the voice of the city-第35节
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〃Well； I'm not telling you much about myself； am
I； Lynn ？
〃I had two hundred dollars saved up； and I cut
the stage the first of the summer。 I went over on
Long Island and found the sweetest little village that
ever was； called Soundport； right on the water。 I was
going to spend the summer there； and study up on
elocution； and try to get a class in the fall。 There
was an old widow lady with a cottage near the beach
who sometimes rented a room or two just for com…
pany； and she took me in。 She had another boarder；
too the Reverend Arthur Lyle。
〃Yes； he was the head…liner。 You're on； Lynn。
I'll tell you all of it in a minute。 It's only a one…act
play。
〃The first time he walked on； Lynn； I felt myself
going； the first lines he spoke； he had me。 He was
different from the men in audiences。 He was tall and
slim； and you never heard him come in the room； but
you felt him。 He had a face like a picture of a knight
like one of that Round Table bunch and a voice
like a 'cello solo。 And his manners！
〃Lynn； if you'd take John Drew in his best draw…
ing…room scene and compare the two； you'd have John
arrested for disturbing the peace。
〃I'll spare you the particulars； but in less than a
month Arthur and I were engaged。 He preached at a
little one…night stand of a Methodist church。 There
was to be a parsonage the size of a lunch…wagon； and
hens and honeysuckles when we were married。 Ar…
thur used to preach to me a good deal about Heaven；
but be never could get my mind quite off those honey…
suckles and hens。
〃No； I didn't tell him I'd been on the stage。 I
hated the business and all that went with it； I'd
cut it out forever； and I didn't see any use of stirring
things up。 I was a good girl； and I didn't have any…
thing to confess； except being an elocutionist； and
that was about all the strain my conscience would
stand。
〃Oh； I tell you； Lynn； I was happy。 I sang in
the choir and attended the sewing society； and re…
cited that 'Annie Laurie' thing with the whistling
stunt in it； 'in a manner bordering upon the profes…
sional；' as the weekly village paper reported it。 And
Arthur and I went rowing； and walking in the woods；
and clamming； and that poky little village seemed to
me the best place in the world。 I'd have been happy
to live there always； too； if
〃But one morning old Mrs。 Gurley； the widow
lady； got gossipy while I was helping her string beans
on the back porch； and began to gush information； as
folks who rent out their rooms usually do。 Mr。 Lyle
was her idea of a saint on earth as he was mine；
too。 She went over all his virtues and graces； and
wound up by telling me that Arthur had had an ex…
tremely romantic love…affair； not long before； that had
ended unhappily。 She didn't seem to be on to the de…
tails； but she knew that he had been hit pretty hard。
He was paler and thinner； she said； and he had some
kind of a remembrance or keepsake of the lady in a
little rosewood box that he kept locked in his desk
drawer in his study。
〃'Several times；〃 says she； 〃I've seen him
gloomerin' over that box of evenings； and he always
locks it up right away if anybody comes into the
room。'
〃Well； you can imagine how long it was before I
got Arthur by the wrist and led him down stage and
hissed in his ear。
〃That same afternoon we were lazying around in a
boat among the water…lilies at the edge of the bay。
〃'Arthur；' says I； 'you never told me you'd had
another love…affair。 But Mrs。 Gurley did；' I went on；
to let him know I knew。 I hate to bear a man lie。
〃' Before you came；' says he； looking me frankly
in the eye； 'there was a previous affection … a strong
one。 Since you know of it； I will be perfectly candid
with you。'
〃'I am waiting；' says I。
〃'My dear Ida；' says Arthur of course I went
by my real name； while I was in Soundport 'this
former affection was a spiritual one； in fact。 Al…
though the lady aroused my deepest sentiments； and
was； as I thought； my ideal woman； I never met her；
and never spoke to her。 It was an ideal love。 My
