CHAPTER LIV
The little town of Sandwood, "this side of Kenosha," as Jennie hadexpressed it, was only a short distance from Chicago, an hour andfifteen minutes by the local train. It had a population of some threehundred families, dwelling in small cottages, which were scatteredover a pleasant area of lake-shore property. They were not richpeople. The houses were not worth more than from three to fivethousand dollars each, but, in most cases, they were harmoniouslyconstructed, and the surrounding trees, green for the entire year,gave them a pleasing summery appearance. Jennie, at the time they hadpassed by there--it was an outing taken behind a pair of fasthorses--had admired the look of a little white church steeple,set down among green trees, and the gentle rocking of the boats uponthe summer water.
"I should like to live in a place like this some time," she hadsaid to Lester, and he had made the comment that it was a little toopeaceful for him. "I can imagine getting to the place where I mightlike this, but not now. It's too withdrawn."
Jennie thought of that expression afterward. It came to her whenshe thought that the world was trying. If she had to be alone ever andcould afford it she would like to live in a place like Sandwood. Thereshe would have a little garden, some chickens, perhaps, a tall polewith a pretty bird-house on it, and flowers and trees and green grasseverywhere about. If she could have a little cottage in a place likethis which commanded a view of the lake she could sit of a summerevening and sew. Vesta could play about or come home from school. Shemight have a few friends, or not any. She was beginning to think thatshe could do very well living alone if it were not for Vesta's socialneeds. Books were pleasant things--she was finding thatout--books like Irving's Sketch Book, Lamb's Elia,and Hawthorne's Twice Told Tales. Vesta was coming to be quitea musician in her way, having a keen sense of the delicate and refinedin musical composition. She had a natural sense of harmony and a lovefor those songs and instrumental compositions which reflectsentimental and passionate moods; and she could sing and play quitewell. Her voice was, of course, quite untrained--she was onlyfourteen--but it was pleasant to listen to. She was beginning toshow the combined traits of her mother and father--Jennie'sgentle, speculative turn of mind, combined with Brander's vivacity ofspirit and innate executive capacity. She could talk to her mother ina sensible way about things, nature, books, dress, love, and from herdeveloping tendencies Jennie caught keen glimpses of the new worldswhich Vesta was to explore. The nature of modern school life, itsconsideration of various divisions of knowledge, music, science, allcame to Jennie watching her daughter take up new themes. Vesta wasevidently going to be a woman of considerable ability--notirritably aggressive, but self-constructive. She would be able to takecare of herself. All this pleased Jennie and gave her great hopes forVesta's future.
The cottage which was finally secured at Sandwood was only a storyand a half in height, but it was raised upon red brick piers betweenwhich were set green lattices and about which ran a veranda. The housewas long and narrow, its full length--some five rooms in arow--facing the lake. There was a dining-room with windowsopening even with the floor, a large library with built-in shelves forbooks, and a parlor whose three large windows afforded air andsunshine at all times.
The plot of ground in which this cottage stood was one hundred feetsquare and ornamented with a few trees. The former owner had laid outflower-beds, and arranged green hardwood tubs for the reception ofvarious hardy plants and vines. The house was painted white, withgreen shutters and green shingles.
It had been Lester's idea, since this thing must be, that Jenniemight keep the house in Hyde Park just as it was, but she did not wantto do that. She could not think of living there alone. The place wastoo full of memories. At first, she did not think she would takeanything much with her, but she finally saw that it was advisable todo as Lester suggested--to fit out the new place with a selectionof silverware, hangings, and furniture from the Hyde Park house.
"You have no idea what you will or may want," he said. "Takeeverything. I certainly don't want any of it."
A lease of the cottage was taken for two years, together with anoption for an additional five years, including the privilege ofpurchase. So long as he was letting her go, Lester wanted to begenerous. He could not think of her as wanting for anything, and hedid not propose that she should. His one troublesome thought was, whatexplanation was to be made to Vesta. He liked her very much and wantedher "life kept free of complications.
"Why not send her off to a boarding-school until spring?" hesuggested once; but owing to the lateness of the season this wasabandoned as inadvisable. Later they agreed that business affairs madeit necessary for him to travel and for Jennie to move. Later Vestacould be told that Jennie had left him for any reason she chose togive. It was a trying situation, all the more bitter to Jennie becauseshe realized that in spite of the wisdom of it indifference to her wasinvolved. He really did not care enough, as much as hecared.
The relationship of man and woman which we study so passionately inthe hope of finding heaven knows what key to the mystery of existenceholds no more difficult or trying situation than this of mutualcompatibility broken or disrupted by untoward conditions which inthemselves have so little to do with the real force and beauty of therelationship itself. These days of final dissolution in which thishousehold, so charmingly arranged, the scene of so many pleasantactivities, was literally going to pieces was a period of great trialto both Jennie and Lester. On her part it was one of intensesuffering, for she was of that stable nature that rejoices to fixitself in a serviceable and harmonious relationship, and then stay so.For her life was made up of those mystic chords of sympathy and memorywhich bind up the transient elements of nature into a harmonious andenduring scene. One of those chords--this home was her home,united and made beautiful by her affection and consideration for eachperson and every object. Now the time had come when it must cease.
