the red cross girl-第28节

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You　merely　report　what　you　see。　So；　if　you　are　doomed　to　write
only　of　what　you　see；　then　the　best　thing　for　you　to　do　is　to　see
as　many　things　as　possible。　You　must　see　all　kinds　of　life。　You
must　progress。　You　must　leave　New　York；　and　you　had　better　go　to
London。〃

〃But　on　the　Republic；〃　Endicott　pointed　out；　〃I　get　a　salary。　And
in　London　I　should　have　to　sweep　a　crossing。〃

〃Then；〃　said　the　literary　editor；　〃you　could　write　a　story　about
a　man　who　swept　a　crossing。〃

It　was　not　alone　the　literary　editor's　words　of　wisdom　that　had
driven　Philip　to　London。　Helen　Carey　was　in　London；　visiting　the
daughter　of　the　American　Ambassador；　and；　though　Philip　had　known
her　only　one　winter；　he　loved　her　dearly。　The　great　trouble　was
that　he　had　no　money；　and　that　she　possessed　so　much　of　it　that；
unless　he　could　show　some　unusual　quality　of　mind　or　character；
his　asking　her　to　marry　him；　from　his　own　point　of　view　at　least；
was　quite　impossible。　Of　course；　he　knew　that　no　one　could　love
her　as　he　did；　that　no　one　so　truly　wished　for　her　happiness；　or
would　try　so　devotedly　to　make　her　happy。　But　to　him　it　did　not
seem　possible　that　a　girl　could　be　happy　with　a　man　who　was　not
able　to　pay　for　her　home；　or　her　clothes；　or　her　food；　who　would
have　to　borrow　her　purse　if　he　wanted　a　new　pair　of　gloves　or　a
hair…cut。　For　Philip　Endicott；　while　rich　in　birth　and　education
and　charm　of　manner；　had　no　money　at　all。　When；　in　May；　he　came
from　New　York　to　lay　siege　to　London　and　to　the　heart　of　Helen
Carey　he　had　with　him；　all　told；　fifteen　hundred　dollars。　That
was　all　he　possessed　in　the　world；　and　unless　the　magazines
bought　his　stories　there　was　no　prospect　of　his　getting　any　more。

Friends　who　knew　London　told　him　that；　if　you　knew　London　well；
it　was　easy　to　live　comfortably　there　and　to　go　about　and　even　to
entertain　modestly　on　three　sovereigns　a　day。　So；　at　that　rate；
Philip　calculated　he　could　stay　three　months。　But　he　found　that
to　know　London　well　enough　to　be　able　to　live　there　on　three
sovereigns　a　day　you　had　first　to　spend　so　many　five…pound　notes
in　getting　acquainted　with　London　that　there　were　no　sovereigns
left。　At　the　end　of　one　month　he　had　just　enough　money　to　buy　him
a　second…class　passage　back　to　New　York；　and　he　was　as　far　from
Helen　as　ever。

Often　he　had　read　in　stories　and　novels　of　men　who　were　too　poor
to　marry。　And　he　had　laughed　at　the　idea。　He　had　always　said　that
when　two　people　truly　love　each　other　it　does　not　matter　whether
they　have　money　or　not。　But　when　in　London；　with　only　a
five…pound　note；　and　face　to　face　with　the　actual　proposition　of
asking　Helen　Carey　not　only　to　marry　him　but　to　support　him；　he
felt　that　money　counted　for　more　than　he　had　supposed。　He　found
money　was　many　different　thingsit　was　self…respect；　and　proper
pride；　and　private　honors　and　independence。　And；　lacking　these
things；　he　felt　he　could　ask　no　girl　to　marry　him；　certainly　not
one　for　whom　he　cared　as　he　cared　for　Helen　Carey。　Besides；　while
he　knew　how　he　loved　her；　he　had　no　knowledge　whatsoever　that　she
loved　him。　She　always　seemed　extremely　glad　to　see　him；　but　that
might　be　explained　in　different　ways。　It　might　be　that　what　was
in　her　heart　for　him　was　really　a　sort　of　〃old　home　week〃
feeling；　that　to　her　it　was　a　relief　to　see　any　one　who　spoke　her
own　language；　who　did　not　need　to　have　it　explained　when　she　was
jesting；　and　who　did　not　think　when　she　was　speaking　in　perfectly
satisfactory　phrases　that　she　must　be　talking　slang。

The　Ambassador　and　his　wife　had　been　very　kind　to　Endicott；　and；
as　a　friend　of　Helen's；　had　asked　him　often　to　dinner　and　had
sent　him　cards　for　dances　at　which　Helen　was　to　be　one　of　the
belles　and　beauties。　And　Helen　herself　had　been　most　kind；　and
had　taken　early　morning　walks　with　him　in　Hyde　Park　and　through
the　National　Galleries；　and　they　had　fed　buns　to　the　bears　in　the
Zoo；　and　in　doing　so　had　laughed　heartily。　They　thought　it　was
because　the　bears　were　so　ridiculous　that　they　laughed。　Later
they　appreciated　that　the　reason　they　were　happy　was　because　they
were　together。　Had　the　bear　pit　been　empty；　they　still　would　have
laughed。

