children of the whirlwind-第17节

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Larry　found　an　electric　bell　button　dangling　over　the　top　of　his　bed　by　a　silken　cord。　He　pushed　the　button　and　waited。　Within　two　minutes　the　door　opened；　and　Judkins　entered；　laden　with　fresh　garments。

〃Good…morning；　sir；〃　said　Judkins。　〃Your　own　clothes；　and　some　shirts　and　other　things　I've　borrowed　from　Mr。　Dick。　How　will　you　have　your　bath；　sirhot　or　cold？〃

〃Cold；〃　said　the　bewildered　Larry。

Judkins　disappeared　into　the　great　white…tiled　bathroom；　there　was　the　rush　of　splashing　water　for　a　few　moments；　then　silence；　and　Judkins　reappeared。

〃Your　bath　is　ready；　sir。　I've　laid　out　some　of　Mr。　Dick's　razors。　How　soon　shall　I　bring　you　in　your　breakfast？〃

〃In　about　twenty　minutes；〃　said　Larry。

Exactly　twenty　minutes　later　Judkins　carried　in　a　tray；　and　set　it　on　a　table　beside　a　window　looking　down　into　Park　Avenue。　〃Miss　Sherwood　asked　me　to　tell　you　she　would　see　you　in　the　library　at　ten　o'clock；　sirwhere　she　saw　you　last　night；〃　said　Judkins；　and　noiselessly　was　gone。

Freshly　shaven；　tingling　from　his　bath；　with　a　sense　of　being　garbed　flawlessly；　though　in　garments　partly　alien；　Larry　addressed　himself　to　the　breakfast　of　grapefruit；　omelette；　toast　and　coffee；　served　on　Sevres　china　with　covers　of　old　silver。　In　his　more　prosperous　eras　Larry　had　enjoyed　the　best　private　service　that　the　best　hotels　in　New　York　had　to　sell；　but　their　best　had　been　coarse　and　slovenly　compared　to　this。　He　would　eat　for　a　minute　or　twothen　get　up　and　look　at　his　carefully　dressed　self　in　the　full…length　mirrorthen　gaze　from　his　high；　exclusive　window　down　into　Park　Avenue　with　its　stream　of　cars　comfortably　carrying　their　occupants　toward　ten　o'clock　jobs　in　Wall　or　Broad　Streetsand　then　he　would　return　to　his　breakfast。　This　was　amazingbewildering！

He　was　toward　the　end　of　his　omelette　when　a　knock　sounded　at　his　door。　Thinking　Judkins　had　returned；　he　called；　〃Come　in〃；　but　instead　of　Judkins　the　opening　door　admitted　the　belligerent　young　man　in　rumpled　evening　clothes　of　the　previous　night。　Now　he　wore　a　silk　dressing…gown　of　a　flamboyant　peacock　blue；　his　feet　showed　bare　in　toe　slippers；　his　wavy；　yellowish　hair　had　the　tousled　effect　of　a　very　recent　separation　from　a　pillow。　A　cigarette　depended　from　the　corner　of　his　mouth。

Larry　started　to　rise。　But　the　young　man　arrested　the　motion　with　a　gesture　of　mock　imperativeness。

〃Keep　your　seat；　fair　sir；　I　would　fain　have　speech　with　thee。〃　He　crossed　and　sat　on　a　corner　of　Larry's　table；　one　slippered　foot　dangling；　and　looked　Larry　over　with　an　appraising　eye。　〃Permit　me　to　remark；　sir；〃　he　continued　in　his　grand　manner；　〃that　you　look　as　though　you　might　be　some　one。〃

〃Is　that　what　you　wanted　to　tell　me；　Mr。　Sherwood？〃　queried　Larry。

The　other's　grand　manner　vanished　and　he　grinned。　〃Forget　the　'Mr。　Sherwood；'　or　you'll　make　me　feel　not　at　home　in　my　own　house；〃　he　begged　with　humorous　mournfulness。　〃Call　me　Dick。　Everybody　else　does。　That's　settled。　Now　to　the　reason　for　this　visitation　at　such　an　ungodly　hour。　Sis　has　just　been　in　picking　on　me。　Says　I　was　rude　to　you　last　night。　I　suppose　I　was。　I'd　had　several　from　my　private　stock　early　in　the　evening；　and　several　more　around　in　jovial　Manhattan　joints　where　prohibition　hasn't　checked　the　flow　of　happiness　if　you　know　the　countersign。　The　cumulative　effect　you　saw；　and　were　the　victim　of。　I　apologize；　sir。〃

