关于你。”

“关于我？关于我的什么？”她的表情掩盖了她假装的纯真。

“爱丽丝，我希望你不要做出愚蠢的举动。我一分钟都不敢相信你——一个像你这样长大的女孩——到目前为止已经忘记了自己——会让自己对一个完全不知名、无知、默默无闻的年轻人感兴趣。”

“哎呀，妈妈，他不是无知；他不是无知的。”他比我见过的任何人都懂得更多——为什么，他读了一大堆我从未听说过的书——而且他的家庭是这个国家最好、最古老的家庭之一。他的祖父或曾祖父都是宣言的签署人——”

“我不是在谈论这个，”约克夫人急忙打断道。 “我必须说，你似乎对他的家谱研究得很仔细。”

“博士。鲍尔萨姆告诉我的。”爱丽丝插嘴道。

“博士。巴尔萨姆没什么可说的。我说的是他的默默无闻。”

“但我相信有一天他会为人所知。你不知道他有多么聪明，有多么雄心勃勃。他告诉我-”

但约克夫人不介意让爱丽丝沉思他告诉她的话。他是一位非常优秀的倡导者。

“东西！我不在乎他告诉你什么！爱丽丝，他是一个完全不知名且未经训练的年轻人。所有的年轻人都这么说话。他的举止非常粗俗而且粗鲁——”

“哎呀，妈妈，他的举止很漂亮！”爱丽丝惊呼道：“有一天我听到一位女士说他有切斯特菲尔德的举止。”

“切斯特——胡说八道！”约克夫人惊呼道。

“我想他也有，妈妈。”

“我不同意你的观点，”约克夫人精力充沛地宣称。 “他会怎样出现在纽约？哎呀，他穿着又大又重的鞋子，而且他的领带也太可怕了。”

“他的领带很糟糕，”爱丽丝悲伤地承认。

约克夫人发现了对手防御的突破口，就像一位优秀的将军一样指挥着她的攻击。

“他穿得很糟糕；他的头发像乡下人一样；他的举止和他的衣服一样陈旧。想想他在歌剧院或温特沃斯夫人的招待会上的样子！他说‘女士’和‘先生’就好像他是一个仆人一样。”

“我曾经因为这件事追过他，”女孩若有所思地说。 “我说过只有仆人才会这么说。”

“嗯，他说什么了？”

“说这证明仆人有时比主人更有礼貌。”

“好吧，我必须说，我认为他太粗鲁了！”约克夫人断言，拿起扇子开始快速扇动。

“这就是我所说的;但他说，他不认为以完全尊重的方式陈述一个简单且客观的事实有什么不礼貌的。”

爱丽丝在防守中热身并继续前进。

“他说，这种新时尚是由那些对自己的立场不确定的人造成的，他们担心如果他们使用这样的术语，别人会认为他们是奴性的。”

“他对时尚了解多少？”

“他说时尚是一种暂时的、不断变化的东西，有时是由意外造成的，有时是由商人制造的，但良好的礼仪在今天与数百年前是一样的，尽管表现方式发生了变化，基础总是一样的，那就是仁慈和温柔。”

约克夫人喘着气。

“好吧，我必须说，你似乎已经吸取了教训！”她惊呼道。

爱丽丝不仅被她重复的话语所吸引，而且还被过去几周戈登·基思和她进行的许多对话和思想交流所吸引，在这些对话和交流中，他给了她新的想法。她双手紧握，眼睛放在膝盖上，用低沉而不稳定的声音开始说道：

“妈妈，我相信我非常喜欢他——比以前更喜欢他——”

「胡说八道，爱丽丝！现在，我不会再讲这些废话了。我为了你的健康把你带到这里来，你却和一个完全不知名的年轻乡下人交往，你对他一无所知，而且——”

“我了解他的一切，妈妈。我知道他是一位绅士。他的祖父——”

“你知道 没什么 “关于他，”约克夫人站起身来断言。 “你可能与一个男人结婚多年，但对他知之甚少。你怎么知道这个男孩的事？一周后你就会回去并忘记他的一切。”

“我永远不会忘记他，妈妈，”爱丽丝低声说道，想着过去几天里她为同样的目的做出的无数承诺。

“胡闹！你说过多少次这样的话？至少六次。还有诺曼·威克沙姆和费迪·威克沙姆，还有——”

“我没有忘记他们，”爱丽丝说，她对母亲的说法有点印象。

“当然，你没有。爱丽丝，我认为你如此敏感和肤浅是不对的。至少每三个月我必须经历一次同样的事情。费迪·威克沙姆（Ferdy Wickersham）——英俊、举止优雅、非常有魅力——各方面都有良好的前景，对你忠诚这么久。我不关心他的母亲，但他的人现在到处都受到接待。为什么-？”

“妈妈，如果费迪·威克沙姆是最后一个救命的人，如果他不是为了一千万美元，我就不会嫁给他。而且他也不关心我。”

“为什么，他对你非常忠诚，”约克夫人坚持说。

“除了他自己之外，费迪·威克沙姆不会完全忠于任何人——而且永远不会，”爱丽丝激烈地断言。 “如果说他关心过谁的话，那就是路易斯·考德威尔。”

约克夫人改变了立场。

“诺曼·温特沃斯在吗？最好的之一-”

“啊！我不爱诺曼。我永远不能。我们是最好的朋友，但我只是喜欢并尊重他。”

“尊重是结婚的一个非常安全的基础，”约克夫人果断地说。 “有些人结婚时甚至连这些都没有。”

“那么我为他们感到难过，”爱丽丝小姐说。 “但当我结婚时，我想要爱。我认为嫁给一个你不爱的男人是一种犯罪。上帝赋予我们形成理想的能力，如果我们故意低于理想——”

约克夫人突然大笑起来。

“哦，东西！那个男孩在你的脑子里塞满了足够你受用一生的废话。我不会是这样的鹦鹉。我现在想写完我的信。”

约克夫人结束了她的信，两天后的早晨，约克夫妇登上了往返于斯普林斯和十英里外的山脊脚下那个肮脏的小火车站之间的古老的两匹马舞台，并象征性地抖落了里奇利的灰尘。不过，从他们的脚来看，从他们到达铁路时的样子来看，它和更多的东西一定已经落在了他们的肩膀上。

道路经过那栋小木屋，随着舞台嘎嘎作响，年轻老师的脸色变了。他站起身来，看着窗外，灼热的眸子里充满了好奇。突然，他的脸亮了起来：一顶漂亮帽子下的一个小脑袋向他点了点头。他深深鞠了一躬，神情焕然一新地回到座位上。那张弓束缚了他很多年。他差点就原谅了她那高傲的母亲。

爱丽丝带走了一封又长又悲惨的信，她认为此时没有必要向她的母亲吐露这封信，因为作者声称，在他目前的情况下，他觉得有必要承认她母亲拒绝承认的权利。他要求见她；但他打算取得如此成功，以至于她会撤销她的禁令，有一天会回来，把生活所能给予的最高荣誉放在她的脚下。

一个女人在抛弃了一个男人之后，也许会比以前更爱他。当然，当爱丽丝·约克小姐发现自己要离开戈登·基思时，她对戈登·基思的思念比她认识戈登·基思的那几周里任何时候都更加温柔。

有人说，一颗破碎的心是年轻人最宝贵的财富。或许，对基思来说也是如此。

剩下的时间对他来说是疲惫不堪的。但他工作起来很狂暴。他会成功的。他会站起来。他会让约克夫人知道他是谁。

约克夫人回到家后，立即开始引导她的女儿回到她认为比她所陷入的更健康的思维方式。这个机会以大学毕业典礼的形式出现，随后举行了划船比赛，以及由此带来的所有欢乐。

约克夫人以她的方式热爱她的女儿，并对她有一个明确的、她认为崇高的抱负。这意味着她应该成为社会上最会穿衣服的女孩，应该成为一个美女，最终应该缔造出她这一代人中最辉煌的婚姻，也就是最富有的婚姻。她有时梦想着一段让她的朋友们羡慕不已的婚姻——一个头衔，一个崇高的头衔。爱丽丝美丽、时尚、富有、活泼。她会戴上王冠，妈妈会是“女士，伯爵夫人的母亲”。但妈妈遇到了意想不到的障碍。

当约克夫人在建造她的空中城堡时，不经意间说出了她给爱丽丝起个头衔的想法时，一场意想不到的暴风雨突然从一个意想不到的地方传来。丹尼斯·约克（Dennis Yorke）通常对妻子很敏感，他有两三个偏见，但这些偏见对他来说是原则。就这些而言，他很摇滚。他的女儿是他的偶像。

为了她，从她对他睁开蓝眼睛，对他眨眨眼的那一刻起，他就一直在辛苦地谋划着，直到他的头发从棕色变成灰色，然后从他圆圆的、坚挺的脑袋上消失。他对她的爱比雅各对拉结的爱还要长，而且时间似乎并不长。他从青年到老年努力争取的钱应该交给某个可恶的外国人，以偿还他的赌债，这让他差点全身抽搐。他的祖先被这些生物赶出了家乡，在荒野中挨饿。 “在任何外国恶棍得到一美元钱之前，他都会把它捐给疯人院。”因此，约克夫人此时谨慎地避免进一步追问这个话题，而是把希望寄托在确保下一个最有利的联盟——一个富有的联盟上。与其他年轻人相比，她更喜欢诺曼·温特沃斯，因为他不仅富有，而且温特沃斯家族是一个古老而稳固的家族，而温特沃斯夫人是国家的老贵族之一，他的话就是法律，凌驾于法律之上。即使是最富有的新领导人。获得诺曼·温特沃斯“几乎和头衔一样好”。人们刻意地与“亲爱的温特沃斯夫人”建立了亲密关系，而“亲爱的男孩”诺曼也经常被带到家里。

反常的是，他和爱丽丝并没有像约克夫人所希望的那样相处。他们简直成了最好的朋友，约克夫人看到爱丽丝俘虏的诺曼是一个身材高大、身材匀称的同学，他感到很羞愧，而爱丽丝却对他表现得完全漠不关心。更让人难以忍受的是，路易丝·考德威尔的母亲考德威尔夫人是一位寡妇，收入勉强维持体面的生活，却悄悄地带着约克夫人和其他一些母亲努力争取的奖品走开了，只不过是她的权利罢了。这一切都源于她的家庭关系。那些古老的家庭就是这样。他们是那么自私、排他、那么骄傲。他们认为自己高人一等，并且似乎鄙视财富。约克夫人并不相信考德威尔夫人真的鄙视财富，但她承认她在这方面做得很好。

约克夫人预见到自己与诺曼·温特沃斯的关系会失败，很乐意接受费迪·威克沙姆代替他的位置，尽管费迪·威克沙姆在某些方面肯定不如诺曼，但在其他方面却比诺曼更胜一筹。

诚然，据说费迪是个有点鲁莽的年轻人，约克先生并不喜欢他。但约克夫人辩称：“男孩就是男孩，你知道，约克先生，你告诉过我你自己也不太好。”对此，丹尼斯·约克咆哮道，一个男人“永远不会告诉他的妻子类似的事情，而且，至少他从来没有上过那个年轻的威克沙姆的班级。”

约克夫人把这一切都抛在了一边，不惜牺牲自己，为女儿争取成功，迫使她忘记这位年轻的南方校长的悲情故事。

啊，登山者的梦想！他们多么愚蠢啊！金色的云彩在顶部，就在它们到达时，一些小杰克出现了，砍倒了豆茎、云彩和所有东西。

于是，约克夫人做了个梦，在开车进城一两周、急切地挑选帽子、试穿疲惫的衣服之后，爱丽丝一直提到春天树林的魅力和南方气候，她有点担心，于是出发了。和女孩在兰开斯特先生的游艇上，兰开斯特先生是她丈夫的一位富有、有尊严、有教养的朋友。他一直很喜欢爱丽丝，现在为她举办了一场游艇派对，让她去看划船比赛。

基斯本以为，当他离开这个沉浸了这么久的地方的时候，将会是他一生中最幸福的时刻。然而，当这一天到来的时候，他感觉到有一种奇怪的感觉在拉扯着他的心。他要离开的这些人，由于他们的无知和狭隘，他心里对他们怀有一种非常类似的蔑视，在他看来，他们是完全不同的人。他们几乎没有一个人，但对他很好。他们可能显得坚强而小气；但他们住得很近，突破外壳，你一定会发现一颗温暖的心，而且往往是一颗柔软的心。

他开始理解巴尔萨姆博士的演讲：“我生活在多种社会中，但我最喜欢最简单的。”在这里可以更接近男人。我不求感激。我得到了感情。”

基思已经通知学校将在某一天停课。夏天一到，学者们总是下班去种庄稼。最近出席人数很少。这最后一天，他几乎没想到会有六个学生。令他惊讶的是，校舍里挤满了人。

甚至杰克·丹尼森（Jake Dennison）也到了山里采伐木材一段时间了，他身材高大，脾气很好，坐在系着粉红丝带的芙罗尼·特里珀（Phrony Tripper）旁边，用力地给她扇风，让矿井保持新鲜。当天晚些时候，不少孩子的父母乘坐摇摇晃晃的车辆抵达。他们是来向这位年轻老师告别的。参加学校庆祝活动的人数几乎一样多。基思完全不知所措，当学校关门的时间到来时，他并没有像他预料的那样，把他放在书桌上的六本书捆起来，与十几个渴望在愉快的氛围中放松的孩子们握手。度过了暑假，转动锁中的钥匙，独自沿着尘土飞扬的道路艰难地走向乡绅罗森家，他现在发现教室里挤满了人，不仅有学童，也有成年人。他知道他们希望他说些什么，而他除了努力之外别无他法。一个小时里，当他坐在最后一堂课上时——这是复习的性质——他面前的书页只是模糊的白色空间，他一直在思考他应该说些什么。然而，当他站起来时，他曾如此忠实地试图实现的每一个想法都从他的大脑中消失了。

他扔掉了所有他一直试图表达的巧妙措辞，简单地说，两年前他带着一个年轻人的自负来到了那里，希望能教给他们很多东西，而他离开时感觉自己已经学到了很多东西。他教的东西很少，但他学到了很多东西。他了解到世界上最善良的人们生活在那个地区；他永远不应该忘记他们的善意，并且应该永远感到他最好的朋友就在那里。他又说了几句话，表达了他对学校的希望以及对那些对他如此好的人们的感情，然后宣布学校关闭。令他惊讶的是，罗森乡绅向他眨了眨眼，之前反对基思的其他受托人之一站了起来，向众人发表讲话，开始说一些关于他的事情，这些事情让他既高兴又惊讶。

他说，他们一开始也对事情如何运作有些怀疑，因为人们“在戴上马具之前永远无法知道小马会做什么”，但这匹小马“结果证明是一匹漂亮的小马”。好马。”也许基思先生所教的比他所知道的还要多。他教过一些人——他的目光投向了杰克·丹尼森（Jake Dennison），他坐在那儿，身形高大、棕色，就像一个年轻巨人那样平静，终生为尤弗洛尼亚扇风——他“教过一些人，一扇门必须足够坚固”把一位知道自己职责的老师拒之门外。”不管怎样，他们对他很满意，董事会投票决定再雇用他一年，但他拒绝了。他有“生意”需要他离开。有些人认为他们了解这一行。 （听到这，房间里的大部分人都发出一阵窃笑声，戈登·基思对自己感到愤怒，因为他发现自己突然变得又热又红。）演讲者说，他本人并没有假装对此一无所知。 ，但他想说，如果基思先生发现公司没有像他预期的那样有利可图，受托人已决定为他保留该职位一年，并已选出一位继承人暂时持有该职位，以防万一他无法继续经营。应该想回来。

对此，大家报以热烈的掌声，就像那些冷漠的人们所享受到的那样。

第二天，基思向他的朋友们告别。

那天晚上他最后一次拜访的是鲍尔萨姆博士。自从约克夫人和她的女儿离开这个地方以来，他晚上就很少去村子了。现在，当他走上小路时，夏日的月光正洒在小旅馆白色的门面上。斜斜的月光落在阳台的一角，他经常和爱丽丝·约克躺在沙发上聊天，也是他和约克夫人最后一次谈话的地方，基思看到一个年轻人靠在某人身上。全身被白色包围，半斜靠在扶手椅上。他想知道那天晚上之前约克夫人让他赤裸裸地看《生活》时，那里是否也在进行着同样的谈话。

当基思宣布他的任务时，如果他的一位心爱的病人拒绝接受他最仔细的治疗，医生看起来几乎是严肃的。

“我想对你说一件事，”他不久说道，“你最近因为某件事而心烦意乱，而这正影响着你。放弃。放弃那个女孩。你迟早必须这样做。他们对你来说太强大了。即使你不喜欢，她也不会适合你；你不会得到你想要的女人。她是一个有吸引力的年轻女孩，但她不会一直这样。进入时尚社会几年就会改变她。这是地球上最腐蚀的生命！”医生痛苦地喊道。 “约定俗成取代了一切原则，成为唯一的神。她必须改变。一切皆是虚空！”博士重复道，几乎是在沉思，他的眼睛停留在基思的脸上。

“好吧，”他叹了口气说，“如果你被撞倒了，受了重伤，就回到这里来，如果我还活着，我会帮你包扎的。如果没有，无论如何都要回来。只要你不吸毒，这个地方就会治愈你。上帝祝福你！有效期。”他和基思一起走到小门廊的外缘，再次与他握手，并再次说道：“再见：愿上帝保佑你！”当基斯在山脚下转身回头一看时，他刚刚重新进门，在门内的灯光映衬下，他那瘦削高大的身躯清晰可见。不知何故，基思感觉自己好像背弃了一个地标。

就在基思回家的路上，一个人影从栅栏一角升起，在星光下站在他面前。

“好吧，基思先生。”声音是戴夫·丹尼森的。基思惊奇地向他打招呼。到底是什么让这个男孩在深夜的这个时候出来了？ “你介意开个小玩笑吗？”

基思向后退了一小段距离。当戴夫需要沟通时，他总是显得很神秘。这部分是一种害羞，部分是边疆工艺的残余。

戴夫很快就解决了基思的疑虑。 “我听说你要走了，不会再回来了？”

“你是怎么听说的——我是说，我不会再回来了？”基思问道。

“好吧，你是在向所有人道别，即使他们都快要死了也是如此。如果人们回来了，就不会这样做。”他向前倾身，在半明半暗的光线中，基思意识到他正在审视自己的脸。

“不，我不希望再回来教书；但我希望有一天能回来看看我的朋友们。”

男孩直起身子。

“嗯，我想和你一起去。”

“你！跟我走？”基思惊呼道。然后，由于担心男孩可能受伤，他说：“为什么，戴夫，我什至不知道我要去哪里。我完全不知道自己要做什么。我只知道我会离开，我会成功。”

“这是正确的。没关系，”男孩同意道。 “你要去某个地方，我想和你一起去。你不知道你要去哪里，但你正在走。你知道所有那些奇怪的国家，就像你告诉我们的那样，我什么都不知道，但我想知道，我会和你一起去。至少，我要走了，如果你允许的话，我会和你一起去。”

基思的回答一点也不让人放心。他给出了充分的理由反对戴夫执行他的计划。但他的语气很友善，年轻人将其视为鼓励。

“我知道，我没什么大不了的，”他恳求道。 “我没有任何账户 世界'”他纠正了自己，以免这件事出错。 “他们说在家里我曾经是一个账户——一些小账户——在我开始读书之前——在我 分选机 “我喜欢读书。”他再次羞愧地纠正道。 “但从那以后我就不再算账了。但我认为——我更友善地认为——如果我了解一点，我可以成为一些人，并且可以去某个地方做一些事情。”

基思认真地听着，男孩继续说道：

“当你告诉我们那个汉尼拔告诉他的士兵一切都在山的另一边时，我开始明白你的意思了。以前我以为我知道的很多；现在我知道了。然后我发现我知道的东西是多么的少，从那时起我就一直在努力学习，而且我打算学习；这就是我想和你一起去的原因。你知道，而我不知道，而你是唯一一个让我想知道的人。”

基思感觉自己的心泛起了一股热血。这是他工作的第一个成果。

男孩闯入了他愉快的遐想。

“你会让我走吗？”他问。 “因为我非常确定。我不会再留在这个国家了。看这里。”他拿出一个旧包塞到基思手里。 “我那里有十六美元二十三美分。我做到了，当其他男孩都在花他们的钱时，我节省了我的钱。你可以倒出来数一下。”

基思说他第二天会去看他的父亲。

这似乎并没有让戴夫满意。

“不管他说与不说，我都会去，”他突然说道。 “我想看看这个世界”。不要有人对我不感兴趣，我想离开。”

“哦是的！为什么，我关心你，”基思说。

令他惊讶的是，男孩开始呜咽起来。

谢谢。我对你有义务。我——想要离开——在那里，Phrony 没有人——没有人，再也见不到我了——再也见不到我了。”

基思明白了真相。小戴夫也有他的烦恼，他的悲伤，他的单恋。基思对这个男孩很热情。

“弗罗尼比你大很多，”他安慰道。

” “不，她不是；我们只是一个年纪；如果她是我就不会热衷。我要走了。”

在这种情况下，基思不得不提出拒绝带他去。不过他说，如果能征得父亲的同意，等他安顿下来，他就会派人去接他。在这种妥协的基础上，男孩回家了。

基思发现，他在学校教书两年的积蓄已经足够他在大学里再读一年了，于是他开始实行严格节约。

他在野心的激励下工作，向爱丽丝·约克和她周围的人表明，他不仅仅是一个乡村土包。

他的脸坚定地朝着他在繁花似锦的树林中遇见并前来朝拜的年轻女孩的发光身影所在的方向，他学习的目的如此之好，以至于在课程结束时，他将两年的工作打包进了书中。一。

当基思在大学结束时开始他应该做什么时，他并没有非常明确的想法。他只知道自己拥有强大的齿轮，世界就在他的面前。他希望隐藏自己不被观察，直到他获得成功，他将在一个令人惊讶的世界中爆发，压倒约克夫人，并抓住爱丽丝。他的第一个目的是去遥远的西方；但经过深思熟虑，他放弃了这个想法。

国外已经有传言说，阿巴拉契亚山脉的机会可能与大陆另一边更大的山脉一样黄金。

基思有一种感觉，他宁愿在南方取得成功，也不愿在其他地方取得成功。

“只有拿出步枪、开进铁路，资本才会蜂拥而至，”罗兹曾表示。 “老威克沙姆知道他的事。”

那是很久以前的事了，觉醒终于开始了。现在，地毯式打包已经结束，该地区的事务再次得到解决，媒体再次谈论国家的财富。

新生活的主要中心是距离伊甸园更远一天的山里，基思曾经和鲍尔萨姆博士一起参观过这个小村庄，当时他照顾了一位名叫吉尔西的老舞台司机，并从什么地方割下了一颗子弹。他称自己为“断腿”。这就是蒙着面纱的戈尔康达。这位风景如画、幽默的登山家将洪堡的原名命名为“甘博尔特”。

正是在这里，老亚当·罗森（Adam Rawson）受到这位年轻工程师的预言的刺激，抢先购买了矿权，并“领先”了威克沙姆公司（Wickersham & Company）。

即使在山脊地区，时代和观点也在发生变化，现在，经过多年的拖延，威克沙姆公司的铁路即将建成。已经到达伊甸园了。

基思和父亲待了几天后，在里奇利停下来看望他的老朋友。医生有些不以为然地打量着他。

“像灰狗一样憔悴，”他嘀咕道。 “我想我的病人还没有结婚吧？好吧，她会的。你最好把她从你的记忆中剔除，以免她被牢牢地牢牢地困在那里。”

基思大胆地说他会抓住机会。

当老罗森看到他时，他也注意到了他的瘦弱。但更令人鼓舞的是。

“好吧，‘一只瘦狗适合长途追逐’，”他说。

“牛怎么样了？”基思问道。

老者目光锐利地望向他。

“牛还可以忍受。我买了相当多的东西去往冈博尔特，也就是你要去的地方。有一天我可能会让你照顾他们，”他笑着说。

戈登写信给戴夫·丹尼森，表示他要去甘博尔特并会照顾他。过了一会儿，他得知男孩已经去了那里。

从威克沙姆公司正在修建的铁路终点站伊甸园到达冈博尔特的方式仍然是舞台，是旧式山地车厢的幸存者，它经受住了各种机遇和命运的变迁。

令基思高兴的是，尽管下着雨，他还是不得不坐在司机老蒂姆·吉尔西（他回忆起自己的名字）的外面座位上，并在“地狱条纹山”上保持冷静，那里的路爬过路肩。沿着陡峭的悬崖，突然掉到下面的河里，老吉尔西习惯于在这个地方展示他的驾驶技术并考验乘客的神经，他让老人成为了终生的朋友。

当舞台开始登上下一个山坡时，老司机居然直直地讲述了不久前发生的“抢劫”事件，“沿着他们北方佬带来的那条该死的铁路” ’进入乡村”，他把当时的大部分罪恶归咎于乡村。 “因为当你管理一个舞台时，你知道你和你一起的人是谁，”吉尔西先生宣称； “但是当你经营一家铁路时，你不知道你有谁。”

“好吧，告诉我你被拦住的那次。”

“没有人拦住我吗？”吉尔西先生嗤之以鼻。 “如果我要停下来，我就不会开始。当我患有风湿病时，他们把这个傻瓜安置在这里。从那时起他们就让我挑选替补。

“好吧，”他说，他们下面有几盏灯在闪烁，“她就在那里。那里也有一些非常坚强的角色。但你不会给他们带来任何麻烦。你所要做的就是立即限制他们。”

到达冈博尔特后的第二天早上，基思环顾四周，发现他的新家只是一个简陋的采矿营地，简陋而崎岖；几排木板房开始被仓促的砖结构房屋所取代，它们在未铺砌的道路两侧延伸到山上，天气干燥时尘土飞扬，潮湿时深不见底。然而，就其规模而言，它已经是该国最国际化的地方之一。当然，这里的人口主要是美国人，他们开始涌入——来自城镇、穿着黑外套、眼神锐利的男人，还有穿着生锈衣服、身材魁梧、长腿、外表安静、声音安静的登山者。档案，在耀眼的日光下无声无息，几乎逃之夭夭。他们很安静，几乎是隐秘的，与森林中的其他居民一样，有一些动作，除非他们被激怒并被唤醒，然后，像其他居民一样，他们凶猛得几乎令人难以置信。小毛病可能引起大争吵，手枪会闪光如光。

Keith 第一次来访的是《J. Quincy Plume》杂志的编辑。 橡皮哨。他说，他有幸认识了他杰出的父亲，并且曾经有幸来到他的老家。他在书上看到了基思的名字，并只是打电话向他提供他或他的报纸可以为他提供的任何服务。 “这个洞里的绅士太少了，”他解释道，“所以我觉得我们应该站在一起。”知道了J·昆西的历史的基思心中暗笑。

自从担任地毯袋立法机关的议长以来，普卢姆先生已经老了。他的黑发开始变得灰白，高高的额头向后退得更远，淡褐色的眼睛有些迷离。他丰满的嘴唇也不像以前那么坚定了。自从他成为威克沙姆利益集团的轻率代理人以来，他显然经历过糟糕的时光。他穿着一套黑色西装，系着一条曾经更加鲜艳的领带，戴着一顶破旧的丝帽，脚上穿着有些破烂的漆皮鞋。

他对牌和酗酒的沉迷促成了普卢姆先生的被推翻，在从公众视野中消失了一段时间后，正当冈博尔特开始被人们谈论时，他出现了，手里拿着一张比手帕稍大的小床单， ，为了向 Gumbolt 未来的制造商致敬，他将其命名为 橡皮哨.

普卢姆先生提出向基思介绍“冈博尔特最漂亮的女人”，顺便说一句，还介绍“最好的鸡尾酒”。 “Terpsichore 是一位实践 Terpsichore 艺术的仙女；事实上，我可以说，她主持着许多艺术，因为她拥有镇上最好的法罗银行，也是唯一一个绅士可以喝到不会毒害精致胃的饮料的酒吧。我可以说，她是冈博尔特协会的领导者。”

基思摇摇头；他宣称，他是来上班的。

“哦，你不必拒绝；你必须认识特皮。我就是美德本身；事实上，我现在是约瑟夫。你知道吗，我属于布料？”基斯的表情表明他已经听到了这个事实。 “但即使是我也屈服于她的魅力——当然，我指的是智力。”

普卢姆先生在建议基思向他提供一笔小额临时贷款，或者，如果更方便的话，借给他一张小银行票据上使用他的名字“以度过意外和意外的紧急情况”后，便退出了。向基思保证他一定会在六十天内接受它。

对基思来说不幸的是，普卢姆的真诚给他留下了如此深刻的印象，以至于他很乐意借用他的名字，但无论是在六十天期满时，还是在任何其他时间，普卢姆先生都没有找到它。为了方便记下他的票据，基思后来发现自己必须自己付钱。这种情况，是由于羽先生说的，他一直表示痛惜，而且无疑是真诚的。

在冈博尔特，女性非常受重视，而普鲁姆先生并不是唯一一个对“特普西乔尔”（她主要被称为“特普西乔尔”）赞不绝口的人。基思不禁想知道她是什么样的人，拥有一家舞厅和一家法罗银行，却受到聚集在“温莎大房间”的人群的无限钦佩和非常类似的尊敬。 ”。她一定很英俊，而且可能是一位出色的舞者，但毫无疑问，她是一个狂野、粗俗的生物，脸颊上涂着油彩，头发也染了色。他脑海中形成的画面并不会干扰他内心的画面。

第二天，他在一家商店买东西的时候，一个面色清新、牙齿洁白、看上去整洁、整洁的年轻女子走了进来，用悦耳的声音说道：“早上好，大家好。” ”。基思根本没有把她和特西科雷联系起来，但他很惊讶老蒂姆·吉尔西不应该知道她在城里。更令他惊讶的是，她毫不掩饰地长时间地看了他一眼，没有比她正在检查的一块矿石更自信的样子，她说道：

“你就是前天晚上进城的那个人？蒂姆叔叔正在跟我讲起你。”

“是的;我前天晚上就到了这里。蒂姆叔叔是谁？”

“蒂姆·吉尔西叔叔。”

她走上前，以最完美的友善向他伸出手，并带着孩子般自然的笑声补充道：

“我们必须成为朋友；蒂姆叔叔说你是白人，这比他现在在路上带来的一些白人还要多。”

“是的，我也希望如此。你们是吉尔西先生的侄女，我很高兴认识你们”

年轻女子突然大笑起来。

“劳拉”， 没有。我不是任何人的侄女；但他是我叔叔——我收养了他 他。我是特皮-特普西科雷，管理特普西科雷大厅。”她解释道，仿佛她认为他可能无法理解她的暗示。

基思几乎屏住了呼吸。哎呀，她根本不像他想象中的她。她是一位整洁、安静的少妇，身材姣好，亭亭玉立，声音优美，灰色的眼睛里带着笑意。

“你一定要来看我。今晚我们要爆发一场。过来吧。我会把你介绍给男孩们。我有镇上最好的舞厅——刚刚完工——还有三把小提琴。我们为今晚命名。冈博尔特将成为有史以来最伟大的事情。”

基思从茫然中醒来。

“谢谢你，但恐怕我得请你原谅，”他说。

“为什么？”她简单地询问道。

“因为我来不了。我不太擅长跳舞。”

她先是惊讶地看着他，然后又感到好笑。

“你是卫理公会传教士吗？”

“没有。”

“救恩？”

“没有。”

“我想，也许你就像卫理公会教徒蒂布·德拉蒙德一样，总是对我进行布道。”她转向店主。 “你认为他会说什么？他说他不会来看我，他也不是传教士，也不是救世军。但他会的，不是吗？”

“当然，”那人说，从桶后面偷偷地张望。 “如果他不这样做，他将是镇上唯一一个不这样做的人。”

“不，”基思愉快而坚定地说。 “我不能去。”

“哦，是的，你会的，”她笑道。 “我会等你的。顺便”；她哼着一首关于“iligint, baud McIntyres”的歌曲，神态轻松地走出商店。

“井喷”结束了，并在下一期《口哨》上发表了一篇专栏——一篇臭气熏天的悼词专栏。但基思并没有出席，尽管他在深夜里听到了小提琴的喘息声以及特普西科雷的客人们的喊叫声和跺脚声。

接下来的几天里，基思全神贯注地寻找他的工作，并尽可能让自己舒服地安顿下来，无暇考虑其他事情。

然而，即使他忘记了“冈博尔特唯一相貌正派的女人”，她也没有忘记他。君主的邀请，就相当于对全世界的命令；特普西科雷是冈博尔特的统治女王，就像维多利亚女王陛下是英国女王或她广阔领土上任何其他国家的女王一样。她更多的是；她是绝对的。她本可以按照她的命令让六个男人中的任何一个割断甘博尔特任何其他男人的喉咙。

“舞蹈学院”的女主人还没忘记她的夸口。她主持的机构很受欢迎，几乎证明了她的赌注是合理的。在冈博尔特，像基思这个年纪的人很少不参加会议，并在沿着大而低的房间延伸的绿色桌子上表达敬意。

事实上，特西科雷小姐不属于那种既忘记朋友又忘记敌人的人。不管她是什么，她都是坦率、直言不讳的。普卢姆先生告诉基思，她“看不起他”。

“她已经为你准备好了，”他说。 “说她要把你赶出冈博尔特。”

“好吧，她不会的，”基思说道，眼中闪烁着光芒。

“她是一个好朋友，也是一个好敌人，”编辑说。 “最好去给戴安娜上一炷香。她值得培养。你应该看看她跳舞。”

然而基思已经做出了决定。一个眼睛如露水紫罗兰的女孩是他的戴安娜，他向她献上香。

一两天后，基思正沿着主街走去，这时他看到那位年轻女子在他前面的拐角处走过来，相当优雅地从一块石头走到另一块石头。她撩起了裙子，露出了一双穿着合脚靴子的脚，非常整齐。到了十字路口，她停了下来。当基思经过她身边时，他看了她一眼，发现她的目光紧盯着他。她根本没有移开视线，基思点点头，承认他们以前的相遇。

“早上好，”她说。

“早上好。”基思举起帽子继续往前走。

“你怎么还不来看我？”她问道。

基思假装没听见。

“我以为我邀请你来见我？”

基思仍然没有回答，但他停了下来。他转过头，等她不再说话才继续说下去。

突然，出乎他意料的是，她跳到了他面前，笔直的身形就在他面前。

“你听到我对你说的话了吗？”她怒气冲冲地问道。

“是的。”

“那你为什么不回答我？”她的目光紧紧地盯着他的脸。她脸颊通红，声音迫切，眼神闪烁。

“因为我不想这样做，”基思平静地说。

突然，她怒火中烧，向他发出了滔滔不绝的咒骂。他大吃一惊，除了惊奇之外什么也没做，他的冷静显然让她感到害怕。

“你难道不知道，当一位女士邀请你去见她时，你就必须这么做吗？”

“我听说过，”基思说道，看上去很有趣。

“你有？你的意思是说谭不是女士吗？”

“好吧，从你的谈话来看，我可能会认为你是个男人，”基思半笑着说。

“我会让你知道我对你来说已经足够男人了。难道你不知道我是这个小镇的老大，我让你做什么事，你就得听我的吗？”

“不;我不知道，”基思说。 “你也许是这座小镇的老大，但我不必服从你。”

“好吧，我会向你展示它，而且——也快。看看我不会！我要把你赶出这个城镇，我的年轻人。”

“哦，我想你不会的，”基思轻松地说。

“是的，我会的，而且速度也很快。你照顾我。”

“早上好，”基思举起帽子说道。

她的声音很大，态度也很激烈，吸引了几名路人，他们都饶有兴趣地围观。

“怎么了，特皮？”其中一位问道。 “你这么急做什么？银行破产了？”

这位年轻女子比基思想象的更公正地解释了这件事。

“哦，他只是个傻瓜。 “别管他了，”那人说道。另一位补充道：“他会回来的，亲爱的；”你不打扰吗？如果他不这样做，我也会这样做。”

“ - 他！他得走了。我现在不会让他了。你知道，当我说一件事时，它就必须是这样，我的意思是让他也知道这一点，”这位年轻的亚马逊断言。 “我会让人把他赶出城，如果这里没有人有足够的勇气来做这件事，我就自己做。”她在这份声明中夹杂着足够强烈的咒骂，只要发誓就能做到这一点。

那天晚上，蒂姆·吉尔西来看望基思。他看上去相当严肃。

“我很抱歉你没有过来，如果只是为了吃晚饭的话，”他说。 “特皮是个不好对付的人。她是世界上最善良的女孩；但她有脾气，当一个女孩发脾气时，她比一个暴躁的领导更糟糕。”

“我不想让她反对我；但如果我被迫去任何我不想去的地方，我就会被绞死，”基思断言。

“不，我没有按你应该说的那样说，”老司机说，他的眼睛落在基思身上，眼神表明他仍然喜欢他的勇气。 “但是你必须要小心。这可不是在定居点，而且这附近有很多东西会为了特皮的眨眼而割断你的喉咙。他们会给你摇一摇，如果你从保险箱里出来就没事了。我会见一两个男孩，看看他们不会让他们对你加倍攻击。如果一匹马背负着双重负担，无论它是什么，它都做不了多久。”

蒂姆漫步出去，虽然基思有一段时间不知道，但他还是在一两处替他说了几句话，这对他后来很有帮助。

第二天，一个陌生人向基思走来。他是一个青年和中年之间的瘦削男子，长脸，低沉的声音，淡色的头发竖在头上。他的眼睛深陷而清澈；他的嘴很严肃，下巴很坚挺。他穿着一件生锈的黑色外套和深色短裤。

“您是基思先生吗？”他的声音低沉而忧郁。

基思鞠了个躬。他无法确定这个陌生人是谁。这条短裤使他倾向于教堂。

“我很自豪认识你，先生。我是德拉蒙德先生，卫理公会牧师。他握住基思的手。

基思表示很高兴见到他。

“是的先生;我很自豪认识你，”德拉蒙德先生重复道。 “我听说你站在了正确的一边，对那个试图摧毁这个镇上年轻人灵魂的可怜的跳舞耶洗别进行了正义的谴责。”

基思说，他不知道自己做过类似的事情。至于消灭那些年轻人，他怀疑他们是否会被她伤害——当然不是通过跳舞。无论如何，他不值得得到赞扬。

德拉蒙德先生摇摇头。 “是的先生。你是第一个有勇气抵御那个人的诡计的年轻人。她是这个镇上最被遗弃的生物；她迷惑那些男人，这样我就不能给他们留下任何印象。即使在我举行会议的时候，我也能听到她拉小提琴的声音和聚集在她的撒旦巢穴里的下流追随者的叫喊声。我曾试图让她离开，但她不肯走。”

基思的回答是，他认为她和任何人一样有权利，并且他怀疑是否有任何方法可以克服这一困难。

“听到你这么说我很遗憾，”传教士说。 “如果我必须在她家门口举行复兴会议，并召唤硫磺和火来打击她的邪恶巢穴，我将打破她的罪孽深渊”

“如果你对跳舞有这样的感觉，那你为什么来这里？”基思问道。 “在我看来，跳舞是冈博尔特最轻的罪恶之一。”

牧师几乎若有所思地看着他。 “我认为这是我的职责。我遭遇过嘲笑和谩骂；但我不介意他们。我数数不过是渣滓。凡是我在地上发现我主鞋印的地方，我都渴望在那里落脚。”

基思鞠了个躬。勇敢追求真理先生的演讲带有其威望。原本僵硬、尴尬的身形已经变了。传教士的真诚给了他尊严，而他简单地使用一个简单的补锅匠的话，一下子就把他提升到了一个更高的境界。

“你不认为你可以以一种不那么不妥协的精神去做这件事吗？你可能会取得更好的成功，做更多的好事，”基思说。

“不，先生;我不会与魔鬼妥协——即使是为了成功。有效期。我很遗憾在这些顽固分子中发现你。”当他握手时，他的下巴紧绷，眼睛灼热。他迈着士兵上阵的步伐走了。

基思很快就想验证老吉尔西的建议。几天后的晚上，他坐在温莎酒店的公共房间里，周围是挤满了这个受欢迎的度假胜地的五花八门的工作人员，他们正在谈论很多事情，从 J. 昆西·普卢姆 (J. Quincy Plume) 在《新范妮·埃尔斯勒》(The New Fanny Elssler) 上发表的最后一篇社论，到当 Plume 先生亲自进入时，Gumbolt 的未来。他的出现是某种幽默的信号，因为普卢姆先生早已过了除了他本人以外任何人都认真对待他的时代。

“有人可以告诉我们这个消息，”有人喊道。 “进来吧，J.昆西，告诉我们你所知道的事情。”

“那会花太长时间，”普拉姆先生一边说，一边慢慢靠近炉子。 “你会在 哨 明天。”

就在这时，另一位新来的人挤到炉子前，说道：“我告诉你一个消息：比尔·布拉菲回来了。”

“他回来了吗？”观察一家公司。 “嗯，对于 J. 昆西来说，这比铁路的到来更有趣。他们是令人讨厌的对手。自从 J. Quincy 开始在 Terpy 上写社论后，比尔说他没有戏了。我听说他威胁要杀死特普。”

“哦，我猜他比这更理智，无论醉酒还是清醒。他最好还是跟男人在一起；拍摄女性在大多数地方并不流行，而且我认为在冈博尔特也不太可能流行起来。”

“他正在寻找某人，”新来者说。

“我猜想，如果他要追随特皮的所有热心崇拜者，他的手头就会很忙，”普卢姆先生说，这种观点似乎得到了普遍的认可。

就在这时，门被粗鲁地打开了，一个男人慢慢地走了进来，基思凭直觉知道他就是比尔·布拉菲先生本人。他是个年轻的、留着棕色胡须的男人，身材与基思差不多，但身材更壮实，他的法兰绒衬衫前面系着系带，宽大的领子外面系着一条红色长领带。他的宽边软帽戴在脑后。两把手枪的枪托从他的腰带里露出来，闪闪发光，给他的外表增添了一丝辛辣的感觉。他的黑色眼睛里充满了不安，闪烁着兴奋的光芒。他的步态稍稍有些颤抖，他的言辞也足够厚重，足以证实他的外表所暗示的内容，以及他小心翼翼地宣布的有点多余的内容，即他“正在疯狂”。

“我正在寻找一位毛皮商人，因为我答应明天早上之前就跑出城。”他在这儿吗！”他试图站稳，但发现这很困难，很困难。

炉子周围的谈话停了下来。两三个人在礼貌地打招呼后，在椅子上摆出一个更舒服的姿势，奇怪的是，尽管基思直到事后才回忆起来，他们每个人的动作都表明他的手上有一把手枪。右臀部。

在形式上更像是永恒的咒骂的一般问候之后，布拉夫先生走向酒吧。他靠在上面，转过身来，扫视了人群，命令房间里的每个人都走上前去和他一起喝一杯，惩罚的内容是用过于可怕的、难以完全理解的语言来掩盖的。他的暴力邀请显然没有必要，因为房间里的每个人都立即拉回椅子并走向酒吧，只剩下基思独自在炉子旁边。布拉夫先生点了饮料，这时他不经意的目光落在基思身上，基思安静地站在炉子另一边的椅子圈内。他摇摇晃晃地从聚集在吧台前的人群中挤过去。

“为什么你不上来按照我告诉你的去做？你聋了吗？

“不，”基思平静地说。 “但我会让你原谅我的。”

“借口 - ！你不太适合和我一起喝酒，是吗？如果你认为你是，我会告诉你漂亮的——但很快你就不是了。”

基思脸红了。

“和他一起喝吧。”两三个人低声说道。 “或者抽支雪茄吧，”其中一个人友好地说。

“谢谢你，我不会喝酒，”基思更加严肃地说，他的脸色有点苍白，“而且我不喜欢雪茄。”

“来吧，基思先生，”有人喊道。

这个名字抓住了年轻的恶霸，他更加直接地面对基斯。

“基思？——基思！”他重复道，双眼紧盯着他，眼中闪烁着冰冷的光芒。 “那么您就是基思先生，是吗？”

“这是我的名字，”基思说，感到血液在刺痛。

“嗯，你就是我要找的人。不，你不会和我一起喝酒，因为我不会让你，你 - - - - -！你就是那个来这里侮辱女士的——？”

“不;我不是，”基思说，眼睛一直盯着他。

“你是个骗子！”布拉夫先生说着，又加上了他惯常的咒骂。 “而你就是我来这里寻找的人。我答应过如果我不得不下地狱的话，今晚就开车送你出城。”

他的白柄手枪从腰带里脱了出来，动作如此之快，以至于他把它扳成了扳机，基思在看到发生了什么之前就低头看着枪管。敏捷是布拉夫先生最强的牌，而且他也经常打出这张牌。

基斯的脸色微微苍白。他目光定定地越过手枪，看着距离他不到三英尺的地方，看着枪那边那个醉酒的家伙。他的神经变得紧绷，全身的每一块肌肉都绷紧了。他看到手枪枪管上的凹槽开始出现，子弹筒侧面的灰色圆锥体也出现了。他看到了年轻亡命之徒那双残忍、黑色、醉酒的眼睛。一切都在一瞬间。他没有机会活下去。是的，他有。

“别紧张，比尔，”一个声音用哄骗的语气说道，就像安抚一头野兽一样。 “不-”

“放下那把手枪！”另一个声音说道，基思认出那是戴夫·丹尼森的声音。

亡命之徒看了后者一眼，对他发出了一连串的咒骂。那一瞥拯救了基思。他躲出瞄准线，同时向袭击者扑去，边走边抓起手枪，就在布拉夫扣动扳机时将其打开。球飞进了天花板的偏远角落，亡命之徒被基思的冲刺冲得神魂颠倒。

房间里唯一能听到的声音是两个摔跤手拖着脚步的声音和愤怒的布拉夫的咒骂声。基思没有说话。他像斗牛犬一样战斗，没有发出任何声音。他的努力是，当他仍然握着手枪时，将两只手放在对手背后。当基思再次拼命想要释放手枪时，后者的握力突然放松，这对基思有利，他双手合十，将对手从脚上抬起来，然后巧妙地一扭，将他从肩膀上旋转起来，用尽全身力气猛烈地猛击他。他的力量，全身平躺在地板上。这是他在孩提时代学到的老把戏，并在丹尼森队练习过，戈登用它结束了许多场比赛，但从来没有比这更彻底的了。旁观者发出一阵热烈的掌声，不止一个人突然友好地叫他去拿掉落在地板上的布拉夫的手枪。但基斯却没有必要这么做，就在这时，一个身材魁梧的年轻人抢走了它。戴夫·丹尼森（Dave Dennison）在争吵开始时进来了。他一直在跟踪Bluffy。然而，亡命之徒太震惊了，无法立即使用它，当他站起来时，仍然惊呆了，气喘吁吁，人群对他太反对了，不允许他重新发动攻击，即使他当时希望它。

至于基思，他突然发现自己成为了普遍关注的对象，如果他能够分散自己的话，他可能会睡在营地一半的棚屋里。

戴夫对这次活动的唯一评论很有特色：

“别让他再把水滴到你身上。”

第二天早上，基思发现自己在某种程度上出名了。正如他的一位新朋友所说，“不用枪就能对付比尔·布拉夫并把他清理干净”，这绝非易事，基思对这给他带来的掌声并非无动于衷。如果不是每个谈到这件事的人无一例外都给了他戴夫给过的同样的建议——留意布拉菲，他也许会更喜欢它。不得不杀人或自己被杀并不是对新家最愉快的介绍;然而，这对基思来说似乎是他所处的两难境地，如果有一个人必须死，他虔诚地希望那不会是他自己，他在口袋里塞了一把手枪，第二天早上带着同样的感觉走出去他想，如果他要去战斗的话，他就应该这样做。当他遇到的一个人自愿告诉他布拉菲那天早上天亮就离开了小镇时，他感到羞愧地发现自己松了一口气。 “无法忍受喧闹。 Terpy甚至不肯和他说话。但他会回来的。开个玩笑，你还是把枪带上一会儿吧，直到有人替你杀了他。”几天后的早晨，当基思沿着街道行走时，他再次遇到了“冈博尔特唯一相貌正派的女孩”。他想关掉已经来不及了，因为当他第一次看到她时，他就发现她也看到了他，于是她抬起头，把目光移开。他希望通过时不要显得认识她。但就在他们见面之前，她看了他一眼，尽管他的目光直视前方，她还是说：“早上好。”他经过时碰了碰帽子。那天下午，他又遇见了她。他像以前一样继续往前走，没有看她一眼，但她阻止了他。 “下午好。”她说话的语气有些怯怯，脸上的颜色让她显得十分英俊。他冷冷地回了礼，并有一种不安的感觉，他即将成为她再次发泄愤怒的对象。然而，她的意图却截然不同。 “我不想让你认为是我让那个男人针对你的；这是别人做的。”她的脸颊上的颜色时隐时现。

基思礼貌地鞠了一躬，但保持沉默。

“我疯了才这么做，但我没有这么做，那些说我这么做的人都是撒谎。”她脸红了，但还是直视着他的脸。

“哦，没关系，”基思礼貌地说，开始继续前行。

“我希望他们不会打扰我和我的事情，”她开始说道。 “他们总是谈论我，而我从来没有伤害过他们。他们知道的第一件事是，我会给他们一些可以谈论的东西。”

被抑制住的火又开始燃烧，基思有些焦急地看着街道，希望自己在除了那个特定的公司之外的任何地方。为了缓解紧张气氛，他说道：

“那天我并不是故意对你无礼的。早上好。”

听到这亲切的语气，她的脸色变了。

“我就知道。那天早上我对另一件事感到愤怒——前一天发生的关于比尔的事情，”她解释道。 “比尔喝醉了就已经够糟糕的了，如果他们不打扰他的话，我早就把他永远送走了。但他们总是啄他、挖他。他们让他酗酒、打架，但他们中没有一个人有足够的勇气来对抗他。”

她轻轻地呜咽了一声，然后，似乎不再相信自己，匆匆走开了。不久之后吉尔西先生对戈登说：

“嗯，你在冈博尔特有一个朋友，她自己就是一个团队；你已经抓住了特尔普。她说你是甘博尔特唯一一个像对待女士一样对待她的男人。”

基思既高兴又松了口气。

基思在冈博尔特住了一两周后，吉尔西先生因他的宿敌——风湿病而倒下，基思去看望了他。他发现他非常焦虑，生怕从箱子里取出来会加速铁路的到达。他出人意料地向基思证明了他对任何男人都拥有最高的信任。他询问在康复之前是否会上台。戈登爽快地答应了。

于是，第二天早上，天一亮，基思就发现自己坐在后备箱里，裹着老蒂姆的大衣，坐在他儿时梦想中所向往的那个高座位上。

这是一项艰苦的工作，或多或少有些危险，但他小时候在种植园和罗森乡绅家驾驶过四马马车的经历对他很有帮助。

老蒂姆的病比任何人预想的都要持久，而且在第一个冬天结束之前，戈登就享有仅次于老吉尔西本人的舞台司机的声誉。

然而，舞台驾驶并不是他唯一的职业，在第二年春天过去之前，基思已经成为普拉姆先生所说的“冈博尔特正在崛起的年轻儿子之一”。他愿意向任何需要帮助的人伸出援助之手，这一点开始显现出来。无论是吉尔西先生试图用僵硬的关节爬到舞台的靴子上，还是乡绅罗森的表弟特利船长，这位留着沙色胡须、穿着沙色衣服的测量员，在灰色碎片中的月桂树丛中划线。崩塌的山坡；昆西·普卢姆先生试图从一个分裂的脑袋中进化出新的副本，或者喊叫的马车司机在泥泞的街道上殴打他们的团队，他可以而且愿意帮助任何人。

他是如此受欢迎，以至于他被提名为镇警，以表彰他战胜了布拉夫先生。

特皮和他也成了朋友，尽管基思坚持不去她的“机构”，几天过去了，她没有在街上经过他，也没有在他所在的地方出现，而且总是带着一半的表情。 ——羞愧地点点头，脸色升起。

随着冈博尔特的成长，威克沙姆先生和他的朋友们意识到，罗森乡绅并不是表面上的简单牛贩子，而是一个不可忽视的人。他不仅在加普拥有大量最有价值的财产，而且迄今为止还无法处理这些财产。因此，Wickersham & Company 的代理人 Halbrook 先生来到冈博尔特调查此事。他带来了一个身材矮胖的中年苏格兰人，名叫马西森，眼睛锐利，脸色红润，据说威克沙姆公司打算在矿井开放后立即任命他为矿长。

伊甸园外的铁路尚未完工三分之一以上，哈尔布鲁克先生就登上了冈博尔特的舞台。

由于吉尔西先生透露了有关基思的事情，哈尔布鲁克先生第二天派人去找基思。他想让他帮他做一点测量工作。和他在一起的还有身材魁梧的苏格兰人马西森。

文件和盘子放在他房间的桌子上，基思正在看着它们。

“你会花多长时间来做这件事？”哈尔布鲁克先生问道。他身材矮小，眼神机警，黑眼睛，态度果断。他总是显得很匆忙。

基思全神贯注，没有立即回答，经纪人重复了一遍这个问题，语气中带着些许严厉。

“我说你跑这些线路要花多长时间？”

“我不知道，”基思疑惑地说。 “我看到该地产的一部分位于山腰，就在乡绅罗森土地的上方和旁边。我明天就可以通知你。”

“明天！你们这里的人总是想把事情推迟。这就是你如此落后于世界其他地方的原因。然而，司机告诉我，你与众不同，这就是我派人来找你的原因。”

基思直起身子。 “博士。当有人称赞他比其他苏格兰人更好时，查尔默斯说道：“先生，我感谢您，因为我没有以牺牲我的同胞为代价来获得任何赞美。”他一半对着苏格兰人说话。

马西森转过身来打量着他，当他这么做的时候，他那张严肃的脸变得柔和了一些。

“我对你们的医生一无所知，”哈尔布鲁克先生说。 “我想要的是完成这项工作。为什么你今天不能告诉我要花多少钱？我还有其他事情要做。我想明天下午就走。”

“好吧，”基思脸上有点红，“我今天就猜到了。我认为这需要很短的时间。我已经熟悉这处房产的一部分了，而且——”

哈尔布鲁克先生是一个头脑敏捷的人。而且，他此时心里还有很多事情。他得去他们中间看看，能和这位罗森乡绅进行什么样的交易，罗森不知何故无意中发现了峡湾最好的一块土地，现在却顽固地、无理取闹地占有着它。

“好吧，我不想做任何猜测。我会告诉你我会做什么。我会为这份工作付给你很多钱。”他说出了一个足以让基思睁开眼睛的数字。这比他从任何一件作品中获得的报酬都多。

“按天付钱对你来说会更便宜，”基思开始说道。

“不多！我知道你们在这里工作的方式。我已经看到了一些东西。我没有白天工作。我会付给你很多美元来做这份工作。你怎么说？您可以接受它，也可以不理会它。如果你做得好的话，我可能还会有更多的工作给你。”他无意冒犯；他只是在谈论他所谓的“生意”；但他的语气让基思眼中闪过一丝光芒来回答他，他的呼吸也变得有些急促。

“很好;我会接受的。

基思拿着文件就出去了。几分钟之内，他就找到了之前调查的笔记，并找到了他的助手。他的下一步是去找特利船长并让他参与这项工作，一小时内他就到了山上，验证以前的线路并运行必要的新线路。基思对新人的话的激励甚至超过了他所承诺的费用，他全力以赴地工作，彻夜不眠地完成了工作。第二天，他走进哈尔布鲁克先生坐的房间，那是公司位于街头的新大办公室。他腋下夹着一卷纸。

