the red cross girl-第41节

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make　enough　to　go　on　withuntil　I　see　my　family。〃

〃If　they　won't　see　you？〃　I　asked。　〃What　then？〃

He　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　sighed　lightly；　almost　with　relief；
as　though　for　him　the　prospect　held　no　terror。

〃Then　it's　'Good…night；　nurse；'〃　he　said。　〃And　I　won't　be　a
bother　to　anybody　any　more。〃

I　told　him　his　nerves　were　talking；　and　talking　rot；　and　I　gave
him　the　sleeping…draft　and　sent　him　to　bed。

It　was　not　until　after　luncheon　the　next　day　when　he　made　his
first　appearance　on　deck　that　I　again　saw　my　patient。　He　was　once
more　a　healthy　picture　of　a　young　Englishman　of　leisure；　keen；
smart；　and　fit；　ready　for　any　exercise　or　sport。　The　particular
sport　at　which　he　was　so　expert　I　asked　him　to　avoid。

〃Can't　be　done！〃　he　assured　me。　〃I'm　the　loser；　and　we　dock
to…morrow　morning。　So　tonight　I've　got　to　make　my　killing。〃

It　was　the　others　who　made　the　killing。

I　came　into　the　smoking…room　about　nine　o'clock。　Talbot　alone　was
seated。　The　others　were　on　their　feet；　and　behind　them　in　a　wider
semicircle　were　passengers；　the　smoking…room　stewards　and　the
ship's　purser。

Talbot　sat　with　his　back　against　the　bulkhead；　his　hands　in　the
pockets　of　his　dinner　coat；　from　the　corner　of　his　mouth　his　long
cigarette…holder　was　cocked　at　an　impudent　angle。　There　was　a
tumult　of　angry　voices；　and　the　eyes　of　all　were　turned　upon　him。
Outwardly　at　least　he　met　them　with　complete　indifference。　The
voice　of　one　of　my　countrymen；　a　noisy　pest　named　Smedburg；　was
raised　in　excited　accusation。

〃When　the　ship's　surgeon　first　met　you；〃　he　cried；　〃you　called　
yourself　Lord　Ridley。〃

〃I'll　call　myself　anything　I　jolly　well　like；〃　returned　Talbot。
〃If　I　choose　to　dodge　reporters；　that's　my　pidgin。　I　don't　have
to　give　my　name　to　every　meddling　busybody　that〃

〃You'll　give　it　to　the　police；　all　right；〃　chortled　Mr。　Smedburg。
In　the　confident；　bullying　tones　of　the　man　who　knows　the　crowd
is　with　him；　he　shouted：　〃And　in　the　meantime　you'll　keep　out　of
this　smoking…room！〃

The　chorus　of　assent　was　unanimous。　It　could　not　be　disregarded。
Talbot　rose　and　with　fastidious　concern　brushed　the　cigarette
ashes　from　his　sleeve。　As　he　moved　toward　the　door　he　called
back：　〃Only　too　delighted　to　keep　out。　The　crowd　in　this　room
makes　a　gentleman　feel　lonely。〃

But　he　was　not　to　escape　with　the　last　word。

His　prosecutor　pointed　his　finger　at　him。

〃And　the　next　time　you　take　the　name　of　Adolph　Meyer；〃　he
shouted；　〃make　sure　first　he　hasn't　a　friend　on　board；　some　one
to　protect　him　from　sharpers　and　swindlers〃

Talbot　turned　savagely　and　then　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃Oh；　go　to　the　devil！〃　he　called；　and　walked　out　into　the　night。

The　purser　was　standing　at　my　side　and；　catching　my　eye；　shook
his　head。

〃Bad　business；〃　he　exclaimed。

〃What　happened？〃　I　asked。

〃I'm　told　they　caught　him　dealing　from　the　wrong　end　of　the
pack；〃　he　said。　〃I　understand　they　suspected　him　from　the
firstseems　our　surgeon　recognized　himand　to…night　they　had
outsiders　watching　him。　The　outsiders　claim　they　saw　him　slip
himself　an　ace　from　the　bottom　of　the　pack。　It's　a　pity！　He's　a
nice…looking　lad。〃

