children of the whirlwind-第10节

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　a　package　of　macaroni；　and　to　be　counting　Hunt's　penniesremembering　those　days　when　he　had　been　a　personage　to　head　waiters；　and　had　had　his　table　reserved；　and　with　a　careless　Midas's　gesture　had　left　a　dollar；　or　five；　or　twenty；　for　the　waiter's　tip。

When　he　climbed　back　into　the　studio　he　watched　Hunt　slashing　about　with　his　paint。　Hunt　growled　and　roared　at　him；　and　kidded　him；　and　Larry　came　back　at　him　with　the　same　kind　of　verbal　horseplay；　after　the　fashion　of　men。　Presently　a　relaxation；　if　not　actual　friendship；　began　to　develop　in　their　attitude　toward　each　other。

〃Tell　you　what；〃　Larry　remarked；　standing　with　legs　wide　apart　gazing　at　the　picture　of　the　Italian　mother　throned　on　the　curb　nursing　her　child；　〃if　I　were　dolled　up　all　proper；　I　bet　I　could　take　some　of　this　stuff　out　and　sell　it　for　real　dough。〃

〃Huh；　nobody　wants　that　stuff！〃　snorted　Hunt。　〃It's　too　good。　Sell　it！　You're　off　your　bean；　young　fellow！〃

〃I　can　sell　anything；　my　bucko；〃　Larry　returned　evenly。　〃All　I　need　is　a　man　who　has　plenty　of　money　and　a　moderate　willingness　to　listen。　I've　sold　pictures　of　an　oil　derrick　on　a　stock　certificate；　exact　value　nothing　at　all；　for　a　masterpiece's　priceso　I　guess　I　could　sell　a　real　picture。〃

〃Aw；　you　shut　up！〃

〃The　real　trouble　with　you；〃　commented　Larry；　〃is　that；　though　you　can　paint；　as　a　business　man；　as　a　promoter　of　your　own　stock；　the　suckling　infant　in　that　picture　is　a　J。　Pierpont　Morgan　of　multiplied　capacity　compared　to〃

〃Stop　making　that　noise　like　a　damned　fool！〃

This　amiable　pastime　of　throwing　stones　at　each　other　was　just　then　interrupted　by　the　entrance　of　Maggie　for　an　appointed　sitting；　before　going　to　her　business　of　carrying　a　tray　of　cigarettes　about　the　Ritzmore。　She　gave　Hunt　a　pleasant　〃good…morning；〃　the　pleasantness　purposely　stressed　in　order　to　make　more　emphatic　her　curt　nod　to　Larry　and　the　cold　hostility　of　her　eye。　During　the　hour　she　posed；　Larry；　moving　leisurely　about　his　kitchen　duties；　addressed　her　several　times；　but　no　remark　got　a　word　from　her　in　response。　He　took　his　rebuffs　smilingly；　which　irritated　her　all　the　more。

〃Maggie；　I'll　get　my　real　clothes　late　this　afternoon；　how　about　my　dropping　in　at　the　Ritzmore　for　a　cup　of　tea；　and　letting　me　buy　some　cigarettes　and　talk　to　you　when　you're　not　busy？〃　he　inquired　when　Hunt　had　finished　with　her。

〃You　may　buy　cigarettes；　but　you'll　get　no　talk！〃　she　snapped；　and　head　high　and　dark　eyes　flashing　contempt；　she　swept　past　him。

Hunt　watched　her　out。　As　the　door　slammed　behind　her；　he　remarked　dryly；　his　eyes　searching　Larry　keenly：

〃Our　young　queen　doesn't　seem　wildly　enthusiastic　about　you　or　your　programme。〃

〃She　certainly　is　not。〃

〃Don't　let　that　worry　you；　young　fellow。　That's　a　common　trait　of　her　whole　tribe；　women　simply　cannot　believe　in　a　man！〃

