pgw.threemenandamaid-第14节

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y　overlooked　the　fact。　The　cigar　came　as　an　absolute　surprise　to　him　and　it　could　not　have　affected　him　more　powerfully　if　it　had　been　a　voice　from　the　tomb。　He　stared　at　it　pallidly；　like　Macbeth　at　the　ghost　of　Banquo。　It　was　a　strong；　lively　young　cigar；　and　its　curling　smoke　played　lightly　about　his　nostrils。　His　jaw　fell。　His　eyes　protruded。　He　looked　for　a　long　moment　like　one　of　those　deep…sea　fishes　concerning　which　the　recent　lecturer　had　spoken　so　searchingly。　Then　with　the　cry　of　a　stricken　animal；　he　bounded　from　his　seat　and　fled　for　the　deck。
　There　was　a　rustle　of　millinery　at　Billie's　side　as　Jane　Hubbard　rose　and　followed　him。　Jane　was　deeply　stirred。　Even　as　he　sat；　looking　so　pale　and　piteous；　at　the　piano；　her　big　heart　had　gone　out　to　him；　and　now；　in　his　moment　of　anguish；　he　seemed　to　bring　to　the　surface　everything　that　was　best　and　most　passionate　in　her　nature。　Thrusting　aside　a　steward　who　happened　to　be　between　her　and　the　door；　she　raced　in　pursuit。
　Sam　Marlowe　had　watched　his　cousin's　dash　for　the　open　with　a　consternation　so　plete　that　his　sense　seemed　to　have　left　him。　A　general；　deserted　by　his　men　on　some　stricken　field；　might　have　felt　something　akin　to　his　emotion。　Of　all　the　learned　professions；　the　imitation　of　Mr。　Frank　Tinney　is　the　one　which　can　least　easily　be　carried　through　single…handed。　The　man　at　the　piano；　the　leader　of　the　orchestra；　is　essential。　He　is　the　life…blood　of　the　entertainment。　Without　him；　nothing　can　be　done。
　For　an　instant　Sam　stood　there；　gaping　blankly。　Then　the　open　door　of　the　saloon　seemed　to　beckon　an　invitation。　He　made　for　it；　reached　it；　passed　through　it。　That　concluded　his　efforts　in　aid　of　the　Seamen's　Orphans　and　Widows。
　The　spell　which　had　lain　on　the　audience　broke。　This　imitation　seemed　to　them　to　possess　in　an　extraordinary　measure　the　one　quality　which　renders　amateur　imitations　tolerable；　that　of　brevity。　They　had　seen　many　amateur　imitations；　but　never　one　as　short　as　this。　The　saloon　echoed　with　their　applause。
　It　brought　no　balm　to　Samuel　Marlowe。　He　did　not　hear　it。　He　had　fled　for　refuge　to　his　stateroom　and　was　lying　in　the　lower　berth；　chewing　the　pillow；　a　soul　in　torment。
　
　CHAPTER　SEVEN
　
　There　was　a　tap　at　the　door。　Sam　sat　up　dizzily。　He　had　lost　all　count　of　time。
　〃Who's　that？〃
　〃I　have　a　note　for　you；　sir。〃
　It　was　the　level　voice　of　J。　B。　Midgeley；　the　steward。　The　stewards　of　the　White　Star　Line；　besides　being　the　civillest　and　most　obliging　body　of　men　in　the　world；　all　have　soft　and　pleasant　voices。　A　White　Star　steward；　waking　you　up　at　six…thirty；　to　tell　you　that　your　bath　is　ready；　when　you　wanted　to　sleep　on　till　twelve；　is　the　nearest　human　approach　to　the　nightingale。
　〃A　what？〃
　〃A　note；　sir。〃
　Sam　jumped　up　and　switched　on　the　light。　He　went　to　the　door　and　took　the　note　from　J。　B。　Midgeley；　who；　his　mission　acplished；　retired　in　an　orderly　manner　down　the　passage。　Sam　looked　at　the　letter　with　a　thrill。　He　had　never　seen　the　hand…writing　before；　but；　with　the　eye　of　love；　he　recognized　it。　It　was　just　the　sort　of　hand　he　would　have　expected　Billie　to　write；　round　and　smooth　and　flowing；　the　writing　of　a　warm…hearted　girl。　He　tore　open　the　envelope。
