children of the whirlwind-第5节

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Larry　opened　the　door　and　entered。　〃Hello；　Isaac。　Where's　grandmother？〃

It　is　not　a　desirable　trait　in　one　connected　with　a　pawnshop；　that　is　also　reputed　to　be　a　fence；　to　show　surprise　or　curiosity。　So　Isaac's　reply　was　confined　to　a　few　facts　and　brief　direction。

Wondering；　Larry　mounted　the　stairway　which　opened　from　the　confidential　business　room　behind　the　pawnshop。　It　was　common　enough　for　his　grandmother　to　rent　out　the　third　floor；　but　to　a　painter；　and　a　crazy　painterthat　seemed　strange。　And　yet　more　strange　was　it　for　her　to　be　having　dinner　with　the　painter。

Larry　knocked　at　the　door。　A　big　male　voice　within　gave　order：

〃Be　parlor…maid；　Maggie；　and　see　who's　there。〃

The　door　opened　and　Larry　half　entered。　Then　he　stopped；　and　in　surprise　gazed　at　the　flushed；　gleaming　Maggie；　slender　and　supple　in　the　folds　of　the　Spanish　shawl。

〃Why；　Maggie！〃　he　exclaimed；　holding　out　his　hand。

〃Larry！〃

She　was　thrillingly　confused　by　his　surprised　admiration。　For　a　moment　they　stood　gazing　at　each　other；　holding　hands。　The　clothes　given　him　on　leaving　prison　were　of　course　atrocious；　but　in　all　else　he　measured　up　to　her　dreams：　lithe；　well…built；　handsome；　a　laugh　ready　on　his　lips；　and　the　very　devil　of　daring　in　his　smiling；　gray…blue　eyes。

〃How　you　have　grown　up；　Maggie！〃　he　said；　still　amazed。

〃That's　all　I've　had　to　do　for　two　years；〃　she　returned。

〃Come　on　in；　Larry；〃　said　the　Duchess。

Larry　shut　the　door；　bowed　with　light　grace　as　he　had　to　pass　in　front　of　Maggie；　and　crossed　to　the　Duchess。

〃Hello；　grandmother；〃　he　said　as　though　he　had　last　seen　her　the　day　before。　He　held　out　his　hand；　the　left　one；　and　she　took　it　in　a　mummified　claw。　In　all　his　life　he　had　never　kissed　his　grandmother；　nor　did　he　remember　ever　having　been　kissed　by　her。

〃Glad　you're　back；　Larry。〃　She　dropped　his　hand。　〃The　man's　name　is　Hunt。〃

Larry　turned　to　the　painter。　His　laughing　eyes　could　be　sharp；　they　were　penetratingly　sharp　now。　And　so　were　Hunt's　eyes。

Larry　held　out　his　hand；　again　the　left。　〃And　so　you're　the　painter？〃

〃They　call　me　a　painter；〃　responded　Hunt；　〃but　none　of　them　believe　I'm　a　painter。〃

Larry　turned　again　to　Maggie。　〃And　so　you're　actually　Maggie！　Meaning　no　offense〃and　there　was　a　smiling　audacity　in　his　face　that　it　would　have　been　hard　to　have　taken　offense　at〃I　don't　see　how　Old　Jimmie　Carlisle's　daughter　got　such　looks　without　stealing　them。〃

〃Well；　then；〃　retorted　Maggie；　〃I　don't　see　how　you　got　your　looks　unless〃

She　broke　off　and　bit　her　tongue。　She　had　been　about　to　retort　with　the　contrast　between　Larry's　face　and　his　shriveled；　hook…nosed　grandmother's。　They　all　perceived　her　intention；　however。

Larry　came　instantly　to　her　rescue　with　almost　imperceptible　ease。

〃Dinner！〃　he　exclaimed；　gazing　at　the　miscellany　of　dishes　on　the　table。　〃Am　I　invited？〃

〃Invited？〃　said　Hunt。　〃You're　the　guest　of　honor。〃

〃Then　might　the　guest　of　honor　beg　the　privilege　of　cleaning　up　a　bit？〃　Larry　drew　his　right　hand　from　his　coat　pocket；　where　it　had　been　all　this　while；　and　started　to　unwind　the　handkerchief　which　he　had　wound　about　his　knuckles　as　he　had　crossed　from　the　pier。

