the white moll-第27部分

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found　herself　accepting　the　fact　that　she　would　act；　and　act
promptly；　as　the　only　natural　corollary　to　the　fact　that　she　was
in　a　position　to　do　so。　　Perhaps　it　was　that　way　to…night；　not　only
because　she　had　on　a　previous　occasion　already　fought　this　principle
of　duty　out　with　herself；　but　because　to…night；　unlike　that　other
night；　the　way　and　the　means　seemed　to　present　no　insurmountable
difficulties；　and　because　she　was　now　far　better　prepared；　and　free
from　all　the　perplexing；　though　enormously　vital；　little　details
that　had　on　the　former　occasion　reared　themselves　up　in　mountainous
aspect　before　her。　　The　purchase　of　a　heavy　veil；　for　instance；　the
day　after　the　Hayden…Bond　affair；　would　enable　her　now　to　move　about
the　city　in　the　clothes　of　the　White　Moll　practically　at　will　and
without　fear　of　detection。　　And；　further；　the　facilities　for　making
that　change；　the　change　from　Gypsy　Nan　to　the　White　Moll；　were　now
already　at　hand　…　in　the　little　old　shed　down　the　lane。

And　as　far　as　any　actual　danger　that　she　might　incur　to…night　was
concerned；　it　was　not　great。　　She　was　not　interested　in　the　fifty
thousand　dollars　in　an　intrinsic　sense；　she　was　interested　only　in
seeing　that　old　Nicky　Viner；　unappealing；　yes；　and　almost　repulsive
both　in　personality　and　habits　as　the　man　was；　was　not　blackmailed
out　of　it；　that　Danglar；　yes；　and　hereafter；　Perlmer　too；　should
not　prey　like　vultures　on　the　man；　and　rob　him　of　what　was
rightfully　his。　　If；　therefore；　she　secured　those　papers　from
Perlmer's　desk；　it　automatically　put　an　end　to　Danglar's　scheme
to…night；　and　if；　later；　she　saw　to　it　that　those　papers　came　into
Viner's　possession；　that；　too；　automatically　ended　Perlmer's
persecutions。　　Indeed；　there　seemed　little　likelihood　of　any　danger
or　risk　at　all。　　It　could　not　be　quite　ten　o　clock　yet；　and　it　was
not　likely　that　whoever　was　delegated　by　Danglar　to　rob　Perlmer's
office　would　go　there　much　before　eleven　anyway；　since　they　would
naturally　allow　for　the　possibility　that　Perlmer　might　stay　later
in　his　office　than　usual；　a　contingency　that　doubtless　accounted
for　midnight　being　set　as　the　hour　at　which　they　proposed　to　lay
old　Nicky　Viner　by　the　heels。　　Therefore；　it　seemed　almost　a
certainty　that　she　would　reach　there；　not　only　first；　but　with
ample　time　at　her　disposal　to　secure　the　papers　and　get　away　again
without　interruption。　　She　might　even；　perhaps；　reach　the　office
before　Perlmer　himself　had　left　…　it　was　still　quite　early　enough
for　that　…　but　in　that　case　she　need　only　remain　on　watch　until
the　lawyer　had　locked　up　and　gone　away。　　Nor　need　even　the　fact
that　the　office　would　be　locked　dismay　her。　　In　the　secret
hiding…place　here　in　the　garret；　among　those　many　other　evidences
of　criminal　activity；　was　the　collection　of　skeleton　keys；　and　…　she
was　moving　swiftly　around　the　attic　now；　physically　as　active　as　her
thoughts。

It　was　not　like　that　other　night。　　There　were　few　preparations　to
make。　　She　had　only　to　secure　the　keys　and　a　flashlight；　and　to
take　with　her　the　damp　cloth　that　would　remove　the　grime　streaks
from　her　face；　and　the　box　of　composition　that　would　enable　her　to
replace　them　when　she　came　back　…　and　five　minutes　later　she　was
on　the　street；　making　her　way　toward　the　lane；　and；　specifically；
toward　the　deserted　shed　where　she　had　hidden　away　her　own　clothing。