　〃Please　e　up　to　the　top　deck。　I　want　to　speak　to　you。〃
　Sam　could　not　disguise　it　from　himself　that　he　was　a　little　disappointed。　I　don't　know　if　you　see　anything　wrong　with　the　letter；　but　the　way　Sam　looked　at　it　was　that；　for　a　first　love…letter；　it　might　have　been　longer　and　perhaps　a　shade　warmer。　And；　without　running　any　risk　of　writer's　cramp；　she　might　have　signed　it。
　However；　these　were　small　matters。　No　doubt　she　had　been　in　a　hurry　and　all　that　sort　of　thing。　The　important　point　was　that　he　was　going　to　see　her。　When　a　man's　afraid；　sings　the　bard；　a　beautiful　maid　is　a　cheering　sight　to　see；　and　the　same　truth　holds　good　when　a　man　has　made　an　exhibition　of　himself　at　a　ship's　concert。　A　woman's　gentle　sympathy；　that　was　what　Samuel　Marlowe　wanted　more　than　anything　else　at　the　moment。　That；　he　felt；　was　what　the　doctor　ordered。　He　scrubbed　the　burnt　cork　off　his　face　with　all　possible　speed　and　changed　his　clothes　and　made　his　way　to　the　upper　deck。　It　was　like　Billie；　he　felt；　to　have　chosen　this　spot　for　their　meeting。　It　would　be　deserted　and　it　was　hallowed　for　them　both　by　sacred　associations。
　She　was　standing　at　the　rail；　looking　out　over　the　water。　The　moon　was　quite　full。　Out　on　the　horizon　to　the　south　its　light　shone　on　the　sea；　making　it　look　like　the　silver　beach　of　some　distant　fairy　island。　The　girl　appeared　to　be　wrapped　in　thought；　and　it　was　not　till　the　sharp　crack　of　Sam's　head　against　an　overhanging　stanchion　announced　his　approach　that　she　turned。
　〃Oh；　is　that　you？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃You've　been　a　long　time。〃
　〃It　wasn't　an　easy　job；〃　explained　Sam；　〃getting　all　that　burnt　cork　off。　You've　no　notion　how　the　stuff　sticks。　You　have　to　use　butter。。。。〃
　She　shuddered。
　〃Don't！〃
　〃But　I　did。　You　have　to　with　burnt　cork。〃
　〃Don't　tell　me　these　horrible　things。〃　Her　voice　rose　almost　hysterically。　〃I　never　want　to　hear　the　words　burnt　cork　mentioned　again　as　long　as　I　live。〃
　〃I　feel　exactly　the　same。〃　Sam　moved　to　her　side。
　〃Darling；〃　he　said　in　a　low　voice；　〃it　was　like　you　to　ask　me　to　meet　you　here。　I　know　what　you　were　thinking。　You　thought　that　I　should　need　sympathy。　You　wanted　to　pet　me；　to　smooth　my　wounded　feelings；　to　hold　me　in　your　arms；　and　tell　me　that；　as　we　loved　each　other；　what　did　anything　else　matter？〃
　〃I　didn't。〃
　〃You　didn't？〃
　〃No；　I　didn't。〃
　〃Oh；　you　didn't！　I　thought　you　did！〃　He　looked　at　her　wistfully。
　〃I　thought；〃　he　said；　〃that　possibly　you　might　have　wished　to　fort　me。　I　have　been　through　a　great　strain。　I　have　had　a　shock。。。。〃
　〃And　what　about　me？〃　she　demanded　passionately。　〃Haven't　I　had　a　shock？〃
　He　melted　at　once。
　〃Have　you　had　a　shock；　too？　Poor　little　thing！　Sit　down　and　tell　me　all　about　it。〃
　She　looked　away　from　him；　her　face　working。
　〃Can't　you　understand　what　a　shock　I　have　had？　I　thought　you　were　the　perfect　knight。〃