“早上好先生。”他的头抬得相当高，声音也有了新的语气。

威克沙姆先生的经纪人抬起头，脸色阴沉。他不习惯别人用如此独立的语气称呼他。

“早上好。我猜你是来告诉我我交给你的工作需要多长时间才能完成，或者是我给你开的价格不够高？”

“不，”基思说，“我没有。我来是为了让你们知道，我这里的人并不总是把事情拖到明天。我来是为了告诉你我已经完成了工作。这是你的调查。”他在哈尔布鲁克先生惊讶的目光面前展开了自己制作的盘子。这件作品做得很好，是一位懂得整洁和技巧价值的绘图员的作品。经纪人睁大了眼睛。

“不可能的！你不可能做到这一点，否则你——”

“我已经做到了，”基思坚定地说。 “它是正确的。”

“你以前吃过这个盘子吗？”哈尔布鲁克先生的目光敏锐地盯着他。他觉得自己被这个年轻人愚弄了，心里有点酸痛。

“我以前跑过某些线路，”基思说：“这些，正如我昨天开始告诉你的那样。现在，”他突然改变了态度，“我将向你提出我昨天提出的同样的建议。你可以付给我你认为工作值得的钱。我不会让你遵守昨天的约定。”

另一个人坐回椅子上，用不同的表情看着他。

“你一定工作了一整夜吧？”他若有所思地说。

“我做到了，”基思说，“我的助手也做到了，但这不算什么。我经常用更少的钱这样做。在冈博尔特，很多人彻夜未眠。”他微笑着补充道。

“那个老司机说你是工人。”哈尔布鲁克先生的眼睛仍然盯着他。 “你从哪来？”

“在南方出生和长大，”基思说。

“我为昨天所说的话向你道歉。也许我还有更多的工作要交给你。”

这名特工回到北方后，果然言出必行。他告诉他的手下，冈博尔特有一个人会迅速完成工作。

“而且他是直人，”他说。 “他说他来自南方；但他是一个新问题。”

他进一步报告说，拥有加普土地的乡下人老罗森要么拥有或控制着那里的大部分煤层。 “他要么知道，要么得到了了解附近所有土地价值的人的很好建议。他几乎阻止了比赛。我认为是那个年轻的基思，我建议你联系基思。”

“基思是谁？什么基思？他叫什么名字？威克沙姆先生问道。

“戈登·基思。”

威克沙姆先生的脸色变得明亮起来。哦，没关系；我们可以得到他。我们可以给他一个位置吗？”

哈尔布鲁克先生点点头。

威克沙姆先生坐下来给基思写了一封信，说他希望在纽约与他会面，讨论可能对他有利的生意事宜。他还给基思将军写了一封信，暗示他也许可以给他的儿子提供工作，并暗示这是因为他对将军的高度尊重。

那天基思在街上遇见了乡绅罗森。他满身灰尘，饱经风霜。

“我只是开玩笑来看你的，”他说。

他们回到基思称之为办公室的小房间，老家伙在那里打开他的马鞍包，拿出一包文件。

“他们都认为我是个傻瓜，”他一边笑着一边讲述着自己的事迹。 “当他们说话的时候，我却在骑马。他们以为我在买牛，事实也确实如此，但我每买一头牛，我就会得到一头小牛，其形式就是一块土地的采矿权。我会买一头牛，如果一个人能以合理的价格把矿权卖给我，我会出价是她价值的一半，他就会这么做。他对它们从来都没有用处，而我也不知道我应该知道。但那位年轻的工程师奥尤恩说得那么积极，我想我不妨把它们放进我的牧场围栏里。”他靠在椅背上，带着疑惑的自满看着基思。

“不久前有一个人来见我，”他继续说道。 “先生。哈尔布鲁克——黑眼睛的男人，脸色苍白而坚硬，像墓碑一样。我整夜和他交谈，给他灌满了老苹果杰克。那个人认为我是个傻瓜，而我则认为他是一个被指责为聪明的北方佬。但我不知道，因为他比我强很多。”

基思也对此表示怀疑。

“我认为这是我拥有过的最有价值的苹果杰克，”停顿了一下，老地主继续说道。 “你知道，我不像以前那样介意洋基队了——他们中的一些人。当然，那就是巴尔萨姆博士。他是一名北方佬；但我一直认为他是个与众不同的人，就像一匹花斑马。几年前，那位年轻的工程师来到我家，他给了我关于他们的新想法——还有其他一些事情。他是一个非常令人愉快的人，而且他也知道很多事情。我突然想到，也许你可以抓住他，我们可以自己从这些土地上做点什么。他现在在哪儿？”

基思解释说罗德先生在欧洲的某个地方。

“嗯，时间够了。他总有一天会回家的，而且他们的土地不可能搬走。是的，我现在很喜欢一些洋基队；但是，主啊！我喜欢领先于洋基队！他们对你真是太好了。好吧，”他站起来说道，“我想我应该过来和你谈谈这件事。有一天我会让你帮我调查一下事情。”

第二天，基思收到了威克沙姆先生的来信，要求他来纽约。基思的心猛地一跳。

艾丽丝·约克的形象闪现在他的脑海里，每当好运降临到他身上时，他总是会这样。许多个夜晚，由于她坐在热灯的另一边，他只能低垂着眼睛，精神萎靡地坐起来，以新的力量工作。

确实，他们之间的交流很少。约克夫人曾反对任何信件往来，现在他开始明白，虽然隐隐约约，但她的反对是很自然的。但有时，在周年纪念日，他会寄给她一本书，通常是一本诗集，里面有标记的段落，并收到这位年轻女士的一封友好的回信，他对此深思熟虑，并得到了答复。总是被小心翼翼地珍藏和归档。

那天晚上，基思在前往纽约的途中为伊登登台。当他们在月光下开车穿过山口时，他感觉自己仿佛正在飞翔进入新的生活。他已经翻越了山脉，远处就是他梦想中的意大利。

他在去看他父亲的路上停下来。老先生看着戈登，发现他的进步，脸上洋溢着喜悦的光芒。他的生活似乎也在儿子身上重新开启。

“我会给你一封写给我的老朋友约翰·坦普尔顿的信。他在纽约有一座教堂。但它并不是一种时尚；它是一种时尚。为了

“‘他不擅长阿谀奉承或寻求权力
根据不同时间制定的教义：
他的心已经学会珍视其他许多目标，
养育可怜人比起身更有技巧。

“你会发现他是一个安全的顾问。您也会打电话向温特沃斯先生和夫人表示敬意。”

途中，由于铁路中断，基思不得不在离纽约不远的一个小镇换乘火车。乘客中有一位老太太，穿着朴素而古雅，她是在费城附近的某个地方乘火车的。她独自一人旅行，行李和包裹似乎让她很受阻碍。看到一个老妇人，就像看到一个小女孩一样，总是让基思的心软化。他身上总有某种东西在苏醒，让他感到温柔。当基思第一次观察到这位老太太时，整个公司都在匆忙地沿着站台流动，这总是标志着乘客从一列火车换乘到另一列火车。似乎没有人注意到她，在行李和包裹的重压下，她逐渐掉到了人群的后面。当基思手里拿着袋子和其他人一起从她身边晃过时，他本能地转过身来，主动提出要帮她搬运包裹。她气喘吁吁地表示感谢，但短暂地拒绝了，并表示她应该做得很好。

“你可能做得很好，”基思愉快地说，“但如果你让我帮助你，你会做得更好。”

“不，谢谢。”这一次比之前更加坚定。 “我已经习惯了自己帮助自己，但我还不够成熟。我更喜欢自己扛行李。”她强调道。

“我希望，这不是年龄问题，这让我有幸帮助一位女士，”基思说。他已经在试图把她最大的包和一两包东西拿下来。

一双无比明亮的眼睛，锐利的扫了他一眼。

“好吧，我会让你拿那个袋子的那一面和这个包裹——不；那个。现在，别想逃离我的身边。”

“不; “我保证不会。”基思笑着说道。老太太卸下了那么多负担，走出去的步伐比以前更加轻快了。等他们终于上车时，座位几乎都坐满了。然而，在远端的一位年轻女子旁边，有一个，这个基思向老太太提出了要求，当他把行李放在她身边时，老太太让他仔细地数着碎片。她发现这个故事是正确的，比以前更加诚恳地向他表示感谢，基思退了出去，为自己找了个座位。然而，由于车厢已满，他就站在车厢后部，等待一些乘客在中转站下车。第一个空出的座位就在老太太身后，此时老太太正在和旁边的年轻女子愉快地交谈着。

“当陌生人主动帮你拿行李时，你会怎么做？”基思坐下时听到她问道。

“为什么，我不知道；他们不常问。我从来没有让他们这么做过。”年轻女子坚定地说。

“这也是一条明智的规则。我听说现在他们就这样抢劫独自旅行的女性。我有一个年轻人坚持要把我的包带回那里；但我对这些文明的年轻人非常怀疑。”她弯下腰，再次清点包裹。基思忍不住笑了起来。当她坐起来时，她偶然环顾四周，他的目光映入了她的视线。他看见她抓住她的同伴，对她耳语，后者回头看了他一眼，几乎是凝视着他。然后两人一起商量，基思则咯咯地笑起来。如果基思听到他们所说的话，他一定会比其他人更有趣。

“他现在就在那里，就在我们身后。”老太太低声说道。

“怎么，他看起来不像强盗。”

“他们从来不这样做。我听说他们从来不这样做。他们是最危险的一类。当然，强盗看到它就会被逮捕。”

“但他长得非常好看。”年轻女子坚持说，与此同时，她又看了一眼假装沉浸在书本中的基思。

“嗯，更糟糕的是。他们是最糟糕的一类。亲爱的，永远不要相信一个英俊的年轻陌生人。他们在爱情中可能还不错，但在生活中却绝非如此。”

由于她的同伴似乎并不完全同意这种观点，老太太立即转过身来，长时间地俯视着汽车的另一侧，以打消基思对她可能正在看他的任何怀疑，最后让她的眼睛可以说，很偶然地落在了他的脸上。过了一会儿，她对她的同伴窃窃私语。

“我确信他正在看着我们。当我们到达纽约时，我请你紧跟着我，直到我找到一辆出租马车。”

“你经常去纽约吗？”女孩微笑着问道。

“过去三十年我去过那里两次；但当我还是个小女孩的时候，我在那里度过了几个冬天。我想那段时间情况已经发生了很大变化吧？”

这位年轻的女士也认为那段时间情况发生了变化，她想知道为什么布鲁克小姐——对方给的名字——不经常来纽约。

“你看，现在就走是一件很困难的事，”老太太说。 “一切都进行得如此匆忙，让我喘不过气来。哎呀，现在每天单程有三趟火车经过我家附近。其中一人竟然以最急躁、最不屑的方式冲了过去。当我年轻的时候，我们常常在火车到站前至少一个小时去车站，有时间拿出我们的编织品和整理我们的思绪；但现在人们必须像去教堂一样迅速到达车站，如果你没有在火车几乎停下来之前上车，那么可怕的事情就会在你意识到之前就消失了。我必须说，这对人的神经有很大的破坏性。”

她的同伴笑了。

“我不知道你到了纽约后会怎么想。”

“思考！我根本不希望去思考。我会闭上眼睛，相信上帝。”

“我想你的朋友会在那里见到你吧？”

“两周前我写信告诉他们我今天应该到那里，然后我表弟写信给我让她知道火车，我回复了她，告诉她我预计乘坐哪趟火车。如果我想象我们会遇到这样的麻烦，我就不会来。”

女孩向她保证，即使她的朋友们没有见到她，她也会帮助她安全地到达他们身边。过了一会儿，他们就进了车站。

基思对纽约的第一印象是令人眼花缭乱的。匆忙，匆忙，搅动着他，让他充满了力量感。他觉得这里就是他的行动舞台。

威克沙姆公司的办公室位于市中心的一栋大型建筑内。整层楼都堆满了笔和栏杆，栏杆之外就是公司的私人办公室。威克沙姆先生“订婚了”，基思不得不等一两个小时才能获得与他的采访。当他最终被允许进入威克沙姆先生的内部办公室时，他受到了一些热情的接待。他的父亲被问到了，并向他提出了一些关于冈博尔特的问题。然后威克沙姆先生就进入正题了。他说，他非常尊敬他的父亲，听说戈登住在冈博尔特，他们在那里有一些利益，他想到也许能给他一个职位。一开始薪水不会很高，但如果他表现出自己的能力，也许会带来更好的结果。

基思很兴奋，并宣称他最想要的是工作和证明他能够工作的机会。威克沙姆先生对此深信不疑，并简短地告诉他，这是他们为他安排的户外工作——“清理所有权并保护我们可能希望获得的土地，”他补充道。

这让基思很满意，他也这么说。

威克沙姆先生精明的眼睛里闪烁着满足的光芒。

“当然，我们的利益是你首先考虑的？”他说。

“是的先生;我应该努力做到这一点。”

“例如，”威克沙姆先生继续说道，“我们的土地附近有一些土地，没有任何特殊价值；但你还是很容易理解，我们在山区修一条铁路，花费了大量资金，所以我们最好控制我们的线路所经过的土地。”

基思完全看到了这一点。 “你知道店主的名字吗？”他问道。 “我对那里的一些土地很熟悉。”

威克沙姆先生沉思着。基思是如此的天真和热切，直奔主题总没有什么坏处。

“为什么是;有一个名叫罗森的人，他在与我们毗邻的土地上拥有一些土地或某种利益。控制这些财产对我们来说可能是件好事。”

基斯的脸色沉了下来。

“碰巧我对那些土地有所了解。”

“是的？好吧，你可以把这些财产和其他财产一起带走吗？”

“我当然可以向罗森先生转达您想要提出的任何建议，并且我会很高兴这样做，”基思开始说道。

“我们应该期望你们尽最大努力来保卫我们希望的这些土地和所有其他土地，”威克沙姆先生突然尖锐地打断道。 “当我们雇佣一个人时，我们希望他为我们提供所有的服务，而不是一半是我们的雇佣，一半是我们正在战斗的人的服务。”

他的态度和语气的变化如此之大，如此出人意料，让基思感到惊讶。以前从来没有人以这种方式跟他说话。然而，他却压抑着自己的感觉。

“我当然应该尽我所能为您提供最好的服务，”他说； “但你不会指望我会对罗森乡绅说一些我不相信的话吧？他跟我谈论过这些土地，他和你一样了解它们的价值。”

威克沙姆先生看着他，眼中闪烁着冷光，这让基思突然想起了费迪。

“我不认为你和我会合适，年轻人，”他说。

基思的脸涨得通红。他起身。 “我认为我们不应该这样做，威克沙姆先生。早上好。”说罢，他昂着头，走出了房间。

当他昏倒时，他看到了费迪。他正在给一名职员指示，他的语气让基思庆幸自己不在他手下。

“你就没有脑子吗？”基思听到他这么说。

“是的，但我没听懂你的意思。”

“那你就是个傻瓜。”年轻人说道。

就在这时，基思注意到了他的目光并对他说话。费迪只是点头：“你好！”并继续斥责店员。

基斯在街上走了一会儿，才平复了烦躁的心情，恢复了平静。自从他进入威克沙姆先生的办公室以来的短暂时间内，他的生活发生了多么大的变化！然后他的心充满了希望；对他来说，生活就是一片光明；艾丽丝·约克已经赢了。现在在这短短的时间内，他的希望全部破灭了。然而，他的直觉告诉他，如果他必须再次接受采访，他会像以前那样做。

他觉得早上见到爱丽丝的机会不如下午晚些时候那么好。因此，他决定先将父亲交给他的信交给坦普尔顿博士。

老牧师的教堂和教区长住宅坐落在河边一条古老的街道上，财富和时尚早已逃离这里。他的教区曾经接纳了许多富人和一些富人，现在在其范围内包容了一个只接纳穷人的部分。但是，就像一位年长且更有名气的神学家一样，坦普尔顿博士可以诚实地说，整个世界都是他的教区；他的教区是他的教区。至少，都是他的教区居民，他们都是贫困而孤独的。

教区长官邸是一座老式的、坚固的房子，因年代久远而锈迹斑斑，并因多年进出的贫​​困之流而磨损。

基思走上台阶，没等他按门铃，门就被人打开了，他发现走廊和前屋里挤满了一些人，他们的外表显示出极度贫困。

这位打开门的老妇人说，医生“出去参加会议，但很快就会回来”。 “先生可以等一下吗？”

就在这时，门开了，有人匆匆走了进来。基思背对着门站着。但在女仆说：“他现在在这里。”之前，他就从面前人的动作和脸上的光芒看出，那就是博士本人。

他转身发现一位中等身材的老人，穿着一件因年代久远和天气原因而呈现出棕色的牧师服，但亚麻布却一尘不染。雪白头发下的眉宇高傲而平静；他的眼睛清澈而慈祥。他的嘴里既坚定又温柔。他的整张脸都是慈祥的。

当仆人示意他时，他的目光在基思身上停留了一会儿，然后扫视了整个房间。他只是向基思点了点头，就从他身边经过，走进了候诊室。基思虽然对被他忽视感到有点恼火，但还是有时间观察他轮流与其他访客交谈。他显然知道自己的事，而且从他听到的谈话片段来看，基思似乎也知道他们的事。他对一些人给予鼓励；对一些人则给予鼓励。他斥责其他人；但他对所有人都表示同情，当他们一个接一个地走出去时，他们的脸上都露出了笑容。

当他说完后，他转身伸出双手靠近基思。

“请原谅我让您久等了；这些可怜的人除了时间一无所有，我总是试图通过不让他们等待来教会他们时间的价值。”

“当然，先生，”基思说道，他的仁慈之心充满了温暖。 “我给你带来了我父亲基思将军的介绍信。”

这个名字所带来的微笑使基思成为了老人的终生朋友。

“哦！你是麦克道尔·基思的儿子。我很高兴见到你。回到我的书房来，告诉我关于你父亲的一切。”

当基思离开那间古色古香的书房和它的主人时，他感觉自己仿佛置身于一种罕见的气氛中。他做梦也没想到，在一座大城市里，竟然能找到这样一个人。他似乎有一颗男孩的心，基思感觉自己好像认识他一辈子了。他邀请戈登回来和他一起吃饭，但戈登希望那天晚上能坐在爱丽丝·约克身边吃晚饭，所以拒绝了。

基思和诺曼·温特沃斯时不时地保持着通信，基思从坦普尔顿医生那里去拜访诺曼和他的母亲。

不幸的是，诺曼现在不在西方出差，但基思看到了他的母亲。

温特沃斯宅邸是美丽的老广场上最大、最庄严的房屋之一——一座巨大的双层宅邸。这扇扇形横梁和侧窗的门让基思有点想起埃尔芬斯通的大厅门，因此当他敲击鹰形门环时，他有一种古老的联想感。大厅并不比埃尔芬斯通大，但更庄严，基思从未见过如此富丽堂皇的客厅。他们向后伸展，眺望远方。厚重的红木家具上覆盖着最华丽的锦缎；帷幔是深红色锦缎制成的。甚至墙壁上都覆盖着深红色的锦缎。地板上铺着颜色最柔和的地毯，当基思跟着这位庄重的仆人时，他的脚深深地陷进地毯里，给他一种奇怪的奢华感。墙上挂着许多精美的画作，衬衣桌上放着装订精美的书籍，周围还有一些稀有的小摆设。

这是他有时间扫视房间的唯一一眼得到的印象。下一刻，一位女士从宽敞房间另一端靠近窗户的角落里的茶几后面站了起来。当戈登转向她时，她走上前来。她亲切地与他握手，并亲切地表示欢迎，这立刻让基思有宾至如归的感觉。她转过身来，准备给他在桌子附近放一把椅子，但基思本能地走到她的椅子后面，替她扶住了椅子。

“我已经很久没有这样的机会了，”他说。

当她抬起头对他微笑时，她的脸变得柔和了。那是一张有教养的脸，并不像平时那么温柔，但她的笑容却很迷人。

“你看起来不像很久以前我早上在床上看到的那个苍白的小男孩。你是否记得？”

“我应该说我做到了。我想如果不是为了你我那天早上就应该死了。从那时起我就再也没有忘记过。”他脸颊上的红晕消除了演讲中的秃头。

她带着最亲切的微笑鞠躬，颜色悄悄渗入她的脸颊，让她看起来更年轻。

“我不习惯这样的赞美。现在的年轻人不会费力去奉承老太太了。”

她的脸虽然已经褪色，但仍然带有明显的特征。平静的灰色眼睛、坚毅的嘴巴和下巴让人想起诺曼的脸。一顶最精致的帽子像王冠一样戴在她灰白的头发上，耳朵上的几缕小卷发给这张贵族脸庞增添了一种古朴的魅力。她的声音低沉而富有音乐感。当她第一次说话时，语气是亲切的，而不是亲切的。但在她审视地看了他一眼之后，他的态度就软化了，从这时起，基思感受到了她的温暖。

她很快就开始与他交谈，态度轻松、亲切、几乎是保密的，这让基思觉得他们一直都是朋友，一会儿，在回答她的问题时，他非常坦率地给出了他对这个人的印象。大城市：它的辉煌、它的运动、它的奔腾，就像急流的急流一样令人兴奋。

“这几乎让我屏住呼吸，”他说。 “我感觉自己仿佛站在洪流的边缘，有一种不可抗拒的欲望想要跳进去，逆流而上。”

她沉默地看了年轻人一会儿，享受着他闪闪发光的眼睛，然后脸色变得凝重起来。

“是的，给一个新鲜的年轻人留下这样的印象是很有趣的。但如此多的东西都被打成了碎片，在我看来，最近它就像一个漩涡，在其不可抗拒和可怕的席卷中吞没了一切。财富、健康、平安、名誉，统统被卷走；但最糟糕的是它的无情——以及它的空虚。”

她深深地叹了口气，年轻人不知道什么悲伤会触动她，在这座美丽的宅邸里，被财富、品味和感情所包围。多年后，他又想起了那个昔日贵妇在豪华家里的照片。

就在这时，外面传来一阵欢快的叫声：

“表弟？——表弟？——玛蒂尔迪·卡罗尔，你在哪里？”

这是一位老太太的声音，但其中有基思熟悉的东西。

温特沃斯夫人微笑着站了起来。

“我在客厅里，”她稍微提高了声音说道。 “这是我的表弟，一位亲爱的老朋友和同学，”她向基思解释道。 “我在这里。进来吧。”她走到门口，向下楼梯的人伸出手。

“哦，亲爱的，这座伟大的、宏伟的房子将是我的死亡！”另一位女士一边大声说道，一边缓缓下降。

“哎呀，它并不比你的大，”温特沃斯夫人抗议道。

“它有两倍大，而且，此外，我出生在那里，当我还是个孩子的时候，我就学会了它所有的起伏、通道和角落，就像我学习字母表一样。但是这个房子！它和《天路历程》中一样充满了曲折和陷阱，我永远不会学它，就像我不会学乘法口诀表一样。哎呀，你给我的那间二楼套房就像六乘九一样。当你第一次把我放在那里时，我四处走动以学习我的方式，而且，据我所知，我认为我永远不应该回到自己的房间。我想我应该睡在浴缸里。我从浴室逃了出来，结果却落在了壁橱里。那是相当有趣的。然后，当我计算完你所有的床单和枕套后，我就离开了那里，来到了我自己的房间。不！这是扫帚间——八乘七！那是我看到的唯一熟悉的东西。我本可以拥抱那些扫帚。但是，亲爱的，我这辈子从来没有见过这么多扫帚！难怪你必须拥有这么多仆人。我想他们中的一些人会去扫除其他仆人。但你真的必须关闭那些公寓，只给我一个小房间；或者，既然我已经逃出了迷宫，我就戴上帽子直接回家吧。”

所有这一切都是从最底层的台阶上以一种最有趣的重力传递出来的。

“好吧，既然你已经逃出来了，那就进来吧，”温特沃斯夫人笑着说。 “我想让我的一个朋友认识你——一个年轻人——”

“一个绅士！”

“是的;一位年轻的绅士，来自——”

“亲爱的！”另一位女士惊呼道。 “我不适合见一位年轻的绅士——我还没有戴新帽子。我实在做不到。”

“哦，是的，你可以。进来吧，我也想让你认识他。他是——嗯——嗯——”

这声音太小了，基思听不见。下一秒，温特沃斯太太转身重新走进房间，牵着基思的火车老太太的手。

当她的目光落在基思身上时，她尖叫一声停了下来，紧紧闭上双眼，抓住了温特沃斯太太的手臂。

“亲爱的，这是我的强盗！”

“它是什么？”

“我的强盗！他就是我告诉过你的那个年轻人，他在火车上对我如此礼貌，令人怀疑。我永远不能正视他的脸——永远不能！”说着，她睁开了明亮的眼睛，径直走到基斯面前，伸出了手。 “承认你是强盗，救救我。”

基思笑着握住了她的手。

“我知道你把我当成一个人了。”他转向温特沃斯夫人，描述她让他数她的包袱。

“你承认那趟火车上的绅士比流氓或者那些看起来像流氓的人要少得多吗？”老太太高兴地坚持说。 “我乘车过来，没有一个人给我让座。你受到的所有辱骂都是罪有应得，因为你是如此不合时宜，竟然对一个贫穷、孤独、丑陋的老妇人表现出任何礼貌。”

“艾比，基思先生还不知道你是谁。基思先生，这是我的表弟，布鲁克小姐。”

“阿比盖尔·布鲁克小姐，老处女，”向他行了一个古怪的小屈膝礼。

这就是小路易斯的老姑妈，鲍尔萨姆博士的心上人——那个让他成为流浪者的女孩；她可能就是爱丽丝·约克曾经说过的圣阿比盖尔！

老太太转向温特沃斯太太。

“他正在失去礼貌；看看他是如何凝视的。我告诉你什么了？在纽约呆上一周，任何有礼貌的绅士都会被打破。”

“噢，还不错，”温特沃斯太太说。 “现在你们坐下来互相熟悉一下。”

于是基思在布鲁克小姐旁边坐下，她很快就向他讲述了她的侄女的事，她说，她总是在谈论他和他的父亲。

“她还像小时候一样漂亮吗？”基思问道。

“是的——太漂亮了；她也知道这一点。”老太太微笑道。 “我告诉你，我必须用强有力的手抓住她。她脑子里已经装满了男孩。”

就在这时，其他来电者开始出现。今天是温特沃斯夫人的节日，拜访温特沃斯夫人在某种程度上是上流社会的标志。确实，许多打电话到那里的人根本不属于“社会”，他们是平静而自给自足的老居民，他们把自己置于那些开始挤满“大街”并以一种金楔子——许多住在大道上华丽房子里的人从未被允许进入那扇庄严的大门。现在，他们开始进来了，有穿着优雅的妇女，也有打扮得很漂亮的女孩。温特沃斯夫人以她一贯的亲切态度接待了他们所有人。布鲁克小姐戴上了她的“新帽子”，坐在她身边，她苍白的脸上泛着上升的颜色，她敏锐的眼睛与戈登的眼睛一样热切地注视着这一场景。戈登已经退到了包围女主人的人群的边缘，他热切地注视着，希望在三三两两进来的访客中，他能找到他所见过的那张脸。一直在寻找。威克沙姆这个名字很快就落在了他的耳边。

“她将嫁给费迪·威克沙姆，”他身边的一位女士对另一位女士说道。他们看到的是一位身材姣好、面容傲慢的女孩，刚刚和她的母亲一起走进房间，她的母亲是一位高挑的黑衣女士，五官坚毅，声音优美，穿过其他客人，朝大厅走去。女主人。温特沃斯夫人热情地向他们打招呼，并示意老太太在她旁边坐下。

“不好了;她正在为更高的目标而飞翔。”他们都竖起了长矛，迅速地看了她一眼。

“你的意思是——”她向温特沃斯夫人点点头。

“是的。”

“为什么，她不允许他这样做。她在这个世界上一分钱都没有。她的母亲花光了她丈夫留给她的每一块钱，试图让她摆脱困境。”

“是的;但她把钱花在了好的目的上。他们是老朋友了。温特沃斯夫人不关心钱。她拥有她需要的一切。她永远不会忘记她的祖父是革命时期的一名将军，我相信考德威尔夫人的祖父也是一位将军。她俯视着第五大道的上端——威克沙姆一家等等。你不知道温特沃斯夫人的表弟听说威克沙姆家族有徽章时说什么吗？她说，‘一定是她父亲成功了。’”

这位女士平静的声音和神态，以及她对他人事务的了解，唤醒了基思的旧联想，他转过身仔细看了看她，认出了奈勒夫人，这位带着猫的好奇女士在爱丽丝·约克康复期间，她经常在盖茨家的阳台上闲逛。

他走到她面前，回想起自己。她显然很难记住他，因为一开始她没有表现出任何认出他的迹象。但在另一位女士搬走后，她更幸运地安置了他。

“你认识温特沃斯一家有一段时间了？”

基思不知道这是声明还是询问。她的陈述中总带着一种审问的语气。他解释说，他和诺曼·温特沃斯小时候就是朋友。

“诺曼，亲爱的朋友吗？”奈勒夫人微笑着。 “不愧是我们冉冉升起的年轻人之一？你知道，他想放弃最辉煌的前景来帮助他的父亲，而他的父亲已经有一段时间的失败了。不是经济上失败了吗？”她再次用审问点解释道。

“当然，我不相信那些谣言；我是说健康方面？”

基思非常理解她。

“是的，他已经走了。彻底崩溃了？”她深深地叹了口气。 “但是据说诺曼非常聪明，和他父亲一起进了银行？”她追了上去。 “那边的女孩要嫁给他——如果她妈妈能安排的话？那个身材高大、傲慢的女人。”她指着坐在温特沃斯夫人旁边的考德威尔夫人。 “你觉得她帅吗？”

基思说他做到了。他以为她指的是那个女孩，她穿着一件定制的礼服，戴着一顶白色的大帽子，看起来非常英俊。

“浪漫快要消亡了吗？”她叹了口气。 “找到这么漂亮的东西吗？是的？”

基思同意她关于它的魅力的看法，但希望它不会消失。他想起了他所认识的一段浪漫史。

“你以前很浪漫吗？是的？”

基思忍不住脸红了。

“你最近见过约克夫妇吗？”她继续说道。基思解释说他刚刚到达。 “你知道爱丽丝是一位伟大的美女吗？而且这么漂亮，只有她自己最清楚；但哪个漂亮女孩不呢？对于她是否要嫁给费迪·威克沙姆或兰卡斯特公司的兰卡斯特先生，全镇现在存在分歧。他是我们的男主角之一，比她年长很多，但非常富有，出身于显赫的家庭。费迪·威克沙姆真的很爱”——她压低了声音——“温特沃斯太太身边的那个女孩；但她更喜欢诺曼·温特沃斯；至少，她妈妈做到了，所以费迪又回到了爱丽丝身边？你说你没有去看她？不？你当然要去吗？约克夫人这么喜欢你？

“她会选择哪一个——我的意思是，人们说她更喜欢哪一个？”基思问道，他的声音不由自主地泄露了他的兴趣。

“哦，费迪，当然。他是符合资格的人之一，非常英俊，而且非常富有。人们说他真是一位伟大的金融家。轮到他父亲了吗？你知道他来自一家商店吗？”

基思承认他无可否认的英俊外表，也知道他的财富。但他对所收到的信息感到非常困惑，以至于他陷入了相当混乱的状态。

就在这时，一位年轻的牧师穿过房间朝他们走来。他是一个身材矮胖的年轻人，一头红色的头发，一张通红的脸。他那丰满的脸颊，和他那件饱满的背心一样，都表明里蒙牧师先生并不是隐士。

“啊，我亲爱的奈勒夫人，很高兴见到你！你看起来多好啊！自从在克里默夫人家度过的那个迷人的夜晚之后，我就再也没有见过你。”

“你管这叫迷人吗？晚餐你觉得怎么样？”奈勒太太冷冷地问道。

他笑了笑，环顾四周，压低了声音。

“嗯，第一轮之后的香槟实在是太糟糕了。你没注意到吗？你没注意到吗？哦，你太和蔼可亲了，不敢承认。我相信你注意到了，因为镇上没有人像你一样拥有这样的香槟。”

他舔了舔嘴唇，带着一种回忆般的满足。

“不，我向你保证，我不是在奉承你。我的一块布！你竟然敢对我负责！”他笑了。 “我已经对约克夫人说了同样的话。你问她我有没有。”

“你叔叔身体怎么样？”奈勒夫人问道。

年轻人看了她一眼，那眼神似乎让他很满意。

“‘稳健’这个词根本不足以形容它。他的公平竞争不仅仅在于他的虔诚。”

奈勒夫人笑了。 “你看起来不像一个孝顺的侄子那么高兴。”

“但他是如此善良——如此虔诚。我为什么要阻止他享受他已经成熟的快乐呢？”

奈勒夫人笑了。

“你是一个罪人，”她宣称。

“我们都是悲惨的罪人，”他回答道。 “你最近见过约克夫妇吗？”

“不;但我会约束你的。

“你觉得老兰开斯特的故事怎么样？”

“哦，我想如果妈妈能安排的话，她会嫁给他的。”

“‘孩子们，要服从你们的父母。’”里蒙先生一边走开，一边笑着说道。

“他是我们冉冉升起的年轻牧师之一，是著名的利特尔博士的侄子，”奈勒夫人解释道。 “你当然知道他吗？比他的侄子好得多。”这是她的呼吸。 “他是他叔叔的助手，正在等待接替他的位置。他想娶你的朋友艾丽丝·约克。如果阿谀奉承能够确保他叔叔的教堂安全的话，他对他很有信心。”

就在这时，几位女士从他们身边走过，奈勒夫人看到了传授更多知识的机会，轻轻点头，走开去分散她的信息和询问，基思向温特沃斯夫人告别后退了出去。对于他所听到的事情，他的心情并不愉快。

基思的下一次访问比访问温特沃斯家需要更多的思考和准备。多年来，他一直在思考、梦想着这一点。当他发现自己实际上在大街上，看到那座巨大的棕色石头宅邸时，他感到一种紧张，他知道那一定是爱丽丝·约克小姐的住所。

他永远不会忘记他访问的最细微的细节，从外面台阶上闪闪发光的黄铜栏杆，到那个穿着条纹背心和黄铜纽扣的傲慢的、目光锐利的小仆人，当他走进去时，他傲慢地看着他，再到与他同一个仆人。当他出来时，他谄媚地向他鞠了一躬。他永远不会忘记爱丽丝·约克第一次以少女时代的光辉出现，也不会忘记约克夫人和蔼可亲的不拘一格，这让他完全困惑不解。

给基思开门的男仆热切地看着他，但最终却陷入了困惑。他首先站在门口中间，迅速地扫视了他一眼。但当基思问女士们是否在里面时，他突然变得更加尊重。这位来访者没有达到预约的标准，但鲍尔认出了他的神态和语气。他会看到的。他是否足够好走进去？

几分钟后，当他回来时，冷漠已经被奴性所取代。

请济慈先生走进客厅好吗？谢谢，先生。女士们一会儿就会下来。

基思并不知道，这种态度的变化是由于楼上一位年轻女士表示高兴，她断然拒绝接受母亲关于他们不在家的建议。

那天，爱丽丝·约克的心情不太好。一段时间以来，她一直试图在一个对她来说非常重要的问题上做出决定，但她发现这并不容易做到。她面临着许多问题。奇怪的是，基思本人也参与了这件事。奇怪的是，当他的名片被拿出来的时候，她就想到了他。没有戴眼镜的约克夫人把名片递给了爱丽丝。她因这个巧合发出了一声尖叫。

“先生。基思！多么奇怪！”

“那是什么？”妈妈连忙问道。她的耳朵听到了这个名字。

“哎呀，是基思先生。我只是-。”她停了下来，因为约克夫人的脸上流露出失望之情。

“我认为我们看不到他，”她开始说道。

“当然，我必须见他，妈妈。我不会因为世界上任何事情而错过见到他。下去吧，鲍尔，说我直接下去。”仆人消失了。

“现在，爱丽丝，”她的母亲抗议道，她已经用尽了几个理由，比如时间不便，让访客等待是不礼貌的，因为她必须穿衣服，以及其他几个可能会出现的借口。给那些对自己的女儿有自己的计划并意外收到一个年轻人的卡片的妈妈们，这个年轻人极有可能在十分钟内打乱近两年的工作——“现在，爱丽丝，我认为这是非常错误的你要尽一切努力让那个年轻人知道你要重提旧事。”

爱丽丝抗议说她根本不知道要做那样的事。不存在“旧事”。当他不厌其烦地打电话时，她不想表现得无礼——仅此而已。

“做傻事！”约克夫人惊呼道。 “打电话麻烦！当然，他会不厌其烦地打电话。如果他认为他能找到你，他会打一百个电话——”她看着她女儿的眼睛，停了下来——“能找到你。但你没有权利让他不高兴。”

“哦，我想我现在不能让他太不高兴了。我想他现在已经全神贯注了。”女孩轻声说道。 “他们都克服了。发烧很快。它不会持续太久，妈妈。已经有多少人了？”

“你比较清楚。他不是经常给你寄书和东西吗？他和其他人不一样。兰卡斯特先生会说什么？

“哦，兰开斯特先生！ “他没有资格说什么。”女孩嘟着嘴，脸色有些阴沉。 “先生。兰卡斯特会说我想让他说的任何话。”当她看到母亲不高兴的表情时，她补充道。 “我希望你不要总是把他拉到我面前。我喜欢他，而且他对我非常好——比我应得的好得多。但有时我对他感到非常厌倦：他太严肃了。有时我想挣脱束缚，去做一些事情。我愿意！”她摇摇头，跺着脚，像个被宠坏的孩子一样不耐烦。

“嗯，费迪在吗？——”她妈妈开始说道。

女孩转向她。

“我以为我们在这个问题上已经有了共识，妈妈。如果你对我和费迪结婚的事再说什么，我 将 做事！我发誓我一定会的！”

“为什么，我以为你声称喜欢费迪，而他肯定也爱你。”

“他当然不是。他爱卢·考德威尔，就像爱除了他自己以外的任何人一样。但如果你像我一样了解他，你就会知道除了费迪之外，他不爱任何人。”

约克夫人知道何时屈服，以及如何屈服。当她抗议说她只希望女儿幸福时，她的脸色变得忧郁，声音变得可怜。

“那请不要再对我提起这件事了。”女孩说道。

下一秒，她的女儿靠在她身上，安抚她并向她保证她的忠诚。

“妈妈，我想请他吃饭。”

约克夫人确实倒吸了一口气。

“废话！为什么，他会完全格格不入。这不是里奇利。我想他这辈子都没穿过礼服大衣！”这是真的，尽管基思对此一点也不关心。

“好吧，我们可以请他吃午饭，”爱丽丝叹了口气说。

但约克夫人很固执。她不能邀请一个不知名的年轻人到她的餐桌上。因此，对礼服的需求限制了约克夫人的热情好客，对她来说只是次要的、更重要的目的。

“我希望爸爸在这儿； “他会同意我的观点的。”女孩叹了口气。

争议解决后，爱丽丝小姐溜走了，为百合花镀金。她在选择厕所时的小心谨慎，以及在她的骑士镜前转身时温柔的拍打和细腻的抚摸，可能与她不久前向母亲所说的对先生漠不关心的说法不符。基思，甚至可能会给楼下客厅里焦虑的年轻人带来一些安慰，因为他没有书，正饶有兴趣地审视着这些画。他从来没有见过这么豪华的房子。

与此同时，约克夫人采取了一个策略。爱丽丝一消失，就下楼到客厅。但她多戴了一两枚钻戒。这样她的女儿就有整整一刻钟的时间了。

她和年轻人之间的问候比预想的还要亲切。约克夫人惊讶地发现基思的成长情况。他的脸变宽了，虽然脸很瘦，但是却有着不可否认的区别。他的举止如此庄严，让约克夫人几乎感到尴尬。

“怎么，你怎么变了！”她惊呼道。她自言自语道：“爱丽丝正在整理心绪的时候，这个男孩竟然跑到这里来了，真是麻烦啊！但我会除掉他。”

她开始询问他的计划。

当楼梯上的台阶和沙沙作响的礼服展现出约克夫人肥胖的身材时，基思对自己说的是：“天啊！是老太太！不知道老龙会做什么，我是不是不能见她了！”当她走进房间时，他注意到她的尴尬，并鼓起勇气。

下一刻，他们就在房间里击剑了，基思像另一个年轻的圣乔治一样束紧自己。

他的学校进展如何？她问。

他不再教书了。他已经上过大学，现在开始从事工程学。它提供了这样的优势。

她很惊讶。她本以为他的职业生涯就是由她来教的。他似乎有这样的天赋。

基思不确定这不是“触摸”。他引用了约翰逊博士的定义，即教学是受过教育的贫困者的普遍避难所。 “我不想一辈子都是穷人，”他补充道，觉得这对他来说是一种触动。

约克夫人沉思了一会儿。

“但这不是他的名字。他的名字叫巴尔萨姆。我知道，因为我在从他那里拿到账单时遇到了一些麻烦。”

基思改变了对这次触摸的看法。

就在这时，楼梯上又传来一阵沙沙声，又是一阵脚步声，这次是轻一些的脚步声，下一刻，年轻人的眼前出现了幻象。

当基思起身迎接她时，他的表情表明了他的想法。至少有一瞬间，龙消失了，他面前只有爱丽丝·约克。

确实，当她在丝绸帷幔下的宽大门口停了一会儿时，这个女孩就是——风流女郎！他怎么知道她知道这个位置有多有效？——一幅让年轻人的眼睛充满光芒、让他的脸充满光芒、甚至让老人的眼睛再次变得年轻的照片。岁月的流逝，无论是面容还是身材都增添了魅力，爱丽丝·约克穿着她最精致的蓝白相间的盥洗服，容光焕发，足以击中一颗比此刻在基思胸中跳动、从他热切的目光中向外张望的心更坚硬的心。门口的停顿让这幅画面在基思的脑海中永远留下了深刻的印象。

她的眼睛闪闪发亮，嘴唇张开，露出一丝惊喜的微笑。

“你好吗？”她向前伸出手臂，亲切地打招呼。

约克夫人看到女儿的外表给人留下的印象，无法抑制作为母亲的自豪感。然而，基思脸上的表情让她决定不再冒险举行这样的会面。

当然，第一句话是爱丽丝发现他在那里时感到的惊讶。 “你怎么记得我们的？”

“我不可能忘记你，”基思坦白地说。 “我在纽约出差，我想在回家之前我会见见我的朋友们。”约克夫人在场，这让我感到有些自豪。

“你住在哪里？”

基思解释说，他是一名工程师，住在冈博尔特。

“啊，我认为这是一个了不起的职业，”爱丽丝小姐说道。 “如果我是一个男人，我就会成为一个男人。想象一下在浩瀚的河流上建造伟大的桥梁，在伟大的山脉上挖掘隧道！”

“也许连大海本身也有可能。”基思先生说，只要爱丽丝一想到他的职业就两眼放光，基思先生就不在乎约克太太怎么想。

“我怀疑工程师们在纽约是否能找到很多事可做，”约克夫人插话道。 “我认为西部将是一个很好的领域——遥远的西部，”她解释道。

“你能来找我们真是太好了，”爱丽丝小姐坚定地说，也许有点挑衅，因为她知道她母亲在想什么。

“如果这就是好事，”基思说，“我的救恩就确定了。”当他看着她时，他想说：“在纽约的所有人群中，只有一个人是我真正来看望的，我得到了回报，”但他没有冒险走这么远。相反，他在心里盘算了一下约克夫人离开的可能性，哪怕只是暂时的。然而，他看了她一眼，就确信这种可能性不值得考虑，他开始感到忧郁。如果说有什么能让一个年轻人的心变得冰冷，那就是当他长途跋涉去看一个女孩时，让妈妈躲在房间里站岗。基思现在知道约克夫人已经站岗了，除了上帝之外，没有任何力量可以驱逐她。山脊凉爽的树林的想法像海市蜃楼一样出现在他的脑海中，折磨着他。

他大胆地转向女孩。

“你以后不会再来南方了吗？”他问。 “蜂鸟正在等待。”

爱丽丝微笑着，脸上的红晕让她显得迷人。

约克夫人替她接听。她认为南方不同意爱丽丝的观点。

爱丽丝抗议说她喜欢它。

“我亲爱的老医生怎么样？你知道吗，今年我和他的书信往来不少？”

基思不知道。他有生以来第一次嫉妒Doctor。

“他是你——你最忠实的崇拜者之一。我上次见到他时，他正在谈论你。”

“他说我什么了？快告诉我吧！”带着夸张的渴望。

基思微笑着，想知道如果她知道的话会怎么想。

“太多事情让我无法诉说。”

他灰色的眼睛说出了剩下的事情。

正说话间，外面传来车轮的声音，接着是门铃声。基思面朝门口坐着，可以看到走进冰雹的那位绅士。他身材高大，头发有些灰白，长着一张令人愉快、自成一体的脸。他转身走向客厅，边走边脱下手套。

“她的父亲。 “他看起来很英俊。”基思想。 “我想知道他会来这里吗？他看起来比龙还要年轻。”一想到要见到约克先生，他就有些忐忑不安。

当基思再次看向两位女士时，她们俩都发生了一些变化。她们的脸上带着不同的表情：约克夫人的表情是不安和宽慰的混合，爱丽丝小姐的表情是不满和困惑。基思坐了下来，等待着被介绍。

那位绅士一脸高兴地进来了，目光落在了这位年轻的女士身上。

“她的高雅外表就是从她父亲那里得到的，”基思想。上升。

下一刻，这位绅士热情地与爱丽丝小姐握手，并与约克夫人亲切地握手。然后，停顿了一下——爱丽丝小姐看着她的母亲——停顿了一下，女孩介绍道：“先生。”兰卡斯特。”他转身和基思愉快地交谈。

“先生。基思是——我们前年冬天去南方时认识的一个人。”约克夫人说道。

“我们的一个朋友，”女孩说。她转向基思。

“告诉我巴尔萨姆博士说了什么。”

“先生。基思认识温特沃斯一家——我相信你很了解温特沃斯一家？”约克夫人向基思先生讲话。

“是的，我从小就认识诺曼。我见过他的母亲，但从未见过他的父亲。”

约克夫人因为拒绝认识如此有利的熟人而感到愚蠢。但兰开斯特先生比以前更加关注基思。黑眸中闪过一抹玩味，转头看向少年。他心里有什么东西让我想起了过去。

“你说是从南方来的？”

“是的先生。”他自豪地命名了他的州。

“我没听错你的名字吗？是基思吗？”

“是的先生。”

“我以前认识一位绅士，叫这个名字——基思将军。”

“有好几个。”年轻人自豪地回答。 “我的父亲被称为‘埃尔芬斯通的基思将军’。”

“就是他。我抓住了他。他受了重伤，我很高兴有人照顾他，然后又把他换了。他怎么样？他还活着吗？”

“是的先生。”

兰卡斯特先生转向女士们。 “他是我认识的最勇敢的人之一，”他说。 “我曾经受到过他的盛情款待。我去南方调查那里的一些事情，”他向女士们解释道。

这句话使基思的眼中流露出欣慰的神情。约克夫人心里有两种情绪：兰卡斯特先生知道基思的社会地位让她松了口气，但她又担心这种赞扬可能会影响到爱丽丝。看了一眼女孩的脸，后者占了主导地位。

“男人根本没有理智，”她对自己说。如果她知道的话，这次演讲会让女孩对她的年长仰慕者产生比以往任何时候都更加友善的感觉。

戈登的脸上洋溢着温柔，一提到他父亲就总是这样。他向前走去。

“先生，我可以和您握手吗？”他握住了老人的手。 “如果我能为您提供任何服务——即使是最起码的服务——我希望您能让我父亲的儿子偿还部分债务。你不能帮我更大的忙了。”当他笔直而威严地站着，握住老人的手时，他看起来比以往任何时候都更像一个男人。兰开斯特先生显然很高兴。

“我会这么做的，”他微笑着说道。

约克夫人坐立不安。 “这个男人会毁了一切，”她对自己说。

基斯见再也没有单独见到爱丽丝的机会，便起身告辞，显得有些庄严。在最后一刻，爱丽丝大胆地邀请他第二天和他们一起吃午饭。

“谢谢你，”基思说，“我明天在斯巴达吃午饭。今晚我要去南方。”但女士们并没有注意到他的暗示。

当基思出来的时候，门口站着一匹英俊的马车，有一对漂亮的马，还有一个身穿制服的马夫。

过了一会儿，当基思走在大街上，看着穿着精美服装的勇敢的人群时，他看到同一对高高的步伐者自豪地在其他队伍中穿行。他突然意识到有人在向他鞠躬，而爱丽丝·约克坐在兰开斯特先生旁边，戴着一顶带有白色羽毛的大帽子，向他鞠躬。有一瞬间，他心里有一种温暖的感觉，然后，当参加的人被人群吞没时，基思突然感到一种孤独感，他非常讨厌约克夫人。过了一会儿，他经过了费迪·威克沙姆，他穿着一件长外套，戴着一顶高帽子，正和他在温特沃斯太太家见过的那个女孩一起走在大街上。当他们经过时，他摘下了帽子，但显然他们没有看到他。那种压倒性的孤独再次席卷了他。

直到他发现自己身处坦普尔顿博士的书房里，他才从这种感觉中恢复过来。他曾暂时答应回去和老牧师一起吃晚饭，只是没有绝对答应，因为他认为自己可能会被邀请去约克家。他现在很高兴可以走了，收到老先生亲切的问候，他的心又变得温暖起来。这里也是斯巴达。这至少是热情好客。他被介绍给两位年轻的牧师，他们都是热心的在穷人中工作的人。他们中的一个是高教派教徒，另一个是长老会教徒，有一两次他们开始热烈地讨论他们不同的问题。但老校长似乎知道如何管理他们。

“来吧，我的孩子们；这里没有分裂，”他微笑着说，“记住，一面旗帜，一个联盟，一个指挥官。泰特斯还在墙前。”

当晚基思就回到了家。他时不时地想起兰开斯特，心里有些不安。显然，约克夫人是他的朋友。但毕竟，爱丽丝永远不会想到嫁给一个白发男人。她做不到。

当他父亲告诉他他对威克沙姆先生采取的立场时，他很高兴，这让他放心了。

“你做得完全正确，先生； “这是一位绅士应该做的，”他说道，脸上洋溢着骄傲和爱意。 “回去吧，走你自己的路。不欠任何人任何东西。”

戈登回到他的小办公室，充满了成功的决心。他现在有双重动机：他要赢得爱丽丝·约克，他要向威克沙姆先生展示他是谁。回来后不久，罗森乡绅的拜访给了他新的希望。老人咯咯地笑着告诉他，威克沙姆已经间接向他提出了收购他土地的报价，比他预想的要大得多。这更加坚定了他坚持下去的决心。

“如果这对他来说值得，”他说，“对我来说也值得。我们再坚持一会儿，让他为我们开辟一条道路。您查看线路并密切关注它们。给我画一些土地的图画。我想在我结束之前，弗罗尼将会拥有一笔相当不错的遗产。”他精明地看了基思一眼，然而，那个年轻人没有看到。

不久之后戈登收到了诺曼婚礼的邀请函。他要娶考德威尔小姐为妻。

当戈登读到婚礼的报道时，教堂里“摆满了鲜花”，新婚夫妇在唱诗班的引导下唱着歌，他很感兴趣，就好像这是他哥哥的婚礼一样。他试图想象爱丽丝·约克（Alice Yorke）穿着伴娘礼服，“上面披着旧蕾丝，玫瑰花蕾围绕着她。”

他带着严峻的乐趣环顾自己的小房间，想着如果他拥有约克夫人所说的“一个机构”，这可能会给他带来怎样的改变。他还是埃尔芬斯通的基思。

一件相关的事实让他感到不安。费迪·威克沙姆（Ferdy Wickersham）是引座员之一，据说他和约克小姐是一对帅气的情侣。

诺曼早已忘记了费迪在大学时的不友好行为，并希望埋葬所有恩怨，开始与全世界和平相处的新生活，他邀请费迪成为他的引座员之一，费迪出于自己的原因接受了。费迪·威克沙姆现在是纽约最受关注的年轻人之一。他至少在某种程度上实现了年轻时的承诺，因为他是该州最英俊的男人之一。威克沙姆夫人的内心因失败而痛苦不已，她发誓她永远不会低头在婚礼上担任引座员。但她的儿子性格更深。他宣称自己“完全有能力处理自己的事务”。

在婚礼上，他是最快乐的宾客之一，正如报纸所说，他和约克小姐无疑是所有参加者中最英俊的一对。没有人用更热情的话语向温特沃斯夫人表示祝贺。可以肯定的是，他的目光带着好奇的表情寻找着新娘。不久之后，当他与她单独交谈时，她的记忆中残留着一种愤世嫉俗的气息。她在温特沃斯家族之外收到的最漂亮的珠宝就是他送的。它的中心是一颗镶有钻石的心形。

一时间，路易丝·温特沃斯为自己的好运欣喜若狂。她美丽的房子，她的马车，她的礼服，她的丈夫，以及她新车站的所有装备，都充满了她的心。她几乎立即采取了其他年轻新娘都没有的立场。她成为了时尚。如果费迪愿意的话，在诺曼的奉献下，她可能已经完全忘记了费迪威克沙姆。但费迪不想让自己被遗忘。有一段时间，他非常关注爱丽丝·约克。但爱丽丝小姐却把他的关注视为一个笑话。她对他说：

“现在，费迪，我非常愿意让你把纽约所有的鲜花都送给我，每隔一天晚上陪我去看一场戏，并向我献上你从路易丝那里留下来的所有奉承话；但我不会让人认为我要和你订婚；因为我不是，而你也不想要我。”

“我想你是为我幸运的对手兰开斯特先生保留的吧？”年轻人傲慢地说。

爱丽丝的眼睛闪闪发亮。 “至少不适合你。”

于是，费迪渐渐地、不知不觉地又回到了温特沃斯太太身边。有一段时间，他几乎是悲惨的。然后他陷入了一种冷漠的愤世嫉俗的状态，这并非没有影响。他从来不相信她关心诺曼·温特沃斯就像关心他一样。他相信她的母亲已经撮合了，在他内心深处，他怀着受伤的自尊心来憎恨诺曼。而且，一旦温特沃斯太太超越了他，他就开始对她产生比他以前承认的更深的感情。他非常明确地为自己设定了自己想做的事情，并以值得拥有更好目标的耐心去努力。他以多种方式奉承她，经验告诉他，这些方式对女人的心很有效。

费迪·威克沙姆估计了温特沃斯夫人的虚荣心的真实价值。但他低估了她的正直和她的骄傲。她的虚荣心足以冒险破坏她的幸福。但她的骄傲和她的虚荣心一样强烈。

因此，尽管费迪·威克沙姆用他细致的关怀和耐心的等待满足了她的虚荣心，但在长期服务之后，他发现自己面临着被她的傲慢所阻碍的危险。他表面上的忠诚引起了她的兴趣。但她以一种他不会相信她的决心与他保持着一定的距离。

在这种情况下，大多数人都会选择退役并承认失败。但费迪·威克沙姆却并非如此。承认失败对他来说是苦胆和苦艾。他对路易丝的爱已经被一种几乎类似于复仇欲望的感觉所取代。他会让她知道他可以征服她的骄傲。他将向世界证明他可以让诺曼·温特沃斯谦虚。在他看来，他的地位是坚不可摧的。作为一家伟大企业的领导者，这座城市最快乐的人的领导者，以及这座城市最英俊、最酷的男人——他注定会获胜。于是，他等待着时机，继续对温特沃斯夫人不加关注，他认为这最终一定会赢得她的青睐。很快，他觉得自己开始看到耐心的结果。老温特沃斯先生的健康状况迅速恶化，而诺曼则全神贯注于生意，以至于他发现自己无法跟上他们的社交生活。然而，如果诺曼太忙而无法参加所有的娱乐活动，费迪却从来不会太忙而无法在场，这一事实许多人开始注意到。