love for you； while no less ideal； is different。 You
wouldn't let that come between us。'
〃'Was she pretty？' i asked。
〃' She was very beautiful；' said Arthur。
〃'Did you see her often？' I asked。
〃' Something like a dozen times；' says he。
〃'Always from a distance？' says I。
〃'Always from quite a distance；' says he。
〃'And you loved her？' I asked。
〃'She seemed my ideal of beauty and grace and
soul；〃 says Arthur。
〃'And this keepsake that you keep under lock and
key； and moon over at times； is that a remembrance
from her？'
〃'A memento；' says Arthur； 'that I have
treasured。'
〃'Did she send it to you？'
〃'It came to me from her' says be。
〃'In a roundabout way？' I asked。
〃'Somewhat roundabout；' says he； 'and yet rather
direct。'
〃'Why didn't you ever meet her？' I asked。
'Were your positions in life so different？'
〃She was far above me；' says Arthur。 'Now；
Ida；' he goes on； 'this is all of the past。 You're not
going to be jealous； are you？'
'Jealous！' says I。 'Why； man； what are you
talking about？ It makes me think ten times as much
of you as I did before I knew about it。'
〃And it did； Lynn … if you can understand it。
That ideal love was a new one on me； but it struck me
as being the most beautiful and glorious thing I'd
ever heard of。 Think of a man loving a woman he'd
never even spoken to； and being faithful just to what
his mind and heart pictured her！ Oh； it sounded
great to me。 The men I'd always known come at
you with either diamonds； knock…out…drops or a raise
of salary； and their ideals！ well； we'll say no
more。〃
〃Yes； it made me think more of Arthur than I did
before。 I couldn't be jealous of that far…away divin…
ity that he used to worship； for I was going to have
him myself。 And I began to look upon him as a saint
on earth； just as old lady Gurley did。
〃About four o'clock this afternoon a man came to
the house for Arthur to go and see somebody that was
sick among his church bunch。 Old lady Gurley was
taking her afternoon snore on a couch； so that left me
pretty much alone。
〃In passing by Arthur's study I looked in； and
saw his bunch of keys hanging in the drawer of his
desk； where he'd forgotten 'em。 Well； I guess we're
all to the Mrs。 Bluebeard now and then； ain't we；
Lynn？ I made up my mind I'd have a look at that
memento he kept so secret。 Not that I cared what it
was it was just curiosity。
〃While I was opening the drawer I imagined one
or two things it might be。 I thought it might be a
dried rosebud she'd dropped down to him from
a balcony； or maybe a picture of her he'd cut
out of a magazine； she being so high up in the
world。
〃I opened the drawer； and there was the rosewood
casket about the size of a gent's collar box。 I found
the little key in the bunch that fitted it； and unlocked
it and raised the lid。
〃I took one look at that memento； and then I went
to my room and packed my trunk。 I threw a few
things into my grip； gave my hair a flirt or two with
a side…comb； put on my hat； and went in and gave the
old lady's foot a kick。 I'd tried awfully hard to use
proper and correct language while I was there for
Arthur's sake； and I had the habit down pat； but it
left me then。
〃Stop sawing gourds；〃 says I； 〃and sit up and
take notice。 The ghost's about to walk。 I'm going
away from here； and I owe you eight dollars。 The
expressman will call for my trunk。'
〃I handed her the money。
〃'Dear me； Miss Crosby！' says she。 'Is any…
thing wrong？ I thought you were pleased here。
Dear me； young women are so hard to understand；
and so different from what you expect 'em
to be。'
〃'You're damn right；' says I。 'Some of 'em are。
But you can't say that about men。 When you know
one man you know 'em all！ That settles the human…
race question。'
〃And then I caught the four…thirty…eight； soft…
coal unlimited； and here I am。〃
〃You didn't tell me what was in the box； Lee；〃 said
Miss D'armande； anxiously。
〃One of those yellow silk garters that I used to
kick off my leg into the audience during that old
vaudeville swing act of mine。 Is there any of the
cocktail left； Lynn？〃
End
