the lost road-第10章

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Had　he　been　content　in　secret　to　assure　himself　that　he　once　had
been　a　reigning　monarch；　his　vanity　would　have　harmed　no　one；
but；　unfortunately；　he　possessed　certain　documentary　evidence　to
that　fact。　　And　he　was　sufficiently　foolish　not　to　wish　to　destroy
it。　　The　evidence　consisted　of　a　dozen　photographs　he　had　snapped
of　Aline　during　the　happy　days　at　Bar　Harbor；　and　on　which　she
had　written　phrases　somewhat　exuberant　and　sentimental。

From　these　photographs　Nelson　was　loath　to　partespecially　with
one　that　showed　Aline　seated　on　a　rock　that　ran　into　the　waters　of
the　harbor；　and　on　which　she　had　written：　〃As　long　as　this　rock
lasts！〃　　Each　time　she　was　in　love　Aline　believed　it　would　last。
That　in　the　past　it　never　had　lasted　did　not　discourage　her。

What　to　do　with　these　photographs　that　so　vividly　recalled　the
most　tumultuous　period　of　his　life　Nelson　could　not　decide。　　If　he
hid　them　away　and　Sally　found　them；　he　knew　she　would　make　his
life　miserable。　　If　he　died　and　Sally　then　found　them；　when　he　no
longer　was　able　to　explain　that　they　meant　nothing　to　him；　she
would　believe　he　always　had　loved　the　other　woman；　and　it　would
make　her　miserable。　　He　felt　he　could　not　safely　keep　them　in　his
own　house；　his　vanity　did　not　permit　him　to　burn　them；　and；
accordingly；　he　decided　to　unload　them　on　some　one　else。

The　young　man　to　whom　he　confided　his　collection　was　Charles
Cochran。　　Cochran　was　a　charming　person　from　the　West。　　He　had
studied　in　the　Beaux　Arts　and　on　foot　had　travelled　over　England
and　Europe；　preparing　himself　to　try　his　fortune　in　New　York　as
an　architect。　　He　was　now　in　the　office　of　the　architects　Post　&
Constant；　and　lived　alone　in　a　tiny　farmhouse　he　had　made　over
for　himself　near　Herbert　Nelson；　at　Westbury；　Long　Island。

Post　&　Constant　were　a　fashionable　firm　and　were　responsible　for
many　of　the　French　chateaux　and　English　country　houses　that　were
rising　near　Westbury；　Hempstead；　and　Roslyn；　and　it　was　Cochran's
duty　to　drive　over　that　territory　in　his　runabout；　keep　an　eye　on
the　contractors；　and　dissuade　clients　from　grafting　mansard　roofs
on　Italian　villas。　　He　had　built　the　summer　home　of　the　Herbert
Nelsons；　and　Herbert　and　Charles　were　very　warm　friends。　　Charles
was　of　the　same　lack　of　years　as　was　Herbert；　of　an　enthusiastic
and　sentimental　nature；　and；　like　many　other　young　men；　the　story
of　his　life　also　was　the　lovely　and　much…desired　Aline　Proctor。
It　was　this　coincidence　that　had　made　them　friends　and　that　had
led　Herbert　to　select　Charles　as　the　custodian　of　his　treasure。
As　a　custodian　and　confidant　Charles　especially　appealed　to　his
new　friend；　because；　except　upon　the　stage　and　in　restaurants；
Charles　had　never　seen　Aline　Proctor；　did　not　know　herand
considered　her　so　far　above　him；　so　unattainable；　that　he　had　no
wish　to　seek　her　out。　　Unknown；　he　preferred　to　worship　at　a
distance。　　In　this　determination　Herbert　strongly　encouraged　him。

When　he　turned　over　the　pictures　to　Charles；　Herbert　could　not
resist　showing　them　to　him。　　They　were　in　many　ways　charming。
They　presented　the　queen　of　musical　comedy　in　several　new　roles。
In　one　she　was　in　a　sailor　suit；　giving　an　imitation　of　a　girl
paddling　a　canoe。　　In　another　she　was　in　a　riding…habit　mounted
upon　a　pony　of　which　she　seemed　very　much　afraid。

In　some　she　sat　like　a　siren　among　the　rocks　with　the　waves　and
seaweed　snatching　at　her　feet；　and　in　another　she　crouched
beneath　the　wheel　of　Herbert's　touring　car。　　All　of　the
photographs　were　unprofessional　and　intimate；　and　the
legends　scrawled　across　them　were　even　more　intimate。

〃'As　long　as　this　rock　lasts！'〃　read　Herbert。　　At　arm's　length　he
held　the　picture　for　Cochran　to　see；　and　laughed　bitterly　and
unmirthfully　as　he　had　heard　leading　men　laugh　in　problem　plays。

