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was as though the conflicting soul of the city and her own soul were one。。。。
CHAPTER III
Lise was the only member of the Bumpus family who did not find uncongenial such
distractions and companionships as were offered by the civilization that
surrounded them。 The Bagatelle she despised； that was slaverybut slavery out
of which she might any day be snatched； like Leila Hawtrey； by a prince
charming who had made a success in life。 Success to Lise meant money。
Although what some sentimental sociologists might call a victim of our
civilization； Lise would not have changed it； since it produced not only Lise
herself； but also those fabulous financiers with yachts and motors and town and
country houses she read about in the supplements of the Sunday newspapers。 It
contained her purgatory； which she regarded in good conventional fashion as a
mere temporary place of detention； and likewise the heaven toward which she
strained； the dwelling…place of light。 In short； her philosophy was that of
the modern； orthodox American； tinged by a somewhat commercialized Sunday
school tradition of an earlier day； and highly approved by the censors of the
movies。 The peculiar kind of abstinence once euphemistically known as
〃virtue；〃 particularly if it were combined with beauty； never failed of its
reward。 Lise； in this sense； was indeed virtuous； and her mirror told her she
was beautiful。 Almost anything could happen to such a lady： any day she might
be carried up into heaven by that modern chariot of fire； the motor car； driven
by a celestial chauffeur。
One man's meat being another's poison； Lise absorbed from the movies an element
by which her sister Janet was repelled。 A popular production known as 〃Leila
of Hawtrey's〃 contained her creed；Hawtrey's being a glittering metropolitan
restaurant where men of the world are wont to gather and discuss the stock
market； and Leila a beautiful； blonde and orphaned waitress upon whom several
of the fashionable frequenters had exercised seductive powers in vain。 They
lay in wait for her at the side entrance； followed her； while one dissipated
and desperate person； married； and said to move in the most exclusive circles；
sent her an offer of a yearly income in five figures； the note being reproduced
on the screen； and Leila pictured reading it in her frigid hall…bedroom。 There
are complications； she is in debt； and the proprietor of Hawtrey's has
threatened to discharge her and in order that the magnitude of the temptation
may be most effectively realized the vision appears of Leila herself； wrapped
in furs； stepping out of a limousine and into an elevator lifting her to an
apartment containing silk curtains； a Canet bed； a French maid； and a
Pomeranian。 Virtue totters； but triumphs； being reinforced by two more visions
the first of these portrays Leila； prematurely old； dragging herself along
pavements under the metallic Broadway lights accosting gentlemen in evening
dress； and the second reveals her in the country； kneeling beside a dying
mother's bed； giving her promise to remain true to the Christian teachings of
her childhood。
And virtue is rewarded； lavishly； as virtue should be； in dollars and cents； in
stocks and bonds； in pearls and diamonds。 Popular fancy takes kindly to rough
but honest westerners who have begun life in flannel shirts； who have struck
gold and come to New York with a fortune but despising effeteness； such a one；
tanned by the mountain sun； embarrassed in raiment supplied by a Fifth Avenue
tailor； takes a table one evening at Hawtrey's and of course falls desperately
in love。 He means marriage from the first； and his faith in Leila is great
enough to survive what appears to be an almost total eclipse of her virtue。
Through the machinations of the influential villain； and lured by the false
pretence that one of her girl friends is ill； she is enticed into a mysterious
house of a sinister elegance； and apparently irretrievably compromised。 The
westerner follows； forces his way through the portals； engages the villain； and
vanquishes him。 Leila becomes a Bride。 We behold her； at the end； mistress of
one of those magnificent stone mansions with grilled vestibules and negro
butlers into whose sacred precincts we are occasionally； in the movies；
somewhat breathlessly ushereda long way from Hawtrey's restaurant and a hall…
bedroom。 A long way； too； from the Bagatelle and Fillmore Streetbut to Lise
a way not impossible； nor even improbable。
This work of art； conveying the moral that virtue is an economic asset； made a
