five tales-第5节

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〃You　look　very　young；〃　he　said。

〃I　am　twenty。〃

〃And　you　are　fond　ofmy　brother？〃

〃I　would　die　for　him。〃

Impossible　to　mistake　the　tone　of　her　voice；　or　the　look　in　her　eyes；　true　deep　Slav　eyes；　dark　brown；　not　blue　as　he　had　thought　at　first。　It　was　a　very　pretty　faceeither　her　life　had　not　eaten　into　it　yet；　or　the　suffering　of　these　last　hours　had　purged　away　those　marks；　or　perhaps　this　devotion　of　hers　to　Larry。　　He　felt　strangely　at　sea；　sitting　there　with　this　child　of　twenty；　he；　over　forty；　a　man　of　the　world；　professionally　used　to　every　side　of　human　nature。　　But　he　said；　stammering　a　little：

〃II　have　come　to　see　how　far　you　can　save　him。　　Listen；　and　just　answer　the　questions　I　put　to　you。〃

She　raised　her　hands；　squeezed　them　together；　and　murmured：

〃Oh！　　I　will　answer　anything。〃

〃This　man；　thenyouryour　husbandwas　he　a　bad　man？〃

〃A　dreadful　man。〃

〃Before　he　came　here　last　night；　how　long　since　you　saw　him？〃

〃Eighteen　months。〃

〃Where　did　you　live　when　you　saw　him　last？〃

〃In　Pimlico。〃

〃Does　anybody　about　here　know　you　as　Mrs。　Walenn？〃

〃No。　　When　I　came　here；　after　my　little　girl　died；　I　came　to　live　a　bad　life。　　Nobody　knows　me　at　all。　　I　am　quite　alone。〃

〃If　they　discover　who　he　was；　they　will　look　for　his　wife？〃

〃I　do　not　know。　　He　did　not　let　people　think　I　was　married　to　him。　　I　was　very　young；　he　treated　many；　I　think；　like　me。〃

〃Do　you　think　he　was　known　to　the　police？〃

She　shook　her　head。　　〃He　was　very　clever。〃

〃What　is　your　name　now？〃

〃Wanda　Livinska。〃

〃Were　you　known　by　that　name　before　you　were　married？〃

〃Wanda　is　my　Christian　name。　　LivinskaI　just　call　myself。〃

〃I　see；　since　you　came　here。〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Did　my　brother　ever　see　this　man　before　last　night？〃

〃Never。〃

〃You　had　told　him　about　his　treatment　of　you？〃

〃Yes。　　And　that　man　first　went　for　him。〃

〃I　saw　the　mark。　　Do　you　think　anyone　saw　my　brother　come　to　you？〃

〃I　do　not　know。　　He　says　not。〃

〃Can　you　tell　if　anyone　saw　him　carrying　thethe　thing　away？〃

〃No　one　in　this　streetI　was　looking。〃

〃Nor　coming　back？〃

〃No　one。〃

〃Nor　going　out　in　the　morning？〃

〃I　do　not　think　it。〃


〃Have　you　a　servant？〃

〃Only　a　woman　who　comes　at　nine　in　the　morning　for　an　hour。〃

〃Does　she　know　Larry？〃

〃No。〃

〃Friends；　acquaintances？〃

〃No；　I　am　very　quiet。　　And　since　I　knew　your　brother；　I　see　no　one。　Nobody　comes　here　but　him　for　a　long　time　now。〃

〃How　long？〃

〃Five　months。〃

〃Have　you　been　out　to…day？〃

〃No。〃

〃What　have　you　been　doing？〃

〃Crying。〃

It　was　said　with　a　certain　dreadful　simplicity；　and　pressing　her　hands　together；　she　went　on：

〃He　is　in　danger；　because　of　me。　　I　am　so　afraid　for　him。〃　Holding　up　his　hand　to　check　that　emotion；　he　said：

〃Look　at　me！〃

She　fixed　those　dark　eyes　on　him；　and　in　her　bare　throat；　from　which　the　coat　had　fallen　back；　he　could　see　her　resolutely　swallowing　down　her　agitation。

