the man who could not lose-第2节
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〃is why you won't marry me！〃
For an instant； long enough to make her blush with shame and
happiness； Carter grinned at her。 〃Now； just for that；〃 he said； 〃I
won't kiss you； and I WILL marry you！〃 But； as a matter of fact； he
DID kiss her。 Then he gazed happily around his small sitting…room。
〃Make yourself at home here；〃 he directed； 〃while I pack my bag。〃
〃I MEAN to make myself very much at home here；〃 said Dolly
joyfully； 〃for the rest of my life。〃
From the recesses of the flat Carter called： 〃The rent's paid only
till September。 After that we live in a hall bedroom and cook on a
gas…stove。 And that's no idle jest； either。〃
Fearing the publicity of the City Hall license bureau； they
released the clergyman； much to the relief of that gentleman； and
told the chauffeur to drive across the State line into Connecticut。
〃It's the last time we can borrow your mother's car；〃 said Carter；
〃and we'd better make it go as far as we can。〃
It was one of those days in May。 Blue was the sky and sunshine was
in the air； and in the park little girls from the tenements； in
white； were playing they were queens。 Dolly wanted to kidnap two of
them for bridesmaids。 In Harlem they stopped at a jeweler's shop；
and Carter got out and bought a wedding…ring。
In the Bronx were dogwood blossoms and leaves of tender green and
beds of tulips； and along the Boston Post Road； on their right； the
Sound flashed in the sunlight； and on their left； gardens； lawns；
and orchards ran with the road； and the apple trees were masses of
pink and white。
Whenever a car approached from the rear； Carter pretended it was
Mrs。 Ingram coming to prevent the elopement； and Dolly clung to
him。 When the car had passed； she forgot to stop clinging to him。
In Greenwich Village they procured a license； and a magistrate
married them； and they were a little frightened and greatly happy
and； they both discovered simultaneously； outrageously hungry。 So
they drove through Bedford Village to South Salem； and lunched at
the Horse and Hounds Inn； on blue and white china； in the same room
where Major Andre was once a prisoner。 And they felt very sorry for
Major Andre； and for everybody who had not been just married that
morning。 And after lunch they sat outside in the garden and fed
lumps of sugar to a charming collie and cream to a fat gray cat。
They decided to start housekeeping in Carter's flat； and so turned
back to New York； this time following the old coach road through
North Castle to White Plains； across to Tarrytown； and along the
bank of the Hudson into Riverside Drive。 Millions and millions of
friendly folk； chiefly nurse… maids and traffic policemen； waved to
them； and for some reason smiled。
〃The joke of it is；〃 declared Carter； 〃they don't know！ The most
wonderful event of the century has just passed into history。 We are
married； and nobody knows！〃
But when the car drove away from in front of Carter's door； they
saw on top of it two old shoes and a sign reading： 〃We have just
been married。〃 While they had been at luncheon； the chauffeur had
risen to the occasion。
〃After all；〃 said Carter soothingly； 〃he meant no harm。 And it's
the only thing about our wedding yet that seems legal。〃
Three months later two very unhappy young people faced starvation
in the sitting…room of Carter's flat。 Gloom was written upon the
countenance of each； and the heat and the care that comes when one
desires to live； and lacks the wherewithal to fulfill that desire；
had made them pallid and had drawn black lines under Dolly's eyes。
Mrs。 Ingram had played her part exactly as her dearest friends had
said she would。 She had sent to Carter's flat； seven trunks filled
with Dolly's clothes； eighteen hats； and another most unpleasant
letter。 In this； on the sole condition that Dolly would at once
leave her husband； she offered to forgive and to support her。
To this Dolly composed eleven scornful answers； but finally decided
that no answer at all was the most scornful。
She and Carter then proceeded joyfully to waste his three thousand
dollars with that contempt for money with which on a honey…moon it
should always be regarded。 When there was no more； Dolly called
upon her mother's lawyers and inquired if her father had left her
anything in her own right。 The lawyers regretted he had not； but
having loved Dolly since she was born； offered to advance her any
money she wanted。 They said they felt sure her mother would
〃relent。〃
〃SHE may；〃 said Dolly haughtily。 〃I WON'T！ And my husband can give