On　the　evening　of　the　thirty…first　of　May；　Endicott　had　gone　to
bed　with　his　ticket　purchased　for　America　and　his　last　five…pound
note　to　last　him　until　the　boat　sailed。　He　was　a　miserable　young
man。　He　knew　now　that　he　loved　Helen　Carey　in　such　a　way　that　to
put　the　ocean　between　them　was　liable　to　unseat　his　courage　and
his　self…control。　In　London　he　could；　each　night；　walk　through
Carlton　House　Terrace　and；　leaning　against　the　iron　rails　of　the
Carlton　Club；　gaze　up　at　her　window。　But；　once　on　the　other　side
of　the　ocean；　that　tender　exercise　must　be　abandoned。　He　must
even　consider　her　pursued　by　most　attractive　guardsmen；
diplomats；　and　belted　earls。　He　knew　they　could　not　love　her　as
he　did；　he　knew　they　could　not　love　her　for　the　reasons　he　loved
her；　because　the　fine　and　beautiful　things　in　her　that　he　saw　and
worshipped　they　did　not　seek；　and　so　did　not　find。　And　yet；　for
lack　of　a　few　thousand　dollars；　he　must　remain　silent；　must　put
from　him　the　best　that　ever　came　into　his　life；　must　waste　the
wonderful　devotion　he　longed　to　give；　must　starve　the　love　that
he　could　never　summon　for　any　other　woman。

On　the　thirty…first　of　May　he　went　to　sleep　utterly　and
completely　miserable。　On　the　first　of　June　he　woke　hopeless　and
unrefreshed。

And　then　the　miracle　came。

Prichard；　the　ex…butler　who　valeted　all　the　young　gentlemen　in
the　house　where　Philip　had　taken　chambers；　brought　him　his
breakfast。　As　he　placed　the　eggs　and　muffins　on　the　tables　to
Philip　it　seemed　as　though　Prichard　had　said：　〃I　am　sorry　he　is
leaving　us。　The　next　gentleman　who　takes　these　rooms　may　not　be
so　open…handed。　He　never　locked　up　his　cigars　or　his　whiskey。　I
wish　he'd　give　me　his　old　dress…coat。　It　fits　me；　except　across
the　shoulders。〃

Philip　stared　hard　at　Prichard；　but　the　lips　of　the　valet　had　not
moved。　In　surprise　and　bewilderment；　Philip　demanded：

〃How　do　you　know　it　fits？　Have　you　tried　it　on？〃

〃I　wouldn't　take　such　a　liberty；〃　protested　Prichard。　〃Not　with
any　of　our　gentlemen's　clothes。〃

〃How　did　you　know　I　was　talking　about　clothes；〃　demanded　Philip。
〃You　didn't　say　anything　about　clothes；　did　you？〃

〃No；　sir；　I　did　not；　but　you　asked　me；　sir；　and　I〃

〃Were　you　thinking　of　clothes？〃

〃Well；　sir；　you　might　say；　in　a　way；　that　I　was；　answered　the
valet。　〃Seeing　as　you're　leaving；　sir；　and　they're　not　over…new；
I　thought　〃

〃It's　mental　telepathy；〃　said　Philip。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　exclaimed　Prichard。

〃You　needn't　wait；〃　said　Philip。

The　coincidence　puzzled　him；　but　by　the　time　he　had　read　the
morning　papers　he　had　forgotten　about　it；　and　it　was　not　until　he
had　emerged　into　the　street　that　it　was　forcibly　recalled。　The
street　was　crowded　with　people；　and　as　Philip　stepped　in　among
them；　It　was　as　though　every　one　at　whom　he　looked　began　to　talk
aloud。　Their　lips　did　not　move；　nor　did　any　sound　issue　from
between　them；　but；　without　ceasing；　broken　phrases　of　thoughts
came　to　him　as　clearly　as　when；　in　passing　in　a　crowd；　snatches
of　talk　are　carried　to　the　ears。　One　man　thought　of　his　debts；
another　of　the　weather；　and　of　what　disaster　it　might　bring　to
his　silk　hat；　another　planned　his　luncheon；　another　was　rejoicing
over　a　telegram　he　had　but　that　moment　received。　To　himself　he
kept　repeating　the　words　of　the　telegram〃No　need　to　come；　out
of　danger。〃　To　Philip　the　message　came　as　clearly　as　though　he
were　reading　it　from　the　folded　slip　of　paper　that　the　stranger
clutched　in　his　hand。

Confused　and　somewhat　frightened；　and　in　order　that　undisturbed
he　might　consider　what　had　befallen　him；　Philip　sought　refuge
from　the　crowded　street　in　the　hallway　of　a　building。　His　first
thought　was　that　for　some　unaccountable　cause　his　brain　for　the
moment　was　playing　tricks　with　him；　and　he　was　inventing　the
phrases　he　seemed　to　hear；　that　he　was　attributing　thoughts　to
others　of　which　they　were　entirely　innocent。　But；　whatever　it　was
that　had　befallen　him；　he　knew　it　was　imperative　that　he　should
at　once　get　at　the　meaning　of　it。

The　hallway　in　which　he　stood　opened　from　Bond　Street　up　a　flight
of　stairs　to　the　studio　of　a　fashionable　photographer；　and
directly　in　front　of　the　hallway　a　young　woman　of　charming
appearance　had　halted。　Her　glance　was　troubled；　her　manner　ill　at
ease。　To　herself　she　kept　repeating：　〃Did　I　tell　Hudson　to　be
here　at　a　quarter　to　eleven；　or　a　quarter　past？　Will　she　get　the
telephone　message　to　bring　the　ruff？　Without　the　ruff　it　would　be
absurd　to　be　photographed。　Without　her　ruff　Mary　Queen　of　Scots
would　look　ridiculous！〃

Although　the　young　woman　had　spoken　not　a　single　word；　although
indeed　she　was　biting　impatiently　at　her　lower　lip；　Philip　had
distinguished　the　words　clearly。　Or；　if　he　had　not　distinguished
them；　he　surely　was　going　mad。　It　was　a　matter　to　be　at　once
determined；　and　the　young　woman　should　determine　it。　He　advanced
boldly　to　her；　and　raised　his　hat。

〃Pardon　me；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　believe　you　are　waiting　for　your
maid　Hudson？〃

As　though　fearing　an　impertinence；　t