　〃Yes；　isn't　it？〃
　〃Isn't　what？〃
　〃I　thought　you　said　it　was　a　perfect　night。〃
　〃I　said　I　thought　　you　　were　a　perfect　knight。〃
　〃Oh；　ah！〃
　A　sailor　crossed　the　deck；　a　dim　figure　in　the　shadows；　went　over　to　a　sort　of　raised　summerhouse　with　a　brass　thingummy　in　it；　fooled　about　for　a　moment；　and　went　away　again。　Sailors　earn　their　money　easily。
　〃Yes？〃　said　Sam　when　he　had　gone。
　〃I　forget　what　I　was　saying。〃
　〃Something　about　my　being　the　perfect　knight。〃
　〃Yes。　I　thought　you　were。〃
　〃That's　good。〃
　〃But　you're　not！〃
　〃No？〃
　〃No！〃
　〃Oh！〃
　Silence　fell。　Sam　was　feeling　hurt　and　bewildered。　He　could　not　understand　her　mood。　He　had　e　up　expecting　to　be　soothed　and　forted　and　she　was　like　a　petulant　iceberg。　Cynically；　he　recalled　some　lines　of　poetry　which　he；　had　had　to　write　out　a　hundred　times　on　one　occasion　at　school　as　a　punishment　for　having　introduced　a　white　mouse　into　chapel。
　　　　〃Oh；　woman　in　our　hours　of　ease；　　　　　Un…something；　something；　something；　please。　　　　　When　tiddly…umpty　umpty　brow；　　　　　A　something；　something；　something；　thou！〃
　He　had　forgotten　the　exact　words；　but　the　gist　of　it　had　been　that　woman；　however　she　might　treat　a　man　in　times　of　prosperity；　could　be　relied　on　to　rally　round　and　do　the　right　thing　when　he　was　in　trouble。　How　little　the　poet　had　known　women。
　〃Why　not？〃　he　said　huffily。。
　She　gave　a　little　sob。
　〃I　put　you　on　a　pedestal　and　I　find　you　have　feet　of　clay。　You　have　blurred　the　image　which　I　formed　of　you。　I　can　never　think　of　you　again　without　picturing　you　as　you　stood　in　that　saloon；　stammering　and　helpless。。。。〃
　〃Well；　what　can　you　do　when　your　pianist　runs　out　on　you？〃
　〃You　could　have　done　　something　。　I　can't　forgive　a　man　for　looking　ridiculous。　Oh；　what；　what；〃　she　cried；　〃induced　you　to　try　to　give　an　imitation　of　Bert　Williams？〃
　Sam　started；　stung　to　the　quick。
　〃It　wasn't　Bert　Williams。　It　was　Frank　Tinney！〃
　〃Well；　how　was　I　to　know？〃
　〃I　did　my　best；〃　said　Sam　sullenly。
　〃That　is　the　awful　thought。〃
　〃I　did　it　for　your　sake。〃
　〃I　know。　It　gives　me　a　horrible　sense　of　guilt。〃　She；　shuddered　again。　Then　suddenly；　with　the　nervous　quickness　of　a　woman　unstrung；　thrust　a　small　black　golliwog　into　his　hand。
　〃Take　it！〃
　〃What's　this？〃
　〃You　bought　it　for　me　yesterday　at　the　barber's　shop。　It　is　the　only　present　that　you　have　given　me。　Take　it　back。〃
　〃I　don't　want　it。　I　shouldn't　know　what　to　do　with　it。〃
　〃You　must　take　it；〃　she　said　in　a　low　voice。　〃It　is　a　symbol。〃
　〃A　what？〃
　〃A　symbol　of　our　broken　love。〃
　〃I　don't　see　how　you　make　that　out。　It's　a　golliwog。〃
　〃I　can　never　marry　you　now。〃
　〃What！　Good　heavens！　Don't　be　absurd；〃
　〃I　can't。〃
　〃Oh；　go　on；　have　a　dash　at　it；〃　he　said　encouragingly；　though　his　heart　was　sinking。
　She　shook　her　head。
　〃No；　I　couldn't。〃
　〃Oh；　hang　it　all！〃
　〃I　couldn't。　I'm　a　strange　girl。。。。〃
　〃You're　a　darned　silly　girl。。。。〃
　〃I　don't　see　what　right　you　have　to　say　that；〃　she　flared。
　〃I　don't　see　what　right　you　have　to　say　you　can't　marry　me　and　try　to　load　me　up　with　golliwogs；〃　he　retorted　with　equal　heat。
　〃Oh；　can't　you　unders