me all I need。 I only wanted something of my own； because I'm going
to make him a surprise present of a new motor…car。 The one we are
using now does not suit us。
This was quite true； as the one they were then using ran through
the subway。
As summer approached； Carter had suddenly awakened to the fact that
he soon would be a pauper； and cut short the honey… moon。 They
returned to the flat； and he set forth to look for a position。
Later； while still looking for it； he spoke of it as a 〃job。〃 He
first thought he would like to be an assistant editor of a
magazine。 But he found editors of magazines anxious to employ new
and untried assistants； especially in June； were very few。 On the
contrary； they explained they were retrenching and cutting down
expensesthey meant they had discharged all office boys who
received more than three dollars a week。 They further 〃retrenched；〃
by taking a mean advantage of Carter's having called upon them in
person； by handing him three or four of his storiesbut by this he
saved his postage…stamps。
Each day； when he returned to the flat； Dolly； who always expected
each editor would hastily dust off his chair and offer it to her
brilliant husband； would smile excitedly and gasp； 〃Well？〃 and
Carter would throw the rejected manuscripts on the table and say：
〃At least； I have not returned empty… handed。〃 Then they would
discover a magazine that neither they nor any one else knew
existed； and they would hurriedly readdress the manuscripts to that
periodical； and run to post them at the letter…box on the corner。
〃Any one of them； if ACCEPTED；〃 Carter would point out； 〃might
bring us in twenty…five dollars。 A story of mine once sold for
forty； so to…night we can afford to dine at a restaurant where wine
is NOT 'included。'〃
Fortunately； they never lost their sense of humor。 Otherwise the
narrow confines of the flat； the evil smells that rose from the
baked streets； the greasy food of Italian and Hungarian
restaurants； and the ever…haunting need of money might have crushed
their youthful spirits。 But in time even they found that one； still
less two； cannot exist exclusively on love and the power to see the
bright side of things especially when there is no bright side。
They had come to the point where they must borrow money from their
friends； and that； though there were many who would have opened
their safes to them； they had agreed was the one thing they would
not do； or they must starve。 The alternative was equally
distasteful。
Carter had struggled earnestly to find a job。 But his inexperience
and the season of the year were against him。 No newspaper wanted a
dramatic critic when the only shows in town had been running three
months； and on roof gardens； nor did they want a 〃cub〃 reporter
when veterans were being 〃laid off〃 by the dozens。 Nor were his
services desired as a private secretary； a taxicab driver； an agent
to sell real estate or automobiles or stocks。 As no one gave him a
chance to prove his unfitness for any of these callings； the fact
that he knew nothing of any of them did not greatly matter。 At
these rebuffs Dolly was distinctly pleased。 She argued they proved
he was intended to pursue his natural career as an author。
That their friends might know they were poor did not affect her；
but she did not want them to think by his taking up any outside
〃job〃 that they were poor because as a literary genius he was a
failure。 She believed in his stories。 She wanted every one else to
believe in them。 Meanwhile； she assisted him in so far as she could
by pawning the contents of five of the seven trunks； by learning to
cook on a 〃 Kitchenette；〃 and to laundry her handkerchiefs and iron
them on the looking…glass。
They faced each other across the breakfast…table。 It was only nine
o'clock； but the sun beat into the flat with the breath of a
furnace； and the air was foul and humid。
〃I tell you；〃 Carter was saying fiercely； 〃you look ill。 You are
ill。 You must go to the sea…shore。 You must visit some of your
proud； friends at East Hampton or Newport。 Then I'll know you're
happy and I won't worry； and I'll find a job。 I don't mind the
heat…and I'll write you love letters〃he was talking very fast and
not looking at Dolly〃like those I used to write you； before〃
Dolly raised her hand。 〃Listen！〃 she said。 〃Suppose I leave you。
What will happen？ I'll wake up in a cool； beautiful brass bed；
won't Iwith cretonne window…curtains； and salt air blowing them
about； and a maid to bring me coffee。 And instead of a bathroom
like yours； next to an elevator shaft and a fire…escape； I'll have
one as big as a church； and the whole blue oce
