tommy and co[1].(托米和科)-第47节
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elects to stop with me； it will be because he is my man mine。 Are you
afraid？〃
The woman shivered。 She wrapped her fur cloak about her closer
and sat down again； and Tommy returned to her proofs。 It was press…
night； and there was much to be done。
He came a little later； though how long the time may have seemed to
the two women one cannot say。 They heard his footstep on the stair。
The woman rose and went forward； so that when he opened the door she
was the first he saw。 But he made no sign。 Possibly he had been
schooling himself for this moment； knowing that sooner or later it must
come。 The woman held out her hand to him with a smile。
〃I have not the honour；〃 he said。
The smile died from her face。 〃I do not understand；〃 she said。
〃I have not the honour；〃 he repeated。 〃I do not know you。〃
The girl was leaning with her back against the desk in a somewhat
mannish attitude。 He stood between them。 It will always remain
Life's chief comic success： the man between two women。 The
situation has amused the world for so many years。 Yet； somehow； he
contrived to maintain a certain dignity。
〃Maybe；〃 he continued； 〃you are confounding me with a Dick Danvers
who lived in New York up to a few months ago。 I knew him wella
worthless scamp you had done better never to have met。〃
〃You bear a wonderful resemblance to him；〃 laughed the woman。
〃The poor fool is dead；〃 he answered。 〃And he left for you； my
dear lady； this dying message： that； from the bottom of his soul； he was
sorry for the wrong he had done you。 He asked you to forgive him
and forget him。〃
〃The year appears to be opening unfortunately for me；〃 said the
woman。 〃First my lover； then my husband。〃
He had nerved himself to fight the living。 This was a blow from the
dead。 The man had been his friend。
〃Dead？〃
〃He was killed； it appears； in that last expedition in July；〃 answered
the woman。 〃I received the news from the Foreign Office only a
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fortnight ago。〃
An ugly look came into his eyesthe look of a cornered creature
fighting for its life。 〃Why have you followed me here？ Why do I find
you here alone with her？ What have you told her？〃
The woman shrugged her shoulders。 〃Only the truth。〃
〃All the truth？〃 he demanded〃all？ Ah！ be just。 Tell her it was
not all my fault。 Tell her all the truth。〃
〃What would you have me tell her？ That I played Potiphar's wife to
your Joseph？〃
〃Ah； no！ The truthonly the truth。 That you and I were a pair of
idle fools with the devil dancing round us。 That we played a fool's
game； and that it is over。〃
〃Is it over？ Dick； is it over？〃 She flung her arms towards him；
but he threw her from him almost brutally。 〃The man is dead； I tell you。
His folly and his sin lie dead with him。 I have nothing to do with you；
nor you with me。〃
〃Dick！〃 she whispered。 〃Dick； cannot you understand？ I must
speak with you alone。〃
But they did not understand； neither the man nor the child。
〃Dick； are you really dead？〃 she cried。 〃Have you no pity for me？
Do you think that I have followed you here to grovel at your feet for
mere whim？ Am I acting like a woman sane and sound？ Don't you
see that I am mad； and why I am mad？ Must I tell you before her？
Dick〃 She staggered towards him； and the fine cloak slipped from
her shoulders； and then it was that Tommy changed from a child into a
woman； and raised the other woman from the ground with crooning
words of encouragement such as mothers use； and led her to the inner
room。 〃Do not go；〃 she said； turning to Dick； 〃I shall be back in a few
minutes。〃
He crossed to one of the windows against which beat the City's roar；
and it seemed to him as the throb of passing footsteps beating down
through the darkness to where he lay in his grave。
She re…entered； closing the door softly behind her。 〃It is true？〃 she
asked。
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〃It can be。 I had not thought of it。〃
They spoke in low； matter…of…fact tones； as people do who have
grown weary of their own emotions。
〃When did he go awayher husband？〃
〃Aboutit is February now； is it not？ About eighteen months ago。〃
〃And died just eight months ago。 Rather conveniently； poor
fellow。〃
〃Yes； I'm glad he is deadpoor Lawrence。〃
〃What is the shortest time in which a marriage can be arranged？〃
〃I do not know；〃 he answered listlessly。 〃I do not intend to marry
her。〃
〃You would leave her to bear it alone？〃
〃It is not as if she were a poor woman。 You can do anything with
money。〃
〃It will not mend reputation。 Her position in society is everything
to that class of woman。〃
〃My marrying her now；〃 he pointed out； 〃would not save her。〃
〃Practically speaking it would；〃 the girl pleaded。 〃The world does
not go out of its way to find out things it does not want to know。 Marry
her as quietly as possible and travel for a year or two。〃
〃Why should I？ Ah！ it is easy enough to call a man a coward for
defending himself against a woman。 What is he to do when he is
fighting for his life？ Men do not sin with good women。〃
〃There is the child to be considered；〃 she urged〃your child。 You
see； dear； we all do wrong sometimes。 We must not let others suffer for
our fault moremore than we can help。〃
He turned to her for the first time。 〃And you？〃
〃I？ Oh； I shall cry for a little while； but later on I shall laugh； as
often。 Life is not all love。 I have my work。〃
He knew her well by this time。 And also it came to him that it
would be a finer thing to be worthy of her than even to possess her。
So he did her bidding and went out with the other woman。 Tommy
was glad it was press…night。 She would not be able to think for hours
to come； and then； perhaps； she would be feeling too tired。 Work can
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be very kind。
Were this an artistic story； here； of course； one would write 〃Finis。〃
But in the workaday world one never knows the ending till it comes。
Had it been otherwise； I doubt I could have found courage to tell you
this story of Tommy。 It is not all trueat least； I do not suppose so。
One drifts unconsciously a little way into dream…land when one sits
oneself down to recall the happenings of long ago； while Fancy； with a
sly wink； whispers ever and again to Memory： 〃Let me tell this
incidentpicture that scene： I can make it so much more interesting
than you would。〃 But Tommyhow can I put it without saying too
much： there is someone I think of when I speak of her？ To remember
only her dear wounds； and not the healing of them； would have been a
task too painful。 I love to dwell on their next meeting。 Flipp； passing
him on
