the dust-第3部分

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er　lipsand　he　wondered　why　he　had　not　at　first　glance　noted　how　sweet　and　charmingly　fresh　her　mouth　was。　　〃Why；　she's　beautiful；〃　he　said　to　himself；　the　manly　man's　inevitable　interest　in　feminine　charm　wide　awake。　　〃Really　beautiful。　　If　she　had　a　figureand　were　tall〃　　As　he　thought　thus；　he　glanced　at　her　figure。　　A　figure？　　Tall？　　She　certainly　was　tallno；　she　wasn'tyes；　she　was。　　No；　not　tall　from　head　to　foot；　but　with　the　most　captivating　long　lineslong　throat；　long　bust；　long　arms；　long　in　body　and　in　legs　long　and　slenderyet　somehow　not　tall。　　Heall　this　took　but　an　instantreturned　his　glance　to　her　face。　He　was　startled。　　The　beauty　had　fled；　leaving　not　a　trace　behind。　　Before　him　wavered　once　more　a　small　insignificance。　　Even　her　skin　now　seemed　commonplace。

She　was　saying；　〃Did　you　wish　me　to　do　something？〃

〃Yesa　letter。　　Come　in；〃　he　said　abruptly。

Once　more　the　business　in　hand　took　possession　of　his　mind。　　He　became　unconscious　of　her　presence。　　He　dictated　slowly；　carefully　choosing　his　words；　for　perhaps　a　quarter　of　an　hour。　　Then　he　stopped　and　paced　up　and　down；　revolving　a　new　idea；　a　new　phase　of　the　business；　that　had　flashed　upon　him。　　When　he　had　his　thoughts　once　more　in　form　he　turned　toward　the　girl；　the　mere　machine。　　He　gazed　at　her　in　amazement。　When　he　had　last　looked；　he　had　seen　an　uninteresting　nonentity。　　But　that　was　not　this　person；　seated　before　him　in　the　same　garments　and　with　the　same　general　blondness。　　That　person　had　been　a　girl。　　This　time　the　transformation　was　not　into　the　sweet　innocence　of　lovely　childhood；　but　into　something　incredibly　different。　He　was　gazing　now　at　a　woman；　a　beautiful　world…　weary　woman；　one　who　had　known　the　joys　and　then　the　sorrows　of　life　and　love。　　Heavy　were　the　lids　of　the　large　eyes　gazing　mournfully　into　infinitygazing　upon　the　graves　of　a　life；　the　long；　long　vista　of　buried　joys。　　Never　had　he　seen　anything　so　sad　or　so　lovely　as　her　mouth。　　The　soft；　smooth　skin　was　not　merely　pale；　its　pallor　was　that　of　wakeful　nights；　of　weeping　until　there　were　no　more　tears　to　drain　away。

〃Miss　Hallowell〃　he　began。

She　startled；　and　like　the　flight　of　an　interrupted　dream；　the　woman　he　had　been　seeing　vanished。　　There　sat　the　commonplace　young　person　he　had　first　seen。　He　said　to　himself：　　〃I　must　be　a　little　off　my　base　to…night；〃　and　went　on　with　the　dictation。　　When　he　finished　she　withdrew　to　transcribe　the　letter　on　the　typewriter。　　He　seated　himself　at　his　desk　and　plunged　into　the　masses　of　documents。　　He　lost　the　sense　of　his　surroundings　until　she　stood　beside　him　holding　the　typewritten　pages。　　He　did　not　glance　up；　but　seized　the　sheets　to　read　and　sign。

〃You　may　go；〃　said　he。　　〃I　am　very　much　obliged　to　you。〃　　And　he　contrived；　as　always；　to　put　a　suggestion　of　genuineness　into　the　customary　phrase。

〃I'm　afraid　it's　not　good　work；〃　said　she。　　〃I'll　wait　to　see　if　I　am　to　do　any　of　it　over。〃

〃No；　thank　you；〃　said　he。　　And　he　looked　up　to　find　himself　gazing　at　still　another　person；　wholly　different　from　any　he　had　seen　before。　　The　others　had　all　been　womenwomanly　women；　full　of　the　weakness；　the　delicateness　rather；　that　distinguishes　the　feminine。　This　woman　he　was　looking　at　now　had　a　look　of　strength。　　He　had　thought　her　frail。　　He　was　seeing　a　strong　womana　splendidly　healthy　body；　with　sinews　of　steel　most　gracefully　covered　by　that　fair　smooth　skin　of　hers。　　And　her　features；　toowhy；　this　girl　was　a　person　of　character；　of　will。

