the drums of jeopardy-第19节

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〃How　do　you　do　it？〃　she　asked　with　a　gesture。

〃Do　what？〃

〃Manage　a　place　like　this？　　In　a　busy　office　district。　　It's　the
most　wonderful　apartment　in　New　York。　　Riverside　has　nothing　like
it。　　It　must　cost。　like　sixty。〃

〃The　building　is　mine；　Kitty。　　That　makes　it　possible。　　An　uncle
who　knew　I　hated　money　and　the　responsibilities　that　go　with　it；　died
and　left　it　to　me。〃

〃Why；　Cutty；　you　must　be　rich！〃

〃I'm　sorry。　　What　can　I　do？　　I　can't　give　it　away。〃

〃But　you　don't　have　to　work！〃

〃Oh；　yes；　I　do。　　I'm　that　kind。　　I'd　die　of　a　broken　heart　if　I　had
to　sit　still。　　It's　the　game。〃

〃Did　mother　know？〃

〃Yes。〃

With　the　toe　of　a　snug　little　bronze　boot　Kitty　drew　an　outline　round
a　pattern　in　the　rug。

〃Love　is　a　funny　thing；〃　was　her　comment。

〃It　sure　is；　old…timer。　　But　what　put　the　thought　into　your　head？〃

〃I　was　thinking　how　very　much　mumsy　must　have　been　in　love　with
father。〃

〃But　she　never　knew　that　I　loved　her；　Kitty。〃

〃What's　that　got　to　do　with　it？　　If　she　had　wanted　money　you　wouldn't
have　had　the　least　chance　in　the　world。〃

〃Probably　not！　　But　what　would　you　have　done　in　your　mother's　place？〃

〃Snapped　you　up　like　that！〃　Kitty　flashed　back。

〃You　cheerful　little　…　little　…　〃

〃Liar。　　Say　it！〃　Kitty　laughed。　　〃But　am　I　a　cheerful　little　liar？
I　don't　know。　　It　would　be　an　awful　temptation。　　Somebody　to　wait
on　you；　heaps　of　flowers　when　you　wanted　them；　beautiful　gowns　and
thingummies　and　furs　and　limousines。　I've　often　wondered　what　I
should　do　if　I　found　myself　with　love　and　youth　on　one　side　and
money　and　　attraction　on　the　other。　　I've　always　been　in　straitened
circumstances。　　I　never　spent　a　dollar　in　all　my　days　when　I　didn't
think　I　ought　to　have　held　back　three　or　four　cents　of　it。　　You
can't　know；　Cutty；　　what　it　is　to　be　poor　and　want　beautiful　things
and　good　times。　　Of　course。　　I　couldn't　marry　just　money。　　There
would　have　to　be　some　kind　of　a　man　to　go　with　it。　　Someone
interesting　enough　to　make　me　forget　　sometimes　that　I'd　thrown　away
a　lover　for　a　pocket…book。〃　

〃Would　you　marry　me；　Kitty？〃

〃Are　you　serious？〃

〃Let's　suppose　I　am〃

〃No。　　I　couldn't　marry　you；　Cutty　I　should　always　be　having　my
mother's　ghost　as　a　rival。〃　

〃But　supposing　I　fell　in　love　with　you？〃　

〃Then　I'd　always　be　doubting　your　constancy。　　But　what　queer　talk！〃'

〃Kitty；　you're　a　joy；！　　Lordy；　my　luck　in　dropping　in　to　see　you
yesterday！〃

〃And　a　little　whippersnapper　like　me　calling　a　great　man　like　you
Cutty！〃

〃Well；　if　it　embarrasses　you；　you　might　switch　to　papa　once　in　a
while。〃

Kitty's　laughter　rang　down　the　corridor。　　〃I'll　remember　that
whenever　I　want　to　make　you　mad。　　Who's　here？〃

〃Nobody　but　Harrison　and　the　nurse。　　Both　good　citizens；　and　I've
taken　them　into　my　confidence　to　a　certain　extent。　　You　can　talk
freely　before　them。〃

