the drums of jeopardy-第30节

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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


inside　out　it　would　fool　any　man。　　She　wore　spats。　　These　she　would
leave　behind　when　she　made　the　change。

Someone　might　follow　her　as　far　as　the　Knickerbocker；　but　beyond
there；　never。　　She　was　sorry；　but　she　dared　not　warn　Bernini。　　He
might　object；　notify　Cutty；　and　spoil　everything。

By　the　time　she　reached　the　street　exhilaration　suffused　her。　　The
melancholia　was　gone。　　The　sinister　and　cynical　idea　had　vanished
apparently。　　Apparently。　　Merely　it　had　found　a　hiding　place　and
was　content　to　abide　there　for　the　present。　　Such　ideas　are　not
without　avenues　of　retreat；　they　know　the　hours　of　attack。　　Kitty
was　alive　to　but　one　fact：　The　game　of　hide　and　seek　was　on　again。
She　was　going　to　have　some　excitement。　　She　was　going　into　the
night　on　an　adventure；　as　children　play　at　bears　in　the　dark。　　The
youth　in　her　still　rejected　the　fact　that　the　woof　and　warp　of　this
adventure　were　murder　and　loot　and　pain。

En　route　to　the　Subway　she　never　looked　back。　　At　Forty…second　Street
she　detrained；　walked　into　the　Knickerbocker；　entered　the　ladies
dressing　room；　turned　her　coat；　redraped　her　hat；　checked　her
gaiters；　and　sought　a　taxi。　　Within　two　blocks　of　Cutty's　she
dismissed　the　cab　and　finished　the　journey　on　foot。

At　the　left　of　the　lobby　was　an　all…night　apothecary's；　with　a　door
going　into　the　lobby。　　Kitty　proceeded　to　the　elevator　through　this
avenue。　　Number　Four　was　down；　and　she　stepped　inside；　raising　her
veil。

〃You；　miss？〃

〃Very　important。　　Take　me　up。〃

〃The　boss　is　out。〃

〃No　matter。　　Take　me　up。

〃You're　the　doctor！〃　　What　a　pretty　girl　she　was。　　No　come…on　in　her
eyes；　though。　　〃The　boss　may　not　get　back　until　morning。　　He　just
went　out　in　his　engineer's　togs。　　He　sure　wasn't　expecting　you。

〃Do　you　know　where　he　went？〃

〃Never　know。　　But　I'll　be　in　this　bird　cage　until　he　comes　back。〃

〃I　shall　have　to　wait　for　him。〃

〃Up　she　goes！〃

As　Kitty　stepped　out　into　the　corridor　a　wave　of　confusion　assailed
her。　　She　hadn't　planned　against　Cutty's　absence。　　There　was　nothing
she　could　say　to　the　nurse；　and　if　Johnny　Two…Hawks　was　asleep
　…　why；　all　she　could　do　would　be　to　curl　up　on　a　divan　and　await
Cutty's　return。

The　nurse　appeared。　　〃You；　Miss　Conover？〃

〃Yes。〃　Kitty　realized　at　once　that　she　must　take　the　nurse　into　her
confidence。　　〃I　have　made　a　really　important　discovery。　　Did　Cutty
say　when　he　would　return？〃

〃No。　　I　am　not　in　his　confidence　to　that　extent。　　But　I　do　know　that
you　assumed　unnecessary　risks　in　coming　here。〃

Kitty　shrugged　and　produced　the　wallet。　　〃Is　Mr。　Hawksley　awake？〃

〃He　is。〃

〃It　appears　that　he　left　this　wallet　in　my　kitchen　that　night。　　It
might　buck　him　up　if　I　gave　it　to　him。〃

The　nurse；　eyeing　the　lovely　animated　face；　conceded　that　it　might。
〃Come；　I've　been　trying　futilely　to　read　him　asleep；　but　he　is
restless。　　No　excitement；　please。〃

〃I'll　try　not　to。　　Perhaps；　after　all；　you　had　better　give　him　the
wallet。〃

〃On　the　contrary；　that　would　start　a　series　of　questions　I　could
not　answer。　　Come　along。〃