乡绅罗森拒绝了他的土地提议，开始引起亚伦·威克沙姆先生的一些不安。他做梦也没想到，这个老乡下人竟然这么难对付。他甚至拒绝为它们定价。他说，他“不想卖掉”。

威克沙姆先生与他的儿子商量。 “我们必须控制这些土地，费迪。我们应该在铁路开工之前就得到它们。如果我们等到通过的话，我们就得付双倍的钱。最好的办法就是你去那里拿它们。你认识大老板，也认识那个年轻的基思。你应该能够使用它们。如有必要，我们将不得不雇用基思。有时，一个很小的杠杆就能发挥很大的作用。”

“哦，我可以很容易地把它们加工出来，”年轻人说。 “但我现在不想去那里——天气很冷，而且我还有很多约会，而且手头上还有一件事需要我现在就到这里。”

父亲的眉头阴沉起来。最近事情进展得不太顺利。温特沃斯夫妇在商业和社交生活中都变得越来越冷静。在前者中，温特沃斯家族的利益对他不利，让他损失了很多钱。后者让威克沙姆太太非常心痛。亚伦·威克沙姆将其归因于他收到的谣言，即费迪对年轻的温特沃斯夫人的关注超过了她丈夫和他的家人所喜欢的，而他们采取了这种形式的怨恨。

“我不知道还有什么业务参与比我们投入了数百万美元的事情更重要，这些投资可能会因及时关注而节省，也可能会损失。你有什么约定？”

“那是我的事，”费迪冷静地说。

“你的事！你的事不就是我的事吗？”他的父亲爆发了。

“不必要。事务有好几种。想到我所有的事情你都感兴趣，我就感到遗憾了。”

当他半闭着眼睛坐在后面，抚摸着丝绸般的黑色胡须时，他看起来非常傲慢，以至于他的父亲发脾气了。

“我对你的事情一无所知，”他愤怒地说道，“我也不想知道；但我想告诉你，我认为你和那个温特沃斯女人在一起是在自取其辱，每个人都在谈论你并嘲笑你。”

年轻人黝黑的脸气得涨红了。

“那是什么？”他尖锐地说。

“她是另一个男人的妻子。你为什么不让她一个人待着？”追赶父亲。

“正是因为这个原因，”费迪说道，恢复了镇静和傲慢的神态。

“ - 它！让那个女人独自一人吧。”他的父亲说道。 “你对她的愚弄已经让我们失去了温特沃斯父子的支持——顺便说一句，还有二十、三十万。”

年轻人看着对方，眼中闪过一丝愤怒。这很快就变成了更冷的光芒。

“说实话，先生，我不能放低自己，用你的——金钱这样庸俗的标准来衡量感情问题。”

他的神情令人难以忍受，父亲的耐心完全消失了。

“好吧，通过——！你最好放低自己，否则你就得弯得更低。 Creamer、Crustback & Company 已与我们合作；温特沃斯一家已经撤出； Kestrel 和其他人也是如此。你的交易和角落让我损失了一大笔钱。我告诉你，除非我们能完成那边的交易，除非我们能让那条铁路赚到一些钱，从而为重新结合打下基础，否则你会发现自己希望得到我的‘该死的钱’。”

“哦，我想我们会挺过去的，”年轻人说。他冷冷地起身，走出了办公室。

那个下午他和诺曼夫人一起度过。他告诉她，他必须去南方，照顾他们在那里的一些大利益。他让前景变得如此令人眼花缭乱，以至于她笑着建议他最好把她的一点钱放在那里给她。温特沃斯夫妇给了她一大笔钱。

“你为什么不请诺曼投资呢？”他笑着问道。

“哦，我不知道。他说债券是女性合适的投资。”

“他相当低估了你们的性别，其中一些，”威克沙姆说。当他看着她脸色涨红时，他补充道：“我告诉你我会做什么：我会为你投入五万，条件是你永远不要向任何人提起这件事。”

“我保证，”她半感激地说，然后他们握手了。

那天晚上，他通知父亲他要南下。 “我会很容易地获得这些土地，”他说。

几天后，费迪·威克沙姆在里奇利下了火车，里奇利现在是一个相当繁荣的小型疗养胜地，并且有成为时尚胜地的危险。那天下午，他开车去了乡绅罗森那里。

自从费迪入狱以来，这座古老的白柱房子发生了许多变化。至少在一楼，新的黑胡桃木家具取代了旧的马毛沙发、分底椅子和松木桌子；客厅里有一张新的豪华沙发和一架闪闪发光的新钢琴；矮墙上挂着镶有耀眼镜框的大镜子，地板上铺着布鲁塞尔地毯，像郁金香花坛一样闪亮，又像刚割下的干草地里的残茬一样坚硬。

尽管这些变化很大，但还是没有发生在年轻人身上的变化那么大，而这些变化是为他们而生的。

当费迪·威克沙姆开车到门口时，里面传来一声叫喊和一阵匆忙，弗罗尼·特里珀朝大门看了一眼后，冲上了楼梯。

当尤弗洛妮娅·特里珀小姐在镜子前小心翼翼地、心惊肉跳地工作了半个小时或更长时间后，走下古老的直楼梯时，她与费迪小时候所认识的那个圆脸、胖乎乎的女学生完全不同了。三四年前曾在苹果树下调情过。她与那架深沉的新钢琴和那台走调的叮叮当当的旧乐器截然不同，就像那个穿着完美服装的冷静、独立、英俊的年轻人与那个苗条、傲慢的男孩截然不同。习惯于弹奏它。这是一位非常漂亮、脸红的年轻乡村姑娘，她很偶然地走进了客厅，费迪·威克沙姆先生坐在那儿，平静而冷漠地与她的祖父谈论农作物、牲畜以及新铁路对产品和价格的影响。 。

在一所寄宿学校的几次课程中，带着几年前在苹果树下被唤醒的雄心壮志，弗罗尼小姐获得了通过这种方式获得的全部成就。岁月也让圆滚滚的女学生丰满身材变成了苗条而健硕的身材；当她走进客厅时，一手漫不经心地拿着一大篮花，一顶大帽子遮住了脸，她的脸颊因完全出乎意料地发现了一位访客而红晕起来。威克沙姆非常惊讶。

“天哪！谁会相信呢！”他对自己说。

她在威克舍姆附近的沙发上坐下后不到两分钟，那位年轻的特使就想出了一个计划，在他南下的旅途中，这个计划隐约暗示着自己的可能性。这是他的盟友；他对此深信不疑；如果他没能获胜，他就该输。

老乡绅刚离开房间，来访者就布下了进攻的第一道防线。

为什么她看到他这么惊讶？他对山有很大的兴趣，她能怀疑如果他在一千英里之内他会来看她吗？

红润的脸颊和舞动的眼睛表明这已经生效了。

“哦，你是来办事的吗？就这些！我知道，”她说。

威克沙姆看着她的眼睛。

生意只是一个方便的借口。老哈尔布鲁克本可以处理这件事；但他更愿意自己来。也许她能猜到原因？当他俯身凝视着她的脸时，他看起来英俊而真诚，足以迷惑比弗罗尼更聪明的人。

她当然一无所知。

那么他必须告诉她。为此，他发现有必要坐在靠近她的沙发上。他告诉她的话让她脸红了，她有点结巴，因为她表示她不相信他所说的一切，并且确信纽约有世界上最漂亮的女孩，而他从来没有想到过她。 。不，她不会听他的——她不相信他说的一个字；她不相信他说的任何话。而且——是的，当然，她很高兴见到老朋友；不，他不应该去。他必须和他们呆在一起。他们期望他这样做。

于是，费迪派人去里奇利取行李，并在罗森乡绅家待了几天，在那段时间里尽了最大努力。他甚至满意地看到弗罗尼冷漠地对待并送走了一两个身穿长呢大衣、戴着小山羊皮手套的勇敢的乡巴佬。

但如果到了这段时间结束时，年轻人能够庆幸自己在一个季度的成功，他知道他在另一个季度却犹豫不决。弗罗尼·特里珀彻底爱上了他。但她的祖父，虽然表面上看起来很随和、很柔顺，但他的土地交易却像一个挖沟者一样乏味。威克沙姆在他面前摊开地图和平面图，显示他拥有的调查结果与老人声称的调查结果重叠。

“你没看到我的专利比你的还要老吗？”

“看来是这样。”老者平静的说道。 “但专利就像人一样：他们可能太老了。”

年轻人尝试了另一条线。

他告诉他，这块土地没有什么特殊价值；但乡绅不仅拒绝按照他提供的价格出售一英亩土地，而且不会提出任何其他价格。

事实上，他并不想卖。他买了山牧场的地，不知道这些铁路、矿山之类的。在他死后，弗罗妮将拥有它，而在他死后，她可以用它做她想做的事。

“他是个傻子！”威克沙姆想道，于是让弗罗尼对他进行治疗。但老家伙很固执。他因芙罗尼的哄骗而吻了她，但告诉她女人不懂生意。因此威克沙姆不得不在没有得到土地的情况下离开。

现在冈博尔特涌入的陌生人如此之多，以至于在伊甸园几英里之外（铁路已经到达）的一个地点和冈博尔特之间有一股车辆川流不息。天气好的时候，马车、救护车和其他不起眼的车辆挤满了道路，山口充满了司机的呼喊和咒骂以及车轮的隆隆声和嘎嘎声，吉尔西先生的灵魂充满了厌恶。但荣誉的载体仍然是“吉尔西的舞台”。它运送邮件和一些快递，拥有山区最好的团队，被称为“reg'lar”。在天气不好的夜晚，路上的人会少一些。费迪·威克沙姆 (Ferdy Wickersham) 前往冈博尔特 (Gumbolt) 的旅程经历了一个糟糕的夜晚。

基思被选为元帅，但任命戴夫·丹尼森为副元帅，在恶劣的夜晚，基思仍然偶尔接替蒂姆·吉尔西，因为在这种天气下，老人有时太僵硬，无法爬上他的包厢。

“认识人的方法，”老司机对他说，“就是和他们一起走在路上。有很多人可以称得上是教堂执事。把他放在路上，你会发现他是一头猪，而且不是改良品种。他想吞噬一切”：基思有机会验证了这一观察。

特普西科雷突然在伊甸园有很多生意，当基思驾驶它时，他最近多次出现在舞台上，而且几乎总是坐在包厢座位上。这种事经常发生，以至于他在冈博尔特的一些熟人都聚集他一起讨论此事。

“你得再次留意布拉夫先生，”他们说。 “他已经把 J. Quincy 赶出了赛道，但他仍然在擂台上。他正处于低位；但这正是观赏山猫的时候。他正在跟踪你。”

普卢姆先生一直对基思非常友好，他宣称不是布拉夫而是基思把他撞出了赛道。 “在这种情况下，美德得到了回报，”他对基思说。 “你所推翻的比你的敌人奥兰多还要多。你已经获得了我们都在努力争取的奖品。接受诸神提供的物品，当你活着的时候，就好好活着。享乐主义者是唯一真正的哲学家。过来喝杯鸡尾酒吗？不？你的旧衣服碰巧有一美元吗？我没有忘记我欠你一个小账；但除了我自己，你是这个地狱里唯一有灵魂的人，我宁愿欠你十美元，也不愿欠任何其他活着的人。

基思的态度比他的言语更能阻止他的大部分调侃。没有什么可以让 J. Quincy Plume 闭嘴。

基思总是以对待任何女士都会表现出的礼貌对待特西科雷。他知道她现在是他的朋友了，他对她已经产生了真诚的喜欢。当他舞台上的乘客时，她很害羞且非常安静，准备做他要求的任何事情，服从他给她的任何建议。

碰巧，威克沙姆选择去冈博尔特旅行的那天晚上，基思让老吉尔西松了一口气，他在路线的伊甸园尽头和他的乘客中找到了她。她刚刚乘坐另一辆车从甘博尔特抵达，现在正要直接回去。当基思走过来时，那位年轻女子显然正准备坐上包厢的座位。他感到一种尴尬，但这种尴尬并没有因为他的老学生杰克·丹尼森也倒下了而减轻。杰克和戴夫现在住在甘博尔特。杰克穿着一件黑色外套，戴着一条镀金表链，非常光彩照人，因为他是到山脊去看尤夫洛妮娅·特里珀小姐的。

那是一个大雾天，到了晚上，薄雾变成了毛毛细雨。

基思有些恼火地对特西科雷说道：

“你最好进去吧。这将是一个糟糕的夜晚。”

她的脸色微微一变，犹豫了一下。但当他坚持时，她平静地说：“很好。”

乘客们正要上车就座时，一名裹着厚重羊毛衫的年轻人匆匆从酒店里走了出来，后面跟着一个手里提着几个袋子的仆人，急忙挤进了准备上车的人群中。以更加悠闲的方式进入车厢。他的帽子部分遮住了他的脸，但他身上的某些东西却勾起了基思不太愉快的回忆。当他到达车厢门口时，杰克·丹尼森和另一名男子正准备帮助其中一名妇女。年轻人挤在他们中间。

“对不起，”他说。

两人以礼貌的语气站到一边，另一个走上台，坐到后座，在角落里舒服地坐下来。如果没有妇女们的存在，这也许已经过去了。这座山上的伊甸园里的女人很珍贵，就像她在第一个伊甸园里一样。

杰克·丹尼森和他的朋友都立即断言，三位女士坐在后座上没有任何麻烦，杰克把头伸进门口，简短地说：

“年轻人，这里有好几个女士。你必须让出那个座位。”

由于没有反应，他又把头探了进去。

“你没听见吗？我说这里有一些女士。你得换个座位。”

对此，台上的人回答说他已经付了座位费。但他们还有很多其他座位可以坐。外面又重复了一遍，其中一名妇女说，她认为她们必须坐在其他座位之一。

女人不知道屈服的力量。她投降后，外面的每个人都成了她的拥护者。

“今晚你将乘坐后座前往甘博尔特，否则我将乘坐吉姆·迪格的灵车。无论如何，我都是为了他。”声音是杰克·丹尼森的。

“我会和他一起骑行。杰克，站到一边，让我进去。我会把他拉出来，”他的朋友说。

但杰克不准备将“猛拉”的荣誉让给任何人。杰克刚刚去过罗森乡绅家，这个年轻人正是费迪·威克沙姆先生。他也去过那里。

杰克怀着复仇的心情离开了，而这正是他的机会。他刚刚走上舞台，就在那个令人垂涎的座位上的人决定谨慎是勇气的一部分，并宣布他将放弃座位，从而使基思无需进行干预，而他正要这样做。

被驱逐的房客非常不满，他下了舞台，没有再注意到里面的人，就打电话询问外面是否有座位。

“是的。让我来帮你吧。”戈登说着，弯下腰把他扶起来。 “你好吗？”

当他到达靴子时，威克沙姆迅速地看了他一眼。

“你好！你在这里？”他的句子的其余部分是对下面车厢里的野蛮人的咒骂，并将他们全部托运到比冈博尔特舞台的靴子温暖得多的地方。

“你在这里做什么？”威克沙姆问道。

“我正在驾驶舞台。”

“经常？”基斯的语气和表情有些想要拒绝，但他还是固执地说：

“我经常这样做，很高兴有这个机会。”

他意识到威克沙姆对他的态度发生了某种变化。

当他们开车行驶时，他向威克沙姆询问诺曼和他的人民的情况，但对方的回答相当简短。

诺曼结婚了。

“是的。”基思听到了。 “他娶了考德威尔小姐，不是吗？她是一个非常漂亮的女孩。”

“你对这里了解什么？”威克沙姆问道。他的语气震惊了基思。

“哦，我见过她一次。我想他们一定很相爱吧？”

威克沙姆短促地笑了一声。 “爱上诺曼了！女人不会爱上一块冰。”

“我不认为他是一块冰，”基思坚定地说。

威克沙姆一开始没有回答，随后他厉声说道：

“好吧，她值他一千。她嫁给他是为了他的钱。当然不是为了他的大脑。”

“诺曼和我认识的人一样有头脑，”基思辩解道。

“你也这么认为！”

基思记得在埃尔芬斯通马厩后面有五分钟的时间。

他想向威克沙姆打听他最关心的另一个女孩的事，但有什么东西限制了他。他无法忍受听到她的名字出现在他的嘴边。巧合的是，威克沙姆突然说道：“你以前在老罗森学校教书。你见过一个叫约克的女孩——爱丽丝约克吗？她曾经走过这条路。”

基思说他遇到了“约克小姐”。他在里奇利泉和纽约见过她。他很高兴天黑了，威克沙姆看不到他的脸。 “一个非常漂亮的女孩，”既然这个话题被提出来，他作为一个领导者冒险说道。

“是的，更确切地说。出国——争夺头衔。”

“我不认为约克小姐关心头衔，”基思生硬地说。

“妈妈会的。如果做不到这一点，她想要老兰卡斯特和额外津贴。”

“谁做？哎呀，兰开斯特先生已经够大了，可以当她的父亲了！”

“皮尔也老了，”威克沙姆干巴巴地说。

“她也不关心这个，”基思简短地说。

“哦，不是吗！你认识她妈妈吗？”

“不;我不相信她会这么做。不管她的母亲是什么，她都是一个善良、高尚的女孩。”

费迪笑了一声，这可能意味着什么。这让基思浑身发热。基思害怕进一步相信自己，于是改变了话题，询问罗森一家的情况，威克沙姆提到他一直和他们住在一起。

“Phrony 回到家了，我相信她已经去学校了。听说她进步很大？”

“我不知道; “我没有特别注意到她。”威克沙姆冷漠地说。

“她很漂亮。杰克·丹尼森也这么认为。”基思笑道。

“杰克·丹尼森？他是谁？”

“他是我的一位老学者。他现在坐在车内的前排座位上。你的一位朋友。”

“噢，就是那个家伙！我以为我以前见过他。好吧，我想他最好尝试一下其他股票。他可能会发现这已被逼入绝境。她不会接受那样的笨蛋。”

威克沙姆陷入了沉思。

“我说，基思，”他出人意料地说道，“也许你可以帮我解决一件事，如果是的话，我会让你觉得值得的。”

“什么事？”基思疑惑地问道。

“哎呀，关于那个老傻瓜罗森的土地。你看，州长自己也很担心。当他在山上得到这块土地并开始修建铁路时，这里的一些人听到了风声。罗德那个傻瓜说得太多了，他们把老头的庄园周围的土地都买了下来。他们认为州长必须买断他们的股份。老罗森是他们的头目。州长派哈尔布鲁克去取。但哈尔布鲁克也是个傻瓜。他让他知道他想买下他的股份，当然，他筹集了资金。你和他曾经很厚。那天晚上他正在谈论你。”

“他和我是好朋友。我非常尊重他，对他的判断力的评价比你看上去要高得多。他是一个非常精明的人。”

“精明的二人！他是个老木头。他无意中拥有了一些财产，我准备付给他一个合理的价格。他把它当作牧场。它不值任何东西。也许拥有它只会给我们带来方便并防止将来发生争吵。这是我想要它的唯一原因。此外，无论如何，他的头衔根本不值一提。我们的专利早于他的专利。你可以告诉他这块土地一文不值。如果你让他报出一个价格，比如说百分之五十，我会给你一大笔钱。取决于他为此付出了什么。我知道他为此付出了什么。你可以告诉他，这对他来说毫无价值，而且他的头衔是错误的。”

“不，我不能，”基思简短地说。

“为什么不？”

“因为我认为这非常有价值，而且他的头衔很完美。他知道这一点。”

威克沙姆在黄昏中看了他一眼。

“它根本不值钱​​，”他停顿了一下说道。 “如果你能以我们同意的任何价格达成交易，我会给你一笔丰厚的费用。来！”

“不，”基思说。 “不是为了你拥有的所有钱。我给你的建议是去找罗森乡绅，要么提出让他和你一起评估他的土地的价值，要么直接向他提出这些土地的真正价值。他对这些土地的价值的了解与你、哈尔布鲁克先生或任何其他人所了解的一样多。相信我的话。”

“老鼠！”威克沙姆简短地说。 “我告诉你，”他随即补充道：“如果他不把那块土地卖给我们，他就永远不会从中得到一分钱。没有其他人会接受它。我们把他逼到了墙角。我们上面有土地，还有水，而且，他的头衔根本不值钱​​！”

“嗯，那是他的瞭望台。我希望你会发现他能够照顾自己。”

威克沙姆哼了一声，然后突然对基斯问道：

“你认识冈博尔特那边一个叫普鲁姆的人吗？”

“是的，”基思说。 “他在那里经营报纸。”

“是的;那个她。他是一个什么样的人？”

基思对普卢姆先生做了一个简短的评价：“你会看到他，然后自己做出判断。”

“我总是这样做，”威克沙姆简短地说。 “知道有人可以和他合作吗？前段时间他和州长闹翻了，但我想抓住他。”

基思认为他认识一个可能影响普拉姆先生的人。但他没有提及姓名或性别。

“里面那个女人是谁？”威克沙姆问道。 “我指的是那个有眼睛的年轻人。”

“他们叫她特西科雷。她掌管着舞厅。”

“你的朋友？”

“是的。”基思简短地说道。

舞台很快开始下地狱条纹山，基思提到那是老蒂姆·吉尔西告诉他的抢劫现场。当它沿着长长的下坡道摆动时，大树顶上的灯光闪烁，下面是湍急的水流在岩石上沸腾时发出的轰鸣声，威克沙姆对基思的看法比他自己更高。以前也有过这样的经历，他暗下决心，下次经过那条路时，一定要在白天走。他们刚刚跨过那条小溪，小溪冲过岩石，奔向河流，正准备登上另一座山，威克沙姆一直在谈论他的拖拉动作，很高兴让基思给他缰绳。他有些自豪地接过它们，然后基思就钻进了靴子里。当他再次坐起来时，他的手里多了一把手枪。

“正是在这里，‘抢劫’发生了。”

“假设他们现在试图阻止你，你会怎么做？”威克沙姆问道。

“哦，我认为现在没有任何危险，”基思说。 “我在任何时间、任何天气下都开车来这里。现在我们已经太文明了，大部分快车都是用特殊的马车过来的。这个阶段只有邮件和小包裹。”

“但如果他们应该这样做呢？”威克沙姆问道。

“好吧，我想我会鞭策我的马并开始前进，”基思说。

“我不会，”威克沙姆断言。 “当我口袋里有枪时，我希望看到有人让我逃跑。”

突然，仿佛是在回应他的夸耀，路上突然出现一道闪光，还有领导人眼皮底下有手枪的声音，这使得他们在旋转杆的嘎嘎声中转向一边，并扭曲了舞台急速驶到路边。与此同时，路灯照在路上的微光里，看到一个黑色的人影，紧挨着一匹马，同时听见一个声音：

“我现在抓住你了——你！”

这一切来得太突然，让威克沙姆来不及思考。在他看来，这更像是戏剧中的场景，而不是现实。他本能地缩短了缰绳，拉起了受惊的马匹。基思用一根带子抓住缰绳，用另一根带子抓住鞭子。但为时已晚。威克沙姆几乎没有意识到自己在做什么，他竭尽全力地抓住缰绳，试图控制领导者，而内部却一片混乱，女人的哭声和男人的誓言。

又是一阵咒骂，又是一阵闪光，威克沙姆感到基思旁边的手臂上有一阵剧烈的小烧伤。

“坚持，稍等！”他喊道。 “看在上帝的份上，别开枪！坚持，稍等！拦住马！”

与此同时，基思消失在方向盘上。他从座位上跌倒或弹起。

“这个——胆小鬼！”威克沙姆想。 “他正在跑步。”

下一秒，有人报告说，舞台附近有一把手枪，路上马头的那个人又开枪了。又一声报告，基思冲进灯笼的光里，径直向强盗冲去，强盗再次开枪，然后，当基思距离他不到十英尺时，转身跳进路边，跳进茂密的灌​​木丛中。以下。基思径直追上他，两人冲过灌木丛，冲下陡峭的山坡。

舞台上的囚犯涌到路上，大家在一起交谈，威克沙姆在杰克·丹尼森的帮助下成功地让马安静了下来。飞行和追击的声音现在变得更加遥远，但树林深处再次听到几声枪响，然后就连枪声也停止了。

一切发生得太快，乘客们什么也没看到。他们询问威克沙姆有多少强盗。对于可能的结果，他们的看法存在分歧。这些人声称，如果基思没有在上次火灾中丧生，他很可能已经抓到了强盗。

特西科雷非常愤怒，因为这些人没有立即跳出来营救基思，其中一个人把她按在舞台上，不让她探出头来观看比赛。在灯笼的灯光下，威克沙姆发现她很英俊。他饶有兴趣地看着她。她那轻盈的动作有一种老虎的味道。她宣称她要亲自到树林里去找基思。她确信他已经被杀了。

男人们对此提出抗议，杰克·丹尼森和另一个男人开始营救，而一个头发花白、饱经风霜的男人抓住了她。

“为什么，亲爱的，我不能让你去那里。为什么，你会毁了你的新帽子，”他说。

年轻女子一把夺下头上的帽子，甩到他脸上。

“你这个胆小鬼！当冈博尔特最好的男人可能在树林里死去时，你认为我会关心一顶帽子吗？

当那个男人大笑起来并把手放在她身上安抚她时，她的耳朵被铐住了，她转身冲过河岸，冲进树林里。幸运的是，她的其余衣服肯定和那顶凌乱的帽子一样受到了损害——头发花白的矿工捡起了帽子，现在小心翼翼地拿在手里，就像它是装饰它的一只鸟一样，——有人听见有人爬过灌木丛，朝前面不远的路走去。

男人们走上前等待，每个人都把手放在腰带附近，而女人则本能地倒在后面。下一刻基思出现在路边。当他走进灯光时，可以看到他的脸在流血，左臂无力地垂在身侧。

男人们叫特皮回来：基思就在那里。过了一会儿，她从灌木丛中钻了出来，爬上了岸。

“你找到他了吗？”这是她问的第一个问题。

“不。”基思迅速看了女孩一眼，然后悄悄转过身来，请其中一个男人帮他脱掉外套。在灯光的照耀下，他那张苍白的脸上露出了好奇的表情。

“Terpy 就是那个在你周围转来转去的人，她发誓她会去那里帮助你，”仍然拿着帽子的矿工说。

年轻女子的一记耳光打断了他的进一步观察。

“住口。你没看到他受伤了吗？”她推开那个帮基思脱外套的男人，坐到了他的位置上。

没有人看到她用灵巧的手指（可能是受过训练的护士的手指）脱下基思的外套，剪掉血淋淋的衬衫袖子，会想到她就是几分钟前被杀的泼妇。在路上狂怒，像士兵一样咒骂，还用手铐铐住人们的耳朵。

当袖子被取下时，发现基思的手臂在肘部上方被折断，血从两个小伤口中涌出。特皮专横地向其他乘客索取手帕。然后，不等他们贡献，突然掀起裙子，扯下一件白色衬裙，撕成一条条。很快，她就将手臂包扎起来，展现了她手术的高超技巧。有一次她在他耳边低声说了一句话——一个名字。基斯保持沉默，但她读到了他的回答，然后一脸严肃地继续工作。然后基思不顾所有人的抗议登上了他的包厢，乘客们重新进入舞台后，威克沙姆继续驶入冈博尔特。他对基思的态度比以往任何时候都更加尊重。

到达后半小时内，警长和他的队伍在戴夫·丹尼森的带领下骑上马，前往“抢劫”现场。如果戴夫愿意的话，他可以拥有一半的冈博尔特。他们试图从基思那里得到一些关于强盗外貌的信息；但基思没有给出任何描述，可以将一个男人与其他男性区分开来。

“他们能指望一个男人在这种情况下特别注意另一个人的外表吗？他看起来就像一个相当大的男人。”

Wickersham 能够给出更明确的描述。

第二天早上日出后，追捕者返回，但没有找到强盗。

第二天，基思能够坐起来，但医生拒绝让他走出房子。当一名使者宣布有一位女士想见他时，他独自一人在房间里。当访客出现时，是特皮。她处于一种压抑的兴奋状态。她脸色惨白，眼睛闪闪发亮。她说话时声音因激动而颤抖。

“他们正在追捕他，”她用沙哑的声音说道。 “今天早上和你一起上台的那个人描述了他，在我们把他们扔出轨道后，他没有让他们滚到他身边。如果我能向他表演的话！他们知道那是比尔。那个小恶魔丹尼森又出去了。”

“哦，他们抓不到他的，”基思说。但他说话的时候脸色就变了。 “万一他喝醉了进城怎么办？”他问自己。

“如果他们抓到他，就会绞死他。”女孩不理睬他，继续追问。 “他们都起来了。你太受欢迎了。

“我？”基思笑着喊道。

“是这样的。”女孩严肃地说。 “戴夫·丹尼森会为你杀死任何人，而他们却在针对比尔，所有人。”

“你不能跟他说句话吗？”基思开始说道，然后停了下来。他敏锐地看着她。 “你必须让他远离。”

“他受伤了。你抓住了他的肩膀。他得去看医生。球还在里面。”

“我就知道，”基思平静地说。

女孩看了他一会儿，然后移开视线。

“这就是我一直缠着你，前后纠缠的原因。我希望你能原谅我。”她漫不经心地说。

基思一动不动地坐了一会儿，因为这一切都在他脑海中浮现。那么，这个男人所追寻的就是他，而不是抢劫，而这个女孩，无法在不怀疑他的情况下约束她被抛弃的追求者，为基思冒着生命危险，而他却自负到一半以上接受了暗示陌生人说她关心他。

“我们必须把他带走，”他痛苦地站起来说道。 “他在哪里？”

“他躲在路边的一所房子里。我因为辱骂他而把他们赶出了轨道。他们知道我反对他，他们认为我在追随你。”她用坦率的眼神看着他。 “我一直让他们这么想，”她平静地补充道。

基思几乎喘不过气来。这丫头确实有些超出了他的理解范围。

“我们必须把他带走，”他说。

“我们怎样才能做到呢？”她问。 “他们怀疑他在这里，纠察队已经出去了。如果他的肩膀没有受到如此严重的打击，他就能杀出一条血路。他不怕他们，”她补充道，脸上闪过一丝昔日的骄傲。 “我可以和他一起去帮助他；我以前做过；但我必须在这里分手。他得去看医生。”

基思坐在那里沉思了一会儿。

“蒂姆·吉尔西今晚将把舞台带到伊甸园。下去看看名额都占了没有。”

“我在上面有一个位置，”她说，“在靴子上。”

当基思看着她时，她补充道：

“我经常服用，以便在需要的时候得到它。”

在基思的注视下，她把目光移开。

“今晚我要去伊甸园，”基思说。

她一脸疑惑。

“如果你能让老蒂姆在那栋房子里停留五分钟，直到我给布拉菲写一封信给斯普林斯的鲍尔萨姆博士，我想我们可以安排一下。我的衣服适合他。你得去见蒂姆叔叔。”

她的脸色亮了起来。

“你的意思是你会停下来让他代替你的位置？”

“是的。”

当参孙躺在她脚边时，大利拉的眼中一定闪烁着精巧的光芒，而现在她的脸上却闪现出这种光芒。她跳了起来。

“我永远不会忘记你，比尔也不会。他现在知道自己是多么的一条猎犬了。昨晚他在岩石上滑倒后你放了他，他说这对他来说已经足够了。他说，在他再次用手枪指着你之前，他会打爆自己的大脑；他会的，或者我会替他做的。”她站在那里，眼睛发光，过了一会儿伸出了手，看起来她有能力做到这一点。她似乎正要说话，但想了想，转身走开了。

几分钟后，当女孩离开基思的房间时，她腋下夹着一个大包袱，那天晚上，舞台在黑暗中停在快速发展的街道尽头的一个小棚屋里，基思痛苦地走下楼去。进了房子。当舞台等待的时候，老蒂姆试图对那边的灯做点什么，结果把灯调暗了，把灯灭了。就在这时基思胳膊上吊着吊带，裹着一件厚外套走了出来，被老蒂姆搀扶到了他旁边的座位上。铁路现在已经到达了，舞台提前到达了，老蒂姆没有等到天亮，就费劲租了一辆马车，把伤员送上路，并宣称他必须赶到尽快去医院。

冈博尔特缺乏娱乐活动，费迪·威克沙姆只到那里一两天，就在普卢姆先生的指导下，前往特普西科雷大厅寻求娱乐。那天晚上在路上，特皮击倒了这些人，然后绑住了基思的手臂，这让他深受打击。他从普拉姆那里听到了关于她经常在路上旅行的谣言，以及她对基思的喜爱的笑话。他会测试一下。这将打破单调，并激发人们对攻入基思领地的追求的热情。当他在小舞台上看到她时，他对她的舞蹈感到惊讶。为什么，这个女孩是一位艺术家！好身材，好动的绊脚手，高高的踢球手，一双漂亮的脚踝，他已经很久没有见过了，更何况还有一双锐利的眼睛，里面有恶魔般的窥视。令他惊讶的是，他发现特皮对他的示好态度冷淡。她的眼睛里闪烁着对他的厌恶。

他成为有史以来进入特普西科雷二楼镀金公寓的最高球员之一。他点的香槟比甘博尔特任何人都多。但尽管如此，他还是未能讨好其主持天才。特西科尔仍然用平视的目光看着他，眼神里闪着冷光，当她露出洁白的牙齿时，通常是在强调对他的嘲笑。一天晚上，经过一段短暂的争吵后，威克沙姆轻推她的下巴，称她为“亲爱的”。特西科雷转向他。

“别动你的脏手，”她说，眼睛里闪烁着光芒，然后狠狠地打了他一记耳光，让他头晕目眩。周围的男人哄堂大笑。

威克沙姆不仅是愤怒，而且是愤怒。他很生气。他听到有很多男人用可爱的名字称呼她。他还看到他们中的一些人得到了与他相同的回报；但没有一个如此恶毒。他猛地站了起来，脸涨得通红。下一秒，他的理智回过神来，他意识到自己必须全力以赴。

“你这个泼妇！”他笑着说，抓住了女孩的手腕。 “我会让你付出代价的。”当他试图将她拉向他时，她从衣服上抽出一把小细高跟鞋，她戴着它作为装饰品，然后又把它拉了回来。

“放手，不然我就把它射进你的身体里。”她说道，眼里冒出火来。威克沙姆在周围人的笑声和嘲笑声中放开了手，周围的人怂恿女孩，叫她“把它给他”。

威克沙姆此后试图求和，但无济于事。尽管他不知道，特尔西科尔的心里却有一种无情的恨意。正是他的描述让治安官的队伍开始追踪她放荡的情人，尽管她已经“不再与比尔·布拉菲握手”，正如她所说，她无法原谅那个伤害他的人。

然后威克沙姆犯了一个错误，又犯了另一个错误。他试图报仇，而向女人报仇的男人开始了一段悲伤的旅程。至少，威克沙姆是这样。

他把自己受到的冷落归因于女孩对基思的喜欢，他开始思考该如何报复他们。正如他所想，当有一天晚上他参加温莎宫的一场舞会时，机会就出现了。这是一个愉快的时刻，因为威克沙姆家族开设了他们的第一个矿井，冈博尔特的未来也有了保障。整个冈博尔特都在场——至少，所有那些不站在卫理公会传教士德拉蒙德先生一边的人。特西科雷也在场，还有基思，他和她一起跳舞。她是人群中衣着最漂亮的一个，而且令威克沙姆惊讶的是，她的衣着颇有品味，举止安静而柔和。

到了早上，场面变得热闹起来，有人要求特西科雷表演西班牙舞蹈。女孩忍住了，但她的仰慕者却没有心情拒绝，电话变得坚持不懈。基思已经回自己的房间了，但威克沙姆还在那里，他的香槟一直在流。最后，女孩屈服了，与温莎的主人说了几句话后，她走上前去开始跳舞。

她的舞姿让黄铜吊灯响起掌声。就连威克沙姆虽然讨厌她，但也不能不钦佩她。

基思发现即使在旅馆的偏僻角落睡觉也没用，就在这时回来了，无论是特西科雷在扫视他的时候看到了他，还是她看到了威克沙姆充满敌意的脸，她踉踉跄跄地突然停了下来。

威克沙姆以为她已经崩溃了，在香槟的影响下，她转过身来嘲笑普鲁姆。

“她不会跳舞，普卢姆，”他对站在人群中不远的编辑喊道。

离舞者最近的人催促她继续，但她听到了威克沙姆的嘲笑声，她突然面向他，用她裸露的长臂指着他说：“把那个人赶出去，否则我不会继续了。”

威克沙姆笑了。 “继续？你不能再继续下去了，”他一边说，一边努力站稳脚跟。 “你不会跳舞，就像一头牛一样。”

他以前从未听过愤怒的人群发出的嗡嗡声。

“把他扔出去！把他从窗户扔出去！”这是他捕捉到的话语。

刹那间，他周围就有二十个人，还有不止二十个人朝他的方向冲来，声音让他很快回过神来。

幸运的是，附近有两个头脑冷静的人。基思和一个矮胖、灰色眼睛的年轻人猛地走到他身边，把人拖回来，扔到一边，劝告，命令，然后，在其他事情发生之前，他的外套被撕掉了一半。威克沙姆发现自己的背上有基思和戴夫·丹尼森站在他面前，保护他免受愤怒的狂欢者的伤害。

两名警察坚定的神情控制了袭击者足够长的时间，以便引起他们的注意，过了一会儿，秩序恢复了，条件是威克沙姆应该“向那位女士道歉并离开城镇”。

这个威克沙姆因所受到的对待而清醒过来，愿意这样做，他被迫走上前，向特普西科雷谦虚地道歉，特西科雷以冷漠的优雅接受了道歉。

那年冬天，铁路到达了冈博尔特，冈博尔特，或者现在的新利兹，可以说，一下子从蛹变成了羽翼丰满的蝴蝶，在繁荣的阳光下展开了翅膀。

一两年前，只要一首歌就可以拥有的土地，以及不到一首歌就可以拥有的矿权，现在都以惊人的价格持有。

有一天，基思坐在桌边写作，外面传来一阵沉重的脚步声，乡绅罗森走进来。

当所有共同关心的事情都讨论完毕后，乡绅提出了他此行的真正目的。至少，他开始接近它了。他拿出烟斗，装满了水。

“嗯，它来了，”他说。

“什么来了？”

“铁路。罗德那个青年说‘来了’，事情就这样结束了。他有点像先知。”老头轻轻一笑，点燃了烟斗。 “你的那个朋友，威克沙姆先生，又来过这里了。有点闲逛。他到底想干什么？”

基思笑了。

“嗯，很难判断威克沙姆在做什么，至少通过他所说的，尤其是当你不告诉我他在做什么的时候。”

老人看上去很高兴。基思让他相信他不知道自己在说什么，并表达了他同意的观点。

“那就是我所想的。好吧，这是关于我这里的土地的。”

基思看上去松了一口气。

“他有没有向你提出另一个报价？”

“不;他没有这么做，也不会这么做。我就是这么告诉他的。如果他想要，就让他给我一个好的报价；但他不会那样做。他在点灯前像一只鸽子一样绕来绕去，谈论我为此付出的代价，百分之一百。提前，等等。我看到了那片他一无所知的土地——多年在山腰辛勤劳作，日日流汗，夜晚躺在寒冷中，仰望星空，思索着’我是如何相处的——像研究牛一样研究人们的笑话。这就是我为那块土地付出的代价。他要我给他定价，但我不会这么做——他可能会给出价。”他精明地看着基思。 “我说得对吗？”

“我认同。”

“他希望我让他掌控一切；但我也不打算这么做。”

“这当然是对的，”基思由衷地说。

“我告诉他我会为了 Phrony 坚持这一点。弗罗尼说她希望我也把它卖给他。但女性不懂经商。”

基思想知道这条信息对威克沙姆有什么影响，也想知道老乡绅还有什么进一步的打算。

“我认为是时候对这片土地做点什么了。如果他说的都是真的——不是关于 my 土地（他认为 my 土地位置太远，根本不用考虑太多——事实上，他不允许我拥有任何土地；他说无论如何这都是他的），但对于其他土地——除我之外其他人的土地——这可能是环顾四周的好时机。我知道我的土地是这里最好的土地。我掌握着局势的关键。这就是我们在战争期间所说的。

“好吧，只有三种方法可以让他们把煤田带回峡湾那边：一种是通过天堂，我希望没有多少土地投机者走那条路；另一种是通过天堂。”另一种是通过地狱，他们以后会更多地了解这种方式；第三个是穿过我的土地。”

基思笑着等待。

“他似乎在 Phrony 身边闲逛得相当厉害？”

基思看到了老人深邃的眼眸中闪烁的光芒，然后移开视线。

“我看不出来。 Phrony 她喜欢他。”

基思的目光集中在窗外的某个东西上。

“我不认识他，”乡绅追问。 “但我不认为——他会适合Phrony。他的方式与我们不同，而且——”他陷入沉思，基思的眼睛仍然盯着窗外的什么东西，想到老人的纯真，叹了口气。他应该想象威克沙姆有任何认真的想法要娶一个边远地区地方法官的孙女！老乡绅打破了沉默。

“你认为他不会渴望弗罗尼的财产，是吗？”

“不，我不知道，”基思肯定地说，终于提出了一个他可以直接回答的问题，这让他松了口气。

“因为她什么也没有，”乡绅断言。 “她有前途；但我要把它们去掉。对于一个年轻女子来说，拥有太多的前景是不行的。我要卖掉那块土地并换成现金，这样我就可以用它做我想做的事了。我希望你替我负责这件事。”

那么，这才是他此行的真正目的。他希望基思负责管理他的财产。邀请基思是一个很诱人的提议。这位老人是一位精明的谈判者。

没有什么成功比年轻人的成功更甜蜜了。

那天晚上，基思在星空下度过。成功来了。它的另一个名字是爱丽丝·约克。

基思前面的路仍然足够陡峭，但上面有光，阳光在云层中高高地照耀着一个又一个的山峰，而在最高点的顶部，沐浴在永恒的阳光下，是爱丽丝·约克的形象。

艾丽丝·约克已经出国一段时间了。但他已经跟着她了。通常，当他的工作完成后，他就会锁上门，把自己关在外面，远离外面熙熙攘攘、喧闹的人群的喧嚣，梦想着她——读书和学习，这样他就可以配得上她。

他刚刚从报纸上看到艾丽丝·约克回来了。

她逃离了外交服务的危险；不过，据记载，她是这个水源地的当季美女，她的出现是为了向水源地表示敬意。当他读到这篇报道时，他开始时感到的满足感中夹杂着一丝嫉妒。人们对兰开斯特先生的谈论过于尖锐。有人提到太多的游艇派对和娱乐活动中他们的名字一起出现。

事实上，针对爱丽丝·约克施加的力量已经开始显现。她的母亲被丈夫的决心吓倒了，不情愿地放弃了获得外国头衔和随之而来的荣誉的梦想，最近，她把所有的精力都集中在了兰开斯特先生的事业上。他将给爱丽丝建立一个伟大的机构，在这个国家没有哪个名字比这更伟大。他是个人和商业荣誉的灵魂。在这个许多人都在努力积累巨额财富、炫耀耀眼的时代，他却满足于谦虚的生活，并以宽广的慈善事业而闻名。他比爱丽丝大很多又有什么关系呢？约克夫人反映道。克里默太太和她认识的半数母亲都会竭尽全力为女儿们保住他。当然，他已经表明他知道如何了解爱丽丝的感受。

在约克夫人巧妙地指出爱丽丝第二个最细心的崇拜者是费迪·威克沙姆之后，就连约克先生也开始青睐兰开斯特先生。

“哎呀，我以为他还在试图追上考德威尔那个女孩，”他说。

“你知道他无法得到她； “她已经结婚了。”约克夫人回答道。

“我想，如果她说出这个词，那对那个年轻人来说不会有什么影响。我希望他远离这里。”

“哦，费迪并不比其他人差；你总是对他不公平。大多数年轻人都在撒野。”

没有一个男人喜欢被妻子指控不公正，约克先生的语气表明他也不例外。

“他比大多数人都糟糕 I 知道，他正在播种的燕麦作物，如果他不留意，他将在纽约以外的其他地方收获。爱丽丝可以嫁给她喜欢的人，只要不是那个年轻人；但如果她愿意的话，她也不会嫁给他。”

“她不想嫁给他，”约克夫人说。 “如果她有的话，她早就可以做到了。”

“我活着的时候不会，”约克先生坚定地说。但从这时起，约克先生开始默许妻子接触兰开斯特先生的计划。

最后，爱丽丝自己也开始屈服了。这些影响力非常强大，而且运用得很巧妙。她觉得，唯一一个给她留下深刻印象的男人是不可能的。这位年轻的教师，带着他的骄傲和对现代方式的蔑视，对她的生活的影响比她所认识的任何人都大，尽管在她母亲的管理下，这种感觉逐渐平息，并已融入到纯粹的生活中。一段珍贵的回忆、记忆，有时会被一些英雄主义和奉献的画面或故事所激起，提醒她，在其他条件下，她也可能有过一段真正的浪漫。尽管如此，两三年后，她的生活似乎是命运为她创造的，她屈服了，没有意识到命运只是一个非常雄心勃勃、有点短视的妈妈，在已知的人造生命状态的条件下辅助作为时尚社会。

基思给爱丽丝·约克写了一封信，祝贺她安全归来。但一种一半是害羞，一半是骄傲的感觉抓住了他。他没有收到他上一封信的回执。他为什么还要再写呢？他把信扔进废纸篓里寄了。然而，现在他已经成功了，他给她写了一封简短的信，祝贺她回来，这是一个生硬的小请求，以纪念她。他谈到了自己的好运气：他是该地区最有价值土地的代理人，未来开始看起来非常光明。他说，不久之后，生意可能会带他去北方，蜂鸟会为他指明通往最美丽玫瑰的道路。字里行间都闪烁着见到她的希望。爱丽丝·约克收到这封信时，她正准备结婚。

艾丽丝·约克在这封信上沉思了一会儿。这让她清晰地想起了那段从未完全忘记的时光。常常，在那些让她惊叹不已的欢乐而丰富的场景中，她会想起春天，在发芽的树林里，旁边有一个热心的男孩，用崇拜的眼神崇拜她。那时她生活得很贴近自然，满足有一两次从它的隐蔽处用平静而温柔的眼睛偷看她。从那时起，她就知道了快乐、快乐、欣喜，但从未满足。然而，现在已经太晚了。兰卡斯特先生和她的母亲赢得了胜利。她终于接受了他和一个机构。她已经接受了自己的命运，或者说已经成功了。

她把这封信拿给她妈妈看。约克夫人的脸上露出一种难以捉摸的表情。

“你当然不打算回答吗？”她说。

“我当然是;我要给他写一封我所知道的最好的信。他是我有过的最好的朋友之一。”

“兰开斯特先生会说什么？”

“先生。兰卡斯特非常明白。他会讲道理的；这就是条件。”

这似乎让约克夫人感到满意，或者至少她没有再说什么。

爱丽丝给基思的信是友好的，甚至是善意的。她说，她从未忘记过他。她希望有一天能再次见到他。基思读到这里时，眼中闪烁着愉快的光芒。他翻过这一页，脸色顿时煞白。她有一个消息要告诉他，这可能会让他感到惊讶。她与她家族的一位老朋友兰卡斯特先生订婚了。她记得，他见过兰开斯特先生，并且确信他会喜欢他，因为兰开斯特先生非常喜欢他。

基思在这封信上坐了很长时间，他的脸色严肃而苍白。她对他失去了。直到那时他才知道自己的生活在很大程度上是建立在对爱丽丝·约克的记忆之上的。他为之奋斗的一切，在他内心深处都奠定了赢得她的希望。它随着崩溃而坠落。他走进自己的房间，打开书桌的锁，从抽屉里拿出一小包信件和其他一些过去非常甜蜜的小纪念品。他把这些东西放进火里，阴沉着脸看着它们熊熊燃烧，烧成灰烬。她对他来说已经死了。他什么也没保留。

报纸将约克-兰卡斯特婚礼描述为本季最精彩的婚礼之一。他们特别关注双方的命运、礼物的价值以及场合所穿礼服的华丽程度。一本杂志提到，兰卡斯特先生比新娘年长得多，被认为是最好的匹配者之一，因为他是社会上最安全的匹配者之一。

基思回忆起兰开斯特先生：端庄、有教养、冷漠而亲切。然后他想起了自己的白发，心里有些满足。他还记得约克夫人对他的友善。那么，这就是它的意思。他心里想，自己怎么会对此视而不见。当他开始思考这一点时，兰开斯特先生比他认识的任何人都更接近拥有其他人努力争取的东西。然而，《青年》将《青年》视为自己独有的，而基思发现很难将爱丽丝·约克的婚姻视为一场买卖。

“他们谈论贩卖黑人的罪恶，”他说； “这就像奴隶拍卖会上发生的一样。”

有一段时间，他陷入了冈博尔特所提供的最快乐的生活中。他甚至开始拜访特西科雷。但这并没有持续多久。普鲁姆先生的祝贺对他来说太反感了，无法忍受。特皮开始明显地表现出她的偏爱，他无法利用这一点。再说，毕竟，爱丽丝·约克虽然让他失望了，但这也是对他心中长久以来的理想的背叛。这仍然留给他。

他回去继续工作，决心将爱丽丝·约克的所有记忆从心中抹去。她已经结婚了，而且永远超出了他的梦想。如果说以前他工作时充满热情，那么现在他工作时却充满了愤怒。兰卡斯特先生虽然很富有，也完全具备了成功所能带来的一切，但他缺少基思所拥有的一件事：他缺乏对未来的承诺。基思会向这些约克人展示他是谁。

在接下来的一两年里，浪潮向山区猛烈地袭来，新利兹大步前进。一两年前还是一个落后的村庄，现在变成了一个城镇，并开始呈现出城市的气息。与小镇一样自命不凡的砖砌建筑如雨后春笋般涌现，而一年前这里还有难看的框架盒子；那些猪在不完全是它们自己揉捏的泥沼中打滚的道路正在变成铺好的街道。在高处，曾经是一片森林的地方，现在在漂亮的院子里散布着漂亮的住宅。几年前，老蒂姆·吉尔西勒住热气腾腾的马匹，引擎冒出浓烟。漂亮的女孩和衣着考究的妇女开始在人行道上游行，以前特普西科雷的裙子是唯一可见的女性服装。而“戈登·基思，土木和采矿工程师”，有着笔直的身材和晒黑的、有男子气概的脸，也没有被他们忽视。但他的心里却锁着他在春天森林里找到的那​​个女孩的记忆。她永远超出了他的范围；但他仍然紧紧抓住他供奉在那里的那幅画。

当他见到鲍尔萨姆博士时，并没有提及后者的预言是否得到验证。但年轻人从老人温和的语气中知道，他已经听说过这件事了。与此同时，基思也没有闲着。已经进行了调查和绘图，并采取了一切措施以促进将罗森房产投放市场。

当老罗森来到新利兹时，他把基思的小办公室当作了总部，基思从他那里学到了很多奇特的哲学。

“我认为是时候在纽约市场上尝试我们的牛了，”他最后对基思说道。这是一个他从未放弃的笑话。 “你上去看看，有什么困难就来找我。”

于是，基思带着他的调查、报告和几封介绍信去了纽约。

只有一个念头破坏了基思的喜悦：他长久以来所期盼的最亲爱的目标已经消失了。站在爱丽丝·约克面前并为她的努力提供回报的胜利已经消失了。他能做的就是让她看看她失去了什么。他会这么做；他将赢得人生的最高荣誉。他的表情因决心而变得冷酷。

当他投入城市拥挤的生​​活时，这种胜利的感觉在他的神态和脸上流露出来。从他穿过车站长长的月台涌上的人群，涌入宽阔的渡船，就像谷物从磨坊中倾泻而出，他感受到了生活的激动。这就是他一直努力的目标。他将在这里占据一席之地并展示他的才华。

他已经忘记了城市生活是多么的快乐。公共度假胜地的每一个地方都令他满意：剧院、旅馆、啤酒花园；但最重要的是街道。他带着绝对的自由和喜悦接纳了他们所有人。

商业是口号，是商标。从炮台到公园，到处都嗡嗡作响。它挤满了街道，穿过渡轮、火车站和十字路口的出入口，穿过商业区已经开始拔地而起的宏伟建筑。它在主要中心嗡嗡作响。贯穿这一切以及超越这一切，一切都闪耀着财富，财富镀金，闪闪发光，令人眼花缭乱：在大酒店里；在富有的商店里；在华丽的剧院里；沿着美好的大道：炫富得让人眼疼；一场前所未见的财富展览。起初，基思只是站在街上看着选美比赛像镀金的全景一样过去，这对基思很有好处。对于纽约的内部他还不了解：豪华住宅的纽约；文化和艺术；精致和优雅。自那时起，纽约就发展起来了，它拥有巨大的财富，它的光彩夺目，它的潮汐卷起财富，就像大海卷起沙子一样，但现在还没有。它仍处于婴儿期，是一只还在金色茧中沉睡的蛹。

基思不知道世界上有这么多英俊时尚的年轻女性，就像他现在看到的那样。他忘记了这个美国女孩在她最好的约会中是多么的漂亮。他们在大街上航行，看起来就像参加表演的年轻母马一样漂亮，或者在最好的购物街上川流不息，仿佛不仅是商店，而且整个世界都属于他们，继承遗产的不再是温顺的人，而是骄傲的人。地球。

如果街道上的人群经常出现明显的对比，基思太兴奋了，没有注意到这一点——至少一开始是这样。如果那些面容憔悴、衣衫褴褛、在寒冷的空气中显得过分单薄的妇女们，手里紧握着大包小包，匆匆而过，仿佛饥肠辘辘，不仅是为了食物，而且是为了挣钱的时间；如果那些双颊凹陷、胸部凹陷、衣服破旧、目光忧伤的男人急切地蹒跚前行，他在第一次热切地享受这场盛会时却没有注意到他们。旧衣服在他的家乡毫无意义。它们可能是危险企业和高薪行业的标志，而食物和火至少对所有人来说都是共同的。

事实上，基思几乎是在恍惚中走来走去，全神贯注地欣赏着眼前的景色。这是人类在洪水中；生活如潮水般涌来。

许多女人和不少男人回头看了一眼那张晒黑的、热切的脸和笔直、柔软的身材，他带着微笑，但眼神锐利，迈着山上自由摇摆的步态，与城里人的快速、短小的步伐不同。乞丐，以及一些从外表和衣着来看可能不是乞丐的人，经常向他求助，以至于他对其中一个衣着考究、鼻子略带红色的男人说：

“嗯，我一定是一张非常仁慈的脸，或者是一张非常轻信的脸！”

“你有，”那人厚颜无耻地坦白地说，把给他的半美元装进口袋，因为他讲述了自己的行窃和汇款出错的故事。

基思笑了笑，继续往前走。

与此同时，基思有了一些发现。他一开始并没有拜访诺曼·温特沃斯。他有一种预感，他似乎是在利用自己的友谊来达到商业目的。他展示了他的商业信函。然而，他的信并没有达到他预期的分量。他在新利兹短暂访问期间遇到的人，不知何故，与在纽约遇到的人截然不同。他拜访的一些人对他来说足够有礼貌；但也有一些人对他很客气。但当他一提起他的事时，他们就愣住了。他有煤炭资产可供出售的建议使价格降至零。他们的眼睛会闪烁着精明的光芒，他们的脸庞会变得冷酷如冰。一两个人明确地告诉他，他们没有钱从事“野猫计划”。