〃Am　I　to　see　the　patient？〃

〃Harrison　says　not。　　About　Wednesday　your　Two…Hawks　will　be　sitting
up。　　I've　determined　to　keep　the　poor　devil　here　until　he　can　take
care　of　himself。　　But　he　is　flat　broke。〃

〃He　said　he　had　money。〃

〃Well；　Karlov's　men　stripped　him　clean。〃

〃Have　you　any　idea　who　he　is？〃

〃To　be　honest；　that's　one　of　the　reasons　why　I　want　to　keep　him　here。
He's　Russian；　for　all　his　Oxford　English　and　his　Italian　gestures；
and　from　his　babble　I　imagine　he's　been　through　seven　kinds　of　hell。
Torches　and　hobnailed　boots　and　the　incessant　call　for　a　woman　named
Olga　…　a　young　woman　about　eighteen。〃

〃How　did　you　find　that　out？〃

〃From　a　photograph　I　found　in　the　lining　of　his　coat。　　A　pretty
blonde　girl。〃

〃Good　heavens！〃　…　recollecting　her　dream。　　〃Where　was　it　printed？〃

〃Amateur　photography。　　I'll　pick　it　up　on　the　way　to　the　living
room。〃

It　was　nothing　like　the　blonde　girl　of　her　dream。　　Still；　the　girl
was　charming。　　Kitty　turned　over　the　photograph。　　There　was　writing
on　the　back。

〃Russian？　　What　does　it　say？〃

〃'To　Ivan　from　Olga　with　all　her　love。'〃

Cutty　was　conscious　of　the　presence　of　an　indefensible　malice　in
his　tones。　　Why　the　deuce　should　he　be　bitter　…　glad　that　the　chap
had　left　behind　a　sweetheart？　　He　knew　exactly　the　basis　of　Kitty's
interest；　as　utterly　detached　as　that　of　a　reporter　going　to　a　fire。
On　the　day　the　patient　could　explain　himself；　Kitty's　interest
would　automatically　cease。　　An　old　dog　in　the　manger？　　Malice。

〃Cutty；　something　dreadful　has　happened　to　this　poor　young　woman。
That's　what　makes　him　cry　out　the　name。　　Caught　in　that　horror；　and
probably　he　alone　escaped。　　Is　it　heartless　to　be　glad　I'm　an
American？　　Do　they　let　in　these　Russians？〃

〃Not　since　the　Trotzky　regime。　　I　imagine　Two…Hawks　slipped　through
on　some　British　passport。　　He'll　probably　tell　us　all　about　it　when
he　comes　round。　　But　how　do　you　feel　after　last　night's　bout？〃

〃Alive！　　And　I'm　going　on　being　alive；　forever　and　ever！　　Oh；　those
awful　drums！　　They　look　like　dead　eyes　in　those　dim　corners。
Tumpitum…tump！　　Tumpitum…tump！〃　she　cried；　linking　her　arm　in　his。
〃What　a　gorgeous　view！　　Just　what　I'm　going　to　do　when　my　ship　comes
in　…　live　in　a　loft。　　I　really　believe　I　could　write　up　here　…　I　mean
worth…while　things　I　could　enjoy　writing　and　sell。〃

〃It's　yours　if　you　want　it　when　I　leave。〃

〃And　I'd　have　a　fine　time　explaining　to　my　friends！　　You　old　innocent！
。。。　Or　are　you　so　innocent？〃

〃We　do　live　in　a　cramped　world。　　But　I　meant　it。　Don't　forget　to
whistle　down　to　Tony　Bernini　when　you　get　back　home　to…night。〃

〃I　promise。

〃Why　the　gurgle？〃

〃Because　I'm　tremendously　excited。　　All　my　life　I've　wanted　to　do
mysterious　things。　　I've　been　with　the　audience　all　the　while；　and　I
want　to　be　with　the　actors。〃

〃You'll　give　some　man　a　wild　dance。〃

〃If　I　do　I'll　dance　with　him。　　Now　lead　me　to　the　cookies。〃

She　was　the　life　of　the　tea　table。　　Her　wit；　her　effervescence；　her
whimsicalities　amused　even　the　prim　Miss　Frances。　　When　she　recounted
the　exploit　of　the　camouflaged　fan；　Cutty　and　Harrison　laughed　so
loudly　that　the　nurse　had　to　put　her　linger　on　her　lips。　　They　might
wake　the　patient。