〃If　the　worst　comes　to　the　worst；　and　this　man　is　traced　to　you；　can　you　trust　yourself　not　to　give　my　brother　away？〃

Her　eyes　shone。　　She　got　up　and　went　to　the　fireplace：

〃Look！　　I　have　burned　all　the　things　he　has　given　meeven　his　picture。　　Now　I　have　nothing　from　him。〃

Keith；　too；　got　up。

〃Good！　　One　more　question：　Do　the　police　know　you；　becausebecause　of　your　life？〃

She　shook　her　head；　looking　at　him　intently；　with　those　mournfully　true　eyes。　　And　he　felt　a　sort　of　shame。

〃I　was　obliged　to　ask。　　Do　you　know　where　he　lives？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃You　must　not　go　there。　　And　he　must　not　come　to　you；　here。〃

Her　lips　quivered；　but　she　bowed　her　head。　　Suddenly　he　found　her　quite　close　to　him；　speaking　almost　in　a　whisper：

〃Please　do　not　take　him　from　me　altogether。　　I　will　be　so　careful。　　I　will　not　do　anything　to　hurt　him；　but　if　I　cannot　see　him　sometimes；　I　shall　die。　　Please　do　not　take　him　from　me。〃　　And　catching　his　hand　between　her　own；　she　pressed　it　desperately。　　It　was　several　seconds　before　Keith　said：

〃Leave　that　to　me。　　I　will　see　him。　　I　shall　arrange。　　You　must　leave　that　to　me。〃

〃But　you　will　be　kind？〃

He　felt　her　lips　kissing　his　hand。　　And　the　soft　moist　touch　sent　a　queer　feeling　through　him；　protective；　yet　just　a　little　brutal；　having　in　it　a　shiver　of　sensuality。　　He　withdrew　his　hand。　　And　as　if　warned　that　she　had　been　too　pressing；　she　recoiled　humbly。　　But　suddenly　she　turned；　and　stood　absolutely　rigid；　then　almost　inaudibly　whispered：　〃Listen！　　Someone　outout　there！〃　　And　darting　past　him　she　turned　out　the　light。

Almost　at　once　came　a　knock　on　the　door。　　He　could　feelactually　feel　the　terror　of　this　girl　beside　him　in　the　dark。　　And　he；　too；　felt　terror。　　Who　could　it　be？　　No　one　came　but　Larry；　she　had　said。　Who　else　then　could　it　be？　　Again　came　the　knock；　louder！　　He　felt　the　breath　of　her　whisper　on　his　cheek：　〃If　it　is　Larry！　　I　must　open。〃　　He　shrank　back　against　the　wall；　heard　her　open　the　door　and　say　faintly：　〃Yes。　　Please！　　Who？〃

Light　painted　a　thin　moving　line　on　the　wall　opposite；　and　a　voice　which　Keith　recognised　answered：

〃All　right；　miss。　　Your　outer　door's　open　here。　　You　ought　to　keep　it　shut　after　dark。〃

God！　　That　policeman！　　And　it　had　been　his　own　doing；　not　shutting　the　outer　door　behind　him　when　he　came　in。　　He　heard　her　say　timidly　in　her　foreign　voice：　〃Thank　you；　sir！〃　the　policeman's　retreating　steps；　the　outer　door　being　shut；　and　felt　her　close　to　him　again。　That　something　in　her　youth　and　strange　prettiness　which　had　touched　and　kept　him　gentle；　no　longer　blunted　the　edge　of　his　exasperation；　now　that　he　could　not　see　her。　　They　were　all　the　same；　these　women；　could　not　speak　the　truth！　And　he　said　brusquely：

〃You　told　me　they　didn't　know　you！〃

Her　voice　answered　like　a　sigh：

〃I　did　not　think　they　did；　sir。　　It　is　so　long　I　was　not　out　in　the　town；　not　since　I　had　Larry。〃

The　repulsion　which　all　the　time　seethed　deep　in　Keith　welled　up　at　those　words。　　His　brotherson　of　his　mother；　a　gentlemanthe　property　of　this　girl；　bound　to　her；　body　and　soul；　by　this　unspeakable　event！　　But　she　had　turned　up　the　light。　　Had　she　some　intuition　that　darkness　was　against　her？　　Yes；　she　was　pretty　with　that　soft　face；　colourless　save　for　its　lips　and　dark　eyes；　with　that　face　somehow　so　touchingly；　so　unaccountably　good；　and　like　a　child's。