IX。　　ROOM　NUMBER　ELEVEN

Another　five　minutes；　and　in　her　own　personality　now；　a　slim；　trim
figure；　neatly　gloved；　the　heavy　veil　affording　ample　protection　to
her　features；　Rhoda　Gray　emerged　from　the　shed　and　the　lane；　and
started　rapidly　toward　lower　Sixth　Avenue。　　And　as　she　walked；　her
mind；　released　for　the　moment　from　the　consideration　of　her
immediate　venture；　began　again；　as　it　had　so　many　times　in　the　last
three　days；　its　striving　and　its　searching　after　some　loophole　of
escape　from　her　own　desperate　situation。　　But　only；　as　it　ever　did；
confusion　came　…　a　chaos　of　things；　contributory　things　and
circumstances；　and　the　personalities　of　those　with　whom　this
impossible　existence　had　thrown　her　into　contact。　　Little　by　little
she　was　becoming　acquainted　with　the　personnel　of　the　gang　…　in　an
impersonal　way；　mostly。　　Apart　from　Danglar；　there　was　Shluker；　who
must　of　necessity　be　one　of　them；　and　Skeeny；　the　man　who　had　been
with　Danglar　in　Shluker's　room；　and　the　Cricket；　whom　she　had　never
seen；　and　besides　these；　there　were　those　who　were　mentioned　in　the
cipher　message　to…night；　and　detailed　to　the　performance　of　the
various　acts　and　scenes　that　were　to　lead　up　to　the　final　climax
…　which；　she　supposed；　was　the　object　and　reason　for　the　cipher
message；　in　order　that　even　those　not　actually　employed　might　be
thoroughly　conversant　with　the　entire　plan；　and　ready　to　act
intelligently　if　called　upon。　　For　there　were　others；　of　course；　as
witness　herself；　or；　rather；　Gypsy　Nan；　whose　personality　she　had
so　unwillingly　usurped。

It　was　vital；　necessary；　that　she　should　know　them　all；　and　more
than　in　that　impersonal　way；　if　she　counted　upon　ever　freeing
herself　of　the　guilt　attributed　to　her。　　For　she　could　see　no　other
way　but　one　…　that　of　exposing　and　proving　the　guilt　of　this　vile
clique　who　now　surrounded　her；　and　who　had　actually　instigated　and
planned　the　crime　of　which　she　was　accused。　　And　it　was　not　an　easy
task！

And　then　there　were　those　outside　this　unholy　circle　who　kept
forcing　their　existence　upon　her　consciousness；　because　they；　too；
played　an　intimate　part　in　the　sordid　drama　which　revolved　around
her；　and　whose　end　she　could　not　foresee。　　There　was；　for　instance
…　the　Adventurer。　　She　drew　in　her　breath　quickly。　　She　felt　the
color　creep　slowly　upward；　and　tinge　her　throat　and　cheeks　…　and
then　the　little　chin；　strong　and　firm；　was　lifted　in　a　sort　of
self…defiant　challenge。　　True；　the　man　had　been　a　great　deal　in
her　thoughts；　but　that　was　only　because　her　curiosity　was　piqued；
and　because　on　two　occasions　now　she　had　had　very　real　cause　for
gratitude　to　him。　　If　it　had　not　been　for　the　Adventurer；　she
would　even　now　be　behind　prison　bars。　　Why　shouldn't　she　think　of
him？　　She　was　not　an　ingrate！　　Why　shouldn't　she　be　interested？
There　was　something　piquantly　mysterious　about　the　man　…　who　called
himself　an　adventurer。　　She　would　even　have　given　a　good　deal　to
know　who　he　really　was；　and　how　he；　too；　came　to　be　so　conversant
with　Danglar's　plans　as　fast　as　they　were　matured；　and　why；　on
those　two　particular　occasions；　he　had　not　only　gone　out　of　his
way　to　be　of　service　to　her；　but　had　done　so　at　very　grave　risk　to
himself。　　Of　course；　she　was　interested　in　him　…　in　that　way。　　How
could　she　help　it？　　But　in　any　other　way　…　the　little　chin　was
still　tilted　defiantly　upward　…　even　the　suggestion　was　absurd。
The　man　might　be　chivalrous；　courageous；　yes；　outwardly；　even　a
gentleman　in　both　manner　and　appearance；　he　might　be　all　those
things；　and；　indeed；　was　…　but　he　was　a　thief；　a　professional
thief　and　crook。　　It　seemed　very　strange；　of　course；　but　she　was
judging　him；　not　alone　from　the　circumstances　under　which　they　had
met　and　been　together；　but　from　what　he　had　given　her　to　understand
about　himself。