great impression on Lise。 Good Old Testament doctrine； set forth in the Book
of Job itself。 And Leila； pictured as holding out for a higher price and
getting it； encouraged Lise to hold out also。 Mr。 Wiley； in whose company she
had seen this play； and whose likeness filled the plush and silver…plated frame
on her bureau； remained ironically ignorant of the fact that he had paid out
his money to make definite an ambition； an ideal hitherto nebulous in the mind
of the lady whom he adored。 Nor did Lise enlighten him； being gifted with a
certain inserutableness。 As a matter of fact it had never been her intention
to accept him； but now that she was able concretely to visualize her Lochinvar
of the future； Mr。 Whey's lack of qualifications became the more apparent。 In
the first place； he had been born in Lowell and had never been west of
Worcester； in the second； his salary was sixteen dollars a week： it is true she
had once fancied the Scottish terrier style of hair…cut abruptly ending in the
rounded line of the shaven neck； but Lochinvar had been close…cropped。 Mr。
Wiley； close…cropped； would have resembled a convict。
Mr。 Wiley was in love； there could be no doubt about that； and if he had not
always meant marriage； he meant it now； having reached a state where no folly
seems preposterous。 The manner of their meeting had had just the adventurous
and romantic touch that Lise liked； one of her favourite amusements in the
intervals between 〃steadies〃 being to walk up and down Faber Street of an
evening after supper； arm in arm with two or three other young ladies； all
chewing gum； wheeling into store windows and wheeling out again； pretending the
utmost indifference to melting glances cast in their direction。 An exciting
sport； though incomprehensible to masculine intelligence。 It was a principle
with Lise to pay no attention to any young man who was not 〃presented；〃 those
venturing to approach her with the ready formula 〃Haven't we met before？〃 being
instantly congealed。 She was strict as to etiquette。 But Mr。 Wiley； it
seemed； could claim acquaintance with Miss Schuler； one of the ladies to whose
arm Lise's was linked； and he had the further advantage of appearing in a large
and seductive touring car； painted green； with an eagle poised above the hood
and its name； Wizard； in a handwriting rounded and bold； written in nickel
across the radiator。 He greeted Miss Schuler effusively； but his eye was on
Lise from the first； and it was she he took with； him in the front seat；
indifferent to the giggling behind。 Ever since then Lise had had a motor at
her disposal； and on Sundays they took long 〃joy rides〃 beyond the borders of
the state。 But it must not be imagined that Mr。 Whey was the proprietor of the
vehicle； nor was he a chauffeur；her American pride would not have permitted
her to keep company with a chauffeur： he was the demonstrator for the Wizard；
something of a wizard himself； as Lise had to admit when they whizzed over the
tarvia of the Riverside Boulevard at fifty or sixty miles an hour with the
miner cut outa favourite diversion of Mr。 Whey's； who did not feel he was
going unless he was accompanied by a noise like that of a mitrailleuse in
action。 Lise； experiencing a ravishing terror； hung on to her hat with one
hand and to Mr。 Wiley with the other； her code permitting this； permitting him
also； occasionally； when they found themselves in tenebrous portions of
Slattery's Riverside Park； to put his arm around her waist and kiss her。 So
much did Lise's virtue allow； and no more； the result being that he existed in
a tantalizing state of hope and excitement most detrimental to the nerves。
He never lost； however；in public at least； or before Lise's family；the fine
careless； jaunty air of the demonstrator； of the free…lance for whom seventy
miles an hour has no terrors； the automobile； apparently； like the ship； sets a
stamp upon its votaries。 No Elizabethan buccaneer swooping down on defenceless
coasts ever exceeded in audacity Mr。 Wiley's invasion of quiet Fillmore Street。
He would draw up with an ear…splitting screaming of brakes in front of the
clay…yellow house； and sometimes the muffler； as though unable to repress its
approval of the performance； would let out a belated pop that never failed to
jar the innermost being of Auermann； who had been shot at； or rather shot past；
by an Italian； and knew what it was。 He hated automobiles； he hated Mr。 Wiley。
〃Vat you do？〃 he would demand； glaring。
And Mr。 Wiley would laugh insolently。
〃You think I done it； do you； Dutchiehuh！〃
He would saunter past； up the s