the price she paid-第9部分

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。　　I　want　to　enjoy　my　money　while　I'm　still　young。　　I　didn't　care　what　it　cost　to　get　the　proper　surroundings。　　As　I　said　to　my　architect　and　to　my　staff　of　artists；　I　expected　to　be　cheated；　but　I　wanted　the　goods。　　And　I　got　the　goods。　　I'll　show　you　through　the　house　after　dinner。　　It's　on　this　same　scale　throughout。　　And　they're　putting　me　together　a　country　placesame　sort　of　thing。''　　He　threw　back　his　little　shoulders　and　protruded　his　little　chest。　　‘‘And　the　joke　of　it　is　that　the　whole　business　isn't　costing　me　a　cent。''

‘‘Not　a　cent　less　than　half　a　dozen　or　a　dozen　millions；''　said　Presbury。

‘‘Not　so　much　as　thatnot　quite；''　protested　the　delightedly　sparkling　little　general。　　‘‘But　what　I　meant　was　that；　as　fast　as　these　fellows　spend；　I　go　down…town　and　make。　　Fact　is；　I'm　a　little　better　off　than　I　was　when　I　started　in　to　build。''

‘‘Well；　you　didn't　get　any　of　MY　money；''　laughed　Presbury。　　‘‘But　I　suppose　pretty　much　everybody　else　in　the　country　must　have　contributed。''

General　Siddall　smiled。　　Mildred　wondered　whether　the　points　of　his　mustache　and　imperial　would　crack　and　break　of；　if　he　should　touch　them。　　She　noted　that　his　hair　was　roached　absurdly　high　above　the　middle　of　his　forehead　and　that　he　was　wearing　the　tallest　heels　she　had　ever　seen。　　She　calculated　that；　with　his　hair　flat　and　his　feet　on　the　ground；　he　would　hardly　come　to　her　shoulderand　she　was　barely　of　woman's　medium　height。　　She　caught　sight　of　his　handsthe　square；　stubby　hands　of　a　working　man；　the　fingers　permanently　slightly　curved　as　by　the　handle　of　shovel　and　pick；　the　skin　shriveled　but　white　with　a　ghastly；　sickening　bleached　white；　the　nails　repulsively　manicured　into　long　white　curves。　　‘‘If　he　should　touch　me；　I'd　scream；''　she　thought。　　And　then　she　looked　at　Presburyand　around　her　at　the　evidences　of　enormous　wealth。

The　generalshe　wondered　where　he　had　got　that　titleled　her　mother　in　to　dinner；　Presbury　gave　her　his　arm。　　On　the　way　he　found　opportunity　to　mutter：

‘‘Lay　it　on　thick！　　Flatter　the　fool。　　You　can't　offend　him。　　Tell　him　he's　divinely　handsomea　Louis　Fourteen；　a　Napoleon。　　Praise　everythingnapkins；　tablecloth；　dishes；　food。　　Rave　over　the　wine。''

But　Mildred　could　not　adopt　this　obviously　excellent　advice。　　She　sat　silent　and　cold；　while　Presbury　and　her　mother　raved　and　drew　out　the　general　to　talk　of　himselfthe　only　subject　in　the　whole　world　that　seemed　to　him　thoroughly　worth　while。　　As　Mildred　listened　and　furtively　observed；　it　seemed　to　her　that　this　tiny　fool；　so　obviously　pleased　by　these　coarse　and　insulting　flatteries；　could　not　possibly　have　had　the　brains　to　amass　the　vast　fortune　he　apparently　possessed。　　But　presently　she　noted　that　behind　the　personality　that　was　pleased　by　this　gross　fawning　and　bootlicking　there　laylay　in　wait　and　on　guard　another　personality；　one　that　despised　these　guests　of　his；　estimating　them　at　their　true　value　and　using　them　contemptuously　for　the　gratification　of　his　coarse　appetites。　　In　the　glimpse　she　caught　of　that　deeper　and　real　personality；　she　liked　it　even　less　than　she　liked　the　one　upon　the　surface。