克里默先生，克拉斯特巴克公司的资本家，身材高大，肩膀宽阔，鼻子和下巴轮廓分明，灰色的眼睛锐利，由于长期的习惯，他对机会的评估准确无误，基思对他进行了评价。一封熟人的来信，其中一封随意的信，有什么意义，也有什么意义，坦率地告诉他，他“既没有时间，也没有兴趣讨论企业，其中一百个企业中有九十九个是欺诈，百分之一通常是失败的”。 ”。

“这不是骗局，”基思站起来，激动地说。 “我不支持欺诈行为，先生。”他开始戴上手套画画。 “如果我不能让任何有理智的人相信我所陈述的事实，我愿意失败。我应该失败。”他鞠了一躬，转身向门口走去。

对于这位精明的资本家来说，基思的保证比他的礼貌更进一步。当他向门口退去时，他迅速扫了一眼。

“为什么威克沙姆在那里不赚钱？”他问道，半是询问，半是否认，目光敏锐地凝视着金框眼镜。 “即使其他人赔钱，他通常都能赚钱。”

克里默先生不喜欢威克沙姆有他自己的理由。

基思站在门口。

“有两三个原因。一是他低估了那里的人民，认为他可以强迫他们把土地卖给他，从而失去了那里最好的财产。”

“我想是你拥有的土地吧？”银行家很快又看了看基思说道。

“是的，我拥有土地，尽管你不相信，”基思平静地看着他的眼睛说道。

银行家讽刺地看着年轻人。但是，当他观察他时，他的轻信开始消失。

人们所承认的真理的印记毫无疑问地刻在他身上。克里默先生的思维运转得很快。

“顺便说一句，你是从下面来的。你认识一个名叫罗兹的年轻人吗？他是一名工程师。越线了。”

基思的眼睛亮了起来。 “他是我最好的朋友之一。他现在在俄罗斯。”

克里默先生点点头。 “你觉得他怎么样？”

“他是最好的之一。”

克里默先生点点头。他认为没有必要告诉基思罗德正在向他的女儿支付地址。

“你写信给他，”基思说。 “他会告诉你我所拥有的一切。告诉他那是罗森的土地。”

基思打开了门。 “早上好先生。”

“等一下！”克里默先生靠在椅子上。 “你在这里还认识谁？”过了一会儿他问道。

基思沉思了一会儿。

“我认识温特沃斯先生。”

“诺曼·温特沃斯？”

“是的;我很了解他。他是我的一个老朋友。”

“你去过他身边吗？”

“不，先生。”

“为什么不？”

“因为我和他的关系完全是个人关系。我们曾经是亲密的朋友，我不想利用他对我的友谊作为在商业企业中接近他的理由。”

克里默先生的脸上流露出的难以置信之情超出了他的本意。

“他可能觉得有义务为我做他不愿意做的事情，”基思解释道。

“哦，我认为你不需要对此有任何担心，”克里默先生说道，眼中闪烁着一丝有趣的光芒。 “这是一个商业问题，我认为你不会发现这里的商人超越了出于情感动机的审慎界限。”

“没有人是我愿意和我一起去的；但我不会要求他这样做，因为我已经给出了理由。早上好。”

直到基思的脚步声从外面的办公室里消失，银行家的目光才从门口移开。然后他沉思了一会儿。不久，他按了一下门铃，一名店员出现在门口。

“给诺曼·温特沃斯先生写张便条，请他今天下午任何时间来见我。”

“是的先生。”

当诺曼·温特沃斯拜访克里默先生的办公室时，他发现这位金融家心情很好。近来市场表现良好，克里默先生的情绪也与水星没什么两样。他的问候比平时更加​​亲切。简短地讨论了最近发生的事情后，他将一张卡片推给来访者，漫不经心地问道：

“你对那个男人了解多少？”

“戈登·基思！”年轻人惊讶地叫道。 “他在纽约吗，我没见过他！为什么，我知道他的一切。他曾经是我的一个老朋友。很久以前我们就在一起了。”

他继续热情地谈论他。

“嗯，那是很久以前的事了，”克里默先生疑惑地说。 “那段时间发生了很多事情。他有时间改变。”

“如果他不是异性恋，他一定已经改变了很多，”诺曼宣称。 “我想知道他为什么不来看我？”

“好吧，我会告诉你他说了什么，”克里默先生开始说道。

他给了基思的解释。

“他有这么说吗？那么这是真的。你应该认识他的父亲。他就是一个普通的老堂吉诃德。”

“唐并不是特别实际。他不会对煤炭和铁矿土地做太多事情，”这位银行家评论道。 “你对这个人对这些事情的了解了解多少？”

诺曼承认，关于这一点他没有任何信息。

“他说他认识威克沙姆——你的朋友，”克里默先生狡猾地看了诺曼一眼说道。

“是的，我希望他会这么做——如果有人认识他的话。他曾经认识他。他怎么说他？

“哦，我想他认识他。好吧，我非常感谢你的到来。”他用一种不屑一顾的语气说道。 “我相信你很快就会来和我们一起吃饭吧？兰开斯特家族也来了。我们期待罗德回家。他下周就预产期了。”

“你的家人会很高兴见到他，”诺曼微笑着说。 “我相信婚礼将在几周后举行？”

“我听说是这样，”父亲说。 “不错的年轻人，罗德？你的表弟，不是吗？非常成功吗？”

“是的。”

有一次，当基思沿着百老汇大道行驶时，就在当时一些大商店所在的地方，在潮水还没有冲到上城区之前，一辆漂亮的马车和一对停在了一家大商店前面，一辆女士从他身后走了出来。她是一位非常漂亮的年轻女子，衣着华丽。挺直的背部、端正的头部和完美的厕所，使她即使在那个阳光明媚的早晨街上挤满的衣着漂亮的女人中也显得与众不同，许多女人转过身来，用赞许或羡慕的目光看着她。

这些年来，基思从一个普通的乡村小伙子成长为新利兹的大人物，以至于像罗森这样精明的经营者选择他作为自己的代表，同时也给爱丽丝·兰开斯特带来了巨大的变化。爱丽丝已经错过了她曾经开始期待的事情：浪漫及其意味着的一切。但她对自己选择的地方充满了尊严。如果说兰开斯特先生一心一意地关心她的生活，让她的生活比她预想的更加阴郁，至少她没有让任何人知道这一点。与兰开斯特先生这样的人交往使她变得稳定和进步。他的高尚品格使她超越了她世俗的母亲以及她所生活的许多人的水平。

他对她无比钦佩。她和她浅薄愚蠢的母亲之间的区别，甚至她和温特沃斯夫人这样一个年轻女子之间的区别，给他留下了深刻的印象。他的幸福。

当基思经过时，兰卡斯特夫人从马车上下来。正当她要进店的时候，街上一个身材匀称、方肩、步伐轻快的身影映入了她的眼帘。她朝那边看了一眼，发出一声感叹。门被一个穿着多扣子制服、面无表情的机器人为她打开了。于是她走了进去，但在里面停了下来，她透过窗户回头看了一眼。下一瞬间，她离开了商店，再次凝视着街道。但基思已经转过街角，所以爱丽丝·兰卡斯特没有看到他，尽管她踮着脚尖试图在人群中再次辨认出他。

“好吧，我发誓那就是戈登·基思，”她转身离开时自言自语道，“如果他不是那么宽肩膀、那么英俊的话。”在这一天剩下的时间里，无论她走到哪里，她的目光都会在街上来回扫视。

有一次，正当她订婚时，费迪·威克沙姆过来了。他的穿着很时尚，看上去非常帅气。

“谁是幸福的人？”

这个问题太符合她的想法了，她意外地脸红了。

“没有人。”

“啊，那不是我吗？但我知道那是某人。没有哪个女人会对‘无人’如此充满期待和渴望。”

“你认为我和你一样，在街上闲逛，试图征服别人吗？”她微笑着说道。

“你不必尝试，”他懒洋洋地回答。 “你只需走在街上就可以做到这一点。我今天打得很幸运。”

“今天早上你见过路易丝吗？”她问。

他正视着她的脸。 “当你在身边的时候，除了你我看不到任何人。”

她轻笑。

“费迪，如果你不停止这么频繁地说的话，过一段时间你就会开始相信这一点。”

“我永远不会停止说这句话，因为这是真的，”他平静地回答，用黑眼睛看着她，眼皮微微合上。

“你已经养成了说这句话的习惯，就像我曾经教过的鹦鹉一样，当我年轻而虚荣时，你会重复说‘漂亮的爱丽丝’。”他总是这么说。”

“明智的鸟儿，”威克沙姆先生平静地说。 “开车送我去公园，我们去散步吧。我知道这样美丽的散步。今天出去的人真多。我刚才看到‘猫眼和猫爪’的女士走过，寻找一个她可以再次转身撕碎的人。”这是她给奈勒夫人起的名字。

“我不在乎谁出局。今晚你要去温特沃斯家吗？她漫不经心地问道。

“不;我很少去那里。你能向奈勒夫人提及此事吗？显然，她对我的话并没有像我对像她这样诚实的人所期望的那样有信心。”

兰开斯特夫人笑了。

“费迪——”她开口说道，然后犹豫不决地停了下来。 “然而-”

“嗯，那是什么？说吧。”

“你不应该那么频繁地去那里。”

“为什么？”他的眼神里充满了傲慢。

“有效期。开车回家，”她对车夫说，故意用足够大的声音让她的朋友听到。

费迪·威克沙姆沿着街道漫步，几分钟后，他靠在温特沃斯夫人的马车门口，非常认真地与车内的女士交谈。

威克沙姆先生对路易丝·温特沃斯的关注开始成为全城的话题。年轻的温特沃斯夫人不是一个愿意让自己被束之高阁的人。她并不建议那位叫这个名字的老太太也这么叫。她宣称她不会屈从于任何人。但她发现住在华盛顿广场老宅里的那位老太太就是“华​​盛顿夫人”。温特沃斯”，并且温特沃斯夫人占据了一个她不能被调动的位置。不久之后，她自己就被称为“夫人”。诺曼。”这是诺曼夫人第一次拥有这么多钱。她的母亲打扮得漂漂亮亮，把女儿打扮得很漂亮，但为了实现她的计划，她不得不省吃俭用，勉强维持生计。考德威尔夫人告诉她的一位朋友，她的戒指非常清楚去当铺的路，如果她把它们扔到街上，它们就会滚进他的店里。

路易丝以一种轻松的冷漠见证了这场斗争，这既是她的本性，也是她年轻时的一部分。她从小就相信自己是一个美丽的人，而她确实相信这一点。现在机会来了，她决定充分利用自己的胜利。她会向人们展示她知道如何花钱；装饰是她一生的目标，她也确实展示了它们。她的厕所是最富有的；她的装备是最漂亮、装备最好的。她的娱乐活动很快就成为城里最精彩的娱乐活动之一。

那些习惯于财富和炫耀的人既想知道诺曼夫人的品味，也想知道她对这些的满足。

全城人都鼓掌。他们不知道温特沃斯一家虽然他们知道自己很富有，但他们竟然有这么多钱。

“她一定有阿拉丁神灯，”他们说。只有温特沃斯老太太一脸严肃，对儿媳妇的铺张浪费表示不满。但她始终没有提这件事，当孙子到来时，她高兴极了，没有什么可抱怨的。

直到最近，人们才开始窃窃私语，经常有人看到费迪·威克沙姆和诺曼夫人在一起。可以肯定的是，他经常和她在一起。

那天晚上，爱丽丝·兰开斯特正在与诺曼·温特沃斯一家共进晚餐。她与他们和他们的孩子们都是好朋友，他们的孩子们崇拜她，并认为她是他们的特殊财产。她的出现总是嬉戏的信号。每当她去温特沃斯家时，她总是会去托儿所，从那里回来时她会气喘吁吁、衣冠不整，蓝眼睛里带着混合着幸福和痛苦的表情。路易丝·温特沃斯很清楚为什么会有渴望的目光，虽然她通常冷漠而雕像，但她对爱丽丝·兰开斯特总是比平时更加​​软化。

“爱丽丝渴望孩子，”她对诺曼说，诺曼捏着她的脸颊，像个男人一样告诉她，她认为每个人都像她一样浪漫、深情。如果奈勒夫人听到了这段话，她一定会眨着无辜的眼睛，默默地思考男人的盲目性。

今天晚上，兰开斯特夫人从托儿所下来，那里传来孩子气的欢乐叫喊声，讲述着她与统治那里的长卷发的年轻强盗的嬉戏，她静静地坐在深扶手椅上，以一种深刻反思的态度，她的她的头向后仰着，白皙的手臂懒洋洋地搭在椅子的扶手上，她的脸异常若有所思，她的眼睛盯着镀金的天花板。

温特沃斯夫人默默地看了她一会儿，然后说道：

“你不能让那小子这样欺负你。”

兰卡斯特夫人的答复很完整：

“我喜欢它;我就喜欢！”

不久温特沃斯夫人又说话了。

“你今天晚上是怎么了？你看起来很心不在焉。”

“我今天看见鬼了。”她说话时没有动。

温特沃斯夫人的表情更加有趣了。

“你是什么意思？他是谁？”

“我的意思是我看到了一个鬼魂；我可以说是两个鬼魂，因为我在想象中也看到了我自己小时候的鬼魂。我看到了我十七岁时所爱的男人。”

“我当时以为你爱上了费迪？”

“不;绝不。”她说话的口气突然加重了。

“多么有趣！你还庆幸自己逃脱了？我们总是这样做。当我那个年纪的时候，我在阿迪朗达克山脉疯狂地爱上了一位小旅馆服务员，他头发油腻，鼻子塌鼻子，留着打蜡的黑胡子。”

兰开斯特夫人没有回答，女主人目光敏锐地看着她。

“那是哪里？多久之前——？」她开始问，距离结婚还有多久，但又问住了。 “他长什么样？他一定长得很帅，不然你也不会这么沉思。”

“他看起来像——一个男人。”

“他几岁——我是说，他爱上你的时候？”温特沃斯夫人回忆起兰开斯特先生的灰白头发和苍老的面貌，有点倒吸一口凉气。

“还年轻。他只比我大几岁；一个年轻人——他叫什么名字？——赫拉克勒斯，我第二次见到他时，他就把我抱下了山。”

“爱丽丝·兰卡斯特！”

“我摔断了腿——差点从马上摔下来，无法行走，而他恰好也来了。”

“当然。多么浪漫！他是医生吗？你是故意的吗？”兰开斯特夫人笑了。

“不;一位住在山里的年轻校长。他并不英俊——那时不英俊。但他长得很英俊，眼睛直直地看着你，直视着你；你见过的最白的牙齿；还有肩膀！他能拎一袋盐！”想到这里，她的嘴角浮现出一抹淡淡的笑意。

“你为什么不嫁给他？”

“他在世界上一分钱都没有。他是一位贫穷的年轻教师，但出身于一个非常显赫的家庭。然而，妈妈吓坏了，像对待瘟疫一样把我赶走了。”

“噢，当然！”

“而且他太爱我了。但为此我想我不应该放弃他。我有一段时间非常伤心。而他——”她没有把话说完。

温特沃斯夫人对此没有任何反应，尽管她嘴上的表情发生了变化。

“他后来名声大噪。我知道他会的。他一定会成功。即使那时我也相信他。他有理想。为什么现在的男人都没有理想了？”

“他们中的一些人确实如此，”温特沃斯夫人断言。

“是的;诺曼有。我指的是未婚男性。我听说他发了财，或者正在发财——或者其他什么。”

“哦！”

“他比我见过的任何人都懂得更多，而且让你想知道。我读过的所有书都是他让我读的。而且他长得非常好看。我没想到他会这么好看。但我告诉你：没有一个见过他的女人会忘记他。”

“他结婚了吗？”

“我不这么认为——不。如果他是的话我应该听到的。他真的相信我。”

温特沃斯夫人饶有兴趣地看了她一眼。

“他住在哪里？”

“I do not know. I saw him through a shop-window.”

“What! Did you not speak to him?”

“我没有机会。当我从商店出来时，他已经走了。”

“That was sad. It would have been quite romantic, would it not? But, perhaps, after all, he did not make his fortune?” Mrs. Wentworth looked complacent.

“He did if he set his mind to it,” declared Mrs. Lancaster.

“费迪·威克沙姆怎么样？”温特沃斯夫人的眼中闪现出一丝恶意。

Mrs. Lancaster gave a shrug of impatience, and pushed a photograph on a small table farther away, as if it incommoded her.

“Oh, Ferdy Wickersham! Ferdy Wickersham to that man is a heated room to the breath of hills and forests.” She spoke with real warmth, and Mrs. Wentworth gazed at her curiously for a few seconds.

“Still, I rather fancy for a constancy you’d prefer the heated rooms to the coldness of the hills. Your gowns would not look so well in the forest.”

It was a moment before Mrs. Lancaster’s face relaxed.

“I suppose I should,” she said slowly, with something very like a sigh. “He was the only man I ever knew who made me do what I did not want to do and made me wish to be something better than I was,” she added absently.

Mrs. Wentworth glanced at her somewhat impatiently, but she went on:

“那时我很浪漫；你应该听过他朗读《国王田园诗》。他有最美丽的声音。他让你住在亚瑟王的宫廷里，因为他自己也住在那里。”

Mrs. Wentworth burst into laughter, but it was not very merry.

“My dear Alice, you must have been romantic. How old were you, did you say?”

“It was three years before I was married,” said Mrs. Lancaster, firmly.

她的朋友一脸困惑地看着她。

“Oh! Now, my dear Alice, don’t let’s have any more of this sentimentalizing. I never indulge in it; it always gives me a headache. One might think you were a school-girl.”

At the word a wood in all the bravery of Spring sprang into Alice’s mind. A young girl was seated on the mossy ground, and outstretched at her feet was a young man, fresh-faced and clear-eyed, quoting a poem of youth and of love.

“Heaven knows I wish I were,” said Mrs. Lancaster, soberly. “I might then be something different from what I am!”

“Oh, nonsense! You do nothing of the kind. Here are you, a rich woman, young, handsome, with a great establishment; perfectly free, with no one to interfere with you in any way. Now, I–”

“That’s just it,” broke in Mrs. Lancaster, bitterly. “Free! Free from what my heart aches for. Free to dress in sables and diamonds and die of loneliness.” She had sat up, and her eyes were glowing and her color flashing in her cheeks in her energy.

Mrs. Wentworth looked at her with a curious expression in her eyes.

“I want what you have, Louise Caldwell. In that big house with only ourselves and servants–sometimes I could wish I were dead. I envy every woman I see on the street with her children. Yes, I am free–too free! I married for respect, and I have it. But–I want devotion, sympathy. You have it. You have a husband who adores you, and children to fill your heart, cherish it.” The light in her eyes was almost fierce as she leaned forward, her hands clasped so tightly that the knuckles showed white, and a strange look passed for a moment over Mrs. Wentworth’s face.

“You are enough to give one the blue-devils!” she exclaimed, with impatience. “Let’s have a liqueur.” She touched a bell, but Mrs. Lancaster rose.

“No; I will go.”

“Oh, yes; just a glass.” A servant appeared like an automaton at the door.

“爱丽丝，你要吃什么？”但兰开斯特夫人却很固执。她拒绝了邀请，并宣布她必须去，因为她要去歌剧。下一刻，两位女士就以时尚社会常见的优雅言辞和正式礼仪互相告别，仿佛她们才认识了十五分钟。

Mrs. Lancaster drove home, leaning very far back in her brougham.

Mrs. Wentworth, too, appeared rather fatigued after her guest departed, and sat for fifteen minutes with the social column of a newspaper lying in her lap unscanned.

“I thought she and Ferdy liked each other,” she said to herself; “but he must have told the truth. They cannot have cared for each other. I think she must have been in love with that man.”

The day after Keith’s interview with Mr. Creamer he was walking up-town more slowly than was his wont; for gloom was beginning to take the place where disappointment had for some time been holding session. His experience that day had been more than usually disheartening. These people with all their shrewdness appeared to him to be in their way as contracted as his mountaineers. They lived to amass wealth, yet went like sheep in flocks, and were so blind that they could not recognize a great opportunity when it was presented. They were mere machines that ground through life as monotonously as the wheels in their factories, turning out riches, riches, riches.

今天早上基思在报纸上看到一篇文章，在某种程度上解释了他对成功的渴望。这是一篇关于新利兹的文章。它用华丽的句子赞扬了这个地方和这里的人民，相当真实地描述了这个城镇的崛起，以含蓄的方式提出了威克舍姆财产的色彩丰富的招股说明书，并明确断言所有有价值的土地都这些东西都是由这家公司获得的，现在外面提供的东西是威克沙姆在彻底彻底的检查后认为毫无价值而拒绝的。这些虚假陈述让基思勃然大怒。他的脑海中立刻闪现出J. Quincy Plume先生的身影。

As he walked along, the newspaper clutched in his hand, a man brushed against him. Keith’s mind was far away on Quincy Plume and Ferdy Wickersham; but instinctively, as his shoulder touched the stranger’s, he said:

“请再说一遍。”

At the words the other turned and glanced at him casually; then stopped, turned and caught up with him, so as to take a good look at his face. The next second a hand was on Keith’s shoulder.

“Why, Gordon Keith!”

Keith glanced up in a maze at the vigorous-looking, well-dressed young man who was holding out his gloved hand to him, his blue eyes full of a very pleasant light. Keith’s mind had been so far away that for a second it did not return. Then a light broke over his face. He seized the other’s hand.

“Norman Wentworth!”

The greeting between the two was so cordial that men hurrying by turned to look back at the pleasant faces, and their own set countenances softened.

诺曼询问基思刚从哪里来，在城里呆了多久，他的问题一个接一个，热切而热情。

基思看起来很害羞，开始以一种相当蹒跚的方式解释说，他已经在那里有一段时间了，“当然是想追捕他”；但他“太忙于生意”，等等。

“I heard you were here on business. That was the way I came to know you were in town,” explained Norman, “and I have looked everywhere for you. I hope you have been successful?” He was smiling. But Keith was still sore from the treatment he had received in one or two offices that morning.

“I have not been successful,” he said, “and I felt sure that I should be. I have discovered that people here are very much like people elsewhere; they are very like sheep.”

“And very suspicious, timid sheep at that,” said Norman “They have often gone for wool and got shorn. So every one has to be tested. An unknown man has a hard time here. I suppose they would not look into your plan?”

“They classed me with ‘pedlers, book-agents, and beggars’–I saw the signs up; looked as if they thought I was a thief. I am not used to being treated like a swindler.”

“The same old Keith! You must remember how many swindlers they have to deal with, my boy. It is natural that they should require a guarantee–I mean an introduction of some kind. You remember what one of them said not long ago? ‘A man spends one part of his life making a fortune and the rest of it trying to keep others from stealing it from him.’ You ought to have come to me. You must come and dine with me this evening, and we will talk it over. Perhaps, I can help you. I want to show you my little home, and I have the finest boy in the world.”

At the tone of cordial sincerity in his voice, Keith softened. He laid his hand on the back of Norman’s and closed it tightly.

“I knew I could always count on you, and I meant, of course, to come and see you. The reason I have not come before I will explain to you sometime. I was feeling a little sore over a matter–sheer lies that some one has written.” He shook the newspaper in his hand.

“哦，别介意那张纸，”诺曼说。 “那份报纸的专栏是出租的。它们目前属于我们的一位老熟人。他们是这样 me the honor to pay their compliments to my affairs now and then.”

Keith walked up the street with a warm feeling about his heart. That friendly face and kindly pressure of the hand had cheered him like sunshine in a wintry day, and transformed the cold, cheerless city into an abode of life and happiness. The crowds that thronged by him once more took on interest for him. The faces once more softened into human fellowship.

That evening, when Keith arrived at Norman Wentworth’s, he found that what he had termed his “little house” was, in fact, a very ample and commodious mansion on one of the most fashionable avenues in the city. Outside there was nothing to distinguish it particularly from the scores of other handsome houses that stretched for blocks up and down the street with ever-recurrent brown-stone monotony. They were as much alike as so many box-stalls in a stable.

“如果我必须住在这样的房子里，”基思在去赴约的途中想，“我就得从街角开始数我的房子了。难怪人都那么相似！”

Inside, however, the personal taste of the owner counted for much more, and when Keith was admitted by the velvety-stepped servant, he found himself in a scene of luxury for which nothing that Norman had said had prepared him.

大厅相当简约，但陈设华丽，通向一系列用镀金和缎子装饰的客厅，非常华丽。一间全是金色和黄色的房间通向另一间全是蓝色缎子的房间，光线透过挂毯和深红色地毯上柔和的色调渗透进来。

Keith could not help thinking what a fortunate man Norman was, and the difference between his friend’s situation in this bower of roses, and his own in his square, bare little box on the windy mountain-side, insensibly flashed over him. This was “an establishment”! How unequally Fortune scattered her gifts! Just then, with a soft rustle of silk, the portières were parted, and Mrs. Wentworth appeared. She paused for a second just under the arch, and the young man wondered if she knew how effective she was. She was a vision of lace and loveliness. A figure straight and sinuous, above the middle height, which would have been quite perfect but for being slightly too full, and which struck one before one looked at the face; coloring that was rich to brilliance; abundant, beautiful hair with a glint of lustre on it; deep hazel eyes, the least bit too close together, and features that were good and only just missed being fine Keith had remembered her as beautiful, but as Mrs. Wentworth stood beneath the azure portières, her long, bare arms outstretched, her lips parted in a half-smile of welcome, she was much more striking-looking than Keith’s memory had recorded. As he gazed on her, the expression on his face testified his admiration.

她脸上带着同样欣慰的微笑走上前来，像诺曼的老朋友一样用正式的欢迎词向他打招呼。她的想法是：“他看起来多么坚强啊！就像我在哪里见过的照片一样。为什么费迪不喜欢他？”

As she sank into a soft divan, and with a sudden twist her train fell about her feet, making an artistic drapery, Keith experienced a sense of delight. He did not dream that Mrs. Wentworth knew much better than he precisely the pose to show the curve of her white full throat and round arm. The demands of notorious beauty were already beginning to tell on her, and even while she spoke gracious words of her husband’s friendship for him, she from time to time added a touch here and a soft caress there with her long white, hands to make the arrangement the more complete. It was almost too perfect to be unconscious.

Suddenly Keith heard Norman’s voice outside, apparently on the stair, calling cheerily “Good-by” to some one, and the next second he came hastily into the drawing-room. His hair was rumpled and his necktie a trifle awry. As he seized and wrung Keith’s hand with unfeigned heartiness, Keith was suddenly conscious of a change in everything. This was warmth, sincerity, and the beautiful room suddenly became a home. Mrs. Wentworth appeared somewhat shocked at his appearance.

“Well, Norman, you are a sight! Just look at your necktie!”

“That ruffian!” he laughed, feeling at his throat and trying to adjust the crooked tie.

“What will Mr. Keith think?”

“Oh, pshaw! Keith thinks all right. Keith is one of the men I don’t have to apologize to. But if I do”–he turned to Keith, smiling–“I’ll show you the apology. Come along.” He seized Keith by the hand and started toward the door.

“You are not going to take Mr. Keith up-stairs!” exclaimed his wife. “Remember, Mr. Keith may not share your enthusiasm.”

“Wait until he sees the apology. Come along, Keith.” He drew Keith toward the door.

“But, Norman, I don’t think–” began Mrs. Wentworth. What she did not think was lost to the two men; for Norman, not heeding her, had, with the eagerness of a boy, dragged his visitor out of the door and started up the stairs, telling him volubly of the treat that was in store for him in the perfections of a certain small young gentleman who had been responsible for his tardiness in appearing below.

When Norman threw back a silken portière up-stairs and flung open a door, the scene that greeted Keith was one that made him agree that Norman was fully justified. A yellow-haired boy was rolling on the floor, kicking up his little pink legs in all the abandon of his years, while a blue-eyed little girl was sitting in a nurse’s lap, making strenuous efforts to join her brother on the floor.

At sight of his father, the boy, with a whoop, scrambled to his feet, and, with outstretched arms and open mouth, showing all his little white teeth, made a rush for him, while the young lady suddenly changed her efforts to descend, and began to jump up and down in a frantic ecstasy of delight.

Norman gathered the boy up, and as soon as he could disentwine his little arms from about his neck, turned him toward Keith. The child gave the stranger one of those calm, scrutinizing looks that children give, and then, his face suddenly breaking into a smile, with a rippling laugh of good-comradeship, he sprang into Keith’s outstretched arms. That gentleman’s necktie was in danger of undergoing the same damaging process that had incurred Mrs. Norman’s criticism, when the youngster discovered that lady herself, standing at the door. Scrambling down from his perch on Keith’s shoulder, the boy, with a shout, rushed toward his mother. Mrs. Wentworth, with a little shriek, stopped him and held him off from her; she could not permit him to disarrange her toilet; her coiffure had cost too much thought; but the pair were evidently on terms of good-fellowship, and the light in the mother’s eyes even as she restrained the boy’s attempt at caresses changed her, and gave Keith a new insight into her character.

基思和女主人先于诺曼回到了客厅，她不再是那个职业丽人，不再是冷漠的女人，不再是单纯的时尚女主人。当基思热情地谈论这个男孩时，门不止一次地被打开，基思瞥见了里面隐藏的东西，这让他再次庆幸他的朋友拥有这样的宝藏。这些意想不到的温柔让他比他预想的更接近她，就他而言，他以一种坦率和真诚的态度与她交谈，这种态度深深地烙印在她的脑海里，并为比她平时给予的更温暖的友谊开辟了道路。 。

“诺曼是对的，”她对自己说。 “这是一个男人。”

At the thought a light flashed upon her. It suddenly came to her.

This is “the ghost”! Yet could it be possible? She solved the question quickly.

“Mr. Keith, did you ever know Alice Lancaster?”

“Alice Lancaster–?” For a bare second he looked puzzled. “Oh, Miss Alice Yorke? Yes, a long time ago.” He was conscious that his expression had changed. So he added: “I used to know her very well.”

“毫无疑问，这就是鬼魂。”温特沃斯夫人一边重新审视基思鲜明的五官和强健的身躯，一边自言自语。 “爱丽丝说如果一个女人见过他，她就不太可能忘记他，我认为她是对的。”

“Why do you ask me?” inquired Keith, who had now quite recovered from his little confusion. “Of course, you know her?”

“Yes, very well. We were at school together. She is my best friend, almost.” She shut her mouth as firmly as though this were the last sentence she ever proposed to utter; but her eyes, as they rested on Keith’s face, had the least twinkle in them. Keith did not know how much of their old affair had been told her, but she evidently knew something, and it was necessary to show her that he had recovered from it long ago and yet retained a friendly feeling for Mrs. Lancaster.

“She was an old sweetheart of mine long ago; that is, I used to think myself desperately in love with her a hundred years ago or so, before she was married–and I was, too,” he added.

He gained not the least idea of the impression this made on Mrs. Wentworth.

“前几天她还跟我谈论过你。”她漫不经心地说。

基思再次佯攻，打开了她的防守。

“I hope she said kind things about me? I deserve some kindness at her hands, for I have only pleasant memories of her.”

“I wonder what he means by that?” questioned Mrs. Wentworth to herself, and then added:

“Oh, yes; she did. Indeed, she was almost enthusiastic about your–friendship.” Her eyes scanned his face lightly.

“她履行了作为女学生时许下的美丽承诺吗？我曾经认为她是世界上最美丽的生物之一；但我不知道当时我是否有能力做出判断，”他微笑着补充道，“因为我记得有一段时间我对她非常绝望。”他试图自然地说话。

温特沃斯夫人的目光在他脸上停留了一会儿。

“Why, yes; many think her much handsomer than she ever was. She is one of the married beauties, you know.” Her eyes just swept Keith’s face.

“She was also one of the sweetest girls I ever knew,” Keith said, moved for some reason to add this tribute.

“Well, I don’t know that every one would call her that. Indeed, I am not quite sure that I should call her that myself always; but she can be sweet. My children adore her, and I think that is always a good sign.”

“Undoubtedly. They judge correctly, because directly.”

The picture of a young girl in a riding-habit kneeling in the dust with a chubby, little, ragged child in her arms flashed before Keith’s mental vision. And he almost gave a gasp.

“Is she married happily?'” he asked “I hope she is happy.”

“哦，日子还长着呢，真是太幸福了。”温特沃斯夫人高兴地说道。她的眼眸深处，闪烁着一丝邪恶的恶意。她的脸上露出满足的表情。 “他还没有完全无动于衷，”她自言自语道。当基思坚定地说他很高兴听到这个消息时，她很荣幸地不相信他。

“Of course, you know that Mr. Lancaster is a good deal older than Alice?”

是的，基思听说过。

“But a charming man, and immensely rich.”

“Yes.” Keith began to look grim.

“Aren’t you going to see here?” inquired Mrs. Wentworth, finding that Keith was not prepared to say any more on the subject.

Keith said he should like to do so very much. He hoped to see her before going away; but he could not tell.

“She is married now, and must be so taken up with her new duties that I fear she would hardly remember me,” he added, with a laugh. “I don’t think I ever made much impression on her.”

“Alice Yorke is not one to forget her friends. Why, she spoke of you with real friendship,” she said, smiling, thinking to herself, Alice likes him, and he is still in love with her. This begins to be interesting.

“A woman does not have to give up all her friends when she marries?” she added, with her eyes on Keith.

Keith smiled.

“Oh, no; only her lovers, unless they turn into friends.”

“Of course, those,” said Mrs. Wentworth, who, after a moment’s reflection, added, “They don’t always do that. Do you believe a woman ever forgets entirely a man she has really loved?”

“She does if she is happily married and if she is wise.”

“But all women are not happily married.”

“And, perhaps, all are not wise,” said Keith.

Some association of ideas led him to say suddenly:

“Tell me something about Ferdy Wickersham. He was one of your ushers, wasn’t he?” He was surprised to see Mrs. Wentworth’s countenance change. Her eyelids closed suddenly as if a glare were turned unexpectedly on them, and she caught her breath.

“Yes–I have known him since we were children. Of course, you know he was desperately in love with Alice Lancaster?”

Keith said he had heard something of the kind.

“He still likes her.”

“She is married,” said Keith, decisively.

“是的。”

A moment later Mrs. Wentworth drew a long breath and moistened her lips.

“You knew him at the same time that you first knew Norman, did you not?” She was simply figuring for time.

“Yes, I met him first then,” said Keith.

“Don’t you think Ferdy has changed since he was a boy?” she demanded after a moment’s reflection.

“How do you mean?” Keith was feeling very uncomfortable, and, to save himself an answer, plunged along:

“Of course he has changed.” He did not say how, nor did he give Mrs. Wentworth time to explain herself. “I will tell you one thing, though,” he said earnestly: “he never was worthy to loose the latchet of your husband’s shoe.”

Mrs. Wentworth’s face changed again; she glanced down for a second, and then said:

“You and Norman have a mutual admiration society.”

“We have been friends a long time,” said Keith, thoughtfully.

“但即便如此，也并不总是那么重要。如今，友谊似乎很容易破裂。”

“Because there are so few Norman Wentworths. That man is blessed who has such a friend,” said the young man, earnestly.

Mrs. Wentworth looked at him with a curious light in her eyes, and as she gazed her face grew more thoughtful. Then, as Norman reappeared she changed the subject abruptly.

After dinner, while they were smoking, Norman made Keith tell him of his coal-lands and the business that had brought him to New York. To Keith’s surprise, he seemed to know something of it already.

“你一开始就应该来找我，”他说。 “至少，我或许能够在一定程度上抵消对你不利的负面影响。”他的眉头有些阴沉。

“Wickersham appears to be quite a personage here. I wonder he has not been found out,” said Keith after a little reverie.

Norman shifted slightly in his chair. “Oh, he is not worth bothering about. Give me your lay-out now.”

Keith put him in possession of the facts, and he became deeply interested. He had, indeed, a dual motive: one of friendship for Keith; the other he as yet hardly confessed even to himself.

The next day Keith met Norman by appointment and gave him his papers. And a day or two afterwards he met a number of his friends at lunch.

They were capitalists and, if General Keith’s old dictum, that gentlemen never discussed money at table, was sound, they would scarcely have met his requirement; for the talk was almost entirely of money. When they rose from the table, Keith, as he afterwards told Norman, felt like a squeezed orange. The friendliest man to him was Mr. Yorke, whom Keith found to be a jovial, sensible little man with kindly blue eyes and a humorous mouth. His chief cross-examiner was a Mr. Kestrel, a narrow-faced, parchment-skinned man with a thin white moustache that looked as if it had led a starved existence on his bloodless lip.

“Those people down there are opposed to progress,” he said, buttoning up his pockets in a way he had, as if he were afraid of having them picked. “I guess the Wickershams have found that out. I don’t see any money in it.”

“It is strange that Kestrel doesn’t see money in this,” said Mr. Yorke, with a twinkle in his eye; “for he usually sees money in everything. I guess there were other reasons than want of progress for the Wickershams not paying dividends.”

A few days later Norman informed Keith that the money was nearly all subscribed; but Keith did not know until afterwards how warmly he had indorsed him.

“You said something about sheep the other day; well, a sheep is a solitary and unsocial animal to a city-man with money to invest. My grandfather’s man used to tell me: ‘Sheep is kind of gregarious, Mr. Norman. Coax the first one through and you can’t keep the others out.’ Even Kestrel is jumping to get in.”

Keith had not yet met Mrs. Lancaster. He meant to call on her before leaving town; for he would show her that he was successful, and also that he had recovered. Also he wanted to see her, and in his heart was a lurking hope that she might regret having lost him. A word that Mrs. Wentworth had let fall the first evening he dined there had kept him from calling before.

A few evenings later Keith was dining with the Norman Wentworths, and after dinner Norman said:

“顺便说一句，我们今晚要去参加一个舞会。你不来吗？这确实值得一看。”

基思还没有订婚，正要接受，但他意识到温特沃斯夫人听了她丈夫的话，转过身来，目光飞快地审视着他，目光从头顶扫到了脚尖。启动。

He had had that swift glance of inspection sweep him up and down many times of late, in business offices. The look, however, appeared to satisfy his hostess; for after a bare pause she seconded her husband’s invitation.

这次停顿给了基思反思的时间，他拒绝去。但诺曼也看到了妻子投来的目光，他如此热情、如此真诚地敦促妻子接受，最终基思屈服了。

“This is not one of 此 balls,” said Norman, laughingly. “It is only a ball, one of our subscription dances, so you need have no scruples about going along.”

Keith looked a little mystified.

“Mrs. Creamer’s balls are 此 balls, my dear fellow. There, in general, only the rich and the noble enter–rich in prospect and noble in title–”

“Norman, how can you talk so!” exclaimed Mrs. Wentworth, with some impatience. “You know better than that. Mrs. Creamer has always been particularly kind to us. Why, she asks me to receive with her every winter.”

But Norman was in a bantering mood. “Am not I rich and you noble?” he laughed. “Do you suppose, my dear, that Mrs. Creamer would ask you to receive with her if we lived two or three squares off Fifth Avenue? It is as hard for a poor man to enter Mrs. Creamer’s house as for a camel to pass through the needle’s eye. Her motions are sidereal and her orbit is as regulated as that of a planet.”

温特沃斯夫人抗议道。

“Why, she has all sorts of people at her house–!”

“除了那些不成功的。即使是行星也有一点轨道偏心率。”

An hour or two later Keith found himself in such a scene of radiance as he had never witnessed before in all his life. Though, as Norman had said, it was not one of the great balls, to be present at it was in some sort a proof of one’s social position and possibly of one’s pecuniary condition.

Keith was conscious of that same feeling of novelty and exhilaration that had come over him when he first arrived in the city. It came upon him when he first stepped from the cool outer air into the warm atmosphere of the brilliantly lighted building and stood among the young men, all perfectly dressed and appointed, and almost as similar as the checks they were receiving from the busy servants in the cloak-room. The feeling grew stronger as he mounted the wide marble stairway to the broad landing, which was a bower of palms and flowers, with handsome women passing in and out like birds in gorgeous plumage, and gay voices sounding in his ears. It swept over him like a flood when he entered the spacious ball-room and gazed upon the dazzling scene before him.

“This is Aladdin’s palace,” he declared as he stood looking across the large ball-room. “The Arabian Nights have surely come again.”

Mrs. Wentworth, immediately after presenting Keith to one or two ladies who were receiving, had been met and borne off by Ferdy Wickersham, and was in the throng at the far end of the great apartment, and some one had stopped Norman on the stairway. So Keith was left for a moment standing alone just inside the door. He had a sense of being charmed. Later, he tried to account for it. Was it the sight before him? Even such perfect harmony of color could hardly have done it. It must be the dazzling radiance of youth that almost made his eyes ache with its beauty. Perhaps, it was the strain of the band hidden in the gallery among those palms. The waltz music that floated down always set him swinging back in the land of memory. He stood for a moment quite entranced. Then he was suddenly conscious of being lonely. In all the throng before him he could not see one soul that he knew. His friends were far away.

Suddenly the wheezy strains of the fiddles and the blare of the horns in the big dining-room of the old Windsor back in the mountains sounded in his ears, and the motley but gay and joyous throng that tramped and capered and swung over the rough boards, setting the floor to swinging and the room to swaying, swam in a dim mist before his eyes. Girls in ribbons so gay that they almost made the eyes ache, faces flushed with the excitement and joy of the dance; smiling faces, snowy teeth, dishevelled hair, tarlatan dresses, green and pink and white; ringing laughter and whoops of real merriment–all passed before his senses.

As he stood looking on the scene of splendor, he felt lost, lonely, and for a moment homesick. Here all was formal, stiff repressed; that gayety was real, that merriment was sincere. With all their crudeness, those people in that condition were all human, hearty, strong, real. He wondered if refinement and elegance meant necessarily a suppression of all these. There, men came not only to enjoy but to make others enjoy as well. No stranger could have stood a moment alone without some one stepping to his side and drawing him into a friendly talk. This mood soon changed.

尽管如此，基思还是独自站在门口等待诺曼出现，看着这些人群，穿着华丽的妇女，聚集在这里或那里，或者四处走动，互相检查或交谈，他觉得很有趣。房间尽头的一个人影一次又一次吸引了他的目光。她站着，半背对着他，但他知道她是一位漂亮的女人，也是一位英俊的女人，尽管他只看到了她的侧面，而且距离太远，他看不清楚。她的头发简单地梳理着；她的头美丽地靠在肩膀上。她穿着黑色衣服，紧身胸衣上覆盖着亮片，只要她最轻微的动作，亮片就会闪闪发光，反射光线，就像一件柔软的锁子甲。许多男人站在她周围，许多女人在经过时，像时尚女士那样向她伸出双手。基思看到温特沃斯太太朝她走来，他们之间似乎正在进行一场非常热烈的谈话，黑衣女士迅速转过身来，环视着房间。然后温特沃斯夫人正要走开，但另一个人抓住了她，急切地问她一些事情。温特沃斯夫人肯定拒绝回答，因为她跟着她走了几步。但温特沃斯夫人只是向她挥了挥手，然后就和她的护卫一起走开了，还回头嘲笑她。

Keith made his way around the room toward Mrs. Wentworth. There was something about the young lady in black which reminded him of a girl he had once seen standing straight and defiant, yet very charming, in a woodland path under arching pine-boughs. Just then, however, a waltz struck up and Mrs. Wentworth began to dance, so Keith stood leaning against the wall. Presently a member of a group of young men near Keith said:

“The Lancaster looks well to-night.”

“She does. The old man’s at home, Ferdy’s on deck.”

“Ferdy be dashed! Besides, where is Mrs. Went–?”

“Don’t lay any money on that.”

“She’s all right. Try to say anything to her and you’ll find out.”

The others laughed; and one of them asked:

“Been trying yourself, Stirling?”

“No. I know better, Minturn.”

“Why doesn’t she shake Ferdy then?” demanded the other. “He’s always hanging around when he isn’t around the other.”

“Oh, they have been friends all their lives. She is not going to give up a friend, especially when others are getting down on him. Can’t you allow anything to friendship?”

“Ferdy’s friendship is pretty expensive,” said his friend, sententiously.

Keith took a glance at the speakers to see if he could by following their gaze place Mrs. Lancaster. The one who defended the lady was a jolly-looking man with a merry eye and a humorous mouth. The other two were as much alike as their neckties, their collars, their shirt-fronts, their dress-suits, or their shoes, in which none but a tailor could have discovered the least point of difference. Their cheeks were smooth, their chins were round, their hair as perfectly parted and brushed as a barber’s. Keith had an impression that he had seen them just before on the other side of the room, talking to the lady in black; but as he looked across, he saw the other young men still there, and there were yet others elsewhere. At the first glance they nearly all looked alike. Just then he became conscious that a couple had stopped close beside him. He glanced at them; the lady was the same to whom he had seen Mrs. Wentworth speaking at the other end of the room. Her face was turned away, and all he saw was an almost perfect figure with shoulders that looked dazzling in contrast with her shimmering black gown. A single red rose was stuck in her hair. He was waiting to get a look at her face, when she turned toward him.

“Why, Mr. Keith!” she exclaimed, her blue eyes open wide with surprise. She held out her hand. “I don’t believe you know me?”

“Then you must shut your eyes,” said Keith, smiling his pleasure.

“I don’t believe I should have known you? Yes, I should; I should have known you anywhere.”

“Perhaps, I have not changed so much,” smiled Keith.

She gave him just the ghost of a glance out of her blue eyes.

“我不知道。你最近带过盐袋吗？”她的神情变得轻松起来。

“不;但负担仍然更重。”

“你结婚了吗？”

基思笑了。

“不;还没有那么重。”

“So heavy as that 但! Oh, you are engaged?”

“No; not engaged either–except engaged in trying to make a lot of people who think they know everything understand that there are a few things that they don’t know.”

“That is a difficult task,” she said, shaking her head, “if you try it in New York.”

“‘约翰·P·罗宾逊，他
Says they don’t know everything down in Judee,'”

put in the stout young man who had been standing by waiting to speak to her.

“But this isn’t Judee yet,” she laughed, “for I assure you we do know everything here, Mr. Keith.” She held out her hand to the gentleman who had spoken, and after greeting him introduced him to Keith as “Mr. Stirling.”

“You ought to like each other,” she said cordially.

基思表示他愿意这样做。

“I don’t know about that,” said Stirling, jovially. “You are too friendly to him.”

“What are you doing? Where are you staying? How long are you going to be in town?” demanded Mrs. Lancaster, turning to Keith.

“Mining.–At the Brunswick.–Only a day or two,” said Keith, laughing.

“Mining? Gold-mining?”

“不; 还没有。”

“哪里？”

“在南方一个叫新利兹的地方。离我以前教课的地方很近。这是一座伟大的城市。为什么，我们认为纽约嫉妒我们。”

“Oh, I know about that. A friend of mine put a little money down there for me. You know him? Ferdy Wickersham?”

“对我认识他。”

“Most of us know him,” observed Mr. Stirling, turning his eyes on Keith.

“当然，你必须认识他。你和他在一起吗？他告诉我，他们几乎拥有该地区所有的好东西。他们即将开办一座新矿，这将超越以往任何已知的情况。费迪告诉我我很好，但我不知道有多好。股票一会儿就要上市了，我就在一楼进场了。这就是他们所说的——最低层，你知道。

“Yes; some people call it the ground-floor,” said Keith, wishing to change the subject.

“You know there may be a cellar under a ground-floor,” observed Mr. Stirling, demurely.

Keith looked at him, and their eyes met.

Fortunately, perhaps, for Keith, some one came up just then and claimed a dance with Mrs. Lancaster. She moved away, and then turned back.

“I shall see you again?”

“Yes. Why, I hope so-certainly.”

She stopped and looked at him.

“When are you going away?”

“Why, I don’t exactly know. Very soon. Perhaps, in a day or two.”

“Well, won’t you come to see us? Here, I will give you my address. Have you a card?” She took the pencil he offered her and wrote her number on it. “Come some afternoon–about six; Mr. Lancaster is always in then,” she said sedately. “I am sure you will like each other.” Keith bowed.

She floated off smiling. What she had said to Mrs. Wentworth occurred to her.

“是的;他看起来像个男人。”她意识到她的同伴在问问题。

“你怎么了？”他说。 “我已经问过你三遍了，那个人是谁，你却一句话也不说。”

“Oh, I beg your pardon. Mr. Keith, an old friend of mine,” she said, and changed the subject.

As to her old friend, he was watching her as she danced, winding in and out among the intervening couples. He wondered that he could ever have thought that a creature like that could care for him and share his hard life. He might as soon have expected a bird-of-paradise to live by choice in a coal-bunker.

He strolled about, looking at the handsome women, and presently found himself in the conservatory. Turning a clump, of palms, he came on Mrs. Wentworth and Mr. Wickersham sitting together talking earnestly. Keith was about to go up and speak to Mrs. Wentworth, but her escort said something under his breath to her, and she looked away. So Keith passed on.

A little later, Keith went over to where Mrs. Lancaster stood. Several men were about her, and just after Keith Joined her, another man walked up, if any movement so lazy and sauntering could be termed walking.

“我一直在想为什么没看到你，”他走上来时慢吞吞地说。

Keith recognized the voice of Ferdy Wickersham. He turned and faced him; but if Mr. Wickersham was aware of his presence, he gave no sign of it. His dark eyes were on Mrs. Lancaster. She turned to him.

“Perhaps, Ferdinand, it was because you did not use your eyes. That is not ordinarily a fault of yours.”

“I never think of my eyes when yours are present,” said he, lazily.

“Oh, don’t you?” laughed Mrs. Lancaster. “What were you doing a little while ago in the conservatory–with–?”

“Nothing. I have not been in the conservatory this evening. You have paid some one else a compliment.”

“Tell that to some one who does not use her eyes,” said Mrs. Lancaster, mockingly.

“There are occasions when you must disbelieve the sight of your eyes.” He was looking her steadily in the face, and Keith saw her expression change. She recovered herself.

“Last time I saw you, you vowed you had eyes for none but me, you may remember?” she said lightly.

“No. Did I? Life is too awfully short to remember. But it is true. It is the present in which I find my pleasure.”

Up to this time neither Mrs. Lancaster nor Mr. Wickersham had taken any notice of Keith, who stood a little to one side, waiting, with his eyes resting on the other young man’s face. Mrs. Lancaster now turned.

“Oh, Mr. Keith.” She now turned back to Mr. Wickersham. “You know Mr. Keith?”

Keith was about to step forward to greet his old acquaintance; but Wickersham barely nodded.

“Ah, how do you do? Yes, I know Mr. Keith.–If I can take care of the present, I let the past and the future take care of themselves,” he continued to Mrs. Lancaster. “Come and have a turn. That will make the present worth all of the past.”

“Ferdy, you are discreet,” said one of the other men, with a laugh.

“My dear fellow,” said the young man, turning, “I assure you, you don’t know half my virtues.”

“What are your virtues, Ferdy?”

“One is not interfering with others.” He turned back to Mrs. Lancaster. “Come, have a turn.” He took one of his hands from his pocket and held it out.

“我订婚了，”兰开斯特夫人说。

“Oh, that makes no difference. You are always engaged; come,” he said.

“I beg your pardon. It makes a difference in Free Introduction case,” said Keith, coming forward. “I believe this is my turn, Mrs. Lancaster?”

Wickersham’s glance swept across, but did not rest on him, though it was enough for Keith to meet it for a second, and, without looking, the young man turned lazily away.

“Shall we find a seat?” Mrs. Lancaster asked as she took Keith’s arm.

“Delighted, unless you prefer to dance.”

“I did not know that dancing was one of your accomplishments,” she said as they strolled along.

“Maybe, I have acquired several accomplishments that you do not know of. It has been a long time since you knew me,” he answered lightly. As they turned, his eyes fell on Wickersham. He was standing where they had left him, his eyes fastened on them malevolently. As Keith looked he started and turned away. Mrs. Lancaster had also seen him.

“你和费迪之间有什么关系？”她问。

“没有。”

“There must be. Did you ever have a row with him?”

“是的;但那是很久以前的事了。”

“我不知道。他记忆力很好。他不喜欢你。”她若有所思地说道。

“Doesn’t he?” laughed Keith. “Well, I must try and sustain it as best I can.”

“And you don’t like him? Few men like him. I wonder why that is?”

“And many women?” questioned Keith, as for a moment he recalled Mrs. Wentworth’s face when he spoke of him.

“有些女人，”她迅速瞥了他一眼，纠正道。她想了想，然后继续说道：“我认为部分原因是他非常大胆，部分原因是他似乎从来不认识任何人。这是世界上最阴险的奉承。我喜欢他，因为我认识他一辈子。我非常了解他。”

“Yes?” Keith spoke politely.

她读懂了他的想法。 “你想知道我是否真的认识他？是的，我愿意。但是，不知何故，我仍然坚持那些我在少女时代认识的人。你不信，但我信。”她看了他一眼，然后移开视线。

“是的，我确实相信。那么我们就成为朋友吧——老朋友，”基思说。他伸出手，当她握住时，他紧紧地握住了她的手。

“今晚谁和你一起来的？”他问。

“No one. Mr. Lancaster does not care for balls.”

“你不愿意让我高兴地送你回家吗？”她犹豫了一下，然后说道：

“I will drop you at your hotel. It is right on my way home.”

Just then some one came up and joined the group.

“啊，我亲爱的兰开斯特夫人！你今天晚上气色真好！”

The full voice, no less than the words, sounded familiar to Keith, and turning, he recognized the young clergyman whom he had met at Mrs. Wentworth’s when he passed through New York some years before. The years had plainly used Mr. Rimmon well. He was dressed in an evening suit with a clerical waistcoat which showed that his plump frame had taken on an extra layer, and a double chin was beginning to rest on his collar.

Mrs. Lancaster smiled as she returned his greeting.

“You are my stand-by, Mr. Rimmon. I always know that, no matter what others may say of me, I shall be sure of at least one compliment before the evening is over if you are present.”

“那是因为你总是应得的。”他把头偏向一侧，就像一只知更鸟一样。 “啊，如果你知道我对你说了多少你从未听过的赞美就好了！我的一生都是对你的赞美，”里蒙先生说道。

“Not your entire life, Mr. Rimmon. You are like some other men. You confound me with some one else; for I am sure I heard you saying the same thing five minutes ago to Louise Wentworth.”

“不可能的。那我肯定把她和你混为一谈了。”里蒙先生叹了口气，用他那双憔悴的眼睛看着兰开斯特夫人，兰开斯特夫人笑着用扇子轻轻地拍了拍他。

“Go and practise that on a débutante. I am an old married woman, remember.”

“啊，我！”先生叹了口气。 “‘婚姻、死亡和分裂让我们的生活变得贫瘠。’”

“那是从哪里来的？”兰开斯特夫人问道。

“Ah! from–ah–” began Mr. Rimmon, then catching Keith’s eyes resting on him with an amused look in them, he turned red.

她对基思说道。 “先生。基思，你曾经向我引用过这句话；它从何而来？来自圣经？”

“没有。”

“我在报纸上读到了这则消息，非常震惊，以至于我记住了它，”里蒙先生说。

“我在《Laus Veneris》中读到过，”基思冷冷地说，眼睛盯着对方的脸。看到它变红，他很高兴。

Keith, as he passed through the rooms, caught sight of an old lady over in a corner. He could scarcely believe his senses; it was Miss Abigail. She was sitting back against the wall, watching the crowd with eyes as sharp as needles. Sometimes her thin lips twitched, and her bright eyes snapped with inward amusement. Keith made his way over to her. She was so much engaged that he stood beside her a moment without her seeing him. Then she turned and glanced at him.

“‘A chiel’s amang ye takin’ notes,'” he said, laughing and holding out his hand.

“‘An’, faith! she’ll prent ’em,'” she answered, with a nod. “How are you? I am glad to see you. I was just wishing I had somebody to enjoy this with me, but not a man. I ought to be gone; and so ought you, young man. I started, but I thought if I could get in a corner by myself where there were no men I might stay a little while and look at it; for I certainly never saw anything like this before, and I don’t think I ever shall again. I certainly do not think you ought to see it.”