〃Is　your　hand　hurt　much？〃　Maggie　inquired　eagerly。

〃Just　skinned　my　knuckles。〃

〃How？〃

〃They　happened　to　connect　with　a　flatfoot's　jaw　while　he　was　trying　to　make　hypnotic　passes　at　me。　He's　coming　to　about　now。　Officer　Gavegan。〃

〃Gavegan！〃　exclaimed　Hunt。　〃You　picked　a　tough　bird。　Young　man；　you're　off　to　a　grand　starta　charge　of　assault　on　an　officer　the　very　day　they　turn　you　out　of　jail。〃

Larry　smiled。　〃Gavegan　is　a　dirty　one；　but　he'll　make　no　charge　of　assault。　He　claims　to　be　heavy…weight　champion　boxer　of　the　Police　Department。　Put　a　fine　crimp　in　his　reputation；　wouldn't　it；　if　he　admitted　in　public　that　he'd　been　knocked　out　by　a　fellow；　bare…　handed；　supposed　to　be　weak　from　prison　life；　forty　pounds　lighter。　He'd　get　the　grand　razoo　all　along　the　line。　Oh；　Gavegan　will　never　let　out　a　peep。〃

〃He'll　square　things　in　some　other　way；〃　said　Hunt。

〃I　suppose　he'll　try；〃　Larry　responded　carelessly。　〃Where's　the　first…　aid　room？〃

Hunt　showed　him　through　the　curtains。　When　he　came　out；　Hunt；　Maggie；　and　the　Duchess　were　all　engaged　in　getting　the　dinner　upon　the　table。　Additional　help　would　only　be　interference；　so　Larry's　eyes　wandered　casually　to　the　canvases　standing　in　the　shadows　against　the　walls。

〃Mr。　Hunt；〃　he　remarked；　〃you　seem　to　have　earned　a　very　real　reputation　of　its　sort　in　the　neighborhood。　Old　Isaac　downstairs　told　me　you　were　crazysaid　they　called　you　'Nuts'said　you　were　the　worst　painter　that　ever　happened。〃

〃Yeh；　that's　what　they　say；〃　agreed　Hunt。

〃They　certainly　are　awful；　Larry；〃　put　in　Maggie；　coming　to　his　side。　〃Father　thinks　they　are　jokes；　and　father　certainly　knows　pictures。　Just　look　at　a　few　of　them。〃

〃Yeh；　look　at　'em　and　have　a　good　laugh；〃　invited　Hunt。

Larry　carried　the　portrait　of　the　Duchess　to　beneath　the　swinging　electric　bulb　and　examined　it　closely。　Maggie；　at　his　shoulder；　waited　for　his　mirth；　and　Hunt　regarded　him　with　a　sidelong　gaze。　But　Larry　did　not　laugh。　He　silently　returned　the　picture；　and　then　examined　the　portrait　of　Old　Jimmiethen　of　Maggiethen　of　the　Italian　madonna；　throned　on　her　curbstone。　He　replaced　this　last　and　crossed　swiftly　to　Hunt。　Maggie　watched　this　move　in　amazement。

Larry　faced　the　big　painter。　His　figure　was　tense；　his　features　hard　with　suspicion。　That　moment　one　could　understand　why　he　was　sometimes　called　〃Terrible　Larry〃；　just　then　he　looked　a　devastating　explosion　that　was　still　unexploded。

〃What's　your　game　down　here；　Hunt？〃　he　demanded　harshly。

〃My　game？〃　repeated　the　big　painter。　〃I　don't　get　you。〃

〃Yes；　you　do！　You're　down　here　posing　as　a　boob　who　smears　up　canvases！〃

〃What's　wrong　with　that？〃

〃Only　this：　those　are　not　crazy　daubs。　They're　real　pictures！〃

〃Eh！〃　exclaimed　Hunt。　Maggie　stared　in　bewilderment　at　the　two　men。

Hunt　spoke　again。　〃What　the　dickens　do　you　know　about　pictures？　Old　Jimmie；　who's　said　to　be　a　shark；　thinks　all　these　things　are　just　comics。〃