It　was　evidence　of　superior　acumen　that　she　saw　even　vaguely　the　real　Bill　Siddall；　the　money…maker；　beneath　the　General　William　Siddall；　raw　and　ignorant　and　vulgarmore　vulgar　in　his　refinement　than　the　most　shocking　bum　at　home　and　at　ease　in　foul…smelling　stew。　Every　man　of　achievement　hides　beneath　his　surface　personality　this　second　and　real　man；　who　makes　the　fortune；　discovers　the　secret　of　chemistry；　fights　the　battle；　carries　the　election；　paints　the　picture；　commits　the　frightful　murder；　evolves　the　divine　sermon　or　poem　or　symphony。　　Thus；　when　we　meet　a　man　of　achievement；　we　invariably　have　a　sense　of　disappointment。　‘‘Why；　that's　not　the　man！''　we　exclaim。　　‘‘There　must　be　some　mistake。''　　And　it　is；　indeed；　not　the　man。　Him　we　are　incapable　of　seeing。　　We　have　only　eyes　for　surfaces；　and；　not　being　doers　of　extraordinary　deeds；　but　mere　plodders　in　the　routines　of　existence；　we　cannot　believe　that　there　is　any　more　to　another　than　there　is　to　ourselves。　　The　pleasant　or　unpleasant　surface　for　the　conventional　relations　of　life　is　about　all　there　is　to　us；　therefore　it　is　all　there　is　to　human　nature。　　Well；　there's　no　help　for　it。　　In　measuring　our　fellow　beings　we　can　use　only　the　measurements　of　our　own　selves；　we　have　no　others；　and　if　others　are　given　to　us　we　are　as　foozled　as　one　knowing　only　feet　and　inches　who　has　a　tape　marked　off　in　meters　and　centimeters。

It　so　happened　that　in　her　social　excursions　Mildred　had　never　been　in　any　of　the　numerous　homes　of　the　suddenly　and　vastly　rich　of　humble　origin。　　She　was　used　toand　regarded　as　proper　and　elegantthe　ordinary　ostentations　and　crudities　of　the　rich　of　conventional　society。　　No　more　than　you　or　I　was　she　moved　to　ridicule　or　disdain　by　the　silliness　and　the　tawdry　vulgarity　of　the　life　of　palace　and　liveried　lackey　and　empty　ceremonial；　by　the　tedious　entertainments；　by　the　displays　of　costly　and　poisonous　food。　But　General　Siddall's　establishment　presented　a　new　phase　to　herand　she　thought　it　unique　in　dreadfulness　and　absurdity。

The　general　had　had　a　home　life　in　his　youthin　a　coal…miner's　cabin　near　Wilkes…Barre。　　Ever　since；　he　had　lived　in　boarding…houses　or　hotels。　　As　his　shrewd　and　rapacious　mind　had　gathered　in　more　and　more　wealth；　he　had　lived　more　and　more　luxuriouslybut　always　at　hotels。　　He　had　seen　little　of　the　private　life　of　the　rich。　　Thus　he　had　been　compelled　to　get　his　ideas　of　luxury　and　of　ceremonial　altogether　from　the　hotel…keepers　and　caterers　who　give　the　rich　what　the　more　intelligent　and　informed　of　the　rich　are　usually　shamed　by　people　of　taste　from　giving　themselves　at　home。

She　thought　the　tablecloth；　napkins；　and　gaudy　gold　and　flowery　cut　glass　a　little　overdone；　but　on　the　whole　not　so　bad。　　She　had　seen　such　almost　as　grand　at　a　few　New　York　houses。　　The　lace　in　the　cloth　and　in　the　napkins　was　merely　a　little　too　magnificent。　　It　made　the　table　lumpy；　it　made　the　napkins　unfit　for　use。　But　the　way　the　dinner　was　served！　　You　would　have　said　you　were　in　a　glorified　palace…hotel　restaurant。　You　looked　about　for　the　cashier's　desk；　you　were　certain　a　bill　would　be　presented　after　the　last　course。