〃That　is　what　she　wrote；〃　he　mocked〃but　how　long　did　it　last？
Until　she　saw　that　little　red…headed　Albany　playing　polo。　　That
lasted　until　his　mother　heard　of　it。　　She　thought　her　precious
lamb　was　in　the　clutches　of　a　designing　actress；　and　made　the
Foreign　Office　cable　him　home。　　Then　Aline　took　up　one　of　those
army　aviators；　and　chucked　him　for　that　fellow　who　painted　her
portrait；　and　threw　him　over　for　the　lawn…tennis　champion。　　Now
she's　engaged　to　Chester　Griswold；　and　Heaven　pity　her！　Of　course
he's　the　greatest　catch　in　America；　but　he's　a　prig　and　a　snob；　and
he's　so　generous　with　his　money　that　he'll　give　you　five　pennies　for
a　nickel　any　time　you　ask　him。　　He's　got　a　heart　like　the　metre　of　a
taxicab；　and　he's　jealous　as　a　cat。　　Aline　will　have　a　fine　time　with
Chester！　I　knew　him　at　St。　Paul's　and　at　Harvard；　and　he's　got　as
much　red　blood　in　him　as　an　eel！〃

Cochran　sprang　to　the　defense　of　the　lady　of　his　dreams。

〃There　must　be　some　good　in　the　man；〃　he　protested；　〃or　Miss
Proctor…〃

〃Oh；　those　solemn　snobs；〃　declared　Herbert；　〃impress　women　by
just　keeping　still。　　Griswold　pretends　the　reason　he　doesn't　speak
to　you　is　because　he's　too　superior；　but　the　real　reason　is　that
he　knows　whenever　he　opens　his　mouth　he　shows　he　is　an　ass。〃

Reluctantly　Herbert　turned　over　to　Charles　the　precious　pictures。
〃It　would　be　a　sin　to　destroy　them；　wouldn't　it？〃　he　prompted。

Cochran　agreed　heartily。

〃You　might　even；〃　suggested　Herbert；　〃leave　one　or　two　of　them
about。　　You　have　so　many　of　Aline　already　that　one　more　wouldn't
be　noticed。　　Then　when　I　drop　in　I　could　see　it。〃　　He　smiled
ingratiatingly。

〃But　those　I　have　I　bought；〃　Cochran　pointed　out。　　〃Anybody　can
buy　them；　but　yours　are　personal。　　And　they're　signed。〃

〃No　one　will　notice　that　but　me；〃　protested　Herbert。　　〃Just　one　or
two；〃　he　coaxed…〃stuck　round　among　the　others。　　They'd　give　me　a
heap　of　melancholy　pleasure。〃

Charles　shook　his　head　doubtfully。

〃Your　wife　often　comes　here　with　you；〃　he　said。　　〃I　don't　believe
they'd　give　her　melancholy　pleasure。　　The　question　is；　are　you　married
to　Sally　or　to　Aline　Proctor？〃

〃Oh；　of　course；〃　exclaimed　Herbert〃　if　you　refuse！〃

With　suspicious　haste　Charles　surrendered。

〃I　don't　refuse；〃　he　explained；　〃I　only　ask　if　it's　wise。　　Sally
knows　you　were　once　very　fond　of　Miss　Proctorknows　you　were
engaged　to　her。〃

〃But；〃　protested　Herbert；　〃Sally　sees　your　photographs　of　Aline。
What　difference　can　a　few　more　make？　After　she's　seen　a　dozen
she　gets　used　to　them。〃

No　sooner　had　Herbert　left　him　than　the　custodian　of　the　treasure
himself　selected　the　photographs　he　would　display。　　In　them　the
young　woman　he　hadfrom　the　front　row　of　the　orchestraso
ardently　admired　appeared　in　a　new　light。　　To　Cochran　they　seemed
at　once　to　render　her　more　kindly；　more　approachable；　to　show　her
as　she　really　was；　the　sort　of　girl　any　youth　would　find　it　extremely
difficult　not　to　love。　　Cochran　found　it　extremely　easy。　　The　photographs
gave　his　imagination　all　the　room　it　wanted。　　He　believed　they　also　gave
him　an　insight　into　her　real　character　that　was　denied　to　anybody　else。
He　had　always　credited　her　with　all　the　virtues；　he　now　endowed　her
with　every　charm　of　mind　and　body。　　In　a　week　to　the　two　photographs
he　had　selected　from　the　loan　collection　for　purposes　of　display　and　to
give　Herbert　melancholy　pleasure　he　had　added　three　more。　　In　two
weeks　there　were　half　a　dozen。　　In　a　month；　nobly　framed　in　silver；
in　leather　of　red；　green；　and　blue；　the　entire　collection　smiled　upon　him
from　every　part　of　his　bedroom。　　For　he　now　kept　them　where　no　one
but　himself　could　see　them。　　No　longer　was　he　of　a　mind　to　share
his　borrowed　treasure　with　othersnot　even　with　the　rightful
owner。

