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！
a So'th'n woman from Figinya； and I'm Figinyan first； last； and all
the time。〃 She shook out her sleeves and the folds of her cloak。
〃I believe in State rights and slaveryif you know what that
means。 I hate the North； I hate the East； I hate the West。 I hate
this nigger Government； I'd kill that man Lincoln quicker than
lightning！〃 She began to draw down the fingers of her gloves；
holding her shapely hands upright before her。 〃I'm hard and fast
to the Cause。 I gave up house and niggers for it。〃 She began to
button her gloves at the wrist with some difficulty； tightly
setting together her beautiful lips as she did so。 〃I gave up my
husband for it； and I went to the man who loved it better and had
risked more for it than ever he had。 Cunnle Marion's my friend。
I'm Mrs。 Fairfax； Josephine Hardee that was； HIS disciple and
follower。 Well； maybe those puritanical No'th'n folks might give
it another name！〃
She moved slowly towards the door； but on the threshold paused；
as Colonel Marion had； and came back to Mrs。 Bunker with an
outstretched hand。 〃I don't see that yo' and me need quo'll。 I
didn't come here for that。 I came here to see yo'r husband； and
seeing YO' I thought it was only right to talk squarely to yo'； as
yo' understand I WOULDN'T talk to yo'r husband。 Mrs。 Bunker； I
want yo'r husband to take me awayI want him to take me to the
cunnle。 If I tried to go in any other way I'd be watched； spied
upon and followed； and only lead those hounds on his track。 I
don't expect yo' to ASK yo' husband for me； but only not to
interfere when I do。〃
There was a touch of unexpected weakness in her voice and a look of
pain in her eyes which was not unlike what Mrs。 Bunker had seen and
pitied in Marion。 But they were the eyes of a woman who had
humbled her； and Mrs。 Bunker would have been unworthy her sex if
she had not felt a cruel enjoyment in it。 Yet the dominance of the
stranger was still so strong that she did not dare to refuse the
proffered hand。 She； however； slipped the ring from her finger and
laid it in Mrs。 Fairfax's palm。
〃You can take that with you；〃 she said； with a desperate attempt to
imitate the other's previous indifference。 〃I shouldn't like to
deprive you and YOUR FRIEND of the opportunity of making use of it
again。 As for MY husband； I shall say nothing of you to him as
long as you say nothing to him of mewhich I suppose is what you
mean。〃
The insolent look came back to Mrs。 Fairfax's face。 〃I reckon yo'
're right；〃 she said quietly； putting the ring in her pocket as she
fixed her dark eyes on Mrs。 Bunker； 〃and the ring may be of use
again。 Good…by； Mrs。 Bunker。〃
She waved her hand carelessly； and turning away passed out of the
house。 A moment later the boat and its two occupants pushed from
the shore； and disappeared round the Point。
Then Mrs。 Bunker looked round the room； and down upon her empty
finger； and knew that it was the end of her dream。 It was all over
nowindeed； with the picture of that proud； insolent woman before
her she wondered if it had ever begun。 This was the woman she had
allowed herself to think SHE might be。 This was the woman HE was
thinking of when he sat there； this was the Mrs。 Fairfax the
officers had spoken of； and who had made herMrs。 Bunkerthe go…
between for their love…making！ All the work that she had done for
him； the deceit she had practiced on her husband； was to bring him
and this woman together！ And they both knew it； and had no doubt
laughed at her and her pretensions！
It was with a burning cheek that she thought how she had intended
to go to Marion； and imagined herself arriving perhaps to find that
shameless woman already there。 In her vague unformulated longings
she had never before realized the degradation into which her
foolish romance might lead her。 She saw it now； that humiliating
moral lesson we are all apt to experience in the accidental display
of our own particular vices in the person we hate； she had just
felt in Mrs。 Fairfax's presence。 With it came the paralyzing fear
of her husband's discovery of her secret。 Secure as she had been
in her dull belief that he had in some way wronged her by marrying
her； she for the first time began to doubt if this condoned the
deceit she had practiced on him。 The tribute Mrs。 Fairfax had paid
himthis appreciation of his integrity and honesty by an enemy and
a woman like herselftroubled her； frightened her； and filled her
with her first jealousy！ What if this woman should tell him all；
what if she should make use of him as Marion had of her！ Zephas
was a strong Northern partisan； but was he proof against the
guileful charms of such a devil？ She had never thought before of
questioning his fidelity to her； she suddenly remembered now some
rough pleasantries of Captain Simmons in regard to the inconstancy
of his calling。 No！ there was but one thing for her to do： she
would make a clean breast to him； she would tell him everything she
had done except the fatal fancy that compelled her to it！ She
began to look for his coming now with alternate hope and fearwith
unabated impatience！ The night that he should have arrived passed
slowly； morning came； but not Zephas。 When the mist had lifted she
ran impatiently to the rocks and gazed anxiously towards the lower
bay。 There were a few gray sails scarce distinguishable above the
grayer waterbut they were not his。 She glanced half mechanically
seaward； and her eyes became suddenly fixed。 There was no mistake！
She knew the rig！she could see the familiar white lap…streak as
the vessel careened on the starboard tackit was her husband's
schooner slowly creeping out of the Golden Gate！
PART III。
Her first wild impulse was to run to the cove； for the little
dingey always moored there； and to desperately attempt to overtake
him。 But the swift consciousness of its impossibility was followed
by a dull； bewildering torpor； that kept her motionless； helplessly
following the vessel with straining eyes； as if they could evoke
some response from its decks。 She was so lost in this occupation
that she did not see that a pilot…boat nearly abreast of the cove
had put out a two…oared gig； which was pulling quickly for the
rocks。 When she saw it； she trembled with the instinct that it
brought her intelligence。 She was right； it was a brief note from
her husband； informing her that he had been hurriedly dispatched on
a short sea cruise； that in order to catch the tide he had not time
to go ashore at the bluff； but he would explain everything on his
return。 Her relief was only partial； she was already experienced
enough in his vocation to know that the excuse was a feeble one。
He could easily have 〃fetched〃 the bluff in tacking out of the Gate
and have signaled to her to board him in her own boat。 The next
day she locked up her house； rowed round the Point to the
Embarcadero； where the Bay steamboats occasionally touched and took
up passengers to San Francisco。 Captain Simmons had not seen her
husband this last trip； indeed； did not know that he had gone out
of the Bay。 Mrs。 Bunker was seized with a desperate idea。 She
called upon the Se