The　general；　tinier　and　more　grotesque　than　ever　in　the　great　high…backed；　richly　carved　armchair；　surveyed　the　progress　of　the　banquet　with　the　air　of　a　god　performing　miracles　of　creation　and　passing　them　in　review　and　giving　them　his　divine　endorsement。　　He　was　well　pleased　with　the　enthusiastic　praises　Presbury　and　his　wife　lavished　upon　the　food　and　drink。　　He　would　have　been　better　pleased　had　they　preceded　and　followed　every　mouthful　with　a　eulogy。　　He　supplemented　their　compliments　with　even　more　fulsome　compliments；　adding　details　as　to　the　origin　and　the　cost。

‘‘Darcy''this　to　the　butler‘‘tell　the　chef　that　this　fish　is　the　best　yetreally　exquisite。''　　To　Presbury：　　‘‘I　had　it　brought　over　from　Francealive；　of　course。　　We　have　many　excellent　fish；　but　I　like　a　change　now　and　then。　　So　I　have　a　standing　order　with　Prunierhe's　the　big　oyster…　and　fish…man　of　Paris　to　send　me　over　some　things　every　two　weeks　by　special　express。　　That　way；　an　oyster　costs　about　fifty　cents　and　a　fish　about　five　or　six　dollars。''

To　Mrs。　Presbury：　　‘‘I'll　have　Darcy　make　you　and　Miss　Presburyexcuse　me；　Miss　Gowerbouquets　of　the　flowers　afterward。　　Most　of　them　come　from　New　Yorkand　very　high　really　first…class　flowers　are。　I　pay　two　dollars　apiece　for　my　roses　even　at　this　season。　　And　orchidswell；　I　feel　really　extravagant　when　I　indulge　in　orchids　as　I　have　this　evening。　　Ten　dollars　apiece　for　those。　　But　they're　worth　it。''

The　dinner　was　interminably　longupward　of　twenty　kinds　of　food；　no　less　than　five　kinds　of　wine；　enough　served　and　spoiled　to　have　fed　and　intoxicated　a　dozen　people　at　least。　　And　upon　every　item　of　food　and　drink　the　general　had　some　remarks　to　make。　　He　impressed　it　upon　his　guests　that　this　dinner　was　very　little　better　than　the　one　served　to　him　every　night；　that　the　increase　in　expense　and　luxury　was　not　in　their　honor；　but　in　his　ownto　show　them　what　he　could　do　when　he　wished　to　make　a　holiday。　　Finally　the　grand　course　was　reached。　　Into　the　dining…room；　to　the　amazement　of　the　guests；　were　rolled　two　great　restaurant　joint　wagons。　　Instead　of　being　made　of　silver…plated　nickel　or　plain　nickel　they　were　of　silver　embossed　with　gold；　and　the　large　carvers　and　serving…　spoons　and　forks　had　gold…mounted　silver　handles。　When　the　lackeys　turned　back　the　covers　there　were　disclosed　several　truly　wonderful　young　turkeys；　fattened　as　if　by　painstaking　and　skillful　hand　and　superbly　browned。

Up　to　that　time　the　rich　and　costly　food　had　been　sadly　mediumlike　the　wines。　　But　these　turkeys　were　a　genuine　triumph。　　Even　Mildred　gave　them　a　look　of　interest　and　admiration。　　In　a　voice　that　made　General　Siddall　ecstatic　Presbury　cried：

‘‘GOD　bless　my　soul！　　WHERE　did　you　get　those　beauties；　old　man！''

‘‘Paris；''　said　Siddall　in　a　voice　tremulous　with　pride　and　self…admiration。　　You　would　have　thought　that　he　had　created　not　merely　the　turkeys；　but　Paris；　also。　‘‘Potin　sends　them　over　to　me。　　Potin；　you　know；　is　t