the drums of jeopardy-第42节

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〃I　shan't　argue；〃　replied　Hawksley；　meekly。　　〃I　am　really　a　prisoner；
then？〃

〃For　your　own　good；　sir。　　Do　you　wish　to　go　down；　Miss　Conover？〃

〃No。〃

The　boy　swung　the　lever；　and　the　car　dropped　from　sight。

〃I'm　sorry；〃　said　Kitty。

Hawksley　smiled　and　laid　a　finger　on　his　lips。　　〃I　wanted　to　know；〃
he　whispered。　　〃There's　another　way　down　from　this　Matterhorn。　　Come
with　me。　　Off　the　living　room　is　a　storeroom。　　I　found　the　key　in
the　lock　the　other　day　and　investigated。　　I　still　have　the　key。　　Now；
then；　there's　a　door　that　gives　to　the　main　loft。　　At　the　other　end
is　the　stairhead。　　There　is　a　door　at　the　foot　of　the　first　flight
down。　　We　can　jolly　well　leave　this　way；　but　we　shall　have　to　return
by　the　lift。　　That　bally　young　ruffian　can't　refuse　to　carry　us　up；
y'　know！〃

Kitty　laughed。　　〃This　is　going　to　be　fun！〃

〃Rather！〃

They　groped　their　way　through　the　dim　loft　…　for　it　was　growing　dark
outside　…　and　made　the　stairhead。　　The　door　to　the　seventeenth　floor
opened；　and　they　stepped　forth　into　the　lighted　hallway。

〃Now　what？〃　asked　Kitty；　bubbling。

〃The　floor　below；　and　one　of　the　other　lifts；　what？〃　　Twenty　minutes
later　the　two　of　them；　arm　in　arm；　turned　into　Broadway。

〃This；　sir；〃　began　Kitty　with　a　gesture；　〃is　Broadway　…　America's
backyard　in　the　daytime　and　Ali　Baba's　cave　at　night。　　The　way　of
the　gilded　youth；　the　funnel　for　papa's　money；　the　chorus　lady；　the
starting　point　of　the　high　cost　of　living。　　We　New　Yorkers　despise
it　because　we　can't　afford　it。〃

〃The　lights！〃　gasped　Hawksley。

〃Wreckers'　lights。　　Behold！　　Yonder　is　a　highly　nutritious　whisky
blinking　its　bloomin'　farewell。　　Do　you　chew　gum？　　Even　if　you
don't；　in　a　few　minutes　I'll　give　you　a　cud　for　thought。　　Chewing
gum　was　invented　by　a　man　with　a　talkative　wife。　　He　missed　the
physiological　point；　however；　that　a　body　can　chew　and　talk　at　the
same　time。　　Come　on！〃

They　went　on　uptown；　Hawksley　highly　amused；　exhilarated；　but
frequently　puzzled。　　The　pungent　irony　of　her　observations　conveyed
to　him　that　under　this　gayety　was　a　current　of　extreme　bitterness。
〃I　say；　are　all　American　girls　like　you？〃

〃Heavens；　no！　　Why？〃

〃Because　I　never　met　one　like　you　before。　　Rather　stilted　…　on　their
good　behaviour；　I　fancy。〃

〃And　I　interest　you　because　I'm　not　on　my　good　behaviour？〃　Kitty
whipped　back。

〃Because　you　are　as　God　made　you　…　without　camouflage。〃

〃The　poor　innocent　young　man！　　I'm　nothing　but　camouflage　to…night。
Why　are　you　risking　your　life　in　the　street？　　Why　am　I　sharing
that　risk？　　Because　we　both　feel　bound　and　are　blindly　trying
to　break　through。　　What　do　you　know　about　me？　　Nothing。　　What　do
I　know　about　you？　　Nothing。　　But　what　do　we　care？　　Come　on；　come　on！〃

Tumpitum　…　tump！　　tumpitum　…　tump！　　drummed　the　Elevated。　　Kitty
laughed。　　The　tocsin！　　Always　something　happened　when　she　heard　it。

〃Pearls！〃　she　cried；　dragging　him　toward　a　jeweller's　window。

〃No！〃　he　said；　holding　back。　　〃I　hate　…　jewels！　　How　I　hate　them！〃
He　broke　away　from　her　and　hurried　on。

