tales of trail and town-第20节

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accompany　her　up　the　four　flights　to　the　landing　of　her　apartment。

Here　he　took　leave　of　her　with　a　grave　courtesy　that　half　pained；

half　pleased　her。　　She　watched　his　broad　shoulders　and　dangling

sleeve　as　he　went　down　the　stairs；　and　then　quickly　turned；　entered

her　room；　and　locked　the　door。　　The　smile　had　faded　from　her　lips。

Going　to　the　window；　she　pressed　her　hot　forehead　against　the　cool

glass　and　looked　out　upon　the　stars　nearly　level　with　the　black

roofs　around　her。　　She　stood　there　some　moments　until　another　star

appeared　higher　up　against　the　roof　ridge；　the　star　she　was　looking

for。　　But　here　the　glass　pane　before　her　eyes　became　presently　dim

with　moisture；　she　was　obliged　to　rub　it　out　with　her　handkerchief；

yet；　somehow；　it　soon　became　clouded；　at　which　she　turned　sharply

away　and　went　to　bed。



But　Miss　Helen　did　not　know　that　when　she　had　looked　after　the

retreating　figure　of　her　protector　as　he　descended　the　stairs　that

night　that　he　was　really　carrying　away　on　those　broad　shoulders　the

character　she　had　so　laboriously　gained　during　her　four　years'

