children of the whirlwind-第3部分

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　to　like　him；　to　accept　him　as　almost　one　of　themselves；　though　of　course　they　looked　down　upon　him　with　amused　pity　for　his　imbecility　regarding　his　paintings。

〃Get　out　of　here；〃　continued　Hunt；　〃or　cut　out　all　this　noise　that　comes　from　your　having　a　brain　that　rattles。　I've　got　to　work。〃

Hunt　turned　again　to　his　easel；　and　Old　Jimmie；　still　grinning；　lowered　himself　into　a　chair；　lit　a　cigar；　and　winked　at　Barney。　Hunt；　with　brush　poised；　regarded　Maggie　a　moment。

〃You　there；　Maggie；〃　he　ordered；　〃chin　up　a　bit　more；　some　flash　in　your　eyes；　more　pep　in　your　bearingas　though　you　were　asking　all　the　dames　of　the　Winter　Garden；　and　the　Charity　Ball；　and　the　Horse　Show；　and　that　gang　of　tea…swilling　women　at　the　Ritzmore　you　sell　cigarettes　toas　though　you　were　asking　them　all　who　the　dickens　they　think　they　are　。。。　O　God；　can't　you　do　anything！〃

〃I'm　doing　the　best　I　can；　and　I　look　more　like　those　dames　than　you　look　like　a　painter！〃

〃Shut　up！　I'm　paying　you　a　dollar　an　hour　to　pose；　not　to　talk　back　to　me。　And　you'd　have　more　respect　for　my　money　if　you　knew　how　hard　I　had　to　work　to　earn　it：　carrying　a　motor　car　around　in　each　hand。　Wash　off　that　scowl　and　try　to　look　as　I　said　。。。　There；　that's　better。　Hold　it。〃

He　began　to　paint　rapidly；　with　quick　glances　back　and　forth　between　the　canvas　and　Maggie。　Maggie's　dress　was　just　the　ordinary　shirt…　waist　and　skirt　that　the　shopgirl　and　her　sisters　wear；　Hunt　had　ordered　it　so。　She　was　above　the　medium　height；　with　thick　black　hair　tinted　with　shadowy　blue；　long　dark　lashes；　dark　scimitars　of　eyebrows；　a　full；　firm　mouth；　a　nose　with　just　the　right　tilt　to　it　all　effective　points　for　Hunt　in　what　he　wished　to　do。　But　what　had　attracted　him　most　and　given　him　his　idea　was　her　look；　hardly　pertness；　or　impudencerather　a　cynical；　mature；　defiant　certainty　in　herself。

Erect　in　her　cheap　shirt…waist；　she　gazed　off　into　space　with　a　smiling；　confident　challenge　to　all　the　world。　Hunt　was　trying　to　make　his　picture　a　true　portraitand　also　make　it　a　symbol　of　many　things　which　still　were　only　taking　shape　in　his　own　mind：　of　beauty　rising　from　the　gutter　to　overcome　beauty　of　more　favored　birth；　and　to　reign　above　it；　also　of　a　lower　stratum　surging　up　and　breaking　through　the　upper　stratum；　becoming　a　part　of　it；　or　assimilating　it；　or　conquering　it。　Leading　families　replaced　by　other　families；　classes　replaced　by　other　classes；　nations　replaced　by　other　nationssuch　was　the　inevitable　social　processso　read　the　records　of　the　fifty　or　sixty　centuries　since　history　began　to　be　written。　Oh；　he　was　trying　to　say　a　lot　in　this　portrait　of　a　girl　of　ordinary　birtheven　less　than　ordinaryin　her　cheap　shirt…waist　and　skirt！

And　it　pleased　the　sardonic　element　in　Hunt's　unmoral　nature　that　this　Maggie；　through　whom　he　was　trying　to　symbolize　so　much；　he　knew　to　be　a　petty　larcenist：　shoplifting　and　matters　of　similar　consequence。　She　had　been　cynically　frank　about　this　to　him；　casual；　almost　boastful。　Her　possessing　a　bent　toward　such　activities　was　hardly　to　be　wondered　at；　with　her　having　Old　Jimmie　as　her　father；　and　the　Duchess　as　a　landlady；　and　having　for　acquaintances　such　gentlemen　as　Barney　Palmer　and　this　returning　prison…bird；　Larry　Brainard。

But　petty　crime；　thought　Hunt；　would　not　be　Maggie's　forte　if　she　developed　her　possibilities。　With　her　looks；　her　boldness；　her　cleverness；　she　had　the　makings　of　a　magnificent　adventuress。　As　he　painted；　he　wondered　what　she　was　going　to　do；　and　become；　and　he　watched　her　not　only　with　a　painter's　eye　intent　upon　the　present；　but　with　keen　speculation　upon　the　future。




