CHAPTER XL
Lester returned to Chicago. He realized that he had offended hisfather seriously, how seriously he could not say. In all his personalrelations with old Archibald he had never seen him so worked up. Buteven now Lester did not feel that the breach was irreparable; hehardly realized that it was necessary for him to act decisively if hehoped to retain his father's affection and confidence. As for theworld at large, what did it matter how much people talked or what theysaid. He was big enough to stand alone. But was he? People turn soquickly from weakness or the shadow of it. To get away fromfailure--even the mere suspicion of it--that seems to be asubconscious feeling with the average man and woman; we all avoidnon-success as though we fear that it may prove contagious. Lester wassoon to feel the force of this prejudice.
One day Lester happened to run across Berry Dodge, the millionairehead of Dodge, Holbrook & Kingsbury, a firm that stood in thedry-goods world, where the Kane Company stood in the carriage world.Dodge had been one of Lester's best friends. He knew him as intimatelyas he knew Henry Bracebridge, of Cleveland, and George Knowles, ofCincinnati. He visited at his handsome home on the North Shore Drive,and they met constantly in a business and social way. But since Lesterhad moved out to Hyde Park, the old intimacy had lapsed. Now they cameface to face on Michigan Avenue near the Kane building.
"Why, Lester, I'm glad to see you again," said Dodge.
He extended a formal hand, and seemed just a little cool. "I hearyou've gone and married since I saw you."
"No, nothing like that," replied Lester, easily, with the air ofone who prefers to be understood in the way of the world sense.
"Why so secret about it, if you have?" asked Dodge, attempting tosmile, but with a wry twist to the corners of his mouth. He was tryingto be nice, and to go through a difficult situation gracefully. "Wefellows usually make a fuss about that sort of thing. You ought to letyour friends know."
"Well," said Lester, feeling the edge of the social blade that wasbeing driven into him, "I thought I'd do it in a new way. I'm not muchfor excitement in that direction, anyhow."
"It is a matter of taste, isn't it?" said Dodge a little absently."You're living in the city, of course?"
"In Hyde Park."
"That's a pleasant territory. How are things otherwise?" And hedeftly changed the subject before waving him a perfunctoryfarewell.
Lester missed at once the inquiries which a man like Dodge wouldhave made if he had really believed that he was married. Underordinary circumstances his friend would have wanted to know a greatdeal about the new Mrs. Kane. There would have been all those littlefamiliar touches common to people living on the same social plane.Dodge would have asked Lester to bring his wife over to see them,would have definitely promised to call. Nothing of the sort happened,and Lester noticed the significant omission.
It was the same with the Burnham Moores, the Henry Aldriches, and ascore of other people whom he knew equally well. Apparently they allthought that he had married and settled down. They were interested toknow where he was living, and they were rather disposed to joke himabout being so very secretive on the subject, but they were notwilling to discuss the supposed Mrs. Kane. He was beginning to seethat this move of his was going to tell against him notably.
One of the worst stabs--it was the cruelest because, in a way,it was the most unintentional--he received from an oldacquaintance, Will Whitney, at the Union Club. Lester was dining thereone evening, and Whitney met him in the main reading-room as he wascrossing from the cloak-room to the cigar-stand. The latter was atypical society figure, tall, lean, smooth-faced, immaculately garbed,a little cynical, and to-night a little the worse for liquor. "Hi,Lester!" he called out, "what's this talk about a menageof yours out in Hyde Park? Say, you're going some. How are you goingto explain all this to your wife when you get married?"
"I don't have to explain it," replied Lester irritably. "Why shouldyou be so interested in my affairs? You're not living in a stonehouse, are you?"
"Say, ha! ha! that's pretty good now, isn't it? You didn't marrythat little beauty you used to travel around with on the North Side,did you? Eh, now! Ha, ha! Well, I swear. You married! You didn't, now,did you?"
"Cut it out, Whitney," said Lester roughly. "You're talkingwild."
"Pardon, Lester," said the other aimlessly, but sobering. "I begyour pardon. Remember, I'm just a little warm. Eight whisky-soursstraight in the other room there. Pardon. I'll talk to you some timewhen I'm all right. See, Lester? Eh! Ha! ha! I'm a little loose,that's right. Well, so long! Ha! ha!"
Lester could not get over that cacophonous "ha! ha!" It cut him,even though it came from a drunken man's mouth. "That little beautyyou used to travel with on the North Side. You didn't marry her, didyou?" He quoted Whitney's impertinences resentfully. George! But thiswas getting a little rough! He had never endured anything like thisbefore--he, Lester Kane. It set him thinking. Certainly he waspaying dearly for trying to do the kind thing by Jennie.
Jennie Gerhardt: A Novel Page 40