I　asked　what　the　excited　Smedburg　had　meant　by　telling　Talbot　not
to　call　himself　Meyer。

〃They　accused　him　of　travelling　under　a　false　name；〃　explained
the　purser；　〃and　he　told　'em　he　did　it　to　dodge　the　ship's　news
reporters。　Then　he　said　he　really　was　a　brother　of　Adolph　Meyer；
the　banker；　but　it　seems　Smedburg　is　a　friend　of　Meyer's；　and　he
called　him　hard！　It　was　a　silly　ass　thing　to　do；〃　protested　the
purser。　〃Everybody　knows　Meyer　hasn't　a　brother；　and　if　he　hadn't
made　THAT　break　he　might　have　got　away　with　the　other　one。　But
now　this　Smedburg　is　going　to　wireless　ahead　to　Mr。　Meyer　and　to
the　police。〃

〃Has　he　no　other　way　of　spending　his　money？〃　I　asked。

〃He's　a　confounded　nuisance！〃　growled　the　purser。　〃He　wants　to
show　us　he　knows　Adolph　Meyer；　wants　to　put　Meyer　under　an
obligation。　It　means　a　scene　on　the　wharf；　and　newspaper　talk；
and；〃　he　added　with　disgust；　〃these　smoking…room　rows　never
helped　any　line。〃

I　went　in　search　of　Talbot；　partly　because　I　knew　he　was　on　the
verge　of　a　collapse；　partly；　as　I　frankly　admitted　to　myself；
because　I　was　sorry　the　young　man　had　come　to　grief。　I　searched
the　snow…swept　decks；　and　then；　after　threading　my　way　through
faintly　lit　tunnels；　I　knocked　at　his　cabin。　The　sound　of　his
voice　gave　me　a　distinct　feeling　of　relief。　But　he　would　not
admit　me。　Through　the　closed　door　he　declared　he　was　〃all　right；〃
wanted　no　medical　advice；　and　asked　only　to　resume　the　sleep　he
claimed　I　had　broken。　I　left　him；　not　without　uneasiness；　and　the
next　morning　the　sight　of　him　still　in　the　flesh　was　a　genuine
thrill。　I　found　him　walking　the　deck　carrying　himself
nonchalantly　and　trying　to　appear　unconscious　of　the
glancesamused；　contemptuous；　hostilethat　were　turned　toward
him。　He　would　have　passed　me　without　speaking；　but　I　took　his　arm
and　led　him　to　the　rail。　We　had　long　passed　quarantine　and　a
convoy　of　tugs　were　butting　us　into　the　dock。

〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃　I　asked。

〃Doesn't　depend　on　me；〃　he　said。　〃Depends　on　Smedburg。　He's　a
busy　little　body！〃

The　boy　wanted　me　to　think　him　unconcerned；　but　beneath　the
flippancy　I　saw　the　nerves　jerking。　Then　quite　simply　he　began　to
tell　me。　He　spoke　in　a　low；　even　monotone；　dispassionately；　as
though　for　him　the　incident　no　longer　was　of　interest。

〃They　were　watching　me；〃　he　said。　〃But　I　knew　they　were；　and
besides；　no　matter　how　close　they　watched　I　could　have　done　what
they　said　I　did　and　they'd　never　have　seen　it。　But　I　didn't。〃

My　scepticism　must　have　been　obvious；　for　he　shook　his　head。

〃I　didn't！〃　he　repeated　stubbornly。　〃I　didn't　have　to！　I　was
playing　in　luckwonderful　lucksheer；　dumb　luck。　I　couldn't
HELP　winning。　But　because　I　was　winning　and　because　they　were
watching；　I　was　careful　not　to　win　on　my　own　deal。　I　laid　down；
or　played　to　lose。　It　was　the　cards　they　GAVE　me　I　won　with。　And
when　they　jumped　me　I　told　'em　that。　I　could　have　proved　it　if
they'd　listened。　But　they　were　all　up　in　the　air；　shouting　and
spitting　at　me。　They　believed　what　they　wanted　to　believe；　they
didn't　want　the　facts。〃