〃I　am　really　interested　in　him；〃　went　on　Kitty。　　〃I　won't　deny　it。
I　want　to　see　how　it's　going　to　turn　out。　　He　was　very　nice　after　I
let　him　into　the　kitchen。　　A　perfectly　English　manner　and　voice；　and
Italian　gestures　when　off　his　guard。　　I　feel　so　sorry　for　him。　　What
strangers　we　races　are　to　each　other！　　Until　the　war　we　hardly　knew
the　Canadians。　　The　British　didn't　know　us　at　all；　and　the　French
became　acquainted　with　the　British　for　the　first　time　in　history。
And　the　German　thought　he　knew　us　all　and　really　knew　nobody。　　All
the　Russians　I　ever　saw　were　peasants　of　the　cattle　type；　so　that　the
word　Russian　conjures　up　two　pictures　…　the　grand　duke　at　Monte　Carlo
and　a　race　of　men　who　wear　long　beards　and　never　bathe　except　when　it
rains。　　Think　of　it！　　For　the　first　time　since　God　set　mankind　on
earth　peoples　are　becoming　acquainted。　　I　never　saw　a　Russian　of　this
type　before。〃。

〃A　leaf　in　the　whirlpool。　…　Anyhow；　we'll　keep　him　here　until　he's　on
his　feet。　　By　the　way；　never　answer　any　telephone　call　…　I　mean；　go
anywhere　on　a　call　…　unless　you　are　sure　of　the　speaker。〃

〃I　begin　to　feel　important。〃

〃You　are　important。　　You　have　suddenly　become　a　connecting　link
between　this　Karlov　and　the　man　we　wish　to　protect。　　I'll　confess　I
wanted　you　out　of　that　apartment　at　first；　but　when　I　saw　that　you
were　bent　on　remaining；　I　decided　to　make　use　of　you。〃

〃You　are　going　to　give　me　a　part　in　the　play？〃

〃Yes。　　You　are　to　go　about　your　affairs　as　always；　just　as　if　nothing
had　happened。　　Only　when　you　wish　to　come　here　will　you　play　any　game
like　that　of　to…day。　　Then　it　will　be　advisable。　　Switch　your　route
each　time。　　Your　real　part　is　to　be　that　of　lure。　　Through　you　we　shall
gradually　learn　who　Karlov's　associates　are。　　If　you　don't　care　to　play
the　role　all　you　have　to　do　is　to　move。〃

〃The　idea！　　I'm　grateful　for　anything。　　You　men　will　never　understand。
You　go　forth　into　the　world　each　day　…　politics；　diplomacy；　commerce；
war　…　while　we　women　stay　at　home　and　knit　or　darn　socks　or　take
care　of　the　baby　or　make　over　our　clothes　and　hats　or　do　household
work　or　play　the　piano　or　read。　　Never　any　adventure。　　Never　any
games。　　Never　any　clubs。　　The　leaving　your　house　to　go　to　the　office
is　an　adventure。　　A　train　from　here　to　Philadelphia　is　an　adventure。
We　women　are　always　craving　it。　　And　about　all　we　can　squeeze　out
of　life　is　shopping　and　hiding　the　bills　after　marriage；　and　going
to　the　movies　before　marriage　with　young　men　our　fathers　don't　like。
We　can't　even　stroll　the　street　and　admire　the　handsome　gowns　of　our
more　fortunate　sisters　the　way　you　men　do。　　When　you　see　a　pretty
woman　on　the　street　do　you　ever　stop　to　think　that　there　are　ten　at
home　eating　their　hearts　out？　　Of　course　you　don't。　　So　I'm　going
through　with　this；　to　satisfy　suppressed　instincts；　and　I　shan't
promise　to　trot　along　as　usual。〃

〃They　may　attempt　to　kidnap　you；　Kitty。〃

〃That　doesn't　frighten　me。〃

〃So　I　observe。　　But　if　they　ever　should　have　the　luck　to　kidnap　you；
tell　all　you　know　at　once。　　There's　only　one　way　up　here　…　the
elevator。　　I　can　get　out　to　t