There　was　an　emphasis　and　a　cynicism　in　this　last　remark　which　caused　Larry　to　regard　the　painter　searchingly。　〃You　seem　to　know　what　it　is。　Don't　mean　to　butt　in；　Hunt；　if　there　are　any　trespassing　signs　up　but　there's　a　woman　in　your　case？〃

〃Of　course　there　isthere's　always　a　woman；　that's　another　reason　I'm　here；〃　Hunt　answered。　〃She　didn't　believe　in　medidn't　believe　I　could　paintdidn't　believe　in　the　things　I　wanted　to　doso　I　just　picked　up　my　playthings　and　walked　out　of　her　existence。〃

〃Wife？〃　queried　Larry。

〃Thank　God；　no！〃　exclaimed　Hunt　emphatically。　〃No'I　thank　whatever　gods　there　be；　I　am　the　captain　of　my　soul！'　Oh；　she's　all　right　altogether　too　good　for　me；〃　he　added。　〃Here；　try　this　tobacco。〃

Larry　picked　up　the　pouch　flung　him　and　accepted　without　remark　this　being　abruptly　shunted　off　the　track。　But　he　surmised　that　this　woman　in　the　background　of　Hunt's　life　meant　a　great　deal　more　to　the　painter　than　Hunt　tried　to　indicate　by　his　attempt　to　dismiss　her　casuallyand　Larry　wondered　what　kind　of　woman　she　was；　and　what　the　story　had　been。

The　following　day；　clean…shaven　and　in　his　freshened　clothesthey　were　smart　and　well…tailored；　though　sober　indeed　compared　with　Barney's；　and　two　years　behind　the　style　of　which　Barney's　were　the　extreme　expressionLarry　passed　Maggie　on　the　stairway　with　a　smile；　who　gave　him　no　smile　in　return；　and　started　forth　upon　his　quest。　He　was　well…dressed；　he　had　money　in　his　pockets；　he　had　a　plan；　and　the　air　of　freedom　of　a　new　life　was　sweet　in　his　nostrils。　He　was　going　to　succeed！

It　was　easy　enough；　with　his　mind　alert　for　what　he　wanted；　and　with　the　Duchess's　liberal　allowance　to　pay　for　what　he　wanted；　for　Larry　to　find　in　this　city　of　ten　thousand　institutes　teaching　business　methods；　the　particular　article　which　suited　his　especial　needs。　He　found　this　article　in　an　institute　whose　black…faced　headline　in　its　advertisements　was；　〃We　Make　You　a　50；000　Executive〃；　and　the　article　which　he　found；　by　payment　of　a　special　fee；　was　an　old　man　who　had　been　the　manager　of　a　big　brokerage　concern　until　his　growing　addiction　to　drink　and　later　to　drugs　had　rendered　him　undependable。　But　old　Bronson　certainly　did　know　the　fundamentals　and　intricacies　of　the　kind　of　big　business　which　is　straight；　and　it　was　a　delight　to　him　to　pour　out　his　knowledge　to　a　keen　intelligence。

Larry；　in　his　own　words；　simply　〃mopped　it　up。〃　His　experience　had　been　so　wide　and　varied　that　he　now　had　only　to　be　shown　a　bone　of　fact　and　almost　instantly　he　visioned　in　their　completeness　unextinct　ichthyosauri　of　business。　By　day　he　fairly　consumed　old　Bronson；　he　read　dry　books　far　into　the　night。　Thus　he　rapidly　filled　the　holes　in　the　walls　of　his　knowledge；　and　strengthened　its　rather　sketchy　foundation。　Of　course　he　realized　that　what　he　was　learning　was　in　a　sense　academic；　it　had　to　be　tested　and　developed　and　made　flexible　by　experience；　but　then　much　of　it　became　instantly　a　living　enlargement　of　the　things　of　which　he　was　already　a　master。

