按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Burroughs disappeared in the direction his daughter had taken。 Norman waited several minuteslong enough slowly to smoke a cigarette。 Then he went into the hall and put on his coat with deliberation。 No one appeared； not even a servant。 He went out into the street。
In the morning papers he found the announcement of the withdrawal of the invitationsand from half a column to several columns of comment； much of it extremely unflattering to him。
XIII
WHEN a 〃high life〃 engagement such as that of Norman and Miss Burroughs； collapses on the eve of the wedding； the gossip and the scandal； however great； are but a small part of the mess。 Doubtless many a marriageand not in high life alone； eitherhas been put through； although the one party or the other or both have discovered that disaster was inevitablesolely because of the appalling muddle the sensible course would precipitate。 In the case of the Norman…Burroughs fiasco； there wereto note only a few big items such difficulties as several car loads of presents from all parts of the earth to be returned； a house furnished throughout and equipped to the last scullery maid and stable boy to be disposed of； the entire Burroughs domestic economy which had been reconstructed to be put back upon its former basis。
It is not surprising that； as Ursula Fitzhugh was credibly informed； Josephine almost decided to send for Bob Culver and marry him on the day before the day appointed for her marriage to Fred。 The reason given for her not doing this sounded plausible。 Culver； despairing of making the match on which his ambition and therefore his heart was setand seeing a chance to get suddenly rich； had embarked for a career as a blackmailer of corporations。 That is； he nosed about for a big corporation stealthily doing or arranging to do some unlawful but highly profitable acts； he bought a few shares of its stock； using a fake client as a blind； he then proceeded to threaten it with exposure； expensive hindrances and the like； unless it bought him off at a huge profit to himself。 This business was regarded as most disreputable andthanks to the power of the big corporations over the courtshad resulted in the sending of several of its practisers to jail or on hasty journeys to foreign climes。 But Culver； almost if not quite as good a lawyer as Norman； was too clever to be caught in that way。 However； while he was getting very rich rapidly； he was as yet far from rich enough to overcome the detestation of old Burroughs； and to be eligible for the daughter。
So； Josephine sailed away to Europe； with the consolation that her father was so chagrined by the fizzle that he had withdrawn his veto upon the purchase of a foreign titlethat veto having been the only reason she had looked at home for a husband。 Strange indeed are the ways of lovenever stranger than when it comes into contact with the vanities of wealth and social position and the other things that cause a human being to feel that he or she is lifted clear of and high above the human condition。 Josephine had her consolation。 For Norman the only consolation was escape from a marriage which had become so irksome in anticipation that he did not dare think what it would be in the reality。 Over against this consolation was set a long list of disasters。 He found himself immediately shunned by all his friends。 Their professed reason was that he had acted shabbily in the breaking of the engagement； for； while it was assumed that Josephine must have done the actual breaking； it was also assumed that he must have given her provocation and to spare。 This virtuous indignation was in large part mere pretext； as virtuous indignation in frail mortals toward frail mortals is apt to be。 The real reason for shying off from Norman was his atmosphere of impending downfall。 And certainly that atmosphere had eaten away and dissipated all his former charm。 He looked dull and boresomeand he was。
But the chief disaster was material。 As has been said； old Burroughs； in his own person and in the enterprises he controlled； gave Norman's firm about half its income。 The day Josephine sailed； Lockyer； senior partner of the firm； got an intimation that unless Norman left； Burroughs would take his law business elsewhere； and would 〃advise〃 others of their clients to follow his example。 Lockyer no sooner heard than he began to bestir himself。 He called into consultation the learned Benchley and the astute Sanders and the soft and sly Lockyer junior。 There could be no question that Norman must be got rid of。 The only point was； who should inform the lion that he had been deposed？