CHAPTER　III


Presently　Hunt's　mind　shifted　to　Larry　Brainard；　whom　Barney　Palmer　and　Old　Jimmie　Carlisle　had　come　here　to　see。　Hunt　had　a　mind　curious　about　every　thing　and　every　one；　and　blustering；　bullying　creature　though　he　was；　he　had　the　gift；　possessed　by　but　few；　of　audaciously　thrusting　himself　into　other　people's　affairs　without　arousing　their　resentment。　He　was　keen　to　learn　Maggie's　attitude　toward　Larry；　and　he　spoke　not　so　much　to　gain　knowledge　of　Larry　as　to　draw　her　out。

〃This　Larrywhat　sort　of　chap　is　he；　Maggie？〃　As　with　most　artists；　talking　did　not　interfere　with　Hunt's　painting。

Warm　color　slowly　tinted　Maggie's　cheeks。　〃He's　clever；〃　she　said　positively。　〃You　already　know　that。　But　I　was　only　a　girl　when　he　was　sent　away。〃

Hunt　smiled　at　her　idea　of　her　present　maturity；　implied　by　her　last　sentence。　〃But　you　lived　with　the　Duchess　for　a　year　before　he　was　sent　away。　You　must　have　seen　a　lot　of　him；　and　got　to　know　him　well。〃

〃Oh；　he　used　to　come　down　now　and　then　to　see　his　grandmotherI　was　only　fifteen　or　sixteen　thenjust　a　girl；　and　he　didn't　pay　much　attention　to　me。　Father　can　tell　you　better　just　how　smart　he　is。〃

Old　Jimmie　spoke　up　promptly。　He　knew　Hunt　was　not　a　police　stool；　and　he　liked　the　painter　as　much　as　it　was　in　him　to　like　any　man；　so　he　felt　none　of　the　reserve　or　caution　that　might　have　controlled　him　in　other　company。

〃You　bet　Larry's　smart！　Got　the　quickest　brain　of　any　con　man　in　the　businessand　him　only　about　twenty…seven　now。　Some　think　I'm　a　smooth　proposition　myself；　but　Larry　puts　it　all　over　me。　That's　why　I'm　willing　to　let　him　be　my　boss。　He's　a　wonder　at　thinking　up　new　stunts；　and　then　at　working　out　safe　new　ways　of　putting　them　across。〃

〃But　the　police　landed　him　at　last；〃　commented　Hunt。

〃Yes；　but　that　was　only　because　another　man　muffed　his　end　of　the　job。〃

The　handsome　Barney　Palmer　had　been　restless　during　Old　Jimmie's　eulogy。　〃Oh；　Larry's　all　to　the　goodbut　he's　not　the　only　party　that's　got　real　ideas。〃

〃Huh！〃　grunted　Old　Jimmie。　〃But　you'll　remember　that　we　haven't　put　over　any　big　ones　since　Larry's　been　in　stir。〃

〃That's　been　because　you　wouldn't　listen　to　any　of　my　ideas！〃　retorted　Barney。　〃And　I　handed　out　some　peaches。〃

Even　during　the　period　of　Larry's　active　reign　it　had　irked　Barney　to　accept　another　man　as　leader；　and　it　had　irked　him　even　more　during　the　interregnum　while　Larry　was　guest　of　the　State。　For　Barney　believed　in　his　own　Napoleonic　strain。

〃Don't　let　yourself　get　sore；　Barney；〃　Old　Jimmie　said　appeasingly。　〃You'll　have　plenty　of　chances　to　try　out　your　ideas　as　the　main　guy　before　you　cash　in。　You　know　the　outfit　wanted　to　lay　low　for　a　while；　anyhow。　But　we'll　be　putting　over　a　lot　of　the　big　stuff　when　Larry　gets　out。〃

Hunt　had　noted　a　quick　light　come　into　Maggie's　dark　eyes　while　her　father　praised　the　absent　leader。　He　himself　suddenly　perceived　a　new　possibility。

〃Maggie；　ever　think　about　teaming　up　with　Larry？〃　he　demanded；　with　his　audacious　keenness。

She　flushed；　and　hesitated。　He　did　not　wait　for　her　slow…coming　reply；　but　turned　to　her　father。

〃Jimmie；　did　Larry　ever　use　women　in　his　stunts？〃

〃Never。　Whenever　we　suggested　using　a　skirt；　Larry　absolutely　said　there　was　nothing　doing。　That's　one　point　where　he　was　all　wrong。　Nothing　helps　so　much；　when　the　sucker　is　at　all　sentimental；　as　a　clever；　good…looking　woman。　And　Larry'll　come　around　to　it　all　right。　He'll　see　the　sense　of　it；　now　that　he's　older　and　has　had　two　years　to　think　things　over。〃

Old　Jimmie　nodded；　showing　his　yellow　teet