〃Jimmie　only　thinks　a　picture's　good　after　a　thousand　press…agents　have　said　it's　good；〃　Larry　returned。　〃I　studied　at　the　Academy　of　Design　for　two　years；　till　I　learned　I　could　never　paint。　But　I　know　pictures。〃

〃And　you　think　mine　are　good？〃

〃Not　in　the　popular　mannerthey're　too　original。　But　they're　great。　And　you're　a　great　painter。　And　I　want　to　know〃

〃Hurray！〃　shouted　Hunt；　and　flung　an　enthusiastic　arm　about　Larry；　and　began　to　pound　his　back。　〃Oh；　boy！　Oh；　boy！〃

Larry　wrenched　himself　free。　〃Cut　that　out。　Then　you　admit　you're　a　great　painter？〃

〃Of　course　I'm　a　great　painter！〃　shouted　Hunt。　〃Who　should　know　it　better　than　I　do？〃

〃Then　what's　a　great　painter　doing　down　here？　What's　the　game　you're　trying　to　put　over；　posing　as〃

〃Listen；　son；〃　Hunt　grinned。　〃You've　called　me　and　I've　got　to　show　my　cards。　Only　you　mustn't　ever　tellnor　must　Maggie；　the　Duchess　doesn't　talk；　anyway。　No　need　bothering　you　just　now　with　a　lot　of　details　about　myself。　It's　enough　to　say　that　people　wouldn't　pay　me　except　when　I　did　the　usual　pretty　rot；　no　one　believed　in　the　other　stuff　I　wanted　to　do。　I　wanted　to　get　away　from　that　bunch；　I　wanted　to　do　real　studies　of　human　people；　with　their　real　nature　showing　through。　So　I　beat　it。　Understand　so　far？〃

〃But　why　pose　as　a　dub　down　here？〃

〃I　never　started　the　yarn　that　I　was　a　dub。　The　people　who　looked　at　my　work；　and　laughed；　started　that　talk。　I　didn't　shout　out　that　I　was　a　great　artist　for　the　mighty　good　reason　that　if　I　had；　and　had　been　believed；　the　people　who　posed　for　me　either　wouldn't　have　done　it　or　would　have　been　so　self…conscious　that　they　would　have　tried　to　look　like　some　one　else；　and　would　never　have　shown　me　themselves　at　all。　Thinking　me　a　joke；　they　just　acted　natural。　Which；　young　man；　is　about　all　you　need　to　know。〃

Maggie　looked　on　breathlessly　at　the　two　men；　bewildered　by　this　new　light　in　which　Hunt　was　presented；　and　fascinated　by　the　tense　alertness　of　her　hero；　Larry。

Slowly　Larry's　tensity　dissipated。　〃I　don't　know　about　the　rest　of　your　make…up；〃　he　said　slowly；　〃but　as　a　painter　you're　a　whale。〃

〃The　rest　of　him's　all　right；　too；〃　put　in　the　dry；　unemotional　voice　of　the　Duchess。　〃Dinner's　ready。　Come　on。〃

As　they　moved　to　the　table　Hunt　clapped　a　big　hand　on　Larry's　shoulder。　〃And　to　think；〃　he　chuckled；　〃it　took　a　crook　fresh　from　Sing　Sing　to　discover　me　as　a　great　artist！　You're　clever；　Larry　clever！　Maggie；　get　the　corkscrew　into　action　and　fill　the　glasses　with　the　choicest　vintage　of　H2O。　A　toast。　Here's　to　Larry！〃




CHAPTER　V


The　dinner　was　simple：　beef　stewed　with　potatoes　and　carrots　and　onions；　and　pie；　and　real　coffee。　But　it　measured　up　to　Hunt's　boast：　the　chef　of　the　Ritz；　limited　to　so　simple　a　menu；　could　indeed　have　done　no　better。　And　Larry；　after　his　prison　fare；　was　dining　as　dine　the　gods。

The　irrepressible　Hunt；　trying　to　read　this　new　specimen　that　had　come　under　his　observation；　sought　to　draw　Larry　out。　〃Barney　Palmer　and　Old　Jimmie　were　here　this　afternoon；　wanting　to　see　you。　They've　got　something　big　waiting　for　you。　I　suppose　yo