After several hours of anxious discussion； Lockyer； his inward perturbations hid beneath that mask of smug and statesmanlike respectability； entered the lion's den a sick lion； sick unto death probably； but not a dead lion。 〃When you're ready to go uptown； Frederick；〃 said he in his gentlest； most patriarchal manner； 〃let me know。 I want to have a little talk with you。〃
Norman； heavy eyed and listless； looked at the handsome old fraud。 As he looked something of the piercing quality and something of the humorous came back into his eyes。 〃Sit down and say it now；〃 said he。
〃I'd prefer to talk where we can be quiet。〃
Norman rang his bell and when an office boy appeared； said 〃No one is to disturb me until I ring again。〃 Then as the boy withdrew he said to Lockyer： 〃Now； sir； what is it？〃
Lockyer strolled to the window； looked out as if searching for something he failed to find； came back to the chair on the opposite side of the desk from Norman； seated himself。 〃I don't know how to begin；〃 said he。 〃It is hard to say painful things to anyone I have such an affection for as I have for you。〃
Norman pushed a sheet of letter paper across the desk toward his partner。 〃Perhaps that will help you；〃 observed he carelessly。
Lockyer put on his nose glasses with the gesture of grace and intellect that was famous。 He reada brief demand for a release from the partnership and a request for an immediate settlement。 Lockyer blinked off his glasses with the gesture that was as famous and as admiringly imitated by lesser legal lights as was his gesture of be…spectacling himself。 〃This is most astounding； my boy；〃 said he。 〃It is mostmost〃
〃Gratifying？〃 suggested Norman with a sardonic grin。
〃Not in the least； Frederick。 The very reverse the exact reverse。〃
Norman gave a shrug that said 〃Why do you persist in those fraudsand with ME？〃 But he did not speak。
〃I know；〃 pursued Lockyer； 〃that you would not have taken this step without conclusive reasons。 And I shall not venture the impertinence of prying or of urging。〃
〃Thanks；〃 said Norman drily。 〃Now； as to the terms of settlement。〃
Lockyer； from observation and from gossip； had a pretty shrewd notion of the state of his young partner's mind； and drew the not unwarranted conclusion that he would be indifferent about termswould be 〃easy。〃 With the suavity of Mr。 Great…and…Good…Heart he said： 〃My dear boy； there can't be any question of money with us。 We'll do the generously fair thingfor； we're not hucksterers but gentlemen。〃
〃That sounds terrifying；〃 observed the young man； with a faint ironic smile。 〃I feel my shirt going and the cold winds whistling about my bare body。 To save time； let ME state the terms。 You want to be rid of me。 I want to go。 It's a whim with me。 It's a necessity for you。〃
Lockyer shifted uneasily at these evidences of unimpaired mentality and undaunted spirit。
〃Here are my terms；〃 proceeded Norman。 〃You are to pay me forty thousand a year for five years unless I open an office or join another firm。 In that case； payments are to cease from the date of my re… entering practice。〃
Lockyer leaned back and laughed benignantly。 〃My dear Norman；〃 he said with a gently remonstrant shake of the head； 〃those terms are impossible。 Forty thousand a year！ Why that is within ten thousand of the present share of any of us but you。 It is the income of nearly three quarters of a million at six per centof a million at four per cent！〃
〃Very well；〃 said Norman； settling back in his chair。 〃Then I stand pat。〃
〃Now； my dear Norman； permit me to propose terms that are fair to all〃
〃When I said I stood pat I meant that I would stay on。〃 His eyes laughed at Lockyer。 〃I guess we can live without Burroughs and his dependents。 Maybe they will find they can't live without us。〃 He slowly leaned forward until； with his forearms against the edge of his desk； he was concentrating a memorable gaze upon Lockyer。 〃Mr。 Lockyer；〃 said he； 〃I have been exercising my privilege as a free man to make a damn fool of myself。 I shall continue to exercise it so long as I feel disposed that way。 But let me tell you something。 I can afford to do it。 If a man's asset is money； or character or position or relatives and friends or popular favor or any other perishable article； he must take care how he trifles with it。 He may find himself irretrievably ruined。 But my asset happens to be none of those things。 It is one that can be lost or damaged only by insanity or death。 Do you follow me？〃
The old man looked at him with the sincere and most flattering tribute of co