“Ye-es，I’veaskedforit。”
MrsBoultespokeinalow，eve~voiceforfiveminutes，verydistinctly，thattheremightbenomisunderstandinghermeaningWhenSamsonbrokethepillarsofGaza，hedidalittlething，andonenottobecomparedtothedeliberatepullingdownofawoman5homesteadaboutherownearsTherewasnoWisefemalefriendtoadviseMrs。
Boulte，thesingularlycautiouswife，toholdherhandShestruckatBoulte’sheart，becauseherownwassickwithsuspicionofKurrell，andwornoutwiththelongstrainofwatchingalonethroughtheRainsTherewasnoplanorpurposeinherspeakingThesentencesmadethemselves；
andBoultelistenedleaningagainstthedoor-postwithhishandsinhispocketsWhenallwasover，andMrsBoultebegantobreathethroughhernosebeforebreakingoutintotears，helaughedandstaredstraightinfrontofhimattheDosebrihills。
“Isthatall？”besaid“Thanks，Ionlywantedtoknow，youknow。”
“Whatareyougoingtodo？”saidthewoman，betweenhersobs。
“Do！NothingWhatshouldIdo？KillKurrellorsendyouHome，orapplyforleavetogetadivorce？It’~
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twodays’dokintoNarkarra。”Helaughedagainandwenton：“I’lltellyouwhatyoucando。
YoucanaskKurrelltodinnerto-morrow-no，onThursday，thatwillallowyoutimetopack~andyoucanholtwithhimIgiveyoumywordIwon’tfollow。”
Hetookuphishelmetandwentoutoftheroom，andMrsBoultesattillthemoonlightstreakedthefloor，thinkingandthinkingandthinkingShehaddoneherbestuponthespurofthemomenttopullthehousedown；butitwouldnotfallMoreover，shecouldnotunderstandherhusband，andshewasafraidThenthefollyofheruselesstruthfulnessstruckher，andshewasashamedtowritetoKurrell，say]ng：“IhavegonemadandtoldeverythingMyhusbandsaysthatIamfreetoelopewithyouGetaddkforThursday，andwewillflyafterdinner。”Therewasacold-bloodednessaboutthatprocedurewhichdidnotappealtoherSoshesatstillinherownhouseandthought。
Atdinner-timeBoultecamebackfromhiswalk，whiteandwornandhaggard，andthewomanwastouchedathisdistressAstheeveningworeon，shemutteredsomeexpressionofsorrow，somethingapproachingtocontritionBoultecameoutofabrownstudyandsaid，“Oh，that！I
wasn’tthinkingaboutthatBytheway，whatdoesKurrellsaytotheelopement？”
“Ihaven’tseenhim。”saidMrsBoulte“GoodGod！isthatall？”
ButBoultewasnotlistening，andhersentenceendedinagulp。
ThenextdaybroughtnocomforttoMrsBoulte，forKurrelldidnotappear，andthenewlifethatshe，inthefiveminutes’madnessofthepreviousevening，hadhopedtobuildoutoftheruinsoftheold，seemedtobenonearer。
Boulteatehisbreakfast，advisedhertoseeherArabponyfedintheveranda，andwentoutThemorningworethrough，andatmiddaythetensionbecameunendurableMrsBoultecouldnotcryShehadfinishedhercryinginthenight，andnowshedidnotwanttobeleftalonePerhapstheVansoythenwomanwouldtalktoher；and，sincetalkingopenstheheart，perhapstheremightbesomecomforttobefoundinhercompanyShewastheonlyotherwomanintheStation。
InKasbimatherearenoregularcalling-hoursEveryonecandropinuponeveryoneelseatpleasureMrsBoulteputonabigteraihat，andwalkedacrosstotheVansoythen’shousetoborrow]astweek’sQueenThetwocompoundstouched，andin-steadofgoingupthedrive，shecrossedthroughthegapinthecactus-hedge，enteringthehousefromthebackAsshepassedthroughthedining-room，sheheard，behindthepurdahthatcloakedthedrawing-roomdoor，herhusband’svoice，saying-“ButonmyHonor！OnmySoulandHonor，Itellyoushedoesn’tcareformeShetoldmesolastnightIwouldhavetoldyouthenifVansuythenhadn’tbeenwithyouIfitisforhersakethatyou’llhavenothingtosaytome，youcanmakeyourmindeasyIt’sKurrell’