It　may　have　been　credulous　of　me；　but　I　felt　the　boy　was　telling
the　truth；　and　I　was　deeply　sorry　he　had　not　stuck　to　it。　So；
rather　harshly；　I　said：

〃They　didn't　want　you　to　tell　them　you　were　a　brother　to　Adolph
Meyer；　either。　Why　did　you　think　you　could　get　away　with　anything
like　that？〃

Talbot　did　not　answer。

〃Why？〃　I　insisted。

The　boy　laughed　impudently。

〃How　the　devil　was　I　to　know　he　hadn't　a　brother？〃　he　protested。
〃It　was　a　good　name；　and　he's　a　Jew；　and　two　of　the　six　who　were
in　the　game　are　Jews。　You　know　how　they　stick　together。　I　thought
they　might　stick　by　me。〃

〃But　you；〃　I　retorted　impatiently；　〃are　not　a　Jew！〃

〃I　am　not；〃　said　Talbot；　〃but　I've　often　SAID　I　was。　It's
helpedlots　of　times。　If　I'd　told　you　my　name　was　Cohen；　or
Selinsky；　or　Meyer；　instead　of　Craig　Talbot；　YOU'D　have　thought
I　was　a　Jew。〃　He　smiled　and　turned　his　face　toward　me。　As　though
furnishing　a　description　for　the　police；　he　began　to　enumerate：

〃Hair；　dark　and　curly；　eyes；　poppy；　lips；　full；　nose；　Roman　or
Hebraic；　according　to　taste。　Do　you　see？〃

He　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃But　it　didn't　work；〃　he　concluded。　〃I　picked　the　wrong　Jew。〃

His　face　grew　serious。　〃Do　you　suppose　that　Smedburg　person　has
wirelessed　that　banker？〃

I　told　him　I　was　afraid　he　had　already　sent　the　message。

〃And　what　will　Meyer　do？〃　he　asked。　〃Will　he　drop　it　or　make　a
fuss？　What　sort　is　he？〃

Briefly　I　described　Adolph　Meyer。　I　explained　him　as　the　richest
Hebrew　in　New　York；　given　to　charity；　to　philanthropy；　to　the
betterment　of　his　own　race。

〃Then　maybe；〃　cried　Talbot　hopefully；　〃he　won't　make　a　row；　and
my　family　won't　hear　of　it！〃

He　drew　a　quick　breath　of　relief。　As　though　a　burden　had　been
lifted；　his　shoulders　straightened。

And　then　suddenly；　harshly；　in　open　panic；　he　exclaimed　aloud：

〃Look！〃　he　whispered。　〃There；　at　the　end　of　the　wharfthe　little
Jew　in　furs！〃

I　followed　the　direction　of　his　eyes。　Below　us　on　the　dock；
protected　by　two　obvious　members　of　the　strong…arm　squad；　the
great　banker；　philanthropist；　and　Hebrew；　Adolph　Meyer；　was
waiting。

We　were　so　close　that　I　could　read　his　face。　It　was　stern；　set；
the　face　of　a　man　intent　upon　his　duty；　unrelenting。　Without
question；　of　a　bad　business　Mr。　Smedburg　had　made　the　worst。　I
turned　to　speak　to　Talbot　and　found　him　gone。

His　silent　slipping　away　filled　me　with　alarm。　I　fought　against　a
growing　fear。　How　many　minutes　I　searched　for　him　I　do　not　know。
It　seemed　many　hours。　His　cabin；　where　first　I　sought　him；　was
empty　and　dismantled；　and　by　that　I　was　reminded　that　if　for　any
desperate　purpose　Talbot　were　seeking　to　conceal　himself　there
now　were　hundreds　of　other　empty；　dismantled　cabins　in　which　he
might　hide。　To　my　inquiries　no　one　gave　heed。　In　the　confusion　of
departure　no　one　had　observed　him；　no　one　was　in　a　humor　to　seek
him　out；　the　passengers　were　pressing　to　the　gangway；　the
stewards　concerned　only　in　counting　their　tips。　Fro