children of the whirlwind-第4部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


e's　older　and　has　had　two　years　to　think　things　over。〃

Old　Jimmie　nodded；　showing　his　yellow　teeth　in　a　sly　grin。　〃You　said　something　a　second　ago：　Maggie　and　Larry！　They'll　make　a　wonder　of　a　team！　I　mean　that　she'll　work　under　him　with　the　rest　of　us。　I've　been　thinking　about　it　a　long　while。　Mebbe　you　haven't　guessed　it；　but　we've　been　coaching　her　for　the　part；　and　she's　just　about　ripe。　She's　got　the　looks；　and　we　can　dress　her　right　for　whatever　job's　on　hand。　Oh；　Larry'll　put　over　some　great　things　with　Maggie！〃

If　Hunt　felt　that　there　was　anything　cynically　unpaternal　in　this　father　planning　for　his　daughter　a　career　of　crime；　he　gave　no　sign　of　it。　His　attention　was　just　then　all　on　Maggie。　He　saw　her　eyes　grow　yet　more　bright　at　these　last　sentences　of　her　father：　bright　with　the　vision　of　approaching　adventure。

〃The　idea　suits　you；　Maggie？〃　he　asked。

〃Sure。　It'll　be　greatfor　Larry　is　a　wonder！〃

Barney　Palmer　suddenly　rose；　his　face　twisted　with　anger。　〃I'm　all　fed　up　on　this　Larry；　Larry；　Larry！　Come　on；　Jimmie。　Let's　get　uptown。〃

Wise　Old　Jimmie　saw　that　Barney　was　near　an　outburst。　〃All　right；　Barney；　all　right；〃　he　said　promptly。　〃Not　much　use　waiting　any　longer；　anyhow。　If　Larry　comes；　we'll　fix　it　with　the　Duchess　to　meet　him　tomorrow。〃

〃Then　so…long；　Maggie；〃　Barney　flung　at　her；　and　that　swagger　ex…jockey；　gambler；　and　clever　manipulator　of　the　confidence　of　people　with　money；　slashed　aside　the　shabby　burlap　curtains　with　his　wisp　of　a　bamboo　walking…stick；　and　strode　out　of　the　room。

〃Good…night；　daughter；〃　and　Old　Jimmie　crossed　and　kissed　her。　She　kissed　him　backa　perfunctory　kiss。　Maggie　had　never　paused　to　think　the　matter　out；　but　for　some　reason　she　felt　little　real　affection　for　her　father；　though　of　course　she　admired　his　astuteness。　Perhaps　her　unconscious　lack　of　love　was　due　in　part　to　the　fact　that　she　had　never　lived　with　him。　Ever　since　she　remembered　he　had　boarded　her　out；　here　and　there；　as　he　was　now　boarding　her　at　the　Duchess'sand　had　only　come　to　visit　her　at　intervals；　sometimes　intervals　that　stretched　into　months。

〃Barney　is　rather　sweet　on　you；〃　remarked　Hunt　after　the　two　were　gone。

〃I　know　he　is；〃　conceded　Maggie　in　a　matter…of…fact　way。

〃And　he　seems　jealous　of　Larryboth　regarding　you；　and　regarding　the　bunch。〃

〃He　thinks　he　can　run　the　bunch　just　as　well　as　Larry。　Barney's　clever　all　right；　and　has　plenty　of　nervebut　he's　not　in　Larry's　class。　Not　by　a　million　miles！〃

Hunt　perceived　that　this　daring；　world…defying；　embryonically　beautiful　model　of　his　had　idealized　the　homecoming　nephew　of　the　Duchess　into　her　especial　hero。　Hunt　said　no　more；　but　painted　rapidly。　Night　had　fallen　outside；　and　long　since　he　had　switched　on　the　electric　lights。　He　seemed　not　at　all　finicky　in　this　matter　of　light；　he　had　no　supposedly　indispensable　north　light；　and　midday　or　midnight　were　almost　equally　apt　to　find　him　slashing　with　brush　or　scratching　with　crayon。

Presently　the　Duchess　entered。　No　word　was　spoken。　The　Duchess；　noteworthy　for　her　mastery　of　silence；　sank　into　a　chair；　a　bent　and　shrunken　image；　nothing　seemingly　alive　about　her　but　her　faintly　gleaming；　deep…set　eyes。　Several　minutes　passed；　then　Hunt　lifted　the　canvas　from　the　easel　and　stood　it　against　the　wall。

〃That's　all　for　to…day；　Maggie；〃　he　announced；　pushing　the　easel　to　one　side。　〃Duchess；　you　and　this　wild　young　thing　spread　the　banquet…　table　while　I　wash　up。〃

