"Yes, of course."
"Of course. If you have only ten dollars a week you should have walked.
I know the sort you are, Mrs. Forster. You wont be long getting rid of your money, no matter where you live. But whats wrong? Hows your husband?"
"I dont know. I hope he is quite well," said Marian, her voice trembling a little. "Mrs. Crawford: you are the only friend I have in America; and you have been so very kind to me that since I must trouble some one, I have ventured to come to you. The truth is that I have left my husband; and I have only about one hundred dollars in the world. I must live on that until I get some employment, or perhaps some money of my own from England."
"Chut, child! Nawnsnse!" exclaimed Mrs. Crawford, with benevolent intolerance. "You go right back to your husband. I spose youve had a rumpus with him; but you mustnt mind that. All men are a bit selfish; and I should say from what I have seen of him that he is no exception to the rule. But you cant have perfection. He"s a fine handsome fellow; and he knows it. And, as for you, I dont know what they reckon you in England; but youre the best-looking woman in Noo York: thats surtn. It"s a pity for such a pair to fall out."
"He is not selfish," said Marian. "You never saw him. I am afraid I must shock you, Mrs. Crawford. Mr. Forster is not my husband."
"No! Do! Did you ever tell the General that?"
"General Crawford! Oh, no."
"Think of that man being cuter than me, a woman! He always said so. And the grit you must have, to tell it out as cool as that! Well! I"m sorry to hear it though, Mrs. Forster. It"s a bad account--a very bad one. But if I take what you said just now rightly, youre married."
"I am. I have deserted a very good husband."
"It"s a pity you didnt find that out a little sooner, isnt it?"
"I know, Mrs. Crawford. I thought I was acting for the best."
"Thought you were acting for the best in running away from a good husband! Well, you British aristocrats are singular. You throw stones at us because our women are so free and our divorces so easy. Yet youre always scandlizing us; and now _you_ tell me youve done it on morl grounds! Who educated you, child? And what do you intend to do now?"
"For the present, only to get a lodging. Will you tell me where I should look for one? I dont know the east from the west end of this town; and I am so inexperienced that I might make a mistake easily as to the character of the places. Will you direct me to some street or quarter in which I should he likely to find suitable rooms? I can live very economically."
"I dont know what to do," said Mrs. Crawford, perplexedly, turning her rings on her fingers. "You ought to be ashamed of yourself. And you so pretty!"
"Perhaps you would rather not a.s.sist me. You may tell me so candidly. I shall not be offended."
"You mustnt take me up like that. I must have a talk with the General about you. I dont feel like letting you go into some ordinary place by yourself. But I cant ask you to stay here without consulting----"
"Oh, no, you must not think of any such thing: I must begin to face the world alone at once. I a.s.sure you, Mrs. Crawford, I could not come here.
I should only keep your friends away."
"But n.o.body knows you."
"Sooner or later I should meet someone who does. There are hundreds of people who know me by sight, who travel every year. Besides, my case is a very public one, unfortunately. May I take you into my confidence?"
"If you wish, my dear. I dont ask you for it; but I will take it kindly."
"I know you will. You must have heard all about me. Mr. Forster"s real name is Douglas."
Mrs. Crawford stifled a whoop of surprise. "And you! Are you----?"
"I am."
"Only think! And that was Douglas! Why, I thought he was a straight-haired, sleeky, canting snake of a man. And you too are not a bit like what I thought. You are quite a person, Mrs.--Mrs. Conolly."
"I have no right to bear that name any longer. Pray call me by my a.s.sumed name still, and keep my secret. I hope you do not believe all the newspapers said?"
"No, of course not," said Mrs. Crawford. "But whose fault was it?"
"Mine. Altogether mine. I wish you would tell people that Mr. Conolly is blameless in the matter."
"He will take care of his own credit, never fear. I am sure you got some provocation: I know what men are. The General is not my first husband."
"No, I got no provocation. Mr. Conolly is not like other men. I got discontented because I had nothing to desire. And now, about the lodgings, Mrs. Crawford. Do not think I am changing the subject from reticence. It is the question of money that makes me anxious. All my resources would be swallowed up at the hotel in less than a week."
"Lodgings? You mean rooms, I guess. People here mostly go to boarding-houses. And as to the cheapness, you dont know what cheapness is. Cant you make some arrangement with your great relations in England?
Have you no property of your own?"
"I cannot tell whether my property remains my own or not. You must regard me as a poor woman. I am quite determined to have the lodgings; and I should like to arrange about them at once; for I am rather upset by something that happened this morning."
"Well, if you must, you must, I know a place that might suit you: I lived in it myself when I was not so well off as I am at present. It is a little down-town; but you will have to put up with that for the sake of economy."
Mrs. Crawford, who had read in the papers of her guest"s relationship to the Earl of Carbury, then sent for her carriage, and dressed herself handsomely. When they had gone some distance, they entered a wide street, crossed half way along by an avenue and an elevated railway.
"What do you think of this neighborhood?" said Mrs. Crawford.
"It is a fine, wide street," replied Marian; "but it looks as if it needed to be swept and painted."
"The other end is quieter. I"m afraid you wont like living here."
Marian had hitherto thought of such streets as thoroughfares, not as places in which she could dwell. "Beggars cannot be choosers," she said, with affected cheerfulness, looking anxiously ahead for the promised quiet part.
"Boarding-houses are so much the rule here, that it is not easy to get rooms. You will find Mrs. Myers a good soul, and though the house is not much to look at, it is comfortable enough inside."
The appearance of the street improved as they went on; and the house they stopped at, though the windows were dingy and the paint old, was better than Marian had hoped for a minute before. She remained in the carriage whilst her companion conferred with the landlady within. Twenty minutes pa.s.sed before Mrs. Crawford reappeared, looking much perplexed.
"Mrs. Myers has a couple of rooms that would do you very well; only you would be on the same floor with a woman who is always drunk. She has p.a.w.ned a heap of clothes, and promises to leave every day; but Mrs.
Myers hasnt got rid of her yet. It"s very provoking. She"s quiet, and doesnt trouble any one; but still, of course----"
"She cannot interfere with me," said Marian. "If that is the only objection, let it pa.s.s. I need have nothing to say to her. If she is not violent nor noisy, her habits are her own affair."
"Oh, she wont trouble you. You can keep to yourself, English fashion."
"Then let us agree at once. I cannot face any more searching and bargaining."
"Youre looking pale. Are you sure you are not ill?"
"No. It is nothing. I am rather tired."
They went in together; and Marian was introduced to Mrs. Myers, a nervous widow of fifty. The rooms were small, and the furniture and carpets old and worn; but all was clean; and there was an open fireplace in the sitting-room.
"They will do very nicely, thank you," said Marian. "I will send for my luggage; and I think I will just telegraph my new address and a few words to a friend in London."
"If you feel played out, I can see after your luggage," said Mrs.
Crawford. "But I advise you to come back with me; have a good lunch at Delmonico"s; and send your cablegram yourself."