Keith laughed, and she continued:

“I knew things had changed since I was a girl; but I didn’t know it was as bad as this. Why, I don’t think it ought to be allowed.”

“What?” asked Keith.

“This.” She waved her hand to include the dancing throng before them. “They tell me all those women dancing around there are married.”

“I believe many of them are.”

“Why don’t those young women have partners?”

“Why, some of them do. I suppose the others are not attractive enough, or something.”

“Especially 东西,” said the old lady. “Where are their husbands?”

“Why, some of them are at home, and some are here.”

“Where?” The old lady turned her eyes on a couple that sailed by her, the man talking very earnestly to his companion, who was listening breathlessly. “Is that her husband?”

“Well, no; that is not, I believe.”

“No; I’ll be bound it is not. You never saw a married man talking to his wife in public in that way–unless they were talking about the last month’s bills. Why, it is perfectly brazen.”

基思笑了。

“Where is her husband?” she demanded, as Mrs. Wentworth floated by, a vision of brocaded satin and lace and white shoulders, supported by Ferdy Wickersham, who was talking earnestly and looking down into her eyes languishingly.

“Oh, her husband is here.”

“Well, he had better take her home to her little children. If ever I saw a face that I distrusted it is that man’s.”

“Why, that is Ferdy Wickersham. He is one of the leaders of society. He is considered quite an Adonis,” observed Keith.

“我认为阿多尼斯不太适合一个带着孩子的年轻女子穿着只有她丈夫才能看到的服装跳舞。”她阴沉地闭上了嘴唇。 “我认识他，”她补充道。 “我了解他们三代人的一切。年龄的不幸之一是，当一个人像我一样老的时候，她会知道很多人的邪恶。我认识那个年轻人的祖父，当时他还是一名值得尊敬的机械师。他的妻子是个傲慢的女人，自以为比丈夫优秀，而他们的女儿则是一个黑眼睛、红脸颊的漂亮女孩。他们送她去学校，一两年后她再也没有回来。她已经超越了他们。她父亲也这么告诉我。老人为此哭了。他说他的妻子认为这没什么问题；他的女儿嫁给了一个聪明的年轻人，是银行的职员；但如果他还有一百个孩子，他只会教他们读书、写字和算术。想想看，她的儿子应该是与我表弟埃弗雷特·温特沃斯的儿媳妇一起跳舞的阿多尼斯！哎呀，如果我的温特沃斯姨妈知道的话，她一定会从坟墓里爬起来的！”

“Well, times have changed,” said Keith, laughing. “You see they are as good as anybody now.”

“Not as good as anybody–you mean as rich as anybody.”

“That amounts to about the same thing here, doesn’t it?”

“我相信是的，在这里，”老太太吸了吸鼻子说。 “好吧，”她停顿了一下后说道，“我想我会回去告诉玛蒂尔达我所看到的。如果你聪明的话，你也会跟我一起去的。这里不适合像你我这样出生在乡村的普通人。”

Keith, laughing, said he had an engagement, but he would like to have the privilege of taking her home, and then he could return.

“With a married woman, I suppose? Yes, I will be bound it is,” she added as Keith nodded. “You see the danger of evil association. I shall write to your father and tell him that the sooner he gets you out of New York the better it will be for your morals and your manners. For you are the only man, except Norman, who has been so provincial as to take notice of an unknown old woman.”

So she went chatting merrily down the stairway to her carriage, making her observations on whatever she saw with the freshness of a girl.

“Do you think Norman is happy?” she suddenly asked Keith.

“为什么是;你不这么认为吗？他拥有世界上一切让他快乐的东西。”基思有些惊讶地说。但即使在那一刻，他的脑海里也闪过这样的念头：温特沃斯夫人对她丈夫的态度中有些东西是他自己感觉到的，而不是观察到的。

“Except that he has married a fool,” said the old lady, briefly. “Don’t you marry a fool, you hear?”

“I believe she is devoted to Norman and to her children,” Keith began, but Miss Abigail interrupted him.

“And why shouldn’t she be? Isn’t she his wife? She gives him, perhaps, what is left over after her devotion to herself, her house, her frocks, her jewels, and–Adonis.”

“Oh, I don’t believe she cares for him,” declared Keith. “It is impossible.”

“I don’t believe she does either, but she cares for herself, and he flatters her. The idea of a Norman-Wentworth’s wife being flattered by the attention of a tinker’s grandson!”

When the ball broke up and Mrs. Lancaster’s carriage was called, several men escorted her to it. Wickersham, who was trying to recover ground which something told him he had lost, followed her down the stairway with one or two other men, and after she had entered the carriage stood leaning in at the door while he made his adieus and peace at the same moment.

“你并不总是对我那么残忍。”他低声说道。

Mrs. Lancaster laughed genuinely.

“I was never cruel to you, Ferdy; you mistake leniency for harshness.”

“No one else would say that to me.”

“So much the more pity. You would be a better man if you had the truth told you oftener.”

“When did you become such an advocate of Truth? Is it this man?”

“什么样的男人？”

“Keith. If it is, I want to tell you that he is not what he pretends.”

A change came over Mrs. Lancaster’s face.

“He is a gentleman,” she said coldly.

“哦，是吗？他是一名舞台司机。”

Mrs. Lancaster drew herself up.

“If he was–” she began. But she stopped suddenly, glanced beyond Wickersham, and moved over to the further side of the carriage.

Just then a hand was laid on Wickersham’s arm, and a voice behind him said:

“请再说一遍。”

Wickersham knew the voice, and without looking around stood aside for the speaker to make his adieus. Keith stepped into the carriage and pulled to the door before the footman could close it.

At the sound the impatient horses started off, leaving three men standing in the street looking very blank. Stirling was the first to speak; he turned to the others in amazement.

“Who is Keith?” he demanded.

“哦，一个来自南方某地的家伙。”

“好吧，基思知道他的事！”斯特林先生说，他真诚地钦佩地点点头。

Wickersham uttered an imprecation and turned back into the house.

Next day Mr. Stirling caught Wickersham in a group of young men at the club, and told them the story.

“留意基思，”他说。 “他给我上了一课。”

Wickersham growled an inaudible reply.

“Who was the lady? Wickersham tries to capture so many prizes, what you say gives us no light,” said Mr. Minturn, one of the men.

“Oh, no. I’ll only tell you it’s not the one you think,” said the jolly bachelor. “But I am going to take lessons of that man Keith. These countrymen surprise me sometimes.”

“He was a d—-d stage-driver,” said Wickersham.

“Then you had better take lessons from him, Ferdy,” said Stirling. “He drives well. He’s a veteran.”

When Keith reached his room he lit a cigar and flung himself into a chair. Somehow, the evening had not left a pleasant impression on his mind. Was this the Alice Yorke he had worshipped, revered? Was this the woman whom he had canonized throughout these years? Why was she carrying on an affair with Ferdy Wickersham? What did he mean by those last words at the carriage? She said she knew him. Then she must know what his reputation was. Now and then it came to Keith that it was nothing to him. Mrs. Lancaster was married, and her affairs could not concern him. But they did concern him. They had agreed to be old friends–old friends. He would be a true friend to her.

他站起来，扔掉了抽了一半的雪茄。

Keith called on Mrs. Lancaster just before he left for the South. Though he had no such motive when he put off his visit, he could not have done a wiser thing. It was a novel experience for her to invite a man to call on her and not have him jump at the proposal, appear promptly next day, frock-coat, kid gloves, smooth flattery, and all; and when Keith had not appeared on the third day after the ball, it set her to thinking. She imagined at first that he must have been called out of town, but Mrs. Norman, whom she met, dispelled this idea. Keith had dined with them informally the evening before.

“He appeared to be in high spirits,” added the lady. “His scheme has succeeded, and he is about to go South. Norman took it up and put it through for him.”

“我知道，”兰开斯特夫人一本正经地说。

Mrs. Wentworth’s form stiffened slightly; but her manner soon became gracious again. “Ferdy says there is nothing in it.”

他会不会被冒犯了，或者害怕了——自己？兰开斯特夫人反映道。温特沃斯夫人的下一个观察也推翻了这一理论。 “你应该听他谈论你。对了，我已经查出那个鬼是谁了。”

Mrs. Lancaster threw a mask over her face.

“He says you have more than fulfilled the promise of your girlhood: that you are the handsomest woman he has seen in New York, my dear,” pursued the other, looking down at her own shapely figure. “Of course, I do not agree with him, quite,” she laughed. “But, then, people will differ.”

“Louise Wentworth, vanity is a deadly sin,” said the other, smiling, “and we are told in the Commandments–I forget which one–to envy nothing of our neighbor’s.”

“He said he wanted to go to see you; that you had kindly invited him, and he wished very much to meet Mr. Lancaster,” said Mrs. Wentworth, blandly.

“Yes, I am sure they will like each other,” said Mrs. Lancaster, with dignity. “Mamma also is very anxious to see him. She used to know him when–when he was a boy, and liked him very much, too, though she would not acknowledge it to me then.” She laughed softly at some recollection.

“He spoke of your mother most pleasantly,” declared Mrs. Wentworth, not without Mrs. Lancaster noticing that she was claiming to stand as Keith’s friend.

“Well, I shall not be at home to-morrow,” she began. “I have promised to go out to-morrow afternoon.”

“Oh, sha’n’t you? Why, what a pity! because he said he was going to pay his calls to-morrow, as he expected to leave to-morrow night. I think he would be very sorry not to see you.”

“哦，好吧，那么，我就留下来了。我的其他约会并不重要。”

她的朋友看上去很和善。

Recollecting Mrs. Wentworth’s expression, Mrs. Lancaster determined that she would not be at home the following afternoon. She would show Mrs. Wentworth that she could not gauge her so easily as she fancied. But at the last moment, after putting on her hat, she changed her mind. She remained in, and ended by inviting Keith to dinner that evening, an invitation which was so graciously seconded by Mr. Lancaster that Keith, finding that he could take a later train, accepted. Mrs. Yorke was at the dinner, too, and how gracious she was to Keith! She “could scarcely believe he was the same man she had known a few years before.” She “had heard a great deal of him, and had come around to dinner on purpose to meet him.” This was true.

“And you have done so well, too, I hear. Your friends are very pleased to know of your success,” she said graciously.

Keith smilingly admitted that he had had, perhaps, better fortune than he deserved; but this Mrs. Yorke amiably would by no means allow.

“Mrs. Wentworth–not Louise–I mean the elder Mrs. Wentworth–was speaking of you. You and Norman were great friends when you were boys, she tells me. They were great friends of ours, you know, long before we met you.”

He wondered how much the Wentworths’ indorsement counted for in securing Mrs. Yorke’s invitation. For a good deal, he knew; but as much credit as he gave it he was within the mark.

It was only her environment. She could no more escape from that than if she were in prison. She gauged every one by what others thought, and she possessed no other gauge. Yet there was a certain friendliness, too, in Mrs. Yorke. The good lady had softened with the years, and at heart she had always liked Keith.

Most of her conversation was of her friends and their position. Alice was thinking of going abroad soon to visit some friends on the other side, “of a very distinguished family,” she told Keith.

When Keith left the Lancaster house that night Alice Lancaster knew that he had wholly recovered.

基思回到家后很快发现自己在新利兹比离开时要强大得多。罗森矿区开设的矿场从一开始就带来了成功的巨大希望。

Keith picked up a newspaper one day a little later. It announced in large head-lines, as befitted the chronicling of such an event, the death of Mr. William Lancaster, capitalist. He had died suddenly in his office. His wife, it was stated, was in Europe and had been cabled the sad intelligence. There was a sketch of his life and also of that of his wife. Their marriage, it was recalled, had been one of the “romances” of the season a few years before. He had taken society by surprise by carrying off one of the belles of the season, the beautiful Miss Yorke. The rest of the notice was taken up in conjectures as to the amount of his property and the sums he would be likely to leave to the various charitable institutions of which he had always been a liberal patron.

基思把报纸放在膝盖上，若有所思地走了。兰卡斯特先生死了！在他在纽约遇到的所有男人中，他在某些方面给他留下了最深刻的印象。在他看来，他是最完美的绅士类型。性格内向，性格冷酷，但又优雅又聪明。他觉得他应该为兰开斯特先生的死感到遗憾，并且他试图为他的妻子感到遗憾。他开始给她写一封吊唁信，但写到第一行就停了下来，再也写不下去了。然而，连续几天，她一天好几次地出现在他的面前，每一次都给他一种不满足的感觉，直到最后他才能将她从他的脑海中驱逐出去。

Prosperity is like the tide. It comes, each wave higher and higher, until it almost appears that it will never end, and then suddenly it seems to ebb a little, comes up again, recedes again, and, before one knows it, is passing away as surely as it came.

Just when Keith thought that his tide was in full flood, it began to ebb without any apparent cause, and before he was aware of it, the prosperity which for the last few years had been setting in so steadily in those mountain regions had passed away, and New Leeds and he were left stranded upon the rocks.

Rumor came down to New Leeds from the North. The Wickersham enterprises were said to be hard hit by some of the failures which had occurred.

A few weeks later Keith heard that Mr. Aaron Wickersham was dead. The clerks said that he had had a quarrel with his son the day after the panic and had fallen in an apoplectic fit soon afterwards. But then the old clerks had been discharged immediately after his death. Young Wickersham said he did not want any dead-wood in his offices. Also he did not want any dead property. Among his first steps was the sale of the old Keith plantation. Gordon, learning that it was for sale, got a friend to lend him the money and bought it in, though it would scarcely have been known for the same place. The mansion had been stripped of its old furniture and pictures soon after General Keith had left there, and the plantation had gone down.

谣言还说威克沙姆的事情很糟糕。当然，新任主人没有表现出这一点。他开设了一个更大的办公室，并开始更大规模的运营。这 号角 表示将积极推进自己的南方企业，大枪矿的股票很快就会在纽约交易所上市。

Ferdy Wickersham suddenly returned to New Leeds, and New Leeds showed his presence. Machinery was shipped sufficient to run a dozen mines. He not only pushed the old mines, but opened a new one. It was on a slip of land that lay between the Rawson property and the stream that ran down from the mountain. Some could not understand why he should run the shaft there, unless it was that he was bent on cutting the Rawson property off from the stream. It was a perilous location for a shaft, and Matheson, the superintendent, had protested against it.

Matheson’s objections proved to be well founded. The mine was opened so near the stream that water broke through into it, as Matheson had predicted, and though a strong wall was built, the water still got in, and it was difficult to keep it pumped out sufficiently to work. Some of the men struck. It was known that Wickersham had nearly come to a rupture with the hard-headed Scotchman over it; but Wickersham won. Still, the coal did not come. It was asserted that the shafts had failed to reach coal. Wickersham laughed and kept on–kept on till coal did come. It was heralded abroad. The 号角 devoted columns to the success of the “Great Gun Mine” and Wickersham.

威克沙姆自然地表现出了他的胜利。他在新温莎举行的盛大宴会上庆祝了这一天，会上发表的讲话将他比作拿破仑和其他几位将军。普卢姆先生宣称他“比地米斯托克利更伟大，因为他会演奏鲁特琴，并将一座小城市变成一座伟大的城市”。

Wickersham himself made a speech, in which he professed his joy that he had silenced the tongue of slander and wrested from detraction a victory not for himself, but for New Leeds. His enemies and the enemies of New Leeds were, he declared, the same. They would soon see his enemies suing for aid. He was applauded to the echo. All this and much more was in the 号角 next day, with some very pointed satire about “rival mines.”

与此同时，基思正忙着仔细研究平台并验证线路。

The old squire came to town a morning or two later. “I see Mr. Wickersham’s struck coal at last,” he said to Keith, after he had got his pipe lit. His face showed that he was brimming with information.

“Yes–我们的 coal.” Keith showed him the plats. “He is over our line–I do not know just where, but in here somewhere.”

The old fellow put on his spectacles and looked long and carefully.

“He says he owns it all; that he’ll have us suin’ for pardon?”

“Suing for damages.”

The old squire gave a chuckle of satisfaction. “He is in and about 那里.” He pointed with a stout and horny finger.

“你怎么知道？”

“Well, you see, little Dave Dennison–you remember Dave? You taught him.”

“Perfectly–I mean, I remember him perfectly. He is now in New York.”

“是的。好吧，戴夫，他曾经对弗罗尼很甜蜜，而且他似乎仍然对她很甜蜜。”

Mr. Keith nodded.

“嗯，当然，弗罗尼，她看起来比戴夫高——但你知道女人是如何表达的吗？”

“我不知道——我知道他们是奇怪的生物，”基思几乎是叹了口气，他与一个女人的过去历历在目。

“嗯，他们不会放人走，不，不会，不会完全放人——除非他碍事。所以，虽然弗罗妮对戴夫一点也不感兴趣，但她还是让他时断时续，直到这个年轻的威克沙姆来到这里。你知道吗，我认为她和他彼此喜欢？他已经见过她两次了，并且总是给她写信？”他的声音里带着询问。但基思没有在意，老人继续说道。

“好吧，从那以后，她对戴夫有点冷淡了——不会让他在身边了——而戴夫也变得有点不高兴。好吧，他讨厌威克沙姆，那天晚上他站起来告诉她，威克沙姆是纽约最大的流氓；他“让他的父亲非常伤心，并将这个新矿的库存投入市场”，而且他没有足够的煤炭来填满他的帽子；他曾深陷其中，煤炭全都是从我们的矿井里出来的。”

Keith’s eyes glistened.

“究竟。”

“Well, with that she got so mad with Dave, she wouldn’t speak to him; and Dave left, swearin’ he’d settle Wickersham and show him up, and he’ll do it if he can.”

“Where is he?” asked Keith, in some anxiety. “Tell him not to do anything till I see him.”

“不;我抓住他，把他扶正。他告诉了我这一切。他说得很对。他开玩笑地为弗罗尼哭泣。”

Keith wrote a note to Wickersham. He referred to the current rumors that the cutting had run over on their side, suggesting, however, that it might have been by inadvertence.

When this letter was received, Wickersham was in conference with his superintendent, Mr. Matheson. The interview had been somewhat stormy, for the superintendent had just made the very statement that Keith’s note contained. He was not in a placid frame of mind, for the work was going badly; and Mr. Plume was seated in an arm-chair listening to his report. He did not like Plume, and had wished to speak privately to Wickersham; but Wickersham had told him to go ahead, that Plume was a friend of his, and as much interested in the success of the work as Matheson was. Plume’s satisfaction and nonchalant air vexed the Scotchman. Just then Keith’s note came, and Wickersham, after reading it, tossed it over first to Plume. Plume read it and handed it back without the least change of expression. Then Wickersham, after some reflection, tossed it to Matheson.

“That’s right,” he nodded, when he had read it. “We are already over the line so far that the men know it.”

Wickersham’s temper gave way.

“Well, I know it. Do you suppose I am so ignorant as not to know anything? But I am not fool enough to give it away. You need not go bleating around about it everywhere.”

Plume’s eye glistened with satisfaction.

The superintendent’s brow, which had clouded, grew darker. He had already stood much from this young man. He had followed his orders in running the mine beyond the lines shown on the plats; but he had accepted Wickersham’s statement that the lines were wrong, not the workings.

“I wush you to understand one thing, Mr. Wickersham,” he said. “I came here to superintend your mines and to do my work like an honest man; but I don’t propose to soil my hands with any dirrty dealings, or to engage in any violation of the law; for I am a law-abiding, God-fearing man, and before I’ll do it I’ll go.”

“Then you can go,” said Wickersham, angrily. “Go, and be d—-d to you! I will show you that I know my own business.”

“Then I will go. I do not think you do know it. If you did, you would not–”

“Never mind. I want no more advice from you,” snarled Wickersham.

“I would like to have a letter saying that the work that has been done since you took charge has been under your express orders.”

“I’ll see you condemned first. I suppose it was by my orders that the cutting ran so near to the creek that that work had to be done to keep the mine from being flooded?”

“It was, by your 特快 命令。”

“I deny it. I suppose it was by my orders that the men were set on to strike?”

“你被告知了危险以及你的坚持可能带来的后果。”

“哦，你总是嘎嘎叫——”

“And I will croak once more,” said the discharged official. “You will never make that mine pay, for there is no coal there. It is all on the other side of the line.”

“我不会！好吧，我会告诉你。至少，我比以前更有机会获得回报。我想你现在提议去找基思并告诉他你所知道的关于我们工作的一切。我想他想知道——比他已经知道的还要多。”

“我没有泄露雇主私事的习惯。”男人冷冷地说。 “他不需要我提供任何信息。他不是傻子。他知道。”

“Oh, he does, does he! Then you told him,” asserted Wickersham, furiously.

This was more than the Scotchman could bear. He had already stood much, and his face might have warned Wickersham. Suddenly it flamed. He took one step forward, a long one, and rammed his clinched and hairy fist under the young man’s nose.

“You lie! And, —- you! you know you lie. I’m a law-abiding, God-fearing man; but if you don’t take that back, I will break every bone in your face. I’ve a mind to do it anyhow.”

Wickersham rolled back out of his chair as if the knotted fist under his nose had driven him. His face was white as he staggered to his feet.

“I didn’t mean–I don’t say–. What do you mean anyhow?” he stammered.

“Take it back.” The foreman advanced slowly.

“Yes–I didn’t mean anything. What are you getting so mad about?”

The foreman cut him short with a fierce gesture. “Write me that paper I want, and pay me my money.”

“Write what–?”

“That the lower shaft and the last drift was cut by your order. Write it!” He pointed to the paper on the desk. Wickersham sat down and wrote a few lines. His hand trembled.

“Here it is,” he said sullenly.

“现在付钱给我吧，”苏格兰人怒目而视地说。

The money was paid, and Matheson, without a word, turned and walked out.

“D— him! I wish the mine had fallen in on him,” Wickersham growled.

“You are well quit of him,” said Mr. Plume, consolingly.

“I’ll get even with him yet.”

“You have to answer your other friend,” observed Mr. Plume.

“I’ll answer him.” He seized a sheet of paper and began to write, annotating it with observations far from complimentary to Keith and Matheson. He read the letter to Plume. It was a curt inquiry whether Mr. Keith meant to make the charge that he had crossed his line. If so, Wickersham & Company knew their remedy and would be glad to know at last the source whence these slanderous reports had come.

“That will settle him.”

Mr. Plume nodded. “It ought to do it.”

Keith’s reply to this note was sent that night.

It stated simply that he did make the charge, and if Mr. Wickersham wished it, he was prepared to prove it.

Wickersham’s face fell. “Matheson’s been to him.”

“Or some one else,” said Mr. Plume. “That Bluffy hates you like poison. You’ve got to do something and do it quick.”

威克沙姆抬头看了一眼普鲁姆。他坚定地注视着他的眼睛。威克沙姆的脸上露出一丝皱眉的表情。然后一切就过去了，他的脸色变得僵硬，颜色变得更加苍白。他又看了看Plume，舔了舔嘴唇。普鲁姆的目光仍然落在他身上。

“What do you know!” he asked Plume.

“Only what others know. They all know it or will soon.”

Wickersham’s face settled more. He cursed in a low voice and then relapsed into reflection.

“Get up a strike,” said Plume. “They are ripe for it. Close her down and blow her up.”

Wickersham’s countenance changed, and presently his brow cleared.

“It will serve them right. I’ll let them know who owns these mines.”

Next morning there was posted a notice of a cut of wages in the Wickersham mines. There was a buzz of excitement in New Leeds and anger among the mining population. At dinner-time there were meetings and much talking. That night again, there were meetings and whiskey and more talking,–louder talking,–speeches and resolutions. Next morning a committee waited on Mr. Wickersham, who received the men politely but coldly. He “thought he knew how to manage his own business. They must be aware that he had spent large sums in developing property which had not yet begun to pay. When it began to pay he would be happy, etc. If they chose to strike, all right. He could get others in their places.”

That night there were more meetings. Next day the men did not go to work. By evening many of them were drunk. There was talk of violence. Bill Bluffy, who was now a miner, was especially savage.

Keith was surprised, a few days later, as he was passing along the street, to meet Euphronia Tripper. He spoke to her cordially. She was dressed showily and was handsomer than when he saw her last. The color mounted her face as he stopped her, and he wondered that Wickersham had not thought her pretty. When she blushed she was almost a beauty. He asked about her people at home, inquiring in a breath when she came, where she was staying, how long she was going to remain, etc.

She answered the first questions glibly enough; but when he inquired as to the length of her visit and where she was staying, she appeared somewhat confused.

“I have cousins here, the Turleys.”

“Oh! You are with Mr. Turley?” Keith felt relieved.

“呃——不——我不会和他们住在一起。我和其他一些朋友在一起。”她的颜色时隐时现。

“他们叫什么名字？”

“Their name? Oh–uh–I don’t know their names.”

“Don’t know their names!”

“No. You see it’s a sort of private boarding-house, and they took me in.”

“Oh, I thought you said they were friends,” said Keith.

“Why, yes, they are, but–I have forgotten their names. Don’t you understand?”

Keith did not understand.

“I only came a few days ago, and I am going right away.”

Keith passed on. Euphronia had clearly not changed her nature. Insensibly, Keith thought of Ferdy Wickersham. Old Rawson’s conversation months before recurred to him. He knew that the girl was vain and light-headed. He also knew Wickersham.

He mentioned to Mr. Turley having seen the girl in town, and the old fellow went immediately and took her out of the little boarding-house where she had put up, and brought her to his home.

Keith was not long in doubt as to the connection between her presence and Wickersham’s.

Several times he had occasion to call at Mr. Turley’s. On each occasion he found Wickersham there, and it was very apparent that he was not an unwelcome visitor.

It was evident to Keith that Wickersham was trying to make an impression on the young girl.

很久以前的那个晚上，当他在老乡绅的果园里遇见她和威克沙姆时，他又回到了他身边，那个坚定的老乡下人，以他的朴实的方式，他的坚定的骄傲，他的正直的想法，站在他面前。他知道他对这个女孩感到骄傲；她离他的心有多近；如果她出了什么事，对他来说将是多么致命的打击。而且，他知道，如果她受到伤害，他会采取多么猛烈的报复。

He determined to give Wickersham a hint of the danger he was running, if, as he believed, he was simply amusing himself with the girl. He and Wickersham still kept up relations ostensibly friendly. Wickersham had told him he was going back to New York on a certain day; but three days later, as Keith was returning late from his mines, he came on Wickersham and Phrony in a byway outside of the town. His arm was about her. They were so closely engaged that they did not notice him until he was on them. Phrony appeared much excited. “Well, I will not go otherwise,” Keith heard her say. She turned hastily away as Keith came up, and her face was scarlet with confusion, and even Wickersham looked disconcerted.

That night Keith waited for Wickersham at the hotel till a late hour, and when at length Wickersham came in he met him.

“I thought you were going back to New York?” he said.

“I find it pleasanter here,” said the young man, with a significant look at him.

“看来你觉得很愉快。”

“I always make it pleasant for myself wherever I go, my boy. You are a Stoic; I prefer the Epicurean philosophy.”

“Yes? And how about others?”

“Oh, I make it pleasant for them too. Didn’t it look so to-day?” The glance he gave him authorized Keith to go on.

“Did it ever occur to you that you might make it too pleasant for them–for a time?”

“啊！我已经想到了。但这是他们的瞭望台。”

“Wickersham,” said Keith, calmly, “that’s a very young girl and a very ignorant girl, and, so far as I know, a very innocent one.”

“你肯定知道！”对方傲慢地说。

“Yes, I believe she is. Moreover, she comes of very good and respectable people. Her grandfather–”

“My dear boy, I don’t care anything about the grandfather! It is only the granddaughter I am interesting myself in. She is the only pretty girl within a hundred miles of here, unless you except your old friend of the dance-hall, and I always interest myself in the prettiest woman about me.”

“你打算娶她吗？”

威克沙姆发自内心地大笑起来。

“哦，来吧，基思。你就因为舞厅老板有一口白牙就嫁给她吗？”

基思微微皱起了眉头。

“Never mind about me. Do you propose to marry her? She, at least, does not keep a dance-hall.”

“No; I shall leave that for you.” His face and tone were insolent, and Keith gripped his chair. He felt himself flush. Then his blood surged back; but he controlled himself and put by the insolence for the moment.

“别让我参与这件事。你知道你在做什么吗？”他的声音有些不稳定。

“我至少知道你在做什么：干涉我的事。我知道如何照顾自己，不需要你的帮助。”

“I was not thinking of you, but of her–”

“That’s the difference between us. I was,” said Ferdy, coolly. He rolled a cigarette.

“Well, you will have need to think of yourself if you wrong that girl,” said Keith. “For I tell you now that if anything were to happen to her, your life would not be worth a button in these mountains.”

“There are other places besides the mountains,” observed Wickersham. But Keith noticed that he had paled a little and his voice had lost some of its assurance.

“I don’t believe the world would be big enough to hide you. I know two men who would kill you on sight.”

“Who is the other one?” asked Wickersham.

“I am not counting myself–yet,” said Keith, quietly. “It would not be necessary. The old squire and Dave Dennison would take my life if I interfered with their rights.”

“You are prudent,” said Ferdy.

“我很宽容，”基思说。

Wickersham’s tone was as insolent as ever, but as he leaned over and reached for a match, Keith observed that his hand shook slightly. And the eyes that were levelled at Keith through the smoke of his cigarette were unsteady.

Next morning Ferdy Wickersham had a long interview with Plume, and that night Mr. Plume had a conference in his private office with a man–a secret conference, to judge from the care with which doors were locked, blinds pulled down, and voices kept lowered. He was a stout, youngish fellow, with a low forehead, lowering eyes, and a sodden face. He might once have been good-looking, but drink was written on Mr. William Bluffy now in ineffaceable characters. Plume alternately cajoled him and hectored him, trying to get his consent to some act which he was unwilling to perform.

“I don’t see the slightest danger in it,” insisted Plume, “and you did not use to be afraid. Your nerves must be getting loose.”

The other man’s eyes rested on him with something like contempt.

“My nerves’re all right. I ain’t skeered; but I don’t want to mix up in your —- business. If a man wants trouble with me, he can get it and he knows how to do it. I don’t like yer man Wickersham–not a little bit. But I don’t want to do it that way. I’d like to meet him fair and full on the street and settle which was the best man.”

Plume began again. “You can’t do that way here now. That’s broke up. But the way I tell you is the real way.” He pictured Wickersham’s wealth, his hardness toward his employés, his being a Yankee, his boast that he would injure Keith and shut up his mine.

“What’ve you got against him?” demanded Mr. Bluffy. “I thought you and him was thick as thieves?”

“这是我追求的公共利益，”普卢姆毫不脸红地宣称。 “我首先、最后、永远都支持新利兹。”

“You must think you are New Leeds,” observed Bluffy.

Plume laughed.

“I’ve got nothing against him particularly, though he’s injured me deeply. Hasn’t he thrown all the men out of work!” He pushed the bottle over toward the other, and he poured out another drink and tossed it off. “You needn’t be so easy about him. He’s been mean enough to you. Wasn’t it him that gave the description of you that night when you stopped the stage?”

Bill Bluffy’s face changed, and there was a flash in his eye.

“谁说是我干的？”

Plume laughed. “I don’t say you did it. You needn’t get mad with me. He says you did it. Keith said he didn’t know what sort of man it was. Wickersham described you so that everybody knew you. I reckon if Keith had back-stood him you’d have had a harder time than you did.”

布拉夫额头上的乌云愈发浓重。他又喝了一杯。

“—- him! I’ll blow up his —- mine and him, too!” he growled. “How did you say ’twas to be done?”

Plume glanced around at the closed windows and lowered his voice as he made certain explanations.

“我会提供炸药。”

“All right. Give me the money.”

但普鲁姆表示反对。

“Not till it’s done. I haven’t any doubt about your doing it,” he explained quickly, seeing a black look in Bluffy’s eyes. “But you know yourself you’re liable to get full, and you mayn’t do it as well as you otherwise would.”

“Oh, if I say I’ll do it, I’ll do it.”

“You needn’t be afraid of not getting your money.”

“I ain’t afraid,” said Bluffy, with an oath. “If I don’t get it I’ll get blood.” His eyes as they rested on Plume had a sudden gleam in them.

那天晚上，当威克沙姆和普卢姆见面时，后者讲述了他的谈判情况。 “一切都解决了，”他说，“但它的成本比我预期的要高——多得多，”他慢慢地说，通过他的脸来衡量威克沙姆的看法。

“How much more? I told you my limit.”

“We had to do it,” said Mr. Plume, without stating the price.

威克沙姆发誓。

“He won’t do it till he gets the cash,” pursued Plume. “But I’ll be responsible for him,” he added quickly, noting the change in Wickersham’s expression.

Again Wickersham swore; and Plume changed the subject.

“How’d you come out?” he asked.

“When–what do you mean?”

Plume jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “With the lady?”

Wickersham sniffed. “All right.” He drifted for a moment into reflection. “The little fool’s got conscientious doubts,” he said presently, with a half-smile. “Won’t go unless–.” His eyes rested on Plume’s with a gauging expression in them.

“Well, why not? That’s natural enough. She’s been brought up right. They’re proud as anybody. Her grandfather–”

“You’re a fool!” said Wickersham, briefly.

“You can get some one to go through a ceremony for you that would satisfy her and wouldn’t peach afterwards–”

“What a damned scoundrel you are, Plume!” said Mr. Wickersham, coldly.

Plume’s expression was between a smile and a scowl, but the smile was less pleasant than the frown.

“Get her to go to New York–When you’ve got her there you’ve got her. She can’t come back. Or I could perform it myself? I’ve been a preacher-am one now,” said Plume, without noticing the interruption further than by a cold gleam in his eyes.

Wickersham laughed derisively.

“Oh, no, not that. I may be given to my own diversions somewhat recklessly, but I’m not so bad as to let you touch any one I–I take an interest in.”

“随你便。”羽简短地说。 “我只是觉得这可能会给你带来方便。我会帮你的。我不认为你有必要如此——娇气。你所做的事情不是那么纯粹和崇高，你不能立即为马库斯·奥勒留和圣安东尼做好准备。”

“At least, it’s better than it would be if I let you take a hand in it,” sneered Wickersham.

The following afternoon Wickersham left New Leeds somewhat ostentatiously. A few strikers standing sullenly about the station jeered as he passed in. But he took no notice of them. He passed on to his train.

几天后的夜晚，一场巨大的爆炸震动了整个城镇，窗户发出嘎嘎声，人们从床上惊醒，胆怯和好奇的人纷纷涌上街头。

It was known next morning that some one had blown up the Great Gun Mine, opened at such immense cost. The dam that kept out the water was blown up; the machinery had been wrecked, and the mine was completely destroyed.

号角 denounced it as the deed of the strikers. The strikers held a meeting and denounced the charge as a foul slander; but the 号角 continued to denounce them as 主持人性.

It was, however, rumored around that it was not the strikers at all. One rumor even declared that it was done by the connivance of the company. It was said that Bill Bluffy had boasted of it in his cups, But when Mr. Bluffy was asked about it he denied the story in toto. He wasn’t such a —- fool as to do such a thing as that, he said. For the rest, he cursed Mr. Plume with bell, book, and candle.

A rumor came to Keith one morning a few days later that Phrony Tripper had disappeared.

She had left New Leeds more than a week before, as was supposed by her relatives, the Turleys, to pay a visit to friends in the adjoining State before returning home. To others she had said that she was going to the North for a visit, whilst yet others affirmed that she had given another destination. However this might be, she had left not long after Wickersham had taken his departure, and her leaving was soon coupled with his name. One man even declared that he had seen the two together in New York.

Another name was connected with the girl’s disappearance, though in a different way. Terpsichore suggested that Mr. Plume had had something to do with it, and that he could give information on the subject if he would. Mr. Plume had been away from New Leeds for several days about the time of Phrony’s departure.

“He did that Wickersham’s dirty work for him; that is, what he didn’t do for himself,” declared the young woman.

Plume’s statement was that he had been off on private business and had met with an accident. The nature of this “accident” was evident in his appearance.

Keith was hardly surprised when, a day or two after the rumor of the girl’s disappearance reached him, a heavy step thumping outside his office door announced the arrival of Squire Rawson. When the old man opened the door, Keith was shocked to see the change in him. He was haggard and worn, but there was that in his face which made Keith feel that whoever might be concerned in his granddaughter’s disappearance had reason to beware of meeting him.

“You have heard the news?” he said, as he sank into the chair which Keith offered him.

Keith said that he had heard it, and regretted it more than he could express. He had only waited, hoping that it might prove untrue, to write to him.

“Yes, she has gone,” added the old man, moodily. “She’s gone off and married without sayin’ a word to me or anybody. I didn’t think she’d ‘a’ done it.”

基思惊讶地倒抽了一口气。他身上的重担似乎被卸下了。毕竟她已经结婚了。下一刻，这个希望就被乡绅破灭了。

“I always thought,” said the old man, “that that young fellow was hankerin’ around her a good deal. I never liked him, because I didn’t trust him. And I wouldn’t ‘a’ liked him anyway,” he added frankly; “and I certainly don’t like him now. But–.” He drifted off into reflection for a moment and then came back again–“Women-folks are curious creatures. Phrony’s mother she appeared to like him, and I suppose we will have to make up with him. So I hev come up here to see if I can git his address.”

Keith’s heart sank within him. He knew Ferdy Wickersham too well not to know on what a broken reed the old man leaned.

“Some folks was a-hintin’,” pursued the old fellow, speaking slowly, “as, maybe, that young man hadn’t married her; but I knowed better then that, because, even if Phrony warn’t a good girl,–which she is, though she ain’t got much sense,–he knowed me。他们没有人向他们暗示过这一点 me,” he added explanatorily.

Keith was glad that he had not intimated it. As he looked at the squire, he knew how dangerous it would be. His face was settled into a grimness which showed how perilous it would be for the man who had deceived Phrony, if, as Keith feared, his apprehensions were well founded.

But at that moment both Phrony and Wickersham were far beyond Squire Rawson’s reach.

The evening after Phrony Tripper left New Leeds, a young woman somewhat closely veiled descended from the train in Jersey City. Here she was joined on the platform a moment later by a tall man who had boarded the train at Washington, and who, but for his spruced appearance, might have been taken for Mr. J. Quincy Plume. The young woman having intrusted herself to his guidance, he conducted her across the ferry, and on the other side they were met by a gentleman, who wore the collar of his overcoat turned up. After a meeting more or less formal on one side and cordial on the other, the gentleman gave a brief direction to Mr. Plume, and, with the lady, entered a carriage which was waiting and drove off; Mr. Plume following a moment later in another vehicle.

“Know who that is?” asked one of the ferry officials of another. “That’s F.C. Wickersham, who has made such a pile of money. They say he owns a whole State down South.”

“Who is the lady?”

The other laughed. “Don’t ask me; you can’t keep up with him. They say they can’t resist him.”

An hour or two later, Mr. Plume, who had been waiting for some time in the café of a small hotel not very far up-town, was joined by Mr. Wickersham, whose countenance showed both irritation and disquietude. Plume, who had been consoling himself with the companionship of a decanter of rye whiskey, was in a more jovial mood, which further irritated the other.

“You say she has balked? Jove! She has got more in her than I thought!”

“She is a fool!” said Wickersham.

Plume shut one eye. “Don’t know about that. Madame de Maintenon said: ‘There is nothing so clever as a good woman.’ Well, what are you going to do?”

“我不知道。”

“喝一杯，”普卢姆先生说，对他来说，这常常是解决困难的办法。

Wickersham followed his advice, but remained silent.

In fact, Mr. Wickersham, after having laid most careful plans and reached the point for which he had striven, found himself, at the very moment of victory, in danger of being defeated. He had induced Phrony Tripper to come to New York. She was desperately in love with him, and would have gone to the ends of the earth for him. But he had promised to marry her; it was to marry him that she had come. As strong as was her passion for him, and as vain and foolish as she was, she had one principle which was stronger than any other feeling–a sense of modesty. This had been instilled in her from infancy. Among her people a woman’s honor was ranked higher than any other feminine virtue. Her love for Wickersham but strengthened her resolution, for she believed that, unless he married her, his life would not be safe from her relatives. Now, after two hours, in which he had used every persuasion, Wickersham, to his unbounded astonishment, found himself facing defeat. He had not given her credit for so much resolution. Her answer to all his efforts to overcome her determination was that, unless he married her immediately, she would return home; she would not remain in the hotel a single night. “I know they will take me back,” she said, weeping.

这是他现在与经纪人谈话的主题，他正在决定要做什么，或多或少频繁地使用他们之间的醒酒器来帮助他。

“What she says is true,” declared Plume, his courage stimulated by his liberal potations. “You won’t be able to go back down there any more. There are a half-dozen men I know, would consider it their duty to blow your brains out.”

Wickersham filled his glass and tossed off a drink. “I am not going down there any more, anyhow.”

“I suppose not. But I don’t believe you would be safe even up here. There is that devil, Dennison: he hates you worse than poison.”

“哦——在这儿——他们不会在这里找我麻烦的。”

“I don’t know–if he ever got a show at you–Why don’t you let me perform the ceremony?” he began persuasively. “She knows I’ve been a preacher. That will satisfy her scruples, and then, if you ever had to make it known–? But no one would know then.”

Wickersham declined this with a show of virtue. He did not mention that he had suggested this to the girl but she had positively refused it. She would be married by a regular preacher or she would go home.

“There must be some one in this big town,” suggested Plume, “who will do such a job privately and keep it quiet? Where is that preacher you were talking about once that took flyers with you on the quiet? You can seal his mouth. And if the worst comes to the worst, there is Montana; you can always get out of it in six weeks with an order of publication. I did it,” said Mr. Plume, quietly, “and never had any trouble about it.”

“You did! Well, that’s one part of your rascality I didn’t know about.”

“I guess there are a good many of us have little bits of history that we don’t talk about much,” observed Mr. Plume, calmly. “I wouldn’t have told you now, but I wanted to help you out of the fix that–”

“是你帮我进入的，”威克沙姆冷笑着说道。

“There is no trouble about it,” Plume went on. “You don’t want to marry anybody else–now, and meantime it will give you the chance you want of controlling old Rawson’s interest down there. The old fellow can’t live long, and Phrony is his only heir. You will have it all your own way. You can keep it quiet if you wish, and if you don’t, you can acknowledge it and bounce your friend Keith. If I had your hand I bet I’d know how to play it.”

“Well, by —-! I wish you had it,” said Wickersham, angrily.

Wickersham had been thinking hard during Plume’s statement of the case, and what with his argument and an occasional application to the decanter of whiskey, he was beginning to yield. Just then a sealed note was handed him by a waiter. He tore it open and read:

“I am going home; my heart is broken. Good-by.”

“PHRONY.”

With an oath under his breath, he wrote in pencil on a card: “Wait; I will be with you directly.”

“Take that to the lady,” he said. Scribbling a few lines more on another card, he gave Plume some hasty directions and left him.

When, five minutes afterwards, Mr. Plume finished the decanter, and left the hotel, his face had a crafty look on it. “This should be worth a good deal to you, J. Quincy,” he said.

An hour later the Rev. Mr. Rimmon performed in his private office a little ceremony, at which, besides himself, were present only the bride and groom and a witness who had come to him a half-hour before with a scribbled line in pencil requesting his services. If Mr. Rimmon was startled when he first read the request, the surprise had passed away. The groom, it is true, was, when he appeared, decidedly under the influence of liquor, and his insistence that the ceremony was to be kept entirely secret had somewhat disturbed Mr. Rimmon for a moment. But he remembered Mr. Plume’s assurance that the bride was a great heiress in the South, and knowing that Ferdy Wickersham was a man who rarely lost his head,–a circumstance which the latter testified by handing him a roll of greenbacks amounting to exactly one hundred dollars,–and the bride being very pretty and shy, and manifestly most eager to be married, he gave his word to keep the matter a secret until they should authorize him to divulge it.

仪式结束后，新娘请求里蒙先生给她“婚姻线”。里蒙先生答应了这一点；但由于他必须填写空白，这需要一点时间，新娘和新郎在文件上签字后，没有等待证书就离开了，留下了普拉姆先生带来了证书。

A day or two later a steamship of one of the less popular companies sailing to a Continental port had among its passengers a gentleman and a lady who, having secured their accommodations at the last moment, did not appear on the passenger list.

It happened that they were unknown to any of the other passengers, and as they were very exclusive, they made no acquaintances during the voyage. If Mrs. Wagram, the name by which the lady was known on board, had one regret, it was that Mr. Plume had failed to send her her marriage certificate, as he had promised to do. Her husband, however, made so light of it that it reassured her, and she was too much taken up with her wedding-ring and new diamonds to think that anything else was necessary.

The first two years of her widowhood Alice Lancaster spent in retirement. Even the busy tongue of Mrs. Nailor could find little to criticise in the young widow. To be sure, that accomplished critic made the most of this little, and disseminated her opinion that Alice’s grief for Mr. Lancaster could only be remorse for her indifference to him during his life. Every one knew, she said, how she had neglected him.

爱丽丝·兰卡斯特感到后悔的想法并不像奈勒夫人的其他恶意指控那样毫无根据。她依恋她的丈夫，一直想做他的好妻子。

正如她的母亲和她的朋友们所允许的那样，她是一个好妻子。流言蜚语并没有放过她的一些最好的朋友。即使像年轻的温特沃斯夫人这样骄傲的女人也没有逃脱。但流言蜚语还从未触及过兰开斯特夫人的名字，爱丽丝也无意触及。她应该接受丈夫给予她的自由，越来越多地外出，尽管他陪伴她的时间越来越少，这并不奇怪。

没有什么漩涡比社会的漩涡更无情了。只有那些沉没或被汹涌的波浪抛到一边的人才能逃脱。不知不觉中，爱丽丝·兰卡斯特发现自己已经被卷入了漩涡。

An attractive proposal had been made to her to go abroad and join some friends of hers for a London season a year or two before. Grinnell Rhodes had married Miss Creamer, who was fond of European society, and they had taken a house in London for the season, which promised to be very gay, and had suggested to Mrs. Lancaster to visit them. Mr. Lancaster had found himself unable to go. A good many matters of importance had been undertaken by him, and he must see them through, he said. Moreover, he had not been very well of late, and he had felt that he should be rather a drag amid the gayeties of the London season. Alice had offered to give up the trip, but he would not hear of it. She must go, he said, and he knew who would be the most charming woman in London. So, having extracted from him the promise that, when his business matters were all arranged, he would join her for a little run on the Continent, she had set off for Paris, where “awful beauty puts on all its arms,” to make her preparations for the campaign.

Mr. Lancaster had not told her of an interview which her mother had had with him, in which she had pointed out that Alice’s health was suffering from her want of gayety and amusement. He was not one to talk of himself.

Alice Lancaster was still in Paris when a cable message announced to her Mr. Lancaster’s death. It was only after his death that she awoke to the unselfishness of his life and to the completeness of his devotion to her.

His will, after making provision for certain charities with which he had been associated in his lifetime, left all his great fortune to her; and there was, besides, a sealed letter left for her in which he poured out his heart to her. From it she learned that he had suffered greatly and had known that he was liable to die at any time. He, however, would not send for her to come home, for fear of spoiling her holiday.

“我不会说我并不孤独，”他写道。 “天知道自从你离开后我有多孤独。光与你同行，只有当你回家时才会回来。有时我觉得我无法忍受，必须派人去找你或去找你；但前者是自私，后者是失职。时代已经这样了，我觉得离开是不对的，因为有这么多的利益被托付给我……。或许我再也见不到你的脸了。我已立下遗嘱，希望您能满意。它至少会向你表明我完全信任你。我不做任何限制；因为我希望你比我担心的能给你带来更多的幸福……。在商务方面，我建议你咨询诺曼·温特沃斯，他是一个正直而保守的人。如果您需要有关慈善事业的建议，我想不出比坦普尔顿博士更好的顾问了。他一直是我的朋友。”

在第一次过度的悲伤和悔恨中，爱丽丝·兰开斯特回到家，全心全意地投入到慈善工作中。按照兰卡斯特先生的建议，她咨询了坦普尔顿博士，坦普尔顿博士是一条小街上一座不合时宜的小教堂的老教区长。在他的指导下，她发现了一个新的世界，与她一直生活的世界一样陌生，就像另一个星球一样。

She found in some places a life where vice was esteemed more honorable than virtue, because it brought more bread. She found things of which she had never dreamed: things which appeared incredible after she had seen them. These things she found within a half-hour’s walk of her sumptuous home; within a few blocks of the avenue and streets where Wealth and Plenty took their gay pleasure and where riches poured forth in a riot of splendid extravagance.

She would have turned back, but for the old clergyman’s inspiring courage; she would have poured out her wealth indiscriminately, but for his wisdom–but for his wisdom and Norman Wentworth’s.

“No, my dear,” said the old man; “to give lavishly without discrimination is to put a premium on beggary and to subject yourself to imposture.”

This Norman indorsed, and under their direction she soon found ways to give of her great means toward charities which were far-reaching and enduring. She learned also what happiness comes from knowledge of others and knowledge of how to help them.

It was surprising to her friends what a change came over the young woman. Her point of view, her manner, her face, her voice changed. Her expression, which had once been so proud as to mar somewhat her beauty, softened; her manner increased in cordiality and kindness; her voice acquired a new and sincerer tone.

就连奈勒夫人也观察到，强制退休似乎对这位年轻的寡妇有所约束，尽管她不承认这可能只是为了效果。

“Black always was the most bewilderingly becoming thing to her that I ever saw. Don’t you remember those effects she used to produce with black and just a dash of red? Well, she wears black so deep you might think it was poor Mr. Lancaster’s pall; but I have observed that whenever I have seen her there is always something red very close at hand. She either sits in a red chair, or there is a red shawl just at her back, or a great bunch of red roses at her elbow. I am glad that great window has been put up in old Dr. Templeton’s church to William Lancaster’s memory, or I am afraid it would have been but a small one.”

据相关报道，袭击纽约的风暴将到达新利兹的第一个迹象几乎是威克舍姆矿场的关闭。这 号角 stated that the shutting down was temporary and declared that in a very short time, when the men were brought to reason, they would be opened again; also that the Great Gun Mine, which had been flooded, would again be opened.

The mines belonging to Keith’s company did not appear for some time to be affected; but the breakers soon began to reach even the point on which Keith had stood so securely. The first “roller” that came to him was when orders arrived to cut down the force, and cut down also the wages of those who were retained. This was done. Letters, growing gradually more and more complaining, came from the general office in New York.

Fortunately for Keith, Norman ran down at this time and looked over the properties again for himself. He did not tell Keith what bitter things were being said and that his visit down there was that he might be able to base his defence of Keith on facts in his own knowledge.

“What has become of Mrs. Lancaster?” asked Keith, casually. “Is she still abroad?”

“No; she came home immediately on hearing the news. You never saw any one so changed. She has gone in for charity.”

Keith looked a trifle grim.

“If you thought her pretty as a girl, you ought to see her as a widow. She is ravishing.”

“You are enthusiastic. I see that Wickersham has returned?”

Norman’s brow clouded.

“He’d better not come back here,” said Keith.

“祸不单行”这句话是老生常谈，如果没有道理的话，这句话也不会这么老生常谈。不幸有时就像黑鸟：成群结队地而来。

Keith was on his way from his office in the town to the mines one afternoon, when, turning the shoulder of the hill that shut the opening of the mine from view, he became aware that something unusual had occurred. A crowd was already assembled about the mouth of the mine, above the tipple, among them many women; and people were hurrying up from all directions.

“What is it?” he demanded of the first person he came to.

“Water. They have struck a pocket or something, and the drift over toward the Wickersham line is filling up.”

“Is everybody out?” Even as he inquired, Keith knew hey were not.

“No, sir; all drowned.”

Keith knew this could not be true. He hurried forward and pushed his way into the throng that crowded about the entrance. A gasp of relief went up as he appeared.

“Ah! Here’s the boss.” It was the expression of a vague hope that he might be able to do something. They gave way at his voice and stood back, many eyes turning on him in helpless appeal. Women, with blankets already in hand, were weeping aloud; children hanging to their skirts were whimpering in vague recognition of disaster; men were growling and swearing deeply.

“泄露。各位退后一步。”平静的声音和命令的语气发挥了作用，当人群中开辟出一条路时，基思认出了一些刚刚进来和刚刚出来的人。他们都在与团体谈论他们。其中一个人第一个明智地向他讲述了这次麻烦。当他们在入口附近工作时，他们听到了更远的地方有人的呼喊声，他们首先知道的是一股水流倾泻在他们身上，席卷了前面的一切。

“这肯定是一条河，”其中一个人在回答基思的问题时说道。 “它每分钟上升一英尺。灯都灭了，我们才及时逃出来。”

据他们估计，矿井中仍有大约四十名男子和男孩，其中大多数人在远离主矿道的巷道里。基思在脑子里不断地思考着这些关卡。他的脸看起来很严肃，他周围的人群密切注视着他，仿佛要抓住他可能坚持的一线希望。想着想着，他的脸色就更白了。水的轰鸣声从矿井的斜面传来。这是一个绝望的机会。

他半转过身，瞥了一眼周围苍白、痛苦的面孔。

“It is barely possible some of the men may still be alive. There are two elevations. I am going down to see.”

At the words, the sound through the crowd hushed suddenly.

“Na, th’ ben’t one alive,” said an old miner, contentiously.

The murmur began again.

“I am going down to see,” said Keith. “If one or two men will come with me, it will increase the chances of getting to them. If not, I am going alone. But I don’t want any one who has a family.”

A dead silence fell, then three or four young fellows began to push their way through the crowd, amid expostulations of some of the women and the urging of others.

一些妇女抓住了它们并紧紧抓住它们。

“There are one or two places where men may have been able to keep their heads above water if it has not filled the drift, and that is what I am going to see,” said Keith, preparing to descend.

“我哥哥在下面，我这就去。”一个浅色头发、脸色苍白的年轻人说道。他属于夜班。

“我没有家人，”一个头发花白的小个子男人说。他生锈的棕色外套的袖子上有一条细细的黑色带子。

Several others now came forward, amid mingled expostulations and encouragement; but Keith took the first two, and they prepared to enter. The younger man took off his silver watch, with directions to a friend to send it to his sister if he did not come back. The older man said a few words to a bystander. They were about a woman’s grave on the hillside. Keith took off his watch and gave it to one of the men, with a few words scribbled on a leaf from a memorandum-book, and the next moment the three volunteers, amid a deathly silence, entered the mine.

早在他们到达竖井的上升终点之前，他们就可以听到水流在他们下面的画廊中旋转时发出潺潺声和拍打两侧的声音。当他们到达水边时，基思就潜入水中。水淹没了他的腰部，而且还在上涨。

“It has not filled the drift yet,” he said, and started ahead. He gave a halloo; but there was no sound in answer, only the reverberation of his voice. The other men called to him to wait and talk it over. The strangeness of the situation appalled them. It might well have awed a strong man; but Keith waded on. The older man plunged after him, the younger clinging to the cage for a second in a panic. The lights were out in a moment. Wading and plunging forward through the water, which rose in places to his neck, and feeling his way by the sides of the drift, Keith waded forward through the pitch-darkness. He stopped at times to halloo; but there was no reply, only the strange hollow sound of his own voice as it was thrown back on him, or died almost before leaving his throat. He had almost made up his mind that further attempt was useless and that he might as well turn back, when he thought he heard a faint sound ahead. With another shout he plunged forward again, and the next time he called he heard a cry of joy, and he pushed ahead again, shouting to them to come to him.

基思发现大多数人都在第一层挤在一起，处于惊慌失措的状态。他们有的在呜咽，有的在热切地祈祷，有的则沉默不语，带着一种茫然的困惑。他们说，所有在矿井那部分工作的人都在那里，除了三个人，比尔·布拉菲（Bill Bluffy）和一个名叫亨森（Hennson）的男人和他的儿子，他们在画廊的远端被切断了，他肯定立即被淹死了，他们告诉基思。

“They may not be,” said Keith. “There is one point as high as this. I shall go on and see.”