solitude。　　For　when　she　came　down　the　next　morning　the　concierge

bowed　to　her　with　an　air　of　easy；　cynical　abstraction；　the　result

of　a　long　conversation　with　his　wife　the　night　before。　　He　had

taken　Helen's　part　with　a　kindly　cynicism。　　〃Ah！　what　would　youit

was　bound　to　come。　　The　affair　of　the　Conservatoire　had　settled

that。　　The　poor　child　could　not　starve；　penniless；　she　could　not

marry。　　Only　why　consort　with　other　swallows　under　the　eaves　when

she　could　have　had　a　gilded　cage　on　the　first　etage？〃　　But　girls

were　so　foolishin　their　first　affair；　then　it　was　always　LOVE！

The　second　time　they　were　wiser。　　And　this　maimed　warrior　and

painter　was　as　poor　as　she。　　A　compatriot；　too；　well；　perhaps　that

saved　some　scandal；　one　could　never　know　what　the　Americans　were

accustomed　to　do。　　The　first　floor；　which　had　been　inclined　to　be

civil　to　the　young　teacher；　was　more　so；　but　less　respectful；　one

or　two　young　men　were　tentatively　familiar　until　they　looked　in　her

gray　eyes　and　remembered　the　broad　shoulders　of　the　painter。　　Oddly

enough；　only　Mademoiselle　Fifine；　of　her　own　landing；　exhibited　any

sympathy　with　her；　and　for　the　first　time　Helen　was　frightened。

She　did　not　show　it；　however；　only　she　changed　her　lodgings　the

next　day。　　But　before　she　left　she　had　a　few　moments'　conversation

with　the　concierge　and　an　exchange　of　a　word　or　two　with　some　of

her　fellow　lodgers。　　I　have　already　hinted　that　the　young　lady　had

great　precision　of　statement；　she　had　a　pretty　turn　for　handling

colloquial　French　and　an　incisive　knowledge　of　French　character。

She　left　No。　34；　Rue　de　Frivole；　working　itself　into　a　white　rage；

but　utterly　undecided　as　to　her　real　character。



But　all　this　and　much　more　was　presently　blown　away　in　the　hot

breath　that　swept　the　boulevards　at　the　outburst　of　the　Franco…

German　War；　and　Miss　Helen　Maynard　disappeared　from　Paris　with　many

of　her　fellow　countrymen。　　The　excitement　reached　even　a　quaint　old

chateau　in　Brittany　where　Major　Ostrander　was　painting。　　The　woman

who　was　standing　by　his　side　as　he　sat　before　his　easel　on　the

broad　terrace　observed　that　he　looked　disturbed。



〃What　matters？〃　she　said　gently。　　〃You　have　progressed　so　well　in

your　work　that　you　can　finish　it　elsewhere。　　I　have　no　great　desire

to　stay　in　France　with　a　frontier　garrisoned　by　troops　while　I　have

a　villa　in　Switzerland　where　you　could　still　be　my　guest。　　Paris

can　teach　you　nothing　more；　my　friend；　you　have　only　to　create　now

and　be　famous。〃



〃I　must　go　to　Paris；〃　he　said　quietly。　　〃I　have　friends

countrymenthere；　who　may　want　me　now。〃



〃If　you　mean　the　young　singer　of　the　Rue　de　Frivole；　you　have

compromised　her　already。　　You　can　do　her　no　good。〃



〃Madame！〃



The　pretty　face　which　he　had　been　familiar　with　for　the　past　six

weeks　somehow　seemed　to　change　its　character。　　Under　the　mask　of

dazzling　skin　he　fancied　he　saw　the　high　cheek…bones　and　square

Tartar　angle；　the　brilliant　eyes　were　even　brighter　than　before；

but　they　showed　more　of　the　white　than　he　had　ever　seen　in　them。



Nevertheless　she　smiled；　with　an　equally　stony　revelation　of　her

white　teeth；　yet　said；　still　gently；　〃Forgive　me　if　I　thought　our

friendship　justified　me　in　being　frank；perhaps　too　frank　for　my

own　good。〃



She　stopped　as　if　half　expecting　an　interruption；　but　as　he

remained　looking　wonderingly　at　her；　she　bit　her　lip；　and　went　on：

〃You　have　a　great　career　before　you。　　Those　who　help　you　must　do　so

without　entangling　you；　a　chain　of　roses　may　be　as　impeding　as

lead。　　Until　you　are　independent；　youwho　may　in　time　compass

everything　yourselfwill　need　to　be　helped。　　You　know；〃　she　added

with　a　smile；　〃you　have　but　one　arm。〃



〃In　your　kindness　and　appreciation　you　have　made　me　forget　it；〃　he

stammered。　　Yet　he　had　a　swift　vision　of　the　little　bench　at

Versailles　where　he　had　NOT　forgotten　it；　and　as　he　glanced　around

the　empty　terrace　where　they　stood　he　was　struck　with　a　fateful

resemblance　to　it。



〃And　I　should　not　remind　you　now　of　it；〃　she　went　on；　〃except　to

say　that　money　can　always　take　its　place。　　As　in　the　fairy　story；

the　prince　must　have　a　new　arm　made　of　gold。〃　　She　stopped；　and

then　suddenly　coming　closer　to　him　said；　hurriedly　and　almost

fiercely；　〃Can　you　not　see　that　I　am　advising　you　against　my

interests；against　myself？　　Go；　then；　to　Paris；　and　go　quickly；

before　I　change　my　mind。　　Only　if　you　do　not　find　your　friends

there；　remember　you　have　always　ONE　here。〃　　Before　he　could　reply；

or　even　understand　that　white　face；　she　was　gone。



He　left　for　Paris　that　afternoon。　　He　went　directly　to　the　Rue　de

Frivole；　his　old　resolution　to　avoid　Helen　was　blown　to　the　winds

in　the　prospect　of　losing　her　utterly。　　But　the　concierge　only　knew

that　mademoiselle　had　left　a　day　or　two　after　monsieur　had

accompanied　her　home。　　And；　pointedly；　there　was　another　gentleman

who　had　inquired　eagerlyand　bountifully　as　far　as　money　wentfor

any　trace　of　the　young　lady。　　It　was　a　Russe。　　The　concierge　smiled

to　himself　at　Ostrander's　flushed　cheek。　　It　served　this　one…armed；

conceited　American　poseur　right。　　Mademoiselle　was　wiser　in　this

SECOND　affair。



Ostrander　did　not　finish　his　picture。　　The　princess　sent　him　a

cheque；　which　he　coldly　returned。　　Nevertheless　he　had　acquired

through　his　Russian　patronage　a　local　fame　which　stood　him　well

with　the　picture　dealers；in　spite　of　the　excitement　of　the　war。

But　his　heart　was　no　longer　in　his　work；　a　fever　of　unrest　seized

him；　which　at　another　time　might　have　wasted　itself　in　mere

dissipation。　　Some　of　his　fellow　artists　had　already　gone　into　the

army。　　After　the　first　great　reverses　he　offered　his　one　arm　and

his　military　experience　to　that　Paris　which　had　given　him　a　home。

The　old　fighting　instinct　returned　to　him　with　a　certain

desperation　he　had　never　known　before。　　In　the　sorties　from　Paris

the　one…armed　American　became　famous；　until　a　few　days　before　the

capitulation；　when　he　was　struck　down　by　a　bullet　through　the　lung；

and　left　in　a　temporary　hospital。　　Here　in　the　whirl　and　terror　of

Commune　days　he　was　forgotten；　and　when　Paris　revived　under　the

republic　he　had　disappeared　as　completely　as　his　compatriot　Helen。



But　Miss　Helen　Maynard　had　been　only　obscured　and　not　extinguished。

At　the　first　outbreak　of　hostilities　a　few　Americans　had　still　kept

giddy　state　among　the　ruins　of　the　tottering　empire。　　A　day　or　two

after　she　left　the　Rue　de　Frivole　she　was　invited　by　one　of　her

wealthy　former　schoolmates　to　assist　with　her　voice　and　talent　at

one　of　their　extravagant　entertainments。　　〃You　will　understand；

dear；〃　said　Miss　de　Laine；　with　ingenious　delicacy；　as　she　eyed　her

old　comrade's　well…worn　dress；　〃that　Poppa　expects　to　pay　you

professional　prices；　and　it　may　be　an　opening　for　you　among　our

other　friends。〃



〃I　should　not　come　otherwise；　dear；〃　said　Miss　Helen　with　equal

frankness。　　But　she　played　and　sang　very　charmingly　to　the

fashionable　assembly　in　the　Champs　Elysees；so　charmingly；　indeed；

that　Miss　de　Laine　patronizingly　expatiated　upon　her　worth　and　her

better　days　in　confidence　to　some　of　the　guests。



〃A　most　deserving　creature；〃　said　Miss　de　Laine　to　the　dowager

duchess　of　Soho；　who　was　passing　through　Paris　on　her　way　to

England；　〃you　would　hardly　believe　that　Poppa　knew　her　father　when

he　was　one　of　the　richest　men　in　South　Carolina。〃



〃Your　father　seems　to　have　been　very　fortunate；〃　said　the　duchess

quietly；　〃and　so　are　YOU。　　Introduce　me。〃



This　not　being　exactly　the　reply　that　Miss　de　Laine　expected；　she

momentarily　hesitated：　but　the　duchess　profited　by　it　to　walk　over

to　the　piano　and　introduce　herself。　　When　she　rose　to　go　she

invited　Helen　to　luncheon　with　her　the　next　day。　　〃Come　early；　my

dear；　and　we'll　have　a　long　talk。〃　　Helen　pointed　out　hesitatingly

that　she　was　prac