He　glanced　through　the　pages。　　〃All　rightthank　you；〃　he　said　hastily。　　〃Please　don't　stay　any　longer。　Leave　the　other　thing　till　to…morrow。〃


〃Noit　has　to　be　done　to…night。〃

〃But　I　insist　upon　your　going。〃

She　hesitated；　said　quietly；　〃Very　well；〃　and　turned　to　go。

〃And　you　mustn't　do　it　at　home；　either。〃

She　made　no　reply；　but　waited　respectfully　until　it　was　evident　he　wished　to　say　no　more；　then　went　out。　He　bundled　together　his　papers；　sealed　and　stamped　and　addressed　his　letter；　put　on　his　overcoat　and　hat　and　crossed　the　outer　office　on　his　way　to　the　door。　It　was　empty；　she　was　gone。　　He　descended　in　the　elevator　to　the　street；　remembered　that　he　had　not　locked　one　of　his　private　cases；　returned。　　As　he　opened　the　outer　door　he　heard　the　sound　of　typewriter　keys。　In　the　corner；　the　obscure；　sheltered　corner；　sat　the　girl；　bent　with　childlike　gravity　over　her　typewriter。　　It　was　an　amusing　and　a　touching　sightshe　looked　so　young　and　so　solemnly　in　earnest。

〃Didn't　I　tell　you　to　go　home？〃　he　called　out；　with　mock　sternness。

Up　she　sprang；　her　hand　upon　her　heart。　　And　once　more　she　was　beautiful；　but　once　more　it　was　in　a　way　startlingly；　unbelievably　different　from　any　expression　he　had　seen　before。

〃Now；　really。　　Miss〃　　He　had　forgotten　her　name。　〃You　must　not　stay　on　here。　　We　aren't　such　slave　drivers　as　all　that。　　Go　home；　please。　　I'll　take　the　responsibility。〃

She　had　recovered　her　equanimity。　　In　her　quiet；　gentle　voicebut　it　no　longer　sounded　weak　or　insignificant　she　said；　〃You　are　very　kind；　Mr。　Norman。　But　I　must　finish　my　work。〃

〃Haven't　I　said　I'd　take　the　blame？〃

〃But　you　can't；〃　replied　she。　　〃I　work　badly。　　I　seem　to　learn　slowly。　　If　I　fall　behind；　I　shall　lose　my　placesooner　or　later。　　It　was　that　way　with　the　last　place　I　had。　　If　you　interfered；　you'd　only　injure　me。　I've　had　experience。　　AndI　must　not　lose　my　place。〃

One　of　the　scrub　women　thrust　her　mussy　head　and　ragged；　shapeless　body　in　at　the　door。　　With　a　start　Norman　awoke　to　the　absurdity　of　his　situationand　to　the　fact　that　he　was　placing　the　girl　in　a　compromising　position。　　He　shrugged　his　shoulders；　went　in　and　locked　the　cabinet；　departed。

〃What　a　queer　little　insignificance　she　is！〃　thought　he；　and　dismissed　her　from　mind。



II


MANY　and　fantastic　are　the　illusions　the　human　animal；　in　its　ignorance　and　its　optimism；　devises　to　change　life　from　a　pleasant　journey　along　a　plain　road　into　a　fumbling　and　stumbling　and　struggling　about　in　a　fog。　　Of　these　hallucinations　the　most　grotesque　is　that　the　weak　can　come　together；　can　pass　a　law　to　curb　the　strong；　can　set　one　of　their　number　to　enforce　it；　may　then　disperse　with　no　occasion　further　to　trouble　about　the　strong。　　Every　line　of　every　page　of　history　tells　how　the　strongthe　nimble…witted；　the　farsighted；　the　ambitioushave　worked　their　will　upon　their　feebler　and　less　purposeful　fellow　men；　regardless　of　any　and　all　precautions　to　the　contrary。　　Conditions　have　improved　only　because　the　number　of　the　strong　has　increased。　　With　so　many　lions　at　war　with　each　other　not　a　few　rabbits　contrive　to　avoid　perishing　in　the　nest。