The men endeavored to dissuade him. It was “a useless risk of life,” they assured him; “the others must have been swept away immediately. The water had come so sudden. Besides, the water was rising, and it might even now be too late to get out.” But Keith was firm, and ordering them back in charge of the two men who had come in with him, he pushed on alone. He knew that the water was still rising, though, he hoped, slowly. He had no voice to shout now, but he prayed with all his might, and that soothed and helped him. Presently the water was a little shallower. It did not come so high up on him. He knew from this that he must be reaching the upper level. Now and then he spoke Bluffy’s and Hennson’s names, lest in the darkness he should pass them.

Presently, as he stopped for a second to take breath, he thought he heard another sound besides the gurgling of the water as it swirled about the timbers. He listened intently.

It was the boy’s voice. “Hold me tight, father. Don’t leave me.”

Then he heard another voice urging him to go. “You can’t do any good staying; try it.” But Hennson was refusing.

“Hold on. I won’t leave you.”

“Hennson! Bluffy!” shouted Keith, or tried to shout, for his voice went nowhere; but his heart was bounding now, and he plunged on. Presently he was near enough to catch their words. The father was praying, and the boy was following him.

“‘Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven,'” Keith heard him say.

“Hennson!” he cried again.

From the darkness he heard a voice.

“Who is that? Is that any one?”

“It is I,–Mr. Keith,–Hennson. Come quick, all of you; you can get out. Cheer up.”

A cry of joy went up.

“I can’t leave my boy,” called the man.

“Bring him on your back,” said Keith. “Come on, Bluffy.”

“I can’t,” said Bluffy. “I’m hurt. My leg is broke.”

“God have mercy!” cried Keith, and waded on.

又过了一会儿，他走到了那个人身边，在黑暗中摸索着他，并询问他受伤的情况。

They told him that the rush of the water had thrown him against a timber and hurt his leg and side.

“带上这孩子，”布拉夫说，“继续走吧；把我留在这里。”

The boy began to cry.

“No,” said Keith; “I will take you, too: Hennson can take the boy. Can you walk at all?”

“我不这么认为。”

Keith made Hennson take the boy and hold on to him on one side, and slipping his arm around the injured man, he lifted him and they started back. He had put new courage into them, and the force of the current was in their favor. They passed the first high level, where he had found the others. When they reached a point where the water was too deep for the boy, Keith made the father take him on his shoulder, and they waded on through the blackness. The water was now almost up to his chin, and he grew so tired under his burden that he began to think they should never get out; but he fought against it and kept on, steadying himself against the timbers. He knew that if he went down it was the end. Many thoughts came to him of the past. He banished them and tried to speak words of encouragement, though he could scarcely hear himself.

“喊叫，”他嘶哑地说。男孩大声喊道，尽管声音有些微弱。

A moment later, he gave a shout of an entirely different kind.

“There is a light!” he cried.

The sound revived Keith’s fainting energies, and he tried to muster his flagging strength. The boy shouted again, and in response there came back, strangely flattened, the shrill cry of a woman. Keith staggered forward with Bluffy, at times holding himself up by the side-timbers. He was conscious of a light and of voices, but was too exhausted to know more. If he could only keep the man and the boy above water until assistance came! He summoned his last atom of strength.

“亨森，紧紧抓住木头，”他喊道。 “我要去。”

The rest was a confused dream. He was conscious for a moment of the weight being lifted from him, and he was sinking into the water as if into a soft couch. He thought some one clutched him, but he knew nothing more.

Terpsichore was out on the street when the rumor of the accident reached her. Any accident always came home to her, and she was prompt to do what she could to help, in any case. But this was Mr. Keith’s mine, and rumor had it that he was among the lost. Terpsichore was not attired for such an emergency; when she went on the streets, she still wore some of her old finery, though it was growing less and less of late. She always acted quickly. Calling to a barkeeper who had come to his front door on hearing the news, to bring her brandy immediately, she dashed into a dry-goods store near by and got an armful of blankets, and when the clerk, a stranger just engaged in the store, made some question about charging them to her, she tore off her jewelled watch and almost flung it at the man.

“Take that, idiot! Men are dying,” she said. “I have not time to box your jaws.” And snatching up the blankets, she ran out, stopped a passing buggy, and flinging them into it, sprang in herself. With a nod of thanks to the barkeeper, who had brought out several bottles of brandy, she snatched the reins from the half-dazed driver, and heading the horse up the street that led out toward the mine, she lashed him into a gallop. She arrived at the scene of the accident just before the first men rescued reappeared. She learned of Keith’s effort to save them. She would have gone into the mine herself had she not been restrained. Just then the men came out.

The shouts and cries of joy that greeted so unexpected a deliverance drowned everything else for a few moments; but as man after man was met and received half dazed into the arms of his family and friends, the name of Keith began to be heard on all sides. One voice, however, was more imperative than the others; one figure pressed to the front–that of the gayly dressed woman who had just been comforting and encouraging the weeping women about the mine entrance.

“Where is Mr. Keith?” she demanded of man after man.

The men explained. “He went on to try and find three more men who are down there–Bluffy and Hennson and his boy.”

“Who went with him?”

“No one. He went alone.”

“And you men let him go?”

“We could not help it. He insisted. We tried to make him come with us.”

“You cowards!” she cried, tearing off her wrap. “Of course, he insisted, for he is a 男子. Had one woman been down there, she would not have let him go alone.” She sprang over the fencing rope as lightly as a deer, and started toward the entrance. A cry broke from the crowd.

“She’s going! Stop her! She’s crazy! Catch her!”

Several men sprang over the rope and started after her. Hearing them, Terpsichore turned. With outstretched arms spread far apart and blazing eyes, she faced them.

“If any man tries to stop me, I will kill him on the spot, as God lives!” she cried, snatching up a piece of iron bar that lay near by. “I am going to find that man, dead or alive. If there is one of you man enough to come with me, come on. If not, I will go alone.”

“我跟你一起去！”一个身材高大、脸色蜡黄的男人刚刚上来，就挤过人群追上了她。 “你留在这里；我要走了。”这是蒂布·德拉蒙德，传教士。他还在气喘吁吁。女孩几乎没有注意到他。她挥手示意他让开，然后继续前行。

A dozen men offered to go if she would come back.

“不;我和你一起去，”她说。男人们知道每一刻都是宝贵的，并且认为安抚她的唯一方法就是尝试，于是他们屈服了，他们中的一些人和她一起进入了矿井，其中包括瘦长的传教士。

They had just reached the bottom when the faint outline of something black was seen in the glimmer that their lights threw in the distance. Terpy, with a cry, dashed forward, and was just in time to catch Keith as he sank beneath the black water.

When the rescuing party with their burdens reached the surface once more, the scene was one to revive even a flagging heart; but Keith and Bluffy were both too far gone to know anything of it.

到目前为止，人群一直因第一次救援后的兴奋而兴奋不已，当基思和布拉菲被带出来并躺在特普西科雷抢走的毯子上时，人群突然安静下来，陷入敬畏的沉默。来自一个在其他人面前的人。许多妇女上前伸出援助之手，但女孩却挥手示意。

“医生！”她叫道，伸手去拿一个白兰地酒瓶，先把它放在基思的嘴唇上。她转向德拉蒙德，这位牧师站在她身上，面容憔悴，浑身湿淋淋的，她猛烈地喊道：“祈祷吧，伙计；祈祷吧！”如果你曾经祈祷过，现在就祈祷吧。祈祷吧，如果你救了他们，我就离开小镇。我在上帝面前发誓我会的。如此告诉他。”

But the preacher needed no urging. Falling on his knees, he prayed as possibly he had never prayed before. In a few moments Keith began to come to. But Bluffy was still unconscious, and a half-hour later the Doctor pronounced him past hope.

It was some time before Keith was able to rise from his bed, and during this period a number of events had taken place affecting him, and, more or less, affecting New Leeds. Among these was the sale of Mr. Plume’s paper to a new rival which had recently been started in the place, and the departure of Mr. Plume (to give his own account of the matter) “to take a responsible position upon a great metropolitan journal.” He was not a man, he said, “to waste his divine talents in the attempt to carry on his shoulders the blasted fortunes of a ‘bursted boom,’ when the world was pining for the benefit of his ripe experience.” Another account of the same matter was that rumor had begun to connect Mr. Plume’s name with the destruction of the Wickersham mine and the consequent disaster in the Rawson mine. His paper, with brazen effrontery, had declared that the accident in the latter was due to the negligence of the management. This was too much for the people of New Leeds in their excited condition. Bluffy was dead; but Hennson, the man whom Keith had rescued, had stated that they had cut through into a shaft when the water broke in on them, and an investigation having been begun, not only of this matter, but of the previous explosion in the Wickersham mine, Mr. Plume had sold out his paper hastily and shaken the dust of New Leeds from his feet.

直到一切结束之前，基思对此一无所知。他一度病得很重，如果不是从里奇利赶来照顾他的巴尔萨姆医生，以及一位忠诚的护士特普西科雷的照顾，这段历史可能就结束了。基思出事后，特西科雷立即关闭了她的机构并全身心地照顾他。还有许多其他人提供类似的服务，因为新利兹现在是一个相当大的城镇，基思可能有相当比例的温和性别来为他服务；基思获救后，特尔西科雷立即给巴尔萨姆医生发了电报，巴尔萨姆医生在病房里与她进行了第一次面谈后，就决定支持这位年轻女子。

“She has the true instinct,” said the Doctor to himself. “She knows when to let well enough alone, and holds her tongue.”

Thus, when Keith was able to take notice again, he found himself in good hands.

A few days after he was able to get up, Keith received a telegram summoning him to New York to meet the officers of the company. As weak as he was, he determined to go, and, against the protestations of doctor and nurse, he began to make his preparations.

Just before Keith left, a visitor was announced, or rather announced himself; for Squire Rawson followed hard upon his knock at the door. His heavy boots, he declared, “were enough to let anybody know he was around, and give ’em time to stop anything they was ashamed o’ doin’.”

The squire had come over, as he said, “to hear about things.” It was the first time he had seen Keith since the accident, though, after he had heard of it, he had written and invited Keith to come “and rest up a bit at his house.”

When the old man learned of the summons that had come to Keith, he relit his pipe and puffed a moment in silence.

“我想他们会想知道为什么他们没有实现自己的梦想？”他半闭着的眼睛里闪烁着光芒。 “请注意，当一个人在打猎时，如果他得到了他的目标，那就是他自己；但如果他没打中，那就是那把老枪的错了？”

Keith smiled. He had observed that phenomenon.

“Well, I suspicionate they’ll be findin’ fault with their gun. I have been a-watchin’ o’ the signs o’ the times. If they do, don’t you say nothin’ to them about it; but I’m ready to take back my part of the property, and I’ve got a leetle money I might even increase my herd with.”

他提到的金额让基斯睁开了眼睛。

“When hard times comes,” continued the old man, after enjoying Keith’s surprise, “I had rather have my money in land than in one of these here banks. I has seen wild-cat money and Confederate money, and land’s land. I don’t know that it is much of a compliment to say that I has more confidence in you than I has in these here men what has come down from nobody-knows-where to open a bank on nobody-knows-what.”

基思对这种恭维表示感谢，但认为他们一定有值得信赖的东西。

“Oh, they’ve got something,” admitted the capitalist. “But you know what it is. They bank on brass and credulity. That’s what I calls it.”

The old man’s face clouded. “I had been puttin’ that by for Phrony,” he said. “But she didn’t want it. My money warn’t good enough for her. Some day she’ll know better.”

Keith waited for his humor to pass.

“我永远不会为她做任何事；但如果你见到她，我希望你能在她需要的时候帮助她。”他沙哑地说。

Keith promised faithfully that he would.

That afternoon Terpy knocked at his door, and came in with that mingled shyness and boldness which was characteristic of her.

Keith offered her a chair and began to thank her for having saved his life.

“Well, I am always becoming indebted to you anew for saving my life–”

“I didn’t come for that,” declared the girl. “I didn’t save your life. I just went down to do what I could to help you. You know how that mine got flooded?”

“I do,” said Keith.

“他们这么做是为了对付你，”她说。 “他们让比尔相信这是为了伤害威克沙姆。比尔现在已经死了，我不想让你认为他对你有什么敌意。”她开始哭泣。

All this was new to Keith, and he said so.

“Well, you won’t say anything about what I said about Bill. J. Quincy made him think ’twas against Wickersham, and he was that drunk he didn’t know what a fool they was makin’ of him.–You are going away?” she said suddenly.

“Oh, only for a very little while–I am going off about a little business for a short time. I expect to be back very soon.”

“Ah! I heard–I am glad to hear that you are coming back.” She was manifestly embarrassed, and Keith was wondering more and more what she wanted of him. “I just wanted to say good-by. I am going away.” She was fumbling at her wrap. “And to tell you I have changed my business. I’m not goin’ to keep a dance-house any longer.”

“I am glad of that,” said Keith, and then stuck fast again.

“I don’t think a girl ought to keep a dance-house or a bank?”

“No; I agree with you. What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know; I thought of trying a milliner. I know right smart about hats; but I’d wear all the pretty ones and give all the ugly ones away,” she said, with a poor little smile. “And it might interfere with Mrs. Gaskins, and she is a widder. So I thought I’d go away. I thought of being a nurse–I know a little about that. I used to be about the hospital at my old home, and I’ve had some little experience since.” She was evidently seeking his advice.

“You saved my life,” said Keith. “Dr. Balsam says you are a born nurse.”

She put this by without comment, and Keith went on.

“Where was your home?”

“格罗夫顿。”

“格罗夫顿？你是说在英国吗？西国？”

She nodded. “Yes. I was the girl the little lady gave the doll to. You were there. Don’t you remember? I ran away with it. I have it now–a part of it. They broke it up; but I saved the body.”

Keith’s eyes opened wide.

“That Lois Huntington gave it to?”

“Yes. I heard you were going to be married?” she said suddenly.

“I! Married! No! No such good luck for me.” His laugh had an unexpected tone of bitterness in it. She gave him a searching glance in the dusk, and presently began again haltingly.

“I want you to know I am never going back to that any more.”

“我很高兴听到它。”

“You were the first to set me to thinkin’ about it.”

“一世！”

“Yes; I want to live straight, and I’m goin’ to.”

“I am sure you are, and I cannot tell you how glad I am,” he said cordially.

“是的，谢谢。”她低着头，羞涩地拨弄着围巾上的流苏。 “我想让你知道这件事是你做的。我的生活很艰难——你不知道有多艰难——从我还是个小女孩开始——直到我离家出走。然后就更难了。他们对待我的态度就好像我只是一只——一只狗，而且是最糟糕的一种狗。所以我像狗一样生活。我学会了如何咬人，然后他们对我好了一些，因为他们发现如果他们愚弄我，我就会咬人。然后我才知道男人是多么的傻瓜和懦夫，我利用了他们。我以前很喜欢玩它们，而且我也做到了。我过去常常为了钱而逗乐他们，并阻止他们。但我知道有一天我会像狗一样死去，而我却像狗一样活着——然后你就来了——”她停了下来，把目光移向窗外，喝了一口之后又继续说道：“他们因为我跳舞而对我说教。但我不认为跳舞有什么坏处。我比世界上任何其他东西都更喜欢它。”

“I do not, either,” said Keith.

“You was the only one as treated me as if I was–some’n’ I warn’t. I fought against you and tried to drive you out, but you stuck, and I knew then I was beat. I didn’t know ’twas you when I–made such a fool of myself that time–.”

基思笑了。

“Well, I certainly did not know it was you.”

“No–I wanted you to know that,” she went on gravely, “because–because, if I had, I wouldn’ ‘a’ done it–for old times’ sake.” She felt for her handkerchief, and not finding it readily, suddenly caught up the bottom of her skirt and wiped her eyes with it as she might have done when a little girl.

基思试图用保证的话来安慰她，语气至少是安慰性的。

“I always was a fool about crying–an’ I was thinkin’ about Bill,” she said brokenly. “Good-by.” She wrung his hand, turned, and walked rapidly out of the room, leaving Keith with a warm feeling about his heart.

Keith found, on his arrival in New York to meet his directors, that a great change had taken place in business circles since his visit there when he was getting up his company.

Even Norman, at whose office Keith called immediately on his arrival, appeared more depressed than Keith had ever imagined he could be. He looked actually care-worn.

As they started off to attend the meeting, Norman warned Keith that the meeting might be unpleasant for him, but urged him to keep cool, and not mind too much what might be said to him.

“I told you once, you remember, that men are very unreasonable when they are losing.” He smiled gloomily.

Keith told him of old Rawson’s offer.

“You may need it,” said Norman.

当基思和诺曼到达公司办公室时，他们发现内部办公室已经关门了。身为导演的诺曼立刻走了进来，终于门开了，“诺曼先生”。 “基思”被邀请进来。当他进去时，一名导演正带着两个男人从侧门走出房间，基思瞥见了其中一个人的背影。这个又高又瘦的身影让他想到了J·昆西·普卢姆先生。但他穿得太考究了，不可能是普拉姆先生，基思把这件事从他的脑海中抛诸脑后，认为这只是一种奇怪的相似。另一个人他没有看到。

Keith’s greeting was returned, as it struck him, somewhat coldly by most of them. Only two of the directors shook hands with him.

这是一次基思永远不会忘记的会议。他很快发现他需要全部的自制力。他接受了凯斯特雷先生的盘问。显然，如果他没有做得更糟，人们相信他浪费了他们的钱。导演坐在腿上，腿上放着一份报纸，他似乎时不时地翻阅一下这份报纸。从询问的语气中，基斯很快就认出了自己信息的来源。

“You have been misled,” Keith said coldly, in reply to a question. “I desire to know the authority for your statement.”

“I must decline,” was the reply. “I think I may say that it is an authority which is unimpeachable. You observe that it is one who knows what he is speaking of?” He gave a half-glance about him at his colleagues.

“A spy?” demanded Keith, coldly, his eye fixed on the other.

“No, sir. A man of position, a man whose sources of knowledge even you would not question. Why, this has been charged in the public prints without denial!” he added triumphantly.

“It has been charged in one paper,” said Keith, “a paper which every one knows is for sale and has been bought–by your rival.”

“这不仅基于我所提到的人的陈述，而且得到了其他人的证实。”

“By what others?” inquired Keith.

“By another,” corrected Mr. Kestrel.

“That only proves that there are two men who are liars,” said Keith, slowly. “I know but two men who I believe would have been guilty of such barefaced and brazen falsehoods. Shall I name them?”

“If you choose.”

“They are F.C. Wickersham and a hireling of his, Mr. J. Quincy Plume.”

There was a stir among the directors. Keith had named both men. It was a fortunate shot.

“By Jove! Brought down a bird with each barrel,” said Mr. Yorke, who was one of the directors, to another in an undertone.

Keith proceeded to give the history of the mine and of its rival mine, the Wickersham property.

During the cross-examination Norman sat a silent witness. Beyond a look of satisfaction when Keith made his points clearly or countered on his antagonist with some unanswerable fact, he had taken no part in the colloquy. Up to this time Keith had not referred to him or even looked at him, but he glanced at him now, and the expression on his face decided Keith.

“先生。温特沃斯知道事实。他和我一样了解威克沙姆足球俱乐部，而且他一直在实地工作。”

There was a look of surprise on the face of nearly every one present. How could he dare to say it!

“Oh, I guess we all know him,” said one, to relieve the tension.

Norman bowed his assent.

Mr. Kestrel shifted his position.

“Never mind Mr. Wentworth; it’s 选择您 part in the transaction that we are after,” he said insolently.

The blood rushed to Keith’s face; but a barely perceptible glance from Norman helped him to hold himself in check. The director glanced down at the newspaper.

“How about that accident in our mine? Some of us have thought that it was carelessness on the part of the local management. It has been charged that proper inspection would have indicated that the flooding of an adjacent mine should have given warning; in fact, had given warning.” He half glanced around at his associates, and then fastened his eyes on Keith.

Keith’s eyes met his unflinchingly and held them. He drew in his breath with a sudden sound, as a man might who has received a slap full in the face. Beyond this, there was no sound. Keith sat for a moment in silence. The blow had dazed him. In the tumult of his thought, as it returned, it seemed as if the noise of the stricken crowd was once more about him, weeping women and moaning men; and he was descending into the blackness of death. Once more the roar of that rushing water was in his ears; he was once more plunging through the darkness; once more he was being borne down into its depths; again he was struggling, gasping, floundering toward the light; once more he returned to consciousness, to find himself surrounded by eyes full of sympathy–of devotion. The eyes changed suddenly. The present came back to him. Hostile eyes were about him.

Keith rose from his chair slowly, and slowly turned from his questioner toward the others.

“Gentlemen, I have nothing further to say to you. I have the honor to resign my position under you.”

“辞职！”一直缠着他的导演喊道。 “辞职吧！”他靠在椅子上笑了。

Keith turned on him so quickly that he pushed his chair back as if he were afraid he might spring across the table on him.

“Yes. Resign!” Keith was leaning forward across the table now, resting his weight on one hand. “Anything to terminate our association. I am no longer in your employ, Mr. Kestrel.” His eyes had suddenly blazed, and held Mr. Kestrel’s eyes unflinchingly. His voice was calm, but had the coldness of a steel blade.

There was a movement among the directors. They shifted uneasily in their chairs, and several of them pushed them back. They did not know what might happen. Keith was the incarnation of controlled passion. Mr. Kestrel seemed to shrink up within himself. Norman broke the silence.

“I do not wonder that Mr. Keith should feel aggrieved,” he said, with feeling. “I have held off from taking part in this interview up to the present, because I promised to do so, and because I felt that Mr. Keith was abundantly able to take care of himself; but I think that he has been unjustly dealt with and has been roughly handled.”

Keith’s only answer was a slow wave of the arm in protest toward Norman to keep clear of the contest and leave it to him. He was standing quite straight now, his eyes still resting upon Mr. Kestrel’s face, with a certain watchfulness in them, as if he were expecting him to stir again, and were ready to spring on him should he do so.

Unheeding him, Norman went on.

“I know that much that he says is true.” Keith looked at him quickly, his form stiffening. “And I believe that 所有 that he says is true,” continued Norman; “and I am unwilling to stand by longer and see this method of procedure carried on.”

Keith bowed. There flashed across his mind the picture of a boy rushing up the hill to his rescue as he stood by a rock-pile on a hillside defending himself against overwhelming assailants, and his face softened.

“Well, I don’t propose to be dictated to as to how I shall conduct my own business,” put in Mr. Kestrel, in a sneering voice. When the spell of Keith’s gaze was lifted from him he had recovered.

If Keith heard him now, he gave no sign of it, nor was it needed, for Norman turned upon him.

“我认为你会按照董事会的指示去做，”他说道，语气几乎和基思表现出的蔑视一样。

He took up the defence of the management to such good purpose that a number of the other directors went over to his side.

他们说，他们愿意免除基思先生的责任，并表示对他的信任。他们认为有必要派人来照看财产并防止进一步的损失，直到情况好转为止，他们认为目前最好让基思先生继续负责。

During this time Keith had remained motionless and silent, except to bow his acknowledgments to Norman. He received their new expression of confidence in silence, until the discussion had ceased and the majority were on his side. Then he faced Mr. Yorke.

“Gentlemen,” he said, “I am obliged to you for your expression; but it comes too late. Nothing on earth could induce me ever again to assume a position in which I could be subjected to what I have gone through this morning. I will never again have any business association with–” he turned and looked at Mr. Kestrel–“Mr. Kestrel, or those who have sustained him.”

凯斯特雷先生耸了耸肩。

“Oh, as to that,” he laughed, “you need have no trouble. I shall get out as soon as I can. I have no more desire to associate with you than you have with me. All I want to do is to save what you mis–”

Keith’s eyes turned on him quietly.

“–what I was misled into putting into your sink-hole down there. You may remember that you told me, when I went in, that you would guarantee me all I put in.” His voice rose into a sneer.

“Oh, no. None of that, none of that!” interrupted Norman, quickly. “You may remember, Mr. Kestrel,–?”

但基思一挥手打断了他。

“I do remember. I have a good memory, Mr. Kestrel.”

“那一切都被废除了，”诺曼坚持说，他向凯斯特雷先生伸出了手臂。 “你记得有人向你提出了你的意见和兴趣，但你拒绝了？”

“I am speaking to 他,” said Mr. Kestrel, not turning his eyes from Keith.

“I renew that offer now,” said Keith, coldly.

“Then that’s all right.” Mr. Kestrel sat back in his chair. “I accept your proposal, principal and interest.”

Protests and murmurs went around the board, but Mr. Kestrel did not heed them. Leaning forward, he seized a pen, and drawing a sheet of paper to him, began to scribble a memorandum of the terms, which, when finished, he pushed across the table to Keith.

Keith took it against Norman’s protest, and when he had read it, picked up a pen and signed his name firmly.

“Here, witness it,” said Mr. Kestrel to his next neighbor. “If any of the rest of you want to save your bones, you had better come in.”

几位董事都同意他的观点。

Though Norman protested, Keith accepted their proposals, and a paper was drawn up which most of those present signed. It provided that a certain time should be given Keith in which to raise money to make good his offer, and arrangements were made provisionally to wind up the present company, and to sell out and transfer its rights to a new organization. Some of the directors prudently insisted on reserving the right to withdraw their proposals should they change their minds. It may be stated, however, that they had no temptation to do so. Times rapidly grew worse instead of better.

But Keith had occasion to know how sound was Squire Rawson’s judgment when, a little later, another of the recurrent waves of depression swept over the country, and several banks in New Leeds went down, among them the bank in which old Rawson had had his money. The old man came up to town to remind Keith of his wisdom.

“Well, what do you think of brass and credulity now?” he demanded.

“Let me know when you begin to prophesy against me,” said Keith, laughing.

“‘没有什么预言。这是很简单的道理。有些人有，有些人没有。当理智告诉你一件事时，坚持下去。

“好吧，你就先把事情收拾好，别管我。着急也没用。我观察到，当形势变得糟糕时，他们通常会变得更糟。有点像发烧；你必须等待危机的到来，并善意地照顾他们。但我不认为煤炭会消失。根据那个年轻人常说的，它已经在那里有一段时间了，如果几年前它值得他们杜松子酒，那么几年后它的价值就会更高。当车轮不断转动时，总有一天会出现底部，如果我们能坚持下去，我们就会到达那里。我认为你和我是一个非常好的团队。你让我提供想法，你来做工作，我们将领先于这些洋基队。开玩笑，牵住你的马；保持良好状态，并在号角吹响时准备好开始。有时候它会爆炸。”

The clouds that had begun to rest in Norman Wentworth’s eyes and the lines that had written themselves in his face were not those of business alone. Fate had brought him care of a deeper and sadder kind. Though Keith did not know it till later, the little rift within the lute, that he had felt, but had not understood, that first evening when he dined at Norman’s house, had widened, and Norman’s life was beginning to be overcast with the saddest of all clouds. Miss Abigail’s keen intuition had discovered the flaw. Mrs. Wentworth had fallen a victim to her folly. Love of pleasure, love of admiration, love of display, had become a part of Mrs. Wentworth’s life, and she was beginning to reap the fruits of her ambition.

有一段时间，这对她来说非常有趣。整个早上都在购物，买最贵的东西；一个下午在大街上或公园里开车，在最漂亮的厕所里，有最新最时尚的人潮；提供最美味的晚餐；在最昂贵的包厢里度过一个晚上；让男人刮目相看，让女人羡慕不已，这一切都让她一时高兴起来，甚至为了自己的丈夫也无法放弃。诺曼最近太忙了，无法像以前那样经常陪她走动。他父亲的健康状况每况愈下，然后去世了，所有的生意都交给了诺曼。

Ferdy Wickersham had returned home from abroad not long before–alone. Rumor had connected his name while abroad with some woman–an unknown and very pretty woman had “travelled with him.” Ferdy, being rallied by his friends about it, shook his head. “Must have been some one else.” Grinnell Rhodes, who had met him, said she declared herself his wife. Ferdy’s denial was most conclusive–he simply laughed.

To Mrs. Wentworth he had told a convincing tale. It was a slander. Norman was against him, he knew, but she, at least, would believe he had been maligned.

Wickersham had waited for such a time in the affairs of Mrs. Wentworth. He had watched for it; striven to bring it about in many almost imperceptible ways; had tendered her sympathy; had been ready with help as she needed it; till he began to believe that he was making some impression. It was, of all the games he played, the dearest just now to his heart. It had a double zest. It had appeared to the world that Norman Wentworth had defeated him. He had always defeated him–first as a boy, then at college, and later when he had borne off the prize for which Ferdy had really striven. Ferdy would now show who was the real victor. If Louise Caldwell had passed him by for Norman Wentworth, he would prove that he still possessed her heart.

It was not long, therefore, before society found a delightful topic of conversation,–that silken-clad portion of society which usually deals with such topics,–the increasing intimacy between Ferdy Wickersham and Mrs. Wentworth.

Tales were told of late visits; of strolls in the dusk of evenings on unfrequented streets; of little suppers after the opera; of all the small things that deviltry can suggest and malignity distort. Wickersham cared little for having his name associated with that of any one, and he was certainly not going to be more careful for another’s name than for his own. He had grown more reckless since his return, but it had not injured him with his set. It flattered his pride to be credited with the conquest of so cold and unapproachable a Diana as Louise Wentworth.

“What was more natural?” said Mrs. Nailor. After all, Ferdy Wickersham was her real romance, and she was his, notwithstanding all the attentions he had paid Alice Yorke. “Besides,” said the amiable lady, “though Norman Wentworth undoubtedly lavishes large sums on his wife, and gives her the means to gratify her extravagant tastes, I have observed that he is seen quite as much with Mrs. Lancaster as with her, and any woman of spirit will resent this. You need not tell me that he would be so complacent over all that driving and strolling and box-giving that Ferdy does for her if he did not find his divertisement elsewhere.”

Mrs. Nailor even went to the extent of rallying Ferdy on the subject.

“You are a naughty boy. You have no right to go around here making women fall in love with you as you do,” she said, with that pretended reproof which is a real encouragement.

“One might suppose I was like David, who slew his tens of thousands,” answered Ferdy. “Which of my victims are you attempting to rescue?”

“你懂？”

As Ferdy shook his head, she explained further.

“I don’t say that it isn’t natural she should find you more–more–sympathetic than a man who is engrossed in business when he is not engrossed in dangling about a pair of blue eyes; but you ought not to do it. Think of her.”

“I thought you objected to my thinking of her?” said Mr. Wickersham, lightly.

Mrs. Nailor tapped him with her fan to show her displeasure.

“You are so provoking. Why won’t you be serious?”

“严肃的？我一生中从未如此认真过。假设我告诉你我一直在想她呢？”他敏锐地看着她，当读到她对演讲的喜悦时，他突然笑了起来。 “你不认为我有能力处理自己的事情吗，即使路易丝·考德威尔是你塑造的那种温柔、单纯的人？我很高兴你觉得没有必要提醒我有关她丈夫的事？”他的眼睛里闪过一丝光芒。

奈勒夫人赶紧摆正自己的立场——也就是说，站在在场的人一边，因为对她来说，缺席的人总是错的。

Wickersham improved his opportunities with the ability of a veteran. Little by little he excited Mrs. Wentworth’s jealousy. Norman, he said, necessarily saw a great deal of Alice Lancaster, for he was her business agent. It was, perhaps, not necessary for him to see her every day, but it was natural that he should. The arrow stuck and rankled. And later, at an entertainment, when she saw Norman laughing and enjoying himself in a group of old friends, among whom was Alice Lancaster, Mrs. Norman was on fire with suspicion, and her attitude toward Alice Lancaster changed.

So, before Norman was aware of it, he found life completely changed for him. As a boatman on a strange shore in the night-time drifts without knowing of it, he, in the absorption of his business, drifted away from his old relation without marking the process. His wife had her life and friends, and he had his. He made at times an effort to recover the old relation, but she was too firmly held in the grip of the life she had chosen for him to get her back.

他的妻子抱怨他缺乏同情心，他无法否认。她对此感到不满，并指责他忽视了她。没有人能承受这样的指控，诺曼激烈地为自己辩护。

“I do not think it lies in your mouth to make such a charge,” he said, with a flash in his eye. “I am nearly always at home when I am not necessarily absent. You can hardly say as much. I do not think my worst enemy would charge me with that. Even Ferdy Wickersham would not say that.”

她向这个名字开枪。

“You are always attacking my friends,” she declared. “I think they are quite as good as yours.”

Norman turned away. He looked gloomily out of the window for a moment, and then faced his wife again.

“Louise,” he said gravely, “if I have been hard and unsympathetic, I have not meant to be. Why can’t we start all over again? You are more than all the rest of the world to me. I will give up whatever you object to, and you give up what I object to. That is a good way to begin.” His eyes had a look of longing in them, but Mrs. Wentworth did not respond.

“You will insist on my giving up my friends,” she said.

“Your friends? I do not insist on your giving up any friend on earth. Mrs. Nailor and her like are not your friends. They spend their time tearing to pieces the characters of others when you are present, and your character when you are absent. Wickersham is incapable of being a friend.”

“You are always so unjust to him,” said Mrs. Wentworth, warmly.

“我对他并没有不公平。我认识他一辈子，我告诉你，他会为了自己的快乐而牺牲任何人。”

Mrs. Wentworth began to defend him warmly, and so the quarrel ended worse than it had begun.

接下来的几年就如老罗森的经历所预测的那样过去了。运气下降了；但命运之轮总是在转动，正如老乡所说，“能坚持下去的人会再次登上顶峰”。

Keith, however, had prospered. He had got the Rawson mine to running again, and even in the hardest times had been able to make it pay expenses. Other properties had failed and sold out, and had been bought in by Keith’s supporters, when Wickersham once more appeared in New Leeds affairs. It was rumored that Wickersham was going to start again. Old Adam Rawson’s face grew dark at the rumor. He said to Keith:

“如果那个年轻人来到这里，那就是他或我。我已经是个老人了，活不了多久了；但我想活着见到他一次。如果他有朋友的话，最好叫他不要来。”他坐在那里，怒目而视，闷闷不乐地抽着烟斗。

基思试图安抚他，但他没能成功。但老人受了无法愈合的伤口。

“I know all you say, and I’m much obliged to you; but I can’t accept it. It’s an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth with me. He has entered my home and struck me in the dark. Do you think I done all I have done jest for the money I was makin’! No; I wanted revenge. I have set on my porch of a night and seen her wanderin’ about in them fureign cities, all alone, trampin’ the streets–trampin’, trampin’, trampin’; tired, and, maybe, sick and hungry, not able to ask them outlandish folks for even a piece of bread–her that used to set on my knee and hug me with her little arms and call me granddad, and claim all the little calves for hers–jest the little ones; and that I’ve ridden many a mile over the mountains for, thinkin’ how she was goin’ to run out to meet me when I got home. And now even my old dog’s dead–died after she went away.

“No!” he broke out fiercely. “If he comes back here, it’s him or me! By the Lord! if he comes back here, I’ll pay him the debt I owe him. If she’s his wife, I’ll make her a widow, and if she ain’t, I’ll revenge her.”

他擦了擦额头上的汗珠，一言不发地走出了门。

But Ferdy Wickersham had no idea of returning to New Leeds. He found New York quite interesting enough for him about this time.

The breach between Norman and his wife had grown of late.

Gossip divided the honors between them, and some said it was on Ferdy Wickersham’s account; others declared that it was Mrs. Lancaster who had come between them. Yet others said it was a matter of money–that Norman had become tired of his wife’s extravagance and had refused to stand it any longer.

Keith knew vaguely of the trouble between Norman and his wife; but he did not know the extent of it, and he studiously kept up his friendly relations with her as well as with Norman. His business took him to New York from time to time, and he was sensible that the life there was growing more and more attractive for him. He was fitting into it too, and enjoying it more and more. He was like a strong swimmer who, used to battling in heavy waves, grows stronger with the struggle, and finds ever new enjoyment and courage in his endeavor. He felt that he was now quite a man of the world. He was aware that his point of view had changed and (a little) that he had changed. As flattering as was his growth in New Leeds, he had a much more infallible evidence of his success in the favor with which he was being received in New York.

The favor that Mrs. Lancaster had shown Keith, and, much more, old Mrs. Wentworth’s friendship, had a marked effect throughout their whole circle of acquaintance. That a man had been invited to these houses meant that he must be something. There were women who owned large houses, wore priceless jewels, cruised in their own yachts, had their own villas on ground as valuable as that which fronted the Roman Forum in old days, who would almost have licked the marble steps of those mansions to be admitted to sit at their dinner-tables and have their names appear in the Sunday issues of the newly established society journals among the blessed few. So, as soon as it appeared that Gordon was not only an acquaintance, but a friend of these critical leaders, women who had looked over his head as they drove up the avenue, and had just tucked their chins and lowered their eyelids when he had been presented, began to give him invitations. Among these was Mrs. Nailor. Truly, the world appeared warmer and kinder than Keith had thought.

To be sure, it was at Mrs. Lancaster’s that Mrs. Nailor met him, and Keith was manifestly on very friendly terms with the pretty widow. Even Mrs. Yorke, who was present on the occasion with her “heart,” was impressively cordial to him. Mrs. Nailor had no idea of being left out. She almost gushed with affection, as she made a place beside her on a divan.

“You do not come to see all your friends,” she said, with her winningest smile and her most bird-like voice. “You appear to forget that you have other old friends in New York besides Mrs. Lancaster and Mrs. Yorke. Alice dear, you must not be selfish and engross all his time. You must let him come and see me, at least, sometimes. Yes?” This with a peculiarly innocent smile and tone.

Keith declared that he was in New York very rarely, and Mrs. Lancaster, with a slightly heightened color, repudiated the idea that she had anything to do with his movements.

“Oh, I hear of you here very often,” declared Mrs. Nailor, roguishly. “I have a little bird that brings me all the news about my friends.”

“确实是一只小鸟！”爱丽丝对自己说道，后来又对基思说道。 “我会受到约束，但她没有。如果她有一只鸟，那只老猫就会吃掉它。”

“You are going to the Creamers’ ball, of course?” pursued Mrs. Nailor.

No, Keith said: he was not going; he had been in New York only two days, and, somehow, his advent had been overlooked. He was always finding himself disappointed by discovering that New York was still a larger place than New Leeds.

“Oh, but you must go! We must get you an invitation, mustn’t we, Alice?” Mrs. Nailor was always ready to promise anything, provided she could make her engagement in partnership and then slip out and leave the performance to her friend.

“为什么是;获得邀请函并不困难。奈勒太太可以很容易地给你买一个。”

Keith looked acquiescent.

“No, my dear; you write the note. You know Mrs. Creamer every bit as well as I,” protested Mrs. Nailor, “and I have already asked for at least a dozen. There are Mrs. Wyndham and Lady Stobbs, who were here last winter; and that charming Lord Huckster, who was at Newport last summer; and I don’t know how many more–so you will have to get the invitation for Mr. Keith.”

Keith, with some amusement, declared that he did not wish any trouble taken; he had only said he would go because Mrs. Nailor had appeared to desire it so much.

Next morning an invitation reached Keith,–he thought he knew through whose intervention,–and he accepted it.

That evening, as Keith, about dusk, was going up the avenue on his way home, a young girl passed him, walking very briskly. She paused for a moment just ahead of him to give some money to a poor woman who, doubled up on the pavement in a black shawl, was grinding out from a wheezy little organ a thin, dirge-like strain.

“Good evening. I hope you feel better to-day,” Keith heard her say in a kind tone, though he lost all of the other’s reply except the “God bless you.”

She was simply dressed in a plain, dark walking-suit, and something about her quick, elastic step and slim, trim figure as she sailed along, looking neither to the right nor to the left, attracted his attention. Her head was set on her shoulders in a way that gave her quite an air, and as she passed under a lamp the light showed the flash of a fine profile and an unusual face. She carried a parcel in her hand that might have been a roll of music, and from the lateness of the hour Keith fancied her a shop-girl on her way home, or possibly a music-teacher.

Stirred by the glimpse of the refined face, and even more by the carriage of the little head under the dainty hat, Keith quickened his pace to obtain another glance at her. He had almost overtaken her when she stopped in front of a well-lighted window of a music-store. The light that fell on her face revealed to him a face of unusual beauty. Something about her graceful pose as, with her dark brows slightly knitted, she bent forward and scanned intently the pieces of music within, awakened old associations in Keith’s mind, and sent him back to his boyhood at Elphinstone. And under an impulse, which he could better justify to himself than to her, he did a very audacious and improper thing. Taking off his hat, he spoke to her. She had been so absorbed that for a moment she did not comprehend that it was she he was addressing. Then, as it came to her that it was she to whom this stranger was speaking, she drew herself up and gave him a look of such withering scorn that Keith felt himself shrink. Next second, with her head high in the air, she had turned without a word and sped up the street, leaving Keith feeling very cheap and subdued.

But that glance from dark eyes flashing with indignation had filled Keith with a sensation to which he had long been a stranger. Something about the simple dress, the high-bred face with its fine scorn; something about the patrician air of mingled horror and contempt, had suddenly cleaved through the worldly crust that had been encasing him for some time, and reaching his better self, awakened an emotion that he had thought gone forever. It was like a lightning-flash in the darkness. He knew that she had entered his life. His resolution was taken on the instant. He would meet her, and if she were what she looked to be–again Elphinstone and his youth swept into his mind. He already was conscious of a sense of protection; he felt curiously that he had the right to protect her. If he had addressed her, might not others do so? The thought made his blood boil. He almost wished that some one would attempt it, that he might assert his right to show her what he was, and thus retrieve himself in her eyes. Besides, he must know where she lived. So he followed her at a respectful distance till she ran up the steps of one of the better class of houses and disappeared within. He was too far off to be able to tell which house it was that she entered, but it was in the same block with Norman Wentworth’s house.

Keith walked the avenue that night for a long time, pondering how he should find and explain his conduct to the young music-teacher, for a music-teacher he had decided she must be. The next evening, too, he strolled for an hour on the avenue, scanning from a distance every fair passer-by, but he saw nothing of her.

Mrs. Creamer’s balls were, as Norman had once said, 此 balls of the season. “Only the rich and the noble were expected.”

Mrs. Creamer’s house was one of the great, new, brown-stone mansions which had been built within the past ten years upon “the avenue.” It had cost a fortune. Within, it was so sumptuous that a special work has been “gotten up,” printed, and published by subscription, of its “art treasures,” furniture, and upholstery.

Into this palatial residence–for flattery could not have called it a home–Keith was admitted, along with some hundreds of other guests.

今晚，它充满了，不完全是鲜花，而是花卉装饰。因为玫瑰和兰花在设计中消失了——由无数花朵组成的花环、圆圈和堤岸。

Mrs. Creamer, a large, handsome woman with good shoulders, stood just inside the great drawing-room. She was gorgeously attired and shone with diamonds until the eyes ached with her splendor. Behind her stood Mr. Creamer, looking generally mightily bored. Now and then he smiled and shook hands with the guests, at times drawing a friend out of the line back into the rear for a chat, then relapsing again into indifference or gloom.

Keith was presented to Mrs. Creamer. She only nodded to him. Keith moved on. He soon discovered that a cordial greeting to a strange guest was no part of the convention in that society. One or two acquaintances spoke to him, but he was introduced to no one; so he sauntered about and entertained himself observing the people. The women were in their best, and it was good.

Keith was passing from one room to another when he became aware that a man, who was standing quite still in the doorway, was, like himself, watching the crowd. His face was turned away; but something about the compact figure and firm chin was familiar to him. Keith moved to take a look at his face. It was Dave Dennison.

他眸光一闪：“没想到会在这里见到我？”

“Didn’t expect to see myself here,” said Keith.

“I’m one of the swells now”; and Dave glanced down at his expensive shirt-front and his evening suit with complacency. “Wouldn’t Jake give a lot to have such a bosom as that? I think I look just as well as some of ’em?” he queried, with a glance about him.

Keith thought so too. “You are dressed for the part,” he said. Keith’s look of interest inspired him to go on.

“You see, ’tain’t like ’tis down with us, where you know everybody, and everything about him, to the number of drinks he can carry.”

“Well, what do you do here?” asked Keith, who was trying to follow Mr. Dennison’s calm eye as, from time to time, it swept the rooms, resting here and there on a face or following a hand. He was evidently not merely a guest.

“侦探。”

“A detective!” exclaimed Keith.

Dave nodded. “Yes; watchin’ the guests, to see they don’t carry off each other. It is the new ones that puzzle us for a while,” he added. “Now, there is a lady acting very mysteriously over there.” His eye swept over the room and then visited, in that casual way it had, some one in the corner across the room. “I don’t just seem to make her out. She looks all right–but–?”

Keith followed the glance, and the blood rushed to his face and then surged back again to his heart, for there, standing against the wall, was the young girl whom he had spoken to on the street a few evenings before, who had given him so merited a rebuff. She was a patrician-looking creature and was standing quite alone, observing the scene with keen interest. Her girlish figure was slim; her eyes, under straight dark brows, were beautiful; and her mouth was almost perfect. Her fresh face expressed unfeigned interest, and though generally grave as she glanced about her, she smiled at times, evidently at her own thoughts.

“I don’t just make her out,” repeated Mr. Dennison, softly. “I never saw her before, as I remember, and yet–!” He looked at her again.

“Why, I do not see that she is acting at all mysteriously,” said Keith. “I think she is a music-teacher. She is about the prettiest girl in the room. She may be a stranger, like myself, as no one is talking to her.”

“Don’t no stranger git in here,” said Mr. Dennison, decisively. “You see how different she is from the others. Most of them don’t think about anything but themselves. She ain’t thinkin’ about herself at all; she is watchin’ others. She may be a reporter–she appears mighty interested in clothes.”

“A reporter!”

The surprise in Keith’s tone amused his old pupil. “Yes, a sassiety reporter. They have curious ways here. Why, they pay money to git themselves in the paper.”

就在这时，基思的脸上闪现出一抹阴沉的表情，基思转过身来，顺着他的目光看过去。它落在费迪·威克沙姆身上，他在不远处经过，温特沃斯太太挽着他的胳膊。

“There’s one I am watchin’ on my own account,” said the detective. “I’m comin’ up with him, and some day I’m goin’ to light on him.” His eye gave a flash and then became as calm and cold as usual. Presently he spoke again:

“I don’t forgit nothin’–‘pears like I can’t do it.” His voice had a new subtone in it, which somehow sent Keith’s memory back to the past. “I don’t forgit a kindness, anyway,” he said, laying his hand for a second on Keith’s arm. “Well, see you later, sir.” He moved slowly on. Keith was glad that patient enemy was not following him.

Keith’s inspection of the young girl had inflamed his interest. It was an unusual face–high-bred and fine. Humor lurked about the corners of her mouth; but resolution also might be read there. And Keith knew how those big, dark eyes could flash. And she was manifestly having a good time all to herself. She was dressed much more simply than any other woman he saw, in a plain muslin dress; but she made a charming picture as she stood against the wall, her dark eyes alight with interest. Her brown hair was drawn back from a brow of snowy whiteness, and her little head was set on her shoulders in a way that recalled to Keith an old picture. She would have had an air of distinction in any company. Here she shone like a jewel.

基思很同情她。一看到她，他的青春似乎又涌上心头。基思觉得她看起来很疲倦，因为她时不时地抬起头，扫视一下房间，好像在寻找某人。一种保护感席卷了他。他必须要见见她。但如何呢？她似乎不认识任何人。最后他决定采取一个大胆的权宜之计。如果他成功了，这将给他一个无可比拟的恢复自我的机会；如果他失败了，他只能失败。于是他向她走来。但那是带着一颗跳动的心。

“你看起来很累。不让我给你拿张椅子吗？”他的声音连他自己都觉得奇怪。

“No, thank you; I am not tired.” She thanked him civilly enough, but scarcely looked at him. “But I should like a glass of water.”

“这是我认为我无法得到你的唯一液体，”基思说。 “有三个地方缺水：沙漠、舞厅和戴夫斯所在的另一个地方。”

她稍微站了起来。

“But I will try,” he added, and went off. On his return with a glass of water, she took it.

As she handed the glass back to him, she glanced at him, and he caught her eye. Her head went up, and she flushed to the roots of her brown hair.

“Oh!–I beg your pardon! I–I–really–I don’t–Thank you very much. I am very sorry.” She turned away stiffly.

“Why?” said Keith, flushing in spite of himself. “You have done me a favor in enabling me to wait on you. May I introduce myself? And then I will get some one to do it in person–Mrs. Lancaster or Mrs. Wentworth. They will vouch for me.”

The girl looked up at him, at first with a hostile expression on her face, which changed suddenly to one of wonder.

“Isn’t this Gordon Keith?”

Gordon’s eyes opened wide. How could she know him?

“是的。”

“You don’t know me?” Her eyes were dancing now, and two dimples were flitting about her mouth. Keith’s memory began to stir. She put her head on one side.

“‘Lois, if you’ll kiss me I’ll let you ride my horse,'” she said cajolingly.

“路易斯·亨廷顿！这不可能！基思高兴地喊道。 “你实在是太高了。”基思测量了他左表口袋上方的高度。 “而且你的头发很长。”

With a little twist she turned her head and showed him a head of beautiful brown hair done up in a Grecian knot just above the nape of a shapely little neck.

“–And you have the brightest–”

她的目光落在他的面前，他的眼睛正直视着他们——尽管直到她从他们身上闪过一点光，也许是为了确定他们的身份。

“–And you used to say I was your sw–”

“Did I?” (this was very demurely said). “How old was I then?”

“你现在几岁了？”

“Eighteen,” with a slight straightening of the slim figure.

“Impossible!” exclaimed Keith, enjoying keenly the picture she made.

“All of it,” with a flash of the eyes.

“对我来说，你才七岁。”

“Do you know who I thought you were?” Her face dimpled.

“Yes; a waiter!”

She nodded brightly.

“It was my good manners. The waiters have struck me much this evening,” said Keith.

She smiled, and the dimples appeared again.

“That is their business. They are paid for it.”

“我懂了。这就是其他人是什么——他们是什么的原因吗？好吧，我的薪水不止于此。我的报答就是——你。”

She looked pleased. “You are the first person I have met!–Did you have any idea who I was the other evening?” she asked suddenly.

Keith would have given five years of his life to be able to answer yes. But he said no. “I only knew you were some one who needed protection,” he said, trying to make the best of a bad situation. You are too young to be on the street so late.”

“So it appeared. I had been out for a walk to see old Dr. Templeton and to get a piece of music, and it was later than I thought.”

“Whom are you here with?” inquired Keith, to get off of delicate ground. “Where are you staying?”

“With my cousin, Mrs. Norman Wentworth. It is my first introduction into New York life.”

就在这时，有人向晚饭室走去。

Keith suggested that they should go and find Mrs. Norman. Miss Huntington said, however, she thought she had better remain where she was, as Mrs. Norman had promised to come back.

“I hope she will invite you to join our party,” she said naïvely.

“If she does not, I will invite you both to join mine,” declared Keith. “I have no idea of letting you escape for another dozen years.”

Just then, however, Mrs. Norman appeared. She was with Ferdy Wickersham, who, on seeing Keith, looked away coldly. She smiled, greatly surprised to find Keith there. “Why, where did you two know each other?”

They explained.

“我看到你订婚得很愉快，所以我认为没有必要赶紧回来，”她对路易斯说。

费迪·威克沙姆低声对她说了些什么，她向女孩伸出了手。

“Come, we are to join a party in the supper-room. We shall see you after supper, Mr. Keith?”

Keith said he hoped so. He was conscious of a sudden wave of disappointment sweeping over him as the three left him. The young girl gave him a bright smile.

Later, as he passed by, he saw only Ferdy Wickersham with Mrs. Norman. Lois Huntington was at another table, so Keith joined her.

After the supper there was to be a novel kind of entertainment: a sort of vaudeville show in which were to figure a palmist, a gentleman set down in the programme with its gilt printing as the “Celebrated Professor Cheireman”; several singers; a couple of acrobatic performers; and a danseuse: “Mlle. Terpsichore.”

The name struck Keith with something of sadness. It recalled old associations, some of them pleasant, some of them sad. And as he stood near Lois Huntington, on the edge of the throng that filled the large apartment where the stage had been constructed, during the first three or four numbers he was rather more in Gumbolt than in that gay company in that brilliant room.

“谢尔曼教授”通过一系列技巧展示了受过训练的双手和未经训练的头脑的奇迹，如果没有那么多人表演这些技巧，这些技巧肯定会很精彩。女士。德·沃瓦用她的声音创造了同样的奇迹，像笼中的松鼠一样在音阶上上下奔跑，将颤音引入到原本没有颤音的歌曲中，并使最简单的旋律看起来像歌剧一样复杂。 Burlystone 兄弟以一种奇妙且“绝对无与伦比的方式”在对方身上跳来跳去。不久舞女出现了。

Keith was standing against the wall thinking of Terpy and the old hail with its paper hangings in Gumbolt, and its benches full of eager, jovial spectators, when suddenly there was a roll of applause, and he found himself in Gumbolt. From the side on which he stood walked out his old friend, Terpy herself. He had not been able to see her until she was well out on the stage and was making her bow. The next second she began to dance.

After the first greeting given her, a silence fell on the room, the best tribute they could pay to her art, her grace, her abandon. Nothing so audacious had ever been seen by certainly half the assemblage. Casting aside the old tricks of the danseuse, the tipping and pirouetting and grimacing for applause, the dancer seemed oblivious of her audience and as though she were trying to excel herself. She swayed and swung and swept from side to side as though on wings.

Round after round of applause swept over the room. Men were talking in undertones to each other; women buzzed behind their fans.

She stopped, panting and flushed with pride, and with a certain scorn in her face and mien glanced over the audience. Just as she was poising herself for another effort, her eye reached the side of the room where Keith stood just beside Miss Huntington. A change passed over her face. She nodded, hesitated for a second, and then began again. She failed to catch the time of the music and danced out of time. A titter came from the rear of the room. She looked in that direction, and Keith did the same. Ferdy Wickersham, with a malevolent gleam in his eye, was laughing. The dancer flushed deeply, frowned, lost her self-possession, and stopped. A laugh of derision sounded at the rear.

“For shame! It is shameful!” said Lois Huntington in a low voice to Keith.

“It is. The cowardly scoundrel!” He turned and scowled at Ferdy.

听到声音，特比向前迈出了一步，身体前倾，用闪烁的目光扫视着全场。

“Put that man out.”

A buzz of astonishment and laughter greeted her outbreak.

“Cackle, you fools!”

She turned to the musicians.

“再弹一遍，弹对一点，不然我就掐断你的脖子！”

She began to dance again, and soon danced as she had done at first.

Applause was beginning again; but at the sound she stopped, looked over the audience disdainfully, and turning, walked coolly from the stage.

“Who is she?” “Well, did you ever see anything like that!” “Well, I never did!” “The insolent creature!” “By Jove! she can dance if she chooses!” buzzed over the room.

“Good for her,” said Keith, his face full of admiration.

“Did you know her?” asked Miss Huntington.

“好。”

少女没有说话，只是身子一僵，脸色微微变色。

“You know her, too,” said Keith.

“I! I do not.”

“Do you remember once, when you were a tot over in England, giving your doll to a little dancing-girl?–When your governess was in such a temper?”

Lois nodded.

“That is she. She used to live in New Leeds. She was almost the only woman in Gumbolt when I went there. Had a man laughed at her there then, he would never have left the room alive. Mr. Wickersham tried it once, and came near getting his neck broken for it. He is getting even with her now.”

As the girl glanced up at him, his face was full of suppressed feeling. A pang shot through her.