If she had ever had anything before in her life which had been likethis it might have been easier to part with it now, though, as she hadproved, Jennie's affections were not based in any way upon materialconsiderations. Her love of life and of personality were free from thetaint of selfishness. She went about among these various roomsselecting this rug, that set of furniture, this and that ornament,wishing all the time with all her heart and soul that it need not be.Just to think, in a little while Lester would not come any more of anevening! She would not need to get up first of a morning and see thatcoffee was made for her lord, that the table in the dining-room lookedjust so. It had been a habit of hers to arrange a bouquet for thetable out of the richest blooming flowers of the conservatory, and shehad always felt in doing it that it was particularly for him. Now itwould not be necessary any more--not for him. When one isaccustomed to wait for the sound of a certain carriage-wheel of anevening grating upon your carriage drive, when one is used to listenat eleven, twelve, and one, waking naturally and joyfully to the echoof a certain step on the stair, the separation, the ending of thesethings, is keen with pain. These were the thoughts that were runningthrough Jennie's brain hour after hour and day after day.
Lester on his part was suffering in another fashion. His was notthe sorrow of lacerated affection, of discarded and despised love, butof that painful sense of unfairness which comes to one who knows thathe is making a sacrifice of the virtues--kindness, loyalty,affection--to policy. Policy was dictating a very splendid courseof action from one point of view. Free of Jennie, providing for heradmirably, he was free to go his way, taking to himself the mass ofaffairs which come naturally with great wealth. He could not helpthinking of the thousand and one little things which Jennie had beenaccustomed to do for him, the hundred and one comfortable and pleasantand delightful things she meant to him. The virtues which shepossessed were quite dear to his mind. He had gone over them time andagain. Now he was compelled to go over them finally, to see that shewas suffering without making a sign. Her manner and attitude towardhim in these last days were quite the same as they had alwaysbeen--no more, no l
ess. She was not indulging in privatehysterics, as another woman might have done; she was not pretending afortitude in suffering she did not feel, showing him one face whilewishing him to see another behind it. She was calm, gentle,considerate--thoughtful of him--where he would go and whathe would do, without irritating him by her inquiries. He was struckquite favorably by her ability to take a large situation largely, andhe admired her. There was something to this woman, let the world thinkwhat it might. It was a shame that her life was passed under such atroubled star. Still a great world was calling him. The sound of itsvoice was in his ears. It had on occasion shown him its bared teeth.Did he really dare to hesitate?
The last hour came, when having made excuses to this and thatneighbor, when having spread the information that they were goingabroad, when Lester had engaged rooms at the Auditorium, and the massof furniture which could not be used had gone to storage, that it wasnecessary to say farewell to this Hyde Park domicile. Jennie hadvisited Sandwood in company with Lester several times. He hadcarefully examined the character of the place. He was satisfied thatit was nice but lonely. Spring was at hand, the flowers would besomething. She was going to keep a gardener and man of all work. Vestawould be with her.
"Very well," he said, "only I want you to be comfortable."
In the mean time Lester had been arranging his personal affairs. Hehad notified Messrs. Knight, Keatley & O'Brien through his ownattorney, Mr. Watson, that he would expect them to deliver his shareof his father's securities on a given date. He had made up his mindthat as long as he was compelled by circumstances to do this thing hewould do a number of other things equally ruthless. He would probablymarry Mrs. Gerald. He would sit as a director in the United CarriageCompany--with his share of the stock it would be impossible tokeep him out. If he had Mrs. Gerald's money he would become acontrolling factor in the United Traction of Cincinnati, in which hisbrother was heavily interested, and in the Western Steel Works, ofwhich his brother was now the leading adviser. What a different figurehe would be now from that which he had been during the past fewyears!
Jennie was depressed to the point of despair. She was tremendouslylonely. This home had meant so much to her. When she first came hereand neighbors had begun to drop in she had imagined herself on thethreshold of a great career, that some day, possibly, Lester wouldmarry her. Now, blow after blow had been delivered, and the home anddream were a ruin. Gerhardt was gone. Jeannette, Harry Ward, and Mrs.Frissell had been discharged, the furniture for a good part was instorage, and for her, practically, Lester was no more. She realizedclearly that he would not come back. If he could do this thing now,even considerately, he could do much more when he was free and awaylater. Immersed in his great affairs, he would forget, of course. Andwhy not? She did not fit in. Had not everything--everythingillustrated that to her? Love was not enough in this world--thatwas so plain. One needed education, wealth, training, the ability tofight and scheme, She did not want to do that. She could not.
The day came when the house was finally closed and the old life wasat an end. Lester traveled with Jennie to Sandwood. He spent somelittle while in the house trying to get her used to the idea ofchange--it was not so bad. He intimated that he would come againsoon, but he went away, and all his words were as nothing against thefact of the actual and spiritual separation. When Jennie saw him goingdown the brick walk that afternoon, his solid, conservative figureclad in a new tweed suit, his overcoat on his arm, self-reliance andprosperity written all over him, she thought that she would die. Shehad kissed Lester good-by and had wished him joy, prosperity, peace;then she made an excuse to go to her bedroom. Vesta came after a time,to seek her, but now her eyes were quite dry; everything had subsidedto a dull ache. The new life was actually begun for her--a lifewithout Lester, without Gerhardt, without any one save Vesta.
"What curious things have happened to me!" she thought, as she wentinto the kitchen, for she had determined to do at least some of herown work. She needed the distraction. She did not want to think. If itwere not for Vesta she would have sought some regular outsideemployment. Anything to keep from brooding, for in that direction laymadness.