Old　Bronson　was　delighted；　he　had　never　had　so　apt　a　pupil。　〃In　less　than　no　time　you'll　be　the　real　head　of　that　house　you're　with！〃　he　proudly　declared。　Larry　had　not　seen　it　as　needful　to　tell　the　truth　about　himself；　his　casual　story　was　that　he　was　there　putting　to　use　a　month's　holiday　granted　him　by　a　mythical　firm　in　Chicago。

The　Duchess's　statement　that　it　would　be　best　for　him　not　to　seek　work　at　once　was　founded　on　wisdom。　Larry　was　busy　and　interested；　but　he　did　not　yet　have　to　face　the　constant　suspicion　and　hostility　which　are　usually　the　disheartening　lot　of　the　ex…convict　who　asks　for　a　position。　In　this　period　his　confidence　and　his　purpose　expanded　with　new　vitality。

As　the　busy　days　passed　down　in　the　little　street；　the　bantering　fellowship　between　Larry　and　Hunt　took　deeper　root。　The　Duchess　did　not　again　show　any　of　the　emotion　which　had　gleamed　in　her　briefly　when　Larry　had　announced　his　new　plan；　but　bent　and　silent　went　like　an　oddly　revivified　mummy　about　her　affairs。　And　during　these　days　he　did　not　again　see　Barney　or　Old　Jimmie；　he　had　learned　that　on　the　day　following　his　conference　with　them　they　had　gone　to　Chicago　on　a　very　private　matter　of　business。

He　saw　Maggie　daily；　but　she　maintained　the　same　attitude　toward　him。　He　was　now　conscious　that　he　was　in　love。　He　saw　splendid　qualities　in　her；　most　of　them　latent。　Maggie　had　determination；　high　spirits；　cleverness；　courage；　and　capacity　for　sympathy　and　affection；　she　had　head；　heart；　and　beauty；　the　makings　of　an　unusual　woman；　if　only　she　could　be　swung　into　a　different　attitude　of　mind。　But　he　realized　that　there　was　small　chance　indeed　of　his　working　any　alteration　in　her；　much　less　winning　her　admitted　regard；　until　he　was　definitely　a　success；　until　he　had　definitely　proven　himself　right。　So　he　took　her　rebuffs　with　a　smile；　and　waited　his　time。

He　understood　her　point　of　view；　and　sympathized　with　her；　for　her　point　of　view　had　once　been　his　own。　With　a　growing　understanding　he　saw　her　as　the　natural　product　of　such　a　fathership　as　Old　Jimmie's；　and　of　the　cynical　environment　which　Old　Jimmie　had　given　her　in　which　crime　was　a　matter　of　course。　In　this　connection　one　matter　that　had　previously　interested　him　began　to　engage　his　speculation　more　and　more。　All　her　life；　until　recently；　Old　Jimmie　had　apparently　shown　little　more　concern　over　Maggie　than　one　shows　over　a　piece　of　baggage　which　is　stored　in　this　and　that　warehouseand　so　valueless　a　piece　of　baggage　in　Old　Jimmie's　case　that　it　had　always　been　stored　in　the　worst　warehouses。　What　was　behind　Old　Jimmie's　new　interest　in　his　daughter？

Old　Jimmie　had　in　late　months　awakened　to　the　value　to　him　of　Maggie　as　a　business　propositionthat　was　Larry's　answer　to　his　own　question。

As　for　Maggie；　during　these　days；　the　mere　fact　that　Larry　smiled　at　her　and　refused　to　get　angry　angered　her　all　the　more。　Her　anger　at　him；　the　manner　in　which　he　had　refused　her　offered　and　long…dreamed…　of　partnership；　would　not　permit　her　pride　and　self…confidence　to　consider　any　justification　for　him　to　enter　her　mind　and　argue　in　his　behalf。　The　great　dream　she　had　nourished　had　been　destroyed。　And；　moreover；　he　had　proclaimed　himself　a　fool。

Yes；　despite　him　and　all　he　could　do；　she　was　going　to　go　the　brilliant；　exciting　way　she　had　planned！

In　fairness　to　Maggie　it　must　be　remembered　that　de