some short stories-第21部分

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too　far。　　If　she　had　brought　her　answer　without　more　delay　she
wished　make　it　sharp。　　Mrs。　Medwin？　　Never！　　〃No；　my　dearnot　I。
THERE　I　stop。〃

Mamie　had　known　it　would　be　〃collar…work；〃　but　somehow　now；　at　the
beginning　she　felt　her　heart　sink。　　It　was　not　that　she　had
expected　to　carry　the　position　with　a　rush；　but　that；　as　always
after　an　interval；　her　visitor's　defences　really　loomedand　quite；
as　it　were；　to　the　material　visiontoo　large。　　She　was　always
planted　with　them；　voluminous；　in　the　very　centre　of　the　passage；
was　like　a　person　accommodated　with　a　chair　in　some　unlawful　place
at　the　theatre。　　She　wouldn't　move　and　you　couldn't　get　round。
Mamie's　calculation　indeed　had　not　been　on　getting　round；　she　was
obliged　to　recognise　that；　too　foolishly　and　fondly；　she　had
dreamed　of　inducing　a　surrender。　　Her　dream　had　been　the　fruit　of
her　need；　but；　conscious　that　she　was　even　yet　unequipped　for
pressure；　she　felt；　almost　for　the　first　time　in　her　life；
superficial　and　crude。　　She　was　to　be　paidbut　with　what　was　she；
to　that　end；　to　pay？　　She　had　engaged　to　find　an　answer　to　this
question；　but　the　answer　had　not；　according　to　her　promise；　〃come。〃
And　Lady　Wantridge　meanwhile　massed　herself；　and　there　was　no　view
of　her　that　didn't　show　her　as　verily；　by　some　process　too　obscure
to　be　traced；　the　hard　depository　of　the　social　law。　　She　was　no
younger；　no　fresher；　no　stronger；　really；　than　any　of　them；　she　was
only；　with　a　kind　of　haggard　fineness；　a　sharpened　taste　for　life；
and；　with　all　sorts　of　things　behind　and　beneath　her；　more　abysmal
and　more　immoral；　more　secure　and　more　impertinent。　　The　points　she
made　were　two　in　number。　　One　was　that　she　absolutely　declined；　the
other　was　that　she　quite　doubted　if　Mamie　herself　had　measured　the
job。　　The　thing　couldn't　be　done。　　But　say　it　COULD　be；　was　Mamie
quite　the　person　to　do　it？　　To　this　Miss　Cutter；　with　a　sweet
smile；　replied　that　she　quite　understood　how　little　she　might　seem
so。　　〃I'm　only　one　of　the　persons　to　whom　it　has　appeared　that　YOU
are。〃

〃Then　who　are　the　others？〃

〃Well；　to　begin　with；　Lady　Edward；　Lady　Bellhouse　and　Mrs。
Pouncer。〃

〃Do　you　mean　that　they'll　come　to　meet　her？〃

〃I've　seen　them；　and　they've　promised。〃

〃To　come；　of　course；〃　Lady　Wantridge　said；　〃if　_I_　come。〃

Her　hostess　cast　about。　　〃Oh　of　course　you　could　prevent　them。　　But
I　should　take　it　as　awfully　kind　of　you　not　to。　　WON'T　you　do　this
for　me？〃　Mamie　pleaded。

Her　friend　looked　over　the　room　very　much　as　Scott　had　done。　　〃Do
they　really　understand　what　it's　FOR？〃

〃Perfectly。　　So　that　she　may　call。〃

〃And　what　good　will　that　do　her？〃

Miss　Cutter　faltered；　but　she　presently　brought　it　out。　　〃Naturally
what　one　hopes　is　that；　you'll　ask　her。〃

〃Ask　her　to　call？〃

〃Ask　her　to　dine。　　Ask　her；　if　you'd　be　so　truly　sweet；　for　a
Sunday；　or　something　of　that　sort；　and　even　if　only　in　one　of　your
MOST　mixed　parties；　to　Catchmore。〃

Miss　Cutter　felt　the　less　hopeful　after　this　effort　in　that　her
companion　only　showed　a　strange　good　nature。　　And　it　wasn't　a
satiric　amiability；　though　it　WAS　amusement。　　〃Take　Mrs。　Medwin
into　my　family？〃

〃Some　day　when　you're　taking　forty　others。〃

〃Ah　but　what　I　don't　see　is　what　it　does　for　YOU。　　You're　already
so　welcome　among　us　that　you　can　scarcely　improve　your　position
even　by　forming　for　us　the　most　delightful　relation。〃

