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As it is a trick of poor humanity to refuse when offered the very thing one
has been madly scheming to obtain； I hastened to accept Darrow's
invitation for my friend； and to assure him on my own responsibility； that
time was just then hanging heavily on Maitland's hands。 Well； the game
was played； but Maitland was so unnerved by the girl's presence that he
played execrably； so poorly； indeed； that the always polite Darrow
remarked： 〃You must charge your easy victory； Gwen； to your opponent's
gallantry； not to his lack of skill； for I assure you he gave me a much
harder rub。〃 The young lady cast a quick glance at Maitland； which said
so plainly that she preferred a fair field and no favour that he hastened to
say： 〃Your father puts too high an estimate upon my play。 I did my best
to win； but … but I was a little nervous； I see； however； that you would have
defeated me though I had been in my best form。〃 Gwen gave him one of
those short； searching looks； so peculiarly her own； which seem to read；
with mathematical certainty； one's innermost thoughts； … and the poor
fellow blushed to the tips of his ears。 … But he was no boy； this Maitland；
and betrayed no other sign of the tempest that was raging within him。
His utterance remained as usual； deliberate and incisive； and I thought this
perplexed the young lady。 Before leaving； both Maitland and I were
invited to become parties to a six…handed game to be played the following
week； after the grounds had been redressed with gravel。
Maitland looked forward to this second meeting with Miss Darrow
with an eagerness which made every hour seem interminably long； and he
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The Darrow Enigma
was in such a flutter of expectancy that I was sure if
〃We live 。 。 。 in thoughts； not breaths； In feelings； not in figures on
a dial We should count time by heart…throbs；〃
he must have passed through a period as long as that separating the
Siege of Troy from the 〃late unpleasantness。〃 The afternoon came at last；
however。 The party consisted； besides Darrow and his daughter；
Maitland and myself； of two young gentlemen with whom personally I had
but a slight acquaintance； although I knew them somewhat by reputation。
The younger one； Clinton Browne； is a young artist whose landscapes
were beginning to attract wide attention in Boston； and the elder； Charles
Herne； a Western gentleman of some literary attainments； but
comparatively unknown here in the East。 There is nothing about Mr。
Herne that would challenge more than passing attention。 If you had said
of him； 〃He is well…fleshed； well…groomed； and intellectually well…
thatched；〃 you would have voiced the opinion of most of his
acquaintances。
This somewhat elaborately upholstered old world has a deal of mere
filling of one kind and another； and Mr。 Herne is a part of it。 To be sure；
he leaves the category of excelsior very far behind and approaches very
nearly to the best grade of curled hair； but； in spite of all this； he is simply
a sort of social filling。
Mr。 Browne； on the other hand； is a very different personage。 Of
medium height； closely knit； with the latent activity and grace of the cat
flowing through every movement and even stagnating in his pose； he is a
man that the first casual gaze instantly returns to with sharpened focus。
You have seen gymnasts whose normal movements were slowly
performed springs； just as rust is a slow combustion and fire the same
thing in less time。 Well； Clinton Browne strongly suggested that sort of
athlete。 Add to this a regularly formed； clearly cut； and all…but…beautiful
face； with a pair of wonderfully piercing； albeit somewhat shifty； black
eyes； and one need not marvel that men as well as women stared at him。
I have spoken of his gaze as 〃somewhat shifty；〃 yet am not altogether sure
that in that term I accurately describe it。 What first fastened my attention
was this vague； unfocussed； roving； quasi…introspective vision flashing
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The Darrow Enigma
with panther…like suddenness into a directness that seemed to burn and
pierce one like the thrust of a hot stiletto； His face was clean…shaven； save
for a mere thumb…mark of black hair directly under the centre of his lower
lip。 This Iago…like tab and the almost fierce brilliancy of his concentrated
gaze gave to his countenance at times a sinister； Machiavellian expression
that was irresistible and which； to my thinking； seriously marred an
otherwise fine face。 Of=20course due allowance must be made for the
strong prejudice I have against any form of beard。 However； I'd wager a
box of my best liver…pills against any landscape Browne ever painted； … I
don't care if it's as big as a cyclorama； … that if he had known how
completely Gwen shared my views； … how she disliked the appearance of
bewhiskered men； … that delicately nurtured little imperial would soon
have been reduced to a tender memory； … that is to say； if a physician can
diagnose a case of love from such symptoms as devouring glances and an
attentiveness so marked that it quite disgusted Maitland； who repeatedly
measured his rival with the apparent cold precision of a mathematician；
albeit there was warmth enough underneath。
This singular self…poise is one of Maitland's most noticeable
characteristics and is； I think； rather remarkable in a man of such strong
emotional tendencies and lightning…like rapidity of thought。 No doubt
some small portion of it is the result of acquirement； for life can hardly fail
to teach us all something of this sort； still I cannot but think that the larger
part of it is native to him。 Born of well…to…do parents； he had never had the
splendid tuition of early poverty。 As soon as he had left college he had
studied law； and had been admitted to the bar。 This he had done more to
gratify the wishes of his father than to further any desires of his own； but
he had soon found the profession； so distasteful to him that he practically
abandoned it in favour of scientific research。 True； he still occasionally
took a legal case when it turned upon scientific points which interested
him； but； as he once confessed to me； he swallowed； at such times； the
bitter pill of the law for the sugar coating of science which enshrouded it。
This legal training could； therefore； it seems to me； have made no deep or
radical change in his character； which leads me to think that the self…
control he exhibited； despite the angry disgust with which I know
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Browne's so apparent attentions to Gwen inspired him； must； for the most
part； have been native to him rather than acquired。
Nothing worthy of record occurred until evening； at least nothing
which at the time impressed me as of import； though I afterward
remembered that Darrow's behaviour was somewhat strange。 He
appeared singularly preoccupied； and on one occasion started nervously
when I coughed behind him。 He explained that a disagreeable dream had
deprived him of his sleep the previous night and left his nerves somewhat
unstrung； and I thought no more of it。
When the light failed we were all invited into the parlour to listen to a
song by Miss Darrow。 The house； as you are perhaps aware； overlooks
Dorchester Bay。 The afternoon had been very hot； but at dusk a cold east
wind had sprung up； which； as it was still early in the season； was not
altogether agreeable to our host