〃That's　all　right；　Mr。〃

〃Dick　is　what　I　said；〃　interrupted　the　other。

〃Dick；　then。　It's　all　right。　I　understand。〃

〃Thanks。　I'll　call　you　Old　Captain　Nemo　for　short。　Sis　didn't　tell　me　your　name　or　anything　about　you；　and　she　said　I　wasn't　to　ask　you　questions。　But　whatever　Isabel　does　is　usually　one　hundred　percent　right。　She　said　I'd　probably　be　seeing　a　lot　of　you；　so　I'll　introduce　myself。　You'd　learn　all　about　me　from　some　one　else；　anyhow；　so　you　might　as　well　learn　about　me　from　me　and　get　an　impartial　and　unbiased　statement。　Clever　of　me；　ain't　it；　to　beat　'em　to　it？〃

Larry　found　himself　smiling　back　into　the　ingratiating；　irresponsible；　boyish　face。　〃I　suppose　so。〃

〃I'll　shoot　you　the　whole　works　at　once。　Name；　Richard　Livingston　Sherwood。　Years；　twenty…four；　but　alleged　not　yet　to　have　reached　the　age　of　discretion。　One　of　our　young　flying　heroes　who　helped　save　France　and　make　the　world　safe　for　something　or　other　by　flapping　his　wings　over　the　endless　alkali　of　Texas。　Occupation；　gentleman　farmer。〃

〃You　a　farmer！〃　exclaimed　Larry。

〃A　gentleman　farmer；〃　corrected　Dick。　〃The　difference　between　a　farmer　and　a　gentleman　farmer；　Captain　Nemo；　is　that　a　gentleman　farmer　makes　no　profit　on　his　crops。　Now　my　friends　say　I'm　losing　an　awful　lot　of　money　and　am　sowing　an　awfully　big　crop。　And　according　to　them；　instead　of　practicing　sensible　crop　rotation；　I'm　a　foolish　one…crop　farmerand　my　one　crop　is　wild　oats。〃

〃I　see；〃　said　Larry。

〃Of　course　I　do　do　a　little　something　else　on　the　side。　Avocation。　I'm　in　the　brokerage　business。　But　my　chief　business　is　looking　after　the　Sherwood　interests。　You　see；　my　motherfather　died　ten　years　before　she　didmy　mother；　being　dotty　about　the　innate　superiority　of　the　male；　left　me　in　control　of　practically　everything；　and　I　do　as　well　by　it　as　the　more　important　occupation　of　farming　will　permit。　Which　completes　the　racy　history　of　myself。〃

〃I'm　sorry　I　can't　reciprocate。〃

〃That's　all　right；　Captain　Nemo。　There's　plenty　of　timeand　it　doesn't　make　any　difference；　anyhow。〃　For　all　his　light　manner　and　careless　chatter；　Larry　had　a　sense　that　Dick　had　been　sizing　him　up　all　this　while；　that；　in　fact；　to　do　this　was　the　real　purpose　of　the　present　call。　Dick　slipped　to　his　feet。　〃If　you're　just　now　a　bit　shy　on　duds；　as　I　understand　you　are；　why；　we're　about　the　same　size。　Tell　Judkins　what　you　want；　and　make　him　give　you　plenty。　What　time　you　got？〃

〃Just　ten　o'clock。〃

〃By　hecktime　a　farmer　was　pulling　on　his　overalls　and　going　forth　to　his　dew…gemmed　toil！〃

〃And　time　for　me　to　be　seeing　your　sister；〃　said　Larry；　rising。

〃Come　on。　I'm　a　good　seneschal；　or　major　domo；　or　what　you　likeand　I'll　usher　you　into　her　highness's　presence。〃