〃Well；　I　know　how　dear　you　are；〃　Mamie　Cutter　replied；　〃but　one　has
after　all　more　than　one　side　and　more　than　one　sympathy。　　I　like
her；　you　know。〃　　And　even　at　this　Lady　Wantridge　wasn't　shocked；
she　showed　that　ease　and　blandness　which　were　her　way；
unfortunately；　of　being　most　impossible。　　She　remarked　that　SHE
might　listen　to　such　things；　because　she　was　clever　enough　for　them
not　to　matter；　only　Mamie　should　take　care　how　she　went　about
saying　them　at　large。　　When　she　became　definite　however；　in　a
minute；　on　the　subject　of　the　public　facts；　Miss　Cutter　soon　found
herself　ready　to　make　her　own　concession。　　Of　course　she　didn't
dispute　THEM：　　there　they　were；　they　were　unfortunately　on　record；
and；　nothing　was　to　be　done　about　them　but　toMamie　found　it　in
truth　at　this　point　a　little　difficult。

〃Well；　what？　　Pretend　already　to　have　forgotten　them？〃

〃Why　not；　when　you've　done　it　in　so　many　other　cases？〃

〃There　ARE　no　other　cases　so　bad。　　One　meets　them　at　any　rate　as
they　come。　　Some　you　can　manage；　others　you　can't。　　It's　no　use；
you　must　give　them　up。　　They're　past　patching；　there's　nothing　to
be　done　with　them。　　There's　nothing　accordingly　to　be　done　with
Mrs。　Medwin　but　to　put　her　off。〃　　And　Lady　Wantridge　rose　to　her
height。

〃Well；　you　know；　I　DO　do　things；〃　Mamie　quavered　with　a　smile　so
strained　that　it　partook　of　exaltation。

〃You　help　people？　　Oh　yes；　I've　known　you　to　do　wonders。　　But
stick；〃　said　Lady　Wantridge　with　strong　and　cheerful　emphasis；　〃to
your　Americans！〃

Miss　Cutter；　gazing；　got　up。　　〃You　don't　do　justice；　Lady
Wantridge；　to　your　own　compatriots。　　Some　of　them　are　really
charming。　　Besides；〃　said　Mamie；　〃working　for　mine　often　strikes
me；　so　far　as　the　interestthe　inspiration　and　excitement；　don't
you　know？go；　as　rather　too　easy。　　You　all；　as　I　constantly　have
occasion　to　say；　like　us　so！〃

Her　companion　frankly　weighed　it。　　〃Yes；　it　takes　that　to　account
for　your　position。　　I've　always　thought　of　you　nevertheless　as
keeping　for　their　benefit　a　regular　working　agency。　　They　come　to
you；　and　you　place　them。　　There　remains；　I　confess；〃　her　ladyship
went　on　in　the　same　free　spirit；　〃the　great　wonder〃

〃Of　how　I　first　placed　my　poor　little　self？　　Yes；〃　Mamie　bravely
conceded；　〃when　_I_　began　there　was　no　agency。　　I　just　worked　my
passage。　　I　didn't　even　come　to　YOU；　did　I？　　You　never　noticed　me
till；　as　Mrs。　Short　Stokes　says；　'I　was　'way；　'way　up！'　　Mrs。
Medwin；〃　she　threw　in；　〃can't　get　over　it。〃　　Then；　as　her　friend
looked　vague：　　〃Over　my　social　situation。〃

〃Well；　it's　no　great　flattery　to　you　to　say；〃　Lady　Wantridge　good…
humouredly　returned；　〃that　she　certainly　can't　hope　for　one
resembling　it。〃　　Yet　it　really　seemed　to　spread　there　before　them。
〃You　simply　MADE　Mrs。　Short　Stokes。〃

〃In　spite　of　her　name！〃　Mamie　smiled。

〃Oh　your　'names'！　　In　spite　of　everything。〃

〃Ah　I'm　something　of　an　artist。〃　　With　which；　and　a　relapse　marked
by　her　wistful　eyes　into　the　gravity　of　the　matter；　she　supremely
fixed　her　friend。　　She　felt　how　little　she　minded　betraying　at　last
the　extremity　of　her　need；　and　it　was　out　of　this　extremity　that
her　appeal　proceeded。　　〃Have　I　really　had　your　last　word？　　It　means
so　much　to　me。〃

