his own people-第13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！


Carriages；　one　after　the　other；　in　unintermittent　succession；
rumbled　up　to　the　hotel…entrance　beneath　the　window；　bringing
goldfish　for　the　Pincio　and　the　fountains　of　Villa　Borghese。　　Wild
strains　from　the　Hungarian　orchestra；　rhapsodical　twankings　of
violins；　and　the　runaway　arpeggios　of　a　zither　crazed　with　speed…
mania；　skipped　along　the　corridors　and　lightly　through　Mellin's
door。　　In　his　mind's　eye　he　saw　the　gay　crowd　in　the　watery　light；
the　little　tables　where　only　five　days　ago　he　had　sat　with　the
loveliest　of　all　the　anemone…like　ladies。。。。

The　beautifully…dressed　tea…drinkers　were　there　now；　under　the　green
glass　dome；　prattling　and　smiling；　those　people　he　had　called　his
own。　　And　as　the　music　sounded　louder；　faster；　wilder　and　wilder
with　the　gipsy　madnessthen　in　that　darkening　bedchamber　his　soul
became　articulate　in　a　cry　of　humiliation

〃God　in　His　mercy　forgive　me；　how　raw　I　was！〃


A　vision　came　before　his　closed　eyes；　the　maple…bordered　street　in
Cranston；　the　long；　straight；　wide　street　where　Mary　Kramer　lived；
a　summer　twilight；　Mary　in　her　white　muslin　dress　on　the　veranda
steps；　and　a　wistaria　vine　climbing　the　post　beside　her；　half…
embowering　her。　　How　cool　and　sweet　and　good　she　looked！　　How　dear
and　how　~kind~！she　had　always　been　to　him。


Dusk　stole　through　the　windows：　　the　music　ceased　and　the　tea…hour
was　over。　　The　carriages　were　departing；　bearing　the　gay　people
who　went　away　laughing；　calling　last　words　to　one　another；　and；
naturally；　quite　unaware　that　a　young　man；　who；　five　days　before；
had　adopted　them　and　called　them　〃his　own；〃　was　lying　in　a　darkened
room　above　them；　and　crying　like　a　child　upon　his　pillow。





X。　　The　Cab　at　the　Corner

A　ten　o'clock；　a　page　bearing　a　card　upon　a　silver　tray　knocked　upon
the　door；　and　stared　with　wide…eyed　astonishment　at　the　disordered
gentleman　who　opened　it。

The　card　was　Lady　Mount…Rhyswicke's。　　Underneath　the　name　was
written：

　　If　you　are　there　will　you　give　me　a　few　minutes？　　I　am　waiting
　　in　a　cab　at　the　next　corner　by　the　fountain。

Mellin's　hand　shook　as　he　read。　　He　did　not　doubt　that　she　came　as
an　emissary；　probably　they　meant　to　hound　him　for　payment　of　the
note　he　had　given　Sneyd；　and　at　that　thought　he　could　have　shrieked
with　hysterical　laughter。

〃Do　you　speak　English？〃　he　asked。

〃Spik　little。　Yes。〃

〃Who　gave　you　this　card？〃

〃Coachman；〃　said　the　boy。　〃He　wait　risposta。〃

〃Tell　him　to　say　that　I　shall　be　there　in　five　minutes。〃

〃Fi'　minute。　　Yes。　　Good…by。〃

Mellin　was　partly　dressedhe　had　risen　half　an　hour　earlier　and
had　been　distractedly　pacing　the　floor　when　the　page　knockedand
he　completed　his　toilet　quickly。　　He　passed　down　the　corridors；
descended　by　the　stairway　（feeling　that　to　use　the　elevator　would
be　another　abuse　of　the　confidence　of　the　hotel　company）　and　slunk
across　the　lobby　with　the　look　and　the　sensations　of　a　tramp　who
knows　that　he　will　be　kicked　into　the　street　if　anybody　catches
sight　of　him。

A　closed　cab　stood　near　the　fountain　at　the　next　corner。　　There　was
a　trunk　on　the　box　by　the　driver；　and　the　roof　was　piled　with　bags
and　rugs。　He　approached　uncertainly。

〃Isis　thisis　it　Lady　Mount…Rhyswicke？〃　he　stammered　pitifully。

She　opened　the　door。

〃Yes。　　Will　you　get　in？　　We'll　just　drive　round　the　block　if　you
don't　mind。　　I'll　bring　you　back　here　in　ten　minutes。〃　　And　when　he
had　tremulously　complied；　〃~Avanti；　cocchiere~；〃　she　called　to　the
driver；　and　the　tired　little　cab…horse　began　to　draw　them　slowly
along　the　deserted　street。