A　moment　later　Larry　was　pushed　through　the　library　door　and　Dick　announced　in　solemn　tone：

〃SenoritaMademoiselleour　serene；　revered；　and　most　high　sister　Isabel；　permit　us　to　present　our　newest　and　most　charming　friend；　Captain　Nemo。〃

〃Dick；〃　exclaimed　Miss　Sherwood；　〃get　out　of　here　and　get　yourself　into　some　clothes！〃

〃Listen　to　that！〃　complained　Dick。　〃She　still　talks　to　me　as　though　I　were　her　small　brother。　Next　thing　she'll　be　ordering　me　to　wash　behind　my　ears！〃

〃Get　out；　and　shut　the　door　after　you！〃

The　reply　was　Dick's　stately　exit　and　the　sharp　closing　of　the　door。

〃Has　Dick　been　talking　to　you　about　himself？〃　asked　Miss　Sherwood。

〃Yes。〃

〃What　did　he　say？〃

Larry　gave　the　substance　of　the　autobiography　which　Dick　had　volunteered。

〃Part　of　that　is　more　than　the　truth；　part　less　than　the　truth；〃　Miss　Sherwood　remarked。　〃But　this　morning　we　were　to　have　a　real　talk　about　your　affairs；　and　let's　get　to　the　subject。〃

She　had　motioned　him　to　a　chair　beside　the　quaint　old　desk；　and　they　were　now　sitting　face　to　face。　Isabel　Sherwood　looked　as　much　the　finished　patrician　as　on　the　evening　before；　and　with　that　easy；　whimsical　humor　and　the　direct　manner　of　the　person　who　is　sure　of　herself；　and　in　the　sober；　disillusioning　daylight　she　had　no　less　of　beauty　than　had　seemed　hers　in　the　softer　lighting　of　their　first　meeting。　The　clear；　fresh　face　with　its　violet…blue　eyes　was　gazing　at　him　intently。　Larry　realized　that　she　was　looking　into　the　very　soul　of　him；　and　he　sat　silent　during　this　estimate　which　he　recognized　she　had　the　right　to　make。

〃Mr。　Hunt　has　written　me　the　main　facts　about　you；　certainly　the　worst；〃　she　said　finally。　〃You　need　tell　me　nothing　further；　if　you　prefer　not　to　do　so；　but　it　might　be　helpful　if　I　knew　more　of　the　details。〃

Larry　felt　that　there　was　no　information　he　was　not　willing　to　give　this　clear…eyed；　charming　woman；　and　so　he　told　her　all　that　had　happened　since　his　return　from　Sing　Sing；　including　his　falling　in　love　with　Maggie；　the　nature　of　their　conflict；　her　departure　into　the　ways　of　her　ambition。

〃You　are　certainly　facing　a　lot　of　difficult　propositions。〃　Miss　Sherwood　checked　them　off　on　her　fingers。　〃The　police　are　after　you　your　old　friends　are　after　youyou　do　not　dare　be　caught。　You　want　to　clear　yourselfyou　want　to　make　a　business　successyou　want　to　eradicate　Maggie's　present　ambitions　and　remove　her　from　her　present　influences。〃

〃That　is　the　correct　total；〃　said　Larry。

〃Certainly　a　large　total！　Of　them　all；　which　is　the　most　important　item？〃

Larry　considered。　〃Maggie；〃　he　confessed。　〃But　Maggie　really　includes　all　the　others。　To　have　any　influence　with　her；　I　must　get　out　of　the　power　of　the　police；　I　must　overcome　her　belief　that　I　am　a　stool　and　a　squealer；　and　I　must　prove　to　her　that　I　can　make　a　success　by　going　straight。〃

〃Just　so。　And　all　these　things　you　must　do　while　a　fugitive　in　hiding。〃

〃Exactly。　Or　else　not　do　them。〃

〃H'm！　。　。　。　The　most　pressing　thing；　I　judge；　is　to　have　a　safe　and　permanent　place　to　hide；　and　to　have　work　which　may　lead　to　an　opportunity　to　pro