When　Kitty　saw　Hawksley　she　gave　a　little　gasp　of　astonishment。　　Why；
he　was　positively　handsome！　　His　dark　head；　standing　out　boldly
against　the　bolstering　pillows；　the　fine　lines　of　his　face　definite；
the　pallor　…　he　was　like　a　Roman　cameo。　　Who　and　what　could　he　be；
this　picturesque　foundling？

His　glance　flashed　into　hers　delightedly。　　For　hours　and　hours　the
constant　wonder　where　she　was；　why　no　one　mentioned　her；　why　they
evaded　his　apparently　casual　questions。　　To　burst　upon　his　vision
in　the　nadir　of　his　boredom　and　loneliness　like　this！　　She　was
glorious；　this　American　girl。　　She　made　him　think　of　a　golden
scabbard　housing　a　fine　Toledo　blade。　　Hadn't　she　saved　his　life？
More；　hadn't　she　assumed　a　responsibility　in　so　doing？　　Instantly
he　purposed　that　she　should　not　be　permitted　to　resign　the　office
of　good　Samaritan。　　He　motioned　toward　the　nurse's　chair；　and　Kitty
sat　down；　her　errand　in　total　eclipse。

〃Just　when　I　never　felt　so　lonely！　　Ripping！〃

His　quick　smile　was　so　engaging　that　Kitty　answered　it　…　kindred
spirits；　subconsciously　recognizing　each　other。　　Fire；　but　neither
of　them　knew　that；　or　that　two　lonely　human　beings　of　opposite　sex；
in　touch；　constitute　a　first…rate　combustible。

Quietly　the　nurse　withdrew。　　There　would　be　a　tonic　in　this　meeting
for　the　patient。　　Her　own　presence　might　neutralize　the　effect。　　She
had　not　spent　all　those　dreadful　months　in　base　hospitals　without
acquiring　a　keen　insight　into　the　needs　of　sick　men。　　No　harm　in
letting　him　have　this　pretty；　self…reliant　girl　alone　to　himself　for
a　quarter　of　an　hour。　　She　would　then　return　with　some　broth。

〃How　…　how　are　you？〃　asked　Kitty；　inanely。

〃Top…hole；　considering。　　Quite　ready　to　be　killed　all　over　again。〃

〃You　mustn't　talk　like　that！〃　she　protested。


〃Only　to　show　you　I　was　bucking　up。　　Thank　you　for　doing　what　you
did。〃

〃I　had　to　do　it。〃

〃Most　women　would　have　run　away　and　left　me　to　my　fate。〃

〃Not　my　kind。〃

〃Rather　not！　　Your　kind　would　risk　its　neck　to　help　a　stray　cat。
I　say；　what's　that　you　have　in　your　hand？〃

〃Good　gracious！〃　Kitty　extended　the　wallet。　　〃It　is　yours；　isn't　it？〃

〃Yes。　　I　wanted　you　to　bring　it　to　me　the　way　you　have。　　If　I　hadn't
come　back　…　out　of　that　…　it　was　to　be　yours。〃

〃Mine？〃　…　dumfounded。　　〃But　…　　…　〃

〃Why　not？　　Gregor　gone；　there　wasn't　a　soul　in　the　world。　　I　was
hungry；　and　you　gave　me　food。　　I　wanted　that　to　pay　you。　　I'll　wager
you've　never　looked　into　it。〃

〃I　had　no　right　to。〃

〃See！〃　　He　opened　the　wallet　and　spread　the　contents　on　the
counterpane。　　〃I　wasn't　so　stony　as　you　thought。　　What？　　Cash　and
unregistered　bonds。　　They　would　have　been　yours　absolutely。〃

〃But　I　don't　…　I　can't　quite；〃　Kitty　stammered　…　　〃but　I　couldn't
have　kept　them！〃

〃Positively　yes。　　You　would　have　shown　them　to　that　ripping　guardian
of　yours；　and　he　would　have　made　you　see。〃

〃Indeed；　yes！　　He　would　have　been　scared　to　death。　　You　poor　man；
can't　you　see？　　Circumstantial　evidence　that　I　had　killed　you！〃