Lady　Mount…Rhyswicke　maintained　silence　for　a　time；　while　her
companion　waited；　his　heart　pounding　with　dreadful　apprehensions。
Finally　she　gave　a　short；　hard　laugh　and　said：

〃I　saw　your　face　by　the　corner　light。　　Been　havin'　a　hard　day
of　it？〃

The　fear　of　breaking　down　kept　him　from　answering。　　He　gulped
painfully　once　or　twice；　and　turned　his　face　away　from　her。　　Light
enough　from　a　streetlamp　shone　in　for　her　to　see。

〃I　was　rather　afraid　you'd　refuse；〃　she　said　seriously。　　〃Really；
I　wonder　you　were　willin'　to　come！〃

〃I　wasI　was　afraid　not　to。〃　　He　choked　out　the　confession　with
the　recklessness　of　final　despair。

〃So？〃　she　said；　with　another　short　laugh。　　Then　she　resumed　her
even；　tired　monotone：　　〃Your　little　friend　Cooley's　note　this
morning　gave　us　all　a　rather　fair　notion　as　to　what　you　must　be
thinkin'　of　us。　　He　seems　to　have　found　a　sort　of　walkin'　'Who's…
Who…on…the…Continent'　since　last　night。　　Pity　for　some　people　he
didn't　find　it　before！　　I　don't　think　I'm　sympathetic　with　your
little　Cooley。　　I　'guess；'　as　you　Yankees　say；　'he　can　stand　it。'
But〃her　voice　suddenly　became　louder〃I'm　not　in　the　business
of　robbin'　babies　and　orphans；　no；　my　dear　friends；　nor　of　helpin'
anybody　else　to　rob　them　either！Here　you　are！〃

She　thrust　into　his　hand　a　small　packet；　securely　wrapped　in　paper
and　fastened　with　rubber　bands。　　〃There's　your　block　of　express
checks　for　six　hundred　dollars　and　your　I　0　U　to　Sneyd　with　it。
Take　better　care　of　it　next　time。〃

He　had　been　tremulous　enough；　but　at　that　his　whole　body　began　to
shake　violently。

〃~What~！〃　he　quavered。

〃I　say；　take　better　care　of　it　next　time；〃　she　said；　dropping　again
into　her　monotone。　　〃I　didn't　have　such　an　easy　time　gettin'　it　back
from　them　as　you　might　think。　　I've　got　rather　a　sore　wrist；　in
fact。〃

She　paused　at　an　inarticulate　sound　from　him。

〃Oh；　that's　soon　mended；〃　she　laughed　drearily。　　〃The　truth　is；　it's
been　a　good　thing　for　meyour　turning　up。　　They're　gettin'　in　too
deep　water　for　me；　Helene　and　her　friends；　and　I've　broken　with　the
lot；　or　they've　broken　with　me；　whichever　it　is。　　We　couldn't　hang
together　after　the　fightin'　we've　done　to…day。　　I　had　to　do　a　lot
of　threatenin'　and　things。　　Welch　was　ugly；　so　I　had　to　be　ugly　too。
Never　mind〃she　checked　an　uncertain　effort　of　his　to　speak〃I
saw　what　you　were　like；　soon　as　we　sat　down　at　the　table　last　night
how　new　you　were　and　all　that。　　It　needed　only　a　glance　to　see
that　Helene　had　made　a　mistake　about　you。　　She'd　got　a　notion　you
were　a　millionaire　like　the　little　Cooley；　but　I　knew　better　from
your　talk。　　She's　clever；　but　she's　French；　and　she　can't　get　it
out　of　her　head　that　you　could　be　an　American　and　not　a　millionaire。
Of　course；　they　~all~　knew　better　when　you　brought　out　your　express
checks　and　talked　like　somebody　in　one　of　the　old…time　story…books
about　'debts　of　honor。'　　Even　Helene　understood　then　that　the
express　checks　were　all　you　had。〃　　She　laughed。　　〃I　didn't　have
any　trouble　gettin'　the　~note~　back！〃

She　paused　again　for　a　moment；　then　resumed：　　〃There　isn't　much
use　our　goin'　over　it　all；　but　I　want　you　to　know　one　thing。　　Your
little　friend　Cooley　made　it　rather　clear　that　he　accused　Helene　and
me　of　signalin'。　　Well；　I　didn't。　　Perhaps　that's　the　reason　you
didn't　lose　as　much　as　he　did；　I　can't　say。　　And　one　thing　more：
all　this　isn't　goin'　to　do　you　any　harm。　　I'm　not　very　keen　about
philosophy　and　religion　and　that；　but　I　believe　if　you're　let　in
for　a　lot　of　trouble；　and　it　only　~half~　kills　you；　you　can　get
some　good　of　it。〃

〃Do　you　think；〃　he　stamme