CHAPTER XVI
關燈
小
中
大
eenmisinformed.Tothemnothingwasfatalbutevil.
“Wrong,sotospeak,”headded.
“How‘sotospeak’?”
“ImeanIwouldn’tsayhe’srightaltogether.”
Butthiswasablunder.“Thenheisrightpartly,”saidtheelderwoman,quickaslightning.
Leonardrepliedthateveryonewasrightpartly,ifitcametothat.
“Mr.Bast,Idon’tunderstandbusiness,andIdaresaymyquestionsarestupid,butcanyoutellmewhatmakesaconcern‘right’or‘wrong’?”
Leonardsatbackwithasigh.
“Ourfriend,whoisalsoabusinessman,wassopositive.HesaidbeforeChristmas—”
“Andadvisedyoutoclearoutofit,”concludedHelen.“ButIdon’tseewhyheshouldknowbetterthanyoudo.”
Leonardrubbedhishands.Hewastemptedtosaythatheknewnothingaboutthethingatall.Butacommercialtrainingwastoostrongforhim.Norcouldhesayitwasabadthing,forthiswouldbegivingitawaynoryetthatitwasgood,forthiswouldbegivingitawayequally.Heattemptedtosuggestthatitwassomethingbetweenthetwo,withvastpossibilitiesineitherdirection,butbrokedownunderthegazeoffoursincereeyes.Andyethescarcelydistinguishedbetweenthetwosisters.Onewasmorebeautifulandmorelively,but“theMissSchlegels”stillremainedacompositeIndiangod,whosewavingarmsandcontradictoryspeechesweretheproductofasinglemind.
“Onecanbutsee,”heremarked,adding,“asIbsensays,‘thingshappen.’”Hewasitchingtotalkaboutbooksandmakethemostofhisromantichour.Minuteafterminuteslippedaway,whiletheladies,withimperfectskill,discussedthesubjectofreinsuranceorpraisedtheiranonymousfriend.Leonardgrewannoyed—perhapsrightly.Hemadevagueremarksaboutnotbeingoneofthosewhomindedtheiraffairsbeingtalkedoverbyothers,buttheydidnottakethehint.Menmighthaveshownmoretact.Women,howevertactfulelsewhere,areheavy-handedhere.Theycannotseewhyweshouldshroudourincomesandourprospectsinaveil.“Howmuchexactlyhaveyou,andhowmuchdoyouexpecttohavenextJune?”Andthesewerewomenwithatheory,whoheldthatreticenceaboutmoneymattersisabsurd,andthatlifewouldbetruerifeachwouldstatetheexactsizeofthegoldenislanduponwhichhestands,theexactstretchofwarpoverwhichhethrowsthewoofthatisnotmoney.Howcanwedojusticetothepatternotherwise?
Andthepreciousminutesslippedaway,andJackyandsqualorcamenearer.Atlasthecouldbearitnolonger,andbrokein,recitingthenamesofbooksfeverishly.TherewasamomentofpiercingjoywhenMargaretsaid,“SoYOUlikeCarlyle”andthenthedooropened,and“Mr.Wilcox,MissWilcox”entered,precededbytwoprancingpuppies.
“Oh,thedears!Oh,Evie,howtooimpossiblysweet!”screamedHelen,fallingonherhandsandknees.
“Webroughtthelittlefellowsround,”saidMr.Wilcox.
“Ibred’emmyself.”
“Oh,really!Mr.Bast,comeandplaywithpuppies.”
“I’vegottobegoingnow,”saidLeonardsourly.
“Butplaywithpuppiesalittlefirst.”
“ThisisAhab,that’sJezebel,”saidEvie,whowasoneofthosewhonameanimalsafterthelesssuccessfulcharactersofOldTestamenthistory.
“I’vegottobegoing.”
Helenwastoomuchoccupiedwithpuppiestonoticehim.
“Mr.Wilcox,Mr.Ba—Mustyoubereally?Good-bye!”
“Comeagain,”saidHelenfromthefloor.
ThenLeonard’sgorgearose.Whyshouldhecomeagain?Whatwasthegoodofit?Hesaidroundly:“No,Ishan’tIknewitwouldbeafailure.”
Mostpeoplewouldhavelethimgo.“Alittlemistake.Wetriedknowinganotherclass—impossible.”
ButtheSchlegelshadneverplayedwithlife.Theyhadattemptedfriendship,andtheywouldtaketheconsequences.Helenretorted,“Icallthataveryruderemark.Whatdoyouwanttoturnonmelikethatfor?”andsuddenlythedrawing-roomre-echoedtoavulgarrow.
“YouaskmewhyIturnonyou?”
“Yes.”
“Whatdoyouwanttohavemeherefor?’
“Tohelpyou,yousillyboy!”criedHelen.“Anddon’ts