She　had　to　run　after　him。　　Had　she　hesitated　they　might　have　become
separated。　　Hated　jewels？　　No；　no！　　There　should　be　no　questions；
verbal　or　mental；　this　night。　　She　presently　forced　him　to　slow　down。
〃Not　so　fast！　　We　must　never　become　separated；〃　she　warned。　　〃Our
safety　…　such　as　it　is　…　lies　in　being　together。〃

〃I'm　an　ass。　　Perhaps　my　head　is　ratty　without　my　realizing　it。　　I
fancy　I'm　like　a　dog　that's　been　kicked；　I'm　trying　to　run　away
from　the　pain。　　What's　this　tomb？〃

〃The　Metropolitan　Opera　House。〃

As　they　were　passing　a　thin；　wailing　sound　came　to　the　ears　of　both。
Seated　with　his　back　to　the　wall　was　a　blind　fiddler　with　a　tin　cup
strapped　to　a　knee。　　He　was　out　of　bounds；　he　had　no　right　on
Broadway；　but　he　possessed　a　singular　advantage　over　the　law。　　He
could　not　be　forced　to　move　on　without　his　guide　…　if　he　were
honestly　blind。　　Hundreds　of　people　were　passing；　but　the　fiddler's
〃Last　Rose　of　Summer〃　wasn't　worth　a　cent。　　His　cup　was　empty。

〃The　poor　thing！〃　said　Kitty。

〃Wait！〃　Hawksley　approached　the　fiddler；　exchanged　a　few　words　with
him；　and　the　blind　man　surrendered　his　fiddle。

〃Give　me　your　hat！〃　cried　Kitty；　delighted。

Carefully　Hawksley　pried　loose　his　derby　and　handed　it　to　Kitty。
No　stab　of　pain；　something　to　find　that　out。　　He　turned　the
instrument；　tucked　it　under　his　chin　and　began　〃Traumerei。〃　　Kitty；
smiling；　extended　the　hat。　　Just　the　sort　of　interlude　to　make　the
adventure　memorable。　　She　knew　this　thoroughfare。　　Shortly　there
would　be　a　crowd；　and　the　fiddler's　cup　would　overflow　…　that　is；
if　the　police　did　not　interfere　too　soon。

As　for　the　owner　of　the　wretched　fiddle；　he　raised　his　head；　his
mouth　opened。　　Up　there；　somewhere；　a　door　to　heaven　had　opened。

True　to　her　expectations　a　crowd　slowly　gathered。　　The　beauty　of
the　girl　and　the　dark；　handsome　face　of　the　musician；　his　picturesque
bare　head；　were　sufficient　for　these　cynical　passers…by。　　They
understood。　　Operatic　celebrities；　having　a　little　fun　on　their　own。
So　quarters　and　dimes　and　nickels　began　to　patter　into　Cutty's
ancient　derby　hat。　　Broadway　will　always　contribute　generously　toward
a　novelty　of　this　order。　　Famous　names　were　tossed　about　in
undertones。

Entered　then　the　enemy　of　the　proletariat。　　Kitty；　being　a　New
Yorker　born；　had　had　her　weather　eye　roving。　　The　brass…buttoned
minion　of　the　law　was　always　around　when　a　bit　of　innocent　fun　was
going　on。　　As　the　policeman　reached　the　inner　rim　of　the　audience
the　last　notes　of　Handel's　〃Largo〃　were　fading　on　the　ear。

〃What's　this？〃　demanded　the　policeman。　　

〃It's　all　over；　sir；〃　answered　Kitty；　smiling。

〃Can't　have　this　on　Broadway；　miss。　　Obstruction。〃　　He　could　not
speak　gruffly　in　the　face　of　such　beauty　…　especially　with　a
Broadway　crowd　at　his　back。

〃It's　all　over。　　Just　let　me　put　this　money　in　the　blind　man's　cup。〃
Kitty　poured　her　coins　into　the　receptacle。　　At　the　same　time
Hawksley　laid　the　fiddle　in　the　blind　man's　lap。　　Then　he　turned　to
Kitty　and　boomed　a　long　Russian　phrase　at　her。　　Her　quick　wit　caught
the　intent。　　〃You　see；　he　doesn't　understand　that　this　cannot　be
done　in　New　York。　　I　couldn't　explain。〃

