CHAPTER XXIX
關燈
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aretwenttothesideboardandhelpedherselftooneofthebreakfastdishes.Beingthelastdown,sheturnedoutthespirit-lampthatkeptthemwarm.Shewastender,butgrave.SheknewthatHenrywasnotsomuchconfessinghissoulaspointingoutthegulfbetweenthemalesoulandthefemale,andshedidnotdesiretohearhimonthispoint.
“DidHelencome?”sheasked.
Heshookhishead.
“Butthatwon’tdoatall,atall!Wedon’twanthergossipingwithMrs.Bast.”
“GoodGod!no!”heexclaimed,suddenlynatural.Thenhecaughthimselfup.“Letthemgossip,mygame’sup,thoughIthankyouforyourunselfishness—littleasmythanksareworth.”
“Didn’tshesendmeamessageoranything?”
“Iheardofnone.”
“Wouldyouringthebell,please?”
“Whattodo?”
“Why,toinquire.”
Heswaggereduptoittragically,andsoundedapeal.Margaretpouredherselfoutsomecoffee.Thebutlercame,andsaidthatMissSchlegelhadsleptattheGeorge,sofarashehadheard.ShouldhegoroundtotheGeorge?
“I’llgo,thankyou,”saidMargaret,anddismissedhim.
“Itisnogood,”saidHenry.“Thosethingsleakoutyoucannotstopastoryonceithasstarted.Ihaveknowncasesofothermen—Idespisedthemonce,IthoughtthatI’mdifferent,Ishallneverbetempted.Oh,Margaret—”Hecameandsatdownnearher,improvisingemotion.Shecouldnotbeartolistentohim.“Wefellowsallcometogriefonceinourtime.Willyoubelievethat?Therearemomentswhenthestrongestman—‘Lethimwhostandeth,takeheedlesthefall.’That’strue,isn’tit?Ifyouknewall,youwouldexcuseme.Iwasfarfromgoodinfluences—farevenfromEngland.Iwasvery,verylonely,andlongedforawoman’svoice.That’senough.Ihavetoldyoutoomuchalreadyforyoutoforgivemenow.”
“Yes,that’senough,dear.”
“Ihave”—heloweredhisvoice—“Ihavebeenthroughhell.”
Gravelysheconsideredthisclaim.Hadhe?Hadhesufferedtorturesofremorse,orhaditbeen,“There!that’sover.Nowforrespectablelifeagain”?Thelatter,ifshereadhimrightly.Amanwhohasbeenthroughhelldoesnotboastofhisvirility.Heishumbleandhidesit,if,indeed,itstillexists.Onlyinlegen