Just then the entertainment broke up and the guests began to leave. Mrs. Wentworth beckoned to Lois. Wickersham was still with her.

“I will not trust myself to go within speaking distance of him now,” said Keith; “so I will say good-by, here.” He made his adieus somewhat hurriedly, and moved off as Mrs. Wentworth approached.

Wickersham, who, so long as Keith remained with Miss Huntington, had kept aloof, and was about to say good night to Mrs. Wentworth, had, on seeing Keith turn away, followed Mrs. Wentworth.

Every one was still chatting of the episode of the young virago.

“Well, what did you think of your friend’s friend?” asked Wickersham of Lois.

“谁的？”

“Of your friend Mr. Keith’s young lady. She is an old flame of his,” he said, turning to Mrs. Wentworth and speaking in an undertone, just loud enough for Lois to hear. “They have run her out of New Leeds, and I think he is trying to force her on the people here. He has cheek enough to do anything; but I think to-night will about settle him.”

“I do not know very much about such things; but I think she dances very well,” said Lois, with heightened color, moved to defend the girl under an instinct of opposition to Wickersham.

“So your friend thinks, or thought some time ago,” said Wickersham. “My dear girl, she can’t dance at all. She is simply a disreputable young woman, who has been run out of her own town, as she ought to be run out of this, as an impostor, if nothing else.” He turned to Mrs. Wentworth: “A man who brought such a woman to a place like this ought to be kicked out of town.”

“If you are speaking of Mr. Keith, I don’t believe that of him,” said Lois, coldly.

Wickersham looked at her for a moment. A curious light was in his eyes as he said:

“I am not referring to any one. I am simply generalizing.” He shrugged his shoulders and turned away.

As Mrs. Wentworth and Lois entered their carriage, a gentleman was helping some one into a hack just behind Mrs. Wentworth’s carriage. The light fell on them at the moment that Lois stepped forward, and she recognized Mr. Keith and the dancer, Mile. Terpsichore. He was handing her in with all the deference that he would have shown the highest lady in the land.

Lois Huntington drove home in a maze. Life appeared to have changed twice for her in a single evening. Out of that crowd of strangers had come one who seemed to be a part of her old life. They had taken each other up just where they had parted. The long breach in their lives had been bridged. He had seemed the old friend and champion of her childhood, who, since her aunt had revived her recollection of him, had been a sort of romantic hero in her dreams. Their meeting had been such as she had sometimes pictured to herself it would be. She believed him finer, higher, than others. Then, suddenly, she had found that the vision was but an idol of clay. All that her aunt had said of him had been dashed to pieces in a trice.

He was not worthy of her notice. He was not a gentleman. He was what Mr. Wickersham had called him. He had boasted to her of his intimacy with a common dancing-girl. He had left her to fly to her and escort her home.

As Keith had left the house, Terpsichore had come out of the side entrance, and they had met. Keith was just wondering how he could find her, and he considered the meeting a fortunate one. She was in a state of extreme agitation. It was the first time that she had undertaken to dance at such an entertainment. She had refused, but had been over-persuaded, and she declared it was all a plot between Wickersham and her manager to ruin her. She would be even with them both, if she had to take a pistol to right her wrongs.

Keith had little idea that the chief motive of her acceptance had been the hope that she might find him among the company. He did what he could to soothe her, and having made a promise to call upon her, he bade her good-by, happily ignorant of the interpretation which she who had suddenly sprung uppermost in his thoughts had, upon Wickersham’s instigation, put upon his action.

Keith walked home with a feeling to which he had been long a stranger. He was somehow happier than he had been in years. A young girl had changed the whole entertainment for him–the whole city–almost his whole outlook on life. He had not felt this way for years–not since Alice Yorke had darkened life for him. Could love be for him again?

The dial appeared to have turned back for him. He felt younger, fresher, more hopeful. He walked out into the street and tried to look up at the stars. The houses obscured them; they were hardly visible. The city streets were no place for stars and sentiment. He would go through the park and see them. So he strolled along and turned into a park. The gas-lamps shed a yellow glow on the trees, making circles of feeble light on the walks, and the shadows lay deep on the ground. Most of the benches were vacant; but here and there a waif or a belated homegoer sat in drowsy isolation. The stars were too dim even from this vantage-ground to afford Keith much satisfaction. His thoughts flew back to the mountains and the great blue canopy overhead, spangled with stars, and a blue-eyed girl amid pillows whom he used to worship. An arid waste of years cut them off from the present, and his thoughts came back to a sweet-faced girl with dark eyes, claiming him as her old friend. She appeared to be the old ideal rather than the former.

All next day Keith thought of Lois Huntington. He wanted to go and see her but he waited until the day after. He would not appear too eager.

He called at Norman’s office for the pleasure of talking of her; but Norman was still absent. The following afternoon he called at Norman’s house. The servant said Mrs. Norman was out.

“Miss Huntington?”

“She left this morning.”

Keith walked up the street feeling rather blank. That night he started for the South. But Lois Huntington was much in his thoughts. He wondered if life would open for him again. When a man wonders about this, life has already opened.

By the time he reached New Leeds, he had already made up his mind to write and ask Miss Abby for an invitation to Brookford, and he wrote his father a full account of the girl he had known as a child, over which the old General beamed.

He forgave people toward whom he had hard feelings. The world was better than he had been accounting it. He even considered more leniently than he had done Mrs. Wentworth’s allowing Ferdy Wickersham to hang around her. It suddenly flashed on him that, perhaps, Ferdy was in love with Lois Huntington. Crash! went his kind feelings, his kind thoughts. The idea of Ferdy making love to that pure, sweet, innocent creature! It was horrible! Her innocence, her charming friendliness, her sweetness, all swept over him, and he thrilled with a sense of protection.

Could he have known what Wickersham had done to poison her against him, he would have been yet more enraged. As it was, Lois was at that time back at her old home; but with how different feelings from those which she had had but a few days before! Sometimes she hated Keith, or, at least, declared to herself that she hated him; and at others she defended him against her own charge. And more and more she truly hated Wickersham.

“So you met Mr. Keith?” said her aunt, abruptly, a day or two after her return. “How did you like him?”

“I did not like him,” said Lois, briefly, closing her lips with a snap, as if to keep the blood out of her cheeks.

“What! you did not like him? Girls are strange creatures nowadays. In my time, a girl–a girl like you–would have thought him the very pink of a man. I suppose you liked that young Wickersham better?” she added grimly.

“No, I did not like him either. But I think Mr. Keith is perfectly horrid.”

“Horrid!” The old lady’s black eyes snapped. “Oh, he didn’t ask you to dance! Well, I think, considering he knew you when you were a child, and knew you were my niece, he might–”

“Oh, yes, I danced with him; but he is not very nice. He–ah–Something I saw prejudiced me.”

Miss Abby was so insistent that she should tell her what had happened that she yielded.

“Well, I saw him on the street helping a woman into a carriage.”

“A woman? And why shouldn’t he help her in? He probably was the only man you saw that would do it, if you saw the men I met.”

“A dis–reputable woman,” said Lois, slowly.

“And, pray, what do you know of disreputable women? Not that there are not enough of them to be seen!”

“Some one told me–and she looked it,” said Lois, blushing. The old lady unexpectedly whipped around and took her part so warmly that Lois suddenly found herself defending Gordon. She could not bear that others should attack him, though she took frequent occasion to tell herself that she hated him. In fact, she hated him so that she wanted to see him to show him how severe she would be.

The occasion might have come sooner than she expected; but alas! Fate was unkind. Keith was not conscious until he found that Lois Huntington had left town how much he had thought of her. Her absence appeared suddenly to have emptied the city. By the time he had reached his room he had determined to follow her home. That rift of sunshine which had entered his life should not be shut out again. He sat down and wrote to her: a friendly letter, expressing warmly his pleasure at having met her, picturing jocularly his disappointment at having failed to find her. He made a single allusion to the Terpsichore episode. He had done what he could, he said, to soothe his friend’s ruffled feelings; but, though he thought he had some influence with her, he could not boast of having had much success in this. In the light in which Lois read this letter, the allusion to the dancing-girl outweighed all the rest, and though her heart had given a leap when she first saw that she had a letter from Keith, when she laid it down her feeling had changed. She would show him that she was not a mere country chit to be treated as he had treated her. His “friend” indeed!

When Keith, to his surprise, received no reply to his letter, he wrote again more briefly, asking if his former letter had been received; but this shared the fate of the first.

Meantime Lois had gone off to visit a friend. Her mind was not quite as easy as it should have been. She felt that if she had it to go over, she would do just the same thing; but she began to fancy excuses for Keith. She even hunted up the letters he had written her as a boy.

It is probable that Lois’s failure to write did more to raise her in Keith’s estimation and fix her image in his mind than anything else she could have done. Keith knew that something untoward had taken place, but what it was he could not conceive. At least, however, it proved to him that Lois Huntington was different from some of the young women he had met of late. So he sat down and wrote to Miss Brooke, saying that he was going abroad on a matter of importance, and asking leave to run down and spend Sunday with them before he left. Miss Brooke’s reply nearly took his breath away. She not only refused his request, but intimated that there was a good reason why his former letters had not been acknowledged and why he would not be received by her.

It was rather incoherent, but it had something to do with “inexplicable conduct.” On this Keith wrote Miss Brooke, requesting a more explicit charge and demanding an opportunity to defend himself. Still he received no reply; and, angry that he had written, he took no further steps about it.

By the time Lois reached home she had determined to answer his letter. She would write him a severe reply.

Miss Abby, however, announced to Lois, the day of her return, that Mr. Keith had written asking her permission to come down and see them. The blood sprang into Lois’s face, and if Miss Abby had had on her spectacles at that moment, she must have read the tale it told.

“Oh, he did! And what–?” She gave a swallow to restrain her impatience. “What did you say to him, Aunt Abby? Have you answered the letter?” This was very demurely said.

“Yes. Of course, I wrote him not to come. I preferred that he should not come.”

Could she have but seen Lois’s face!

“Oh, you did!”

“Yes. I want no hypocrites around me.” Her head was up and her cap was bristling. “I came very near telling him so, too. I told him that I had it from good authority that he had not behaved in altogether the most gentlemanly way–consorting openly with a hussy on the street! I think he knows whom I referred to.”

“But, Aunt Abby, I do not know that she was. I only heard she was,” defended Lois.

“谁告诉你？”

“Mr. Wickersham.”

“好， he knows,” said Miss Abigail, with decision. “Though I think he had very little to do to discuss such matters with you.”

“But, Aunt Abby, I think you had better have let him come. We could have shown him our disapproval in our manner. And possibly he might have some explanations?”

“I guess he won’t make any mistake about that. The hypocrite! To sit up and talk to me as if he were a bishop! I have no doubt he would have explanation enough. They always do.”

Just then the wheel turned. Interest was awaking in England in American enterprises, and, fortunately for Keith, he had friends on that side.

Grinnell Rhodes now lived in England, dancing attendance on his wife, the daughter of Mr. Creamer of Creamer, Crustback & Company, who was aspiring to be in the fashionable set there.

Matheson, the former agent of the Wickershams, with whom Ferdy had quarrelled, had gone back to England, and had acquired a reputation as an expert. By one of the fortuitous happenings so hard to account for, about this time Keith wrote to Rhodes, and Rhodes consulted Matheson, who knew the properties. Ferdy had incurred the Scotchman’s implacable hate, and the latter was urged on now by a double motive. To Rhodes, who was bored to death with the life he was leading, the story told by the Wickershams’ old superintendent was like a trumpet to a war-horse.

Out of the correspondence with Rhodes grew a suggestion to Keith to come over and try to place the Rawson properties with an English syndicate. Keith had, moreover, a further reason for going. He had not recovered from the blow of Miss Brooke’s refusal to let him visit Lois. He knew that in some way it was connected with his attention to Terpsichore; he knew that there was a misunderstanding, and felt that Wickersham was somehow connected with it. But he was too proud to make any further attempt to explain it.

Accordingly, armed with the necessary papers and powers, he arranged to go to England. He had control of and options on lands which were estimated to be worth several millions of dollars at any fair valuation.

Keith had long been trying to persuade his father to accompany him to New York on some of his visits; but the old gentleman had never been able to make up his mind to do so.

“I have grown too old to travel in strange lands,” he said. “I tried to get there once, but they stopped me just in sight of a stone fence on the farther slope beyond Gettysburg.” A faint flash glittered in his quiet eyes. “I think I had better restrain my ambition now to migrations from the blue bed to the brown, and confine my travels to ‘the realms of gold’!”

Now, after much urging, as Gordon was about to go abroad to try and place the Rawson properties there, the General consented to go to New York and see him off. It happened that Gordon was called to New York on business a day or two before his father was ready to go. So he exacted a promise that he would follow him, and went on ahead. Though General Keith would have liked to back out at the last moment, as he had given his word, he kept it. He wrote his son that he must not undertake to meet him, as he could not tell by what train he should arrive.

“I shall travel slowly,” he said, “for I wish to call by and see one or two old friends on my way, whom I have not seen for years.”

The fact was that he wished to see the child of his friend, General Huntington, and determined to avail himself of this opportunity to call by and visit her. Gordon’s letter about her had opened a new vista in life.

The General found Brookford a pleasant village, lying on the eastern slope of the Piedmont, and having written to ask permission to call and pay his respects, he was graciously received by Miss Abby, and more than graciously received by her niece. Miss Lois would probably have met any visitor at the train; but she might not have had so palpitating a heart and so rich a color in meeting many a young man.

Few things captivate a person more than to be received with real cordiality by a friend immediately on alighting at a strange station from a train full of strangers. But when the traveller is an old and somewhat unsophisticated man, and when the friend is a young and very pretty girl, and when, after a single look, she throws her arms around his neck and kisses him, the capture is likely to be as complete as any that could take place in life. When Lois Huntington, after asking about his baggage, and exclaiming because he had sent his trunk on to New York and had brought only a valise, as if he were only stopping off between trains, finally settled herself down beside the General and took the reins of the little vehicle that she had come in, there was, perhaps, not a more pleased old gentleman in the world than the one who sat beside her.

“How you have grown!” he said, gazing at her with admiration. “Somehow, I always thought of you as a little girl–a very pretty little girl.”

She thought of what his son had said at their meeting at the ball.

“But you know one must grow some, and it has been eleven years since then. Think how long that has been!”

“Eleven years! Does that appear so long to you?” said the old man, smiling. “So it is in our youth. Gordon wrote me of his meeting you and of how you had changed.”

I wonder what he meant by that, said Lois to herself, the color mounting to her cheek. “He thought I had changed, did he?” she asked tentatively, after a moment, a trace of grimness stealing into her face, where it lay like a little cloud in May.

“Yes; he hardly knew you. You see, he did not have the greeting that I got.”

“I should think not!” exclaimed Lois. “If he had, I don’t know what he might have thought!” She grew as grave as she could.

“He said you were the sweetest and prettiest girl there, and that all the beauty of New York was there, even the beautiful Mrs.–what is her name? She was Miss Yorke.”

Lois’s face relaxed suddenly with an effect of sunshine breaking through a cloud.

“Did he say that?” she exclaimed.

“He did, and more. He is a young man of some discernment,” observed the old fellow, with a chuckle of gratification.

“Oh, but he was only blinding you. He is in love with Mrs. Lancaster.”

“不是他。”

But Lois protested guilefully that he was.

A little later she asked the General:

“Did you ever hear of any one in New Leeds who was named Terpsichore?”

“Terpsichore? Of course. Every one knows her there. I never saw her until she became a nurse, when she was nursing my son. She saved his life, you know?”

“Saved his life!” Her face had grown almost grim. “No, I never heard of it. Tell me about it.”

“Saved his life twice, indeed,” said the old General. “She has had a sad past, but she is a noble woman.” And unheeding Lois’s little sniff, he told the whole story of Terpsichore, and the brave part she had played. Spurred on by his feeling, he told it well, no less than did he the part that Keith had played. When he was through, there had been tears in Lois’s eyes, and her bosom was still heaving.

“Thank you,” she said simply, and the rest of the drive was in silence.

When General Keith left Brookford he was almost as much in love with his young hostess as his son could have been, and all the rest of his journey he was dreaming of what life might become if Gordon and she would but take a fancy to each other, and once more return to the old place. It would be like turning back the years and reversing the consequences of the war.

The General, on his arrival in New York, was full of his visit to Brookford and of Lois. “There is a girl after my own heart,” he declared to Gordon, with enthusiasm. “Why don’t you go down there and get that girl?”

Gordon put the question aside with a somewhat grim look. He was very busy, he said. His plans were just ripening, and he had no time to think about marrying. Besides, “a green country girl” was not the most promising wife. There were many other women who, etc., etc.

“Many other women!” exclaimed the General. “There may be; but I have not seen them lately. As to ‘a green country girl’–why, they make the best wives in the world if you get the right kind. What do you want? One of these sophisticated, fashionable, strong-minded women–a woman’s-rights woman? Heaven forbid! When a gentleman marries, he wants a lady and he wants a wife, a woman to love him; a lady to preside over his home, not over a woman’s meeting.”

Gordon quite agreed with him as to the principle; but he did not know about the instance cited.

“Why, I thought you had more discernment,” said the old gentleman. “She is the sweetest creature I have seen in a long time. She has both sense and sensibility. If I were forty years younger, I should not be suggesting her to you, sir. I should be on my knees to her for myself.” And the old fellow buttoned his coat, straightened his figure, and looked quite spirited and young.

At the club, where Gordon introduced him, his father soon became quite a toast. Half the habitués of the “big room” came to know him, and he was nearly always surrounded by a group listening to his quaint observations of life, his stories of old times, his anecdotes, his quotations from Plutarch or from “Dr. Johnson, sir.”

An evening or two after his appearance at the club, Norman Wentworth came in, and when the first greetings were over, General Keith inquired warmly after his wife.

“Pray present my compliments to her. I have never had the honor of meeting her, sir, but I have heard of her charms from my son, and I promise myself the pleasure of calling upon her as soon as I have called on your mother, which I am looking forward to doing this evening.”

Norman’s countenance changed a little at the unexpected words, for half a dozen men were around. When, however, he spoke it was in a very natural voice.

“Yes, my mother is expecting you,” he said quietly. Mrs. Wentworth also would, he said, be very glad to see him. Her day was Thursday, but if General Keith thought of calling at any other time, and would be good enough to let him know, he thought he could guarantee her being at home. He strolled away.

“By Jove! he did it well,” said one of the General’s other acquaintances when Norman was out of ear-shot.

“You know, he and his wife have quarrelled,” explained Stirling to the astonished General.

“Great Heavens!” The old gentleman looked inexpressibly shocked.

“Yes–Wickersham.”

“That scoundrel!”

“Yes; he is the devil with the women.”

Next evening, as the General sat with Stirling among a group, sipping his toddy, some one approached behind him.

Stirling, who had become a great friend of the General’s, greeted the newcomer.

“Hello, Ferdy! Come around; let me introduce you to General Keith, Gordon Keith’s father.”

The General, with a pleasant smile on his face, rose from his chair and turned to greet the newcomer. As he did so he faced Ferdy Wickersham, who bowed coldly. The old gentleman stiffened, put his hand behind his back, and with uplifted head looked him full in the eyes for a second, and then turned his back on him.

“I beg your pardon, Mr. Stirling, for declining to recognize any one whom you are good enough to wish to introduce to me, but that man I must decline to recognize. He is not a gentleman.”

“I doubt if you know one,” said Ferdy, with a shrug, as he strolled away with affected indifference. But a dozen men had seen the cut.

“I guess you are right enough about that, General,” said one of them.

When the General reflected on what he had done, he was overwhelmed with remorse. He apologized profusely to Stirling for having committed such a solecism.

“I am nothing but an irascible old idiot, sir, and I hope you will excuse my constitutional weakness, but I really could not recognize that man.”

Stirling’s inveterate amiability soon set him at ease again.

“It is well for Wickersham to hear the truth now and then,” he said. “I guess he hears it rarely enough. Most people feed him on lies.”

Some others appeared to take the same view of the matter, for the General was more popular than ever.

Gordon found a new zest in showing his father about the city. Everything astonished him. He saw the world with the eyes of a child. The streets, the crowds, the shop-windows, the shimmering stream of carriages that rolled up and down the avenue, the elevated railways which had just been constructed, all were a marvel to him.

“Where do these people get their wealth?” he asked.

“Some of them get it from rural gentlemen who visit the town,” said Gordon, laughing.

The old fellow smiled. “I suspect a good many of them get it from us countrymen. In fact, at the last we furnish it all. It all comes out of the ground.”

“It is a pity that we did not hold on to some of it,” said Gordon.

The old gentleman glanced at him. “I do not want any of it. My son, Agar’s standard was the best: ‘neither poverty nor riches.’ Riches cannot make a gentleman.”

Keith laughed and called him old-fashioned, but he knew in his heart that he was right.

The beggars who accosted him on the street never turned away empty-handed. He had it not in his heart to refuse the outstretched hand of want.

“Why, that man who pretended that he had a large family and was out of work is a fraud,” said Gordon. “I’ll bet that he has no family and never works.”

“Well, I didn’t give him much,” said the old man. “But remember what Lamb said: ‘Shut not thy purse-strings always against painted distress. It is good to believe him. Give, and under the personate father of a family think, if thou pleasest, that thou hast relieved an indigent bachelor.'”

A week later Gordon was on his way to England and the General had returned home.

It was just after this that the final breach took place between Norman Wentworth and his wife. It was decided that for their children’s sake there should be no open separation; at least, for the present. Norman had business which would take him away for a good part of the time, and the final separation could be left to the future. Meanwhile, to save appearances somewhat, it was arranged that Mrs. Wentworth should ask Lois Huntington to come up and spend the winter in New York, partly as her companion and partly as governess for the children. This might stop the mouths of some persons.

When the proposal first reached Miss Abigail, she rejected it without hesitation; she would not hear of it. Curiously enough, Lois suddenly appeared violently anxious to go. But following the suggestion came an invitation from Norman’s mother asking Miss Abigail to pay her a long visit. She needed her, she said, and she asked as a favor that she would let Lois accept her daughter-in-law’s invitation. So Miss Abby consented. “The Lawns” was shut up for the winter, and the two ladies went up to New York.

As Norman left for the West the very day that Lois was installed, she had no knowledge of the condition of affairs in that unhappy household, except what Gossip whispered about her. This would have been more than enough, but for the fact that the girl stiffened as soon as any one approached the subject, and froze even such veterans as Mrs. Nailor.

Mrs. Wentworth was far too proud to refer to it. All Lois knew, therefore, was that there was trouble and she was there to help tide it over, and she meant, if she could, to make it up. Meanwhile, Mrs. Wentworth was very kind, if formal, to her, and the children, delighted to get rid of the former governess, whom they insisted in describing as an “old cat,” were her devoted slaves.

Yet Lois was not as contented as she had fondly expected to be.

She learned soon after her arrival that one object of her visit to New York would be futile. She would not see Mr. Keith. He had gone abroad.–“In pursuit of Mrs. Lancaster,” said Mrs. Nailor; for Lois was willing enough to hear all that lady had to say on this subject, and it was a good deal. “You know, I believe she is going to marry him. She will unless she can get a title.”

“I do not believe a title would make any difference to her,” said Lois, rather sharply, glad to have any sound reason for attacking Mrs. Nailor.

“Oh, don’t you believe it! She’d snap one up quick enough if she had the chance.”

“She has had a plenty of chances,” asserted Lois.

“Well, it may serve Mr. Keith a good turn. He looked very low down for a while last Spring–just after that big Creamer ball. But he had quite perked up this Fall, and, next thing I heard, he had gone over to England after Alice Lancaster, who is spending the winter there. It was time she went, too, for people were beginning to talk a good deal of the way she ran after Norman Wentworth.”

“I must go,” said Lois, suddenly rising; “I have to take the children out.”

“Poor dears!” sighed Mrs. Nailor. “I am glad they have some one to look after them.” Lois’s sudden change prevented any further condolence. Fortunately, Mrs. Nailor was too much delighted with the opportunity to pour her information into quite fresh ears to observe Lois’s expression.

The story of the trouble between Mr. and Mrs. Wentworth was soon public property. Wickersham’s plans appeared to him to be working out satisfactorily. Louise Wentworth must, he felt, care for him to sacrifice so much for him. In this assumption he let down the barriers of prudence which he had hitherto kept up, and, one evening when the opportunity offered, he openly declared himself. To his chagrin and amazement, she appeared to be shocked and even to resent it.

Yes, she liked him–liked him better than almost any one, she admitted; but she did not, she could not, love him. She was married.

Wickersham ridiculed the idea.

Married! Well, what difference did that make? Did not many married women love other men than their husbands? Had not her husband gone after another?

Her eyes closed suddenly; then her eyelids fluttered.

“Yes; but I am not like that. I have children.” She spoke slowly.

“Nonsense,” cried Wickersham. “Of course, we love each other and belong to each other. Send the children to your husband.”

Mrs. Wentworth recoiled in horror. There was that in his manner and look which astounded her. “Abandon her children?” How could she? Her whole manner changed. “You have misunderstood me.”

Wickersham grew angry.

“Don’t be a fool, Louise. You have broken with your husband. Now, don’t go and throw away happiness for a priest’s figment. Get a divorce and marry me, if you want to; but at least accept my love.”

But he had overshot the mark. He had opened her eyes. Was this the man she had taken as her closest friend!–for whom she had quarrelled with her husband and defied the world!

Wickersham watched her as her doubt worked its way in her mind. He could see the process in her face. He suddenly seized her and drew her to him.

“Here, stop this! Your husband has abandoned you and gone after another woman.”

She gave a gasp, but made no answer.

She pushed him away from her slowly, and after a moment rose and walked from the room as though dazed.

It was so unexpected that Wickersham made no attempt to stop her.

A moment later Lois entered the room. She walked straight up to him. Wickersham tried to greet her lightly, but she remained grave.

“Mr. Wickersham, I do not think you–ought to come here–as often as you do.”

“And, pray, why not?” he demanded.

Her brown eyes looked straight into his and held them steadily.

“Because people talk about it.”

“I cannot help people talking. You know what they are,” said Wickersham, amused.

“You can prevent giving them occasion to talk. You are too good a friend of Cousin Louise to cause her unhappiness.” The honesty of her words was undoubted. It spoke in every tone of her voice and glance of her eyes. “She is most unhappy.”

Wickersham conceived a new idea. How lovely she was in her soft blue dress!

“Very well, I will do what you say There are few things I would not do for you.” He stepped closer to her and gazed in her eyes. “Sit down. I want to talk to you.”

“Thank you; I must go now.”

Wickersham tried to detain her, but she backed away, her hands down and held a little back.

“有效期。”

“Miss Huntington–Lois–” he said; “one moment.”

But she opened the door and passed out.

Wickersham walked down the street in a sort of maze.

In fact, as usual, Mrs. Nailor’s statement to Lois had some foundation, though very little. Mrs. Lancaster had gone abroad, and Keith had followed her.

Keith, on his arrival in England, found Rhodes somewhat changed, at least in person. Years of high living and ease had rounded him, and he had lost something of his old spirit. At times an expression of weariness or discontent came into his eyes.

He was as cordial as ever to Keith, and when Keith unfolded his plans he entered into them with earnestness.

“You have come at a good time,” he said. “They are beginning to think that America is all a bonanza.”

After talking over the matter, Rhodes invited Keith down to the country.

“We have taken an old place in Warwickshire for the hunting. An old friend of yours is down there for a few days,”–his eyes twinkled,–“and we have some good fellows there. Think you will like them–some of them,” he added.

“Who is my friend?” asked Keith.

“Her name was Alice Yorke,” he replied, with his eyes on Keith’s face.

At the name another face sprang to Keith’s mind. The eyes were brown, not blue, and the face was the fresh face of a young girl. Yet Keith accepted.

Rhodes did not tell him that Mrs. Lancaster had not accepted their invitation until after she had heard that he was to be invited. Nor did he tell him that she had authorized him to subscribe largely to the stock of the new syndicate.

On reaching the station they were met by a rich equipage with two liveried servants, and, after a short drive through beautiful country, they turned into a fine park, and presently drove up before an imposing old country house; for “The Keep” was one of the finest mansions in all that region. It was also one of the most expensive. It had broken its owners to run it. But this was nothing to Creamer of Creamer, Crustback & Company; at least, it was nothing to Mrs. Creamer, or to Mrs. Rhodes, who was her daughter. She had plans, and money was nothing to her. Rhodes was manifestly pleased at Keith’s exclamations of appreciation as they drove through the park with its magnificent trees, its coppices and coverts, its stretches of emerald sward and roll of gracious hills, and drew up at the portal of the mansion. Yet he was inclined to be a little apologetic about it, too.

“This is rather too rich for me,” he said, between a smile and a sigh. “Somehow, I began too late.”

It was a noble old hall into which he ushered Keith, the wainscoting dark with age, and hung with trophies of many a chase and forgotten field. A number of modern easy-chairs and great rich rugs gave it an air of comfort, even if they were not altogether harmonious.

Keith did not see Mrs. Rhodes till the company were all assembled in the drawing-room for dinner. She was a rather pretty woman, distinctly American in face and voice, but in speech more English than any one Keith had seen since landing. Her hair and speech were arranged in the extreme London fashion. She was “awfully keen on” everything she fancied, and found most things English “ripping.” She greeted Keith with somewhat more formality than he had expected from Grinnell Rhodes’s wife, and introduced him to Colonel Campbell, a handsome, broad-shouldered man, as “an American,” which Keith thought rather unnecessary, since no one could have been in doubt about it.

Keith found, on his arrival in the drawing-room, that the house was full of company, a sort of house-party assembled for the hunting.

Suddenly there was a stir, followed by a hush in the conversation, and monocles and lorgnons went up.

“Here she comes,” said a man near Keith.

“Who is she?” asked a thin woman with ugly hands, dropping her monocle with the air of a man.

“La belle Américaine,” replied the man beside her, “a friend of the host.”

“Oh! Not of the hostess?”

“Oh, I don’t know. I met her last night–”

“Steepleton is ahead–wins in a walk.”

“Oh, she’s rich? The castle needs a new roof? Will it be in time for next season?”

The gentleman said he knew nothing about it.

Keith turned and faced Alice Lancaster.

She was dressed in a black gown that fitted perfectly her straight, supple figure, the soft folds clinging close enough to show the gracious curves, and falling away behind her in a train that, as she stood with her head uplifted, gave her an appearance almost of majesty. Her round arms and perfect shoulders were of dazzling whiteness; her abundant brown hair was coiled low on her snowy neck, showing the beauty of her head; and her single ornament was one rich red rose fastened in her bodice with a small diamond clasp. It was the little pin that Keith had found in the Ridgely woods and returned to her so long ago; though Keith did not recognize it. It was the only jewel about her, and was worn simply to hold the rose, as though that were the thing she valued. Keith’s thoughts sprang to the first time he ever saw her with a red rose near her heart–the rose he had given her, which the humming-bird had sought as its chalice.

The other ladies were all gowned in satin and velvet of rich colors, and were flaming in jewels, and as Mrs. Lancaster stood among them and they fell back a little on either side to look at her, they appeared, as it were, a setting for her.

After the others were presented, Keith stepped forward to greet her, and her face lit up with a light that made it suddenly young.

“I am so glad to see you.” She clasped his hand warmly. “It is so good to see an old friend from our ain countree.”

“I do not need to say I am glad to see you,” said Keith, looking her in the eyes. “You are my ain countree here.”

At that moment the rose fell at her feet. It had slipped somehow from the clasp that held it. A half-dozen men sprang forward to pick it up, but Keith was ahead of them. He took it up, and, with his eyes looking straight into hers, handed it to her.

“It is your emblem; it is what I always think of you as being.” The tone was too low for any one else to hear; but her mounting color and the light in her eyes told that she caught it.

Still looking straight into his eyes without a word, she stuck the rose in her bodice just over her heart.

Several women turned their gaze on Keith and scanned him with sudden interest, and one of them, addressing her companion, a broad-shouldered man with a pleasant, florid face, said in an undertone:

“That is the man you have to look out for, Steepleton.”

“A good-looking fellow. Who is he?”

“Somebody, I fancy, or our hostess wouldn’t have him here.”

The dinner that evening was a function. Mrs. Rhodes would rather have suffered a serious misfortune than fail in any of the social refinements of her adopted land. Rhodes had suggested that Keith be placed next to Mrs. Lancaster, but Mrs. Rhodes had another plan in mind. She liked Alice Lancaster, and she was trying to do by her as she would have been done by. She wanted her to make a brilliant match. Lord Steepleton appeared designed by Providence for this especial purpose: the representative of an old and distinguished house, owner of a famous–indeed, of an historic–estate, unhappily encumbered, but not too heavily to be relieved by a providential fortune. Hunting was his most serious occupation. At present he was engaged in the most serious hunt of his career: he was hunting an heiress.

Mrs. Rhodes was his friend, and as his friend she had put him next to Mrs. Lancaster.

Ordinarily, Mrs. Lancaster would have been extremely pleased to be placed next the lion of the occasion. But this evening she would have liked to be near another guest. He was on the other side of the board, and appeared to be, in the main, enjoying himself, though now and then his eyes strayed across in her direction, and presently, as he caught her glance, he lifted his glass and smiled. Her neighbor observed the act, and putting up his monocle, looked across the table; then glanced at Mrs. Lancaster, and then looked again at Keith more carefully.

“Who is your friend?” he asked.

Mrs. Lancaster smiled, with a pleasant light in her eyes.

“An old friend of mine, Mr. Keith.”

“Ah! Fortunate man. Scotchman?”

“No; an American.”

“Oh!–You have known him a long time?”

“Since I was a little girl.”

“Oh!–What is he?”

“A gentleman.”

“Yes.” The Englishman took the trouble again to put up his monocle and take a fleeting glance across the table. “He looks it,” he said. “I mean, what does he do? Is he a capitalist like–like our host? Or is he just getting to be a capitalist?”

“I hope he is,” replied Mrs. Lancaster, with a twinkle in her eyes that showed she enjoyed the Englishman’s mystification. “He is engaged in mining.”

She gave a rosy picture of the wealth in the region from which Keith came.

“All your men do something, I believe?” said the gentleman.

“All who are worth anything,” assented Mrs. Lancaster.

“No wonder you are a rich people.”

Something about his use of the adjective touched her.

“Our people have a sense of duty, too, and as much courage as any others, only they do not make any to-do about it. I have a friend–a 绅士–who drove a stage-coach through the mountains for a while rather than do nothing, and who was held up one night and jumped from the stage on the robber, and chased him down the mountains and disarmed him.”

“Good!” exclaimed the gentleman. “Nervy thing!”

“Rather,” said Mrs. Lancaster, with mantling cheeks, stirred by what she considered a reflection on her people. And that was not all he did. “He had charge of a mine, and one day the mine was flooded while the men were at work, and he went in in the darkness and brought the men out safe.”

“Good!” said the gentleman. “But he had others with him? He did not go alone?”

“He started alone, and two men volunteered to go with him. But he sent them back with the first group they found, and then, as there were others, he waded on by himself to where the others were, and brought them out, bringing on his shoulder the man who had attempted his life.”

“Fine!” exclaimed the gentleman. “I’ve been in some tight places myself; but I don’t know about that. What was his name?”

“Keith.”

“哦！”

Her eyes barely glanced his way; but the Earl of Steepleton saw in them what he had never been able to bring there.

The Englishman put up his monocle and this time gazed long at Gordon.

“Nervy chap!” he said quietly. “Won’t you present me after dinner?”

In his slow mind was dawning an idea that, perhaps, after all, this quiet American who had driven his way forward had found a baiting-place which he, with all his titles and long pedigrees, could not enter. His honest, outspoken admiration had, however, done more to make him a place in that guarded fortress than all Mrs. Rhodes’s praises had effected.

A little later the guests had all departed or scattered. Those who remained were playing cards and appeared settled for a good while.

“Keith, we are out of it. Let’s have a game of billiards,” said the host, who had given his seat to a guest who had just come in after saying good night on the stair to one of the ladies.

Keith followed him to the billiard-room, a big apartment finished in oak, with several large tables in it, and he and Rhodes began to play. The game, however, soon languished, for the two men had much to talk about.

“Houghton, you may go,” said Rhodes to the servant who attended to the table. “I will ring for you when I want you to shut up.”

“Thank you, sir”; and he was gone.

“Now tell me all about everything,” said Rhodes. “I want to hear everything that has happened since I came away–came into exile. I know about the property and the town that has grown up just as I knew it would. Tell me about the people–old Squire Rawson and Phrony, and Wickersham, and Norman and his wife.”

Keith told him about them. “Rhodes,” he said, as he ended, “you started it and you ought to have stayed with it. Old Rawson says you foretold it all.”

Suddenly Rhodes flung his cue down on the table and straightened up. “Keith, this is killing me. Sometimes I think I can’t stand it another day. I’ve a mind to chuck up the whole business and cut for it.”

Keith gazed at him in amazement. The clouded brow, the burning eyes, the drawn mouth, all told how real that explosion was and from what depths it came. Keith was quite startled.

“It all seems to me so empty, so unreal, so puerile. I am bored to death with it. Do you think this is real?” He waved his arms impatiently about him. “It is all a sham and a fraud. I am nothing–nobody. I am a puppet on a hired stage, playing to amuse–not myself!–the Lord knows I am bored enough by it!–but a lot of people who don’t care any more about me than I do about them. I can’t stand this. D–n it! I don’t want to make love to any other man’s wife any more than I will have any of them making love to my wife. I think they are beginning to understand that. I showed a little puppy the front door not long ago–an earl, too, or next thing to it, an earl’s eldest son–for doing what he would no more have dared to do in an Englishman’s house than he would have tried to burn it. After that, I think, they began to see I might be something. Keith, do you remember what old Rawson said to us once about marrying?”

Keith had been thinking of it all the evening.

“Keith, I was not born for this; I was born to do something. But for giving up I might have been like Stevenson or Eads or your man Maury, whom they are all belittling because he did it all himself instead of getting others to do it. By George! I hope to live till I build one more big bridge or run one more long tunnel. Jove! to stand once more up on the big girders, so high that the trees look small below you, and see the bridge growing under your eyes where the old croakers had said nothing would stand!”

Keith’s eyes sparkled, and he reached out his hand; and the other grasped it.

When Keith returned home, he was already in sight of victory.

The money had all been subscribed. His own interest in the venture was enough to make him rich, and he was to be general superintendent of the new company, with Matheson as his manager of the mines. All that was needed now was to complete the details of the transfer of the properties, perfect his organization, and set to work. This for a time required his presence more or less continuously in New York, and he opened an office in one of the office buildings down in the city, and took an apartment in a pleasant up-town hotel.

When Keith returned to New York that Autumn, it was no longer as a young man with eyes aflame with hope and expectation and face alight with enthusiasm. The eager recruit had changed to the veteran. He had had experience of a world where men lived and died for the most sordid of all rewards–money, mere money.

The fight had left its mark upon him. The mouth had lost something of the smile that once lurked about its corners, but had gained in strength. The eyes, always direct and steady, had more depth. The shoulders had a squarer set, as though they had been braced against adversity. Experience of life had sobered him.

Sometimes it had come to him that he might be caught by the current and might drift into the same spirit, but self-examination up to this time had reassured him. He knew that he had other motives: the trust reposed in him by his friends, the responsibility laid upon him, the resolve to justify that confidence, were still there, beside his eager desire for success.

He called immediately to see Norman. He was surprised to find how much he had aged in this short time. His hair was sprinkled with gray. He had lost all his lightness. He was distrait and almost morose.

“You men here work too hard,” asserted Keith. “You ought to have run over to England with me. You’d have learned that men can work and live too. I spent some of the most profitable time I was over there in a deer forest, which may have been Burnam-wood, as all the trees had disappeared-gone somewhere, if not to Dunsinane.”

Norman half smiled, but he answered wearily: “I wish I had been anywhere else than where I was.” He turned away while he was speaking and fumbled among the papers on his desk. Keith rose, and Norman rose also.

“I will send you cards to the clubs. I shall not be in town to-night, but to-morrow night, or the evening after, suppose you dine with me at the University. I’ll have two or three fellows to meet you–or, perhaps, we’ll dine alone. What do you say? We can talk more freely.”

Keith said that this was just what he should prefer, and Norman gave him a warm handshake and, suddenly seating himself at his desk, dived quickly into his papers.

Keith came out mystified. There was something he could not understand. He wondered if the trouble of which he had heard had grown.

Next morning, looking over the financial page of a paper, Keith came on a paragraph in which Norman’s name appeared. He was mentioned as one of the directors of a company which the paper declared was among those that had disappointed the expectations of investors. There was nothing very tangible about the article; but the general tone was critical, and to Keith’s eye unfriendly.

When, the next afternoon, Keith rang the door-bell at Norman’s house, and asked if Mrs. Wentworth was at home, the servant who opened the door informed him that no one of that name lived there. They used to live there, but had moved. Mrs. Wentworth lived somewhere on Fifth Avenue near the Park. It was a large new house near such a street, right-hand side, second house from the corner.

Keith had a feeling of disappointment. Somehow, he had hoped to hear something of Lois Huntington.

Keith, having resolved to devote the afternoon to the call on his friend’s wife, and partly in the hope of learning where Lois was, kept on, and presently found himself in front of a new double house, one of the largest on the block. Keith felt reassured.

“Well, this does not look as if Wentworth were altogether broke,” he thought.

A strange servant opened the door. Mrs. Wentworth was not at home. The other lady was in–would the gentleman come in? There was the flutter of a dress at the top of the stair.

Keith said no. He would call again. The servant looked puzzled, for the lady at the top of the stair had seen Mr. Keith cross the street and had just given orders that he should be admitted, as she would see him. Now, as Keith walked away, Miss Lois Huntington descended the stair.

“Why didn’t you let him in, Hucless?” she demanded.

“I told him you were in, Miss; but he said he would not come in.”

Miss Huntington turned and walked slowly back up to her room. Her face was very grave; she was pondering deeply.

A little later Lois Huntington put on her hat and went out.

Lois had not found her position at Mrs. Wentworth’s the most agreeable in the world. Mrs. Wentworth was moody and capricious, and at times exacting.

She had little idea how often that quiet girl who took her complaints so calmly was tempted to break her vow of silence, answer her upbraidings, and return home. But her old friends were dropping away from her. And it was on this account and for Norman’s sake that Lois put up with her capriciousness. She had promised Norman to stay with her, and she would do it.

Mrs. Norman’s quarrel with Alice Lancaster was a sore trial to Lois. Many of her friends treated Lois as if she were a sort of upper servant, with a mingled condescension and hauteur. Lois was rather amused at it, except when it became too apparent, and then she would show her little claws, which were sharp enough. But Mrs. Lancaster had always been sweet to her, and Lois had missed her sadly. She no longer came to Mrs. Wentworth’s. Lois, however, was always urged to come and see her, and an intimacy had sprung up between the two. Lois, with her freshness, was like a breath of Spring to the society woman, who was a little jaded with her experience; and the elder lady, on her part, treated the young girl with a warmth that was half maternal, half the cordiality of an elder sister. What part Gordon Keith played in this friendship must be left to surmise.

It was to Mrs. Lancaster’s that Lois now took her way. Her greeting was a cordial one, and Lois was soon confiding to her her trouble; how she had met an old friend after many years, and then how a contretemps had occurred. She told of his writing her, and of her failure to answer his letters, and how her aunt had refused to allow him to come to Brookford to see them.

Mrs. Lancaster listened with interest.

“My dear, there was nothing in that. Yes, that was just one of Ferdy’s little lies,” she said, in a sort of reverie.

“But it was so wicked in him to tell such falsehoods about a man,” exclaimed Lois, her color coming and going, her eyes flashing.

Mrs. Lancaster shrugged her shoulders.

“Ferdy does not like Mr. Keith, and he does like you, and he probably thought to prevent your liking him.”

“I detest him.”

The telltale color rushed up into her cheeks as Mrs. Lancaster’s eyes rested on her, and as it mounted, those blue eyes grew a little more searching.

“I can scarcely bear to see him when he comes there,” said Lois.

“Has he begun to go there again?” Mrs. Lancaster inquired, in some surprise.

“Yes; and he pretends that he is coming to see me!” said the girl, with a flash in her eyes. “You know that is not true?”

“Don’t you believe him,” said the other, gravely. Her eyes, as they rested on the girl’s face, had a very soft light in them.

“Well, we must make it up,” she said presently. “You are going to Mrs. Wickersham’s?” she asked suddenly.

“Yes; Cousin Louise is going and says I must go. Mr. Wickersham will not be there, you know.”

“Yes.” She drifted off into a reverie.

Keith quickly discovered that Rumor was busy with Ferdy Wickersham’s name in other places than gilded drawing-rooms. He had been dropped from the board of more than one big corporation in which he had once had a potent influence. Knowing men, like Stirling and his club friends, began to say that they did not see how he had kept up. But up-town he still held on-held on with a steady eye and stony face that showed a nerve worthy of a better man. His smile became more constant,–to be sure, It was belied by his eyes: that cold gleam was not mirth,–but his voice was as insolent as ever.

Several other rumors soon began to float about. One was that he and Mrs. Wentworth had fallen out. As to the Cause of this the town was divided. One story was that the pretty governess at Mrs. Wentworth’s was in some way concerned with it.

However this was, the Wickersham house was mortgaged, and Rumor began to say even up-town that the Wickersham fortune had melted away.

The news of Keith’s success in England had reached home as soon as he had. His friends congratulated him, and his acquaintances greeted him with a warmth that, a few years before, would have cheered his heart and have made him their friend for life. Mrs. Nailor, when she met him, almost fell on his neck. She actually called him her “dear boy.”

“Oh, I have been hearing about you!” she said archly. “You must come and dine with us at once and tell us all about it.”

“About what?” inquired Keith.

“About your great successes on the other side. You see, your friends keep up with you!”

“They do, indeed, and sometimes get ahead of me,” said Keith.

“How would to-morrow suit you? No, not to-morrow–Saturday? No; we are going out Saturday. Let me see–we are so crowded with engagements I shall have to go home and look at my book. But you must come very soon. You have heard the news, of course? Isn’t it dreadful?”

“What news?” He knew perfectly what she meant.

“About the Norman-Wentworths getting a divorce? Dreadful, isn’t it? Perfectly dreadful! But, of course, it was to be expected. Any one could see that all along?”

“I could not,” said Keith, dryly; “but I do not claim to be any one.”

“Which side are you on? Norman’s, I suppose?”

“Neither,” said Keith.

“You know, Ferdy always was in love with her?” This with a glance to obtain Keith’s views.

“No; I know nothing about it.”

“Yes; always,” she nodded oracularly. “Of course, he is making love to Alice Lancaster, too, and to the new governess at the Wentworths’.”

“Who is that?” asked Keith, moved by some sudden instinct to inquire.

“That pretty country cousin of Norman’s, whom they brought there to save appearances when Norman first left. Huntington is her name.”

Keith suddenly grew hot.

“Yes, Ferdy is making love to her, too. Why, they say that is what they have quarrelled about. Louise is insanely jealous, and she is very pretty. Yes–you know, Ferdy is like some other men? Just gregarious! Yes? But Louise Wentworth was always his 热情洋溢. He is just amusing himself with the governess, and she, poor little fool, supposes she has made a conquest. You know how it is?”

“I really know nothing about it,” declared Keith, in a flame.

“Yes; and he was always her 热情洋溢? Don’t you think so?”

“No, I do not,” said Keith, firmly. “I know nothing about it; but I believe she and Norman were devoted,–as devoted a couple as I ever saw,–and I do not see why people cannot let them alone. I think none too well of Ferdy Wickersham, but I don’t believe a word against her. She may be silly; but she is a hundred times better than some who calumniate her.”

“Oh, you dear boy! You were always so amiable. It’s a pity the world is not like you; but it is not.”

“It is a pity people do not let others alone and attend to their own affairs,” remarked Keith, grimly. “I believe more than half the trouble is made by the meddlers who go around gossiping.”

“Don’t they! Why, every one is talking about it. I have not been in a drawing-room where it is not being discussed.”

“I suppose not,” said Mr. Keith.

“And, you know, they say Norman Wentworth has lost a lot of money, too. But, then, he has a large account to fall back on. Alice Lancaster has a plenty.”

“What’s that?” Keith’s voice had an unpleasant sharpness in it.

“Oh, you know, he is her trustee, and they are great friends. Good-by. You must come and dine with us sometime–sometime soon, too.”

And Mrs. Nailor floated away, and in the first drawing-room she visited told of Keith’s return and of his taking the story of Louise Wentworth and Ferdy Wickersham very seriously; adding, “And you know, I think he is a great admirer of Louise himself–a very great admirer. Of course, he would like to marry Alice Lancaster, just as Ferdy would. They all want to marry her; but Louise Wentworth is the one that has their hearts. She knows how to capture them. You keep your eyes open. You ought to have seen the way he looked when I mentioned Ferdy Wickersham and her. My dear, a man doesn’t look that way unless he feels something here.” She tapped solemnly the spot where she imagined her heart to be, that dry and desiccated organ that had long ceased to know any real warmth.

A little time afterwards, Keith, to his great surprise, received an invitation to dine at Mrs. Wickersham’s. He had never before received an invitation to her house, and when he had met her, she had always been stiff and repellent toward him. This he had regarded as perfectly natural; for he and Ferdy had never been friendly, and of late had not even kept up appearances.

He wondered why he should be invited now. Could it be true, as Stirling had said, laughing, that now he had the key and would find all doors open to him?

Keith had not yet written his reply when he called that evening at Mrs. Lancaster’s. She asked him if he had received such an invitation. Keith said yes, but he did not intend to go. He almost thought it must have been sent by mistake.

“Oh, no; now come. Ferdy won’t be there, and Mrs. Wickersham wants to be friendly with you. You and Ferdy don’t get along; but neither do she and Ferdy. You know they have fallen out? Poor old thing! She was talking about it the other day, and she burst out crying. She said he had been her idol.”

“有什么事？”

“Oh, Ferdy’s selfishness.”

“He is a brute! Think of a man quarrelling with his mother! Why–!” He went into a reverie in which his face grew very soft, while Mrs. Lancaster watched him silently. Presently he started. “I have nothing against her except a sort of general animosity from boyhood, which I am sorry to have.”

“Oh, well, then, come. As people grow older they outgrow their animosities and wish to make friends.”

“You being so old as to have experienced it?” said Keith.

“I am nearly thirty years old,” she said. “Isn’t it dreadful?”

“Aurora is much older than that,” said Keith.

“Ah, Sir Flatterer, I have a mirror.” But her eyes filled with a pleasant light as Keith said:

“Then it will corroborate what needs no proof.”

She knew it was flattery, but she enjoyed it and dimpled.

“Now, you will come? I want you to come.” She looked at him with a soft glow in her face.

“Yes. On your invitation.”

“Alice Lancaster, place one good deed to thy account: ‘Blessed are the peacemakers,'” said Mrs. Lancaster.

When Keith arrived at Mrs. Wickersham’s he found the company assembled in her great drawing-room–the usual sort to be found in great drawing-rooms of large new chateau-like mansions in a great and commercial city.

“Mr. Keats!” called out the prim servant. They always took this poetical view of his name.

Mrs. Wickersham greeted him civilly and solemnly. She had aged much since Keith saw her last, and had also grown quite deaf. Her face showed traces of the desperate struggle she was making to keep up appearances. It was apparent that she had not the least idea who he was; but she shook hands with him much as she might have done at a funeral had he called to pay his respects. Among the late arrivals was Mrs. Wentworth. She was the richest-dressed woman in the room, and her jewels were the finest, but she had an expression on her face, as she entered, which Keith had never seen there. Her head was high, and there was an air of defiance about her which challenged the eye at once.

“I don’t think I shall speak to her,” said a voice near Keith.

“Well, I have known her all my life, and until it becomes a public scandal I don’t feel authorized to cut her–”

The speaker was Mrs. Nailor, who was in her most charitable mood.

“Oh, of course, I shall speak to her here, but I mean–I certainly shall not visit her.”

“You know she has quarrelled with her friend, Mrs. Lancaster? About her husband.” This was behind her fan.

“Oh, yes. She is to be here to-night. Quite brazen, isn’t it? We shall see how they meet. I met a remarkably pretty girl down in the dressing-room,” she continued; “one of the guests. She has such pretty manners, too. Really, I thought, from her politeness to me in arranging my dress, she must be one of the maids until Mrs. Wentworth spoke to her. Young girls nowadays are so rude! They take up the mirror the whole time, and never think of letting you see yourself. I wonder who she can be?”

“Possibly Mrs. Wentworth’s companion. I think she is here. She has to have some one to do the proprieties, you know?” said Mrs. Nailor.

“I should think it might be as well,” assented the other, with a sniff. “But she would hardly be here!”

“She is really her governess, a very ill-bred and rude young person,” said Mrs. Nailor.

The other sighed.

“Society is getting so democratic now, one might say, so mixed, that there is no telling whom one may meet nowadays.”

“No, indeed,” pursued Mrs. Nailor. “I do not at all approve of governesses and such persons being invited out. I think the English way much the better. There the governess never dreams of coming to the table except to luncheon, and her friends are the housekeeper and the butler.”

Keith, wearied of the banalities at his ear, crossed over to where Mrs. Wentworth stood a little apart from the other ladies. One or two men were talking to her. She was evidently pleased to see him. She talked volubly, and with just that pitch in her voice that betrays a subcurrent of excitement.

From time to time she glanced about her, appearing to Keith to search the faces of the other women. Keith wondered if it were a fancy of his that they were holding a little aloof from her. Presently Mrs. Nailor came up and spoke to her.

Keith backed away a little, and found himself mixed up with the train of a lady behind him, a dainty thing of white muslin.

He apologized in some confusion, and turning, found himself looking into Lois Huntington’s eyes. For a bare moment he was in a sort of maze. Then the expression in her face dispelled it. She held out her hand, and he clasped it; and before he had withdrawn his eyes from hers, he knew that his peace was made, and Mrs. Wickersham’s drawing-room had become another place. This, then, was what Alice Lancaster meant when she spoke of the peacemakers.

“It does not in the least matter about the dress, I assure you,” she said in reply to his apology. “My dressmaker, Lois Huntington, can repair it so that you will not know it has been torn. It was only a ruse of mine to attract your attention.” She was trying to speak lightly. “I thought you were not going to speak to me at all. It seems to be a way you have of treating your old friends–your oldest friends,” she laughed.

“Oh, the insolence of youth!” said Keith, wishing to keep away from a serious subject. “Let us settle this question of age here and now. I say you are seven years old.”

“You are a Bourbon,” she said; “you neither forget nor learn. Look at me. How old do I look?”

“Seven–”

“No. Look.”

“I am looking-would I were Argus! You look like–perpetual Youth.”

And she did. She was dressed in pure white. Her dark eyes were soft and gentle, yet with mischief lurking in them, and her straight brows, almost black, added to their lustre. Her dark hair was brushed back from her white forehead, and as she turned, Keith noted again, as he had done the first time he met her, the fine profile and the beautiful lines of her round throat, with the curves below it, as white as snow. “Perpetual Youth,” he murmured.

“And do you know what you are?” she challenged him.

“Yes; Age.”

“No. Flattery. But I am proof. I have learned that men are deceivers ever. You positively refused to see me when I had left word with the servant that I would see you if you called.” She gave him a swift little glance to see how he took her charge.

“I did nothing of the kind. I will admit that I should know where you are by instinct, as Sir John knew the Prince; but I did not expect you to insist on my doing so. How was I to know you were in the city?”

“The servant told you.”

“The servant told me?”

As Keith’s brow puckered in the effort to unravel the mystery, she nodded.

“Um-hum–I heard him. I was at the head of the stair.”

Keith tapped his head.

“It’s old age–sheer senility.”

