Part 87 (2/2)

”Chedsey, leave the room, and don't come back!”

Chedsey slunk away, and Roake became a statue of gravity. Crofts had not heard at all. Willie finished his story without mirth.

”Anyway, Tom Corliss came in unexpectedly just then, and--well, when the Deacon finally got home his wife met him in the hall; he told her he had been sandbagged by a footpad; and she believed him!”

Willie found Tom Corliss' shame so piquant that he began to relish his food. Crofts, a little encouraged, nodded to Roake and led him out for the next dish.

Persis took small comfort from other people's sordid scandals. They seemed to have no relation to the pure and high tragedy that had ended the romance of her own love. Seeing that they were alone again, she expressed her dislike before she realized its inconsistency.

”And where did you pick up all this garbage?”

Enslee was outraged at this ingrat.i.tude for his hard work. ”Oh, it shocks you, eh? So beautiful a veneer of refinement and so thin!”

”Where did you hear it?” Persis persisted, lighting herself a cigarette to give her restless hands employment; and Willie answered:

”Mrs. Corliss' second man told it to Mrs. Neff's kitchen maid, and she to Mrs. Neff's maid, and she to Mrs. Neff; and Mrs. Neff to Jimmie Chives, and he to me--at the Club.”

”At the Club?”

”Where I heard of your behavior.”

”You heard of me at the Club?” Persis gasped.

”Yes, that crowning disgrace was reserved for me. Big Bob Fielding took me to one side and said: 'Willie, everybody in town knows something that you ought to be the first to know--and seem to be the last. I hate to tell you, but somebody ought to,' he said. And I said 'What's all that?'

And he said: 'Your wife and Captain Forbes are a d.a.m.ned sight better friends,' he said, 'than the law allows,' he said.”

The room swam, and Persis clung to her chair to keep from toppling out of it.

”So that's what he said. And what did you say?”

”I didn't believe him--then. I was too big a fool to believe him; but he opened my eyes, and I came home to see what was going on. And I saw!”

Persis was on fire with a woman's anxiety to know if any champion had defended her name. She demanded again:

”What did you say to Bob Fielding?”

And Enslee answered with a helpless, mincing burlesque of dignity:

”I told him he was a cad, and I didn't want him ever to speak to me again.”

”And you didn't strike him?”

Enslee cast up his eyes at the thought of attacking the famous center-rush; then he lowered his eyes before her blazing contempt. She demanded again, incredulously: ”You didn't strike him?”

Enslee dropped his face into his two palms and wept, the tears leaking through his fingers. Persis felt outlawed even from chivalry. She gagged at the thought: ”Agh! The humiliation!”

Enslee lifted his head again, his wet eyes flas.h.i.+ng. ”Humiliation?” he screeched, in a frenzy of self-pity. ”Do you talk of humiliation? What about me? My father and mother brought me into the world with a small frame and a poor const.i.tution. They left me money as a compensation. And what did my money do for me? It bought me a woman--who despised me--who dishonored me before the world. And I'm too weak to take revenge. I'm helpless in my disgrace, helpless!”

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