〃All　right；　miss；　but　don't　do　it　again。〃　　The　policeman　grinned。

〃And　please　don't　be　harsh　with　the　blind　man。　　Just　tell　him　he
mustn't　play　on　Broadway　again。　　Thank　you！'

She　linked　her　arm　in　Hawksley's；　and　they　went　on；　and　the　crowd
dissolved；　only　the　policeman　and　the　blind　man　remained；　the　one
contemplating　his　duty　and　the　other　his　vision　of　heaven。

〃What　a　lark！〃　exclaimed　Hawksley。

〃Were　you　asking　me　for　your　hat？〃

〃I　was　telling　the　bobby　to　go　to　the　devil！〃

They　laughed　like　children。

〃March　hares！〃　he　said。

〃No。　　April　fools！　　Good　heavens；　the　time！　　Twenty　minutes　to
seven。　　Our　dinner！〃

〃We'll　take　a　taxi。。。。　　Dash　it！〃

〃What's　wrong？〃

〃Not　a　bally　copper　in　my　pockets！〃

〃And　I　left　my　handbag　on　the　sideboard！　　We'll　have　to　walk。　　If
we　hurry　we　can　just　about　make　it。〃

Meantime；　there　lay　in　wait　for　them　…　this　pair　of　April　fools　…　a
taxicab。　　It　stood　snugly　against　the　curb　opposite　the　entrance　to
Cutty's　apartment。　　The　door　was　slightly　ajar。

The　driver　watched　the　south　corner；　the　three　men　inside　never　took
their　gaze　off　the　north　corner。

〃But；　I　say；　hasn't　this　been　a　jolly　lark？〃

〃If　we　had　known　we　could　have　borrowed　a　dollar　from　the　blind　man；
he'd　never　have　missed　it。〃



CHAPTER　XXVII


Champagne　in　the　glass　is　a　beautiful　thing　to　see。　　So　is　water；
the　morning　after。　　That　is　the　fault　with　frolic；　there　is　always
an　inescapable　rebound。　　The　most　violent　love　drops　into　humdrum
tolerance。　　A　pessimist　is　only　a　poor　devil　who　has　anticipated　the
inevitable；　he　has　his　headache　at　the　start。　　Mental　champagnes　have
their　aftermaths　even　as　the　juice　of　the　grape。

Hawksley　and　Kitty；　hurrying　back；　began　to　taste　lees。　　They　began
to　see　things；　too　…　menace　in　every　loiterer；　threat　in　every　alley。
They　had　had　a　glorious　lark；　somewhere　beyond　would　be　the　piper
with　an　appalling　bill。　　They　exaggerated　the　dangers；　multiplied
them；　perhaps　wisely。　　There　would　be　no　let…down　in　their　vigilance
until　they　reached　haven。　　But　this　state　of　mind　they　covered　with
smiling　masks；　banter；　bursts　of　laughter；　and　flashes　of　wit。

They　were　both　genuinely　frightened；　but　with　unselfish　fear。　　Kitty's
fear　was　not　for　herself　but　for　Johnny　Two…Hawks。　　If　anything
happened　the　blame　would　rightly　be　hers。　　With　that　head　he　wasn't
strictly　accountable　for　what　he　did；　she　was。　　A　firm　negative　on　her
part　and　he　would　never　have　left　the　apartment。　　And　his　fear　was
wholly　for　this　astonishing　girl。　　He　had　recklessly　thrust　her　into
grave　danger。　　Who　knew；　better　than　he；　the　implacable　hate　of　the
men　who　sought　to　kill　him？

Moreover；　his　strength　was　leaving　him。　　There　was　an　alarming
weakness　in　his　legs；　purely　physical。　　He　had　overdone；　and　if　need
rose　he　would　not　be　able　to　protect　her。　　Damnable　fool！　　But　she
had　known。　　That　was　the　odd　phase　of　it。　　She　hadn't　come　blindly。
What　mood　had　urged　her