The End of the World: A Love Story

  CHAPTER X.

  AN OFFER OF HELP.

  The singing-master, Mr. Humphreys, went to singing-school and churchwith Julia in a matter-of-course way, treating her with attention, buttaking care not to make himself too attentive. Except that Julia couldnot endure his smile--which was, like some joint stock companies,strictly limited--she liked him well enough. It was something to her, inher monotonous life under the eye of her mother, who almost never lefther alone, and who cut off all chance for communication with August--itwas something to have the unobtrusive attentions of Mr. Humphreys, whoalways interested her with his adventures. For indeed it really seemedthat he had had more adventures than any dozen other men. How should asimple-hearted girl understand him? How should she read the riddle of alife so full of duplicity--of _multiplicity_--as the life of JoshuaHumphreys, the music-teacher? Humphreys intended to make love to her,but during the first two weeks he only aimed to gain her esteem. He feltthat there was a clue which he had not got. But at last the key droppedinto his hands, and he felt sure that the unsophisticated girl was inhis power.

  Among the girls that attended Humphreys's singing-school was BetseyMalcolm, the near neighbor of the Andersons. The singing-master oftensaw her at Mr. Anderson's, and he often wished that Julia were as easyto win as he felt Betsey to be. The sensuous mouth, the giddy eyes ofBetsey, showed quickly her appreciation of every flattering attention hepaid her, and though in Julia's presence he was careful how he treatedher, yet when he, walking down the road one day, alone, met her, hecourted her assiduously. He had not to observe any caution in her case.She greedily absorbed all the flattery he could give, only pettishlyresponding after a while: "O dear! that's the way you talk to me, andthat's the way you talk to Jule sometimes, I s'pose. I guess she don'tmind keeping two of you as strings to her bow."

  "Two! What do you mean, my fair friend? I havn't seen one, yet."

  "Oh, no! You mean you haven't seen two. You see one whenever you look inthe glass. The other is a Dutchman, and she's dying after him. She mayflirt with you, but her mother watches her night and day, to keep herfrom running off with Gus Wehle."

  Like many another crafty person, Betsey Malcolm had fairly overshot themark. In seeking to separate Humphreys from Julia, she had given him theclue he desired, and he was not slow to use it, for he was almost theonly person that Mrs. Anderson trusted alone with Julia.

  In the dusk of the evening of the very day of his talk with Betsey, hesat on the long front-porch with Julia. Julia liked him better, orrather did not dislike him so much in the dark as she did in the light.For when it was light she could see him smile, and though she had notlearned to connect a cold-blooded face with a villainous character, shehad that childish instinct which made her shrink from Humphreys's squaresmile. It always seemed to her that the real Humphreys gazed at her outof the cold, glittering eyes, and that the smile was something withwhich he had nothing to do.

  Sitting thus in the dusk of the evening, and looking out over the greenpasture to where the nigher hills ceased and the distant seemed to comeimmediately after, their distance only indicated by color, though thewhole Ohio "bottom" was between, she forgot the Mephistopheles who satnot far away, and dreamed of August, the "grand," as she fancifullycalled him. And he let her sit and dream undisturbed for a long time,until the darkness settled down upon the hills. Then he spoke.

  "I--I thought," began Humphreys, with well-feigned hesitancy, "Ithought, I should venture to offer you my assistance as a true andgallant man, in a matter--a matter of supreme delicacy--a matter that Ihave no right to meddle with. I think I have heard that your mother isnot friendly to the suit of a young man who--who--well, let us say whois not wholly disagreeable to you. I beg your pardon, don't tell meanything that you prefer to keep locked in the privacy of your ownbosom. But if I can render any assistance, you know. I have some littleinfluence with your parents, maybe. If I could be the happy bearer ofany communications, command me as your obedient servant."

  Julia did not know what to say. To get a word to August was what shemost desired. But the thought of using Humphreys was repulsive to her.She could not see his face in the gathering darkness, but she could_feel_ him smile that same soulless, geometrical smile. She could not doit. She did not know what to say. So she said nothing. Humphreys sawthat he must begin farther back.

  "I hear the young man spoken of as a praiseworthy person. German, Ibelieve? I have always noticed a peculiar manliness about Germans. Apeculiar refinement, indeed, and a courtesy that is often wanting inAmericans. I noticed this when I was in Leipsic. I don't think theGerman girls are quite so refined. German gentlemen in this country seemto prefer American girls oftentimes."

  All this might have sounded hollow enough to a disinterested listener.To Julia the words were as sweet as the first rain after a tediousdrouth. She had heard complaint, censure, innuendo, and downright abuseof poor Gus. These were the first generous words. They confirmed herjudgment, they comforted her heart, they made her feel grateful, evenaffectionate toward the fop, in spite of his watch-seals, his curledmustache, his straps, his cold eyes, and his artificial smile. Poor foolyou will call her, and poor fool she was. For she could have thrownherself at the feet of Humphreys, and thanked him for his words. Thankhim she did in a stammering way, and he did not hesitate to repeat hisfavorable impressions of Germans, after that. What he wanted was, not tobreak the hold of August until he had placed himself in a position to benext heir to her regard.