〃I　am　going　now；〃　he　said。　　〃Remember！　　He　mustn't　come　here；　you　mustn't　go　to　him。　　I　shall　see　him　to…morrow。　　If　you　are　as　fond　of　him　as　you　saytake　care；　take　care！〃

She　sighed　out；　〃Yes！　oh；　yes！〃　　and　Keith　went　to　the　door。　　She　was　standing　with　her　back　to　the　wall；　and　to　follow　him　she　only　moved　her　headthat　dove…like　face　with　all　its　life　in　eyes　which　seemed　saying：　'Look　into　us；　nothing　we　hide；　allall　is　there！'

And　he　went　out。

In　the　passage　he　paused　before　opening　the　outer　door。　　He　did　not　want　to　meet　that　policeman　again；　the　fellow's　round　should　have　taken　him　well　out　of　the　street　by　now；　and　turning　the　handle　cautiously；　he　looked　out。　　No　one　in　sight。　　He　stood　a　moment；　wondering　if　he　should　turn　to　right　or　left；　then　briskly　crossed　the　street。　　A　voice　to　his　right　hand　said：

〃Good…night；　sir。〃

There　in　the　shadow　of　a　doorway　the　policeman　was　standing。　　The　fellow　must　have　seen　him　coming　out！　　Utterly　unable　to　restrain　a　start；　and　muttering　〃Goodnight！〃　　Keith　walked　on　rapidly：

He　went　full　quarter　of　a　mile　before　he　lost　that　startled　and　uneasy　feeling　in　sardonic　exasperation　that　he；　Keith　Darrant；　had　been　taken　for　a　frequenter　of　a　lady　of　the　town。　　The　whole　thing　the　whole　thing！a　vile　and　disgusting　business！　　His　very　mind　felt　dirty　and　breathless；　his　spirit；　drawn　out　of　sheath；　had　slowly　to　slide　back　before　he　could　at　all　focus　and　readjust　his　reasoning　faculty。　　Certainly；　he　had　got　the　knowledge　he　wanted。　　There　was　less　danger　than　he　thought。　　That　girl's　eyes！　　No　mistaking　her　devotion。　　She　would　not　give　Larry　away。　　Yes！　　Larry　must　clear　outSouth　Americathe　Eastit　did　not　matter。　　But　he　felt　no　relief。　　The　cheap；　tawdry　room　had　wrapped　itself　round　his　fancy　with　its　atmosphere　of　murky　love；　with　the　feeling　it　inspired；　of　emotion　caged　within　those　yellowish　walls　and　the　red　stuff　of　its　furniture。　　That　girl's　face！　　Devotion；　truth；　too；　and　beauty；　rare　and　moving；　in　its　setting　of　darkness　and　horror；　in　that　nest　of　vice　and　of　disorder！。。。　　The　dark　archway；　the　street　arab；　with　his　gleeful：　〃They　'ain't　got　'im　yet！〃；　the　feel　of　those　bare　arms　round　his　neck；　that　whisper　of　horror　in　the　darkness；　above　all；　again；　her　child　face　looking　into　his；　so　truthful！　　And　suddenly　he　stood　quite　still　in　the　street。　　What　in　God's　name　was　he　about？　What　grotesque　juggling　amongst　shadows；　what　strange　and　ghastly　eccentricity　was　all　this？　　The　forces　of　order　and　routine；　all　the　actualities　of　his　daily　life；　marched　on　him　at　that　moment；　and　swept　everything　before　them。　　It　was　a　dream；　a　nightmare　not　real！　It　was　ridiculous！　　That　he　…he　should　thus　be　bound　up　with　things　so　black　and　bizarre！

He　had　come　by　now　to　the　Strand；　that　street　down　which　every　day　he　moved　to　the　Law　Courts；　to　his　daily　work；　his　work　so　dignified　and　regular；　so　irreproachable；　and　solid。　　No！