“What？”saidMrsVansoythen，withanhystericallittlelaugh。
“Kurrell！Oh，itcan’tbeYoutwomusthavemadesomehorriblemistakePerhapsyou-youlostyourtemper，ormisunAWAYSIDECOMEDY
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derstood，orsomethingThingscan’tbeaswrongasyousay。”
MrsVansuythenhadshiftedherdefencetoavoidtheman’spleading，andwasdesperatelytryingtokeephimtoaside-issue。
“Theremustbesomemistake。”sheinsisted，“anditcanbeallputrightagain。”
Boultelaughedgrimly。
“Itcan’tbeCaptainKurrell！Hetoldmethathehadnevertakentheleast-theleastinterestinyourwife，MrBoulteOh，dolisten！HesaidhehadnotHesworehehadnot。”saidMrs。
Vansuythen。
Thepurdahrustled，andthespeechwascutshortbytheentryofalittle，thinwomanwithbigringsroundhereyesMrsVansuytbenstoodupwithagasp。
“Whatwasthatyousaid？”askedMrsBoulte“NevermindthatmanWhatdidTedsaytoyou？
Whatdidhesaytoyou？Whatdidhesaytoyou？”
MrsVansuythensatdownhelplesslyonthesofa，overbornebythetroubleofherquestioner。
“Hesaid-Ican’trememberexactlywhathesaid-butIunderstoodhimtosay-thatis-But，really，MrsBoulte，isn’titratherastrangequestion？”
“Willyoutellmewhathesaid？”repeatedMrsBoulteEvenatigerwillflybeforeabearrobbedofherwhelps，andMrsVansuythenwasonlyanordinarilygoodwomanShebeganinasortofdesperation：“Well，hesaidthathenevercaredforyouatall，and，ofcourse，therewasnottheleastreasonwhyheshouldhave，and-and-thatwasall。”
“YousaidhesworehehadnotcaredformeWasthattrue？”
“Yes。”saidMrsVansuythen，verysoftly。
MrsBoultewaveredforaninstantwhereshestood，andthenfellforwardfainting。
“WhatdidItellyou？”saidBoulte，asthoughtheconversationhadbeenunbroken“YoucanseeforyourselfShecaresforhim。”Thelightbegantobreakintohisdullmind，andhewenton-“Andh~whatwashesayingtoyou？”
ButMrsVansuythen，withnoheartforexplanationsorimpassionedprotestations，waskneelingoverMrsBoulte。
“Oh，youbrute！”shecried“Areallmenlikethis？Helpmetogetherintomyroom-andherfaceiscutagainstthetableOh，willyoubequiet，andhelpmetocarryher？Ihateyou，andIhateCaptainKurrellLiftherupcarefullyandnow-go！Goaway！”
BoultecarriedhiswifeintoMrsVansuythen’sbedroomanddepartedbeforethestormofthatlady’swrathanddisgust，impenitentandburningwithjealousy。
KurrellhadbeenmakinglovetoMrsVansuythen-woulddoVansuytbenasgreatawrongashehaddoneBoulte，whocaughthimselfconsideringwhetherMrsVansuythenwouldfaintifshediscoveredthatthemanshelovedhadforeswornher。
Inthemiddleofthesemeditations，Kurrellcamecanteringalongtheroadandpulledupwithacheery，“Goodmornin’’BeenmashingMrsVansuythenasusual，eh？Badthingforasober，marriedman，thatWhatwillMr~Boultesay？”
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Boulteraisedhisheadandsaid，slowly，“Oh，youliar！”Kurrell’sfacechanged“What’sthat？”
heasked，quickly。
“Nothingmuch。”saidBoulte“Hasmywifetoldyouthatyoutwoarefreetogooffwheneveryouplease？ShehasbeengoodenoughtoexplainthesituationtomeYou’vebeenatruefriendtome，Kurrell-oldman-haven’tyou？”
Kurrellgroaned，andtriedtoframesomesortofidioticsentenceaboutbeingwillingtogive“satisfaction。”Buthisinterestinthewomanwasdead，haddiedoutintheRains，and，mentally，hewasabusingherforheramazingindiscretionItwouldhavebeensoeasytohavebrokenoffthethinggentlyandbydegrees，andnowhewassaddledwith-Boulte’5voicerecalledhim。
“’Idon’tthinkIshouldgetanysatisfactionfromkillingyou，andI’mprettysureyou’dgetnonefromkillingme。”
Theninaqueruloustone，ludicrouslydisproportionedtoh...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：