Lady　Wantridge　came　straight　to　the　point。　　〃You　mean　you　depend　on
it？〃

〃Awfully！〃

〃Is　it　all　you　have？〃

〃All。　　Now。〃

〃But　Mrs。　Short　Stokes　and　the　others'rolling；'　aren't　they？
Don't　they　pay　up？〃

〃Ah；〃　sighed　Mamie；　〃if　it　wasn't　for　THEM！〃

Lady　Wantridge　perceived。　　〃You've　had　so　much？〃

〃I　couldn't　have　gone　on。〃

〃Then　what　do　you　do　with　it　all？〃

〃Oh　most　of　it　goes　back　to　them。　　There　are　all　sorts；　and　it's
all　help。　　Some　of　them　have　nothing。〃

〃Oh　if　you　feed　the　hungry；〃　Lady　Wantridge　laughed；　〃you're　indeed
in　a　great　way　of　business。　　Is　Mrs。　Medwin〃her　transition　was
immediate〃really　rich？〃

〃Really。　　He　left　her　everything。〃

〃So　that　if　I　do　say　'yes'〃

〃It　will　quite　set　me　up。〃

〃I　seeand　how　much　more　responsible　it　makes　one！　　But　I'd　rather
myself　give　you　the　money。〃

〃Oh！〃　Mamie　coldly　murmured。

〃You　mean　I　mayn't　suspect　your　prices？　　Well；　I　daresay　I　don't！
But　I'd　rather　give　you　ten　pounds。〃

〃Oh！〃　Mamie　repeated　in　a　tone　that　sufficiently　covered　her
prices。　　The　question　was　in　every　way　larger。　　〃Do　you　never
forgive？〃　she　reproachfully　inquired。　　The　door　opened　however　at
the　moment　she　spoke　and　Scott　Homer　presented　himself。



CHAPTER　IV



Scott　Homer　wore　exactly；　to　his　sister's　eyes；　the　aspect　he　had
worn　the　day　before；　and　it　also　formed　to　her　sense　the　great
feature　of　his　impartial　greeting。

〃How　d'ye　do；　Mamie？　　How　d'ye　do；　Lady　Wantridge？〃

〃How　d'ye　do　again？〃　Lady　Wantridge　replied　with　an　equanimity
striking　to　her　hostess。　　It　was　as　if　Scott's　own　had　been
contagious；　it　was　almost　indeed　as　if　she　had　seen　him　before。
Had　she　ever　so　seen　himbefore　the　previous　day？　　While　Miss
Cutter　put　to　herself　this　question　her　visitor　at　all　events　met
the　one　she　had　previously　uttered。　　〃Ever　'forgive'？〃　this
personage　echoed　in　a　tone　that　made　as　little　account　as　possible
of　the　interruption。　　〃Dear　yes！　　The　people　I　HAVE　forgiven！〃　　She
laughedperhaps　a　little　nervously；　and　she　was　now　looking　at
Scott。　　The　way　she　looked　at　him　was　precisely　what　had　already
had　its　effect　for　his　sister。　　〃The　people　I　can！〃

〃Can　you　forgive　me？〃　asked　Scott　Homer。

She　took　it　so　easily。　　〃Butwhat？〃

Mamie　interposed；　she　turned　directly　to　her　brother。　　〃Don't　try
her。　　Leave　it　so。〃　　She　had　had　an　inspiration；　it　was　the　most
extraordinary　thing　in　the　world。　　〃Don't　try　HIM〃she　had　turned
to　their　companion。　　She　looked　grave；　sad；　strange。　　〃Leave　it
so。〃　　Yes；　it　was　a　distinct　inspiration；　which　she　couldn't　have
explained；　but　which　had　come；　prompted　by　something　she　had
caughtthe　extent　of　the　recognition　expressedin　Lady
Wantridge's　face。　　It　had　come　absolutely　of　a　sudden；　straight　out
of　the　opposition　of　the　two　figures　before　herquite　as　if　a
concussion　had　struck　a　light。　　The　light　was　helped　by　her
quickened　sense　that　her　friend's　silence　on　the　incident　of　the
day　before　showed　some　sort　of　consciousness。　　She　looked
surprised。　　〃Do　you　know　my　brother？〃

〃DO　I　know　you？〃　Lady　Wantridge　asked　of　him。

〃No；　Lady　Wantridge；〃　Scott　pleasantly　confessed；　〃not　one　little
mite！〃

〃Well　then　if　you　MUST　go〃　and　Mamie　offered　her　a　hand。　　〃But
I'll　go　down　with　you。　　NOT　YOU！〃　she　launched　at　her　brother；　who
immediately　effaced　himself。　　His　way　of　doing　soand　he　had
already　done　so；　as　for　Lady　Wantridge；　in　respect　to　their
previous　encounterstruck　her　even　at　the　moment　as　an　instinctive
if　slightly　blind　tribute　to　her　possession　of　an　idea；　and　as
such；　in　its　celerity；　made　her　so　admire　him；　and　th