〃Good　Lord！　　And　you're　right；　too！　　So　it　goes。　　You　can't　do
anything　you　want　to　do。　　The　good　Samaritan　is　never　requited；　and
I　wanted　to　break　the　rule。　　Lord；　what　a　bally　mix…up　I'd　have
tumbled　you　in！　　I　forgot　that　you　were　you；　that　you　would　have
gone　straight　to　the　authorities。　　Of　course　I　knew　if　I　pulled
through　and　you　found　the　wallet　you　would　bring　it　to　me。〃

Kitty　no　longer　had　a　foot　on　earth。　　She　floated。　　Her　brain
floated；　too；　because　she　could　not　make　it　think　coherently　for
her。　　A　fortune　…　for　a　dish　of　bacon　and　eggs！　　The　magnificence；
the　utter　prodigality　of　such　generosity！　　For　a　dish　of　bacon　and
eggs　and　a　bottle　of　milk！　　Had　she　left　home？　　Hadn't　she　fallen
asleep；　the　victim　of　another　nightmare？　　A　corner　of　the　atmosphere
cleared　a　little。　　A　desire　took　form；　she　wanted　the　nurse　to
come　back　and　stabilize　things。　　In　a　wavering　blur　she　saw　the
odd　young　man　restore　the　money　and　bonds　and　other　documents　to
the　wallet。

〃I　want　you　to　give　this　to　your　guardian　when　he　comes　in。　　I　want
him　to　understand。　　I　say；　you　know；　I'm　going　to　love　that　old
thoroughbred！　　He's　fine。　　Fancy　his　carrying　me　on　his　shoulders
and　eventually　bringing　me　up　here　among　the　clouds！　　Americans。。。。
Are　you　all　like　that？　　And　you！〃

Kitty's　brain　began　to　make　preparations　to　alight；　as　it　were。
Cutty。　　That　gave　her　a　touch　of　earth。　　She　heard　herself　say
faintly：　〃And　what　about　me？〃

〃You　were　brave　and　kind。　　To　help　an　unknown；　friendless　beggar
like　that；　when　you　should　have　turned　him　over　to　the　police！
Makes　me　feel　a　bit　stuffy。　　They　left　me　for　dead。　　I　wonder　…　〃

〃What？〃

〃If　…　it　wouldn't　have　been　just　as　well！〃

〃You　mustn't　talk　like　that！　　You　just　mustn't！　　You're　with　friends；
real　friends；　who　want　to　help　you　all　they　can。〃　　And　then　with　a
little　flash　of　forced　humour；　because　of　the　recurrent　tightening
in　her　throat　…　　〃Who　could　be　friendless；　with　all　that　money？〃
Instantly　she　felt　like　biting　her　tongue。　　He　would　know　nothing
of　the　sad　American　habit　of　trying　to　be　funny　to　keep　a　wobbly
situation　on　its　legs。　　He　would　interpret　it　as　heartlessness。　　〃I
didn't　mean　that！〃　　With　the　Irish　impulsiveness　which　generally
weighs　acts　in　retrospection；　she　reached　over　and　gripped　his
hand。

〃I　say；　you　two！〃　　Hawksley　closed　his　eyes　for　a　second。　　〃Wanting
to　buck　up　a　chap　because　you　re　that　sort！　　All　right。　　I'll　stick
it　out！　　You　two！　　And　I　might　be　the　worst　scoundrel　unhung！〃

He　drew　her　hand　toward　his　lips；　and　Kitty　had　not　the　power　to
resist　him。　　She　felt　strangely　theatrical；　a　character　in　a　play；
for　American　men；　except　in　playful　burlesque；　never　kissed　their
women's　hands。　　The　moment　he　released　the　hand　the　old　wave　of
hysteria　rolled　over　her。　　She　must　fly。　　The　desire　to　weep；
little　fool　that　she　was！　　was　breaking　through　her　defences。
Loneliness。　　The　two　of　them　all　alone　but　for　Cutty。　　She　rose；
crushing　the　wallet　in　her　hand。

Ah；　never　had　she　needed　that　darling　mother　of　hers　so　much　as
now。　　Tears　did　not　seem　to　afford　relief　when　one　shed