“‘No; I don’t want to see the other lady,'” she said, mimicking him so exactly that he opened his eyes wide.

“I am staying at Mrs. Wentworth’s–Cousin Norman’s,” she continued, with a little change of expression and the least little lift of her head.

Keith’s expression, perhaps, changed slightly, too, for she added quietly: “Cousin Louise had to have some one with her, and I am teaching the children. I am the governess.”

“I have always said that children nowadays have all the best things,” said Keith, desirous to get off delicate ground. “You know, some one has said he never ate a ripe peach in his life: when he was a boy the grown-ups had them, and since he grew up the children have them all.”

她笑了。

“I am very severe, I assure you.”

“You look it. I should think you might be Herod himself.”

She smiled, and then the smile died out, and she glanced around her.

“I owe you an apology,” she said in a lowered voice.

“为了什么？”

“For–mis–for not answering your letters. But I mis–I don’t know how to say what I wish. Won’t you accept it without an explanation?” She held out her hand and gave him the least little flitting glance of appeal.

“I will,” said Keith. “With all my heart.”

“Thank you. I have been very unhappy about it.” She breathed a little sigh of relief, which Keith caught.

Mrs. Lancaster did not arrive until all the other guests had been there a little while. But when she entered she had never looked handsomer. As soon as she had greeted her hostess, her eyes swept around the room, and in their circuit rested for a moment on Keith, who was talking to Lois. She gave them a charming smile. The next moment, however, her eyes stole that way again, and this time they bore a graver expression. The admiration that filled the younger girl’s eyes was unbounded and unfeigned.

“Don’t you think she is the handsomest woman in the room?” she asked, with a nod toward Mrs. Lancaster.

Keith was suddenly conscious that he did not wish to commit himself to such praise. She was certainly very handsome, he admitted, but there were others who would pass muster, too, in a beauty show.

“Oh, but I know you must think so; every one says you do,” Lois urged, with a swift glance up at him, which, somehow, Keith would have liked to avoid.

“Then, I suppose it must be so; for every one knows my innermost thoughts. But I think she was more beautiful when she was younger. I do not know what it is; but there is something in Society that, after a few years, takes away the bloom of ingenuousness and puts in its place just the least little shade of unreality.”

“I know what you mean; but she is so beautiful that one would never notice it. What a power such beauty is! I should be afraid of it.” Lois was speaking almost to herself, and Keith, as she was deeply absorbed in observing Mrs. Lancaster, gazed at her with renewed interest.

“I’d so much rather be loved for myself’,” the girl went on earnestly. “I think it is one of the compensations that those who want such beauty have-”

“Well, it is one of the things which you must always hold merely as a conjecture, for you can never know by experience.”

She glanced up at him with a smile, half pleased, half reproving.

“Do you think I am the sort that likes flattery? I believe you think we are all silly. I thought you were too good a friend of mine to attempt that line with me.”

Keith declared that all women loved flattery, but protested, of course, that he was not flattering her.

“Why should I?” he laughed.

“Oh, just because you think it will please me, and because it is so easy. It is so much less trouble. It takes less intellect, and you don’t think I am worth spending intellect on.”

This Keith stoutly denied.

She gave him a fleeting glance out of her brown eyes. “She, however, is as good as she is handsome,” she said, returning to Mrs. Lancaster.

“Yes; she is one of those who ‘do good by stealth, and blush to find it fame.'”

“There are not a great many like that around here,” Lois smiled. “Here comes one now?” she added, as Mrs. Nailor moved up to them. She was “so glad” to see Miss Huntington out. “You must like your Winter in New York?” she said, smiling softly. “You have such opportunities for seeing interesting people-like Mr. Keith, here?” She turned her eyes on Keith.

“Oh, yes. I do. I see so many entertaining people,” said Lois, innocently.

“They are very kind to you?” purred the elder lady.

“Most condescending.” Lois turned her eyes toward Keith with a little sparkle in them; but as she read his appreciation a smile stole into them.

Dinner was solemnly announced, and the couples swept out in that stately manner appropriate to solemn occasions, such as marriages, funerals, and fashionable dinners.

“Do you know your place?” asked Keith of Lois, to whom he had been assigned.

“Don’t I? A governess and not know her place! You must help me through.”

“通过什么？”

“The dinner. You do not understand what a tremendous responsibility you have. This is my first dinner.”

“I always said dinners were a part of the curse,” said Keith, lightly, smiling down at her fresh face with sheer content. “I shall confine myself hereafter to breakfast and lunch-except when I receive invitations to Mrs. Wickersham’s.” he added.

Mrs. Lancaster was on the other side of Keith; so he found the dinner much pleasanter than he had expected. She soon fell to talking of Lois, a subject which Keith found very agreeable.

“You know, she is staying with Louise Wentworth? Louise had to have some one to stay with her, so she got her to come and teach the children this Winter. Louise says she is trying to make something of her.”

“From my slight observation, it seems to me as if the Creator has been rather successful in that direction already. How does she propose to help Him out?”

Mrs. Lancaster bent forward and took a good look at the girl, who at the moment was carrying on an animated conversation with Stirling. Her color was coming and going, her eyes were sparkling, and her cheek was dimpling with fun.

“She looks as if she came out of a country garden, doesn’t she?” she said.

“Yes, because she has, and has not yet been wired to a stick.”

Mrs. Lancaster’s eyes grew graver at Keith’s speech. Just then the conversation became more general. Some one told a story of a man travelling with his wife and meeting a former wife, and forgetting which one he then had.

“Oh, that reminds me of a story I heard the other day. It was awfully good-but just a little wicked,” exclaimed Mrs. Nailor.

Keith’s smile died out, and there was something very like a cloud lowering on his brow. Several others appeared surprised, and Mr. Nailor, a small bald-headed man, said across the table: “Hally, don’t you tell that story.” But Mrs. Nailor was not to be controlled.

“Oh, I must tell it! It is not going to hurt any of you. Let me see if there is any one here very young and innocent?” She glanced about the table. “Oh, yes; there is little Miss Huntington. Miss Huntington, you can stop your ears while I tell it.”

“Thank you,” said Lois, placidly. She leaned a little forward and put her fingers in her ears.

A sort of gasp went around the table, and then a shout of laughter, led by Stirling. Mrs. Nailor joined in it, but her face was red and her eyes were angry. Mrs. Wentworth looked annoyed.

“Good,” said Mrs. Lancaster, in an undertone.

“Divine,” said Keith, his eyes snapping with satisfaction.

“It was not so bad as that,” said Mrs. Nailor, her face very red. “Miss Huntington, you can take your hands down now; I sha’n’t tell it.”

“Thank you,” said Lois, and sat quietly back in her chair, with her face as placid as a child’s.

Mrs. Nailor suddenly changed the conversation to Art. She was looking at a painting on the wall behind Keith, and after inspecting it a moment through her lorgnon, turned toward the head of the table.

“Where did you get that picture, Mrs. Wickersham? Have I ever seen it before?”

The hostess’s gaze followed hers.

“That? Oh, we have had it ever so long. It is a portrait of an ancestor of mine. It belonged to a relative, a distant relative–another branch, you know, in whose family it came down, though we had even more right to it, as we were an older branch,” she said, gaining courage as she went on.

Mrs. Lancaster turned and inspected the picture.

“I, too, almost seem to have seen it before,” she said presently, in a reflective way.

“My dear, you have not seen it before,” declared the hostess, positively. “Although we have had it for a good while, it was at our place in the country. Brush, the picture-dealer, says it is one of the finest ‘old masters’ in New York, quite in the best style of Sir Peter–What’s his name?”

“Then I have seen some one so like it–? Who can it be?” said Mrs. Lancaster, her mind still working along the lines of reminiscence.

Nearly every one was looking now.

“Why, I know who it is!” said Lois Huntington, who had turned to look at it, to Mrs. Lancaster. “It is Mr. Keith.” Her clear voice was heard distinctly.

“Of course, it is,” said Mrs. Lancaster. Others agreed with her.

Keith, too, had turned and looked over his shoulder at the picture behind him, and for a moment he seemed in a dream. His father was gazing down at him out of the frame. The next moment he came to himself. It was the man-in-armor that used to hang in the library at Elphinstone. As he turned back, he glanced at Mrs. Lancaster, and her eyes gazed into his. The next moment he addressed Mrs. Wickersham and started a new subject of conversation.

“That is it,” said Mrs. Lancaster to herself. Then turning to her hostess, she said: “No, I never saw it before; I was mistaken.”

But Lois knew that she herself had seen it before, and remembered where it was.

Mrs. Wickersham looked extremely uncomfortable, but Keith’s calm courtesy set her at ease again.

When the gentlemen, after their cigars, followed the ladies into the drawing-room, Keith found Mrs. Lancaster and Lois sitting together, a little apart from the others, talking earnestly. He walked over and joined them.

They had been talking of the incident of the picture, but stopped as he came up.

“Now, Lois,” said Mrs. Lancaster, gayly, “I have known Mr. Keith a long time, and I give you one standing piece of advice. Don’t believe one word that he tells you; for he is the most insidious flatterer that lives.”

“On the contrary,” said Keith, bowing and speaking gravely to the younger girl, “I assure you that you may believe implicitly every word that I tell you. I promise you in the beginning that I shall never tell you anything but the truth as long as I live. It shall be my claim upon your friendship.”

“Thank you,” said Lois, lifting her eyes to his face. Her color had deepened a little at his earnest manner. “I love a palpable truth.”

“You do not get it often in Society,” said Mrs. Lancaster.

“I promise you that you shall always have it from me,” said Keith.

“Thank you,” she said again, quite earnestly, looking him calmly in the eyes. “Then we shall always be friends.”

“总是。”

Just then Stirling came up and with a very flattering speech asked Miss Huntington to sing.

“I hear you sing like a seraph,” he declared.

“I thought they always cried,” she said, smiling; then, with a half-frightened look across toward her cousin, she sobered and declared that she could not.

“I have been meaning to have her take lessons,” said Mrs. Wentworth, condescendingly, from her seat near by; “but I have not had time to attend to it. She will sing very well when she takes lessons.” She resumed her conversation. Stirling was still pressing Miss Huntington, and she was still excusing herself; declaring that she had no one to play her accompaniments.

“Please help me,” she said in an undertone to Keith. “I used to play them myself, but Cousin Louise said I must not do that; that I must always stand up to sing.”

“Nonsense,” said Keith. “You sha’n’t sing if you do not wish to do so; but let me tell you: there is a deed of record in my State conveying a tract of land to a girl from an old gentleman on the expressed consideration that she had sung ‘Annie Laurie’ for him when he asked her to do it, without being begged.”

She looked at him as if she had not heard, and then glanced at her cousin.

“Either sing or don’t sing, my dear,” said Mrs. Wentworth, with a slight frown. “You are keeping every one waiting.”

Keith glanced over at her, and was about to say to Lois, “Don’t sing”; but he was too late. Folding her hands before her, and without moving from where she stood near the wall, she began to sing “Annie Laurie.” She had a lovely voice, and she sang as simply and unaffectedly as if she had been singing in her own room for her own pleasure.

When she got through, there was a round of applause throughout the company. Even Mrs. Wentworth joined in it; but she came over and said:

“That was well done; but next time, my dear, let some one play your accompaniment.”

“Next time, don’t you do any such thing,” said Keith, stoutly. “You can never sing it so well again if you do. Please accept this from a man who would rather have heard you sing that song that way than have heard Albani sing in ‘Lohengrin.'” He took the rosebud out of his buttonhole and gave it to her, looking her straight in the eyes.

“Is this the truth?” she asked, with her gaze quite steady on his face.

“The palpable truth,” he said.

Miss Lois Huntington, as she sank back in the corner of her cousin’s carriage, on their way home, was far away from the rattling New York street. Mrs. Wentworth’s occasional recurrence to the unfortunate incidents of stopping her ears and of singing the song without an accompaniment did not ruffle her. She knew she had pleased one man–the one she at that moment would rather have pleased than all the rest of New York. Her heart was eased of a load that had made it heavy for many a day. They were once more friends. Mrs. Wentworth’s chiding sounded as if it were far away on some alien shore, while Lois floated serenely on a tide that appeared to begin away back in her childhood, and was bearing her gently, still gently, she knew not whither. If she tried to look forward she was lost in a mist that hung like a soft haze over the horizon. Might there be a haven yonder in that rosy distance? Or were those still the billows of the wide and trackless sea? She did not know or care. She would drift and meantime think of him, the old friend who had turned the evening for her into a real delight. Was he in love with Mrs. Lancaster? she wondered. Every one said he was, and it would not be unnatural if he were. It was on her account he had gone to Mrs. Wickersham’s. She undoubtedly liked him. Many men were after her. If Mr. Keith was trying to marry her, as every one said, he must be in love with her. He would never marry any one whom he did not love. If he were in love with Mrs. Lancaster, would she marry him? Her belief was that she would.

At the thought she for one moment had a pang of envy.

Her reverie was broken in on by Mrs. Wentworth.

“Why are you so pensive? You have not said a word since we started.”

“Why, I do not know. I was just thinking. You know, such a dinner is quite an episode with me.”

“Did you have a pleasant time? Was Mr. Keith agreeable? I was glad to see you had him; for he is a very agreeable man when he chooses, but quite moody, and you never know what he is going to say.”

“I think that is one of his–of his charms–that you don’t know what he is going to say. I get so tired of talking to people who say just what you know they are going to say–just what some one else has just said and what some one else will say to-morrow. It is like reading an advertisement.”

“Lois, you must not be so unconventional,” said Mrs. Wentworth. “I must beg you not to repeat such a thing as your performance this evening. I don’t like it.”

“Very well, Cousin Louise, I will not,” said the girl, a little stiffly. “I shall recognize your wishes; but I must tell you that I do not agree with you. I hate conventionality. We all get machine-made. I see not the least objection to what I did, except your wishes, of course, and neither did Mr. Keith.”

“Well, while you are with me, you must conform to my wishes. Mr. Keith is not responsible for you. Mr. Keith is like other men–ready to flatter a young and unsophisticated girl.”

“No; Mr. Keith is not like other men. He does not have to wait and see what others think and say before he forms an opinion. I am so tired of hearing people say what they think others think. Even Mr. Rimmon, at church, says what he thinks his congregation likes–just as when he meets them he flatters them and tells them what dear ladies they are, and how well they look, and how good their wine is. Why can’t people think for themselves?”

“Well, on my word, Lois, you appear to be thinking for yourself! And you also appear to think very highly of Mr. Keith,” said Mrs. Wentworth.

“I do. I have known Mr. Keith all my life,” said the girl, gravely. “He is associated in my mind with all that I loved.”

“There, I did not mean to call up sorrowful thoughts,” said Mrs. Wentworth. “I wanted you to have a good time.”

Next day Mr. Keith gave himself the pleasure of calling promptly at Mrs. Norman’s. He remembered the time when he had waited a day or two before calling on Miss Huntington and had found her gone, with its train of misunderstandings. So he had no intention of repeating the error. In Love as in War, Success attends Celerity.

Miss Huntington was not at home, the servant said in answer to Keith’s inquiries for the ladies; she had taken the children out to see Madam Wentworth. But Mrs. Wentworth would see Mr. Keith.

Mrs. Wentworth was more than usually cordial. She was undoubtedly more nervous than she used to be. She soon spoke of Norman, and for a moment grew quite excited.

“I know what people say about me,” she exclaimed. “I know they say I ought to have borne everything and have gone on smiling and pretending I was happy even when I had the proof that he was–was–that he no longer cared for me, or for my–my happiness. But I could not–I was not constituted so. And if I have refused to submit to it I had good reason.”

“Mrs. Wentworth,” said Keith, “will you please tell me what you are talking about?”

“You will hear about it soon enough,” she said, with a bitter laugh. “All you have to do is to call on Mrs. Nailor or Mrs. Any-one-else for five minutes.”

“If I hear what I understand you to believe, that Norman cares for some one else, I shall not believe it.”

她苦涩地笑了笑。

“Oh, you and Norman always swore by each other. I guess that you are no better than other men.”

“We are, at least, better than some other men,” said Keith, “and Norman is better than most other men.”

She simply shrugged her shoulders and drifted into a reverie. It was evidently not a pleasant one.

Keith rose to go. And a half-hour later he quite casually called at old Mrs. Wentworth’s, where he found the children having a romp. Miss Huntington looked as sweet as a rose, and Keith thought, or at least hoped, she was pleased to see him.

Keith promptly availed himself of Mrs. Wentworth’s permission, and was soon calling every day or two at her house, and even on those days when he did not call he found himself sauntering up the avenue or in the Park, watching for the slim, straight, trim little figure he now knew so well. He was not in love with Lois. He said this to himself quite positively. He only admired her, and had a feeling of protection and warm friendship for a young and fatherless girl who had once had every promise of a life of ease and joy, and was by the hap of ill fortune thrown out on the cold world and into a relation of dependence. He had about given up any idea of falling in love. Love, such as he had once known it, was not for him. Love for love’s sake–love that created a new world and peopled it with one woman–was over for him. At least, so he said.

And when he had reasoned thus, he would find himself hurrying along the avenue or in the Park, straining his eyes to see if he could distinguish her among the crowd of walkers and loungers that thronged the sidewalk or the foot-path a quarter of a mile away. And if he could not, he was conscious of disappointment; and if he did distinguish her, his heart would give a bound, and he would go racing along till he was at her side.

Oftenest, though, he visited her at Mrs. Wentworth’s, where he could talk to her without the continual interruption of the children’s busy tongues, and could get her to sing those old-fashioned songs that, somehow, sounded to him sweeter than all the music in the world.

In fact, he went there so often to visit her that he began to neglect his other friends. Even Norman he did not see as much of as formerly.

Once, when he was praising her voice to Mrs. Wentworth, she said to him: “Yes, I think she would do well in concert. I am urging her to prepare herself for that; not at present, of course, for I need her just now with the children; but in a year or two the boys will go to school and the two girls will require a good French governess, or I may take them to France. Then I shall advise her to try concert. Of course, Miss Brooke cannot take care of her always. Besides, she is too independent to allow her to do it.”

Keith was angry in a moment. He had never liked Mrs. Wentworth so little. “I shall advise her to do nothing of the kind,” he said firmly. “Miss Huntington is a lady, and to have her patronized and treated as an inferior by a lot of 新财富 is more than I could stand.”

“I see no chance of her marrying,” said Mrs. Wentworth. “She has not a cent, and you know men don’t marry penniless girls these days.”

“Oh, they do if they fall in love. There are a great many men in the world and even in New York, besides the small tuft-hunting, money-loving parasites that one meets at the so-called swell houses. If those you and I know were all, New York would be a very insignificant place. The brains and the character and the heart; the makers and leaders, are not found at the dinners and balls we are honored with invitations to by Mrs. Nailor and her like. Alice Lancaster was saying the other day–”

Mrs. Wentworth froze up.

“Alice Lancaster!” Her eyes flashed. “Do not quote her to me!” Her lips choked with the words.

“She is a friend of yours, and a good friend of yours,” declared Keith, boldly.

“I do not want such friends as that,” she said, flaming suddenly. “Who do you suppose has come between my husband and me?”

“Not Mrs. Lancaster.”

“是的。”

“No,” said Keith, firmly; “you wrong them both. You have been misled.”

She rose and walked up and down the room in an excitement like that of an angry lioness.

“You are the only friend that would say that to me.”

“Then I am a better friend than others.” He went on to defend Mrs. Lancaster warmly.

When Keith left he wondered if that outburst meant that she still loved Norman.

It is not to be supposed that Mr. Keith’s visits to the house of Mrs. Wentworth had gone unobserved or unchronicled. That portion of the set that knew Mrs. Wentworth best, which is most given to the discussion of such important questions as who visits whom too often, and who has stopped visiting whom altogether, with the reasons therefor, was soon busy over Keith’s visits.

They were referred to in the society column of a certain journal recently started, known by some as “The Scandal-monger’s Own,” and some kind friend was considerate enough to send Norman Wentworth a marked copy.

Some suggested timidly that they had heard that Mr. Keith’s visits were due to his opinion of the governess; but they were immediately suppressed.

Mrs. Nailor expressed the more general opinion when she declared that even a débutante would know that men like Ferdy Wickersham and Mr. Keith did not fall in love with unknown governesses. That sort of thing would do to put in books; but it did not happen in real life. They might visit them, but–! After which she proceeded to say as many ill-natured things about Miss Lois as she could think of; for the story of Lois’s stopping her ears had also gotten abroad.

Meantime, Keith pursued his way, happily ignorant of the motives attributed to him by some of those who smiled on him and invited him to their teas. A half-hour with Lois Huntington was reward enough to him for much waiting. To see her eyes brighten and to hear her voice grow softer and more musical as she spoke his name; to feel that she was in sympathy with him, that she understood him without explanation, that she was interested in his work: these were the rewards which lit up life for him and sent him to his rooms cheered and refreshed. He knew that she had no idea of taking him otherwise than as a friend. She looked on him almost as a contemporary of her father. But life was growing very sweet for him again.

It was not long before the truth was presented to him.

One of his club friends rallied him on his frequent visits in a certain quarter and the conquest which they portended. Keith flushed warmly. He had that moment been thinking of Lois Huntington. He had just been to see her, and her voice was still in his ears; so, though he thought it unusual in Tom Trimmer to refer to the matter, it was not unnatural. He attempted to turn the subject lightly by pretending to misunderstand him.

“I mean, I hear you have cut Wickersham out. Ferdy thought he had a little corner there.”

Again Keith reddened. He, too, had sometimes thought that Ferdy was beginning to be attentive to Lois Huntington. Others manifestly thought so too.

“I don’t know that I understand you,” he said.

“Don’t you?” laughed the other. “Haven’t you seen the papers lately?”

Keith chilled instantly.

“Norman Wentworth is my friend,” he said quietly.

“So they say is Mrs. Norm–” began Mr. Trimmer, with a laugh.

Before he had quite pronounced the name, Keith leaned forward, his eyes levelled right into the other’s.

“Don’t say that, Trimmer. I want to be friends with you,” he said earnestly. “Don’t you ever couple my name with that lady’s. Her husband is my friend, and any man that says I am paying her any attention other than such as her husband would have me pay her says what is false.”

“I know nothing about that,” said Tom, half surlily. “I am only giving what others say.”

“Well, don’t you even do that.” He rose to his feet, and stood very straight. “Do me the favor to say to any one you may hear intimate such a lie that I will hold any man responsible who says it.”

“Jove!” said Mr. Trimmer, afterwards, to his friend Minturn, “must be some fire there. He was as hot as pepper in a minute. Wanted to fight any one who mentioned the matter. He’ll have his hands full if he fights all who are talking about him and Ferdy’s old flame. I heard half a roomful buzzing about it at Mrs. Nailor’s. But it was none of my affair. If he wants to fight about another man’s wife, let him. It’s not the best way to stop the scandal.”

“You know, I think Ferdy is a little relieved to get out of that,” added Mr. Minturn. “Ferdy wants money, and big money. He can’t expect to get money there. They say the chief cause of the trouble was Wentworth would not put up money enough for her. He has got his eye on the Lancaster-Yorke combine, and he is all devotion to the widow now.”

“She won’t look at him. She has too much sense. Besides, she likes Keith,” said Stirling.

As Mr. Trimmer and his friend said, if Keith expected to silence all the tongues that were clacking with his name and affairs, he was likely to be disappointed. There are some people to whose minds the distribution of scandal is as great a delight as the sweetest morsel is to the tongue. Besides, there was one person who had a reason for spreading the report. Ferdy Wickersham had returned and was doing his best to give it circulation.

Norman Wentworth received in his mail, one morning, a thin letter over which a frown clouded his brow. The address was in a backhand. He had received a letter in the same handwriting not long previously–an anonymous letter. It related to his wife and to one whom he had held in high esteem. He had torn it up furiously in little bits, and had dashed them into the waste-basket as he had dashed the matter from his mind. He was near tearing this letter up without reading it; but after a moment he opened the envelope. A society notice in a paper the day before had contained the name of his wife and that of Mr. Gordon Keith, and this was not the only time he had seen the two names together. As his eye glanced over the single page of disguised writing, a deeper frown grew on his brow. It was only a few lines; but it contained a barbed arrow that struck and rankled:

“When the cat’s away
The mice will play.
If you have cut your wisdom-teeth,
You’ll know your mouse. His name is —-”

It was signed, “一个真正的朋友设立的区域办事处外，我们在美国也开设了办事处，以便我们为当地客户提供更多的支持。“

Norman crushed the paper in his band, in a rage for having read it. But it was too late. He could not banish it from his mind: so many things tallied with it. He had heard that Keith was there a great deal. Why had he ceased speaking of it of late?

When Keith next met Norman there was a change in the latter. He was cold and almost morose; answered Keith absently, and after a little while rose and left him rather curtly.

When this had occurred once or twice Keith determined to see Norman and have a full explanation. Accordingly, one day he went to his office. Mr. Wentworth was out, but Keith said he would wait for him in his private office.

On the table lay a newspaper. Keith picked it up to glance over it. His eye fell on a marked passage. It was a notice of a dinner to which he had been a few evenings before. Mrs. Wentworth’s name was marked with a blue pencil, and a line or two below it was his own name similarly marked.

Keith felt the hot blood surge into his face, then a grip came about his throat. Could this be the cause? Could this be the reason for Norman’s curtness? Could Norman have this opinion of him? After all these years!

He rose and walked from the office and out into the street. It was a blow such as he had not had in years. The friendship of a lifetime seemed to have toppled down in a moment.

Keith walked home in deep reflection. That Norman could treat him so was impossible except on one theory: that he believed the story which concerned him and Mrs. Wentworth. That he could believe such a story seemed absolutely impossible. He passed through every phase of regret, wounded pride, and anger. Then it came to him clearly enough that if Norman were laboring under any such hallucination it was his duty to dispel it. He should go to him and clear his mind. The next morning he went again to Norman’s office. To his sorrow, he learned that he had left town the evening before for the West to see about some business matters. He would be gone some days. Keith determined to see him as soon as he returned.

Keith had little difficulty in assigning the scandalous story to its true source, though he did Ferdy Wickersham an injustice in laying the whole blame on him.

Meantime, Keith determined that he would not go to Mrs. Wentworth’s again until after he had seen Norman, even though it deprived him of the chance of seeing Lois. It was easier to him, as he was very busy now pushing through the final steps of his deal with the English syndicate. This he was the more zealous in as his last visit South had shown him that old Mr. Rawson was beginning to fail.

“I am just livin’ now to hear about Phrony,” said the old man, “–and to settle with that man,” he added, his deep eyes burning under his shaggy brows.

Keith had little idea that the old man would ever live to hear of her again, and he had told him so as gently as he could.

“Then I shall kill him,” said the old man, quietly.

Keith was in his office one morning when his attention was arrested by a heavy step outside his door. It had something familiar in it. Then he heard his name spoken in a loud voice. Some one was asking for him, and the next moment the door opened and Squire Rawson stood on the threshold. He looked worn; but his face was serene. Keith’s intuition told him why he had come; and the old man did not leave it in any doubt. His greeting was brief.

He had gotten to New York only that morning, and had already been to Wickersham’s office; but the office was shut.

“I have come to find her,” he said, “and I’ll find her, or I’ll drag him through this town by his neck.” He took out a pistol and laid it by him on the table.

Keith was aghast. He knew the old man’s resolution. His face showed that he was not to be moved from it. Keith began to argue with him. They did not do things that way in New York, he said. The police would arrest him. Or if he should shoot a man he would be tried, and it would go hard with him. He had better give up his pistol. “Let me keep it for you,” he urged.

The old man took up the pistol and felt for his pocket.

“I’ll find her or I’ll kill him,” he said stolidly. “I have come to do one or the other. If I do that, I don’t much keer what they do with me. But I reckon some of ’em would take the side of a woman what’s been treated so. Well, I’ll go on an’ wait for him. How do you find this here place?” He took out a piece of paper and, carefully adjusting his spectacles, read a number. It was the number of Wickersham’s office.

Keith began to argue again; but the other’s face was set like a rock. He simply put up his pistol carefully. “I’ll kill him if I don’t find her. Well, I reckon somebody will show me the way. Good day.” He went out.

The moment his footsteps had died away, Keith seized his hat and dashed out.

The bulky figure was going slowly down the street, and Keith saw him stop a man and show him his bit of paper. Keith crossed the street and hurried on ahead of him. Wickersham’s office was only a few blocks away, and a minute later Keith rushed into the front office. The clerks hooked up in surprise at his haste. Keith demanded of one of them if Mr. Wickersham was in. The clerk addressed turned and looked at another man nearer the door of the private office, who shook his head warningly. No, Mr. Wickersham was not in.

Keith, however, had seen the signal, and he walked boldly up to the door of the private office.

“Mr. Wickersham is in, but he is engaged,” said the man, rising hastily.

“I must see him immediately,” said Keith, and opening the door, walked straight in.

Wickersham was sitting at his desk poring over a ledger, and at the sudden entrance he looked up, startled. When he saw who it was he sprang to his feet, his face changing slightly. Just then one of the clerks followed Keith.

As Keith, however, spoke quietly, Wickersham’s expression changed, and the next second he had recovered his composure and with it his insolence.

“To what do I owe the honor of this unexpected visit?” he demanded, with a curl of his lip.

Keith gave a little wave of his arm, as if he would sweep away his insolence.

“I have come to warn you that old Adam Rawson is in town hunting you.”

Wickersham’s self-contained face paled suddenly, and he stepped a little back. Then his eye fell on the clerk, who stood just inside the door. “What do you want?” he demanded angrily. “—- you! can’t you keep out when a gentleman wants to see me on private business?”

The clerk hastily withdrew.

“What does he want?” he asked of Keith, with a dry voice.

“He is hunting for you. He wants to find his granddaughter, and he is coming after you.”

“What the —- do I know about his granddaughter!” cried Wickersham.

“That is for you to say. He swears that he will kill you unless you produce her. He is on his way here now, and I have hurried ahead to warn you.”

Wickersham’s face, already pale, grew as white as death, for he read conviction in Keith’s tone. With an oath he turned to a bell and rang it.

“Ring for a cab for me at once,” he said to the clerk who appeared. “Have it at my side entrance.”

As Keith passed out he heard him say to the clerk:

“Tell any one who calls I have left town. I won’t see a soul.”

A little later an old man entered Wickersham & Company’s office and demanded to see F.C. Wickersham.

There was a flurry among the men there, for they all knew that something unusual had occurred; and there was that about the massive, grim old man, with his fierce eyes, that demanded attention.

On learning that Wickersham was not in, he said he would wait for him and started to take a seat.

There was a whispered colloquy between two clerks, and then one of them told him that Mr. Wickersham was not in the city. He had been called away from town the day before, and would be gone for a month or two. Would the visitor leave his name?

“Tell him Adam Rawson has been to see him, and that he will come again.” He paused a moment, then said slowly: “Tell him I’m huntin’ for him and I’m goin’ to stay here till I find him.”

He walked slowly out, followed by the eyes of every man in the office.

The squire spent his time between watching for Wickersham and hunting for his granddaughter. He would roam about the streets and inquire for her of policemen and strangers, quite as if New York were a small village like Ridgely instead of a great hive in which hundreds of thousands were swarming, their identity hardly known to any but themselves. Most of those to whom he applied treated him as a harmless old lunatic. But he was not always so fortunate. One night, when he was tired out with tramping the streets, he wandered into one of the parks and sat down on a bench, where he finally fell asleep. He was awakened by some one feeling in his pocket. He had just been dreaming that Phrony had found him and hail sat down beside him and was fondling him, and when he first came back to consciousness her name was on his lips. He still thought it was she who sat beside him, and he called her by name, “Phrony.” The girl, a poor, painted, bedizened creature, was quick enough to answer to the name.

“I am Phrony; go to sleep again.”

The joy of getting back his lost one aroused the old man, and he sat up with an exclamation of delight. The next second, at sight of the strange, painted face, he recoiled.

“You Phrony?”

“Yes. Don’t you know me?” She snuggled closer beside him, and worked quietly at his big watch, which somehow had caught in his tight vest pocket.

“No, you ain’t! Who are you, girl? What are you doin’?”

The young woman put her arms around his neck, and began to talk cajolingly. He was “such a dear old fellow,” etc., etc. But the old man’s wit had now returned to him. His disappointment had angered him.

“Get away from me, woman. What are you doin’ to me?” he demanded roughly.

She still clung to him, using her poor blandishments. But the squire was angry. He pushed her off. “Go away from me, I say. What do you want? You ought to be ashamed of yourself. You don’t know who I am. I am a deacon in the church, a trustee of Ridge College, and I have a granddaughter who is older than you. If you don’t go away, I will tap you with my stick.”

The girl, having secured his watch, with something between a curse and a laugh, went off, calling him “an old drunk fool.”

Next moment the squire put his hand in his pocket to take out his watch, but it was gone. He felt in his other pockets, but they were empty, too. The young woman had clung to him long enough to rob him of everything. The squire rose and hurried down the walk, calling lustily after her; but it was an officer who answered the call. When the squire told his story he simply laughed and told him he was drunk, and threatened, if he made any disturbance, to “run him in.”

The old countryman flamed out.

“Run who in?” he demanded. “Do you know who I am, young man?”

“No, I don’t, and I don’t keer a —-.”

“Well, I’m Squire Rawson of Ridgely, and I know more law than a hundred consarned blue-bellied thief-hiders like you. Whoever says I am drunk is a liar. But if I was drunk is that any reason for you to let a thief rob me? What is your name? I’ve a mind to arrest you and run you in myself. I’ve run many a better man in.”

It happened that the officer’s record was not quite clear enough to allow him to take the chance of a contest with so bold an antagonist as the squire of Ridgely. He did not know just who he was, or what he might be able to do. So he was willing to “break even,” and he walked off threatning, but leaving the squire master of the field.

The next day the old man applied to Keith, who placed the matter in Dave Dennison’s hands and persuaded the squire to return home.

Keith was very unhappy over the misunderstanding between Norman and himself. He wrote Norman a letter asking an interview as soon as he returned. But he received no reply. Then, having heard of his return, he went to his office one day to see him.

Yes, Mr. Wentworth was in. Some one was with him, but would Mr. Keith walk in? said the clerk, who knew of the friendship between the two. But Keith sent in his name.

The clerk came out with a surprised look on his face. Mr. Wentworth was “engaged.”

Keith went home and wrote a letter, but his letter was returned unopened, and on it was the indorsement, “Mr. Norman Wentworth declines to hold any communication with Mr. Gordon Keith.”

After this, Keith, growing angry, swore that he would take no further steps.

As Keith stepped from his office one afternoon, he thought he heard his name called–called somewhat timidly. When, however, he turned and glanced around among the hurrying throng that filled the street, he saw no one whom he knew. Men and women were bustling along with that ceaseless haste that always struck him in New York–haste to go, haste to return, haste to hasten: the trade-mark of New York life: the hope of outstripping in the race.

A moment later he was conscious of a woman’s step close behind him. He turned as the woman came up beside him, and faced–Phrony Tripper. She was so worn and bedraggled and aged that for a moment he did not recognize her. Then, as she spoke, he knew her.

“Why, Phrony!” He held out his hand. She seized it almost hungrily.

“Oh, Mr. Keith! Is it really you? I hardly dared hope it was. I have not seen any one I knew for so long–so long!” Her face worked, and she began to whimper; but Keith soothed her.

He drew her away from the crowded thoroughfare into a side street.

“You knew–?” she said, and gazed at him with a silent appeal.

“Yes, I knew. He deceived you and deluded you into running away with him.”

“I thought he loved me, and he did when he married me. I am sure he did. But when he met that lady–”

“When he did what?” asked Keith, who could scarcely believe his own ears. “Did he marry you? Ferdy Wickersham? Who married you? When? Where was it? Who was present?”

“Yes; I would not come until he promised–”

“Yes, I knew he would promise. But did he marry you afterwards? Who was present? Have you any witnesses?”

“Yes. Oh, yes. I was married here in New York–one night–about ten o’clock–the night we got here. Mr. Plume was our only witness. Mr. Plume had a paper the preacher gave him; but he lost it.”

“He did! Who married you? Where was it?”

“His name was Rimm–Rimm-something–I cannot remember much; my memory is all gone. He was a young man. He married us in his room. Mr. Plume got him for me. He offered to marry us himself–said he was a preacher; but I wouldn’t have him, and said I would go home or kill myself if they didn’t have a preacher. Then Mr. Plume went and came back, and we all got in a carriage and drove a little way, and got out and went into a house, and after some talk we were married. I don’t know the street. But I would know him if I saw him. He was a young, fat man, that smiled and stood on his toes.” The picture brought up to Keith the fat and unctuous Rimmon.

“Well, then you went abroad, and your husband left you over there?”

“Yes; I was in heaven for–for a little while, and then he left me–for another woman. I am sure he cared for me, and he did not mean to treat me so; but she was rich and so beautiful, and–what was I?” She gave an expressive gesture of self-abnegation.

“Poor fool!” said Keith to himself. “Poor girl!” he said aloud.

“I have written; but, maybe, he never got my letter. He would not have let me suffer so.”

Keith’s mouth shut closer.

She went on to tell of Wickersham’s leaving her; of her hopes that after her child was born he would come back to her. But the child was born and died. Then of her despair; of how she had spent everything, and sold everything she had to come home.

“I think if I could see him and tell him what I have been through, maybe he would–be different. I know he cared for me for a while.–But I can’t find him,” she went on hopelessly. “I don’t want to go to him where there are others to see me, for I’m not fit to see even if they’d let me in–which they wouldn’t.” (She glanced down at her worn and shabby frock.) “I have watched for him ‘most all day, but I haven’t seen him, and the police ordered me away.”

“I will find him for you,” said Keith, grimly.

“Oh, no! You mustn’t–you mustn’t say anything to him. It would make him–it wouldn’t do any good, and he’d never forgive me.” She coughed deeply.

“Phrony, you must go home,” said Keith.

For a second a spasm shot over her face; then a ray of light seemed to flit across it, and then it died out.

她摇了摇头。

“No, I’ll never go back there,” she said.

“Oh, yes, you will–you must. I will take you back. The mountain air will restore you, and–” She was shaking her head, but the look in her eyes showed that she was thinking of something far off.

“No–no!”

“I will take you,” repeated Keith. “Your grandfather will be–he will be all right. He has just been here hunting for you.”

The expression on her face was so singular that Keith put his hand on her arm. To his horror, she burst into a laugh. It was so unreal that men passing glanced at her quickly, and, as they passed on, turned and looked back again.

“Well, good-by; I must find my husband,” she said, holding out her hand nervously and speaking in a hurried manner. “He’s got the baby with him. Tell ’em at home I’m right well, and the baby is exactly like grandmother, but prettier, of course.” She laughed again as she turned away and started off hastily.

Keith caught up with her.

“But, Phrony–” But she hurried on, shaking her head, and talking to herself about finding her baby and about its beauty. Keith kept up with her, put his hand in his pocket, and taking out several bills, handed them to her.

“Here, you must take this, and tell me where you are staying.”

She took the money mechanically.

“Where am I? Oh!–where am I staying? Sixteen Himmelstrasse, third floor–yes, that’s it. No:–18 Rue Petits Champs, troisième étage. Oh, no:–241 Hill Street. I’ll show you the baby. I must get it now.” And she sped away, coughing.

Keith, having watched her till she disappeared, walked on in deep reflection, hardly knowing what course to take. Presently his brow cleared. He turned and went rapidly back to the great office building where Wickersham had his offices on the first floor. He asked for Mr. Wickersham. A clerk came forward. Mr. Wickersham was not in town. No, he did not know when he would be back.

After a few more questions as to the possible time of his return, Keith left his card.

That evening Keith went to the address that Phrony had given him. It was a small lodging-house of, perhaps, the tenth rate. The dowdy woman in charge remembered a young woman such as he described. She was ill and rather crazy and had left several weeks before. She had no idea where she had gone. She did not know her name. Sometimes she called herself “Miss Tripper,” sometimes “Mrs. Wickersham.”

Keith took a cab and drove to the detective agency where Dave Dennison had his office. Keith told him why he had come, and Dave listened with tightened lips and eyes in which the flame burned deeper and deeper.

“I’ll find her,” he said.

Having set Dennison to work, Keith next directed his steps toward the commodious house to which the Rev. William H. Rimmon had succeeded, along with the fashionable church and the fashionable congregation which his uncle had left.

He was almost sure, from the name she had mentioned, that Mr. Rimmon had performed the ceremony. Rimmon had from time to time connected his name with matrimonial affairs which reflected little credit on him.

From the time Mr. Rimmon had found his flattery and patience rewarded, the pulpit from which Dr. Little had for years delivered a well-weighed, if a somewhat dry, spiritual pabulum had changed.

Mr. Rimmon knew his congregation too well to tax their patience with any such doctrinal sermons as his uncle had been given to. He treated his people instead to pleasant little discourses which were as much like Epictetus and Seneca as St. John or St. Paul.

Fifteen minutes was his limit,–eighteen at the outside,–weighed out like a ration. Doubtless, Mr. Rimmon had his own idea of doing good. His assistants worked hard in back streets and trod the dusty byways, succoring the small fry, while he stepped on velvet carpets and cast his net for the larger fish.

Was not Dives as well worth saving as Lazarus–and better worth it for Rimmon’s purposes! And surely he was a more agreeable dinner-companion. Besides, nothing was really proved against Dives; and the crumbs from his table fed many a Lazarus.

But there were times when the Rev. William H. Rimmon had a vision of other things: when the Rev. Mr. Rimmon, with his plump cheeks and plump stomach, with his embroidered stoles and fine surplices, his rich cassocks and hand-worked slippers, had a vision of another life. He remembered the brief period when, thrown with a number of earnest young men who had consecrated their lives to the work of their Divine Master, he had had aspirations for something essentially different from the life he now led. Sometimes, as he would meet some hard-working, threadbare brother toiling among the poor, who yet, for all his toil and narrowness of means, had in his face that light that comes only from feasting on the living bread, he envied him for a moment, and would gladly have exchanged for a brief time the “good things” that he had fallen heir to for that look of peace. These moments, however, were rare, and were generally those that followed some evening of even greater conviviality than usual, or some report that the stocks he had gotten Ferdy Wickersham to buy for him had unexpectedly gone down, so that he must make up his margins. When the margins had been made up and the stocks had reacted, Mr. Rimmon was sufficiently well satisfied with his own lot.

And of late Mr. Rimmon had determined to settle down. There were those who said that Mr. Rimmon’s voice took on a peculiarly unctuous tone when a certain young widow, as noted for her wealth as for her good looks and good nature entered the portals of his church.

Keith now having rung the bell at Mr. Rimmon’s pleasant rectory and asked if he was at home, the servant said he would see. It is astonishing how little servants in the city know of the movements of their employers. How much better they must know their characters!

A moment later the servant returned.

“Yes, Mr. Rimmon is in. He will be down directly; will the gentleman wait?”

Keith took his seat and inspected the books on the table–a number of magazines, a large work on Exegesis, several volumes of poetry, the Social Register, and a society journal that contained the gossip and scandal of the town.

Presently Mr. Rimmon was heard descending the stair. He had a light footfall, extraordinarily light in one so stout; for he had grown rounder with the years.

“Ah, Mr. Keith. I believe we have met before. What can I do for you?” He held Keith’s card in his hand, and was not only civil, but almost cordial. But he did not ask Keith to sit down.

Keith said he had come to him hoping to obtain a little information which he was seeking for a friend. He was almost certain that Mr. Rimmon could give it to him.

“Oh, yes. Well? I shall be very glad, I am sure, if I can be of service to you. It is a part of our profession, you know. What is it?”

“Why,” said Keith, “it is in regard to a marriage ceremony–a marriage that took place in this city three or four years ago, about the middle of November three years ago. I think you possibly performed the ceremony.”

“Yes, yes. What are the names of the contracting parties? You see, I solemnize a good many marriage ceremonies. For some reason, a good many persons come to me. My church is rather–popular, you see. I hate to have ‘fashionable’ applied to holy things. I cannot tell without their names.”

“Why, of course,” said Keith, struck by the sudden assumption of a business manner. “The parties were Ferdinand C. Wickersham and a young girl, named Euphronia Tripper.”

Keith was not consciously watching Mr. Rimmon, but the change in him was so remarkable that it astonished him. His round jaw actually dropped for a second. Keith knew instantly that he was the man. His inquiry had struck home. The next moment, however, Mr. Rimmon had recovered himself. A single glance shot out of his eyes, so keen and suspicious that Keith was startled. Then his eyes half closed again, veiling their flash of hostility.

“F.C. Wickershaw and Euphronia Trimmer?” he repeated half aloud, shaking his head. “No, I don’t remember any such names. No, I never united in the bonds of matrimony any persons of those names. I am quite positive.” He spoke decisively.

“No, not Wicker 肖–F.C. Wicker 假 and Euphronia Tripper. Ferdy Wickersham–you know him. And the girl was named Tripper; she might have called herself ‘Phrony’ Tripper.”

“My dear sir, I cannot undertake to remember the names of all the persons whom I happen to come in contact with in the performance of my sacred functions,” began Mr. Rimmon. His voice had changed, and a certain querulousness had crept into it.

“No, I know that,” said Keith, calmly; “but you must at least remember whether within four years you performed a marriage ceremony for a man whom you know as well as you know Ferdy Wickersham–?”

“Ferdy Wickersham! Why don’t you go and ask him?” demanded the other, suddenly. “You appear to know him quite as well as I, and certainly Mr. Wickersham knows quite as well as I whether or not he is married. I know nothing of your reasons for persisting in this investigation. It is quite irregular, I assure you. I don’t know that ever in the course of my life I knew quite such a case. A clergyman performs many functions simply as a ministerial official. I should think that the most natural way of procedure would be to ask Mr. Wickersham.”

“Certainly it might be. But whatever my reason may be, I have come to ask you. As a matter of fact, Mr. Wickersham took this young girl away from her home. I taught her when she was a school-girl. Her grandfather, who brought her up, is a friend of mine. I wish to clear her good name. I have reason to think that she was legally married here in New York, and that you performed the ceremony, and I came to ask you whether you did so or not. It is a simple question. You can at least say whether you did so or did not. I assumed that as a minister you would be glad to help clear a young woman’s good name.”

“And I have already answered you,” said Mr. Rimmon, who, while Keith was speaking, had been forming his reply.

基思脸红了。

“Why, you have not answered me at all. If you have, you can certainly have no objection to doing me the favor of repeating it. Will you do me the favor to repeat it? Did you or did you not marry Ferdy Wickersham to a young girl about three years ago?”

“My dear sir, I have told you that I do not recognize your right to interrogate me in this manner. I know nothing about your authority to pursue this investigation, and I refuse to continue this conversation any longer.”

“Then you refuse to give me any information whatever?” Keith was now very angry, and, as usual, very quiet, with a certain line about his mouth, and his eyes very keen.

“I do most emphatically refuse to give you any information whatever. I decline, indeed, to hold any further communication with you,” (Keith was yet quieter,) “and I may add that I consider your entrance here an intrusion and your manner little short of an impertinence.” He rose on his toes and fell on his heels, with, the motion which Keith had remarked the first time he met him.

Keith fastened his eye on him.

“You do?” he said. “You think all that? You consider even my entrance to ask you, a minister of the Gospel, a question that any good man would have been glad to answer, ‘an intrusion’? Now I am going; but before I go I wish to tell you one or two things. I have heard reports about you, but I did not believe them. I have known men of your cloth, the holiest men on earth, saints of God, who devoted their lives to doing good. I was brought up to believe that a clergyman must be a good man. I could not credit the stories I have heard coupled with your name. I now believe them true, or, at least, possible.”

Mr. Riminon’s face was purple with rage. He stepped forward with uplifted hand.

“How dare you, sir!” he began.

“I dare much more,” said Keith, quietly.

“You take advantage of my cloth–!”

“Oh, no; I do not. I have one more thing to say to you before I go. I wish to tell you that one of the shrewdest detectives in New York is at work on this case. I advise you to be careful, for when you fall you will fall far. Good day.”

He left Mr. Rimmon shaken and white. His indefinite threats had struck him more deeply than any direct charge could have done. For Mr. Rimmon knew of acts of which Keith could not have dreamed.

When he rose he went to his sideboard, and, taking out a bottle, poured out a stiff drink and tossed it off. “I feel badly,” he said to himself: “I have allowed that–that fellow to excite me, and Dr. Splint said I must not get excited. I did pretty well, though; I gave him not the least information, and yet I did not tell a falsehood, an actual falsehood.”

With the composure that the stimulant brought, a thought occurred to him. He sat down and wrote a note to Wickersham, and, marking it, “Private,” sent it by a messenger.

笔记写道：

“DEAR FERDY: I must see you without an hour’s delay on a matter of the greatest possible importance. Tripper-business. Your friend K. has started investigation; claims to have inside facts. I shall wait at my house for reply. If impossible for you to come immediately, I will run down to your office.

“Yours, RIMMON.”

When Mr. Wickersham received this note, he was in his office. He frowned as he glanced at the handwriting. He said to himself:

“He wants more money, I suppose. He is always after money, curse him. He must deal in some other office as well as in this.” He started to toss the note aside, but on second thought he tore it open. For a moment he looked puzzled, then a blank expression passed over his face.

He turned to the messenger-boy, who was waiting and chewing gum with the stolidity of an automaton.

“Did they tell you to wait for an answer?”

“当然！”

He leant over and scribbled a line and sealed it. “Take that back.”

“Yes, sir.” The automaton departed, glancing from side to side and chewing diligently.

The note read: “Will meet you at club at five.”

As the messenger passed up the street, a smallish man who had come down-town on the same car with him, and had been reading a newspaper on the street for some little time, crossed over and accosted him.

“Can you take a note for me?”

“去哪儿？”

“Up-town. Where are you going?”

The boy showed his note.

“Um–hum! Well, my note will be right on your way.” He scribbled a line. It read: “Can’t be back till eight. Look out for Shepherd. Pay boy 25 if delivered before four.”

“You drop this at that number before four o’clock and you’ll get a quarter.”

Then he passed on.

That afternoon Keith walked up toward the Park. All day he had been trying to find Phrony, and laying plans for her relief when she should be found. The avenue was thronged with gay equipages and richly dressed women, yet among all his friends in New York there was but one woman to whom he could apply in such a case–Alice Lancaster. Old Mrs. Wentworth would have been another, but he could not go to her now, since his breach with Norman. He knew that there were hundreds of good, kind women; they were all about him, but he did not know them. He had chosen his friends in another set. The fact that he knew no others to whom he could apply struck a sort of chill to his heart. He felt lonely and depressed. He determined to go to Dr. Templeton. There, at least, he was sure of sympathy.

He turned to go back down-town, and at a little distance caught sight of Lois Huntington. Suddenly a light appeared to break in on his gloom. Here was a woman to whom he could confide his trouble with the certainty of sympathy. As they walked along he told her of Phrony; of her elopement; of her being deserted; and of his chance meeting with her and her disappearance again. He did not mention Wickersham, for he felt that until he had the proof of his marriage he had no right to do so.

“Why, I remember that old, man, Mr. Rawson,” said Lois. “It was where my father stayed for a while?” Her voice was full of tenderness.

“Yes. It is his granddaughter.”

“I remember her kindness to me. We must find her. I will help you.” Her face was sweet with tender sympathy, her eyes luminous with firm resolve.

Keith gazed at her with a warm feeling surging about his heart. Suddenly the color deepened in her cheeks; her expression changed; a sudden flame seemed to dart into her eyes.

“I wish I knew that man!”

“What would you do?” demanded Keith, smiling at her fierceness.

“I’d make him suffer all his life.” She looked the incarnation of vengeance.

“Such a man would be hard to make suffer,” hazarded Keith.

“Not if I could find him.”

Keith soon left her to carry out his determination, and Lois went to see Mrs. Lancaster, and told her the story she had heard. It found sympathetic ears, and the next day Lois and Mrs. Lancaster were hard at work quietly trying to find the unfortunate woman. They went to Dr. Templeton; but, unfortunately, the old man was ill in bed.

The next afternoon, Keith caught sight of Lois walking up the street with some one; and when he got nearer her it was Wickersham. They were so absorbed that Keith passed without either of them seeing him. He walked on with more than wonder in his heart. The meeting, however, had been wholly accidental on Lois’s part.

Wickersham of late had frequently fallen in with Lois when she was out walking. And this afternoon he had hardly joined her when she began to speak of the subject that had been uppermost in her mind all day. She did not mention any names, but told the story just as she had heard it.

Fortunately for Wickersham, she was so much engrossed in her recital that she did not observe her companion’s face until he had recovered himself. He had fallen a little behind her and did not interrupt her until he had quite mastered himself. Then he asked quietly:

“Where did you get that story?”

“Mr. Keith told me.”

“And he said the man who did that was a ‘gentleman’?”

“No, he did not say that; he did not give me the least idea who it was. Do you know who it was?”

The question was so unexpected that Wickersham for a moment was confounded. Then he saw that she was quite innocent. He almost gasped.

“I? How could I? I have heard that story–that is, something of it. It is not as Mr. Keith related it. He has some of the facts wrong. I will tell you the true story if you will promise not to say anything about it.”

Lois promised.

“Well, the truth is that the poor creature was crazy; she took it into her head that she was married to some one, and ran away from home to try and find him. At one time she said it was a Mr. Wagram; then it was a man named Plume, a drunken sot; then I think she for a time fancied it was Mr. Keith himself; and”–he glanced at her quickly–“I am not sure she did not claim me once. I knew her slightly. Poor thing! she was quite insane.”

“Poor thing!” sighed Lois, softly. She felt more kindly toward Wickersham than she had ever done before.

“I shall do what I can to help you find her,” he added.

“Thank you. I hope you may be successful.”

“I hope so,” said Wickersham, sincerely.

That evening Wickersham called on Mr. Rimmon, and the two were together for some time. The meeting was not wholly an amicable one. Wickersham demanded something that Mr. Rimmon was unwilling to comply with, though the former made him an offer at which his eyes glistened. He had offered to carry his stock for him as long as he wanted it carried. Mr. Rimmon showed him his register to satisfy him that no entry had been made there of the ceremony he had performed that night a few years before; but he was unwilling to write him a certificate that he had not performed such a ceremony. He was not willing to write a falsehood.

Wickersham grew angry.

“Now look here, Rimmon,” he said, “you know perfectly well that I never meant to marry that–to marry any one. You know that I was drunk that night, and did not know what I was doing, and that what I did was out of kindness of heart to quiet the poor little fool.”

“But you married her in the presence of a witness,” said Mr. Rimmon, slowly. “And I gave him her certificate.”

“You must have been mistaken. I have the affidavit of the man that he signed nothing of the kind. I give you my word of honor as to that. Write me the letter I want.” He pushed the decanter on the table nearer to Rimmon, who poured out a drink and took it slowly. It appeared to give him courage, for after a moment he shook his head.

“我不能。”

Wickersham looked at him with level eyes.

“You will do it, or I will sell you out,” he said coldly.

“You cannot. You promised to carry that stock for me till I could pay up the margins.”

“Write me that letter, or I will turn you out of your pulpit. You know what will happen if I tell what I know of you.”

The other man’s face turned white.

“You would not be so base.”

Wickersham rose and buttoned up his coat.

“It will be in the papers day after to-morrow.”

“Wait,” gasped Rimmon. “I will see what I can say.” He poured a drink out of the decanter, and gulped it down. Then he seized a pen and a sheet of paper and began to write. He wrote with care.

“Will this do?” he asked tremulously.

“是的。”

“You promise not to use it unless you have to?”

“是的。”

“And to carry the stock for me till it reacts and lets me out?”

“I will make no more promises.”

“But you did promise–,” began Mr. Rimmon.

Wickersham put the letter in his pocket, and taking up his hat, walked out without a word. But his eyes glinted with a curious light.