Chester　Griswold；　spurred　on　by　Aline　Proctor；　who　wanted　to
build　a　summer　home　on　Long　Island；　was　motoring　with　Post；　of
Post　&　Constant；　in　the　neighborhood　of　Westbury。　　Post　had
pointed　out　several　houses　designed　by　his　firm；　which　he　hoped
might　assist　Griswold　in　making　up　his　mind　as　to　the　kind　of
house　he　wanted；　but　none　they　had　seen　had　satisfied　his　client。

〃What　I　want　is　a　cheap　house；〃　explained　the　young　millionaire。
〃I　don't　really　want　a　house　at　all；〃　he　complained。　　〃It's　Miss
Proctor's　idea。　　When　we　are　married　I　intend　to　move　into　my
mother's　town　house；　but　Miss　Proctor　wants　one　for　herself　in
the　country。　　I've　agreed　to　that；　but　it　must　be　small　and　it
must　be　cheap。〃

〃Cheap〃　was　a　word　that　the　clients　of　Post　&　Constant　never
used；　but　Post　knew　the　weaknesses　of　some　of　the　truly　rich；　and
he　knew　also　that　no　house　ever　built　cost　only　what　the
architect　said　it　would　cost。

〃I　know　the　very　house　you　want！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃One　of　our
young　men　owns　it。　　He　made　it　over　from　an　old　farmhouse。　　It's
very　well　arranged；　we've　used　his　ground…plan　several　times　and
it　works　out　splendidly。　　If　he's　not　at　home；　I'11　show　you　over　the
place　myself。　　And　if　you　like　the　house　he's　the　man　to　build　you　one。〃

When　they　reached　Cochran's　home　he　was　at　Garden　City　playing
golf；　but　the　servant　knew　Mr。　Post；　and　to　him　and　his　client
threw　open　every　room　in　the　house。

〃Now；　this；〃　exclaimed　the　architect　enthusiastically；　〃is　the
master's　bedroom。　　In　your　case　it　would　probably　be　your　wife's
room　and　you　would　occupy　the　one　adjoining；　which　Cochran　now
uses　as　a　guest…room。　　As　you　see；　they　are　entirely　cut　off　from…〃

Mr。　Griswold　did　not　see。　　Up　to　that　moment　he　had　given　every
appearance　of　being　both　bored　and　sulky。　　Now　his　attention　was
entirely　engagedbut　not　upon　the　admirable　simplicity　of　Mr。
Cochran's　ground…plan；　as　Mr。　Post　had　hoped。　　Instead；　the　eyes
of　the　greatest　catch　in　America　were　intently　regarding　a　display
of　photographs　that　smiled　back　at　him　from　every　corner　of　the
room。　　Not　only　did　he　regard　these　photographs　with　a　savage　glare；
but　he　approached　them　and　carefully　studied　the　inscriptions　scrawled
across　the　face　of　each。

Post　himself　cast　a　glance　at　the　nearest　photographs；　and　then
hastily　manoeuvred　his　client　into　the　hall　and　closed　the　door。

〃We　will　now；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃visit　the　butler's　pantry；　which
opens　upon　the　dining…room　and　kitchen；　thus　saving〃

But　Griswold　did　not　hear　him。　　Without　giving　another　glance　at
the　house　he　stamped　out　of　it　and；　plumping　himself　down　in　the
motor…car；　banged　the　door。　　Not　until　Post　had　driven　him　well
into　New　York　did　he　make　any　comment。

〃What　did　you　say；〃　he　then　demanded；　〃is　the　name　of　the　man　who
owns　that　last　house　we　saw？〃

Post　told　him。

〃I　never　heard　of　him！〃　said　Griswold　as　though　he　were
delivering　young　Cochran's　death　sentence。　　〃Who　is　he？〃

〃He's　an　architect　in　our　office；〃　said　Post。　　〃We　think　a　lot　of
him。　　He'll　leave　us　soon；　of　course。　　The　best　ones　always　do。　　His
work　is　very　popular。　　So　is　he。〃

〃I　never　heard　of　him；〃　repeated　Griswold。　　Then；　with　sudden
heat；　he　added　savagely：　〃But　I　mean　to　to…night。〃

When　Griswold　had　first　persuaded　Aline　Proctor　to　engage　herself
to　him　he　had　suggested　that；　to　avoid　embarrassment；　she　should
tell　him　the　names　of　the　other　men　to　whom　she　had　been　engaged。

〃What　kind　of　embarrassment　would　that　avoid？〃

〃If　I　am　talking　to　a　man；〃　said　Griswold；　〃and　he　knows　the
woman　I'm　going　to　marry　was　engaged　to　him　and　I　don't　know
that；　he　has　me