Norman's　genius　lay　in　ability　to　take　away　from　an　adversary　the　legal　weapons　implicitly　relied　upon　and　to　arm　his　client　with　them。　　No　man　understood　better　than　he　the　abysmal　distinction　between　law　and　justice；　no　man　knew　better　than　he　how　to　compel…　or　to　assistcourts　to　apply　the　law；　so　just　in　the　general；　to　promoting　injustice　in　the　particular。　　And　whenever　he　permitted　conscience　a　voice　in　his　internal　debatesit　was　not　oftenhe　heard　from　it　its　usual　servile　approbation：　　How　can　the　reign　of　justice　be　more　speedily　brought　about　than　by　making　the　reign　of　lawlawyer　lawintolerable？

About　a　fortnight　after　the　trifling　incident　related　in　the　previous　chapter；　Norman　had　to　devise　a　secret　agreement　among　several　of　the　most　eminent　of　his　clients。　　They　wished　to　band　together；　to　do　a　thing　expressly　forbidden　by　the　law；　they　wished　to　conspire　to　lower　wages　and　raise　prices　in　several　railway　systems　under　their　control。　　But　none　would　trust　the　others；　so　there　must　be　something　in　writing；　laid　away　in　a　secret　safety　deposit　box　along　with　sundry　bundles　of　securities　put　up　as　forfeit；　all　in　the　custody　of　Norman。　　When　he　had　worked　out　in　his　mind　and　in　fragmentary　notes　the　details　of　their　agreement；　he　was　ready　for　some　one　to　do　the　clerical　work。　　The　some　one　must　be　absolutely　trustworthy；　as　the　plain　language　of　the　agreement　would　make　clear　to　the　dullest　mind　dazzling　opportunities　for　profitnot　only　in　stock　jobbing　but　also　in　blackmail。　　He　rang　for　Tetlow；　the　head　clerk。　　Tetlowsmooth　and　sly　and　smug；　lacking　only　courageous　initiative　to　make　him　a　great　lawyer；　but；　lacking　that；　lacking　allTetlow　entered　and　closed　the　door　behind　him。

Norman　leaned　back　in　his　desk　chair　and　laced　his　fingers　behind　his　head。　　〃One　of　your　typewriters　is　a　slight　blonde　girlsits　in　the　corner　to　the　far　left　if　she's　still　here。〃

〃Miss　Hallowell；〃　said　Tetlow。　　〃We　are　letting　her　go　at　the　end　of　this　week。　　She's　nice　and　ladylike；　and　willingin　fact；　most　anxious　to　please。　　But　the　work's　too　difficult　for　her。　　She's　ratherratherwell；　not　exactly　stupid；　but　slow。〃

〃Um；〃　said　Norman　reflectively。　　〃There's　Miss　Bostwickperhaps　she'll　do。〃

〃Miss　Bostwick　got　married　last　week。〃

Norman　smiled。　　He　remembered　the　girl　because　she　was　the　oldest　and　homeliest　in　the　office。　　〃There's　somebody　for　everybodyeh；　Tetlow？〃

〃He　was　a　lighthouse　keeper；〃　said　Tetlow。　〃There's　a　story　that　he　advertised　for　a　wife。　　But　that　may　be　a　joke。〃

〃Why　not　that　MissMiss　Halloway？〃　mused　Norman。

〃Miss　Hallowell；〃　corrected　Tetlow。

〃Hallowellyes。　　Is　sheVERY　incompetent？

〃Not　exactly　that。　　But　business　is　slackening　and　she's　been　only　temporaryand〃

Norman　cut　him　off　with；　〃Send　her　in。〃

〃You　don't　wish　her　dismissed？　　I　haven't　told　her　yet。〃

〃Oh；　I'm　not　interfering　in　your　department。　　Do　as　you　like。　。　。　。　　Noin　this　caselet　her　stay　on　for　the　present。〃

〃I　can　use　her；〃　said　Tetlow。　　〃And　she　gets　only　ten　a　week。〃

Norman　frowned。　　He　did　not　like　to　HEAR　that　an　establishment　in　which　he　had　control　paid　less　than　decent　living　wageseven　if　the　market　price　did　excuseyes；　compel　it。　　〃Send　her　in；〃　he　repeated。　Then；　as　Tetlow　was　about　to　leave；　〃She　is　trustworthy？〃

〃All　our　force　is。　　I　see　to　that；　Mr。　Norman。〃

〃Has　she　a　young　mansteady　company；　I　think　they　call　it？〃

〃She　has　no　friends　at　all。　　She's　extremely　shy　at　least；　reserved。　　Lives　with　her　father；　an　old　crank　of　an　analytical　chemist　over　in　Jersey　City。　　She　hasn't　even　a　lady　friend。〃

〃Well；　send　her　in。〃

A　moment　later　Norma