He　disappeared　into　a　corner　shut　off　by　burlap　curtains。　From　within　there　issued　the　sound　of　splashing　water　and　the　sputtering　roar　of　snatches　of　the　Toreador's　song　in　a　very　big　and　very　bad　baritone。

Maggie　put　out　a　hand；　and　kept　the　Duchess　from　rising。　〃Sit　still　I'll　fix　the　table。〃

Silently　the　Duchess　acquiesced。　Maggie　had　never　felt　any　tenderness　toward　this　strange；　silent　woman　with　whom　she　had　lived　for　three　years；　but　it　was　perhaps　an　indication　of　qualities　within　Maggie；　whose　existence　she　herself　never　even　guessed；　that　she　instinctively　pushed　the　old　woman　aside　from　tasks　which　involved　any　physical　effort。　Maggie　now　swung　the　back　of　a　laundry　bench　up　to　form　a　table…top；　and　upon　it　proceeded　to　spread　a　cloth　and　arrange　a　medley　of　chipped　dishes。　As　she　moved　swiftly　and　deftly　about；　the　Duchess　watching　her　with　immobile　features；　these　two　made　a　strangely　contrasting　pair：　one　seemingly　spent　and　at　life's　grayest　end；　the　other　electric　with　vitality　and　giving　off　the　essence　of　life's　unknown　adventures。

Hunt　stepped　out　between　the　curtains；　pulling　on　his　coat。　〃You'll　find　that　chow　in　my　fireless　cooker　will　beat　the　Ritz；〃　he　boasted。　〃The　tenderest；　fattest　kind　of　a　fatted　calf　for　the　returned　prodigal。〃

Maggie　started。　〃The　prodigal！　You　meanLarry　is　coming？〃

〃Sure；〃　grinned　Hunt。　〃That's　why　we　celebrate。〃

Maggie　wheeled　upon　the　Duchess。　〃Is　Larry　really　coming？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　old　woman。

〃Butbut　why　the　uncertainty　about　when　he　was　coming　back？　Father　and　Barney　thought　he　was　due　to　get　out　yesterday。〃

〃Just　a　mistake　we　all　made　about　his　release。　His　time　was　up　this　afternoon。〃

〃But　you　told　Barney　and　my　father　you　hadn't　heard　from　him。〃

〃I　had　heard；〃　said　the　Duchess　in　her　flat　tone。　〃If　they　want　to　see　him　they　can　see　him　to…morrow。〃

〃Whenwhen　will　he　be　here？〃

〃Any　minute；〃　said　the　Duchess。

Without　a　word　Maggie　whirled　about　and　the　next　moment　she　was　in　her　room　on　the　floor　below。　She　did　not　know　what　prompted　her；　but　she　had　a　frantic　desire　to　get　out　of　this　plain　shirt…waist　and　skirt　and　into　something　that　would　be　striking。　She　considered　her　scanty　wardrobe；　her　father　had　recently　spoken　of　handsome　gowns　and　furnishings；　but　as　yet　these　existed　only　in　his　words；　and　the　pseudo…evening　gowns　which　she　had　worn　to　restaurant　dances　with　Barney　she　knew　to　be　cheap　and　uneffective。

Suddenly　she　remembered　the　things　Hunt　had　given　her；　or　had　loaned　her；　the　evening　four　months　earlier　when　he　had　taken　her　to　an　artists'　masquerade　ballthough　to　her　it　had　been　a　bitter　disappointment　when　Hunt　had　carried　her　away　before　the　unmasking　at　twelve　o'clock。　She　tore　off　the　offending　waist　and　skirt；　pulled　from　beneath　the　bed　the　pasteboard　box　containing　her　costume；　and　in　five　minutes　of　flying　hands　the　transformation　was　completed。　Her　thick　hair　of　burnished　black　was　piled　on　top　of　her　head　in　gracious　disorder；　and　from　it　swayed　a　scarlet　paper　flower。　About　her　lithe　body；　over　a　black　satin　skirt；　swathing　her　in　its　graceful　folds；　clung　a　Spanish　shawl　of　saffron…colored　background　with　long　brown　silken　fringe；　and　flowered　all　over　with　brown　and　red　and　peacock　blue；　and　held　in　place　by　three　huge　barbaric　pins　jeweled　with　colored　glass；　one　at　either　hip　and　upon　her　right　shoulder；　leaving　her　smooth　shoulders　bare　and　free。　With　no　more　than　a　glance　to　get　the　hasty　effect；　she　hurried　up　to　the　studio。

Hunt　whistled　at　sight　of　her；　but　made　no　remark。　Flushed；　she　looked　back　at　him　defiantly。　The　Duchess　gave　no　sign　whatever　of　being　aware　of　the　transformation。

Maggie　with　excited　touches　tried　to　improve　her　setting　of　the　table；　aquiver　with　expectanc